A Food Fight with Darth Vader February 27, 2012

I just finished “feeding” my son this morning. He is now taking his morning nap, and I have a moment to survey the scene left behind us in the kitchen. I feel like it takes a lot of equipment to feed a baby! My kitchen sink is piled up with bowls, spoon, sippy cup, high chair tray, high chair tray cover (that is supposed to keep me from having to clean the tray – not!), dirty wash cloth, bib, and cutting board. It feels like we had a food fight, and Jackson looked like he was a contestant on Double Dare. He sounds like Darth Vader because my little guy has his first cold. =(

I believe we had a break through this weekend with eating, however. I introduced him to sweet potatoes. I’ve been putting off the orange veggies because they are “sweeter”, but I think I needed some encouragement that we were getting somewhere. So yesterday we tried taters and I think he liked him. He at least didn’t make that awful, I-don’t-like-it face when I spooned it into his mouth.

Our progression of food thus far is: raw avocado (mixed with milk), zucchini, asparagus, and sweet potatoes. For each of these I have given him spoonfuls of the pureed version and also large spears of the raw version to gnaw on. I think it’s important to have Jackson discover food through his own way of playing with it (always supervised, of course). I also like presenting him with options while he eats. Maybe this is because I like to eat this way. As an example, this morning I had pureed zucchini and sweet potatoes (I put a small bit of both on the spoon) and asparagus spears. I am putting his sippy cup on the tray as well so he will begin to associate drinking water with eating. He loves his cup! I don’t think he’s getting much water out of it but it’s the right idea.

I’ve included 2 different add-ins, as I like to call them, to his food so far. I’ve dipped his puree into his powdered probiotics since this is a flavor he is very familiar with. That seemed to work well for increasing acceptance. Today, I tried sprinkling a little of  Garden Blend Juice Plus+ over his sweet potatoes for extra immune-boosting power and that also went over well.

Jackson and I are flying together later this week, for the first time. I’m a little nervous about it. Do any of you have good travel tips for babies??? I could really use them. With that said, I’m not sure how this will impact his eating progression. I would like to do another new veggie later this week but it may not happen. Peas are next on my list, to be exact. I think I will bring along a couple of jars of organic peas and see how it goes.

I’m starting to think that using organic, frozen veggies are a great way to go for making your own baby food. Freezing preserves all the nutrients so if you don’t get to cooking your produce right away, as happens to me often, no nutrients are lost. Frozen peas are on my grocery list this week.

I realize that this post will only benefit a small number of you that have babies. But hopefully you enjoy reading about my daily attempts of healthy living. Now it’s off to my living room for some home yoga and then I’m fixing a vegetarian lunch for my friend.

I hope you have an awesome, veggie-filled, high energy day!

Tumeric January 11, 2012

 

Tumeric, is an amazing spice. Anything in nature with such a vibrant (yellow) hue has to have tremendous benefits. It has potent anti-inflammatory properties that has been used medicinally for centuries to help with all kinds of ailments (arthritis, cancer, CF, IBD, cholesterol lowering, and prevention of Alzheimer’s).

Unfortunately, tumeric is not an everyday, American cuisine spice. It is found mostly in Asian dishes. Although Asian food is usually healthy and a great way to enjoy tumeric, it’s not really enough to get the daily benefits of the spice.

A few months ago, a friend brought these strange bars to our Bible study group and told us we all had to try them. A local eye doctor had developed this recipe as a way to enjoy this spice daily and in the amounts needed to get the full benefits. They weren’t bad and I was excited to learn a way to eat these spices.

Give this recipe a try as an additional nutrient source to your diet.

 

Dr. Schneider’s Amazing Curcumin and Cinnamon Bars

1/2 cup ground turmeric (curcumin)

1/2  cup ground cinnamon

1/4 cup dark cocoa powder (unsweetened)

2 tbl spoons fine ground black pepper

1 1/2 cup organic almond butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup honey

Mix all dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Add peanut butter, honey and almond butter.

I use a powerful electric mixer in a large bowl. (or powerful arm) Press mixture into a glass 9 X 9 inch cake pan (with cover). Refrigerate. Cut into <1 inch cubes,  (about 50)

Eat 2 cubes daily

Healthy Holiday Events! December 8, 2011

As I hope you have noticed, I am passionate about having a healthy holiday this year.  Healthy in many ways. How’s it going for you? How is your mind, body and spirit? If something is feeling weak, I encourage you to take some time for yourself and nourish that part of you. Fortunately, nourishing one area benefits them all!

If you are struggling to find your health mojo this holiday, may I offer you some encouraging events to attend?

Next week I am co-hosting 3 Juice Plus Wellness Presentations. Yes, we talk about Juice Plus, but we also talk about healthy living in general. It will be a great time to get motivated by being around other health-minded people. Please join us. We have events Wednesday evening Dec 14th in the St. Johns area, Thursday evening Dec 15th at 7pm in St. Augustine and Friday morning Dec 16th in the south San Marco area. See the attached documents for more information. Please RSVP to me at jbraddockrd@gmail.com if you would like to attend. Oh, and the evening ones are entitled “Wine and Wellness” so yah, you should come.

Invite WinterWellness

InviteWineWellness

InviteWineWellnessStAugdoc

I am returning to our local Fox Action News Morning Show on Wednesday, December 21st to talk about healthy party snacks. Please tune in!

My next Whole Foods cooking class is Thursday, December 29th. We are having a more celebratory meal including Garlic Prosecco Chicken. Sign up  here and come have a great time! I also just submitted our classes for January, February and March so check their store calendar to sign up for those too!

In January, I will be back in action at A. Chef’s Cooking Studio. I am so excited to collaborate with Chef Andrea again. This is the coolest kitchen around. I love pulling up a chair anytime at this studio but love to cook there even more! Check out the schedule and join one of our classes.

Science Friday – Uh oh Multivitamins! November 18, 2011

Due to this article and other research coming to the forefront, my opinion on general multivitamins is changing. I still believe that you should know why you are taking supplements. Don’t just take something to take it. Look for supplements that have research conducted on them that show they are bioavailable and actually do something for your health. Whole food nutrition is always going to be your best and safest choice.

Read on and post your thoughts.

New study sees little need for vitamins, cites risks

(AFP) – Oct 10, 2011

WASHINGTON — There is no need for most people to take vitamin supplements and some may even be linked to a higher risk of dying in older women, according to a study published Monday in the United States.

Iron stood out among supplements as a particular concern, while calcium appeared to be linked to lower death risk, said the study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, a journal of the American Medical Association.

With about half of Americans taking vitamin pills of some kind, the study aimed to examine whether the $20 billion supplement industry was having any effect on extending lifespan in an already well-nourished population.

The researchers confirmed their theory — that supplements were not helping people ward off death. But the reasons for the link to higher risk of overall mortality, or the risk of dying for any reason, were less clear.

“Based on existing evidence, we see little justification for the general and widespread use of dietary supplements,” wrote the study authors from the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Minnesota.

“We found that several commonly used dietary vitamin and mineral supplements, including multivitamins, vitamins B6, and folic acid, as well as minerals iron, magnesium, zinc, and copper, were associated with a higher risk of total mortality.”

The US and Finnish researchers examined data from the Iowa Women’s Health Study, including surveys filled out by 38,772 women with an average age of 62.

Women self-reported their supplement use in 1986, 1997 and 2004, and data showed their use rose from 66 percent of survey-takers at the start to 85 percent by 2004.

Those who took supplements showed a range of healthy lifestyle factors, and were more likely than non-supplement users to be non-smokers, eat low-fat diets and exercise.

But in many cases they showed a higher risk of dying than their supplement-free counterparts.

“Of particular concern, supplemental iron was strongly and dose dependently associated with increased total mortality risk,” said the study.

On the other hand, “supplemental calcium was consistently inversely related to total mortality rate,” meaning that calcium-takers showed a lower death risk, though the same dosage relationship was not visible.

The authors said they could not rule out the possibility that the reason for the higher death rate in iron users could have been due to underlying conditions for which they were taking supplements, and more research is needed.

In the meantime, doctors urged patients to consider the risks of taking supplements unless they are needed to stave off deficiencies.

“We think the paradigm ‘the more the better’ is wrong,” wrote doctors Goran Bjelakovic of the University of Nis in Serbia and Christian Gluud of Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark in an accompanying commentary.

These findings “add to the growing evidence demonstrating that certain antioxidant supplements, such as vitamin E, vitamin A, and beta-carotene, can be harmful,” they said.

“We cannot recommend the use of vitamin and mineral supplements as a preventive measure, at least not in a well-nourished population.”

Bjelakovic and Gluud said the only supplement that may be beneficial to older women, and possibly older men, is vitamin D3, if they do not already get enough through their diet or from sun exposure.

“The issue of whether to use calcium supplements may require further study,” they added.

Copyright © 2011 AFP

Eat Your Lutein November 16, 2011

I just listened to a fascinating webinar on lutein and eye health, particularly for infants. “What is lutein?”, you ask. Let me tell you.

Lutein is a carotenoid, which is a natural found pigment in plants. Lutein is also considered to be a “phytonutrient” and antioxidant and has tremendous health benefits for us. To sum it up, it helps maintain good vision throughout life and protects our nervous system. These are two very, very important functions.

The webinar I listened to described how important lutein is for an infant’s eye development and maturation. Lutein is naturally found in breast milk but the concentration can be increased through the mother’s diet. (This would be a good thing.) As you age, lutein levels can decline in your eyes and brain. (This is a bad thing.) So eating lutein-rich sources, which is the only way to acquire it, is imperative for good health.

The places you find lutein are, as you probably guessed, found in healthy, whole foods – green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, etc), broccoli, brussel sprouts, eggs, brightly colored fruits and even corn. According to the Lutein Information Bureau, the average American only eats about 1-2 mg a day. The recommended daily allowance is 4-8 mg a day.

With this information, I personally am more motivated to reach into my produce drawer  than the shelf of my pantry for my afternoon snack. So slice, cut, or serve up some lutein today and improve your health for the long run.

Cherry Juice Update October 17, 2011

 

I know I am probably belaboring this cherry juice thing but I just keep stumbling on the topic. Here is one of the research studies suggesting cherry juice to be beneficial for reducing pain and inflammation. Here is a link for purchasing one type of cherry juice. Enjoy!

Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA, 97239. kuehlk@ohsu.edu. Abstract BACKGROUND: Long distance running causes acute muscle damage resulting in inflammation and decreased force production. Endurance athletes use NSAIDs during competition to prevent or reduce pain, which carries the risk of adverse effects. Tart cherries, rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, may have a protective effect to reduce muscle damage and pain during strenuous exercise. This study aimed to assess the effects of tart cherry juice as compared to a placebo cherry drink on pain among runners in a long distance relay race. METHODS: The design was a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial. Fifty-four healthy runners (36 male, 18 female; 35.8 +/- 9.6 yrs) ran an average of 26.3 +/- 2.5 km over a 24 hour period. Participants ingested 355 mL bottles of tart cherry juice or placebo cherry drink twice daily for 7 days prior to the event and on the day of the race. Participants assessed level of pain on a standard 100 mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at baseline, before the race, and after the race. RESULTS: While both groups reported increased pain after the race, the cherry juicegroup reported a significantly smaller increase in pain (12 +/- 18 mm) compared to the placebo group (37 +/- 20 mm) (p < .001). Participants in the cherry juice group were more willing to use the drink in the future (p < 0.001) and reported higher satisfaction with the pain reduction they attributed to the drink (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Ingesting tart cherry juice for 7 days prior to and during a strenuous running event can minimize post-run muscle pain.

Mini Cliff Bars = True Love October 12, 2011

I was so excited to stumble upon this new product from Cliff. I really like the Cliff company. I trust them. The ingredients list is familiar and there are so many tasty options.

I recommend the Cliff Bars to a lot of clients who are looking for a good energy bar. However, the full size pack a bit of a calorie punch at 250+ calories. Not everyone wants that much from their snack bar. Well now there is a great solution: Mini Cliff Bars. They are 100 calories and a nice little addition to a piece of fruit for an anytime snack. They are not available in all flavors but I was happy about the white chocolate macadamia nut flavor.

The other product I stumbled on after I discovered the Cliff Bars was another cherry juice option. This was in with the supplements and cost a whopping $17!! I think I would stick to the other juice because they don’t seem any different. Regardless, here is another option for cherry juice. (Yes, I did get a weird look from a fellow shopper as I snapped this pic.)

More is Not Always Better March 28, 2011

I don’t think I have made an official announcement on my blog yet so here it goes: I am pregnant. Yep, I have embarked upon my greatest nutritional journey ever. I am 22 weeks and learning so much about pregnancy, nutrition and my baby’s health outcomes.

This morning I came across an interesting article about folic acid and pregnancy. I am currently frustrated by how big of pill pushers OB practices are instead of healthy diet pushers. They scare the living daylights out of you if you are not taking 10 pills a day. I asked my doctor a couple of weeks ago if they ever check food journals on their patients. The answer, as I suspected, was no. They don’t have time and insurance doesn’t cover it. That’s ridiculous! With all the research coming out about the MANY connections between a mother’s diet and her unborn child’s health, we cannot withhold thorough nutrition education from pregnant women. It’s too important! Fortunately, I am beginning to hear more and more that pregnant women should not “eat for two.” Truly, an additional 200-300 calories a day is sufficient and does not take an effort to reach.

Anyways, here is the article I ran into this morning. I have not read the study yet so I don’t know if it’s legit or not. But it’s interesting reading. Ladies, please don’t take more vitamins, “just in case.” Eat healthy food.

http://www.consumerwatch.com/news/2010/01/04/new-study-recommends-less-folic-acid-late-pregnancy.php

Great Sports Nutrition Article April 4, 2010

One day, all universities will recognize the need to have RDs…

http://www.athleticbusiness.com/articles/article.aspx?articleid=3518&zoneid=8

Supplements Make Great News October 10, 2009

Yet another interesting article has come out about supplement continamination. It really is risky business. I am NOT against supplements but I think that you should know why you are taking them and what is in them. The poor guy in this article failed a drug test because of a weight loss supplement. Please do not trust every supplement company. Be skeptical of everything and work with a medical professional to determine was is best for you, if you even need anything.

http://healthcarereform.nejm.org/?p=2017&query=TOC_