American Heart Month

February is American Heart Month. Cute because February is also full of valentine hearts!

Educate yourself on the risk factors and what you can do starting right now to lower your own risk or your family's risk of heart disease.

Main Risk Factors and Contributors:

• Diabetes Mellitus (Type 1 or 2)
• High Blood Cholesterol and Other Lipids
• High Blood Pressure (over 120/80)
• Overweight and Obesity (BMI greater than 24.9)
• Physical Inactivity
• Smoking
• Nutrition

NUTRITION ALONE CAN CORRECT HIGH CHOLESTEROL AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE! In some cases, some of the high results are genetic (but the chances that is you are slim). Here are some things you can start today to stay away from heart disease:

1. Eat deep water, fatty fish 3 times per week (salmon, black cod, tuna, mackerel and halibut)
2. Minimize your saturated fat intake (saturated fats are solid at room temp): butter, lard, tallow, bacon grease, dairy fat (high fat cheeses, creams and milks - the lowfat ones are okay), and anything with the word "fried" in it.
3. Eat more plant sterols and stanols - aka eat more vegetables and fruits and switch from butter to Benecol Light or Smart Balance Light
4. Increase your fiber intake (fiber cleans out excess cholesterol): eat more whole grains, whole wheat products
5. Take fish oil. My favorite brand is Nordic Naturals, all you need is the basic Omega-3 supplement which you can pick up at PCC, Whole Foods, Bartell Drugs, etc, etc.

Happy Heart Month and Happy Valentines Day! Try cooking the person you love a heart healthy meal that says "I love you, and I want you to stick around for a while." :)

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Costco Gems

There is always new food products coming out and when I find good deals or a great idea for a snack I try to share the hidden knowledge with you guys! I call them "food gems" and here are some of the latest gems from Costco.

Fage (fah-yay) 0% Fat Plain Greek Yogurt

The Greeks and Icelander's make their yogurt by straining out most of the natural dairy sugar (lactose), making Greek yogurt higher in protein and lower in sugar than traditional American yogurts. Use plain Greek like the one here in place of sour cream or with powdered ranch or onion dip for veggies. 35oz for $5.79

Maranatha Almond Butter

Alternate nut butters like almond, cashew, hazelnut, etc are great for different flavors and textures when you get bored with peanut butter. But have you seen how expensive they are!? This one is a large jar of roasted almond butter (roasted or raw is fine) for $5.75 - SCORE!

Lump Crab Meat

Its the middle/end of crab season and all the good stuff is out in the stores. Chicken of the Sea (no, Jessica its not chicken) came up with an easy way for everyone to get their hands on some. Crab is a great source of very lean protein and no need to worry about the cholesterol, its overhyped. Even if you have high cholesterol you can eat crab and shrimp and eggs :) This particular crab meat is blue swimmer crab which mostly comes from the Indian and Pacific Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea. 16oz container for $14.99

Light Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sandwiches

I spend half my clinic time brainstorming "quick and easy" meals for people. Although high in sodium like any processed food, these are balanced and take a couple minutes in the microwave. Its a great backup option for breakfast. Box of 12 sandwiches for $12.99

Pre-portioned, pre-cooked Organic Brown Rice Bowls

These are AWESOME! I used to buy them individually at Trader Joe's until they added the seaweed flavor to them. These are super quick and easy and are great for families or singles! There is about 1 cup in each which is 2 servings of grains. Pack of 6 brown rice bowls.

Aidell's Mini Chicken Sausages

These mini versions of Aidell's chicken sausages are lower in sodium than most other sausages and comes in 3 flavors. Fully cooked its a quick and easy protein-based snack for adults and kids. Party Pack is $10.99

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The Peanut Gallery

The holidays bring a lot of nutrition related concerns and questions up, so I'm used to getting questions about portion sizes, how to eat out, what to do about alcohol, etc. But one of the most consistent questions that I've been getting this year is how to deal with the peanut gallery. It seems like a lot of you are facing nosy friends, family members and some people you don't even know who are butting into your food choices and looking at your plate at parties.

This is really common, but very annoying. People by nature are curious. They hear you are on some new fitness program or see that you've been losing weight and all the sudden you are the poster child for what they should be eating too. Or you get the opposite effect, the "But it's Christmas" or "Oh come on its just one cookie" or "You've been so good all week, reward yourself". Those people may be trying to support you or give you a pat on the back but what they are really doing is bringing you down and tempting you. Misery loves company. I mean, who likes to overeat and drink alone?

So what do you do?

The best solution is a one-liner. Come up with a simple sentence that kindly but firmly says "mind your own business".

For example:

"These are the choices I need to make to reach my goal, its just the way it is...so I'd love your support!"

"I just have to be a little more focused on what I'm doing right now. When I'm at my goal I'll get to be more relaxed about it."

"It's being strong in these situations that's going to get me where I need to be, so quit negotiating with me and support me!"

Be honest with your friends. Food is a personal thing, but its also a very public and social thing so don't be surprised that people are paying attention to what you are doing...be armed!

Happy Holidays!

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Restaurant Portions

The Scene: The Metropolitan Grill

The Situation: A Birthday Dinner

The People: Family and Fiance

Choice #1: 17 oz "The Met" Prime Bone-In Filet with Mashed Potatoes

Choice #2: 4 oz Filet Mignon with Asparagus, Gorgonzola and Beets

Im sure you know by looking at the picture what the appropriate choice would be for most people, but consider the social setting around you, consider how you order both...

Choice #1 just takes a simple "Ill have the Prime Bone-In Filet with Mashed Potatoes".

Choice #2 takes separate steps - first you have to find someone at your table who is willing to split an entree with you. Luckily my sister-in-law is a health rockstar and was all for it. Then you have to proceed to explain to the waiter that you and your friend will be sharing the 8oz filet and side of asparagus and beets. On top of the peanut gallery at the table that may ask why you are splitting the smallest steak on the menu.

In nutrition reality, an appropriate portion of protein for the average person is about 4-6 ounces cooked. Meaning that the smallest steak on most steakhouse menus is almost double what you need. And Choice #1's steak, a bone in 17 ounces is just more than anyone needs.

As far as sides, like potatoes or pasta or rice or some other starch, the general rule of thumb is that 1/2 cup would be one full serving of carbohydrates. The mashed potatoes in Choice #1 is about 1.5 cups, meaning you are now eating 17 ounces of steak with 3 full carbohydrate servings. On top of the wine you may be having...

All in all the decision is completely personal and up to each of us. There is no "right" or "wrong" choice, but its all about moderation and balance. Maybe you chose #1, but you might not go to The Met very often and you may eat like Choice #2 all the time. But I think its important to educate the public on proper portion size because if we just went by what we are served in restaurants...well then we would have quite the obesity problem in this country!

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Crave Health Branding

Crave Health is ready for an official launch here in 2011! We are opening more appointment times and able to take on more patients, so we thought getting a great solid brand together would be a great step. First step: Logo Design.

Any thoughts on these new logo concepts? Any favorites, likes or dislikes?

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Thanksgiving Dinner

DO NOT PANIC!

Thanksgiving is just like any other day, we eat, drink, spend time with friends & family and enjoy and be thankful for the life we have. There just happens to be some specific food items that are associated with this particular holiday - foods that tend to make people nervous! The key is to relax and go in with a plan.

Just accept that the meal will be larger than normal, but this happens once a year so get over it, but don't throw it out the window either.

1) Take more turkey than you are used to taking.

Aim for about 5-6 oz of turkey (about 2 decks of playing cards). Turkey is a great source of protein that will help keep you full and promote stable blood sugar levels throughout the day.

2) Make sure there is a Non-Starchy Veggie on the table and on YOUR plate.

Most Thanksgiving tables have no garden veggies to be found! (Unless its a green bean casserole full of cream-of-mushroom soup and fried onions). Bring a brussels sprouts dish or even a green salad this year, and fill about 1/2 your plate with it. Yep, half.

3) Choose your Carbohydrates Carefully.

The issue with Thanksgiving dinner is the amount of carbohydrates present. You have the stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams, cranberry sauce, alcohol, pies, crackers, rolls, etc, etc, etc.

**Plan for 300-400 calories of your meal to come from your carbohydrate choices.**

Think about what you really want to spend those calories on, and avoid the things you can have anytime (like the rolls or regular corn).

1/2 cup of Traditional Stuffing: 120 calories

1/2 cup Mashed Potatoes: 150 calories

1/2 cup Sweet Potato (plain): 100 calories

1 Dinner Roll (tennis ball size): 130 calories

1/4 cup Cranberry Sauce: 110 calories

1 slice Pumpkin Pie (small slice): 230 calories

1 slice Pecan Pie (small slice): 450 calories

5 oz Red or White Wine: 100-130 calories

1 cup Egg Nog: 350 calories

1 cup Hot Buttered Rum: 300 calories

So choose wisely, enjoy your meal and time with friends and family and be thankful for the ups and downs that you are given in life. Its all for a purpose.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Unbearable Lightness

Portia di Rossi aka Portia deGeneres has written an autobiography titled "Unbearable Lightness" which touches on her struggle with anorexia and bulimia as well as her sexuality. The book was released to the public on November 1st 2010, and I bought and finished it that week.

The book is an open and honest account of her daily struggles with shame, drive and the insanity that comes with obsessing about body weight and living for other people.

As an eating disorder specialist it is interesting to hear different accounts of how people cope with the illness of anorexia, bulimia or body dysmorphic disorder. Reading this book was like hearing the account of any number of patients in my office - the stories are all so similar, but from the inside, each person feels as if he or she is the only one that feels this way or thinks this way or acts this way. Some are ashamed of those thoughts and behaviors and some are proud of them. That's the bizarre world of an eating disorder.

She does reveal numbers, which some in recovery choose not to do, since those who are active in their disorders tend to use those numbers as a goal or a new record to beat. She reveals things like her highest and lowest weight, number of calories consumed in a typical restrictive day and number of times she binges, purges and hours spent at the gym. Obviously if you see these numbers as a personal challenge...you my friend, belong in my office.

Its a must read for anyone who struggles with body image, anyone who has a child and anyone who is active in their own disorder.

A+ Rating from this ED dietitian!

Pick it up from itunes or ibooks or from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Unbearable-Lightness-Story-Loss-Gain/dp/1439177783/ref=pd_nr_b_16?ie=UTF8&s=books

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Update on the Potato Guy

So I was sitting at "bin on the lake" a Kirkland wine bar with my girlfriend Kim for dinner during restaurant week on Wednesday night and she asked me "what ever happened to that potato guy?" which reminded me that I need to update you all on the progress! Kim also told me that she actually reads my blog, which is AWESOME and made my night - thank you Kim!

So the basic outline is that he will be eating only potatoes, no toppings, nothing else, from October 1st - November 29th.

He started the diet at 197 lbs and 73.5 in tall making his BMI 25.6 kg/m2 (which is just barely considered overweight). His lab results are here:

Chris Voigt's Pre-Potato Physical Lab Results

He has Pre-Diabetes with a high blood glucose at 104. (Goal = Less than 100)

He has high cholesterol with a total cholesterol of 214. (Goal = Less than 200)

He is aiming for 2200 calories per day but is having a hard time getting in that many because, well he is only eating potatoes and there's only so many potatoes a person can handle! But after the initial couple weeks he was back closer to 2200. And, he's been advised to eat potato chips and french fries in order to get some essential fatty acids that the potatoes arent providing him.

Very interesting! Check out the day-to-day blog: http://20potatoesaday.com/blog.php

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