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Welcome to the Not Old Better Show Prevention Magazine Healthy Living Interview Series on radio and podcast. The show covering all things health, wellness, culture, and more. The show for all of us who aren't old, we're better. Each week, we'll interview superstars, experts, and ordinary people doing extraordinary things, all related to this wonderful experience of getting better, not just older. Now, here's your host, the award-winning... Paul Vogelzang.
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Welcome to the Not Old Better Show Prevention Magazine Healthy Living Interview Series. I'm Paul Vogelzang, and it's great to have you with us today. You know, if you've ever felt like food is your enemy, whether it's battling guilt over your choices, struggling to stick with a diet, or just feeling overwhelmed by the conflicting health advice that's out there online, oh my gosh, you're not alone. Today's guest is Prevention Magazine Medical Review Board member, Laura Yu. Laura is here to offer a fresh perspective on how food can be really a source of joy, nourishment, and healing. Laura Yu is a registered dietitian,
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certified intuitive eating counselor, yoga teacher,
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and a passionate advocate for changing the way we think about nutrition with a focus on breaking free from the diet mentality. Laura Yu empowers all of us to reconnect with our bodies, embrace all foods guilt-free,
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and prioritize health at every size.
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She'll talk about all of this. Laura Yu is also an expert on the fascinating gut-brain connection and how what we eat can affect not just our physical health, but our mood, memory,
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and overall mental well-being.
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It's just a fascinating interview. We're also going to learn about Laura's work with the Prevention Medical Review Board. She's a member. She spends her days helping clients understand all of this nutrition information. And she's going to join us today to share some wisdom about sustainable, healthy eating as a powerful tool. We're going to also learn from Laura about her own journey from a pre-med student to nutrition expert, the science of intuitive eating and the practical ways to embrace sustainable eating.
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healthy habits.
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No calorie counting here. We're just going to have this wonderful conversation with Laura. So whether you're managing a chronic condition, looking to improve your relationship with food, or simply curious about the power of nutrition to transform your health, this episode is for you. So grab a cup of tea and settle in. Get ready for an insightful discussion on how good food truly makes good health possible. Now let's welcome our guest. prevention medical review board member, registered dietitian, Laura Yu to the Not All Better Show Prevention Magazine interview series. Laura Yu, registered dietitian, welcome to the program.
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Laura Yu Thank you, Paul. I appreciate you having me.
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Paul Jay Well, it's nice to talk to you. We're talking on a Friday afternoon. That's always a great time of the week for me. I'm excited about this subject. I think our audience is going to be equally so. Your work for prevention is... longstanding and you do some really amazing stuff. I really love this idea that you've come up with about nerding out on nutrition. I love that reference. I also have to say that I really like this self-description that you use. You really like to say that you're the anti-diet dietician. So maybe explain that to our audience, explain it to me and tell us why that's important.
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Well, people tend to think that the only way to be healthy is if they go on these weight loss diets. but they're usually not sustainable. And they usually leave people feeling frustrated, obsessed, and ultimately stuck. And calling myself an anti-dietitian is a play on those words. And it means I believe in helping people break free from chronic dieting in order to build sustainable habits without having to cut calories or avoid your favorite foods. So to me, health is not just a number on the scale. It's about your physical, emotional, and your mental well-being.
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It's wonderful. I think that's very powerful. And I think that's a great way to think about it because of course nutrition impacts us throughout our lives in every area of our life and so to have that perspective up front is really kind of a nice one to see. Your own journey with regard to nutrition and finding your way professionally was a fascinating one in my research of you and I wonder if you've talked about that just a little bit. You lost your parents at an early age, you've got some educational things that really put you on this path. And it's a fascinating one. Congratulations, by the way, on all your hard work. But tell us a little bit about your background.
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Yeah, this is a really special question to be able to share a part of my story with you. And you're right, it's a big part of who I am and what shapes my nutrition philosophy. I lost both of my parents when I was a kid. And these were both really core events that motivated me to pursue a career initially in medicine. And while in college, I was pre-med. And on this path to become a doctor, I was also minoring in nutrition. And it was in those nutrition classes that I learned how food affects anxiety and depression and how certain foods can also prevent conditions like heart disease. I lost my mom to depression and my dad to... a heart attack. So in that moment, in these classes, everything made sense to me. I love food in of itself. I was good at science and mental health was something I was also really passionate about. So this all influenced my career choice to become a registered dietitian and to promote living a life of abundance rather than focusing on taking things away.
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Thank you for that. Sorry for your loss. I'm always impressed when people overcome that. in very real meaningful ways and you seem to have. So again, congratulations on all of this wonderful work, Laura Yu. You have this other really cool concept that I found called intuitive eating. I needed to dive into that a little bit myself to kind of understand it, but I wonder if you'll talk about it and how it is just a core element of your practice and what that all shapes this diet mentality.
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Yeah, intuitive eating is... all about tuning into your body. So it's not a diet plan. And letting go of this diet mentality means that you stop treating food like it's the enemy, or you stop following these arbitrary food rules like no eating after 6pm. And instead, you start listening to your body's cues. When you're hungry, you can stop eating, you can pick up on those sort of subtleties, you can stop eating when you're satiated and satisfied. And you can also choose foods. that make you feel good. You can also choose movement that makes you feel good. And instead of stressing over what's bad food or what's good food, you start to pay attention more to what contributes to your overall health mentally, physically, and emotionally. And I think for people over 50, this approach is particularly powerful because it can reduce food stress. And we know stress contributes to inflammation. It can also improve digestion and it helps restore an overall healthier relationship with food and with eating, which means also potentially more connection, not with yourself, but also with others around you. So it's really about improving your overall quality of life.
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You mentioned mental health and that it's an area of passion for you. And then you just referred to kind of this idea of nutrition and gut health. And so I wondered if you'd talk about the gut-brain connection, because we hear a lot about that today. And that's an equally powerful... connection that kind of drives some of this, especially when it comes to mental health. And I wonder if you'll tell us some specific foods or perhaps some habits that are going to get us on the right path to a better gut brain connection.
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I could talk about the gut brain connection for like a whole hour hours about that. It's so fascinating because it really is not just about digestion. It's really a key player in your mental health. So you said when your gut is out of balance. That can affect your mental health because from anything from how you feel to how well you think, because it's always communicating things to your brain. It's almost like this highway. We have communication between the gut and the brain. And so to support your digestion and your overall mental well-being, you can focus on adding foods that nurture your gut, like probiotics, foods like heifer for yogurt, or any fermented foods can be particularly helpful for diversifying the gut microbiome. And then you have fiber rich foods. So you can do whole grains or... The fruits that have the skin on the outside that are edible, those are going to be really high in fiber as well. Any vegetables, other ones to think a little bit about are omega-3 fatty acids, which you can get from fatty fish like salmon or flax seeds. Those will help to fight inflammation. So they're key parts of supporting your brain. And when your gut's happy, there's a trickle effect and your brain tends to follow.
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You mentioned kefir. It's K-E-F-I-R. Is that right? Yes. So we'll put links so their audience can find out more about Laura Yu and her role with Prevention Magazine, several articles that Laura has written, links to some of these resources about some of this nutritional and mental health combination of ideas. Laura is on the Prevention Medical Review Board for Prevention Magazine, working closely with Hearst. And it's such a pleasure to be talking to you today about nutrition and this idea of nerding out. on nutrition again i just love that reference our audience have spent years probably struggling with the diet culture and diet because of its very nature it's so faddish and it changes so rapidly as does this sense of body image. And I wonder if you'll talk for just a moment or two about how we can heal the relationship that we have to our own bodies that make us a little bit more aware, but also prouder of just who it is that we are and how food contributes to all of that.
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Healing starts with being kind to yourself, which can feel like learning a foreign language or riding a bike. And to be honest, Paul, I have met... so many folks who have been dieting for years. They don't see food, they see points because maybe they've been on Weight Watchers for so many years or they fear carbs because of Atkins or keto and they talk negatively about their bodies 24-7. So if you are someone who spent years battling with diet culture and struggling with body image, the first step is really self-compassion and accepting that you're not going to unlearn all of this overnight. Some places to start could be practicing mindfulness. So pay attention to how different foods make you feel and give yourself permission to enjoy food without guilt. Begin challenging these negative thoughts around food and your body. So that really is the core foundation to build on. And you don't have to be perfect. You just have to take it one step at a time.
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I've really found as I've gotten older that certain foods, sugar is one of those. I spend, I always have a water bottle close at hand because that's so important to me. And I really like the fact that you emphasize this. It's almost a personal thing, but this idea is that we're not defined by this number, by this weight idea. And I think that for those of us in my audience, those over 50, this idea of health at every size is really an important one. And so it's all about prioritizing nutrition and in particular for longevity and vitality. And so I mentioned water. There are some other things that are really important in regard to longevity and vitality. Maybe talk a little bit about those in your practice.
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Health at every size is all about moving away from using weight as the ultimate measure of health. So instead of focusing on a number on the scale, focus on promoting health. promoting behavior. So those would be things you just named right now that are some examples, like hydration, making sure you're getting enough water. For older adults, it means focusing on what actually keeps someone healthy. So prioritizing nutrient dense foods, the variety of fruits and vegetables, grains and proteins, staying active in ways that feel good. So this means that if you are not a runner, maybe don't start with a marathon as a goal, but maybe find something that you actually enjoy doing because that's going to be a pathway to a habit that's so much more sustainable than waking up, being stressed, dreading doing this thing that's only going to promote more stress in the long run. And then we also want to address stress because chronic stress can also lead to inflammation as well. And managing that is a big part of keeping your mind sharp and your body strong. I think everything you said too had a really great point of focusing on behaviors.
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Hi, everybody. We here at the Not Old Better Show understand the journey of aging gracefully. That's why we've partnered with Prevention Magazine, your trusted companion in health and wellness for over 70 years. Join us each month on the Not Old Better Show for exclusive insights from Prevention Magazine and all of their great team members. For the rest of 2024. For example, we're giving listeners invaluable insights from the great people at Prevention Magazine. Check back next month for a conversation on walking, nutrition, sleep, mindfulness, all of these fantastic topics. I've been a lifelong Prevention Magazine subscriber, including the All Access Plan, which, among other benefits, allows me to enjoy the latest monthly issue in print and on my phone or tablet. Prevention Magazine subscribers gain access to beautiful and beautiful things. practical guides on topics such as healthy weight loss, herbal remedies, and much, much more. Join our vibrant community by going to prevention.com, sign up for their amazing and affordable all-access plan. Come back to The Not All Better Show for some great stories that you just don't want to miss. The Not All Better Show and Prevention Magazine, celebrating life together.
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Laura Yu is our guest today. Laura is a Prevention Magazine Medical Review Board Member Registered Dietitian. has written about this subject in many, many articles and places. We'll have links so that our audience can find out more about Laura and her wonderful work with prevention. Let's talk about women's health for just a moment. Certainly, many of my audience actually do skew female. It's an interesting metric that we've found with regard to who is listening. Many are interested in the subject of menopause as they age, and no surprises there. But in particular, with regard to nutrition, there are some ways to manage perhaps some of the issues associated with menopause. And I wonder if you talk a little bit about those, because my audience really is going to be interested, I think, in knowing how this brain health works and gut health and all of these ideas around nutrition and perhaps menopause.
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Nutrition really is a powerful tool to help balance hormones and improve mental health, especially during menopause, which is a really vulnerable time for a lot of women. Right. bodies changing, their appetites are changing, energy levels are different than how they were before. Menopause can be quite of a roller coaster ride, and the right nutrition can smooth out some of the bumps. It may not address everything, and I think that's really important to note, but foods that are rich in phytoestrogens, so those are flax seeds. soy products. And again, we're not saying only eat these foods or eat these all the time. We're saying add in some of these varieties to your diet. So chickpeas can also help balance estrogen levels. Omega threes are another one. Those are really great for also reducing again, inflammation. Inflammation is a key part at all stages of life, but again, particularly important during menopause. And magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, even pumpkin seeds, or any seeds, really, beans can also help calm the nervous system and promote better sleep, which is, again, thinking about the whole body as a marker of health and supporting your body with a variety of foods and activity, reducing stress. You're going to kind of see those at any stage of life.
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Those are some great tips. Again, Laura, we're going to put links so that our audience can find out. more specific information about all the references that you make. Let's talk about some of the misconceptions about food. I rattled off sugar as being something that I tend to be a little bit mindful of because it seems to pop me up a little bit. It makes me a little agitated even at times. And so I have to watch it. And I wonder if that's just in my head or if that is a gut-brain connection. But there are bound to be other misconceptions that we have about. food and in order to enjoy this balanced life in this approach to nutrition, I'd love to hear some of your suggestions and some of the things that we get wrong about food.
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I get these questions all the time. And I love the myth busting of all these misconceptions that we hear. One that I hear a lot is people believe healthy eating has to mean giving up your favorite foods. That's one of the biggest misconceptions because it doesn't mean you have to give up everything because too much of anything is unhelpful. So even too much water could be unhelpful, right? So it's not about not having it at all, because you can swing from one end of the pendulum, so totally not eating it at all, to then that's the only thing that you crave. So psychologically, sometimes that's what drives these cravings. And so we want to be mindful of giving yourself permission to keep these foods around so that it doesn't become something that you've become fixated on. You want variety in your diet.
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When we think about this idea of intuitive eating in your role as a registered dietitian and a counselor on this subject. Give us some, maybe two or three tips so that we can balance this and help us manage some of these chronic conditions that an older age audience might be experiencing like heart disease or like high blood pressure and promoting this idea of balance.
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Even when managing chronic conditions like diabetes or heart conditions, food still does not have to be a restriction. I get this all the time. And I do this all the time. I have my clients focus on adding more foods that nourish their bodies. And one example of this is managing cholesterol. And one way to do that without being so fixated on the number on the scale, oh, I got to lose weight, I got to lose weight, it's actually about adding fiber. And adding fiber will have a much bigger effect most of the time on reducing cholesterol than it will be to just focus on weight loss. And I don't know if you've ever seen on the outside of food packages that say like oatmeal or cereal, it'll say, oh, it has fiber in it, it will help lower cholesterol. Well, that's because when we have cholesterol in our bodies, we do need some of it for hormone function. But sometimes when we have too much of it, half of that lingers in our intestines. So it's just sort of hanging out in our intestines. So adding fiber actually acts as a magnet to attract and bind to cholesterol, and then that gets excreted as waste. So that's one way to lower cholesterol. in a very tangible goal-driven way that is focused on behaviors, not just a number.
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We talked about some of the misconceptions about health. Let's talk about some of the misinformation about health. And I think certainly social media is on all of our minds. It is ubiquitous. We get information from it. We do all kinds of socializing via our social media accounts. It's a place where there are a lot of food myths and That's perpetuated and... It probably drives you crazy. It's a strange world out there. But in addition to the links that we're going to put up directly to you and your work, maybe give our audience a couple of tips of solid places to go to get some really good, hard and fast information that aren't going to be fraught with all of these misinformation elements.
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A ton of misinformation and disinformation out there. Anyone who with an account can become like a health guru. And so... Yeah, my advice is really to look for credible sources like registered dietitians and doctors and experts, those who are really committed to evidence-based practices, not someone who's going to put out some or promote some miracle product or claim to have a secret to health. That's your red flag, pretty quick and easy, clear red flag for you to know, to tread carefully, and to trust the experts who provide these sustainable, long-term, evidence-based advice. And to take nutrition advice with a grain of salt, because you have to find what works for you. It's not about what works for this person online or your neighbor or someone else. It has to be really individualized to your circumstances, your cultural background, your food preferences and your access.
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I really like this way that you describe yourself as the anti-diet dietitian. And you really have this very thorough and specifically science oriented approach. to all of this. And I think that's very powerful. Laura, you will have lots of links so their audience can find out more information. But if there's one piece of practical advice, especially as we're starting to get into the holidays and food is going to be everywhere for us to sample and enjoy with families, what do we do with some of that information that might be conflicting, but we need to start making better choices? Maybe give us one hard and fast tip that'll help us do that?
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That is a tough question because I could think of so many different things. I think if you're overwhelmed by all the nutrition noise out there, start with the basics, focus on what you can add to your day, not what you have to cut out or subtract or take away, but simply focus on adding more. That might mean adding more water. That might mean adding more vegetables or more fruit, more grain. fats or proteins to your day, more movement, right? Like it can be a simple sort of reframe of how you view health and that can be a pathway to something so much more sustainable.
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Laura Yu, Prevention Medical Review Board member and registered dietitian. Thank you so much for talking to us today and helping us nerd out on nutrition. It's a pleasure to talk to you. We'd love to have you back. I know that there are so many subjects to still uncover with regard to seems to change all the time. So please selfishly come back and see us.
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Thank you so much, Paul. I would love that.
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My thanks to Laura Yu, Prevention
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Medical Review Board member,
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and to Prevention Magazine and executive producer, Sam Henninger. My thanks to you, our wonderful audience here on radio and podcast. Be well, be safe, and let's talk about better. The Not All Better Show,
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Prevention Magazine,
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healthy living interview series on radio and podcast. Thanks, everybody.
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We will see you next time.
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Thanks for joining us this week on the Not Old Better Show. To find out more about all of today's stories, or to view our extensive back catalog of previous shows, simply visit notold-better.com. Join us again next time as we deep dive into some of the most fascinating real-life stories from across the world, all focused on this wonderful experience of getting better, not just older. Let's talk about better. The Not Old Better Show.
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Hi, one final thing. Please check out our website for this episode and all episodes at notold-better.com or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to check out your local radio stations to find out more about the Not Old Better Show on podcast and radio. You can find us all over social media. Our Twitter feed is notoldbetter and we're on Instagram at notoldbetter2. The Not Old Better Show is a production of NOBS Studios. I'm Paul Vogelsang and I hope you'll join me again next time to talk. about better the not old better show thanks everybody we'll see you next week
