I am greatly in favour of healthy eating. I'm also greatly in favour of "everything in moderation." So whenever I hear someone proclaim in horror: "Oh my God! I just ate an ENTIRE BAGEL!" I never quite know how to respond.  

I remember 8 or 10 years ago, bagels were hot news. They were, dare I say, a breakfast craze. Bagels, we were told, were more nutrient-dense than ordinary bread. Bagels were, for a time, the breakfast bread of choice for energetic people dedicated to a healthy diet. Remember?

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Bagels today are probably best known for being 400 calories of evil carbohydrates.  Today, bagels are an embarrassment, a shame. In a world where Bread is the 8th Deadly Sin, admitting to eating a bagel is akin to admitting to having eaten a bucket of fried chicken. Being spotted with a half dozen bagels in your shopping cart is as shameful as having a cartful of chips, Coke and - what the heck - cartons of cigarettes. 

I'd like to take this opportunity celebrate the beautiful bagel, and to talk you down from the ledge if you happened to have accidentally ingested one recently. LIFE WILL GO ON.

The Bagel Manifesto

---- Bagels are real food. Eating a bagel will NOT derail your wellness goals, as long as you use common sense and moderation.

---- A bagel with cream cheese (full-fat cream-cheese, represent!) is a great treat once in a while. However, cream cheese has a hefty amount of fat in it, so simply save it for those days when you want to treat yourself, and all will be well. 

---- Choose a whole grain bagel for a couple of servings of whole grains. Whole grains are an intergral part in keeping insulin levels in check, which is an important part of maintaining a healthy weight, as well as keeping up your energy levels.

---- 400-ish calories at breakfast is OKAY. Presuming you make smart food choices throughout the rest of your day, ingesting 400 calories of  whole grains in the morning is not a bad idea, actually. It will satisfy you longer than 150 calories worth of yogurt will. It has less sugar than many fruits or fruit juices, so it will keep your energy levels up, rather than leaving you with that energy spike/energy drop for which sugar is so famous.

---- Carbohydrates are the fuel your brain needs in order to function, so eat 'em up, Smartypants.

The year 1999 called - it wanted to remind you that bagels can be an acceptable breakfast choice for energetic people living a happy and healthy life of balanced wellness. 

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I know there are a lot of differing opinions out there on carbs and whole grains and insulin and bagels and the whole nine yards. I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Or, email me at erin@thewellnessshift.com

From the Wall Street Journal online.

WASHINGTON -- Consumers should "immediately stop" using Hydroxycut weight-loss products amid concerns they may cause jaundice and liver failure, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday.

The FDA has received 23 serious reports of health problems with Hydroxycut products and one death in a 19-year-old male who had used the weight-loss products, said Linda Katz, interim chief medical officer in the FDA's food safety and nutrition division.

The FDA strongly advises people against using 14 Hydroxycut products, Ms. Katz said. Iovate Health Sciences Inc. of Canada markets the products, also known as dietary supplements, as fat burners and energy-enhancers. Iovate representatives couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

The company has agreed to recall 14 of its Hydroxycut products. Other Hydroxycut products, such as Hydroxycut Cleanse and Hoodia, won't be recalled as the FDA said they contain different ingredients from the other products.

Vasilios Frankos, director of the FDA's dietary supplement program, said it's still unclear what ingredients in the products are harmful. The FDA is trying to get a better understanding of what ingredients, or combination of ingredients, is causing the liver damage. Other dietary supplements may contain similar ingredients.

The FDA recommends people call their physicians if they are worried about any damage caused by the products.

 

[The Wellness Shift - as printed in Forza magazine, Spring/Summer 2009]

Making the decision for healthy lifestyle changes is something to be incredibly proud of. It’s a big step - one that requires a great deal of dedication - and is truly one of the greatest gifts you’ll ever give yourself.

The basic ingredients for a long and healthy life are no secret: eat a balanced diet, drink lots of water and get some exercise. It’s a short list of Must Do’s that seem simple, until you really try to implement them into your busy life. For some of us, actually practicing these rules of healthy living can be more challenging than we may have initially expected.

The solution? Change your focus from physical fitness to overall wellness, and suddenly your lifestyle change will seem much more attainable. You’ll find yourself celebrating your successes almost every day.

Wellness encompasses a combination of physical, mental and spiritual health, but it doesn’t have to be as Zen as it sounds. Read on to get a few tips on how to make the shift toward wellness.

Your Wellness Shift

Use nurturing language with yourself. For example, switch your focus from “diet and exercise” to “nutrition and movement.” This simple change of words places a more nurturing and attainable sheen onto your wellness.

Use your intuition. If you’re hungry, eat. Make smart food choices as often as you can, and keep your portions under control. The beautiful thing about intuitive eating is that there really is no “cheating;” so you never have to feel badly about a salty or sweet snack, in moderation.  

Listen to your body. Every day your body sends out different signals to you, to let you know where it’s at on the wellness scale. If your legs are sore, skip your run and do some upper body weights instead. If you wake up with a stiff back, make the choice to do some flexibility training.

Acknowledge the balance of food and movement. You need the food to fuel the body. Eliminate the punishment/reward mentality so often associated with diet and exercise. Eating food and moving your body are privileges, ones that you’re entitled to enjoy for the rest of your long and healthy life.

Let yourself rest. Allow your body and your mind to recover and heal. In order to really change your life, your new lifestyle needs to fit in with everything else you do. It can’t leave you run ragged, and it can’t be displacing the other very important elements of your world – family, friends, career, hobbies, passions, social interaction and “you” time.

Celebrate and appreciate. Keep track of all the things you’ve done right on the path toward well-being. Pat yourself on the back for every wellness milestone, large or small.  

Shift your focus to your wellness – that all-encompassing feeling of being well, body and mind. It’s a lifestyle change you’ll be happy to make for a lifetime.