General Health

Have you ever wondered what a dietitian really eats? Nashville dietitian and media personality, Sarah-Jane Bedwell, R.D., L.D.N. was chosen by SELF editors as one of only four finalists nationwide to compete in a blog-off to become the popular magazine’s next “Eat Like Me” blogger.  Bedwell will be posting pictures of her meals and snacks as well as recipes, tips, and other hot nutrition topics on the SELF blog showing readers how easy (and delicious) it is to eat healthy.
 
“Sarah-Jane is a terrific candidate for the next Eat Like Me blogger, bringing her culinary knowledge and nutrition expertise to Self.com’s 3 million monthly visitors,” said Kristen Dollard, SELF’s Digital Director. “Our readers have made this SELF’s most popular blog, and it’s the fans who will determine their next blogger.”
 
The four dietitians will participate in a blog-off May 16 through June 10, 2011. The winner will win a yearlong contract to write for Eat Like Me, a blog devoted to what a registered dietitian eats each day. Watch for Sarah-Jane’s blog posts on May 16, 17, 26, 27, and June 7. You can help her become SELF’s newest blogger and put Tennessee in the national spotlight! Readers will be able to vote an unlimited number of times throughout the whole process for their favorite finalist.
 

When I think of the mothers in my life, food is closely woven in to so many of the memories I have with them. There has never been a shortage of food at family gatherings, and this blessing is due in a large part to the work of the mothers in my life. My mother, my grandmothers, and my mother-in-law have all taught me many things about food-everything from preparing it to serving to eating it. In honor of them this Mother’s Day, I would like to share with you some of the lessons they have taught me that I cherish today.

My Mom taught me that even the smallest thing can make food more enjoyable. I remember that as a very young child, my Mom would ask me if I would like my sandwich cut in half into triangles or rectangles. As Oprah says, the love is in the details. I have many fond memories of getting notes from her in my lunch box-every meal tastes better when served with love! Mom always knew that cereal was more fun to eat out of my favorite bowl, and that as a high school runner, what I ate the night before a race was of utmost importance. These seemingly small things that she took the time to do for me nourished me just as much as the food she served.

According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), 70% of consumers don’t do more to achieve a balanced diet because they don’t want to give up their favorite foods and need more practical tips to eat right.

That's why I'm excited that the Hershey Center for Health and Nutrition (HCHN) has teamed up with the ADA and the American Council on Exercise (ACE) to launch the Moderation Nation campaign to promote a healthy and balanced lifestyle by achieving moderation with nutrition and physical activity while enjoying chocolate as part of a balanced lifestyle.

I don't know about you, but that sounds a lot better than swearing off my favorite foods!

But learning how to achieve moderation and balance can be more challenging than it sounds. Thankfully, the Moderation Nation campaign provides us with some great tools to make that happen!

These foods at one time or another were all “forbidden” from a healthy diet. However, new research shows that many of these foods have great nutritional value and are great to include in a healthy diet. Check them out and if you had cut them out in the past, enjoy adding a few back to your cart during your next grocery trip!

• Eggs:  Were once banned from healthy diets due to their cholesterol content. However, according to the American Dietetic Association, today's research shows that one egg yolk a day is okay for most healthy people, as long as their total cholesterol intake comes in at 300 milligrams a day or less. (One large yolk has about 185 milligrams of cholesterol; egg whites are cholesterol free.)  Plus, one large egg only has 70 calories and provides a plethora of nutrients: protein, vitamins A and D, B vitamins, and lutein-just to name a few! Adding an egg to your breakfast can help you stay fuller, longer!

• Nuts: Once thought to be too high in fat for a healthy snack, research now shows that the heart healthy fat in nuts can aid in weight-loss by promoting satiety and help lower LDL (bad cholesterol. Not to mention that they are a great source of fiber, protein, and antioxidants. You’d have to be nuts not to include them in your diet-just keep your portion to about ¼ cup per day!

As a dietitian, many times people ask me what types of food I eat (yes, I eat ice cream) or what type of eating plan I follow (no, I don't avoid all carbs). Food is very important to me, and I relish in the fact that I get the opportunity 3 or more times each day to not only fuel my body, but also experience one of this life's greatest pleasures by eating foods! Most ofthe time I try to choose foods that I enjoy that will also help me fuel my body and feel my best, but there are times when I am invited to eat at a friend's house or am dining out at a place with limited options. And of course, there are foods that I eat several times a week, leftovers to be eaten, and times that I am craving something sweet. So I believe it's all about balance and enjoying all foods in moderation. To give you an idea as to what I mean, I decided to take pictures of everything I've eaten so far this week-snacks and meals, vegetables and ice cream. So take a look...

Sunday Breakfast:

Oatmeal, 1/2 banana, 1 cup skim milk

Sunday Lunch:

We were invited to my Aunt and Uncle's house for lunch. They served: Chicken salad sandwiches on crossiants, fresh fruit, and pasta salad. I had water with lemon to drink.

Sunday Supper:

It was such a nice evening Joe and I decided to grill out. We made fajatas! Whole wheat tortillas, grilled shrimp, steak, peppers, and onions. Topped with a tiny sprinkle of cheddar cheese and mango salsa. Served with a dollop of plain 0% greek yogurt (in place of sour cream) and homemade guacomole. Water to drink.

Wait, wait, wait, is that how you spell it? Are they a group of boxers? Or maybe some type of new germ fighting disinfectant? We decided to go on a hunt to find what the meaning of the word “phytochemicals” is and what they have to do with nutrition.
 First of all, what are phytochemicals anyway? While the pronunciation is “FIGHT-oh-CHEM-icals,” the word phytochemicals does not directly relate to boxing or fighting like we originally assumed. The word “phyto” comes from the Greek word for “plant,” and “chemicals” is descriptive of what is in the plant. So, phytochemicals literally means plant chemicals. Now, you might be asking yourself, “What in the world are plant chemicals?” Well, allow us to explain…
 Phytochemicals are essential to plants and are found in fruits and vegetables. They act as a protection system for plants’ young buds and sprouts from predators, pollution, and weather. There are more than a thousand known phytochemicals and although they are not essential to humans, they can have protective benefits for our health. Below are some of these phytochemicals and what they have to offer:

The answers to preventing cancer risks, antiaging, improving brain function, and having a healthy pregnancy, may all be on your plate! Continuing with the theme of National Nutrition Month, "Eat Right with Color", I want to tell you about the benefits of these colorful foods! To find out more, watch my latest TV segment by clicking here: http://www.newschannel5.com/category/125220/video-landing-page?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=5643512&flvUri=&partnerclipid= or read on below.

Also, today is the 4th annual Registered Dietitian Day! I solute all my colleagues who as registered dietitians are using their nutrition expertise to empower people of all ages to optimize their health! I am pictured here with one of my mentor and one of my favorite R.D.s, Chere Bork! Check out her blog at: http://cherebork.com/blog/

o Carotenoids:
Among the 600 or more carotenoids in foods, beta-carotene, lycopene and lutein are well-known leaders in the fight to reduce the damage from free radicals. Foods high in carotenoids may be effective allies against prostate cancer (beta-carotene); cancers of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum (lycopene); and may help decrease your risk of macular degeneration (lutein).
Foods high in carotenoids include red, orange, deep-yellow and some dark-green leafy vegetables, like tomatoes, carrots, spinach, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, winter squash and broccoli.

March is National Nutrition Month (NNM). This year's NNM theme is "Eat Right With Color." This makes sense as generally, the more naturally occuring colors that you have on your plate, the more nutrients you are eating in that meal. Here are my top 10 tips for adding more color into your day!

1. Eat at least 1 fruit or vegetable serving at every snack or meal.

2. Make sure that you have at least 3 naturally occuring colors on your plate at every meal. An example of this might be: green spinach, orange sweet potato, and red strawberries.

3. Add fruit or veggies to normally neutral colored dishes like rice or pasta-try adding broccoli or aspargus to your pasta, green peas to your rice, or tomatoes to your couscous.

4.Spruce up your salad-instead of sticking to just lettuce and dressing, add berries, rinsed and drained beans or corn, and roasted red peppers!

5. Blend a colorful smoothie together with low-fat yogurt and milk, frozen fruit, and even spinach!

6. Stick with colorful dips an sauces over white ones for a flavorful and healthier choice. For example, choose tomato sauce over alfredo sauce and salsa over cheese dip.

7. Add sliced fruit like oranges and limes or frozen berries to your water to give it a colorful "spa water" look and a tasty kick.

8. Vary your colors of fruits and veggies that you eat daily to get the most variety of nutrients. For example, if you always find yourself eating baby carrots for an afternoon snack, try red bell pepper strips for change.

Have you heard?!  There are certain foods you can eat and healthy habits you can form to keep you looking and feeling young!  Although foods are not a magic pill to health, eating well and maintaining a healthy weight are just the trick to feeling your best long into the “more-seasoned” years.

Antioxidants are one way to keep you looking young.  According to the American Dietetic Association, aging is like car rust.  The main reason a car rusts is that over time oxygen starts to wear the car’s body down, allowing for damage in the most vulnerable places.  Oxygen works on your body over time, too, and causes “rusting” of the human sort—wrinkles, cancers and heart disease. 

Antioxidants work to capture “free radicals,” which damage our body’s cells, tissues, and DNA.  But eating a variety of antioxidant-rich foods, quitting smoking, and protecting your skin from the sun can prevent some of this damage.  Choose the following antioxidant-packed foods to improve the cell renewal process:
 Vitamin A and carotenoids:  carrots, squash, broccoli, tomatoes, peaches, apricots
 Vitamin C:  oranges, grapefruit, green peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables
 Vitamin E:  nuts, seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables and vegetable oil
 Selenium:  fish, shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken and garlic

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced new dietary guidelines today that are meant to help Americans make better and healthier choices in what they eat.  The government issues these every few years to reflect current thinking on nutrition.  Watch my latest TV segment by clicking this link or read on below to find out how to make the guidelines work for you:  http://www.newschannel5.com/category/125220/video-landing-page?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=5574471&flvUri=&partnerclipid=

o On sodium the guidelines say limit sodium intake to 1500mg per day. Right now we eat about 6 times that amount per day, so we may not be able to get down to 1500mg overnight, but we can start being more aware of how much salt we are consuming.  So think twice before you grab the salt shaker and watch out for high amounts of sodium hiding in packaged foods.  Here are a couple of easy ways to keep your sodium intake in check: http://www.nashvillenutritionexpert.com/content/top-10-ways-slash-sodium-without-slashing-flavor

 o  On the subject of fats, the guidelines say decrease consumption of saturated fats and seek out “healthier fats”like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Some healthier fats to try are nuts, avocados, and olive and canola oils.