Food and Nutrition

New Year’s resolutions can set high expectations which early on lead to shattering disappointments. This is no more true than when it comes to weight loss. January marks six months before “bikini season” and is the weight loss industry’s favorite time of year. Companies, gyms, supplements, and more advertise for the beginning of the year to help everyone make that new years resolution: losing weight. Gym memberships and attendance spike in the beginning of the year, only to dwindle off by February or the spring. Setting high expectations like going to the gym everyday, reaching an unrealistic weight, and more, can be damaging to mental and physical health. What starts off as a resolution can quickly turn into an obsession. Disordered thinking, acting, and eating when it comes to food and body image are symptoms of an eating disorder.

2016 was the rise of clean eating and widespread veganism. Out of the dust of limiting a diet to only healthy super foods came Orthorexia, a new eating disorder that focuses on an obsessive need to eat only healthy foods. Predictions for the health trends, however unhealthy they may be, for 2017 is “Flexitarianism”. New Trends According to The Independent, Whole Foods is citing flexitarianism as the new trend. It’s an easier approach to maintaining a happy, healthy, balanced diet while also making eco-choices. Veganism and vegetarianism might be desireable for someone’s ecological agenda but does not agree with their biological agenda (though many vegans might argue). Instead of trying to diet in extremes, flexitarianism will help people maintain a mostly vegetarian diet while still allowing for, and encouraging, eating meat. Eating flexibly is by no means new or revolutionary. However, in a diet-identified world, it helps to have a name. Going meat free a few times a week or a few meals per day is encouraged for many reasons. Eating more fruits and vegetables in addition to protein heavy substances is good for health. Meat is necessary for many people as a source of iron, protein, and other essential nutrients. However, meat production is terrible for the environment. Many see reducing their intake of meat as a balanced political statement. Quite literally, they can have their meat and eat it too. How To Eat Flexitarian Getting savvy with vegan and vegetarian cooking is easy to do today with so many blogs, Youtube channels, and Instagram accounts dedicated to healthy eating. With a doctor, decide how many times per day or per week your unique body is in need of meat and animal based protein. Plan your meals around when to have meat and when not to have meat. Don’t worry, eating plant based for some meals will not mean only eating salads. Stews, soups, and plenty of other foods can be created from plant based ingredients. Avalon By The Sea supports healthy, balanced eating by providing residents with a personalized nutrition plan and regular sessions with a dietician. Our in house chef prepares locally sourced organic meals each day. For information on our treatment programs, call 1 888-958-7511.

Holidays tend to involve a lot of eating. For those in recovery from an eating disorder, the holidays can be especially difficult. Here are some tips and suggestions to make the holiday season manageable while recovering from an eating disorder.

Check the labels all you want, you’ll rarely see the word “sugar”. Today, sugar and its analogous compounds run under 61 different names, making their way into over 70% of all processed and packaged foods. Humans are supposed to consume, at most, just over 100 calories of sugar today. For Americans who consume a mostly packaged and processed diets, they could be consuming up to five times that amount of sugar each day without even eating a single sweet. Added sugar is a problem under great controversy in America. Many feel that it is added and processed sugar which contributes to food addiction, eating disorders, and poor physical health including problems of obesity. America has one of the worst obesity problems in the world. Simultaneously, America boasts a high rate of child starvation as well as a high rate of child obesity.

Alcohol is a cooking ingredient for many recipes. Seasoned chefs and home cooks who come to recovery have often put too much alcohol in themselves rather than the food they were cooking it with. For them, and any home cook or professional chef, there is a challenge in one of their most beloved hobbies. Many questions arise regarding cooking with alcohol. We’ll try to answer them here so you can continue to be your best chef and make recipes you love.

Men and Women Are Affected By Binge Eating Disorder Men and women receive different assignments of eating disorder based on gender stereotypes. Eating disorders can and do affect millions of both men and women. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are two of the most well known eating disorders. However, the population of both men and women suffering from eating disorders does not compare to binge eating disorder. Binge eating disorder is the most common diagnosis for eating disorders among adults. Binge Eating Disorder Doesn’t Discriminate Mental illnesses does not discriminate based on gender, race, culture, language, skin tone, weight, size, or shape. Mistakenly, many assume that binge eating disorder might occur most often in heavy to obese adults. On the contrary, binge eating disorder affects normal weight adults, even those with high metabolism and characteristics like athleticism. Compulsive Overeating and Binge Eating Are Not The Same Though overeating is a compulsive issue which affects many, it is not a diagnosable psychiatric issue. Unfortunately, compulsive overeating is not met with the same clinical support as binge eating disorder. There are twelve step support groups like Overeaters Anonymous which provide emotional support and helpful eating plans. Binge eating disorder, however is a psychiatric issue. Binge eating is not the same as overeating. Binge eating refers to involuntary episodes of eating much more than an occasion would warrant, not being able to stop, and experiencing feelings of remorse or guilt afterwards. Binge episodes are not the same as overeating episodes as they are not emotionally based. Binge Eating Disorder Isn’t Just About Eating Bingeing episodes of the binge eating disorder caliber can gravely affect health and wellness. As a result, binge eating disorder impairs quality of life and the ability to participate in one’s life. Signs and Symptoms of Binge Eating Disorder

Are You Hungry? When the physical body needs food for energy, it creates the sensation of hunger. Beyond your stomach needing food or your brain needing food, it is the very cells of your body that are begging for sustenance. Doing a mindful check about what your body needs can help you prevent overeating. Additionally, you’ll be able to notice when you’re hungry throughout the day so you don’t experience drops in energy and focus. Are You Experiencing Difficult Emotions? Eating is often a coping mechanism for difficult emotions. Food can fill a hole or stuff emotions down. Food can help to feel pleasure or to feel pain. Check in with your feelings. Are you stressed? Depressed? Anxious? Angry? Before reaching for food, try taking a moment to meditate or breathe and recenter. Play With Your Food Experiential learning is one of the best ways to create long lasting memory and behavioral changes. When we get hands on in life, we get a better sense of what actually is as opposed to what we think about something. Do we ever take time to really notice food? Before ravenously consuming your food take a moment to really pay attention to it: texture, scent, leaves, colors, how it looks up close. The majority of “taste” is actually “smell”. Really inhale the scent of your food and notice the different layers. Eat Slowly Sometimes we’re just in a crunch for time when it comes to food. Even on a thirty minute lunch break in between working hours, there is time to pause and mindfully approach your food. Chew slowly and become aware of what the food is like on your tongue. Do you experience flavor in one area of your tongue more than others? Is it cool and slick or warm and tough? Chewing thoroughly is also a practice used to prevent overeating. You break down the food faster helping your body digest the filling nutrients more quickly. Are You Still Hungry? We are trained to need to finish our plates and eat until we feel stuffed. In truth, we don’t have to eat until we are busting at the seams, but until we simply feel content. A mindful practice to follow is waiting at least ten minutes to continue eating. Your body needs a chance to digest. If after some time you are still hungry, continue eating. Avalon By The Sea incorporates nutrition, cooking, and food planning into each recovery program we offer. Nutrition and diet are vital components for longevity and a healthy life of recovery. For more information on our treatment programs, call 1-888-958-7511.

Navigating the holidays for the newly sober is rarely easy. It's rarely easy for those who are not in recovery! Despite the stress commonly associated with big meals, sensitive family discussions and tight schedules, those in recovery might actually be better equipped for the impending triggers. Just remember that with tips like these, those who've sought treatment for addiction or a mental health condition can successfully reconnect with their loved ones and rediscover the spirit of the holidays with enlightenment and understanding.

We’ve all heard the saying, “you are what you eat,” and it’s no mystery that proper nutrition is an essential building block for healthy living. When it comes to nutritious eating, not all foods are created equal. Some foods contain such an abundance of beneficial nutrients that scientists have dubbed them “superfoods.” These powerhouse foods are not only helping make people healthier, but they are being used to help people overcome addictions and to repair the damage done to their bodies by the abused substances.

Those suffering from mental illness are often stigmatized, and people with eating disorders have endured particularly harsh public shaming and humiliation. As a result, many are reluctant to admit to these syndromes and struggle in silence until the problems become severe and can no longer be ignored or hidden.

Memory can be a tricky thing. Sometimes it seems so easy to remember minute trivia, and other times, it's difficult to remember where you put your keys. Most people have at one time or another tried to remember a name, a phone number or an important piece of information and been unable to. There are all sorts of tips and tricks for improving your memory, but did you know that your diet can have an impact on your memory?

A healthy diet sets the foundation for a healthy body and mind. According to Psychology Today (1), a well-balanced diet improves cognitive function, reduces the symptoms of certain mental health disorders and supports healthy organs. When substance abuse harms your physical and emotional well-being, a healthy diet that consists of organic and fresh foods provides the nutrition that your body needs to start healing.