Journal

The Science Behind Antioxidants

2012-04-09T22:28:28Z

Antioxidants

Photo courtesy of MarthStewart.comGreen tea gets touted as a wonderful source of antioxidants - and deservedly so. So what are antioxidants? Antioxidants are tiny compounds that help to grab up free-radicals that float around the body and do damage. These free radicals are a natural by-product of many oxidation reactions that go on inside our bodies. The problem often is that once they're formed and let loose, they "go rogue" on our other cells and do the kind of damage that causes aging and trigger.

Providing the body with phytonutrients (nutrients contained within the pigmentation of all those wonderful fruits and vegetables) and antioxidants help to slow down these processes at the cellular level. Tea of all colors contain a large number of antioxidants with green teas and white teas topping the list. They also provide a subset of antioxidants called catechins. Catechins get little face time in the media (they're just not sexy enough) but are important because they help to increase our basal metabolic rate (translated to increase the number of calories your body burns at baseline) and are associated with weight management. There is even some interesting research that points to their role in helping to regulate insulin metabolism.

The Bottom Line

All in all, incorporating green and white teas into your routine can and will help your bod to fight off oxidative stress and free radicals, decrease systemic inflammation, and rev up that metabolic baseline. Antioxidants are a great buzzword to know when discussing nutrition but I wanted to help clarify the scientific picture behind these oft-talked about compounds.

Response to Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Service

2012-03-30T21:28:00Z

Background Info

For those readers that aren't in the profession, here's a little background information on what's been going on and why it's important in this country's fight against the obesity epidemic: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service recently announced that it would reimburse specific health professions (MDs, psychiatrists) for billing for Intensive Behavioral Therapy for Obesity in the primary care setting but that it would not reimburse dietitians for this. The reason that we as a profession are fighting for our rights to bill for this code is because Registered Dietitians are the premiere health care professional trained in counseling for obesity and overweight.

How it Impacts Healthcare

RDs are the most effective at tailoring a nutrition care plan to each individual and helping them to reduce their weight. With this memorandum, obese persons with Medicare and Medicaid will have very limited access to dietitians until they have Diabetes (which RDs can currently bill for, along with Chronic Kidney Disease Stage IV and V). It saddens me that a potentially live-saving preventive service is not going to be able to be offered by myself and other RDs, as we are a group of providers that have been able to produce the best results. On top of that it is a very needed among those utilizing Medicare and Medicaid.

While I am personally disappointed in this I am and will continue to help in the fight for improved billing for our profession. Thank you to everyone who aided in signing the White House Petition. If you're a fellow RD and haven't done so already, please go to the the Grassroots Manager on eatright.org and send your legislators your thoughts on the matter.

And while there's a lot more to delve into on the topic it's too complicated to make into a blog post... feel free to comment and we'll continue the conversation.

SMART Goal Setting

2012-03-26T21:53:00Z

No More Dieting

Anyone who knows me or has worked with me knows that I am not a believer in "dieting". All too often people get stuck on the roller-coaster of deprivation and excess leading to yo-yo-ing weights. I believe in lifestyle changes. That means changing one (or a few, depending on how ambitious you want to get) small thing at a time, and changing it for good. It is those incremental steps that get us to effective weight management over the course of a lifetime. [We're not looking for x pounds on your high school reunion night, we're looking for healthy living day in and day out.]

SMART Goal Setting

Photo courtesy of bing images network.

So that brings me to goal setting... Starting with a goal that is SMART will help start you on the right pathway to accomplishing it!

S - Specific

M - Measurable

A - Attainable

R - Relevant

T - Time-bound

I am doing a presentation next week (eee! I always love engaging with groups and seeing what they react strongest to from my presentations) and plan to conclude on this very topic. I know I've discussed goal setting here on Witty Nutrition before, but I can't emphasize enough how important it is to write your goals down and to hold yourself accountable. In health and nutrition and in life. It is a very effective tool.

So what are your goals? How have you been doing with ones previously established?

Nutrition Math: Add Healthy First

2012-03-07T01:55:16Z

When Plus Turns Into Minus

One great strategy that I have learned is that sometimes it's easier to add something in instead of cutting something out when it comes to great food. The important part is to make sure those switches are well worth it and are working for you and your body over the long term. Adding food that contains fiber, water, and nutrients is really the key.

The NHANES Surveys (a national survery conducted that asks questions about health habits, nutrition, and physical activity) have told us time and time again the fruit and vegetable consumption in the US is below the Dietary Guidelines. 32% of Americans get the recommended two or more servings of fruit daily while 26% get the recommended three or more servings of vegetables daily. Come on America, I think we can do a little bit better than that...

How to Make a Change

Thinking of snacking on something? Or feeling hungry before you start cooking dinner? Adding in a healthy piece of fruit, fresh cut peppers with salsa, celery and hummus, or other healthy items can help. The thing about this whole adding fruits and vegetables piece is that they are wonderful sources of nutrients and often help to replace the volume of something else that might be eaten; making them volume-filling, nutritious and calorically-cheap.

I do want to reiterate that I'm not asking you to cut out part of dinner or your snack... Simply start by adding. You'd be surprised by how making a positive change will in turn impact some of those bad eating habits.

Get Your Plate In Shape

2012-03-02T02:44:17Z

National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month, which is an annual campaign by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to bring health and nutrition messaging to the forefront. As you may know (and if not I'll have to detail it in a blog for you!), Registered Dietitians are the premiere source for scientifically-based, sound nutrition advice. So this is our month! All month long I challenge you to consider how you shop, how you stock your pantry, how often you dine out and what items you gravitate towards, what kinds of fluids you're telling your body to run off of, and last but not least, how you build your meals. What are you doing right for yourself? Where is there room for improvement?

Get Your Plate in Shape

This year's theme is how best to get your plate in shape. What that means to me is tackling the food groups one by one and ensuring that there is a balance of macronutrients at every meal. After all, coloring the plate with all sorts of healthy items will inherently help ensure a balance of micronutrients in the total diet. Here are some of the key messages:

Make half your plate fruits and vegetables
Make at least half of your grains whole grains
Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk
Vary your protein choices
Cut back on sodium and empty calories from solid fat and added sugars
Enjoy your food with portion control
Be physically active your way, most days

So this NNM, get your plate in shape! I suggest visiting www.choosemyplate.gov to learn more about the major food groups and the daily recommendations for each. What are some ways your can help begin to meet the recommended criteria?

Healthy on the Road

2012-02-25T16:28:34Z

I'm going to be making a quick trip this weekend to see some friends and family and I wanted to reiterate how important it is to stay healthy when taking a trip! Here are some tips to help get you started...Photo courtesy of FreeStockPhotos.com

Eat a balanced breakfast in the morning. It will help energize you for the day ahead. A mix of whole grains/fruit for fiber and nutrients with a low fat protein sources to keep you full for hours will do just the trick.
Keep water on hand! I realize this could throw a wrench in the whole minimal-rest-stops goal of traveling but it is usually hard for us to pick out when we're thirsty and when we're hungry, especially when we're just sitting around. Keeping water on hand will allow you to sip away and keep yourself hydrated and unknowingly satiated for longer. It will replace munching on those discretionary calories!
Plan ahead to minimize snack foods. Planning to have snacks on hand that are healthy will help when the small convenience store catches your eye. Popcorn, sliced veggies, whole fruits, pretzels, and trail mixes can all be great options. Traveling takes a lot of energy so don't reach for the sugary snacks that will send you on a blood sugar roller coaster and suck the energy right out of you... Remember the tortoise and the hare? The one that, ahem, feeds their body slow and steady wins the race.

Hope those help! What are some other strategies you employ to stay healthy when traveling?

Michael Pollan's "Food Rules"

2012-02-21T18:25:55Z

"Food Rules" by Michael Pollan - RSA/Nominet Trust competition from Marija Jacimovic on Vimeo.

Michael Pollan is one of the best-researched writers I know of in the Food/Agriculture/Nutrition arena. I always find him to be thought-provoking and I like that he challenges people to look deeper at the world we live in and question the status quo. Here is a quick and adorable animated video of him describing the use of our food supply.

I originally found this video from The Atlantic.

Media Headline: Salacious New It Food and Fast Weight Loss

2012-02-16T18:33:33Z

Media Pulling on Your Health Heartstrings?

I find that I am constantly getting questions about the "superfood of the month", or that latest and greatest diet pill that will make all your health worries fade to dust. As a professional trained in the art of reading scientific research journals and from that discerning the real implications of the findings, I wince a little bit on the inside when I know that all of these questions and concerns stem from what is passed down to the average person from the media. It's not your fault though! It took my year of graduate school e to learn how to wrangle with these published studies!

Don't get me wrong, awareness is power, even if it's just a liiittle bit off. That awareness often drives the person to look into it further, which is a positive. I'm glad that the next logical step for my friends and family is to ask me about the reality behind what they've just read about. But here are some tips for you to think about next time you're reading about new health findings in your local paper or online. And of course you can always feel free to e-mail me with specific questions or concerns!

Questions to ask yourself:

Was the original research study published in a peer-reviewed journal? This way you know it's been looked over by experts in its respective field. This will also require that authors reveal any financial incentives or sources of funding that may have had conflicting interests.
Was the target population similar to me? There's a big difference between research done on a small agrarian group aged fifty plus in North Dakota and what it means for a thirty-something city dweller. Think about what pieces could actually be translated in similarity to you.
Is this totally ground-breaking and brand new? Scientific literature is a world of amassing data so one study won't break the bank. Once professionals and medical organizations start getting behind a theory you can know there is a sound body of evidence behind it.

Hunger and the Holidays

2011-11-25T15:05:55Z

Happy belated Thanksgiving everyone!

One of the causes closest to my heart is hunger in this country. It is incredible to me that we have over 16 million children experience food insecurity annually. [Food insecurity is defined as not knowing when or from where your next meal is coming.] In duration of this recession one is six people is estimated to experience hunger.

Just a reminder to all in this holiday season that taking the time to address the issues that mean most to you is of utmost importance. And if you're so inclined, please take a look at the work of these incredible organizations...

Personal Update

2011-03-28T01:07:50Z

Exciting Stuff!

Well the reason I have been busy busy and not focusing on my blog (sorry all three readers!) is because I have been experiencing a major transition. I have started a new job as a Clinical Dietitian at White Plains Hospital in New York, which I am loving. I also was studying like a mad-person last month because I had my credentialing exam... So at the end of February I took and passed my registration exam and I am now officially a Registered Dietitian!!

Wooohooo! More initials after the name!

Thanks for the continued support in the blogging-sphere. I promise that once that I feel trained and settled in at the hospital I'll be coming back full force. I'm excited that I feel able to focus on my personal endeavors and interests and hope to bring about more interesting content!