food addiction – watercress words by Dr Aletha

EAT PLANTS FEEL WHOLE

Harness the healing power of plants and transform your health

By George E. Guthrie, MD, MPD, CDE

Note: I received a complimentary digital advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This post does contain affiliate links. Thanks.

If you think a whole-food, plant-based diet is boring, bland, expensive, or difficult, you should read this book. George Guthrie, M.D. a Family Physician, also pursued extensive education in nutrition and lifestyle medicine.

Dr. Guthrie developed several lifestyle-change programs, including the Complete Health Improvement Project (CHIP), the Wellspring Diabetes Program, and AdventHealth’s CREATION Health program. He is active in the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and has served there as secretary-treasurer, president-elect, and president.

Food can be addicting…some of us eat because it makes us feel better.
Dr. George Guthrie

Dr. Guthrie focuses on the major non-infectious diseases-obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease-those that we see daily in family medicine. He explains how evidence shows that these are chiefly due to SAD-the Standard American Diet.

Many people struggle with the same issues: mindless snacking, overeating, or consuming whatever is most convenient. Refined foods are designed to stimulate the pleasure centers in our brain and bring us back for more.
Dr. Guthrie

He explains in thorough but easy to understand language the components of nutrition beginning with the major categories-fats, carbohydrates, and protein. Then he reviews the micronutrients, that is vitamins and minerals. He made a point that we can get all of these we need from food, with supplements only needed in isolated cases.

blue berries, strawbeerries, and orange slices-Nutrition Facts — Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

He offers multiple examples of patients from his practice who transformed their health with this whole-food plant-based approach. (Using care to change details to protect confidentiality.) They lost weight, lowered blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol with less or even no medication, and increased stamina.

This essential companion journal will help you track your journey to feeling whole.

The book concludes with a detailed outline for the whole-food, plant-based eating plan, which he emphasizes is not just another version of a vegan or vegetarian diet, which he says are not necessarily healthy. Dr. Guthrie recommends using the 18-day QuickStart Plan.

The book concludes with easy-to-follow recipes. I appreciated that the ingredients are ones that you are likely to already have at home, or available to buy at a regular food store, without the need to seek out a specialty store or buy online.

Even if you don’t have a chronic disease, this diet plan is worth considering as it can potentially prevent high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Before I read this book, I considered my eating habits healthy, but I discovered changes I can easily make for improvement. I think you will too.

“PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This book is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional but as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of the author. You are advised and encouraged to consult with your healthcare professional in all matters relating to your health and the health of your family. “

This short e-cookbook is available to download free at Dr. Guthrie’s website

Plant-Powered Recipes to Help You Feel Whole

You may listen to Dr. Guthrie talk about plant based eating at this link to his library of podcasts-

Eat Plants Feel Whole

exploring the HEART of healthy eating

If this post or Dr. Guthrie’s book motivates you to make some eating changes, please comment, I’d love to know how you are exploring the heart of health.

Dr Aletha

We all enjoy our holiday traditions of eating and drinking special foods and beverages. But these can cause problems for people who need to manage what they eat and drink for medical reasons.

Nutritional management is a major part of living with these conditions-

diabetes and high cholesterol
celiac disease/gluten sensitivity
nut and other food allergies
lactose intolerance
overweight/obesity
alcohol dependence
heart, kidney, and liver dysfunction
pregnancy
migraine

A Pandemic Holiday season

COVID-19 adds an extra layer of needs to safely celebrate the holidays with food, beverages, and gatherings. Here is a link to CDC guidance to minimize risk of spreading the virus through your holiday activities.

Holiday Celebrations and Small Gatherings

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful and isolating for many people. Gatherings during the upcoming holidays can be an opportunity to reconnect with family and friends.

This holiday season, consider how your holiday plans can be modified to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to keep your friends, families, and communities healthy and safe.”

PRACTICAL TIPS ON PARTY FOOD AND MEAL PLANNING

Planning ahead to manage holiday stress also applies to cooking, entertaining and eating during the holiday season.

If you plan and prepare holiday meals and parties, remember some attendees need to avoid or restrict certain types of foods.

Offer an ample variety of types of food and drinks so your guests will find something that works for them.

If you have house guests, they will appreciate your asking them about dietary needs or restrictions so you can have food available to meet their needs.

If you have special needs in regards to food, it may be wise to offer to bring a dish to an event , or take food to eat if you will be someone’s house guest.

from The American Diabetes Association

“Holidays can be a time of great anxiety for people with diabetes because it is so focused on food.
Don’t let questions about what to eat, how much to eat, and meal timing dampen your holiday. Plan in advance, so you can fend off stress and fully enjoy the day and keep your diabetes management on track.”

Here are the ADA suggestions for Holiday Meal Planning.

Are you worried about gaining weight from holiday meals, or trying to maintain a weight you have worked to achieve? Then try these

Top Holiday Healthy Eating Hacks

from Charmaine Gregory, M.D. at Fervently Fit

“There is a huge amount of power in being mindful with your eating during this holiday season. “

Try these Edible Christmas Gifts from Dr. Diana, an allergy doctor who blogs about cooking.

Delicious gluten free recipes from PositiveHealthWellness

Addiction Hope

offers advice for those with eating disorders – anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder )

” Eating disorders are not about food, it is about the underlying issues which can be triggered by anxiety and stress. Holidays can bring on both increased stress and anxiety and can be difficult for individuals to manage. When a person is in an active eating disorder, there are various ways to cope with the holidays.”