Healthy Resources

Structuring Your Shelter-In-Place Day

As we all adjust to our isolated and temporary “new normal,” it's sometimes a challenge even knowing what day it is!

As an Executive Functioning (EF) Coach, one of my jobs is to help my clients manage their time, stay organized, and declutter their living and work spaces.

These types of skills are more important than ever, and can be a struggle no matter how organized you may be under normal circumstances.

So I thought it would be timely to share some suggestions to hone your EF skills and create structure to your days. Not only will it bring some much needed sanity, but you can decipher what day it actually is :-).

Consistent Wake Times

Good sleep hygiene is one of the most effective ways to keep your immune system strong… and even more so during these stressful and uncertain times (more on that later). Getting good sleep and waking up at the same time every day can start your day off on the right note.

Manage Your Stress & Anxiety

Start your day feeling grounded by practicing stress-coping mechanisms. I've talked in the past about the well-studied and anxiety-reducing benefits of meditation and mindfulness. So if you have extra time on your hands, now is an excellent time to start!

Experiment with different types of meditation like guided (using apps like Calm or Headspace), mantra, or breathing meditation. Start slowly with just 5 minutes each morning, and increase by 2 minutes every 2 days until you reach 20 minutes per day.

Energize With Exercise

Exercising to boost your immune system and mood are reasons enough to move your body on a daily basis.

Many people are streaming their favorite exercise classes into their homes, which is amazing, and a great way to support your professional trainers. But if you are having trouble based on budget, or don’t have exercise equipment at home, here’s a great daily 30 minute circuit workout to get your heart pumping and your mood lifted with no props required (if you are unsure how to do these exercises reach out to me for a demo):

Circuit 1:

Wide Arm Pushups: 10 full range + 10 pulses + 10 second hold half-way down
Tricep Dips: 10 full range + 10 pulses + 10 second hold half-way down
Arm Circles: 10 forward + 10 backward
Jumping Jacks: 60 Seconds

Circuit 2:

Squats (feet hip distance and weight in heels): 10 full range + 10 pulses + 10 second hold
Static Lunges (per side): 10 full range + 10 pulses + 10 second hold
Bridge Hip Lifts: 10 full range + 10 pulses + 10 second hold
Mountain Climbers: 60 Seconds

Circuit 3:

Crunches (chin points up and away from chest at all times): 10 full range + 10 pulses
Bicycle Crunches (chin points up and away from chest at all times): 20 full range + 10 pulses to each side
Forearm Plank Hold: 60 seconds (take breaks if necessary to work your way up to 60 seconds)

Repeat Each Circuit 3 times through each day (or work your way up to that).

Shower & Get Dressed

While this sounds simple, it's also very easy to stay in pajamas all day while quarantined at home. Wearing a different outfit every day helps you distinguish which day of the week it actually is, creates the structure we are all looking for right now, and motivates you to be more productive. Pajamas are for bedtime, and we do not want to be spending our days in bed right now. Getting dressed helps define when you should (and should not) be in bed.

Preplan Productive Activities

With extra time on our hands, it's easy to turn to our screens, but at the end of the day, you will feel better by being more productive. I recommend leaving the screens in a separate room to resist temptation.

If you are working from home, maintain a set schedule of work hours, as well as a dedicated work space (especially if you share your living space with others). Try out a great app called Rescue Time to track and measure your productivity.

Some other non-work but productive and/or stimulating activities might include cleaning and decluttering spaces; journaling; doing puzzles; testing new recipes; reading; volunteering; or taking an online course to learn a new skill, language, or musical instrument.

Whatever you do with your scheduled time, I recommend creating your daily plan the day before, and writing it down. Doing so makes your plan visual, making it more likely that you’ll stick to it (vs. just “thinking about it” in your mind).

Eat Healthy

It's more important than ever to focus on healthy eating, so here are a few recipes that are easy to prepare, healthy, and delicious:

Mini Egg Frittatas

Eggplant With Capers & Parsley

Veggie Supreme Pizza Soup

Garlic Chicken

Spinach Bites

Sweet Treats

Enjoy The Great Outdoors

Even regions and cities mandating Shelter-In-Place still encourage getting outside while adhering to social distancing. The change of scenery will boost your motivation, the fresh air feels great, and the sun is your natural source of vitamin D, a vital nutrient for bone health, gut health, and normal immune functioning. Whether you go for an outdoor walk, sit in your yard or walk your pet… get yourself outside every day!!

Connect With Family & Friends

While social distancing is absolutely necessary to flatten the curve of COVID-19, it can also lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Stanford University has studied the benefits of social connection, as well as the detriments of isolation, finding that strong connection increases longevity; strengthens the immune system; helps self-esteem and empathy; and leads to more emotional and physical well-being.

To be clear, social connection is measured by how often you connect with another person, rather than the number of people with whom you connect. Set aside daily time to connect with a friend or family member over the phone, or on a video conference app like Facetime or Zoom!

Relax

It is obviously essential to have relaxation time to watch a show, play an online game, join a group chat or do a virtual online activity. Try to avoid this during your specified “productive” hours, but by all means, indulge once your daily responsibilities are fulfilled. Just be sure to limit your time for these activities and don't get “lost” in them.

Create A Bedtime Routine

The National Sleep Foundation recommends an evening ritual that begins around the same time each night (60-90 minutes going to sleep), does not include electronics or a full belly (try to stop eating at least 2 hours before bedtime), and includes writing down your plans for the next day. It should also include dimmed lighting and calming activities such as reading or listening to music, as well as getting into bed only when you are actually ready to go to sleep.

Make It Happen!

Here’s a sample of a daily structure you can model as you structure your day for maximum productivity, enjoyment, and fulfillment:

Wake up at the same time each morning >
Mindfulness practice >
Exercise >
Shower and get dressed >
Prepare a healthy meal >
Focus on productive non-screen activities/work >
Prepare a healthy meal/snack >
Get outside >
Focus on productive non-screen activities/work >
Virtually connect with a family or friend >
Have a healthy dinner >
Relaxation >
Bedtime Routine >
Sleep

I urge you to reach out for support during this time, whether it's with questions and motivation about creating structure, for emotional support, or anything else to help you through these challenging times.

We are all in this together, and it's my job to be here for you right now however I can be helpful.

Please reach out with questions, ideas, feedback, or just to chat! Stay safe my friends!

The Grapefruit Diet: An Entire Diet Based On One Fruit?

Studies have shown that the Grapefruit Diet is not only unhealthy but dangerous!

The Grapefruit Diet (a.k.a. the Hollywood Diet), introduced during the 1930s, is one of the oldest fad diets. It's one of those fad diets (like all of them!) that are just too good to be true. Through a combination of fatty meat, grapefruits and grapefruit juice[2], the Grapefruit Diet allegedly burns fat at high rate. The diet also includes limiting grains, fruit and vegetables. Sound risky? It is... Advocates of the diet claim that it's a "10 day, 10 pounds off diet," but studies have shown it's not only unhealthy, it's also dangerous[2]. Also, can you really picture yourself eating grapefruit all the time, every day of your life? It's just not a realistic regimen for most people.

At least we were able to retrieve a grain of truth from the hysteria. Research by the Scripps team found that obese people who added grapefruit to their diets were able to lose more weight[3] than those who didn't. It was discovered that grapefruit helped people manage their insulin levels, which is good news for diabetics looking for healthy food options. However, it is very important to note that the test group was on a well-balanced diet when they added grapefruit to their meals. They were not on the highly dubious no-vegetable, no-carb diet described above. Which goes to show you that adding fruit to your diet can sometimes lead to pleasant, unexpected results, and that fad diets can never equal a healthy, balanced diet.

[1] Scott, Jennifer R. (2008-11-10). "What You Need to Know About The Mayo Clinic Diet". About.com: Weight Loss. About.com. Retrieved 2009-03-25.

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grapefruit_diet

[3] http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/natural-health-articles/diabetes/grapefruit-diabetes-weight-loss-00668.html

Diet Companies And What You Should Know About False Advertising

Diet Companies And What You Should Know About False Advertising

Deceptive advertising and weight loss products (unfortunately) go hand in hand. Many products include intentionally misleading testimonials and marketing methods to sell their products, when in truth their products may be dangerous or provide no benefit. Customers flock to products seeking simple solutions, only to find their investment wasted.

But there is hope as diet companies get caught and penalized by the government for their deceptive practices.

Two such diet companies are Sensa and HGC Diet Direct. Sensa, you may recall, was a diet product comprised of “sprinkles” placed on to food to create feeling fuller after a meal and encouraging weight loss. As it turns out, the weight loss claims touted by the brand in their marketing tactics, as well as the before and after pictures, were not accurate, ultimately leading to a $26.5 million payout by Sensa to its customers.

Not all of these class action lawsuit settlements work in the customer’s favor, however, like in the case of HGC Diet Direct. HGC claimed to market a human hormone supplement that could aid in weight loss, which were later found to be unfounded and misleading. But unlike Sensa, HGC was unable to pay the settlement, causing the judgment to be suspended (and customers being left only with a thinner wallet).

Beware Of Weight Loss "Miracle" Products

False advertising methods are rather common with diet companies, and 99.9% of “miracle” products result in (at best) disappointment and smaller bank accounts and (at worst) bodily damage to their customers.

Is life full of miracles? Yes!

But as a trained health coach with over 14 years of experience, I can tell you there are no miracles when it comes to weight loss.

Your path to losing weight (and more importantly - keeping it off forever) is a realistic approach based on applying proven nutrition, fitness and healthy cooking strategies to live a healthy lifestyle.

Have you or anyone you know fallen prey to a weight loss scam? Please share!

Credits:

"Weight-loss companies charged with false advertising." CNN. January 8, 2014.http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/08/health/weight-loss-companies-fraud/

2. "FTC Orders Weight Loss Companies to Pay $34M to Consumers." Top Class Actions. January 13, 2014. http://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/12884-ftc-order…

How Many Eggs Should You Be Eating?

One of the diets I skimmed through today is called “The Simple Pescatarian Diet” which adheres to some solid health principles, such as eating lots of fish, fresh fruit and dairy (mercury levels and lactose intolerance aside) but I feel its overuse of eggs is a tad questionable. The regimen advises the dieter to eat 6-7 scrambled eggs during the week, which led me to today’s blog question: how many eggs should you be eating?

Eggs sometimes get a bad rap because of their high cholesterol levels (which is only contained in the yolk, measuring at 215 mg, while the recommended daily limit is 300 mg), but in moderation, they are actually an amazing food. They do contain B vitamins and are a healthy source of protein since they contain all 9 essential amino acids. They are also high in choline, which can help prevent breast cancer. Eggs have been shown to also help prevent macular degeneration because of their high lutein content. The American Heart Association recommends eating 3-4 eggs a week. But eggs are a hidden ingredient in many foods, such as pastries, certain breads, muffins and other baked goods. Our nation is one where high cholesterol, which contributes to heart disease, is a problem for many people. Every 34 seconds, somebody in America will die from heart disease [1] and I know my readers have no plans of becoming part of a statistic.

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How to Handle The Big Sloppy Meal

Southern Fried Anchovy: this would qualify as a diet buster

If you want to lose weight when eating out, you should ask for half portions even before the food arrives at your table. This really makes your healthy weight loss efforts count, as you won't be tempted to overeat. But what about situations where you are unable to get half portions, or it's inappropriate or difficult to request them? Situations like attending a business conference where you don't want to take home leftovers or a fine dining restaurant where it's not polite to ask for a doggie bag? Healthy weight loss is important, but so are social graces.

Family Situations

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Bringing Life to Packed Lunches

A salad always adds color to packed lunches

It seems like every day is a rush for the average American family, so packing a lunch each day can be overwhelming and another "to-do" to add to your inevitably long list. However, making a packed lunch is simply one of the most significant things you can do for the environment, your wallet and your health. Packing your own lunch can reduce the styrofoam and other trash from store/restaurant take out lunches. We all need to do our part to reduce waste, not to mention saving a lot of money that would otherwise be wasted on packaging and food delivery costs.

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Is Frozen Yogurt Bad For You?

Frozen yogurt is all the rage right now ^[1], especially with so many new types, brands, flavors, and stores being introduced. It's cold, delicious and nutritious, but it can also pack a lot of sugar and hidden calories, as well as artificial ingredients. Today I'd like to discuss the pros and cons of frozen yogurt to help you decide if it's the best dessert for you.

Grocery vs Store-Bought Yogurt: Health Benefits

Not every yogurt is created equal. Grocery or supermarket frozen yogurt is very inferior to most yogurt-shop varieties, as most commercial yogurts are subjected to heat, which kills the beneficial bacteria ^[2]. Eating the beneficial bacteria in the more tart frozen yogurt brands, such as Pinkberry and Red Mango (called probiotics, also in regular, non-frozen yogurt), helps your digestive system process food. But beware because not all frozen yogurt brands contain these special live bacterias, so if you are not sure, ask the store! More often than not, because live active cultures are such a health benefit, the yogurt store will advertise them in their product.

Fat-Free, Low-Fat or Low Calorie?

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Fruit vs. Vegetables: The“Good”Food War!

Which will triumph in this bizarre turn of events?

One of the most interesting nutritional health questions I've heard these past few weeks was posed to me by my young son. He asked: "What's better for you, fruit or vegetables?" This is not a simple question to answer, and I love how my son’s inquiry has offered me something new and challenging to think about and now share with you.

Because a lively argument is so much fun, let's do this debate style and hear from each side of the table, point by point. We should also clearly identify what’s considered to be a fruit and what’s a vegetable.

Though tomatoes, bell peppers and eggplants are technically fruit, they are eaten more as vegetables as part of things like salads, cooked dishes, so we'll just eschew any botanical conventions for now and count them in the vegetable group.

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How To Identify A Fad Diet

It was another breezy summer afternoon when I opened up my laptop to find that a fan of my blog had sent me this tiny gem [1] from Wiki on Americans and weight loss:

"There is a substantial market for products which promise to make weight loss easier, quicker, cheaper, more reliable, or less painful. These include books, CDs, creams, lotions, pills, rings and earrings, body wraps, body belts and other materials, not to mention fitness centers, personal coaches, weight loss groups, and food products and supplements."

It went on...

"Between $33 billion and $55 billion is spent annually on weight loss products and services, including medical procedures and pharmaceuticals, with weight loss centers garnering between 6 percent and 12 percent of total annual expenditure. About 70 percent of Americans' dieting attempts are of a self-help nature.[1]"

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The Zone Diet: Useless Jargon or Solid Weight Loss Plan?

Flipping through Dr. Sears' book, I was alarmed to see that the book was full of 'success stories' while not containing an ounce of independent research I could evaluate. WebMD's latest article on the Zone Diet seconds my concern about the validation of this diet’s success.

The American Heart Association Does Not Recommend The Zone Diet.

If you toss all the pricey meal plan books and glossy guides aside, The Zone Diet offers a relatively simple diet plan for you to follow - eat a balance of proteins, carbohydrates and whole grains, but in a rather strict and unwieldy 40-30-30 ratio[1]. Call me crazy, but I don't want to force my clients to work out their meal ratio to this absolute percentage. Nor did I agree with Sears' evaluation of 'brown rice' as a bad carbohydrate source, and his recommendation that we eat ice cream as it was a 'good fat', as ice cream is an undisputed source of saturated fat.

Some research online also revealed the story of Manuel Uribe, the most famous Zone Diet devotee who lost 400 lbs from his original weight of half a ton [2]. Read on, and you'll discover that the bed-ridden Uribe had a dedicated team of doctors planning his six carefully crafted meals. Is this an option for the average person? Not likely.

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Acai Berries: Feel Like Wasting Your Time (And Money)?

Acai berries...another fad diet that does not work!

An Internet search for acai berries is like browsing a list of spam emails. A majority of these so-called 'balanced reviews' that weigh the 'pros and cons' of acai berries are thinly veiled marketing ploys that involve getting you to give up your credit card details for a free trial of acai berry supplements which you'll find extremely hard to cancel later. Against all of these expert opinions, you may think, what makes my diatribe any different? Well, I work as a nutrition counselor, advising people on wholesome food and fitness. That's my 9 to 5. I'm also a loving mother of two kids, whom I try to teach to think logically about nutrition, and I've never advocated a single fad diet. I am also not trying to sell you anything, and this blog post will not lead to some place where you can purchase some dubious supplements like acai berry or any other product.

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The South Beach Diet: Sounds Compelling – But Does It Work?

The South Beach Diet is expensive to follow.

Despite how popular the South Beach Diet is, I would never recommend it to any of my clients who come in for nutrition consultations. In this article, I've compiled research on why the South Beach Diet is not a replacement for a healthy diet.

The South Beach Diet was developed by cardiologist Dr. Agatston in the 1980s as a strategy to help his patients reduce their risk of heart attack. The diet is based on the idea that good carbohydrates are those that score low on the glycemic index[2] and that the dieter could consequently 'kill' the hunger pangs that accompany high sugar intake. Though some of Dr. Agatston's ideology is sound, like introducing oily fish and nuts, the extreme phases of the diet, i.e. lack of solid exercise and lack of evidence-based research make this diet a poor choice overall.

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Fact: One Third of all Cancers Are Preventable!

One in every eight deaths worldwide is due to cancer [1]. Most people know someone who has been affected: a friend, sibling, parent or distant relative. This post is all about the simple ways you can help prevent cancer from happening to you and your loved ones.

Genetic Markers

The first rule is to know your enemy. Having family members with a history of cancer put you at a higher risk. Investigate your family tree and list any and all genetic ailments you find, not just cancer, e.g. diabetes, hypertension, depression, high blood pressure, migraines, muscular dystrophy and congenital heart disease, which are also hereditary or at least influenced by genetics. Once you have this list, consult with your doctor about your personal risk. Some doctors may wish to sugarcoat it in order not to cause unnecessary worry; that’s fine, but you should ask him/her to be as realistic with you as possible.

Stop With The Tobacco

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The Atkins Diet: Eating Steak To Lose Weight?

The Atkins diet is a high protein diet that is harmful to the body.

As a nutritionist, it pains me to think that people keep subscribing to fad diets, which can greatly endanger your health and lead to the ballooning effect, i.e. when a person diets and then balloons back to his/her original weight weeks later. Plus, limiting your diet to only a few food groups can even harm your body. This has inspiredme to start a series to explain the real deal behind fad diets. Today, I’ll start with one of most popular fad diets: the Atkins diet.

The entire basis of Atkins is that a low-carb diet allegedly puts humans into a state of fat-burning ketosis, which Dr. Atkins claimed could help people to burn 950 calories more per day. However, one of the world's leading medical journals, "The Lancet" conducted a study which concluded that there was no such metabolic advantage[1], and that dieters were just eating fewer calories out of boredom [2].

However, some people who start on the diet are greatly encouraged by the fact they suddenly lose 2-4 pounds in the first few weeks. Cause for celebration? No! The weight that dieters lose in those first few weeks is usually water weight. The extreme lack of carbohydrates results in depleting glycogen stores, which releases the reserve water locked in your body[3]. This is not fat, and you will gain it back.

There are several dangers that low-carb diets pose[2]:

- Cholesterol

Studies in 2009[2] have shown that dieters on low-carb diets actually increased their cholesterol levels, and since then twodeaths (by cardiac arrest) of dieters on such low-carb diets have been reported.

- MG, or Methylglyoxal is a glycotoxin that causes blood vessel and tissue damage. In a 2005 study (Beisswenger, et al.) it was shown that MG levels in Atkins dieters doubled shortly after the diet started.

- The Atkins diet is a high protein diet, and Wikipedia contains a harrowing story about such diets:

"High protein diets can cause the loss of calcium and a lowering in urinary citrate levels, which may lead to osteoporosis and kidney stones (Ornish,2004). Ketone bodies are excreted in urine with cations to neutralize the charge, so the body is losing essential cation minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium, which in one case led to the death of a sixteen-year-old girl. She died from ventricular fibrillation arrest two weeks after starting a high protein-low carbohydrate diet. During resuscitation attempts she had hypokalemia (lower than normal amount of potassium in the blood) and also hypocalcemia (lower than normal amount of calcium in the blood)[14] Ornish also wrote that the Atkins diet leads to constipation in 70% of the subjects, 65% had halitosis (bad breath due to exhaled ketones), 54% were experiencing headaches, and 10% reported hearing loss.[14]"

So how does the Atkins Diet compare to a simple reduced calorie diet? According to the New England Journal of Medicine[3], two groups of obese people were tested. One group was on Atkins, and the other was on a reduced calorie diet. The obese group on Atkins showed slightly better weight loss on the low-carb diet after six months, but there was no longer any difference during the 12 months. The verdict? Don't buy into the hype. Once you stop the Atkins diet, with its limiting and exhausting food restrictions, you'll gain those pounds right back.

[1] The Lancet, Volume 364, Issue 9437, Pages 897 - 899, 4 September 2004

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atkins_diet

[3] http://www.sciencedirect.com

Beware of “Enriched” on Food Labels

Beware of Refined,Enriched or Organic on the Labels

It’s impossible to walk through the supermarket without noticing the strange words attached to our food products. Instead of simple milk, flour and sugar, we see products proclaiming that they are ‘refined,’ ‘fortified,’ ‘organic’ and ‘enriched.’ To clear up the confusion, today we’re going to tackle the real meaning behind the word enriched. We need to hold manufacturers responsible for what additives they decide to ‘enrich’ our food with...for our eating pleasure of course.

The Reason Behind Enrichment

One reason manufacturers say their product is enriched is because it adds to the hype. It seems like you’re somehow getting added value. Although it may seem a good idea at first, the enrichment process refers to the adding back of nutrients and/or vitamins that were lost during processing. That means the enriched milk you’re buying for your kids is mostly powdered milk and water, with substances added to bulk it up that are definitely NOT milk. What you’re buying is definitely not a whole, healthy or premium item. The manufacturer has created a product that is cheaper to produce while convincing the average consumer that the product is somehow better than its natural counterparts.

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All About Trans Fat: A Damaging & Harmful Substance

Trans fat has long been a hidden public menace, clogging up our arteries like bad wasteand increasing the incidence of coronary heart disease.

A lot of people think they’re trans fat free, and I hope they are. We’re all learning to buy brands that proclaim ‘no trans fats’ while roaming the shopping aisles. However, not everything the typical person eats boasts a ‘no trans fats’ label, as trans fats are too deeply ingrained into our public consumption cycles for us to simply assume they’re gone. It may surprise you to know that trans fats have been commercially available since the 1910s. That’s one hundred years of trans fats!

Trans Fats are Chemical Preservatives

The main reason why trans fat is used in almost all food products is that it prolongs the shelf life of processed food products. It is also known to enhance the flavor of food, and is a superior baking agent to lard, which was a big deal back in the early 1900s.

Most of the trans fat we eat comes from processing liquid vegetable oil into solid fat.When trans fat travels through the arteries and into the intestines, it turns into sludge, blocking up your blood vessels and seriously damaging your heart. This is when trans fat becomes very dangerous to your health.

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How To Keep Fresh Herbs Alive in Your Refrigerator

The crisp, fragrant taste of fresh herbs is pure bliss. I grow my own basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, cilantro, and chives in my garden, and they’re easy to maintain.. If you don’t have the luxury to grow your own, or the green thumb for it, then you are the perfect candidate to buy fresh herbs from the local grocery or farmer’s market and store them at home. Here’s a quick guide on the best way to store fresh herbs and how best to keep them alive:

Storing Long Stemmed Herbs Like Basil, Parsley & Cilantro

Store herbs in the fridge to keep them fresh.

Always go for herbs which have roots still attached to them. Long stemmed herbs such as basil, parsley and cilantro should be treated like a bouquet of flowers.Put them in a water-filled vase in a warm place, and de-leaf as much as you require[1]. Do NOT freeze these herbs because moisture will make their leaves wilt and blacken. These varieties don’t do well inside the refrigerator.

Storing Rosemary, Chives & Thyme

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What Makes Successful Family Cooking?

Children need a variety of food to include meat, poultry, seafood and vegetables. A balanced diet will make them healthier, more active, and even give them a sharper mental capability which will help them in school.

Their Smiles Show You That You Cooked a Great Meal

Preparing meals for the family is an art. Variety and balance are keywords here. Experimenting with dishes would make cooking an interesting activity and gives a sense of fulfillment. Successful cooking will have your family enjoying your new dish, while also giving them the proper nutrition.

Always use fresh meat, vegetables and spices when cooking. See to it that natural flavoring is used. Artificial flavors and canned ingredients are not advisable, especially when children are involved. Follow the measurements and other instructions provided, but make adjustments when there is too much salt or sugar used.

Successful cooking is measured by the smile of satisfaction from your family and their praise after the meal. Children are more appreciative of new dishes and will always give you an honest evaluation!

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Lisa’s Cookbook And Magazine Recommendations

There are thousands of cookbooks and magazines that discuss healthy food, recipes and other topics related to nutrition. There is no single title that provides all the knowledge needed to know about these vast subjects. Different practices and diet consideration will determine which cookbook or magazine is best for you.

Find Cookbooks & Magazines For Your Unique Taste

Take your time when buying a cookbook or magazine and choose those that will be most beneficial for your unique tastes and needs. Review all sections to make sure ingredients are available and that you like the cooking styles of the recipes. Also make sure that you have or intend to purchase the appliances and cooking tools you might need.

For those who are already adept at cooking, cookbooks and magazines may no longer be needed, but can be good references to obtain fresh methods and ideas.

My personal favorites are Vegetarian Times Cook Book and Cooks Country Magazine are recommended sources.

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Welcome To My Blog…And Eat Your Way To Health!

Hi! I’m Lisa and I am a nutritionist. My primary goal is to counsel families, together or individually, about proper nutrition. I also teach cooking to exemplify how eating well can be easy and delicious. My interest in nutrition started in college, where I started learning and living healthier. When I became pregnant and then had my son, my focus turned to nutrition and families. I now have 2 healthy children, and I believe my purpose in life is to teach my family and my clients how to live a healthy lifestyle through nutrition, cooking, and staying active.

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Structuring Your Shelter-In-Place Day

By Lisa Shanken

April 7, 2020

As we all adjust to our isolated and temporary “new normal,” it's sometimes a challenge even knowing what day it is! As an Executive Functioning (EF) Coach, one of my jobs is to help my clients manage their time, stay organized, and declutter their living and work spaces. These types...

Read Article

The Grapefruit Diet: An Entire Diet Based On One Fruit?

By Lisa Shanken

January 9, 2016

The Grapefruit Diet (a.k.a. the Hollywood Diet), introduced during the 1930s, is one of the oldest fad diets. It's one of those fad diets (like all of them!) that are just too good to be true. Through a combination of fatty meat, grapefruits and grapefruit juice[2], the Grapefruit Diet allegedly...

Read Article

Diet Companies And What You Should Know About False Advertising

By Lisa Shanken

November 10, 2015

Diet Companies And What You Should Know About False Advertising Deceptive advertising and weight loss products (unfortunately) go hand in hand. Many products include intentionally misleading testimonials and marketing methods to sell their products, when in truth their products may be dangerous or provide no benefit. Customers flock to products...

Read Article

How Many Eggs Should You Be Eating?

By Lisa Shanken

December 14, 2010

Read Article

How to Handle The Big Sloppy Meal

By Lisa Shanken

October 5, 2010

Read Article

Bringing Life to Packed Lunches

By Lisa Shanken

September 30, 2010

Read Article

Is Frozen Yogurt Bad For You?

By Lisa Shanken

September 28, 2010

Frozen yogurt is all the rage right now [1], especially with so many new types, brands, flavors, and stores being introduced. It's cold, delicious and nutritious, but it can also pack a lot of sugar and hidden calories, as well as artificial ingredients. Today I'd like to discuss the pros...

Read Article

Fruit vs. Vegetables: The“Good”Food War!

By Lisa Shanken

September 24, 2010

Read Article

How To Identify A Fad Diet

By Lisa Shanken

July 29, 2010

It was another breezy summer afternoon when I opened up my laptop to find that a fan of my blog had sent me this tiny gem [1] from Wiki on Americans and weight loss: "There is a substantial market for products which promise to make weight loss easier, quicker, cheaper,...

Read Article

The Zone Diet: Useless Jargon or Solid Weight Loss Plan?

By Lisa Shanken

July 27, 2010

Read Article

Acai Berries: Feel Like Wasting Your Time (And Money)?

By Lisa Shanken

July 12, 2010

Read Article

The South Beach Diet: Sounds Compelling – But Does It Work?

By Lisa Shanken

July 8, 2010

Read Article

Fact: One Third of all Cancers Are Preventable!

By Lisa Shanken

July 1, 2010

Read Article

The Atkins Diet: Eating Steak To Lose Weight?

By Lisa Shanken

June 15, 2010

Read Article

Beware of “Enriched” on Food Labels

By Lisa Shanken

March 23, 2010

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All About Trans Fat: A Damaging & Harmful Substance

By Lisa Shanken

March 22, 2010

Trans fat has long been a hidden public menace, clogging up our arteries like bad wasteand increasing the incidence of coronary heart disease. A lot of people think they’re trans fat free, and I hope they are. We’re all learning to buy brands that proclaim ‘no trans fats’ while roaming...

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