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 […]
Planning Your Meals
In my practice, I find the biggest roadblock to weight loss success is that people do not take the time to plan their day as far as eating goes. So they either wait for meal times, or until they are hungry, and then just see what is convenient to grab. This sets you up to either not eat enough during the day, or gorge on whatever is available, or just get the most convenient food which is more than likely prepackaged and processed. If you take a few moments in […]
White Flour = Empty Calories
History of White Flour Prior to 1900, most bread was baked at home with fresh flour. Our grandmothers and great grandmothers would go to the miller and buy fresh flour, or they would mill it at home themselves. In the late 1800’s however, food processors discovered if they sift away the BRAN and the oil-laden GERM from the flour, they’d have a product that would not spoil. (see diagram) Steel rolling mills quickly replaced the local miller, and in 1910, white flour became food for the masses. Immediately epidemics of […]
Quick review on Anti-Inflammation Nutrition
I have recently been asked many questions on whether the anti-inflammation diets really work. So while such diets may not target weight loss exactly, there is evidence that they aid in anti-inflammation, and weight loss may even be a secondary benefit. This makes sense because inflammation foods, such as processed or refined foods, sugary foods, white breads, and hig fat (particularly trans or saturated fat) foods are eliminated for anti-inflammatory responses. I put together a quick summary to answer these basic questions. Inflammation affects individuals differently. From research, the main […]
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 […]
Nutrition and the Immune System
Winter is on the horizon, and with it comes more colds, sniffling and flu tends to show up. The human body has an innate mechanism which protects against these microorganisms, involving the Thymus gland and its production of T-cells, the combat force against bacteria, viruses and other foreign substances. The other component of immunity is a reserve of antioxidants, functioning as the body’s systems of defense against internal cell damage from free radicals. Free radicals are unstable byproducts of the body’s cells use of oxygen to produce energy. The increase in […]
