It doesn’t matter which comes first — obesity, bad diet, bad genetics, or PCOS. The metabolic consequences are the same. — PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) is a hormonal abnormality in reproductive-age women. It affects about 7% of women in that age group. Metabolically, PCOS is associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance is also linked with obesity, which can lead directly to insulin resistance.

You deserve the weight loss you want, so watch the alcohol. — Okay, I don’t drink alcohol, but I have to say this: Alcohol slows weight loss and it’s not fair! You work out all week long and eat right most days. You should be able to have a drink or two one day a week. Right? Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like…

My client made me realize how grateful I am for my sugar addiction — I have a daily gratitude practice, which I love. Recently, a client made me realize something unusual about gratitude. Throughout her life, she was able to eat whatever she wanted — no weight gain, no problems, no guilt. Then she reached her 50s, and things changed. Her body had changed. …

I found myself wondering how — or even if — I could help this client — Just recently, a woman contacted me about helping her with a medical condition called exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). Here’s a very brief account. In EPI, the pancreas does not produce the enzymes necessary for digestion and absorption of foods. …

Anyone who sabotages you is not a friend. — By Joan Kent, PhD Happy New Year! New Year’s Resolutions are here, and obstacles are everywhere. Christmas candy is now on sale till mid-January, when Valentine candy is then on display till February 14. February 15 it goes on sale. That takes us to March, when Easter candy appears —…

Much can be said about nutrition; I’m hoping these basics will help you begin. — More nutrition fads exist now than ever before in my lifetime. Should you go with low-carb, paleo, ketogenic, vegetarian, vegan, fruitarian, intuitive eating? How can you choose wisely for your health? Below are some guidelines to help you start. 1. Exercise So why is this Item 1 in a nutrition article? Because…

Energy drinks can contribute to an enlarged, or even a burst, spleen — This really happened to me, and I offer it as a caution to you. I keep my diet healthful for many reasons, but for several years I was getting caffeine from energy drinks. Specifically, 5-Hour Energy. Why? I abhor the taste of coffee, and at that time, tea was not…

Keeping yourself healthy is easier with good food — Recently, a coaching client who almost never gets sick and is typically vigilant about her food told me she got a respiratory infection. This post describes what she learned from not sticking with her nutrition guidelines. While the client was under the weather, she stopped paying attention to her usual…

Breakfast does not have to look like the IHOP pancake menu. — I’ve written articles describing fruit as the “final frontier” in quitting sugar. But something else can cause just as much trouble as fruit, and maybe more. Breakfast. Even people who are fully committed to healthful eating can be trapped in breakfast clichés. In a recent coaching session, a client wanted…