February 13, 2012
Heart Health - Milk and Blood Pressure
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You may not think about milk when you
think about controlling your blood pressure, but clinical trials have shown
that including 3 servings of nonfat or low fat dairy products daily, helps keep
blood pressure within normal range. This provides about 1000 milligrams of
calcium daily.
Dietary sources of calcium (in
milligrams):
8 ounces low fat fruit yogurt, 300
milligrams
1.5 ounces cheddar cheese, 306
milligrams
8 ounces 1% milk, 302 milligrams
1 cup 1% fat cottage cheese, 138
milligrams
1/2 cup frozen yogurt, 103 milligrams
1 cup kale, 94 milligrams
1/2 cup broccoli, 21 milligrams
It's okay to add some flavoring to milk
if you don't love downing plain white milk. A glass of chocolate milk is a
perfect post-workout drink, or afternoon-pick-me-up. Getting your calcium from
dietary sources is your goal, but you can ask your doctor about taking a calcium
supplement. For more information about the heart health and the DASH diet, check out our cookbook!
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January 26, 2012
Why Should You Just Say No to Diets? Simple Steps Work
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Funny. I was getting ready to write up this post, when I came across this: The Dr. Oz Ultimate Diet. Sigh.While Oz has some sensible advice from time to time, this "Diet" is not on the sensible list:
"Dr. Oz is helping you rethink your entire diet, from what you buy at the grocery store to when and how you prepare your meals. You’ll begin by implementing Dr. Oz’s Rule of 5, which forces you to
throw away all the food in your house that list ANY of the following
within the first 5 ingredients: 1) Simple sugars, 2) Syrups (all corn syrup, high fructose corn syurp, maple syrup, honey, etc), 3) White flours, 4) Saturated Fats, 5) Trans fats."
To ask people to "throw away" all of the above items is not only wasteful, but ridiculous. Does Dr. Oz know how much I pay for pure maple syrup (which is a refrigerator staple at my house)? Does he not want me to occassionally use white sugar to bake my beautiful children and husband cookies? I don't want to use whole wheat flour to make a roux. Maybe his spouse doesn't put sugar on her cereal, but mine does sometimes (and he's a triathlete). I mean, come on. I want the people I live with to like me, not just love me.
Sure, what you buy at the grocery store has some impact on your overall
nutritional intake, but I'm not going to tell you exactly what to buy. I
give guidelines for grocery shopping in my books (pantry staples, etc)
but I obviously can't and have no intention of controlling how you
grocery shop. The notion that having ANY sugar in your diet automatically makes your overall dietary intake a waste is ludicrous.
Yes, everyone should try to reduce the total sugar they consume. Reading food labels is a good idea. Oz doesn't mention ridding any sodium from the household, but I suggest that you pay attention to the sodium on labels. Choose foods that have less sodium, sugar, and saturated fat, but you don't have to rid your pantry of ALL sources!
A simple example: I just picked up a bag of premade cereal-snack mix at the store (I have active teenagers who have lots of friends over every weekend, and I allow them to have fun by eating some junk food once in a while). There were three flavors: Original, Bold, and Cheese. I wondered, "Hmmn, I like the idea of "bold. What makes it "bold"? When I read the label I saw that apparently having more sodium, more sugar, and more fat, makes it "Bold", so I chucked a bag of the Original flavor into my cart.
But back to my original thoughts for today: Take simple steps. Here's a simple step I just took at lunch:
"Want" - I wanted to eat my Bagel Thin with melted cheese, and a big 'ol bran muffin (I'm  having a baked good craving today), but instead I rethought this lunch, and balanced it out a bit.
"Need" - This is more of what I need (which still includes what I want). The same bagel with cheese, only half the muffin, an d a whole apple. This small change swapped out the 125 calorie half-muffin for a 50 calorie apple, saving me 75 calories and adding fiber and vitamins to my diet.
You can take these small steps too. At each meal, ask yourself: "What's missing?" or "Is this portion too much?" Slow down and think it through a little, and you can eat a variety of foods that you enjoy, and still lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.
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January 21, 2012
Calcium Tips for Better Blood Pressure
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You may not think about milk when you think about controlling your blood pressure, but clinical trials have shown that including 3 servings of nonfat or low fat dairy products daily, helps keep blood pressure within normal range. This provides about 1000 milligrams of calcium daily.
Dietary sources of calcium (in milligrams):
8 ounces low fat fruit yogurt, 300 milligrams
1.5 ounces cheddar cheese, 306 milligrams
8 ounces 1% milk, 302 milligrams
1 cup 1% fat cottage cheese, 138 milligrams
1/2 cup frozen yogurt, 103 milligrams
1 cup kale, 94 milligrams
1/2 cup broccoli, 21 milligrams
It's perfectly okay to add some flavoring to milk if you don't love downing a glass. A glass of chocolate milk is a perfect post-workout drink, or afternoon-pick-me-up. Try to include a dairy serving at two meals daily, and then at snack time. Yogurt, string cheese with fruit makes a great mornning or afternoon snack. For recipes - check out our cookbook which offers recipes that include all aspects of the DASH diet.
Getting your calcium from dietary sources is your goal, but you can ask your doctor about taking a calcium supplement.
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January 21, 2012
Weight Goals at Middle Age - Stay on Track
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As we get older, we try not to “sweat the small stuff”. January is a month when we are bombarded with weight loss advice and television ads showcasing fit bodies. Rather than pursue the perfect body, shift that focus to staying or getting healthier. If you are over forty years old, chances are it's time to reassess the calories you need, your fitness level, and your overall eating habits.
It's a good time to keep up with your overall health and disease risk. I know that “disease risk” sounds morbid, but it is better to know more, than not, so take a good look at any risk factors that you may have. Consider this:
· Are you overweight?
· Do you know what your blood pressure is lately?
· Do you have high blood cholesterol, specifically a high LDL?
· Do you have high blood sugar or triglycerides?
· Do you exercise? Do you still have muscle tone?
· Do you smoke? Should you look for a program to help you quit? (Yes!)
· Women- Do you have an annual screening for breast and cervical cancers?
· Men- have you had your annual prostate exam yet?
· Are you aware of your own family history for disease (diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer)
All of the above will help you outline your strengths and weaknesses and give you a starting point for setting goals for better health. We can’t change our genetic make-up but we can change our diets, exercise habits, how often we go to the doctor, and whether or not we smoke.
As a younger person, going to the doctor may not have been an annual thing, but it is very important to get regular check-ups in your forties and fifties. Things can change quickly at this point. Normal blood pressure, may not creep up, it may just bolt up. Seeing your doctor annually enables you to have your blood pressure and weight checked; two factors important to heart health that are very treatable (our Cookbook not only offers easy recipes, but is a great reference providing background about heart health, diet, and fitness). If you have a family history of diabetes, your doctor should know, and may even routinely screen for this, but speak up. Your doctor can only treat you if he or she knows more about you. Talk to your physician about what is ailing you, what doesn’t feel right, or any pertinent family history (diabetes, heart disease, and cancer primarily; and any other diseases or disorders that you know of).
Be smart. Take charge of your own health by making well-balanced food choices, moving your body and staying strong.
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January 5, 2012
A Weight Loss Message: You Don't Have to be Perfect
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A recent New York Times editorial by Tara Parker-Pope about her struggle with weight over her lifetime thus far, and her inability to maintain a weight loss, generated a lot of buzz in my nutrition and science circles about what the real answer is to preventing or treating obesity is. Is it calories (or more accurately, kilocalories) in and out? Is it genetics? Is it the environment? Are carbohydrates solely to blame?
David Katz, MD, wrote a great piece in response to the NYT article. He points out "... we have devised a modern environment in which physical activity is scarce and hard to get, and calories are unavoidable." I agree.
Consumers often wonder: "How are you supposed to know who or what to believe?" This question is valid given the loads of skewed nutrition facts out there to read and hear. Despite a hunger for science-based knowledge, even experts get distracted with their own anecdotal evidence. However while it appears that the "facts" change all of the time, they really haven't changed that much. Our environment and food supply have however. Some dismiss that our DNA is changing, but I think it certainly might be. In addition, the human body is so complex that there is likely not one answer to the burning question: Why are we getting fatter?
I have my own (science-based) opinion. It's simple and shared by some but not all, but is true, most of the time: Our nation is getting fatter because we eat too much and are much more sedentary than we were 30-50 or more years ago. Some of the debate includes lashing out against carbohydrates. I don't recommend low carbohydrate diets for the general population, although they are appropriate for some people who are at risk for, or already have metabolic syndrome. This is part of the problem with trying to pinpoint one solution to weight management: Everyone is different.
I also do not hold the opinion that everyone should be skinny, but instead they should simply work on being less fat and more fit. Unfortunately we see television and magazine ads (especially this time of year) promoting weight loss programs that pictorially show "drastic results". This isn't necessary. Someone who is a hundred pounds overweight will benefit from losing 10-20 pounds and does not necessarily have to get to some drastically different weight. Furthermore they will be more successful (as in sustainable long-term weight loss) if they work on losing those twenty pounds over a year, and not a two-month period.
Unlike physicians or science journalists, most registered dietitians have experiences in determining what those individual differences are, and create solutions to correct the imbalance. Much of this work is rooted in behavior. Individuals must truly work on forming healthier eating habits, and stop worrying about certain foods or food groups. Shoot for healthier, not perfect.
My definition of "healthy eating habits" looks like this:
• Eating small amounts of food at about the same times each day, preferably 3-5 times a day.
• Consuming plenty of water, and limiting all nutritive, caloric beverages to no more than about 24-36 ounces a day (these would be nonfat or low fat milk, fruit or vegetable juices).
• Limiting non-nutritive caloric beverages (soda, sports drinks, juices, alcohol) to no more than 16 ounces a day (less on most days for most people).
• Enjoying the food choices you make, and add variety to your diet - in other words, eat all types of food that you like, just not too much of it.
• Do however try new foods. Aim for adding more fresh fruits and vegetables into you diet - and eat the ones you like. Invest in a few good cookbooks, or get adventurous and order the veggie side dish at a restaurant.
• Limit deep fried food. Who doesn't love fried food? I enjoy potato chips or a good French fry or fried seafood once in a while, but eating fried food daily is not going to keep you at a healthy weight, so enjoy it only occasionally, and eat less of it.
• Sit down and enjoy your food. Being distracted while eating does not allow you to focus on how the food tastes, and when you are full. You also may tend to eat too quickly.
• Exercise. In 2012, when we have technology at our fingertips that was unimaginable in 1965, we must make an effort to move our bodies. We actually must think about it and plan it, because our day to day lives rely on technology that forces us to be sedentary: Sitting at computers, using automated devices such as microwaves, automatic washing machines, coffee grinders (my grandmother used a hand-crank to grind beans), snow blowers, leaf-blowers, people-movers, cars, buses, elevators, etc.
Quick Tip:
Some colleagues were recently discussing the "80/20 rule" to eating. The idea is this: Focus on eating well 80% of the time, and don't worry about the other 20%. Some prefer to use a 90:10 ratio. Either way, it's realistic, doable, and can result in good health overall (think: instead of losing 50 pounds, you sustain a 20-pound weight loss).
Bottom Line: Believe what truly makes sense, is realistic, and is science-based.
After working in various capacities in the food and nutrition profession, including years of clinical work (hospitals), counseling, assessment, writing, consulting, and just generally observing human behavior, I think you have to ask yourself this: What makes sense? Mammals like to take the easy way out. Honey tastes sweet, and we like it. Exercise is like work sometimes. But if we want to change our national demographic in terms of obesity and overweight, we have to work at changing our own behaviors. And this doesn't happen overnight either. I prefer to choose behaviors I can live with for the long haul instead of short-term solutions, and that includes both allowing chocolate or a cookie into my diet, and getting my butt off the chair for 30-60 minutes five days a week. What about you?
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December 8, 2011
Gift Idea for Health-Hunters
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Looking for last-minute gift ideas this holiday season? It's always exciting when a box of books arrives on my doorstep! Our new cookbook should hit the shelves of your favorite bookstore next week. I am planning book signings in January - I'll keep you posted on the dates.
This book packs in over 150 recipes and I'm sure you'll find
something new to try. I can tell you won't be bored with these! Of course, in For Dummies style, you'll also find loads of great tips and information pertaining to your heart health and blood pressure. In addition, there's a primer for getting your kitchen in order and perhaps my favorite chapter: Chapter 8 - Saving Your Sanity and Health: Low Stress Meal Planning. We know that busy people need information they can really use including thoughts on how to organize your pantry and freezer so that you can throw quick meals together. I love to entertain, and I share simple tips in the book so that you can get together with friends and family and enjoy healthy food and laughter.
Hypertension Cookbook For Dummies: The perfect gift for someone you love this holiday season!
Healthy Regards,
Rosanne
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November 29, 2011
Heart Smart Holidays!
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Well, I'd by lying if I didn't admit that I want you to buy my new cookbook for yourself or someone you love this holiday! Hypertension Cookbook For Dummies® will hit stores in a couple of weeks. You can order online to ensure Christmas delivery (or it's always nice to receive a surprise in the mail in January! Your New Year's Resolution perhaps?).
My co-author, Cindy Kleckner and I, spend many long hours over the past spring and summer putting together a great cookbook that not only includes delicious recipes, but lots of tidbits to help you prevent or control your high blood pressure. Did you know that about one in three adults in America have hypertension? As with most dise ases, diet can play a crucial role. The more information you can arm yourself with, the better you can help your self.
Grab a copy of our book, work with your doctor and dietitian, and find yourself feeling your best soon! Check out these tips and then go get a copy of our newest book! Cheers!
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November 17, 2011
Mediterranean - Chicken Cacciatore
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Just received a copy of the new cookbook - Mediterranean Diet Cookbook For Dummies®. One word: Yum. I made the Chicken Cacciatore last night, using up the last of my garden bell peppers. I substituted some purple bell peppers, using a variety - green, red, and purple! It was absolutely delicious! What a great way to add antioxidants to your diet! Check out the simple cooking process:
Here's what you need - some chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Sea salt, pepper, oregano, capers, red pepper flakes, chicken stock, dry white wine, canned tomatoes, boneless chicken breast coated in flour, salt and pepper.
First, saute floured chicken breasts in hot oil. Five minutes per side.
Can you smell the aroma coming out o f this pan?! Peppers (red, green and purple bell peppers), onion and garlic, sauteed in a small amount of olive oil. Pictured here - adding wine to pan for final saute.
After adding remaining ingredient (tomatoes, chicken broth, herbs) you return chicken to pan to finish cooking.
Final product - tender chicken breasts resting in a delicious
garlic-tomato-pepper sauce. Yum. I seved this with angel hair pasta.
Check out this and more recipes in the new Mediterranean Diet Cookbook For Dummies®, in stores now!
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November 16, 2011
Autumn Weight Control Strategy
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Fall is here, and the holidays approach us. First we'll enjoy Thanksgiving, and then Christmas and Hanukkah; all happy times where we surround ourselves with good company, good cheer, and food.
The holidays are times to celebrate and enjoy, but we must be careful how much we overindulge in specialty foods, desserts, alcohol and other high calorie items. Maintaining your goals for better health deserves your attention all year long. Even on those special days, while we may treat ourselves to high fat foods or larger portions, we must continue to have our goals for good health in front of us; ready to begin the next day with a brisk walk and include some fresh fruits and vegetables.
So as the wonderful autumn season spreads color and crisp air throughout the region, work on these nutrition goals this month:
- Buy wisely. Think about exactly how much you will need for the Thanksgiving feast, then buy just enough. If you only need two pies, don't bake three.
- Do allow yourself a treat. Portion control is the answer. Serve small sweet and treats.
- Fall is a great time to cook vegetables and eat more of them. Add more vegetables to your stew, such as chopped carrots, chopped green beans, or chunks of zucchini. When you make chili, try a vegetable recipe instead, or add two varieties of beans to the meat. Cube a variety of vegetables and roast them w
 ith olive oil and garlic. Check out the photo here of a wonderful Chicken Cacciatore (recipe from Mediterranean Cookbook For Dummies®) with tomatoes, garlic, garden peppers and onions.
- Don’t give up on your exercise routine just because the days are darker and cooler. Invest in a light water-resistant jacket and some long pants for walking. Buy a reflective vest or jacket so you can fit your daily walk in even if it’s dark outside (such as early morning or evenings). Enlist a friend for company and safety.
- Try some light recipes. Pick up a copy of one of my cookbooks (Hypertension Cookbook For Dummies® coming soon!) or check out some low fat cooking websites to find lower calorie alternatives to your favorite comfort food recipes.
- Stay hydrated and get plenty of sleep. Studies have shown that people who get 7-8 hours of sleep daily have an easier time losing weight or maintaining their weight, than those who get too little or too much.
©Rosanne Rust
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November 4, 2011
Living Well with Diabetes
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November is National Diabetes Month so it's a great time to revisit your plan to live well with diabetes. Experts can agree on a few key lifestyle factors:
1. Lose weight if overweight
2. Never skip breakfast
3. Get support and show up for appointments
4. Incorporate exercise into your daily routine
5. Once you’ve met your weight loss goal, weigh yourself daily or at least weekly, to maintain your weight loss
Calorie control is important to blood sugar control. Look out for extra calories that may sneak in to your diet. Other than milk, all beverages should contain five carbs or less per cup. Include more water in your diet, and trying unsweetened herbal teas over too many diet soft drinks. Controlling hunger is important to weight management and including some protein at each meal not only helps with hunger control, but also blood sugar control. Sources of lean protein include nonfat milk, low fat cheese, light ricotta cheese, Greek yogurt, an egg white omelet, skinless poultry, fish, lean beef or pork.
Misconceptions about a “diabetic diet” abound. Some of the concerns that people have when first diagnosed include the idea that you have to prepare “special meals” aside from the family’s meals, or have to eat a perfect diet every day. Not true. A diet that includes foods from each food group, and is low in simple sugars and saturated fat, is recommended. Being mindful of hunger and fullness cues are important to learn what it takes to be satisfied at a meal. Of course sometimes you may end up eating for reasons other than hunger. That's okay. Handle the situation as best as you can, and move on. Get back on track the next day. Empower yourself with healthy recipes (check out Glycemic Index Cookbook For Dummies® ) and keep up with the latest information about diabetes. Research has shown that folks who gain the ability to believe they can meet their health challenges, do.
Don't forget to stay active too. Physical activity helps lower blood sugar levels and is good for your heart health as well. Try using a pedometer to log steps throughout the day, working toward 50,000 steps per week. Monitor your blood glucose carefully when you add activity or change your calorie level. Checking your blood sugar is a great way for you and your diabetes management team to help make certain that your diabetes is being managed. Be sure to follow your physician’s and health care team’s advice about your exercise program. Be well.
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October 5, 2011
Make Proper Portions Your Potion for Healthy Classroom Parties
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Halloween is the
beginning of the holiday season in schools across the country. While many dietitians may go the no-sugar route, I prefer to recommend portion control and careful thinking
when sending treats to school for your child’s classroom. You don’t have to
tell students “it’s healthy”; focus on healthy portions and “It’s yummy” instead.
Homemade,
unprocessed treats can be so much healthier, not only for your body, but the
environment. But some schools are posing new regulations that insist on
packacked-only treats. If so, consider these easy to find ideas:
- Small bags of pretzels
- Individually wrapped popcorn balls
- 4-ounce applesauce
- Individual packs of animal crackers
- Miniature Granola bars
- Sandwich crackers
- Part-skim mozzarella sticks
- Dried fruit- raisins, apples, trail
mix.
If your school does not insist on packaged items, try these simple party meal plans:
- Lowfat milk with pumpkin cookies is
a great treat that children will enjoy.
- Fruit juice or cider can balance out a treat and serve as a fruit
serving, but portion is important. Serve juice in small five to seven ounce cups along
with a small treat.
- Balance sweet, high fat treats with healthier choices: Two mini donuts per child, along with fresh orange wedges and
low fat milk.
- Apple cider with graham crackers and sliced apples.
A Craft You Can Eat: A Bagel Pumpkin. Use mini whole wheat bagels. Offer a half a bagel to each student. Have students spread the bagels with pre-mixed orange whipped cream cheese (whip 8 ounces of light cream cheese ahead, adding 3-4 tablespoons of baby sweet potatoes or pumpkin puree. Blend until smooth and orange). Allow students to decorate pumpkins with pre-chopped pieces of green peppers, raisins, or chopped apples. Serve with 5 ounces of apple cider.
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September 7, 2011
September is Whole Grains Month!
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 You have heard that whole grains are good for you, but do you understand why? It is a good idea to add whole grains to your diet - after all, half of your total intake of foods from the grain group should be whole grain – so I wanted to offer you some tips to help you achieve this goal.
Whole Grains 101
A “whole grain” contains all three parts of the kernel. There are lots of varieties of whole grains - Some are eaten whole, cracked or ground. Whole grains include grains like wheat, corn, rice, quinoa, rye, barley, and oats. When these foods are eaten in their “whole” form, they provide more nutrients and more fiber.
Whole grains are the entire seed, or kernel, of a plant. It includes three parts: the bran, germ and endosperm. The bran is the layered outer skin of the seed. It contains B vitamins and fiber. The germ is the embryo which will sprout a new plant. It contains B vitamins, some protein, and healthy fats. The endosperm is the germ’s food supply, providing essential nutrients and water so the plant can grow. So therefore whole grains contain more vitamins, fiber and protein than their refined counterparts.
There are lots of easy ways to add whole grains to every meal. Here are some of my favorites:
Breakfast:
- Enjoy a bowl of whole grain cereal with 1% or nonfat milk. I love Quaker® Oat Squares and Cheerios®.
- For something hot, filling, and comforting, have oatmeal for breakfast. Two minutes in the microwave and it’s ready. Sweeten it with sliced bananas or fresh berries. Add a few chopped walnuts or pecans for added protein and healthy fat.
- To satisfy your carb-craving, try a Thomas’® Whole Wheat Mini Bagel. Spread them with light cream cheese or peanut butter.
- This is my kind of breakfast protein: Kashi® Go Lean. It has eight grams of fiber, 17 grams of whole grain and 9 grams of protein in one bowl. Add a cup of nonfat milk and you’re up to 17 grams of protein.
Lunch:
- Swap your white bread for whole wheat bread when you order a sandwich
- Go ahead and try a “whole wheat white” bread. It’s made from white wheat (unlike traditional ‘red’ wheat that is darker in color). It’s milder in flavor but still provides the whole kernel.
- For a delicious sandwich try Flat-out® Whole grain flatbread with Flax. This makes a delicious peanut butter and banana sandwich.
- Enjoy a homemade oatmeal raisin cookie
- If you love crunch, you’ll love these: Dr. Kracker® crackers and flatbreads are available in a variety of flavors.
Dinner:
- Try something new and tasty: Bulgar, barley, whole-wheat couscous or quinoa. Check out our grain recipes in the Glycemic Index Cookbook For Dummies®
- Throw some brown rice into your chili or soup. Or use half brown and half converted rice in your recipe.
- If you’ve tried some and didn’t like them, keep experimenting with other brands: Luigi Vitelli® Whole Wheat Pasta. I like this pasta, whereas some whole wheat pastas are too tought and chewy for my taste.
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August 10, 2011
I know it's only August...but getting back to school planning is happening now!
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Summer is sadly drawing to a close, so it's time to begin thinking about school. Parents are often focused on packing lunch, but more on that later....let's take a look at how important the first meal of the day is here. Consider this: A study in eastern Sweden, compared folate intake and school grade performance among 15-year-old students and found an evident connection, Folate is found in vegetables, fruit and berries, as well as juice and wholegrain bread, liver and beans. According to the researchers, "The brain and cognitive abilities continue to develop during adolescence, but no previous study has examined [how] dietary intakes of folate affects the study abilities of young people.”
Add folate to your child's morning:
• Have a glass of orange juice each morning.
• A slice of whole grain toast with peanut butter – add a glass of milk
• Add blueberries to a bowl of oatmeal or slice strawberries onto cereal
• Many breakfast cereals are fortified with sodium, so a quick bowl with 1% milk is always an easy before school breakfast
• Encourage your child to set an alarm, allowing at least 15 minutes for breakfast.
Another 2002 study looked at how a free school breakfast program affects academic performance. The free breakfast programs have been shown to reduce the nutritional risk (which are students at <50% RDA for energy and 2 or more nutrients).
They found that children who were at nutritional risk had significantly poorer attendance, poor punctuality, poor grades at school, and more behavior problems. Six months after the start of the free school breakfast programs, students who decreased their nutritional risk showed significantly greater: improvements in attendance and school breakfast participation, decreases in hunger, and improvements in math grades and behavior than children who did not decrease their nutritional risk.
When possible, encourage your child to participate in a school breakfast program. It can enhance daily nutrient intake which is associated with significant improvements in student academic performance and psychosocial functioning and decreases in hunger.
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July 25, 2011
10 Easy Tips for a Healthier Picnic or BBQ
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It's summertime and those of us who live where temperatures don't get above 30 until March or April are enjoying hot temperatures and the 4-month window to use our "outdoor spaces". Since eating for weight control and heart health is not a short-term experience, but a life-long one, you want to learn how to enjoy social occassions while still making healthy choices. It's easy to do.
Ten Simple Steps to a Healthier Summer Party
- Use
your grill. Grilling is a low fat cooking method since no fat is added,
and the fat in the food item drips off.
- Add
more fish. Choose “meaty” fish such as salmon filets, shark, tuna steaks
or swordfish. It’s worth investing in a grill plate so that items such as
fish don’t disappear into the grill rack and into the fire. Be sure not to
overcook – this makes the fish tough and rubbery. Fish cooks quickly,
about 4-6 minutes per side, and you’re done. Fish should be opaque but not
dry.
- Skip
the skin on poultry. While a little bit of skin can be left on for cooking
since it will add flavor and keep the chicken moist, the skin is high in
saturated fat, which is not healthy for your heart, so remove it, don’t
eat it.
- Use more
spices and fresh herbs. There are a number of rubs available on the market
today, or you can mix up your own (see my recipe below). Look for
salt-free mixes, keeping an eye out for excess sodium on the label. If you
do use a rub that contains sodium, be aware, and don’t add additional
salt.
- Use
the grill for the whole meal. You can grill the vegetables first, and then
set them aside while you grill the chicken, fish or meat. Simple brush the
veggies with some olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and grill. They
only take a few minutes, so check often to prevent burning.
- Enjoy
a snack while dinner is cooking. Getting too hungry before a party can
cause you to overindulge in large portions. Try hummus with low fat whole
grain crackers and carrot sticks, a small bowl of almonds, or some chunks
of low fat cheese with grapes.
- Mix up
your side dishes. Instead of old-fashioned mayonnaise-laden salads,
substitute a vinaigrette dressing in your recipe; instead of baked beans,
try a three bean salad; try tossing fruits and nuts into your mixed green
salad for added monounsaturated fat and fiber.
- Keep
fruit simple. You do not have to serve a fancy fruit bowl, just serve a
platter of sliced melon, a bowl of grapes, a bowl of berries or
nectarines.
- Set a
beautiful table. Put some
wildflowers in a small vase, throw a tablecloth on an old table in the
lawn, and set place settings. Taking a little time to set a nice al fresco
table while serving simple food, allows you eat more slowly and sit back
and enjoy the meal. Less stress, equals better health.
- Finally,
don’t tell anyone that you’re serving up “healthy” food. Just sit back,
take the compliments, and enjoy the fresh air.
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June 17, 2011
Calorie Counter Tip: Men's Health Month
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June is Men’s Health Month, and to wrap up Men’s Health Week I'm offering up recipes and some simple goals to consider. The goal of the
campaign is to “heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and
encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.”
A lot of times, it seems men
may think that “Dietary Guidelines” don’t apply to them, but they do. These
guidelines are not just important for weight control, but also for reducing the
risk of heart disease and lowering high blood pressure (sodium isn’t the only
dietary factor in blood pressure control – consuming low fat dairy, and
adequate fruits and vegetables daily has been proven to lower blood pressure). Let’s
look at the basics, according to the USDA 2010 Dietary Guidelines for
Americans:
Balancing Calories
- Enjoy your food, but eat less.
- Avoid oversized portions.
Foods to
Increase
- Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
- Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1-percent) milk.
Foods to
Reduce
- Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and
frozen meals—and choose the foods with lower numbers.
- Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
The first goal
of “Balance” is extremely important (as are the underlying messages: “enjoy
your food but avoid large portions”). While research results go back and forth
in terms of what the “best diet” is composed of, it’s widely understood that
neither a “high protein” nor a “high carbohydrate” diet is your best bet.
Instead, meeting in the middle with a diet that is comprised of 50%
carbohydrate (mostly in the form of vegetables, whole grains, and fruit), 20%
protein, and 30% fat (mostly unsaturated, with only 7% saturated fat) is your
best bet.
How do you
achieve this balance?
-
“Grains” include
whole grain breads, cereals, pasta or rice. “One” grain is equivalent to about
15 grams of carbohydrate. (Try something new - Real men eat grains)
-
Choose fresh
fruit as much as possible (limit total daily juice intake to 6 ounces or less).
-
Find tastier
ways to eat more vegetables . Most men don’t eat the vegetables they need.
Vegetables provide vitamins, minerals and fiber, and help keep you full through
a meal (so you won’t overeat the higher calorie stuff). If possible, cook a batch of veggies
twice a week so you can easily add them to your lunch or dinner. Roasted or sautéed
vegetables are tasty on sandwiches or in omelets.
-
Drink more water
and include 3 servings of low fat dairy daily. (Real men eat yogurt too - Having yogurt for a snack is a great way to get your dairy, which helps lower blood pressure and control weight. Try rich, high protein Greek yogurt)
-
Choose lean
meats in moderate portions.
What does all this mean? You can still enjoy a beer and a burger....but add variety too. Include healthier side dishes, snack on fruit, yogurt or low fat cheese, and you'll lose a few pounds and feel great. And don't forget to establish or stick to a regular exercise program. Hit the gym, swim, or take a daily walk. Set some new nutrition and exercise goals. Write them down and stick with them (consider purchasing my Calorie Counter Journal for Dummies® to help you set diet and exercise goals and record them). Best of health.
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