March Newsletter

Posted in: Blog by chirocare on March 18, 2012

March is “National Nutrition Month”®!

Really!
We didn’t’ make this up.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly known as the American Dietetic Association)…it was them…they made it up.

So, about this “Getting Your Plate in Shape” thing…

here are some basic tips…

• Think “plate” not “platter” and aim for a 9-inch diameter.

• Make half of your plate colorful fruits and/or vegetables.

• Make at least half of your grains whole instead of refined (brown rice, whole wheat bread).

• Choose lean proteins and limit protein to a quarter of your plate. Aim for at least 2-3 servings of fish and/or seafood per week. Don’t forget about good plant-based sources of protein such as beans and nuts.

• Augment with dairy, such as topping broccoli with a sprinkle of shredded cheese or a spoonful of plain yogurt on a baked potato. Aim for a lower fat version for your dairy products.

• Use between-meal snacks to obtain the food groups you may have missed during your meals.

source

Other tips…

Substitute good stuff for the …well…not so good stuff:

• For butter, try powdered butter flavoring or reduced calorie margarine

• Instead of cooking oil try cooking spray, or broth…or wine

• Instead of the eggs try egg substitutes or at least cut it down to just the whites

• Instead of oily salad dressing…maybe oil free or at least reduced

• For Sour Cream, maybe try plain low fat or nonfat yogurt, or lower fat sour cream

• For whole milk substitute to 2%…or 1%

• And there are delicious turkey substitutes for beef, ham, and even bacon

And exercise….

source

Why?

Because it…

• Fights heart disease

• Increases HDL (the good cholesterol) and decreases LDL (the bad cholesterol)

• Lowers blood pressure

• Delays fatigue by causing the heart to beat stronger, increasing lung capacity

• Strengthens bones and keep joints limber

• Burns off calories by raising your body’s metabolic rate

And if you haven’t done it for a while

even the word “exercise” might be intimidating?

So…

• Take baby steps…Just get moving! Enjoy the weather and take a walk. Not a stroll, but a brisk walk. Try to get your heart rate up and break a sweat.

• When you’re ready you can increase your pace, or challenge yourself with some hiking, or some hills, or running.

• If you have a gym membership maybe talk to a trainer, or take a class, learn the equipment – and don’t let the equipment scare you.

• At home you can work out just fine with hand weights, then maybe add an exercise ball and foam roller to make a complete gym. Start with a video for motivation.

And here’s a really simple and TRUE statement:
The key to losing weight is burning more calories than you take in!
That’s the short and sweet (or lo-cal sweetner) skinny.

If you want to know more, or if we can help in any way just ask us.
Dr. Gina and Dr. Spath can guide you to better nutrition and exercise.

March Office News:

• Dr. Gina is on maternity leave.  Check our Facebook page or next newsletter for the news of the twins birth!

• Dr. Spath and MollieShea will be taking care of her patients during her time off.

• There are going to be a price changes for massage therapy starting May 1st, please see our website or Facebook for details.

March is National Nutrition Month®

Posted in: Blog, Dr. Gina, Nutrition by chirocare on March 7, 2012

“National Nutrition Month®”,what Get Your Plate in Shape means to me.

 I think about portion control, balance, composition and use of space. That’s that visual artist in me I guess. In order for me to get and keep my plate in shape I think about all my favorite food groups getting their proper space.  I make sure everything is there including meat, grain, fruit and veg, like a beautiful piece of art.

With a background in painting and an early love for colorful things, my plate looks like a food rainbow.  I love fruit and eat it every day. It’s so easy to grab an apple, banana or orange, even at the gas station.   

 When it comes to meat I try to keep it colorful also. For me this means fish first, my favorite, then highlights of chicken or pork and accents of red. I like eating fish because there are so many kinds (colors) to choose from; orange salmon, pink tuna, silver trout and saucy sardines. Once a week my plate has either mustard yellow sardines or red hot pepper sardines with multigrain crackers and a side of green. So pretty and yummy!

 As a young woman with a family history of osteoporosis I know the importance of dairy on my plate. That doesn’t mean I have to have a big glass of milk or boring cheese. I find a great way to get healthy dairy is on salads. I try cottage cheese instead of ranch dressing, feta cheese instead of white cheddar or even plain yogurt with salt and pepper. 

 My last brush stoke for the rainbow food plate is very sweet. I love sugar and let myself have a bit of chocolate or dessert every day. Sweets that come in little packages are best, a piece of joy wrapped in colorful foil or a smile on a wooden stick is my favorite way to finish a beautiful meal.

 A plate that’s in shape should represent all the food groups, be full of colors and end with a happy face. Think of meals as masterpieces.

MollieShea Stephens, LMT