I am so torn about diet sodas.   On the one hand I love that they are calorie free, on the other hand even though aspartame, splenda, and saccharin have been deemed generally recommended as safe, I still recommend keeping consumption down.   What do I mean when I say “keep consumption down?”   That is a good question. I probably only consume products that have all or any of the above a couple of times a week and do the same with my children.   I have no rhyme or reason for this, except that I prefer whole, natural foods. I do dislike the calories in any drink other than milk and will opt for a lower calorie option when available.   I’m always on the lookout for research and when one of my peers posted results from the studies below I thought it would be great to share.   Recently, scientific presentations at the American Diabetic Association showed that aspartame and diet sodas may attribute to pre Diabetes or Diabetes and weight gain.   The f...

This is definitely one of my top ten questions from clients and frankly it’s a hard question because there isn’t a generic answer.   The internet and such stores as the Vitamin Shoppe and GNC continue to place a lot of focus on vitamins and minerals and some of my clients swear by their regimen.   I’ve even had some clients tell me they can tell a difference within hours of taking certain supplementations.    Since this is a subject I try to tame my responses too, I was very glad to see the article “Multivitamins, So Many Types, So Many Labels” by Melinda Beck in the Wall Street Journal published June 21, 2001.   Did you know that the multivitamin is the number one dietary supplement producing $4.8 billion back in 2008 and that one third of American’s take multivitamins religiously?   As Melinda points out there are many different varieties of multivitamins yet there is no specific formulation that specifies what a multivitamin should look like.  ...

“No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.”   Eleanor Roosevelt This is a powerful quote and one I use often when meeting with some of my wonderful clients.   It’s such a simple, short sentence but so thought provoking.   Often upon an initial meeting with clients we discuss past medical history, medications, food allergies, exercise, meal timing and patterns and just skim the surface.   I listen while a story is told and understand that it will take time for trust to be built as my client and I put our plan together to move forward. As we move through this journey together, we find that more times than most it is not just about the food.   We talk about using food as a fuel; we work on a meal plan and initiate lifestyle changes, and initiate exercise.   Most of the time success is obtained and for some, this is when the fear starts to settle in.   Will this last?   I’m doing well now, when will I start to fail again? ...

I recently purchased Nancy Clark's sports nutrition guide book.   It is such a great book with a lot of information backed up by good research.   If you are an athlete, aspiring athlete, or just interested in how to fuel your body for all types of exercise I definitely recommend this book. Growing up I played soccer pretty much all year round.   I love the sport and miss playing every day.   I also ran track for a little while focusing on sprinting and hurdles. I think back to how easy it was to run for hours on end during a soccer game or to get ready for a 100 yard dash compared to how much more difficult it is to get a workout in years later with jobs, kids, and all the other responsibilities in life. A couple of months ago I started running 5K’s.   For an ex sprinter and right winger this was a long distance for me to train for.   Surprisingly, I was happy with how I ran and I absolutely loved the environment.   So I’m continuing to run an...

Earlier this week the Environmental Working Group (EWG) published their latest list of the dirty dozen and the clean fifteen.   The list specifies which fruits and vegetables have the most (dirty dozen) and least (clean fifteen) pesticides.   Data was collected from 2000-2009 from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food Drug Administration (FDA) ranking product on six factors which tell us how many pesticides are in the fruits and vegetable we consume and are recommended to consume daily.   I thought it was interesting when I read that most samples are even washed and peeled prior to testing. There are many thoughts that pesticides are dangerous to humans and can cause neurological damage, ADHD, Cancer, and also disrupt the endocrine system.   I searched for specific research on the subject matter and had a hard time finding something concrete, however many suggest that more studies need to be completed with strong hypothesis’ explaining ...

In my practice I see a lot of vegetarians who have a lot of questions about the types of protein they eat.   In case you need a refresher, animal proteins are proteins derived from meat, dairy, and eggs.   Plant protein is derived from nuts, seeds, beans, legumes and soy.   Most animal proteins are higher in saturated fat as well as cholesterol which have been proved to increase risks of arteriosclerosis, a precursor to cardiovascular disease.   A lot of the general public, not just vegetarians, are starting to focus on decreasing intakes of animal proteins and focusing on plant sources to decrease total calorie, fat, and cholesterol intake.   It’s important to know that most generally healthy individuals only need .8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.   Basically this means that a 150 pound man or woman requires about 54 grams of protein in an entire day. Protein is made from amino acids.   Although there are many amino acids, ther...

If you haven’t already gotten to take a look at the new icon from the USDA, take a minute and check out http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ .   Last Thursday Michelle Obama unveiled the replacement to the food guide pyramid.   The new icon is a plate divided into four subdivisions designed to visually guide you in portioning protein, grains, fruits, vegetables, and dairy. The website http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ replaces the www.mypyramid.gov website and provides some simple guidelines along with the new plate icon.   On the home page you can see some guidelines on how to balance calories, suggestions on foods to increase, and suggestions on foods to decrease.   The website also allows you to look up a food in the ‘My food-a-pedia.’    You can learn more about food groups, look into weight loss, and even plan a healthy meal. What are my thoughts on the new icon? Well since you ask, I’d have to say I like it better as compared to the food guide pyramid....

Greetings, Thanks to Matthew Reed who listed Kindred Nutrition's blog 'Ask Amy' as one of the top 50 blogs every dietitian should read.  Kindred is listed number 5 under Nutrition help.  Matthew's blog Nurse Tips  has some great tips. Go ahead and check it out today! http://lpntornbridge.org/2011/top-50-blogs-every-dietician-should-read/ Thanks to all for stopping by Ask Amy and you'll hear from me again real soon.