by Keren Reiser | Mar 27, 2023 | Blog, Family, healthy eating, meal planning
Have you ever embarked on a meal plan, only to give up after a few short days? If so, you may be wondering, “Do Meal Plans Work?”
Have you ever heard the quote, “give a man a fish, and he eats for a day? Teach a man how to fish, and he eats for a lifetime?” Substitute “fish” for “meal plan,” and you have your answer as to why Registered Dietitians prefer to teach meal planning rather than provide their clients with a set meal plan.
In this blog post, we’ll answer the question “do meal plans work?”, meal planning vs meal prepping and how to stick to a meal plan while providing strategies to help you succeed with your healthy eating goals.
Let’s start with why meal plans can fail and how to identify common pitfalls.
Why do meal plans fail?
Meal plans can fail for a variety of reasons. Here are seven of the most common reasons meal plans fail:
- People stop following them. This is the most obvious reason. If a person chooses to stop following a meal plan, it will not work for them.
- Meal plans don’t teach how to make healthy choices. Meal plans can act as a band-aid solution to provide healthier eating options, but they don’t actually teach you how to make healthy choices on your own. This means that as soon as you’re off the meal plan, you’re back to where you started.
- Meal plans do not teach how to listen to your body and cues. When you’re following a meal plan, you’re at the mercy of what the meal plan tells you to eat. This means you’re not able to listen to your body’s hunger, fullness, and satisfaction cues.
- Following a meal plan can reduce satisfaction in meals. Let’s face it – following a meal plan can get pretty boring if you’re eating the same foods day in and day out.
- Following a meal plan often leads to cravings and overeating of restricted foods. Meal plans often fail to incorporate “fun” foods like chips, chocolate, and ice cream. By avoiding these foods completely, you may start to develop cravings and binge on those foods when you’re around them.
Meal Planning Vs Meal Prepping
You may be wondering about meal planning vs meal prepping – after all, they sound pretty similar. But there are a few key differences.
Meal planning is simply the act of planning out your meals for the day or week. It can involve using a calendar to plan out your meals and grocery lists to ensure you pick up all the required ingredients at the store.
Meal prepping, on the other hand, involves the act of preparing and portioning out your meals ahead of time. Many people will choose to meal prep based on their meal plan so that they’re prepared for the day or week ahead.
How to Stick to a Meal Plan
Knowledge is power, and understanding the common pitfalls of meal plans is the first step toward successfully adhering to a well-structured and balanced meal plan. To stick to a meal plan, it is essential to set realistic and achievable goals, taking into account personal preferences and nutritional needs. Begin by creating a diverse menu, incorporating a variety of ingredients and flavours to avoid boredom and monotony. Prioritize meal prep, making it a weekly ritual to facilitate adherence to the plan. Finally, be prepared to adapt your meal plan as needed, allowing for occasional indulgences and recognizing that flexibility is key to long-term success. By being proactive and strategic, you will be well-equipped to maintain a meal plan that supports a healthy lifestyle.
5 Reasons Why Meal Plans Should Be Personalized.
When creating a personalized meal plan, I keep the following five principles of successful meal planning in mind:
1. Adequacy.
Does the meal plan meet your caloric and nutrient needs?
2. Balance.
Does the meal plan provide a balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat?
3. Variety.
Does the meal plan provide a variety of different foods?
4. Moderation.
Does the meal plan provide enjoyable foods such as dessert in moderation?
5. Nourishment.
Does the meal plan nourish both your body and your mind?
“When You Have a Meal Plan That Works, You Will Be Much More Likely to Successfully Reach Your Health Goals.”
My job is about far more than just creating recipes for meal plans. I match clients’ goals, lifestyles, schedules, and actual needs to a nutrition and meal plan that is based on each client’s individual caloric and nutritional needs.
Along that process, I coach my clients on how to make it fit into their schedule and lifestyle so that they can sustain the plan, feel good doing it, and continue to see great results.
Meal plans can assist you in reaching your health goals. You will know you are working with someone who is interested in your individual needs because they will not only develop a personalized meal plan but will also:
- Provide a recipe book to go with your meal plans for added variety and appropriate substitutions.
- Learn and pay attention to your meal patterns so that your meal plan is flexible.
- Look for a meal plan that allows you to assemble food on your own with portions and guidelines.
- Make sure your meal plan is 100% tailored to your unique preferences, lifestyle, structure, formula, culture, cuisine, likes, dislikes, health, and family life.
As an expert in nutrition, it is my job to eliminate the struggle of healthy meals for my clients. I do this by breaking down what’s not working first. If a lack of cooking skills is an issue, then I research and recommend cooking classes that can build my clients’ ability and confidence. If time is an issue with my clients, then I discuss their schedules, routines, motivations, and goals. I work collaboratively with my clients to devise a meal plan that works for everyone. In my blog on 8 ways to make healthy eating easy, you will find additional solutions to the challenges that occur from thinking about eating to actually finishing a satisfying meal.
Is the Lack of Customization the Biggest Reason That Meal Plans Fail?
Lack of customization is often an issue for people following a meal plan – especially in the long term. I encourage all my clients to share their recipes with me so we can discuss the overall nutritional value and make healthy substitutions and tweaks.
I enjoy tweaking recipes, including adjusting the number of servings and portion sizes to teach my clients how to make appropriate substitutions for food allergens, sensitivities and dislikes. We also focus on enjoyment and the quality of their meals.
When considering your healthy eating goals, ask yourself if you need to talk to a nutrition professional or another nutrition app? Is meal planning what you need to eat well and nourish your body?
My meal planning and nutritional coaching services help clients become educated and organized, keeping them motivated and held accountable. I am your “best nutrition friend” who will help you navigate a healthier, happier, more organized, less stressful, less time-consuming, and more delicious future with food.
Now that you understand why meal plans fail, it’s time to start looking at a meal plan that will work for you. If you’re interested in changing your relationship with food and creating new habits, schedule a call.
by Keren Reiser | Sep 29, 2022 | Blog, Diabetes, healthy eating, healthy weight, heart disease, meal planning, weight loss
Recently, I have been receiving many questions about anti-inflammatory diets. Clients have been told by their doctor, naturopath, or nutritionist that following an anti-inflammatory diet will help with their symptoms. Since many people aren’t familiar with what is an anti-inflammatory diet, their first instinct is to turn to Dr. Google.
Many people call me after googling their symptoms and the anti-inflammatory diet. When they Google it, they land on many different pages, including the Auto-Immune Protocol Diet (AIP), the Wahl’s Protocol, and the Mediterranean Diet. All of these diets are variations of the anti-inflammatory diet, so it can be confusing to know which one to follow.
Today, we’ll review the basics of what is inflammation, how it affects the body, and whether an anti-inflammatory diet is right for you.
What is Inflammation?
Before we dive into anti-inflammatory diets, it’s important to understand what inflammation is. Inflammation is a natural bodily response that is supposed to protect and heal your body.
When your body experiences stress or identifies infections, irritants, or damaged cells, an inflammatory response is activated. The word inflammation comes from the Latin word “inflamme,” meaning “to set on fire.” This word was likely used to define inflammation because it describes the hallmark symptoms of inflammation – redness, swelling, heat, and pain.
Inflammation occurs when your body’s tissues are injured (for example, by bacteria, toxins, or trauma). This causes the body to release chemicals that cause blood vessels to leak fluid into the surrounding tissues. This leads to swelling and is useful because it helps prevent the foreign substance from contacting the body tissues further.
One of the molecules responsible for signalling and regulating the inflammatory response are reactive oxygen species (ROS) or free radicals. Under normal circumstances, our body naturally balances free radicals (oxidants) with antioxidants (many of which come from the food we eat). When too many free radicals are produced, they can tip the balance and cause damage to healthy cells.
Acute Inflammation vs. Chronic Inflammation
Just like stress, your body’s inflammatory response can be acute or chronic.
Acute inflammation is short-lived. Physical signs of acute inflammation include redness, heat, swelling, pain, and loss of function. Acute inflammation can help the body to heal injuries and infections and is a useful physiological response.
In contrast, chronic inflammation sticks around for a long time. When the inflammatory response lasts for a long time, it can damage the body without any signs or symptoms. Chronic inflammation is often associated with chronic health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and excess body weight.
How to Reduce Chronic Inflammation
Once people learn about what inflammation is, many people ask – does reducing inflammation promote healing? Research studies have shown that improving nutrition and lifestyle can help reduce chronic inflammation and potentially improve symptoms of disease.
The Anti-Inflammatory Diet
In its most basic sense, an anti-inflammatory diet is a diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables. This is important because fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants. Remember, an excess of free radicals or oxidants can result from chronic inflammation and damage your body tissues. Getting enough antioxidants can help counteract the effects of free radicals.
The different versions of the anti-inflammatory diet, such as the Auto-Immune Protocol Diet (AIP), the Wahls Protocol and The Mediterranean diet, vary based on how restrictive they are. For example, the AIP diet, which is based on the idea that certain foods inflame your gut, excludes several foods from the diet, including:
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Beans and legumes
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Nightshade vegetables (like eggplants, peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes)
- Vegetable oils
- Coffee
- Alcohol
- Food additives
The Wahl’s Protocol has similar restrictions to the AIP.
Given how restrictive diets like the AIP diet and the Wahl’s Protocol are, it’s best to work with a registered dietitian if you’re thinking of following one. However, despite how restrictive some of them are, one thing that all these diets have in common is that they are all based on consuming whole, unprocessed foods.
The Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is the most widely accepted diet by health care professionals. Research studies have proven its support in promoting health, improving mental-wellbeing, and promoting a longer life.
The Mediterranean diet includes lots of vegetables, fruits, and legumes. It also includes some fish, small amounts of red meat and poultry, whole grains, tree nuts, and dairy, as well as small amounts of olive oil, tea, cocoa, red wine, herbs, and spices.
The Mediterranean diet has been shown to lower the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and adverse effects of obesity, even without weight loss. One of the reasons it is thought to be so effective at treating chronic diseases is because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
Foods common in the Mediterranean diet contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant foods. These components include polyphenols, flavonoids, pigments, unsaturated fats (including omega-3s), vitamin E and selenium. High intakes of these compounds have been associated with reduced risk of chronic disease.
FUN FACT: Most people get the highest amount of dietary polyphenols from coffee and/or tea (but I don’t recommend a lot of cream and sugar).
Who Can the Anti-Inflammatory Diet Help?
An anti-inflammatory diet can be used alongside other treatments for many conditions that involve chronic inflammation. These conditions include:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Obesity
- Psoriasis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Lupus
- Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- Asthma
- Cardiovascular disease
Experts believe that inflammation plays a role in all the above conditions. Therefore, eating a diet that helps reduce inflammation may be an important component of treating these conditions.
Should I Follow the Anti-Inflammatory Diet or the Mediterranean Diet?
Inflammation can be healthy when fighting an infection or healing a wound, but chronic inflammation is associated with many serious, chronic health conditions.
The good news is that there are several nutritional factors you can improve that may help reduce inflammation. Overall, you likely don’t need to follow a diet as restrictive as the AIP diet or the Wahl’s protocol. Instead, try to follow the principles of the Mediterranean diet like eating a wide variety of colourful fruits and vegetables, omega-3 fats from fish like salmon, olive oil, whole grains, and nuts and seeds.
Final Thoughts
If integrating the Anti-Inflammatory Diet or The Mediterranean Diet is something you would like to know more about, let’s chat. For a quick anti-inflammatory meal plan, try out the free 3-day trial of my anti-inflammatory meal plans that are gluten-free, light on grains, light on dairy, and light on beans with a focus on high-quality fats.
For a custom menu and coaching, I encourage you to book a free 15-minute consultation. I work with individuals, couples, and families looking for ways to integrate healthy and nutritional balanced meals into their lives. During our discussion, you can ask questions and discuss whether nutritional coaching or a meal plan is right for you. Book a time that works for your schedule by clicking here.
by Keren Reiser | Sep 20, 2022 | Blog, healthy eating, healthy weight, meal planning, weight loss
Do you ever wonder about what foods are right for you? Many of my clients come to me wondering this very thing.
My client Sandra found me online while searching for help with personalized meal planning. She had seen many different doctors and nutritionists and tried various diets and supplements over the years. However, she still felt tired and lethargic. The latest zero-sugar diet recommended to her was not working, and she was confused about what and when to eat.
Sandra’s nutritional history and story are similar to many of the clients I meet. Her fixation on “healthy eating” can be described as orthorexia. Orthorexia is a form of disordered eating and is defined as an obsession with “proper” eating.
Sandra came to me so fixated on “healthy eating” and finding what foods were best for her that her health and well-being suffered.
For many people, a fixation on “healthy eating” can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food. But is finding out the specific foods that are best for us really as important as we think it is?
Today, we’ll explore the concept of personalized nutrition and review whether it’s necessary for our best health.
What is Personalized Nutrition?
As a Registered Dietitian, I combine your nutritional and medical history, relationship with food, and how you feel when you eat certain foods to create a personalized nutrition plan. It is a plan that is tailor-made for you!
Personalized nutrition plans can get even more specific by combining scientific research with information about your diet, medical health, genetic code, genetic code expression (epigenetics), blood biochemistry, reactions to the foods you eat, and analysis of your gut microbiota.
David Bosshart, keynote speaker at the 2018 Global Wellness Summit (GWS), states, “we are confused about what we eat, where we eat, and when to eat it. We define ourselves by what we eat, but even more so by what we don’t eat. Food may have moved to the center of our lives, but we are overwhelmed by our choices.”
According to the GWS, personalized nutrition combines medical science, technology, information, and artificial intelligence to develop a personalized nutrition prescription plan for our unique body.
This personalization isn’t so far off from what we already experience in our day-to-day lives. Netflix knows what shows we watch, how long and when we watch them. Based on our watching patterns, Netflix suggests shows to us.
Similarly, Amazon tracks our purchase history and suggests similar items. Personalization saves us time and energy in searching for what we want.
Personalized nutrition asks, “what foods are right for me?”
But which tests are scientifically proven, and which are just gimmicks to sell people like Sandra more products that contribute to her treadmill of diets, fear, confusion, and orthorexia?
Should you get a hair analysis, live blood analysis, food sensitivity tests, genetic test, saliva test, or a gut microbiome tests? Each of these tests are accessible to us without seeing a medical doctor, but does that mean we should use them?
Three Popular Personalized Nutrition Tests
Nutrigenomics
Nutrigenomics is the scientific study of how a person’s genes interact with the nutrients consumed. Variations in your genes predict how your body may respond to certain nutrients. Nutrigenomics is especially focused on the prevention or treatment of different diseases.
How does it work?
First, you submit your genetic code (DNA), usually in the form of saliva or a cheek swab, to a genetics lab, such as Nutrigenomix or Biogeniq, for analysis. These companies then analyze your DNA compared to research studies in the field of nutrigenomics.
Once your genetic profile is analyzed and compared to the current research studies, you receive a personalized, detailed report that provides information about your health. Some examples of the information it provides you include how likely you are to gain weight, your likelihood of developing high blood pressure or high cholesterol, your caffeine tolerance, lactose intolerance, and gluten sensitivity.
What does this mean for you?
Well, this information allows you to tailor your diet to match your specific nutritional needs.
For example, the report may suggest that you have a gene that could lead to developing high cholesterol levels. A dietitian can help you choose a diet that can help regulate your cholesterol levels so that you can avoid having them become too high.
The analysis will also give you an indication of your genetic risk for lactose intolerance or gluten sensitivity. However, it is important to note that these tests are not diagnostic tests and cannot tell you if you have a specific disease such as Celiac disease.
Finally, it’s important to remember that our genetic tendencies toward certain diseases are not guaranteed. While nutrigenomics allows us to target certain aspects of our diet, it doesn’t eliminate the need for trial-and-error regarding diet and exercise.
Epigenetics and Nutrition
Epigenetics is another emerging area of science. It looks at gene expression and genetic information. Gene expression is the process by which the instructions in our DNA are used to create a functional product (such as a protein).
Epigenetics is the study of changes in cells that are caused by modification of gene expression. In other words, your genetic code does not change, but there are changes in the sequence and the expression of those genes in your body. Epigenetics examines why some genes are expressed (turned on) and some are not.
New research shows that diet can influence which genes are turned on and off. While this is an emerging area of study, it’s exciting to think that what we eat could potentially affect which genes are expressed.
For more information, watch this excellent Ted Education video that explains what epigenetics is all about.
Gut Microbiota Analysis
Another exciting area of emerging research is the analysis of the unique bacteria and viruses living in your intestines. These gut microbes are essential for digesting food and processing energy and nutrients.
Like with nutrigenomics, you supply a sample to a company like Viome or DayTwo. These companies have extensive databases of research studies and information. They analyze your unique microbes and run them against their database to provide you with information on how to improve your gut microbiota to reduce your risks of different diseases.
What Does This All Mean?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is where science and technology intersect to make personalized nutrition recommendations.
AI is a computer science term that means that the combination of human data (your DNA or gut microbiota sample) and a machine (computer) database are used to make human predictions.
Before these large computer databases were developed, your doctor or healthcare provider provided personalized recommendations based on their training and research they had reviewed.
Now, with the creation of databases that can pull information together from unlimited sources, it is believed that AI can make better predictions than humans.
Do I Need This Information?
Technology is fast-moving, and access to information is literally at our fingertips. So, how do you navigate this fast-changing science, technology, and abundance of information?
Ask yourself these five important questions before you send your sample away:
- Why do I need this information?
- Will it improve my daily life and my health?
- What will I do with this information?
- Will this information empower me or confuse me?
- Am I committed to taking action on the results?
Does Personalized Nutrition Work?
My experience is that personalized meal and menu plans work, whether they are based on what you share with me or a scientific test.
When I work one-on-one with clients, they experience an overall improvement in their nutritional health because we focus on their unique needs and history with food.
When clients decide to go further with scientific tests, I can help them understand the personalized nutrition reports. Using personalized nutrition reports from companies like Nutrigenomix, I provide individualized nutrition meal plans and recommendations specific to my client’s needs.
Do I Need a Registered Dietitian to Help Me Understand Personalized Nutrition Reports?
Yes and No. Science and technology are moving fast, information is increasing, algorithms are improving, and the science around AI is booming. But technology cannot give you the personalized relationship that you get from working with a Registered Dietitian.
You have a story, history, and narrative. Your life is not black and white! Working with a Registered Dietitian provides you with unique, individualized guidance.
If you do opt for tech-based health assistance, use the scientific and technology-based information responsibly. This means not leaving your nutrition up to supplements and food marketing and remembering that taking the emotion out of eating can lead to isolation and confusion.
Where Do I Go from Here?
Interested in a personalized nutrition plan? Schedule a free consultation with me to discuss your specific nutritional needs and determine if personalized nutrition is what you need to make the right choices for your health.
by Keren Reiser | Aug 22, 2022 | Blog, Featured, healthy eating, healthy weight, heart disease, meal planning
If you’re interested in nutrition, you’ve probably heard of the Mediterranean diet. After all, it’s consistently ranked as the #1 Best Diet Overall by nutrition experts. It’s been shown to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases and is an excellent way of eating for overall health.
However, if you’re living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), you may be following a low FODMAP diet to help manage your symptoms. You probably don’t want to miss out on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, so you may be wondering – is it possible to follow a low FODMAP Mediterranean diet?
Today, we’ll review what foods are included in Mediterranean and low FODMAP diets and provide tips for combining the two to improve your overall health and manage your IBS.
What is the Mediterranean Diet?
The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating that originated in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. It emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, fish, and extra virgin olive oil.
The Mediterranean diet is more than simply a dietary pattern – it’s a way of life that focuses on not only what you eat, but how you eat and live. It emphasizes the importance of enjoying meals with friends and family and being physically active in addition to its guidelines around what to eat.
The Mediterranean diet has been studied extensively and has been shown to have many health benefits. These include:
What is the Low FODMAP Diet?
If you’re living with IBS, you might have heard about or tried the low FODMAP diet. FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols. These are types of carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed by the body and rapidly fermented by your gut bacteria.
To understand why FODMAPs can worsen symptoms in people with IBS, it’s important to understand how IBS works. While we’re still learning about what causes IBS, we do know that people with IBS have what’s called “visceral hypersensitivity.” This means that your threshold for pain in your organs is lower than normal.
When FODMAPs are fermented by your gut bacteria, they can cause an increase in gas production. For people with visceral hypersensitivity, this gas production can be quite painful.
The low FODMAP diet is often used to for the management of IBS symptoms. It typically has three phases: the elimination phase, the reintroduction phase, and the maintenance phase.
During the elimination phase, all foods containing FODMAPs are eliminated. This involves limiting wheat-based products, onions, garlic, most legumes, certain dairy products, and many fruits and vegetables.
Once the elimination phase is completed and symptom relief is achieved, you move onto the reintroduction phase. During the reintroduction phase, you’ll systematically reintroduce the different types of FODMAPs one at a time so that you can determine exactly which FODMAPs cause symptoms for you.
Finally, once you’ve reintroduced all the different high FODMAP foods, you’ll move onto the maintenance phase. This involves limiting the FODMAPs that caused symptoms for you, while consuming the high FODMAP foods that didn’t cause symptoms.
Unfortunately, many people avoiding FODMAPs do not move on from the elimination phase. This means that they are severely restricting their diets. Also, people do not always replace high FODMAP foods with low FODMAP alternatives. This often leads to not consuming enough fibre. Since fibre is an important source of fuel for our gut microbes, this can be a problem if you’re following a low FODMAP diet long-term.
The Mediterranean Diet and IBS
Unfortunately, there are currently no studies looking at the effects of a low FODMAP Mediterranean diet on IBS symptoms. However, a recent review article looked at the effects of the Mediterranean Diet on the immune system and reviewed whether combining the two diets made biological sense.
In IBS, we often see an imbalance between the “good” and “bad’ bacteria in the gut. This is associated with increased levels of inflammation in the intestine. Given that we know that the Mediterranean diet can help lower markers of inflammation in the body, it’s possible that following a low FODMAP Mediterranean diet could lead to lower levels of inflammation in people with IBS. While studies still need to be conducted in this area, it’s an exciting potential treatment option.
What Can I Eat on a Low FODMAP Mediterranean Diet?
Luckily, there are still plenty of foods you can eat on a Low FODMAP Mediterranean diet!
Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil is the fat of choice on the Mediterranean diet. It contains mostly monounsaturated fats and is also high in antioxidants. Try drizzling it over salad, using it in marinades or sauces, or drizzling over cooked pasta or vegetables.
Low FODMAP Vegetables
Vegetables are an important source of fibre on the low FODMAP diet. Try to include a wide variety of low FODMAP vegetables. These include carrots, cucumber, lettuce, oyster mushrooms, parsnip, potatoes, and spinach.
You may also feel comfortable including vegetables that are low FODMAP at smaller serving sizes. These include eggplant (1 cup), green beans (15 beans), green bell peppers (1/2 cup), broccoli (heads only, 3/4 cup), cabbage (3/4 cup), corn (canned, 1 cup), zucchini (1/3 cup), and Roma tomatoes (1 small).
Low FODMAP Fruits
Low FODMAP fruits are another important source of fibre. Some popular low FODMAP fruits include bananas (firm, as FODMAPs increase as bananas ripen), oranges, kiwis, and papaya.
For increased variety, you may also want to include fruits that are low FODMAP at smaller serving sizes. These include blueberries (1/4 cup), pineapple (fresh, 1 cup), raspberries (30 berries) and strawberries (5 medium).
Low FODMAP Grains
Grains are an oft-neglected part of the low FODMAP diet, but there are actually many low FODMAP grains that you can enjoy. Try brown rice, buckwheat, oats, quinoa, or spelt sourdough bread.
Legumes
Aim for at least two legume-based meals per week. While it’s true that many legumes are high FODMAP, canned chickpeas (1/4 cup) and canned lentils (1/2 cup) are both low FODMAP options.
Legumes are an excellent source of fibre, which helps keep you regular and provides fuel to your gut microbes.
Fish
The Mediterranean diet recommends a moderate intake of fish. Aim for at least two servings of fish per week. Try to include oily fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines. They are high in omega-3 fats, which have been shown to reduce inflammation.
Final Thoughts
Just because you’re following a low FODMAP diet to manage your IBS symptoms doesn’t mean you can’t reap the benefits of a Mediterranean diet. With a few small tweaks, you can easily adapt the Mediterranean diet to be low FODMAP.
Not sure where to start with low FODMAP Mediterranean diet meal planning? Schedule a free 15-minute phone call to chat about how our Registered Dietitian can help you reach your health goals.
by Keren Reiser | Sep 25, 2019 | Blog, Diabetes, dietary fat, healthy eating, heart disease, meal planning, sugar
Changing one or two aspects of your diet or life may not have the same effect as a holistic approach to improving your overall nutrition and lifestyle. Last week’s blog discussed Anti-Inflammatory diets and the impact of these diets on chronic inflammation. In this blog, I will go a little deeper and share with you five nutritional and lifestyle upgrades for your health. These five upgrades have a synergistic effect when combined. By synergy, I mean that all five of the nutritional and lifestyle upgrades together have a more significant impact on your health than if upgraded individually.
1. Reduce your intake of sugar and starch
Excess sugars and starches put stress on our blood sugar levels and increase your risk of chronic diseases. They also promote inflammation in the body.
Studies have shown that animals who eat sweets and white bread and drink a lot of sugar-sweetened beverages have higher levels of inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP is considered one of the “markers” of inflammation. This “inflammatory marker,” when found in a blood test at high levels, indicate that there is inflammation in the body. Studies in people also show that diets low in sugar and starch have lower than average levels of CRP.
High blood levels of inflammatory markers like CRP are associated with increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. Some researchers believe that levels of inflammatory markers in the blood can predict whether someone is going to develop diabetes or heart disease eventually.
You can upgrade your nutrition in this area by eating fewer sugars (especially “added” sugars) and starches (especially “refined” carbohydrates).
2. Change your fat intake from saturated fats to unsaturated fats
Some lab and animal studies show that increased levels of saturated fats can increase the production of inflammatory markers like CRP and free radicals (oxidants), which are the molecules responsible for adverse chemical reactions in the body. Meals with unsaturated fats seem to reduce the inflammatory response after the meal.
Unsaturated fats like omega-3’s from fish seem to be particularly healthful. People who eat more fish tend to have lower levels of atherosclerosis and heart disease.
Fish-based omega-3 unsaturated fats reduce inflammation in several ways. They reduce the source of inflammation, as well as increase the amount of anti-inflammatory “radical” and “oxidant” molecules.
Tree nuts are another excellent source of unsaturated fats and anti-inflammatory polyphenols.
Why don’t fat-containing nuts promote weight gain?
While nuts do contain a fair amount of fat, many studies show that people who regularly eat nuts do not tend to have a higher BMI (body mass index) or more body fat. Even adding nuts to the diet doesn’t seem to promote weight gain compared to the number of calories they contain. Many studies show no weight gain after adding nuts to the diet.
Several studies show an increase in the resting metabolic rate in people who eat nuts – they seem to burn more calories even when they’re not active. This may be because of the type of fat (unsaturated), protein, fibre and/or the polyphenol content in the nuts.
You can upgrade your dietary fats by eating more fish and nuts. Fish and nuts contain unsaturated fats that have anti-inflammatory effects. They can also improve insulin sensitivity and even enhance the health of insulin-producing cells.
When it comes to fish oil supplements, many studies show a reduction in risk factors for heart disease by improving the way our bodies metabolize fats and its ability to “thin” the blood. However, fish oil supplements have mixed reviews when it comes to reducing inflammation. They can be helpful for some, but I recommend eating the fish itself.
3. Eat more dietary fibre
People who eat more fibre tend to have lower risks of diabetes and heart disease. There are a few ways this is thought to work; one is from reduced inflammation. People who eat more fibre, fruits, and vegetables tend to have lower levels of CRP.
Animal studies show that eating fibre reduces the levels of inflammatory markers and also reduces excess body fat.
This effect can be because fibre slows down the absorption of food from the body, reducing blood sugar spikes. It can also be because of its interaction with the friendly microbes in our gut.
Foods that are high in fibre include whole grains, legumes (i.e. beans and lentils), cocoa, seeds (e.g. sesame), tree nuts (e.g. almonds), avocados, raspberries, and squash.
Canadian women need 25 grams of fibre per day and men need 38 grams of fibre per day. Most Canadians are only getting about half that much. Following a Keto diet or a low carbohydrate diet, makes it very difficult to reach your daily fibre intake.
4. Get moving every day.
Regular exercise helps with many chronic diseases, as well as helping to reduce inflammation.
Levels of inflammatory markers are lower in people who exercise regularly than those who do not. Plus, the people who exercise at a higher intensity tend to have even lower levels of CRP.
Adding regular moderate exercise to a nutritious anti-inflammatory diet has benefits beyond the dietary benefits, like even lower levels of inflammatory markers in the blood (i.e. like CRP).
I encourage you to reduce the amount of time you are sedentary and take active breaks. If you haven’t made it to the gym yet, read and watch Laura Parson’s inspiring TEDx Talk on Snacking on Exercise.
5. Cout your zzz… Sleep
Both acute and chronic sleep deprivation causes an increase in inflammatory markers in the blood.
Sleep loss is a risk factor for insulin resistance and diabetes. When healthy volunteers have restricted sleep, this causes decreased insulin sensitivity.
Upgrade your health by making a good night sleep more of a priority.
And there you have it — three ways to change your nutrition habits and two ways to improve your lifestyle.
Diabetes and heart disease are serious conditions. They have a few things in common, namely excess body fat and increased levels of inflammation. Inflammation can be healthy if it is fighting an infection or healing a wound, but chronic inflammation is associated with many severe conditions.
There are a lot of nutrition and lifestyle issues that can contribute to chronic diseases. There are several ways they can do this; inflammation is just one of them.
The good news is that there are are several nutrition and lifestyle factors you can improve. These include eating fewer sugars and starches, eating more fish, nuts and dietary fibre, and getting regular exercise and quality sleep.
For a custom menu and coaching, I encourage you to book a free 15-minute consultation. I work with individuals, couples and families who are looking for ways to integrate healthy and nutritional balanced meals into their life. During our discussion, you can ask questions and discuss whether nutritional coaching or a meal plan is right for you. Book a time that works for your schedule by clicking here.
by Keren Reiser | Sep 18, 2019 | Blog, Diabetes, healthy eating, healthy weight, heart disease, meal planning, weight loss
Lately, I have been receiving calls with questions about Anti-inflammatory diets. Clients have been told by their Doctor, Nutritionist or Registered Dietitian that following an Anti-inflammatory diet will help with their symptoms. And the natural response to being told to change your diet, is to go to Dr. Google, right?
Many people call me after googling their symptoms and an anti-inflammatory diet. They land on many pages and ads for the Anti-inflammatory Paleo (AIP) Diet, The Wahls protocol and The Mediterranean diet, to name a few. And then it gets confusing for them, which is usually the reason for reaching out to me.
AIP, The Wahls protocol and The Mediterranean diet are all variations of the Anti-inflammatory diet. But before, I get into explaining to you these diets, let’s go back to high school biochemistry.
What is Inflammation?
Inflammation is a natural body response to protect and heal your body.
When your body experiences stress or identifies infections, irritants, or damaged cells, an inflammatory response is activated. The word inflammation comes from the Latin word “inflammo,” meaning “I set alight, I ignite.”
What is the difference between Acute and chronic inflammation?
Just like stress, your body’s inflammation response can be “acute” or “chronic.”
Acute inflammation is short-lived. Physical signs of acute inflammation include redness, heat, swelling, pain, and loss of function. Short durations of active inflammation can help the body to heal injuries and infections.
Chronic inflammation sticks around for a long time. It can be silent and have no physical symptoms. When the inflammatory response lasts for a long time, it can damage the body over time, without any signs or symptoms at all. Chronic inflammation is often associated with several health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and excess body weight.
How does inflammation work?
1. Inflammation is a combination of your immune system’s response, blood vessels (arteries and veins) and other molecules called “free radicals” or also referred to as “oxidants.” Molecules are responsible for chemical reactions in the body.
Oxidants are highly reactive molecules that help to fight infectious agents, but also help cells to communicate that it needs to heal. Our body naturally balances oxidants and antioxidants (that come from our food). However, with chronic inflammation, too many oxidants are produced in the body, and there are not enough “antioxidants” to counteract the response. Too many oxidants can tip the balance and cause damage to healthy cells.
How can you reduce chronic inflammation?
Now that you are aware of your body’s natural response to inflammation, let’s discuss how you can reduce your chronic inflammation. Research studies have shown that improving nutrition and lifestyle can help reducing inflammation. The nutritional improvements include eating a healthy diet, reaching and maintaining a healthy weight.
The Anti-inflammatory diet
The Anti-inflammatory diet in the basic sense is a diet that includes a lot of vegetables, fruits focusing on antioxidants. Remember, antioxidants are needed to counteract the “oxidants” that created in your body as a result of inflammation.
The different versions of the anti-inflammatory diet such as the Anti-inflammatory Paleo Diet, The Wahls protocol and The Mediterranean diet, have variations in diet restrictions. All these diets have one main thing in common; they are all based on eating whole real foods.
Always remember that a nutritious diet for you will promote health, reduce your risk of many chronic diseases, and help reduce inflammation. All diet plans have restrictions, so it is essential to know which one fits best for your body.
The Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is the most widely accepted one by health care professionals. Research studies have proven its support in health-promoting, emotional well-being improving, and life-extending properties.
The Mediterranean diet includes lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes; some fish, less red meat, whole grains, tree nuts, and dairy; and small amounts of olive oil, tea, cocoa, red wine, herbs, and spices. It is low in salt and has a low glycemic index. The glycemic index is a measure of how foods affect blood sugar levels. A low glycemic index means that the food in the Meditarean diet does not raise blood sugar very high.
The Mediterranean diet has shown to lower the risk of diabetes and adverse effects of obesity, even without weight loss. One of the reasons why it is thought to be because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
Foods common in the Mediterranean diet contain foods that are both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. The components of the food include polyphenols, flavonoids, pigments, unsaturated fats (including omega-3s), vitamin E and selenium.
FUN FACT: Most people get the highest amount of dietary polyphenols from coffee and/or tea (but I don’t recommend a lot of cream and sugar).
Should I follow the Anti-inflammatory diet or the Mediterranean Diet?
Inflammation can be healthy if it is fighting an infection or healing a wound, but chronic inflammation is associated with many serious conditions.
There are a lot of nutrition issues that can contribute to chronic diseases. There are several ways they can do this; inflammation is just one of them.
The good news is that there are are several nutritional factors you can improve. These include eating less sugars and starches, eating more fish, nuts and dietary fibre. Even when we look at individual components in a portion of food, we should keep in mind that it’s the whole diet that creates a positive change. The Anti-inflammatory Diet and the Mediterranean Diet are scientifically proven to help you with inflammation and contribute to a healthy diet.
If integrating the Anti-inflammatory Diet or The Mediterranean Diet is something you would like to know more about, let’s chat. For a quick anti-inflammatory mean plan, try out the free 3-day trial of my anti-inflammatory meal plans that are gluten-free, light on grains, light on dairy, light on beans with focus on high-quality fats.
For a custom menu and coaching, I encourage you to book a free 15-minute consultation. I work with individuals, couples and families who are looking for ways to integrate healthy and nutritional balanced meals into their life. During our discussion, you can ask questions and discuss whether nutritional coaching or a meal plan is right for you. Book a time that works for your schedule by clicking here.
