Sunday, February 28, 2010
Juiced Fasts: Do You Need Them?
I was recently interviewed for a piece about Juice Fasting (not necessarily for weight loss but that is definately a side effect). Do our bodies need this for "detoxing"?
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This Is Not Your Grandmother’s Diet
A new batch of juice cleanses aims to improve your overall health
By Geraldine Campbell February 18th, 2010 - 12:00am
Liquid fasts, from the squeezed-to-order Blueprint Cleanse to L.O.V.E. (Live, Organic, Vegan Experience), are the next big thing (again). But the latest crop of detox diets isn’t necessarily about losing weight—though that’s still part of it—it’s about kick-starting a healthier lifestyle. Think of it as dieting 2.0.
While you’re eliminating junk food, caffeine and alcohol from the mix, the premise behind juicing is that it frees up the body’s energy to engage in deep cleaning.
“The energy normally spent on breaking down a sandwich, a Twinkie or even a big healthy salad can now be redirected to helping the body ‘clean house,’” Blueprint Cleanse founder Zoe Sakoutis says. “We like to think of it as a way to press the re-set button and start with a clean slate.” More specifically, Sakoutis says juicing can boost your immune system, improve thyroid function, alleviate allergies and increase energy, not to mention giving your sex drive a jump.
But nutritionists aren’t sold on the benefits of a juice-only diet. For one, there’s no real physiological evidence to support the idea that your body goes into a warp-like cleaning overdrive, or that guzzling liquid seaweed will draw out stored toxins. “Your liver, kidneys, skin and digestive tract do a pretty darn good job at ridding excess toxins daily,” says Christy Maskeroni, the director of nutrition at CLAY, a cutting-edge holistic health club in New York City.
Holly Brewer, a Canyon Ranch nutritionist for the past eight years and the pediatric dietitian on staff at Sunrise Hospital, isn’t drinking the Kool-Aid, either. “While these drinks are adding more calories, they’re still not complete. Anytime you squeeze a fruit, you’re basically just getting water and carbohydrates. The vast majority of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables come from the solid mass.” Bottom line, Brewer says: “Eat your fruit; don’t drink it.” Still, Maskeroni and Brewer admit that some people need to go cold turkey before they can build back to a balanced diet. “A juice cleanse may help jumpstart the desire for a healthier lifestyle,” Maskeroni says.
“It’s not a miracle cure,” Brewer says, “but one to two days won’t hurt you.”
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Bottom line: If this is what you need to help "jump start" a change in your eating habits, it won't hurt. But it isn't necessary. And these programs are missing many essential nutrients - most importantly, PROTEIN! Best way to make a significant change in your life is to THROW OUT all the junk in the house and then refill on a daily basis with FRESH produce (get only what you need for the next 24-48 hours). Pick your proteins lean (and also fresh, but you can safely stock up and freeze). Choose only whole grains. If it's in a box with a flavoring packet, don't buy it (full of sodium, preservatives and too many multisyllable additives).
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Enjoy a Little Chocolate
Another reason to include real chocolate (aka "dark" chocolate or >40% cacao) in your life. According to a research analysis that will be presented at a neurology meeting in April, two out of three studies showed a decrease risk of stroke in people who consumed about an ounce and a half of chocolate per week. Nice news to read on Valentine's Day.
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Can chocolate lower your risk of stroke?
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Eating chocolate may lower your risk of having a stroke, according to an analysis of available research that will be released today and presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto April 10 to April 17, 2010. Another study found that eating chocolate may lower the risk of death after suffering a stroke.
The analysis involved reviewing three studies on chocolate and stroke.
"More research is needed to determine whether chocolate truly lowers stroke risk, or whether healthier people are simply more likely to eat chocolate than others," said study author Sarah Sahib, BScCA, with McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Sahib worked alongside Gustavo Saposnik, MD, MSc, where the study was completed at St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto.
Chocolate is rich in antioxidants called flavonoids, which may have a protective effect against stroke, but more research is needed.
The first study found that 44,489 people who ate one serving of chocolate per week were 22 percent less likely to have a stroke than people who ate no chocolate. The second study found that 1,169 people who ate 50 grams of chocolate once a week were 46 percent less likely to die following a stroke than people who did not eat chocolate.
The researchers found only one additional relevant study in their search of all the available research. That study found no link between eating chocolate and risk of stroke or death.
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The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 22,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Parkinson's disease, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), dementia, West Nile virus, and ataxia. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology and the AAN Annual Meeting, visit http://www.aan.com.
Non-late-breaking abstracts to be presented at the AAN Annual Meeting will be posted online in advance of the AAN Annual Meeting at 4 pm, ET, Wednesday, February 17, 2010, at http://www.aan.com/go/science/abstracts.
-------------------------------
Can chocolate lower your risk of stroke?
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Eating chocolate may lower your risk of having a stroke, according to an analysis of available research that will be released today and presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto April 10 to April 17, 2010. Another study found that eating chocolate may lower the risk of death after suffering a stroke.
The analysis involved reviewing three studies on chocolate and stroke.
"More research is needed to determine whether chocolate truly lowers stroke risk, or whether healthier people are simply more likely to eat chocolate than others," said study author Sarah Sahib, BScCA, with McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Sahib worked alongside Gustavo Saposnik, MD, MSc, where the study was completed at St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto.
Chocolate is rich in antioxidants called flavonoids, which may have a protective effect against stroke, but more research is needed.
The first study found that 44,489 people who ate one serving of chocolate per week were 22 percent less likely to have a stroke than people who ate no chocolate. The second study found that 1,169 people who ate 50 grams of chocolate once a week were 46 percent less likely to die following a stroke than people who did not eat chocolate.
The researchers found only one additional relevant study in their search of all the available research. That study found no link between eating chocolate and risk of stroke or death.
###
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 22,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Parkinson's disease, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), dementia, West Nile virus, and ataxia. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology and the AAN Annual Meeting, visit http://www.aan.com.
Non-late-breaking abstracts to be presented at the AAN Annual Meeting will be posted online in advance of the AAN Annual Meeting at 4 pm, ET, Wednesday, February 17, 2010, at http://www.aan.com/go/science/abstracts.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
All RDs Are Nutritionists - But Not All Nutritionists Are RDs
Nutritionist. Food Coach. How Good Is Their Diet Advice?
Anyone can claim to be a "nutritionist" or "food coach."
So here's what you should look for
By Katherine Hobson
Posted on US News & World Report: February 5, 2010
If you feel the need for professional help with your eating habits or diet, you may assume a nutritionist is the person to talk to. As it turns out, that's not a particularly specific or useful term—a point driven home by recent advice published in a magazine from a "nutritionist" who claimed weight loss is aided by eating carbs and protein at separate meals, a notion not supported by science.
By no means is everyone calling herself a nutritionist (or a nutritional consultant, food coach, or weight-loss specialist) dispensing hogwash. But for consumers attempting to make an informed choice, the titles are meaningless; they don't capture the possessor's education, experience, or credentials. And those are all important when it comes to seeking eating advice, given the proliferation of fad diets and quick weight-loss schemes. “I can’t think of a field that has more quackery than nutrition,” says Lisa Sasson, a clinical associate professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University.
One specific title to look for: registered dietitian. In order to call himself an R.D., a person must have an undergraduate degree in nutrition or dietetics—or the equivalent in coursework—from an accredited institution, says Dee Sandquist, an R.D. and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, the professional organization that credentials R.D.'s (through the Commission on Dietetic Registration). On top of that, R.D.'s have to complete a yearlong, supervised internship and pass a national exam. And they must get credits in continuing education on an ongoing basis. Anyone calling herself simply a dietitian is also legally supposed to be an R.D.
The American College of Nutrition also issues C.N.S. (certified nutrition specialist) credentials for people with advanced degrees—master's, doctorate, M.D.—in nutrition or related areas. They, too, have to sit for an exam and also earn continuing education credits, says Madelyn Fernstrom, director of the nutrition and weight management program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and author of The Real You Diet. Either an R.D. or C.N.S. designation means the holder has relevant education and experience, has passed an exam, and will make evidence-based recommendations, says Fernstrom.
I saw Fernstrom identified as a "board-certified nutritionist," referring to her C.N.S. certification. (She has a Ph.D. from MIT.) But the term "nutritionist" alone is meaningless. "It's not a bad thing," says Fernstrom. "But it's like saying you're a cook—you could be working in Denny's or at a five-star restaurant." So ask: What's the nutritionist's educational background? Does she have an R.D. or a C.N.S.? What experience does she have? Has she treated patients like you before? Is her practice grounded in scientific evidence? "You don't have to discount someone who has some other certification, but do your homework," Fernstrom says. "It's just like reading labels."
Making matters even more confusing is that most states have some kind of licensing, registration, or certification system in place but the systems vary in rigor. Some won't allow anyone to practice without meeting certain requirements, others allow qualified persons to use the titles "dietitian" or "nutritionist" but let others practice under different job titles, and others simply require people, regardless of credentials, to register with the state. (Here are the laws, state by state.) To be certain you're getting someone who has met national industry standards, look for an R.D. or C.N.S. credential.
If you have specific needs—say, you're an athlete who wants to know how to recover from races, are a newly diagnosed diabetic seeking help in planning meals, or are seeking help for your overweight child—be even more pointed in your questioning. Ask what specialized education or experience the person has. The ADA, for example, has additional credentials for R.D.'s who want to focus on kidney disease or cancer patients, children, the elderly, or athletes. The "Ask the Dietitian" website, run by Joanne Larsen, a registered dietitian, has some additional tips for vetting anyone offering nutrition advice. Among them: Question eating plans that require the purchase of certain supplements, avoid diets that eliminate entire food groups or prescribe "magic" foods that must be eaten daily, and ask for research—not testimonials—to substantiate claims.
One title that's grown in popularity is "coach." People seeking guidance or help in their career, for example, may hire a business, life, or personal coach. There also are people who call themselves wellness, weight-loss, food, or health coaches. Rather than calculating how many grams of protein or carbohydrate someone should eat or tracking a client's weight, they're more likely to help a customer define his or her goals and needs and figure out how to meet them. Denise Holz, a weight-loss coach in Seattle, says she helps her clients—both in person and over the phone—to eat mindfully, teaching them to be present, slow down, and focus on taste while they eat. And she helps them figure out what's really causing the bad eating habits they want to change. Doing that, she says, helps them address the underlying issues and learn to eat in accordance with their true hunger and taste. "They approach food in a whole new way," Holz says. "They don't have to sneak, don't have to feel bad about themselves."
If coaching rather than (or in combination with) nutritional advice sounds like what you're after, be aware that, like "nutritionist," anyone can call himself a "coach," says Sasson. There are some certification bodies, including the International Coach Federation. And a company called Wellcoaches Corp., in partnership with the American College of Sports Medicine, now trains and certifies healthcare professionals in wellness coaching. Its training, says Margaret Moore, the company's founder, chairman, and CEO, is "based on theories that have evidence behind them" about things like how to motivate people. Until there's some kind of national credential (similar to an R.D.), ask prospective coaches about their education, training, and experience, says Moore. "They should have a background in what they're coaching and should be able to talk the language of what makes people change," she says. "Ask about their track record and talk to current or former clients. And find someone who fits with you—if your personalities don't jibe, it's not going to work." Sort of like finding the perfect diet.
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When I am asked "what is the difference between a Registered Dietitian and a Nutritionist", I always ask "Who makes the decisions about food & meals in your home?". That would be your personal nutritionist. As an RD I'm uniquely trained in medical nutrition therapy for a wide variety of health conditions. And have further specialized to deal with diabetes, pediatrics and many GI disorders. Another important skill is the ability to interpret and explain the research results and real meaning behind all the headlines announcing some nutrition or weight loss breakthrough.
I'm sorry there are NO magic bullets. There are NO "one diet fits all". There are NO shortcuts if you want good health. If it sounds too good to be true. If it makes amazing promises. If it claims to be a secret that the medical professionals don't want you to know. It's going to be a waste of your time & money (and possibly even dangerous). Please consult a licensed/certified health care professional. Ask to see his/her credentials & where they went to school/did their internship. Shop around to find someone who can help you succeed.
Anyone can claim to be a "nutritionist" or "food coach."
So here's what you should look for
By Katherine Hobson
Posted on US News & World Report: February 5, 2010
If you feel the need for professional help with your eating habits or diet, you may assume a nutritionist is the person to talk to. As it turns out, that's not a particularly specific or useful term—a point driven home by recent advice published in a magazine from a "nutritionist" who claimed weight loss is aided by eating carbs and protein at separate meals, a notion not supported by science.
By no means is everyone calling herself a nutritionist (or a nutritional consultant, food coach, or weight-loss specialist) dispensing hogwash. But for consumers attempting to make an informed choice, the titles are meaningless; they don't capture the possessor's education, experience, or credentials. And those are all important when it comes to seeking eating advice, given the proliferation of fad diets and quick weight-loss schemes. “I can’t think of a field that has more quackery than nutrition,” says Lisa Sasson, a clinical associate professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University.
One specific title to look for: registered dietitian. In order to call himself an R.D., a person must have an undergraduate degree in nutrition or dietetics—or the equivalent in coursework—from an accredited institution, says Dee Sandquist, an R.D. and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, the professional organization that credentials R.D.'s (through the Commission on Dietetic Registration). On top of that, R.D.'s have to complete a yearlong, supervised internship and pass a national exam. And they must get credits in continuing education on an ongoing basis. Anyone calling herself simply a dietitian is also legally supposed to be an R.D.
The American College of Nutrition also issues C.N.S. (certified nutrition specialist) credentials for people with advanced degrees—master's, doctorate, M.D.—in nutrition or related areas. They, too, have to sit for an exam and also earn continuing education credits, says Madelyn Fernstrom, director of the nutrition and weight management program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and author of The Real You Diet. Either an R.D. or C.N.S. designation means the holder has relevant education and experience, has passed an exam, and will make evidence-based recommendations, says Fernstrom.
I saw Fernstrom identified as a "board-certified nutritionist," referring to her C.N.S. certification. (She has a Ph.D. from MIT.) But the term "nutritionist" alone is meaningless. "It's not a bad thing," says Fernstrom. "But it's like saying you're a cook—you could be working in Denny's or at a five-star restaurant." So ask: What's the nutritionist's educational background? Does she have an R.D. or a C.N.S.? What experience does she have? Has she treated patients like you before? Is her practice grounded in scientific evidence? "You don't have to discount someone who has some other certification, but do your homework," Fernstrom says. "It's just like reading labels."
Making matters even more confusing is that most states have some kind of licensing, registration, or certification system in place but the systems vary in rigor. Some won't allow anyone to practice without meeting certain requirements, others allow qualified persons to use the titles "dietitian" or "nutritionist" but let others practice under different job titles, and others simply require people, regardless of credentials, to register with the state. (Here are the laws, state by state.) To be certain you're getting someone who has met national industry standards, look for an R.D. or C.N.S. credential.
If you have specific needs—say, you're an athlete who wants to know how to recover from races, are a newly diagnosed diabetic seeking help in planning meals, or are seeking help for your overweight child—be even more pointed in your questioning. Ask what specialized education or experience the person has. The ADA, for example, has additional credentials for R.D.'s who want to focus on kidney disease or cancer patients, children, the elderly, or athletes. The "Ask the Dietitian" website, run by Joanne Larsen, a registered dietitian, has some additional tips for vetting anyone offering nutrition advice. Among them: Question eating plans that require the purchase of certain supplements, avoid diets that eliminate entire food groups or prescribe "magic" foods that must be eaten daily, and ask for research—not testimonials—to substantiate claims.
One title that's grown in popularity is "coach." People seeking guidance or help in their career, for example, may hire a business, life, or personal coach. There also are people who call themselves wellness, weight-loss, food, or health coaches. Rather than calculating how many grams of protein or carbohydrate someone should eat or tracking a client's weight, they're more likely to help a customer define his or her goals and needs and figure out how to meet them. Denise Holz, a weight-loss coach in Seattle, says she helps her clients—both in person and over the phone—to eat mindfully, teaching them to be present, slow down, and focus on taste while they eat. And she helps them figure out what's really causing the bad eating habits they want to change. Doing that, she says, helps them address the underlying issues and learn to eat in accordance with their true hunger and taste. "They approach food in a whole new way," Holz says. "They don't have to sneak, don't have to feel bad about themselves."
If coaching rather than (or in combination with) nutritional advice sounds like what you're after, be aware that, like "nutritionist," anyone can call himself a "coach," says Sasson. There are some certification bodies, including the International Coach Federation. And a company called Wellcoaches Corp., in partnership with the American College of Sports Medicine, now trains and certifies healthcare professionals in wellness coaching. Its training, says Margaret Moore, the company's founder, chairman, and CEO, is "based on theories that have evidence behind them" about things like how to motivate people. Until there's some kind of national credential (similar to an R.D.), ask prospective coaches about their education, training, and experience, says Moore. "They should have a background in what they're coaching and should be able to talk the language of what makes people change," she says. "Ask about their track record and talk to current or former clients. And find someone who fits with you—if your personalities don't jibe, it's not going to work." Sort of like finding the perfect diet.
--------------------------
When I am asked "what is the difference between a Registered Dietitian and a Nutritionist", I always ask "Who makes the decisions about food & meals in your home?". That would be your personal nutritionist. As an RD I'm uniquely trained in medical nutrition therapy for a wide variety of health conditions. And have further specialized to deal with diabetes, pediatrics and many GI disorders. Another important skill is the ability to interpret and explain the research results and real meaning behind all the headlines announcing some nutrition or weight loss breakthrough.
I'm sorry there are NO magic bullets. There are NO "one diet fits all". There are NO shortcuts if you want good health. If it sounds too good to be true. If it makes amazing promises. If it claims to be a secret that the medical professionals don't want you to know. It's going to be a waste of your time & money (and possibly even dangerous). Please consult a licensed/certified health care professional. Ask to see his/her credentials & where they went to school/did their internship. Shop around to find someone who can help you succeed.
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