When every state in America has an obesity rate over 20 percent, we know we have a problem. Dr. Mark Hyman spoke at IIN‘s Fall Conference last weekend and proclaimed that “we ate our way into it and we can eat our way out of it.” How? By looking at food beyond its caloric value and using it as information.
Dr. Hyman’s Rules for Healthy Eating:
1. Eat foods without labels
2. If there is a label, make sure the ingredient list contains less than five, recognizable ingredients
3. Stay away from whites (sugars and flours): they are just as addictive as drugs
4. Stay away from High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
5. Avoid shortening and refined oils
6. Avoid food additives
7. Give up artificial sweeteners: they trigger changes in the brain and metabolism and cause you to eat more
8. Eat food grown in a farmer’s field, not a chemist’s lab
When I work with clients on healthier eating habits they often wonder how much kale they can eat. Dr. Hyman said it best: 1000 calories of kale is different than 1000 calories of coke. Drink your salads and have unlimited refills on non-starchy green vegetables.
As for cravings, they are often a sign of a food sensitivity. In my own life, I discovered that an intense craving for cheese was actually a sign of a sensitivity to dairy that was causing severe congestion. Once I removed it from my diet, the congestion cleared up and I felt better. Get curious about what your own cravings mean.
Finally, weight loss occurs as a side effect of getting healthy, so follow the healthy eating rules, tune into what your body is telling you through cravings and drink your salads, not your sodas.
Thinking about a career in health coaching? Enroll at IIN between now and September 29 and a $1000 scholarship can be yours. Just mention my name!
Read my other posts from the IIN Fall Conference series:
In Praise of Fat and Cholesterol
For Super Immunity Count Nutrients, Not Calories
Feet, Forks and Fingers
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