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How to Talk About Food
Erica Nelson, MSPH, NBC-HWC
Here, at Carolina Total Wellness, we often recommend dietary adjustments to treat a wide variety of symptoms. Many of our patients come to us for guidance, asking ‘What is the healthiest diet?’ And the truth is, the ‘healthiest diet’ is unique to the person eating it.
One patient may get itchy and congested when they eat and need to reduce or eliminate foods that may increase or contain histamines like leftovers and peanuts. Another patient may have intestinal permeability and need to eliminate identified sensitives to gluten, oats and eggs. Yet another may be concerned about their family history of Alzheimer’s disease or cancer and need to make a variety of other adjustments.
Regardless of health status and dietary needs, most of us prefer sharing meals with our friends, family and coworkers over dining alone. Sometimes even a simple lunch can be a source of concern when a well-meaning aunt or friend asks about your ‘crazy diet.’
Over and over again, patients tell me that eating with their families is a barrier to successfully making the adjustments necessary to improve their health. Here are some strategies to enjoy eating the food that nourishes your body with the people that nourish your soul (and even some people that don’t):
Know your why. Get clear on why you are making the changes. And practice your responses ahead of time. When you know exactly what you are trying to accomplish with your food, it is easier to make good choices and much harder for someone else to convince you otherwise.
Have a short ‘elevator pitch’ prepared. Something like, ‘I wasn’t feeling my best recently and, after talking to my doctor, I am focused on eating foods that nourish my body and soul like (name a few key foods you’re enjoying eating.)’ And then mention a positive outcome like. ‘You wouldn’t believe how much better I am sleeping!’
Have at least one person fully in your corner. As part of your preparation for making these changes, make sure you talk to a trusted friend or partner that will be your support-person when the going gets tough. No matter how committed you are to health changes, there will be days when you don’t get enough rest or you have a bad day at the office. On these days, even strong-willed, prepared ‘you’ can have a tough time remembering your ‘why’ and the ‘Can’t you have just one bite?’ question may be coming from inside your own head. On these days, call this person and tell them that you are considering deviating from your plan.
Project confidence. Add a big smile to your ‘No thank you’ and you’re less likely to get pushback or hear ‘Can’t you have just one?’ Know your restaurant order before you go and say it confidently. ‘I’ll have the burger, no bun, no cheese, extra lettuce and the spinach salad on the side, please.’
“Girl (or boy,) stop apologizing.” Rachel Hollis made this phrase famous with her book by the same name. She was right, though. There is no need to apologize for doing what is right for your health and/or sanity. Try replacing ‘I’m sorry’ with ‘Thank you.’ For example, instead of ‘I’m sorry to inconvenience you,’ try ‘Thank you for accommodating for my gluten/dairy/egg/sugar sensitivity.’
Boundaries. Some people have no trouble with the sentence ‘no.’ But for many, it is easier to please the people around you and silently suffer your own consequences later. This can be exhausting and lead to difficulty knowing what you wanted in the first place. Know where your line is and don’t let anyone tempt you to cross it. Remember that everything you say ‘yes’ to is a ‘no’ to something else.
It is okay to make inappropriate people uncomfortable. If, for example, someone makes a comment about your body composition or fertility, it is not only okay to make them uncomfortable, but also brave and good. Saying ‘That’s inappropriate’ could keep them from bestowing their judgement on another undeserving person.
The health coaches at Carolina Total Wellness are here to support you in your personalized health care journey.
Your Partner In Health,
Erica Nelson, MSPH, NBC-HWC
Hormesis: The Beneficial Type of Stress
Sara Yadlowsky, FMHC
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. We’ve all heard the saying before. Science has revealed it is surprisingly accurate when it comes to our health and longevity.
Hormesis is the idea that short, intermittent bursts of certain stressors can start a cascade of cellular processes that slow aging, improve overall health and make you more resilient, both physically and mentally. It is a hot topic in longevity research right now.
We all know that chronic stress caused by relationship issues, financial problems and working too many hours is detrimental to our health. However, hormetic stressors are controlled and acute, triggering healthy adaptive responses.
What does all this mean in real life? Hormesis is the common thread found in some popular health and fitness trends such as HIIT (high intensity interval training), cold exposure, heat therapy and intermittent fasting. Prolonged doses of these behaviors are not healthy or sustainable. For example, if you spend too much time in a sauna you will become dehydrated. But, in short bursts, the bodily stress caused by these practices are enough to bring about health benefits such as reducing inflammation, supporting elimination of toxins, repairing DNA, combatting oxidative stress, repairing cellular damage and reducing risk of cancer.
Here are three ways to strategically stress your body and reap the rewards:
- HIIT – Do a HIIT workout 1-3 times a week. HIIT workouts are intermittent bursts of intense effort for 30 seconds, followed by 15 seconds of rest. These workouts are usually short, around 15-20 minutes. You can easily find these HIIT videos on YouTube.
- Hot or Cold Therapy – Infrared sauna is a great way to heat up and sweat out some toxins. It also reduces inflammation and pain. In contrast, ice baths, cold showers and the new cryotherapy chambers that are popping up everywhere will cool you down quicky. Cold therapy is also known for reducing inflammation and pain. Both types of therapies may help strengthen the immune system.
- Intermittent Fasting – Fasting triggers a cellular “clean up” response called autophagy. Autophagy results in several health benefits such as lowered cholesterol, reduced blood pressure and reduced inflammation. For many, a 16:8 intermittent fasting schedule (16 hours of fasting followed by an 8 hour feeding window) works well. However, we recommend that you experiment with the timing to see what works best for you.
Be aware that adding stress (even the good type!) to our lives can backfire if done at the wrong time. When life is already very stressful, it is best to wait until a better time when you are more relaxed to try out these new practices.
Your Partner In Health,
Sara Yadlowsky, FMHC
The Power of Movement
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| “Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.” — Plato Being consistently active helps you to live longer, have a better quality of life, improve your mental health, and improve your self-image. Take charge of your mental and physical health in only a few minutes a day. You can make big improvements to your health and energy levels by making small and deliberate healthy lifestyle choices that involve moving more every day. Many people feel daunted by the thought of changing their lives and starting a new routine to be more active, but there are only a few key tips to remember to be successful: Emphasize Fun. What is something you love? Whether that’s music, birds, friends, trampolines, or books, you can shape your activity plan around the things you love. Walk to and from a spot where you can listen to the birds every day; explore local libraries from top to bottom; take the stairs when you visit friends; take a dance class that incorporates music you love. Make the things you love part of your activity plan. Attach Activity To Habits. Taking a walk after dinner is a time-honored way to get moving. What is something you do regularly? Whether it’s going to work, cooking dinner, getting the mail, or brushing your teeth, any habit can be an opportunity to move. Try doing a one-minute wall-sit every time you brush your teeth; or practice dance steps while cooking dinner; or lift your bag over your head every time you go into your house. Any routine behavior can have a small activity bonus built in. Involve Others. Chances are, your friends, family, and co-workers want to be more active, too. Set active living goals together, see if you can aim for incremental advancements and variety in your routines. You could walk an extra two miles a week—or three more flights of stairs. When you meet someone who shares your activity goals, keep moving. Swap sitting at the coffeeshop for walks, and go around the block while catching up. Add Audio. Most phones can play music or podcasts, so challenge yourself to walk for at least one song, or one podcast. Having pleasant audio input can make exercise more fun and rewarding. Be Inventive. Rather than thinking of movement as calisthenics or a workout, challenge yourself to be inventive with your active living. Do an extra lap around the grocery store. Stand while watching a television show, instead of sitting. At work, think about how you can add a few minutes of movement by parking further away, or getting off the bus early. Whenever you text someone, stretch one part of your body. When you open the door at home, do a little dance. When you talk on the phone, stand up for part of the call or go for a walk and cover some miles with company. Be Forgiving. If you have a sedentary day, let it go. Don’t overwork the next day or punish yourself—just try to be active every day! Encourage yourself the way you would encourage your best friend. It is about progress, not perfection. Track your progress. Consider using a pedometer app on your phone, or truly dialing in with that Fit Bit you wear. The Oura Ring is a valuable option. How many steps do you take on an average work day? How many do you take on the weekend? Striving for 10,000 steps a day is recommended. However, some is better than none. See how it goes. Daily movement reduces the risk of many health conditions— protect your health! If you already have a condition, movement reduces the symptoms. Research shows that movement helps with conditions across a broad range: Many forms of cancer Depression, stress, and anxiety Cardiometabolic diseases including prediabetes, diabetes, hypertension, stroke Musculoskeletal health, including osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. “Walking: the most ancient exercise and still the best modern exercise.”— Carrie Late Your Partner In Health! Clarissa A. Kussin, ND, RYT-500 |
Meditate on your feelings to get calm, grounded, and healthy.
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| Meditate on your feelings to get calm, grounded, and healthy.Our emotions can hold us hostage when their stormy winds of intensity and disharmony blow through the body. For example, when you’re angry, your belly can tighten, your heart might pound, and agitating thoughts can plague you for minutes, hours, or even days. This is because emotions, be they angry, peaceful, anxious, sad, or happy, activate your nervous system to release chemicals into your bloodstream that can pull your focus and energy away from other matters. When emotions are that strong, we may be tempted to label them the “enemy.” But refusing to accept how you feel only postpones the inevitable; every emotion you deny will always return, trying to convey important information. In a world full of stress and demands, rest is one of the most important factors for creating wellness. Restorative activities can include mental, physical, and/or emotional activities that help to promote resilience. Particularly if you are under chronic stress, restful activities can break the cycle of stress and assist you on the path to health. Get Unstuck Knowing that the brain is not static, but instead has plasticity, underlines one of the key reasons to practice restful habits: you can learn to be healthier, happier, and more connected. Focusing on the process of restoration, rather than current complaints or states, allows you to take charge of your own health and wellness. You can become more resilient and healthier. The Right Activities Many people turn to television, alcohol, or other semi-harmful activities to counteract stress. Replacing even a few minutes a day of those activities with ones that scientifically promote healing and restoration can trigger lasting improvements. Restoration activities like meditation, guided imagery, breathing techniques, gratitude, and mindfulness are time-honored, science-backed ways to make a difference internally. They have calming effects not only on the state of mind, but also helping to balance hormonal and immune function. Don’t let stress run the show. Select a restoration activity and see if it works for you—whether that’s finding something to feel grateful about every day or trying a new yoga pose. Be intentional and open. Take back a few minutes a day of your life, balance your emotions, and your health and wellness will follow. Restorative Activities Meditation Gratitude Journaling Deep breathing and breathing techniques Guided Imagery and/or Visualization Massage, Sauna, or Water Therapy Mindful Eating, Walking, or Body Scan Many others! A wide variety of conditions are assisted by restoration therapies, including: Anxiety, depression, and mood disorders Cancer Chronic pain and fibromyalgia Gastrointestinal disorders Sleep disturbances and stress disorders Heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension Hot flashes Asthma Emotions are messengers, here to deliver information about empowering actions you need to take in your life and relationships. Just as it takes time to strengthen muscles, it also takes time to strengthen your ability to welcome and respond to your emotions, rather than avoid them. Lean on them to find creative solutions and successfully navigate life. Your Partner In Health! Clarissa A. Kussin, ND, RYT-500 |
Health Benefits of Napping
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| “No day is so bad it can’t be fixed with a nap.” — Carrie Snow With the hectic pace of day-to-day life, many people don’t get the recommended amount of sleep each night. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults typically need between seven and nine hours of sleep per night in order to function at their best. Getting a few less hours for even a few nights in a row can have the same effect as staying awake for 24 hours straight. And, over time, chronic sleep debt can contribute to fatigue, increased stress levels, reduced attention span, and declined cognitive performance. One way to combat the effects of sleep deprivation—and repay some sleep debt—is to incorporate daytime napping into your schedule. The length of the nap and type of sleep you get during that nap help determine its potential health benefits. The table below identifies these benefits. Nap Duration and Potential Health Benefits 10-20 minutes: Reduces sleepiness; improves cognitive performance; increases alertness, attention, and energy levels; improves mood; improves motor performance; reduces stress levels 20-30 minutes: Enhances creativity; sharpens memory 30-60 minutes: Sharpens decision-making skills, including memorization and recall; improves memory preservation 60-90 minutes: Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is critical for problem solving; helps make new connections in the brain; enhances creativity; reduces negative reactivity; promotes happiness The following is a list of tips and tricks to help you make the most of naptime: Choose a dark, quiet, comfortable place where you can relax. Try to limit the amount of noise and light in the room, and make sure the temperature is comfortable. Choose a time that works for you, and aim to nap at that time each day to establish a routine. You may find that restricting your naps to early afternoon (between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm, or an hour or two after lunch) is less likely to interfere with your nighttime sleep patterns. Set an alarm on your cell phone, watch, or computer so you don’t sleep for too long. If you’re napping at the office, try closing your door and hanging a sign that says, “will return in 20 minutes.” Alternatives to this are napping in your car or on an outdoor bench. Wherever you nap, bring along something that you associate with sleep. Some ideas include a sleep mask, neck pillow, relaxing playlist and headphones, cozy blanket, warm socks, and lavender essential oil to dab on your pulse points. Keep in mind that longer naps may be accompanied by sleep inertia, or a period of grogginess that sometimes follows sleep. Give yourself time to wake fully before returning to any activity that requires a quick or sharp response. Your Partner In Health! Susan D. Denny, MD, MPH |
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