Staffing Experience

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Mine was full of relaxation, family, and friends. I Just want to give a quick update though. Yesterday began the most important 2 weeks of my acute care rotation and, if it weren't for this sudden sickness I would have had an update yesterday. A slight fever and sore throat has me on bed rest. Well, as much rest as a full time job and a case study can get you.

I have made it to my staffing experience! What this means is, I am the dietitian for these last 2 weeks. We relieve the dietitians of all their patients and take over. So far, so good- 2 days down, 6 more to go. It almost felt like my first day all over again. That uneasy feeling returned and my nerves crept back. But, I got nervous for no reason. The day went smoothly and one of my patients even went out of their way to let the dietitian know I did such a great job with her. This particular patient was a 49 year old new onset type 1 diabetic (you usually get diagnosed with type 1 when you are young so, this was a very interesting case). I had to educate her on a diabetic diet and all that jazz that comes with having diabetes. It's always a pleasant experience when the patient is willing to learn and has an interest in what you are telling them. I spent a good 30-45 min. going over everything and answering all her questions. The questions are where it can be tricky, I always have to be on my toes and pull out that knowledge I have acquired over the past 4 years. Good news: all questions answered with no problem. Along with eating disorders I have an interest in diabetes and was glad to have her as a patient. I guess I'm doing something right!

Tomorrow we put together our super foods theme in the cafeteria that we have been working on for a couple of weeks. Check in tomorrow for more about super foods.

Beat the Holiday Bulge

If there is ever anytime of the year that is centered around food, it's the holidays. Or, if your like me, everyday is absolutely centered around food. The holidays bring everyone together to enjoy massive amounts of foods--but hey, I'm not complaining! Unbuttoning your belt or pants to give more room to breathe sound familiar? Thats the problem. These dinners only come around once a year so we often find ourselves feeling too stuffed. Everyone's Thanksgiving should be surrounded with the delicious traditional foods that we all know and love. I am not going to tell you to avoid certain foods or how to modify the recipes to make them healthier (who wants low fat stuffing anyway?) but, I am going to tell you how to eat the foods right. 

Give your willpower a break. Trying to fight the many temptations of a Thanksgiving feast will only lead you to over eating. Instead, take a small amount of each food, savor each bite, and if your still hungry go back for seconds. This is a great trick to use even if it isn't Thanksgiving--be aware of what you are eating. 


DO NOT skip breakfast to save room for later. Sorry folks, it doesn't really work like that. This will again lead you to over eating, something we never feel good about doing. 


Pack in the protein. Indulge in the turkey (white meat only!) to help fill you up and resist other fatty foods. 


My favorite tip: Use smaller plates. Smaller amounts of food on your plate= less chance of over eating


Exercise. Don't shut down your exercise routine for Thanksgiving. If your use to exercising, take a walk with the family after dinner which will help burn off the calories from the feast. 


Perks of not eating all the holiday food in one day: your waist line won't grow and you'll have more to enjoy the next day or er, the whole week. 


There you have it, you can have your cake and eat it too--literally. 

To Go Greek or Not to Go Greek?

Move over regular yogurt, greek is in and it is taking over grocery stores and refrigerator shelves everywhere. Greek yogurt has a tangier, less sweeter, and a creamier texture than regular yogurt. My favorite brand of greek yogurt is Chobani which has tons of flavors to choose from (I recommend the pineapple and pomagrante. Although, I still have new flavors in my fridge to try) So how does it compare to its rival, regular yogurt?


Both low-fat and non-fat greek and regular yogurt can be part of a healthy diet. They contain calcium and healthy bacteria that are good for your gut. Greek yogurt has a leg up though, it contains about the same amount of calories, doubles in protein, and the amount of sugar is cut in half. More benifits of greek yogurt:






Calcium: Contains 20% of  recommended daily amount. This is less than regular yogurt due to the difference in processing. 


Sodium: Contains 50 mg of sodium--half the amount of regular yogurt. 


Fat: Here's where it gets tricky. Consuming the full fat versions of yogurt can have a negative effect. Some yogurts can have 16 grams of fat (80% of recommended daily amount!). Make sure to purchase the low-fat or non-fat versions which still pack in great flavor and key nutrients. 


Carbohydrates: Contains half the amount as regular yogurt (great choice for those going low-carb). Just remember: if the yogurt is sweetened with sugar or sweeteners it will be higher in carbs.


Protein: High in protein which helps you stay fuller longer. A single serving of greek yogurt can have as much protein as a 2-3oz piece of meat (13-17grams). A serving of regular yogurt only contains about 9 grams of protein. 


So, we have yet another battle to hash out. Greek vs. Regular:

Greek (5.3 ounces, nonfat, plain)

• Calories: 80
• Total fat: 0 grams
• Cholesterol: 10 milligrams
• Sodium: 50 milligrams
• Sugar: 6 grams
• Protein: 15 grams
• Calcium: 15 percent on a 2,000 calorie diet

Regular (6 ounces, nonfat, plain)

• Calories: 80
• Total fat: 0 grams
• Cholesterol 5 milligrams
• Sodium: 120 milligrams
• Sugar: 12 grams
• Protein: 9 grams
• Calcium: 30 percent on a 2,000 calorie diet.

To answer the question to go greek or not to go greek? I say, GO GREEK! Although regular yogurt is lower in cholesterol and higher in calcium, the other nutrient amounts in greek outweigh those. 

Ways to use greek yogurt

• Use plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream (trust me on this one! it's still just as tangy as sour cream, you won't even miss it)
• Mix with herbs to create a dip for vegetables
• Pair with granola and fruit to make a parfait
• Use in place of mayo for things like potato salad, egg salad, and coleslaw

Dance Your Way Thin

Last spring as classes were winding down and I gained 1 extra minute to relax, I chose to spend that time trying out a new exercise--ZUMBA. For those of you who don't know, Zumba is a latin-inspired dance-fitness program. If your anything like me feeling bored and uninspired on the elliptical or treadmill this is a great alternative. The inner dancer in me instantly fell in love with Zumba and I was hooked. Dancing can be a great way to lose weight and get in shape. If you do enough of it like they do on Dancing with the Stars, you will be able to drop those pounds in no time. ABC network, if your reading this I'm still waiting for my call to be on Dancing with the Stars.

The Zumba craze has sky rocketed and I can see why. It is a great way to de-stress and let loose while burning anywhere between 500-1000 calories in ONE hour. Unfortunately with my hectic life as an intern right now I have not been to a Zumba class for a while. We were given the week off (woohoo!) so, I am devoting this time to getting back on the workout wagon. Another road block: it's raining today which means I really don't want to go outside to walk to the gym. Solution: use what you have. I'm going to pop in my Just Dance Wii and get my groove on.

If you don't have an area near you that offers zumba classes have no fear, there are plenty of DVDs and interactive video games out there. Don't want to spend money to buy a DVD? turn on your radio or favorite album and start shaking those hips.

Meatless Monday

One day a week, cut out meat is the Meatless Monday motto (try saying that 5 times fast).  Meatless Monday is not something that I have creatively thought of but rather a campaign for starting off the week with healthy, environmentally friendly meat-free alternatives. The goal is to help reduce your meat consumption by 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of the planet. History behind meatless monday: presidents Wilson, Truman, and Roosevelt galvanized the nation with voluntary meatless days during both world wars. 


Why meatless? Going meatless once a week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.
Why Monday? For most Americans the week begins on Monday. On Monday we move from the freedom of the weekend and back to the grind. We set our intentions for the next six days. Studies suggest we are more likely to maintain behaviors that begin on Monday throughout the week. That makes Monday the perfect day to make a change for your health and the health of our planet.


With all that said, I would like to add my opinion of another added bonus of Meatless Monday. With the food pyramid a thing of the past, the MyPlate guidelines are in full effect. MyPlate aims to get half of your plate full of fruits and vegetables and Meatless Monday offers this opportunity in a fun and creative way. Fill your plate with fruits and vegetables with the help of a healthy list of recipes from the meatless monday webiste (www.meatlessmonday.com) and kill two birds with one stone--go meatless and meet the MyPlate guidelines. 


Updates
This is our last week of being with the dietitians. Next week= Thanksgiving break (yes, we get the WHOLE week off). When we return, we are on our own (yikes!). 


This weeks rotation: wound care and behavioral health. I have had a hunch before I even began rotations that I would enjoy working in a behavioral health unit, aaaaand I was correct. I have always had a weird obsession of wanting to understand why people with addictions do what they do. I have really enjoyed working with those who have eating disorders and I hope to get more exposure in this area. 


Projects: Lunch and learn (present on Thursday!), case study, and super foods cafeteria project. 

Spaghetti Squash

One of my favorite fall/winter produce items is squash. There are many different types that can make an endless amount of food. From sides, soups, and entrees the possibilities are endless. This week at the grocery store I decided to pick up a spaghetti squash. When cooking for one or two, my goal for picking out a spaghetti squash is to find the smallest one possible. It seems that sometimes these bad boys could feed an Army. 

What exactly is spaghetti squash? It is a winter squash with a rich color and a high nutritional value. It has a slight sweet flavor and is called spaghetti squash because, when cooked it resembles spaghetti noodles. One cup of cooked spaghetti squash will give you about 40 calories, 2 grams of fiber, 10 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of protein, and a very low-fat content. Spaghetti squash also contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (the good fats!) which can help prevent heart disease, cancer, and inflammation. It contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. Beta carotene (beneficial for insulin resistance and can help prevent atherosclerosis), potassium (helps lower blood pressure), folate (prevents damage to blood vessel walls and is beneficial for pregnant women to help prevent birth defects), Vitamin A and C (antioxidants) and Vitamin B (prevent cell damage). 

How to cook spaghetti squash:

You can cook it in the microwave, oven, or boiled. I cook it in the microwave for 10-12 minutes. Make sure to poke a few holes in the squash so it doesn't explode.

After it's cooked, cut it open and scoop out all the seeds in the middle.

Use a fork to scrape up the squash.

The finished product.

Serve as desired. I chose to replace pasta with the squash and serve with pesto chicken and vegetables. 

Also great with tomatoes and herbs or maranara sauce with meatballs. 

There's an app for that

Smart phones are taking over the world and there is an app for literally almost anything. The countless number of nutrition and fitness apps have been designed to help the world get healthy. I recently came across an article from boston.com (http://www.boston.com/Boston/dailydose/2011/11/new-harvard-app-counts-calories-plate/dylRL9Rk3aByk7h3k79yFO/index.html) about an app being created from Harvard to count calories on a plate. Forget dietitians, we are now saving the world one app at a time.


Harvard engineering students are trying to develop a software program called PlateMate. By snapping a picture of your plate, this app with give you a calorie count of the food you are about to eat. Last month at a software technology conference the students showcased their method of instantly estimating portions and identifying foods that can be used in a software system to estimate the number of calories. At the moment the turn around time for estimating calories is 1 hour. Students are optimistic that it can be developed in minutes and created as an app. 

The iPhone does have an app similar (Meal Snap) to this however, it gives you a wide range of calories for a food which could be confusing for some. Students at Harvard plan develop a more complex software to limit the range of estimated calories for foods. They are hoping that this new app can hit the market this year. The amount of calories at your fingertips sounds like a dream come true but, heres the insight from RD Joan Salge Blake:

“You can look at a photo of a quiche and have no idea what’s really in it,” Blake said. “Is it made with regular cheese or low-fat? Skim milk or whole milk? You’ll only be getting a guesstimate of calories.”


It may be easier and less time consuming to just rely on the calorie counts posted on restaurant menus, though Blake said simply knowing calories won’t help a lot of people eat more nutritiously.

“There’s more to nutrition counseling than just telling you how many calories to eat,” she said. “A registered dietitian is trained to look at your medical history and family medical history and to figure out what you should be eating to bring down those disease risks.”

Cancer Care Smoothie Day

After the busyness that was last week I realized today I have neglected my blog. I do apologize and don't worry, this will not happen again. Last week on Wednesday the hospital hosted cancer care smoothie day. Using carnation instant breakfast (which may not appeal to all taste buds) the interns whipped up some 'smoothie' recipes that were delicious. We made a chocolate mocha hot smoothie that consisted of chocolate carnation instant breakfast, instant coffee, and chocolate syrup. The pumpkin spice was a cold smoothie with vanilla carnation instant breakfast, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla ice cream. Talk about delicious--I think I tried a little too samples of the pumpkin smoothie. After the smoothies were made we passed them out to the patients who were coming in for treatment. Most people opted to try them however, a lot of them didn't have the appetite because of their chemo. No, you don't have to have cancer to try these supplement recipes. Don't enjoy eating breakfast? Use a carnation instant breakfast to help get in the nutrients you need. 

That same day there was a Greater Cincinnati Dietetic Association wine tasting event. At the event you got 6 different wine tastings plus an array of food. There were 3 white wines and 3 red wines that you could pair with the menu:

• Spinach and artichoke dip
• baked pasta with a meat sauce
• 3 grain salad with a sweet onion dressing
• black bean cous cous salad
• spicy lentil dip
• Corn Fritters with chipotle aioli
• Bread and olive oil
• Whole wheat chocolate chip cookies
• Light lemon bars

I had to hold myself back from purchasing some wine to take home however, now that I know they hold tastings every friday you can bet I will be returning soon. 

Last week was also my birthday. I wanted to thank all my friends and family for making it so special. I feel so blessed, 4 days of celebrating with such great people! I received a cook book for my birthday that will come in handy for me and will definitely make a debut to the blog soon: cooking for one. 

This weeks rotation: wound care and the behavioral unit

Projects: Lunch and learn (presenting next week!), case study, and cafeteria project-super foods

Today is Meatless Monday! look tomorrow (or if I get time tonight) for a post about meatless monday. If you have any good recipes leave them in the comments section, I'm always looking to try something new.