A Holistic Approach to Health and Nutrition

Honors size diversityEating in a flexible, physically-connected manner

Appreciates the joy of being physically activePrevents eating disorders

Ram Dass We work on ourselves in order to help others,

and we help others as a vehicle for working on ourselves

Qualities of SelfCalmn

CompassionClarity

ConfidenceCourage

CreativityConnectedness

Embodied

Holistic Health and NutritionMore than Broccoli, Jogging, Yoga

and Herbs

Bio-psycho-social-spiritual model

Web of genetic, social, emotional, spiritual, lifestyle and environmental factors that contribute to health

Traditional Health Promotion ModelFocus Disease: Main objective is to identify and eliminate biomedical risk factors for physical disease

Emphasis “Unhealthy” Behaviors: Poor individual lifestyle choices are considered the primary disease

Motivation Fear: Reason for change is primarily to prevent disease and premature death

Risk Factors and Risk BehaviorsBody Weight (BMI) Percent Body FatWaist to Hip Ratio Body Strength Blood Pressure Cardiovascular FitnessSmoking FlexibilityCholesterol Dietary fat, sugarHDL/LDL salt, fiberBlood GlucoseTriglycerides

Traditional Health PromotionPrimary Assumption - People are Bad: Left to their own divices people will naturally gravitate toward “unhealthy” behaviorsProfessional Role – Expert:Primary job is to police behaviors and prescribe changes to save people from themselvesChange Process- Controlling BehaviorBehavior change techniques are used to suppress or eliminate targeted behaviors

Holistic Health PromotionFocus-Health: Main objective is to address the interconnected web of genetic, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical factors that contribute to health

Emphasis-Meaning and Support: Meaning in life, relationships, and work and supportive human systems determinants of health

Motivation-Happiness: Reason for change is primarily to enhance a sense of purpose and enjoyment of life

Holistic Health PromotionPrimary Assumption-People are Good: People have a natural desire and ability to seek out healthy behaviors

Professional Role-Ally: Primary job is to facilitate people’s reconnection with their own internal wisdom about their body and their life

Change Process- Creating Consciousness: People are assisted in understanding and healing life issues that underlie illness and behavioral struggles

The Tip of the Iceberg Diabetes, Cancer, Hypertension, AIDS,Heart Disease, Stroke, Infectious Diseases

Behavioral CopingSmoking, Drinking, Drugs, Overeating, Chronic Dieting

Overworking, Sedentary Lifestyle, GamblingExercise Addiction, Sex Addiction, Compulsive Shopping

SufferingAnxiety, Anger, Fear, Depression, Hopelessness

Root Causes of BehaviorPoverty, Abuse, Violence, Isolation, Social Oppression

In the traditional approach there is an increased focus on weight as a primary indicator of health and the target for intervention

The War on Obesity has caused collateral damage• Preoccupation with food and weight and a culture that is obsessed with

thinness• Low Self-esteem and Size Discrimination- Few people are at peace with their

bodies because of the fear of fat. First graders wishing they were thinner• Poor health from weight cycling• Eating Disorders

Eating Behavior Continuum Decreased attention to body cues Increased amount of time spent thinking about food and weight

NormalBalanced

Weight Regulation

NormalVoluntary

Weight Reduction

MidrangeEating

Disorders

SevereEating

Disorders

Internal

food regulation

Weight genetically determined

Some

external eating,weight control

External weight regulation

Increasing

external eating,weight control

External

food regulation

Simply being called ‘fat’ makes young girls more likely to become obeseGirls being labeled fat at 10 y.o. were 1.66 times more likely to be obese by 19 y.o.Statistically removed the effects of actual weight, income, race, age at puberty“That means it’s not just that heavier girls are called fat and are still heavy years later”Trying to be thing is like trying to be tall, say UCLA psychologists

Binge-Purge Pattern On-A-Diet

Anxiety Reactions:Shame PhysicalPhysical Discomfort Psychological

Off-A-Diet

Messages from the Food PoliceFood-Related Warnings Backfire among DietersDieters, but not nondieters, see a message focusing on the negative aspects of “unhealthy” food increase their desire for and consumption of “unhealthy” foods

Negatively worded food warnings (such as public service announcements) are unlikely to work—Nondieters ignore them and dieters do the opposite

Is Weight a Primary Determinant of Health?

Can you be Fit and Fat?

Centered Eating ContinuumParts that are SELF Parts that areRebellious Curious Critical/ ShamingDeprivation Sensitive Compassionate Restrictive

Physically Connected Bad Food Hunger Embraced Good Food Pleasurable Eating

Full-fillingJoyful Movement

Total Diet Approach to Healthy Eating• It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that the

total diet or overall pattern of food eaten is the most important focus of healthy eating• Classification of specific foods as good or bad is overly simplistic and

can foster unhealthy eating• Focusing on variety, moderation and proportionality in the context of

a healthy lifestyle, rather than on targeting specific nutrients or foods can help reduce consumer confusion and prevent unnecessary reliance on supplements

Am I Fat?Child asks: Am I Fat?Really asking: Am I good enough? Will people (peers) like me?Belief: If I look “right”, then I’ll be accepted and loved

Healing ResponseListen and stay curiousSit with the child as they struggle and hurtSolve problems with them, not for them

Child says: I want to lose 10 pounds

Not helpful response:You don’t need to lose weightYou are just right

Helpful ResponseIf you could lose 10 pounds, what do you wish would happen?How would your like differ from what it is now?Who do you hope would notice your new size and how would that feel?

Child loses weight and doesn’t comment on it

Not helpful responseYou are losing too much weightYou look too thinYou need to eat more

Healing ResponseI’ve noticed your weight has decreaseI’m wondering what your thoughts are about thatStrive for a close, communicative adult-child relationship

5 Ways to Promote a Positive Body Image for Kids• Check out your own body image issues• Focus on health…not weight• Find physical activities that fit• Watch out for bullies• Myth-Busting the “perfect body”

Barbie will now come in original, tall, petite and curvy

Great Food-Great KidsTired of fighting the food battle? Here are some tips for

creating great food and great kids• For good nutrition think in terms of adding, not restricting. Adding more fruit, vegetables and

whole grains is something most of us can benefit from. Don’t be afraid to add a little sugar or fat to improve flavor and acceptance. Remember a nutritious food left on the plat has no nutritional value.

• Choose foods that taste good. Adding a sauce or topping can tone down the taste of a strong-flavored vegetable

• Think of food as pleasurable and nutritious, not medicine. Nutrition rules can make us too fearful about health and weight. Balance, variety, and moderation are the keys to healthful eating.

• Offer a variety of foods. Children and adults prefer food they are familiar with. It takes 10-20 tastes, in as many meals, before they like a new food. Don’t give up, allow time for a new food to catch on. To help with this, ask your child to at least put the food on her plate, but don’t force her to eat it until she is ready.

• Don’t cater to children. Plan meals that combine liked and familiar foods with less popular foods, and make sure that there is at least one food on the table that each person usually eats

Great Food-Great Kids• Don’t try to get food into your child. Forcing food down out of duty will work for awhile, but not in the long

run. Children in general are more sensitive to tastes and textures than adults are, and some tastes and textures may make your child gag. Accept your child’s reluctance to eat certain foods – and your own.

• Avoid too much or too little hunger. To eat well and to be willing to learn to like a new food, children (and adults) need to come to the table hungry but not starved. Plan regular meals and snacks about 2-3 hours apart but leaving about two hours free from caloric intake (including beverages) before each meal.

• Make eating times pleasant. The most important way to make eating times pleasant is to be there yourself. Keep your child company, help him get served, make light conversation, and enjoy your meal.

• Let children help with meal preparation. This gets children more familiar with a variety of foods and helps them learn preparation skills, it also provides you with some help. A child can wash apples, peel bananas, and spin salad greens. They can empty canned fruit into a serving bowl, separate broccoli florets, and mix up simple vegetable and fruit recipes.

• Focus on meal planning. A meal needs to have some protein, a starch (like potatoes or rice), a vegetable and/or fruit, a calcium source (like milk), and some fat. Make a general meal for the week before you shop so you will have a variety of options on hand. Make it easy on yourself – you don’t have to be a gourmet cook.

How to provide a healthy sport environment conducive to positive body image and health • Ask a registered dietitian nutritionist who specializes in eating disorders to speak

to your athletes about eating to maximize performance• Banish negative messages your sport environment communicates about

weight/size/appearance and dieting to your athletes• Emphasize the health risks of low weight. Female athlete triad• Sports with weight classifications, aesthetic judging or endurance variables are

high-risk for disordered eating• Pay attention to your own comments and behaviors about size and shape • Be cautious not to emphasize weight for the purpose of enhancing performance• Look for ways of enhancing performance that do not focus on weight