Diet & Health Care Reform

While the excitement surrounding the election of our 44th President of the United States is slowly dying down, the buzz on politics certainly hasn't diminished in my neck of the woods.  While the economy is certainly the most talked about topic, I've been happy to hear both President Obama and his wife address issues of health, diet, and nutrition.  So, I was intrigued to read an article in the San Francisco Chronicle this morning, which addresses the issue of politics, food, and what our new President can do to support a healthcare policy that helps to reduce the incidence of chronic disease.

The author of the article, T. Colin Campbell, is the author of a book "The China Study."  If you are at all interested in the link beween diet and the development of "Western Diseases" (think cardiovascular disease and Type II diabetes), take a look at his website and consider reading the book.  His findings are quite significant. 

In this article, Dr. Campbell suggests 3 health care improvement strategies to President Obama:
1. Change the way government develops its dietary guidelines.  Currently, these guidlines are heavily influenced by large money-making industries such as sugar, dairy, and the meat industry.  He suggests a clear rule: "no scientist with financial ties to the food and drug industries should chair - or choose the members of - panels that set dietary guidelines."
 2. President Obama should establish a new institute at the National Institutes of Health dedicated exclusively to exploring the link between diet, health and disease. Today, there are 27 institutes and centers at the National Institutes of Health, but none devoted to nutrition, despite the great public interest in the subject.
3. Congress should require that medical schools - as a condition of receiving federal grants - offer residency programs on dietary approaches to preventing and treating disease.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.  Do you think President Obama has the determination and ability to promote policies that are not influenced by powerful lobbyists?  Would these changes improve the delivery of health care services?  What would the lasting impact be on the health of our citizens?

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The Feeding Relationship: Parents & Children

I just got back from serving on a health panel at my church here in Cambridge.  I thoroughly enjoyed talking about my topic of choice (food and nutrition) for two hours.  While there was a wide variety of questions that I addressed, a common theme focused on the feeding relationship between parents and children.  While my practice focuses primarily on adult nutrition, I have been amazed to see how our grown-up feelings, attitudes, and behaviors about food stem from our interactions with food as children.

Nearly all parents care deeply about the heatlh and well-being of their kids.  But as most parents have experienced, dinner time can turn into a source of anxiety and frustration as you try to feed your family well.  Even the most well-intentioned parent can find themselves engaging in a power struggle, battling over broccoli and cookies. 

Ellyn Satter is a Registered Dietitian specializing in teaching people how to feed a healthy family.  I highly recommend visiting her website.  And if this topic interests you, check out her book "How to Get Your Kid to Eat...But Not Too Much."  She provides a wealth of knowledge and gives you the tools you need to raise a healthy family....without the dinner time battles.

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Grocery Shopping Part I: Preparation

Ever since I was a little girl, I loved to grocery shop.  I’d join my Mom on weekly visits to Basha’s grocery store.  The spray of water descending on the heads of lettuce in the produce section, perfectly lined rows of canned chili and sliced peaches, and brightly lit displays of giant glazed donuts in the bakery was truly exciting.  Yes, I discovered early on that I loved food.  I love to look at it, shop for it, organize it, prepare it, and of course eat it.

Needless to say, not everyone shares my love of the grocery store.  Rather, grocery shopping has been relegated to the list of dreaded yet unavoidable household chores.  So, this blog posting is the first in a five-part series which attempts to provide a few simple solutions to navigating the place I love…the grocery store.

Part I: Preparation

I confess, I have some slight (ok, perhaps more than slight) OCD tendencies.  Translation: I like my life organized!  I promise that if you will spend a bit of time each week deciding “what to buy” your food life will be much more manageable.  At least you won’t have to resort to Frosted Flakes for dinner.  Here are four simple steps to follow:

1.) Post your grocery list in a visible place in your kitchen.  My list happens to be organized by food group and tacked on to my refrigerator door (email me if you'd like a copy).  When something runs out, it’s immediately added to the list.

2.) Determine what recipes you will be making that week (yes that will require that you look online, through cookbooks, or magazines) and write them at the bottom of your list.  Having the recipes written down will serve as a useful reminder when you cannot quite remember why you bought that red pepper…. Add all of the ingredients that you will need for each recipe to your grocery list.

3.) Consider keeping a running list of recipes you’d like to try and “keeper recipes” for future reference.  Again, email me if you’d like to use mine.  Tip: keep them in a handy dandy 3-ring binder, along with recipes that have been torn out from a magazine or printed from the internet.

4.) Bring your list to the store and use it as your loyal guide.  This list will aid you in your quest to select nutritious food (Part II), use your time wisely (Part III), and of course save money (Part IV).

Next week we’ll talk about what to buy in terms of good nutrition.  Although Marion Nestle has written a fabulous book on the topic (“What to Eat”), you don’t have to read the entire 587 pages.  In fact, it’s not as complicated as the food manufacturers make it out to be.  I promise.