Cyd Notter

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

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    • Food Topics
      • Artificial Sweeteners – What you should know
      • March is National Nutrition Month – Take the Quiz
      • Artificial Sweeteners – What you should know
      • Which food has 8x more cholesterol than beef?
      • 3 Big Reasons to Include Berries in Your Diet
      • Success Tips for Changing Your Diet
      • Do you suffer from Carbophobia?
      • What about alcohol?
      • The Slippery Slope of “Eating in Moderation”
      • A Nutrition Pop Quiz
      • Protein and Calcium
      • Aren’t Starches Fattening
      • Oils
        • Coconut Oil – Yes or No
        • Oils – what you should know
      • Eating Enough Fruits and Veggies?
      • Do you have a holiday game plan?
      • Making Only One Change?
      • America’s Love Affair with Bacon
      • Is it Safe to Eat Soy?
      • Are gluten-free diets for everyone?
      • Planning to diet this January? Do this instead.
      • Fabulous Flax Seed Has it All
      • How Important is the Glycemic Index?
      • Eating Out at Restaurants or Parties
      • Artificial Sweeteners – What you should know
      • Healthier Halloween Options
    • Health Topics
      • Inflammatory and Anti-Inflammatory Foods (Printable List)
      • What is Vitamin B12 and how much should I take?
      • Why exercise?
      • 5 Reasons to Steer Clear of the Charcuterie Boards
      • MEN: Prostate Stats You Should Know
      • The Aluminum in Our Foods is Strongly Linked to Dementia
      • Diet and Gallbladder Disease
      • Infants are Being Fed Junk Food by Their First Birthday
      • 4 Things Necessary for a Successful, Healthy Diet
      • Habits – Good or Bad?
      • Is it too late to start eating healthy?
      • Making Small Changes but Expecting Big Results
      • Family and Social Pressure
      • Genes, Schmenes – It’s most likely the food
      • Is a plant-based diet safe for children?
      • Which Processed Meats Should We Avoid?
      • Gut Bacteria and Our Diets
      • Diet & Breast Cancer Prevention
      • Statins – Don’t Believe Everything you Read
      • Diabetes – “Manage” or Reverse?
      • The Health Benefits of (a little) Unprotected Sun
      • Making Changes Stick
      • Evaluating Research
      • Vitamin D and Sunshine
    • Faith Related
      • Addressing Biblical Objections to a Plant-Based Diet
      • The mathematical odds that Jesus is who He said He is…
      • Poem: Lessons from a Bike Ride
  • Recipes
    • Rainbow Kale Slaw
    • Gingerbread Biscotti
    • Instant Pot Pineapple Chili
    • No-Flour Corn Muffins
    • BBQ Soy Curls
    • Carrot Cake with Glaze
    • Blueberry Oat Bran Muffins
    • Choco-Mint Nice Cream
    • Barley Burgers
    • Chocolate Orange Nice Cream (and Sauce)
    • Easy Instant Pot Risotto
    • Easy Meals and Desserts
    • Recipes for Chef AJ’s Cooking Demo
    • Recipe Links
    • Pumpkin Raisin Muffins
    • Roasted Veggie Pasta
    • Zucchini Muffins
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  • Testimonials
    • Amanda G. – Loses Digestive Issues and 115 lbs.
    • Tim P. – Off all 8 Meds!
    • Cindi R. – Reversed Blocked Carotid
    • Doug M. – Doc says “Cured!”
    • Denise V. – At Peace with Food and Body Image
    • Linda Z. – Autoimmune Skin Disorder now Dormant
    • Olga A. – Improved Cognitive Function
    • Kim C. – Relief from “Getting Older”
  • Blog
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The “5 Whys” Technique – An Effective Problem Solver When it Comes to Your Health :)

January 11, 2022 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.

Photo by Daniel @ bestjumpstarterreview.com on Unsplash

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

  • Problem: The vehicle will not start.
  1. Why? – The battery is dead.
  2. Why? – The alternator is not functioning.
  3. Why? – The alternator belt has broken.
  4. Why? – The alternator belt was well beyond its useful service life and not replaced.
  5. 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.

Photo on VisualHunt

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

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!

 

[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/

Filed Under: My Blog Tagged With: #theplanadiet #planadiet #plantbaseddiet #plantbasednutrition #faithbased #dietwholefoodplantbased, theplanadiet

Interview on Rock Your World Naturally

November 7, 2019 By Cyd Notter

Recently I had the blessing and privilege of being interviewed by Rekishia McMillan on her Rock Your World Naturally podcast.

Rekishia was such a pleasure to speak with! She’s a Health Evangelist, Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Air Force Veteran & Award-Winning Author.

Her passion is teaching women how to improve their health in body, soul and spirit by using biblical wisdom and practical lifestyle strategies. Check out her website at rockyourworldnaturally.com.

Take a listen to our interview here. I’m very grateful to Rekishia for having me on her show….be sure to check it out! The interview begins at the 11:30 mark, with Rekishia sharing some great comments about the Daniel Diet and the benefits of plant-based nutrition before the interview.

Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. (Romans 12:2, MSG)

Filed Under: My Blog Tagged With: faithbased, healthydiet, interview, planadiet, plantbaseddiet, plantbasednutrition, podcast, rekishiamcmillan, rockyourworldnaturally, theplanadiet, vegan, wholefoodplantbased

Alcohol and Cancer Risk

October 24, 2019 By Cyd Notter

Photo on VisuaHunt

For years, I was somewhat suspicious about the health claims touted by the alcohol industry; but I also believed it was no big deal if alcohol was consumed moderately. There was no science behind my beliefs at all. Perhaps I too was swayed by the Alcohol Industry’s marketing messages or maybe the fact that I was raised by parents who owned a bar.

However, I began to do more research on the topic while writing The “Plan A” Diet. I looked into many credible websites and studies. And what I discovered was that the Alcohol Industry (AI) has done a great job in keeping the public relatively ignorant, uncertain, and in denial about the “alcohol causes cancer” message.

Dr. Michael Greger has several videos on the topic of alcohol, but take a look at this one titled Can Alcohol Cause Cancer, Here are a few of the statistics/tidbits he shares:

  • Even at low levels of consumption, alcohol increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, colon, liver, larynx, and female breast (contributing to more than 100,000 cases of breast cancer each year).
  • It also contributes to other cancers, such as pancreas, prostate, and melanoma.
  • Alcohol is attributable to nearly 6% of all cancer deaths worldwide. (My note: This may not seem like much, but in the U.S. that would equate to over 10 million alcohol-related cancer diagnoses annually, resulting in over 3.5 million deaths.)
  • It’s considered a highly intoxicating neurotoxin (poison) which can cause brain damage and aggression.
  • Alcohol contributes to weight gain, even in moderate drinkers.
  • It increases the levels of sex hormones. Even though a high fiber diet helps offset some of those effects by carrying excess estrogen out of the body, there does not appear to be any ‘safe’ level from a cancer standpoint.
  • The AI manipulates the science in order to generate profit, often denying or distorting the evidence and distracting the public away from the harmful messages.
  • The AI ironically contributes to cancer risk in the name of prevention! Consider Mike’s Hard Pink Lemonade, complete with pink carcinogens and a ribbon on the carton.
  • Why aren’t doctors informing their patients about these risks? One reason is that most are drinkers themselves.
  • And because doctors ignore the evidence, alcohol is one of cancer’s best kept secrets.
Photo on VisualHunt

The bottom line was summarized in one research paper as this: The consumption of alcohol, an addictive carcinogen, cannot be a healthy lifestyle choice.

Here’s another article of interest stating that for women, having just one alcoholic drink per day increased the risk for alcohol-related cancers (mainly breast cancer) by 13 percent, compared with those who consumed no alcohol.

Based on the latest research, it would be irresponsible for me to condone even light or moderate drinking on a regular basis. There’s probably no harm in having an occasional drink at a wedding or a holiday celebration—that is your decision. But routine alcohol consumption, even at low levels, cannot be considered an acceptable part of a healthy diet.

Here’s a link to the article about alcohol as it appears in my book, where you can read more about the ties between AI and our government, and also how AI distorts the research to make alcohol appear healthy.

Please don’t shoot the messenger on this one, but please do consider the risk factors when making your choices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: My Blog Tagged With: alcohol, beer, Cancer, healthrisks, isalcoholhealthy, planadiet, plantbaseddiet, plantbasednutrition, theplanadiet, wholefoodplantbased, wine

Black Bean Lentil Taco Soup

June 13, 2019 By Cyd Notter

Thanks to my sister-in-law for recommending this recipe! Black Bean Lentil Taco Soup by The Garden Grazer is a definite “keeper” that is super easy to prepare! Top with avocado, green onions, or tortilla strips for a little something extra.

Becuase this soup is hearty and thick, it also makes a great potato topper! Boil and mash a few Yukon gold potatoes and top with this soup for a satisfying, delicious, starch-based meal which not only fills you up, it also provides ample protein, calcium, fiber, and all those lovely nutrients which our bodies need for good health.

Let me know how you like it!

Filed Under: My Blog Tagged With: black bean, black bean lentil taco, lentil, no oil, plantbased, plantbasednutrition, soup, The Plan A Diet, theplanadiet, vegan, wholefoodplantbased

Interview on Karl’s Coaching Podcast

May 1, 2019 By Cyd Notter

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)

 

Filed Under: My Blog Tagged With: Christian, diet, faith, interview, karl forehand, plant-based, plant-based nutrition, podcast, theplanadiet, vegan, vegetarian, wholefoodplantbased

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