Metabolic Syndrome

We all know that a healthy diet helps ward off disease and extend life.  With that in mind, we wanted to focus on something called "Metabolic Syndrome". Metabolic Syndrome is actually a cluster of risk factors consisting of high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high fasting blood glucose that occur together.  Having three of more of these risk factors adds up to what we now know as Metabolic Syndrome. The only visible symptom is abdominal fat.

Metabolic Syndrome sadly is a pretty serious condition that can negatively affect your health over a 5 to 10 year period.  Specifically, your chances of heart attack and stroke doubles, and you are 5 times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes. Right now, there is no medication for this syndrome, but you may wind up taking drugs to address each risk factor. That said, why not try making healthy lifestyle changes?  That's where we come in by creating a healthy eating plan for you, along with providing you the support, accountability, and encouragement you need to make long term changes.

Here's what lifestyle changes you can make to prevent or minimize Metabolic Syndrome:

• Lose Weight - Start with finding a healthy eating plan that will encourage gradual and consistent weight loss. Seek the guidance of a health professional to help you!
• Healthy Eating - Focus on eating vegetables, fruits, leafy greens, nuts, whole-grains, legumes, healthy fats and lean proteins like fish, poultry, and eggs.
• Regular Exercise - Any physical activity is beneficial. The federal guidelines call for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week in increments of 10 minutes or more, plus resistance training two days per week.
• Avoid Added Sugars - Unfortunately, excessive sugar intake has been linked to abdominal obesity. Excess sugar raises triglycerides. Simply omitting sugar-sweetened drinks can reduce your triglyceride levels.
• Alcohol in Moderation - Moderate intake means 1 to 2 drinks daily for men, and 1 drink daily for women.  A drink may be 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor, or 1 ounce of 100-proof liquor. If you do not already drink it is best not to start.

Here are some things to look for to determine if you have Metabolic Syndrome:

• Large Waistline - Belly fat that produces an "apple shape" midsection - central or abdominal obesity. A rule of thumb for abdominal obesity is a waistline of 40 inches or greater for men, and 35 inches or greater in women.
• High Fasting Triglycerides - Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood. A risk factor is if you have a level of 150 milligrams per deciliter or higher after an overnight fast. Or, another risk factor is if you are taking a medication to lower triglycerides.
• Low HDL Cholesterol - An HDL of less than 50 milligrams per deciliter for women and less than 40 milligrams per deciliter for men is a risk factor. Also, having to take a medication for low HDL is a risk factor.
• Elevated Blood Pressure - If you have a blood pressure of 135/85 millimeters of mercury or higher, or taking a medicine to treat high blood pressure is a risk factor.
• High Fasting Blood Sugar - A fasting blood sugar of 100 milligrams per deciliter or higher, or taking a medicine to treat high blood sugar is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome. If your level is between 100-125 mg/dl that's considered prediabetes, and 126 mg/dl or higher is diabetes.

Reference: Health & Nutrition Letter, Tufts University, December 2017, VOL. 35, NO.10, Healthy Diet and Lifestyle to Sidestep Metabolic Syndrome (pp.4).

Processed Foods Can Be Healthy

We're sure you've heard to cut down on your intake of "processed foods", but some may wonder exactly what that means.  First off, let's explain what's meant by "processed". Then we'll discuss just what we should limit.

The USDA's definition of processed foods are -  "Everything besides raw agricultural commodities like fruits, vegetables, and grains.  When those foods are cooked, canned, pasteurized, frozen, sliced, chopped, milled, or dehydrated they are considered processed." Now that we understand the meaning of "processed" let's take a look at what to look to make healthy choices.

When looking at processed foods start by ignoring the marketing claims on the front of a package.  It is best to focus on the ingredient and nutrition facts label.  When you see things like added sugars, refined flours, or high levels of sodium put the food down and choose something else. Additionally, highly processed foods have more calories, sugar, salt, and saturated fat. Examples of these would be frozen meals, high-sugar cereals, cookies and cakes, along with sugar-sweetened beverages. Unfortunately, these foods supply you with minimal nutritional value such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and healthy fats.

Keep in mind that some foods need to be processed in order to be edible and digestible. For example canned tomatoes would be a healthy option. Processing helps make some foods nutritious and safe, as well as prolongs shelf life. Think of pasteurization and canning which kills disease-causing organisms.

Here is a list to help you pick healthy processed foods:

• Frozen fruits and vegetables without added sugar, sauces, gravies, salt, and sugar
• Frozen cooked whole grains without added seasoning
• 100% whole wheat pasta made from whole grains or legumes
• Nuts and seeds without added salt
• Brown or wild rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, or amaranth or other whole grains
• Canned beans with no salt added or reduced salt - rinse beans before using
• Canned tomatoes labeled sodium free, low sodium, or reduced sodium
• Precut fruits and vegetables
• Cans or pouches of tuna or salmon
• Plain Greek yogurt or plain yogurt
• Milk
• Bagged greens and lettuces
• Nut butters without added sugar and salt

Reference:  Health & Nutrition Letter, Tufts University, December 2017, VOL. 35, NO.10, Healthy Processed Foods (pp. 6).

Emotional Eating

It is common for many of us to be triggered by our emotions and then eat something we may regret later.  With that in mind, we wanted to talk to you about learning some new habits to break the patterns of emotional eating. To get started let's explain the dynamic.

The dynamic of emotional eating goes like this - trigger, craving, and action.  This is a powerful cycle because it "taps the brain's powerful ability to form deeply ingrained habits based on repeated experience."  Unfortunately, when you use food to quell emotional states weight gain and unhealthy eating patterns can occur. However, there is some good news!  Your brain is quite adept at learning new strategies.

Here's what you do, identify the trigger and create a new habit to paste over the bad one.  Keep in mind though that you many need to try a few new habits out until you find one that works for you.  To get started take some time to make observations about your behavior. There are different triggers for emotional eating.  Some are anxiety, anger, loneliness, depression, fear, procrastination, or boredom. Even positive emotions like excitement or desire can be a trigger. Just the simple thought of your own trigger can pull you out of your emotional state, and that's when you can start to develop a healthier response.

Here are some strategies you can use:
Substitute - Have substitutes on hand for your "go to" snack like carrots or apple slices portioned out in containers in the fridge. Additionally, keep fresh fruit out for something quick to grab.
Chew Gum - Keep some sugarless gum around which helps mimic eating.
Relax - Some people find a hot shower or bath soothing. You could even play your favorite music to help you relax.
Be Mindful - You could look into mindfulness training to help you become more aware of your eating experience.  
Exercise - Take a walk or run, or do some form of activity you like.
Shift Attention - Distract yourself by playing a computer game, checking social media or the news, or with a hobby.

We hope these tips help the next time you get a craving!

Reference: Health & Nutrition Letter, Tufts University, December 2017, VOL.35, NO 10, Learn New Habits to Break Emotional Eating Patterns (pp. 1 & 5).

Meal Prep!

When eating healthy meal prep does a world of wonders - especially for those of us who are busy! As a Nutritionist who leads a busy life this is something I do every week. To help you out why not roast your favorite veggies like I've done here, along with some chicken, or another protein you like. You just need to add a little olive oil to the vegetables with your favorite seasoning.  I simply added salt & pepper to the chicken. For some help below are the names of a few herb and spice blends I often use, but feel free to explore your market's seasonings to find one that suits you!


Herb & Spice Blends:
Chinese Five Spice
Garam Masala
Old Bay
Herbes de Provence
Italian Seasoning

The Lowdown on Leaky Gut

Gut health seems to be a hot topic these days!  That said, with so much information out there it's hard to know what to trust.  That said, we're here to share the latest news from a reliable source - Tufts University.

First of all, what is leaky gut? Simply put it has to do with the permeability of your gut.  Your small intestine is lined with tiny fingerlike projections called "villi" which are necessary for nutrient absorption. These villi are lined with epithelial cells. So, if the gut becomes "leaky" that means that unwelcome molecules are able to pass right through the gaps between the epithelial cells to the underlying gut tissue (lamina propria). At that point, the molecules encounter immune cells that can start an inflammatory reaction. For example, people who suffer from celiac disease and wind up ingesting gluten (a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye) end up with a response from their gut due to something called "zonulin" being released. Zonulin is a protein that "helps regulate the junctions between the epithelial cells lining the inner wall of the small intestine." When zonulin activity is increased, as it would be in this case, gluten fragments would pass through the epithelial cell junctions of the gut's inner wall. 

Once particles that shouldn't pass through the gut's inner wall immune cells become engaged.  This happens because many immune cells are housed just beneath the inner wall of the small intestine. When someone with celiac disease eats something with gluten these immune cells wind up attacking the lining of the small intestine. Next, those immune cells could travel to other parts of the body causing inflammation along with other symptoms.

Right now, the causes of the conditions associated with celiac disease like asthma, irritable bowel disease, and rheumatoid arthritis are not clear. However, statements that have been declared about fixing leaky gut then fixes all diseases is an overstatement! More research needs to be conducted in this area. So, be on the lookout for practitioners (especially those without formal medical training) who claim to diagnose and treat "leaky gut".  You should know that outside of research studies there is no reliable or validated test to detect increased intestinal permeability.

Lastly, be wary against a one-sized-fits-all diet or treatment that claims to heal a leaky gut.  As we know, we are all unique individuals. Keep in mind the science behind improving gut health is in its beginning stages. So, if you feel like you have a leaky guy your best bet is start with your doctor. Stay tuned for updated information in this area!

Reference: Health & Nutrition Letter, Tufts University, November 2017, VOL. 35, NO.9, Special Report - The Lowdown on Leaky Gut (p,3).

Hormones and Weight Loss

When you start mobilizing the fat in your tissue, there are a lot of other things that are impacted. Particularly important are the hormones that have been absorbed into that fat and are being held there; as the fat begins to disappear, it can release those hormones into circulation. Here’s what happens then:

Estrogen (female hormones) and androgen (male hormones) are released into the blood stream.  When there is a rise in these levels that change can cause certain symptoms such as hair loss or acne (from an increase in male hormone).  This is temporary.  If it’s the female hormones from estrogen it can change menstrual cycles in women or cause spotting in women who have reached menopause.  Because of this change, women taking birth control pills will want to use an additional/alternate form of contraception until you reach your weight loss goal and have had 2 normal cycles in maintenance.

Mindful Eating

Something that helps when trying to lose and maintain our weight is being mindful while we eat.  This sounds like common sense, but these days many of us are incredibly busy which lends to multitasking.  However, if you are distracted while you are eating it is likely you will overeat as you are not focusing on the food in front of you.  Here are some tips to help get you started!

• Focus on the experience of eating so that you enjoy your food more and eat slower.
• Pay attention to your body’s hunger signals so you know when and how much you need to eat.
• Mentally and physically prepare yourself before you eat.

Here are some tips for applying the principles of mindful eating to your life:

• Drink plenty of water. Drinking water before a meal will help you feel full sooner and avoid overeating. Drinking water after a meal may keep you from going back for seconds.
• Listen to your body. Rather than eating because it’s mealtime, wait until you actually feel hungry to eat. Also, stop eating as soon as you stop feeling hungry, not when you feel full.
• Take small bites. When you take large bites, less of the food ends up on your tongue and you deprive yourself of the chance to savor and enjoy it, which often leads to overeating.
• Avoid distractions. Watching TV or using the computer while you eat takes your attention off your eating and encourages mindless eating. However, engaging in conversation with a friend or family member can slow down your eating and put you back in control. You may want to try eating with chopsticks or with your non-dominant hand to force yourself to slow down and think about your eating!
• Focus on the food. Pay close attention to the way your food tastes, smells, and feels in your mouth. If you’re eating food that you didn’t prepare yourself, try and guess what flavors or spices you taste. You’ll find that this may help you enjoy your food more so that you need less of it to feel satisfied.

How To Tame Temptation

Many times the end of the year signals us to give in to tempting foods that are tied to the season.  With that in mind, we have some tips to help you avoid end of the year weight gain.

Your Environment:

When we eat out or go to a party, this makes it harder to focus on our healthy eating as we are faced with many tempting food choices that may not be part of our healthy eating plan.

Action:  Plan what you are going to eat, or if it’s appropriate bring a healthy dish to share.  You can also review the menu online and choose BEFORE you get to the restaurant if you are dining out.  In doing so, you can enjoy the conversation and not have to worry about making a healthy food choice, as you made the choice in advance and now can relax and enjoy.

An Abundance of Tempting Choices:

Studies show when people are given 3 choices, they eat 3, given 5 they eat 5, etc. Go into each encounter with the mindset that you do not NEED to try everything. Pick 3-5 foods that you feel you must try, limit the portion to ½ cup of each, and station yourself AWAY from the food.  Focus on the conversation, not the food!

Plan: YOU need to be the one to bring the healthy choice.  Find an “Ideal” recipe you like from our Web site with lots of vegetables and/or protein and bring it to share.

Your Friends and Family Are Not Practicing Healthy Behaviors:

They consistently overeat and/or do not exercise regularly, or they encourage you to eat unhealthy foods or drink too much.

Action:  This is a tough one.  For your own mental and physical health, you may need to decide to spend less time with those of your friends practicing unhealthy behaviors if you want to reach your weight loss goals.  Studies show that we practice the behaviors of the people around us. Surrounding yourself with people who exercise and make it a goal to eat healthier regularly will help you get closer to that trim healthy body.  If you continue to socialize with those living with unhealthful habits, try to take the focus away from food, or go into the event knowing you are going to need to exert more will power!

All Events Revolve Around Food:

Plan: Be the one to suggest an alternate activity.  Most people ARE trying to lose weight or not gain, and want to be more physically active.  Suggest a walk or a hike, or maybe go to the mall and grab a coffee/tea (but plain, not a double chocolate latte), but not necessarily a full sit down dinner. Alternate socializing at each other’s houses, and make healthy meals to minimize the temptations to overeat.

10 Mindful Eating Tips May Promote Healthier Eating Patterns

Many Americans often eat mindlessly - meaning that they are unaware of what they are eating as well as how much.  Unfortunately, that leads to becoming overweight and even obese. On top of that, certain triggers in the environment can affect the nearly 250 food decisions made each day!  Did you know that small cues in the environment can affect our eating behavior?  These can be by way of family and friends, packages and plates, utensils, names and numbers, labels and lights, colors and shapes, smells and distractions, and cupboards and containers.  Food decisions can also be caused by psychological triggers like stress, anxiety, and attentional diversions like TV or computer distractions.

Here is a list of 10 mindful eating tips that may promote healthier eating patterns:

1. Make a dish swap - Switching to smaller dinner plate results in fewer calories.

2. Make a color change - Pasta with red marinara sauce on a white plate (more contrast) resulted in 21% smaller serving sizes than when served on a red plate.

3. Create workplace wellness - People usually lose weight on weekends and gain on weekdays, so focus on eating nutritiously at work.  For example, replace candy with nutritious snacks and going out for lunch rather than eating at the desk.  Replace soft drink vending machines with water coolers and use the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible.  Introduce ergonomically designed workstations to reduce fatigue and pain.

4. Slow down eating and incorporate your senses - It takes time for the brain to register satiety. Slowing down and focusing on tasting, smelling, seeing, and touching food makes eating more enjoyable and results in fewer calories taken in.

5. Turn off the electronic devices - Smart phones, computers, and televisions can all distract us from paying attention to eating, resulting in mindless overeating.

6. Reduce your package and serving size - Research shows that the bigger the package your pour from, the more you will eat - up to 20-30% more! Repackage jumbo boxes into smaller bags or containers and serve in smaller dishes.

7. Try new and smaller silverware - Using a smaller spoon or switching to chopsticks works wonders. Research shows that people given a larger serving spoon eat 57% more ice cream than those given a smaller spoon!

8. Add vegetables and fruits - Fill half of your plate with less calorically-dense fruits and vegetables.  Satiation is based on volume, not calorie density, so people will feel just as full with fruits and vegetables as meat and potatoes.

9.  Don't put bowls of food on the table - Dish up plates in the kitchen and keep food bowls off the table. Studies show men eat 29% fewer calories if bowls stay off the table.

10. Serve salad first - Studies show that people tend to eat more of what they start with and, if given a choice, we tend to start eating meat or potatoes first. Instead, start with a vegetable salad and eat more of that.

Meal Irregularity & Health

Some interesting news came my way through the "Science of Fat & Sugar" webinar I took a little while ago.  This time we will focus on meal irregularity - meaning either skipping meals or eating too frequently.  It turns out that meal irregularity is correlated with the following: Increased waist circumference (apple shaped obesity); increased triglycerides; increased BMI; increased diastolic blood pressure; and increased elevated metabolic risk factors.

Things to think about are avoiding skipping breakfast and lunch.  It's fine to snack and have 6 smaller meals, but these meals must be spread out by at least 3 hours.  Unfortunately, eating too often is just as harmful as skipping. Increased irregular food intake at or around breakfast and lunch was found to be the most harmful. 

If you are not already, try having a consistent eating schedule.  In addition, try preparing and planning ahead which makes meals and snacks a lot easier than flying by the seat of your pants.

Sugar Versus Cocaine

Many of us have a sweet tooth.  That said, sugar addiction research is being conducted to take a deeper look. So far, here's what I learned during the webinar "The Science of Fat & Sugar".

Researchers are finding that obese individuals have an excessive sugar intake.  Sadly, sugar habituation, that is a diet rich in sugar, has been associated with shortened life expectancy. So, why are people consuming so much sugar in the first place?

Did you know that there are separate neural circuits that control sugar cravings and healthy eating?  That means the brain is harmed when we eat sugar because sugar hijacks the brain with natural reward-processing that takes place in the ventral tegmental area (VTA).  If you can believe it sugar is similar to cocaine, and creates a desire for more stimulation, which means you need more sugar to get that same pleasant feeling.

A neural circuit in the brain controls sugar consumption. When this is activated it increases sugar cravings.  That is why impulsive people have a difficult time with sugar and sugary drinks.  Lastly, it has been found that sugar is no less addictive then other VTA affecting substances like cocaine.

Then to make things even more challenging is hyperpalatable food. This is food that is saturated, calorie dense, and high in fat, sugar, for salt. The result of consuming this type of food tends to be weight gain because we tend to overconsume this food - meaning beyond satisfaction. This happens in three steps - Step 1. We crave the food, Step 2. A reward is in place due to anticipation, and Step 3. is Reward by consuming despite the negative consequences.  These steps in many cases wind up becoming a new habit. Then, we become more sensitive to cues like smell and sight, and that affects anticipation which increases our consumption. Yikes!

More research needs to be done.  So, stay tuned!

Non-Human Sugar & Link to Cancer

I received some interesting information from the webinar I took for my license on the "Science of Fat & Sugar".  Have you heard of "Non-Human Sugar"?  I hadn't until a few weeks ago. It turns out that this sugar is found in most mammals except humans.  This sugar is technically called "Neu5GC" and has been found to promote tumor formation.  That said, it has been found that people who consume a lot of red meat are at a higher risk for certain cancers.

A study published in Proceeding of National Academy of Sciences in 2014 discovered that mice who were engineered to be deficient in "non-human sugar" like humans and fed Neu5Gc resulted in significantly promoting spontaneous cancers.  So, that implicated Neu5Gc as a key link between red meat consumption and cancer. Another study looked at a second variety of mice that produced antibodies against Neu5Gc.  What happened was that when they were fed non-human sugar they developed inflammation and spontaneous tumors. 

Red meat is considered to be beef, pork, lamb, and venison.  These are all rich in Neu5Gc and rich in non-human sugar. With that in mind, it has been recommended to consume less red meat.

Mediterranean Diet & Dementia

Since I was student studying nutrition I have always favored the Mediterranean diet because it focuses much of your intake on plants like vegetables, fruits, grains, and plant oils.  In addition,  a moderate amount of your intake would be from nuts and seeds, herbs and spices, along with fish, chicken, and eggs. A lower amount of your intake would be from dairy containing saturated fat, red meat, and refined carbohydrates (table sugar, refined flour, white potatoes, white rice, and some refined flour pastas.).  After attending a webinar on the "Science of Fat & Sugar" I learned more information to support the Mediterranean diet.  

It has been scientifically proven that this diet decreases dementia. A high level of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats from olive oil, nuts, and now avocados (though not from the Mediterranean) lends to helping reduce dementia.  In addition, a minimal amount of saturated and trans fats also contributes to decreasing dementia.  Lastly, the emphasis on omega-3 fats from fatty fish, and drinking wine in moderation (4-5 ounces)aids in this.

Our healthy eating program is right in line with this diet.  If you are thinking about changing your eating patterns and need some help contact us!  We'd love to help!

Time Warping Sugar!

Heidi here again to share more information from the fascinating webinar I attended regarding the "Science of "Fat & Sugar".  Did you know that sugar changes the basic foundations of your life?  It also may affect the basic function of time. 

One hypothesis is looking at the perception of time passing can exert a stronger influence on blood glucose levels compared with the passage of actual time in type 2 diabetes. It turns out that the manipulation of participants perception of time resulted in blood glucose levels changing in accordance with how much time participants believed had passed, instead of how much time had actually passed.  This was an important example of the influence of psychological processes, which can directly be exerted on the body.

Essentially, it was showing that our mindset and expectations may play a role in management of obesity and type 2 diabetes.  Simply put, a purposeful life points to less obesity, and a bored life raises obesity. 

More research is needed on this topic. Stay tuned!

Weight Gain in Young Adults

It's obvious that in our country we have a problem with weight.  So much so that would you believe that even small, gradual weight gain than occurs during early and middle adulthood may have negative consequences? That said, scientists from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston studied the data from about 120,000 adults (mostly white health professionals).  What they found was that compared to those who kept their weight stable (11 pound increase) in weight from young adulthood to age 55, those who did not were linked to the following:

• 31% increased risk of type 2 diabetes
• 14% increased risk of cardiovascular disease
• 8% increased risk of dying prematurely (among never smokers)
• 6% increased risk of obesity-related cancer
• 17% decreased odds of achieving healthy aging into their 70's

The issue is that in this population the weight gained is body fat, which we know contributes to insulin resistance, dyslipidemia (unhealthy cholesterol and triglycerides), chronic inflammation, and other metabolic disorders.  With that in mind, prevention is the key!  We need to take these findings seriously and prevent weight gain.  We can do that by following a consistent healthy dietary pattern and lifestyle.

Reference: Health & Nutrition Letter, Tuft's University, October 2017, VOL. 35, NO 8, Weight Gain in Younger Adults Linked to Increased Health Risks Later (p.2).

 

Tips for Healthy Packed Lunches

Many of us are trying to eat healthier these days.  One thing that comes to mind is finding clever ways to pack lunches for ourselves and our family.  Traditionally, many of us may think about sandwiches as our go to food, but there are many more ways to create a healthy meal.  That means a makeover is needed!

It just so happens that Tufts' Friedman School published a study that focused on packed lunches at elementary schools in eastern Massachusetts.  What they found was not entirely surprising.  It turns out that 27% of packed lunches met at least 3 of the 5 food group standards followed by the National School Lunch Program.  Here are those standards: 1) serving of fruit (excluding juice), 2) vegetables, 3) grains, 4) meat/meat alternatives and 5) fluid milk.  The researches also discovered that only 11% of those lunches contained vegetables, 17% contained dairy foods, and 34% contained fruit - not great numbers! 

That means children are not eating very healthy lunches.  Often, kids are eating prepackaged snack foods like chips and puffed snacks, along with sugar sweetened beverages such as fruit punch and sports drinks, prepackaged lunch combinations consisting of salty processed meats and crackers, and desserts.  There is not much nutrition from these foods for these growing bodies.

We as adults are not doing much better.  The Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee noted that the current eating patterns in this country are low in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy dairy foods.  On the flip side, our diets are too high in refined grains, added sugars and sodium.

To help change our habits here are some ideas for nutritious packing.

• Choose healthy proteins - Try strips of baked chicken breast without the skin, canned salmon or tuna, cheese, nuts, and nut/seed butters (check school policy on peanuts), hardboiled eggs, beans and tofu.
• Choose whole grains - Try whole grain pastas, breads, and crackers.
• Always include vegetables - You can cut up almost any vegetable and pack it alongside a healthy dip like hummus.
• Think of fruit as your dessert - Pack pre-cut pears and apples.  To avoid browning add a few drops of lemon juice.
• Skip sugar-sweetened drinks - Avoid soda, fruit drinks, sweetened teas and sports drinks.  Pack water instead.

Looking for more ideas?  Here are some ideas that work for kids and adults.  Just pick one item from each category and you have made a meal!

Main Dish (Whole Grains & Protein) -

Whole grain wrap with turkey, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds

Black bean taco salad with salsa and whole grain tortilla chips

Whole grain pita with tuna salad and leafy greens

Small whole grain bagel spread with egg salad and sprinkled with dill

Whole grain pasta salad with shredded chicken breast and roasted vegetables

Vegetables -

Sliced cucumbers and cauliflower florets with hummus dip

Baby carrots and halved cherry tomatoes

Bell pepper strips with guacamole dip

Sugar snap peas and tzatziki sauce

Kale chips or crunchy freeze-dried peans

Fruits -

Pineapple fresh or frozen

Kiwifruit, sliced or halved

Fresh or frozen berries

Fresh or frozen mango cubes or peach slices

East-peel mandarin oranges or clementines

Dairy -

Cottage cheese

Shredded cheddar cheese (top a dish)

Plain yogurt to mix with fruit

Sliced cheese

Mozzarella cheese stick

Reference: Health & Nutrition Letter, Tufts' University, October 2017, VOL 35, NO 8, Better Brown-Bag Lunches (p.7).

The Benefits of Green Tea

Recently I attended a course, The Science of Fat & Sugar. Here is an interesting tid bit to share from the course. 🤓Today's tip focuses on green tea. Green tea owes its subtle flavors and gentle, mouth-cleansing astringency to a number of organic compounds. One of them is epigallocatechin gallate, usually abbreviated as EGCG, which has attracted attention within the medical and wellness communities for its potential health benefits.

What's neat is that EGCG normalizes bacteria in the gut of an adult. It is a potent antioxidant. However, you want to drink it outside of protein consumption if you're looking for this health benefit. That means avoid adding milk or any other protein based liquid to it. Also, do not drink it along with a meal or snack that contains protein. This is because the amino acid, proline, reacts with EGCG.

Go on, enjoy a cup of green tea! 🍵

Glycemic Index

This just in - a potential update on the glycemic index!  We already know that the glycemic index may help predict the blood sugar effects of a food, but when combining is involved things get a little muddied.  If you are not familiar with the glycemic index it is a ranking of how much standardized portions of foods raise your blood sugar.  The problem is though that most of use eat combinations of food rather than a single food on its own.

With that in mind, scientists from Tufts' studied the effects of blood sugar and insulin when adding different amounts of carbohydrate, protein, fat or fiber to a standardized portion of white bread.  They discovered that when they added 7 ounces of tuna (protein) that there was a positive effect - meaning that the glycemic response was 25% less! However, when they added rice cereal to the white bread there was a rise in blood sugar.

The researchers were not surprised that the addition of protein lowered blood sugar because protein slows stomach emptying. That means, that the carbohydrate from the bread would be delayed in entering the bloodstream.  Oddly, adding fat did not show the same results as adding protein.  One theory for that is that perhaps the butter (fat) that was used was not consumed in an amount large enough to slow absorption.

Takeaway:  More studies need to be done on how different combinations of food affect blood sugar and insulin.  For now, it is best to follow a healthy eating pattern with moderate portions.

Reference:  Health & Nutrition Letter, Tufts University, September 2017, VOL. 35, NO.7, New Insights: Glycemic Index (p.3).

Tips for Simple Healthy Meals at Home

We know that many of you are quite busy these days.  Guess what, so are we!  With that in mind, we wanted to share some helpful tips to help you create healthy and simple meals at home.  So go ahead, get your hands dirty, and spark some creativity while you're at it!

Add Some Pizazz to Proteins:

Purchase boneless chicken breasts, thighs, or cutlets.  Then, simply cut them into small pieces and stir-fry them.  It's easy to vary recipes by simply changing out the vegetables, as well as the seasoning. 

Seafood in a Snap:

Stock your freezer with frozen fish fillets like salmon and cod, or shrimp and scallops.  This way, you'll have lean proteins at the tip of your fingers.  Then follow the instructions for thawing.  You can cut the fillets into small pieces too which work well in meals like tacos, stir-fries, or a salad topper.

Plentiful Plants:

Plant proteins like those in beans are a quick and easy ingredient to add to your meals.  You can add them to things like tacos, stir-fries, soups, stews, and of course - salads!  Quick tip - lentils are one of the quickest legumes to use as they only need about 40 minutes to cook from dried.  Bonus, cooked lentils last about 4 days in your refrigerator.

Healthy Whole Grains:

Buy whole-grain pastas, tortillas, pita pockets, and wraps.  Also, other good choices are brown rice, quinoa, and barley as their mild flavor makes it easy to build upon for a full meal. Here's a tip, try making several servings of things like rice which can keep for a few days in your fridge and be used throughout the week.  Or, why not create healthy bowls using whole grains as your base, then add your favorite vegetables, and top it with a flavorful sauce and some protein.  Here's an example: Start with brown rice, next add cooked chicken breast, diced tomato, chopped avocado, shredded lettuce, and salsa! Or, try adding fresh or frozen vegetables like asparagus, spinach, zucchini, or broccoli into your next tomato sauce and serve over whole grain pasta. Another idea is to take a whole grain wrap and use it as a "crust" for a pizza.  Just add shredded cheese, diced pepper, sliced tomato and chopped fresh basil. Bake at 375 degrees for 4 minutes and you have your next meal!

Here are some helpful items for your next grocery list:

Healthy Proteins
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs or cutlets
Canned beans
Canned salmon, tuna, sardines,
Dried lentils
Frozen fish fillets
Frozen shrimp and scallops
Reduced-fat cheese like mozzarella and feta

Whole Grains
Brown rice
Pearled barley
Quinoa
Whole-grain pasta
Whole-grain tortillas
Whole-wheat pita
Whole-wheat pizza crust

Vegetables
Assorted frozen vegetables, including stir-fry mixes
Baby carrots
Bagged leafy greens
Jarred reduced sodium and no added sugar tomato sauce
Fresh or frozen cubed butternut squash and sweet potatoes
Peeled/cooked baby beets
Pre-cut veggies from the produce section of your grocery store

Seasonings
Fresh lemons and limes
Prepared guacamole
Prepared hummus
Salad dressings - assorted flavors and low in carbohydrates - 2 grams or less
Salt-free and no added sugar herb spices/seasoning blends
Low-Sodium fat free broths

Reference: Health & Nutrition Letter, Tufts University, September 2017, Making Healthy Meals with Minimal Fuss, Special Supplement (p.1-4).

Olive Oil for Prevention?

We all know that olive oil is a healthy monounsaturated fat, but did you know that it may help reduce excess liver fat, which is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes?  One study was designed to test this idea.  A team of researchers randomly assigned a group of people with pre-diabetes to eat their usual diet, a diet high in monounsaturated fat (half from olive oil), or a high-fiber diet (40 grams per 2,000 calories).  To be clear, none of the diets decreased calories.  The results, after three months those on the high-monounsaturated diet had a 17% reduction in liver fat, plus their insulin worked more effectively!  Unfortunately, nothing changed in the other two diet groups.  It is important to note that lessening carbohydrates slightly may have accounted for minimizing liver fat.

The takeaway - More studies are needed.  In the meantime it's worth it to try and replace some of your carbohydrates - especially those that are sweets or highly processed with monounsaturated fats. Also, choose olive oil over saturated fats like butter.

Reference:  Nutrition Action, October 2017, Olive Oil for Prediabetes (p. 7).

Healthy Meals for a Busy Lifestyle Cooking Class in October!

Hey Everyone,

We'll be at Good Life Kitchen in Norwell on Thursday, October 26th from 6:30-8:30 pm helping out with this class - Healthy Meals for a Busy Lifestyle. Interested in joining us? See below for more information, and sign up by way of the link!

Description:

Interested in learning about how to create healthy meals while leading a busy lifestyle?

GLK is teaming with the nutritionists at Ideal Weight Loss to help teach you how to incorporate more plant based foods into your diets and supplement with proteins. In addition, we will help add some nutritional components. Let's have fun, connect, and most of all have a chance to be creative.

Menu:

·        Hearty Kale Salad

·        Chicken Stir Fry Wraps

·        Roasted Vegetable American Chop Suey

·        Oatmeal Fruit Bars

Fee: $65 per person

Sign up at -  http://www.goodlifekitchen.com/event-registration/?regevent_action=register&event_id=929Interested in learning about how to create healthy meals while leading a busy lifestyle?

GLK is teaming with the nutritionists at Ideal Weight Loss to help teach you how to incorporate more plant based foods into your diets and supplement with proteins. In addition, they will help add some nutritional components. Let's have fun, connect, and most of all have a chance to be creative.

Menu:

Hearty Kale Salad

Chicken Stir Fry Wraps

Roasted Vegetable American Chop Suey

Oatmeal Fruit Bars

Fee: $65 per person

Acrylamides - Possible Link to Cancer

Did you know that back in 2002 Swedish scientists discovered something new? What they found was a substance they called acrylamide, which is a chemical that causes cancer in animals, and it is also in many common foods from breads to french fries.

So how do acrylamides form you might ask?  Well, what happens is that when the amino acid asparagine is present and then combines with sugar at high temperatures the result is this chemical. Typically, this substance forms in starchy foods when they are baked, fried, or roasted.  You might have heard of this reaction as it is known as the "Maillard" reaction, which causes the browning of food.

Right now, more studies need to be conducted in people to see if there is a clear link between acrylamides and cancer.  However, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the National Toxicology Program, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency all believe that acrylamides are likely to be cancer causing.  With that in mind, so far the FDA has only issued voluntary guidelines on how to lower levels just last year. 

That said, here are some ways to cut down on acrylamides. First of all, no need to worry about acrylamides in fish, poultry, meat, dairy, or most fruits and vegetables. 

Follow these tips:

• Toast bread and cook potatoes until they're golden yellow, not dark brown.
• Eat more boiled potatoes which have no acrylamides and eat less roasted potatoes which have some, and try to avoid fried which have the most.
• Eat more raw nuts which have no acrylamides. If you like roasted nuts you're better off with cashews and peanuts versus almonds as they have less acrylamides.  Evidently, the asparagine in almonds turns into acrylamide.
• Be careful with chips whether they be regular potato or sweet potato - they both contain more of this substance than a baked sweet potato. And, sweet potatoes chips have the most.
• Avoid veggie chips and sticks made from dehydrated potatoes as they are higher in acrylamides than potato chips.
• Choose dark roast coffee over light roast. Though acrylamides are created during the early roasting process the levels decline further along in the process.
• Eat fresh plums, but be careful with dried forms (prunes) which contain low levels of acrylamides, and prune juice produces higher levels.
• Black olives contain higher amounts of acrylamides than other olives.  This is mostly because of the heat used during canning.

Reference:  Nutrition Action, October 2017, Acrylamide Avoiding A Likely Carcinogen (p.10&11)