Eating Healthy During Pregnancy

Posted on February 19, 2012 by bilrob

Eating Healthy During Pregnancy

Starting off your with a healthy well balanced diet is the best thing you do for yourself and your baby. This way, you’ll only need to make a few adjustments during your pregnancy.

Your first trimester

If you find it tough to maintain a healthy balanced diet during your first trimester, you can rest assured that you’re not alone. Due to queasiness, some women will eat all of the time and gain a lot of weight in the process. Other women have trouble getting food down and subsequently lose weight.

Preventing malnutrition and dehydration are your most important factors during first trimester.

Calories

When you are pregnant, you need to consume around 300 calories more than usual every day. The best way to go about doing this is listening to your body when you are hungry. You should try to eat as many healthy foods as possible from the bottom of the food pyramid.

If you gain weight too slow, try eating small meals and slightly increase the fat in your diet. You should always eat when you are hungry, as you are now eating for 2 instead of one.

Calcium

By the second trimester, you’ll need around 1,500 milligrams of calcium each day for your bones and your baby’, which is more than a quart of milk. Calcium is something that’s missing from many diets. Along with milk, other great sources for calcium include dairy products, calcium fortified juices, and even calcium tablets.

Fibre

Fibre can help to prevent constipation, which is a common pregnancy problem. You can find fibre in whole grains, fruits, and even vegetables. Fibre supplements such as Metamucil and Citrucel are safe to take during pregnancy.

Protein

Unless you happen to be a strict vegetarian, your protein intake is not normally a problem for women who eat a healthy diet.

Iron

A lot of women will start their pregnancy off with a bit of iron deficiency. Good sources of iron
include dark leafy green vegetables and meats. Iron supplements should be avoided, as they can cause internal symptoms such as cramping, constipation, or diarrhea.

Vitamins

Seeing as how you get a majority of the vitamins you need in your diet, you may want to discuss prenatal vitamins with your doctor. Folate is one of the most important, and if you are getting enough of it, you may be able to avoid vitamins all together – just ask your doctor to make sure.
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5 steps to lower cholesterol

Posted on December 12, 2011 by bilrob

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5 steps to lower cholesterol

You’ve just left the doctor’s office, but before you hit the books spending the next few days educating yourself on how to get your cholesterol under control, take comfort in knowing there are some steps you can take to help manage your levels today.

Health claims made by a growing number of food products are making it even easier to improve your overall health. Making simple diet modifications and taking the time to exercise can help you manage your cholesterol levels, and a reduction in cholesterol of approximately 10 per cent may be achievable.

But what exactly does “combined with a healthy diet and exercise” mean when it comes to lowering cholesterol levels? Registered dietitian Amanda Schwartz provides some clarity with the following tips:

1. Add plant sterols to your diet: Naturally found in veggies and fruit, these compounds have now been approved by Health Canada for foods such as Astro BioBest probiotic yogourt with plant sterols. Each 100g serving is enriched with 50 per cent of the daily amount of plant sterols recommended to help lower your LDL “bad” cholesterol.

2. Hop on the scale: Being overweight not only raises total blood cholesterol levels, it throws your cholesterol levels out of balance, raising levels of LDL cholesterol (the harmful kind of cholesterol that clogs blood vessels) and lowering levels of HDL cholesterol (the good kind of cholesterol that helps clear blood vessels).

3. Get on the move: Run, bike, swim … you don’t have to embark on a triathlon, but by doing vigorous, aerobic exercise for 30 minutes each day for five days a week, you can positively impact your cholesterol levels by increasing HDL.

4. Eating well = forethought. Planning meals ahead makes it easier to live healthy. Have veggies and fruit pre-cut and washed for convenient snacks to help you reach that goal of five to 10 a day, ensure you’re eating fish twice a week as recommended by medical experts and make time to eat a healthy breakfast to boost your metabolism and maintain a healthy weight.

5. Get flexible in the kitchen — Recipes are just suggestions, so feel free to modify. Try adding a little fibre to your muffins, sautÃ© with olive oil instead of butter, bake or grill instead of frying and when you’re baking, cut the fat (such as butter and oil) by half and replace it with mashed bananas or apple sauce to produce a moist product.

By making these simple lifestyle modifications you can maintain healthy cholesterol levels and significantly reduce your risk of heart disease.

More information on making healthy food choices can be found online at www.astro.ca.

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Diet - Eating for body and soul

Posted on December 6, 2011 by bilrob

Diet – Eating for body and soul

Usually we ignore “diet” around the holidays, especially now when a majority of foods revolve around sugary, high carbohydrate treats.

The good news is those high carb, “fattening,” and treat foods, when eaten in moderation, can be as important to a healthy diet as eating the “good stuff.”

As much as we’d like to think there’s some magic equation, what’s healthy for one person is not necessarily healthy for the next. For instance almonds are a power food in my family and we eat them multiple times a day. Those who are allergic to nuts, however, would certainly not benefit from this “healthy” diet.

Many healthy people cannot start their day without a cup of coffee. A WebMD article by Neil Osterweil said that caffeine may prevent Type 2 diabetes. I, however, can’t overcome the jittery drawbacks enough to benefit. Even cookies homemade from scratch can provide emotional nutrition in the right circumstances.

Robert Garner, health counselor with New Horizon Wellness in Ringwood said, “The things that feed our soul are the things that propel us out of bed in the morning.”

I feel it’s important to remember that the food we eat is intended to fortify, sustain, and enrich our bodies. Chances are a chocolate-chip cookie diet won’t do that. When it comes from Grandma’s cookie jar, however, it may just sustain our soul.

For example, if you choose to eat a rather large slice of your mother’s Christmas apple pie, you are engaging in a holiday tradition of honoring your mother’s recipe and hard work while bonding with family. Additionally, allowing yourself that slice of pie may make the difference between otherwise staying on your diet, and giving in to everything else you see, too.

This example of emotional eating is a far cry from eating a bag of chips or cookies without thinking about it.

Garner shared a story about a woman who had good sugar levels and ate healthy throughout the day, but every night she indulged in a piece of cake. The woman looked healthy to Garner, and he learned her nightly slice of cake was something she and her mother shared together since she was a little girl. Garner suggested that she continue maintaining the nightly ritual – her body was obviously processing this emotional splurge quite well – probably because she ate the cake slowly with intention and meaningful attachment… and because she ate well the rest of the time.

All too often we hear stories of people who lived to a ripe old age despite a diet of eating bacon and eggs every morning, or smoking their pipe each night.

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Healthy eating and your mood

Posted on December 3, 2011 by bilrob

Healthy eating and your mood

To avoid these it is important to eat well — add this to one of realbuzz.com’s exercise plans designed specifically to help you feel better about yourself, and it won’t be long before people really notice a change in your mood.

Mood changes can be a result of poor food choices, overeating or following particular diets. Choosing the right nutrients can affect your daily performance, improve your mood, sharpened your mind and enhance your memory. We shouldn’t forget the power of food and how our nutrition can affect our mental and emotional health.

The foods we eat influence our brain messengers or neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine and noradrenalin). These brain messengers communicate between nerve cells and control mood, appetite, thoughts and behaviors. They generate feelings of happiness, mental alertness and calmness. As these neurotransmitters are derived from the food we eat, positive dietary modifications can regulate their levels naturally and improve your body’s response to stress — whereas an imbalance can lead to anxiety or depression.

Your brain and your mood

Serotonin is the brain messenger that is responsible for calming, relaxing and general wellbeing. An imbalance can result in some behavioural problems ranging from mild hyperactivity to violence, and low levels of serotonin can cause intense food cravings.

Serotonin is released in the brain as a result of eating simple carbohydrates and starchy foods, for example: chocolate, pastries, chips, potatoes, bread and rice. If we load up with poor quality carbohydrate, we may experience fatigue, mood swings and reduced physical activity. Therefore, if the levels of serotonin are normalised, we do not feel the need to overeat sugary and refined carbohydrate foods.

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that is related to feelings of motivation and mental alertness. Dopamine is the reason why we unconsciously reach for coffee. When the body is subjected to caffeine it instantly releases dopamine; making you feel mentally alert, which is why caffeine is widely used as a mood elevator. But be warned — too much caffeine increases the level of dopamine too much and can produce symptoms such as anxiety or restlessness.

Noradrenalin is the neurotransmitter that acts as a mood elevator, increasing energy and improving performance. The substance phenylalanine has a direct affect on noradrenalin. Known as a behavior modifying drug, phenylalanine is found in coffee, soft drinks, confectionary, pastries, and chocolate. Usually, we choose to drink or eat these foods when we are feeling anxious or tired — it gives a temporary boost and helps us to concentrate. However, ingesting large quantities of phenylalanine will increase levels of noradrenalin and can result in high blood pressure, aggression and sometimes even violence.

Healthy eating and your brain

Fatty acids regulate memory and mood. The brain is made of 60 per cent fatty acids. The omega-3 types (DHA and EPA) are essential to the optimum performance of the brain. Omegas are found in oily fish, for example: mackerel, tuna, herring, salmon and sardines, as well as other foods such as avocado, olives, raw nuts and seeds, and their cold pressed oils. All these foods contain good mood stimulants and it has been discovered that levels of depression can been improved by introducing these healthy fats to your diet. Omega-3 types are excellent intelligence and memory boosters — in Japan parents have been giving their children DHA supplements to improve their grades.

Proteins provide the building blocks for most of the body’s cells, nerves and organs. Proteins manufacture neurotransmitters and are important to improve mental performance. Eating proteins with complex carbohydrates will change the brain transmitters and will provide a high level of concentration, calmness and sense of wellbeing.

Unrefined foods such as: wholegrains, free-range meats and eggs, dark fish, beans, seeds and nuts keep brain chemistry normal, whereas modern processing methods have altered many other foods. Processed or refined foods contain man-made trans fats and excessive amounts of saturated vegetable oils. These fats are a destructive source of Omega-6 and should be avoided.

Carbohydrates are the brain’s primary source of energy. Simple carbohydrates are instantly absorbed and need little digestion. They provide a quick burst of energy initially and then you feel tired. Eating too much simple carbohydrate causes an overproduction of serotonin and can drag you down.

To feel more alert and more motivated, have proteins with small amounts of healthy fats and complex carbohydrates (high in fiber and nutrients).

For stress-relief eat more whole-grain bread, pasta, rice, avocado, olives, cereals, quail, partridge, pheasant, fruits, legumes and vegetables. These foods keep mood and energy at a constant level, reducing the chances of dramatic mood swings.

Minerals are essential for the growth and functioning of the brain. Selenium (high in seafood and seaweed) can improve our mood significantly. Other sources of selenium include Brazil nuts, tuna, sunflower seeds and wholegrain cereals.

Water — the body deteriorates rapidly without water and dehydration is a common cause of tiredness, poor concentration and reduced alertness. So ensure you get your recommended eight glasses a day!

You are what you eat is not just an expression!

The University of Carolina has conducted research that shows eating poorly for an extended period of time affects the brain transmitters. Rats that were put on highly refined diets became lethargic, indifferent and withdrawn.

Other studies have shown that children who eat breakfast with protein before school, had higher scores on a given test in the morning than the children who arrive at school on an empty stomach.

Research also shows that men with consistently low levels of serotonin are more likely to engage in violent or anti-social behavior.

Positive responses from individuals who have made changes to their diet confirm the importance of nutrition in improving their emotional and mental wellbeing. After considering the healthy benefits of certain foods, you can provide all nutrients the body needs to help you focus more productively on your life, maintain your ideal weight, enhance your mood and reduce your chances of getting chronic disease.

Read more on realbuzz.com…
Five foods to beat the blues
Top 12 ways out of a bad mood
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How Morning Snacking Could Damage Your Diet

Posted on November 30, 2011 by bilrob

How Morning Snacking Could Damage Your Diet

Snacking between breakfast and lunch might ding your diet more than snacking at other times of the day, a new study suggests.

Women taking part in a weight loss study who ate a midmorning snack lost an average of 7 percent of their body weight over the course of a year, whereas women who did not snack before lunch lost 11 percent of their body weight.

The urge to grab a snack during the relatively short time between breakfast and lunch could be a sign of generally less healthy eating, the researchers said.

Midmorning snacking “might be a reflection of recreational or mindless eating habits, rather than eating to satisfy true hunger,” said study researcher Anne McTiernan, director of the prevention center at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

The study is published online Nov. 25 in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Morning munching

The study included 123 overweight and obese women between the ages of 50 and 75. The participants were taking part in a larger study designed to help them lose weight, and to examine the effects of diet and exercise on breast cancer.

While 97 percent of the women reported eating snacks daily, only 19 percent reported snacking between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. (The most common time for snacking among study participants was the afternoon — 76 percent reported snacking between 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.)

Women who snacked in the morning were more likely to snack more frequently throughout the day. The study showed that 47.8 percent of those who ate a midmorning snack reported they ate three or more snacks daily, while 38.9 percent of women who ate a snack in the evening reported eating that many snacks.

In general, eating healthy snacks can help dieters reach their goals by staving off hunger, the researchers said.

“Snacking could be part of a dieter’s toolkit, if they’re eating in response to true hunger,” McTiernan said.

But instead, studies have found that eating habits in the U.S. are changing — eating is increasingly influenced by cues other than hunger, and people are eating more frequently, the study said. In other words, eating is becoming more “mindless.”

And the problem with that is that mindless snacking racks up extra calories, but doesn’t mean that we’ll eat any less at our next meal, according to the study.

Healthy snacking

A study published this month showed that people who snack have diets that are slightly healthier overall than people who don’t snack. Snackers ate more fruit and more whole grains than people who didn’t eat snacks, that study found.

Moreover, in the new study, women who reported eating two or three snacks per day had higher fiber intakes than women who ate one or no snacks per day. And those who snacked in the afternoon had higher fruit and vegetable intakes than those who didn’t.

“Individuals undergoing dietary weight-loss programs should be educated on ways to healthfully incorporate snacks into the diet,” the researchers wrote in the conclusion of the study.

Pass it on: Feeling the urge to eat a snack before lunchtime might be a sign that your eating habits are not as healthy as they could be.

This story was provided by MyHealthNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience. Follow MyHealthNewsDaily on Twitter @MyHealth_MHND. Find us on Facebook.

12 Tips for Eating Healthy on a Budget
6 Foods That are Good for Your Brain
7 Foods You Can Overdose On

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Fruit - Brits Commitment-phobic When it Comes to Healthy Eating

Posted on November 22, 2011 by bilrob

Fruit – Brits Commitment-phobic When it Comes to Healthy Eating

LONDON, November 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ –

We all know we should be eating our five fruit and veg a day and making an effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but a recent survey conducted by fruit delivery [http://www.fruitdrop.co.uk ] company, Fruitdrop, has unearthed the shocking reality of Britain´s attitude to healthy eating. A staggering 51% of Britons admitted they´re not committed to a healthy diet and busy lifestyles, cost and commitment issues leave them choosing unhealthy treats over healthy foods.

Fruitdrop´s survey also revealed a worrying 12% of men do not even believe that healthy eating is beneficial to overall health! Especially as adult obesity is on the rise in Britain, increasing the risk of lifestyle diseases and deaths linked to obesity;[1] eating healthier foods reduces the threat of obesity and diet related illness.[2]

Money worries are a key influence, 20% of us claim that eating a healthy diet is just too expensive. Residents of Yorkshire and Humber feel the pinch more than anyone else, with a quarter of them citing the high cost of healthy foods as a deterrent to healthy eating.

Ben Thompson, managing director of Fruitdrop [http://www.fruitdrop.co.uk ] is concerned that commitment issues are preventing basic healthy eating: “Workplaces can do more to support their employees to eat healthily; as commitment seems to be the biggest barrier to healthy eating, a fruit box delivered weekly is the perfect solution, so employers can make it easy for their workforce to snack on healthy options.”

Regarding the perceived cost of healthy eating, Thompson continues: “Some aspects of healthy living can be expensive, but Fruitdrop office fruit delivery [http://www.fruitdrop.co.uk/delivery ] is a cost effective way to reward employees for their hard work and helps ease the financial strain of healthy eating. Boxes start at just GBP20 and contain enough fruit for 25 employees for a week.”

Perhaps best of all for commitment-phobic Brits, Fruitdrop doesn´t insist on a contract; workplaces are invited to trial office fruit delivery and to continue on a week by week basis, with the ability to tailor the fruit box contents to suit employee likes and dislikes.

Notes to editors:

Survey conducted by OnePoll

1. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-171497/Britains-obesity-death-rate.html

2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/nutrition/life_adults.shtml

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Healthy holiday eating advice for people with diabetes

Posted on November 20, 2011 by bilrob

Healthy holiday eating advice for people with diabetes

(ARA) – The holidays can be difficult for people watching their diet. For those with health issues such as diabetes, the dietary minefield of holiday temptations can be especially troublesome.

In the United States, 8.3 percent of the population (nearly 26 million adults and children) has diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. For these people, the usual holiday indulgences of sweets and rich foods can pose a serious health risk.

“People with diabetes must make significant dietary changes in order to manage their disease,” says Dr. Donald Hensrud, preventive medicine and nutrition expert from Mayo Clinic . Dr. Hensrud is the medical editor-in-chief for the new “The Mayo Clinic Diabetes Diet.” “Managing diabetes through diet isn’t a fad; it’s about changing your habits for the better.”

Americans gain an average of just one pound over the holidays (far less than colloquial estimates) but most also keep that extra pound, according to a joint study by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Over the years, those pounds add up, and collectively, it’s fueling America’s obesity epidemic.

“Family history, being overweight, inactivity, a poor diet – these are the reasons why millions of Americans have diabetes or are at risk,” Dr. Hensrud writes in the introduction to “The Mayo Clinic Diabetes Diet.” “Weight loss can reverse the physical process that causes diabetes, and the effect can be dramatic.”

If you or a loved one has diabetes, here’s some advice from “The Mayo Clinic Diabetes Diet,” to help you stay on track through the holidays:

At a party

The hors d’oeuvres table is a downfall for many of us, especially during the holidays when we are presented with treats that we don’t see throughout the rest of the year. Depriving yourself entirely can make cravings worse and increase your risk of binging.

So approach the hors d’oeuvres with these strategies:

* Make just one trip to the table and be selective. Decide ahead of time how much you’ll eat and choose only the foods that you really want.

* Treat yourself with one or two samples of high-calorie or fatty foods, and then fill up on fruits and veggies.

* Take small portions. You may be able to satisfy your cravings with a small taste.

* Eat slowly and you’ll likely eat less.

* Don’t stay near the food all night. As the saying goes, “out of sight, out of mind.”

* Eat something healthy before you arrive so that you won’t be as hungry. Being hungry will make you more prone to overeating.

If you fall off the wagon

It’s the holidays, and chances are you’ll overeat at some point. It’s very difficult to resist temptation all the time. A minor slip isn’t the end of the world, but it can turn into a bigger problem if you view it as an excuse to give up altogether.

If you have a lapse, consider these tips to help get you back on track:

* Convince yourself that every day is a fresh opportunity to start over again.

* Have a plan to deal with lapses.

* Keep your response simple. Focus on the things you know you can do and stick to them.

“Good lifestyle habits, like losing weight, give you the best chance to treat your diabetes and prevent health complications,” Dr. Hensrud says. “Losing weight takes work and planning, but the rewards are great. With the right attitude, you can have fun and feel great while adding years to your life.”

The views expressed here are those from a third-party content provider, and not necessarily the views or recommendations of the Lexington Clipper-Herald.

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Diabetes - Diabetic Chefs Make Healthy Eating Easy

Posted on November 19, 2011 by bilrob

Diabetes – Diabetic Chefs Make Healthy Eating Easy

With his 195-cm frame and good looks, 33-year-old celebrity chef and passionate surfer Sam Talbot appears every bit an ambassador for good living. But he also has diabetes — one of 285 million people worldwide with the disease, according to the World Health Organization.

It’s a disease Talbot has successfully managed through diet and exercise for more than two decades. “I learned early on that what I put in my mouth directly affects how I feel,” says the executive chef of the hip Surf Lodge in Montauk, N.Y., and a veteran of the U.S. television series Top Chef. Now Talbot has put this straightforward philosophy to paper with the arrival of The Sweet Life: Diabetes Without Boundaries. Part cookbook, part memoir on life with Type 1 diabetes, the volume is packed with recipes and tips to help keep energy levels high and blood sugar low.
(Watch TIME’s video “How Top Chefs Get You to Eat Your Vegetables.”)

With the number of people with diabetes expected to approach 440 million by 2030, diabetic chefs will grow in prominence. Compared with medical professionals, they’re more approachable sources of nutritional advice, able to impart much needed creativity to the topic of healthy eating. “People often say that healthy food is boring and tasteless,” says Marion Nestle, professor of food studies, nutrition and public health at New York University. “But as chefs can prove, this is not the case.”

Written over the past year, Talbot’s book balances kitchen creativity with common sense — while steering clear of preachiness. Snacking on almonds and keeping his total carbohydrate intake to roughly 90 g per day are two of Talbot’s diabetes maintenance tricks. But he also reveals the disease’s unexpected “bonuses,” such as eating candy bars in school to balance his blood sugar or cutting to the front of lengthy airport lines because he “had to get to some juice fast.”

In keeping with Talbot’s laid-back TV persona, The Sweet Life makes “diabetes less medical” and “less of a black-cloud diagnosis.” North Carolina — born Talbot presents 75 diabetic-friendly dishes that are tasty, healthful and tested both in his professional kitchens and everyday life. Recipes range from simple (lemon-basil roast chicken or chickpea-and-cherry frittata) to surprisingly opulent (Key lime pie, coconut-acai granola crumble). “I don’t let diabetes rule my cooking,” says Talbot, “but if everyone ate like a diabetic should eat, the world would be a much healthier place.”

Talbot is just one of a growing number of diabetic chef-crusaders — professionals who have realized that the dietary discipline they’ve been forced to acquire dovetails perfectly with the vogue for healthy eating. Franklin Becker, the executive chef at Abe Arthur’s steak house in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, has lived with Type 2 diabetes since the beginning of his culinary career nearly 15 years ago. Overweight and addicted to soft drinks when diagnosed, Becker, 42, quickly traded sugary foods — and those extra kilograms — for fresh vegetables and natural sweeteners. “Diabetes has absolutely impacted every aspect of my life,” says Becker, who wrote his own healthy-living tome last year, Eat Beat Diabetes. “It’s challenged me to use my skills as a chef to make better food and help others do the same.” The delicious results can be found in dishes like steamed-mussel hot pot and black sea bass with Mediterranean cucumber-tomato salad.
(See “5 Ways to Avoid Diabetes [EM] Without Medications.”)

For 45-year-old chef Chris Smith, the shock of a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis at the age of 27 caused him to seriously doubt his chosen career. “When I was first diagnosed with diabetes, I was still in culinary school and thought I would have to give up cooking,” he says. “But I realized I could merge my personal experience with diabetes with my professional experience as a chef.” Today he’s the executive chef at North Carolina’s Wake Forest University Medical Center, as well as author of The Diabetic Chef’s Year-Round Cookbook and Cooking with the Diabetic Chef, both published by the American Diabetes Association.

One of the youngest members of the fraternity is 21-year-old Canadian Luke Hayes-Alexander, who credits his Type 1 diabetes diagnosis at age 7 with his decision to become a chef. “Food quickly became the most important thing in my life,” he says. “By the time I was 11, I was committed to only eating what I prepared myself.” At the tender age of 16, he became chef of Luke’s Gastronomy, his own restaurant in Kingston, Ontario. It’s famous today for its superb charcuterie and its winery.

With obesity a serious health issue worldwide, the insights of diabetic chefs have never felt more relevant. Cooking schools like the prestigious Culinary Institute of America now include lessons on diabetic cooking in the curriculum. Still, the real goal is not just to educate but to create dishes that leave diners feeling as good as they taste. “Dessert is always the toughest challenge,” admits Becker, who recently introduced a vegan, gluten-free chocolate on Abe Arthur’s menu. “But you can sweeten dishes with almond cream and agave nectar — most people will never taste the difference!”

Read “How to Make a Healthy Diet More Affordable.”

Read “New Dietary Guidelines: Cut Salt and Sugar, Eat More Fish.”

View this article on Time.com

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Eating healthy during the holidays

Posted on November 17, 2011 by bilrob

Eating healthy during the holidays

Just in time for the start of holiday party season, the American Heart Association is offering recipes for healthy alternatives to traditional favorites and tips on how to avoid the typical holiday food traps.

The American Heart Association’s free “Holiday Healthy Eating Guide” is available for download at www. heart.org.

The brochure features recipes for dishes including salad greens with baked pears and goat cheese, roasted turkey breast with lime and herbs, and cherry chocolate tiramisu; alongside tips on how to choose healthy alternatives during holiday gatherings both at home and on the road.

Follow these guidelines to make sure your meal is a heart – healthy one:

Turkey

Outsmart the bird. Reach for the lighter pieces of meat; they have fewer calories and less fat than the darker ones. Another way to cut calories and eat more healthy is to take off the skin.

Keep portions in check. A serving size of meat is three ounces, about the size of a deck of cards. So, be conscious of how much you put on your plate, and pass on that second helping. If you’re also having another meat, take smaller portions of each.

Stay off the gravy train. Turkey usually comes with gravy, which can add excess fat, calories and sodium. Limit gravy to a tablespoon, and keep it off other items, such as the dressing. Cranberry sauce doesn’t contain as much fat or sodium, so it’s a good substitute. Still, because cranberry can contain lots of sugar, limit yourself to ¼ cup.

Dressing

Call it what it is. Dressing is intended to be a complement to your meal, not an entree. To keep calories and excess fat in check, aim for ¼ cup (or about half a scoop with a serving spoon).

Judge it by its cover. If the dressing is filled with fatty meats such as sausage and pork, looks greasy or buttery, and is made with white bread or sweet rolls, it may be best to pass. Better options would be dressings that look drier and have whole grain or cornbread, lean meat (or no meat), nuts (such as almonds or walnuts), and lots of veggies and fruits (celery, grapes, cranberries, carrots, onions, etc.).

Casseroles

What’s in it? It’s often hard to know what’s included, but casseroles are usually filled with fat, sugar or sodium (think green bean and sweet potato casserole). Your best bet is to have a spoonful of each and fill your plate with roasted or sauteed veggies and tossed salad instead.

Desserts

Treat yourself right. The best way to enjoy a sweet without losing control is by sampling, rather than having full servings. For example, have one bite of pie, half a cookie and one small square of fudge. Find a friend or family member who will stick to the sampling rule with you.

Holiday Beverages

Use these smart tips on substitutions and choices to enjoy your favorite winter beverages:

Eggnog — Mix it up. Fill your glass with half to three-quarter parts of low-fat or skim milk, and one part eggnog. You’ll still get the flavor without all the calories.

Act like a kid. Take out the alcohol. This simple step will reduce the caloric content.

Cut the fluff. Pass on that big dollop of whipped cream to avoid the extra sugar and fat.

Find an alternative. This holiday classic has many low-fat or soy versions.

Hot chocolate — Skip the heavy stuff. If you order hot chocolate at a restaurant or coffee shop, ask that it be made with low-fat or skim milk and without the whipped cream.

Go easy on the toppings. Use five to eight mini marshmallows instead of large ones. If using whipped cream, look for low-fat versions and stick to one tablespoon (about a rounded spoonful).

Cocktails — Enjoy mock-tails. Serve nonalcoholic versions of your favorite cocktails to lower the calories. Be sure to check the nutrition label, because sometimes alcohol-free products have more added sugar.

Break it up. To reduce the amount of calorie-laden drinks you consume, drink a glass of water between each beverage. This will help fill your stomach, leaving less room to overindulge.

For more information, visit the American Heart Association’s website at www.heart.org.

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Little Oaks School helps students understand healthy eating

Posted on November 12, 2011 by bilrob

Little Oaks School helps students understand healthy eating

The smell of fresh fruit filled the air Thursday morning at Little Oaks School in Thousand Oaks as the nearly 150 students were served a fruit-kabob snack as part of the weeklong partnership with Dole to educate parents and students about healthy eating.

At an assembly led by Ben Sussman, senior manager of marketing and business development for the Dole Nutrition Institute, several of the children said the fruit-kabobs — made with pineapple, bananas, strawberries, grapes, cheese and a marshmallow — were among their favorite snacks made by parents all week.

“Reaching kids and exposing them to fruits and vegetables at a young age is very important,” said Marty Ordman, vice president marketing and communications at Dole. “It’s great to do it through color and fun ways. Partnering with Little Oaks was great. They’re right in the neighborhood, and we were more than happy to help out.”

Piamor Jacobe, school administrator, said: “We were able to do this because one of our board members plays a big role at Dole. This week, we are focusing on health, and have done activities each day. The kids even planted a vegetable garden this week with our P.E. teacher to implement all of the things Dole has given us. Dole has given us a lot of snacks to try so parents can be aware of different healthy choices.”

Jessica and Bill Farrell of Moorpark, who have two boys at the school, were at the assembly.

“I made the fruit kabobs, and the fruit was all from Dole,” Jessica Farrell said. “The program made nutrition seem fun for the kids.”

Cindy Bennett of Thousand Oaks, parent to a 5-year-old, was very excited Dole came to the school.

“Our family is very big on nutrition, eating healthy and having strong, healthy bodies,” she said. “The fact that they are educating our kids about that is so wonderful.”

The preschool and elementary school implemented slightly different programs.

“In the preschool, it was a Rainbow of Health. They can’t have anything homemade because of state law, so we gave them tips for what to bring in their lunch,” Jacobe said.

Each day, the preschoolers got a color to wear and it was suggested to bring foods bearing that color.

“Today’s color is purple,” Jacobe said. “It’s also our school color. They’re eating blueberries or grapes today.”

All the elementary teachers created a menu with their classrooms using the Dole cookbook. Foods included “Tasty Tacos” with ground beef, lettuce and cheddar cheese and “Rockin’ Rotini with Meat Sauce,” made with ground turkey, spaghetti sauce, whole-grain rotini pasta and shredded mozzarella cheese.

All the classes brought the ingredients to be cooked. There were three to five volunteer parents each day providing snacks every morning to every class.

“I liked the strawberries,” said 4-year-old Jase Link from Thousand Oaks. “Healthy eating makes you strong.”

Isabella Dutra, 9, of Woodland Hills said: “I really liked it this week because I could eat healthy food and enjoy it. I liked the fruit kabob the most. I learned that protein is good for you, and it helps your muscles.”

Araina Maser, 7, of Thousand Oaks said: “Healthy food helps our bodies and gives us energy. Protein helps your body grow muscles. It helped me eat healthier because I usually ask for treats like cake and the other day I asked my baby sitter for a whole bowl of peas, and I ate them all.”

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