merylbrandwein.com

Hormonal Well Being

Meryl — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:34:50 +0000

Thursday, February 14 12:30 pm-2 pm

Join us at the Bonaventure hotel for a discussion and cooking demo on eating for healthy hormones. Hormonal balance is a complex process and the work that they do is subtle. Understanding how even little shifts in our hormones affect our lives is an important part of maintaining our well -being. Hormonal imbalances affect every aspect of our bodies. The foods we eat, and our lifestyle also impacts our hormonal balance. This workshop will delve into the facts about the role that hormones play and their effects on our mental and physical health. We will talk about how to eat for hormonal health and what you can do to be proactive during times of hormonal shifts.

For Information & Reservations

954.349.5500

250 Racquet Club Dr., Weston, FL

www.bonaventureresortandspa.com

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Changing the Taste of The Taste Bud

Meryl — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 19:21:12 +0000

Check out Meryl’s article for The Parent Notebook Magazine, Jan/Feb, 2013

Parents may state from time to time…
”My child has a great appetite!”
“She’s just a picky eater.”
“My kid favors sweet items.”
“My son enjoys a glass of chocolate milk any day over a
glass of water.”
“My daughter does not like vegetables!

Click to download the article

Vegetable Preparation or Better Taste Check out Meryl’s article for The Parent Notebook Magazine, Sept/Oct,...

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Vegetable Preparation or Better Taste

Meryl — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 19:22:45 +0000

Check out Meryl’s article for The Parent Notebook Magazine, Sept/Oct, 2012

There is no question that children
need to eat their vegetables. Studies
indicate, however, that the
majority of children and adolescents are
consuming less than half of the daily
recommendations of fruits and vegetables.
The United States Department
of Agriculture (UDSA) recommends
that adolescents and adults consume
five to thirteen servings of fruits and
vegetables daily, equal to approximately
2-1/2-- 6 cups. For a person eating
approximately 2000 calories per day
this would be about 4-1/2 cups daily.
Younger children, ages 6 and under,
should be consuming a minimum of 2
cups of vegetables and one cup of fruit
each day, although if you look at your
child’s daily menu, this requirement
most likely is not being met.

Click to download the article

Changing the Taste of The Taste Bud Check out Meryl’s article for The Parent Notebook Magazine, Jan/Feb,...

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Whole Foods Shopping Tour

paulsteiner — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 23:25:00 +0000

Still confused about what to buy?

It’s no wonder! Over 15,000 new food products are introduced per year. Additionally, the media offers an over abundance of conflicting information about what is healthy and what is not. Thus, it is becoming increasingly confusing and difficult to navigate your way through the maze of food and food products in the grocery store. Meryl will lead a private 90-minute tour of a local natural foods market to address your personal questions and concerns and discuss tips for being a more conscious consumer, including how to read labels, choose foods that will satisfy cravings, provide delicious snacks and more.
After, you will walk out feeling empowered and confidant as to what ingredients to use and what foods to choose for you and your family!

Our next food shopping tour will be on
December 6th at 11:30am
Whole Foods Pembroke Pines 14956 Pines Blvd Pembroke Pines, FL 33027
Cost is $25.00
If you would like to attend please contact Meryl by email - meryl@merylb.com

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Whole Foods Shopping Tour

Meryl — Tue, 01 May 2012 03:46:27 +0000

Over 15,000 new food products are introduced per year. Additionally, the media offers an over abundance of conflicting information about what is healthy and what is not. Thus, it is becoming increasingly confusing and difficult to navigate your way through the maze of food and food products in the grocery store. Meryl will lead a private 90-minute tour of a local natural foods market to address your personal questions and concerns and discuss tips for being a more conscious consumer, including how to read labels, choose foods that will satisfy cravings, provide delicious snacks and more.

Our next food shopping tour will be on  
Wednesday May 16th at 6:30pm
Whole Foods Pembroke Pines 14956 Pines Blvd Pembroke Pines, FL 33027
Cost is $25.00
If you would like to attend please contact Meryl by email - meryl@merylb.com

Whole Foods Shopping Tour Still confused about what to buy? It’s no wonder! Over...

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How Do Your Health Habits Stack Up?

Meryl — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:19:12 +0000

There is no question that preventing disease is much easier than treating disease. Prevention however is not a priority in our current healthcare system. Studies indicate, that an increasing number of people are learning to advocate for their own health and wellbeing. As individuals begin to take a proactive approach to preserving their health they face the challenge of acquiring the right type of information. Individuals attempting to empower themselves to take charge of their health often have no clear idea how to go about it. More importantly, they don’t know where to seek reliable, valid information that will help them help themselves.
With respect to nutrition, information should be obtained from a nutrition professional. There are many people advocating to be experts, but in reality lack the credentials to substantiate this. Do your research. Physicians, unless they are specifically trained in nutrition, are not necessarily qualified to provide nutritional advice.
Learning how to take charge of your health is a process. Giving people the tools to stay healthy is as important as helping them when they are sick. By providing healthy nutrition choices through education and advising proper supplementation we can help reduce preventable diseases. However, nothing happens overnight and making a commitment to yourself and your health takes work. It’s not difficult work; it’s about being consistent and practicing healthy habits routinely. One such habit that I advocate is clean eating. What does this mean? The essence of clean eating is consuming food in its most whole, or natural state. This isn’t about a diet, it’s a lifestyle. By empowering yourself on a daily basis you will begin to see a healthier more vibrant you!

Clean Eating Philosophies:

Find your food clock: By working with your nutrition advisor you will find out what kind of eater you are. Do you need to feed yourself three times a day or six? Three meals and two to three snacks may work for some, but others find they don’t feel well with this routine. Experiment for a few days, or weeks to find what feels best for your body. Most importantly, make sure that you are not skipping meals.
Read your labels: Food that is truly clean doesn’t have many ingredients. If you can’t pronounce it, your body doesn’t know what to do with it! Truly clean food has no more than four to five ingredients.
Avoid refined and processed foods: Foods that are packaged or boxed are lower on the clean eating spectrum. Try to avoid anything with added sugar, fats and chemicals. Breads, pastas, cookies and chips are all highly processed foods.
Get in tune with your body: Eat consciously. Try to identify your hunger cues. Eat only when you’re hungry and stop when you are satisfied; and eat slowly and enjoy your food. This is the best method of portion control. Being in touch with your hunger will help you stay at a healthy weight.
Eat sustainably: Shop for foods that have been produced locally and that are in season. Consume humanely raised and local meat/fish/poultry. It’s less taxing on the wallet and the environment.
Keep it in the family: Eating is a highly social behavior. Sitting down to a family meal at least once a week has been proven to help children stay healthy and allows the family to reconnect.

Whole Foods Shopping Tour Still confused about what to buy? It’s no wonder! Over...

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Join Meryl for her latest Cooking Immersion Class

Meryl — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 03:29:25 +0000

Do you want to feed you and your family healthier foods and learn how to incorporate them into your daily eating? Do you want to understand more how the food you eat affects your body and mind? Are you a stranger to your kitchen because of time constraints, lack of energy, or feeling intimidated?

Meryl provides the latest research on foods, cooking techniques, and nutritional supplements that help promote health, vitality, and mental clarity.

When: Thursday April 26th, 2012 @ 6:30pm

Click the event flyer below for more info.

If you would like to attend please contact Meryl by email - meryl@merylb.com

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I am a Woman, Mom, Wife, Friend and Daughter. More importantly— I am a SURVIVOR.

Meryl — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:56:37 +0000

The three words no one wants to hear. “You have cancer.” The three words that change your life forever. Nothing causes life to go into a complete tailspin faster than receiving a diagnosis that you have cancer.
Six weeks after the birth of my third child, Ashley, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Like so many others who hear those dreaded words, my life flashed before me the moment my doctor said the word cancer. My heart started racing and I didn’t know what to do next-except cry. I remember asking the doctor if I was going to die, and her reply was, “I don’t think so.” Not something you want to hear- ever.
I knew at that moment that I had the fight of my life in front of me and that there was no way I was going to let this beat me. After I returned home from the doctor’s office, and after telling my family, I think I held up better than they did considering; I did the only thing I knew how to do…fight. I didn’t have time to sit and wallow, I was going to find out as much as I could and find a way to get past this. I remember telling my friends, and they didn’t believe me. I was always so healthy. I ate what I thought was healthy; after all, I am a nutritionist. I exercised and took good care of myself. How did this happen to me? As if the diagnosis wasn’t bad enough, the testing was almost as bad. It’s tough having a physical exam being post-partum. I was nursing, although I had to give that up once I had all of my nuclear tests done as I didn’t want poor Ashley glowing in the dark from all of the radiation I was receiving. It was a little embarrassing however when my doctor examined my breasts and breast milk squirted him in the face!
Within a week of receiving the diagnosis I had surgery to remove one of the tumors in my neck, had all of my testing and started chemotherapy. My father and my aunt Hilary were both there for my first treatment. It was an experience I will never forget and we were all in tears when the needle for the IV went into my arm. It was a horrible experience. I received one drug that was red, it was Adriamycin. I still get nauseous to this day when I say it, hear it or write it. I remember going to the bathroom and my urine was the same red color. “That’s the poison that’s going to cure me” I remember saying to myself.
I didn’t really believe that I was really sick until my hair started falling out. THAT was my turning point. I always loved my hair. As a woman I think it often “defines” who we are in some way. When it started coming out in clumps I knew it was time to shave it off. Luckily my kids were young enough that they didn’t really understand what was happening. I would take on and off my wigs and we’d make it a game. Though I must admit, my son Jason, who I am convinced has a six sense, knew that mommy wasn’t herself. Inevitably each Tuesday when I’d come home from chemo feeling nauseous and tired, he would come over to me, grab my hand that was bandaged from where my IV was, and would just sit by me. For no reason in particular, he’d just sit.
I was so very blessed to be surrounded by family and friends who love me. Each week either a friend or a family member would drive me into NY to take me to treatment. I think in some cases it was harder for them to watch the process than it was for me to receive it. Some weeks were harder than others, as chemo is cumulative. Just when I started feeling a little bit better, I’d have to go for treatment again. Those 12 weeks just seemed to drag on forever. I tried to put up a good front, which I think I did pretty well, but I always felt like I was in a funk. I would call it my “chemo cloud.” Somehow you just never feel quite right while you’re on chemo. I did push through and I was determined to continue exercising. I had just finished reading Lance Armstrong’s book and was inspired by him. If I could exercise I thought, I’d be ok. Though radiation was not as bad, I remember crying many times when I was laying on that table. Five minutes never lasted so long. It was during radiation treatments that I found out that my mother had breast cancer, and my grandmother was diagnosed with colon cancer a couple of months later.
I don’t know if I could ever thank those people around me; my family and my friends, enough for the love, support and tenderness they provided me during that time. My good friend Amy Farbstein even ran a marathon in Alaska in my honor. How do you thank someone for that?
I am clearly not the same person that I was before I had the cancer. It not only changed me personally but professionally as well. You can read about that journey on my website.
I am one of the lucky ones because I get to write about my experience and get to boast about my success.
I am participating in this relay for life, for those who have not been so lucky.
I relay for those who have succumb to this disease. My friends and my family who were not as lucky as I have been.
I relay for the cure not yet found.
I relay for those who cannot.
Please help me support this cause. Please join my team.
If you cannot participate at the event, please consider a donation. Any amount is appreciated.
Remember I relay so you won’t EVER have to hear those three words—EVER.

I don’t think that I have ever written in such detail the experience that I went through. I talk about it, but somehow writing it down brings back the memories much clearer.

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Taking steps towards better health…One ingredient at a time..

Meryl — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:14:35 +0000

Often times people are not quite certain what to expect when they go to see a nutritionist. They are well aware, however, that there’s a pretty good likelihood that something in their diet will have to change. Believe it or not, it’s for this very reason that people put off coming to see me. Ask someone to give up a bad or unhealthy habit, and they are willing to give it a go. Asking someone to change their diet is another story completely.

It’s for this very reason that I don’t completely overhaul someone’s diet the first time I meet them. The key to success, whether I am addressing a health issue, weight loss, or simply general wellness, is to begin slowly by making small changes..

Changing behaviors is difficult. Incorporating too many “new” foods at one time can be overwhelming and intimidating. The more comfortable you get with one ingredient at a time, the more often you will incorporate it into your diet. For instance, if you enjoy salad, rather than using Romaine lettuce over and over, try adding in a different green. Arugula, watercress, escarole and endive are loaded with flavor and nutrients. Try a different green each day, experiment with them and you will soon notice your salad takes on a whole different dimension of flavor. This is one example of how to incorporate a variety of ingredients into your daily routine. Staying with that salad theme, we can move onto the veggies in the salad. If you usually use cucumber, tomato and carrots for example try other vegetables. Items such as peppers, beets, seeds (sunflower, sesame, pumpkin), artichokes and beans for example are wonderful ways to incorporate different flavors, textures and nutrients into one meal.

The same idea goes for meals as well. Think about one new, unusual ingredient that you have not tried yet, but have heard of, and add it to one meal during the week. If you like it, you should find other ways to incorporate it into your weekly routine, if you don’t enjoy it move onto another ingredient. If you try this trick with one new ingredient each week, you will be expanding not only your recipe box but you’ll see health improvements as well!!

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Valentines Day, that day we associate with love….

Meryl — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:25:27 +0000

Ahh yes, Valentines Day; that day we associate with love….

For me, February 14th carries with more profound and heartfelt feelings. It was on this date 11 years ago that I was proud to announce that I was cancer free, and had undergone my last chemotherapy treatment. Admitting that I am a cancer survivor, often feels almost sur real; as though it wasn’t really me who had the disease. Yet, the diagnosis and subsequent treatment that I underwent radically changed the person who I was both personally and professionally. As adults we offer advice when it’s asked for, and sometimes even when it’s not. What people choose to listen to is of course their prerogative. We offer advice because we believe that people can perhaps learn from our lessons, mistakes or faults.

The way, in which I now practice, referred to as functional nutrition, is a far cry from the way I was initially taught. I was a skeptic, a cynic and a naysay because I thought I knew better. This is where I find many people in conventional medicine today. I am lucky to be a survivor and am blessed to have the opportunity to look back on what I now consider my narrow-minded view of medicine and health. I am fortunate to be able to offer my advice for someone else to benefit from. I do feel that it was a shame that I had to undergo such a terrible life lesson to learn what I now know, but that’s just how life goes, I guess. I was taught about merely one viewpoint of health, to go against that ideal was unthinkable. There was no exposure to any other philosophies. Other cultures embrace a myriad of beliefs in respect to health. Preventive medicine is a common practice in Asian countries, however in America we are as disease based society.

Prevention isn’t very popular. Most would rather eat what they want, and only seek advice when something “goes wrong.” In the U.S. we are not taught to take care of our bodies through nutrition and excercise until it’s too late. This mentality has gotten us into the healthcare crisis we now face. If we are to help future generations and ourselves we must begin to look at preventive medicine in a different light. My practice is based on the principles of preventive medicine and preventive nutrition. My goal is to educate and support our patients here at MBN and to transform their nutrition to support health. We feel it is critical to provide patients with advice, menus, comprehensive plans and consistent support and encouragement. Educating people about their bodies and the importance of taking care of the one body we live in is my priority. I have seen first hand the difference that it makes, and if that experience can help just one person, I have accomplished my goal. I continue to seek out new audience members in the hopes of spreading the message. I always say it’s much easier to prevent a disease then fight it once you have it. If the message benefits one more person from avoiding undergoing chemotherapy and radiation as I had, then I have succeeded.

Wishing you all a very sweet and happy Valentines Day!

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