What You Need to Know about Vitamin D!

Vitamin D is one of the hot topics in nutrition right now and the verdict is that we need more vitamin D in our diets! Vitamin D is known as the “sunshine vitamin” because your body can convert sunlight into vitamin D. This vitamin is especially important during the winter months because there is not a lot of sunlight during this time of year. Vitamin D aids in bone growth by maintaining blood concentrations of calcium and phosphorus and can help prevent the onset of osteoporosis. If you want to maintain good bone health, make sure you are getting adequate amounts of vitamin D in your diet. The best source of vitamin D is spending time in the natural sunlight, however during winter this is not practical, so drink some fortified milk to increase your intake!

That’s all I have for now,

Emily

Nutrition on a Budget

On a tight budget? No sweat, you can still have a balanced diet without going over your budget. Here are my tips.

The first thing you should do is sit down and figure out what meals you want to eat for the week. Planning one week at a time might seem tedious, but it could save you from wasting food if you change your mind. Figure out what you want for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. If you eat out, plan for this in your meal plan so you do not over buy. I usually start by looking at what I already have in my pantry or refrigerator to figure out what I want to eat for the week.

Next, make a shopping list. List only the items that you need and you can do this by referring to the meal plan you made. Again, check what you already have so you do not buy something you have in stock. At the store compare prices. The off brands are usually cheaper and are pretty much the same as the name brands so stick with those. Avoid buying junk food because those are empty calories that cost a lot extra.

Never go to the store hungry! If you are hungry you will buy with your stomach, not with your list. At the grocery store, compare the unit prices. The unit price is the price by weight or volume. Larger containers usually cost less per pound.

When buying meat, buy the large cuts, such as a whole chicken, and cut it yourself. Check out the manager’s specials if you plan to cook the meat that day because it might be the cheaper option. Remember, chicken and fish are the healthiest meats to buy.

If you do not drink milk often, buy organic. It costs more money than regular milk but has a longer shelf life. Buy nonfat dry milk for all of your cooking because it is cheaper. Purchase solid cheese and grate or slice the cheese yourself. Buy frozen vegetables because they will last longer and make sure you are buying the fruits and vegetables that are in season because they will be the best price. More expensive items are the convenience foods so try to stay away from those. At home, utilize your leftovers! You can eat leftovers that week or freeze them for later. Pack your lunch because it will be cheaper and more nutritious than eating out.

That’s all I have for now,

Emily

Tips When Reading a Nutrition Facts Label

Food labels can be tricky, but if you know how to read them the right way, it can help you eat better. Here are some tips when looking at the nutrition facts label.

Serving Size:

The suggested serving size is for an average portion. The rest of the label is based off of this serving size, not the total servings per container. Keep this in mind when looking at calories and fat because it will be for the individual serving listed, not the whole container. Try to eat only the serving size listed on the package to make sure you are portioning your meals properly.

Calories from Fat: 

Calories from fat should be 30% or less of your total daily calories. Look for foods with the fewest calories from fat.

Total Fat:

Total fat consists of saturated fat, trans fat, polyunsaturated fat, and monounsaturated fat. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are better for you than saturated fat and trans fat. Trans fat is the worst, so try and stay away from foods high in trans fat. The general rule is to keep your saturated fat under 10% of your daily calories.

Cholesterol:

The less cholesterol you consume the better! Try to eat less than 300 mg of cholesterol per day.

Sodium (Salt):

Try to consume products with little sodium. The recommendation is 1,500 mg/day, so try to stay around this number. If you do consume more than this value, try to not eat more than 2,300 mg/day of sodium.

Total Carbohydrates:

You want to look for products that are high in total carbohydrates and dietary fiber, but low in sugar. Carbohydrates can give you energy and foods high in fiber can help your digestive tract and can lower your cholesterol.

Protein:

Protein intake for adults is around 0.8 g/kg/body weight. You can take your weight in pounds divided by 2.2 to get your weight in kg and multiply that number by 0.8 to see how much protein you need per day.

Vitamins and Minerals:

These are usually listed in percentages. You need 100% of your daily vitamins and minerals. Try and choose foods with the highest values.

Ingredients:

Last but not least are the ingredients (which are not shown in the picture). Ingredients are listed by weight. This means that the first ingredient listed is the one used most in the product and so forth. You do not want to eat a product with sugar, butter, meat, cream cheese, oil, lard, or high fructose corn syrup listed as the first or second ingredient, because those products are probably high in fat and cholesterol.

One Last Tip:

When comparing food labels, try to focus on one thing at a time. If you want to lower fat in your diet then look for foods low in saturated and trans fat. Start by comparing the foods you normally eat, like different cereals or soups to see which one is better for you.

That’s all I have for now,

-Emily

Stay Away From Stress During Finals Week

Finals week is finally here and it is time to take everything you have learned this semester and cram it into one night of studying. If that isn’t stressful then I don’t know what is. Here are my tips to keep away from stress this week.

Eat Balanced Meals Throughout the Week

Just because it is finals week doesn’t mean you should change the way you eat. Try to eat 3 balanced meals every day. Avoid junk food like chips and candy and stay away from energy drinks and caffeine. While energy drinks and coffee can hype you up for a little while, it is not good to keep your body running on this short lasting energy. These drinks can dehydrate you, so make sure you are drinking plenty of water. Instead of grabbing that late night study break snack of a frozen pizza, try eating a piece of fruit or a peanut butter sandwich. These items will keep your stomach happy and your brain focused.

Do Something Fun and Relaxing Each Day

Each day of finals week try to take at least 30 minutes for yourself to do something fun. Take a walk or go to the Rec center to relieve stress. Listen to your favorite music or go out to lunch with a friend. My favorite stress reliever is trying out a new recipe! It is important to take a break from studying to relax your brain and it can help you relax before your final the next day.

Pre Final Meal

The night before your exam you should get plenty of sleep. You will perform better if you get more sleep compared to cramming all night or taking a two hour nap right before your exam. Before you take your final exam, eat a balanced breakfast. Fruit is the best because it can help your brain focus and keep you awake. It is said that an apple can work just as well as a cup of coffee in the morning! Right before you take your exam, pop in a breath mint. Mint is said to help your brain focus, especially right before taking a test.

Good Luck on Finals!

That’s all I have for now,

Emily

Everything You Need to Know about Organic Foods

Organic farming has been on the rise since 1990, but it is becoming more popular each day with sales over 20 billion dollars. The two main reasons consumers purchase organic food is the belief that it is healthier and safer than conventional foods. I have written two research papers on this debate so I will tell you what I have learned.

Are Organic Foods More Nutritious?

No! While Studies have shown that some organic fruits and vegetables can have more nutrients than conventional foods, it does not mean this is true. There are not many studies with results proving organic foods are more nutritious, and for every study that proves they are, there is another study proving they aren’t. This question it is still up for debate, but my answer is NO, they are no more nutritious than conventionally grown foods. Nutrition depends on many other factors such as weather, soil, storage, etc. So what does this mean for you? If you want to buy organic foods because you believe they are healthier, don’t because you are wasting your money.

Are Organic Foods Safer?

Yes and No! Studies have proven that organic foods have significantly less pesticides in them when compared to conventional foods. Now the question is, are pesticides harmful for our bodies? It is true that when exposed to large amounts of pesticides and other chemicals used to kill insects, it can cause health problems such as cancer. Typically the farmer who uses the pesticides is at risk for these potential health problems. With this being said, the amount of exposure the consumer gets through foods is not enough to be concerned.  Until otherwise proven, the pesticides you consume from conventional foods do not pose a risk to your health.

Is Organic Farming Better for Our Environment?

Yes! Organic farming does not use chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Additionally, to be considered organic, farmers cannot use growth hormones, antibiotics, and the products cannot be genetically modified or irradiated. Organic farming enhances soil structure and conserves water. Without the use of pesticides, the groundwater is less contaminated and they cut the cost of carbon.

Know the Terminology

Just because a product has the word organic on it, does not mean it is organic. Here are the terms you should look for at the grocery store.

“100% Organic”: made up of only organic ingredients and display the USDA seal.

“Organic” must contain at least 95% organic ingredients. The other 5% are required to be nonagricultural substances on an approved list or non-organically produced products that are not available commercially in organic form.

“Made with organic ingredients”: consists of processed food products such as pasta, cereal, canned goods, etc., that contain at least 70% organic ingredients

At the Grocery Store

If you want to buy foods with less pesticides, there are two lists that are helpful in this decision. “The dirty dozen” is a list of 12 fruits and vegetables that will have the most pesticides and should be purchased organic. On the other hand, “The Clean 15” is a list of 15 fruits and vegetables that are low in pesticides in conventional foods.

“The Dirty Dozen”

1.) Celery

2.) Peaches

3.) Strawberries

4.) Apples

5.) Blueberries

6.) Nectarines

7.) Sweet bell peppers

8.) Spinach

9.) Cherries

10.) Kale/Collard Greens

11.) Potatoes

12.) Grapes

“The Clean 15”

1.) Onions

2.) Avocado

3.) Sweet Corn (frozen)

4.) Pineapple

5.) Mangoes

6.) Peas (frozen)

7.) Asparagus

8.) Kiwi

9.) Cabbage

10.) Eggplant

11.) Cantaloupe

12.) Watermelon

13.) Grapefruit

14.) Sweet Potatoes

15.) Honeydew Melon

That’s all I have for now,

-Emily

How to Stay Active During the Holiday Season

If you are like me, then you ate entirely too much during the Thanksgiving holiday.  A few extra pounds from the holidays may seem innocent, but they add up! You can not take back what you ate during Thanksgiving, but you can prepare for the Christmas Holiday. Christmas is less than a month away so naturally we are all busy buying gifts and running errands. Here are a few tips to stay active during this busy holiday season.

1.) Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator

2.) When shopping, park as far away as you can for the extra walk

3.) If you are at the mall, spend extra time going for a walk before buying gifts. The mall is a great place to power walk and it is warm inside!

4.) Pack healthy snacks like fresh fruit or vegetables while shopping, this will prevent you from buying foods at the mall or fast food

5.) Bring a bottle of water with you to stay hydrated and stay away from coffee or caffeinated drinks that can cause dehydration

In this month’s issue of the magazine, Today’s Dietitian there are 25 holiday recipes from dietitians. Visit their website for their top recipes!

http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/110310p44.shtml

That’s all I have for now,

Emily

10 Tips for a Healthier and Happier You!

Dear Readers,

I am sorry it has been awhile since I last updated. I have been swamped with papers, projects, and internship application related things. I decided to make a list of my top 10 tips for a healthier and happier you!

Tip # 1: Portion Portion Portion

I can not stress it enough! Portion control is key when trying to live a healthy life. Restaurants are going for bigger sizes and the new small is what the old large used to be. A good way to portion your meals is by looking at the nutrition label on the back of your product. The nutrition label will tell you exactly what a serving is (An example would be 1/2 cup). It is a great idea to check that out and stick to it. When eating out, share with someone you are with. This will not only cut your portion size, but save you money. If you do not want to share, then eat half and take the rest of it home for leftovers.

This may come to a shock to some people but here are two examples of normal portion sizes:

**A portion of meat is 2-3 ounces which is about the size of a deck of cards

**1 serving of cheese is 1-1.5 ounces which is about 4 cheese cubes

Serving sizes are a lot smaller than you think! Don’t be afraid to portion out the correct serving sizes on your plate to make sure you aren’t over eating!

Tip # 2: Put down the Salt Shaker

Americans consume way to much salt in their diets. The recommendation for salt intake is 1,500 mg/day. Just to give you an idea of how much salt that is, 1 teaspoon of salt is 2,300 mg of sodium. Too much salt in the diet can lead to hypertension (high blood pressure). Instead of using salt try using other spices and check out the “Mrs. Dash” products. These are great salt substitutes and you might grow to love them. Take the salt shaker off the table if you have to and before you know it, you will forget you even had one! Additionally, if you buy canned goods like soups or vegetables get the ones with low sodium. They taste very similar and can help you cut your salt intake.

Tip # 3: Eat more Fruits and Vegetables

Try to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables in every single day. Go for a variety of color. With vegetables, it doesn’t matter if they are fresh or frozen. Frozen will keep longer and is sometimes cheaper and easier to prepare. Try new fruits and vegetables that you haven’t had before. Try to stay away from starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn because those will not give you much nutrition. Go for the green leafy vegetables and fruits that have vibrant colors. If you aren’t much of a vegetable eater, add a low fat cheese sauce or mix them into a casserole.

Tip # 4: Exercise Every Day

I know as students and working adults it is very hard to get any free time, but it is important to stay active. Try to exercise for 30 minutes every day. It might be tough to find a 30 minute block in your schedule so you can split up the time in 10 minute intervals. Go for a 10 minute walk or jog 3 times per day. Sign up to be a member of your local gym and go straight there after work or class. Use the buddy system! If you have someone who will help keep you accountable then you are more likely to go out there and exercise. Find someone who you trust and someone you know will follow through with exercise plans. You can make weekly goals together and encourage each other to commit to exercise many times per week.

Tip # 5: Don’t Settle for Fast Food

As a challenge, my boyfriend (who is in grad school for public health) and I decided to give up fast food…for life! This might be a little drastic for some people, so try to cut back on your fast food intake. Try cutting it out little by little. If you eat fast food multiple times per week, try switching it to once a week or once every two weeks. Yes, I do agree fast food companies are making a better effort to provide us with healthier options but that doesn’t mean we are taking them. Stay away from fried foods because they are filled with fat and are not going to keep you full for very long. Instead of going through the drive through, pack a lunch. It only takes a few minutes to pack yourself a lunch and you will feel fuller and better knowing you are not being filled with greasy fat.

Tip #6: Make a List

Before going to the grocery store, make a list of everything you want to buy. Not only will this save time, it will make sure you do not impulse buy. Making a list and sticking to it will help keep you from buying that extra bag of chips or doughnuts you pass in the grocery store. To help keep you from buying items not on your list, make sure you do not go to the store on an empty stomach because it will lead you to buy extra foods just because you are hungry.

Tip # 7: Lower your Fat intake

Use a non-stick spray instead of oil or melted butter. If you do use oil, use olive oil because it has monounsaturated fats. Cut the extra fat off of your meat and drain fat from your meat. Choose low fat cheeses and skim milk. Lastly stay away from fried foods and foods that are higher in fat such as candies and chips.

Tip # 8: Cut back on your Red Meat

I won’t lie; I love steak and other red meat, but it just is not very good for you. Red meat is higher in saturated fat and cholesterol. Instead of eating red meat, try eating turkey meat. Turkey is a lot leaner and healthier than red meat. You can buy ground turkey at the store to make turkey burgers or even turkey meat balls (which I have tried and loved). Another option is to go meatless. There are a variety of beef flavored soy products in the freezer section of the grocery store that will provide you with protein, and taste similar to the meat flavor you want. I try to only eat red meat once a month. You do not need to give it up, just cut back. Try eating chicken or fish because they are leaner and fish has omega-3 fatty acids which can help lower heart disease.

Tip # 9: Switch to Whole grains

Making the switch from white to wheat is simple and I personally think that wheat has a little more flavor. Switching your grains to whole grains is a great idea because they will provide you with less fat, and more fiber. Fiber is good for your digestive system and can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Be careful when buying whole grains at the store. Make sure the product says the word “whole” in it to know it is a whole grain. You can make the switch by purchasing whole wheat bread, brown rice, or oatmeal.

Tip # 10: Hydrate

This tip is simple. Keep hydrated throughout the day. Try to drink 8 glasses of water each day to keep your body running properly. Water helps keep things going and the last thing you want is to be dehydrated so drink up!

That’s all I have for now. Leave a comment if you would like me to post about a specific topic and remember I am not a professional, just a student writing my opinion!

-Emily

It’s not a Diet, It’s a Lifestyle

Hello World,

My name is Emily Sheriff and I decided to start a blog because I am currently an exercise science and dietetics major at Miami University and I want to share my opinions about health and nutrition. In the near future I would like to become a registered dietitian, but I would like to state that I am only a student right now and this blog is my opinion, not the opinion of a professional.

I will try to update my blog weekly on health and nutrition related topics that I find interesting, recipes, or tips that I have learned from classes or other sources.

My first topic will be about the title of my blog which is: It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle. This is my motto. I know it has probably been said many times before, but I think it is simple and gets to the point. I want to become a registered dietitian so that I can help the world. I think that changing the people of this world to be healthier is possible. Think about how our obesity epidemic started in the first place. If you can change one person, they can help change another, those people can change a town, the town can change a city, the city can change a state, the state can change our Nation, and our Nation can impact the world. Yes, this is a big goal, but over time, it can happen so I want to become a health professional to start impacting one person at a time.

Americans have a problem with obesity (about 66% of America is overweight or obese) and they want a quick fix. They want a pill or surgery to fix their problem and they want to lose their weight fast. Also, they want to be able to eat whenever and whatever they want. This is the wrong mentality. Obesity is not just a quick fix. It is not just going on a diet and losing weight so that you are able to eat fattening foods again. This is a LIFESTYLE. This is your life. This is the long road and it is an every day battle. The first step to treating this problem is realizing that it can not be fixed with a fad diet or a pill. This is something that needs to part of your life every single day. Americans need to learn portion control. Our portion sizes are getting bigger and convenience foods are getting more convenient. Americans are constantly on the go looking for faster ways to get through their life.

Well I think that Americans need to slow down because life is already short so why are we trying to fast forward through it. Stop for a second and take a walk in nature. Sit down and have a real conversation with a person. Take time out of your day to pack a lunch instead of quickly eating it on the go. Americans have a problem, and as we live our lives constantly trying to get through the day quicker we are gaining weight, not enjoying ourselves, and living a way shorter life.

So it is not just a diet, this is a lifestyle. Americans need to learn how to prepare healthier meals at home and portion them correctly. Americans need to learn to exercise 3-5 days a week. It really is that simple. If you eat healthy and exercise on a regular basis you can help yourself so much. You don’t need to take a pill or go on a diet that restricts different foods. Live a healthier life! We can change this epidemic, and you can change yourself. So my challenge for you is to start today. Talk with a doctor or dietitian and ask them how you can change your lifestyle to be a healthier you.

Thats all I have for now,

Emily