Did you know that most recreational athletes that sign up for an endurance endeavor with a main goal for weight loss, are in fact flabbergasted that even with the increased physical activity, weight loss does not come easy, in fact many even gain weight. There are a number of reasons for this: 1. the positive reason is because the new athlete may be losing fat, but gaining muscle fiber. Muscle being denser than fat, offsets the scale from budging, but the athlete is getting leaner… HOWEVER, this is not the […]
HEMP – alternative protein that is nut free, soy free, and dairy free
HEMP – An Alternative (and vegan) Protein Source Since my meal planning philosophy typically embraces a breakdown of nutrients at both the micro level (vitamins and minerals) and the macro level (carbs, proteins and fats) I often get asked for alternative sources of protein than the most obvious (beef, chicken, fish, eggs). If I did a family feud type survey, out of one hundred answers soy or tofu would be the number one answer. We may whittle down to pea protein or other legumes and then of course nuts. It […]
Culinary herbs and spices : Can they interact with your medicine?
Ilana Katz MS, RD, CSSD One of the major responsibilities a dietitian/nutritionist may have is to analyze an individual’s intake and ensure most appropriate and healthy solutions to goals and needs. For people who regularly take medications, even over the counter products, this can become quite challenging. So then, can some ingredients in various dishes have a pharmalogical interaction? Specific examples best defines what a pharmalogical interaction is: Combining a statin drug (most likely prescribed to lower cholesterol) and a daily dose of grapefruit juice may likely cause too much […]
NEED AN OIL CHANGE
Ilana Katz MS, RD, CSSD There has been much debate about the healthiness of different oils in the nutrition media lately. With the boost on research and essential fats, oils, some of which do offer the good source of fat to our daily intake needs some analysis. The reason why I want to blog on this is although many have been deemed healthy, depending on whether you use them for cooking or not, may change their chemistry. In other words, heating various oil sources can create free radicals which in […]
Supplementation: the good, the bad and the ugly
Ilana Katz MS, RD, CSSD Food is the best medicine, something I have made my followers note long before I came across a famous quote from Hippocrates for the first time: “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.” Therefore, I too could have had a role in the history of westernized medicine, (chuckle). Well seriously, I am constantly harping on the fact that the ideal way to get most needed nutrients is from foods. Naturally occurring nutrients are more compatible and thus more bioavailable than their supplement […]
DISSOLVING SUGAR CRAVINGS
One of my biggest challenges, not only with my own personal goals, but also with many clients, is to get to the bottom of the age old obscurity of sugar cravings. It’s not rocket science, right? Just don’t eat it ! Right? But oh we all know it, and live it day after day, it is just not that simple. Why? Because the physiological response to sugar is like an addiction. Sugar temporarily elevates the levels of various neurotransmitters and endorphins. The “feel good” chemicals, serotonin and dopamine are released […]
Fat Loading… does it work? (Ilana Katz MS, RD, CSSD)
Why carbo-load, when you can fat load? This came to me the night before a long training run (4 hours). I was at a birthday celebration, and admittedly, indulged in all the fried food and ice cream with whipped cream (oh well, once I had given in to temptation, I might as well go all out) I could lay my hands on. I was constantly anticipating how awful my run the next day was about to feel, knowing I had forfeited my planned carbo-loaded meal. While fat loading, I was […]
THE WHYS AND WHEREFORES OF SHOPPING THE LOCAL FAMERS MARKETS
I often get asked the questions about organic produce. The word “organic” often comes with a price, in more ways than one. First off, organic is often more pricey produce, simply based on the fact that anything that is organically labeled had to have been produced in an organically certified production process, from farm to mouth. The cost of being certified then gets dissipated over the cost of the end product. The other reason I say organic comes with a price, has nothing to do with finances at all, but […]
The Mammogram Poem
[Anonymous] (This poem has been around for awhile, and in honour of October being breast awareness month, I thought it may be a great time to repost) For years and years they told me, Be careful of your breasts. Don’t ever squeeze or bruise them. And give them monthly tests. So I heeded all their warnings, And protected them by law. Guarded them very carefully, And I always wore my bra. After 30 years of astute care, My gyno, Dr. Pruitt, Said I should get a Mammogram. “O.K,” I said, […]
