Recipes, snacks and when you probably just need a pickle 🥒

Nugget of the Week

Whether you’re cutting carbs to shed some weight, clear your head or reverse diabetes, this tip is for you.

When you eat less carbs, you lose stored water and sodium when you pee. Totally normal and good, BUT losing sodium quickly can make you feel shaky, weak or woozy just like low blood sugar can.

Most people panic when they feel like this and down a glass of OJ when really they just needed a pickle (for the salt). For this reason, I find it super useful to splurge a $30 glucometer and do a quick blood sugar check BEFORE guzzling something sugary at the first sign of wet noodle legs. If blood sugar is normal, bust out that jar of Claussen wedges or heat up a cup of broth.

Another option is to have a little bit of extra salt in the first few days of a low carb diet. It’s obviously not as accurate as a glucometer reading, but can at least help you avoid low carb flu.

Recipes

1. 21 Healthy summer dinner ideas

2. Healthy sides 

3. Bacon-wrapped avocado fries (yumm)

RD-Approved

Poor chips. They’re actually not bad for you if they’re cooked in the right oil! Next time you find yourself in the salty / crunchy aisle, seek out products cooked in avocado oil since they can handle high heat and won’t contribute to too much omega-6 intake.

Q+A

Q: Is it better to eat small, frequent meals or fewer meals?

A. This one really hits a nerve because I did my masters thesis on the topic. I was all-in on eating every few hours for “the metabolism boost” until I dug up the research and learned it just isn’t true (boo!). In reality if you’re eating six times a day, that’s six times you’re raising blood sugar and insulin (this matters for everyone, not just diabetics). It’s also six times you have to make a food choice which consumes a lot of mental space. If you’ve ever had an eating disorder or a bad relationship with food, having the next meal or snack on your mind all day long is not good for mental health. Of course there are special cases where you actually need to eat small, frequent meals (severe reflux, certain medical conditions, after surgery, etc.), but in general, the classic three-meal-a-day plan is best for most people.

I might (!!??) start an online community / support group for dietitian Q+A, recipes, meal plans, local walking groups, resource library for specific medical conditions, etc., would love your input!

How-To Library

1. Lower Cholesterol Naturally

2. Eat for Mental Health

3. Make Better Smoothies

Disclosures:

This is not medical advice. Speak to your doctor before taking supplements or making any major dietary and / or lifestyle changes.

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