YouTube Channel

Empowering True Health now has its own YouTube channel! There you will find short videos focusing on the why and how of a whole food plant-based diet. Videos will be added on topics such as heart health, skin/acne, bone health, diabetes, your immune system, forming new habits and setting yourself up for success, as well as how to use foods you encounter in the grocery store. Subscribe today!

Gain Health Lose Weight!

*Please note that registration is closed for this class

Another resolution to lose weight?  Another failed attempt?  Time to take the extra pounds, including the covid 20, off for good!  Learn what has kept you from long term success, why your focus should be on health not weight, and habits to lead you down the path of true health and weight loss. 

After completing the two- night class, attend the support sessions to ask questions, share ideas, and cheer each other on.

Virtual class: Tuesday Feb. 16 and Wednesday Feb. 17, 2021; 7:30-8:30pmET

Virtual support sessions: Wednesday, Feb. 24, March 3 and 17; 7:30 pm ET

Register under the Purchase tab on this website. 

After registration is received, you will get your Zoom invitation by email.

See what a previous attendee has said…….

What can I say besides you really know your stuff… After attending Karen’s latest program “Pathway to True Health and Weight Loss”, I feel very confident that I know what I eat and what I need to do to stay healthy. Really, you learn a lot from this fantastic Health Educator. Thanks again, Karen!

Obesity- An Epidemic

Do you know what has become an epidemic that no one is openly talking about?  Obesity.  Yes, obesity has been considered an epidemic since 1999.  If you have a BMI of 30 or greater you are classified as obese.  This is the reason it seems so many people set out to lose weight each New Year and why we are inundated with weight loss commercials through January.  America’s Health Rankings[i], using data from the CDC, states that in 2019, 32.1% of U.S. adult females and 30.6 % of adult males were obese.  A graph from 1990 to the present shows a steady increase in the number of people in the United States in the obese category.  For those of us living in Ohio (if you live in another state it is easy to go online and find your state’s rate), in 2018, the rate for adults was 33.8%. In 2019 Ohio’s youth rate, ages 10-17, was 17.1%.  Add to this the fact that 2/3 of Americans are overweight.  Do you realize then that most of the general population is overweight?  When you look around it appears to be “normal” because everyone’s outward appearance is the same.  Those that are maintaining an optimal body weight are the ones who appear “abnormal” since they are in the minority.

Most people know that they should lose weight because it will make them healthier, but what really are the side effects of too much weight?  Here is what you will not find on the back of the potato chip bag or the McDonald’s carton.

Side Effects of Obesity:

*Greater cognitive decline as you age compared to people of optimal weight[i]

*Heart disease

*Kidney disease

*Diabetes

*Autoimmune diseases

*Immune system damage

*Fewer white blood cells (resulting in a weaker immune system)

*Decrease effectiveness of flu vaccine

*Increase risk of severe flu

*Covid 19[ii]

*Lack of stamina/energy

*Poor self- esteem; depression

With covid 19 on the minds of many this year, it is important to note that several of these side effects are associated with an increased risk of severe illness.  Excess weight, without any other health issues, may also be a factor in contracting and developing a more severe case of covid 19.  Also be aware that even if you have a “clean bill of health” it is still important to address your weight sooner than later because one or more of the side effects may be in development and not yet detected.

The real question becomes how you respond to this information. The typical way many people do is to begin the new year by planning to limit daily calories or choosing a popular/commercial diet to begin. The goal is to lose weight and no matter how you limit calories you will initially lose that weight. However, the diet is hard to maintain, you hit a plateau, etc. and you give up and the weight returns. Through all of this you may still be putting your health in harm’s way because of the food choices you are making even though the pounds are coming off. The new way I advocate to respond to this information is to focus on health instead of weight loss. By doing this you will get a 2 for 1 investment- permanent weight loss and true health. This new focus is based upon research and experience of using a whole food plant- based diet that includes positive lifestyle changes. By eating the right fuel for your body, the excess fat cells will disappear, and you have a greater chance of clearing or avoiding disease.

This is just the beginning of the “conversation” of health and not weight loss.  The next step is to get in touch with me or enroll in my upcoming Weight Loss class and come away with motivation to develop habits for sustainable weight loss and true health.

Now is the time…… to live every day!

[i] Singh-Manouz A, Elbaz A, et al. “Obesity phenotypes in midlife and cognition in early old age: The Whitehall II cohort study.”  Neurology. 2012; 79: 755-762.

[ii] Sudre C, Murray B, et al. “Attributes and predictors of Long-COVID: analysis of COVID cases and their symptoms collected by the Covid Symptoms Study App.”  MedRXIV. December 19, 2020.

[i] www.americashealthrankings.org

Healthy Holiday- Part 3 - Navigating December Holidays

With the holidays upon us, many of us will be involved in parties and family gatherings which can make it difficult to stay on the path of true health.  It is easy to say that I’ll just have one cookie, chicken wing, piece of pizza, or whatever is on the buffet table and enjoy, but most of us can’t stop at just one!  This self-talk continues through the holiday season and you continue to find ways to rationalize your poor food choices.  As a result, you feel sluggish, bloated and tired (although you blame this on the hustle and bustle of the season!) and vow to do better in the New Year.  To break this cycle, there are steps you can take to avoid this pattern that seemingly happens every holiday season.

First of all, start by remembering the purpose of the holidays.  Despite what the media wants us to believe, it’s not all about spending money.  No matter your religious background or beliefs, we can focus on spending time with family and friends and celebrating our connection to them.  We have always been social creatures.  In the past, humans relied on each other for survival and today our positive relationships with others help to improve our physical and mental health.  In Kelly Turner’s book, Radical Remission, she found that cancer patients who had strong social connections lived 25% longer than those who didn’t.  (1)  Other research has shown that receiving love and social support increases dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins, and the effects of this are decreased inflammation (which lessens disease risk), increased circulation, increased white and red blood cells, and increased body’s ability to find and fight cancer cells.  Looking at it from the opposite view, the lack of social connection can result in loneliness, not only during the holidays but throughout the year, and that can lead to earlier death.  If you know someone who will be alone during this time of year, make the effort to get him/her to attend your gatherings.  Focus on the people you are with and spend time reconnecting and strengthening those relationships.

Of course we can’t deny the fact that food will be a part of the holiday celebrations. Many people you know may not view health in the way you do and the food they contribute to the celebrations won’t be what you know to be health promoting. Therefore, you can plan ahead for these situations. If you are taking a dish to the gathering, bring something that you will eat, so this way you know that there will be at least one item for you. Especially if it’s a sit down meal, you may have to volunteer to make a couple dishes. Often there are fruit and vegetable trays available so focus on those, without mountains of the dips that usually go along with them. If it is a cocktail party or reception, socialize with your friends as far from the food as possible and with your back to the buffet. This makes it more difficult for you to fill your plate with unhealthy foods because the distance gives you time to think about what you are doing, getting more food, than if you were right next to the buffet. When we see food and are in close proximity to it, we are more likely to eat it. Through research it has been found that our friends influence how much we eat. (2) When we eat with one other person we can consume 35% more food than if we were alone, with four people it’s 75% more food and in a group of seven or more people it’s 96% more food consumed. We look to others for validation of what we are doing and if our friends are eating that gives us permission to eat as well.  Plate or bowl size also influences how much you will eat. For example, a study was completed with subjects using two different sized bowls for ice cream and two different sized serving spoons.  (3) Participants served themselves, and the ones using the larger bowl and serving spoon ate 57% more ice cream than the group with smaller bowls and serving spoons.  When you are at a party, seek out a smaller plate, possibly a salad plate, and use that to put your food on, and if you are hosting, provide your guests smaller plate options. The more food you have the more food you will eat.  However, if salad and vegetables are available without the fat containing toppings such as bacon and cheese or the creamy dips, you are free to eat as much as you want! Keeping these strategies in mind not only during the holidays, but throughout the year, will lead to them becoming habits and then you will be able to spend less time consciously thinking about making good food choices.

 Being healthy through the holidays requires some advanced planning, as well as being mindful of what you are eating in social situations.  Keeping the focus on social connection and the meaning of the season will allow you to feel better and experience more joy during this time.

(1)   Turner, Kelly.  Radical Remission.  Harper Collins; 2014.

(2)  de Castro JM. “Family and friends produce greater social facilitation of food intake than other companions.”  PhysiolBehav 1994; 56(3):445‐55.

(3)  WansinkB, Cheney MM. “Super Bowls: serving bowl size and food consumption.” JAMA 2005;293(14):1727‐8.

Healthy Thanksgiving- Facebook Live Video Ideas

Healthy Thanksgiving-   2nd video in holiday series by Empowering True Health 

Not realistic to give up turkey- I don’t promote eliminating meat, use organic grass fed

Gravy- replace with spices, use sparingly, make plant based

Mashed white potatoes- no butter, use spices to replace fat flavor, plant milk, vegetable broth, garlic, chive, nutritional yeast

Sweet potatoes- bake, bake with apples, add cinnamon, maple syrup

Green beans/vegetables- no casserole, add salt, pepper, spices, balsamic vinegar (flavors: buy or make)

Acorn squash- bake, add rice, carrots, apple

Lettuce salad- different types lettuce, spinach, beet greens, raw vegetables, chopped apples, mandarin oranges, cranberries, no bacon, cheese, balsamic vinegar dressing

Fruit- holiday grapes, orange slices, make baked apples/applesauce

Bread- whole grain rolls, loaf, find a local baker, use jelly/fruit spread or oil free hummus (pumpkin hummus recipe on website- news/blog section, also use as appetizer)

Soup- creamy carrot, wild rice and mushroom (Oct. newsletter)

Dessert/pumpkin pudding- on website- news/blog section, tastes like pie

Pumpkin cranberry cookies

Fruit/apple/cranberry crisp- use instead of pie

Drinks- high in calories, one glass wine/can beer, tea, coffee, warm cider with cinnamon sticks

Healthy Halloween- Pumpkin Mac N Cheese Sauce

Pumpkin Mac ‘n Cheeze Sauce

Makes approximately 4 servings

Ingredients

¾ cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

6 tablespoons nutritional yeast

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 cup canned pumpkin

Salt and pepper to taste

Herbs/seasonings to taste (consider sage or cinnamon)

Directions

1.    In a small bowl whisk together the milk, arrowroot powder, and garlic powder until clumps are gone. 

2.    Place in a pot and stir in nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper.  Whisk over low heat until thickened (about 5-7 minutes).

3.    Add in 1 cup of canned pumpkin and stir until combined and heated through

4.    Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Serve with whole wheat pasta, sweet potato, kidney beans and sautéed spinach

Summer Produce

At some point each of us will get sick. Keeping our body as healthy as possible allows us to more effectively fight the germ. Eating a whole food plant based diet is part of being healthy. With the fresh fruit and vegetables in abundance right now, its a great time to get on the path toward true health! Instead of going through the drive through at your favorite fast food restaurant, find a local market and pick up some fresh produce! Support your body and your local farmer!