September 21, 2023 | issue 156

What's Inside This Week:

Immunity Building

Immunity is the body’s ability to resist harmful microorganisms to fight infection and disease. Improving your immunity is multi-faceted…it’s not just one thing. The focus of this article is to  provide you with some insight to look at your health behaviors and find ways to improve your ability to combat disease as we approach colder months and the sickness that can accompany the season.

 

Many Americans are chronically dehydrated…we just don’t drink enough water. Adequate hydration is super important for immunity. Moving our bodies is a great immunity booster. Most agree that we need at least 30 minutes of movement every day.  Sleep deprivation is not uncommon for many of us. Our bodies need 7-9 hours of sleep nightly. Some people claim they need less. What might be true is that we have trained our bodies to get by with less. These people may be sleep deprived without being aware that their immune system may be suffering.

 

Chronic stress depresses the immune system and increases the risk of several types of illnesses. Stress raises the level of hormones called catecholamines and leads to increased levels of suppressor T cells that can suppress our immunity. This makes us more susceptible to viral illnesses including respiratory conditions like colds, flu and the other bugs in our world today. We can reduce stress with strategies like deep breathing, meditation, exercise, and relaxation.

 

An optimistic attitude and laughter can help. Imagine the best outcome in situations, including difficult ones. We may not be able to control events around us, but we can choose how to respond. Responding in a positive way may strengthen your immunity. Watching a funny movie boosts natural killer cell activity…laughter is good medicine. And smiling! Smiling literally interrupts the stress loop that can easily get stuck on repeat. So, practice smiling…fake it til you make it. We can alter our stress levels by ‘tricking’ our minds into believing it by smiling.

 

We’re learning more and more about the role of the gut microbiome and we know there is a strong connection to immunity…so feed it well. Processed foods and sugar along with alcohol and other toxins kill the good bacteria that are so protective. Eat whole foods…this is what your gut wants so badly. Give it what it wants and watch the benefits unfold.

 

The number one way to boost immunity…. “It’s the food, says Dr. Michael Klaper, it’s always been the food”. Eating a board diverse whole foods plant-based diet has a synergistic effect. These foods lay the groundwork for excellent health and superior immune function. A high nutrient way of eating creates a strong foundation and like a skyscraper … if the foundation is strong, it can withstand strong winds. Your body is the same. A weak foundation (malnourished by eating a poor diet) leads to lower immunity and more illness. Let’s look some of the foods that we know of to be super immunity boosters.

Eating a variety of whole plant foods while avoiding or significantly reducing processed and animal foods is one of our top methods to optimal health. In addition, washing your hands adequately, keeping your hands away from your face and staying home, especially if you are not feeling well are important. Rest and hydration, along with the healthiest diet is your best bet in avoiding viral illness while, at the same time, reducing your risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer as a bonus. 

Why Is That?

Ever lose weight only to regain it again? This is so common…most of us declare that this is the absolute last time we will diet and once we take the weight off we will never allow it to return…and still, it does.  So why is that?

 

One of the things I love most about lifestyle medicine is that it looks for the underlying CAUSE of what is happening in our bodies…not just at the symptoms and how to relieve them. When we lose weight, we are basically treating a symptom and not looking at why the weight came on in the first place. We don’t treat the underlying cause…just the symptom. And when we stop treating the symptom, the underlying cause is still there…so the weight comes back and we feel defeated.

 

Pretty much all diets work…as long as you continue following them. One of the things some of my clients have experienced is that they get to their goal on their ‘diet’ and then stop following the program. The weight may not come back immediately but over time…not too much time…an extra pound shows up and this continues…sometimes until all the weight lost is regained. This leads to feelings of failure and disappointment and so many other negative emotions. How does this serve us? It doesn’t! It keeps us overweight and unhealthy.

 

What might it look it to achieve weight loss without a special diet? Without excessive exercise? Without the dread of regaining the weight and feeling awful? What would your life be like if you stopped worrying about what the scale shows and what you will eat or avoid eating? These are questions that can be answered only by you.

 

You may have heard me say, “we are what we do”. What I mean by that is that we become what we do consistently. We are creatures of habit and the thing about that is that we create wiring in our brains by what we do over and over. It’s called neuroplasticity and the things we do consistently become hard-wired in our brain, and this becomes who we are. Ever heard someone say, “I must have the TV on to go to sleep”? Or “If I don’t eat at a certain time, my blood sugar drops and I become ill.” These are ‘truths’ for the person saying them…but they are not true. All humans will eventually fall asleep if from nothing more than sheer exhaustion…whether a TV is on or not. We create habits of eating at a certain time and our body will nudge us by making us feel like our blood sugar is low and it can be very convincing…it’s simply not true for most people. (Note that I said most people…people with diabetes may be different). The point I am trying to make is that we create the wiring…the beliefs…the habits we have by doing the behavior enough times so that our brains become ‘wired’ to do the same things.

 

We have the power to rewire! This takes awareness and perseverance…and it can be done. That is key to sustaining any new habit. It must be done the new way over and over and over again. Once we break that cycle and do it our old way, however…the clock starts over. It’s the reason most people give up and feel resigned to being a certain way…overweight, always late, sleeping with the TV on, etc.

 

Mental fitness training is a newer way of thinking when it comes to changing our habits. It IS all in our heads!! Watch for additional articles over the next few issues on mental fitness and my offer to participate in a program that may just change your life!

There are so many myths about nutrition, especially when it comes to children. Many believe, doctors and other health professionals included, that children need animal products to grow and develop optimally. This has been disproven over the years as many plant-based children thrive into adulthood. Dr. Michael Greger in one of his nutritionfacts.org videos says, “We’ve known for nearly 30 years that vegetarian children test smarter than omnivorous kids. First shown in a 1980 study by Tufts University, the IQ of vegetarian children was found to be about 16 points above average. And their “mental age” was a year ahead of the rest of their classmates. Of all the veg kids, the vegan kids appeared the smartest.” Good nutrition is one of the best gifts you can give your child. Animal products are not necessary and can be an obstacle to optimal health.

 

Facts that you may not be aware of include:

Starting early helps children develop tastes for healthier foods. Ideally vegetables and fruits should be the first foods offered to little ones when they begin eating. Creating this foundation of healthy eating becomes ‘normal’ for children when we start early. That being said, we can start children on the path of healthier eating any time. It may be a little bumpy for those kids that have already developed a taste for highly palatable foods containing salt, sugar and oils. These are the foods that light up our pleasure centers in our brains and taste so incredibly good…too good, some say, because we can’t stop eating them and they become our preference overshadowing the healthy food options that may not elicit the same ‘oh my gosh’ feeling.

 

Children will eat what they are offered consistenly. Serving up foods like whole fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds allows children to create an understanding of healthy eating. Even if they are not eating them initially when offered, continued offering will likely create curiosity, especially if parents are eating and enjoying healthy foods. Parents set the stage for children to eat healthy…and vice versa. If parents are eating high fat, salty, sugary meals…this is what the children will want. The same is true if parents are modeling healthy eating habits.

 

Raising healthy eaters in our current environment isn’t always easy. The easiest path is to offered processed foods or indulge in fast foods. Asking yourself as a parent what is most important in the long run may help you to make the best choices for your child(ren). The easiest path isn’t always the one that best serves our kids. Parenting is tough…no doubt about it. Taking the time to create healthy meals, educate our kids about healthy foods and modeling good eating habits serves up the best chance for your children to have long, healthy lives. It’s the best gift. 

Facts from: https://plantricianproject.org/quickstartguide

Your feet can tell you a lot about underlying health conditions before they show up anywhere else. From tingly feelings and numbness, to joint aches or ulcers, your feet will show you symptoms that you can attend to before they become a more serious problem.

Recipe of the Week

 

When you're craving chicken fingers make these no-oil, low salt, crispy, oven-baked tofu fingers instead! Perfect when you're eating vegan, whole food plant based, or nutritarian (The Dr. Fuhrman way)!

 

Servings 4 servings                                               Author Kristen Hong

                                                                        

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside (or use a silicone mat).

 

Drain tofu and press slightly with napkins or paper towels.  Cut each tofu block into 12 equal slices. Slice the block in half, then slice each half in half again--now you have fourths. Cut each fourth into 3 slices, about 1/4 inch thick. You can make these larger if you plan to use them for sandwiches.

 

Pour 1/2 cup nutritional yeast into plate. Coat each slice of tofu in nutritional yeast. Start with the edges then do the larger sides, this will minimize buildup on your slices. Lay each slice on your prepared baking sheet.

 

After all slices are coated, sprinkle liberally with your favorite no-salt seasoning (optional).

 

Bake in the oven, at 375 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes (depending on your desired crunch). You do not need to flip the slices during baking. You'll know they are ready when the edges are just starting to get brown and lift off the pan. You can make these in your air fryer also…you will need to adjust the temperature and the time frame. 

 

Let the slices rest for at least 5 minutes before using a spatula to remove.

 

Use these tofu fingers just like you would chicken fingers!  Chop them up and add them to salads, or dip with your favorite no-salt, no-sugar dips and sauces!

 

You can also omit all the seasonings and just bake the tofu plain (may be more attractive to kids this way if they tend to avoid spices). It's still nutrient-dense and tasty when dipped in the favorite sauce. 

Recipe adapted from hellonutritarian.com

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My Favorite Quotes

"There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn't."

--John Green

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