Let’s Talk Health and Nutrition with Dr. H

    Alcohol as an Antagonist:                                                                     Our energy producing macronutrients- Carbohydrates, Protein and Fats provide 4 Kcal/gram, 4 Kcal/gram and 9 Kcal/gram respectively.  Alcohol provides nearly as much calories per gram as fat and comes in at 7 Kcal/gram.   Persons abusing alcohol often consume alcohol to the detriment of solid food intake.  By so doing, diet quality becomes poor, and many essential nutrients become limited thereby affecting bodily functions of maintenance of structures and repair.  Alcohol is also directly implicated in interference of the processes of digestion, and utilization of nutrients.                                 ...

The Merits of Healthy, Balanced Eating:                                                                 The Woes of an Inadequate Diet: The consumption of diets that are inadequate can lead to a number of adverse health effects over time.  Included in these consequences are physical fatigue but also 'mental fatigue' manifesting as poor decision making, negative changes in attitude, decreased reaction time, poor response to stressors and possible depression.   Regular consumption of high fat, high sugar, processed foods are, in particular, linked to further cravings of unhealthy food options since these foods are known to stimulate the dopamine centers of the brain that are associated with pleasure.  Hence, these unhealthy food choices can become highly addictive.  Worse is the fact that these sugary, proc...

  Anorexia Nervosa: Protecting our Adolescents. Understanding Eating Disorders: Many Eating Disorders have their roots in psychological disturbances which manifest in food-related behaviors and practices that are abnormal and that can result in serious physiological consequences. In addition to the psychological component, other contributing factors are environmental, social, genetic and biological. Stephenson et al (2022) specifically point out the following observations: "P eople with eating disorders are more likely to have close relatives with depressive and anxiety disorders, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder than people who do not have eating disorders."  "Frequent social media use in young adults has also contributed to rising rates of eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses." "People with eating disorders frequently have a distorted view of their body weight or shape, and they often place a great deal of importance on ...

  Emotional Eating: What is it??                                                           Emotional Eating involves the conscious or unconscious utilization of foods as sources of comfort when faced with challenges, stressors, boredom, loneliness, sadness, adverse situations and other life issues such as relationships, work related issues or financial hardships that may trigger negative emotions.                                                                                      The Cons of Emotional Eating While eating emotionally may temporarily bring comfort by acting as a distraction from the real underlying issues, this p...

                                                                The Challenge:                                                           For some, maintaining a healthy weight can be quite a challenge. There are several factors that contribute to weight gain.  Among these are the following: Genetics, Environmental factors (such as living in food deserts), Food choices, Food preparation methods, Availability, Socioeconomic Factors, Physical activity levels, Cultural factors (including acceptable standards of beauty).                     Why Maintain a Healthy Weight??                  ...

  The Truth about Portions then and now: As we enjoy the holiday festivities and all that this season has to bring, this is a great time to reflect, make strategic plans and make wise choices regarding our foods and our portions.  It is clear that the portion sizes that we choose to eat or that are given to us when we eat out have escalated over the past decades.  Along with these continually increasing portion sizes, so are our increasing waistlines and rises in overweight and obesity. These are of course linked to declines in health status and chronic disease development. Reasons behind increased portions: Food service establishments have also developed marketing strategies to lure the public over the years by offering discounts and coupons, two for one "specials", super-sized offerings that cost a few pennies more, and meal options compared with single items.  These increases in portion sizes are parallel with the increased trends of eating out both at fast f...

                                                                       Vitamin supplementation is a billion-dollar industry.  However, are vitamin supplements absolutely necessary??   You certainly should be able to make an informed choice:  to supplement or not to supplement...that is the question. Why are vitamins and minerals important?? Vitamins and minerals are micro-nutrients which function as co-enzymes and co-factors respectively in the metabolic reactions of the body.  While vitamins and minerals of themselves do not produce energy, they are essential as co-enzymes and co-factors in many of the energy production and release pathways. Under what Circumstances should we take vitamin & mineral  supplements? Persons with established deficiencies who may need therapeu...