justenoughwellfed-blog

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FNCE in Chi-Town

I went to my first FNCE event this past Saturday and it was the best! I piled up on free samples of dietary supplements, collagen protein powder, dried plums (prunes), Siggi’s yogurt, and booklets about pulses. Interestingly, there were very little fruits and vegetables. Isn’t it strange to sit in session after session listening to people talk about eating more produce and there was none to eat? 

I met a number of very sweet dietitians (all women) who encouraged me to pursue my goal of becoming a registered dietitian myself. It’s amazing how the journey seems to take forever but that’s life, right? It never comes when you want, it comes when you need it. It was the first time in a while that people were able to recognize that I was a nutrition and dietetic technician and I didn’t have to explain what that means. The most important thing is that I have a legit credential and I should be proud because it took work to obtain it. 

One of my favorite sessions was not directly about nutrition but more about active listening. It’s funny how even though I speak to people about food, their personal experiences and emotions seem to sneak into our conversations. The speakers had us form pairs of two where we experimented with different ways to listen to each others’ stories. At first, I had to say “just,” and “little,” and it was horrible because I felt that I was belittling everything that my partner had accomplished. I also couldn’t remember what she said. For the second round, I had to say “What I hear you saying is...” and that time felt much better. I was able to recall everything my partner said and she felt comfortable enough to open up to me. I want to start using that technique during shopping tours to make participants feel comfortable about sharing their situations. 

Chicago itself is a beautiful city. Cold as hell, but beautiful. On Saturday the weather was gorgeous but then the rain came on Sunday afternoon and the temperature dropped to the 40s. I was so grateful to have my wool grey coat, big fluffy white scarf, AND a yellow umbrella. The people of Chicago are also extremely sweet. On the last day of the conference, I lost my wallet which I believe was stolen and had to go to the police department. The black officers were so accommodating; one of them rode me back to my hotel in a police car. By the way, if you’re ever in Chicago and on a serious budget, stay at The Freehand on 19 East Ohio Street because it’s amazingly cheap and very nice. For three nights, it cost me a total of $172! The trip back home was a little bit of a nightmare and there were times I was about to break down in tears but my friends and family reminded me that everything would be okay. 

Even after all of the craziness, I would love to go back to The Windy City. It was fun, gorgeous and friendly and I’m always down for that. I learned a lot from the conference and it motivated me to keep going on this endless and rewarding road. I truly believe all of this back-breaking work will be worth it soon. 

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I never use the word "diet" when I talk to my patients.

Betty, Registered Dietitian 

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Stress is known to the WHO as “the health epidemic of the 21st century,” and the only way to be well is to address it.

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treat anxiety with food

I’ve dealt with anxiety for most of my life; I knew that I had to address it otherwise I would have continued to wallow in self-pity. When finally in therapy, I told a counselor, “I should have done this years ago!” He responded, “You’re here now, right?” 

I grew up with black or white thinking like most children and when i became a teenager it became a little more black because I thought no one understood me. In my junior year of college, I finally came to see that other students were struggling to grow up as well. I was hearing from my friends that they were seeing therapists and taking medication for anxiety and depression. I couldn’t but think: Was this a part of growing up that they never teach you?

Since the title of this post says “treat anxiety with food,” I want to clarify that I don’t mean to say “eat your feelings.” Instead think about how your eating patterns relate to your behavior. Do you over or under-eat when you’re stressed? What are your favorite foods during stressful times? Ask questions! Ask yourself, your parents, friends and doctor (and therapist) about what these observations may mean.  

I’ve been reading that our nutrition plays a huge part in our mental psyche. Deficencies in certain vitamins and minerals like zinc and B9 (folate) can cause slower processing in the brain. People who fear fat are harming their hormones since our hormones are made from fat (don’t diss cholesterol). Going gluten-free? B-vitmains provide us energy and are abundant in wheat so consider a B-vitamin supplement that will help to fill in the gaps. Are you a vegetarian? That’s perfectly fine however you need to make sure you get enough vitamin B12 which is only found in animal meats and byproducts like cheese and yogurt. I fear that most of the time clinicians turn to psychiatric medicine too quickly with unawareness. There are times when it’s very necessary however I think certain people can be taught techniques first that can help rewire their brain’s destructive thinking. No one wants to be hooked on SSRIs their whole lives, perhaps nutritional medicine may be a more reasonable intervention.

It doesn’t matter what decision you make, you can always start over.

You’ve probably heard this said many times but you are in control of your own life. It may feel in this moment that you have lost it in many areas but that does not mean you cannot regain your power. You have the right to change your mind as many times as you need to and do not let anyone tell you that your decision is stupid or unimportant. Stay safe, be well and no that this decision will not be your last. 

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Every time you go to the bathroom, that's a detox.

Nic Whitehead, RD, Nic’s Nutrition

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are you afraid to sweat?

Why are we afraid to sweat? Maybe because we don’t want others to see how hard we’re working on the elliptical machine or we’re self-concious about the rolls on where we think a six-pack should be. I know I feel a little weird when I try a new cardio machine for the first time and I have no idea what I’m doing. But you know what? I just go with it. I make funny faces, I laugh when I stumble, I smile when my workouts are done because for me, sweating is supposed to be fun. Since I was a little girl, I’ve always been active whether I was chasing friends down by foot or on a scooter. I was full of energy and I didn’t care how I looked but then puberty started and my appearance became very important. It became so important that I would run to get the next Seventeen magazine to see what new workouts and meal plans they recommended to enhance your beauty. 

You call exercise anything you want (hopefully something positive) but you should only do it on your terms. I think many people exercise with the wrong intentions; they want to look a certain way. They want to look like Chris Hemsworth or Giselle Bundchen. It’s sexy to have large biceps and a plump and curvaeous butt. It’s also triggering to hear messages in the media on how we’re all meant to look but we're not all meant to look the same. Remember this, you are unique for a reason. To reduce exercise anxiety:

Work out in the open air, not in front of mirrors. 

Enjoy upbeat and fun music. My personal favorite is trap music. 

Take slow and small sips of water as you sweat.

Be creative with your exercise routine. Get off the subway one stop early, walk down the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator or do bicep curls with heavy grocery bags. Host a dance party in your home where you’re the only one invited (*see Solange and Sampha).

Always recover wisely. Linger in a warm bath full of Epsom salts and relaxing scents. Eat a handful of cherries or have a refreshing smoothie. The next day, put your feet up and chill with or without Netflix. Rest days are essential.

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Your body is a wonderland.

John Mayer

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Princess Diana suffered with bulimia nervosa, particularly during her time in the Palace. The pressure for her to look beautiful 24/7 as well her life stressors affected her self-esteem. This speech is well-spoken and I’m proud that she brought light to this issue in the 90s. 

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This is an old post, probably from two years ago when I took a class about eating disorders. It debunked plenty of myths I had about eating disorders and got me interested in intuitive eating.

Eating Is Not That Simple

Currently I’m talking an advanced seminar for my child psychology minor about eating disorders. As emotional as it is, I’ve learned a lot of myths about them that I think you all should know:

1. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa only scratch the surface of an unfortunate plethora of eating disorders. Ever heard of EDNOS (eating disorders not otherwise specified), orthorexia (the obsession with healthy foods) or body dysmorphic disorder (an obsession with a part of the body)?

2. According to my professor, Native Americans are the ethnic group with the highest percentage of people with eating disorders, NOT affluent White women.

3. Eating disorders have been around since the fourth century and were used as a way to gain purity and become closer to God, particularly in the Catholic church. Surviving on bread and holy water was seen as a “miracle.” 

4. Eating disorders affect people of all ages. Most of us are made to believe that adolescent girls are the only ones who suffer and eventually grow out of these habits but there are even middle aged to elderly women who struggle too. 

5. We like to blame the media for pushing people to binge or starve but hold that thought. Although the media has some blame, eating disorders do not occur simply because a girl watched America’s Next Top Model. There’s also genetics, family and peer relationships, co-morbidities (having more than one mental illness) and other environmental triggers like school or church that influence how people feel about their bodies and food. 

6. Eating disorders are chronic illnesses and cannot be cured. They can be treated with psychotherapy and medication but it will always remain in a person’s life. Just like cancer, the symptoms of eating disorders can lessen but they never truly disappear. 

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The minute I realized that I was never going to be a model was when I learned to be more kind to my body.

Anonymous

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ethnic cuisines are healthy...until they come to ‘murica

About three years ago, I traveled with my family to Mexico City around the holidays. The weather was warm, the streets were ridiculously crowded and the art was breathtaking. What blew me away the most was the delicious food that was full of flavor! The tacos, the empanadas, the ceviches, the moles, ugh! It was all so good. Then I come back to NYC and I miss the vibrancy of authentic Mexican food and realize that Chipotle actually does suck (insert side-eye). 

Are American tastebuds really that clueless to flavor? Yes, unfortunately. Thanks to our European predecessors, we’re a country obsessed with wheat, meat, and sugar because they’re delicious and filling. It’s not until those Europeans decided to invade foreign lands was when they realized their food was pretty boring. The Indians introduced new spices and herbal teas to the British, the Chinese showed the Italians noodles and the French stepped out of their culinary tradition when the Vietnamese ate pho soup.

In the age of Seamless, most Americans are exposed to ethnic cuisines in the form of a westernized chain restaurant like Qdoba and PF Chang’s. If you hardly travel around the country or the globe, you’d be ignorant enough to think that people of color eat the greasy and fatty foods you order after a round of drinks on a Friday night. We rarely eat that crap! Mexicans eat more than tacos and burritos and Chinese households do not serve kung pao chicken. 

Also I hate to be the bearer of bad news but America is behind on wellness. Other cultures eat food for medicinal reasons but they make sure their shit tastes good. If you’re still stuck in the burrito/ramen/kung pao chicken vortex, here’s a list of other foods that you could try:

Adzuki beans (China) - High in folate, manganese and fiber, this small, red bean is used as a filling in Asian pastries or for ice cream flavoring.  

Bok Choy (China) - Also known as pak choi, bok choy is a leafy green vegetable that can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in soups or stews. High in vitamin A and C.

Green Curry (Thailand) - A paste of various herbs and spices like lemongrass, green chilies, shallots, garlic and ginger that is used as a base for a curry sauce.

Pozole (Mexico) - A spicy soup made of various spices, chiles and hominy. Hominy is the grain that creates Southern grits 

Fenugreek (Indian) - A popular spice used in seasoning poultry and curries. High in protein, dietary fiber and iron.

There’s nothing wrong with ordering a pizza or indulging in store-bought guacamole however exploring the world in your kitchen should be incorporated in your culinary habits. It not only saves money but it makes you a better global citizen too.

Sources:

https://www.drweil.com/diet-nutrition/cooking-cookware/cooking-with-adzuki-beans/

http://foodfacts.mercola.com/bok-choy.html

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1916652/green-curry-paste

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Making NYC supermarkets healthier, one store at a time. 

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i don’t care about calories

I think calorie-counting is complete shit. Did you hear what I said? Let me repeat myself:

I THINK CALORIE-COUNTING IS COMPLETE SHIT!

Calorie labels were created by the FDA to try to help people maintain their weight in a stupid and unrealistic analytical way. As a result, people have become obsessed with calorie counting and all its confusing messaging like low-fat, reduced-fat, low-calorie, refined sugar-free, and high in ______ . Go ahead and count your cookies but I’m going to name my three main reasons why calories are bogus:

No one knows how many calories to eat in a day. The numbers on nutrition fact labels are based off of an average 2,000 calorie diet. Throughout your lifetime, your body’s needs will vary depending on your stage of growth. For example, a child needs more calories than a senior and a person who likes to take SoulCycle classes needs less calories than a professional athlete. Unless you work with a dietitian, you will have no caloric reference and it’s confusing to do your own guesswork.

There are more calories than meets the eye. Read those nutrition facts very closely. Nutrition labels usually only tell you how many calories in a single serving of food, not the amount of calories in the whole package. Look at the serving size and than multiply the number of calories by the number of overall servings in the package. Let’s look at Doritos. 11 chips (or 1 ounce) of Doritos is 140 calories but who the hell eats 11 chips??? A large bag of Doritos are 11 ounces which means that a whole bag of nacho chips are 140 x 11 = 1,540 calories! And no you’re not saving calories by not licking the cheese powder off your fingers.

Not all calories are created equal. There are two types of calories: nutrient-dense calories and empty calories. Take fat; some fats are more appropriate than others. If you want to feel hunger satisfaction, eat an avocado which is packed full of fiber, monounsaturated fat and loads of vitamins. If you want to feel hungry one hour later (and don’t care), eat a bag of potato chips. No choice is the wrong choice, it depends on what you’d like the outcome to be. 

So what should you do if you don’t want to be a calorie counting zombie? It’s simple but takes work to master: listen to your stomach. There is a theory (which means it’s not scientifically proven) called set-point theory which believes that your body can monitor its weight and will naturally settle on a weight where it’s most comfortable. I love this idea since it feels like my body is in control rather than the Frito-Lay company. For other tips:

Eat when you’re satisfied, not full. If you can have an extra bite of food, you’ve probably had enough.

Eat more nutrient-dense foods if you need the energy to keep going. Enjoy the empty calories when energy is not needed (I see you Netflix binge-watchers).

Move your buns, your neck, and your triceps. Move for five minutes or move for an hour. Movement is great and the more you move, the better. 

Accept your body’s stage of life. It’s hard to accept our bodies but your body is doing a good job or least it’s trying to do it’s best. 

Don’t worry about the calories and enjoy your weekend! 

N

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We all eat and it would be a sad waste of opportunity to eat badly.

Anita Thomas

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sorry, not sorry: nutrition is political

When I began my studies at NYU for nutrition, I didn’t know I would have to think so deeply about the depressing political climate of my country. I thought it wouldn’t be a point of discussion because nutrition and politics are two different things, right? WRONG! In my community nutrition class, I learned more about the food and nutrition government programs that are responsible for the health and well-being of our country and sadly it’s a shitty mess. It bothered me when my peers would blame people for their unhealthy habits rather than look hard at our broken system that prevents them to change.

I read an article by the Times that discussed how most participants in the SNAP program are spending 10% of their food stamps on sweetened beverages like soft drinks and fruit juices. Later this week I read an article written by author Gary Taubes about how the sugar industry manipulates nutrition studies by bribing nutritionists to falsify their findings. The science community has known since the 1920s that sugar was the leading cause of health issues but it was all hush-hush and fat became the enemy instead. Do you see how our political system affects our health? It affects us through lying, stealing and blackmail and if we ignore the problems, we’ll push the solutions farther and farther away. After the election of Donald Trump, I have a horrible vision that things are about to get even messier. My response is to educate the public as well as myself on how to empower ourselves to make healthier choices with our available means. 

I think some of us focus too much on how to control our “sugar addictions” and SoulCycle that we don’t talk about the invisible people. The people who teach our kids, drive our trains on our morning commute or who sleep on the city’s park benches. As uncomfortable as it may sound, politics are a huge part of our physical and mental well-beings. Remember this if nothing else, everyone eats and everyone has the right to eat well. 

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/13/well/eat/food-stamp-snap-soda.html?utm_source=NYC+Food+Policy+Watch+%281%2F18%2F17%29&utm_campaign=%2812%2F28%2F16%29+&utm_medium=email&_r=1

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/13/opinion/sunday/big-sugars-secret-ally-nutritionists.html

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fomo: wellness in the news

1. Pediatricians finally understand that avoiding peanuts at infancy is not the smartest thing. Bring back the PB&Js!

2. It may feel intimidating (and a bit expensive) but it’s actually pretty easy to make your own hemp milk.

3. Remember the 90s? That’s when food products started posting nutrition facts by law. Now in 2017, they’re about to look a bit different.

4. “How to make peace with sugar.” Amen.

5. SoHo may not look like a food desert but not everyone who lives in the SoHo/Nolita community can afford to shop at Whole Foods. So long, Met Foods :(

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Winter has finally come! Use this playlist to kick back, relax with a cup of cocoa or turmeric milk if that’s more your jam or take a relaxing bath (preferably with Epsom salts)