Not so Primal Nutritional Advice from a Dietician….

Written by Crystal Nelson

 

I got a tour from a friend of a friend last Friday at a very big corporate business.  In this corporation is a Registered Dietitian that is on staff for the employees to seek advice from in order to hit all their fitness and health goals.

Since I don't have any letters behind my name, I decided to take this as a learning opportunity and snatched a handout with the "healthy" tips from the RD on staff.  To my horror I am doing everything wrong according to her!  Below I have typed up her "tips."  Try them at your own risk.

Carbohydrates are foods such as whole grain bagels, breads and cereals, rice, beans, lentils, fruits and veggies.

Here are some general tips:

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  • Each of your three main meals should = about 600 calories  (This isn't horrible advice, but what type of calories are you eating?  Bread?)
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Make sure you are getting those snacks, like watermelon and 2% string cheese or a yogurt and some raw granola-- they help to replace glycogen stores throughout the day and prevent night time ravenous eating habits (Alright, I clearly see why string cheese and yogurt are better for me than vegetables and meat.  Gosh, what was I thinking??  Now I know where those cookies are going in the middle of the night too)
   
  • Shoot for variety in your diet--especially in grains, fruits, and veggies.  Shoot for 10-15 different vegetables every two weeks and at least 8 different fruits.  (probably the best advice on the paper) 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Make sure you are incorporating that dairy.  It is the best source of calcium and riboflavin.  Riboflavin is needed for all kinds of metabolic function, especially for energy utilization and fatty acid movement.  Also, milk increases the activity of lipase utilization--those enzymes that break down and initiate fatty acid metabolism.  (Ever heard of getting calcium from veggies and fruit?  Way higher since the calcium that is placed in milk does not get absorbed by our bodies)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Make sure you are getting plenty of carbs about 60-90 grams at each ( 2 servings of starch + 1 fruit)  You can double up on that serving size on a box of cereal and add some fruit and milk and be great!  (60-90 grams per meal!!!! Yikes!!!  That's more than my total day.  And from starch and fruit... clearly again, vegetables just aren't cutting it.  Cereal is of course the perfect meal with all the added sugar on top of the sugar from the grains and milk)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Don't forget the benefits of nuts, beans, sweet potatoes, acorn squash, butternut squash, and yes-- canned pumpkin.  (Gosh I completely forgot how beneficial beans are to my digestive system.  I love the feeling of being on the verge of a stomach explosion... MUST be great for me!)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Good fruits:  nectarines, grapefruit, citrus (OJ is great here) bananas, peaches, and summer berries.  (Ok, at least we have some better food choices popping up, but OJ really?  C'mon RD, you HAVE to know all the added sugar in that jug of juice.

This is a great example of how screwed up our food system is and why everyone in America is so flipping confused on what is the right food to eat!  It's no wonder everyone looks sick.  Walking through this office was honestly, really sad!  95% of the people working there ARE SICK and don't even know it yet.  You can tell by their bodies, skin, hair, and attitude.

In the break room is a ridiculous Starbucks coffee machine so that everyone can stay awake and keep working.  I don't blame them, I would need it if I was following this diet.  (On a side note, I really did think the coffee machine was really stinking cool and we should get one at Central!)

What are your thoughts on this?  Does this worry anyone else??  People who go to to a University to be educated to make people healthier are not being taught correctly and are just making the situation worse!  Do you think they know?  Or care? 

I wanted to be an RD and moved to Ft Collins a few years ago to attend Colorado State.  Luckily, I found CrossFit and started implementing a Paleo diet with high quality foods and chose to go this path versus having someone tell me what is right.  Instead, I started researching myself and was able to conclude on my own terms what was the right way to eat.  I will take practical application any day over research that is many, many years behind.  

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