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Gain muscle, not fat

May 16, 2010 By Lori Drummond, RD, LD Leave a Comment

From DrMirkin.com

If you think you’re too thin and want to gain weight, don’t just sit on the couch and stuff yourself with food. Weight gain should always be in the form of muscle, not fat.

To build muscle, start a weight-bearing exercise program. Go to a gym and learn how to do the weight training circuit. Build up those arms and legs! As you exercise, your appetite will respond to meet your needs. It only takes 15 extra grams of protein a day to build a pound of muscle a week — so you really won’t need to eat a lot more.

(Remember that muscle weighs more than fat and also burns calories while fat simply stores calories. Think of a car engine versus a car trunk — Lori)

It’s never too late to start a weight training program. Underweight older people look and feel frail because they have lost most of their muscles, not because of lack of fat.

If you are inactive, you lose muscle mass to the point where you are unable to carry out daily activities — climbing stairs, getting up out of a chair — because your muscles are not strong enough to move the weight of your own body. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Exercise, weight control Tagged With: Exercise, fat, Obesity, weight control

Skip ‘shortcut’ diets

May 16, 2010 By Lori Drummond, RD, LD Leave a Comment


by Holly Robinson Peete, Shine staff

You’ve heard about them in email forwards and late-night infomercials, but these five “miracle diets” just plain don’t work. From straight-up starvation to a steady diet of boiled cabbage, here are diets to steer clear of:

#1 The Grapefruit Diet

The claim is that eating grapefruit with protein triggers a “magical” fat burning process. We’re always wary of the word “magic” in regards to a diet, and this one is no exception. While grapefruit is loaded with vitamin C and fiber and is a great way to start your morning, there’s no evidence to support its reputation as a “fat-burner.”

#2 Juice Diets

While a liquid diet has the potential to starve your body into shedding excess pounds, a super low-calorie diet like this one kicks your metabolism into survival mode. Unsure where the next meal is coming from, your body hangs on to the nutrients it has, slowing your metabolism, and burning fewer calories overall. The minute you switch back to solid foods, there’s a good chance those pounds will “magically” reappear. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Education, weight control Tagged With: Education, fat, Obesity, weight control

Nutrition labels sometimes err

May 16, 2010 By Lori Drummond, RD, LD Leave a Comment

 

The Food and Drug Administration is moving toward a more active role in seeing that packaged food consumers have accurate, adequate nutrition labels to guide purchasing decisions.

Please read this article by Andrea Thompson of LiveScience.com – FDA cracks down on defective nutrition labels

If you’d be willing to participate in a simple, 10-question study about how consumers evaluate nutrition labels, please click this link to provide contact information and we’ll send you the survey form.

Thanks for making a difference in your world.

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Filed Under: Digestion, Education, Shop/cook Tagged With: Clinical nutrition, Shop/cook

The whole grain truth

May 16, 2010 By Lori Drummond, RD, LD Leave a Comment

 

In my business, I see a lot of diabetics or folks that just want to lose weight and want to know the best foods to eat. When it comes to grains, I always let them know that the less processed the better because whole grains provide more nutrients such as vitamins, minerals plus more fiber than ground grains. The following is an excellent article explaining the digestive benefits of whole grains — Lori

By Diana Mirkin
co-author of The Whole Grains Cookbook

When grains are processed into flour or cereals, the primary concern is loss of nutrients. However, if you grind your own grains or use products that are made from the whole grain without discarding anything, you get all or most of the nutrients of the original grain. But grains that have been broken apart in any way will be digested quicker. That’s a big disadvantage for diabetics and dieters.

Carbohydrates are long chains of sugars, and only single sugars can be absorbed from your intestines into your bloodstream. The foods that cause rapid rise in blood sugar are those that are digested most quickly; the worst offenders are sugar and anything made from flour.

When you eat whole grains (seeds), it takes a long time to break apart the capsule, separate the carbohydrates from the fiber, and completely digest each grain. Your blood sugar rises slowly, stays slightly elevated for a long time (so you don’t feel hungry again soon after eating) and never reaches the high levels that come from sugar or flour. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: bread, Digestion, Nutrition, whole grain

Healthy recipes for happy tummies

May 16, 2010 By Lori Drummond, RD, LD Leave a Comment

 

I have two delicious recipes to share with you, one a simple solution for a quick, healthy breakfast and the other, a mouth-watering dish for which the effort is far outstripped by scrumptuous outcome.  Makes three 1/2-cup servings

1/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup fortified soy or rice milk
1 cup cooked sweet potato or yam
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.

Nutrition information per 1/2-cup serving:

Calories: 119
Fat: 1.3 g
Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
Calories from Fat: 10.1%
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Protein: 3.7 g
Carbohydrates: 23.9 g
Sugar: 8.6 g
Fiber: 2.9 g
Sodium: 40 mg
Calcium: 77 mg
Iron: 1.4 mg
Vitamin C: 7.7 mg
Beta-Carotene: 5541 micrograms (5.5 mg)
Vitamin E: 1.2 mg

Recipe from Healthy Eating for Life to Prevent and Treat Cancer by Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D.; recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S., R.D.

Making a lovely dinner for a nice occasion doesn’t require a lot of rich and fatty ingredients. A light white fish dish takes around 15 minutes to bake and it contains heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids — the compounds that have been associated with lower risk for colon and prostate cancers.

Whitefish Papillote

Whitefish Papillote

(Recipe care of American Institute of Cancer Research – www.aicr.org)

White Fish en Papillote
Parchment cooking paper
Non-stick cooking spray
4, 3-oz. white fish fillets (such as Pacific cod, Pacific halibut, striped bass)
4 Tbsp. commercial tapenade, or see recipe below
Juice of 2 medium lemons (about 4 Tbsp.)
1/4 cup white wine (not too sweet, such as Pinot Grigio),
or may substitute with an equal amount of chicken broth or white grape juice.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare four 8” x 10” pieces of parchment paper by spraying with non-stick cooking spray. Place one fish fillet in the middle of each piece of parchment paper. Spread 1 tbsp. of tapenade on each fillet. Top each with 1 tbsp. of lemon juice and 1 tbsp. white wine (or non-alcoholic substitute).

Form a packet around each fillet by folding over sides of parchment paper, forming a tight seal.

Place packets on baking sheet in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes for thinner fish, a little longer for thicker fillets. You can test doneness by opening one packet. When fillet has turned opaque, it is done.

Homemade Tapenade
2 cups black olives, preferably oil cured, pitted
3 anchovies, rinsed and patted dry (optional)
3 Tbsp. drained capers
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp. dried)
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is still coarse, but has a uniform consistency. Makes about 2 3/4 cups of tapenade.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving (with homemade tapenade): 135 calories, 3 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 3 g carbohydrate, 16 g protein, 0 g dietary fiber, 290 mg sodium.

Having Sweet Potato Pudding for breakfast is a great way to load up on cancer-fighting beta-carotene. It takes just minutes to make if you keep cooked sweet potatoes or yams on hand.

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Filed Under: Shop/cook Tagged With: Cancer, Shop/cook

Diabetes rate to double, cost to triple

May 16, 2010 By Lori Drummond, RD, LD Leave a Comment

 

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The number of Americans with diabetes will nearly double over the next 25 years, rising from 23.7 million in 2009 to 44.1 million in 2034, according to a study by the University of Chicago.

In the same period, medical costs associated with treating the disease will triple from 113 billion dollars to 336 billion dollars, even without a rise in the incidence of obesity, according to the study published in the December issue of Diabetes Care.

“If we don’t change our diet and exercise habits or find new, more effective and less expensive ways to prevent and treat diabetes, we will find ourselves in a lot of trouble as a population,” said lead author Elbert Huang.

The study said its projections, despite being significantly higher than other recent estimates, may be too conservative because they assume the rate of diabetes and obesity, a risk factor for the disease, will remain stable. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Medical conditions, Nutrition Tagged With: Clinical nutrition, Diabetes, Nutrition, Obesity, Shop/cook

Study: best diets limit cancer

May 16, 2010 By Lori Drummond, RD, LD Leave a Comment

 

Cancer is becoming more prevalent in our society. You’ve not just read about it, but you’ve seen it among those you know or perhaps experienced it yourself.

It’s tough news to hear even in the best of circumstances. But this article might provide a boost to your commitment to battle the affliction, whether personally or vicariously — Lori Drummond, R.D., L.D..

Dr. Dean Ornish and other research physicians recently published a randomized controlled trial showing that the progression of early-stage prostate cancer may be stopped or perhaps even reversed by making similar changes in diet and lifestyle.

This was the first randomized controlled trial showing that the progression of any type of cancer may be modified just by changing what we eat and how we live. What’s true for prostate cancer may be true for breast cancer as well.

Recent studies by the Preventive Medicine Research Institute continue to show how dynamically lifestyle changes can improve our health and well-being, even on a genetic and cellular level. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Digestion, Nutrition Tagged With: Cancer, Digestion, Nutrition, Vegetables, whole grain

Processed food feeds depression

May 16, 2010 By Lori Drummond, RD, LD Leave a Comment

 

Can healthy eating habits combat depression? According to recent research from the University College London it’s very possible.

Many people eat diets that are high in fat, but are comprised mainly of trans fat or saturated fat from fried or fast foods. Not good, says Dr. Martinez-Gonzalez.

“The membranes of our neurons are composed of fat, so the quality of fat that you are eating definitely has an influence on the quality of the neuron membranes, and the body’s synthesis of neurotransmitters is dependent on the vitamins you’re eating,” Martinez-Gonzalez said.

It’s important to eat fats, but choosing the right type of fats is key. In simple language, fats are essential for the utilization of vitamins that assist with proper brain function. Our brains use fatty acids from fat to create the specialized cells that help us to think and feel.

We need a balance of fats so that our diets are comprised of 20% of total fats, with only 10% of total fat coming from the saturated kind like milk, coconut oil, butter or fats that are solid at room temperature. (Read more by Lori on this topic after the article below).

LONDON (AFP) – A diet heavy in processed and fatty foods increases the risk of depression, according to British research published on Monday.

Researchers at University College London also found that a diet including plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit and fish could help prevent the onset of depression. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Digestion, Nutrition Tagged With: Cholesterol, depression, Digestion, Nutrition, Shop/cook

Beans do more than you think

May 16, 2010 By Lori Drummond, RD, LD Leave a Comment

 

One thing I’ll never forget and often share with clients is a line from one of my college professors. She would always say, “A day without a bean is a bad day.” Our student dietetic association even used this line for our T-shirts!

Tip of the week — A New Twist on an Old Saying

Beans, beans, the magical fruit! The more you eat, the more you … may reduce your cholesterol.

It may not be as catchy as the popular children’s rhyme, but beans (that are actually vegetables) may indeed be magical for your health. Rich in protein, calcium, phosphorus, folate and iron, popular dried beans include black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, pink beans and pinto beans.

The 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating 3 cups of dried beans per week to reduce your risk of heart disease by up to 16 percent. Most Americans eat about a third of this amount. Recent research shows eating one-half cup of pinto beans daily can reduce serum cholesterol by 8 percent.

Full of complex carbohydrates yet fat-free, beans can play a role in weight management by making you feel full without a lot of calories.

Beans are a great source of insoluble and soluble fiber, with 6-8 grams in a half-cup. They promote a healthy digestive tract, may reduce your risk of some types of cancer and can help control diabetes and maintain healthy blood glucose levels.

Produced by American Dietary Association

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Filed Under: Education, Shop/cook Tagged With: Digestion, Shop/cook, Vegetables

Recipes for success: Healthy chicken salad

May 16, 2010 By Lori Drummond, RD, LD Leave a Comment

Try something different for your favorite outdoor event with this healthy twist on a game time favorite suggested by the American Institute for Cancer Research. Hot sauce and creamy dressing top this chicken and potato-based recipe, but they don’t drive up the fat totals like breaded wings.

2 medium red or white potatoes
2 1/2 cups diced skinless roast chicken breast, in 1″ pieces
1 large celery rib, cut in 3/4″ pieces
1/2 cup diced red onion
4 inch piece seedless cucumber, peeled
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 Tbsp. canola-based mayonnaise
5-6 drops hot sauce
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
Salt, to taste
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/4 cup (1 oz.) crumbled blue cheese
Place potatoes in deep saucepan and cover to a depth of 2 inches with cold water. Cook potatoes over medium-high heat until thin knife easily penetrates center of potatoes, about 15 minutes. Drain and set potatoes aside until cool enough to handle. Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces.

Place potatoes in mixing bowl. Add chicken, celery and onion. Cut cucumber lengthwise into 4 pieces. Cut each piece crosswise into 3/4-inch chunks and add to salad.

For dressing, whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, hot sauce, black pepper and salt. Pour dressing over salad and toss with fork to combine.

On serving plate, arrange bed of lettuce. Mound salad on top of lettuce. Sprinkle on blue cheese. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 250 calories, 8 g. total fat (2 g. saturated fat), 14 g. carbohydrate,
31 g. protein, 2 g. dietary fiber, 330 mg. sodium.

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Filed Under: Shop/cook Tagged With: Cancer, Chicken, picnic, Shop/cook
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