Contented Eater

11/07/2017

For a long time I resisted the idea of having a program like The Contented Eater. Why? Because I did not want it to be understood as another "diet".

Way back in 1993 the journal Medical Economics had a paper entitled "It's Time to Regulate the Diet Industry: We Need an Accrediting Agency That Would Protect Patients and Make Doctors' Jobs Easier". Quite the title to say the least.

While I am not a big fan of increasing government regulation, I do think we have a real problem with the whole diet industry that continues to harm people in many ways. The problem, of course, is that "diets" simply do not work long term unless you are correcting fundamental health issues. And that is a process of time and patience.

If you are tired of false information take a look at The Contented Eater. There is no magic; just a sober look at what has been shown to work. We are kicking off our initial weekly support meeting Wednesday night, Nov. 8, from 6:30 - 7:30 pm at the clinic on 50 Memorial Drive East (down the street from Jerry's Car Sales). Let us know if you would like to attend.

11/06/2017

Just a reminder that we are having our first weekly Contented Eater session this week here at the clinic. Please let me know if you are planning to be here and also feel free to bring a friend. This first session is for us to decide what we want this weekly meeting to look like. Have a great day.

11/03/2017

Good day everyone. Today is National Princess Day. Not exactly sure what that means but it sounds like it is worth celebrating.

Cruciferous vegetables are things like cabbage, kale, cauliflower, Brussel's sprouts, and other veggies that we tend not to a eat a lot of. They are very healthy for just about everybody.

However, you may have heard that for people with thyroid problems these types of foods can cause a deficiency in iodine. There is some truth to that belief but, generally, it is not something that you should worry about since any depletion is minimal.

There are two things to deal with it if you are at all concerned and eat these foods on some regular basis. First, if you steam or cook these foods the iodine question is answered. Second, you can eat iodine rich foods like kelp or other "sea" foods or simply take a kelp supplement.

But remember, any slight downside to these marvelous foods is outweighed manyfold by the benefits they offer. So eat up.

11/02/2017

Today is Recipe Thursday. Now, I have to confess at this point. So far, the recipes I have used are things that I have personally tried. But I am now running low on my personal successes so will be offering things that look good and that I will be trying. I hope you like them.

Easy and Hearty Meatloaf

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mince 6-8 ounces of Portobello mushrooms (or other mushroom if preferred). You could use a food processor since the mushrooms should be fairly fine.
In a large bowl add the mushrooms, 2 eggs, about a 1/2 cup of medium salsa (or Pico de Gallo if you like), 1 tsp pepper, and 1 1/2 tsp sea salt.
Get your hands into it and mix about 2 pounds of extra-lean ground beef into the mixture in the bowl.
Form the meat mixture into a shallow baking dish and bake for about one hour. Check to make sure that the meat is fully cooked before removing from oven.
Enjoy with a large green salad.

Remember, our first weekly Contented Eater will be held at the clinic next Wednesday, Nov 8, at 6:30 p.m. Let me know if you are able to make it. Have a great day.

11/01/2017

Good day everyone A week or so ago I mentioned that I was thinking about doing a weekly support session. I have talked to a number of people and feel that this is exactly what they want and what I feel is missing from the equation. I apologize that this did not happen sooner.

So, I am planning on doing this on Wednesday nights. I know there is no particularly good night but if Wednesdays is not great then we can discuss that. But, at this point, November 8 will be the first session where I will explain what I think we can do each week and get your input. It is important to me that this weekly session is for YOU and will do what I can to make it work.

This first session will be at the clinic here on Memorial Drive E and will run from 6:30 - 7:30, or so. Again, the time of the session will be open for input at the first meeting. I would appreciate it if you could let me know if this will work for you. We may be meeting at a different place since this will be open for you to bring along friends in the future.

I am really excited at this change in the Contented Eater program. I know with certainty that the content of the program is excellent but adding the support piece is now critical for people to find the success they need and want. Take care and talk to you soon.

10/31/2017

Some things seem to make a lot of sense when you first think about them. However, what you thought was correct actually isn't when you look at them under closer examination. Take acid reflux or heartburn, for example.

Often known as GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease), this condition can cause a lot of immediate discomfort and some long term problems as well. It is typically treated with some form of acid suppressor, over-the-counter or prescription. The logic is simple: you have too much stomach acid so lessening it seems to be the answer. Sounds sensible.

However, the opposite may be the case - you do not have enough stomach acid. How is that possible? The valve at the top of the stomach is intended to keep acid in the stomach and opens and closes based on the stomach acidity. If there is not enough acidity the valve can stay open causing the stomach acid to back-up causing the discomfort.

This is not always the case but might be the answer to what is going on. The solution, then, is not to reduce the stomach acidity but increase it appropriately. This ensures proper digestion of foods leading to better nutrition for the body and less food cravings. It is not the only piece to the healthy weight management puzzle, but it is one area to consider. Have a great day.

10/30/2017

We seem to have a strange definition of health nowadays. For many, health is the fact that we have few symptoms that are not being managed by prescription drugs. This video looks at health just a bit differently - through the eyes of children. Enjoy and have a great day.

Alberta's kids talk about health; all Albertans are invited to join the convo.

10/27/2017

Walk into any store that sells magazines and you will be confronted with headlines purporting to show you the latest "diet" to follow to lose all those unwanted pounds. From cabbage to Apple Cider Vinegar, and everything in between, we struggle to deal with weight.

The trouble, of course, lies in how we understand the word "diet". If we see it as something that we are going to do that almost is not normal to our regular approach to eating, then we are destined to fail. Drinking cabbage soup three times a day will definitely cause you to lose weight but you cannot sustain that kind of approach and so the pounds go back on.

However, if we see the word "diet" in its truest sense we understand what we need to do. Diet simply means "a regimen or way of living". It is not something that we "do" that at some point we do not "do". Losing weight, then, becomes a function of the quality of the food we eat on a long term sustainable basis. That is what we try to teach at the Contented Eater.

Be kind to yourself as you allow your body to work for you. It really is the only way. Have a great day.

10/26/2017

Here's a strange question. What is the definition of "food"? No, I haven't lost my mind. But, what is food?

Standard dictionary definition typically goes like this: material consisting essentially of protein, carbohydrate, and fat used in the body of an organism to sustain growth, repair, and vital processes and to furnish energy; also :such food together with supplementary substances (such as minerals, vitamins, and condiments).

So, what's my point? If you consider the real meaning of food we begin to realize that much of what we eat nowadays may not even qualify as food. Sugar, for example, can rightly be called an anti-food. Yes, it does have calories but has no other nutrient base to support the body.

How we see what we eat is very important. I know that I struggle with this but am clearly much better than I used to be. Personally, I want to be healthy and continue to work to that end. I know that with health come all the positive things we want for ourselves. Have a great day.

10/25/2017

Good day everybody. I have been doing a lot of thinking about the Contented Eater program over the past while. Our initial group of people have been seeing good results overall, but there is a piece of the puzzle that seems to be missing and I would like your thoughts on this.

I am thinking of having a weekly or bi-weekly support session. It would consist of some education, discussion among the members (this can also include friends who might be interested in learning more), some stretching, and discussion about recipes. Is this something that you would be interested in?

It would not be a mandatory session in any way; just a regular get-together to help people with the changes that are inevitable with the nature of this program. For me, this is one piece that I need to focus on more. Let me know. Have a great day.

10/12/2017

Good day. Today is recipe day but I want to do something a bit different. Rather than simply pick a specific recipe I would like to encourage the use of a food that is especially good for health and well-being. That food is coconut oil.

Coconut oil got a lot of bad press over the years for being full of "saturated fat" which was seen to be bad for heart health. This press was happening even though the research was showing the exact opposite - coconut oil was good for heart health. How was this possible?

The problem was that certain food lobbyists were arguing that the saturated fats in coconut oil were the same as the saturated fats found in meats, for example. This is not true. Simply, the types of fats in coconut oil, Medium Chain Triglycerides, have been shown to be very healthy in many ways, including helping with healthy weight management. So, add more of this wonderful food into your lives as a cooking oil or as part of your recipes. Your body will love you for it.

10/10/2017

This video discusses the four critical electrolytes needed by the body to have real health. We will be looking at them more over the next few days. Have a look and Be Contented.

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