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Genetic Eating Part Two

08/29/09 Monika Comments (0)

Many of you were so intrigued by the concept of “Genetic Eating” in last week’s e-zine, you wanted to know a little bit more about the topic.

Genetic Eating is a new way of seeing how we can affect our body’s ability to use the food we feed it on a daily basis. If we are giving it junk, we end with a faulty circuitry. Our electrical currents don’t work very well; therefore, our bodies and minds malfunction. I know this sounds almost robotic; however, it really is how we are wired in the first place. It’s as though our body is a circuit board and if we are giving it the proper nutrients, good rest, movement, we see the circuit board light up and operating fully. This is called the science of Nutrigenomics—a mouthful I know. This field of study has helped us see how our genes work and how we can make them work better. Since the Human Genome Project completed in 2003, scientific research continues looking for the answers to our genetic individuality. One of the key discoveries is we may in fact have more control over our genes than we ever thought possible and our diet plays a crucial role.

For example, if you eat a high-carbohydrate meal, your insulin spikes and your blood sugar plummets, making you very hungry. This is the reason you crave more carbohydrates (including sugar) and tend to eat more all day long. If you eat a low glycemic load diet like the “Skinny Jeans Diet,” which balances blood sugar levels and keeps insulin levels low, you will often find much higher levels of HDL “good” cholesterol and much lower levels of triglycerides. This type of “genetic eating” actually turns on the good genetic blueprint for healthy cholesterol and blood sugar balance.

So you can change your genes and fit into your jeans, and diet is such a powerful change agent in this regard. More than you ever thought possible. Change your biochemistry and your genes may change as well.

Please send us your comments regarding this article at: monika@coachingforhealth.com

(c) Monika Klein, B.S., C.N. is an award winning clinical nutritionist and weight loss expert. Monika is the “Compassionate and Practical Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach.” Her company, Coaching For Health, offers life transforming weight loss and wellness programs, classes and products throughout the world. To learn more about Monika’s services and programs, visit www.coachingforhealth.com.

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Categories : Self Improvement, Wellness

Tags : Diet, food, health, Self Improvement

Are Your Genes Influencing How Your Jeans Fit?

08/14/09 Monika Comments (0)

Is your weight genetic? Obesity genes account for only 5% of all weight problems. So 95% of any weight problems have nothing to do with your genes. This fact has not affected the high incidence of obesity we see in our culture. We can’t blame the obesity problem on high fat diets either. Even though fat contains 9 calories per gram, as opposed to carbohydrates or protein, which actually contains 4 calories per gram, we still can’t nail our epidemic on the consumption of fat. In fact, research has shown low-fat diets don’t work either and they actually cause more harm than good. And to top it off, avoiding fat in your diet is not a major determinant of body fat. The Women’s Health Initiative, which is the largest clinical trial of diet and body weight, found that 50,000 women on low fat diets had no significant weight loss.

Did you know you could be at a perceived weight that appears to be ideal and actually be considered clinically obese? We call it “Skinny Fat.” Many models who we think are skinny or lean actually have a high percentage of body fat. Anything over 30% is considered clinically obese. Many of these “ideal” model-types have actually very little lean muscle on their bodies. They are literally, as we often say only skin and bones, and let’s include fat under that skin to our description. It’s so important to know what your actual body fat composition, or your fat to muscle ratio, is. This marker determines your true slimness and your true state of health. This is the reason I always recommend having your body fat composition tested.

Even without getting the actual test done, eating in a whole and balanced way, the method I teach clients, is the ultimate prevention of falling into the “skinny fat” category. Here’s a secret. You can actually eat more when you have a higher percentage of lean muscle mass than less to maintain your weight. Your body becomes a virtual furnace and can efficiently and easily break down what you consume. I’m not saying it easily burns everything down. If you feed your body unhealthy foods, your muscle mass will decrease and so will your furnace’s ability to burn calories. There are two main things that increase lean muscle mass—resistance exercise and protein. Both in appropriate amounts for your body size and exercise level will give you the desired lean muscle to fat ratio you are looking for.

Back to the issue of treating obesity and weight, the ultimate is in personalizing our approach. In my field of nutrition, we are hearing more and more about something called Nutrigenomics. It is the science of how we can use food to influence our genes. Yes, you heard that right. Our diet can influence and potentially change our genes. Let’s call it Genetic Eating if you will.

When we give our bodies the building blocks and the proper nutrition, our genes get turned on, so to speak. Simply put, we come into this world with a certain genetic makeup and if we don’t feed our genes properly, the expression of our genes stops. For example, let’s call it the healthy weight gene. Without the proper nutrients, this gene shuts down, weight gain takes over, which is what you see. In order to turn the genetic light switch back on, we need to give our bodies the right nutritional current so they work. Of course, this is a very simple explanation of an extremely complex process. The most important thing for you to understand is you can change your genes, fit into your jeans, and your diet plays one of the most crucial roles in this regard.Until next time, stay healthy and choose your foods carefully!

Please email me today and leave your comments at monika@coachingforhealth.com.

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Categories : Diet, Self Improvement, Wellness

Tags : Diet, fitness, food, health, Self Improvement

Dreaming of Carbs?

07/30/09 Monika Comments (0)

Have you ever dreamed about things you can’t have? One of my clients had an experience when she first started her weight loss program with me. Here is our conversation.

She wrote:
Last night I dreamt of rice pilaf, buttermilk biscuits, and pancakes. Is that normal? I know I miss eating carbohydrates, but I’d hope to have a reprieve from that longing when I sleep. Any ideas of what might be going on? Could there be a chemical deficiency making me crave carbohydrates? I know there are obvious psychological needs. I find those foods comforting, but could there be a supplement I could take that would release the same comfort chemicals in my brain that carbohydrates do?

My response:
It is very common to dream or think about things that you feel you “can’t” eat, drink, or have while changing a possibly addictive behavior. The “forbidden food syndrome” I call it. It becomes more of a mental/emotional “weaning off” process. In many ways you are actually satisfying this particular craving while in your dream state. However, taking a serotonin balancing formula such as 5 HTP or GABA might be a good thing to add. When you say these foods are providing comfort, what is it that you need comfort for at this time? Are you exhausted, anxious, or unhappy about something? If we can pinpoint it, then I could make the best recommendation for you.

Her response:
Good to know it’s not unusual to dream about food. I thought only starving people in third world countries would do that; however, I get that my mind is just offloading old behavior. I think the comfort the food and specifically the carbs provide is certainty. I’ve been searching for a new home lately, which of course requires a lot of energy and can be a bit stressful. Today, I put in an offer on a house and now we are starting the negotiation process—more uncertainty. Even though some part of me knows it will all work out, I’m still feeling anxiety. I think it can be common to seek comfort when you are fearful, scared, or uncertain. Nothing unusual.

My response:
Yes, maybe common to seek comfort; however, it doesn’t necessarily have to come from food or having a drink. You can take other comforting activities, thoughts, and actions, so you feel nurtured, comforted, and loved. How about a hot bath, a massage or foot rub (yes, go ahead and ask your husband), or maybe a funny movie or a good book. How about writing down your thoughts and feelings in your private and sacred journal, or calling a friend to share, laugh, and cry. We often go towards food when we are feeling lonely, sad, or anxious. Whatever you can do to stop your addictive pattern the better. Instead of going to the fridge or raiding the cupboard, how about a nice cup of tea and curling up in your bed and read that satisfying novel you’ve been wanting to start. Break it up and do something new.

I wanted to share this with you this week. I believe many of you have been faced with similar issues in the past and I thought my conversation with this particular client could help.

Stay cool and stay well!

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Categories : Diet, Uncategorized, Wellness

Tags : Diet, food, health

Women’s Health: Healthy Hormones, Eating Right & More

06/04/09 Monika Comments (0)

Clearly, we know women are different from men; however, when it comes to your health, just how different? From menstruation to menopause and beyond, we women are presented with a unique health experience. Whether its pregnancy, PMS, fatigue, or osteoporosis, often hormones are involved in a big way. We now know that heart disease is a bigger concern for women than we thought, especially in the postmenopausal years, due to the decrease in estrogen levels. Osteoporosis as well as elevated cholesterol also becomes an issue for many women during these years.

Usually a discussion of women’s hormones is often only about estrogen and progesterone. What about the other hormones? Today women’s fast-paced lives have led to an overabundance of adrenal burnout, which is often the reason so many women are exhausted. Insulin resistance is also on the rise with high starch and sugar foods being over consumed or worse yet—meals being missed—causing often dangerous fluctuations in blood sugar levels.

Insulin resistance and adrenal stress levels can be determined through blood and salivary testing (for adrenals). I also often recommend women have their thyroid levels checked as well, as they can also contribute to fatigue and weight gain if they are out of balance. For adrenal support B-complex vitamins and adrenal support herbs like ginseng, or the ayurvedic herb ashwanganda are often recommended. For insulin resistance supplements like alpha lipoic acid, chromium, as well as fish oil are often part of the protocol I recommend.

Women experience monthly and daily hormonal cycles often affecting moods, weight, and even brain chemistry. For example, serotonin—the “calming” brain chemical responsible for sleep, mood, and pain sensitivity—is often lower in women than men. Without sufficient amounts of serotonin, women often crave carbohydrates, causing weight gain and a rise blood sugar. A healthier solution is adding quality proteins and good fats to the diet to help raise serotonin.

Having worked mostly with women throughout my career, I have noticed the two areas of greatest concern are: weight and fatigue. However, with more and more of the population entering peri-menopause and menopause, other additional issues seem to crop up, such as sleep disorders, hot flashes, and bone loss. Symptoms can be greatly helped with the supplement and dietary recommendations I’ve already mentioned.

Often misunderstood and yet touted on a daily basis is the notion that all foods should be evaluated on how many calories they contain versus the quality of the food itself. Our state of health, and subsequently our weight, is greatly dependent on the vitality of the food. The more vital and fresh a food is, the more vital a person will be. So calories are not as important as quality. Which means the more fresh, pure, natural, and unadulterated the food is, the better it is for you.

A woman’s health is also dependent on having a healthy digestive tract. Constipation, bloat, heartburn and gas, and even yeast infections indicate an unhealthy gastrointestinal tract. An unhealthy digestive tract will not perform correctly and weight imbalances, fatigue, and other symptoms are often the result. Food allergies also constitute a burden on our digestive and immune systems, often causing weight gain as well.

One health regimen that I have become a big proponent of is a yearly detoxification program. Spring is the perfect time of year to do this. To clarify, a proper detoxification program includes more than just colon cleansing, it also focuses on the liver’s detoxifying function. This process rids the body of an accumulation of toxins, which helps restore our vitality.

Starting with a good diet is crucial when dealing with women’s health symptoms, not just “a vegetable” per meal, but also many vegetables throughout the day at every meal if possible. Vegetables are chock full of essential vitamins and minerals, which are important for optimal health. Laboratory and clinical dietary assessment also shows that women are often deficient in protein. Therefore, consume quality protein and vegetables at every meal.

Eating is an important shared human experience and many women are not eating well. Often racing out while eating their breakfast or missing it altogether or munching their lunches while frantically multitasking. These habits stress out a women’s already burned-out system and can strongly affect how the food is processed and utilized. It’s possible food allergens are being created if the food is not properly digested. As a woman matures, she can no longer get away with many of these “non nurturing habits.” As part of my ongoing wellness coaching I often recommend the “Do-Less-Program” where women make shorter “To Do” lists and learn how to take care of themselves first.

Here’s to your improving and empowering health as we start a fresh new spring!

Healthy Blessings and Love to you!

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Categories : Self Improvement, Wellness

Tags : Diet, fitness, food, health, Self Improvement

5 Inspiring Tips So You Don’t End Up Like Kirstie Alley

05/14/09 Monika Comments (0)

We’ve all seen Kirstie Alley in the media lately, having gained back all the weight she lost when she was with Jenny Craig. But she still wants to get into her bathing suit and show it off on Oprah. Here are five tips on how you can get into your bathing suit again and again, and look your best year after year. Let’s get you back into your Skinny Jeans and your “hot” bathing suit, and keep you there. Talk about true freedom!

Tip #1: Stay connected to the qualified professional who helped you get there in the first place. It’s so important to have a strategy and surround yourself with the people who helped you become successful. Let me be honest with you. It’s hard to sustain your good eating, exercise, and self care habits on your own. It just is. We are constantly exposed to triggers in our environment that easily take us off track and distract us from taking care of ourselves. It’s important to have someone who can help you stay empowered, inspired, and successful for the long run.

Tip #2: Take things off your plate. This is especially true for women reading or hearing this today. Women tend to overdo and feel virtuous and seemingly “guilt-free” by saying YES to everything and everyone. I encourage you to stop this habit as soon as possible. I have found the most successful in my programs are those focused more on their wants and needs first, before focusing on what everyone else’s wants and needs—either in their home or professional lives.What happens is that when you are taking care of yourself, a miracle happens. Everyone else seems to be doing just fine and maybe even getting healthier as well. As you start to take better care of yourself, those close to you actually become inspired and start doing the same. Now there’s no guarantee this will happen; however, surprisingly, I see it happen a lot. So stop doing for everyone else, fixing everyone else’s problems, and start focusing on you. You owe it to yourself. Unless you are dealing with young children or elderly parents, everyone else can take care of themselves more than you think. Believe me I see this happen everyday.

Tip #3: Make sure you reward yourself with things other than food or alcohol. There are so many other, non-caloric, ways to give yourself a gift of appreciation for a job well done, or for something you’ve accomplished, a massage, a new scarf, a new piece of jewelry, going for a walk on the beach, a concert, a belly dancing class—why not?

I just started ballroom dancing myself. Even though I’d always taken dance classes most of my life, ballet, modern, jazz, and most recently hip-hop, I thought I’d add some “new steps” to my repertoire. You know learning a new activity is not only good for your waistline but also for your mind and your confidence. So go ahead, give yourself a healthy reward. It’ll be satisfying in many more ways than eating a bag of M&M’s.

Tip #4: Eat real, whole, and fresh foods as much as possible. They are loaded with the stuff you need and won’t leave you starving or feeling deprived because they are providing the nutrients you need to stay slim and healthy. I have never been a big fan of packaged, processed, or altered foods. There is not much to these bagged, boxed, and artificial foods, which I sometimes refer to as just good tasting cardboard, with the “good tasting” component being questionable.

The closer a food is to its natural state or as I always say, “closer to mother nature,” the better it is for you. You can’t derive much fuel for your mind and body from empty calories. Even if a whole food appears to have more calories like a sirloin steak, in comparison to a box of crackers you will always be further ahead with the real food versus the packaged one.

Consider also Kirstie Ally’s reliance on the packaged Jenny Craig food she never learned how to cook healthy on her program and these foods are loaded with sodium and other additives. So think healthy, not necessarily quick fix.

Tip #5: Move. You need to move. There’s no getting around this. Find something that doesn’t feel like work but is loads of fun. As I just did with the ballroom dancing. Yes, that’s right, exercise can be fun (just like eating well can also be fun). Make a point of doing something everyday, even if just for 10 minutes.

You need to make this a habit. It’s good for your brain to help with stress reduction and for taking a simple break in your day. Have things around that trigger you to move like the weights or pictures of you doing yoga. That is what I have on my Vision Board, which I get to look at every day. I also have a recumbent bike, free weights, ball and bands at home, and a beautiful neighborhood to take walks in if I choose to. Don’t just plan to go to the gym someday. Take the first step and then stick with it. And also mix it up a bit. Don’t always do the same thing everyday. Try something new, so you can work different muscle groups and keep it interesting.

These are the tips that will keep you from heading down the same path Kirstie Alley and Oprah have recently found themselves on. Do these and you will always be in great shape—mind, body, and spirit!

Healthy Blessings,
Monika

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Categories : Self Improvement, Wellness

Tags : Diet, exercise, fitness, food, health, Self Improvement, Self motivation

How your brain reacts to food can predict your weight…

05/07/09 Monika Comments (0)

I often focus my articles on lifestyle and your psychology; however, today I’m wanting to take perhaps a more technical approach regarding our brain and weight. Did you know that it’s not just your eyes and nose that react to “Yummy” foods—it’s also your brain? For example, drinking a milkshake causes the pleasure center in your brain to get happy—unless you’re overweight. It sounds counterintuitive doesn’t it? A recent study watched young women savor milkshakes inside a brain scanner and concluded that when the brain doesn’t sense enough gratification from food, people overeat to compensate. This small study showed who was more likely to gain weight over the next year: “The more blunted a person’s response to the milkshake taste, the more likely she was to gain weight,” said Dr. Eric Stice, a senior scientist at the Oregon Research Institute who headed the study.

This is something I have been speaking about for years and in fact just today spoke about it with my husband. If you are overweight, your brain chemicals, and yes your senses, are dulled, so you don’t fully taste what you are eating or drinking. An individual who is at their appropriate weight, and of course eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise, will not have this effect. When you’re overweight, it’s harder to get the pleasure sensation, which is something we crave from eating.

We’ve all heard about the brain chemical serotonin in recent years. Low levels of serotonin causes increased carbohydrate cravings and increase in anti- depressant prescriptions. Another brain chemical called dopamine is responsible for our ability to sense pleasure. Dopamine also helps with impulse control. Brain scans done on the obese show they have less dopamine than lean people, making them more vulnerable to compulsive overeating.

The brain is extraordinary. For many years now, I have made available to you specific brain chemical tests to help us determine your brain chemistry levels. The tests are quite revealing and really help us devise programs for improving brain function and balancing your hormones. Diet is one thing, counseling and coaching another, and having relevant tests available just helps further in getting you healthy and helping you become the best you can be.

Even if weight is not an issue, perhaps memory, sharpness, or clarity of mind might be. Maybe you want to be more focused. Even though I get incredible results with the eating plans I provide, sometimes additional fine-tuning can make a world of difference.

Stay healthy and “brainy!”

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Categories : Self Improvement, Wellness

Tags : Diet, fitness, food, Self Improvement

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