Do you find yourself eating mindlessly or shoving cookies into your mouth every chance you get? According to Judith J. Wurtman, author of The Serotonin Power Diet, it doesn't have to be that way. Here, she offers her opinions and tips on how to eat to turn off your hunger.

Q: What role does serotonin play in how and what we eat?

A: It plays an extremely important role. The most important and overlooked thing is that serotonin will shut off your appetite. When it's working properly, it makes you feel satisfied. You can eat less food than you would like to eat, and you can decrease your portion sizes if you need to lose weight, but triggering serotonin will make you feel full. My co-author, Nina T. Frusztajer, and I use this example all the time: You go to a restaurant for dinner, and you're very hungry, and while you're waiting for dinner to be served, you munch on some bread and a little salad. Twenty minutes go by before your dinner arrives and when it finally does you say, "Gee, I'm not hungry anymore." It's not from the roll or the bit of lettuce, it's because once you digested those carbohydrates your brain makes new serotonin and sends a message that you're not that hungry. It's a natural appetite suppressant.

Canadian fitness expert Brendan Brazier, author of Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimum Performance in Sports and Life, strives to fill his diet with foods for optimum fitness. Here, he fills us in on good carbohydrates that will boost your workouts.

Q: What's the difference between good carbs and bad carbs?

A: Bad carbs are anything coming from highly refined sources. Some people call sugar a bad carb, but I don't think it is if it's from a good source. Sugar can be a great source of energy when it comes from fruit, like dates and bananas. But I would also eat those things with protein and fibre, which will slow down the rate at which the sugar enters the bloodstream. This prevents a sugar spike, followed by a crash. That's why smoothies are really good; you blend things with hemp protein or flax and other things that have fibre and essential fats.

Wondering when and what to eat before and after working out? Elisa Zied, registered dietitian, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and author of Nutrition at Your Fingertips, provides some helpful tips.

Q: Should we eat before working out? Right after working out?

A: I think everyone's body is different. I cannot work out unless I've eaten beforehand; but some athletes and recreational exercisers workout on an empty stomach and that works for them. It's definitely a good idea to eat a meal or snack a few hours before you exercise; some can have a snack right before they exercise and that works for them, while others may prefer to eat an hour or two before they exercise. Know your body and do what feels best for you. I personally have breakfast at 7 and exercise around 8:30 or 9 am and that works for me (I have energy, don't feel sluggish or bloated, and don't feel hungry). Find what works for you and do that.

More tips, after the jump...

Dr. Jaty Tam, of Toronto's Body of Knowledge Healing Arts, specializes in women's health. Here, she outlines some of the key fitness and diet requirements for healthy women.

Q: How do women's and men's fitness requirements differ?

A: Fitness requirements vary greatly among individuals, depending on body type and fitness goals. So the main difference between men's and women's fitness requirements is due to the differences in body type. Men tend to carry more muscle. The more muscle you have, the more energy is required to work that muscle. Muscle is maintained through adequate protein intake, so men who are weight training are likely to require more protein than women who are weight training. This is similar with cardio or aerobic exercises. As men tend to be larger and carry more weight, they will expend more energy during any type of movement. Energy is provided through carbohydrates, so men doing aerobic exercises are likely to need more carbs in their diet than women doing similar aerobic exercises. The key message here is to know your body and your fitness goals. Know what the nutritional requirements are to maintain your body's energy and health while working on attaining your exercise targets.

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.

Have you ever been caught grabbing a bit of shut-eye at your desk? What was your excuse to your boss? New sleep research may be your best answer.

A 2002 study from Harvard University considered worker burnout over four days of training and the effect of napping. As the four days of training wore on, the workers began to experience burnout. But the good news is - the study found that workers who were allowed to take a 30-minute nap on the second day of a four-day training session experienced less decline in visual tasks. A one-hour nap was actually found to return performance back to normal in the last two sessions.

That is not to say that curling up for an hour or so at the office should be sanctioned, but keeping it to less than 30 minutes might not be so far-fetched. It seems that half-hour naps should not only be recognized as acceptable by companies, but also beneficial. This is old news to many European countries where afternoon siestas are standard practice and many shops close for an hour or so each afternoon.

Afternoon drowsiness is a major problem for many corporations: it is estimated that lost productivity costs billions of dollars every year. A possible solution is to allow 20 to 30 minutes of napping per day when it is deemed necessary, creating a work environment that may actually help boost workplace productivity rather than hinder it. In today's fast-paced society and tough economy, however, most companies frown on napping in the workplace rather than encourage it.

Can't squeeze in a nap? Use these nine tips to boost your energy and productivity during the day:

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.

The quest for the perfect body is never-ending, and many of us will use whatever means necessary to achieve it. While there has been little doubt that exercise and proper diet are essential for a healthy body composition, the use of supplements for weight loss continues to be a source of great debate.

Unfortunately, many products marketed for weight loss do not have research or results to support their claims. There are, however, a few products available that may actually work to increase fat burning and boost metabolism. These supplements can be found at your local health food store or online; for many of the selections visit my online store.

1. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA): According to a study published in the Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, CLA was one of only a few researched supplements that was found to reduce body fat and assist in increasing lean muscle mass. These results were discovered even without a change in caloric intake. It seems CLA directs fats away from storage in fat cells while also increasing fat burning in the skeletal muscle. It has also been found to have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties and is useful in reducing arterial disease. The dosage required is 1500 mg two times per day with food.

Dr. Richard Beliveau and Dr. Denis Gingras are the authors of Eating Well, Living Well, translated by Valentina Baslyk along with their bestselling books Foods That Fight Cancer and Cooking With Foods That Fight Cancer.

It is easy to avoid blood sugar overloads by simply modifying certain (bad) eating habits.

1. Drink water instead of sweet drinks and, above all, avoid soft drinks containing large amounts of sugar. Many recent studies indicate that consumption of these drinks is playing a key role in the obesity epidemic currently afflicting the population. In addition, beware of the many "energy" drinks flooding the market. The industry targets adolescents and young adults who don't understand the harmful consequences of these products. They are nothing but sweetened drinks containing an astronomical amount of caffeine (almost 100 mg per can) – the equivalent of a very strong double espresso. These drinks, which have nothing energizing in them, are just stimulants!

2. Pay particular attention to breakfast cereals.

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.

This week, she discusses the benefits of being conscious of carbohydrate intake.

Despite their bad rap in recent years, carbohydrates are a crucial part of our diet because they provide us with the energy necessary for most bodily functions, including muscle actions and brain activity. Consuming the perfect amount of carbs at the proper times and in the right forms can help to promote a higher metabolism, excellent energy, appetite control and freedom from cravings. Conversely, too many, too few or the wrong types of carbs at the wrong times leaves us prone to inflammation, aging, weight gain, cravings, erratic fluctuations in energy, foggy thinking and many other undesirable consequences. For instance, studies show that consuming too many carbs at breakfast increases cravings and caloric intake later in the day while the right type and amount of carbs at dinner can improve our sleep.

No matter what all those popular diet books say, cutting carbs completely is not a good weight-loss strategy. When you do this, you take away your body's primary fuel source. This scenario causes physical stress in the long term, which can in turn lead to loss of muscle tissue and more abdominal fat gain – not the desired outcome you are striving for I'm sure. Without carbs, your sex hormones plummet, leaving your libido flat and your muscles suffering even more. At the same time, your happy hormone serotonin sags and cravings, overeating, bingeing, depression and even sleep disruption may arise. No wonder a low-carb diet is associated with irritability and fatigue. It's an unsustainable way of eating.

So instead of cutting all carbohydrates, the best dietary approach is to be carb-conscious. A carb conscious eater selects options that are high in fibre and low in sugar. In doing so, you will provide your body with the energy it needs to perform optimally.

Here are three of my favourite carb choices:

Jonny Bowden, author, nutritionist and weight loss coach cuts through all the misconceptions about diet and fitness to help you transform your body, your health and your life. Click here to check out his website.

For years I've argued that the Atkins Diet is nowhere near as "dangerous" as critics claim, and dozens of studies have since backed me up. Yet many people continue to worry about the effect of the strict Atkins diet on cholesterol. And many who have noticed how effective an Atkins-like diet can be for weight loss have been reluctant to try it because they associate the diet with a high meat intake (incorrectly, but that's another column).

Worry no more, because a new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine received a flurry of media attention, and the subject? A variation of low-carbohydrate dieting which the researchers dubbed "Eco-Atkins."

The researchers start by stating that the Atkins plan has been shown to be effective not only for weight loss, but for reducing insulin resistance, lowering triglyceride concentrations and raising HDL (so-called "good" cholesterol). (They cite numerous published studies which have demonstrated every one of those effects.) That's a pretty impressive resume, and one might be forgiven for asking, "and the problem is?"

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner will illustrate a health issue she commonly sees in her practice, and advise readers on how to remedy the problem as well as improve their overall health.

This week she discusses the connection between carb cravings and depression.




Recognizing depression is the first necessary step to recovery. The symptoms, however, may vary and be experienced repeatedly over a few days, weeks, or months at a time, including:

• changing sleep patterns-oversleeping or insomnia
• early morning waking or an inability to sleep in regardless of bedtime
• weight gain or loss
• loss of appetite or increased cravings for carbohydrates or sugar
• repeated negative thoughts
• increased use of alcohol or drugs
• failing to find enjoyment in previously enjoyable activities
• loss of motivation and withdrawal from friends and family
• poor concentration-an inability to watch TV or read
• mood swings
  
• some individuals may also experience heightened anxiety
• chronic low energy
• sensitivity to rejection or paranoia
• poor memory
  

The most common form of depression, atypical depression, appears with mood swings, weight gain, carbohydrate cravings, fatigue, lethargy, and increased sensitivity to rejection.
Treatment for depression is typically through the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medications like Prozac or Zoloft. But these drugs often have side effects, including sexual dysfunction, increased appetite, intensified carbohydrate carvings, and/or weight gain.

Mastering Mood Swings

Thankfully there is hope for natural mood relief.

Dear Sarah,

I am trying to lose weight. I am often think that if I go to the gym on an empty stomach that I will burn more calories. Is this true?

Maria

Dear Maria,

Working out on empty stomach is like trying to start your car without gasoline. You have to have glucose in your system to not only start your engine, but to keep it burning.

Glucose is the primary source of fuel during exercise, and it is derived from eating carbohydrates. Fats (triglycerides) are your secondary source of fuel and are stored in your fat cells.

More after the jump.