Stephanie Lapinski is PPMA’s Certified Nutritional Consultant with over 10 years experience in the nutrition industry. She works with our patients on incorporating healthy lifestyle changes into their daily diets, and works to empower patients to become proactive with your health. Check out an exclusive interview with Stephanie on some common nutrition questions, new fads, and quick tips!
Why should I avoid processed foods?
Processed foods contain chemicals, preservatives, tons of sugar (majority high fructose corn syrup or chemical sugars) and contain no vitamins and minerals. Processed food is not real food it is fake food. Your body has to digest food in general whether it is real or fake. One of the problems with processed food (fake food) is that there are no nutrients in it. You need vitamins, minerals, enzymes in order to digest food. So processed foods steal the vitamins, minerals and enzymes in your body in order to break it down. Real food which is whole unprocessed is the only way to go if you want vibrant health.
What should I eat to get my daily intake of fruits and veggies?
To get your daily requirements of vegetables and fruits try juicing, eating as a snack, try adding 1 new vegetable or fruit a week, add vegetables to your breakfast, and experiment with new vegetables in stir fry. 3-4 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit a day are part of a healthy diet. Always eat more vegetables than fruit because of the sugar.
What foods are known to fight cancer?
Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower), berries, tomatoes, leafy green vegetables, garlic, green tea, turmeric, coconut oil
Chia seeds: a fad or a benefit?
Chia seed was a staple item in the Aztecs and Mayans diet. It is reported that humans began using Chia seed around 3500 BC. It was considered a superfood because of its ability to increase strength and energy. Chia seed has regained popularity because of it’s great nutrition profile. Chia seed contains Omega 3 primarily from Alpha linolenic Acid, protein, calcium, fiber and antixodants. It is a great alternative to oatmeal.
To learn more about the PPMA nutrition program with Stephanie Lapinski, click here!