Comments (3)

By jamie, April 19, 2010 7:59 pm

This last Friday we had a dinner party. We served pork tenderloin with a Cajun rub, penne with broccoli and mushrooms, a sauteed vegetable medley, and spinach salad. For dessert we served strawberry shortcake. We made an overabundance of food, and are still eating leftovers (hubby was out of town on Saturday, and we ate at his parents’ place yesterday). Funny thing about eating whole foods – they fill you up faster than the other stuff, so we still have food for one more night, then I have to get cooking again.

In the last chapter of the book, Pollan advises us to “eat less.” He takes issue with the idea that we have to eat every couple of hours, and says that snacking is not necessary. Instead, we should “eat meals.” Here’s another public confession: I have gained weight since my daughter was born, mostly because I do not follow this wisdom. Sometimes I will realize, at 3 or 4 in the afternoon, that I have not eaten a thing all day long. So I have a snack. Then we have dinner. Then another snack. Then more snacking, sometimes until right before I go to bed. (I’ve been doing much better the past week or so, eating within two hours of waking most days, and aiming for one hour.)

He again acknowledges that his new way of eating is expensive: “Not everyone can afford to eat high-quality food in America, and that is shameful; however, those of us who can, should.” This still bothers me – we should all be able to eat high quality food. When I was in the grocery store the other day, I noticed a sign in the produce section advertising that WIC recipients can now buy fresh fruits and vegetables with their vouchers. They couldn’t before?! I suppose if people eat less, they might be saving money too, and end up without too much of a net increase in their food budget. And those who CAN afford to pay more for food can “vote” for better choices for everyone by choosing the better food. I’m still not happy though.

His final food policy: “Cook and, if you can plant a garden.”

I can’t remember if I have told you about a policy my sister recently made for herself: She decided that, whenever she wants to eat something sweeter than fruit, she will bake it instead of buying it. I can imagine that this will really cut down on the eating of treats. Cooking will do the same thing for helping avoid eating junky food – french fries (Pollan’s example) sound less enticing when eating them involves washing, peeling, seasoning, and frying potatoes. I wonder how far I should take this – I have an ice cream maker, and I might eat less ice cream if I have to make it first!

As for the garden, we are working on setting up our first garden right now, starting with tomatoes and strawberries! I’ll keep you posted.

Since finishing the book this weekend, I have been thinking a lot about what I have learned, especially about milk – I spent a long time in the grocery store on Saturday trying to choose yogurt – most of it is low fat and contains milk powder, which I am now afraid for my family to ingest. I ended up getting Baby Girl’s favorite brand, but I chose vanilla instead of her usual flavors, to sort of transition her. She liked the vanilla, so I am encouraged to take the next step. I think I am going to buy Greek yogurt this week and blend fresh fruit into it (I still need to check labels though before I decide).

Scroll down for other posts about In Defense of Food:

Other posts about In Defense of Food:
Review
Post 1: In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan
Post 2: Breakfast Cereal is not a Food?
Post 3: Chocolate Science
Post 4: “Hourly Yogurt Enemas?!”
Post 5: Hunting and Gathering
Post 6: Look Mom – No Cavities!
Post 7: Mainlining Glucose or “I’m Not an Addict!”
Post 8: Food is Religious and Political
Post 9: Whole Milk Sounds Almost Sinful
Post 10: I Don’t Like the Salad, Mommy
Post 11: Let’s Plant a Garden

Comments (15)

By jamie, March 6, 2010 9:11 pm

I like Jillian Michaels. When I watch her on television, I get the impression that she genuinely cares about the “contestants,” (even though the producers of the show are obviously only out to maximize ratings, and are willing to exploit these poor people in any way they see fit, not really caring what emotional – or even physical – damage they do in the process). But this is not a review of The Biggest Loser, so, back to the book.

From the beginning, Michaels establishes that she is “one of us,” with difficulty losing or maintaining her weight, and an lifelong dislike for exercise. Wait a minute. What? I don’t really buy it, but I appreciate her effort to make us “regular” people feel like there is hope for us (especially the short ones, who may feel that they have to engage in hours of daily vigorous exercise in order to avoid looking chunky – Michaels is only 5’2″!).

One point she drives home throughout is that, while she is on our side and hoping for our success, many food manufacturers couldn’t care less about us. Many of our foods contain endocrine disruptors, or chemicals that interfere with proper hormone function, which, among other awful things, makes our metabolism sluggish and causes us to gain weight. The food industry shares the blame with manufacturers of other products, from cleaning products to clothing. As for personal responsibility? – Our diets, sleep habits, and general way of life set us up for a host of scary health problems.

Michaels provides a detailed plan to remove bad chemicals and “cheap fillers” from our diets, a plan heavily centered around organic whole foods. She also has helpful advice about removing toxins from our homes and yards, allowing us to improve the environment while we save our own lives.

While some of this information can be found elsewhere (we know by now that not all carbs are bad, but that we shouldn’t start and end the day with donuts and chocolate cake), she also shuns a lot of current diet advice. For example, she insists that several mini-meals throughout the day, while popularly lauded as the way to achieve sveltness, is actually a bad idea for most of us, saying that “bodybuilders developed this style of eating to squeeze thousands upon thousands of calories into their day”. She shuns the idea that parking far away from the grocery store or taking the stairs whenever possible will help people reach their fitness goals (“No, you need to get to the gym, work your *** off when you’re there, and get the job done.”). Surprisingly, she also does not recommend a vegetarian diet for anybody (she doesn’t talk about it much, but says that it’s impossible to get a beneficial amount of certain nutrients only from plant sources).

Here is some good news: not all companies are evil. Some of her favorites include the following: For cosmetics, she recommends Dr. Hauschka, Ren, Aesops, Nude, and Jason. For processed foods, she likes (but still recommends moderation) Amys, Arrowhead Mills, Cliff, Eden, Erewhon, Ezekiel, Greens, Healthy Valley, Horizon, Kashi, Luna, Nature’s Path, and Newman’s Own.

One caveat about this book – while she does include a “selected references” section, and even cites many academic sources, I cannot in good faith believe that every word in this book is accurate at an academic level. While her overall assertions may be sound, specific statistics may have been misconstrued to sell her point. I don’t know whether we should fault Michaels for this or her editor, but it is important to double check her “facts” before you quote them as such.

I checked three non-random assertions just in case. My findings:

1. Quote: “Triclosan [the active ingredient in many antibacterial products] is believed to interfere with thyroid hormone metabolism, cause antibiotic resistance, and create carcinogenic compounds when combined with chlorinated water.”

   Findings: This one looks true. It seems that the biggest trouble is when it is rinsed down the drain, because then it remains in our drinking water in concentrations high enough to be a potential hazard. And it’s in EVERYTHING – even toothpaste and toys! It has been found in breast milk, and may be a contributor to miscarriages. So scary.

   This link connects to information about the article mentioned in the bibliography, along with the complete citation.

2. Quote: “NASA scientists found that one potted plant every one hundred feet can remove many harmful contaminants from the air in your home. Best varieties include bamboo palm, English ivy, gerbera daisy, and green spider.”

   My Findings: True, except that the list of plants is longer than the one she provided. The plants pull the contaminants in and use them for food.

   This link provides summary information, a longer list of good plants that help remove toxins, and includes a list of links to more information about the NASA study.

3. “One recent study found that parents who’d bathed their pets with pyrethrin pest-control shampoos were twice as likely to have an autistic child.”

   My Findings: Uh oh. I did not read the actual academic study, but I DID read her link, and that’s not what it says at all. Here is the quote from her source: “Mothers of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were twice as likely to have reported using pet shampoos containing a class of insecticide called pyrethrins as those of healthy children.” Maybe she didn’t understand what the findings meant, but what she said is NOT what the study found. There seems to be a link between the pyrethrins and autism, but there is no evidence that using it doubles the chances of having an autistic child. Oh dear – an editor should have caught this.

   This link is the one she provides, in case you want to see for yourself.

So, the bottom line is – check the specifics before you repeat them as facts, though there is probably at least a kernel of truth in what she says in this book.

One more important point to make – Jillian Michaels is under a doctor’s care for a thyroid condition, and regularly takes thyroid medication. For readers who truly believe they have hormone imbalances, she recommends working with a good endocrinologist and possibly going on medication. Her diet, exercise, and general living plan, even if followed only partially, will probably help readers improve their health, but, as with any advice book, one size does not fit all. Some people may need to see a doctor to actually achieve the results they are looking for.

Despite the book’s subtitle, which promises a Hot and Healthy Body, Michaels definitely emphasizes health over physical aesthetics. Because of this, it is a valuable read for people who are not trying to lose weight, as well as those who would like to lose a few pounds (or more). As long as you don’t quote her specific statistics without checking them first, I think this book is a useful addition to your healthy eating, healthy living library.

Scroll down for other posts about Master Your Metabolism:

Other posts about Master Your Metabolism:
Review
Part 1: So Long, Chocolate, Old Friend
Part 2: I KNEW It – My Hormones are Out of Whack!
Part 3: Nothing Funny About Chapter 3
Part 4: “There’s No Food in Your Food”
Part 5: Artificial Sweetener Can Mess Up Your Brain?
Part 6: “Okay, I’ll Admit it. Organics Can Be Pricey.”
Part 7: Ice Cream and Chocolate are Allowed!!!
Part 8: Really, Jillian, I Just Wanted a Cute Butt
Part 9: Protein! I Need You Protein
Part 10: Now, Off to the Market

Comments (5)

By jamie, March 5, 2010 1:17 pm

I finished the book. The last two chapters include a brief “welcome” to our new lives, and a detailed shopping list in case we are following Jillian’s two week meal plan. I’m not going to follow it precisely, but I will probably try some of her recipes. If I do, I may post about them here. I am going to try to follow her advice in general, and I will try to blog about it elsewhere (I will add a link here if I decide to do that).

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I developed a great liking for black beans – these are an excellent protein source, so that’s one way I’ll try to balance our meals. If you are going to follow (some of) the advice too, or of you are also reading the book, I’d love to hear how you are doing and what you think. I have received a lot of positive feedback from several of you (mostly over the phone or on my Facebook page), and I feel encouraged to keep going, not only with the blog, but with removing toxins from our home and especially from our food.

I think I will post a short review tomorrow – some people (including my mom) have told me that it would also be helpful to have an actual review and not just my comments as I am reading. I would like to thank those who have been following along as I’ve been reading this particular book – I hope you will join me for some my other reading adventures! I’m having great fun writing about them.

Scroll down for other posts about Master Your Metabolism:

Other posts about Master Your Metabolism:
Review
Part 1: So Long, Chocolate, Old Friend
Part 2: I KNEW It – My Hormones are Out of Whack!
Part 3: Nothing Funny About Chapter 3
Part 4: “There’s No Food in Your Food”
Part 5: Artificial Sweetener Can Mess Up Your Brain?
Part 6: “Okay, I’ll Admit it. Organics Can Be Pricey.”
Part 7: Ice Cream and Chocolate are Allowed!!!
Part 8: Really, Jillian, I Just Wanted a Cute Butt
Part 9: Protein! I Need You Protein
Part 10: Now, Off to the Market

Comments (4)

By jamie, March 4, 2010 4:16 pm

Recipes! I love them. I subscribe to several cooking magazines, and I have a modest collection of recipe books as well. And now I have some more, because Jillian has included a two week menu in Chapter 9, just to get us started.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I think my problem is going to be getting enough protein. I love carbs, and when I track my food, I find that they usually take up about AT LEAST 60% of my daily intake. It’s easy to add fat, even the good kind (I could eat an avocado every day and be happy). The protein is where I have trouble because, let’s face it, it’s not a great idea to just eat a big hunk of cheese, even if it is low fat (even though my toddler would disagree). Thank goodness for almonds, or I don’t think any of my snacks would ever contain protein.

Oh, and we are only supposed to have protein and high fiber carbs with dinner and no carbs after 9 pm. Right. Tricky.

For now, we are still finishing up our bad stuff. In fact, I am polishing off a bowl of churned ice cream as I write this (in case you were wondering, it doesn’t taste as delicious as it did before I started reading this book). I know Jillian would not be happy that I did not rent a Dumpster to get rid of all of our junk food, but at least I’m not buying any more.

Since this chapter mostly only consisted of menu options, I went ahead and read Chapter 10 too. This one is about specific hormonal disorders, and, according to Jillian, she worked with am M.D. (Dr Christine Darwin, the same one who wrote the forward to the book) to provide extra advice for people with the following: PMS, hypothyroid, metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), menopause, or andropause (male menopause). She gives quite a few specific suggestions, but for any of the above it appears that you must avoid stress and get enough sleep.

Another major suggestion for everyone is to get enough calcium – 1000 to 1200 mg per day. One other thing I learned from reading this chapter is that eating simple sugars can make menstrual cramps WORSE. I thought I would pass that along in case any of you ladies self medicate with sweets – I guess it’s not such a good idea.

Scroll down for other posts about Master Your Metabolism:

Other posts about Master Your Metabolism:
Review
Part 1: So Long, Chocolate, Old Friend
Part 2: I KNEW It – My Hormones are Out of Whack!
Part 3: Nothing Funny About Chapter 3
Part 4: “There’s No Food in Your Food”
Part 5: Artificial Sweetener Can Mess Up Your Brain?
Part 6: “Okay, I’ll Admit it. Organics Can Be Pricey.”
Part 7: Ice Cream and Chocolate are Allowed!!!
Part 8: Really, Jillian, I Just Wanted a Cute Butt
Part 9: Protein! I Need You Protein
Part 10: Now, Off to the Market

Comments (8)

By jamie, March 3, 2010 3:05 pm

And now I have to be the self-appointed ambassador for my family to make sure we don’t poison ourselves with cleaning products, make up, etc. Actually, my mother-in-law has been using natural products since long before I met her. In fact, she has given us everything from toothpaste to dish washing liquid (she buys them from melaleuca.com). I have liked almost all of the products that she has given us so far. However, I have a public confession to make: I choose laundry products based on how they smell. I’m the girl who opens up twenty containers of fabric softener to find the best scented one. When someone walks by in me, or if I hug someone, I take a quick sniff to see what their clothing smells like – don’t worry, no one notices me sniffing them! Anyway, my mother-in-law has given us a lot of environmentally friendly laundry products, from detergent to stain remover, and I have been thinking that I will use it all up and then buy some more of “the good stuff.” Of course, it turns out that we have been using the good stuff thanks to her. So, thanks, M!

Chapter 8 is all about removing endocrine disrupting and cancer causing products from our homes. There are chemicals in everything from cleaning products to mouth wash. One one hand, I have worn make up probably three times since I got pregnant, so I am probably safe there. On the other hand, I DO brush my teeth, and I would like to avoid damaging my hormones (or worse!) in the process.

Did any of you read the article on CNN earlier this week that talks about how the lawn chemical, atrazine, can turn boy frogs into girl frogs? Jillian mentions this in her book as well. It may not turn human boys into girls, but it can negatively affect human endocrine systems. This is particularly disturbing to me because, on more than one occasion, I have caught by daughter licking the bottom of her shoe! I asked my husband what is used on our lawn (we have been paying a service to care for it), and he didn’t know. Homework!

Household cleaners – they may be doing more harm than good, and maybe we can save a little money for our expensive organic meats by cleaning with plain old water, lemon juice, baking soda, and white vinegar. And the plastics. We not only have to check codes to know what to recycle, we also have to make sure not to poison ourselves by putting food in the bad ones. Here are some rules to follow:

• Try to avoid buying foods packaged in plastics, but if you have to, try to make sure only to get the ones coded #1, #2, #4, or #5.
• When you do buy foods packaged in plastics, try to move them to glass containers as soon as possible.
• NEVER microwave food in plastic containers.
• Avoid buying flame-retardant clothing, bedding, pillows, or mattresses, as the chemicals used (PDBEs) are “linked to thyroid disruption, learning and memory problems, damage to hearing, decreased sperm counts, and birth defects.”
• Avoid antibacterial soap if it contains triclosan because “when triclosan combines with chlorinated tap water, it creates the carcinogenic gas chloroform and chlorinated dioxins, a highly toxic form of dioxin.” (Another quote from the book “The EPA found that dioxins, byproducts of chlorine, are three hundred thousand times more carcinogenic than DDT; they’re also very estrogenic.”)

Once again, I have not fact checked specifics, but as I read this section of the book, I was reminded of other things I have read on this subject, but chose to ignore because other sources (including government agencies and the manufacturers of products in question) found the chemicals listed here to be safe for human consumption. The more I hear evidence to the contrary, the more I am being forced to listen.

This chapter is full of ideas to keep your family safe from non-food toxins. Again, if you don’t buy or borrow the book, it might be worth it to skim Chapter 8 when you are somewhere that carries it.

Scroll down for other posts about Master Your Metabolism:

Other posts about Master Your Metabolism:
Review
Part 1: So Long, Chocolate, Old Friend
Part 2: I KNEW It – My Hormones are Out of Whack!
Part 3: Nothing Funny About Chapter 3
Part 4: “There’s No Food in Your Food”
Part 5: Artificial Sweetener Can Mess Up Your Brain?
Part 6: “Okay, I’ll Admit it. Organics Can Be Pricey.”
Part 7: Ice Cream and Chocolate are Allowed!!!
Part 8: Really, Jillian, I Just Wanted a Cute Butt
Part 9: Protein! I Need You Protein
Part 10: Now, Off to the Market