Silvia Nena, FNC, certified

Tips, inspiration and support in short bites to get you closer to your goal. Whether your goal is to lose a pound a week to reach a healthy weight, increase your exercise time to 30 minutes per day, quit smoking a cigarette each day, or other changes that will improve your wellness and increase the quality of your life, you're sure to find motivation here.
Updates are posted frequently, so check back often!

_           Could the bacteria in your gut affect your weight? According to mounting research…yes. Microorganisms in your gastrointestinal tract help to break up food, affect the health of your digestive tract and apparently dictate your weight.
          Probiotics are the “friendly” microorganisms that support digestive function, improve immunity and keep “unfriendly” bacteria in check. Too much of the bad kind of bacteria appears to trigger weight gain. The good news is that according to two recently published studies, diets rich in probiotics can offer immunity against obesity.
        The British Journal of Nutrition published research in which lab animals were divided into two groups. The first group got a steady diet of probitics from birth to adulthood and the second group a diet that promoted an “unfriendly” gastric environment. The results were nothing short of amazing. The probiotics group grew into obesity-resistant adults, while the second group was prone to weight gain. In a human study, published in the International Journal of Obesity children of mothers who ate a probiotics-rich diet during pregnancy maintained a healthy weight over ten years, compared to a second group of children who did not benefit from probiotics during fetal development. New research reveals that probiotics also appear to improve immunity by reducing inflammation and alleviating allergy symptoms and risk of chronic illness.
          Add probiotics daily to your diet by including naturally fermented foods, such as yogurt with at least 100 million live cultures per gram (distinguished with the “Live and Active Cultures” seal or ingredients listing). Organic Miso paste, organic Kefir, authentically fermented Kimchi and Sauerkraut, and raw Kombucha tea are also good sources of probiotics. Because sugar helps “unfriendly” microorganisms flourish, be sure that foods like yogurt and Kefir are low in sugar. Plain Greek yogurt is great with fresh apples or dark berries and chopped nuts. Commercially processed Kimchi and Sauerkraut are treated with chemicals and packed in salt to give them the fermented taste and consistency of the real thing, but do not have any health-promoting, live cultures in them. Buy authentic from a traditional deli or restaurant and ask about how they were prepared to ensure that you’ve got the good stuff. When I want sauerkraut, I pick it up from the Alpine Village Market deli counter. I don’t eat Kimchi often, so if someone knows of a good place to get it, please let me know and I will post it here and on the Facebook page.

_           We are a nation that likes to dine out. Busy schedules and high-calorie restaurant meals can take their toll on your waistband and heart health.University of Texas at Austin researchers counseled a group of ladies who regularly dine-out on nutrition basics for 6-weeks, offering half of them tips to prevent weight gain when dining out. Not only did the women who applied the tips not gain weight, they lost weight! Here are a few of the researcher’s “Mindful Restaurant Eating” strategies that you can apply:

     1-Slide half of your meal into a take-out box BEFORE you begin eating.
           Why: People tend to eat more slowly when there is less food on the plate. Since it takes about 20 minutes
                    for your brain to register fullness, a slower eating pace gives your stomach more time to clue your
                    brain in that it’s full.
     2-Form a strategy before you go. Checking out the restaurant’s online menu AND nutritional
        content.
           Why: You’ll be less likely to order high calorie options with a plan. Waiting until you’re seated in an
                    atmosphere of tempting smells can set you up to hate yourself in the morning.
     3-If the meal comes with a side you don’t really like, ask for extra veggies in its place or eliminate it
        completely. For example, my favorite sandwich at a local restaurant comes with a choice of high-fat side
        salads that I don’t enjoy: coleslaw, pasta or potato salad, so I request it without the side.
            Why: To keep yourself from eating extra calories just because they’re on your plate.

_ Congrats! You’ve made it through the first week of your resolution. You’re a third of the way to making a new habit. Experts say that it takes 21 days to form a new habit. Make sure that your goals are realistic and concrete. Instead of “lose weight,” try: “I will lose weight 1 lb this week by eating veggies instead of chips and walking 30 mins. each day.” Make a plan and stick to it until it becomes a habit.

Easy ways to add more produce to your day: Include a vegetable with EVERY meal. Make fruit your snack. Start and end your day with fruit. Try a new vegetable or fruit each week.

Nix the fast food to maintain a healthy weight. A study by University of Michigan School of Public Health suggests that fast food restaurants density with obesity rates world wide. Countries that have the largest percentage of fast food restaurants also have the highest obesity rates. The United States has 7.5 fast food restaurants per 100,000 people with a nationwide obesity rate of 30%. Compare those figures with Japan, where there are .13 fast food restaurants per 100,000 people with a obesity of approximately 3%, nationwide. The lead researcher of the study, Roberto Di Vogli points to open trade policies established in the 1980's as a main culprit in skyrocketing obesity rates, worldwide. "We see rates that have tripled or quadrupled...There is no biological, genetic, psychological or community level factor that can explain this. Only a global type of change can explain this," De Vogli stated.
SOURCE: University of Michigan, news release, December 2011

_ Happy 1st Monday of January!Get in a HEALTHY, not “forbidding” mind frame by giving yourself permission to make slow changes toward your wellness resolution. Making a “forbidden foods” list can set you up for failure. Instead, resolve to ADD more fruits and veggies to your diet this week. New recipes are coming each Wednesday. In the meantime, crunch into an apple, swirl veggie sticks in your hummus, relish a veggie-rich stir fry…and check out the healthy Recipes page.

Make a quick and wholesome lunch or breakfast starting with a slice of whole grain bread and a few whole or minimally processed, healthy toppings. Above are just three of my favorite quick meals, using whole grain bread as the basis. Don't forget 100% nut butters topped with banana slices. I also like to put mashed beans on a slice of whole grain toast. It's like an open-face burrito. Drain and rinse a couple cans of beans:pinto, black, kidney--sometimes you can find them already blended in a can--mash them and then pile them on your bread.

Choosing Your Bread:
Look for bread that is made with whole grains and minimally processed ingredients. Wording is important. Wheat flour is not the same as 100% whole wheat. It just means that the flour they used started out in a golden field of grain before it was processed; usually until it becomes nutrient-deficient white flour...so healthy shopper beware. Avoid breads that list sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup or any word that ends with -ose; as in fructose, dextrose, sucrose. Those are added sugars that contribute to obesity and diabetes. If you're having a hard time finding a bread with no added refined sugars, look for raisins in the listing. Also avoid added oils, especially hydrogenated oils and fats. Finally, look for at least 4g of fiber per slice.
Choosing Your Topping:
Begin with whole fruits and vegetables: tomatoes, avocado, beans, thinly sliced apples and pears, sliced figs.
Pair with a healthy protein. Healthy plant-based proteins include: Beans, tofu, 100% nut butters, vegan cheese or a blend of vegan and regular low fat cheeses, such as used for the tomato toast, above. Healthy animal-based proteins include: Low fat cheese, lean chicken or turkey breast; crab, ceviche or tuna. While animal-based foods can be healthy, studies show that plant-based diet are healthiest. Try to make one meal each day plant-based to increase your fiber, antioxidant, and omega-fats intake and support good health.
Be judicious about fats and sodium. 100% nut butters and avocados are naturally high in healthy fats and do not need added oil. Avoid butter, mayonnaise and other fatty spreads. Leave the salt shaker in the cupboard and use whole seasonings instead.
Sprinkle or Blend with your favorite whole seasoning: cinnamon, nutmeg, basil, oregano, crushed garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice.

Fantastic Eats:  Thinly sliced pears with reduced-fat swiss and cardamom; figs with almond butter and cinnamon; sliced tomato with reduced-fat mozzarella and fresh basil; roasted veggies (these will keep in an air tight container for 2-3 days in your fridge. Reheat or eat cold.) and hummus or goat cheese. The possibilities are endless!
Pair with Fresh Fruit or Veggies and Enjoy!