The Dog Days Aren't Over

According to my social media feeds,  this past Wednesday was National Dog Day. I am late to celebrate and have been pondering how my relationship with my very own dear pups has changed since my son was born.

Our two dogs were me and my husband's first babies. We spoiled them. We spent hours at the dog park on weekends--in fact, for a while we were regulars, and Sierra and Stella had their own circle of canine companions. We took them wherever we went that dogs were allowed...to the hardware store, out to dine on restaurant patios, the beach, the mountains and on every single run or hike. We shopped with them at the fancy dog store (and spent way too much money on dog treats that looked like cookies and special Himalayan chews). 

Our cameras were filled with photos and videos of our furry friends and we sent each other texts of adorably hilarious images of our pups (imagine a pit bull in a tee shirt or a wig!). Each night you would find our pups curled up at the foot of our bed as we drifted off to sleep.

Now, the reality is that the dogs sleep downstairs on the couches.  We often keep them gated in a smaller space when we are gone because they like to mark their territory on our rug (jealously?). Their leashes are no longer an everyday item. I struggle juggling a toddler who wants to ditch the stroller a mile into our walk and a dog who thinks every other dog is her worst enemy. If the dogs are going on an outing with us it is often to the vet.

I realized the full scope of the issue when my son started scolding the dogs ("No Sierra, get back or "bad dog"!) as he had so often watched us do when the pups tried to climb on my lap during a nursing session or attempted to steal snacks from his little hand. 

This makes me sad, a bit guilty and it is hard to admit. I know that I can do better to include ALL members of our family. My sweet pups have given me wonderful unconditional love, sloppy kisses, warm cuddles and the best pit-faced grins I have ever seen. They are ecstatic to see us when we get home each day even if all they get is a pat on the head as we start to settle into our evening routines. We are all they've got. I have spent the past few days reconnecting with the pups and even pulled out a few pictures from our early adventures with them. 

I try not to take anything or anyone for granted, and this has to include the pups. They are a blessing to our family and Jasper is lucky to grow up with loyal companions who will guard him fiercely. So it's time for me to remember that the dog days are not over, they are just different. And as our son grows up we hope for many more pup-filled adventures ahead! 

Summer Eats from the Farmers Market

One of my favorite weekend activities is visiting my local farmer's market in the morning. No rush. My coffee in hand (of course!). Setting out on a mission of wonderful fellowship and sampling some of the homegrown goodness my community has to offer. Truth be told, it can get a bit overwhelming exploring rows and rows of rainbow-colored fruits and veggies, while juggling a toddler, cash and a grocery list. With that said however, the bounty that we go home with tastes much better than anything the grocery store has to offer AND we get to support our local hardworking farmers at the same time. 

We have been enjoying many summer eats from the farmers market lately, most of which, are our favorites year after year. So, if you are on the hunt for quick and easy meal ideas to savor what is left of the season's best, look no further! All of these recipes are vegetarian, although could be adjusted to your meat eating preferences. 

My Favorites In No Particular Order: 

• Basil, Balsamic and Tomato Pasta: Top cooked whole-wheat pasta with colorful cherry tomatoes, garlic sautéed carrots, basil, garbanzo beans, grated cheese and ground black pepper. Drizzle with a high quality, reduced balsamic vinegar*. 

*If you have yet to cook balsamic vinegar over the stove top, you have to try it out! I bring 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar to a boil and cook until it is syrupy and reduced to around 1/4 cup. It tastes delicious drizzled over ice cream or strawberries for a simple, yet elegant dessert.........it kind of tastes like chocolate, trust me! 

• Figs on Toast: Whole-wheat toast topped with chopped figs, a drizzle of local honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I eat this for breakfast or as part of my lunch. 

• Homegrown Tomato and Goat Cheese Sammies: Slice of bread topped with a thick layer of goat cheese (we love Goat Lady cheese) and several homegrown tomato slices. Top with ground black pepper and lettuce or kale leaves. 

• Crockpot Bell Pepper and Bean Sloppy Joes: Yup, these are meatless! In a crock pot (low heat for 4-5 hours), cook 2 cups chopped bell pepper, 1 chopped onion, 2 cloves garlic, 8 oz. of tomato sauce, 1 can drained, rinsed and mashed kidney beans, 2 tbsp. ketchup, 1 tbsp. mustard and 1 tsp.chili powder. Right before serving add a splash of apple cider vinegar. We usually serve as sandwiches and they are super messy (but that is fun!).

• Roasted Vegetable Tacos: Roast diced squash and zucchini in the oven (coated with olive oil, a pinch of salt and black pepper) for about 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve inside hard taco shells (I like to use Garden of Eatin's taco shells, no trans fat!) with black beans (canned, drained and rinsed), shredded cheese, chopped cilantro and salsa. 

• Eggplant Curry: Sauté a medium-sized eggplant (diced) with bell pepper (cut into strips) and garlic. Add pureed spinach (I found an organic spinach puree at Target---score! I add it to lots of my son's foods), curry powder, turmeric and a hint of cinnamon. Delicious served over rice with a sprinkle of unsweetened coconut flakes and avocado on the side.

Cocoa-Nut Kale Chips

I have been working on crafting kid-friendly vegetable recipes for a side project of mine and I think I hit the jack pot with this one! I made a batch this afternoon in hopes of having a sweet after-dinner treat, however between me, my husband and son they vanished quickly. 

 Kale has certainly been touted as a super food for a few years now and I try to eat it fairly regularly in salads, on sandwiches and cooked into eggs. Finally, I can add this tasty green to my desert collection!

Enjoy!

Cocoa-Nut Kale Chips

Ingredients: 

* One small to medium bunch of kale 
* Coconut oil (4 tsp.)
* Honey (1 tbsp.)
* Unsweetened coconut flakes (1/3 cup)
* Unsweetened Cocoa powder (1 tbsp.)
* Cinnamon (1 tsp.)

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. 

Wash the kale and pat very, very dry. Tear the kale into pieces (you don't have to get them super small, they shrink down quite a bit) and remove the larger stems (I like to keep the small stems in place for texture). Place the torn kale leaves into a medium-sized bowl. 

In a small dish mix together two teaspoons coconut oil and honey. Pour over the kale leaves and massage into the kale well. 

In the small dish mix together the remaining 2 tsp. of coconut oil, the coconut flakes, cocoa and cinnamon. Pour over the kale leaves and massage all ingredients to mix the dry mixture into the kale, trying your best to coat evenly. 

Pour the kale onto a baking sheet lined with foil. Make sure that the kale is spread evenly over the baking sheet, no layers! If you need to you can bake another batch. 

Bake for approximately 40 minutes until lightly crisp. I turned up the heat for the last 5 minutes for some extra crisp (300 degrees) although I will say this recipe is not super crunchy. 

*Check the oven often to make sure your kale is not burning!

I Have Cried over Spilled Milk

"Nursie... night night!" These three words are a plee for comfort from my son. A request to cuddle and nap. A hope of drifting back to sleep from a teeny voice in the night. They are words that create mixed emotion for me as a nursing mama.

Before my son was born I was fearful that I would not be able to nurse him.  Considering the fact that my son, now pushing 19 months, has shown no desire to wean, I laugh at the notion. From the first latch I have loved breastfeeding him. But I am going to be honest, at times, it is no picnic (for me anyway!).

In honor of World Breastfeeding week I wanted to share some of my journey, the beautiful moments, the awkward ones, the moments where I have cried in frustration. I support every woman's personal decision to try to breastfeed or not but I am hopeful my words may help encourage mamas who are thinking about it, encourage their loved ones to support it and help normalize breastfeeding for those who are unsure about it. The bottom line is, the best research has informed us that there are countless health benefits of breastfeeding for both mom and baby. If you would like some resources on the nutritional benefits of breast milk I will be glad to share them, please send me a message!

A Few Things I have Learned on my Breastfeeding Journey:

- Support from family and friends is essential. During the first week of nursing my son my husband was a rockstar. He brought me nutritious food, made sure I stayed hydrated, encouraged me during times I wanted to give up and literally was by my side with hot compresses when I needed them. He took an interest in providing the best nutrition for our son and I am beyond grateful for this. We were a team. I think it's time for more significant others to step up to the challenge. Breastfeeding is NOT just about the mother.

- It is so Beautiful. I cannot even describe how amazing it is to snuggle and bond, so closely, with an adorable baby who is gazing up at you. When your little one gets older he or she will take a break, ever so briefly to grin, and I promise you you will melt.

- It Requires Patience: Nursing frequently when your babe is young is very important and normal. I often heard "he's hungry again?!" You bet! If you neglect to nurse on demand you may end up with an uncomfortable situation or mastitis. I nursed my little guy for an hour every 20 minutes for the first few weeks. I had to scramble to get a few things done in my 20 minute window. 

- Pumping sucks. I hated it . So much. Finding a suitable place to pump was often a headache. I cried a few times while pumping in my car. Pumping enough milk was also a headache and I had to come to terms with supplementing some formula. But I kept going for a year reminding myself that being a mama does not come without some sacrifice!

- Unfortunately, it is not yet the "norm," I cannot even count the number of times I nursed in public and someone stopped to say they were inspired by me (mostly mamas-to- be and one father actually!) or impressed at my ability to gently wrangle and discreetly nurse a squiggling baby at the restaurant table.

- It comes in Handy: Nursing is number one in my bag of tricks for soothing an inconsolable toddler. I sometimes worry I am giving my son a dependence on it, but then I have to remind myself it is part of our relationship and how he seeks comfort from me when he is tired, upset or just bumped his head on the table! In the early days it was also very handy not to worry about packing formula everywhere we went. 

- You can Still Sleep : I found the best way to handle sleep and nursing was to cosleep. I had no interest in doing the zombie shuffle a few times per night and a family bed is something that can be done safely with proper precaution. We also found an Arm's Reach cosleeper helpful. I know many mothers who still got plenty of sleep while nursing without cosleeping too. 

- You never have a Break. If you are away from baby you have to pump. If your little one is older and still nurses for sleep, you will likely be thinking about them wailing and wide awake the whole time you are away. Or you may forgo date nights and outings because of this altogether. Also, too many glasses of vino? Not gonna work. 

- You get to Eat More: About 500 calories more per day to be exact. And, lactation cookies are an awesome excuse to eat lots of cookies.

- It so Valuable: The biggest thing I have learned is how truly valuable every ounce of breast milk is. I took nothing for granted. In learning this I now know where the phrase "cry over spilled milk" must come from (been there...)!

All in all the journey has been absolutely worth it! 

This is Real Life

"The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel."

I have been thinking about this quote for some time now. As you know (especially because it likely got you here), social media has exploded. We know what everyone is up to, from the mundane (oh good, glad you got to squeeze in that laundry AND a workout today!) to momentous, life-changing events. Usually, what folks choose to reveal are beautiful moments, successes, celebrations, delicious food and glamorous selfies. I am absolutely guilty. And I wonder, how all these "highlight reels" truly affect others. Others who feel they cannot compete, afford or relate with the images they see. 

I went through a phase a little over a year ago where I shunned social media. Annoyed with Facebook rants, overwhelming feeds of information and the constant desire to be pulled away to my iphone became too much. I took a break for a few months and then did something unexpected. I dove full force into the world of social media. I started a new blog and contributed more to my Instagram feed. Communicating with the world became a tool for communicating with myself. I started participating in mindful yoga challenges that allowed me to take the time to connect to myself and think about some difficult things. I found that writing became an emotional release for me and a way to combine my love of family, food, mindfulness and health. 

Because of this, I realize I am exposing a lot about myself and sharing many personal details with folks I will never meet. I am at peace with that, because on some level I believe we are all connected. I hope that a picture I share or the words I may write will connect with someone and invoke a feeling, a positive memory or even a reminder to reflect on themselves. Even so, there are certainly parts of me that I am "hiding" and my ego would love to protect. Even though I mostly share the positive happenings of my day-to-day, this does not mean that there are not things I struggle with, am working on or are fearful of daily. 

I am a real person too. These are the photos that you do not see. My adorable son often has tantrums and he does not sleep well. My house is usually a huge mess. Dust lines my hardwood floors and cloth diapers (yup, dirty) are overflowing out of the bin begging to be washed. I have disagreements with my husband. I am selfish sometimes. I eat frozen, prepared food probably way too much (I should know better). I am chronically sleep deprived. Most of the yoga photos I take look like awkward moments. 

Yesterday I read about a study published by UNC School of Medicine that found spending a lot of time on Facebook leads teenage girls to body shaming and trying drastic diets in response to images of their friends. This is not surprising. And I bet it is not the first or the last study investigating the health and social consequences in our age of social media. 

And so, my point with today's post is just to remind my readers that I am more than what I choose to share with you. We are all so much more than our photos and our opinions. Remember this. We really are all beautiful and we all have our own highlight reels, they just look different!

If you follow me on Instagram I am going to start sharing some of my "real life" moments too. Starting with today, a selfie. Not a glamorous one. I just woke up from a nap. I am currently resting at home, nursing a cold. Because even though I try my best to stay healthy, I get sick too!

My Top Ten Favorite Snackables!

Here is some of my advice about healthy snacks: 

First, never leave home without em. Put them in your car. Your purse. Your gym bag. You get the idea.

Secondly, make sure you actually look forward to eating them. Just because you lovingly set an apple on your desk everyday does not mean you will stop hitting the vending machine at work. Do you even like that apple? Are you really going to choose baby carrots over those Peanut M & M's? Be honest with yourself and choose a healthy snack that feels like a treat! 

And finally, think outside the box (or bag). Choose snacks that are real foods more often. Add fruits and vegetables when you can. 

1) The Berry S' More

I adapted a recipe that I found to make this snack with a few of my patients and have been noshing on it ever since. It is quite simple and a hit with the kiddos. Grab your favorite graham cracker (ideally one without partially hydrogenated oils a.k.a trans fat) and top with a few blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and/or strawberries. Mush them down just a little bit. Top the berries with a big dollop of vanilla yogurt and then add another graham cracker on top to complete your s'more. S'more please!

2) Curried or Chili Popcorn

This snack is a pretty economical one if you can snag a bag of unpopped kernels for around a buck. Once you have popped your popcorn on the stove top or in an air popper, drizzle with a bit of oil or melted butter, if you have not already done so (or spray with cooking spray), and then sprinkle with curry or chili powder to your liking. Toss the popcorn around to coat. The sky really is the limit here if you experiment with a variety of seasonings--some of my other favorite combos are dill and Parmesan or cinnamon with just a hint of sugar.

3) Almond Butter and Banana Sushi

Spread a whole-wheat tortilla with almond butter (or another nut butter of your choice). Place a banana on one edge of the tortilla and roll it up. Slice the banana and tortilla roll halve wise into pieces. Enjoy!

4) Eggcellent Choice

 Hard boiled egg dipped in a bowl with cracked black pepper and dill. One dip per bite! Make it a fun appetizer by sticking a skewer into the egg and then serving with a variety of herb/ seasoning combinations for dipping!

5) Mini Pizza

Half a whole-wheat English muffin topped with tomato sauce, assorted diced vegetables and shredded cheese. With my teeny patients I have them decorate the pizzas to look like faces. 

6) Cucumber Bites

Top whole grain crackers with cucumber slices. Top your cucumber slices with garden veggie cream cheese or a thin layer of goat cheese. This snack is also a simple, yet elegant, appetizer.

7) Roasted Chickpeas 

Drain and rinse off a can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Pat dry. Toss them in a bowl with olive oil and seasonings of your choice, spread in an even layer on a cookie sheet, and roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. My favorite toppings are honey, cinnamon and sugar or cayenne powder and chili pepper or turmeric and a teeny bit of sea salt. 

8) Pumpkin seeds. In the shell. That is all. Every time I go to Trader Joe's I snag a bag.

9) Cashews. Sometimes I will throw them in container with golden raisins and whole-wheat Chex cereal for a simple trail mix.  

10) Yellow or Orange Bell Peppers sliced and dipped in a fun hummus. I have really been enjoying coconut or curry inspired hummus lately. 

So those are my top ten favorite snacks. What are yours? 

What I Ate Wednesday (and some good news for Egg Lovers!)

Today I did a poor job of eating a super balanced dinner, but that is the reality sometimes. I struggle to work up an appetite on these muggy summer evenings. Plus I had to  grab something super quick before my son begged to go on a walk!

Breakfast: Kashi Autumn Harvest Cereal with frozen blackberries, almond milk and some flaxseed. Ideally I would have had time to let these frost bit berries thaw out a little more.......

Morning snack: A coworker brought Panera bagels and cream cheese to a meeting this morning and I just could not refuse. I did limit myself to half a blueberry bagel and a light smear of blueberry cream cheese. Enjoyed this with cold coffee and a splash of almond milk.

Lunch: I threw together odds and ends we had in the kitchen to make this dish. A bowl of chickpeas, sesame chili tuna, frozen and cooked spinach, hardboiled egg* and avocado.Served with a slice of whole wheat toast topped with goat cheese. Water to drink. 

Eggciting news about eggs: For years, in an effort to keep my cholesterol level in check I avoided eggs, especially the yolks, like the plague.You might have too as many health professionals, myself included, have told folks to throw out the yolk or even to cook with an egg substitute. Looking back this saddens me, because eggs are awesome and I missed out on some good eats! Now I pretty much eat an egg a day, often for lunch (like today) or dinner. 

Turns out the yolk is actually not so harmful, especially if we eat it prepared in healthy ways (sans lots of grease..........). In fact, the newest version of the dietary guidelines will be doing away with the recommendation for Americans to cap their intake of dietary cholesterol at 300 mg/day. Why? Research has not conclusively shown a direct relationship between cholesterol consumed in one's diet and blood cholesterol levels. I have heard in a recent lecture that eating too many eggs at one time (more than two) may not be so great for you, however like everything, I emphasize moderation!

Afternoon snack: Two raw carrots dipped liberally in a curry hummus; seltzer water.

Dinner (if you can call it that, being honest!): A cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt mixed with a tsp of cocoa powder and topped with diced nectarine and a crumbled graham cracker. This makes an excellent snack and doubles as a pretty healthy dessert!

Getting Creative with Homemade Pizza

After my son was born we ate frozen pizza more than I care to admit. It was quick, easy and one of our favorite foods. Eventually the dietitian in me could not allow our habit to continue. We decided to start making our own and usually make one or two every other week. 

 What I like about making my own pizza is that 1) It is still pretty budget friendly, we can usually find a pack of two whole-wheat pizza crusts for under $5.00 at the grocery store 2) We can get super creative and use up lots of fresh veggies on hand and 3) it can be quick and easy as far as making dinner goes and allows us to get our vegetable (sometimes fruit), whole grain and protein all in one dish. Plus, our little guy will always eat pizza, even with veggie toppings. 

Here are some of our recent pizza creations to help inspire you. Just add toppings and bake!

1) Mediterranean Pizza: Olive or garlic flavored hummus spread thinly on top of the pizza crust. Top with thinly sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced cucumber, chopped olives, chopped cooked falafel and sprinkle with feta or goat cheese. Trader Joes has fully cooked frozen falafel patties. 

2) Chickpea Avocado Pizza:  Spread avocado, garlic or roasted red pepper flavored hummus thinly on top of the pizza crust (I think we had a garlic hummus for this pizza). Add tiny, chopped broccoli florets, thinly sliced avocado, chickpeas (we roasted ours in the oven first with olive oil, garlic and turmeric--this step takes a bit more time), thinly sliced red onion and thinly sliced red, yellow or orange bell pepper. Top with mozzarella cheese. This pizza is pictured below!

3) Black Bean Mango Pizza: Spread black bean dip or refried black beans mixed with a little bit of salsa on top of the pizza crust. Sprinkle pizza with pieces of corn (we used frozen and thawed), diced mango and black beans. Top with thinly sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced green bell pepper and chopped cilantro. Sprinkle lightly with cheddar cheese. 

4) Coconut Currry Pizza: Spread a curry inspired hummus on top of your pizza crust (we used locally made ROOTS Thai Coconut Curry hummus). Top with thinly sliced red onions, thinly sliced red bell pepper, chopped cauliflower florets and protein of your choice (a curry flavored tofu would be delicious too) such as diced grilled chicken or shrimp. Sprinkle with unsweetened coconut flakes. 

5) Butternut Squash and Greens Pizza: Top pizza crust with butternut squash or pumpkin inspired pizza sauce (I use Dave's Gourmet sauce...it can be pricey but I always snag it at Whole Foods or TJ Maxx for almost half the usual grocery store cost). Top with baby spinach or torn kale leaves (stems removed) and protein of your choice. For this one, half of the pizza had garbanzo beans (for me) and the other half had sausage (for my hubby). Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 

6) Goat Cheese Pesto Pizza: Spread  pre-prepared pesto and goat cheese over the pizza crust. Top with whatever vegetables and protein options you have on hand! Pine nuts or walnuts sprinkled over the pizza during the last minute or two of baking add a nice healthy crunch!

Anyone else want to share their ideas? Could use a few new ones!

Why Can't We all Just be Dietitians?

Plain and simple, we all have to eat. That must make everyone a nutrition expert right? 

Many people like to dish out nutrition advice, although not everyone is qualified to. This advice is given out daily, and all over the world by personal trainers, doctors, nutritionists, health coaches, neighbors, friends, relatives, grocery store cashiers, health enthusiasts and my least favorite Dr.Oz. I enjoy hearing the stories that my patients share with me about the nutrition advice they have received. The number one suggestion given by some of their providers is "do not eat anything white." Sigh. Guess who is not having cauliflower for dinner? Seriously though, inaccurate information gets confusing and people don't know who to listen to. 

So you might be wondering, what is the real harm here, if at all? And what makes a dietitian my "go to" for food and nutrition information? 

Anyone can become an expert on any subject they choose. In fact, many non-RD folks out there probably know more about antioxidants and the healing properties of food than me. What I believe Registered Dietitians have that others don't is...well....the bigger picture. We are realistic. We work with you individually. We asses your health literacy before we educate you. We use motivational interviewing to help you set goals and achieve them. We are practical. We understand all of your health conditions and work with those and we are the only ones who can provide Medical Nutrition Therapy (for example, if  you have end stage renal disease, we are not going to push potassium-rich fruits and vegetables without looking at your labs first! This can be harmful!). 

Let me explain further. In the county that I currently live in we are experiencing significant food hardship. In fact, we are ranked #1 right now in the United States. Many of our community members make decisions daily about purchasing medications, their rent or food. Can you imagine the look on my patient's face if I walked into their home, scolded them on the sugary soft drink in their hand, and told them the following?:  You must only eat fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. Avoid all GMOs. Nope, you can't use that microwave to cook your food, it is going to give you cancer. Baby carrots you say? Never, do you know they have chlorine on them? You have to buy this supplement I have over here, never mind the expense........it is the only thing that will help you lose weight....it's a miracle! 

The bottom line is that we all have issues, many of them related to food. What works for one person is not going to work for another. Nutrition is not one size fits all. If the only way my patient is going to eat a vegetable is cooked in the microwave then heck yeah! This is so much better than the harmful health effects of not eating vegetables at all. There is so much inequality in how individuals can afford to eat healthfully that it is not realistic to ask folks to eat all organic food or all fresh foods. I dream of a world where everyone can eat and have access to healthy, fresh food on a daily basis. Sadly, this is not the reality we live in. In addition, all of the mixed nutrition messages out there are confusing and leave people perplexed and unsure what to do.

I read an article a few months ago that mentioned dietitians just aren't sexy. And it's true. I don't have a panacea that will cure all of your problems and help you drop that last 10 pounds. What I can do is listen. Work with you and create a plan that is achievable and promotes your overall  health. I have often daydreamed of chopping up a head of broccoli into teeny tiny pieces, putting them them in a pill bottle and then promoting it as the next food miracle for weight loss. Sometimes I think people might believe that more than the plain and simple advice that fruits and veggies really are some of the best food choices to make. It is frustrating. But I am not giving up.

There is not one miracle food out there. It is all about balance. I hope I do not sound bitter, and I am sure there are plenty of non-RD persons in the community who have this big picture and a great message as well. Overall, nutrition is confusing and it is a rapidly changing field. Just today I got an email about some pretty big changes for how we recommend cholesterol, sodium and saturated fat in one's diet (stay tuned!). So, (and yeah I know I am tooting the RD horn here!) before you jump on the latest diet band wagon or shell out some big bucks for a protein powder, maybe, just maybe, consider chatting with a big picture RD! 

This photo was taken during my trip to Zambia. We visited a hospital there but their nutritionist was not working that day. Would have been great to chat with her and get perspective on life as a dietitian across the world! 

Walk the Earth

There is something to be said about stepping down on Mother Earth with your bare feet. You become aware of every blade of grass, sharp pebble or warm grain of sand. Your feet have no choice but to be present to their surroundings. To me , wandering sans shoes, signals relaxation especially after a rough day. My feet are begging to feel the Earth and it is quite freeing. For those that know my husband they are aware that he is a barefoot runner and hiker because this is more comfortable to him than heavy sneakers (I agree!) and he has had less injury to his feet (we always get stopped on trails by folks who are mesmerized by this). With my own little guy I have decided to let him wear soft, flexible shoes that keep him closer to the Earth, like moccasins or our new favorite, Soft Stars.

This desire to pretty much go shoeless may just be the tip of something more meaningful. Read on.

Earthing, or grounding/ connecting, to our Mother Earth with bare feet (or by using a special device for the purpose) is something that I have heard some buzz about lately and am by no means at all an expert in. The rationale is, that by making this intentional connection with the ground, we absorb electrons from the earth that get to work squashing harmful free radicals in our body thus reducing disease causing inflammation and stress (just like antioxidants in our fruits and veggies!). I have read the best conductors are the grass and sea water, both of which are yummy to walk around on to me! I have also read that all of this is basically a bunch of bologna too based on a little something called chemistry.

I am not sure how rigorous research studies have been in the earthing concept to date, but I am intrigued reading about claims that grounding is associated with healing injury and anti-aging benefits.

Overall, I think we can all learn something from earthing. We often associate being barefoot with carefree moments or vacation, both of which are fantastic for your emotional well being. A friend's mother taught her that you should step barefoot on the Earth at least once per day. I have also heard advice that earthing in your garden can create fruits and veggies with a nutritional composition specifically for you. True? Maybe , maybe not,  but I like the idea!

So, similar to my thoughts toward the good ol' adage that an apple a day will keep the doctor away, why not kick off your heels AND eat an apple outside every once in a while? It's almost free and can't hurt (unless you step on glass I suppose...)!

Have experience or insight on earthing? Please share!

Kicked off my shoes this morning to "earth" a bit in the dewy grass and play with my little one. He preferred to stay in his Softstars!

Tips for Feeding Your Toddler (AKA your Picky Eater)

Toddlers don’t often eat well. And when they do, they make a huge mess.  I have learned this first hand with my son, from my teeny patients and from other mamas I have spoken with. It is unrealistic to expect your little adventurer to sit down, properly pick up their fork and spoon, and then clean their plate three times per day. With my own little guy I have seen his once voracious appetite calm down quite a bit as he now prefers to run, jump, play,” paint” with his food and try out different ways to style his hair (with tomato sauce, with applesauce, with milk……….). At first I was frustrated, but now I realize I am just going to have to count the number of good meals he eats per week (not per day) and try to make sure his nutritional gaps are filled in. The term I learned in school for this is "food jags" and they are totally normal and often result from a period of slowed growth around two-years old or so. During this time toddlers can refuse once favorite foods and may want their new favorite foods over and over. They also may have a preference for soft foods at times due to teething. 

 I have taken note of some things that have worked and others that have not in hopes that I may be able to provide guidance for other parents out there! Here we go, and in no particular order:

•  Go With the Flow: If set mealtimes and scheduled snacks do not work out for your toddler, consider offering little nutritious mini meals all throughout the day. I have to do this with my little guy. He eats small portions at a time and is more likely to nibble on something while he is on the go verses sitting in his high chair. With that said, still include your toddler at the table for mealtime when you can. It is good for him to see other folks eating and to be exposed to a variety of foods.
•   Don’t force it! So she won’t eat her carrots? Stay calm, don’t overreact. If you force the food you are more likely to end up with a frustrated toddler who won’t ever want to eat it. Try again later. It can take a child 10-15 times of being exposed to a new food before they even taste it.
• Encourage exploration. Offer your toddler a variety of foods and let them have at it! If making a mess stresses you out, invest in a full protective long sleeve bib (we found one at IKEA that we termed his little “hazmat” suit) and put down a sheet or towel under the high chair. I have found that when my son plays with his food he is more likely to take a taste. This is especially true with dipping. He loves to dip carrots into hummus and eat the humus off.....it makes a huge mess but I am so happy that he sometimes takes a few bites of the carrot too!
• Get in the garden. My son does not always eat his broccoli at the dinner table but will never pass on it right out of the garden. He also liked to grab asparagus out of the ground and chomp away. 
• Be a Role Model: Eat your veggies. Eat your fruit. After all, your little one often wants whatever you have right? 
• Nix the Not So Good Stuff: Avoid filling up your toddler with juice and non nutritious foods so they are actually hungry for the good stuff. Some toddler friendly snackable options include freeze dried or fresh fruit, whole grain English muffins spread with nut butter, whole grain cereal, small pieces of cheese, unsweetened yogurt mixed with applesauce etc.
• Offer a Choice: Your little one is asserting his or her independence so why not offer a situation in which you both win? Encourage decision making by asking "would you like kiwi or grapes?" "Green beans or cauliflower?"
• Don't give up: Keep offering healthy foods so they become familiar. Try new recipes and serving foods in a variety of ways. If you are worried about wasting food, you can offer some of your serving to your child and then eat what they don't later on. 
• Fill in the Nutritional Gaps: If you are concerned your little one might be missing out on some key nutrients talk to your pediatrician (if nutrition savvy!) or a dietitian. Your child's iron level should be checked regularly as milk anemia can be common among toddlers drinking too much milk. Chances are they are getting just what they need as long as you offer a variety of colorful foods and iron-rich foods (fortified cereal, most meat, dark green leafy veggies). My go to lately has been offering my son small portions of smoothies or popsicles made with nut butter, kale, strawberries, banana, carrots and flaxseed. And, remember, the correct portion size for the wee ones is only a tablespoon for their age. For example, if your daughter is three- years old, one serving from each food group is only three tablespoons.

What I Ate Wednesday......and a Few Things about Salads!

This morning I woke up and thought to myself……..what a great day for “What I Ate Wednesday!” 

·         Breakfast:  Trader Joe’s Bran Flakes combined with Nature’s Path Blueberry Cinnamon cereal, topped with raspberries and milled flaxseed. Served with unsweetened soy milk. Medium Soy Au Lait (half-steamed soy milk and half cup coffee) from Spring Garden Café and Bakery once I got to the office.

·         Morning Snack: Peanut butter/ Dark Chocolate KIND bar. I immediately realized that this was an indulgent snack but it was what I packed along to my morning full of meetings. Perhaps you have heard a thing or two about KIND bars in the news lately. They recently got a hand slap from the FDA for labeling several of their granola bars as “healthy.” The bars in question contain too much saturated fat according to FDA guidelines and made a few other claims that did not sit well with them. My stance and suggestion: Ignore food marketing. I disregard claims such as “natural” and “healthy” and assess the product myself by taking a quick peak at the nutrient facts label and the ingredient list. I am fine with the fat content of the KIND bar because most of it comes from nuts and because of this, they actually fill me up between meals (most others do not). However, a KIND bar is not the most nutritious snack choice out there of course, especially the variety I had today. After all, a lot of added sugar was in my snack as out of the first five ingredients, three of them were sugar (dark chocolate coating, glucose syrup and honey)—yikes!

·         Lunch: A HUGE salad at the office with lots of yummy ingredients including broccoli, edamame, carrots, garbonzo beans, cucumbers, walnuts, green peppers, mandarin oranges……..and so on--see photo!). Topped with a bit of Annie’s Woodstock dressing and served alongside a homemade muffin (whole wheat blueberry turmeric, for more details see my turmeric post a few months back). Apparently it is National Salad Month in May and to celebrate our morale team hosted a salad bar potluck event. Water to drink and a yummy s' more courtesy of a coworker for dessert.

** Some comments on salads……..I cannot tell you the number of times that my patients tell me “I don't know why I am not losing weight, all I eat is salads!” I gotta say, just eating salads does not impress me. In fact, upon further exploration, many of the “salads” eaten are really lots of cheese, a lake of salad dressing, and salty meat sprinkled with lettuce. I usually ask, can you still see all the ingredients in your salad after you add the cheese and salad dressing? A salad is a super healthy choice when planned wisely. Here are some of my tips for creating a nutritious and filling salad:

* For salad dressings,  I usually recommend choosing the real deal and being mindful about how much is used. Try the fork dipping method to get some dressing in every bite (dip each bite lighly in a side of dressing). Avoid fat free dressings as they don't offer fat needed for nutrient absorption and they may have extra salt or sugar in them to boost the taste. Best bet: Extra virgin olive oil and some vinegar.

* For toppings load on the colorful non-starchy vegetables and be sure to include some protein and healthy fat to keep you satisfied longer. No point in eating a wimpy salad at lunch leaving you hungry and more likely to overindulgence later. Some of my favorites: roasted beets, fresh berries,  sungold cherry tomatoes,  nuts, pumpkin seeds, lentils,  hardboiled egg, goat cheese, salmon, and spicy radishes. 

* Go easy on the cheese and avoid lots of fatty, sugary and salty toppings like bacon bits, deli or breaded meats, glazed nuts and croutons.

·         Afternoon Snack: Banana

·         Dinner: Lentils cooked with ginger, curry powder and cinnamon; falafel;  baby spinach drizzled with olive oil and balsamic; a few pieces of raw cauliflower.  Served with water.

  

Feeding Baby Series: Time for Food!

Congratulations mamas and papas! Your baby is ready for the joys of table food! Or are they? There is a lot of misinformation out there (much of it generated by the baby food industry) about when to start baby food and what the best first foods are. This post features my advice for the when, why, what and where of offering your little one their first solids.  

When: The recommendation that I follow for starting table foods is 6 months. I started my little guy on solids the week before his 6 month "birthday." The baby food industry would love you start on food sooner of course (more money in their pocket), but in most cases it really is not necessary. Your little one's nutritional needs are met with formula and/or breast milk (if your babe is just drinking breast milk Vitamin D supplementation is recommended however).

Some key things to look for to help you assess if your baby is ready to start eating are:

• they can sit up unsupported and are able to hold their head steady
• they seem interested in food and open their mouth or lean in when food is offered via spoon; furthermore, they are able to close their lips over the spoon and keep teeny portions of food in the mouth rather than than back out on the chin.

Why: Waiting for the six-month mark to start your little one on table food is beneficial for several reasons. 1) If you are breastfeeding, it can help you keep your milk supply up longer 2) Your babies’ tiny gut will be more mature which could result in less gas and tummy trouble 3) You will be letting your babies’ healthy gut flora do its job without introducing in new bacteria that alters the GI environment. With all of the buzz lately on gut flora and your health (which I plan to investigate further), I think there might be something to this! With all of this said, about six-months old is when an infant is about to deplete their iron stores so getting in a good food source of iron is recommended. 

What: Jasper's first food was very, very thinned out (with milk) roasted and mashed sweet potatoes. This was followed by Earth's Best Organic Oatmeal (thinned out with milk) and mashed banana (again thinned out with milk!). We added in several of the foods listed below over the next few weeks and gradually stepped up the texture of the food. I truly did not suspect any food allergies with him (however you never know), but the best guidance is to introduce one new food at a time by offering it over a period of 3-4 days before adding in any new foods. During the 3-4 day window, be on the lookout for any signs of a possible food allergy (rashes or lots of tummy troubles including diarrhea or excessive gas). 

Best First Foods for Baby--low allergen risk (ideally organic to reduce pesticide and antibiotic resistant bacteria exposure)

·         Oatmeal/ Multigrain cereal (I'm not sure where I stand on rice cereal, the guidance per the American Academy of Pediatrics is to vary the type of cereal given due to reports of arsenic-derived rice..this is something you may choose to read about further!)

·         Banana

·         Sweet Potatoes

·         Avocado

·         Papaya

·         Applesauce (unsweetened)

·         Peas

·         Butternut Squash

·         Green Beans

·         Pears

·         Plums 

Remember that your little one's gut is still immature....wait a few months before offering lots of super high fiber foods (beans, broccoli etc.) or highly acidic foods (citrus, tomatoes). I will write soon on introducing more adventurous foods later! I have heard some RDS recommend meat as a good first food because the iron is absorbed well. This is an option but a more difficult one, as its not as convenient as iron-fortified cereal or as easy to get in a thin enough form for new eaters.  *Also, offer the foods above in their pure form. No salt needed--in fact early exposures to salt are linked to a preference for it later in life.

Where: Make sure baby is sitting upright to eat (in a highchair or booster) and is offered foods by spoon (helps with hunger/ fullness cues, for this reason putting infant food in a bottle is NOT recommended). Try to include baby at the table for your mealtimes and make the environment as pleasant and non-distracting as possible. Do not make a big deal when your baby does not want the food offered (and honestly, he won't always, especially at first). Just simply stop offering the food and try again later, sometimes 10-15 exposures to a new food are needed. Don’t forget to offer the food from a dish rather than an infant food jar. Your little one is not likely to finish all of the food offered and once you dip the used spoon back in, it should be tossed out after the meal rather than popped back in the refrigerator. Safety first! 

** A word on beverages. Please wait on the cow’s milk until your infant is older than one year of age. In addition, my preference is to wait on offering juice until about that time as well. Juice is not essential for meeting nutrient needs and teaching the healthy habit of drinking water is a wonderful gift for your little one.  Jasper started taking small sips of water by spoon about the same time we started him on solids. If you do choose to offer juice, choose 100% juice (no juice like drinks!), dilute it well with water or offer 4 ounces or less per day.