The Alpha Plan

The Alpha Plan aims to help students make healthy choices in college and throughout their lives.

Every college bound teenage, and their parents dread the Freshman Fifteen:  the plus-or-minus 15 pounds that many students gain in their first year of the college experience.  The cause may seem obvious - many are living on their own for the first time, and are exposed to stress, alcohol, and greasy cafeteria food - but the cure often seems harder to find.  I recently interviewed Dr. Mariam Manoukian, a physician who practices in Silicon Valley, who has just the prescription:  Her book, The Alpha Plan.

The Alpha Plan is geared toward helping college age kids learn to love healthy and nutritious foods.  It is full of practical information about basics of food and its relationship with health.  "By age 40, many people look back with regret on the health decisions they made in their lives".  Her aim is to nip that early and prevent legions of people from developing obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.  In reality, it is so much easier to prevent those conditions than to treat them.

When confronted with teens and people who love fast food, she has the solutions.  As she says, "Once you develop a taste for nutritious foods, fast food will lose its appeal and seem disgusting in comparison".

Dr. Manoukian's book, The Alpha Plan is chock full of practical wisdom and tips that all of us, no matter what our ages are can use to help us understand and use our willpower, make better healthier choices, and even how to socialize without going overboard with eating.  I've read it and have already started making some easy changes with my teenage son.  You'll find it easy to read and very informative.

It’s a challenge to help kids and teens lose weight and yet, with some simple changes and substitutions the Freshman 15 can disappear like a C minus.  

Take a look at the following interview I recently had with Dr. Manoukian:

Disclosure

I'm delighted to be working with El Camino Hospital to inform people about the incredible services available there, a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence.  The more I learn about their programs and services, the more impressed I am with their commitment to do whatever it takes to help people live their best lives. I'm excited that they're offering Health Perks to my readers  and followers free of charge. Just use “nurse barb” as the promotion code and it’s free. In addition, you’ll automatically be entered to win a cooking class and dinner with El Camino Hospital’s Award winning Chef Jacques and me.