The Junk Food Nutritionist

I believe in everything in moderation. But, sometimes people make carbs out to be bad and recommend low-carb diets. So, let's address this misconception that carbs are unhealthy.... First off, everyone needs all three of the macronutrients--carbohydrates, proteins, & fats. There is no single amount of carbs that is right for everyone, but there is a recommended range... Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR) AMDR is a fancy phrase for the percent of calories that should come from carbs, fat, and protein, as recommended by the  Institute of Medicine : 45-65% Calories from Carbohydrates 20-35% Calories from Fat 10-35% Calories from Protein Because these nutrient recommendations are a range, everyone can get them differently. Some people do very well on a high carb diet with 65% calories from carbohydrates. Some people do well with only 45% calories from carbs. What do these percentages even mean? These percentages probably mean nothing to you. So, let's look at wh...

You may know that I was working in an ICU when COVID-19 first hit my hometown. As a RDN & CNSC, I provided nutrition support to those patients who were on ventilators & couldn't eat by mouth.  However, I have since transitioned to working in a different facility. Sometimes, I am still working with patients with active cases but, more often, I am working with patients recovering after COVID-19 or other illnesses. You may have heard the phrase "Long haul COVID", which refers to the negative health effects that someone experiences after the acute phase of COVID-19 infection. But, in my experience, there can be a prolonged recovery period after other critical illnesses & injuries as well, called post-viral syndrome or post-ICU syndrome. Here's why: In general, illnesses & injuries trigger proinflammatory pathways. These trigger cytokine signaling (sometimes called the cytokine "storm") and increased metabolism (or catabolism).  This catabolic pha...

  This is a hotly debated question in the health & wellness community.  Some people say that we can meet our nutrient needs through food & that taking vitamins just makes expensive urine, because we will pee out excess nutrients.  On the other hand, others say that most people probably don’t actually meet their nutrient needs because many people don’t actually eat a nutritious diet. Furthermore, our nutrient needs are affected by many factors, such as genetic mutations, disease, amount of exercise, age, pregnancy, breastfeeding, menstruation, gender, & even amount of sunlight exposure.  My Professional Opinion  Admittedly, my professional perspective may be warped. Most people don’t come see me because they’re already healthy.  In my opinion, most people are not meeting their nutrient needs through food.  Reasons Why People Don't Get Enough There are many reasons that people might not get enough of the vitamins & minerals they need....

When we're social distancing, it can be really hard to get an appointment with a Registered Dietitian or take a nutrition class.  Everyone should have access to basic nutrition information to help them make informed decisions.  Photo by Louis Hansel In my Nutrition Basics blog series, I have a lready talked about the Macronutrients--carbohydrates, protein, and fat. I also singled out Omega-3s fats to discuss in more details.  Today, I start to tackle the Micronutrients or nutrients we need in small amounts. You probably know them as Vitamins and Minerals .  There is a lot to talk about, so I will focus on Vitamins for now...

Thanks to the global pandemic, many people are unable to attend outpatient nutrition classes and individual nutrition counseling. Although I always recommend seeing a Registered Dietitian or other credentialed expert for your specific health needs, I believe in sharing nutrition basics to help people get a general understanding. Today, I address "Macros..." Graphic by Charles Deluvio Sometimes health & fitness influencers talk about "Macros." What does this even mean? Macronutrients, or "Macros" for short, are the 3 types of nutrients we need in large amounts. I'll get into Micronutrients, or those that we need in small amounts, in an upcoming post. Macronutrients are the nutrients that provide Calories, which is a measure of energy we gain from food. The three macronutrients are carbohydrates (carbs), protein, and fatty acids (fats). Sometimes alcohol is also grouped as a macronutrient, because it provides calories; however, it ...

Question:  Hi Paula. Can foods help with yeast infections? If so, what foods? Would you be able to say why it is that these foods might help with yeast infections? Is there any research to suggest that they would prevent yeast infections?  ~Danielle P.  Yes, r esearch has shown a number of foods may help treat and prevent yeast infections.  For those who don't know what a yeast infection is, y east infections are a type of sickness caused by a fungus. People can get yeast infections that affect various parts the body, including the skin (dermatitis), mouth (thrush), esophagus, and genitals.  Foods that may help fight and prevent yeast infections include cayenne, clove, Chinese leek, garlic  grapes, wine,  Pau D'Arco tea, and  yogurt . Although I have had patients try to apply these foods to their infected body parts,  I'd recommend eating or drinking these foods instead.  I'm not sure how much in-depth science you w...

Photo by Kate Voytsutskaya  Intuitive eating and mindful eating are often presented together in the media but they are not the same thing.  What is intuitive eating? Intuitive eating is b eing aware of hunger and satiety. Intuitive eaters eat when they are hungry and do not eat when they aren’t hungry.  What is mindful eating? Mindful eating is b eing aware of taste, smell, and textures of food. Mindful eaters may eat when they are not hungry. As they eat, they focus on enjoying the food.

Every day it seems that there are new diet products on the market. Are the chemicals used in them safe? Artificial and natural no and low calorie sweeteners which are often added to these products are considered safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).   Similar agencies have also approved these sweeteners for use in other countries.  That said, there are still possible side effects, just like medications recognized as safe may result in side effects. Let’s explore these sweeteners and their potential health risks, starting with the oldest first.

 For the final Mental Health Month post, I tackle aluminum... Does eating products in aluminum cans cause dementia? Maybe.  There are studies that suggest people with Alzheimer’s dementia have higher amounts of aluminum in their brain cells and in the blood vessels near the brain. However, this aluminum may not come have come from canned foods and drinks….

This month is Mental Health Month and I’m answering questions about foods’ effect on mental health. One common question I get, especially from women, is, “Does chocolate actually help me feel better?” Yes! Researchers as IMDEA Food Institute in Spain and the University of Padova in Italy reviewed 17 studies in humans and determined that the polyphenols in chocolate, tea, and coffee help protect the brain from depression and anxiety.

On blogs and social media, you run into a lot of different acronyms. I get a lot of questions about the letters after people's names, such as RDN, CNS, CNSC,  and CDE. You might be wondering, "What do these mean? Which professional is the right one for me? Can I trust them?" I'll help you sort through these questions... But first, you want to know the difference between a nutritionist and a dietitian, visit my previous post on that topic. What do these acronyms mean?

photo by Toa Heftiba Last week, we discussed why it’s not necessary to follow a detox diet or a juice cleanse. But, just because it’s not necessary, that doesn’t mean you won’t try one.  Chocolate isn’t necessary, but many of us eat it.  Everything comes with it's own risks and benefits…

Taken by Francesca Hotchin In the New Year, we often hear about juice cleanses and detox diets to “start the year off right” or “jumpstart weight loss” or “undo the effects of holiday indulgences.” But are they really necessary? What are the risks and benefits? Are they safe?  I'll explore these questions and more in a 3 part series. Let's begin...

No, the mono diet isn't what you eat when you have "mono" also known as mononucleosis, the kissing disease, and Epstein-Barr.  Although if you have mono, you might feel so poorly you only eat one food. And that is the mono diet. What is the mono diet? The mono diet is eating only one food per meal. So, breakfast might be an apple. It could be multiple apples as long as all of your items are the same food. You wouldn't be able to have an apple with peanut butter. Depending on how strictly you follow the mono diet, you wouldn’t even be able to eat peanut butter by itself. Most peanut butters are not just made from peanuts. They have oil and sugar added. Sometimes they have salt. Some peanut butters also have fillers, emulsifiers, or other additives.    What is the theory behind the mono diet?  The theory is that early man only ate one food per meal. 

Yes, my diet was “downgraded,” as we say in the healthcare world. I was temporarily not allowed the mechanical soft diet I was following. Instead, I was on a clear liquid diet. Luckily, it was brief. For me, it was less than one a day, just long enough for there to be no solid food in my system when the doctors ran tests. But some patients can be on a clear liquid diet for days.  So, I thought it’d be helpful to answer some questions about clear liquid diets…

There are a lot of people today trying to sell their services as “nutrition professionals” but what do all the different terms mean? Nutritionist The term is not regulated. Many people, including myself, call themselves a nutritionist because they have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Nutrition. But, I've also asked nutritionists and been told they took only 1 nutrition class. Feel free to ask a nutritionist about her education and decide for yourself if she has enough education. Nutrition Coach The term is not regulated. Many people using it have only taken a few nutrition classes. They may have a certificate from an online program, such as Precision Nutrition or Integrative Nutrition . This person often does not have a degree in nutrition. Nutrition Consultant This term is not regulated. Anyone may call himself/herself this.  Nutritional Therapist This term may be used by someone who took in-person or online classes through the Institute for Optim...

By now, I think most people have heard at least something about Omega-3s. But it’s good to get some information about them from a nutritionist (not your neighbor, yoga teacher, or cat sitter)… What are Omega-3s? A type of fat. Specifically, they are an unsaturated fat. You may have also heard of Omega-6s or Omega-9s. They are also unsaturated fats.  If you want to get into chemistry, Omega-3s have a double bond between two carbon atoms at the omega-3 position (which means that the third carbon from the end of the fat chain not attached to a glycerol backbone). Do I need Omega-3s? Yes!