Associates in Nutrition & Sports Specialty

Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that may help protect you from chronic diseases. Compared with people who consume a diet with only small amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who eat more generous amounts as part of a healthful diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers.

To get a healthy variety, think color. Eating fruits and vegetables of different colors gives your body a wide range of valuable nutrients, like fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins A and C. Some examples include green spinach, orange sweet potatoes, black beans, yellow corn, purple plums, red watermelon, and white onions. For more variety, try new fruits and vegetables regularly.

Whether you are pregnant, preparing for pregnancy or you know someone who is, good nutrition is vital to a healthy pregnancy. By following simple guidelines of good nutrition, a pregnant mother can help ensure the health and proper development of her baby.

The old saying about eating for two during pregnancy doesn’t mean you need to eat double the calories. In fact, you need only 300 extra calories per day in the second and third trimesters to support proper growth and development of your baby.

By monitoring your caloric intake and eating a prenatal diet rich in nutrient-dense foods, you can prevent unnecessary weight gain that may lead to health complications later on.

While pregnancy doesn’t mean giving up foods you enjoy, you should avoid empty calories and limit fats and sugar. Give in to a pregnancy craving now and then, but in moderation. Limit sweets to one small portion a day so you won’t feel deprived or tempted to overeat.
Some examples of nutrient-dense foods that you should incorporate into your pregnancy diet include yogurt, peanut butter, chicken, eggs and dairy products that are higher in protein, calcium and iron. Lean pork and lean beef also contain protein, vitamin B, iron and zinc, which are essential to a healthy pregnancy. Orange juice offers folate, a B vitamin that helps prevent neural tube defects, and vitamin C, which helps you absorb iron from foods such as fiber-rich black beans and spinach.

In addition, a healthy pregnancy diet should include whole grains, a great source of fiber, B vitamins, magnesium and zinc. Calcium is especially important to a pregnant women’s diet. Mothers-to-be need approximately 1,500 mg of calcium daily to support the baby’s bone growth and to prevent the mother from losing her bone density. It is important to remember that most women do not get enough calcium even when they are not pregnant. Therefore, extra effort has to be made to get the right amounts of calcium throughout pregnancy. Calcium-rich foods include tofu, salmon, green leafy vegetables and dairy products.

In addition to getting enough calcium, folic acid is important to proper fetal growth. Natural foods such as dark green vegetables, oranges, grains, beans, lean meat and liver are rich in folic acid.

Eating four small meals and making healthy snack choices can help you control hunger during pregnancy. The best way to make sure that you’ll get all the proper nutrients is to eat the following recommended servings daily:
– Six to 11 servings of whole grains such as bread, cereal, rice and pasta
– Two to three servings of protein-rich foods including meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts;
– Four or more servings of vegetables;
– Three to four servings of fruit; and
– Three to four servings of dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese.

In addition to eating the right foods, you should drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated. Drink at least eight to 10 glasses of water daily to help prevent dehydration. You should avoid alcohol and caffeine during pregnancy.

Be sure to take a daily prenatal vitamin that contains 100 percent to 200 percent of the recommended dietary intakes for vitamins and minerals. Always discuss vitamin and supplement choices with your health care provider or registered dietitian before you start taking them.

Developing healthy eating habits during pregnancy can help ensure the proper growth and development of your baby, not to mention the health benefits for mom too. Eating well during pregnancy and continuing those habits after your baby arrives will set the stage for your child to have healthy eating habits too and potentially reduce his or her risk for certain illnesses.

Give your baby the best start at life by eating smart and living well.

Elaine Hastings is a registered dietitian and owner of Associates in Nutrition Therapy in Fort Myers. Contact her at AssociatesinNutrition.com or Elaine@eatrightRD.com. Visit her blog for the latest information on nutrition and great tips for staying healthy: www.AssociatesinNutrition.com/wordpress.

It’s Friday again, so make sure you fit fitness into your weekend plans.

As the fall season falls upon us, it’s a great time to enjoy the outdoor weather. Gather the family for a picnic at the park where you can walk the trails, rent bicycles, or perhaps give your arms a work-out in a canoe or kayak. You can burn calories while enjoying some quality time with the family.

It’s National Seafood Month! A new nutrition myth out there is the idea that eating seafood will cause high blood cholesterol. The truth is that cholesterol found in seafood, as well as other meats, has little effect on blood cholesterol. A person’s intake of saturated fat and trans fatty acids are the two most important diet factors that raise blood cholesterol. Saturated fats are found in many packaged foods and in a variety of meat products. Trans fatty acids are also found in packaged snack foods, deep-fried foods, and margarines which contain hydrogenated oil.

In today’s News-Press, you’ll find my column titled: Nutrition notes: Eating the right foods will help lower cholesterol.  Check it out for great information on lowering your cholesterol in honor of September: National Cholesterol Awareness Month: http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009909290311

This national program focuses on the importance of women’s health and fitness with activities planned around the country. Here are a few guidelines for women on ways to improve their overall nutritional and physical health:

Eat healthy:
-Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains every day.
-Limit foods and drinks high in calories, sugar, salt, fat, and alcohol.
-Eat a balanced diet to help keep a healthy weight.

Be active:
Be active for at least 2½ hours a week. Include activities that raise your breathing and heart rates and that strengthen your muscles.
Help kids and teens be active for at least 1 hour a day. Include activities that raise their breathing and heart rates and that strengthen their muscles and bones.

Protect yourself:
-Wear helmets, seat belts, sunscreen, and insect repellent.
-Wash hands to stop the spread of germs.
-Avoid smoking and breathing other people’s smoke.
-Build safe and healthy relationships with family and friends.
-Be ready for emergencies. Make a supply kit. Make a plan. Be informed.

Manage stress:
-Balance work, home, and play.
-Get support from family and friends.
-Stay positive.
-Take time to relax.
-Get 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
Make sure kids get more, based on their age.
-Get help or counseling if needed.

This is also a good time to take inventory of your current nutritional status and make necessary lifestyles. Also, be sure you make any annual health check-ups, including gynecological care, dental, vision and overall physical examinations to ensure that you are taking all necessary steps to live a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Fit in Fun on Friday is my weekly blog on ways that you can stay fit with the family. Here are a few ideas for the weekend, rain or shine:

As fall approaches and the weather begins to change, it’s a great time to enjoy a hike or walk through your neighborhood, local parks, trails or the beach. A three mile walk at a leisurely pace can burn up to 300 calories per hour. Take this opportunity to establish a family exercise routine and add daily walks to your family calendar.

If the weather is not in your favor, it’s time to get creative with your family fitness plans. There are plenty of options for indoor fun right in your own home. How about a family dance party? Let everyone choose their favorite dance songs and get your groove on.  You can burn approximately 300 calories while dancing at an aerobic pace so burn baby burn!

Remember, combining exercise and a balanced diet will help your family develop good habits to support a healthy lifestyle.

Sodium you take in depends on choices you make

How can you add flavor without adding sodium?

The American Heart Association has issued dietary guidelines in efforts to warn of the dangers of high salt consumption. The AHA says that consuming less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of salt per day can lower blood pressure, prevent hypertension, help control hypertension, and prevent cardiovascular disease.

For people suffering from heart failure, eating too much sodium causes extra fluid to build up in your body. The increased fluid may cause swelling, shortness of breath or weight gain. Excessive salt intake has also been linked to stomach cancer.

The National Academy of Sciences recommends that Americans consume a minimum of 500 milligrams per day of sodium to maintain good health. Individual needs may vary depending upon genetics and lifestyle. Most Americans have no trouble reaching their minimum requirements. In fact, most Americans consume above the recommended amount required for proper bodily function.

If you have high blood pressure and heart failure, you should limit and monitor your daily sodium intake. People with other health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease may also need to make other diet changes as recommended by a physician.

It is also wise to limit sodium if you have liver problems or kidney disease. While the kidneys may efficiently process excess sodium in healthy people, those with kidney problems often have problems processing sodium, which can result in additional health implications.

Sodium is found in salt and a number of other foods and food products. Seasoning foods without salt during cooking and while eating can help decrease the amount of sodium in your diet.

Some high sodium seasonings and condiments to limit or avoid:
– Alfredo sauce, soup and other packaged sauce mixes.
– Barbecue, taco and steak sauce.
– Dry salad dressing mixes.
– Garlic, onion and celery salt.
– Imitation bacon bits.
– Meat tenderizers and sauces.
– Items with monosodium glutamate. MSG may be found in Chinese food, soy sauce and oyster sauce.
– Mustard, prepared horseradish sauce and ketchup.
– Pickle relish.
– Salt, seasoned salt, kosher salt, and sea salt.
– Soy, Worcestershire and teriyaki sauces. Limit low-sodium varieties because they still contain high amounts of sodium.
– Tartar, fish and cocktail sauce.
Some low-sodium herbs that can be used
– Basil, bay leaf, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, dill weed, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, thyme, sage, savory and tarragon.

Some low-sodium herb blends that can be used:
– Chili blend: mix black pepper, chili powder, cilantro, cumin, dry mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and paprika.
– Cole slaw blend: mix celery seed, dill weed, dried onion, sugar and tarragon.
– Italian food blend: mix basil, black pepper, garlic powder, ground red pepper, marjoram, oregano, savory and thyme.
– Onion herb blend: mix basil, black pepper, cumin, dill weed, dried onion flakes and garlic powder.

Some low-sodium spices that can be used:
– Cinnamon, cloves, curry powder, ginger, mace and nutmeg.

Some low-sodium seasonings that can be used:
– Chives, garlic (minced, powdered, or freshly chopped), lemon, onion (dried, powdered, or freshly chopped) and vinegar (such as balsamic, cider, flavored, red wine, or white).

How can I use food labels to choose seasonings that are low in sodium?
Reading food labels is a good way to learn how much sodium they contain. The ingredient list on the food label will tell you if the seasoning or food contains sodium. The food contains sodium if an ingredient has Na (the symbol for sodium), salt, soda or sodium.
Food labels list the amount of sodium in the food in milligrams.

What are some other ways to decrease sodium in my diet?
Fast food and packaged foods are often high in sodium. Buy low-salt or low-sodium foods when possible. Eat homemade or fresh foods and meals to avoid getting too much sodium.
Buy fresh vegetables, frozen vegetables or low-sodium or no salt added canned vegetables. Avoid canned, smoked, or processed poultry, fish, or meats. Limit cured meats, such as ham.

Elaine Hastings is a registered dietitian and owner of Associates in Nutrition Therapy in Fort Myers. Contact her at www.AssociatesinNutrition.com or Elaine@eatrightRD.com.

Fit in Fun on Friday is my weekly blog on how you and your family can enjoy family activities AND keep fit and healthy.

A weekend bike ride is a fun activity that you can enjoy with the whole family. Find a local park, cruise the neighborhood or local bike trails. Just a 30 minute leisurely bike ride can burn more than 130 calories for adults, depending on your weight.

Remember to wear a helmet, sunscreen and ride safely!

Multi-grain bread is more nutritious than white or wheat bread

It’s all about labels, and the bread you want should be “whole wheat bread.” Virtually all bread is wheat bread, says registered dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. “But just because it says wheat on the label doesn’t mean it is 100 percent whole wheat,” she says. “It’s true that whole wheat bread has a lot more fiber than white bread, but read the label carefully. The first ingredient should be whole wheat, and there shouldn’t be a lot of artificial colorings in the bread to give it the look of wheat bread.” A bread labeled multi-grain isn’t necessarily any better for you than a loaf labeled wheat bread.