Cyd Notter, Founder of The Plan A Diet™, Nutrition Educator/Author

Take-aways from the NHA Conference – June 2023

July 3, 2023 By Cyd Notter

My First NHA Conference Did Not Disappoint!

In June 2023, The National Health Association (NHA) held their 75th Anniversary Conference in Ohio and I’m so glad I attended! Four days of education, cooking demos, buffets filled with compliant food, hiking, and getting to meet several on-line friends in person!

The line-up of doctors was amazing, including Drs. T. Colin Campbell, Frank Sabatino, Stephan Esser, Kim Williams, Joel Fuhrman, and Allan Goldhammer; each delivered excellent presentations. Cooking Demos were also provided by Brittany Jaroudi, Tami and Tom Kramer, and the folks at Vitamix.

Today I’ll share a few take-aways from Dr. Stephan Esser’s talk regarding health at a cellular level, and how our cellular function impacts the seven INPUTS of health: sleep, emotional poise, water, food, exercise, sunlight, and toxins.

40 Trillions Cells

Dr. Esser talked a lot about cellular regeneration, which is the body’s natural process of replacing or restoring damaged cells and tissues. Our bodies contain 40 TRILLION cells, and each cell goes through a cycle of life (spring, summer, winter, and fall). Four million cells turn over every second! Many die while others come to the front.

Each day, 1% of your body regenerates. Imagine that! Which, according to Dr. Esser, means there’s no such thing as a cheat day. You either feed your tissues with things that will restore and regenerate, or you feed your tissues with things that compromise and inflame them.

Many of us get caught up in thinking that something formulated in a laboratory or available in a bottle is what leads to regeneration of cells. But the REAL heart of regeneration is occurring every microsecond in our bodies. Remember, 4 million cells turn over every single second.

The Seven Inputs of Health

SLEEP – is required for survival and optimal function. Impaired sleep can lead to a 500% increase in cell death, while sleep loss contributes to cell damage and increases the risk of depression, anxiety, and inflammatory diseases. Get 6-10 hours each night, and optimize your environment (mattress, lighting, temperature).

Develop pre-sleep patterns about an hour before bed – no blue lights, take a shower, plan out your steps. Eat smaller quantities at night, you don’t want your body to just ‘digest’ – but to heal and regenerate cells.

WATER – Did you know that 60% of your body is water? Nutrients, blood cells, and stem cells travel in channels of water in the blood stream. Water aids digestion and alkalizes your body. However, there is no good data to suggest that alkaline water is helpful.

FOOD – greatly influences cellular regeneration. We should stop thinking about food as “calories in / calories out” and instead consider that food is “information at the cellular level.” Food alters your cellular activity, and can stimulate cell regeneration which facilitates the healing process. Look at your food and ask “is this facilitating my health?”

Eat big salads before going to less nutrient dense, calorie rich foods. Maximize fruits, and make sure there’s enough COLOR on your plate. Eat a variety of foods, because the more you diversify your pallette, the more you optimize your gut microbiome. Every 30-90 days, try some new fruits or veggies you haven’t tried. And use spices on a daily basis, which are powerful. Also make sure you’re consuming your caloric needs.

Every sip, bite, and swallow has the ability to alter your cell function, cell replication, longevity, and performance. So what will you choose to consume? Fasting is another activity that promotes cell regeneration and slows cellular aging.

EXERCISE – reverses cellular aging, reverses age-related muscle loss, prevents stem cell aging, improves lean muscle mass, accelerates healing and improves blood flow, slows cognitive impairment, and more. Are you exercising the way you need to? Compared to drugs, we know that exercise is “as or more” powerful than most of the common medications used to treat common diseases. Shoot for 150 minutes of cardio each week, plus resistance exercise 3x/week, and flexibility/balance 3x/week.

SUNLIGHT – Reduces depression and anxiety, reduces blood pressure and the risk for cardiovascular disease and autoimmune disease. Sunlight enhances melatonin production, improves sleep, and of course increases our vitamin D production and activation. Get 15-40 minutes each day on the arms, legs, chest, and back, when the sun is greater than 45 degrees above the horizon. Avoid prolonged exposure which could injure your skin.

EMOTIONAL POISE – The state of worry and mental tensions that we experience, whether real or perceived, alters our cellular activity, recovery, and performance. On a scale of 1-10, where is your stress level? Is food or your escape? Netflix? Your computer? Develop 5 healthy coping strategies (exercise, prayer, hobbies, music, nature, baths, etc.) – and according to Dr. Esser, it cannot be Nutella.

TOXINS – Avoid them, remove them! Buy organic produce as much as possible; cook at lower heat and don’t char your veggies; beware of toxins in your water, soaps, shampoos, deodorants (especially those with aluminum), laundry soaps, makeup, sunscreen.

Avoid all of those toxins, including ALCOHOL. Even one glass a day increases the likelihood of volume loss of your brain over time. It also leads to an increased risk of dementia, a 15-20% increase risk of breast cancer, and increases the risk of esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, colon cancer, and more.

Dr. Esser’s Reminder to Us All

Do not overlook the basic elements of health. Don’t look past the capacity of your body to facilitate regeneration at the cellular level when we give it the appropriate input. What we do matters! The choices you make throughout the day will be the biggest predictors of your health for the days and years to come.

Thank you, Dr. Esser, for the informative presentation and these great reminders! It once again shows that we have more control over our health than we may have every imagined! That’s great news!

Oil-Free Tortilla Chips

June 5, 2023 By Cyd Notter

It’s Easy to Make Your Own Chips (or shells)

It can be challenging to find oil-free tortilla chips on the market. Sometimes even the “baked” varieties contain unwanted ingredients. But here’s a solution which is easy, cheaper, and it my opinion, much tastier!

Purchase corn tortillas, the type that come in a paper wrapper. The ingredients are typically corn, water, and lime.
Cut into quarters – or leave them WHOLE – than lightly brush or spritz with a little water or lime juice.
Sprinkle with salt/low salt/salt free seasoning. I personally use the Tajin, a Mexican seasoning found in almost every store. They do have a low-sodium variety.
Bake on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet at 350 for 13-15 minutes until crispy; they may require more time, it depends on your oven. Keep an eye on them to be sure they’re crispy, but not burnt. They’ll harden up a bit as they sit, too.

Serve the chips with your favorite plant-based nacho sauce or salsa. Or use the whole tortilla shells as the base for tacos, fajitas, or whatever you fancy.

Bon Appetit!

Place quartered tortillas on baking sheet (or leave whole)

Sprinkle with Low Sodium Salt or Favorite Spice. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, until crispy.

Please sign up for my monthly newsletter and receive a free copy of “10 Simple Dessert Smoothies!”

Get more delicious recipes in my book, The “Plan A” Diet: Combining Whole Food, Plant Based Nutrition with the Timeless Wisdom of Scripture.

Take my free class – 3 Food Mistakes that Lead to Painful Joints, Excess Weight, and Health Problems the Doctors Aren’t Solving.

Is it possible to change others?

February 12, 2023 By Cyd Notter

Once you discover the benefits of whole food, plant-based nutrition…

…it’s natural to want to yell it from the roof tops!

When we see permanent weight loss, we decrease or eliminate our meds, and we just feel 100% better each and every day, why wouldn’t we want to share that great news when the people around us aren’t doing the same?

Sharing our success stories with others is one thing, but actually inspiring them to make changes themselves can be challenging and frustrating, especially with our family members. If we’re not careful in our approach, others might feel as though we’re imposing our will on them, and they in turn, can become defensive.

I love this quote attributed to Dale Carnegie:

“A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”

In other words, he’s not convinced at all; therefore, no long-lasting change is going to take place.

What’s a better approach?

If you care about people around you who are eating poorly, not taking care of themselves, or not reaching their potential, Howie Jacobson has some good advice.

I listened in as Rip Esselstyn interviewed Howie about his book “You Can Change Other People.” Howie laid out the following four steps, and I’ll share a few of my notes with you.

First, shift from a critic to an ally.

The critic gives the message “I know more than you” instead of “I’m here to help you, if you want my help.” Howie suggests we wait for silver platter opportunities (such as when someone complains). In a nutshell, we should begin by empathizing with that complaint, expressing some type of confidence in the person, and then ask for their permission to talk it through together. Here’s the kicker, we have to be willing for them to say NO.

Second, find an energizing, positive outcome

Wait! Don’t jump right into the problem. Ask the person what they’d like to happen, and what would be a good outcome for them? What would their life look like? Doing so allows us to better understand their motives. LISTEN and ask questions. Set goals around what their life would look like NOW, not somewhere off in the distant future.

Third, find a hidden opportunity

There are different types of opportunities (listen to the interview for Howie’s explanation). Find the hidden opportunity, and come face to face with any “limiting beliefs” the person might have about themselves. A very common one is “I’ve been on diets before and I fail, I can’t stick to it.”

Fourth, what’s the plan?

Howie states that the difference between insight and action is having a PLAN. So let’s make it real. Structure a plan, and ask what they’d like to commit to. Here’s an example: every time I have the urge to ‘eat’ my loneliness away, I’m now going to (call someone, read, walk, etc). Ask not only WHAT the plan will be, but WHEN it’s going to begin.

Follow up by asking how confident they are that they’ll follow through with this new plan. You want them to say 10, but if they say 6 or 7, ask what’s getting in their way. The important thing is that they’re making SOME steps toward the goal. Talk about follow-through, not success. Whatever the plan is, no matter how small, they must commit to it.

We need each other

Howie ends by saying the KEY POINT of the book is that we need each other. These four steps invite other people into relationships. The truth is that change is hard. But community is important, and a tool for people to work together.

Listen to Howie’s interview HERE.

Learn more about Howie’s book HERE.

Plans fall apart without proper advice;
but with the right guidance, they come together nicely.
(Proverbs 15:22, VOICE)

Truly Hungry? or Just Craving?

October 10, 2022 By Cyd Notter

All of us have food cravings from time to time.

But finding yourself in the pantry or at the drive-up window might have more to do with your mood than your actual need for food.

It could be that you’re using food to deal with stress, boredom, anger, loneliness, or a host of other emotions. Or you may be struggling with a food addiction. In either case, indulging in such cravings usually means seeking out foods which are high in calories and fat.

So how can you tell if you’re experiencing a craving, or if you’re truly hungry and need to eat?

Here’s one way to recognize the difference:

Hunger usually occurs when you haven’t eaten for several hours. Your body will send one of several signals when your stomach is getting empty, anything from growling/gurgling belly sounds to headaches or feeling light-headed.

Hunger is the body’s way of telling you that you need fuel, and hunger doesn’t pass with time. When you feel true hunger, you’ll most likely seek out nutritious foods (not candy or cake).

Cravings, on the other hand, can masquerade as hunger. They push you to eat particular comfort foods—chocolate, sweets, fatty foods—even though your body doesn’t need more fuel.

Satisfying these cravings can feel good at first, but often leads to feelings of guilt. Cravings may be even stronger when you’re “dieting” or giving up your favorite foods.

The good news is that cravings do pass with time when you resist them. Distract yourself when craving the wrong foods by engaging in some activity.

Another option might be to fulfill that craving with a small amount of something healthy. For example if you’re craving sweets, how about a handful of grapes or a few slices of mango?

Self-awareness is key in distinguishing between hunger and cravings.

Below is a picture of the Hunger and Fullness Scale, which describes just that: varying degrees of hunger and fullness. It’s a tool that can help us identify how hungry or full we are.

Level 5 is neutral, neither hungry nor full. Level 4 is where we’re starting to think about food, at Level 3 our stomach starts to growl and our thoughts increase about getting something to eat.

At Level 2 there’s lots of stomach growling, our stomach may actually hurt, and we need to get food now! At Level 1, ravenous, we’re past the point of hunger and can have headaches, difficulty concentrating, and low energy. At Level 0 we’d be weak, dizzy, have a stomachache, and be mentally impaired.

On the fullness side, Level 6 would be lightly full, we’ll be hungry again in 1-3 hours. Level 7 = moderately full, satisfied, hungry again in 2-3 hours. Level 8 = Full, comfortably full but would not want to eat more. Level 9 means we’re stuffed, past the point of comfort (our stomach may hurt). And Level 10 is when we’re so uncomfortably full that we feel sick.

It is normal for your hunger and fullness to fluctuate all day long. Staying in the moderate ranges (from a 3-7) will help you avoid extremes in hunger and fullness.

If you start eating when you are lightly moderately hungry you are more likely to stop eating when you are lightly to moderately full. If you start eating when you are empty or ravenous you are more likely to eat until you are stuffed or sick. This scale can serve as a guide to help us mindfully connect to our bodies and our true hunger signals.

Hari Hachi Bu

The long-lived, Okinawans in Japan, who stay healthy well into old age and have the highest percentage of centenarians in the world, follow a practice called Hari Hachi Bu, which teaches people to stop eating when they’re 80% full.

It’s something they say before meals as a reminder to stop eating when they feel 80% full. One of their proverbs says that “eight parts of a full stomach sustain the man; the other two sustain the doctor.”

Wouldn’t it be great if we followed that example?

By getting back in tune with your hunger and satiety signals and paying attention to what/why you eat, you’ll soon be on the road to a much healthier lifestyle.

Interested in more tips for healthy eating? Check out this free training class where you’ll walk away with tips you can begin implementing today.

Keep your mind on things above, not on worldly things. (Colossians 3:2, GW)

(Photos from VisualHunt)

Why is Sugar Inflammatory, and How Much is in Our Food?

August 14, 2022 By Cyd Notter

Sugar – One of our Biggest Addictors

Desiring sugar is quite natural! We have built-in taste buds for salt, sugar, bitterness, sour, and fat.

But there are MANY sources of sugar. The natural sugars found in whole plant foods promote health, while the added sugars found in refined, processed foods promote weight gain, inflammation, insulin resistance, and can even damage our arteries.

How much sugar are we eating?

Sugar consumption can be difficult to control because the food industry often adds it where consumers might not think to check.

The World Health Organization suggests getting no more than 5 percent of daily calories from sugar, or about 25 grams (6 teaspoons). The American Heart Association recommends women limit sugar consumption to 6 teaspoons (25 grams) per day and men limit to 9 teaspoons (36 grams) per day.

Other organizations have different limit suggestions.

But many people consume far more than the recommendations. The U.S. continues to be one of the highest sugar-consuming countries, with the average American now consuming over 22 teaspoons of sugar daily!

How does sugar cause inflammation?

The refined sugars found in soft drinks, fruit juice, sweet tea, pastries, desserts, cookies, candy, snack cakes, cereals, and even frozen entrees can stimulate the production of something called “free fatty acids” – which circulate through the bloodstream and trigger both insulin resistance and inflammation in the skeletal system, the liver, and the protective cells that line our arteries.

Sugar also triggers the release of inflammatory cytokine cells; just 40 grams of sugar per day (which is one can of pop) leads to an increase in inflammatory markers, weight gain, and increased LDL cholesterol.

Refined sugars also lead to the excess production of AGE’s – Advanced Glycation End Products – which form when protein or fat combine with sugar in the bloodstream. Having excess amounts of AGE’s harms the body’s cells and promotes oxidative stress and chronic inflammation.

Sugar can also contribute to “leaky gut” – another name for Intestinal Permeability. Leaky gut occurs when the lining of the small intestine becomes damaged, causing undigested food particles, toxins, and bacteria to ‘leak’ through the lining and into the bloodstream. This process triggers inflammatory reactions that cause problems in the digestive tract and beyond.

Lastly, sugar greatly contributes to weight gain, which in and of itself contributes to inflammation because our own fat tissues release those inflammatory cytokine cells mentioned earlier.

As you can see, processed, refined sugar is rated as a highly-inflammatory food for a number of reasons! And sugar is added to pretty much ALL of our packaged foods.

How Much Sugar is in That Item on the Shelf?

Here’s a quick label tip: When looking at a product’s nutrition label, remember that 4 grams of sugar = 1 tsp.

Find the number of sugar grams, and divide by 4. That’s the equivalent of how many teaspoons of sugar the product contains per serving.

So a soda containing 41 grams of sugar would contain 10 teaspoons of sugar (41 divided by 4 = roughly 10). Eye opening, right?

Be sure the check the serving size, too. If a product contains 12 grams of sugar per serving, and the packages has TWO servings, you’ll be ingesting 24 grams of sugar if you eat the whole package.

Note: Products can contain natural sugars (such as fruit), added sugars, or both. The Nutrition Facts Label will sometime separate natural and added sugars, but for the most part, the label will only show the TOTAL sugar grams. That’s why you’ll need to read the ingredient list to discover the SOURCE of the sugars.

You don’t have to give up Sweet Treats!

The good news is you do NOT have to give up the sweet flavors you enjoy. But you do have to make good choices regarding your sugar intake if you want to achieve and maintain a healthy body.

Fruits (bananas, mangos, cherries) and DATES are the absolute best sweeteners that can be used to make a variety of desserts! From cobblers, pies, puddings, and shakes, to banana splits, cupcakes, cookies, and muffins. Go to my resource page to find my recommended recipe websites.

And you can click below for some Dessert Smoothie Recipes you can enjoy guilt-free!

For more details on refined sugars, plus information on artificial sweeteners, natural sugars, and acceptable sugar substitutes, please check out my class titled “Inflammation and Your Diet.”

For a short time, use the coupon code TAKE OFF50 to get 50% off the class price.

Click here for a free copy of “10 Simple Dessert Smoothies” which contain ZERO refined sugar 🙂

It’s not smart to stuff yourself with sweets…
(Proverbs 25:27a, MSG)