There’s been a lot of press talking about a new diet pill Qnexa this week.   Have you heard about it?   Basically it’s a diet pill that combines amphetamine phentermine, medication said to suppress appetite and approved for short term diet use, and Topamax, a medication said to increase satiety.   Many federal health advisors have been singing its praise this week and it was even voted in favor 20-2 from FDA doctors.   The next steps are a follow up study to make sure the drug doesn’t cause any heart problems. Excuse me you say?   Yes that’s right.   The FDA urges the company to conduct a folIow up study.    You see, Qnexa was rejected by the FDA in October 2010 because a study showed a higher heart rate in those who took Qnexa and birth defects for woman who became pregnant.   Although, the drug did yield an average of a 10% weight loss, the highest reduction noted by any “diet drug,” the FDA wants to be sure to follow up just to be sure...

Sarah continues to move through her recovery from Anorexia Nervosa and has made it through the most triggering time of the year for the majority of my clients - the holidays.  As Sarah moves forward from a setback of restriction, she shares her latest thoughts below.  Keep up the hard work Sarah. As always, we are pulling for you! The past couple of days, who am I kidding; the past month has been difficult. Maintaining the healthy path of recovery is not as easy as the average person may think. I have come to the realization that listening and obeying the voices that sometimes accompany an eating disorder goes against my own personal beliefs. I have always been a true believer in the phrase what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger and so I have decided to make my new mantra, “eating will not kill me”. You see not eating is what will kill me.   If I continue on this path of restricting, I will remain week both physically and mentally and where is the fun in ...

It's hard to believe I started this blog a year ago today!  Thank you to those of you who who have read and commented on my 77 posts in the last year. I started this blog due to a large frustration with  all the misinformation presented in the media and news about nutrition and health.  Ask Amy is here to provide correct information that is backed by research or personal experience with my private practice.  I am always looking for new ideas and topics so I encourage you to share this blog with your friends and family and send in your requests for 2012.  If you have a question feel free to email me and you'll find it answered in a coming blog. Until then... be well!

I’m a visual person so to start take a look to the right. Today the First Lady, along with Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the first changes to school meal programs in 15 years.   The aim is to clean up some of the high fat, sugary, and salty options that are current in the school system.   The thought is that by providing an extension of healthy options away from home this can help parents who are already working hard to create healthy balanced meals. The changes are said to improve the health and nutrition of 32 million children who utilize the school programs daily.   The staples of the changes will offer both fruits and vegetables at each meal, increase offerings of whole grains, offer low fat and fat free milk products,   as well as focus on calories, portion sizes, saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium.   School meal changes will be implemented within the next three years starting as early as September 2012.   Lunches are expected to ch...

I am a dietitian, therefore I believe in dietitians.   I do not think all dietitians are created equally.   I do not think all dietitians are necessarily great at what they do, but I do believe if you work with the right dietitian you can get results that affect your overall health in a very positive way.   What I don’t know how to do is convince the public at large that a dietitian is the professional to seek out when looking for assistance with weight loss, food allergies, high blood cholesterol, uncontrolled blood pressure, Diabetes, Eating Disorders, and much more.   It seems like a no brainer to me; simply a written order from a physician to schedule an appointment with a dietitian along with medication prescriptions.   But this doesn’t happen as easily as it sounds. I’m still boggled after answering questions like what’s the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist. Now I’m starting to also be asked what a health coach is.   Personally, I...

Ah, January and New Year’s resolutions.   Those who consistently go to the gym throughout the year get slightly bothered in the beginning months of because of how crowded it is, the grocery stores notice healthier purchasing and increase their marketing and coupons on the organic or health foods, and dietitians read advertisement after advertisement on the web, in the newspaper, or in magazines promising for fast easy results as we roll our eyes (at least this one does). I think it’s a great idea to make a resolution but it’s important to make it realistic and measureable to keep motivation and accountability intact.   Instead of saying “2012 is the year of health” why not make a specific measureable goal, share it, and have a buddy who can cheer you on?   I’d recommend changing the statement “2012 is the year of health” to, “in 2012, I will focus on eating 2 additional servings of fruits and vegetables and decreasing my lean protein from 7 oz. to 4 oz.”   Share t...

I have worked with hundreds of clients, some who come right into my office and tell me they are addicted to sugar.    It’s a common theme that is explored individually.   After reviewing patterns and lifestyles, recommendations are made to change the makeup of meals as well as the timing and almost always we are able to decrease the intensity of the cravings once we fuel the body correctly.   I was intrigued to read the study led by Yale University and the University of Southern California who reviewed the relationship between glucose drops and responses by the brain.   The study was published September 19 th in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.   The Yale scientists manipulated glucose levels intravenously and monitored blood glucose levels while subjects were shown pictures of high calorie foods, low calorie food, and non food items.   Each subject underwent MRI scans which showed that when glucose levels dropped, the hypothalamus sensed the...