Wellness

@ Moraine Valley

Kelly Devine Rickert

5 Reasons to Put Down that Soda/Pop and drink some WATER!!!

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  1. A study from Tufts University looked at the link between sugary drinks and the nutrition habits of over 900 adults. Results showed that those who drank the largest amounts of sugary drinks were at a higher risk of obesity and had a lower intake of fiber.
  2. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 25 grams for women, and 38g for men of ADDED sugars a day be consumed.
  3. Check out how many grams of sugar are in some popular drinks:

Monster 16 oz 200 cal, 54 g
Frappuccino Café Vanilla 420 cal, 70 g
Coke 20 oz bottle 239 cal, 67 g
Medium McDonalds Sweet Tea 184 cal, 45 g
16 oz Lemonade 232 cal, 62 g

Water is… 0!!

  1. Water helps to…. energize you?!?
    Sure does! Many times when we feel tired we are also most likely a little dehydrated too. Drinking some ice cold water and even having a snack in the afternoon can be just as good or EVEN BETTER than drinking a pop or coffee!
  2. Ditch those plastic water bottles!!!
    Did you know Americans used about 50 billion plastic water bottles last year? However, the U.S.’s recycling rate for plastic is only 23 percent, which means 38 billion water bottles – more than $1 billion worth of plastic – are wasted each year.
    The recommended eight glasses of water a day, at U.S. tap rates equals about $.49 per year; that same amount of bottled water is about $1,400.
  3. Water can aid in..
    weight loss, improves skin, digestion, metabolism.. you name it!

Hydrating Hack!

  1. Sometimes just water gets a tad old. Try adding some natural flavor to your water bottles.. For best flavor, add some slices of your choice of produce into a pitcher and keep in fridge for 4 hours. You can also purchase a fruit infuser water bottle as well. (Cyber Monday deals are out there today!)
  • Produce to add.. lime, lemon, berries, cucumber, strawberry slices, mint leaves, oranges and more

Happy Hydrating!

Kelly Devine Rickert

MVCC Wellness Coordinator

Dinner at home.. tips and benefits!

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The age old question…. what’s for dinner?

In the last 14 years as a Registered Dietitian, I have noticed that the one meal a day people struggle with the most is dinner.
Here are some of the common reasons people give me for not eating dinner at home
– no time
– rushing around with work and kids
– don’t want to just cook for 1 or 2 people
– don’t know how to cook
– too many picky eaters at home… and many more.

But the fact is, it is MUCH LESS expensive and MORE healthy to eat at home than anywhere else. If you sit down once a week and plan your dinner meals you are more likely to stick to your menu, decreasing any chance of you ordering last-minute take out food.

Not only is it less expensive to eat at home but it also has some other great benefits as well!
– You consume less sodium, fat, sugar and overall calories when eating at home.
– Family dinners are more important than play, story time and other family events in the development of vocabulary of younger children.
– Frequent family meals are associated with a lower risk of smoking, drinking and using drugs in preteens and teens ages 11 to 18.
– Adolescent girls who have frequent family meals and a positive atmosphere during those meals are less likely to develop eating disorders.
– Children who eat most often with their parents are 40 percent more likely to say they get mainly As and Bs in school than children who have two or fewer family dinners a week.
– Dinner with family can be a stress reliever. Believe it or not, if you have a demanding job, finding time to eat with your family may actually leave you feeling less stressed.

Tips for dinner meal planning:

  1. Sit down once a week with your calendar to see what nights you will be at home to make dinner and what evenings you need to have something quick and easy to go (grilled chicken wraps with fruit)!
  2. Shop the sale ads on the weekends to plan which protein’s you will have that week with dinner.
  3. Start with your protein first, then figure out your sides (add a whole grain starch and some veggies to each dinner).

Pasta with Zucchini and Roasted Garlic


Ingredients
• 1 pound Rotini, Twists or Spirals, uncooked, whole grain
• 8 medium cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3 medium zucchini, coarsely grated (about 5-6 cups)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 450.  Place your garlic on a 12-inch square piece of foil on the counter.  Sprinkle with thyme and rosemary.  Pour the oil over the garlic and herbs.  Draw up the edges of the foil and make a sealed packet. Bake 20 minutes.
2. While the garlic is baking, cook pasta according to package directions.  Two minutes before pasta is done, add the zucchini to the pasta cooking water. Cook two minutes. Drain zucchini and pasta.
3. Open the foil and mash the garlic lightly with a spoon. Toss with the pasta and zucchini, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Sides: Serve with a side salad and whole-wheat dinner roll.

Happy planning!

Kelly Devine Rickert MS RDN LDN
Registered Dietitian/Wellness Coordinator

Fall Snack Ideas

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Try some of my fall favorites this November! Great for snacks!

* Pumpkin peanut butter dip for apples
Ingredients:
1/2 can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (I use Splenda)
1/4 cup smooth peanut or almond butter

Roasted pumpkin seeds: Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray, and add a layer of pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle the seeds with a dash of sea salt, and then roast them at 325 F for about 25 minutes, or until toasted.

– Popcorn: Place kernels in paper lunch bag, spray with olive oil cooking spray, fold down top of bag two times and microwave on popcorn setting. Add some fall spices to spruce your popcorn up! (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and ginger or I love garlic powder with some Italian seasonings).

– Honey Crisp apple and slice of cheese

– Thomas’ Pumpkin Spice English Muffins with natural almond butter or peanut butter. Try to limit the topping to one tablespoon.

For nutrition/exercise questions or for more tip ideas, email Kelly at
Kelly Devine Rickert, MS, RDN, LDN,

Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

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Season pumpkin seeds with almost anything from your spice cabinet. Boiling the seeds in salted water for 5 minutes before roasting helps to clean and season them. Before baking, pat the boiled seeds very dry otherwise they will not brown or crisp. Makes 1 1/2 cups

Directions

Instructions Checklist

  • Step 1: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
  • Step 2: Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter and salt. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown; stir occasionally.
  • Jazz it up a bit and play with some other spices such as garlic powder, curry, and more. Check this link out for more recipes: https://wholefully.com/roasted-pumpkin-seeds-six-ways/

Happy Halloween!

Kelly Devine Rickert

Know Your Numbers!

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During the pandemic, we have seen people skip routine preventative healthcare appointments. The problem? So many health problems are not being caught on time and treated in a timely manner. Knowing your numbers (the lab test data you receive after blood work and being seen by your MD) can be life saving! (One of our very own employees… her husband PSA was checked during our spring health screening. His PSA was elevated, went to the doctor and was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He started and ended his treatments this summer. Early detection saves!).

Knowing your numbers is an important part of keeping you healthy. It can help you and your doctor know your risks and mark the progress you’re making toward a healthier you. To get a quick overview of numbers, look below.

(Check out this link here for preventative screening suggestions by age: https://www.columbianps.org/healthy-life-blog/guide-to-annual-health-screenings-by-age/)

Blood Pressure

Optimal—120/80 or lower
Prehypertension—120-139/80-89, (note: higher number equals more “pressure”)
High—140/90 or greater
Hypertension is the same thing as high blood pressure; you have it if your blood pressure is 140/90 or higher. If you have high blood pressure, you are at greater risk for developing heart disease and stroke.

If you get a higher than normal number for the first time, rest and relax a few minutes and take your blood pressure again. Sometimes the stress alone of being at the doc can make your heart work overtime.

Metabolic Panel
Glucose test: 100 mg/dL – diabetes marker and measure of insulin functioning, over 126 is type two diabetes

Cholesterol Panel

Total cholesterol: <200mg/dL – measure your combined LDL & HDL

LDL cholesterol: <100 mg/dL is optimal – your “bad” cholesterol

HDL cholesterol: >40-59 mg/dL (>60 considered protective against heart disease) – your “good” cholesterol
Triglyceride: <150 mg/dL – measures a different kind of fat in the blood
Cholesterol ratio: Divide HDL cholesterol into your total cholesterol. So, if your total cholesterol is 200mg/dL and your HDL cholesterol is 50 mg/dL, your cholesterol ratio is 4-to-1. According to the American Heart Association, the goal is to keep your cholesterol ratio under 5-to-1. The optimal ratio is 3.5-to-1. A higher ratio indicates a higher risk of heart disease; a lower ratio indicates a lower risk.


HbA1c/Glycosylated hemoglobin: normal <5.7%, pre diabetes 5.7-6.4%, 6.5% or higher means diabetes. This test measures your blood sugar over several weeks or months. If you have diabetes, your doctor will tell you how often you need a blood test to measure your levels. Ask for this test if you have a family history of diabetes.

Questions after your screening? Email me!

Kelly Devine Rickert, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN

Moraine Valley Community College Wellness Coordinator

Healthy Tailgating!

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Football season is upon us once again, and that means tailgating, concession stands, and football game get-togethers. Most often these activities come with high calorie, high fat foods and beverages that can sabotage healthy diets. Here are some tips on how to navigate the football season.

(Obviously for health and calorie reasons, it is best to eat before you go to a game, but realistically speaking, here are some tips if you are going to eat at the game or party!)

• If eating at a game:
Healthier options: small popcorn, pretzel with cheese.
High Calorie foods to limit: brats, sausages, fries, large nachos, nuts and high calorie alcoholic drinks
• If tailgating: You have some control over the food choices so try and pack some leaner meats such as chicken breasts, turkey or lean burgers, chili, and chicken sausages with low calorie/whole wheat buns.  You can add some lower calorie side items such as baked chips or Sun chips. Healthier side items could also include fruit or side salads. Experiment with healthier dips like this avocado bean dip!  Pair with pita or whole grain chips or crackers.
• If going out to a bar or restaurant: Look out for high fat fried appetizers. The lowest calorie apps tend to be grilled shrimp or brushetta.  For your main meal try and order a grilled chicken wrap or turkey club sandwich (minus the mayo!) and limit your fry intake. If pizza is being served, try and order veggie or cheese and blot the top of the pizza with a napkin to save some of the fat calories.

And finally, try and limit your alcohol/soda pop intake as these beverages are high in calories and can really add up. The best advice is to drink a cup or bottle of water in between alcoholic drinks to stay hydrated.

Go Bears!

Kelly Devine Rickert MS RDN LDN