Switch to Rich - The Nutrient Rich Way to Eat for Health I Coaching I Natural Weight Loss » Nutrient Rich diet http://www.nutrientrich.com Eat Your Way Up to 90% or More Plant-Based Nutrient Rich and Get ALL the Benefits of Great Tasting Healthy Food! Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:27:03 +0000 en hourly 1 Starting the Day with Sun-Derived Plant-Based Nutrients http://www.nutrientrich.com/nutrient-density/starting-the-day-with-sun-derived-plant-based-nutrients.html http://www.nutrientrich.com/nutrient-density/starting-the-day-with-sun-derived-plant-based-nutrients.html#comments Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:34:55 +0000 Nutrient Rich http://www.nutrientrich.com/?p=8377 Sometimes it is truly amazing to realize how much of our daily lives are directly linked to the sun and to our diets. Our energy levels and our general daily functionality in the world we live in are all connected to the diet we choose to live by—and that diet is directly influenced by the energy of the sun. Our overall health is affected by so many things that we encounter—or we don’t encounter—every day. It is harder for us to get going on those sunless, overcast days or if we have to get up while it is still dark. Some days and in some places, you can’t even see the sun because of smog and other pollution. If the sun is out—even when the temperature is cold, don’t you always feel so much better? The sun can lift our spirits and lift our energy levels both directly and by the foods we eat—remember that a plant-based nutrient rich diet produces the nutrients we rely on by directly converting the energy of the sun by the photosynthetic process. So why not supplement your daily nutritional needs with the most effective boost you have at your disposal?

What exactly is the most effective boost at your disposal? The answer to that question is simple. By choosing a diet that

is largely (we suggest at least 90%) or More Plant Based Nutrient Rich foods. In other words, those foods that grows naturally on the planet! Plant based foods are simply the best way to give your body the energy and nutrients you need. The reason for this source of energy is the fact that plants receive their energy directly from the strongest energy source in our solar system, the sun. Plants vegetables, fruits, beans legumes, raw nuts and seeds, and whole grains) take the sun’s energy and through photosynthesis transfer the sun’s energy into the nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy. And these plants have a very nutrient dense nutritional value—this is what makes them an ideal choice for your diet. Data from large studies have definitively shown that vegetarian and vegan diets (even better when optimized for nutrient density) result in a healthier life, decreased early deaths, decreased deaths from heart disease and a decreased incidence of a number of chronic diseases.[1],[2],[3]

Now that the decision to live a nutrient rich life has been made, where do you start looking for your ideal meals? Many supermarkets carry a variety of nutrient rich foods for you to choose from. Most communities also have a farmers market where many organic, pure foods can be found. It’s probably best to begin with vegetables and fruits that you are already familiar with before you begin experimenting with non traditional foods so as not to shock your taste buds out of your new life plan. But remember that there are many nutrient rich foods that you can choose from!

The next step in this plan should be to purchase the Nutrient Rich® Healthy Eating System that will help you save years of time effort and money and give you the most direct path to eating successfully, the same way people in-the-know about health and nutrition do, even after they have been eating healthy for 20 years or more… These guides will give you several ideas on meals that you can make and get you started living a nutrient-rich life! These Nutrient Rich Recipe Guide v1.0 will also give you ideas on what kinds of different ingredients you can use—perhaps ingredients that you have never even thought about before!



[1] Lindbloom EJ., Long-term benefits of a vegetarian diet  Am Fam Physician – 1-APR-2009; 79(7): 541-2

[2] Dewell A; Weidner G; Sumner MD; Chi CS; Ornish D., very-low-fat vegan diet increases intake of protective dietary factors and decreases intake of pathogenic dietary factors.
J Am Diet Assoc – 01-FEB-2008; 108(2): 347-56

[3] Chahbazi J; Grow S., Common foods and farming methods thought to promote health: what the data show. Prim Care – 01-DEC-2008; 35(4): 769-88.

 

 
]]> http://www.nutrientrich.com/nutrient-density/starting-the-day-with-sun-derived-plant-based-nutrients.html/feed 0 Lose Weight the Nutrient Rich Way in 2012 http://www.nutrientrich.com/weight-loss/lose-weight-the-nutrient-rich-way-in-2012.html http://www.nutrientrich.com/weight-loss/lose-weight-the-nutrient-rich-way-in-2012.html#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:22:25 +0000 Nutrient Rich http://www.nutrientrich.com/?p=8347 If you are going to lose weight, do it the nutrient-rich way. It’s very different, than the nutrient deprivation approach that so many people are used to, or proactively eating less (dieting) and dependency on obsessively exercising to burn calories to lose weight.

I’ll share with you a few insights on each of these going-nowhere approaches to losing weight that make up most of the $50B diet industry supposedly about helping you lose weight, when really it’s about keeping you diet trapped!

  • Nutrient Deprivation: or manipulation is about drastically cutting or eliminating carbohydrate out of your diet. The problem with this approach is that our bodies run on carbohydrate for fuel and we ALL have a sweet tooth, for that very reason. Carbohydrates are sweet, even natural carbs. When most people cut their carbohydrate they typically cut out plant foods, where there is ample, natural carbohydrate, and base their diets on fish, chicken and other meats which are also devoid of carbohydrate and great for quick-fix weight loss (water loss). The minute you do this you are now eating nutrient poor because animal foods are nutrient poor, missing whole categories of nutrients; the most important being phytochemicals. You can’t be healthy this way, therefore you will always have weight and health problems.

  • Proactively eating less: This is dieting, and most people are proactively eating less on top of nutrient deprivation. Meaning, the nutrient needs their body is striving to meet, aren’t getting met, and now they are eating less on top of it! This is like having your food on the break and the gas pedal at the same time; you will chase your tail this way. Nobody can do this, unless you are an adept dieter almost warrior-like with deprivation. Some people can do it, as they buy into the “heroic” story of weight loss thinking that they must live this deprived live to deal with their lot in life. It’s a great accomplishment, losing weight, but it’s not heroic and doesn’t require heroism. It requires that you understand how to eat in a nutrient rich way, as part of a successful lifestyle.

  • Dependency on exercise to burn calories: This is the all time biggest sham ever! Exercise is not about losing weight, it’s about getting fit. Sure, you use more calories when you exercise; your weight will fluctuate with increased activity levels and usually in the right direction, but trying to burn up nutrient poor and nutrient barren calories by relying on exercise is a futile way of life. It also does not prevent your from experiencing health complications even if you were to maintain a lower weight.

There is a diet trap that is holding almost everyone back from getting all the health and natural weight loss benefits they want and it is eating 90% or more nutrient poor food! No matter what type of diet you go on Paleo, low carb, vegan, vegetarian, low fat, low cal, low glycemic, gluten free etc… if you are eating nutrient poor you will struggle guaranteed, or sell yourself short from getting ALL the health benefits that you deserve from a nutrient rich healthy eating style.

To name the top health benefits…

  • Detoxification from the accumulation of saturated fat, cholesterol, refined and added oil, salt and sugar that are causing problems in your system.

  • Reversal of diet style-induced diseases, like diabetes, and heart-disease…

  • Natural Weight Loss, which happens when you know the cycles your body has to get through before you eat again.

  • Slower Aging and a younger look, which happens when you aren’t eating overstimulating food that promotes inflammation, and super fast growth…

  • Maximized Longevity, which is the natural result of getting more nutrients in less calories, causing less stress, wear and tear on your body, and managing your energy!

When you lose weight the nutrient rich way, you engage in the same natural process that healthy people living at or near their ideal weight engage in to maintain their healthy state. You get ALL your nutrient needs met, get free of substances you’ll inevitably have to withdraw from (detoxify) that create addictions, and eat when you are truly hungry… when all three of these dynamics are in play, you WILL lose weight, only now in a nutrient rich way!

Make the Switch to Rich; begin the Nutrient Rich® Healthy Eating Plan with Nutrition Transition support.

]]> http://www.nutrientrich.com/weight-loss/lose-weight-the-nutrient-rich-way-in-2012.html/feed 0 A Really Good Reason To Eat 10% or Less Animal Products! http://www.nutrientrich.com/1/a-really-good-reason-to-eat-10-or-less-animal-products.html http://www.nutrientrich.com/1/a-really-good-reason-to-eat-10-or-less-animal-products.html#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:05:27 +0000 Nutrient Rich http://www.nutrientrich.com/?p=8033 Today, I read an article in the Huffington Post, called, Horse Meat Inspection Ban Lifted In The U.S. (horse meat consumption) and I was shocked.
 
It is a proven fact that consuming animal protein causes cancer, yet we keep on eating it. And now, to top that off, our government is trying to add yet another cancer-causing protein to people’s menus—horses, which are beloved pets.”
 
“What’s next—dogs and cats? Warm feelings for pets aside, no one should be eating horse meat!”
 
The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that dietary factors are associated with at least 30% of all cancers in developed countries and up to 20% in developing countries. One of the biggest dietary culprits they uncovered was animal-derived foods [1, 2-7]. In fact, high meat intake has been estimated to increase your overall cancer risk by 17%, while high saturated fat intake increases your cancer risk by 19% [8].
 
It is a fact that throughout our lives we will all have cancer cells appear in our bodies. However, not everyone develops cancer, and usually this comes down to diet [1]. Animal proteins like meat, dairy, and eggs alter hormone levels in the body, cause inflammation, promote cell growth and tumor development, and make the body more acidic [2, 8-13]. All these changes “feed” the cancer cells and make them stronger. To make matters worse, as meat is cooked at high temperatures, potentially dangerous chemicals are produced. For example, heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can initiate the cancer process [14-20], while advanced glycation end products (AGEs) play an important role in the development and progression of atherosclerosis, diabetes, aging, and chronic renal failure [21-22].
 
Although meat is often labeled the major culprit in cancers of the esophagus, lung, pancreas, stomach, colon, breast, and prostate, research has shown that other animal proteins, such as the casein found in milk, can promote cancer development as well. A 2007 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that the consumption of dairy products affects the biological pathways associated with cancer development and spread [23]. After following participants for 65 years, the researchers discovered that a diet rich in dairy products during childhood nearly tripled the risk of colorectal cancer in adulthood.
 
More than 200 studies have shown that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, beans/legumes, raw nuts and seeds, and whole grains (as well as the countless meals and menus you can derive from these foods) provides significant protection against many different types of cancer. People with the highest consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains have about half the risk of developing cancer as those who eat a more animal-based diet [24-27]. Based on the research of Dr. Campbell in the Cornell UniversityChina Study, the ideal diet should be at least 90% plant-based foods and less than 10% animal-based foods [1].
 
Dr. Campbell based his initial research on a preliminary study in which two groups of rats (one fed a 5% protein diet and one fed a 20% protein diet) were given cancer-causing aflatoxin. While every single rat in the 20% protein diet group developed liver cancer or pre-cancerous lesions, nothing happened to a single rat in the 5% protein group. Campbell conducted a similar study but used the milk protein casein to determine whether all animal proteins acted as cancer promoters. Like in the previous study, Campbell divided his rats into a 20% casein diet and a 5% casein diet and then exposed the rats to aflatoxin. His results supported the earlier research, and he reported that adjusting an organism’s protein intake could turn cancer promotion on and off like a switch [1]. Proteins derived from plants, however, did not have the same cancer-promoting effects.
 
Many experts believe that this is due to the nutrient-rich nature of plant-based foods. Fruits and vegetables do not promote inflammation in the body, are rich in antioxidants that can neutralize cancer-causing free radicals, and do not contain bad fats such as saturated fat, trans- fat, or dietary cholesterol, which the body does not need to get from dietary sources. Plant-based foods also contain high amounts of fiber. Fiber acts like a filter in your digestive system, effectively removing cancer-causing substances from your colon. Fiber is also food for bacteria that thrive in your intestine, favoring the ones that reduce the production of cancer-causing acids.

The health-boosting properties of a nutrient-rich, plant-based diet have also been shown to benefit people who have already developed cancer. A 2006 study showed that, in general, men with prostate cancer who avoided animal products reduced their PSA levels, which meant that their cancer was not advancing and may actually have been diminishing [28]. However, the cancer continued to worsen in the men who made no dietary changes. Such dietary changes were also shown to reduce the recurrence risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women by about 25% [29].
 
  1. Campbell TC, Campbell TM, II. The China Study: Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, and Long-Term Health. Dallas, TX: BenBella Books, 2005.
  2. World Cancer Research Fund. Food, nutrition, physical activity, and the prevention of cancer: A global perspective. Washington, DC: American Institute of Cancer Research, 2007.
  3. Cho E, Spiegelman D, Hunter DJ, et al. Premenopausal fat intake and risk of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2003;95:1079-1085.
  4. Barnard ND, Nicholson A, Howard JL. The medical costs attributable to meat consumption. Prev Med. 1995;24:646-655.
  5. Giovannucci E, Rimm EB, Colditz GA, et al. A prospective study of dietary fat and risk of prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1993;85(19):1571-1579.
  6. Kolonel LN. Nutrition and prostate cancer. Cancer Causes Control. 1996;7(1):83-94.
  7. Ma RW, Chapman K. A systematic review of the effect of diet in prostate cancer prevention and treatment. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2009;22(3):187-1899.
  8. Boyd NF, Stone J, Vogt KN, Connelly BS, Martin LJ, Minkin S. Dietary fat and breast cancer risk revisited: a meta-analysis of the published literature. Br J Cancer. 2003;89(9):1672-1685.
  9. Murtaugh MA, Ma KN, Sweeney C, Caan BJ, Slattery ML. Meat consumption patterns and preparation, genetic variants of metabolic enzymes, and their association with rectal cancer in men and women. J Nutr. 2004;134(4):776-784.
  10. Norat T, Riboli E. Meat consumption and colorectal cancer: a review of epidemiologic evidence. Nutr Rev. 2001;59(2):37-47.
  11. Armstrong B, Doll R. Environmental factors and cancer incidence and mortality in different countries, with special reference to dietary practices. Int J Cancer. 1975;15:617-631.
  12. Carroll KK, Braden LM. Dietary fat and mammary carcinogenesis. Nutr Cancer. 1985;6:254-259.
  13. Rose DP, Boyar AP, Wynder EL. International comparisons of mortality rates for cancer of the breast, ovary, prostate, and colon, and per capita food consumption. Cancer. 1986;58:2363-2371.
  14. Skog KI, Johansson MAE, Jagerstad MI. Carcinogenic heterocyclic amines in model systems and cooked foods: a review on formation, occurrence, and intake. Food Chem Toxicol. 1998;36:879-896.
  15. Robbana-Barnat S, Rabache M, Rialland E, Fradin J. Heterocyclic amines: occurrence and prevention in cooked food. Environ Health Perspect. 1996;104:280-288.
  16. Thiebaud HP, Knize MG, Kuzmicky PA, Hsieh DP, Felton JS. Airborne mutagens produced by frying beef, pork, and a soy-based food. Food Chem Toxicol. 1995;33(10):821-828.
  17. Sinha R, Rothman N, Brown ED, et al. High concentrations of the carcinogen 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo-[4,5] pyridine [PhlP] occur in chicken but are dependent on the cooking method. Cancer Res. 1995;55:4516-4519.
  18. De Stefani E, Ronco A, Mendilaharsu M, Guidobono M, Deneo-Pellegrini H. Meat intake, heterocyclic amines, and risk of breast cancer: a case-control study in Uruguay. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 1997;6(8):573-581.
  19. Snyderwine EG. Some perspectives on the nutritional aspects of breast cancer research. Food-derived heterocyclic amines as etiologic agents in human mammary cancer. Cancer. 1994;74(3 suppl):1070-1077.
  20. Butler LM, Sinha R, Millikan RC, Martin CF, Newman B, Gammon MD, Ammerman AS, Sandler RS. Heterocyclic amines, meat intake, and association with colon cancer in a population-based study. Am J Epidemiol. 2003;157(5):434-445.
  21. Krajcovicova-Kudlackova M, Sebekova K, Schinzel R, Klvanova J. Advanced glycation end products and nutrition. Physiol Res. 2002;51:313-316.
  22. Uribarri J, Cai W, Sandu O, Peppa M, Goldberg T, Vlassara H. Diet-derived advanced glycation end products are major contributors to the body’s AGE pool and induce inflammation in healthy subjects. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2005;1043:461-466.
  23. van der Pols JC, Bain C, Gunnell D, Smith GD, Frobisher C, Martin RM. Childhood dairy intake and adult cancer risk: 65-y follow-up of the Boyd Orr cohort. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;86(6)1722-1729.
  24. Steinmetz K, Potter J. Vegetables, fruit, and cancer, I. Epidemiology. Cancer Causes Control. 1991;2(suppl):325-357.
  25. Jacobs DR, Marquart L, Slavin J, et al. Whole-grain intake and cancer: an expanded review and meta-analysis. Nutr Cancer. 1998;30:85-96.
  26. Thorogood M, Mann J, Appleby P, McPherson K. Risk of death from cancer and ischaemic heart disease in meat and non-meat eaters. Br Med J. 1994;308:1667-1670.
  27. Key TJ, Appleby PN, Spencer EA, et al. Cancer incidence in British vegetarians. Br J Cancer. 2009;101:192-197.
  28. Nguyen JY, Major JM, Knott CJ, et al. Adoption of a plant-based diet by patients with recurrent prostate cancer. Integr Cancer Ther. 2006;5(3):214-223.
  29. Blackburn GL, Wang KA. Dietary fat reduction and breast cancer outcome: results from the Women’s Intervention Nutrition Study (WINS). Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;86(3):878S-881S.
.
 
]]> http://www.nutrientrich.com/1/a-really-good-reason-to-eat-10-or-less-animal-products.html/feed 0 Plant Based, Nutrient-Rich Healthy Eating vs Vegetarian and other Half-Baked Healthy Diets http://www.nutrientrich.com/healthy-diet/plant-based-nutrient-rich-healthy-eating-vs-vegetarian-and-other-half-baked-healthy-diets.html http://www.nutrientrich.com/healthy-diet/plant-based-nutrient-rich-healthy-eating-vs-vegetarian-and-other-half-baked-healthy-diets.html#comments Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:43:26 +0000 Nutrient Rich http://www.nutrientrich.com/?p=7710 The word really isn't "versus", but "compared to" doesn't make as punctual or distinctive an article title.

27 years ago, I changed my diet from the Standard American Diet "SAD" to a healthier diet and one that would help me lose weight. Was it nutrient-rich? No, not really, but it was most certainly closer to nutrient-rich healthy eating than ever before.

Today, looking back to that time, I would have called myself, a weight loss only "dieter". I really wasn't thinking health, performance or longevity; All that mattered was being as lean as possible as a competitive bodybuilder, and having as little fat on my body. And, I was willing do whatever it took to to lose body fat.

My diet consisted (off season not withstanding) of the typical fitness diet that you learn about in all the muscle and fitness magazines, such as:

  • Chicken, fish
  • A complex carbohydrate
  • Side of vegetables

When not dieting, I would go right back to the SAD.

After a few years of eating that way, I learned about the detrimental effects of eating animal products and became a vegetarian, actually vegan. I had tired of the rigors of being a bodybuilder, and being basically a yo yo "dieter" for that matter, and learned that simple healthy eating combined with an active lifestyle, would enable me to stay lean with much less effort, so I made the switch to a healthier diet.

I didn't really know what healthy eating really meant, but not eating animal products seemed like a great place to start.

Eventually, no longer consuming animal products was not the issue. I was all the healthier for it, but after some very impressive initial results moving to a healthier diet, over time, I began to gain weight. Not because I wasn't eating animal products, but because I was now eating "healthier" foods that weren't genuinely healthy.

In retrospect, I started eating a half baked healthy diet, not quite the standard American diet, but now just a healthier version of it and devoid of dieting. Truth is, pinning my weight gain all on my diet would be misleading. I was also getting older, more focused on work, less on working out, and expending immense amounts of personal energy. By the time I realized that I was gaining weight there were some bigger issues at play, albeit the quality of the food I was eating was a big one.

The food issue was that I was eating too much and eating foods that also contained too much added sodium, sugar, oil and other chemicals that were never supposed to be in my body to begin with.

Too much stress + low personal energy + the overconsumption of "healthy" foods laden with added sugar, salt, oil and chemicals = weight gain, even if you are working out.

Which leads me to the focus of this article.

After years of correcting my course, aligning and improving my lifestyle for balance and health, and having traveled the path from the standard American diet, to weight loss only dieting and then spending years in the realm eating healthier as a vegetarian and vegan, where I was eating many foods that were high in added sodium, oil, sugar, cooked in various ways that did not protect the nutrient quality; I finally realized the difference between plant-based, nutrient rich healthy eating, and the world of half-baked healthy diets.

The difference between half baked healthy diets (which can include the idea of going vegetarian or vegan) that focus in on only one aspect of healthy eating (and at times make more out of it than it needs to be), and nutrient-rich healthy eating is this:

When you are engaged in eating nutrient-rich, you are more a "nutritarian" than a "vegetarian", meaning; you seek out foods that are the most rich in nutrients, do not contain those substances that your body does not need like added sodium, oils and sugar, saturated fats, cholesterol etc, at least 90% of the time or more. You also aim to eat nutrient-rich foods in a way that enable you eat the most volume for the least amount of calories, depending on your needs, and in great tasting ways!

Free from all the problems that are created from half baked healthy diets that are most certainly healthier as compared to weight loss only diets (in most cases), and the standard American diet, but not the healthiest way to eat by a long shot; nutrient rich healthy eating shows how to eat for health. 

Healthy eating has many definitions, such as gluten free, low glyemic, vegetarian, vegan, etc… but once you start eating "nutrient rich", healthy eating gets defined and the truth is, you don't even need to be vegan or vegetarian if you don't want to, or want to maintain a near vegan diet where you eat small amount of animal products for any of a variety of reasons.

Eating is not a religion, at least not the way we promote it hear at NutrientRich.com. Although when each of us makes decisions about our eating style, there are many things that get factored in, in addition to the eating style itself, like protecting animals and the environment. Anybody eating today who is not factoring these two issues in, is not helping the planet and we all know it's in a state of crisis. So keep this in mind.

But for the sake of this article, I simply want to point out the that there is a big difference in terms of health, weight and personal performance, when you begin making the switch from your previous usual standard American diet, weight loss only diet, or half baked healthy diet, where you may not be eating animal foods, but are still including vast amounts of salt, refined sugars, and oils, which is not a genuinely healthy diet.

A nutrient rich eating style can be vegan, but not all vegan eating styles are nutrient rich.

I learned this recently while out on the road traveling. I have been traveling to several of my most cherished healthy lifestyle conferences where I have many good friends and associates also promoting healthy eating. Interestingly, these are conferences that are often organized around the concept of eating vegan or vegetarian. Since not eating animal foods leads to many other changes in the diet and is such an impact full decision personally and environmentally, the vegan and vegetarian community is large and the reason why many conferences appeal to people making this change.

I go to these conferences because I love this community, its a big part of where I learned how to eat healthy and the information is fantastic. But one thing I have learned. After a few years away from these conferences, while I was completing a book, a time during which I had made the switch to nutrient rich healthy eating; nutrient rich healthy eating is healthier than simply not eating meat or eating plant based. 

Not eating meat may be one aspect of plant based healthy eating style, but there are many more, including how you organize your food pyramid, whether or not you eat predominantly vegetable based or starch based, the added salt, oil and sugar content of the foods you are eating, how the food is prepared, whether or not yea eat when you are hungry and more…

I recently ran a test (something I regularly do to see how my body reacts) by eating foods that were simply vegan and paying less attention to some of the attributes above, just to see what would happen and exercise some some other skills of dietary flexibility which are good to have in social situations and when traveling in a world where you can't often meet your ideal preferences. The result, was weight gain, swollen lips, acute colds, and mild headaches. 

Moral of the story?

Once you start eating for health (a genuinely nutrient rich healthy eating diet style) going backwards is not easy or even as pleasure able as you might think. Although I have enjoyed all the foods I've eaten recently, I need no dicipline to clean up my act and get back to the healthiest eating style available: nutrient-rich.

This is not a matter of semantics. It's a matter of mindset and whether or not you are actually eating for healthy, or simply eating healthier. Healthier is good, genuinely healthy is best.

Learn how to eat nutrient-rich in the greatest tasting ways and you will have learned healthy eating for life.

]]> http://www.nutrientrich.com/healthy-diet/plant-based-nutrient-rich-healthy-eating-vs-vegetarian-and-other-half-baked-healthy-diets.html/feed 0 When the Solution Sold IS a Cause http://www.nutrientrich.com/nutrient-rich-foods/when-the-solution-sold-is-a-cause.html http://www.nutrientrich.com/nutrient-rich-foods/when-the-solution-sold-is-a-cause.html#comments Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:25:21 +0000 Nutrient Rich http://www.nutrientrich.com/?p=6602

I received this this morning, from Dr. Fuhrman and it reminded me of a pattern I see over an over again in the world of health; it's when the solution sold is a cause of the very problem it's supposed to solve. In this case, we are talking about taking Biphosphonates (drugs) to treat osteoporosis.

See below:

Osteoporosis Drugs May Be Risky For Bones

The cost of osteoporosis in the U.S. is estimated at $22 billion per year.1 Bisphosphonates (such as Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel, and Reclast) are commonly prescribed by physicians to treat osteoporosis or to prevent osteoporosis in individuals with osteopenia. Unfortunately, bisphosphonates may actually increase one’s risk of mid-femur fractures (the femur is your upper leg bone).

Bone tissue undergoes a continuous cycle of breaking down old bone and rebuilding new stronger bone. Bisphosphonates increase bone mineral density in the short term by reducing bone breakdown, essentially reducing bone loss. However, this is not the same as building natural, healthy bone with exercise. When old bone is not broken down to create new bone, the old bone becomes brittle and fractures easily.

• In individuals with osteopenia, bisphosphonates increased the risk of hip fracture by 85% and wrist fractures by 50%.2

• Long term (4-8 years) users of bisphosphonates have significantly higher risks of atypical hip and leg fractures.3 Most of these fractures are not the result of falls. They occur under minimal stress, often merely walking down stairs or low-energy exercise.4

• An 8-year study of over 88,000 people found that taking bisphosphonates tripled the risk of developing bone necrosis – this means that bisphosphonates caused permanent loss of blood supply to bone, resulting in tissue death.5

Bisphosphonates have been linked with many other side effects, including esophagitis, esophageal cancer, osteonecrosis of the jaw, and atrial fibrillation. They can also negatively affect the musculoskeletal system, gastrointestinal tract, and kidney function.6

Prevention and treatment of osteoporosis does not need to involve potentially dangerous drugs. Instead, osteoporosis should be prevented and treated through physical exercise and proper nutrition, which have been shown to be more effective than drugs and have no negative side effects.7

This same pattern is seen in the world of eating acid forming dairy products to increase calcium intake, when the reality is that an acid forming food can create a negative calcium balance; in other words, actually cause the body to leach calcium from your bones to buffer the acid environment, even though dairy foods have calcium in them.

How about drinking coffee for increased energy; that 's another food stuff sold that is a very cause of the problem of low energy, since all stimulants ultimately exhaust you.

There are many more examples but these three are definitely in the top 5.

Be very careful about what you buy into in terms of "solutions", as many drugs, weight loss programs, energy enhancers, even exercise programs that are not firmly rooted in lifestyle behaviors are not really solutions at all, they are what we call "impotent solutions" that sell you short (literally) because the focus is on such short term results that the so called "solution" never really solves the actual problem and may in fact get you caught up in a pattern that causes the very problem you are trying to solve.

Nutrient Rich eating is a lifestyle solution, with immediate and long term benefits. It is both a quick fix and a long term solution, not one or the other, as any long term solution will also have immediate benefits.

Kale for instance is one of the most nutrient rich foods on the planet, it's tied with mustard green and collars in the top 3 most nutrient rich foods of all. It's got loads of calcium in it and causes a positive calcium balance in the body, not to mention that  it comes packed with all kinds of other nutrients and does not include any substances that the body does not require. This is example of a nutrient rich food.

Kale is a part of the Nutrient Rich Way of eating that is a true lifestyle solution.

]]> http://www.nutrientrich.com/nutrient-rich-foods/when-the-solution-sold-is-a-cause.html/feed 0 Consumers say they’re eager to eat a more plant-based diet, but need help understanding how. http://www.nutrientrich.com/1/consumers-say-eager-to-eat-plant-based-diet.html http://www.nutrientrich.com/1/consumers-say-eager-to-eat-plant-based-diet.html#comments Fri, 08 Apr 2011 20:49:27 +0000 Nutrient Rich http://www.nutrientrich.com/?p=6577 On a day with Nutrient Rich, the new two word buzz term for healthy eating, we are beginning to see the consumer research come out about what they want to learn. According to the National Peanut Board (biases factored in)… "consumers say they're eager to eat a more plant-based diet, but need help understanding how, research finds."

What was so surprising was the intense focus on a "plant based diet", a term you only learned among the early adopters and "foodies" in years past, and the use of the new term in nutrition "nutrient rich".

From the "Skinny On Nuts"

Vocabulary Lesson:

In the past few years, a new term has been added to the nutrition dictionary: nutrient rich (nutrient density to those who want to be really fancy). The American Dietetic Association defines nutrient density as a way to compare the nutrients provided to the calorie count in a single food. According to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, nutrient rich foods are foods that provide substantial amounts of vitamins and minerals for relatively few calories (USDA, 2005)2005).

National Peanut Board launches new skinnyonnuts.com site to assist (in making the Switch to Rich!)

ATLANTA, March 09, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — While most consumers say they agree with recommendations in the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans that call for eating a more plant-based diet — rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and other plant-based foods — only a third believe they’re knowledgeable about how to do so.

That’s one key finding in research commissioned by the National Peanut Board (NPB) that led to the creation of skinnyonnuts.com – a new web site focused on helping consumers decipher the recently released dietary guidelines and increasing their consumption of nuts and other plant-based foods.

“Americans have never been more conscious about eating nutritious foods, but they’re saying they need help to turn that desire into action,” explained registered dietitian Deanna Segrave-Daly.

Along with information about plant-based diets, skinnyonnuts.com features nutrition and health information, recipes and energy-boosting snack ideas. It also presents tips on eating a gluten-free diet and managing food allergies.

“When you consider that 90 percent of American pantries contain one or more jars or peanut butter, sometimes the challenge is as straightforward as connecting the dots to foods people already enjoy,” said Raffaela Marie Fenn, president and managing director of the National Peanut Board. “That’s precisely why we created this new site.”

Among the research findings:

  • While 66 percent of respondents believe they are very or generally knowledgeable about nutrition and diet overall, only 33 percent say they are very or generally knowledgeable about plant-based diets.
  • 67 percent did not know that eating a more plant-based diet could help manage overeating and craving.
  • 38 percent said say they’re mostly or usually eating a plant-based diet today, with 68 percent admitting they definitely or probably should consume more plant-based foods.
  • According to respondents, three challenges in particular make it difficult for them to eat a more plant-based diet: eating out or eating at other peoples’ homes, staying with a plant-based diet and finding tasty, enjoyable foods and recipes.
  • Fewer than half (41 percent) of respondents said they are very or generally knowledgeable about nuts, their nutritional value or the role they play in eating a more plant-based diet.

Read More…

Learn more about making the Switch to Rich!

]]> http://www.nutrientrich.com/1/consumers-say-eager-to-eat-plant-based-diet.html/feed 0