Busy Mommy Media» Food and Nutrition

Listening To Your Body

Pamela — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:27:38 +0000

It may sound strange but lots of people forget their body is a living, breathing, growing and changing entity that really does function independently from our minds. No matter how hard you try, you cannot convince your body to burn more fat or convert your food into energy more quickly. True certain actions and decisions our minds make will have a “default” effect on our body but for the most part our body works they it was designed give the environment it is in. And because of that, you need to learn how to “listen” when you body is trying to tell you something. And I mean really listen – for the whispers and not just the “screaming at the top of its lungs” screams for your attention.

How Does Your Body Communicate With You?

Our body has regular routines – from our bowels and menstruations to how our body changes with the seasons. When something is not quite right without our cells, you probably got a notice when those cells noticed, but overlooked it. If you have lived your life with your period being “like clockwork” – or maybe you have a morning BM everyday – and then one day it’s all wrong, your body is talking! This also goes for the twinges of pain that you sporadically experience. If one day you decide it’s a great idea to help your neighbor offload a washing machine from his truck and your back screams in pain, this means you body is telling you that you need to be more careful. Either you are lifting more than your body can manage, or you need to be taking better care of the body you have.

Do All The Little “Comments” Add Up to Something Bigger?

Many people will wait a day or two before taking action – which usually is fine. It might be a little germ that your body is working out or something you ate that isn’t agreeing with you. However, if you have minor issues on a regular basis, it might be the sign of something major. If you realize that every time you eat a certain food, you end in the bathroom the next day, you might have a food sensitivity – not quite an allergy, but still no fun. Or maybe if you are getting cramps in your calves in the middle of the night, your body is trying to tell you that you need more potassium. It’s all a judgment call, but if you take the time to consider what your body might be saying to you, you might be able to fix things before they get too far.

Eating Healthy on a Budget

Lorie — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:56:42 +0000

One of the top New Year’s Resolutions made by people is to lose weight and/ or eat healthier. Many people give up after the first day of working on this goal. There are so many excuses people give as to why they cannot eat healthier, but one I hear a lot is that it cost too much money to eat healthy. There are a lot of ways you can spend less at the grocery store and still eat healthy. Being a good example of eating healthy will help encourage your children to eat healthier too. Here are a few ideas to help you save money while still buying healthier foods at the grocery.

Plan Meals and Snacks

If you want to succeed at eating healthier, it will be easier if you have a plan to follow. Make a weekly meal plan of what you and your family will eat. Include all meals and snacks you will eat for the week. There are a ton of great websites to help you find healthier recipes. A few of my favorite are Spark People, Weight Watchers, Skinny Taste, Eating Well, Cooking Light, and Skinny Crockpot. Once you have a plan make a grocery list and stick to it.

Buy Fruits and Vegetables in Season

Fruits and Vegetables are really important in the diet if you are trying to eat healthier, but fruits and vegetables can cost more and be a little scary to add to your list. Look for fruits and vegetables that are in season, you will find that these cost less. If you find a really good deal on them buy more and freeze for later use when they are more expensive. I have done this with strawberries, blueberries, and green peppers to name a few. A few fruits and vegetables that are in season in January include broccoli, cabbage, grapefruit, oranges, and lemons.

Buying fresh is best but also check prices for frozen and canned. These can often be better deals when they are not in season. Buying from farmers markets and cooperatives can also save you money. Also consider planting a garden. This will not only save you money on fruits and vegetables, but can also help you get more activity in your day. You can also preserve garden food by canning or freezing to use when they are not in season. Visit the Ball Canning and Preserving website for more information on canning and freezing.

Buy Generic Brands

Generic brand foods have come a long way, so don’t be afraid to add those to your buggy to save money. Many generic brands taste really good, have the same nutrition, and are usually significantly cheaper. Make sure to check the nutrition label on the product to compare nutrition facts between the brand and generic. Recently I was buying low fat cheese singles and decided one day to look at the generic brand to compare. Not only was it the same in fat and calories, but it was also at least $1.00 cheaper and included more slices per package. So don’t be afraid to include generic brand foods in your healthy eating plan.

Shop at Convenience Stores/Pharmacies

Most convenient stores, like gas stations, and pharmacies sell food at a much higher price. However you will find some deals there too. Many of these types of stores will have items they sell for cheaper to get customers in the store to buy other higher priced items. One item you will find this true for is milk. Some of these stores will have milk for the cheapest around as well as other items. So don’t leave these stores out because you think they are more expensive. There can be at least a few good deals in these stores.

Shop Outlet Stores

Outlet stores are a great way to save money at the grocery. My biggest piece of advice when shopping at these types of stores is to look for dates on products. Some of these stores will sell items with really bad sell by dates that might not make it a great deal after all. One of my favorite outlet stores is bread outlets. They have lots of bread choices that are healthy, including whole wheat, which you can often get for as little as one dollar per loaf. Just be sure to stay away from junk food in the bread outlets. There are several outlet stores across the country. The one I have closest to me is United Grocery Outlet.

Ten Steps for A Healthy New Year

Pamela — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 10:54:25 +0000

Every year a majority of us vow to have a healthier existence in the coming year. But this is such a vague notion, that many of us falls short.

Here are ten smaller tasks that you can take on that will result in an overall healthier lifestyle.

1. Cut out the processed foods. Many busy moms tend to rely on pre-cooked, pre-portioned food items to make life easier. But what you usually get along with the convenience is a lot of preservatives, salt and other unneeded and unhealthy additives that your family just doesn’t need. This can even be true of items that you think are healthy – like pre-sliced fruits or pre-packaged salad mixes. These items are often “treated” with something to help them from browning.

2. Lower the amount of chemicals in your home. This can be done by using all-natural cleaners (dish soaps, laundry soaps, body soaps, etc.).

3. Start your new calendar with a block of exercise written in at least three days a week. This will force you to schedule around it and thus leaving time to actually exercise. Probably the most common reason moms give for not getting enough exercise is not having the time.

4. Do not say “I am going to lose 50 pounds this year” say “I am going to lose 5 pounds a month this year”. This is a much more attainable goal and also easier to maintain. If you lose large amounts of weight in a short period of time you are much more likely to gain it back. By spreading it out, you are more likely to have a lasting effect.

5. Drink a glass of water before every meal. This not only helps you to “fill up” faster, it helps you to keep your body working like a well lubricated machine. Water also quenches your thirst much better than soda or juice and has zero calories.

6. Start a food diary on January 1^st (or 2^nd if you have a large meal on New Year’s Day . When you write down everything that you eat in a day, you will really start to see where all your calories are coming from. Also the idea of having to write down that handful of gummy bears can be a great deterrent in deciding not to eat them.

7. Make it a goal for the whole family to get into better shape! While it’s important not to stress the number on the scale to children (especially teens) you can focus on just having a healthier lifestyle by staying active and eating better.

8. Get everyone into get a full physical in January. This is the perfect time to get a baseline for your body’s workings while you are “healthy”. We often only visit the doctor when we are sick and so they never have an idea of your norms. This is also a chance to catch any underlying issues that might be what is preventing you from losing those pounds – like a thyroid issue – or other decreased efficiency issues. By full physical I mean blood work, and stress tests as well as dental and vision checks.

9. Sit down and consider your goals for the year. Are you planning to get out of debt? Are you planning to try to have a baby? Will you be sending a child off to college? All of these things can result in added stress, which can have a negative effect on your body. You will want to plan ahead and think of ways to reduce those stress levels.

10. Remember that Life is to be lived not survived. While you are trying to have a healthier lifestyle remember to keep doing the things that makes your family a unit and happy. You don’t just throw away family pizza night, but rather change it to salad and pizza or pizza with whole wheat crust and more veggies. Making drastic changes will send you on the fast track to failure.

Eat Your Fats and Carbs and Lose Weight

Pamela — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:18:13 +0000

You have probably heard that you should try to cut back on your fat and carb intake when trying to lose weight. While this is true, it is more important to have balance. You actually need some fat and carbs in your diet to get all of the nutrients that you need stay healthy and strong. The trick is to get all the RIGHT forms of those things and then have it all in moderation.

The Right Carbs

The diets that tell you to say no to carbs are just plain ludicrous. Your body needs carbohydrates to produce the fuel your body uses for physical activity. The carbs are also needed to support proper body functions. So by removing them from your diet entirely, you are setting yourself up to be unhealthy in other ways by getting sick more easily as well as being tired more often. There are lots of unhealthy carbs out there – processed and sugary treats for the most part. Your best bet when it comes to carbohydrates is to choose whole grain. The shear process of turning grains into white bread or pasta removes all the good stuff in the grain. You can also get your healthy carbs from fruits, vegetables and especially beans. You just have to remember to keep track of what you are adding. Don’t fall into the unhealthy salad habit, always choose whole fruits instead of juices and don’t add tons of cheese to your beans.

The Right Fats

Just like with carbs, fats are also absolutely necessary for proper mental and physical functions. And just like with carbs, it’s all about choosing the right ones. In fact, good fats improve your heart and brain health, while bad fats put both in danger of disease. The good fats are the omega-3s, the polyunsaturated and the monounsaturated fats. You can find these in fatty fishes, nuts, soy, avocados, and olives. The bad fats are the trans and saturated fats. You can find these in whole-fat dairy products, chicken skin, butter, pre-baked goods, cheese, and fried foods. You simply need to select the right types of fats, not completely avoid them.

A truly balanced diet has proper amounts of all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs to properly function. This includes your physical, mental and even emotional well-being. You need plenty of goof fats and healthy carbs to make sure your body can even utilitze all those vitamins and minerals you get from your diet. The true key to gaining and maintaining a healthy weight is MODERATION!

When Does a Stomach Ache Mean An ER Visit?

Pamela — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 19:33:14 +0000

Stomach aches can mean all sorts of things, and they are pretty hard to diagnosis – especially in a three year old that has no idea of how to express their pain. However, a stomach issue can very quickly become a major problem that needs medical intervention if left untreated. Stomach issues might just be the result of food poisoning or a stomach bug (also called Gastroenteritis), but sometimes it is something more intense like appendicitis or a malfunctioning gall bladder. Here are some ways to determine if home care will suffice, or if a trip to the emergency room is warranted.

Look at What’s Coming Out

No one likes to look in the toilet after someone has clearly “exploded” their bowels or thrown up the entire contents of their stomach into it. But if you or anyone in your family seems to be having a violent evacuation of their stomach, you need to inspect things. If you see any sign of blood, go to the emergency room immediately. This can be an indicator of tears or perforations in the lining of the digestive system. Remember that it will not always be bright red blood but may be very dark – almost black – matter, sometimes taking on the look of tar or coffee grounds. If the stool is very green not slightly but almost neon – and the person did not eat something that would account for this – you might be seeing a gall bladder issue which also means a visit to the ER.

How Much Is Coming Out?

You have probably had the thought “How much can one little girl have in her?”, but truly it’s a lot more than you might think. So instead of just thinking that it’s too much, you need to consider if she is able to take any more in and how long has it been since she had a substantial meal. If it’s been more than 24 hours since she was able to eat what would be a normal meal for her and/or she cannot even keep water down, you need to start to consider the need for rehydration via IV. One thing your body cannot survive without is adequate water, and if you cannot ingest enough to maintain your basic functions, you certainly will not get better.

Is There Considerable Pain Too?

When touch sensitively or sever cramping comes into pain, it starts to become other issue besides a virus or food poisoning. If the pain is centered in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen, just above the hip bone, you need to consider appendicitis. If the pain is in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, just below the bottom rib, you need to consider appendicitis. If the pain the a sever cramping that comes and goes but is severe enough to stop the person “in their tracks”, it could be a bowel obstruction. Essentially if the person cannot stand to have clothes even resting on them, and certainly can’t handle any sort of touching on the area, a trip to the ER is necessary. These are the “better safe than sorry” instances. While a majority of perceived appendicitis are false, it is far more risking to wait and allow the appendix to burst and because life threatening.

Another red flag is if the stomach issues are accompanied by high fever and/or chills. This is a sign that there is some sort of systemic infection that needs to be addressed.

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Build a Healthy Salad

Pamela — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 10:42:31 +0000

You have to go to a restaurant for a “work thing” and think “Oh I will just get a salad” and be able to stick to your diet. You get your chilled plate and start to pile on all those veggies and toppings and before you know it, you have already piled over 750 calories on to your plate, hardly any of it protein, which means you are likely to still be very hungry before your next meal. Here are some trades you can make to lower the calories of your salad.

Put the Egg Before the Chicken

Many people think that putting some chicken on their salad will give them enough protein to feel satisfied. While this is true, it also drastically bumps up the calories. For example a 4 oz piece of grilled chicken has about 184 calories, a breaded and fried piece has about 245 calories, but one hard boiled egg has only 71. This means you could have more of pieces of egg with less calories consumed.

Make a Nice Bed

The types of lettuce might not seem like it should matter right? Wrong – Iceburg lettuce has twice as many calories as Arugula. You should try to cover the whole bottom of the plate, so that you cannot see through it to build the bed for your salad. Many people not only pick the wrong type of lettuce but don’t put enough of it on the plate.

Choose Your Veggies Wisely

Again, most people think all veggies are good, which is mostly true. But when you are watching your calorie intake, you might get tricked by some of the more common salad toppings. The high calorie veggies include avocado, carrots, corn and onion while the low calorie options are cucumbers, peppers, mushrooms and alfalfa sprouts.

Stick with Clear Dressings

If you can’t see through it, you probably don’t want to know how many calories are in it. This is especially true because most people have no idea how much dressing is considered “a portion”. It’s actually 2 tablespoons, but most salad dressing ladles are actually ¼ to ½ cup sized and 2 tablespoons is closer to an 1/8 cup. The “clear” rule needs to be ignored when it comes to Olive Oil – this is one of the highest calorie dressings used. If you do use it, use a very small amount mixed with your favorite balsamic vinegar or even just a squeeze of lemon.

Skip the Crunchies

The last section of the salad bar is usually nuts, croutons, bacon pieces, and cheeses. For your best salad – just skip this section all together. If you absolutely need some “crunch” go for a small sprinkle of sesame or sunflower seeds.

The main keys to making a salad that is actually healthy are to control your portions of each item and make sure you have a good balance of protein and veggies so that you will actually feel full after eating.

Give Your Kids an Immunity Boost

Pamela — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 04:37:37 +0000

Cold and Flu season is upon us. That means it’s time to get a little boost in vitamin C for your whole family. While oranges are often our first thought as a natural source of Vitamin C, there are several other veggies that have much higher levels. The recommended daily amount (RDA) of vitamin C is 60mg – but don’t be confused because that doesn’t mean you can just eat 60mg of something high in vitamin C to get all that you need for the day.

If your house is like mine you might run into the issue of kids not wanting to eat lots of veggies. I have learned that making them more fun then food can help you get around that problem. Here are a few tried and true recipes:

Sausage and Peppers

Essentially a fancy hot dog and what kid doesn’t love hot dogs? Bell peppers are an amazing source for vitamin C. The key is to not cook them to mush. Get a red, green and orange/yellow bell pepper and cut them into strips. Get a chicken sausage – any flavor will do – and brown it in your skillet. In the same skillet simply warm up the pepper – you want them to still have a crunch or “bite” to them. Put the sausage on a whole wheat bun and top with the pepper mixture. Serve with a side salad of leafy greens like spinach (another great source of vitamin C) and you are good to go!

Fruits Kabobs

Guavas, Papayas and Kiwis all have large amounts of Vitamin C. Cube up these yummy treats and turn them into Kabobs with bamboo skewers. You can also include a calcium rich yogurt for a dipping sauce – because kids will eat just about anything if they can dip it too! For a frozen treat, use frozen versions of these fruits – this is great for when they are not available fresh because it’s out of season.

Spice Things Up!

Did you know that red and green chilies have the most Vitamin C per volume than any other natural food? A single green chili of average size has more than two times the RDA of Vit. C making it the best bang for your buck. However the heat factor may automatically turn your family off. Since these little peppers are so densely packed with vitamin C you only need to consume a little bit to get all you need. A really great recipe is to make green enchiladas – take whole wheat tortillas and roll them up with shredded chicken, a thin strip of green chili (with the seeds removed), and a sprinkle of Monterey jack cheese. Line them up in a baking dish with a small amount of green enchilada sauce in the bottom and then pour the remained of the green enchilada sauce on top. Put them in a preheated 350deg oven for 30 minutes and serve it up with some black beans and brown rice.

Hide it in a Smoothie

When all else fails, sometimes you have to resort to trickery and hide the good for your stuff in the good stuff. Some great sources of vitamin C are some of the least favorite veggies known to kids. Spinach, Kale, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts are almost always on the “icky list”. However, in their raw form they have a rather mild flavor, which means that they can easily be added to fruit smoothies without your child noticing. Simply add strawberries, bananas, spinach, and vanilla yogurt to a blender with ice. Mix it up and serve it for breakfast or even dessert!

5 More Reasons to eat Whole Grains

Pamela — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:53:55 +0000

Did you know that the main reason we started to process our grains was to extend the shelf life? Humans ate whole grains for thousands of years before someone figured out that if you remove the endosperm from the germ and the bran it would stay useable longer. And since we used to have to live by the seasons, whatever we could get to last longer we did. As science advanced and we learned exactly how our bodies use the food we eat, we learned that we were essentially throwing away the good part! But by the time we figured it out, we had become so accustomed to the pretty white thing we call rice that we are having trouble getting back to the whole grains. There are lots of reasons to eat whole grains and here are a few more to help you make the right choice.

Whole Grains for the Whole Body

The increased amount of natural fiber will help aid your body’s digestion, making more complete.
When you eat the whole grain, you actually feel full faster, which means that you eat only as much as your body actually needs. This will result in a lowered calorie intake without feeling hungry all the time.
Studies have also found that people who eat more whole grains regularly have lower levels of “the appetite hormones”, the hormones that tell us we are hungry.
Antioxidants are all the rage right now and rightfully so as they provide immense boosts to our immune systems. However we only talk about when them when we talk about fruits and veggies. Did you know that most whole grains have two to three times more antioxidant content than any fruit or veggie?
Studies have actually linked an increase in whole grain consumption to a decrease in acne among teens! It might be linked to the processed foods – or junk foods – and the decrease in toxins when these foods are cut out. If that’s not the end all be all about this debate I don’t know what is!

Easy Prep

The other big issue with Whole Grains is a lack of variety. Some people think all they can have is brown rice. Or they are worried about how to prepare the other grains. Here’s a quick tip: you can prepare just about every single type of grain just like you would make regular rice! It’s that simple, if you have a recipe that calls for rice, substitute quinoa or bulgur. You can also use barley, amaranth, corn, farro, kamut, wild rice, millet, rye, sorghum, spelt, teff, tricole or couscous.

Small Changes Get Big Results

Pamela — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 17:52:07 +0000

Do you want to go screaming for the hills in fright when someone suggests that you need to make “lifestyle changes”? Well it’s time to chill out and really think about what that means. In general you can make baby steps to achieve the same goals. Science has shown that drastic – all inclusive – lifestyle changes rarely last. In fact it has been proven that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. That means you have to do something consecutively for 21 days for it to become your new “norm” so why would you try to change every single thing about yourself in one swoop? If you are looking for a healthier life, you can start with small changes that will evolve into big ones.

Small Food Changes

I am a realistic person and I know that there are times that I will just have to go for fast food. Life happens, and you gotta eat. The change is to downsize instead of supersize – order just the burger/sandwich sans fries. Or if you have to have fries get the protein burger sans bun. And go for water instead of soda, or a small soda instead of a giant jug.

When you are eating your meals, remember that it is not a race! So many people eat like someone is about to take their plate away. This causes you to eat way more than is necessary to feel full. If you slow down – enjoy your food – and allow for the time it takes your digestive system to register as “full” you will find that you are not eating quiet as much. Another trick is to start out with half as much food as you normally would serve up. Finish it all completely and if you still feel hungry, go back for seconds of the healthiest item available.

Trade out your white flour for whole wheat. This means trading in all your pastas for whole wheat or at least the heart healthy versions, exchange your white sandwich bread for whole wheat and go for the multigrain or whole wheat tortilla whenever you can. Really cutting back on bread all together is a great idea, but the baby steps are to make the switch to whole wheat and then slowly taper off your consumption.

Small Exercise Changes

Try to find a program you can follow that offers a progression. Look for work out videos that offer three levels of intensity so that you can start at the first level and work your way up. Another great workout program that focuses on progression is the Couch To 5K program. You can find it free all over the internet and even as an app on your smart phone. It is program that spans over several weeks and gradually increases intensity.

Sneak in the toning exercises when you can. If you are standing cutting veggies for dinner, do some squats or maybe some calf raises. If you are watching your shows on TV commit to exercising on the commercial breaks – do situps for a full commercial, then switch to push ups, triceps presses, etc.

3 Tips to Make the Most of Your Workout

Pamela — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 08:22:04 +0000

As a mom finding time to workout is often a battle between your children’s schedules and your husband’s. So it stands to reason that you would want to make the most of your precious moments that you get to devote to making healthier better you, right? Sadly a lot of people make some very common, not to mention easily changeable, mistakes. Here are some of those mistakes and how to fix them.

1. Eating a meal before heading out to workout.

The very best time of day to exercise is first thing in the morning, before you eat breakfast. When you are exercising your body first looks to carbohydrates from your digestives system to product energy, so if you eat a meal you will have plenty of available fuel for your efforts. However if you are exercising to loss weight – fat – you need to burn that fat. The best way to do this is not eat prior to exercising because your body’s second stop for fuel is your fat stores making this the best way to burn those fat cells.

2. Crossing the fine line between exertion and simply stressing yourself.

While working out should most definitely be work, it should not go into that dangerous territory of over-stressing your body. The reason behind this is that at this point of physical exertion, you body kicks over into survival mode – thinking you are in danger for your life – starts to hoard your fat stores as well as your water and other nutrient stores. This really defeats your whole purpose for running all those laps right? So how do your know if you crossed the line? While you are in the peak of your workout recite something that you have memorized (something that requires very little brain power to say) like The Pledge of Allegiance or the Happy Birthday Song. If you can’t make it through “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America” without needing to gulp air you are doing too much.

3. Wearing the wrong attire for your workout.

You might have walked into the shoe section and thought “why so many types of shoes?” Though some believe it is just a ruse to get you to spend extra cash, in fact they are specially designed to best support your feet and posture during specific activities. So if you are going to be running, its best to get a pair of running shoes, or cross-trainers at the very least. If you are going to be playing volleyball, basketball or tennis then court shoes are your best bet. Making the choice to wear proper shoes will decrease your chance of injury as well as insure you are getting a maximum of output for your efforts.