by kelsey | May 23, 2018 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Food, Wellness/Health
Memorial Day is just a few days away and I am guessing many of you have picnics and outdoor cooking/eating plans! Practicing proper food safety is essential with summer outdoor cooking. Here are some easy tips to make sure that you and your family have the safest and best picnics possible this summer:
•Safe food handling◦Wash your hands before preparing your food and when dealing with meats and fresh produce. Try to limit cross-contamination by cleaning prep surfaces often. If you don’t have running water where you are, be sure to bring anti-bacterial wipes with.
•When putting your beautifully prepared food in a basket make sure that you have utensils for raw food and cooked foods. If you have uncooked meats like hamburger, chicken, etc., make sure that they are packed in secure containers that won’t leak. Pack them together and at the bottom of the cooler in case juice from the food leaks.
•One recommendation for properly cooked food would be a food thermometer. Make sure that your grilled foods reach a temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit for steaks, roasts, and chops, 160 degrees for ground meat and 15 degrees for poultry.
•Chilling picnic foods◦Keep food at or below 40 degrees F
◦Pack in insulated cooler with ice or ice packs
◦A filled cooler keeps cooler longer than a partially full cooler
◦Have meat thawed in the refrigerator before your put in the cooler
◦Wait until the last moment to put perishable food items in the cooler
◦If bringing food and drinks, try to keep drinks in separate cooler◾This will allow for less cool air to escape when getting beverages from cooler
◦Keep cooler in the shade
◦If perishable food left out for more than two hours throw away. If it is especially warm (greater than 90 degrees F) throw away in one hour
◦Keep cooked food above 140 degrees
Most of all enjoy the fun times spent with family and friends!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | May 22, 2018 | Diet, Food, Holidays, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
The official kick off to summer and picnic season is this weekend: Memorial Day Holiday! This time of year always bring great cookouts and picnics. Typical picnic foods consist of burgers, brats, hotdogs, chips, and high calorie salads such as macaroni and potato salads. These are all very tasty foods, but they are also all very high in calories, fat, and sodium. Cookouts don’t have to bust the calorie bank. Choose your foods wisely and plan your menus to include a few healthy options and make substitutions like the meal examples below to help you fully enjoy each cookout while aiding in a healthy heart and waistline.
Eat This
90% lean hamburger with whole wheat thin bun
Grilled chicken breast
Grilled shrimp
Tossed Salad with light dressing
Fresh veggies with light ranch dip
Baked chips
Fruit salad
Angel food cake with light cool whip and strawberries
Unsweetened Tea with Lemon
Not That
80% lean hamburger with white bun
Hot dogs
Brats
Excess portions of: macaroni salad, potato salad, baked beans
Brownies
Kool-Aid
Regular pop
-Kelsey
by Dan | May 20, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
We had a great run yesterday. Many of us from Watertown, and our run club, went up to Fargo to be in either the Half Marathon, or Marathon. If was a little cold to start with, and windy, but it did not stop it from being a great run. We were all there for each other, cheering each other on, and waiting until the last of us came across the finish line. We train together, race together, spend time together…support each other. This is the best part of running. The friends that are made, and the memories that last a lifetime. It is not about running. Running just happens to bring us together for a common goal.
We all started off by showing up at the Fargo Dome the day before to hit the expo, and pick up our packets.
We met up with friends, and spent the afternoon laughing, eating, and getting fired up to run the next day.
That someday was yesterday. We had all trained and were ready to go. Many of us set some personal records, which all of us were trying to achieve. But, more important, we were there to run. One of our running friends was hurt and could not run…Tom Beaudry. He was at home wishing he could. We were all wishing he could be there with us. Anytime one of us is hurt, and can’t participate, something is missing. We have all been there at one time, and it is a terrible feeling. Steve Hauck has been having knee issues and can’t run, and has told me how much he wishes he could be back out there running with us. We cannot take anything for granted. We don’t know how long we will be able to keep doing this. But, the bottom line, it is not about running. It is about people coming together who have a common interest, and a bond develops between us like no other. The memories we share, the discussions we have, the time we spend together is priceless. Nobody can take that away from us. Even for those of us who did not get the time they were hoping for were just happy to be able to run, because somebody was still back at home who could not. We were all thinking of you Tom. Here to many other runs in the future together. We had tons of people back home cheering us on, and following us on live tracker to see how we were doing. Nothing is going to break that bond we have created. Like the sign says, some day is today!
Sarah and I got to spend some quality time together for a little mini vacation as well. The week before we were in SF running the Race against breast cancer.
Here we are getting ready to do the Fargo half! We each ran our own race, but believe me, I was thinking of her and how she was doing the whole time as well…and waiting at the finish line for her to get across.
There is nothing like the feeling of crossing the finish line and realize that no matter what your time was, that we at least had fun, that we did the best we could that day, and we have another medal to show for our efforts. We all waited around to cheer the last of us coming in, as Amanda and Erika were doing the full. Some of us struggled, but the rest of us were there to cheer them on. We are never in this alone. We all have each others backs. One day everything will be clicking and we will have a great race, and the next time we don’t even come close. That is ok. Remember, have fun and enjoy the moment. Karla Claussen was the perfect example of this in the run. She knew it was not going to be her day for a time, so she spent the rest of it taking pictures with her and everybody along the way, smiling, laughing, taking it all in. She was going to have fun no matter what. That is what it is all about! It was not about he final time, our final finish place, but the adventure along the way. The shirt I wore has a saying on the back of it: Success–A journey, not a final destination! How true! We all need to remember that. Have fun, take it all in, and enjoy life as it comes!
I seized the moment too. Some of our run club members had a coach from SF, Benson, who was an elite runner. He had a badge that identified him as an elite athlete. I got to wear it long enough to have my picture taken with it. I was an elite athlete at that moment! I finished. I had one of my best times in a long time. I had fun, and I got to spend it with friends. The only thing that would have been better yesterday is if Tom Beaudry would have been there too…and Steve Hauck. These 2 were long time training partners of mine, and it is just not the same without them. Hope to have you both back running again soon! My running family is just as important to me as anybody else! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3875
by kelsey | May 16, 2018 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
The weather is getting warmer, days are getting longer, and school is almost out. Summer! This is the perfect time to improve your wellbeing and enjoy the season. Here are a few simple steps to boost your personal health this summer:
- Berries
- Add a cup of mixed
- fresh berries to your day – blackberries, blueberries, or strawberries. They will help you load up on antioxidants, which may help prevent damage to tissues and reduce the risks of age-related illnesses. Berries are also rich in fiber, which helps keep cholesterol low and may even help prevent some cancers.
- Fruit-Infused Water
- Tired of plain old water? Add some extra flavor by throwing in some fruit with your water! This is a healthier option than juices or energy drinks and adds tons of nutrients to staying hydrated in the summer heat. Some ideas:
- Orange-kiwi
- Raspberry-mint
- Blueberry-lime
- Lemon-cucumber
- Strawberry-basil
- Get Outside
- To improve your stress level, get outside and plant a small garden, cultivate a flower box, or plant a few flower pots. Being outdoors can help create a positive attitude and boost your mental health.
- Take advantage of the nice weather and pick an outdoor activity – going on a hike, taking a walk, playing games with your children – to get some physical activity.
Angel Rasmussen, SDSU Dietetic Student
by Dan | May 13, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Holidays, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you mothers out there! You truly have no idea what difference you make in your families lives. A mother may or may not have children of their own, but they all take care those who are “their kids” in one way or another. You all fall into this category. Mothers are there when we need them, always sacrificing for others, never thinking twice about what they need to do for their families. There are the foundation of all families. I got to spend this weekend with my mom, and as I told her, I can’t tell her enough how much I love her, and how much I appreciated everything she has done for me in my life. Thank you mom! Sarah and I went to SF to help celebrate this day, and also ran in the Avera annual race for breast cancer run.
My Sarah ran as well! We have run this race for many years. We really have made an effort over the last 17 years as my sister-in-law is a breast cancer survivor. We ran for her…and all moms who have had breast cancer. We all know someone, a friend, a sister, an aunt, or our mom, who have had breast cancer, and have battled through it. This is our way of showing support for them, and all women, and to show support for them, showing them how important they all are to us. All of us are affected by this in one way or another.
Here is our group just before race. My sister-in-law Joni is crouched down in the middle of the picture. The rain held off, and it started out a little cold, but nobody who was there thought twice about this. We were all there for a reason. We were there to show support Joni, and for all of the breast cancer survivors. The route was very hilly and challenging, but the bottom line is our journey was nothing like what they had to endure during their treatment. I always said having this race on the weekend of Mother’s Day is the best way to show how important our moms are to us. We appreciate everything you do for us.
Mothers definitely hold the family together! We love you for everything you do for us!
This AM our run club went out and ran just like any other Sunday. I wanted to get all of our mother’s together…and again, whether a mother directly or indirectly for someone, you are all important. I hope you all realize the sacrifices you make for your families are truly noticed and appreciated. The next slide reveals what you all represent in summary:
Thank you Mom! Thanks to all of you moms! You are loved and appreciated beyond words! Thank you for all you do! Don’t ever change. At times you need a break just like all of us, but your job as a mom never takes a holiday! You all keep going forward, pushing us, encouraging us, supporting us…loving us! Thank you very much!
Keep moving everybody…just like our moms!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3868
by kelsey | May 8, 2018 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Food, Heart Health, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
May is beef month so I thought it’d be fitting to talk about this powerhouse lean protein!
Did you know that beef is 20% leaner than it was about 15 years ago? There are at least 29 cuts of lean beef which means they meet the government guidelines for lean, meaning each cut has less than 10g of total fat, less than 4.5 g of saturated fat, and less than 95mg of cholesterol (in a 3 oz serving). Lean beef is also a great source of multiple vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B12, selenium, zinc, niacin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, iron, and choline. Here are some tips for you to make beef a part of your heart healthy meals:
- Look for key words such as “round” or “loin” …these are typically leaner cuts
- Choose 90% or greater lean beef. This means in a 3oz serving there is less than 5g of fat in it.
- Use healthy cooking methods such as grilling, broiling, baking, roasting, or braising. The less tender cuts can be marinated in a tenderizing marinade such as salsa or light Italian dressing.
- Trim the fat! Trimming the fat before cooking will help eliminate some of the fat from the cut.
- Cook with fresh ingredients such as lemon juice, peppers, onions, garlic, and herbs instead of adding extra fat to the cut.
- Practice portion control. Select the 3-5 oz serving over the 10oz.
Balance is key to a healthy diet, so be sure to include your fruits and veggies and whole grains along with your lean meat to create a healthy plate. All meat is required to have the nutrition content (label) posted by it in the grocery store. Be sure to use this when you’re selecting your cuts of meat and pay special attention to the total fat and saturated fat content. If you want to learn more about the benefits of beef and explore healthy recipes check out these websites: www.beefnutrition.org and www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com.
-Kelsey
