Are Pesticides Causing Obesity?

More research is coming out against the widespread use of pesticides. In a recent study published by McMaster University, researchers discovered that chlorpyrifos, which is banned for use on foods in Canada but widely sprayed on fruits and vegetables in many other parts of the world, slows down the burning of calories in the brown adipose tissue of mice. Reducing this burning of calories, a process known as diet-induced thermogenesis, causes the body to store these extra calories, promoting obesity. Scientists made the discovery after studying 34 commonly used pesticides and herbicides in brown fat cells and testing the effects of chlorpyrifos in mice fed high calorie diets.

My take? Mice studies can offer some insight into the complex problem of obesity in humans. However, we have to balance this out with practicality. Everything can be potentially harmful in specific doses. Read this if you don’t believe me! Thought organic fruits and vegetables are less toxic and use fewer pesticides than non-organic, you don’t have to buy everything organic (and in some cases it’s a complete waste of money!). These 12 foods should be bought organic because of their propensity to soak up pesticides in their skin, flesh, and leaves:

1. Strawberries

2. Spinach

3. Kale

4. Nectarines

5. Apples

6. Graps

7. Peaches

8. Cherries

9. Pears

10. Tomatoes

11. Celery

12. Potatoes

Outsides of these foods, you should be in the clear!

Looking for some extra help in your diet? Stuck on which foods you should or shouldn’t be buying? I’m here to help! Click the link below to get started!

Crossfit 2.0 with Crossfit 353 Owner Peter Burke

Welcome back!

In this week's episode, my special guest is Peter Burke, founder of Crossfit 353 in Dublin, Ireland. In our conversation we discuss where Crossfit as a company is in 2021, how Crossfit has changed since the global pandemic, how Crossfit 353 differentiates itself from other Crossfits, what a typical class looks like, and how small group fitness classes are the secret to unlocking optimal health!

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Tips on How to Maximize Virtual Training

In this week's episode, Scott is back and with a beard! Scott shares with us his most recent long endurance ride that had elevations of thousands of feet! He also shares how much the breathing work he has been doing affected his recovery. We then go on to talk about how to maximize the benefits of virtual training from home including set up, gear, and even the clothes you should wear!

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Processed Foods Crushing Your Gut?

In a recent Huberman Lab Podcast, Dr. Huberman discussed one of the hidden consequences of processed foods: The degradation of your gut lining by emulsifiers. Ingredients like polysorbate 80, lecithin, polyglycerols, and xanthan and other “gums,” are all added to processed foods to keep the fats from separating. Research has shown that these emulsifiers break down the mucosal lining of the intestine, leading to a disfunction of the nerves that line the digestive tract.

Additionally, research shows that emulsifiers impact the gut microbiome. From the Journal Nature, “…researchers fed mice emulsifiers through water or food. The experiment used polysorbate 80 (common in ice cream) and carboxymethylcellulose, and found that it altered microbiota in a way that caused chronic inflammation. They tested the emulsifiers at levels below those approved for use in food and also at levels modeled to mirror ‘what a person would eat, if they eat a lot of processed food.’

Mice with abnormal immune systems fed emulsifiers developed chronic colitis. Those with normal immune systems developed mild intestinal inflammation and a metabolic disorder that caused them to eat more, and become obese, hyperglycemic, and insulin resistant.”

My take? Since hearing about these findings, I have taken a concerted effort to reduce the processed foods I take in that have emulsifiers in them. I am sticking to more whole foods or minimally process foods. Anything foods that ingredients contain “gum” or a word I can’t pronounce I am going to lay off as much as possible and see if this helps areas of my digestion.

Need help with your nutrition? Let’s get started on the road to better health together!

Hip Pain When Cycling?

Do you love riding your Peloton, but hate the pain in your hip afterward?

In this video, I show you why you are experiencing hip pain while riding your and how to fix it!

Remember, if you are unsure about your pain or have been experiencing pain for a prolonged amount of time, be sure to get checked out by a licensed healthcare practitioner.

If you need a more personal touch when addressing your hip pain, I’m here to help!

Click the link below to get started today!

Be Fabulous from Home with Esther Blum, RD!

Integrative Dietician Esther Blum is the freaking BOMB 💣!!!

In this week's Fitness, Wellness, and Longevity podcast Esther dishes out helpful tips and advice on fitness and nutrition in the post-pandemic world, how to stay healthy while working from home, fitness and nutrition for peri-menopausal and post menopausal women, and how men can be the biggest ally for their partners during menopause.

Thank you again to Esther for joining me on this podcast. To learn more about Esther, visit her website www.estherblum.com

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Why Do I Crave Carbs At Night?

You just had dinner a half hour ago, and all of a sudden, the craving hits: Sugar. That little bit of sweet. It may be that ice cream you have hidden in the back of the freezer, or those scratch made cookies you made for your kids bake sale. Either way, they are calling to you. But do you ever step back and ask, “Why carbs at night?” Why at the end of the day are we craving sugar and not fat or protein?

In a study published the Oregon Health and Science University in the journal Obesity found that the body's internal clock, the circadian system, increases hunger and cravings for sweet, starchy and salty foods in the evenings. We know that the body is craving on the clock, but why carbs? What is so significant about carbohydrates? According to the National Library of Medicine, “Carbohydrate consumption--acting via insulin secretion and the "plasma tryptophan ratio"--increases serotonin release; protein intake lacks this effect.” A ha!

We need a cascade of various sleep hormones to get us to sleep and it all starts with the hormone serotonin. Carbs (especially starchy carbs) contain tryptophan which is a precursor for serotonin. Your body is asking for sleep, and if you lack the drive to sleep, your body will crave sugar to pump out serotonin so you will want to sleep.

The issue is that we tend to overconsume carbohydrates like sugar in the evening and this leads to excess weights gain. My advice? Have dinner as the sun sets in the evening that has a serving of starchy carbs (rice, potatoes, etc.). Approximately 2 hours after you eat dinner, start your pre-sleep winddown process and hit the hay. You’ll lose weight and feel better in the process!

Need a personalized touch in your fitness and nutrition journey? I’m here to help! Click the link below to get started today!

Is Wine At The End of The Day Bad For You?

In working with nutrition clients, I am often asked about indulgencies. “Can I have this…” or “What about my favorite…” In fact, I spoke with a couple recently who enjoys a glass of wine while having dinner and watching tv at the end of the day.

Many would say, “Stop the wine it will kill you!” and depending on the case, I probably would have said that too years ago. But as I have learned (awesome resource here), grown, and tried various strategies for eliciting change, I have come to a different understanding of why we do things. The key in the case I laid out above is, the wine is stacked with some other habits that allows the couple to unwind at the end of the day. They want to destress and enjoy themselves. Enjoying life and being with others is a pillar of health. If I take that away, it has the potentially of creating more suffering. But if we are able to look at the habit, and ask, “Does this serve me?” we can bring awareness and create change.

My action step for the couple? “You can have your glass of wine with dinner, but instead of the television being on, I want it off and I want you to connect with each other. Ask each other how your day was or what your day looks like tomorrow. What did you dream about last night? Have a conversation during dinner while you enjoy your wine and food.” In this scenario, we are taking a habit that they already have and stacking something new and expansive on top of it. It also allows more awareness to what they are eating and drinking because they aren’t off in la la land with television. This has the potential affect of eating and drinking less. We are using the “indulgence” to create a vibration shift and MASSIVE change.

With all that being said, changes and interventions are on a case-by-case basis and supervised with regular check-ins. If you are looking to create change in your life, the time is now, and I am here to help! Click the link below to get started today!