Dr. Kerri Fullerton ND

Intuitive Eating. Health At Every Size (HAES) Doctor

Research

Is Food the Answer to Your Mood?

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“I just need to get my weight down and my food under control. Then I’d feel better.”

Have you ever thought that? It would be shocking if you said no.

I’ve seen so many books, blogs, and posts claiming that if you want to take care of your mental health you need to take care of your diet.

While I won’t disagree that food can impact mood, I’d like to talk to you about how your mood impacts your food. And more importantly, how you can take care of it.

When I was about 12 years old I told my mom that I wanted to lose weight. I truly believed that if I could change how I looked then I could change how I felt. And who could blame me? Look at the message of every weight loss or fitness commercial. The before is sad and frumpy. The after is happy and confident.

My Mom didn’t want me to do anything crazy so she took me to see the doctor. It was the best of the options that she had at her disposal. The doctor proceeded to ask me what I wanted to weigh, and then told us that I didn’t need to lose weight. But if I was determined, then Weight Watchers was the way to go. It was then, as it is now, viewed as the ‘healthy way’ to lose weight (I’ll do a rant on that another time).

Off we went to the first meeting and weigh-in. I was already within my BMI range (again, another rant for another time). But that didn’t stop them from signing me up and helping me lose weight.

That was the beginning of my dieting cycle. From age 12 to age 30 I lost and gained 15, 20, 30 lbs, over and over again. Each time I lost, I gained a few more.

Now I don’t blame my mother or my doctor. They only did what they thought was best.

If they knew then what I know now, they would’ve referred me to a psychologist. Someone who would’ve helped me understand why I thought that my happiness and confidence would be found within how I looked. Maybe they would’ve had me read More Than A Body by Lindsay and Lexi Kite.

You see, I was struggling with anxiety, but nobody knew, me included. And the repeated failures at weight loss only added to my anxiety. I developed depression as well. I couldn’t understand my lack of will power. I developed binge eating disorder that progressed to bulimia. I didn’t tell a soul.

Here’s what I know now.

Food is very powerful at affecting mood. In fact, in can raise neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. It can also decrease the stress hormone cortisol.

Lately this has been seen as a bad thing in the media. It’s been called “addiction” when in fact it’s not at all. To create the environment for addiction-like behaviours around food, first you must restrict. That’s worth repeating. In order to create the food addiction model in mice and humans, they must first RESTRICT the food.

My dieting created more food cravings.

Then to add insult to injury, being in a state of depression, anxiety and or stress, actually limits your ability to implement lifestyle change.

Research published in Basic Clinical Neuroscience last year showed that when we are in a state of stress, depression, and anxiety that our memory is diminished, our impulse control is decreased, it’s harder for us to plan, and we aren’t able to go with the flow as easily. All skills that are required to make lifestyle changes!

What can you do?

If this feels a little depressing and frustrating, I hear ya.

The good news is that there is a way out of the endless loop of hanging your hopes on the next big thing only to be left feeling like you failed again.

Step 1: Get a proper assessment done

I get it – you want to feel better. And yet very few doctors, nurses, naturopaths, dieticians, fitness trainers or nutritionists are going to first assess your ability to make the necessary changes.

Find someone who is going to assess your stress levels, and your mental health status. These pieces need to be addressed first, from a chemical perspective.

Does that mean that you have to go on meds? Of course not. There are wonderful herbs, amino acids, and other natural solutions available. Just be sure to seek out professional help – someone who has the training necessary to support this. Someone who won’t shy away from telling you that meds might actually be the best option right now.

You can find professionals around the world who have been trained in Intuitive Eating and understand the dangers of prescribing a diet by using this link here: https://www.intuitiveeating.org/certified-counselors/.  Yep, I’m on there.

Step 2: Get Treatment

That sounds silly I know but you’d be surprised how many people don’t get treated once the problem is identified.

Whether it’s “just stress” or it’s depression and/or anxiety, it won’t go away with awareness alone.

Some don’t want treatment because they see it as a weakness. They ‘should’ be able to just figure it out. Please know that the chemistry is strong and real. Getting treatment makes you stronger not weaker.

Maybe you don’t want treatment because you think that it’s a forever thing. While sometimes that’s true, often the treatment is just a temporary thing. Like using a crutch with a broken leg. Once it’s healed, then you can start rehab and create a lifestyle that will support your healed self.

This is where the team approach can be very helpful. Maybe the psychologist identified the problem and you need the naturopath or the MD to help with the treatment side.

Step 3: Make lifestyle changes that will last

This is the step that we all want to start at. We want to exercise more and eat better.

When you have steps 1 & 2 in place, you’ll be in a position for step 3 to be successful.

Lifestyle changes need to be slow, steady and sustainable to have any lasting impact. And that’s what you really want right? You don’t a temporary solution. You’ve been there and done that.

It’s time to put the horse before the cart.

Dedicated to helping you find peace and power with your body,

Dr. Kerri

P.S. If you’d like to chat, book a connection call. It’s free and there’s no pressure. If I can’t help, I probably know someone who can.

An Open Letter to All Health Professionals

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We all have our biases. That’s part of being human. But as a health care professional, we need to be held to a higher standard and we need to check our personal biases at the door. Far too many doctors, both in the traditional medical system and the integrative system, treat patients with obesity with distain[i]. They hold the belief that these patients are lazy[ii], undisciplined, and uninterested in their health. Regardless of a patient’s complaint, they are dismissed and told that they need to lose weight. Then, when these patients come back, at the same weight or heavier, they are tagged as ‘non-compliant’, “Clearly they don’t care enough about their health to make the necessary changes, so if they won’t take their health seriously, then why should I?” This way of thinking is leaving too many patients misdiagnosed[iii] and unheard; all the doctors see is the number on the scale. This has to change.
 

When I was in naturopathic medical school, the late Dr. Timothy said to me, “there is no such thing as a non-compliant patient, just poor treatment plans.” It stuck with me, and molded how I treat each person that comes into my office. As a doctor, it’s my responsibility to ensure my patient’s success. If I create a treatment plan that they can’t follow, it means that I didn’t listen to them well enough. If I didn’t account for something in their life, in their preference or in their budget then I didn’t meet them where they were. As their doctor, that’s my fault and not theirs. You see, not everybody is at the same place in this life. Not everybody has the same access as everybody else. Everybody has their own preferences on what they like to eat and how they like to move.
 

So how can your patients succeed when you’re only measuring the scale? When they come into your office and tell you that they are eating more vegetables, that they’ve cut back on the ‘junk’ food, and that they’re moving more than ever, but you weigh them and sigh, then they know they’ve lost. Again. And people will only rally so many times before they give up. And you know what they lose? Those healthy habits that they started to develop. They start to associate nutritious food and movement with failure. And that means that they lose out on the possibility of implementing these lifestyle changes with any long-term success. Because we are wired to avoid pain, they will begin to avoid exercise, they will avoid vegetables and they will eventually avoid YOU.
 

People with obesity, or even those who fall into the ‘overweight’ category, have been failing for a long time. And failing sucks. Just look at a team who can’t get ahead. Without amazing coaching, these teams stay down; the players don’t invest as much of themselves into the sport, blaming starts and their sense of worth drops. Ultimately, pride and respect slips away and the fun is gone. As humans, we like to play to win, so help your patients do just that. Give them real goals for where THEY are right NOW; in this body, in this life, and at this time.
 

If they show up to your office, congratulate them for making time for this appointment and making their health a priority[iv]. Ask them what you can do for them and find out what they need right now. Use the opportunity to create a safe environment where they don’t feel judged and looked down upon. Create treatment plans that allow them to win. Be kind to them, they face enough shame every time they look in the mirror. They need you to take a stand for them. Teach them how to accept and appreciate this body. That will allow their self-respect to emerge, and when you respect something, you’re far more likely to take care of it.
 

Until next time,

dr kerri

Live Life. Love Food. Be Free.

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[i] http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/826246

[ii] http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20030926/even-doctors-have-obesity-prejudice#1

[iii] http://www.prevention.com/health/healthy-living/weight-and-obesity-discrimination-doctors

[iv] https://www.fastcompany.com/3025080/why-positive-encouragement-works-better-than-criticism

The Case of the Magic Pill

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On TV it all looks so easy. Dr. Oz debut’s the ‘Magic Pill to Stop Aging’[i] and proclaims numerous other miracle pills that will to strip the weight off you with no ‘no exercise, no diet and no effort’. They tell you it’s all because of some nutrient or another found only in an exotic tropical fruit[ii] that only grows on a remote island that you probably haven’t heard of. Amazing. The quick fix you were looking for and it will only cost you $69.99! Or what about those bars that supress your appetite? Are you also having a hard time sleeping? Why not try the newest Buckley’s sleep aid? Problem solved! But are these quick fixes really solutions? Maybe it helps you to drop 5 pounds in a week, or maybe it helps you sleep more soundly for a week, but in 6 months I’m betting that weight comes crawling back and that your sleep patterns become worse than ever. What we are really doing is poising our bodies with quick fixes and Band-Aid solutions that are directly contributing to long term health problems.

The scary truth behind many of these quick fixes are the effects on your health. Most diet pills have a long list of side effects, like diarrhea, elevated blood pressure, restlessness, dizziness, insomnia[iii] and often leads to a deficiency in Vitamin A and D[iv]. On top of that, those who use diet pills regularly are six times more likely to get primary pulmonary hypertension. This disease puts pressure on your lungs, and results in breathing problems, and often require a lung transplant[v]. Taking any kind of artificial replacement throws off the body’s natural rhythm, and can cause the body to become completely dependent on the product[vi]. The ‘perfect’ quick fix probably doesn’t seem that perfect anymore.

So why do we believe in these magic pills in the first place? When we feel stuck in some aspect of our lives, we tend to use our bodies as the scapegoat. We believe that dropping weight will solve the social anxiety, the missed promotion at work or the trouble in our relationships. Which means that the faster you can rid yourself of the last few pounds the faster your problems also be magically solved. When you’re desperate for the quick fix, you are more likely to believe the quick fix will work.

On top of that, with shows like Dr. Oz gaining so much popularity, and the influx of ‘credible’ medical advice found on the internet, our idea of a professional opinion has changed. We believe in the personality we see on our TV screen, and we trust in the products being endorsed. But how much can we really trust those ‘medical’ opinions from a show or a personality? In 2014, Dr. Oz was forced to appear before the Congress where he was questioned over the false claims towards miracle pills made during some of his segments. After being forced to retract the bogus study that supported the pills, a new study came out, only this time on his show. This study, produced by the British Medical Journal, found over half of the claims made by Dr. Oz were either baseless or completely wrong. Not only did his segments present false information, but many of the claims even went against the credible research available[vii].

Instead, let’s go back to the basics. Good old fashioned hard work is the key to breaking the quick fix cycle. If you find you can’t sleep, don’t reach for the pills, try and make some changes to your routine. Try meditation[viii], yoga or colouring to calm you down, and leave your phone outside the bedroom[ix]. If you truly feel the need to lose weight, don’t just try and suppress your appetite with magic bars, try working movement back into your lifestyle; Go for a walk with your dog or play outside with your kids. Ultimately, you will need to develop a deep seeded respect for yourself. You inherently take care of the things you respect and love. When you build up the body love, you build up the determination to work hard for yourself, and break free from the quick fix mindset.

The next time you contemplate trying some miracle product I encourage you to ask yourself how sustainable it really is. Will you be using the product for the next 6 months or the next 10 years? Find your own rhythm and resist the urge to try the latest fad fix. In the long run, you will protect your body from the rollercoaster changes that come with quick fixes. It’s all about sustainable changes to your life, not the immediate results. Above all else, remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Until next time,

dr kerri

Live Life. Love Food. Be Free.

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[i] http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/miracle-pill-stop-aging

[ii] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3430075/Dr-Oz-sued-weight-loss-supplement-Garcinia-Cambogia.html

[iii] http://www.rxlist.com/weight_loss_medications-page2/drugs-condition.htm

[iv] http://www.livestrong.com/article/267999-the-effect-of-diet-pills-on-your-body/

[v] http://www.livestrong.com/article/267999-the-effect-of-diet-pills-on-your-body/

[vi] https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/effects-coming-laxatives-cold-turkey

[vii] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/12/19/half-of-dr-ozs-medical-advice-is-baseless-or-wrong-study-says/?utm_term=.3cb81e7306b2

[viii] http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-17238/5-beginner-meditations-to-help-you-relax-sleep-better.html

[ix] http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/saltzman/2016/04/30/why-you-shouldnt-bring-your-smartphone-bed/83708554/

We Don’t Give Our Bodies Enough Credit

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We live in a culture where scientists are constantly bashing some foods then recommending others, and where the health gurus praising their miracle diets and body transformations are a dime a dozen. For years, we’ve been taught about the endless rules and about those ‘toxic’ foods that will destroy our metabolisms, but is it really all true? We’ve been made to think that one slip-up in any health plan will de-rail all of our hard work; It makes one taste of dessert feel like a failure, and one weekend getaway without the gym feel like you’re back to square one. But what they don’t tell us is how strong our bodies really are. They have been built to adapt, and they have been built to survive. One dip into a special food will not ruin your health plan, and it will certainly NOT kill you.

Let’s think about what the average human body goes through in a lifetime. Over the span of 80 years, the average woman will get around 200 colds[i], every 10 years she catches a flu[ii], at least twice in her life she will go through years of hormonal shifts (both as a teenager and through menopause), she will likely be pregnant for at least 9 months, and go through childbirth[iii]. One study predicts that if you live to the age of 80, you can even expect 483 cramps, 868 headaches, 2,898 bumps and bruises and 725 backaches (and so much more)[iv]. But somehow, we survive it all. Our bodies can learn, grow, protect and thrive in so many different states. We have the ability to adapt and we have the ability to overcome. Our bodies are not weak; they are more powerful than we believe.

So when it comes to food, our bodies work best with balance. Yes, we may gain weight when we continually overeat and over indulge, but our bodies never lose that strength and power. When you believe in the ability of your body, you arm yourself with flexibility. Instead of believing that you have to starve off all of those special treats you have learned to love, find a healthy balance with them. We don’t need to make eating a stressful thing. Instead, we need to accept that moderation is possible with ANYTHING! Even if you know your favorite treat isn’t great for your body, consider that it’s worse to deprive yourself of it completely. The more you tell yourself you can’t have it, the more you’ll crave it, so that when you finally eat it you’re more likely to over indulge. If you’re eating that sugary goody for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, then your body may not be able to keep up. But if you are sitting down and truly enjoying that treat once in a while then it’s OKAY.

Changing your perspective to appreciate the power of our body is the first step in finding success on the journey to a healthier life. But it’s not just food that I’m talking about, its everything! When it comes to antibiotics, prescription drugs, alcohol or anything else you ingest, your body can probably handle it (in moderation). I distinctly remember one of my patients from the clinic who had recently undergone major back surgery. She was in terrible pain; She couldn’t sleep and she couldn’t move. Even though she was in such agony, she refused to take the pain medications prescribed by her doctor. She believed that the medication would be toxic to her body, and I had to reason with her that the pain was more toxic to her life.

We can’t think of our bodies as so delicate that they can’t withstand the occasional round of pain killers or antibiotics. What happens when we end up with a worsening condition because we didn’t take what our doctor recommended? If we refuse to believe that our bodies can handle the medication, we could harm our bodies even more. In order for our bodies to withstand sickness, we need to provide them with every opportunity to heal. Of course each and every person has drastically different health related needs, but I encourage you to view your body as it is; strong and powerful. Make sure your choices aim to protect your body, not shelter it.

This week, I challenge my Rebels to change their mindset. Don’t think that you’re so restricted. The next time you worry about what indulging in a treat will do to your body, remember how powerful your body truly is. Our bodies carry us, our bodies move us, and they empower our actions. The key to maintaining long term health, is balance, but you won’t be able to find a balance if you’re stuck believing that your body will crumble with one wrong bite. Moderation is possible with any of the things that we enjoy. Know that the “all or nothing” mentality is more toxic than any sweet treat will ever be. Don’t paint everything with the same brush, instead, break the rules, and find your own rhythm.

Until next time,

dr kerri

Live Life. Love Food. Be Free.

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[i] https://communitytable.parade.com/106029/jenniferackerman/30-cold-wars/

[ii] http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20150303/typical-adult-over-30-gets-flu-twice-every-10-years-study#1

[iii] http://www.marksdailyapple.com/human-body-remarkably-resilient/

[iv] http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/health/life-10787-sore-points—2093834

 

 

 

 

End of Diet Soda

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As a culture, we are consuming diet products like soda, altered foods, shakes, bars and pills because we are told that they are going to make it easier to lose weight. Maybe even for a short period of time, they do. But what’s concerning about these products are the long-term consequences only now being uncovered[i]. The food replacements that were once thought to aid our weight loss journey, are in fact causing weight gain[ii], and may contribute to things like high blood pressure, liver or kidney damage, sleeplessness, and so much more[iii]. What’s worse, is that the new long-term studies being produced are remaining overlooked. It used to be easy to know the difference between what was an ‘all the time’ food and what was a ‘once in a while’ food. Now, more than ever, our food is not what it seems.

A recent study produced by the Journal of General Internal Medicine about diet drink consumption[iv] is alarming. It found that there is a strong relationship between high diet drink intake and an increased risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease in post-menopausal women. In the past, we have been taught that the word ‘diet’ is synonymous with ‘healthy’, but with more and more studies coming out, it’s all too clear that the opposite is true.

Let’s take the sugar supplement aspartame as an example. Commonly used as an artificial sweetener in a variety of products[v], such as Diet Coke[vi], aspartame has been approved by the FDA as safe for human consumption. But more recent studies have shown a correlation between aspartame consumption and disorders such as birth defects, cancer, diabetes and emotional disorders[vii]. You might be asking why, in that case, it was approved by the FDA? The truth behind aspartame is widely debated[viii] because studies produced by the FDA and other official organizations are almost always short term. The world of nutritional science is so young that scientists just can’t seem to make up their minds on products.

Just as they have always done, scientists will find a replacement for aspartame; some new and improved sweetener that they’ll say is completely safe. The challenge of course, is that we were told that aspartame was safe. All these modified diet products are still so new that it is impossible for them to have been adequately researched on human subjects to determine the effects of long-term consumption.

I’m very conscious of not contributing to the fear of food, but our mindset has a huge impact on our bodies. I encourage you to use this information to find out what your body really wants. Take note of the foods that you crave, and begin to develop an awareness of them. Then think about each of those same foods and ask yourself:

  1. Does it satisfy you?
  2. Does it actually taste good?
  3. Does it give you pleasure?

If it doesn’t meet all the criteria, then it shouldn’t be consumed. Not because it’s going to cause cardiovascular disease, but because somewhere along the way you were told that this was the right thing to do, and now you can learn that maybe it is not.

Our bodies are incredibly strong and resilient; one Diet Coke definitely won’t kill you.

Especially if it’s once in a while, and if it’s something that you thoroughly enjoy, just eat it. Labeling any one food product as ‘bad’ or ‘off limits’ goes against the mission of The Diet Rebellion, because when we try and trick our bodies into hating something, we tend to crave it more intensely[ix]. Instead, I encourage all of my Rebels just to be aware. Know that some of the things you have taught your body to want and crave are based on industry rules that you’ve learned along the way. Challenge those rules and ask yourself if you actually enjoy it.

Want to know more about Diet Industry Liars? Click Here.

Until next time,

dr kerri

Live Life. Love Food. Be Free.

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[i] http://www.clark.com/diet-soda-risks-diet-coke

[ii] http://time.com/3746047/diet-soda-weight-gain/

[iii] https://www.futuresofpalmbeach.com/healthy-diet-exercise/harmful-effects-diet-pills-supplements/

[iv]https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269637605_Diet_Drink_Consumption_and_the_Risk_of_Cardiovascular_Events_A_Report_from_the_Women%27s_Health_Initiative

[v] http://www.livestrong.com/article/389334-a-list-of-foods-containing-aspartame/

[vi] http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/faq/what-is-aspartame-and-is-it-safe

[vii] http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/hidden_dangers.htm

[viii] http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/the-complicated-truth-behind-aspartame/article16069158/

[ix] https://thedietrebellion.com/christmas-turtles/