Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC
Achieve Your Healthy Self!
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In the News!
Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, quoted in the Cape gazette in an article by Rob Kunzig regarding Project Big Guy (February 2, 2010).
Last October, Brian Hecksher entered Quest Fitness a little uneasy. At over 400 pounds, he was easily the biggest guy in the room – the fattest kid in gym class, he said. He was afraid of being judged for his obesity.
Three months and 54 lost pounds later, Hecksher moves around Quest with focus and vigor. He sticks to a regimen of upper body, core and cardio workouts designed by Matt Carter, Quest owner.
“I actually have biceps now!” he said, sounding much younger than his 45 years. Settling into a pull-down machine to work his arms, the Lewes Auto Gallery owner said he started doing three sets of 15 repetitions, with the weight set at 10 pounds. Now, he sets the pin at 90.
While pumping iron gets sweat out, what Hecksher puts in his body is equally important. To help manage his diet, Hecksher consults with nutritionist Lisa Harkins and health food guru Andy Meddick.
“Lisa prepared me very well,” Hecksher said. “I now have all the tools that I need.”
The dietary changes are small but many. No fast food. No appetizers. No mayonnaise, because of the oil and eggs involved; instead, mustard. He eats a healthy breakfast so he doesn’t overeat in the afternoon. He packs his lunch instead of ordering a cheese steak. If a restaurant’s portion is too big, ask for a to-go box.
“He’s been doing great,” Harkins said. “He’s been following the plan pretty closely and experimenting on his own.”
Hecksher said eating smart has nudged him out of his culinary comfort zone. He’s found some unlikely favorites at Meddick’s Good For You Natural Market, like vegetarian meatballs, made from diced mushrooms. And hummus, a chickpea paste high in protein.
“Hummus has become a very good friend of mine,” Hecksher said.
As he seeks out good foods, he takes care to avoid the bad. Hidden calories abound in everything, Hecksher said – anything prepared in butter, for instance, comes pre-loaded with calories. Flavored creamers, too. Close reading of nutrition labels has caused Hecksher to banish a number of former favorites from his diet.
“The key thing I taught Brian was how to read labels,” Harkins said. “I told him, if you look at anything, look at the calories and serving size and the number of calories per serving.”
By the numbers, Carter said, Hecksher is doing well – he’s shaved inches off his neck, legs and waist. He can cruise on the treadmill at a 4.9 setting for 30 minutes. Hecksher’s stamina has improved exponentially; they started with 15-minute workouts, after which Hecksher would be utterly spent. Now, he can work for more than an hour.
But it’s the unquantifiable gains that matter most, Carter said. His heightened endurance extends beyond Quest. He takes his dog for longer walks. He cleans his garage by himself.
“That’s huge,” Carter said. “The weight, the number, is just a secondary thing.”
Most important is the sense of empowerment Hecksher said he feels. Some days, he said, he leaves Quest on a natural high, and when he climbs into his car, his stomach no longer touches the steering wheel. The feeling of progress is so invigorating, he said he sometimes wonders why he didn’t do this sooner. Maintaining his body took too much effort, he said. It was much simpler to bury himself in work and eat on impulse.
“It was easier to please others than it was myself,” he said. “But I was really unhealthy. Let’s face it – I was literally obese.”
Hecksher said it’s a matter of open-mindedness and determination. People must be willing to alter their lives, he said, and make the time to be healthy – whether this means preparing their own meals or getting up early to work out.
Hecksher said his father had four gastric bypasses. He’s only had one and was fortunate to skirt any complications. But next time, he said, he might not be so lucky.
”It’s worth taking the healthier step,” Hecksher said. “Take any step to do it.”
There is a downside to weight loss, he said – he’s having to constantly refresh his wardrobe.
“I mean, you can only poke so many holes in your belt,” he said.
The Project Big Guy Team: Matt Carter, owner, Quest Fitness, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, owner, Ideal Nutrition and Fitness, Bryan Hecksher, and Andy Meddick, owner, Good for You Market.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, quoted in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Hiran Ratnayake regarding New Year's Resolutions (January 5, 2010).
Step by step
Resolving to meet simple lifestyle goals is the easy way to achieve big gains in your health this year.
By HIRAN RATNAYAKE, The News Journal, January 5, 2010
As New Year's Day 2008 approached, Ashley Sinclair faced a crossroads.
The Magnolia resident needed to stop gaining weight. Or she needed to begin buying new, larger clothes to fit her expanding waistline.
At the time, Sinclair weighed 250 pounds. Had she vowed to lose all of her excess weight in the calendar year, she would have failed. That prospect, she said, would have been overwhelming. Instead, she chose "a total lifestyle change."
"The first thing I needed to do was look back and see why this was happening," said Sinclair, 24, a registered nurse at Kent General Hospital, in Dover. "I never looked at what I was doing as a diet. I was looking at changing from my sedentary lifestyle."
She was on a steady diet of take-out food for lunch -- Chinese food, pizza, chicken wings -- while also noshing on the cookies that patients' families brought in for the nurses.
So she made attainable resolutions.
Instead of establishing a goal to lose 90 pounds, for example, she vowed to snack on more fruits. Instead of eating out nearly every day, she vowed to spend more days cooking at home, where she could control the amount of salt and fat in the dishes. Instead of using food as a way to deal with stress, she committed to exercise when she felt burdened.
All those simple resolutions paid off. Sinclair has lost about 90 pounds in the past year and will be running a half-marathon in March.
"I did a total lifestyle change because I wanted to feel healthy," she said.
Even though we're not even finished with the first week of 2010, you already might have given up on your lofty health-related goals. But instead of setting yourself up for failure by setting some unreachable resolution, consider several easy, realistic ones.
We offer the following ways to get healthier by making simple lifestyle choices. By following these strategies, you might be surprised by how much better you'll feel and how much healthier you'll become.
Instead of vowing to lose X number of pounds this year, resolve to ...
1. ... eat a fruit or salad with every meal.
You may have an ultimate goal of losing 25 pounds. But to make that attainable, take your mind off the weight and focus instead on your plate. You need mini-goals to achieve the final outcome, said registered dietitian Lisa Harkins, who works at Kent General Hospital, which is operated by Bayhealth Medical Center. One of those goals should be to eat nutritious foods, and one smart resolution would be to plan to eat a fruit each day with your meal.
"If you're going to eat that fruit instead of a cookie every day for lunch, you won't even have to look at the scale because the pounds will start to fall off," she said.
2. ... eat the right portions.
Steaks at restaurants can be so big that there's little room for vegetables. People tend to take that mentality home, where they serve huge portions of meat and only small servings of nutrient-rich veggies. Those options should, in fact, be reversed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service recommends that adults eat about two cups of vegetables for dinner and only 2 ounces of meat. For the entire day, no more than 6 ounces of meat is recommended.
Broccoli is a good vegetable since it has cancer-fighting properties. But others, such as asparagus, beets, carrots, Brussels sprouts and green beans, are also beneficial.
"I always suggest that when you get your plate, split the plate in half," Harkins said. "Half that plate should be vegetables."
3. ... eat food on smaller plates.
Studies have shown that people continue to eat even after they're full because they've been conditioned as youngsters to clean their plates. The Cornell University Food and Brand Lab, for example, found that people eating from a larger popcorn bucket ate 53 percent more than those who were eating from a smaller bucket.
Other similar studies conducted by the Cornell lab have found that people are more likely to continue eating just because their food is served on oversized plates and bowls.
"Whatever plates you are using now, you can simply look for plates that are slightly smaller," Harkins said. "It will still appear that you're using a full plate."
4. ... eliminate a product from your diet, or just eat half of it.
A 12-ounce can of soda likely contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar. If you drink several cans regularly, and choose to give that up, you'll notice a quick, positive impact.
"I've had people who drink seven sodas a day, and if I can get them to drink just two or three, the pounds will just melt away right away," Harkins said.
Harkins said she eventually wants her clients to give up habitually drinking soda since it contains so much sugar. "But it can be a gradual process," she said.
If you're used to having dessert each day after dinner, registered dietitian Marianne Carter recommends having it every other day instead.
"That way you don't feel deprived because you didn't give it up, and by the end of the week you've still cut the consumption," she said. "It's very unrealistic to completely eliminate any food, so it's better to just try to make these foods more of a special treat than an everyday occurrence."
You may still feel you'll be most successful if you cut something out entirely. Florence Johnson was used to eating white bread with meals. She eliminated that habit on New Year's Day 2007 and has lost 50 pounds.
"I didn't even think about losing 50 pounds when I started," she said. "That wasn't even on my mind when I decided to do it. It was hard right away, but then it turned into my lifestyle and it became a lot easier."
5. ... track what you eat.
An exercise specialist at Kent General recommended that Sinclair keep a diary on everything she ate. That made her become more aware of how many fatty foods she was consuming and forced her to stay within a range of calories. Before the change in lifestyle, she ate out at least four times a week. Most of the meals she eats today are home-cooked, so she has more control over the calorie and fat content.
"If I ate a Snickers bar, I'd have to check to see how many calories I'd have to burn and that would make it easier," Sinclair said.
Instead of vowing to exercise for an hour a day five days a week this year, resolve to ...
1. ... use the stairs instead of the elevator/escalator.
A study in a 2000 issue of Preventive Medicine found that a short-term stair-climbing program improved the cardiovascular health of previously sedentary young women. Guy Scotolati, an exercise physiologist at Christiana Care's Preventive Medicine & Rehabilitation Institute, said that stair-climbing also will strengthen your quadriceps and hips, and better develop balance.
"It's a weight-bearing activity and it's not as high impact as jogging would be for some people," he said.
Many employees who have offices at the Community Service Building in downtown Wilmington routinely use the stairs instead of the elevators. Christiana Care put up motivational signs in the stairwell four years ago to encourage workers.
"Not everybody will hike up to the 11th floor, but they'll take the elevator to the ninth floor and walk up the remaining steps from there," said Jerry Bilton, whose corporation manages the building.
2. ... park in the back of the parking lot.
The next time you go grocery shopping, don't hunt for the closest parking spot. Drive instead to the far end of the lot. Do the same thing when you go to work. If weather permits, do it every time you park. All that extra walking adds up, Scotolati said.
"Exercise doesn't mean you have to work up a sweat; it doesn't mean you have to be breathless," he said. "Even a low-intensity exercise interspersed throughout the day is helpful."
An added bonus: At the end of the parking lot, your car will be less likely to get dented.
3. ... do a brief physical activity after dinner.
When you're sitting in place, you're not burning any calories. But even a small walk after dinner is going to change that.
"You don't have to say, 'I'm going to walk for an hour,' " said Michael Lenk, a personal trainer who lives in Wilmington. "You don't have to put a time limit on it. You just have to say, 'I'm going to walk every day.' "
If it's too cold outside, consider doing a physical activity with your family at home, like jumping jacks. You may want to invest in a game console like the Nintendo Wii, which engages its users since they must stand up and move around to play the video sports games. If you're watching TV after dinner, consider walking in place during commercials.
"When you are sitting, you're burning no calories at all," Carter said. "So even just standing up and walking in place will help."
Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Cape Gazette's special Publication - "Happy New You!" (December 29, 2009).
http://delawarebeachguides.com/guides/newyou.pdf
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in a Bayhealth Press Release regarding New Year's resolutions (December 11, 2009).A New You In 2010Posted: Friday, December 11, 2009
Bayhealth Helps You Develop a Healthier Lifestyle in 2010
December 11, 2009 – They are the same resolutions that you make every year: stop smoking, start exercising, lose 20 pounds, and live a healthier lifestyle. But why do you find yourself lounging on the sofa, weighing more, and still smoking like a chimney by mid-January? The experts say it all comes down to realistic goals.
“The biggest mistake people make for their New Year’s resolution is setting too lofty a goal. For example, they want to lose five pounds a week and 20 pounds a month,” said Bayhealth Registered Dietitian Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN.
Harkins says aiming for weight loss of more than two pounds a week is not only unrealistic, but is a sure path to failure. However, slow, steady incremental weight loss and permanent lifestyle changes are the formula for success. Healthy lifestyle changes are synergistic so that exercising four times a week and cutting alcohol consumption will also lead to better eating habits which, in turn, add up to sustained weight loss.
“Another key is increasing your intake of nutrient dense foods such as fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains, which are rich in essential vitamins and minerals. Eating a bag of potato chips for a quick hunger fix won't fill you up as they are high in fat and salt and low in important nutrients, making them a poor snack choice” said Harkins.
Harkins says the key to developing the resolve for weight loss is identifying your triggers for eating, and then finding a strategy for overcoming that trigger.
“If you’re hungry simply because you are thinking of food, then you need a distraction. Call a friend, pick up a book, or do something to take your mind off eating,” said Harkins.
The same principle applies to quitting smoking in the New Year. Experts say tobacco cravings are often a proxy for something else—usually stress. Smoking continues the vicious cycle by raising blood pressure, creating even more stress and, in turn, leads to more smoking.
“Sometimes it takes just squeezing a stress ball, deep breathing, or finding some other distraction (besides smoking) to divert your attention from the stress,” said Bayhealth Medical Center Tobacco Cessation Specialist Terry Towne, RN. “Every time you want to smoke, put the money for a pack of cigarettes into a jar, and see how much you save by not smoking.”
Towne teaches a seven week tobacco cessation class which is free and open to the public. The class provides group support, advice, and helpful information on diet, exercise, stress reduction, nicotine replacement, and other strategies for kicking the tobacco habit. This program is made possible through the Delaware Division of Public Health's Tobacco Prevention Community Contract. Funding for the contract is provided by the Delaware Health Fund and managed by the American Lung Association of Delaware. Classes are starting soon:
• Jan. 5, 5-6:30 PM (weekly on Tuesday) - Kent General Hospital
• Jan. 7, 8-9:30 AM (weekly on Thursday) – Milford Memorial Hospital
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Delaware State News in an article by Katie Kazimir regarding eating more healthfully during the holidays (November 25, 2009).
Moderation key when enjoying holiday meals - Calories add up quickly during seasonal parties
by Katie Kazimir, November 25, 2009, Delaware State News
DOVER - Before asking for that second helping of mashed potatoes or Grandma's homemade stuffing, take into consideration the eight pounds people normally gain the weeks from Thanksgiving to Christmas. "You can eat a pound's worth of calories in one day," said clinical dietitian Lisa Harkins of Bayhealth Medical Center. Ms. Harkins said all it takes is 3,500 calories to gain a pound, easily done when loading up on holiday favorites.
"Thanksgiving is one of those times when we generally eat more than we need," said Dr. Carol Giesecke, director of the dietetics program at Delaware State University. Depriving oneself of holiday favorites isn't necessary - so keeping weight down this season doesn't have to mean forgoing the pumpkin pie and green bean casserole. "Once in a while it's not bad," said Dr. Giesecke. "It's about not eating all holiday season long," said Ms. Harkins.
Simply adding an extra 500 calories a day through Christmas could cause someone to gain up to a pound a week. Ms. Harkins said people don't realize how easy adding an extra 500 calories is. "It seems like a lot but it's really easy to do," said Ms. Harkins. A cookie and a couple slices of cheese and crackers would break the limit easily.
With obesity rates on the rise, Ms. Harkins said being mindful of one's diet all season long is critical Lisa in keeping weight gain Harkins down. According to Debora Spano, spokes-woman for United Healthcare, obesity rates in Delaware have gone up 44 percent in the past two decades. In the nation, Delaware ranks 31st for obesity this year, up from 35th last year.
Ms. Spano said people shouldn't pass up on their favorite holiday treats, but they should plan on making smart choices when they splurge. "Think about it ahead of time. You have to make the healthiest choices you can," she said. Dr. Giesecke said to not come to the holiday meal with an attitude of guilt. "Sometimes we're our own worst enemy," she said. "The best thing to do is to enjoy it and know you don't do it every day," she said.
Dr. Giesecke said the focus on Thanksgiving should be more about spending time with family and loved ones than on what food there is to eat. "It's better to eat as slow as possible," said Dr. Giesecke, and what better to way to eat slowly than to sit, chat and visit with family.
"If we eat too fast our brain doesn't get the message we're full until 10 minutes later, and then we're really stuffed," she said.
Another tip is to eat a decent breakfast instead of fasting until dinner time. "Sometimes when you're ravenous you tend to eat more than you need and you eat too fast," said Dr. Giesecke.
To avoid nibbling while preparing food, "put a piece of gum in your mouth," suggests Ms. Spano. Ms. Harkins said serving salad as well as healthy green vegetables is a must at every holiday meal. An easy way to sneak in healthier food options is by providing fruit and vegetable trays with low-fat dips. "People really do like raw vegetables and dip," Ms. Harkins said.
Other ways to make favorite recipes lower in calories is to use applesauce or beans instead of oil in sweet breads and muffins, Egg Beaters instead of eggs, and cutting at least half the sugar with Splenda in baking. "Try to use low-fat dairy whenever you can. It makes such a difference in calories," Ms. Harkins said. "Modifying your recipes to make them less fattening is really key."
Maintaining weight isn't only about watching what you eat, but also being active.
Planning a group activity, such as football or a walk, helps balance out extra calories while allowing families to spend quality time together. "Have a nice saunter around the neighborhood and visit other people in the community," said Dr. Giesecke.
Staff writer Katie Kazimir can be reached at 741-8242 or ckazimir@newszap.com.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Kelly Bothum regarding the Paleo Diet (November 3, 2009).
November 3, 2009
Listening to our ancestors
More fitness buffs are coming to believe that those hunter-gatherers had it right
By KELLY BOTHUM
The News Journal
For years Kara White Schilling followed the crowd when it came to exercise and eating. She'd hit the gym a few times a week for a kickboxing class or 45 minutes on the elliptical machine. She followed a low-fat diet and counted calories.
But she wasn't seeing the results she wanted. So, six months ago she made a radical change. She traded her visits to the gym for thrice-weekly CrossFit workouts that rely on short bursts of strenuous physical exertion. She adopted a high-protein, no-grain, no-dairy diet -- dubbed the Paleo diet because it mimics how our ancestors ate. She also began eating more fruits and vegetables.
The difference? She's lost 12 pounds and dropped a dress size. What's more, her cholesterol has gone down 14 points.
While White's eating plan may not win much support from registered dietitians who worry about nutritional deficiencies arising from eliminating entire food groups, White said she feels better and more nutritionally balanced than in the past. She takes her success as a sign that the one-size-fits-all approach to eating and exercise may not actually fit everyone.
"I can do things now I never thought I could do," said White, who also nixed sugar and caffeine from her diet. "I never realized how strong I was before."
Whether it's challenging mainstream conventions about nutrition or changing the way they exercise, some people are taking a less traditional approach to their health. While some of their methods are contrary to current health recommendations, adherents believe they are following a plan that works for them. They don't need peer-reviewed studies in published journals or endorsements from the medical or sports establishment to prove the legitimacy of what they're doing. They believe because they see the difference in themselves.
It takes a determined person to go against mainstream ideas in the hopes of bettering themselves, said Val Whiting, who owns the GameShape CrossFit fitness program with her husband, Jay Raymond. She said clients who are adhering to the CrossFit workouts and the Paleo diet are seeing life-changing results.
"A lot of things we do are controversial. We cut out dairy and cut out grain. It's so different from what we're taught," said Whiting, who said her family's health has improved since they began eating this way several months ago. "It's about what you love more. Do I love social acceptance more or do I love the health of my children?"
Whiting and Raymond follow the Paleo diet, which includes fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, nuts and seafood. Proponents of the diet believe it is more in line with the way humans ate before agriculture -- in particular, the harvesting of grains -- became the dominant means of feeding people.
Eating with this hunter-gatherer mindset allows for a big dose of fiber, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and low-glycemic carbohydrates, all without the addition of refined sugars, trans fats and salts found in many processed foods. Dieters are encouraged to replace the nutrients they would have gotten from dairy and grains with vegetables and protein. The high concentration of omega-3 found in the nuts, seafood and grass-fed meat that's encouraged also can help with lowering the risk for inflammatory diseases.
Lisa Harkins, a registered dietitian with Bayhealth Medical Center, said it's normal for people to want to individualize the way they eat, but when they follow eating plans that advocate the elimination of entire food groups, they may not realize they're also losing important nutrients. If they cut out dairy, they need to make sure they're getting enough calcium, either through eating more dark-green leafy vegetables, like kale and broccoli, or taking a supplement. They also need to take a supplement for vitamin D.
Eliminating grains can increase the risk of a B-vitamin deficiency, something that's usually seen in third-world countries, where people don't have access to fortified grain products, Harkins said. Without enough thiamine, niacin, riboflavin and other B vitamins that are added to grain products, dieters may begin to feel sluggish and experience tingling sensations and feelings of confusion. It is possible to get some B vitamins from select fruits and vegetables, including avocado, kale and peas.
"You really have to know what you're doing," said Harkins, who also owns Ideal Nutrition and Fitness.
It was a challenge at first for Christine Serio to give up grains. She grew up in an Italian household where pasta and bread were dinner staples. Prior to her switch to the Paleo diet, she had been eating whole grains such as whole-wheat bread because she thought they were better for her. Now most of her meals involve salads with some kind of protein source. She eats lots of spinach, asparagus, cucumbers and broccoli as well as berries.
"At first I thought it was crazy," said Serio, who switched her diet about three months ago. "Once you start to do it you realize almost instantly you feel the changes. I don't feel as sluggish."
While the abundance of fruits and vegetables is good, the emphasis on protein does raise the risk of consuming too much protein and potentially damaging the kidneys, Harkins said. Those following the Paleo diet also need to make sure they're getting at least a minimum amount of carbohydrates so their body functions properly.
Whiting said her family take multivitamins and supplements, including vitamin D and fish oil, to make sure they are getting the nutrients they need. Since eating mostly organic, gluten-free foods on the Paleo diet, Whiting's sons, she said, no longer have gastrointestinal issues and their overall behavior seems to be better.
One of the biggest changes has been in her husband. While following the diet along with an exercise regimen focusing on short bursts of strenuous activity, Raymond has lost 27 pounds and increased his cardiovascular endurance.
"I lost weight and I got stronger," Raymond said.
Running free -- of footwear
Nutrition isn't the only area where there is debate about how best to practice healthy habits. Earlier this year, Christopher McDougall reignited a debate with his book, "Born to Run." The New York Times best-seller is about a tribe of Indians in Mexico who run 100-mile races across treacherous terrain even when they're old, wearing nothing more on their feet than thin sandals made from strips of rubber tires. Their experience convinced McDougall that modern efforts to improve running and prevent injury -- most notably, our shoes -- may be doing more harm than good.
It's an idea that has caught on with Irene Davis, who already knows a thing or two about running. Davis is a physical therapist and professor at the University of Delaware who has been studying running injuries for more than 20 years. She thinks shoe improvements like arch support and rear cushioning may be weakening the muscles in the rear foot. More cushioning means a longer stride for the runner. As a result, more runners wind up landing on their heel rather than in the middle or front of the foot, potentially increasing their risk for injury.
"I believe they're making our feet lazy," said Davis, who started running without shoes over the summer and is now up to four miles three to four times a week. "When you take your shoes off you actually strike the ground differently."
But it's not as easy as slipping off the sneakers and hitting the pavement. Because most runners are used to the extra support, they need to ease into barefoot running, starting off with as little as quarter-mile runs. Not only do their feet have to adjust, but so does the rest of the body, Davis said. And not everybody actually runs barefoot -- some runners opt for shoes with no extra support while others wear thin, glove-like shoes that offer some protection against hazardous objects on the path.
Although there are no studies that suggest footwear can cause injuries in runners, one study did find that wearing footwear didn't reduce the risk of injury either. Davis said she expects more research on the topic in the next two to five years.
"When I run on the pavement barefoot, I get looks like you wouldn't believe," she said. "As a scientist I've got to get the data."
Eating local
Milton resident Carol Blake also credits a book with helping her to make a big change in her life. In her case, it was "Real Food" by Nina Planck, a book that advocates moving away from processed, packaged eating to the kinds of whole -- and even sometimes higher-fat -- foods our older relatives used to eat.
Planck's message resonated with Blake, a physician's assistant, and helped her refocus her eating habits toward more locally grown, unprocessed foods. Blake, who makes her own bread, granola, yogurt and peanut butter, considers herself a "partial locavore." She belongs to a CSA -- short for community supported agriculture -- where she has a subscription service for fresh, local produce. She also eats local eggs and raw milk from Pennsylvania.
For Blake, it's a matter of personal and global health. "I like the idea of supporting local farmers instead of factory farms that are far away. I prefer not to eat food that has been contaminated with antibiotics, growth hormones or pesticides," she said. "I think that our food supply has become so industrialized and processed that it is responsible for a lot of our current health problems, obesity being a good example."
Eating organic may be popular these days, but Harkins also thinks local is more important because it's an opportunity to eat just-picked fruits and vegetables. Many smaller local farms aren't certified organic -- a label bestowed by the government -- but they still follow the same protocols that certified farms do.
Hattie Allen, who runs a small-market garden in Lewes, said the demand for local produce goes beyond the summer months. Allen also grows vegetables like kale, collard greens and lettuce in the winter, thanks to an unheated tunnel that keeps her crops from freezing. Many of the customers who frequent Hattie's Garden are concerned about sustainability, supporting local farmers and, of course, eating good food.
"The people I serve know they can come over here. They know it's more than a business, that it's my passion," Allen said.
Skipping the treadmill
Carol Arnott has always been active, whether it was running, biking or working out in a gym. But about 2 1/2 years ago, she decided she needed a more intensive, structured workout.
She found the challenge in GameShape's CrossFit program. CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program that incorporates components of weighlifting, gymnastics and interval training, all performed at high-intensity levels. Rather than traditional gym equipment, participants use kettle bells, sandbags and pull-up bars to work their body during a short but intense period. The hourlong class includes a warm-up, an intense cardio activity like rowing, jump roping or running, and an anaerobic activity like a deadlift.
"If you think about how our ancestors moved, it was mostly short bursts of energy -- a tiger was chasing them. That's how we train," Whiting said. "We're not meant to go on a treadmill and run for 60 minutes."
Arnott, who goes three times a week at 5:30 a.m. to work out, said the program has boosted her fitness above what she initially expected. "Their whole program is to use your body the way it was designed to be used," said Arnott.
Interval training can be a beneficial form of exercise even for people who have been sedentary, said Guy Scotolati, an exercise physiologist with Christiana Care's Preventive Medicine & Rehabilitation Institute. If people are new to exercising or overweight, it may be too much for them to work out for a consistent 30-minute or hourlong period.
But when practicing interval training on a regular basis, it's important to make sure your muscles are accustomed to the activity, Scotolati said. Incorporating aerobic activity, such as running or riding a bike, can help the body tolerate the highs and lows that come with working out in short bursts, he said. Working anaerobically, such as with weights, also has the advantage of helping to build the body and muscles over time.
Last month, GameShape decided to up the ante with its members by injecting some good-spirited competition into the regular workouts. The Lean and Mean Challenge is a team-based competition that awards points when participants eat, exercise and sleep in ways that mimic our ancestors.
Participants get two points for doing a CrossFit workout. They get one point for each Paleo-style meal they eat and another point for sleeping eight hours a night. One quarter-point is subtracted for each glass of alcohol. And in a twist, participants also can get up to two points for cheating -- eating anything off the Paleo diet -- once a week. It's a planned cheat, and the goal is psychological and physical, Whiting said.
The friendly competition is intended to give people more motivation to improve their health. Arnott said her participation has helped in those moments when temptation looms large.
"Before I might have had that second glass of wine just because," she said. "But when you're on a team, you don't want to let them down."
Additional Information:
Eating like our ancestors?
A small but devoted group are eschewing traditional eating plans and following in the footsteps of their early ancestors. The Paleo diet, developed by Loren Cordain, a professor of health and exercise science at Colorado State University, also has been called the Caveman diet and the Hunter-Gatherer diet.
People who follow this food plan eat lean meat, fresh fruit and vegetables and nuts but no, or little, dairy and grains. Proponents say they get the nutrients they would otherwise ingest from grain and dairy from their vegetable-heavy meals. And because the carbs in their fruits and vegetables are low-glycemic, there are no spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels.
Source: ThePaleoDiet.com
Barefoot running
It's not quite naked running, but barefoot running is causing some controversy.
Most recently, author Christopher McDougall -- who will be speaking at the University of Delaware on Friday -- has caused a sensation with his book, "Born to Run," which details the story of an Indian tribe called the Tarahumara, who can run for hundreds of miles without wearing shoes. The book also explains his argument for why we should run sans shoes. Among his reasons -- there weren't as many running injuries before Nike introduced its first cushioned running shoe in the 1970s.
McDougall will be speaking at 3:30 p.m. Friday in Room 100 of Wolf Hall. The presentation is free and open to the community. For more information, call 831-2792.
What food is available locally?
More than you might expect -- raspberries, corn, lettuce, artichokes, eggs, turkey and beef. June through September are typically the best months for getting local produce, although some farmers may have offerings year-round because they continue to grow in hothouses or cold frames, which shield plants from the winter weather.
The best way to find out what's growing in your area is to visit a farmers' market. Ask the growers about their produce, including how they grow their foods, whether they use chemical pesticides or fertilizers or rotate their crops. Many small farms aren't certified organic, though they may use those methods.
Another option is joining a CSA, which is short for community supported agriculture. It's a subscription service that requires customers to pay in advance for produce and sometimes eggs available later in the year.
If you want to learn more about eating local, you can join the Delaware Locavores group on Yahoo at tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/DeLoca.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Cape Gazette in an article by Rob Kunzig regarding Project Big Guy. (October 27, 2009).
Man on a quest: Lose 70 pounds by new year
Auto Gallery owner already down 22
Brian Hecksher is making changes. He now packs his lunch instead of ordering food with his coworkers. He breakfasts on or-ganic instant oatmeal. He eats Greek yogurt.
“ My entire relationship with food has changed,” he said.
Hecksher, 45 and 408 pounds, is the Big Guy in Project Big Guy, an effort combining the talents of a nutritionist, a health- food vendor and a personal trainer to help Hecksher lose weight.
Hecksher, owner of the Auto Gallery in Lewes, intends to lose 70 pounds by New Year’s Eve; next summer, he said, he plans to be fit enough to take a kayak trip down the Lewes- Rehoboth Canal.
After three weeks’ dieting and exercise, Project Big Guy is off to a great start – he’s already lost 22 pounds. “ I can feel the difference al-ready,” he said. “ Things like tying my shoes or walking up and down steps.”
Hecksher starts his mornings by going to Quest Fitness, where he meets owner Matt Carter.
Hecksher says Carter runs him through a different routine every day, making sure he doesn’t over-work his muscles or otherwise injure himself.
Hecksher looks forward to rowing exercises, but crunches, not so much.
“ Nobody likes crunches,” he said, laughing. “ But it’s some-thing I have to do.”
Carter said Hecksher is in-creasingly able to work out longer and harder.
“ His stamina has dramatically increased,” Carter said. “ That’s the most important part.”
Hecksher said he was initially afraid of stumbling into a temple of gym rats. He was relieved to find that Quest was full of people like him, simply endeavoring to keep fit. “ It’s a good experience, rather than a fearful one,” he said.
Nutritionist Lisa Harkins, owner of Ideal Fitness and Nutri-tion, monitors Hecksher’s eating.
She emphasizes whole foods: Hecksher eats nothing processed, and eats mostly fruits, vegetables, lean meats and fish.
The regimen is less about total abstention, Harkins said, than thoughtful portioning.
“ He can eat foods he likes, just in the right portions,” she said.
“ Even an egg sandwich is allow-able sometimes.”
Hecksher buys all of his gro-ceries from Good For You Mar-ket in Lewes, owned by Andy Meddik.
After three weeks, Hecksher feels confident he’ll hit his year-end goal. He even has a strategy for Thanksgiving, the great allAmerican pig- out: smaller por-tions of healthier dishes and easy on the gravy. Leftovers will be given away, removing the temp-tation of seconds, thirds and fourths.
“ It’s easy,” Hecksher said. “ In fact, Lisa just gave me a course on how to eat healthy during the holidays.”
Harkins said Hecksher is on target to lose 70 pounds in time for 2010, but she said she’d be happy with less.
“ I’m going to be content if he loses 60,” she said. “ It’s not about being on the cover of Men’s Fit-ness. It’s about feeling comfort-able in your clothes.”
Local Health Experts are combining their talents to help Auto Gallery owner Bryan Hecksher lose weight. Shown l to r are: Matt Carter, owner of Quest Fitness, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, ownder of Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC, and Andy Meddick, owner of Good For You Natural Market.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Cape Gazette in an article by Tom Walsh regarding the opening of Ideal Nutrition and Fitness' office in the Good For You Natural Market in Lewes (September 8, 2009).
Ideal Nutition and Fitness simplifies the science of good diet - Lifestyle changes can improve health
By Tom Walsh When Lisa Harkins opened Ideal Nutrition and Fitness a year ago in Sussex County as an in- home service, she set her sights upon achieving a specific goal. Using her upbeat attitude and years of experience as a registered dietician, nutritionist and personal trainer, she sought to promote a living style in which her clients would be happier, healthier and more vibrant than ever. Less than a year later, Harkins is beginning to realize the effect she is having. Not only has her list of clients multiplied exponentially, but her clients’ friends are beginning to question how exactly Harkins is eliciting such noticeable results from her clients. “I always say that the perfect one- two punch to staying healthy is dieting and exercise, but people should realize that it involves much more than that,” she said. “ If you don’t have an idea of what exactly is in the foods you are eating, you are missing out on a very important aspect.” A graduate of the University of Delaware, Harkins has found it essential to learn everything there is to know about the proper care of the human body. Harkins recently set up a new office on second floor of Good for You Natural Market in rural Lewes. Her goal is to help one person at a time by providing guidance through Good for You and other nearby markets, showing clients which products are best and which ones should be avoided. Harkins said people who don’t frequently check the nutrition facts and ingredients in their supermarket selections might be surprised at what exactly is in-side the foods they eat every day. Despite grocery stores offering healthier choices than in previous generations, many popular products are jam- packed with unhealthy sugary additives, she said. “Something that people often don’t realize is that while a little added sugar or high fructose corn syrup might not necessarily throw them off their diet, what it essentially does is slowly makethe mind start to crave other sugary foods,” said Harkins. “ Also, I have found that people are commonly skipping by beneficial products with good things like fiber and calcium.” Although it might be difficult to read every nutrition fact in a supermarket, Harkins has found her clients have had peace of mind because she has outlined everything they need in a concise and personalized diet plan. “With a diet plan, my clients know exactly what to eat, at what time of day,” said Harkins, “ and because the diet plan corrects normally unhealthy eating habits, they find that they can lose weight without even having to think about it.” As one of the very few licensed dieticians in Sussex County, Harkins offers a broad range of services to her clients: individual and couples nutritional counseling, personal training and group fitness classes, lifestyle seminars, cooking classes, grocery store tours and restaurant visits. Because Harkins also serves as a dietician for various medical and cancer centers, hours are on an appointment basis. Ideal Nutrition and Fitness is located at 28841 Lewes- Georgetown Highway. The business can also be visited online at idealnutritionandfitness.com.
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REGISTERED DIETICIAN LISA HARKINS recently moved her business, Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC, to the second floor of Good for You Market in Lewes. Offering a broad range of health services to her clients, Harkins hopes to make the science of nutrition more understandable. Photo: Tom Walsh.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, quoted in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Kelly Bothum regarding healthy breakfasts and lunches for kids (August, 18 2009).
Food for thought
Backpack? Check. Cool clothes? Check. Healthy food? Uh-oh. Time to cram
By KELLY BOTHUM
The News Journal
The mad dash for back-to-school must-haves is in full swing. Advertisers are hawking their latest collection of cool clothes, backpacks and school supplies. But while skinny jeans, mechanical pencils and graphing calculators may be on the gotta-have list, fresh fruit, whole-wheat pita pockets and cheese sticks probably aren't.
Perhaps they should be. As kids agonize over which outfit to wear on their first day, many parents wonder about what to feed them. Go with PB&J, the nutrient-dense but boring standby? A prepackaged meal that is easy, but full of processed and artificial ingredients? Or take a chance that they'll buy the school lunch rather than load up on cookies and chocolate milk?
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Parents know that kids benefit from eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, dairy and whole grains. But getting them to eat that way isn't always easy, regardless of whether the meal comes from home or the cafeteria.
Some research studies suggest a link between nutritious food and academic performance. One of the most recent ones, a study of 3,200 Florida elementary-age children involved in a school-based obesity intervention program, found that those who focused on healthy eating and increasing their physical activity also improved their standardized test scores, according to research presented in March at the American College of Cardiology's scientific session.
The group of 6- to 12-year-olds also lost weight and lowered their blood pressure as a result of the effort, which included school-based wellness and healthy lifestyle education during the day. About 60 percent of the kids qualified for free or reduced school lunches.
While lunch is a big concern, however, it's not the only one.
"Some of the studies talk about just making sure students have something in their bellies before the day starts," said Tony Ruggiero, a senior program and policy analyst for Nemours Health & Prevention Services. "When children arrive at school without breakfast, they're not ready to learn."
The challenge for parents is to give kids food that's not only good for them, but tasty enough that it won't end up being traded for a bag of cookies or worse, dumped in the trash.
"You really want to instill in your kids a value for food," said Lisa Harkins, a registered dietitian with Bayhealth Medical Center."If you're not going to eat it, let's talk about what you are going to eat. Let them know you don't just throw things away."
During the school year, Dawn Davis packs two lunches daily, one each for daughters Lindsay and Katelyn Turunc. While the mechanics of the lunch don't change much daily -- half a sandwich for each, a small container of 100 percent juice and a 100-calorie pack of chips or cookies -- she has encouraged the girls, ages 8 and 10, to take ownership of what they eat.
"They help me pack their lunch. They don't complain about half a sandwich because they're little and it's enough. I let them choose what they want with the [snack] pack," said Davis, a single mother of three from Aston, Pa. “We do it the night before and in the morning, they get their own breakfast. It helps them feel like they’re older.”
Let them help
Kids should learn that meals aren’t battles and food choices – like vegetables, fruit and dairy – aren’t weapons used by the enemy, Harkins said. Give them some choices in what they’re eating and solicit their help in the preparation. If they make their lunch or at least pick out its contents, they are more likely to eat it than if they open up the bag to find an unwelcome surprise.
At the same time, don’t set yourself up to be a short-order cook. Have them pick between an apple and a banana, not the entire produce section. If they pick carrots, let them figure out how much to take and bag it themselves. “Making them part of the decision-making process is really key,” she added.
If possible, parents should aim for a serving of calcium, protein and complex carbohydrates, as well as fruits and veggies, in their children’s lunches. Complex carbs provide energy throughout the day, rather than in small doses. White milk and yogurt – not the kind loaded with sweeteners – do double-duty as both protein and calcium sources that are more likely to prevent steep spikes or drops in blood sugar levels. That’s especially important for kids who have their lunch earlier or later than usual.
It’s OK to include a sweet treat as well, provided kids know they also need to eat their other food. Pudding cups can be a calcium source and granola bars can provide extra energy if they have at least 3 grams of fiber and less than 10 grams of sugar.
When kids buy their lunch at school, encourage them to make good choices. While most districts have eliminated trans fats from their menus, there are still opportunities for kids to make unhealthful a la carte purchases. Harkins said parents should try to find a reasonable compromise.
“Have a good, honest conversation about what they’re eating. If their school has a salad bar, ask them to do a salad at least twice a week,” Harkins said. “ It’s all about teaching them moderation. Otherwise, if you ram it down their throat, they’re going to fight it.”
Start the morning right
It should go without saying, but make breakfast a priority. Martha Coppage-Lawrence, a senior nurse practitioner at Hodgson Vocational Technical High School near Newark, said she still sees students who skip breakfast in an attempt to reduce calories and lose weight. They don’t realize the extra hunger pangs may result in a slower metabolism or overeating later in the day. They also don’t think about the consequences in the classroom, like a lack of attention or difficulty focusing.
“We try talking to them about how that plan usually backfires on them and how body and brain don’t function as well if they’re not getting the nutrition they need,” Coppage-Lawrence said.
When it comes to the first meal of the morning, kids – and their parents – should stay away from high-sugar breakfast foods. Sugary cereals and doughnuts can cause kids to have an energy slump in the midmorning. But if it’s a choice between a doughnut and nothing, at least eat the doughnut, Harkins said. “We don’t want to tell people to eat food like that, but really you should eat something, even if it’s last night’s dinner,” she said.
Coppage-Lawrence said she also tries to talk with kids about the academic advantage breakfast can provide. Last year at another school, the wellness center worked with a peer educator group and provided fruit, cheese sticks and a whole-grain cereal mix to students in advance of the Delaware Student Testing Program. The idea was to stress the importance of good nutrition and how it can contribute to improved concentration, feeling more alert and an overall better ability to perform.
But there are times when the food choices are out of the students’ control. “Sometimes we will hear, ‘My parents don’t buy that,’ ” Coppage-Lawrence said.
Healthy habits start early
In addition to packing healthy lunches for her kids, Davis also tries to stock up on nutritious snacks to quell midafternoon hunger pangs. Her daughters know they can always find cut-up melon, grapes or berries in the fridge. It may be a little extra work on their mom’s part, but Davis said it’s worth it.
“I know if it’s put away in the drawer, it’s like it’s not there,” she said. “Doing this, they see it.”
Simple tricks like that not only make it easy for kids to eat well, they also show kids that their parents are practicing healthy habits, Harkins said. If children know their parents eat the same way they do, they are more likely to reach for that apple or celery stalk instead of a bag of chips.
When Lucas Ramsey, 8, pulls out his sandwich made with whole-wheat bread and low-sodium cheese and crunches on raw broccoli and red pepper strips, he knows it’s pretty close to the same thing his mom, Jessica, is eating. Like him, she takes to work a bag lunch filled with fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
“To me, lunch is definitely important,” said Ramsey, a mother of three who plans out her family’s lunches just as she does with dinners. “I look at it as fueling his day.”
Ramsey, who owns Physicore, a personal training studio in Pike Creek, said she and her husband teach their children to view food as the energy source powering their day. They prefer to give them high-quality whole foods while explaining the difference between a snack (something to eat when you’re hungry) and a treat (something that satisfies a craving).
So far, it seems to be making a difference. Lucas, who will be going into the third grade, prefers his raw spinach leaves and veggies without dips or sauces. His younger sisters seem to be following his example.
Harkins said some parents believe their kids are programmed to want junk food, but if they’re exposed to fresh foods and variety in their diets, chances are they’ll seek out healthier fare. “You really may have to offer it to them 10 times, but then they’ll take it,” she said. “Just keep at it.”
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC office announcement as seen in the Cape Gazette, July 24, 2009.
Nutrition, fitness firm to open in Lewes
Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, owner of Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC, will open an office in the Good For You Market Saturday, Aug. 1. Harkins said the products the market offers align with the personalized nutrition plans she develops for her clients. Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC offers science-based, client-focused nutrition and fitness services from licensed, registered dietitians and certified personal trainers. For more information, visit idealnutritionandfitness.com
Andy Meddick, owner of Good for You Natural Market, and Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, owner of Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC pose in front of Good for You's fresh produce section in the Good for You market.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in an article in the Cape Gazette, July 9, 2009.
Bayhealth Dietitian Attends Professional Leadership Institute
Lisa Harkins, a clinical dietitian at Bayhealth Medical Center-Milford Memorial Hospital, was among the national leaders of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) who were selected to attend ADA's sixth Leadership Institute held recently in Dallas, Texas.
Harkins serves the inpatient population at Milford Memorial Hospital and is the outpatient dietitian for Bayhealth's cancer centers. She also serves the American Dietetic Association (ADA) as secretary/treasurer-elect of the Delaware Dietetic Association.
Participation in the ADA's Leadership Institute, an intensive certificate training program in the theory and practice of leadership in dietetics, is limited to fewer than 300 of ADA s more than 70,000 members throughout the country.
"This program is designed to enhance the leadership skills of ADA members through informational sessions and practice-based educational experiences," said registered dietitian and ADA President Jessie M. Pavlinac.
"The Leadership Institute is part of the American Dietetic Association's mission to empower members to be the nation's food and nutrition leaders. This meeting supports ADA's commitment to its members and ensures that they further develop the skills that can help them to lead within ADA, as well as their own places of employment," Pavlinac said.
With more than 70,000 members, the American Dietetic Association is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. To locate a registered dietitian in your area, visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org.
The American Dietetic Association recently held its sixth Leadership Institute in Dallas, TX. Shown are (l-r) Delaware Dietetic Association President Dawn Clausing, RD; American Dietetic Association President Jessie Palinac, MS, RD; and Delaware Dietetic Association Secretary/Treasurer-elect Lisa Harkins, RD.
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New state law defines 'nutritionist'
Requiring a license is intended to protect consumers from potentially harmful advice
By HIRAN RATNAYAKE
The News Journal
June 23, 2009
For years, anyone in the state could call themselves a nutritionist, advertise their services, charge for consultations and give advice. It didn't matter if they had any formal training in nutrition counseling.
But due to the efforts of registered dietitians, the term "nutritionist" is now protected by law.
As of Sunday, a license is required to practice as a nutritionist in Delaware. To obtain a license, a person must be a registered dietitian, as recognized by the American Dietetic Association. If the individual is not a registered dietitian, then the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation must recognize their training as sufficient to operate as a nutritionist.
Local registered dietitians say the Dietitian/Nutritionist Licensure Act will protect consumers from advice from untrained professionals. It also will save consumers from having to check the credentials of every so-called nutritionist they encounter.
Delaware is one of 16 states to require licensure of registered dietitians and nutritionists, according to the American Dietetic Association. Violators can be fined up to $1,000 a day.
"This wasn't meant as anything against people who operate a fitness-counseling program or a weight-management program," said Sen. Bethany Hall-Long, D-Glasgow, co-sponsor of the bill. "This law was really passed for people who falsely advertise as a licensed nutritionist or a licensed registered dietitian."
Nutrition a science
Supporters of the new law say nutritional advice from an unqualified person can result in harm. "In the same way that you want your physician to be licensed, it's important that your nutritionist be qualified," said Marianne Carter, a registered dietitian and director of the Delaware Center for Health Promotion.
Take someone with kidney disease who wants to build muscle. They can damage the small filtering cells in the kidney if they consume too much protein based on the advice of an untrained professional.
"Nutrition is a science and it is a component of medicine," said Deanna Rolland, immediate past president of the Delaware Dietetic Association. "If you're going to practice this type of work, then you need to label yourself appropriately."
In another scenario, liver damage can result if an elderly person consumes large amounts of certain supplements. An untrained nutritionist may also encourage someone to go on supplements that can interact with medications, Rolland said.
To become a registered dietitian, a person must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college and must have been through a supervised practice program at a health care, community or food service institution. They also must pass a national exam.
The American College of Nutrition has a board that certifies people as "certified nutrition specialists." To qualify, applicants must have an advanced degree -- such as a master's or doctorate from an accredited institution -- in the field of nutrition. It also requires professional experience in a licensed medical field, 50 documented hours of continuing education in nutrition and a passing score on a board exam. Currently, the only certified nutrition specialist in Delaware is Scott Schreiber, a Glasgow chiropractor.
"I understand what they're trying to do," he said. "However, they have to include reputable organizations instead of just the dietitians."
Other nutritionist organizations are significantly less credible. The American Association of Nutritional Consultants, for example, has been criticized for having a flimsy certification process. In a 2004 article in the British newspaper The Guardian, medical doctor and journalist Ben Goldacre wrote that he was able to acquire a certificate from the association for his dead cat for $60.
"You don't need to be human. You don't even need to be alive," he wrote. "No exam. No check-up on your qualifications. ... Presumably, the diploma is there to certify that you have $60."
Is the line blurred?
To-ze Manjerico is a former bodybuilder who has been providing nutritional counseling for more than 20 years. He is not a registered dietitian. He runs Nutrition Concepts in Newark, and based on his understanding of the law, he said he can continue his practice. He references a passage in the law that says it protects people who present a general program for weight control approved by a licensed doctor. He said all he needs is for a client to have a doctor's referral.
"I think the law is fair," he said.
Collison, however, isn't certain that Manjerico will be able to continue nutrition counseling. She said any individualized nutrition counseling by someone not considered a licensed nutritionist would be in violation of the new Delaware law.
Jason Barkus, of Clayton, began seeing a registered dietitian in December in an effort to get a better handle on his diet. Since then, he's lost 35 pounds.
Barkus said he always felt there was a blurry fine line between the terms "registered dietitian" and "nutritionist." He thinks consumers will benefit from the new law.
"I think in the long run, it would give more credit for the professional work of dietitians and nutritionists," he said.
Additional Facts
ON THE WEB
To review the Dietitian/ Nutritionist Licensure Act, visit dpr.delaware.gov. Click on "Dietitians & Nutritionists" and then "License Law." Then click on "License Law" again in the center of the Web page.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the May 2009 edition of Delaware Moms in an article on getting in shape for swimsuit season:
Swimsuit-able?
Ways to get (and keep) that winter weight off
By Denise Morrison Yearian
With swimsuit season on the horizon, you may want to whittle away those extra pounds before slipping into that sleek one-piece or bikini. Following are a few tried-and-true strategies from local fitness and nutrition experts.
1. Plan ahead. “Plan your menu for the week and put it on the calendar,” says Maryann Eastep, a registered dietitian and consultant. “This will alleviate having to rely on fast food or unhealthy options when you’re on the go. On your day off, make and freeze a week’s worth of sandwiches and casseroles and cut and bag fresh vegetables. Also put that Crock-Pot to good use. Pull together the ingredients the night before, turn it on the next morning and dinner will be done by the time you get home.”
2. Pinpoint goals. “Writeout your goals using the SMART approach: Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timebound. Then post them in a visible location,” says Joanna Zaremba, YMCA health and wellness director. “Break down large weight-loss goals into more manageable ones and celebrate successes along the way – purchase a new workout outfit, cross-training shoes, a heart rate monitor or a sport watch. Or get a massage.”
3. Reflecton writings. “Exercise and food journals are a great way to track progress and analyze changes that need to be made,” says registered dietitian Lisa Harkins. “If you find you aren’t attaining your goals, go back to your journal: ‘Do I need to add another spinning glass or cut out that nighttime snack?’ Write down strengths and weaknesses, too, so you can strategize and come up with suitable alternatives.”
4. Buddy up. “If child care when you exercise is a problem, form a tag team,” says Bonnie White, owner of seven New Castle County Curves gyms. “Get four moms together and rotate times so two can work out together while the other two stay home with the kids. This will keep you motivated, help hold one another accountable and make the workout more enjoyable.”
5. Fitness on the fly. “Keep your workout clothes and shoes with you and look for opportunities to exercise,” says Eastep. “While the kids are at ball practice, run around the field. When they are at the dentist, walk around the parking lot. If an appointment or meeting is canceled at the last minute, scoot to the gym or park for a quick workout.”
“I get up early every morning to work out before the kids are out of bed,” says Christy Montgomery, a Wilmington mother of two, home educator, fitness and nutrition specialist. “If, by chance, they get up and I’m not done, I finish my routine during naptime. I also incorporate exercise into the children’s daily curriculum. Every day we do a half-hour of dancing and another half-hour of gymnastics, and I’m moving right along with them.”
6. Alternate exercises. “I recommend 30 minutes of strength training three times a week with aerobic exercises on off days,” says White. “When strength training, use resistance equipment such as yoga bands. Crank out as many upper body reps as you can in 30 seconds then do 30 seconds of aerobics, followed by 30 seconds of lower body resistance and another 30 seconds of aerobics. Start the cycle over again.”
7. Merge family fitness with fun. “When you take a walk, bring along the kids and play games such as ‘20 Questions’ and ‘I Spy’ to keep it fun. Or have a scavenger hunt and let them find various nature objects,” says Zaremba. “Help your child with vocabulary by taking turns jumping rope or doing hopscotch while she spells out her words. You can do rhyming activities or teach counting the same way too. Games such as Wii Fit and Dance Dance Revolution combine family and fitness too.”
8. Lighten up. “Try simple substitutions when you’re cooking,” says Harkins. “Use 99 percent fat-free ground turkey instead of beef; switch out sugar for Splenda; and if a sauce recipe calls for butter, use cornstarch and water to thicken it instead. Also watch mindless calories – thoughtless snacking, nibbling while you cook, eating off your kids’ plates and high-calorie beverages. Keep track of portions by reading the servings sizes on food labels, and using scales and measuring cups and spoons.”
9. Graze and gauge. “The kids and I eat five healthy snacks throughout the day,” says Montgomery. “This stabilizes our blood sugar, revs our metabolism and wards off the ‘I’mbored’ binges.”
Good idea, says Harkins. “Gauge your hunger level from 1 to 10. When you reach that 5 to 7 range, eat a small meal or snack that includes a protein source. If you’re below that range, it’s not time to eat; above that range and you may overeat.”
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner and clinical dietitian for Bayhealth Medical Centers Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the Delaware State News in an article regarding the new health care reform bill (April 22, 2009).
Bayhealth Registered Dietitian Takes Part in DC Visit Urging Nutrition Services for the Public - Thursday, April 23, 2009
Chronic diseases have become an epidemic in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic diseases including heart disease, hypertension and diabetes are the leading cause of death and disability in the country. They also account for three quarters of the nation’s current healthcare spending. Because a healthy lifestyle is key to preventing or reducing these diseases, it is critical to make sure nutrition care is available to the public.
Dietitians from throughout the state of Delaware visited Washington, DC and met with senior staff members from the offices of Sen. Carper, Rep. Castle and Sen. Kaufman. The purpose of their visit was to ensure consideration of nutrition services provided by qualified Registered Dietitians within the new Healthcare Reform Bill.
Bayhealth Clinical Dietitian Lisa Harkins, RD, stressed the significance of these nutrition services by saying, “We consider good nutrition critical to preventive care of chronic diseases, and prevention is one of President Obama’s main objectives for the bill.”
One of the increasingly common chronic diseases being seen around the country is diabetes. In Delaware, approximately 70,000 people have the disease and that number continues to grow. “Diabetes is a massive problem in our state and younger and younger people are being diagnosed everyday,” said Ms. Harkins. With access to nutrition services and education, the public would be better able to catch diabetes early, and ultimately prevent the disease from occurring.
During their visit, the dietitians also lobbied for a budget resolution that includes $20 billion over five years for the Child Nutrition Act. This resolution would increase funding for school meal programs in order to ensure nutritious meals are provided to children
The group asked for an increase in the reimbursement rates for school lunches so Delaware school districts can provide more nutritious meals. “The current reimbursement for a ‘free’ lunch is $2.57 and that is not enough to cover the cost of producing a nutritious, balanced school meal,” said Ms. Harkins.
Both the new Healthcare Reform Bill and Child Nutrition Act will go to the Senate in fall of 2009.
Photo ID: (l to r) Rachel Schiavone, RD, MS candidate, University of Delaware; Deanna Rolland, RD, MS, CDN, Clinical Dietitian with Genesis Healthcare; Lisa Harkins, RD, Clinical Dietitian with Bayhealth Medical Center; Alisha Jacobson, RD, CDN, Nutrition Specialist with Colonial School District; Natalie McKenney, RD, CDN, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner and clinical dietitian for Bayhealth Medical Centers Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the Cape Gazette in an article regarding National Nutrition Month (March 17, 2009).
Bayhealth celebrates National Nutrition Month
“If you are not losing weight, you still may be losing fat and increasing your body’s health,” said Harkins. |
Submitted Photo
Registered Dietitians Lisa Harkins, left and Pam Pearson, are urging people to become more healthy by making good choices about the foods and beverages they consume.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Hiran Ratnayake regarding cooking meals more healthfully (March 10, 2009).
Eating smarter
A little tinkering can make recipes healthful
By HIRAN RATNAYAKE
The News Journal
Among Robyn Unthank's repertoire of recipes, the most popular is her macaroni and cheese.
The dish, which takes 90 minutes to prepare, calls for whole-milk cheese, butter, eggs and bread crumbs. Although Unthank makes it a point to cook and eat healthfully most of the time, she doesn't dare lower the fat and calorie content in her mac-and-cheese -- that might mess with its taste.
"I don't want to take the time and spend all the money on the ingredients to make it healthier only to find out that it's going to taste worse," said Unthank, who lives in Wilmington.
The good news is, it doesn't have to taste bad to be better for you. With just a few substitutions or different steps, meat dishes, pasta dishes, chilies, stews and even desserts can be made lower in calories, fat, sugar and cholesterol, say registered dietitians and personal chefs. Sometimes they can even be made higher in important nutrients.
"When you're talking about savory items, there are many ways to cut the fat and cut the sugar and make it still taste really good," said Lisa Brisch, a personal chef from Middletown who recently held a healthy cooking demonstration in Bellefonte. There, Unthank and more than a dozen other participants learned how to make a soup, a salsa and black bean quesadillas that taste just as yummy as the ones in a restaurant -- but with less fat, sugar and calories.
Altering recipes doesn't mean you need to spend more money. In fact, you might find yourself saving money by dining on chef-quality food at home, instead of at your favorite restaurant. When possible, make extra; it'll save time as well as money.
"You can put the food you make in serving-size containers and half of it can be stored in bulk in the freezer," said Mary Trotter, a clinical dietitian with Nemours Health & Prevention Services. "It's a good way to have something healthy on hand."
Cornerstone of good health
Healthy eating is a key to good health -- it can help lower our chances of developing a chronic illness, said Dr. William Weintraub, chief of cardiology with Christiana Care Health System. It can also help lower the chances of having a heart attack.
"If we cut down the amount of fats we eat, we cut down the amount of fats in the blood that can cause blockages over a period of time," said Weintraub, who also works with the American Heart Association.
It's not just the amount and types of fats we need to consider. Weintraub said there are also significant benefits to reducing the amount of sugar in our diet. Cutting sugar means cutting calories, and that helps reduce our risk of diabetes and obesity.
"Eating right is one of the cornerstones of good health and in the prevention of heart attacks, strokes, obesity and diabetes," Weintraub said.
That's why it's a good idea to try to "slim down" recipes. Derek Brewington, a personal chef from Newark, said many pasta and chicken dishes call for heavy cream, butter and lots of salt. But there are ways to make them healthier without sacrificing taste.
Instead of cream in his chicken dishes, he opts for light chicken broth. He uses olive oil instead of butter to sauté chicken. And he often adds low-fat or fat-free dressings, which contribute flavor and oil to help keep the chicken from drying out.
"I want to take the fat out, but most of the flavor comes from the fat," said Brewington. "So the marinade will give a more healthy flavor to the chicken."
You can also reduce the fat by buying the leanest ground beef or using a substitute. About 3 1/2 ounces of ground turkey has just over 2 grams of saturated fat and 149 calories; that same amount of 85 percent lean ground beef has 6 grams of saturated fat and 215 calories, said Lewes registered dietitian Lisa Harkins.
And ground turkey can easily be substituted in lasagna, spaghetti and ziti dishes, as well as chilies and other dishes.
"Ground turkey is becoming much more accepted as people realize that you don't have to have that greasy taste," she said.
Egg yolks are loaded with cholesterol and have less protein than egg whites, Harkins said. So if you're making an omelette with four eggs, use only one whole egg and three whites.
"You'll barely notice the difference at all," she said.
But your body will. Four yolks contain 839 milligrams of cholesterol and 18 grams of total fat; using only one cuts that by 75 percent.
Getting desserts right
Desserts are more complicated, since many need the fat to maintain the texture and taste. Baked desserts, like a crème brûlée, require a certain amount of fat for creaminess.
And nonfat substitutes don't melt as well.
Brewington said it's important to know which ingredients can be successfully substituted. He'll use light cool whip instead of regular cool whip and reduced-fat cream cheese instead of the regular kind for his no-bake cheesecake.
Another trick is to use less sugar. If a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, use 1/4 cup or 1/3 cup less instead. This works well with quick breads, cookies, pie fillings, custard, puddings and fruit cakes. But it may not work for some cakes. You can compensate by increasing the amount of cinnamon or vanilla in a recipe.
For extra richness in her recipes, Betty Burleigh, a personal chef in Bear, uses evaporated skim milk instead of whole or 2 percent milk. Another way she makes her recipes better is by using whole wheat flour, oatmeal and whole cornmeal instead of highly refined products.
For example, if a recipe calls for 2 cups of flour, she'll use 1 cup of all-purpose flour and 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon of whole-wheat flour. She prepares muffins and quick breads using three ripe, well-mashed bananas as opposed to a 1/2 cup of butter, lard or shortening.
She also replaces the butter with applesauce in her muffins. In her mashed potatoes, she uses nonfat sour cream instead of butter and she mixes it with skim milk.
"I make my pancakes using whole wheat flour instead of white flour," she said, "and they taste just as good and just as fluffy."
The prices for fat-free substitutes typically are about the same as their fattier counterparts. Fat-free milk, however, is cheaper than 1 percent, 2 percent and whole.
Preparing a dish at home also saves money and, for the most part, provides better nutrition, since many processed foods are loaded with salt.
Multigrain rather than white
Within 20 minutes of Brisch's cooking demonstration, the black bean quesadillas were ready for testing. Instead of using white flour tortillas, she used multigrain ones. She spread only a little cheese (reduced fat, of course) inside each.
"Not only are we cutting back on lower-fat ingredients, we're also using less cheese, because you don't want a quesadilla that is only cheese," Brisch said.
Three quesadillas using white flour tortillas and 1 full-fat cup of cheese would have 303 calories, 17 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber. With Brisch's recipe, they had only 232 calories and 10 grams of fat. Brisch's quesadillas also had 6 grams of fiber.
To Jeanette LaVecchia, of Wilmington, on hand for the demo, the quesadillas tasted quite different from the ones she's eaten in restaurants.
"The others have so much cheese in them that they're overbearing," she said. "But this tastes good."
It also tastes healthy, said Michele Lloyd, of Wilmington.
"It's flavorful but not heavy," she said. "It's very fresh and light."
Perhaps those black bean quesadillas should be called guilt-free quesadillas.
CORN AND BLACK BEAN QUESADILLAS
2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon minced garli
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup frozen roasted corn kernels, thawed
2 teaspoon lime juice
Kosher salt
2 8-inch multigrain tortillas
2/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Pepper Jack cheese
1 tablespoon sliced pickled jalapeños (optional)
1. Heat vegetable oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
2. Add green onions and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, for about three minutes.
3. Add garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant, for about 30 seconds.
4. Stir in beans and corn and cook until heated through, for about one minute.
5. Gently press mixture with spatula to lightly crush black beans.
6. Transfer mixture to a bowl, stir in lime juice and season to taste with salt.
7. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and return pan to medium heat.
8. Add one tortilla and toast for one to two minutes; flip it and toast the other side for about one minute. Slide tortilla onto cutting board, and toast second tortilla.
9. To assemble, sprinkle half the cheese, half the bean mixture and half the jalapeños over half the tortilla. Fold tortilla in half and press down to create quesadilla. Repeat with other tortilla.
10. Spray quesadillas with cooking spray.
11. To cook, place both folded quesadillas into heated skillet, sprayed side down; spray side facing up with cooking spray.
12. Cook over medium heat until crisp and slightly browned.
13. Using a spatula, flip quesadillas and cook on the second side until it is also crisp and browned and the cheese is melting.
14. Transfer quesadillas to a cutting board and let cool a few minutes. Cut each into 3 wedges and serve.
I-CAN'T-BELIEVE-IT'S-BLACK-BEANS-BROWNIES!
1 box dry brownie mix (dark chocolate/fudge flavor recommended)
1 15.5-ounce can black beans
Low-fat cooking spray
Tap water
1. Drain black beans in a colander and rinse beans with cool tap water thoroughly in sink. Place beans back into rinsed can, then fill can to top with cool tap water.
2. Put can of black beans and water into a food processor or blender and pulse until well-blended and smooth. You will still see bits of black beans, but try to get as smooth a consistency as possible.
3. Place dry brownie mix in a large mixing bowl.
4. Add black bean purée to dry brownie mix and mix well.
5. Pour batter into an 8-by-8 inch glass pan greased with low-fat cooking spray.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pan into oven. Check the brownie mix box for recommended cooking time and cooking temperature, since those can vary depending on brand and pan size.
7. When brownies are done baking, remove pan from oven and cool for at least 30 minutes.
8. Slice into 16 squares if using an 8-by-8 inch pan.
PUREED VEGETABLE CUBES
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 chopped onion
2 chopped garlic cloves
10 chopped baby carrots
1/4 cup olive oil
1. Sauté peppers, onions, garlic and carrots in olive oil in a pan until soft, for about 20 minutes.
2. Place vegetables in food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Place in ice cube trays and freeze.
4. Once frozen, place cubes in a zip lock bag and keep in freezer.
5. When cooking, add the frozen vegetable cubes to sauces, chilies, spaghetti, baked ziti, soups and bottled tomato sauces.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Kelly Bothum, regarding the program "Eat Smart for a Healthy Heart", which was developed and facilitated with Kathleen Splane, MS, Extension Educator, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension (September 30, 2008).
Eating the right foods for a healthy heart.
Three-week program in Dover shows how a diet that's high in fruits and vegetables can be high in flavor, too.
By KELLY BOTHUM
The News Journal
When it comes to heart health, Delaware residents are above average -- but not in a good way.
As a whole, we rank higher than the rest of the nation in the percentage of people with hypertension, high cholesterol and heart disease. Most of us -- nearly 79 percent -- don't eat enough fruits and vegetables daily, according to the 2007 results of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a national survey of health in the United States.
Diet has long been heralded as one of the cornerstones of heart health, but food educator Kathleen Splane believes too many people equate eating healthy with cardboard rice cakes, bland chicken breasts and overcooked vegetables.
Splane, who works for the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension in Kent County, hopes to change those misperceptions through an upcoming three-week program called "Eat Smart for a Healthy Heart.
With a menu that includes salmon with dill sauce, roasted vegetables and mocha brownies that substitute fruit for fat, Splane thinks she can convince even the most skeptical gastronome that eating good can also be good for you.
"We want to show people that they can prepare foods for their own family and eat heart healthy without sacrificing taste and flavor," said Splane, who will teach the class with registered dietitian Lisa Harkins. "We know if it doesn't taste good, people aren't going to make changes."
Splane and Harkins have taught cooking classes for diabetics, but this is the first time they'll be tackling the topic of heart health. One of their main motivators was to help people who have heard from their doctor that they need to make changes in how they eat.
Cookbooks and Web sites offer heart-healthy food options, but it can be hard to digest the myriad information, said Harkins. Even the grocery store can be an intimidating place with all the different kinds of products touting their cardiac benefits.
"I think it's really out there, but it's a bunch of facts and information," she said. "Nothing tells people, 'OK, what kind of meal will be good? What should I cook?' "
The three-week class will include a breakdown of the heart-healthy products on the market, including comparisons based on price and the advertised benefits of using them. Splane and Harkins also will be pushing a diet high in fruits and vegetables by making them the focus of a meal rather than the meat or protein. With recipes like pork stir fry, General Tso's chicken and fruit cobbler, there should be something for everyone's tastes.
The class is open to anyone, but Splane and Harkins are targeting what they call the "gatekeeper of the family" -- the person who prepares most of the meals in the home. Even if there's only one person in a family who has cardiac problems, it benefits everyone to eat a heart-healthy diet.
In his practice, Wilmington cardiologist Dr. Edward Goldenberg specializes in patients who have cholesterol problems, including low levels of the good cholesterol -- known as HDL -- and high triglycerides, which is a type of fat that comes from excessive carbohydrate consumption. Although he talks with patients about heart-healthy foods and often asks them to bring in a food diary chronicling their meals, he said many doctors lack both the time and expertise to educate their patients about healthy food choices. Instead, they tell them to eat a low-fat diet or give them a handout.
It also doesn't help that the services of health professionals who can most help patients make lasting health changes -- dietitians and nutritionists -- often don't qualify for coverage under most people's health insurance.
"You can't ask them to create a lifestyle change and then tell them to come back in six months or a year," said Goldenberg, who sometimes uses a handshake as a makeshift contract to give some patients the push they need to make health changes.
For the patient who eats one main meal a day, Goldenberg tries to encourage them to have several smaller meals -- including snacks -- over the course of the day. He tries to get them to reduce their carbohydrate intake and increase their consumption of proteins and polyunsaturated fats. And he encourages them to consider taste when planning their meals.
The goal of "Eat Smart for a Healthy Heart" isn't to get people to make radical changes that they won't be able to sustain. "It's really just small steps," Harkins said. "If we get someone just to cut out butter and that's the one thing they concentrate on, that's a success."
Contact Kelly Bothum at 324-2962 or kbothum@delawareonline.com.
BY THE NUMBERS
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System is the world's largest ongoing telephone survey. Since 1984, it has tracked health conditions and risk behaviors in the United States. Here's a look at how Delaware compares with the rest of the country:
Percentage of people who have been told they have heart disease:
U.S.
-- 4.1 percent
Delaware
-- 5.3 percent
Percentage who had their cholesterol checked and were told it was high:
U.S.
-- 37.6 percent
Delaware
-- 38.3 percent
Percentage who have been told they have high blood pressure:
U.S.
-- 27.8 percent
Delaware
-- 29.3 percent
Percentage who consume five or more fruits and vegetables daily
U.S.
-- 24.4 percent
Delaware
-- 21.4 percent
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, featured in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Nancy Coale Zippe, regarding the program "Dining with Diabetes", which was developed and facilitated with Kathleen Splane, MS, Extension Educator, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension (September 3, 2008).
We can all benefit from recipes for diabetics.
WHAT'S COOKING
By NANCY COALE ZIPPE
The News Journal
The dramatic increase of people diagnosed with diabetes has topped 700 percent in the last 50 years. It is estimated that in Delaware , 10 percent of the population is afflicted, representing about 85,000 people.
The good news is studies have revealed that complications, such as kidney failure, blindness and amputations, can be delayed, and perhaps prevented, by careful control of blood sugar. This requires planning meals with reduced sugar, salt and fat.
Dining with Diabetes is a workshop presented by Kathleen Splane, extension educator, and Lisa Harkins, a registered dietitian. The three-class series will feature diabetes education, cooking demonstrations, tastings and handouts of recipes and information for managing diabetes.
The program is open to those with diabetes and their family members. It will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 and 11. You must plan to attend all three sessions.
Send a check for $30 made payable to University of Delaware (or a request for a scholarship) to Kathleen Splane, Kent County Cooperative Extension Office, 69 Transportation Circle, Dover , 19901, where the classes will be held. If you have questions, call 730-4000.
Here is a sampling of their recipes for healthful eating, which should appeal to us all.
LEMON-DILLY CHICKEN SAUTÉ
4 chicken breast halves, boned, skinned
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
With meat mallet or similar flattening utensil, pound chicken breasts to 1¼4-inch thickness.
In a shallow dish, mix bread crumbs, lemon pepper and dill weed. Put lemon juice in a second dish. One piece at a time, dip chicken in lemon juice, then in the crumb mixture to coat all sides.
In a large, nonstick fry pan, heat oil to medium-high. Cook chicken, turning, about 10 minutes or until it is brown and fork tender.
LOWER FAT MACARONI AND CHEESE
2 cups macaroni
2 tablespoons reduced-fat margarine
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup skim milk
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1/2 cup reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Cook macaroni according to box directions. Drain in colander.
Melt margarine in a medium saucepan. Mix cornstarch into cold skim milk. Add both milks to the margarine. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly. When sauce thickens, remove from heat and add shredded cheeses. Stir in drained macaroni. Put in a casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray and bake uncovered 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
PUMPKIN PIE
Wow! There is a healthier way to make pumpkin pie! Clip this one for Thanksgiving.
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons reduced-fat margarine
3/4 cup Splenda no calorie sweetener
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
1/2 cup cholesterol-free egg substitute (or 3 egg whites)
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated skim milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix graham cracker crumbs and margarine and pat into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.
Mix Splenda, salt and spice mix in a small bowl. Pour egg substitute into a large bowl. Beat pumpkin and the spice mixture into the egg substitute. Gradually blend in the evaporated milk. Pour into the pie shell. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake another 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool.
To request a recipe or send one in response to a request, write to: What's Cooking, 500-B Greenbank Road, Wilmington, DE 19808. Include your name, address and phone number. No calls, please. Recipes in this column are not tested by The News Journal.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Delaware State News in an article by Katie Kazimir regarding eating more healthfully during the holidays (November 25, 2009).
Moderation key when enjoying holiday meals - Calories add up quickly during seasonal parties
by Katie Kazimir, November 25, 2009, Delaware State News
DOVER - Before asking for that second helping of mashed potatoes or Grandma's homemade stuffing, take into consideration the eight pounds people normally gain the weeks from Thanksgiving to Christmas. "You can eat a pound's worth of calories in one day," said clinical dietitian Lisa Harkins of Bayhealth Medical Center. Ms. Harkins said all it takes is 3,500 calories to gain a pound, easily done when loading up on holiday favorites.
"Thanksgiving is one of those times when we generally eat more than we need," said Dr. Carol Giesecke, director of the dietetics program at Delaware State University. Depriving oneself of holiday favorites isn't necessary - so keeping weight down this season doesn't have to mean forgoing the pumpkin pie and green bean casserole. "Once in a while it's not bad," said Dr. Giesecke. "It's about not eating all holiday season long," said Ms. Harkins.
Simply adding an extra 500 calories a day through Christmas could cause someone to gain up to a pound a week. Ms. Harkins said people don't realize how easy adding an extra 500 calories is. "It seems like a lot but it's really easy to do," said Ms. Harkins. A cookie and a couple slices of cheese and crackers would break the limit easily.
With obesity rates on the rise, Ms. Harkins said being mindful of one's diet all season long is critical Lisa in keeping weight gain Harkins down. According to Debora Spano, spokes-woman for United Healthcare, obesity rates in Delaware have gone up 44 percent in the past two decades. In the nation, Delaware ranks 31st for obesity this year, up from 35th last year.
Ms. Spano said people shouldn't pass up on their favorite holiday treats, but they should plan on making smart choices when they splurge. "Think about it ahead of time. You have to make the healthiest choices you can," she said. Dr. Giesecke said to not come to the holiday meal with an attitude of guilt. "Sometimes we're our own worst enemy," she said. "The best thing to do is to enjoy it and know you don't do it every day," she said.
Dr. Giesecke said the focus on Thanksgiving should be more about spending time with family and loved ones than on what food there is to eat. "It's better to eat as slow as possible," said Dr. Giesecke, and what better to way to eat slowly than to sit, chat and visit with family.
"If we eat too fast our brain doesn't get the message we're full until 10 minutes later, and then we're really stuffed," she said.
Another tip is to eat a decent breakfast instead of fasting until dinner time. "Sometimes when you're ravenous you tend to eat more than you need and you eat too fast," said Dr. Giesecke.
To avoid nibbling while preparing food, "put a piece of gum in your mouth," suggests Ms. Spano. Ms. Harkins said serving salad as well as healthy green vegetables is a must at every holiday meal. An easy way to sneak in healthier food options is by providing fruit and vegetable trays with low-fat dips. "People really do like raw vegetables and dip," Ms. Harkins said.
Other ways to make favorite recipes lower in calories is to use applesauce or beans instead of oil in sweet breads and muffins, Egg Beaters instead of eggs, and cutting at least half the sugar with Splenda in baking. "Try to use low-fat dairy whenever you can. It makes such a difference in calories," Ms. Harkins said. "Modifying your recipes to make them less fattening is really key."
Maintaining weight isn't only about watching what you eat, but also being active.
Planning a group activity, such as football or a walk, helps balance out extra calories while allowing families to spend quality time together. "Have a nice saunter around the neighborhood and visit other people in the community," said Dr. Giesecke.
Staff writer Katie Kazimir can be reached at 741-8242 or ckazimir@newszap.com.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Kelly Bothum regarding the Paleo Diet (November 3, 2009).
November 3, 2009
Listening to our ancestors
More fitness buffs are coming to believe that those hunter-gatherers had it right
By KELLY BOTHUM
The News Journal
For years Kara White Schilling followed the crowd when it came to exercise and eating. She'd hit the gym a few times a week for a kickboxing class or 45 minutes on the elliptical machine. She followed a low-fat diet and counted calories.
But she wasn't seeing the results she wanted. So, six months ago she made a radical change. She traded her visits to the gym for thrice-weekly CrossFit workouts that rely on short bursts of strenuous physical exertion. She adopted a high-protein, no-grain, no-dairy diet -- dubbed the Paleo diet because it mimics how our ancestors ate. She also began eating more fruits and vegetables.
The difference? She's lost 12 pounds and dropped a dress size. What's more, her cholesterol has gone down 14 points.
While White's eating plan may not win much support from registered dietitians who worry about nutritional deficiencies arising from eliminating entire food groups, White said she feels better and more nutritionally balanced than in the past. She takes her success as a sign that the one-size-fits-all approach to eating and exercise may not actually fit everyone.
"I can do things now I never thought I could do," said White, who also nixed sugar and caffeine from her diet. "I never realized how strong I was before."
Whether it's challenging mainstream conventions about nutrition or changing the way they exercise, some people are taking a less traditional approach to their health. While some of their methods are contrary to current health recommendations, adherents believe they are following a plan that works for them. They don't need peer-reviewed studies in published journals or endorsements from the medical or sports establishment to prove the legitimacy of what they're doing. They believe because they see the difference in themselves.
It takes a determined person to go against mainstream ideas in the hopes of bettering themselves, said Val Whiting, who owns the GameShape CrossFit fitness program with her husband, Jay Raymond. She said clients who are adhering to the CrossFit workouts and the Paleo diet are seeing life-changing results.
"A lot of things we do are controversial. We cut out dairy and cut out grain. It's so different from what we're taught," said Whiting, who said her family's health has improved since they began eating this way several months ago. "It's about what you love more. Do I love social acceptance more or do I love the health of my children?"
Whiting and Raymond follow the Paleo diet, which includes fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, nuts and seafood. Proponents of the diet believe it is more in line with the way humans ate before agriculture -- in particular, the harvesting of grains -- became the dominant means of feeding people.
Eating with this hunter-gatherer mindset allows for a big dose of fiber, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and low-glycemic carbohydrates, all without the addition of refined sugars, trans fats and salts found in many processed foods. Dieters are encouraged to replace the nutrients they would have gotten from dairy and grains with vegetables and protein. The high concentration of omega-3 found in the nuts, seafood and grass-fed meat that's encouraged also can help with lowering the risk for inflammatory diseases.
Lisa Harkins, a registered dietitian with Bayhealth Medical Center, said it's normal for people to want to individualize the way they eat, but when they follow eating plans that advocate the elimination of entire food groups, they may not realize they're also losing important nutrients. If they cut out dairy, they need to make sure they're getting enough calcium, either through eating more dark-green leafy vegetables, like kale and broccoli, or taking a supplement. They also need to take a supplement for vitamin D.
Eliminating grains can increase the risk of a B-vitamin deficiency, something that's usually seen in third-world countries, where people don't have access to fortified grain products, Harkins said. Without enough thiamine, niacin, riboflavin and other B vitamins that are added to grain products, dieters may begin to feel sluggish and experience tingling sensations and feelings of confusion. It is possible to get some B vitamins from select fruits and vegetables, including avocado, kale and peas.
"You really have to know what you're doing," said Harkins, who also owns Ideal Nutrition and Fitness.
It was a challenge at first for Christine Serio to give up grains. She grew up in an Italian household where pasta and bread were dinner staples. Prior to her switch to the Paleo diet, she had been eating whole grains such as whole-wheat bread because she thought they were better for her. Now most of her meals involve salads with some kind of protein source. She eats lots of spinach, asparagus, cucumbers and broccoli as well as berries.
"At first I thought it was crazy," said Serio, who switched her diet about three months ago. "Once you start to do it you realize almost instantly you feel the changes. I don't feel as sluggish."
While the abundance of fruits and vegetables is good, the emphasis on protein does raise the risk of consuming too much protein and potentially damaging the kidneys, Harkins said. Those following the Paleo diet also need to make sure they're getting at least a minimum amount of carbohydrates so their body functions properly.
Whiting said her family take multivitamins and supplements, including vitamin D and fish oil, to make sure they are getting the nutrients they need. Since eating mostly organic, gluten-free foods on the Paleo diet, Whiting's sons, she said, no longer have gastrointestinal issues and their overall behavior seems to be better.
One of the biggest changes has been in her husband. While following the diet along with an exercise regimen focusing on short bursts of strenuous activity, Raymond has lost 27 pounds and increased his cardiovascular endurance.
"I lost weight and I got stronger," Raymond said.
Running free -- of footwear
Nutrition isn't the only area where there is debate about how best to practice healthy habits. Earlier this year, Christopher McDougall reignited a debate with his book, "Born to Run." The New York Times best-seller is about a tribe of Indians in Mexico who run 100-mile races across treacherous terrain even when they're old, wearing nothing more on their feet than thin sandals made from strips of rubber tires. Their experience convinced McDougall that modern efforts to improve running and prevent injury -- most notably, our shoes -- may be doing more harm than good.
It's an idea that has caught on with Irene Davis, who already knows a thing or two about running. Davis is a physical therapist and professor at the University of Delaware who has been studying running injuries for more than 20 years. She thinks shoe improvements like arch support and rear cushioning may be weakening the muscles in the rear foot. More cushioning means a longer stride for the runner. As a result, more runners wind up landing on their heel rather than in the middle or front of the foot, potentially increasing their risk for injury.
"I believe they're making our feet lazy," said Davis, who started running without shoes over the summer and is now up to four miles three to four times a week. "When you take your shoes off you actually strike the ground differently."
But it's not as easy as slipping off the sneakers and hitting the pavement. Because most runners are used to the extra support, they need to ease into barefoot running, starting off with as little as quarter-mile runs. Not only do their feet have to adjust, but so does the rest of the body, Davis said. And not everybody actually runs barefoot -- some runners opt for shoes with no extra support while others wear thin, glove-like shoes that offer some protection against hazardous objects on the path.
Although there are no studies that suggest footwear can cause injuries in runners, one study did find that wearing footwear didn't reduce the risk of injury either. Davis said she expects more research on the topic in the next two to five years.
"When I run on the pavement barefoot, I get looks like you wouldn't believe," she said. "As a scientist I've got to get the data."
Eating local
Milton resident Carol Blake also credits a book with helping her to make a big change in her life. In her case, it was "Real Food" by Nina Planck, a book that advocates moving away from processed, packaged eating to the kinds of whole -- and even sometimes higher-fat -- foods our older relatives used to eat.
Planck's message resonated with Blake, a physician's assistant, and helped her refocus her eating habits toward more locally grown, unprocessed foods. Blake, who makes her own bread, granola, yogurt and peanut butter, considers herself a "partial locavore." She belongs to a CSA -- short for community supported agriculture -- where she has a subscription service for fresh, local produce. She also eats local eggs and raw milk from Pennsylvania.
For Blake, it's a matter of personal and global health. "I like the idea of supporting local farmers instead of factory farms that are far away. I prefer not to eat food that has been contaminated with antibiotics, growth hormones or pesticides," she said. "I think that our food supply has become so industrialized and processed that it is responsible for a lot of our current health problems, obesity being a good example."
Eating organic may be popular these days, but Harkins also thinks local is more important because it's an opportunity to eat just-picked fruits and vegetables. Many smaller local farms aren't certified organic -- a label bestowed by the government -- but they still follow the same protocols that certified farms do.
Hattie Allen, who runs a small-market garden in Lewes, said the demand for local produce goes beyond the summer months. Allen also grows vegetables like kale, collard greens and lettuce in the winter, thanks to an unheated tunnel that keeps her crops from freezing. Many of the customers who frequent Hattie's Garden are concerned about sustainability, supporting local farmers and, of course, eating good food.
"The people I serve know they can come over here. They know it's more than a business, that it's my passion," Allen said.
Skipping the treadmill
Carol Arnott has always been active, whether it was running, biking or working out in a gym. But about 2 1/2 years ago, she decided she needed a more intensive, structured workout.
She found the challenge in GameShape's CrossFit program. CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program that incorporates components of weighlifting, gymnastics and interval training, all performed at high-intensity levels. Rather than traditional gym equipment, participants use kettle bells, sandbags and pull-up bars to work their body during a short but intense period. The hourlong class includes a warm-up, an intense cardio activity like rowing, jump roping or running, and an anaerobic activity like a deadlift.
"If you think about how our ancestors moved, it was mostly short bursts of energy -- a tiger was chasing them. That's how we train," Whiting said. "We're not meant to go on a treadmill and run for 60 minutes."
Arnott, who goes three times a week at 5:30 a.m. to work out, said the program has boosted her fitness above what she initially expected. "Their whole program is to use your body the way it was designed to be used," said Arnott.
Interval training can be a beneficial form of exercise even for people who have been sedentary, said Guy Scotolati, an exercise physiologist with Christiana Care's Preventive Medicine & Rehabilitation Institute. If people are new to exercising or overweight, it may be too much for them to work out for a consistent 30-minute or hourlong period.
But when practicing interval training on a regular basis, it's important to make sure your muscles are accustomed to the activity, Scotolati said. Incorporating aerobic activity, such as running or riding a bike, can help the body tolerate the highs and lows that come with working out in short bursts, he said. Working anaerobically, such as with weights, also has the advantage of helping to build the body and muscles over time.
Last month, GameShape decided to up the ante with its members by injecting some good-spirited competition into the regular workouts. The Lean and Mean Challenge is a team-based competition that awards points when participants eat, exercise and sleep in ways that mimic our ancestors.
Participants get two points for doing a CrossFit workout. They get one point for each Paleo-style meal they eat and another point for sleeping eight hours a night. One quarter-point is subtracted for each glass of alcohol. And in a twist, participants also can get up to two points for cheating -- eating anything off the Paleo diet -- once a week. It's a planned cheat, and the goal is psychological and physical, Whiting said.
The friendly competition is intended to give people more motivation to improve their health. Arnott said her participation has helped in those moments when temptation looms large.
"Before I might have had that second glass of wine just because," she said. "But when you're on a team, you don't want to let them down."
Additional Information:
Eating like our ancestors?
A small but devoted group are eschewing traditional eating plans and following in the footsteps of their early ancestors. The Paleo diet, developed by Loren Cordain, a professor of health and exercise science at Colorado State University, also has been called the Caveman diet and the Hunter-Gatherer diet.
People who follow this food plan eat lean meat, fresh fruit and vegetables and nuts but no, or little, dairy and grains. Proponents say they get the nutrients they would otherwise ingest from grain and dairy from their vegetable-heavy meals. And because the carbs in their fruits and vegetables are low-glycemic, there are no spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels.
Source: ThePaleoDiet.com
Barefoot running
It's not quite naked running, but barefoot running is causing some controversy.
Most recently, author Christopher McDougall -- who will be speaking at the University of Delaware on Friday -- has caused a sensation with his book, "Born to Run," which details the story of an Indian tribe called the Tarahumara, who can run for hundreds of miles without wearing shoes. The book also explains his argument for why we should run sans shoes. Among his reasons -- there weren't as many running injuries before Nike introduced its first cushioned running shoe in the 1970s.
McDougall will be speaking at 3:30 p.m. Friday in Room 100 of Wolf Hall. The presentation is free and open to the community. For more information, call 831-2792.
What food is available locally?
More than you might expect -- raspberries, corn, lettuce, artichokes, eggs, turkey and beef. June through September are typically the best months for getting local produce, although some farmers may have offerings year-round because they continue to grow in hothouses or cold frames, which shield plants from the winter weather.
The best way to find out what's growing in your area is to visit a farmers' market. Ask the growers about their produce, including how they grow their foods, whether they use chemical pesticides or fertilizers or rotate their crops. Many small farms aren't certified organic, though they may use those methods.
Another option is joining a CSA, which is short for community supported agriculture. It's a subscription service that requires customers to pay in advance for produce and sometimes eggs available later in the year.
If you want to learn more about eating local, you can join the Delaware Locavores group on Yahoo at tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/DeLoca.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Cape Gazette in an article by Rob Kunzig regarding Project Big Guy. (October 27, 2009).
Man on a quest: Lose 70 pounds by new year
Auto Gallery owner already down 22
Brian Hecksher is making changes. He now packs his lunch instead of ordering food with his coworkers. He breakfasts on or-ganic instant oatmeal. He eats Greek yogurt.
“ My entire relationship with food has changed,” he said.
Hecksher, 45 and 408 pounds, is the Big Guy in Project Big Guy, an effort combining the talents of a nutritionist, a health- food vendor and a personal trainer to help Hecksher lose weight.
Hecksher, owner of the Auto Gallery in Lewes, intends to lose 70 pounds by New Year’s Eve; next summer, he said, he plans to be fit enough to take a kayak trip down the Lewes- Rehoboth Canal.
After three weeks’ dieting and exercise, Project Big Guy is off to a great start – he’s already lost 22 pounds. “ I can feel the difference al-ready,” he said. “ Things like tying my shoes or walking up and down steps.”
Hecksher starts his mornings by going to Quest Fitness, where he meets owner Matt Carter.
Hecksher says Carter runs him through a different routine every day, making sure he doesn’t over-work his muscles or otherwise injure himself.
Hecksher looks forward to rowing exercises, but crunches, not so much.
“ Nobody likes crunches,” he said, laughing. “ But it’s some-thing I have to do.”
Carter said Hecksher is in-creasingly able to work out longer and harder.
“ His stamina has dramatically increased,” Carter said. “ That’s the most important part.”
Hecksher said he was initially afraid of stumbling into a temple of gym rats. He was relieved to find that Quest was full of people like him, simply endeavoring to keep fit. “ It’s a good experience, rather than a fearful one,” he said.
Nutritionist Lisa Harkins, owner of Ideal Fitness and Nutri-tion, monitors Hecksher’s eating.
She emphasizes whole foods: Hecksher eats nothing processed, and eats mostly fruits, vegetables, lean meats and fish.
The regimen is less about total abstention, Harkins said, than thoughtful portioning.
“ He can eat foods he likes, just in the right portions,” she said.
“ Even an egg sandwich is allow-able sometimes.”
Hecksher buys all of his gro-ceries from Good For You Mar-ket in Lewes, owned by Andy Meddik.
After three weeks, Hecksher feels confident he’ll hit his year-end goal. He even has a strategy for Thanksgiving, the great allAmerican pig- out: smaller por-tions of healthier dishes and easy on the gravy. Leftovers will be given away, removing the temp-tation of seconds, thirds and fourths.
“ It’s easy,” Hecksher said. “ In fact, Lisa just gave me a course on how to eat healthy during the holidays.”
Harkins said Hecksher is on target to lose 70 pounds in time for 2010, but she said she’d be happy with less.
“ I’m going to be content if he loses 60,” she said. “ It’s not about being on the cover of Men’s Fit-ness. It’s about feeling comfort-able in your clothes.”
Local Health Experts are combining their talents to help Auto Gallery owner Bryan Hecksher lose weight. Shown l to r are: Matt Carter, owner of Quest Fitness, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, ownder of Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC, and Andy Meddick, owner of Good For You Natural Market.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Cape Gazette in an article by Tom Walsh regarding the opening of Ideal Nutrition and Fitness' office in the Good For You Natural Market in Lewes (September 8, 2009).
Ideal Nutition and Fitness simplifies the science of good diet - Lifestyle changes can improve health
By Tom Walsh When Lisa Harkins opened Ideal Nutrition and Fitness a year ago in Sussex County as an in- home service, she set her sights upon achieving a specific goal. Using her upbeat attitude and years of experience as a registered dietician, nutritionist and personal trainer, she sought to promote a living style in which her clients would be happier, healthier and more vibrant than ever. Less than a year later, Harkins is beginning to realize the effect she is having. Not only has her list of clients multiplied exponentially, but her clients’ friends are beginning to question how exactly Harkins is eliciting such noticeable results from her clients. “I always say that the perfect one- two punch to staying healthy is dieting and exercise, but people should realize that it involves much more than that,” she said. “ If you don’t have an idea of what exactly is in the foods you are eating, you are missing out on a very important aspect.” A graduate of the University of Delaware, Harkins has found it essential to learn everything there is to know about the proper care of the human body. Harkins recently set up a new office on second floor of Good for You Natural Market in rural Lewes. Her goal is to help one person at a time by providing guidance through Good for You and other nearby markets, showing clients which products are best and which ones should be avoided. Harkins said people who don’t frequently check the nutrition facts and ingredients in their supermarket selections might be surprised at what exactly is in-side the foods they eat every day. Despite grocery stores offering healthier choices than in previous generations, many popular products are jam- packed with unhealthy sugary additives, she said. “Something that people often don’t realize is that while a little added sugar or high fructose corn syrup might not necessarily throw them off their diet, what it essentially does is slowly makethe mind start to crave other sugary foods,” said Harkins. “ Also, I have found that people are commonly skipping by beneficial products with good things like fiber and calcium.” Although it might be difficult to read every nutrition fact in a supermarket, Harkins has found her clients have had peace of mind because she has outlined everything they need in a concise and personalized diet plan. “With a diet plan, my clients know exactly what to eat, at what time of day,” said Harkins, “ and because the diet plan corrects normally unhealthy eating habits, they find that they can lose weight without even having to think about it.” As one of the very few licensed dieticians in Sussex County, Harkins offers a broad range of services to her clients: individual and couples nutritional counseling, personal training and group fitness classes, lifestyle seminars, cooking classes, grocery store tours and restaurant visits. Because Harkins also serves as a dietician for various medical and cancer centers, hours are on an appointment basis. Ideal Nutrition and Fitness is located at 28841 Lewes- Georgetown Highway. The business can also be visited online at idealnutritionandfitness.com.
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REGISTERED DIETICIAN LISA HARKINS recently moved her business, Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC, to the second floor of Good for You Market in Lewes. Offering a broad range of health services to her clients, Harkins hopes to make the science of nutrition more understandable. Photo: Tom Walsh.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, quoted in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Kelly Bothum regarding healthy breakfasts and lunches for kids (August, 18 2009).
Food for thought
Backpack? Check. Cool clothes? Check. Healthy food? Uh-oh. Time to cram
By KELLY BOTHUM
The News Journal
The mad dash for back-to-school must-haves is in full swing. Advertisers are hawking their latest collection of cool clothes, backpacks and school supplies. But while skinny jeans, mechanical pencils and graphing calculators may be on the gotta-have list, fresh fruit, whole-wheat pita pockets and cheese sticks probably aren't.
Perhaps they should be. As kids agonize over which outfit to wear on their first day, many parents wonder about what to feed them. Go with PB&J, the nutrient-dense but boring standby? A prepackaged meal that is easy, but full of processed and artificial ingredients? Or take a chance that they'll buy the school lunch rather than load up on cookies and chocolate milk?
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Parents know that kids benefit from eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, dairy and whole grains. But getting them to eat that way isn't always easy, regardless of whether the meal comes from home or the cafeteria.
Some research studies suggest a link between nutritious food and academic performance. One of the most recent ones, a study of 3,200 Florida elementary-age children involved in a school-based obesity intervention program, found that those who focused on healthy eating and increasing their physical activity also improved their standardized test scores, according to research presented in March at the American College of Cardiology's scientific session.
The group of 6- to 12-year-olds also lost weight and lowered their blood pressure as a result of the effort, which included school-based wellness and healthy lifestyle education during the day. About 60 percent of the kids qualified for free or reduced school lunches.
While lunch is a big concern, however, it's not the only one.
"Some of the studies talk about just making sure students have something in their bellies before the day starts," said Tony Ruggiero, a senior program and policy analyst for Nemours Health & Prevention Services. "When children arrive at school without breakfast, they're not ready to learn."
The challenge for parents is to give kids food that's not only good for them, but tasty enough that it won't end up being traded for a bag of cookies or worse, dumped in the trash.
"You really want to instill in your kids a value for food," said Lisa Harkins, a registered dietitian with Bayhealth Medical Center."If you're not going to eat it, let's talk about what you are going to eat. Let them know you don't just throw things away."
During the school year, Dawn Davis packs two lunches daily, one each for daughters Lindsay and Katelyn Turunc. While the mechanics of the lunch don't change much daily -- half a sandwich for each, a small container of 100 percent juice and a 100-calorie pack of chips or cookies -- she has encouraged the girls, ages 8 and 10, to take ownership of what they eat.
"They help me pack their lunch. They don't complain about half a sandwich because they're little and it's enough. I let them choose what they want with the [snack] pack," said Davis, a single mother of three from Aston, Pa. “We do it the night before and in the morning, they get their own breakfast. It helps them feel like they’re older.”
Let them help
Kids should learn that meals aren’t battles and food choices – like vegetables, fruit and dairy – aren’t weapons used by the enemy, Harkins said. Give them some choices in what they’re eating and solicit their help in the preparation. If they make their lunch or at least pick out its contents, they are more likely to eat it than if they open up the bag to find an unwelcome surprise.
At the same time, don’t set yourself up to be a short-order cook. Have them pick between an apple and a banana, not the entire produce section. If they pick carrots, let them figure out how much to take and bag it themselves. “Making them part of the decision-making process is really key,” she added.
If possible, parents should aim for a serving of calcium, protein and complex carbohydrates, as well as fruits and veggies, in their children’s lunches. Complex carbs provide energy throughout the day, rather than in small doses. White milk and yogurt – not the kind loaded with sweeteners – do double-duty as both protein and calcium sources that are more likely to prevent steep spikes or drops in blood sugar levels. That’s especially important for kids who have their lunch earlier or later than usual.
It’s OK to include a sweet treat as well, provided kids know they also need to eat their other food. Pudding cups can be a calcium source and granola bars can provide extra energy if they have at least 3 grams of fiber and less than 10 grams of sugar.
When kids buy their lunch at school, encourage them to make good choices. While most districts have eliminated trans fats from their menus, there are still opportunities for kids to make unhealthful a la carte purchases. Harkins said parents should try to find a reasonable compromise.
“Have a good, honest conversation about what they’re eating. If their school has a salad bar, ask them to do a salad at least twice a week,” Harkins said. “ It’s all about teaching them moderation. Otherwise, if you ram it down their throat, they’re going to fight it.”
Start the morning right
It should go without saying, but make breakfast a priority. Martha Coppage-Lawrence, a senior nurse practitioner at Hodgson Vocational Technical High School near Newark, said she still sees students who skip breakfast in an attempt to reduce calories and lose weight. They don’t realize the extra hunger pangs may result in a slower metabolism or overeating later in the day. They also don’t think about the consequences in the classroom, like a lack of attention or difficulty focusing.
“We try talking to them about how that plan usually backfires on them and how body and brain don’t function as well if they’re not getting the nutrition they need,” Coppage-Lawrence said.
When it comes to the first meal of the morning, kids – and their parents – should stay away from high-sugar breakfast foods. Sugary cereals and doughnuts can cause kids to have an energy slump in the midmorning. But if it’s a choice between a doughnut and nothing, at least eat the doughnut, Harkins said. “We don’t want to tell people to eat food like that, but really you should eat something, even if it’s last night’s dinner,” she said.
Coppage-Lawrence said she also tries to talk with kids about the academic advantage breakfast can provide. Last year at another school, the wellness center worked with a peer educator group and provided fruit, cheese sticks and a whole-grain cereal mix to students in advance of the Delaware Student Testing Program. The idea was to stress the importance of good nutrition and how it can contribute to improved concentration, feeling more alert and an overall better ability to perform.
But there are times when the food choices are out of the students’ control. “Sometimes we will hear, ‘My parents don’t buy that,’ ” Coppage-Lawrence said.
Healthy habits start early
In addition to packing healthy lunches for her kids, Davis also tries to stock up on nutritious snacks to quell midafternoon hunger pangs. Her daughters know they can always find cut-up melon, grapes or berries in the fridge. It may be a little extra work on their mom’s part, but Davis said it’s worth it.
“I know if it’s put away in the drawer, it’s like it’s not there,” she said. “Doing this, they see it.”
Simple tricks like that not only make it easy for kids to eat well, they also show kids that their parents are practicing healthy habits, Harkins said. If children know their parents eat the same way they do, they are more likely to reach for that apple or celery stalk instead of a bag of chips.
When Lucas Ramsey, 8, pulls out his sandwich made with whole-wheat bread and low-sodium cheese and crunches on raw broccoli and red pepper strips, he knows it’s pretty close to the same thing his mom, Jessica, is eating. Like him, she takes to work a bag lunch filled with fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
“To me, lunch is definitely important,” said Ramsey, a mother of three who plans out her family’s lunches just as she does with dinners. “I look at it as fueling his day.”
Ramsey, who owns Physicore, a personal training studio in Pike Creek, said she and her husband teach their children to view food as the energy source powering their day. They prefer to give them high-quality whole foods while explaining the difference between a snack (something to eat when you’re hungry) and a treat (something that satisfies a craving).
So far, it seems to be making a difference. Lucas, who will be going into the third grade, prefers his raw spinach leaves and veggies without dips or sauces. His younger sisters seem to be following his example.
Harkins said some parents believe their kids are programmed to want junk food, but if they’re exposed to fresh foods and variety in their diets, chances are they’ll seek out healthier fare. “You really may have to offer it to them 10 times, but then they’ll take it,” she said. “Just keep at it.”
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC office announcement as seen in the Cape Gazette, July 24, 2009.
Nutrition, fitness firm to open in Lewes
Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, owner of Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC, will open an office in the Good For You Market Saturday, Aug. 1. Harkins said the products the market offers align with the personalized nutrition plans she develops for her clients. Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC offers science-based, client-focused nutrition and fitness services from licensed, registered dietitians and certified personal trainers. For more information, visit idealnutritionandfitness.com
Andy Meddick, owner of Good for You Natural Market, and Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, owner of Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC pose in front of Good for You's fresh produce section in the Good for You market.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in an article in the Cape Gazette, July 9, 2009.
Bayhealth Dietitian Attends Professional Leadership Institute
Lisa Harkins, a clinical dietitian at Bayhealth Medical Center-Milford Memorial Hospital, was among the national leaders of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) who were selected to attend ADA's sixth Leadership Institute held recently in Dallas, Texas.
Harkins serves the inpatient population at Milford Memorial Hospital and is the outpatient dietitian for Bayhealth's cancer centers. She also serves the American Dietetic Association (ADA) as secretary/treasurer-elect of the Delaware Dietetic Association.
Participation in the ADA's Leadership Institute, an intensive certificate training program in the theory and practice of leadership in dietetics, is limited to fewer than 300 of ADA s more than 70,000 members throughout the country.
"This program is designed to enhance the leadership skills of ADA members through informational sessions and practice-based educational experiences," said registered dietitian and ADA President Jessie M. Pavlinac.
"The Leadership Institute is part of the American Dietetic Association's mission to empower members to be the nation's food and nutrition leaders. This meeting supports ADA's commitment to its members and ensures that they further develop the skills that can help them to lead within ADA, as well as their own places of employment," Pavlinac said.
With more than 70,000 members, the American Dietetic Association is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. To locate a registered dietitian in your area, visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org.
The American Dietetic Association recently held its sixth Leadership Institute in Dallas, TX. Shown are (l-r) Delaware Dietetic Association President Dawn Clausing, RD; American Dietetic Association President Jessie Palinac, MS, RD; and Delaware Dietetic Association Secretary/Treasurer-elect Lisa Harkins, RD.
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New state law defines 'nutritionist'
Requiring a license is intended to protect consumers from potentially harmful advice
By HIRAN RATNAYAKE
The News Journal
June 23, 2009
For years, anyone in the state could call themselves a nutritionist, advertise their services, charge for consultations and give advice. It didn't matter if they had any formal training in nutrition counseling.
But due to the efforts of registered dietitians, the term "nutritionist" is now protected by law.
As of Sunday, a license is required to practice as a nutritionist in Delaware. To obtain a license, a person must be a registered dietitian, as recognized by the American Dietetic Association. If the individual is not a registered dietitian, then the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation must recognize their training as sufficient to operate as a nutritionist.
Local registered dietitians say the Dietitian/Nutritionist Licensure Act will protect consumers from advice from untrained professionals. It also will save consumers from having to check the credentials of every so-called nutritionist they encounter.
Delaware is one of 16 states to require licensure of registered dietitians and nutritionists, according to the American Dietetic Association. Violators can be fined up to $1,000 a day.
"This wasn't meant as anything against people who operate a fitness-counseling program or a weight-management program," said Sen. Bethany Hall-Long, D-Glasgow, co-sponsor of the bill. "This law was really passed for people who falsely advertise as a licensed nutritionist or a licensed registered dietitian."
Nutrition a science
Supporters of the new law say nutritional advice from an unqualified person can result in harm. "In the same way that you want your physician to be licensed, it's important that your nutritionist be qualified," said Marianne Carter, a registered dietitian and director of the Delaware Center for Health Promotion.
Take someone with kidney disease who wants to build muscle. They can damage the small filtering cells in the kidney if they consume too much protein based on the advice of an untrained professional.
"Nutrition is a science and it is a component of medicine," said Deanna Rolland, immediate past president of the Delaware Dietetic Association. "If you're going to practice this type of work, then you need to label yourself appropriately."
In another scenario, liver damage can result if an elderly person consumes large amounts of certain supplements. An untrained nutritionist may also encourage someone to go on supplements that can interact with medications, Rolland said.
To become a registered dietitian, a person must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college and must have been through a supervised practice program at a health care, community or food service institution. They also must pass a national exam.
The American College of Nutrition has a board that certifies people as "certified nutrition specialists." To qualify, applicants must have an advanced degree -- such as a master's or doctorate from an accredited institution -- in the field of nutrition. It also requires professional experience in a licensed medical field, 50 documented hours of continuing education in nutrition and a passing score on a board exam. Currently, the only certified nutrition specialist in Delaware is Scott Schreiber, a Glasgow chiropractor.
"I understand what they're trying to do," he said. "However, they have to include reputable organizations instead of just the dietitians."
Other nutritionist organizations are significantly less credible. The American Association of Nutritional Consultants, for example, has been criticized for having a flimsy certification process. In a 2004 article in the British newspaper The Guardian, medical doctor and journalist Ben Goldacre wrote that he was able to acquire a certificate from the association for his dead cat for $60.
"You don't need to be human. You don't even need to be alive," he wrote. "No exam. No check-up on your qualifications. ... Presumably, the diploma is there to certify that you have $60."
Is the line blurred?
To-ze Manjerico is a former bodybuilder who has been providing nutritional counseling for more than 20 years. He is not a registered dietitian. He runs Nutrition Concepts in Newark, and based on his understanding of the law, he said he can continue his practice. He references a passage in the law that says it protects people who present a general program for weight control approved by a licensed doctor. He said all he needs is for a client to have a doctor's referral.
"I think the law is fair," he said.
Collison, however, isn't certain that Manjerico will be able to continue nutrition counseling. She said any individualized nutrition counseling by someone not considered a licensed nutritionist would be in violation of the new Delaware law.
Jason Barkus, of Clayton, began seeing a registered dietitian in December in an effort to get a better handle on his diet. Since then, he's lost 35 pounds.
Barkus said he always felt there was a blurry fine line between the terms "registered dietitian" and "nutritionist." He thinks consumers will benefit from the new law.
"I think in the long run, it would give more credit for the professional work of dietitians and nutritionists," he said.
Additional Facts
ON THE WEB
To review the Dietitian/ Nutritionist Licensure Act, visit dpr.delaware.gov. Click on "Dietitians & Nutritionists" and then "License Law." Then click on "License Law" again in the center of the Web page.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the May 2009 edition of Delaware Moms in an article on getting in shape for swimsuit season:
Swimsuit-able?
Ways to get (and keep) that winter weight off
By Denise Morrison Yearian
With swimsuit season on the horizon, you may want to whittle away those extra pounds before slipping into that sleek one-piece or bikini. Following are a few tried-and-true strategies from local fitness and nutrition experts.
1. Plan ahead. “Plan your menu for the week and put it on the calendar,” says Maryann Eastep, a registered dietitian and consultant. “This will alleviate having to rely on fast food or unhealthy options when you’re on the go. On your day off, make and freeze a week’s worth of sandwiches and casseroles and cut and bag fresh vegetables. Also put that Crock-Pot to good use. Pull together the ingredients the night before, turn it on the next morning and dinner will be done by the time you get home.”
2. Pinpoint goals. “Writeout your goals using the SMART approach: Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timebound. Then post them in a visible location,” says Joanna Zaremba, YMCA health and wellness director. “Break down large weight-loss goals into more manageable ones and celebrate successes along the way – purchase a new workout outfit, cross-training shoes, a heart rate monitor or a sport watch. Or get a massage.”
3. Reflecton writings. “Exercise and food journals are a great way to track progress and analyze changes that need to be made,” says registered dietitian Lisa Harkins. “If you find you aren’t attaining your goals, go back to your journal: ‘Do I need to add another spinning glass or cut out that nighttime snack?’ Write down strengths and weaknesses, too, so you can strategize and come up with suitable alternatives.”
4. Buddy up. “If child care when you exercise is a problem, form a tag team,” says Bonnie White, owner of seven New Castle County Curves gyms. “Get four moms together and rotate times so two can work out together while the other two stay home with the kids. This will keep you motivated, help hold one another accountable and make the workout more enjoyable.”
5. Fitness on the fly. “Keep your workout clothes and shoes with you and look for opportunities to exercise,” says Eastep. “While the kids are at ball practice, run around the field. When they are at the dentist, walk around the parking lot. If an appointment or meeting is canceled at the last minute, scoot to the gym or park for a quick workout.”
“I get up early every morning to work out before the kids are out of bed,” says Christy Montgomery, a Wilmington mother of two, home educator, fitness and nutrition specialist. “If, by chance, they get up and I’m not done, I finish my routine during naptime. I also incorporate exercise into the children’s daily curriculum. Every day we do a half-hour of dancing and another half-hour of gymnastics, and I’m moving right along with them.”
6. Alternate exercises. “I recommend 30 minutes of strength training three times a week with aerobic exercises on off days,” says White. “When strength training, use resistance equipment such as yoga bands. Crank out as many upper body reps as you can in 30 seconds then do 30 seconds of aerobics, followed by 30 seconds of lower body resistance and another 30 seconds of aerobics. Start the cycle over again.”
7. Merge family fitness with fun. “When you take a walk, bring along the kids and play games such as ‘20 Questions’ and ‘I Spy’ to keep it fun. Or have a scavenger hunt and let them find various nature objects,” says Zaremba. “Help your child with vocabulary by taking turns jumping rope or doing hopscotch while she spells out her words. You can do rhyming activities or teach counting the same way too. Games such as Wii Fit and Dance Dance Revolution combine family and fitness too.”
8. Lighten up. “Try simple substitutions when you’re cooking,” says Harkins. “Use 99 percent fat-free ground turkey instead of beef; switch out sugar for Splenda; and if a sauce recipe calls for butter, use cornstarch and water to thicken it instead. Also watch mindless calories – thoughtless snacking, nibbling while you cook, eating off your kids’ plates and high-calorie beverages. Keep track of portions by reading the servings sizes on food labels, and using scales and measuring cups and spoons.”
9. Graze and gauge. “The kids and I eat five healthy snacks throughout the day,” says Montgomery. “This stabilizes our blood sugar, revs our metabolism and wards off the ‘I’mbored’ binges.”
Good idea, says Harkins. “Gauge your hunger level from 1 to 10. When you reach that 5 to 7 range, eat a small meal or snack that includes a protein source. If you’re below that range, it’s not time to eat; above that range and you may overeat.”
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner and clinical dietitian for Bayhealth Medical Centers Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the Delaware State News in an article regarding the new health care reform bill (April 22, 2009).
Bayhealth Registered Dietitian Takes Part in DC Visit Urging Nutrition Services for the Public - Thursday, April 23, 2009
Chronic diseases have become an epidemic in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic diseases including heart disease, hypertension and diabetes are the leading cause of death and disability in the country. They also account for three quarters of the nation’s current healthcare spending. Because a healthy lifestyle is key to preventing or reducing these diseases, it is critical to make sure nutrition care is available to the public.
Dietitians from throughout the state of Delaware visited Washington, DC and met with senior staff members from the offices of Sen. Carper, Rep. Castle and Sen. Kaufman. The purpose of their visit was to ensure consideration of nutrition services provided by qualified Registered Dietitians within the new Healthcare Reform Bill.
Bayhealth Clinical Dietitian Lisa Harkins, RD, stressed the significance of these nutrition services by saying, “We consider good nutrition critical to preventive care of chronic diseases, and prevention is one of President Obama’s main objectives for the bill.”
One of the increasingly common chronic diseases being seen around the country is diabetes. In Delaware, approximately 70,000 people have the disease and that number continues to grow. “Diabetes is a massive problem in our state and younger and younger people are being diagnosed everyday,” said Ms. Harkins. With access to nutrition services and education, the public would be better able to catch diabetes early, and ultimately prevent the disease from occurring.
During their visit, the dietitians also lobbied for a budget resolution that includes $20 billion over five years for the Child Nutrition Act. This resolution would increase funding for school meal programs in order to ensure nutritious meals are provided to children
The group asked for an increase in the reimbursement rates for school lunches so Delaware school districts can provide more nutritious meals. “The current reimbursement for a ‘free’ lunch is $2.57 and that is not enough to cover the cost of producing a nutritious, balanced school meal,” said Ms. Harkins.
Both the new Healthcare Reform Bill and Child Nutrition Act will go to the Senate in fall of 2009.
Photo ID: (l to r) Rachel Schiavone, RD, MS candidate, University of Delaware; Deanna Rolland, RD, MS, CDN, Clinical Dietitian with Genesis Healthcare; Lisa Harkins, RD, Clinical Dietitian with Bayhealth Medical Center; Alisha Jacobson, RD, CDN, Nutrition Specialist with Colonial School District; Natalie McKenney, RD, CDN, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner and clinical dietitian for Bayhealth Medical Centers Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the Cape Gazette in an article regarding National Nutrition Month (March 17, 2009).
Bayhealth celebrates National Nutrition Month
“If you are not losing weight, you still may be losing fat and increasing your body’s health,” said Harkins. |
Submitted Photo
Registered Dietitians Lisa Harkins, left and Pam Pearson, are urging people to become more healthy by making good choices about the foods and beverages they consume.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Hiran Ratnayake regarding cooking meals more healthfully (March 10, 2009).
Eating smarter
A little tinkering can make recipes healthful
By HIRAN RATNAYAKE
The News Journal
Among Robyn Unthank's repertoire of recipes, the most popular is her macaroni and cheese.
The dish, which takes 90 minutes to prepare, calls for whole-milk cheese, butter, eggs and bread crumbs. Although Unthank makes it a point to cook and eat healthfully most of the time, she doesn't dare lower the fat and calorie content in her mac-and-cheese -- that might mess with its taste.
"I don't want to take the time and spend all the money on the ingredients to make it healthier only to find out that it's going to taste worse," said Unthank, who lives in Wilmington.
The good news is, it doesn't have to taste bad to be better for you. With just a few substitutions or different steps, meat dishes, pasta dishes, chilies, stews and even desserts can be made lower in calories, fat, sugar and cholesterol, say registered dietitians and personal chefs. Sometimes they can even be made higher in important nutrients.
"When you're talking about savory items, there are many ways to cut the fat and cut the sugar and make it still taste really good," said Lisa Brisch, a personal chef from Middletown who recently held a healthy cooking demonstration in Bellefonte. There, Unthank and more than a dozen other participants learned how to make a soup, a salsa and black bean quesadillas that taste just as yummy as the ones in a restaurant -- but with less fat, sugar and calories.
Altering recipes doesn't mean you need to spend more money. In fact, you might find yourself saving money by dining on chef-quality food at home, instead of at your favorite restaurant. When possible, make extra; it'll save time as well as money.
"You can put the food you make in serving-size containers and half of it can be stored in bulk in the freezer," said Mary Trotter, a clinical dietitian with Nemours Health & Prevention Services. "It's a good way to have something healthy on hand."
Cornerstone of good health
Healthy eating is a key to good health -- it can help lower our chances of developing a chronic illness, said Dr. William Weintraub, chief of cardiology with Christiana Care Health System. It can also help lower the chances of having a heart attack.
"If we cut down the amount of fats we eat, we cut down the amount of fats in the blood that can cause blockages over a period of time," said Weintraub, who also works with the American Heart Association.
It's not just the amount and types of fats we need to consider. Weintraub said there are also significant benefits to reducing the amount of sugar in our diet. Cutting sugar means cutting calories, and that helps reduce our risk of diabetes and obesity.
"Eating right is one of the cornerstones of good health and in the prevention of heart attacks, strokes, obesity and diabetes," Weintraub said.
That's why it's a good idea to try to "slim down" recipes. Derek Brewington, a personal chef from Newark, said many pasta and chicken dishes call for heavy cream, butter and lots of salt. But there are ways to make them healthier without sacrificing taste.
Instead of cream in his chicken dishes, he opts for light chicken broth. He uses olive oil instead of butter to sauté chicken. And he often adds low-fat or fat-free dressings, which contribute flavor and oil to help keep the chicken from drying out.
"I want to take the fat out, but most of the flavor comes from the fat," said Brewington. "So the marinade will give a more healthy flavor to the chicken."
You can also reduce the fat by buying the leanest ground beef or using a substitute. About 3 1/2 ounces of ground turkey has just over 2 grams of saturated fat and 149 calories; that same amount of 85 percent lean ground beef has 6 grams of saturated fat and 215 calories, said Lewes registered dietitian Lisa Harkins.
And ground turkey can easily be substituted in lasagna, spaghetti and ziti dishes, as well as chilies and other dishes.
"Ground turkey is becoming much more accepted as people realize that you don't have to have that greasy taste," she said.
Egg yolks are loaded with cholesterol and have less protein than egg whites, Harkins said. So if you're making an omelette with four eggs, use only one whole egg and three whites.
"You'll barely notice the difference at all," she said.
But your body will. Four yolks contain 839 milligrams of cholesterol and 18 grams of total fat; using only one cuts that by 75 percent.
Getting desserts right
Desserts are more complicated, since many need the fat to maintain the texture and taste. Baked desserts, like a crème brûlée, require a certain amount of fat for creaminess.
And nonfat substitutes don't melt as well.
Brewington said it's important to know which ingredients can be successfully substituted. He'll use light cool whip instead of regular cool whip and reduced-fat cream cheese instead of the regular kind for his no-bake cheesecake.
Another trick is to use less sugar. If a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, use 1/4 cup or 1/3 cup less instead. This works well with quick breads, cookies, pie fillings, custard, puddings and fruit cakes. But it may not work for some cakes. You can compensate by increasing the amount of cinnamon or vanilla in a recipe.
For extra richness in her recipes, Betty Burleigh, a personal chef in Bear, uses evaporated skim milk instead of whole or 2 percent milk. Another way she makes her recipes better is by using whole wheat flour, oatmeal and whole cornmeal instead of highly refined products.
For example, if a recipe calls for 2 cups of flour, she'll use 1 cup of all-purpose flour and 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon of whole-wheat flour. She prepares muffins and quick breads using three ripe, well-mashed bananas as opposed to a 1/2 cup of butter, lard or shortening.
She also replaces the butter with applesauce in her muffins. In her mashed potatoes, she uses nonfat sour cream instead of butter and she mixes it with skim milk.
"I make my pancakes using whole wheat flour instead of white flour," she said, "and they taste just as good and just as fluffy."
The prices for fat-free substitutes typically are about the same as their fattier counterparts. Fat-free milk, however, is cheaper than 1 percent, 2 percent and whole.
Preparing a dish at home also saves money and, for the most part, provides better nutrition, since many processed foods are loaded with salt.
Multigrain rather than white
Within 20 minutes of Brisch's cooking demonstration, the black bean quesadillas were ready for testing. Instead of using white flour tortillas, she used multigrain ones. She spread only a little cheese (reduced fat, of course) inside each.
"Not only are we cutting back on lower-fat ingredients, we're also using less cheese, because you don't want a quesadilla that is only cheese," Brisch said.
Three quesadillas using white flour tortillas and 1 full-fat cup of cheese would have 303 calories, 17 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber. With Brisch's recipe, they had only 232 calories and 10 grams of fat. Brisch's quesadillas also had 6 grams of fiber.
To Jeanette LaVecchia, of Wilmington, on hand for the demo, the quesadillas tasted quite different from the ones she's eaten in restaurants.
"The others have so much cheese in them that they're overbearing," she said. "But this tastes good."
It also tastes healthy, said Michele Lloyd, of Wilmington.
"It's flavorful but not heavy," she said. "It's very fresh and light."
Perhaps those black bean quesadillas should be called guilt-free quesadillas.
CORN AND BLACK BEAN QUESADILLAS
2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon minced garli
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup frozen roasted corn kernels, thawed
2 teaspoon lime juice
Kosher salt
2 8-inch multigrain tortillas
2/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Pepper Jack cheese
1 tablespoon sliced pickled jalapeños (optional)
1. Heat vegetable oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
2. Add green onions and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, for about three minutes.
3. Add garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant, for about 30 seconds.
4. Stir in beans and corn and cook until heated through, for about one minute.
5. Gently press mixture with spatula to lightly crush black beans.
6. Transfer mixture to a bowl, stir in lime juice and season to taste with salt.
7. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and return pan to medium heat.
8. Add one tortilla and toast for one to two minutes; flip it and toast the other side for about one minute. Slide tortilla onto cutting board, and toast second tortilla.
9. To assemble, sprinkle half the cheese, half the bean mixture and half the jalapeños over half the tortilla. Fold tortilla in half and press down to create quesadilla. Repeat with other tortilla.
10. Spray quesadillas with cooking spray.
11. To cook, place both folded quesadillas into heated skillet, sprayed side down; spray side facing up with cooking spray.
12. Cook over medium heat until crisp and slightly browned.
13. Using a spatula, flip quesadillas and cook on the second side until it is also crisp and browned and the cheese is melting.
14. Transfer quesadillas to a cutting board and let cool a few minutes. Cut each into 3 wedges and serve.
I-CAN'T-BELIEVE-IT'S-BLACK-BEANS-BROWNIES!
1 box dry brownie mix (dark chocolate/fudge flavor recommended)
1 15.5-ounce can black beans
Low-fat cooking spray
Tap water
1. Drain black beans in a colander and rinse beans with cool tap water thoroughly in sink. Place beans back into rinsed can, then fill can to top with cool tap water.
2. Put can of black beans and water into a food processor or blender and pulse until well-blended and smooth. You will still see bits of black beans, but try to get as smooth a consistency as possible.
3. Place dry brownie mix in a large mixing bowl.
4. Add black bean purée to dry brownie mix and mix well.
5. Pour batter into an 8-by-8 inch glass pan greased with low-fat cooking spray.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pan into oven. Check the brownie mix box for recommended cooking time and cooking temperature, since those can vary depending on brand and pan size.
7. When brownies are done baking, remove pan from oven and cool for at least 30 minutes.
8. Slice into 16 squares if using an 8-by-8 inch pan.
PUREED VEGETABLE CUBES
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 chopped onion
2 chopped garlic cloves
10 chopped baby carrots
1/4 cup olive oil
1. Sauté peppers, onions, garlic and carrots in olive oil in a pan until soft, for about 20 minutes.
2. Place vegetables in food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Place in ice cube trays and freeze.
4. Once frozen, place cubes in a zip lock bag and keep in freezer.
5. When cooking, add the frozen vegetable cubes to sauces, chilies, spaghetti, baked ziti, soups and bottled tomato sauces.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Kelly Bothum, regarding the program "Eat Smart for a Healthy Heart", which was developed and facilitated with Kathleen Splane, MS, Extension Educator, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension (September 30, 2008).
Eating the right foods for a healthy heart.
Three-week program in Dover shows how a diet that's high in fruits and vegetables can be high in flavor, too.
By KELLY BOTHUM
The News Journal
When it comes to heart health, Delaware residents are above average -- but not in a good way.
As a whole, we rank higher than the rest of the nation in the percentage of people with hypertension, high cholesterol and heart disease. Most of us -- nearly 79 percent -- don't eat enough fruits and vegetables daily, according to the 2007 results of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a national survey of health in the United States.
Diet has long been heralded as one of the cornerstones of heart health, but food educator Kathleen Splane believes too many people equate eating healthy with cardboard rice cakes, bland chicken breasts and overcooked vegetables.
Splane, who works for the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension in Kent County, hopes to change those misperceptions through an upcoming three-week program called "Eat Smart for a Healthy Heart.
With a menu that includes salmon with dill sauce, roasted vegetables and mocha brownies that substitute fruit for fat, Splane thinks she can convince even the most skeptical gastronome that eating good can also be good for you.
"We want to show people that they can prepare foods for their own family and eat heart healthy without sacrificing taste and flavor," said Splane, who will teach the class with registered dietitian Lisa Harkins. "We know if it doesn't taste good, people aren't going to make changes."
Splane and Harkins have taught cooking classes for diabetics, but this is the first time they'll be tackling the topic of heart health. One of their main motivators was to help people who have heard from their doctor that they need to make changes in how they eat.
Cookbooks and Web sites offer heart-healthy food options, but it can be hard to digest the myriad information, said Harkins. Even the grocery store can be an intimidating place with all the different kinds of products touting their cardiac benefits.
"I think it's really out there, but it's a bunch of facts and information," she said. "Nothing tells people, 'OK, what kind of meal will be good? What should I cook?' "
The three-week class will include a breakdown of the heart-healthy products on the market, including comparisons based on price and the advertised benefits of using them. Splane and Harkins also will be pushing a diet high in fruits and vegetables by making them the focus of a meal rather than the meat or protein. With recipes like pork stir fry, General Tso's chicken and fruit cobbler, there should be something for everyone's tastes.
The class is open to anyone, but Splane and Harkins are targeting what they call the "gatekeeper of the family" -- the person who prepares most of the meals in the home. Even if there's only one person in a family who has cardiac problems, it benefits everyone to eat a heart-healthy diet.
In his practice, Wilmington cardiologist Dr. Edward Goldenberg specializes in patients who have cholesterol problems, including low levels of the good cholesterol -- known as HDL -- and high triglycerides, which is a type of fat that comes from excessive carbohydrate consumption. Although he talks with patients about heart-healthy foods and often asks them to bring in a food diary chronicling their meals, he said many doctors lack both the time and expertise to educate their patients about healthy food choices. Instead, they tell them to eat a low-fat diet or give them a handout.
It also doesn't help that the services of health professionals who can most help patients make lasting health changes -- dietitians and nutritionists -- often don't qualify for coverage under most people's health insurance.
"You can't ask them to create a lifestyle change and then tell them to come back in six months or a year," said Goldenberg, who sometimes uses a handshake as a makeshift contract to give some patients the push they need to make health changes.
For the patient who eats one main meal a day, Goldenberg tries to encourage them to have several smaller meals -- including snacks -- over the course of the day. He tries to get them to reduce their carbohydrate intake and increase their consumption of proteins and polyunsaturated fats. And he encourages them to consider taste when planning their meals.
The goal of "Eat Smart for a Healthy Heart" isn't to get people to make radical changes that they won't be able to sustain. "It's really just small steps," Harkins said. "If we get someone just to cut out butter and that's the one thing they concentrate on, that's a success."
Contact Kelly Bothum at 324-2962 or kbothum@delawareonline.com.
BY THE NUMBERS
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System is the world's largest ongoing telephone survey. Since 1984, it has tracked health conditions and risk behaviors in the United States. Here's a look at how Delaware compares with the rest of the country:
Percentage of people who have been told they have heart disease:
U.S.
-- 4.1 percent
Delaware
-- 5.3 percent
Percentage who had their cholesterol checked and were told it was high:
U.S.
-- 37.6 percent
Delaware
-- 38.3 percent
Percentage who have been told they have high blood pressure:
U.S.
-- 27.8 percent
Delaware
-- 29.3 percent
Percentage who consume five or more fruits and vegetables daily
U.S.
-- 24.4 percent
Delaware
-- 21.4 percent
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, featured in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Nancy Coale Zippe, regarding the program "Dining with Diabetes", which was developed and facilitated with Kathleen Splane, MS, Extension Educator, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension (September 3, 2008).
We can all benefit from recipes for diabetics.
WHAT'S COOKING
By NANCY COALE ZIPPE
The News Journal
The dramatic increase of people diagnosed with diabetes has topped 700 percent in the last 50 years. It is estimated that in Delaware , 10 percent of the population is afflicted, representing about 85,000 people.
The good news is studies have revealed that complications, such as kidney failure, blindness and amputations, can be delayed, and perhaps prevented, by careful control of blood sugar. This requires planning meals with reduced sugar, salt and fat.
Dining with Diabetes is a workshop presented by Kathleen Splane, extension educator, and Lisa Harkins, a registered dietitian. The three-class series will feature diabetes education, cooking demonstrations, tastings and handouts of recipes and information for managing diabetes.
The program is open to those with diabetes and their family members. It will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 and 11. You must plan to attend all three sessions.
Send a check for $30 made payable to University of Delaware (or a request for a scholarship) to Kathleen Splane, Kent County Cooperative Extension Office, 69 Transportation Circle, Dover , 19901, where the classes will be held. If you have questions, call 730-4000.
Here is a sampling of their recipes for healthful eating, which should appeal to us all.
LEMON-DILLY CHICKEN SAUTÉ
4 chicken breast halves, boned, skinned
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
With meat mallet or similar flattening utensil, pound chicken breasts to 1¼4-inch thickness.
In a shallow dish, mix bread crumbs, lemon pepper and dill weed. Put lemon juice in a second dish. One piece at a time, dip chicken in lemon juice, then in the crumb mixture to coat all sides.
In a large, nonstick fry pan, heat oil to medium-high. Cook chicken, turning, about 10 minutes or until it is brown and fork tender.
LOWER FAT MACARONI AND CHEESE
2 cups macaroni
2 tablespoons reduced-fat margarine
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup skim milk
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1/2 cup reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Cook macaroni according to box directions. Drain in colander.
Melt margarine in a medium saucepan. Mix cornstarch into cold skim milk. Add both milks to the margarine. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly. When sauce thickens, remove from heat and add shredded cheeses. Stir in drained macaroni. Put in a casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray and bake uncovered 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
PUMPKIN PIE
Wow! There is a healthier way to make pumpkin pie! Clip this one for Thanksgiving.
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons reduced-fat margarine
3/4 cup Splenda no calorie sweetener
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
1/2 cup cholesterol-free egg substitute (or 3 egg whites)
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated skim milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix graham cracker crumbs and margarine and pat into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.
Mix Splenda, salt and spice mix in a small bowl. Pour egg substitute into a large bowl. Beat pumpkin and the spice mixture into the egg substitute. Gradually blend in the evaporated milk. Pour into the pie shell. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake another 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool.
To request a recipe or send one in response to a request, write to: What's Cooking, 500-B Greenbank Road, Wilmington, DE 19808. Include your name, address and phone number. No calls, please. Recipes in this column are not tested by The News Journal.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Delaware State News in an article by Katie Kazimir regarding eating more healthfully during the holidays (November 25, 2009).
Moderation key when enjoying holiday meals - Calories add up quickly during seasonal parties
by Katie Kazimir, November 25, 2009, Delaware State News
DOVER - Before asking for that second helping of mashed potatoes or Grandma's homemade stuffing, take into consideration the eight pounds people normally gain the weeks from Thanksgiving to Christmas. "You can eat a pound's worth of calories in one day," said clinical dietitian Lisa Harkins of Bayhealth Medical Center. Ms. Harkins said all it takes is 3,500 calories to gain a pound, easily done when loading up on holiday favorites.
"Thanksgiving is one of those times when we generally eat more than we need," said Dr. Carol Giesecke, director of the dietetics program at Delaware State University. Depriving oneself of holiday favorites isn't necessary - so keeping weight down this season doesn't have to mean forgoing the pumpkin pie and green bean casserole. "Once in a while it's not bad," said Dr. Giesecke. "It's about not eating all holiday season long," said Ms. Harkins.
Simply adding an extra 500 calories a day through Christmas could cause someone to gain up to a pound a week. Ms. Harkins said people don't realize how easy adding an extra 500 calories is. "It seems like a lot but it's really easy to do," said Ms. Harkins. A cookie and a couple slices of cheese and crackers would break the limit easily.
With obesity rates on the rise, Ms. Harkins said being mindful of one's diet all season long is critical Lisa in keeping weight gain Harkins down. According to Debora Spano, spokes-woman for United Healthcare, obesity rates in Delaware have gone up 44 percent in the past two decades. In the nation, Delaware ranks 31st for obesity this year, up from 35th last year.
Ms. Spano said people shouldn't pass up on their favorite holiday treats, but they should plan on making smart choices when they splurge. "Think about it ahead of time. You have to make the healthiest choices you can," she said. Dr. Giesecke said to not come to the holiday meal with an attitude of guilt. "Sometimes we're our own worst enemy," she said. "The best thing to do is to enjoy it and know you don't do it every day," she said.
Dr. Giesecke said the focus on Thanksgiving should be more about spending time with family and loved ones than on what food there is to eat. "It's better to eat as slow as possible," said Dr. Giesecke, and what better to way to eat slowly than to sit, chat and visit with family.
"If we eat too fast our brain doesn't get the message we're full until 10 minutes later, and then we're really stuffed," she said.
Another tip is to eat a decent breakfast instead of fasting until dinner time. "Sometimes when you're ravenous you tend to eat more than you need and you eat too fast," said Dr. Giesecke.
To avoid nibbling while preparing food, "put a piece of gum in your mouth," suggests Ms. Spano. Ms. Harkins said serving salad as well as healthy green vegetables is a must at every holiday meal. An easy way to sneak in healthier food options is by providing fruit and vegetable trays with low-fat dips. "People really do like raw vegetables and dip," Ms. Harkins said.
Other ways to make favorite recipes lower in calories is to use applesauce or beans instead of oil in sweet breads and muffins, Egg Beaters instead of eggs, and cutting at least half the sugar with Splenda in baking. "Try to use low-fat dairy whenever you can. It makes such a difference in calories," Ms. Harkins said. "Modifying your recipes to make them less fattening is really key."
Maintaining weight isn't only about watching what you eat, but also being active.
Planning a group activity, such as football or a walk, helps balance out extra calories while allowing families to spend quality time together. "Have a nice saunter around the neighborhood and visit other people in the community," said Dr. Giesecke.
Staff writer Katie Kazimir can be reached at 741-8242 or ckazimir@newszap.com.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Kelly Bothum regarding the Paleo Diet (November 3, 2009).
November 3, 2009
Listening to our ancestors
More fitness buffs are coming to believe that those hunter-gatherers had it right
By KELLY BOTHUM
The News Journal
For years Kara White Schilling followed the crowd when it came to exercise and eating. She'd hit the gym a few times a week for a kickboxing class or 45 minutes on the elliptical machine. She followed a low-fat diet and counted calories.
But she wasn't seeing the results she wanted. So, six months ago she made a radical change. She traded her visits to the gym for thrice-weekly CrossFit workouts that rely on short bursts of strenuous physical exertion. She adopted a high-protein, no-grain, no-dairy diet -- dubbed the Paleo diet because it mimics how our ancestors ate. She also began eating more fruits and vegetables.
The difference? She's lost 12 pounds and dropped a dress size. What's more, her cholesterol has gone down 14 points.
While White's eating plan may not win much support from registered dietitians who worry about nutritional deficiencies arising from eliminating entire food groups, White said she feels better and more nutritionally balanced than in the past. She takes her success as a sign that the one-size-fits-all approach to eating and exercise may not actually fit everyone.
"I can do things now I never thought I could do," said White, who also nixed sugar and caffeine from her diet. "I never realized how strong I was before."
Whether it's challenging mainstream conventions about nutrition or changing the way they exercise, some people are taking a less traditional approach to their health. While some of their methods are contrary to current health recommendations, adherents believe they are following a plan that works for them. They don't need peer-reviewed studies in published journals or endorsements from the medical or sports establishment to prove the legitimacy of what they're doing. They believe because they see the difference in themselves.
It takes a determined person to go against mainstream ideas in the hopes of bettering themselves, said Val Whiting, who owns the GameShape CrossFit fitness program with her husband, Jay Raymond. She said clients who are adhering to the CrossFit workouts and the Paleo diet are seeing life-changing results.
"A lot of things we do are controversial. We cut out dairy and cut out grain. It's so different from what we're taught," said Whiting, who said her family's health has improved since they began eating this way several months ago. "It's about what you love more. Do I love social acceptance more or do I love the health of my children?"
Whiting and Raymond follow the Paleo diet, which includes fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, nuts and seafood. Proponents of the diet believe it is more in line with the way humans ate before agriculture -- in particular, the harvesting of grains -- became the dominant means of feeding people.
Eating with this hunter-gatherer mindset allows for a big dose of fiber, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and low-glycemic carbohydrates, all without the addition of refined sugars, trans fats and salts found in many processed foods. Dieters are encouraged to replace the nutrients they would have gotten from dairy and grains with vegetables and protein. The high concentration of omega-3 found in the nuts, seafood and grass-fed meat that's encouraged also can help with lowering the risk for inflammatory diseases.
Lisa Harkins, a registered dietitian with Bayhealth Medical Center, said it's normal for people to want to individualize the way they eat, but when they follow eating plans that advocate the elimination of entire food groups, they may not realize they're also losing important nutrients. If they cut out dairy, they need to make sure they're getting enough calcium, either through eating more dark-green leafy vegetables, like kale and broccoli, or taking a supplement. They also need to take a supplement for vitamin D.
Eliminating grains can increase the risk of a B-vitamin deficiency, something that's usually seen in third-world countries, where people don't have access to fortified grain products, Harkins said. Without enough thiamine, niacin, riboflavin and other B vitamins that are added to grain products, dieters may begin to feel sluggish and experience tingling sensations and feelings of confusion. It is possible to get some B vitamins from select fruits and vegetables, including avocado, kale and peas.
"You really have to know what you're doing," said Harkins, who also owns Ideal Nutrition and Fitness.
It was a challenge at first for Christine Serio to give up grains. She grew up in an Italian household where pasta and bread were dinner staples. Prior to her switch to the Paleo diet, she had been eating whole grains such as whole-wheat bread because she thought they were better for her. Now most of her meals involve salads with some kind of protein source. She eats lots of spinach, asparagus, cucumbers and broccoli as well as berries.
"At first I thought it was crazy," said Serio, who switched her diet about three months ago. "Once you start to do it you realize almost instantly you feel the changes. I don't feel as sluggish."
While the abundance of fruits and vegetables is good, the emphasis on protein does raise the risk of consuming too much protein and potentially damaging the kidneys, Harkins said. Those following the Paleo diet also need to make sure they're getting at least a minimum amount of carbohydrates so their body functions properly.
Whiting said her family take multivitamins and supplements, including vitamin D and fish oil, to make sure they are getting the nutrients they need. Since eating mostly organic, gluten-free foods on the Paleo diet, Whiting's sons, she said, no longer have gastrointestinal issues and their overall behavior seems to be better.
One of the biggest changes has been in her husband. While following the diet along with an exercise regimen focusing on short bursts of strenuous activity, Raymond has lost 27 pounds and increased his cardiovascular endurance.
"I lost weight and I got stronger," Raymond said.
Running free -- of footwear
Nutrition isn't the only area where there is debate about how best to practice healthy habits. Earlier this year, Christopher McDougall reignited a debate with his book, "Born to Run." The New York Times best-seller is about a tribe of Indians in Mexico who run 100-mile races across treacherous terrain even when they're old, wearing nothing more on their feet than thin sandals made from strips of rubber tires. Their experience convinced McDougall that modern efforts to improve running and prevent injury -- most notably, our shoes -- may be doing more harm than good.
It's an idea that has caught on with Irene Davis, who already knows a thing or two about running. Davis is a physical therapist and professor at the University of Delaware who has been studying running injuries for more than 20 years. She thinks shoe improvements like arch support and rear cushioning may be weakening the muscles in the rear foot. More cushioning means a longer stride for the runner. As a result, more runners wind up landing on their heel rather than in the middle or front of the foot, potentially increasing their risk for injury.
"I believe they're making our feet lazy," said Davis, who started running without shoes over the summer and is now up to four miles three to four times a week. "When you take your shoes off you actually strike the ground differently."
But it's not as easy as slipping off the sneakers and hitting the pavement. Because most runners are used to the extra support, they need to ease into barefoot running, starting off with as little as quarter-mile runs. Not only do their feet have to adjust, but so does the rest of the body, Davis said. And not everybody actually runs barefoot -- some runners opt for shoes with no extra support while others wear thin, glove-like shoes that offer some protection against hazardous objects on the path.
Although there are no studies that suggest footwear can cause injuries in runners, one study did find that wearing footwear didn't reduce the risk of injury either. Davis said she expects more research on the topic in the next two to five years.
"When I run on the pavement barefoot, I get looks like you wouldn't believe," she said. "As a scientist I've got to get the data."
Eating local
Milton resident Carol Blake also credits a book with helping her to make a big change in her life. In her case, it was "Real Food" by Nina Planck, a book that advocates moving away from processed, packaged eating to the kinds of whole -- and even sometimes higher-fat -- foods our older relatives used to eat.
Planck's message resonated with Blake, a physician's assistant, and helped her refocus her eating habits toward more locally grown, unprocessed foods. Blake, who makes her own bread, granola, yogurt and peanut butter, considers herself a "partial locavore." She belongs to a CSA -- short for community supported agriculture -- where she has a subscription service for fresh, local produce. She also eats local eggs and raw milk from Pennsylvania.
For Blake, it's a matter of personal and global health. "I like the idea of supporting local farmers instead of factory farms that are far away. I prefer not to eat food that has been contaminated with antibiotics, growth hormones or pesticides," she said. "I think that our food supply has become so industrialized and processed that it is responsible for a lot of our current health problems, obesity being a good example."
Eating organic may be popular these days, but Harkins also thinks local is more important because it's an opportunity to eat just-picked fruits and vegetables. Many smaller local farms aren't certified organic -- a label bestowed by the government -- but they still follow the same protocols that certified farms do.
Hattie Allen, who runs a small-market garden in Lewes, said the demand for local produce goes beyond the summer months. Allen also grows vegetables like kale, collard greens and lettuce in the winter, thanks to an unheated tunnel that keeps her crops from freezing. Many of the customers who frequent Hattie's Garden are concerned about sustainability, supporting local farmers and, of course, eating good food.
"The people I serve know they can come over here. They know it's more than a business, that it's my passion," Allen said.
Skipping the treadmill
Carol Arnott has always been active, whether it was running, biking or working out in a gym. But about 2 1/2 years ago, she decided she needed a more intensive, structured workout.
She found the challenge in GameShape's CrossFit program. CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program that incorporates components of weighlifting, gymnastics and interval training, all performed at high-intensity levels. Rather than traditional gym equipment, participants use kettle bells, sandbags and pull-up bars to work their body during a short but intense period. The hourlong class includes a warm-up, an intense cardio activity like rowing, jump roping or running, and an anaerobic activity like a deadlift.
"If you think about how our ancestors moved, it was mostly short bursts of energy -- a tiger was chasing them. That's how we train," Whiting said. "We're not meant to go on a treadmill and run for 60 minutes."
Arnott, who goes three times a week at 5:30 a.m. to work out, said the program has boosted her fitness above what she initially expected. "Their whole program is to use your body the way it was designed to be used," said Arnott.
Interval training can be a beneficial form of exercise even for people who have been sedentary, said Guy Scotolati, an exercise physiologist with Christiana Care's Preventive Medicine & Rehabilitation Institute. If people are new to exercising or overweight, it may be too much for them to work out for a consistent 30-minute or hourlong period.
But when practicing interval training on a regular basis, it's important to make sure your muscles are accustomed to the activity, Scotolati said. Incorporating aerobic activity, such as running or riding a bike, can help the body tolerate the highs and lows that come with working out in short bursts, he said. Working anaerobically, such as with weights, also has the advantage of helping to build the body and muscles over time.
Last month, GameShape decided to up the ante with its members by injecting some good-spirited competition into the regular workouts. The Lean and Mean Challenge is a team-based competition that awards points when participants eat, exercise and sleep in ways that mimic our ancestors.
Participants get two points for doing a CrossFit workout. They get one point for each Paleo-style meal they eat and another point for sleeping eight hours a night. One quarter-point is subtracted for each glass of alcohol. And in a twist, participants also can get up to two points for cheating -- eating anything off the Paleo diet -- once a week. It's a planned cheat, and the goal is psychological and physical, Whiting said.
The friendly competition is intended to give people more motivation to improve their health. Arnott said her participation has helped in those moments when temptation looms large.
"Before I might have had that second glass of wine just because," she said. "But when you're on a team, you don't want to let them down."
Additional Information:
Eating like our ancestors?
A small but devoted group are eschewing traditional eating plans and following in the footsteps of their early ancestors. The Paleo diet, developed by Loren Cordain, a professor of health and exercise science at Colorado State University, also has been called the Caveman diet and the Hunter-Gatherer diet.
People who follow this food plan eat lean meat, fresh fruit and vegetables and nuts but no, or little, dairy and grains. Proponents say they get the nutrients they would otherwise ingest from grain and dairy from their vegetable-heavy meals. And because the carbs in their fruits and vegetables are low-glycemic, there are no spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels.
Source: ThePaleoDiet.com
Barefoot running
It's not quite naked running, but barefoot running is causing some controversy.
Most recently, author Christopher McDougall -- who will be speaking at the University of Delaware on Friday -- has caused a sensation with his book, "Born to Run," which details the story of an Indian tribe called the Tarahumara, who can run for hundreds of miles without wearing shoes. The book also explains his argument for why we should run sans shoes. Among his reasons -- there weren't as many running injuries before Nike introduced its first cushioned running shoe in the 1970s.
McDougall will be speaking at 3:30 p.m. Friday in Room 100 of Wolf Hall. The presentation is free and open to the community. For more information, call 831-2792.
What food is available locally?
More than you might expect -- raspberries, corn, lettuce, artichokes, eggs, turkey and beef. June through September are typically the best months for getting local produce, although some farmers may have offerings year-round because they continue to grow in hothouses or cold frames, which shield plants from the winter weather.
The best way to find out what's growing in your area is to visit a farmers' market. Ask the growers about their produce, including how they grow their foods, whether they use chemical pesticides or fertilizers or rotate their crops. Many small farms aren't certified organic, though they may use those methods.
Another option is joining a CSA, which is short for community supported agriculture. It's a subscription service that requires customers to pay in advance for produce and sometimes eggs available later in the year.
If you want to learn more about eating local, you can join the Delaware Locavores group on Yahoo at tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/DeLoca.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Cape Gazette in an article by Rob Kunzig regarding Project Big Guy. (October 27, 2009).
Man on a quest: Lose 70 pounds by new year
Auto Gallery owner already down 22
Brian Hecksher is making changes. He now packs his lunch instead of ordering food with his coworkers. He breakfasts on or-ganic instant oatmeal. He eats Greek yogurt.
“ My entire relationship with food has changed,” he said.
Hecksher, 45 and 408 pounds, is the Big Guy in Project Big Guy, an effort combining the talents of a nutritionist, a health- food vendor and a personal trainer to help Hecksher lose weight.
Hecksher, owner of the Auto Gallery in Lewes, intends to lose 70 pounds by New Year’s Eve; next summer, he said, he plans to be fit enough to take a kayak trip down the Lewes- Rehoboth Canal.
After three weeks’ dieting and exercise, Project Big Guy is off to a great start – he’s already lost 22 pounds. “ I can feel the difference al-ready,” he said. “ Things like tying my shoes or walking up and down steps.”
Hecksher starts his mornings by going to Quest Fitness, where he meets owner Matt Carter.
Hecksher says Carter runs him through a different routine every day, making sure he doesn’t over-work his muscles or otherwise injure himself.
Hecksher looks forward to rowing exercises, but crunches, not so much.
“ Nobody likes crunches,” he said, laughing. “ But it’s some-thing I have to do.”
Carter said Hecksher is in-creasingly able to work out longer and harder.
“ His stamina has dramatically increased,” Carter said. “ That’s the most important part.”
Hecksher said he was initially afraid of stumbling into a temple of gym rats. He was relieved to find that Quest was full of people like him, simply endeavoring to keep fit. “ It’s a good experience, rather than a fearful one,” he said.
Nutritionist Lisa Harkins, owner of Ideal Fitness and Nutri-tion, monitors Hecksher’s eating.
She emphasizes whole foods: Hecksher eats nothing processed, and eats mostly fruits, vegetables, lean meats and fish.
The regimen is less about total abstention, Harkins said, than thoughtful portioning.
“ He can eat foods he likes, just in the right portions,” she said.
“ Even an egg sandwich is allow-able sometimes.”
Hecksher buys all of his gro-ceries from Good For You Mar-ket in Lewes, owned by Andy Meddik.
After three weeks, Hecksher feels confident he’ll hit his year-end goal. He even has a strategy for Thanksgiving, the great allAmerican pig- out: smaller por-tions of healthier dishes and easy on the gravy. Leftovers will be given away, removing the temp-tation of seconds, thirds and fourths.
“ It’s easy,” Hecksher said. “ In fact, Lisa just gave me a course on how to eat healthy during the holidays.”
Harkins said Hecksher is on target to lose 70 pounds in time for 2010, but she said she’d be happy with less.
“ I’m going to be content if he loses 60,” she said. “ It’s not about being on the cover of Men’s Fit-ness. It’s about feeling comfort-able in your clothes.”
Local Health Experts are combining their talents to help Auto Gallery owner Bryan Hecksher lose weight. Shown l to r are: Matt Carter, owner of Quest Fitness, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, ownder of Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC, and Andy Meddick, owner of Good For You Natural Market.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Cape Gazette in an article by Tom Walsh regarding the opening of Ideal Nutrition and Fitness' office in the Good For You Natural Market in Lewes (September 8, 2009).
Ideal Nutition and Fitness simplifies the science of good diet - Lifestyle changes can improve health
By Tom Walsh When Lisa Harkins opened Ideal Nutrition and Fitness a year ago in Sussex County as an in- home service, she set her sights upon achieving a specific goal. Using her upbeat attitude and years of experience as a registered dietician, nutritionist and personal trainer, she sought to promote a living style in which her clients would be happier, healthier and more vibrant than ever. Less than a year later, Harkins is beginning to realize the effect she is having. Not only has her list of clients multiplied exponentially, but her clients’ friends are beginning to question how exactly Harkins is eliciting such noticeable results from her clients. “I always say that the perfect one- two punch to staying healthy is dieting and exercise, but people should realize that it involves much more than that,” she said. “ If you don’t have an idea of what exactly is in the foods you are eating, you are missing out on a very important aspect.” A graduate of the University of Delaware, Harkins has found it essential to learn everything there is to know about the proper care of the human body. Harkins recently set up a new office on second floor of Good for You Natural Market in rural Lewes. Her goal is to help one person at a time by providing guidance through Good for You and other nearby markets, showing clients which products are best and which ones should be avoided. Harkins said people who don’t frequently check the nutrition facts and ingredients in their supermarket selections might be surprised at what exactly is in-side the foods they eat every day. Despite grocery stores offering healthier choices than in previous generations, many popular products are jam- packed with unhealthy sugary additives, she said. “Something that people often don’t realize is that while a little added sugar or high fructose corn syrup might not necessarily throw them off their diet, what it essentially does is slowly makethe mind start to crave other sugary foods,” said Harkins. “ Also, I have found that people are commonly skipping by beneficial products with good things like fiber and calcium.” Although it might be difficult to read every nutrition fact in a supermarket, Harkins has found her clients have had peace of mind because she has outlined everything they need in a concise and personalized diet plan. “With a diet plan, my clients know exactly what to eat, at what time of day,” said Harkins, “ and because the diet plan corrects normally unhealthy eating habits, they find that they can lose weight without even having to think about it.” As one of the very few licensed dieticians in Sussex County, Harkins offers a broad range of services to her clients: individual and couples nutritional counseling, personal training and group fitness classes, lifestyle seminars, cooking classes, grocery store tours and restaurant visits. Because Harkins also serves as a dietician for various medical and cancer centers, hours are on an appointment basis. Ideal Nutrition and Fitness is located at 28841 Lewes- Georgetown Highway. The business can also be visited online at idealnutritionandfitness.com.
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REGISTERED DIETICIAN LISA HARKINS recently moved her business, Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC, to the second floor of Good for You Market in Lewes. Offering a broad range of health services to her clients, Harkins hopes to make the science of nutrition more understandable. Photo: Tom Walsh.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, quoted in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Kelly Bothum regarding healthy breakfasts and lunches for kids (August, 18 2009).
Food for thought
Backpack? Check. Cool clothes? Check. Healthy food? Uh-oh. Time to cram
By KELLY BOTHUM
The News Journal
The mad dash for back-to-school must-haves is in full swing. Advertisers are hawking their latest collection of cool clothes, backpacks and school supplies. But while skinny jeans, mechanical pencils and graphing calculators may be on the gotta-have list, fresh fruit, whole-wheat pita pockets and cheese sticks probably aren't.
Perhaps they should be. As kids agonize over which outfit to wear on their first day, many parents wonder about what to feed them. Go with PB&J, the nutrient-dense but boring standby? A prepackaged meal that is easy, but full of processed and artificial ingredients? Or take a chance that they'll buy the school lunch rather than load up on cookies and chocolate milk?
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Parents know that kids benefit from eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, dairy and whole grains. But getting them to eat that way isn't always easy, regardless of whether the meal comes from home or the cafeteria.
Some research studies suggest a link between nutritious food and academic performance. One of the most recent ones, a study of 3,200 Florida elementary-age children involved in a school-based obesity intervention program, found that those who focused on healthy eating and increasing their physical activity also improved their standardized test scores, according to research presented in March at the American College of Cardiology's scientific session.
The group of 6- to 12-year-olds also lost weight and lowered their blood pressure as a result of the effort, which included school-based wellness and healthy lifestyle education during the day. About 60 percent of the kids qualified for free or reduced school lunches.
While lunch is a big concern, however, it's not the only one.
"Some of the studies talk about just making sure students have something in their bellies before the day starts," said Tony Ruggiero, a senior program and policy analyst for Nemours Health & Prevention Services. "When children arrive at school without breakfast, they're not ready to learn."
The challenge for parents is to give kids food that's not only good for them, but tasty enough that it won't end up being traded for a bag of cookies or worse, dumped in the trash.
"You really want to instill in your kids a value for food," said Lisa Harkins, a registered dietitian with Bayhealth Medical Center."If you're not going to eat it, let's talk about what you are going to eat. Let them know you don't just throw things away."
During the school year, Dawn Davis packs two lunches daily, one each for daughters Lindsay and Katelyn Turunc. While the mechanics of the lunch don't change much daily -- half a sandwich for each, a small container of 100 percent juice and a 100-calorie pack of chips or cookies -- she has encouraged the girls, ages 8 and 10, to take ownership of what they eat.
"They help me pack their lunch. They don't complain about half a sandwich because they're little and it's enough. I let them choose what they want with the [snack] pack," said Davis, a single mother of three from Aston, Pa. “We do it the night before and in the morning, they get their own breakfast. It helps them feel like they’re older.”
Let them help
Kids should learn that meals aren’t battles and food choices – like vegetables, fruit and dairy – aren’t weapons used by the enemy, Harkins said. Give them some choices in what they’re eating and solicit their help in the preparation. If they make their lunch or at least pick out its contents, they are more likely to eat it than if they open up the bag to find an unwelcome surprise.
At the same time, don’t set yourself up to be a short-order cook. Have them pick between an apple and a banana, not the entire produce section. If they pick carrots, let them figure out how much to take and bag it themselves. “Making them part of the decision-making process is really key,” she added.
If possible, parents should aim for a serving of calcium, protein and complex carbohydrates, as well as fruits and veggies, in their children’s lunches. Complex carbs provide energy throughout the day, rather than in small doses. White milk and yogurt – not the kind loaded with sweeteners – do double-duty as both protein and calcium sources that are more likely to prevent steep spikes or drops in blood sugar levels. That’s especially important for kids who have their lunch earlier or later than usual.
It’s OK to include a sweet treat as well, provided kids know they also need to eat their other food. Pudding cups can be a calcium source and granola bars can provide extra energy if they have at least 3 grams of fiber and less than 10 grams of sugar.
When kids buy their lunch at school, encourage them to make good choices. While most districts have eliminated trans fats from their menus, there are still opportunities for kids to make unhealthful a la carte purchases. Harkins said parents should try to find a reasonable compromise.
“Have a good, honest conversation about what they’re eating. If their school has a salad bar, ask them to do a salad at least twice a week,” Harkins said. “ It’s all about teaching them moderation. Otherwise, if you ram it down their throat, they’re going to fight it.”
Start the morning right
It should go without saying, but make breakfast a priority. Martha Coppage-Lawrence, a senior nurse practitioner at Hodgson Vocational Technical High School near Newark, said she still sees students who skip breakfast in an attempt to reduce calories and lose weight. They don’t realize the extra hunger pangs may result in a slower metabolism or overeating later in the day. They also don’t think about the consequences in the classroom, like a lack of attention or difficulty focusing.
“We try talking to them about how that plan usually backfires on them and how body and brain don’t function as well if they’re not getting the nutrition they need,” Coppage-Lawrence said.
When it comes to the first meal of the morning, kids – and their parents – should stay away from high-sugar breakfast foods. Sugary cereals and doughnuts can cause kids to have an energy slump in the midmorning. But if it’s a choice between a doughnut and nothing, at least eat the doughnut, Harkins said. “We don’t want to tell people to eat food like that, but really you should eat something, even if it’s last night’s dinner,” she said.
Coppage-Lawrence said she also tries to talk with kids about the academic advantage breakfast can provide. Last year at another school, the wellness center worked with a peer educator group and provided fruit, cheese sticks and a whole-grain cereal mix to students in advance of the Delaware Student Testing Program. The idea was to stress the importance of good nutrition and how it can contribute to improved concentration, feeling more alert and an overall better ability to perform.
But there are times when the food choices are out of the students’ control. “Sometimes we will hear, ‘My parents don’t buy that,’ ” Coppage-Lawrence said.
Healthy habits start early
In addition to packing healthy lunches for her kids, Davis also tries to stock up on nutritious snacks to quell midafternoon hunger pangs. Her daughters know they can always find cut-up melon, grapes or berries in the fridge. It may be a little extra work on their mom’s part, but Davis said it’s worth it.
“I know if it’s put away in the drawer, it’s like it’s not there,” she said. “Doing this, they see it.”
Simple tricks like that not only make it easy for kids to eat well, they also show kids that their parents are practicing healthy habits, Harkins said. If children know their parents eat the same way they do, they are more likely to reach for that apple or celery stalk instead of a bag of chips.
When Lucas Ramsey, 8, pulls out his sandwich made with whole-wheat bread and low-sodium cheese and crunches on raw broccoli and red pepper strips, he knows it’s pretty close to the same thing his mom, Jessica, is eating. Like him, she takes to work a bag lunch filled with fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
“To me, lunch is definitely important,” said Ramsey, a mother of three who plans out her family’s lunches just as she does with dinners. “I look at it as fueling his day.”
Ramsey, who owns Physicore, a personal training studio in Pike Creek, said she and her husband teach their children to view food as the energy source powering their day. They prefer to give them high-quality whole foods while explaining the difference between a snack (something to eat when you’re hungry) and a treat (something that satisfies a craving).
So far, it seems to be making a difference. Lucas, who will be going into the third grade, prefers his raw spinach leaves and veggies without dips or sauces. His younger sisters seem to be following his example.
Harkins said some parents believe their kids are programmed to want junk food, but if they’re exposed to fresh foods and variety in their diets, chances are they’ll seek out healthier fare. “You really may have to offer it to them 10 times, but then they’ll take it,” she said. “Just keep at it.”
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC office announcement as seen in the Cape Gazette, July 24, 2009.
Nutrition, fitness firm to open in Lewes
Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, owner of Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC, will open an office in the Good For You Market Saturday, Aug. 1. Harkins said the products the market offers align with the personalized nutrition plans she develops for her clients. Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC offers science-based, client-focused nutrition and fitness services from licensed, registered dietitians and certified personal trainers. For more information, visit idealnutritionandfitness.com
Andy Meddick, owner of Good for You Natural Market, and Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, owner of Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC pose in front of Good for You's fresh produce section in the Good for You market.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in an article in the Cape Gazette, July 9, 2009.
Bayhealth Dietitian Attends Professional Leadership Institute
Lisa Harkins, a clinical dietitian at Bayhealth Medical Center-Milford Memorial Hospital, was among the national leaders of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) who were selected to attend ADA's sixth Leadership Institute held recently in Dallas, Texas.
Harkins serves the inpatient population at Milford Memorial Hospital and is the outpatient dietitian for Bayhealth's cancer centers. She also serves the American Dietetic Association (ADA) as secretary/treasurer-elect of the Delaware Dietetic Association.
Participation in the ADA's Leadership Institute, an intensive certificate training program in the theory and practice of leadership in dietetics, is limited to fewer than 300 of ADA s more than 70,000 members throughout the country.
"This program is designed to enhance the leadership skills of ADA members through informational sessions and practice-based educational experiences," said registered dietitian and ADA President Jessie M. Pavlinac.
"The Leadership Institute is part of the American Dietetic Association's mission to empower members to be the nation's food and nutrition leaders. This meeting supports ADA's commitment to its members and ensures that they further develop the skills that can help them to lead within ADA, as well as their own places of employment," Pavlinac said.
With more than 70,000 members, the American Dietetic Association is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. To locate a registered dietitian in your area, visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org.
The American Dietetic Association recently held its sixth Leadership Institute in Dallas, TX. Shown are (l-r) Delaware Dietetic Association President Dawn Clausing, RD; American Dietetic Association President Jessie Palinac, MS, RD; and Delaware Dietetic Association Secretary/Treasurer-elect Lisa Harkins, RD.
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New state law defines 'nutritionist'
Requiring a license is intended to protect consumers from potentially harmful advice
By HIRAN RATNAYAKE
The News Journal
June 23, 2009
For years, anyone in the state could call themselves a nutritionist, advertise their services, charge for consultations and give advice. It didn't matter if they had any formal training in nutrition counseling.
But due to the efforts of registered dietitians, the term "nutritionist" is now protected by law.
As of Sunday, a license is required to practice as a nutritionist in Delaware. To obtain a license, a person must be a registered dietitian, as recognized by the American Dietetic Association. If the individual is not a registered dietitian, then the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation must recognize their training as sufficient to operate as a nutritionist.
Local registered dietitians say the Dietitian/Nutritionist Licensure Act will protect consumers from advice from untrained professionals. It also will save consumers from having to check the credentials of every so-called nutritionist they encounter.
Delaware is one of 16 states to require licensure of registered dietitians and nutritionists, according to the American Dietetic Association. Violators can be fined up to $1,000 a day.
"This wasn't meant as anything against people who operate a fitness-counseling program or a weight-management program," said Sen. Bethany Hall-Long, D-Glasgow, co-sponsor of the bill. "This law was really passed for people who falsely advertise as a licensed nutritionist or a licensed registered dietitian."
Nutrition a science
Supporters of the new law say nutritional advice from an unqualified person can result in harm. "In the same way that you want your physician to be licensed, it's important that your nutritionist be qualified," said Marianne Carter, a registered dietitian and director of the Delaware Center for Health Promotion.
Take someone with kidney disease who wants to build muscle. They can damage the small filtering cells in the kidney if they consume too much protein based on the advice of an untrained professional.
"Nutrition is a science and it is a component of medicine," said Deanna Rolland, immediate past president of the Delaware Dietetic Association. "If you're going to practice this type of work, then you need to label yourself appropriately."
In another scenario, liver damage can result if an elderly person consumes large amounts of certain supplements. An untrained nutritionist may also encourage someone to go on supplements that can interact with medications, Rolland said.
To become a registered dietitian, a person must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college and must have been through a supervised practice program at a health care, community or food service institution. They also must pass a national exam.
The American College of Nutrition has a board that certifies people as "certified nutrition specialists." To qualify, applicants must have an advanced degree -- such as a master's or doctorate from an accredited institution -- in the field of nutrition. It also requires professional experience in a licensed medical field, 50 documented hours of continuing education in nutrition and a passing score on a board exam. Currently, the only certified nutrition specialist in Delaware is Scott Schreiber, a Glasgow chiropractor.
"I understand what they're trying to do," he said. "However, they have to include reputable organizations instead of just the dietitians."
Other nutritionist organizations are significantly less credible. The American Association of Nutritional Consultants, for example, has been criticized for having a flimsy certification process. In a 2004 article in the British newspaper The Guardian, medical doctor and journalist Ben Goldacre wrote that he was able to acquire a certificate from the association for his dead cat for $60.
"You don't need to be human. You don't even need to be alive," he wrote. "No exam. No check-up on your qualifications. ... Presumably, the diploma is there to certify that you have $60."
Is the line blurred?
To-ze Manjerico is a former bodybuilder who has been providing nutritional counseling for more than 20 years. He is not a registered dietitian. He runs Nutrition Concepts in Newark, and based on his understanding of the law, he said he can continue his practice. He references a passage in the law that says it protects people who present a general program for weight control approved by a licensed doctor. He said all he needs is for a client to have a doctor's referral.
"I think the law is fair," he said.
Collison, however, isn't certain that Manjerico will be able to continue nutrition counseling. She said any individualized nutrition counseling by someone not considered a licensed nutritionist would be in violation of the new Delaware law.
Jason Barkus, of Clayton, began seeing a registered dietitian in December in an effort to get a better handle on his diet. Since then, he's lost 35 pounds.
Barkus said he always felt there was a blurry fine line between the terms "registered dietitian" and "nutritionist." He thinks consumers will benefit from the new law.
"I think in the long run, it would give more credit for the professional work of dietitians and nutritionists," he said.
Additional Facts
ON THE WEB
To review the Dietitian/ Nutritionist Licensure Act, visit dpr.delaware.gov. Click on "Dietitians & Nutritionists" and then "License Law." Then click on "License Law" again in the center of the Web page.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the May 2009 edition of Delaware Moms in an article on getting in shape for swimsuit season:
Swimsuit-able?
Ways to get (and keep) that winter weight off
By Denise Morrison Yearian
With swimsuit season on the horizon, you may want to whittle away those extra pounds before slipping into that sleek one-piece or bikini. Following are a few tried-and-true strategies from local fitness and nutrition experts.
1. Plan ahead. “Plan your menu for the week and put it on the calendar,” says Maryann Eastep, a registered dietitian and consultant. “This will alleviate having to rely on fast food or unhealthy options when you’re on the go. On your day off, make and freeze a week’s worth of sandwiches and casseroles and cut and bag fresh vegetables. Also put that Crock-Pot to good use. Pull together the ingredients the night before, turn it on the next morning and dinner will be done by the time you get home.”
2. Pinpoint goals. “Writeout your goals using the SMART approach: Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timebound. Then post them in a visible location,” says Joanna Zaremba, YMCA health and wellness director. “Break down large weight-loss goals into more manageable ones and celebrate successes along the way – purchase a new workout outfit, cross-training shoes, a heart rate monitor or a sport watch. Or get a massage.”
3. Reflecton writings. “Exercise and food journals are a great way to track progress and analyze changes that need to be made,” says registered dietitian Lisa Harkins. “If you find you aren’t attaining your goals, go back to your journal: ‘Do I need to add another spinning glass or cut out that nighttime snack?’ Write down strengths and weaknesses, too, so you can strategize and come up with suitable alternatives.”
4. Buddy up. “If child care when you exercise is a problem, form a tag team,” says Bonnie White, owner of seven New Castle County Curves gyms. “Get four moms together and rotate times so two can work out together while the other two stay home with the kids. This will keep you motivated, help hold one another accountable and make the workout more enjoyable.”
5. Fitness on the fly. “Keep your workout clothes and shoes with you and look for opportunities to exercise,” says Eastep. “While the kids are at ball practice, run around the field. When they are at the dentist, walk around the parking lot. If an appointment or meeting is canceled at the last minute, scoot to the gym or park for a quick workout.”
“I get up early every morning to work out before the kids are out of bed,” says Christy Montgomery, a Wilmington mother of two, home educator, fitness and nutrition specialist. “If, by chance, they get up and I’m not done, I finish my routine during naptime. I also incorporate exercise into the children’s daily curriculum. Every day we do a half-hour of dancing and another half-hour of gymnastics, and I’m moving right along with them.”
6. Alternate exercises. “I recommend 30 minutes of strength training three times a week with aerobic exercises on off days,” says White. “When strength training, use resistance equipment such as yoga bands. Crank out as many upper body reps as you can in 30 seconds then do 30 seconds of aerobics, followed by 30 seconds of lower body resistance and another 30 seconds of aerobics. Start the cycle over again.”
7. Merge family fitness with fun. “When you take a walk, bring along the kids and play games such as ‘20 Questions’ and ‘I Spy’ to keep it fun. Or have a scavenger hunt and let them find various nature objects,” says Zaremba. “Help your child with vocabulary by taking turns jumping rope or doing hopscotch while she spells out her words. You can do rhyming activities or teach counting the same way too. Games such as Wii Fit and Dance Dance Revolution combine family and fitness too.”
8. Lighten up. “Try simple substitutions when you’re cooking,” says Harkins. “Use 99 percent fat-free ground turkey instead of beef; switch out sugar for Splenda; and if a sauce recipe calls for butter, use cornstarch and water to thicken it instead. Also watch mindless calories – thoughtless snacking, nibbling while you cook, eating off your kids’ plates and high-calorie beverages. Keep track of portions by reading the servings sizes on food labels, and using scales and measuring cups and spoons.”
9. Graze and gauge. “The kids and I eat five healthy snacks throughout the day,” says Montgomery. “This stabilizes our blood sugar, revs our metabolism and wards off the ‘I’mbored’ binges.”
Good idea, says Harkins. “Gauge your hunger level from 1 to 10. When you reach that 5 to 7 range, eat a small meal or snack that includes a protein source. If you’re below that range, it’s not time to eat; above that range and you may overeat.”
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner and clinical dietitian for Bayhealth Medical Centers Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the Delaware State News in an article regarding the new health care reform bill (April 22, 2009).
Bayhealth Registered Dietitian Takes Part in DC Visit Urging Nutrition Services for the Public - Thursday, April 23, 2009
Chronic diseases have become an epidemic in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic diseases including heart disease, hypertension and diabetes are the leading cause of death and disability in the country. They also account for three quarters of the nation’s current healthcare spending. Because a healthy lifestyle is key to preventing or reducing these diseases, it is critical to make sure nutrition care is available to the public.
Dietitians from throughout the state of Delaware visited Washington, DC and met with senior staff members from the offices of Sen. Carper, Rep. Castle and Sen. Kaufman. The purpose of their visit was to ensure consideration of nutrition services provided by qualified Registered Dietitians within the new Healthcare Reform Bill.
Bayhealth Clinical Dietitian Lisa Harkins, RD, stressed the significance of these nutrition services by saying, “We consider good nutrition critical to preventive care of chronic diseases, and prevention is one of President Obama’s main objectives for the bill.”
One of the increasingly common chronic diseases being seen around the country is diabetes. In Delaware, approximately 70,000 people have the disease and that number continues to grow. “Diabetes is a massive problem in our state and younger and younger people are being diagnosed everyday,” said Ms. Harkins. With access to nutrition services and education, the public would be better able to catch diabetes early, and ultimately prevent the disease from occurring.
During their visit, the dietitians also lobbied for a budget resolution that includes $20 billion over five years for the Child Nutrition Act. This resolution would increase funding for school meal programs in order to ensure nutritious meals are provided to children
The group asked for an increase in the reimbursement rates for school lunches so Delaware school districts can provide more nutritious meals. “The current reimbursement for a ‘free’ lunch is $2.57 and that is not enough to cover the cost of producing a nutritious, balanced school meal,” said Ms. Harkins.
Both the new Healthcare Reform Bill and Child Nutrition Act will go to the Senate in fall of 2009.
Photo ID: (l to r) Rachel Schiavone, RD, MS candidate, University of Delaware; Deanna Rolland, RD, MS, CDN, Clinical Dietitian with Genesis Healthcare; Lisa Harkins, RD, Clinical Dietitian with Bayhealth Medical Center; Alisha Jacobson, RD, CDN, Nutrition Specialist with Colonial School District; Natalie McKenney, RD, CDN, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner and clinical dietitian for Bayhealth Medical Centers Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the Cape Gazette in an article regarding National Nutrition Month (March 17, 2009).
Bayhealth celebrates National Nutrition Month
“If you are not losing weight, you still may be losing fat and increasing your body’s health,” said Harkins. |
Submitted Photo
Registered Dietitians Lisa Harkins, left and Pam Pearson, are urging people to become more healthy by making good choices about the foods and beverages they consume.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Hiran Ratnayake regarding cooking meals more healthfully (March 10, 2009).
Eating smarter
A little tinkering can make recipes healthful
By HIRAN RATNAYAKE
The News Journal
Among Robyn Unthank's repertoire of recipes, the most popular is her macaroni and cheese.
The dish, which takes 90 minutes to prepare, calls for whole-milk cheese, butter, eggs and bread crumbs. Although Unthank makes it a point to cook and eat healthfully most of the time, she doesn't dare lower the fat and calorie content in her mac-and-cheese -- that might mess with its taste.
"I don't want to take the time and spend all the money on the ingredients to make it healthier only to find out that it's going to taste worse," said Unthank, who lives in Wilmington.
The good news is, it doesn't have to taste bad to be better for you. With just a few substitutions or different steps, meat dishes, pasta dishes, chilies, stews and even desserts can be made lower in calories, fat, sugar and cholesterol, say registered dietitians and personal chefs. Sometimes they can even be made higher in important nutrients.
"When you're talking about savory items, there are many ways to cut the fat and cut the sugar and make it still taste really good," said Lisa Brisch, a personal chef from Middletown who recently held a healthy cooking demonstration in Bellefonte. There, Unthank and more than a dozen other participants learned how to make a soup, a salsa and black bean quesadillas that taste just as yummy as the ones in a restaurant -- but with less fat, sugar and calories.
Altering recipes doesn't mean you need to spend more money. In fact, you might find yourself saving money by dining on chef-quality food at home, instead of at your favorite restaurant. When possible, make extra; it'll save time as well as money.
"You can put the food you make in serving-size containers and half of it can be stored in bulk in the freezer," said Mary Trotter, a clinical dietitian with Nemours Health & Prevention Services. "It's a good way to have something healthy on hand."
Cornerstone of good health
Healthy eating is a key to good health -- it can help lower our chances of developing a chronic illness, said Dr. William Weintraub, chief of cardiology with Christiana Care Health System. It can also help lower the chances of having a heart attack.
"If we cut down the amount of fats we eat, we cut down the amount of fats in the blood that can cause blockages over a period of time," said Weintraub, who also works with the American Heart Association.
It's not just the amount and types of fats we need to consider. Weintraub said there are also significant benefits to reducing the amount of sugar in our diet. Cutting sugar means cutting calories, and that helps reduce our risk of diabetes and obesity.
"Eating right is one of the cornerstones of good health and in the prevention of heart attacks, strokes, obesity and diabetes," Weintraub said.
That's why it's a good idea to try to "slim down" recipes. Derek Brewington, a personal chef from Newark, said many pasta and chicken dishes call for heavy cream, butter and lots of salt. But there are ways to make them healthier without sacrificing taste.
Instead of cream in his chicken dishes, he opts for light chicken broth. He uses olive oil instead of butter to sauté chicken. And he often adds low-fat or fat-free dressings, which contribute flavor and oil to help keep the chicken from drying out.
"I want to take the fat out, but most of the flavor comes from the fat," said Brewington. "So the marinade will give a more healthy flavor to the chicken."
You can also reduce the fat by buying the leanest ground beef or using a substitute. About 3 1/2 ounces of ground turkey has just over 2 grams of saturated fat and 149 calories; that same amount of 85 percent lean ground beef has 6 grams of saturated fat and 215 calories, said Lewes registered dietitian Lisa Harkins.
And ground turkey can easily be substituted in lasagna, spaghetti and ziti dishes, as well as chilies and other dishes.
"Ground turkey is becoming much more accepted as people realize that you don't have to have that greasy taste," she said.
Egg yolks are loaded with cholesterol and have less protein than egg whites, Harkins said. So if you're making an omelette with four eggs, use only one whole egg and three whites.
"You'll barely notice the difference at all," she said.
But your body will. Four yolks contain 839 milligrams of cholesterol and 18 grams of total fat; using only one cuts that by 75 percent.
Getting desserts right
Desserts are more complicated, since many need the fat to maintain the texture and taste. Baked desserts, like a crème brûlée, require a certain amount of fat for creaminess.
And nonfat substitutes don't melt as well.
Brewington said it's important to know which ingredients can be successfully substituted. He'll use light cool whip instead of regular cool whip and reduced-fat cream cheese instead of the regular kind for his no-bake cheesecake.
Another trick is to use less sugar. If a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, use 1/4 cup or 1/3 cup less instead. This works well with quick breads, cookies, pie fillings, custard, puddings and fruit cakes. But it may not work for some cakes. You can compensate by increasing the amount of cinnamon or vanilla in a recipe.
For extra richness in her recipes, Betty Burleigh, a personal chef in Bear, uses evaporated skim milk instead of whole or 2 percent milk. Another way she makes her recipes better is by using whole wheat flour, oatmeal and whole cornmeal instead of highly refined products.
For example, if a recipe calls for 2 cups of flour, she'll use 1 cup of all-purpose flour and 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon of whole-wheat flour. She prepares muffins and quick breads using three ripe, well-mashed bananas as opposed to a 1/2 cup of butter, lard or shortening.
She also replaces the butter with applesauce in her muffins. In her mashed potatoes, she uses nonfat sour cream instead of butter and she mixes it with skim milk.
"I make my pancakes using whole wheat flour instead of white flour," she said, "and they taste just as good and just as fluffy."
The prices for fat-free substitutes typically are about the same as their fattier counterparts. Fat-free milk, however, is cheaper than 1 percent, 2 percent and whole.
Preparing a dish at home also saves money and, for the most part, provides better nutrition, since many processed foods are loaded with salt.
Multigrain rather than white
Within 20 minutes of Brisch's cooking demonstration, the black bean quesadillas were ready for testing. Instead of using white flour tortillas, she used multigrain ones. She spread only a little cheese (reduced fat, of course) inside each.
"Not only are we cutting back on lower-fat ingredients, we're also using less cheese, because you don't want a quesadilla that is only cheese," Brisch said.
Three quesadillas using white flour tortillas and 1 full-fat cup of cheese would have 303 calories, 17 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber. With Brisch's recipe, they had only 232 calories and 10 grams of fat. Brisch's quesadillas also had 6 grams of fiber.
To Jeanette LaVecchia, of Wilmington, on hand for the demo, the quesadillas tasted quite different from the ones she's eaten in restaurants.
"The others have so much cheese in them that they're overbearing," she said. "But this tastes good."
It also tastes healthy, said Michele Lloyd, of Wilmington.
"It's flavorful but not heavy," she said. "It's very fresh and light."
Perhaps those black bean quesadillas should be called guilt-free quesadillas.
CORN AND BLACK BEAN QUESADILLAS
2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon minced garli
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup frozen roasted corn kernels, thawed
2 teaspoon lime juice
Kosher salt
2 8-inch multigrain tortillas
2/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Pepper Jack cheese
1 tablespoon sliced pickled jalapeños (optional)
1. Heat vegetable oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
2. Add green onions and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, for about three minutes.
3. Add garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant, for about 30 seconds.
4. Stir in beans and corn and cook until heated through, for about one minute.
5. Gently press mixture with spatula to lightly crush black beans.
6. Transfer mixture to a bowl, stir in lime juice and season to taste with salt.
7. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and return pan to medium heat.
8. Add one tortilla and toast for one to two minutes; flip it and toast the other side for about one minute. Slide tortilla onto cutting board, and toast second tortilla.
9. To assemble, sprinkle half the cheese, half the bean mixture and half the jalapeños over half the tortilla. Fold tortilla in half and press down to create quesadilla. Repeat with other tortilla.
10. Spray quesadillas with cooking spray.
11. To cook, place both folded quesadillas into heated skillet, sprayed side down; spray side facing up with cooking spray.
12. Cook over medium heat until crisp and slightly browned.
13. Using a spatula, flip quesadillas and cook on the second side until it is also crisp and browned and the cheese is melting.
14. Transfer quesadillas to a cutting board and let cool a few minutes. Cut each into 3 wedges and serve.
I-CAN'T-BELIEVE-IT'S-BLACK-BEANS-BROWNIES!
1 box dry brownie mix (dark chocolate/fudge flavor recommended)
1 15.5-ounce can black beans
Low-fat cooking spray
Tap water
1. Drain black beans in a colander and rinse beans with cool tap water thoroughly in sink. Place beans back into rinsed can, then fill can to top with cool tap water.
2. Put can of black beans and water into a food processor or blender and pulse until well-blended and smooth. You will still see bits of black beans, but try to get as smooth a consistency as possible.
3. Place dry brownie mix in a large mixing bowl.
4. Add black bean purée to dry brownie mix and mix well.
5. Pour batter into an 8-by-8 inch glass pan greased with low-fat cooking spray.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pan into oven. Check the brownie mix box for recommended cooking time and cooking temperature, since those can vary depending on brand and pan size.
7. When brownies are done baking, remove pan from oven and cool for at least 30 minutes.
8. Slice into 16 squares if using an 8-by-8 inch pan.
PUREED VEGETABLE CUBES
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 chopped onion
2 chopped garlic cloves
10 chopped baby carrots
1/4 cup olive oil
1. Sauté peppers, onions, garlic and carrots in olive oil in a pan until soft, for about 20 minutes.
2. Place vegetables in food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Place in ice cube trays and freeze.
4. Once frozen, place cubes in a zip lock bag and keep in freezer.
5. When cooking, add the frozen vegetable cubes to sauces, chilies, spaghetti, baked ziti, soups and bottled tomato sauces.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Kelly Bothum, regarding the program "Eat Smart for a Healthy Heart", which was developed and facilitated with Kathleen Splane, MS, Extension Educator, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension (September 30, 2008).
Eating the right foods for a healthy heart.
Three-week program in Dover shows how a diet that's high in fruits and vegetables can be high in flavor, too.
By KELLY BOTHUM
The News Journal
When it comes to heart health, Delaware residents are above average -- but not in a good way.
As a whole, we rank higher than the rest of the nation in the percentage of people with hypertension, high cholesterol and heart disease. Most of us -- nearly 79 percent -- don't eat enough fruits and vegetables daily, according to the 2007 results of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a national survey of health in the United States.
Diet has long been heralded as one of the cornerstones of heart health, but food educator Kathleen Splane believes too many people equate eating healthy with cardboard rice cakes, bland chicken breasts and overcooked vegetables.
Splane, who works for the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension in Kent County, hopes to change those misperceptions through an upcoming three-week program called "Eat Smart for a Healthy Heart.
With a menu that includes salmon with dill sauce, roasted vegetables and mocha brownies that substitute fruit for fat, Splane thinks she can convince even the most skeptical gastronome that eating good can also be good for you.
"We want to show people that they can prepare foods for their own family and eat heart healthy without sacrificing taste and flavor," said Splane, who will teach the class with registered dietitian Lisa Harkins. "We know if it doesn't taste good, people aren't going to make changes."
Splane and Harkins have taught cooking classes for diabetics, but this is the first time they'll be tackling the topic of heart health. One of their main motivators was to help people who have heard from their doctor that they need to make changes in how they eat.
Cookbooks and Web sites offer heart-healthy food options, but it can be hard to digest the myriad information, said Harkins. Even the grocery store can be an intimidating place with all the different kinds of products touting their cardiac benefits.
"I think it's really out there, but it's a bunch of facts and information," she said. "Nothing tells people, 'OK, what kind of meal will be good? What should I cook?' "
The three-week class will include a breakdown of the heart-healthy products on the market, including comparisons based on price and the advertised benefits of using them. Splane and Harkins also will be pushing a diet high in fruits and vegetables by making them the focus of a meal rather than the meat or protein. With recipes like pork stir fry, General Tso's chicken and fruit cobbler, there should be something for everyone's tastes.
The class is open to anyone, but Splane and Harkins are targeting what they call the "gatekeeper of the family" -- the person who prepares most of the meals in the home. Even if there's only one person in a family who has cardiac problems, it benefits everyone to eat a heart-healthy diet.
In his practice, Wilmington cardiologist Dr. Edward Goldenberg specializes in patients who have cholesterol problems, including low levels of the good cholesterol -- known as HDL -- and high triglycerides, which is a type of fat that comes from excessive carbohydrate consumption. Although he talks with patients about heart-healthy foods and often asks them to bring in a food diary chronicling their meals, he said many doctors lack both the time and expertise to educate their patients about healthy food choices. Instead, they tell them to eat a low-fat diet or give them a handout.
It also doesn't help that the services of health professionals who can most help patients make lasting health changes -- dietitians and nutritionists -- often don't qualify for coverage under most people's health insurance.
"You can't ask them to create a lifestyle change and then tell them to come back in six months or a year," said Goldenberg, who sometimes uses a handshake as a makeshift contract to give some patients the push they need to make health changes.
For the patient who eats one main meal a day, Goldenberg tries to encourage them to have several smaller meals -- including snacks -- over the course of the day. He tries to get them to reduce their carbohydrate intake and increase their consumption of proteins and polyunsaturated fats. And he encourages them to consider taste when planning their meals.
The goal of "Eat Smart for a Healthy Heart" isn't to get people to make radical changes that they won't be able to sustain. "It's really just small steps," Harkins said. "If we get someone just to cut out butter and that's the one thing they concentrate on, that's a success."
Contact Kelly Bothum at 324-2962 or kbothum@delawareonline.com.
BY THE NUMBERS
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System is the world's largest ongoing telephone survey. Since 1984, it has tracked health conditions and risk behaviors in the United States. Here's a look at how Delaware compares with the rest of the country:
Percentage of people who have been told they have heart disease:
U.S.
-- 4.1 percent
Delaware
-- 5.3 percent
Percentage who had their cholesterol checked and were told it was high:
U.S.
-- 37.6 percent
Delaware
-- 38.3 percent
Percentage who have been told they have high blood pressure:
U.S.
-- 27.8 percent
Delaware
-- 29.3 percent
Percentage who consume five or more fruits and vegetables daily
U.S.
-- 24.4 percent
Delaware
-- 21.4 percent
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, featured in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Nancy Coale Zippe, regarding the program "Dining with Diabetes", which was developed and facilitated with Kathleen Splane, MS, Extension Educator, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension (September 3, 2008).
We can all benefit from recipes for diabetics.
WHAT'S COOKING
By NANCY COALE ZIPPE
The News Journal
The dramatic increase of people diagnosed with diabetes has topped 700 percent in the last 50 years. It is estimated that in Delaware , 10 percent of the population is afflicted, representing about 85,000 people.
The good news is studies have revealed that complications, such as kidney failure, blindness and amputations, can be delayed, and perhaps prevented, by careful control of blood sugar. This requires planning meals with reduced sugar, salt and fat.
Dining with Diabetes is a workshop presented by Kathleen Splane, extension educator, and Lisa Harkins, a registered dietitian. The three-class series will feature diabetes education, cooking demonstrations, tastings and handouts of recipes and information for managing diabetes.
The program is open to those with diabetes and their family members. It will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 and 11. You must plan to attend all three sessions.
Send a check for $30 made payable to University of Delaware (or a request for a scholarship) to Kathleen Splane, Kent County Cooperative Extension Office, 69 Transportation Circle, Dover , 19901, where the classes will be held. If you have questions, call 730-4000.
Here is a sampling of their recipes for healthful eating, which should appeal to us all.
LEMON-DILLY CHICKEN SAUTÉ
4 chicken breast halves, boned, skinned
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
With meat mallet or similar flattening utensil, pound chicken breasts to 1¼4-inch thickness.
In a shallow dish, mix bread crumbs, lemon pepper and dill weed. Put lemon juice in a second dish. One piece at a time, dip chicken in lemon juice, then in the crumb mixture to coat all sides.
In a large, nonstick fry pan, heat oil to medium-high. Cook chicken, turning, about 10 minutes or until it is brown and fork tender.
LOWER FAT MACARONI AND CHEESE
2 cups macaroni
2 tablespoons reduced-fat margarine
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup skim milk
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1/2 cup reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Cook macaroni according to box directions. Drain in colander.
Melt margarine in a medium saucepan. Mix cornstarch into cold skim milk. Add both milks to the margarine. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly. When sauce thickens, remove from heat and add shredded cheeses. Stir in drained macaroni. Put in a casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray and bake uncovered 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
PUMPKIN PIE
Wow! There is a healthier way to make pumpkin pie! Clip this one for Thanksgiving.
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons reduced-fat margarine
3/4 cup Splenda no calorie sweetener
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
1/2 cup cholesterol-free egg substitute (or 3 egg whites)
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated skim milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix graham cracker crumbs and margarine and pat into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.
Mix Splenda, salt and spice mix in a small bowl. Pour egg substitute into a large bowl. Beat pumpkin and the spice mixture into the egg substitute. Gradually blend in the evaporated milk. Pour into the pie shell. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake another 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool.
To request a recipe or send one in response to a request, write to: What's Cooking, 500-B Greenbank Road, Wilmington, DE 19808. Include your name, address and phone number. No calls, please. Recipes in this column are not tested by The News Journal.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Delaware State News in an article by Katie Kazimir regarding eating more healthfully during the holidays (November 25, 2009).
Moderation key when enjoying holiday meals - Calories add up quickly during seasonal parties
by Katie Kazimir, November 25, 2009, Delaware State News
DOVER - Before asking for that second helping of mashed potatoes or Grandma's homemade stuffing, take into consideration the eight pounds people normally gain the weeks from Thanksgiving to Christmas. "You can eat a pound's worth of calories in one day," said clinical dietitian Lisa Harkins of Bayhealth Medical Center. Ms. Harkins said all it takes is 3,500 calories to gain a pound, easily done when loading up on holiday favorites.
"Thanksgiving is one of those times when we generally eat more than we need," said Dr. Carol Giesecke, director of the dietetics program at Delaware State University. Depriving oneself of holiday favorites isn't necessary - so keeping weight down this season doesn't have to mean forgoing the pumpkin pie and green bean casserole. "Once in a while it's not bad," said Dr. Giesecke. "It's about not eating all holiday season long," said Ms. Harkins.
Simply adding an extra 500 calories a day through Christmas could cause someone to gain up to a pound a week. Ms. Harkins said people don't realize how easy adding an extra 500 calories is. "It seems like a lot but it's really easy to do," said Ms. Harkins. A cookie and a couple slices of cheese and crackers would break the limit easily.
With obesity rates on the rise, Ms. Harkins said being mindful of one's diet all season long is critical Lisa in keeping weight gain Harkins down. According to Debora Spano, spokes-woman for United Healthcare, obesity rates in Delaware have gone up 44 percent in the past two decades. In the nation, Delaware ranks 31st for obesity this year, up from 35th last year.
Ms. Spano said people shouldn't pass up on their favorite holiday treats, but they should plan on making smart choices when they splurge. "Think about it ahead of time. You have to make the healthiest choices you can," she said. Dr. Giesecke said to not come to the holiday meal with an attitude of guilt. "Sometimes we're our own worst enemy," she said. "The best thing to do is to enjoy it and know you don't do it every day," she said.
Dr. Giesecke said the focus on Thanksgiving should be more about spending time with family and loved ones than on what food there is to eat. "It's better to eat as slow as possible," said Dr. Giesecke, and what better to way to eat slowly than to sit, chat and visit with family.
"If we eat too fast our brain doesn't get the message we're full until 10 minutes later, and then we're really stuffed," she said.
Another tip is to eat a decent breakfast instead of fasting until dinner time. "Sometimes when you're ravenous you tend to eat more than you need and you eat too fast," said Dr. Giesecke.
To avoid nibbling while preparing food, "put a piece of gum in your mouth," suggests Ms. Spano. Ms. Harkins said serving salad as well as healthy green vegetables is a must at every holiday meal. An easy way to sneak in healthier food options is by providing fruit and vegetable trays with low-fat dips. "People really do like raw vegetables and dip," Ms. Harkins said.
Other ways to make favorite recipes lower in calories is to use applesauce or beans instead of oil in sweet breads and muffins, Egg Beaters instead of eggs, and cutting at least half the sugar with Splenda in baking. "Try to use low-fat dairy whenever you can. It makes such a difference in calories," Ms. Harkins said. "Modifying your recipes to make them less fattening is really key."
Maintaining weight isn't only about watching what you eat, but also being active.
Planning a group activity, such as football or a walk, helps balance out extra calories while allowing families to spend quality time together. "Have a nice saunter around the neighborhood and visit other people in the community," said Dr. Giesecke.
Staff writer Katie Kazimir can be reached at 741-8242 or ckazimir@newszap.com.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Kelly Bothum regarding the Paleo Diet (November 3, 2009).
November 3, 2009
Listening to our ancestors
More fitness buffs are coming to believe that those hunter-gatherers had it right
By KELLY BOTHUM
The News Journal
For years Kara White Schilling followed the crowd when it came to exercise and eating. She'd hit the gym a few times a week for a kickboxing class or 45 minutes on the elliptical machine. She followed a low-fat diet and counted calories.
But she wasn't seeing the results she wanted. So, six months ago she made a radical change. She traded her visits to the gym for thrice-weekly CrossFit workouts that rely on short bursts of strenuous physical exertion. She adopted a high-protein, no-grain, no-dairy diet -- dubbed the Paleo diet because it mimics how our ancestors ate. She also began eating more fruits and vegetables.
The difference? She's lost 12 pounds and dropped a dress size. What's more, her cholesterol has gone down 14 points.
While White's eating plan may not win much support from registered dietitians who worry about nutritional deficiencies arising from eliminating entire food groups, White said she feels better and more nutritionally balanced than in the past. She takes her success as a sign that the one-size-fits-all approach to eating and exercise may not actually fit everyone.
"I can do things now I never thought I could do," said White, who also nixed sugar and caffeine from her diet. "I never realized how strong I was before."
Whether it's challenging mainstream conventions about nutrition or changing the way they exercise, some people are taking a less traditional approach to their health. While some of their methods are contrary to current health recommendations, adherents believe they are following a plan that works for them. They don't need peer-reviewed studies in published journals or endorsements from the medical or sports establishment to prove the legitimacy of what they're doing. They believe because they see the difference in themselves.
It takes a determined person to go against mainstream ideas in the hopes of bettering themselves, said Val Whiting, who owns the GameShape CrossFit fitness program with her husband, Jay Raymond. She said clients who are adhering to the CrossFit workouts and the Paleo diet are seeing life-changing results.
"A lot of things we do are controversial. We cut out dairy and cut out grain. It's so different from what we're taught," said Whiting, who said her family's health has improved since they began eating this way several months ago. "It's about what you love more. Do I love social acceptance more or do I love the health of my children?"
Whiting and Raymond follow the Paleo diet, which includes fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, nuts and seafood. Proponents of the diet believe it is more in line with the way humans ate before agriculture -- in particular, the harvesting of grains -- became the dominant means of feeding people.
Eating with this hunter-gatherer mindset allows for a big dose of fiber, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and low-glycemic carbohydrates, all without the addition of refined sugars, trans fats and salts found in many processed foods. Dieters are encouraged to replace the nutrients they would have gotten from dairy and grains with vegetables and protein. The high concentration of omega-3 found in the nuts, seafood and grass-fed meat that's encouraged also can help with lowering the risk for inflammatory diseases.
Lisa Harkins, a registered dietitian with Bayhealth Medical Center, said it's normal for people to want to individualize the way they eat, but when they follow eating plans that advocate the elimination of entire food groups, they may not realize they're also losing important nutrients. If they cut out dairy, they need to make sure they're getting enough calcium, either through eating more dark-green leafy vegetables, like kale and broccoli, or taking a supplement. They also need to take a supplement for vitamin D.
Eliminating grains can increase the risk of a B-vitamin deficiency, something that's usually seen in third-world countries, where people don't have access to fortified grain products, Harkins said. Without enough thiamine, niacin, riboflavin and other B vitamins that are added to grain products, dieters may begin to feel sluggish and experience tingling sensations and feelings of confusion. It is possible to get some B vitamins from select fruits and vegetables, including avocado, kale and peas.
"You really have to know what you're doing," said Harkins, who also owns Ideal Nutrition and Fitness.
It was a challenge at first for Christine Serio to give up grains. She grew up in an Italian household where pasta and bread were dinner staples. Prior to her switch to the Paleo diet, she had been eating whole grains such as whole-wheat bread because she thought they were better for her. Now most of her meals involve salads with some kind of protein source. She eats lots of spinach, asparagus, cucumbers and broccoli as well as berries.
"At first I thought it was crazy," said Serio, who switched her diet about three months ago. "Once you start to do it you realize almost instantly you feel the changes. I don't feel as sluggish."
While the abundance of fruits and vegetables is good, the emphasis on protein does raise the risk of consuming too much protein and potentially damaging the kidneys, Harkins said. Those following the Paleo diet also need to make sure they're getting at least a minimum amount of carbohydrates so their body functions properly.
Whiting said her family take multivitamins and supplements, including vitamin D and fish oil, to make sure they are getting the nutrients they need. Since eating mostly organic, gluten-free foods on the Paleo diet, Whiting's sons, she said, no longer have gastrointestinal issues and their overall behavior seems to be better.
One of the biggest changes has been in her husband. While following the diet along with an exercise regimen focusing on short bursts of strenuous activity, Raymond has lost 27 pounds and increased his cardiovascular endurance.
"I lost weight and I got stronger," Raymond said.
Running free -- of footwear
Nutrition isn't the only area where there is debate about how best to practice healthy habits. Earlier this year, Christopher McDougall reignited a debate with his book, "Born to Run." The New York Times best-seller is about a tribe of Indians in Mexico who run 100-mile races across treacherous terrain even when they're old, wearing nothing more on their feet than thin sandals made from strips of rubber tires. Their experience convinced McDougall that modern efforts to improve running and prevent injury -- most notably, our shoes -- may be doing more harm than good.
It's an idea that has caught on with Irene Davis, who already knows a thing or two about running. Davis is a physical therapist and professor at the University of Delaware who has been studying running injuries for more than 20 years. She thinks shoe improvements like arch support and rear cushioning may be weakening the muscles in the rear foot. More cushioning means a longer stride for the runner. As a result, more runners wind up landing on their heel rather than in the middle or front of the foot, potentially increasing their risk for injury.
"I believe they're making our feet lazy," said Davis, who started running without shoes over the summer and is now up to four miles three to four times a week. "When you take your shoes off you actually strike the ground differently."
But it's not as easy as slipping off the sneakers and hitting the pavement. Because most runners are used to the extra support, they need to ease into barefoot running, starting off with as little as quarter-mile runs. Not only do their feet have to adjust, but so does the rest of the body, Davis said. And not everybody actually runs barefoot -- some runners opt for shoes with no extra support while others wear thin, glove-like shoes that offer some protection against hazardous objects on the path.
Although there are no studies that suggest footwear can cause injuries in runners, one study did find that wearing footwear didn't reduce the risk of injury either. Davis said she expects more research on the topic in the next two to five years.
"When I run on the pavement barefoot, I get looks like you wouldn't believe," she said. "As a scientist I've got to get the data."
Eating local
Milton resident Carol Blake also credits a book with helping her to make a big change in her life. In her case, it was "Real Food" by Nina Planck, a book that advocates moving away from processed, packaged eating to the kinds of whole -- and even sometimes higher-fat -- foods our older relatives used to eat.
Planck's message resonated with Blake, a physician's assistant, and helped her refocus her eating habits toward more locally grown, unprocessed foods. Blake, who makes her own bread, granola, yogurt and peanut butter, considers herself a "partial locavore." She belongs to a CSA -- short for community supported agriculture -- where she has a subscription service for fresh, local produce. She also eats local eggs and raw milk from Pennsylvania.
For Blake, it's a matter of personal and global health. "I like the idea of supporting local farmers instead of factory farms that are far away. I prefer not to eat food that has been contaminated with antibiotics, growth hormones or pesticides," she said. "I think that our food supply has become so industrialized and processed that it is responsible for a lot of our current health problems, obesity being a good example."
Eating organic may be popular these days, but Harkins also thinks local is more important because it's an opportunity to eat just-picked fruits and vegetables. Many smaller local farms aren't certified organic -- a label bestowed by the government -- but they still follow the same protocols that certified farms do.
Hattie Allen, who runs a small-market garden in Lewes, said the demand for local produce goes beyond the summer months. Allen also grows vegetables like kale, collard greens and lettuce in the winter, thanks to an unheated tunnel that keeps her crops from freezing. Many of the customers who frequent Hattie's Garden are concerned about sustainability, supporting local farmers and, of course, eating good food.
"The people I serve know they can come over here. They know it's more than a business, that it's my passion," Allen said.
Skipping the treadmill
Carol Arnott has always been active, whether it was running, biking or working out in a gym. But about 2 1/2 years ago, she decided she needed a more intensive, structured workout.
She found the challenge in GameShape's CrossFit program. CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program that incorporates components of weighlifting, gymnastics and interval training, all performed at high-intensity levels. Rather than traditional gym equipment, participants use kettle bells, sandbags and pull-up bars to work their body during a short but intense period. The hourlong class includes a warm-up, an intense cardio activity like rowing, jump roping or running, and an anaerobic activity like a deadlift.
"If you think about how our ancestors moved, it was mostly short bursts of energy -- a tiger was chasing them. That's how we train," Whiting said. "We're not meant to go on a treadmill and run for 60 minutes."
Arnott, who goes three times a week at 5:30 a.m. to work out, said the program has boosted her fitness above what she initially expected. "Their whole program is to use your body the way it was designed to be used," said Arnott.
Interval training can be a beneficial form of exercise even for people who have been sedentary, said Guy Scotolati, an exercise physiologist with Christiana Care's Preventive Medicine & Rehabilitation Institute. If people are new to exercising or overweight, it may be too much for them to work out for a consistent 30-minute or hourlong period.
But when practicing interval training on a regular basis, it's important to make sure your muscles are accustomed to the activity, Scotolati said. Incorporating aerobic activity, such as running or riding a bike, can help the body tolerate the highs and lows that come with working out in short bursts, he said. Working anaerobically, such as with weights, also has the advantage of helping to build the body and muscles over time.
Last month, GameShape decided to up the ante with its members by injecting some good-spirited competition into the regular workouts. The Lean and Mean Challenge is a team-based competition that awards points when participants eat, exercise and sleep in ways that mimic our ancestors.
Participants get two points for doing a CrossFit workout. They get one point for each Paleo-style meal they eat and another point for sleeping eight hours a night. One quarter-point is subtracted for each glass of alcohol. And in a twist, participants also can get up to two points for cheating -- eating anything off the Paleo diet -- once a week. It's a planned cheat, and the goal is psychological and physical, Whiting said.
The friendly competition is intended to give people more motivation to improve their health. Arnott said her participation has helped in those moments when temptation looms large.
"Before I might have had that second glass of wine just because," she said. "But when you're on a team, you don't want to let them down."
Additional Information:
Eating like our ancestors?
A small but devoted group are eschewing traditional eating plans and following in the footsteps of their early ancestors. The Paleo diet, developed by Loren Cordain, a professor of health and exercise science at Colorado State University, also has been called the Caveman diet and the Hunter-Gatherer diet.
People who follow this food plan eat lean meat, fresh fruit and vegetables and nuts but no, or little, dairy and grains. Proponents say they get the nutrients they would otherwise ingest from grain and dairy from their vegetable-heavy meals. And because the carbs in their fruits and vegetables are low-glycemic, there are no spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels.
Source: ThePaleoDiet.com
Barefoot running
It's not quite naked running, but barefoot running is causing some controversy.
Most recently, author Christopher McDougall -- who will be speaking at the University of Delaware on Friday -- has caused a sensation with his book, "Born to Run," which details the story of an Indian tribe called the Tarahumara, who can run for hundreds of miles without wearing shoes. The book also explains his argument for why we should run sans shoes. Among his reasons -- there weren't as many running injuries before Nike introduced its first cushioned running shoe in the 1970s.
McDougall will be speaking at 3:30 p.m. Friday in Room 100 of Wolf Hall. The presentation is free and open to the community. For more information, call 831-2792.
What food is available locally?
More than you might expect -- raspberries, corn, lettuce, artichokes, eggs, turkey and beef. June through September are typically the best months for getting local produce, although some farmers may have offerings year-round because they continue to grow in hothouses or cold frames, which shield plants from the winter weather.
The best way to find out what's growing in your area is to visit a farmers' market. Ask the growers about their produce, including how they grow their foods, whether they use chemical pesticides or fertilizers or rotate their crops. Many small farms aren't certified organic, though they may use those methods.
Another option is joining a CSA, which is short for community supported agriculture. It's a subscription service that requires customers to pay in advance for produce and sometimes eggs available later in the year.
If you want to learn more about eating local, you can join the Delaware Locavores group on Yahoo at tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/DeLoca.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Cape Gazette in an article by Rob Kunzig regarding Project Big Guy. (October 27, 2009).
Man on a quest: Lose 70 pounds by new year
Auto Gallery owner already down 22
Brian Hecksher is making changes. He now packs his lunch instead of ordering food with his coworkers. He breakfasts on or-ganic instant oatmeal. He eats Greek yogurt.
“ My entire relationship with food has changed,” he said.
Hecksher, 45 and 408 pounds, is the Big Guy in Project Big Guy, an effort combining the talents of a nutritionist, a health- food vendor and a personal trainer to help Hecksher lose weight.
Hecksher, owner of the Auto Gallery in Lewes, intends to lose 70 pounds by New Year’s Eve; next summer, he said, he plans to be fit enough to take a kayak trip down the Lewes- Rehoboth Canal.
After three weeks’ dieting and exercise, Project Big Guy is off to a great start – he’s already lost 22 pounds. “ I can feel the difference al-ready,” he said. “ Things like tying my shoes or walking up and down steps.”
Hecksher starts his mornings by going to Quest Fitness, where he meets owner Matt Carter.
Hecksher says Carter runs him through a different routine every day, making sure he doesn’t over-work his muscles or otherwise injure himself.
Hecksher looks forward to rowing exercises, but crunches, not so much.
“ Nobody likes crunches,” he said, laughing. “ But it’s some-thing I have to do.”
Carter said Hecksher is in-creasingly able to work out longer and harder.
“ His stamina has dramatically increased,” Carter said. “ That’s the most important part.”
Hecksher said he was initially afraid of stumbling into a temple of gym rats. He was relieved to find that Quest was full of people like him, simply endeavoring to keep fit. “ It’s a good experience, rather than a fearful one,” he said.
Nutritionist Lisa Harkins, owner of Ideal Fitness and Nutri-tion, monitors Hecksher’s eating.
She emphasizes whole foods: Hecksher eats nothing processed, and eats mostly fruits, vegetables, lean meats and fish.
The regimen is less about total abstention, Harkins said, than thoughtful portioning.
“ He can eat foods he likes, just in the right portions,” she said.
“ Even an egg sandwich is allow-able sometimes.”
Hecksher buys all of his gro-ceries from Good For You Mar-ket in Lewes, owned by Andy Meddik.
After three weeks, Hecksher feels confident he’ll hit his year-end goal. He even has a strategy for Thanksgiving, the great allAmerican pig- out: smaller por-tions of healthier dishes and easy on the gravy. Leftovers will be given away, removing the temp-tation of seconds, thirds and fourths.
“ It’s easy,” Hecksher said. “ In fact, Lisa just gave me a course on how to eat healthy during the holidays.”
Harkins said Hecksher is on target to lose 70 pounds in time for 2010, but she said she’d be happy with less.
“ I’m going to be content if he loses 60,” she said. “ It’s not about being on the cover of Men’s Fit-ness. It’s about feeling comfort-able in your clothes.”
Local Health Experts are combining their talents to help Auto Gallery owner Bryan Hecksher lose weight. Shown l to r are: Matt Carter, owner of Quest Fitness, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, ownder of Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC, and Andy Meddick, owner of Good For You Natural Market.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in the Cape Gazette in an article by Tom Walsh regarding the opening of Ideal Nutrition and Fitness' office in the Good For You Natural Market in Lewes (September 8, 2009).
Ideal Nutition and Fitness simplifies the science of good diet - Lifestyle changes can improve health
By Tom Walsh When Lisa Harkins opened Ideal Nutrition and Fitness a year ago in Sussex County as an in- home service, she set her sights upon achieving a specific goal. Using her upbeat attitude and years of experience as a registered dietician, nutritionist and personal trainer, she sought to promote a living style in which her clients would be happier, healthier and more vibrant than ever. Less than a year later, Harkins is beginning to realize the effect she is having. Not only has her list of clients multiplied exponentially, but her clients’ friends are beginning to question how exactly Harkins is eliciting such noticeable results from her clients. “I always say that the perfect one- two punch to staying healthy is dieting and exercise, but people should realize that it involves much more than that,” she said. “ If you don’t have an idea of what exactly is in the foods you are eating, you are missing out on a very important aspect.” A graduate of the University of Delaware, Harkins has found it essential to learn everything there is to know about the proper care of the human body. Harkins recently set up a new office on second floor of Good for You Natural Market in rural Lewes. Her goal is to help one person at a time by providing guidance through Good for You and other nearby markets, showing clients which products are best and which ones should be avoided. Harkins said people who don’t frequently check the nutrition facts and ingredients in their supermarket selections might be surprised at what exactly is in-side the foods they eat every day. Despite grocery stores offering healthier choices than in previous generations, many popular products are jam- packed with unhealthy sugary additives, she said. “Something that people often don’t realize is that while a little added sugar or high fructose corn syrup might not necessarily throw them off their diet, what it essentially does is slowly makethe mind start to crave other sugary foods,” said Harkins. “ Also, I have found that people are commonly skipping by beneficial products with good things like fiber and calcium.” Although it might be difficult to read every nutrition fact in a supermarket, Harkins has found her clients have had peace of mind because she has outlined everything they need in a concise and personalized diet plan. “With a diet plan, my clients know exactly what to eat, at what time of day,” said Harkins, “ and because the diet plan corrects normally unhealthy eating habits, they find that they can lose weight without even having to think about it.” As one of the very few licensed dieticians in Sussex County, Harkins offers a broad range of services to her clients: individual and couples nutritional counseling, personal training and group fitness classes, lifestyle seminars, cooking classes, grocery store tours and restaurant visits. Because Harkins also serves as a dietician for various medical and cancer centers, hours are on an appointment basis. Ideal Nutrition and Fitness is located at 28841 Lewes- Georgetown Highway. The business can also be visited online at idealnutritionandfitness.com.
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REGISTERED DIETICIAN LISA HARKINS recently moved her business, Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC, to the second floor of Good for You Market in Lewes. Offering a broad range of health services to her clients, Harkins hopes to make the science of nutrition more understandable. Photo: Tom Walsh.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, quoted in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Kelly Bothum regarding healthy breakfasts and lunches for kids (August, 18 2009).
Food for thought
Backpack? Check. Cool clothes? Check. Healthy food? Uh-oh. Time to cram
By KELLY BOTHUM
The News Journal
The mad dash for back-to-school must-haves is in full swing. Advertisers are hawking their latest collection of cool clothes, backpacks and school supplies. But while skinny jeans, mechanical pencils and graphing calculators may be on the gotta-have list, fresh fruit, whole-wheat pita pockets and cheese sticks probably aren't.
Perhaps they should be. As kids agonize over which outfit to wear on their first day, many parents wonder about what to feed them. Go with PB&J, the nutrient-dense but boring standby? A prepackaged meal that is easy, but full of processed and artificial ingredients? Or take a chance that they'll buy the school lunch rather than load up on cookies and chocolate milk?
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Parents know that kids benefit from eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, dairy and whole grains. But getting them to eat that way isn't always easy, regardless of whether the meal comes from home or the cafeteria.
Some research studies suggest a link between nutritious food and academic performance. One of the most recent ones, a study of 3,200 Florida elementary-age children involved in a school-based obesity intervention program, found that those who focused on healthy eating and increasing their physical activity also improved their standardized test scores, according to research presented in March at the American College of Cardiology's scientific session.
The group of 6- to 12-year-olds also lost weight and lowered their blood pressure as a result of the effort, which included school-based wellness and healthy lifestyle education during the day. About 60 percent of the kids qualified for free or reduced school lunches.
While lunch is a big concern, however, it's not the only one.
"Some of the studies talk about just making sure students have something in their bellies before the day starts," said Tony Ruggiero, a senior program and policy analyst for Nemours Health & Prevention Services. "When children arrive at school without breakfast, they're not ready to learn."
The challenge for parents is to give kids food that's not only good for them, but tasty enough that it won't end up being traded for a bag of cookies or worse, dumped in the trash.
"You really want to instill in your kids a value for food," said Lisa Harkins, a registered dietitian with Bayhealth Medical Center."If you're not going to eat it, let's talk about what you are going to eat. Let them know you don't just throw things away."
During the school year, Dawn Davis packs two lunches daily, one each for daughters Lindsay and Katelyn Turunc. While the mechanics of the lunch don't change much daily -- half a sandwich for each, a small container of 100 percent juice and a 100-calorie pack of chips or cookies -- she has encouraged the girls, ages 8 and 10, to take ownership of what they eat.
"They help me pack their lunch. They don't complain about half a sandwich because they're little and it's enough. I let them choose what they want with the [snack] pack," said Davis, a single mother of three from Aston, Pa. “We do it the night before and in the morning, they get their own breakfast. It helps them feel like they’re older.”
Let them help
Kids should learn that meals aren’t battles and food choices – like vegetables, fruit and dairy – aren’t weapons used by the enemy, Harkins said. Give them some choices in what they’re eating and solicit their help in the preparation. If they make their lunch or at least pick out its contents, they are more likely to eat it than if they open up the bag to find an unwelcome surprise.
At the same time, don’t set yourself up to be a short-order cook. Have them pick between an apple and a banana, not the entire produce section. If they pick carrots, let them figure out how much to take and bag it themselves. “Making them part of the decision-making process is really key,” she added.
If possible, parents should aim for a serving of calcium, protein and complex carbohydrates, as well as fruits and veggies, in their children’s lunches. Complex carbs provide energy throughout the day, rather than in small doses. White milk and yogurt – not the kind loaded with sweeteners – do double-duty as both protein and calcium sources that are more likely to prevent steep spikes or drops in blood sugar levels. That’s especially important for kids who have their lunch earlier or later than usual.
It’s OK to include a sweet treat as well, provided kids know they also need to eat their other food. Pudding cups can be a calcium source and granola bars can provide extra energy if they have at least 3 grams of fiber and less than 10 grams of sugar.
When kids buy their lunch at school, encourage them to make good choices. While most districts have eliminated trans fats from their menus, there are still opportunities for kids to make unhealthful a la carte purchases. Harkins said parents should try to find a reasonable compromise.
“Have a good, honest conversation about what they’re eating. If their school has a salad bar, ask them to do a salad at least twice a week,” Harkins said. “ It’s all about teaching them moderation. Otherwise, if you ram it down their throat, they’re going to fight it.”
Start the morning right
It should go without saying, but make breakfast a priority. Martha Coppage-Lawrence, a senior nurse practitioner at Hodgson Vocational Technical High School near Newark, said she still sees students who skip breakfast in an attempt to reduce calories and lose weight. They don’t realize the extra hunger pangs may result in a slower metabolism or overeating later in the day. They also don’t think about the consequences in the classroom, like a lack of attention or difficulty focusing.
“We try talking to them about how that plan usually backfires on them and how body and brain don’t function as well if they’re not getting the nutrition they need,” Coppage-Lawrence said.
When it comes to the first meal of the morning, kids – and their parents – should stay away from high-sugar breakfast foods. Sugary cereals and doughnuts can cause kids to have an energy slump in the midmorning. But if it’s a choice between a doughnut and nothing, at least eat the doughnut, Harkins said. “We don’t want to tell people to eat food like that, but really you should eat something, even if it’s last night’s dinner,” she said.
Coppage-Lawrence said she also tries to talk with kids about the academic advantage breakfast can provide. Last year at another school, the wellness center worked with a peer educator group and provided fruit, cheese sticks and a whole-grain cereal mix to students in advance of the Delaware Student Testing Program. The idea was to stress the importance of good nutrition and how it can contribute to improved concentration, feeling more alert and an overall better ability to perform.
But there are times when the food choices are out of the students’ control. “Sometimes we will hear, ‘My parents don’t buy that,’ ” Coppage-Lawrence said.
Healthy habits start early
In addition to packing healthy lunches for her kids, Davis also tries to stock up on nutritious snacks to quell midafternoon hunger pangs. Her daughters know they can always find cut-up melon, grapes or berries in the fridge. It may be a little extra work on their mom’s part, but Davis said it’s worth it.
“I know if it’s put away in the drawer, it’s like it’s not there,” she said. “Doing this, they see it.”
Simple tricks like that not only make it easy for kids to eat well, they also show kids that their parents are practicing healthy habits, Harkins said. If children know their parents eat the same way they do, they are more likely to reach for that apple or celery stalk instead of a bag of chips.
When Lucas Ramsey, 8, pulls out his sandwich made with whole-wheat bread and low-sodium cheese and crunches on raw broccoli and red pepper strips, he knows it’s pretty close to the same thing his mom, Jessica, is eating. Like him, she takes to work a bag lunch filled with fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
“To me, lunch is definitely important,” said Ramsey, a mother of three who plans out her family’s lunches just as she does with dinners. “I look at it as fueling his day.”
Ramsey, who owns Physicore, a personal training studio in Pike Creek, said she and her husband teach their children to view food as the energy source powering their day. They prefer to give them high-quality whole foods while explaining the difference between a snack (something to eat when you’re hungry) and a treat (something that satisfies a craving).
So far, it seems to be making a difference. Lucas, who will be going into the third grade, prefers his raw spinach leaves and veggies without dips or sauces. His younger sisters seem to be following his example.
Harkins said some parents believe their kids are programmed to want junk food, but if they’re exposed to fresh foods and variety in their diets, chances are they’ll seek out healthier fare. “You really may have to offer it to them 10 times, but then they’ll take it,” she said. “Just keep at it.”
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC office announcement as seen in the Cape Gazette, July 24, 2009.
Nutrition, fitness firm to open in Lewes
Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, owner of Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC, will open an office in the Good For You Market Saturday, Aug. 1. Harkins said the products the market offers align with the personalized nutrition plans she develops for her clients. Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC offers science-based, client-focused nutrition and fitness services from licensed, registered dietitians and certified personal trainers. For more information, visit idealnutritionandfitness.com
Andy Meddick, owner of Good for You Natural Market, and Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, owner of Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC pose in front of Good for You's fresh produce section in the Good for You market.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner Lisa Harkins, RD, LDN, featured in an article in the Cape Gazette, July 9, 2009.
Bayhealth Dietitian Attends Professional Leadership Institute
Lisa Harkins, a clinical dietitian at Bayhealth Medical Center-Milford Memorial Hospital, was among the national leaders of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) who were selected to attend ADA's sixth Leadership Institute held recently in Dallas, Texas.
Harkins serves the inpatient population at Milford Memorial Hospital and is the outpatient dietitian for Bayhealth's cancer centers. She also serves the American Dietetic Association (ADA) as secretary/treasurer-elect of the Delaware Dietetic Association.
Participation in the ADA's Leadership Institute, an intensive certificate training program in the theory and practice of leadership in dietetics, is limited to fewer than 300 of ADA s more than 70,000 members throughout the country.
"This program is designed to enhance the leadership skills of ADA members through informational sessions and practice-based educational experiences," said registered dietitian and ADA President Jessie M. Pavlinac.
"The Leadership Institute is part of the American Dietetic Association's mission to empower members to be the nation's food and nutrition leaders. This meeting supports ADA's commitment to its members and ensures that they further develop the skills that can help them to lead within ADA, as well as their own places of employment," Pavlinac said.
With more than 70,000 members, the American Dietetic Association is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. To locate a registered dietitian in your area, visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org.
The American Dietetic Association recently held its sixth Leadership Institute in Dallas, TX. Shown are (l-r) Delaware Dietetic Association President Dawn Clausing, RD; American Dietetic Association President Jessie Palinac, MS, RD; and Delaware Dietetic Association Secretary/Treasurer-elect Lisa Harkins, RD.
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New state law defines 'nutritionist'
Requiring a license is intended to protect consumers from potentially harmful advice
By HIRAN RATNAYAKE
The News Journal
June 23, 2009
For years, anyone in the state could call themselves a nutritionist, advertise their services, charge for consultations and give advice. It didn't matter if they had any formal training in nutrition counseling.
But due to the efforts of registered dietitians, the term "nutritionist" is now protected by law.
As of Sunday, a license is required to practice as a nutritionist in Delaware. To obtain a license, a person must be a registered dietitian, as recognized by the American Dietetic Association. If the individual is not a registered dietitian, then the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation must recognize their training as sufficient to operate as a nutritionist.
Local registered dietitians say the Dietitian/Nutritionist Licensure Act will protect consumers from advice from untrained professionals. It also will save consumers from having to check the credentials of every so-called nutritionist they encounter.
Delaware is one of 16 states to require licensure of registered dietitians and nutritionists, according to the American Dietetic Association. Violators can be fined up to $1,000 a day.
"This wasn't meant as anything against people who operate a fitness-counseling program or a weight-management program," said Sen. Bethany Hall-Long, D-Glasgow, co-sponsor of the bill. "This law was really passed for people who falsely advertise as a licensed nutritionist or a licensed registered dietitian."
Nutrition a science
Supporters of the new law say nutritional advice from an unqualified person can result in harm. "In the same way that you want your physician to be licensed, it's important that your nutritionist be qualified," said Marianne Carter, a registered dietitian and director of the Delaware Center for Health Promotion.
Take someone with kidney disease who wants to build muscle. They can damage the small filtering cells in the kidney if they consume too much protein based on the advice of an untrained professional.
"Nutrition is a science and it is a component of medicine," said Deanna Rolland, immediate past president of the Delaware Dietetic Association. "If you're going to practice this type of work, then you need to label yourself appropriately."
In another scenario, liver damage can result if an elderly person consumes large amounts of certain supplements. An untrained nutritionist may also encourage someone to go on supplements that can interact with medications, Rolland said.
To become a registered dietitian, a person must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college and must have been through a supervised practice program at a health care, community or food service institution. They also must pass a national exam.
The American College of Nutrition has a board that certifies people as "certified nutrition specialists." To qualify, applicants must have an advanced degree -- such as a master's or doctorate from an accredited institution -- in the field of nutrition. It also requires professional experience in a licensed medical field, 50 documented hours of continuing education in nutrition and a passing score on a board exam. Currently, the only certified nutrition specialist in Delaware is Scott Schreiber, a Glasgow chiropractor.
"I understand what they're trying to do," he said. "However, they have to include reputable organizations instead of just the dietitians."
Other nutritionist organizations are significantly less credible. The American Association of Nutritional Consultants, for example, has been criticized for having a flimsy certification process. In a 2004 article in the British newspaper The Guardian, medical doctor and journalist Ben Goldacre wrote that he was able to acquire a certificate from the association for his dead cat for $60.
"You don't need to be human. You don't even need to be alive," he wrote. "No exam. No check-up on your qualifications. ... Presumably, the diploma is there to certify that you have $60."
Is the line blurred?
To-ze Manjerico is a former bodybuilder who has been providing nutritional counseling for more than 20 years. He is not a registered dietitian. He runs Nutrition Concepts in Newark, and based on his understanding of the law, he said he can continue his practice. He references a passage in the law that says it protects people who present a general program for weight control approved by a licensed doctor. He said all he needs is for a client to have a doctor's referral.
"I think the law is fair," he said.
Collison, however, isn't certain that Manjerico will be able to continue nutrition counseling. She said any individualized nutrition counseling by someone not considered a licensed nutritionist would be in violation of the new Delaware law.
Jason Barkus, of Clayton, began seeing a registered dietitian in December in an effort to get a better handle on his diet. Since then, he's lost 35 pounds.
Barkus said he always felt there was a blurry fine line between the terms "registered dietitian" and "nutritionist." He thinks consumers will benefit from the new law.
"I think in the long run, it would give more credit for the professional work of dietitians and nutritionists," he said.
Additional Facts
ON THE WEB
To review the Dietitian/ Nutritionist Licensure Act, visit dpr.delaware.gov. Click on "Dietitians & Nutritionists" and then "License Law." Then click on "License Law" again in the center of the Web page.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the May 2009 edition of Delaware Moms in an article on getting in shape for swimsuit season:
Swimsuit-able?
Ways to get (and keep) that winter weight off
By Denise Morrison Yearian
With swimsuit season on the horizon, you may want to whittle away those extra pounds before slipping into that sleek one-piece or bikini. Following are a few tried-and-true strategies from local fitness and nutrition experts.
1. Plan ahead. “Plan your menu for the week and put it on the calendar,” says Maryann Eastep, a registered dietitian and consultant. “This will alleviate having to rely on fast food or unhealthy options when you’re on the go. On your day off, make and freeze a week’s worth of sandwiches and casseroles and cut and bag fresh vegetables. Also put that Crock-Pot to good use. Pull together the ingredients the night before, turn it on the next morning and dinner will be done by the time you get home.”
2. Pinpoint goals. “Writeout your goals using the SMART approach: Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timebound. Then post them in a visible location,” says Joanna Zaremba, YMCA health and wellness director. “Break down large weight-loss goals into more manageable ones and celebrate successes along the way – purchase a new workout outfit, cross-training shoes, a heart rate monitor or a sport watch. Or get a massage.”
3. Reflecton writings. “Exercise and food journals are a great way to track progress and analyze changes that need to be made,” says registered dietitian Lisa Harkins. “If you find you aren’t attaining your goals, go back to your journal: ‘Do I need to add another spinning glass or cut out that nighttime snack?’ Write down strengths and weaknesses, too, so you can strategize and come up with suitable alternatives.”
4. Buddy up. “If child care when you exercise is a problem, form a tag team,” says Bonnie White, owner of seven New Castle County Curves gyms. “Get four moms together and rotate times so two can work out together while the other two stay home with the kids. This will keep you motivated, help hold one another accountable and make the workout more enjoyable.”
5. Fitness on the fly. “Keep your workout clothes and shoes with you and look for opportunities to exercise,” says Eastep. “While the kids are at ball practice, run around the field. When they are at the dentist, walk around the parking lot. If an appointment or meeting is canceled at the last minute, scoot to the gym or park for a quick workout.”
“I get up early every morning to work out before the kids are out of bed,” says Christy Montgomery, a Wilmington mother of two, home educator, fitness and nutrition specialist. “If, by chance, they get up and I’m not done, I finish my routine during naptime. I also incorporate exercise into the children’s daily curriculum. Every day we do a half-hour of dancing and another half-hour of gymnastics, and I’m moving right along with them.”
6. Alternate exercises. “I recommend 30 minutes of strength training three times a week with aerobic exercises on off days,” says White. “When strength training, use resistance equipment such as yoga bands. Crank out as many upper body reps as you can in 30 seconds then do 30 seconds of aerobics, followed by 30 seconds of lower body resistance and another 30 seconds of aerobics. Start the cycle over again.”
7. Merge family fitness with fun. “When you take a walk, bring along the kids and play games such as ‘20 Questions’ and ‘I Spy’ to keep it fun. Or have a scavenger hunt and let them find various nature objects,” says Zaremba. “Help your child with vocabulary by taking turns jumping rope or doing hopscotch while she spells out her words. You can do rhyming activities or teach counting the same way too. Games such as Wii Fit and Dance Dance Revolution combine family and fitness too.”
8. Lighten up. “Try simple substitutions when you’re cooking,” says Harkins. “Use 99 percent fat-free ground turkey instead of beef; switch out sugar for Splenda; and if a sauce recipe calls for butter, use cornstarch and water to thicken it instead. Also watch mindless calories – thoughtless snacking, nibbling while you cook, eating off your kids’ plates and high-calorie beverages. Keep track of portions by reading the servings sizes on food labels, and using scales and measuring cups and spoons.”
9. Graze and gauge. “The kids and I eat five healthy snacks throughout the day,” says Montgomery. “This stabilizes our blood sugar, revs our metabolism and wards off the ‘I’mbored’ binges.”
Good idea, says Harkins. “Gauge your hunger level from 1 to 10. When you reach that 5 to 7 range, eat a small meal or snack that includes a protein source. If you’re below that range, it’s not time to eat; above that range and you may overeat.”
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner and clinical dietitian for Bayhealth Medical Centers Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the Delaware State News in an article regarding the new health care reform bill (April 22, 2009).
Bayhealth Registered Dietitian Takes Part in DC Visit Urging Nutrition Services for the Public - Thursday, April 23, 2009
Chronic diseases have become an epidemic in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic diseases including heart disease, hypertension and diabetes are the leading cause of death and disability in the country. They also account for three quarters of the nation’s current healthcare spending. Because a healthy lifestyle is key to preventing or reducing these diseases, it is critical to make sure nutrition care is available to the public.
Dietitians from throughout the state of Delaware visited Washington, DC and met with senior staff members from the offices of Sen. Carper, Rep. Castle and Sen. Kaufman. The purpose of their visit was to ensure consideration of nutrition services provided by qualified Registered Dietitians within the new Healthcare Reform Bill.
Bayhealth Clinical Dietitian Lisa Harkins, RD, stressed the significance of these nutrition services by saying, “We consider good nutrition critical to preventive care of chronic diseases, and prevention is one of President Obama’s main objectives for the bill.”
One of the increasingly common chronic diseases being seen around the country is diabetes. In Delaware, approximately 70,000 people have the disease and that number continues to grow. “Diabetes is a massive problem in our state and younger and younger people are being diagnosed everyday,” said Ms. Harkins. With access to nutrition services and education, the public would be better able to catch diabetes early, and ultimately prevent the disease from occurring.
During their visit, the dietitians also lobbied for a budget resolution that includes $20 billion over five years for the Child Nutrition Act. This resolution would increase funding for school meal programs in order to ensure nutritious meals are provided to children
The group asked for an increase in the reimbursement rates for school lunches so Delaware school districts can provide more nutritious meals. “The current reimbursement for a ‘free’ lunch is $2.57 and that is not enough to cover the cost of producing a nutritious, balanced school meal,” said Ms. Harkins.
Both the new Healthcare Reform Bill and Child Nutrition Act will go to the Senate in fall of 2009.
Photo ID: (l to r) Rachel Schiavone, RD, MS candidate, University of Delaware; Deanna Rolland, RD, MS, CDN, Clinical Dietitian with Genesis Healthcare; Lisa Harkins, RD, Clinical Dietitian with Bayhealth Medical Center; Alisha Jacobson, RD, CDN, Nutrition Specialist with Colonial School District; Natalie McKenney, RD, CDN, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner and clinical dietitian for Bayhealth Medical Centers Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the Cape Gazette in an article regarding National Nutrition Month (March 17, 2009).
Bayhealth celebrates National Nutrition Month
“If you are not losing weight, you still may be losing fat and increasing your body’s health,” said Harkins. |
Submitted Photo
Registered Dietitians Lisa Harkins, left and Pam Pearson, are urging people to become more healthy by making good choices about the foods and beverages they consume.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Hiran Ratnayake regarding cooking meals more healthfully (March 10, 2009).
Eating smarter
A little tinkering can make recipes healthful
By HIRAN RATNAYAKE
The News Journal
Among Robyn Unthank's repertoire of recipes, the most popular is her macaroni and cheese.
The dish, which takes 90 minutes to prepare, calls for whole-milk cheese, butter, eggs and bread crumbs. Although Unthank makes it a point to cook and eat healthfully most of the time, she doesn't dare lower the fat and calorie content in her mac-and-cheese -- that might mess with its taste.
"I don't want to take the time and spend all the money on the ingredients to make it healthier only to find out that it's going to taste worse," said Unthank, who lives in Wilmington.
The good news is, it doesn't have to taste bad to be better for you. With just a few substitutions or different steps, meat dishes, pasta dishes, chilies, stews and even desserts can be made lower in calories, fat, sugar and cholesterol, say registered dietitians and personal chefs. Sometimes they can even be made higher in important nutrients.
"When you're talking about savory items, there are many ways to cut the fat and cut the sugar and make it still taste really good," said Lisa Brisch, a personal chef from Middletown who recently held a healthy cooking demonstration in Bellefonte. There, Unthank and more than a dozen other participants learned how to make a soup, a salsa and black bean quesadillas that taste just as yummy as the ones in a restaurant -- but with less fat, sugar and calories.
Altering recipes doesn't mean you need to spend more money. In fact, you might find yourself saving money by dining on chef-quality food at home, instead of at your favorite restaurant. When possible, make extra; it'll save time as well as money.
"You can put the food you make in serving-size containers and half of it can be stored in bulk in the freezer," said Mary Trotter, a clinical dietitian with Nemours Health & Prevention Services. "It's a good way to have something healthy on hand."
Cornerstone of good health
Healthy eating is a key to good health -- it can help lower our chances of developing a chronic illness, said Dr. William Weintraub, chief of cardiology with Christiana Care Health System. It can also help lower the chances of having a heart attack.
"If we cut down the amount of fats we eat, we cut down the amount of fats in the blood that can cause blockages over a period of time," said Weintraub, who also works with the American Heart Association.
It's not just the amount and types of fats we need to consider. Weintraub said there are also significant benefits to reducing the amount of sugar in our diet. Cutting sugar means cutting calories, and that helps reduce our risk of diabetes and obesity.
"Eating right is one of the cornerstones of good health and in the prevention of heart attacks, strokes, obesity and diabetes," Weintraub said.
That's why it's a good idea to try to "slim down" recipes. Derek Brewington, a personal chef from Newark, said many pasta and chicken dishes call for heavy cream, butter and lots of salt. But there are ways to make them healthier without sacrificing taste.
Instead of cream in his chicken dishes, he opts for light chicken broth. He uses olive oil instead of butter to sauté chicken. And he often adds low-fat or fat-free dressings, which contribute flavor and oil to help keep the chicken from drying out.
"I want to take the fat out, but most of the flavor comes from the fat," said Brewington. "So the marinade will give a more healthy flavor to the chicken."
You can also reduce the fat by buying the leanest ground beef or using a substitute. About 3 1/2 ounces of ground turkey has just over 2 grams of saturated fat and 149 calories; that same amount of 85 percent lean ground beef has 6 grams of saturated fat and 215 calories, said Lewes registered dietitian Lisa Harkins.
And ground turkey can easily be substituted in lasagna, spaghetti and ziti dishes, as well as chilies and other dishes.
"Ground turkey is becoming much more accepted as people realize that you don't have to have that greasy taste," she said.
Egg yolks are loaded with cholesterol and have less protein than egg whites, Harkins said. So if you're making an omelette with four eggs, use only one whole egg and three whites.
"You'll barely notice the difference at all," she said.
But your body will. Four yolks contain 839 milligrams of cholesterol and 18 grams of total fat; using only one cuts that by 75 percent.
Getting desserts right
Desserts are more complicated, since many need the fat to maintain the texture and taste. Baked desserts, like a crème brûlée, require a certain amount of fat for creaminess.
And nonfat substitutes don't melt as well.
Brewington said it's important to know which ingredients can be successfully substituted. He'll use light cool whip instead of regular cool whip and reduced-fat cream cheese instead of the regular kind for his no-bake cheesecake.
Another trick is to use less sugar. If a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, use 1/4 cup or 1/3 cup less instead. This works well with quick breads, cookies, pie fillings, custard, puddings and fruit cakes. But it may not work for some cakes. You can compensate by increasing the amount of cinnamon or vanilla in a recipe.
For extra richness in her recipes, Betty Burleigh, a personal chef in Bear, uses evaporated skim milk instead of whole or 2 percent milk. Another way she makes her recipes better is by using whole wheat flour, oatmeal and whole cornmeal instead of highly refined products.
For example, if a recipe calls for 2 cups of flour, she'll use 1 cup of all-purpose flour and 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon of whole-wheat flour. She prepares muffins and quick breads using three ripe, well-mashed bananas as opposed to a 1/2 cup of butter, lard or shortening.
She also replaces the butter with applesauce in her muffins. In her mashed potatoes, she uses nonfat sour cream instead of butter and she mixes it with skim milk.
"I make my pancakes using whole wheat flour instead of white flour," she said, "and they taste just as good and just as fluffy."
The prices for fat-free substitutes typically are about the same as their fattier counterparts. Fat-free milk, however, is cheaper than 1 percent, 2 percent and whole.
Preparing a dish at home also saves money and, for the most part, provides better nutrition, since many processed foods are loaded with salt.
Multigrain rather than white
Within 20 minutes of Brisch's cooking demonstration, the black bean quesadillas were ready for testing. Instead of using white flour tortillas, she used multigrain ones. She spread only a little cheese (reduced fat, of course) inside each.
"Not only are we cutting back on lower-fat ingredients, we're also using less cheese, because you don't want a quesadilla that is only cheese," Brisch said.
Three quesadillas using white flour tortillas and 1 full-fat cup of cheese would have 303 calories, 17 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber. With Brisch's recipe, they had only 232 calories and 10 grams of fat. Brisch's quesadillas also had 6 grams of fiber.
To Jeanette LaVecchia, of Wilmington, on hand for the demo, the quesadillas tasted quite different from the ones she's eaten in restaurants.
"The others have so much cheese in them that they're overbearing," she said. "But this tastes good."
It also tastes healthy, said Michele Lloyd, of Wilmington.
"It's flavorful but not heavy," she said. "It's very fresh and light."
Perhaps those black bean quesadillas should be called guilt-free quesadillas.
CORN AND BLACK BEAN QUESADILLAS
2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon minced garli
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup frozen roasted corn kernels, thawed
2 teaspoon lime juice
Kosher salt
2 8-inch multigrain tortillas
2/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Pepper Jack cheese
1 tablespoon sliced pickled jalapeños (optional)
1. Heat vegetable oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
2. Add green onions and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, for about three minutes.
3. Add garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant, for about 30 seconds.
4. Stir in beans and corn and cook until heated through, for about one minute.
5. Gently press mixture with spatula to lightly crush black beans.
6. Transfer mixture to a bowl, stir in lime juice and season to taste with salt.
7. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and return pan to medium heat.
8. Add one tortilla and toast for one to two minutes; flip it and toast the other side for about one minute. Slide tortilla onto cutting board, and toast second tortilla.
9. To assemble, sprinkle half the cheese, half the bean mixture and half the jalapeños over half the tortilla. Fold tortilla in half and press down to create quesadilla. Repeat with other tortilla.
10. Spray quesadillas with cooking spray.
11. To cook, place both folded quesadillas into heated skillet, sprayed side down; spray side facing up with cooking spray.
12. Cook over medium heat until crisp and slightly browned.
13. Using a spatula, flip quesadillas and cook on the second side until it is also crisp and browned and the cheese is melting.
14. Transfer quesadillas to a cutting board and let cool a few minutes. Cut each into 3 wedges and serve.
I-CAN'T-BELIEVE-IT'S-BLACK-BEANS-BROWNIES!
1 box dry brownie mix (dark chocolate/fudge flavor recommended)
1 15.5-ounce can black beans
Low-fat cooking spray
Tap water
1. Drain black beans in a colander and rinse beans with cool tap water thoroughly in sink. Place beans back into rinsed can, then fill can to top with cool tap water.
2. Put can of black beans and water into a food processor or blender and pulse until well-blended and smooth. You will still see bits of black beans, but try to get as smooth a consistency as possible.
3. Place dry brownie mix in a large mixing bowl.
4. Add black bean purée to dry brownie mix and mix well.
5. Pour batter into an 8-by-8 inch glass pan greased with low-fat cooking spray.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pan into oven. Check the brownie mix box for recommended cooking time and cooking temperature, since those can vary depending on brand and pan size.
7. When brownies are done baking, remove pan from oven and cool for at least 30 minutes.
8. Slice into 16 squares if using an 8-by-8 inch pan.
PUREED VEGETABLE CUBES
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 chopped onion
2 chopped garlic cloves
10 chopped baby carrots
1/4 cup olive oil
1. Sauté peppers, onions, garlic and carrots in olive oil in a pan until soft, for about 20 minutes.
2. Place vegetables in food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Place in ice cube trays and freeze.
4. Once frozen, place cubes in a zip lock bag and keep in freezer.
5. When cooking, add the frozen vegetable cubes to sauces, chilies, spaghetti, baked ziti, soups and bottled tomato sauces.
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, quoted in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Kelly Bothum, regarding the program "Eat Smart for a Healthy Heart", which was developed and facilitated with Kathleen Splane, MS, Extension Educator, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension (September 30, 2008).
Eating the right foods for a healthy heart.
Three-week program in Dover shows how a diet that's high in fruits and vegetables can be high in flavor, too.
By KELLY BOTHUM
The News Journal
When it comes to heart health, Delaware residents are above average -- but not in a good way.
As a whole, we rank higher than the rest of the nation in the percentage of people with hypertension, high cholesterol and heart disease. Most of us -- nearly 79 percent -- don't eat enough fruits and vegetables daily, according to the 2007 results of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a national survey of health in the United States.
Diet has long been heralded as one of the cornerstones of heart health, but food educator Kathleen Splane believes too many people equate eating healthy with cardboard rice cakes, bland chicken breasts and overcooked vegetables.
Splane, who works for the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension in Kent County, hopes to change those misperceptions through an upcoming three-week program called "Eat Smart for a Healthy Heart.
With a menu that includes salmon with dill sauce, roasted vegetables and mocha brownies that substitute fruit for fat, Splane thinks she can convince even the most skeptical gastronome that eating good can also be good for you.
"We want to show people that they can prepare foods for their own family and eat heart healthy without sacrificing taste and flavor," said Splane, who will teach the class with registered dietitian Lisa Harkins. "We know if it doesn't taste good, people aren't going to make changes."
Splane and Harkins have taught cooking classes for diabetics, but this is the first time they'll be tackling the topic of heart health. One of their main motivators was to help people who have heard from their doctor that they need to make changes in how they eat.
Cookbooks and Web sites offer heart-healthy food options, but it can be hard to digest the myriad information, said Harkins. Even the grocery store can be an intimidating place with all the different kinds of products touting their cardiac benefits.
"I think it's really out there, but it's a bunch of facts and information," she said. "Nothing tells people, 'OK, what kind of meal will be good? What should I cook?' "
The three-week class will include a breakdown of the heart-healthy products on the market, including comparisons based on price and the advertised benefits of using them. Splane and Harkins also will be pushing a diet high in fruits and vegetables by making them the focus of a meal rather than the meat or protein. With recipes like pork stir fry, General Tso's chicken and fruit cobbler, there should be something for everyone's tastes.
The class is open to anyone, but Splane and Harkins are targeting what they call the "gatekeeper of the family" -- the person who prepares most of the meals in the home. Even if there's only one person in a family who has cardiac problems, it benefits everyone to eat a heart-healthy diet.
In his practice, Wilmington cardiologist Dr. Edward Goldenberg specializes in patients who have cholesterol problems, including low levels of the good cholesterol -- known as HDL -- and high triglycerides, which is a type of fat that comes from excessive carbohydrate consumption. Although he talks with patients about heart-healthy foods and often asks them to bring in a food diary chronicling their meals, he said many doctors lack both the time and expertise to educate their patients about healthy food choices. Instead, they tell them to eat a low-fat diet or give them a handout.
It also doesn't help that the services of health professionals who can most help patients make lasting health changes -- dietitians and nutritionists -- often don't qualify for coverage under most people's health insurance.
"You can't ask them to create a lifestyle change and then tell them to come back in six months or a year," said Goldenberg, who sometimes uses a handshake as a makeshift contract to give some patients the push they need to make health changes.
For the patient who eats one main meal a day, Goldenberg tries to encourage them to have several smaller meals -- including snacks -- over the course of the day. He tries to get them to reduce their carbohydrate intake and increase their consumption of proteins and polyunsaturated fats. And he encourages them to consider taste when planning their meals.
The goal of "Eat Smart for a Healthy Heart" isn't to get people to make radical changes that they won't be able to sustain. "It's really just small steps," Harkins said. "If we get someone just to cut out butter and that's the one thing they concentrate on, that's a success."
Contact Kelly Bothum at 324-2962 or kbothum@delawareonline.com.
BY THE NUMBERS
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System is the world's largest ongoing telephone survey. Since 1984, it has tracked health conditions and risk behaviors in the United States. Here's a look at how Delaware compares with the rest of the country:
Percentage of people who have been told they have heart disease:
U.S.
-- 4.1 percent
Delaware
-- 5.3 percent
Percentage who had their cholesterol checked and were told it was high:
U.S.
-- 37.6 percent
Delaware
-- 38.3 percent
Percentage who have been told they have high blood pressure:
U.S.
-- 27.8 percent
Delaware
-- 29.3 percent
Percentage who consume five or more fruits and vegetables daily
U.S.
-- 24.4 percent
Delaware
-- 21.4 percent
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Ideal Nutrition and Fitness LLC owner, Lisa Harkins, RD, featured in the Wilmington News Journal in an article by Nancy Coale Zippe, regarding the program "Dining with Diabetes", which was developed and facilitated with Kathleen Splane, MS, Extension Educator, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension (September 3, 2008).
We can all benefit from recipes for diabetics.
WHAT'S COOKING
By NANCY COALE ZIPPE
The News Journal
The dramatic increase of people diagnosed with diabetes has topped 700 percent in the last 50 years. It is estimated that in Delaware , 10 percent of the population is afflicted, representing about 85,000 people.
The good news is studies have revealed that complications, such as kidney failure, blindness and amputations, can be delayed, and perhaps prevented, by careful control of blood sugar. This requires planning meals with reduced sugar, salt and fat.
Dining with Diabetes is a workshop presented by Kathleen Splane, extension educator, and Lisa Harkins, a registered dietitian. The three-class series will feature diabetes education, cooking demonstrations, tastings and handouts of recipes and information for managing diabetes.
The program is open to those with diabetes and their family members. It will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 and 11. You must plan to attend all three sessions.
Send a check for $30 made payable to University of Delaware (or a request for a scholarship) to Kathleen Splane, Kent County Cooperative Extension Office, 69 Transportation Circle, Dover , 19901, where the classes will be held. If you have questions, call 730-4000.
Here is a sampling of their recipes for healthful eating, which should appeal to us all.
LEMON-DILLY CHICKEN SAUTÉ
4 chicken breast halves, boned, skinned
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
With meat mallet or similar flattening utensil, pound chicken breasts to 1¼4-inch thickness.
In a shallow dish, mix bread crumbs, lemon pepper and dill weed. Put lemon juice in a second dish. One piece at a time, dip chicken in lemon juice, then in the crumb mixture to coat all sides.
In a large, nonstick fry pan, heat oil to medium-high. Cook chicken, turning, about 10 minutes or until it is brown and fork tender.
LOWER FAT MACARONI AND CHEESE
2 cups macaroni
2 tablespoons reduced-fat margarine
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup skim milk
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1/2 cup reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Cook macaroni according to box directions. Drain in colander.
Melt margarine in a medium saucepan. Mix cornstarch into cold skim milk. Add both milks to the margarine. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly. When sauce thickens, remove from heat and add shredded cheeses. Stir in drained macaroni. Put in a casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray and bake uncovered 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
PUMPKIN PIE
Wow! There is a healthier way to make pumpkin pie! Clip this one for Thanksgiving.
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons reduced-fat margarine
3/4 cup Splenda no calorie sweetener
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
1/2 cup cholesterol-free egg substitute (or 3 egg whites)
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated skim milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix graham cracker crumbs and margarine and pat into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.
Mix Splenda, salt and spice mix in a small bowl. Pour egg substitute into a large bowl. Beat pumpkin and the spice mixture into the egg substitute. Gradually blend in the evaporated milk. Pour into the pie shell. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake another 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool.
To request a recipe or send one in response to a request, write to: What's Cooking, 500-B Greenbank Road, Wilmington, DE 19808. Include your name, address and phone number. No calls, please. Recipes in this column are not tested by The News Journal.
Lewes, DE 19958
ph: 302-388-2856
lisa
