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Have a Happy, Healthy Holiday

12/3/2019

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During the holidays, we are often exposed to situations that can influence how much we eat. Instead of fearing weight gain, focus on strategies that allow for the enjoyment of festive foods.

Tips to try this season:
  • Eat mindfully – when eating a holiday sweet, portion it on a plate and sit down to enjoy it.
  • Don’t skip meals – this will only leave you hungry and more likely to overeat at your next meal.
  • Ditch the diet mentality – many popular low carbohydrate diets involve cutting out entire food groups, which can skimp on essential vitamins, such as B vitamins. This can lead to fatigue, making it harder to enjoy this lively time of year. 
  • Make new traditions with festive, supportive foods
 
Try this sweet potato pancake recipe – it is an excellent source of vitamin A, which supports immune function to help keep you healthy during the holidays.


REFERENCES:
Díaz-Zavala RG, Castro-Cantú MF, Valencia ME, Álvarez-Hernández G, Haby MM, Esparza
Romero J. Effect of the Holiday Season on Weight Gain: A Narrative Review. J Obes.2017; 2085136.
Huang Z, Liu Y, Qi G, Brand D, Zheng SG. Role of Vitamin A in the Immune System. J Clin Med. 2018;7(9): 258.
Niacin Facts Sheet for Health Professionals. National Institutes of Health. Last Updated July 2019. Accessed October 2019.


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Is There a Benefit to Breakfast?

10/3/2019

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Opinions on whether to eat or skip breakfast can be contentious. Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day?
 
Skipping breakfast is associated with an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular-related deaths. However, these associations may be related to overall health patterns, instead of breakfast itself.
 
Meal timing, quality, and size are also important to consider. A recent study found that making breakfast the largest meal of the day (compared to dinner) was associated with a decreased body mass index.
 
Research has also shown that having a breakfast with fiber-containing carbohydrates corresponded to less abdominal fat. The type of foods in this study tended to be nutrient-rich including whole grain cereals, nuts, and fruits.
 
The bottom line is that eating a supportive breakfast may offer health benefits. Chose a breakfast that contains naturally good sources of fiber and check out these options for suggestions on where to start. 


References:
Chatelan, A, Castetbon, K, Pasquier, J et al. Association between breakfast composition and abdominal obesity in the Swiss adult population eating breakfast regularly. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2018; 15(1): 115.
Deshmukh-Taskar, P., Nicklas, T., Radcliffe, J., O'Neil, C., & Liu, Y. The relationship of breakfast skipping and type of breakfast consumed with overweight/obesity, abdominal obesity, other cardiometabolic risk factors and the metabolic syndrome in young adults. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES): 1999–2006. Public Health Nutrition. 2013; 16(11): 2073-2082.
Kahleova H, Lloren JI, Mashchak A, Hill M, Fraser GE. Meal Frequency and Timing Are Associated with Changes in Body Mass Index in Adventist Health Study 2. J Nutr. 2017;147(9):1722–1728.
Rong, S, Snetselaar, L, Xu, G, Sun, Y, Liu, B, Wallace, R, Bao, W. Association of skipping breakfast with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Journal of American College of Cardiology. 2019; 73(16): 2025-2032. 


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Ditch the Diet

3/4/2019

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Tired of trying diet after diet with no long-term success? Intuitive eating may help you adopt a healthier lifestyle – it is an evidenced-based, mind-body approach that can be an alternative for lifelong dieters. Its 10 principles focus on internal cues, such as hunger, fullness, and satisfaction.
 
Why shift away from dieting?
 
Dieting is associated with:
  • Increased preoccupation with food
  • Increased guilt
  • Rapid weight loss followed by regain
  • Decreased metabolism
 
Intuitive Eating is associated with:
  • A lower BMI
  • Decreased disordered eating
  • Increased diet variety
  • Increased body appreciation and self-esteem
 
Where to begin?
 
Try rejecting the diet mentality. If you are on a restrictive (non-medically necessary) diet, consider stopping it. It can cause you to miss out on beneficial nutrients. 

Research has also shown severely limiting enjoyable foods can actually increase calorie intake and fuel feelings of guilt.

 
References:
Gelder, M,  Mayou, R and J Geddes. Disorders of eating. Psychiatry. New York: Oxford University Press; 2006. 161-166p.
Keeler CL, Mattes RD and SY Tan. Anticipatory and reactive responses to chocolate restriction in frequent chocolate consumers. Obesity. 2015; 23(6):1130-1135.
Montani JP, Viecelli AK, Prévot A, and AG Dulloo. Weight cycling during growth and beyond as a risk factor for later cardiovascular Diseases: the “repeated overshoot” theory. Int J Obes. 2006; 30: S58-S66.
Tribole E. Intuitive eating: research update. SCAN`S Pulse. 2017; 36(3):1-5.
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How To Stop Dieting

9/19/2018

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The only diet advice you need is that you probably don't need one.  Click here to read an article by one of our nutrition experts, Emily Gelsomin, about how to sort through recent diet fads.

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