Food Is Medicine

Some years ago, Dr. Conrad Esselstyn and Colin Campbell combined their expertise in clinical nutrition and nutritional research and reinforced the finding that there is one true path toward lifelong wellness, and that is food.

Like Dan Buettner. who wrote The Blue Zone, they showed that eating fresh unprocessed food makes a world of difference in health and wellness, and may be the only medicine needed throughout life.

It’s been my mission since completing my training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in 2005 to help whoever is ready and open to living with the simple belief that whole foods are the answer. It doesn’t mean you can never have a treat, or a pizza, or fried clams or chips. What it means is that most of your food falls into the categories  of fruits, vegetables. whole grains, clean meat and seafood, nuts, beans, fermented foods and seeds. Real food.

It also means that while  staying within these parameters, there may be times when some of these foods don’t agree with you or you just don’t like them. That is your bio-individuality speaking to you, and it is up to you to listen.

You may know I offer nutritional cleanses 3 times annually.  These are times designed to acclimate to changing seasons and in one case reset from the holidays. Here’s an example of what you might discover through this experience:

Karen was a first -time cleanser with Wellness and You.  This is what she relayed back to me a week after the cleanse ended:

“I finished the cleanse 6 days ago and I’ve re-introduced coffee, bread and yogurt into my diet. 
  Coffee:  Have changed cups to 1 eight-oz cup and thoroughly enjoy 1 cup in the morning.
  Bread:  2 slices per day/max - not every day
  Yogurt:  about 1/2c to 1 cup per day with breakfast and occasionally with fresh/frozen berries and nuts as an afternoon treat or in an afternoon smoothie.  
  Sweetener:  maple sugar only and the amount is regulated.

Here’s what I have noticed since finishing the cleanse:
  Hair Loss:  Definitely have noticeably less hair loss when I wash my hair.  I love it!  That benefit alone is worth changing one’s diet!
 Mornings:  hip pain is gone (yeahhh); overall stiffness diminished; no morning fog at all upon waking.
 Throughout the day:  higher energy levels.  
  Sweet tooth lower:  Last weekend, my daughter purchased a lemon meringue pie to share.  I ate a slice and noticed that I didn’t enjoy the taste that much while I was eating it - that surprised me!. 
Again, I’m delighted.  I’m not craving sugary sweets and deliberately not bringing any into my pantry.

I like your meal plan so much!  It has given me a simple, viable, healthy plan to follow and remove the angst around grocery shopping and quantity to purchase.  

Peg, thank you for your expertise.  Your cleanse plan really helped me understand what I , needed to do to live well and age well.  I am very grateful for the experience.
”

— Karen

The Proof Is Here

Look at Drs. Esselstyn, Campbell’s conclusions. Look at The Blue Zone, And look at Karen.  Eating healthy is the best medicine and it heals quickly.  I’ve seen it over and over.  You may know Dr. Mark Hyman, another doctor who espouses food as medicine. The bad part is we hear so little from mainstream medicine about the power of food,

Instead, we hear one should lose weight, or exercise. Excess weight and the lack of exercise is the result of poor quality food. In my book Food Becomes You I talk about malnutrition.  You might think I’m talking about not having enough food, but I’m not. I’m talking about eating highly processed food that offer few if any nutrients, causing you to always feel hungry. That hunger turns to over-eating, and if the food offers no nutrients, your brain will continue to trigger your appetite.

Join Me on the Path to Wellness

We all want to feel good. No one wants to be crippled by pain, digestive distress, headaches, depression, high blood pressure or excess weight.  Taking time to commit yourself to a healthier way of life with your food is so worth it. It takes time and attention, but like Karen, once you see how much better you can feel, you see how worth it healthy eating really is.

I invite you to read over my programs page to see if something may be right for you. I work virtually and in person in my Six Weeks and Comprehensive Coaching programs. We start with a detailed health history and goals statement to be sure the program is right for you. Everything is confidential.   And the best news of all, getting your food right will create a ripple effect in all aspects of your life.

Get Yourself in a Pickle

The New York Times reported Robert J. Vlasic, who by combining a keen sense for business with an even keener sense of humor turned his family business into the nation’s largest purveyor of pickles, gherkins, sauerkraut and a host of other briny condiments, died on May 8 at his home in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. He was 96.

Do you eat pickles or any of these other “briny condiments"? If you do, you’re giving your body a nice dose of the good bacteria we know today is vitally important for mind, body and metabolism. Pickles are fermented foods when you soak them in just water and salt, or you can brine them with vinegar and spices.

Here’s What a Pickle Can Do for You

Roger Williams Baseball Fans, Auburndale FL

Pickles are big down south, and these ladies enjoyed the biggest pickles I’ve seen anywhere. Aside from the sour taste, here is a list of nutritional benefits they gobbled up:

1. filled with probiotics, the healthy bacteria for your digestive system

2. filled with antioxidants, a boost for your immune system

3. can ease athlete’s muscle cramps

4. curbs sugar cravings
   

Want to Make Your Own?

Pick cucumbers that are fresh and not dented

Use canning or pickling salt

Add dill seed, horseradis, mustard seed, garlic and any other spices you like.

Follow canning and boiling instructions carefully to prevent bacteria from growing inside.

Let pickles set inside sealed jars for several weeks to brine before eating them.

If you live southwest of Boston stop by Wards Berry Farm in Sharon for the best bite size pickles I’ve ever had.

And finally, a big thank you to Mr. Vlasik for making pickles fun.