Discussing common parenting food fights with uh-PARENT-ly

From uh-PARENT-ly, “the podcast for absolutely average parents”: Food fights: How to feed a picky eater

Are you up to your eyeballs in chicken nuggets? Tired of being treated like a short-order cook? Worried your children will never eat their broccoli? Join uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos as they share their mealtime struggles and get advice from Dr. Laura Jana, author of Food Fights: Winning the Nutritional Challenges of Parenthood Armed with Insight, Humor and a Bottle of Ketchup

Feeding Your Baby: Tips for Successful Breastfeeding

For anyone entering parenthood today, you’ve undoubtedly heard the phrase “breast is best,” and for good reason. That’s because there are simply no substitutes that rival the invaluable health benefits of breast milk, which explains why the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends feeding babies breast milk exclusively for the first 6 months, and as long as possible – ideally throughout the first year. Yet according to the CDC’s 2013 Breastfeeding Report Card, while nearly 4 out of 5 new moms start breastfeeding, only half are still doing so at 6 months, and fewer still – only about twenty-five percent – continue throughout the full first year.

As with so many aspects of parenthood, it has been my experience that it’s one thing to know what to do, and altogether another to know how do it. In the case of breastfeeding, the fact of the matter is that what’s “natural” doesn’t always come naturally. Too many moms are caught off guard by this and quit early because they don’t have the support they need. In other words, they mistakenly think they’re failing when they’re really not. That’s why I think it’s so important to share the following breastfeeding insights and practical tips, as they can really help to increase the odds of breastfeeding success.

  • Catching on to latching on. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if at first your baby doesn’t succeed. Some babies are born with the ability to latch on to the breast correctly right from the start, but others really benefit from some hands-on training before they catch on to this all-important skill.
  • Be sure to send out an SOS (in Search out Support)! Anyone who’s ever done it knows breastfeeding can be time-consuming, tiring, or – if we’re being honest with ourselves – even downright demanding. Breastfeeding moms should always remember to ask for support – whether it’s in the form of a helping hand at the hospital, help tending to baby’s other night-time needs, or to fend off any feelings of isolation or frustration.
  • Remember it’s a matter of supply and demand. Fussy babies often fool moms into believing their milk supply is inadequate. Instead of simply assuming that extra fussing and/or frequent nursing are sure-fire signs of breastfeeding failure, it helps to first understand how the concept of supply and demand applies. Whether in the earliest days of breastfeeding or in the weeks after settling in to a predictable nursing routine, fussing and acting hungry is how babies communicate their growing “demands” so that they can successfully increase the milk supply. If you have any concerns, always remember to check-in with your pediatrician to make sure that everything is on track.
  • Get comfortable. This not only includes finding a comfortable feeding position that works for you and your baby – whether it’s a cradle hold, a football hold, or laying side-by-side – but also becoming comfortable with breastfeeding in general. The ability to find a comfortable position, feel adequately covered-up, and nurse in public and/or on-the-go all serve to make breastfeeding a more enjoyable experience.
  • Don’t get too irritated. Be aware that there are some mild irritations that can show up during the first few days of breastfeeding – most notably some nipple irritation and uterine cramping – but tend to go away within days. After that, remember to be on the lookout for and seek medical advice throughout your breastfeeding months for the onset of any new irritations in order to keep blisters, cracks, blocked milk ducts, or mastitis (breast infection) from getting in the way of an otherwise painless and enjoyable breastfeeding experience.3
  • And finally – remember that breast milk each day really can help keep the doctor away. Not that I am in any way advocating the avoidance of your pediatrician, since a close partnership with your pediatrician and regular checkups are key to your baby’s health. Rather, I find it is both empowering and motivating to finish any discussion of breastfeeding with a reminder that breastfeeding is a great investment in your baby’s overall health – one that not only provides them with the ideal food, but also lots of other health benefits and plenty of opportunity for shared bonding time.

Originally posted on Omaha World Herald’s Live Well Nebraska

Arming teachers with what they really need…pencils, books, and healthy, school-ready children!

There’s no ignoring it. The topic is everywhere. Our country is engaged in a national debate about gun control, and in many cases, whether or not we should arm our teachers. I certainly have concerns about putting guns in closer proximity to our children, since the absence of guns from their homes and communities has been proven the most effective way of preventing firearm-related injuries within this age group. And while the conversation about gun control is long overdue, I feel compelled to point out that there is a more important discussion when it comes to arming teachers.

Far less controversial and already proven “arms” exist, and we actually know a lot about what works when it comes to ensuring our children stay safe and healthy while at school. Here are a few ideas.

Books. Helping children grow up with a love of reading in a literacy-rich environment is crucial for their future success and well being. Every educator and pediatrician I’ve met agrees – children must spend their first few years of school learning to read in order to spend the rest of their lives reading to learn. The sad fact is that far too many child care settings and elementary schools lack the books (or the budget) needed to make this happen. And Omaha is not immune to this problem.

Breakfast. As the co-author of Food Fights, a book that offers solutions to kid-related nutritional challenges, it should come as no surprise that I believe that good nutrition (all day every day) is essential for kids (and adults, for that matter). It’s needed for good physical health, concentration and the ability to learn. The fact of the matter is, hungry children simply don’t learn as well as others. So it’s time to ask the tough questions: How do we provide all children, especially those who are disadvantaged, with a nutritious breakfast?

School nurses and other health professionals. Our health and ability to learn are inextricably intertwined, especially in our children’s earliest years. Unfortunately, budget cuts often leave our schools with little, if any, access to a school nurse or other health professional. Even fewer child care centers have this much-needed access, despite the existence of clear justification for these health consultants.

Vaccines and other germ-fighting tools. Making sure children and teachers are fully vaccinated is so important. This also means insuring measures are in place to limit the spread of infection and missed school days. We need to arm our teachers not only with the paper and pencils, but with vaccinated children, cleaning supplies and disinfecting procedures. Access to hand washing sinks, soap, hand sanitizer, bleach water and/or disinfecting wipes are small investments that can yield big returns.

Children who are ready-to-learn. Key words here: when they enter kindergarten. We have irrefutable evidence that proves investing in early childhood and a strong foundation is hugely important for safety, health and lifelong well being. We also know this foundation must be laid in the earliest years of a child’s life – well before he or she enters kindergarten. That’s why efforts such as First Five Nebraska and Educare are so crucial.

Originally posted on Omaha World Herald’s Live Well Nebraska

Family-Friendly New Year’s Resolutions for Parents

Now that the buildup to 2013 has come and gone and everyone has had ample opportunity to contemplate and commit to New Year’s resolutions, I thought it would be a useful time to look past the hype and consider what really makes for family-friendly and longer-lasting resolutions.

Let me first say that I’m a big believer in the benefits of goal setting, and I do really well with defined start dates – even those that I fully realize are arbitrarily defined. In fact, the thought of starting a New Year’s resolution a day past the first of the year, or failing to follow through for at least six months leaves me feeling unsettled.

My family, however, doesn’t exactly share my attitude. Ask my husband and he’ll tell you that New Year’s resolutions are silly. Not that he doesn’t share my belief in setting goals and sticking to them, but he questions what makes identifying life-enhancing goals and then committing to them on January 1st any different than doing so on June 1st (or any other day of the year, for that matter)?

And if I were to have waited for resolution revelations from my 3 children (one pre-teen and two teenagers), I would have been offered up some vague and non-committal pledges at best – somewhere along the lines of “I think I may try to start running some time this year…if I feel like it.” Given that it’s not uncommon for children to be similarly resolution challenged when left to their own devices, I’ve concluded that it’s not only worthwhile for parents to assist children with choosing resolutions, but to help them pick ones that are both positive and realistic. Better yet, it helps to pick resolutions you can both support and share in as a family.

So just what approach should parents take? It’s interesting to start by considering the most popular adult New Year’s resolutions. No matter what top ten list you look at, it’s likely to include such goals as eating healthier, getting fit, losing weight, getting a better education or job, helping others, and getting organized. Given that these are all things we repeatedly aspire to, it seems to me the best thing we can do for our kids is to join them in setting goals that will help them (and us) lead happier, healthier, smarter and more organized lives right from the start.

Healthier. Having your child commit to such basic things as daily tooth-brushing and regular hand-washing may seem somewhat insignificant in the grand scheme of New Years resolution-making, but they’re really not. In fact, along with making sure your child is up-to-date on immunizations, eats healthy and stays active, hand washing and tooth brushing rank right near the top of ways to stay healthy. As for eating healthier, my own family’s resolution is to eat out less and cook more meals at home using an online menu planner that comes complete with weekly shopping lists and healthy recipes. (www.thefresh20.com)

Happier. When it comes to resolving to be happier, I have two overarching suggestions. The first is to focus on spending more quality time as a family, whether it’s in the form of after-dinner walks, road trips and family vacations together, bedtime books or a weekly game night. The other is helping others – a commitment that has also been clearly shown to make people – children and adults alike – happier. Remember that when it comes to helping others, it can be as simple as teaching young children to use their manners and share their toys or shoveling a neighbors driveway, to volunteering at or contributing to a local non-profit or helping those in need around the world. One of my family’s favorites is a non-profit micro-lending site, kiva.org, where families can read about and help contribute to worthy causes such as supporting education in India, or helping to buy a bull for a farmer in S. America.

Wiser. While there are countless age-appropriate resolutions children can make that will make them smarter, a particularly worthy New Year’s resolution is to simply read more, whether it’s reading aloud every day with your child, your child resolving to learn to read on his own this year, making shared quiet reading time a regular family activity, or committing to reading a certain number of books over the course of the year.

More organized. In case you’re wondering if the tasks might be too mundane to qualify as New Year’s resolutions, having your children commit to such routine tasks as putting away their toys, cleaning their rooms, and sorting/putting away their laundry really do make a difference towards fostering important lifelong organizational skills.

Originally posted on Omaha World Herald’s Live Well Nebraska

The advantages and disadvantages of organic foods

A recent trip to supermarket left me feeling better than usual about my family’s grocery shopping habits.

I made my way to the dairy aisle armed with new and must-have information from a recent American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) report. The topic: Advantages and disadvantages of organic foods.

As someone whose family consumes about six gallons of milk every week, I’ve questioned whether my desire to save a not insignificant amount of money buying non-organic milk might be putting my three children at risk. And I’m fairly sure I’m not the only mom who has had this internal debate. After all, according to the report, as of 2010 the U.S. organic food industry was estimated to be over worth over $28 billion. And on average, organic products cost anywhere from 10 to 40 percent more than those that are non-organically produced.

So I was relieved, and albeit a bit surprised, to learn that the AAP committee (comprised of experts in both nutrition and environmental health) concluded, “There is no evidence of clinically relevant differences in organic milk and conventional milk.”

That’s right, no evidence that organic milk has less bacteria in it. No evidence that conventional milk has any worrisome bovine growth hormones. And few, if any, nutritional differences of any significance.

While not only renewing my confidence in my longstanding milk purchase habits, the report went one step further noting that organic foods are not nutritionally superior to their traditional counterparts. This isn’t to say the two are created equal, because organic foods do contain fewer pesticides. It’s just not yet clear whether the reduced pesticide exposure makes any difference to our health.

So with new information in hand, as a consumer, pediatrician and parent, my stance is simple: Until we know more, err on the side of caution. Limiting pesticide exposure, especially in pregnant women, infants and young children, isn’t a bad idea considering the potential risky effects these chemicals may have on brain development.

Another big take away from the AAP report was that, above all else, we should focus on eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. More importantly than the organic vs. non-organic debate is the conversation about simply eating fruits and veggies in the first place. The average American diet is lacking in fresh produce, so any, organic or not, is better than none. If cost isn’t a concern to your family, then by all means, feel free to buy organic. But if it is, don’t let that keep you away from the produce section or feel guilty when grabbing your next gallon of milk.

Other links of interest:

2008 Consumer Reports Article: Fruits and Vegetables, When to Buy Organic

Environmental Working Group’s “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides”

Originally posted on Omaha World Herald’s Live Well Nebraska

I admit it – I do well with resolutions. I truly believe that people tend to accomplish more when they have a set goal in mind. I personally love to rise to a challenge, and find that setting a formal (and preferably public) goal definitely has a way of bringing out one’s competitive nature.

So when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, I have to say I’m a believer. As someone dedicated to promoting health and safety year-round, I obviously think it’s important to set goals throughout the year. But if ushering in a new year happens to give you an increased sense of motivation, then by all means, run with it because now is the perfect time to shift gears from helping your children create holiday wishlists to helping them (and you) focus on setting some realistic family goals that are sure to deliver on the promise of an even happier, healthier 2012.

Okay, so what’s the best way to figure out what one’s family goals should be? While each of your family members’ individual resolutions can be customized according to age, ability, and circumstance, I figured it might be helpful to get you started by offering you some simple family-friendly resolutions – you know, those completely do-able resolutions that don’t seem nearly as challenging as, say, signing up for a gym membership in January only to lack the willpower come March to make use of it. Or running a marathon. While there’s nothing wrong with either of those resolutions (I’ve made them both myself in years past), there’s nothing wrong with first reaching for the “low-hanging fruit” resolutions that are sure to give your family both a sense of accomplishment and a big bang for your buck when it comes to improved healthy, safety and well-being.

–       Walk more. That’s right, walk more. Around the block, to the grocery store, with friends, on the treadmill – wherever and whenever you can. Running is fine, too. But if that seems a bit daunting or impractical, the important thing for kids and adults alike is to be more active in 2012. As someone who just placed my own order for a FitBit, let me add that if you and/or your children are more likely to put their best foot forward with a concrete goal (or a cool new gadget), then using a pedometer may prove to be just what it takes to get up and get going.

–       Sleep more. You see – I told you these resolutions would be attainable, if not downright desirable. I mean, who doesn’t want to sleep more? But as a pediatrician married to a surgeon and therefore accustomed to dealing with the demands of both professional schedules and with the many sleep-related challenges of parenthood, I fully understand why most of us simply don’t get enough sleep. I have also become increasingly impressed with how important sleep is to one’s overall health. So whether it’s an improved bedtime routine for babies or toddlers, taking/keeping the TV set out of your child’s bedroom, keeping tabs on your teenager’s sleep habits or simply placing more value on your own sleep needs – I strongly recommend it.

–       Read more. Daily, whenever possible. Not just for work, not just when your kids are required to, but for fun. Read aloud to your kids. Read quietly alongside them.  Make a point of reading the newspaper. Encourage your tweens or teens to start reading it too. Read on paper or in any electronic form you choose. Regardless of what angle you take, resolving to read more will enrich your family’s new year.

–       Drink more. Water, that is. Just back from a recent trip to NY where I discussed water as a key aspect of health, hydration, and tackling the obesity epidemic with a wide range of magazine editors, I decided to toss it in my resolution list. It’s not just because I think drinking more water is the one and only solution to better health, but because it strikes me as such an easy one once you and your family set your minds to it. The goal in encouraging more water consumption in large part actually relates to getting everyone (kids and parents alike) to drink less soda, less juice, and less sugary liquids in general. If your family is not in the water-drinking habit, consider committing to milk with meals and water with snacks, and making water more appealing by filtering it (typically tastes better), bottling it (re-usable water bottles are both convenient and better for the environment), or simply adding some natural flavor (a wedge of lemon/lime or even a slice of cucumber!).

–       Engage more. Social networking now seems to be the key to everything from successful weight loss to professional success. Yet one of the things we risk in what is sure to be an increasingly wired (or wireless) 2012 is the lack of meaningful, personal engagement with others in our community. That’s why I firmly believe that all families should set a goal of teaching their children to more actively engage and become contributing members of society. Taking some lessons from the Helping Hands curriculum at my child care center, this can be as simple yet meaningful as having even very young children visit the Humane Society or a local retirement home; send letters of thanks to those serving in the military; and/or collect mittens, books, pennies, diapers, coats or cans of food for those less fortunate. Whatever you choose, remember that one of the most powerful lessons we stand to teach our children (and live by ourselves) is that it is our meaningful connection with others that brings the most happiness.

–       Laugh more. At yourself, with your kids….the point is that while resolutions can be a good way to improve one’s health, it’s just as important to make sure that stress doesn’t get the best of you. I’ve found the best way to do this is to remember to laugh, and always remind yourself of how fortunate you are to have your family, your friends, your health, and the gift of another year.

On that note, I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy, healthy and accomplished new year. I’ll look forward to sharing 2012 with you and everyone in the Live Well Nebraska community.

Originally posted on Omaha World Herald’s Live Well Nebraska

Feeding Children: Palatable Strategies for Winning the Nutritional Challenges of Parenthood

Whether you’re an Omaha parent or the First Lady of the United States, it has become all too clear that childhood obesity is a large and growing problem that warrants it’s current spot at the top of our collective parenting priority lists (not to mention our country’s). Sure, there are some bigger-picture issues at stake here than whether or not you are successful in your attempts to get your child to eat green vegetables. And yes – it can easily seem like some of the root causes of the obesity epidemic fall far outside of our parental control – from the multi-billion dollar a year business of marketing unhealthy foods to children to the concerning inadequacies of lunch programs and drastically cut physical education activities in schools. In other words, we have our work cut out for us.

I remain convinced, however, that as parents, we all still have the ability to significantly shape our children’s eating habits, teach them an healthier approach to food, and ultimately impact their overall health and nutrition. I don’t hold any misperceptions about the fact that it will take quite a bit of parental effort and commitment. But it’s well worth the effort.

Okay, so I imagine that very few, if any, parents would disagree with me thus far. And there’s certainly a cornucopia of nutrition resources out there custom-designed to make it exceedingly easy to figure out exactly how much calcium or vitamin D your child needs in any given day, what types of fats to avoid, and even how to serve your child’s nutrition up on a proportionally pleasing plate.

The problem is that few things are harder than getting a child to open his mouth when he doesn’t want to. Instilling healthy eating habits in our children isn’t just about knowing what we should be serving our kids – an admittedly very important first step in the right direction – but figuring out how to get them to play along. In other words, it’s one thing to know what it is we’re supposed to be doing and feeding our children. It’s altogether another to know how to go about doing it.

And that’s why I want to share with you several of the ten overarching peacekeeping strategies my Food Fights co-author and I distilled in order to arm all parents with the skills and approaches necessary to wage war on the childhood obesity epidemic – one French fry, grocery store meltdown, or food refusal at a time.

  1. Don’t fight over food. Mealtime was never meant to be contentious, and no matter how much you commit yourself to instilling in your child healthy eating habits, vow never to turn the dinner table into a battlefield. In short, this means committing to some basic ground rules about how you’re going to approach food (including those listed below), and then applying them calmly and consistently.
  2. Never let them see you sweat. In other words, don’t let your child know just how much parental self-worth you have resting on whether or not he eats a bite of broccoli. Studies show that the more you blatantly “push” healthy foods, the more likely your child is to resist. Conversely, I might add, the more that foods are restricted, the more likely children are to want them (and eat more when given the chance). It’s simply your job to place healthy foods in front of your child, and your child’s job to decide how much to eat.
  3. Try, try…try, try again. If I were really to make this point, I would write out the word “try” ten to fifteen times to add greater emphasis to the number of times it can take for a child to try a new food before accepting it. I know it may seem a bit shocking. But once you understand that calmly offering new and healthy foods on a regular and repeated basis makes a very real difference, it is usually much easier to swallow the many predictable rejections. In particular, I like taking the low-key approach of teaching children to ask for “No thank you” bites. Children get to retain a sense of control, know that they will not be forced to eat, and you accomplish your goal of exposing them to new foods.
  4. Out of sight, out of mind. This may seem like stating the obvious, but when it comes to your child wanting, begging, and/or whining for unhealthy foods in lieu of healthier ones, let me remind you that it is under your complete control to regulate what foods come into your homes. If you don’t want your child begging for it, then don’t buy it. Of course trips to the grocery store, visits to the grandparents, and child care (all topics addressed in detail in Food Fights) can all pose more of a challenge and will require additional consideration.
  5. Eat by example. I would be remiss if I didn’t make the closing (and perhaps most important) point that all the nutrition resources, no thank you bites, and dietary directives in the world won’t stand nearly the chance they would otherwise if you don’t eat by the same principles. From the time you enter parenthood, your children will be watching you, and they’re far more likely to eat as you do than as you say.

With that said, I wish you and your entire family good health and a lifetime of “peas and homini!”

Originally posted on Omaha World Herald’s Live Well Nebraska

Applying the “Kohlrabi Principle” to Practical Parenting

I recently made it out to Midtown Crossing. This was actually the first chance I had to see it since it’s completion, and I was quite impressed with the family-friendly atmosphere, the Jazz on the Green’s outdoor festivities, the whole layout, the convenient free parking, and the wide array of stores and restaurants.

As a LiveWell Nebraska blogger, I also enjoyed the opportunity to spend time at the Omaha World Herald’s booth and meet those of you who chose to stop by and say hello. As is often the case, I was asked what I thought the secret was to getting people – parents and children alike – to change their ways and live healthier, safer lives. While this is clearly a subject I spend a lot of time thinking about, I don’t presume to have the one right answer. In fact, I don’t believe that there is one, single cure-all answer to the question of how to get people to change their behaviors. But for the sake of today’s blog, I’m going to go with kohlrabi.

That’s right, kohlrabi (pronounced “cole – rah – bee”)

For those of you who have never heard of kohlrabi, much less know what it means or how to pronounce it, you have to admit that the word itself has a way of catching your attention. Try teaching your preschooler the word, or better yet – reading aloud the ever-popular Eating the Alphabet book – and you’re sure to find that children are easily intrigued with an impressively wide range of fruits and vegetables.

Okay, so reading about (and hopefully popularizing) kohlrabi, along with other fruits and vegetables, is a big step in the right direction towards better health. But better yet is when you’re able to translate linguistic & literary intrigue into dietary practice.

This noble goal brings me back to the subject of kohlrabi. Prior to three years ago, I knew nothing about it beyond the fact that it had helped round out the “K” page of Lois Ehlert’s bestselling book. Until my 8-year-old son and I came across kohlrabi at the Village Pointe farmer’s market, it had never occurred to me to actually buy or try kohlrabi (or jicama or boysenberries, for that matter).

Before deciding to buy one, we first had to ask what one was supposed to do with a kohlrabi. Not unlike an artichoke, kohlrabi can admittedly be somewhat intimidating if one doesn’t know what to do with it. Fortunately, all it takes is simply cutting off the outer “rind” and cutting up the white, crunchy interior.

Billed by wikipedia as “a low, stout cultivar of the cabbage that will grow almost anywhere,” the taste and texture are said to be “similar to those of a broccoli stem or cabbage heart, but milder and sweeter.” My kids and I think it’s better described as more like the cross between a radish and a cucumber – with the crunch of a radish, but a more mild taste. Cut it up like a carrot stick and it can be dipped in ranch dressing or hummus. Dice it up and you can sprinkle it on a salad. Google it and you’ll find that you can also season, sauté, bake, or puree it.

So back to my initial conclusion that part of the answer to getting people to live healthier lives involves kohlrabi. No, your family’s discovery of the existence of kohlrabi won’t rival Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin. But I am convinced that if we all committed to applying some basic “kohlrabi principles” like those I’ve listed below to how we feed our children (and ourselves), we might all be a bit healthier for it.

  • Read all about it. It’s no secret that I’m an outspoken advocate for early literacy and reading books to kids (and babies). And there’s certainly no shortage of books with positive, healthy messages. Eating the Alphabet will get you off to a good start, but there are many, many more that stand to get your children interested in a much broader range of fruits and vegetables. Check out How Are You Peeling?, for example, and you’ll see what I mean.
  • Paint a positive picture. Books can paint a positive picture, but so can you. Rather than taking a “you have to eat your vegetables” approach, remember to put a more positive spin on it. You’ve got plenty of shapes, sizes and colors to choose from and work with as you expand your family’s palette.
  • Reach for the unknown. Given that people don’t tend to buy what they don’t know, I like to think of this as taking the kohlrabi challenge. Whether you go to a local farmer’s market or take a closer look at what the produce department in your grocery store has to offer, challenge yourself and your children to find a fruit or vegetable you’ve never had or heard of before… and then buy it.
  • Challenge yourself in the kitchen. Like I said before, I am not a kohlrabi expert. I simply asked a few questions of a friendly kohlrabi farmer and made good use of Google. Fast forward three years and our refrigerator is frequently stocked with cut-up kohlrabi, which now plays a role in helping my family meet the latest MyPlate recommendations (which include the challenge of consistently filling half the plate with fruits and vegetables).

Originally posted on Omaha World Herald’s Live Well Nebraska

From Pyramid to Plate – What Parents Need to Know about Healthy Eating

If you didn’t catch last week’s long awaited reveal, you missed some big news….at least in the world of obesity prevention and healthy living. That’s because as of last week, it’s now out with the Food Pyramid and in with a fresh new USDA MyPlate. This fresh-faced picture of nutritional health comes in the form of a simplified icon illustrating what we all should be eating: fruits and vegetables filling half the plate, with the other half dedicated to grains (preferably whole) and protein. Ever since the plate’s big reveal, I’ve heard the question of whether this noble effort will make a difference in our big-picture fight against obesity.

In order to answer this question, we should first address the fact that just about everyone – parents and professionals alike – found the Food Pyramid (and it’s many pyramid permutations) more than a bit perplexing. Sure, in all of our heart of hearts we already know that we should be eating lots more fruits and vegetables interspersed with some whole grains and lean protein. But there’s no denying that a picture speaks a thousand words. Given that the recently retired pyramid icon typically required nearly that many words of explanation, the overall lack of understanding posed a pretty big problem. In other words, I hope the fact that we now have something far more visually appealing in MyPlate will make the nutritional message it serves much easier to digest.

That said, there’s a very big difference between knowing what we should be doing (or in this case, eating) and what we actually do or eat. When it comes to MyPlate, we therefore need to make sure to look beyond the colorful picture and commit to taking a closer look at other plate-related problems that are negatively contributing to our nutritional state of well-being.

This includes acknowledging the fact that far too many meals are eaten without even using a plate! Recent studies support the disturbing statistic that children get more than a quarter of their daily calories from snacking. And what they snack on is typically high-density, unhealthy foods. For anyone not up-to-speed on the terminology of poor nutrition, this translates into Cheetos and Big Gulps. Now before you shake your head in dietary disgust and then decide this doesn’t apply to you, I’m willing to bet that the eating and snacking habits of most adults aren’t much better. That applies not only to snacking, but to the huge number of Americans who consume fast food meals so often that they get by without plates altogether.

Although there are a few scattered efforts in the fast food industry to offer an healthier item or two on the menu, when we’re talking fast food, we’re almost always talking about the likes of French fries and bacon double cheeseburgers. When it comes to the problem of snacking and fast food alike, I think that even just requiring the use of a plate, and making it a rule that your children (and you) have to sit down to eat off of it could improve the situation. Combine that with a sincere effort to meet the new MyPlate recommendations and you’ll find that there’s absolutely no place on the plate for most fast food fare (or Cheetos).

Moving on to another super-sized plate problem, it’s worth pointing out that our eyes are not the only things that tend to be bigger than our stomachs. For those who do a good job of making a point to use a plate, you’ll want to be aware that there have been some pretty big changes made to plates over recent years….as in they’ve gotten bigger and bigger (right along with everything from soda bottles and bagels to mugs and bowls). And whether you believe it or not, studies show that the bigger the serving dish, the bigger the serving is likely to be. And the more we heap on our plates, the more likely we are to overeat. My suggestion? Try eating off a smaller plate, or at least resist the urge to fill it.

And finally, lets get to the substance at hand. What I really like about the new plate illustration is that it makes it much easier to compare it to one’s own plate full of food and in most cases, recognize the distinct lack of fruits and vegetables. It also has the added benefit of opening up new dietary possibilities. In my experience, most people seem to have quite a few preconceived notions about what’s appropriate to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I’m willing to bet that even those who eat the recommended proportions of fruits, vegetables, grains and protein at dinner (and maybe even lunch) may not have previously consider serving up this balanced approach at breakfast.

So there you have it – a more detailed look at the implications of a plate than I ever thought I’d write, but one that I am convinced is well worth it. Both for your sake, and for your children’s, I hope all of you will give MyPlate the consideration it deserves. Whether you choose to plant a garden, take a trip to one of Omaha’s many farmer’s markets or spend more time in your local grocery store’s produce department, please don’t forget to consider that not everyone is fortunate to have access to affordable and readily available fresh fruits and vegetables (or whole grains or lean protein, for that matter).

If you’re interested in looking beyond your own family’s plate, consider checking out the Omaha Food Bank’s program that makes use of a produce truck (that looks convincingly like an ice cream truck) to deliver fresh produce to parts of Omaha with the greatest need. I’m sure they won’t mind me suggesting you call them up if you have produce to share or financial support to help further their worthwhile work.

Originally posted on Omaha World Herald’s Live Well Nebraska

I have been convinced that fish would be a perfect blog topic ever since I returned from a recent trip to San Francisco. Let me assure you that my newfound determination to focus your attention on fish was not triggered by my proximity to Fisherman’s Wharf, but rather by what was discussed in the city by the bay at a meeting of pregnancy and newborn nutrition experts. The topic, which warranted a full day of discussion, was the fact that pregnant and breastfeeding women should be eating more fish.

That’s right – I didn’t say less fish. I said most pregnant and breastfeeding women should be eating more fish. And this recommendation not only comes from an esteemed group of experts in perinatal nutrition, but from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Now this recommendation in and of itself wouldn’t necessarily warrant a blog post, except for the fact that just about everyone seems to believe that pregnant women should avoid eating fish altogether because of the risk of mercury exposure. More than an isolated few also (mistakenly) believe that everyone should significantly limit their fish consumption. And therein lies the problem.

You see, back in 2004, the FDA released guidelines clearly stating that “fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet. Fish and shellfish contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty acids. A well balanced diet that includes a variety of fish can contribute to heart health and children’s proper growth and development. So, women and young children in particular should include fish or shellfish in their diets due to the many nutritional benefits.” At the same, however, the FDA also offered some cautionary advice about how to limit the risk of mercury exposure from eating fish by simply recommending that pregnant and breastfeeding women consume no more than 12 ounces of fish per week. While the American public seemed to have no problem digesting the information that fish may contain methylmercury, far too many completely missed the part about the benefits of eating fish –for pregnant and breastfeeding women, for their babies, and for all of us.

And that brings us to what has been referred to as “the fish paradox.” Once known as brain food because of its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients, fish has suffered an undeserved fall from grace. It is for this reason that I am committed to clarifying what we know about fish, its benefits, the issue of mercury, and what current dietary guidelines recommend when it comes to fish consumption. While you probably have heard of the mercury risk associated with eating seafood, I want to make sure to leave all of you – but especially those of you who are new or expectant moms – with a very healthy respect for the risks of not eating seafood and the following fish-food for thought.

Let them eat fish! Compelling evidence tells us that eating fish during pregnancy and while breastfeeding can improve brain development in babies, and even potentially decrease a woman’s risk of preterm labor and post-partum depression.

Simply avoid four types of fish. Instead of struggling to remember which fish contain less mercury, just make it a point to remember that there are only four higher-containing fish to avoid: Tilefish, Shark, Swordfish and King Mackerel.

Make fish a part of your weekly diet. The 2011 Dietary Guidelines reinforce the recommendation that pregnant and breastfeeding women should make an effort to eat 8 to 12 ounces of seafood a week – an amount currently being consumed by fewer than 20 percent of new and expectant mothers.

Fear not the fish. Unless you are pregnant, planning on becoming pregnant, or breastfeeding, then you should also know that the recommendation to limit seafood consumption doesn’t apply to you. What does apply to you is the fact that the 2011 Dietary Guidelines recommend we could all benefit nutritionally by increasing the amount of fish in our diets!

Originally posted on Omaha World Herald’s Live Well Nebraska