Avenues to Wellness

In this episode of the Avenues to Wellness podcast, host Tamara Fidler discusses the growing concerns surrounding seed oils, which are prevalent in many diets today. She explains what seed oils are, their industrial processing, and the health risks associated with their high omega-6 fatty acid content, potential trans fats, and susceptibility to oxidation. Tamara also offers practical tips for choosing healthier oils and mitigating...

In this episode, Tamara Fidler explores the question of how bad eating processed food really is, especially considering that many of us grew up on processed foods in the 80s and 90s. She defines processed and ultra-processed foods and discusses the cumulative effects of eating processed foods over time. She compares the quality and quantity of processed foods from the 80s to today and highlights the changes in additives, preservati...

In this episode, Tamara Fidler explores the history of the Body Mass Index (BMI), its limitations, and alternative measures for assessing health. She discusses how BMI was originally developed as a tool to assess the average body weight of populations, but over time, it has been used as a screening tool for individual health risks. However, BMI doesn't differentiate between muscle and fat, doesn't account for fat distribution, and ...

In this episode, Tamara Fidler discusses the difference between health span and lifespan and why it's important to consider both as we age. She explains that health span refers to the period of life spent in good health, free from chronic diseases and disabilities. Tamara highlights the importance of health span for quality of life, healthcare costs, mental and emotional well-being, and productivity and independence. She also provi...

In this episode, Tamara Fidler discusses whether it is more expensive to eat healthy food than junk food. She provides evidence and research on the subject and shares mindset shifts that can help navigate this issue. Tamara explains the historical shift in food production that led to the current situation and challenges we face. She emphasizes the importance of falling in love with cooking at home again as a primary shift to bring ...

In this episode, Tamara Fidler discusses the impact of elections on physical and mental health. She introduces the concept of election stress syndrome and explores the evidence linking elections to health issues. Tamara highlights the increase in hospitalizations for cardiovascular diseases and the rise in mental health challenges during election seasons. She provides strategies to manage election stress, including setting boundari...

In this episode, Tamara Fidler explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and health coaching. She discusses how AI, specifically chat GPT (developed by OpenAI), can be leveraged to support wellness goals. Tamara identifies four primary ways to use chat GPT for health and wellness: creating tailored meal plans, tracking progress, generating custom recipes, and accessing advanced health coaching through Health Coach G...

In this episode, Tamara Fidler discusses the all-or-nothing mindset and the importance of embracing the gray area when it comes to making changes to our health. She shares a personal story about her sister's experience with Parkinson's disease and how a health coach helped her see the possibility of feeling 10% better. Tamara explains that black and white thinking can be detrimental to our sense of self-efficacy and motivation, and...

In this episode of Avenues to Wellness, host Tamara Fidler discusses the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle, particularly the dangers of prolonged sitting. She explores the comparison between sitting and smoking, highlighting the higher number of people at risk due to extended sitting. Fidler explains the negative effects of sitting on posture, blood flow, metabolism, and overall health. She provides practical tips for incorpora...

Summary

In this episode, Tamara Fidler discusses the importance of prioritizing prevention in healthcare. She shares the story of the National Diabetes Prevention Program and how lifestyle intervention was found to be more effective than medication in preventing diabetes. Tamara also talks about her own experience as a health coach and the challenges she faced in becoming a provider of the program. She emphasizes the need to shift ...