12 Strategies for a Healthier You in the New Year

As the new year approaches, many of us like to reflect upon what has worked and what hasn't worked in regard to our diets and how we take care of our bodies. Unfortunately, many of us think about our health but once a year. The New Year's Eve resolution often attempts to resolve whatever went wrong with last year's commitment to do things the right way.

Instead of trying to do things the right way, why not give your plan a little space, and maybe even allow some room for mistakes and the opportunity to start again if your original plan doesn't seem to be working?

Try implementing some of these strategies in the new year and see how you feel!

1. Give credit where credit is due. Acknowledge your successes from the previous year. Have you been eating more vegetables? Are you now reading labels and choosing foods that don't have any sugar or salt when it simply isn't necessary? Have you reduced your caffeine intake? Acknowledge whatever it is you do to improve your health in small ways.

2. Do not change your diet starting on January 1st. Start by eating the foods you normally do and pay particular attention to how some of these foods make you feel. Do you eat enough? Do you eat too much? Are you able to digest what you do eat? Do you have a blood sugar response that creates headaches when you eat certain foods? See if you can connect what you are eating to what you are feeling.

3. If you do anything this year, take a few days to record what you eat and how different foods make you feel. Do some some foods and drinks make you feel vital and alive, while others make you feel tired and generally stagnate your energy? Embrace the food journal!

4. Reduce and Replace. Do you drink too much coffee? Eat to many doughnuts? Salt everything you eat? Start by reducing the addictions: caffeine, alcohol, refined sugar, refined flour, and refined salt. Replace the addictions with something that you love that does not have the jolting effect that these items do.

5. Pay attention to the seasons. Recognize that there is a time for everything and that the dead of winter may not be the best time to be eating watermelon. Why is this? During the winter months, your body needs heat. Consume warm foods and warm drinks during the winter months. This does not mean consuming more hot chocolate or apple pie, instead, choose an herbal chai tea or baked apples with just a hint of cinnamon and butter.

6. Use your intuition and follow up by checking in with someone who knows. Do you feel "fight or flight" if you don't get regular meals? Does cheese sit in your stomach for hours? Do you feel irritable after eating wheat? Do you break out after eating certain foods? These are your body's cues that something isn't right with the way you are eating. If you can't figure it out, check in with someone who can!

7. Give your digestion a break. If you have managed to pinpoint a digestive issue in your food journal, the winter months are NOT the time to do a cleanse (I will outline a plan for a cleanse as we get closer to spring). Instead, try focusing on foods that are easier for you to digest but are going to keep you warm and your blood sugar in balance. Reach for cooked vegetables, vegetable soups, stews, and chili. Experiment with using bone broths instead of meat in your meals to give yourself a bit of digestive break without skimping on the protein.

8. Slow down. Take the time to prepare food and enjoy what you are eating. It doesn't have to be complicated. The winter months are the perfect time for one-pot meals. Ask yourself a few questions: Do you enjoy what is in your mouth? Would you make this meal for a friend?

9. Do you recognize when you are hungry? Do you recognize when you are full? Learn to pay attention to your body's cues.

10. Drink more. Many of us are dehydrated and need to drink more water, herbal tea, kombucha, coconut water or other beverages that replenish our cells and keep us alert. Next time you are tired in the afternoon reach for some mineral or coconut water and see if this helps.

11. Eat regular meals and focus on the quality of food you eat over the quantity of food. Experiment with eating 75% of your meal and leave some room in your stomach to simply breath.

12. Move your body. Try getting into the habit of going for a walk after you eat to help aid digestion and to keep you breathing. For many people, moving needs to come before any changes are made to the diet.


What is the right way, anyway? There is no right way, simply do what works for you. Stay with a few of these strategies until it feels right for you to move on. Make sure you feel comfortable making the changes. For some people this will be a week, for others a month, while others still will spend the winter months working on just a few of these steps. It's OK to be where you are.

I would love to know how you plan to take care of yourself in 2012. The comments section is great place to support and encourage each other. Please share your experiences with all of us!

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT CLASS

"Focused on Food: Finding a Weight that is Healthy for You"

Description:

"A busy lifestyle doesn't have to lead to poor eating habits, weight gain and frustration. Instead of committing to a fad diet for the new year, commit to a new way of eating by learning about real food that supports the health of your body and learn about the foods that might be sabotaging your best efforts. This class will teach you the fundamentals of whole foods nutrition and steps that you can take to create a plan that is right for you. Everyone is an individual. Learn more about what your body needs to feel better, look younger and have more energy for yourself and to share with others in 2011!"

When:

Tuesday, January 18th, 6:00 to 7:30

Where:

Sunnyside Holistic Group, 2450 SE Belmont, Portland, OR 97214

Cost:

$35 To secure a slot in class, registration payment must be received by January 16^th.

Payment options:

PayPal

Cash and checks are also accepted.

Make checks payable to Traci Goodrich.

Sunnyside Holistic Group

2450 SE Belmont

Portland, OR 97214

Contact:

Traci Goodrich, NTP at 503.233.7064 or etlnutrition@gmail.com

***Discount Winter Wellness Special on Nutrition Consultation Services:

15% discount on nutrition consultation services through the month of January.

HOLIDAY EATING SURVIVAL GUIDE

Family, friends and co-workers are well meaning when they offer you special treats over the holidays. Unfortunately, the best of intentions can sabotage your efforts to eat well and to choose healthful foods for yourself and your family.

Between Dad’s world famous peanut butter fudge and Aunt Leona’s mouth-watering lemon cream pie, you’ve got your work cut out for you!

Your job is one of choice. I recommend some of the following strategies to help you find an appropriate balance. Here are some steps to limit over-consumption of holiday food and to avoid the unnecessary weight gain that is so common during the holidays.

START IN YOUR OWN HOME

If you make your own home a safe haven of healthy foods, you will be doing yourself a favor. Holidays often offer a buffet of any kind of sweet or savory treat you can think of.

I suggest going through your cupboards and your refrigerator and throwing out the refined and processed foods (white sugar, white salt, white flour) you see and replacing them with whole healthful alternatives (see the article “Great Beginnings Always Start with Leaving Something Behind” for more details on how to get started with your home cupboard and refrigerator cleanout).

By eliminating the amount of processed and refined foods in your own home, you can feel a little better about saying yes to the occasional treat when you are at a holiday function.

If it’s tradition in your home to make a few treats, try and use unrefined ingredients in the recipes. Reach for fruit, 100% maple syrup, molasses or raw honey to sweeten dishes, and remember a little goes a long ways! You can make treats that taste delicious without overloading your body with sugar.

DON’T FORGET THE BASICS

Eat balanced meals and choose foods that support your health. This may sound simple, but it often falls by the wayside during the holidays. You still need to eat fruit, vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains, protein, and calcium-rich foods to be a healthy person.

Get regular exercise to maintain your level of fitness. I don’t recommend trying to lose weight during the holidays, instead I recommend maintaining a stable weight.

INDULGE A LITTLE, NOT A LOT

I encourage you to set some limits on how much sugar and refined food you choose to eat during the holidays to 3X a week or less. It’s a good starting place considering the amount of food that is often offered.

Remember, you don’t need to say “yes” to everything that is placed before you at a dinner party. Instead, decide what you would like to indulge in. Choose one or the other.

When at the buffet table, choose smaller portions. You can always return if you are still hungry, but decide if you are hungry or if you are just trying to clean your plate.

Share what you do decide to indulge in. There is nothing wrong with having a bite or splitting a piece of pie instead of having your own.

ACCESS, ABUNDANCE AND PARTIES

Parties are for socializing, I recommend placing this before the buffet table, by arriving to the party with something in your stomach. You will feel much better when you do reach for a small nibble of something you would like to enjoy.

Avoid being peer-pressured. You know when you are hungry and you know when you are full. It’s ok to say, “No thank you, that was delicious, but I am full”.

If someone gives you some treats as a gift, have a piece of whatever it is, and either freeze the rest or throw it away (I promise you, they will never find out).

TEMPERANCE

Above all, please remember to be kind to yourself over the holidays. Special times spent with family and friends are meant to be enjoyed. If you follow a few simple steps and take some precautions along the way you can indulge a little and enjoy the festivities a lot while feeling happy and guilt-free.

Make the Commitment, Transition to Eating Whole Foods in 2010

I will be teaching a class about the fundamentals of nutrition and transitioning to a whole foods way of eating this Saturday, January 23rd, from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM at the Northwest Women's Fitness Club. The class is free for members and I believe it is only $15 for non-members to get a day pass. Call the front desk at 503.287.6755 to register for the class! Space is somewhat limited.

This is a small blurb about the class:

"A busy lifestyle doesn't have to lead to poor eating habits, weight gain and frustration. Instead of committing to a fad diet for the new year, commit to a new way of eating by learning about real food that supports the health of your body. This class will teach you the fundamentals of whole foods nutrition. Everyone is an individual. Learn more about what your body needs to feel better, look younger and have more energy for yourself and to share with others in 2010!"

Date: January 23rd

Time: 1:00 to 2:30

Location: Northwest Women's Fitness Club, 2714 NE Broadway St., Portland, OR

Amount: free for members, $15 for a day pass for non-members

Why vegetarians should not be eating Tofurky for Thanksgiving

I was a guest nutritionist on the KBOO Community Radio Food Show on November 18th. I talked about why vegetarians should not be eating Tofurky or other soy products that are not properly fermented for Thanksgiving. 

Follow this link to listen to the show which is called "Thanksgiving Special: Tofurky, Oregon Cranberries and The Adaptable Feast".

Eat To Live Nutrition on KBOO Community Radio

I will have a 15 minute segment on the KBOO Community Radio Food Show  on November 18th from 11 AM to 12 PM. I will be discussing why vegetarians should not be making or eating tofurky for Thanksgiving and what they should make and eat instead. Tune into 90.7 FM to check it out!

The Necessary Evils: Sugar, Salt and Fat

From the three part series,  “The Necessary Evils: Sugar, Salt and Fat”

PART I: SUGAR

BREAK THE CYCLE OF ADDICTION

When I was a child, it was common in my family to eat doughnuts for breakfast, to drink soda like it was water and to add sugar to foods that didn’t necessarily need it. By the age of 12, I was at an unhealthy weight, depressed, anxious, and emotional. My father, quite innocently, indulged my sweet tooth, and did not recognize the unfortunate consequences of a diet high in sugar, nor the very real connection between poor mental, physical and emotional health and blood sugar that was out of control. The type of sugar that I ate most frequently was high in quantity and poor in quality: refined white sugar and corn syrup.

More and more connections have been established between obesity and excess consumption of sugar, specifically corn syrup, which is often an ingredient found in the least expensive and the most processed foods. A good rule of thumb is, if you can buy the item on the shelf at your neighborhood convenience store, it’s better left there than in your stomach.

As obesity and diabetes inch closer to near epidemic status in the United States, there is more public concern and demand for information about these critical issues and what can be done to avoid them. Unfortunately, most people consume more sugar than their body’s need or can ever use.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT, READ THE LABEL

If you want to start reducing the amount of sugar that you consume and you do not know where to start, start at the beginning and eliminate the unhealthiest forms of sugar first: refined white sugar and corn syrup.

Corn syrup is in many items that you may not be aware of: canned soups, ketchup, peanut butter, jam, jelly, soda, boxed sweets, and many sauces. When a nutritional label indicates that there are 40 grams of sugar in a product, as is the case with a 12-ounce can of Coke, it actually means that you are drinking something with 10 teaspoons of sugar in it. If you were going to add sugar to 6 ounces of plain yogurt, you probably wouldn’t add over 6 teaspoons of sugar, which is the amount of sugar that is in a 6-ounce container of strawberry flavored Yoplait yogurt. Even a 12-ounce glass of 100% orange juice has 8 teaspoons of sugar.

It is crucial to educate yourself about sugar by reading nutritional labels, and remember that 4 grams equals 1 teaspoon of sugar. If sugar is one of the first five ingredients on a label the food is high in sugar. Recognize how much sugar you consume and sleuth out the obvious and the not-so-obvious sources of sugar. I am often surprised by some “health foods” that have a lot of sugar. Some items that come to mind are granola, cereal bars, yogurt, and even peanut butter. These items might be using a better form of sugar: such as cane sugar, maple syrup, honey, or fruit juice but it is still sugar and it has virtually the same impact on your blood sugar level.

REDUCE AND REPLACE

Replace refined sugar with something that is natural such as raw honey, 100% maple syrup or molasses. Use unrefined cane sugar in moderation, such as with special occasion baking.

Select juices, jams, or jellies that use 100% fruit and use them sparingly.

Consume whole fruit. It has less impact on your blood sugar than juice or processed sweets.

Add water to the fruit juice you do consume.

Share dessert instead of having your own.

Although I believe that it’s ok to have the occasional treat, it’s a good idea to define what moderation is. If you take small steps to replace refined sugar and reduce the amount of sugar you consume overall, you will eventually crave sugar less and break the cycle of sugar addiction. Soon, foods that are naturally sweet will satisfy the occasion craving for sugar. As you consume less sugar, you will have more energy and vitality then ever before.

Healthful Tips To Stay On Track With Nutrition

Eat until satiated, without over eating or under eating. Try to eat three square meals a day and limit snacking. The digestive track needs a chance to rest between meals!

As a general guide, each meal should be comprised of about 30% protein, 30% fat, and 40% carbohydrate (the carbohydrates should be mostly vegetables with no more than 10% of grain).

Try not to revolve meals around bread products. Instead, use grain as an accent to a meal and in moderation.

Keep a food journal. It’s a great way for you to understand your patterns around food and how food really makes you feel.

Start the day with a pint glass of water with lemon or a teaspoon of raw apple cider vinegar.

Do not skip meals!

Try your hand at making a rich beef or chicken stock, salad dressings or fermented foods.

Do the best you can! Creating new and healthful habits takes time, so, start slowly, make changes you can live with, and add things you enjoy eating. Eat your food slowly, in a relaxed environment, surrounded by friends or family, and chew your food thoroughly.

 

The Foundation of Nutritional Wellness

Drink 8 to 10 glasses of pure water throughout the day (add some electrolytes in the afternoon—a pinch of Celtic sea salt in water is sufficient).

Have a substantial protein and a healthy fat at each meal. Two or three ounces of protein with each meal (5 to 7 ounces a day),  is a good place to start, some people need more protein and fat because of activity or energy level. Have at least a tablespoon of healthy fat with each meal (real butter, coconut oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil, safflower oil, or lard). Many people need more fat, especially vegetarians.

Have fruit in moderation. Two to three pieces a day is sufficient, look for low to moderate glycemic fruit such as berries, apples, or grapes. Avoid fruit juices and jellies.

Consume more vegetables daily, in a variety of colors. Sage advice is to shoot for 5 a day, but limit your intake of starchy vegetables (less potato, carrot, and corn, add more green leafy vegetables, beets, broccoli). These should be raw or lightly steamed.

Have low-toxicity, wild-caught seafood 3 times a week. Do your research on what is considered safe. At this point: sardines, oysters, tuna in moderation, salmon, cod, herring, mackerel, shrimp, and crab are all good choices, as well as others (If you do not eat seafood, you must find another source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Nuts and seeds are good choices).

Choose meat that is hormone-free and organic whenever possible.

It is generally wise not to revolve meals around a grain. Consumption of grain should be no more than 10 % of your meal. If you happen to have a big starchy meal such as pasta for dinner, do not add a grain to your other meals.

Add more nuts and seeds: sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, almonds, pecans, walnuts, or peanuts. Add them to salads, smoothies, and yogurt or eat alone.

Have a salad daily.

Add some cultured and fermented foods to each meal to aid in digestion.

Have calcium-rich foods with each meal (This is not limited to dairy products. Think about chicken broth, or broccoli, as well as many other calcium rich foods).

Limit consumption of caffeine to no more than 16 ounces daily.

Avoid energy bars, protein bars, cereal bars, and granola bars. They are often full of sugar and/or soy protein, and not what the body really needs for energy.

If you are not vegetarian, experiment with adding organ meats to your diet once a week.