It’s Snack Time!

March 5th, 2010

Remember snack time in from when you were a little kid? I would get so excited to have juice & cookies at nursery school. I’m still a big fan of snacks, and not just because I like cookies. Snacks are an important part of a good eating plan. They help keep your blood sugar and energy steady by making sure you eat every 3 or 4 hours; they take the edge off late afternoon hunger so that dinner is not a free-for-all; and they help make sure you’re getting all of the nutrients that you should.

Snacks should be about 200 calories or less.  The better the ingredients, the better you’ll feel when you eat them. Strive for a mix of protein, complex carbohydrates and a little (healthy) fat. While I’ll always advocate whole foods choices, there are also good packaged products that make snacking convenient.

Convenience tends to be an issue with the clients I see. Busy schedules get in the way of eating regularly, which is why snacks are even more important. My advice is to stash snacks wherever you can: the car, your purse or briefcase, gym bag, desk drawer, etc. You’ll eat what’s available to you, which is why making healthy choices easy is so important. Here are some choices I recommend:

  • Any of these with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter:
    apple
    pear
    celery sticks
    whole grain crackers
    one piece of whole wheat bread
  • ¼ cup dried fruit & ¼ cup nuts
  • medium nonfat latte (feel free to add a dash of cocoa powder if you like)
  • ¼ cup hummus with raw vegetables
  • 1 cup fresh fruit with ½ cup lowfat cottage cheese
  • 8 ounces nonfat yogurt with 1/8 cup walnuts
  • ½ cup high fiber cereal (Kashi Go Lean is great) with ½ cup nonfat milk
  • 80 calories of dark chocolate and a small peach
  • whole grain crackers (Kashi TLC crackers are good) with 1 stick of low-fat string cheese
  • ½ cup nonfat frozen yogurt, plain (this means no added candy, fudge swirls, etc.)
  • ¾ cup shelled edamame
  • 2 slices low-salt turkey and a small bunch of grapes
  • one hard-boiled egg drizzled with 1 measuring teaspoon of good olive oil and freshly grated black pepper
  • one serving (about 20 chips) of Kettle Baked Potato Chips
  • Larabar fruit and nut bars

Have a healthy snack today and see how much more energy you have. For more great wellness advice, please visit Prevention Not Prescriptions .

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One Of My Favorite Things

February 22nd, 2010

Just a quick “hooray” for Penzeys Spices’ Cake Spice. It’s a yummy blend of cinnamon, star anise, nutmeg, allspice, ginger and cloves. So right off the bat it smells fantastic.

I sprinkle it on fresh fruit, frozen yogurt, in my oatmeal and so on. My favorite sweet snack is fresh pineapple with Cake Spice and a little honey. Delicious and nutritious.

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Preventing Diabetes: You Have the Power

February 18th, 2010

The statistics of diabetes are stunning. According to the American Diabetes Association:

  • 23.6 million people in the United States (almost 8% of the population) have diabetes.
  • Almost 6 million of those people don’t know they have it.
  • There are 57 million people on deck in the pre-diabetes stage (elevated blood sugar, but not quite diabetic).

Holy cow.

If the word “diabetes” alone doesn’t scare you into assessing your risk, take a trip to the American Diabetes Association’s website to learn more about the complications (warning: they use words like blindness, stroke, amputation and death).

There’s good news for the 57 million people in the pre-diabetes group thanks to the Diabetes Prevention Program. The results of this study show that weight loss from dietary changes and increased physical activity is more effective at preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes than taking the oral diabetes drug metformin. Sounds like Prevention Not Prescriptions to me!

Highlights of the results:

  • Participants in the lifestyle intervention group reduced their risk of developing diabetes by 58%, compared to 31% for the group taking metformin.
  • Participants aged 60 and older who made lifestyle changes reduced their risk by 71%.
  • This was the first study to show that lifestyle changes can effectively delay diabetes in a diverse population of adults at high risk (Tufts University). It’s an important distinction when we consider that some ethnic groups (such as African American) are more affected by diabetes than others.

Try one of this simple changes to get you on your way to losing weight and saying “I don’t think so!” to diabetes:

  • Have oatmeal with blueberries and a couple of walnuts for breakfast.
  • Snack on an apple with a little peanut butter (my very wise mother served us this way back when).
  • Ditch the diet soda and try sparkling water.
  • Fire up the grill for that chicken rather than firing up the fry pan.

And if you have diabetes already, know that dietary changes are beneficial to you too. We all have the power.

A Moment in a Busy Life is a proud participant in Prevention Not Prescriptions.

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Posted in Disease prevention, Wellness, weight loss | 3 Comments »

A Heart-y Meal To Love

February 10th, 2010

February is American Heart Month, appropriate for the month known for Valentine’s Day. Check out this great tool for assessing your risk of having a heart attack. If you’re at risk, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss, and keep reading to learn how to eat foods your heart loves.

A Heart-y Dinner You’ll Love

Heart-healthy dining does not have to be boring and tasteless. These recipes are truly delicious, quick to prepare and offer a host of health benefits. Fish not your cup of tea? Browse through my Recipe Box to find dishes you’ll love.

Salmon with Orange Sauce

Serves 2

Salmon is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which can help prevent blood clots and irregular heart beats.  Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fat, which can help lower cholesterol.  Oranges and orange juice contain potassium, a nutrient responsible for making sure our muscles (including our hearts) contract properly. This recipe is easily multiplied.

2 5-ounce wild salmon fillets                      1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
freshly ground pepper                               1 1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil                1 orange, peeled, seeded, pith removed
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 425º.  Place salmon on a cookie sheet, season with ground pepper.  Roast until just cooked through, about 8 – 10 minutes depending upon thickness of fillets.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a non-stick sauté pan over medium heat.  Sauté the onion slices until tender, stirring often, about 3 – 5 minutes.  Add orange juice and soy sauce; simmer for 2 – 3 minutes until slightly thickened.  Add oranges and gently toss to coat with sauce.  Serve sauce over salmon.

Simple Sautéed Spinach

Serves 2

Garlic also contains a substance called allicin that helps to thin the blood which allows better blood flow through congested blood vessels.   Spinach is a good source of many vitamins and iron. This recipe is easily multiplied.

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
9 ounces baby spinach

Heat olive oil in a non-stick sauté pan over medium heat.  Add garlic and sauté until garlic is golden, about 4 minutes (do not burn the garlic – there’s no graceful recovery except to start over again).

Add spinach and toss with tongs until just wilted.

Couscous Pilaf

Serves 2

Almonds are an excellent source of unsaturated fat, and can help reduce bad cholesterol levels.  Onions can also help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. This recipe is easily multiplied.

1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

In a small dry skillet, toast the almonds over medium heat, being careful not to let them burn. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the dry couscous and stir to toast evenly, about 2 minutes.  Add water, bring to a boil.  Cover, remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.  Add fresh parsley and stir to blend. Top with toasted almonds.

Download the printable Valentine Dinner PDF

For more tasty advice, check out Prevention Not Prescriptions .

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What’s Your Need?

February 5th, 2010

This is the time of year when we all could use a little boost. It’s early February, much of the country is frozen (especially here in the Northeast) and people are starting to wish out loud for spring. New Year’s resolutions are either firmly in place or just as firmly out of place. Feels like a good time to check in on how I’m caring for myself.

In December, I laid out an entire self-care plan (check it out here).

As I was packing for my Canyon Ranch visit, a phrase echoed through my head: Ho bisogno di . Translated from Italian, it means “I need” . It was all I could think while I was packing:

  • I need this self-care.
  • I need to invest the time, money and energy it takes.
  • I need to recoup and recharge.

My Canyon Ranch time provided all of these things and more (check out the more right here. No one who knows me can believe I actually did this).

So how’s my self-care going now? Pretty good, actually. Here’s what’s working well:

  • My trainer is pushing me twice a week. I’m down almost a pant-size!
  • My husband, dog and I walk 2 or 3 times per week.
  • I’m also training for More Magazine’s Half-Marathon.
  • I’m getting the regular chiropractic care I need.
  • I’ve done additional EMDR sessions which have really helped me.
  • Regular doctor visits and blood-work confirm that I’m nearly perfect (My doctor loves to say “People would kill for your blood-work results.” I hope not.)

So what needs more work?

  • Ironically, my eating is a little off-track. As a nutritionist, it’s easy to fall into the trap of confusing the fact that I know exactly what to eat with what I’m actually eating. It’s been a little more meat, a little more cheese and desserts. So I’ve got my food diary out to keep myself honest.
  • Daily deep breathing has fallen off. I’ve set reminders in my computer’s calendar program to get me back on track.
  • This is a fun one: schedule a massage!

What’s your need? Spend a little time asking yourself this question, then listen to the answer.

Another need of mine? To be involved in a strong wellness community. That’s why I’m grateful for Prevention Not Prescriptions.

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