It’s November 1st… November 1, 2009

It’s November 1st and that means it’s the day after October 31st and you probably have a lot, or at least some, candy laying around the house. This is not usually a good thing, at least for us. My hubby and I love sweets and all the Reese’s peanut butter cups will get eaten if they stay at my house. A little bit of candy is fine. But 1 peanut butter cup leads to another and another and …. I also know that I have a full and hectic week coming up and I love to soothe myself with chocolate.

So what do we do with all this candy? Well, I think you should do something with it. Is there a place you can send it to? School, work, church, favorite store? You could keep some in your purse or on your desk and give one piece to every person you encounter — along with a “have a great day!” I just committed my husband to taking his into work and giving it out to his students or fellow coaches. Don’t take it into your work place if you know you will just end up eating them there.

There are some dentist offices who collect candy in exchange for money or other prizes. There are also some organizations that collect excess candy to send to US troops abroad. Both of these are great ideas.

If you have kids at home who are pumped about their candy, I recommend using a guideline for consumption. My husband shared with me what his parents did and I think it’s a great idea that I will share. Set a limit for the pieces of candy that your children can take in their lunch and the number they can consume after dinner. For my husband it was 2 at lunch and 3 after dinner. If you  have older children that you would like to teach a deeper nutritional lesson, give them a calorie budget for each (like 200 calories after dinner from candy) and help them add the information up.

Does anyone else have any good ideas of what to do with Halloween candy?

Colon Cleansing September 9, 2009

Colon cleansing is definitely a health trend right now. There seems to be all kind of products available to help you detox. I am often asked if detoxing/cleansing is necessary. At this point, no research has suggested that it is particularly helpful. It is more about the food you eat day-to-day then the substance you put in your colon, that makes a difference.

To address the idea that there is layers of “crud” building up in people’s guts: My mother-in-law is an OR nurse who often does scoping procedures. She has seen her share of people’s intestines. I asked her if she has ever seen any build-up in someone’s colons and she said “never.” Hmmm.

Here (http://www.webmd.com/balance/natural-colon-cleansing-is-it-necessary) is a great article on Webmd that really evaluates the pros and cons of colon cleansing. Here is an exert that I like.

Why Colon Cleansing is likely not Needed:

• Natural bacteria in the colon detoxify food wastes.
• The liver also neutralizes toxins.
• Mucus membranes in the colon keep unwanted substances from reentering the blood and tissues.
• The colon sheds old cells about every three days, preventing a buildup of harmful material.
• The normal number of bowel movements varies from person to person. It may be as often as a few times a day or as little as a few times a week.
• Increasing the number of bowel movements doesn’t improve weight loss. That’s because the body absorbs most calories before they reach the large intestine.

The best way to detox and cleanse is to increase your fiber intake to about 30 grams a day, drink lots of water and eat fruits and veggies. It’s also a lot more fun.

Have a healthy day!

Stress Totally Stinks September 4, 2009

I have had a stressful week. I work between 3 and 5 regular jobs (all less than part time) and every few months all of them demand my time. Thus has been the past 2 weeks. My mind has been filled with a long to-do list and trying to stay organized all the while remembering where I am driving to. It gets really confusing sometimes.

So yesterday I was driving to my third location (and third technical job) of the day. I was pressed for time, didn’t have copies made for my group, was trying to help a co-worker who was confused about an important issue, and did not have internet access all day! I realized I was hungry and pulled out my snack from lunch bag, an apple, I think. After about 15 minutes I realized I had eaten 3 snacks, was no longer hungry, and didn’t care. In a moment of panic I realized I was stress eating! We have all been there and it really is a good moment when you catch yourself. I immediately put in a relaxing cd which helped calm me down and reconnect my brain to my belly.

We all handle stress in different ways. Food is so magical, though, in that it seems to make our cares float away in a moment of chocolate (or salty, or crunchy, or creamy) delight. I think if we have this reaction to food, it’s essentially good. We should enjoy food! Life would stink without our favorite foods. But we cannot abuse it!

Breaking stress-eating habits takes some effort. First, you have to think about when you stress-eat and what you choose. Second, make it difficult to get your hands on that food (don’t buy it or keep it at work). Third, make a plan to substitute a healthier food (bring it with you) or habit (exercise, phone call, read, etc).  You will need a plan to change your habits. It just won’t happen all of the sudden.

It is now Friday and a long, relaxing weekend is ahead. I am so glad. Hopefully my mind will slow down and re-coop after some rest, healthy food and hard exercise. Take a few moments to de-stress from your week with something other than food. Take a walk, go to your favorite website, call a good friend…whatever works.

Have a healthy and relaxing weekend!

A Little Redemption August 20, 2009

Just for the record, my trainer, Katie, kicked my booty this morning during our workout. I figure I deserved it, and now I feel a whole lot better. Sometimes you just need a good kick in the pants from intense exercise to get you back into the swing of things.

Make a healthy choice today!

Cookies are my Kryptonite August 19, 2009

I’m going to put myself out there and share my deep dark secret. I hope you can handle it. The fact is I love to bake. There, I said it. I am a dietitian who loves to make all things sweet. (God and I have had many conversations over why this truth exists.)  And if I really had to get specific, I would say that my favorite food in the whole wide world is cookies. If I could live off cookies, I would, and in heaven, I will be. =)

Well, this week seems to have been all about baked goods for me. I try to limit my baking because honestly, I eat what I make. But this week, I had offered to make something for two events and then was also blessed by friend’s World’s Best Cookies (I capitilize this because I mean it). So here it is Wednesday and I have eaten more cookies than I care to admit. I also don’t feel very good. I really want to go run a long distance (at 9pm at night) to make up for it. I know when I feel the “make up for it” mentality, I have gone a little too far. (Like I said, I am really putting myself out there.)

So why am I telling you this? I tell you this because I have a decision to make just like everyone else. What is the next healthy decision that I am going to make? I sometimes feel like poor eating choices come in about tens. One quickly leads to another and another and another. When I start eating a lot of sweets (over a few days time) it sometimes feels difficult to stop. Have you ever felt that way? It’s like it’s so hard to get into the habit of healthy choices and so easy to fall into a string of poor choices.

Now I need a plan for the rest of  my week to get myself back on track. Step 1 – throw out all remaining sweets. No wait, my hubby took care of that one already. 2 – Think through tomorrow’s decisions including a little extra cardio time, planned lunch, and smart snacks.  3 – Gear up for weekend eating by thinking through where I will be eating and how I can make calorie appropriate decisions.

The point of my confession today is that we all struggle with our food kryptonite, whatever it may be. We will always love that food too. There’s no getting around it. But we have to identify habits that allow us to have a healthier relationship with that food. Mine starts with limiting my baking. This is something I choose to do for my own well-being.

Think about your kryptonite food(s) today and start coming up with strategies to help you fit it into your life in a healthy way. It takes continual effort. I am certainly not superwoman yet.

Have a healthy day and save your calories for a really awesome cookie!

The Great World of Food and Health August 17, 2009

Warning: Today’s post is a little random and kind of deep. Enjoy, I think.

In the past 12 hours I have had some interesting thoughts float through my head. It all started last night as I read someones blog and noticed they had traveled around the world. The focus of their trip, as far as I could tell, was simply to learn how other cultures live and seek good health. This is a fascinating concept to me – that people approach health very differently in other parts of the world. I can’t help but wonder who has it right. Is it the non-animal-protein eaters? Is the whole-grain obsessed? Is it the eat-local-only people? There are so many approaches to eating and many of them are good.

As a dietitian my practice of nutrition is based on science. This is what the essence of being a RD is. I can’t just make up something  (or use one person’s story) about eating and how it effects the body and then tell everyone to do it. The scientific method is a good process that I do not resist, but it leaves me wanting more information sometimes. Science is a slow process that doesn’t always give clear answers to the original question.

I have always felt that one of my greatest roles as a dietitian is to help the public understand the scientific messages of nutrition and how to apply them to their daily lives. But what about the other nutrition concepts that have no research behind them (yet) but produce fantastic health in other cultures? I really want to learn more about how other people (non-Americans) go about health and nutrition. This is probably going to become a life-long quest. Food is such an important element to life. It brings people together and obviously promotes health. I hope I get the chance over the course of my life to learn from other cultures around their meal table.

In conclusion, I hope my thoughts haven’t left you more confused about how you should eat. On the contrary, be encouraged that there are many good approaches to eating. Remember, eating healthy is simple. You don’t need expensive food and tons of time, necessarily. Healthy eating comes in many levels and I encourage you to continue to make small changes, one at a time, toward healthier eating.  Ask yourself this today,” What does it mean to me to ‘eat healthy’ ? What am I working towards?” We all have a different answer to that question which is great. Just don’t forget the basics: produce, whole grains and fiber, reduce saturated fat, and be mindful of calories. 

And in the meantime, I think it’s ok to be influenced by others philosophy of eating. Please post some of your impressions of eating that you’ve learned from other cultures or even other people in your immediate life. I am so curious.

Have a healthy day!

The Healthiest Food EVER? August 15, 2009

I was recently asked by someone I met (who found out I was a dietitian) what the healthiest single food is. I am tickled by this question. Every food offers our bodies different nutrients and health-promoting properties. There are so many healthy foods that you just can’t pick one.

If I could read into his question a little, I would infer that maybe he was really asking, “what’s the one change that I can make in my diet that will make a difference?” Now, I do enjoy thinking of nutrition in this way. Everyone can make one little change in their eating that can make a difference on their health.

My favorite change to suggest is eating more fiber. This one change has so many positive effects on your total health.The goal is increase your intake between 30-40 grams a day. This takes some work but is totally doable. Track your intake at www.thedailyplate.com, one of my favorite online food journals.

So take a  minute to think about one little change you can make this week to your eating. Sometimes, it only takes one to make a difference in your life!

Jellyfish and Mindful Eating August 10, 2009

Today I was stung by a jellyfish… right on the lips! Can you believe it?! I was at the beach to swim with a friend. As I dove into a wave on my way out I felt like I had run into a pin cushion. The lifeguard asked me if I was an unlucky person. Isn’t that great.

The interesting thing about getting stung on the lips is that I quickly became very careful of what I was putting in my mouth. This is mostly due to the fact that they hurt and I don’t want any sting-ing to spread (especially inside my mouth).  The silver lining is that I am re-engaging in my eating. I am thinking about what I eat before it goes down the hatch. This is a good exercise for me and anyone. Today I’ve had to ask, “is this worth it?” and then carefully place food in my mouth. So often we just put things in our mouth without thinking about it.

I encourage you today to “connect your brain to your belly” and think about your food decisions a little harder. Ask yourself some of these questions to get to the bottom of emotional, stress and boredom eating.

- Am I really hungry right now?

- When did I last eat?

- When am I going to eat my next meal? Can I wait to eat till then?

- What is my energy level like right now?

- Did something happen in my day to upset me or put stress on me?

- If I choose a healthy food first, will that take away my hunger?

Some Food for Thought July 24, 2009

I am listening to a webinar on helping families become healthier. It has included some impressive facts. Trust me, these guys know what they are talking about. Here are a couple of key points the researchers mentioned:

1. The average American person consumes 42 tsp of sugar a day as opposed to 2 tsp a day in the 1950’s.

2. “Diabetes can be created in 2 weeks by eating a very rich, high calorie/sugar diet.”

3. Families should eat more foods that do not have a nutrition facts label.

4. 50% of the calories in the American diet are “empty calories” (sugar, fat/oils, and alcohol).

5. A fat-free Fig Newton has 60 calories.  A 1/2 of a cantaloupe has 30 calories.

I mention these statements because they cause you to think. We need to start rethinking how we eat. Hopefully this blog gives you a few fresh ideas. Have a healthy day!

Healthy Happy Hour July 20, 2009

I definitely enjoy a good glass of wine. Every now and then, a fresh margarita hits the spot. But whether you are a daily or occasional drinker, it is really important to know how many calories you are drinking. 

One of my slogans is “Don’t drink your calories!”  This applies to your day in and day out beverage consumption. So if you enjoy alcohol daily, you need to pay attention to the quantity. If you drink occasionally (weekends), you still need to pay attention as some drinks pack a powerful calorie punch! Below are some tips to help you make the best choices at the bar.

1. Avoid drinks from mixes. These mixes are usually loaded with sugar (thus why they taste so good) and are very high in calories. If you really enjoy these types of drinks, go to places where they make them from scratch and use fresh ingredients. You can also ask the bar tender to go easy on the sugar. If you are drinking these drinks just because they are  sweet, save your liver and the calories and just drink diet fruit juice.

2. Keep track of how many glasses you have had. Once again, the calories add up quick.

3. If you are not sure about the calories, and trying to be conscious, white wine and light beer are usually good choices. See below for the calorie counts:

  •1 oz hard liquor = 70-80 calories –> great to mix in club soda, diet soda, or diet juice

  •8 oz white wine = 150 calories

  •8 oz red wine = 170 calories

 •12 oz light beer = 110 calories

 • 8 oz cranberry juice = 150 calories

 • 8 oz frozen pina colada mix = 170 calories

 • 8 oz margarita mix = 280 calories

So please drink moderately and with your calories in mind! On a closing note, the research to support a serving of alcohol a day for good health continues to go back and forth. The recommendation still stands at 1 serving a day for women and 2 servings a day for men. Research from Europe was released earlier this year that women who drank only one serving a day of alcohol were at a greater risk for breast cancer! Yikes! Make your decision wisely.