June 6-7, 2010 | New York City | Food For Your Whole Life Blog

Mehmet C. Oz, MD

The Dr. Oz Show, Columbia
University Medical Center

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Baby Steps: The Importance of Folic Acid in Infant Development

Published on April 21, 2010 in infant development and nutrition. 0 Comments

By Lindsey Toth of Healthy Blog Snack

With the many March of Dimes March for Babies walks coming up, I thought it appropriate to touch on something the March of Dimes works hard to prevent, and something that any new mother can help prevent with the right supplementation and diet.

Every mother-to-be wants her newest bundle of joy to arrive pink, plump, and perfectly healthy. So what do you do when your baby is at risk for a permanently disabling birth defect called Spina Bifida?

What is Spina Bifida?

Spina Bifida is the most common birth defect in the U.S., occurring in 7 out of every 10,000 live births. It is a type of neural tube defect (NTD), where the baby’s spinal column fails to close in the womb. A child living with Spina Bifida can face social problems, learning disabilities, gastrointestinal disorders, or can even be born paralyzed.

What’s the 411 on folic acid?

Spina Bifida can occur in any pregnancy, though one of the biggest determinants in its development is folic acid deficiency. Folic acid is a B-vitamin that our bodies use to make red blood cells, and synthesize and repair DNA. During pregnancy, our bodies’ need for folic acid increases to accommodate the growth of the baby.

Half of all U.S. pregnancies are unplanned, and because Spina Bifida develops as early as the first trimester, adequate folic acid intake during childbearing years is crucial to Spina Bifida prevention. Studies suggest that if all women of childbearing age were to take a daily multivitamin with folic acid, NTDs like Spina Bifida could be reduced by up to 70%.

The recommended dose of folic acid for women of childbearing age is 400 micrograms (mcg) per day, which can be found in most over-the-counter multivitamins. During pregnancy, that recommendation jumps to 600 to 800 mcg per day.

What can I do to decrease my child’s risk?

A diet rich in folic acid-containing foods (see sidebar) provides enough folic acid for fetal growth and development, but unfortunately, the average American Diet tends to fall short. The best way to ensure your baby is getting enough folic acid is to talk with your physician about taking a prescription prenatal vitamin. These vitamins contain between 800 and 1,000 mcg of folic acid, more than enough to meet your baby’s needs and help prevent Spina Bifida.

Bonus! From March 28 through May 1, Kmart Pharmacy is providing free folic acid to pharmacy customers when they fill a prescription! Check out the March of Dimes press release for more info, or head over to the Kmart Pharmacy website.

About Lindsey

Lindsey is currently training to be a registered dietitian, and is pursuing her master’s degree in Nutrition Communications from Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy – the only graduate school of nutrition in North America. Check out Lindsey’s blog at www.HealthyBlogSnack.com, where she serves up recipes, food news, and fun food & nutrition facts. Lindsey’s passion is translating her nutrition and health expertise into actionable advice for consumers, and she believes that optimal health begins with good food, and that good food starts with delicious, wholesome ingredients.

Baby Steps: The Importance of Folic Acid in Infant Development

The Great Cilantro Debate

Published on April 15, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

cilantro

Harold McGee’s analysis of cilantrophobia and what causes it, in the Dining & Wine section of the New York Times, has caused quite a stir amongst both anti and proponents of the little green herb. So, the question is, what do YOU think? Vote in our Great Cilantro Debate poll!

Poll can be found to the left of this post, underneath the Food For Your Whole Life logo.

The Great Cilantro Debate

Little Steps for a Long Life

Published on April 15, 2010 in Fitness & Nutrition, Healthy Eating and healthy living. 0 Comments

By Corinne Dobbas, BS, of Green Grapes Blog

We all want to live a long life. But, let’s be real, we want more than just that. We want our time on Mother Earth to be invigorating, energizing, and rejuvenating.

Now, there’s no one trick—or pill for that matter—to achieving this ideal state of being. However, there are little things along the way that can help you get there. And, if you haven’t guessed yet, those “little things” all revolve around living a healthy lifestyle. Because honestly, there’s no way you’re going to feel invigorated, energized, or rejuvenated if you’ve been staring at a screen all day, noshing nightly at the local Mickey D’s, going days without your fruit and veggie friends, sleeping four hours a night, or going waterless for hours at a time.

You see where I’m going with this? It’s our day-to-day actions that add up, and eventually form a lifestyle. And it’s when that lifestyle is full of healthifying behaviors that you’re heading in the direction of longevity. WooT! WooT! I don’t know about you, but that’s a direction I’d like to head in!!!

SO…Let’s take a peek at some healthifying behaviors, shall we? Great! Here we go! Eating more fruits and veggies, switching to 100% whole grain products, dedicating seven hours of your day to sleep, eating more home-cooked meals, breaking a daily sweat, and downing more H20! These ALL top the healthy lifestyle 101 list. However, just because they’re the renowned chart toppers doesn’t mean that everyone’s doing them. So—let’s move in that proactive direction!

Grab a pen and paper…

Taking the First Little Step

Write down one thing you plan on doing to become healthier, and make sure it is a S.M.A.R.T. goal
- S—Specific. Define your goal well. For example, “After work, I will walk 45 minutes three times per week around my neighborhood from this date forward.”
- M—Measurable. Set a goal that is measureable in some way. You want to be able to assess your progress. Not “I will eat more veggies,” but “I will eat at least 3 servings of veggies from today on.”
- A—Achievable. Make sure your goal is humanly possible! And reasonable for you! If you’ve never run a day in your life, your goal should not be “to run a marathon next week.” Instead try, “By the end of this year, I want to complete my first half marathon.”
- R—Relevant. Create a goal that’s important to you and that you’re confident you can achieve. This will allow you to get the job done and will set you up for success. Ask yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the highest level) where your goals falls. If your goal isn’t at least a seven in importance AND a seven in confidence that you can achieve it, modify or change your goal so it hits a seven in both categories, allowing for success!
- T—Timely. Give yourself a time frame to accomplish the goal. If your goal is to “replace sandwich bread with 100% whole-wheat bread each day starting today,” your time frame would be daily, from this day forth. If your goal is “to lose 10 pounds,” shoot for a realistic achievable time frame, such as 2 ½ months (about a pound per week).

Little Steps do Equal Success

Remember, nothing happens overnight. Just start small. The first step is choosing one S.M.A.R.T. goal and then choosing another. And before you know it, you’ll be walking along that healthy lifestyle path with some extra pep in your step, inching your way to a more zestful day … and longer life!

About Corinne

Corinne Dobbas has a BS in Nutritional Sciences from Boston University and is currently working towards her MS in Nutrition from Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. She is also in the process of completing her dietetic internship at Tufts Medical Center’s Frances Stern Nutrition Center. Come June 2010 she will be a Registered Dietitian. You can find Corinne at GreenGrapesBlog.com writing about nutrition, food, and wellness.

Follow Corinne on Twitter!

Little Steps for a Long Life

Breaking Out of Your Shell: Food, Fitness and Fun for Your Whole Life

Published on April 6, 2010 in Fitness & Nutrition. 0 Comments

By Petra Kolber (Health and Fitness Guru for Real People)

You deserve a rich life that is lived to its highest potential. You deserve a body that is strong and vibrant and fueled by delicious and nutritious foods. And, now is the perfect time to own what is rightfully yours by taking control of your health and well-being. The time to crack out of your shell and move is now!

On February 9th, 2010, Michelle Obama launched the “Let’s Move” campaign with the goal of ending the crisis of childhood obesity. As you well know, obesity is not only a childhood issue but it’s a family issue afflicting roughly 34% of U.S adults (almost 73 million people).

When it comes to creating a strong and healthy body, it is best to have a balance of good nutrition and exercise. In order to add life to your years, as well as years to your life, you’ll need a body that can move with ease and shine long into your golden years.

Sometimes the biggest hurdle to taking the first step toward success is knowing where to start. A simple prescription for heart and bone health can be found in Dr. Oz’s Anti-Aging Checklist. At a minimum, you should raise your heart rate for at least 30 minutes, 3 times each week with aerobic exercise and strength train for at least 30 minutes a week. The best start is a combination of good snacks, like walnuts, and exercise. They go hand in hand when it comes to building a strong and vital body and have been shown to be effective ways to improve heart health and, as we get older, assist in maintaining bone density.

Why is it, however, that while we may know we should eat sensibly and move more to stay young at heart, we don’t get the prescribed amount of exercise, even when we know that by not exercising it could mean a shorter and less quality filled life?

To feel the benefits of exercise requires effort. Just like it takes a little effort to get to the tasty and healthy walnut that’s tucked securely in its shell, it can take a little effort to get up and moving. However, with exercise, as with walnuts, the sweet stuff lies inside. The fitness industry can come up with new ways to workout, monitor your progress and hopefully inspire you to challenge yourself, but the place where real change begins is from within. Only you really know what you need to be motivated and inspired to live your best life.

If what you’ve been doing has not been working, then it’s time to crack it open and kick it up notch. Decide, today, that no longer is it an option to not exercise. For the sake of your health and the health of your children, the time to move is now.

Are you ready to break out of your shell and into your best life, for your whole life?

Yes? Fantastic! Then let’s get going. Here are some tips to help get you started:

Every Journey begins With a Single Step

Often times, the first step can be the hardest. Shift your focus onto all the wonderful things that will happen by adding exercise into your life, versus the negative thoughts that the word exercise may conjure up.

Time is on Your Side

Oftentimes we use lack of time as an excuse for not working out. For improved health just 10 minutes of cardio exercise 3 times per day can give you many wonderful health benefits.

Do What You Love, Love What You Do

If you love to dance sign up for dance classes. If you love to swim join a swim club. If you are a team player sign up for group activities. Working out does not have to be in a gym or happen on a treadmill. In addition, mix it up. Doing the same thing day after day just increases the risk of getting bored. Variety will also keep your body guessing and the results coming.

Schedule, Commit and Don’t Cancel

Write down your workout time in your daily schedule. Treat this time as you would an important meeting. Taking care of your health is one of THE best things you can do for you and your loved ones. In addition, try and work out first thing in the morning. This will prevent you from getting caught up and off track because of a busy day. Set the alarm clock 30 minutes earlier and just remember how great you will feel the rest of your day.

Make It a Family Affair

Get the family to join in. Make it a family affair a couple of days a week. Take your pet for a walk or play a game of Frisbee in the park.

Set Realistic Goals

Set yourself up for success by keeping your goals realistic and attainable. Make two sets of goals one shorter term and one longer term. Reevaluate your goals often and don’t forget to make new ones, once you have reached your current goal. Write your goals down and place them in a place where you will see them everyday.

Chart Your Progress

One way that is proven to keep you motivated and on track is to write down and chart your progress. Many times we forget where we started and just how far we have come along the path of leading a healthier lifestyle.

Celebrate Your Success!

Celebrate your accomplishments and take time to reward yourself for all of your hard work. A massage, a manicure and pedicure, a new workout CD are all great ways to reward yourself.

Do the best you can whenever you can!

About Petra

Petra is a highly respected and well-known fitness, health and wellness expert and motivational speaker. She is certified by The American College of Sports Medicine, The American Council on Exercise, The Aerobics and Fitness Association of America and is a 200 hour Registered Yoga Teacher. Her mission is to help individuals get moving and incorporate daily exercise into their lives in an easy and realistic fashion.

Petra brings her own life experience to everything she does. Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 1999, Petra was in remission after 8 months of intensive chemotherapy and radiation. Ten years later she is cancer free. She uses her experience as a cancer survivor to help motivate others who may be dealing with adversity. Petra’s approach is one of compassion sprinkled with humor.

Petra has received many accolades for her work within the fitness field, including being named the 2003 and 2004 East Coast Alliance Best Female Presenter of the Year, 2001 IDEA Instructor of The Year, 2000 Canadian Fitness Professionals International Presenter of the Year and in 1999 Petra was named Fitness Crusader of the year by Health Magazine for her work within the heath and wellness industry.

Breaking Out of Your Shell: Food, Fitness and Fun for Your Whole Life

America’s Wellness: World Health Day & National Public Health Week

Published on April 6, 2010 in Fitness & Nutrition and Healthy Eating. 2 Comments

By Lindsey D. Toth, BS, of HealthyBlogSnack.com

Every year since 1995, the first full week of April (April 5^th through 11^th this year) has been dedicated to improving the health of our nation, as National Public Health Week (NPHW). Within that same week, one day has been set aside dedicated to improving the health of our entire world– World Health Day, on April 7^th, 2010.

This year’s World Health Day caters its message at overcoming health hurdles in urbanized areas, with the campaign “1000 Cities, 1000 Lives”. Over three billion people currently live in cities- a number that continues to rise. By the year 2030, six out of every ten people will be city dwellers, and by the year 2050, this number will increase up to seven out of ten. This rising trend in urbanization ultimately has consequences on the health of the citizens living within the urban community. Want to walk to work? Sorry, there are no sidewalks. Want to go for a run in the park? Nope, no green space available to do that. Thinking about going for a bike ride? It can get dangerous with no bike paths available.

So what can you do to make your city a healthier place on April 7^th? Join the global movement to make cities healthier. The World Health Organization is encouraging cities around the globe to open their streets to promote health activities on April 7^th, so get YOUR city involved:

Close down one street in your city. Work with community members to have mental and physical health activities available, such as massages and dance lessons.
Organize a group walk or bike run. It can be five blocks, or five miles! Get the city involved so that it’s safe and fun for everyone.
Promote local produce with a farmer’s market. Get local restaurants involved for cooking demonstrations on how to use the fruits and vegetables at the market.
Organize a free, outdoor exercise class. If you have a park, organize an evening or morning yoga class to promote physical and mental health after a long day’s work.
Provide health screening. Get your local clinic involved by inviting them to hold free health-risk screening sessions and a health education booth.
Organize a “Walking School Bus.” Encourage your children to walk to school in the morning under the safety supervision of an adult.
Make it “Bike to Work Day” at the office. Encourage everyone at work to ride their bike into work that day, or form a “car pool” of bike-riders, picking each other up on your way in to the office.

Get online and register your city today as one of the 1000 healthy cities that will be involved in World Health Day this year, and get creative with your ideas to get your city moving and shaking!

How would you make YOUR city a healthier place?

By Lindsey Toth, BS

About Lindsey

Follow Lindsey on Twitter!

America’s Wellness: World Health Day & National Public Health Week

Food for Your Whole (Sex) Life

Published on March 30, 2010 in Healthy Eating. 0 Comments Tags: diet, Dr. Oz, food, Health, obesity, sexual health.

Recently, the topic of sexual health has come into the spotlight, with expert (and one of the symposium speakers) Dr. Oz (Ask Dr. Oz) responding to questions about libido from his audience, hosting an episode on sex addiction and speaking candidly about his marriage. He isn’t afraid to talk openly about the importance of intimacy. “Being intimate with the people you love is critically important to longevity,” the doctor says (the interview here). So important in fact, that it’s on the “Ultimate Anti-Aging Checklist” by Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen.

Our guest blogger this week, Jessica Maillet from “A Fete for Food” offers some tips on maintaining a healthy sex life in order to have a healthy, whole life:

Get busy. Staying physically active improves the health of your heart and circulatory system. Participate in activities that get you and your partner sweating, moving and grooving daily. Working out will keep you fit and can help reduce your risk of diabetes and obesity, conditions commonly associated with sexual problems [WebMD].

What’s good for the heart is good for the parts. Foods that promote heart health and improved circulatory function have a role in improved erectile response. Find a place in your diet for foods high in omega-3 fatty acids like Alaskan wild salmon, walnuts, and flaxseed. Good fats are also essential to producing hormones like testosterone and estrogen, both essential chemicals involved in sexual activity. Saturated fats and trans fats clog arteries over time and could prevent adequate blood flow, so limit processed foods with trans fats and keep portion sizes in perspective when indulging in foods high in saturated fat like cheeses, butter, certain meats, and certain oils.

Be aware of your BMI. Researchers have found that higher body mass index BMI is associated with greater impairments in sexual quality of life. Sexual quality of life is more impaired for obese women than for obese men (Obesity Study), but researchers have also shown that a reduction in BMI can improve sexual function in obese men with erectile dysfunction (research).

Skip the snake oil. While anecdotally there are many products touted as aphrodisiacs, there isn’t any scientific data to show that any food, herb or supplement can improve sexual desire. Just because a food may be symbolically phallic does not mean that it is necessarily beneficial for erectile function.

Liquid love. A glass of wine may dull inhibition and “set the mood”, but chronic alcohol use can cause high blood pressure, which could lead to decreased circulatory function over time. If you decide to imbibe, do so in moderation, and enjoy with a meal rich in lean, omega-3-packed foods, whole grains, and a variety of colorful vegetables.

By Jessica Maillet, MS, RD, LDN, CPT

About Jessica
Jessica is a Registered Dietitian and certified personal trainer with a Master’s degree in clinical nutrition from Boston University and a bachelor’s degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Check out Jessica’s blog at www.afeteforfood.com as she shows you how to develop a love for healthy foods and physical activity. Her passion is to inspire people to eat wholesome, local, affordable and delicious food that promotes happiness and health, and improves the environment and community in which we all live.

Follow Jessica on Twitter!

Food for Your Whole (Sex) Life

Why is food for your whole life important?

Published on March 16, 2010 in Healthy Eating. 0 Comments Tags: Delicious Food Choices, Eat Healthy, Fast Food, Obese, Overweight, Positive.

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

People still aren’t sure how to eat healthfully or how to incorporate good eating into their lives. Consider these facts*:

Americans are spending over $140 billion on fast food EVERY year.
There are now over 25,000 fast food chains in the U.S.
A cheeseburger happy meal with fries and a Sprite at McDonald’s has 640 calories and 24 grams of fat. This is over half of the total calories many children should be eating in a day!
2/3 of Americans are now either overweight or obese!
More than 1/3 of U.S. adults – more than 72 millions people – and 16% of U.S. children are obese.

Continue reading ‘Why is food for your whole life important?’

Why is food for your whole life important?

Let The Countdown To Food For Your Whole Life Begin!

Published on March 12, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: Bloggers, Dr. Katz, Dr. Oz, Dr. Roizen, Experts, Wellness.

We CAN’T wait until June to get the discussion going! Over the next few months, we’ll talk about the stages of life that Dr. Oz, Dr. Roizen, Dr. Katz and other renowned experts will address in June, and have different specialists, food and wellness bloggers join us to talk about the latest research and developments in diet, fitness and nutrition. We’ll pose questions to you, provide interesting and helpful info and be an important resource and part of the ongoing conversation in America on how to eat well and live a better, WHOLE, life.

Let The Countdown To Food For Your Whole Life Begin!

Welcome!

Published on March 9, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: Experts, Health, Symposium, Welcome, Wellness.

Welcome to our new blog! This is a place for you to find tips and knowledge about eating, health and wellness from experts who want to help improve your life. We’re thrilled to be hosting the Food For Your Whole Life health and food symposium this June, and we’re looking forward to seeing you there!

Welcome!

June 6-7, 2010 | New York City | Food For Your Whole Life Blog

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Baby Steps: The Importance of Folic Acid in Infant Development

The Great Cilantro Debate

Little Steps for a Long Life

By Corinne Dobbas, BS, of Green Grapes Blog

Taking the First Little Step

Little Steps do Equal Success

Breaking Out of Your Shell: Food, Fitness and Fun for Your Whole Life

America’s Wellness: World Health Day & National Public Health Week

Food for Your Whole (Sex) Life

Why is food for your whole life important?

Let The Countdown To Food For Your Whole Life Begin!

Welcome!