Local Nutritionist, Julene Montgomery Joins us to Talk Healthy Eating Tips, Trends

Julene Montgomery of Montgomery Nutrition is Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition®.  She is a graduate of Bauman College and is a certified Nutrition Consultant as well as a Certified Gluten Practitioner in our hometown of San Mateo.  After spending thirteen years as a marketing professional in Silicon Valley, she experienced her own transformation through healthy eating. Julene joins us to share her knowledge at Rubbing Elbows, one of the many exclusive amenities enjoyed by Bay Meadows’ residents. Each month, neighbors and friends get together for an evening of foodie fun, craft creation or another free workshop offered by Bay Meadows. We caught up with Julene and she shared some healthy eating tips and trends with us. Read the interview:

Q: What inspired you personally to begin a career in nutrition?
After years of fighting fatigue, I made some significant diet changes and saw my energy skyrocket. It inspired me to return to school so that I could help others experience that same change.

Q: What is the most prevalent issue or issue(s) you currently are addressing today?
Excess sugar intake. Most people (unknowingly) consume 3x-4x the amount recommended by the American Heart Association, whose guidelines are probably still too high.

Q: Name a few destinations in San Mateo or on the Peninsula to shop for specialty nutrition items or holistic health:

Whole Foods, Health by Heidi (San Mateo), Earthbeam Natural Foods (Burlingame)

Q: What are 3 of your favorite San Mateo/Peninsula restaurants that cater to specialty diets such as GF?

Unfortunately there’s not a lot. We need more. Godfather’s Burger Lounge in Belmont has great grass-fed beef burgers and will serve them in a lettuce wrap for those sensitive to gluten or prefer Paleo eating. You can do the same at Steak Out, on Castro Street in Mountain View. A new Paleo restaurant that’s not on the peninsula is Mission: Heirloom in Berkeley.

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Q: If you could choose three lifestyle changes that seem popular among clients in terms of results for boosting auto-immune, which would they be?

To boost one’s immune system, the first change is to eat an anti-inflammatory diet.   This would include decreasing processed foods, especially sugar and increasing antioxidant-rich foods like berries and fresh vegetables. It’s also critical to manage your blood sugar with an appropriate balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. The second change is to get moderate exercise that includes weight-bearing activity. Strenuous exercise can be inflammatory and can reduce immune function, so I emphasize that it be in moderation.   The third change, and possibly most important, is to have a regular schedule for activities that rejuvenate you. Notice that I don’t say reduce stress because for most of us, that effort is futile.   Instead, if you introduce and maintain activities that rejuvenate you physically, mentally, and spiritually you’ll feel less impact from stress.

The best advice anyone ever gave me is:
My grandmother, an artist, told me that perfectionism is a losing game—allow things to be beautifully imperfect.

Name 4 of your favorite blogs, Pinterest channels or online magazines/resources that offer recipes or advice for specialty nutrition/diets:
www.mindbodygreen.com, www.chriskresser.com, www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com, www.wellnessmama.com

Favorite Heart Healthy Meal: Salmon sushi rolls, roasted brussels sprouts, and a bowl of blueberries
My guilty pleasure is: Coco-roons (coconut snack you can purchase at Whole Foods)
My biggest obstacle is:  my endless email inbox
4 things you’d find in my shopping cart: grass-fed ground beef, swiss chard, plantains, Kevita (probiotic drink)

Get social with Julene on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Read what people are saying on Yelp.

Looking for a great place to ride? Bay Meadows and the surrounding San Mateo area are bike friendly and offer many different paths to ride and sights to see. We even have a convenient bike map that you can download here, so you can decide exactly where to ride. Some resident favorites include the Bay Trail as well as Coyote Point Park And don’t forget to save the date for Bike to Work Day 2015: May 14th!