Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics-Coconut Oil Information

We posted earlier this summer about the "Coconut Oil Craze", but we thought we would share what the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics (AND) has to say about coconut oil.  Here is a quote from their article, "The bottom line?  Skip food products that contain partially hydrogenated coconut oil. Choose virgin coconut oil and use it in moderation. Despite emerging research, the recommendation is still to limit your total saturated fat intake".  Read the rest of the article for health profile information and how to use coconut oil HERE.

2013 Indianapolis Area Farmers Markets

Binford Farmers Market: Saturday mornings 9a-1p

Broad Ripple Farmers Market: Saturday mornings 8a-Noon

Carmel Farmers Market: Saturday mornings 8a-11:30a

Fishers Farmers Market: Saturday mornings 8a-Noon

Indianapolis Original Farmers Market: Wednesdays 9:30a-1:30p

Noblesville Farmers Market: Saturdays 8a-12:30p

Zionsville Farmers Market: Saturday mornings 8a-11a

Avon Farmers Market: Tuesdays 4-7p

Plainfield Farmers Market: Wednesdays 4-7p

Brownsburg Farmers Market: Thursdays 4:30-7:30p


FYI, the Westfield Farmers Market has been cancelled for the 2013 season.

Decoding Whole White Wheat Bread

After discussion in one of our On-Going Practice classes at one of our Indianapolis locations this week, we decided to research "whole grain white bread".  The first place we went was the Whole Grains Council website as they are the experts on whole grains.  What we found was intriguing and exciting at the same time!

Turns out the whole grain white bread is made from a completely different strain of wheat (white wheat) than traditional wheat (red wheat).  They suggest calling it "albino wheat" as the bran of the white wheat is lighter in color (hence the lighter/whiter bread color).  In addition to the lighter/whiter color, the flavor is also more mild compared to red wheat which makes it more appealing to people.  As far as nutrition, 'experts consider them to be the same' since this white wheat contains all three components that form a whole grain: the germ, endosperm & bran.  

So, there you have it-go ahead and indulge in the whole grain white bread as often as you wish as it is nutritionally the same with fiber + whole grains as 'red wheat whole grain bread' & appeals to the texture of white bread lovers everywhere! Remember to always check the ingredient list for "100% whole grain" or "whole grain wheat flour" and avoid breads that are labeled with "enriched" or "bleached flour" as those are not whole grains.  

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For the complete Q+A about white wheat from the Whole Grains Council, click HERE.

Cool Whip/Whipped toppings: light, fat free, or sugar free? Which is best?

After the last post about strawberries, it is only appropriate to discuss whipped toppings-a topping commonly used in strawberry dishes.  Which is best regular, light, fat free or sugar free...that is the question. We made a chart to compare not only calories, fat and sugar, but also to compare the ingredients in the products.  Check it out below:

image sources: Cool Whip, Reddi Wip

What does all this mean?  All of the Cool Whips are 15-25 calories/2 tbsp while the Fat-Free Reddi Wip is 5 calories/2 tbsp.  The Regular Cool Whip has more sugar and fat (which is expected) than any of the others compared.  The Sugar-Free Cool Whip and Fat-Free Reddi Wip has less sugar and the Fat-Free Cool Whip and Fat-Free Reddi Wip has less fat than the others.  By calories, fat and sugar alone, the Fat-Free Reddi Wip wins big. 

Looking at the ingredients, water is the first ingredient in all the Cool Whips while cream (imagine that) is the first ingredient in the Fat-Free Reddi Wip.  Note: the Regular Cool Whip has cream, but it is the 6th ingredient listed on the label.  Remember, the ingredients are listed in order of amounts that are actually in the product.  So, the higher on the list the more of it the product contains.  Each of the Cool Whips contain corn syrup (a source of sugar), hydrogenated vegetable oil (trans fat), and high fructose corn syrup (a source of sugar) while the Fat-Free Reddi Wip does not have any hydrogenated vegetable oil or high fructose corn syrup.

The bottom line: The Fat-Free Reddi Wip wins in all categories and is the best choice to top your strawberries this season based on calories, fat, sugar & ingredients.  You can find it in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, unlike Cool Whip which is located in the freezer section.  

It's Strawberry Season!

May is the start of strawberry season here in Indiana.  The best strawberries are from local patches because they are fresh off the vine.  In Indiana, there are strawberry patches all over the state.  Some even have "u-pick" patches, where you come and pick your own.  These are more budget friendly than just buying from the farmer's stand because you have to do a little work for them!

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We love strawberries! Why? Because 1 cup of sliced strawberries is only 50 calories, contains 3 grams of fiber & 90 mg vitamin C (75-90 mg needed per day). Hey, what a great snack!  Add to your Strawberry Health One Meal Replacement + water + ice for a strawberry shake or on top of a Vanilla Health One Meal Replacement one by one with a little light cool whip for a nice summer treat.  Or, you could get really into it and make your own sugar-free strawberry freezer jam to use as an additive to the Health One or your morning 100% whole grain toast.

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What do we recommend?  Heading to a local patch to pick some strawberries.  The Indianapolis area has a few locations just outside the city.  Here are the farms that we know of and please share any that you know of that grow strawberries. 

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• Noblesville, IN: Spencer Farm

• Hagerstown, IN (east of Indy): Bell's Strawberry Farm

• Greenwood/South Indy, IN: Waterman's Family Farm

Once you have your strawberries, meal plan them in for breakfast, lunch, dinner and/or snack to help you get your 2 full cups of fruit in each day. 

Hot Topic: The Coconut Oil Craze

A couple of the registered dietitians on staff have been getting questions about coconut oil and people raving about using it for making soaps, cosmetics & in food preparation! So, we decided to research a bit on the oil to see if there was any new research that we had missed.  

As dietitians, we know that coconut oil is very high in saturated fat.  Looking at the chart below it happens to be ~91% saturated fat-the oil that contains the most saturated fat!  It contains some myristic fatty acids ("heart healthy"), but more lauric fatty acids ("heart unfriendly") which stirs the controversy on whether this should be touted as something to add to ones meal plan.  Potential health benefits include weight loss, cures Alzheimer's, reduces diabetes/regulate blood sugar, increases bone and dental health by improving calcium absorption, etc....but as stated above they are POTENTIAL.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends "limiting saturated fat intake to less than 7% of total daily calories" and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that "saturated fats have been linked to chronic disease, specifically coronary heart disease".  Both claims have been supported by many research studies with outcomes that are statistically significant linking saturated fat intake with increased risk for heart disease due to raising the levels of LDL or "bad" cholesterol.

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The findings so far on coconut oil are intriguing at best, but the research can not support claims that it is harmful or beneficial.  Additionally, there is increased interest in the oil because it is plant based and many think it can have beneficial plant chemicals, but those have yet to be discovered, states Harvard's own Dariush Mozaffarian MD, DrPH. 

Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD of Penn State University states that coconut oil is better than butter and trans fats but not as good as liquid vegetable oils.  What she means is that coconut oil, a saturated fat, is better than other saturated fats and trans fats, but is NOT better than oils such as canola or olive oil. Even though this particular type of oil is cholesterol free, because it is plant derived, it is still majority saturated fat and therefore should be limited in consumption.  

Fats that are often encouraged are "heart healthy" because they raise HDL "good" cholesterol and lower LDL "bad" cholesterol.  Those fats are made up of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and are found in vegetable oils such as canola or olive oil (see chart for compositions high in PUFA's & MUFA's), fatty fish, nuts or avocado.  

The research suggest that coconut oil can be included in a persons meal plan, but should be done in moderation (less than 7% of total calories) until further research concludes health benefits.  Remember that one food will not make or break your meal plan, it is what your overall dietary pattern provides that can tell the real story.  Be aware of those who tout certain nutrients or foods as "health life savers" as those have done with coconut oil recently. 

Hot Topic: Exercise with a Hula Hoop

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The hula hoop-you know the plastic and sometimes glitter blasted ring that children use to play outside?  It has been the latest exercise craze!  Have you tried it in a while?  It has been years for me & I'm not sure I could actually sustain it long enough to call it exercise...but apparently some do.  A quick Google search brings up 192,000 hits when searching "hula hoop workouts".  Now that's a lot of information.  This 'new' form of exercise is touted as being FUN! That is something that all our exercise or physical activity should be.  Finding ways to incorporate the things that you love doing into physical activity is the golden pathway to a more active lifestyle.  That means that the hula hoop may not be for everyone.  But for those still interested here are a few info tidbits:

• Start by using a regular child-like hula hoop and when you get the technique down, start using a weighted hula hoop. You can find them online or in sports stores across the nation.  Just look at all THESE hoops! They even have a "travel hoop" that breaks down to increase portability!

Travel Hula Hoop Image Source 

• Read about hula hoop workouts and determine if you would like to do it at home or in a gym setting.  
• Real Simple has an online guideline to hula hooping
• Find an instructor HERE
• Benefits include: increased torso flexibility, core strength, inches lost around the waist
• Like any other exercise, you must be consistent to see results

If you are looking for a different way to get in your physical activity this might be just the type of activity you have been looking for! Let us know what you think after you try it!

Meet HNT Indiana's Intern: Brittany LoCoco

Meet Brittany LoCoco. She is majoring in Dietetics at Purdue and will graduate in May.  She started her college career at IU majoring in Exercise Science with the hopes of becoming a Physical Therapist.  She was required to take an introduction nutrition class and fell in love!  Upon her decision to transfer to Purdue she switched to Dietetics and has been following her passion ever since.  She has gotten a lot of grief for transferring from IU to Purdue, but says it was the best decision she could have made.  While at Purdue she was able to pursue her passion of nutrition and meet her future husband, Tyler.  

After graduating and becoming a Registered Dietitian, she would like to work in weight management.  More specifically, she desires to help people live long, happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives.  Brittany enjoys cooking, experimenting with new recipes, reading, traveling and spending time with friends, family, and my fiancé.  Avocados are her favorite food and she will eat them with almost anything.  She is a strong believer in fitting any foods into a healthful diet because moderation is key!  

Top Reason To Use a Food Scale

There are many food scales out there that have a million different functions from weighing food to breaking down the nutritional components (ie. number of carbohydrates, etc).  While the extra functions are worth while, the top reason to use a food scale is to be able to figure calories, especially if you are looking for weight loss.  Even though the extra functions may be beneficial to some, we teach our patients to utilize a food scale for most foods to determining calories.  

Take a banana for example.  If you look a banana up in any calorie book it will say size: medium calories: x.  Someone please tell me what a medium sized banana is! My medium is different from your medium and the book may say 6-7" but not all bananas are the same girth.  The way to solve this problem is to weigh the banana and calculate the number of calories per ounce or gram and then the number of calories for the entire banana.  A much more accurate way to take a measurement.  We know estimating is key, but we are not always good estimators if we don't have reference for which we are estimating.  Bananas being easy to travel with and one of the more popular fruits are also one of the most calorie-dense fruits.  If we underestimate and consume a lot of them, we could be making a very inaccurate estimate.  This inaccuracy becomes a real problem when it happens over and over again or with foods that can be higher in calories like meat. 

We recommend a standard digital scale that you can get at any department store for around $20-$30 like this one below.  However, if you look HERE, there are a million different types and styles. 

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Use the National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference to assist you in your quest for accurately measuring calories.  The example in the link is the banana.  The gram measurements are much more accurate than size measurements.  

April is Cancer Control Month

Do you know your risk? Do you know how to manage that risk?  The key to surviving cancer is early detection.  There are 5 types of cancer that have recommended screenings: breast, cervical, colorectal, prostate, and skin. 

Recommended Screenings Include:

Breast Cancer: 

• Mammogram: Every year beginning at age 40
• Clinical Breast Exam: Every 3 years for women in 20's & 30's. Every year beginning at age 40
• Breast Self-Exam: Beginning in 20's

Cervical Cancer:

• Pap Test: Every year for women age 21-65 (or younger if sexually active)

Colorectal Cancer:

• Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT): Every year beginning at age 50
• Flexible Sigmoidoscopy: Every 5 years beginning at age 50
• Double Contrast Baruim Enema (DCBE): Every 5 years beginning at age 50
• Colonosopy: Every 10 years beginning at age 50

Prostate Cancer: 

• Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Blood Test: Men ages 50+, high risk should start at age 45
• Digital Rectal Exam (DRE): Men ages 50+, high risk should start at age 45

Skin Cancer:

• Clinical Skin Exam: Every 3 years from ages 20-40, Every year ages 40+

Click HERE for some dietary and activity tips from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to reduce the risk of cancer.  Are you already doing the recommended screenings to help prevent cancer for your age?  If not, get at least one on the calendar.

The HNT Staff

Health One Meal Replacement Car Survival Kit

Many of our patients are busy and have hectic schedules as many Americans typically do.  Being organized and having a plan to be successful is something we think is important in life, but also important when you are making a lifestyle change.  

One important component to our program is meal planning.  Meal plans are set up individually, but most will utilize the Health One Meal Replacements    In order to be successful and organized some patients have used a Health One Meal Replacement Survival Kit.  This kit is comprised of the things necessary to be able to meet your meal plan requirements if you are in a bind or need a back up plan.  For example, you are traveling out of town and have packed for the allotted time, but then your car breaks down or you get stuck in traffic or are delayed an extra day.  This is when the "survival kit" really comes in handy, but it could also be very useful in ordinary situations too. 

A Health One Meal Replacement Survival Kit can be tailored to the individual needs.  Different people desire different flavors; therefore there is not a one-size-fits-all kit.  Here is a list of suggested items to have in your Health One Meal Replacement Survival Kit, but feel free to modify the list below to meet your needs!

• A plastic shoe box container with lid (as seen below)-found under $5 at big box stores or even the dollar stores
• 5-10 packets, variety of the flavors of the Health One Meal Replacement that you enjoy
• 2-16 oz. bottled water
• 3 plastic or foam disposable bowls
• 10 disposable spoons
• Blender Ball Bottle or another type of shaker to "blend" the meal replacement and water
• Items for additives:
• PB2
• Mrs. Dash-to use as an additive
• No Sugar Added Peach Cups
• Sugar-Free Fat Free Pudding powder
• extracts
• other spices



Plastic Shoe Box Container (Image Source)

 PB 2 Peanut Butter Substitute (Image Source)

Bottled Water (Image Source)

Blender Bottle or another type of shaker (Image Source)

Plastic or Foam Bowls (Image Source)

Plastic Spoons (Image Source)

Mrs. Dash Spices/Seasonings (Image Source)

No Sugar Added Peach Cups (Image Source)

Once you have your kit established, place it in your car or take it with you where ever you go.  That way if you are ever in a bind and need a meal you can whip out your kit and make the following:

• A quick shake: 1 MR + PB2 or another additive (extract), pudding, etc. with 8 oz. water in blender bottle.  If a gas station is near, add ice!
• A quick 1x1: Mix in disposable bowl with disposable spoon 1 MR + PB2 or another additive such as an extract or pudding, etc with water that makes a batter consistency. Eat uncooked OR find the nearest gas station and use their microwave for FREE! 1 minute in the microwave & you have a quick, hot meal.  
• Peach Cobbler: Mix in disposable bowl with disposable spoon 1 Vanilla MR + the entire contents of one container of the 'no sugar added peach cups' until all is incorporated.  Microwave at a gas station for 2 minutes & sprinkle with cinnamon (if available in your kit).  

Be sure to keep your kit stocked regularly with the items you use most...this will ensure that you are not lacking something you need when the time comes!  Have you made a Health One Meal Replacement Survival Kit?  If so, we would love to hear what you have in yours.  

Food Labels: Health Claims vs. Marketing

There are 3 different claims that you might find on a food and nutrition label of any food product on the market.  They are 1) Health Claims, 2) Structure/Function Claims, and 3) Nutrient Content Claims.  These claims are regulated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).  

Last week we blogged on Nutrient Content Claims, so it only seemed appropriate to do a quick blog on health claims. The FDA states that health claims 'describe a relationship between a food, food component, or dietary supplement ingredient, and reducing risk of a disease or health-related condition'. A health claim has 2 parts: 1) some kind of substance (ie. food, food product or dietary ingredient) & 2) a disease or health related condition (ie. high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, etc).  

An example of a health claim might be "diets high in calcium may reduce the risk of osteoporosis" or "diets low in dietary fat may reduce the risk of some cancers".  Calcium and low dietary fat have been studied over the years and the conclusive evidence from research suggests that they reduce the risk of the stated above.  The FDA has certain requirements that these claims must maintain.  Read HERE for a complete list of health claims and their requirements.  

As you can see these claims are regulated and have evidence to back them up.  Therefore, they are appropriate for the consumer to know and so they are appropriate to be placed on the label of a food product. If a consumer is interested in reducing their risk of osteoporosis, knowing that the products they are deciding between will or will not help them in that goal is important to purchasing a product.  

On the other hand, there are claims that the manufacture places on the label that are not regulated by the FDA.  These claims are simply marketing claims.  They grab your attention and try to make you think you NEED a product based on the claim being marketed and a lot of times they are successful in doing so.  However, the research and evidence to back them up is not there! Be aware of these statements-they are traps to get you to buy their product.  Here is a short list of "marketing claims" that manufacturers use to get your money!

• Doctor-recommended
• Eco-friendly
• Energy
• Green
• Naturally raised, naturally grown
• Natural (except for the term's regulated use on meat and poultry)
• High-quality
• Local
• No additives
• Sustainable
• Wholesome

The food label and design, along with the claims, can be very eye-catching and persuasive when deciding between products, but you must be careful what "catchy" images or words make you purchase a product.  Think through and know the difference between something that is helpful in knowing and something that is just there to encourage you to purchase a product! Those marketers are good...but we can outsmart them if we understand what they are doing!

  

What Does THAT Mean on the Food Label?

The food label provides a plethora of information that most Americans can only dream about understanding.  What they do understand is something that grabs their attention whether it is the color, images or design on the product container.  In addition to the design, the words can also provide a reason to choose a product over another.  Phrases like "lower calorie", "good source of", and "fat-free" are at the top when it comes to grabbing the consumers attention when they are deciding between similar products. 

What are those phrases and what do they mean?  They are "nutrient claims" that are regulated by the FDA and must meet certain requirements in order to be noted on a products' package/container. Read on HERE in an article by the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics to find out what the requirements are for the claims that you see most often.     

Do you see the claim in the picture below?  (hint: reduced fat)

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Happy Valentine's Day

Show yourself some love by making this year's V-Day special with festive Health One Chocolate Brownies using a heart shaped muffin pan.  This is a creative way to spice up your meal and make your meals fun!  If you happen to make this a reality this year...send us (rstandeford@hntindiana.com) a picture! We would love to see them.

Brownies & Icing

4 Packets Chocolate HEALTH ONE

1 Tbsp Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding

1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

1 Tbsp. Splenda^®

1 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Baking Powder

3 Tbsp. Fat Free Cream Cheese

¾ cup Water

Mix ingredients together. Bake in 8x8 pan at 350° for 25 minutes.

Icing:

3 Tbsp Fat Free Cream Cheese

8 tsp. Splenda^®

1 Tbsp. Vanilla extract

Cocoa powder to taste

Butter extract to creaminess

Spread over brownies while it’s still warm.

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Thinking About a Salad? Think Twice when for Weight Loss or Maintenance

The salad has We hear it all the time, "I ate a salad" or "I chose to get the salad bar instead of what I normally get", etc.  Chances are if you are trying to watch your weight you have said something similar.  Google provides this definition of salad: 

sal·ad  

/ˈsaləd/

Noun A cold dish of various mixtures of raw or cooked vegetables, usually seasoned with oil, vinegar, or other dressing: "a green salad". A mixture containing a specified ingredient dressed with mayonnaise: "tuna salad". The salad has been around for a long, long time.  We're talking since the beginning of time when people gathered edible leaves as part of their meal plan. However, the salad we know today is not just edible greens! That would mean that the salad would consist of greens such as Romaine, Iceberg, Kale, Spinach, etc with little seasoning and a rather low calorie snack or meal.   Today, the calories in a salad has not only grown due to increased portion sizes, but also due to the number of non-vegetable additional toppings. Because of the increase in calories, the salad may not always be the first and best option for weight loss or weight maintenance.  A salad can be a great option if you think twice about the amount and type of toppings that you add.   Toppings to GO ahead and include these vegetables/herbs: snow peas green/red/yellow/orange peppers tomatoes carrots broccoli cauliflower mushrooms green beans cucumbers zucchini asparagus beets artichoke hearts peas radishes onions salsa basil/mint/chives/parsley/dill Toppings to CONSIDER, but not get carried away with include fruits (remember fruits have calories too!): pears mandarin oranges apples cherries grapes  strawberries pomegranate Toppings to CONSIDER if you desire more lean protein: low-fat or no-fat cottage cheese grilled chicken canned tuna baked fish ground turkey, cooked egg whites tofu edamame/hummus Toppings to LIMIT if you desire tasty salad, but want to limit calories: cheese avocado croutons dried fruit sunflower seeds sesame seeds other seeds nuts/water chestnuts salad dressing (creamy, oil based) *Ask for on the side to dip fork crispy noodles  pasta high calorie meats: those that are cooked in oil or fried Instead of this: Image Source Choose something that looks like this: Image Source

A veggie-filled salad will yield fewer calories and provide fullness unlike no other salad you could make AND you will be happy with your choice of building a salad that IS considered a good option for weight loss or weight maintenance!

Indianapolis, IN Running Events for ALL Stages of Fitness

Accountability is huge when it comes to weight loss, but it's also important to have accountability for physical activity.  One form of accountability is to sign up for a local walk/run event. These events, races or runs, whatever you call them, are tons of fun because there are loads of people there to encourage you along the way.  Sign up with a friend and make it a social event too!  

Most events are for charitable causes where the small entry fee is a donation.  Even with a little investment, the accountability is higher than no investment to keep the commitment to participate.  

The first few months of 2013 are packed with events on the calendar.  Below are a few for the first few months, but click HERE for more details & and all inclusive list of events around and in the Indianapolis area to keep you accountable.  You could realistically sign up for one or more events each month to keep you on track with your physical activity goals!

2/3/13: Groundhog 7 (7 miles) A free race, can good donations are welcome to benefit Gleaners Food Bank
2/16/13: Be My Valentine 5K run/walk. All proceeds go to Friends of Garfield Park
2/23/13: Polar Bear 3 or 5 mile in downtown Indianapolis
3/9/13: Spring Fling 2103 5K run/fitness walk in Plainfield, IN
3/16/13: Shamrock Run/Walk 4 miles. Benefits Indy Sports Foundation; downtown Indianapolis
4/13/13: Family Run/Walk 5K. Benefits Peyton Manning Children's Hospital, Indianapolis, IN
4/28/13: Best Buddies 5K. Benefits Best Buddies Indiana High School and College Programs.  Indianapolis

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Worst Celebrity Diets for 2013

Americans aren't the only ones looking for lots of fast weight loss!  The Brits too desire this.  The British Dietetic Association, a sister association of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, has announced the top 5 worst celebrity diets for 2013.  After reading the list, it is ridiculous to think that one would actually try one of them, but the reality is there will be a lot of people who do as a "last" result for trying to lose weight.  

Here are the top 5 & our comments on each.  To get full information or read the original article click here. 

5. The 6 Weeks to OMG Diet: this includes ridiculous, limited-research suggested routines such as drinking black coffee in the morning and taking cold baths to delaying breakfast until 10 am, excluding snacks, & removing fruit from your eating plan.  This type of plan is not realistic long term and even if followed in the short term may not even present you with the results you are looking to achieve.  

4. Alcorexia/Drunkorexia Diet: just as it says...starving yourself during the day to "save" calories for your nightly drinking habit.  This is an unhealthy way to fulfill the calories you need in a day and with out a doubt you are fueling your body with zero nutrition.  Not to mention toxic levels of alcohol and recommendations for alcohol consumption being "in moderation".

3. "Party Girl" IV Drip Diet: traditional IV drips are used in hospitals to help the malnourished and ill by providing them with the nutrition they need.  Celebrities are now paying for these sort of drips to prevent them from feeling "run down".  There isn't any evidence or research that concludes that this is effective or a safe means for weight loss or gaining nutrition. 

2. The KEN (Ketogenic Enteral Nutrition) Diet: another "diet" that is traditionally used for patients who are unable to eat "regular/grocery store food" due to a severe illness, disease or another chronic condition.  Who would have thought that any one would try this outrageous method of wearing an NG (naso-gastric tube) tube that allows liquid nutrition to automatically pump into your stomach throughout the day to try to lose weight?  So, wearing a pump with a hose down your nose is the latest and greatest to weight loss?  I'm not sure I would consider that true.  

1. Dukan Diet: The most popular of the "worst" diets includes many phases & confusing directions that would lead anyone to go crazy! Not to mention, completely excluding food groups that can lead to lack of proper nutrition.  This makes it hard to do long term and thus why it is a diet (short term) and many move on to another to achieve the results they are looking for elsewhere.  

The bottom line, diets are short term and will provide short term, if any at all, results that will lead one to another diet.  For more information on "Staying Away from Fad Diets" click here.  Choose wisely the plan that is best for you and be sure that you consult a Registered Dietitian to provide you with the information you need to make a sound decision when joining or doing anything to lose weight.  Our staff consists of several Registered Dietitians that can get you on track with weight loss.  We are happy to help at any time.  Call our office 317-489-4817 or email us at info@hntindiana.com to get any questions you have answered! 

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Your Medical Chart; Does it include Physical Activity?

Do you participate in activity?  Physical activity that is or movement of your body parts. If so, do you know how many minutes you do each day or on a weekly basis? Do you know what is recommended?

If the answer to all these questions is "no", then you might be surprised or taken back when your doctor asks you report the number of physical activity minutes you are doing. The Associated Press came out with this article stating that there is a push for doctors to record this type of information as a vital sign (blood pressure, pulse, etc).  Reporting and recording it is just as important as a persons blood pressure and that it is of higher concern than most people would typically think for physical activity.

The guideline for Americans age 18-64 for physical activity is at least 150 minutes per week.  "Adults gain most of these health benefits when they do the equivalent of at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity (2 hours and 30 minutes) each week. Adults gain additional and more extensive health and fitness benefits with even more physical activity. Muscle-strengthening activities also provide health benefits and are an important part of an adults overall physical activity plan." ~2008 Physical Activity Guidelines from the Department of Health and Human Services.  

We promote physical activity and encourage all of our patients to increase the number of minutes they are doing physical activity each week.  This might be increasing from 0 minutes to 5 minutes per day of intentional physical activity.  Whether or not this is something that you will see from your doctors office in the future or not, it is definitely proven that those who participate in regular physical activity are healthier than those who do not. 

Start now by increasing your minutes that you are active each day by setting a timer 5 times per day to take a 5 minute walk or getting up to walk around the office every hour.  Even a little improvement is worth the benefit!

Major Company Coca-Cola Addressing Obesity in Commercials

Have you caught the commercials yet?  Coca-Cola has gotten a lot of negative press as part of the "problem" as the U.S. obesity rate has continued to rise.  In hopes to combat this negative press, they are airing several commercials about obesity and how they are helping to solve this problem.  Coca-Cola's arguments: 

-They have 180 low & no-calorie drinks
-Works to produce better-tasting low calorie sweeteners
-They have introduced a smaller can size

The increased press is most likely due to the upcoming New York City soda ban (larger than 16 ounces) in movie theaters, stadiums, etc.

Read more about this HERE.

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Indianapolis Area Health & Wellness Fairs

Health is our #1 priority for our weight loss patients, but we also promote health for those who are not our patients.  Awareness is a very powerful tool when it comes to achieving and sustaining optimal health because without awareness it is not possible to have optimal health.  Awareness simply means "having knowledge of".  If you don't have "knowledge of" your health then you are not aware. 

A great, inexpensive way to become aware of your health status is to attend a health and/or wellness fair.  Many times they will offer free screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, skin cancer, bone density, etc just for attending.  These screenings are one way to make awareness and therefore health a priority.  The Indianapolis area has a few health and wellness fairs on the calendar already and those are listed below.  Some make you pre-register others do not.  Check out the information necessary to make your health a priority.  If you don't know it's "under the weather" or broken, you can fix it or prevent it from becoming broken! Take your health in your hands today!

Saturday 1/19/2013
Women's Health & Wellness Event: Riverview Hospital, Noblesville
8:00 am-12:00 pm
Women's Pavilion (Entrance #11)
To register call: 317-776-7999

*FREE Screenings at the event include: cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure; skin cancer; pap screening
*Additional screenings (not FREE) include: dexa bone density screening, CT calcium heart scan, screening mammogram

For more information on the event: click HERE

Saturday & Sunday 4/27-28/2013
WTHR Health & Fitness Expo: Indiana State Fairgrounds Expo Hall
Click here to stay tuned for all the details. 


Saturday & Sunday 4/27-28/2013
LAC Women Expo:  Castleton Square Mall
Click here to stay tuned for all the details.

Look for the dates TBA for these fairs that have been in the Indianapolis area in the past:
-Women, Wisdom & Wellness Fair Presented by St. Vincent Women's Services and hosted by WFYI
-St. Vincent Carmel Hospital Women's Event (FREE to attend)
-Indiana Latino Health Fair

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The Post Holiday or New Year "Diet" Trend

Now is the time! The time to jump on board with a new year's resolution in hopes of keeping it throughout the year.  According to statisticsbrain.com, losing weight was the #1 new year's resolution and "staying fit & healthy" was ranked #5 in 2012.  Here are a few more stats from statisticsbrain.com:

-45% of Americans usually make new years resolutions
-8% successful in achieving their resolutions
-24% never succeed and fail on their resolution each year

It's interesting that "lose weight" is the #1 new years resolution, but it's not surprising since the overweight/obesity trend in America is rising each year.  Why is this?  Plain and simply answered...over consumption.  Americans are eating too much; too many calories that is.  And the new year falls on the heals of the major 6 week, "over consumption period of time", beginning with thanksgiving.  So, Americans spend 6 weeks (or more) eating too many calories then they decide to make a goal or resolution to lose weight.  Great idea if they are the 8% who are successful in achieving their resolutions, but not so good when it means another fad diet ending in starvation and disappointing results. 

What Americans really need is a reliable program that will provide them with the necessary tools to make lifestyle changes.  

life·style noun (ˈlīf-ˈstī(-ə)l): the typical way of life of an individual, group, or culture;  a particular way of living:the way a person lives or a group of people live 1
 

Trying each year to participate in a short term diet or short term stint at the gym to accomplish weight loss is not the key.  The key is participating in changes that you can do for the rest of your life (all year round; including holidays, get togethers, etc.).  Those are considered "lifestyle" changes. When a person is able to make lifestyle changes that they can do ALL year around and not just the first 6 weeks of a new year, this is when they are successful in achieving their goal of weight maintenance or weight loss. 

 

HNT is that reliable program to provide quick weight loss results (that's what you want) while meeting nutritional needs (that's what our registered dietitians and other health professionals on staff want) as you learn the tools you need in order to make the necessary lifestyle changes. 

 

The idea of weight loss is simple....if you overeat or eat too many calories at some point you must compesate by eating fewer calories.  Otherwise you will gain weight if you continue to eat too many calories-as many Americans do each year.  Did you catch that?  I said the "idea" or "concept" of weight loss is "simple".  I didn't say actually "DOING" it was! That is why we are here to help-it's our job!

 

We are here when you are ready.  Call 317.489.4817 for more information on how you can break the cycle of creating the same new years resolution each year and not being able to be successful.  Come to one of our FREE orientations to get started.  

Health One Meal Replacement Recipes

Here are 3 recipes from patients who are currently using the Health One Meal Replacement.  These are staples in their meal plan and are all very easy to make! We hope you enjoy.

Lemon Muffin Tops (L. Gillespie)

6 Packets Vanilla HEALTH ONE

6 Tbsp. Lemon Cake Mix

1 Tbsp. Lemon Crystal Light Powder (more or less to taste)  

Stir all dry ingredients with water to make thick lemon flavored batter.  Grease muffin top pans and bake at 325-350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. 

Chocolate Muffin Tops (L. Gillespie)

6 Packets Chocolate HEALTH ONE

6 Tbsp. Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

6 Tbsp. Sugar-free Chocolate Syrup

Add water to make batter consistency. Pour into greased muffin top pan and bake at 350 degrees for 13 minutes.

Carrot Custard ( K. Kimmel; recipe from No Longer a Grim Girl)

1 Packets Vanilla HEALTH ONE
½ Tbsp. Splenda
¼ tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Cinnamon
1 Tbsp.  Butter Buds (liquid)
3 Tbsp.  Egg Beaters
1 Tbsp. Water
¼ tsp. Vanilla
¼ c. sliced carrots
Butter Flavored Cooking Spray
Optional:  2 tablespoons Fat Free Whipped Topping - 15 calories

Mix dry ingredients then add liquid ingredients and mix well.  Cook carrots until soft, mash with a fork and then mix mashed carrots into the batter.  Spray two 3-inch ramekins with cooking spray, pour ½ the mixture in each ramekin.  Place ramekins into a baking dish and pour boiling water into the baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from baking dish and cool.  Run a thin knife around the edge of the custard and turn out of the ramekins.  Chill in refrigerator.  Optional: serve with a bit of whipped topping.