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Posts tagged "wellness" (29)
The Myth of High-Protein Diets
MANY people have been making the case that Americans have grown fat because they eat too much starch and sugar, and not enough meat, fat and eggs. Recently, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee lifted recommendations that consumption of dietary cholesterol should be restricted, citing research that dietary cholesterol does not have a major effect on blood cholesterol levels. The predictable headlines followed: "Back to Eggs and Bacon?" But, alas, bacon and egg yolks are not health foods.
Italian Slow-Cooked Ribs + Fennel Slaw
Adapted From Johnny C’s NY Deli
Preparation Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours, 15 minutes
Serving Size: ¼ rack + ½ cup slaw; Serves about 4
0 Slices on The Slice Plan Ingredients
3 TB white balsamic vinegar
1 TB light brown sugar
2 tsp crushed red pepper
10 to 12 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ cup rosemary, chopped
1 TB oregano, chopped (or ½ TB dried)
3 to...
The [Potential] Effect of Emulsifiers
People are always trying different methods of achieving a healthy weight. For those who feel extreme pressure to "cook more," or for that matter do not know how to cook at all, this may result in an increased use of processed foods. Frozen diet meals, foods labeled "low fat" or "healthy," and even meals sent straight to your door (i.e. Nutrisystem) become an area of interest. Why not have the best of both worlds - convenience and nutrition? We all know that most processed foods aren’t good for...
5 Reasons to Eat Frozen Fruits + Vegetables
Pop quiz time. It's 3 p.m. — what's for dinner? Maybe this week you didn't have time to plan your meals, and dining out is calling your name. As much as we’d all love to serve our families from-scratch meals seven days a week, life happens; we are busy, and that isn’t always possible. So what can you do? By utilizing frozen foods, you can make quick, convenient and easy dinners at home.
Here are five reasons you should consider frozen fruits & vegetables: 1. Frozen Fo...
NY Times Op-Author Gets it All Wrong: "The Government's Bad Diet Advice"
Most people know that The Sage: Nutritious Solutions was developed by a singular dietitian, Mr. Cook-It, in order to help spread truth about nutrition and awareness about ways to live healthier, richer, fuller lives. Nutrition is a confusing topic for a lot of people, as food is the heart of society, love, and comfort. Food elicits strong emotions, connections, and memories. Most people feel that “good nutrition” means forgetting about all of these factors in lieu of being “hea...
15 Ways to Improve Your Nutrition for 2015
The New Year is upon us and what better time than to reconsider your nutritional goals? Often times, we see people starting "diets," joining gyms, or purchasing weight-loss pills. Of course, the healthier way is to start a new lifestyle, one that welcomes in nutritious food, makes you feel better and gives you the energy you need to sustain overall health and wellness. Here are 15 easy tips to help you do just that: 1. Balance it Out - make sure to include all food groups (protein, starc...
Because... Diet
There never is really a "time of year" when nutrition is NOT on someone’s mind. Whether you are thinking about your physical appearance, the types of foods you eat, trying to be more physically active, or doing what you "should not be doing," the idea of nutrition is the underlying theme. In response to any of these feelings, we try to implement small changes in our lives. Sometimes, we implement larger changes that do not last. While a series of smaller changes is usually recommended ...
Calorie Restriction = Longer + Healthier Life?
As early as the 16th century, humans have been fascinated with the idea of "the fountain of youth." Since then, people have made great attempts at lengthening their life span, all the while hoping to maintain optimal health as long as they can. Recent studies have suggested calorie restriction (CR) as a possible way to delay or prevent the onset of many aging-related conditions with increased longevity and health span. CR is defined as a 10-40% reduction in intake of a nutrient-rich diet....
Eye Health + Nutrition
Your mother may have told you to eat your carrots to keep your eyes healthy and strong. This may actually not be that far from the truth - the vitamin A found in carrots is a crucial nutrient to optimize eye health. Your eyes need more than just carrots to stay healthy, though. There are several key nutrients involved in maintaining good eye function that can be easily obtained through a balanced diet. Research has shown that in addition to vitamin A, other carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxant...
I have 2 questions: 1. Is sugar intake linked to cancer? 2. Does gluten cause inflammation in a person without gluten sensitivity- If so, is this linked to cancer?
Thanks for your question - I think this speaks a lot to people who are very worried about “getting cancer” from something in the diet. As with most things, the research can vary place-to-place, food-to-food, etc. One thing to keep in mind is that there are a variety of catalysts that lead to increased cancer risk. We know most of them (smoking, genetics, excessive alcohol intake, just to name a few), but it is very hard to discern foods - well, because we do not just eat ONE food o...
Peptic Ulcers: Myths + Nutrition Tips
Peptic ulcers are open sores that occur in the stomach or duodenum (the first section of the small intestines) of the gastrointestinal tract when the stomach lining has been compromised by strong stomach acids. The lining protects your GI tract from the acidic environment needed to digest food, however if the lining becomes damaged, you are at risk for developing an ulcer. Some common misconceptions that people believe cause peptic ulcers include consuming too many spicy foods and stress. Stomac...
Nightshade Vegetables + Inflammation
There is a lot of speculation out in the media, the internet, and in word-of-mouth conversation about nightshade vegetables and how they can contribute or worsen inflammatory conditions such as inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), arthritis, and even osteoporosis. But what are nightshade vegetables? They are vegetables that fall under the Solanum group of vegetables believed to contain "dangerous alkaloids." These vegetables have been cultivated for consump...
Can you explain the benefits of eating yogurt in relation to probiotics, etc. Also, would you recommend eating Greek yogurt over regular yogurt?
Great question! With all of the media hype surrounding yogurt, it is always good to go back to basics and remember what the true benefits of probiotics are in the first place. We have established a symbiotic relationship with the bacteria in our gut since the beginning of human existence. Over time, we have evolved to be dependent on them, and them with us. Maintaining a healthy gut, as mentioned in the post found HERE, is key to feeling your best. Probiotics are beneficial bacterial microorga...
What is the role of b vitamins in the body?
Thanks for your question! While all B vitamins have their own unique functions in the body, B vitamins in general act as a coenzyme. Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, Biotin, Pantothenic acid, B6, and B12 all act as part of coenzymes - which are small molecules that combine with an enzyme and activate it. Without a coenzyme, the enzyme is not able to do its job. Enzymes in the body help to affect absorption of key nutrients (including protein, fats, and carbohydrates), metabolism, and excr...
Diet Soda: Does it Help or Hinder Weight Loss?
Aspartame, sucralose, and saccharine - all words that might sound scary or confusing to you. This might be because of the controversial and health-conscious debates that have surrounded artificial sweeteners, otherwise known as non-nutritive sweeteners, over the years. Name brands you may be more familiar with include Equal, Splenda, and Sweet’N Low (the blue, yellow, and pink packets, respectively). The most recently explored question in research and in the media regardin...
Nutrition + Crohn's Disease
Crohn's disease (CD) is a condition that falls under Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, alongside ulcerative colitis (UC). CD results in an abnormal immune response that attacks tissue within the GI and leads to inflammation in the intestines, usually around the end of the small intestine (called the Ileum) and the colon. This inflammation can damage the lining of the intestine and lead to a number of symptoms, such as abdominal pain, diarrhea and tenesmus (the urge to go #2 without the actual...
Nutrition + Acid Reflux (GERD)
Have you ever eaten a particularly greasy or spicy meal and experienced a burning sensation from your stomach back up to the throat? Did it feel predominantly in your chest? You may be more familiar with the term heartburn, however, this is clinically referred to as gastroesophageal reflux or simply GER. GER may affect us more as we age but is something that all age groups may suffer from, including infants and children. GER may be the norm for some people, simply a process of agin...
Food Label Flackery
Choosing more nutritious options in your grocery store can be made confusing by advertising and food labels. Not only are there approximately 50,000 different food items that line the shelves of super markets, but a lot of them are labeled with ambiguous words that may make them seem like "healthy choices." Food companies are actually required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to follow specific guidelines in order to label food products with words like fat free, low calorie, low sodium ...
Can you discuss the differences between mindful eating and intuitive eating?
Wow, what an interesting question. I have to say, when I started The-Sage, I never imagined the various types of questions I would get from visitors. But, I am glad you have come to the right place to have your inquiry addressed. So, here goes: While both are nutrition-related philosophies based around becoming more in tune with your body in order to achieve a positive relationship with food, there are some inherent differences between mindful and intuitive eating behaviors. Being mindful is de...
Oral Health + Nutrition
Tooth decay is among the top chronic diseases affecting humans worldwide. Good nutrition and eating habits, routine visits to the dentist, and good oral hygiene practices are essential in the maintenance of oral health (1). Dental health is a vital component of nutrition because our digestive systems begin with our mouths and teeth. There are several nutrients that are beneficial to oral health and there are also some typical beverages and foods that we should enjoy minimally due to their negati...
I was wondering what are the nutritional changes in the U.S. over time, and also are their any significant historical events in the fast food industry, or in society, that has had an impact on the industry of fast foods?
Your question is a heavily loaded one and unfortunately there is no quick answer.There are some really great books out there that help explain this huge issue in our country. Check out the Literature section of www.the-sage.org for some recommendations. I recommend starting with “Food Politics” by Marion Nestle! There have been several nutritional changes in the United States that have impacted the fast food industry and society's relationship with food. In the aftermath of the Great...
Garcinia Cambogia: Fab or Fad?
If a new supplement out on the market sounds too good to be true, it usually is…right? Garcinia Cambogia Extract (GCE) is a pill that promises dramatic weight loss and has been receiving a lot of buzz from television doctors and famous celebrities in the media and on the web. GCE is advertised as a 100% natural and pure product that contains a key weight loss ingredient called Hydroxycitric acid (HCA.) HCA is extracted from Garcinia Cambogia, which is a "pumpkin shaped fruit that gro...
How do you find the calorie count for a meal you make yourself.
A few things come to mind when you start talking about calorie counting:
- Why do you want to count your calories? What is the end result or goal?
- How will it make you feel once you know the amount of calories in something? Most of the time, we want to know how many calories are in something in order to lose weight. Other times, we feel vindicated in eating things that are “less healthy” so long as they fit a required amount of calories we want in a day. Say...
What are your thoughts on grains? Should we be eating more protein and less carbs? I understand that we need complex carbs, but I am curious to see what your thoughts are on this topic. Books like 'Grain Brain' are confusing to consumers because it's making grains to be the bad guy (of course because of GMO's and the like) and the general recommendation is to have whole grains. Should the general public be consuming fewer grains than what's recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
The topic of whether or not to eat grains is a great one to discuss in this type of forum If you read my previous post on “Going Gluten Free,” I do touch on this topic a bit. The mindset behind grain-based carbs is that they are unhealthy for you, should not be consumed because our ancestors did not, and they “make you fat.” Let's go through some of these misconceptions. Modern Wheat is the Problem - It's true that wheat is a relatively new plant. But it can be put it i...
Red Wine + Health
Search “Red Wine” and you will get millions of hits on it's potential health benefits. This is because it is as popularly associated with health and wellness as dark chocolate and coffee, regardless of the facts. In spite of the potential health benefits, frequent consumption is still not advised. Red wine has in fact shown to benefit heart health but only in moderation. Red wine has also been a hot topic in possibly decreasing risk for cancer, minimizing neurological ...
What advice do you have for someone with Hashimoto's in terms of dietary changes?
Thanks for asking! We love to help. If people do not know what Hashimoto's Disease is, it is a condition where the immune system attacks the thyroid gland, resulting in thyroid gland enlargement/inflammation and hypothyroidism. Because the thyroid is a “conductor,” of sorts, regarding metabolism, energy, body temperature, fertility, muscle strength, and energy - it is important to do what you can medically and nutritionally to get things under control. Without getting too deep into...
Cystic Fibrosis + Oral Health
May is Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Awareness Month and as you may or may not know CF has many health concerns for those diagnosed with the disease. Oral health is often pushed to the way side for most of us, let alone for individuals dealing with the management of CF, who can have multiple lung treatments everyday. However, dental health is an extremely important component of nutrition, as the digestive system begins with our mouths and teeth. Some concerns for dental health and cystic fibrosis ...
Cystic Fibrosis + Nutrition
Pictured: Mandy Wagner, CF Survivor 1985-2012 For many people, Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a condition they have never heard of. However, CF is the most commonly inherited disease in the United States, affecting over 30,000 people. In the U.S., 1 in every 3,700 people will be diagnosed with CF each year. On the plus side, early detection and treatment means that the median age has increased dramatically over the past decade alone. So what is CF? CF is a lifelong disease caused by a d...
Who is Mr. Cook-It?
Zach Breeding, formerly known as Mr. Cook-it, is a Registered Dietitian (RD) and professional Chef. Zach started his career in foodservice at the age of twelve working on a crab boat, and has worked in every aspect of the industry since - from waiting tables to managing a private club kitchen. His culinary education began at Eastern Technical High School's Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management program. In 2006, he earned his BS in Culinary Arts from The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill Colle...