Focus On Healthy and Nourishing Food Choices During National Nutrition Month

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Confession #9: C’mon girls! Let’s do this!

It’s here. 2010. For the xxth time, I have made that New Year’s resolution. You know the one. To lose the extra that’s following you around on your backside.

Seasons, in collaboration with Northern Louisiana Medical Center’s Healthy Woman and Sharon Jackson’s Slammin’ Boot Camp, is bringing you the tools you need to accomplish the goal you resolve every New Year. But we’re not going to say the “d” word. This isn’t about a diet. We’re going to do this the right way. We are going to pursue WELLNESS. Do you hear me? Wellness. That means make good food choices. And that means get off your booty and get busy!

With some great seminars from Sharon Jackson, CPT (that’s certified personal trainer), and Valerie Costanza, RD (that’s Registered Dietician), we are going to gain the knowledge, the tools, the motivation, and the inspiration to do this together.

The kickoff party is coming up soon…Tuesday, January 12, 2010 from 6 until 8 p.m. at the Community Trust Bank Community Room. It’s in the rear of the CTB Financial Center located at 1511 N. Trenton St. in Ruston. Look for the Healthy Woman Wellness Challenge signs and you’ll find it! At the kickoff party, we’ll learn the ropes of what we’re about to undertake. You need to let us know you’re coming. So register by calling 318-255-3223.

We’ll hear from Sharon and Valerie and from wellness advocate and local physician, Dr. Nathan Goodyear. There will be yummy, HEALTHY food for all to munch on and tons of fabulous door prizes (for everything from Botox to Best Buy). Sharon will even be doing some baseline measuring and weighing if you are interested in tracking your progress throughout this journey.

You’ll leave armed with a fitness training guide to begin a running/walking program to prepare for our final event - the Fitness Challenge - to be held Saturday, April 28. Sharon has put together a day-by-day training regimen to help guide you towards running a 5K. And in addition, Sharon will be hosting weekend group runs to prepare for this event most every weekend until April 28. I love Sharon Jackson! And you will, too!

In addition, you’ll take home recipes from every event and a nutrition guide from each event. Valerie is going to teach us how to make better choices when we cook, grocery shop, and meal plan.

So what are you waiting for? I have NEVER been a runner…I’ve always been a walking treadmill kind of girl. So if I can do this, you can too! And it will be much more fun if we do it together.

So…c’mon girls! Let’s do this!

For more information about the Healthy Woman Wellness Challenge, click here.

Nibble on This - Happy New Year edition

Valerie Costanza, RD

by Valerie Costanza, RD

Can you believe it? 2009 is almost over and the new year is just about here. It is time to start making your 2010 New Year’s resolutions.

Make this year a healthy one. Set your goals to be realistic, measurable and time sensitive. Don’t make goals that will be impossible for you to reach. This will only set you up for failure. Make goals measurable by applying specific numbers to your goals. Give yourself a time frame to work within.

If weight loss is on your mind, set a long-term goal by applying a realistic number to reach by a certain date. Then set small, short term goals to work toward each week or month. An example would be you will lose 15 pounds by April 1st. You will accomplish this by setting small, short-term goals:

• Decrease sodas to no more than 2 sodas per week for 2 weeks
• Decrease sugar by having no more than 1 dessert per week
• Increase water intake by 1 glass per day for 1 week
• Increase vegetables by eating at least 3 servings per day for 1 month

Making your goals attainable is the first step in keeping your 2010 New Year’s resolutions. Start the New Year off right with this healthy alternative to the traditional New Year’s meal.

Try this recipe for Collard Green and Black-Eyed Pea Soup.

From the Doctor’s Desk: I Nominate Vitamin D As “Vitamin of the Year”

With all the attention it’s been getting, I think it’s safe to proclaim Vitamin D the vitamin of the year! That attention is certainly deserved. I have been promoting the wellness effects of Vitamin D for several years. And here’s why.

Vitamin D Therapy Is Great For Bone Health.

Vitamin D has long been known for increasing bone health. It increases calcium and phosphorus absorption in the gut and makes bones stronger. It induces osteoclast maturation—that means it helps with bone restructuring and makes bones heal. It increases calcium deposition in bone and makes bones more dense. And it reduces the parathyroid hormone helping to maintain bone strength. But Vitamin D and bone health are just the beginning.

The Rest Of The Story.

Vitamin D’s benefits are not limited to bone health. Vitamin D receptors are located all over the body: in your bones, instestines, brain, breast, prostate, and lymphocytes. Additionally, many cells have active intracellular receptors such as the pancreas, immune cells, nerve cells, prostate, ovaries, and pituitary gland. Vitamin D benefits your whole body. It is very important for your overall wellness.

As Vitamin D is absorbed by the intracellular sites, additional benefits are implicated. Vitamin D provides benefits for all of these conditions:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Osteoarthritis
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Depression
• Epilepsy
• Migraines
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
• Musculoskeletal pain
• Autoimmune diseases
• Inflammatory Conditions
• Cancer
• Fibromyalgia

Now that you are more aware of how Vitamin D helps your body, let’s talk about how you can get adequate amounts of Vitamin D.

Good Sources of Vitamin D.

Twenty minutes of unblocked sun exposure daily is a natural source of Vitamin D. But pay close attention to your skin during sun exposure. If you have any sign of sunburn, it’s time to get out of the sun. Vitamin D is also readily available as a supplement in the form of drops, capsules and even injections. Injections are occasionally necessary in patients with extremely low levels of Vitamin D.

Is fortified milk a good source of Vitamin D? Unfortunately, no. Fortified milk does not adequately supply your body with the Vitamin D it needs.

In my next post, I’ll discuss Vitamin D insufficiency and its affects on the body.

More articles about Vitamin D:

• 7 in 10 Kids Have Low Vitamin D
• Healthy Nutrition and Vitamin D
• Vitamin_D

Is Food Making You Sick?

Do you suffer from chronic health conditions that won’t go away? Have you seen multiple doctors and taken many prescription drugs looking for a solution? The answer could be much simpler than you expected. Food could be making you sick!

Health studies have shown sensitivities to foods and chemicals can be involved in a wide range of chronic health concerns such as migraines and other headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, muscle aches and pains, weight imbalances, brain fog and many other persistent problems. At Seasons, we have found that many of our patients suffer from food sensitivities and are not aware of it.

The first step in the healing process is identifying trigger foods. Previously, the only ways to do this were elimination diets and food diaries. These methods were helpful but usually resulted in poor outcomes due to the timing of the reaction.

Unlike food allergies, which typically have a fast reaction time of causing symptoms, food sensitivities may be delayed for several hours up to several days. This makes the process of identification almost impossible with food diaries.

Now the process is as simple as a blood draw. We use an identification method which tests for 150 different foods and chemicals. After identifying food sensitivities, we eliminate the trigger foods and put you back on the road to good health!

For more information about food sensitivities or to schedule an appointment, contact Seasons Women’s Care, Ruston, LA, at 318-255-3223.

Omega 3s…the Super Nutrient

Essential fatty acids are a type of fat each person’s body needs but must get through their diet. One such fat is Omega 3 fatty acid which is found in fatty, cold water fish, walnuts, flaxseeds and soybeans. Omega 3s have many beneficial properties including:

• Reducing inflammation
• Reducing excessive blood clotting
• Lowering cholesterol and triglycerides
• Reducing the risk of becoming obese
• Improving insulin response
• Preventing cancer cell growth

Recent reports show almost 99% of Americans do not get enough omega 3 fatty acids in their diet and therefore have a deficiency. Deficiency symptoms are often vague and misdiagnosed. Some of the symptoms include fatigue, dry or itchy skin, frequent illness, brittle hair and nails, poor concentration, and joint pain. Most likely a higher intake of omega 3 fatty acids would benefit you, but where do you start? For more information about super nutrients and improving your immune health, call Seasons Women’s Care of Ruston, 318-255-3223, to schedule an appointment.

Phytonutrients…What Are They?

Phytonutrients are nutrients found in plants that may affect health positively. The health benefits found in these nutrients include decreasing the risk of heart disease and cancer, improving glucose control in people with diabetes, and much more. A few examples of phytonutrients are: carotenoids, flavonoids, lignans, phytosterols and stanols, and some vitamins. Each phytonutrient is found in varying amounts in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts.

Phytonutrients function by:

• Serving as an antioxidant
• Enhancing the immune system
• Altering estrogen metabolism
• Causing cancer cells to die
• Repairing DNA damage

Eating a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables and replacing refined grains with whole grains will ensure you are getting the beneficial effects of these powerful phytonutrients. To learn more, contact our office and schedule an appointment today.

Is Organic That Much Better?

People have asked me if they have to buy organic foods. There are many cases where I recommend organic over conventionally grown foods; however, I recommend organic dairy to everyone.

Modern dairies use different chemicals for milk production including pesticides, fertilizers, hormones and antibiotics. Organic dairies are prohibited from using these chemicals to produce milk and other dairy products. There is much controversy over whether these chemicals reach our food supply, but the difference in nutrient content is not debated.

Organic dairy contains significantly more amounts of:

• Omega 3 fatty acids
• Vitamins
• Conjugated Linoleic Acid
• Antioxidants

Organic milk and dairy can be purchased at health food stores and most grocery stores. If you would like more information on organic food or recommendations, please contact our office to set up an appointment.

Vitamins and Minerals: How Much Do I Need and Where Do I Get Them?

Our bodies work off of the vitamins and minerals we consume through the food we eat. The typical American diet does not provide the proper nutrients needed for our bodies to function as best it can. Here are 3 tips you should follow to get in the vitamins and minerals you need throughout the day.

1. Eat a healthy diet: Make the choice to eat lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy fats. These foods will provide the most vitamins, minerals and fiber to help prevent diseases and maintain immunity.

2. Take a multivitamin: Adding a daily multivitamin to your routine is a smart choice as a nutrition insurance policy. There are many different brands and types of multivitamins on the market today. Choosing the right multivitamin to fit your needs is difficult without knowing exactly what your needs are. Before you are evaluated for nutrient deficiencies, choose a basic multivitamin that provides around 100% RDA of most vitamins and minerals.

3. Sunshine for D: Vitamin D is a critical nutrient for bone formation as well as prevention of many diseases such as breast and colon cancer. Many women are deficient in this vital nutrient. Getting out in the sunshine for at least 15 minutes each day will aid in the production of vitamin D through your skin.

To maintain health, it is important to be evaluated for and to replenish your body’s stores of any nutrient deficiencies. Call us today to set up an appointment to determine your specific nutrient needs.

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February is National Cherry Month

February is:

• American Heart Month
• National Cherry Month

Did you know that cherries are a “Super Fruit”? That means cherries offer wonderful health benefits including prevention of heart disease which is the number one cause of death among Americans. Cherries are packed with antioxidants which not only provide the bright red color but also the many health benefits.

According to researchers, consuming one serving of cherries each day helps to lower body fat, total weight, inflammation and cholesterol. Cherries have also been found to relieve the pain of arthritis and gout as well as increase the production of melatonin which aids in the sleep and aging processes.

And best of all, cherries taste fantastic! Fresh cherries are the best, but you can get frozen cherries, dried cherries, or cherry juice any time of year.

Visit www.choosecherries.com for some wonder ideas for using cherries, like this recipe for Pork Medallions with Cherry Sauce.