by kelsey | Nov 5, 2014 | Diabetes, Diet, Food, Heart Health, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Today is a fun day for us…it’s National Eating Healthy Day! Just another reminder how making healthy choices can improve and impact your health and wellness tremendously! Whether you have heart disease or not, we all should strive to eat a heart healthy diet that keeps us healthy long term and aids in disease prevention! Eatings a colorful diet with moderate portions and engaging in regular activity are keys to success.
For a healthy heart you want to consume a diet low in sodium, low in saturated and trans fat, and cholesterol. Challenge yourself to replace these with some of the foods and food components listed below:
- Fruits and Vegetables- Many fruits and vegetables contain fiber, which helps your body take in more nutrients, can lower cholesterol levels, aid in achieving a healthy weight. Fruits and vegetables not only contain fiber, but they also contain potassium and antioxidants. Potassium can help with blood pressure by blunting the effects of sodium on blood pressure. Antioxidants may help prevent disease and keep your body working properly.. At the grocery store, be sure to choose a variety of deeply colored fruits and vegetables like carrots, apricots, broccoli, beets, berries and kidney beans to maximize your intake of vitamins and minerals.
- Whole Grains-There are many components within whole grains which provide benefits. Whole grains provide fiber, vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants. To reap the benefits, aim for at least 3 daily servings of whole grains. On the label, look for the phrase “whole grain” or “whole” before the grain’s name. Some examples include: whole grain breads, cereals and pasta, brown rice, oatmeal and popcorn.
- Heart Healthy Fats- A diet of moderate fat intake is beneficial to your health. You can enjoy the healthy benefits by choosing oils and spreads rich in unsaturated fat, such as olive, canola, safflower, sunflower, corn, or soybean oils. Salmon, sardines, herring, trout, and tuna are terrific sources of the omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which are types of polyunsaturated fats that may reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Lean Meats- lean proteins such as white meat poultry, fish, pork and lean cuts of beef such as 90% or greater lean hamburger, sirloin, or round cuts are recommended. Also plant proteins such as beans and lentils offer an excellent source of protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients.
- Low Fat Dairy– skim or 1% dairy products are recommended for helping you meet your calcium and vitamin D neeeds to help keep your bones strong and healthy.
Healthy eating doesn’t have to be challenging. Start by picking a few little things to focus on improving and over time those little things will add up to big successes in the long run. Remember you are what you eat, so exchange out the junk food for healthy foods and your body will reward you!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Oct 29, 2014 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Weight Management
STRIVE’s treats were extra tasty last night! Be sure to give these recipes a try!
Easy Berry Cobbler (above)
1 (12 oz) can diet lemon-lime soda
1 box white cake mix
2 (16 oz) bags of frozen berries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pleaces both bags of frozen fruit into a 9×13 baking dish (do not thaw). Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top of the frozen fruit. Pour entire can of diet soda over the mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 40 minutes. Let cool and serve.
Garden Fresh Cottage Cheese Salad
2 containers (22oz) 1% cottage cheese
1 cucumber, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 pkg Good Seasoning Italian Dressing
Mix together and put in refridgerator for a few hours before serving.
All ingredients can be purchased at County Fair Foods!
by kelsey | Oct 15, 2014 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Food, Weight Management
Last night’s STRIVE treats were again great thanks to County Fair Foods!! Two new recipes we couldn’t wait to share with all of you!
Strawberry Salsa
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 1/2 cups chopped sweet red peppers
1 cup chopped green peppers
1 cup seeded chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped Anaheim pepper
2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp honey
2 Tbsp lemon juice
In a large bowl, combine the first 9 ingredients. In a small bowl, combine honey and lemon juice; gently stir into strawberry mixture. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Stir just before serving. Serve with a slotted spoon with whole grain or baked tosisto chips.
Creamy Feta-Spinach Dip
1 cup (8oz) fat free yogurt
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 oz reduced fat cream cheese, cubed
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups finely chopped fresh spinach
1 tsp dill weed
1/8 tsp pepper
Fresh veggies, pretzles, or sliced bread
1) Line a strainer with a coffee filter; place over bowl. Place yogurt in prepared strainer; cover yogurt with a coffee filter. Refridgerate for 2 hours or until yogurt has thickened to the consistency of whipped cream.
2) Transfer yogurt to a food processor (discard liquid from bowl). Add the feta cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, and garlic; cover and process until smooth.
3) Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the spinach, dill, and pepper. Cover and refridgerate until chilled. Serve with vegetables, pretzles, or bread.
by kelsey | Oct 14, 2014 | Diet, Family, Weight Management
It’s that time of year again. Not only are the aisles of Wal-Mart strewn with witch hats, zombie make-up and fairy wings, but of course there is the looming aisle of Halloween candy. It can be easy to over indulge on treats this time of year. Most of the candy passed out to trick-or-treaters comes in “fun size” or “mini” portions. However, looks can be deceiving; people often believe that since they are smaller in size, more can be consumed. Calories from Halloween candy can quickly add up. For example; 3 mini snickers bars pack 300 calories. To burn off that many calories you would have to walk at a brisk pace for 1.5 hours or run for 40 minutes.
Fortunately the 31st of October doesn’t have to mean automatic weight gain. Try waiting until the day before to buy treats to pass out. You will be less likely to feel the need to nibble if you don’t buy it a month ahead of time. Keeping it out of site, such as up in a closet you rarely use, can help you forget that it’s even in the house. The biggest challenge with Halloween candy is the leftovers. After the trick-or-treaters have come and gone we are often left with the reality that we stocked up for 400 doorbell ringers, and only got 15. Buying candy that you don’t like is an easy way to keep you from eating it both before and after the holiday.
Halloween Treats to Try
Sugar-free gum
Boxes of raisins
Animal crackers
Pretzels
Trail mix
Fruit snacks
Lollipops
Non-Candy choices: stickers, small toys, erasers, etc.
Halloween Tricks to Avoid
Candy bars
Caramels
Fudge
Skittles
M&M’s
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Oct 9, 2014 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Weight Management, 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!
I will be discussing this topic in greater detail at our upcoming educational event on October 23rd at the HyVee Club Room from 5:30-7pm. Be sure to call Big Stone Therapies at 753-5400 to reserve your spot…it’s going to be a great event!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Oct 1, 2014 | Family, Goals, Motivation, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
As many of you know my maiden name is Likness and my father is Dr.Clark Likness. I have discussed in previous posts about how growing up in a home where medical terms and science were discussed on a regular basis helped shape my interest and passion for health, wellness, and nutrition. Healthy eating and regular activity were norms in our household and have continued to be a focus for us as we all get older. Many of you have probably heard stories, rumors, or maybe the actual truth about what has been going on about my Dad recently. There seems to be a lot more of the rumors versus the actual truth going around about what happened, that Dad and I decided it was time to discuss it on our wellness blog to not only inform you all of the truth, but show how important healthy living, choices, and wellness checks with your regular doctors are.
“Dr.Likness” to many of you, “Dad” to me, “Clark” to friends, and “Grandpa Clarky” to my nieces and nephew has been out of the clinic on medical leave since the middle of August. He is doing well and will be coming back to the clinic to see patients in a few weeks. In the early summer, he noticed he was having some issues with his veins in his legs and decided to get it checked out. A small tumor was found on his kidney and after multiple tests and consults with various top notch health professionals, they concluded the tumor needed to be removed as there was a possibility of it being cancer. If removed, he was cured, no matter if it was benign or malignant. In the meantime, he was working on some landscaping at my parent’s lake cabin and blew out his rotator cuff in his shoulder and developed a hernia. In Dad’s early years (before becoming a doctor), he helped his grandparents and parents on the farm and worked road construction. The years of manual labor and hard work caught up to him this summer and basically his body was falling apart! So facing the fact that he needed to have all of these issues taken care of, he decided to do them all at once so that he could be out at the same time for them and not have to take multiple medical leaves of absence from the clinic. It may seem crazy to have it all done in the same time period, but he thought it was best for himself and his patients to not be out multiple times. In August he had the tumor on his kidney removed and the surgery was successful. The pathology report came back that it was benign, which means NO CANCER! We were relieved and thrilled with the news. A few weeks later, he had the hernia and his shoulder repaired. He is now recovering from that and engaging in therapy to get himself back up to steam and have full range of motion again. The picture above is from our last short boat ride around the lake this last weekend before we pulled everything out for winter. As you can see he’s looking good!
There have been multiple rumors going around that he has liver cancer, lung cancer, and is retiring, and we want you all to know NONE of these are true!! He is doing great and will be back to work and 100% health soon! Each doctor he saw through all of this remarked how he went into surgeries, surgeries were successful, and the recovery will be better all because he has kept himself in good shape. He exercises regularly and makes efforts to eat healthy. The benefits of making these daily choices are rewarding! In addition, regular check ups and screenings are essential for good health and prevention as if he wouldn’t have gotten checked out, there is a chance that the tumor in his kidney could have progressed into a cancerous tumor. Even though making healthy choices, practicing portion control and moderation, and making time for regular activity aren’t always appealing (yes it does take some effort and motivation!), we need to make these efforts to take good care of our bodies as we only get one! We decided to share his story to show you how important healthy living and proper self care is…and a little piece of me wanted to help set the record straight! 😉 Dad’s motivation continues to be his family (all of us below minus the newest addition, my niece Blair who was born in the spring) as he wants to be around to enjoy all of life’s events with us! We all need to find that certain motivation to help us stay on track with our goals and efforts! If you don’t have it now, I encourage you to do some serious thinking on what motivates you to live healthy. That motivation and incentive is your key for a long and healthy life!
-Kelsey
