Links

04.30.14
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Bad Eating Habits Start in the Womb

Bad Eating Habits Start in the Womb

The article linked covers a subject I have been loosely following for over a year now: the impact of a mother’s dietary habits while pregnant on their unborn child. We hear all about how women shouldn’t smoke and drink for fear of the baby having birth defects, low birth weight, addictions, withdrawals, etc., but how often do we hear about what impact food has on the child?

The link provided from the NY Times specifically focused on predisposing children to bad eating habits in the womb:

A recent study conducted at the FoodPlus research center at the University of Adelaide in South Australia found that exposure to a maternal junk food diet (defined in the study as any food that was energy dense, highly palatable and had a high fat content) results in children with a preference for these same foods . . .

“The best way to think about how having a desensitized reward pathway would affect you is to use the analogy of somebody who is addicted to drugs,” Jessica R. Gugusheff, a Ph.D. candidate at FoodPlus and the lead author of the study, wrote in an email. “When someone is addicted to drugs they become less sensitive to the effects of that drug, so they have to increase the dose to get the same high,” she wrote. “In a similar way, by having a desensitized reward pathway, offspring exposed to junk food before birth have to eat more junk food to get the same good feelings.”

 

So what does it all mean? It could very well mean that many of us are predisposed to obesity because we have a preference to the unhealthy foods that give us those good vibes straight out of the womb! Instead of using this as an excuse to continue eating the processed junk, let’s look at it as an addiction. How do we deal with addictions? We wean ourselves off!

Try a few or all of the following steps to get yourself started on the road to nutritional cleanliness:

  • Identify your cravings (fried, fatty, sweet, salty, crunchy, smooth processed snacks!)
  • Remove the temptation (chuck those cookies in the garbage)
  • And/or remove yourself from where the temptation occurs (you don’t have to go to the bar after the softball game and eat that meatball sub and french fries if those are your only options; your friends should understand and support your commitment to health)
  • Don’t go grocery shopping when hungry, and stay around the outer perimeters of the store where most of the fresh, unprocessed food is (eat fresh fruit and nut butters instead of that candy bar that you keep eyeing at the checkout)
  • If you having a craving, wait 24 hours to act; the craving will probably pass
  • If your cravings continue combine small doses of what you love with healthier options (chocolate chips and sliced bananas; a steak salad with dressing on the side instead of a hamburger with fries on the side)

No one is saying to never touch those cheese fries again, but limit the amount you eat and the frequency! The less you indulge, the less you’ll crave.

Bonus: Scientists that have been studying the mother’s dietary choices while pregnant have found that the impact can go as far as modifying the child’s DNA. 

04.25.14
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What a Break from Facebook Taught Me About Life

What a Break from Facebook Taught Me About Life

Inspirational Fitness Model and Trainer Courtney Prather writes about taking a break from Facebook and what she has learned from it:

“Because a number of studies have now shown that social media use leads to greater depression in adults. That’s no surprise because Facebook is a place where people put up an idealized version of their lives. They post what they want people to think their life is like All. The. Time. Scrolling your newsfeed can send you into a comparison spiral that makes you feel more isolated and alone. I know, because I’ve been there.  But as tough as it sounds, you don’t have to have an unhealthy relationship with Facebook.”

Click the link to read more of her thoughts (which I share!) and consider making a break, or just thinking smarter about your Facebook choices!