Cyd Notter

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

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    • Food Topics
      • How Are Soy Curls Made
      • What’s the big deal about fiber?
      • 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
      • Suffering 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
      • Healthier Halloween Options
    • Health Topics
      • Common Barriers to Change
      • Omega Fatty Acids
      • Inflammatory and Anti-Inflammatory Foods (Printable List)
      • What is Vitamin B12 and how much should I take?
      • Why exercise?
      • 5 Reasons to Skip 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
      • Featured in Health Science Magazine
    • 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
    • Southwest Burgers with Low-fat Green Chile Sauce
    • Easy, Fat-free Hummus
    • Chocolate Sweet Potato Frosting
    • Date-Sweetened Berry Jam
    • Berry Rice Cake Bites – by Vicki Brett-Gach
    • Pasta Fagioli Stew
    • Iced Beverages
    • Frijoles Charros by Mark Cerkvenik
    • Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Tangy Date-Lime Dressing
    • Easy Braised Onions & Green Beans
    • Best Blueberry Pancakes
    • Vegan Sausage Patties
    • Zucchini Bean Burritos
    • Minestrone Soup (Easy!)
    • 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 & Sauce
    • Homestyle Squash and Pinto Beans
    • Barley Burgers
    • Chocolate Orange Nice Cream (and Sauce)
    • Easy Instant Pot Risotto
    • Easy Meals and Desserts
    • Recipe Links
    • Pumpkin Raisin Muffins
    • Roasted Veggie Pasta
    • Zucchini Muffins
    • Fat-free Green Chile Sauce
    • Tofu Lettuce Wraps
    • Creamy Chickpea Pot Pie Soup
  • Upcoming Events
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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”
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Can you overeat on a plant-based diet?

February 19, 2025 By Cyd Notter

Weight gain typically boils down to two reasons...

Reason #1: Too much food (even on a plant-based diet)

The lifestyle medicine docs we follow advise that we do NOT to count calories or points, or weigh/measure our foods; the main reason is because plant-based eating isn't a typical short-term "diet" of restriction, but rather a lifestyle to be practiced and enjoyed for life.

The advice is to eat when you're hungry, but stop when you're comfortably full.  And therein lies the key. Stop before you're stuffed.  STOP when you are full.

However, the principle of 'calories in, calories out' still applies to the whole food, plant-based lifestyle - because overeating ANY type of food will sabotage our efforts to lose or maintain a healthy weight.  Don't be obsessed with calorie counting...but do tune in to recognize your true hunger signals; eat when you are hungry, and STOP when you're comfortably full.

Adobe Stock Free Image

Check out this article: Is it hunger, or cravings?

Keeping a food journal of everything you consume (both food and beverages) for several days is another good way to become aware of how much you're actually eating/ grazing/ snacking.

Meal planning is also important. We tend to overeat when we're ravenous; and when there's nothing prepared in the fridge or pantry, we tend to grab anything and everything just to get something in our bellies. Here are some menu planning tips and a 21-day meal plan which may be of help.

NOTE: If food addiction or emotional eating are triggering you to overeat, getting to the root cause of those behaviors will be instrumental. Feel free to contact me for more resources.

Reason #2: The wrong foods (even on a plant-based diet)

This is a trap I see many plant-based eaters fall into. If weight loss and/or health improvement are your major goals, avoiding or limiting high fat plant foods such as avocado, nuts, nut butters, seeds and tahini, olives, and coconut is important. If you do choose to consume them, use them very sparingly, as condiments only.  (Note: If you have heart disease, refer to Dr. Esselstyn's book for more advice about avoiding fats.) And of course - no oils!

Oils are 100% pure fat and should be eliminated in all cases. It's easy to pack on a few pounds every month by just consuming oils which add no bulk to your food - only calories and fat (not to mention the health problems they contribute to.) Read your labels and avoid products which contain oils and/or hydrogenated oils.

Adobe Stock Free Image

Focus on foods that are low in calorie density (and thereby lower in fat, as well).

Avoid refined grains (do you know how to spot them? This course will help!) Refined grains are devoid of any fiber and can spike our blood sugar.

Make water your first beverage of choice. Avoid sugary drinks, sodas, lattes, and power drinks; in other words, don't drink your calories.

Bottom Line: Focus on low-fat, high fiber, calorie dilute whole plant foods; use higher fat plant foods as condiments. Drink lots of water. Be mindful of when you're eating: eat when you're actually hungry, and stop when your comfortably full.

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Learn MORE tips in this free webinar: 3 Food Mistakes that Lead to Painful Joints, Extra Pounds, and Health Problems the Doctors Aren't Solving. 

Get a signed copy of my book: The "Plan A" Diet: Combining Whole Food, Plant Based Nutrition with the Timeless Wisdom of Scripture. 

 

 

Filed Under: My Blog Tagged With: #calorie density, #Overeating, #plantbasedfood, #toomuchfood, #wrong food, calorie counting, plantbased, vegan

EASY Plant-Based Recipes for Busy Holiday Months

December 1, 2024 By Cyd Notter

We're officially in the toughest season for those trying to stay on-track with their diets. The period between Thanksgiving to New Year's Day is typically when we give ourselves unspoken permission to over-indulge...we might tell ourselves, "it's the holidays, after all!"

Plus, it's hard to stay diligent when you're surrounded by candies, baked goods, and high-calorie beverages.

So what can you do? Two things come to mind:

  1. You can make your "holiday game plan" now. By planning out a few targeted goals, you can still enjoy the holidays without compromising your health. Read more about it here.
  2. Don't add to your stress by planning elaborate meals during the week. Eat simply by making these quick, easy meals which are featured in The 21-Day Meal Plan.  Another way to save time in the kitchen is by batch cooking once or twice a week. Watch this video for my batch cooking suggestions.

Remember, surviving the holidays is not about deprivation!

It's about forming a strategy to eat healthy, delicious foods while avoiding the temptation of all those high-calorie, high-fat weight- and health-busters. As an extra bonus, you'll avoid the guilt AND the bloat when the holidays are over. 🙂

 

A sensible person sees trouble and hides,
but naive people keep going and pay the penalty. (Proverbs 27:12, EHV)

 

Great Christmas gift! Order a signed copy of my book 🙂 - I'll ship it free anywhere in the continental U.S.

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

Online Courses are Available Here

 

 

Filed Under: My Blog Tagged With: easy recipes, faith based diet, holiday game plan, Holiday weight gain, holidays, plant based recipes, plant-based nutrition, The Plan A Diet, vegan, vegetarian, whole food plant based

Green Beans with Braised Onion

August 8, 2022 By Cyd Notter

When you need a "go-to" side dish you can whip up in a hurry, it doesn't get much simpler than this!

Especially if you use Steamer Green Beans.

Do use "seasoned" rice vinegar (not plain) - it does make a difference.

Here's the recipe!

Green Beans with Braised Onions

 

Filed Under: My Blog Tagged With: Christian diet, green geans, healthy eating, plant based recipes, plant based side dish, plant-based nutrition, The Plan A Diet, vegan, vegetarian, whole food plant based

Diet and the Alzheimer Gene

June 15, 2022 By Cyd Notter

(Originally Published 2016; Updated 6-15-22.)

Dear Coach:  One of my parents died with Alzheimer’s disease.  I plan to get tested to see if I have the gene but wanted to know if you could recommend any foods to help prevent Alzheimer’s.   Anonymous

Dear Anon:  My sincere condolences to you on your loss.  It’s a real struggle when a loved one develops Alzheimer’s; I applaud you for being concerned about your own cognitive function. I know that you’re not alone in your concerns; the class that I offer on this topic fills up each time it’s offered.

health risk There is good news – you are not a helpless victim without options. There is MUCH you can do to lower your risk. But first let’s take a look at the Alzheimer’s gene.  Back in the 1990’s, the ApoE4 gene was discovered to be a major player in the susceptibility of Alzheimer’s.

The ApoE4 gene is the principal carrier of cholesterol in the brain. If someone inherits the gene from either parent, their risk of getting the disease triples (this affects about 15% of the U.S. population). If someone inherits the gene from both parents, their risk increases nine-fold (this affects about 1 in 50 people).

Research reveals DIET trumps genes

To date, the people in Nigeria have the highest frequency of the ApoE4 gene in the world. Yet they have some of the LOWEST rates of Alzheimer’s. This paradox is explained by the grain and vegetable diet of the Nigerians, which results in low cholesterol levels that have appeared to trump their genes.

Cholesterol encourages the production of beta-amyloid (plaques that lie between brain cells). People whoplaque buildup have the ApoE4 gene absorb cholesterol more easily from their digestive tracts compared with people who don’t have the gene. They tend to have higher cholesterol levels and higher risk of both heart disease and stroke.

In a 20-year study of 1,000 people, researchers reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine Journal that having the ApoE4 gene doubled the odds of Alzheimer’s, but high cholesterol nearly tripled the threat.

So if the greatest threat of Alzheimer’s are treatable factors – such as high cholesterol and blood pressure – then controlling these lifestyle factors could reduce a person’s risk, even if they have the DOUBLE ApoE4 gene (the odds decrease from 9x down to 2x). This is great news for anyone concerned not only about their brain health, but heart disease and stroke as well.

Cholesterol in Mid-life

Another study of 9844 people Kaiser Permanent subscribers in California showed that a high cholesterol level in midlife (early 40’s) predicted their Alzheimer risk twenty to thirty years later. If your cholesterol is around 220, your Alzheimer risk is about 25% higher. And if your cholesterol is in the 250 range or higher, your likelihood of developing the disease would be about 50% higher.

Diet Trumps All

IMG_1648What’s the best way to lower your cholesterol and blood pressure? Diet trumps all. Cholesterol is only found in animal foods - meat, fish, dairy, eggs - and so lowering or eliminating the intake of meat and dairy is crucial. Don't be fooled by believing that chicken and fish are healthier - they contain as much cholesterol as beef.

Enjoy a diet which focuses on beans, potatoes, rice, corn, pasta, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. It’s not rabbit food – but delicious entrees of lasagna, burritos, stews, tamale casseroles, burgers, stir frys, cheesy soups, sloppy joes and much more. A plant-centered diet is not a diet of restriction – but a gift!  I continually urge people to lower cholesterol through food, not statins (which have terrible side effects and only lower risk of cardiovascular events by 1.6%).

Should you get tested for the gene? Doctors can check which ApoE genes you are carrying with a simple blood test, and some people are eager to find out as much as possible about themselves. A negative reading could put their minds at rest.

On the other hand, there’s nothing you can do to change your genes, but you can do much to reduce the risk of their expression. If you discover you have the gene, how will that affect you mentally? Only you can determine if testing is right for you. Not having the gene does not guarantee freedom from Alzheimer’s; just as having the gene does not guarantee you’ll develop the disease. The Nigerians are a good example.  Remember that genetics load the gun, but lifestyle typically pulls the trigger.

Aluminum Makes a Difference

Click here to read why you should stop/limit ingesting aluminum (or using toiletries which contain it).

Books I Recommend

Click here to see which books I recommend on this topic.

Your best defense against dementia is a low-fat, whole food, plant-based diet. The most anti-inflammatory and health promoting way of eating available. So powerful it can even reverse advanced stages of heart disease!

To learn more about which foods to eat, check out this free webinar and then schedule a call if you'd like to chat about how you can get started.

If you’d like to be notified of our classes or if you have a question, please contact me through www.cydnotter.com.  (Sources: Dr. N. Barnard Power Foods for the Brain; Dr. M. Greger, NutritionFacts.org: The Alzheimer Gene: Controlling ApoeE).

Filed Under: Oils Tagged With: Alzheimers, ApoeE4, cholesterol, dementia, diet, diet and Ahlzheimers, gene, plant-based, prevention, vegan, whole food

Planning to diet this January? Do this instead.

December 14, 2021 By Cyd Notter

The Party's Over

The holidays and the leftover desserts will soon be behind us, which means that many of you will once again resolve to start a new diet on January 1.  

The top three resolutions made every year typically include losing weight, getting healthy and fit, and living life to the fullest.  Fortunately, all three of those goals can be achieved with one lifestyle change….namely, the right food choices. 

Photo by i yunmai on Unsplash

Have Past Diets Failed You?

There are hundreds of diet plans on the market today. But "buyer beware."

Typical diet plans have about a 3% success rate. That means that 97% of people following today's traditional diets (Keto, Paleo, Atkins, South Beach, and even Weight Watchers, among others) will NOT have long-term success.

Many people fall prey to these questionable diet plans in an effort to achieve quick weight loss, not realizing the health problems in store for them down the road.

The answer to permanent weight loss and improved health is simple, achievable and proven by mounds of unbiased research. It’s not a typical diet of restriction, nor is it a diet that requires super human efforts to refrain from eating. Plus, everything you need to do it is at your disposal.

Carbs are your FRIEND! (the right carbs, that is)

Let me show you the difference between healthy complex carbs, and unhealthy refined carbs.

Let me show you the LAST diet you'll ever need. A diet which isn't a DIET at all. It's a lifestyle plan that will restore your health and vitality, with weight loss being a natural byproduct.

No counting calories, no tiny portions, no counting points/carbs/anything. Eat when you're hungry!

Check out this FREE training class:  "3 Food Mistakes Which Lead to Painful Joints, Extra Pounds, and Health Problems the Doctors Aren't Solving."

Do NOT go on another diet this January. Watch the free training class, schedule a call with me if you need help, and gear up so you're ready on January 1!

 

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Order a signed copy of The “Plan A” Diet

How to make delicious Raw Apple Crumble

How to Saute, Roast, and Bake without oil

 

Filed Under: My Blog Tagged With: 'Plan A' Diet, Christian, faith based diet, Lose Weight, lose weight; eat more, New Years Diet, Plant Based Diet, plant based recipes, plant-based nutrition, resolutions, The Plan A Diet, vegan, whole food plant based

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