Try the "New American Plate"

To follow up on my previous post, I have downloaded and am trying some of the recipes from the New American Plate published by the American Institute for Cancer Research. Their New American Plate for Breakfast is a free pdf you can download that has some sample recipes and very helpful advice. This sample publication can help you shift from the typicial American breakfast: from no breakfast or fatty on-the-go meals we're tempted to get from fast food vendors to healthier but still quick breakfasts that can make a difference in our health.

While it's just one piece of the health puzzle, it's a start. So, I encourage you to visit their site, download the breakfast guide, and let us know what you think.

Also, do you have any healthy eating tips or recipes you'd like to share? What works for you? Is it easy to prepare or will it take some pre-preparation so it's ready as a meal-on-the-go?

As Ed always says, let's tawk!

Nutrition During and After Cancer

A few weeks ago, I attended a conference on Nutrition After Cancer sponsored by the American Institute for Cancer Research. The conference was highly informative and included participant comment/question time after each presentation, making it interactive and useful to professionals and non-professionals.

While I won't post on all the topics here, Ed and I would like to know what you think about the relationship between Nutrition and Cancer. Are you a professional who is trying to help your cancer patients understand how important nutrition is in the battle against this disease? Are you living with cancer (pre- during- or post- treatment) and looking for good information to help you in your fight against the disease and to maintain a satisfactory quality of life? Are you a family member or friend of someone with cancer who wants to help?

Let's begin a conversation here about this. Use the comment feature to ask a question (which we'll answer and hope that others will answer). Use the comment feature to respond to someone's questions or worries.

We want to hear from you!

Reversing Diabetes without Drugs

I recently had the opportunity in Boston to hear Dr. Neal Barnard speak about a scientifically proven system for reversing diabetes without drugs. In summary, he re-catorgorized the four food groups into whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. Following his plan he has shown in formal studies that you can both lose weight and reverse Type 2 Diabetes. While his plan is a vegan diet - excluding all animal products - he offers many positive suggestions for losing weight that everyone could incorporate into their particular eating style. Dr. Barnard's book, which strangely enough is titled Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes, is an easy read with many good ideas for improving one's diet, whether or not you choose to adopt a total vegetarian or vegan food plan. Dr. Barnard is the founder and president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM.org) a vegetarian advocacy group. Dr. Barnard is also president of The Cancer Project, a new nonprofit organization advancing cancer prevention and survival through nutrition education and research. His recommendations concur with numerous studies that show increasing intake of fruits and vegetables positively affects factors associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, blood pressure and weight loss. Eating five or six servings of fruits and vegetables daily is indeed a sensible approach to improving any food plan.

Take Note

Many people succeed in making a change in their eating pattern more quickly when they observe and monitor their thoughts and behavior around food first, before making any changes. This can be a big pain in the beginning. However I recommend either keeping a list of foods eaten plus the thoughts and feelings surrounding each eating situation. Boring you say? Maybe you are a "self-observing" person who can note of these things without writing them down. That's fine. However, most of us require written observation to address issues. Any way you can do it, do it. The more specific, honest, and focused your "notes", the more hints you'll find along the way to untangle the links between foods and your feelings, eating and your emotions. The more days you do the more hints you'll uncover. It's pretty much an expedition. You may need to bring along some weather resistant boots cause you may be stepping in some strange stuff. Watch your step!

New Year's Resolutions - Just Say No

New Year's Resolutions. Now's the time. Or is it? I would say bah humbug! This is probably the worst time to set lofty goals for changing any behavior, let alone eating behavior. You're tired. Your schedule has been completely off. You're just getting back to your non-holiday routine. You've probably ate more than you wanted and forgot about physical activity. Why mess things up more before you clear your head and get back to a more "normal" routine?

If you want to plan some eating behavior changes be certain to note your specific eating pattern first. It's important to know where we are before we plan where we're going. Wait a little before you make a change. Plan for success slowly. Resolutions must be well considered to insure success. Leave those hazy hectic holi-daze behind before thinking about change. Process your ideas here before committing to them. Setting your sites too high can lead to disappointment and discouragement. Not a great weigh to go.

Happy New Year! from NutritionEd, January 2, 2007. The first offical posting from NutritionEd. Bloggers are encouraged to comment on Posts or other blogger's comments. This paricular blog is designed to help people make changes in their eating style. NutritionEd will edit the blog. He is a nutritionist and eating coach with a background in nutrition and counseling psychology. He combines nutrition, psychology and food philosophy in his practice. He also promotes a non-diet appraoch to weight counseling and support. He encourages your input.

How Do I Get Rid of Holiday Overload?

Hi Nutrition Ed. I'd like to know how to get rid of the that "stuffed" feeling from overeating over the holidays. It is so difficult to control the types of food that's served at the relatives, so what can I do between those holiday meals to keep my balance -- keeping those carbohydrates down and not getting so overloaded with sugar and starch that I keep feeling hungry and tired?

What are your questions about Foods, Moods, and Attitudes?

Hi. Nutrition Ed here. I'm hoping you'll read this blog frequently and send me your questions and thoughts on Foods, Moods, and Attitudes. As I try to answer them, others will likely propose alternative answers and suggestions. This is a great way to start an ongoing dialogue that enhances your health and wholeness as we all learn more about how our well-being is affected by and affects our foods, moods, and attitudes.
Nutrition Ed