Wednesday April 13, 2005
Ben Chroneos/Louisville Cardinal
Nutritionist Deanna Latson refers to a study claiming that Lay's "WOW" potato chips lowers cancer-fighting agents by 50 percent.
Nutritionist offers alternative dietary solution
By MATT THACKER
Staff Writer
Does chicken, chips and a glass of milk sound like a healthy dinner to you? It doesn’t to nutritionist Deanna Latson.
Latson, a professional speaker who has taught students around the country the importance of a healthy lifestyle, delivered her speech “Eat Right, Feel Good, and Look Great!” at U of L April 6.
Lindsay Newcomer organized the event as a member of the Student Activities Board after seeing Latson speak at another location earlier this year. “Basically, I see a need on campus for more education about nutrition,” Newcomer said.
Latson told students that eating in moderation and avoiding meat and dairy products will help people lose weight more effectively than dieting. She said that once most people leave a diet program, they regain more weight than they had originally. She added that the only way to keep off excess weight is to lose the weight slowly and steadily.
“‘Fat free’ has made America fat,” Latson said. “The diet industry is the biggest scam in the United States today. ... You don’t have to give up all your food. You just have to replace them with foods that are better for you.”
Latson said that while cutting out soda is healthy, diet soda is worse than regular. In fact, she said most diet foods and beverages are worse than regular because of the additives which can sometimes be harmful.
“Just because food is on the shelf doesn’t make it safe for you,” Latson said.
According to one study she cited, a single bag of WOW chips can lower a person’s cancer-fighting agents by 50 percent. She even guaranteed that soon the chips would be taken off the market. She also said that three food products a month are removed from stores by the FDA because they are deemed “unfit for human consumption.”
Barbara Mercer, a health professor at U of L specializing in nutrition, doesn’t take as strong of a stance against all diet foods, but she did say that people tend to abuse diet foods thinking they are healthier when in reality the added sugar makes it just as unhealthy.
“Eating foods that have some fat is more satisfying and may actually help people to refrain from consuming lots of foods that are low in nutrients as well as low in calories,” she said.
Latson grew up in a small town as the daughter of a dairy farmer. She said watching her father battle weight-related health problems inspired her to study nutrition in college. She has also struggled with her weight, which eventually led to 11 years of bulimia. After gaining her weight back, Latson decided to lose weight the healthy way and shed 65 pounds. Her story has been featured in books such as “Gearing Up” by Patrick Combs.
Her experience led her into a battle with the dairy industry, as she spoke out about the possible harms of milk and other dairy products. Latson said the battle, along with her weight loss, encouraged her father to change his lifestyle which dramatically improved his health.
She said the Farmer’s Market and Whole Foods are the best places to shop in order to get fresh and healthy food. While health food stores have the reputation of being more expensive, Latson said she spends less money now than before she began eating right.
“Students have enough money to buy alcohol,” she said. “It’s all about setting your priorities.”
She said the best thing a student can do to promote healthy living on campus is to be a positive example. She said students will notice healthier students and try to imitate their lifestyles.
“I do think it is important to have a dialogue about nutrition,” said Mercer. “I recommend that students pay attention to what they eat and see how it affects them. Sometimes feeling better is as simple as adding a couple pieces of fruit to replace candy or soft drinks as a quick snack.”
Latson also encouraged students to talk to food service providers on campus and to ask for healthier food selections in the cafeteria. She said that she has seen drastic changes in the amount of healthy food on other campuses after giving her presentation.
Daniel Benson, who will be transferring to the U of L medical school from Georgetown University next year, said that after hearing Latson’s speech, he intends to cut out caffeine and cut down on the amount of meat he eats. Other students also hope to make better decisions about what they eat.
“Being a fast food person and sitting there reflecting on my lifestyle, I definitely will make some changes in how I eat,” said Daniel Marlin, executive chair of the special interests committee with the SAB. “I think it is harder for college students because so many of us have a fast-paced lifestyle.”
He said the SAB plans to organize more events in the future to help promote healthy living. More information on Latson, as well as some of her personal recipes, can be found at http://www.gotohealth.com.
