Do You Have a Holiday Food Hangover?
The average American gains about 1 pound between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, according to a Tufts University study. And if you’re overweight or obese, then that number can exceed 5 pounds. Even worse, “people don’t generally lose the weight they put on,” says Betty Kovacs, M.S., R.D., codirector of the New York Obesity Nutrition Research […]
The Chemistry of Artificial Sweeteners – PART 2 – ASPARTAME
Aspartame is the technical name for the brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. It was discovered by accident in 1965 when James Schlatter, a chemist of G.D. Searle Company, was testing an anti-ulcer drug. Aspartame was approved for dry goods in 1981 and for carbonated beverages in 1983. It was originally approved for dry […]
The Chemistry of Artificial Sweeteners – PART 1 – SPLENDA
In the past year, shares of one of the world’s largest manufacturers of sweeteners, have nearly doubled in price. And sugar has had nothing to do with it. The company sold came up with something much more profitable: sucralose, also known as Splenda. The sweetener is sold in yellow boxes and sachets with royal-blue script […]
Hidden Sugars in Dried Fruit
Dried fruit is a great snack—delivering fiber and important vitamins and minerals but there’s a catch: dried fruit can also deliver unnecessary added sugars and those added sugars can sometimes add an extra 50 calories to 1/2 cup of dried fruit. It’s difficult to know how much added sugar is in most processed foods because […]
The Weight of Grief
After a few weeks of traveling, getting on the scale was scary today. It was a dreaded moment because I could feel the difference in my body and felt the extra weight. I feel the weight of grief from going back home to Australia for my brother’s death and I am ready to RESET my […]
Most Common Sources of Added Sugar
According to the American Heart Association, these food groups contribute the highest percentage of total added-sugar to diets of Americans. (Added sugar is sugar added to food during the manufacturing process or at the table, not sugars that occur naturally in foods like fruit.) Regular soft drinks 33.0% Sugars and candy 16.1 Cakes, cookies, pies […]
Functional Wellness Depression Plan
Depression is not a disease. It is a symptom. Recent years have seen a shocking increase in antidepressant use the world over, with 1 in 4 women starting their day with medication. These drugs have steadily become the panacea for everything from grief, irritability, panic attacks, to insomnia, PMS, and stress. But the truth is, […]
Waiting Too Long to have breakfast
So many people tell me they don’t have breakfast. They may be in a mad rush to get out the door in the morning or just don’t feel hungry. I am here to tell you that waiting until 10 a.m. results in flagging energy later in the day AND can result in eating more the rest of […]