Nutrition Pair

Make That Change!

Late Summer Chili

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Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

1 chopped onion

1 red pepper

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup shredded carrots

1-16 oz. bag frozen corn

2 cans beans, drained & rinsed (one can black, one can red)

12 oz fresh or jarred salsa- mild, medium, spicy- your choice!

1 can diced tomatoes (no salt added)

1-12oz. can or bottle of light beer (non-alcoholic works as well!)

1 cup wheat germ

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients & cook on stove top on simmer for 20 minutes or in crock pot for at least 2 hours on high.  (Top with reduced fat cheese and/or reduced fat sour cream if desired). Further reduce the sodium in the recipe by rinsing the beans or choosing reduced sodium canned beans or cooked dried beans.  Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITION FACTS:

Serving Size:                       3/4 Cup

Calories:                              284

Total Fat:                             2.4 g

Saturated Fat:                          0 g

Trans Fats:                               0 g

Cholesterol:                            0 mg

Sodium:                               562 mg

Carbohydrates:                      53 g

Dietary Fiber:                           15 g

Sugars:                                     8 g

Protein:                                  14 g

 

 

Fiesta Lime Chicken with Avocado

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avocado lime

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded into large pieces
2 medium avocados, diced
1 T + 1 T fresh squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (or chop it more coarsely if you prefer)
2 T mayo or light mayo                                                                                                                                                                                              ½-1 cup Grape tomatoes, halved                                                                                                                                                                                 1 T Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime Seasoning                                                                                                                                                                       Salt to taste

Instructions:

Shred the chicken apart until you have 2 cups of chicken shredded into fairly large chunks.   Dice the avocados into medium-sized pieces; mix with 1 T of the lime juice, Mrs. Dash seasoning, and season avocado with salt to taste.  Thinly slice the green onion and finely chop the cilantro.  Mix mayo and 1 T lime juice to make the dressing.

Put the chicken into a bowl large enough to hold all the salad ingredients.  Add the sliced green onions, tomatoes and dressing and toss until all the chicken is coated with dressing.  Add the avocado and any lime juice in the bottom of the bowl and gently combine with the chicken.  Then add the chopped cilantro and gently mix into the salad, just until it is barely combined.  Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2012/05/recipe-for-chicken-and-avocado-salad.html

NUTRITION FACTS:

Serving Size:                       1 Cup

Calories:                              260

Total Fat:                             15 g

Saturated Fat:                      2.5 g

Trans Fats:                             0 g

Cholesterol:                        65 mg

Sodium:                             120 mg

Carbohydrates:                     8 g

Dietary Fiber:                          5 g

Sugars:                                  1 g

Protein:                               23 g

 

 

 

Cold Oatmeal with Yogurt and Fresh Berries

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summer oatmeal

Sharing a quick and easy breakfast that is the perfect combination of high quality complex carbohydrates and low saturated fat protein.  It is a quick, easy and filling breakfast.  The recipe for one serving is as follows:

Ingredients:
1 & 1/2 cups quick cooking oats

¾ cup Fat Free Vanilla Yogurt

½ Cup Orange Juice

1 Tablespoon Honey

¾ Cup Fresh Raspberries

¾ Cup Diced Strawberries

½ Cup Fresh Blueberries

½ Medium Apple, Cored, Peeled, and Coarsely Grated

3 Tablespoons Ground Flaxseed

¼ Cup Chopped Walnuts

¼ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

 

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, yogurt, orange juice and honey. Let stand for 5 minutes.  Gently fold in fruit, nuts and flaxseed. Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve Cold!

In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, yogurt, orange juice and honey. Let stand for 5 minutes.  Gently fold in fruit, nuts and flaxseed. Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve Cold! Makes 4 servings.

If fresh fruit is not available, adding raisins, Craisins, and/or dates can help you to meet your daily needs of fruit. Experiment with other spices and seasonings for a different flavor.

Recipe adapted from

Prevent a Second Heart Attack: 8 Foods, 8 Weeks to Reverse Heart Disease, Brill, JB, 2011

 

NUTRITION FACTS:

Serving Size:                       1/2 Cup

Calories:                              200

Total Fat:                             7 g

Saturated Fat:                        1 g

Trans Fats:                             0 g

Cholesterol:                          1 mg

Sodium:                               26 mg

Carbohydrates:                    31 g

Dietary Fiber:                           6 g

Sugars:                                  12 g

Protein:                                  7 g

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomato, Cucumber & Basil Salad

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One of our favorite summer-time salads!  Very fast to throw together for lunch or as side-dish with a grilled dinner.

Tomato, cuc & basil salad

Ingredients:

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 medium cucumber  (peeled, if desired)

5-6 basil leaves, chopped

2 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, cut into bite size chunks

1 T olive oil

1 T red wine vinegar

2 t Italian Blend Mrs. Dash (if desired)

Directions:

Mix the tomatoes, cucumbers, basil and cheese together into two individual serving bowls. Top each salad with 1/2 T olive oil, 1/2 T vinegar and 1t Italian seasoning to each bowl.  Makes 2 servings.

Nutrition Facts

1 Serving:

Calories –187.1

Total Fat – 11.3 g

Saturated Fat – 3.8 g

Polyunsaturated Fat – 0.7 g

Monounsaturated Fat – 6.3 g

Cholesterol – 16.4 mg

Sodium – 151.3 mg

Potassium – 58.3 mg

Total Carbohydrate – 12.0 g

Dietary Fiber – 3.2 g

Sugars – 8.0 g

Protein – 10.0 g

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

Success is Failure Turned Inside Out…

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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!

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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?

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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.

clip_image003Let’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

Change Doesn’t Come in a Pill!

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Statin drugs were recently shown to lead to a potential worsening of health behaviors for those that take them to battle high cholesterol levels.  A study released April 24th in JAMA Internal Happy sunsetmedicine and reported in the news today detailed the findings.  Using ten years of data, calorie and fat intake actually increased in those taking the medications.  Remember, fat intake, especially saturated fat intake, can have a dramatic impact on cholesterol levels, as well as heart disease.  What the researchers concluded was that those taking the medications may feel less obligated to follow any type of heart healthy nutrition guidelines because they believe that medications will protect them. 

My question to the researchers would be, “Is this phenomena only seen with the statin drugs or would you expect to see the same thing from those using diabetes and blood pressure medications?”

From my observational studies, I would say, “Yes!”  Many times when taking medications for a specific ailment, lifestyle changes are not adequately stressed or addressed.  I have been told frequently in my practice by clients that they don’t follow any dietary guidelines because they are on a medicine to control their condition.  I am not an anti-medication person.  The drugs we have to control diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol are very good, especially when taken correctly.   However, I am a big believer in doing more through lifestyle change to help reduce the reliance on medicines.  I teach a class on Food-Drug interactions and how what we eat can impact the effectiveness of the medicines that are prescribed.  Many times, people focus on the major interactions seen with drugs like Coumadin (Warfarin) a medication designed to slow the clotting time of the blood to help defend against blood clots.  There are certain foods that need to be monitored to allow the drug to work as intended.  There are also interactions between many blood pressure medications, as well as statins, and grapefruit products.  During the class, we discuss how any medication we take can be impacted by what we eat.  For instance, if you are on a fluid pill, or diuretic such as Lasix which is designed to keep you from retaining fluid and yet you continue to eat a high sodium diet, then you are going to continue to retain fluid.  As a result, your doctor may choose to increase your dose to achieve the wanted results.  However, by simply reducing the sodium content in your food, you may be able to reduce or eliminate the need for that medicine!  The same is true for cholesterol and diabetes medications.  Remember, it was Hippocrates in 400 BC that said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. 

We hold the keys to better health in our own hands.  We cannot rely solely on medications to make us better.  The body has an innate ability to heal itself.  We just have to be mindful of that and find ways to assist our bodies.  This is called the mind-body connection!  If you want a strong example of how the mind-body connection works, look at the so called, “Placebo Effect”.  Many drug studies have to discuss this phenomena when people are given a placebo instead of the real medication and are able to achieve the same positive results that the true medicine provides.  By believing they are receiving an active medication, those patients are often able to see a positive result! 

Exploring the mind-body connection is central in the integrative health process and even more so with Integrative Health Coaches.  Making positive behavioral changes are paramount to finding the healthy lifestyle that you want.  You will not find that in a pill.  You will find it within yourself!  If you are interested in making changes that support a healthier lifestyle with a focus on mind, body and spirit, contact us today and Make That Change! 

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

~ John

Making Change Requires Brain Work!

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A recent article from US News & World Report detailing the outcomes of a study showing that almost 10% of the US population has a diagnosis oA Strong Positive Mental Attitudef Diabetes.   Given the current state of the Health of America, this report may not come as a surprise.  To review about diabetes, there are two main types, Type 1 and Type 2.  If you’re pregnant, we could discuss Gestational Diabetes but they were not included in this study.  Remember, Type 1 Diabetes comes about from an autoimmune response within the body. A person with Type 1 will require daily insulin injections to live.  Type 2 Diabetes, on the other hand, has been referred to as a  “lifestyle” disease.  While the exact cause or reason Type 2 begins remains a mystery,it is evident that diet, weight and a sedentary lifestyle play a significant role in setting the stage for Type 2 Diabetes.  With Type 2 Diabetes, many people get a warning to make change if they are diagnosed with what has become known as “Pre-Diabetes”.  Pre-Diabetes simply refers to having blood sugar levels that are elevated outside of the normal range but not yet high enough to be classified as having Type 2 Diabetes.

We know the public health crisis that Diabetes presents.  With increased levels of Diabetes comes increased levels of heart disease, stroke, kidney, nerve, and eye damage which all require increased amounts of money to manage health care costs.  The remedy to prevent this from happening?  Well, it’s known.  It requires a change in our lifestyle and food choices.  Simple right?  No, not simple at all.  I want you to think about a purposeful change you’ve made and have been able to maintain.  How did you make that change? What lead you to make AND maintain that change?  Have you ever thought about how our brains are actually wired to resist change?  Take a simple test.  Clasp your hands together.  Notice which hand is on top.  Now, clasp your hands together again.  This time, however, reverse which hand is on top.  Feel weird? Sure it does.  For the next couple of days, try to clasp your hands in this reversed way.  Can you do it?

We are used to doing things a certain way.  These “ways” become habits.  As habits form, our brain develops pathways that allow for those habits to occur without us really having to think about them.  The more we follow a habit, the deeper that pathway becomes.  Think of those pathways like a river bed.  The longer the river flows, the more defined that bed becomes.  Altering the bed becomes very difficult the longer that pathway exists and is used.

Can we change our habits?  Sure, but it takes time and dedication. Part of the model that makes up Integrative Health Coaching at Duke is understanding the Neuroscience of Change.  Survival is the name of the game for the brain.  We have developed three basic guides for survival:

  1. We want to be in control of our own destiny.
  2. We want stability and predictability.  Knowing what is stable helps to make it predictable and allows us to easily determine safety levels.
  3. We embrace pleasure and avoid pain.

The trouble is, we are in a constant state of change.  We are not alone in this world so we will never be in complete control of our destiny.  Life is full of instability and unpredictability.  While this may alter our feeling of safety, it is also part of what makes life fun and exciting.  We all try to avoid pain in hope of only feeling pleasure but we know that won’t happen all the time either.  Without pain, we cannot fully appreciate the pleasures of life.  A proverb, “The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears.”, attributed to the Minquass Nation and the title of a book by Guy Zona, sums up the importance of experiencing all of what life has to offer.

The experiences we have in life is what helps to define who we are and how we act and react in different situations.  Those experiences can serve us well.  However, when a change in our habits is necessary to help us become better or healthier, that can be a difficult thing to achieve.  So what can we do? Start at the very beginning.  You are the most important part of this equation. If you want to change something about yourself, you are the expert about that!  You may require some help in becoming more aware of how you act or react in different situations but  that is good first step to help you find your path to wellness.  Being able to visualize what your success looks like will help you formulate a plan.  Like Walt Disney said, “If you can dream it, you can do it!”.  The key is to develop your plan, taking small steps.  Celebrate all success, no matter how small it may seem.  Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat the new action you are trying to bring out.  It has been estimated that it can take 10,000 repetitions before a new action forms a neural pathway in the brain.  That’s a lot of doing but remember why it is that you’re making these changes!

Angie & I are both Duke-trained Integrative Health Coaches who know and live with diabetes and will empower and support you in making health changes that will prevent or better manage diabetes.  Interested in working with a health coach?  Visit our coaching services page here.

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

~ John

To Diet or Not to Diet?

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labels

To Diet or not to Diet, that seems to be the question that many people ask themselves when trying to lose weight. There is no question that weight loss is one of the most frustrating tasks you may ever undertake. What’s the best approach? When it comes to diets, there seems to be a million experts on the topic. Some say eliminate fats, others say eliminate carbohydrates and eat more protein, still others say drink grapefruit juice or cabbage soup or take this supplement or this medicinal shake, and so on and so on. The list of diets is long. The problem is that these approaches may work in the short-term but fail to hold up over time. Plus, eliminating a whole food group will lead to boredom with food choices. Our goal is to get you feeling better, eating better and living better. It does not have to be complicated!

When thinking about weight loss, you must remember that you will not lose the extra weight overnight and, more importantly, remember that there is no magic bullet. To be successful at long-term weight loss, you must eat right, exercise more and stay motivated. Exercise alone will not get it done. Proper meal planning is a must.

We do not prescribe a “Diet”. Instead, we want you to focus on the foods you are eating and become more aware of how those food choices can be promoting weight gain or assist with weight loss. The nutrient content of your foods can influence your health.

Fruits & vegetables are key ingredients to healthy food choices. These foods have been shown to improve health by reducing the risk of cancer, diabetes, and weight gain. It has also been shown that those consuming more than 9 servings a day of fruits and vegetables lower blood pressure levels and heart disease risk factors. Of course, how you prepare these foods can change their effects on your body.

“Very Low Calorie Diet” usually refers to a diet plan that provides less than 1000 calories per day. While this would promote short-term weight loss, it does not meet the body’s need for other vitamins & minerals. These types of diets can lead to nutrient deficiencies and imbalances that can be dangerous. If attempting to follow this style of dieting, a physician must closely monitor your progress to help avoid potential complications.

“High Protein/Low Carbohydrate”Diets generally promote weight loss through the restriction of carbohydrate foods. While this might help you to reduce the amount of soda, cake & cookies you generally eat, it will also restrict your intake of fruits and certain vegetables. Another component to these types of diets is that fat content is usually excessive. As you know, for anyone with a personal or family history of heart disease, excessive fat intake is not recommended. Early weight loss on these diets is usually the result of fluid loss. As you progress through the diet, weight loss shifts to muscle & fat breakdown. The biggest drawback of these diets is the restriction of fruits and vegetables. As with the Very Low Calorie Diet, you can run into nutrient deficiencies if followed for extended periods of time. In addition to missing vitamins and minerals you will also have a reduced fiber intake. We need fiber in our diet for a number of reasons, for most people, fiber helps with avoiding constipation.

“Low Fat Diets” usually promote weight loss through cutting down on fat intake. Because fat can contribute a large amount of calories, cutting back can help. However, fat is not the only source of calories in most diets. For example, regular sodas, sweet tea, fruit drinks and juices are all fat free but provide significant amount of calories. A regular soda, such as Coke or Pepsi will have 150 calories in a 12 oz. can. Fats are not a bad thing. We actually need some fat in the diet to help with bodily functions. Fats, especially mono-unsaturated, provide the body with essential nutrients and help protect the heart.

Successful weight loss will involves reducing calorie intake. Those able to lose weight and keep it off not only reduce calories but also exercise more frequently. Don’t let advertisers, family and friends confuse you. We need to take the complexity out of our dietary habits. Remember, a balanced diet which includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, with whole grains and is your best choice. Taking the time to plan and prepare more foods on your own will also help you meet your health goals.

Still not sure where to start, give us shout and we’d be glad to help you out! It was Buddha that said, “Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters the most.” As we start this New Year, it is a great time to find that new, healthier You!

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

~John

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Angela Lamberson, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE, Certified Integrative Health Coach

John Lamberson, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE

Phone: 252.335.WELL or 252.335.9355