Download Instead of trying another diet, make small changes to your current

January 13, 2011
Volume 3, Issue 1
Welcome to 2011! If weight loss is your goal in the new year, try eating more filling foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains. Swapping
these foods for more processed foods will increase your intake of vitamins, minerals and fiber and likely lead to weight loss. January is a popular time
for starting a new diet. Before you commit yourself to the latest food fashions, NutriCat examines these diets.
Detox/Master Cleanse Diets: If you have a working set of lungs, a liver, and kidneys, congrats!
You’re body is cleansing/detoxing just fine and doesn’t need a specialized diet to do so. These diets
also claim extreme weight loss in a short period of time, but are based on starvation diets. Unless
your choosing these diets for religious reasons, there is no need to abstain from food for a period of
time or sustain on a lemon juice and cayenne concoction.
Paleo Diet: The Paleo diet is based on the premise that we should eat what our ancestors ate:
unprocessed foods, no sugar and lots of meat, fish, nuts, vegetables, fruits, and roots. While this
diet can be high in nutrients, it’s also very high in cholesterol and saturated fats. Cut back on sugar,
processed foods, and re-fined grains to get the benefits of the Paleo diet.
Blood Type Diet: Prepare to be blinded by science! While some individuals claim to feel better on this diet, there is very little
science to back up the claims. Dr. D’Adamo created the diet based on the theory that blood types are reactive to certain foods that
compete with the different blood-type antigens. He also believes that you should eat based on what your ancestors ate when that
blood type evolved. NutriCat agrees with other RD’s and medical experts that this diet is nonsense. The only personalized diet plan
based on blood work is the LEAP diet program, proven to help with conditions such as IBS, Migraines, fibromyalgia or other
inflammation disease. This is done by testing common foods for delayed food sensitivities. Find out more information at
www.nowleap.com
Food Combining Diet: Another unscientific claim: foods need to be eaten separate for maximum nutrient absorption and weight
loss. For example, you must not eat chicken and rice together or must eat fruit separately from anything else. While this plan might
help you lose weight by restricting what foods you eat, there is absolutely no support for these claims. Choosing lean protein,
complex carbohydrates, and lots of vegetables and fruits will help you keep your weight under control so don’t worry when you eat
them!
Instead of trying another diet, make small changes to your current diet. Portion control is a great tool in cutting back on
how much you eat. If you are still hungry, fill up on nutrient dense foods like vegetables which will fill you up but won’t
add many calories. Exercise cannot be understated; upping your activity can burn calories and build muscle . The more
lean tissue (muscle) you have, the more calories you burn each day.
If you have made the same resolutions year after year, ask yourself what’s really stopping you from making changes?
Trying to make a big switch overnight might not be the best solution. Smaller, more realistic goals won’t set you up for
failure. It also helps to understand how much time you are willing to dedicate to your new goals. Health should be a top
priority. Make the most of your day by taking walks around the workplace during breaks and lunch or making larger
meals on the weekends to eat during the weekday. Money doesn’t have to deter you from eating healthy. Dried beans,
lentils, and frozen vegetables are some of the cheapest items in the grocery store! Cut back on meat, dairy, and cheese
and add more fresh, in season vegetables. Not only is this better for your health, but dairy and meat tend to be the
highest cost items.
Chicken Curry Soup
Muffaletta Panini
6 cups chicken stock
2 cups chicken meat
½ cup medium diced onions
¼ cup diced celery
¼ cup diced apples (peels optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon agave cactus syrup or maple syrup
For the roux:
2 tablespoons flour
4 teaspoons butter or oil
2 handfuls pitted green and black olives
1 cup giardiniera, drained (pickled cauliflower, carrot & hot pepper)
4 sesame or cornmeal Keiser rolls, split
8 slices sharp provolone
1 (15 ounce) can artichoke hearts in water, thinly sliced
2 roasted red pepper, drained and thinly sliced
First make a roux by heating the oil or butter to a medium-low temperature—
be careful not to let it smoke. Add flour and continually stir for a few minutes
to combine, making sure not to burn the mixture. For this recipe we want a
white or blond roux, so stop cooking before the roux turns brown. Set roux
aside.
In a soup pot, begin by sautéing the vegetables in the same kind of fat that
the roux was made from (butter or oil). Add salt and spices. When the
vegetables have begun to sweat, add apples and sauté for one minute. Add
roux and stir to combine. Gradually add stock, stirring to prevent lumps. Add
chicken pieces and simmer. Finally, add agave and adjust salt content if
needed.
Recipe from bonappetit.com
Directions
Preheat griddle or grill to medium-high heat.
Place olives and pickled veggies in food processor and pulse chop into a
relish. Divide the relish among 4 sandwich bottoms and top with a single slice
of cheese, sliced artichokes and peppers then add another slice
of provolone to each sandwich and press tops in place.
Place sandwiches on Panini grill or in a skillet, pressed with heavy skillet
weighted down with cans. Press a few minutes on each side until golden and
crispy
Recipe from Rachel ray
...are considered essential fatty acids, they are necessary for health and our
bodies cannot make them. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in tuna, salmon,
halibut, algae, walnuts, flaxseeds, and other plant sources. Omega-3’s are polyunsaturated and help in brain function. Recent
studies have also implicated that they may reduce the risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends eating
omega-3 rich sources such as fish at least 2 times a week.
Omega-3 fatty acids may also reduce inflammation and may help lower the risk of heart disease and arthritis. There are two
different types of Omega-3’s: ALA and DHA. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is a short –chain omega-3 fatty acid that is an
essential nutrient meaning we must get ALA from food. It is found in flaxseed, canola oil, walnuts and specialty eggs that add
omega-3 acids to chicken feed. You only need a small amount daily: a tablespoon of canola oil, a teaspoon of flaxseed oil, or 3-4
walnut halves. DHA and EPA are long chain omega-3 fats found in fish and fish oils. DHA and EPA are not considered essential
nutrients, but there are health benefits associated with consumption. The body can convert ALA into EPA and DHA. ALA is
efficiently converted to EPA, but it may require large amounts of ALA to produce optimal amounts of DHA. Recent evidence has
raised a potential concern that large amounts of ALA could be harmful to the eyes over the long term.
For Vegetarians: If you don’t consume meat products, there is some preliminary data that shows vegetarians are more efficient
at this conversion than meat-eaters. Without proper planning, Omega-3 deficiency can happen. If you don’t think you get
enough in your diet, consider a supplement: 200-300mg every 2-3days. Try using more less Omega-6 oils like corn, soy,
safflower, sunflower and sesame oil. Try using more canola, olive, and avocado oils.
NutriCat’s bottom line: Try adding more Omega-3 rich foods into your diet. Add a tsp. of flaxseed oil into your morning smoothie or
oatmeal. Top green beans sautéed in canola oil with crushed walnuts. Too much Omega-3s can cause bleeding and bruising, always talk to
your health care provider about adding supplements to your diet or if you feel you are consuming too many Omega-3’s.