The results for question one: 100% of people replied in the affirmative.

The results for question two: 50% of people interviewed eat breakfast fewer than five days per week.

And the reason given for the disparity by 98% of survey participants – no time to prepare breakfast before leaving the house in the morning.

It’s a common dilemma. Perhaps your house is a sanctuary of tea drinking and newspaper reading in the morning but mine is not. It never fails to amaze me that two adults and two kids are up at 6am, leave the house at 7:30am and only the kids have eaten breakfast. Not only have the adults not eaten breakfast, but there is not a minute for those adults to prepare breakfast in the morning. Said adults are counting their blessings if they are leaving the house in matching clothes.

So, in our household, breakfast is prepared and packed in ‘to go’ containers the night before.

Here are my secrets for healthy, gluten free breakfast eating on the go:

• Keep hardboiled eggs in the fridge at all times. The dad in our house is responsible for hard boiling eggs on Sundays and they save the day all week long.
• Cherrybrook Kitchen’s waffle mix is very easy to make and tastes delicious. We make 2 boxes at a time for a total of 18 waffles, and freeze them individually. The night before, we pack a waffle or two into a container with some nut butter spread on top. Yum!
• Bob’s Red Mill Mighty Tasty gluten free hot cereal is another great make ahead breakfast item. Cook up a big pot, divide into smaller glass containers and heat in the microwave at work. You can do the same with any whole grain -quinoa, millet and buckwheat are some of my other favorites. Sprinkle some nuts and dried fruit on top – those are staples in my office drawer!
• A Zing Bar and a piece of fruit make for a healthy breakfast too. I keep both at the office for the days when my packed breakfast is mistakenly left sitting on the kitchen counter.
• Amy’s Kitchen gluten free burritos are nutritious and filling. I eat them for breakfast at least once a week.
• A breakfast sandwich that lasts well overnight in the fridge is gluten free bread with hummus and a gluten free veggie burger. Amy’s Kitchen bistro burger is a favorite, as are Sunshine burgers.
• Make a smoothie with a banana, some berries, some cashew butter and some protein powder the night before. You can even add in some applesauce to increase the yumminess factor. Put in the fridge in a BPA free water bottle. Shake it up in the morning so it is ready to drink.

That’s a week of breakfasts right there. I’d love to hear your ideas.

Here’s to some healthy and happening breakfasts ahead!

You may have heard about the hunger hormone, ghrelin, which is produced in the stomach and increases right before breakfast, lunch, and dinner, triggering our desire to eat.  The hormonal signals from ghrelin provoke multiple changes in our brain chemistry, increasing appetite and maybe even causing food cravings.

In a new study, Dr. Petra Schussler and her colleagues from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich, Germany demonstrate that simply seeing pictures of food causes levels of ghrelin to rise.  Volunteers in the study were fed a good breakfast at 8:30am and then, around 10:30 am, they were shown a series of pictures.  One group was shown neutral pictures of non-food items, and the other group was shown pictures of tasty savory and sweet foods.  Ghrelin levels in the blood were measured every 30 minutes from the start of the study until the volunteers were fed lunch at noon.  The researchers found that the group that was shown pictures of food had significantly higher levels of ghrelin, which increased immediately after they saw the pictures.  Previous research has even shown that ghrelin can hit us in our wallets – when researchers injected volunteers with ghrelin, they were more likely to purchase food items than if they received an injection of water. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110712094044.htm

So, now imagine the evening TV scenario in the context of what is likely happening in your body.  You’ve eaten a good dinner so your ghrelin levels are low and you don’t feel hungry.  Turn on the TV to watch your favorite show and here come the pictures – commercial after commercial showing cheesy pizza, juicy burgers, and tasty desserts.  Your ghrelin levels (which normally wouldn’t start to increase again until right before breakfast) start to rise in response to seeing images of foods.  Suddenly, you feel hungry…hmmmm, maybe that dinner wasn’t so filling after all and I need a snack!

So, now that you know that advertisers are literally manipulating your physiology, what can you do to make sure you stick to your calorie goals?  Apart from just unplugging the TV, here are a couple ideas:

• Vote with your remote:  Every time a food commercial comes on, change the channel.  (Unfortunately just muting the commercials won’t work because you’ll still see the images!)
• Develop your ability to detect true, physical hunger: This is a skill that needs time and practice so you can call on it when you need it.  When you stay mindful and aware of what physical hunger feels like, you’ll know that you are not really hungry when your stomach is still full of dinner (regardless of what your brain is signaling!)
• “Close” the kitchen after meals: After you’ve washed up your dishes and wiped your counters, turn out the lights and tell yourself that the kitchen is “off limits” until it’s time to prepare your next meal or planned snack.  I once had a patient who literally put a “Kitchen Closed” sign up – whatever works!
• Keep your motivators and core values handy: Remembering that you want to lose weight to improve a health condition, so that you have more energy, or so your knees don’t hurt when you play with your kids is a great defense against those pastry displays!

Remember, while there are plenty of environmental forces that promote overeating and inactivity, ultimately we are the ones who have the power to make choices that support our health and values.  We don’t have to blame food companies, we just have to make sure we are aware of the pressures that affect us and feel empowered to make choices that support us.

About the author:

Dr. Jennifer Lovejoy is the Vice President of Clinical Development & Support at Alere Wellbeing – www.alerewellbeing.com. She holds a Ph.D. in BioPsychology from Emory University and completed postdoctoral training in Endocrinology and Metabolism at Emory University School of Medicine, where she specialized in obesity and diabetes research. Dr. Lovejoy’s clinical research program has been funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the American Diabetes Association, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and NASA. She maintains adjunct faculty appointments at Bastyr University and University of Washington School of Public Health, has published over 50 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, over 15 chapters and review articles, and is a frequent speaker on obesity and nutrition at national and international conferences. She is the immediate Past-President of the Obesity Society.

Here’s some good news for the sleep-deprived:

• According to a recent study, people who met national guidelines for physical activity (150 minutes/week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes/week of vigorous exercise or a combination of both) reported far better daytime alertness and better sleep quality compared to those who didn’t — plus, they were able to fall asleep faster at bedtime.
• After adjusting for factors such as weight, health status, and smoking history, the difference in sleep quality between the more active and less active subjects was significant. Those who met national physical activity guidelines were 65% less likely to report daytime sleepiness, 68% less likely to report leg cramps, and 45% less likely to have trouble focusing when fatigued.
• Another recent study found that 150 minutes/week of aerobic exercise plus resistance training resulted in reduced symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea and better sleep quality in previously inactive overweight and obese subjects — even though no weight loss occurred.

Getting enough good-quality sleep reduces risk of high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and depression, among other health issues. While health professionals have long touted “better sleep” as a benefit of exercise, there’s been a lack of compelling evidence to back it up. But more and more studies are pointing towards a moderate sleep benefit from regular exercise.

I definitely sleep better when I’m sticking with my exercise schedule —whether that’s due to less stress, muscles that are more relaxed, physical fatigue, or an unknown factor doesn’t really matter to me. Better sleep certainly isn’t the only reason why I exercise — and it’s not the chief reason why I drag myself out of bed for early-morning workouts — but it’s a pretty nice perk.

Why not try your own exercise-sleep experiment? For the next month, keep track of time spent in moderate or vigorous exercise each week. Note how well you’re sleeping — and how alert you feel during the day. If you’re not currently meeting the national physical activity guidelines, gradually increase your exercise time and see if it helps you sleep better. Just make sure you’re not heading out for a run or hitting the stair-climber too late in the day — or the energy burst you get from your workout will keep you up way past your bedtime.

If you have persistent sleep issues despite your active lifestyle and good sleep hygiene habits, talk with your doctor. Sleep disorders are very common and often go undiagnosed.

Waking up from a night of refreshing sleep sets the stage for a positive mood and a wonderful day. You already know that exercise is beneficial and makes you feel great; better sleep is one more terrific reason to make it a lifelong habit.

Beth Shepard, MS, ACSM-RCEP, ACE-PT, has a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Arizona. Beth is an expert in fitness and health promotion and a certified wellness coach, helping people thrive by adopting sustainable lifestyle changes. She and her family love to hike, bicycle, and try new sports. www.wellcoaches.com/beth.shepard

Reference

1. Loprinzi P, Cardinal B, Association between objectively-measured physical activity and sleep, NHANES 2005–2006. Mental Health and Physical Activity Volume 4, Issue 2, December 2011, Pages 65-69 doi:10.1016/j.mhpa.2011.08.001
2. Kline CE, Crowley EP, Ewing GB, Burch JB, Blair SN, Durstine JL, Davis JM, Youngstedt SD, The effect of exercise training on obstructive sleep apnea and sleep quality: a randomized controlled trial. Sleep. 2011 Dec 1;34(12):1631-40. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22131599

First off, it’s easier than ever to get around:

New Zing Home Page - Everything at your Fingertips

The checkout process is faster and simpler:

Checkout at Lightning Speed

And we’ve added new nutrition information, making some pretty complex ideas more understandable.

Want to see all the Zing Bars flavors and what they’re all about? Take a look at the Flavors and Types page:

Decisions, decisions...

Want to finally get clear on the differences between energy, nutrition and protein bars? Take a look at how 106 bars compare to each other in “Bars By the Numbers”:

Check out the Stats on Zing

Want to learn more about the science behind the benefits of Zing? Mosey on up to the white board at the Science of Zing page:

Explore the Science of Zing

So surf by the new ZingBars.com and let us know what you think by sending us a message.

While you’re there, if you want to buy some bars (and as our way of saying thanks for dropping in), enter the coupon code zingsite2012 when you check out and get 30% off your first two orders between now and February 12th, with free shipping on 3 boxes or more.

So the basic question is – when should we feed gluten to infants in order to minimize the risk of them developing celiac disease?

Epidemiological studies do support the idea that exposing infants to gluten (e.g. what, barley, rye cereals) before 4 months of age does increase the risk of developing celiac disease if the child has genetic susceptibility to celiac disease.  There was a prospective, observational study in Denver, Colorado on 1560 genetically susceptible children.

• This study showed that infants who ate gluten containing cereals in the first 3 months of life had a 5 fold increased risk of developing celiac disease compared to infants who ate gluten-containing foods at 4-6 months.

Interestingly, this study also showed a slight increase in celiac disease risk if parents waited until 7 months to feed their children gluten.  However, that finding was not duplicated in a similar study on 1511 German babies.

So there is, at this point in time, no conclusive research to determine if gluten should be introduced at 5 months or 12 months or 5 years of age for that matter.  The two main schools of thought argue about whether delaying gluten introduction can prevent the onset of celiac disease or merely delay the onset of celiac disease.

The good news is that there are currently at least two large prospective nutrition intervention studies that are underway.

One of these studies is Italian and has been going on since 2004. Genetically susceptible infants have been blindly assigned to one of two groups: gluten at 4-6 months or gluten at 12 months.  These babies are then followed for 5 years.  The results from the 3 year follow up have been published and are interesting.

• They show that the percentage of infants developing celiac disease is four times higher in the 6 month gluten introduction group than in the 12 month gluten introduction group.

However, follow up is ongoing to see if the delayed gluten exposure prevents celiac disease or merely delays its onset.

So in the next few years, we will hopefully have clearer guidelines for parents.  In the meantime, if your infant is genetically susceptible to celiac disease (e.g. has a first degree relative with celiac disease), then it may be prudent to wait until 12 months of age to introduce gluten-containing foods – with doctor supervision.  For other infants, gluten introduction at 6 months may be acceptable.  Regardless, make sure that you are getting the support of your pediatrician, dietitian or naturopathic physician to make sure that your baby is getting his or her nutrient needs met.

Reference:

Fasano A. Catassi C. Early feeding practices and their impact on development of celiac disease. Nestle Nutr Workshop Ser Pediatr Program. 2011;68-201-9; Discussion 210-3. Epub 2011 Oct 3.

This time last year, I let you know that I was saying No to resolutions. And I still am. But after reading some recent positive psychology research, I am going one step further. I am taking the time to reflect on all of the things I have done well during this past year.

Research shows that taking the time to acknowledge your accomplishments and successes can be good for your mental and physical health. So instead of focusing on all of the steps I have yet to take, I am going to focus on all the hard work I have already done.

There’s nothing wrong with planning out some sustainable steps you can take to reach a particular goal. In fact, that’s probably a great thing to do at any time of the year. But, as New Year’s resolutions typically peter out by February, I am spending time on remembering the accomplishments instead. My guess is that focusing on those will give me some much needed momentum to keep making changes.

The other fascinating research I have been reading shows that when you reflect others’ strengths and achievements back to them, your own level of happiness increases.

So that’s the New year’s plan in our family. We are going to share a few observations about each family member as well as about ourselves. So I may share with my husband that he has done a phenomenal job of settling into his new work position. He has really improved his work-life balance and I am excited to see that he is back on his bike on a more regular basis. He does not need to comment – and he can add any reflections on his own progress during the past year.

Whew. I feel relieved just thinking about our New Year’s plan. We’ll celebrate our accomplishments with some sparkling apple cider and cookies and move into 2012 focused on the positive. May it be a great year for each of you!

We are proud to share another recipe from Sweetness Without Sugar, courtesy of author Wendy Vigdor-Hess, RD.  Enjoy!

Shake Awake

1 cup unsweetened dairy-free, gluten-free milk (e.g. hemp, rice, almond, coconut)

1 scoop Sun Warrior Protein® Chocolate or Natural

1-2 Tbsp flax oil

1 packet Amazing Grass® wheatgrass

3 pitted dates

Liquid stevia to taste

Optional: Maca powder for a “malty” taste or a dash of cinnamon or a hint of ginger. This shake works well with added fruit too such as ½ frozen banana or ½ cup berries.  In the colder months our bodies may prefer warmer foods, leaving the frozen choices for summer.  Use your body as a guide and see what works for you and your family.

Photo credit: Sraddha Van Dyke

Blend ingredients together for a delightful pick me up.  If it is too thick for you, add some filtered water.
Adding greens to smoothies is a great way to get extra phytonutrients.

Wendy Vigdor-Hess, RD has been a lover of sweets since birth.  As a nutritionist, educator, speaker and consultant for nearly 18 years, she passionately spreads the message that addressing challenges through diet is an important key to a healthy and happy life.

www.vigdorhess.com www.SweetnessWithoutSugar.com

Evil 3, Meet Zing

Don’t you love being an adult?

The independence to embrace your own style, the ability to stay up as late as you please, the permission to see how high a mound of laundry you can build before you pity it with a wash?  Agreed.  Overrated.   But let me remind you of one great thing about being an adult as far as food goes:  some items you used to detest as a child have now found a happy home on your adult palette. I’ve enjoyed welcoming the wave of matured taste buds and have adopted the motto “Will try anything once.”  Powerful herbs like cilantro that can mesmerize any room of ingredients it steps into, now abound in my dishes whereas the sight of a green, odiferous plant years ago would have caused me to whine in protest.

As happy a celebration of age as this is, there are still The Evil Three lurking that I have yet to build a friendship with in my food life.  They walk among us, tainting our food with their potency:  olives, blue cheese and horseradish.  Foodies everywhere please regain your composure and take a pump of your inhalers as I’m pretty sure that legally, the first two are somewhere in the lyrics of the official foodie anthem.  To me though, all three are snobby ingredients that rarely play nice with others.  Even dishes that others rave to contain such harmony with these ingredients play no music in my mouth.  Unfortunately, too, once a dish has had one of them placed on the plate, there is no turning back.  I can point out a salad that has had an olive on it hours after I have plucked it from it’s home.  I’ve already decided that this will be my talent portion if I ever get selected to be in the Miss America Pageant.

Evil 1: OlivesEvil 2: Blue CheeseEvil 3: Horseradish

(So I couldn’t find any last minute so this is my symbol for horseradish compliments of my roommate.  After all, my mom has always called it “horsie sauce.”  This nickname has failed to warm me up to the sauce itself and if anything, has succeeded in diminishing my appreciation of horses.)

The Evil 3 aside, I can excitedly point out one of the most enjoyable foods that I used to avoid that now brings me so much joy:  coconut.  Now whether this is attributed to a shift in pleasurable flavors by me or the fact that in the last two years every part of the coconut is now sold in every form (short of an authentic coconut hair coat) doesn’t matter to me, because it brought me one of the best bars a girl could ever ask for:  Zing’s Chocolate Coconut Bar.

Zing makes the most decadent, chocolate laden protein bars that are dangerously addictive once the first bite has sunk in.  Their chocolate coconut bar does not fully reveal it’s provocatively alluring scent until you break through the chocolate coating.  Not too dense and not too thin, this coating is perfection in every way.  It’s top ripples in smooth waves and it’s bottom has the impression of little diamonds engraved in it as if it just stood up from a diamond-checkered beach chair after a long lay in velvety chocolate.  You smell the exhilarating aroma of chocolate when you first tear the corner off that bold blue and black wrapper and wonder how can something so free of common allergens and protein-packed be so mischievous.

When you bite into your Zing and sink your teeth past the creamy chocolate, you get that glorious combination of soft chew and popping crispness that is so hard to master in an all natural protein bar.  The brown rice crisps give you the resounding crunch you need to texturize the chewy and moist brown sugar colored center booming with coconutty sweetness.  I still don’t fully enjoy the white snow flakes of coconut in savory ways nor do I enjoy it in all desserts, but as a pair with chocolate in this satisfyingly chewy treat, it’s moved to the top in the couples performance charts.

Packing protein and fiber in this treat makes this bar a candidate for every day use.  Wherever I have gone for the last few months, I bring my Zing.  (There is a jingle in there somewhere- dibs on the rights to that).  Do yourself a favor and pack one of these to go to work or play this week.  You’re welcome ahead of time.

Zing bar “photo shoot intermission” shadow dog…for those who are abstract thinkers…

 

I don’t work out that hard every time — but I make a point of exercising vigorously several times a week. Why? I like how it makes me feel — and because exciting research over the last several years has shown that vigorous exercise offers additional protective health benefits that are worth my extra effort.

Walking at a moderate pace is touted as one of the best ways to meet the minimum physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes/week. I wholeheartedly agree — it’s easy, inexpensive, and fun. But after you reach this minimum level of fitness, consider pushing yourself harder a few times a week — for fitness-enhancing, life-saving results.

High-Intensity Benefits

Some of the longer-term benefits of regular vigorous vs. moderate exercise include:

• Better heart health.
  Vigorous exercise has a greater protective effect on heart health and appears to be more effective in improving risk factors for heart disease compared to moderate exercise.
• Reduced risk of chronic disease.
  People who exercise vigorously have higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness — which, in turn, is associated with decreased risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.
• Decreased cancer risk.
  A 17-year study of 2500 middle-aged Finnish men found the men who were most physically active were the least likely to develop cancer, especially lung or gastrointestinal cancer. And that was after controlling for factors such as age, dietary fat and fiber, and cigarette smoking. The subjects’ activities ranged from low intensity (such as fishing) to vigorous (like jogging). The men who jogged or performed exercise of a similar intensity at least 30 minutes a day had the least cancer risk — a 50% reduction.

Is My Workout Moderate or Vigorous?

With moderate exercise, you can talk comfortably while you do it, but you can’t whistle or sing. With vigorous exercise, talking is uncomfortable — you may be able to say only a few words without stopping to catch your breath.

A Healthy Mix

I’m not going to tell you to stop gardening, golfing, or going for a leisurely stroll if these are activities you enjoy.  But to realize some of the most compelling health benefits of regular exercise, make sure you also devote time and effort regularly to more vigorous activities (brisk walking, stair climbing, hiking, jogging, biking, and swimming) that get your pulse moving and make you sweat — as long as your doctor says it’s safe for you.

If you love to walk, boosting intensity can be as simple as including a few hills or stairs in your walking route, swinging your arms vigorously, using Nordic walking poles, or break into a jog periodically along the way.

Vigorous exercise takes more effort, but it’s a terrific use of your time and energy. Make it a habit, and the payoffs will make you feel like you’re scoring a huge fitness bargain.

Beth Shepard, MS, ACSM-RCEP, ACE-PT, has a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Arizona. Beth is an expert in fitness and health promotion and a certified wellness coach, helping people thrive by adopting sustainable lifestyle changes. She and her family love to hike, bicycle, and try new sports. www.wellcoaches.com/beth.shepard

References

1. Swain, D.P. and Franklin, B.A. (2006). Comparison of cardioprotective benefits of vigorous versus moderate intensity aerobic exercise. American Journal of
   Cardiology, 97: 141-147.
2. Williams P, Vigorous Exercise, Fitness and Incident Hypertension, High Cholesterol, and Diabetes, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: June 2008 – Volume
   40 – Issue 6 – pp 998-1006 doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31816722a9
3. Laukkanen J, et. al. Intensity of leisure-time physical activity and cancer mortality in men, Br J Sports Med doi:10.1136/bjsm.2008.056713

We have been significantly helped this year by our son’s first grade teacher whose project for the kids is to “write letters that make other people feel amazing.”  She has brainstormed with them many ways to express thanks, sincerely compliment others and contemplate the positive impact they have on your life.  So, instead of writing Hanukah wish-lists, our son (and now the rest of us) are writing gratitude letters instead.

There is plenty of research that points to the benefits of an “attitude of gratitude.”

• Gratitude has been linked to better health, more restful sleep, falling asleep more quickly, less anxiety and depression, higher long-term satisfaction with life and kinder behavior towards others.

A recent study even showed that feeling grateful makes people less likely to become aggressive when provoked.

So how does one cultivate gratefulness?  For some people, gratitude tends to come more naturally while for others it can be a real struggle to focus on gratefulness.

Here are some practical tips to get you started:

1.  Take a few minutes at the end of each day to write in a journal five things for which you are grateful for that day. There is research out of the University of Miami which shows that doing this gratitude practice even once a week can have significant benefits.  After 2 months of keeping the brief journal weekly, participants felt optimistic and happier. They also reported fewer physical problems and were spending more time exercising.

2.  There is research that shows that praying increases gratitude.  So, if you feel comfortable praying, you may want to consider including implementing this activity in your life on a regular basis.

3.  Martin Seligman of the University of Pennsylvania recommends a gratitude visit.  He recommends that you write a 300 word letter to a person who has changed your life for the better and then deliver it in person and read it slowly to him or her.  His research shows that people tend to experience a happier mood for a month after the gratitude visit.  Our son’s first grade teacher must be reading the gratitude research!

4.  Share your gratefulness with others.  An “attitude of gratitude” can be contagious.  It is a healthy feeling to be spreading about.

5.  When you are focused on the things you don’t have (from a screen TV to a higher paying job), try to write down a list of a number of things you do have (like good health, heating in your comfortable home, a pantry full of food).  Research has shown that gratitude can help to decrease unhelpful thoughts – just another way that it may increase happiness and satisfaction.

Join me in focusing on gratitude during this holiday season – on replacing the “I wants” with the “I’m so lucky that I have.”  Here’s to healthy and happy holidays for all!

References:

http://personalpages.manchester.ac.uk/staff/alex.wood/gratitudereview.pdf

http://generallythinking.com/research/mccullough-m-e-kimeldorf-m-b-cohen-a-d-2008-an-adaptation-for-altruism-the-social-causes-social-effects-and-social-evolution-of-gratitude/

http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Gratitude_Page.htm

http://www.socialemotions.org/page5/files/Bartlett.DeSteno.2006.pdf

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16045394