John Lamberson, Author at Nutrition Pair

Get on Track for Successful Health Change in the New Year!

January 8, 2016 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

Hopefully, Achieve Your Goals- St Francis you’ve been able to keep those resolutions! Many times we start to falter as we move deeper into January and February. We often have a tough time making and maintaining change. Why? It doesn’t have to be that way! Things change every day. We are just not always aware of the changes going on around us. The sun rises in the East and sets in the West day after day. What’s different about the rising and setting of the sun? The time is different. It never rises and sets at exactly the same each day! We just don’t perceive the difference until it hits us how dark it is at 4:30 pm on the Winter Solstice. The gradual change makes it more difficult to distinguish the changes. (Take heart, the sun shines a little longer each day now!)

Think about the changes you’ve been wanting to make in your life. Do you expect the change to happen immediately or are you prepared to slowly evolve into a newer version of yourself? We tend to start our change process with a New Years Resolution. But why do we wait until the New Year to make changes? It was Buddha that said, “Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” Every day we are given a opportunity to make a change in our lives. The change can be big or small but every change we make will impact us some how. To get the most out of the changes you want to make, be sure to have a plan to help you make and maintain those changes fro the long term. Resolutions don’t have to be all or nothing. It’s not a pass-fail game. If you start with the end in mind, this can help figure out what actions steps you’ll need to complete to reach your goal. It’s important to have a goal BUT, it’s more important to to break that goal down into manageable steps. We like to use the SMART Step System to help clients find change success. You may have heard about the SMART System:

S: Specific ~ Be specific about what you are going to do. It’s not enough to say you are going to eat healthier or ex If you always do what you always did 1.2016 ercise more. Specify what that means to you. How do you define eating healthier or exercising more?

M: Measurable ~ You want to see how often you are doing or not doing something. If part of your healthier eating plan was to include more fruit, how many pieces a day did you want to eat?

A: Achievable or Action-Oriented ~ This is getting you to take the steps necessary to meet your overall goal. Break the bigger goal down into smaller components that you can work on each day. You can also use the “A” to represent Accountability. Being accountable to someone can help drive you when you feel like giving up. Find a person that will have a positive impact on your drive towards your goal and, if you’re comfortable, share your goal and your action step you plan to use to reach them.

R: Realistic ~ Important area here! We are not saying choose an easy task that won’t cause you much stress. What we are saying is that we need to be able to meet and exceed our action step and keep moving forward. You want to stretch yourself outside of your comfort zone. We often work with clients that want to lose weight. They would like to lose 20 pounds in a month. While that is possible, it is typically not probable, nor is it healthy! You can lose that 20 pounds but it may take a little longer than 30 days!

T: Time Driven or Target Date: Set a date to accomplish your action step. If your
goal is to workout more often, say 4 times a week, choose an exercise, choose the time of day and the days of the week. Doing so will help you better visualize how and when you will accomplish your step. This can also help you overcome potential barriers that may keep you from finishing that action step.

So take control of each and every day! Use it to help you move forward with your plan. It may be of help to write down what it is you want to change and why that change will be helpful to you. Think about what it is that motivates you to make that change. Make that motivation a personal priority for you. And if you have a hard time staying on track, remember, there is no failure but opportunities to find out what doesn’t work for us. So try something new or different! Each new day gives us a new beginning! Here’s to a Happy & Healthy New Year!

“It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!”

~John

Diabetes Month Reflections…

December 2, 2015 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

Monday, November 30th, brought a close to Diabetes Awareness Month. But for the millions of us with Diabetes, there is no close on Diabetes. It is a condition that requires constant awareness, heightened vigilance, and a focused approach. We get no break or vacation from Diabetes.

I don’t say that to sound as though I am lamenting over the fact that I have Diabetes or have a feeling of dread or depression associated with Diabetes. I say it to remind every body that we should all remain alert and and focused on our health, regardless of whether or not we have Diabetes.

I have never used my diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes as an excuse to allow myself to get down or depressed about it. Diabetes is a frustrating, aggravating, difficult and complex chronic disease to manage. The good news is that Diabetes is manageable. For me though, I see Diabetes as a blessing. I will not tell you that I love having it, because I don’t! But it’s all about the perspective YOU choose to have. I can say that without Diabetes, my life would definitely be different. I don’t mean less frustrating, less aggravating, less difficult or less complex. Would life be better without Diabetes? I can’t answer that question. Life is life. We will all have problems, frustrations, good times, bad times, happy and sad times. Diabetes doesn’t add or subtract those things. While I don’t love Diabetes, I do love my life, which includes Diabetes.

I am thankful when I look back and see how Diabetes impacted my life in a positive way. Because of Diabetes, I became a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator and an Integrative Health Coach. With Diabetes, I met and married my best friend. With Diabetes, I have been blessed with two wonderful children. Diabetes has also allowed me to meet people, both personally and professionally, that I would never have had the opportunity to meet.

I don’t just try to live with Diabetes, it is my goal to thrive with Diabetes! I’ve had the diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes for just over 24 years now. In that time, I have performed more than 44,250 Blood Glucose Checks, more than 35,400 insulin injections and lived 212,400 hours (or 12,744,000 minutes) of LIFE with Diabetes. It does not define me. But it is a part of me and it help to make me a better person.

Again, it’s all about your perspective!

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

~John

My Top Ten Reasons Why Diabetes is Cool!

November 13, 2015 By John Lamberson 1 Comment

Diabetes is Cool! Yep, that’s what I said! Sometimes changing your perspective helps you to see things in a different light! We all know that Diabetes can cause many problems. But if you have Diabetes, you might have found some humor in the daily tasks you perform to keep things under control. So, here are my “Top Ten” reasons:

10: I have become good friends with my neighborhood Pharmacists!

9: I can utilize my stealth like, ninja reflexes to check my blood sugars and inject my insulin without anyone even knowing it!

8: I can carry food into sporting events as it is necessary for my Diabetes treatment!

7: If I am having a low blood sugar, I can eat sweets without the guilt!

6: I know Carbs, inside and out!

5: It’s a great way to get out of an uncomfortable situation, “Excuse me, I think I need to go and check my blood sugar…”

4: Provides you with an excuse to not eat your Aunt Vera’s Holiday Fruit Cake!

3: Exercise becomes a necessary and enjoyable treatment to help reduce medications and save money!

2: Allows me to drop my pants at any time if I have to inject insulin!

1: I can keep a watchful eye on the neighborhood when I’m up in the middle of the night checking my blood sugar!

I know if you’ve been dealing with Diabetes, you have some of your own Top Ten moments to add. Feel free to share them!

And always remember, We control Diabetes! It does not control us!

“It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!”

~John

Diabetes Awareness Month!

November 4, 2015 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

Welcome November and Diabetes Awareness Month! We’ve gotten through October and Halloween and are looking forward to Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year. But first, we need to stop and recognize a potential health crisis. Diabetes continues to play a huge role in the health of our nation and around the world. The good news is that this is a condition you can control! The key to control is Knowing Your Numbers. Have a simple blood glucose check performed and you can quickly assess your diabetes risk or diabetes control. Remember, being overweight, obese or having a family member with diabetes can increase your risk for developing diabetes. Get checked if you:

Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 25
Lead a sedentary lifestyle
Have a history of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Have a history of Gestational Diabetes
Gave birth to a child weighing more than 9 pounds
Have a history of Heart Disease, High Cholesterol or High Blood Pressure
Have a family member with Diabetes
Are 45 years or older

A quick look at what the numbers mean can give you an idea of where you stand. Most often, a Fasting Blood Glucose value will be used. This is preformed after an overnight fast and before any food or beverage in the morning. A one-time test may not always tell you everything you need to know but at least it can help to move you in the right direction!

	Blood Glucose	Results
	Normal:	Pre-Diabetes:	Diabetes:
Fasting Glucose: (No food or drink previous 8 hours)	< 99 mg/dL	100-125 mg/dL	>126 mg/dL on two separate draws.
Random Glucose:			>200 mg/dL

As the table shows, the numbers tell the story. A blood glucose check is a quick and easy way to get more information. If you’re not sure what the numbers mean or what you can do to take control, talk with your doctor or health care provider to get more answers and referrals to an education program. Being diagnosed with Pre-Diabetes or Diabetes is not a bad thing, it might just save your life! Don’t wait. The time is now to take action to change your life.

“It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!”

~John

And the Winner is…..

January 19, 2015 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

I know it may be a little late to weigh in on the diet debate since we’ve already made it half-way through the “Diet Month” of January! However, US News and World Report once again tabbed the DASH Diet as the Best Overall Diet in their 2015 Review. Keep in mind, the DASH Plan was originally designed to help lower blood pressure. DASH actually stands for Dietary Approaches for Stopping Hypertension. The main emphasis with the DASH Plan is to increase intakes of fruits and vegetables while choosing lean protein sources, such as fish, chicken breast or the leanest cuts of beef or pork. Although it was not developed for weight loss, it has shown that weight loss is a side effect of following this plan. What is reassuring is that this Meal Plan is a healthy alternative that does not require any exotic foods or recipes. It is a safe way to eat that will help you meet your daily nutritional needs and help you achieve better health. We believe in the DASH Plan and often work with our clients to adopt this meal plan as part of their daily intake. Many of the foods included in this plan can also be beneficial in helping to reduce chronic inflammation associated with eating higher sodium and higher fat meals. Chronic inflammation has been identified as a risk factor in developing heart disease and diabetes. You can find out more about the DASH Plan and start making the changes that can help you get healthier and feel better! Remember, you hold the keys to better health in your hands!

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

~John

November’s Here….It’s Diabetes Awareness Month!

November 4, 2014 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

Diabetes continues to play a big role in the health of our nation. Over 29 million Americans have Diabetes. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control, 21 million are diagnosed but another 8.1 million have diabetes but do not know it! There are 86 million Americans that have a condition known as Pre-Diabetes. This is when blood sugar levels are above normal levels but not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. To make matters worse, about 90% of those with Pre-Diabetes do not know they have it. Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes are a concern. Having one of those conditions can significantly increase your risk for heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. It is important to find out if you are at risk for Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes. Fortunately, there are things you can do to reduce your risk of developing it. Remember, there are two types of Diabetes. Type 1 Diabetes is when the body does not produce any insulin. Insulin is the hormone that helps to take blood sugar from the blood stream into the cells to be used for energy. Without insulin, blood sugar levels will continue to rise. Type 1 Diabetes accounts for about 5% of the population that has diabetes. It is thought to be an auto-immune response that causes a destruction of the cells in the pancreas that produces insulin. Because of this destruction of cells, a person with Type 1 Diabetes MUST take insulin to live.

Type 2 Diabetes, is often considered a “lifestyle” disease. The most common type of diabetes typically impacts those that are overweight or obese. As you can see in the slide from the CDC, obesity and diabetes are closely linked. As weight increases, your risk for Type 2 Diabetes will increase as well. There are studies being conducted right now trying to determine why this happens. It has been thought that the extra weight somehow inhibits the body from using insulin correctly. With Type 2 Diabetes, the body may be producing more than enough insulin to manage blood sugars. However, the body is resistant to those actions and blood sugar levels rise. To control blood sugar levels, people with Type 2 Diabetes may need pills or insulin. Diet and activity levels also play a vital role! The elevated levels of glucose and insulin in uncontrolled Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. Weight loss, as little as 5-10% of current weight can make a big difference in lowering risk factors. That weight loss may be all that is needed to bring blood glucose levels back into a more normal range.

Regardless of the type of Diabetes a person may have, some things do not change. Proper nutrition and increased activity levels are the main components in any treatment plan! We know that making changes to reach those goals can seem difficult but taking time for yourself can make a big difference in your health outcomes. Small changes to start with can lead to bigger changes in the future. Stay focused on your goal, know your risk factors, visit your doctor, see a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator and do everything you can to to live a healthier life.

Stayed tuned during the month of November as we provide more information and tips to help keep you informed and aware during Diabetes Month!

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

~John

Black Bean Burgers

August 17, 2014 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

We’ve been talking about this recipe for some time now. We finally posted it. This recipe was adapted from Awesome Black Bean Burgers found on www.seriouseats.com. This is a fantastic recipe that provides much flavor and is very filling. Play around with the seasonings and ingredients to find your flavor. The best tip was to cook the black beans first. That really does help to firm up the patties. Serve it with some steamed vegetables and fresh corn and you’ll have a very tasty meal. The Nutrition Facts can be found at the bottom. Have fun preparing and eating this great burger!

Bodacious Black Bean Burgers!

Ingredients:

2 15 oz. cans of Low Sodium Black Beans ½ cup Feta Cheese

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 2 Tablespoons Light Miracle Whip

1 small Onion, finely cut 1 teaspoon Garlic

1 small Red Pepper, finely cut 1 Whole Egg, beaten

½ small Green Pepper, finely cut ¾ cup Plain Panko (Low Sodium)

½ cup Roasted Cashews ½ TBSP Mrs. Dash Steak Grilling Blend

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Rinse the Black beans and spread in single layer on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil.

Cook beans for approximately 20 minutes. (Cooking beans help to eliminate liquid and provide for a more firm burger.)

Allow beans to cool after cooking.

2. While beans cook, cut onions and peppers finely. Heat olive oil in pan. Sautee onions and peppers, add garlic.

Let onion and peppers continue to cook and soften and mix flavors. Place cooked pepper and onion in a large bowl.

3. Place cashews in food processor. Using pulse mode, chop cashews. Typically takes 10-12 short pulses. Add cashews

to onion and pepper mixture.

4. Place beans and feta cheese in food processor. Mix until it has a consistency close to that of ground beef.

Add mixture to the onion, peppers and cashews.

5. Add panko, Mrs. Dash, Miracle Whip and egg to mixture. Fold together using hands. Mixture will become sticky.

Remember, if you are using an egg, you must wash hands after folding mixture.

6. Form into 8 patties of equal size. Should fit easily within palm of hand.

Black Bean Burgers can be grilled or cooked indoors. Medium heat should be used to allow patties to firm up without burning outsides.

Using olive oil or not stick spray, coat pan. Allow pan to heat and then place burgers in to cook.

Allow approximately 5 minutes of cook time on each side. Once flipped, add cheese slice for extra flavor. Enjoy!

Note:

Ø You can use ¼ cup of egg substitute in place of the egg.

Ø Low sodium beans and panko help to keep this a lower sodium meal.

Ø Patties can be stored for 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

You can also freeze patties on parchment paper and then place in a zip-lock freeze bag.

Remember to place a piece of parchment paper between each patty. Allow to thaw approximately 1 hour before cooking.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Burger (166 g)

Servings per recipe: 8

Calories 297

Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value^*

Total Fat 12g 19%

Saturated Fat 3g 15%

Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 29mg 10%

Sodium 176mg 7%

Potassium 481mg 14%

Total Carbs 36g 12%

Dietary Fiber 11g 43%

Sugars 3g

Protein 14g

Vitamin A 9%	Vitamin C 28%
Calcium 10%	Iron 17%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Recipe analysis on: http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php

Accessed 8.15.2014

Recipe adapted from Awesome Black Bean Burgers, on www.seriouseats.com

Accessed 6.10.2014

Success is Failure Turned Inside Out…

August 12, 2014 By John Lamberson 2 Comments

I was cleaning our sons room the other day when I came across the poem, “Don’t Quit”. This poem holds special meaning to my family. This poem was given to me upon graduating high school and again after my college graduation. This poem was passed to my sister during her battle with brain cancer and to my Mom as she battled non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. We have also provided it to extended family and friends as they struggle with the storminess of life. While cleaning the room, the framed version on the wall caught my eye. I had not read this poem in a long time. But sitting down and re-reading it, many memories came back to me. It serves as a reminder to me that we must stay positive and keep focused on our goals. Life is hard. There is no question about it. Many people are stunned and saddened by the recent death of Robin Williams. That event confirms that the struggles we face in life are not cured by fame and fortune. Many of us are looking for something more and trying to reach the potential we have within us to become a better person, better husband or wife, better friend, or just better. Nobody knows what life has in store for us, all we can do is cherish each moment, whether good or bad, and learn from those experiences. We must continue to move forward and discover the good that exists in the world. If we have trouble finding the good, then we must provide it for others! Achieving the goals we set for ourselves requires dedication, commitment and hard work. I encourage you to take some time and read the poem. Let it sink in and see how it speaks to you…..

Don’t Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you’re trudging seem all uphill,

When the funds are low and debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest if you must , but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about,

When he might have won had he stuck it out;

Don’t give up though the pace seems slow,

You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out,

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems so far;

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit,

It’s when things seem worst, that

YOU MUST NOT QUIT.

~Author Unknown

Keep moving forward and always remember that you hold the keys to the changes you want to achieve. Believe in yourself and trust your instincts. There are no failures, only opportunities to learn more about ourselves and about life. We are always searching for the next right answer to the questions life throws at us! Enjoy the journey!

It’s Your Life. It’s Your Health. Make That Change!

~John

Falling in Love…..with Food!

June 28, 2014 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

I was reading an article the other day and it made me think about something. You know how much we stress the importance of eating more fruits and vegetables. Sometimes, people will start eating a “newer, healthier” food but then quickly return to the former ways of eating. Why is that? If taste, flavor, texture don’t meet your expectations, or if you are not used to those things, you may not want to continue eating them. In the article, How to Make Someone Fall in Love with You, the author went through a list of occurrences that need to happen to help you fall in love. One was of great interest:

“‘Obviously, you have to meet, but there’s something else going on: repeated exposure. As marketers know very well (and anyone looking for love should learn about marketing), repeated exposure makes us like almost anything. Repeated exposure, it turns out, increases our liking for practically everything, from the routine features of our lives to decorating materials, exotic foods, music, or people.'”

So how do we “fall in love” with new foods, new vegetables, new fruits? We need repeated exposure to them! Allow yourself to not like the taste of a new food but assess how you could prepare it in a different way to make it work for you…… and no, I don’t mean bread it and drop it in a vat of hot oil! We often see this exposure rule in kids. When we continue to offer a new vegetable, ultimately, they not only try the food but begin to really enjoy eating it!

Go ahead, try new foods but remember the rule of repeated exposure. You may find yourself falling in love with broccoli!

It’s Your Heath. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

~ John

A little won’t hurt…or will it?

May 23, 2014 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

As I was checking out of the grocery store the other day, a display near the register caught my attention. It was an end of aisle snack display. With a 75 cent price tag, I’m sure they get picked up easily and without much thought. As you know, I love to check the Nutrition Facts Labels. So I had to take a look at the Little Debbie display of donuts, Honey Buns, Ho Ho’s, and other sweet snacks. I will always check the most important number first: SERVING SIZE. Fortunately, the serving size for all of the items was one whole package. Knowing that my kids would prefer the donuts, I picked up the Chocolate Frosted Mini Donuts. With six donuts in a package, I could see each child downing one package a piece.

Let’s look at the Nutrition Facts: 1 package, of 6 mini donuts, provides 430 calories with 26 grams of Total Fat and 15 grams of Saturated Fat. This product also provides 340 mg of Sodium.

So what does that mean? It depends. Depends on your nutritional needs and your health history! To give you an idea of where your needs may fall, women generally require between 1500-1900 calories a day. Total Fat should range between about 50 to 65 grams and Saturated Fat no more than 8 to 10 grams. Men require around 1800-2400 calories a day. Total Fat should range between 60-80 grams and Saturated Fat between 10 to 14 grams. All Americans would benefit from keeping Sodium intake below 2000 mg each day.

Keep in mind, these are just general guidelines. To find out your individualized needs, see a Registered Dietitian and have them perform a Nutrition Evaluation.

If we use the guidelines above, eating just one serving of these mini donuts will exceed the daily requirements of Saturated Fat for both men and women and significantly add to the Total Fat for both as well.

The 340 mg of Sodium accounts for 17% of your daily intake total.

If you ate just one of the six donuts, you would still get 70 calories, 4 grams of Total Fat, 2.5 grams of Saturated Fat, and 55 mg of Sodium. You can see how the calories and fat add up quickly.

Remember, this is a snack food, not a meal. So if you were to eat it and later had a meal, your fat and saturated fats would increase as well. These numbers are significant. I often have clients tell me that they are not eating much, yet cannot lose the weight they thought they should be losing. Eating small amounts of foods like those shown here can make it difficult to reach your nutrition goals.

People often talk that all foods are ok in moderation. That is true. However, if we are not sure what moderation is or we are not mindful of the amounts and types of foods we eat each day, we will find ourselves getting into nutritional trouble.

So as you get ready to celebrate the Memorial Day weekend, be aware of your food AND beverage choices! Those liquid calories can add up quickly also. Make sure to add some fruits and vegetables to your meals, drink plenty of water and truly follow the concept of moderation. You’ll feel better and your body will thank you!

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

~John

Get on Track for Successful Health Change in the New Year!

Diabetes Month Reflections…

My Top Ten Reasons Why Diabetes is Cool!

Diabetes Awareness Month!

And the Winner is…..

November’s Here….It’s Diabetes Awareness Month!

Black Bean Burgers

Success is Failure Turned Inside Out…

Falling in Love…..with Food!

A little won’t hurt…or will it?

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