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How to Sneak in a Salad
Tweet Share on Facebook September 20, 2012 CommentWe're all big salad eaters in my home … except for one of my sons. He would turn his nose up at any colorful creation I tossed together—until I realized the right tactic. I knew that he adored mangoes, so I considered his preference to craft the bridge between his plate and the salad bowl. I prepared a separate dish for him: a few chopped lettuce leaves topped with a whole, diced mango. While the rest of the family ate salad, he had his own special appetizer. This practice was repeated on other nights, except the lettuce-to-mango ratio increased regularly. Other ingredients were gradually added, and today, my 6-foot, 4-inch young man is making his own fruit and veggie medleys.
It's not just kids that shun salads. Adults often opt for less nutrient-rich, calorie-laden appetizers and miss out on these satisfying dishes. Whether served as a side or a main, here are some helpful hints to get you psyched for salads:
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Value of Omega-3s: Not Up for Debate
Tweet Share on Facebook September 20, 2012 CommentA meta-analysis published last week in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported no effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplements—often referred to as "fish oil"—on cardiovascular event rates. Predictably, the study made headlines. It was welcomed by those inclined to disparage the touchy-feely world of alternative medical treatments and was lamented and rejected by advocates for the kinder, gentler remedies of nature. Which view is correct? Let's see if we can fillet open the details.
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Food Face-Offs: How Your Favorites Stack Up
Tweet Share on Facebook September 20, 2012 CommentChia seeds or flax? Almonds or walnuts? Turkey burger or sirloin? Many people form misguided opinions about the virtues of one food over another based on media reports or hearsay. Oftentimes, there's no clear winner. I've dug up the facts on several foods, so that you can decide for yourself.
Chia seeds vs. Flax seeds
Nutritionally, ounce for ounce they are quite similar. Chia seeds have 139 calories, 8.7 grams total fat, 10.7 grams fiber, and 4.4 grams protein. Flax seeds have 140 calories, 9 grams total fat, 7 grams fiber and 6 grams protein. Both are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, with flax coming in slightly ahead. Chia seeds don't have to be ground to unlock their nutrients, whereas flax seeds do. You can cook with both to add extra nutrients to a recipe. Chia seeds' slightly higher fiber content will keep you fuller longer—and that's why I prefer to sprinkle them on my morning oatmeal. As for taste, both have minimal to none in my opinion.
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Extreme Dieting Not Necessary for Weight Loss
Tweet Share on Facebook September 20, 2012 CommentYou might think that in order to lose weight, you must live a rigid, inflexible life, and push yourself to constant extremes. That's what reality TV shows like The Biggest Loser might have you believe.
But that's not reality. Fact is: You can enjoy your life and keep your weight in check, too. And that's a much more positive message to broadcast. Especially for those of us whose lives—and health—don't allow for extremes. Consider:
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Chickpeas, 3 Ways
Tweet Share on Facebook September 19, 2012 CommentChickpeas, aka garbanzo beans, grace the tables of households across the globe. These little legumes are known for their creaminess in everyone's favorite—and oh so delicious—dip: hummus. They play flavorful roles in many less common dishes, too. Their delicate, yet starchy texture and nutty flavor make them versatile in everything from appetizers to satisfying main dishes.
For those of you looking to whittle your waistline, you definitely want to keep a can or two of chickpeas in your pantry. Recent studies have identified a positive relationship between these little guys and satiety, finding that participants who ate chickpeas snacked less and consumed less food overall. Put simply, they just may help prevent the urge to overindulge! Their fiber and protein content work together to satisfy you and curb cravings. This all-star duet also helps stabilize blood sugar levels, helping to reduce the risk of diabetes.
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5 Signs Your New Fitness Routine Won't Last 6 Months
Tweet Share on Facebook September 19, 2012 CommentGetting regular exercise is tough for a number of reasons: fatigue, busy schedules, the money factor. The last thing we need is to further doom a regimen by packing it with exercises we won't stick to.
Research suggests that 50 percent of people drop a new exercise program within the first six months. Yet it takes around six months to feel comfortable with a new sport, says Rick Henriksen, a family and preventive medicine physician with University of Utah Health Care. And competency is when the real fitness benefits kick in.
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What Your Poo Says About You
Tweet Share on Facebook September 18, 2012 CommentAs I get older, I've noticed that my friends are talking more about subjects we once considered taboo. Maybe it's the Facebook effect, or perhaps the loss of bodily shame associated with going through childbirth. Maybe it's a function of having young kids at home, so the subject of bodily functions becomes as common as the weather. Whatever it is, I'm finding that the topic of poo comes up in conversation. A lot.
The truth is, this doesn't bother me a bit. It's not a coincidence that I wound up working as a dietitian in a gastroenterologist's office. I've long been fascinated by the digestive process in general, and the intestines in particular. My favorite diagram of the gut—a veritable road map of the windy, twisty turns through the small intestine into the colon that marks the site of each nutrient's absorption along the way—is faded and dog-eared from my frequent and intense study. Some consult tea leaves to read clues into the universe. I consult poo.
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How To Plant A Legacy
Tweet Share on Facebook September 17, 2012 CommentIf you're into organic gardening, or interested in learning more about it, thank you. You may not realize how much we need your growing body of knowledge. You see, up until about World War II, just about everyone knew how to grow food in one way or another. It was common knowledge that kids picked up at home and in their communities. But the war, of course, changed American culture. Wartime chemicals and engineering knowledge birthed the industrial farming movement; booming business provided jobs for returning servicemen in cities and factories; more women entered the workforce; convenience foods started taking center-stage on dinner tables; and, of course, television ate up a whole lot more leisure time.
In short, over the past 60 years or so, traditional food-growing knowledge has skipped two generations and is nearing a third. Those who have begun gardening are helping to plug this knowledge void. Today's gardeners leave a lasting legacy unlike anything else, helping to return critical, life-sustaining knowledge to humanity. How's that for a satisfying day's work?
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5 Surprising Benefits of Mindful Eating
Tweet Share on Facebook September 14, 2012 CommentHow often do you pay attention to what you're eating? If you're like many Americans, breakfast is eaten with one hand on the steering wheel, lunch is inhaled in front of a computer screen, and dinner is spent with the TV blasting in the background. Food rarely takes center-stage in our busy lives, but research indicates that this mindless munching is taking its toll on our weight and health.
"Mindful eating" is the term coined for simply paying attention to your food, your body cues, and the act of eating. It is eliminating distractions during mealtime and checking in with your hunger or fullness cues. While this may sound a bit too touchy-feely to be scientific, a solid body of evidence suggests this practice is worth trying. Here are five benefits you may experience by turning off that TV while you eat dinner:
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We're Not Fat Because We're Lazy
Tweet Share on Facebook September 13, 2012 CommentYou, of course, know that obesity is epidemic in the United States among adults and children alike. You would have to be living under a rock not to know at this point!
But why, exactly, are so many of us fat? Those who rant loudest and most emphatically about personal responsibility have an answer: It's your fault. We are fat because we are irresponsible.
