by kelsey | Dec 17, 2014 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Wellness/Health, Winter
We discuss eating strategies for your weight, heart, etc, but we also have to eat right to keep our skin healthy and glowing! The winter months make it hard on our skin as the air is dry and cold! The beauty industry has a variety of products to help promote healthy and glowing skin, however diet is also an important factor. Research on the best foods for healthy skin is limited, but what we do know is that antioxidant rich foods are effective in promoting healthy and glowing skin. Antioxidants are substances that protect our cells against free radical damage. Free radicals are molecules made when our body breaks down food or by environmental exposures such as tobacco use or radiation. They damage the cells and may play a role in diseases such as heart disease and cancer. A colorful diet is most effective for skin health and each color offers specific vitamins and minerals such as: beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E. A diet rich in the following foods will help you get beautiful and healthy skin you’re wanting!
- Red, Orange, & Yellow Produce: carrots, tomatoes, red and yellow peppers, apricots, etc
- Green Leafy Vegetables: spinach, romaine lettuce, broccoli, etc
- Blue & Purple Produce: blueberries, raspberries, eggplant, etc
- Lean Proteins: beans, lentils, nuts
- Fatty Fish: salmon, mackerel, sea bass
It’s also important to be mindful of foods that can cause greasy and oily skin such as high sugar and high fat foods: pastries, cookies, fried foods, etc. These foods should be avoided or limited and instead focus on a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, low fat dairy, and whole grains. In addition to diet, eliminating tobacco abuse and using sunscreen are effective in promoting healthy skin. These recommendations are not only going to benefit your skin, but also your overall health. Color and variety in your diet will help you look stunning always!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Dec 16, 2014 | Diet, Eating Out, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Holiday parties are in full force right which poses a challenge to your efforts of healthy eating. As discussed in previous posts, you can always bring your own dish to share and use substitutions to lighten your recipes. If you can’t bring your own dish to share, you may consider using these behavior strategies to help you enjoy the parties in a healthy way!
- “If you plan on treating yourself later, start your day with a small meal that includes whole grains, fruit, low-fat or fat-free dairy and protein, such as eggs, ham or peanut butter.
- Don’t starve yourself beforehand. Rather, eat a small, lower-calorie meal or snack including fruit or a bagel so you aren’t tempted to overdo your calorie intake for the day.
- Choose carefully between foods you definitely will eat, those you will sample and those you will skip.
- Don’t rush to eat. Socialize and settle into the festivities before you eat.
- Move your socializing away from the buffet or appetizer trays. This will minimize the unconscious nibbling.” http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=11644
The holidays are a great time for celebrating with friends and family and food is always involved. Allow yourself to enjoy, but in moderation. You can keep the extra holiday pounds off, while still enjoying the holidays and festivities in a healthy way with these tips!
-Kelsey
by Dan | Dec 14, 2014 | Etc.
Are you taking advantage of the improved weather lately? Are you getting out to enjoy it? If not, what are you waiting for? This morning was great for a morning run, and yesterday went out in the afternoon for a walk. The fog this AM made it seem very calm, quiet, and peaceful, especially when going by the lake.
Hopefully you took advantage of the great weather. It will be easy to remember the nice weather from yesterday with the special date we had: 12/13/14! We won’t see this sequence again in our lifetime. Are you waiting for the right excuse? Are you waiting for the perfect day? Are you waiting until the time is right? Well, that time, and day, is now! Get out and enjoy! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2634
by kelsey | Dec 10, 2014 | Cooking Tips, Diabetes, Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
I apologize for the duplicate posting, but I wanted to remind you all that I will be speaking at the Diabetes Support group TOMORROW (Thursday, December 11th). The information below was posted last week and includes all of the details. I hope to see you there!
“Beth Ries, RN with Prairie Lakes Hospital started a diabetes support group last month. This group is much needed and I am so glad she is heading it up! December’s meeting will be Thursday, December 11, 2014 from 6:00 – 7:30 at Prairie Lakes Hospital’s West Conference Room and I will be the speaker focusing on holiday eating! We will discuss holiday snacks and holiday tips and tricks. We will also be making some healthy, low carb, yummy treats. Please register online at www.prairielakes.com so Beth can have an accurate head count to make sure there is enough yummy goodness to go around! Anyone who is affected by diabetes whether it is yourself, a friend, or family member is invited to attend. Please join us, invite a friend or 2…or bring the whole family for an evening of fun and learning! Looking forward to seeing you on December 11th!
For any questions, feel free to email me at kelsey.raml@brownclinic.org.”
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Dec 9, 2014 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health, Winter
5 of the Healthiest Winter Foods
As the official start of winter is approaching, I thought it was timely to discuss some of the healthiest winter foods. Winter is always challenging to get fresh produce at a reasonable price, but these top 5 winter foods are not only reasonably priced, but offer a great source of nutrients. Be sure to add them to your grocery list and include them in your meal planning!
1. Pomegranates: this heart-healthy food is rich in antioxidants that can contribute to improving blood flow to the heart and keep arteries unblocked.
2. Dark Leafy Greens: kale, chard, and collards thrive during the winter season while the rest of the produce section looks bleak. These greens are rich in vitamin A, C, and K. They are also an excellent source of folate.
3. Citrus fruits: limes, oranges and grapefruits are juiciest in the wintertime and can brighten up a dull winter. They are loaded with vitamin C. Citruses are a rich source of flavonoids like hesperidin, which is credited for boosting HDL (good) cholesterol while lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides.
4. Potatoes: they often given a bad rap for being one of the white starches along with white rice and white bread but unlike those starches, potatoes are a whole food and contain many beneficial nutrients. They have two excellent immune boosters – Vitamin C and B6—while also providing a good source of folate and fiber.
5. Winter Squash: comes in a variety from butternut to acorn to delicata and even spaghetti squash and they are all excellent choices in the winter. One cup of squash has 80 calories and is high in both vitamin A, C and K while also boasting a good source of potassium, B6, and folate.
-Kelsey
