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.
Read More of 's Blogs:
Put Moderation into Practice This Halloween
You have been keeping track of your nutrient intake, planning healthy meals, and making smart choices when eating away from home for months as you work hard to meet your health goals. You know that because you have made a commitment to change your lifestyle, your new healthy eating and fitness habits have to be ongoing. Now that special days and holiday time have arrived, you realize doing that can become challenging. Special days like the World Series or Halloween can easily tempt you to throw caution to the wind and forget all about your goals only to be frustrated a week later when you get back to your usual routines and realize you have suffered a setback.
Whether you are tempted by high calorie treats, skipping a workout or two or just can't seem to keep your hands out of the candy dish, choose to let moderation be your guide.
Posted 10/31/2011 10:00:00 AM By: : 18 comments 12,384 views
Reduce Your Stroke Risk – Eat More Fish
According to the National Stroke Association, a stroke or "brain attack" is the third leading cause of death in America and a leading cause of adult disability. Since up to 80 percent of strokes are preventable, knowing what you can do to reduce your risk is very important.
Everyone has some risks of stroke due to age, gender, race, and family history that can't be changed. These uncontrollable risks make it is even more important to control the risk factors that you can. According to a recent international analysis report, people that eat fish a couple times a week have a slightly smaller risk of suffering a stroke compared to those individuals that do not. The Dietary Guidelines recommend that Americans increase the amount and variety of seafood they consume by choosing more seafood each week as a protein source in place of other meat and poultry options. Fish provides a variety of beneficial nutrients including omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and selenium. Any or all of these nutrients could be the key to reducing stroke. Regardless of the reasoning, the analysis found that people who ate the most fish were 12 percent less likely to have a stroke compared to those people that ate the least.
Here are seven other key ways to reduce your stroke risk in addition to including more fish in your diet.
Posted 10/17/2011 2:00:00 PM By: : 6 comments 16,524 views
Glucerna Hunger Smart Snack Bars and Shakes
Editor's Note: This is a sponsored post from a SparkPeople advertiser.
Whether you want to lose weight or simply eat healthier, enjoying a couple of snacks each day is a smart habit for many people. Eating a planned snack between meals can help curb your hunger and prevent overeating at mealtime while also increasing energy levels when you need a boost. Snacks also offer an additional benefit for people with diabetes by helping to optimize blood glucose control. Snack bars and drinks have become popular because they offer portable, convenient, pre-packaged options especially when people are living on the go. Now people with diabetes have a delicious way to stick to their weight loss plan AND enjoy snack options without worrying about throwing off their blood glucose levels.
Posted 10/10/2011 10:00:00 AM By: : 25 comments 41,388 views
Could Healthtainment Be a Key to Your Health Success?
Gone are the days of going to the library to learn more about a health condition. Most of us can quickly do an online search to learn the basics about what we are experiencing BEFORE we contact a doctor. The new MyPlate guidelines are outlined on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website with detailed guidelines for healthy eating. Before that, people could easily find similar information outlined about the Food Pyramid. There are many online sites to provide guidelines and information for healthy living. However, despite the abounding information readily available to help people live healthier lives, Americans are as unhealthy as ever before.
Communication professionals have known for a long time that there is an entertainment factor that can be used to engage an audience. Teachers began experiencing it when those of us in the Sesame Street Generation entered the classroom forcing changes in teaching methods to hold our attention in school. Now, a new survey demonstrates how popular TV shows influence viewer's health behaviors. Whether learning topical health information through Grey's Anatomy, being inspired to learn how to dance through Dancing with the Stars or coming to terms with the need for weight loss by watching the struggles of contestants on The Biggest Loser, television brings the relevance of health into our homes. We at SparkPeople.com have known that health and wellness don't have to be boring. That's why we invented the word healthtainment®.
Posted 10/6/2011 2:00:00 PM By: : 11 comments 16,629 views
Get Your Facts Up Front
Over a year ago, we shared about the Food and Drug Administration's desire for manufactures to post front-of-label nutrition information in an effort to support the fight against obesity in our country. Now, the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and the Food Marketing Institute (FM) have announced a new name for their voluntary front-of-package system. They have also launched a new web site as part of their consumer awareness and education campaign.
The objective of their voluntary program is to place fact-based information from the Nutrition Facts panel to the front for easier consumer information gathering as they shop. In addition, the Institutes of Medicine (IOM) is about to release the report and findings next month from their examination of front-of-package nutrition rating systems and symbols. The IOM Phase 1 report released last October indicated front-of-package labeling should include calories, serving size, saturated fats, trans fats and sodium information. Unfortunately, they also concluded that including other information such as protein, fiber or vitamins and minerals could contribute to consumer confusion. The second report is expected to include format guidance based on consumer use and understanding of various symbols and systems.
So what nutrition information might you begin to see on the front of your products?
Posted 10/3/2011 2:00:00 PM By: : 25 comments 16,128 views
School Milk Gets a Makeover
According to a recent report by the National Center for Health Statistics, children are in need of a milk makeover. Although seventy-seven percent of children and adolescents (ages of 2 and 19) are drinking some milk on a daily basis, nearly one-third of them (32 %) report drinking whole milk. Adolescents reported drinking low-fat milk (either one percent or skim) more often, children between the ages of six and eleven tended to select two-percent milk and those between the ages, of two and five tended to drink whole milk most often. There were race and family income differences in milk selection identified too. Whole milk choices were more prevalent in black and Hispanic homes as well as in those homes with a low poverty income ratio.
With concerns about childhood obesity and after last year's passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, some school districts began removing flavored milks from their cafeterias. Unfortunately, research found that when flavored milk was removed from elementary schools there was a 35 percent drop in milk consumption. Without drinking milk as part of a healthy lunch, it is very difficult for students to meet their daily needs for calcium, vitamin D, and potassium. This is concerning since these nutrients, important for growth and development, were identified to already be limited in children's diets according to the recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans. As part of the implementation of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, changes in nutrition requirements for fluid milk served at school were necessary by the start of this school year. Here's what's new in school cafeteria milk.
Posted 9/26/2011 6:00:00 PM By: : 41 comments 18,691 views
Are Medical and Life Issues Getting You Down?
As I have previously shared, I have thyroid disease like millions of other people. For me, an autoimmune disease led to a subtotal thyroidectomy and a lifetime sentence of medication and battling to maintaining my weight and good health. I can empathize with others who try so hard every day to meet their health goals while living with a medical condition and a busy life.
A few weeks ago, I hit a few life and health issues all at one time that just made me want to give up, sit on the couch, eat what I want and feel sorry for myself. Have you ever felt like that? I'm hoping that hearing what I have been dealing with will help you know that it happens to everyone but also that life and medical issues don't have to cause a major setback as you work toward your goals.
Posted 9/15/2011 1:00:00 PM By: : 45 comments 12,427 views
Could New Dinnerware Be Your Key to Success?
Control over what goes on our plate is an important but difficult part of weight management. There are a variety of products that can take the guesswork out of portion control as well as everyday items that can be used as portion size visual cues. Many predict the new MyPlate icon will serve as a visual teaching tool, helping people build healthy meals in correct portion sizes.
Some nutrition and health professionals use MyPlate food models to demonstrate correct portion sizes and meal planning. Since food models are expensive and are more directed toward educational settings, printable diagrams demonstrating visual cues on a plate provide a more helpful approach for home use. Now new dinnerware has emerged to help families make proper portion control a daily success.
Posted 9/12/2011 10:00:00 AM By: : 31 comments 28,243 views
Can the Bite Tracker Help You Find Weight Loss Success?
As we seek to make our diet our own, success many times comes after trying a variety of approaches and tools. There are many tools intended to help people balance their energy in, energy out equation. Tachometers and clocks on work out equipment help measure work out time and pace. Pedometers measure steps while heart rate monitors appraise exercise intensity. Food scales, food trackers, recipe calculators, and nutrition labels provide ways to monitor energy intake.
Now there is a new tool called the Bite Counter that has come into the tool belt of weight management. Clemson University professors have created the device to help people track wrist-rolling motions taken during a meal or snack. Just as a pedometer helps provide data about steps, the Bite Counter will provide information about bites. So is this new tool something worth the potentially heavy price tag in the battle with weight?
Posted 9/5/2011 10:00:00 AM By: : 59 comments 19,558 views
When Winning is Everything, What’s Left?
Are you ready for some football? I am and the latest Family Movie Night installment from Walmart and P&G is sure to get you in the mood too! Airing this Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 8/7c on NBC, Game Time: Tackling the Past has an all-star lineup including Beau Bridges, Ryan McPartlin, Catherine Hicks and Josh Braaten.
Game Time: Tackling the Past has all the makings of other great football dramas such as Remember the Titans or The Blind Side that allow us to take a closer look at what we believe. After fifteen years of avoiding his small hometown, Pro football star Jake Walker is forced to take another look at what he left behind. Just one season away from setting an all-time receiving record and an almost certain spot in the Hall of Fame, the needs of his family changes everything. His father's serious heart attack, his return home as well as other circumstances beyond his control forces Jake to face memories of glory and regret as he tries to reconnect with the past he left behind. In the end, will Jake find the hidden truth he forgot while striving to reach his goals?
We all run the risk of focusing so much on our goals that we lose sight of what is important in life as well as the people that are our biggest supporters. This movie provides a wonderful opportunity to be sure your family is on the right goal-setting path. Moms 4 Family TV have once again provided some resources to help bring the teachable moments to your family. There are also resources for teachers and small group leaders as well.
Posted 9/1/2011 6:00:00 PM By: : 10 comments 15,212 views
Tips to Make Your Diet Your Own
Isn't it interesting how two people can eat the same way but get very different results? For example, my grandparents enjoyed the same breakfast every day – two eggs over easy, two slices of bacon, half a grapefruit and coffee. My grandfather lived to be 92 and enjoyed low cholesterol levels while my grandmother passed away at 73 from heart disease and a massive heart attack. Several years ago, my parents decided to change the composition of their diet by slightly altering their macronutrient distribution. My father lost 25 pounds and my mother's weight stayed the same.
As Coach Nancy likes to say, "We are all an experiment of one" and because of that, what works for one may or may not work for another. Very few people share the same exact genetics, body composition, lifestyle, or eating preferences. Approaching weight loss with a "one size fits all" eating routine can result in frustration and loss of motivation when our results don't match those of another. The best diet plan is the one that allows you to learn new eating habits and re-shapes your lifestyle in a way that allows you to meet and maintain the healthy weight you desire. If you are trying an eating approach that has worked for a friend or family member but leaves you frustrated by a lack of results, take a look at these tips to help you make your diet your own.
Posted 8/29/2011 2:00:00 PM By: : 35 comments 25,082 views
Three Steps to a Healthy Breakup
When my daughter was a freshman in high school, I thought it strange that her first breakup came in the form of a voicemail. Evidently, I was wrong because information shows that breaking up via text message or through social media is the most common teen breakup method today. In my day breakups came indirectly too. You might find a break up note in your locker, on your car windshield or delivered by a friend. A more direct approach would include a phone call letting you know they still wanted to be friends but no longer wanted to 'go out'. The big difference between then and now is the phenomenon known as social media as well as the depth and breadth of technology.
Statistics from 2009 indicate 65 percent of teens use an online social networking site. Statistics about teen communication indicate that 61 percent of them send messages to friends through social networking sites and 58 percent of teens send text messages to their friends. For Generation Y (ages 18-31) young adults, 70 percent of them use social networking sites. Social media has moved communication from face to face to cyberspace. While technology and social media does provide increased opportunity for connection and self-expression, it also increases the prospect of inappropriate behaviors. Those not mature enough to understand fully the consequences of their actions and with little supervision and guidance fall most victim. This is evident by the new phenomenon known as sexting and cyberbullying.
In the social media and technology age, relationship status and break ups are much more complex then back in my day. Back then, only the person receiving the note and the few others they decided to share it with saw the note or new its content. Today, hundreds of people can know Facebook status changes instantly through the social network connections. There is even an app to help with breakups! To help teens and young adults navigate these new landmines, there are seminars and organizations to teach new ways to end relationships in a healthy way.
Here are three key tips to help you break off any relationship in a healthy way.
Posted 8/22/2011 2:00:00 PM By: : 10 comments 14,274 views
Take the Hassle Out of Packing School Lunches
Household chores teach children responsibility and self-sufficiency. Learning to pack their own nutritious lunch can be a perfect way to get them started with chores when they are young or add to their level of responsibility if they are older. There are other benefits as well. Allowing children to be in charge of their school lunch provides a wonderful opportunity to teach them about nutrition and healthy meal planning. It provides them with the opportunity to put decision making in to practice and takes the surprise out of lunchtime for them as well. Since they planned and prepared the meal, they should eat and enjoy it as well. This limits the need to bring any of it back home uneaten or trade it with someone else during lunchtime. This can be especially beneficial for children that are fussy eaters although it may take them a little time to "own" the meals they prepare. For older children, packing lunches provides opportunities to reinforce responsibility and accountability especially if you don't pack their lunch or offer them money when they forget to do it. It also provides a wonderful opportunity for them to learn organization and financial responsibility as well by teaching them kitchen skills in preparations for life on their own.
To get your children on board with the idea of packing their own lunch, don't spring it on them as a new "job" for this year. Instead, talk with them about the importance of taking responsibility for their schooling which includes eating a healthy meals. Also include the importance of eating a healthy breakfast to start their day off right. Here are some ideas to help you develop a packing plan that will have children packing a their own lunch in no time.
Posted 8/18/2011 2:00:00 PM By: : 13 comments 17,683 views
Tips to Pack a Nutrient Rich Lunch to Save Pennies
School bells will soon be ringing all across the country. This means lunchrooms will fill up with hungry children ready for a nutritious break in their day. While you may have prepared to pack a waste-free lunch, are you ready to pack one that is nutrient rich?
Some of the best ways to increase nutrition and decrease waste is to skip pre-packaged, convenience foods that are expensive and offer processed foods that tend to be loaded with sodium and preservatives. If you can include last night's leftovers in a way it can be consumed at a safe food temperature, go for it. Avoid thinking of lunch in terms of a sandwich, chips, and a cookie like what you get in a boxed lunch from the deli. Instead, think balanced meals, whole foods, and creativity. After all, finger foods are usually a hit with the kids and can save on utensils too. You might also want to include a wet washcloth in a container so they can easily wash their hands. Here are some helpful tips to help you create a nutrition rich, penny-wise lunch for children and adults alike.
Posted 8/15/2011 10:00:00 AM By: : 26 comments 30,629 views
Can You Figure Out Who Simon Miller Is?
How well do we know the important people in our lives? For many of us we only know what another is willing to let us know. Many times we take people at their word and trust a great deal about what they tell us when it is about things we don't experience with them. For many of us, the richest relationships come from those we can trust and confidently depend. We long for relationships that are fully committed, faithful, and loyal.
These character traits are explored in the next Family Movie Night installment presented by Walmart and P & G. This Saturday, Who Is Simon Miller will air at 8/7c on NBC and will explore what happens to a family when trust has been brought into question. The fast-paced spy thriller introduces the Miller family to the reality that their husband and father is not who he says he is. As they take on an international adventure, they also have to venture into feelings of hurt and betrayal. As the family unravels the mystery to save their father, they also put their trust, loyalty, and forgiveness to the test as well.
Moms4FamilyTV is a national group of moms who support and encourage companies that create entertainment options that families can enjoy together. They love that Family Movie Night's provide quality movies that are good for the whole family that offer not only family-friendly commercials but teachable moments as well. This movie provides the same opportunity for conversations about the values that are important in your family. Whether you play a significant role in raising your own children or helping raise nieces or nephews, grandchildren, godchildren or children of close family friends, watching movies together can provide opportunities for meaningful talk and teachable moments. Who is Simon Miller? touches on a number of important values that may trigger these types of talks. Moms4FamilyTV has provided the following discussion starters to help families make the most of this movie opportunity.
Posted 8/4/2011 12:00:00 PM By: : 19 comments 14,813 views
‹ Back Read More Entries ›
