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

The “5 Whys” Technique – An Effective Problem Solver When it Comes to Your Health :)

October 7, 2024 By Cyd Notter

(The following is an excerpt from the book, The “Plan A” Diet.)

The 5 Whys Technique

Several years ago, my husband shared with me an interesting technique that automotive manufacturers use to analyze the root cause of problems in their manufacturing processes. The Toyota Motor Corporation originally used this technique—called the 5 Whys—as a problem-solving activity to determine the underlying causes of any glitches in their systems or products.

The nature of a problem, as well as the solution, can become clear by asking the question why five times. The number five is just a guideline. It may take only three questions to reach a conclusion, or it might take six or more; but this questioning method prompts deeper thinking by repeatedly asking why until you get to the bottom of an issue.

A very simplistic example shown on Wikipedia[i] reads as follows:

Problem: The vehicle will not start.

Why? – The battery is dead.
Why? – The alternator is not functioning.
Why? – The alternator belt has broken.
Why? – The alternator belt was well beyond its useful service life and not replaced.
Why? – The vehicle was not maintained according to the recommended service schedule. (Fifth why – the root cause)

The solution, therefore, is to assure the vehicle and its belts are maintained according to the service schedule.

I love the simplicity of The 5 Whys…

…and the moment my husband explained it to me, a light bulb came on in my head: What a great way to get people thinking about the cause-and-effect of food!

Although The 5 Whys can be used as a tool to evaluate all types of problems, I believe it can be especially effective when dealing with health issues. Not only can it help identify the root cause of a medical problem, it can save the hassle, time, and money that might have otherwise been spent pursuing a perceived but ineffective solution.

It’s wise to write your questions and answers on a sheet of paper and continue asking why until you get to the bottom of things. Ask friends or family to join you in this exercise; group think can lead to other ideas and thought patterns. Here’s one simplified example of how it might look:

Problem: Diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes

1. Why? There’s too much glucose in the blood.
2. Why is there too much glucose? The glucose remains in the bloodstream because it can’t get where it needs to go – the intended muscle cells. (Picture each cell as having a door with a lock on it. Insulin is the key that “unlocks” the cell’s door and allows glucose to enter. Having excess glucose in the bloodstream indicates the insulin isn’t unlocking the cell’s door.)[ii]
3. Why isn’t the insulin unlocking the cell’s doors? The cells have become resistant to insulin.
4. Why are the cells insulin resistant? Excess fat has accumulated inside the cells. The cell’s locks are gummed up and compromised by intramyocellular lipids (fat), which interferes with insulin’s ability to open the doors.
5. Why are the cells compromised with fat? Fat from the bloodstream has built up inside the muscle cells and is blocking the pathway process. (It should be noted here that even slim people can accumulate fat within the muscle cells.)
6. Why is there fat in the bloodstream? Most likely the consumption of a high-fat, Standard American Diet (or the fat produced from one’s own fat stores).

When diet is deemed to be the root cause of the problem…

…the solution becomes clear: choose to change the foods being consumed. Doing so allows the body to stop the on-going damage being done three times a day and begins the healing process needed to reverse the underlying issue.

Unfortunately, most healthcare providers aren’t telling you that.

The medical system is instead geared primarily to treat your symptoms and control your blood biomarkers—which usually occurs at the first why. As a result, the underlying problem remains unresolved and continues to worsen slowly because the prescribed treatment doesn’t deal with the real issue—the food.

Using the 5 Whys technique can be an eye-opening exercise to help you discover the root cause of a health issue. So be like a curious toddler and keep asking why until you get a satisfactory answer.

One caveat with The 5 Whys technique:

The 5 Whys technique is limited to a person’s knowledge base. If the knowledge base doesn’t exist to examine the issue logically or ask the right questions, the root cause may not be fully understood. For this reason, I always encourage clients, friends, and readers to stay engaged in continual learning when it comes to diet and health.

Heed the principle of Proverbs 18:15—be an intelligent person who is always ready to learn.

The more you understand how food affects every system in your body, the better equipped you’ll be to overcome your weight and health issues by recognizing their root cause. So please continue to learn and stay in the loop!

One way to keep learning is with this free class, “3 Food Mistakes Which Lead to Painful Joints, Extra Pounds, and Health Problems the Doctors Aren’t Solving.” Check it out!

The Resource section on this site also lists websites which offer free webinars and instructional videos from credible doctors, daily blogs from renowned researchers, educational DVDs, books, and much more.

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[i] Wikipedia, “5 Whys.” Accessed January 13, 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_Whys

[ii] Dr. Michael Greger, “What Causes Insulin Resistance?” Dated January 6, 2017. Accessed January 13, 2018. http://nutritionfacts.org/video/what-causes-insulin-resistance/

Takeaways from the 2024 NHA Conference

July 1, 2024 By Cyd Notter

The 2024 NHA Conference…

…once again did not disappoint in any way! The speaker presentations, hiking to a waterfall, live music, compliant foods, Dandy-blend frappaccinos, and meeting old and new friends was a wonderful experience indeed.

A Few Takeaways – the Nut-Shell Version

Dr. Greg Fitzgerald, a physician from Australia: His talk focused on ENERGY. You cannot achieve a higher level of health without achieving a higher level of energy; you need energy to heal. Stimulated energy (from coffee, energy drinks, etc.) is not REAL energy; the provide temporary energy and then you’ll crash. Tired people will not lose weight because that takes energy. Exercise is not the answer. Don’t PUSH yourself when you’re tired. You need REST and SLEEP, the right food, balanced activity, and emotional poise (such as not trying to change other people).

Dr. Frank Sabatino: Body fat is now a global pandemic. As body fat increases, every known cancer to man increases as well. You can be normal weight and have a normal BMI – and still be over fat. His new book, Weightless: Compassionate Weight Loss for Life, explains 6 pillars that follow the PAMPER acronym: Plant nutrition, Adrenal recovery, Microbiota support, Pyschological poise, Exercise (and environmental toxins), and Rest/Sleep. I purchased a copy and look forward to reading it.

Dr. Neal Barnard: Talked about his latest book, The Power Foods Diet. He talked about foods that tame our appetite, trap calories, and boost metabolism. He suggests to his clients to spend one week just thinking about what they’ll eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack, and to write all the options down. He reported that they always have long lists after thinking about it for an entire week. Then they spend the next 3 weeks DOING it.

Dr. Alan Goldhammer: Food addiction was one of his biggest points. He explained why chemicals in Sugar, Oil, and Salt laden foods are so addictive, and how they lead to visceral fat (belly fat). Visceral fat produces inflammation and leads to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and more.

He said having visceral fat is like having a 2-pound tumor in the belly. 72% of people in industrialized countries are overweight or obese. He also explained that losing weight permanently is even tougher than staying sober when recovering from alcohol or drug addiction, but that it CAN be done. His latest book was also on display, Can Fasting Save Your Life?

Dr. Joel Furhman: There’s an optimal weight for each person. You cannot be overweight AND healthy, because fat cells produce inflammation issues, hormone changes, and glucose/insulin resistance problems. Eating the right foods makes you desire LESS calories, while eating the wrong foods makes you desire more. Eating fewer calories slows the aging process. He described the “caloric rush” – caloric concentration in the blood stream, and showed charts of the calories in our blood after eating high fat meals. One more tip I though was worth noting: If you plan to eat healthy desserts (such as frozen fruit nice cream), desserts should be PART of your meal, not in addition to your meal.

You Can Watch ALL of it

Other doctors who presented included Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and Laurie Marbas; cooking demos were provided by Cathy Fisher, and Jane and Ann Esselstyn. Plus Chuck Carroll from the Exam Room Podcast shared his incredible transformation story.

You do have the opportunity to watch every one of these presentations (including the music on Saturday night; Dr. Sabatino plays a MEAN harmonica! They were rockin’.)

Visit the NHA’s Website and click on the Conference tab to purchase the conference replays. The 2024 Conference replays should be available shortly.

Also consider becoming an NHA member – it’s only $35/year, and you’ll receive a quarterly, high quality, ad-free magazine in your physical mailbox (not email inbox) which is amazing! Lastly, tickets are now available for the 2025 conference, being held June 27-29, 2025. We plan on attending again would love to see you there!

Ultra-Processed Foods

June 10, 2024 By Cyd Notter

What is a Processed Food?

The term “Processed” refers to anything that changes a food from its original form. The USDA lists it as anything that has been crushed, cut, chopped, diced, sliced, pitted, blended, pureed, juiced, or dried. So that would also include any food that has been cooked, canned, frozen, fortified, or preserved.

We process foods all the time in our kitchens, with our “food processors” and blenders and stoves. Just because a food is processed does not necessarily mean it’s bad for us, However, the MORE processed a food is, the more health risks it poses.

The Level of Processing

There are several levels of processing when it comes to packaged foods.

Minimally Processed Foods are processed at their peak freshness to lock in nutritional quality and freshness, including foods such as frozen fruits and vegetables, pre-cut vegetables, bagged lettuce and greens, and canned tomatoes.

Other definitions of “minimally processed” include foods that have undergone processes such as drying, freezing, or vacuum packaging that change their original state, but do not anything to the original food; Butler soy curls would be a great example.

Moving up the spectrum a bit comes Processed Foods; foods which might be altered in some way, or fortified with various nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, or other vitamins and minerals. Ingredients are sometimes added for flavor and texture as well, such as oils, sweeteners, spices, and preservatives. Examples would include breakfast cereals, jarred pasta sauce, salad dressings, certain crackers, breads, and pastas.

And then we have the Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs) – which have significantly changed the makeup of the original food. These foods are the worst of the worst. Sometimes called “highly-processed,” these foods have been altered to include fats, oils, sodium, sugars, dyes, and hydrogenated oils extracted from other foods. The added sugars in UPFs is 8-fold higher than in processed foods, which is one of the biggest contributors to our obesity rates.

UPFs are also typically loaded with additives and preservatives to maintain a long shelf life. Because of the sugars, fats, and salt, these foods contribute to something called “The bliss point” in our brains, which gets us hooked on these foods and keep us going back for more. Manufacturers know this and actually formulate their foods with The Bliss Point in mind.

Examples of UPF’s

Ultra-processed foods include things such as frozen meals, pre-made microwave meals, canned convenience foods, packaged soups, granola bars, cookies and bakery items, candy, fake cheeses and meat analogs, fried foods, sugary breakfast cereals, chips and soda pop. And that’s just the tip of the iceburg.

Who Eats the Most UPF’s?

You might wonder how much ultra-processed foods Americans are eating? Surprisingly, 73% of the foods on American grocery store shelves are Ultra Processed foods. As a result, it’s NOT so surprising that the U.S. ranks as the top consumers of UPFs, with The UK and Canada close behind. Industrialization is a big predictor for this, because the production of UPF’s requires large-scale factories and industrially produced additives.

UPF’s comprise 58% of the calories consumed by adults in the U.S. Think about that for a second. That is a huge number. The British and Canadian populations are also consuming over half their calories in ready-to-eat, UPFs.

But even more disturbing is that, according to a Tufts University study of nearly 34,000 people, kids and teens are now consuming 67% of their total caloric intake from UPF’s!

How are UPF’s impacting our health?

Unfortunately, health outcomes are not isolated to one specific health condition, but rather a group of chronic diseases “including all-cause and cause-specific mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD), overweight and obesity, body composition and fat deposition, diabetes, cancer, and gastrointestinal and other diseases.”

As the frequency of UPF consumption increases in an individual’s diet, the risk of all-cause mortality also rises, even when studies control for other variables such as smoking, physical activity, or poverty level. The more UPF’s Americans consume, the higher their risk of total, abdominal, and visceral obesity, starting as early as childhood.

Metabolic Syndrome

Research published in 2020 by Cambridge University Press, which did a meta-analysis of 23 studies, reported that high consumption of UPFs is associated with a significant risk increase for obesity, lowering good cholesterol, and metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic Syndrome is a group of five conditions that can lead to heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other problems, and the five factors are high blood sugar, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, low levels of HDL/good cholesterol, and a large waist circumference. When a person has three or more of these conditions, they’re diagnosed with metabolic syndrome because the chance of developing cardiovascular disease increases.

Additionally, data from five studies, totaling over 230,000 adults from four different countries, found that a higher intake of UPF’s was significantly associated with an increased risk for Type 2 Diabetes.

And then there’s THIS: A systematic umbrella review published in Feb. 2024 by the British Medical Journal, where researchers evaluated 45 meta-analyses consisting of nearly 10 MILLION people, found convincing evidence that supports direct associations between exposure to UPF’s and higher risks for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, anxiety and mental health disorders, obesity, sleep problems, and premature death.

Mental Health

One more HUGE health factor is that the added sugar, salt, oils, fats, and additives in UPFs all contribute to inflammation, which is directly correlated with a variety of diseases. As people consume UPFs at higher and higher levels, the health of the gut microbiome is jeopardized, and their mental health is affected as well.

Inflammation markers measured in the blood were found to be significantly elevated in those with major depressive disorder, autism spectrum disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Altogether, UPFs play a multifaceted role in the declining mental health of Americans because of the high consumption.

Not All Processed Foods are Bad.

If you follow a healthy eating plan, most of the foods in your grocery cart will consist of fresh produce, frozen fruits and vegetables, and items from the dry bulk section. But there are many acceptable items that come in cans, jars, or boxes, too.

Certain packaged foods such as canned beans, frozen vegetables, salsa, marinara sauce, whole grain pasta, and certain cereals can be a part of a healthy diet, but the only way you’ll truly know if a product is acceptable or harmful is to read the label.

Read Your Labels!

Packaged, processed products are some of the most deceptive foods out there, and you’d be surprised at how many products promoted as “healthy” are filled with junk ingredients.

Label reading is crucial in order to know if a packaged food is healthy or NOT.

At the time of this writing (June 2024), I’m developing an in-depth Label Reading Class which will release soon. You can check for it’s availability by clicking on the “courses” tab on my website: https://cydnotter.com.

In the meantime, please examine the packaged and processed foods/ fast foods you and your family are consuming. It’s just not worth dying early or spending the last 15 years of your life suffering with a myriad of preventable health conditions.

I’m here to help you through courses and online cooking demos. I also offer personal coaching services if you’d like personalized help and accountability. To learn more about my coaching services, please watch this free webinar. At the end, you’ll be given the chance to schedule a complimentary call with no strings attached.

https://ballardbrief.byu.edu/issue-briefs/the-overconsumption-of-ultra-processed-foods-in-the-united-states

https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/3/e009892

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2782866

UPFs and Health: a 2020 study at Cambridge University https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7844609/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8705763/

https://www.bmj.com/content/384/bmj-2023-077310

NHA Article – Common Barriers to Change

May 25, 2024 By Cyd Notter

What a thrill to have an article published in the Spring 2024 Edition of Health Science Magazine!

The magazine is produced by the National Health Association, and is one of the highest quality publications out there. Jam-packed from cover to cover with interesting interviews, helpful information, and recipes from a featured chef, you’ll learn from top experts across the board. Plus you’ll be introduced to new people AND you’ll never see an advertisement!

The article I submitted, titled Common Barriers to Change, can be found here.

I highly encourage you to sign up for NHA’s membership! It’s very reasonably priced and offers wonderful perks, including this amazing magazine delivered to your door quarterly. Join us!

What’s in that Red Velvet Cake? I think you’ll be be surprised.

November 12, 2023 By Cyd Notter

The Local Mall

I visited our local mall last week for the first time in ages in order to purchase someone’s favorite lotion as a birthday gift. It was a Wednesday afternoon, and I was surprised by how few people were there.

Many of the free-standing kiosks were unoccupied, but one coffee shop, staffed by a distracted teenage girl reading her phone, was open. I was about to order a cup of decaf when I happened to notice the single-serving cakes being offered in the adjoining bakery case.

Containers of Red Velvet Cake and Carrot Cake were on display, just begging me to share a few label reading tips.

Red Velvet Cake

It might be difficult to read the fine print, but here are the basics.

The Nutrition Facts box

Calories: 1080. Wowza. On a 2,000 calories-per-day eating plan, you’ve just consumed over half with this one treat/cheat.

Total Fat: 66 grams. The daily recommended amount is 20 grams, making this cake over 3x the recommended amount for the day.

Percentage of Fat: 55% of the calories in this cake are coming from fat. That’s really high! We’re aiming for 15% on a daily basis.

Saturated Fat: 28 grams. Of that 66 grams of total fat, 28 grams are saturated fat – the type that raises cholesterol, contributes to plaque buildup, and sets the stage for diabetes, dementia, and all sorts of artery-clogging ailments.

Trans Fats: 1.5 grams. This would be the hydrogenated oils listed in the ingredients list, which our own government has said there is NO safe amount. And yet here it is. Hydrogenated oils are liquid oils that have been turned into solids (shortening).

Cholesterol: 215 mg. Raises blood cholesterol and combines with saturated fat to form plaques (see above).

Sugar: 85 grams. That equates to over 21 teaspoons of sugar, all in the form of refined sugars – one of the most inflammatory foods.

Sodium: 760 mg. Again, very high! Our goal should be around 1500 mg per day, and we get about 500 mg naturally through plant foods alone. When we add in the sodium found in meats, processed meats, cheese, dairy products, and processed foods such as this cake, we’re headed for trouble.

Fiber: 2 grams. A mere 2 grams of health-promoting fiber. That’s because fiber, which makes us feel full, is only found in plant foods. This cake will not fill you up, by any means! We should aim for 50 grams of fiber each day (easy to do when eating plants).

The Ingredient List

Keeping in mind that ingredients are listed in order by weight, the first 3 ingredients in this cake are:

cream cheese, powdered sugar, and whipped topping

In addition to oils and hydrogenated oils, we have high fructose corn syrup, eggs, refined wheat flour, milk, red food dye, cocoa butter, additives, preservatives, and artificial flavorings.

Every one of these ingredients contributes to inflammation!

This high-fat, high-sugar, highly processed junk food definitely needs to stay in the bakery case.

Frankenfood at its Finest

I share this not to discourage or shame anyone, but merely to motivate everyone to choose wisely!

As a nutrition educator, my goal is to inform you about about what you’re ingesting into your body. How else can you make informed decisions if you’re not familiar with what’s in a product, including the Red Velvet Cake at the mall kiosk?

I encourage you to check out my class titled “Inflammation and Your Diet” for more details about the topic. The course does include some label reading tips as well. You’ll get 50% off the class by using the coupon code TakeOff50 at the checkout.

Stay Encouraged

There are plenty of delicious, healthy cake recipes on line. Easy recipes that will satisfy your sweet tooth while not destroying your precious health. Websites I recommend include:

https://eatplant-based.com
https://shaneandsimple.com
https://annarborvegankitchen.com
https://straightupfood.com

I’d love to partner with you to help achieve your weight and health goals. Watch this free webinar, then schedule a complimentary call. No sales pitch, I promise!

Free webinar: 3 Food Mistakes that Lead to Painful Joints, Extra Pounds, and Health Problems the Doctors Aren’t Solving

Signed copies of The “Plan A” Diet: click HERE