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<p>From Gina Cousineau</p>
<p>Four months into the New Year and 13 months after the pandemic started, I see a little bit of despair as people begin to acknowledge the effects of their behavior in the last year, or perhaps their life.</p>
<p>I could have titled this column “Every pill is poison”, but chose the approach I live and breathe to a healthy lifestyle: food as medicine along with supplements, medication, exercise and attitude use.</p>
<p>My clients learn early on that I will not only teach them what a healthy lifestyle can look like and how it can be achieved, but that I will also help them to stand up for their health. Once this happens, we want to live the long, healthy, independent, and joyful lives that we have long wanted.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, most patients take the pill when a doctor gives a prescription for a lifestyle change. As an integrative and functional nutritionist, I teach my clients that every pill is a poison, but that it is precisely this pill that can save their lives.</p>
<p>But here you have to understand your options and that a change in lifestyle can not only prevent and stop disease processes, but can also completely reverse the consequences of years of wrong decisions.</p>
<p>What I unfortunately see on a regular basis is a serious disconnect between the way this is supposed to be done. I have heard of doctors with little or no nutrition or exercise physiology training who prescribe diets and fitness programs for their patients that may and certainly may not be helpful to their plight.</p>
<p>It is vitally important to educate patients about the concept of eating healthy real foods while understanding that everyone has a calorie budget, especially when weight loss is desired, and that healthy / clean foods do not necessarily make a proper diet or a sustainable one Weight lead to loss and improved health.</p>
<p>Whether you’re a young adult looking to maximize bone mass trying to excel in school and exercise, an 80-year-old senior looking to maintain independence, or someone in between who needs adequate calories, macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat, and protein ) required. Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and other substances like fiber, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and others are difficult to coat in a nutritious and delicious way.</p>
<p>And, disappointingly, your diet influencer is likely to restrict food groups and calories, restrict your diet, and harass you into believing that you need to eat organic, have a basket full of supplements, and that dairy and gluten are the enemies.</p>
<p>Take a deep breath and let’s chat. Our food supplies are secure and the farmers who supply a large portion of your food are feeding their families the exact foods you eat. Unfortunately, with the influx of social media and the internet, your Google searches can prove dangerous to both you and your family.</p>
<p>My suggestions are varied and come in a handful of ideas:</p>
<ul>
<li>1. Eat foods in their most natural state.</li>
<li>2. You cannot overdo a bad diet. Just start a walking program of 150 minutes or more per week to be a healthy person.</li>
<li>3. Perform a physical examination once a year with blood tests, age- / symptom-appropriate preventive examinations / tests and then visit your doctor personally to discuss your situation, taking into account your personal and family medical history.</li>
<li>4. If necessary, find experts to help you take care of your health, including medical specialists, physical therapists, certified fitness professionals, and qualified nutritionists. You don’t see a dentist for your heart disease. So why should you listen to an actor for nutritional advice?</li>
</ul>
<p>Gina Cousineau sees customers virtually and in person from her office in San Clemente. Her extensive training – a BS in Dietetics and an MS in Integrative and Functional Nutrition -, a culinary education and more than 30 years as a fitness professional enable her to help clients lose weight and improve their health. You can reach her at mamag@mamagslifestyle.com, 949.842.9975 and on Instagram and Facebook at @mamagslifestyle. Register for their free weekly newsletter at mamagslifestyle.com.</p>
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