News – Teddy Kopytowski

Top Tips Hacking Healthy Travel with Mar!

Featured by teddieddie, posted in Community, Hacking Healthy Holidays

Alessa Mar is a graduate of Arizona State University with a Bachelors of Science in Social Justice and Inquiry and a minor in Communications. She is certified in Plant Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Institute and is currently studying at Cornell University for a second nutrition program – Nutrition and Healthy Living.
travelhealthywithmar.com

Alessa Mar and I went Live on Instagram during my “12 Days of Healthy Living” in December to talk all things travel and staying healthy through the holidays or whenever. Alessa is dedicated to helping others stay heathy while you live and travel, and she definitely brings some fun while doing it

Life can be hard between 31,000 and 38,000 feet — 5.9 to 7.2 miles — high. depending on how far you are traveling, there is not a whole lot to eat up there!

Especially during this holiday season to keep you from ending up like Ebineezer Scrooge, you need to have a plan and be prepared!

Alessa comes equipped with everything you need! The tips and hacks she has to share are certainly going to change the way you travel forever!

Alessa is always looking to pack convenient and help your health on the airplane, in-flight, or in navigate the airport environment. Staying healthy is important through our travel, especially on the holidays. We really want to end up at our destination without sacrificing our happiness by making unhealthy behaviors and not having a plan for our travel.

Tips include packing, staying active, interesting facts about airplane atmosphere on your body, conflicts with sleep, and how to hack jet-lag.

When I asked Alessa for her top 3 tips, she said:

Hydrate! – 8 ounces of water for every hour of flight time.
Pack your own food!
Shower before you go to bed after flying.

BUT the tremendously easy and helpful tips do not stop there.

Airplane air is dehydrating and your going to lose a lot of water. You can refill these at any stop! Maintaining hydration helps combat altitude sickness. The “DO’s” for hacking your hydration are below! Airport Snacks are difficult to find. Alessa offers a way to fix this too!

Convenience over bulk! Im all about efficiency

Says Alessa

Missing a meal or no access to food and your snacks have run their course? For meal replacements we offer a couple suggested items as well. Alessa uses a travel Pouch to carry all of these things and even it holds her skin care items.

If you are in a bind and you didn’t bring anything?

Alessa suggests dry roasted nuts from snack shops. She also suggests to choose low sodium foods to keep your blood pressure down especially on the plan where it may increase with altitude. Also look for big green salads and avoid high sodium dressings and go more unprocessed than processed will help you feel good while flying.

How do I land fleeing the best I possibly can?

Dress comfortable on the plane. As you are seated move your hands and feet, your extremities are going to loose that blood pressure. Get up, walk and lift your legs while you do. Stay conscious to movement.

While it may seem fun getting drunk on a plane, maybe skipping the mini bar offers more fun in the future. Alessa says “If you really want to feel good when you land, you should really hold off.” Caffiene as well may not help your flight, instead ask for some hot water and carry some tea, Alessa likes to carry Peppermint.

Handling Delays?

Alessa says its all about being prepared with your healthy snacks. Go look for a healthy salad and get your greens. Go walk! If the airport has it, go to the facility that has a gym or a stretching room and use it!

Alessa made me realize its important to

Plan around healthy behaviors, instead of the other way around!
Teddieddie

Do making decisions in the air also apply to on the road?

On the road, the conflicts arise are that you can easily choose more unhealthy influences, from rest stops, to fast food. Alessa says “your basically eating things to be social.” Alessa has found that if you bring healthy snacks you actually choose those and make less unhealthy decisions and even others want healthy snacks! Alessa says that just by bringing snacks for yourself, “people want your healthy snacks too.” Helping others choose healthy options and stay satiated might actually help you not be influenced because you satisfied their cravings with healthy snacks!

You’re not as hungry as you think you are.
Alessa

She even suggest starting your meals with fresh vegetables so you do not end up splurging, overeating, or eating a lot of calorie dense foods.

“For me,” I said, “not eating or not having an opportunity to eat is not always a bad thing. Use the time as opportunity. You Might even experience a spike in energy and mental clarity.”
Teddieddie

A heavy meal might make you tired, and with airplane altitude, it might make you even more tired. We want to keep your sleep cycle in line and not be sluggish and tired when you get to your destination. When you do get an opportunity to eat after a long, sort of, fasting-like-periods, keep it light. Choose juices, maybe vegetable juices, or watermelon juices, but not added sugary fruit juices. Or maybe some melon, watermelon chunks, move to fruit, grapes, water dense steam veggies, or soups where and when you can. A lot of rest stop have a ton of fresh fruit options so there is really no excuse.

If your feeling shaky, have a headache, or nausea and you have not eaten in a while, it is definitely a good idea to get something, but don’t over do it, again focus on water dense fruits and vegetables and don’t go overboard on the fiber too fast!

Why is healthy travel skin care important?

Alessa doesn’t stop with healthy traveling there. She has tons of Skin care techniques especially with dry airplane air. Alessa says chapstick is a must! If you want more head over to her website! Alessa is crazy about skin care! And her skin can prove it!. She has a lot to offer on skin care! You can check that out here

Keep good posture. A small pillow or even better a neck pillow is always great to have on the airport, on the plan, or on the road. A neck pillow can double as a lumbar support as well. Especially when we start slumping and slouching in our seats.

Hacking travel sleep?

“If you need to sleep, sleep.” Typically for shorter flights within the U.S. Alessa says she doesn’t sleep, just because she does not want to mess her sleep cycle up. “When you take off, that cabin pressure you start to experience, creates less blood flow, which means less flow to your brain and automatically makes most feel a bit more tired than usual.” For longer flights, sleep if you need to, “especially if your getting there in the morning, because you want to stay up all day and then go to sleep when its time to go to sleep there.” Alessa suggests that if you are going to land around 5-6pm in the evening its probably better not to sleep, “you want to get as close to your destinations sleep schedule as you can and as quickly as possible and just push through it.” Its important to have a sleep plan to not sleep too long out of schedule and miss enjoying your time at your destination. It is better to push through the travel transitioning your sleep to save the daylight when you arrive and sleep when everyone else is.

What about Jet-Lag?

Staying hydrated and keeping your blood oxygenated is key.
Alessa

In general experience, Alessa says its all about taking care of yourself overall. She doesn’t often get all that jet-lagged. She really feels like the chlorophyll really helps. Before the flight, in flight and in between its all about your choices you make, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, more tea, and staying mobile, Alessa believes in a more preventative approaches to jet-lag than responsive actions to fixing a problem that can be prevented.

Is there anything I can do if I am Jet-Lagged?

In terms of combating jet-lag, I suggest there are foods you can eat to help increase hormones associated with sleep and speed up your sleep cycle when you need to without taking risky supplements or messing with your natural hormone productions. The foods I suggest include foods that actually fall in line with Alessa’s values as well including:

pistachios (raw unsalted)
Tart cherries (dried, juice, or powder)
Cocoa Powder
Cocoa Nibs

The First two will offer some natural hormone production like melatonin and pistachios are loaded with thiamine which may help with sleep as well. Tart Cherries will even help with muscle soreness and arterial function, especially with changes in arterial pressure from flight. Cocoa in any form, but also 100% cocoa, will help combat chronic fatigue, it mixes well in hot water, and goes well with teas too. Cocoa can also help with arterial function for overall wellness and change in atmospheric pressure. Here are some videos for more information:

Pistachios to Treat Jet-Lag

Chronic Fatigue

On the road.

the rules generally apply the same aside from the fact that you are in control of the vehicle, and you have a higher responsibility to keeping yourself and others safe while traveling. If you are tired, you need to be honest with yourself and pull over, quick naps, 20 minutes will keep you energized. Any longer than 20 minute may make you drowsy. Aside from an airplane where it may not be a good idea, caffeine in a car may be a good idea, but don’t over do it. Drinking coffee, or tea, will not only keep you hydrated but force you to pull over, get up, walk, and go to the bathroom. Maybe even grab a quick apple or banana. Driving past points that you are tired is not only harmful to yourself and your passenger, but also irresponsible to other people on the road who are trying to visit loved ones, traveling home from work, or headed to their vacation destination. So, be honest and drive responsibly.

DO’s

Drink 1 glass (8 ounces) of water for every hour you’re in the air
Use Boxed Water or a metal reusable water bottle. I find that metal water bottles can be heavy when I’m already schlepping a lot of stuff around
Chlorophyll drops will help keep you hydrated and fight jet lag
Pack your own snacks: almonds, cashews and pumpkin seeds are my go-tos. Make sure any nuts you have don’t have add oil or sodium, look for “dry roasted”
Celery and carrots with peanut/almond butter or hummus
Pre-portion your snacks with little zip lock bags. It’s super convenient and will stop you from eating too much.
1. For my environmentalist out there heres my recommendation for a reusable option
Have vegan protein powder in packets or pre-portioned in ziplock bags. Mix with water or almond milk on the go. Some people use portable blender bottles but I just grab a cup and a spoon.
I always try to have a few servings of Green drink with me at all times, especially first thing in the morning or after a long flight.
- (My recommendation for ingredient approved is here!)
Health Warrior has great bars, just check the label for excess sugar and ingredients you can’t pronounce. The more simple the better
- (Heres my recommendation as well!)
Carry tea bags, I like peppermint in case I get a little nausea in flight, and ask for hot water
Move around before, during and after your flight. Stretch before you get on the plane, make sure to walk around during the flight and I try to do 15-20 minutes of cardio as soon as I land.
Roll your wrists, neck and flex your feet in flight – get that blood circulating
Wash your hands and use hand sanitizer frequently, especially before eating or touching your face
In-flight skin care routine for the long flights to keep your skin hydrating
Non-scented hand lotion because the airplane is going to dry your skin out.
Shower when you land. If not, then shower before you go to sleep and wash those germs off!

DON’T

Drink alcohol, this will further dehydrate you.
Drink caffeine, it also dehydrates you.
Eat foods high in sodium, it will raise your blood pressure and bloat you. No one wants to be puffy when they land.
Eat airport or airplane food, plan ahead! If you absolutely have to, then look for dry-roasted nuts or edamame beans. A big salad, no meat, dairy or dressing. Use avocado and lemon or hummus as a topping.
Be afraid of people watching you stretch, drink chlorophyll water or take out your healthy snacks. People want to be healthy when they travel but don’t because they think travel is just an excuse to eat poorly

Mental Take Aways

Failing to Prepare, is preparing to fail.
Plan in health
Bring items that can pack down.
Energy dense snacks and bars that pack a punch
Stay light even with containers & storage like Alessa’s example of a metal bottle vs boxed water.
Keep Moving – Stretch/Stretch/Stretch
- Set a reminder in your phone
Stay clean
Stay hydrated

I want you to have a safe travel, but you have to want it for yourself! Take 100% responsibility for your own health through holiday, vacation, or any travels. Alessa is on top of her game and she wants to help you have fun without making health so obligating. I hope to work more with her in the future to help even professional athletes who are always traveling make their travel even healthier. Definitely, check out her webpage and social media for more information!

Going Keto

Featured by teddieddie, posted in Community, News

Truth, Dare, or Death and Disease?

Recently, a ketogenic diet has been having its spotlight sweeping the nation in the trending world of the latest fad diet.

Despite the excitement of the diet we need to consider a few questions before mistaken enthusiasm leads to a waste of time, money, and potentially worse, your health.

Whenever we come across nutritional information, the latest trending cure, or the personal journey to get shredded we have to say, “show me the evidence.” Anyone flirting with the idea of adopting a new diet ought to keep reading, and ask real questions to get factual answers: What is a ketogenic diet? Is a ketogenic diet safe? And Do I recommend it?

“Man prefers to believe what he prefers to be true.”
Great Scientist, Francis Bacon

Despite the recent hype from celerity exposure, the preconceived notions, all the cherry picked and slant information, a ketogenic diet is not something new. In medicine, it has been used for almost 100 years now as a therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy. But the studies and treatments have not gone without side-effects involving complication such as kidney stones, kidney failure, sudden deaths, and more.

Much of what the diet is composed of today, was already popular in the 1970s. Pick up any of Dr. Atkins material and see that he used this very low carbohydrate diet for weight loss that began with a very strict two-week ketogenic phase. From there it would follow that other fad diets would start using similar approaches for weight loss.

Theres is no population in the Blue Zones that have thrived on a ketogenic diet. Contrary to popular belief not even the Inuit survived or thrived on a nightly fair of seal blubber, whale sirloin, and caribou jerkey while being in the reportedly nirvana-like state of ketosis. Turns out that idea is more of an “Eskimo Myth” that was disproven over and over since the 1930’s.

The totality of evidence from actual clinical investigations, autopsies, and imaging techniques is that they have the same plague of coronary artery disease that non-Eskimo populations have, and the Eskimo actually have twice the fatal stroke rate and don’t live particularly long.
Dr. Michel Greger, Nutritionfacts.org

The Inuit of Greenland and Canada certainly ate those things because farmers markets are not necessarily readily available in the Arctic, but it came at a sacrifice of their longevity and health.

What is a Ketogenic Diet?

Right to it, it is a diet that shifts cells to utilizes ketones where blood sugar is normally preferred. The body releases these ketones into the bloodstream to act in absence of blood sugar, which normally comes from carbohydrates in food; the body’s main source of energy. The absence of circulating blood sugar from food, almost tricks the body into a mechanism of starvation. The body starts breaking down stored fat into molecules called ketone bodies and the body goes into a state more commonly known as ketosis, hence the name Keto- and Ketogenic Diet. Once the body is in a state of ketosis, most cells will use ketone bodies as the main source of energy just until, we start eating carbohydrates again. It usually takes a course of two to four days of eating 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrates for the body to shift from using glucose to breaking down stored fat as a source of energy. Generally two to four days, because the process is highly individualized and the restriction may vary from person to person to produce enough ketones, and to enter a state of ketosis.

What does a Ketogenic Diet Look Like?

A ketogenic diet is rich in protein and fats due to the lack of carbohydrates. A typical diet could include plenty of meats, processed meats, eggs, sausage, beef, fish, butter, cheese, dairy, oils, nuts, seeds, and high fat fibrous vegetables like avocados. Most whole grains, legumes, and fruit are severely restricted and will most likely set you over the limit of carbohydrate consumption. Even some vegetables contain too much starch to be allowed in the diet.

The state of being in ketosis is so fragile and most will proclaim to be on a ketogenic diet because they are eating more of these foods. A large misunderstand comes from the complete state of restriction of carbohydrates to keep the body in the actual state of ketosis. Quiet often, much of the population claiming to be on a ketogenic diet are consuming more of whats considered “Paleo,” a diet composed of high fats, high protein, and low-carbohydrates.

For example, the carbohydrate level to remain in a state of ketosis is equivalent to just 2-1/2 cups of raw broccoli reaching your limit for the day and an extra 1/2 cup serving would set your carbohydrates over and out of a state of ketosis. Broccoli is also not a high fat item so usually is not top of the menu for those going “Keto.”

Is a Ketogenic Diet Healthy?

Almost 100 years ago studies published astonishing results showing a ketogenic diet reduces seizures in children, sometimes effectively as medication. There are no human studies to date, that prove this diet has any other possible neuroprotective benefits associated with cognitive conditions.

The primary reason most people use a ketogenic diet is commonly associated with goals of achieving some form of weight loss. There is evidence to suggest a more rapid and immediate weight loss however, the evidence suggest that the effect is short-term and the difference in weight loss seems to diminish in returns over time.

Beyond short-term weight loss, there is evidence to suggest blood sugar control for people with type 2 diabetes, but only again, short-term. Controversy comes when the safety and efficacy and the intervention of a ketogenic diet calls cholesterol levels into play.

Increased cholesterol raises the risk of dying from heart disease. Few studies show a drop in cholesterol, but those studies did not control for whether it was the actual ketogenic diet, the caloric restriction, or the weight-loss that produced the lower cholesterol levels. This is a problem because any form of caloric restriction will provide weight loss and weight loss is associated with a drop in cholesterol levels.

This study shows that participants on a ketogenic diet had increased levels of good and bad cholesterol. There are only a few studies that show high cholesterol at the beginning, only to see cholesterol fall a few months later. There are not a whole lot of long-term research to analyze its effects over time on diabetes and high cholesterol, the best we have is a meta-analysis that points to no benefit for diabetes long term. It is important to not that the only place cholesterol is found in diet is with the consumption of animal products.

Critical Criticisms of the Diet

The ultra low carb diet makes it super restrictive to other foods which makes it hard to follow over the long run where Carbohydrates currently make up 50% of the Standard American Diet (SAD).
People tend to eat too much protein and poor-quality fats from processed foods, with very few fruits and vegetables.
Patients with kidney disease need to be cautious because this diet could worsen their condition.
Patients reportedly have suffered from kidney stones, restricted growth, fatal cardiac arrhythmias, pancreatitis, higher cholesterol levels, and many more.
Additionally, some people have reported feeling a little tired in the beginning, bad breath, nausea, vomitting, constipation, and sleep problems.

Takeaways From a Ketogenic Diet

It may be an interesting alternative to medicine in treating certain conditions, and may also be associated with an accelerated weight loss, but these aspects should not come at the mortgage of our health.

Study upon study has shown increased death with low-carb diets. The Ketogenic diet being the supreme in low-carb dietary restriction. What we do know is that a diet heavy on red meat and many other processed (animal or non-animal) fatty, salt laden foods are associated with increase risk for all cause mortality. A study published in The Lancet associated higher mortality rates for those with diets relying primarily on animal based foods, such as pork, beef, lamb, and yes, chicken. We all ready know the increased risk of dying from studys that compare eating animal based protein such as dairy and eat, vs plant based protein from a variety of vegetables.

For this reason it is one of the most un-sustainable ways of eating. Not only for health, but for the impact it may have on the environment due to the association of heavy animal product consumption, animal agriculture, and green house gas emissions, meat is most daintily heat.

The ultra-low-carbohydrate restriction, necessary for maintaining the body in a long-term states of ketosis, makes the diet very hard to follow, and may lead to the promotion of unhealthy eating behaviors that eventually lead to even more weight gain and associated chronic diseases.

Diets simply do not work and it is particularly important to point out that “yo-yo diets” that lead us to rapid weight loss fluctuations are associated with increased mortality as well. Anyone can lose weight in the short term on nearly any diet, but diets don’t seem to work in the long-term. Usually this is because they come with the compensation of our health. Instead of being wrapped up in the Diet Fiction and engaged in the next popular diet that can only last a few weeks, to a month, or a short period (yes this includes most peoples ambitions to take on a ketogenic diet) why not embrace the diet that comes at no compromise of your health and is the most sustainable long-term solution for losing, managing, and maintaining weight.

The Optimal Diet for Human Consumption

A Diet rich in very colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fruits, berries, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and more water seems to have the best available evidence for a long, healthy, vibrant life. A Plant-Based Diet is among the only type of diet that has been shown to be sustainable long-term, perhaps because not only do people lose weight but they often feel so much better.

A nutrient-dense approach combined with foods low in energy-density may in fact be a way to Eat More and Weigh Less. Fewer calories per pound already adds up to less. A small drop in energy density can lead to a small drop in weight, and the greater the decrease in energy density, the greater the weight loss. This would include a diet heavy on starch, fruits, and non-starchy vegetables. A high energy-dense food like Bacon packs a lot of calories in a small package with a relatively low nutrient-density. Compared to a bagel, which is a medium energy-density, fruits and vegetables have the lowest energy-density with the highest nutrient-density. The CDC offers more examples here.

Contrary to the popular belief that a plant-based diet may be deficient in vitamin in minerals, one study on a ketogenic diet fount deficiencies in every vitamin and mineral analyzed except for B12. Where even just a vegetarian diet that is meat free proves higher intakes of nearly every nutrient: more fiber, more vitamin A, more vitamin C, more vitamin E, more of the B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, & folate), more calcium, more magnesium, more iron, and more potassium. At the same time, they were also eating less of the harmful stuff like saturated fat and cholesterol. And yes, they got enough protein.

Compared to the ketogenic diet that excludes fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, according to the editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association asked, “What could be more nutrient dense than a vegetarian diet?” it is no wonder the risk of dying goes up when you leave these foods off the plate.

We don’t need a “diet”; we need a new way of eating that we can comfortably stick with throughout our lives. If that’s the case, then we better choose to eat in a way that will most healthfully sustain us. That’s why a plant-based diet may offer the best of both worlds. It’s the only diet, for example, shown to reverse heart disease–our number one killer–in the majority of patients, as described in my video: One in a Thousand: Ending the Heart Disease Epidemic.
Dr. Greger Nutritionfacts.org

As it turns out, the issues of weight, obesity, and our leading killers of all cause mortality does boil down to an egg. Eating animal products is highly associated with chronic diseases. Eating any diet just for weight loss at any sacrifice of your health is like putting gasoline on a fire. You have a long life to live and you don’t want a short quick blaze of heat just to get warm for the day and then be left with no fire. To date the best available balance of evidence concludes that this diet will leave worse off than you started.

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5 To-Dos For Thanksgiving

November 21, 2018November 27, 2018 by teddieddie, posted in Community

First off, I would like to thank everyone for sharing my Thanksgiving recipes. Even if you have not planned or prepared there’s still time to download this shopping list and make everything in no time.

SHOPPING LIST Download

Complete Whole Food Plant Based Thanksgiving Menu

We can still enjoy food at no compromise of taste and without animal products, oil & highly processed parts of the whole plant foods.

In fact, omitting items like eggs, butter, oil, and dairy from your holiday menu, means you can eat more of the foods you love without the tired, sluggish, gross feeling of bloat and discomfort afterwards.

Let alone the extra calories in butter from oil, and margarines, you really want to get the most out of the food you eat this holiday! Here are some health swaps you can make to save calories:

OIL SUBSTITUTIONS

2Including a balanced plate of starchy and non-starchy fruits & vegetables is highly suggestible to keep you satiated and satisfied without over-consuming calories!

3Starting with soups!

This will help manage your entree portions. Try this soup made from the water after boiling potatoes in my Purple Maple-Pecan Mash

Why go all in on one sitting? Spread it out!

We all are kind of happy Agustus was greedy and gulped down the chocolate river, but don’t be like Agustus–it never turns out very well.

How about seconds, thirds, and save room for dessert through out the entire day!

BE THE TAST TESTER: You take a little of each. You know theres always a LOT to go around. And then you come back to attack your favorites. This way of eating allows you to spread out your consumption and take what you need the second time around

TRY TO BE THE SPACER: You have a Starter. You wait a little and then you have an entree. Maybe some tea or coffee, and a walk, then you have enough room without feeling like a nasty stuffed sausage, to really enjoy dessert!

NOT THE ONE AND DONE: You pile everything on the plate so much that mountains of mash flow streams of savory mushroom gravy all over your maple pepper brussels sprouts and you yourself end up feeling just like the stuffing!

5Make Room. Go for a walk!

Just after all of this, and no matter how you choose to eat, before sitting and enjoying some laughs or cry’s with family and friends–Go for a walk!

Sitting can cause uncomfortable acid reflux. Fiber may be more protective than animal products in the first place, but get up and go move before crashing!

Research shows that regular post dinner walk and >3 hour dinner to bed time interval were associated with reduced acid reflux symptoms.

Which dietary pattern may also help reduce symptoms? Check this out:

After all, save some room for later. Enjoy your holiday! Don’t forget to Like and follow me on Instagram @teddieddie

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‘Diet Fiction’ The Film The Weight Loss Industry Doesn’t Want You to See

Featured by teddieddie, posted in Community, Public Health

Have you ever wondered why diets don’t work? Or did you ever question that maybe you are broken; passed the wrong genes, doomed for devastation?

We are in a diet Revolution. There are hundreds of diets out there in a multi-billion dollar industry. Yet, we are desperate, frustrated, confused and stuck in a vicious yo-yo effect, year after year.

If your looking for answers, trying to cut through the confusion, then look no further. The new documentary, Diet Fiction stands to set our diet straight. Now available on iTunes now for pre-order, Diet Fiction will premiere January 1, 2019.

According to the film, Diet Fiction was produced to, “expose the most popular diets on the planet as well as several misconceptions about weight loss and nutrition. It follows the audacious filmmaker Michal Siewierski (Food Choices) in his treacherous journey into the controversial world of weight loss and dieting, as he uncovers several shocking facts and confronts common misconception, and misleading information propagated by the industry over the last several decades. Showing the often-devastating effects that obesity has on people’s lives and exposing the viewer to new disruptive ideas and science-based evidence that could potentially lead to long term sustainable weight loss and improved health.”

60% of Americans are either obese or overweight, Dr. Angie Sadeghi states. While it may be shifting closer to 70%, Dr. Micheal Greger of Nutritionfacts.org writes that, “one in three American adults is obese, seven times the rate of China and eight times more than Japan. If the current trend continues, virtually 100% of Americans will be obese by the end of the century. Strikingly, the annual cost attributable to obesity among full-time U.S. employees is estimated at $70 billion.”

If diets are selling the cure for our weight, then why are Americans getting sicker and fatter?

The film explores the truth about food addiction, diet, overconsumption, over-nutrition, industry deceit, confusion, poverty, and exercise, as it relates to the current state of obesity and disease.

“It is important to lose weight, but its more important to lose weight in ways that do not mortgage our health”
Dr. Dean Ornish

“You are what you eat,” says the Plant-Based Dietician Jullean Hever, “In this extraordinary new documentary, Michal Siewierski absolutely exposes the insidious fiction behind the multi-billion dollar diet industry that leaves millions of people desperate, frustrated, confused in a vicious feedback loop year after year.”

The trailer points out that almost 99% of diets don’t work, that the Standard American Diet (SAD) is killing us, and diets are trapping us in a mass of confusing and conflicting information.

Filmmaker Michal Siewierski sets off on a journey to find answers. Along the way he will risk his safety to uncover and put forth these shocking truths.

Diet Fiction Trailer

Currently, the food industry has accused inactivity, in an erroneous message, that distracts our attention away from the problem, “you cannot out train a bad diet,” the trailer claims. But how far has industry really gone to confuse the population?

“Consumption of manufactured, calorie-rich, nutrient-poor foods, is the prime cause of obesity. Food and beverage intake along with calorie overconsumption are actually more important than physical activity in weight maintenance and loss.”
Dr. Micheal Greger

Sugar has also been a long time scapegoat next to exercise, not only to blame for the obesity epidemic, but accused for chronic diseases like Type II Diabetes as well.

“Sugar is not a health food but the idea that is whats wrong with the whole diet, is not correct,”
Dr. Neal Barnard

To steal clear of the truth, in order to protect industry profit, Americans’ attention has been pushed away from Chicken meat, milk, refined grains, meat, and fish contaminated with industrial pollutants which may also raise obesity risk.

We also know the risk associated between consuming Dairy, meat, eggs, and junk foods associated with the activity of the TOR enzyme, which appears to be linked to obesity risk.

Other factors of Industrial pollutants that may build up in our body fat from diet may help explain the link between obesity and diabetes. Just take a look at Endocrine-disrupting chemicals in foods, increased uric acid levels from meat and sugar intake, Not getting a good night’s sleep as all may increase obesity risk.

Yet, we continue to ignore these causes. The vicious yo-yo effect of fad diets combine with grand promises to “exercise more” in the new year.

The Trailer also presents the links between food and chronic diseases, obesity as a symptom of poverty, and the genetic predisposition we place on our health.

We know diet and exercise is important, we’ve gotten that right, but the “what” and “how much” is what we have gotten all wrong.

Fortunately, the experts featured in Diet Fiction help set the confusion straight. In fact, they offer a look into a disruptive evidence-based solution for long-term sustainable weight loss and improved health, for good.

Increasingly, businesses, organizations, and the public are becoming more aware of the benefits of plant-based eating. Even the NHS recently recognized the health benefits of an all-plant diet.

A plant-based diet can help prevent and treat obesity and other serious health conditions. Plant-based diets appear to protect against metabolic syndrome and may foster the kinds of gut bacteria linked to reduced obesity risk. Breastfeeding infants may help protect them against subsequent obesity for over 30 years. Green tea, beans, whole grains, and fiber from various sources may also help lower obesity risk. Fiber-consuming bacteria in the gut create the compounds propionate and butyrate, which appear to have an anti-obesity effect. Research has associated nut and dried fruit intake with lower obesity risk.
– Dr. Micheal Greger of Nutritionfacts.org

The announcement of Diet Fiction follows other enticing documentaries on diet and health such as, Food Choices, Forks Over Knives, Eating You Alive, What the Health, Dominion, The End of Meat, and the premier of the critically acclaimed documentary Game Changers.

Diet Fiction is available now on iTunes for pre-order and will premiere January 1st, 2019.

(SOURCES Page 2)

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Thanksgiving Complete Whole-Food, Plant-Based Menu & Shopping List

November 17, 2018December 14, 2018 by teddieddie, posted in News, Recipes, Thanksgiving

Preparing a whole Thanksgiving dinner is no easy task. It is certainly not for the weak hearted–but I got your back! I have put together a full menu and a complete comprehensive shopping list!

COMPLETE SHOPPING LIST Download

And, since we know how busy the holidays are, I’ve included some tips to make the day go quick and easy here and also within each recipe!

SHOPPING – shop in advance, even better order on amazon and never leave your house! You can get everything even 3-4 days in advance and only have to run for small items you may have overlooked the day of cooking.
COOK AHEAD – desserts, sauces, toppings, and stews can be made ahead of time. Often, they even taste better the next day in many items including stuffing, soups, and desserts.
PREP AHEAD – Prepping, cutting, and portioning out dry ingredients ahead of time is a tried and true way to make the day seem so easy.
LEFTOVERS – Let leftovers cool before storing. When storing use BPA free containers, and make sure items are covered to keep them from drying out forgetting contaminated. Buy some extra lemons and squeeze onto select items to preserve longer without effecting taste. for larger leftovers, freeze in the optimal containers.

COMPLETE SHOPPING LIST Download