Walking the Talk
One of the themes playing itself out lately in my life is the importance of both our words and our actions. While we can say whatever we want, what we do is really where the rubber meets the road. We see this all the time. People say one thing, perhaps because it is the socially or politically acceptable thing to say, but their real world behavior is quite different. We all know these examples: the doctor that smokes cigarettes; the dietician that is excessively overweight; the nutrition whiz that eats and drinks whatever they want; or even the yogi who preaches peace and love and yet performs harmful acts.
This past week I was struggling to come up with my monthly article for the local paper. I was going to use something someone else wrote and with their permission re-write it more into my language and expression. But, as I was going to do it, it didn’t feel authentic. It wasn’t me. While it was great information, it wasn’t what I wanted to communicate. Then it occurred to me. At almost every talk I do people ask me what I eat. And there it was – the topic for an article! As I wrote the article, I realized I do walk my talk for the most part. We all have an occasional moment of food weakness (usually a sugary temptation), but overall I was pretty pleased. My next thought, what about the people whose information I follow. Do they walk the talk? Well this month I was able to experience two of these people first hand and I’ll report on that below.
To read my article on what I eat, click here: http://brwellness.blogspot.com/2010/07/walking-talk-heres-what-i-eat.html.
One last note. Also this last month I’ve been lining up my fall schedule and it is loaded already with nutrition and yoga workshops and talks, as well as with yoga teacher training. In October I’ll be at Copper Tree Wellness (Hartford, WI). In October, November, and December I’ll be at HeartSpace (Thiensville, WI). In late October I’ll be making a return to Cedar Falls, IA. And, in December I’ll be in Minneapolis. For details click here: http://brwellness.blogspot.com/2010/05/rosen-wellness-news-and-events.html.
To learn more about the YogaOne Vinyasa Flow 200 hour Teacher Training program starting in October and running through June click here: http://www.yogaonestudio.com/pages/training.html.
The First Lady of Nutrition
This past month I had the privilege of studying in person with Ann Louise Gittleman. I’ve spoken of her in prior newsletters and am a big fan of her nutrition philosophy which is shared in the over 30 books she has written. On my blogs you’ll see reviews of some of my favorites. To get to the point – she walks the talk! While I was there I was able to meet some of the other people at UniKey Health that I’ve spoken with over the phone over the past several years – Liz Beck, James Templeton, Carol Templeton, and Roz Livingston. They too all walk the talk! So thanks to all of you for making we welcome and a special thanks to Ann Louise for all the information she shared.
Ann Louise is an innovator in nutrition - always coming up with something new and interesting. Her latest book Fat Flush for Life is awesome. A new weight reduction program she recently developed is the Smoothie Shakedown. If you’re looking to lose some weight in a safe way over a two week period of time this is a great plan. For more information visit http://www.unikeyhealth.com/?a=1003 and click on Smoothie Shakedown. For more information about Ann Louise visit http://www.annlouise.com/
The Master Herbalist
Also this past month my daughter Mollie who is generally very healthy had an interesting physical ailment going on. I tried all the things that I knew of that I thought would help, but we really didn’t get anywhere. After about a week, I took her to see my local Master Herbalist and author Phyllis Heitkamp. Well sure enough, she figured it out, and within just over a day, Mollie was back to normal! And as a bonus, the next week she had me over, and taught me how to make my own herbal tinctures so I now have some important ones on hand and ready. Phyllis has written two books about herbs, both available at amazon.com
Need to Eat Gluten Free and/or Dairy Free
Give me a call or send an e-mail to learn about my healthy eating meal plans, complete with shopping lists and recipes. I have gluten free, dairy free, and gluten and dairy free weekly plans. It’s a great way to get started on the road to healthier eating.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Walking the Talk: Here’s What I Eat
As a nutrition consultant, one of the most frequent questions I’m asked by clients, friends, and other curious people is, “So, what do you eat?” That’s a fair question right? You certainly want your nutrition consultant to be eating healthy foods! You wouldn’t want them eating donuts for breakfast and fast food burgers and fries for lunch and dinner. Nothing worse than the doctor who smokes cigarettes! So, here’s a look at what I typically eat:
Breakfast: I’m a big fan of a protein shake/smoothie in the morning. I find them to be filling and satisfying and easily last me until lunch time. My basic ingredients are 8 ounces of water (or a special cranwater concoction), a high quality protein mix (either whey, brown rice, pea, or some combination of these – never soy!), a cup of berries (blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries or some combination of them) either fresh or frozen, a handful of nuts and/or seeds (Brazil nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds), some fresh greens or green powder, flax seed oil or ground flax seeds or chia seeds, and on occasion some yogurt and/or kefir. What does this provide? Plenty of protein, antioxidants, fiber, omega 3 and 6 fats and a whole bunch of other vitamins and minerals. On the days that I don’t have a smoothie, I’ll have eggs on some steamed leafy greens or sprouted toast or in an omlete with a bunch of vegetables.
Lunch: Generally 2-3 days of the week it will be one of the egg dishes that I describe above. Other days it will be based on leftovers from the previous night’s dinner. There is usually some type of animal protein involved, it can be grass fed beef, turkey, or lamb. As a B blood type I don’t do real well with chicken or bean dishes, so I tend to avoid them. At the present time I am also limiting my fish due to mercury. A hair tissue mineral analysis that I did on myself indicated higher levels of mercury than I’d like to see which I believe that was a result of eating a lot of fish. Remember – everything in moderation! During the warmer month I tend to have this with raw vegetables in some type of salad and during the cooler months with cooked vegetables. I use a homemade salad dressing from olive oil and vinegar. Maybe once or twice a week it will be in the form of a sandwich on sprouted grain bread; on occasion it will be over brown rice or quinoa. I’ll also throw in some soup as I have a great curried cauliflower, carrots, and pea soup recipe that I enjoy.
Dinner: Dinner is similar to lunch on the days I don’t have eggs. There will be an animal protein along with several types of vegetables usually steamed or stir-fried in coconut oil. Once a week or so I’ll do my baked sweet potato fries. On about four of the days I’ll also have a whole grain side of brown rice, quinoa, or brown rice pasta.
I’m not a big snacker. As I said, the smoothie usually lasts me until lunch. Sometimes between lunch and dinner I’ll get a little hungry and I’ll have a hard-boiled egg, a protein bar, a piece of fruit, a handful of nuts, or a bit of cheese.
What basic guidelines am I following? I don’t skip meals. I’m having protein at each meal. I’m eating lots of vegetables of all different varieties and colors, both cooked and raw. I’m limiting my carbohydrates in the form of grains, only doing whole grains, and not more than once per day. I make sure I get high quality fats from the coconut oil, olive oil, flax seed oil, and organic butter or ghee. I eat real food, avoiding processed and refined foods. I have an occasional sweet, but of good quality. Nothing like a homemade organic chocolate chip cookie! And, I have an occasional sweet of not so good quality – yes you may run into me at Dairy Queen occasionally! And I do still love my pizza, but usually once a month at the most. I try to limit eating out.
As I tell my clients, the most critical component is to control your home environment. If it is not in your house, you’re not going to eat it, and after a while a nightly trip to go get ice cream will get tiring!
I do use some supplements for additional nutritional support, but that will be the subject for next time!
Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. His office is in Thiensville. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.
Breakfast: I’m a big fan of a protein shake/smoothie in the morning. I find them to be filling and satisfying and easily last me until lunch time. My basic ingredients are 8 ounces of water (or a special cranwater concoction), a high quality protein mix (either whey, brown rice, pea, or some combination of these – never soy!), a cup of berries (blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries or some combination of them) either fresh or frozen, a handful of nuts and/or seeds (Brazil nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds), some fresh greens or green powder, flax seed oil or ground flax seeds or chia seeds, and on occasion some yogurt and/or kefir. What does this provide? Plenty of protein, antioxidants, fiber, omega 3 and 6 fats and a whole bunch of other vitamins and minerals. On the days that I don’t have a smoothie, I’ll have eggs on some steamed leafy greens or sprouted toast or in an omlete with a bunch of vegetables.
Lunch: Generally 2-3 days of the week it will be one of the egg dishes that I describe above. Other days it will be based on leftovers from the previous night’s dinner. There is usually some type of animal protein involved, it can be grass fed beef, turkey, or lamb. As a B blood type I don’t do real well with chicken or bean dishes, so I tend to avoid them. At the present time I am also limiting my fish due to mercury. A hair tissue mineral analysis that I did on myself indicated higher levels of mercury than I’d like to see which I believe that was a result of eating a lot of fish. Remember – everything in moderation! During the warmer month I tend to have this with raw vegetables in some type of salad and during the cooler months with cooked vegetables. I use a homemade salad dressing from olive oil and vinegar. Maybe once or twice a week it will be in the form of a sandwich on sprouted grain bread; on occasion it will be over brown rice or quinoa. I’ll also throw in some soup as I have a great curried cauliflower, carrots, and pea soup recipe that I enjoy.
Dinner: Dinner is similar to lunch on the days I don’t have eggs. There will be an animal protein along with several types of vegetables usually steamed or stir-fried in coconut oil. Once a week or so I’ll do my baked sweet potato fries. On about four of the days I’ll also have a whole grain side of brown rice, quinoa, or brown rice pasta.
I’m not a big snacker. As I said, the smoothie usually lasts me until lunch. Sometimes between lunch and dinner I’ll get a little hungry and I’ll have a hard-boiled egg, a protein bar, a piece of fruit, a handful of nuts, or a bit of cheese.
What basic guidelines am I following? I don’t skip meals. I’m having protein at each meal. I’m eating lots of vegetables of all different varieties and colors, both cooked and raw. I’m limiting my carbohydrates in the form of grains, only doing whole grains, and not more than once per day. I make sure I get high quality fats from the coconut oil, olive oil, flax seed oil, and organic butter or ghee. I eat real food, avoiding processed and refined foods. I have an occasional sweet, but of good quality. Nothing like a homemade organic chocolate chip cookie! And, I have an occasional sweet of not so good quality – yes you may run into me at Dairy Queen occasionally! And I do still love my pizza, but usually once a month at the most. I try to limit eating out.
As I tell my clients, the most critical component is to control your home environment. If it is not in your house, you’re not going to eat it, and after a while a nightly trip to go get ice cream will get tiring!
I do use some supplements for additional nutritional support, but that will be the subject for next time!
Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. His office is in Thiensville. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
A Mother's Life Changing Prayer
Dear Lord,
Please give me the strength to face every challenge, the peach I need to hear Your voice and patience when I feel angry or stressed. Help me be kind and caring to those around me. Let me be an example of Your grace and love to my family. Help me to not raise my voice, but to raise my children to serve and love You. Fill my life and my home with Your joy. Amen
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Vitamin D
Highlights of Dr. Paykel's Presentation - Who is at risk for Vitamin D deficiency? Exclusively breast-fed infants, dark skin, aging, northern climate dwellers, city-dwellers, those who cover their heads when outside, sunscreen users, lactose intolerance, s/p gastric bypass, cystic fibrosis patients, gallbladder disease, IBS, obesity, women.
- Diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency: osteoporosis, breast, colon and ovarian cancer; autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes; Seasonal Affective Disorder (depression during winter months), cardiovascular disease and hypertension, Alzheimer’s Disease.
- Osteoporosis progression slows at 32 ng/mL ; goal of therapy should be 50 – 80 ng/mL to decrease cancer risks
- Sources of Vitamin D: sun, food, supplements
- Sun block SPF 8 or greater reduces conversion of Vitamin D in the skin by 95%
If using sunscreen, apply after sun exposure for twenty minutes - Adequate sun exposure: Bikini-wearing, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., 2-3 x per week
Everybody living North of 37 degrees latitude (basically, North of line extending across the U.S. from Atlanta, GA to Los Angeles, CA) should take supplements (2000 IU daily) from October through March - Dietary sources of vitamin D include: wild-caught, fatty fish, dairy products, fortified cereals, fortified orange juice, egg yolks and cod liver oil
- Take Vitamin D supplements during meals with fatty foods
- Vitamin D3 is better than Vitamin D2 for supplementation (except prescription strength only comes in D2)
- Children should receive 400 IU Vitamin D3 daily
- Lab to order: 25-hydroxy-Vitamin D [AKA: 25(OH)D]
- Definitions: “deficiency” <> 32 ng/mL
- Too much vitamin D in the system: > 200 ng/mL
- Treating vitamin D deficiency when measuring 25(OH)D :
<>: Vitamin D2 50,000 IU weekly x 1 year
21-31 ng/mL: Vitamin D2 50,000 IU weekly x 12 weeks then Vitamin D3 2000 IU daily; recheck in 1 year
32 ng/mL: Vitamin D3 2000 IU daily - Who should not take Vitamin D without supervision? Individuals with impaired kidney function
- Food sources Vitamin D (IU)
Pink salmon, wild caught, 3 oz 530
Sardines, 3 oz 231
Tuna, canned, 3 oz 200
Cow’s milk, 8 oz 100
Fortified O.J., 8 oz 100
Fortified cereal, 1 cup 40-50
Eggs (Yolk), 1 oz 30
Cod Liver Oil, 1 oz 1, 360
Thursday, July 8, 2010
The Fourfold Path to Healing
Looking for natural cures for chronic diseases (cancer, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, digestive issues, emotional issues, etc) then take a look at Dr. Thomas Cowan's The Fourfold Path to Healing. Billed as the "companion to Nourishing Traditions" (Sally Fallon's excellent book), this book utilizes nutrition, nontoxic therapeutics, movement, and meditation to facilitate healing. Truly a book that will transform your thinking and guide you along the way to vibrant health.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Eat Fat - It's Good For You - 2 for 1 Today
Happy July 4th! Celebrate your Independence, break away from the conventional thinking about fat. Eat fat - it is good for you. Of course it needs to be the right kinds of fat. Today I offer two books that provide both scientific evidence, real life experience, and rational thinking as to what fats we need and why. Eat Fat, Lose Weight by Ann Louise Gittleman and Eat Fat, Lose Fat by Dr. Mary Enig and Sally Fallon both explain how we don't get fat from eating fat, and in fact eating fat will help us lose weight!
Friday, July 2, 2010
The Whole Soy Story
Do you still think soy is a health food? The Whole Soy Story: The Dakr Side of America's Favorite Health Food will set you straight. As Dr. Mercola says, "Kaayla Daniel blows the lid off nutritional dogma. Soy is NOT a miracle food." This book tells it all!
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