Tag Archives: health

Why Sleep Is Important

Posted on April 19, 2012 | 1 Comment

All this “I’m so tired, I can’t sleep” business has me humming Sarah McLachlan in my head this week. That is, when I’m not accidentally putting my foot in my mouth. I’ve had a few shining moments—by which I mean hilariously close calls.

I never mean to say stupid things, but when anxious or put on the spot, I often blurt out the first thing that comes to mind.  I swear, sometimes I feel like every day is another adventure in “Oh no she di’int!”

Dear Jess:
Sometimes a nod-and-smile is sufficient.

It seems my appropriateness filter runs on adequate sleep. Anyone else have that problem?

Here are some other reasons sleep is important…

sleep

Source: http://frugaldad.com

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I will never understand…

Posted on April 2, 2012 | 8 Comments

…how some people manage to leave the house without breakfast. Or at least how they leave without any intention of putting something in their stomach before lunch. Let’s forget for a second all that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” stuff and just talk  about habits/wiring. As someone who was not born with the ability to be polite on an empty stomach, sometimes I feel like I’m in the minority. All you non-breakfast eaters, how are you not ready to gnaw off someone’s arm?

steel-cut oats with pear, dried apricot, flax & chia seeds and cottage cheese, topped w/ PB2 sauce

If I’m running late in the morning, it’s usually because I was eating. To save time, I make breakfast the night before or make larger batches and separate leftovers into single servings so I can just reheat, eat and go.

 

Do you need to eat breakfast or do you feel okay without it? 

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The Future

Posted on March 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

I was recently asked if I’d share this info graphic on obesity, and I thought it was definitely worth passing on. America’s future

Medical Coding Career Guide
Created by: MedicalCodingCareerGuide.com

What do you think of America’s future and obesity?

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1,000th Post!

Posted on March 4, 2012 | 7 Comments

Good times in Greve, 2010

Wow, guys—this is my 1,000th Keeping It Real Food post! Where has the time gone? So much has happened since I began this blog in 2009 when I went back to school. I just wanted to say thank you so, so much for sharing the journey with me. So far so good. I continue to be surprised, humbled and amused on a daily basis : )

What are you grateful for today? 

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How badly do you want that cookie?

Posted on March 2, 2012 | 4 Comments

How do you choose your snacks? Are you a planner or a grabber? I tend to look at snacks as fuel to keep me going through the long stretches between meals. I try to keep healthy options handy so I don’t have to over-think it or stress over finding something at the last minute.

While I can’t say I ever think about how far I’d have to walk to burn off, say a yogurt, I’m always amused (and vaguely horrified) by lists that detail how hard you’d have to work to balance out the calories in various high-cal snacks. In this month’s Nutrition Action Healthletter, the folks at the Center for Science in the Public Interest gave us a glimpse into how much physical activity it would take to burn off some popular snack foods.

Five Guys Fries : 620 calories (Regular size – 9 oz.) = Bicycling for 1 hr. 35 min. (9 mph)

Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Latte w/ Whipped Cream :: 410 calories (Venti – 20 oz.) = Jogging for 50 min.

AMC Popcorn, no added ”butter” :: 410 calories (small – 6 cups)= Low-impact aerobics for 1 hr. 15 min.

Panera Chocolate Chipper Cookie :: 440 calories (1 cookie – 3 oz.) = Brisk Walking for 1 hr. 30 min. (3.5 mph)

Crumbs Bake Shop Red Velvet Cupcake :: 500 calories
(1 cupcake – 5 oz.) = Strength Training for 2 hrs. 5 min. (8-15 reps per exercise)

Starbucks Banana Nut Loaf :: 490 calories
(1 piece – 4 oz.) = Swimming Laps for 1 hr. 15 min (not vigorously)

Smoothie King Slim-N-Trim Strawberry :: 560 calories (Medium – 32 oz.) = Doubles Tennis for 1 hr. 50 min.

Pinkberry Original Frozen Yogurt :: 370 calories (Large – 2 cups)= Elliptical Trainer for 1 hr. 5 min. (moderate effort)

From Nutrition Action Healthletter March 2012
*Arizona State University Healthy Lifestyles Research Center

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Inspiring RDs

Posted on February 28, 2012 | Leave a comment

Thanks again for the well-wishes I received yesterday on the blog, on Facebook, and from friends & family yesterday. It was a whirlwind of a day, but I really feel like I’m in the right place.

Something cool for you to check out—The ADA Times has relaunched as Food & Nutrition magazine and revamped their website. They now have a new section called Inspire, which features Registered Dietitians doing cool, meaningful work in the field. I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to interview some of these fantastic folks and hope you enjoy reading their stories as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Cheers to a great Tuesday!

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Does (plate) size matter?

Posted on February 7, 2012 | 5 Comments

courtesy of Dietitians-Online

Health professionals often recommend smaller plates to people looking to eat less. While a lot of research has shown visual cues to be a major aspect of satiety, a recent study published in the recent issues of Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics suggested that eating off of a smaller plate may not necessarily lead people to eat less.

10 overweight or obese women and 10 women with a normal BMI were randomly assigned to have lunch using either a small (8.5-inch) or large (10.8-inch) plate and to serve themselves, eating until they were satisfied. This was done on two different days, using a different sized plate each time. Results showed no difference in energy intake due to plate size, weight status or plate size by weight status. Subjects ate the same amount regardless.

According to senior researcher Meena Shah, a professor of kinesiology at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, the overweight and obese women “reported lower levels of hunger and prospective consumptions before the meals and felt less full after the meals compared to normal weight subjects despite no difference in energy consumption between two groups. This suggests that overweight/obese individuals may have a lower ability to sense hunger and fullness than normal weight adults.”

However, it’s worth noting that this was a very small study, and the subjects were told to eat until satisfied. Had they been given a one-plate rule or  at least not known which size plate they were using, it might have shown more directly whether the , uh, size mattered.

Sorry, I just giggled a little.

What do you think—does plate size matter?

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Marathon Fuel

Posted on January 29, 2012 | Leave a comment

After a few social weekends, I stayed close to home Saturday to get some work done. I had a few exciting projects that needed my attention, so after an early hot yoga class, I  settled in for a productive day.

Post-sweat-lodge yoga glow. Be glad you can't smell through the computer screen...

Breakfast: pumpkin-flax oats in a nearly-empty peanut butter jar

Fueling your brain and body for a marathon work session (especially after a workout) with balanced meals is important. Luckily, I had a lot of pre-prepped ingredients and leftovers on hand to keep me going without cutting into my time too much.

A mix of proteins, carbs and healthy fats keep you satisfied and energized, and adding fiber-rich fruits and vegetables help keep you full longer so you can stay in the zone. I don’t know about you, but nothing frustrates me like a grumbling stomach when I’m trying to work!

Spaghetti squash with tons of leftover veggies, kale, peas & parmesan—whatever works

Lazy-person's shakshouka

I did go out on Friday night to see Pina with a few friends who had been wanting to check it out. If you haven’t seen it, it’s wonderful. I’m not normally someone who gets into movies about dancing, but it’s so engaging and truly beautiful to watch. After getting a lot done today, it looks like Saturday may involve an outing after all, at least for a little while. Tomorrow’s another busy day!

What are you up to this weekend? What do you eat when you need to work for a long time? 

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USDA Updates School Nutrition Guidelines

Posted on January 25, 2012 | Leave a comment

For the first time in 15 years, the USDA has issued new school nutrition guidelines. Meals served under the National School Lunch program and other federally funded school meal services, which serve about 32 million children per day, have been updated to reflect the 201o Dietary Guidelines.

New restrictions (according to age group) will be placed on:

  • Calories
  • Sodium
  • Percentage of calories per meal from saturated fat

In addition, half the grains served will have to be rich in whole grains, and while tomato paste and potatoes still count under the new rules as acceptable vegetables, the foods that contain them (such as pizza and fries) will have to comply with the restrictions on sodium, saturated fat, and calories. Some of these changes will be phased in over time, such as those related to sodium and whole grains. Other measures are to be enforced to ensure healthier meals for school children.

The changes will cost $3.2 billion as they are implemented over the next 5 years, with that cost being offset by a 6-cent-per-meal increase and other federal reimbursements.

To give you a clearer idea of exactly how new school lunches will look, here’s a sample menu comparison from the USDA. I think it’s definitely a step in the right direction.

What do you think of the changes to the school lunch program? 

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Prediabetes: What you need to know

Posted on January 24, 2012 | 2 Comments

Don't wait 'til you have diabetes, y'all. Find out your blood sugar levels.

You know your cholesterol levels, so why not your blood glucose levels too?

Type 2 diabetes was recently thrust into the public eye when Paula Deen announced she has been living with the disease for 3 years. However, something we hear about far less frequently is prediabetes.

The CDC estimates that some 79 million Americans over the age of 20 have prediabetes, which is defined as consistently elevated blood glucose levels (fasting blood glucose of 100 – 125 mg/dL or A1C of 5.7% – 6.4%) that are not quite high enough to qualify for a diagnosis of diabetes. That may not sound like such a big deal, but it can significantly up your risk of cardiovascular disease and other long-term damage in addition to  paving the way to full-blown diabetes.

The good news is that if you find out your numbers put you in the prediabetic range (many doctors say “borderline high”—ask for specific numbers), you can do something about it. Getting blood glucose levels under control is key, and many people are able to do that through a healthier diet and exercise.  Your doctor may also prescribe a drug such as Metformin to help lower blood glucose levels.

Don’t wait until you’re diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Speak with your care provider at your next appointment about your blood sugar levels and how to keep or get it into a healthy range.

You can read more about diabetes and prediabetes here.

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