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NEW New Years Resolutions

Welcome to January, the month of diets, detoxes and empty promises.

There is a lot of motivation wrapped up in January that is so exciting. It's a chance to start over, wipe away any negativity, and take a positive step towards our picture perfect lives.

I'd like to capture that positive motivation and build it up towards some new, more specific goals/resolutions for myself. And maybe you'd like to join me.  It is important to have goals that fit into various segments of your wellness wheel.  Making sure that you think about and consider your physical wellness, emotional wellness, spiritual wellness and intellectual wellness.  We don’t need to include all of these, but it is important to consider all in order to have a big picture view of our whole selves.

It is also important to get as specific as possible with your goals.  The more details you have; time, date, actual event, etc., the more likely you are to remember and complete them.

A SMART goal is: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-sensitive. 

My two main goals this year fall into Physical and Emotional wellness.

I recently had a beautiful baby girl named Grace. She is now 8 months old. Which means that I am now looking at my post baby body in the mirror with a little less love and leniency, and a little more pressure and criticism.

The professional me wants to look at myself and say, "You look wonderful, you are still breast feeding and need those extra calories you are craving, and you will have time to get back to where you want to be. Don't be so hard on yourself. Love what your body has just done for you."

But the self-critical me is looking in the mirror, confused as to where these extra soft arms, tummy and thighs came from.  It is an interesting phenomenon when the self portrait in your mind doesn’t match the self portrait in the mirror.

My goal in physical wellness is to begin working out again, focused on strength training and yoga a few times a week until I finish breastfeeding my daughter.  Until then, I will grant myself Grace (pun intended) with my appetite and my body shape and composition.

--

Emotional wellness for me is all about personal connection and relationships.  With friends, family and loved ones.  When those relationships don’t get the time and nurturing that they need in order to create deep conversations, genuine connections and fun adventures, my emotional wellness begins to decline. 

For me, my friendships have taken a spot on the back burner to make room for the new little life I am responsible for, and to make room for the time it takes to run a business solo.  I still connect with my friends, but it is not nearly as often or as focused as Id like it to be.

My goal in emotional wellness is to make the time to meet with a friend or group of friends without my daughter in tow at least twice a month.  I’d love for that to be dinner or drinks out with girlfriends or a workout class on the weekends or even a concert or game.

--

What are your SMART goals for 2015?  Which wellness segments are you focused on for the year?  The next best thing to make a goal happen is to SHARE IT!  Share your goals here to put them out into the universe for commitment.

Happy New Year!

Ashley & Crave Health



Image Source Credit:
Wellness Initiative from UNL http://wellness.unl.edu
SMART Goals Abstrakt Marketing August 2014 http://www.abstraktmg.com/s-m-a-r-t-goals-can-be-stepping-stones-to-success-how-do-yours-measure-up/

BMI Measurement in Schools

BMI's in schools.  Huge issue.  Here are my thoughts.

I see both sides of the coin.  I have a unique stance due to my positions at one point in time being on both sides.

As a 22 year old dietetic intern at Vanderbilt, we have a very extensive final community nutrition project that needs to be executed before graduation.  My project was titled, "Address your Health. A Sample Systems Guide to Implementing Health Report Cards in your State."  Seriously, here is proof.

Back then, I was working in Tennessee, a state at the time that ranked 47th in childhood health.  I was in and out of the schools doing various nutrition presentations.  You can't help but physically see the obesity issue.  My project conclusion was a guide to help schools implement "Health Report Cards" that included height, weight, BMI, blood pressure, body fat percentage and waist circumference with suggestion of adding 24 hour diet recall.  It also included sending a letter out to parents in advance allowing them to opt their child out of the Address Your Health screening.  See below.

After I graduated from Vanderbilt, passed my RD Exam and jumped into the world of medical nutrition therapy, guess what my first job was?  Lead Registered Dietitian at a private intensive outpatient treatment center for eating disorders.  My world changed drastically and became a revolving door of anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and addiction.  Patients of all ages cried in my office every single day over how much they hated their bodies, how evil food was, and how they struggled to have a positive personal relationship with themselves.  My view of calories and numbers on a scale swung to the other extreme.  Maybe we should just get rid of all nutrition labels and all scales?

Currently, I treat various different people. I specialize in eating disorders but I also see kids, adults, issues of weight loss, chronic disease management, etc.  I have been in both camps and have felt both sides of the argument.  The bottom line is that health is a major problem with our youth.  The question is, what do we do about it, and who is primarily responsible to do something about it?

Here is my current stance.  It is the parent or guardian's responsibility to ensure that their children are as healthy as possible - in physical health and emotional health.  There are some great parents out there, there are some not-so-great parents out there.  There are also some great parents who struggle with certain aspects of life themselves; for example parents with their own eating issues.  The primary responsibility lies with the parents.

However, educators, administrators, health care providers, coaches and other adults also have a responsibility to demonstrate what a healthy life looks like.  I think it is absolutely ridiculous and hypocritical to be measuring children at school for health data and then offering soda and fried chicken nuggets to them for a meal at lunchtime.  French fries and ketchup are not vegetables.  Schools should be embarrassed if that is the case.  That sends a very confusing message to the child and the parents.

So here is my solution.  If you, your school, your district, your community, truly care and want to get involved in the youth health crisis on a personal or a school level, here is what you need to do.

• As a school, send a letter to the parents.  State the the concern regarding the current youth health crisis and encourage them to visit their doctor or a dietitian to learn their child's trending height, weight, BMI as related to age, and waist circumference.  Let them know in the letter that your school nurse and school psychologist are available for any advice or questions.  And lastly, find a local registered dietitian nutritionist in your area and ask if they wouldn't mind being a resource for your students and parents.  And get the junk food out of your school, period.

• As a school employee, lead by example.  Do not reward children in class with candy or any food.  Do not eat the unhealthy options in the lunch line.  Do not use the soda vending machines.  Let your students see you being healthy and making positive changes.

• As a parent, lead by example.  Stock healthy foods at home.  Do not reward or punish with food.  Do not eat and drink junk food at home.  If you have your own issues with food, let your children see you work towards getting help and changing things for the better.  Do not talk about your body in a negative way.  Do not talk about their bodies in a negative way.  Be open to questions from your kids about anything.  

• As a health care provider, ask the child what they eat in a typical day - yes, ask about nutrition always.  Monitor health data, but never react to it or comment about it in front of the child.  It is typically a comment from a health care provider, said hastily and without support, that will give children the idea that they are overweight, obese, unhealthy, or not good enough.  Please watch your words.

As a registered dietitian nutritionist I would be happy to talk about this topic anytime.  I'll even let you read my "Address Your Health" proposal from grad school.  I will connect you with a registered dietitian nutritionist in your area for a reference.  The road to cleaning up this mess is not easy, but we have to start by taking individual responsibility first, and then we can help others.  The old airplane oxygen mask rule right?

Kids Eat Well Month August 2014

August has been highlighted by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (the governing body for nutrition professionals – RDN’s) as a month to focus on kids health and nutrition.  I just have one issue that I’d like to “Crave Health-ify” if you will… 

and that is the use of the word “right”.  

The Academy has used the phrase “eat right” for years – it’s the web address and logo, and it’s the overall message and theme.  However, this tiny grammatical error infers that there is a “right” way to eat and a “wrong” way to eat.  So to remove that messaging so you parents can focus on the amazing messages within the month of August – let’s just change “right” to “well”.  There we go.  That feels better!

August is ‘Kids Eat Right WELL’ Month

With childhood obesity on the rise, making sure kids eat well and get plenty of exercise is vital.

Parents and caregivers can play a big role in children’s nutrition and health, teaching kids about healthy foods, being a good role model and making sure physical activity is incorporated into each day.

August is a great time for families to focus on the importance of healthful eating and active lifestyles. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is encouraging families to take the following steps:

1)  Shop Smart. To encourage a healthy lifestyle, get your children involved in selecting the food that will appear at the breakfast, lunch or dinner table.

Hey Seattle! – Did you know that kids get to pick out a FREE fruit or veggie every time you shop at PCC?  It’s true.  They will even wash, cut and prepare it for your child to try. Check it out here.

2)  Cook Healthy. Involve your child in the cutting, mixing and preparation of meals. They will learn about food and may even be enticed to try new foods they helped prepare.

Not much of a cook?  Try  a kid friendly cooking class and learn along with your older kiddos.  Check out this awesome article highlighting FREE kid friendly cooking classes all over the pacific northwest.

3)  Eat well.   Sit down together as a family to enjoy a wonderful meal and the opportunity to share the day’s experiences with one another. Research indicates that those families who eat together have a stronger bond, and children have higher self-confidence and perform better in school.

Family dinners are hard to come by with our busy schedules.  But research shows that even the smallest amount of time at the table together can build kids up.  Even if it’s only a few times a month!  Make it a goal to have family dinner in August.

4)  Healthy Habits. You can help kids form great, healthy habits by setting a good example. Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, choose lower-sodium options, and make at least half the grains your family eats whole grains. For beverages, choose water over sugary drinks. 

If you haven’t noticed, your kids WATCH YOU.  They are little sponges.  So watch how you speak about your body and food, and don’t be a hypocrite.  If you pick out all the olives, you don’t think your little one will?

5)  Get Moving. Aside from being a great way to spend time together, regular physical activity is vital to strengthen muscle and bones, promote a healthy body weight, support learning, develop social skills and build self-esteem. Kids are encouraged to be active for 60 minutes per day.

Ever wish there was a fitbit for kids?  THERE IS.  It’s called ibitz and it tracks your little one’s steps and movement and syncs to an app for the kids – the more steps, the farther their spaceship can fly and explore more in a game that actually rewards with Disney coins!

Getting kids to eat well can sometimes be a challenge, particularly if they are picky eaters. But experts say that a conversation can help.

“Talk to your children. Learn the foods they like. Teach them about the foods they need for their growing bodies. Find ways together to make sure they have the knowledge and ability to eat healthy and tasty foods at every meal,”

- Angela Lemond, RDN, and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson.

It may help to consult a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) in your area to ensure your family is getting the nutrients it needs with a meal plan tailored to your lifestyle and busy schedule.  YOUR INSURANCE COVERS THIS!

This August, reevaluate your family’s eating and exercise habits, and take steps to make positive, healthful changes.

Much Love, 

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Crave Health

CANOLA OIL

Our "What the HEALTH?!" Topic for August.

You may or may not have been hearing rumblings from your friends, trainers, random nutrition people, that canola oil is TOXIC, CANCER CAUSING, UNHEALTHY, CARCINOGENIC, etc, etc.

Lets investigate.

In 2013 I started hearing the rumblings myself...

"Oh my gosh you aren't going to eat that are you? It has CANOLA OIL in it! That's so bad for you. You know whole foods is banning it from all their stores."  

"Oh really?" I said.

Naturally, I got curious and started asking questions.  Usually these "what the health?!" topics get started when a little bit of science gets blown out of proportion and misused.  So I scoured through all of my past textbooks, food science and new research and still couldn't make sense of it.  Yes it is a high GMO crop, but what else is going on here?  So back in 2013 I reached out to PCC and Whole Foods to see what they had to say.

From Whole Foods: 

"Thank you for contacting Whole Foods Market. WFM does allow and always has allowed canola oil. It is used in our delis as it has a good smoke point (can be used up through medium high- heat cooking) and a neutral flavor, making it an oil that has a wide range of uses. It is also a source of omega 3. Canola is a specifically bred variety of rapeseed and is part of the mustard (or Brassica) family whose other members include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale and mustard greens. There appears to be much confusion concerning the safety of canola oil. Whole Foods Market believes canola oil is a safe and wholesome food and, therefore, will continue to sell it in our stores. In order to ensure the highest quality oil possible, we feature expeller-pressed, organic canola oil in our stores."

Best regards, 

Julie Brown 

Global Customer Information Specialist | Whole Foods Market | 550 Bowie Street | Austin, Texas 78703

From PCC:

"We have NO plans at all to ban it [canola oil] at PCC, but I get a question almost every single week about canola from our shoppers - who have read online that it is toxic.  As a result (of this popular misconception), we don't use it in our delis - instead we use a combination of EVOO and (high oleic) safflower oils.  I recently wrote an article on good alternatives to olive oil, and (as expected) it got a lot of feedback, here is a link: http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/nutrition/ask/high_heat_oils.html

(the article even inspired someone to post their own blog/rant on cooking oils in the comments)

And here is a link to PCC's cooking oils brochure, we recently added "toxic canola" as a FAQ - http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/guides/tips_cooking_oils.html

Lmk if you have any more questions here..."

Nick Rose, MS  

Nutrition Educator / PCC Natural Markets

206.547.1222 (ext. 140) / nick.rose@pccsea.com / www.pccnaturalmarkets.com

and in a recent follow up with Nick at PCC he recently wrote this article specifically on Canola Oil: http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/sc/1404/questioning_canola.html

The bottom line is that Canola began getting a bad reputation because of the mis-association of Canola with Erucic Acid from Rapeseed Oil.  I think that "Rapeseed into Canola: A Cinderella Story" says it best...

"Rapeseed and canola are not terms to be used interchangeably. Canola was developed from rapeseed through the use of traditional plant breeding techniques. The crops differ with respect to their chemical composition and nutritional quality. Rapeseed oil contains a high proportion of erucic and eicosenoic acids which are not essential for human growth, and render the oil unfit for human consumption. In addition, the protein meal fraction left over after crushing, contains compounds called glucosinolates which inhibit growth in livestock. Conversely, canola oil contains low levels of erucic acid, and has the best nutritional profile of any vegetable oil on the market. Canola meal is also low in glucosinolates which enables it to be used as a nutritious protein source in livestock feed rations. According to the 1986 trademark, canola oil may not contain more than two percent erucic acid, and the solid fraction of the seed may not contain more than 30 micromoles per gram of glucosinolates (Canola Council of Canada Canada’s Canola, 2-3)."

MY CONCLUSION:  CANOLA IS A GREAT HIGH HEAT, NEUTRAL FLAVOR OIL!  JUST BUY ORGANIC, COLD-PRESSED CANOLA OIL.

Have a "What the HEALTH?!" topic you'd like us to research and comment on?  Let us know by emailing Crave@Crave-Health.com with your topic.

King 5 Nutrition Segments

Here is a look back on a couple of our media segments for the King 5 TV "Get Fit" Initiative! 

Balanced Snacking

GMO Labeling 

*Since airing, Ashley's top recommendations for buying organic are: Meats (all) & Produce from the Dirty Dozen List*

Stress is Killing Us!

3 Reasons Stress Kills,  

with 5 Solutions.

Our magnificent brains perceive stress a few different ways.

Physiological Stress – being chased by a lion, defending against an intruder, being in a car accident, etc.

Perceptual Stress – thinking that we may be in danger based on things around us, like a weird person following us at night, getting on a plane and thinking it might crash, etc.

Imaginary Stress – made up thoughts that aren’t actually occurring but that we stress about, for example “If I don’t perform at work I wont get a bonus and wont be able to pay my bills.”


Reason #1

Our brain can NOT differentiate between these stressors, and reacts the same to each one.

As our brain’s stress responses are activated, hormones flood the system that are intended to get us through short term, life saving situations (what stress originally was).  Those hormones allow us to focus, think fast and make decisions by shutting down or temporarily disabling other processes like digestion, immunity, sleep and repair.  The problem is, that this response was intended to be temporary – not chronic.  As these hormones stay flooded throughout our systems we begin to see the negative effects in symptoms like digestive issues, sleeping difficulty, immune suppression, increased illness, and organ damage.  This damage to our organs is shown in various ways, like brain scans showing atrophy of brain tissue and depletion of neurons and in cardiovascular labs with increased arterial plaquing and increased constriction of the arteries causing high blood pressure.  What you think about and what you stress about, can in fact, make you sick.

The top 10 damaging stressors in our lives according to the American Institute of Stress are:

1) Childhood trauma
2) Death of a loved one
3) Divorce
4) Finances
5) Job
6) Health
7) Personal relationships
8) Caregiver for a critically ill child or spouse
9) Pregnancy
10) Danger

How many of these do you have going on in your life right now?  How are you managing this life-altering stress?

In the Terman Longevity Project, they found that job stress, and in particular, the interpersonal relationships we deal with at our jobs, is a major risk factor for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

In the MacArthur Successful Aging Study they showed that job stress produced high levels of stress hormones that actually cause repeated surges of blood pressure and heart rate that increase the risk of heart disease due to: increased blood pressure, accelerated plaque formation that restricts blood flow, increased abdominal obesity, increased insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes, and an overall decreased immune response.

The average person in the MacArthur Study under “chronic job stress” producing these outcomes had the following:

• Blood Pressure of around 148/83
• Waist to Hip Ratio of >0.94
• Total Cholesterol to HDL Ratio of >5.9
• HDL Cholesterol level of <46 p="">

Is this you?  Can you not even answer these questions because you don’t know your blood pressure, waist to hip ratio or lab values?  Fix that.

Reason #2

Chronic stress can change the size and shape of our brain, affecting our memory as well.

The prolonged exposure to cortisol and other stress related events actually cause atrophy of the frontal and hippocampal areas, resulting in a reduced ability to encode and organize new memories.  And we all know how stressful it is when we begin to forget things or can’t recall where we’ve put something or what someone has told us.  Those little disruptions are red flags your body is waving, trying to signal you that something is wrong and not functioning correctly.


Reason #3

Chronic stress is also strongly associated with the development of depression and anxiety.

The chronic stress causes atrophy of the frontal lobes of the brain, which are responsible for control, leading to a lack of control over the emotional events we experience.  This lack of control over our emotions tends to cause a distorted and negative view about the world: the glass is half empty.   Its estimated the 4% of the world population suffers from depression.  Yep, 4% of the WORLD.

It’s also important that we look at our “second brain” as well:  The Gut.

There is an intricate network of 100 million neurons (brain cells) that are embedded into the gut wall and connected to the brain by the vagus nerve.  There are 100 trillion bacteria in the gut and those little bugs have a significant effect on how the brain functions, including how the brain responds to stress and therefore, depression and anxiety. A 2011 British Nutrition study showed that just a 30 day course of probiotics led to decreased symptoms of depression and anxiety in humans.

Stress has become a part of our culture, something we’ve come to accept as normal and even something we learn to thrive on.  However, what all of this science tells us, is that it is literally killing us.  Stress is a major player in the top 7 causes of death in the United States, and some in the health community say that it is the biggest killer of Americans.

So lets turn the culture of Stress around and start to fight it like we do Cancer and Heart Disease.  Here’s how.

Treatments for Stress, and therefore Depression and Anxiety

Of course there are lots of medications to choose from.  But, lets rule out more natural and cognitive reasons you may be coping with stress inefficiently first.  I challenge you to try these methods for at least 6 months before moving to a medication.  In most cases, even if you still need help from medication, your strength and dosage needed will be much less after incorporating these first.

1)  Rule out SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) by getting your Vitamin D levels checked.  Supplementing with Vitamin D3 pills, drops or gummies can relieve this contributing factor fairly quickly.  You can also buy SAD lights to put at your desk or in your home.


2)  Take your probiotics.  Since one of the variables that can contribute to damaged brain function involves the gut, lets just make sure you have the right amount of the right types of bacteria hanging out down there.  I recommend a probiotic in the billions (CFU count will be listed on the bottle) with at least 4 different strains of bacteria.


3)  Exercise.  I know - no one wants to hear this and no one “has time” for this.  But hear me out.  Exercise, even 2 times per week for 30-60 minutes or just 20 minute walks each day, enormously improves cognitive performance, long-term memory and problem solving.  All essential for managing stress.  This consistent exercise literally cuts your risk for general dementia in half.  Impressive?  It cuts your risk for Alzheimer’s Disease by 67% and cuts your risk of Stroke by 57%.  So get moving.


4)  Go to the doctor.  Awareness is where you have to start.  Ruling out contributing factors that may affect your brain chemistry like thyroid disorders, is so easy to do with a simple blood draw.  But you have to actually go to the doctor and ask for labs to rule that out.  You should also be aware of your weight trends over time, as abdominal obesity is a surefire sign of poorly managed stress.  Go to the doctor, be honest, and get checked out – once a year.


5)  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).  Go see a therapist.  I believe everyone can benefit from talking to an experienced and non-biased third party about our problems.  There is nothing bad that can ever come of that.  Sometimes we need to vent to release stress and anger, and other times we need to be guided on how to restructure those negative or catastrophic thoughts that bring us fear and produce anxiety and depressed moods.  CBT is a proven method to help restructure the way our brain sends signals and communicates with our emotions and thoughts – leading to reduced stress, reduced disease, reduces depression and reduced anxiety.


For a list of some great doctors, therapist and other health care practitioners that can help you with these please see our referral list of people we work with and love.


Life is short, so figure out a way that works for YOU to be able to properly deal with stress in your life so you can repair any damage done and get to go enjoy life!




References:

INR Study: Stress, Anxiety & Depression.
Friedman HS, Martin LR.  The Longevity Project.  New York: Hudson Street Press, 2011.
The MacArthur Foundation Successful Aging Studies.
Medina J.  Brain Rules.  Seattle: Pear Press, 2008.