Wellness

@ Moraine Valley

Health

Nutrition Tips During Social Distancing

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During these unprecedented times, many people are feeling stressed without their normal routines. Especially when it comes to food and nutrition! Whether people are sick of prepping and cooking multiple meals a day or can’t stop munching on salty or sweet snacks… the fact is food has become a major point of stress in this pandemic.

Below are some tips to help you get back on track and feeling better!

  1.  Try and get back to your normal schedule as best you can. This includes sleep, meal/snack times and workout routines. This will help you keep a routine and decrease mindless snacking all day. If you normally went to bed by 10:30, keep it up! Binging Netflix until 1 am will only lead to feeling sluggish the next day.
  • I say this often but plan, plan, plan! Pick 2-3 breakfast and lunch options and rotate daily. Plan your week of dinners prior to going to the store. Then make your grocery list for the week. That way every day, you know exactly what you are having at your 3 meals. (I also post my meal plan my fridge so I don’t forget!).
  • Don’t forget about some healthy snacks. I suggest a piece of fruit, a veggie and pair with some protein such as a cheese stick, hard boiled egg, or some Greek yogurt.
  • Drink up! Water that is! Before you reach for another caffeinated drink, chug down 16 oz of ice cold water. This will help to energize you and will help you cut down on the number of other drinks you are consuming,
  • Last but not least, if you are having trouble with control, I suggest food logging. This helps to keep you accountable to your choices. Often times just logging your foods will help you keep the portions and excess snacking in control.

Head over to devinenutrition.com and sign up for the Devine Nutrition free newsletter to receive a free healthy snacks download!

~Kelly Devine Rickert Registered Dietitian and Wellness Coordinator, Moraine Valley

Nutrition Tips for Earth Day!

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earth-day

Wondering what you can do to minimize your impact on Mother Earth? Look no further! These are (in my opinion) easy ways to can start to reduce, reuse and recycle more often!

  • Make a grocery list and go shopping. Weekly! Even now. (But bring your reusable bags (wash in hot water after each trip to the store) or opt for paper bags and recycle.)
  • Buy in bulk
    Yes, 100 calorie packs and mini containers of pre-cut veggies save us time, but also increases our waste.
    • Here are items to buy in bulk, to cut up and portion out at home, It’s cheaper and better for the environment
      Fruits
      Vegetables
      Nuts/seeds- fresh bags are found in the produce section
      Beans
      Grains
      Rice
      Oats vs oatmeal packets
      Yogurt- buy a larger container and portion out each day
  • Ditch the water bottles ONCE AND FOR GOOD!
    • Keep a BPA free, dishwasher safe water bottle on hand and refill it up! Some water bottles even have their own filtration system. Please stop buying water bottles.
  • Plant a garden
    • You can find seeds at your local grocery store. You can grow some veggies in your house just from your leftovers. Check out this blog post here to find out how.
  • Start a compost
    • I used a 5 gallon container I had in my garage to start mine. Check out how to start one here. This is a great way to decrease your food waste.
  • Check out this website that helps you find recipes to use your leftover foods. A great way to re-purpose leftovers and decrease money and waste in landfills! https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/recipes

Even making 1 or 2 small changes can really add up over time.

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. ~Native American Proverb

~Kelly

Self Care During Stress

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During these unprecedented times, many people are feeling stressed without their normal routines. Below are some tips to help you decrease the stress and get your back into a routine.

  1. Try and get back to your normal schedule as best you can. This includes sleep, meal/snack times and workout routines. This will help you keep a routine and decrease mindless snacking all day. If you normally went to bed by 10:30, keep it up! Binging Netflix til 1 am will only lead to feeling sluggish the next day!
  2. This sounds silly… but get dressed! Lounging in pj’s all day is okay sometimes but nothing beats a shower and getting dressed to start your day. (I advise jeans or work pants.)
  3. Watch the caffeine and sugar. Both will lead to periods of adrenaline followed by periods of being exhausted (a sugar crash so to speak).
  4. Moderate the social media. Constantly being in front of screen and viewing articles of “gloom and doom” can lead to more stress and depression. Set limits on your social media during our time of social distancing!
  5. Get moving! Tune into the Live Fitrec classes, download many of the free apps out there (Peleton, 7 minute workout, Nike Training Club, there are SO MANY!). Set a time the day before and what workout you will do. (I am doing a fitness challenge with my running club and doing an ab challenge from Novacare. Moraine employees join our Facebook group here, I will post workouts and resources).
  6. Don’t forget to focus on some healthy meals and snacks! Download this list of snacks if you are hungry in between meals.

Stay tuned for some more recipes!

Stay well,

Kelly

Covid-19 Shopping List!

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Having trouble figuring out what to buy at the store that is both healthy and shelf stable? You are not alone! Below are some meal planning and shopping tips during the COVID-19 pandemic!

  1. My first tip will ALWAYS be to inventory what you currently have. What meals can you make or just need a few ingredients for? Add those items to your list first. (Example: You have pasta but need pasta sauce. To complete meal add in Italian sausage and no salt added green beans. That’s one meal, check!)
  2. When making your list, aim to shop for at least 1 week to 10 days to minimize your trips to the store. You will use your fresh items first, followed by pantry and freezer items last.
  3. Maximize your nutrition by increasing the whole grains and fiber and decreasing excess sodium and unhealthy fats.
    • Whole grains: Opt for 100% whole grain items such as whole grain waffles, bread (you can freeze a loaf too to last a second week!), oats, crackers, brown rice/quinoa/wild rice/ and whole grain pastas.
    • Produce: Buy low salt or no added salt canned items such as vegetables, soups and beans. Fresh produce that tends to last longer are apples, citrus fruits, potatoes, onions, carrots and squash.
    • The freezer section has some great choices for vegetables and fruits. (I recommend buying the frozen produce items with no sauces or cheeses).
    • Protein: Peanut butter, vacuum packed tuna packets, eggs are great to keep on hand. For other protein choices, I recommend buying fresh meats and freezing what you don’t use. (I.e. Buy fresh 95% lean sirloin, make it into patties to grill vs buying boxed frozen burgers that are MUCH higher in salt and fat.) I store some of my meat purchases in freezer right away if I am not going to make within a few days of purchase. Here is a sample week from my menu:

Monday: Whole grain pasta with broccoli, garlic and oil as sauce, baked chicken breasts.

Tuesday: Use leftover chicken breasts for chicken tacos. (Corn tortillas, salsa, cheese, onions, tomato, low fat sour cream too!). Add some black beans, can of corn or whole grain rice as a side if you wish.

Wednesday: Sloppy Joes. (My fav!). Lean meat, whole grain buns with baked beans and chips.

Thursday: Grill burgers, use leftover buns. Roast some broccoli and serve with applesauce.

Friday: Make your own pizzas using English Muffin or a homemade pizza crust kit. I use leftover veggies to add to pizza from the week.

Get creative! Now is a great time to try a new recipe and practice your menu planning. When the social distancing is a thing of the past, you will be an expert at shopping and planning!

~Stay Healthy,

Kelly

Sodium and Heart Health!

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According to the America Heart Association it is estimated 103 million U.S. adults have high blood pressure or HTN (Hypertension). The guidelines currently are defined as a reading of 130/80 or above. It is important to know your blood pressure level. HTN has been called the silent killer because many people with HTN, don’t know they have it. So, make sure to get your blood pressure checked!

The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2300mg of sodium a day and possibly less, 1500mg per day for adults with HTN.

However, it is estimated the average American diet contains 3400mg of sodium a day. Which isn’t hard to believe. Here is how sodium can add up fast!

  • Breakfast: Everything bagel with cream cheese (460mg)
  • Lunch: Lunch meat sandwich (800mg), add a pickle spear (362mg) and small bag of chips (170mg)
  • Dinner: 2 slices of cheese pizza (1620mg) and side salad with 2 Tbsp dressing (300mg)
  • Total for day: approximately 3712mg

Cutting back by just 1000mg of sodium a day can help!  How do you get started decreasing your sodium intake?

First, be aware where sodium is coming from in your diet. The CDC says the top sources of sodium we eat comes from these 10 foods; breads and rolls, pizza, sandwiches, cold cuts and cured meats, soups, burritos and tacos, savory snacks (like chips, popcorn, pretzels, crackers), chicken (includes processed), cheese and eggs and omelets.

Second, start looking at the nutritional facts on ALL the foods you eat.  It can be quite shocking! 

While it is hard to add up all the sodium we eat in a day, focus on avoiding very high sodium foods and incorporating more unprocessed whole foods into your diet.

Also, try not adding table salt to your food, 1 tsp of table salt contains 2325mg of sodium, which is all the sodium you need in a whole day, and sodium is already in many foods we eat. In fact, most of the sodium we get isn’t from the salt shaker these days, it is from processed foods, packaged foods, and restaurant foods (meaning it is already in the food when we buy it).

A couple things to keep in mind for label reading:

  • Food package claims may be misleading, so always look at the nutritional facts when choosing a food that has been processed in some way.
  • Look for “Salt-free”, sodium-free”, “very low sodium,” and “low sodium” which have less than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving.
  • Be careful with products that say: “Unsalted,” “No Salt Added,” “Reduced Sodium,” or “Lower Sodium.” These items may be low or may be high in sodium.
  • When foods start containing 300-400mg of sodium per serving, start thinking “How much of my meal is this making up?” If it is not making up about half your meal, then it is likely too much!

Here are some ideas to incorporate into your diet to decrease your sodium intake.

Fruits and Vegetables: Aim for fresh or frozen, if buying canned opt for the low sodium version, also rinse them off (this helps to get off some of the sodium).

Meats: Aim for fresh or frozen unprocessed meats most of the time and season/prepare it yourself!  I like using the low sodium tuna and chicken packs for when convenience is needed.  Behind the counter at the deli they will often carry a “low sodium” turkey for sandwiches.

Diary: Milk and yogurt tend to be low in sodium.  Swiss cheese, ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese will have less sodium typically than your cheddar, American or colby cheeses.  Processed cheeses will typically be higher in sodium too. 

Grains: Most grains are fine, if sodium isn’t added.  Bread and rolls tend to make up a lot of sodium in the American diet, but that is because we eat these several times a day. Check labels at the store and choose a lower sodium bread if you tend to eat it several times a day (ranges typically between 100-200mg per slice). Pasta, rice, quinoa, oatmeal, grits and other grains not processed are all fine.  Avoid those instant rice or noodle blends with the seasoning in the box or packet.  Opt for low sodium versions or salt free versions of crackers, pretzels or chips.

Adding flavor to your food: Try vinegar (red wine or balsamic are my favorites), lemon and lime juice, fresh herbs like cilantro and parsley or dry spices/herbs like garlic powder and rosemary (I love adding these to my chicken or potatoes before roasting). Also, if making tacos, make your own taco seasoning or buy a salt free one like Mrs. Dash.

Here is a sodium Free Spice Blend from Eatright.org you can add to your meat or veggies for flavor!

Spice Blend Recipe (makes about ⅓ cup)

  • • 5 teaspoons onion powder
  • • 2½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • • 2½ teaspoons paprika
  • • 2½ teaspoon dry mustard
  • • 1½ teaspoon crushed thyme leaves
  • • ½ teaspoon white pepper
  • • ¼ teaspoon celery seed

Looking for more sodium appropriate recipes?

Check out the American Heart Association website for free recipes at http://recipes.heart.org/

Top diet pitfalls and how to avoid them!

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Looking to meet your 2020 goals? Want to jump start that weight loss? Here are some diet pitfalls I often see and how to avoid them

Diet Pitfall #1: Skipping Meals
Skipping meals only leads to being more hungry later in the day which leads to overeating and loss of control in the evenings. Start your day with breakfast, then try and eat something every 3-5 hours to maintain steady blood sugars. Skipping meals or fasting does NOT equate to long term weight loss.

Diet Pitfall #2: Eating diet, sugar free or fat free foods all day
Real food will fill you up and satisfy you. “Franken-food” will not. (AKA food that has been chemically processed). Eat real, wholesome foods. You will feel better. Look better. Have more energy and less cravings.

Diet Pitfall #3: Not exercising
You can lose weight by diet alone but it is very rare when someone can maintain long term weight loss without some exercise involved. Get moving!!! Thirty minutes a day for long term results. You will have more energy, fit into your clothes better, lose more inches with exercise AND diet vs. diet alone.

Diet Pitfall #4: Not drinking enough water/drinking diet pop or coffee all day.
Water is the BEST way to hydrate yourself. Add a slice of lemon, cucumber or sliced berries to flavor your water naturally. Increasing the water will hydrate you better, give you longer lasting energy levels AND help you burn more calories when you work out.

~Kelly Devine Rickert, Moraine Valley Wellness Coordinator and Registered Dietitian