Healthy Living Guide

A collection of articles and resources to help you live a healthier, more nutritious life

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Welcome to my Healthy Living Guide! I have compiled articles and resources into one booklet so that you have at your fingertips the tools you need to eat well and attain better health.

I define good health as the achievement of physical, emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual well-being, along with the absence of disease. Nutrition plays an essential role in promoting good physical health. Our overall diet—what we eat on a daily basis—can increase or decrease our risk for many chronic diseases, like heart disease and diabetes, and can even affect how well-equipped we are to fight off infections. Good physical health overlaps with other kinds of well-being. A nutrient-dense diet provides important fuel for optimal intellectual functioning, while having a healthy relationship with food is very much tied to our emotional well-being and sense of self-esteem. The pleasure of eating can also contribute to our spiritual well-being. Finally, activities surrounding food, such as shopping, cooking and eating, are part of the social fabric of our lives and add to our social health. This approach to overall health is holistic because it is about the health of the whole body, not just one physical part of the body, and it is so much more than the absence of disease—it is wellness.

Achieving our full wellness potential requires having a positive attitude and realistic mental approach to making changes. A good knowledge base is a great starting point for making long-lasting, health-promoting lifestyle changes. I hope that this booklet will

provide the information and motivation you need to make lasting dietary changes.

For most people, eating healthfully means dieting, following complicated food rules and depriving themselves of their favorite foods. As someone who loves food and eating, I strongly disagree with this approach. Eating well and attaining optimal health does not have to be that complicated! As you will learn from the articles in this booklet, choosing fresh, natural, minimally processed foods, eating them within the framework of the Mediterranean Diet and enjoying them in the amounts and combinations that are right for your body is the simple formula that can form the foundation for your healthful lifestyle.

No matter where you are on the continuum of health, there is always room for improvement. If you are currently dealing with a chronic disease, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, then you may already have the important motivation you need to make changes. But if you are young and disease-free, you should still consider making some healthful lifestyle changes in order to prevent diseases and live up to your health potential for as much of your lifespan as possible. Our foundation of good health starts in the womb, but you have the power to decide when you will start to live your healthiest life. I hope that moment is now.

Best of health,

introduction

Gelson’s Registered Dietitian, Jessica Siegel, has a Masters in Public Health. However, she is not a doctor and her nutritional recommendations are not tailored to specific health problems. Consult your physician before beginning any nutritional program. To contact Jessica, please call her at 1-800-GelSonS.

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contents 3 eating is Fundamental

7 The Mediterranean Diet

12 Slash Sodium for Better Health

17 Glycemic Guidance

22 Achieve Your Healthiest Weight

27 Beyond Healthful eating

29 Menus

32 Resources

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If you are to eat well, you need to have a good understanding of the basics of selecting food and planning meals. I have a few favorite guidelines that I often relate to customers when discussing how to shop for and plan healthful meals. Together, they form a fundamental guide for a good, nutrient-dense diet that is easy to follow and enjoyable, and it will likely help you lose weight and prevent disease. I may not be telling you anything that you don’t already know, but sometimes it’s good to be reminded about the fundamentals of good eating. I truly believe that if you go back to basics and eat simple food, then you can reap the very complex benefits of good health. The following are my favorite simple rules for eating well.

Choose minimally processed foods. This may be one of the

most impactful changes you can make. A diet rich in processed foods puts everyone at risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity. When I say “minimally processed,” I mean whole foods in their most natural form that closely resemble the way they looked when they were growing on the farm. I don’t mean whole-wheat bread or whole-grain cereal—they don’t grow on farms. I mean oats, brown rice, quinoa, fresh or frozen vegetables and fruit, raw nuts and seeds, beans, fresh fish, poultry, red meat, plain yogurt, milk and cheese. These are the ingredients you should combine to make meals. Minimally processed foods are more nutritious and satisfying, so they help you eat less. They also have fewer undesirable ingredients (like salt, sugar and fat) added to them, and your body has to work harder to digest them, which is a good thing. Highly

Eating is Fundamental

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processed foods have already been digested for you at the factory so they can turn to sugar and fat faster once they enter your body. Additionally, processed foods are usually nutrient-poor and calorie-rich, which means they are major contributors to our obesity epidemic. Processing can remove or destroy nutrients, so manufacturers often add them back and tout their food as healthful. Do not be seduced by added vitamins, minerals and fiber; minimally processed foods have their original nutrients still intact and in the proportions that nature intended.

Always read the ingredient lists first. OK, so we can’t all live

in our kitchens and bake our own bread and granola from scratch. We need to rely strategically on some processed foods in order to round out our diets and add variety and interest to our meals. The key is to know how to select the best packaged foods. The only way to know what you’re truly getting is to read the

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ingredient lists. Choose foods that have the fewest ingredients. One ingredient is ideal, but five ingredients is a good general limit, within reason (for instance, a multi-grain cereal might have five different grains, so allow room for other necessary ingredients). When applicable, a whole grain should be listed as the first ingredient. It is also preferable to be able to identify most of the ingredients just by looking at a packaged or prepared food (think of muesli, granola and trail mix). This is a good sign that a food is minimally processed.

Avoid foods with ingredients that you wouldn’t have in your

own kitchen. Once you find a food with a short ingredient list, you need to pay attention to the actual ingredients, as this is a major indicator of the quality of the product. I advise nixing foods that contain ingredient names that a third grader couldn’t pronounce, as well as those that you would not have in your own kitchen. These are usually additives, preservatives, artificial colors, artificial flavors, fillers and other not-so-healthful chemicals. In particular, try to exclude high-fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils and artificial sweeteners. These ingredients are immediate indications that the food is low quality and highly processed. Trans fats are listed in ingredient lists as “partially hydrogenated oils.” They increase belly fat stores, alter metabolism and encourage chronic inflammation. I also try to avoid other pro-inflammatory fats such as soybean, cottonseed, sunflower, safflower, coconut and palm oils. If that seems too complicated, then just look for olive oil or canola oil as acceptable added fats. Next time you want to purchase a packaged food, read the ingredient label first. If you find the words “corn syrup” or “partially hydrogenated,” put it back.

If a package has to tell you how healthy the food is, then

it probably isn’t. Don’t believe the health claims that you read on labels. They’re not a shortcut to choosing healthy foods. I have found that the most healthful, minimally processed foods do not make health claims. Read the ingredient lists and check the nutrition facts panel for no more than 200 milligrams of sodium per serving to know for sure what you are getting.

Every time you eat, try to include a fruit or a vegetable.

You need to eat more produce than you think, and the only way to make sure that you’re getting enough is to eat some with every meal and snack. Most people need at least two and a half cups of vegetables and two cups of fruit a day. Trust me, if you wait until dinner to meet your produce needs, then you won’t be able to eat enough to make your goal, at least not without getting a stomachache! Vegetables and fruit are your best friends when it comes to weight loss and overall health. They are the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet—and they don’t even come with health claims stamped on them! Try berries in your morning oatmeal, carrots and hummus for a morning snack, a Healthful Recommendation from Jessica

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salad for lunch (from our Service Deli), an apple and a handful of almonds for your afternoon snack and vegetable soup with dinner.

Divide your plate. Fill at least half your plate with vegetables, a

quarter with intact whole grains or starchy vegetables and the remaining quarter with protein (from plant or animal sources) at lunch and dinner. If you’re trying to lose weight, then skip the grains and fill three quarters of your plate with vegetables (preferably non-starchy vegetables) and the remaining quarter of your plate with protein. Make your plate colorful and enticing by selecting a variety of different vegetables and preparing them in different ways rather than just having a huge head of steamed broccoli. Soup and salad and raw, roasted, sautéed and steamed vegetables all count toward your produce servings.

Have a big salad for one meal a day. Start with a nice big

rabbit salad (lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, peppers, etc.), then add some lean, preferably vegetarian, protein from beans such as lentils, kidney beans, tofu or edamame, hard-boiled eggs, chicken, tuna, salmon or crab; good sustaining carbs from corn, peas, quinoa or barley; and some healthful fat from avocado, nuts or seeds and olive oil (combined with vinegar as your dressing). Beans are especially important for satiety and blood sugar control, and they have the added benefit of providing both lean protein and good sustaining carbs. Talk about the ultimate minimally processed meal! Including all of the essential components listed here will make for a satisfying meal that will fill you up on relatively few calories and keep you full for several hours—perfect for weight loss and maintenance.

Eat 2–3 vegetarian meals a day. This is a more Mediterranean

style of eating that can also be called “flexitarian,” or flexible vegetarian. The Mediterranean Diet is a plant-based diet that includes animal proteins but less frequently than the typical American diet—up to one serving a day instead of several. This style of eating benefits your waistline, your heart and the environment. Ideally, fish is eaten two to three times a week, poultry is eaten twice a week and red meat (including beef, pork and lamb) is eaten up to once a week. Instead of chicken, fish or red meat, try beans, legumes, edamame, tofu, eggs, yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, nut butters, nuts and seeds.

Create balanced meals. Balanced meals help to optimally

fuel your body by controlling your blood sugar and, therefore, your appetite and weight. They contain protein, healthful fat and minimally processed carbohydrates in varying proportions. For weight loss, I like to use mostly grain-based carbohydrates at breakfast, such as two servings of oatmeal, muesli or flourless sprouted whole-grain bread and complement it with some protein, such as Greek yogurt, nonfat milk, soy milk or eggs, and some healthful fat from nuts, seeds or extra virgin first cold press olive oil (and also include a little bit of fruit or vegetables, of course). As the day goes on, replace the grains with starchy and non-starchy vegetables and increase the protein. Be sure to include “good” fats from olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado or fatty fish at each meal.

Try to eat at least one meal a day with other people. Meals

are not just for getting food into your body; they are social occasions that provide very important health benefits. The value of shared meals is easily underestimated in our time-pressed culture of convenience

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and instant gratification. Sharing meals helps build healthful bonds that are important for social support, personal connections, as well as physical and mental well-being. A recent study found that people who are lonely have higher blood pressure than people who feel they have a social network and do not feel lonely. Sharing meals with family and friends is relaxing (hopefully!), which can help you digest your food better. It also discourages overeating, probably because when you eat alone, you are more likely to occupy yourself with reading or watching television, habits that almost always lead to mindless munching. Children and adolescents also benefit enormously from family meals. Family meals promote a healthy weight as well as a higher intake of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and calcium-rich foods and a lower intake of sodas and fried foods. Children who share meals with their families have better language and literacy development and teens are less likely to engage in risky behaviors than kids who eat on their own. Eating a home-prepared meal is more healthful, but eating a family meal away from home still has social, educational, and dietary benefits.

Stop eating before you’re full. Eat when you are hungry and stop

when you are full. It looks easy on paper, but it is not so easy to execute. We are actually all born with an innate ability to regulate our food intake. Unfortunately, bad habits and distractions can lead to mindless eating and overeating. I encourage you to get back in touch with your hunger and satiety and eat accordingly. Learn to dislike the physical feeling of over-feeding yourself. Remember that it takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to let your brain know that you are full, so eat slowly enough to recognize when you are comfortably satisfied.

Follow my 80/20 or 90/10 rule. Eating well entails enjoying

food and eating a variety of foods. If some of your favorite foods happen to be highly processed and nutrient-poor, you don’t have to say goodbye to them forever. I think you can and should still include them occasionally. If you are trying to lose weight, follow my 90/10 rule: eat balanced meals of minimally processed foods 90% of the time and eat or drink whatever you want for the other 10% of your meals. If you eat three meals a day, that works out to two “anything” meals a week. If you are just trying to maintain your weight then 80/20 is a good ratio: eat four “anything” meals a week. This plan prevents you from feeling deprived and I’ve found that it actually helps you appreciate and enjoy all of your food more.

You don’t have to be a nutrition expert in order to make good decisions about what you put in your mouth every day. Just keep it simple, cut out the excess and try to incorporate my 12 fundamentals for eating well. Weight loss and improved health will undoubtedly be a natural result of your healthier lifestyle.

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For all of the health reasons cited above, many researchers and health professionals recommend that people adopt the Mediterranean Diet and lifestyle. There are many different diets that are healthy, but this is one that has the most evidence that it can lower the risk of chronic disease for entire populations. One key factor in all of this is that there is not one component in particular that offers more of a benefit than another. Therefore, you can’t pick and choose parts of the diet to incorporate. You must follow all of the aspects of the diet.

The Mediterranean Diet & Lifestyle The Mediterranean Diet is a plant-based diet that limits processed foods, saturated fat, salt, refined sugars and trans fats, and is rich in antioxidants and other phytonutrients that help fight chronic diseases. It is generally rich in vegetables, beans, nuts, fruits, grains, olive oil and fish and is high in fat and fiber, low in saturated fat and meat and moderate in dairy and alcohol. The following are details about how to follow the Mediterranean Diet and lifestyle.

the healthIest dIet In the world was not developed in a laboratory. Rather, it is a collection of traditional eating and lifestyle habits adhered to by the people living in the Mediterranean region, which includes parts of Crete, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Lebanon and Syria.

Inhabitants in that area enjoy life-long good health and 25% lower overall death rates if they closely follow their native diet. Mediterranean eaters live an average of one year longer than their less traditional counterparts. Specifically, they have lower rates of heart disease and hypertension, as well as fewer deaths due to coronary artery disease. Cancer risks and cancer deaths are also significantly lower among those who follow a traditional diet.

Studies among those who live outside the region show promise, too. Westerners who switch to a Mediterranean Diet following their first heart attack reduce their risk of having a second heart attack by 50–70%. People who suffer from Metabolic Syndrome seem to successfully rid themselves of the condition when they switch from a low-fat diet to a Mediterranean-style diet. Overall, following a traditional Mediterranean Diet, no matter where in the world you live, can reduce your risk of developing most chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, asthma and even obesity.

The Mediterranean Diet

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Olive Oil I hope I didn’t scare you away when I said that the Mediterranean Diet is “high in fat.” Eating fat doesn’t necessarily make you fat—in fact, the right kinds of fats can promote heart health. People who follow the Mediterranean Diet, in which olive oil is the main source of fat, tend to weigh less than those who follow a more “Western” diet that is lower in total fat but higher in saturated and trans fats.

Extra virgin first cold pressed olive oil is used for cooking, as a dip for bread and as a salad dressing. Detailed research on Mediterranean populations has revealed links between the use of olive oil and reduced risk of heart disease, lower rates of inflammation and decreased risks of breast, ovarian, and stomach cancers. It is the principal source of fat in the Mediterranean Diet, replacing butter, margarine, lard, partially hydrogenated oils (the ingredient name for trans fat), other oils, fatty meats and deep-fried foods. Most other fat in the diet comes from daily consumption of nuts and cheese and weekly consumption of fatty fish. Total fat in the diet can provide anywhere from 25–40% of total calories, which means you can adjust it to suit your personal preferences for fat. The important thing to remember is that the monounsaturated fat from olive oil should replace most of the saturated and trans fats in your diet, which means you’ll have to minimize your consumption of processed foods and meat-centered meals. This eating plan recommends that you eat extra virgin first cold pressed olive oil daily.

Produce Produce is your best friend when it comes to heart health and weight control. Fruits and vegetables are low in calories and high in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and

fiber, all of which work together to control weight, blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and inflammation. The Mediterranean Diet is not a vegetarian diet, but it does emphasize eating most of your food from plant sources. Fresh, minimally processed produce is emphasized. No fruits or vegetables are restricted, but value is placed on seasonal, locally grown produce. The benefit of this open-ended approach is that you can get creative with your cooking and add various ethnic flairs to your dishes, to keep the diet interesting and exciting. Vegetables are often eaten in salads and are incorporated into cooked mixed dishes. Especially prominent healthful items in the diet are leafy greens, particularly spinach, and fresh herbs (think basil, chilies, sage, cilantro, thyme, parsley, oregano, rosemary, mint and dill); root vegetables, including garlic and onions; and tomatoes. Fruit is also a large part of the native diet and is often eaten at the end of the meal for dessert. Figs, grapes, olives and lemons seem to have an especially important role, but all fresh fruits are considered to be a healthful part of the diet. Fresh fruits and vegetables, both raw and cooked, are to be eaten daily in abundance to maximize antioxidant intake.

Grains & Cereals Whole, minimally processed grains—such as brown and wild rice, bulgur, barley, buckwheat, farro, oats, quinoa and wheat berries—are satisfying, good for your heart and an important element of the Mediterranean Diet. Whole-grain pasta, couscous, polenta and various types of flat and crusty breads are also included in the diet, though they are more refined and therefore less satisfying than the whole, intact grains previously listed. Starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn are considered part of this food group rather than the vegetable group above, so keep in mind that you don’t need bread or any

THE DAILy DIET

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other grain if you’re serving potatoes or corn with a meal. Each of these varieties of grains are readily available at Gelson’s, but it’s important to make a little extra effort to make sure that the grains you choose are minimally processed (for example, eat mostly oats instead of cereal made with oat flour and brown rice instead of white). Whole grains are to be eaten daily, but limited to one to two half-cup servings per meal.

Beans, Other Legumes, Nuts & Seeds Beans and other legumes, especially lentils, are heavily relied-upon plant proteins in the Mediterranean Diet. Beans are extremely rich in antioxidants (red and kidney beans have more antioxidants than blueberries!) and they are high in both fiber and protein, for ultimate blood sugar control and satiety. Recently, scientists found beans and legumes to be the single common factor in all healthful traditional cuisines, and Americans eat virtually none. Raw nuts and seeds, such as almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pine nuts, sesame seeds and walnuts, contribute healthful fats, protein and fiber to the diet and lend texture and flavor to dishes. Add beans and

nuts to salads, soups, stews and sautéed vegetable dishes, and snack on edamame, hummus, walnuts, almonds and cashews. It will probably take some effort to make beans a regular part of your daily diet, but it is crucial to replace servings of red meat and poultry with these plant proteins. Start by adding a small amount of these foods to your diet, then gradually increase your portion sizes and drink plenty of water with them to prevent bloating and gas.

yogurt & Cheese Rejoice! Cheese is eaten daily on the Mediterranean Diet, usually as condiments or “accent cheeses” in the form of Feta, Mozzarella, Ricotta and Reggiano Parmesan. Dairy is eaten each day but in small amounts as cultured and fermented products, like yogurt and cheese, and rarely as fresh milk. Cheese does contain saturated fat, but is eaten in small enough quantities to keep saturated fat to 7–8% of total calories. Low-fat and non-fat dairy are good choices for yogurt and milk—try plain 0% or 2% Greek yogurt with granola for breakfast. All dairy products contribute to bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis.

Wine Wine, especially red wine, contributes significant amounts of antioxidants to the diet and has been shown to protect the heart. Wine is typically consumed daily with a meal, but in moderation—up to just five ounces a day for women and ten ounces for men. Discuss this aspect of the diet with your doctor. You should not start drinking if you currently abstain.

Water Water is essential to life—about 50–75% of your body weight is water. It is the primary beverage choice on the Mediterranean Diet and it contributes to overall health, well-being and energy levels

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since water carries nutrients throughout the body. It’s also the ideal beverage for weight control since it is naturally calorie-free. Water needs can vary based on body size, climate and activity level, but most women need at least 64 ounces a day.

Fish & Shellfish Fish is considered the healthiest of animal proteins and is therefore eaten at least twice a week. Wild, fatty fish are rich in cardio-protective omega-3 fats and selenium, an antioxidant. Salmon, black cod, tuna, herring and mackerel are highest in omega-3 fats, but no fish or seafood is restricted. In fact, octopus is the Greek National Appetizer! Omega-3 fatty acids also promote a leaner waistline and healthier hair, skin and nails. Try to eat at least seven ounces of a variety of different fish and seafood each week.

Poultry Free-range or organic poultry is a small part of the Mediterranean Diet, which means that you may have to cut back from choosing chicken breasts as your daily default protein to having it only every two to seven days. Fish is favored over poultry since it contributes important but scarce healthful nutrients, while poultry’s nutrients, such as protein, iron, zinc and B vitamins, are easily obtained from other foods. Chicken, turkey and other poultry are eaten weekly, and in slightly smaller amounts than fish.

Eggs Up to seven free-range or organic eggs are eaten weekly on their own as omelets, for example, or in pasta, breads and cakes. Enjoy a Mediterranean-style omelet or frittata once or twice a week by first sautéing vegetables like onion, garlic, tomatoes and spinach in olive oil and then adding in the eggs.

Sweets Mediterranean dieters love their sweets and, although fruit is usually eaten for dessert, they do indulge in small, sugary treats weekly. The sweets, however, are usually sweetened with honey instead of high-fructose corn syrup or sugar. Small portions of treats, such as dark chocolate, fruit preserves, gelato and sorbet, are eaten just a few times a week.

Red Meat This is another point where the Mediterranean Diet may be particularly challenging: red meat is only eaten a few times a month and in small portions. The average American eats a third of a pound of red meat per day! Choose leaner cuts of meat such as filet mignon, New York strip, top round and flank. Try to limit your red meat consumption, including lamb, pork, veal, venison and buffalo, to 12–16 ounces a month.

Physical Activity Daily physical activity plays an important role in the healthfulness of the Mediterranean lifestyle. Exercise helps to balance out calorie intake to promote a healthy weight. It also contributes to fitness, cardiovascular health and overall well-being. Try to incorporate activity into your daily routine by taking the stairs and parking the car a little further from your destination, as well as set aside some personal time for strenuous and leisurely exercise, such as running, walking or yoga.

Social Support One important aspect of the Mediterranean Diet is the strong social bonds that are inherent in these cultures. Food is very important and is meant to be

THE MONTHLy DIET

OTHER LIFESTyLE FACTORS

THE WEEkLy DIET

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enjoyed at a leisurely pace around a table shared with family and or friends. Shared meals reinforce strong social and familial bonds that are important for emotional and physical well-being.

Anti-Smoking At the time of these extensive Mediterranean population studies, very few Mediterraneans smoked. These low rates of smoking are believed to have contributed somewhat to the lower incidence of chronic diseases.

The Mediterranean Diet and lifestyle are intended to be just that—a way of living that incorporates all of the foods and activities described here. You can’t pick and choose the parts you like or use them as an excuse to eat gelato every day. The health benefits arise from doing everything I describe. It is especially important to eat more plant-based foods. To improve your overall health, aim to eat two to three vegetarian meals a day the Mediterranean way.

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It is most strongly associated with hypertension, also known as high blood pressure. About 65 million Americans have hypertension and another 45 million have “pre-hypertension,” meaning their blood pressure is above the optimal reading of 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) but below the hypertension reading of 140/90 mmHg. Individuals with pre-hypertension are at significant risk of developing hypertension (about 90% of adults will eventually develop it). High blood pressure is dubbed the “silent killer” because you can’t “feel” it—not even if you have severely high blood pressure. Unbeknownst to you, this sneaky condition could be making your heart work harder, hardening your arteries, damaging your kidneys and possibly even causing your brain to hemorrhage. Hypertension increases the likelihood of having a stroke or heart attack, heart failure, kidney disease, dementia and even blindness. Blood pressure that is merely elevated increases the risk of having a heart attack or developing cardiovascular disease (hypertension is the most common form of cardiovascular disease). If you have a pre-existing condition, such as diabetes

sodIum Is a hot topIc these days—and for good reasons. The Institute of Medicine estimates that American children and adults consume twice the amount of salt that is considered adequate for a healthful diet, while the Center for Science in the Public Interest estimates Americans’ average sodium intake at about 4,000 milligrams a day—almost triple the recommended limit for people over 50 years old. Both organizations recommend an upper limit of 1,500 milligrams a day, since the majority of the population (about 70%) would benefit from lowering their sodium intake to this level. The federal government seems to agree and has altered the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans to reflect these important limits. Healthy, non-hypertensive children and adults ages 50 and under should consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, while all adults age 51 and older, all African Americans (regardless of age) and anyone with hypertension, diabetes or kidney disease should limit their sodium to 1,500 milligrams per day. At issue is the fact that very few people, even those on a prescribed low-sodium diet, have been able to eat just 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day. I believe that with the right tools, however, you can significantly lower your sodium intake.

Sodium & Health A small amount of sodium is necessary to sustain health. It helps to regulate water balance in our bodies, maintain good circulation, control muscle and nerve function, regulate blood pressure and blood clotting and even aid in the digestion of food. However, too much dietary sodium can be very dangerous.

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or high cholesterol, or are overweight or drink more than two alcoholic beverages a day, then you have a much higher risk of developing hypertension. Furthermore, eating a diet high in sodium-rich foods can hinder calcium absorption and deplete calcium stores from bones, thereby increasing osteoporosis risk. It is best to prevent or delay these sodium-related conditions by transitioning to a lower sodium diet.

Reduce Sodium Reducing the sodium in your diet not only can help to lower your blood pressure, it can also lower your risk of having a heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular event. Sodium is found in salt, a ubiquitous flavor enhancer and preservative. It exists naturally in most foods, so you do not need to worry about getting an adequate amount if you eat a varied diet of mostly minimally processed foods that contain no added salt. Your taste for salty foods

will change over time since your taste buds turn over every three weeks. Allow yourself about six weeks to adjust to the flavors of lower sodium foods. Although you will be able to taste a difference in the lower sodium versions of most foods, you can’t always detect foods that are high in sodium, especially desserts. Therefore, try to learn about the food categories that contribute the most sodium to our diets (see table at left). Surprisingly, we get most of our sodium (about 77%) from processed foods, restaurant foods and fast foods, rather than from the salt we add at the table or in home cooking.

Like me, you may be surprised to learn that bread is the #1 source of sodium in most peoples’ diets. Some “healthy” whole grain breads contain over 200 mg of sodium per slice! That may not sound like a lot, but consider this: bread, cold cuts, cheese and condiments are among the top sources of sodium in our diets, so a sandwich on whole-wheat bread (120 mg sodium per slice) with low-sodium turkey (360 mg for two ounces), a slice of cheese (130 mg per slice) and a little Dijon mustard (120 mg per teaspoon) can easily have 800 mg of sodium—more than half of your day’s allowance.

In order to slash significant amounts of sodium from your diet, here are the things you need to do:

• Read Nutrition Facts labels. Don’t look at the % DV (Daily Value) for sodium, since it is based on 2,400 milligrams of sodium; instead look at the number of milligrams and keep track of how much you are eating.

• Be especially aware of sodium when eating the types of foods listed in the table at left.

• Use my Very Low Sodium Foods Shopping List, available at www.gelsons.com, to find

Bread Chicken dishes Pizza Pasta dishes Cold cuts Condiments Mexican dishes Sausages, franks, bacon and ribs Cheese Desserts Soups Beef dishes Rice dishes

Top Food Sources of Sodium in the US

(in descending order)

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lower sodium options for the packaged foods you normally buy.

• Avoid fast food.

• Eat plainer foods at restaurants and order your food “lightly salted” with sauces and dressings on the side.

• Avoid foods with visible salt, like pretzels, chips and other snack foods.

• Eat smaller portions of salty foods (try an open-faced sandwich, for instance).

• Rinse canned beans and vegetables to remove about 30% of the sodium.

• Don’t add salt at the table.

• Reduce the amount of sodium you add to foods in cooking and seek out recipes that use herbs, spices and lemon to add flavor rather than salt.

• Emphasize fruits and vegetables, since their high potassium content helps

to balance out sodium and lower blood pressure.

• Eat more whole, minimally processed foods that closely resemble they way they looked when they were still at the farm. These types of foods are naturally low in sodium and, when they are minimally processed, there is less chance that salt has been added.

• Divide up your sodium allotment in a realistic way. For instance, allow 200 mg for breakfast, 100 mg for each of two snacks, 550 mg for lunch and 550 mg for dinner.

• Follow the DASH Diet, which I describe below.

DASH Eating Plan The DASH Diet eating plan is proven to help people reach their blood pressure goals because it is full of specific types of foods that lower blood pressure. It is intended to be a lifestyle, not a diet. If followed closely, DASH can also help you reach your weight goals, increase bone strength, raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol as well as lower heart attack and heart disease risk. All of the components of the diet are important, but the two that are most impactful are the serving recommendations for produce and nonfat and low-fat dairy products. These two categories of foods are low in sodium and contain the minerals potassium, calcium and magnesium, which can help to lower blood pressure. Eight to ten servings of fruits and vegetables are eaten daily in order to maximize potassium intake. ALL produce contains potassium, not just bananas, so make sure that you eat a variety of fruit and vegetables each day. Two to three servings of dairy, including nonfat milk and yogurt as well as low-fat cheese, are recommended because they are rich sources of calcium and magnesium.

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The diet also emphasizes nuts, seeds, legumes, beans and whole grains. DASH is low in red and processed meats, total fat, snack foods and sweets.

The DASH Diet General Eating Guidelines I have given you (see table below) are based on 2,000 and 1,600 calorie diets, but you can increase the

DASH Diet General Eating Guidelines

Food Group

Daily Servings

for a 2,000 Calorie Diet

Daily Servings

for a 1,600 Calorie Diet

Serving Size Examples

Whole Grains 6–8 5

B/c cup cooked brown rice, barley, quinoa, whole-wheat pasta or oats, 1 slice whole-grain bread, 1 ounce (28g) whole-grain muesli, granola or dry cereal, B/c cup corn, potato or peas

Vegetables 4–5 41 cup raw leafy greens, B/c cup whole, chopped or cooked vegetables, 6 ounces low-sodium vegetable juice

Fruits 4–5 41 medium whole fruit, B/c cup cut, cooked or canned fruit, 4 ounces fruit juice, B/e cup dried fruit

Low-fat & Nonfat Dairy Products

2–3 2–31 cup non- or low-fat yogurt, 8 ounces non- or low-fat milk, 1B/c ounces low-fat cheese

Fish, Poultry & Meats

2 or less 1.5 or less

3 ounces cooked salmon or other fish, skinless chicken or turkey breast, lean beef sirloin, round, flank or filet, 3 eggs

Nuts, Seeds & Dry Beans

4–5 per week 4–5 per week

B/d cup or 1B/c ounces unsalted walnuts, almonds, pecans or cashews, B/c cup cooked dry lentil, kidney, soy or other beans (drained and rinsed), 2 tablespoons sunflower or other seeds, 2 tablespoons nut butter

Fats & Oils 2–3 2

1 teaspoon olive oil, canola oil or butter, 1 tablespoon salad dressing or low-fat mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons low-fat salad dressing

Sweets 5 per week 1 per week

B/c ounce dark chocolate or hard candy, 1 tablespoon sugar, syrup, jam, 8 ounces lemonade or fruit punch, B/c cup sorbet

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grain, vegetable, fruit and fat servings for more calories or decrease them for fewer calories depending on your calorie needs. Try to eat fatty fish, such as salmon, black cod, tuna, herring, sardines and mackerel, at least three times a week. Reducing desserts and sweets is important, since added sugar, especially in the form of high-fructose corn syrup, is emerging as a factor that raises blood pressure. When you do choose sweets, extra-dark “gourmet” chocolate with at least 70% cocoa is the best choice since cocoa seems to help lower blood pressure. Notice that alcohol is not included in the calorie counts in the eating guidelines, since it has been shown to raise blood pressure and is not recommended as part of this plan. Use my DASH Diet Daily Record Worksheet available at www.gelsons.com to help you figure out how closely you are adhering to the DASH Diet. Make sure your meals are balanced with minimally processed intact whole grains, lean protein (preferably from plants), healthful fat (such as extra virgin olive oil) and vegetables or fruit so you don’t get hungry and your blood sugar stays steady throughout the day.

Other Ways to Lower Blood PressureIf your blood pressure is above the optimal measurement of 120/80 mmHg, or if it is optimal and you want it to stay that way, here’s what you need to do in addition to eating a DASH-style diet:

• Lose weight if you’re overweight or weigh more than you used to. Carrying extra weight raises your blood pressure and losing even ten pounds will help to lower it. The more weight you lose and keep off, the more you will reduce your blood pressure. In general, the more food you eat, the more sodium you consume, so eating less will have the double benefit of salt reduction and weight loss.

• Get physically active—even 30 minutes of moderate activity each day can do the trick. Aside from lowering blood pressure, exercise is a crucial part of weight loss and maintenance, and it helps improve health beyond blood pressure. Activity can be broken up into ten or 15 minute segments throughout the day.

• Stop smoking if you still smoke. Smoking not only raises your blood pressure, it also increases your risks for other cardiovascular diseases, stroke and cancer. Smoking and good health are not compatible.

• Take up a relaxation technique. Breathing exercises, meditation, yoga (which is also exercise) and biofeedback are all effective ways to let go of some stress, anger and anxiety and lower your blood pressure. Stress and other negative emotions are associated with elevated blood pressure and recent studies have shown that relaxation techniques can mitigate them and, therefore, lower blood pressure.

• Ask your doctor about adding dietary supplements that have been shown to help lower blood pressure. Coenzyme Q10 may help reduce both systolic (the top number) and diastolic (the bottom number) blood pressure. Vitamin D seems to aid in lowering blood pressure as well as reduce heart attack risk. Omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil only have a small effect on blood pressure, but they seem to have the general benefit of reducing the risk of heart disease.

Treating and preventing high blood pressure with non-drug lifestyle approaches really does work. Although not as easy as taking a pill, eating a DASH-style diet, reducing sodium, losing excess weight and exercising are all worthwhile endeavors that can lower your blood pressure and improve your overall health.

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carryIng extra weIght around your mIddle, or being “apple shaped,” can be dangerous for your health. People who are “apple shaped” and have excess fat around their waist also have that fat deeper inside their bodies, surrounding the organs. Belly fat and high blood sugar are closely linked, as “deep” belly fat produces hormones that interfere with the action of other hormones like insulin (which is the hormone that both delivers glucose, also called blood sugar, from the blood to our cells and tells the body to store fat). Belly fat is a risk factor for several health conditions, including high blood pressure, high LDL (bad) cholesterol, high triglycerides, insulin resistance and high blood sugar. These conditions can lead to heart disease, strokes, diabetes and even breast, cervical or prostate cancers. Being predisposed to an apple shape, however, does not mean that you are doomed to insulin resistance or these other conditions. Losing excess fat and maintaining a waist that is smaller than your hips (ideally less than 40 inches around for men and less than 35 inches around for women) is an important way to prevent and control these conditions. Your goal should be to have as little fat around your waist as possible.

If you have excess belly fat, type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, insulin resistance, hypoglycemia, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or high triglycerides, then you should consider eating to control your blood sugar, or glucose, levels. In each of these conditions, the body has difficulty metabolizing carbohydrates to some extent. Paying particular attention to the types and quantities of carbohydrate-containing foods that you consume in order to tightly control glucose can subsequently lessen the severity of each of these conditions, as well

as enhance mood and manage appetite and physical symptoms in the hours following a meal or a snack. Planning meals and choosing foods based on how they affect your blood sugar can also help you lose weight and improve your health. Less glucose in the blood demands less insulin, which can, in turn, promote fat loss.

Your dietary choices can positively or negatively affect your glucose levels and the way you feel; they can also help prevent the onset of insulin resistance, hypoglycemia, diabetes and weight gain if you consistently make the right choices over time. Not overeating and choosing low-glycemic carbohydrates as part of your balanced meals is part of the blood sugar control solution.

I have always maintained that we would all be better off nutritionally and weight-wise if we ate as though we were diabetic, meaning we choose and limit carbohydrate-containing foods based on how they affect our blood sugar and combine them with proteins and fats to help balance our blood sugar within a healthy range. You may have heard of the Glycemic Index or the Glycemic Load as useful tools for the

Glycemic Guidance

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carbohydrate-conscious. The Glycemic Index assigns a number value to the rate and extent to which the body converts a given food to glucose (slow conversion is preferable to fast). The Glycemic Load is a more practical tool that takes serving size into account when assigning a value to how fast and how much a food raises blood sugar. I don’t think you need to rely on Glycemic Load charts to make choices at every meal, but you should understand the principles determining which foods are low on the Glycemic Load scale to help guide your daily food choices.

The key to controlling blood sugar and belly fat is eating balanced meals that contain a slowly digested carbohydrate, a lean protein and some healthful fat. A slowly digested carbohydrate is high in fiber and complex starches, not simple sugars; it is usually an intact whole grain that has been minimally processed, a vegetable, a fruit or a variety of beans and legumes. For example, steel cut oats are a lower glycemic food than O-shaped cereal made with oat flour. Combining low glycemic foods with some fat will allow them to work together to slow down the digestion and conversion of carbohydrate into glucose. That way, glucose can enter the blood slowly and steadily over a longer period of time, so that minimal amounts of insulin will be needed and fat will stop being stored. Adding protein to the mix will help counter any extra insulin action, so that blood sugar will not get too high or too low and you will feel full for an extended period of time.

Eating to control blood sugar should not require you to assign values or labels to the foods you choose. A lot of diet books rank foods according to how they affect blood sugar, but these rankings are really not necessary. Ranking foods in relation to the Glycemic Index or Glycemic Load, or categorizing foods as “good” and “bad,”

makes eating unnecessarily complicated. Virtually all vegetables, fruits and beans are low glycemic foods, and minimally processed intact whole grains are the best choices. With all of this in mind, here are some important principles to follow when planning your meals:

Leave added sweeteners off the menu. Sugar in all forms—from natural to processed to artificial—is directly related to belly fat storage. Research is showing that people whose regular diets are high in sugar have an increased risk of developing fatty liver, insulin resistance and obesity. These conditions can lead to other serious diseases, such as diabetes, liver disease and

Agave Artificial sweeteners Blackstrap molasses Brown sugar Cane juice Cane sugar Corn syrup Dextrose Fruit juice Fruit purées High-fructose corn syrup Honey Invert sugar Maple syrup Powdered sugar Rice syrup Sugar alcohols Sugar in the raw Sugar substitutes White granulated sugar

Sources of Sweeteners to Restrict or Avoid:

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heart disease, all of which are exacerbated by excess sugar in the diet. The average American consumes 23 teaspoons of added sugar a day (approximately 370 extra calories per day). Added sugars are in almost all processed foods and we add them to our foods and beverages at the table, too. Take a good, honest look at the amount and sources of sugar in your diet and try to reduce both your preference for intensely sweet tastes and the quantity of sweetened foods you eat. First, learn about where the sugars are in your diet by reading ingredient lists and assessing the sweeteners you add to your food and drinks (see Sources of Sweeteners to Restrict or Avoid). Next, start thinking of sweets as treats to enjoy two to three times a week instead of daily. Aside from the obvious dessert-type foods, that includes all soft drinks, juice, muffins and yogurt packaged with added fruit and flavors, as well as most energy, protein and granola bars and breakfast cereals. Within just a few short weeks of making these types of changes, you will notice how much more you savor and appreciate these treats. When you start to eat treats in moderation, your preference for highly sweetened foods diminishes, too.

Choose low-glycemic carbs. These carbohydrate-containing foods are broken down slowly so that glucose can be released into your blood at a slow and steady rate. Foods that convert to sugar quickly—usually, ones made mostly of highly processed carbohydrates such as flour and sugar—lead to weight gain, while foods that convert slowly are associated with less body fat. These foods are minimally processed intact whole grains, such as oats, barley, quinoa, wild rice, brown rice, bulgur wheat, kasha and buckwheat groats. Starchy vegetables, including carrots, corn, peas, winter squash, sweet potatoes and baby potatoes (but not mature potatoes), also cause a slow release of glucose that requires less insulin, and they can be used in place of whole grains (this substitution especially

comes in handy when eating at restaurants). Whole grains that are processed into flours, breads, pastas and cereals, especially puff, flake, O, heart, pillow and twig shapes, will induce far more of an insulin response than minimally processed whole grains, but slightly less of a response than foods made with refined white flour such as crackers and white breads and mature potatoes. Grains that take longer to cook—think steel cut oats instead of instant oats—will have a lower glycemic response, but cooking pasta al dente also can lower the Glycemic Load. Make whole grains in their most natural state and starchy vegetables your main sources of complex carbohydrates.

Watch your portions. A serving of most carb-containing foods is not large: 1 slice of bread; ½ cup of cooked brown rice, pasta, quinoa, oatmeal, barley or other grain; 1 ounce (volume will vary) of dry muesli, granola, cereal or crackers; ½ cup of starchy vegetables. Most women can eat about one serving of these types of food per meal and most men can have one to two servings per meal, depending on their size, activity

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control. Try to include at least one of these healthy monounsaturated or omega-3 fats at each meal. However, be careful about adding excessive amounts of “good” fats since they do contain more than twice the calories of carbohydrates or protein per gram. Adding both protein and healthful fats to your meal or snack will help to moderate blood sugar levels.

Avoid alcoholic beverages. Alcohol contributes extra calories to your diet and stimulates your appetite so that you also take in more calories from food. This is not helpful when you are trying to lose weight.

Have a plan. Try to plan your meals and snacks ahead of time so that you don’t find yourself buying a pastry instead of snacking on an apple and some walnuts at 4:00 pm. Make time for three meals and one or two snacks that are evenly spaced

level and weight loss needs. For people with diabetes, portions are even smaller.

Combine carbohydrates with both lean protein and healthy fats to lower their glycemic loads. Lean protein can come from plant sources such as edamame, tofu, unsweetened soy milk, other beans, legumes, nuts and seeds, as well as animal sources like eggs, nonfat and low-fat milk and Greek yogurt, fish, shellfish, chicken, turkey and some cuts of red meat. Healthful monounsaturated fats are found in extra virgin first cold pressed olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds. Beneficial omega-3s are found primarily in fatty fish and to a much lesser extent in omega-3 fortified eggs, walnuts and ground flax seeds. Replacing some carbohydrates and saturated fat with the right types of “good” fats can make a big difference when it comes to making your tummy smaller and improving blood sugar

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development of these types of conditions in healthy people, especially those that tend to be “apple shaped.” Furthermore, minimally processed foods should be everyone’s preference because they offer important naturally occurring nutrients and few, if any, undesirable ingredients, unlike most processed foods. Remember your simple formula: minimally processed complex carbohydrates + lean protein+ healthy fat= better blood sugar control.

throughout the day. If you skip breakfast, you will struggle to get your blood sugar under control all day, so eat a wholesome, minimally processed, balanced meal within one hour of waking up. Strategy goes a long way towards preventing blood sugar highs and lows and it is essential if you are going to lose weight.

Don’t overeat. Practice eating slowly so that you can recognize how it feels when you’re getting full. Overeating is hard on your pancreas, liver and cells that use glucose for fuel. Stop eating when you feel satisfied instead of when you feel full in order to help your body function optimally.

Get serious about exercise. Both aerobic and anaerobic (muscle building) exercises improve the insulin sensitivity of your cells. Studies show that 30–60 minutes of continuous moderate intensity exercise (working at 70–75% of maximum heart rate) at least three days a week provides maximum benefit. Invest in a heart rate monitor to ensure that you’re working at the right level and be active every day if you can. The more days you are active, the more benefit you will obtain.

Figure out what works best for your body. Everybody is different and some food combinations and schedules work better for different people. I have personally found the most weight loss success when people eat breakfast within one hour of waking up and start out with one to three servings of a whole intact grain, and then taper off the starches at subsequent meals. Do not skip meals and include a snack between breakfast and lunch and/or between lunch and dinner if you’re hungry, but do not eat after dinner.

Eating to control blood sugar is important for everyone. It can help people with blood sugar control issues manage their conditions better, and it can help prevent the

The more processed a carbohydrate, the higher the Gl tends to be. Milling and refining grains raises Gl while coarsely ground, cracked, unground and sprouted grains retain a lower Gl.

Added sugars can increase the Gl of a food.

Combining carbohydrate containing foods with fat, protein and/or acidic foods, such as vinegar or lemon juice, as part of a meal will lower the Gl.

Higher fiber foods tend to have lower Gls.

A low Gl does not automatically mean that a food is healthful. Many high-fat candy bars can have a lower Gl than a banana, but the banana is clearly a healthier choice because it is more nutritious.

Temperate fruits such as berries, cherries, apples, oranges and melons have a lower Gl than higher sugar tropical fruits such as bananas, mangoes, papayas and pineapple, as well as grapes.

When enjoying a high Gl food, such as white potato, try to stick to a single serving and have it as part of a meal. Don’t feel that you need to completely avoid high Gl foods.

Glycemic Load (GL) Pointers

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linked weight cycling (also called yo-yo dieting) to gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and possibly higher lifetime weight gain and abdominal fat storage. There is also an emotional strain associated with weight cycling and dieting in general. Dieting and restricting foods is connected with feelings of shame, guilt, anger and humiliation—especially since any weight that is lost is almost always regained in these situations. Furthermore, severely restricting food is linked to bingeing. I know that eating sensibly is not as exciting as sprinkling oat bran on your food or cutting out entire food groups, but it is the only long-term, permanent option for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

Popular Fad Diets When it comes to fad diets, it doesn’t matter if you go low-carb, high-carb, high-protein, or low-fat—they’re all lower-calorie diets and their success rates are all about the same. Extremely low-calorie plans produce dramatic results quickly, but they ultimately set you up for failure: starving yourself can only go on for so long before you binge on “forbidden” foods. Furthermore, most of the weight lost at the beginning of these diets is

achIevIng and maIntaInIng a healthy weIght is an important part of preventing and controlling chronic diseases. Your optimal weight is attainable if you commit to changing the way you eat, rather than going on yet another diet. Diets don’t work and fad diets are extreme and unnecessary. The term “going on a diet” implies that you will eventually go off of the diet—and back to your old eating habits. If you have a weight “problem,” then diets are not the solution. They are a quick fix that can lead to weight fluctuations and life-long struggles with your weight and weight-related health issues. I meet many older obese individuals who tell me they have “been on every diet there is.” Since the dieting mentality is one of short-term deprivation, it’s easy to convince yourself that you only have to give up cake and cookies for a little while until you reach your target weight, but that’s a lie because true weight loss success is found in the ability to maintain your weight loss for the rest of your life. When you are truly committed to making changes to your current lifestyle, you will finally be able to end your struggle with your weight. Anyone reading this who has ever lost weight knows that losing weight is easy compared to maintaining weight loss.

Diets Aren’t Harmless Some fad diets are not harmful if they are followed for a short time, but many fad diets are dangerous and can have long-term consequences. One of the most common consequences of trying different fad diets is weight cycling, the process of repeatedly losing and re-gaining weight. Studies have

Achieve your Healthiest Weight

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Eliminate Emotional Eating Eating is not an effective way to deal with anger, stress, boredom, disappointment, or anxiety. Food is not a reward or a band-aid, but many people over-eat for these reasons. If you often eat for emotional rather than physiological reasons, identify your emotional eating triggers and learn to redistribute your negative emotions towards more productive and healthful activities. Direct that energy instead towards breath work, meditation, visualization, physical activity, yoga or other enjoyable or productive activities. This strategy can help curb emotional eating and bring your focus back to your health goals.

know your Body Not every style of eating is right for every body. Emerging research indicates that different body types respond better to varying distributions of carbohydrates and fat. Most people (almost all men and about

not fat but water weight that is quickly regained once you start eating normally again.

The important thing to consider is what happens after you’ve hit your goal weight on these diets. If you go off the diet, you’ll go back to your old eating habits and gain back all the weight you lost—and sometimes more! So do you really want to be on a diet for the rest of your life?

Eating for Permanent Weight Loss Fad diets are popular because many people want the structure that they command. Most plans tell you exactly what to eat at scheduled meals and snacks—but the real world doesn’t work that way. There are always choices to be made at mealtimes. The most proactive approach you can take for your weight and your health is to learn about healthful foods and eating habits and start to incorporate them into your life.

Change your Mindset For permanent weight loss, work on promoting good eating habits so that you will not feel the need to “detox” or go on a special crash diet. There is no substitute for good nutrition. Eating well is not a quick fix, but a life-long journey. It may be harder than following a fad diet at first, but after a few months, it can become second nature. If you have been riding the on-a-diet, off-a-diet roller coaster, then the first step you should take is making peace with food. You have probably learned to label food as “good” or “bad” and judge yourself as “good” or “bad” for making certain food choices. That approach to eating needs to change! Work towards practicing self-compassion and flexibility with your eating and you will have more motivation to make changes and, ultimately, better success with weight loss.

Gallstones Muscle loss Kidney problems nutritional deficiencies Headaches Irritability Bad breath Constipation Fatigue Hair loss Dehydration electrolyte imbalances

*The longer you stay on a highly restrictive, low-calorie diet, the higher your risk of developing any of these side effects.

The Potential Dangers of Fad Diets*

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35–45% of women) tend to store their excess fat primarily in their mid-sections. We call this body type “apple-shaped.” A smaller percentage of people are “pear-shaped” since they tend to store their excess fat around their hips and thighs.

“Apple-shaped” individuals seem to have more success with weight loss and maintenance when they closely monitor the type and amount of carbohydrates they eat. (This is a lower carb style of eating, but not a low-carb fad diet.) Their diet should consist of mostly vegetables, plant proteins, lean animal proteins and fatty fish, with about 30-40% of calories coming from extra virgin first cold pressed organic olive oil, nuts, seeds, fatty fish and avocado. Carbohydrates should be whole intact grains that have a low glycemic load such as oats, quinoa and barley and/or starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, baby potatoes, corn, peas and winter squash, and portions need to be limited. Two to three daily servings of fruit is acceptable. Concentrated sugars, sweets and added sweeteners (both natural

and artificial) need to be severely reduced. See Glycemic Guidance section for details about lower carbohydrate eating.

“Pear-shaped” people may have more success when they monitor the type and quantity of fat they eat along with the type of carbohydrate they eat. They seem to obtain the best results when they replace some of their fats with carbohydrates, though high-quality fats and carbs, like those mentioned above, must be emphasized. About 20% of calories should come from fat. Sugar and sweets must still be limited.

Both styles of eating are nutrient-dense and plant-based. The amount of protein needed for each body type is roughly the same, and both eating styles should emphasize plant sources of protein, such as beans and legumes. Red meat can be eaten up to once a week, but certainly not daily (as many high-protein fad diets would have you believe). Two vegetarian meals a day is still an optimal goal, even if you are “apple-shaped.” In order for weight loss to occur, portions

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must be controlled and calories must be reduced—if you’re still hungry at the end of a meal, eat more vegetables, not more starch or protein. Neither type of eating allows much room for empty calories from nutrient-poor junk food, so retrain your taste buds to appreciate less sweet and lower sodium foods (this takes three to six weeks).

Control your Portions Implementing portion control is half the battle of weight loss, since the less you eat, the fewer calories you consume. Review portion sizes on page 15 and use your measuring cups to serve yourself when you eat at home. Keep in mind, however, that not all calories are created equally, especially when it comes to satiety. Calories from sugars and sweets are the least satisfying and promote carbohydrate cravings, while calories from protein, fats and fiber-rich foods are more satisfying, which can allow you to eat less. Choose high-quality, minimally processed foods that resemble as closely as possible the way that they looked back on the farm, as these are the most slow-digesting and satiating foods you can eat. Create balanced meals that include protein, fat and carbohydrates from vegetables and minimally processed whole grains in order to fill yourself up on relatively low calorie, nutrient-dense foods.

Write Everything Down People who use food journals are more successful at losing weight and keeping it off than people who don’t record every bite of food they put in their mouths. Journaling forces you to “own” your eating behavior and your food choices. It can also help you identify unhealthy patterns in your eating habits. Some people use a food journal to plan their meals ahead of time; they record what and how much they will eat and find it easier to stick to their plan once it is on

paper. Download sample food journal pages from www.gelsons.com to get started with journaling.

Exercise While all of the behaviors discussed here should ideally be incorporated from the start, exercise is really the only way to burn excess calories and improve your metabolism for the long term. It is essential to maintaining your weight loss, too. Moderate aerobic activity burns a lot of calories, especially if it is a weight-bearing activity like walking, jogging, skiing or tennis. One hour of brisk walking daily is the form of exercise most commonly employed by people who successfully lose weight and maintain their weight loss. However, it’s not about what form of exercise you choose or how long you do it for; it’s about doing what you enjoy and finding an activity you will do consistently. When you exercise, be mindful of rewarding yourself with food or overeating after a workout.

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Foster Flexibility Being adaptable with your eating habits seems to be one of the most important factors in long-term success in weight loss and maintenance. Planning your meals, having backup strategies and coming up with creative solutions to different eating challenges can make you more successful in achieving your goals. Losing weight is not all about self control and willpower; it’s more about adapting your new lifestyle to your current situation and having a strategy for dealing with difficult eating situations. When you have a good understanding of which foods are healthful and how to create satisfying, balanced meals, you can successfully plan for dealing with dining out with friends, eating lunch on the road, making good choices at your hungriest times of day, eating triggers, emotional eating, special occasions and people who push food on you. There are always going to be challenges to eating healthfully, but being prepared to deal with your personal obstacles is the smartest way to overcome them.

Finding the balance between being flexible and structured is important. Plan an eating schedule and have sit-down meals and

snacks daily. Put some thought into your foods, but don’t obsess over everything. While you are losing weight, try to stick to your eating plan 90% of the time and be flexible about 10% of the time (two meals a week); once you have reached your goal and are working on maintaining your weight, you can be more relaxed with 20% of your meals (about four meals a week). A rigid all-or-nothing approach is a recipe for disaster and a major reason why strict diets only work for the short term. Creating a healthy lifestyle and focusing on health, rather than weight and calories, is a good way to foster flexibility in adjusting your eating as the situation requires.

Take the Best of What Fad Diets Have to Offer Go ahead and eat grapefruit and cabbage soup as part of your diet! These are healthful foods that are certainly satisfying, nutritious and low in calories and they should be eaten regularly, but don’t eat them exclusively. Like many of these diets, I agree that you should pay more attention to your carbohydrate intake, but I don’t believe that you should avoid carbs completely. Limit your portions as appropriate to your body shape and try to choose minimally processed intact whole grains such as oats, quinoa, barley, and brown and wild rice. Eat fewer processed and packaged foods and more foods in their most natural form. Drink water exclusively and eliminate soft drinks (both regular and diet), juice and other sweetened beverages.

Successful weight loss does not happen by accident; it takes thought, work, sweat, learning and dedication. Prepare yourself for the long haul and keep in mind that three years should be your time frame for permanent weight loss. Additionally, try to implement as many of the strategies covered here as you can, since the more you use, the more successful your long-term weight loss will be.

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Beyond Healthful EatingpromotIng good health is not just about eating the “right” foods; it also entails incorporating several other wellness measures into your life. Eating well and cultivating a positive, healthful lifestyle plays a significant role in promoting overall health and preventing disease. Here are six lifestyle measures that can also play a role in improving your well-being.

Improve your oral hygiene.Did you know that the health of

your teeth and gums can be a predictor of your overall health? Gum disease is strongly associated with atherosclerosis, the build-up of plaque in the arteries that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Gum infections are usually chronic and, unless the bacteria that causes gum disease is eliminated or controlled, can result in chronic inflammation throughout the body. Avoiding chronic inflammation is probably the best way to prevent the chronic diseases that are associated with it: heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. A Japanese study has found another benefit of good oral hygiene: people who brush their teeth after each meal tend to stay slimmer over time than people who brush less often. This is probably partly due to the “end of the meal effect,” where brushing your teeth is an unconscious signal that a meal or eating period is over, and partly due to that fact that people who brush after meals are more health conscious in general. To prevent gum disease, see your dentist at least once a year, brush at least twice a day, floss daily, eat plenty of crunchy foods (especially fruit and vegetables), and keep soft foods to a minimum.

Drink water exclusively. Water—not soda—makes up 60% of

your body weight. It carries nutrients through your body, helps regulate body temperature, prevents dehydration, and keeps energy and mental clarity at optimum levels. Water can help keep nasal passages and other mucous membranes moist so that they can act as barriers to bacterial and viral invaders. It is also important for helping your immune system run smoothly. Water can actually help promote weight loss by helping you burn calories faster, break down fatty tissue in the body and carry out the waste created by fat loss. You may actually eat less when you are well hydrated, since water helps your stomach feel fuller. If you’re not drinking water, what are you drinking? Soft drinks are the enemy of healthy bones and taut tummies. A Harvard study has found that drinking just one sugar-sweetened soft drink a day increases womens’ (and probably mens’) risk of diabetes by 83%. Don’t think that diet sodas made with processed artificial sweeteners are a better alternative! Diet soda consumption is correlated with poor blood sugar control in people with

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diabetes, as well as overweight in children. If you need a caffeine boost, then have a cup of unsweetened green tea or brewed coffee early in the day instead of a soft drink.

Catch enough zzzs. Sleeping is just as important as eating well and

exercising, because that is the time that your body uses to repair itself and renew its resources. Sleep deprivation can cause overweight, possibly by increasing your hunger hormones or by increasing the number of waking hours during which you can eat. Aside from weight gain, lack of sleep can also contribute to accidents, poor concentration, inefficiency, mood disorders and weakened immunity. Most people need at least six hours a night, but some people need up to nine. If you’re having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or feel like you haven’t slept when you wake up in the morning, you may have something besides lack of sleep going on and you should talk to your doctor. Getting enough sleep may be as simple as turning off the TV earlier (though experts do not advise that you watch TV or read in bed) or eating a lighter dinner (fatty and spicy foods can interfere with some people’s sleep), or even cutting out caffeine 12 hours before your bedtime.

Get moving! Exercise has numerous health benefits. It can help promote

the flow of blood and oxygen to all parts of the body, slow memory loss, improve mental function, strengthen the heart, lower cholesterol and blood pressure and regulate blood sugar. Beyond all of the health benefits you may reap, exercise just instantly makes you feel good. Thirty minutes a day of moderate aerobic exercise most days of the week is recommended and bouts of exercise can be performed in three ten-minute intervals or two 15-minute intervals for the same benefits.

Wash your hands. Washing your hands frequently is perhaps the most

important thing you can do to prevent common bacterial and viral infections. Use soap and water and rub your hands together vigorously for 20 seconds (or sing “Happy Birthday” twice) to kill all the bacteria that can cause colds, flus and diarrhea. Be mindful of what you touch and try as hard as possible to avoid touching your face, especially your mouth, nose and eyes, which are common points of entry for infections.

Manage stress. Chronic stress can really take a toll on your quality of

life and overall well-being. Stress can lead to heart disease, strokes, insomnia, weight gain, migraines, digestive problems, gum disease, memory loss, weakened immune system, anger and depression. Most stress is unavoidable, but we can control how we deal with it. You should first take measures to eliminate as many stressors as possible from your life, and then deal with the remaining stress as best you can. Make an effort to form a good support network of family and friends and talk about your feelings and experiences in a constructive manner with them. Exercise, get plenty of sleep and eat a good diet so you deal with stress most effectively. Consider trying mind-body approaches such as yoga, breath work, meditation and biofeedback, as these are excellent ways to manage stress, as well.

I believe that we all have room for improvement in our lives and there are always new opportunities to practice healthier behaviors. Take a look at your lifestyle and see where you can incorporate some of these healthy habits.

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Planning menus is no easy task, especially when you’re hungry and you’ve waited until the last minute to give your next meal the consideration it deserves. Thinking ahead and shopping for several meals at once is important if you are going to successfully improve the healthfulness of your diet. To help you get started, I have designed some sample menus that utilize plenty of fresh produce, healthful plant and animal proteins and lots of wonderful flavors. The recipes can be found at www.gelsons.com under the “@ Your Table” tab in the “Cookbook” section. Use my two weeks’ worth of lunch menus to plan lunches for your whole family. You can easily send these foods to school with a child, pack your lunch for work, or enjoy these menus at home. When it comes to dinner, eating family meals at home has enormous health benefits. Research shows that children who eat meals with their families perform better in school, eat a better diet, have better mental health

and verbal development and are at lower risk for obesity, substance abuse and other risky behaviors. Adults who eat with other people tend to have better mental and physical health, stronger social connections and have a lower risk of high blood pressure and obesity. Use my four seasonal dinner menus to help include the best, ripest produce and weather-appropriate recipes in your meal plans. When planning meals, I try to make sure that I put together a plate with at least one-half colorful, seasonal vegetables, a quarter protein and a quarter whole grains or starchy vegetables. I often serve fruit for dessert. Try to vary your proteins so that you only eat red meat (beef, pork or lamb) once a week, fish at least twice a week, poultry (chicken, turkey or duck) up to two to three times a week and vegetarian proteins for the remainder of your meals. Give yourself a break from cooking and cleaning a few times a week by enjoying leftovers and eating out.

*See recipe at www.gelsons.com.

LUNCH MENUSMonday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

egg Salad Sandwich*

String cheese

Cherry tomatoes

Kiwi

Chicken Salad Sandwich*

Sugar snap peas

Fuyu persimmon

Penne with lentils & Spinach*

Tangerines

Tuna Salad Wrap*

Broccoli with Tribe organic hummus

Apple

Quick Weeknight Salad*

Blue Diamond 100 calorie pack whole natural almonds

Turkey Salad Wrap*

Sugar snap peas

Red grapes

Spinach & Cheese Mini Quiches*

Kashi TlC 7-grain crackers

Cherry tomatoes

Melon

Almond Butter & Fruit Sandwich*

edamame

orange wedges

Mango Chutney Chicken Pita*

Baby carrots with guacamole

Blueberries

Mediterranean orzo Salad*

Strawberries

menus

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WINTER DINNER MENUSDay Protein Vegetable 1 Vegetable 2 Starch Dessert

Monday Heart-Healthy Black Cod*

Wild Mushrooms with Herb Bread Crumbs*

(in the black cod)

(in the mushrooms with bread crumbs)

Fuyu persimmon wedges

Tuesday Moroccan Braised Chicken*

Mâche Salad with Shaved Parmesan*

(in the chicken)

(in the chicken)

Pear wedges

Wednesday Super Antioxidant Chili*

(in the chili) (in the chili) (in the chili) Pomegranate arils

Thursday Zesty Halibut with Sweet Potatoes & Kale*

Amy’s light in Sodium Tomato Bisque soup

(in the halibut)

(in the halibut)

Apple wedges

Friday Asian Chicken noodle Soup*

(in the soup) (in the soup) (in the soup) Green & Black’s organic dark chocolate (70% or 85%)

SPRING DINNER MENUSDay Protein Vegetable 1 Vegetable 2 Starch Dessert

Monday Miso-Marinated Salmon*

Sesame Sugar Snap Peas & edamame*

Simple Sautéed Cauliflower*

Brown rice Strawberries

Tuesday Spanish Frittata*

Green salad (in the frittata)

(in the frittata)

Tangerines

Wednesday Chicken Marsala*

Sautéed Baby Kale with Apples*

(in the chicken)

Roasted butternut squash

Grapefruit segments

Thursday Halibut with Cucumber- Yogurt Sauce*

Red Cabbage & Goat Cheese*

Simple Sweet Potato Circles*

(in the sweet potatoes)

Strawberries

Friday Quick Red Bean Stew*

Steamed asparagus

(in the stew) (in the stew) orange segments

*See recipe at www.gelsons.com.

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SUMMER DINNER MENUSDay Protein Vegetable 1 Vegetable 2 Starch Dessert

Monday Black Cod alla Bruschetta*

Spicy Garlic Broccoli*

(in the fish) Gelson’s Finest Rustic Bread

Melon

Tuesday Chicken with Plum Relish*

Fresh Guacamole* with baked tortilla chips

Roasted Rainbow Carrots*

(in the chips)

B⁄c Julie’s organic Ice Cream Sandwich

Wednesday Harvest lentil Soup

Penne with Asparagus & Ricotta*

naked Summer Squash Sauté*

(in the pasta)

Strawberries

Thursday Thai Beef Salad*

(in the salad)

(in the salad)

none Summer Berry Delight*

Friday Wild Salmon with Kiwi Watermelon Salsa*

Heirloom Tomato Greek Salad*

(in the salad)

Steamed corn on the cob

Cherries

FALL DINNER MENUSDay Protein Vegetable 1 Vegetable 2 Starch Dessert

Monday Mahi Mahi with Southwestern Succotash*

Garlic-Braised Brussels Sprouts*

(in the fish) (in the fish) Pear wedges

Tuesday Soft Tacos with Corn Salsa*

Green salad (in the tacos)

(in the tacos)

Red grapes

Wednesday Moroccan-Spiced Spaghetti Squash with Chicken*

Sautéed Spinach with Blood orange & Pomegranate*

(in the chicken)

(in the chicken)

Berries

Thursday Spiced lentils with Carrots & Kale*

Roasted Asparagus*

(in the lentils)

Brown rice Apple wedges

Friday Shrimp & Tofu Stir-Fry*

Carrot Ginger Soup*

(in the stir-fry)

(in the stir-fry)

Green & Black’s organic dark chocolate (70% or 85%)

*See recipe at www.gelsons.com.

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resourcesContact To contact Jessica, please call her at 1-800-GelSonS. Jessica offers Super 4 Kids and Super Heart Smart store tours by appointment.

For more information, visit gelsons.com/table/nn. The nutritional tools below are located in the Healthy Living menu on the left side navigation bar.

Shopping Lists emergency Supply Shopping list Jessica’s Healthy Shopping list no Gluten Ingredient listing Super 4 Kids Shopping list Super Heart Smart Shopping list Very low Sodium Foods Shopping list

Worksheets & Planners DASH Diet Worksheet Food Journal pages Serving Size Guide

Other Online Resources Jessica’s Healthy Recipes (gelsons.com/table/cookbook/list/recipelist.asp) Jessica’s Nutrition Notes newsletter Jessica’s Healthy Families blog Jessica’s nutrition store events schedule

Visit Gelson’s Service Delis for delicious and nutritious prepared foods in the Healthful Recipes by Jessica section.

Calabasas 818.906.6228

Century City 310.277.4288

Dana Point 949.488.8147

Encino 818.906.5780

Hollywood 323.464.7316

Irvine 949.551.6093

Marina del Rey 310.306.2952

Newport Beach 949.644.8660

Pacific Palisades 310.459.4483

Pasadena 626.535.0190

Santa Barbara 805.687.5810

Sherman Oaks 818.377.4140

Silver Lake/Los Feliz 323.660.0387

Tarzana 818.906.5752

Valley Village/ North Hollywood 818.906.5743

West Hollywood 323.656.5580

Westlake Village 805.496.0353

www.gelsons.com

locations