Sh*t $how

So sorry to have cut off the "We care" slogan, I show my "caring" differently

“How long have we been doing this for?” my friend Keri asked as we rolled our wheelie suitcases toward each other in the Atlanta airport. “A long time” I said but really it’s been at least 10 years we been going to nutrition conferences together. We need continuing ed. credits to maintain our RD (Registered Dietitian) degree and hey- we always manage to have a great time.

We flew in Sunday as our friend Ashley Koff was hosting a dinner at a sustainable seafood restaurant in town for fellow RDs.  The dinner started with us going around the room to introduce ourselves (always embarrassing when you have corresponded with people for years online and do not know their face from their twitter handles). We were also asked to say something we were grateful for. When it was my turn I said something about traveling with close friends but as I thought about it later I had a different answer. I am truly grateful to do what I do. I love nutrition, love counseling clients and writing, trying new foods and really the whole gamut. If you’re read my posts before I generally don’t gush a whole lot so this means something. It will also make you understand why what I’ll write about in a bit upset me so.

Dinner at Goin’ Coastal was innovative and interesting. As the chef, Seth Hendricks, introduced the courses he discussed where he purchased his fish and the importance of things like “day boat fish” as sometimes even freshly caught has been on a boat for weeks. We had hummus with hemp seeds and dolmades made with broccoleaf. Someone from EWG explained the upcoming food scores the group is releasing this month. This app will enable consumers to scan products to find out about ingredients and additives.

The following day was FNCE (The Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo). These are allegedly items dieticians should suggest to their clients or patients.

Here’s what we found when we walked into the expo hall

A little anecdote, I went up to the rep at the marshmallow pie booth and asked "how are these healthy?" She looked puzzled and said "um like what do you mean?" So, I said well it's a NUTRITION expo." I was truly horrified. I didn't go around trying to find unhealthy foods this is just a taste of what was there. I could count the truly upstanding brands on one hand. Where are the standards? How is this corruption (because that’s what it feels like) allowed? How are all these RDs paying dues and admission to an organization that thinks Tony the Tiger cares?  As far as the public, no wonder people are taking advice from health coaches and fitness professionals- would you take advice from an organization that supported marshmallow pie?

I’d love to hear from RDs, I’d love you to comment if you are as fed up with this as I am. I’d love (pipedream perhaps) to go to FNCE next year and see that soda is no longer part of a healthy diet according to the governing body of dietetics and nutrition. And if you’re not an RD what message is this sending you? 

Boston (but no marathon)

Thank you for those who tweeted "are you running?" Um no.

I’m in Boston for Dr Weil’s Nutrition and Health Conference. This is a conference I look forward to and have attended twice before in New York and also San Diego. Presenters, at any event,  are always a mixed bag and sometimes the sessions you expect to be best are not the highlights. Dr Robert Lustig opened the morning yesterday. His name may sound familiar as he figured prominently in 60 Minutes sugar segment; he’s also the endocrinologist quoted in the NYT early puberty article. Dr Lustig presented on fructose. I was really excited but not for the biochemistry lesson he started in with. There were two fun facts, after 45 minutes, first that 80% (wow) of supermarket items have some sugar. And second, Lustig’s “4 foods of the apocalypse”

Trans fats

Corn Fed Beef

Ethanol (alcohol)

Fructose

No surprises on the list but imagine if America worked on decreasing all of these…

The highlight of the day was a seminar on food and fertility by Dr Victoria Maizes who works with Dr Weil at the University of Arizona and I’ve seen present on diet and cancer before.  She is a fantastic speaker and offers suggestions versus mandates.  It startling when you look at the fertility data. Many women postpone having children to focus on work while fertility starts to decline in our 30s. As far as diet, it matters more vis-à-vis fertility as we get older, if that makes sense. So what’s been associated with decreased fertility?

1. Cereal- many foods were tested and cold cereal, likely because of glycemic index, decreased fertility more than most others
2. Nonfat milk- you know, if you read regularly, I’m not a skim fat but while nonfat milk decreases fertility whole dairy improves it.
3. Trans fats – a 2% increase in trans fats was associated with a 73% increase in infertility, think packaged products and read labels for hydrogenation. Trans fats were on Lustig’s list above and they really are about as bad for us as we thought, it not worse
4. Soda but not necessarily all caffeine

What foods improve fertility?

1. Whole Dairy
2. Fish/omega 3's- many women cut out fish due to mercury phobia and this is a mistake. Omega 3’s decrease miscarriage risk, postpartum depression and certain pediatric cancers.
3. Prenatal vitamins- I am not such a multivitamin all in one fan but feel strongly, after this presentation, that both men and women trying to conceive should be taking one (though not the same one).

What happens in utero and what women do before they conceive really, as Dr Maizes said “wires you for the rest of your life”. So I can focus on my mother and how screwed I am or I can try to pass this information on.  And finally, infertility isn’t always discussed and has to be one of the hardest things to go through. I have a sister to struggled with IVF and I tried for a long time with my older son. Dr Maizes reminded us of the compassion needed. I also think “tools” are helpful so please, if appropriate, pass this information along. And congratulations to all the Boston runners, well done.

 I have to get over to the Westin for today’s sessions. I’ll tweet @Foodtrainers about  them if you want to hear more.

Are you eating much of the apocalyptic foods? Or are you limiting fish due to mercury concerns? What do you think makes a good speaker or presentation?