Articles
Eating Right On The Road • Carb Consciousness
Eating Right On The Road
By Dr. Hillwig
Philly Fit Magazine, Nov/Dec 2004 issue, p.
31-32
Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, you face several
nutritional challenges. Unless you’ve packed fresh greens and
groceries for the trip, finding a healthy meal or snack can be more
problematic than hailing a city cab during a rush hour rainstorm. How can
you control the nutritional quality of restaurant food? How can you stick
to your diet and eat to stay fit? What can you do to avoid overloads of
carbs, tempting sweets, artery-clogging fats, disease-linked oils and
super-sized servings? Here are few
tips for your trips, suggestions for making healthier choices about what
and how much you consume when you’re away from home.
1. Where To Eat
It’s true that “speed” kills. As in fast foods and
quickie marts. The preparation of all too many chain restaurant and
packaged foods relies on hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils.
Because all too many food makers and servers are blind to anything but the
bottom line. Since are so relatively inexpensive, hydrogenated oils –
which predispose you to hardening of the arteries and several types of
cancers -- are almost unavoidable. They are used to cheaply produce
popcorns and chips, breads, soups, falsely-called fat free creamers and
cookies. Even salad dressings! How bad are they for you? Fully hydrogenated
or partially, these manufactured, highly processed oils are arguably just
as bad—if not worse—for you than lard (lard, at least, is
composed of structures that your body actually recognizes!).
You can protect yourself from ingesting hydrogenated fats by reading labels
on packaged and canned foods. You may be surprised by just how often
hydrogenated oils are listed in the ingredients. But there may be no such
way to determine what’s in your cooked food or prepared sandwich.
Unfortunately, even popular sandwich chains which tout themselves as
healthier fast food choices also use hydrogenated oils, even in their
non-fried sandwiches. The oil appears in their bread, their dressings, and
the sauces on their meats. While some of their sandwiches may actually be
“low in fat,” you may want to consider the ramifications of
consuming them. Who knows if the low fat chicken sandwich you order has
hidden hydrogenated oils that can damage your heart straw and/or
precipitate dangerous cellular mutations leading to cancer?
It’s difficult, but try to avoid hydrogenated fats, choosing instead,
items containing specified oils. Better yet, find places and packages that
use “expeller pressed” olive, canola, safflower, sunflower, and
grapeseed oils.
When planning your trip or once you’re arrived at a destination, look
for restaurants featuring natural and organic foods. Enjoy the choices at a
healthier buffet, where you can control precisely what goes on your plate
and into your body. Look for the in-store dining at natural food
supermarkets. Often, the best choice is a restaurant featuring Asian foods.
But even here, ask about the cooking oils, and state your healthy
preference.
When you have no choice about where to eat, you still can attempt to
protect your health by asking questions. And requesting healthier choices.
What kind of oils are used in your menu selection? Can you make a
substitution?
2. What To Eat
When you’re hungry, just about everything on the menu is appealing.
And you’re all too likely to eat everything on your plate. Here are
some suggestions to help you stay in control—of both the quality and
quantity of your portion.
Drink, drink, drink. We’re not talking alcohol here, but, rather,
WATER. Drink lots of it. Avoid drinks
that contain sugar (which will contribute later to sugar and carb cravings)
or sugar substitutes (which are carcinogenic). Please note that the guideline to drink
8 eight-ounce glasses (or 64 ounces total) a day may be too general. You
can calculate a more ideal amount for your body by dividing your weight in
half and then taking that number and dividing it by 8. This new number is
the number of glasses that your body requires to hydrate all of its
tissues. Staying hydrated not only aids proper functioning of your organs
and systems, also helping to eliminate toxins and other wastes. In
addition, drinking plenty of water helps you control and lose weight. Our
bodies are often confused by messages we interpret as hunger for solid
foods, but would actually be satisfied by increasing our liquid intake. It
is interesting to note that by the time you feel you are thirsty, you have
actually already been dehydrated for a significant period of time. So, as
soon as you sit down, order that large glass of water and hydrate your
body. Adding a squeeze of lemon may make it taste better for those who do
not like plain water, and the acidic content will aid in the digestion of
the food you order.
Hide the bread. Your mom
and dad were right – you WILL fill up on this stuff. Not only that,
the bread is essentially sugar and is unbalanced: There is virtually no
fiber or protein in it to decrease its glycemic effect. Wait for your meal,
or better yet, order a healthier meal start.
The healthier start can be
a soup or salad. For those of us who eat too quickly, having the soup or
salad as will necessitate a break before the main course, in turn, curbing
your appetite. P.S. Skip the croutons!
Choose a BALANCED meal.
This means a meal the provides fiber, protein and healthy fats, as well as
some carbs. Combine grilled meats with veggies that are high in fiber and
lower in carbohydrates – such as broccoli, cabbage, zucchini, celery,
green peas, green beans, and carrots (with skins!). Also ask that the
vegetables be cooked lightly, so that nutrients aren’t boiled,
steamed or baked away.
Package up half of your
entrée even before you start eating! Ask the wait staff to bring you a
take-out container with the serving, and simply package up one half s a
meal for later. Restaurant meals are often enough for two or even three
meals. Or for healthy snacks. Of course, you want to put the saved food in
a cooler, in the mini-refrigerator at your lodging room, or your hotel may
keep the item refrigerated for you.
When you foresee dining
limitation and problems, pack your snacks and meals. And restock at places
like Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Essene Natural Market which offer
a number of pre-packaged, portion-appropriate foods that are healthier than
fast food and quickie mart options.
Think sensible. Think
moderation. Think balance. Your body will thank you for thinking of it.
Have a healthy trip!
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Carb
Consciousness
By Dr. Hillwig
Philly Fit Magazine, Sept/Oct 2004 issue, p.
5-6
Whether you know it as the Atkins, South Beach or Sugarbusters diet,
carbohydrate consciousness promises the eternally-awaited quick fix for
those looking to trim weight and inches. It would seem to be a dream come
true: Proponents of carb-cutting have pointed to scientific evidence that
when you turn from blood-sugar-raising carbs to less-glycemic protein,
fats, fiber, sugar alcohols, soy flours and cellulose, your body shifts
from a fat-storing to a fat-burning mode.
What’s more, say the
carb-cut crusaders, reducing your carbohydrate intake can also bethe
heart-healthy diet prescription. In fact, according to a study reported in
the Annals of Internal Medicine, despite consuming nearly unlimited meat,
eggs, and full-fat dairy products, the blood lipid panels of “low
carb” dieters actually showed improvement.Triglyceride levels and
other blood markers of cardiovascular risk paradoxically were lower after a
period of eating saturated fat and cholesterol-laden foods.
No wonder that
carb-cutting has become the next-big-thing in dieting – with
approximately 15% of Americans following some type of restricted carb
regimen. But, before trading in that cookie and cake for unlimited bacon,
due diligence requires addressing a few fundamental questions. Is it safe?
Are carb-cutting and protein/fat-loading effective and healthy past the
first rush of weight loss?
Let’s begin the
question-answering exercise by jogging our collective memory. The craze of
our not-too-distant past was the low-fat diet. With similar agility as THEY
showed about carb-cutting, American food processors and packagers (and even
fast-food chains) responded by reinventing their fare. We were given wave
after wave of fat-free salad dressings, snacks and, even, fat-free
desserts. Some of these products are stillavailable on our grocery shelves.
Unfortunately, to
compensate for the missing fat, the new products were often loaded with
carbohydrates. And, sadly, it is carbohydrates (sugars) that are most
closely associated with actual weight gain.
So, it was NOT a big surprise when the New England Journal of Medicine
(NEJM) recently reported that those following a “low fat” diet
for six months were less successful in their weight loss than those
following a “low carb” diet. This would seem like good news for
the low carb dieter trying to shed extra pounds and get healthier. Right?
Well, no. Not in the long run. A follow-up study in the Annals of Internal
Medicine reported that, after the passage of a year, the difference in
weight loss between the two groups of dieters was insignificant. Not only
did the low carb dieters--like other dieters--quickly put back on that
initially lost weight, but we still have seriously limited data regarding
the health risks associated with following this type of diet, especially
over time.
For example, there’s
the impact on our kidneys, the organs that have the critically important
task of filtering waste products from our blood. When fats and proteins
become our main source of energy, our blood accumulates ketones, chemical
by-products of the shifted metabolism. Excess ketones mean much more work
for our kidneys, and over time, may result in kidney impairment or failure.
What about the impact on
your heart and blood vessels? While studies suggest that the
carb-cutters’ blood lipid panels Trigyclerides, Total Cholesterol,
HDL, LDL, etc.) improved in the short term, there is currently no
scientific data about the risks of a high fat, high protein diet on our
cardiovascular system beyond the one year mark. It remains plausible that
the positive changes in these blood levels were a direct effect of the
initial weight loss itself rather than an ongoing response to a constant
bombardment withhigh quantities of fats and proteins.
We do know that the accumulation of ketones can lead to a condition called
ketosis. In ketosis, the cells of your body including your brain cells are
forced to use ketones—rather then their preferred source,
gluose—for energy. Anecdotal evidence suggests that some low carb
dieters (especially those following the most carb-restrictive Atkins diet)
experience mental and physical sluggishness at least during the
diet’s initial stages. Does this have profound, long term health
implications for these “deprived”cells? Again, we just really
do not yet know.
It also has been theorized
that there could be an increased risk of cancer when the more restrictive
low carb diets are followed blindly. Vegetables and fruits typically
provide our main and natural sources of antioxidants-- substances that
protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free
radicals. Unless we carefully replenish the missing antioxidants, such as
with a professionally devised and monitored vitamin protocol, we can make
ourselves less able to ward off dangerous cellular mutations. The possible
result could therefore be cancer. It is prudent, if not compulsory, for
anyone considering one of these programs – even for the short-term
– to consult their doctor and/or a trained nutritionist for guidance
with making dramatic dietary decisions.
You also should know more
about carb-substitutes and other low-carb products available widely on
today’s market. Like with the low fat products of the past, the
low-carb products have to do something to compensate for the missing sugar.
Sugar alcohols are often used to replace sugar and fructose. Ex-lax is an
alcohol sugar. Thus, it is unsurprising that many people using large
quantities of carb-substitutes experience diarrhea, cramping, bloating and
other gastro-intestinal distress.
And, you should be advised
that low carb does not mean “low calorie.” Roughly 50% of
ingested alcohol sugars are absorbed and treated in our bodies like sugars.
So, eating more of these low carbs can often cause someone to actually gain
weight. This is another pitfall a professional can help steer you away from
and help you come up with a reasonable, well-balanced (and more effective)
approach to health improvement and weight loss.
It all boils down to this:
Your reasonable, well-balanced and more effective approach to health and
weight loss should begin with a full dose of information, preferably from a
professional who takes the time to know you and your body.
Take-Home MessagesLike most things in life, the low carb craze has good and
bad features. I think I’ve provided enough food for thought about the
downside of carb cutting.
By all means, have a
healthy carbohydrate awareness. Sugars in their simplest of forms (sucrose
or table sugar of all types, white flour, etc.) should be avoided. Instead,
your diet can include more complex carbs such as whole grain rice and
undercooked or raw vegetables with their skins. Clearly, excess sugar is
not only one of the main culprits for our excess weight, but sugars also
are highly related to such serious disease pathology as heart disease and
diabetes.
Remember, sugar rarely
exists in nature without its fiber component. Consider the apple or carrot
with its peel the potato with its skin. Fiber serves to balance the sugar,
and slow its absorption, and, possibly also reduce its glycemic impact. The
fiber may also help us feel satiated longer. All these effects, in turn,
may help curb cravings, and therefore overeating.
Also keep in mind that the
more active you are, the more your body may effectively burn carbohydrates.
Everyone is different. If you are training, you can – and should
– take in some carbs (hopefully in their complex form) to provide the
quick energy you need to fuel your work out. Working with a nutritionist
may help elucidate what YOUR body likely can and can’t handle.
Another good thing to come
out of the low carb craze is a reduced fear of fats. Contrary to what some
believed in the recent past, fat does not cause obesity and cardiovascular
disease. Not by itself. Not in moderation. In fact, some fats, such as
omega 3 fatty acids found in many deep sea fish and flax seeds, are
extremely beneficial to your entire body, particularly to your heart and
blood vessels.
Again, your best course is
to work with a nutritionist or another trained and skilled health
professional, whether you wish to maximize your work-out, improve your
overall health status, and/or shed those extra few pounds safely and
effectively. Just as a trainer can help you stick to an exercise program, a
nutritionist can help you adhere to a nutritional program that
realistically fits your unique goals and needs.
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