by kelsey | May 1, 2012 | Etc., Family, Food
Happy May Day! Today has always been a fun day because it marks the first day of May and all the joy that brings, but it’s also my husband, Adam’s birthday! We had a little birthday party this last weekend to celebrate. As you can see in the picture we are both SDSU Jack’s fan and yes, he does have a rich and delicious turtle pie cake that his mother made him! Days like this are worth celebrating…and of course, food is always involved! So you may wonder, what does a dietitian serve for parties like this. Well we had our fare share of sweets with this tasty cake and icecream that surely testing our portion control, but we also opted for a lean meal of burgers on the grill, veggies, and fruit salad. Celebrations are a part of life and it’s ok to take a time out from your diet to enjoy, just remember to get back on the wagon the next day and be sure to get your exercise in! Also, if you are in control of planning the menu opt for lean meat choices, be sure to have a fruit and veggie selection, and choose a healthy cooking method such as grilling, baking or broiling versus frying.
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Apr 26, 2012 | Diet, Wellness/Health
Yesterday I discussed ways to increase vegetable consumption which brought me to the topic of picky eating. Do you have a picky eater in your family? Often times when we have a child that refuses foods it results in a lot of frustration and negative attitudes towards meal time and eating. It’s actually normal for a child to refuse a food they haven’t tried. We know the importance of eating a balanced diet and we want our children to do that too, however sometimes it’s easier said than done! Here are a few tips from ChooseMyPlate.gov to help your picky eater try new foods:
- Sometimes, new foods take time. Kids don’t always take to new foods right away. Offer new foods many times. It may take up to a dozen tries for a child to accept a new food.
- Small portions, big benefits. Let your kids try small portions of new foods that you enjoy. Give them a small taste at first and be patient with them. When they develop a taste for many types of foods, it’s easier to plan family meals.
- Be a good role model by trying new foods yourself. Describe its taste, texture, and smell.
- Offer only one new food at a time. Serve something that you know your child likes along with the new food. Offering too many new foods all at once could be overwhelming.
- Offer new foods first, at the beginning of a meal, when your child is the most hungry.
- Serve food plain if that is important to your preschooler. For example, instead of a macaroni casserole, try meatballs, pasta, and a vegetable. Also, to keep the different foods separate, try plates with sections. For some kids the opposite works and serving a new food mixed in with a familiar item is helpful.
Read more about helping your child eat healthy at: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/preschoolers/picky-eaters/new-foods.html
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Apr 25, 2012 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Do you have a child that refuses to eat vegetables? Many prefer fruit over vegetables because of their sweet taste. However the combination of fruit and vegetables offers our body’s a great source of vitamins and minerals and each color offers their own really great nutrients…which is why we encourage you to eat a colorful diet. As many of you know, we recommend getting at least 2 fruits a day and fresh or frozen are best. Be careful of the juices and canned fruit as they often times have more sugar and lack the fiber which is beneficial for us. To help increase vegetable intake (strive to get at least 3 servings/day), try using a variety of preparation methods such as raw, steamed, or roasted. Here are some tips to help your children increase their intake of vegetables:
- Allow your children to pick out the vegetables for dinner
- Use cut-up vegetables with dip as a snack
- Vary the choices to keep it interesting
- Have kids help wash, peel and slice vegetables if they are old enough.
Including them in the decision making and preparation gives them ownership and makes eating them more satisfying! A really great website for learning more about increasing your fruit and veggie consumption is: www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org. Check it out!
-Kelsey
Reference: http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442450985
by kelsey | Apr 24, 2012 | Diet, Heart Health, Wellness/Health
The American Heart Association recommends limiting sodium intake to ≤1500 mg/day for ideal heart health. The research between sodium intake and heart disease and hypertension is strong, but the link between sodium intake and stroke was not as strong….until now. Sodium is used as a preservative in a lot of foods and it most commonly found in processed, packaged, canned, and fried foods. The majority of Americans consume greater than 2300mg of sodium a day, thus well above where the AHA recommends. This study indicated that those who consumed above the recommendations had a greater risk for stroke. This study also indicated that those who’s sodium intake was higher, were also consuming a greater amount of calories, carbs, protein, fat, and saturated fat.
Overall, this study tells me that watching our sodium intake is even more important! The number one step for reducing sodium in your diet is to remove the salt shaker and/or use a salt substitute instead. Try to not cook with salt, instead cook with herbs and salt free seasonings such as Mrs. Dash. In addition, you’ll want to be more aware of your choices when eating out and choosing packaged foods. It’s ok to ask for special requests, ie- limit the salt or hold the salt. A greater intake of fruits and vegetables is also shown to be beneficial in improving hypertension and heart disease, so make efforts to get your 5 a day!
For the full study, click the link: http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/early/2012/04/12/STROKEAHA.111.641043.abstract
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Apr 19, 2012 | Wellness/Health
Do you ever feel like there’s never enough time in the day to get everything done on your list? Many of us often feel very stressed out or crazy busy and in today’s society, this feeling and status is becoming a norm for many. Did you know that stressed is “desserts” spelled backwards? I think that this is very fittings as many of us turn to desserts or sweets when we are feeling stressed. Stress is a part of life, so we need to learn how to manage it better and manage our time to include regular activity and healthy home cooked meals versus going out to eat because you’re always on the run. Stress is a result of a situation that has an effect on us primarily because of how we think about it in our mind. By changing our thinking process, we can reduce the stress in our lives. Often times the healthy habits that promote wellness and a clearer mind such as regular activity are pushed to the back burner because you don’t have time. If you are feeling stressed out or have these times in your life, use these tips to help you reduce that stress in your life:
- Make a committment to reduce the stress in your life.
- Focus on the solution rather than the problem.
- Identify and manage the root of your stress, not just the symptoms.
- Practice time management. Manage your priorties and use your time carefully. A calendar or planner can help you with this.
- Get over guilt! Set reasonable standards of what you can realistically accomplish in a day.
- Set boundaries, it’s ok to say no sometimes.
- Don’t forget your self care comes first. Schedule your activity into your day’s schedule and practice menu planning to help prevent you from running through the drive thru.
- Think positive thoughts!
-Kelsey
For more information: http://www.rd411.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1081:stress-crazy-busy-no-more-&catid=121:personal-growth-&Itemid=414
