Eat your greens, they are good for you!

Salt: Change Your Salty Ways

Can you follow a Paleo diet?

Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease

Eat healthy

Healthy Snack Ideas

How Healthy is Your Holiday Meal?

With the holidays being upon us in no time this is  a good time to remind heart patients of being acutely aware of the sodium content in foods. The holiday meal contributes to many heart patients having increased symptoms of  high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, fluid retention, shortness of breath. The holiday meals  can be the culprit. Traditional foods like the turkey are often injected with  approximately 8% solution sodium to enhance moistness and flavor. If you read the ingredients you will often note: turkey broth, salt, sodium phosphates, sugar & flavoring. Then many a cook will soak the already salt injected turkey in a brine solution or salt it well, prior to cooking. The turkey alone gets many into trouble, then you add pre-packaged stuffing, broth, or use canned mushroom soups in casseroles. Did I mention the relish tray with pickled foods?                                                           

A little extra salt in or on your holiday foods makes a difference.

1 teaspoon salt = 2131 mg sodium                                          1/2 teaspoon salt = 1066 mg sodium

1/4 teaspoon salt = 533 mg sodium                                        1/8 teaspoon salt = 266 mg sodium

75 mg—the average sodium content of 3 ounces fresh, unsalted beef, turkey, chicken, pork

240 mg sodium in 3 ounces self-basting frozen turkey, cooked (that’s without the gravy!)

580 mg sodium in 3 ounces frozen fully cooked baked turkey

820 mg sodium in 3 ounces honey baked ham

Bread is a major sodium contributor if you eat more than a couple of pieces a day unless you buy special low sodium bread. A slice (1 ounce) of loaf bread has 150 to 200 mg sodium—not including salted butter or other spreads or toppings. Consider using a bread maker to make a low sodium recipe.

Skip the gravy! But if you must go for low or reduced sodium gravy instead of regular salted gravy which has more than 300 mg sodium for 1/4 cup.                                                                                                                                                              

Measurements and labels of sodium

•  1/4 teaspoon salt= 600 mg sodium
• 1/2 teaspoon salt= 1,200 mg sodium
• 3/4 teaspoon salt=1,800 mg sodium
• 1 teaspoon salt= 2,300 mg sodium
• 1 teaspoon baking soda =1,000 mg sodium

• Sodium-free: Less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving
• Very low-sodium: 35 milligrams or less per serving
• Low-sodium: Less than 140 milligrams per serving
• Reduced sodium: Sodium level reduced by 25%
• Unsalted, no salt added, or without added salt: Made without the salt that's normally used, but still contains the sodium that's a natural part of the food itself.

Names for salt

• sodium alginate
• sodium ascorbate
• sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
• sodium benzoate
• sodium caseinate
• sodium chloride
• sodium citrate
• sodium hydroxide
• sodium saccharin
• sodium stearoyl lactylate
• sodium sulfite
• disodium phosphate
• monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• trisodium phosphate
• Na

Some drugs contain high amounts of sodium.

Need an antacid after that holiday meal?  Watch out there is excess sodium there too. Carefully read the labels on all over-the-counter drugs. Look at the ingredient list and warning statement to see if the product has sodium. A statement of sodium content must be on labels of antacids that have 5 mg or more per dosage unit (tablet, teaspoon, etc.). Some companies are now producing low-sodium over-the-counter products. If in doubt, ask your healthcare practitioner or pharmacist if the drug is OK for you.

How Sodium causes fluid retention

The job of the kidneys is to filter the excess sodium into the urine so that the body can get rid of it. Many with heart disease and diabetes kidneys cannot handle all the extra work. The kidneys become less efficient at filtering the blood stream. This causes excess sodium to enter the bloodstream. Sodium attracts water to it and effect known as being osmotic. Water follows the sodium  and is drawn into the bloodstream. Excessive salt keeps the circulatory volume higher than it should be, creating and increased pressure in the blood stream and pressing on the blood vessel walls. The stress of the pressure on the walls creates thickening and narrowing of the vessel, leaving less space for the fluid in the blood vessels and raising resistance.  The body then requires higher pressure to move blood to the organs. The heart has to pump against this high pressure system.

I equate it to trying to blow up one of those kids balloons that is turned into animal shapes. They are really tough to blow air into, your cheeks get really sore - this is the resistance of air, similar to the resistance pressure of blood in the arteries. If you stretch the balloon (relax the arteries) then there is less resistance in blowing up the balloon (filling the artery with blood). Twenty percent  of the blood pumped from the heart goes  first to the kidneys.  High blood pressure within the kidneys cause  damage to the heart and to the vascular system in the kidneys. Salt makes you thirsty so limit salty foods, especially if on a fluid restriction.

I once had a patient who lost 45 lbs simply from adhering to low sodium diet. He had a very weak heart with only 10% ejection fraction meaning very limited pumping ability. So a weak heart and sodium in the diet made him retain fluid more than most. He began to measure and count sodium with every meal for a few months and was shocked by how much sodium he consumed even though he thought he ate pretty healthy. By reading labels, doing the math every day and making changes such as eating out less, ordering special, reviewing his medication he lost the fluid and added years to his life, not to mention the improved quality of life with less shortness of breath and fatigue by easing the workload of the heart.                                                   

According to the American Heart Association, eating more than the recommended 1500 milligrams a day puts you at direct risk of high blood pressure. Yet in America we consume an average of 3400 milligrams a day; more than twice what we should. While people with hypertension, heart and kidney disease are always advised by doctors to eat less salt, the AHA wants all of us to do this, whether or not our blood pressure is currently in the normal range. So if you are cooking or know the cook for pass this info on! 

The unhappy meal

Childhood Obesity

http://pinterest.com/pin/35677022019546160/

Fast Food Facts

America's Nutrition Evolution

Has your family tried Kale chips?

 

I found this today while on web. It is interesting. I certainly hope that we can add more local fresh fruits and vegetables into our lunches. I also question why a starch with the example of pizza, one wouldn't need another serving of a starch, especially if the vegetable was a starchy vegetable. Why can't we offer choices between milk and/or water? Of course not bottled water use a paper cup and pitcher or cooler and have it self serve.

This infographic by GOOD shows the difference between a prison lunch and a school lunch. Both are roughly the same cost (just over $2.60) and contain about the same amount of calories (around 1400). But surprisingly, prisoners get more items to eat and healthier options, with 1/2 cup of vegetables and one serving of fruit or dessert, compared to the school children’s 1/2 cup of vegetables or fruit.

via PSFK: http://www.psfk.com/2012/09/prison-or-school-lunch-healthier.html#ixzz27E3NH8LK

Creative Sweet Treats: Healthy Snack Ideas

Kids come home from school and they are starving, they are looking for food. My middle schooler eat's his lunch at 10:45. They want something fast. If you suggest fruit, it gets boring, and doesn't appeal after they have been watching their friend eat prepackaged unhealthy snacks delivered in the classroom or packed in lunches. So mix it up on occasion try making one of these. You are still getting healthy food, plus that little extra so the family feels they are getting something special.

 Frozen Banana Bites
 Chocolate Kiwi Popsicle
 Blueberries covered in honey greek yogurt and frozen. Great healthy snack to have around when craving sweets.
Yogurt Bites

I have found Pintrest to be very helpful and encourage the family to pick the snacks they would like to have for the week. It was my compromise after hearing for months "Why can't I have Lunchables?"

Here's the link these pics came from, they are all easy, quick to prepare ahead of time, and go over well with the family.

How much sodium should my family have?

We hear often in the US we consume too much salt. Recommendations on daily intake have changed over the years. On average most adults and children consume approximately 3400 milligrams of sodium each day. This is approximately three times the daily recommended allowance. The guidelines on sodium intake are as follows:

- 1000 mg for children aged 1 to 3

- 1200 mg for children aged 4 to 8

- 1500 mg for people aged 9 to 50

- 1300 mg for adults aged 51 to 70

- 1200 mg for seniors aged 70+

How Food Label Reference Values (DV) Compare to the Nutritional Recommendations for Children   Nutrient    DV  Nutrient Recommendations by Age (DRI)* 2 - 3 years 4 - 8 years 9 - 13 years 14 - 18 yr girls 14 - 18 yr boys Protein (grams) 50 13 19 34 46 52 Iron (mg) 18 7 10 8 15 11 Calcium (mg) 1,000 500 800 1300 1300 1300 Vitamin A (IU) 5000 1000 1333 2000 2333 3000 Vitamin C (mg) 60 15 25 45 65 75 Fiber (g) 23 14 - 19 19 - 23 23- 28 (girls) 25- 31 (boys) 23 31-34 Sodium (mg) 2400 1000- 1500 1200- 1900 1500-2200 1500-2300 1500-2300 Cholesterol (mg) 300 <300 for over age 2 <300 <300 <300 <300 Total Fat (g)** 65 33 - 54 (30 -35% of calories) 39 - 62 (25 - 35% of calories) 62 - 85 (25 - 35% calories) 55 - 78 (25 - 35% calories) 61 - 95 (25 - 35% of calories) Saturated Fat (g)** 20 12 - 16 (> age 2 ) (<10% calories) 16 to 18 (<10% calories) girls: 18-22 boys: 20-24 (<10% calories) 22 (<10% calories) 24 - 27 (<10% calories) Calories*** 2000  1000 - 1400 (2-3 years) 1400-1600 girls: 1600-2000 boys: 1800-2200 2000 2200- 2400 Source: 1999 - 2002 Dietary Reference Intakes, Institutes of Medicine 2005 Dietary Guidelines ©Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine               Last modified: August 14, 2007 *Sodium: The higher number in each age category reflects the Upper Limit (maximum level that is likely to pose no risk of adverse effect) recommended by the Institutes of Medicine. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommended Americans consumer less than 2300 mg. (approximately 1 tsp.) of sodium/day and point out that Approximately 75 percent is derived from salt added by manufacturers. The average intake in the United States is between 4,000 and 5,000 milligrams of sodium per day. Source: IOM 2004 Dietary Reference Intakes: Electrolytes and Water Also see: 2005 Dietary Guidelines form Americans: Sodium & Potassium 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Food Label Makes Good Eating Easier Food label Education Program for Teens

Sugar and school lunches

Whether you pack a lunch or you purchase school lunch consider the amount of sugar you are getting with each serving.  This is a great visual display of sugar content in foods. Also the revamped school lunch program. I want to go back to school to see if it really looks like this. I sure hope so, and I hope it comes from local farms.

Sugar is the number one cause for diabetes and obesity in our youth today. 

Can you eat healthy when eating fast food? Probably not!

Don't trust the fast food marketing

Prevention Magazine has a really nice piece on McDonald's new 400 calorie of less campaign. It breaks down each item billed as 400 calories or less and analyzes the nutritional content. Don't let the very highly paid and adept marketing of fast food catch  you. The amounts of sodium, sugars, fats and added ingredients are startling. Here are a couple of examples, but I highly recommend you follow the below links and read the entire content, so you don't get caught in their marketing traps. Stay healthy!

Premium Grilled Chicken Ranch BLT Sandwich, grilled: 380 cal

McDonalds' website calls this one "Refined and real, all on the same bun." We're not sure if they meant refined as in "elegant," or refined as in "processed"—but it's more the latter, according to the ingredient list. The chicken contains rib meat, maltodextrin, and sodium phosphates and the "bakery style bun" has high fructose corn syrup, dough conditioners, and ammonium sulfate. This sandwich gives you a quarter of your daily cholesterol, 10 g of fat, 9 grams of sugar, and 1,000 mg of sodium. 

Swap it for: A whole dinner of grilled chicken slathered in barbecue sauce, with a buttered ear of corn—for the same amount of calories. 

Read more: http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/how-healthy-are-mcdonalds-400-calorie-meals/premium-grilled-chicken-ranch-blt-sandwich-380-cal#ixzz23v5lZ7OY

Mango Pineapple Real Fruit Smoothie (large): 350 cal

McDonald's boasts that every size of their "real fruit smoothie" is under 400 calories. But a large mango pineapple smoothie has a whopping 77 g of sugar—which is the equivalent of eating almost three Snickers bars, in terms of the sugar content. And just in case you're wondering, the "real fruit" includes "clarified demineralized pineapple juice concentrate," which is a sweetener, not a chunk of vitamin-C-packed raw pineapple.

Swap it for: Some whole real fruit, plus filling peanut butter and soy milk, in our Peanut Butter Soy Smoothie instead.

Read more: http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/how-healthy-are-mcdonalds-400-calorie-meals/mango-pineapple-real-fruit-smoothie-large---350-cal#ixzz23v669lOl

Eat your Veggies!!!

How do you get people to eat veggies?

 I wish I had a dollar for every time I have heard someone say they don't like to eat vegetables. Funny how often I would hear this while working in Cardiac Rehabilitation. Coincidence? I don't think so. A healthy diet includes 5 servings a day of fruit and veggies, many people are ok with the fruit but entirely skip the veggies. Women are instructed to get 4 1/2 cups a day of vegetables for heart health. Children are picky and it can take years to get them to eat a variety of vegetables. Don't give up!!! Keep trying new vegetables, new textures, new recipes.

Get your servings each day 

One way to get your veggies in each day is to join a CSA. This is community supported agriculture. You essentially purchase a share of a farm and each week you get your vegetable share. This week my share was 22 lbs of vegetables and included eggplant, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, tomatillos, squash - zuchinni, yellow and patty pan, dill, cilantro, garlic, onions, bean - green and purple, peppers, cucumbers, and beets. Last week we had similar but added turnips, cabbage and radishes. It is an experiment finding what recipes we will have repeatedly and what ones we will avoid. Tonight's dinner included camelized turnips - these went over well -suprizingly.

Be creative with vegetables

Get away from the traditional boiled or steamed veggies. Try to get creative. Google recipes for vegetables. Turn carrots or asparagus into ribbons, combine unusual flavors, grill veggies, sneak them into meals - chop them small. Combine strong flavors with sweet, try flavored vinegar's with veggies. Recently I made cole slaw with lemon infused vinegar and very little mayo - the whole family commented on how it was the best cole slaw they ever had while not knowing how basic the recipe was - cabbage, carrots, vinegar, sugar, lemon peppes,  and a tiny bit of mayo.

With all these vegetables they become the food which the meal is built around, rather than the typical American diet which builds it's meal around the meat source. Which leaves me with how will I prepare eggplant this week? Baba Ganoush or Eggplant Parmasean?