My certification as a Health Coach requires that I have a certain amount of knowledge of nutrition and food science. But when I began my own quest for health in 2002, I also started an independent, detailed study of nutrition with a focus on long-term health. I have read innumerable articles, books and reviews of studies to find the common and unfailing pillars of nutrition. I am not a doctor or nutritionist, but I am ready to share with you the information that has come out of the most extensive nutrition and health studies undertaken around the world. This information is vital to your well-being.
The food you consume is one of the most important determinants of your overall health. There is overwhelming evidence pointing to the role of food in reducing one's risk of various diseases, including those plaguing most Americans today: heart disease, many cancers, diabetes, obesity, and others. Food intake is also a crucial factor in maintaining a healthy amount of body-fat. If you haven't taken a comprehensive look at how and what you eat, or if you've been chasing diets around, it's time to find eating patterns that work for you and protect your health.
In a series of one-hour, weekly meetings, we review your food journal, discuss anything and everything food-related, and create strategies for developing and maintaining healthy habits. Often we spend time clearing up the many common myths about food, integrating the information that nutrition science has consistently demonstrated to be health-promoting, and finding what, in the end, actually works.
In groups I present the most important information on nutritional science and healthy weight-maintenance. These sessions are 1-2 hours, in groups of 4-20, and include both a presentation section and a Q&A section. The presentation is designed to give attendees a solid foundation of knowledge for improving their own health by making important changes to how they eat. These presentations are for anyone and are vegetarian-friendly.
photo by Alicia Ruth
Leafy green vegetables, especially dark green ones, are the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. That makes the act of eating a salad one of the most important things you can do to improve your overall well being and maintain a healthy amount of body fat. As long as your salads are done right (see below), eating more of them will both decrease the calories you take in and increase the nutrients you get. This means salad consumption is very helpful for both weight loss and health gain.
Liquid calories tend to increase your total calories (consumed energy) per day, but, because they are mostly nutrient-poor, they decrease your daily nutrient intake. This means a tendency toward fat-gain and decreased health.
The more nutrients-per-calorie a food has, the more nutrient-dense it is and the healthier it is for you. Numerous scientific studies have shown that the incidence of many diseases can be reduced or eliminated by increasing the nutrient-density of one's diet through increased consumption of whole plant foods.
