by kelsey | Mar 23, 2016 | Etc.
Do you have your Easter baskets all ready for the little (or big) kids in your life? Easter baskets are usually filled with all kinds of goodies and I like to think of them being just as exciting as getting your Christmas stocking! My family has all kinds of funny stories about the big search for finding our Easter baskets and of course what we find inside is even more exciting! The candy aisles at the store are filled with all kinds of goodies, but let us not forget that there are plenty of other non-junk food options to fill your Easter baskets with. Here are some ideas for you:
- Sidewalk chalk
- Color Dotz by Crayola (color your bath water with them!)
- Books
- Coloring books
- Stuffed animals
- Sunglasses
- Shoes
- Socks
- Hair accessories for girls
- Mini cars or planes for boys
- Nail polish
- Gift certificate to the movies or iTunes
- Magazine subscription
- Jump rope
- Yo-yo
- Pencils, crayons, markers
It’s ok to enjoy a little candy, but be sure to include some of these other goodies to help make your Easter baskets a bit healthier! And more importantly, remember the real meaning of celebrating Easter!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Mar 22, 2016 | Diabetes, Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
One of the most frequent questions I get from patients is what the real truth is about artificial sugars. You hear all kinds of good and bad things about them, so how do you know what to believe?! Well….here’s the facts:
Artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes refer to substances that have little to no calories or other nutrients and are added to foods and beverages to provide a taste that is similar to table sugar (sucrose). Because artificial sweeteners are many times sweeter than table sugar, smaller amounts are needed to create the same level of sweetness.
There are five artificial sweeteners that have been tested and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
Acesulfame-K is 200 times sweeter than sugar and it is heat stable, making it great for cooking or baking. The FDA approved acesulfame-K in 1998. Brand names include Sunett and Sweet One.
Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than table sugar and is one of the most commonly used sweeteners today. Aspartame was approved by the FDA in 1981 and is used in a variety of foods. Brand names include NutraSweet and Equal.
Saccharin is about 300 times sweeter than sugar and is used as tabletop sweetener, in baked goods, jams, chewing gum, canned fruit, candy, dessert toppings and salad dressings. The FDA approved saccharin in 1981, along with a warning label stating it was ‘reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen’. This warning label was lifted in 2000, after numerous studies cited there is no evidence that saccharin is associated with an incidence of cancer. Brand names include Sweet ‘N Low, Sweet Twin and Sugar Twin.
Sucralose is about 600 times sweeter than table sugar and approved by the FDA in 1999. Sucralose is not absorbed by the body and is eliminated through the urine and feces resulting in zero calories. Sucralose is also heat stable so it can be used for cooking or baking. The brand name for sucralose is Splenda.
Neotame is 7,000-13,000 times sweeter than sugar. Neotame is approved for use in beverages, dairy products, frozen desserts, baked goods and gums. Neotame is not available for consumer purchase at this time.
Stevia has become a popular sweetener in recent years and is extracted from the leaves of the Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni bush. Two forms can be extracted: Reb A and stevioside. Both are 200-300 times sweeter than table sugar and are calorie free. In 2008, Reb A was generally recognized as safe by the FDA for use as a tabletop sweetener and in prepared foods. Brand names include A Sweet Leaf, Sun Crystals, Stevia, Truvia, and PureVia.
There is a lot of confusion about artificial sugars due to the mixed messages consumers hear about their risks, but when you really look at the studies and evidence, there are are in fact little concerns. According the the FDA, National Cancer Institute, and several other health agencies, there is no sound evidence that these artificial sugars approved cause cancer or serious health problems. Acceptable Daily Intake levels have been set by the FDA to help you determine how much you can consume and still be safe. The ADIs are set at 100x less than the smallest amount that may be harmful. So in order to actually come close to being at risk for side effects it would mean the average person would have to consume around 20 cans of diet pop/day to experience adverse effects. Please see the charts below:
Acceptable Daily Intake for Various Levels: Note the ADI is based on kg of body weight. Take your weight in pounds divided by 2.2 to get your weight in kg.
|
ADI (mg/kg body weight)
|
Average (mg) amount in 12oz can soda
|
Amount (mg) in a packet of sweetener
|
| Acesulfame-K |
15
|
40**
|
50
|
| Aspartame |
50
|
200
|
35
|
| Saccharin |
5
|
140
|
40
|
| Sucralose |
5
|
70
|
5
|
| Sweetener |
Number of 12oz cans diet soda to reach the ADI |
Number of artificial sweetener packets to reach the ADI |
| Acesulfame-K |
25.6
|
20.4
|
| Aspartame |
17
|
97.4
|
| Saccharin |
2.4
|
8.6
|
| Sucralose |
4.8
|
68.2
|
| Stevia/Reb A |
Product info not available. Sodas containing stevia are not widely available |
30
|
There are also newer studies suggesting that the use of artificial sweeteners tricks our body as it’s not real sugar and in turn we eat more. These studies are inconclusive and not reliable.
The Bottom Line:
Adults may be able to better manage weight when sugary foods and beverages are replaced with artificial sweeteners as these artificial sweeteners are sugar free, calorie free. Studies have also shown that artificial sweeteners do not increase appetite or food intake in adults, adolescents or children. The American Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics states that, “based on studies reviewed, artificial sweeteners are safe for use in the general population.” Special populations, such as pregnant women, should limit the use of sugar substitutes and avoid saccharin, since the fetus may not be able to clear the substance quickly enough. Individuals with PKU should avoid aspartame since phenylalanine is found in aspartame. However, individuals with this genetic predisposition can use neotame. So all in all, I recommend them for those wanting to manage their weight and control their blood sugars, however moderation and portion control are key!!
Source:ADA Evidence Analysis Library (2011).The Truth about Artificial Sweeteners or Sugar Substitutes: How Much Is Too Much?.Retrieved May 1, 2012 from the American Dietetic Association. Website: http://www.adaevidencelibrary.com/files/Docs/NNSResourceDraft3.pdf
-Kelsey
by Dan | Mar 20, 2016 | Exercise, Goals, Motivation, weight lifting, Wellness/Health
Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone in order to achieve other benefits? Here I am lifting weights, working on this now for the last 15 months. I consider myself a runner, but knew the importance of weight/resistance training on my health as well. I just did not really like it. Also, I was afraid that I could hurt myself, and then may not be able to run. I also know that if I wanted to improve my running, I needed to work on my overall strength. I needed to get “out of my comfort zone”.
With everything in life, there are risk and rewards for everything we do. Sometimes, we may have to sit down and write down the potential risks in things we do, or should do, versus the potential rewards that can come about as well. Weigh your options, but at the same time, be willing to step out on a limb. You never know what other life experiences that may be available for you to experience.
Here is Rich, one of my training partners for the weight lifting. He is looking at the board for what is scheduled for us to do that day. Sometimes, we may look at things and feel overwhelmed. We may even wonder “how am I going to do that?” Even though that work out that morning seemed a little daunting, we did it…we made it…and at the same time, proved to ourselves we could do it, which leads to even more confidence in everything we do, not only when it comes to exercise, but life in general!
Evaluate those risks against the cost, whether financial or otherwise, and also the effort it is going to take. Anything worth taking a risk on is also going to take some effort. Welcome to life! There are risks involved when trying to exercise, or to stay healthy, but there are even more risks involved if you don’t exercise! Everything has a price…money, time, effort, determination, courage, risk!
Sometimes we need to flex our muscles and prove to ourselves who is the boss. Nobody said working out or trying to exercise was easy…if it was, everybody would be doing it, and there would be no challenge. Push yourselves…our minds are much tougher to push things past than our bodies are!
Here I am getting ready to do a back squat. The amount of benefit this exercise has provided me for increasing strength for running has been enormous. Yes, I got hurt doing this maneuver at one point last year, but that was more carelessness on my part than doing the actual exercise. I have to realize now I am over 50 and I can’t do what somebody younger can do, and my body let me know! But, that does not mean I cannot make an effort! I may need to make some modifications on how I do this, but that should be the way it is. I have to listen to my body, just as each of you have to listen to yours. We are all individuals, and the same time things are not equal across the board for everybody. That is what makes us unique!
Realize that we will all face risks with exercise, our health, and life in general. Plan for it, adjust to them, and even though many of those risks may be seen, there are many that are unforeseen. Adapt to them, take them on, challenge yourself. It may surprise you as to what you are really capable of doing. If you are not willing to risk going further than you have had before, you will never know how far you can go!
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3096
by kelsey | Mar 17, 2016 | Etc.
Tuesday’s STRIVE had some great treats thanks to our friends at County Fair Foods! Be sure to give this tasty recipe a try!
Fresh Veggie Wraps
1 ripe avocado pealed, pitted, and diced
1 Tbsp light mayo
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
8 (8″) flour tortillas (can use whole grain!)
2 tomatoes, diced
1 cucumber, sliced
1 green pepper, cut into strips
Head lettuce, chopped
1 8oz pkg fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
Directions: Prepare spread-mash diced avocado, mayo, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper in a bowl until well blended. Assemble wraps: spread tortillas with a layer of avocado spread. Place diced tomatoes, cucumber slices, bell pepper slices, lettuce, and mozzarella cheese slices onto each wrap, leaving about 2″ of space at the bottom. Fold bottoms up. Roll tortillas over vegetables firmly enclose fillings. You can add lean chicken or turkey to add some protein if you’d like as well. Enjoy!!
by Dan | Mar 13, 2016 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Happiness…something everybody wants, but we may not know how to achieve this. Look around at what you have and who you are…are you happy? If not, then why? Maybe an even more important question if you are not happy is “what are you going to do about it?” Are you going to sit back and wait for things to improve, or are you going to make an active effort to change it? Focus on those things in life that are important to you, and then start to figure out what you can do to make it even better. My family is my source of happiness, and I keep turning my attention back towards them.’\
Surround yourselves with family and friends that are going to make you happy! Sometimes it may be easier to sit back and complain, or be angry about the things that don’t make you happy. Take action into your own hands and decide what it is that is going to make you happy…what is going to help you be a success in life!
I have the best training partner ever in Sarah! It is a great way to spend time together by working out together, and hopefully help us be around longer to be able to spend even more time together, and be happy! We just went out on a 10 mile run this AM, and spent a lot of it talking…planning for future, solving problems, venting in general! That does not mean everybody has to go out and run 10 miles! But it does mean you need to get out and move, and there are many ways to exercise and be happy. But, it can be as individual as the individual themselves!
Bottom line…we are responsible for our own Happiness! Nobody is going to do it for us. We may rely on family and friends to help with this, but we are ultimately responsible. What is it going to take to make you happy?
Happiness is in your hands! Use them to your advantage. Over time, you never know what else your hands will help you with! They are great for hugging!
Wrap your hands and arms around those you care about. Many times those answers to life’s questions come much easier then. Figure out how your happiness will help make your life a success!
How better than this quote to sum it all up! Smile! Be happy! You are in the driver seat!
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3089
