by kelsey | Jun 23, 2015 | Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
The gluten free diet has become a very popular fad diet and the low carb craze is coming back in full force. There are some important things to know and understand about gluten and SDSU Dietetic Student Kara Schmidt explains them for you here.
1. What gluten is: gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Therefore, many pastas, breads, and cereals have gluten in them. It can also be found in many salad dressings, sauces, and beers. Gluten helps food to maintain their shape, acting as a sort of glue.
2. Who needs to avoid gluten: people with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder, cannot have gluten. Their body’s immune response to gluten damages their intestinal wall, causing abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and diarrhea.
3. Gluten and weight loss: people who choose not to eat gluten tend to avoid foods like bread, pastas, and cereals. These foods are also full of carbohydrates, which get broken down into sugars so that the body can use them for energy. Too many carbohydrates can cause your body to store the excess energy in fat, causing weight gain. If a person is avoiding eating these carbohydrate-rich foods, they will have to get their energy elsewhere, such as from fruits, vegetables, legumes, and lean meats. This healthy change in diet doesn’t have to mean cutting out gluten, just making healthier choices and practicing portion control. A gluten free diet is only recommended for those who truly are gluten intolerant and should not be used as a fad diet!
by Dan | Jun 21, 2015 | Etc.
Once again, it is that time of year to celebrate our Dad’s! We all have unique Fathers, with their own personalities, and character traits, both good and bad. But, they are still our Dad’s, and that makes each one of them the best! We all have learned a lot from them, and hopefully we will be able to keep those good qualities and traits alive and well forever, if when our Dad’s are no longer here. My Dad passed away March of 2014, and this is now the 2nd Father’s Day without him. It is still extremely difficulty, and I miss him a lot. I have all the memories of him growing up to keep looking back at, and all of the pictures. Every once in awhile I go sorting through pictures again and those memories come flooding back just like they were yesterday! Hopefully, I have learned many of the good things passed down from him, and utilize those traits for my own kids. Of all of the things to accomplish in life, I want to go from this life knowing that I will be remembered as a good Dad. Almost any man can be a Father, but it is those special qualities, and characteristics, that make us unique, and have the honor of being called “Dad”! Below are some pictures the last year with my Dad, and then their wedding picture, followed by my mom’s 80th birthday celebration. Their love for each other never faltered after 59 years of marriage. Hopefully, I will have that honor as well. I love you Sarah, and thanks to you, we have Molly, Megan, and Nick. What more can anybody really ask for? Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day: 2823
by kelsey | Jun 18, 2015 | Exercise, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
The FitBit is a health tracker that has capabilities to track activity, exercise, food, weight, and sleep and it has become very popular in the last year or two. There are seven different products ranging in price from $60-$250, all with multiple color choices. The FitBit works by tracking your stats, syncing them wirelessly to your phone, tablet, or computer, allowing you to view your progress charts online, and even has a feature that lets you compete with friends and family. All of the batteries can be recharged except for the one in the Zip, which is a replaceable watch battery. All of them also monitor sleep and can wake you with a silent, vibrating alarm, except the Zip. The FitBit could be that extra motivational push to meet your fitness needs!
FitBit Zip: What makes it unique: clips to clothing, has up to a six-month battery life; costs $59.95
FitBit One: What makes it unique: tracks floors climbed, clips to clothing; costs $99.95
FitBit Flex: What makes it unique: wristband, LED lights report progress towards goal; costs $99.95
FitBit Charge HR: What makes it unique: wristband, monitors heart rate, tracks run stats; costs $149.95
FitBit Surge: What makes it unique: wristband, monitor heart rate, multi-sport tracking; costs $249.95
-Written by Kara Schmidt, SDSU Dietetic Student
by kelsey | Jun 16, 2015 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
June is national dairy month, thus it’s a great time to recognize and discuss the benefits we can get from dairy in our diets.
Cow’s milk is the richest source of well-absorbed calcium and is actually absorbed better (about 25%) than the calcium in soy milk. There is about 300 mg of calcium in an 8 oz serving of milk and we recommend getting at least 3 servings of dairy a day. A serving is equal to an 8oz (1 cup) serving of milk, 6 oz tub of yogurt, 1 oz cheese, 1/2 c cottage cheese. In addition to calcium, cow’s milk is an excellent source of phosphorus, vitamin B12, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin A, vitamin D, protein, and niacin…totalling 9 nutrients compared to only 4-5 nutrients found in soy and almond milk.
There are many other types of “milks” out there such as almond, rice, coconut, and soy, however these drinks are not the same as cow’s milk in regards to the nutritional qualities. Many of these milks use fortification (adding nutrients), whereas the nutrients are found naturally in cow’s milk. Below is a list from the Midwest Dairy Association about these beverage’s nutrient sources and nutrition quality (http://www.midwestdairy.com/0p335/dairy-imitators/)
- “Soy beverages are made from soybeans and are a good source of protein. However, according to the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS), soy protein is a lower quality protein than the whey protein found in dairy products.
- Rice-based beverages are generally processed from brown rice and are fortified with nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D. Rice beverages typically contain only one gram of protein compared to eight grams in cow’s milk.
- Nut-based beverages can be ground from any nut and the most popular is almond. Almond beverages only supply one gram of protein per serving and lack many of the natural benefits found in almonds.
- Seed-based beverages, such as hemp, are newer to the marketplace. Their nutritional benefit is touted to be their omega fatty acid content. Similar to the other beverages, they also fall short on protein.”
Often times, these other “milks” contain higher sugar content, less calcium, less protein, and are absorbed less than those benefits in cow’s milk. Now if you have a lactose intolerance or milk allergy, these are certainly options for you, however if you do not have an allergy or intolerance, I highly encourage you to work towards getting your 3 a day servings of dairy and preferably low fat dairy. It will not only provide you with excellent vitamins and minerals to keep your bones and muscles healthy and strong, it will also provide you with an excellent source of protein.
For more information on the benefits of dairy, you can visit www.midwestdairy.com or contact my good friend and fellow Registered Dietitian Whitney Jerman at wjerman@midwestdairy.com.
I know I will enjoy a nice glass of cold milk tonight with supper, I hope you do too!
-Kelsey
by Dan | Jun 14, 2015 | Etc.
Yesterday, Saturday, June 13, marked another successful Hospital Hill Run/Walk. It was our 19th year, and we had close to 200 people! The weather was great, low 60’s, mild breeze…as a runner, you could not ask for much more. It also happen to be National Get Outdoor Day, so it was a great way to kick it off with the run. Below are several pictures of the event…Sarah, and my daughter Molly, and sister-in-law Suzy;registration, runners/walkers getting ready; past marathon running partner Tom, with Tim, and Brian as our bike rider leader; and nurses from Brown Clinic, both past and present, with Chris, Susan, and Shelly. It was a great way to spend the morning with other walkers/runners, and of course, friends! We can all be outside, enjoy the weather, and get some exercise at the same time. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2816
