For most of us, stress and food go hand-in-hand. Food can give us the feelings of power, control and satisfaction that we need in stressful situations. It’s no surprise that when our stress levels go up, our resistance to comfort foods goes down. It is an inverse relationship.

Our favorite foods can actually reduce our stress levels, but moderation is key!! Giving your body the nutrition it needs is a positive step you can take every day toward combating stress. With the right balance of nutrients, you are better prepared to face the challenges of the day. So, let’s change your “emotional eating” into “intuitive eating” TODAY!

Adrenaline, the “fight or flight hormone” is produced during times of intense stress. It gives you a burst of energy, but your blood-sugar level drops after the crisis is past. Sustaining and natural foods are needed to replenish it, not “quick carbs.” Certain foods increase the physical stress on your body by making digestion more difficult, or by denying the brain essential nutrients. Stress itself can cause bad digestion, bloating, cramps or other GI distress. Drinks such as caffeine and alcohol (which is what most people turn to in times of stress) both put a considerable strain on the body. With Nutrition For Body And Mind, we can make a healthy diet plan that is right for you and manageable for you in times of stress.

Have you ever thought of food as being toxic to your body?! Food is supposed to be nutritious and provide your body with the healthy fuel it requires. Food is supposed to give you energy to fuel daily functions or give you that extra power punch to enhance your sports performance. Most importantly, nutritious foods and beverages are made to rejuvenate, revitalize, restore and repair your muscles and your body on a daily basis.

However, some foods can set your back and put your body in a “rut,” forcing it to work less efficiently and leaving you feeling exhausted and fatigued (even when you’re exerting only a small amount of energy and not working out). Here are a few tips of the top 10 foods to avoid or limit because they may be doing more harm than you think….

Hydration is essential to daily life and plays a key role in sports performance. Many of you quench your thirst with a large Gatorade or Powerade post workout…. But is this your best bet???

Coconut water has long been enjoyed in tropical regions, and has gained popularity in the United States as a 100% natural alternative to sports drinks, where it is promoted for rehydration following exercise with one of the highest sources of electrolytes known to man.

A sports drink is defined as a beverage designed to help athletes rehydrate when fluids are depleted after training or competition. Electrolyte replacement promotes proper rehydration, which is important to delaying the onset of fatigue during exercise. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel utilized by exercising muscle and are important in maintaining or enhancing sport performance.

Is a fat free food the same thing as a calorie free food product?

Oftentimes customers confuse the two, buying more ‘fat free products’ at the supermarket, all the while thinking that they are consuming ‘less calories.’ The snowball effect is that when people buy these ‘fat free food products,’ they over consume them (thinking they are eating less) to the point where their calorie intake soars higher than if they just had a small serving of the food in its ‘real form.’ Let me sort out the difference for you…

When fat-free and reduced-fat snack foods like cookies, chips and other “snack foods” flooded the supermarket a few years back, they were proclaimed to make a major advance in the battle against obesity. Marketing adds were put out by companies selling pretzels, gummy bears, fudgsicles, hot tamales that proudly added the words “fat free” to their labels.

Many people looking for quick weight loss have tried the cabbage soup diet! This diet has gone in and out of popularity over the past few decades since the 1950’s!! Surprising?! Well, believe it or not, people are still fooled into thinking that the Cabbage Soup diet is a “healthy weight loss plan.”

The idea behind the Cabbage Soup diet: For breakfast and lunch, you eat a cabbage soup, which can be made from basic vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, peppers, carrots, and celery, and then consume a light meal for dinner. You may eat some fruit in the morning or drink unsweetened tea, cranberry juice, or water (only on the first day of the diet). On day five or six, you may add some beef and on day seven you may add ½ cup of brown rice and of course continue with vegetables and Cabbage Soup!

Is this Cabbage Soup diet your best bet?! Let me give you the reality….

Stress…it’s something we all have, so how do you deal with it? Stress is defined as the body’s reaction to a change that requires a physical, mental or emotional adjustment or response. It can come from any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, nervous or anxious. There is “bad stress” but there is also such a thing as “good stress.” This is the stress that pushes you…that drives you…and makes you take that extra hop, skip and jump to reach your goals and success.

You may have heard of cortisol and how it is linked to stress and possible weight gain (mostly concentrated around the mid to lower abdominal region). No one wants that spare tire around their stomach, right?! Well, cortisol may be a contributing factor. I am here to sort out the facts.

Many clients and friends ask me, “What do you eat? What do you do to stay healthy and fit?” Well, today I am here to give you a sneak peak into my life, just a regular day in the life of “Court.”

Believe me, not everyday is perfect in regards to my eating and exercise patterns. I know everyone thinks that there is no way a Registered Dietitian and personal trainer could eat an oatmeal raisin cookie or some sweet potato fries, etc. However, it is all about the moderation, variety and balance in eating and overall lifestyle. I treat myself on special occasions to frozen yogurt, a small slice of fresh warm apple crisp or that extra slice of mozzarella cheese every once in a while; however I always work harder the next day with my exercise and eating regimen. If you deprive yourself, you will not let yourself enjoy all of the amazing and delicious things life has to offer! Don’t be afraid to try new foods and explore ethnic foods and cultures, if your stomach is agreeable (within your stomach limits).

Here is a sample of a regular day including my diet and exercise plan….the way “Court SportRD” lives…I eat nutrient dense foods frequently to keep my energy up and metabolism high. I am frequently hungry due to my high intensity exercise and active lifestyle.

I have heard many people ask, “What is the difference between a Registered Dietitian and a nutritionist? Aren’t they the same thing?”

I am here to sort out the facts and tell you that they are not the same!

The term “nutritionist” is not protected by the state of California. The California Business and Professions code allows anyone to call himself or herself a nutritionist, regardless of education or training. Therefore, if you read and studied a nutrition related article in the SELF magazine you just bought at lunch today, than you could be a “nutritionist” too!