Why a Registered Dietitian? It started with chronic disease symptoms.

My passion for nutrition came about in an interesting way.  

Like most people, I was trying to lose weight but I wanted to do it in a healthy way.  I saw the advertisements for the Special K diet and I thought that it would be a great place to start!  It encouraged eating multiple times a day, I already ate cereal on a daily basis, and I enjoyed their protein bars when I had tried them at my mom's house.  So, I decided to do the Special K challenge.  That was in 2009.

Within four days of doing the challenge I started having all of the symptoms of pre-diabetes: blurred vision, tingling in the fingers and toes, muscle weakness, increased thirst and hunger.   It was a terrifying time and I was so confused!  I saw my doctor and my blood sugar levels were high, she asked me what I had changed because I had been tested for diabetes earlier in the year since I was overweight and everything came back normal.  I told her about the diet.  She told me to get off of it because of the amount of sugar in it.

That's when I decided I needed to take charge of my health and what I was putting in my body.  

I wanted to lose weight, I knew that I needed to, because diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic diseases run in both sides of my family.   My first objective was understanding diabetes since I experienced symptoms of high blood sugar first hand.   That's when I came across an independent documentary on YouTube called Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days.  The documentary follows six people with diabetes, most of them Type 2, over 30 days as they go through a program at a holistic, raw food camp.  I don't want to spoil the video but in the end, those who finished the 30 days lowered their insulin intake requirements, including the man who has Type 1 Diabetes!  

I wasn't sold on the idea of reversing it fully, but the prospect that through diet changes and exercise they could see dramatic health improvements, not weight improvements but HEALTH improvements, got me hooked on the idea of helping others improve their health through food and physical activity!

Fast forward to today and now I'm healthy, in college pursuing a degree to do just that while working a job that improves people's health through diet and exercise!  The topic of diabetes has stuck with me and it's an area I want to focus on during my master's program.  A study, Lifestyle changes may reverse development of the insulin resistance syndrome, posted in the Diabetes Journal supports the results seen in the Simply Raw documentary but the study took place over a year.  They found that diet changes AND exercise is key to lowering insulin resistance and over time this combination could reverse insulin resistance.  Another study, Effects of exercise and diet on chronic disease,  published in the Journal of Applied Physiology also supports this idea of reducing insulin resistance through diet changes and exercise.

Studies like these give me hope for my future clients and patients as a registered dietitian.  My main focus will be preventing chronic diseases like diabetes but to know that we can improve the lives and maybe even reverse insulin resistance leaves me feeling excited for the future.

References:

Roberts CK, Barnard RJ.  Effects of exercise and diet on chronic disease. Journal of Applied Physiology. 2005 Jan; 98: 3-30.  Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15591300. April 19, 2015.

Torjesen PA, Birkeland KI, Anderssen SA, Hjermann I, Holme I, Urdal P. Lifestyle changes may reverse development of the insulin resistance syndrome. The oslo diet and exercise study: a randomized trial. Diabetes Care 1997 Jan; 20(1): 26-31.  Retrieved from http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/20/1/26.short.  April 19, 2015.

Me as a Guinea Pig with Thrive

As a Beachbody coach, I have mixed feelings with trying other company's products but I also can't resist the urge to jump at the opportunity to be in a focus group (aka guinea pig) with something new and exciting and this is very new and exciting to me.

From what I have gathered, this is a nutrient and energy packed system designed to give you the fuel and energy you need to be active.

I'm supposed to work my way up to taking two supplement pills, one shake, and one patch a day.  Today I took one pill and...wow.  The instructions said take it on an empty stomach.  I will never be doing that again.  Too much energy in a short amount of time went into my system.  I didn't crash when I finally came down...but I was highly uncomfortable.  Uncomfortable enough to not even try the patch.

I should also note that I'll be using Shakeology for my shake instead of the Thrive shake because it contains soy, which I'm allergic to.  There doesn't appear to be a soy free option, so this is a double experiment for me.  I know Shakeology aids in weight loss, I've been drinking it for almost a year now, so Thrive could, potentially, increase that.

Tomorrow I will be taking a supplement after eating breakfast and I'll be doing 1/4th of a patch.

The reviews said that people react very differently.  Some people can start with the full doses and not really feel any difference, others (like me) are on the opposite side of the spectrum.  I can certainly say, if I ever need an energy boost those little pills will do the trick and then some!!

Wish me luck!  <3

Love and Light everyone!

The Power of Visualization

"If you can't see it, then how are you going to get it?!"
That is a thought that was running through my head when I first decided that I wanted to lose weight.  Waay back before I actually understood my "why" behind my desire to lose weight and get back the physique I once had.  So, this thought has been in my mind recently, since I just discovered my why not too long ago.

The art of seeing what you want to achieve, and I do believe it is an art, is called visualization.  I'm sure we all know what visualization is, but just to ensure we have all of our i's crossed and t's dotted (=P) let's throw a definition out there:

Visualization is "...a cognitive tool accessing imagination to realize all aspects of an object, action or outcome".  In a sense it's kind of like day dreaming, but with a purpose behind it, because you (re)create a scenario using most, or even all, of your senses" (Baumgartner, 2011).

I use visualization on an almost daily basis now because if I can't see myself with a four pack in a bikini for the first time ever, then how am I going to know what to aim for?  How am I going to know when I reach my goal?

Visualization has many uses outside of helping you get the body you want.  Psychologists use it in their practice to help patients exercise specific reactions to situations; athletes use it before a match; actors use it before they perform.  It helps because the brain is being trained to perform the task, it's like practicing a practice match.

Angie LeVan, MAPP, (2009) goes over a great way to get started with visualization.  I've included the excerpt below:

Begin by establishing a highly specific goal. Imagine the future; you have already achieved your goal. Hold a mental ‘picture’ of it as if it were occurring to you right at that moment. Imagine the scene in as much detail as possible. Engage as many of the five senses as you can in your visualization. Who are you with? Which emotions are you feeling right now? What are you wearing? Is there a smell in the air? What do you hear? What is your environment? Sit with a straight spine when you do this. Practice at night or in the morning (just before/after sleep). Eliminate any doubts, if they come to you. Repeat this practice often. Combine with meditation or an affirmation (e.g. “I am courageous; I am strong”, or to borrow from Ali, “I am the greatest!”).

So, what is your highly specific goal?  Can you see it happening yet?  If not, keep practicing!

Reference(s):
Baumgartner, J. (November 8, 2011). The psychology of dress, the doctor is in...you closet! Visualize it. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-psychology-dress/201111/visualize-it.

LeVan, A. (December 3, 2009). Flourish! Seeing is believing: The power of visualization. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/flourish/200912/seeing-is-believing-the-power-visualization.

Raspberry Ketones Quickie (What's up with this?!)

Most of us have heard of Raspberry Ketones (RK) by now.  You've probably seen a commercial for them or looked at them in the diet section of your local convenience or grocery store.  I know I wondered if they lived up to the hype, I'm sad to say that the research I've done soo far has left much to be desired.  This doesn't mean that I'm discouraged at the possibility that RK could aid people in their weight loss journey, the truth is RK hasn't been tested on humans in any scientific study, the closest we've gotten to human testing is human flesh testing in test tubes (Hand, 2013).  

What are Raspberry Ketones?
RK is one of the "...200 molecules that contribute to [a raspberry's] distinct flavor" and smell" (Cox, 2013).  RK, specifically, deals with that raspberry smell we love soo well, which is why it is used in products ranging from candles to soaps.  I was surprised to find out that RK "...is actually found in cranberries, blackberries as well as red raspberries..." (Cox, 2013) of various genes.

The initial thoughts that RK could prevent weight gain and promote weight loss is due to its molecular structure, which bears resemblance to the structure of capsaicin. 

So does it work?
Unfortunately, there isn't enough evidence to say if it does or doesn't.  According to Caroline Cederquist, R.D. (2012), none of her patients that added RK to their weight loss regimens noticed a significant change.  We will just have to wait for more scientific trials to be sure.

Also, it is important to keep in mind that those who are experimenting with RK are a biased variable because they don't have a control group to compare their results against and they have personal feelings towards the supplement that could affect their results.

What does the FDA say?
Well, for those that might not know, the FDA does not regulate anything this is considered a supplement.  They don't even regulate energy drinks, by the way.  This is why every bottle you buy of a supplement has the disclaimer.  However, RK was deemed "Generally Recognized as Safe" in the 1960s...at a daily dose of less than 2 milligrams.  The supplements being produced today contain much more than that, the bottle I picked up at the grocery store contains 600mg a serving, that's 1200mg a day!

Are you side effects?
According to WebMD, no.  According to the sources I've listed below, some.  It appears that RK has similar side effects that stimulants have: increased heart rate, heart palpitations, and the shakes.  It may interfere with blood thinners like Coumadin; lower blood sugar levels; and lower risk of bleeding.  However, there isn't enough information to be certain.

So why the hype?
Dr. Oz featured RK on his show back in 2012 and it took off from there.  My local herbalist has to keep an eye on the show because whenever he recommends a supplement people flock to her store to buy it. 

It's similarity to capsaicin and synephrine, which "...is often marketed as a powerful weight loss support supplement" (Clark, 2012).  Synephrine is a stimulant and, according to Shannon Clark (2012), helps boost your metabolism.  The idea of being able to boost your metabolism will be covered at a later date because it is a rather controversial topic.  :)

Final thoughts?
I'll pass on RK and just stick to eating with a focus on eating whole foods and getting at least 30 minutes of rigorous activity a day.

You can purchase the study Anti-obese action of raspberry ketone at: 
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0024320505001281

References

Cederquist, C. (December 3, 2012). What's the rave with raspberry ketone?. Retrieved from "http://www.huffingtonpost.com/caroline-j-cederquist-md/raspberry-ketone_b_2213936.html".

Cox, L. (September 26, 2013). What is raspberry ketone?. Retrieved from "http://www.livescience.com/39972-raspberry-ketone-supplement-facts.html".

Hand, B. (February 28, 2013). What they don't want you to know about raspberry ketones. Retrieved from "http://www.huffingtonpost.com/becky-hand/raspberry-ketones_b_2727943.html".

Future blog post: What is garcinia cambogia?

http://www.livescience.com/39243-garcinia-cambogia-supplement-facts.html