My Happy Me.com

By: Liliya Vafina, Nutritionist

Today, when food is so easily available and affordable, we, as a society, place much more emphasis on losing weight. Obesity and overweight problem definitely overshadows the fact that some people are struggling to gain weight. We are all familiar with health risk factors associated with being overweight, but not many of us know that being too thin may also increase a person’s risk of heart failure, cancer, osteoporosis, hip fractures in women and increased chance of erectile dysfunction in men.

There are various causes for being underweight, from eating disorders to chronic diseases, to old age. All of these causes require individual care and treatment… But if you are a naturally thin person wishing to gain some weight and be a little stronger, this is your lucky day read on!

The first and main thing to remember is that science works the same way regardless of your body weight. Remember the energy balance concept? You gain weight if you consistently consume more calories than your body burns. Pe-ri-od.

So, what not to do if you are trying to gain weight?

 Eating fried, greasy, nutrient void junk foods to gain weight is NOT a good idea. I keep hearing complaints like “I eat doughnuts for breakfast and I still can’t gain weight” or “I always order French fries with my meals in restaurants to add calories”. Don’t! These foods tend to contain unhealthy trans fats and saturated fats, that are a concern to your health regardless of your weight. Moreover, such unhealthy foods tend to be devoid of nutrients, what is called “empty calories” with little vitamins and minerals. If you body doesn’t get vitamins and minerals it needs, the result is a whole array of symptoms, from skin and hair concerns, to immune and nervous system dysfunctions.

 What to do then?

• Increase consumption of healthy calories which will result in weight gain.  Incorporate healthy fats, including essential fatty acids such as omega-3, found in oily fish, nuts and flax. Include healthy protein with your every meal. Good sources are lean meat, chicken, fish, egg whites, nuts, seeds and legumes. Really embrace healthy carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
• Eat several balanced small meals throughout your day. YOU being skinny, my guess is you don’t like eating much at one sitting. So, spread your calories throughout your day and have healthy calorie dense snacks ready. Try nuts and fruit mixes, peanut butter toasts, protein shakes. Choose healthy sides such as baked potatoes, whole grain pasta, brown or wild rice.
• Do resistance training to gain muscle mass.  Weight lifting is a great way to gain some lean body mass and some bulk.  Do not go crazy on cardio exercise such as running and biking. These are great for fat loss and can actually cause you to lose more weight.

And remember, gaining weight requires just as much dedication and planning as losing weight.  Prepare your shopping lists carefully and plan your meals in advance, always pack your snacks and never go hungry. Good plan is a proven way to ensure your success.

Have more questions or need help with your nutrition plan? I’d love to hear from you at liliya@myhappyme.com

Never thought I would be saying this, but… happy gaining to some of you!

And when is a better time to write about chocolate if not before the V-day? Everybody is buzzing about it, except maybe Vancouverites who are busy buzzing about the 2010 Winter Olympic Games opening weekend coinciding with the worldwide weekend of love. There is also Chinese New Year (Gung Hay Fat Choy everyone!) and I am sure many people all over the world are busy celebrating that.  I can totally understand the excitement, but for the rest of us there is chocolate!Chocolate is the most craved food in the world! Luckily, it is also one of those super foods that are packed with goodness; however, moderation, common sense and good judgment are required when choosing the type and the amount of chocolate to consume as most chocolate contains too much sugar, fat and additives. What we need to look for when buying chocolate is high percentage of cocoa solids. This is where the largest density of nutrients is contained.  For instance, milk chocolate has lower percentage of cocoa solids than dark chocolate due to dairy and higher sugar content.

Now, what is so good about chocolate, apart from its taste of course? Loads of things!

• Chocolate, or more specifically, cocoa solids, contain antioxidants procyanidins. These have been shown to protect blood vessels, heart and platelets of the cardiovascular system. They prevent oxidation of circulating fats in the bloodstream. Oxidized (rancid) fats contribute to hardening of the arteries. Furthermore, studies confirmed that antioxidants in chocolate can raise levels of good protective cholesterol which helps to lower the levels of bad cholesterol in blood.
• Chocolate is high in minerals such as copper, iron and magnesium, which all participate in hundreds of vital biochemical reactions in our bodies and all affect our wellbeing, so it’s important to get enough from our diet.  
• Chocolate contains amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine, important neurotransmitter precursors vital for proper nervous system functioning.
• Chocolate contains phenylathylamine, theobromine, theophylline and other fancy-named compounds that are responsible for magic energy boosts and elevated mood some people experience after eating chocolate.  Ever heard that chocolate can makes us happy? Like you needed another reason to eat it

So, enjoy your chocolate! I always recommend buying a dark chocolate bar, breaking it into squares, and freezing 2-3 square-portions wrapped individually in foil. Do not go over your one portion; remember the secret is in moderation! What a perfect way to treat yourself daily! Okay, I would probably go over my one portion on Valentine’s Day, but only on Valentine’s J  And try this homemade hot chocolate recipe I have found: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2664.

Let me know how it tastes and talk to you soon. Happy Valentine’s!

By: Liliya Vafina, Nutrition Expert

Our body is smart and has a very efficient system naturally capable of maintaining and detoxifying itself. However, our innate abilitiy is limited and can only take so much of abuse until the body can’t keep up with the load when it starts to give up, allowing toxins to slip through causing deterioration of our health, looks and feeling of wellbeing.  The factors that contirbute to the abuse include eating bad fats, refined carbohydrate, too little nutrient-dense foods, unbalanced diet and nutrient deficiencies, frequent use of antibiotics, smoking, stress, environmental pollutants, inactive lifestyle and dehydration. This is where a good cleanse can come handy. A good cleanse can be a great way to ease the stress caused by the “bad guys” listed above, rid the body of toxins left behind by them, as well as jump start a healthy eating program. I can’t stress enough how important it is to adopt a long-term sustainable lifestyle, not just  a two-week program  once or twice a year when you decide to go on a cleanse, because these two weeks won’t be enough for your body to  heal itself. However, it can result in lost pounds, increased energy levels, that great light feeling and, hopefully, these great results will motivate you to keep going with your chosen healthy eating program.

Is it safe and what are the best products? I wouldn’t be the best person to recommend a cleansing product, but I will say this: there is no need to buy ANY product. They are usually very expensive and too harsh on our system. Most of the products I have seen on the market are loaded with laxatives that cause dehydration and …  much discomfort, if you know what I mean. They are great at fooling us into thinking we lose weight. In fact we lose A LOT of needed water! And the number on our scale quickly returns to normal after the magic pill stash is finished.  

What to do instead?  If you ever tried a cleansing product before, you know that the program usually requires limiting or eliminating some of the foods from your diet during the cleanse. I know some products call for increased alkaline and decreased acidic foods. Whatever terms and theories they use to convey the idea, most of them require eliminating foods that exert stress on the body, increasing nutrient- and antioxidant-dense foods, essential fatty acids, fiber and fluids. So, let’s list the steps:

Eliminate bad fats. That is saturated and trans fats. They are shown to cause inflammation*. Choose chicken and turkey breast, virtually sat fat free meat, for the duration of cleanse. No fried and fast food for their trans fat content.

Eliminate all grains, white potatoes and sugar. This will give your digestive system a break during the cleanse (but remember, whole grains should be consumed and encouraged on the daily basis as part of a healthy diet-after your cleanse that is).

Eliminate dairy products. Dairy products have been linked to inflammation and digestive disorders. Should be pretty easy to do without for a few days, there are so many alternatives available now!

Take a good dairy free probiotic daily to balance digestive microflora which is so very important for proper digestion, vitamin absorption, and immune system functions. Especially important if you were prescribed antibiotics recently.

Include good fats. Include fish at least 2 times a week or take omega-3 supplement.  Also, include ground flaxseed every day for beneficial fats and fiber.

Drink plenty of water and herbal teas, eat lots of vegetables, go easy on fruit during the cleanse (even easier on tropical and exotic fruit-too much sugar!) and always balance out complex carbohydrate (like fruit) with some protein and good fat ( a handful of nuts is a great example) to even out blood sugar, stick to it for a week and remember to eat healthy after your cleanse for long-lasting effects! Oh, almost forgot, stay active, adopt an effective relaxation technique to keep stress levels at bay (yoga is a great one!) quit smoking and enjoy the body that feels and looks its best, naturally!

*Inflammation is immune system’s first response against bacteria, viruses and other invaders. And this is good when it is just a temporary occurrence. It gets bad when this response never switches off and becomes chronic inflammation which causes a number of chronic diseases. Unhealthy eating is shown to promote chronic inflammation.  

By: Liliya Vafina, Nutrition Consultant

It’s no secret that there are many factors that play a role in our ageing process. Genetics, exercise, nutrition, relaxation, proper skin care are just a few of them and while it is not in our power to change our genetics and stop the ageing process, we can slow down its effects through lifestyle choices.  Here is one easy change you can make towards a healthier and more youthful-looking you. Just take this superfoods list to the supermarket next time you go grocery shopping and aim to include one different superfood for every day of your week. It’s that easy!

• Berries. All bright coloured berries contain a massive amount of antioxidants. These antioxidants help to protect our body from oxidative damage that causes premature ageing plus all kinds of disease that come with free radical damage. It is worth to note that frozen berries contain about the same amount of vitamins as fresh berries, so no need to skip them out of season.
• Broccoli and other cabbages provide a wide array of antioxidants, including vitamin C and beta-carotene. Broccoli is also rich in folate, which is necessary for proper formation of blood cells, and high in fiber which is so very important for the elimination of toxins.
• Carrots are high in vitamins C and A plus a great source of fiber. Eating a couple of carrots a day can help lower blood cholesterol levels and protects from heart disease, stroke and various cancers.
• Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, which’s shown to prevent mental dysfunctions associated with ageing process and to reduce the risk of prostate, pancreatic and cervical cancers.
• Spinach tops the list of green leafy vegetables as a source of cancer-preventing antioxidants that is also high in folate. My personal favourite superfood!
• Fish –particularly small and fatty types- is a great source of omega 3 essential fatty acids that may prevent cardiovascular disease, high blood cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, some skin diseases and arthritis.  In addition, it makes your skin look younger by preventing wrinkles.
• Citrus fruit. An excellent source of vitamin C, which participates in the formation of collagen essential for healthy, strong and firm skin. Vitamin C also helps strengthen body’s immune system.
• Avocado is high in good monounsaturated fat that resists oxidation. It is rich in B vitamins (important for healthy metabolism) and high in antioxidant vitamins such as C and E.
• Grapes, especially red and black varieties, contain record amount of antioxidants-up to 20! But these are found mostly in skin and seeds, so keep chewing! J
• Green tea is a potent antioxidant. One or two cups a day can lower the risk of cancer.
• Onion and garlic. They might give you bad breath, but onion and garlic help prevent cancer, thin blood, protect from clots as well as increase levels of good cholesterol. They also have anti-inflammatory effects.   These are worth eating a few times a week, but make sure you don’t have to speak with too many people after that…well, that’s just inconsiderate JJ J

By: Liliya Vafina, Nutrition Expert

Have you ever felt that the more you succumbed to your cravings, the more you craved? Or have you noticed that when you occasionally fell off the health wagon and indulged during some special festive occasions, you then got hungry faster, craved various foods more often and needed more effort and mental determination to get back to your healthy eating ways?

Cravings are usually a good indicator that something has gone off within your system. Pay attention to your cravings. This is your body’s way to signal that some nutrients such as vitamins, minerals or essential fats are insufficient. Cravings can also be a result of lack of fluid intake and dehydration. Cravings usually manifest themselves as intense desire for some particular food, most often sweets and refined carbohydrates such as chocolate, buns and breads.

Most cravings are the result of fluctuating blood sugar levels. It becomes a vicious cycle: the more we give in to cravings, the more we feel the unpleasant symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), such as feeling moody, foggy, tired and sometimes dizzy. As we experience these symptoms our brain signals another craving to eat something sweet or starchy to quickly counteract these effects.

Refined, fast-absorbing carbohydrates rapidly bring blood sugar levels up as they get digested and absorbed into blood in mere minutes. The body reacts with insulin secretion, or rather insulin oversecretion, into the blood in response to high blood sugar levels. Insulin acts as transporter of glucose from blood into cells and is responsible for regulating sugar levels in blood. With too much sugar in blood, insulin starts transporting glucose from blood into cells as quickly as possible until a rapid “crush” of blood sugar levels with associated symptoms of hypoglycemia occurs. This results in cravings for more carbohydrates in a body’s continuous attempt to normalize blood glucose levels. Repeated oversecretion of insulin causes the following undesirable symptoms and dangerous long term effects: weight gain, mood fluctuations, fatigue, cravings, Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease.

So, when you next look at a chocolate chip cookie and feel like you can’t concentrate on anything else until you have a bite, it’s time to act. Here is what you can do to keep your cravings at bay:

- avoid refined and over-processed white and starchy foods such as cakes, candy, pop, cookies, muffins, white pasta, white potatoes, white bread, white rice, refined cereal – these all cause oversecretion of insulin
- eat a balanced diet consisting of high quality protein, healthy fats, complex (slow) carbohydrates* and lots of fiber to ensure you get proper nutrients;
- drink plenty of fresh water, herbal teas or sweet berry teas- these are great for taming cravings;
- eat often (3 meals and 3 snacks) and consume complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats with every meal and snack to ensure slow absorption and constant blood sugar levels. For example, a snack can be a few slices of apple with some peanut or almond butter.

It will take a little effort to get back on track, but you will be amazed to see how quickly your cravings disappear as your body gets properly nourished and cleansed. You will benefit from improved mood, feeling of well being and increased energy levels.

Crave life and be healthy!

*Complex carbohydrates (absorbed into blood slowly): whole grain breads, whole grains, such as long grain and brown rice, fruits (except raisins and dates-these are insulin oversecreters due to their high sugar content), whole wheat pasta, legumes.