Healthy Fast Food Options According to Dietitians
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]]>2021 HUM x Diversify Dietetics Grant Recipients
First, we were so impressed by everyone who applied. Their unique personal stories, points of view, and goals to make their mark in the field of nutrition were nothing short of inspiring. Below, in their own words, the three HUM x Diversify Dietetics grant recipients share the inspirations behind their respective journeys to becoming registered dietitians. Discover their views on the importance of diversity in the field of nutrition. Plus: what they hope to achieve with their hard-earned, long-coveted credentials.
JONATHAN ALBERT, Community Nutrition program at SUNY Oneonta
As an Afro-Latino male, I represent several minority groups within the field of dietetics and realize the great importance of diversity within any field and pursuit. Diversity makes systems more inclusive, comprehensive, resilient, and better as a whole. [When I become] a registered dietitian, I plan to work within underserved and vulnerable communities that face oppression in the forms of:- food insecurity
- polluted ecosystems
- limited access to health education and other resources
SHANETTA EDWARDS, Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina
Firstly, my passion for cooking started with my dad, who was an avid gardener. He taught me how to cook traditional Southern meals from our harvested crop. Secondly, my dream of being a dietitian represents my ongoing passion for nutrition and food. As a single mother, my children (ages 15 and 10) see my determination to achieve my goals, which then drives my motivation. As a future dietitian, my goals are to:- associate nutrition and culinary arts in the field of community nutrition
- produce my own cooking shows
MANUEL MILLER, Sustainable Food Systems program at Montana State University Bozeman
Born and raised in rural Los Angeles County, I saw firsthand the struggles that underserved communities face, from nutrition to healthcare. I also experienced these challenges throughout my life, as I was diagnosed as Type 1 Diabetic as a child. These experiences contribute to my inspiration to pursue dietetics. In short, my ultimate goal is to build a more sustainable food system that includes everyone. I believe that integrating culturally sensitive ideas and initiatives is important for our food systems. Doing so can ensure an equitable and sustainable future for all. For instance, Latinos and other underserved communities are over twice as likely to face food insecurity and access to food. During my studies, I learned the importance of community outreach to diverse populations and how effective diversity among the dietetics profession enhances outreach efforts. In the near future, I look forward to:- gaining experience throughout dietetic rotations in Missoula, Montana
- joining new leaders in bringing solutions to issues across all areas of dietetics, from local farms to community clinics
- become a CDCES (Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist)
- work within communities of color to reduce the growth of diabetes and contribute to organizations and nonprofits to increase equitable access to nutritious food
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]]>We share a common creed in the world of wellness: Good health should be a right accessible to all. In order to further that goal, we need to ensure that we tune into a wide range of people for well-rounded cultural and nutritional perspectives.
With that in mind, we’d like to shed light on the positive impact that diversity has in the wellness industry—as well as the world at large—by featuring a few Black nutritionists championing diversity and accessibility in nutrition.
5 Black Nutritionists to Follow
Our unique experiences enrich the wellness space, and we strive to embrace that fullness.
With that in mind, here are five Black nutritionists to follow on Instagram.
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1. Tambra Raye Stevenson, MPH
First, Tambra Raye Stevenson is the founder of NativeSol Kitchen. She runs the show as a meal-healer and kitchen coach for this food security and nutrition-awareness movement.
She also founded WANDA: Women Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture, which brings nutritional awareness to women in order to raise healthy, conscious families.
On top of that, Tambra has racked up an impressive resume in local and national government in health and human services. She’s also taken her work internationally. Tambra hails from Nigeria, and feels her work there is a vital part of her soul’s journey. She even brought NativSol to Africa, teaching classes and empowering women and girls.
A jewel in the BIPOC nutrition community, Tambra is also a social justice warrior. She stands for ending food insecurity and providing access to education on food politics for women and families.
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2. Vanessa Rissetto, RD
Vanessa Rissetto is a registered dietitian and the co-founder of Culina Health, an online resource for nutrition counseling and science-based education. Previously, she spent five years as a senior dietitian at Mount Sinai.
In addition, her private practice work hones in on the holistic treatment of:
- GI disorders
- weight management
- PCOS
- family nutrition
Vanessa reminds us that we should all invest in our uniquely personal health journeys. Her adage is that it’s important to find what works for us so that we can stick with it. Through equal access to food and nutrition education, she believes that we all can see real, lasting change in the way we fuel and heal ourselves.
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3. Mearaph Barnes, RD
Mearaph Barnes, RD, is the owner and creator of One in a Melon. Her philosophy centers around helping others create their best selves through knowledge, empowerment, and nutrition. She also hosts wellness events like “Gym & Juice” in LA.
Mearaph brings fun to the table, lifting some of the weight that comes with shifting our lifestyles via dedicated health adjustments.
She also offers personal nutrition counseling and mentorship for existing and aspiring dietitians. In fact, mentoring future RDs is an essential part of her practice. Through her experience and guidance, Mearaph is even diversifying the way in which nutrition experts are educated.
“When there are more BIPOC dietitians, more people have the opportunity for adopting sustainable health practices. [That’s] because the person they work with knows what it’s like to eat something other than a Eurocentric diet,” she explains.
“Some cultures have preparation and cooking practices that are deeply rooted in history, but [are] obscure,” she continues. “For example, growing up in an Ethiopian household meant that kitfo (a traditional Ethiopian dish made from raw beef, chili powder, and butter) was a dish regularly eaten. But during pregnancy, kitfo is prepared well-done, and yet it’s still called by the same name. Knowing this is crucial, especially if you’re providing nutrition services to a first-time mom-to-be who speaks English as a second language and has a predominantly Ethiopian diet.”
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4. Stefen Thompson, Certified Nutritionist + Holistic Health/Wellness Coach
Based in San Diego, Stefen Thompson is the founder of Mind Over Food Coaching. Her work centers around the act of improving our lives through proper nourishment. To Stefen, this means power, and self-love. It’s all a part of positive thinking and creating healthier habits to shape a joyful, full life.
Her mantra centers around shifting our reality with small steps, ritual, and routine. And since wellness is holistic, so is Stefen’s approach when it comes to coaching others to lead healthier lives.
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5. Denine Rogers, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
Denine Rogers, MS, RDN, LD, FAND, is the woman behind Living Healthy, a nutrition, health, and wellness consulting business in Douglasville, Georgia. Living Healthy takes an integrative approach to a life of total nourishment. Its focus is on preventing and healing the body from chronic illnesses by using functional foods as daily medicine.
In her 15 years as a nutritional consultant, she’s worked for all kinds of businesses and industries, such as:
- food service
- hospitals
- federal government programs
- educational institutions
- corporations
- small businesses
- healthcare facilities
Denine is a political liaison for the National Organization of Blacks in Dietetics and Nutrition, as well as an avid volunteer for a number of other organizations. No matter where her duties take her, Denine’s vital work shines a light on the importance of diversity in the wellness realm. In short, she not only drives for change, but is the change we want to see.
Seeking more inspo and leads for Black nutritionists to follow? We encourage you to check out Diversify Dietetics, a nonprofit we’re working with to provide grants for BIPOC aspiring dietitians.
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]]>Diversity—of all kinds—has been one of HUM’s core values since day one.
We come from all walks of life, from different corners of the country and pockets of the globe. Together, we believe that our unique backgrounds, experiences and perspectives not only enrich us as individuals, but also create positive change in the world at large.
As a company dedicated to making nutrition easier and more accessible, that includes our commitment to making the field of dietetics a more diverse place.
To make progress on this front, we teamed up with Diversify Dietetics starting in 2021 to provide greater opportunities for dietetics students amongst underrepresented demographics.
Read on to learn more about why representation is so important in nutrition.
Dietetics: A Historically White Field
Registered dietitians (RDs) and registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) are some of the most highly-educated professionals in nutrition. They work one-on-one with clients to help them achieve their health goals, work in hospitals and long-term living facilities to ensure patients are getting the best care for their needs, and even work at companies like HUM. Dietitians are the most visible faces of nutrition, but those faces are often white.
According to the Commission of Dietetic Registration, there are significant gaps in the number of Black, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, and Latinx dietitians compared to the size of their respective communities:
According to this data, only 11.7 percent of dietitians identify as a racial or ethnic minority.
In HUM’s own recruiting efforts, since HUM’s inception, we’ve noticed a significant lack of racial and ethnic representation amongst dietitian applicants to our RD team, which speaks to a wider trend in the field of nutrition as a whole.
These are just a few factors that may contribute to the lack of representation in dietetics:
- Cost of education: To become a registered dietitian, you must first obtain a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year school. The average cost of college tuition and fees for the 2021-2022 school year was between 10-38K, according to U.S. News & World Report. Then, you must complete a post-graduate dietetics internship program. These are typically full-time and unpaid. Costs for these programs can range, with many between 7-15K for a year-long program. As Diversify Dietetics notes, students of color face a disproportionate amount of barriers, particularly when it comes to this internship requirement.
After completing your internship program, you’re eligible to sit for the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) credentialing exam, which will set you back $200.
Beginning January 1, 2024, the CDR will also require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).
The cost alone of becoming a dietitian can be a major deterrent to entering the field.
- Lack of representation: Representation can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you don’t see people who look like you or have similar beliefs or values working as registered dietitians, you may be less likely to envision yourself working in the field. Role models are important because they can also become mentors that can guide you in developing a successful career.
- Curriculum challenges: Most of the curriculum taught in dietetics programs fails to take into account the cultural aspect of food and presents a one-sided view of what is considered healthy. This can deter potential dietitian candidates whose cultures are not represented. In turn, this also means dietetics is not evolving to reflect the communities in which it serves.
Why We Need Diversity and Representation in Dietetics
Adequate representation is essential to meet the unique needs and concerns of diverse communities.
As Diversify Dietetics succinctly puts it: We need practitioners that more closely reflect the diverse communities that they serve.
With greater diversity in the field of dietetics, RDs may better serve their communities by:
- understanding specific cultural dietary + nutrition staples
- addressing health trends and/or obstacles specific to a given ethnic group
- providing comfort + solace based on a shared background
Familiarity and rapport with members of a dietitian’s community (and their unique concerns) can make all the difference to make nutrition and wellness accessible to all.
To rectify this imbalance, Diversify Dietetics’ mission is “to increase the racial and ethnic diversity in the field of nutrition by empowering nutrition leaders of color.” And we couldn’t be more thrilled to get on board.
The HUM x Diversify Dietetics Grant
With mounting tuition and living expenses—in addition to the time required for homework and self-study, especially before the national registration exam—there is little room to find paid work elsewhere when studying to become an RD.
For this reason, it’s no surprise that financial limitations may hinder aspiring dietitians from starting or completing this journey. However, HUM wishes to help alleviate the financial burden—as well as offer additional support—through our Diversify Dietetics collaboration.
Here’s what the HUM x Diversify Dietetics internship grant includes.
GRANT DETAILS
HUM is offering grants of $30,000 total to three BIPOC aspiring dietitians.
Grant recipients will also have full access to the robust Diversify Dietetics community. Current programming includes but isn’t limited to:
- educator workshops + webinars
- professional development workshops
- mentorship programs
GRANT RECIPIENTS
- Meet the 2022 HUM x Diversify Dietetics Grant Recipients (Coming Soon!)
- Meet the 2021 HUM x Diversify Dietetics Grant Recipients
What’s Next?
Follow HUM’s social media, newsletter, and blog to learn more about our grant recipients. We also encourage you to follow and support Diversify Dietetics.
We understand that this collaboration is a small step on a longer road to promoting diversity, both in the field of dietetics and for Team HUM.
HUM is committed to further upholding our value of diversity through the following:
1. Using inclusive language in job descriptions.
Our attention to inclusive language allows for a wide range of different people to more easily see themselves in a role and decide to apply. We experiment with the wording of job listings by removing adjectives closely associated with a particular gender.
2. Asking candidates to take a work sample test.
This is useful in comparing applicants and it’s an effective predictor of future job performance. Also, sample tests can constitute an objective assessment of the applicant’s abilities, in a manner that is consistent for all those being tested.
3. Sourcing a diverse pool of candidates.
Our people team sources and presents a diverse pool of candidates to hiring managers. If our candidate pool is not diverse then our search has “failed” and we extend the time it takes to fill the role.
By helping to create a more diverse group of people working in nutrition, we hope to continue making wellness a more inclusive space for all.
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]]>The post 7 Questions to Ask Your Dietitian That Will Change The Way You Look At Food appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.
]]>Whether it’s virtually or in-person, everyone can benefit from meeting with a dietitian. At HUM, we provide free access to a personal dietitian to consult with after completing our nutrition assessment quiz. But what does working with a dietitian entail exactly?
A dietitian can help you reach your nutrition goals, help you recognize any blind spots in your current diet, or help you improve your relationship with food. But in order to do this, they’ll need to understand where you’re currently at and what your goals are. Optimizing your conversation with an RD can be as easy as preparing questions early to help them get the best insight on your goals. In fact, asking the right type of questions can sometimes make the difference between leaving the discussion feeling empowered versus somewhat confused. Ready to get started? Here are 7 good questions to ask a dietitian.
How Can A Dietitian Help Me?
You might be wondering: If the dietitian is the expert, why should I come prepared with my own questions?
Ultimately, there are a few compelling advantages to having your own set of questions prepared for your chat with an RD.
- Gain clarity. Asking your burning questions to an expert can help demystify any confusing topics like diets, supplements, and healthy versus unhealthy ingredients. It’s a great time to address any food myths you’ve heard (like those around plant-based diets, for example).
- Improve results. Diet is deeply personal. By asking personal questions, a dietitian can better understand your goals, hesitations, and everything in between. The more insight your dietitian has on your specific needs, the more personalized your nutrition prescription will be. Hence, better results!
- Save time. If you have limited time to talk with your RD, having your list of questions on hand will ensure you can get the most out of your session. To save even more time, consider sending your list of questions to your RD in advance.
How Do I Prepare For a Dietitian Appointment?
Before getting to the best questions to ask a dietitian, here are some preliminary steps to take to better guide your consultation.
The first and most important step is to reflect on your goals. Your goals don’t have to be limited to healthy eating. Personal objectives can range from improved energy and mental clarity to better digestion, for example.
Next, take a moment to reflect on any challenges that may be getting in the way of your goals. This can include social pressure, personal discipline, lack of resources, or a new routine, like after giving birth or starting a new job.
Center your questions around your goal and challenges alike. For example, if your goal is to eat more whole foods and less processed foods, some of the best questions to ask might include:
- What’s the difference between whole and processed foods?
- Is my protein powder considered a whole food?
- How do I start meal prepping?
7 Popular Questions to Ask a Dietitian
Here are some of the best questions to ask a dietitian.
1. I’m thinking about trying this diet. What do I need to know?
I highly recommend asking your RD this question before starting a new diet. Dietitians are well versed in (most) popular diets—especially since there are so many fad diets floating around on social media.
Keep in mind: You’re not asking for the RD’s opinion on this diet. Instead, you’re asking your RD for the information you need to follow the diet in the healthiest way possible and in respect to your goals.
Depending on your goals, your RD will likely help tailor your food intake to align with your lifestyle, eating habits, and activity level.
2. What supplements should I take?
Rather than spending countless hours trying to research which supplements are right for you, let your dietitian do the hard work for you.
At HUM, you can start by taking a quick 3-minute quiz to get personalized vitamin recommendations from the pros. After that, we’ll pair you with a personal dietitian to help further curate your results and to answer any other questions you have.
Your RD has the skillset to look at all of the moving parts of your life, such as your:
- Goals
- Nutrient intake
- Activity level
- Daily schedule
All of this information enables your dietitian to make the best recommendations. More importantly, they can help ensure that you’re taking safe, high-quality supplements.
If you already take supplements, a good follow-up question would be to ask if your current supplement routine is appropriate for your goals and/or concerns. Make sure you come prepared with the name or brand of every supplement you take and know the dosage. Pro tip: Write it all down and bring the list with you or snap a photo of your medicine cabinet.
3. How do I stick to my meal plan when I hang out with friends?
Dietitians are trained to counsel clients on more than just food. Your RD is happy to talk to you about finding motivation for change, responding to daily stressors, and social pressures as they relate to reaching your healthy lifestyle.
Navigating environments where you have little to no control—like eating out with friends—is challenging, but rest assured that your dietitian can help. Whether it’s tips on learning how to select balanced meals from a menu, exploring healthier cocktail options, or brainstorming ideas for non-food-related outings, your RD can be a great resource for tackling social outings.
4. How do I read nutrition labels?
One way to ensure you’re being mindful about your consumption is to check nutrition labels. But often, they can be confusing.
Our advice? Check the ingredient list down at the bottom of the label. For example, if sugar is listed as the first ingredient (meaning it’s the predominant ingredient in the food), you’ll know it’s a food to enjoy in moderation. On the other hand, if a whole food is listed as the primary ingredient, you know it’s providing beneficial nutrients.
Nutrition labels can also help you understand the breakdown of nutrients. For example, fiber is a type of carbohydrate. But since your body can’t digest it, it doesn’t affect your blood sugar levels. To get the most accurate information, subtract the grams of fiber from the total carbohydrates on a nutrition label.
If you’re concerned about specific ingredients, consult your RD—they love debunking myths around popular or taboo ingredients. In most cases, your RD should be able to provide you with science-backed information that supports or warns against certain ingredients.
If it’s an ingredient you should steer clear of, your dietitian can also help you identify it in your daily diet and suggest practical alternatives.
5. Should I track my calories? How many calories should I eat daily?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. That’s why it’s important to ask your personal dietitian to calculate your estimated energy needs.
Additionally, your dietitian can help determine if counting calories will be a helpful strategy for your specific goals and lifestyle.
For some, estimating portions or following a plate diagram may be more helpful than tracking every bite. For others, practicing mindful eating may be more productive. More importantly, your dietitian can make sure that you’re consuming enough calories to prevent malnutrition while simultaneously working to achieve your goals.
6. How can I get my family to eat more vegetables?
Dietitians understand that for many clients with families, you’re not just feeding yourself, but also cooking dinners, packing lunches, and helping keep your entire family healthy. Sharing details and asking specific questions centered around getting family members to eat healthier is perfect for gaining actionable advice from your RD. In fact, your dietitian will likely have age-appropriate tips (for any little ones who may not love veggies), fun and engaging family food activities, tips for cooking for meat-eaters and plant-based eaters, and recipe ideas that you can take home and apply.
7. I experience indigestion/constipation/heartburn regularly. Why?
Nutrition and digestion go hand in hand. For that reason, it’s essential to detail any digestive discomforts that you experience during or after eating.
Your RD can help identify dietary triggers, food sensitivities, and possible food intolerances. Your dietitian can help create a customized meal plan that honors both your tastebuds and digestive comfort. Or, they may be able to help guide you through an elimination diet to find out exactly what’s causing your digestion issues. Plus, they might be able to suggest supplements to help your digestion, like HUM Nutrition’s Gut Instinct, which features a blend of probiotics to aid digestion.
When to Consult Your Doctor
Some questions should be addressed by your doctor before seeing a dietitian. This is especially important if your dietitian doesn’t have access to your past medical history.
This step will apply to you if you:
- Take prescription medication
- Have underlying medical issues
- Are preparing for or recovering from surgery
- Are pregnant or nursing
The Bottom Line
You can optimize your conversations with your dietitian simply by asking strategic questions. Start by setting goals and identifying the most pressing challenges. From there, create a list of questions and let the dietitian do the rest!
Build Your Supplement Routine
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]]>What Is Cognitive Brain Training?
If you haven’t heard of brain training, it’s all the rage. It asserts improvements in mental functioning, and it’s not just for those wanting to prevent age-related cognitive decline. The rise of the brain training industry stems from two parallel insights:- the adult brain is plastic, meaning that connections between neurons, and even brain regions, can be stimulated by performing certain activities
- like the rest of the body, the brain ages
At what age does brain function decline?
There’s conflicting evidence as to when the brain is at peak performance, or if we get better at certain cognitive tasks as we age. Brain imaging studies show that the brain’s overall performance starts to decline in your mid-30s. As the brain ages, there’s visible shrinkage in the hippocampus, an area associated with memory. There’s also a reduction in the level of available glucose, which is the brain’s energy source for firing neurons. But not all hope is lost! If you want to stay on top of your game, you may want to consider exercising your brain muscle or grey matter. And thankfully, there are many easy ways to exercise your mind.How to Exercise Your Brain
So, are you ready to exercise your brain? Here’s what science has to say about how to train your brain to keep it in fighting shape.
1. Play Brain Games
Brain training platforms such as Luminosity, Elevate, Peak, Happy Neuron, and BrainHQ, have developed games that indicate improved memory, attention, language, executive functions, and visual/spatial skills. Even Nintendo has joined the brain training ring. The research evidence on brain games is unclear. Some studies show positive results, including for young adults and those aged over 65. However, others draw opposing conclusions, particularly for children. At any rate, classic brain teasers like crosswords and Sudoku do show improvements when it comes to concentration and memory.2. Surprise Your Brain with Novelty
The brain has two main networks in which it operates:- the default mode, which conserves energy
- the salience network, which selects the stimuli worthy of our attention
- promote neuroplasticity
- release dopamine
- change blood flow in several brain regions including the ventral striatum, which appears to play a central role in learning
- moving your desk to a new position
- sitting in a different location
- brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand
3. Let Your Brain rest
Homeostasis is a principal feature of the body and brain. So as much as novelty is important to keep your brain sharp, perhaps surprisingly, so is boredom. Letting your brain daydream produces benefits by deactivating the salience network. Mental wandering enables your brain to connect thoughts and ideas freely while it’s not busy processing information. In its resting state, it activates connections between areas of the brain associated with divergent thinking, which helps form creative ideas. The process of not thinking about anything in particular will enable your brain to consider options that it may previously have disregarded. On the other hand, constant stimulation prevents the consolidation of information and memories from forming. Simply put, downtime can lead to many emotional and cognitive benefits. For instance, the brain state of mindfulness meditation is all about ceasing fixation on thoughts. In addition to spurring creativity, meditation can lead to:- increased memory, attention, and emotional regulation
- feelings of relaxation
- improved cognitive function
4. Get Quality Sleep
Good sleep is an integral part of brain training. If you’re not getting a good night’s sleep, you may not be functioning at your best. While you sleep, the brain does its housekeeping and recalibrates. It removes the buildup of toxins from a day of thinking by flooding the brain with cerebrospinal fluid, which effectively “washes out” your brain. This form of overnight therapy is essential to your well-being. Research has shown that sleep may play a role in helping the brain triage, or decide which memories to consolidate or dispose of. In addition, sleep provides the brain with the opportunity to actually come up with solutions to consolidated problems. Conversely, sleep deprivation is strongly associated with changes in mood, impaired cognitive function, loss of concentration, and impaired decision making. Chronic sleep deprivation can contribute to negative neurological changes and more serious cognitive decline.
5. Increase Brain Connectivity Through Hobbies
We really have two brains—the right and left hemispheres—that are connected via the corpus callosum. Research shows that people with higher IQs have thicker, more densely connected brains. Now, time for great news: By engaging in activities that encourage greater connectivity between the brain’s two hemispheres, you can effectively become smarter. So, how exactly can you train your brain for greater connectivity and intelligence? First, activities involving music are a fantastic way to integrate your entire brain. Even listening to music is great—and no, it doesn’t have to be classical music. If you know how to play an instrument, make time to incorporate playing into your weekly routine. If you haven’t played since you were a kid or want to learn, (re)start now to keep your brain young. Second, learning a new language is an excellent way to increase brain connectivity. Thankfully, you don’t have to master the language completely to increase connectivity between brain regions. In addition, reading fiction can improve your vocabulary and creative thinking skills. Finally, dancing is one of the best activities incorporating multiple brain regions. It threads in the auditory cortex, vestibular system, and memory. If you can find someone to salsa with, even better!6. Perform Physical Activity Regularly
Last but not least, let’s focus back on exercise. Evidence in favor of the brain benefits of physical exercise is very robust. In fact, any activity that raises your heart rate increases blood flow to the brain. This results in neuronal structures getting flooded with oxygen and glucose, the energy source axons need to communicate across synapses. Additionally, young adults who exercise regularly have better memory and attention. Exercise increases the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is key for brain function. BDNF also shows promising results in promoting neuroplasticity in adults and preventing cognitive decline associated with aging and more complex brain health issues. Finally, in older adults, pairing physical exercise with braining training has an even greater effect on cognitive function.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, there are countless ways to exercise your brain. Even better, there’s a good chance you’re engaging in some of them already. Whatever you choose to do to keep your brain in tip-top shape, have fun with it and mix things up. Dedicate more time for brain training activities that you enjoy, whether that’s doing Sunday crosswords, reorganizing your home, or walking with friends.
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]]>The post A Dietitian Answers The Most Googled Questions About Dietitians appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.
]]>To explain all about who dietitians are and what they do, here is HUM’s Director of Education, registered dietitian Sarah Greenfield, RD, CSSD to answer the most commonly googled questions about dietitians. (Looking for questions to ask a dietitian? We’ve got you covered here.)
Dietitian Q&A with Sarah Greenfield, RDN
What does a registered dietitian do?
A dietitian, in my opinion, is primarily a health educator. They help people connect to a healthier lifestyle, giving them the tips they need to make a transformation.
What’s the difference between a nutritionist and a dietitian?
This is one of my favorite questions about dietitians. I answer it a lot.Basically, it’s an education difference. A nutritionist can really be anybody. There’s not a specific certification that needs to be in place to call yourself a nutritionist. A dietitian, on the other hand, has to go through an accredited program and then take a nationwide exam through a company called the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Once you pass that exam, then you can call yourself a dietitian.
Something that can be kind of confusing is that registered dietitians are now also called RDNs or registered dietitian nutritionists. So, you want to make sure that you understand the difference between the two. Don’t get me wrong, nutritionists are great. I don’t want to discredit someone who is a nutritionist, but a dietitian goes through a much more rigorous training than a nutritionist.How do you become a dietitian and how long does it take?
All in all, becoming a dietitian is about a five-year process. I did a four-year Bachelor of Science program in Nutrition. Then, after I got my degree, I was able to apply for a dietetic internship at a hospital which took another year to complete.What skills do you need to be a dietitian?
In my opinion, the skills that you need to be a dietitian are:
- a passion for nutrition
- being able to communicate effectively
- a general love for people
Can dietitians prescribe supplements?
Yes, dietitians can absolutely create a supplement plan for you. Prescriptions are really more for medications and while a dietitian cannot prescribe medications to you, they can one hundred percent put together a supplement protocol for you.
How can a dietitian help me?
Depending on what you need, a dietitian can help you in many different ways. In my practice, I help people with digestive issues, figure out what food sensitivities they might have, identify where they can make changes to their lifestyle, give them tips to improve digestion or sleep better, and more. It’s really about understanding you as a person, what you need, and then creating a plan and a way for you to hit those goals.
Should I see a dietitian to lose weight?
Yes! A dietitian is the most qualified person to help you with a weight loss journey. Weight loss is a big, big concept. It’s not just about decreasing your calories and exercising more. There’s a lot of emotional things that come up and belief systems that we have in place. A dietitian can help you navigate the food piece, and the movement piece––but also the emotional side. They can connect you with tools that can help you navigate weight loss in a completely different way.
What do dietitians wear?
It depends! In a hospital, dietitians have to wear close-toed shoes and a lab coat. If you’re in your own practice or a corporate setting, you can pretty much wear whatever you want as long as you look put together. You probably don’t want to wear a bathing suit, or a onesie, or pajamas… But barring that, dietitians wear anything that we feel good in.
What are some questions you can ask a dietitian?
You can (and should) ask a dietitian any and everything! Seriously. In my personal practice, I talk a lot about poop. So people ask me, “Why does my poop smell?” or “What should my poop look like?” Those are all welcome questions that I appreciate.At HUM Nutrition, we pair our customers with dietitians to help advise on your journey to better health. People ask them any number of questions, for example:
- “Is my breakfast balanced and healthy?”
- “What are some good snack options?”
- “What type of nut milk should I use in my morning latte?”
- “Am I sleeping enough throughout the night?”
They can answer all of these questions and are a really great resource on your journey to better health. The most important thing is feeling comfortable with the person you’re working with and really, any question is a good question. It’s only going to give more clarity to your situation and goals.
What do dietitians eat?
I always say that dietitians are people, too! As a dietitian, people sometimes look at me and they’re like, “Oh my god, you’re eating that piece of cake!” But I’m a human, I have a sweet tooth. So for me, I try and get more vegetables and balance in my meals as much as possible, but I also don’t limit myself. If you’re curious for specifics, you can check out my food diary of everything I ate in a day.
Are dietitians worth it?
Hell yeah! If you can find a really great dietitian that you connect with, it’s the best investment that you can make in yourself. It’s going to give you so much clarity. Trying to navigate the nutrition world on your own is completely overwhelming. You will get different information depending on where you look. And sometimes, you need a personalized approach and a qualified sounding board. Working with a dietitian is the best.
Have more questions about dietitians? Connect with a HUM dietitian of your own to ask all your questions to when you take this three-minute quiz.
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]]>The post How Not To Diet with Dr. Michael Greger appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.
]]>“Diets don’t work by definition,” he explains, simply. “Going on a diet implies that, at some point, you will go off the diet. Short-term fixes are no match for long-term problems. Lifelong weight control requires lifelong lifestyle changes.”
But for many of us, sorting out which changes to make can be an exhausting endeavor. That’s where How Not to Diet comes in. Dr. Greger’s new book doesn’t just look at the research. It researches the research. It meticulously evaluates the data and comes to its own conclusions by doing what virtually no one else bothers to do: cross-examining and citing the results from almost five thousand different studies. Only then does he definitively say how we should eat for optimum health. For a taste, here are our five biggest takeaways from reading How Not to Diet with insights from Dr. Michael Greger, himself.
5 Lessons From How Not to Diet with Dr. Michael Greger
1. A calorie is not just a calorie
“In medical school, we were taught that a calorie from one source is just as fattening as a calorie from any other source,” Dr. Greger recalls. “Biochemically, a calorie is a calorie, but in real life, far from it.”
For example, he shares, one hundred calories of chickpeas impacts the body differently than 100 calories of chicken, or 100 calories of chiclets, for that matter. Why? Because these foods are all made up of very different things. Different ingredients have different effects on absorption, appetite, our microbiomes, and more.“Different foods rev up or down your appetite. And it’s not what you eat, but what you absorb,” Dr. Greger shares. “Fiber, for example, in whole intact plant foods can trap calories and flush them out the other end.” But more on that later…
“Even if you eat and absorb the same number of calories, a calorie may still not be a calorie,” he continues. “The same number of calories eaten at a different time of the day or after different amounts of sleep can translate into different amounts of body fat. Even the exact same foods eaten differently can have different effects. So, it’s not only what we eat but also how and when.”
2. Research supports a whole-food, plant-based diet
When it comes to what to eat to lose weight, one way of eating shines through all the research. “Indeed, we have experimental confirmation: A whole-food, plant-based diet was found to be the single most effective weight-loss intervention ever published in the medical literature,” Dr. Greger says. “[It’s been] proven in a randomized controlled trial with no portion control, no calorie counting, no exercise component: the most effective ever.” Unsure what that looks like? He elaborates: “We should eat real food that grows out of the ground, natural foods that come from fields, not factories, [from] gardens, not garbage, a diet centered around whole plant foods—and it is completely within our control to do so.” In his book, Dr. Greger reports seventeen key factors that encourage weight loss and how a whole-food, plant-based diet perfectly supports these guidelines. “The foods we eat and, in fact, our meals and entire dietary patterns should be anti-inflammatory, clean from industrial pollutants, high in fiber and water, and low in high glycemic and addictive foods, added fat and sugar, calorie density, meat, refined grains, and salt. They should also be low insulin index, friendly to our friendly flora, particularly satiating, and rich in fruits and vegetables, as well as legumes.”3. Fiber is your friend
Forget counting carbs and protein intake. As it turns out, what you really need to be paying attention to is your fiber intake.“Less than 3 percent of Americans get even the recommended minimum adequate intake of fiber,” says Dr. Greger. “On average, we only get about 15 grams a day. The minimum daily requirement is 31.5 grams, so most of us are getting less than half the minimum. Men are particularly deficient.”
This is bad news, he tells us, as dietary fiber intake can help protect us against the risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and much more.“In fact, if I had to give just one piece of advice to best sum up my recommended weight-loss boosters, it would be about fiber: Wall off your calories,” Dr. Greger emphasizes.
To understand, we have to look at the cellular level. Animal cells have easily digestible membranes, Dr. Greger explains. This allows our gut to easily access the calories in animal products. By contrast, fiber acts as an indigestible physical barrier in plant cell walls and traps more calories in. That means when we eat plant-based foods, more calories move through our system instead of being stored away as fat for later.
This is also where the “whole food” part of a whole-food, plant-based diet becomes crucial. Dr. Greger shares that processing plant foods into things like fruit juice, sugar, refined grains, and even flour destroys the cellular structure and cracks open cell walls. Once again, this renders the calories too easily accessible for our bodies. “When you eat structurally intact plant foods, you can chew all you want but you’ll still end up with calories completely encapsulated by fiber,” Dr. Greger explains. “[This] then blunts the glycemic impact, activates what’s called the ileal brake that dials down appetite, and delivers sustenance to your friendly flora.” Feeding this friendly flora encourages our bodies to produce short-chain fatty acids that absorb from the colon into our bloodstream. After circulating throughout our body, the short-chain fatty acids then reach the brain to signal that we are full. Consequently, this tells our body to decrease appetite and boost metabolism.“When diets are deficient in fiber, we are in effect starving our microbial selves. So, try to make sure as many of your calories—whether from protein, carbs, or fat—are encased in cell walls. In other words, get as many of your calories from whole, intact, plant foods.”
4. In addition to what you eat, when you eat matters
Enter chronobiology. The scientific term for optimizing your body’s natural daily rhythms.“Chronobiology is the study of how our bodies’ natural cycles—mental, physical, and emotional—are affected by the rhythms of the sun, moon, and seasons,” Dr. Greger says. For weight loss, we can learn a lot about how the time of day affects our digestion. “Interestingly, because of our circadian rhythms, morning calories don’t appear to count as much as evening calories.”
To work with your body’s natural rhythm, he offers this expression to keep in mind: “Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dine like a pauper.” In other words, consider making breakfast your largest meal of the day and dinner the smallest. It turns out eating the same number of calories in the morning is less fattening than eating the same number of calories in the evening. But why?“One reason is that more calories are burned off in the morning due to diet-induced thermogenesis, the amount of energy the body takes to digest and process a meal, given off in part as waste heat,” Dr. Greger says. “When people are given the exact same meal in the morning, afternoon, and at night, their body uses up about 25 percent more calories to process the meal in the afternoon than at night and about 50 percent more calories to digest it in the morning. That leaves fewer net calories in the morning to be stored as fat.”
5. even small tweaks daily can make a difference
While adopting a whole-food, plant-based diet as a baseline should offer results alone, in his book, Dr. Greger also offers twenty-one tweaks you can incorporate into your daily routine to support additional weight loss. Here are the top three tweaks Dr. Greger suggests prioritizing:- Drink two cups of cold water before each meal to help boost your metabolism.
- Preload before meals with “negative calorie foods.” This includes an apple, light green soup, or salad, containing fewer than one hundred calories per cup. Doing so will satiate you before the main course, decreasing the likelihood of overindulging in higher-calorie foods.
- Fast after 7:00 PM. “The fewer calories after sundown, the better,” Dr. Greger affirms.
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]]>The post Meet Dr. David Sinclair, Harvard’s Anti-Aging & Longevity Expert appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.
]]>Here are our five biggest takeaways on increasing longevity and wellbeing as we age. For more learnings, be sure to check out Dr. David Sinclair’s new book Lifespan: Why We Age and Why We Don’t Have To.
5 Lessons In Longevity with Dr. David Sinclair
1. We have more control over aging than we think
But isn’t longevity hereditary? While our lifespan is partially influenced by our genetics, it’s really only a small part. “Only 20 percent of our lifespan is determined by our parents,” Dr. Sinclair tells us. “The rest is up to us.”
Consider, for instance, that life expectancy in the US has increased by almost twenty years just in the last fifty years. Our genes haven’t changed, but our lifestyles and environments have. Indeed, advances in modern medicine have come a long way in eradicating deaths from diseases. Dr. Sinclair’s lab works on how we can improve longevity even after you remove diseases from the equation.
“Even if we stopped cancer and heart disease individually today, we would only live another couple of years because we come up against aging itself. The only way to make meaningful gains in health and longevity is to address the root causes of these diseases, which is aging itself.” To do so, Dr. Sinclair’s lab investigates how our genes can best express themselves for optimal longevity.
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2. Longevity is not just about living longer, it’s about living better
Dr. Sinclair’s research on longevity isn’t just about extending our lifespan by the numbers. It’s about improving our quality of life at these older ages.
“One misconception is that research like mine will keep people in nursing homes for longer because they imagine what it’s like to be ninety. But what we’re talking about is actually keeping people younger for longer so they will not have to go into nursing homes,” he shares. “People aren’t scared of getting old. They’re scared of losing their health, and their humanity.”
3. A little bit of deprivation can actually be a good thing
Modern living is very comfortable, but a little discomfort can actually encourage greater longevity.
“We’ve realized that all life on the planet does better when it thinks we’re under threat of survival, or perceived adversity,” Dr. Sinclair shares. “In our lab, we call it hormesis. It’s the scientific term for ‘whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger—and live longer.’ What it essentially means is that we have these in-built protective systems, longevity genes, and they are only activated when we’re hungry, or exercising, or doing something that tricks our bodies into thinking times will be tough.”
In his personal routine, Dr. Sinclair exercises regularly and tries to skip one meal a day.
4. Eat more plants… and drink red wine
“There’s a set of longevity genes that are helpful when you don’t have a lot of meat,” Dr. Sinclair explains. For example, a longevity pathway called nTor is sensitive to the number of amino acids that come into the body. In particular, to some of the branched-chain amino acids that are more abundant in animal products.
“What’s good about having low levels of branched-chain amino acids is, first of all, you’ll probably be less hungry. But second of all, you’ll turn on those nTor defensive pathways that, at least in the lab, extends lifespan of animals quite dramatically—even late in life when it’s applied.”
Plants have another resiliency benefit. “They make molecules that turn on their own defenses,” he shares.
“We have a theory called xenohormesis and that’s the idea that stressed plants make molecules that help them, but also when we eat those plants we turn on our defenses.” In following this theory, eating stressed plants that have been exposed to a lot of sun before harvest can help activate our body’s natural defenses.
“The best example is resveratrol in grapes. We bottle that in red wine and we’ve found resveratrol activates a particular longevity pathway in the body. That’s in part why we think red wine over the long run can be healthy.”
5. It’s never too late to implement preventative measures for aging
The best time to start implementing anti-aging tactics is right now, no matter your age. Of course, the earlier you can start, the better. However, “It’s never really too late,” Dr. Sinclair reassures us. A prime example? His father.
“My father has been implementing changes and he’s now 80,” he shares. “He has small meals, he focuses on plants, he eats dark, green, leafy vegetables and isn’t looking back at all.” Even at his advanced age, his father is as physically fit as someone in their 20s or 30s.
“If we can eat the right things, and move a little bit, that’s already a big change in people’s lives. It’s all those simple things that we need to start with, and then add the science on top of that. That’s why I’m optimistic that it’s doable. The only thing that’s holding us back is the will to do it.”
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To learn more about Dr. David Sinclair’s work, read his book, Lifespan, or follow him on Instagram @davidsinclairphd.
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]]>The post Debunking Wellness BS with Dr. Jordan Metzl appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.
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At a recent wellness retreat, Dr. Metzl addressed this phenomenon of mass misinformation. “The closer the worlds of medicine and fitness can come together, the better for everybody,” shared the NYC doctor. Here are his key insights into how we can live healthier lives—minus the BS.
Wellness is a $4.2 Trillion Industry
According to the Global Wellness Institute’s annual report, $4.2 trillion was spent in the wellness (read: not medicine) industry in 2017. We can only imagine that the number has grown exponentially in the past two years. “To put that sum in perspective, the US government is spending about $3 trillion each year on healthcare and a humble $59 billion on education” Dr. Metzl noted. That’s not to say you shouldn’t spend on wellness, of course—just that it’s important to recognize that with increased interest also comes an influx of opportunists. For that reason, it’s important to do your own research and spend your hard-earned dollars with experts and businesses that provide credible goods and services.
Your Lifestyle is More Important Than Your Genes
“Part of the big health problem is that we treat diseases like diabetes, heart attacks, and arthritis after they happen,” the doctor emphasized. According to recent CDC reports, more than a quarter of the population suffer from obesity and diabetes. However, both are preventable. “About 20 percent of your health is your genetic makeup,” Dr. Metzl says. “Another 20 percent is interacting with people like me,” aka seeing a physician. The remaining 60 percent is our lifestyle, meaning lifestyle habits account for more than genes and medical consults combined. Unfortunately, many medical practitioners aren’t well-versed in prescribing lifestyle changes. “We don’t teach doctors how to prescribe nutrition, or how to think about sleep, mood, stress, or fitness—but we should,” Dr. Metzl advised.
Researchers are Looking Closely at Daily Routines
While we’re starting to understand the simple concepts that actually contribute to our well-being, we still have a lot to learn. But researchers are moving in the right direction. “Take Lake Nona as a prime example,” Dr. Metzl shares. At Lake Nona, the residents live at a slightly discounted rate so they can be studied by the University of Florida. Researchers take note of their movements, what they eat, and even everybody they socialize with. Although it sounds a bit like The Truman Show, it’s a fascinating new approach to lifestyle science. “All the studies we have are retrospective, while this one will be the first prospective, meaning looking ahead,” Dr. Metzl explained.
The Recipe for Wellness is Actually Pretty Simple
Dr. Metzl recommends abiding by the four pillars of wellness: body, mind, nutrition, and also community. “Community is one of the most unsung areas of wellness,” he shared. But how did it officially make the cut?
These four pillars are borrowed from the blue zones, areas in which people routinely live past the age of 100. Ranging from Japan to Greece to Costa Rica, it’s not that these distant communities abide by the same stringent set of rules, but rather embody a similar broad and balanced approach to health. “They don’t have a specific diet type,” Dr. Metzl explains. “They eat a little bit of everything. They don’t do SoulCycle. [But] they’re moderately active and they’re part of a community,” Dr. Metzl explained. Research further backs up the importance of community to our health. Healthy relationships can actually help us cope with stress and are even associated with improved endocrine and cardiovascular health.
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24/6 by Tiffany Shlain
Sure, we’d probably all benefit by permanently logging off our social media forever and embracing a full-blown analog lifestyle. However, as romantic as it sounds, most of us aren’t about to run off to Walden Pond anytime soon. This book provides a manageable alternative. Could you live without your devices for twenty-four whole hours, one day per week? Author Tiffany Shlain has done just this with her family for almost a decade. In brief, she explains the many benefits she and her family have experienced practicing this “Technology Shabbat” and also the science affirming it.
LIFESPAN by dr. DAvid Sinclair
Is aging optional? Or even more enticing, can we actually reverse aging? Harvard Medical School scientist David Sinclair, PhD, suggests just that in this new book. (Please see J.Lo for living proof that he’s correct.) To illustrate, he shares insights from 20 years of research in his lab on how we can activate our body’s vitality genes to actually reverse aging. Even better, many of his solutions are accessible lifestyle changes including intermittent fasting, exercise, and consuming less meat.
THE INFLAMMATION SPECTRUM by Dr. Will Cole
Dr. Will Cole‘s first book, Ketotarian, was an international best-seller. In it, he proposed a plant-based keto diet as a way to burn fat, boost energy, and calm inflammation. Now, he’s back with a new book entirely devoted to the subject of inflammation and its many expressions. Weight gain, fatigue, and hormone imbalances are all part of the inflammation spectrum, he proposes. But that doesn’t mean we’re helpless. Rather, every meal we eat can either help or hurt ourselves on that spectrum. Which way will you skew?
THE SOURCE BY DR. TARA SWART
This one is for you, skeptics. Evidently, manifesting isn’t just a feel-good cliché. On the contrary, neuroscientist and psychiatrist Tara Swart, MD, PhD, says visualization really does work. The proof is in her clients. Besides her work as a researcher, Swart provides one-on-one brain-based coaching to top business leaders. Tap into their power and, more importantly, yours with this book that reveals the positive science behind manifesting. This book explains how to achieve success with lessons in neuroplasticity, magnetism, emotional and logical thinking, hydration, self-care, and relaxation. Read it to quiet self-limiting beliefs and fears, and give yourself permission to step into your best self.
Essential Well Being by Sara Panton
Find botanical bliss with this self-care read from vitruvi co-founder Sara Panton. She’s previously appeared on our blog to talk us through essential oil basics. Her new wellness book will take your knowledge of essential oils and self-care rituals to the next level. It’s full of recipe blends for everything from face oils to lymphatic massage to non-toxic cleaning. With beautiful photography all throughout, this practical guide is cleverly disguised as a dreamy coffee table book for easy referencing, no matter your need.
To Love and Let Go by Rachel Brathen
Bestselling author and IG yoga phenom Rachel Brathen (aka @yoga_girl) is talking love and loss in her new memoir. Although many of us came to know Rachel through her viral handstand photos (or, lesser perhaps through her pioneering of goat yoga) her story is rich with challenges, heartbreak, and teachable moments. In To Love and Let Go she’s opening up about losing loved ones and how that grief has shaped her life. Where her first book taught us to breathe and feel through uncomfortable poses on our yoga mats, this book shares how she’s lived that philosophy in much bigger ways.
Good Habits, Bad Habits by Wendy Wood
We sense a real aha moment coming with this one. Wendy Wood, PhD, MS, reveals the science behind making good habits and breaking bad ones. As a social psychologist, her research at the University of Southern California looks at every aspect of habit performance. That is, how we form habits, the way our brains respond to rewards, and why bad habits are so difficult to break. This book draws from thirty years of research, sharing case studies, experiments, and the neuroscience behind our unconscious rituals.
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