How to Deal With Conflicting Dietary Advice

I did an interview with Mickey Trescott of Autoimmune Wellness last week for one of my coaching programs and I asked her the question, “How do you deal with all of the conflicting information out there with dietary fads and differing theories?”

>> Watch the exclusive full interview here >>

I asked her this because it’s something that comes up with every single one of my coaching clients, and it's something I’ve grappled with myself.

Maybe you have an inkling that your diet might be affecting whether you have a chronic illness or not? Or you’ve begun to dive into the research, have tried a few things and bought a million supplements and have come up overwhelmed and confused?

There's SO much information out there, which is great. But depending on what you read and who you speak to, you'll get a different answer for how to improve your symptoms and feel better. So how do you know what’s best?

The short answer: listen to your body.

“Listen to your body” might be an annoying phrase that you can’t quite wrap your head around. It’s in the same family as, “reduce your stress” or “self-care” or other phrases that sound so nice and simple, but can be hard to pin down when you’re actually trying to achieve them.

Listening to our bodies has become a vague and somewhat challenging task because we've gotten so used to looking outside of ourselves for information and guidance on how to feel better.

Instead of constantly searching and looking outside of ourselves for the answers, I want to talk about how to look within as the only way to really figure out what works best for you and your beautiful body.

Watch the short video below to learn what Mickey Trescott and I spoke about and how you can cut through the overwhelm and conflicting theories and begin to feel calm and confident!

Here are three ways to start this process of tuning in:

1. 5 second body scans before meals to ask yourself these questions:

   1. How am I feeling?

   2. Where am I holding tension?

   3. What are my symptoms?

   4. What is my energy level?

2. Getting quiet. Silence isn’t empty. It's full of answers. Breathing and meditating allows us to clear mental clutter so we can more fully listen to the signs and signals our bodies are trying to give us. I like the apps Calm or Insight for introductory meditation, or I practice my favorite 4-7-8 breathing technique.

3. Complete a 5-day food/symptom journal to start the process of noticing how what you put in your body makes you feel. You can download it by clicking here >>

This is a process and it's like strengthening a muscle, so be patient with yourself! Let me know in the comments where you're at with this process of tuning in. What do you notice right now if you do a 5 second body scan? What comes up? If you complete your 5-day food journal and come up with some interesting insights, let me know!

Download my free 5-Day Food Journal to begin the process of tuning in to your body by clicking the button below.

In Health, 

Christina Tidwell, MN, RN, CHC

Demystifying Confusing Food Labels

Does going to the grocery store ever feel like a big, confusing quiz in label reading? Gluten free? Hormone free? Organic? Grass-fed? I was in the poultry and meat section over the weekend and my head was spinning. I was in that aisle for a solid 20 minutes trying to choose the best protein!

In the quest to buy good quality meat and poultry, what’s important to consider and what is not?

To address these questions and make your trips to the grocery store less of a complicated riddle, I’ve compiled information on some of the most common food labels for you. Even if you aren't a meat eater, this is a great guide to help you become a more conscious consumer in general.

Watch the video below or read on to demystify confusing food labels.

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Here are some simple definitions of the most common food labels that I see in the meat and poultry aisle to help demystifying your shopping experience:

NATURAL

Currently, no standards exist for this label except when used on meat and poultry products. USDA guidelines state that “natural” meat and poultry products can only undergo minimal processing and can’t contain artificial colors or flavors, preservatives, or other artificial ingredients. However, natural foods aren’t necessarily sustainable, organic, or free of hormones and antibiotics. So technically the meat that you buy that has seasoning or marinade on it isn’t natural and it doesn’t mean much.

Beyond requiring that producers include a statement explaining the meaning of the term natural on each product, the label isn't regulated at all.

ANTIBIOTIC-FREE

“Antibiotic-free” means that an animal wasn’t given antibiotics during its lifetime. For producers to use this claim, the animals cannot be administered antibiotics in their feed, water, or by injections. Other phrases to indicate the same thing include “no antibiotics administered” and “raised without antibiotics.”

HORMONE-FREE

“Hormone-free” means that the animals were raised without hormones or steroids. Hormones are only approved for use in beef cattle and sheep raising. They are not approved for use in poultry, pork or veal.

So you won’t actually see the phrases “no hormones administered” on poultry, pork, or veal, unless it's immediately followed by the statement, “Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in poultry (or pork, veal, or exotic, non-amenable meat products).” For beef, it’s a good idea to ensure that the meat is hormone-free. The extensive use of hormones in meat and dairy may increase the risk of cancer in humans and result in higher rates of infection in animals.

GRASS-FED

The diets of cattle fed grass vs. grain changes the nutrients and fats that you get from eating each type of beef. Technically, the term “grass-fed” means that animals were fed grass, which is their natural diet, rather than grains. Grass-fed animals are not fed grain, animal by-products, synthetic hormones (to promote growth), or antibiotics (to prevent disease).

From an animal welfare standpoint, grass-fed animals are treated better and are happier and healthier animals. Additionally, eating grass-fed meat usually means supporting smaller, local farms and thereby reducing fuel costs necessary to get the meat to you. By avoiding grains in any part of your personal food chain, you avoid supporting large factory farms [1]

In addition to being more humane, some research shows that grass-fed meat is leaner and lower in fat than grain-fed meat [2]. Additionally, grass-fed meat contains approximately four times more healthy omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed meat and fewer omega-6 fatty acids, so the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in grass-fed meat is approximately 1:3 (it’s closer to 1:20 in grain-fed meat) [3]. Meat and dairy from grass-fed cows are great sources of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is an important anti-inflammatory fatty acid [4].

The grass-fed label, however, doesn’t mean that the animal necessarily ate grass its entire life. Even more confusing, some grass-fed cattle are “grain-finished”, which means that they ate grain from a feedlot prior to slaughter. The label is regulated by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS). In 2016 the FSIS clarified stipulations of the grass-fed label and deemed that the term grass-fed must meet a 100% grass-fed standard.

From what I've found, the guidance is not perfect and will still require scrutiny as to what you’re actually purchasing, but it’s becoming more well-regulated. The standard to look for on the label is "100% grass-fed." It’s important to note that grass-fed is not the same thing as organic. Organic meat can come from grain-fed cows, as long as the grain was organic. Some beef is both organic and grass-fed, but they’re not necessarily the same thing!

ORGANIC

The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) defines organic as follows:

“Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Food is produced without using most conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards” [5].

All organic farms and products must meet the following guidelines: 

• Not use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides

• Prohibit the use of GMOs

• Employ positive soil building, conservation, manure management, and crop rotation practices

• Provide outdoor access and pasture for livestock

• Not use antibiotics or hormones

• Provide animals with 100% organic feed

Organic and sustainable farming practices are better for the environment, and many can lead to a better quality of life for animals as well. The organic label is by far the most all-encompassing and well-regulated government label and I feel that organic or grass-fed beef make the best choices for meat. As previously stated, organic meat is not the same as grass-fed (although certified grass-fed is organic, it’s not necessarily true the other way around). The gold standard would be 100% grass fed organic meat.

CAGE-FREE

“Cage-free” means that the birds were raised out of cages. What this doesn’t tell us is whether the birds were raised outdoors on pasture or indoors in overcrowded conditions.

FREE-RANGE

“Free-range” and “free-roaming” on egg and poultry labels can be used as long as producers allow the birds some access to the outdoors. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the products are cruelty-free or antibiotic-free, or that the animals spent the majority of their time outdoors. It just means that there is some access to the outdoors allowed. These claims are determined by the USDA, but aren’t verified by third-party inspectors.

PASTURE-RAISED

“Pasture-raised” indicates that the animal was raised on a pasture where it was able to eat nutritious grass and other plants, rather than being fed grain in a feedlot or barn. Pasturing livestock and poultry is a traditional farming technique that allows animals to be raised in a humane manner where they're able to move around freely.

Pasture-raised eggs are the best choice. These eggs are more expensive, so you just have to weigh the benefits vs. the cost here. Buying eggs from your local farmers market or through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) box can be a fresher, more affordable option!

So to sum up, the gold standard choices for eggs is pasture-raised and for meat it's organic, grass-fed, or from a local farmer whose practices you're aware of. That being said, organic food can often cost more, driving us to choose the non-organic or conventionally produced kinds to get more bang for our buck. So do the best that you can, with the knowledge you have, and within your own budget. I highly recommend participating in a CSA or meat share from a local farmer!

Here's more information about the CSA that I use here in Seattle >>

Resources:

FSIS Food Labeling Guide

http://www.organic.org/home/faq#faq1

FSIS Meat and Poultry Labels

https://www.ewg.org/meateatersguide/decoding-meat-dairy-product-labels/

https://www.thepaleomom.com/grass-fed-beef-superfood-worth-premium/

https://foodrevolution.org/blog/the-truth-about-grassfed-beef/

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Confession: I'm a Teeth Grinder

That's right you guys, I'm a teeth grinder. Or I was until I figured out a few easy tips to get to the root cause of my clenching and grinding problems.  If you yourself have ever woken up with a sore jaw and headache, are unable to relax your jaw during the day, or have had a sleeping partner wake you up to say “stop making that horrible death sound with your mouth", then you might be too.

My clenching and grinding peaked to a whole new level with the stress and anxiety of getting through nursing school. I frequently woke up with raging headaches and tension that spread all the way down my neck.

After a chipped molar and months of unrelenting jaw pain, I finally went to a doctor for guidance. The only solution he offered me was to take a sedative muscle relaxant to relax my jaw and relieve the pain. Muscle relaxants gave me some relief but left me in a sleepy, foggy state (which was not going to work for me when I was trying to pass my nursing finals). So, what was I supposed to do?

Thankfully, I've found some really effective natural methods to overcome this painful, subconscious habit.  Check out the video below to learn my tips for natural relief from teeth grinding! Or read my step-by-step article on the SCD Lifestyle page here >>

I hope these simple tips help you get some relief! They've certainly been a game changer for me. 

If you're looking to get more leafy greens and other magnesium-rich foods into your diet after watching this video, download my free 7-day batch cooking meal plan here!  

You’ll get:

+ 7 day meal plan

+ Step by step instructions for how to cook an entire week’s worth of food in just two 2-hour sessions (life changing)

+ Grocery lists

+ Twelve of my favorite, easy recipes!

Enjoy making delicious and nutritious meals in way less time! 

Why Your Limiting Beliefs are Keeping You Stuck

I had a great conversation recently with my friend Sarah about the benefits of positive thinking in the healing process. We spoke about how our limiting beliefs and stories we tell ourselves every day really affect our ability to heal. These are beliefs like, “Something is inherently wrong with me,” “I’ll never be able to do the things I used to do,” “I’m not worthy of health and happiness,” or “I’m just a sick person and I’ll never get better.”

I was thinking about one of my limiting beliefs when I was first diagnosed with autoimmune disease. I felt like I was broken, or sick or incomplete. I felt like I couldn't do what everyone else could do, and I started to let the limiting belief of "I'm not enough" take over. Even throughout my healing journey I've always been searching for ways to "fix" myself.

My healing journey has been a challenging but great one. I've been able to come off medications, improve symptoms, skyrocket my energy and feel really amazing in my body, but I still find these "I'm not enough" thoughts sneaking in and try to stop them in their tracks and tell myself another story. Instead of staying stuck in my head and allowing myself to believe the story that, “I’m sick, I’m less than, these limitations define me,” I just choose again to think, “I’m strong, I’m brave, I’m powerful and my body is doing so much for me.”

I know living with a chronic disease (or let’s be real, just living) can be exhausting, and we're constantly trying to monitor, assess, test, diagnose and improve. It can be really easy to get stuck in these stories we tell ourselves about ourselves. I want to emphasize that they are just that, stories.

Yes there are the facts of having an illness and experiencing pain, fatigue and disability that are real and undeniable. I have autoimmune disease. It runs in my family. At times it’s caused me extreme suffering and limitations. I have to think a lot more about my diet and monitor my stress because I have it.

The point is though, that where our attention and thoughts go, energy flows. So, if we are constantly running through the story in our head of how we are sick and broken and unfixable, then we give a lot of energy and life to the ideas that we are indeed sick, broken and unfixable and they inevitably become our reality. I don’t mean to say that we can easily meditate away illness, or that all we need to heal disease is love and positive thinking because that’s not reality and it’s not the whole story. It’s not always rainbows and good vibes only.

I mean to say that we have the ability to choose the stories that we tell ourselves every single day and every single moment. We have the ability to stop thinking of ourselves as the victim, unworthy and unable to change, and starting thinking of ourselves as humans capable of healing and joy no matter where we are at right now.

So how do you do this? Even when you are feeling low, stuck, hopeless and frustrated?

I take my cue from Gabby Bernstein on this one. She says that when you find yourself feeling like a victim and telling yourself the same story over and over again and it’s making you feel awful, take these 2 steps to let it go and reclaim your confidence instantly. I’ve been using this technique and I have to say, it works for me!

Step 1: Say “WAIT: Why Am I Talking?”

When you find yourself repeating your victim story or hashing out a situation with a friend for the millionth time, take a beat and ask yourself, “Why Am I Talking?” Give yourself a moment to notice what you’re doing and say, “Okay, I’m in fear. I’m trying to control.” Are you telling yourself over and over about how everything is going wrong, or how you are never going to heal? Why are you doing this? How is it serving you? Allow yourself to witness the story so you can shift it.

Step 2: Go General

This is a beautiful tool from Abraham-Hicks. When you start going into a negative story, you create momentum and more fear picks up, and you start feeling totally out of control of your thoughts. So once you’ve said “WAIT,” you can go general. The concept of going general is to reach for thoughts that are general thoughts that you believe in so that you can start to shift your energy and shift out of that story.

General thoughts can be ones like, “I am good enough,” or “I have resources,” or “I have people who want to support me.” You can begin with neutral thoughts and gradually make them more positive. As you start to reach for these general thoughts you create momentum in the other direction. It puts you on a new path that feels energized, supported and more powerful.

To get out of the victim story, we have to be proactive because it’s easy to get sucked back in. You say, “WAIT: Why Am I Talking?” Then you pivot and go general. Deliberately and consciously begin choosing more general thoughts. When you begin to change your stories, you change your experiences. The stories we tell are the experiences we live — so as you refocus your energy and tell new stories about what’s working and what’s thriving, you’ll begin to awaken a different presence within you [1].

Gabby says to,  “Stop rehearsing the role of victim so you can claim the happiness that is your birthright,” and oh man do I agree with this.

Let me ask you, what comes up when you read this? Do you get angry or scared to let go of your story or see it from a new light? Do you feel so sick, wronged, or singled out that you don’t want to let go of your victim story because it gives you comfort or relief? If you do that’s ok, you are human.  It can be really comfortable to be the victim (I’ve been there many times myself not only with illness but in relationships too) because you don’t have to do anything. Life is happening to you and you are a mere product of your circumstances.  It’s easy and doesn’t demand anything of us and we constantly find evidence to prove our case that we have been wronged, aren’t capable of healing, or are unable to change.

When we begin to shift out of this mentality and own up to the role we play in our own lives, we begin to powerfully shift how we feel and act on a daily basis and amazing things happen. This technique has really helped me, and I hope it helps you too. What are some of your limiting beliefs that have come up while reading this? Ask yourself, are they true? And go from there. Remember, don’t believe everything you think ;) 

If you want to talk more about your struggle with chronic illness and cultivating a healing mindset, I offer free 30-minute discovery sessions.  Schedule yours by clicking on the button below!