- General Page Tier 3BlogThis green mango papaya salad can serve as a healthy and flavor-packed lunch or a light, refreshing side dish for dinner! The recipe notes to julienne both the papaya and the mango. To julienne a fruit or vegetable is to cut it into a thin, matchstick size. It’s helpful to first cut the mango and papaya lengthwise to create a flat surface and prevent them from rolling around on your cutting board. INGREDIENTS For the salad: ¼ cup green papaya, julienne ¼ cup green mango, julienne 2 Chinese long beans, charred 6 grape tomatoes ½ teaspoon jalapeno chile pepper, sliced ½ teaspoon salt pepper to taste 1 tablespoon peanuts, toasted, crushed 1 tablespoon cashews, toasted, crushed ¼ shallot, thinly sliced For the vinaigrette: 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon fish sauce juice from 2 limes 1 tablespoon sugar INSTRUCTIONS Add green papaya, long beans, green mango, carrots, vinaigrette, cherry tomatoes, salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon, bruise the vegetables slightly so that the vinaigrette is absorbed into the vegetables. Sprinkle the peanuts, cashews and shallots randomly over the salad. Add all dressing ingredients into a mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients to incorporate until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the salad. To learn more about nutrition services at Anne Arundel Medical Center, visit AskAAMC.org/Nutrition. Originally published Aug. 1, 2016. Last updated Sept. 2, 2020.
- Men's Health, Weight Loss, Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThe majority of our decisions about what to eat are on autopilot and often happen without us even thinking about them. Did you know that when you decide to change your diet, over 200 food-related decisions per day are impacted? From eating out to grocery shopping, all of these decisions are well rehearsed. On average, a grocery store will carry over 39,000 different items. Though variety is considered the ‘spice of life,’ the vast amount of food variety plays a role in overconsumption in our society. Research on food variety and its effects is emerging. In one interesting experiment done with M&M’s candy, researchers wanted to see what would happen if they gave moviegoers more color choices. They found that those who were given 10 different colors ate 43 percent more than those given the same amount of M&M’s in seven colors. READ MORE: What’s for dinner? New school year brings new pace of life You make fewer decisions over the course of the day when you automate your healthy choices , which helps you make it easier to choose healthier options. One way to eat healthier is to automate by meal planning. Too often, we let convenience, busy schedules and mindless eating derail our best intentions. Willpower is a resource that gets used up as the day goes on. The more decisions you have to make, the less willpower you have by the end of the day. If you automate your healthy choices, you make fewer decisions over the course of the day, which makes it easier to choose healthier options later in the day – a prime time for overdoing it. You are ahead of the game because you can choose something automatically instead of trying to use willpower. Here is a helpful guideline on how to automate by meal prepping: Eat the same breakfast and lunch every day. At least the template should be similar – a protein, fruit, vegetable and milk or starch. For breakfast, you could have oatmeal with fruit or a veggie omelet and fruit. For lunch, you could warm up some soup or a sandwich and pair it with some fruit. Alternatively, you could have some leftover chicken and green vegetables with seasonal fruit. You can mix things up at dinner and use the remaining willpower. Make meal planning and grocery shopping a given. Pick a block of time for planning your meals (perhaps in the car when commuting or transporting kids to activities) and then make your grocery list. Try to shop and prepare meals about the same time every week so it becomes part of your routine. Prep food ahead of time. Sundays are usually down days, which leaves time to tackle the preparation. If you really dislike cooking or prepping, consider purchasing prepared foods that fill the bill, such as already cooked chicken breast or various vegetable salads. Freeze meals. While prepping on Sundays, also pull out the crock-pot and make chili, a hearty soup, spaghetti sauce, lentil stew, etc. This will help you freeze and fill any unexpected gaps. Find foods you enjoy and that fit in the five food groups to slowly build a repertoire of satisfying meals. The effort in the beginning will be more time consuming, but the payoff will be worth the effort and repetition leads to balanced, healthy meals. Enjoy! Authors Ann Caldwell and Maureen Shackelford are nutritionists and registered dietitians at Anne Arundel Medical Center. To reach them, call 443-481-5555. Originally published July 8, 2019. Last updated Sept. 2, 2020.
- General Page Tier 3BlogWho doesn’t love a turkey sandwich with freshly baked bread for lunch? Or who would ever say no to cheesy lasagna for dinner? Besides tasting good, what both of these foods have in common is gluten. Gluten is a protein found in grains, wheat, barley and rye. Foods like bread, baked goods, crackers, pasta and cereals contain gluten. This protein gives dough its elasticity and acts like a glue, which gives foods like bread its chewy, soft texture we all love. The term “gluten-free” has evolved from diet trend to big business. To put it into perspective, market trends suggest that gluten-free products could be worth as much as $7.5 billion by 2020. Some surveys have found over 25 percent of people stating that they are looking to cut gluten out of their diet for health reasons. READ MORE: Why does nutrition advice change? However, there is a nutritional downside to going gluten-free. If you unnecessarily cut out gluten, you may be risking nutrient deficiencies. Gluten-free products are lower in fiber and contain white rice flour or various starches. They also have more fat and sugar to make them bind together and taste better. And even if junk food is labeled as gluten-free, it’s still junk food, so keep this in mind if weight loss or eating a healthier diet is your goal. When diets and trends hit the mainstream, it creates an atmosphere ripe for myths and misinterpretation. The good news is that if you decide to go gluten-free, you have more options. Once you have made the decision to go gluten-free due to a gluten intolerance or celiac disease (an inflammatory response), consider the following: If the product doesn’t have a gluten-free label, carefully read the ingredient list and allergen warning. Check the allergen warning found underneath the ingredient list for wheat. If the warning lists wheat, then it is not safe for consumption. Barley and rye are not included in allergen labeling, but if found in the ingredient list, the product is still not safe for consumption. Only consume a product containing oats if it is labeled gluten-free. Oat products must be labeled gluten-free to be safe. Most commercial oats are contaminated with gluten from cross contact with wheat, barley or rye during harvesting and processing. Consider avoiding ingredients that contain gluten. Some common ones include malt, brewer’s yeast, wheat, barley, rye and wheat starch. Know which ingredients you can still consume. Some common gluten-free ingredients you do not need to avoid include caramel color, maltodextrin, glucose syrup and distilled vinegar. Read the manufacturer’s warning if the product is not labeled gluten-free. Avoid grain-based products (rice, corn and other cereal grains) that are labeled “may contain” or “made on shared equipment” with wheat/gluten. Prevent cross contact with gluten-containing foods while cooking and prepping food. The smallest amount of gluten, even one-eighth of a teaspoon, can cause intestinal damage in people with celiac disease. Individuals who do not have celiac disease may be able to tolerate gluten in these small amounts without allergic reactions. You should always sanitize cutting boards, toasters, strainers and knives to avoid contamination. Other considerations to keep in mind is assuring medications or supplements do not have gluten additives. Distilled alcohol, wine, gluten-free beer and ciders are safe for consumption. Try to stay away from all malted products, such as hard lemonade, mixed drinks and beer. Take some time to read labels and understand which ingredients you can or cannot consume if you’re trying to follow a gluten-free lifestyle. Start by becoming familiar with the most common foods with gluten and do some research on alternatives. Don’t forget that planning and preparation are important when trying to maintain a gluten-free lifestyle. But when in doubt, go without. Happy eating! Authors Ann Caldwell and Maureen Shackelford are nutritionists and registered dietitians at Anne Arundel Medical Center. To reach them, call 443-481-5555. Originally published Sept. 2, 2019. Last updated Aug. 31, 2020.
- Pediatrics, Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThe first day of school looks different this fall. School-age children are entering virtual classrooms with a single keystroke. Some parents have become teachers for the first time. Creating a space inside your home for your child to learn is important. Here are some tips to set up an ergonomic-friendly space this school year. What is ergonomics? Ergonomics is the applied science of how a person interacts with their environment. This applies to an employee at their office, or a student at their desk. Adopting ergonomic techniques can improve your child’s educational environment and help prevent injuries. Check eye level: Make sure your child’s seat is at eye level to the computer monitor. An adjustable chair can help achieve this. If you don’t have an adjustable chair, adjust the height of the laptop or desktop computer. Make sure there is enough lighting: Natural light is best. Set up your child’s workspace near a window. You can also set up their learning space in an open area where a good amount of natural light comes in throughout the day. Position their desk in a way that decreases glare from the computer screen. This will reduce eyestrain and fatigue. Pay attention to posture: Sit in an upright posture, ensuring alignment of your child’s head, hips and shoulders. Make sure their knees are at a 90-degree angle. Good posture can decrease the amount of force placed through the lumbar spine which will decrease the risk of stress on the lower back and injury. Take breaks: Have your child take a break from their seated position. Ergonomic guidelines from Cornell University recommend that for every 30 minutes spent working, you should sit for 20 minutes, stand for eight minutes and move around for two minutes. This will ensure that your child is not sitting all day and can lead to a more productive experience for them. Print and post this handout in your home as a reminder of how to create a safe learning space for your child. Author Jamal Jackson is a physical therapist at Anne Arundel Medical Center.
- General Page Tier 3BlogNothing says fall quite like pumpkins and pumpkin-flavored foods. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin smoothies — the list goes on! Not only do pumpkin foods taste good, they are full of vitamins and minerals. They’re a rich source of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that gives orange vegetables their color. Your body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A once you eat it. The vegetable also contain a lot of vitamin C, vitamin E, riboflavin, potassium and other nutrients. Here’s how this fall favorite can boost your health. Some health benefits of pumpkin Cancer prevention: The National Cancer Institute says antioxidants including beta-carotene may play a role in preventing cancer. The substances in pumpkin seeds have also been linked to lower levels of stomach, breast, lung, prostate and colon cancers, says the National Foundation for Cancer Research. Eyesight: Vitamin A helps with good vision, especially in the dark. Tougher immune system: Vitamin A may help your body fight infections and viruses, while vitamin C could help you recover from colds faster. Heart health: Pumpkin seeds contain chemicals that may reduce “bad” cholesterol and decrease your risk of heart disease, the National Institute of Health says. Weight loss: Pumpkin has less than 50 calories per cup, and most pumpkin recipes contain far less than a cup. It’s also a good source of fiber, which can help you stay full longer. Mood booster: Pumpkins contain the amino acid tryptophan, which helps form serotonin. Serotonin regulates mood, sleep and your appetite. Watch out for added sugar Despite the gourd’s health benefits, not everything pumpkin-flavored is healthy! Take a look at Starbucks’ popular pumpkin spice latte: A 16-oz. grande, with 2 percent milk and whipped cream, has 380 calories, 14 grams of fat and 50 grams of sugar. In fact, many items labeled “pumpkin spice” don’t actually contain any pumpkin. It’s a mixture of spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and clove, or allspice, which taste like pumpkin pie. A typical slice of pumpkin pie, by the way, contains 323 calories and has 13 grams of fat and 25 grams of sugar. If you’re still craving a pumpkin spice latte, here is a healthier option: Pumpkin Spice Latte 1/ 2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1/ 2 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon sugar 8 ounces brewed coffee Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy! Each latte contains 55 calories, 1.5 grams protein, 8 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fat and 136 percent of your daily vitamin A needs. And if you’re in the mood for dessert, these cranberry pumpkin muffins are only 200 calories each. Cranberry pumpkin muffins Ingredients 2 cups flour 1/ 2 cup sugar 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 /2 teaspoons salt 1 /2 teaspoons cinnamon 3 /4 teaspoons allspice 1/ 3 cup vegetable oil 2 large eggs 3/ 4 cup canned pumpkin 2 cups fresh or frozen chopped cranberries Instructions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients (flour through allspice) and set aside. Beat oil, eggs, and pumpkin together until well blended. Add the wet ingredients (pumpkin mixture) to the dry ingredients all at once. Stir until moistened. Fold in chopped cranberries. Spoon into paper-lined muffin cups. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 12 servings Each muffin contains about 200 calories, 7 grams total fat, 1 grams saturated fat, 35 milligrams cholesterol, 230 milligrams sodium, 32 grams carbohydrates, and 3 grams protein. Toasted pumpkin seeds also make a healthy fall snack. First, rinse seeds well to wash away pumpkin pulp. Spray nonstick cooking spray on a baking sheet, then spread seeds. Or place seeds on the sheet, then add a bit of olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring occasionally. Bake until seeds are toasted lightly. Authors By Ann Caldwell and Maureen Shackelford, nutritionists and registered dietitians at Anne Arundel Medical Center. To reach them call 443-481-5555. Originally published Sept. 22, 2017. Last updated Aug. 25, 2020.
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