You May Not Agree, But I Formed a Partnership

I have formed a partnership.  It might be controversial to some.  It was not a hasty decision, or one that I took lightly.

As a Registered Dietitian, I was taught in school that everyone should be able to get all the nutrients that they need from a well-planned, healthy diet.  There is really no need for supplements.  And then I entered real life.  The kind of real life where people do not always follow a well-planned, healthy diet.

Then I made calorie level, dietitian-planned diets.  We were taught in school that a diet providing less than 1200 Calories generally did not supply all of the day's needs for vitamins and minerals (with the assumption that a diet with more calories than that would be adequate).  When I made well-balanced calorie level meal plans and analyzed them, the 1600 Calorie diet did not provide adequate vitamins and minerals.  Hmmm, maybe some people do need supplements.  But that was just vitamins and minerals!

Other experiences in my life have shown me the importance of other supplements for some people - including me!  I struggle with chronic headaches, and when I run out of certain supplements my headaches are worse.  Fatigue becomes a problem as well.  Medical skepticism of herbal supplements stems from two things: 1) research is lacking on many supplements because there is not financial incentive to doing research on them, and 2) regulations on supplements are not as tight, so supplements can vary greatly from brand to brand.  So, instead of recognizing that there is a place for many of them, the Western medical community (including many dietitian training programs) ignores supplements.

So, after literally a year of contemplating the decision, I partnered with Beachbody.  There are a few things that went into this decision:

I believe in their products.  There are a variety of exercise programs, and literally something for everyone.  Even if you have not been exercising and are completely "out of shape," there is a program that you can do.
When I first started using Shakeology, I took the package to my doctor and had her tell me what she thought.  As a naturopathic physician, she is more educated than I am about supplements (remember, education about supplements is greatly lacking in traditional dietetics programs).  She had very favorable things to say about the ingredients.  For me personally, drinking Shakeology for breakfast helps to control my hunger through the day.  I also have avoided some illnesses that my daughter and husband have had recently (and if you know me at all, you will know that is amazing - I catch everything that comes within 15 feet of me).

Insurance reimbursement for dietitians is getting better, but it is still not where it "should" be.  I did some private practice nutrition counseling a few years ago, and I never received payment from the insurance companies, even though I was contracted with them.  By partnering with Beachbody, I can get paid for doing what I enjoy doing - helping people make healthier choices.

Some people may think that I am compromising myself by joining with an organization like this.  One thing that really held me back for some time was the nutritional information that I received in Beachbody emails.  Beachbody seems to really like the Paleo diet.  I don't.  However, when one of my online students was promoting Paleo, I decided to do a nutritional analysis of the typical day diet on Paleo to show how "bad" this diet was.  Do you know what I found out?  It was not as inadequate in vitamins and minerals as I thought.  It really wasn't that bad.  I still don't think that it is the "best" or "right" way to eat, but I also do not think it is the worst.

Another criticism that people may have about Beachbody is that they have people who are not nutrition professionals spouting out nutrition information.  However, if that were the only criteria for avoiding things, then people should not go to gyms, GNC and other vitamin stores, or Facebook and other social media.  At least I know that what I am teaching is sound nutrition information.  And if I do grow a team of people, I can help teach them to do the same.

Because I am a registered dietitian, I can still do "traditional" nutritional counseling - at traditional billing rates.  So, I am just expanding the ways that I can help people!

Post-Exercise Recovery

Need to justify that burger and fries?  A recent study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism indicated that a small serving ("the right amounts") of fast food were just as good for post-workout recovery as typical sports supplements.  Of course, two things these have in common include carbohydrates and sodium - both important for exercise recovery.

A few things are important to note.  First, these were highly trained cyclists who completed a "glycogen depletion" ride.  This was not a leisurely ride through the park.  Second, the study was made up of 11 males.  With this small of a study, we need to retest to see if we can create similar results.  Finally, they were choosing small portions, not the deluxe burgers and extra large fries!

Junk Food Addiction

Everyone knows that junk food is "bad," right?  So why does it seem so good?  Why do we want it so much?  It turns out that high fat, high sugar diets activate the opioid-dopamine reward system - much like addictive drugs.  It seems that we can build a tolerance; like drug abusers need increased intakes of drugs to get the same "high," some people need increased fat and sugar intake to get the similar "high" from junk foods.  Of course, this has major implications for waistlines!

Some new research is showing that there may be two major periods of the life cycle that impact our preferences for junk food - pregnancy and adolescence.

A high junk food diet by mom, especially in late pregnancy, may "program" the brain's preferences for high fat and high sugar foods.  We may even be able to reverse those preferences by following a healthy diet during late pregnancy.

In this particular study, eating a healthy diet during adolescence helped reduce the preference for junk foods in makes but not females.  That's not to say that all is lost - there is always a benefit to making healthful choices, no matter your age or gender.

The "Right" Way to Lose Weight?

We all know by now that childhood overweight and obesity is a real problem that is not going to go away on its own.  A recent study at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center compared two different dietary interventions (portion-controlled vs. reduced glycemic load) on weight status in children.  There was no statistical difference between the two groups.

This study adds weight to the idea that there is not one "right" way to manage weight.  We are quite fixated on finding the "right" way to lose weight, which can lead to disagreements and disturbed relationships.



One common area in the two groups of this study was the use of Registered Dietitians.  We need to find ways to make good quality nutritional counseling available to people who would like to improve their health and quality of life.

How Much Sugar Are You Drinking?

I would not say that the nutritional value is always equivalent, but if you need a good visual of how much sugar is in a variety of drinks, this article has some great ones!  It also contains good tips for decreasing your added sugar consumption from beverages - which are often mindlessly consumed and can rack up the calories quickly!

Vigorous Exercise May Help You Live Longer

Just as with diet, there is debate regarding the "right" kind of exercise.  Some people say that we just need to move - it doesn't matter what you do.  Others say that you have to have a certain intensity, and others indicate a specific amount of consecutive time.

A recent study followed a large group of people aged 45 and older for six years and tracked intensity of activity and death rates.  In this particular study, the death rate was lowest in people who reported that greater than 30% of their exercise was rigorous (although total exercise time was not reported here).

For many people, just getting up and doing any kind of movement is probably an improvement.  As we gain confidence in our exercise abilities, then we should consider increasing intensity.  (And remember, people with any kind of health conditions or concerns should check with a physician before starting any kind of exercise program.)

Breakfast - Still the Most Important Meal of the Day

There are so many people claiming to have the "right" way to eat - and usually these ideas vary greatly!  Now, the people in the "eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a price, and dinner like a pauper" camp have a little bit of science to back them up.

A study done in Tel Aviv compared the effects on blood sugar of a high-energy breakfast/ low-energy dinner versus a low-energy breakfast/ high-energy dinner meal plan.  In the breakfast-focused meal plan, participants consumed 704 Calories at breakfast and 205 Calories at dinner.  For the dinner-focused meal plan, those were reversed (205 Calories at breakfast and 704 Calories at dinner).  Both meal plans consumed 603 Calories at lunch.

This small study of adults (aged 30-70) with type 2 diabetes showed that the higher calorie breakfast plan resulted in lower blood glucose levels for the entire day than did the higher calorie dinner meal plan.

Energy Drinks

I don't think anyone really thinks energy drinks are "healthy."  I know many people who use them to adjust to shift work or stay awake on long drives.  I am not condoning this activity, but in moderation it probably won't kill you (unless the energy drink is the only thing keeping you alive on the long drive - then you should just pull over and take a nap).

However, many people probably have not thought about the differences in children and adults in terms of metabolism of drugs - and caffeine and other stimulants should be thought of like drugs.

Multiple stories have come out recently about deaths relating to energy drink use.  One fourteen year old girl, who did have a congenital heart condition, died as a result of caffeine overdose from two energy drinks.  Another teenage girl died of heart failure after consuming an energy drink instead of properly hydrating herself with water or an electrolyte replacement drink.

Now, researchers at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity are recommending changes in regulations, suggesting that the sale of energy drinks be controlled like tobacco and alcohol.

You Are What You Eat

Do You Drink Enough Water?

The temperature is rising, and keeping hydrated is very important.  There is controversy (as always seems to be the case in nutrition) over how much water is enough.  The old adage is 8 cups (64 ounces) per day.  More recently, those recommendations were increased to 11 cups per day for women and 13 cups per day for men.



Of course, too much water (like anything else) can actually be a bad thing.  Drinking excessive water, or replacing fluid losses without replacing electrolytes, can lead to very low levels of sodium, potassium and chloride in the blood, which can lead to serious problems.  In most circumstances, water and food can keep that in balance.  However, if you exercise for more than an hour, or spend several hours outside in the heat (like I did on Saturday), you may need an electrolyte replacement drink.  We don't need them for "everyday drinking," but they do have a purpose!

A recent study that included both observational studies and a randomized clinical trial showed that people who drink more water also reduce their risk of kidney stones (ouch)!