By Stefanie Sacks on August 9, 2010
Illness and the desire for wellness set me on a unique journey.
It was in my mid-teens (in the funky ’80s) that I started to realize that what I ate (among many other things) actually affected the outcome of my health. I was enlightened by what I think was a Sesame Street memory—“You are what you Eat”— but also by my summer job experience as a cook at a natural foods café and by the book Food and Healing by Annemarie Colbin.
Asthma and chronic bronchial issues were taking over my life. By the age of 14, I was on roughly five medications, including prednisone (a steroid) to help me breathe. By the age of 17, I couldn’t take it anymore.
Now, the ’80s were not the age of the Internet so I needed to look far and wide for what I wanted and needed—a doctor who could offer me more than just drugs. Today, integrative physicians (doctors who combine conventional Western medicine with alternative or complementary treatments) are much easier to come by. Back in the day of disco balls, they were not! But I found my dancing partner in Dr. Sherry Rogers.
Now, remember that I was:
-In my teens
-Not well
-Tired of not being well
-Willing to do anything
-Armed with culinary knowledge and skills due to my summer job experience
Dr. Rogers did what every conventional medical doctor would do: take blood tests and prescribe meds particularly for my asthma. But she also considered that there could be other factors in my life that were making me sick such as the medications I was taking to supposedly make me well, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, hormone imbalances, my environment (from allergies to stress), and the foods I was eating.
She took my blood and tested me for allergies (skin tests). One very vivid memory was that she insisted that I collect a 24-hour urine sample in these really large, brown graduated jugs that needed refrigeration. I was living with my parents at the time so I carefully labeled the jugs “STEF’S URINE, DO NOT DRINK.” Unfortunately my father (quite a character, mind you) did not look as he reached for the “apple juice” in the fridge. He poured himself a hearty glass of my urine, and upon realizing it was NOT apple juice, he drove immediately to the local doctor. He was met with laughter rather than sympathy. To this day, I crack up every time I think of this.
But back to the matter at hand—Dr. Rogers also put me on a special diet for candida overgrowth. Because I was on so many antibiotics over the years, she was concerned that all of the good bacteria in my body had been destroyed (that is, after all, what antibiotics do)—leaving my body defenseless against a harmful yeast, candida, that lives in our bodies and grows unchecked when we lack sufficient amounts of “good” bacteria. The only real way to replenish the good bacteria was to do adopt a yeast-free, sugar-free, dairy-free and ferment-free diet. To learn more, go to www.yeastconnection.com.
So, with my medications (weaning off would be a process), an allergy shot schedule to help manage my environmental allergies, vitamin and mineral supplements to manage my newly-discovered deficiencies and help rebuild my immune system, and a stack of papers telling me what I needed to do with my diet, I set out on the journey to get well. There was a light at the end of this suffocating tunnel.
I followed the plan, and within three months I was off every medication. It wasn’t just one thing that made the difference; all the components of my healing plan helped open my airways. My system was overloaded and needed nurturing to rebuild. By following my doctor’s orders for three months, it did just that. Once well, I modified the plan to better fit my lifestyle: I was going back to college in the fall and didn’t want to follow a candida diet, as I found the extremes challenging. The golden question is:
What did I modify?
-I went off the meal plan and moved into a suite with a kitchen so I could cook for myself. I wanted to be in better control of what went into my body.
-I avoided my known environmental allergens (dust, pollen, cats, down) as best I could.
-I went back on one inhaler (rather than the five medications I was taking previously).
-I continued with the supplements and the allergy shots (every few months rather than every week).
The end to that story was the beginning of another. Remember, since I worked in a health food café, I had quite a knowledge base and skill set that came in handy as I started following my “nutrition prescription.” But since the majority of people who are told to make dietary changes to support health do not have this experience, I sat with recurring questions for many years on my personal escapade: What do people without this knowledge and skill set do? How to they take the nutrition prescription to the living kitchen? After years of culinary and nutrition training, I am eager to provide guidance for those now in the same place I was in years ago.
To those working with a practitioner who provides a nutrition prescription, please don’t let one of the most critical components of your wellness (the food you eat) get lost in translation.
Don’t toss that stack of papers aside. Instead:
-Take the time to thoroughly read through handouts from your practitioner.
-Write down any and all questions to review with your practitioner (and don’t be shy to do so. You have the right to ask whatever you would like).
-If you are told to be on a specific “diet,” ask your practitioner about recommended books.
-Pick up The Whole Foods Companion by Dianne Onstad to empower yourself with knowledge about unfamiliar foods.
-Pick up some basic whole foods cookbooks as well as diet-specific cookbooks (I find it best to go to a local bookstore and explore what they have to offer).
- Go to Whole Foods Market (if you have one local) or a combination of your local supermarket and health food store (if you have one) and buy a bunch of ingredients.
-Turn your kitchen into the “arts and crafts kitchen” and play away!
If none of the above is feasible, then ask your practitioner if they can refer you to someone to guide you through the transition. It can surely be overwhelming. But I can promise, from personal experience, that diet supports health. All of the challenges associated with making food and lifestyle changes are well worth it in the end.
Read More By Stefanie Sacks on March 30, 2010
Photo Credit: Eric Striffler Photography
My 4½-year-old son Jack has been complaining about his tummy hurting for some time now—about six months. At first I didn’t think much of it. We have a pooping family, and as I’ve come to realize, “my tummy hurts” for a 4½-year-old can be mistaken for hunger, eating too much, or needing to pee. Instead of being overly cautious (I definitely have neurotic tendencies), I watched for about six months. I might add that we are talking about a kid who has an above average healthy diet so I felt fairly okay with my choice. But once I started noticing soft, red-gray circles under Jack’s eyes, I knew I had to put on my detective’s hat!
Clue One: gas, frequent bowel movements
Clue Two: soft, red-gray circles under eyes
In instances like this, conventional medicine typically prescribes unnecessary poking and pills as the first course of action. But for me, it was clear that dietary action was a must! It was the only thing I could control. I wanted to tap into my resources before taking him to the doctor. I must say that I had a brief moment of panic realizing that there was probably a problem, albeit a manageable one, with my kid’s diet (or possibly something else). He’s my baby, he’s got the tummy blues, and I want to make it better… NOW!
The first step to solving the tummy blues was identifying the symptoms. Once identified, I created an elimination game plan. If necessary, seek immediate assistance from an integrative doctor (who will typically look at dietary change as the first course of action) or qualified nutritionist (another very wise choice). If I were not a culinary nutritionist, I would have done just that!
My elimination game plan:
1. Identify the possible culprit(s).
2. Explain to my child what’s going on and what I plan to do.
3. Remove the culprit(s) from the diet for 2-3 weeks.
4. Rebuild the gut with Aloe vera juice and probiotics (both healing and restorative) making sure to confirm supplemental gut support with a healthcare provider (in my case, a close colleague—and registered dietitian—who specializes in supplementation).
5. Keep a diary noting symptoms or hopefully lack thereof.
6. At the end of the removal period, add the culprit back into the diet and watch for the return of symptoms. If present, avoid that food. If not (and no other culprits are suspected), seek further advice from a healthcare provider. If more than one culprit exists, add one at a time (over a three-day period) and watch for symptoms. If none exist, start with next item (noting that first item is safe to eat). If symptoms do exist, remove the item again from the diet, wait five days, then add the next culprit. Repeat as necessary.
I decided that wheat was my culprit (although I keep a fairly gluten-free home, Jack does eat wheat in some form or another daily). Even though he’s 4½, I feel very strongly about talking to him about matters related to his life. One morning I pulled my little dude aside and said, “We want your tummy to feel better, right?” He gave me a nod. “And you know that I want to do whatever I can to help you feel better, right?” Another nod. “I think that foods that contain wheat, like breads, pasta, pretzels, cookies, and cakes are making your tummy hurt.” He said, “I don’t want to eat those foods anymore, Mom.” Of course he didn’t want to eat those foods anymore, but he would still want them. I continued, “This is the deal, you can still have all of those foods but they will be special foods that I will give you. Mommy will do it with you.” With a slight smile, Jack added, “It’s like our special adventure, right Mom?”
And that it was. I took him to Whole Foods to pick out all the wheat-free products that he wanted to try. Although challenging at times (what do you expect?), we left without too many breakdowns. I must add that my extreme side wanted to start with the removal of gluten, but my practical side said, “Stef, you may not need to go there, so start simple and if you need to take it a step further you can.” I find that talking to myself often helps, even if out loud in public places!
We started the wheat-free challenge, and for the first few days there was no change. In fact I felt as though things worsened a bit (usually the body detoxing). Then, there seemed to be some improvement over the course of the next two weeks; however, not enough for my liking.
The next step was to try a gluten-free diet. I was ready to go there, but there was reason for me to believe that he could have celiac disease, the inability to digest the protein (gluten) present in many grains. I contacted his doctor and she suggested we screen him with a series of blood tests before he went off gluten. When screening a person for celiac, the most common tests taken are antibody tests (IgA and IgG). If a person is already on a gluten-free diet and has their blood taken, the test will be negative for the antibodies.
Jack was a champ during the test, and luckily the results were negative. No celiac! But the tummy blues kept on singing, and I was determined to turn that music off! So, back to my game plan. This is where I am now: I have identified additional culprits and continue to forge ahead to make my baby better! We have yet to see what this journey holds. It is a process, something that I do day in and day out with others, and at this moment it is hitting home.
Obstacles are put in our way for a reason (although sometimes I am not totally convinced of that). The tummy blues are solvable and manageable. Just take a step back, create an elimination game plan with the help of a healthcare provider, and follow the plan. I would love to tell you it is easy, but it is not. Clear goals, objectives, communication, and support will help you get from A to Z as smoothly as possible.
I will leave you with this, I recently had a discussion with a pediatrician colleague of mine and he reminded me to look at the mind and gut as one, a very important component to solving and managing the tummy blues.
Read More By Stefanie Sacks on January 7, 2010
I love gummy bears! And, quite honestly, over the years, I have become a self-proclaimed gummy bear connoisseur. A family friend introduced my brother and me to Haribo gummy bears when we were kids. And ever since, I have had a love affair with those colorful, chewy (but not stick to your teeth chewy), sweet yet tangy little loveable bears.
What’s wrong with this picture? Right, a culinary nutritionist who has devoted her life’s work to teaching people about health supportive food lifestyle is talking about her love of candy. Well, maybe that’s not such a bad thing?
I just wrote an article for my holiday newsletter entitled You and Your Kids: How Much Health Food is Too Much? An excerpt:
I picked my older son Jack up from school the other day to find him wearing a necklace made of Frootloops (artificially colored “cereal” that is literally the bane of my existence). OK, I will openly admit that I took a slightly not-so-silent gasp as he ran over to me filled with pride over his creation. I pulled it together just in time to meet his enthusiasm with a smile at the same time thinking, “OMG, my kid is wearing a necklace made of “food” with carcinogenic dyes.”
So, that evening Jack’s culinary nutritionist-mom (me, that is) decided to email his teacher to “just throw out there” that in the event that she has food related activities in the class, I am happy to make suggestions for the healthiest products on the market to use (ie. New Morning Fruit-e-O’s versus Frootloops). I received a very nice e mail back from her stating in not so many words that to teach kids about what is healthy, they also need to experience what is not healthy. Point taken.
This whole experience triggered a very important thought process for me: How much “health food” is too much? A weird question posed by a person who devotes her life to teaching people about eating healthfully. But, at the same time a very important question to ask and address. And one I deal with every day in my work and personal life.
First, back to the gummy bears. Yes, Haribo does have those carcinogenic dyes* in them, the same ones that Frootloops have, but I have come to the conclusion, after wearing many different food lifestyle hats, that a little junk can’t hurt. In fact, it is actually healthy. OMG! What a weird thought! Even so, I must add that I do have a little Jewish guilt when I eat those dyes (which comprise less than .1% of my diet).
Second, I will have you all know that I love kale! It is an acquired taste for some but raw and if cooked just right, it’s delicious (and filled with all that good stuff our bodies need). I love it raw in salads (finely chopped); sautéed in olive oil and garlic with a little lemon; and roughly chopped with onions and cooked in a little olive oil, broth and white vinegar with a touch of salt.
So, I guess the big question is (and appropriately so post-Holidays): How do you balance junk food with healthy food?
Firstly and most importantly, I want to point out that it differs for everyone. To some, junk foods are chips, candy, cookie, cakes, beverages and more that are made with “fake” ingredients (dyes, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives) and to others junk foods are the same foods with natural ingredients. To me, the first is SUPER JUNK and the latter is JUST JUNK. My choice: SUPER JUNK is for once in a while and JUST JUNK is OK in small doses everyday.
I am big on Conscious Eating. And the way I encourage my clients to become conscious eaters is to keep a food diary. They eat, write down what they are eating then look at what they have eaten. After about two days, they don’t like what they see. Thus, they start thinking about what they are putting in those precious bodies of theirs. So, just a little suggestion for all of you who want to assess the “candy” (junk food) and “kale” (healthy food) in your food lifestyle:
• Keep a food diary for one week
• When complete, highlight “candy” in one color and “kale” in another
• Assess the results, determine what you want to change and write it down
• Then ask yourself, can I replace any of the “candy” with the “kale” or can I replace the SUPER JUNK with JUST JUNK (the healthier JUNK choice)
Life is about balance. Moderation is my mantra!
I can’t end this article without adding that I have finally found the perfect natural and organic gummy bear thanks to Yummy Earth! It is even better than Haribo. My SUPER JUNK is now JUST JUNK. I can have my candy and eat it too, all guilt-free!!!
Finally, for those of you who love “candy” (literally), check out www.naturalcandystore.com. An amazing resource!
*The FDA will argue that food dyes are GRAS—Generally Recognized as Safe. Don’t know about you, but I want to eat (99.9% of the time) things that are safe versus generally recognized as safe?
Read More By Stefanie Sacks on October 1, 2009
Why I Dread my Kid’s Mealtime
I remember thinking every day (if not almost every moment) when I was pregnant that I hope that I have healthy kids with no major medical concerns. I think all parents do that. However, do we ever think about the smaller things that could perhaps go wrong, the very basic things?
On October 7 2008, my second son, Hunter James Dec (my married name) was born with a heart-shaped tongue (how cute!?). My husband was the first to notice it. We quickly learned that our sweet little boy was tongue-tied. Our pediatrician assured us that there were very few instances where there is a functional problem. Translated: we didn’t have to worry. Phew!
Hunter seemed fine when breast-fed but when bottle-fed (I had to stop breast feeding after four days due to personal medical issues), the formula poured out of either side of his mouth. And it took him over an hour to drink 2-3 ounces. At his one-week check up his weight was down and upon observing Hunter feed, our pediatrician told us that his frenulum (that small band of tissue that connects the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth) needed to be clipped. Ok, so my kid had no major diseases, but he COULDN’T EAT!
So, at one week old, Hunter was clipped! Yes, feeding improved but not by much. Formula still poured out of his mouth and he took forever to drink the smallest amounts. As we soon found out, he had problems coordinating sucking and swallowing (apparently not connected to being tongue-tied?). Although he would eventually grow out of (as per our doctor), I couldn’t sit by and watch my kid struggle eating if there was something I could do to help. At my persistence, we were referred to a myofacial pathologist who taught my husband and I how to help Hunter eat. And, after almost four months Hunter was able coordinate his sucking and swallowing on his own. Yippee!!!
Onto solids. Whereby my older son started eating solids at four-months (and eating everything under the sun), Hunter wouldn’t even entertain the idea until 7 months. For the first month or so he would gag and throw up most of what he ate. I am the culinary nutritionist here, so I am supposed to know what to do, right? Well, all I felt like doing was crying and throwing in the towel (you can’t do that when you have kids!). Were there more problems or did he just hate my cooking? On top of everything, I also discovered that Hunter had geographic tongue, a benign oral condition that gives your tongue a map-like, or geographic, appearance. It can sometimes cause tongue discomfort and increased sensitivity to certain substances. Another complication (albeit small) to add to the mix.
I found myself beginning to dread mealtimes. In fact, sweating them. I put my ego aside and tried jarred food and he seemed to enjoy. Hmm? Jack loved everything I cooked! I kept telling myself, “All kids are different and Hunter has a history of oral issues.” Let go, and take a deep breath! Hunter was going to be my food challenge. Now it was about trying to better understand what Hunter could tolerate and actually enjoy. But, then there were blatant food sensitivities to complicate things even further—citrus and eggs made evident by the onset of eczema after both were introduced into his diet.
So, I may be better equipped than most to deal with a child with food challenges BUT none of that matters when it’s your own kid! I am like many out there—a mom of two who is trying to meet the demands of family (including a dog who is literally my shadow) and part-time work (as well as trying to take care of me). So any complication makes things a little more difficult. But hey, that is life! And I gotta deal with the cards I am dealt!!!
I am in the process of accepting that Hunter is different from Jack (it is hard not to compare the second to the first). And that perhaps the feeding difficulties Hunter had upon birth, the geographic tongue and food sensitivities all contribute to the challenges I meet on a daily basis when trying to figure out what to feed him. I have to keep telling myself, “It is OK!” My kid is surely not starving at almost one year old and 25 pounds. In the scheme of things, this is no big deal for sure!
Although I dread (and sweat) Hunter’s mealtimes, I will still offer some advice (that perhaps I too can take): It is OK to dread your kids’ mealtimes. Just make sure that you are doing all you can to give them the healthiest choices you can within the given restrictions. It is our job as parents to offer our kids a variety of healthy foods to choose from. If they don’t eat, they won’t starve!
Read More By Stefanie Sacks on July 15, 2009
I am now the proud mother of two young boys. Jack is almost four years old and Hunter is 9 months. After Jack was born I went through a major adjustment period, as do all new moms. However, after Hunter’s birth (that being NOW), I am finding this need to redefine myself both personally and professionally.
Many many years ago (like 25), I wondered why the doctors I visited (all too frequently) for my asthma and allergies never questioned if my food intake was affecting my health. Around that same time I started cooking in a local health food joint and happened upon a book, Food and Healing by Annemarie Colbin, PhD. I must say my world was rocked. I became convinced that what I ate had EVERYTHING to do with my health (Duh!). Thus, I said no more to these doctors and sought out someone who could not only medicate me if needed, but also look at my diet and other lifestyle factors to determine what was really making me sick.
So, at the ripe age of 17 I had my first appointment with Dr. Sherry Rogers, a pioneer in environmental medicine (what we now call integrative medicine). To make a long story short, she put me on a special diet (to address my asthma and allergies), gave me vitamin and mineral supplements (after checking for deficiencies), allergy shots (after testing for allergies) and one or two medications (rather than the 5 I was on).
Let’s talk about the diet. Thank goodness I worked at a health food store, was passionate about food and food products and loved to cook. Compliance was easy. And what was a necessity (food lifestyle change to support my health) soon became a bleeding passion (bordering on obsession at times) and the center stone of my personal journey.
But, what if I didn’t have that knowledge and interest? How could I have changed the course of my health? This question sat with me for many years. Fast forward to 1997 when I entered culinary school. Soon after I graduated a dear friend’s father became ill with lung cancer and asked me to cook for him. This led to others. But because I wasn’t a huge fan of private cooking (too isolating for me), I figured that there had to be another way to help those in need of food lifestyle change.
New business idea! Bridge the gap between a practitioners’ dietary recommendations and what the client can and will do to implement the suggested changes—bring the nutrition prescription to the living kitchen. I traveledv this road personally, so why not turn it into my profession? By 2003 I felt comfortable calling myself a culinary nutritionist. I was a professionally trained chef and had a Masters degree from Columbia University. So, this brings me to my question: What is a nutritionist and who is qualified to call themselves this?
In the process of redefining myself professionally, I have been asking myself this question daily. I am a chef with a Masters in nutrition. Does that qualify me? Would I have been qualified if I did a 6-month program in NYC? As far as many registered dietitians (those who study nutrition—Bachelors, Masters or both—then go through an internship with clinical, food service and community rotations) are concerned, neither is enough to wear the “nutritionist badge”. I beg to differ. I believe the answer truly lies with the consumer (yes, that is YOU!). But, you must be an educated consumer!!!
I always like to use this example: When buying a car, a person takes the time to research the make, model, take it for a test drive, look into financing options, etc. So, why don’t we take the same measures when seeking a nutritionist (or other healthcare provider for that matter)? Research a potential healthcare provider as you would a car. They work for you thus it is your job to seek out your best match and “hire” them to support you in the best way possible.
As a patient, I always follow these guidelines:
-Identify my healthcare need
-Go to the people I know and trust (especially my current healthcare posse) and ask for suggestions
-Research suggested provider on web (formal education—and you need to decide what is formal enough for you to make him/her credible; philosophy; scope of services)
-Make sure that the provider is doing what he/she is qualified to do (I once worked with a woman with cancer whose yoga instructor prescribed herbs for her that were contraindicated to the medication she was on for cancer—bad news!!!). You can find this out by speaking to potential provider, other patients on the web (if he/she has a website).
-Make sure provider is not claiming to be everything under the sun (which can be the case and is just not possible). Again, you can find this out by speaking to potential provider, other patients on the web (if he/she has a website).
-If possible, speak directly to provider prior to arranging appointment
In the end, it is up to you to decide whom you want to partner with on your road to wellness. An educated consumer is the best consumer. And, asking the right questions will ensure that you are working with the right person for you.
As for me, although I am always and will always be redefining myself both personally and professionally, I am comfortable calling myself a culinary nutritionist given my formal training. In the end, I know what I know and I know what I don’t know! (And when I don’t know, I refer out to tried and true colleagues).
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