While it is true that everyone needs some salt to function, Americans consume much more salt than they need for the body's balance of fluids. 80% of our total intake comes from salt added to processed foods by manufacturers and salt that restaurant food preparers add.  Generally, you should not have more than about a teaspoon of table salt, or 2300 milligrams of sodium a day.   If you have high blood pressure, diabetes or have been told by your doctor to watch your sodium intake, you should have 1500 mg or less. The 'sodium' on a food label is listed in 'mg' and refers to the amount per serving so always check the serving size.  Marketing slogans want us to believe that the 'sea salt'  used in their product is a safe and healthy way to get a good flavor.   Not true.  The sodium content is only slightly reduced.  One tsp table salt: 6 grams = 2400 mg sodium.   One tsp sea salt: 5 grams = 2000 mg sodium.  One tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt: 2.8 grams = 1120 mg sodium.  Sodium balance is critical for optimal health of your heart, kidneys, ateries and brain.

First there was the snake-oil salesman who found that by claiming his product cured numerous ailments more people were enticed to buy it, and pay a higher price as well.  Constantly traveling from town to town served him well because people eventually discovered his boasts and 'guarantees' were false.  Today we are aware and against any false advertising and there are many laws and regulations, especially for things we consume such as vitamins, supplements, medicine, alcohol, tobacco and food.  Currently there are several health claims which are approved for legal use in the U.S. as long as they meet FDA-established criteria.  You will recognize them because of course manufacturers use them in marketing.  These are some of the valid claims which show a tested and true relationship: Consumption of dietary (non-sugar) sweeteners and reduced risk of dental caries; Diets rich in whole grain foods and reduced risk of heat disease and certain cancers; Consumption of soluble fiber from certain foods and reduced risk of coronary heart disease; Diets low in sodium and reduced risk of hypertension; Diets low in total fat and reduced risk of cancer; Diets with enough calcium and reduced risk of osteoporosis in certain populations.   Do not assume that health claims you read are valid, check them out for yourself.  For complete information about claims and food labeling visit www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation

During an extended period of time focused on weight loss, there will be weeks when there are more pounds lost than expected, sometimes less than expected and sometimes there are 'plateaus' where the scale just seems stuck for a while.

In Monday's Kaizen Healthy Lifestyle class we discussed how to deal with plateaus so they aren't too discouraging nor lengthy.  Again, keeping a food log is one of the best tools anyone has used which helps us not only be more mindful during the day but can provide important clues when weight loss plateaus and we aren't sure why. Class members shared that looking at the food log helped them break a plateau period by making them more conscious of portion sizes, how much water they were drinking, how frequently they were eating out at restaurants, and how much fiber they ate each day.

In addition to a high-fiber diet reducing your risk of diabetes, digestive disorders, hemorrhoids, certain cancers and heart disease, getting plenty of fiber assists with weight loss and weight maintenance.  The USFDA recommends including 20-30 grams of fiber each day.  Eating fiber adds no calories yet helps to keep you feeling full and satisfied.  When class members paid attention to getting enough fiber they found they were eating more desirable foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and feeling satisfied. They decreased overeating and junk food snacking.

Kaizen Total Wellness nutritionist Annette Shuchert was a featured speaker at the open house Thursday evening at Che Bella.

Annette showed how spending just a little more time reading the nutrition information on food labels can help us make important distinctions and much healthier choices.  For example, the healthiest looking skin is the most hydrated skin.  So in addition to drinking at least eight bottles of water each day, spaced throughout the day, we should pay attention to counter-hydration ingredients like sodium.  Even diet coke and yogurt have sodium we don't think about! 

Healthy Substitutions was the nutrition topic discussed in Monday's Healthy Lifestyle class. The Kaizen approach is not about deprivation, it is about making choices that will help you get your optimum nutritional value out of each calorie.

Smart substitutions are ones that provide more 'good stuff' like fiber and vitamins and less 'bad stuff' like saturated fats and sugar. The smartest substitutions do this without making you feel you are missing out on anything, like flavor, texture, or sense of fullness.

Here are some of my favorite substitutions. Please share yours with me!   

Monday's Healthy Lifestyle class offered new information about what to eat, and not eat, to lower risk of heart disease or stroke, reviewing my 'Ask the Dietitian' article in February's Living Out East Magazine. http://www.livingouteast.com/digital/LOEOB_February_2011. We reviewed food labels on packages... so tricky! 

     Annette Schuchert  http://www.kaizentotalwellness.com/about-us   also led a lively discussion where the participants learned about the four questions to stop and ask yourself when you reach for food, especially an unplanned snack.  1. Am I hungry?  2. Is this what I feel like eating? 3. Is this what I feel like eating now? 4. Is there something else I could eat instead?   (from The Writing Diet: Write Yourself Right-Size by Julia Cameron, bestselling author of  The Artist's Way.

 This really helps us be more mindful, more conscious of what we