By Jules Lavallee
Los Angeles, California (The Hollywood Times) 06/08/2020 – Author, RN, MSW and Former Chicago Chair of Healthcare Initiatives, Candice Rosen shares 5 key healthy food choices and food combinations during this quarantine season in her new book, Forget Dieting: It’s All About Data-Driven Fueling! “I believe in the practice of self-health – you are your primary caregiver and your physician is your secondary caregiver. My hypothesis is this: all non-communicable diseases (NCDs): high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, low testosterone, renal issues and even some cancers, stem from pancreatic abuse.”- Candice Rosen
How do you define pancreatic abuse?
Anytime you raise your blood glucose/sugar over 100 ninety minutes after you eat a meal or a snack, you are asking for health and weight issues.
The goal is to keep your blood sugar between 70 and 100.
- How can temporary isolation be an opportunity to permanently transform your weight and health?
- It affords an opportunity to assess overall health and weight. Whether it is COVID-19 or another virus, the human body has to be in the best condition possible to fight against any “enemy” that threatens its well being. Isolation should not be an excuse to have a pity party pantry raid, it is a time of self-reflection. “He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything.”
In your new book, Forget Dieting: It’s All About Data-Driven Fueling! You share 5 key healthy food choices and food combinations during this quarantine season. Can you share your best advice on how we can forget dieting and start living?
Forget Dieting! begins with what you put in your mouth. It’s not about dieting; it is about Data Driven Fueling.
- No dairy or reduce your consumption by 90% (it is highly inflammatory);
- Fruit is always eaten alone. The exceptions are eating fruit with nuts/seeds, a nut/seed butter or in a vegan smoothie;
- Nothing white: no white bread, rice, pasta, and flour
- Practice proper food combining – an example: do not combine an animal protein with a starchy carbohydrate (example: chicken with rice or a steak with a baked potato)
- Make Wednesdays and Fridays vegan days – it gives your body a break from processing animal protein and it is good for your health; animals (think factory farming) and the planet.
There is a correlation between people with high blood glucose (diabetics) and people with extreme COVID-19. Please explain how your book can help others.
Food is medicine. Your body is an organic machine that needs proper fuel in order to operate at an optimal level. The deaths attributed to COVID-19 include a high percentage of people who had pre-existing conditions (diabetes, obesity and hypertension) and the elderly (the majority who had pre-existing conditions on top of advanced age). When your organic machine is already dealing with pre-existing conditions (also referred to as non-communicable diseases – NCDs) and the treatment (medications) for those diseases, is it any wonder why it would be difficult for the human body to handle a viral insult like COVID-19?
My book offers a fueling plan for life – precision nutrition. It gives you a step-by-step outline on how to achieve weight loss, reverse non-communicable diseases and improve well being without counting calories or carbs, or strenuous exercise. Forget Dieting! will help you help yourself by getting your body in the best health to fight any illness that may come your way.
When and where can we find your book?
Forget Dieting! is available for pre-sale order on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It is due to be released on July 1, 2020.
You have written several books. What have you learned about yourself?
It is my third book. My second book, The Pancreatic Oath was written to share the program I created, Pancreatic Nutritional Program (which has morphed into the Data Driven Fueling program). My research really began when I was asked to help young women with polycystic ovarian syndrome. The PNP worked for them and then I had a health crisis. A mass was discovered on my right ovary 12 years ago. The initial diagnosis – stage 1 or stage 2 ovarian cancer. I was diagnosed on a Monday, tests on Tuesday, consultation with an oncology surgeon on Wednesday and surgery on Friday. When I woke up from anesthesia I was told that it was a benign mass (extremely lucky); however, the tumor had wrapped itself around my descending artery and my ureter from my right kidney to my bladder. Instead of a 90-minute hysterectomy, it became a 4 ½ hour abdominal surgery. I was left weak, with hot flashes (due to instant menopause due to a complete hysterectomy) and increasing cholesterol (due to the removal of my ovaries – which is why menopausal women are at a higher risk for heart attack).At that time I was 36 pounds heavier. Over the years I have been on so many diets (liquid protein, Atkins, etc.). I would go on a restricted diet and exercise like a fiend to lose 20 pounds for a special event (wedding, reunion) only to return to old habits and regain what I had lost and then some. Three months after my surgery, my physicians conferred and it was decided that I be put on medications: a statin for cholesterol, hormone replacement therapy for hot flashes, Boniva (for osteoporosis), Effexor(an anti-depressant) and a fifth drug (which I can’t remember). I refused the medication. There is a root cause for everything and I thought that if the PNP worked for young women with PCOS, perhaps it could help me. I lost 36 pounds (have never gained it back); my cholesterol is perfect along with my bone density. I don’t have hot flashes either.
The major lesson I have learned is not from writing the book but from working with clients. It’s been a challenge helping them understand how their body processes food, that they have control over weight loss, improved health and well-being, and that Data-Driven Fueling is better than dieting. Once they comprehend that their body is an organic machine that requires proper fueling they then become a researcher – discovering what food is good and what food is bad for their organic machine. I give the analogy – would you put a milk shake in your gas tank? Would you feed your dog chocolate? Of course not, so why would you be so cavalier about what you feed yourself. Behavior modification is very important. One of my professors said it is easier to get someone to change their religion than their diet. There might be some truth to that, but I don’t give up easily and I have been amazed by the transformations.
As the founding member of Gilda’s Club Chicago and its first executive director and program director, you created and coordinated a diverse array of wellness-related programs. Can you please share some of your programs that changed lives?
Gilda’s Club Chicago was the first Gilda’s to address the special needs of women of color that were diagnosed with breast cancer (cosmetic, cultural); we offered hypnosis for pain management which cut down on the need for pain medication; we offered Andrew Weil’s 8 weeks to optimum health; bi-lingual support groups; massage therapy; and addressed (at that time) that cancer patients tend to wear their diagnosis (the loss of hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, etc.).
Why is building awareness regarding obesity and diabetes epidemics so important to you?
Obesity has replaced tobacco as the #1 preventable cancer. In addition, children are suffering from obesity and type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes was once referred to as Adult Onset Diabetes. Diagnosed adults have between a two and fifteen year window to develop “domino effect” diseases: heart, renal, ocular, and vascular. When children are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at age 8 or 10, what do you think their future health will look like when they are 20?
When it comes to health…please finish the sentence.
Your mouth is NOT supposed to have a party at every meal!
Website: www.candicerosenrn.comInstagram: @candicerosenrn
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