June 13, 2020

Make SUPERFOOD SATURDAY part of your weekly food adventures!

This week, the focus is on AVOCADOS. They’re nutrient boosters. Avocados are rich in healthy fats that help the body absorb other essential nutrients like Vitamin A. With nearly 20 vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients in just 1/3 of an avocado, they are a nutrient-rich choice.

Avocados are a nutrient-dense fruit. What is nutrient density? For the low calories provided, there are many vitamins, minerals, and other antioxidants present, while having low or no sodium. Nutrient-dense foods may have positive health effects. Research is showing that avocados may benefit cardiovascular health, weight loss, Type 2 diabetes, and cognitive health.

If you’ve got an infant, mashed avocado is an ideal first food. It has many nutrients to support healthy brain development! But, it’s not just for babies. If you’re worried about forgetfulness as you age, avocados offers nutrients which may help keep your brain sharp.

June 10, 2020

This Wellness Wednesday is all about WALKING!
Stretches are a valuable way to warm up before walking and to maintain flexibility for other daily activities. If you’re working from home or seated for hours on end, stretches can help you stay limber and keep blood circulating. Start the day with some basic stretches or plan breaks to stand up and stretch it out.

Walking is one of the simplest forms of exercise that something that ALMOST everyone can do. Having a sturdy, comfortable pair of shoes is very important. Stretching beforehand also helps to reduce the chance of injury or strains. Some key lower body stretches include a seated crossed knee stretch, split lunge stretch, and knee balance stretch.

To keep things interesting, walk in all directions to target a variety of muscle groups. Walking backwards focuses on hamstrings. Sideways focuses on outer thighs and glutes. Just be careful and stay aware of obstacles that might be in the direction you’re walking. It’s especially important if you’re walking backwards since you don’t have eyes in the back of your head!

Current recommendations for optimal amounts of exercise are 150 minutes per week (30 minutes daily). If you feel like you don’t have a large amount of time each day, start small and work your way up to a total of 30 minutes. Done in smaller increments throughout the day, still has the health benefits. Plan something as simple as a 10-minute walk before or after every meal. Ten minutes at three different times a day is easier to spare than 30 minutes all at once.

So, dust off your sneakers and think about how you can get yourself or your family walking. Grab the kids, your spouse, your dog, or your neighbor and take the first steps! For every 10,000 steps you accumulate throughout the day, it’s 5 miles. Most smartphones have apps you can download or that are built in which track your number of steps. Use what you have to help make it a little easier to achieve. Your physical and emotional health will thank you!

Dietitians Dish – June 8, 2020

Pick up a bag of potatoes and you’ll have tons of meal or side dish options!

If you’re watching your waistline, you can still include potatoes. They’re full of nutrients like potassium (which supports cardiovascular health) and vitamin C (which supports immunity). Potatoes can make a complete meal if you give some thought to how you top them off.

Versatility of potatoes doesn’t stop at how you top a baked potato. Thin slices baked until crisp on the outside can be used in place of tortilla chips or bread. Potato slices also offer a naturally gluten-free alternative to bread for flatbreads or bruschetta.

For a nutrient-packed side that needs 5 minutes to prep and is ready in under 15 minutes, this potato is a winner. Check out this and other recipes at: PotatoGoodness.com/potato-recipes.

Power Baked Potato

Ingredients:

• 1 Russet baking potato, about 10 oz.
• ½ cup part-skim ricotta
• ¾ cup baby spinach leaves, chopped if desired
• 1 ½ Tbsps. pesto

Directions:

• Wash the potato and pat dry. Prick with fork 4-5 times on both sides. Place on a microwave safe plate and microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes. Use oven mitts to flip the potato and microwave an additional 3 minutes.
  Remove from microwave and set aside.
• While the potato is cooking, mix together the ricotta and pesto in a bowl.
• When potato has cooled enough, split open the potato and stuff in the baby spinach leaves. Top with the ricotta-pesto mixture.

 

June 8, 2020

It’s Meatless Monday! Would you believe these meatballs are a meatless blend of mushrooms and buckwheat? With so many plant-based options that you can use in place of meat, planning a Meatless Monday meal is easier than ever before.

You can finely chop mushrooms, tofu, and beans as replacement for ground meats. Jackfruit can be used in place of shredded chicken or pork. Tofu and tempeh can be sliced to replace strips of meat.

There are also many brands of meat analogs or prepared meat alternatives available these days, including MorningStar Farms, Gardenburger, Beyond Meat, Before the Butcher, Gardein, Yves Veggie Cuisine, Lightlife, Quorn, Neat Meat, and others. The options and flavor profiles feel endless.

What is your preferred meat alternative or meatless recipe? Be sure to email and let me know. Just return to the Eat Right for Life homepage and fill out the Ask the Dietitian form. I’d love to feature some of your meatless ideas on a future Facebook post on the Eat Right for Life Facebook page! It’s also the way to ask me your questions, so be sure to email me.

June 5, 2020

Following through with routine medical care is still important, even in the wake of COVID-19. If you’re dealing with chronic health issues or just not feeling your best, it may be worth talking to your doctor about a blood test for Vitamin D deficiency. There are many conditions which seem negatively affected by low levels of Vitamin D. Check out the Spotlight on Nutrition page for more information about health concerns which could be related to these levels.

To build up your levels, you can take the following actions: – Spend short periods of time in the sun (without sunscreen as it blocks absorption of UV rays needed to make Vitamin D in the skin)
– Eat foods that are a natural source of Vitamin D *Fatty fish like salmon, tuna and sardines *Egg yolks *Cheese *Beef liver
– Eat foods which are fortified with Vitamin D *Dairy products *Orange juice *Soy milk *Cereals
– Follow a doctor’s orders for taking Vitamin D supplements (prescribed or over-the-counter) Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so it needs fat to be absorbed by the body. This is a vitamin which the body stores, so toxic levels can be of concern. That is why it’s so important to work with your doctor to determine if your levels are too low and how to improve them safely. But, having adequate Vitamin D levels may be beneficial for a variety of physical and mental health issues.