KTK-Nutrition

Feeling a little overwhelmed after all the holiday hustle and bustle?   Well, there are some foods that can help you de-stress.   WebMD has a great article on Foods That Help Tame Stress .   Are there really foods you can eat to help calm those stressed out nerves?   Yes, there are and here are some suggestions.      Comfort foods – no, not the whole gallon of ice cream.   But try a bowl of oatmeal topped with some fresh fruit.   For an extra treat, sprinkle on some brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped walnuts.   How can a bowl of oatmeal help you de-stress?   Believe it or not, oatmeal can raise your serotonin levels – the chemical that helps calm your brain cells.   Oatmeal is also super healthy, full of vitamins and minerals and a good source of heart-healthy fiber. Enjoy some carbs for comfort – no, not the high sugar carbs that we all have been enjoying, but whole grain, complex carbs.   Choose some whole grain b...

So much good food over the holidays.   Everywhere you go there are holiday parties with so much delicious food, chocolates, Christmas cookies, and everyone seems to be bringing in homemade goodies to share.   Who doesn’t want to enjoy all that good eating?   Well, enjoy and enjoy every bite.   As Joyce Meyers says, “Eat the cookie..”   On the last day of the nutrition class I teach, I had M&Ms in a glass on my desk as we were talking about the food coloring in food.   At the end of the class, one student asked for the M&M’s.   I gave them to her and another student stated, “You know, those M&M’s have added sugar.”   The student carrying out the M&Ms said, “Yes, but I went to the gym today and I can afford some discretionary calories.”   So true, we can enjoy some “discretionary calories” every day.   What do nutritionists recommend so that you can enjoy the holiday treats but still eat healthy and not overdo eating all ...

Who doesn’t want to take off any extra pounds easily and fast?   So many people who want to lose weight fall for the latest fad diet.   A recent article on Popsugar noted that if one wants to take off the fat and the weight, there are 7 basic principles to follow.   Last week we talked about staving off those holiday pounds.   If you already have added a few pounds from the Thanksgiving feast or those holiday parties, here are some of the basics to keep in mind. Popsugar asked registered dietitians and personal trainers’ advice on how to get rid of the extra fat but not the muscle as one takes off some extra pounds.        1. Cut out some calories but still eat healthy.   Don’t cut the “carbs” and then decide to cut out bread like whole grain bread.   Not a healthy choice.   And don’t just focus on cutting back on food to lose a few pounds.   A simple fact we cover in the nutrition class is that one pound of wei...

Who doesn’t enjoy the holidays with all the good food to eat?   Along with that enjoying all that good food can come some unwanted pounds.   What can you do to enjoy the food but not add on the unwanted weight?   Between mid-November and mid-January, Americans gain about 1-2 pounds.   Not all that much except if one doesn’t lose those couple of pounds and they stick around until the next year’s holiday season.   Some experts think this holiday weight gain is responsible for adult weight creep.   Just a few added pounds a year ends up being many pounds over a decade.   Consumer Reports and others have a few recommendations to help avoid gaining weight over the holidays.   Try out what works for you, even try one of the tips each day. Tip 1:   Know your holiday starting weight – weigh yourself first thing in the morning.   This is your weight goal to maintain over the holiday season.   Then each day or at least once a week, ch...

When traveling this holiday season, you may find yourself eating at some food courts.   Most have a variety of food options.   Food courts also have a variety of germs that you really don’t want to partake of.   Dr. Oz has previously investigated food courts and recently did a show on food courts and why they can be full of germs – bacteria, fungi and even fecal matter.   What can you do to enjoy the food but leave the germs behind? Food Courts – where are the germs?    1.      Temperatures – often the food at food courts is lined up in pans along a window making it easy for you to see your choices.   But is the food being kept at the right temperature?   Dr. Oz reports on a study that found many food court establishments are not keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold.   Hot foods should be kept at 140 degrees or warmer and cold foods at 40 degrees or cooler (e.g. salad bar foods).   When tested, foo...

Students in my class are interested in anti-inflammatory foods as many work out and are interested in reducing inflammation.   Others are interested in diets to reduce inflammation for those with colitis or IBD.   Older students are interesting in anti-inflammatory diets to control osteoarthritis.   Rather than just taking drugs to reduce inflammation, are there anti-inflammatory foods? What are the foods one can eat to reduce inflammation and what conditions do anti-inflammatory diets help?   Osteoarthritis – a common form of arthritis people experience as they age.   The cartilage in our joints begins to break down which results in swelling, stiffness, and pain in the joints.   The U.S. News & World Report has many interesting articles on diet with a recent one titled, “ Osteoarthritis Diet:   Foods to Eat and Avoid ”.   According to the registered dietitian, Daniela Novotny, from Missouri State University, the foods we eat can incr...