January 01, 2020 at 11:00AM by CWC Year after year, “dieting and eating healthier” tops the list of most common New Year’s resolutions for Americans. But this is a different kind of healthy eating challenge from others you might see in January. We’re not here to tell you to follow a specific kind of eating plan, nor are we ever going to focus on eating for a certain kind of body. Instead, we want to help you prioritize whole foods over processed ones, and make doing so super simple so you might consider keeping it up throughout the year. Why? Simply put, it’s one of the few healthy eating “golden rules” that experts can agree on, no matter if they’re a fan of Paleo or keto or the Mediterranean diet. And it’s something that can be adapted to nearly any way of eating, regardless of a person’s unique nutritional or dietary needs. But it’s easy to bite off more than you can chew when working towards a new goal, no matter how gung-ho you feel on January 1. Because it takes 28 days to build a habit, we’ve set up our food challenge to give you a piece of actionable advice every single day for the next four weeks, all with the goal of getting you to eat more whole foods while meeting your own individual healthy eating goals along the way. Ready to join us on four weeks of change? It all starts on January 5. Read up on
Category: Keto
10 healthy lasagna recipes that serve as the ultimate comfort food
December 29, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC Lasagna is the quintessential comfort food. Traditionally served piping hot and oozing with cheese spilling out from layers of pasta, the Italian dish is a cold-weather classic. For eaters who either can’t or choose not to consume dairy, meat, or gluten, there are many alternative homemade lasagna recipes out there. Rounded up here are 10 takes on the classic dish, full of tweaks to give eaters of a wide range of dietary restrictions something to dig into. 10 healthy homemade lasagna recipes for a delicious dinner Photo: Hummusapien 1. Vegan zucchini and tofu ricotta lasagna If you’re craving a lasagna dish but stick to a vegan diet, this is the recipe for you. It’s still dripping with marina sauce and you still get that cheesy taste you’re after, but the ricotta is made with a smart mix of tofu, roasted garlic hummus, nutritional yeast, basil, garlic, and sea salt. There’s also lots of spinach and zucchini tucked between the noodles, so you’re getting a good serving of fiber, too. Photo: The Spruce Eats 2. Very easy vegan lasagna This recipe is a good one to start with if you’ve never made a healthy lasagna recipe before or get stressed out in the kitchen easily. The recipe is simple, just nine ingredients, and the steps are straight-forward. Almond milk, nutritional yeast, and vegan ricotta cheese are used to keep the recipe dairy-free. Photo: Food Faith Fitness 3. Paleo zucchini lasagna Gluten-free, grain-free, Paleo, Whole30-approved,
I’m a functional medicine doctor, and this is the most common mistake with intermittent fasting
December 28, 2019 at 01:47PM by CWC With well-intentioned resolutions at the forefront of everyone’s mind right now, chances are you’ve got at least one friend who says she’s going to start the new year with intermittent fasting. Or maybe it’s you who wants to try IF, having read about intermittent fasting for weight loss or getting a better sleep at night. The eating plan—which calls for eating only during certain time periods—always seems to be part of the wellness conversation, but it’s making headlines yet again this week due to a just-released study published in the New England Journal of Medicine offering new intel on the best way to go about IF. The study suggests that instead of jumping straight into it, it’s more effective to ease into it, slowly increasing the duration and frequency of the fasting periods. As a functional medicine doctor who is known for preaching a food-as-medicine message, Mark Hyman, MD, is used to patients asking him all sorts of IF questions—or coming to him complaining that it hasn’t worked for them. Dr. Hyman says the new information makes sense and even says IF is linked to a myriad of health benefits. “Intermittent fasting, or eating your meals within an eight hour window can be effective, especially in terms of changing unhealthy eating behaviors,” he says. But he also says he’s seen people go about IF the wrong way, too. “I think people get caught up in the terminology of it, not knowing what intermittent
Given everything we learned about food this year, here’s how we’ll be eating in 2020
December 23, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC If you want to adopt a healthier way of eating in 2020—but you’re totally confused about what that even means—it’s not just you. The nutrition news space is about as noisy as Times Square on New Year’s Eve, and it can be hard to discern the facts from the fads. Luckily, several studies published in 2019 made it clearer than ever which foods promote health and longevity, making it hopefully a bit easier for us all to make dietary decisions in the new year and beyond. Here, we distill the findings of 2019’s most notable nutrition news into easy-to-follow meal planning tips. As you’ll see, they telegraph several truths loud and clear: You can’t go wrong if you’re eating lots of plants, following Mediterranean diet guidelines, and avoiding processed foods. Follow these suggestions, and you can rest assured that you’re eating in a way that’s actually approved by science (even if it’s not the diet du jour on Instagram). 1. Prioritize fruits, veggies, and grains in the name of planetary (and personal) health Concerned about the climate crisis? Same. But this year, we learned it’s possible to make a difference by consciously planning our meals. A large-scale analysis published in October showed that vegetables, fruit, and whole grains are the three most sustainable foods a person can eat. Not only are they nutritious—they’re the foods to load up on for a healthy gut and cardiovascular system—but they also have a 40-times lower environmental
Why some healthy eating experts say intuitive eating is the future of nutrition
December 19, 2019 at 03:00AM by CWC Eat whatever you want, whenever you want—and improve your cholesterol and blood sugar levels while feeling happier and more confident about your body. Sold? That’s the promise behind “intuitive eating,” a term coined by dietian Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch in their 1995 book, Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program the Works. Although the theory is a bit more involved than that, this relatively straightforward approach to food may seem quite radical to many of us used to complicated diets with lots of rules about what you can and can’t eat (ahem, keto). While the concept has been growing more popular in recent years, (and has long been a mainstay of eating disorder recovery), intuitive eating started to attract more widespread attention after author Jessica Knoll credited it to changing her relationship with food after years of dieting in a June essay for the New York Times. But the philosophy is certainly older than this year. “Intuitive eating is reconnecting with a way of eating that always existed,” says Alissa Rumsey, MS, RD, a certified intuitive eating counselor and owner of Alissa Rumsey Nutrition and Wellness. What is intuitive eating? Most eating plans tend to have pretty particular rules, whether it’s sticking to a very specific amount of calories or macronutrients per day (like the ketogenic diet), completely avoiding entire food groups (like the Paleo diet), or eating only on certain days of the week or at certain times of the day (like various
Atypical anorexia is proof that eating disorders can affect anyone at any size
December 14, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC It has long been assumed by healthcare professionals, researchers, and the general public that the defining characteristic of anorexia, an eating disorder that affects 1 percent of women, is being extremely thin. Until the 2013 publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5), which is used by practitioners to diagnose mental illnesses, an anorexia diagnosis required a person to be at an abnormally low body weight. However, the reality is that anorexia can affect anyone, at any size—even a person who doesn’t appear to be underweight. This is called atypical anorexia, a condition where a person meets most of the criteria for anorexia (like severely reducing their food intake in order to lose weight, being afraid of gaining weight, and denying the seriousness of their condition), but is still technically at a normal or even high BMI. But the enduring stereotypes about what the condition “looks” like can make it harder for people who need help to get it. “The assumption that patients with low weight are more ill is reflected widely in recommendations for assessment, hospitalization, re-feeding, and recovery,” says Andrea Garber, PhD, RD, an associate professor of pediatrics in the division of adolescent medicine at the University of California (UCSF). A doctor, health professional, or even friends and family might not recognize the disorder in someone if they aren’t fully educated to recognize other signs and symptoms of the eating disorder, such as a preoccupation with losing weight
How to order the healthiest smoothie at Smoothie King, according to a dietitian
December 06, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC Chances are, if you’re hitting up a smoothie bar like Smoothie King, you have the best intentions of keeping your order healthy. The grab-and-go chain caters to health-minded eaters across the spectrum, with an extensive menu that includes 25 different “fitness blends,” 16 “wellness blends,” and 16 “take a break blends.” It’s awesome Smoothie King has gone the extra mile to have so many choices, but it’s also…overwhelming. With so many drink options to choose from, it can be a challenge to know which ones are truly the healthiest. That’s where registered dietitian Carrie Dennett, RD comes in. Here, she highlights the best menu choices for eaters (sippers?) prioritizing low-sugar, ketogenic, or vegan dietary habits. Consider it the unofficial Smoothie King cheat sheet for making your order as healthy as it can be. Keep reading to see her tips for each of the aforementioned eating plans. Scroll down to see Smoothie King’s healthiest options, according to a dietitian. Low-sugar Menu picks: Keto Champ Coffee; Keto Champ Berry What an RD says: The majority of Smoothie King’s offerings are high in sugar, reaching more than double what’s recommended for the entire day. (A lot of this is the nature of fruit-heavy smoothies, although many also have significant amounts of added sugar, too.) But Dennett has a smart cheat for keeping your order on the low end of the sugar spectrum: “If you choose one of the specially crafted ‘keto’ smoothies, you know it’s going to be low
5 healthy Trader Joe’s sauces that can transform practically any meal
December 04, 2019 at 06:30PM by CWC While there’s lots of debate in the healthy food world over which eating plan is best or whether alt-meats are worth adding onto our plates, there’s one thing that everyone can agree on: Trader Joe’s can do (almost) no wrong. From their cauliflower gnocchi to their spice section and even their beauty products, they deliver quality and health on practically every level. And as I’ve recently discovered, this trueism expends to their sauces, too. Sauces, of course, are a great healthy way to add flavor and nutrition to a dish without a ton of extra effort. But if you don’t have time or energy to DIY your own, store-bought options can be life-saving…if you do your label-reading carefully. There’s often a catch in the form of hidden salt, sugar, or preservatives in many pre-made sauces. Not so with these five healthy Trader Joe’s sauces. They’re all approved by a dietitian, so you know they’re legit health-wise. And given that they’re all from TJ’s, you’re in good hands taste-wise, too. Consider tonight’s dinner plans saved with these delicious picks. 1. Best salsa: Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde “You can do more than just dip chips into this salsa verde, which is why it should definitely be on your Trader Joe’s grocery list,” says Maggie Michalczyk, MS, RD. Made with simple ingredients like tomatillos, water, garlic, and salt, it’s pretty pure in terms of high-quality ingredients while staying relatively low in sodium and sugar. “Use it
What a day of healthy eating looks like for a food blogger with diabetes
December 04, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC My Bizzy Kitchen blogger Biz Velatini has a three-word mantra when it comes to her healthy eating philosophy: don’t be boring. “I have favorite meals and I’m a leftovers queen, but I try not to eat the same exact meal over and over,” she says. This can be challenging for two reasons. One, she relies on meal-prepped food during the week because of her three-hour long daily commute. Second, she has type 2 diabetes, which means she has to plan ahead even more than the average person. “I worked with a diabetic dietitian and she explained how to use carbs, protein, and fats together to avoid huge blood sugar spikes,” Velantini says. Registered dietitian and The Southern Comfort Food Diabetes Cookbook author Maya Feller, RD, says there’s no one-size-fits-all eating plan for managing diabetes, so it’s important for any diabetic to work with a doctor or dietitian specializing in the disease to figure out what will work for your individual numbers and lifestyle. “When working with patients, I recommend having a nutrition routine based on whole and minimally processed foods that promote euglycemia [normal glucose levels],” Feller says. That’s because diabetes affects a person’s ability to metabolize sugar, making balanced blood sugar levels especially crucial. To Velatini’s point, food pairings matter a lot when managing type two diabetes, Feller adds, as well as portion sizes. Eating just rice alone, for example, can have a more significant affect on a person’s blood sugar levels than if
The calorie is out, and qualitative eating is in. Finally.
December 02, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC You’ve heard the old adage: “calories in, calories out.” It’s the concept that a person can manage their weight by simply burning more calories through exercise than they consume in food—and it was one of the guiding forces in nutrition for the past twenty years. (Hell, a Reddit community named after and dedicated to the concept has over 24 million members.) For decades, people were fixated on calorie counts as a primary consideration for what they put on their plates. But we’re happy to report that this narrow mindset is something we’re firmly leaving behind in the new decade. “In recent years, there’s a recognition that not all calories are created equal,” says health coach and nutritionist Jess Cording, RD. “There’s a shift from just calories to factoring in satiety, blood sugar, and other factors that go into weight management [and healthy eating].” In 2020 and beyond, the emphasis will be on the full nutritional profile of your plate and how these foods support your brain, energy, gut health, and mood. A history of calorie counting While calories are also used in chemistry and physics, in nutrition, calories generally refer to the amount of energy that foods provide us. The concept of the calorie hit the mainstream in the U.S. in the 1920s with the publication of Diet and Health by Lulu Hunt Peters. The book, which praised the merits of calorie counting for weight management, went on to become the number-four nonfiction book