I eat . . . for Christmas

What's on your Christmas plate?

My Dietary Intake, Eating & Physical Activity Patterns

My pattern of eating resembles a classic diet-plan from a nutrition textbook, splashed with the occasional familial Last Supper. I have bolded and CAPPED the points to look for in your own diet when doing an analysis. Check it out:

The WHAT is a Mediterranean-style diet. The WHEN is every morning, noon and evening with some snacks in between, especially on a physically active day. HOW OFTEN is every three-four hours, for the most part. I take a cocktail of SUPPLEMENTS by Usana Nutritionals: a “Health Pak” of six pills in the morning and six at night, which claim to be a mixture of vitamins (both water and fat soluble) and minerals, plus antioxidants, herbs and an omega-3 fish oil tablet. I have refrained from taking this “package of health” as often as I used to and cut down to two-three packs per week. What’s more, I didn’t even have to wear the patch!

I’m pretty strict with my diet. I’m on a tight schedule of eating during the WEEK. Over the WEEKENDS, I’m still vigilant; however, here and there I enter myself into a slimy contest from Nickelodeon’s Double Dare. Typically, it begins with an innocent invite from a friend for brunch and turns into a Popover masquerade with Little Miss Muffin sans curds and whey. Although the quantity of food is rarely excessive, it’s accurate to say that the contents of my meals vary from week to weekend.

I believe I am receiving ADEQUATE NUTRITION on most days of the week. Sometimes, my kcal energy is too low and other days it is too high, depending upon the occasion. I eat more during special events, holidays and whenever I am in the presence of “My Big Fat Jewish Family.” If I were to guess which nutrients I were receiving too much of, it would be vitamin A and E (I eat lots of tocopherols and carotenoids). I don’t think I am getting enough calcium, magnesium and D.

I EXERCISE five days per week, two days off (one of which I walk a good deal or run around doing errands). The physical activity consists of five cardiovascular workouts that range from 30-60 minutes in duration. Two of the five days per week incorporate weight training. I am no longer on a split routine, instead, focusing more on total body exercises. One of the five days also incorporates a Pilates class.

My ESTIMATES are as follows: (1) My caloric range is vast… I can get as low as 1300 and as high as 2000 or more. My average would have to be a 1600 caloric intake on most days of the week; (2) total fat: 30%, sat fat 8%, protein 40%, CHO 30%; (3) 275 mg cholesterol (egg plus any animal product I consume thereafter); (4) 600mg dietary Ca, if even; (5) 30-40g of fiber; (6) 7,500 IU Vit A; and (7) I spend 30-60 minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity most if not all days of the week. When I am pushing, I estimate that I am burning 100 calories per 10-minute block.

I surmise that, as compared to the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, I am not getting as much of my calories from CHO (carbohydrate) sources. The USDA would scold me for my low level of Calcium, but they’d make me their poster-child for physical activity. Additionally, they would laud my 5-9 fruits and veggies per day, my high fiber intake and the low level of junk present in my diet, of course, barring my Nickelodeon events ☺

The Physical

"Yesterday I went to the doctor for my yearly physical. My blood pressure was high, my cholesterol was high, I'd gained some weight, and I didn't feel so hot.

My doctor said eating right doesn't have to be complicated and it would solve my physical problems. He said just think in colors; fill your plate with bright colors; greens, yellows, reds, etc.

I went right home and ate an entire bowl of M&M's and sure enough, I felt better immediately. I never knew eating right could be so easy!!"

Monaco, no not Club

Went here last night, check out what I (RissaRachel) had to say about it:

Monaco

421 Amsterdam Ave. (at 80th St.)

New York , NY 10024

What's in YOUR Microwave?????

We've all heard it: Don't use plastic in the microwave. An old wives tale, you say?

Yes and No.

If you're reheating some Chinese takeout or a tub of margarine, think again. Those containers are not meant for microwave-man-handling. The FDA only approves certain plastics for use in the microwave. Prior to approval of any plastic materials, the FDA conducts tests to ensure that hazardous substances won't leak into food.

Only containers that pass the FDA's test and display a microwave-safe icon -- or that have the sentence on the product that confirms they're approved for use in microwave ovens-- are truly safe.

What's interesting is that Plasticers.org refutes any harmful side effects associated with plastic-leakage into food. Even if they are correct, it is still important to be aware of the following recommendations by Harvard Medical School:

• Most takeout containers, water bottles, and plastic tubs or jars made to hold margarine, yogurt, whipped topping, and foods such as cream cheese, mayonnaise, and mustard are not microwave-safe.
• Microwavable takeout dinner trays are formulated for one-time use only and will say so on the package.
• Don’t microwave plastic storage bags or plastic bags from the grocery store.
• A recycle symbol does not mean a container is safe to use or reuse in the microwave oven. Only a microwave-safe icon or wording to that effect does.
• Before microwaving food, be sure to vent the container: Leave the lid ajar, or lift the edge of the cover.
• Don’t allow plastic wrap to touch food during microwaving because it may melt. Wax paper, kitchen parchment paper, or white paper towels are alternatives.
• If you’re concerned about plastic wraps or containers in the microwave, transfer food to glass or ceramic containers labeled for microwave oven use.

Windorphins: the new way to waste time and feel GREAT about it!

Windorph

Mmmmmmmilanos

And it just doesn't matter how educated one becomes in this ever-expanding field of health... One glimpse of this fine, loving, soft, delicious, milk-accompanying cookie is enough to make me forget about cis and trans bonds for a short while... Hello my little cookie :)

10 best and worst foods

According to CSPI's food porn and praise section in their Nutrition Action Health Letter, one can easily get "artery crust" with just a little bit of Pepperidge Farm Pot Pie... See more for the dirty details...

Advergaming

We need to stop irresponsible marketing toward children! This research study was very illuminating in that it showed how easy it is for brand-named foods to market to children via "Advergaming," which is a method where kids can play games off of the company's website, in which the advertised product is part of the game. This is a sly marketing strategy on a company's part since there is ample opportunity for the child to remember the food or beverage being advertised to them and link it with the fun game they had played, which ultimately promotes the sale of the product.

This study focused upon food and beverage brand-websites and what kind of marketing techniques/advertising they displayed upon their sites. The categories selected for the analysis were: beverages, soft drinks; beverages, other; fast food; ready-to-eat cereal; cookies; crackers; salted snacks; and candy. The researchers chose to select these categories because they are liked by and most regularly marketed toward children. 40 brands were chosen and 37 had their own websites. 85% of those websites had interactive components (sounds, animation, and movement) and 63% had Advergaming. Other marketing techniques included cartoon "spokescharacters" for the product, pictures of children consuming the product and downloadable branded coloring pages. ALL of the websites had tie-ins to TV shows, movies or cartoons.

Ostensibly, these Advergames and other fun interactive components are all a means to sell very unhealthy products to children. According to the study, children may not even be aware that they are being exposed to sophisticated marketing strategies. This is not acceptable in an age where the obesity epidemic is only getting wider. Registered Dietitians and other health professionals have to advocate for responsible marketing and ensure that the health of the children isn't tainted by these big corporate companies, only looking to raise their stock ratings.

The researchers of the study suggest that we use this new interactive technology to help children learn to make better choices in "fun and interesting ways." Already, MyPyramid.gov has a "kids area," which has some of the interactive games that websites like Nabisco and Kraft have. Unfortunately, I have been to this "kids area" on MyPyramid and they have yet to change it for the past year or so.

If we want to prevent kids from indulging in both the websites' games and their products, then we have to 1) make sure that we are keeping up with the marketing strategies and employ them in our own health websites and campaigns, and 2) keep our kids educated about nutrition and how processed foods affect their bodies so that they think twice before being mesmerized by the products and their stupid Advergames.

Check out the picture below to see how we can create games that kids can trust.

Reference:
Internet Food Marketing Strategies Aimed at Children and Adolescents: A Content Analysis of Food and Beverage Brand Web Sites. Weber K, Story M, Harnack L. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. September 2006 (Vol. 106, Issue 9, Pages 1463-1466)

Frosty Chocolate

Today I drank a Frosty Chocolate Protein Drink post-workout and I was very impressed and pleased by the quality of taste, nutrients, and ratio of protein to fat/cals/sugar.
For 170 calories and 35g worth of PRO, this is a perfect way to refuel. They come in different flavors, but the Frosty Chocolate is on the mark. Check out the nutrition facts below.

One of the main things I noticed (which makes this a great drink) is that potassium trumps sodium. We want this to occur since the Na/K (sodium/potassium pump) is continuously working in our bodies to pump out the sodium from the cell and get potassium inside. Post-workout, we need potassium in our cells for recovery. One of the ways to do this is to ensure that the products you choose to eat have a greater ratio of potassium to sodium. Having sodium in post-workout snacks is not necessarily a bad thing, however. Sodium is good for helping replenish sweat-losses, since water accompanies the molecule. Plus sodium induces a physiological urge to drink water, which will prevent post-workout dehydration.

All around, I would say that if you're looking for a snack and don't want to worry about spoilage/leakage and the like, this drink has what it takes, especially if you're CHO (carbohydrate) counting. I would not, however, recommend this drink to those who are endurance athletes since a greater amt of CHO refueling is essential for glycogen losses (which accompany grueling aerobic exercise).

Spinach is good for your 'SOL'

SOLar energy, that is! We've all heard about solar panels, but this new design is based on the idea that the skin of spinach can generate energy. Well, it can: The protein, photosystem I, is found in the chloroplasts of all plants (basically the energy power-house. Much like our mitochondria, which are OUR energy power-house parts). Photosystem I is a cluster of 200 to 300 light-absorbing pigments located in the thylakoid of the plant. Although this project is still in the works, it appears that it can help in our quest for a more sustainable approach to our living situations.

Get Involved

You don't need to grow your own tomatoes or be the master gardener to support local agriculture. But if you care about sustainability and our food system, it's easy to be supportive without picking up a single rake! Many don't realize that the major work being done for local agriculture is right here on her own computer. See what I'm referring to...

Freeze Me

I just discovered frozen raspberries and blueberries. I came upon it like a sly villain, buying into the two for one deal. I came home with two boxes of raspberries and two boxes of blueberries, freezing two and saving two. Well... to my surprise, frozen berries aren't just a tasty little healthy treat. Frozen berries should be the staple in every household with a freezer— period! This is the poker tip no one told me about that could potentially save my game. The berries have a soft crunch in your mouth but without the sound. The fructose is so overpowering that your tongue doesn't even know how to react. It is the sweetest candy I've had in a long time. And I will continue to succumb to the two for one sale and freeze my berries for as long as I have freezer access in my privileged little existence...

TaCo ToWn!!!!!!

You know what I love about TACO's????

EVERYTHING

Comfort Food and Stress Study

Dallman MF, Pecoraro N, et al. (2003) Chronic stress and obesity: a new view of "comfort food". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Sep 30; 100(20): 11696-701.

The body reacts to stress by releasing catecholamines and glucocorticoids (GCs), hormones that control a major part of the autonomic nervous system. The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis is also a major aspect of this system, since its primary role is to balance the stress hormones mentioned above. This study's main objective was to observe how chronic stress plays a role in obesity, particularly in how chronically high levels of GCs act in three ways to cause the individual to rely upon "comfort foods," which are higher in refined carbohydrate and saturated fat. Those three ways include: one, high amounts of CRF in the amygdala; two, high stimulus salience of activities; and three, high abdominal obesity, which lowers HPA activity.

Although this study used rats as its main subjects to analyze the above three ways, the authors state that the effects of chronic stress and GCs in rats do indeed apply to humans, as well. In the first way, GCs will increase the expression of CRF (corticotropin-releasing factor) in the amygdala (the node in the emotional part of the brain). The high expression of CRF induces us to draw from "the chronic stress network" pool, which increases ACTH and corticosterone B, both hormones that respond to acute stressors and increase anxiety-like behavior. In addition, recruiting this chronic stress network over time will increase the PVT (paraventricular thalamus) secretion of glutamate, which is said to increase synaptic connections. My postulation is that drawing from the chronic stress network pool over time will deplete the components necessary to confront stressful situations, which in turn, can cause compulsive activity since the response network won't be as efficient.

The second way that chronic GC affects our bodies is via a high stimulus salience of activities, which includes exactly what I postulated—namely compulsive activity. This study defined compulsive activity as ingesting sucrose, fat, drugs and wheel-running. They found that corticosterone B specifically raised consumption of comfort foods when rats were chronically stressed, which is again, due to high GCs causing an excitatory response in the brain. With comfort food, HPA axis activity declines, meaning that the ability for the body to balance its stress hormones is greatly reduced. As a result, to lead into the third way that was mentioned, the body responds with a build-up of abdominal fat depots, which increases the inhibitory feedback signal of CRF. Since CRF receptors lie in the amygdala, this emotional cycle can continue and lead to obesity if stress levels are left unchecked.

What is essential to note is the decrease in HPA axis activity, since we decrease the ability to balance our GCs and catecholamines. In turn, the inability to balance these hormones properly can impel one to look to outside mechanisms, such as the comfort foods, the drugs, etc, to regulate the internal chaos. Ironically, eating these foods and/or doing drugs only worsens the havoc within the body, and the cycle continues. The study's authors suggest that attempting to reduce stress in one's life can help to mitigate the effects of our chronic stress-response network, and can help to improve overall mental and physical health.

wow DANE COOK, MAn!

CHICKS

Annoying friend

LOLOLOLOLOL

The all too familiar car alarm...

decided to go off for, oh, THE ENTIRE DAY while I was trying to concentrate. This sound has implanted itself into the deepest, most darkest depths of all brains living in today's era.

Workouts

Great website to develop your own program

"Giving things up"

My mother sent me the following:

I was walking down the street when I was accosted by a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless woman who asked me for a couple of dollars for dinner. I took out my wallet, got out ten dollars and asked, "If I give you this money, will you buy some wine with it instead of dinner?"

"No, I had to stop drinking years ago", the homeless woman told me.

"Will you use it to go shopping instead of buying food?" I asked.

"No, I don't waste time shopping," the homeless woman said. "I need to spend all my time trying to stay alive."

"Will you spend this on a beauty salon instead of food?" I asked.

"Are you NUTS!" replied the homeless woman. "I haven't had my hair done in 20 years!"

"Well," I said, "I'm not going to give you the money. Instead, I'm going to take you out for dinner with my husband and me tonight."

The homeless woman was shocked. "Won't your husband be furious with you for doing that? I know I'm dirty, and I probably smell pretty disgusting."

I said, "That's okay. It's important for him to see what a woman looks like after she has given up shopping, hair appointments, and wine."

Loose as a Goose!!!!

"Transit time" is the amount of time it takes for your meal to travel from the mouth to its final elimination from the colon.

Check out this AWESOME WEBSITE to see where you're at!!!