2009 – Year in Review

Well, it’s that time of year again.  The end of each year always brings various “top 10, 20, 100,” etc. lists that are meant to cause us to reflect on various events that happened or products that were introduced, and how they effected our lives.  It is also a time to think about the future and what we may hope to accomplish in the upcoming year. 

As I look back on this previous year, I am amazed at how quickly it went by.  I can’t believe my first year as a private practice dietitian is almost over!  There are some days when I feel like I’ve been on my own longer than a year, and other days I can’t believe it’s already been a year. 

In 2009, I tried really hard to stay focused on my “core” areas regarding my private practice, which are food allergies/sensitivities and their related conditions, celiac, polycystic ovarian syndrome, sports nutrition and fitness, vegetarian nutrition, and overall health and wellness.  This may sound like a lot of different areas, but when I was working as an outpatient dietitian in a clinic setting, I had to know EVERYTHING about anything that even remotely had a nutrition component to treatment.  Dealing with diabetes and heart disease was a daily event, so staying on top of medical nutrition therapy (MNT) for those conditions was easy.  However, I rarely saw patients with end stage renal disease, liver cirrhosis, cancer, multiple sclerosis, lupus, scleroderma, etc., so making sure my MNT knowledge was current in those areas was much more challenging.  Not to mention that a person’s age also has a huge impact on how you implement MNT. 

By narrowing my focus to a few key areas that I had a huge interest in, I felt I would be better able to stay on top of new research and developments that I could implement in my practice.  This would enable me to provide my patients/clients the kind of “expert” care they deserved. 

Just in my core areas a lot has happened over the past year.  For example, regarding food allergies, there have been breakthroughs in possible treatments for children with peanut allergies, allowing them to be able to consume peanuts. 

People with celiac disease now have a much wider array of processed gluten free items to choose from.  In addition, there are also several applications available for the various smart phones that list gluten free foods and are a tremendous aid when shopping.

In vegetarian nutrition, there had been a vegan omega 3 supplement developed that contained both EPA and DHA (VPure), but it was only available through a company in Europe.  Ordering this product meant having to deal with different currency and lengthy shipping times.  Now there is also a version available out of North Carolina here in the USA.  Both of these products are made from sea algae.  This is a huge breakthrough because previously, vegan omega 3 supplements only contained DHA and/or ALA.  Now, there is no need to use an animal-based product to get all of the types of omega 3 are bodies need. 

One of the most interesting advancements in nutrition technology to me is a new DNA-based test that can help with weight loss.  This particular test determines the ideal percentages of carbohydrate, protein, and fat that a person should consume to manage their weight.  It also determines what level of intensity that person should exercise at.  It is still up to the nutrition professional to determine overall caloric needs and length of time to exercise, but this definitely can speed up a person’s weight loss efforts because now there is no “trial and error” involved in determining if they would benefit from more protein versus more carbohydrate and vice versa.  You can read more about this breakthrough technology here.

I’m sure 2010 will bring about even more advances in nutrition technology.  I look forward to learning about them and bringing them to you in my practice!  I wish you all a very Happy and Prosperous New Year! 

Holiday Baking

I can’t believe Christmas is just days away!  I am WAY behind in my baking!!  I come from a pretty big family (3 brothers and 4 sisters, who at this point almost all have kids of their own), so buying gifts for everyone is virtually impossible since none of us are independently wealthy!  For that reason, shopping for presents really is not that big of a deal for my family and me; we usually either just buy presents for the “little kids” or draw names, or if we are really strapped financially, we just do not buy any presents.  The bigger deal is preparing food.  We always meet for Christmas dinner at my oldest brother’s house, and most of us bring some type of food. 

I usually bring a few things, such as my “holiday festive loaf” (which is a bread with sautéed red bell pepper, green onions, bacon (although I used soy bacon), and Parmesan mixed in), a blueberry banana cream pie, and cookies.  I am actually most known for the cookies. 

Ever since I was a little kid, I have been the designated “cookie baker.”  I was always very into “art” (drawing, painting, making clay models, crocheting, knitting. . . you name it), so when I made cookies, I couldn’t just frost them one solid color and pour a few sprinkles on.  I had to make them look like the imprint on the cookie cutter, complete with individually decorated outfits!  Even the Christmas trees had different colored “ornaments” and garland.  It was something I really enjoyed doing, so I guess that’s why eventually I was the one everyone expected to make them! 

I used to just make several batches of Christmas cookies and have them on a giant platter to set out on the buffet.  Then I started adding my famous oatmeal cookies to the mix.  Eventually, I started hearing some complaints that “all the cookies are gone, and I only got to have one” so in addition to the “community platter,” I started making each person in my family their own individual cookie bag with at least 4 Christmas cookies and a half dozen oatmeal cookies.  This seems to have quelled the complaints! 

My Christmas cookies are no ordinary sugar cookies; I decorate each one in excruciating detail (Santa has either blue, green, or black eyes, same with the mittens; the angels also have various eye and hair colors, sometimes different colored robes, etc.), so it takes me a really long time to make these cookies.  Take a look:

My oatmeal cookies are different as well; I usually make them with applesauce instead of fat, and add dark chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and walnuts.  Sometimes I’ll even toss in a little ground flaxseed (shhh!!  Nobody knows these are “healthy” cookies!). 

Over the years, I have experimented with different ways to try and make the cookies somewhat “healthier,” and taste good.  Especially with sugar cookies; you have to have a certain amount of fat in the dough or it will not roll out properly, or will stick to the cookie cutters.  There is only so much you can do to reduce the fat and sugar content, but at least I know that the fat that I do put into my cookies is a “healthy” fat, and the other ingredients are organic and therefore free of pesticides! 

My most recent experiment (just this past week in fact) has been gluten-free, vegan sugar cookies.  Since this was an experiment, I opted to just make plain Christmas trees (no fancy decorating). I used Ener-G to replace the eggs, and it seems to have worked pretty well; the cookies took longer to bake than normal, but they still have a similar “golden brown” look to them, and are slightly crispy. Overall not bad; they do taste a little different than just regular “wheat” sugar cookies, but still got a thumbs up from my husband!  If you are interested, I basically used this recipe (but replaced the egg with Ener-G and used Bob’s Red Mill All-purpose GF flour mix).

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my blog so far. . . I’ll probably only write one more before the end of the year.  Until then, Merry Christmas!

Winter Cycling

I admit it, I’m a wimp when it comes to riding my bike in the cold.  I’d much rather go run, or if I have to bike, either use my indoor trainer or take a spin class!  But I know there are just sometimes when you have to get on your bike out in the cold, so here we go. 

I am going to focus on clothing and nutrition regarding training, not “commuter” type cycling.  For some good “commuter” winter cycling tips, see bicycling life and commute by bike . 

I am also not going to cover the technical aspects regarding “winterizing” your bicycle (if that is needed).  There is a really good website regarding these technical details that is put together by All Weather Sports in Alaska. 

Similar to tips for running in the cold, when cycling in the cold you need to protect your head and extremities, as well as stay hydrated and fuel properly. You also need to plan for how long you'll be cycling and if weather conditions may change while you are out riding. See my previous blog post for these particular tips.

Now on a bike, you are going to be generating your own wind, whether it is windy outside or not, so you have to keep this in mind in regards to keeping your body warm.  While some people may generate a lot of heat riding a bike, I personally warm up much more running than I do cycling (that’s one of the reasons I prefer cycling to running in the summer, and vice versa in the winter).  Most people will start to need “more clothing” on a bike as the temperature begins to dip below 50 degrees. 

The first thing to protect is your head and extremities.  Consider wearing a skullcap or some type of helmet liner, and wear gloves.  There are gloves made specifically for cyclists that are full-fingered.  When the temperature starts to get really cold, you may want to try the “crab-claw” type gloves that are similar to mittens, but still give you enough finger movement to be able to shift gears and brake easily.  Depending on what type of shoes you ride in, you may not be able to wear much thicker socks.  Consider purchasing “shoe covers,” or try the much less expensive option, which is to wrap a plastic bag over your shoe.  If you are someone who’s feet do not sweat much, you may even want to wrap your foot in a plastic bag, then tuck your foot into your shoe (I’m told bread bags or plastic newspaper “sleeves” work great for this, it’s not something I personally have tried). 

The next clothing items to consider are arm and leg (or knee) warmers.  These are good for rides that start cold but then warm up because you can either completely take off the warmers and tuck them into a back pocket once you warm up, or just push them down to your wrists and ankles. 

For much colder temperatures, you will likely be wearing full leggings, a long-sleeved shirt, an insulated vest, a balaclava (head wrap that extends to protect your neck and chin), and possibly a wind breaker (in addition to gloves and feet protectors) and sun glasses.  Polarized lenses that are vented can work great for protecting your eyes from the wind, as well as reducing glare (but if they are not vented, they may have a tendency to fog up). 

Finally, make sure that you not only have front and rear lights on your bike, but that you also wear reflective clothing and/or have some type of blinking light on your body as well.  Daylight hours are so short this time of year, plus the skies often tend to be overcast and gray, that it can be difficult for drivers to see cyclists even during the daytime. 

Training in Cold Weather

Depending on what part of the country you live in, you may already be experiencing winter like conditions (even though winter does not officially start until December 21).  Here in Austin, TX, we had our first hard freeze last weekend.  Friday night/Saturday morning it was about 24 degrees at my house, and 27 degrees down by the river (Lady Bird Lake) where I was going to have to lead my training group at 7 a.m.  That is pretty darn cold for us central Texans! 

For that reason, I thought now would be a good time to review a few tips for working out in the cold.  I’ll start with running since that’s what we did last Saturday!  Right now, I’m the lead pacer for a group of runners training for the Austin Marathon on Valentine’s Day.  We have a variety of runners from “first-time” marathoners to experienced marathoners.  Some of these runners have never run more than a 10K, so having to plan clothing for changing weather conditions during a run is something many have not experienced. 

The first rule of thumb is to dress like you would if it was 20 degrees warmer; I like this tip because it is a very individual thing.  Second, protect your head because this is where you will lose the most heat.  Third, protect your extremities (hands and feet) because they have less muscle and therefore less blood flow than your larger body parts. 

To give you an example, I will wear a single layer (shorts and a short-sleeve shirt) down to 50 degrees.  Between 45 and 50, I’ll still wear a single layer, but my shirt will be long-sleeved and I’ll add gloves and ear warmers (particularly if it is cloudy and there is wind).  From 35 to 44, I’ll wear leggings, and 2 top layers (short sleeve under a long sleeve shirt).  When you start wearing “layers,” it is super important that your base layer fits snug, and that you choose a “wicking” fabric, such as dry fit or cool max.  You do not want to wear a cotton shirt or something too loose because once you start sweating, the liquid will not evaporate and you will get cold.  As the temperature drops further (and if there is a significant wind chill), I’ll start adding things like an insulated vest or wind breaker, shorts under my leggings, 2 pairs of socks, a hat or shirt with a build in hoodie, etc. 

You also want to keep in mind how long you are going to be running and if it is going to warm up significantly during that time.  If you are doing a long run that is 2 hours or more, it is possible it could be 10 to 20 degrees warmer than at the start.  Keep this in mind when you are dressing.  You may want to choose a top layer that you don’t mind just tossing when you start to warm up.  Or choose something you can tie around your waist. 

Last but not least, don’t forget about your nutrition.  It is just as easy to get dehydrated in the winter as it is in the summer.  The problem is because you do not get as hot, you may not get as thirsty.  Your body looses a significant amount of fluids through your breath as well as sweat, not to mention that the air is usually much drier in the winter.  Most people also experience the drying effects of heaters during this time of year, so our fluid requirements are just as high as they are in the summer.  Make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids before and during your workouts.

You also burn significantly more calories trying to keep your body warm.  This means you need to be re-fueling on workouts that are taking longer than an hour.  You can do this either by using a sports drink that has calories (NOT a drink that is strictly for electrolyte replacement), gels, gu's, sports beans, etc.  Every body is different in their exact nutrition requirements and what their body will tolerate, so make sure and experiment with different types of drinks/foods. 

Next week I’ll talk about cycling in the cold!  Until then, happy trails!

Staying Healthy During the Holidays

We’ve made it through Halloween and Thanksgiving, now we still have the December holidays (Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah) and the New Year to get through!  Because these holidays often involve traveling and spending money, a lot of people find this time of year stressful.  Stress can cause a variety of physical problems, from raising blood pressure and blood sugar to lowering our immune systems’ defenses (making us more susceptible to contracting contagious diseases such as the cold and flu).  Add to that changing temperatures, cold rain and/or “wintery precipitation” and it can be quite the battle to stay healthy! 

In order to stay healthy, we need to focus on the things we can control, which include our diet, physical activity, and personal hygiene.  Moderate exercise has been shown to both relieve stress and boost our immune systems.  For those reasons, it is very important that you do not let your exercise slide during this time of year.  You may think that you do not have time to exercise, but what you really do not have time for is to get sick!  If you get sick, you may have to miss work and you may not have the energy to run all your errands.  Exercise is non-negotiable, you need to take time for at least 30 minutes TOTAL of moderate exercise 5 times each week if you want to stay healthy.  Keep in mind that you can break this up into 3 bouts of 10 minutes each, or 2 bouts of 15 minutes each.  By breaking your exercise up, it can often be easier to get in.

What can you do for 10-30 minutes?  You can go for a walk, stretch, do some body weight exercises (such as push ups, chair dips, crunches, etc.), etc.   Ideally, over the week you will get in 3 different types of exercise: “cardio” or “aerobic” type exercise (such as walking), strength training, and stretching.  A great resource for short exercise routines is Runner's World magazine.  You can search for exercises targeting your hips, knees, feet, and core.  Many of these routines can be done in 10-15 minutes.  Another good source is the Whole Living website.  They have 4 different categories of exercise routines: build strength, walking + other cardio, yoga + pilates, and “easy routines.” 

Of course you also want to make sure you are eating foods that will help boost your immune system.  These include yogurt with live & active cultures, a variety of fruits and vegetables, some whole grains, tea (green, black, or herbals such as ginger), and prepare foods with garlic, ginger, and onions.  All of these foods have potential to help fight disease, either through antioxidants or their anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. 

In addition, make sure you wash your hands often!  The CDC states that “hand washing is the single most important method for preventing infectious disease.”  We need to wash our hand before we eat and every time we get our hands dirty.  Also, avoid touching your “T” zone (eyes, nose, and mouth).  Whenever we touch surfaces such as doorknobs, tabletops, shopping carts, etc., we are likely exposing ourselves to germs that could make us sick, so it is super important we do not transmit those germs into our bodies by rubbing our eyes, biting our nails, etc.  And if you have to cough or sneeze, do not cover your mouth and nose with your hands, use a tissue or if tissues are not available, cough or sneeze into you arm, that way you do not go on to contaminate other surfaces with your hands. 

And last but not least, if you do get sick, stay home!  Be mindful of how you may inadvertently spread your illness.  Do not go to work or to the gym or meet your running/cycling/swimming group where you can get others sick.