Have you heard about probiotics? Probiotic foods are made when foods mix with certain bacteria and yeasts that cause fermentation, which is a chemical change in the food. Examples of fermentation are milk turning into yogurt or making sauerkraut from cabbage. In some cases, fermentation makes a food easier to digest – that’s why a lot of people who can’t drink milk can eat yogurt. Also, fermentation can make it easier for the body to absorb the vitamins and minerals in a food. All fermented foods contain probiotics at some point, but if the food is heated or canned after it ferments, then the good bacteria or yeast will not survive. So if you want to eat some probiotics in your food, focus on raw versions of fermented foods. ​

According to the British Medical Journal, diet and lifestyle changes can lead to moderate weight changes, which can significantly improve a person's health in the short term. However, after initial weight loss, most people regain lost weight. The overall effects of behavior and lifestyle changes on maintenance of weight loss are small and poorly studied. That's right- there is a lack of good evidence that healthy eating and lifestyle changes can help most people maintain an initial weight loss for three or five years or more. Long term weight loss without surgery is possible. If a person drinks a six pack of coke (or Budweiser) daily and cuts down to one per day, they'll likely lose weight and keep it off. However, most dieters don't have anything that obvious to remove from their diets. Recent innovations such as nutritional genomics and advanced food sensitivity testing are helping more people discover some factors contributing to their weight gain and figure out what to do about it. Also important is the medical diagnosis and management of conditions that can affect weight such as thyroid dysfunction and PCOS.  But the majority of dieters still find that long term sustained significant weight loss isn't a reality. That's a truth that Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and even a lot of dietitians find hard to admit.
​
A lot of people judge themselves harshly (like, really harshly!) for not losing the weight they think they should be able to lose and keep off. Given what I said above, that means a lot of people are blaming themselves for a phenomenon that is very common and not actually all that well understood. We need to be nicer to ourselves. ​

I recently came across a quote that really struck me. I'm reading Tim Ferriss's new book, Tools of Titans. It's a book full of anecdotes, recommendations, and tips from the world's top performers in athletics, business, medicine, and more. While I don't necessarily agree with 100% of the advice offered in the book, there are some interesting pearls that I'm sure I'll be sharing in blog posts to come. The author describes an interview where he was talking with a physician about lab values and recommended ranges when he heard the following.

Labs are useful for many reasons, and it's good to get a snapshot of blood values from time to time. The problem comes when we focus too much on individual numbers and lose track of the trends and the context in which we're viewing them. Many of us have a tendency to label things as "good" or "bad." Someone might say his weight is either where he wants it or is  unacceptable. She has a good hair day or a bad one. We're either in shape or out of shape. I've spent a lot of time this year working to improve my health and I'm now more comfortable seeing it as a process. I'll never "fix" everything. But I'm always learning more about myself, how my body responds in certain situations, and how best to support me in living my best life. Instead of looking at us as objects that can be labeled one way or another, I think it's preferable to see ourselves as a process. Thinking this way means I am more likely to celebrate small changes as part of a continuum rather than a drop in the bucket.

When I'm looking at my health and my body as a process, some of the things I might tell myself are as follows. "Wow, that yoga session made me feel really good- I can't wait to go back." "I ate vegetables with breakfast today and feel more satisfied than I usually do - I want to do that again." "Deep breathing this afternoon at work helped me to focus better - I'll set an alarm and try it again in an hour." "I switched to naturally sugar-free beverages and think I'm starting to crave sweets less often." These actions are not flashy, and they don't lend themselves to drastic before and after photos. They also don't package well for sale. Can you imagine a Saturday morning infomercial promoting the process? "For two easy payments of $39.99, we'll send you a product that reminds you of the nuances of wellness and that it is not a destination but rather is a continual process?" People might think they were being punked, or watching a clip from The Onion (a satire-based news site). 

At the beginning of this new year, consider resolving to see yourself as a process. Change can be slow, but every step is an opportunity to learn something new or try out a new habit. I encourage you to choose one new action you would like to make a habit, and give it a try. Attempt to see the habit as part of a process toward health rather than something to finish by February and be over with. If you think you could use a guide, talk to me to find out if I can help you optimize your health from a nutrition and wellness perspective. I love being part of the process.

Happy New Year!
​Lindsey

Over the last few months, I've discussed several components of a micronutrient-rich diet. I've discussed the importance of fruits and vegetables, pointed out micronutrient-rich sources of protein and carbohydrates, and talked about better sources of fat when looking at food from this perspective. I hope you learned a few things along the way and you made a change or two in your family's weekly menu. In this final post I'll address beverages and supplements and then add a conclusion. I welcome your questions and comments to blog posts! 

Beverages
Micronutrient content is not the whole story here. Read on.

Fruit juices
Fruit juices have plenty of micronutrients but they are full of fruit sugar and are concentrated in Calories. They don't fill you up like a whole piece of fruit would, so all that sugar goes in and leaves you still hungry. A smoothie with whole fruit, protein, and some healthy fat would be great, but fruit juice is not a great choice for most people despite its micronutrient value. 

Gatorade, Vitamin Water, Sunny D, and energy drinks all contain added micronutrients (vitamins/minerals, other additives) that do have nutritional value, however, they come along with lots of sugar (or artificial sweeteners) and other additives. Don't fall prey to the advertising about the micronutrients they offer. Those of you who have been reading this blog know that you can get those micronutrients somewhere else. So unless you've just completed a workout longer than 60 minutes that involved a lot of sweating, you likely don't need Gatorade as part of your post-workout recovery. Which brings us to our next beverage: milk.

Milk contains calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, and other micronutrients (like magnesium) in addition to macronutrients like protein, milk sugars, and milk fat. Milk or chocolate milk can be a great addition to a workout recovery meal or snack. 8 oz of milk counts as one serving of dairy. For those who tolerate it, milk is a nutritious and micronutrient-rich beverage.  If you can afford organic milk, don't worry about the fat content you choose. Eat whatever percent fat  (2%, whole, etc.) your family enjoys.

Soda pop
This is the ultimate example of a food high in macronutrients (sugar) but nearly completely devoid of micronutrients. There is very little nutritional value to soda pop, and it should be limited to an occasional treat. If you are trying to cut back on your soda pop intake (regular or diet), consider trying one of those unsweetened sparkling waters that are so popular these days such as La Croix.

Alcohol
Hard liquor provides Calories but no significant amount of micronutrients. Beer also provides Calories. Wine, since it's made from grapes, has antioxidants, polyphenols, and other healthful micronutrients, but still should not be consumed in excess. For guidance on safe intake of alcoholic beverages and answers to your alcohol-related questions, link here. 

Supplements
Let's say that you are pretty sure you're not getting enough micronutrients from food. You want to make some changes to your diet but you also want extra insurance to be sure you're adequately nourished. Multivitamin & mineral supplements are a great way to get this extra insurance. However, not all supplements are created equally. Supplements are not well regulated by the government, so it's hard to know if you're getting what you've paid for. I recommend purchasing supplements from brands that healthcare professionals trust. These "professional" brands are often sold in medical offices, where the professionals who sell them know that a substandard product will undermine client trust and results. These companies test their products to be sure customers get what they pay for, and they often use formulations that maximize absorption and effectiveness. If you get your supplements at Costco or another discount retailer, please do some research. Contact the manufacturer and ask how often the product is tested for purity and potency, or read an independent review from a site such as Consumerlab. I'm not able to recommend specific supplements via a blog as everyone has unique needs. For a non-comprehensive list that includes many professional level brands, you can look (but not buy) here. If you want help selecting the appropriate nutritional supplements to meet your needs, consider scheduling an appointment with me. Learn more about working with me by clicking here. 

Conclusion
It's been quite a journey looking at various aspects of the micronutrient-rich diet. What do you think about this series? What did you learn? I would love to hear your comments and questions. I'll leave you with a festive and micronutrient-rich recipe.

I mentioned above that fruit juices are not the best way for most people to get their micronutrients. However, smoothies containing fruit, vegetables, fiber, and protein are great options for breakfast on the go or a healthful evening snack. This festive smoothie gets most of its protein from Greek yogurt - skip the protein powder and just add a little more yogurt. Micronutrient-rich ingredients include pumpkin, banana, and flax seeds. Fresh spices would offer an antioxidant bonus! Thanks to the blogger at A Pumpkin and a Princess for coming up with this delicious-sounding treat. The recipe is available here. 

In the previous posts in this series, we explored three important components to a micronutrient-rich diet: 

1. Pack in the produce, 
2. Include protein in every meal, and
3. Choose your carbs carefully.

In order to promote optimal health, we're exploring these groups of foods looking for rich sources of micronutrients. This post discusses fats, and the next (and final) post will address beverages before concluding this series. Alright, here's the skinny on fat.

4. All fats are not created equally.

Refined vegetable oils
According to an article abstract from the European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology, the process of refining canola, sunflower, and soybean oil  destroys much of the oils' healthful and protective micronutrients. That's 93-98% of polyphenols, 10-36% of tocopherols (vitamin E), and 6-52% of total plant sterols. In addition to not providing the consumer with beneficial micronutrients, this loss means that the oils are more susceptible to oxidation - especially with high-heat cooking - which promotes free radical formation and can increase risk for cardiovascular disease. In Europe, industry has recognized this and appears to be looking for ways to retain the nutritional content of oils during the refining process. Until we achieve that in America, it is best to choose vegetable oils that are minimally processed. Conventionally processed vegetable oil, soybean oil, corn oil, and canola oil are highly refined and not the best oil choice. I definitely recommend avoiding margarine and vegetable shortening because these most often contain harmful trans fats. Better vegetable oil choices include flaxseed oil (use fresh only - do not heat), avocado oil, and walnut oil. Organic, cold-pressed or expeller-pressed canola oil, peanut oil, or sunflower oils are ok given the alternative processing they receive. Sesame oil is also a great choice for cooking or other uses. Toasted sesame oil is strongly flavored, so use the toasted version sparingly and only in foods appropriate for that strong flavor. Keep these oils in a cool, dark place and avoid those sold in clear glass/plastic bottles as this increases risk of oxidation (aka spoilage).

Coconut oil
The coconut is an important fruit. It provides food for millions of people and is often called the "tree of life." Coconut plays a role in Ayurvedic medicine and its medicinal use was documented 4,000 years ago. Coconut meat, oil, and water have many applications in health and in food and nutrition. Unfortunately, the beneficial aspects of coconut are sometimes exploited by people who are not likely to understand its traditional uses such as in Ayurvedic medicine. This is how a traditionally useful plant becomes a "superfood" and a "cure-all" on a TV segment. The truth about coconut is that we have more to learn. Coconut oil is high in saturated fat, but it is specifically rich in medium chain triglycerides (MCT), which have many benefits. MCT is a big topic that deserves its own blog post in the future. [Source for this paragraph can be found here].

While virgin coconut oil does appear to have some antioxidant activity, and there are some trace minerals, there don't seem to be a whole lot of micronutrients in coconut oil. While coconut oil makes for delicious pan-fried fish, is great in baking, and has other health benefits, it is not necessarily a winner in the micronutrient category.

Lard
Yes, we know that lard contains saturated fat, which as discussed above is a topic for another day. It's not all saturated though - 50% of the fat in lard is monounsaturated. We know that animals tend to store toxins in fat tissue, so lard from non-organic animals can carry agricultural toxins. But organic lard is actually a great source of vitamin D! If you have a friend or other source that properly renders lard from organic livestock, consider adding it into your cooking oil rotation, especially if your doctor told you that you need more vitamin D. 

Oils consumed naturally in foods like nuts, seeds, and avocados
The most micronutrient-rich way to get your fats is to eat them as part of real foods! Enjoy avocados, olives, nuts, seeds, well-raised meat and eggs knowing that the fat helps your body to even better utilize the micronutrients packed into these nutritious foods. 

Whew! That was a long post. And it took me all month to write. I hope to make the posts a little lighter and shorter in the future. I'm just so passionate about looking at the diet from a micronutrient-rich viewpoint! I hope you enjoyed this, and learned a thing or two as well. I'll leave you with a recipe.

Recipe: Roasted Salmon and Olive Mustard Butter with Orzo by Epicurious
The inclusion of butter, olives, and salmon means this recipe contains several micronutrient-rich sources of fat. Substituting a whole grain like brown rice or farro for the orzo would make for an even more nourishing meal. Please comment if you try this dish - I'd love to know what you think! The recipe is here.  I think the olive-mustard butter would be good on other meats too, such as chicken.

Source for nutrition information: usda nutrient database, available at https://ndb.nal.usda.gov
Additional references: http://www.westonaprice.org/know-your-fats/why-butter-is-better/, http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/10/14/since-milk-is-white-why-is-butter-yellow/?_r=0, http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-K#food-sources

If you came directly to this post, I recommend you go back and read posts one and two on this topic. It really does require an introduction. In the last post, we explored two important components to a micronutrient-rich diet: 

1. Pack in the produce, and 
2. Include protein in every meal.

This post includes another important component. Here goes.


3.  Choose your carbs carefully
Carbs have a mixed reputation, which is confusing for a lot of people. Some diets shun carbs while others make them the foundation of the diet. So what’s a mindful eater to do? I suggest putting the focus on quality. Micronutrient quality, that is. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
 
Carbohydrates, one of the three major macronutrients, are a main source of energy for the body. Some people tolerate more carbs in the diet than others – this depends on many factors such as activity level, medical history, and even genetics (and would be a great topic for another blog post). Carbohydrate-rich foods include grains (like rice, wheat, barley, and oats), fruit, starchy vegetables like squash and potatoes, and sugars such as honey, maple syrup, and granulated sugar. Fiber is a carbohydrate – technically a non-digestible one. There are lots of different types of fiber, which offer a multitude of benefits, but we won’t discuss them here. 
 
A lot of Americans get most of their carbohydrates (and the majority of their Calories) from refined, bleached flour and sugar. Eating like this means missing out on so many micronutrients! While refined flour is enriched to return some of what is lost in the refining process, the micronutrient content just doesn’t come close to what you get from, say, sprouted wheat berries. Whole grains (those that are minimally processed) are a better source of important nutrients such as selenium, potassium and magnesium. I don't mean to say that you have to avoid bread, pasta, and white rice. I enjoy those foods (especially rice) intermittently. But since we're discussing how to up your micronutrient game, it's important to point out that there are some four star carb sources that pack a micronutrient-rich punch and leave the others in the dust. Eating these carb sources more often means more micronutrients for you. Here are some examples.
 
Sweet potatoes
As you may have noticed from my Facebook posts, I cook these a lot. I bake them in the oven or cook quickly in the microwave (rinse, poke a few holes in the outside, microwave on high 5 minutes, flip, microwave 5 more minutes, allow to cool). Then I keep them in the fridge to use as a side dish, in a salad, or added to a soup. I found a new variety this week at my local farmer’s market – I can’t wait to try them! The classic baked potato is also a good source of micronutrients and deserves a mention. Here is a new version of this classic that takes the micronutrients up to 11.