Friday, March 28, 2014

What's the Deal with Emotions?



If I Google emotions chart I can choose from over 11 million results that will most likely contain more options for happy, sad, angry and scared than most people can wrap their minds around. It makes sense that deciphering the minute differences between fearful and afraid, or elated and overjoyed can be confusing. Keeping them all straight when we have so many options can feel overwhelming. Consequently, when in therapy you may be asked about your feelings so much that you would rather not having emotions at all!

Most often we embark on therapy not because of the emotions that fall under the happy category, but due to those that are associated with sad, scared, or angry. It makes sense when clients wish away their emotions altogether. If one feels melancholy the majority of time, not having emotions may seem like an ideal solution. Life may be easier without the complications that emotions can provide. We could move past struggles without anxiety, depression or having to develop coping mechanisms to numb out the emotions that feel too great to overcome.

Consider life without emotions though. Even in a depressed state many individuals are able to identify that something is not right, that they do not feel well. As I’m writing this I’m trying to imagine what my day would be like without even the most mild emotions. I wouldn’t have felt reluctant for more sleep this morning. I would not have felt content sipping my morning coffee, reading today’s news. I would not have felt. The moments during our days would be purely intellectual with no deeper meaning to them. There would not be that feeling that fills out the thought, action or reason for why. Thinking about this, I can only describe it as robotic, hollow.

So then why do we need the full range of emotions? Couldn’t we just have happiness and forget about the rest? Typically when I ask clients this, they laugh envision a world where everyone would be constantly happy. It may be fun for a bit, but after a while it may become draining or even as drab as a world with no emotions. Without the full range we miss out on the positive things that having a complex set of emotions brings to our lives. We are able to know when we are happy because we are also able to know when we are sad. Having a wide range of emotions provides a comparison point to distinguish one from the other. And from these differences we can then work on uncovering the degrees of an emotion to gain better insight into our lives.

Having a wide range of emotions provides our days with more meaning. It’s why when we remember a moment of elation we can often tap back into how we felt in that moment. Emotions fill out those moments, planting more complex memories deeper in our minds. Additionally, we can become mindful of our emotions to become more insightful about ourselves. Recognizing that certain situations bring hope to our hearts or panicky thoughts are ways we can learn who we are. With this knowledge we can take control of our lives, and supply our toolboxes with the skills we need to manage any moment or emotion.

Still skeptic? Do the Google search I mentioned at the beginning of this post. With over 11 million results surely there is evidence that better articulates the importance of our emotions. And maybe you will discover a new one that resonates with you!



Katie Infusino is currently finishing her Masters work in Community Counseling at DePaul University. As an intern at The Awakening Center she sees clients for individual sessions, co-leads the Monday Narrative Therapy Body Image Group, as well as the Tuesday evening support group. Katie loves sharing the emotions charts she finds and working with clients to better understand the positive intentions behind each emotion. 

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

HCG: The Ugliest of Fad Diets


HCG:  The Ugliest of the Fad Diets

When it comes to fad diets, as long as weight loss is promised, people will follow it, even if they have no idea what they are injecting or swallowing.  This is definitely the case with the HCG diet; ask someone whom is following this fad diet what HCG is, and they will probably respond with a vague or clueless response.

Before discussing the harm this diet can cause, let’s outline the details of how it’s supposed to work.  HCG, Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, is a hormone that supports normal egg development in the ovaries, and stimulates the release of eggs in one phase of a women’s menstrual cycle.  It is also present in the placenta during the first trimester of pregnancy.  How in the modern world of science does this relate to weight loss?  It has been proposed that HCG can tell the brain to use body fat as a fuel source when on a Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD), instead of breaking down muscle mass, which normally occurs during inadequate calorie consumption.  The use of body fat for energy “tricks” the body into thinking it is receiving adequate calories.  In addition to HCG injections or the ingested droplet form, one must follow a diet that is 800 or less calories per day.

The HCG diet poses a double risk, the first from the hormone itself, and the second from the VLCD.  HCG is prescribed for fertility issues, but in some cases, the following side effects have been reported; fatigue, low energy levels, constipation, blood clots, numbness, tingling, confusion, dizziness, headaches, ovarian hyper-stimulation and cysts, vaginal bleeding, and decreased sperm production and breast enlargement in men.  VLCD’s provide less than 800 calories per day, and may cause gallstones, irregular heartbeat, electrolyte imbalances, and low energy levels.  It is also impossible to meet daily nutritional needs at such a low calorie level.

If the proposed side effects have not sent followers running in the opposite direction, consider the fact that the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has not approved HCG for weight loss, and it has not been proven that its use results in weight loss.

Those on the HCG diet may lose weight, but this is solely from the VLCD.  When considering the VLCD separate from the HCG, it is a quick fix that often leads to the person gaining all, or even more weight that was lost.  Several doctors believe VLCDs are safe when medically supervised, but as a dietitian, the writer of this note, in most cases, never recommends meal plans that provide less than 1500 calories per day.

Weight loss is more successful and long-term when clients are taught how to create well-balanced meals, and incorporate an exercise program as part of a healthier lifestyle.  Off-and-on use of VLCDs causes one’s metabolism (the ability to use food for energy) to become less effective, and weight loss more difficult.  When thinking about it, a body that is frequently starved wants to hold on to everything possible in order to survive.  Finally, the diet component of the HCG plan is chock-full of rules and regulations; only 2 meals per day, no butter or oils, 1 tablespoon of milk per day, 1 protein/1 vegetable/1 bread/1 fruit per meal, and each food group has a minimal list of “allowed foods.”  It makes one wonder, who made these lists, and what is the logic behind the chosen and unchosen foods?


In considering all of this, the smart consumer is the educated consumer.  If effortless weight loss is promised, treat it like a stop sign; before proceeding do the research!  Advertised weight loss products and diets often fail because their restrictive nature leads to frustration, many possible side effects, and a rapid weight loss that is temporary and unhealthy.

Michel D. Harris, RD, LDN, CDE!

Michel D. Harris is a Registered Dietitian with 14 years of experience as a clinical and outpatient dietitian.  Her areas of practice include eating disorders, weight loss and management, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and food allergies/gluten sensitivity.  As an exercise physiologist, she also assists individuals of all fitness levels in planning exercise programs.


At the Awakening Center, Michel provides individual nutrition consultations, as well as multiple group classes and workshops.  Individual sessions include the development of a comprehensive wellness plan that focuses on establishing a healthy relationship with food and exercise, as well as identifying and changing detrimental eating behaviors/patterns.  The nutrition counseling and mindful eating groups allow individuals to share and receive help with the recovery process via discussion of certain topics and activities.  If you would like to speak with Michel regarding your interest in any of her services, please contact her at 773-929-6262 x24 ormeishadivito@yahoo.com.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Eat, Don't Drink Your Calories!

Before you read this week's post, I'd like to introduce you to The Awakening Center's newest nutritionist, Michel D. Harris, RD, LDN, CDE!

Michel D. Harris is a Registered Dietitian with 14 years of experience as a clinical and outpatient dietitian.  Her areas of practice include eating disorders, weight loss and management, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and food allergies/gluten sensitivity.  As an exercise physiologist, she also assists individuals of all fitness levels in planning exercise programs.


At the Awakening Center, Michel provides individual nutrition consultations, as well as multiple group classes and workshops.  Individual sessions include the development of a comprehensive wellness plan that focuses on establishing a healthy relationship with food and exercise, as well as identifying and changing detrimental eating behaviors/patterns.  The nutrition counseling and mindful eating groups allow individuals to share and receive help with the recovery process via discussion of certain topics and activities.  If you would like to speak with Michel regarding your interest in any of her services, please contact her at 773-929-6262 x24 or meishadivito@yahoo.com.

 Eat, Don’t Drink Your Calories

Liquid nutrition in the form of juices and smoothies has grown in popularity over the past few years.  Many popular fast food facilities have added what they claim to be, “fresh-squeezed” juices, and thick, blended produce concoctions to their offerings.  One particular chain, Jamba Juice©, specializes in this juicing and smoothie craze.  Sales for juicing appliances have also risen. 

While some use these beverages for pure refreshment, many have alternative reasons for their use, in which the most common is for weight loss.  In addition, clients that seek nutrition counseling services have shared that they feel “better”, “natural”, or “clean” when going on a “juice fast,” or using it as part of a weight loss plan.  Then there is the handful of clients that use juices and smoothies for extra calories when trying to gain weight or as post-workout fuel.

The big question is, do these beverages really help with weight loss, and deliver the promised antioxidants and other health benefits?  Ideally, a food or beverage that is part of a weight loss meal plan should include fiber and protein, with a reasonable amount of calories.  Therefore, a person following a 1500 calorie meal plan would allow 400-500 calories per meal.  Fiber expands when it enters the stomach to provide a feeling of “fullness,” while protein provides satiety, a.k.a., the sense of satisfaction.  Researchers suspect that protein slows or stops the activity of ghrelin, a hormone that communicates to the brain that we are hungry.

Another consideration: several recent studies have shown that calorie-containing beverages, when provided with a meal, do not promote satiety because subjects consumed similar, or in some cases more calories, when compared to those who drank a zero-calorie beverage at the same meal.  From this, we can question if a juice or smoothie as a “meal” would lead to early hunger pains, and actually promote excess snacking or over-eating at meals.  Doesn’t this also support the fact that the process of chewing contributes to the satisfaction of the eating process?

So how does this apply to our liquid nutrition?  Juicing and blending processes break down the fiber in fruits and vegetables, reducing their effectiveness as a stomach-filler, and neither is a significant source of protein.  Calorie-wise, it may take four pieces of fruit to make one glass of juice for a total of 240-480 calories, depending on the size, and type of fruits used.  Smoothies usually contain yogurt, peanut butter, and other add-ins that provide protein, but additional calories.  After investigating, it was found that a fresh-squeezed juice from a popular establishment contained 210 calories, 3 grams of protein, and 1 gram of fiber, while a medium smoothie had 410 calories, 4 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of protein.

In the case of juicing, adding the pulp back into the juice for fiber and protein powder, as well as substituting vegetables for less calories, will make an improved drink.  The smoothie example may sound reasonable in regards to calories, fiber, and protein, but instead of these liquids, one can do much better with one of the following solid breakfasts…

A Greek yogurt parfait with 1 cup of plain yogurt, 1 cup of fresh blueberries, and 1 ounce of slivered almonds provides 370 calories, 6 grams of fiber, and 30 grams of protein.

A breakfast sandwich made with 2 egg whites, 1 tomato slice, 1 turkey sausage patty, and one whole wheat sandwich thin with a side of fresh berries provides 325 calories, 9 grams of fiber, and 18 grams of protein.

As far as antioxidants, fresh produce when blended or eaten whole contains these valuable nutrients!

To conclude this debate, from a dietitian’s perspective and experience, consuming solid foods provides more satisfaction than drinking calories, especially when trying to lose weight.  Many clients try the liquid meal approach to lose weight, but quickly abandon it because they feel hungry hours before their next meal.  Also, people with diabetes often experience high blood glucose levels with either juices or smoothies because of the high carbohydrate content.  For both of the solid meals above, one gets a significant amount of fiber, protein, and antioxidants, with more satisfaction and flavor variety.

The jury agrees…Eat, don’t drink your calories!!!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

NEDA Awareness

Today's post will be adopted from post the Women's Health Foundation blog, written by one of our own interns, Nancy Hall.



I’m often confused by “awareness” campaigns. Many of the causes that have awareness weeks or months are already on our collective radar. How far does “awareness” go in actually addressing the needs of those who suffer from the particular illness or condition?

This is National Eating Disorders Awareness week, but let’s face it—most of us have heard of eating disorders. We know about women who starve themselves because they’re terrified of gaining weight; we hear tales of bingeing and purging cycles so severe that the person’s teeth rot. But how often have we heard the words “anorexic” or “bulimic” used as an accusation or insult? Do we laugh at jokes about someone’s binge eating? We’re certainly aware of these conditions—but where is the compassion?

According to NEDA, 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from an eating disorder. Desperate loved ones often feel helpless. The husband of a woman with anorexia tells her “just eat!” Parents of the young man with binge-eating disorder tell him “just eat smaller portions!” That word “just” crops up a lot and makes something so complicated seem so simple. There is nothing simple about recovering from an eating disorder. But it is possible and starts with compassion and understanding.

I am currently interning at The Awakening Center [[note--include hyperlink www.awakeningcenter.net]], a private psychotherapy practice that specializes in treating eating disorders, anxiety, trauma, depression, and other life challenges. Each of my clients and members of our ED support groups work hard to recover. They describe pain, shame, fear, and anger. They search for peace that at times seems unattainable. Triggers are everywhere, and they fear slipping back into old patterns. And they struggle to overcome the shame and stigma attached to their eating disorder.

The theme of this year’s NEDAwareness [[note—this spelling is correct; include hyperlink www.nedawarenessweek.org]] week is “I had no idea.” Those simple words strung together pack a powerful punch. They prompt us to go beyond simple awareness. “I had no idea” compels us to face the myths and biases that we have about people with eating disorders.

Amy Grabowski, LCPC ATR, founder of The Awakening Center, often quotes Milton Erikson: “What is now a problem was once a solution.” Restricting food, bingeing and purging, or bingeing all were once solutions to deal with anxiety, depression, trauma, and so forth. But these coping mechanisms become entrenched and have little to do with food, exercise, or weight. So treatment needs to go beyond calorie intake. Recovery comes from healing old wounds and learning to accept the body, mind, and spirit. New solutions to anxiety are discovered and toolboxes are filled with new skills.

If you or a loved one is suffering from an eating disorder, it’s OK to admit what you don’t know. Start with the words “I had no idea” and see where that leads. Think about your assumptions and you might realize “I had no idea someone could be at a normal weight and still have a binge-eating disorder.” Educate yourself about the consequences of anorexia and you might say “I had no idea so many die from this illness.” Find the compassion within yourself to get help and you might hear yourself say “I had no idea I could find peace.”

Nancy Hall
Candidate for master’s degree in clinical mental health

Graduate intern at The Awakening Center

http://womenshealthfoundation.org/national-eating-disorders-awareness-week/