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The Virgin Diet by JJ Virgin: book review and webinar

February 12, 2014 By Trudy Scott 15 Comments

virgin-diet-book-NYT

Food intolerance is a big factor and something I look at with all my clients. Other than weight gain it can cause a host of other issues ranging from inflammation to aches and pains to fatigue and even anxiety and depression. In fact, over 80% of my anxious clients do better mood-wise on a gluten-free diet.

I’m a little behind the times because JJ Virgin wrote this NY Times bestseller book late in 2012: The Virgin Diet: Drop 7 Foods, Lose 7 Pounds, Just 7 Days (Why Food Intolerance is the Real Cause of Weight Gain).

With her new recipe book coming out I decided it’s time to do a review!

These are the 7 foods JJ wants you to drop: corn, eggs, peanuts, dairy, gluten, soy, and sugar (including artificial sweeteners).

I have to admit I was skeptical about eggs because they are such a wonderful protein source, such a great start to the day and so handy for a snack. I used to eat a lot of eggs until I recently discovered that I have an egg intolerance! I’m hoping it’s going to be a short-term problem and that I can eventually reintroduce them because I LOVE my soft-boiled pastured eggs. [UPDATE 2015: I am now able to eat eggs again!] The message is this: even a healthy food like eggs may be an issue for you.

You eliminate the above 7 foods and see how you do and then add them back and see how they affect you (sugar and artificial sweeteners stay out for good, and possibly gluten too). There are 3 cycles that the book walks you through:

Cycle 1: Elimination
Cycle 2: Reintroduction
Cycle 3: The Virgin Diet for Life

The book goes into a great more detail about the following:

what food intolerances are
insulin resistance – a condition in which the body produces insulin but does not use it effectively leading to weight-gain and blood sugar issues
leptin resistance – leptin is the hormone that signals satiety or fullness and when you have resistance you feel hungrier and have more cravings
zonulin – a protein that is affected by gluten and loosens the tight junctions in the gut contributing to leaky gut and more food intolerances
the dangers of GMOs and soy
the autoimmune connection – and much more

The book has great sections on healthy proteins and fats, quality produce, sugar and artificial sweeteners, exercising, meal planning, eating out and recipes. I’m looking forward to her follow-up book which launches on Feb 18^th – her recipe book The Virgin Diet Cookbook: 150 Easy and Delicious Recipes to Lose Weight and Feel Better Fast

We do have a few differences of opinion. 🙂

I’m not a big fan of coffee and JJ admits that she fights her fellow-nutritionists on this one!
I find that my clients with adrenal issues need to eat more frequently than every 4 to 6 hours
Pea-rice protein is the protein powder recommended and would not be suitable if you need to eat grain free or have issues with peas so adjust accordingly
I’m not terribly fond of the 3-bite rule where you get to splurge on desserts. JJ has a great sense of humor and says “share your dessert with someone who has a faster fork!” But I think you can get to the point where you no longer have a sweet tooth.

I’d also like to add that these 7 food intolerances are obviously not the only factor when it comes to weight-loss resistance – it’s one of many factors, including thyroid health, environmental toxins, dysbiosis, brain chemical imbalances, poor eating choices, stress (this is a big one!), lack of sleep and not exercising enough or incorrectly. JJ is the pro when it comes to exercise and she is a big proponent of restorative sleep. There are also many other foods that could potentially be an issue for you.

I do love that this book has brought the concept of food intolerances to the masses, bringing awareness of something that had not even been considered before. I commend JJ for this and her big mission to help millions of people lose weight and get healthy! So many people have had such incredible results with her program!

PS. In preparation of the new book launch JJ is hosting a webinar on what you need to know about The Virgin Diet. You can sign up here to get the most up-to-date information. Sign up and get to hear her share her words of wisdom.

30-day Heart Tune-up with Dr. Steven Masley

January 30, 2014 By Trudy Scott 8 Comments

steven-masley-susanne-bennett — Dr. Steven Masley and Dr. Susanne Bennett

Dr. Masley is celebrating the release of his new book, “The 30-Day Heart Tune-Up, a Breakthrough Plan to Tune Up Your Heart, Energy, Waistline, and Sex Life.”

I received an advance copy and it’s great! I’ve been a fan for awhile! Who couldn’t love a doctor who is also a nutritionist and chef and shares videos of him doing wonderful cooking demos! I first heard Dr. Masley present on “The Sexy Younger You Summit” and then I had the pleasure of meeting him recently at the Mindshare Summit in Florida.

Dr. Masley is a board- and fellow-certified physician and nutritionist, author, speaker, and award-winning patient educator with over twenty-five years of research and clinical experience. He was recently named a Fellow by the American Heart Association.

And now I have brought him and his passion to you via an interview we just did. We discussed so much and he shared so many gems. Here are some of the highlights:

Why a little bit of stress is healthy and how important love and support is
How romance and a cuddle raises oxytocin and lowers cortisol
How we have disease-care and not health-care and why we must focus more on blood sugar than cholesterol
For every woman who dies of breast cancer, 6 women die from heart disease
His 4 tests for assessing risk for heart disease: (the four Fs to fantastic heart health): fitness, fiber, body fat and food/nutrients. His top advice is to be fit (he has a fitness test in his book) and eat 30g of fiber a day!
The carotid IMT/ intimal medial thickness test (this was new to me!) and the advanced lipid profile
How statins don’t help reduce the risk of heart disease in women and some of the side-effects. I was aware of muscle aches and memory loss but did not know that they lower testosterone levels and raise blood sugar
The five new categories of food that will prevent and reverse heart disease: fiber, lean and clean protein, healthy fats, beneficial beverages and fantastic flavors. I love his last category – herbs, garlic, ginger, turmeric! Yummm!
The top two foods that cause heart disease: Refined carbs/sugar/flour (I recently blogged about No Sugar!) and trans fat/partially hydrogenated oils. Not fat, and not cholesterol!

The wonderful thing is that by following these guidelines, your heart will be healthy and you’ll likely feel less anxious! If you are super-sensitive to caffeine, like me and many of my clients, then just use common sense when it comes to Dr. Masley’s suggestions for dark chocolate, coffee and green tea. We did talk about this during the interview.

I really wanted to interview Dr. Masley because heart disease is the number 1 killer of women, and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined; and because of the link between anxiety and risk of heart disease: a recent study found that people in the highest third of anxiety symptoms had a 33 percent higher stroke risk than those with the lowest levels.

You can listen to my 30-Day Heart Tune-Up interview with Dr. Masley here.

Dr. Masley is offering a 30-Day Heart Tune-Up Gift Package.

The digital package includes:

Know Your Risks – The Tests You Must Have that Your Doctor May Not Be Ordering
Are You Getting What You Need for a Healthy Heart? Nutrient Guide
Join Dr. Masley in His Kitchen & Whip Up his Favorite, Delicious, Heart Healthy Recipe

I signed up and it’s great information. Great gumbo recipe and super seeing him in the kitchen surrounded by all the delicious ingredients!

Of course, be sure to get a copy of his new book “The 30-Day Heart Tune-Up, a Breakthrough Plan to Tune Up Your Heart, Energy, Waistline, and Sex Life.”

CA Assemblymember Jerry Hill speaks at NANP conference lunch – part 2

June 2, 2012 By Trudy Scott 1 Comment

This is a continuation of the presentation given by CA Assemblymember Jerry Hill during the lunch at the NANP conference, where he mentioned a number of CA nutrition/legislative matters that are near and dear to the hearts of our members, and are encouraging for the health of all Californians.

In this article I’ll be sharing information about California Healthy Food Financing Initiative and school lunches, the award and the delicious menu. The “Let’s Get Healthy California Task Force”, labeling of GMOs and the tax credit for farmers who donate fruits and vegetables to food banks were covered in part 1.

(1) The introduction of the California Healthy Food Financing Initiative (AB 581) to expand access to healthy foods in underserved communities.

According to the author, AB 581 will increase access to healthy and nutritious foods to underserved urban and rural communities in California. Known as “food deserts,” regions of California without access to healthy food generally have a higher incidence of certain types of diseases such as diabetes, cancer, obesity, heart disease, and premature death.

You can read the whole bill here.

(2) First Lady Michelle Obama is championing the cause of improving the health of our children. The California Department of Education will work closely with school districts as they make school lunch improvements

“These new standards will help put more fresh fruits and vegetables in school lunches, which means healthier children in our classrooms,” State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson stated.

This is a great start and we do have a way to go as Congress wants to keep pizza and french fries on school lunch lines, fighting back against an Obama administration proposal to make school lunches healthier.

Assemblymember Jerry Hill wrapped up by saying “thank you for everything you are doing” and awarded an Assembly Certificate of Recognition to NANP:

I am pleased to recognize and commend the NANP for its advocacy on behalf of holistic nutrition professionals in support of their right to practice.

recognition from assemblyman jerry hill — Recognition from CA Assemblyman Jerry Hill

And then we all enjoyed a delicious organic locally sourced lunch that was free of gluten, corn, soy, canola, white or artificial sugars and included raw dairy and wild-caught fish. You can see all the menus here. Here is the lunch menu:

Tossed Arugula and Baby Spinach, Dried Figs, toasted Walnuts with Balsamic Vinaigrette (Dressing on the side)
Poached Salmon with Watercress Reduction
Brown Rice Lentil Pilaf
Braised Spinach with Extra Virgin Olive & Herbed Roma Tomato
Gluten-free Bread
Raw Butter
Seasonal Fruit with Fresh Whipped Cream
Vegetarian Option: Roasted Eggplant Stuffed with Mediterranean Vegetable Ragout with Quinoa Pilaf

May all Californians (and everyone everywhere) be healthy and happy and have the means to eat delicious and healthy food like this. Thanks Assemblymember Hill for joining us and doing your part!

[Note: I say “we” on behalf of NANP and the legislative committee, which I chair]

CA Assemblymember Jerry Hill speaks at NANP conference lunch – part 1

June 1, 2012 By Trudy Scott Leave a Comment

assemblyman-jerry-hill-at-lunch — Assemblyman Jerry Hill luncheon address at NANP conference

It was a real pleasure to have CA Assemblymember Jerry Hill (who represents the 19^th district) join us for lunch at the NANP conference. We had met him and invited him to join us during the recent CA lobby days. We are so pleased he joined us and we thoroughly enjoyed his wonderful presentation.

Assemblymember Hill started off by saying “You represent everything that is good” and endorsed the conference theme of Holistic Nutrition Through the Ages, saying “what you are doing is so important”.

Assemblymember Hill then went on to mention a number of CA nutrition/legislative matters that are near and dear to the hearts of our members, and are encouraging for the health of all Californians:

(1) On May 3, Gov. Jerry Brown drafted a “Let’s Get Healthy California Task Force” to develop a 10-year plan to improve Californians’ health and reduce health-care costs.

Preventable and chronic health conditions are detrimental to every Californian’s quality of life, cause disproportionate social and economic burdens, and result in California spending 80% of the state’s total healthcare dollars on just 20% of the population.

The NANP and our members can be a big part of this, distributing wellness and nutritional information and helping people make informed decisions about their own health.

(2) The labeling of GMOs was added to the CA ballot on May 2

In victory rallies across state today, supporters celebrated as the California Right to Know campaign filed 971,126 signatures for the state’s first-ever ballot initiative to require labeling of genetically engineered foods. The huge signature haul, gathered in a 10-week period, is nearly double the 555,236 signatures the campaign needs to qualify for the November ballot.

If passed this November, Californians will join citizens of over 40 countries including all of Europe, Japan and even China who have the right to know whether they are eating genetically engineered food.

You can read why we need this GMO labeling to ensure the safety of food for California families and children and that even chickens refuse GM corn (or mielies as its called in South Africa)

(3) California legislators enacted a tax credit for farmers who donate fruits and vegetables to food banks. Here is information on AB152 prior to the bill being passed: http://www.cafoodbanks.org/docs/AB%20152%20Full%20Factsheet.pdf

Every dollar in credit leverages approximately 10-20 pounds of fresh healthy food for low-income Californians. California growers want to do their part to help low-income Californians eat more fresh healthy food. California would be following the lead of several other states, including Arizona, Colorado, North Carolina, and Oregon that offer tax incentives to encourage fresh produce donations from growers to emergency food providers.

You can read this great post by Amy Winterfeld: what lawmakers in other states are doing to encourage better eating and support local economies.

Assemblymember Hill also shared information about California Healthy Food Financing Initiative and school lunches and this, together with the award and menu will be covered in part 2.

[Note: I say “we” on behalf of NANP and the legislative committee, which I chair]

NANP 2012 Golden Carrot awards for Impact, Service and Going Up: Trudy, Liz and Sara

May 19, 2012 By Trudy Scott 15 Comments

Each year the National Association of Nutrition Professionals / NANP (www.nanp.org) awards three Golden Carrot awards during the annual conference:

IMPACT: awarded to a member who has obtained visibility in the wider world during the past year. It could be a book, a TV show, testimony before a Senate Committee on Health Promotion, or other project that they executed with impact
SERVICE: awarded to a member whose efforts at mentoring and building connections that grow the holistic nutrition community deserve recognition
GOING UP: awarded to a member, in professional practice for one year or less, who has already begun to obtain visibility, success and distinction in their business.

I was honored and humbled to receive the 2012 Golden Carrot Award for IMPACT.

Nicole Hodson, NC shared this heart-felt story before making the award announcement:

“Trudy Scott is the reason I am here today, as Executive Director of NANP. Trudy became my nutritionist when I turned to her for help with weight loss a number of years ago. Although I had been reading up on nutrition and trying to make changes on my own, I didn’t see the results I wanted until I began working with Trudy. Most importantly Trudy was able to advise me on the holistic approach to some of my difficult hormonal health challenges. In fact, Trudy was such an inspiration to me that I decided to pursue an education in holistic nutrition myself. Trudy continues to inspire me as she tirelessly pursues new educational and growth opportunities.”

I’m smiling as I write this …as I have grown in my nutrition career I have been inspired by so many before me and it is truly wonderful to be able to inspire others! And to inspire someone like Nicole, whose has done so much for the organization, is truly wonderful!

Nicole continued:

“I would like to announce that Trudy Scott, CN is the 2012 NANP IMPACT winner. Trudy has done everything that fits this award’s description. Trudy obtained visibility in the wider world by being a focused leader as the past president of the NANP and organizer of the fight against CA AB575. She is the current chair of the legislative affairs committee and continues to support our members to protect their right to practice. In June 2011, she released her first book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help you Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings (New Harbinger) and has been presenting on food and mood at the national level and has become known as the Food Mood Expert. She demonstrates passion and commitment on all levels and has the time to help anyone who needs it. Trudy truly is a passionate leader and a supporter of others.”

trudy scott and impact award with nicole — Trudy receives the 2012 NANP IMPACT Award from Nicole

I am so honored to be in the company of the other amazing award winners, Liz Lipski, Ph D, CCN, and Sara Edison, Certified Nutrition Consultant.

Liz received the SERVICE award:

“Liz Lipski, a nationally known clinical nutritionist, author of Digestive Wellness, and speaker has been an inspiration to the nutrition community for many years. She” is the founder of Innovative Healing, “implemented a mentoring program for recent graduates and is the Director of Doctoral Studies at Hawthorn University. In 2012, Liz became an advocate for our industry as seven states attempted to pass licensure bills that would restrict or prevent holistically trained nutritionists from practicing. Liz helped connect individuals with attorneys and national organizations and recommended courses of action to those in need. She continues to contribute to NANP – most recently by sharing her knowledge of the legislative process with members in the Nourishing the Nutrition Professional teleconference.”

Sara received the GOING UP award:

“Sara Edison graduated from Bauman College in the spring of 2011 and has launched a private practice called A Stone’s Throw to Health. She also has a BS in Exercise Science from Skidmore College. In addition to starting her own practice, Sara is working with a colleague to build The Scoby Collective. This group is bringing together nutrition professionals interested in working collaboratively, i.e. peer to peer mentorships, sharing communal workspaces, and organizing informal gatherings to build nutrition knowledge and help recent graduates build confidence.

I plan to continue making an impact and sharing my food mood message! I know Liz well and I know she will continue to be a mentor and be of service! She has always inspired me! I have not met Sara and look forward to meeting her and watching her continue on her upward path leading people to optimal health!

Melissa McLean Jory: Should we all be gluten-free to get the Gluten-Free Edge?

May 15, 2012 By Trudy Scott 30 Comments

Did you know that 1 in 100 Americans have celiac disease and most don’t know it? And that celiac disease is 5 times more common now than 50 years ago? And that osteoporosis and anemia are the two most common adult presentations of celiac disease?

I recently attended a great talk on gluten by Melissa McLean Jory, MNT. Melissa was one of the many great speakers at the annual NANP/National Association of Nutrition Professionals conference in San Francisco. Her talk was titled The Gluten-Free Edge: Digestive Health and Sports Nutrition for Active People.

Melissa said this: “There is no biological value in gluten” – for anyone! I find this so interesting because I’m beginning to think the same thing. In fact, I find that the majority of my clients with mood problems do better on a gluten-free diet.

Gluten can affect you in so many ways, whether you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Melissa shared this list of gluten-related disorders:

Depression and anxiety, social phobia, schizophrenia […I added the last three here]
Gastrointestinal problems, nutrient deficiencies, fat malabsorption
Neurological complications, fatigue, headaches, ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, poor concentration
Dermatitis herpetiformis, skin rashes, vitiligo, alopecia
Dental enamel abnormalities, canker sores
Anemia (iron, B12, folic acid deficiencies)
Osteoporosis, osteopenia, arthritis, Dupuytren’s contracture, bone abnormalities
Reduced fertility in men and women, recurrent miscarriages
Endocrine conditions, type 1 diabetes, thyroid disease, Addison’s disease

What was new to me and fascinating was the athlete-gluten-performance connection that Melissa refers to as the “Gluten-Free Edge”. Over 60% of endurance athletes experience digestive problems such as abdominal pain and discomfort, diarrhea, constipation, gas and bloating. And because gluten causes inflammation, this can inhibit athletic performance and impair or delay recovery. The higher the sport intensity, the more likely the problem. Melissa shared that the Garmin Cycling Team went gluten-free for the 2008 season. They were the first pro-team to do so and this is what they found:

Less bloated and “heavy” feeling
Mentally sharper
Fewer stomach problems
Less stress on the immune system
Stronger performances

Wow! As Melissa says “Go gluten free – you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!”

Here is information on how to do a gluten elimination challenge. I suggest you try it and see how you do

Melissa is wonderful and is so passionate about sharing this information. From her website: “I am Nutrition Therapist, have a degree in Exercise Science, am certified to teach yoga, and have a personal interest and expertise in celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and holistic health. I’m on a mission to increase awareness of celiac disease and help people navigate the gluten-free lifestyle with confidence, strength, optimal nutrition, and renewed vitality. I know how difficult that can be because I have celiac disease and so does my daughter, but with the right lifestyle changes, optimal health is not only achievable, it can be fun and taste good too!”

Melissa’s new book will be available in June and you can preorder it now. I can’t wait to read it! The Gluten-Free Edge: A Nutrition and Training Guide for Peak Athletic Performance and an Active Gluten-Free Life by Peter Bronski and Melissa McLean Jory.

The whole NANP conference was superb! Other highlights included: The Consequences of Undiagnosed Vitamin B12 Deficiency by Sally Pacholok and Clinical Tools for Working with Libido by Bari Mandelbaum, NC, B Sc., I’ll share gems from these and other talks in future blog posts.