The 5% Swap for Heart Health

The 5% Swap for Heart Health

If you are a regular reader or current client you know, fat is our friend. Although a little can go a long way, it absolutely deserves a spot on your plate. You also know that we want you to embrace more natural foods and limit processed foods. Keeping those things in mind, how do we include fats that will protect our heart health? Let’s dive in and find out.

What does the research say about fat and heart health?

Randomized clinical trials have shown that replacing 5% of your calories from saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat (omega-6 fatty acids) reduces total and LDL cholesterol. This swap is associated with a 9% lower risk of CHD events and a 13% lower risk of CHD deaths. That equates to just one simple swap a day!

Swap it, don’t eliminate it

It’s important to note that it’s not enough to just decrease saturated fat in our diets because when saturated fat is replaced by simple carbohydrates, like sugar or white rice, no benefit is seen. Switching from a regular cookie to a fat-free cookie is not heart healthy. Nor is swapping out steak for white pasta.

Okay, so what DOES this 5% swap look like IRL?

If you eat somewhere between 1600 to 2000 calories per day, you’ll want to replace 9 to 11 grams of saturated fat with 9 to 11 grams of omega-6 fatty acids to reduce your cholesterol levels and lower your risk. One simple swap a day can take care of this. Think about some processed foods or sources of saturated fat in your day-to-day diet that don’t provide a lot of nutrients and health benefits. Replace one of those items each day with an ounce of nuts or seeds as they are the best natural sources of omega-6 fatty acids in whole food form. Another idea is swap out buttered toast for avocado toast.

Swap Out (food – amt of sat fat) Swap In (food – amt of omega 6)
1 Bojangles biscuit – 8g of saturated fat 2 TBS peanut butter – 4.4 g omega-6 fatty acids
1 doughnut from Dunkin Donut – 6-11g 1-ounce pecans – 6 g
1 cup of ice cream – 10g 1-ounce sunflower seeds – 10 g
1 Honeybun – 14g 1-ounce pumpkin seeds (pepitas) – 5.8 g
1 TBS butter – 7.2 g 1 cup sliced avocado – 2.4 g

Where NOT to get your omega-6 fatty acids from:
Omega-6 fatty acids are very prevalent in processed and junk foods like vegetable oils, margarine, chips, and cookies, but of course, I can’t confidently recommend those for heart health. (Occasionally enjoying your favorite things is perfectly acceptable in our book, but right now we are talking about the healthiest thing we can do for our heart every day.)

Note: Omega-3 fatty acids are still important, too.

You probably know that omega-3 fatty acids are heart healthy. The beautiful thing about natural food is that it usually contains a package of nutrients. Plant-based foods include both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Both are important in lowering your risk of heart disease and contrary to what you might hear, research indicates that increasing both types is helpful.

Food for thought:

Often times meat, eggs, and dairy can get blasted in the media because of their saturated fat content. These foods deliver many nutritional benefits and aren’t necessarily the first things that should go in your diet if you want to be heart healthy. Moderate portions (think of them like a side dish on your plate) are part of a Well Balanced eating plan. We encourage you to look first at the processed foods in your diet. If there is room for improvement, replace a processed food with a serving of natural plant-based fat.

What will you swap for heart health?

Debunking the myth: all things are good in moderation

Debunking the myth: all things are good in moderation

Monday, January 22, 2018
Ever catch yourself thinking “oh I shouldn’t…” or I just can’t have one [insert food with no brakes]. Yep, we’ve all been there. It varies depending on a person’s taste preference and often what they grew up eating. A few I hear commonly include, potato chips, cashews, ice cream, cheese, or bite-sized Oreos. No matter what, there are certain foods that are just harder to eat in moderation.
Last year, Kristen and I read a great book called Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin in our book club. The book is all about making better habits. In an article, by Rubin, she talks about the concept modernization and abstinence. Some of you (like me), may already be rolling your eyes because the idea of abstaining from any food sounds terrible. That likely means you are a moderation all-star!
The snow day cookies
A friend of mine was recently telling me a story about moderation.  She explained after eating a homemade chocolate chip cookie at work, “my tummy and my mouth were arguing,” because her mouth wanted another cookie but her stomach felt full. My friend goes on to tell me about the sweet, chewy, chocolatey goodness of the homemade cookies. She reports savoring each bite only to find herself still wanting more when she was done. This is a familiar experience for many of us; however, it is rare that this happens after eating celery or an apple. What’s that about?!
Effects of sugar on the brain
It’s scientifically explained, in this fascinating TED education video: How sugar affects the brain. When we eat foods with refined sugar or simple carbohydrates (think white rice, pasta, potatoes, etc), those foods create a chemical release (dopamine) that feels good and may lead our brain to tell us to eat more. Our brain is designed to keep us alive and in case there is a famine, it will ensure we “stock up” when energy-dense foods are available.
Empowering abstinence
At the beginning of the year, Well-Balanced Nutrition did a 2-week challenge to eat only from the Well-Balanced plate, which does not include added sugars. Our plate does include fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and dairy, which all provide the energy our brains need. For me, this was an experiment to break the habit of always wanting a treat after lunch and dinner. What I didn’t expect was to feel empowered by choosing to abstain from added sugars. It is exhausting to constantly battle that voice “should I eat the cookie or shouldn’t I?” It was nice to have the decision already made when I chose to take a break from processed sugar.
Food for thought:
In the challenge, I learned, not all foods are good in moderation. Some foods create a trigger that makes it hard to stop even if I’m not hungry anymore.
What are your triggers? If you’d like to become a more balanced eater, we recommend starting to recognize what foods or situations cause you to overeat.
If you’d like to talk with a friendly expert on making (and breaking) habits, let us know. Contact us here.
2 steps to shake-off added sugar

2 steps to shake-off added sugar

Monday, Dec 18, 2017
But it’s a holiday! Birthday! Vacation! Or we’re celebrating! The fact is, there is always a good excuse to eat unbalanced food – especially sugar.
As we wrap up another year and holiday season, it is a good opportunity to press the reset button and take a closer look at our eating habits. Hopefully, you have been practicing mindful and intuitive eating this season and enjoying every morsel of those special holiday foods. Of course, when there are more celebrations around the corner it’s hard to stay balanced at each meal. Also, if you and the family found yourselves constantly on-the-go these past few weeks that may mean more fast food and less time to cook.
Let’s refocus and refresh
Step 1: Get honest with yourself. Ask yourself, “How much added-sugar do I really eat?”
Sometimes, it’s hard to tell. Maybe there’s a little bit of honey in your morning oats. A little added sugar in the salad dressing at lunch. A little more sugar in the bread of the half sandwich you ate with the salad. A little bit in the afternoon granola bar. Even if you don’t consider yourself “a sweet-tooth person“ you could be taking in more sugar than you realize. Sugar enhances the flavor of foods and entices our taste buds to keep eating. That is one reason why food manufacturers keep adding it to so many of our favorite things. Especially, as the nation went to low-fat or non-fat foods our pallets compromised by enjoying more sugar. Now we know, fat is our friend.
Important to note, at Well-Balanced Nutrition, we do not treat sugar as the enemy. The goal is to identify where sugar is sneaking into your diet so you can mindfully choose to eat it or leave it alone. This gives our taste buds the chance to reset and notice the natural sweetness of fruits, vegetables, cream (instead of sugar in the coffee), and even some whole grains such as oats are naturally sweet.
Here’s a video about the New Years Well-Balanced Challenge coming up on Jan 1. We hope you’ll join us on this exciting adventure!
Step 2: Clean it out.
If you decide to join our Well-Balanced Challenge and no sugar added journey we want to provide the parameters of success. In order to succeed, we need to clean out the cupboards and fridge of those foods that have added sugar. If you cannot bear to toss it out at least move everything out of reach. Perhaps putting foods into a concealed bag and a hard to reach cupboard. This step is crucial for your success. Many of us try to depend on willpower, only to later experience the call of the sugar monster at those unexpected hours of the day and night. By eliminating the temptations from your office and kitchen you can then fill in with lots of yummy natural foods that provide the fuel your body and mind needs. There’s even a 2-week meal plan to guide you on the journey!
Let us know if you have any questions or click here to join the challenge today.
How do I control my blood sugars to prevent or manage diabetes?

How do I control my blood sugars to prevent or manage diabetes?

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

According to the latest research from the American Diabetes Association, 30.3 million Americans had diabetes in 2015 and they estimate that 7.2 million of those cases are undiagnosed. Additionally, the ADA reports that another 1.5 million people are diagnosed with diabetes every year.  November is national diabetes awareness month. We are wrapping up this month by bringing awareness of how people can prevent or manage diabetes the Well-Balanced way.

Let’s start by circling back to the Well-Balanced Plate, which is not only good for weight management and getting the vitamins and minerals you need – it can also help regulate your blood sugars. As you may already know, diabetes is a condition of having elevated blood sugars, which can often be attributed to eating a diet that is high in sugar or other simple carbohydrates (specifically for type 2 diabetes). There is also a genetic predisposition to have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes; however, it is often preventable with diet and lifestyle changes.

On the Well-Balanced Plate, we include complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, in small portions. You can read more about the benefits of whole grains here. A complex carbohydrate has higher fiber content and will not raise blood sugars as quickly as simple carbs. For instance, you might find yourself feeling hungry soon after eating a meal with white rice versus eating oatmeal or other whole grains. Not only do we find carbohydrates in grains such as oats, quinoa, and whole wheat bread but we also find carbohydrates in fruits, vegetables – especially the starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn – and most dairy products. It is important to know what foods are affecting your blood sugars and how to eat them in balance. This is something we discuss with many of our clients – click here to learn more.

Additional benefits of eating well-balanced means you’re including not only complex carbs – but we also emphasize protein and healthy fat. Incorporating protein and healthy fat helps to slow the rate of how quickly food is turned into glucose (blood sugar) to be used for energy.

Last year, Karen* came to Well-Balanced Nutrition because her hemoglobin A1C, a marker of checking a person’s average blood sugars, was elevated at 6.4%. This is one percentage point away from being diagnosed with diabetes. Karen was very eager to learn how to prevent diabetes without going on any medications. During her initial assessment, we talked about her healthy habits, then she mentioned her love of Pepsi-Cola. After a few more visits, Karen incorporated some mindful eating techniques and implemented label reading to check the carbohydrate and sugar content of everything she bought. Karen reports it was easier than she expected to stop drinking Pepsi. She is pleased to still occasionally enjoy a glass of chocolate milk from Maple View Farms for days that she wants something extra special. At her follow-up doctor appointment last June, the doctor said, “Congratulations, whatever you’re doing is working. Keep it up.“

*Name changed to protect identity.

Here are a couple of examples of our favorite well-balanced meals:

Sauteed cabbage and carrots w/ quinoa, fried egg & peach

Garlic chicken legs w/ brown rice and artichoke green bean salad

Ways to stay well balanced this Thanksgiving

Ways to stay well balanced this Thanksgiving

This week came up fast. It has been a busy month at my house. Longer than usual work hours has meant less family time and more stress. That’s the way it happens. We don’t plan to get stressed out. We just find ourselves all of sudden overwhelmed. Then the holiday comes. We say that the holidays are stressful but sometimes its just life that is stressful in the first place, and the extra holiday activities are just icing on the cake.

Stress can make healthy eating decisions challenging in general, and this time of year we are often forced out of our comfortable routines and put into more situations that feel beyond our control. How do you handle the stress and the abundance of food without letting it derail you from your goals? A holiday wellness planning session is the place start! You can schedule your first one for free today. In the meantime, here’s how some of my clients and I are planning to stay well-balanced.

Jan* is traveling back home for Thanksgiving. She has been on a steady journey of changing the way she eats and drinks. She’s lost weight, feeling great and doesn’t want the momentum to stop. At her holiday wellness planning session, we discussed her favorite foods this time of year. She will thoroughly enjoy those foods that are special to her including pumpkin pie. At the same time, she will balance her plate with some vegetables and start her day with a healthy, balanced breakfast (a veggie-packed crustless quiche). She also intends to start a new tradition with her aunts and cousins to play Wii sports or have a little Wii dance party. Her plan allows room to enjoy those things that are unique and nostalgic while keeping her meals balanced and finding a fun way to build movement into her family time.

Keri* is on a mission to live well-balanced and lose weight in a healthy way. She gets a little stressed out over the abundance of food still left after her family’s big meal. One piece of advice I often hear is to not worry about one or two indulgent meals – it’s not enough to throw your progress off track. But when you have lots of sweet and starchy leftovers like mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cookies, and pies to eat for days and days, what are you supposed to do? At her holiday wellness planning session, we brainstormed some ways to get back to well-balanced eating even with an abundance of leftovers. One strategy was to use the freezer, using this advice on what freezes well and what doesn’t. And another idea is to be more mindful when planning the meal. Here’s a handy tool that helps you decide how much food to buy based on how many “big” and “small eaters” you will have at your celebration.

As for me, Thanksgiving meal is all about homemade mashed potatoes with gravy and rolls. This combo is the ultimate comfort food from my past. I will be adding turkey, a salad and mixed roasted vegetables to balance out my plate. I’ll also be journaling, drinking tea and meditating to help me get a handle on any stress that might pop up. Lastly, exercise brings me mental clarity, makes me stronger and keeps me energized, so I’m going to stick to my three days a week at Burn Boot Camp.

Food for Thought: What’s your holiday game plan?

Making a plan in your head is helpful but often does not equate to action. Talking it out with a Well Balanced dietitian will help you put your goals into action. Knowing you get to check back in to review your progress will keep you motivated to follow through. One client says, “I’ve received very practical, concrete solutions to my problems of craving sugar and feeling out of control around food. The monthly meeting keeps me accountable for my improved food choices and is helping me learn how to incorporate mindfulness into my daily eating habits. It’s one thing to know what a healthy food is. It’s quite another to actually change an eating behavior. The coaching I receive is invaluable to learning how to approach food with a balanced mindset.”

P.S. If you want to talk about your personal game plan, create action steps and follow up with Well Balanced dietitians, take advantage of our November special. A package valued at $220, on sale for $159 until Dec 1st. Your first call is always free and meetings are virtual so you can easily fit them into your schedule!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

*Names have been changed to protect privacy.