KTK-Nutrition

What does “eating healthy” mean?   What are healthy diets to follow?   A diet not for weight loss or weight gain, but just a healthy eating pattern?   I just read that Chipotle is offering bowls for dieters.   Trouble is the “diets” they are offering aren’t the recommended ones for weight loss and good health.   Go to the gym or any restaurant and you hear people talking about diets.   Some are on a “cleanse”.   Some think they are eating healthy by following the Whole30 diet.   According to the Whole30 website, food groups like grains and dairy have a negative impact on health.   US News & World Report gives the Whole30 diet a poor rating and a low ranking.   Why?   The diet is quite restrictive and excludes grain (an important food group), legumes, even peanut butter, and dairy – another important food group.   Whole grains are hugely important in our diets for fiber, trace minerals and other nutrients.   Rather th...

Every year we make some New Year’s Resolutions.   Most aren’t kept for long.   In fact, about 75% of us last a week , less than half of us last 6 months .   But setting goals for yourself is a good idea.   Some nutritionists got together and came up with some New Year’s Resolutions you should not put on your list.   And they give some guidance of how to set some health goals for 2019 that are more likely to be successful.   Setting goals – when setting goals for the coming year, make them very specific, small and ones you can measure.      1.   Exercise :   a top resolution is “ exercising more ” Don’t say:   I will exercise more. Do say:   I will go for a walk at lunch for 20 minutes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Don’t say:   I will join a gym. Do Say:   I will sign up for the yoga class that meets on Saturday morning at 9 AM and will go every Saturday for 10 weeks.   2. Healthy Eating ...

Everywhere you turn there are people, articles, advertisements offering health advice.   Or as someone told me they turn to “Dr. Google” for health questions.   The health advice being offered may be scientifically based, well-researched advice.   But it also can be quack advice.   Just walking the other day, I heard a neighbor giving another neighbor some food and she said, “Don’t worry it is low-carb.”   Who wants low carb food for the holidays?   Not me.   I always eat plenty of carbs to ensure I get lots of energy and lots of nutrients that carbs provide.   How do you know the advice being provided is good, accurate advice?   Last week we talked about a number of reliable sources including the American Heart Association , the American Diabetes Association and the Centers for Disease Control .   You can also look for reliable health information at websites that end with .org, .gov or educational institutions, which end in .edu. ...

Seems like everyone has some health advice to give.   Turn on the TV and there is an ad for some health product, diet fad, or food we should be purchasing.   The internet is full of good and not-so-good advice on diet and health.   Well, some registered dietitians got together and provided some health advice on reliable sources to go to for health and diet advice.   The go-to-sources we can all rely on for accurate, up-to-date and expert advice.    What are some reliable sources of health and nutrition advice? 1.   American Heart Association – have heart disease in your family?   Do you want to eat for a healthier heart and lower LDL and cholesterol levels?   This is the go-to-place for that information.   These are the experts that noted we can add some eggs back to our life.   But it isn’t the easiest website to navigate so here are some suggested links:   a.        Healthy Eating ...

Exercise.   Who has time to fit exercise into their day during the holiday season?   And what are the guidelines for how much exercise we should get each day?   A frequently asked question from my students is “How much exercise do I need each day?”   Well, recently, November 2018 to be precise, the federal guidelines on physical activity were updated.   So, what are the latest recommendations and who sets those guidelines anyway? Who sets the guidelines for exercise? The federal government sets guidelines for what we should eat at MyPlate.   A number of federal agencies worked together to update the physical activity guidelines including:   Centers for Disease Control, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, National Institutes of Health and the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.   The guidelines were first issued in 2008 and November, 2018 is the first time the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans have...

Some interesting nutrition articles in the news this week.   Last week we talked about avoiding sick days and how healthier habits can prevent getting sick this winter.   Well, here are some other habits to think about this week and this winter season.    Touch screens and bacteria Who doesn’t like to order food at those convenient touch screens?   So many fast food restaurants are adding these touch screens.   You can walk up to the screen, order what you want and your order begins to be processed.   Usually no line waiting to use the touch screen.   However, before you take your first bite into the food you ordered this way, you may want to wash your hands.   Or, use the handy hand sanitizer I recommended you take with you wherever you go.    Researchers in London swabbed touch screen kiosks at eight different restaurants in the United Kingdom.   Unfortunately, they found bacteria on every kiosk.   A wid...

As the cold weather is hitting most of the states, it is a good idea to start practicing some healthy habits to charge up your immune system and try to keep the colds and flu away.   What are some ideas that are easy to adopt to stay healthier this winter?          1.    Wash those hands – out shopping, going to school, going to work, up and down escalators, staying in hotels?   Germs are everywhere so wash them away.   Hand washing is the first step to keeping colds and flu at bay .   In 6 Tips for Avoiding Cold and Flu , Dr. Pocinki recommends, “Wash your hands as much as you can stand, and then some more—especially after wrapping up a visit with someone’s who’s sick.”   If you aren’t near a sink, use hand sanitizer.   Carry some in your purse, or store some in your glove compartment.     2.  P ower Up Your Immune System – having a healthy diet will help build your immune s...