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Food For Thought

The overall sodium and fiber content of the regular diet on our Basic menu is very heart healthy for our senior population. The Basic menu provides an average around 3 grams sodium per day without salt packets, and approximately 16 grams fiber per day. The sodium content will increase if processed foods are substituted for items made from scratch.

 Janet M RedFeel free to
send me  your food and menu related questions.
Janet Montano, RD Director of Menu Services
  
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Special Event
CDACDA's Public Policy Education Day is Monday  March 8  in Sacramento. Go to the  CDA website  for details. Registration fee of $90 includes continental breakfast and lunch. Among the topics will be RD licensure, and review of the California Business and Professions Code. 
*One HMC scholarship registration is available. Please email Sonja Lorraine, RD if you are interested.
Contact the Editor
Editor Judy Morgan, MBA, RDPlease send your RDNews comments, suggestions & questions to  Judy Morgan, MBA, RD
Issue: 7 February 18th, 2010
Greetings!       
Thank you for opening up this week's issue of the RDNews. Did you know that the RDNews is exclusive to HMC?Lee & Judy Just last week we got yet another call from an outside dietitian asking to be included on our mailing list.  The information, links, support and connectivity provided via the RDNews is one of the many ways HMC stands out amongst other dietitian consulting organizations. Please feel free to share the information provided via RDNews as noted with your dietary staff and facilities. But please refrain from forwarding or sharing the RDNews resource or staff website with dietitians outside of HMC. Thank you very much!
The Skinny on Fat
Heart health continues to be the focus for this edition ofHeart Health RDNews. 
The American Heart Association recommends limiting trans fats to no more than 1% of your total calories and limiting saturated fats to less than 7% of your total calories.
Studies  by the Harvard School of Public Health, published April 10, 2007 in the American Heart Association's journal "Circulation", indicate that the amount of trans fat in red blood cells is an excellent biomarker of trans fat intake because humans cannot synthesize trans fatty acids. The study showed that women with the highest levels of trans fat in red blood cells had triple the risk of developing heart disease compared to women with the lowest levels of trans fat in their blood cells. Trans fatty acids increase LDL cholesterol, and lower HDL cholesterol and this dual effect is correlated with a strong risk for coronary heart disease. heart plate
 
Super foods that can help lower total cholesterol include:
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables (highly colored)
  • Whole grains
  • Nonfat dairy products
  • Egg substitutes and egg whites
  • Soy based cheeses
  • Boneless, skinless poultry
  • Trimmed pork tenderloin
  • Fish with high omega 3 fatty acids (salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring)
  • Tofu
  • Legumes
 Ways to help reduce trans fat and saturated fat in the diet:
  • Add puree fruits in place of some fat in baking
  • Use non-hydrogenated shortening in baking and frying
  • Use nonfat cooking sprays
  • Use freshly ground spices and herbs in place of butter or margarine for seasoning
  • Use non-hydrogenated margarines and polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oils
  • Use reduced fat or nonfat salad dressings
See the Mayo Clinic  site for a "healthful" article on heart health.
RD Tip

Many of our health care facilities admit residents on "cardiac" diets, low salt diets, low sodium diets, low fat diets, low cholesterol diets, low fat/low cholesterol diets, or low saturated fat diets. What are all these diets and what is the difference?Julie Tharalson Check your HMC Diet Manual for the answers to these questions. The "cardiac" diet should be clarified to a low salt, low cholesterol/low saturated fat diet; the low sodium diet should be clarified to specify a quantity such as 2 gram sodium, or liberalized to the low salt or NAS diet. Refer to your HMC Diet Manual pages 139-144 for guidelines on these fat modified diets:

Low cholesterol/low saturated fat: contains less than 300 mg cholesterol, and controls the type of fat instead of the quantity.

Low fat diet: provides 40-50 grams fat per day for 30% or less of total calories.

Dear Dietitian;

Thanks for all you do for our clients and residents. Your expertise and guidance has helped many "cardiac" residents receive valuable trusted education for improving their diets for heart health.

Judy Morgan, MBA, RD
Corporate Consultant
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