Posted Jan 14, 2011
What advice do registered dietitians have to offer as we begin this new year? Here are some offerings from some of my co-workers at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in California:
Janna Dreisbach suggests we add citrus fruit to our daily diet. “Oranges and tangerines are often found in stockings this time of year and are considered good luck in some Asian cultures, especially if you choose the ones with leaves still attached to the stem.”
Nutritionally, citrus fruit is a natural multivitamin/mineral supplement. Besides being a rich source of natural vitamin C (more than your day’s quota is found in one medium orange or two tangerines), citrus fruit supplies B-vitamins and potassium, calcium and other minerals such as magnesium and copper.
Because they are watery and filled with fiber, citrus fruits are a great addition to weight loss diets, says Dreisbach. “And if you eat the skin, it could lower your cholesterol!” (Peels of oranges and other citrus fruit contains soluble fiber and other natural compounds that have this effect. Experts say the skin is safe to eat if washed well and you don’t mind the bitter taste.)
Eileen Olmstead: “One of the most beneficial resolutions I made a few years ago was to do “abs” (exercises such as sit-ups that strengthen the abdomen) three times per week. I made it through the year and the health benefits were lasting.”
Suzanne Le Bon: “The one I like do is – do something NEW each week – and it can be anything. … It makes life interesting!”
Le Bon also suggests we set goals that are “S.M.A.R.T.” …
Specific: What exactly am I going to do? Examples: “I will … walk/swim/choose/eat/not eat/drink/not drink …”
Measurable: How much or for how long will I do it? Examples: “Two cups of vegetables every day; one citrus fruit every morning, walk for 20 minutes 3 days this week …”
Attainable/Achievable: Can I do this with reasonable effort? “Get on the exercise bike during commercial breaks” or “Add one cup of greens to my lunch every day” are examples of attainable goals.
Realistic: Be honest with yourself: “I will eat no more than three Hershey kisses two times this week” may be more doable than “I will never eat chocolate as long as I live.”
Timely: What can I do now that will have a positive effect on my health goals? An example for someone who needs to get diabetes under control might be, “I will check my blood glucose before and two hours after one meal each day.”
Last, I offer this Irish blessing for the New Year: “May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been, the foresight to know where you’re going and the insight to know when you’re going too far.”
Make it a happy and healthful 2011!
(Barbara Quinn is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in California. She is the author of “The Diabetes DTOUR Diet,” Rodale, 2009. E-mail her at bquinn@chomp.org.)