Author name: laura@lauracipullo.com

On-the-Go Snack Ideas for an Active Summer By Paige Mandel, MS RD CDN After a year and a half stuck inside, many of us are taking as much advantage as we can to get outside, travel, and make the most of the final hot summer months. While being on the go could pose a challenge to getting in our balanced meals and snacks, it does not have to. The biggest tip to success is to be prepared, plan accordingly for your road trip, flight, hike or even just a day of appointments or running errands. Any outing that access to food might be more limited, snacks should always be packed, in case you’re out for longer than expected. Our RD’s at LCWNS help to educate our clients on how to create a balanced snack, to keep blood sugar levels stable, and to teach your body and mind that food is not scarce. With the mindset that food is always coming shortly, you can help train your body to avoid anxiety, and your nervous system to remain in the parasympathetic division, the “rest and digest” phase. Intentionally snacking between main meals prepares your body for the release of ghrelin, the hunger and appetite hormone, that typically will spike around 3 hours after food. You will counter the rise in your stress hormone, cortisol, and activate the fullness/”satisfied” hormone, leptin. In order to prepare the most optimal snack, we recommend pairing 2 of the 3 macronutrients (protein, carb and fat) together, for more long lasting satiety. By doing so, you will get quick energy from your carbohydrate source, and remain satisfied by including a protein or fat for “staying power”. This means your snack should be of course tasty, but also  energizing and satisfying enough to last you a few hours. You don’t need to have full kitchen access or gourmet chef skills to prepare a balanced snack. Here are some on-the-go options you could pack in your bag, so that your plans do not have to get in the way of nourishment. Pretzels & Hummus Snack Pack Simple, balanced and all packed into one- this snack pack makes on-the-go snacking clean and easy. With 10g of protein per pack, you will feel satiated while giving your body the building blocks for muscle and tissue growth, repair, and optimal function. String Cheese & Individual Nut Packs String cheese is not only a childhood favorite of mine, but is a great snack option for adults and kids alike! Pair with Roasted Almonds or mixed nut packs to boost your snack with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Trail Mix Packets Trail Mix provides you a 2 (or 3 or 4) for the price of one deal, with nuts, seeds, chocolates, dried fruits etc. all in one mixture. Trader Joe’s sells many of these delicious and nutritious trail mix packs, individually wrapped to avoid spilling in the back seat of the car or at the bottom of a bag! Kind Energy Bar With 100% whole grains, this gluten-free blend of five super grains – oats, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth and millet is a quick way to pack in a balanced snack filled with 10g of protein. This bar is also a good source of belly-filling fiber to help keep you satisfied until your next meal. Nut Butter Packs + Apple Slices An awesome sweet and savory power duo – pack your individual, squeezable nut butter packs to dip apple slices (or crackers, or carrot/celery sticks – whatever is handy) to enjoy a delicious and satisfying snack while on the move. These snacks are easily portable, could last without refrigeration, and will (hopefully) result in minimal mess. Avoid getting hangry, pack your bags and your snacks, and enjoy your journey!

Understanding Intuitive Eating: Are You Ready? By Rebecca Jaspan, MPH, RD, CDN, CDCES Intuitive Eating is a nutritional self-care framework made up of 10 principles which integrate instinct, emotion, and rational thought around feeding oneself.  The goal of Intuitive Eating is to help you listen to your body to allow it to guide your timing and portions,  rather than relying on external cues from the environment, emotions, or rules.  Intuitive Eating helps you gain a deeper awareness of internal hunger and satiety cues and pay attention to both the emotional and physical sensations that are experiences while eating1. IE can be used when working on recovery from an eating disorder and or learning to eat in a non diet way. The 10 principles of Intuitive Eating were created by two dietitians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch.  They areas follows: Reject the Diet Mentality The diet mentality is the idea that there is a diet out that works and Intuitive Eating is really the anti-diet. Make Peace with Food Get rid of ideas about what you should or should not eat. Honor Your Hunger Hunger is not the enemy, respond to early signs of hunger by feeding your body Challenge the Food Police Food is not good or bad and you are not good or bad for what you eat or don’t eat. Food has no moral value and challenge the thoughts that tell you otherwise. Respect Your Fullness Your body tells you when its full, learn to listen to signs of comfortable fullness Discover the Satisfaction Factor Find foods that satisfy you and make your eating experience enjoyable to increase satisfaction. Honor Your Feelings Without Using Food Find ways that are unrelated to food to cope with feelings. Respect Your Body Rather than criticizing your body for how it looks and what you perceive is wrong with it, learn to accept your body and show gratitude for what it does for you. Exercise- Feel the Difference Find ways to move your body that you enjoy and shift the focus from losing weight to feeling strong and energized. Honor Your Health with Gentle Nutrition Food you eat should taste good and it should also make you feel good. Recognize that it is the overall patterns of your food intake that shape your health. In order to be an intuitive eater, you must be able to accurately recognize hunger and fullness cues.  It is also helpful to develop food preferences and coping skills for emotions.  During treatment for an eating disorder, many of these principles might feel really hard and confusing.  Your body isn’t quite ready yet to put these principles into practice because your brain may not be able to physically access hunger and fullness cues.  Simply, your brain and body aren’t communicating with each other so these signals are going to be unclear. In an eating disorder, hormones that regulate hunger and fullness such as ghrelin, leptin, and insulin are altered.  Additionally, your brain structure may be altered due to food restriction, binge eating, or purging2.  These changes interfere with taste perception, food reward circuits, the drive to eat, and food intake regulation3.  The good news is that research shows that changes are mostly reversible with weight restoration if necessary and long periods of adequate intake.  The first step is to work with your dietitian to nourish your brain in order to make more progress in listening to and respecting your body and connecting to your hunger and fullness. It takes time to develop these skills throughout eating disorder treatment and your dietitian may slowly allow you to start practicing certain principles of Intuitive Eating as you are ready for them.  You might start with using your hunger and fullness for a snack and determining its accuracy.  Once you are able to nourish yourself adequately, eat mindfully, and cope with emotions without using food, you may be ready to practice intuitive eating more often.  Know that this process is hard work, so be gentle with yourself as you rediscover the connection between brain and body and move closer to becoming an intuitive eater. References https://www.intuitiveeating.org/definition-of-intuitive-eating/ Frank GKW, Shott ME, DeGuzman MC. The Neurobiology of Eating Disorders. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2019;28(4):629-640. doi:10.1016/j.chc.2019.05.007 Yeung AY, Tadi P. Physiology, Obesity Neurohormonal Appetite And Satiety Control. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2021. Accessed June 18, 2021. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555906/

Recognizing Your Body’s Ideal Weight: 5 Key Signs By Paige Mandel, MS RD CDN With so much chatter in the nutrition space, there is plenty of talk about finding and reaching your “GOAL” weight, but what about finding the “RIGHT” weight? What does that even mean? I put “right” in quotations, since there is no such thing as a right or wrong weight—but we are often asked “what is the right weight for me?”. The “right” weight, is a range in which we like to call your body’s “happy weight”. This weight is a range, not a set number, accounting for things such as fluid shifts and hydration status, that are part of being human! Everybody’s body is different both genetically and physiologically, therefore there is no one equation that could determine where your body is meant to be. Medical providers may use an ideal body weight formula, or a BMI chart, but it is really up to your own body to determine the right weight for you. Often here at LCWNS, our RD’s will request growth charts, or explore your highest and lowest adult weight and how long each was maintained, to get a better estimate of the range in which your body likely is meant to be. But ultimately, we help you become curious and be your own observer to signs that your body is at your healthy weight. Additionally, it is important to note the role of what is known as the “set-point theory”. “The set-point theory suggests that body weight is regulated at a predetermined, or preferred, level by a feedback control mechanism”1. According to this theory, our body responds and our metabolism adjusts according to our food intake or energy expenditure (or both) in proportion to the difference between the current body weight and the set point weight2. Thus, our body is always working to be at its “happy weight”, in response to our own individual behaviors. We can define the “right” weight as a range in which you are not feeling deprived, your labs reveal medical stability within your own normal limits, for women this could mean your hormone levels are within range to menstruate,  and most importantly, food/body thoughts and decisions only take up a small fraction of your head space. Here are some signs to explore within your mind and body to help clear up the confusion. You are not HUNGRY all the time You can feel the “in between” of hunger and fullness – you choose to honor your hunger before you feel famished, and respect your fullness before you feel stuffed You do not think about food all the time Intense cravings have diminished now that you’ve granted permission around all foods You can trust your own body – you don’t have to put in extra effort to maintain it When you are at your body’s happy weight, you aren’t restricting or obsessing. You can rely on and trust your body’s internal cues to tell you when to eat and therefore maintain your weight. Ask yourself these important questions, am I feeling hungry all the time? Am I constantly thinking about food or my next meal? Do I find myself famished going into each meal? Am I constantly craving a specific food? If your answer to these questions is mostly yes, you’re likely fighting where your body actually wants to be. If your answer to these questions is mostly no, you’re likely at the “right” weight for you and your body- embrace it! Feel empowered by nourishing your body consistently as a form of self-care. Ditch the diet culture that wants you to see a magic number on the scale,  remembering how good it feels to be nourished and have the headspace to be present in each moment! References Harris RB. Role of set-point theory in regulation of body weight. FASEB J Off Publ Fed Am Soc Exp Biol. 1990;4(15):3310-3318. doi:10.1096/fasebj.4.15.2253845 Müller MJ, Bosy-Westphal A, Heymsfield SB. Is there evidence for a set point that regulates human body weight? F1000 Med Rep. 2010;2:59. doi:10.3410/M2-59

The Second Brain: Understanding The Connection Between Brain and Gut Ever hear the phrase “trust your gut instinct” or “what does your gut say”? What about feeling butterflies right before a first date or feeling sick to your stomach with nerves before an exam? The mind-gut connection is not just metaphorical. Our brain and gut are connected by a large network of neurons and a highway of chemicals and hormones that constantly provide feedback about how hungry we are, whether or not we feel stress, or if we’ve ingested a disease-causing microbe. That is why our gut -and maintaining a healthy microbiome- is so important and has a large impact on our mental health and general well-being.   The enteric nervous system (found in the gut) is typically referred to as the body’s second brain. There are millions of neurons that connect the brain to our enteric nervous system AKA the part of the nervous system that controls the gastrointestinal tract all the way from our esophagus to our anus.  The enteric nervous system or “ENS” is so complex and intricate that it can operate and control our GI tract without any input from our central nervous system! The network of neurons in the gut is just as vast and complex as the network of neurons in our spinal cord. This is to show that our digestive tract is a pretty complex system that is controlled mainly by our second brain. Our second brain will constantly collect information from our GI tract and send this information to the brain to respond accordingly.   This constant communication between the brain and digestive system is opening up new ways to think about mental health and diseases. Not only do the gut and brain communicate through the nervous system, but also through hormones and the immune system. The microbials in our gut help regulate the body’s immune response. This has led to a lot of research around depressive symptoms, pain, anxiety and other neuro conditions and how our microbiome affects these conditions.   It is becoming clear that the influence of our microbiota reaches beyond the gut to affect our mind. For example, gut microbiota influences the body’s level of serotonin – a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating feelings of happiness. This means that our microbiota can send signals to our brain to alter the amount of serotonin produced in-turn changing our mood. Stress-induced changes to the microbiome may affect the brain and behaviors. A few studies suggest that cytokines (molecules that help protect our gut during infection) disrupt brain neurochemistry and make people more vulnerable to anxiety and depression. This could potentially be why so many people who are diagnosed with chronic GI disorders such as Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome struggle with anxiety and depression.   The gut-brain axis is a bidirectional powerhouse that plays a strong role in our mood, cognition and mental health. There is still plenty of research coming out on this fascinating subject. It is important to keep our microbiome happy by trying to eat of variety of foods and nutrients. Also remember that when we take antibiotics, we lose all of our gut bacteria- good and bad- which is why it might be a good idea to consult with your doctor about taking a probiotic. If you would like to learn more on this subject, I highly recommend reading The Mind-Gut Connection by Dr. Emeran Mayer. Next time you are having a flutter in your stomach- remember that our gut might be trying to tell us something.       References: Clapp M, Aurora N, Herrera L, Bhatia M, Wilen E, Wakefield S. Gut microbiota’s effect on mental health: The gut-brain axis. Clin Pract. 2017;7(4):987. Published 2017 Sep 15. doi:10.4081/cp.2017.987 Mayer E. The mind-gut connection: How the hidden conversation within our bodies impacts our mood, our choices, and our overall health. New York: HarperCollins Publisher; 2016. Sonnenburg J, Sonnenburg E, Weil A. The good gut: taking control of your weight, your mood, and your long-term health. London: Penguin Press; 2015 Bastiaanssen TFS, Cussotto S, Claesson MJ, Clarke G, Dinan TG, Cryan JF. Gutted! Unraveling the Role of the Microbiome in Major Depressive Disorder. Harv Rev Psychiatry. 2020;28(1):26-39. doi:10.1097/HRP.0000000000000243      

Insights from a Weight Neutral Personal Trainer: Jamie Carbaugh How do you define “exercise”?  How would your experience of moving be if you replaced the word exercise with movement?  At Laura Cipullo Whole Nutrition and Yoga, we strive to guide our clients to use more weight neutral language in effort to change their relationship with both food and exercise.  What once had been enjoyable exercise can  becomes an avenue to burn calories, a requirement to feed oneself, and or the only way to manage uncomfortable feelings. This can lead to an exercise addiction or an exercise compulsion. Below, our RD, Rebecca Jaspan, interviews a personal trainer who approaches health and fitness with more a mindful and weight neutral philosophy. Read about her approach and consider if training with Jamie or another trainer who understands Health At Every Size, may be right for you. Rebecca Jaspan: I connected with Jamie Carbaugh, a weight-neutral personal trainer and the founder of Fitragamuffin.  Jamie redefines the traditional role of a personal trainer, helping her clients get stronger while bringing joy to her training sessions and classes.  She truly meets her clients where they are at in their fitness journeys and takes the focus off of weight loss and places it on finding joy in moving their body.  I sat down with Jamie to chat more about her weight-neutral approach and philosophy. Rebecca: Tell me about yourself Jamie: I started as a Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) working in geriatrics in a Skilled Nursing Facility.  I have also been a personal trainer and group fitness instructor for the past 10 years.  My background as a PTA helps me tailor workouts specifically to my client and meet them where they are at.  We are a military family, so we have moved around a lot.  I lived in Germany and created a community teaching Zumba classes, then we moved to Oklahoma, we are currently in Washington State and getting ready to move back to Germany. Rebecca: What got you interested in weight-inclusive fitness? Jamie: When I started growing a Zumba community in Germany, I loved that Zumba brought people who were nervous about going to the gym or felt that the gym was an unsafe place for them due to weight stigma.  At the same time, many people who came to class had their spouses redeployed and were very stressed.  I saw how powerful it was to have an hour away from real life, engage in joyful movement, and make the connection between community and movement. Rebecca: What specific ways do you train differently? Jamie: I don’t take any weights or measurements.  The only time I will comment on the body if in relation to form or function and I try to give my clients real life applications for the movements.  I help shift the mindset from how the body looks to how the body feels.  I also allow rest, I consider myself a “rest pusher”.  Many of my clients have a hard time resting and I show them that rest is needed.  I teach movement however the client shows up that day and that “modify” isn’t a bad word, its neutral and it might look different each week.  Many people feel the term “exercise” is rigid, inflexible, they may hate it.  We play with the word “movement” and it becomes more about listening and trusting your body. Rebecca: On your website you talk about the big space between “go big or go home”.  Tell me more about the space. Jamie: There is so much nuance and I try to reframe the mindset.  It’s not go to the gym for an hour or not at all.  I ask my clients, “what do you want to be capable of?” and we figure out how to make it easier and enjoyable. Check out Jamie at https://www.fitragamuffin.com/, follow her on Instagram @fitragamuffin, and use REBECCAJASPAN25 for 25% off her subscription service to get access to tons of awesome workout videos.

Spirulina: Exploring Its Health Benefits and Dietary Importance By Laura Cipullo, RD, CDCES, CEDRD-S I remember mixing spirulina packets in my water or plant milk almost 25 years ago. I was a vegan back then and definitely needed the protein provided by this blue-green algae.  But the habit of supplementing my protein fell off when I started to eat animal products. In session, just a few weeks ago, spirulina came up. Besides providing protein, were there other benefits to including spirulina in your daily diet? It’s been used as a nutrition source as early as the Aztec Civilization and was even recommended as the primary source of nutrition by both National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) during long space missions. (1) Thus, one would assume it is a fabulous form of nutrition. What Is It? Spirulina is a form of micro-alga from the bacteria kingdom with oxygenic and photosynthetic properties found worldwide including Greece, Japan, India, the United States and Spain in both fresh and marine waters. It is a significant source of dietary protein, Vitamin B12, iron, and even the fatty acid, γ-linolenic acid. (1) What are the benefits? Spirulina increases healthy lactobacillus in the human intestine, allowing for enhanced Vitamin B6 production. It is known for its anticancer properties by preventing histamine release from mast cells. (2) Research has demonstrated that 2 grams spirulina for 12 weeks has “reduced IL-4 levels by 32%,” and therefore can serve as an anti-allergenic supplement. (2) More recent research suggests Spirulina plantensis leads to gut changes change in mice, specifically Bifidobacterium animalis is reduced and Clostridium irregulare, is increased. Diseases associated with gastrointestinal, immunological, and metabolic diseases may benefit from spirulina’s effect on the microbiome (3)   Metabolic Disease and More There are multiple small studies with 30 to 80 research subjects (human) consuming 1 to about 8 grams of spirulina daily that reflect a positive cholesterol lowering effect as well. (1). Twenty-five patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomized to receive either 2 g/day of Spirulina or placebo. After two months, fasting blood glucose and HbA1c levels significantly decreased. Moreover, in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the administration of Spirulina (6 g daily, for six months) significantly improved insulin resistance [60].(4) Spirulina also contains phycocyanin which is responsible for lowering blood pressure. What is it’s nutrient content? “Spirulina has the highest protein and essential amino acid content ever found in one cyanobacterium.” (4) “It contains high amounts of carotenoids (6.25%) [6], essential fatty acids (linoleic, gamma-linolenic and palmitic acid), vitamin E, C and selenium. Spirulina’s’ bioactive peptides have been associated with anti- antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, immunomodulatory, antiallergic and antihypertensive properties (Figure 1) [8]. Furthermore, phycobiliprotein C-phycocyanin and other phenolic phytochemicals from Spirulina exert strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect.” (4) Is It Safe? The Food and Drug Administration, recommends a dose in the range of 3–10 g day. Spirulina is generally recognized as safe for human consumption, but patients known with preexisting autoimmune diseases should avoid the ingestion of this cyanobacterium. (4) How to Incorporate? Add this powder to your smoothie, coffee, salad, or take as a supplement. Here is a great recipe to try: https://minimalistbaker.com/super-green-spirulina-smoothie-5-ingredients/. Enjoy! Remember all foods in moderation. Nutritional values and functional compounds of Spirulina. Table 1(3)   Content in 100 g The effects in vitro and in animal models Ref. Nutritional values Proteins 35.4–70.0 g Amino acidsGlutamate 7.0–7.3 g Leucine 5.9–8.4 g Aspartate 5.2–6.0 g Lysine 2.6–4.6 g Tyrosine 2.6–3.4 g Phenylalanine 2.6–4.1 g Methionine 1.3–2.7 gFat 4.0–16.0 g % of total fatty acids Palmitic 25.8–44.9% Gamma-linoleic 17.1–40.1% Linoleic 11.1–12.0% Oleic 10.1–16.6% Palmitoleic 2.3–3.8% Stearic 1.7–2.2% Carbohydrates 14.0–19.0 g Crude fiber 3.0–7.0 g Minerals Potassium 2.0–2.6 g Sodium 1.5–2.2 g Total phosphorus 1.3–2.2 g Iron 273.2–787.0 mg Magnesium 330 Calcium 120–900 mg Vitamins B12 5.7–38.5 μg B2 3.0–4.6 mg B6 0.5–0.8 mg Niacin (B3) 13–15 mg Folic acid 0.05–9.92 mg Carotenoids 0.3–2.6 g Tocopherol 0.4–9.8 g [28–38] Functional compounds Total phenol 0.20–1.73 g Flavonoids 0.1–0.9 g Antioxidant Anti-inflammatory [25, 26, 83, 84] Phycocyanins C-Phycocyanin 13.5–14.8 g Allophycocyanin 2.3 g Phycobiliproteins 1.1 g Antioxidant Anti-inflammatory [27, 32, 34, 36, 56–66] Polysaccharides 0.2–12.5 g Immunostimulating [69–72] References: Deng R, Chow TJ. Hypolipidemic, antioxidant, and antiinflammatory activities of microalgae Spirulina. Cardiovasc Ther. 2010;28(4):e33-e45. doi:10.1111/j.1755-5922.2010.00200.x Karkos PD, Leong SC, Karkos CD, Sivaji N, Assimakopoulos DA. Spirulina in clinical practice: evidence-based human applications. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011;2011:531053. doi:10.1093/ecam/nen058 Finamore A, Palmery M, Bensehaila S, Peluso I. Antioxidant, Immunomodulating, and Microbial-Modulating Activities of the Sustainable and Ecofriendly Spirulina. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2017;2017:3247528. doi:10.1155/2017/3247528 Bobescu E, Bălan A, Moga MA, Teodorescu A, Mitrică M, Dima L. Are There Any Beneficial Effects of SpirulinaSupplementation for Metabolic Syndrome Components in Postmenopausal Women?. Mar Drugs. 2020;18(12):651. Published 2020 Dec 17. doi:10.3390/md18120651