Healthy Approach to Holiday Eating and Beyond

You really can enjoy friends, family and food without piling on extra pounds. On average, Americans gain one to two pounds during the holiday season. While this weight gain isn't dramatic, research shows it tends to stick and accumulate over the years. Fortunately those pounds can be avoided through mindful eating and following a few simple strategies. In anticipation to a party or event, don't skip meals throughout the day as this often results in overeating. It is especially important to have breakfast as research continues to tell us that people who eat a morning meal tend to consume fewer calories throughout the day. Include lots of fiber in your diet by filling up on fruits vegetables and whole grains. My husband and I stayed at a hotel over the weekend that included a brunch with the package. At brunch there was a huge bowl of cut up fruit into which we both indulged and added a pile to our plates. High fiber foods are high in volume and will satisfy hunger while being low in calories.

Holiday meals tend to be large, buffet style and include second and third helpings. While most wouldn't consider eating an entire cake, a common mistake is eating large portions of foods that are perceived to be healthy. It's important to include nutrient-rich foods in your diet but remember that these foods have calories too and should be consumed in moderation. Too much of a good thing is not necessarily better.

Employing all the techniques that you use year around to control calories and keep eating in control can be followed in December and January as well. Like using a smaller plate so less food fits on the plate and looks like more. Also, begin with vegetables and salad before heading to the entrees and dessert. Two of the favorites that have become Scheideman traditions are a crisp green salad that includes red pears and green apple slices for a festive spirit. I add a light vinegarette that is made with cider vinegar and maple syrup and top with some pecans or walnuts. Another favorite is combining winter vegetables like butternut squash, red beets, turnips and onions, cut up and tossed in olive oil and some seasonings and roasted in a hot oven until tender. Both are nutrient-rich and calorie-poor and full of flavor. Research shows that if you eat a green salad before the meal you can decrease the amount of calories consumed at the meal.

Eat slowly and savor every bite and wait ten minutes before going for seconds to determine if you are really still hungry. Remember you get more pleasure out of the first and last bites than any of the ones inbetween!

Have a Healthy, Happy New Year,

Marcia

Have Your Turkey and Eat it Too!

While holiday food often gets a bad rap, turkey rises to the top as a lean, nutrient rich choice. Being the mainstay of the holiday meal it's the company it keeps that can get it into trouble. That means the side dishes that go along with the main course (turkey). Surprisingly however, the way in which the turkey is cooked doesn't change the calories and fat by much. Take a look see...

Roast Turkey

• 663 calories
• 37g fat
• 211 mg cholesterol

Roast Turkey Legs

• 643 calories
• 37g fat
• 241 mg cholesterol

Deep Fried Turkey

• 603 calories
• 34g fat
• 228 mg cholesterol

The company kept by the turkey on the plate is quite another story however. For me, when all else fails there's always the vegetable, bread and or salad that I can depend on to help balance out the extra fat and calories that often come with a special feast. Unfortunately when the steamed green beans almondine turn out to be a cream soup laden green bean casserole all that goes out the window.

And it's not just the green beans, crusty whole grain dinner rolls have a habit of transforming into pumpkin nut bread or cinnamon rolls and a crisp green salad becomes pineapple, orange marshmallow sour cream combination during the holidays throwing the best laid plans out the window.

If you are the cook, try incorporating a healthier alternative. Believe me it is very much appreciated by all concerned. Not the cook? Offer to bring something. If nothing else, you will have a choice but my guess is that others will appreciate it as well. If you are like me, the fresh, lean choices are not only just as good but in many cases better than the more traditional fat and calorie laden sides.

Enjoy the holidays, just come out ahead on the other side.

Happy, Healthy Holiday Eating

Marcia

Let the Holidays Begin!

Let the holidays begin or should I say bring on all those familiar and overused excuses. Why is it that the period of between Thanksgiving and New Years Day becomes such an eating frenzy for so many of us? Shouldn't it be simply a time of celebration, appreciating what we are thankful for and visiting with family and friends? Unfortunately for so many people health takes the back burner and overeating, overdrinking and complaining about both takes over our mind and bodies.

Let's break the cycle this year - starting now. Yes, there is and will be a lot of food the trick is to make a plan on how to tackle the tough situations that haunt you each year. Whether it's office parties, eating out more often or long weekends away with family and friends decide how to best approach them before they happen. (It helps the regrets afterward.) Here are some ideas you might try:

• Keep a regular eating routine - don't skip meals even if a big event lies ahead. Saving calories for later simply gives you permission to overeat
• Grab a small snack on your way to an event - it helps you avoid overeating or drinking when you get there
• Schedule exercise into your week just like you do meetings or parties
• Concentrate on being social at the event and position yourself out of reach of the food table
• Peruse the buffet table before you get in line that way you choose calories you will enjoy the most
• When visiting friends bring along healthy foods or offer to go shopping for your host
• Watch portion sizes when healthy foods are simply not available - half the size is half the calories
• Take advantage of off nights to cook and eat healthy
• Watch the alcohol calories - they can really add up

Focus on breaking even rather than losing weight - that is a victory! And above all enjoy the holidays for what they are a special time to celebrate the people in your life.

Happy, Healthy Holidays!

Marcia

Mom Says Keep Immune Strong

When cold and flu season comes around, many folks run to the medicine cabinet for the latest form of relief. A trip to the kitchen might be a smarter move. Mom knew that.

Experts in nutrition know that nutrition plays an important role in keeping our immune systems healthy. After all the nutrients that help fight disease are found in food. The one's we find in the medicine cabinet are only poor imitations of the real thing. Even a slight deficiency in one nutrient can prevent the entire system from functioning efficiently. Among the nutrients recognized for their many roles in building immunity and immune response are protein, vitamins A, C, and E and zinc. If that sounds familiar it's because these nutrients are considered antioxidants and especially vitamins A and C are found in very large amounts in fruits and vegetables. Protein and zinc are common in meat products so that leaves dairy and carbs and you have a healthy balanced food plan. There are others too, like B6, folate, selenium (another antioxidant), iron, copper, prebiotics and probiotics which may also influence the immune system in a good way!

Inside the body the immune system consists of a finely orchestrated complex collection of tissues and cells that protect your body from allergens, bacteria, viruses and other harmful organisms known as antigens. To work smoothly, these cells depend on keeping your body in top shape.

Fall and winter seasons bring on colds and flu. Good nutrition is essential to a healthy functioning system to fight these invaders. To protect your body eat healthy and enjoy - your food and your health.

Be happy, be healthy

Marcia

Twinkies - Diet Food?

It was recently reported that a nutrition professor, no less, lost weight on a diet exclusively of twinkies and similar foods. All of which the general public would refer to as junk food!! Is that really possible? ABSOLUTELY!!

Why? Because it is all about the calories. Professor Haub's assertion was that in weight loss it is all about the calories - not the nutrients in the food. And he proved himself right-on. For 8 weeks he ate a Twinkie at each meal supplemented by a "Ho Ho" and "Little Debbie" for variety munching on doritos, oreos and a little sugary cereal from time to time. What was the secret? He kept his calories below 1800. Since that is less calories than his body requires, he lost weight. Check it out yourself... www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html

Understand that eathing healthy and losing weight are NOT the same thing. People can eat extremely healthy foods, consistently and never lose a pound - and many people do. Not everyone needs to lose weight but we all should be eating healthy. What's the point? Our bodies run more smoothly when they get the type and amount of foods that contribute to health. This will improve the way we feel, it will most likely improve the way we look and often adds to the length of life by fighting disease.

While many of us were not at all surprised by the weight loss, some of the other markers were confusing even to the professor. Many of those "markers" we measure to determine health like cholesterol and tryglycerides improved. Probably a result of the weight loss itself as obesity alone leads to poor health outcomes. There could also been some protection from the protein shake and vitamin/mineral supplement he added daily. Stay tuned.

Just keep in mind - moderation, portion control, and calories DO count!

Healthy, Happy Eating

Marcia

Obesity Costs

Medical costs of obesity are double what we thought. Since we all pay, more or less, the same amount depending on what type of insurance we have, those costs are shared by those who are overweight as well as those who aren't. It is estimated that it costs about $168 billion each year to treat obesity - about 16.5% of our country's TOTAL medical costs. These numbers were determined after careful study of all aspects of the problem - some areas that were overlooked in previous estimates according to Cornell health economist John Cawley. Included was the chronic under-reporting of accurate weight since most research depends of self reporting of weight. Also taken into consideration were the casual effects of obesity in addition to actual costs. This means that there are costs are incurred for conditions such as back problems, general surgery, and gynocological problems that are made much worse by obesity.

Since nearly 2/3 of Americans are considered obese it stands to reason that the cost is incurred by all of these folks - not the case. It seems that the skyrocketing costs of medical care is driven by a small percentage of highly obese individuals - those referred to as morbidly obese. These are the folks that are more likely to engage in desparate measures such as surgery to decrease stomach capacity (stomach stapling, surgery, balloon insertion etc).

In this climate of health care cost concerns it seems that more conversation needs to be focused on those preventable conditions which are clearly contributing to the cost. We can all do our part in improving our little corner of the world by taking those steps (one at a time) toward health. I challenge you to do what you can do to make needed changes and improve your health.

• Eat more fruits, vegetables
• Choose whole grains
• Limit fat and calories(portions)
• Move whenever you can

Happy, Healthy Eating,

Marcia

Fall for Apples

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away," so the time worn adage goes, comes adapted from the old English phrase, "To eat an apple before going to bed, will make the doctor beg for his bread." Full of antioxidants, vitamin C and fiber might lend some truth to the old saying. Certainly regular consumption of fruits and vegetables including apples can lead to a much healthier body and cut down on doctors' visits. Unfortunately Halloween doesn't usually lend itself to fruit, vegetables and healthy eating. How about this?

Try these treats instead of the usual Halloween faire. Apple picking, candied apples, apple muffins, cookies or snack bars instead of the usual Halloween faire. Apples can be a nice alternative with less than 100 calories in each medium sized apples. Other ways to enjoy this fall fruit:

• Slice an apple and enjoy it with peanut butter
• Spread apple butter on a whole grain cracker
• Sip some apple cider - hot or cold
• Savor applesauce bread, cake or a muffin

Apples are in season so enjoy them while you can.

Happy, Healthy, Halloween!

Marcia

Healthy Happy Halloweens

Creating a healthy experience for family, friends and neighbors of all ages at halloween just takes a little thought and planning but no more time than some of our traditional ways of celebrating. Consider having a special ghoulish meal prior to going out for tricks or treats in your neighborhood or attending a neighborhood gathering. One of our favorites is chili topped a corn tortilla out of which each of us a pumpkin face. We then baked the pumpkin tortilla faces on a cookie sheet in the oven until it was slightly crispy. Place the tortilla faces on top of warm chili and enjoy! Now you are really ready to celebrate Halloween. Try these tips to help keep the festivities healthy.

• Give out a healthier version of your usual treats - mini boxes of raisins, snack sized pretzels, juice boxes, pre-packaged trail mixes or dried fruit, balloons, toothbrushes, crayons, silly bands, bubbles or coupons.
• Make it a fun, family, physical activity event. Set a goal of how many houses you will visit by food and stick to it.
• Stay in a group and use sidewalks and crosswalks when available
  
• Bring a flashlight along and avoid darkened house - either no one is home or trick or treaters are probably not welcome
• If candy collection and masses of people aren't your style dress everyone up and go to a movie together or go to the mall and trick or treat at the stores there
• Above all avoid the temptation of buying marked down candy on November 1 - it won't last till next year and just sabotage healthy eating efforts for days or weeks

Have a Healthy, Happy, Halloween!

Marcia

Mirror, Mirror

Getting obese patients to lose weight is tricky to begin with for physicians and dietitians both but health professionals have a bigger battle when clinically obese men and women think they are already at a healthy weight. New research reports that many people who weigh more than they should based on health standards see themselves very differently. A study was conducted of more than 2000 obese people, all of whom measured a BMI of 30 or higher which is clinically obese. When asked to compare themselves to illustrations of different sized silhouettes, only about 8% of them choose pictures that were the same or bigger. (http://healthland.time.com/2010/10/19/study-many-obese-people-think-they-look-great-the-way-they-are) It is healthy and important to be happy with who we are. There are many different body shapes and sizes that are indeed healthy. However, it is also important that we take responsibility for ourselves and our health and that begins with looking in the mirror and honestly assessing where we are and where we want or need to be in order to achieve the level of health we need or desire.

Note that the word "health" is used not "look" or "shape" we desire. The objective here is to improve health - doctors don't care what we look like they care about how what we weigh is effecting our health. In other words, does the extra weight increase risk for chronic disease.

Eat for the health of it, not for what the scale says. Choose food and activities that will improve health status and ultimately desired weight will be achieved.

Similar research done in 2007 found that exposure to obesity also impacts perception. In other words overweight people who have fat friends are less likely to see themselves as overweight. It is called the "contagion effect" and this research found that obesity spreads more efficiently through networks of friends than family members (despite genetic links). With rates of obesity reaching 2/3 of adults it seems that being obese is becoming the new normal.

Buck the trend - choose health! Happy, healthy eating and living...

Marcia

Fall Harvest of Vegetables

The fall harvest bring a wonderful array of hearty vegetables full of sweetness and packed with nutrients. Potatoes, sweet, white and red; squashes, butternut, acorn, hubbard delicata, turban and spaghetti; beets, turnips, onions, pumpkin and lots more. Traditional methods of preparation include baking of squash, removing the pulp and mixing with butter and honey; peeling and boiling beets, turnips and potatoes and sauteing onions or chopping raw then adding to any number of dishes for flavor.

My favorite new recipe has become a traditional holiday dish. It simply involves peeling and cutting a variety of these vegetables in small pieces. I use butternut squash, onions, turnips, carrots, parsnips and red beets. I just spread them out on a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with sides); sprinkle with some oilive oil and then sprinkle with seasoning - usually either an Italian seasoning mixture or a combination of thyme, oregano, garlic, rosemary and pepper. Bake in a hot oven (400-425) until the veggies are tender and serve.

There are a lot of websites that feature recipes using squash. My favorite is "All recipes - http://www.allrecipes.com/ provides a lot of terrific information on cooking winter squashes. Check it out for yourself and/or try some of the soups featured below: http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Winter-Squash-Types/Detail.aspx/Winter-Squash-Types/Detail.aspx

Roasted and Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, halved and seeded

2 onions, peeled and quartered

1 medium head garlic

6 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon each brown sugar and curry powder

1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano and cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Directions:

1. Place squash halves and onions on baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Wrap garlic in foil and place with onions and squash on baking sheet. Roast in 350 degree oven for 45 - 60 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

2. Squeeze garlic cloves out of their skin like paste into food processor. Scrape flesh from squash and place in food processor along with roasted onions. Puree until smooth adding broth as needed. Transfer pureed mixture to stock pot and add remaining broth.

3. Season with bay leaf, brown sugar, curry, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt. Remove bay leaf and garnish with parsley.

I know what you're thinking - "There is no way I have time to do all that!" However I maintain that ordering a pizza, waiting for it to come or going to pick it up takes just as much if not more time if not MORE. Besides, when I do this - soup or roasted veggies - there's always more than enough for more than one meal cutting the preparation time per meal in half! Get the rest of your family involved - it's a great activity and fun too.

Happy, healthy eating

Marcia

Sabotaging Healthy Eating

As parents all we ask is that our children be healthy. Hair and eye color, short or tall, brainy or athletic for the most part we are ambivalent. But we all value health - for our children and ourselves. Unfortunately we sometimes engage in practices that work against us. Any of these sound familiar?

• Skipping Breakfast can result in insatiable hunger the rest of the day. Often leads to unplanned snacking and eating super-size portions at lunch and/or dinner
• Losing Track of Snacks - all those mindless munching adds up and sabotages a well-planned diet
• Sipping Calories - don't overlook the drink calories. Fruit juice, soda and fancy coffee drinks add a lot!
• Not enough H2O - water is needed for burning calories; metabolism drags if dehydrated which means slower weight loss
• Loading up on Low-fat doesn't mean saving calories. In fact many products contain the same or sometimes more calories than their fat-containing counterparts.
• Crash Diets are usually very low calorie with means fast weight loss but also a slowed metabolism. Weight gain happens more quickly as well.
• Ditching Dairy - the body burns more fat when it gets enough calcium and produces fat when calcium depried. Supplements won't do here.
• Drive thru bait - convenience of fast food becomes a habit quickly and despite good intentions the fries and shakes are the most common choices
• Daily Weigh-ins are a recipe for frustration and not a good measure in short term as weight fluctuates for a lot of reasons.
• Unrealistic Goals - dreams of quick weight loss set dieters up for frustration and failure
• Exercise Avoidance - tough to lose weight with food restriction alone. Exercise allows more calories consumed while still losing weight.

When I was a kid, my dad developed some heart issues that were treated in part with his losing some weight. I can remember him saying to me - The goal is not for me to eat as little as possible in order to lose weight but to eat as much as possible while still losing weight. He was right. Keeping normal practices in our lifestyle while making small permanent changes with which we can live indefinitely.

Eat healthy, be happy, live a full life,

Marcia

Lose Weight While You Sleep

Losing sleep might slow down your weight loss - yes, really, sleep more to lose weight. Research released on October 5, 2010 reported that overweight adults lost 55% less fat when they got 5 1/2 hours of sleep compared with the eight hours generally accepted as an appropriate amount.( http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20101004/sleep-loss-hampers-weight-loss-efforts) Doesn't make sense I know but bear with me.

It seems that sleep loss might prevent the loss of fat and make the body try to hold onto the fat it typically uses for fuel. Instead, it burns up lean body mass (muscle). The weight loss might work out to be similar but sleep encourages the use of fat as a fuel instead of muscle. Those getting adequate sleep lost about 3 pounds of fat and 3.3 pounds of lean mass while those sleeping for shorter periods lost 1.3 pounds of fat and over 5 pounds of lean mass.

It appears to be all about hormones. Like all other body systems, weight loss is regulated by hormones. The hormone ghrelin was elevated to a factor of 10 during the time that sleep was restricted. Leptin and ghrelin are two key hormones in regulating appetite. Leptin is the stop hormone that tells us to stop eating when full and ghrelin is the go hormone that tells us to keep on eating. This can easily result in weight gain or preventing weight loss.

The moral of the story is when trying to lose weight make sleep a priority and make sure to get more than seven hours a night. Having trouble sleeping? Try these:

• Don't eat for 4 hours prior to bedtime - sleeping slows the metabolism
• Caffeine after 2:30pm can interfere with sleeping later
• Confine the bedroom for sleeping - use other rooms for other activities
• Exercise helps quality sleeping just dont do it right before bed
• Give sleeping as much of a priority as staying connected, exercise and healthy eating

Sleep well and live healthy,

Marcia

Be the Adult - Teach Good Food Choices

Today is National Child Health Day. Celebrate by feeding the kids in your life good, healthy food that tastes great. Those are not mutually exclusive. We teach kids how to safely cross the street, make sure they get enough sleep, do their homework and be kind to others. In order to accomplish this we sometimes have to make choices that are not convenient or immediately pleasing to either us or them but we do it because it teaches them to make the right decision and live a positive, safe and healthy life. But when it comes to eating we are quick to cave in to the demands of time and begging voices that don't want what we are offering so we resort to giving the children in our lives what they want at them moment instead of what we know they really need.

One of the most important things you can do for children is to provide them with enough low-fat dairy, whole grains, vegetables, fruits and lean proteins to grow strong and healthy. This can be just as much fun and empty sugary "treats". (www.eatright.org/public/content.aspx?id=6442458865 ) Dietary Guidelines recommend the following:

• 6 ounces grains (at least half should be whole grains)
• 2 1/2 cups vegetables
• 1 1/2 cups fruit
• 2 - 3 cups milk products
• 5 ounces lean meat or other protein such as nuts, seeds, tofu, eggs or beans

Go shopping together, try new things, have fun doing it together. Food is the perfect get everyone together and involved activity. Kids like good food - really! Be a good role model. Make healthy food a habit - a good healthy habit.

Happy Child Health Day! Celebrate.

Marcia

Get Up and Walk

Move - even if it's just to get a drink of water, stretch or empty a few wastebaskets. Going for a walk, bike ride, swim or pulling a few late season weeds can help keep you healthy. The longer you sit, whether in the car, in front of the TV, at the computer, reading or at the park, the greater the risk of developing any number of conditions which can hasten long-term problems.

Women who said that they sat for at least six hours a day - not counting time spent sitting at work - were 34 percent more likely to die over the 14-year period studied than those who sat for less than three hours a day. Most of these deaths were from heart disease or stroke. Men with the same activity level as the above mentioned women were 17 percent more likely to die. These numbers are also true even for people who exercise regularly. Sitting can be hazardous to your health!

The least active people had the highest risk of dying. Women wo did the least amount of exercise and who sat for at least six hours a day during their leisure time were almost twice as likely to die as those who did the most excercise and who sat for less than three hours a day. Men who did the least exercise and sat for at least six hours a day were 1 1/2 times more likely to die. Sitting AND not moving around can really be hazardous to your health. So - get up and walk - a few more steps each day; a few more minutes each day. Make it part of your plan, part of your routine. You will not want to give it up. Believe me!

Happy, Healthy Moving,

Marcia

Child Nutrition Vote Delayed

It's hard to believe that in this climate when health concerns, childhood obesity, and parents' who are struggling to get and keep jobs are all over the news that US polititians have chosen to delay the vote on the Child Nutrition Act and gone home. Advocates, including your's truely, have been pushing for a new Child Nutrition Bill for almost two years. Our expectations were high at first but as always, politics took over. The proposed bill includes only a six cent increase in the reimbursement rate for school lunch. None of us could feed kids for that. The current one expired today despite the thousands of letters received by House members urging passage. They did pass a two month extension on the budget so members could go home and campaign.

A child nutrition bill was a centerpiece of Michelle Obama's healthful eating campaign. One of the stumbling blocks was the proposed use of food stamp dollars to pay for it. Why we have to resort to using dollars earmarked to improving the health and economic support of Americans to support legislation that improves the health of American children is not easily understood by most of us.

Next? Legislation could be considered after the election but keep in mind it is a lame duck session. The unfortunate part is that this could have been a historic moment: it's the first time in 30 years that the reimbursement rate for school lunches was increased and there were a number of different components of the bill that helped improve nutrition not only in schools but also in other federal initiatives.

Kids learn better when they are well fed. I urge you to continue putting the pressure on your legislators to pass this legislation and finance it from somewhere else besides other nutrition programs. For the sake of our children.

I certainly intend to!

Healthy Eating!

Marcia

20 or 30 Something's Issues

Feeling Tired?

Are you juggling work, home, community, kids? No wonder you're tired! It could also come from low iron stores, common among women in their 20s, or 30s who don't each much meat and as a result don't hit the recommended amount. Blood loss whether regular or periodic can make this worse.

Your body soaks up the most iron from animal protein but you'll absorb more from plant sources by pairing them with foods rich in vitamin C, like red peppers, strawberries or tomatoes. You might also consider swapping out your aluminimum pans. Research indicated that foods cooked in iron-clad pots packed more than twice the amount of iron as those prepared in other cookware.

Stars of the Show:

• fortified cereal
• lean beef
• white beans
• cooked spinach

Start the Heart Watch:

It's never too soon to protect your heart with a healthy lifestyle. Eating omega-3s regularly can slach your risk for heart disease by lowering blood fats. Pregnant? Omega-3s can improve your baby's brain and eye development. Meet your requirement with two servings a week of fish. (Seafood sources are better than nuts and seeds for the brain)

Stars of the Show:

• salmon,
• tuna
• flounder
• halibut

Cooking these foods couldn't be easier. I dry fried fish filets tonight on a griddle to which I applied a dry rub. Dinner was ready inside of 15 minutes complete with salad, bread, pasta salad. Not only nutritious but delicious as well.

Happy, Healthy Eating,

Marcia

Healthy, Hungry-free Kids

How often do we hear expectant parents say, "Boy or girl, it doesn't matter as long as it's healthy!" - present company included. Now is another time to help make that happen. This time not just for our own offspring but every child. Millions of children now have access to nutritious meals that they may not have were it not for the Federal nutrition programs covered by Child Nutrition Act which is about to expire. The programs and initiatives covered by this act provide unique services including school lunch, after school programs, WIC, and child-care settings. (http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/default.htm)


The House of Representatives have an opportunity to pass the legislation reauthorizing and strengthing nutrition programs for kids prior to September 30th which is when the current legislation expires. Let's hope they do just that. This bill is a key step in addressing nutrition concerns of our nation's children including hunger, childhood obesity, and poor diet quality. It will help us to reach the national goals to end child hunger by 2015 and solve childhood obesity in a generation.


Provisions in the current bill:

• Expand nutrition standards to all foods sold in schools - as folks that care about kid's nutrition we have been waiting for these stronger standards since the Reagan administration referred to ketchup as a vegetable.



• Strengthen nutrition education in child nutrition programs - kids and their parents need to be able to extend what they learn about healthy eating in school to the 'outside' world and education is the key



• Increase meal reimbursement rates for meals meeting specific standards - many schools would like to provide healthier meals but simply do not have the resources to do it as the amount of the reimbursement doesn't come close to covering their meal cost



• Bolster nutrition guidance for child care providers - preparing nutritious meals for children in their care doesn't always come naturally, folks need to be taught how so they can then share that information, skills and abilities to the people in their care.

The nutrition problems facing our nation can only be addressed through long-term solutions. This will take significant resources and the Reauthorization of Child Nutrition programs is the first step. Let's hope the bill passes - this week.

Happy, Healthy Eating

Marcia

Too much food but getting enough?

Is it possible to eat too much and not get enough? The answer to that is yes if you consider some key nutrients that might be at risk in some diets. A handful of nutrients have been identified as at risk in the diet of some Americans.

POTASSIUM - found in abundance in many fruits and vegetables falls short when folks just don't eat enough of them. It's an easy fix. Unfortunately not enough folks are taking the plunge and choosing fruit and veggies often enough. What makes potassium so important? It seems to counter the damage caused by too much sodium. Potassium helps to lower blood pressure and may be protective with regard to stroke risk. With one in three adults in the US with high blood pressure and even more that are at risk for it this becomes extremely important.

MAGNESIUM - often overlooked, this mineral keeps rising to the top regarding lowering the risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Found in many fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains, nuts and legumes, this mineral has been observed as having a key role in the fight against type 2 diabetes. In the Women's Health study an association was seen between a low magnesium intake and increased risk for this disease, especially overweight women. The Nurses' Health Study observed that those that consumed the most magnesium had a measurably lower risk. Other research has reported similar results.

VITAMIN D - the sunshine vitamin as we all learned in grade school. Vitamin D in combination with adequate calcium intake is critical in growing young bones, strengthening middle-aged bones and preventing breaking bones in the aging population. In otherwords it's important for all of us. Many people don't realize that our bones are constantly breaking down and being replenished so to keep that process working the way it should vitamin D is needed to work along side the calcium. Best source remains low-fat dairy. Add yogurt and milk to your daily fare and have that latte with non-fat milk.

VITAMIN B12 - Older folks are often lacking when it comes to B12. Food sources include dairy, eggs, fish, poultry and meat however it's not always a problem with intake. Vitamin B12 absorption often decreases as we age and secrete less gastric juice during the digestive process. That's why the Institute of Medicine recommends that anyone over 50 get 2.4 mcg of B12 a day from a fortified food or supplement. The form used in these products is digestible despite lower levels of acid.

Sounds like the same old story but it stands the test of time: Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dried beans and peas as well as low fat dairy. You'll feel better, look better and be better!

Happy Healthy Eating,

Marcia

Baby Steps

Small steps can add up when getting healthy is concerned. In fact, small changes in both eating and activity level are often more effective that drastic changes. Why? Because you are more likely to stick to a couple of small changes in your routine. Extreme diets and intense exercise regimens work well initially but are often vacated and don't last in the long haul.

It's all about balance. For most folks, energy balence is much improved just by trimming 50 - 100 calories a day off of usual intake. It's really not hard at all. Try one of these...

• Use non-fat dry milk solids or non-fat milk and sugar free sweetener to flavor coffee
• Trim fat from meat and skin from poultry before cooking or eating
• Use reduced calorie ice cream or frozen yogurt instead of regular
• Replace chips with raw vegetables and high fat dips with fat-free or salsa

Make changes that you won't even notice. They really do add up.

1. Use smaller plates and bowls. When you fill up the amount will be less and our practice of eating it all will mean eating less.

2. Eat slowly and savor your meals. It gives your brain a chance to catch up to your stomach and overeating less likely.

3. Leave some on the plate. Even a few bites will break the habit of eating just because it's there. Over the long haul the calories saved will accumulate just like they did on your body.

4. Plates, not bags or boxes. Bags hide extra servings that we eat automatically. Put on a plate and see what you are eating. It brings the unconscious into consciousness.

5. Tall slender glasses are less likely to be filled than short fat ones so use them. Better yet drink water.

6. Replace calorie laden beverages like juice, soda, alcohol, speciality coffee and energy drinks with water or calorie free drinks.

Find changes that are easy for you or ones that don't mean much. That way you'll stick with them and you can make a difference while not sacrificing what's really important to you.

Happy, Healthy Eating,

Marcia