It’s official: eat less, America

Friday, May 27, 2011  4:24 pm

The new 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released earlier this year (yes, in 2011). The details of the report remain a tortured dance of recommendations to avoid the ubiquitous processed foods at the heart of the obesity epidemic – without offending the processed food industry. BUT the truly big truly good news  is that finally, even the USDA (whose role, in addition to telling Americans what to eat, is to promote our agricultural commodities), agrees that Americans need to eat less. Avoid sugary drinks, the guidelines say, in favor of water, unsweetened teas and other healthier options.

OK: yes, the guidelines remain too heavily influenced by the processed food industry. And yes, the guidelines do not actually reflect the evidence on the healthiest way to eat (for that my favorite is the Healing Foods Pyramid from U of MI).  BUT can we take a moment to appreciate all involved who stood up to the monied big food  interests in the name of health? Ho boy those committee members must have had some hot pressure not to tell Americans to eat less.

For how nutrition thinkers are reacting to the new guidelines, I always like to check in with NYU Prof and Author of a growing number of compelling offerings on food-politics and policy, Marion Nestle, PhD. In her blog she posted a nice roundup of reactions from FoodNavigator.com.

I really think Mark Bittman is in the zone these day – I love what he’s writing. He was not pleased with the new guidelines, and shares his frustration in the NYTimes Opinionator page.

Be well.

New Years resolutions – intention in action

Wednesday, December 29, 2010  1:58 pm

source: didigetthingsdone.com

Dreaming and visioning, then capturing your intentions for the New Year is a wonderful way to spend some time during holiday week.

Wise life coach Marcia Goldberg once wrote, “Intention is the thread on which the pearls of our life experience are strung”. If we go through life without intention – without consciously knowing what we want to embody – we are more likely to have haphazard experiences in life. There’s a balance between going with the flow and setting the agenda. Finding that balance can be a fun and fascinating experience, if you also hold a sense of being open to the odd ironies of life that surround us.

As you vision your life unfolding over the next year, consider what you’d like to have more of in your life. Peace, abundance, fun, balance? How about taking some time to expand on that – breathe, relax and listen.

From there, you can set goals and ideas for the year that are grounded in intention. For me, this adds meaning to my planning and the daily things I choose to do to guide everyday. If I can take some time everyday reminding myself of my intention and goals, they do seem to get done.

Happy New Year, and thank you for checking in on this column from time to time. In 2011, I will be working to make this blog a community from which to explore integrative health, and particularly food as a means of supporting well-being.  More recipes on the way! Thank you for those of you who have commented, dugg, stumbled, twittered and otherwise reached out.

What is your wish or intention for the New Year?

My wish for you in 2011 is that you enjoy health, happiness, and the light of your truest self.

Annie

Feeding feeling good

Sunday, November 28, 2010  4:54 pm

One of the most interesting talks I heard at FNCE (Food & Nutrition Conference & Exhibition) earlier this month was by neurologist David Perlmutter.  If you wonder if the challenge of following a healthy lifestyle in our anything-but-healthy culture is worth it, Perlmutter may inspire you to try.

Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to change as a result of one’s experience. It’s a fairly recent idea, but is good news for those in the middle or later years of life, as it suggests we can, to some extent, heal our brains from injury or lifetimes of poor choices and unhealthy lifestyles. It also suggests that we can take preventive measures against the neurodegeneration of the aging brain. Perlmutter says that neuroplasticity is currently  known to be influenced by three things:

• diet,
• physical activity and
• spirituality.

Perlmutter has a book coming out in Feb ‘11 co-authored with medical anthropologist and author Alberto Villoldo PhD called “Power Up Your Brain: the Neuroscience of Enlightenment”.  Should be a hot read.

No drug yet to expand or maintain neuroplasticity, though of course they’re working on it.  In the meantime, you can optimize your brain’s ability to map new neural pathways  by following the basics of a healthy lifestyle.  I’ll go deeper into the details of that in upcoming posts.

Have a fascinating week.

Annie

Women, Food & God

Saturday, June 12, 2010  2:27 pm

I’ve been a fan of Geneen Roth’s writing for some time – I love her humor and heart, and am glad that she’s continued the writing and teaching she has.

Check out  Dr. Susan Corso’s review of Ms. Roth’s new book. Roth will be doing a workshop around her new book at Kripalu in September.

Eating fish, avoiding mercury, environmental damage

Sunday, August 23, 2009  8:19 am

My lastest Examiner post on sustainable fish.

Nutrition Examiner’s offline tale of woe

Saturday, June 27, 2009  2:14 pm

Here’s my sad tale…

Back online and happy soon, let’s hope.

Annie

Everything’s new

Monday, May 25, 2009  4:48 pm

Some of you may know, but recently my life changed…a lot. In part because of all the financial craziness happening, I opened myself up to a new opportunity. And along it came.

Not long after I met my new colleagues, which spurred a move to a new area – a city (DC)! A new job and just a wicked major (as they say back N of Boston) life shift for me.

I work for a small but fast-growing nutritional supplement company that designs products for use under a physician’s care for medical indications. Theralogix. I’m diving into the science of nutrition (exploring the power of intelligent nutritional supplementation for medical indications). I work with a fun, smart team, and it’s all good.

The city is interesting – the museums are great (and free). I have a goal of meeting the Obamas, and hope the natives will help me out with that.

People here can be very wound up – I don’t think they even realize how wound up they are. And, they tend to work a lot. Monster hours are the norm here. I think it comes right from the top – you know how they were always in at 6a and out at 1a or 3a on West Wing?

Washington is an interesting place, and unique in a couple ways. The area is filled with government workers – military, NIH, congress, etc etc. These are folks who are dedicating their lives to building structures, hopefully that work. While there are free spirit/free thinkers here, everyone is conscious of structures and rules. People pay there taxes on time here. Extensions arn’t even a consideration.

This is so different from Nantucket and Hawaii, two places where offbeat, outlaw characters are the rule. Where those freak-flags are flyin’, and rules, even laws seem pretty open to interpretation. It’s sort of refreshing, people paying their taxes and reacting as you’d expect. It’s, well, normal.

Another aspect of DC that is interesting and unique to me is that it holds (centralizes? intensifies?) power. Political, social, financial now, but thus the structure – we need a strong container here for all the power. The monuments downtown are such masculine power centers.  You just don’t see that many places!

So, I’m here, studying yoga with Suzy Hurley, thinking about supplements, and at the moment, missing my husband, who’s on Nantucket taking care of our place.

Nutrition Examiner: This Nutrition Examiner’s eating philosopy

Monday, November 17, 2008  8:38 pm

Nutrition Examiner: This Nutrition Examiner’s eating philosopy

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