Dear Jess, Help! Do you have any suggestions for controlling portion sizes? That gets me every time. Thanks, KM
This is a common and serious problem for many Americans. The super-sizing of America over the last few decades has lead to a distorted sense of portion-size. Research shows this increase in portion size is a primary contributor to the rapid rise of obesity in this country. We have developed an erroneous sense of what is a “normal” serving size and we underestimate the number of calories in a large serving. Because of this portion-distortion we eat a lot more than we did 20 or 30 years ago. We are a nation of over-consumers — We shop at Costco and eat at McDonald’s to “get more value for our money”. A commentary in the July 2006 Journal of American Dietetic Association by Drs. Wansink and Van Ittersum entitled “Portion Size Me: Downsizing Our Consumption Norms” cites some interesting statistics: Large packaging in grocery stores has increased 10-fold from 1970 to 2000. Restaurant serving sizes are 250% bigger than regular serving sizes. Our dinnerware has increased by 36% to accommodate these expanding portions. Even the 2006 edition of the Joy of Cooking
You can take a pro-active approach to this problem. Just like any new habit, it takes a bit more time and energy right off the bat. Hang in there and down-sizing portion sizes will be easy.
Here are 10 tips to portion control to get you off on the right track: Read more
Dear Jess, I am starting to choose healthier foods and because of this change, I am eating less prepared packaged foods and taking more time to prepare fresh foods. I think I need to invest in a good knife. Do you have tips or recommendations? Thanks, H.S.
Good for you for making such a big step in creating good health for yourself. Summertime is a wonderful time of year as fresh, local, organic produce is so bountiful. And the one thing that adds to the joy of preparing such delicious produce is a professional, high-quality knife. No other utensil comes close to putting me in the mood for creating a tasty meal, or making me feel more like a professional chef than my favorite knife!
Let me give you a few tips in finding the “right” knife for you. I’ve talked to several people, including a few real experts on cutlery, and gotten their opinions and advice on how to select and care for fine kitchen knives.
The number one consideration when looking for a new kitchen knife is how the knife feels in your hand. The more comfortable and secure the grip, the less tired your hand will be, and the more enjoyment you’ll discover. Having a knife that fits your hand makes all the difference so try out several and see how they feel. Read more
Dear Jess, your post on increasing vegetable and fruit intake was helpful as I have a hard time getting enough vegetables in my diet. Does V-8 juice count as a vegetable? I assume that it does. How many veggies can I count for an 8 ounce can of V-8? Thanks, PM
Good for you for considering ways to increase the amount of vegetables and fruits in your diet on a daily basis.
As in most choices in life, this, too, lies on a continuum. We all make decisions everyday about what foods we will pick on the “healthy choice” continuum, ranging from ideal to pure junk. Whole food is always a better choice than a processed product like Campbell’s V8 Juice. The juice is made from concentrates, and during processing is heated to over 118 degrees F which destroys many of the nutritious enzymes. Also, keep in mind that V-8 juice is very high in sodium, containing 590 mg in every 8 ounce glass…nearly 1/3 of the recommended daily allowance. And some versions of V-8 juices add high fructose corn syrup or Splenda, both of which I recommend avoiding for a number of reasons. V8 juice does have many redeeming qualities: It has a fair amount of potassium, it has more vitamin C than an orange, and nearly 40% of your daily vitamin A requirements. Is it better than a great big salad or juicing your own local organic vegetables? Well, no. But it is one way to start adding more vegetables to your daily diet and a positive step toward making healthier nutritional choices. If you live near a Whole Foods or Natural Foods store/co-op, look for a healthier version of V8…an organic, low sodium vegetable juice with no added flavors or sweeteners.
To specifically answer your question, you get 2 servings of vegetables in an 8-ounce glass of V8.
Remember, many vegetables contain fat-soluble vitamins meaning that you need to eat a bit of healthy fat with your vegetables in order to adequately absorb these fat-soluble nutrients. A small handful of soaked almonds with your V-8 makes a good afternoon snack!
Here’s to your health-
Jess
Dear Jess, I know I am supposed to be eating more vegetables, but I just don’t. Do you have any tips? Thanks, AS
Eat your veggies. Eat 5 servings a day. Eat 9 servings a day. Just eat more.
Whew.
Regardless of the actual amount of vegetables the guidelines are currently recommending (it keeps changing), the take-away message is clear: Eat more vegetables and fruits.
Given that, here are some suggestions for adding more vegetables and fruits to your daily menu.
1. Start the day out right. Have breakfast. And include at least one veggie and one fruit.
• Try adding chopped veggies to scrambled eggs. Onions, mushrooms, spinach are tasty choices.
• Spoon fresh salsa over any kind of eggs – add some zip to your morning.
• Breakfast is an easy time to add fresh fruit: pick something that’s in season to keep it varied and interesting.
2. Don’t stop at breakfast. Include at least one veggie at each meal and snack. This is a healthy idea for at least a couple of reasons – eating more vegetables increases the nutrient density of your meals/snacks as they are full of phytonutrients, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber, AND eating more vegetables tends to displace the amount of processed food one consumes – more veggies, less junk! Read more
Dear Jess, I have heard you say that soaking almonds makes them better for you. Is this true? Can you explain how that works? Thanks, JB
Yes, JB, this is, indeed, true.
A handful of nuts are an excellent snack. They contain protein, healthy fats, and are relatively low in carbohydrates. They are excellent sources of vitamin E and most B vitamins, lot and lots of various minerals and several phytonutrients.
How could you improve on that?
Well, grains, legumes and nuts are all seeds of various plants. What makes a nut specifically a nut is that it grows from a tree and has a hard removable outer shell and a soft, edible inner kernel…the nut.
All of these types of seeds…grains, legumes and nuts have varying degrees of what we call anti-nutrients. Nuts, in particular, contain phytates and enzyme inhibitors. Phytates bind with minerals such as calcium, zinc, iron, interfering with our body’s ability to absorb these important minerals. Enzyme inhibitors can interfere with optimal digestion and absorption. Read more
Dear Jess, I love to eat grapefruit, but don’t want to risk effects on my medications. Do I need to avoid grapefruit completely? If I have medication first thing in the morning, can I eat grapefruit later in the morning? Or, can I eat grapefruit in the morning and then take medication at night? Thanks for your help, Sheridan B.
Dear Sheridan, As innocuous as grapefruit juice sounds, there are, indeed, many drugs that interact with grapefruit juice. Other citrus fruits (but not all citrus fruits) including grapefruit sections, Seville oranges, pummelos and tengelos may cause similar interactions.
In a nutshell, here’s how it works: Read more
Dear Jess: I have a very stressful job and was wondering if you have any relaxation techniques that I could practice during the day. I practice yoga and walk at least 30 minutes every day. I have read about different breathing exercises. Do you know a technique that I could use at work? Thanks, Jenny M.
Dear Jenny: You are already on your way…walking on a daily basis and practicing yoga are excellent activities for reducing your body’s reaction to stress as well as for improving your overall health and well-being. So, pat yourself on the back for the actions you are currently taking to make a positive change in your life.
Dear Jess, I have a lot of trouble with intestinal bloating and gas. Having heard about probiotics, I was wondering if these might lessen my discomfort. Do you think this might be helpful? Thank you, Sherry H.
Dear Sherry, While I can’t diagnose the cause of your intestinal discomfort, a trial run with a good probiotic is an appropriate course of action that may very well be beneficial. Some intestinal bacteria cause more gas than others while breaking down the fiber in our food. Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium bifidum are two healthy bacteria residing in our large intestines that don’t produce as much gas. These are the primary two bacteria found in a good probiotic supplement. I recommend a month’s trial of probiotics supplements to see if your problem improves. At the very least, buidling the ratio of good bacteria in your gut will be beneficial to your digestive system as well as your immune system. Please give me a call during my Resource Line hours and we can talk specifically about dosage that is individual to your needs.
Dear Jess, I would like to feed my family more fish. Do you have a recommendation for an inexpensive, tasty fish? Thanks, Karen D.
Dear Karen - Indeed I do!
Fish is an excellent source of high quality, easily digestible protein. Some, but not all, fish are high in omega-3 essential oil – like salmon or sardines. Adding fish to your family’s diet is a healthy choice…if you make the right choice. There are many issues to consider when choosing which fish to consume, including:
1) Mercury and polychlorinated Bbiphenyls (PCBs) levels (as well as other toxins) in the fish. While this is an important issue for all of us, it is an especially important consideration for pregnant or lactating women, women planning to become pregnant and small children.
2) Sustainable harvesting and/or farming practices.
3) Wild versus farm-raised fish.
4) And, of course, coming back to your original concern…cost and taste!
Dear Jess, After reading your post about tea, I have a follow-up question about coffee. I have heard coffee referred to as an anti-nutrient. I have been trying very hard to eat a balanced, highly nutritious diet, but I love my coffee. Am I undermining my quest for health by my coffee habit? I drink 2 cups every day, occasionally more.
Tammy
P.S. I’m already cringing in anticipation of your answer.
