anxiety

9 Steps to Calm the Anxious Mind: Nourishing Hope Support Club

February 21, 2014 By Trudy Scott 8 Comments

The Nourishing Hope Support Club is led by nutritionist Julie Matthews and created to help support families of children with autism and ADHD to understand how to apply food and nutrition choices based on each child’s individual biochemistry. She has extensive experience on how food compounds such as salicylates, oxalates, glutamates, and food proteins affect learning, mood and health.

Once a month, Julie discusses emerging research, shares her clinical experience, answers your questions, and interviews special guests. These monthly talks help parents learn to make the most of food and supplement choices, identify possible pitfalls, and stay on track toward improving the health and learning potential of their child. Each month brings content-specific learning topics about how various special diets (gluten-free, GAPS, Paleo), nutrition concepts, and supplements help children with ADHD, autism, sensory processing disorders, and learning and developmental delays.

I am pleased to announce that, this month, I will be the guest presenter on the Nourishing Hope Support Club with Julie Matthews. I will be speaking on “Food and Mood: 9 Steps to Calm the Anxious Mind.”

Guest Speaker: Trudy Scott, Certified Nutritionist
February 26th, 5:00 pm, PST

There is much recent evidence supporting the powerful food-mood connection and there are some very exciting recent studies that support this for both anxiety disorders, stress and other mood disorders. I use a comprehensive 9 step approach with my clients to help them overcome their anxiety, depression, emotional eating and sugar cravings. It is, of course, customized to their unique biochemistry, and includes:

Real whole traditional food, including quality grass-fed red meat and 4 unique antianxiety food solutions
Why and how to quit sugar with no willpower required and how to control blood sugar swings
The effects of caffeine
The importance of optimal digestion
The bad-mood effects of gluten
How to balance brain chemistry with individual amino acids to improve mood and stop cravings in their tracks
How to correct social anxiety / pyroluria with zinc and vitamin B6
The effects of other nutrients (such as low vitamin D), hormones and medications
Simple lifestyle changes that include sleep, exercise and yoga

In preparation for the call, I shared some of the recent research with Julie:

There is a growing body of evidence supporting the very powerful connection between food and mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. Dr. Felice Jacka, is an Australian researcher who is one of the lead researchers on food and mental health.

In this 2010 study in The American Journal of Psychiatry, lead author Dr. Jacka, found that a “western” diet of processed or fried foods, refined grains, sugary products, and beer was associated with a higher risk of anxiety and depression in women. The “traditional” diet or real whole food diet was associated with a lower risk of anxiety and depression. This real whole food diet did include grass-fed red meat and she believes following the recommended weekly intake of red meat could boost our mental health.

Dr. Felice Jacka is also the lead author in a 2011 PLoS One paper that found that diet quality in adolescents was associated with a lower risk of mental health issues. They found that “improvements in diet quality were mirrored by improvements in mental health over the follow-up period, while deteriorating diet quality was associated with poorer psychological functioning.” The author stated that this “study highlights the importance of diet in adolescence and its potential role in modifying mental health over the life course.”

You can read the rest of the article here on the Nourishing Hope site.

I hope you can join us! I’ve known Julie for years and admire her immensely. She is truly a trailblazer in the world of nutrition for autism, ADHD, and other developmental delays.

Here is her bio: Julie Matthews is a Certified Nutrition Consultant specializing in autism spectrum disorders. She provides dietary guidance backed by scientific research and applied clinical experience. Her award winning book, Nourishing Hope for Autism, has helped people around the world to make food and nutrition choices that aid the health, learning, and behavior of those with autism, ADHD, and other developmental delays. She presents at leading autism conferences in the US and abroad, and is the Nutrition Editor of the Autism File magazine. She is on the advisory boards of the US Autism & Asperger Association and Autism Nutrition Research Center. Julie has a private nutrition practice in San Francisco, California, and supports families and clinicians from around the world. Visit http://NourishingHope.com

To learn more about the Nourishing Hope Support Club and join the call, visit: http://nourishinghope.com/support-club/

Trans fats make us depressed and anxious!

February 21, 2014 By Trudy Scott 15 Comments

Cheese Pizza

We don’t need trans fats in our diets! In November last year the FDA Targeted Trans Fat in Processed Foods.

Mical E. Honigfort, a consumer safety officer at FDA, says that trans fat can still be found in such processed foods as:

crackers, cookies, cakes, frozen pies and other baked goods
snack foods (such as microwave popcorn)
frozen pizza
vegetable shortenings and stick margarines
coffee creamers
refrigerated dough products (such as biscuits and cinnamon rolls)
ready-to-use frostings

Partially hydrogenated oils are the major dietary source of trans fat in processed food. The FDA is in the process of determining if trans fats are GRAS, in other words “generally recognized as safe.” Trans fats, produced by industrial processes, are unrecognizable to the body and inherently unhealthful and I believe we have enough information to show they are not GRAS.

One of the many detrimental health effects of trans fats is that they contribute to mental health problems. I have my clients avoid them at all costs and educate them on the incredible mood benefits of eating only real whole foods.

A 2011 study called “Dietary Fat Intake and the Risk of Depression” looking at the diets of 12,059 Spanish university graduates found that consumption of trans fats were linked to an increased risk of depression. The authors state this: “These findings suggest that cardiovascular disease and depression may share some common nutritional determinants related to subtypes of fat intake.”

A more recent 2013 animal study in Neuroscience found that “chronic consumption of trans fats can enhance emotionality and anxiety parameters resulting from stressful situations of everyday life, which can trigger more severe neuropsychiatric conditions.”

If you recall, trans fats get mentioned in a recent blog post where I reviewed Dr Masley’s new book “The 30-Day Heart Tune-Up”. They are one of the worst culprits for heart disease (together with sugar and carbs).

And my colleague Mira Dessy shares that trans fats lower cognitive performance scores as well as lower brain volume

So ditch those trans fats and eat real whole food to feel calm, happy, smart and live healthy!

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.”

No.1 Thing to Do to Minimize Holiday Weight Gain in Shape Magazine

December 13, 2013 By Trudy Scott 16 Comments

Cristina Goynes wrote a great piece in Shape magazine on the benefits of water when it comes to holiday weight gain. I’m thrilled to have been quoted. My contribution is about dehydration and the direct effect this has on neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, leading to increased carb cravings for a good mood and for an energy boost!

The article is called the “No.1 Thing to Do to Minimize Holiday Weight Gain”

Going into the scale-tipping season known as Thanksgiving to New Year’s, the typical mindset is to amp up workouts, cut calories, and stick to crudités at parties to dodge those extra holiday pounds. But who actually does that?

This year, dare to be different: Rather than take on unrealistic demands during an already stressful time, focus on only one thing that will help you look better, feel less tempted by party food, have more energy, and brighten your mood. The answer is as simple as sipping more water.

This is one of the water/mood papers we used for the story: a 2012 animal study found that “dehydration is able to reduce serotoninergic neurotransmission, which might be involved in generating anxiety behavior.”

This animal study showed that dehyrdation also affects “dopaminergic neurotransmission” leading to hyperactivity. Changes in dopamine can also affect concentration and focus and lead to increased cravings for energy.

A 2011 study that looked at 24 females in their 20s found that dehydration “degraded mood, increased perception of task difficulty,” lowered concentration, and caused headaches.

A similar study looking at men, also in their 20s found that mild dehydration caused “adverse changes in vigilance and working memory,” and increased tension, anxiety and fatigue.

This Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution will give you a clue about your serotonin and dopamine/catecholamine levels and this blog post on Winter blues, SAD, holiday stress and sugar will give you some insights into the winter blues.

When you get a serotonin and dopamine boost it balances brain chemistry so you don’t have to use willpower and you don’t feel deprived! And you won’t be drawn to sugary foods and won’t gain weight over the holidays.

Do read the rest of the SHAPE article here as it has practical information on how

Holiday stress also contributes to dehydration
Water makes us feel full by adding extra volume to our stomach
it can also help you feel satisfied
it is the easiest, cheapest way to score firmer, younger-looking skin

So drink up that water to reduce anxiety, depression and cravings, feel satisfied, not gain weight, have more energy and be more focused, have beautiful skin and feel stress-free!

Pinkwashing for the cure (ridiculous!) or green for prevention?

October 21, 2013 By Trudy Scott 30 Comments

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and creating breast cancer awareness is great BUT this pinkwashing is ridiculous!

A California based organization shares what pinkwashing is:

Breast Cancer Action coined the term pinkwashing as part of our Think BeforeYou Pink® campaign. Pinkwasher: (pink’-wah-sher) noun. A company or organization that claims to care about breast cancer by promoting a pink ribbon product, but at the same time produces, manufactures and/or sells products that are linked to the disease.

Sarah Pope, the Healthy Home Economist doesn’t mince her words in her blog post “Komen (NOT) for the Cure: for the Cure: The Complete and Utter Pinkwashing of America” and nor should she. She says things like “pink propaganda”, “media stupidity”, “zombie like hypnosis that comes over people with regard to supporting the marketing bonanza” and “Breast Cancer Industry Month.” As far as I’m concerned she is spot on and this pinkwashing is ridiculous and totally out of hand! Do read her blog post above: she shares some shocking facts about Komen, saying they don’t want a cure because “Pinkwashing is far too lucrative.”

I am, quite frankly, flabbergasted by the whole commercialism of it. Also, so many of the products that have been “pinked” are part of the cancer problem in the first place.

Like sugary foods and fast food! You’re kidding me! Coke and cancer awareness!? What about cancer-causing toxins in makeup!?

The title of this paper says it all: Cancer is a Preventable Disease that Requires Major Lifestyle Changes

“Only 5–10% of all cancer cases can be attributed to genetic defects, whereas the remaining 90–95% have their roots in the environment and lifestyle. The lifestyle factors include cigarette smoking, diet (fried foods, red meat), alcohol, sun exposure, environmental pollutants, infections, stress, obesity, and physical inactivity.”

Here are some great resources that help with some of these lifestyle factors:

Helyane Waldman’s book “The Whole-Food Guide for Breast Cancer Survivors: A Nutritional Approach to Preventing Recurrence”
Rebecca Katz’s “The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen: Nourishing, Big-Flavor Recipes for Cancer Treatment and Recovery”
Mira Dessy’s book “The Pantry Principle: how to read the label and understand what’s really in your food”
Good quality grass-fed red meat from US Wellness Meats, instead of poor quality feed-lot meat
Good quality wild salmon and other healthy fish from Vital Choice, instead of farmed fish
Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Guide to Cosmetics and their guides to healthy cleaning products and GMOs, pesticides on produce and much more. As well as cancer, we know about the bad effects of pesticides on anxiety and depression. I also encourage you to take action: sign Breast Cancer Action’s petition to end pinkwashing once and for all via strong chemical regulations.

How about a green ribbon instead of a pink ribbon!? And please, let’s call it Breast Cancer Prevention and have a Race for Prevention instead of a Race for the Cure!

Which do you choose – pinkwashing for the cure or green for prevention?