Tanya earned her dietetics degree, completed a dietetic internship and served as a clinical dietitian in several Cincinnati hospitals. With more than 20 years of nutrition education experience, she is also a member of the American Association of Diabetes Educators.
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Have You Tried the Skinny Nut?
A recent report highlighted what we nutrition minded people have known for a while, which is nuts provide good nutrition in a tasty package. Tree nuts in particular provide heart healthy benefits due to their healthy fat source and also provide a good quality protein from a non-animal source. Many times walnuts and almonds are talked about the most. Recently, more and more commercials have popped up in my region of the country for a small tasty alternative tree nut that may be even more healthy.
Posted 11/30/2009 6:00:00 AM By: : 245 comments 49,595 views
Thanksgiving by the Numbers
Today is a day set aside in America as a time to gather with family and friends to offer thanks.
Typically, it includes a wonderful meal, football, parades and other fun and games. Here are some fun number facts to commemorate the day.
Posted 11/26/2009 6:55:17 AM By: : 16 comments 12,318 views
Giving Thanks – 5 Ways to Develop an Attitude of Gratitude
To mark this week of thanks and giving, today we launch a weeklong series on giving thanks.
My grandfather moved in with my parents a few years after I left for college and he lived with them for many years. Each time I would go home to visit, I looked forward to his optimistic answer to the familiar question, 'how are you'. He would jokingly answer with something like, "I'm able to sit up and take nourishment" or "I read the paper this morning and didn't see my name" followed by a little chuckle and a smile. What my grandfather was jokingly trying to get across was the simple message that he was alive and had his health, so he was fine. Looking back, I can see that it truly conveyed how he felt and he was grateful for each day he had.
Unfortunately, I am not as good as my grandfather was when it comes to expressing daily gratitude for the wonderful life I have. I have always been someone that cruises through the day checking things off the list and planning for all that will come tomorrow. I was very busy in my younger days playing three sports, participating in 4-H, playing in the school orchestra, singing in the church choir, participating in youth groups, working part-time and going to school – many times all at the same time. Planning and balancing seems to be the way of life for as far back as I can remember.
The lessons I learned as an athlete are equally engrained as well. During my many years of competitive sports, I learned two things that tend to work against living in the moment and having an attitude of gratitude and contentment. The first is the idea that if you are not getting better you are getting worse because nothing stays the same and the second is the way to improve is to continuously set and reach new goals. Those are important and help people dream big, reach high and accomplish much, but they offer little incentive to stop and smell the roses along the way. Breezing through today and missing all that it has to offer is a mistake I have made for far too long and wish to change for my future. Here are 5 ways to develop an attitude of gratitude for today and all that it provides. I hope you will join me in the journey.
Posted 11/23/2009 6:56:40 AM By: : 146 comments 43,766 views
7 Ways to Ruin Your Holiday Meal (and How to Save It)
Holiday cooking and entertaining requires precision organization and execution of a plan. Typically, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of planning and preparation, food safety falls to the bottom of the list. Here are some surprising areas you may not want to forget this holiday season to ensure you and your guests are safe from food-borne illness.
Posted 11/16/2009 6:31:27 AM By: : 61 comments 15,426 views
Could Red Light, Green Light be the Next Nutrition Game?
We know there are food labeling loopholes as well as many different front-of-package identification systems. A few weeks ago we learned the 'Smart Choices' program had been halted. However, other identification programs and labels continue to crowd the fronts of many products on store shelves. Some packages contain the American Heart Association's heart shaped check-mark logo, while others sport a Healthy Ideas box or a Nutrition IQ logo.
Margaret Hamburg, head of the FDA, shared concerns recently related to the confusing nature of having so many different labeling and marketing programs on the front of packages. While the back of package nutrition information is already uniform and consistent because of the nutrition facts label, the same is not true for the front of the package, at least not yet.
Posted 11/12/2009 6:00:00 AM By: : 110 comments 19,698 views
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12 of the Worst Restaurant Sandwiches
A thick, juicy burger is almost as American as apple pie and many of us grew up eating a Whopper or Big Mac. With the Whopper offering 670 calories and a Big Mac providing 540 calories, would you be surprised to hear the apple pie might be the better choice since it contributes only half the calories. With a calorie contribution that large, this certainly must be why we have a weight problem in America right? Unfortunately, there are many worse offenders out there.
Here are 12 of the worst sandwiches currently on popular American restaurant menus that make the Whopper and the Big Mac look low calorie.
Posted 11/9/2009 6:00:00 AM By: : 199 comments 50,082 views
Buffalo Meat is No Bull
One of the primary meat sources of many Plains Indians was the buffalo also known as the Plains bison. Native Americans did not just eat the meat as a rich protein source. They also used every part of the animal to meet their day-to-day needs such as the fat to make candles and soap or the bones to make shovels and other farming equipment. Unfortunately, the Plains bison nearly faced extinction in the late 1890's when European settlers were killing many for their hides to be shipped to the eastern U.S. and Europe for leather processing.
Today, bison are making a comeback and there are almost 400,000 throughout North America. Yellowstone Park is home to the largest free-roaming bison population with about 3,500 for visitors to observe and enjoy. In addition to public federally protected free-range bison, private ranchers raise bison and their farm-raised meat is showing up in supermarkets around the country. Is it something we should be including in our diets?
Posted 11/5/2009 1:00:00 PM By: : 279 comments 57,832 views
A New System to Help You Identify Affordable Nutrition
Health conscious people desire to get the most nutrition for the least amount of money but for many of us, knowing how to do that can be difficult. I have previously written several articles related to recession eating that outline some strategies you can use. Now, there may be a new tool to help.
Posted 10/29/2009 12:27:27 PM By: : 65 comments 21,145 views
If Running Doesn't Work for You, Think About Race Walking
Recently at the dailySpark, we have celebrated with Coach Nancy and Coach Jen as they successfully completed the Chicago Marathon. We have also heard about how their training motivated Coach Nicole and Coach Stepf to take up running to successfully complete a race as well.
As an athlete I have run for conditioning for most of my life. After having thyroid surgery in 2002, I took up running more seriously as a mode and method for weight control. Between 2002 and 2004 I ran in several marathon relays and 5 K's as well as a mini-marathon and four half-marathons. Unfortunately, thyroid disease trumps half-marathon training and my weight slowly climbed up anyway. During the training, old ankle and knee injuries resurfaced as well. I also suffered a partial Achilles rupture while playing volleyball, which took me well over a year to rehabilitate. Because of all of this, I took a break from running and ventured into biking and other cross-training options. I seem to only find time to work out at 5:30 in the morning which leaves little opportunity for training challenge when you live in the suburbs. After several years of riding the same early morning routes, I had become burnt out on biking. With all the running talk swirling around the office, I had thoughts of taking up running again. After several weeks, many of those old injuries resurfaced and left me really sore and miserable for the rest of the day regardless of the workout duration and intensity. I tried switching to a run/walk method to see if that would work better. It was during that running to walking transition one morning that I re-discovered race walking.
Posted 10/22/2009 11:00:00 AM By: : 108 comments 53,183 views
5 Surprising Foods that Fight the Flu
There are a variety of tips to prevent viruses. When you do find yourself not feeling well, there are various cold and flu survival guides to help you cope which is good since this year the fear of the flu is at an all time high.
We have long known that consuming hot liquids like tea or soup can help break up congestion and that unfortunately, viruses take time to run their course. However, what if there are specific foods you could try this year to help the cold and flu viruses move on more quickly to help you get back on your feet.
Posted 10/19/2009 12:00:00 PM By: : 47 comments 51,593 views
Nutrition News You Can Use
Almost daily, I get e-mail alerts or updates related to nutrition information in the news. Sometimes it is information about new study findings and other times it is information about school lunches or new diet products.
From time to time, the information is terrific for a complete blog. Other times they are pieces of information that do not provide complete blog topics but are still important things for our readers to be aware of and informed about. To keep you "in the know," I will offer nutrition news updates every so often to help you stay informed about interesting topics. Here are a few things that have caught my eye recently.
Posted 10/12/2009 6:00:00 AM By: : 51 comments 19,898 views
Do You Know Where to Shop to Get the Most For Your Money?
In a recent IBM study, about three-fourths of the consumers interviewed revealed they still want quality and nutrition along with value when making food purchases during these more difficult financial times. The Braun research group conducted 4,000 telephone interviews with people across the United States from all income levels. Of those 4,000 people interviewed, almost half are now shopping at multiple stores to find the best deals. A third of the respondents indicated they have changed supermarkets to save money as well. Many expressed willingness to reduce spending on prepared foods, individual serving beverages, and clothing but not on meats or poultry. When the recession ends, about 60% expect to continue shopping for the best deal.
Where are they finding the best deals?
Posted 10/8/2009 6:54:07 AM By: : 177 comments 20,735 views
5 New Supermarket Products You Might Want to Try
Sometimes it is hard to know which new product appearing on grocery store shelves is worth a try and which is better left on the shelf.
Here are five new supermarket products you might want to give a try when you see them at your store.
Posted 10/1/2009 6:00:00 AM By: : 80 comments 22,701 views
Why is There So Much Sodium in Restaurant Food?
In our ongoing Food on the Run and Diet Friendly Dining series, one of the most common comments I find relates to the sodium content of the foods highlighted. Many readers challenge how a food containing 1000 mg of sodium can be listed as a healthier option. In responding to this common question let me simply say -- we try to highlight "healthier" choices. When many other menu items contain 1800 mg of sodium or more, 1000 mg is your healthier choice. That does not mean it is right for you or that it is a "healthy" choice just that it is one of your better options when also looking at other important nutrients such as total fat and calories.
Most of us need to pay closer attention to sodium intake than we do, myself included. However, for those with certain medical conditions, limiting sodium intake isn't just something that ought to happen but rather it is imperative that it does. If you are aiming to keep your daily sodium intake below 2300 mg, eating away from home at a restaurant right now will be extremely difficult. Why?
Posted 9/24/2009 6:53:56 AM By: : 136 comments 79,413 views
Are You Ready to Tailgate?
If it is football season, it must also be time for tailgating. There are several stories related to the origin of the tailgate party. Some believe it first started back in 1869 with the first college football game between Rutgers and Princeton. Travelers arrived at the game via horse drawn carriages and cooked food prior to the game at the "tail end" of the horse. My in-laws would likely believe another version, which states tailgating started in Green Bay, Wisc., in 1919 with the start of the Packers, when farmers backed their trucks around the edge of an open field before a game. It is believed that fans dropped their truck "tailgates" to sit and watch the play while enjoying their baskets full of food they brought to eat. While it is not that important how it got started, it is important to recognize that in today's society, tailgating IS a part of the football experience for many people. Here are some important things to keep in mind for your next tailgate event.
Posted 9/17/2009 6:31:23 AM By: : 35 comments 15,857 views
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