Eating For Health

Trying to lose a few pounds?   Or are you trying to maintain your current weight?   So many people are successful in losing some weight but then gain the weight back.   Why?   Probably because they haven’t adopted a healthier lifestyle.   Changing habits as you take off the pounds can be the key to keeping the pounds off.   U.S. News & World Report has a great article:   Stop Relying on Willpower to Lose Weight .    In it they talk about how important it is to build healthy routines into your day.   You may already be doing some of these suggestions.   Then keep it up.   Are there some healthy routines you could add to your day?   They introduce a new term, “skill-power” vs willpower.   The promote developing the “skills” to handle our diet throughout the day.   Here are some of the healthy habits they suggest we all adopt. 1.    “Beat the Morning Munchies” – How many people skip breakfast only to hit the office snack machine at 10 AM?   Our breakfast becomes a candy bar

Are there things you can do to lower your risk of cancer?   Cancer – such a scary word.    All of us have known people who have had cancer.   Are there things you can do to lower your cancer risk?   I was surprised this week as I was meeting with a nurse practitioner and when I asked her about diet and lowering your risk of cancer, she responded that it is all genetics.   There was nothing one could do to lower their risk of getting cancer.    She is partially correct, genetics does play a role. The American Cancer Society notes that “although our genes influence our risk of cancer, most of the difference in cancer risk between people is due to factors that are not inherited”.     The American Cancer Society is a great resource about things we can do to lower our risk of getting cancer.    In fact, the American Cancer Society states, “for most Americans who do not use tobacco, the most important cancer risk factors that can be changed are body weight, diet and physical activity.”

Eating healthy can help you feel better, have energy and reduce your risk of developing heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.   But some people think they are “eating healthy” by cutting their carbs.    They may choose a low-carb diet to lose weight such as the popular Atkins diet.   Or they choose the low-carb Paleo diet as way to “eat healthier”.   But a recent study indicates that low-carb diets may actually shorten your life span.  To paraphrase one article , cutting carbs may also cut your lifespan. So often you hear people say, “I am watching my carbs.”    Or, “carbs are bad for you”.   I know people who order a cheeseburger, but then take off the bun and only eat the hamburger patty and the cheese because they are cutting their carbs.   Or they order a Subway sandwich and then take off the bread.   But is this a wise thing to do?   Maybe not.   New research indicates you may want to keep the carbs in your diet.    Those that are cutting too many carbs out of their day