September 2, 2010
 What’s so great about water? From a weight loss standpoint, there are two things. First, it temporarily fills you up so you eat less at a meal. Second, when you drink zero-calorie water, you are ditching other high calorie beverages such as consumed on this typical day:
- Medium café latte with whole milk (16 oz.) at breakfast – 265 calories
- 20 oz. bottle non-diet soda at lunch – 227 calories
- Sweetened lemon ice tea (vending) – 180 calories
- Regular ginger ale (12 oz.) with dinner – 124 calories
Total calories from beverages: 796
Imagine the weight loss if only half of these sweetened calories were cut out.
You may have heard the tip that you should drink water to help with weight loss. A new study out of Virginia Tech found that drinking just two 8-ounce glasses of water before meals does indeed help get those unwanted pounds off.
This particular study looked at adults age 55 to 75 who followed a low calorie diet. One group drank two cups of water before meals and the other did not. After 12 weeks, the water-drinking group lost about 15.5 pounds while the non-water drinkers lost only 11 pounds. Plus, the water drinkers kept their weight off for a full year after the study….something that rarely happens in weight loss…gaining the lost weight back is very common.
More great water benefits when you want to lose weight:
- Water boosts metabolism. This can be true when the water is ice cold. The body must put forth the effort to warm up the water so you burn a few extra calories.
- When you feel zapped, water can serve as an energy boost. Did you know that dehydration makes you feel depleted and fatigued? When you drink water, it helps the blood transport oxygen and needed nutrients to cells all over the body.
Be sure to check out our back-to-school giveaway from Pirate’s Booty…a three-month supply of Pirate Brands products. Register for the drawing on WDBO.com at the Nutrition & Health center.
For more water tips, listen to this week’s podcast.
Listen to this week’s podcast
August 18, 2010
 There are steps you can take at home to reduce the risk of food poisoning from pet food:
- You know this step but if you’re like me…have probably skipped it. Wash your hands or your children’s hands after you touch pet food and pet dishes. I can’t tell you how many times I have reached in the dry cat food bag for a few nibbles, given them to my cat and not thought about it.
- Clean pet food bowls and their eating area routinely.
- Avoid bathing infants in the kitchen sink and avoid cleaning pet dishes in the bathtub. This cuts down on cross contamination or bacteria from food that may stay in the bathtub or the kitchen sink and end up on the baby.
Have you noticed that food recalls have become much more frequent? Recently you may have heard about dry pet food being linked to salmonella, bacteria common in food poisoning. This particular outbreak affected about 80 people in the eastern US, 11 of whom were put in the hospital. Almost half of those who got sick were ages 2 and younger…yes…you read that right.
The children didn’t get sick from eating the dog and cat food but rather from touching it or the pet food dishes and then putting their hands in their mouths. The bacteria were cross-contaminated or transferred from the food or dish to the hands and to the mouth.
Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that heating during food processing typically kills salmonella germs and that contamination may have occurred during a later process where food was sprayed with flavor enhancers.
By the way, the CDC this week reported that poultry is still the leading culprit in food poisoning outbreaks. Beef and leafy vegetables were close behind.
Here’s the deal with reusable bags. Researchers tested 84 reusable bags for bacteria and found bacteria in all but one. Coliform bacteria, which is tied to raw meat or uncooked food, was detected in half of the bags with the dreaded and deadly E.coli in 12% of the tested bags.
What to do?
- Wash reusable bags regularly…toss them in the washer or hand wash if you prefer.
- Designate certain reusable bags for meat only and wash them regularly.
- Wash fruit and veggies when you bring them home BEFORE they go in the refrigerator, pantry, or fruit bowl. Remember that salmonella and other bacteria can be on the outside of your cantaloupe or kiwi and will contaminate the fruit when you cut it up.
- Keep separate reusable bags for other uses such as snacks, gym clothes, books, and shopping.
Think about this…reusable bags that are never washed are a breeding ground for bacteria. If you put raw meat and veggies in the same bag, cross contamination can occur.
Bacteria from the raw meat can get on the fruit and veggies that then take up residence in your refrigerator, fruit bowl, etc. As bacteria grow in the bags, your risk for potential food poisoning goes up.
For more ideas, listen to this week’s podcast.
Listen to this week’s podcast
July 21, 2010
 I just returned from the Florida Dietetic Association annual meeting where the latest evidence-based nutrition research is presented. I have so much to share with you so today I’ll start with a few items I think you’ll find interesting and helpful.
Grape juice…the original super juice. I’m talking about the dark purple Concord grape juice…yes, like Welch’s.
Benefits:
- Heart health: Clinical studies have found that Concord grape juice works in a similar fashion to red wine to promote healthy artery function.Concord grape juice stimulates the production of nitric oxide in cells which promotes the relaxation of arteries and then contributes to a healthier blood pressure.
- Beneficial against age-related brain decline: Grape juice contains naturally occurring phytonutrients or plant nutrients called polyphenols which may be beneficial against age-related brain decline. You’ve probably heard of polyphenols in wine and chocolate as well.
Nutrition buzzword: Naturally Nutrient-Rich
What does naturally nutrient-rich mean to you and the way you eat? Think about some of the products that you buy. Much of the time the food label promotes only one item such as low in fat, low calorie, 100-calorie pack, or zero trans fat.
Let’s say your item is a 100-calorie pack of your favorite cookies. Beside the 100 calories, what else does the product provide your body in the way of nutrition? Is it packed with vitamins and minerals, fiber or protein making it naturally nutrient-rich? Or, is the 100 calories you’re about to munch on just that…100 calories and nothing else? Simply empty calories.
So, when you shop, think about the buzzword …naturally nutrient-rich. Reach for whole foods versus processed foods particularly whole grains and intensely colored fruit and veggies.
Coconut Water: trendy!
Coconut water is fine to drink but according to registered dietitian Janet Helm writing in a recent chicagotribune.com article, coconut water is being hyped as nature’s sports drink without the credentials to back it up.
 Liz Applegate PhD, from UC-Davis is concerned that coconut water contains fewer carbs than commercial sports drinks as well as lacks the sodium level.
Coconut water is a good source of the needed nutrient potassium but when you sweat, you lose sodium and after a strenuous workout of an hour or more, coconut water is not going to provide the needed carbs and sodium to replenish adequately.
Bottom line…if you enjoy the flavor of coconut water, it’s fine to drink. But rethink your drink when it comes to sports nutrition and recovery after a hard workout.
Listen to this week’s podcast
July 14, 2010
 Ok, I admit it. I love ice cream. Do you? What better way to cool down in the summer than with an ice cold creamy frozen treat.
This week on the podcast Margit Ragland, Health Director at Family Circle magazine, and I talk about five ice cream treats that don’t have to be off limits even when you’re on a diet. Their favorites include:
- Breyers Smooth & Creamy Triple Chocolate Dip
- Weight Watchers Giant Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Bar
- Klondike Vanilla & Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Blue Bunny Strawberry Banana Frozen Yogurt
- The Skinny Cow Mint Ice Cream Sandwiches
Or spend an afternoon in the kitchen with your kids and make cookies such as oatmeal raisin. Then put light ice cream or frozen yogurt between two for your personal version of an ice cream sandwich.
Turn your kitchen into an ice cream parlor. A couple of Sundays ago, a girlfriend and her two young girls came over. We decided to turn the kitchen into an ice cream parlor. We took light vanilla bean ice cream and sliced it into small pieces on a cutting board. Next we had a selection of blueberries, strawberries, chopped walnuts and mini chocolate chips to choose from. The girls mixed them into the cut up ice cream.
Then we scooped the mixture into ice cream cones and drizzled with chocolate syrup. Do you think these were a hit? The kids had a blast choosing the items that they wanted to mix in and we loved saving a lot of money by making the cones at home. Give this a try…you’ll be the most popular Mom or Dad on the block.
Be sure and try this month’s recipe for Frozen Tiramisu from the Family Circle kitchens. By using coffee flavored frozen yogurt, instant coffee and chocolate sauce, per serving stats come in under 200 calories and five grams of fat per serving.
Happy summer!
Listen to this week’s podcast
July 7, 2010
 What’s keeping you awake at night? The lousy economy or money issues? Maybe you’re concerned about losing your job or just lost your job.
Sleep is the time that your body restores and maintains itself. Think of it like rebooting your computer. Here are five tips that may help you get a better night’s sleep:
- Just like you may have a workout routine, have a bedtime routine and keep regular sleep times. Your body craves a sleep routine and gets into a rhythm. Remember, there’re TIVO and DVRs so you don’t have to stay up all night to catch your favorite shows! Once in a rhythm, your body will begin to let you know it’s tired and ready for sleep at about the same time each night.
- Exercise, yes this includes sex, improves sleep. Try to get in some exercise during the day but make sure to finish a couple of hours before you turn in so you’re not wired and unable to sleep.
- You’ll love this one. Don’t go to bed hungry. Try a light carb snack like a piece of fruit.
- Nix the caffeine by mid afternoon so it doesn’t keep you awake.
- Make sure your bedroom is dark, cool, quiet and comfortable. Make your bedroom inviting for a great night’s rest. Remember this is the place where you escape whatever it is that stresses you out. Create your own personal bedtime ritual. Try using aromatherapy or a warm bubble bath. Listen to your favorite relaxing music or read a book. But give your laptop, work materials and other such distractions the boot. Your bedroom is your place to chill, not get worked up again and be too stressed to sleep.
Did you know that one-third of Americans are losing sleep over the state of the U.S. economy and other personal financial concerns? This is according to a poll released in March 2009 by the National Sleep Foundation. What’s keeping you up at night? Tell me.
Want a more in-depth discussion of sleep? Listen to this week’s podcast.
Listen to this week’s podcast
June 30, 2010
Have you heard the terms friendly bacteria or healthy bacteria or the word probiotics? You’ve probably never thought a lot about your gastrointestinal tract until you started seeing commercials for various yogurts, yogurt drinks and cereals that promise to strengthen your immune system, help with regularity or replace healthy bacteria destroyed by antibiotics.
What are probiotics? Live microorganisms when given in adequate amounts can have a beneficial health effect on the body.
If you decide to try a probiotics product, how do you know which one is the best choice?
- Whether it’s a food or supplement form of probiotics doesn’t matter but take a supplement with food as food helps buffer the probiotics against stomach acid so the healthy bacteria are not destroyed and make it to the intestines.
- Probiotics are not the same nor equal. The health effect depends on the species and strain. OK, think of it like this. When you are sick with an infection that requires antibiotics, your doctor prescribes one based on the illness you have. The particular antibiotic prescribed has been proven to destroy the bacteria causing the illness. In other words, antibiotics are specific to certain bacteria. Same with probiotics. They are species and strain specific.For example, Lactobacillus acidophilus GG is often recommended for antibiotic use and the resulting diarrhea that often occurs while B lactis is used for IBS or L caseii for the immune system. Bottom line, the strain of probiotics must be specific to the health concern you want to address. That’s why probiotics may or may not help.
- Probiotics are categorized by group, species and strain. So take the Lactobacillus acidophilus GG mentioned above. Lactobacillus is the group, acidophilus is the species and GG is the strain. GG is the strain with research behind it.Be sure and discuss with your doctor or health care provider which probiotics strain is right for you if you are using it to help treat a specific health concern. Check out the company’s website for specific information on the species and strain of the probiotics. Want more overall knowledge… take a look at usprobiotics.org
- Probiotics or healthy bacteria can be destroyed by direct light and high temperatures over time. Be sure and check for a shelf life and how the product should be stored.
By the way, natural food sources of probiotics include yogurt, buttermilk, sauerkraut and kefir.
A few of the probiotics-enhanced products with research behind them to check out for specific health benefits include the supplements Culturelle and Florastor and the food products Activia, DanActive, Danimals, Yo-Plus yogurt, Stoneyfield Farms yogurt and Kashi Vive cereal.
Listen to this week’s podcast
June 23, 2010
It’s time to announce the winner of the $60 gift basket of award-winning Cabot cheese. Congratulations Luanne from Elizabethton TN! Watch the mail for your gift is on the way.
If food calls your name when you’re emotionally upset and you turn to food for comfort, it’s time to put on the brakes and stop stress-eating.
 Try these three stress-less strategies.
- Recognize emotional eating for what it is. Pay attention to your emotions this week. Every time you eat something, ask yourself if you are hungry or eating because of stress.Even better, keep a journal or notes on your blackberry or iphone for a few days. Why? When you write down what you eat, how much you eat and why you eat, stress-eating patterns become clear very quickly.
- Decide what actions you can take to help deal with your stress besides turning to food. Find a substitute to replace food … walk around the block, read one chapter in a good book, or chew sugarless gum.Seek professional counseling if you feel it’s needed or confide in friends or family members and come up with some strategies to deal with the stressful situation.
- Start one new healthy eating strategy. Here are two to choose from:
- If you don’t eat breakfast, start. Research shows that people who eat breakfast eat less during the day so it’s easier to control your food intake when you’re stressed and your emotions feel out of control.
- Eat more frequently. If you are an emotional eater and go more than four hours without food, you already know that it’s easy to eat and eat a lot. When you eat more frequently, you have less low blood sugar moments and feel less compelled to eat in response to your stress.
Good Morning American interviewed Andrew Shue, co-founder of CafeMom.com. You may remember him as an actor on the Melrose Place series. CafeMom.com connects mothers and mothers-to-be on all aspects of life for conversation and support.
CafeMom polled 2,000 of their moms in the MomIndex and found that a whopping 61% indicate they do not have enough time for themselves. Guess what the biggest source of anxiety is for moms? Money! One in five moms said that their family income has been affected by job loss.
Did the results of this poll sound like you? Do you eat because you are stressed, depressed, sad, lonely, or angry? Are you eating because you’ve lost your job or someone in the family has and you’re concerned about paying bills?
Has food become your new BFF, your best friend? You’re comforter? Really think about your relationship to food. Try these strategies and email me or post comments on the blog. Let me know how you are doing.
Listen to this week’s podcast
June 2, 2010
Did you know that chocolate bars, imitation seafood and herbal teas may contain gluten? To really make the gluten free diet work for you, it’s important to know all the ins and outs…particularly where gluten hides in products that you might not think about.
Where does gluten hide? Here are a few examples.
- Processed foods particularly deli meats, hot dogs
- Malt vinegar and soy sauce
- Imitation seafood
- Beer
- Dry Roasted Nuts: some companies use dust with a wheat mixture
- Glue on postage stamps and envelopes
- Chewing gum
- Some lotions, creams and cosmetics such as lipstick
- Vitamins and medications
Terms to watch out for that may contain gluten:
- Corn starch and wheat starch
- Dextrin
- Modified food starch
- Natural flavoring/artificial flavor/color/smoke flavor
- Fillers
 Now is the time to become a label sleuth. According to registered dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix, author of the new book Read It Before You Eat It, if you need to follow a gluten-free diet always be vigilant about label reading, especially because many manufacturers change their products without notifying the public. Something you might have enjoyed previously may now be unsafe.
I’ve posted a gluten-free and celiac disease resource document with links to celiac organizations, food companies, recipes, cookbooks and more at the Nutrition & Health Center.
 You might be wondering if you will ever eat a chocolate brownie again. The answer is absolutely! My colleague, dietitian Liz Weiss, writes a blog called Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen. She has shared a gluten-free black bean brownie recipe that her readers rave about. Yes, it’s made from black beans instead of flour.
 The folks at Cabot Creamery have a number of gluten-free recipes on their site using cheese such as cheddar mashed potatoes and layered broccoli salad.
If you love cheese, register to win a $60 gift box of award-winning reduced-fat Cabot cheeses at the Nutrition & Health Center. Go to the Nutrition & Health Center at WDBO.com …you’ll see the link to register.
More Websites for Helpful Information:
Celiac Disease Foundation http://celiac.org/
Shelley Case, RD, Gluten-free Expert http://glutenfreediet.ca/
Her Book: Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide
Gluten Intolerance Group of North America http://gluten.net/
Gluten-free Cookbooks, Recipes and Food:
Savory Palate, Inc. http://savorypalate.com/
The Gluten-Free Mall http://www.glutenfreemall.com/
stellaLucy Gluten-Free Market http://www.stellalucy.com/
Listen to this week’s podcast
May 26, 2010
 The gluten-free diet has become a popular diet de jour. Oprah pushed its popularity a couple of years ago when she went on a cleanse that was free of several items, gluten included.
The vast majority of you who are following a gluten-free diet are doing so because you’ve been diagnosed with celiac disease and there’s a war going on between your gastrointestinal tract and your immune system. A gluten-free diet wins the war.
The bottom-line basics of the gluten-free diet:
- The grain group is most affected.
- Dairy, fruits, vegetables and protein foods have minimal changes (and typically don’t contain gluten) especially in their most natural form.
- Put your emphasis on whole foods versus processed foods or those modified in some way. Processed and modified foods are most likely to contain gluten.
- Remember there are many naturally gluten-free foods such as fruit and vegetables and many grains (see list below). Reach for whole grains such as brown rice over white rice.
This is really important if you think you might have celiac disease. A gluten-free diet can interfere with obtaining an accurate diagnosis so never start on the diet until you’ve had the blood test and biopsy.
For this week’s more in-depth podcast on gluten-free click here.
Next week I’ll post an updated list of gluten-free and celiac resources at the Nutrition & Health Center. Just go to WDBO.com and click on the Nutrition & Health Center. You’ll see the link to the resources at the top of the page.
With Celiac disease, the tiniest bread crumb containing gluten can set some people off, make them sick and harm their intestines. Gluten is so ubiquitous that at times it can make managing celiac disease difficult.
The dangerous grains include:
- barley
- rye
- wheat
- spelt
- kamut
Some of the safe grains include:
- rice
- corn
- potato
- amaranth
- quinoa
- buckwheat
- millet
- chickpea flour
- oats
Remember wheat free is NOT gluten free. Wheat free can contain barley, bulgur or other grains with gluten.
In the past, oats were included on the dangerous list of grains because of cross-contamination. Oats were usually contaminated with wheat, barley or rye during harvesting and processing. More recent studies suggest that for most people eating oats in moderate amounts, meaning about ½ cup of dried oats is safe.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that attacks your small intestine and persists for a lifetime. Autoimmune basically means that your body turns on itself. Specifically your intestine is damaged by the protein you eat found in wheat, rye and barley…collectively this protein is referred to as gluten.
Any food item which contains gluten is like poison to your small intestine particularly to the little fingerlike projections called villi and makes it difficult to absorb the nutrients from food such as vitamins and minerals.
If you have questions that need answers now and want a personalized gluten-free diet, consider making an appointment with the nutrition expert, a registered dietitian. You can search for an RD in your area at the American Dietetic Association homepage.
Listen to this week’s podcast
May 19, 2010
 In the June issue of Family Circle magazine Food Director and registered dietitian Regina Ragone offers up strategies to slim down for the pool and beach. Her key to success is taking a few minutes to think and plan ahead.
- For Work: find a lunch kit that works for you with washable and recyclable containers which are large enough for lunch and snacks. Packing your lunch saves money and puts you in control of what and how much you eat.
- The Beach: update your Mom’s recipes for tuna salad and egg salad using light mayonnaise and whole-wheat wraps. Add ice-cold summer fruits including watermelon, grapes and cherries along with low fat cheese.
- Road Trip: Regina talks about how the average gas station convenience store has her choosing between Twinkies, candy bars and potato chips. So she packs an insulated bag with single serve hummus and crackers, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes and 100-calorie packs of nuts along with easy-to-eat fruits like baby bananas and grapes.
 For more strategies, listen to this week’s podcast with my guest Margit Ragland, Health Director at Family Circle magazine.
Thank you for your emails about trying on bathing suits and how you could relate to my college roommate’s comments. She made us laugh but also take a look at how we women are our own worst critics. Do you agree?
With bathing suit season rolling around, we’re focusing on day-to-day strategies to help you knock off the pounds. I’ve found that over time my greatest success with keeping my weight off comes from the way I live day in and day out…not from a crash diet. That’s why Regina’s strategies work. They give you the power to be in control and not food.
What changes have you made in the way you eat? Tell me about them.
Each month Margit shares a recipe from the Family Circle kitchens and this month it’s Lighter Potato Salad from Food Director Regina Ragone.
Less than 100 calories per serving and only three grams of fat, the horseradish along with fresh chives and scallions pump up the flavor factor of the potato salad. Enjoy!
Listen to this week’s podcast
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