Simple lifestyle choices are having long term impacts on how we eat. What everyday choices are you making that make it more likely for you to eat junk and fatty foods? Rescu. caught up with health expert Dr Joanna McMillan, one of Australia’s best known health expert and founder of ‘Get Lean’ to talk about what affects our diet decisions and how to overcome emotional and winter eating. As a Doctor of nutrition, Joanna explains the importance of sharing a meal with friends and taking the time to prioritise what we eat.
RESCU: You’ve studied not only our eating habits but also these habits against the backdrop of our modern lifestyles and as a result of where and how we live. So what do you think are the most influential factors on our diet decision?
Dr Joanna McMillan: Well I think it’s not just about what we eat, but why and how. I think this definitely reflects things about modern life. People are time poor. They will go to great lengths to get healthy or junk food. So for me it’s quite interesting to try to unravel some of those relationships that we have with food. I could talk until I’m blue in the face about what to eat but if you’re driven by emotional eating or simply for comfort then its very difficult to change your eating patterns.
RESCU: Keeping those patterns in mind. What do you think is the worst habit that’s developed and why?
Dr Joanna McMillan: I think the worst habit is never preparing any of your own food and relying on take out. If you’re in an area where you’re relying on fatty foods and even eating at restaurants, chefs are preparing food in a way to make you like it and to make you eat there. Their food preparation is not based on health, so you’re usually eating too many sugars and fats, so you’re simply getting more energy. So I try to encourage people-not every single day or every single night-to invest in their own future by making their own meals and knowing what’s in them. That’s the key message about good food karma. What you eat today will make you feel better tomorrow. It’s about investing in your future and not getting so caught up in your life that you don’t think about what you eat.
RESCU: We noticed ‘friendly foodie’ on the Freedom Foods Good Food Karma Index result. What do you think is a good balance between healthy eating and social eating?
Dr Joanna McMillan: I’m a friendly foodie. I think what’s important to realise is that thought there are four different food personalities, that’s not an indication that one is good and one is bad. They are all as good and bad as each other. To me, social eating is very important. People in the ‘over achievers’ category often overlook the importance of eating together and sharing a meal. That culture has reached all over the world, including developing countries. Even there, they want to share food and eat together. Culturally, from a social development aspect, food is important. I think it’s sad we’re losing that. One of the stats we have looked at is about the number of people that eat in front of the television. That shouldn’t reflect modern time. We have to say; what are we doing? We have to give priority to food. We eat more when we’re distracted by something like the television and are more likely to be eating unhealthy food. Things that can be eaten with the fingers or a bowl and a fork. We’re losing the idea of sitting down and eating together. Living by yourself, you may feel a little silly sitting down by yourself to eat, but you should take the opportunity when you can.
RESCU: So we use the excuse that our eating habits are part of our modern world. How would you characterise the difference between the baby boomers and Gen Y’s eating habits?
Dr Joanna McMillan: There are big changes across the generations. That is partly reflective of the way food has changed. Your parent’s generation were more likely to sit at the table for dinner and for those where that was ingrained in them, they are maintaining it. Gen y depends on how they were raised. Habits have changes but also the foods available have changed. The older generation also have more time to think about food where as the younger generation are instant eaters. They eat quickly, and then get onto the next task.
RESCU: Instagram and other portals of social media were mentioned in The Good Food Karma Index. What role do you think this plays in defining our eating habits?
Dr Joanna McMillan: There was a stat about how people in NSW post more about food than people in Melbourne do, which is interesting, because it’s people showing food appreciation and maybe its something to do with our rivalry. I’ll often post photos of food for work, but it’s a strange phenomenon. I write a column called ‘My Day On a Plate’ and its been running for a long time which is basically revolving around this phenomenon. It’s crazy to think it’s so popular. I’m not sure if it’s good or bad, but it has an impact. Maybe someone will be posting pictures of their bad diet and you’ll think ‘oh my diet isn’t that bad’. Or, ‘that’s okay, that’s a normal way to eat’. If everyone around you is doing that, then it becomes the normal. So maybe then it’s more likely you will do it to. We’re pack creatures at the end of the day. If all your friends exercise and eat well, you’re more likely to do that. The Times had a headline once, ‘Obesity is Contagious’. That came from a study that said the more obese people you know and have come into contact with, the more likely you are to be obese yourself. It becomes normal. The same is true of food. If your friends are posting pictures of gourmet food and going to nice restaurants, or they take time to make their own food, there’s a spill over effect.
RESCU: So what would you say to someone struggling with emotional eating?
Dr Joanna McMillan: It’s particularly prevalent with women. Men are more likely to fall back on alcohol, but it’s not exclusive to women. We tend to fall back on foods we had in our childhood. We get feel good chemicals in our brain depending on our associations with certain foods. Think about what we do with children. ‘Oh no you fell and bumped you knee. Here have an ice cream. You’ll feel better’. That kind of thinking and those associations are built from childhood. So many people use those associations to swallow emotions with your food. So my suggestion is to find another outlet for your emotions. We have to learn to stop doing the stiff upper lip and getting on with it, we have to find a healthy way to express it. A lot of the time we don’t know we’re doing it and we have to learn to recognise we are. In extreme cases, you need psychological help. Seeing a councillor or a psychologist would be recommended. For people in the middle of the scale, going for a walk, phoning a friend, having a bath are all good distractions. Those kind of things help you de-stress, feel more comfortable and eat in control of the food you’re eating. Not letting the food control you.
RESCU: What are your suggestions about overcoming this trend of eating more in winter?
Dr Joanna McMillan: I think eating more in winter is a natural evolutionary response. Think before we had houses and things to keep us warm. We would have eaten the way we want to in winter now. Look at the genes of those who come from around the equator compared to people from further north. An Eskimo compared to a Maasai African warrior. Their body shapes are totally different, Eskimos are stockier and shorter. The Maasia warrior is very tall and lean. So in regards to food, it’s a natural, evolutionary reaction. We want to keep warmer. When we have more body fat, we keep warmer. So in a way, in winter we are battling these natural tendencies. Of course in the modern world, where we have food all year round, we have to be careful. Especially when we peel our clothes off at the end of winter for the beach! We need to eat differently. Eat more stews and casseroles. They can be as light as a salad as long as you’re using the right ingredients. It’s about keeping up your vegetable intake; plant foods, good quality meats and fish for protein and making sure you’re spreading your intake across the course of the day. Don’t work in the office all day, not eat, get home ravenous, eat and then not feel like going to the gym. Keep yourself on a good meal schedule so you don’t over eat.
RESCU: How would you say government campaigns regarding food impact us? For example, the advertisements we see about eating lamb and avocado.
Dr Joanna McMillan: Well I don’t think the government are doing enough. They pay lip service. I heard an interview with Tony Abbott recently and his response about the abysmal obesity figures we have. Obesity is rising. He was very blah-zay in his response and said something like ‘well some people need to exercise more, but a lot of people are bike riding’. He seems to be out of touch with the fact we over eat. There needs to be more government imitative because right now there’s a lot of emphasis on personal choices which is good and I think a lot of us do well in controlling our own weight, but the government has to do something in line with our anti smoking campaigns. We’ve had enormous success with reducing smoking numbers and we have to do the same with food. It’s a more difficult task but it should be a two-pronged attack. The government has to make it easier for people to do the right thing. Easier to exercise, to walk, to bike and to eat properly and most importantly, the need to make it easier to afford healthy food and discourage people to buy unhealthy food. Then, it’s down to personal responsibility too.