Susan Peakall, Author at Mendocino Coast Clinics

Most fad diets will not do much for your health and in fact, may even harm your health.

One of the reasons that these diets attract people is that they are a fast way to lose some unwanted pounds. Even the worst diets lead to weight loss, at least at the beginning, mainly because they restrict calories. Not because they are a long term solution to weight issues.
Fad diets not only fail to produce long term weight loss, but they can also lead to feelings of deprivation, discouragement, and weight gain. Many people who go on an unrealistic diet that has restrictions become frustrated and give up. This can lead to feelings of failure, which can then make the person feel worse than they did before they started the diet. It can be a never-ending cycle that people get trapped in and causes them to lead unhealthy lifestyles.

When it comes to diet plans, there is no one right solution for everyone. The key is to find something that fits your lifestyle that you can realistically commit to for the long term.

A successful eating plan should focus on balance and variety. There should be no foods that you cannot have. Instead, there should be foods that you should be mindful of and eat only on occasion and in moderation.

Don’t worry about “being on a diet”. Instead, think about healthier ways to satisfy your hunger by eating more vegetables, fruit, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats.

A simple tip:

Think of what your weakness is (snacking, eating out of bags/boxes, large portions, too much alcohol/sugary drinks, too many sweets, etc.) and work on that weakness. If you feel that you eat large portions, be mindful when you serve yourself and portion out your meals. If you have a snacking problem, just make sure to provide healthy snacks for yourself, such as fruit or veggies, rather than cookies or chocolate. Or if you do have chocolate, just have one small piece of chocolate or half of a chocolate bar rather than the whole bar, and save the other half for later.

Choose one small thing to change to begin with, and once it becomes a habit, move on to the next change until you establish healthy habits that you can sustain long term.

Just Remember:

Not only should you be mindful of the types of food that you eat, but being aware of portion sizes is important as well.

Here are some easy ways to estimate appropriate portion sizes:

Palm of hand or deck of cards = 3 ounces meat
Use for cooked chicken, beef, pork, fish, and seafood

Fist or cupped hand = 1 cup
Use for cereal, baked potato

Baseball/Tennis Ball = 1 cup
Use for salad greens, 1 medium fruit

½ of a Baseball/Tennis Ball = ½ cup
Use for pasta, rice, fresh fruit, ice cream

Golf ball = 2 tablespoons
Use for peanut butter, jelly, ketchup, barbecue sauce, dipping sauces, and condiments

Thumb tip or 1 dice (½ inch by ½ inch) cube = 1 teaspoon
Use for butter, margarine, sugar, honey, or condiments

4 stacked dice or 2 slices = 1 ½ oz
Use for cheese

1 handful = 1 ounce
Use for candy

2 handfuls = 1 ounce snacks
Use for nuts, chips, pretzels, and other snack foods

Follow these simple steps to create your own salad recipe:

1. Start with some greens
a. Romaine Lettuce
b. Spinach
c. Kale
d. Spring Mix
e. Green or Red Leaf Lettuce
f. Arugula
g. Etc.

2. Add some vegetables (chopped, sliced, shredded or whole)
a. Carrots
b. Cucumbers
c. Tomatoes
d. Cabbage
e. Broccoli
f. Cauliflower
g. Bell Pepper (All colors)
h. Peas
i. Beets
j. Corn
k. Radishes
l. Sprouts
m. Etc.

3. Add some Fruit
a. Grapes
b. Cranberries
c. Raisins
d. Mandarin Oranges
e. Apple
f. Strawberries
g. Melon
h. Etc.

4. Add some Beans
a. Black
b. Kidney
c. Garbanzo
d. Edamame
e. Etc.

5. Sprinkle on some cheese
a. Feta
b. Cottage
c. Blue
d. Mozzarella
e. Cheddar
f. Parmesan
g. Etc.

6. Sprinkle on some nuts
a. Cashews
b. Almonds
c. Peanuts
d. Walnuts
e. Etc.

7. Add some extras
a. Avocado
b. Olives
c. Pumpkin Seeds
d. Sunflower Seeds
e. Etc.

Or, for a main dish salad try:

1. Tuna
2. Chicken
3. Egg
4. Shrimp
5. Tofu
6. Salmon
7. Quinoa
8. Pasta
9. Etc.

Experiment with different recipes until you find one that you enjoy!

Depending on preparation and portion size, popcorn can either be a healthy snack or a source of added sugar, fat, calories and sodium.

Popcorn is a great source of whole grains and fiber. And at 40 calories per cup and a serving size of 3 cups, popcorn is definitely a good snack choice.

Try making your own popcorn by:

Placing ¼ cup of popcorn kernels in a brown paper lunch bag. Add a teaspoon of vegetable oil, coconut oil or butter. Fold the top twice and place bag in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
or
Add a teaspoon of vegetable oil, coconut oil or butter to a pot on the stove top and wait for it to heat up. Add in ¼ cup of popcorn kernels and cover. Shake continuously until the popping stops.

Once popped, try adding some flavor by using your favorite seasonings. You can try:

• Nutritional or Brewer’s yeast
• Garlic Powder
• Cayenne Pepper
• Black Pepper
• Cinnamon and brown sugar
• Parmesan cheese
• Kirkland’s Organic no-salt seasoning
• Any of Mrs. Dash’s seasonings

Or any other seasoning that you can think of. Make it your own!

Try these healthy and flavorful dishes!

Curried Shrimp and Quinoa Salad

½ cup quinoa, dry
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 ½ lbs raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed and rinsed (you can use pre-cooked, deveined, peeled shrimp)
1 (14 ½ ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon curry powder
4 cups arugula (you can use spinach, kale, mixed greens, lettuce, etc. if preferred)

Instructions

Add quinoa and broth to a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. In a sauté pan over medium heat, add olive oil, garlic, and shallots and sauté for a few minutes until golden brown. Add shrimp and sauté 5 to 7 minutes. Do not overcook, as shrimp will become tough and rubbery. Add tomatoes and curry, and stir gently until combined. Divide arugula between salad plates and top with ¼ cup quinoa and two large spoonfuls of curried shrimp mixture.

Chicken Tikka Masala

6 ounces plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 ½ tablespoons cumin
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 large white onion, diced
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger root
1 cup no-salt-added stock, chicken or vegetable
1 can (15 ounces) unsalted tomato puree
¾ cup reduced-fat or soy milk
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

Optional garnishes: ½ cup chopped cilantro, ¼ cup chopped scallions

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice and garlic. Dice chicken into 1 to 1 ½ inch pieces and toss in mixture. Marinate for 20 minutes. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Remove chicken from marinade and discard excess marinade. Sear chicken on all sides until golden brown. Don’t worry if small bits of meat accumulate in the bottom of the pot while searing.

After chicken is seared, add coriander, cumin, cardamom, garam masala, paprika, turmeric and cayenne. Toss spices with chicken for about 5 minutes. Add butter, onion and ginger. Continue cooking until onions are translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add stock, tomato and milk. Use a wooden spoon to release the sticky bits from the bottom of the pot. Continue to cook until reduced; the consistency should be that of gravy. Season with salt. Garnish and serve hot with cooked basmati, jasmine or brown rice, or alongside warmed naan bread.

Most of us have probably heard of flax as it has become popular due to its high omega-3 fatty acid and fiber content.

Flax is packed with nutrients. One tablespoon provides:

37 calories
1.28 g protein
1.9 g fiber
2 g carbohydrate
1,597 mg omega-3 fatty acids
414 mg omega-6 fatty acids
Thiamin (8% of daily value)
Magnesium (7% of daily value)
Manganese (9% of daily value)

Flax also contains a lot of other beneficial compounds, such as phytoestrogens, phenolic acids, flavonoids as well as lignan SDG, that have been studied for their antioxidant properties. Additionally, flax has been shown to have positive benefits with regards to cardiovascular disease, cancer, blood glucose control, weight management and mental health.

For most healthy adults, the American Heart Association recommends an intake of 500 mg per day of omega-3 fatty acids and as you can see, just 1 tablespoon of flax can meet this recommendation.

You can have flax as oil, in whole seed form or as a ground meal. However, it is best to have it as ground meal as this makes all of the nutrient benefits more readily available for absorption.

Adding flax to your diet is a simple change that can make a big difference. It has a nutty flavor and can be incorporated into many food items such as cereals, baked goods, oatmeal, smoothies/shakes, yogurt, etc.

We all know that drinking water is good for us, but not all of us drink enough water. Maybe adding some flavor to your water would help.

You can start by adding one or more of the following to your glass of water or water bottle:

• Lemon
• Lime
• Orange
• Cilantro
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Raspberries
• Cucumber
• Mint
• Peach
• Watermelon
• Pineapple
• Rosemary
• Grapefruit
• Your favorite tea bag

Or, you can try these infused water recipes to have a gallon batch on hand. Drink up and enjoy!

Most of us have heard that chocolate can be good for us, but what kind of chocolate?

The reason that chocolate is said to be beneficial to our health is because of the cocoa beans’ high flavonol content (a potent antioxidant also found in red wine, apples, tea, and peanuts) that is said to promote heart health, cognitive function and enhance your mood. However, it is important to note that the cocoa bean itself has a very bitter, strong flavor that chocolate companies try to make more palatable by roasting the beans and adding milk/sugar which can decrease its beneficial properties.

Because of this, not all chocolate is created equal, and the chocolate that most of us eat does not have a high flavonol content.

White chocolate contains no flavonols at all. Ordinary plain chocolate has 43% flavonol containing cocoa. Milk chocolate typically contains only 30% cocoa and the average candy bar only 15%.

The key to finding quality chocolate is to look at the cocoa content and it is best to choose those chocolates with at least a 70% cocoa. Keep in mind that the higher the percentage of cocoa, the more flavanol benefits you will be getting. You can also buy cocoa powder and add it to your favorite smoothies/shakes for an extra antioxidant boost.

Most of us know that we should not have too much fat, sugar or sodium in our diets, but we often don’t know how to compensate for the loss of flavor. Next time, try some of these flavorings instead. Not only will you spice up your dishes, but you will also gain additional health benefits.

1. Citrus juice

2. Vinegars

3. Dried Fruits

4. Chopped or diced aromatic vegetables such as:
– Onions
– Garlic
– Shallots
– Leeks
– Peppers
– Celery

5. Herbs and spices such as:
– Freshly ground black pepper
– Cayenne pepper
– Oregano
– Cumin
– Garlic powder (not to be confused with garlic salt)
– Onion powder (not onion salt)
– Bay leaf
– Curry powder
– Thyme
– Paprika
– Clove
– Chili powder
– Italian herb seasoning blend
– Cinnamon
– Nutmeg

For more ideas on how to cook with herbs and spices, click here.

Americans tend to eat a light breakfast or skip it altogether. Then we grab lunch on the run and end up eating the bulk of our calories in the evening — not generally a healthy pattern.

Louis Aronne, physician and professor of metabolic research at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center specializing in weight management, says: “People may have a rapid rise in blood glucose after eating, which in turn causes a rise in their insulin levels. This may be followed by a greater than normal drop in blood glucose. If glucose levels get down to normal or below normal too rapidly, glucagon will be produced and can cause increased hunger.”

If you have this problem, the key is what and how much you eat for breakfast. You need to eat sufficient amounts of the right combination of foods. “Foods with protein and fiber are the most satiating,” says Anne Wolf, registered dietitian.

A few suggestions:

?Combine one egg with egg whites and sauteed vegetables (onions, mushrooms, peppers, spinach). Or combine one egg with a part-skim cheese or cottage cheese and vegetables.

?Mix a high-fiber cereal like All Bran or Fiber One with other low-sugar cereals and fat-free milk or mix into plain regular or Greek yogurt. (Greek yogurt has a bit more protein.)

?Make a smoothie with fat-free milk or plain yogurt, fruit or vegetables and a small amount of protein powder.

?Have a bowl of oatmeal with the addition of a high-fiber cereal.

?Top a bowl of cottage cheese with a high-fiber cereal and berries.

?Spread peanut butter (or any nut butter) on whole grain toast with a glass of fat-free or low-fat milk.

Try a few of these combinations and determine which ones keep you sated during the morning. Then be sure to have the foods in your house and set the alarm clock to allow time to eat them before you fly out the door.

To curb your hunger between meals, you may find having small snacks in the midmorning and midafternoon, or on the way home from work, helps immensely. Wolf suggests a guidepost for snacks of 200 calories each, with food pairings that provide rapidly available energy from healthy carbohydrates, along with enough protein and fat for satiety. Try fruit and cheese, or a handful of nuts, or high-fiber whole grain crackers and cheese or nut butter. Make your snacks count nutritionally: Use them as opportunities to eat more of the foods you’re missing, whether they be vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy foods, nuts or seeds.

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Why Diets Don’t Work

Portion Size

Build a Salad!

Popcorn!

Healthy & Delicious

Fantastic Flax

Delicious Water!

Chocolate!

Cooking with Herbs and Spices

What’s for Breakfast?