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What's your coffee drink and why?

Hi BaconTacoLove! I drink black iced coffee with a few drops of organic liquid stevia. I avoid the creamers and sweeteners that add up to a lot of calories and spike your blood sugar. I enjoy iced vs. hot simply out of personal preference. I enjoy Stevia as it is an all-natural, non-caloric sweetener that studies have shown to be safe for consumption with no side effects (unlike artificial sweeteners that cause gas and bloating, and have been shown to be carcinogens).

If you could travel back in time and give your younger self career advice, what would that advice be?

I appreciate this question, TurboTBag. It would be more about my mindset than a specific career. I felt I had to have it all together and all figured out in my 20s. I felt like I was behind and that everyone was thriving while I was confused and trying to figure out my strengths and passions in the workforce. If I could travel back in time I'd tell myself that I do not have to have it all figured out, especially in my 20s, and that nobody else does either. I would also tell myself to be proud of the jobs I had because they were not any less meaningful or "impressive" than anybody else's jobs.

I’m dairy free and pescatarian to help limit my IBS symptoms. Is there something I should be taking to replace the vitamins I’m missing from not eating meat and dairy? I eat seafood 1-2 times a week and I eat about 2 eggs per week. Thanks!!

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My wife is a RD too. What made you decide to become a RD? Did you go straight to RD or did you take a roundabout path.

I’ve recently started talking a digestive enzyme with dinner and it has helped greatly avoid stomach discomfort at night. It’s Enzymedica Digest Gold. Question is, are these safe to take long term? I’m concerned about my body adapting to it and not producing its own enzymes or if I should try getting enzymes through a more natural route like pineapple or papaya.

I'm otherwise super healthy (40M) but my BP is high. What can I add (or subtract) from my diet to get my BP down?

I do drink a lot of black coffee but don't smoke or do drugs or alcohol. Thanks.

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That's some solid advice. Thanks for sharing.

I feel like most people in their 20s have this sort of anxiety with what they should be doing in their lives. I know I definitely did.

If you've got time to answer another question: What's your happiest childhood memory that you'll never forget?

I just found out I have Marrow Reconversion and my doctor is stumped. How likely is it that my horrible IBS is the culprit?

What is your suggestion about artificial sweeteners? Is it better sucralose, sacarine , stevia maybe? Any no-no options ? Obviously don't want to fall into sugar or corn syrup temptation...help me plz!

How do you monetize your podcast?

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I’ve heard from “internet sources” that too much protein is bad for your health, specifically the kidneys??

Yet other “internet sources” says that there are no proven studies link daily high protein intake and kidney issues..

I’m someone who is weightlifting training and trying to count my macros.. and I’m trying to target 200g of protein intake per day..

I'm male, I eat 2 banana at 12 and I eat 1 pizza night time. Healthy?

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Hi noinnocentbystander! It's tough to answer as precisely as I'd like since I don't have your labs or medical history, but to give a general response, when people eliminate meat and dairy from their diet the nutrients with the highest risk for deficiency are iron, B12, and Calcium. Iron can be found in a lot of fruits and veggies, lentils, seeds, leafy greens, and quinoa! Some good sources of B12 are nutritional yeast, nori, and fortified soy or almond milk. Soy products (with minimal processing, ideally) are great plant-based sources of calcium (edamame, tofu, miso, soy milk, tempeh), as are nuts and seeds, and beans! If you're interested in supplementing instead, I always encourage consulting with your physician and having blood work done to see your nutrient levels before supplementing.

For more AMAs on this topic, subscribe to r/IAmA_Health, and check out our other topic-specific AMA subreddits here.

Hi coldgator! First off, it's important to remember that there are various types of kidney stones. That said, different foods impact the stones differently, but in general I would advise you to make sure you're staying hydrated! Aiming for around half your body weight, in ounces, of fluids per day, is a good rule of thumb. Please keep in mind that your needs increase when you're sick, in warmer climates, due to different disease states, and especially when you're active and/or sweating more than usual. The other thing I'd advise, which you may not like, is to gradually decrease your meat and sodium intake. Start replacing meat with chicken or fatty fish a few times per week, skip the salt shaker and use herbs and spices for flavoring instead. If you're open to it, I also encourage adding plant-based proteins like lentils, chia seeds, beans, and tempeh. Reducing your meat and sodium intake is a great place to start and I advise you to consult your physician since they have your full medical history and could make more personalized recommendations. I hope that helps!

Hi captmorgan50! I did not decide to become a RD until I was 25! I studied religion and communication in undergrad and then worked for 5 years (in the beverage industry and finance), before returning to school. I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease (an autoimmune condition in which gluten causes your body to destroy the lining of your small intestine) when I was 23! After that, I had to start reading labels and understanding ingredients, changing my diet, etc. I have always been interested in diet, nutrition, and wellness, but it was not until I learned I had Celiac that I developed a deeper interest and passion in nutrition. Most of my friends from the nutrition program were also there as a "second career" (they had gone back to school for it). What about your wife?

She started as a Nursing major but really didn’t care for it. Then discovered RD. She said everyone told her to be a nurse.

Thanks for asking about this, BMonad, and I'm glad to hear digestive enzymes have helped solve some GI discomfort you had been experiencing! Please keep in mind, our bodies naturally produce fewer digestive enzymes as we age. As of now, there isn't research to suggest that taking digestive enzyme supplements causes your body to stop producing these enzymes on its own or "adapt", as you said. Usually, aging, and in particular, menopause, causes changes in our body that impact digestive enzyme production. The other thing to consider is why you need these enzymes. Are you allergic or intolerant to 1 or 2 specific things? It may be worth looking into in which case I'd encourage reducing the intake of those items or only using digestive enzymes before consuming those foods.

How bad is vegetables oils really for you? Ive been using good extra virgin olive oil for most things and for high smoking points avocado oil, but they are quite expensive solutions. Any suggestions?

Nurses definitely get more respect (LOL), at least in the clinical setting!

With high blood pressure, I advise reducing processed foods (which are often higher in sodium) and focusing as best you can on whole foods like fruits and veggies, whole grains, fatty fish, legumes, and lean cuts of meat. Avoiding or reducing foods like deli meats and processed meats (sausage, hot dogs), salted snacks (chips salted nuts, popcorn), fast food, and high fatty, deep fried foods. Beets in particular have been shown to help blood pressure (their nitrates are converted to nitric oxide which helps improve blood flow and reduce blood pressure), as have bananas due to their potassium content! I definitely encourage you to consult your doctor as they have your full medical history and blood work, but these are some general recommendations I can make! Hope this helps!

In all honesty, RunRevolutionary9019, I have minimal training in Marrow Reconversion. The one thing that comes to mind that it has in common with IBS is stress as a trigger. Do you have a particularly stressful lifestyle? Again, tough to draw any definitive conclusions without your medical history, labs, etc., but I would advise looking at your stress levels and cortisol.

I wish I had an answer for you, Light_Dark_Choose! I am still working on it :)

My suggestion is to avoid artificial sweeteners at all costs! They are known carcinogens and can lead to gas, bloating and GI upset. Studies have shown they lead to greater amounts of calories consumed overall and weight gain! Some natural, non-caloric sweeteners I recommend are Monk Fruit and Stevia, which are different from artificial sweeteners which are made with chemicals. Monk fruit and stevia are naturally occurring and not produced with chemicals. I actually have a podcast episode on sugar, and how to reduce it, and I talk about Monk fruit and stevia, specifically.

This is a great question. I'd also like to know the answer.

I'm sure you've heard this before, but too much of anything isn't good for our health, L1teEmUp! The kidneys play a crucial role in how we metabolize and process protein, so significantly increasing protein will directly impact your kidneys and how hard they have to work to process this protein increase. Think of the kidneys as a muscle you're working out, when you increase the weight, your muscles need to work harder and require more to recover...when you increase protein, the kidneys need to work harder to filter out the waste that builds up from protein metabolism. Overtime, this can overwork the kidneys and lead to issues. You also have to remember, when you increase protein, the kidneys then need to step up their game to process the higher amounts, and this will impact their ability to do everyday tasks (aka the kidneys will become less efficient in their regular jobs because they're busy filtering out the extra protein). Something to keep in mind, while macros are based on specifics that I do not have (like your weight, goals, etc.), studies have shown that 1.6g of protein per kilogram (kg.) is the highest amount of protein shown to have any differences in building muscle. The changes in muscle mass when people consumed more than 1.6g of protein per kilogram (kg.) were insignificant.

Hi bobthedog111! I would need more information and specifics to determine what would be healthiest for you, but I can say I always encourage starting the day off with protein, fiber and healthy fats as these nutrients induce satiety, and help stabilize blood sugar levels, mood and sustained energy! While bananas are a healthy choice, having 2 at a time is a lot of sugar, especially as your first meal of the day. Also, bananas lack protein, how long do these 2 bananas keep you full for? When you say you eat 1 pizza...is this 1 slice? 1 full pie? If so, how large is the pie? Having pizza daily is not a great idea since you're limiting your nutrient intake to those only found in pizza. This is why variety in the diet is so important. Not to mention, pizza is delicious and can be enjoyed in moderation, but it is high in fat, sugar, and inflammatory oils. It's not a food I would encourage daily intake of.

What do you think of the gaps diet?

I was very stressed for years but things have calmed down thankfully.

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What's your views on intermittent fasting long term, specifically a one meal a day meal plan?

This wouldn't be black coffee 🤣🤣🤣 nice try though

Do you challenge the common notion that deli meat is a healthy food option despite science proving it’s not?

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I'm consulting with my doc this coming week, but I'm sorta concerned I may have an ED...

I have ADHD, and all my life eating first time has been nearly impossible for me. Then in HS (14yo) I stopped taking a lunch or eating one in general. I ate dinner normally and then would have a snack or two in the evening.

After moving out I only cooked dinners for my partner and I and so that normally all I had for the day.

Now as a parent with kiddos I feed them proper meals, but having been placed on concerta just over a year ago, I have bad food aversion. After my kids go to bed I smoke some weed to give myself the munchies (and help with insomnia), and then eat a large dinner.

I've always had a hard time with eating 'proper' meals, but this seems worse. Its usually 600-1000 calories in my 'meal' around 9pm and I'm not normally going to sleep until 1-2am.

Anyways, I was curious about EDs after post COVID make my food aversion worse (like full blown nausea) and came across night eating in the disordered eating research I was doing.

I do consume most of my food at night, like 98% of it honestly. Am I in serious trouble here in the long run? I don't even know how to start going about fixing it.

I'm 27, AFAB, and 165lbs if that info helps...

Thanks in advance for any advice you may have.

Is there an ideal type of shiite?

Thanks a lot, indeed.

What about that whole thing I've heard about your body creating insulin when you eat something sweet, and if it's artificial, the insulin still gets released but then has nothing to do (or is too much) and then causes ... Some kind of under/over-production problem?

Can you please dissect the difference between an RD and a nutritionist? I know the difference but some may not

2 banana, 1 pizza pie. 3 medium red bull and if hungry before bed, teaspoon of peanut butter

What are your thoughts on multivitamins?

I have tried Monk fruit sugar, but it's mixed with erythritol -- is that ok? Is there such a product as only Monk fruit being sold (bc I can't find any, it either has erythritol or allulose -- that one upset my stomach) -V

Yes, check out the Bristol stool chart!

Jackass member Dave England claims to be able to poop on command, how common is this?

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Checked it out, thank you.

Would you look at that, all of the words in your comment are in alphabetical order.

I have checked 1,320,735,806 comments, and only 254,916 of them were in alphabetical order.

>Half your body weight WHAT?! >In ounces Oh thank Zeus…

Yes, in ounces! So if you're 100 pounds, aim for 50oz of water daily.

Thanks, I was wondering the same thing!

I understand, Helpme_1992! Extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil tend to be more expensive, but they are significantly healthier than vegetable oils. Olive and avocado oils contain omega-3 fatty acids ("good fats") that help reduce inflammation. Vegetable oils have been shown to cause inflammation because they are higher in omega-6 fatty acids. When we consume too much vegetable oil, we get more omega-6 fatty acids than we need, throwing off the ideal ratio for omega 6:omega 3 (2:1). This is what then supports inflammation in the body.

Deli meats, and any processed meats, are hardly healthy, PeriodicTrend. They are high in sodium and preservatives, including nitrates and nitrites. Nitrates and nitrites have been shown to produce cancer-causing compounds. In a study, 50g of processed meat eaten daily showed an increase in the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%.

Thanks, Peachyelise! Yes, the Bristol Stool Chart is a great reference for understanding what your poop means!

Sure thing, huh_phd. Put simply, nutritionist is not a regulated term. There is no defined curriculum, training, or education required to call yourself a nutritionist. Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist. To be a Registered Dietitian (RD), there is specific coursework you need to complete, The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPDs), a minimum 1200 hour dietetic internship, and passing of the RD examination which is distributed via the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).

A list of the required coursework can be found here, and this is where I completed both my DPDs and Master's in clinical Nutrition, New York University.

That sounds like a superpower, strokesfan91, and also not possible. You can only have a bowel movement when you have stool to pass. If there is no stool, you cannot poop. So, while Dave England may think he can poop on command, I would question this claim.

Oh, I know. I was asking because I have patients time and time again ask about this following dietary consultation. While there is still a paucity of education on this subject in medical school and physicians are forced to do their own research, I still see antiquated advice pierce current recommendations. Thanks for your accuracy.

They are talking about the stevia.

Yes adding stevia to your coffee makes it not black why did I get downvoted lmao

Black coffee means no milk or creamer. It literally refers to the color of the coffee.

You are wrong but ok

Can digestive issues be a cause of fibromalgia?

My husband does this thing called intermittent fasting. He has a lot of body issues and has had eating disorders before. We both gained weight after getting Covid and now he will sometimes go 2 - 3 days at a time without eating. When he does, it is only rice and peas. He claims I'm being not a supportive partner around this and the "study I'm talking about when I tell him that's unhealthy was disproven in the 80s." I don't know what study he means but I'm worried. Is this actually healthy and I need to back off or am I right to be worried?

Hi FindingEmoe, I really encourage you to keep this a positive environment. "Black Coffee" is defined in the dictionary as "coffee with no milk, milk substitute, or cream added" (https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/black-coffee). If you have a question, please feel free to ask it. If you are looking to be unkind and call people out for no reason, please discontinue, immediately. This AMA is meant to be a helpful, safe space.

Great point, Elle_in_Hell. This has been shown to be true with artificial sweeteners like Splenda, sweet 'n low, equal, etc., but not with natural non-caloric sweeteners like monk fruit and stevia.

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol. Too much of it may lead to gas and bloating in some people. It has not been shown to have the same negative side effects as things like Splenda and Sweet 'n Low, but some people will get gassy if they have too much of it. You're right, a lot of monk fruit products may contain erythritol, and I recommend trying out what works for you. A little bit in your coffee may be fine, but baking with monk fruit mixed with erythritol may cause bloating. Everyone is different. Just know, erythritol does not carry the same negative implications as artificial sweeteners.

Are super foods rich diet bad for children?

What characteristics qualify a food as superfood?

My pleasure, TurboTBag!

I agree, the 20s is a tough decade and everyone is just figuring it out.

My happiest childhood memory is the constant love I felt toward and received from my parents and older brother. Although, my brother definitely did not love me ALL the time. As an adult, I recognize the safety and security I felt my entire childhood that not everybody feels. When you're a child experiencing this you don't know any different so I did not realize how helpful it was in shaping who I am.

Glad to hear it! Stress really is a killer! The longer cortisol levels are elevated for, the more havoc this can wreak on the body. Imagine being in a constant state of stress - this takes a toll on the body and manifests itself in various forms.

Hi FindingEmoe, thanks for asking this! I am a huge fan and advocate for intermittent fasting, mostly because in today's society and the traditional western diet, we eat far too often. What I like about IF is that it provides structure for people and can be really helpful for overcoming evening eating/snacking, not to mention the health benefits like a more stabilized blood sugar, reduced appetite, and autophagy (this kicks in ~16 hrs of fasting). Not everyone needs to do the 16:8 IF schedule to notice benefits, and it's really important that everyone figure out which amount of fasting works best for them.

I am not as big a fan of the OMAD (one meal a day), only because I believe we need energy throughout the day to sustain us. Two meals a day, fine, but to consistently have just one seems unsustainable and always not supportive of optimal energy levels.

It's crazy!!! I don't know how deli meats could ever be mistaken as "healthy," and the need for nutrition education in this country grows every day. Thanks for asking this, PeriodicTrend.

When Sodexo hires nutritionists to tout their bottom line, the misinformation becomes expected.

You have no idea. My life sucked. I’m still stressed because at this point I am always waiting for the next shoe to drop I’m so traumatized by it all.

I very much appreciate a candid answer like this to the bullshitting that a lot of people would do.