The secret to any successful diet is a strategy that is based in scientific research as well as proven facts and methods. When you understand what effective nutrition is rather than focusing on diets, you will be far more successful in maintaining your health and weight.

To provide effective nutrition, a meal plan must follow these five guidelines:

1. Balance
2. Calorie Control
3. Moderation
4. Variety
5. Adequacy

Incorporating these elements into your meal plan will give you rock-solid foundation of nutrition. Even if you stray from your plan occasionally, these five guidelines will provide insight and awareness for you to learn to eat better, and create the changes you need to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle over time. You may be tempted to change your plan by fads, dietary trends, health guru advice, or maybe even some tips from well-meaning friends. Though these may work for some people, your best bet is to disregard all the noise and just keep to these basics.

Balance

Make sure you’re getting the right amount of the right foods and limiting the things that can have a negative effect on your health.

Calorie Control

Calorie control and management isn’t just about reducing calories; it’s about making sure you have the correct amount of calories throughout the day to keep your system working effectively and optimally.

Moderation

Don’t take in an excess amount of things that can have a negative impact on your health. Additionally, there can be too much of a good thing; even with healthy foods – don’t overeat.

Variety

Ensure that you have proper nutrition, but also try to change things up. Variety is the spice of life! There’s no need to have monotonous diet. Try new things and vary your diet.

Adequacy

Make sure you’re getting all of the essential nutrients and vitamins you need to maintain your health and replace what is consumed by your body on a daily/weekly basis.

For most, doing nothing is easier than risking failure, so they don’t even try to make a change.

That obviously isn’t you, or you wouldn’t even be reading this. Congratulations on making it this far.

You have decided to make positive changes and you’re sick of doing nothing.

Your vision of your future will get you off the couch- so that vision must be good. Make your vision clear and focused on specific, measurable outcomes you want to see, while holding yourself  accountable to taking the daily actions that will realize your vision.

Studies have shown that including nutrition interventions with fitness training for weight loss is 400% more effective than fitness training alone! This combo is the cornerstone of the My Nutriality weight loss challenge and the best combo to help anyone achieve their health and fitness goals.

With My Nutriality, you will never have to procrastinate or be confused as to what you are going to eat. Our daily meal plan will help you achieve positive results and effective nutrition. Gone are your days of waiting until the last minute to decide what you are going to eat. As the name implies, your meal plan will take the guess work out of choosing what you want to eat by providing you with a road map of how to eat.

My Nutriality gives you 24/7 access to your personal, licensed and registered dietitian, and certified trainer that will craft a perfect, balanced, and effective plan just for you. By putting your trust in our trainers and dieticians, you will have more time to focus on the things you love while we focus on shaping a “NEW YOU”.

Discover the “NEW YOU” today by booking a free consultation with one of our licensed and registered dietitians, and certified personal trainers.

Years from now you will look back and say:

“That is when it all started”!

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Foods that may help reduce inflammation:

Stress, inflammatory foods and low activity levels can put your body in greater risk of the inflammation. Our body produces inflammation to help our immune system fight infection or injury. But there are more serious side effects that can lead to disease and autoimmune disease. Your immune system becomes activated when your body recognizes anything that is foreign, such as invading microbe, plant pollen or chemical. This often triggers a process called the inflammation.

Studies have shown that with right diet we can control inflammation in our bodies or we can invoke it with the wrong diet.

Here is the list of the top foods that fight inflammation

1. Avocados

Avocados are superfoods worthy of the title.

They are packed with the potassium, magnesium, fiber, and hearth healthy monounsaturated fats. They are full of caretenoids and tocopherols, which are linked to reduce cancer risk according to the research of on California Hass avocados.

2. Green Tea

For thousands of years Chinese cultures have been using the healing properties of green tea as their medicine. Many benefits of the green tea come from its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties especially a substance called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG).

3. Turmeric

Turmeric is a spice with a strong earthy flavor often used in the Indian dishes. It has powerful anti-inflammatory nutrient curcumin. Studies have shown turmeric to be effective at reducing the inflammation related to the diabetes, arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.Turmeric is recommended to be used in combination with the black pepper.

4. Berries

Berries are small fruit that are antioxidant powerhouse.

Most popular varieties are:

• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Blueberries

Berries contain the antioxidants called anthocyanins. According to scientists people who eat berries every day have lower inflammatory markers associated with the heart disease.

5. Ginger

Chinese and Indian cultures have been using the ginger for its medicinal properties for thousand of years. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds found in ginger that are beneficial to health include gingerols, beta-carotene, capsaicin, caffeic acid, curcumin and salicyate.

6. Olive Oil

Olive oil is loaded with the powerful antioxidants. Key among antioxidants is oleocanthal. Studies have shown that people leaving in Mediterranean countries have less hearth-associated diseases. Olive oil is famous for its good fats. The main type of fat found in all kinds of olive oil is monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). MUFAs are considered a healthy dietary fat. In addition, some research shows that MUFAs may benefit insulin levels and blood sugar control, which can be helpful if you have or are at risk of type 2 diabetes.

References:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-anti-inflammatory-foods

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/food-and-nutrition/faq-20058439

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Whole grains have been considered health foods for the past few decades. But how healthy are the whole grains really?

Few thousand years ago Greeks and Romans noble class ate only white bread by removing all the fibrous parts of wheat and other grains. They knew that the white bread was easier on their stomach and would give brown bread made with whole grains to peasants.

What they did not know the reason why the white bread they ate was much easier on their stomach. Today we prize everything that is whole grain, we believe that brown rice is healthier than white. But yet the people in Asia that have the longest life span strip their rice of the brown hull and make it white before they eat it. Stupid you would say. No, it is a very intelligent move and here is why. There are harmful effects of whole grains.

The hull contains the large amount of lectins.

What are the lectins? and why they are bad for us you might ask?

Lectins are proteins in plants that have been associated with both good and bad health effects. Raging from digestion to chronic disease risk.

They have been shown to cause red blood cells to cluster together.

Lectins are categorized as anti-nutrients since they block the absorption of some nutrients.

Some scientists believe lectins are causing inflammation and it’s linked to many autoimmune diseases, including celiac disease, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

Whole Grains also cause our body to store fat rather than to burn it. That is why Chinese, Japanese and other Asian cultures have not been faced with the obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Another dangerous component found in whole grain is wheat germ agglutinin (WGA).

WGA is not present in the white bread and the whole wheat bread has plenty of it.

Since the WGA is especially small protein compared with most lectins it can pass through the walls of the intestine more easily than the other lactins can and cause serious ill effects to our body.

Possible Harmful Effects Of Whole Grains and WGA

Here is the list of ill side effect caused by consuming WGA

1. Behaves like insulin, disrupting normal endocrine function by pumping sugar into fat cells, where the sugar soon turns to fat, resulting in weight gain and the development of insulin resistance.
2. Promotes inflammation by releasing free radicals, which can thin the mucosa lining of the gut.
3. Kills cells without distinguishing between normal and cancerous cells.
4. Causes atherosclerosis, the hardening of arteries from a buildup of plaque.
5. Contribution of the development of kidney inflammation.
6. Blocks sugar from getting into muscle cells, creating still more body fat and starving muscles of nourishment.
7. Interferes with the digestions of protein.
8. Cross-reacts with other proteins, creating antibodies that can infuse autoimmune responses. Those antibodies are distinct from those formed by a reaction to gluten.
9. Crosses the blood-brain barrier, taking with it other substances to which it has bonded and causing the neurological problems.
10. Interferes with the replication of DNA.

Those are only few side effects we get by consuming whole grain foods that are rich in WGA and lectins.

Simply limit whole grains and other lectin containing foods from your diet and you’ll be shocked and delighted to see what happens.

References:

Steven R. Gundry, MD. The Plant Paradox

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At least 30 million people in the United States have an eating disorder, and the rate of children living with eating disorders is on the rise. If you are a parent who is concerned that your child may be suffering from disordered eating, it’s important to know the facts and what signs to look for.

What Are Eating Disorders?

Eating disorders are real, complex, biologically-based mental illnesses that can cause severe harm. They are not a phase, a fad or a choice. Eating disorders are marked by extremes, such as dramatic calorie reduction, purging behaviors, uncontrollable overeating and/or unrelenting distress about body shape, size, and weight. While eating disorders rarely resolve on their own, they are treatable by professionals.

Types of Eating Disorders and Their Signs and Symptoms

Anorexia Nervosa. Anorexia is an eating disorder that revolves around reducing calorie intake and an obsession with weight. Sadly, it is among the most deadly of all mental illnesses. Typical signs of anorexia are a pursuit of thinness, a refusal to maintain an appropriate body weight, distortion of body image, over-exercising and disturbed eating behavior. Read more here.

Bulimia Nervosa. Bulimia is characterized by a cycle that involves overeating followed by purging, fasting, laxative use and/or over-exercising. Individuals with Bulimia may vomit multiple times a day and use other purging behaviors in secret out of shame. Warning signs include uncontrollable eating, compensatory behavior to offset weight gain, leaving for the bathroom immediately after eating, excessive weight talk and/or a misuse of laxatives. Read more here.

Binge Eating Disorder. BED is defined by repetitive and uncontrollable consumption of extreme amounts of food. Often individuals with BED report that binge eating soothes negative feelings and emotions. Warning signs include excessive eating without hunger, using food as a coping mechanism, and feeling out of control with food. People can gain weight from the overeating related to BED. Learn more here.

Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder. OSFED is a category for eating disorders that don’t meet the criteria for Anorexia, Bulimia, BED, or Compulsive Overeating. OSFED includes Atypical Anorexia (anorexia symptoms exhibited but weight remains normal), Bulimia with less frequent behaviors, Binge Eating with less frequent occurrences, Purging without binge eating and Night Eating Syndrome. Read more here.

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. ARFID, previously referred to as Selective Eating Disorder, is a disturbance in eating that results in substantial weight loss, nutritional deficiency, and/or difficulty engaging in day-to-day activities. Warning signs include dramatic weight loss, stunted growth, fear of choking or illness, lack of interest in food, and no body image concerns. Learn more here.

Typical Warning Signs in Children

Weight changes. Any abnormal or unexplained weight changes (weight gain, loss or stunted gain despite growth) may be a result of disordered eating in children.

Strange food behaviors. Children who suffer from eating disorders often develop unusual behaviors or rituals around food and mealtimes. They may decide they don’t like several foods, spend a long time rearranging meals, develop a sudden interest in restrictive diets, and/or you may notice large quantities of food go missing quickly.

Avoidance of food. Children may begin to withdraw from activities revolving around food. They may miss family meals, avoid events where public eating is required, and/or express reasons they cannot eat.

Compulsive behaviors. Compulsive exercising, eating or other obsessive, anxious behaviors may be a sign your child is suffering from an eating disorder.

Personality changes. Drastic changes in your child’s personality and preferences may indicate eating disorder behaviors. Specific warning signs include an increased interest in cooking, but not eating the food, anxiousness, irritability, isolation, low grades and/or strained personal relationships.

What You Can Do If Your Child Has an Eating Disorder

If you believe your child has an eating disorder, the most important thing you can do is start a dialogue about it. Express your care and concern using “I” statements, like “I am concerned about you because I’ve noticed you aren’t eating dinner with us.” Then, listen. If they deny they have food issues, reiterate that you want to help them and are there to support them. You may need to have this conversation several times. We also suggest you monitor your child’s internet usage as many pro-ana (pro-anorexia) and pro-mia (pro-bulimia) websites exist that promote eating disorders, and social media pressures on appearance can be experienced intensely by youth.

While talking to your child about your concerns is essential, parents should trust their gut and bring their child in for an eating disorder assessment and possibly treatment. Parents can research treatment options and learn more about eating disorders to better understand what their child is going through. To get started with this process, you can call The Emily Program at 1-888-364-5977 or visit us here. From there, we can help connect you with a professional treatment team for your child. This team may include a therapist, dietitian, and/or psychologist.

Eating disorders are complex and severe, so it is essential to get your child help as soon as possible. With early intervention, your child can experience recovery faster. – Jillian Lampert

Source: Jillian Lampert – PhD, MPH, RD, LD, FAED- Chief strategy officer for The Emily Program, a specialized eating disorder treatment program with locations in Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington. She has worked for The Emily Program since 2006 and is the president and co-founder of the Residential Eating Disorders Consortium, whose main goal is to ensure access to eating disorder care. One of her main goals in life is to raise her daughter to accept and love her body.

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Revel in the potential health benefits of chocolate, but don’t overindulge! Chocolate is still rich in calories, sugar, and fat that can bust your diet if you overdo it.

Chocolate contains powerful antioxidants called flavonoids, as well as some magnesium. These nutrients may help lower blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Dark chocolate is the most nutritious form of chocolate. Compared with milk chocolate, it contains more than double the amount of heart-healthy flavonoids. Milk chocolate has another strike against it: The added milk it contains may reduce the body’s ability to absorb the beneficial flavonoids. To enjoy the delicious taste of chocolate and receive the benefits of flavonoids, choose a dark-chocolate variety that contains at least 70 percent cacao, or cocoa.

Dark chocolate’s potential health benefits certainly don’t give you a free pass to overindulge, though. You’ll still need to watch your portions. That’s because even dark chocolate contains calories, fat, and sugar that will lead to weight gain if you overdo it, so be strategic about incorporating this treat into your diet. The best dark-chocolate varieties contain only one type of fat — cocoa butter — and do not contain added palm oil, coconut oil, or milk fat. Technically, they’re all saturated fats, but cocoa butter has a neutral effect on cholesterol levels, so it won’t raise your blood cholesterol the way other saturated fats will.

Try sticking with one-ounce, snack-sized portions, and be sure to account for an extra 150 calories in your daily calorie allotment. You may also enjoy a cup of low-fat hot cocoa (typically less than 100 calories per cup) or a cup of soy milk with one tablespoon of chocolate syrup or powder. These beverages are rich in calcium and can help maintain strong bones. The unsweetened cocoa powder can be used as a flavoring in lower-calorie dessert recipes as well. I often include it as an ingredient in my recipes like Chocolate-Hazelnut Biscotti, Chocolate Angel Food Cake, and Warm Dark Chocolate Sauce with Fresh Fruit. The unsweetened cocoa powder is also a gluten-free food, so if you have celiac disease, it’s perfectly safe to use.

Many women with PMS crave chocolate before their periods, and they often report that indulging in chocolate improves their mood, making them feel instantly better. This may be the result of the serotonin that is released when chocolate is consumed. However, experts suggest that indulging in nutrient-rich foods — particularly those containing calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin B6, and manganese — is actually more effective at relieving most PMS symptoms.

Aside from the potential to cause weight gain, chocolate does have other negative effects: It can be a powerful migraine trigger because it contains both caffeine and the amino acids tyramine and phenylethylamine. Chocolate can also trigger IBS symptoms in some people. If you experience discomfort after consuming chocolate, consider limiting your consumption or avoiding it altogether.

The best sources of chocolate for your diet include dark chocolate that contains 70 percent cacao, unsweetened cocoa powder, and chocolate beverages made with skim, 1 percent, or soy milk.

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