Summer Snacks!

School is finally out for summer! With that, comes very active and very hungry children! Here is a healthy snack that will be great (and fun) for your kids to make and enjoy.

To-Go Yogurt Parfaits

You will need:

Small ice cream cones

Yogurt

Fruit– berries, bananas, etc

Granola or nuts

1. Take ice cream cone and fill one third with yogurt.

2. Place one Tbsp of fruit on top of the yogurt.

3. Fill the rest of the cone with yogurt.

4. Top with more fruit and granola.

Take with you and enjoy!

Farmer's Markets have Started!!

It's that time of the year to venture out to your local Farmer's Market to let the seasonal produce drive your nutrition choices and exploration! If you can't tell... I love a good Farmer's Market and I'll give you a few reasons why:



1. Variety of Produce- The local Farmer's Markets here are great for supplying so much produce and so many different types of produce for our small area. We, of course, have a lot of seasonal produce in Iowa, but many of the farmers start their plants through the winter and can supply some of the produce before we even think to see it in our gardens.

2. Support Local Farmers- I grew up on a small dairy farm and I will always, always, be partial to those who put in the hard work to farm. I also do not have too much of a green thumb and I love that others will take the time to grow produce that I typically "kill off" in my small garden at home.

3. Education- Not only do the Farmer's provide an abundance and variety of products for us at the Farmer's Market, but most are very knowledgeable about how to use their products, how and where their products were grown, and what makes their product special. This is a great atmosphere for families and children soak up all the extra "summer" education.

4. Communication- The Farmer's Market forces you to get out into the (hopefully) nice weather and socialize with your community. Many of us have been stuck inside all winter and with all the technology these days, it's easy to forget how to communicate and be cordial!

5. Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition- Did you think I would skip this part?! What better way to drive menu and meal planning than picking up a few new fruits or veggies for your family to try each week? Not only will you be providing your family with a new taste appreciation for fruits and veggies, but you will also be introducing them to more vitamins and minerals than they have ever experienced before.

Support your local Farmer's Markets!

(picture from http://agritourism.travelok.com/blog/?tag=locavore)

Flaxseed Fun

Recently, I’ve had many questions regarding the benefits and use of flax seed. Although flax seed is new to most health markets, the crop itself has been used as a healing treatment since 3,000 BC.

The recent flax movement comes after research shows that adding omega-3 fatty acids to the diet can decrease the risk of heart disease, prevent some forms of cancer, decrease inflammation and flax provide extra fiber for a healthy colon.

Flax provides:
omega-3 fatty acids
alpha-linoleic acid (ALA)
soluble and insoluble fiber- soluble fiber assist in GI health and bowel movements; insoluble fiber assist in decreasing cholesterol levels in the body
lignans- a phytoestrogen compound that has been shown to decrease the risk of cancer in laboratory studies

Flax comes from a blue-flowered plant that is grown in the northern Midwest region and also Canada. Flax is also grown in other countries around the world. There are two types of flaxseed, brown and golden and both are similar in nutritional benefits. The most important thing to remember about buying and using flaxseed is that the “good stuff” is in the inside of the seed, and humans are unable to digest the outside seed coating.

You can buy whole flax seed and grind it fresh everyday, or you can buy it already ground. My favorite source of flaxseed is Bob’s Redmill Ground Flaxseed which can be found at both Hy-Vee and Fareway stores. It’s crucial to store flax seed in your refrigerator or freezer, since it is a fat and it can go rancid quickly. Using one tablespoon or 8g of milled flaxseed a day is an appropriate intake to meet ALA dietary needs. Milled or ground flaxseed can easily be added to recipes or can be used to replace other fats such as egg or butter in recipes. Ground flaxseed can also be added easily to yogurt or oatmeal in the morning.

*Did you know that omega-3 eggs come from hens which are fed flax seed meal?

Give flaxseed a try!

(Data provided by Flax Council of Canada)

5K the FCMC Way!

Floyd County Medical Center is committed to helping improve the health and well being of the residents of Floyd County and surrounding areas. As a healthcare center, we want to encourage and challenge you to start making changes today that will help you lead a more healthy and active lifestyle.

Increasing activity is one of the best ways to enhance our health and is also the area that most of us need the most improvement.   Many of us fall short of the recommended 30 minutes of activity per day that is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

With this in mind, FCMC has developed a free training program for the residents of the Charles City community, to train 8 weeks with a goal of completing the Charley Western Firecracker 5K on July 4^th. Whether you want to walk or run, or a combination of both, the training program will push you to increase your daily activity, provide tips for improving your overall health and also toss in a few fun incentives along the way.

Although you may not feel ready to complete the 5K on the 4^th, we hope that this program will increase your daily activity level and also give you a positive outlook on making healthy changes in your life.

We are honored to have the support of local businesses, the Charles City Chamber of Commerce, and the Charley Western Firecracker 5K in providing this awesome program to you.

We at FCMC are taking this challenge and we hope that you’ll join us!


Please find more information on the program and registration forms at http://www.fcmc.us.com/ . You are also able to pick up forms from FCMC or the Charles City Chamber of Commerce.

I scream... you scream...

We all scream... for ice cream!! Since I live closest to Waverly, we tend to run most of our errands there. Recently, the "seasonal" Dairy Queen re-opened and after it was closed for a few months, we definitely needed to stop in!

Before we went to DQ, I didn't stop to review the nutritional information, but chose my favorite of all time, a small chocolate chip cookie dough blizzard. Love this! After my indulgence, I just had to take the time at home to "assess the damage" and found that my favorite treat holds 710 calories and 28 grams of fat. I could just feel my thighs getting bigger as I typed that :)

Since we tend to treat ourselves and stop at DQ more often than we should, I took the time to compile a little mental list of the healthier (and not so healthy) options for ice cream at DQ and here they are:

• Any of the DQ plain cones (chocolate, vanilla or chocolate dipped cone) fall below 300 calories, even for a large
• Small or medium sundaes are great choices, in a dish, not a waffle bowl
• Chocolate dilly bar- 240 calories, with most dilly bars about the same calorie leve
• Fudge bar- 50 calories
• DQ ice cream sandwich- 190 calories

• Blizzards, shakes, or malts= poor choice with lots of calories, up to 1450 calories for a Georgia Mud large blizzard and even 400 calories for most mini blizzards
• DQ cakes- 440 calories for 1/8th of an 8 inch cake

Try to make a choice that falls around 200 calories at most. Also, walk to DQ to burn off some calories prior to indulging!

Happy Spring and welcome the ice cream season!

A Review of Your Diet...

I find that any time I get a question on diet or ways to lose weight, my immediate response is: "How about you start keeping a food log and bring that to me in one week for review?" I automatically see the clients eyes roll and frown appear.

What is it about keeping a food log that clients so dislike? Is it the time that it takes to write down every bite of food you take during the day? Is it facing the reality that you really did eat 1/2 bag of chips for your afternoon snack? Is it knowing that when the dietitian sees what you are eating on a regular basis, she is going to encourage you to make some life changes that you aren't really willing to make?

Whatever the answer is, I still believe that keeping a food log is a great way to start analyzing your diet. A lot of us don't realize how much we are eating, what we are eating, and when we are eating it. We have a perceived notion that we eat three meals per day, we get all of our fruits and vegetables, and we only eat a dessert once a week.... and for many of us, that is far from the truth. In my four years of practice, I have found that if clients are unwilling to keep a food log, they are also unwilling to make changes that I would recommend for their meal plans. By keeping a food log, we are able to assess what we are eating on a regular basis and start to make small changes, that overtime, equal big results.

Consider keeping a food log. It's a great way to see which areas need change and also assist in evaluating your food goals. There are many ways to keep a food log, but the most important items to note is what you eat, when and how much. Be sure to measure portion sizes and record just how much of the item you are consuming.

Many people have become tech savvy with their food log and use different apps for phones or record their food logs online. Two sites that I really like to use is http://www.sparkpeople.com/ or http://www.thedailyplate.com/

Good luck!

Saving a little "green"!





Not many of us have access to the tree pictured above! As it gets closer to St. Paddy's Day, I thought it would be beneficial to drop a few comments on saving some "green" while eating healthy. I often hear, "I can't afford to eat healthy" and as a mother with a budget, I too agree, that sometimes the grocery bill can be astonishing! On the other hand, there are many ways to eat healthy and still keep that budget in order.

The first step in money savings for groceries is PLANNING. I know people hate to plan a weeks worth of meals, but it is helpful for having the food on hand you need and not giving you one excuse to dine out (which costs more money and is most likely, a less healthy option). I often plan four to five evening meals per week, therefore leaving a few nights (or days) to clean up the leftovers. Since I work M-F, I choose to make a healthy choice at FCMC for lunch and most meals cost around $3 or less.

The next step to saving money in any arena, is making a list prior to shopping and sticking to that list! Do not "shop with your eyes, nose, or stomach". It's important to stick to your meal plan and buy only the foods on your list. Since gas prices are on the rise, save money by only going to the grocery store one time per week. Again, this takes planning, but saves money and time!

Here's my list of money saving tips for a healthy meal plan:

1. Cut coupons, only for the items you actually use! This is not a time to try the new, $4 snack that you would not have typically put in your cart.
2. Shop the perimeter of the store first. Most of the healthy items are placed around the perimeter, whereas the processed foods are in the middle.
3. Only buy fresh fruit and vegetables that are on sale that week. Here in Iowa, we have the luxury of "seasonal produce", which may mean we need to step outside our comfort zone and try the new fruits or vegetables that are in season. Most grocers have suggestions on how to use fruits or vegetables if you are unfamiliar.
4. Try to avoid buying pre-cut and washed produce, as this adds to the price.
5. Buy produce in bulk (bags) to save money, instead of buying by the pound.
6. When in season, buy local! A lot of times you can get local produce cheaper at farmer's markets or from the producer since you are eliminating the "middle man".
7. Frozen fruits or vegetables are also a great option, if you have the freezer space. These products have less salt or sugar than canned and can be much cheaper than fresh.
8. Buy generic in terms of most foods. Although some people prefer brand name products or organics, those can be hard to fit into your budget and most brand names products and generics have very similar nutritional value.
9. Be aware of the sales at the meat counter! This can truly save you lots of money! There are also some great frozen chicken breast packages that are cheaper than the fresh version.
10. Skip the fancy beverages! Milk and water are great options and if you need something for your children, 100% juice diluted with water makes the jug last a lot longer.
11. Lastly, make your own snacks. Use fruits, vegetables, cereals, whole grain breads, etc. As Americans, we tend to spend the majority of our grocery budget on processed foods and/or snack items.

Good luck saving some "green" this month!

(Image of "money tree" from www.schoolloans.org)