The Reality Behind Food Marketing

Score! Consumers rallied together to force Dannon, creator of Activia and DanActive yogurts with their trademarked live cultures (bacteria) "B.L. Regularis" and L.Casei Defensis," to change their labelling and marketing to more accurately represent the validity of their claim of health benefits of these bacteria (not to mention to agree to a settlement to consumers). See details of the story here.

What does this mean? It means that Dannon created strains of health-beneficial bacteria from naturally occurring strains, and trademarked them. They then used marketing to imply that these bacteria provide exceptional health benefits that can't be found anywhere else. In reality, these bacteria are no more powerful than any other pro-biotic. And in fact, what would make a yogurt the most health supportive and beneficial to our intestinal bacteria would be to TAKE OUT THE SUGAR that flavoured yogurts are filled with. Sugar is the food that yeasts thrive on, and when the balance of yeast and bacteria in the gut are out of balance, eating sugar just feeds that imbalance.

I wanted to bring this up today because it's a great example how we as consumers have to really question what marketers are trying to feed us. Foods fortified with this, that and the other thing often make claims, either explicitly or implicitly, that they are wonderful for our health and vitality. Really, if we just ate more whole (unrefined, unprocessed) foods as close to their natural state as possible, we'd go a long way toward experiencing that healthy vitality, energy, and natural weight release we seek. Don't buy the hype!

The New "Binge"

So, readers of my blog who have moseyed over to my website and checked out the "Meet Audrey" page (oh, ok, I'll make it easy for you to check it out: Meet Audrey ), will know that I coin myself as an "obesity survivor" and "reformed binge eater." I once weighed 227.5 pounds (well, that was the highest weight I ever saw on the scale) and was a size 20/22. OK here's a picture:

It wasn't the result of any medication I was taking (although I'm sure the antidepressants didn't help my cause), it wasn't a genetic disorder (although there is a little bit of overweight on my mom's side of the family), and it wasn't even an issue of monthly PMS cravings (although the many rounds of antibiotics I had to take for various dental issues over a couple of years may have tipped the balance of yeast vs bacteria in the favour of yeast, which can definitely turn you into a cookie monster).

No, it was none of those things. Simply put, I ate... and ate, and ate and ate. I started my days with coffee and donuts or on a good day, a muffin or bagel with butter. I often skipped lunch, or if I had lunch, it was something greasy from the cafeteria at work. Mmmm chicken fingers and fries, that was always my favourite. With plum sauce, mayo and ketchup for dipping. Oh, and of course with a Diet Coke to wash it all down (it was "Just for the taste of it!"). Being in a stressful high paced demanding corporate job, I did often skip lunch (not to mention would even put off going to the bathroom until my bladder was about to burst, there was just no time to waste!!! You KNOW something is out of balance if you can't even take time to pee.). So by mid afternoon, I'd be ready to eat my right hand. Since I needed it to type with, I would instead opt for a coffee, and a chocolate bar (or two). Finally, when it was time to go home, I'd have formulated which version of fast food I felt like for dinner (pizza? chinese? wings? McDonald's?), and what to get for snacks later (Zesty Cheese Doritos and Haagen-Dazs were big in my rotation). Oh and again, don't forget the Diet Coke. I remember when they had Vanilla Diet Coke on the market. That stuff was GOOD, it was like a vanilla float. I could easily drink 3 of those in a night to wash down all the junk food. So I would put on my favourite reality tv shows, tune out the world and my worries, and have a little party for one. This was probably easily at least a twice weekly (maybe 3 times?) ritual.

I may have been self-medicating to deal with some buried (and not so buried) emotional traumas. But at some point, whatever started me on that downward spiral was no longer the driving reason that I continued. At some point, the food addiction took over and I got stuck. I tried to think my way out of it, to find the reason I couldn't seem to get a handle on my food intake. I sought counselling. I worked on my "stuff." And somehow I got more and more depressed and more and more stuck.

Obviously I found my way out. I share a little about that process on my "Meet Audrey" page on my website. It's been a long, slow journey, with many lonnnnnng plateaus. And really, I'm still working on it... all in good time. If I've learned anything, it's to honour the needs of my body, and my Self, and to trust in myself enough that I can have patience to let it take the time it needs to take. I've never had one of those giant "change your life in an instant" Aha! moments. It's been a series of little "Ohhhhhhhh's" and "Hmmmm, interesting's" that have all added up, so that when I look back now, I can recognize that I've in fact made real changes, and that I myself am a different person. I'm not stuck anymore. I'm amazed how much changing your diet and lifestyle can act as a catalyst to open you up in mind and spirit as well.

BUT enough about all that. My point today was to tell you about the New Binge. In this "post-obesity" life of mine, among other revelations, I've recognized that old habits die hard. I trained my brain to make those tv-and-binge-night connections strong and resistant to any wonderfulness that Kale Chips might be able to deliver. So occasionally, the urge to binge does still come over me. Usually it's when things have gotten very stressful and I'm anxiety-ridden. Often times, it's simply when I've got a great line-up of Must See TV to catch up on on my PVR. Earlier this year, in fact, going through a particularly stressful time in my life, the Zesty Cheese Doritos and Haagen-Dazs got me again and I even gained about 12 pounds over the winter and spring. Finally I'd had enough and I gave myself a good talking to. "Hood," I said (that's what I call myself when I'm talking in my head), "You're back in the stuck place. You started this because of stress and anxiety, and now the addictive components of these foods have got you hooked again. It's time to start walking the talk, and use your own strategies on yourself and get out of this mucky place." It wasn't easy, but I did it. I used my own strategies (which I cover in my "Inspire Yourself!" workshop this Thursday, Sept 24!) and I re-released those 12 pounds, and broke the allure of the junk food. This is not something I'll ever be "cured" of. It's something I have learned over the years to manage, to the tune of keeping me in that small group of 5% of people who successfully keep off 30+ pounds for 5+ years. I'm pretty proud of that.

SO, last night, after a trip to my favourite store (Whole Foods in Oakville), where I had stocked up on lots of nutritilicious fruits, veggies, whole grains, and some no-antibiotic/no-hormone chicken and fish, I settled in to watch the Emmy's (it seems I'm really on the minority side of people who don't get why 30 Rock is so amazing, aside from the most amazing Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin). And, I wanted something snacky. And something sweet. Uh oh. I should mention at this point that while I don't buy or keep in my house those trigger foods like the Doritos and the Haagen-Dazs, in my condo building there happens to be a vending machine downstairs. And it has Doritos, and Peanut Butter Cups, and a smorgasbord of my old junk food party foods. So what did I do?

Well, first I sat myself down and I said "Hood, what's up? You just came back from Whole Foods where you found all these amazing delicious WHOLE natural foods and have a fridge and pantry stock full of fabulous options. Why are you thinking about Doritos?" Well, I didn't know why, other than that my "Watching TV at night and wanting to unwind" old habits were associated with junk food, and so driving me to want that, even though I no longer prefer those foods. So I said "OK Hood, you can have it if you want it. But let's play this out. If you eat it, how are you going to feel after?" My answer to myself: "Like crap. Disappointed in myself. Bloated. Zombie-brained. I'll probably sleep terribly. I'll wake up full of regret." So my next question to myself was "OK, and what if you don't eat that crap, but find something you have in the house to have as a snack? Then how will you feel?" And my answer: "I'll feel the same as I do now (steady energy, mentally sharp and alert, no "grumblies" in the "lower belly"), but less hungry. I'll feel in control, I'll feel peace of mind for not eating junk food, I'll wake up feeling motivated to eat healthfully and will know my workout tomorrow will not be just to make up for today but will actually move me forward. I'll sleep better. And I'll feel good about nourishing my body."

So, the verdict? What did I end up doing? Case closed. I put away the loonies and twonies. And I wish I'd taken a picture but I didn't realize I'd end up blogging about this (or how long this blog post would be! If you're still with me, thanks for reading!). Here's what I had:

• small bowl of Organic Blue Corn tortilla chips with organic salsa
  
• small (about the size of 2 dominos) piece of raw milk gruyere cheese
• about 10 Raincoast Crisp whole grain crackers (fig & olive) with some organic red pepper jelly and the aforementioned cheese
• small single serving (about 1/3 cup) of creme brulee (my favourite dessert in the world, which I had purchased at the prepared baked goods counter at Whole Foods)
• sparkling mineral water with fresh squeezed lime

Does that qualify as a binge? Certainly not compared to my past habits. So let's see. I didn't eat until I was sick, or even until all the food was gone (I have leftovers of everything except the cheese, which I had purposely bought in a small amount). My hunger was satisfied, and my belly felt comfortable. I didn't even feel compelled to eat more, so my appetite (different from hunger, appetite is really the desire to eat) was satisfied too. I went to bed comfortably (although I admit I did notice my heart beating a little bit harder, something I used to feel to an extreme after binging on foods laced with MSG... And I was a little gaseous... Both reactions probably due to the cheese and cream in the brulee, since normally I'm dairy free, and had in fact just come off 5 days of vegan eating). This morning, I woke up well rested and without cravings, and without remorse. I noticed my fingers felt a wee bit "puffy" (and in fact noticed my feet felt a bit puffy last night), so probably the sodium in the cheese and chips were making me retain a little water. Otherwise, I felt and feel good and am not craving for anything.

So no, I don't think that was a binge at all (I might add too that my dinner was just one very small piece of chicken and about 1/8 of a cup of couscous so that food was not really on top of a big meal, but perhaps to supplement a small one). And, what I'm most pleased about is that my choices did not lead me to want more, and more and more. I had good quality WHOLE foods, with healthful nourishing ingredients, including a good dose of healthy fats and whole grain carbs (and some protein in the cheese). My body was FED, so I'm not left looking for something else to fill a gap in nutrients. And my spirit was FED so I'm not left looking for something else to fill up the lack that deprivation based diets would have created.

So, thanks for reading this "confession" of a former binger. I hope in the reading you might have taken away a little something... about how food really does change your brain, and about the very key role your MIND plays in changing your lifestyle (and maybe your life as a result)... And maybe a little inspiration and reminder that if someone who was as stuck and lost and mired as me can make this happen, no matter how stuck or lost or mired you're feeling, you too CAN make this happen. (((((HUGS & PATS ON THE BACK & CHEERS TO YOU ALL)))))

Cheat Days, friend or foe?

I'm quoting my new favouritest Nutritionist, Meghan Telpner here: I think diets with ‘cheat days’ are just lame. The chocolate chip won’t leave your shoulder until you stop dusting it off and putting it back there come Friday and then bemoan its effects the remainder of the week.

So well put. So many diets propose the idea of a cheat day as relief from the pain and drudgery of the deprivation and restriction that the diet imposes... they suggest by having a cheat day, you get to indulge in those treats that you have to avoid the rest of the week... a little reward for your efforts, and a way of staying sane. I have a problem with the cheat day concept on several counts.

First, "cheating" means you've broken the rules and can run wild and fancy free... whether for a day, or a meal, you're inclined to just go crazy and cram in as much of the yummy stuff as you can before you have to go back to your boring, restrictive diet. So we can easily overdo it, and end up wiping out the progress you made the rest of the week. Heartbreaking, and what a waste of energy and effort.

The cheat day also implies that the rest of the week, your "diet" food isn't so tasty, but rather something you HAVE TO eat to lose weight. People, that is the exact problem with diets. You can't stick to a dietary program that isn't feeding you wholly - body and spirit. If you're eating stuff because you HAVE TO and not eating other stuff because you're NOT ALLOWED, well, I will tell you from painful first hand experience, it's not going to be something you can maintain for life, or even for long... unless you're willing to live a pretty bland life full of deprivation? Eating healthfully can be very rich, very flavourful, and sooooo nourishing to both body and soul... and when it is, every meal can be another opportunity for a treat so that we don't feel this overwhelming need to eat as much as we possibly can before time runs out. There's another meal coming just a few hours away! Woohoo!

The other problem with cheat days, as Meghan so aptly put, is that we actually make it harder on ourselves to really enjoy healthy foods. The foods we "cheat" with tend to be high-sugar, high-fat, and high-salt selections... junk food, fast food, and highly chemicalized in a way that makes the flavours very intense. They "hit" your brain and biochemistry in a way that lead you to never be able to get enough. Each time you indulge in foods high in sugar, fat, and salt, you are reinforcing a bio and neurochemical response that triggers you to want more. So let's say you get through 6 days of healthy clean eating ... most of which tasted like cardboard because it's low-fat, low-carb, and because compared to our Day 7 (aka: cheat day) food, it's really bland (our taste buds have been trained to expect intense sugar and fat and salt and we can't even really distinguish the layers of flavours in more natural foods anymore). So on Day 7 we have our cheat day, and we just reinforce to our brains, bodies, and taste buds to respond to those types of foods, making the rest of the week a painful experience. The next 2-3 days after our cheat day, we have to go through a whole new period of withdrawal where high sugar, fat, and salty foods are calling our names. That's HARD to resist. So in the long run, it's pretty rare that the cheat day doesn't turn into cheat dayS (plural) and eventually we return to our old ways. We regain any weight we lost, and feel hopeless and a failure and that it's impossible to stick to any diet long enough to get real lasting results.

What's more, studies have shown that the brain's response to these foods (which in fact is the same response it has to cocaine, heroine, and morphine!) is MORE INTENSE when reexposed to it after a period of abstinence! So by not having these foods for most of the week, and then eating them again, we make the reaction of the brain stronger, making it that much harder for us to resist them when something triggers us to want them (seeing the food, smelling it, being in places, or with people, or doing activities, or feeling emotions that have previously been associated with those foods).

I'm not a fan of cheat days. What I do like, as we're moving toward a more whole foods, natural, healthful diet, is using a good amount of healthy fats in most meals which helps keep me satisifed and is excellent for my brain, my heart, and every cell in my body, and which helps me not continuously crave for more. I like also having a "treat" (not a "cheat") every few days... something made with whole food ingredients, but maybe a little sweet or indulgent in some respect - in portion controlled amounts. This keeps balance for body and soul, and helps me let go of that "diet mentality" that just adds stress and makes my body hold onto fat even more.

So that's my two cents. Anyone think otherwise? Has the "cheat day" worked for anyone out there? I'd love to hear other opinions on the matter.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that if you are interested to learn more about the body and brain's response to sugar, fat, and salt, and about the impacts of stress on our body's metabolic activity, AND get practical PROVEN strategies for how to override those responses so that you can make lasting changes, you'll LOVE the workshop I have coming up on Thurs Sept 24 at the Toronto Healing Arts Centre at 7pm. Take a look at http://springrenual.ca/services.aspx for more details or contact me directly!

The Wonders of the Versatile Avocado!

Oh boy is there anything better than an avocado? Yes, I know it's high in fat, that's what makes it so GOOD... and so GOOD FOR YOU! One whole cup of avocado has about 235 calories, and somewhere in the neighbourhood of 80% of that is fat (180 calories). Two-thirds of that fat is monounsaturated (oleic acid), which has been shown to reduce LDL (the bad cholesterol) and increase HDL (the good cholesterol). Oleic acid has also been shown to help reduce the risk of breast cancer. Healthy fats are important for transporting and absorbing other nutrients, and the avocado provides a perfect little package of these fats in combination with carotenoids and tocopherols (other nutrients that are health promoting, including reducing the risk of prostate cancer) that work together to promote good health in a way that can't be replicated by each nutrient on its own. By adding avocado to meals with other vegetables, you can increase the absorption of nutrients from those vegetables too!

So don't fear the fat - just consume avocado (and other high healthy fat foods like olives, olive oil, butter, coconut milk and oil, nuts, nut butters, and seeds) moderately, and in combination with other lower fat selections, and it will all balance out in the end. In addition to the heart friendly benefits mentioned above, healthy fats will also give your complexion that youthful glow, lubricate your joints, AND, certainly not to be discounted, make your food sooooo much more tasty so that you'll be SATISFIED with eating less of it.

Back to avocados ... They are also exceptionally high in potassium (higher than the much touted banana), which helps regulate blood pressure and guard against circulatory system diseases. They're also an excellent source of folate, a nutrient many people are often deficient in and which is also excellent for cardiovascular health.

How to enjoy an avocado:

Have you ever wondered how to cut an avocado or how to remove the pit? Here's a little tutorial for you (ok I tried to do this by video but my camera is having technical difficulties, so a picture tutorial it is!):

Step 1 - Pick your tools: Your avocado - If you want to eat it right away, a ripe avocado will be slightly soft (but not mushy, that's overripe), and have no dark spots or cracks. If it has a slight "neck" (like a pear) rather than round top, it was probably tree ripened so it will have more flavour. If it doesn't give when you squeeze it, it's not ripe enough, and won't come out of the rind easily, and won't have any flavour. ** Your knife - something with a bit of weight to it, this is important for removing the pit. Your "scooper" - a butter knife or a spoon.
** If you want to buy one to eat later, you can buy it harder, and ripen at home on the counter or in a paper bag over 2-4 days. Once ripe you can then store in the fridge for up to a week.


Step 2 - Cut in a circle around the outside the avocado to create 2 halves:


Step 3 - Now take your knife, and give the pit a "whack" and a slight twist, and out will pop the pit!
Step 4 - Remove the fruit from the rind by using a butter knife inserted between the rind and the flesh and dragging your knife around the edge. It should glide fairly easily around the rim, and free the flesh in one solid piece. Alternatively you can use a spoon to scoop it out.


Step 5 - Now you can slice or cube the avocado as desired!


Step 6 - Eat! Some different ways you can eat avocado:

• sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and just eat it!
• slice or cube and add to salads
• blend it with some vinegar or lemon juice, olive or flax oil, and herbs of choice to make a creamy vegetable/salad dressing
• cube it and "sprinkle" over black bean soup
• mash it and use it to top a baked potato
• if it's soft enough, mash it and use it as a sandwich spread
• mash or blend and mix in spices/herbs and use it for a vegetable dip
• use it as a base for a creamy pudding
• or of course, you can always make GUACAMOLE (see my recipe below) that you can eat with veggies, on the side of chicken or fish, or with whole grain tortilla chips or crackers!

Audrey's Famous Guacamole!
This guacamole recipe is a hit at every party I make it for. Play with the amounts of ingredients to make it the way you like it - spicier or milder, chunkier or smoother...

1 avocado, mashed, but slightly chunky
squeeze of a slice or two of lime
a couple tbsp of red onion, finely chopped/minced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
half a plum tomato, diced
small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
sea salt to taste
cayenne pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and enjoy! Soooooooooo yummy!

Can Exercise Make You Fat?

This surprising claim was made in a recent issue of Time Magazine (Aug 17, 2009) in an article entitled "The Myth About Exercise." In the article, the author explains, with the illustration of a few research studies, that it appears that those who spend hours a week huffing and puffing and sweating away their time and energy at the gym are no more or less likely to release excess weight than those who don't participate in any structured exercise routine. Is this just an attention grabbing headline article to stimulate magazine sales? It does seem to fly in the face of everything we've ever been told about how to release excess body fat: eat less, move more. What about all those extra calories we're burning in the gym (or on the road or in the pool or on the court)? Don't tell me that was all for nothing!??!

The conclusions the researchers are drawing to explain their findings (again, based only on a couple of formal studies; beyond that anecdotal evidence is used) are:

• Exercise stimulates hunger, so we eat more to compensate for the extra calories we burned; in fact intense exercise could make weight release harder, as it could make us lose control of our appetites, leading us to hit McDonald's for some french fries or Starbucks for a 400 calorie muffin after our workouts.
  
• By performing "purposeful" exercise (ie: exercise you do on purpose for the sake of getting exercise, gaining fitness or for weight release), we may also compensate for that extra calorie burn by reducing our "casual" exercise (ie: regular movement that may be done throughout the day such as walking, taking stairs, carrying groceries, cleaning the house, doing yardwork, or playing recreational sports).
  
• The author states that "After we exercise, we often crave sugary calories like those in muffins or "sports" drinks like Gatorade."
• Our perception of the amount of food we can "afford" to eat becomes inflated; we may feel that because we exercise so much, we can eat carte blanche and not have to worry about it.
  

Now, I'm not going to flat-out refute these points, but I am going to argue against them. Yes, when we exercise, our energy requirements to maintain our weight increases. In other words, we can eat more and maintain our current weight. If we want to release excess weight, we do still require a caloric deficit, and exercise can help us to create that.... IF we do not overcompensate by eating as much or more than we burn. Of course if you go and eat french fries and muffins, and Chocolate Frappuccinos you're not going to reduce your body fat. Putting some numbers behind it to help illustrate the point, the article gives the example of a blueberry muffin, at 360 calories. To burn that off, a 154 pound 30 year old female will need to jog for a half hour at 5mph, vacuum for an hour and a half, bike ride for 1.25 hours, or mow the lawn for an hour. Exercise may help prevent you from gaining extra weight in that case, but your weight release goals will be reached very slowly if at all. This article really highlights what we've been told in recent years: Weight release is about 20% exercise, and 80% food. Don't fool yourself that exercise gives you free reign.

While the author states that we often crave sugary foods after exercising, in fact the opposite is more likely. While you may have strong hunger after a hard workout (although many people, myself included, often have little appetite after a hard workout), exercise is not likely to stimulate a craving for sugars in particular. What stimulates a craving for sugar, in fact, is eating sugar. If you make wise selections focusing on complex carbohydrates (whole grains, fruits, veggies, and beans/legumes), adequate amounts of protein, healthy fats, and stay well hydrated, you will not crave for sugar. Exercise, in fact, will minimize your cravings for sugar. Sugar is often craved due to its effect on the reward centres of the brain, stimulating "feel good" neurotransmitters to be released. Exercise does the same thing, stimulating the release of endorphins to increase pleasure, relaxation, and feelings of contentment. Exercising can be an effective means for reducing sugar cravings.

In addition, as I'm sure many of you will attest, when you make the effort to workout, it often reinforces your commitment to healthy living. It improves your mood and you feel more inclined to take the time to take care of yourself with healthy food choices too. Speaking from personal experience, as well as experience of people I've known and seen in the gym myself, I'm going to default to my common sense here: Exercise supports my goals of managing my weight. I feel stronger, I'm fitter, my mood is better, I sleep better, my cravings are reduced, I think more clearly, and yes, I burn SOME extra calories.

The author does also mention that psychologist Dr Kelly Brownell, a longtime expert in the study of obesity who treated obese patients at a lab at Yale, found that while only 5% of participants could keep the weight off, those 5% were also more likely to regularly exercise than those who regained the weight. He states that if he were to run this lab today, he would probably orient the focus more toward food choices than emphasizing exercise, but fails to explain his rationale for that.

The case is made for exercise as beneficial for health purposes, stating that "people who regularly exercise are at significantly lower risk for all manner of diseases - those of the heart in particular." The risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease (the big three killers in North America) are all significantly reduced through exercise. As well, cognitive function is 30% more likely to be maintained, and chronic back pain is reduced by 36%. However, all out sweaty exertion in a gym is not necessarily required to gain those benefits. Simply adding more movement into your daily activity can "enhance various aspects of cognitive functioning." As well, releasing excess weight itself may be more important for improving cardiovascular health and for reducing the risk of developing diabetes than exercise itself is.

Articles such as this one with sensational headlines can do more harm than good. The article is written from a slant that leaves the weary weight-reduction-seeker feeling that they may be better off to stop spending time in the gym. While it does promote exercise for health benefits, it leaves you feeling that if your only reason for working out is weight release, you might as well give it up.

I wish they had taken a different approach, namely: Those who are exercising regularly and adding more movement to their waking hours are doing great things for the health of their bodies, as well as mood management. Keep it up! Those who aren't yet active, start building more movement into your day, and consider adding some "purposeful" activity when you can. But put it in perspective: keep your eyes on the prize and focus on healthy eating as your main method to reach your weight release goals.

As for me, you'll find me in Body Combat 2 times a week, Body Step 2 times a week, and weight lifting 2 times a week. I love how I feel and seeing the results of my hard work, whether I lose weight not! Anyone wanna join me?!!?

ADDENDUM SEPT 9: An article published today commenting on this very same Time article : Experts weigh in after "Time" questions value of exercise