Cyd Notter

Author and Nutrition Educator, Founder of The "Plan A" Diet™

The Bliss Point (when foods light up our brains)

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Whatever a person gives in to soon becomes his master. (2 Peter 2:19b, VOICE)

One of the biggest barriers to making dietary change is physical food addiction. Food obessesions and uncontrollable cravings can become all-consuming patterns which dominate our thought processes and make us slaves to our impulses.

Those struggling with food addiction not only face the mental angst of defeat and helplessness, but the far-reaching health threats assocated with unhealthy foods as well.

Photo credit: bark on Visualhunt / CC BY

The Standard American Diet (SAD), filled with sugar, fats, salt, and animal products, is the ideal breeding ground to create food cravings, all while contributing to inflammation, chronic disease, and the growing rate of obesity.

A chapter in The "Plan A" Diet - titled "Hooked on Sweets, Treats, and Other Cheats" - explains the process used by food manufacturers to create and enhance food addictions in our brains; by maniuplating their products with addicting properties, they keep us hooked and maximize their sales.

Companies spend billions of dollars formulating products with just the right amount of sugar, salt, and fat in order to optimize taste and create a heightened "sensory profile." The point at which this perfected blend of addicting properties is reached is referred to as "the bliss point." It's the optimal point at which our brains light up from the release of natural opiates and dopamine stimulation in our reward centers.

Food addictions are powerful, but there ARE ways to break free and overcome their lure. The book spells out several guidelines, but if your addictions are quite serious, you may need professional help too. Future online classes may be developed on this very topic - please subscribe to my monthly newsletter to stay informed.

When you're given a box of candy, don't gulp it all down; eat too much chocolate and you'll make yourself sick. (Proverbs 25:16, MSG)

Concerns with Coronary Calcium Scans

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Considering a Coronary Calcium Scan? A Coronary Calcium Scan is a CT scan of the heart that detects the amount of calcium in the artieries, but many respected groups, researchers, and professional cardiology societies are now recommending against the test.

In her informative article today, Dr. Pam Popper explains the current concerns about the test, which partly include:

  • The test does not detect plaques, and therefore cannot inform a patient of their true risk of experiencing an event or death
  • Someone with a perfect score of zero can still have significant blockages
  • Cancer concern from the large dose of radiation (100 - 400x a traditional xray)
  • False positives which lead to unnecessary, invasive procedures and drugs

Because the potentential harms outweigh any benefits, many groups are now recommending against the test (including the USPSTF - The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force, which finds no evidence that screening for coronary heart disease is beneficial).

Just one more reason why we need to do our homework before agreeing to any type of tests or procedures, preventative or otherwise.....

.....and another great reason to protect our arteries with a whole food, plant-based, no-added-oil eating plan, as spelled out in The "Plan A" Diet. 

 

Interview on Karl’s Coaching Podcast

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I had the privilege and blessing to be interviewed recently by Karl Forehand. Karl has 20 years experience as a pastor and a counselor, plus he's certified in Plant Based Nutrition through Dr. Campbell's eCornell course. He hosts two Facebook pages (WFBP Christians, and Four-Eyed Plant Eater) and offers coaching through his website.

Because we're on the same page in many areas, I contacted Karl several weeks ago to ask if I could send him a copy of The "Plan A" Diet. He agreed (and explains in the interview why he was somewhat reluctant about it initially).

However, after reading the book, he invited me as a guest on his podcast! Here's the interview. Hopefully you'll have time to give it a listen - and feel free to share it! I'm convinced that God has purposes for this book, and it's exciting to see the doors He conintues to open.

I know that you can do everything and that your plans are unstoppable.

(Job 42:2, GW)

 

Do we need more protein after age 65?

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If you’ve been following the advice of plant-based nutrition leaders for any length of time, you’re probably aware that no more than 10% of our calories should come from protein. And yes, the type of protein matters greatly (animal vs plant).

Studies show that those who consume lots of animal protein have a much greater risk of cancer death and a 73x higher risk of death by diabetes; those who consume “moderate” protein (10%-19% of calories) have roughly 23x the risk of dying from diabetes.

So what about the study which suggests elderly people have a higher protein requirement? As Dr. Michael Greger explains in this article, not only is evidence lacking to support that study, there’s a Japanese study which proves the opposite. A study in 2008 found NO difference in the protein requirements between young and old.

When it comes to muscle mass, sedentary people over age 65 lose about 1% of their muscle mass every year, but older adults on bed rest may lose muscle mass 6x faster than young people. But muscle mass is maintained with exercise and strength training at any age, so it’s use it or lose it for everyone.

Dietary-wise, vegetables are associated with cutting the odds of low muscle mass by roughly 50%. The alkalizing effects of vegetables neutralize the mild, metabolic acidosis that occurs with age. Dr. Greger explains that muscle wasting appears to be a response to acidosis (when our kidneys start to decline due to eating an acid-promoting diet which includes fish, pork, chicken, and cheese). Beans and other legumes are the only source of protein that’s alkaline and positively associated with muscle mass in all women ages 18 through 79.

Exercise and plant-based nutrition are key to health, vitality, and the ability to function – at any age.

The Protein Craze (especially for athletes)

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Photo on Visual Hunt

When it comes to America's protein craze, mega-athlete Rich Roll summed it up nicely in an article he wrote for the Forks Over Knives website back in 2014.

Rich Roll was 50 lbs. overweight at the age of 40. After struggling to climb a flight of stairs one night, he did a complete 180 with his diet and lifestyle. He became a dedicated vegan, put on his running shoes, and jumped back into the pool. In only two years, he went from being a couch potato to a recognized world-renowned ultra-endurance athlete. He’s the first of only two people to complete five ironman triathlons on five Hawaiian islands in under a week.

To paraphrase Rich’s article, the animal protein push is not only based on lies, it’s killing us by luring us to feast on low-fiber foods which are high in saturated fat—contributors to our epidemic of heart disease and many other infirmities. He states that protein is indeed an essential nutrient and critical not just in building and repairing muscle, but for other bodily function as well.

Plenty of Plant Protein

But does it matter if our protein comes from plants rather than animals? He and a long list of other athletes will tell you the same thing: rather than steak, milk, eggs, and whey supplements, opt instead to eat lower on the food chain and source your protein needs from healthy plant-based sources like black, kidney, pinto, and other beans, almonds, lentils, hemp seeds, spirulina, and quinoa. Even eating less-concentrated sources of protein like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and bananas will get you exactly where you need to be.

There is no “special” diet for athletes, but rather the same overall pattern of plant foods—low in protein and fat, high in fiber and complex carbohydrate—but with greater amounts of those foods to support athletic endurance. Google “vegan athletes” and you’ll be surprised by how many names you may recognize!

(The above excerpt was taken from The "Plan A" Diet - get more details about the book here.)

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