Nutrition

Why Do I Eat When I'm Not Really Hungry?

When you reach for food to fill an emotional need rather than a physical one, it is called emotional eating. It is a self-soothing technique that numbs feelings of sadness, anxiety, loneliness, anger, or boredom. 

Sweet or salty tastes can distract from difficult emotions and affect the chemicals in your body. For example, sugar causes your brain to produce a surge of dopamine. It is known as the feel-good hormone in the body and brings a temporary feeling of relief or delight. 

Emotional eating doesn’t effectively deal with the underlying emotions. It can lead to feelings of regret, and indulging in it often may create unintended health consequences.

Let's look at how to recognize emotional eating and better ways to soothe yourself

Notice Emotional Eating

Cultivate self-awareness by listening to your body. Before you eat, ask yourself how you feel (sad, lonely, angry, bored). If you are experiencing a difficult emotion, notice if you are trying to meet an emotional or physical need.

Mayo Clinic explains that generally…

• Physical hunger comes on gradually after a period of not eating. Emotional hunger can come on suddenly, even if you have eaten recently. 
• Physical hunger is felt in the stomach. Emotional hunger is felt in the mind.
• Physical hunger often builds gradually. Emotional hunger demands an immediate response.
• Physical hunger can be satisfied with a variety of options. Emotional hunger feels like it can only be satisfied with a specific type of food.
• Eating for physical reasons ends up leaving you satisfied. Emotional eating may make you feel ashamed. 

A Conscious Decision 

Knowing your motivation is the first step in choosing your response intentionally. You may decide to eat even if you realize you are not physically hungry. That is okay; just be aware of what you are experiencing and celebrate that you are doing it consciously. 

Emotional eating may be a tool you learned to keep you safe from emotions that feel too uncomfortable. There are ways to deal with difficult emotions that don't involve emotional eating, but it can take time. Be kind to yourself in the process.

Here are some strategies to do instead of emotional eating…

• Distract yourself - watch a show, read a book, or engage in a hobby.
• Remove yourself from the situation - leave the room, go for a walk, or take a drive.
• Reach out to a friend - call, text, or visit a friend.
• Lean into the difficult emotion - let it wash over you, knowing it is temporary.
• Do self-care - journal, create something artistic, or enjoy some tea.
• Rest - nap if you are tired, or sit outside for a minute.
• Exercise - even gentle movement can be beneficial.
• Practice mindfulness - practice deep breathing or choose a self-compassion exercise.

I'm here to talk with you about anything to do with your health, so bring this up at your next appointment if you want to explore this issue more.

Dr. Jamie

What's on the Grill?

It's time to heat the grill. As the weather gets nice, it's a great time to cook and eat outside. It gets you in the fresh air and makes clean-up a snap.

Grilling out doesn’t have to involve a time-consuming recipe. In fact, simple recipes are often better.

Meat and veggies can make a delicious meal on their own; add grilled fruit, and you have a yummy dessert. Eating these simple, real foods is a healthy option for a dinner everyone will love.

Here are my top grilling tips you can enjoy this summer.

Protein

Start planning your meal by choosing quality meat. With most food, there is a spectrum of quality. You may not be able to get the highest quality; just do your best with the options available!

Let’s see what to look for when buying your meat...

1. Good - Unbreaded meat without sugary or processed sauces. (Note: The first ingredient in many BBQ sauces is high fructose corn syrup.)
2. Better - Meat from a healthy animal that had a chance to move around and eat its natural diet. (Look for words like pasture-raised chicken, grass-fed beef, or wild-caught fish.)
3. Best - Meat from a local farmer’s market where you can meet the farmer and ask how they raise the animals.

Grill the meat and keep it simple! You don't need to add much to good-quality meat; the flavor will be great on its own.

Veggies

It's easy to buy the same veggies each time we shop, but we tend to eat more when we have a variety. Choose a few new ones to throw on the grill this week. Some of my favorites are...

1. Eggplant - cut it into ½ - 1 inch patties.
2. Asparagus - bend the stalk to snap off the thick base, leaving the pretty flowery end.
3. Zucchini - slice into ¼ - ⅓ inch slices.
4. Onions - cut them in half (or smaller for kebabs)
5. Bell Peppers - cut for kebabs.
6. Mushrooms - portabellas are a good size for the grill (smaller ones are great in a grill veggie tray or on a kebab)
7. Cauliflower - remove the green leaves and cut into large “steaks” that are ½ - ¾ inch thick.
8. Acorn Squash - cut it in half, scrape out the sides, and grill it face down. (top with butter after cooking)
9. Yellow Squash - slice into ¼ - ⅓ inch patties.
10. Carrots - peel and throw the whole carrot on the grill 

You can also make foil packets to combine a variety of vegetables. Cut them into pieces and mix with some fat (i.e. coconut oil or ghee) and seasonings. You can wrap them in foil and place them on the grill. The smaller you dice them, the faster they will cook. 

Dessert

Peaches, pineapples, and pears are some of my favorite grilled fruits. They make an easy and tasty dessert!

Bunless Options

One option you might want to consider is skipping the bun. Replace it with other great starches such as white potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, and butternut squash. Try one of the following options; you may be surprised that you don’t even miss the bun.

1. Use some lettuce and other veggies to make a lettuce wrap. It can be a little messy, but it's tasty and healthy.
2. Try a kebab with meat and veggies on a stick. These are easy and delicious to eat. 
3. Make a salad with your meat and veggies. Olive oil and a bit of seasoning can make a simple, refreshing salad dressing.
4. Use a fork and knife to eat your meal. Simple and delicious!

What do you like to grill? I'd love to hear about your favorite simple recipes.

Dr. Jamie

Eating Fat Does Not Make You Fat

Many of us were taught that eating fat would make us gain weight. We were never told that we need good fats in our diet to be healthy. Healthy fats help us feel full, stabilize blood sugar, maintain energy, and are essential in the body's production of hormones.

Since your body cannot make several of the necessary essential fatty acids, they must come from your diet. Without these nutrients, you may struggle with inflammation, fatigue, poor memory function, heart issues, depression, dry skin, and many other unpleasant symptoms. 

Let's consider if you are eating enough of the RIGHT types of fats. 

Healthy Fats vs. Unhealthy Fats

Eating enough fat is incredibly important, but eating the RIGHT kinds is the key! There is a big difference between good, natural, unprocessed, unrefined sources of fat and highly processed, refined fats. 

Healthy fats should be incorporated into your diet every day. On the other hand, processed and refined fats are considered “junk calories.” These unhealthy fats can be oxidized or rancid. They are unrecognizable to our bodies and contribute to a host of health problems. 

Good Healthy Fats

These foods contain GOOD Fats. Enjoy eating these frequently without guilt!

• Avocados
• Olives
• Ghee
• Butter (I especially love Kerrygold)
• Plain Yogurt (Full fat)
• Avocado Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Olive Oil
• Nuts
• Fish (salmon, herring, anchovies, and sardines)
• Grass Fed Beef
• Dark Meat (from free-range poultry)
• Animal Fat (lard, beef tallow, duck fat, etc.)
• Eggs (especially from pastured chickens)

*It is important that any animal product comes from healthy animals that got to eat their natural diets while they were alive.

Not-So-Healthy Fats

Reading labels will be important when trying to limit or eliminate unhealthy fats. They hide in processed foods such as chips, crackers, and baked goods. Look for oils such as...

• Safflower oil
• Sunflower oil
• Soybean oil
• Canola oil
• Corn oil
• Vegetable oil
• Margarine
• Crisco
• Peanut oil
• Wheatgerm oil
• Cottonseed oil
• Grapeseed oil
• Rice Bran oil
• Anything hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated

Some prepackaged items also contain trans fatty acids. When people eat trans fat, it is deposited into the body's tissues and impacts how the body functions. Trans fats are man-made and are no longer classified as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by the FDA. They should be completely eliminated from the diet. They are commonly found in fried foods, doughnuts, baked goods, pie crusts, biscuits, frozen pizza, cookies, crackers, margarine, and other “butterlike” spreads. Even a little bit can harm your body.

Get More Omega-3

Most of us would benefit from increasing our intake of omega-3 essential fatty acids. They contain anti-inflammatory properties that are wonderful for the body, and the body can not make them on its own. We must also get omega-6 from our diet because our bodies cannot create them either. However, the proper ratio of these essential fatty acids in our diet is crucial, and most Americans consume far too many omega-6 fatty acids.

An ideal ratio is one or two omega-6 fatty acids for each omega-3 fatty acid. The Standard American Diet will leave most people getting 20-50 omega-6 fatty acids for each omega-3 fatty acid. This fuels our bodies' inflammatory pathways and leads to a variety of health issues.

While it is ideal to get omega-3 fats from the foods you eat, supplementation is also an option. If you are not eating foods high in omega-3 essential fatty acids, feel free to talk with me about getting a quality fish oil.

If you want to learn more, this article has a great short video explaining the high amounts of omega-6 found in vegetable oil, canola oil, and other unhealthy oils listed above. 

Making It Happen

• Eat mostly whole and unprocessed foods (plants, animals, etc.).
• Limit meals at restaurants, as they typically use unhealthy oils. (If you eat out often, consider choosing a salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing.)
• Read labels carefully (many healthy-looking oils are mixed with “blends” of other oils).
• Make your own salad dressing; it’s easy to do. (Just ask if you need some ideas. I’ll send you some great recipes.)
• Buy oils in dark glass bottles to prevent them from oxidizing. (Oil is easily oxidized and becomes rancid when stored in clear plastic bottles.)
• Pairing a fat (like olive oil) with your salad or veggies can allow your body to absorb more nutrients from the vegetables.
• Don't go overboard (Healthy Fats are crucial for your health. They are also calorie-dense, so you should be mindful of how much you are using.)

If you feel guilty about eating fats, consider adding some healthy fats to your diet. Enjoy butter, avocado, olive oil, and more from the “healthy” list above. If you still have some of the “not-so-healthy” fats listed, consider switching these out with some of the healthier fats. Little changes, done consistently, can set you on a path to better health.

Dr. Jamie

P.S. "A Functional Perspective on Diet and Cholesterol" explains in detail why healthy fats and cholesterol in diets are NOT to blame for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or other related health conditions.  

Making Dinner Easy

Many people want to eat nutrient-dense foods but struggle to make it happen. Finding a way to fit healthy eating into your lifestyle is crucial. 

Some people love to cook, but fancy recipes and expensive ingredients do not work for everyone.  Busy people need something fast; foodies need something especially tasty, and those who do not like to cook need something easy.

The following tips will be helpful for anyone because you can adapt the basic principles to meet your needs. 

A Basic Plan for Lunch & Dinner 

• Non-starchy vegetables should make up three-fourths of your plate.
• Add a serving of protein about the size of the palm of your hand.
• Add healthy fat like oil the size of your thumb (olive oil, coconut oil, flax oil, avocado oil), one handful of nuts or seeds, half to a whole avocado, or one-third to one-half cup olives.
• Add one serving of carbohydrates (½-¾ cup) like pasta, bread, rice or other grains, fruit, starchy vegetables (sweet potato, carrots, beans/legumes, etc.) 
• If you notice that you struggle with portion sizes, it can help to use a smaller plate at lunch and dinner.

Making Vegetables Taste Good

Many people think they do not like vegetables because they have not tasted them well-made. Roasting vegetables changed my life; the key is to use some fat. Not only does the fat make the vegetables taste delicious, but it is good for you. Check out this article that explains how eating vegetables with fat enables you to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins better. 

Ingredients

• Vegetable(s) of choice
• 1-2 tbsp of fat of choice – coconut oil, butter, ghee, or animal fat (i.e., lard, beef tallow)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425. 
2. Spoon fat onto a 9x13 glass pan or cookie sheet with rimmed edges, and place the pan in the oven to melt the fat.
3. Cut vegetables into uniform pieces 
4. Mix vegetables in the melted fat and season with salt and pepper. 
5. Place vegetables in a single layer on the pan.
6. Roast in the oven. Cooking time varies based on the vegetable.  For heartier vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and sweet potatoes, cook for 25-30 minutes.  Asparagus is 15-20, depending on the thickness.  Look for the vegetables to soften (tender when forked) and start to brown on the edges.
7. Remove the pan from the oven and let the veggies rest for 5-10 minutes on the hot pan. This helps them to crisp up a bit. 
8. If you want to make it really tasty, and you tolerate dairy well, serve it with butter.

Chopping Quickly by Hand

Another challenge to making healthy food is time. Learning to chop and dice vegetables is a game-changer. Cutting will go much faster with the proper knife, a little practice, and the following cutting trick. Many people feel more comfortable with smaller knives. But chopping will be more efficient with a big, sharp knife. It can be intimidating, but don’t let that hold you back from trying. Start slowly; before long, you will be chopping like a pro.

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Counting Calories Is Not the Best Approach

Our bodies are not simple scales balancing calories in and calories out. It has many complex chemical systems that process each ingredient in different ways. Because of this, eating a low-calorie diet is not the best approach to losing weight. 

Buzzwords like low-fat, heart-healthy, all-natural, vegan, and gluten-free make us believe that foods are good for us. However, Starbursts are low in fat; Oreos are vegan; and Reese's peanut butter cups are gluten-free. We can't trust claims on labels.

We must look directly at the ingredients. Typically, a shorter ingredient list with words you understand is best. My rule is: "If I wouldn’t want to eat the ingredients plain, then I don't want to eat them all combined in a food-like product." My main concern is my health. 

Let's explore ten foods that food manufacturers tricked me into thinking were healthy and how eating real food is more important than counting calories. (Note: I am not picking on the brands below. It's the type of products that concern me.)

Foods I Thought Were Healthy 

2. Fruit-flavored yogurt

This was my breakfast every morning. I thought it must be healthy since it was only 80 calories. Now, I avoid “naturally and artificially flavored” whenever possible. I get plain yogurt and add berries.

I also prefer to get full-fat yogurt. Milk naturally contains fat, so I want to keep it that way. We need to eat healthy fats to produce hormones. It also helps us feel full, maintain energy, stabilize blood sugar, and help with insulin resistance. 

3. Orange Juice

Orange juice was my favorite beverage growing up. Who doesn’t love 26 grams of carbohydrates to start their day? 

Unless you are SUPER active, most people will gain weight and struggle with blood sugar control if they have over 150 grams of carbs. With a glass of OJ, you are already 17% there (not including the 30+ grams you might eat in the cereal, bagel, or toast alongside the orange juice).

A typical orange has 11 grams of carbohydrates. The membranes between the segments contain fiber, which fills you up and keeps you more satisfied. This principle is true for all juices, so consider it when you want apple, cranberry, or any other juice. 

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It's Not Your Fault

It is thought that if we eat too much we will gain weight, but the truth is much more complex. A simplistic view often causes a lot of shame for those who are struggling with their weight.

Our society is changing, but historically there has been a lot of judgment and criticism of people who are on the heavier side. This is unfair because many factors influence a person’s weight. 

Investigative science, health journalist, and author Gary Taubes says, “We don’t gain weight because we’re eating more. We’re eating more because we’re gaining weight.” Other factors, not just willpower, need to be brought into the conversation.

Let’s take a more in-depth look at this issue so that we can more effectively address it.

Evolution

As humans, we are designed for survival. In the past, eating lots of high-calorie food helped our ancestors survive. For our hunter and gatherer ancestors, it was difficult to find or kill enough calories in some seasons. 

When food was available, they did not let food go to waste. It was in their best interest to eat as much as they could, so willpower was not needed. After all, it could be a while before they had access to food again. Unfortunately, this survival instinct does not pair well with our current environment. For many of us, food is no longer scarce. Fatty, sweet, salty, decadent snacks abound. Most of the time these snacks are highly processed and not healthy. Nowadays we even have food scientists specifically working to make these foods addicting.  

You may beat yourself up for not having the willpower to avoid these snacks, but it is not your fault. Generation after generation, you were wired to WANT to eat calorie-dense food when it was available. It was crucial for your survival. The best way to combat this is by keeping foods that you do not want to eat out of your environment. Relying on willpower may work for a while, but it is not a great long-term plan. If you have to run to the store to buy something, you will be less likely to eat it than if you just need to go to the kitchen.

Inflammation

Gaining body fat causes inflammation which has a profound impact on brain function.  According to neurologist David Permutter, inflammation changes brain wiring and keeps us “out of the prefrontal cortex and locking us into impulsivity.”

The prefrontal cortex is the part of your brain responsible for executive function. It is the decision-making center of the brain. When excess inflammation is present, it sets off a cycle that ultimately disconnects us from making good decisions. 

Inflammation also impacts the quality of our sleep, which leads us to more impulsivity. David Perlmutter, author of Brain Wash, states that “people who chronically don’t sleep well will consume, on average, approximately 380 calories more each day, without a similar increase in energy expenditure.” 

So, gaining weight leads to low-quality sleep, which leads to inflammation, which leads to impulsivity, which leads to more weight, which leads us to lower-quality sleep, and the cycle begins. In addition, the changes in the brain due to inflammation impact the ability to make wise decisions to break the cycle.

Breaking the Cycle

In Brain Wash, Perlmutter describes the concept of off-ramps, which are ways to disengage from these negative cycles. These off-ramps are designed to give us back control and include things such as prioritizing sleep, mindfulness, and connection. 

When we understand the way we have gotten caught in a cycle, we can choose to make different decisions. Even little changes can help break the cycle and gain more control, which leads to more good decisions. 

Permutter encourages giving yourself “credit for the healthy choices you make - even the small ones - and try to let go of any stress you feel if you make a misstep. Stress can be just as detrimental to your health as a junk food binge.”

Here are some things you can try this week.

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