Really Real Yoga

Really Real Yoga

A little over three years ago I did yoga teacher training.  I almost wasn’t allowed the 2-weeks off to go but at the last minute was allowed time off from my job.   I was at a job with a horrible commute that was literally sucking the life out of me.  I think at the time I thought I could teach a little yoga on the side and who knew, maybe make a full-time job out of it.  Then I could quit my job and everything would be better.  I knew I had a greater purpose than driving three hours every day, surely.  I returned from yoga teacher training and definitely had a lot of ideas of how I could put into motion all the things that I was taught.  Two months after I returned, I broke my foot.  To say that was a hard time in my life is an understatement.  Once I got over the, “why me?” I began to see all the reasons exactly why it was me.  I truly believe I needed to learn more about patience and “let go”, that things will happen in their due time.   While I wasn’t able to physically practice the yoga postures I began to focus on the pranayama (breathing) and the yoga sutras (mantras).  I think there was one day that I must have listened to MC Yogi’s song, “Breath Control” over 100 times - “Inhalation, inspiration, take a deep breath, increase the vibration, Exhalation, Exultation, send a bright light into creation, breathe in, breathe out, release the stress just let it all out.  Receive an inspiration with every inhalation.”   Just breathing helped me in the following months of healing and rehab.  My yoga teacher training was intense because it was in a short period of time and there was SO much to learn.  Coming back from training I’m sure I was on a natural high and felt like I could do anything.   It’s one thing to have the head knowledge but it’s another thing to put that knowledge into motion/practice.  During the next six months is when I really truly understood my yoga teacher’s mantra – #Really Real Yoga.  What is Really Real Yoga you ask?  It’s emphasized in some of the yoga sutras, these four in particular:

Progress in the Present Moment – 1.1 Now, the teachings of yoga, the steps that allow one to progress.

Quiet the Mind – 1.2 Yoga is the ability to direct and focus mental activity and the ability to still the turning of thought.

See What is Really Real – 1.3 With attainment of a focused mind, the inner being stands in its true identity observing the world.

Understand What Isn’t Real – 1.4 Otherwise, we identify with the turning of thought and the misperceptions of the mind.

My explanation won’t do it justice.  For the full explanation from Marianne Wells, my yoga teacher:

http://www.mariannewells.com/2015/07/06/what-is-really-real-yoga/

This is my interpretation/application of Really Real Yoga.  It’s what I mentioned earlier, I knew I had a greater purpose.  Sure, I needed to stay present at my job (with the long commute) but I also knew that I couldn’t stay at a job where I was just “going through the motions”.  I didn’t have to think too much about what I was doing at my job.  I could wing it and get by.  I stayed at my job for almost 2 more years and Really Real Yoga is what helped me through those two years.  I decided in that moment of healing (from my foot) that I would be as mindful day to day as I could.  I would teach with intention (not that I hadn’t before, but now more than ever I would teach with meaning).   And lastly I decided to be aware of all that was going on around me – I literally was driving daily to the Everglades.  20 miles of my commute was on Snake Road and those 20 miles were the most treacherous.  The minute I decided to be mindful and aware of my surroundings, I began to appreciate Snake Road.  Here’s one of the pictures I actually stopped to take (where I’d normally speed so fast just to get off of Snake Road):

After two years of searching for a job I was able to get a job that I definitely “do what I love and love what I do”.   I have learned so much in this last year and still have more to learn. 

This past week on Instagram there was an “Instagram inspiration” that my yoga teacher and another sponsor were doing.  I’ve never done one of the IG “challenges” and must admit they seem overwhelming to me.  This one was different.  It was taking all of the “Really Real Yoga” concepts with the hope to inspire others in the yoga community.  Inspire and show that yoga is so much more than just the Asanas.  The challenge for me is always to stay present and focused, to stay calm and continue to open my mind.  I don’t ever want to just go through the motions again.  Here’s how I apply “Really Real Yoga” in my daily life:

Breathe –                                                                                                                                                         Every day at work at lunch time I sit and just breathe.  Some days it’s two minutes and some days it’s 10 minutes.  Breathing helps me reset and reconnect.  When my mind is focused on all that lies before me for the rest of the day, I focus on nothing else but just breathing.  Mid-day recharge.  “Before you can breathe to learn, you must learn to breathe.”

Move –

3 years ago I broke my foot.  I was literally stopped in my tracks and felt like I couldn’t MOVE.  Little did I know all that I had in store to learn during the following six months.  Injuries teach you a lot.  I now can appreciate being able to move daily.  I’ve slowed down and am more mindful with each movement I do make.  And I definitely remind everyone around me never to run in the rain in flip flops (you won’t get there ANY quicker!)  “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” ~Confucius~

Meditation–                                                                                                                                          Meditation sharpens our concentration, our power of thought, and allows personal transformation.  I like to use the quote that Dan Harris says about meditation when I describe it, “It’s like a bicep curl for the brain.”  Meditation for me isn’t easy.  My mind is always wandering.  I simply acknowledge that my mind has wandered and begin again.  It’s a bicep curl – strengthening each and every time.  Some days are easier than others.  The key for me has been consistency.

Food–                                                                                                                                                                     As a dietitian I teach variety, balance, and moderation.  I try and teach people that a “diet” is simply the food that they’re eating.  And I always use the Ayurvedic proverb in my teaching:  “When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use.  When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.”

Rest/Sleep–                                                                                                                                                    “Sleep is the most underrated health habit.”  Cheating your body out of the R & R it needs can make you more prone to illness, stress, traffic accidents, and weight gain.  My Fitbit monitors my sleep patterns.  They’ve even now added where I can make a goal for how much sleep I‘ll obtain.  I’ve started to meditate now before bed to try and help and a few yoga poses to help also.

Love –                                                                                                                                                                        I always tell my nephews that “I love them to the moon and back, to infinity and beyond forever and ever!”  When they were younger they just thought it was a funny quote.  But as they are getting older they understand how deep my love for them is.

Really Real Yoga –

My yoga teacher uses this mantra and recites it often.  It helps you understand what Really Real Yoga is and incorporate it into your daily life.

“If my heart could do my thinking, and my head could truly feel, then I would know what is really real.”

Yoga teacher training forever changed my life (and continues to change me.)  I often used to think that yoga came into my life at just the right moment.  I didn’t choose yoga, yoga chose me.   I found a renewed faith in myself.  I began to settle into myself and as I began to settle I began to see that peace is the way.  I hope that from today’s post you can find a piece of inspiration from this concept of Really Real Yoga – whether it’s to deepen your practice or whether it simply has allowed you to see what “living the yoga lifestyle” really means.  

Stressss

Stresssss

Let’s suffice it to say work has been stressful as of recent.  I love my job and I love helping people learn how to eat properly and manage their diabetes.  So you say, what’s the stress?  Paperwork + charting = long days.  Just let me do what I love, which is teaching and educating, and let’s forget about all the minor details.  Yes I know I have to document what’s been discussed, I get it.  But why can’t I dictate my note like the doctors do?  Now there’s an interesting food for thought.  That would speed up some time, now wouldn’t it??   I can see up to 6 people in a day (at an hour per person or more) and each person will take between 20-30 minutes to chart.  You do the math.   Oh and I type fast, thanks to my 8^th grade typing teacher Ms. Barker.   There have been some long days recently and that alone contributes to the stress.  Stress is a normal part of life.  Our bodies are designed to experience stress and react to it.  Stress can be positive but it also can become negative.

Stress can affect the mind and body in various ways:

Emotional – Mood swings, irritability, loneliness, depression, and low self-esteem

Psychological – Problems concentrating impaired judgment, anxiety, and memory issues.

Behavioral – Problems eating, poor sleep patterns, neglecting responsibilities, and drug/alcohol abuse

 

Physical – Headaches, muscle pain, nausea, chest pains, and possible flare-ups of preexisting medical issues.

Consider the following:

-Forty-three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress. 

-Seventy-five percent to 90% of all doctor’s office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints.

-Stress can play a part in problems such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, and anxiety.

-OSHA declared stress a hazard of the workplace à Stress costs the American industry more than $300 billion annually.

My last job I didn’t manage my stress as well as I should have.  I was constantly upset by my long commute as it was a daily reminder to me not only at the beginning but also at the end of the day – it literally would be sometimes too much to bear.  With my new job I’ve committed to identifying my stresses and finding ways to help resolve the stress that I’m feeling before it can affect me in any negative ways.   While my days aren’t getting any shorter just yet, I have been managing the stress better.  Here’s how:

Talking to Someone – Simply by talking to someone that you trust will help you to get a fresh view on the work problems that are stressing you out.  Just by putting my issues into words has made a big difference in how I see things.  Again, it doesn’t always solve the problem immediately at hand, but it has helped me reflect and recognize – whereas before I kept it all internally, which in many cases was worse.   

Meditation – It’s easy to be skeptical but the truth is that whatever you want to call it – meditation, mindfulness, relaxation breathing – it has a subtle yet real power to help deal with my work stress.  Do not get me wrong, there are days when I barely get to have lunch, but it’s on those days that I need this even more!  I simply take a pause amongst the chaos.  If I keep going I will not be of any benefit to my next patient.  And even though I get stressed out about getting a few minutes behind for my next patient I know the simple act of pausing and breathing will help me reset my way of seeing what lies before me.   While I don’t profess to be an expert on meditation I do know that the more consistent with it that I am the more beneficial it is to me.  Dan Harris’s quote always helps me remember that, “Meditation is just exercise for your mind – bicep curls for your brain.”  Here are three simple steps from Dan to help you begin:

1. Sit comfortably – you don’t have to twist yourself into a cross-legged position – unless you want to, of course.  You can just sit in a chair (You can also stand up or lie down, although the latter  can sometimes result in an unintentional nap.)  Whatever your position, you should keep your spine straight, but don’t strain.
2. Feel Your Breath – Pick a spot:  nose, belly or chest.  Really try to feel the in-breath and then the out-breath.
3. Return to the Breath – This one is the key:  Every time you get lost in thought – which you will, thousands of times – gently return to the breath.  I cannot stress strongly enough that forgiving yourself and starting over is the whole game.

I’ve been using a couple of apps to help me be more consistent with meditating.  Apps like Headspace and Happify have been my go to apps.   Explore and find the ones that help you.   All it requires is a smartphone and 10 minutes a day.  Just make sure to turn off your notifications.  10 minutes of not being connected to anything but your breath.

Don’t Lean On Bad Habits – The actual direct physiological effects of work stress are damaging in their own right.  But the other dangers, the ones like heart disease and obesity, come as an indirect result of the poor choices we all make while under stress.  I always tell my patients that we’re often too hard on ourselves.  There are going to be times when we make that poor food selection because we’re stressed.  The key is identifying the triggers to make sure we don’t keep repeating these choices, because it’s the frequency that can be harmful.  The fact is you’re vulnerable to making poor eating choices, either because you don’t make the time to prepare healthy meals or because you turn to comfort foods to make yourself feel better.  We all do it, it’s normal.  But like I said, don’t set yourself up to fail.  Even if you don’t have time to prepare healthier meals for yourself, plan ahead what you will eat.  So instead of waiting till you’re famished, have a plan before of when you will break for lunch and know what it is that you’ll eat.  Hangry people don’t always make the best decisions when it comes to food and many times opt for the feel good food option.  Plan a little ahead. 

Exercise Your Body And Mind – Surprising as this stat is, the American Psychological Association found in a recent study that only 17% of American adults exercise daily.  Yet it’s effectiveness as a stress-fighting tool is profound and clear:  Your body is better physically prepared to deal with the demands that are placed upon it and exercise will help to combat some of the physical effects of the poor lifestyle choices we make as a result of stress.  I truly believe that exercise also helps your mind to simply wander.  I know that whether it’s on my early morning runs or on my brisk walks at lunch, my mind is able to unplug for a moment and focus on nothing in particular.  I can simply let go.   With this freedom to let my mind wander I find I’m able to see things more rationally as well as with less emotional intensity.  I have also committed myself to do more yoga.  With these long days at work I found it hard practicing yoga on my own.  So I joined the gym at work and aim to go to yoga at least 3 of the 5 days during the week.   There are some weeks I’m able to go every day and there are some weeks that my third day ends up being on Saturday.  My goal has been simply to be more consistent with the physical practice of yoga.  This break however, allows me to come back with a fresh mind, creative boost, and fresh perspective.   

 

Make Time For Yourself! – While it appears that US working hours have remained relatively stable over the last decade, 47 hours per week, it doesn’t take into account the constant connection to work afforded by smartphones and other technology.  In order to offset stress building up it’s important to disconnect and not be on this 24-hour on-call mentality.  Set a time each night when you won’t respond to work emails or work calls.  The important point, stick to it!  The time spent answering a work email could be spent on some of the suggestions I’ve made here today.  Really truly give back to yourself by making time and keeping boundaries between work and home. 

The takeaway?  We all know that stress isn't helping any of us.  Find a healthy way to respond to stress.  Resilience, the ability to adapt to stress in a healthy way, can start with just your thoughts and your breath.  Be present, be self-aware, and attend to your needs.  How easy is that?

 

 

Carbs, Spikes, and Snack Ideas

 
Carbs, Spikes, and Snack Ideas

Food is an important part of our lives.  People with diabetes know very well that food plays a big part in their blood s1 slic1ugar control.  Carbohydrates have the greatest effect on the blood sugars and it is for that reason that we play close attention to these when managing diabetes.  Carbohydrates are the primary source of fuel for the body, so it’s important not only to choose healthier alternatives but also to limit how many carbohydrates you eat at any one particular meal/snack.

When planning your child’s meals and snacks, make sure to offer a variety from all of the food groups:

Carbohydrates – more than 90% of the carbohydrates eaten turn into glucose between 15-30 minutes after eating.

Protein – While these do not directly affect the blood sugar, they do indirectly affect the blood sugar.  Protein takes longer to digest, 2-4 hours, and therefore can delay the absorption of the carbohydrates in the blood.

Fat – Again, these do not directly affect the blood sugar, but rather indirectly affect the blood sugar.  Fats take 4-6 hours to digest and can therefore affect the delay of the absorption of the CHOs as well.

So while we focus the majority of our attention on CHOs (because they have an almost immediate effect on your blood sugar level), it’s important when planning for snacks to have a balance of ALL nutrients.  Having a balance allows for better blood sugar control (less spikes) as well as allowing your child to feel full for a longer period of time (instead of running back inside and asking for more!)

Most growing children need snacks whether they have diabetes or not.  Snacks can help prevent low blood glucose and between meal hunger and may be necessary to help your child grow.  Depending on the insulin regimen, whether using multiple daily injections or an insulin pump, insulin will be needed to cover CHOs at snacks (depending on the physical activity level and blood sugar level at that time).  Typical snacks range from 0 to 30 grams of CHOs for the school-age child.  Teenagers may need more CHOs.  Here are a few examples of snack ideas for kids (15 grams o CHO):

·         1 tennis ball sized apple with 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter

·         1 cup mixed berries with ¼ cup nuts

·         1 slice whole wheat bread with 1-2 oz uncured, low-salt luncheon meat

·         6 whole grain crackers with 1 slice of cheese

·         ½ cup blueberries with 1-6 ounce plain Greek yogurt

Remember to balance your CHOs at the snack with some protein and fat – this will slow the rate at which the carbohydrates empty from your stomach and result in a more gradual rise in blood sugar.  Having a hungry child with high blood sugars can be very challenging.  Keeping a few of these low CHO options on hand is always a good idea.  Choosing low CHO foods that have minimal impact on blood sugar which can then help tide your child over while you are waiting for the insulin on board to kick in.

Low-Carbohydrate Snack Ideas

·        Cucumbers and grape tomatoes with Bolthouse Farms Dressing (Classic Ranch Yogurt dressing – 2 Tbsp total CHO 3 grams).

·        Celery sticks with Peanut butter

·        Carrot Stick with Bolthouse Farms Dressing (Classic Ranch Yogurt dressing – 2 Tbsp total CHO 3 grams)

·        2 cups of fresh vegetables with Bolthouse Farms dressing (Classic Ranch Yogurt dressing – 2 Tbsp total CHO 3 grams)

·         ¼ cup unsalted nuts or seed:  almonds, peanuts, pistachios

·         2 slices cheese, such as Cabot® Reduced-Fat cheese, rolled with vegetables

·         ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese (7g CHO)

·         1 mozzarella cheese stick

·         2 slices turkey and 1 slice of cheese roll-ups

·         1 hard-boiled egg

·         ½ cup egg salad prepared with low-fat mayo

·         3 oz tuna salad with vegatables

·         1 sugar-free Jell-o

·         2 Tbsp Smuckers Natural peanut butter (stir well before serving)

·         2 Tbsp hummus with carrot sticks or cucumbers

·         2 Tbsp guacamole with carrots sticks and grape tomatoes

Other factors to consider is the timing of the bolus.  This can have a huge impact on the after-meal spikes.  Boluses given too late to match the carbohydrates consumed can produce significant hyperglycemia soon after eating, whereas a properly timed bolus (15 minutes before the meal or snack) can result in excellent after-meal control).  However, for young children whose food intake may be unpredictable, it’s best to bolus soon after the meal once you have determined the exact amount of CHOs consumed.

You might discover certain factors that have a subtle influence on your child’s blood sugar levels:  days of the week, work/school schedules, time of the month, physical/recreational activities, changes in pump infusion sets or insulin vials/cartridges, injection/infusion sites, dining in vs out, and medication schedules.  The key is to look for trends and patterns in your data.  Given the complexities of analyzing the data, it is usually worthwhile to have a second set of eyes look over your records.  Don’t hesitate to ask your Endocrinologist or diabetes educator to review your data and help you form reasonable conclusions. 

 

We hope these helpful hints are useful to you!

Amy Kimberlain, RD, LD/N

Lory Gonzalez, ARNP, CDE

 

Nutrition Headlines

Recently In The News

Mars announces support for “Added sugars” line on nutrition facts panel – Consumers need to know how much added sugar is in their food and beverages in order to make healthy food choices.  The only way, or the best way, is to have an “added sugars” line on the Nutrition Facts Panel.  By having this as a separate line from just “sugars” as it is now, this will allow consumers to distinguish those sugars from the naturally occurring sugars in fruit or other milk ingredients. 

Mars, while an unlikely ally, has come out in favor to have a line for added sugars on the Nutrition Facts Label.  The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee recommends that Americans limit their consumption of added sugars to 10 percent of calories, or about 12 teaspoons a day.  The committee concluded that added sugars are linked to a higher risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and tooth decay.  Not rocket science, but apparently proof was necessary to be able to make some changes in the Dietary Guidelines.  (FYI there are many “scientists” that won’t agree there is a link between sugar and obesity.)

As the Committee is pushing to have the “added sugars” added on the Nutrition Facts Label, they are also pushing to have the sugar listed in teaspoons, not just grams.  No one understands the metric system.  I’ve made many a poster trying to show how much sugar is in various products to make it more understandable.  Teaspoons are the easiest way for people to understand.  The Beverage Association would have you think otherwise.  John Oliver wants people to use circus peanuts to visually show people how much sugar is in a product.  One circus peanut has ~5 grams of sugar.  A 64 oz bottle of Clamato has 16 circus peanuts.  A 20 oz bottle of soda, ~14 circus peanuts.  #showusyourpeanuts  - is the hashtag John Oliver wants us to start using to get law makers to tell us what we’re really eating.  Not sure if the humor of it will shine through, but whatever it takes!

If you haven’t see the clip from John Oliver’s “Sugar” episode, it’s a must watch:

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Sugar

Interestingly enough Mars is also helping in the fight to get junk food out of schools.  They even have one of the strongest policies when it comes to shielding kids from junk-food marketing.  I hope other companies will follow their lead.  And in an ideal dreamy world, maybe they can stop making so much junk food. 

Panera removes Dyes, Additives from Foods – Yellow #5, Yellow #6, Red #40, and other artificial food dyes shouldn’t be in the food supply in the first place.  But kudos to Panera for getting rid of them.  They have a whole list for you to look over and see what’s “not in their food today” and what’s “being removed from our food”.  Here's the link:

https://www.panerabread.com/panerabread/documents/panera-no-no-list-05-2015.pdf

The Center for Science in the Public Interest’s Executive Director states that, “just because something is artificial or its name is hard to pronounce doesn’t mean it’s unsafe.  Some of the additives Panera is ditching are perfectly innocuous, such as calcium propionate or sodium lactate - So those moves are more about public relations than public health.”He goes on further to claim that Panera should have also made clear that these improvements won’t be happening at the soda fountain.  The sodas they sell will still include Pepsi and Diet Pepsi which now will have Acesulfame Potassium and they will also still sell Mountain Dew, which contains brominated vegetable oil as well as Yellow #5.  But as Jacobson points out, if what you’re eating at Panera is a 1,000 calorie panini that has a day’s worth of sodium, with a 460 calorie soda, the food additives should be the least of your concern.  I agree whole heartedly CSPI.  

 

PepsiCo Reformulates Diet Pepsi Without Aspartame – Yes, the good news is that now people will be consuming less Aspartame.  Three top-quality studies have found that aspartame causes cancer in animals, so the less that people consume the better.  Not to mention that maybe this will drive other food and beverage companies to abandon it as well.  Consuming less aspartame being better for us, obvious.  What’s not as obvious?  The fact that PepsiCo added not one artificial sweetener in their newly formulated drink, but two.  Why?  I ask why??  Sucralose, the first of the two additives, is a safer sweetener, but is still on the CSPI’s watch list, meaning that it may pose a risk AND needs to be better tested. 

Center for Science in the Public Interest: Chemical Cuisine

Acesulfame Potassium on the other hand is on their “Avoid” list, meaning it is unsafe in amounts consumed or is very poorly tested and not worth any risk.  It has been poorly tested, however, the tests that were done in the 1970s suggest that ace-K might pose a cancer risk.  So why did PepsiCo switch from one “Avoid” sweetener to another “Avoid” sweetener?  No clue, I have NO clue.

People ask me all the time in my office what they should drink.  My answer is simple.  Water.  Water.  Water.  I tell them to either try seltzer water or make their own infused water with fruit to help refresh themselves.  Soda is never a recommendation I would make, diet or not.

 

 

Don’t Count on supplements to lower your blood sugar – Blood Sugar Manager.  Blood Sugar Defense.  Blood Glucose Success.  GlucoMiracle.  Supplements with names like that better make promises they can keep!!  But can these supplements really help keep your blood sugar under control??  In order to see if they work, the main ingredient is put to the test against a placebo, to see if it will lower the hemoglobin A1c (A1c shows your average blood sugar over the past three months.)  Most of these tests were done in people with type 2 diabetes who were also taking drugs to help lower their blood sugar.  That’s not the same as if they were testing the supplement by itself or in people with prediabetes.  But here are the results on some common supplements patients ask me about all the time.

Cinnamon – There were 5 good studies.  People with type 2 diabetes took a daily dose of 1,000 mg (⅓ teaspoon) to 4,500 mg (1 ¾ teaspoons) of cinnamon or a placebo.  Verdict:  A1c levels in the cinnamon takers were no lower.

Chromium – There was a study in 1997 with 150 people with type 2 diabetes in China that took 200 or 1,000 micrograms of chromium picolinate that did have lower A1c levels after four months than those taking the placebo.  Since then, however, chromium (including picolinate) hasn’t had success in 7 of the 8 studies.  There were a total of 476 people with type 2 diabetes that took 400 to 1,000 mcg a day or a placebo for at least three months.  Verdict:  A1c levels in the chromium takers was no lower.

Gymnema Sylvestre – No good studies have compared gymnema with a placebo on A1c levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

Fenugreek – Only one good study has looked at fenugreek and A1c in people with type 2 diabetes.  46 patients got 6.3 grams (about 2 teaspoons) of powdered fenugreek seeds every day.  Twenty-three people received the placebo.  After 12 weeks, average A1c levels fell from 8.0 to 6.6 in the fenugreek takers, but from just 8.6 to 8.2 in the placebo takers.  Verdict:  No research has been published since this study 7 years ago.  It’s worth studying more!

Bitter Melon – There has only been one trial that lasted long enough to see an impact.  Verdict:  after three months, A1c levels were the same in both groups.

Lipoic Acid – 921 men and women with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes received 600 mg of lipoic acid or a placebo every day (in two studies.)  After two years in one study and four years in the other, A1c levels were no lower in the lipoic acid takers than in the placebo takers.

Believe me, I know the idea of taking a supplement to control your blood sugar levels seems tempting.  But the bottom line is that losing weight is the best way to get your blood sugars down.  And don’t forget your diet.  What you eat and the frequency of your meals makes all the difference too.  Nothing beats diet AND exercise – The Diabetes Prevention Program proved that J

There you have it.  Just some of the most recent nutrition headlines.  As I learned years ago, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. 

 

 

 

 

 

Kids Eat Right

Mealtime Tactics

My nephew was in town last week.  He’s an active, growing 4 ½ year old that barely likes to sit still to eat.   It’s hard to keep up with all the energy that he has!  When he’s hungry, boy can he eat!  I sat back and simply played the role of Aunt Amy, not dietitian Amy.  He’s normal when it comes to food.  He eats when he’s hungry, he’s thirsty and will drink juice and then fill up and not be hungry, and he doesn’t like his vegetables.  So much so, that he gags when the vegetables are presented to him to eat.  It made me start thinking about what I tell clients when it comes to kids and food.  Here are a few good reminders to help dinner time be a more calm time.  Oh yeah and remember you have to be on the same page as your loved ones, otherwise, you’ll be fighting and it still won’t be a pleasant meal.

Parents and caregivers supply the three “Ws” of meals and snacks:  What foods are offered, When and Where they’re eaten.  The child fills in the other “W” and “H”:  Which offered foods to eat and How much.

While activity helps to build a child’s appetite, plan a quiet time before meals and snacks.  Kids eat best when they’re more relaxed. 

Remember your child learns by watching you.  Eat with your kids.  Set a good example by eating a variety of foods yourself.  Older siblings can have a similar effect.  So make healthful eating a family affair.  My nephew really truly models the, “monkey see monkey do” – he eats whatever his dad does.  Now if only my brother would eat more vegetables.

Encourage kids to sit while they eat.  Give youngsters a “boost” so they can reach their food easily.  Discourage eating while standing, walking, or lying down. 

Reward children with affection and attention – NOT food.  Using food as a reward or punishment only promotes unhealthy attitudes about food.  I know it’s a temping thought as your child is throwing a tantrum in the middle of the store – but think twice about using food as a reward.

Give young children the freedom to choose foods, just as older children and adults do.  Respect their food preferences, and allow them to reject certain foods.  Just encourage them to politely say “no, thank you.”  Making food choices is a competency children need to master.

Avoid the notion of “forbidden” foods.  Having less healthy foods occasionally keeps them from becoming forbidden – and thus even more appealing.  The problem with treats is that kids are so used to having these daily that they expect a treat daily.  A treat is supposed to be exactly that, something to look forward to, not an everyday item.  Candy, soda, and cookies can be “sometimes” foods.  Eating out at a fast food restaurant of their choice every so often can be allowed.  It’s truly about balance and moderation.

Serve “designer dinners,” featuring a variety of colors and textures.  Cut food in interesting shapes, and arrange it attractively on the plate.  Kids react to inviting foods just like you do!

 

Offer foods with kid appeal.  Many younger children prefer plain, unmixed foods.  Foods with funny names – such as monster-mash potatoes or ants on a log (raisins and peanut butter on celery) - may help kids to try new foods.  Kids often like finger foods, too.  Offer raw vegetables so they can be nibbled in hand. 

Encourage children to practice serving themselves:  for example, pouring milk from a pitcher, spreading peanut butter on bread, or spooning food from a serving bowl to their plate.  Even though spills are messy, they’re a part of developing a sense of independence. 

Make eating and family time the focus of meal and snack time – not TV watching.  This is a good opportunity to focus on the social aspects of food and to reinforce positive eating behaviors.

Stock your kitchen with child-size dishes and utensils children can use with ease:  cups they can get their hands around; broad, straight, short-handled utensils; spoons with a wide mouth; forks with blunt tines; and plates with a curved lip.

 

Even in this fast-paced world, give kids enough time to eat.  Remember, they’re less skilled at self-feeding.  Time pressure puts stress on eating, and takes the pleasure away.

Toddlers and preschoolers live to play!  Encourage that same sense of fun and adventure at mealtime.  Make meals a pleasant family gathering.  Recall the day’s events, share each other’s company, and enjoy the food.  This approach does a lot to develop positive attitudes about food. 

Feeding the “Finicky” Eaters – Does your child refuse to eat green foods?  Does he or she suddenly react to an all-time favorite food with an “I don’t like this,” or simply “no”?  Are you concerned because your youngster won’t eat vegetables?  Toddler-hood and preschool years are characterized by bouts of independence.  What appears to be “finicky” eating instead may be your child’s early attempts to be assertive – a natural part of growing up.  Arm yourself with these tips for handling what may appear to be the “downs and ups” of child feeding:

Avoid the “short-order-cook” routine.  This is a bad habit to start and then an even harder one to stop – cooking a separate meal for the adults and a meal for the kids, just because you know they’ll eat it.  I know you want your kids to eat, but this can become exhausting.  The key is to make sure that there is at least one thing on the plate that you know the kids will eat.  Never try to introduce two new foods at once.  That’s what I call an epic fail.  Sure you’re excited to try that new recipe out, but if there isn’t something familiar on the plate the kids will not eat it.  Make one meal for everybody.  Children will mimic their parents’ behavior, so make sure you and your spouse are both on the same page.

Know that young children often prefer plain foods that they can easily recognize.  So “unmix” the food if it’s a problem.  Put aside a portion of the ingredients for mixed dishes before assembling the recipe.  That even works for a salad or a sandwich.  Then let children put food together in any way that suits them.  Tip:  Sometimes they don’t like different foods to “touch” each other.

Get kids involved.  Even finicky eaters will more likely eat foods they help make.  Small children can wash fresh fruit or put meat between bread slices for a sandwich.

Remember meal planning and grocery shopping.  Let your child help plan a meal around favorite foods.  Or, let children select a new food for the family on trips to the store.  Even encourage children to try ethnic foods when shopping or a new taste sensation.

Cut back on junk.  Remember, YOU– not your kids – are in charge of the foods that enter the house.  By having fewer junk foods around, you’ll force your children to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products.  What’s available is what they’ll go for, so make your house stocked full of healthy options.

Children often dislike extreme temperatures.  Allow hot food to cool down and cold food to warm up a little before serving.

If your child won’t eat certain foods, perhaps spinach, don’t worry- just offer other foods from the same food group, maybe broccoli or carrots.  Foods from the same food group supply similar nutrients.  I often tell parents to focus on the color.  If they do not want to eat orange carrots select an orange fruit that they are more likely to eat.  Let’s face it, the green ones are a little harder even for adults to eat. 

Moisten dry foods, such as meat, if they’re hard to chew.  Perhaps add a little cheese sauce.  Serve drier foods alongside “naturally” moist foods, such as mashed potatoes or cottage cheese.  Or offer “dipping” sauces with finger foods – kids love to dip!

Most of all, relax.  Focus your attention on the positive aspects of your child’s eating behavior, not on your child’s food.  If you play food enforcer – saying things like “Eat your vegetables” – your child will only resist.  No one wants a fight at the table.

Adjust your attitude.  Realize that what your kids eat over time is what matters.  Some parents get upset at the dinner table when their kids aren’t eating the foods that they’ve prepared.  Don’t get caught up on focusing on just one meal.  Look at the whole day of everything that they’ve had to eat.  And even more broad, look at the whole week versus focusing on just one day.  Kids will eat when they’re hungry.  The key is offering the meals at set times as well as snacks (be careful the snacks aren’t filling the kids up and that’s why they’re not eating at meal times).  This way even if they don’t eat that much at dinner (because it just wasn’t their favorite) a snack before bedtime is important to help provide extra nutrients the kids need (and again if they’re hungry, they’ll eat!)