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January 2013

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Dr. Nanavati's First Pillar of Wellness: Nutrition -- Keep it Simple!

One of the most common questions I am asked is, “What should I be eating?” My feeling is that food should be flavorful and fun while also being healthy. After all, this is the fuel we provide our body. Food is used for celebrations, gatherings, ceremonies, and many of us plan our vacations around food!
Below is a summary of healthy eating recommendations. Try to spread your food out over 4-6 meals per day. They can be any combination of breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, mid-afternoon snack, dinner, and an evening snack (though try not to eat within a couple of hours of bedtime).

1. Vegetables: 7-9 servings of vegetables daily.

This sounds like a daunting task but if you have a decent sized salad for lunch and dinner, you’ve already got 5-6 servings. Then if you snack on some carrot sticks, broccoli, cucumbers or the like, then you can easily get to 7 or more servings. Avoid creamy salad dressings. Instead, try using lemon or lime along with a dash of black pepper and a dash of salt or salt substitute. This tastes really good with steamed broccoli or corn.
 

2. Fruits: 1-2 servings per day.

Eat a variety or rainbow of fruits. For Diabetics I would recommend one serving earlier in the day or split into a ½ serving twice per day.
 

3. Protein: With each meal (approximately 10 grams per meal).

The recommendation is 0.32 grams of protein per pound. So for a 150-pound person, the amount of protein needed is 49 grams per day – split over 4-6 meals. Protein can be obtained from multiple sources.

1. Beans/legumes/lentils should be the primary source of protein.
2. If you’re going to eat meat, then eat fish, turkey, or chicken. I’m not talking about fried fish or chicken! (I know that some of your mouths are watering right now thinking about fried fish and fried chicken, but NO FRIED FOOD!) Try to get organic, grass-fed meat whenever possible.
3. Avoid processed meats (cold cuts), bacon, sausage, and ham.

 

4. Grains: Whole grain is better (oats, whole grains, barley, quinoa, etc.).

Some people have sensitivity or intolerance of certain grains, so please eat the healthy foods that your body can handle!
 

5. Nuts:

Walnuts and almonds are better for cholesterol than peanuts and cashews.
 

6. Dairy: Primarily yogurt or yogurt smoothie.

Buttermilk is not butter + milk, but is actually yogurt + water that is then mixed or churned. You can also add fruit/vegetables/honey to make a smoothie. Greek Yogurt has nearly 11-15 grams of protein per serving whereas regular yogurt has 4-6 grams per serving.
 

7. Drink: Water as your primary drink.

Limit juice (Better to eat the fruit than to just have juice -- as eating the fruit gives you soluble and insoluble fiber that, among other health benefits, can help with bowel movement regularity -- keeping your intestines clean!)
 

8. Meat?

If you’re going to eat meat, then the meat is added AFTER you’ve placed the vegetables, grain, beans, and fruit on your plate… and placed the water and yogurt/buttermilk on the side.  (Research has shown overcooked red meat to be associated with colon cancer.)
 

9. Bread, Rice, Potato, Pasta, Cheese – try not to eat these after lunch.

Carbohydrates are a great source of fuel and you can have these earlier in your day when you have a greater chance of using them as energy than to load up at night when you will be less active and store them as starch. The example I like to give is that we fuel up our car before a long journey and not when it’s parked in the garage. The same goes for the body.
 
 
The above is a broad summary of a healthy eating pattern. Everyone’s caloric needs are different and you should create your meal plan based on your health conditions, allergies, and other needs.  For more information, you can refer to Harvard University’s Evidence-Based Healthy Eating plate (web link: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/) or to the US government’s My Plate (web link: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/). They have several resources and tools to help guide you to healthier eating and healthier living!
 
Bon Apetite!
Kaushal B. Nanavati , MD, FAAFP, ABIHM
 
 
Physical Exercise – Make it a Daily Appointment!... in the April issue of THRiVEcny.
 

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i LOVE that about me!

I can’t possibly be the only one who has ever said things to myself like:

• I’m so impatient.
• I need to be more involved.
• I’m always late.
• I am really unorganized.

 
Really… I know… we are SO kind to ourselves!
 
But anyway, these statements may all be true… or not. Maybe they’re true sometimes and not other times.
 
Here’s an idea -- What if we were okay with the fact that these statements may actually be true?
 
In other words, what if we allowed ourselves to have these thoughts… but refused to feel insulted by them?
 
Here’s a little game I like playing whenever I start beating myself up for all my so-called inadequacies. It starts out exactly as above, but there’s a vitally important trailer at the end.
 
Check out what my former self-nastiness turns into:

• I’m so impatient… and I love that about me!
• I need to be more involved… and I love that about me!
• I’m always late… and I love that about me!
• I am really unorganized… and I love that about me!

 
For me, adding that little “I love that about me!” phrase really takes the negative charge out of some potentially hurtful self-ridicule. I don’t know about you, but telling myself I need to be more of something I’m not is not exactly motivation.
 
But when I can love the way I am, making changes just seems easier.
 
Enough about me! This is THRiVE 101… so now it’s your turn.
 
What self-insults has your mind been conjuring up lately?
 
Whatever it is... remember that this Valentine month is the perfect time to soften up that chatter with loads of self-love.
 
And just know…. THRiVEcny loves that about you too!


Lisa Cavallaro, Editor

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Med-i-tate

Have you ever had an incredibly stressful day where you felt like you couldn't even catch your breath?  And then you thought, “Man, I need to learn how to meditate?” 

If stress has you feeling anxious, worried, or depressed maybe now is the time to try meditation! Just a few minutes in meditation can help you feel more relaxed and peaceful.

Despite popular belief, meditation IS for everyone, and you can practice wherever you are.  During meditation, you’ll focus your mind away from the incessant thought patterns that play like broken records in your mind. Breaking free from your thoughts, you will experience the peace and aliveness that the present moment has to offer!   

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What is Reflexology?

Such finely tuned wonders our bodies are -- each working like a delicately balanced machine. When each part functions at its peak, all parts are in harmony and the body is in balance. The healthy body is comprised of a system of glands, organs, nerves, and chemicals. But if one component gets out of order, an imbalance is created and the effect is felt throughout the entire system.
 
This is the basis of Reflexology.
 
The principles of Reflexology embody the techniques designed to keep the body's system operating at its peak efficiency, thereby keeping the body in tune.

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Helpful HInts To Lowering Financial Stress

If financial planning is one of those things that stress you out, then you might want to check out something called Holistic Financial Planning. It’s a type of personal financial planning that may encompass all segments of your finances, including:

• Investments and suitability
• Education and college planning
• Insurance and liability coverage
• Budgeting and expenses
• Estate planning and taxes
• Retirement and income planning

Steps can be taken in the planning process that will help you reduce stress and get a better footing on your finances. Accumulation, protection, and distribution phases should be part of your plan. Holistic planning can help you realize your goals and aspirations by understanding which segments affect you and how they can be properly integrated.
Without proper planning, the following problems can arise:

• Delaying retirement
• Taking too much investment risk
• Estate distribution problems
• College savings shortfalls
• Budgeting and debt issues
• Inadequate insurance coverage

A skilled financial planner will analyze your situation and consult with you, on a fee-basis. Their job is to recognize any problems that exist and recommend solutions.
The planner has a fiduciary responsibility to provide you with prudent advice. In other words, a planner is compensated for his or her experience and knowledge by a consulting fee and not by a product sale.

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