by kelsey | Jun 27, 2012 | Family, Motivation, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
This last weekend, we celebrated my Dad’s 60th birthday. It’s not for another week, however we had to celebrate early due to my brother’s schedule. Our whole family only has the opportunity to get together about twice a year for 1-3 days at a time since my brothers live out of state and our schedules vary. Even though the visits are always quick, we cram as much as we can into them in true Likness style. I really don’t know if we know it any other way!
When I visit with my patients who are working on weight loss, improving lab values, etc, we often discuss WHY we should make the necessary changes that lead to improvements in these areas. Everyone’s goals and purposes are different however the common theme is that we want to be around to experience life and all it has to offer as long as we can and enjoy our loved one’s company while doing so. We are very fortunate to be able to celebrate 60 years with my Dad and we look forward to many more to come! My Dad (and Mom) have taught us kids to live life to it’s fullest and how eating healthy and being active can promote healthy living. Taking time out of your day to enjoy each other’s company and life’s blessings is essential to wellness. We weren’t able to enjoy tubing on the lake due to our crazy wind, but that didn’t stop us from having fun and enjoying life. As you can see in my picture, you don’t need water to enjoy the tube! My Dad and nieces had a blast sitting in it on the lawn!
Purpose in life fuels ambition, motivation, and determination. Finding your purpose and reasons to achieve a healthy lifestyle make the process so much easier and enjoyable. I encourage you to reflect on that when you hit a plateau or are struggling to move forward. Take one step at a time and those baby steps will add up to great success in the long run. Life is short so enjoy it!!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jun 14, 2012 | Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Carbohydrates are a common topic when discussing diets and nutrition. Many people feel carbs are bad for us and can cause weight gain and other issues with our bodies. Many times diet companies promote following a diet low in carbs because it promotes greater weight loss, which in turn leads consumers to believe that carbs are bad for us. The problem with many of these companies is that they are not providing the most scientific evidence and information to their consumers as they are trying to sell a product and make money! In addition, many of the representatives selling the products do not have a formal education in nutritional sciences, physiology, and/or medicine. This is a very important concept to understand about the supplement and diet industry.
When looking at a carb restricted diet, there is always going to be initial weight loss due to hydration because the glycogen (storage form of carbs) attracts water. When the glycogen stores are depleted, the total body fluid levels decrease, resulting in weight loss. This process is ok for the body short term, however following a carb restricted diet long term can result in a state called ketosis. Ketosis is a state where the body burns its own fats for fuel and also produces ketone bodies. Normally the body burns carbohydrates for fuel and is a main source of energy for our brain, heart, central nervous system and many other organs. Ketones are small carbon fragments that are created by the breakdown of fat. When the body is in ketosis, you may feel less hungry, resulting in a decrease in caloric intake, however ketosis can lead to serious health problems.
Results of ketosis include:
- Kidney Failure: a high protein diet can cause signficant stress on the kidneys, thus putting a person at risk for kidney disease
- High Cholesterol: high protein diets are often high in fats coming from the greater consumption of red meats, whole fat dairy products, and other high fat foods. Many credible studies have linked high cholesterol levels to increased risk for heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
- Osteoporosis & Kidney Stones: when following a high protein diet, the body tends to excrete more calcium through urine, thus putting you at risk for osteoporosis and kidney stones.
- Restrictive diets can always cause issues with lactation, menstrual periods, and hormone balance in the body.
The dangerous metabolic state of ketosis may seem pleasing at the beginning as you think it’s ok to burn some fat off, however that state can be very dangerous to the body long term. There is limited research indicating that the body can stay in this state long term due to the negative side effects. Ketosis can be prevented by eating at least 100 grams of carbohydrates a day. Thus a moderate intake of carbohydrates is the best for our bodies.
The diets that have been proven most effective for weight loss and disease prevention are the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) and the TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) diets. Both of these diets promote a balanced intake that is high in fruits and vegetables and includes lean proteins, low fat dairy products, and moderate higher fiber carbohydrates. This is what we promote in STRIVE 2 Survive. We are aimed at promoting lifestyle changes through dietary and exercise interventions with a long term result of disease prevention. All of us at Brown Clinic and our STRIVE 2 Survive Team have formal education in the science areas, including anatomy, physiology, biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, & medicine. I, myself have specialized education in nutrition sciences and weight management.
Weight loss isn’t easy. If is was, we wouldn’t have over 50% of Americans struggling with it. Next time you’re approached by someone promoting a product or you consider a low carb diet to help you lose weight faster, think about the science behind this process. It’s very important to check with your doctor, pharmacist, or myself to make sure it’s safe for you and your body. The supplement industry is not regulated by the FDA so many ingredients may interact with your medicines and health conditions.
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jun 13, 2012 | Diet, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Today I learned that the most recent statistics from the Youth Behavior Risk Survey indicated South Dakota high school students ranked the WORST in the country for fruit intake. The average in the country is about 22% and only about 13% of our high schoolers are meeting the recommendations of at least 3 servings a day. Part me of me couldn’t believe we ranked this terrible, but another part of me was realistic about this serious issue in our diets! Kids learn from their parents and adults in their families so in order to improve this, we need to start at the adult level and be good role models for our kids and teach them at a young age how important a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is to promote health.
Even though it’s just Adam and I (no kids!), I have a rule for meals…we always have a fruit and a vegetable. Even if it’s just carrots with dip or cut up apples that we share…something is better than nothing! I also believe that if it’s on the table, it will be more likely to be eaten, so serving it as an option is important. In addition, it’s very important for us to get a variety of colors in our produce as each color offers specific nutrients. I like to select the produce that is in season as it’s usually a better price and it gives me variety. Getting into the habit of including the produce in your meals will help improve your diets and your health.
Poor fruit and vegetable intake is a direct correlation to our obesity epidemic. Next time you go to the grocery store, make sure you shop the perimeter to fill up on great produce, lean meats, and low fat dairy products…all very important for a healthy and balanced diet.
For more information on ways to increase your fruit and vegetable intake check out: www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org.
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jun 6, 2012 | Food, Weight Management
As the summer temperatures go up, so does our taste and desire and for frosty drinks. Unfortunately, most of those tasty drinks such as margaritas, mudslides, and daiquiri mixes are loaded with extra calories from sugar…and then more calories are added from the alcohol! A tall glass of a frozen drink such as these can give you anywhere from 300-500 calories! Wheras, a glass of beer will have about 180-250 calories and wine will give you about 225-250 calories in about 10 oz.
If you are one who enjoys these fruity drinks, try using a low calorie or calorie free mixer such as diet soda, lime, or diluted juice. In addition, you’ll want to be careful of the tonic water mixer as that can have alot of calories as well. Another way to lessen the added calories, is to use the real fruit instead of the prepared mix.
In addition to alcoholic beverages, beverages like sweet tea, lemonade, and punch are common in the summer. All of these are very tasty and often times hit the spot on a hot summer day, but they do offer a lot of calories as well. Opt for the unsweetened tea or sweeten it yourself with artificial sugars such as Splenda. You can also choose the low calorie lemonade mixes such as Crystal Light to give you that tasty drink without the extra calories.
Liquid calories are hidden calories that we often don’t realize are adding up, so choose wisely…and enjoy!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | May 23, 2012 | Weight Management
Each month Dr. Dan and I contribute exercise and nutrition articles to South Dakota Wedding Style’s website. Our articles are typically focused on preparing the brides for their big wedding day, however many of the topics can relate to every day life as well. This month one of my USD Dietetic Interns, Allison Jones, discussed empty calories for my post. If you, friends, or family are planning a wedding, I encourage you to check out the website. They have a lot of really great tips and recently started a magazine!
Below are a few of our tips to limiting the empty calories found in sugar and alcoholic drinks that are so prominent at wedding showers, celebrations, etc. This topic can also relate to every day living, especially with summer picnics and gatherings coming up. Be sure to check out the full post at their website or on their facebook page (see links below)!
- Coffee drinks: Get the small or 12 oz sizes and try substituting skim milk and sugar-free flavorings to cut back on calories.
- Alcohol: A serving of alcohol is considered 12 oz beer or wine cooler, 5 oz wine, and 1.5 oz of hard liquor. For mixed drinks, try using diet pop or light juice as the mixer. It can be easy to consume a large amount of calories when drinking alcohol, especially in social settings. Alternating an alcoholic drink with water or diet pop can help reduce the amount of calories you consume in one night, and it will also help you feel better the next morning!
- Punches/Juice: Try experimenting with sugar-free options such as Crystal Light and be aware of how many times you go back to refill your glass.
http://www.sdweddingstyle.com/2012/05/empty-calories-midwest-wedding-health/
http://www.facebook.com/sdweddingstyle
Also, if you already haven’t check out our STRIVE 2 Survive page on Facebook and “like” us! http://www.facebook.com/BrownClinicStrive2Survive
-Kelsey
by kelsey | May 9, 2012 | Cooking Tips, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Last night’s Relish Cooking Show was a great event and well attended! There were many great vendors and the chef presented his cooking demonstration in a way that was applicable to every day life in the fast lane. For those who didn’t attend, I believe you will be able to watch the show online at www.relish.com. Cooking can sometimes be very overwhelming as it takes planning and time, but once you get the hang of things, it will not only save you money from going out to eat, but it can also be healthier for you! Now the recipes he made last night were not all the healthiest, but he did show us that you can make meals in a timely fashion by reusing ingredients and parts of the meals for other courses at another time. Since the first of the year, I have tried making an effort to plan our meals better. It wasn’t really a resolution, just mainly a wellness goal of mine. It’s easy to get into the habit of not planning and then grabbing something quick or making boxed meals. Now, it’s fine to do that every once in awhile, but the processing isn’t good for us and can make us feel sluggish as we aren’t fueling our bodies with healthy foods.
Everyone’s busy and frankly the busy-ness isn’t ever going to change as that’s the way our society is, so we need to adapt and do better with what we have control of. Here are some tips that have helped me be more organized and enjoy healthy meals during the busy work week. I hope they help you too!
- On a day that you have a little more (example- Sunday) make a plan for your week’s meals. Plan out at least 3-5 days. Ask your family for input on what they would like to help reduce the stress of you having to plan everything out yourself. Since I don’t have any kids to help me with this, I love looking through my cookbooks and finding new recipes and/or meals we haven’t had in awhile to keep variety in our intake.
- Think about how you can re-use items for several meals. An example of this is what we call batch cooking and what Chef Christopher showed last night. Brown up some extra hamburger or slow cook several chicken breasts in a crockpot or oven and pre-portion into a few small containers to use in various meals. Last week I used hamburger in 3 meals: hamburger pizza, spaghetti, and tacos, but I only browned the hamburger once, thus saving me a lot of time.
- Check your cupboards, fridge, and freezer to make sure you have adequate groceries for these meals. If you don’t, you may need to make a trip to the grocery store.
- Ask your family for help! If you have kids old enough to help in the kitchen assign each of them a night to help out.
- Think about MyPlate and make sure you have adequate produce to make a healthy plate with the food groups. Remember half of your plate should be fruits and vegetables, a quarter lean meat, and a quarter whole grains. If you’re always short on veggies (which most of us are), I highly recommend the frozen steamer bags as they are super easy and convenient.
Cooking at home doesn’t have to be stressful…with a little planning and pre-preparation, you’ll find that eating at home is truly enjoyable and much healthier than that greasy burger and fries from the drive thru.
The picture I have included is of our very own STRIVE 2 Survive contributor, Dr. Jon McAreavey showing off his knife and cooking skills at the Relish show last night.
-Kelsey
