Mother’s Day Reflections from a Dietitian Mom and Grandma

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Sue Rose

As I contemplate the upcoming weekend and Mother’s Day, I realize that I know and respect an awful lot of amazing mothers. These mothers are my clients that I have come to know very well over the years, my friends, my relatives, and finally, my children. These mothers always put mothering at the top of the priority list even as they pull off multi-faceted roles as wedding planners, secretaries, doctors, teachers, nurses, dentists, lawyers, administrators, and so on. The similar theme with these strong women who are amazing moms is their tenacity in nurturing and their instincts for being the driving force and support for their children. It does not matter how old those children are, the “force” is still there. That “force” exhibits itself in various forms for various situations, but it is ever so present.

So to all those amazing mom’s out there, mom’s of little babies and adults already on their own and out of the nest, please take care of yourselves. Remember YOU are worth your weight (no pun intended) in gold, and you deserve to replenish yourself to continue giving all that you give to others, including your babies of all ages. Over the decades of counseling clients (as well as being a mother myself), I have realized that we can get “spent” very quickly as we go about our daily tasks of keeping our lives in line with ideals, and juggling all we do in a 24-hour period. To keep up your pace, remember some guidance of self-care for YOU:

Mange your diet as you would manage your business, your children, and careers! Eating is meant to keep you well, strong, and the best you can be. It needs to be planned out as the rest of your life is planned. The outcome of this planning makes the effort worth it!
Feed yourself the same quality of diet you want your babies and older children to eat. Kids of all ages have a keen eye on what you are doing, and will learn to imitate your food behaviors and patterns of eating eventually, be it good or bad.
Take the time to eat; it is the only fuel and nutrients you will take in. Just thinking you should eat, or taking supplements, will not give you the energy to carry on, only good quality food will do so.
Make sure you take the time to actually enjoy your food. Sit down at the table and teach your toddler that mom needs to enjoy her meal.
When sharing your meals with your children, enjoy the experience. One day they will cook for you and they will pick up the dishes without being asked, because remember, you are a role model and what goes around comes around!

If you are reading this, you are probably a mother or know a wonderful mother. I salute you all and wish you a wonderful day and upcoming week. Happy mother’s day to all those truly remarkable women called “mom”.

20 Foods to Fight Stroke and High Blood Pressure

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Sue Rose

We’ve all heard that reducing sodium intake can help lower blood pressure. What consumers are less aware of is that dumping the salt in your diet may be only 50% of what you need to do to prevent high blood pressure and stroke risk. The rest of the story has to do with getting enough potassium in your diet. Potassium is found primarily in unprocessed whole foods. When people eat lots of calories and abundant amounts of unprocessed foods, it is not problematic getting the 4700 mg. recommended intake. Slash your calories and eat a lot of junky processed food and it becomes much harder to reach your potassium recommendations. In order to slash sodium and boost potassium intake, consider eating more of these stroke and blood pressure fighting foods:

Potassium (mg) Sodium (mg)

One medium potato 926 17

One cup winter squash 896 2

One cup low sodium V-8 juice 820 140

½ cup pitted dates 584 2

One cup low sodium tomato juice 556 24

½ cup spinach 510 25

½ cup sweet potato 398 68

½ cup kidney beans 370 1

One small banana 362 0

1/3 avocado 356 2

½ cup prune juice 353 5

½ cup uncooked oatmeal 335 2

1.5 oz. box raisins 322 5

3 oz. cooked beef or chicken 290 47

½ cup cooked broccoli 278 29

One cup raw sliced mangos 257 3

¼ cup wheat germ 256 3

½ cup any melon 242 27

½ cup orange juice 240 1

½ cup apricot halves 233 1

Choosing more of these foods will both slash your sodium while boosting your potassium, to boost your chances of steering clear of stroke and high blood pressure!

Restaurant Dining: A Hit to Your Health and Wallet

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Sue Rose

My spouse and I are health conscious because I am a dietitian and not a hypocrite, and his life depends upon it. We regularly visit an area of southwest Michigan, and recently had breakfast at a local diner with great TripAdvisor reviews. Unfortunately, we did not agree with the great reviews on TripAdvisor. The menu was limited, but I will be the first to state that this is not necessarily a bad thing because the focus may end up being on quality, rather than an abundance of mediocre dishes. The good news here was the staff was more than happy to substitute egg whites for whole eggs, but that is probably where the positive aspects of the meal ended.

Now the bad news: the nice multi-grain bread was already buttered on the bottom of the toast (so did not realize it until it was eaten), the portions were huge (I know many people want large portions for the money being doled out), and I saw no fruit options on the menu. Other bad news: the bill was $30.00 for what we could have made at home for probably a dollar at most, and made it a lot healthier in a short amount of time. This is, in fact, the key issue with dining out on a regular basis.

When my clients dine out on a regular basis, this is what I tell them to expect:

More Fat. If you make the same food at home, you can control the fat in the dish with very simple recipe tweaking. Restaurants don’t typically care about the fat content in their meals because fat carries flavor and texture in food and of course, they want you to return for another meal! You can bank on eating more calories than you anticipated due to the higher fat content, and you can also assume that it will be more difficult to meet your weight loss goals.

More Calories. And, let’s not forget the simple concept that larger portions, when eaten, yield more calories. Unless you can exercise a lot of self-discipline while dining out, you will most likely eat your whole meal. If you can consistently ask for healthy substitutions such as fruit for fries, you are on the right track. Also, you need to get in the habit of bringing at least half of your meal home. And who doesn’t want that yummy appetizer, dessert, or cocktail while dining out? It is probably safe to say that if you are eating at home vs. dining out, you probably are not having an appetizer, cocktail, and dessert with your main meal!

More Sodium. If you are fortunate to find a nice restaurant meal low in fat and overall calories, the sodium is probably lurking. I have yet to see a healthy restaurant meal that is low in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, calories, and sodium. If you think the sodium content does not matter because your blood pressure is fine, you need to think again. High sodium intakes cause other health problems such as bone loss and are correlated with increased cancer risk. And, if you hop on the scale the next day, you can credit that weight gain of several pounds to fluid retention from all that salt you ate.

More Money. As my husband made a lower sodium chili on Sunday, he proudly pointed out to me that the entire pot of chili probably cost less than a few dollars. Had a bowl of chili been purchased at a full service restaurant, it would have been at least $6.00 dollars. He also used only half a packet of low sodium chili powder and added additional beans, and veggies creating a lower sodium, but healthier higher fiber dish.

So, while eating out is social and recreational for many, having the mentality that it should be a treat for special occasions rather than your regular diet, can keep you healthier, slim you down, and fatten your wallet. In fact, it is a win-win way to eat.

Checking out online menus and nutrition information is key to healthier dining options.

Do you have any strategies for managing your calories, fat, and sodium while dining out?

Guest Blog: How to Vacation Without Putting on the Pounds

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Sue Rose

Vacations are a time to relax and forget about everyday stresses. For those who are working on losing weight and living healthy, vacations are riddled with challenges. Temptations are common on vacations, and sticking to your daily caloric intake can be difficult. However, there are some simple steps vacationers can take to ease these common travel challenges. Here are a few tips:

Avoid Air Travel Temptations. Before leaving for the airport, many travelers forget to eat. As a result, travelers often pick up snacks at the airport or eat food on the airplane. By setting aside time to eat a meal before heading to the airport, it is possible to avoid these temptations. In addition, healthy high fiber snacks can often help alleviate hunger on long flights. It should be noted, however, that most airports now have healthy options for travelers. The key issue is to be mindful of those healthier options and then keep your health goals in mind as you select your airport food.

Be Careful in Hotels. Hotels often make it easy to sabotage your diet. Vacationers are encouraged to avoid minibars at all costs; minibars are filled with unhealthy options, and travelers can avoid both excess calories and expense by avoiding them. One option to consider is planning a trip to a local grocery store to purchase some basic foods to assemble meals. Simple meals can be assembled in a small crock pot or other appliance. Even a healthy frozen dinner can be zapped in a microwave if available, and this option will be lower in both sodium and calories than most restaurant foods. A sandwich made with whole grain bread filled with some lean meat and accompanied by fresh fruit is also a calorie conscious meal option while on vacation.

Prepare for Restaurants. Dining out is an essential and pleasant aspect of vacations, and travelers want to ensure that they take advantage of local cuisine. Before leaving for a restaurant, however, it may be wise to find the menu online and determine what you want to order beforehand. In addition, reading reviews of local restaurants from other travelers in the area can help you to find a healthy restaurant even if you are staying in a geographical area with plenty of buffets. Being aware of menu “watch” words is also very important. Avoiding foods labeled as battered, bottomless, or buttered can help your waistline. Fortunately, many restaurants now list how many calories are contained in particular meals, and online information can help as well. Choosing meals with fewer calories does not mean that you are missing out on local flavor, and those who do some research can enjoy dining out without having to worry about eating too many calories.

Vacations are essential for both mental and physical health, but those looking to eat well to stay healthy will need to prepare. Fortunately, vacationers now have a number of tools to help them along the way, and travel does not have to mean that extra weight will follow you home.

How do you eat smart while traveling?

Cole Millen is an avid traveler and self-described “foodie” who never forgets that life’s best memories are made through real life apprehension of legitimate “experiences.”

10 Tips To Healthy Easter Eggs!

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Sue Rose

It is that time of year when families start thinking about the Easter ritual of dying Easter Eggs. It is a fun tradition, and the eggs can easily be eaten as a snack, breakfast, or added to salad if they are handled properly pre and post coloring.

A hard boiled egg has only but 80 calories, but is rich in many nutrients, including protein, phytochemicals, many B-complex vitamins, and vitamins A, D, and E. If eggs are from chickens fed an omega-3 rich feed, the hatched eggs will also contain omega-3 fatty acids which we need more of in the American diet. Another nutritional perk of eggs hatched in 2012, is they are significantly lower in cholesterol. Today’s eggs have an average of only 180 mg. of cholesterol, down from about 220 mg. cholesterol in years past!

Here are ten tips to keep those eggs safe to eat after Easter.

When purchasing your eggs, make sure there are no broken or dirty eggs. The shell keeps the inside of the eggs free of bacteria and a broken shell can allow for bacterial contamination.
Be sure to check the date stamped on the carton. Avoid purchasing eggs which are stamped with a “sell by” date close to the purchase date.
After purchasing, eggs should be refrigerated immediately at 40° or less. Avoid putting eggs in the refrigerator door, as temperatures will be inconsistent and may not meet temperature guidelines.
For eggs already in your refrigerator, you may safely use them for both coloring and eating even if the sell-by date has already passed. In fact, they can be safely eaten 2-4 weeks past that stamped “sell by” date. If your eggs are typically stored in another container in the refrigerator, and you have no idea how long they have been there, it is best to pitch them and start with fresh eggs for coloring if you plan on eating them.
Consumers should not wash egg shells prior to hard boiling. When the chicken lays an egg it has a protective film coating to protect the inside of the egg. Washing the shell can actually remove that protective film, and hasten the likelihood of bacteria moving into the egg.
Cook the eggs thoroughly. For directions on how to cook a hard boiled egg, visit

http://www.incredibleegg.org/recipes-and-more/cooking-school/hard-boiled .

After cooked, the eggs may be dyed but must be refrigerated within 2 hours.
Be sure to use a food safe dye if you plan on eating your Easter eggs.
Do not plan on eating Easter eggs which have been placed on the ground. This becomes a perfect recipe for making you ill as the bacteria from the ground can enter the cooked egg. Stick with the plastic version for egg hunting in the yard.
If you are hiding real Easter eggs, pick clean areas to hide them inside your home. Eggs can only safely be left unrefrigerated for 2 hours, so keep your egg hunt to no more than 2 hours. Leftover Easter eggs should be eaten within 7 days as long as they have been properly handled and refrigerated.

Does your family do anything special with leftover Easter eggs?

Cereal Confusion: 4 Purchasing Tips for Eating Well

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Sue Rose

Breakfast cereal is a quick and often nutritious breakfast and for some, and serves as an occasional lunch or dinner as well. Even though cereal can be nutritious, there are some potential consumer pitfalls to avoid when buying cereal if your goal is to eat well. Consumers should be sure to purchase cereals with the following in mind:

Cereal should provide fiber. Most Americans are not getting enough dietary fiber and by choosing a cereal with fiber, you can improve your odds of meeting your fiber requirements. Americans should be eating between 25-40 grams of fiber, so choosing a cereal with at least 3-5 grams of fiber is a good start. Some cereals, such as the Kashi line, have 10 grams of fiber per serving. Many fiber rich cereals are also made from the more nutrient dense whole grains, which offer a laundry list of additional nutrients aside from fiber.
Cereal should be limited in sugar. One teaspoon of sugar is equal to 5 grams of sugar. Be sure to check out the Nutrition Facts Panel on the box for this information. A cereal should have less than 3 grams of sugar.
Cereals should be limited in fat. Cereals are primarily complex carbohydrate. If more than one to two grams of fat per serving are noted on the food label, the cereal company may have added additional fat to the product. Cracklin Oat Bran has a hefty 7 grams of fat in 3/4 cup serving, which would be excessive for a cereal.
Cereals contain iron. While many people need that iron fortification, seniors do not and should take stock of how much iron is in their selected cereal. Look at the Nutrition Fact Panel, and note if the iron is 100%. If so, it is too much, and a cereal with 0-25% iron should be selected.

Selecting a low sugar and fat cereal loaded with fiber is a good way to put your best nutritional foot forward for the day.

Seasonal Affective Disorder: 5 Tips to Tackle It and Your Weight!

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Sue Rose

While we can’t do a darn thing about the winter weather, we can possibly help ourselves alleviate the “blues” that seem to surface with the long winter months. Of late, it seems both clients and friends are experiencing seasonal affective disorder-commonly known as SAD. I have heard repeatedly from clients that all they want to do is keep eating because they feel so blue this winter. So, barring a vacation in the Bahamas, here are a few steps that can be taken to lift your spirits and hopefully help stop inappropriate eating that can go hand in hand with SAD:

Catch the rays when possible. Even the gloomiest areas in the Midwest will occasionally be sunny, so be sure to capitalize on it even if you need to bundle up to do so. Take a walk outside in those rays of sunshine and you will elevate your mood because the exercise and sunshine will affect the balance of key neurotransmitters such as serotonin, melatonin, and endorphins.
Check your vitamin D levels. Many Americans have inadequate blood vitamin D levels. Research supports that getting your blood vitamin D levels in the right range is ammunition in fighting SAD. Bleak days and lots of clothes limit the body’s ability to make the so-called “sunshine” vitamin, which can be produced by the body when sun shines on a compound on our skin. If we cannot make it, we are able to supplement our diet with vitamin D. During winter months, dosages in the 1000-1200 IU range are probably safe for most people who have limited sun exposure.
Consider light therapy. Certain light spectrum, such as blue light, seems to help alleviate SAD. Many free-standing blue lights are available for easy purchase online.
Control your eating environment. While waiting for spring weather and freedom from the winter doldrums, don’t undo previous successful weight loss with binge eating just because of SAD. Control your eating environment at home by ridding it of high temptation and high calorie foods.
Stock your kitchen with healthy, low sodium soups and entrees. They can nourish and “comfort” you appropriately through the rest of the winter. Up your consumption of fruits, veggies, and lentils to increase your anti-oxidants and fiber. Don’t be afraid of opting for frozen fruits and veggies at this time of year. They are just as nutritious as the fresh varieties which are harder to buy in the winter. When the warm weather comes, you will be happy that you did not pile on the weight due to SAD.

Here’s to wrapping up winter quickly.

Chicken Soup: Good Food to Fight What Ails You!

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Sue Rose

Homemade chicken soup made in my favorite Cuisinart electric pressure cooker

It seems as though sinus infections, the stomach flu, bronchitis, and muscle aches are making the rounds in my large family and we don’t even live in the same house! I finally found both the energy and time to take out my favorite cooking equipment, my pressure cooker, to make some virus fighting fuel. We have all heard that even canned chicken noodle soup can help fight a cold, but I was eager and ready to taste the rich flavorful type of chicken noodle soup I could make with my electric pressure cooker. At this point, I decided I would enhance the rich flavor by making the chicken stock base in my pressure cooker rather than using low sodium chicken broth.

Pressure Cooker Homemade Chicken Stock Ingredients

2 pounds of chicken wings
small onion
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
2 bay leaves
5 parsley sprigs
2 quarts water

Cook all ingredients on high pressure for 40 minutes. Use a natural release to continue extracting the flavors. Strain the stock. Cool the stock in order to skim the fat off. If time is short and you need to use the chicken stock before it is completely cool, use a chilled lettuce leaf to help skim the fat off the stock. The chilled leaf will actually attract the fat in the broth to allow for removal.

On to the Chicken Soup….

2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound of skinless chicken breasts
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. pepper, to taste
6 cups of your homemade chicken stock recipe or 6 cups low sodium packaged chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 cup egg noodles (may substitute rice or orzo)

Saute the celery, onion, and carrots in the tablespoon of oil for a few minutes. Add the chicken breasts, thyme, salt, pepper, and stock or broth. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes; when done release the pressure quickly. Add in the chopped parsley and then cook the egg noodles or other pasta or rice in the hot soup.

In addition to being a “comfort” food, chicken soup will fight inflammation, thin your mucous, and hydrate you which will all hopefully fight whatever ails you!

Do you have a favorite chicken soup recipe?

Is Life Sans Soda Pop Really Going to Slim Us Down?

Posted on January 15, 2013 by Sue Rose

Today’s news coverage seems to be focusing relentlessly on the new Coca-Cola commercial which implies the company is part of the weight loss solution, and not the cause of the obesity problem. The commercial highlights all the reduced sugar products offered by the company-noting many are reduced calorie, calorie free, or portioned into smaller mini-servings. Critics of Coca-Cola note all the sugar cubes in various servings of soda pop.

Empty calories from any food source consumed in excess of a person’s energy requirements will promote obesity. Critics of regular soda pop will add that it is easier to drink excess calories than consume them through food. This may be a valid point, but it is not in and of itself a reason to point the finger at soda pop or the Coca Cola Company as the main reason we are a fat country! Lest anyone come to the conclusion that I condone pop-I rarely drink it or advise my clients to consume it. There are some important health related reasons to avoid soda pop, but you never hear your doctor or the media citing the reasons-you only hear that pop makes you fat. Some of the other reasons to avoid pop include:

Dental decay. Give a teenager with braces regular soda pop on a daily basis and it is a recipe for a lot of cavities. I knew a teenage boy who would only drink regular soda pop (as opposed to diet) and when the braces came off, he had seventeen cavities!

Bone Loss. Everyone needs to be concerned about their bones. Osteoporosis occurs in both men and women and millions of people suffer from it. Studies show that both diet and regular soda pop may weaken bones by increasing calcium excretion.

Poorer Quality of Diet. When dairy products or beverages containing calcium (calcium fortified soy, almond, rice milk or orange juice) are replaced by soda pop of any kind, it decreases the likelihood that individual calcium requirements are being met. Food sources of calcium are also important sources of other important vitamins and minerals, so too much soda decreases the likelihood that overall nutritional requirements are being met.

Quality of Sleep. Many brands and types of soda pop actually contain caffeine. While many individuals are aware of this and intentionally have pop in the morning rather than coffee, many people are unaware that caffeine may be lurking in their soda pop. Mountain Dew and some brands of root beer contain caffeine.

Right now, in this country, you have a choice to drink pop, not drink pop, or drink a reduced or calorie free version. The choice is that of the individual, and the individual should take responsibility. Coca cola has simply given the consumer a choice and people make their choices which have consequences. If anything, educating the public on energy requirements and how soda pop does or does not fit into a healthy eating regimen seems in order-not the media hype of criticizing a company. We need to begin to take some personal responsibility for how we eat and how we take care of or bodies.

Do you think the media hype and criticism are warranted?

5 Simple Steps to Start Safely Slimming in 2013

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Sue Rose

During a quick trip to Target yesterday, I noticed an obese man pushing a cart full of Weight Watchers frozen dinners. My initial reaction was “good for him.” He was, in fact, taking some initial steps to shed some of his body weight. While some people might shun the concept of frozen calorie controlled meals for a variety of reasons, I personally think they are an excellent way to start the weight loss process. Reduced calories frozen entrees are already portion controlled and calorie labeled and therefore, take the guesswork out of how much you are eating. Want to really take the thinking out of brand selection? Try Healthy Choice brands. The have come a long way in terms of taste and variety and are a personal favorite of mine due to the lower sodium, fat, and calorie content.

Here are four additional simple steps to start slimming down in 2013:

Know how many calories you actually need. There are many formulas available online which allow you to plug-in your stats and information to get an educated estimate on how many calories you should be consuming. Better yet, consult a dietitian who can determine your calorie requirements and then assist you in slashing calories painlessly while still meeting your nutritional requirements.
Track your calories with a smart phone app, food journal, or other computer software. Nothing fosters lack of weight loss success like putting your head in the sand and pretending calories don’t count. You must consume less energy or calories than your body needs in order to lose body fat! This may seem like a boring message, but it is a factual message.
Move more. You do not need to spend hours at the gym. Just start your weight loss efforts by making a sincere effort to be more physically active. Day in and day out, the increased physical activity will translate to increased energy requirements along with a better body composition. If you do not eat more calories, you will slowly use your own body fat stores to meet those increased energy requirements and that translates to weight loss.
Be patient. You did not pile on those unwanted pounds overnight and you will not lose them overnight. A healthy rate of weight loss is one to two pounds per week. A slow and steady pattern of weight loss is better for your health and more likely to translate to permanent weight loss.

Wishing all my readers a healthy 2013. How are you planning on losing a few pounds this year?