Wednesday, March 16, 2011
OOOOps
I meant to share this with you as well, I think it is funny and a true look at what has happened.
YAY!
There is so much to be happy about at the moment I have just landed a new job that will provide me with all that grown up stuff like a steady pay check, insurance and other benefits.AMAZING! Some of the most amazing people I know are celebrating up coming birthdays and some people who are close to me are getting good news on their health, PLUS it's finally warming up. What could be better? Well I will tell you.....At one of my facilities yesterday it was the managers birthday, one of the technicians thought it would be nice to bring in a cake for her from one of the major grocery stores in the area. Picture the scene nurses, techs, dietitians and administrative are all hovering around a cake remarking on how delicious it smells. They cut into it and dig in, (I could not have any cause I gave it up for lent) as you look around they are all eating it and out of the corner of the room the assistant hollars "This aint right, y'all" they all fess up that something was tasting odd, upon further inspection it turned out that a jokester at the grocery store had frosted a shoot of corn bread and passed it as a white cake with white frosting. Now we can not officially comment on whether this was intentional or accidental but who care, it was funny!
This week I went grocery shopping for the first time in a long time and because I have given up white flour for lent I decided it would be a great time to try out other breads, I bought brown rice bread. It is interesting very dense and a bit grainy, but the taste is there, I am sure it is good if you toast it. I think that trying different breads gives me a good idea of what some of my patients my try. This gave me an insight on to what is available for out gluten free friends.
This week I went grocery shopping for the first time in a long time and because I have given up white flour for lent I decided it would be a great time to try out other breads, I bought brown rice bread. It is interesting very dense and a bit grainy, but the taste is there, I am sure it is good if you toast it. I think that trying different breads gives me a good idea of what some of my patients my try. This gave me an insight on to what is available for out gluten free friends.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Shop Shop Shop...
As I am working on my food journal, it appears Fat Tuesday was quite fat for me. I am also continuing to work on saving from the grocery store, which imagine my surprise when Men's Health had an article out this morning about "How to Save Money at the Grocery Store". And it included advice I have been telling people so two things this morning 1. eating healthy and saving money is possible, 2. I apparently did learn something in school and even better retained it.
So here are some tips on eating healthy and saving some money:
1. shop the perimeter, everything you need in your diet, protein, vegetables and grains are along the perimeter of the grocery store, think about it, the dairy section, butcher, bakery and produce all along the edges, whats in the middle? Junk, processed shelf stable foods.
2. As E! news would say "get familiar" with the labels , whole grain means maintaining the nutrients, multiple grain just means more than one
3. the fewer ingredients the best and if you can't pronounce half of what your eating be cautious, also if you get a product like guacomole and the first ingredient is not avocado, look elsewhere.
4. think of your nutrition as an investment so maybe you spend an extra few dollars on fresh produce and whole grains, you will save on blood pressure pills, doctor visits and other health care related costs down the line. Don't wait to be in nutritional debt before acting! Proactive isn't just for your skin!
So here are some tips on eating healthy and saving some money:
1. shop the perimeter, everything you need in your diet, protein, vegetables and grains are along the perimeter of the grocery store, think about it, the dairy section, butcher, bakery and produce all along the edges, whats in the middle? Junk, processed shelf stable foods.
2. As E! news would say "get familiar" with the labels , whole grain means maintaining the nutrients, multiple grain just means more than one
3. the fewer ingredients the best and if you can't pronounce half of what your eating be cautious, also if you get a product like guacomole and the first ingredient is not avocado, look elsewhere.
4. think of your nutrition as an investment so maybe you spend an extra few dollars on fresh produce and whole grains, you will save on blood pressure pills, doctor visits and other health care related costs down the line. Don't wait to be in nutritional debt before acting! Proactive isn't just for your skin!
Monday, March 7, 2011
The teacher becomes the student
Recently I have experienced a new outlook on diet and diet direction. I have had a family member who has been placed on a salt/fluid restriction. In my daily professional life I have often counseled people on these and other diet restrictions always reassuring them that I know this is a pain but it is for their better health. The new perspective of seeing a family member go through it has changed how I view nutrition and diets in general. As clinicians it is easy for us to give direction and ideas but don't really know the reality of our recommendations, Seeing first hand the challenges of cooking at home with no salt or the amount of consideration it takes when deciding if and where you can go out to eat has made me thought that the best way to continue to treat my patients would be to experience some of the advise that I dole out. The Teacher becomes the student. I often tell patients that to really see how to adjust their diet or where their trouble areas is it is best to keep a 3 day food diary trying to include 2 week days and a weekend day, you often eat differently on weekends than week days. SO I am going to do just this, but take it a step farther, I will do the whole week! I feel that I eat generally pretty healthy but when written down on paper I will be forced to the reality of how many pieces of cake or girl scout cookies I have eaten or how often I truly treat myself or eat out when in my head its only once in a great while. This will be able to give me first hand experience so that I have better educate my patients. Does anyone else give advice for something they haven't had first hand experience in?
Friday, March 4, 2011
Variety Friday!
Happy Friday to all and to all a good weekend!
Today is suppose to get up to about 60degrees which shows that spring will be here quite soon! With the weather warming up and getting tired of the hearty soups, chilli's and other heavy, stick to your bones kind of meals I have taken to the super market to see whats going on. I have expressed my love for trader joes many times but here it goes again, they were recently highlighted in Forbes magazine or was it Finance, don't remember (obviously not something I have a subscription to but found in a waiting room). It is owned and operated by the same company as Aldi with a German base but corporate is extremely private. Love it!
I am sure there will be more days up ahead where a warm soup will be desired (it is March in Chicago, you never know what you will get) but I have turned to protein and fruits.
Salsa is such a great compliment to main entrees, chicken, steaks, fish or pork. Drop the ketchup and mustard use salsa as a garnish and topping. And I'm not just talking tomatoes, cilantro, onion,jalapenos, garlic, and the usual suspects. My brother makes a mean red pepper and mango salsa. Black bean salsa is great on burgers and steaks, or go with peach salsa for your fish, chicken and other light meats. Not a meat eater? mix small chopped mango, apples, grapes, and bananas together with some cinnamon chips for a great dessert.
Salsa is just a vessel or idea, what you choose to put in it can be mixed up with your tastes and feelings that day.
Hope all enjoy the weekend, try something new, add a little variety!~
Today is suppose to get up to about 60degrees which shows that spring will be here quite soon! With the weather warming up and getting tired of the hearty soups, chilli's and other heavy, stick to your bones kind of meals I have taken to the super market to see whats going on. I have expressed my love for trader joes many times but here it goes again, they were recently highlighted in Forbes magazine or was it Finance, don't remember (obviously not something I have a subscription to but found in a waiting room). It is owned and operated by the same company as Aldi with a German base but corporate is extremely private. Love it!
I am sure there will be more days up ahead where a warm soup will be desired (it is March in Chicago, you never know what you will get) but I have turned to protein and fruits.
Salsa is such a great compliment to main entrees, chicken, steaks, fish or pork. Drop the ketchup and mustard use salsa as a garnish and topping. And I'm not just talking tomatoes, cilantro, onion,jalapenos, garlic, and the usual suspects. My brother makes a mean red pepper and mango salsa. Black bean salsa is great on burgers and steaks, or go with peach salsa for your fish, chicken and other light meats. Not a meat eater? mix small chopped mango, apples, grapes, and bananas together with some cinnamon chips for a great dessert.
Salsa is just a vessel or idea, what you choose to put in it can be mixed up with your tastes and feelings that day.
Hope all enjoy the weekend, try something new, add a little variety!~
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