Category Archives: habits

Walking The Walk

walking | photo: jzlomek

Some of the people I work with want to lose weight. So we talk not only about what they are eating (and how and why), but about the other aspects of their life. Are they engaged in some sort of mindfulness practice, do they have good social interactions, are they exercising?

When it comes to exercise often not moving enough is a big problem. If you don't like exercise, if you don't feel well, if you're very tired it can be difficult to get started. Then there is the self-created shame factor. I have many people who tell me they don't like to go to exercise classes because they feel uncomfortable in a class where everyone knows the moves and/or is thinner/fitter than they are. While I feel everyone has to start somewhere I certainly understand the uncertainty and hesitation that comes along with starting to change your routine.

In order to encourage people to begin to make small mindful changes we look at the Metabolic Equivalents for how much activity they are getting now. Then we look for ways to bump it up. Small, steady changes can have a huge effect.

Just a couple of days ago I was working with someone and made a few of my favorite suggestions to her for getting more activity into your routine. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park further away at the grocery store/mall, and if you are watching television walk up and down the stairs (or use a stepper if you don't have stairs) during the commercials. This not only gets you moving more, it gets you in the habit of thinking about being more active.

She looked at me and accusingly asked if I did any of those things. Whoops. I do choose stairs over elevators as often as possible. If I have to park further away at the store I don't mind, but I certainly don't choose to do it, and often don't have to. And I don't walk up and down stairs when watching television (although I also don't watch much).

So I have decided to walk the walk. For the next 30 days I will deliberately choose to park as close to the furthest end of the row as possible when I am going somewhere (bonus: should be lots of parking, most people don't choose to do that). I will also commit to walking up and down stairs if I am watching television and there are commercials. And I will continue to choose stairs over elevators. I don't have a pedometer so I won't be able to tell you how many extra steps this adds to my daily/weekly routine, but I know that it will be a good thing And the next time I suggest this to someone if they ask that same question I'll be able to answer a supportive and affirmative yes.

Saving Calories

by Mirahabits, health, substitutions, weight

The New Year has come and gone. The festivities are over, the days are getting longer and we're one week into what for many people is the annual self torture of resolutions. As I've mentioned before I really don't like the word resolution. It seems hard and finite and often is a rather amorphous concept. “I resolve to lose 10 pounds” “I resolve to go to the gym more often” and other statements. There's no strategy of how it's going to happen, no defined timeline and if you don't succeed you feel like you've failed.

It may seems like splitting hairs but I prefer the term goal. The goal outlines what you hope to achieve. And if you don't quite get there that doesn't mean you have to give up in dejected defeat.

Because so many people struggle with their weight at this time of year that tends to be one of the more common health goals I hear. I'd like to start by sharing that weight loss is more than just eating less. It's about changing habits, moving more, changing mindsets and, yes, eating less. But there are ingrained habit that need to change.

Spend some time focusing on mindful eating (chew, be grateful for your food, enjoy your food, take time with your meal, and chew [yes I repeated that one, it's important and many of use don't chew enough]). Mindful eating helps us to better digest our food in so many ways from making sure that we are breaking down the food, getting adequate salivary enzymes, and also having our body in a calm focused place to be able to digest. Liz Lipski, the Digestive Wellness guru, tells us that we often fuel our bodies the way we fuel our cars….stop, gas, go. She's right. The next time you sit down to a meal stop a moment and recognize how you are eating. Most of you will discover that you are rushing through your meal and if you take a few extra moments you will feel better and calmer.

Move more. If you have a car and it just sits in the driveway and never goes anywhere when you eventually need it the tires are cracked and dry, the engine fluids are gummy and don't lubricate well and the car may not function the way it is supposed to. That car is a metaphor for our bodies. Use them and they stay active and functioning. This is nothing you don't already know but sometimes we just need a reminder. Park a little further away at the grocery store. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Sign up for a physical movement class or find a free one on DVD or the internet. You'll feel better and your body will be burning calories which can help with weight management.

vegetable broth | photo: Takeaway

I also like give you a few ways to make small measurable food changes that can add up, helping you to shed pounds:

Consider changing your plate size. We often cue in to the size of the plate to help us determine how much food to put on it. If you use a smaller plate you often take less food but find yourself just as satisfied.
Consider changing your plate altogether. Slimware is a company that sells some really attractive plates that have designs on them that are portion controlled. This visual cue can help you learn how to choose portion sizes over serving sizes.
Choose salsa instead of queso. That cheesy dip or melted cheese topping adds up to a lot of calories and a lot of fat. Substituting salsa for some, or all, of the cheese not only saves calories it adds delicious flavor. A baked potato with black beans and salsa is one of my favorites and really needs no cheese or sour cream.
Looking for something crunchy? Forego the corn chips and snack mix. Try air popped popcorn instead. With a tiny bit of melted butter or coconut oil, a hint of salt and some spices you've got a great crunchy snack that doesn't have nearly the same caloric count. Be sure to choose organic popcorn to avoid any potential GM contamination.
Add a cup of soup to your dinnertime routine. A delicious strong stock with veggies and herbs or even a tomato based veggie soup is a great way to get your digestion going but also to help fill your tummy. Barbara Rolls, a Ph.D. at Penn State shares that “Eating a 100-calorie bowl of broth-based soup…at the start of a meal takes the edge off your hunger. Even with the extra course … you are likely to eat fewer total calories during the meal.”
Remember the Three Polite Bite Rule. If you are going to have dessert have just three polite bites. You'll get enough to satisfy that sweet tooth without overdoing the sugar intake.

Step-by-step small meaningful changes can add up to a healthier you.

Interested in making more changes? Anyone who leaves a comment and their email address on the blog will receive a free copy of my “Eating Out – Eating Healthy” ebook.

Disclaimer: cmp.ly/5

The Hygiene Hypothesis

by Miraallergies, habits, health, immune system, probioticshygiene

In the United States there seems to be an increasing number of people affected by asthma and allergies. These conditions are especially prevalent among children.

One reason put forward is that Americans have become more focused on cleanliness, to the point where we have created problems.

Overuse of antibiotic soaps and cleansers has reduced our exposure to pathogens, or germs, in our environment. Because our bodies have been designed to fight these germs, to develop a healthy immune system, when we severely reduce our environmental exposures it is theorized that our bodies over-react. They become sensitive to increasingly more substances, most of them environmental or food exposures.

As odd as it may sound, the research supports this. Studies show that children who grow up in rural areas, especially non-Westernized countries, with more exposure to a wider range of microbes, have a vastly reduced rate of allergies.

Western Lifestyle, Diet Tied to Allergies and Intestinal Disease

Of increasing interest to me is the concept that this hyper-clean state that we've created has affected our intestinal health which in turn leads to more problems. Gary Huffnagle, co-author of The Probiotics Revolution has gone a step further with the hygiene hypothesis and developed a concept that he calls the microflora hypothesis. He posits that our Western lifestyle and diet have altered our microflora, our ecosystem, and opened us up to more allergies and, by extension, more digestive disorders. By not gaining exposure to a wider range of microbes we are unable to build an ecosystem that is fully supportive of our overall health.

Part of the reason that this is so fascinating to me is that in working with clients I am also seeing more and more digestive health issues. And I believe the numbers are rising. More leaky gut, more IBS, IBD, more dysbiosis. Dr. Liz Lipski, the author of Digestive Wellness, shows, in her work, that the immune system is very strongly tied to digestive function.

Foods to support your gut

In order to support our health, we need to stop killing off our symbiotic partners, those bacteria that inhabit our gut, through the overuse of antibiotics and antibacterial products. We also need to feed and support these probiotic colonies. What do they eat? Prebiotics. Their food comes from insoluble fibers found in our food. Berries, onions, legumes, oatmeal, and other whole grains support not only the probiotic bacteria but also help maintain good bowel health.

We also need to re-inoculate our systems with a steady supply of healthy bacterial colonies. Those are found in fermented foods such as kefir, kombucha, and kimchi. You do not need to eat an overwhelming amount of these on a regular basis, but they should be a regular part of your diet.

Research does not, as yet, appear to show how much we can reverse the effect on our immune systems, but we certainly can keep it from continuing to decline. Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride, speaking at a Wise Traditions Conference in Dallas, stated, "We are a shell, a habitat for our eco-system." We need to support our ecosystem. We can also protect future generations by focusing on and acknowledging that the ecosystem needs to be fully supported in order to function properly.

[expand title="Sources"]

Liu, Andrew H. "Revisiting The Hygiene Hypothesis For Allergy And Asthma". Journal Of Allergy And Clinical Immunology, vol 136, no. 4, 2015, pp. 860-865. Elsevier BV, doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2015.08.012. Accessed

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Affirmations

by Mirahabits

Most of us are very hard on ourselves. No matter how hard we think the world around us is, we are tougher on ourselves than just about anyone else out there. I work with a lot of people who feed themselves lots of negative messages about their relationship with food, their body or their self-image. It doesn't have to be this way.

I recently saw the movie “The Help” and while I loved the move as a whole there was one scene that keeps repeating itself for me. In this scene, Aibilene, the maid, is sitting in a rocking chair with Mae Mobley, her young charge, in her lap. Aibilene says to Mae Mobley, “You is kind, you is smart, you is important” and Mae Mobley repeats it along with her. This is such a wonderful affirmation.

We often forget to give ourselves, and our children, positive affirmations. We give praise, hopefully often and mindfully, but we don't teach that skill of affirmation. I believe it's never too late to start and want to encourage all of you to think about what affirmations you could incorporate into your life. If you'd like to share them that would be even better, the we could all certainly use more positive messages.

In the meantime I've started a collection, you can see them on my Affirmation Pinboard.

We all deserve to believe in ourselves, to be kind to ourselves, and to teach our children to feel the same. Make it a habit, a healthy habit, to share positive affirmations with yourself and your loved ones on a daily basis.

Eco Friendly Living

by Miraenvironment, habits, health, HMN

Yesterday I attended the Holistic Moms Network twitter party. It was great fun; I learned a lot about a wide variety of eco-friendly ideas and shared in some great conversations.

tree | photo: dieraecherin

The topic of the party was people talking about different ways to cut down on how much paper we use. According to PeopleTowels, “Each person in the US uses about 335kg of paper each year–that's 7 times the world average, even twice the average for industrial countries.” That's a lot of trees! And don't those trees look better as trees rather than a methane-producing, decomposing mass in the landfill?

This discussion got me thinking about the holistic lifestyle many of us are trying to lead. We bring our own drink containers (stainless steel, BPA free plastic, or glass) instead of taking styrofoam or paper cups from vendors. We bring shopping bags to the grocery store instead of using paper or plastic. Many of us are looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact.

Canteen | photo: Broken Sphere

I confess that I am a work-in-progress in this area. I think my success rate with the grocery bag issue is about 80%. I even now bring shopping bags into other stores, not just the grocery store. The challenge is getting them back into the car if I've been using a lot of them. We do have a water bottle and BPA free hot cup for each member of the household and they do get used frequently. We've shifted to dishtowels instead of paper towels. All of the eco-friendly ideas that many people are starting to adopt. But there's always more that can be done.

I felt energized by the discussions going on and came across a number of new-to-me products and companies that I wanted to share. These are products which will help me continue to reduce my environmental impact; something I consider to be an important part of the balance to a holistic life.

PeopleTowel

PeopleTowels – This company sells reusable small towels that are a great size to take with you on the road, to the office, when you travel. I confess the nerd side of my nature fell in love when I discovered that they had a special towel for Towel Day.* One of the great things about their towels is that although they have lots of really cute ideas and great towels they also have an option where you can design your own. So if you want to create a theme set of towels, put pictures on a towel, put one of your kids art projects on it, you can. And these towels will last for years. I've already ordered a set of five plus a Towel Day towel and can't wait for them to arrive.

Another topic that came up was the idea of straws. To be honest we don't use a lot of straws in our house but when we do they are always plastic. Until now. It turns out that you can get either glass straws or stainless steel ones. The glass straws are available from a company called Strawsome. They have all different sizes, bubble tea, regular, smoothie, plus colors, plus you can get them personalized. Another option for reusable straws that I like a lot is these stainless steel straws. This is something that I could easily carry in my bag to use when I am out. One challenge that I see is what do you do with a used straw if you use it at a restaurant. But I like the concept a lot and love the thought of not wasting plastic.

As part of the eating out section of the conversation I was re-introduced to the concept of bringing your own takeout container to restaurants. There are two reasons I like this idea and why I plan to start implementing it. One is that most restaurants use styrofoam and I have a strong aversion to it. It hangs around in the landfill forever and if you put hot food into it you are then absorbing some of the plastics that are released due to the heat of the food. Bringing your own takeout containers is such an eco-friendly idea. You can reduce waste, still have your takeout (I often wind up with lunch for the next day as most restaurant portions are far too large for one person), and have containers that you feel good about using. I've decided to go through my BPA free containers and see which ones are going to be designated for takeout. And I'm going to work on the habit of bringing them with me.

Another part of the conversation was about using cloth napkins which in turn opened up a discussion about cloth sandwich bags. We do use cloth napkins in our house. Not 100% of the time, when I have a party I confess I buy paper because I just don't have that many cloth napkins. But on a daily basis it's cloth and we have a good size, mis-matched collection. When talking about the idea of reusable sandwich bags I came across only one resource for food-safe plastic fabric. If you decide to make your own reusable sandwich bags please do not use PUL or oilcloth, neither of those is acceptable for food contact. This discussion lead me to realize that I think I want to set aside some time to make a few reusable sandwich bags and while I'm at it whip up one or two sets of napkins that actually all match.

I encourage my health clients that we are working one step at a time. It's important to remember this when you are moving toward a more eco-friendly life as well. If you try to change everything at once it's too much. You are trying to remember and be consistent about too many things. You are not learning and setting those new habits. When I first started with shopping bags my success rate was about 10%. I wouldn't remember to bring them in to the store or I wouldn't have enough reusable bags. While I still forget from time to time to get them back into the car I do use them the vast majority of the time. I've also gotten very good about telling cashiers that I do not need a bag if I am only purchasing a few products and can easily carry them when I've forgotten my bags. That was my first big eco-friendly step. Little by little I added others. You can do the same. Pick one thing that is important to you. Practice and develop that habit. When you are comfortable that you are utilizing it the majority of the time, move on to another one. Slow and steady is the way to make effective, long-lasting, positive change.

What do you do in your home to be more mindful of the environment? I'd love to hear ideas and resources. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

*Towel Day is May 25th. It is celebrated by fans of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy written by Douglas Adams. Rule #1 is “Don't forget to bring your towel.”

Reinventing Comfort

by Mirabreakfast, change, grains, habits, health, left overs

When I was a little girl my mother used to make something called rice cereal. My brother and I loved it. Leftover white rice in a bowl of hot milk with a huge dollop of butter and a spoonful of sugar on top. It brings back memories of the small kitchen we had when we were young. Sitting at the table with my brother, legs swinging, enjoying this dish which we viewed as a treat.

When my children were growing up I would make the same dish for them. And they loved it just as much. Even now my 16 year old will assemble a bowl if we have the ingredients at hand (which we often do). It was a great way to use up extra rice — filling, tasty, and warming to the tummy. I even served it on occasion to overnight guests. One such guest, a dear friend from my high-school days, exclaimed about this wonderful breakfast, wanting to know where the recipe came from. My answer? My mom. And probably from her mom. I think it was simply a frugal way to use leftovers. But it sure was, and still is, tasty.

Sometimes you have a day where you want comfort food. This morning was one of those days. As I was assembling, and then happily eating, my bowl of comfort I realized that I have changed the recipe. Modified it to be more in line with my healthier eating habits. But it was still just as comforting, warming and satisfying as it ever was. Reflecting on this I realized that the concept of comfort food is a state of mind. Yes it's a comfort to the tummy and makes us feel good; but part of what makes us feel good is the memories associated with that food. Changing the food doesn't change the comfort level as long as the basic concepts are the same.

So I'm making an offer, what are your comfort foods? What do you eat when you feel the need for that emotional lift? Share the recipe and the concept below. If you'd like (and please ask below) I'm happy to make suggestions to help boost the nutrition or health factor while still helping you get that bowl or plate of comfort you are after. Eating well to be well doesn't mean we can't still have comfort.

Reinventing Comfort

by Mirabreakfast, change, grains, habits, left overs

When I was a little girl my mother used to make something called rice cereal. My brother and I loved it. Leftover white rice in a bowl of hot milk with a huge dollop of butter and a spoonful of sugar on top. When I had children I would make the same dish for them. It was a great way to use up extra rice — filling, tasty, and warming to the tummy. I would even serve it to guests sometimes. One time a friend exclaimed about this wonderful dish, wanting to know where the recipe came from. My answer? My mom. And probably from her mom. I think it was simply a frugal way to use leftovers. But it sure was tasty.

Hot Cups

by Mirahabits, health, poison

photo by alvimann

I gave a lecture today. It was entitled “The Poison Pantry.” The location where the lecture was held offers a beverage service of coffee and water. Having been there before I knew that they also use polystyrene cups. Most people refer to them as styrofoam however according to Dow Chemical, the trademark owner of Styrofoam, they do not make cups, plates, take-out containers or any other food product from styrofoam. However you refer to them, as styrofoam or polystyrene, I do not like these cups.

To the best of my knowledge polystyrene does not break down in the landfill. It is recyclable but I am not aware of recycle efforts specifically directed toward them, most people I know just throw them in the trash. However there are other factors to take into account when choosing beverage cups.

One study, published in March 2009, found that there was migration “above the EPA recommended level.” (Khaksar and Ghazi-Khansari, 2009). The study found that higher levels of fats and/or heat caused more migration, or breakdown, of the polystyrene which was then consumed along with the beverage.

Another study from Purdue University found that styrene was “hepatoxic and pneumotoxic in mice, in addition to causing lung tumors.” (Harvilchuck and Carlson, 2009) Although the study states that human studies are inconclusive I accept that since most rodent studies are a good indicator of human health conditions, using styrene containers is not a good idea.

But I digress…I had a lecture and I needed cups. I went to the store to get some and discovered, to my utter surprise, that there weren't any. Thinking that this was a fluke I went to another store. Same thing, no non-styrene hot cups. At the third store I asked for help and the clerk was just as surprised as I was to find that they didn't have any either. Now I could have brought regular mugs from home with me however it didn't seem very professional, I didn't want to take the risk of breaking them during transport, and if folks wanted to take their beverage with them after the lecture I couldn't very well let them do so if it was my mug. So I went to Starbucks and asked if I could buy a sleeve of cups. Bless them, they said yes. I told them what happened and promised them free publicity; telling them I would share the story with my lecture attendees.

I have cups left over for future lectures but I can see that unless I want to give Starbucks endless free publicity while paying for their cups I need to find another source. Thinking about this issue also made me realize that the clamshells that most restaurants use for take-home are styrene. I think I'm going to get into the habit of either bringing my own container or at least bringing some foil to line the container with to limit exposure.

Okra And Remembering To Read The Labels

by Miraadditives, habits, labeling, pickles, poison, vegetables

I have a confession to make. I don't much like okra. Maybe it's from growing up in the northeast where I was not really exposed to it much as a child. Whatever the reason I mostly find it unappealing. I have discovered that I can tolerate it steamed, I despise it cooked, boiled, or fried. However, it's not half bad when it's pickled. It's a pity that I don't like it more because it's low in calories, high in fiber, has a modest amount of protein, and provides vitamins A and C as well as iron and calcium.

Okra also has a mucilaginous quality that helps to escort cholesterol and bile acids out of the body. As an alkaline food it is also believed to help heal intestinal ulcers and be useful in the treatment of IBS.

When I was at the grocery store today I happened to spy a jar of pickled okra on the shelves. Since this is my least objectionable way to eat it I decided to try it again, scooped up a jar and finished my grocery shopping.

Unfortunately I ignored my own advice and I did not stop to read the label. After getting home I did read the label and it turns out these pickles contain polysorbate-80. I refuse to eat any ingredient that has a number (nature doesn't number food). According to my Consumer Dictionary of Food Additives polysorbate-80 is an emulsifier “associated with the contaminant 1,4 dioxane, known to cause cancer in animals.” It is also “widely used in baby lotions, cold creams, cream deodorants, antiperspirants, suntan lotions and path oils.”

I'm not sure why these pickles need to be emulsified but I certainly don't care to eat an ingredient also used in lotions and potions like cold cream. This serves as a personal reminder to ALWAYS read the label.

Needless to say I will be returning this to the store. I wonder what the counter clerk will say/think when I explain why I'm bringing it back.

photo courtesy of: Gerard Cohen | Wikimedia Commons

Fairground Food

by Mirafats and oil, habits, health, sweeteners, unhealthy

Walking around the fairgrounds at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo all my senses are assaulted; the flashing lights, the booming pounding music, the loud chatter of the crowds, and the smells of fairground food. Fried food, smoked food, barbeque, spun sugar, all swell around me creating an almost hypnotic state.

As I look around at the food choices on offer I am amazed at what I see. Batter-dipped cheeseburgers, fried with a generous topping of powdered sugar. Blooming onions, chicken-fried bacon (you know you're in the South when you find chicken-fried anything), 2-lb jumbo smoked turkey legs, cheesecake dipped in chocolate. There was even one stand that was offering gator and pork-a-bob (not sure what that is but not sure I want to know either). The beverage choices were similarly calorie-laden, gallons of sweet tea, frozen drinks, and colas, not to mention all of the alcoholic options available.

It was a day of fun, enjoyment and enthusiasm at the Rodeo. Unfortunately it was readily apparent that for large numbers of people at the rodeo a steady diet of saturated fats, over-sugared, over-salted food is the norm. I think of fairground food as something that, while never the best choice, would be a occasional treat (and I did enjoy that cheesecake although I only ate half of it as the serving was overly generous and extremely rich). It is sad to realize that for many people, although they don't eat fairground food on a regular basis, this style of eating is their daily habit. Rich, fatty, salty, sugary foods that have dulled their palate. That appeal to the childlike habit of comfort foods. As a culture I believe we have come to a point where many of us have lost our taste for whole foods. For healthy, fresh foods that contain the nourishment our body demands.

I'm certainly not trying to be a killjoy and demand that no one ever enjoy these fairground treats. We live in the real world and an occasional indulgence is certainly not unreasonable. What is difficult is when we allow these occasional treats and this unhealthy eating habit to become the norm.

Start now; make it a point to eat whole foods, low processed, fresh and in season. Eat more fruits and vegetables in a rainbow of colors. Reduce the palate-numbing, non-nutritive indulgences to an occasional treat. It's time to educate yourself and your children about healthy choices, everyone will be better off for it. Remember, eat well to be well.

Chicken-fried bacon photo courtesy of Cara Fealy Choate | Wikimedia Commons