In my last newsletter we began to talk about the color of our foods. Have you noticed the colors on your plate more frequently since I brought up the subject?
Perhaps you have been adding more colors to your meals. If so, I’m delighted, and would love to hear what you have been eating and whether you can tell any difference in your energy level or taste.
Think back over the meals you ate over the past several days. Can you picture them in your mind? What colors were on your plate?
Why does that matter? Because the color of your food is an indicator of the nutrients that are provided. Contrary to popular opinion, nutrients are the reason you eat. At least that is what your body is seeking.
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In my last post we started a conversation about balancing your plate. Let’s finish that balancing act.
We talked about macronutrients – that big word that refers to the fat, protein, and carbohydrates that are required in large amounts in the human diet. You knew that protein was important, but were you surprised to find out that fat was also important?
So let’s talk about the last part of the macronutrient balancing act – carbohydrates. Do you consider carbohydrates to be good or bad? In many ways, I believe they are quite misunderstood.
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If I mention “balancing your plate” are you picturing a plate spinning on a stick, or just sitting steadily on the tip of your finger? Relax. That’s not what I mean.
I’m not talking about balancing the plate itself, but rather the contents of the plate … your food. And I’m referring to balancing the macronutrients that make up your meal.
Macronutrients is a big word that means “a type of food (e.g., fat, protein, carbohydrate) required in large amounts in the human diet.”
Whoa! What jumps out to you as being outside our normal expectations these days? Notice that fat is noted as a food that we require in large amounts? That’s NOT what the media have been advocating for the past several decades. Read more
You’ve heard about the problems related to eating a diet full of processed carbohydrates or added sugars. Have you experienced the blood sugar spike and subsequent crash that brings hunger and cravings along with it? You may not have realized what was happening inside, but the result is the same.
We’ve all had those days. A full schedule at work with meetings through lunch or right up until time to leave your office. There was no time to run your errands during lunch, so you need to make a few stops on the way home. Or perhaps one of the kids has practice and you need to hurry home to pick them up and deliver them to the gym. You were rushed trying to get out of the house this morning so you didn’t pull anything out of the freezer to defrost. Where will you get dinner?
I get it. Your time is limited, yet the family is still hungry, so what restaurant will be feeding you tonight?
May I suggest that you choose one that has real vegetables on the menu – something other than French fries and a smattering of lettuce decorating a patty? Read more
The first days of a new year! You have a clean page on the calendar and 12 months ahead of you. Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? Here we are five days into 2016 … are you still on track with them?
New Year’s resolutions seem to carry a connotation of short-term failure with them. I often hear people joking about the resolution that lasted mere days – or hours. Why is that? I have a few theories: Read more
What picture comes to mind when you hear the word “chocolate”? A favorite candy bar at the checkout counter, Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, or the delicious drips of a chocolate fountain? The Christmas season often brings visions of sugar plums, or chocolate bars, to our heads.
Have your tastes in chocolate changed since your childhood? They usually do. Read more
Have you been making different choices in your foods? Are you trying to increase the nutrition you supply your body by eating more raw nuts and whole grains? Good for you!
Now let’s look at how you can boost the absorption of these nutrients so that you get even more benefit without adding another food. Read more
We are all familiar with the soppy, sweaty feeling that comes with mowing your yard in the summer heat or exercising, whether indoors or outdoors. It leaves you feeling drained and looking to replace lost fluids.
Marketing efforts have successfully convinced people that sports drinks are the best way to replenish fluids and electrolytes, but that’s simply not the truth. Most sports drinks contain as much as 2/3 of the sugar of sodas, and also typically contain high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and food coloring, none of which contribute to optimal health. Read more
