'food' posts

Many parents don’t realize how much eating meals together as a family helps their children’s development and well-being in addition to being known to reduce the risk of obesity and improve the nutrition of children. Eating meals together is a valuable lesson and practice in sharing. By eating the same foods, hearing about someone else’s day, and telling stories, kids learn to compromise and show respect. Sitting around the table with the family is a great setting for children to see how they are a part of something bigger than just themselves.

When you have young children, it is a key time to start eating meals as a family and develop this lifetime habit. Even babies old enough to sit in a high chair but not old enough to eat everything everyone else is eating will benefit from joining the family at the table.

Here are some tips to make mealtimes more pleasant with young ones:

Although most Americans celebrated the day of Mexican pride and heritage yesterday, there is no reason to stop the party. To spice up your diet, incorporating the regional dishes of Mexico can offer a range of health benefits and variety to your everyday routine. It is possible to enjoy the fresh Mexican flavors without wrecking your waistline!

Mexican cuisine is much more than the high fat, high calorie gigantic platters of food often served in American style restaurants. The land and seas of Mexico provide a plethora of fruits, vegetables, and heart healthy fishes that are important for good nutritional health.

 

You are in charge of your health.

From scheduling your yearly doctor visit to carving out time in your day for 30 to 60 minutes of exercise, you have the power to keep your body and mind in top form. The key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is to turn this “scheduling” into an enjoyable routine. One of the best ways to do this is to start with the routine that none of us could live without: eating. Here are a few tips to make healthy eating a fun habit:

1. Add color! Colorful fruits and veggies are full of nutrients. Think of meals as art projects and play with color!

2. Mix and match. Choosemyplate.gov shows you how to divide up your plate between fruits, vegetables, protein, grains and dairy. Using that framework, mix and match foods and find the combinations that make your palate sing. Mix it up and make mealtime fun.

3. Get creative with herbs and spices. Herbs and spices are a great way to add depth of flavor to food while limiting salt. Experiment with different flavors!
4. Involve your family and friends. Healthy cooking can be fun and entertaining. Give yourself a reason to look forward to making this a routine!

Healthy habits take time to build so give yourself time to explore and get comfortable with cooking your way to health.

This is especially the case for ...

March is the month to celebrate healthy eating habits and Registered Dietitians everywhere making an impact on our nation’s nutritional health. Each year the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics promotes National Nutrition Month by selecting a theme to support Americans in making informed and sound decisions with their dietary intake. In 2013 the theme is Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day.

What does that this mean?

We are each unique individuals with different ethnicities, cultural practices and traditions, food preferences, and health concerns. These factors guide and influence our food choices on a daily basis. There is a common misconception that “eating healthy” means cutting out certain foods or feeling deprived. RD’s recognize that all foods can be healthfully incorporated into a well balanced, daily eating plan within a person’s energy needs.

National Nutrition Month at Swedish

In honor of National Nutrition Month, the Nutrition Services department at First Hill, Cherry Hill, Ballard, and Issaquah has been featuring a nutrition booth in the cafeteria celebrating the health benefits of different country’s cultural cuisines. Swedish Registered Dietitians and Diet Technicians have been present each Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., providing healthful eating tips, handouts, and food samples from the featured country of the week!

The first week of National Nutrition Month highlighted foods from the Philippines. The native dishes displayed were Pompano and pinakbet:

SEATTLE, Feb. 25, 2013 - KOMONews.com posted an article today about a newly FDA-approved surgical procedure for acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) called LINX that Swedish is now offering to patients.

I felt compelled to write this post primarily because I am exhausted from witnessing those dramatic cold and flu commercials I see everywhere. We all know how to treat a cold or the flu: rest, fluids, and antioxidant rich foods. Yet many of us (I’m guilty, too) reach for Emergen-C thinking that’s all we need and give little (or no) thought to what ‘antioxidant rich’ foods may do to help. So for your health and mine, I’ve highlighted some of those antioxidant-rich foods that should be featured on our plates this season.

First – what are antioxidants?

Antioxidants are nutrients and enzymes that quench free radicals (unstable harmful molecules that are the result of oxidative damage), therefore protecting your cells from damage. Free radicals can do a number on your immune system, thus blunting your ability to respond to a cold. Major antioxidants include Carotenes (beta-carotene), Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium & Zinc.

Where can I get or find antioxidants?

With the vague hint of spring in the air, many families are gearing up for the onslaught of practices and games that come with spring sports. As the kids strap on their pads and cleats again, keep in mind that a healthy athlete needs more than just good physical conditioning; fueling their bodies with proper nutrition is just as important to keep them competitive!

Nutrition is vital for the health of people of all ages and activity levels but young athletes have higher fluid and energy needs. Nutrition can also help prevent injury and keep your young athlete competitive. Help your young athlete become a nutrition champion before the starting buzzer even goes off!

• For healthy bones...