Food Is Medicine

Some years ago, Dr. Conrad Esselstyn and Colin Campbell combined their expertise in clinical nutrition and nutritional research and reinforced the finding that there is one true path toward lifelong wellness, and that is food.

Like Dan Buettner. who wrote The Blue Zone, they showed that eating fresh unprocessed food makes a world of difference in health and wellness, and may be the only medicine needed throughout life.

It’s been my mission since completing my training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in 2005 to help whoever is ready and open to living with the simple belief that whole foods are the answer. It doesn’t mean you can never have a treat, or a pizza, or fried clams or chips. What it means is that most of your food falls into the categories  of fruits, vegetables. whole grains, clean meat and seafood, nuts, beans, fermented foods and seeds. Real food.

It also means that while  staying within these parameters, there may be times when some of these foods don’t agree with you or you just don’t like them. That is your bio-individuality speaking to you, and it is up to you to listen.

You may know I offer nutritional cleanses 3 times annually.  These are times designed to acclimate to changing seasons and in one case reset from the holidays. Here’s an example of what you might discover through this experience:

Karen was a first -time cleanser with Wellness and You.  This is what she relayed back to me a week after the cleanse ended:

“I finished the cleanse 6 days ago and I’ve re-introduced coffee, bread and yogurt into my diet. 
  Coffee:  Have changed cups to 1 eight-oz cup and thoroughly enjoy 1 cup in the morning.
  Bread:  2 slices per day/max - not every day
  Yogurt:  about 1/2c to 1 cup per day with breakfast and occasionally with fresh/frozen berries and nuts as an afternoon treat or in an afternoon smoothie.  
  Sweetener:  maple sugar only and the amount is regulated.

Here’s what I have noticed since finishing the cleanse:
  Hair Loss:  Definitely have noticeably less hair loss when I wash my hair.  I love it!  That benefit alone is worth changing one’s diet!
 Mornings:  hip pain is gone (yeahhh); overall stiffness diminished; no morning fog at all upon waking.
 Throughout the day:  higher energy levels.  
  Sweet tooth lower:  Last weekend, my daughter purchased a lemon meringue pie to share.  I ate a slice and noticed that I didn’t enjoy the taste that much while I was eating it - that surprised me!. 
Again, I’m delighted.  I’m not craving sugary sweets and deliberately not bringing any into my pantry.

I like your meal plan so much!  It has given me a simple, viable, healthy plan to follow and remove the angst around grocery shopping and quantity to purchase.  

Peg, thank you for your expertise.  Your cleanse plan really helped me understand what I , needed to do to live well and age well.  I am very grateful for the experience.
”

— Karen

The Proof Is Here

Look at Drs. Esselstyn, Campbell’s conclusions. Look at The Blue Zone, And look at Karen.  Eating healthy is the best medicine and it heals quickly.  I’ve seen it over and over.  You may know Dr. Mark Hyman, another doctor who espouses food as medicine. The bad part is we hear so little from mainstream medicine about the power of food,

Instead, we hear one should lose weight, or exercise. Excess weight and the lack of exercise is the result of poor quality food. In my book Food Becomes You I talk about malnutrition.  You might think I’m talking about not having enough food, but I’m not. I’m talking about eating highly processed food that offer few if any nutrients, causing you to always feel hungry. That hunger turns to over-eating, and if the food offers no nutrients, your brain will continue to trigger your appetite.

Join Me on the Path to Wellness

We all want to feel good. No one wants to be crippled by pain, digestive distress, headaches, depression, high blood pressure or excess weight.  Taking time to commit yourself to a healthier way of life with your food is so worth it. It takes time and attention, but like Karen, once you see how much better you can feel, you see how worth it healthy eating really is.

I invite you to read over my programs page to see if something may be right for you. I work virtually and in person in my Six Weeks and Comprehensive Coaching programs. We start with a detailed health history and goals statement to be sure the program is right for you. Everything is confidential.   And the best news of all, getting your food right will create a ripple effect in all aspects of your life.

Secret Sauce

Teachers go into the staff room and hear “I did Paleo and lost 15 pounds"... "don’t eat grains, they are bad for you”.   Downtown professionals hear about Ideal Protein and jump on the bandwagon.  So why aren’t dieters successful when they use these diets?  There are many reasons, but the secret sauce that is missing from all these diets is YOU.  

You Are You and Nobody Else 

Diets are created with a one-size-fits-all approach.  Is that how you choose your clothing? Your eyeglasses if you wear them? Your shoes?  Diets do not work because they give you a list of foods you can and cannot eat with no consideration to your specific nutritional needs. And when you don’t have foods that are right for you, you will feel out of balance. Balance is key if you want to feel energized and free of food obsessions. 

Questions to Ask Yourself

1. what is my typical day like? Am I physically active through the day or do I sit a lot?
2. how old am I? 
3. what part of the country do I live in?  Is the weather the same all year or is it seasonal?
4. what is my living situation? alone, partnered, family unit, social community
5. what is my present health status? have I had any serious or chronic illnesses? 
6. do I have food sensitivities? if so, what are they? 
7. do I have cravings? if so, for what? 
8. where do I eat? home at the table, restaurant, car, other?
9. how is my belly health? daily bowel movements, constipated, bloating, gas?

Being clear on these issues will tell you far more about what you need to achieve weight loss goals than any diet can do.  When you get clear on who you are, you can take all the important principles of nutrition and tailor them to your needs.  

Diets Lead to Disappointment and Frustration

We become overweight from eating poor quality foods.  Using a diet to lose weight that was gained from eating those foods will only be temporary, and data shows that 85% of weight lost by restrictive dieting comes right back on. Why do that to yourself?  

Love that Sauce

Yes, the secret sauce in all of this is getting to know yourself and your health status right at this very moment. Once that is clear, the next step is learning to nourish yourself with simple whole foods. I show this in my book Food Becomes You  

Another illustration of the effectiveness of eating simple whole foods came from a story I heard last week.  A woman shared that her Mother recently passed away at 106.  I’m always eager to know an elder’s story, so I asked her what her Mom’s health was like. She said her Mom was sharp as a tack, took no meds, and always said“Food is Medicine” .  And it is!  There is nothing more powerful than a mix of high quality foods freshly prepared and eaten in a peaceful environment. Whether you are healthy, recovering from cancer or dealing with a chronic illness, food is powerful medicine.    You can figure out the "medicine" you need when you start with simple whole foods and pay careful attention to how they make you feel.  Remember, one size does not fit all.  You may do great with broccoli but get a belly ache from asparagus. 

An Invitation

If you want the tools to make this happen for you, I can help you.  I can tell you more about what’s wrong with diets, but I’d rather help you learn to make wise, intuitive choices that are right for you so you feel empowered in truly caring for yourself. 6 Weeks to Diet Freedom is now being offered on a rolling admissions process.  Join me and I will support you every step of the way. 

February is the month of love.  Learn to love your body. It’s the “home” you live in all your life. Honor it with quality food.  

                                                           Happy Valentine's Day/

Strawberries Are Coming!

June Is Strawberry Month

Like all fruits, strawberries have a season in which they are most abundant, and in Massachusetts  that begins in mid-June.  Local strawberries are juicy and tender and quite different from the berries you can buy year round from California. 

Buying the Best Berries

Strawberries are a fruit that should be purchased organically or from Massachusetts farms that limit the use of chemicals. For organic farms refer to http://www.baystateorganic.org/MA/MA-STRAWBERRIES.html for your strawberries. 

Go Organic for California Berries

If you buy California strawberries at any time of year, choose organic.  California non-organic strawberries have high concentrations of pesticides that can do more harm than good.