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It’s almost time for the first frost of the year here in southwestern Vermont, which means that many of us start thinking about choosing hot and steamy oatmeal for breakfast instead of cold cereal.

Which type of oatmeal to choose is the question. Here are my recommendations:

• Use a plain, unflavored oatmeal and stir in your own add-ons:  peanut butter, dried fruit, chopped fresh fruit, sliced nuts, and of course a drizzle of maple syrup or honey.
• All types of oatmeal contain soluble fiber that helps lower our cholesterol levels. Changing the texture of the oatmeal (steel-cut, rolled, old-fashioned, quick-cooking, instant) doesn’t change the soluble fiber content.
• Make your oatmeal with fat-free milk instead of water for both a nutrition boost (calcium, vitamin D) as well as a creamier texture and smooth flavor.

What are your favorite types of oatmeal? Do you have any absolutely delicious ways to prepare oatmeal that you can share? Let us know!

Yesterday I ran in a local road race. What motivates me to keep signing up for races and running? I love getting outside on a daily basis, feeling the wind in my hair and the sun on my face. I like pushing my body to go faster or farther; and on other days I really enjoy poking along, simply enjoying moving.

But it’s really all about the prizes!

At the Duck Run in West Arlington, all four of us from my running group earned ribbons in our age group. That means we placed in the top three of our age group, in this case grouped by decades. I’m in the 50-59 age group, just in case you’re wondering! It feels wonderful to hear your name called, walk up to receive your ribbon, and hear the cheers from your friends and neighbors.

My 16 year old son wasn’t impressed with my ribbon, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that I set a goal, put in the training, ran hard, and ended up with a very cool ribbon.

What motivates you to run, or walk, or bike, or swim - or whatever type of activity appeals to you? Let us know!

We all crave something sweet for dessert, or for a special treat later in the evening. A big bowl of ice cream, a luscious piece of fudge, or even a few special cookies may sound delicious, but our waistline certainly won’t appreciate it!

One of my clients gave me a great dessert tip:  baby food fruit! If you crave a creamy, smooth dessert, a jar of baby food may do the trick. You can opt for a creamy fruit dessert such as apple blueberry, banana mixed berry, or even assorted fruit. All you get is fruit plus Vitamin C or citric acid to preserve freshness. No added sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or trans fatty acids. Just pure fruit.

Or you can be more daring and try a baby food dessert. Unlike adult desserts, they’re sweetened with juice concentrate instead of processed sugars, and contain no artificial colors or flavorings.  For no more than 110 calories you can enjoy a delicious vanilla custard or peach cobbler. Spoon it right from the package, or serve it in a beautiful dessert dish. Either way, you’re going to love the taste!

Portion control? Got it.
Added colors/flavorings? Zip.
Made from real foods you trust? Definitely.
Taste great? Give it a try!

The Mediterranean diet is once again in the news for its ability to decrease risk of heart disease, some types of cancer, and even Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.  The traditional diet of people who live in countries surrounding the Mediterranean:   France, Spain, Italy, and Greece is high in olive oil, whole grains, fruits, nuts, vegtables and fish; it’s also low in meat and dairy.

Most of know by now that olive oil is good for us, but have you replaced butter or margarine with this healthier type of fat? One of my clients has. She now puts extra virgin olive oil on her steamed vegetables, uses olive oil as a salad dressing, and even makes mashed potatoes using olive oil instead of butter. She loves the health benefits, but even better:  she says the food tastes wonderful!

Here are 5 easy ways you can bring a touch of the Mediterranean into your life - and improve your health:

1.  You guessed it:  substitute extra virgin olive oil for butter, margarine, or other types of oils as often as possible.
2.  Add a piece of fruit to every meal. Today I had a banana with my breakfast, mixed fruit salad with lunch, and I just enjoyed an apple for a snack.
3.  Double up on veggies. If your version of vegetables at lunch is a lettuce leaf on your sandwich, take a bold step and add some cherry tomatoes or a handful of baby carrots. If you’re proud of the fact you serve a cooked vegetable every night with dinner, serve two different cooked vegetables.
4.  Enjoy a smaller serving of meat a couple of times each week and instead add more vegetables. A stir-fry is a simple way to accomplish this goal, but so are grilled kabobs.
5.  Make your grains “whole” whenever possible. Look for the word “whole” in the first ingredient. Cheerios are a whole grain cereal for breakfast; make a lunchtime sandwich using whole grain bread; serve brown rice for dinner instead of white rice.

Vitamin D deficiency is the latest hot topic in the nutrition and health world. Very few foods naturally contain Vitamin D:  salmon, tuna, mackerel and fish oils are the best sources. Vitamin D is also added to milk, and sometimes yogurt, orange juice, or cold breakfast cereals. We used to be more concerned about getting too much Vitamin D, because it’s known to be toxic at high levels.

However, there’s been a wealth of research in the past few years that makes many scientists believe the vast majority of us don’t get enough Vitamin D.  Sun exposure to bare skin allows our body to manufacture Vitamin D. But guess what? If you live north of Boston, your body can’t make Vitamin D from November through February. You have to live south of a line drawn between LA and Columbia, SC for your body to manufacture Vitamin D year round. Cloud cover reduces the UV rays necessary to produce Vitamin D by 50%, shade (and pollution) by 60%, and sunscreen with an SPF of 8 or above blocks it completely.

Why the concern? Low levels of Vitamin D have long been linked with osteoporosis, which is why Vitamin D is typically added to calcium supplements. Newer research links low levels of Vitamin D with some types of cancer, especially colon, prostate, and breast cancer. There’s also interest in the role of Vitamin D in developing both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and high blood pressure.

Last week my husband had his yearly physical, and he asked his doctor to test his Vitamin D levels. He’s on the low side of normal, and has started taking a Vitamin D supplement. Since we live in Vermont, north of Boston, and he was tested the beginning of September, his Vitamin D levels are most likely at their highest right now. Taking a supplement seems like a prudent step.

There’s no way of estimating your Vitamin D levels. While people who spend much of their time indoors are at higher risk, it’s also not uncommon for people who spend a lot of time in the sun to have low Vitamin D levels. Here’s my suggestion:  ask your doctor to check your Vitamin D levels, and then follow her suggestions for a supplement if necessary. Since Vitamin D can be toxic if you get too much from supplements or cod liver oil, it’s best to know exactly where you stand and to heed your physician’s advice.

Saturday was the local Maple Leaf Half-Marathon in my community. Over 300 people came out in the pouring rain, courtesy of the remnants of Hurricane Hanna, to test their resolve and attempt to reach their goals.

Some were exuberant as they crossed the finish line, thrilled that they exceeded their expectations. Others came hobbling through, humbled by the hills, the weather, or the miles. A number of people told me they want to participate in this race again next year, to challenge themselves to the distance or to prove to themselves that they really CAN conquer the hills in southwestern Vermont.

Here’s what I love about this event:  you can’t wake up one morning and decide “Hey, I think I’ll run a half-marathon today.” 13.1 miles is something you have to work toward.  We have to utilize long-term planning skills to outline a training program, and short-term skills to make sure that we stick to that program when life gets in the way (sick kids, sore feet, hectic work schedule, visiting relatives, bad weather; what other obstacles can you add?).

Congratulations to everyone who finished the Maple Leaf Half-Marathon. If you can reach your goal of running 13.1 miles, then you of course can set - and meet - whatever other goals you have in your life. You didn’t let the rain or the hills stop you. What’s next on your agenda?

Over the past few days I’ve spoken with a number of people about setting goals higher than we think we can accomplish. Much of this discussion has been around running a local 5K race. Some of the people ran a 5K earlier this year, but then life got in the way and they haven’t been running lately. Others are afraid that it might be a bit painful to run or walk a 5K. Some are just afraid of tackling something they’ve never done before. And of course there’s the weather question:  what if it rains?

I encouraged each person to set their goals high, take a deep breath, and make the plunge. Now, I’m not suggesting that you run a half-marathon (13.1 miles) without putting in training, or apply for a new job without first doing your research. What I’m talking about is going for something challenging, but not overwhelming or impossible. Accomplishing a goal that we’ve had percolating in the back of our minds. Meeting a challenge that we secretly have been dreaming about.

I’d really like to know:  when was the last time you tackled something difficult, a challenge that you set just for yourself? What goal did you accomplish, and how did it make you feel? What’s stopping you from setting a new goal today?

Do you eat vegetables and fruit? What about your kids, do they eat fruit and veggies?

Here’s an even more difficult question:  how many servings of fruit and vegetables do you and your children eat each day?

Yesterday a client asked me if the blueberries in her blueberry bagel “count” as a fruit serving. Nope. Neither does the strawberry jam you put on your English muffin, or the fruit that’s at the bottom of your yogurt.

A new study from Eastern Michigan University shows that preschoolers whose parents purchased and offered more fruit and vegetables at meals actually ate more of these healthy foods. That’s really not surprising, is it? It takes at least 10 exposures to a food for many children to taste that food, and it can take even longer before they willingly eat a portion of the food. If they never see fruit or vegetables, or never see their parents eat - and enjoy - fruit and vegetables, then they probably won’t eat them, either.

Here’s what we can do:
1.  Make sure that you serve fruit with every meal. It can be a fresh apple cut into slices and spread with peanut butter, or fruit cocktail canned in its own juice, or even a fresh fruit salad that you put together yourself.  Fruit should be part of the meal - period.
2.  Serve at least two different vegetables with lunch and dinner. You might offer baby carrots with a favorite dip, or steamed frozen peas, or sliced up raw tomatoes, or canned green beans. Try to serve two different colors of veggies at a meal to improve the visual interest of the meal plus add more nutrients.
3.  Think about how you want to encourage your kids to taste new foods, including fruit and vegetables. You might have a one-bite rule. Many kids are willing to put a food in their mouth, but they are not willing to swallow it, so make sure you talk about an approved method for removing unwanted food from their mouths. Model eating fruit and vegetables to your kids, and better yet, let them know that you enjoy eating these foods.
4.  Encourage your kids to help you choose fruit and vegetables for meals and snacks. They could pick out favorites at the grocery store, choose from two different options in the fridge (would you like pineapple or peaches for lunch today?), or even help you prepare the food. Getting them involved will encourage them to eat these foods.

Not sure how many servings of fruit and vegetables you and your kids should eat each day? Check out the information at http://www.mypyramid.gov and get the specifics for you and your family. Continue Reading »