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

 

 

How to Snack Your Way Through Super Bowl Sunday

It’s that time of year again – Super Bowl XLVII is about to commence.  Whether it’s for the football, commercials, or halftime show, on February 3rd, 2013, many of us will be gathering with family and friends to watch this annual event.  Along with the football and camaraderie, however, comes a lot of mindless eating.  Snacks and drinks generally abound at these Super Bowl parties and given the length of the game, much damage can be done to one’s diet by the end of the night.  But good news – it is possible to enjoy yourself at these parties and not overdo the snacking!  Below is a list of tips to help you “survive” Super Bowl Sunday without leaving you feeling guilty the next day.

1.  Don’t arrive hungry.  Many individuals have the misconception that they can skip meals during the day to save calories for some nighttime munching.  This is a big mistake!  Arriving to a party hungry makes you more likely to overeat while you are there.  Try having a small snack, such as a handful of almonds or a slice of whole grain toast with some peanut butter, before leaving for the party. 

2.  Contribute to the party.  If you’re headed to a friend’s house, ask to bring a dish to the party.  This is a great opportunity for you to bring something healthy that everyone can enjoy.  Ideas include fresh vegetables and hummus, fresh fruit and light yogurt, turkey lettuce wraps, or chilled shrimp.

3.  Survey the spread.  When you first arrive at the party, inspect the foods that are being served.  Plan ahead for the food items you will choose to eat.  Stay away from mayo-laden appetizers and fried foods, as these are often high in calories and fat, and make sure to load up on vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables.

4.  Watch the portion size.  Before piling your plate with food, try to find a small appetizer plate to use.  This will reduce the amount of food you can put on your plate and will likely reduce the amount of food you consume.  If only large plates are available, try filling up half the plate.  After finishing your plate, wait about thirty minutes before returning for more.  Use this time to decide if you truly are hungry for more and if you are, grab more fruits and vegetables.

5.  Step away from the table.  Once you’ve dipped your food, move away from the serving area.  By remaining near the food, you become more likely to return for seconds or thirds.  If you step away from the serving table, you can remove the immediate temptation to return for more.

Most importantly, enjoy your time with family and friends.  Try to be mindful of what you are eating, but don’t waste the evening stressing about food.  By using these tips, you will be better prepared to snack your way through Super Bowl Sunday!

 

Submitted by:

Chrystal Haire, UTK Dietetic Intern

How are your resolutions going?

With the New Year, resolutions to eat better and exercise more have likely been made by many. However, creating broad goals such as these make it easy to falter. Fortunately, it is possible to gain healthier eating habits and engage in more physical activity if small changes are implemented one at a time. It is easy and understandable to become overwhelmed with change, especially when it pertains to one’s diet and overall lifestyle. In this post, simple and manageable ways to incorporate healthy changes into one’s life will be provided and briefly discussed.

Source

Many people have heard the phrase, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, but what does it really mean? Breakfast is literally breaking the fast. When one wakes up from a night of sleep, the body requires fuel, i.e. food, to replenish nutrients that were metabolized to maintain the body’s primary functions. If one does not eat anything within a couple of hours of waking, then the body is forced to resort to other stores and parts of the body to obtain fuel. For this reason, it is very important to eat a healthy breakfast in order to set one up for a day of balanced eating. Try to include a whole grain, a protein such as nuts, nut butter, or an egg, and a source of nonfat or low fat dairy to achieve a well-balanced breakfast. For those individuals who do not regularly consume breakfast, this could be set as the first small change.
 

In the office environment, it is easy to snack too much on the candy that may be in the office or the sweets that are left in the break room. Another small change that can be set is to limit the intake of these foods. For some individuals, it may be unreasonable to completely give them up, and this is certainly understandable. Instead, it may be more realistic to set a limit of only enjoying these foods once or twice a week.

 

With hectic work schedules and other life demands, it can be difficult to incorporate physical activity. Thankfully, there are ways to increase one’s physical activity by doing things such as parking farther away from the store, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and going on a walk during part of one’s lunch break. One could resolve to integrate these changes one at a time rather than all at once. Again, once an individual feels comfortable with the change, (s)he could then focus on the next small change.

 

Hopefully, this post has made the resolutions to exercise more and eat better less intimidating and much more achievable. Remember that one is not a failure if (s)he slips up in some way. Just take it as a learning experience and press onward. Not one person is perfect, and perfection should not be the desired outcome. Feel a sense of pride every time a small change is achieved. Know that every small change adds up and the ultimate prize is a healthier body!

Submitted by:

UTK Dietetic Intern

Happy New Year from Eat Right Knox!

Avoiding the Holiday Blues: Eat This, Not That

December is the month for cocktail parties, cookie swaps and Christmas feasts.  It can be challenging to make healthy choices when there seems to always be a platter of Christmas cookies in the break room, but it is possible!  The season is full of nutritionally beneficial fruits and vegetables, such as clementines, cranberries, dried fruit, winter squash, brussel sprouts and spices such as ginger and cinnamon.  Unfortunately may holiday dishes are high in fat, sugar and calories.  It’s important to have a mental “game plan” about the food you eat during this season.  Whatever it is, here are simple rules to help you stay on track and avoid using that larger belt hole.  When cooking holiday recipes, try replacing some or all of the oil by substituting with applesauce, mashed banana or canned pumpkin to cut out fat and calories.  At parties, try piling your plate with fruit and veggies first, then go for the meats and dips; save dessert for last.  Use the three bite rule - only take three bites of a high-calorie food and try to fill up on veggies and fruit. 

Eat This, Not That - Holidays

Eat This….	Not That
Fat free milk with a splash of eggnog	Full glass of eggnog
Champagne	Fruity Cocktail
Beef Tenderloin	Prime Rib
Angel Food Cake	Buche de noel or yule log cake
Shrimp Cocktail	Crab Cakes
Herb Roast Red Potatoes	Loaded Mashed Potatoes w/ Gravy
Green Beans with Almonds	Green Bean Casserole
Ginger Snaps	Iced Gingerbread Cookies
Roasted Pistachios	M&M Candy
Salsa	Spinach & Artichoke Dip
Pretzels	Cheese Straws
Lighter Sweet Potato Casserole	Candied Yams
White Meat Turkey	Dark Meat Turkey with Skin
Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls	Croissants
Apple Pie	Pecan Pie a la mode
Kettle Corn Popcorn	Popcorn Balls
Mustard Glaze Ham	Brown Sugar or Honey Glazed Ham
Whole Wheat French Toast	Glazed Cinnamon Rolls
Dark Chocolate Kisses	Chocolate Truffles
Red Wine	Mulled Wine
Soft Cheese with Wheat Crackers & Fruit	Cheese Ball
Clementine	Chocolate Orange Slices
Vegetables as Dippers for dip	Tortilla Chips & Crackers as “dippers”
Dark Chocolate Bark w/ Dried Fruit	Peanut Brittle

Submitted by:
Megan Minner, Dietetic Intern

How Registered Dietitians Can Improve the Health of Americans and Save Health Care Dollars

A registered dietitian (RD) serves as an integral liaison in helping individuals and communities make changes for a healthy delicious diet.

Here are some examples of how RDs can improve the health of Americans and save health care dollars:

1. You have prediabetes and want to stave off diabetes. A registered dietitian can change your life by teaching you skills that will help you lose and keep off weight and keep diabetes at bay.
2. Your community has high levels of obesity. A registered dietitian can work with public health, government, school and other local leaders to create wellness programs that promote healthful eating and physical activity for everyone.
3. You are a marketing manager for a large food company and know consumers’ preference for good-tasting food that is healthy. A registered dietitian can make the connection and work with your food scientists to develop new products that will be successful in the marketplace.
4. You want to improve your performance in sports. A registered dietitian can help you set goals to achieve results — whether you’re running a marathon, skiing or jogging with your dog.
5. You have had gastric bypass surgery. Since your stomach can only manage small servings, it’s a challenge to get the right amount of nutrients in your body. A registered dietitian will work with you to develop an eating plan for your new needs.
6. You realize you need to feed your family healthier foods but you do not cook. A registered dietitian who has special culinary skills can teach you how to cook in a simple, convenient way.
7. Your teenager has issues with food and eating healthfully. A registered dietitian can assist with eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia and overweight issues.
8. Your community wants more local foods to be available. A registered dietitian can lead efforts to make sure foods will not only be healthy but also will positively affect the local economy.
9. You just had your first child, are concerned the baby is not eating enough and need help and confidence for breastfeeding. A registered dietitian can provide guidance and assurance that you and your infant are getting enough iron, vitamin D, fluoride and B vitamins.
10. Your mother, who is increasing in age, wants to stay in her home. A registered dietitian leading a local congregate dining and home delivered meals program can obtain a nutrition screening to make sure this happens.

 

Information from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association). The Academy is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals and is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at www.eatright.org.