by kelsey | Oct 11, 2018 | Family, Food
If you ate today, be sure to thank a farmer! Tomorrow, October 12th is National Farmers Day! Consumers want to know where their food comes from, yet know very little about how food gets from the farm to the dinner table; in fact, most consumers today are three generations removed from the farm. For example, one thing consumers are unaware of is that milk travels from the farm to grocery store in about 48 hours. In addition, some criticize farmers because they use GMO (genetically modified organisms) seeds and hormones in cattle to promote growth. Farmers understand the science behind these products and why they should be used: by using them, they can use less water, less pesticide and herbicide, and produce enough yield to feed the world! Without these scientific advancements, we would not be able to feed the starving world! Farmers share the same values as consumers on many topics including those related to producing nutritious food, environmental stewardship and animal care. This is not a just a “job” for them, it is their life! The above picture is of my favorite little farmer, our son Corbin, who was helping dad combine beans last year. The rain lately has greatly impacted harvest so hopefully it dries out soon so they can get back in the fields! Corbin is a 6th generation farmer!
October 12th is National Farmers Day and it’s a perfect time to tip our hats to America’s farmers and recognize all of the hard work they put into getting delicious food to our tables!
Here are few fun facts for you about agriculture in South Dakota include:
•98% of farms in South Dakota are family owned and operated – in fact, over 2,500 South Dakota farms have been in the same family for more than 100 years.
•The average size of a farm in South Dakota in 2016 was 1,397 acres.
•The average age of a South Dakota farmer is 57 years.
•There are 46,000 producers in South Dakota on 31,000 farms or ranches.
•Each year, one South Dakota producer raises enough food to feed 155 people in the U.S. and abroad.
•South Dakota’s agriculture industry has a $25.6 billion economic impact each year. With more than 19 million acres of cropland and 23 million acres of pastureland, our farmers and ranchers are one of our economy’s key drivers.
•In addition to generating 20% of our state’s economic activity, production agriculture and its value added industries employ over 115,000 South Dakotans.
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Here are some fun facts about dairy production:
• Milk takes about 48 hours to get from farm to store. Thanks to hardworking dairy farmers for making our food fresh & local.
•Between 1944 and 2007, milk production has quadrupled but emits 63% fewer greenhouse gasses, requires 90% less cropland and consumes 65% less water.
•Cheers to the dairy farmers working hard to make the milk behind our pizza!
•Take this 10-stop video tour to see how milk from real cows, on a Midwest farm, becomes dairy foods you love. Use your smartphone, tablet or computer for an insider’s view of dairy farm living: http://bit.ly/MidwestFarmTour
•Delicious dairy comes from local farms – see for yourself: http://bit.ly/MidwestFarmTour
Producing the food that you put on your table, truly is a labor of love and hard work, so in celebration of National Farmers Day, I encourage you to thank our local farmers for helping put that delicious food on your table… and take extra appreciation of it!
To all of you that work in acres, not hours. We thank you!
-Kelsey Raml, MS, RD, LN
by kelsey | Oct 3, 2018 | Diet, Food, Wellness/Health
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Many of us know of someone who has been affected by breast cancer as it is the most common cancer in women and more than 230,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the United States as stated by the American Cancer Society.
It is important to recognize some symptoms of breast cancer. The most common symptom is the presence of a painless lump in the breast area. Less common symptoms include swelling, tenderness, skin irritation, redness, or nipple abnormalities which may include ulceration or discharge.
Factors that increase the risk of developing breast cancer include the onset of menstruation before age 12, menopause after the age of 55, not breastfeeding for at least one year, not having children, or having children after 30 years of age, and having a high body mass index.
Increased body weight in postmenopausal women who are not taking hormones increases the risk for developing breast cancer. The more fat cells you have, the higher your levels of estrogen in the postmenopausal period, when your ovaries are no longer producing estrogen. Moreover, overweight women have higher insulin levels, and insulin may promote breast tumors.
Nutrition Tips for Cancer Prevention:
Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are great sources of antioxidants and phytochemicals. Antioxidants and phytochemicals play a role in cancer prevention. Carotenoids is a type of antioxidant that is found in red and yellow produce. Some examples of foods that contain carotenoids are carrots, pumpkin, winter squash, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and red sweet peppers. All dark green vegetables contain nutrients that protect against cancer. Good sources of dark green vegetables include spinach, asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts and kale. An additional benefit to eating a well balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is that it promotes a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight will help you to decrease your risk of developing cancer. A helpful tip to remember is that the more colorful the fruit or vegetable, the more nutrients it contains; so pack your plate with colorful choices!
Be sure to mark your calendars for Running’s Ladies Night Event October 18th from 5-8pm! It is an awesome event supporting and promoting the fight against breast cancer!! Our radiologist Dr.Gwen Schaunaman will be at our clinic booth to visit and answer any questions about our 3D mammography and diagnostic testing we do here at the clinic. Be sure to stop by and say hello!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Sep 26, 2018 | Etc., Goals, Wellness/Health
Last week I was recognized with the honor and award of South Dakota Young Dietitian of the Year! Our South Dakota Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics announced I was selected for the honor last spring (you probably remember hearing about it then), but we actually had our awards ceremony last week at our annual conference. I am truly humbled and honored to be selected for this award!
As I was recognized last week, I have been doing a lot of reflection and I can’t help but feel grateful! Dr. Dan is always good about sharing his personal insight and story so I thought I would take a lesson from him and share some about my story today.
It is hard to believe that this summer, marks my 10 year anniversary at the Brown Clinic and 10 years of being a Registered Dietitian. As I look back on this journey, I have a lot of people to thank and be grateful for–for helping me achieve my goals and fulfilling my passion and purpose in life! I knew at a young age I was interested in a health care related field as I got to shadow my dad Dr. Clark Likness around at hospital rounds on a Sunday morning or check out the clinic as he worked on his paper charts (yes paper charts–no internet back then!) on a weekend afternoon. Health and science were normal conversations in our house. My older brothers went into medicine but I just wasn’t sure that was for me. My oldest brother once told me–you need to follow your passion, don’t go be a doctor just because we are…be true to yourself…so I was in search of the right field for me, it just took me a few bumps in the road to find it!
I first became interested in nutrition in high school when I took a nutrition class from Jensi Andrus at WHS. I was fascinated by it…not to mention she is an excellent teacher that helped intrigue my interest more into the subject! I personally saw a dietitian in high school for disordered eating and that showed me first hand how important proper nutrition is to your health and well being inside and out. I went to college at Augustana for biology and pre-optometry and after about a year there, I realized I was in the wrong field. Something just didn’t feel right. I enrolled into another nutrition course there my sophomore year, fall semester, and within two weeks, I knew I had to follow my passion and go into nutrition.
Nutrition is an incredible field of science–something is always changing, new research to learn about, and what is even cooler is how much a person can improve/impact their health by improving what they eat! In addition, our behaviors about food can positively or negatively impact our health–I wanted to help people have healthy relationships with food and not demonize or have negative thoughts and behaviors with it! Well my change of career choice meant that I had to transfer schools, change my major, and move. I can still remember calling my parents to tell them I made up my mind of my purpose in life and them telling me….let’s just calm down and take some time to think about it, and I said nope- I’ve made up mind, I’m going to visit SDSU next week to learn how to transfer into their dietetics program! LOL–I am sure they were really thrilled with me at the time! 😉 For once, it all felt right.
I transferred to SDSU mid-way through my sophomore year and enrolled into their dietetics program. It just so happened that at that same time, they were starting their new equestrian program that helped them comply with Title 9 rules. I received an athletic scholarship and made SDSU my home. I loved my time at SDSU–learning about nutrition and riding horse as a division I athlete! At SDSU, I met Dr.Kendra Kattleman. She was the program director and is now the department head. She asked me if I wanted a job and I knew I couldn’t turn down working for one of the best dietitians, researchers, and professors in the country! I worked for Kendra for 4 years through undergrad and graduate school. I learned so much from her and she has truly helped me get to where I am today–thank you Kendra!!
After SDSU, I completed my dietetic internship at USD’s Center for Disabilities and Med School in Sioux Falls. I had a great experience learning from the best RDs in the state.
I never thought I’d end up back home in Watertown, but the end of my senior year at SDSU, Adam and I rekindled our middle/high school friendship and began dating and the rest is history as we moved back to Watertown so Adam could continue to farm and ranch with his family. I am so fortunate Brown Clinic saw the vision and purpose in wellness and took my new grad self onto the team in 2009. Dr.Dan and I created STRIVE 2 Survive, our multi-disciplinary approach to wellness and I have had the opportunity to work on several other really great wellness projects in addition to making a positive impact in all of the patients I see and the community I call home. It truly has been a journey and I couldn’t have done it without the support of my family, friends, colleagues, and community–THANK YOU! I feel like I got the best of my parents in my job–my dad’s medical side and my mom’s education back ground as I truly do both in my job!
I am looking forward to the this next phase in my career as we continue to expand and fine tune our wellness opportunities here at the Brown Clinic. We have some exciting things going on!! Thank you to my family for loving and supporting me through my ups and downs on this journey and especially now helping me be a working mom. Thanks to my great daycare lady Donnietta too–it makes coming to work easy and enjoyable when you know your child is well cared for! It truly takes a village! And thank you to all of you for allowing me to be a part of your wellness journey! I hope I have positively impacted you and your nutrition, health, and wellness!
Here are some pictures to share!
My purpose and loves:
Likness Family: Corbin was a baby and this picture doesn’t include our newest addition of baby Asher (Micah’s son), but these guys are the best!!
My In-Laws–the Ramls! Go Jacks!! (We’re missing the newest addition Ivy here –Grant’s daughter).
Awards Day: September 20, 2018: Dr.Kendra Kattelmann and myself. I wouldn’t be here getting recognized if it weren’t for her! Thank you Kendra!
Myself and Amanda Lambrechts. Amanda is a former student of mine that I had in the clinic and at SDSU. She is originally from Milbank and now working at HyVee in Sioux Falls and has her own private practice. Amanda nominated me for this award–thank you Amanda!
SD Dietitians of the Year:
Myself: Young Dietitian of the Year, Tiffany Krogstad: Emerging Dietitian of the Year, and Veronica Handeland: Outstanding Dietitian of the Year. Tiffany works at Sanford Oncology and Veronica at IHS in Eagle Butte. I am honored to have been recognized with them!
Myself with Dr.Dan….we make a great team for STRIVE 2 Survive!!
If you would like to work on improving your nutrition, health, and wellness give me a call or email! I would love to work with you!
Kelsey Raml, MS, RD, LN
kelsey.raml@brownclinic.org
605.884.4226
by kelsey | Sep 13, 2018 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Family, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
School is in full swing now! Are you in need of some school lunch ideas? Check out these ideas below!
- Conventional sandwiches—deli turkey, chicken or roast beef, peanut butter (if it’s a peanut safe school) and jelly, cheese, bagel and cream cheese, bagel and peanut butter, vegetarian pita pocket, tuna fish, chicken salad
- Unconventional sandwiches—hummus and pita bread, cheese and crackers, cream cheese and jelly, cream cheese and olives, sunflower butter, soy-nut butter, wrap filled with vegetables and cheese or deli meats, quesadilla, calzone, stromboli, Canadian bacon with lettuce and tomato
- Conventional alternatives to sandwiches—dinner leftovers (meat/chicken/fish/pork, grains, pasta or potatoes, vegetables), cheese and crackers, leftover pizza, soup, stew, takeout leftovers
- Unconventional alternatives to sandwiches—single-serving cereal or cereal from home in storage container (just add milk), scrambled eggs or hard-boiled eggs, yogurt with granola, chili, pancakes or waffles, nuts (if school allows), homemade smoothies, bean salad, homemade muffin, string cheese.
- Fruits—apple, pear, banana, grapes, berries, orange, grapefruit sections, canned fruit in juice, fruit cocktail, grapefruit sections, cherries, pineapple chunks, melon, pomegranate, guava, papaya, tangerines, clementine, fruit salad
- Vegetables to eat raw, steamed, or with dip—cucumber slices, celery, carrots, green beans, snow peas, blanched broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, grape tomatoes, beets, corn, salad, guacamole, bean salad
- Snacks—fruit snacks, sunflower seeds, baked potato chips, pretzels, multigrain crackers, high-fiber granola bar, graham crackers, applesauce, multigrain chips or tortilla, dried fruit, tube yogurt (try freezing), cereal bars, dry cereal, banana chips, dried peas, breadsticks
Always be sure to give them some money to buy their milk to go with their meal as well! Adequate calcium intake in childhood is essential for bone strength later in life!
-Kelsey
(Adapted from http://www.consultant360.com/n411/content/lunch-box-suggestions-children)
by kelsey | Sep 12, 2018 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Fall is a wonderful time of year, the leaves begin to change, children are back to school, and the temperature starts to cool off. With all of these changes that are taking place you may find it hard to get away from all of the summer time BBQ and picnic eating habits. A way to help you get back to healthier eating habits is to start using some seasonal vegetables. Fall vegetables are great tasting and easy to cook with. Swapping out a regular potato for a seasonal sweet potato is a simple and easy way to get more bang for your buck. Sweet potatoes are much more nutrient dense which means that they contain more nutrients in a serving compared to a regular potato of the same size. A quick and easy recipe for sweet potatoes is to make sweet potato fries in the oven. Another fun way to incorporate seasonal vegetables is to make Kale chips in the oven. These make for delicious and healthy after school snacks for your children when paired with a low-fat cup of milk.
Baked Sweet Potato Fries: First, peel and wash the potatoes and cut them into strips around a ¼ in thick. Second, place in a bowl and toss with olive oil, paprika, salt, and pepper then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lastly, place the baking sheet in a preheated 450-degree oven for 10-15 minutes or golden brown and crispy.
Kale Chips: kale is classified as a super food and is packed with antioxidants along with vitamins and minerals. First, cut up the kale into bite size pieces then in a bowl drizzle olive oil over the pieces then toss so the olive oil coats the pieces evenly. Second, salt and pepper the kale to taste and then place on a baking sheet and place into a 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until edges are slightly brown.
-Kelsey Raml, MS, RD, LN
