Author sweetens reasons for healthy eating

There aren’t too many healthy eating lectures that include a candy break.

But that’s what happened during the healthy heart presentation at Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center on Monday.

Arizona physician Michelle May, author of “Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat,” had audience members take a piece of chocolate to illustrate how they should slow down, savor and breathe in the aromas of the food as they eat.

“Take small enough bites because you are missing the experience when you take big bites,” May said. “Practice mindful eating.”

May, herself a reformed yo-yo dieter whose life has been surrounded by food because of her professional chef husband and parents who own restaurants, has switched her thinking to a more pendulum form of eating.

“Yo-yos have no middle ground,” May said. “But pendulums go back and forth, and gradually you can slow down the extra movement.”

“It’s not about being perfect, it’s about finding a stable place in the middle,” she said.
The first rule, May said, is when you feel like eating, is to ask yourself simply “Am I hungry?”

“You need to determine whether you want food or need food,” May said. “Many people confuse the desire to eat with the need to eat.”

“Sometimes if you want a brownie, it’s not about the brownie,” May said. “It’s because you want a break, to talk to someone or some excitement.”

Exercise plays a very important role.

“Exercise is not punishment for eating,” May said. “It’s fueling a vibrant, fulfilled life.”
But those who are just starting off on a program need not feel intimidated.

“Set the bar so low it’s irresistible, such as two minutes of walking, or standing up during commercials,” May said.

“Wherever you are, start there and then after you start, do more. Figure out what that means for you and just do it.”

The event also featured a talk by cardiologist, Dr. Pranav Patel, who spoke about personal responsibility for one’s heart health, and the need for healthy eating and exercising.

“It’s never too early to start eating right,” Patel said. “You don’t have to wait until you have your first heart attack or stroke to stop eating what you shouldn’t be eating every day.”

Exercise, he said, should be a part of everyone’s daily routine, regardless of age.

“Don’t use age as an excuse for not doing things,” Patel said. “If you can’t walk, we can figure out a way to do something. If it’s too hard on your joints to be on a treadmill, how about water aerobics?”

For information, www.amihungry.com.