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Happy National Nutrition Month® 2013!

This year's theme, "Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day," encourages personalized eating habits and styles. Many different factors can affect someone's food choices.

Tell us: How do you eat right, your way, every day?

 

Registered Dietitians (RDs) can help you make informed choices!



 

From the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign created annually in March by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. This year is the 40th anniversary of National Nutrition Month®.

Keep Your Heart Healthy During American Heart Month

The month of February allows us multiple opportunities to celebrate our hearts! Not only does this month feature Valentine’s Day as an appreciation of our love for one another, but it is also home to American Heart Month which calls to our attention the importance of heart health. Although heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women in the United States, it is in many cases preventable or controllable. There are numerous actions we can take to improve our heart health, and following a heart-healthy diet is one of many. The following list outlines ways we can highlight foods that protect and preserve our hearts and vessels:

 

• Substitute unhealthy saturated fats with heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Saturated fats are linked with higher cholesterol levels, which are a risk factor for heart disease. These fats are found in animal products (meats, full-fat dairy products/cheeses, and butter) and the tropical oils (coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil). Healthier choices that are associated with improved cholesterol levels are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and include products such as nuts and seeds; fatty fish; and olive, canola, safflower, and sunflower oils. 
• Choose lean protein and low-fat dairy over higher-fat alternatives. Lean protein and 1% or skim milk, yogurt, and cheese contain less fat and therefore protect your heart and vessels. Limit your red meat intake to once per week and instead choose alternatives such as the white meat portions of chicken and turkey, pork tenderloin, soy products, egg whites, and beans and legumes.
• Feature fatty fish every week. Fatty fish are high in heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats. To obtain these benefits, choose fatty fishes like salmon, herring, mackerel, trout, and sardines at least twice a week.
• Snack on nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds – particularly walnuts, pecans, almonds, flaxseed, and sesame seeds – are also high in polyunsaturated fats and make a great heart-healthy food choice. To up your intake of protective fats, protein, and fiber, snack on a handful of unsalted nuts and seeds per day.
• Balance your diet with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Not only do fruits, vegetables, and whole grains pack a punch with a multitude of vitamins and minerals, but they also contain fiber which keeps you full longer and lowers cholesterol levels. Balance a diet of heart-healthy fats with a wide variety of 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Additionally, keep at least half of your grain intake from whole grains.
• Limit sodium to 2300 mg per day. Because high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease, it is important to keep an eye on your sodium intake. To limit your daily sodium intake, avoid cured or processed meats that are packaged with salt; choose fresh, frozen, or no-salt-added canned vegetables; and add salt-free spices or herbs to your foods instead of using table salt.

 

It is important to remember that the above tips are best practiced in combination with maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, abstaining from smoking, and regularly monitoring blood pressure and cholesterol levels. However, by incorporating these tips into your diet, you are already taking healthy steps to protect your heart in the month of February and beyond!

 

Written by UTK Dietetic Intern

 

 

Physical Activity Recommendations for Weight Loss

To maximize benefits, exercise should be done in at least 10 minute bouts. For weight loss or weight maintenance, follow the recommendations below:

1. At least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week.

• Aerobic activity not only burns calories, but it also keeps your heart healthy.

2. At least twice per week, participate in strength training exercises like weight lifting or weight baring activities.

• Strength training increases muscle mass. When muscle mass increases more calories are burned to maintain this new mass. With more muscle, more calories are burned to stay alive, which means metabolic rate increases. This can help aid with weight loss.

*Table estimates calories burned on average based on different weights. Actual calories burned may differ based on intensity of workout and person’s weight. Talk with your doctor to ensure your health is compatible with exercise. (Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/SM00109)

Submitted by:
UTK Dietetic Intern

Exercise Tips for Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance

Exercise can help at every age and is essential to any weight loss or weight maintenance regimen. If calories burned are greater than calories taken in, then weight loss will occur. Many people feel overwhelmed when it comes to exercise. The good news is that you can start out slow then build up, and every bit helps. Check with your doctor to ensure it is safe for you to start exercising.

Here are some tips if you are just starting out:

• Read about the benefits of exercise for motivation
• Exercise offers many benefits for physical and mental health
• See this website for examples: http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/health/index.html
• Start slowly by introducing exercise bouts lasting about 10 minutes a few times a week
• Don’t over-do exercise at first to avoid soreness or feelings of inadequacy
• Set goals for exercise
• Make specific and reasonable goals to stay on top of exercise
• Example: I will exercise for 45 minutes next week. I will break this down into 15 minutes of exercise on Monday, Wednesday and Friday after work. I will record my exercise in a diary.
• Track your exercise (minutes and type) in a physical activity diary
• Reward met exercise goals with a non-food treat
• Example: Shopping, fishing, hiking, or spending time with a loved one you don’t see often.
• Make it fun
• Pick activities that are enjoyable
• Get an exercise buddy
• Set time to take each day for exercise
• Take an hour of TV time or find other time to make for exercise; this will help make a habit of being active
• Exercise with friends or family
• Get a support system in place to help stick with an activity plan
• Example: Exercise with your spouse, best friend or dog.

Submitted by:
UTK Dietetic Intern

Weight Management Apps: RD Reviews & Ratings

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has reviewed several free diet and nutrition apps to help you understand which apps are helpful and based on fact, not fad. The following apps are for weight management. The Academy has also reviewed diabetes management and gluten-free apps. Check them out!

Click each app name to read a full review by Sarah Krieger, MPH, RD, LDN.

• CalorieCounter & Diet Tracker by MyFitness Pal: Tracks a combination of fitness goals and nutrition analysis features to help you lose weight. RD Rating: 4.5 stars
• Calorie Counter: Tracks food, exercise, weight and all the nutrients listed on a Nutrition Facts label. Includes daily inspirational articles, healthy recipes and an easy-to-understand help section. RD Rating: 4 stars
• Calorie Counter: Diets &Activities: Features a classic food diary that tracks calories, water, fitness and the time each food item is consumed and an option to create your own diet and physical activity plan and an Integrated Body Tracker. RD Rating: 4 stars
• Calorie Tracker by Livestrong.com: Food and fitness diary designed to help you achieve your diet and nutrition goals, whether you want to lose, maintain or gain weight. RD Rating: 4 stars
• Sparkpeople Food and Fitness Tracker: Fitness and food tracker for people looking to lose a half-pound to 2 pounds per week or to maintain weight. RD Rating: 4 stars
• Calorie Counter by MyNetDiary: Allows user to personalize a calorie limit for weight loss, gain or maintenance. RD Rating: 3 stars
• Lose it!: Keeps track of foods you eat with this detailed food database; primarily for people wanting to lose weight. RD Rating: 3 stars
• Daily Burn: Keep track of calories consumed and track workouts to see how much energy is burned. RD rating: 2 stars
• Weight Watchers Mobile: Follows the Weight Watchers plan step by step, using interactive tools, finding local meetings and creating shopping lists. RD Rating: 2 stars

Facts About Flax

The nation’s interest in flaxseed has exploded in recent years as flaxseed is thought to have many beneficial effects on the body. Flaxseed is the seed from the Linumusitatissimum plant - the seed and seed oil are used as food and can be found in many medications. Common food products that contain flaxseed include crackers and oatmeal. Flaxseed contains protein and offers many nutritional and health benefits. The main three nutritional benefits of flaxseed are:

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
Flaxseed contains alpha-linoleic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid. These fatty acids are considered “healthy fats,” and can help improve heart health, lower triglyceride levels, and aid in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and arthritis. One tablespoon of ground flaxseed has around 1.8 grams of omega-3.

• Lignans
Lignans can help lower blood cholesterol and improve atherosclerosis. Lignans in flaxseed have been shown to reduce total cholesterol levels and LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. However, flaxseed does not appear to improve HDL (good cholesterol) levels. Lignans also have antioxidant properties which help protect the body’s cells from harmful compounds called free radicals. Flaxseed may contain as much as 800 times more lignans than most other plant foods.

• Fiber
Flaxseed contains both soluble and insoluble fiber. Fiber is an important part of digestive health, weight maintenance, and blood cholesterol control. Fiber from flaxseed may help manage constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or irritable colon, diverticulitis (inflammation of the lining in the large intestine), ulcerative colitis (ulcers in the large intestine lining), gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining), and enteritis (inflammation of the small intestine). Although flaxseed may help with the above conditions, it is not advised for all. If taken without sufficient water, flaxseed can cause constipation or even a bowel obstruction. Most of the fiber found in flaxseed is located in the seed coat, so consuming flaxseed oil will not provide a significant amount of fiber.

"Get Your Plate in Shape" Boot Camp

Thank you so much to everyone who came out to our "Get Your Plate in Shape" Boot Camp on March 24th! An even bigger thank you to Fort Sanders Health & Fitness Center for providing the space and fitness instructors for our event!

Enjoying a heart-pumping Step class!

Sugar Overload presentation with Peggy Pratt, PhD, RD (Registered Dietitian from Radiant Nutrition)

An energetic Zumba class!

To wrap up the Boot Camp, we had a Nutrition for Exercise discussion with Casey Peer, MS, RD, LDN (Registered Dietitian with Provision Health & Wellness).

Attendees received goody bags with pedometers, coupons, citrus peelers, and other local information. We had wonderful prizes to giveaway from: Jason's Deli, Tomato Head, local Registered Dietitians, Neighborhood Barre, Kroger, Ingles, the Health Shoppe, Runners Market, and others!

We look forward to another successful Boot Camp during National Nutrition Month 2013!

Prepare Heart-Healthy Foods for Your Family

The 29 days of February are dedicated to raising awareness of the leading cause of death in America, heart disease, and learning more about how you and your family can follow a heart-healthy diet.

The key to heart health is eating foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium, and high in omega-3 fatty acids and fiber. Eating a well-balanced diet will include a combination of whole grains, lean proteins, fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy.

Saturated and trans fats are found in some meats, dairy products, baked goods and deep-fried and processed foods. Both types of fat raise your LDL – or "bad" – cholesterol level. Instead, eat more plant proteins, fish, poultry and low-fat dairy foods. Start cooking with oils high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat instead of butter, margarine or shortening, which are high in trans fat.

 

Healthy Substitutions

Switch refined grains, like white rice or bread, with whole-grain options, such as brown rice and 100-percent whole-grain bread or pasta. Throughout the day, sip on water and limit sugary beverages by choosing fat-free milk and 100-percent fruit juices.

Next time you are at the grocery store, pick up some of these heart-healthy items:

• Beans, peas and barley
• Soybeans, other soy-based foods
• Fruits and vegetables
• Salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel
• Red grapes and purple grape juice
• Nuts like almonds, walnuts, pecans and hazelnuts

Move It

Another way to reduce your risk of heart disease is to be active. Regular, moderate physical activity lowers blood pressure and helps your body control stress and weight. Be physically active in your own way, and start by doing what you can, at least 10 minutes at a time. Children and teens should get 60 or more minutes of physical activity per day, and adults should get two hours and 30 minutes per week. Encourage your family to take a walk after dinner or play a game of catch or basketball.

For more heart-healthy cooking tips and information on reducing your risk for heart disease, consult a registered dietitian in your area.

Source:  Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Food and Nutrition Information

February is American Heart Month

Did you know the #1 killer of women is Heart Disease? More women die of heart disease than all forms of cancer combined. February is American Heart Month and Eat Right Knox wants to make sure you are eating plenty of heart-healthy foods.

Important foods (and examples) to include in your diet for heart health:

• Omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, tuna, olive oil, flaxseed)
• Beans (black, kidney, red beans)
• Nuts (almonds, walnuts)
• Whole grains (brown rice, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta)
• Vegetables (spinach, broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes, red bell pepper)
• Fruits (blueberries, oranges, cantaloupe, papaya)

There are plenty of other heart-healthy foods to try! Find out which ones you like the best and make it a habit to eat them more often! 

If you would like more information about Heart Disease, please visit the American Heart Association's website.

For help on creating a nutritious and heart-healthy diet, consult a registered dietitian in your area, and visit our Heart Health and Diet section.

Source: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Tip of the Day. 

What is BMI?

BMI stands for Body Mass Index and is calculated from your height and weight. It is an alternative to a direct measurement of body fat, such as underwater weighing. One size does not fit all, though. Other factors such as body build, age and ethnicity are not considered in this equation.

You can calculate your BMI with this formula: [weight (in pounds) / height (in inches) squared] x 703 or use our BMI calculator.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) uses BMI to define terms like overweight and obese:

• Underweight: BMI below 18.5
• Normal weight: 18.5 to 24.9
• Overweight: 25.0 to 29.9
• Obese: 30.0 and above.

If you know your weight and height, use this chart to determine your BMI!

Source: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/bmi_tbl.pdf

Please note the above information is for adults. A child's BMI is calculated the same way but then plotted on the appropriate growth chart (BMI-for-age). Since children are still growing, the adult categories should not be used to determine a child's weight status. For more information, please visit the CDC's website on growth charts.

To figure out your BMI and find a nutrition plan that works for you, consult a registered dietitian in your area and check out our Understanding Body Mass Index page.

*Reminder: New name, same commitment to your nutritional health. The American Dietetic Association is now the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Information from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Tip of the Day.