Some is good, more is not better

Supplement: A substance taken to remedy the deficiencies in a person's diet. When it comes to considering a supplement, think: food first, supplements second. Just as the definition states, a supplement is to make up the difference of what is missing in the from your eating routine. If you're an overall healthy person and eat a variety of foods, you may not need to take a supplement every day.

Before you go to the supplement aisle and get overwhelemed by the claims touted on the bottles and all of the varities, talk with your health care provider and a registered dietitian to understand what is right for YOU. If you are currently taking supplements, take them with you to your appointment for an expert to review them.

When it comes to most things in life, and this holds true for supplements... if some is good, MORE IS NOT BETTER! This goes for vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements.

Let's take selenium for example, it is a trace mineral that is essential for health that can prevent damage to cells and plays a role in the immune system. Deficiency of selenium is RARE in the U.S. What foods provide selenium? Food sources include: Brazil nuts (1 ounce = 544 mcg), Tuna (3 ounces = 68 mcg), Turkey (3 ounces = 27 mcg), Sunflower seeds (1 ounce = 23 mg).

Again, selenium deficiency is RARE. If you are going to take a supplement, ensure doses that do not exceed the tolerable upper level of 400 mcg per day. Click here for more details on what amount is right for you, as with most vitamins and minerals, recommended amounts vary by age (e.g. 9-13 year olds, 280 mcg of selenium is the tolerable upper level).

Why worry? Vitamins and minerals can negatively impact health when taken in excess. With selenium for example: toxicity can develop with symptoms including: vomiting, fatigue, and weight loss and there are reported accidental deaths due to selenium toxicity related to cariac failure. It can also interact with some medications, including Coumadin (Warafin) by increasing its activity and prolonging bleeding time.

Keeping all of this in mind....Before you select a supplement, talk to your health care provider and a registered dietitian to determine what you really need to be supplementing your diet with!


 

Sources:

1. National Institutes of Health, Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Selenium

2. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Data Base. Copyright 1995-2012.

The Scoop: Coconut Water

What is coconut water? It is the water that pools in whole green coconuts. In general plain coconut water is not very sweet (even though it has sugar) and naturally has sodium and potassium, which are electrolytes which help maintain fluid balance.

The type that I prefer to drink occasionally is Peach Mango Coconut Water which is flavored with fruit puree (check the photo in my recent Facebook post). It has 60 calories, 30 mg sodium, 500 mg potassium, and 15 grams of sugar in 8.5 ounces. What I like about fruit puree flavored coconut water is: it is flavored with fruit puree and it is nutrient rich!

Coconut water can be a stand-in for a sports drink but keep in mind a sports drink is only needed when a work out is going to be one hour of continuous (and vigorous) activity or longer. For light workouts or short workouts a sports drink is not needed and plain water will do.

The bottom line: coconut water is a great alternative to higher calorie beverages and look for vartities that are sweetened with fruit puree and do not have added sugar. But as with anything, some is good, more is not better!

What to Choose at the Grocery Store?

Over the weekend I did a Facebook post that included a picture of items that I picked up at the grocery store. It was cool to see what my friends comments were! The posts inspired me to write these tips to help you with your next shopping trip... 1. Make a list! Without a list in the grocery store, it's nearly impossible to leave the store with everything you need. 2. Try something new! There are so many awesome food choices at the grocery store, there is no need to feel bored or tired of what you're eating. Every trip, seek out something new! A new product I tried this week is a spaghetti sauce called Dave's Gourmet! (I'll report back on how it tastes) 3. Fill up on nutrient rich foods! Start filling your basket with mostly nutrient rich foods like: fruits, vegetables, low fat milk & yogurt, lean meat/ poultry/ fish, whole grain breads, whole grain cereals. This will help you to leave the store with the base of a healthy eating plan. 4. Splurge! Pick one item as a "splurge" like cookies, chips, ice cream and have that on hand to satisfy your cravings throughout the week. Believe it or not, if you plan in a splurge most everyday you're more likely to keep your portions in check! Pick up a copy of my book, The Skinny Rules for more simple strategies for cooking, shopping, and fitness too!

Superbowl Strategy

The amount of people indicating no guilt about dropping the ball on their eating plans on Superbowl Sunday? 60 percent of men and 46 percent of women idicated in the 2011 Supervalue Snack Down Survey by Harris Interactive that they would have no guilt about what they eat while watching the big game.

If you are thinking about what to serve up at your Superbowl party, my suggestion, is to strive for balance! Make your game day strategy to provide a mix of healthy items among some crowd pleasers (like chicken wings).

Here are a few healthier ideas to consider:
- Guacamole with colorful pepper slices (red, yellow, orange, & green)
- Baked chicken fingers with wing sauce
- Make your own trail mix bar: whole grain cereal, almonds, dried fruit, walnuts
- Fresh fruit kabobs (grapes, melon cubes, pineapple, berries) with Greek yogurt dip
- Milk bar: low fat milk with add ins like flavored syrup

Let's Move and Fuel it!

Thank you to First Lady Michelle Obama for launching Let's Move. What is let's move? It's a program that will help parents make healthy choices for their families, increase opportunities for families and their children to be physically active, ensure our kids have access to healthy meals in our schools, and help increase access to affordable, quality, and nutricious foods.
For more on Let's Move: letsmove.gov

Now for a word on Fuel It! I stopped by WSKG's studios to talk with the cast of Move it on choosing healthier food options when you are out on the town. Quick tips include: skipping the soda and moving in nutrient rich low fat milk instead, for side dishes choose fruit or veggies like corn or fruit slices. Perhaps even more importantly when you're out on the town bring fruit, baggies of whole grain cereal, and a water bottle with you. To watch the segment, click here.

64 Ways to Eat Food

Mr. Michael Pollan just came out with a new book: Food Rules and Eater's Manuel. I can't wait to read it! The book includes 64 rules that are loaded with simple and practical advice. The three major sections of the book include: Eat Food, Mostly Plants, and Not too Much. I'll blog more once I get my hands on a copy and find some 'free' time to read. Click here to read more on this new book!