March is National Nutrition Month®; a time to celebrate all the flavor of good nutrition. The 2016 theme is “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right”. How do you savor the flavor of eating right? What are your go to foods? Mine are actually foods high in fiber such as oats, various berries, walnuts, all kinds of veggies, quinoa, wild rice, and of course whole grain breads and pastas. Why fiber, you may ask? (more…)
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February is National Heart Health Month. Only 1/2 of all heart attack and stroke victims have elevated cholesterol levels. There are other factors that can lead to cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure and elevated blood sugars. A heart healthy diet can help to keep your heart and circulatory system healthy, flexible and clear.
A heart healthy diet is one that does not raise blood pressure, blood sugars or triglycerides. It keeps LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) low and HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) high. A heart healthy diet supports good immune function by discouraging clotting and reducing oxidative stress within the blood vessels. All of these factors help to keep your heart and circulatory system healthy, flexible and clear. (more…)
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It is the last full week of January, and how are you measuring up to your New Year’s resolutions? If you find yourself back in the thick of struggling with old habits that you are not proud of, then this blog post is for you. This week, I want to highlight on some things that I want you to consider not only in January, but for all of 2016.
When you turn the tables and really celebrate all the food choices still available to you, rather than focusing on those foods you cannot enjoy, your whole mindset makes a positive shift. By beginning each day in a state of gratitude, you will start to see how endless nutrient-rich food possibilities actually are, and in time you will start to get excited for plain Greek yogurt topped with berries and walnuts and craving less for a piece of double chocolate cake for dessert. By keeping your focus positive, it will become easier and easier to eat healthy and really enjoy the benefits of a nutritious diet. (more…)
Picture Courtesy of Best Western Hotel Cantur’s Photostream
Can you believe the 3rd week of January is just about done? How many of you are still keeping up with your New Year’s Resolutions? Did you know that it takes about 21 days for a new habit to form? And today is the 21st day of 2016….so how are you doing? This week’s tips will give you some insight on how to make SMART goals and maintain the motivation to keep you working towards a healthier you for 2016.
A very successful method that helps my clients achieve their goals, is using the SMART strategy. A SMART goal is Specific, Measurable, Accountable, Realistic, and Time-bound. Instead of stating “I will go to the gym 3 days a week”, I encourage my clients to really plan out their goal. A revised SMART goal would be stated as follows: “I will go to the gym and use the elliptical for 30 minutes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from 6-6:30am”. This goal is specific, measurable, accountable, realistic and time-bound. Continue to revise your goals into SMART goals, and you will see a difference in how you approach and ultimately achieve them over time. (more…)
The 8th edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are a welcome change! Instead of the previous editions focusing on individual food groups, the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines now focus on healthy eating patterns’ food and nutrient characteristics. When I work with clients, I repeatedly emphasize the importance of balanced meals with good combinations of complex carbs (whole grains, fruits and veggies), lean protein (fish, poultry, beans, lean cuts of pork and red meat) and heart healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados). This daily combination can minimize risks for chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease. It is exciting to see that the Dietary Guidelines now emphasize this sort of balanced nutrition as well. (more…)
Last week, I gave 5 tips on how you can start helping yourself to become more healthy in 2016. This week’s set of tips is going to challenge you on eating a protein rich breakfast, monitoring portion sizes, trying out some vegetarian main courses, incorporating more fish in your weekly meal plans and how to make meal planning a breeze.
Blueberry, Greek Yogurt, and Whole Grain, High Protein, High Fiber Cereal Parfait with Strawberry, Greek Yogurt, and Milk Smoothie
When you eat a breakfast that is high in protein, you will feel full for a longer period of time and have more energy throughout the day. It is best to aim for about 25 to 30 grams of protein before noon each day to feel this effect. It is easy to do, for example, pair 5 oz. of plain Greek yogurt with 3/4 cup unsweetened high fiber cereal topped with walnuts and fruit OR pair a smoothie made with Greek yogurt and milk with two eggs and an oatmeal blueberry muffin. The increased protein within your breakfast will keep you satisfied for the rest of the morning. (more…)
At the beginning of every new year, many people make resolutions. However, by the end of January, sadly many people are often frustrated and disappointed that their resolutions did not take hold. Over the next couple of weeks, I am going to share with you some tips to help make 2016 be your year for nutritional health and wellness. Each week, I hope that you try out the newest set of tips. The key to any long-standing behavioral change, is to go slow and steady. When you take on too much too soon, no matter how good the intentions may be, you almost always set yourself up for failure. When I work with clients, we set weekly goals that are SMART and attainable. It takes time and effort, but if the changes are consistent and small over time, success is within your reach.
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First and foremost, I really dislike the word “diet”. To me, it is the four letter word of healthy nutrition. Rather, I want you to think of your new eating habits as healthy meal plans. It is important to keep your meal plans exciting not boring. Variety is key to consuming all of the nutrients your body needs to be healthy. Be sure to include fruits and veggies that you really like. Not a big fan of kale? No worries, use baby spinach or romaine lettuce in your salads and smoothies. By including fruits and veggies that you like in your meals, you will actually look forward to eating your food, versus arriving at the table with a sense of dread. (more…)
It was an honor to be chosen as one of the 35 nutrition professionals across the United States to be a part of this special Halloween Blog. Check it out for some fun, festive and healthy ideas to make your Halloween a spooktacular event!
Excellent article that highlights many of the common mistakes people make when trying to diet. Remember lifestyle changes, and modifying your intake to include a healthy combo of complex carbs (increased fiber intake), lean protein (chicken and fish), and heart healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, avocados) will help you succeed Read more…
Since it is National Nutrition Month®, I thought I would get crafty to find a good wholesome snack that was high in fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates and heart healthy fats. Over the past few months, I have seen various articles rave about roasted chickpeas. So I started to experiment with some of my favorites seasonings with chickpeas. What I ended up with is a yummy snack that pleased my taste buds and satisfied my appetite.
Chickpeas are a great source of protein, fiber, iron, phosphorus, zinc, folate and polyunsaturated fat. When you combine chickpeas with spices and oils, you make them even better. For my experiment, I simply used some garlic powder, cayenne powder, honey, and olive oil. The result was a wholesome snack that rivaled pretzels. (more…)