Some of you may have recently been told your Vitamin D is low or that you are deficient. You are not alone as in the past this was not a routine test checked by physicians. With the heightened awareness of “deficiencies” it is ordered on a more routine basis and approximately 40% of the United States has inadequate supplies of this very popular Vitamin. It is important to note that the Vitamin D Council estimates that 20% of physicians in the United States order the wrong test to truly assess Vitamin D levels. 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D is the wrong test as it measures the hormone calcitrol and is manipulated by calcium intake so make sure when your doctor orders this test that the right test is ordered, 25(OH)D or 25- hydroxy vitamin D. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that’s created in your body with sun exposure.   It is also found in egg yolk, salmon, mackerel, cod oil, fish oil, fortified cheese, fortified milk, beef liver and some fortified breads and cereals. ...

The other day I was checking my Facebook statuses and there was a post from a friend asking what to pack her toddler for school lunch. The trick was it is a peanut free school, as most are, and it had to be cold. I have two toddlers myself and am often baffled when it comes to meal time, especially lunch.   My goal is always for quality over quantity but depending on the day, I never know what challenges may occur at mealtime. The average toddler requires 16-24 grams of protein and approximately 1300 calories a day.   Once your toddler turns three, calorie requirements can increase up to 1800 per day. Here are some ideas on what to pack for your child/children: Food Item Calories Protein String Cheese 80 8 Yogurt 100 4 Mini Bagel, Cream Cheese, and Jelly Sandwiches 200 6 Crackers (5) and Cheese (1.5 ounce) 225 9 Cottage Cheese Snack Packs 70 11 Veggies – ½ cup raw with 1 Tablespoon of ranch 100 2 Cold Cuts I slice and 1 Tablespoon of honey mustard for dipping 45 5...

On Monday of this week, a change of position was announced for food labels.  As most of you are aware, food labels are currently on the side or back of most packaging; this new proposal will mandate that all labels will move to the front of packaged and canned foods and will appear in the next couple of months through the end of the year.  In addition to a position change for food labels, there will also be nutrition key labels that will display the calories, saturated fat, sodium, and sugars per serving in each product.  As a dietitian, I am thrilled to see that the nation is taking a stance and validating how busy the consumer is.  My hope is that by adding this information on the front of products, it will be easier for people to pick healthier options.  Of course it is always healthiest to shop the perimeter of the grocery store, and most of these items will not be included with the new packaging, but it is unrealistic to think that the average A...

I hear many interesting comments from the many people I come in contact with on a daily basis about nutrition.   A hot topic right now continues to be high fructose corn syrup.   Some recent statements I’ve heard are “I try not to buy that because of the high fructose corn syrup” or “I won’t feed that to my children because I don’t want them to have too much high fructose corn syrup.” Statements like those above are a catch twenty-two for me.   On one hand I’m ecstatic that the general population cares about what we are feeding ourselves and our family, but on the other hand it solidifies my concern that nutrition education is still very much behind par.   As a registered dietitian, I have never thought twice about high fructose corn syrup. It definitely became the designer fad, years ago and I am shocked at how its negative reputation is still going strong.   Statements have even been made linking high fructose corn syrup to obesity, but my latest searc...

I did the strangest thing today. I tried on all of my dresses I've collected in my closet for the last nine years. Why did I do this you ask?  I was cleaning out my closet and I was celebrating reaching my pre wedding weight. I'm a dietitian. I'm a mom. I have two jobs and I watch what I eat for the most part but with all that I have going on I have definitely put my dietary habits at the bottom of the barrel.  Sometimes I go through my day and by the time I sit down to eat I'm in crisis mode which is not the best mode to be in to allow for wise decisions. I exercise intensely four times a week and since I've had my children who are ages three and two, I have held on to nine pounds.  This may not sound like a lot, and I'm not saying it is, but for me at five feet two it’s a pant size. So instead of practicing what I preach I decided to treat myself like a client.  I did the food records; I analyzed my intake to goal, and changed up my routine.  I...

I first heard about the Portion Plate two weeks ago when it was displayed in a catalog I purchase a lot of my health education products from.  I was drawn to the product right away as I am a visual person.  I emailed the company and was very excited when I received samples of the products in the mail just yesterday.  I see many clients and I think the most difficult lifestyle change for a lot of people is controlling portion size.  Not only does the portion plate show you approximately how many fruits, veggies, starch, and protein is recommended on each plate, but it also shows examples of true serving sizes, a big misunderstanding in the United States.  Choose from the adult, child, or diabetic plate and each give you an approximated amount of calories a plate would contain.  In addition to plates, there are also place mats. I will be recommending this product to my clients. There isn't an easier way to visualize a meal than to plop i...