HealthCastle.com Nutrition Tidbits Podcast

Amy Campbell talks about easy steps to face the holiday season head-on. Host: Gloria Tsang, RD Guest: Amy Campbell, MS, RD, CDE The holiday festivity can be a challenge for people with diabetes. But there is no reason to get stressed about it. Diabetes nutritionist Amy Campbell, Nutrition Education Manager at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, and author of 16 Myths of a Diabetic Diet talks about easy steps to face the holiday season head-on.   Transcript: Gloria Tsang, RD: Welcome to the Nutrition Tidbits Podcast. This is Gloria Tsang, Editor-in-Chief for HealthCastle.com. The holiday festivity can be a challenge for people with diabetes but there is no reason to get stressed about it. Joining me today is diabetes nutritionist Amy Campbell, nutrition education manager at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. She is also the author of 16 Myths of a Diabetic Diet. She is here today to talk about easy steps to face the holiday head-on. Thank you for being with us again Amy. Amy Campbell, MS, RD, CDE: Thank you for having me Gloria. Gloria Tsang, RD: We often talk about planning ahead being a good strategy for people living with diabetes. What exactly should we plan if we know we are going to head to a party tonight? Amy Campbell, MS, RD, CDE: That is a really good question Gloria. I think planning ahead for people with diabetes is essential, particularly around the holidays. We ask people to plan ahead in terms of thinking about what kind of foods to choose and whether they are going to have an alcoholic beverage. It's also important for people to think about if they are taking medication. For instance, when are they going to take their insulin. Do they bring it to the party with them or not? These are all things that they need to consider before they head of to the party. Gloria Tsang, RD: So if they know they are going to a party at six o'clock and know that they are going to over eat a little bit as its the holidays, what should they do 6-8 hours prior to the party? Amy Campbell, MS, RD, CDE: What we don't want them to do is skip meals. All too often, people will starve themselves during the day so that they can eat a lot during the night time. That's really the wrong approach. We want people to eat their regular meals, maybe a little bit on the lighter side that's fine. And actually, even before they head off to the party, have a small snack. For example, an apple with a little bit of peanut butter or some cheese and crackers. That can prevent them from over eating once they are at the party. Gloria Tsang, RD: That is a good strategy. So should they start nibbling some snacks 2-4 hours prior to that? Amy Campbell, MS, RD, CDE: That's a great idea. And we don't want people to over do the snack either but if they have a little bit of a snack a couple of hours before hand, that can take the edge off their appetite and it won't send their blood glucose levels too high either. Gloria Tsang, RD: Now what items on the traditional holiday menu are high in carbohydrates and therefore, people with diabetes should pay more attention to? Amy Campbell, MS, RD, CDE: There are so many items. Traditional foods like stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and of course, all of the delectable desserts are very high in carbohydrates. It doesn't mean that people cannot enjoy some of them, but it really means watching portions. A way to get around that is actually try to fill up most of your plate with the non-carbohydrate foods such as turkey meat without the skin, steamed vegetables like green beans and even a nice, big garden salad. And then save a little room on the plate for the homemade stuffing, the mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes. You can even save a little bit of room for a sliver of pie if you want some.

Listen to fun diet tips by registered dietitians and medical doctors to lose weight and reclaim health. Nutrition Tidbits Podcast brought to you by the largest online nutrition community HealthCastle.com.

Janet Podleski tells us what to look out for in an alcoholic drink. Host: Gloria Tsang, RD Guest: Janet Podleski With more parties and social activities, it’s not unusual to drink more alcohol during the holiday season. But if you don’t want to wake up with a pounding hangover and a bigger waistline the next morning, stay tuned. Janet Podleski, author of Eat, Shrink and Be Merry is here to tell us what to look out for in an alcoholic drink.   Transcript: Gloria Tsang, RD: With more parties and social activities, it's not unusual to drink more alcohol during the holiday season. But if you don't want to wake up with a pounding hangover and a bigger waistline the next morning, stay tuned. Welcome to the Nutrition Tidbits podcast. This is Gloria Tsang, editor-in-chief for HealthCastle.com. Joining me today is Food Network Canada star Janet Podleski. She is the author of Eat, Shrink and Be Merry. She is here today to tell us what to look out for in an alcoholic drink. Thank you for joining me Janet. Janet Podleski: Hi there. Glad to be here. Gloria Tsang, RD: Now, what actually makes a beer belly? Janet Podleski: A lot of people think it's just the calories but it has a lot to do with how alcohol affects your hormonal balance and your liver. Your liver has a lot to do with processing and disposing of excess hormones and cholesterol. Nowadays, we are just really exposed to many toxins - whether it's junk food, pharmaceutical drugs, caffeine, artificial sweeteners and stuff from just everyday living, including alcohol. When your liver just gets bombarded by all these things, one of the things that happen is that it cannot process those hormones as affectively, so they aren't flushed from your body. That's a lot of complications that can happen including that extra hard beer gut that you see on a lot of men. Your liver is also responsible for fat metabolism so when it's bogged down with all the toxins, it can't do one of its job at getting rid of fat. Gloria Tsang, RD: So tell us what is the difference between low carb beer versus light beer. Janet Podleski: People think that because it's a lower carb beer, they have reduced some of the net carbs. And by doing that, it's going to reduce calories a little bit. That's good but it's actually the alcohol itself and not the carbohydrate that can affect your weight. That's because alcohol itself still raises the level of insulin in your body. It (alcohol) raises blood sugar and causes insulin to be released. Insulin is that dreaded fat storage hormone. Just because the beer says it's low carb, it doesn't necessary mean you should be drinking more of it. I know I had a friend who said that to me. He said that now with all these low card beers, I can drink a twelve pack instead of a 6 pack and it's good for me right? Gloria Tsang, RD: Are the lower carb beers actually lower in calories or just slightly lower in calories? Janet Podleski: They are just slightly lower in calories. I think it's more of a marketing hype than anything. You should really be careful with the amount of alcohol that you drink. If you actually have some weight to lose, it's really hard if you drink alcohol at al. I think if you want to lose weight, it's a good idea to stop for a month or a couple of weeks and see happens. Because its' going to raise your blood sugar, it's going to make it difficult to lose weight; especially in that tough to lose waist area. Gloria Tsang, RD: Now let's talk about cocktails. Do you know of some of the worst contenders out there? I have heard some cocktails top up the calorie scale to 600 calories. Do you know of any worst contenders? Janet Podleski: Yes. Those really fruity, girly drinks that we like so much; those ones are loaded with sugar. Even something like Kahlua,

Listen to fun diet tips by registered dietitians and medical doctors to lose weight and reclaim health. Nutrition Tidbits Podcast brought to you by the largest online nutrition community HealthCastle.com.

Lisa Drayer tells us the secrets to look absolutely gorgeous from the inside out. Host: Gloria Tsang, RD Guest: Lisa Drayer, MA, RD True beauty comes from within, so the key to a healthy glow may possibly come from your fridge and pantry. Nutritionist Lisa Drayer, author of the Beauty Diet, tells us the secrets to look absolutely gorgeous from the inside out.   Transcript: Gloria Tsang, RD: True beauty comes from within. So the key to a healthy glow may possibly come from your fridge and pantry. Welcome to the Nutrition Tidbits podcast. This is Gloria Tsang, Editor-in-Chief for HealthCastle.com. Joining me today is nutritionist Lisa Drayer, author of "The Beauty Diet". She is here today to tell us the secret to look absolutely gorgeous from the inside out. Thank you for joining me Lisa. Lisa Drayer, MA, RD: Thank you for having me. Now we know that keeping skin well hydrated is one secret to keeping it young. You suggested drinking enough fluids and including omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. You also recommended avoiding a high protein diet. So tell us how a high-protein diet causes dehydration? Lisa Drayer, MA, RD: That's a good point that you bring up and I talk about it in my book, "The Beauty Diet." Basically, when the protein intake is very, very high, and I am talking about a really low carbohydrate, high protein diet. When there is too much protein, it can cause water loss from our bodies because our body excretes water in order to break down the products of protein metabolism. Also, when our protein is really high. Our carbohydrate intake tends to be lower and a low carbohydrate diet can also result in water loss. I recommend protein intake of about 80-100 grams, which is about 25% of calories on a 1,500 calorie diet. That's what the beauty diet gives you. It gives you an excellent amount of protein to feed your features without going overboard. Gloria Tsang, RD: Perfect. That's 25% of total calories. Lisa in your book, you have given a list of skin protecting antioxidants, including beta-carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E & selenium. You also mentioned anthocyanins. Tell us more about anthocyanins. Lisa Drayer, MA, RD: Anthocyanins have antioxidant properties. They can help rid our bodies and skin cells of free radicals, which can cause damage that can lead to skin aging and skin cancer. So it's really important to consume lots of antioxidants in our foods. That's why the beauty diet gives you a wide variety of fruits & vegetables and whole grains that offer antioxidants. The anthocyanins are the actual pigments found in blue and red fruits like blueberries. Blueberries are an excellent source of anthocyanins and I included blueberries on my top 10 beauty foods list because they are the highest in antioxidant activity. This high antioxidant activity is definitely due to anthocyanins in blueberries. Gloria Tsang, RD: So anthocyanins are found in blue and purple fruits & vegetables. What about pomegranate and plums? Those are also high in anthocyanins? Lisa Drayer, MA, RD: Exactly. Alot of berries and anything with a blue or purple or a red hue carries anthocyanins. Gloria Tsang, RD: Right, like in grapes. Lisa Drayer, MA, RD: Yes, they are also present in red wine. But blueberries have 5 different kinds of them (anthocyanins). And it's also thought that they can protect free radical damage to our collagen, which is the skin's support structure. Gloria Tsang, RD: Great! Now let's move on to green tea. We've discussed the health benefits of green tea many times on our show but you pointed out one health benefit that no one else mentioned before. You claim that green tea is an edible sunscreen. Tell us more. Lisa Drayer, MA, RD: Research has found that green tea polyphenols,

Dr John La Puma tells us the top foods and nutrients to fight depression and colds Host: Gloria Tsang, RD Guest: John La Puma, MD Suffering from depression or a cold is more common during the winter months. But there are ways to combat them just by eating the right kind of foods. Dr John La Puma, author of Chef MD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine tells us the top foods and nutrients to fight depression and colds.   Transcript: Gloria Tsang, RD: Suffering from depression and cold is more common during the winter months. But there are ways to combat them just by eating the right kinds of foods. Welcome to the Nutrition Tidbits Podcast. This is Gloria Tsang, Editor-in-Chief for HealthCastle.com. Joining me today is Doctor John La Puma, Director of the Santa Barbara Institute for Medical Nutrition and Healthy Weight. And author of Chef MD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine. He's here today to tell us how to choose the right kinds of foods to fight depression and cold. Thank you for joining me Dr. La Puma. John La Puma, MD: Gloria, what a pleasure. So nice to speak with you. Gloria Tsang, RD: Now let's talk about depression. Are there any foods that a person should avoid if they are suffering from depression? John La Puma, MD: There are actually. Some foods that one should avoid are those of course that are high in alcohol primarily because it causes mood swings and as a sedative can worsen depression and it doesn't help people cope no matter what we think. And caffeine as well. In fact, there is a study of 3600 adult twins that showed a link between lifetime caffeine consumption and major depression. Also, one should avoid foods such as simple sugars as well. As you know, what Chef MD is about and what my own work has been about is what to eat instead of what to avoid. People don't need me to tell them not to drink alcohol and cut back on coffee if you are depressed. I think the more interesting data is foods that are high in EPA and DHA, the omega-3 fatty acids in fish and seafood. An analysis of ten studies shows that these seem to actually help people with mild to moderate depression. And many people who are depressed are actually Vitamin D deficient. In fact, one study showed that 80 people tested, half with mild Alzheimer's (they were older people) and half without, those with Vitamin D deficiencies were more than 12 times more likely to have a mood disorder than those who are not deficient. So, the good news is that if you look at culinary medicine, which I think of as blending the art of cooking with the science of medicine to give restaurant quality food, helps to prevent disease. There are, in fact, recipes and foods that seem to help major diseases processes including depression. And in my book, Chef MD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine, I have a chocolate blackberry smoothie for depression. And of course, who doesn't like chocolate? Gloria Tsang, RD: That sounds yummy. I read in your book that you have linked folic deficiency with depression. Can you tell us more about that? John La Puma, MD: Folate is sometimes deficient in people with depression. And so foods that are high in folate include lentils, chilli peppers, turkey and tuna. In fact, folate deficiency is a correctable problem for people with mild dementia as well. It's remarkable actually how powerful foods can be. And that's why I wrote this book because I want people to have a food lover's roadmap to preventing disease with what they eat. It's one thing to have to eat nutrients whether they are macro or micro or phyto. It's another to have for example saffron scallop, shrimp and chickpea paella as a dish that is rich in folate, good omega-3 fatty acids and good healthy chickpea, fiber and protein. So, this is an easy new approach to the question "What do you eat for that?

Listen to fun diet tips by registered dietitians and medical doctors to lose weight and reclaim health. Nutrition Tidbits Podcast brought to you by the largest online nutrition community HealthCastle.com.

Listen to fun diet tips by registered dietitians and medical doctors to lose weight and reclaim health. Nutrition Tidbits Podcast brought to you by the largest online nutrition community HealthCastle.com.

Elaine Magee tells us about the power of different food combinations for maximum health benefits. Host: Gloria Tsang, RD Guest: Elaine Magee MPH, RD We all know foods that are healthy, but what about combining them for even greater health benefits? By creating certain food combinations, or food synergy, we can actually live healthier lives. Elaine Magee, MPH and RD, author of Food Synergy tells us about the power of different food combinations for maximum health benefits.  

Listen to fun diet tips by registered dietitians and medical doctors to lose weight and reclaim health. Nutrition Tidbits Podcast brought to you by the largest online nutrition community HealthCastle.com.

Dr. David Servan-Schreiber tells us how to prevent and fight cancer with food and nutrition. Host: Gloria Tsang, RD Guest: David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD How much of a role does diet play in preventing cancer? What types of food should you eat if you are being treated for cancer? Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, Professor of Psychiatry at the Pittsburgh School of Medicine tells us how to prevent and fight cancer with food and nutrition  

Listen to fun diet tips by registered dietitians and medical doctors to lose weight and reclaim health. Nutrition Tidbits Podcast brought to you by the largest online nutrition community HealthCastle.com.

Dr. Larry McCleary tells us how to choose a diet that will help keep your brain in good shape Host: Gloria Tsang, RD Guest: Larry McCleary, MD You might believe the brain was in a steady state of decline, think again! New research suggests that not only is the brain constantly making new cells; there are actually ways to improve brain health. Pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Larry McCleary tells us how to choose a diet that will help keep your brain in good shape.  

Listen to fun diet tips by registered dietitians and medical doctors to lose weight and reclaim health. Nutrition Tidbits Podcast brought to you by the largest online nutrition community HealthCastle.com.

Dr Laura Jana debunks common diet myths some parents have come to believe. Host: Gloria Tsang, RD Guest: Laura Jana, MD, FAAP Haven't we all heard new parents joke that they wish their newborn comes with a manual. There are many myths about children's nutrition. Pediatrician and parenting expert Dr Laura Jana, author of Food Fights, debunks common diet myths some parents have come to believe.