by Dan | Oct 17, 2013 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Wellness/Health
When I am talking to patients, it is much easier to tell them that they need to work on doing more exercise and staying active if I am doing it as well. When in medical school, I had an attending physician that would tell his patients they had to lose weight, and quit smoking. He weighed around 300 pounds, and had his cigarette pack hanging out of his pocket. I am not sure too many people really listened to him with this advice, if he was not going to even follow it himself. I will admit, it is not always easy. But, it is much easier to try and convince someone else to do it, if you believe in it enough yourself to follow your own advice. This not only applies to my practice, but to my own household and family.
Here Nick is last week at his Cross Country meet. You parents out there, if you believe in a healthy lifestyle, and staying active, you too have to commit to it also. There is no better way to get your family and kids to do the same, then if you do it yourself! As for the kids, there is no better way than to teach a healthy lifestyle then seeing it first hand. The famous movie line: “Build it, and they will follow.” Lead by example! There is no method that is more effective than this. This is also what we at Brown Clinic are trying to push and create with our new program, Strive for Kids. A 12 month program of education for kids, parents, and families on healthy lifestyle, and correct eating habits. See our web page for more details as well. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2213
by kelsey | Oct 17, 2013 | Cooking Tips, Diabetes, Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
You have probably heard that breakfast is the best meal of the day. A healthy breakfast provides energy to your body and especially your brain to start the day off right. It also gives your metabolism a boost and aids in blood sugar control. Despite these recommendations and great benefits, many people skip breakfast because they don’t have time or should I say, they didn’t make time! I know it’s hard to sit down and eat breakfast when you’re on the run and need to get work, drop the kids off at school, etc., so here are some ideas to give you that great nourishment in the morning while your’e on the go.
- English Muffin Sandwich: Toast an english muffin and add low fat cheese and a few slices of lean turkey, ham, or canadian bacon and melt it in the microwave quick. Add a piece of fruit to it to create a balanced meal.
- Yogurt Parfait: add some low-fat granola and mixed berries to low fat yogurt to make a parfait.
- Peanut Butter Sandwich: pair a banana with it too (this is one of my favorites!…see the picture)
- Low Fat Cream Cheese on Whole Grain Bread
- Meal Replacement Shake: such as Special K Protein, Ensure, Boost, Slim Fast
- Protein Bar
It may take a little planning to have these options available, but planning is truly key to a successful and healthy diet. Give it a try!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Oct 16, 2013 | Diet, Food, Wellness/Health
The last couple of week have been pretty busy around my house as harvest is in full swing. My husband Adam and his family were busy harvesting our soybean crop and trying to beat the rains that came the last few days. The life of a farmer’s wife is always interesting as you never know what you’ll be asked to do or help with. It certainly keeps me on my toes! The most quality time we spent together all of last week was spent in a combine or semi-truck. Romantic right!? 😉 One of my favorite parts of this time of year is watching the harvest take place and recognizing how important each step is in regards to our food production. It’s easy to go to the store, pick out what you want, take it home, and eat it…but when you really think about where that food came from, it’s pretty amazing! Above is a picture I took as I rode in the combine with Adam as he harvested the soybeans.
This picture above is of us dumping the beans into the grain cart as we moved along. The grain cart then dumps the beans into a hopper trailer connected to a semi-truck and they are then taken to an elevator where they distribute them to food processors around the nation and world.
I took the above picture from our semi-truck as the beans were unloaded at the elevator. The pile of beans is on the right and they will eventually make another pile of corn in the center where the other auger is.
We are still waiting for the corn to dry out a bit more so we can harvest it. Soybeans and corn are used in uncountable foods and are an integral part of our food chain. Soybeans are an excellent source of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. The dried soybeans are an excellent heart healthy snack . I always find it fascinating to think about where our food products come from and I encourage you to do so as well. You just may appreciate what we have a little more…along with the farmers who work so hard to put that food on your table. When you have some time, I encourage you to check the ingredients of your foods. The ingredients are listed below the label and are listed most to least in regards to the amounts in that food product. Examine what the foods are and think about where they came from. Choosing a food with less ingredients means it’s less produced and a better choice. By being more aware of what is in our foods and where it comes will, will help you make better and healthier choices, and will help you live a healthier life!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Oct 15, 2013 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
If you’re a parent with school age children, you have probably witnessed this scenario many times: your child comes home from school and they are starving! They rummage through the cupboards and try to find something “good” to snack on until supper is ready. Snacks in between meals help provide the body with energy and aid in metabolism and blood sugar control, but the key is making a healthy snack as junk foods will only provide empty calories, leaving you hungry and looking for more later on.
Below are some healthy snacks for kids. This is just a glimpse of what we will be reviewing in our STRIVE Kids program. We invite you to contact us today to learn more!
Healthy Snacks for Kids
Inside-Out Sandwich: Spread mustard on a slice of deli turkey. Wrap around a sesame breadstick.
Rocky Road: Break a graham cracker into bite-size pieces. Add to low-fat chocolate pudding along with a few miniature marshmallows.
Mini Pizza: Toast a whole-wheat English muffin, drizzle with pizza sauce and sprinkle with low-fat mozzarella cheese.
Spread mustard on a flour tortilla. Top with a slice of turkey or ham, low-fat cheese and lettuce. Then roll it up.
Sandwich Cut-Outs: Make a sandwich on whole grain bread. Cut out your favorite shape using a big cookie cutter. Eat the fun shape and the edges, too!
Banana Split: Top a banana with low-fat vanilla and strawberry frozen yogurt. Sprinkle with your favorite whole-grain cereal.
Apple Pie Oatmeal: Make one packet of microwave oatmeal with low-fat milk. Mix in 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce. Sprinkle with apple pie spice or cinnamon.
Mix together peanut butter and cornflakes in a bowl. Shape into balls and roll in crushed graham crackers.
Microwave a cup of tomato or vegetable soup and enjoy with whole-grain crackers.
Fill a waffle cone with cut-up fruit and top with low-fat vanilla yogurt.
Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on hot popcorn.
Peel a banana and dip it in yogurt. Roll in crushed cereal and freeze.
Spread celery sticks with peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese. Top with raisins.
Stuff a whole-grain pita pocket with ricotta cheese and Granny Smith apple slices. Add a dash of cinnamon.
Mix together ready-to-eat cereal, dried fruit and nuts in a sandwich bag for an on-the-go snack.
Smear a scoop of frozen yogurt on two graham crackers and add sliced banana to make a yummy sandwich.
Microwave a small baked potato. Top with reduced-fat cheddar cheese and salsa.
Make snack kabobs. Put cubes of low-fat cheese and grapes on pretzel sticks.
Toast a whole-grain waffle and top with low-fat yogurt and peaches.
Mix together low-fat cream cheese, mixed dried fruit bits and shelled sunflower seeds. Spread on a toasted English muffin.
Blend low-fat milk, frozen strawberries and a banana for thirty seconds for a delicious smoothie.
Make a mini-sandwich with tuna or egg salad on a whole-grain dinner roll.
Sprinkle grated Monterey Jack cheese over a corn tortilla; fold in half and microwave for twenty seconds. Top with salsa.
Spread peanut butter on apple slices.
Reference: Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Oct 10, 2013 | Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Many of us know of someone who has been affected by breast cancer as it is the most common cancer in women and more than 230,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the United States as stated by the American Cancer Society.
It is important to recognize some symptoms of breast cancer. The most common symptom is the presence of a painless lump in the breast area. Less common symptoms include swelling, tenderness, skin irritation, redness, or nipple abnormalities which may include ulceration or discharge.
Factors that increase the risk of developing breast cancer include the onset of menstruation before age 12, menopause after the age of 55, not breastfeeding for at least one year, not having children, or having children after 30 years of age, and having a high body mass index.
Increased body weight in postmenopausal women who are not taking hormones increases the risk for developing breast cancer. The more fat cells you have, the higher your levels of estrogen in the postmenopausal period, when your ovaries are no longer producing estrogen. Moreover, overweight women have higher insulin levels, and insulin may promote breast tumors.
Nutrition Tips for Cancer Prevention:
Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are great sources of antioxidants and phytochemicals. Antioxidants and phytochemicals play a role in cancer prevention. Carotenoids is a type of antioxidant that is found in red and yellow produce. Some examples of foods that contain carotenoids are carrots, pumpkin, winter squash, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and red sweet peppers. All dark green vegetables contain nutrients that protect against cancer. Good sources of dark green vegetables include spinach, asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts and kale. An additional benefit to eating a well balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is that it promotes a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight will help you to decrease your risk of developing cancer. A helpful tip to remember is that the more colorful the fruit or vegetable, the more nutrients it contains; so pack your plate with colorful choices!
Support the South Dakota Affiliate and South Dakota businesses and schools this month:
October 1st– October 15th: Annual Women’s Cancer Network Symposium, Pierre
October 11th – Partners in Survival Workshop: Men against Breast Cancer. Hosted by the Avera Cancer Institute and paid in part by a Susan G Komen South Dakota grant
For more information call 1-877-282-8372
October 12th – Think Pink Cheer Camp- Chester Area School
October 14th – Hamilton Hy-Vee will be hosting a special fundraiser to support the local Siouxland Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure called Think Pink: Breast Cancer Awareness & Fundraiser.
October 15th – Women’s Health Forum- Yankton Medical Clinic, Minerva’s in Yankton
October 17th – 100 Cup Salute- Sisseton Flower Shop
October 18th – Southeast Tech Walk for Breast Cancer
October 19th and 20th – Expo for Her- Sioux Falls Convention Center
October 27- University of Sioux Falls Football Pink Game
Submitted by Megan Oleson, USD Dietetic Intern
-Kelsey Raml, MS, RD, LN
