Guest blogger,

Over several years I gained weight by overeating and being inactive. I slept poorly, was stressed out and had headaches daily. My energy level was lower than ever. The calories I needed to feel full kept increasing and my largest sizes became snug. Finally one day I had enough. I became committed to get back in shape. 

I reduced my caloric intake to 1,200 per day. My diet included dairy, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), fresh fruits and veggies, fiber-rich foods and a gallon of water every day. Drinking water before and during eating helped me feel full. Over time it was hard to finish the small portions on the diet.

I started with three days a week of low impact exercises and then I began using an elliptical machine. During the last two last months of my diet, I took up running, which had a major impact. A friend encouraged me to sign up for a race to benefit a charity. While skeptical, I committed to the 5k and had a decent run-time for a novice runner. I was elated and signed up for the Indy-Mini. I have also registered for additional races this fall. I love running. Like the wind in my sails, it energizes me and helps me to mentally process my thoughts, emotions and actions. Unlike a machine you can’t just quit, you have to walk back to where you started. There’s something about running that keeps drawing me back.

I lost more than 20 pounds and seven inches off my waist. I’m down three sizes and hope to lose another by spring. I love being in shape again. The best part is that all of my smaller sizes fit me again. This summer was the first time I wore a bikini in years. I’m ecstatic at my progress and I’m surpassing my goals. I never want to go back to that stressed-out couch potato that I let myself become.

My advice to anyone out there who wants to lose weight is to stop seeing your weight as happening to you. You CAN take control. You can do anything.

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How One Woman Achieved Weight Loss Success

This guest blog was written exclusively for

With an estimated 57 million Americans with pre-diabetes, the American Diabetes Association offers an online tool that helps people understand their personal risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

My Health Advisor takes into account a person’s specific risk factors, such as family history and lifestyle choices, as well as other factors like access to health care, to determine their risk for developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke. The online calculator immediately reflects and readjusts a person’s risk outcome based on small changes they make in their lives, such as losing five or ten pounds, quitting smoking or taking a daily aspirin.

Unlike other online health calculators, My Health Advisor uses the powerful and unique health simulation program, Archimedes. Archimedes pulls together large amounts of clinical research data to make highly accurate predictions about a person’s health risks. The software creates a virtual reality in which all relevant factors that can impact a person’s health in the real world match the factors in the simulated world. To further ensure accurate assessments, the results have been compared directly with real-life clinical trial results and have a nearly perfect correlation with the outcomes of actual patients.

Results from a 2008 Omnibus survey conducted by the Association indicate that the majority of adults ages 40 and older are at risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Furthermore, those surveyed do not acknowledge their control over developing these conditions, and see little motivation to lose weight and lead healthier lives.

“Type 2 diabetes is preventable with healthy lifestyle choices. With 1.6 million new cases of diabetes diagnosed each year and heart disease and stroke accounting for two out of three diabetes-related deaths, the need to educate people about and accurately assess their risk of developing these diseases is at an all time high,” said Peter Sheehan, M.D., CheckUp America committee chair. My Health Advisor is an extremely powerful tool that we can use to help people not only understand their risk, but take proactive steps to a healthier life.”

Users of My Health Advisor benefit from a customized risk assessment and personalized prevention tips for living healthier lives and taking action to reduce the risk of developing life-threatening diseases. Clinicians can also use My Health Advisor with their patients to develop prevention plans with their patients. 

For more information on My Health Advisor and to access the online calculator, visit CheckUpAmerica.

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Online Calculator Estimates Diabetes Risk

Guest blogger Mary Claybon RN, M.Ed. is the managing member of Promoting Health:

The Middle Way is the path to moderation, avoiding extremes and living a life of joy and balance. Let’s face it, food is all around us and it’s not just about eating. It’s about socializing, sharing, tasting, cooking, and savoring every bite, and enjoying holidays, celebrations, international cuisine and travel. Food is such a part of all of our lives, and yet it has been used in excess and with lack of enjoyment.

Food is often considered evil unless it is low fat, low calorie, healthy, fresh, natural, organic, and low sodium. There are more obese people in the world than there has ever been and there are more people on diets than ever. What’s the problem? We have lost our ability to enjoy food. And we lack the energy to enjoy movement.

I loved the “Julia and Julie” movie where both women’s lives revolved around cooking and tasting great food, some of it sautéed in rich butter sauce or desserts exuding a chocolate and rich decadence all topped off with a delightful glass of wine.

The Middle Way is the path to getting back to sensible eating and realizing that no food need be off limits as long as we are eating the foods we love and that nourish our bodies with moderation. And when our bodies are nourished, it is natural to exercise and move using the energy taken in from our meals.

Although we have been taught that we should eat to live and not live to eat, eating is a pleasure and is definitely something to enjoy and live for. However, it is important to practice a sense of mindfulness when considering the foods you eat.

Get in touch with the foods you love, what tastes and situations you are hungry for, and then satisfy yourself in a way that feels nourishing to the body and the mind.

By practicing the Middle Way, you will enjoy food and the experience of eating and drinking while balancing your weight on the scale and your life.

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How to Eat According to the Middle Way

This guest blog was written exclusively for DietsInReview.com from The American Diabetes Association, an organization that is leading the fight against the deadly consequences of diabetes and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, our mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call your local American Diabetes Association office at 1-888-DIABETES (1-888-342-2383) or visit The American Diabetes Association

Cider and donuts, Sweetest Day, Halloween: Even highly-disciplined eaters can be distracted by all the autumn treats that begin to appear this month. So life can be especially difficult for people with any need for diet control – especially people newly diagnosed with diabetes.

“October symbolizes the beginning of the holiday festivities that will continue through Superbowl Sunday,” says Judith Pegg, a registered nurse and coordinator of the Outpatient Diabetes Education Program at Beaumont Hospital in Troy, Michigan. “People with diabetes need to remember that controlling blood sugar is what can delay or prevent complications. They should know what they can eat, how timing that food intake affects their body, and the amount of food they should eat.”

More than 23 million children and adults have diabetes in the U.S. While diabetes (the fastest-growing disease in the U.S.) can cause life-threatening complications, it can be controlled.

Through diabetes education programs, Pegg shares crucial information with participants about meal planning and portion size, exercise, medications, the role of stress, blood glucose testing and technology updates. Such classes are important for people newly-diagnosed with the disease and anyone who already has diabetes. Pegg also encourages participants to enroll in one of the many ADA recognized programs throughout the country in order to help them continue to learn about the disease.

“We want to offer individuals real world solutions to this life-changing disease,” says Sean Mahone, president of Warren-based Great Lakes Medical Supply, and ADA volunteer. “Food temptations can be overwhelming this time of year, but a little education about making better choices helps to make meals and diabetes manageable.”

“I believe perhaps the best thing people can do during this time to avoid diet pitfalls and to avoid making mindless mistakes is to have a plan ahead of time to keep control over what and when they eat,” says Pegg. “With that control, they will be able to enjoy the holiday fun with their family and friends and not feel deprived.”

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The ADA’s Guide to Enjoying Holiday Food

Guest blogger Janice Ellen Wright is a former magazine editor and website editorial person, currently being the mother of 7-year-old DuckyBoy and making forays into online information marketing. Janice also blogs about her experiences with her son’s school program for students with high-functioning autism and how this experience got her sent to the principal’s office for the first time in her life. Feel free to search for controversy at Autism and Public Schools.

Part of the casein-free diet’s success for me and my son was the amount of time I was able, and willing, to devote to preparing things that were not only CF, but also would be something DuckyBoy would eat.

It was this past Christmas that we tried going off the diet. Now, he’s in love with the grilled cheese sandwiches at the school cafeteria, and some days I find myself wondering what protein he ate on the CF diet now that I pack some combination of cheese sticks, cheese crackers, and Goldfish for his snacks or lunch almost every day.

Today, eating is so different from eating that I knew when I was a kid. There just weren’t as many processed choices with whey or powdered milk snuck in. But there also weren’t as many health food stores that carried alternatives to cow’s milk and cheese – and what was available often wasn’t so yummy. (I never did find a good vegan cheese. Tofutti cream cheese was as close as we got. Never did make that stuffed jalapenos recipe from their website…)

When I follow the casein free diet with my son, it’s amazing how much better I feel. But it’s all but impossible to avoid cheese now. I’m back to loving pizza, but I put almond milk in my coffee, and find I eat waaaay less cheese than I used to. The less I have, the less bloated and more light I feel.

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A Mother’s Experience with the Casein Free Diet for Autism

By day, guest blogger Maris Callahan is a publicist in New York City. In her spare time, she is a freelance writer and food blogger at In Good Taste, a blog about cooking and eating good healthy food when you’re busy or on-the-go (with a few indulgences, because everyone needs those!) When she isn’t cooking or writing she enjoys running, knitting, photography and a good latte.

We all know to put honey in our tea when we have sore throats, but most of us don’t stop to ask why. For centuries, honey has been used as a topical application to help prevent infection, due to naturally occurring antiseptic and antibacterial qualities. With the invention of antibiotics, this practice became less frequent, but consuming honey is still said to have health benefits and might even reduce sensitivity to certain environmental allergens.

Honey is great drizzled on toast, but that alone isn’t a substantial dinner. However, if you add a reasonable portion of cheese for a protein boost and some of your daily calcium, you can’t go wrong with this recipe for honey-drizzled cheese toasts that I posted on my food blog in August.

I adapted this recipe from the Southern Farmers Market Cookbook, one of my favorite books for healthy comfort food.

Honey-Drizzled Cheese Toast
(Serves one, but for a larger group, see note below)

Ingredients:
1 (3 oz) piece whole grain baguette (sliced in half horizontally, then into 2 inch pieces)
1 1/2 – 2 oz. soft, pungent cheese, such as Brie or Camembert
1 tablespoon honey (local, if possible)

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler to high. Slice bread in half horizontally and cut into 4-6 inch lengths. Top each with a generous portion of cheese (I used brie, my favorite!).
2. Broil in the center of the oven until the edges of the bread have browned and cheese is bubbling, about five minutes. Watch carefully to ensure that the cheese doesn’t burn.
3. Remove from oven and place a couple of toasts onto a serving plate. Drizzle with a tablespoon or so of honey and serve immediately.

For a well-rounded meal, serve with fresh fruit or a mixed green salad.

NOTE: For a larger group (or a big appetite), use approximately a pound of cheese and 1/2-cup honey to one twelve-ounce baguette. The whole recipe serves 8-10 people and is also a great alternative to garlic bread as a side dish or appetizer.

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Health Benefits of Honey

Guest blogger Jean is a mom to three young sons, one of whom is on the autism spectrum. She has spent many years trying to find ways to entice her autistic son to eat healthy food. She writes about her life and her kids on her blog, Stimeyland.

“C’mon, Jack, just take one bite. Please?”

You hear this a lot at my house. Jack is my autistic son, and he does not care for new food. Nor does he care for familiar food, especially if it is a fruit or vegetable. He has about 15 foods he will happily eat, and he is usually unwilling to stray outside that list.

We’ve tried many things to get him to eat: Fruit in smoothies! Vegetables hidden in spaghetti sauce! Raisins hidden in cookies! But he just takes one tiny sip of the smoothie and walks off. He cleans the sauce off of his pasta with his cup of milk. And if he finds a raisin in his cookie, he will spit it out. In fact, he’s started to avoid cookies because of the unwelcome surprises he’s found in them.

All of this has left me with a need to be even more creative in getting nutritious food into him. I’ve gone so far as to make him brownies stuffed with spinach, (which he actually fell for).

So how do I get him to eat healthily? Vitamins, for one thing. If he won’t eat his nutrients, at least I can give him some in pill form. Age has helped. As he gets older, he has become more willing to take (teensy, weensy) bites of healthy food. I also offer him things that I wouldn’t expect him to like. For instance, he loves cottage cheese. I never would have guessed.

I still only make one dinner and he knows that he eats it or goes hungry. So sometimes incentives help. He’ll often try one bite of a new food if we offer him another dinner roll as a reward. Fortunately, those rolls are whole-wheat! I figure the more bites he takes, the more likely he is to one day take a second bite.

I don’t know that there is a good answer to finicky autistic children. Consulting a nutritionist is always a good idea, but what I’ve found is that we just have to try, try, and try again.

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Feeding a Finicky Autistic Child

Guest blogger Sally Brockett, M.S., is a Berard AIT Instructor/Practitioner and the Director of the IDEA Training Center. For more information and a list of international Berard AIT practitioners, visit Berard AIT.

Berard Auditory Integration Training (AIT) is a sound-based intervention designed to reorganize or balance the auditory system when it is functioning inefficiently. One would not expect a listening program to have any effect on the self-restricted diets and feeding problems experienced by those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There are many reports and data that indicate Berard AIT may, in fact, have an effect, due to its overall impact on sensory modulation.

Berard AIT provides an intensive program of electronically modulated music filtered through the Earducator or Audiokinetron. The training requires two half-hour listening sessions for ten days. The novel stimulation, provided with intensity and repetition, provides the key components to trigger neural plasticity and reorganization of the auditory system, which is home to the sensory processing system. Sensory processing problems underlie many of the behaviors exhibited by those with ASD, including some diet and feeding issues.

Eating stimulates the five major senses: visual, smell, taste, tactile, and auditory. When the senses are hyper acute (over-sensitive) or hypo-sensitive (under-responsive), the individual does not experience the eating process in a typical manner. Foods may look and smell unappealing; the taste may be too strong or too bland. The textures, whether soft or crunchy, may be objectionable, and the sounds of chewing and swallowing may be overwhelming. Any one, or a combination, of these unpleasant sensations can seriously interfere with the desire to eat.

Parent reports and clinical observations indicate that individuals often expand their diets, accepting and actually requesting and enjoying new foods, after Berard AIT. Individuals who refused crunchy foods may tolerate them well after their sound sensitivity is reduced or eliminated. Some who ate only pureed foods accept and chew solid foods. Some who rejected soft or “mushy” foods begin to enjoy them. The sense of smell seems to become more regulated. Those who were overwhelmed by smell seem to become more tolerant, and those who did not notice smells (hypo-sensitive), begin to notice and comment.

If feeding is an issue, consider these possibilities. For some, ten days of Berard AIT contributes to exciting improvements at mealtimes.

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Sound-Based Intervention Offers Eating Hope for Autistic Children

Janice Wright's son's favorite food: Oyster cracker & cream cheese

Guest blogger Janice Ellen Wright blogs about her experiences with her son’s school program for students with high-functioning autism and how this experience got her sent to the principal’s office for the first time in her life. Feel free to search for controversy at Autism and Public Schools.

When my son was about four-years old, and struggling with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), a behavioral disorder of autism, I bought a book titled Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder: A Mother’s Story of Research and Recovery, by Karyn Seroussi.

I had no idea what the GFCF diet was, nor did I want to know. But Seroussi was such a thoughtful writer, I kept on reading. When she wrote something like, “How can you not try removing dairy, for your child’s sake?” I knew I had to try.

I never tried gluten-free because I didn’t know what my son would eat at all. He’s picky, with many sensory oral issues. Eating out was especially tricky – between what he couldn’t eat and wouldn’t eat, we just stayed home most of the time.

My husband thought I was crazy, until we saw some improvement. Our son’s tantrums were less extreme, his ability to tolerate the unexpected increased a bit.

After about two years we tried going off it over Christmas break, and his behavior did not deteriorate, at least, no more than any kid does over a school break. He ate a year’s worth of Goldfish crackers in a month, but still prefers Tofutti Cuties to other ice cream.

Now that he’s seven-years old and can eat anything, I’ve noticed he’s trying more foods – still one reluctant bite at a time, but it’s progress. Parents of kids on the spectrum know the terms “preferred” and “non-preferred;” for my son, foods are much more black-and-white: Favorite or Hated.

We find ourselves struggling to know whether a refusal to eat is a sensory issue or a control issue, spectrum behavior or age-appropriate testing of his limits.

Everything is a battle with my son, and sometimes the food is what I choose to lose on, especially during the school year when so many social demands are made of him all day long. He eats more processed foods than I’d like, and more carbs than I’d like, but his weight and height are fine, so we’ll just keep trying new foods a little at a time, and hope his tastes expand with age, just as mine did.

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Learning to Love the Casein-Free Diet for Autism

Guest Blogger JoAnna Ross is the founder of  Yoga By the Dozen, an online company which promotes a healthy lifestyle for kids through their highly acclaimed ‘Yoga By The Dozen’ DVD and their complete line of lifestyle products for yoga. She has been featured on Broadway, “The Rosie O’Donnell Show,” “The Today Show,” and “The David Letterman Show.”

Yoga is becoming one of the newest techniques to help an autistic child develop their cognitive and motor skills; and foster self-confidence and respect. Yoga is a calm place for an autistic child to feel safe in. The classic definition of an autistic child would be problems interacting socially and verbally, limited activities and interests. With the structure of a yoga class, an autistic child starts to develop their coordination and learns how to focus.

I had the privilege to teach an autistic child named Samson. Over the six weeks of class and additional private sessions, I realized his motor skills were changing.

The big question is: “Why yoga? And why pick yoga over other activities like gymnastics and other sports?” The answer is simple. The repetition of doing yoga weekly, plus the calm atmosphere that surrounds yoga, adds to the discipline of the yoga practice itself. Samson’s motor skills developed greatly. Samson was able to move into yoga poses with less coaching and assistance. He was also more determined and focused.

Yoga is like building blocks. If you can’t do the first part of the pose it is hard to go from there. Over time, Samson was able to move his body into these “foundational steps” so that he could build his body into beautiful poses. His confidence soared and his smile was even bigger (if that was even possible) and more importantly he knew he could do anything he put his mind to. Yoga gives the discipline that a child needs to learn a new pose. Yoga also allows a child to be creative in their minds and it was becoming clear that the repetition of doing yoga weekly allowed him to prosper as a child.

Samson is a great yogi and taught me a lot. Just a little bit of patience with these amazing little children makes all the difference in the world.

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Yoga’s Benefits for Autistic Children