Navigating Nourishment Podcast

In this Navigating Nourishment Podcast, Dr. Kristopher Sparacino, an acupuncturist and owner of Clear River Acupuncture, discusses his holistic approach to health and wellness, emphasizing the importance of proactive care. He explains the foundations of Chinese medicine, including Qigong, nutrition, and acupuncture, and details the benefits of acupuncture for pain, insomnia, fertility and more. Dr. Sparacino highlights the need for regular treatments and the integration of various modalities like cupping and moxibustion. He stresses the importance of self-cultivation and rest, and advocates for wellness routines that include acupuncture, especially during seasonal transitions. We underscore the value of investing in one's health and the potential cost savings of preventive care.

We encourage you to reach out to Dr. Kris and book an appointment for your well-being.

Bio

Dr. Kristopher Sparacino, DACM, L.Ac., is the owner of Clear River Acupuncture, Lincroft, NJ and a Doctor of Chinese Medicine, licensed in the state of New Jersey; nationally board certified in Acupuncture.

His personal experience with acupuncture led him to complete the 5-year Masters and 2-year Doctoral programs at The Eastern School of Acupuncture and Pacific College of Health and Science, respectively. 

Dr. Kris is also formally trained in Cupping, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Reiki, Moxibustion, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Essential Oil Acutherapy, Theta Energy Healing, Medical Qi Gong, Qi Gong & Tai Chi Exercise, Yoga, and Meditation.

Dr. Kris strives for an organic and intuitive approach to guide his treatments. He works with his patients’ not only to treat their symptoms but also to discover the root of their ailment and bring them back into balance. Dr. Kris continues self-cultivation daily by way of Meditation, Yoga, and Qi Gong exercise.

Dr. Kris is an active practitioner with The Wellness Hub of NJ sharing many of his gifts including monthly sound bowl, meditation and Qi Gong.

 

Transcript coming soon.

Candy is a everywhere -the temptation of candy can even be found when get your car washed. The temptation of candy can highjack our wellness goals in a heartbeat - we get it. It's hard to make the choice EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU LEAVE YOUR HOME. Some of our clients have it super hard - they are teachers, administrators, nurses and health care workers and for some odd reason, candy is always available - for a quick fix.  In this episode of Navigating Nourishment, we talk about the three options we have during the Halloween season - which seems to be stretching into our sacred summer season.

We are very interested in your feedback on this podcast - we talk about cute costumes, the pressure of being the cool house with the best candy, and hiding from it all.  We all have a choice. What will yours be this candy season?

Post Recording: We continued the conversation about things we gave out for Halloween in the past that were flops; the latest elaborate costumes; how Halloween’s commercialization is kinda sick; and how perfectionism steals the joy from events.  We also found this link and this link for tattoos for kids that are ink-safe.

 

TRANSCRIPT

edited for readability

Wendy 00:02

So we have a conundrum we wanted to share with everybody.

 

Debbie 00:07

It's a Halloween conundrum. Today we're sharing the stories of torture, really, for us as health coaches during Halloween. 

 

Wendy: 

There's so much candy everywhere, even at the car wash center. 

 

Debbie:

It's already starting in mid September. I've started to see Halloween decorations out and candy in the stores that don't normally have candy(at least, didn't used to normally have candy). Here's the torture. I had a reminder on my phone to buy Halloween candy because last year we were too late and we didn't have a good selection. So I said, next year I'm going to get a jump on it. And I went to go online to buy some and I couldn't do it. I just couldn't do it! 

 

Wendy: 

And every year for the last 17 years, Debbie and I have talked about this torture that we have with actually spending money on candy to give to children.

 

Debbie: 

Because the candy that you give to children at Halloween is filled with ingredients that we are always talking to our clients about avoiding. 

These ingredients are not nourishing. 

Wendy: 

It's artificial sugars, artificial colors, artificial flavorings piled with trans fats. 

 

Debbie: 

Right - hydrogenated oils and, yes, all kinds of stuff that we're constantly saying to our clients, please try to avoid this.

 

Wendy: 

It's a volume thing at Halloween. Kids indulge in too much sugar, and behavior is poor. And so I think of the poor parents putting up with stomach aches and headaches and withdrawals from sugar, and the poor teachers the next day too …

 

Debbie: 

And the parents that end up eating their kids Halloween candy. Our clients come in and say, I ate all my kids' Halloween candy, or I can't keep it away. If it's in the house, I'm gonna eat it. 

 

It's never a helpful situation to have candy in the house when you feel vulnerable. 

 

Wendy: 

No, it's not.

 

Debbie: 

Well, what are our choices? 

Temptation of Candy Choice #1

Wendy: 

We have three choices. We could skip Halloween and close the windows, close the doors and pretend we're not home OR leave the house - which I've done several times. My husband and I will just leave and not participate, but then we're kind of cheating out of the community event and seeing all these really happy kids in costumes. 

 

Debbie: 

And it's adorable! 

 

Wendy: 

So we miss out when we do that, and we don't want to be the grump house, right? 

Temptation of Candy Choice #2

Debbie: 

Exactly. You don't want to be that house that kids say - oh, don't go there. They're never home. But okay, so that's our first choice. The second choice to get away from the candy is to buy ...

Wendy and Debbie discuss five stress-inducing behaviors to let go of: making comparisons, multitasking (task switching), over-scheduling, procrastination, and perfectionism. They emphasize the importance of recognizing and addressing these habits to improve well-being. Comparisons can lead to dissatisfaction, while multitasking is inefficient and stressful. Over-scheduling often results in rushing and stress, and intentional pauses are beneficial. Procrastination can snowball into stress, so breaking tasks into smaller steps can help. Perfectionism is unrealistic and self-defeating, and embracing imperfection is key. They conclude by encouraging small, consistent steps for lasting change.

 

Transcription 

Edited for readability

 

Wendy  00:05

We're going to talk today about a very hot topic. It's something that has invaded our lives, and it's called stress. In this episode, we talk about some of the things that we can control.

 

Debbie  00:19

We are talking about mindless stress. This is stress that you really have some control over - though we don’t always realize it.

 

Wendy  00:30

Stress is exhausting and it really messes with our well being. Sometimes we just don't realize the stress has this undercurrent in our life. So we'll talk about some obvious things that we can control.

  

Debbie  00:48

We know we can't control a lot of things that are causing stress. But I'd say there's a good amount of things we can control that are stress inducing. So let's throw those away. 

 

Wendy  01:09

Let's jump in. We've got five ideas to share with you. The first one is to: 

1. Let go of Comparing

Recognize when you're making comparisons - because that really gives us agita.

 

Debbie  01:24

It is natural to compare - it is built into our DNA. But we are smarter than that, and we don't need to needlessly compare. We really don't.

 

Wendy  01:37

So first recognize that you're comparing and then notice how you feel about it in your body. You know what happens when you begin comparing yourself and how personally belittling it can be?

 

Debbie  01:53

It can be a never ending cycle of wanting something and not being satisfied with yourself. It's something that is probably unrealistic in a lot of ways or not necessary. So it's a moment of mindfulness, of saying, Oh, there I am comparing myself again - not necessary!

 

Wendy  02:20

The second one we wanted to talk about is this idea 

2. Let go of Multitasking or task-switching

 

Debbie  02:31

An example: if you're talking to someone on the phone and you're also trying to read emails. 

 

Wendy  02:38

Good example. It's like trying to have a conversation with my husband and being on my phone.  It's so rude, and it causes unnecessary stress for the relationship. 

 

Debbie  02:51

And honestly, you're not really paying attention to both things at the same time anyway. You think you're being efficient, but you're really not. 

 

Wendy  03:01

No. There are a lot of studies about how this task-switching idea doesn’t keep you fully present. The thing that was happening before, kind of stays sticky with you for a while, and re-engaging in the work that you're doing and still having this thing niggling in the back of your head. Say you've got a notification in one of your apps or something like that and you interrupt what you are doing to read it. It's a distraction from what you are focusing on. Not effective, and it can stress unnecessary.

 

Debbie  03:28

And the world right now is set up for that. You know, it's like the shiny, sparkly thing all the time. And to be honest, today, we've been working for a while now, and we had to refocus ourselves many times. It's not that we were task-switching as much as we were getting distracted. The mindfulness is staying on course for something you're trying to get done or finish or pay attention to,

Wendy and Debbie are excited to share new 6-week reset groups announcement for September, offering in-person sessions in Red Bank and virtual Zoom options. Their program aims to help participants feel more comfortable in their bodies, create nourishing habits, and find personal wellness formulas. They emphasize that their approach is customized, not one-size-fits-all, and stress the importance of self-care, especially for women going through transitions like leaving the workforce or dealing with perimenopause or postmenopause. The program costs $300 and focuses on nutrition, sleep, movement, mindset, and connection, with unlimited support between sessions. They encourage people to book a free consultation to see if group coaching is right for them.

TRANSCRIPT

(edited for readability)

Wendy  00:01

We are so excited when we create new groups, and we're on the cusp of starting a new group here in September. 

 

Debbie  00:10

September is always the best time to start these things, because it's kind of like the new year. For a lot of people, even if you don't have kids in school, it feels like a fresh start in the fall, right? 

 

Wendy  00:23

We were having a conversation just this week with a group of women, and they were saying, you know, as soon as September hits - I’m ready - the day after Labor Day, right? Everyone is saying, ‘Oh yeah, me too! I've had way too much ice cream this summer’ and that sort of thing.

 

Debbie  00:41

It's because in summer, I think so many of us let go of some habits that are nourishing and maybe splurge a little bit on things that we wouldn't normally splurge on. And so there's kind of this feeling of, okay, I need to stop doing that. It's been three months now. Now let me reset.

 

Wendy  01:02

Our next ‘reset program’ is six weeks, and we're starting two groups, one group meets in person in our Red Bank Office and a second group meets on Zoom. You can be anywhere in the world and join us on Zoom. 

 

Debbie  01:16

And we do have some people who travel anywhere in the world who are in our groups. We're going to have the link in our show notes, so that you can go and see what it's all about and sign up if you'd like to and get going.

 

Wendy  01:41

Who would join our 6 week Reset Groups? People who want to feel more comfortable in their body. And if that's you, you're a prime candidate. If you want to create nourishing habits, you're a prime candidate. And if you want to find your own personal wellness formula, that is what we'll be doing in the six weeks.

 

Debbie  02:01

In our group experiences, the best thing about it is that we are not a one-size-fits-all program at all. That's not how we operate, because we're all unique. And in the groups, you get to see how unique each person is, and it really helps our mindsets because any one program doesn't work for everybody. So we really customize what might be the best path for you.

 

Wendy  02:41

Most of the women in our groups are going through some sort of transition. Either they've transitioned out of the workforce, or they are changing jobs. Many of the women in our groups are in the throes of perimenopause or post menopause, and trying to figure out how to be with this new body that is different hormonally. 

6-week reset group

Debbie  03:07

Women who might simply have a different mind space because their kids have left for college or have left their house, and now they have more space for themselves.

 

Wendy  03:20

Some women come to the group saying, “This feels so indulgent to me.” Why should I have to have someone help me through this?” 

We both are each other's coaches. My husband's my personal trainer. You know, the most famous people in the world have lots of coaches around them. 

We really meet you wherever you are. 

One of the things that I think Debbie and I really are good at is helping people stay curious,

In this episode of Navigating Nourishment Podcast, Wendy and Debbie discuss the importance of doing Just One Habit: small, consistent actions for significant life improvements. They emphasize that people often fail to achieve their goals due to unrealistic expectations and the "say-do gap." They share several real-life examples of their own habits and their clients. These habits, when practiced regularly, can lead to substantial long-term benefits. They stress accountability and the use of tools like apps to help maintain these new habits.

23 minutes

 

Transcription (edited for readability)

Small, Consistent Steps for Lasting Change

Wendy  00:00

So many of our clients come to us and say, I want increased energy, clear thinking, to get back to my ideal body weight. These are some of the things people come to see us for. And one of the questions we always ask people is, how long did it take you to get where you are? Say you're 60 years old and you're 10 pounds different than you were when you were 50, or you can't run a mile at the same pace that you used to 10 years ago. Today, we're going to talk about small, little-mini-wins done consecutive over time, yielding the results that you're really looking for

 

Debbie  00:44

You're going to walk away from this podcast with something that's really going to change your life. That's our goal, at least

The "Say-Do Gap" and the Importance of Small Actions

Wendy  00:53

That's right, and we want to be realistic about expectations and time. I think time gets away from us so quickly, and we have these great intentions for ourselves, and we think about it all the time, but we're not doing anything. There's this say-do gap that we see that we want to shine a light on. We’re here to give you some really easy, doable ideas.

 

Debbie  01:24

It's like, we have these intentions about things, and time flies away from us, and here we are at the very end of summer, just like that! (snap) I know I had many intentions of things I wanted to do this summer that didn't happen and that's just an example of a couple months. But think about the years, the things that you intended to do for years now that you didn't do.

 

Wendy  01:53

There’s a ‘static’ about that - when we want to do something and we still don't do it. Dana and I say this all the time: It's like ‘death by paper cuts,’ which is kind of this morbid idea, but it's these little things that we promise ourselves that then don't happen. That gap of promise causes us suffering. We want to shine a light on that and say you don't have to change everything in your life all at once overnight! We know with 17 plus years of coaching that that does not work.

 

Debbie  02:34

All or nothing doesn't work. 

 

Wendy  02:39

It's proven time and time again. The marketing in this industry is sexy about these ideas of quick change. And we want to bring people back to the basics. 

 

And if this is the first time you're hearing us, my name is Wendy. 

 

Debbie  03:05

and I'm Debbie, and we're Navigating Nourishment. So let's talk about baby steps.

Baby Steps and Compounding Effects

Wendy  03:14

When we think of baby steps, sometimes we think we're not getting anywhere, but the compounding baby steps really takes us on long, long walks - one step at a time. And if we could strap on a little bit of curiosity and patience with ourselves, the baby steps really add up. So we have a bunch of ideas to share with you today,

 

Debbie  03:43

We do. And here's the takeaway, we're going to share a bunch of ideas. We're asking you to choose one, just one, because it's almost impossible to not do one thing. And these one things are not big. We're talking about doing a very small, one thing that'll change your life after compounding it over and over and over and over and over….

 

Wendy  04:12

Here's a visual example that, before we turned on the podcast,

When it comes to your health and wellness, when do you harness grit vs grace? In this episode of Navigating Nourishment, Debbie and Wendy discuss the balance between grit and grace in overcoming adversity, emphasizing the importance of recognizing one's stories, practicing self-compassion, and maintaining resilience while also being gritty when necessary. They explore the need for balance between discipline and grace in various aspects of life, including fitness, and share practical strategies for self-care and personal growth.

Transcript

edited for readability

 

Debbie  00:00

There's so many times, and I'm sure this has probably happened to some of you, where you're going about your business and doing your activities, doing your thing, and something happens, you get hurt, or you get sick, or plans are canceled, and everything just stops, and you're mad, upset or depressed because you can't do what you were going to do, and you just get down on yourself. And so before you know it, a few weeks have gone by, and even though you said, Okay, I'm going to pick myself up after a week, you didn't, because you just kind of went down that drain, and you find yourself a month later feeling terrible about yourself for not doing anything.

 

Wendy  00:46

That sounds like someone who is totally derailed.

 

Debbie  00:50

Yeah, and that happens a lot.

 

Wendy  00:54

It does. It happens a lot with our clients, if they've set out to do something specific, new habit, or if they've committed to a specific way of eating, and then don't do it, they just feel bad about themselves. It's really demoralizing, and it can have a ripple effect on other places and situations in our life. It can affect our work performance, our workout performance, and our relationships with our friends and our family. 

 

Debbie  01:29

We see it happen all the time. I'm thinking of one of our clients in particular, who was really on a great roll of walking and being active regularly for the first time in her life, where she was really getting in shape and feeling good about herself. And she got injured, and she went down a drain fast because she had worked so hard to get there, and then all of a sudden, it had to stop, and she was told she had to stop by certain people as well, and that just made her go in a completely opposite direction. 

 

Wendy  02:05

Today, we're going to be talking about grit and grace and that really fine line between the two of them. We’ll talk about how to pick ourselves up and hold intentions with grace AND where we need to be a little bit more gritty. 

 

Debbie  02:25

Just those two words have helped me tremendously because I've felt myself starting to circle the drain a few times. I’ve had to say, wait a second here, where's my grit? I need to just get a little bit of grit right here, and it puts me into a different state of mind. So those two words are very powerful, and that's what we want to uncover here. Welcome to Navigating Nourishment. This is Debbie.

 Questions to ask yourself when you need to decide on grit vs grace 

Wendy  02:50

And this is Wendy. We're so happy you've joined us. I think this is such a human nature conversation, and we can apply the idea of grit and grace to anything in our life. And it's a matter of saying, All right, here's my situation. Here's my truth right in this moment:

Do I need to: 

muster through this? Or rest?

actually get this out? Or wait till tomorrow? 

put in more energy, more determination? Or relax?

focus on this a little bit more? 

Am I giving myself excuses or being too soft on myself? 

Maybe I'm being lazy? 

Maybe you know the story you're telling yourself and ask. If I put more grit into this specific situation, is it going to move me towards my goal, or is it going to bury me?

 

Debbie  03:43

That's a big thing where you mentioned stories, because it really does come down to the stories that ...

It might not be a sexy topic, but the value of fiber is preventive medicine! In this Navigating Nourishment podcast, Wendy and Debbie discuss the importance of fiber in our diet, highlighting its various health benefits, including preventing constipation, lowering cholesterol, promoting gut health, and providing prebiotics. They emphasize the importance of increasing fiber intake through whole foods, a gradual approach, and tracking fiber intake to maintain optimal health resilience.

Link to the Grams of Fiber in Foods

https://nourishcoaches.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Fiber-is-Preventive-Medicine.mp3

Transcript

Wendy  00:00

Welcome to Navigating Nourishment. We are national board certified health and wellness coaches. And we know everybody wants to look feel and perform their best - your hosts included. And so on today's Navigating Nourishment podcast, we're going to be talking about fiber, the preventive medicine. We all know that fiber is good for us - but because we don't lump it in with carbs, proteins and fats, we often forget about it. So we want to highlight the benefits of fiber and how good it is for us.

 

Debbie  00:37

In doing a little bit of research for this podcast, of course, it reminded me and probably you too, Wendy, I can still add more fiber! We defiantly benefit from these podcasts, too. So today, we're going to be talking about how fiber is considered a preventive medicine because of its many health benefits.

 

Wendy  01:01

The definition of fiber: a type of carbohydrate that the body can't digest. And we'll dive into that a little bit more,

 

Debbie  01:11

There are three types, you might know two, but there are three: soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, and prebiotic fiber.

 

Wendy  01:21

We're just going to drive home the importance of fiber in our overall diet, and how we will all be eating more fruits and vegetables and nuts and whole grains after this podcast.

Adequate hydration is crucial when increasing fiber, water helps fiber move through digestive system.

Debbie  01:33

Right after this podcast probably because it's going to be lunchtime for me. So let's dive into those benefits. The one that's most obvious, and the one most people think about probably is our digestive health and fiber adds bulk to our stool, it makes it easier to pass our bowel movements, which prevents constipation, obviously. But it also absorbs water. And so if you have loose stools and you're on the other side of constipation, fiber helps absorb water to solidify our stools. So it's good either way.

 

Wendy  02:07

And I wanted to jump in here too, and just say that many people define constipation as not having a bowel movement every single day. There might be some controversy about that, because we are all individuals. Most people who don't have a bowel movement every day are constipated.

 

Debbie  02:31

Right, and it doesn't always mean that you're uncomfortable, it just might mean that you're backed up. And that might not necessarily be uncomfortable.

 

Wendy  02:39

Fiber helps reduce the risk of hemorrhoids, diverticular disease, and colorectal cancer.

 

Debbie  02:50

I've heard of people having these issues in my peer group recently. Some fiber ferments in the colon, and that prevents colon diseases. So that's another good reason what we need to get fiber in there for its fermentation benefits.

 

Wendy  03:12

Fiber also catches things, it's kind of a clearing house, it helps pull harmful elements out of our body into the waste, maybe it's allergens or hormone byproducts, which was new to me in this recent research. Fiber also helps eliminate environmental toxins. So the fiber helps if you know there are some environmental toxins that we can't necessarily control, like neighbor's spraying Roundup and mosquito repellent and that sort of thing. I can't control what my neighbors do.

There are unexpected health issues post-menopause. In this latest episode of Navigating Nourishment, we speak candidly about our personal experiences with menopause. We acknowledge the lack of education our doctors are given in medical school and the lack of research on women’s health that has lead to the chaos women feel during this prominent time of life. As you know, hormone levels rapidly fluctuate, but you might not know that makes bloodwork almost useless. We emphasize the unique challenges of each individual’s experience and stress the importance of communication and understanding among women going through menopause. As always, we advocate for dialing in to our Five Foundations of Health.

TRANSCRIPT

(edited for readability)

Debbie  00:15

It's about our take on what we know about the health and wellness industry and what, how to sort through it all. Because it's not only is it confusing, but it's misleading. And we want to help people out trying to understand what's going on with their health.

 

Wendy  00:32

We need to be more of an advocate for ourselves, we often give away the decision power to other people. And so we're here to coach people along and help them really take care of themselves. We're the person who knows our body best, right? Our doctors and our coaches and our chiropractors and acupuncturists don't know us better than we know ourselves. But they can help. As long as we're really good communicators.

 

Debbie  01:01

That's right. And that's how we help people out exactly.

 

Wendy  01:03

Specifically for this podcast, we want to make sure everyone knows we're not doctors, we don't diagnose, treat or cure, we are here to have a conversation with people about their health.

 

Debbie  01:17

And a lot of it is our own interest in it because of what's going on with our own health and our clients health. So we come to you with real anecdotal stuff. But again, we're not. We're not doctors. So whatever information we have, we want you to be curious about and to check it out on your own as well. So you came in this morning, Wendy, not feeling so great. And this isn't the first time in the last few weeks. It's been a couple of times, at least

 

Wendy  01:47

I had a really bad migraine and now I've got a migraine hangover. I got off the phone with a client and bam, it hit me out of the blue. No warning. And it was a tough sleep for me last night. And it's still kind of lingering. I'm asking myself, Why is this happening again?

 

Debbie  02:13

I've been saying that all the time that I have a whole list of odd little things that have been happening, having to do with my hands hurting, having trigger finger, having higher cholesterol and blood pressure numbers, weird things. Considering all the practices that I do in my life – I’m fit, I eat really nourishing foods. I have low stress. I'm doing all the things that I can do to support my health. And you wouldn't know it by what's going on in my body right now.

 

Wendy  02:48

Similar here - my heart rate is sky high when I run, which is really disconcerting – but only sometimes. And I've got these cramps that are just like, out of the blue. I'll just be sitting there or I'll be walking and I'll get this random cramp. And it's just, it's unusual.

 

Debbie  03:09

It is very disconcerting. And it's frustrating. You know what, nobody told us!!! Nobody told us that this is so normal for being postmenopausal.

 

Wendy  03:24

Post menopause is a big subject and we've been diving into different research, reading new books and trying to get to know ourselves a little bit better. Trying to understand where the brain fog and frustration is coming from and just not completely feeling like ourselves.

 

Debbie  03:48

Exactly. There is a lack of menopause training in medical school, for sure. And there's a lack of research done on menopause. I mean, the numbers are insane.

In this Navigating Nourishment Podcast, Debbie and Wendy discuss the essential elements for a nourishing summer. They emphasize the importance of connecting with nature, practicing mindfulness, and prioritizing self-care through activities like napping, movement, and socializing. Debbie highlights the natural cravings for sweets during the summer and suggests replacing them with fresh fruits from local farmers markets. Wendy stresses the significance of sleep in the longer days and shorter nights and provides a practical tip for improving sleep quality.

Transcript

Debbie  0:06  

We are health and wellness coaches and we wanted to kick off this podcast, saying that coaches are a little bit different than, say, your doctor, or nutritionist who tells you what to do - we offer prescriptive. 

 

Wendy: 0:23 

We work hand in hand with you, and really sit down and look at your entire life and see where you could make mini tweaks to get to feeling better. Because we want to live a really long life. And we want the vitality to go along with it!

 

Debbie  0:42  

Definitely. And one of the biggest things we do as coaches is: we're your accountability coaches. And that's where people really have struggles, because everybody knows what to do for the most part, and they know they need new habits or to get rid of old habits. Having someone that you have as an accountability person is wonderful. How do we do it!? We use our Five Foundations of Health. And today, we're going to be talking about Summer Tips paired with our Five Foundations. 

 

Wendy  1:20  

At the time of this recording, we have just celebrated the summer solstice - the longest day of the year. And so we wanted to frame this podcast around very specific tips for the summer. 

Nutrition and Sweet Cravings

Debbie  1:37  

Our first foundation is Nutrition. We want to talk about your sweet cravings in the summer. 

 

Wendy  1:45  

I know I have them and it's natural to have them. 

 

Debbie  2:06  

We often go towards things like iced coffees with a lot of stuff in them. Or ice cream, for example. And it's not that we don't eat those ourselves. We love them.

 

Wendy  2:07  

And there are tons of fruits now that are just popping like crazy. We just got through strawberry season and now we are in blueberry season - and we're headed into stone fruit season soon.

 

Debbie  2:20  

The whole reason we crave sweets is because we need energy. And we need our most energy in the summertime because we're so active, and there's so many things to do. And our days are long, and we need extra energy to get through these long days to be productive. So we crave sweets a lot in the summertime. Fruits are essentially what we crave. So we want you to think about that the next time ice cream pops into your mind. Maybe you can grab a handful of blueberries and see how that makes you feel. 

 

Wendy  2:55  

Play around. Get curious. 

 

Debbie  2:59  

And check out your farmer’s markets because they're going to have the most local and the most fresh fruits available. Oh, I'm so excited for this ongoing fruit season in the summer. It's like it's almost too much!

NJ Farmer’s Market Guide 

Wendy  3:12  

It is! We have a family tradition to go blueberry picking and we go really early in the morning. You're out there with all the birds and everything. And every now and then one pops in your mouth while you're out there.

 

Debbie  3:30  

Yeah, definitely. Here is our local, favorite blueberry picking place: Emery’s Farm https://emerysfarm.com/

 

Wendy  3:37  

Our second foundation of the Five Foundations of Health is Sleep.

 

Sleep - mask up

 

Debbie  3:42  

Yes. Sleep. It's ever elusive to so many people. 

 

Wendy  3:47  

Yes it is. And like all of our Foundations, we want to bring awareness. For this particular one, we wanted to give a very specific and practical tip.

https://nourishcoaches.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Whats-100-Calories.mp3

This podcast was inspired by clients asking us: "Are 100 calorie snack foods ok to eat?" It got us thinking - What makes up 100 calories of snack food? 

Here is our answer.

In this Navigating Nourishment Podcast, Wendy and Debbie discuss the importance of prioritizing nutrient-dense snacks for sustainable health. Debbie highlights the manipulation of taste buds by the processed food industry, leading to false cravings. Wendy emphasized the importance of choosing snacks that provide a good balance of nutrients. They compared and contrasted various snack options, including blueberries, radishes, and cheese, and encouraged listeners to prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods for optimal well-being.

Transcript

Debbie  0:01  

I was out and about the other day, and I overheard a conversation - a couple of women talking about calories. They were talking about choosing between a couple of different foods because one had more calories, and one had less calories.  The foods that they were talking about, to me were not the most nutritious choices. And it made me think about how people focus on calories without thinking about the difference between one calorie means next to another kind of calorie.

 

Wendy  1:17  

We've been trained to talk about all food being equal, and it's just about calories in and calories out - as an energy expenditure, and it's so much more rich and nuanced. And this, I think, is where a lot of the confusion and difficulty comes with people and we want to simplify it by sharing some really interesting data.

 

Debbie  1:45  

Exactly. In talking about the different foods that are of the same amount of calories, you can get very different effects in your body. And and it doesn't come down to losing or gaining weight necessarily, because what happens in your body is so different when you eat one thing next to another one.

Wendy and Debbie discuss the nutrient density of different foods, highlighting the difference between 100 calories of real food versus ultra-processed foods.

Wendy  2:18  

Absolutely. Some foods are more easily broken down. The calories in their whole food form act differently once they're broken down inside our body. So there are so many layers to how our body absorbs and processes foods. That's where the confusion is. So let's come back to what is nutrient dense. What gives your body the language and the fuel and the energy to turn it into the skin and blood and energy. We are walking food.

 

Debbie  2:53  

We are what we eat. And besides that, 100 calories of one food versus another one can fill you up and make you feel satisfied and make you feel really good. And another 100 calories keeps you jonesing for something else 20 minutes later because it didn't fulfill any nutrition needs.

Different foods can provide varying levels of satisfaction and nutrition, despite having the same number of calories.

Wendy  2:53  

Satisfaction - is one of the big things we want to talk about today.  Satisfaction in the palate, like on our tongue has been manipulated so much by highly processed food industry, that our dopamine receptors are all firing with this false food.

 

Debbie  3:39  

Our taste buds had been hijacked. We have a podcast about that very sadly.

 

Wendy  3:43  

So we don't know what an apple really tastes like anymore. And so some of the calories we're going to talk about, they might make us tick, give us some sort of happiness via the taste, but it gives us no energy. It gives us no strength. And it's just empty calories.

 

Debbie  4:15  

So let's just start with our little list of 10 or 11 things, right? We

 

Wendy  4:22  

We're kind of doing a comparison with this list. We aren't demonizing any of these foods or making any of them a halo food. We are simply bringing awareness to what 100 calories looks like in food.