Nutrition Energy

In the News!

The Top 3 Foods You Should Skip

Lauren Antonucci, MS, RD, CSSD, CDE, CDN   

 Video: FDA to ban artery-clogging trans fats

 ABC Health News 2013 

 Lauren Antonucci, MS, RD, CSSD, CDE, CDN

Nutrition Q&A   

Triathlete Magazine, December 2013

Lauren Antonucci, MS, RD, CSSD, CDE, CDN  

Triathlete Magazine Europe 

Nutrition Energy

To-Go Ware  

Bamboo Utensil Sets! 

On sale now for only $10!

These utensil sets are a great reminder (to yourself) that you are worth your commitment to your health and our logo will inspire you to stick (mostly) with your nutrition plan!!

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Diabetes Awareness Month

What is Diabetes?

Nearly everyone has heard of, or knows someone who lives with, diabetes- a condition that causes high blood sugar levels. In the US, about 25.8 million people or 8.3% of the population has diabetes and more troubling, 79 million people have a condition called prediabetes.  Read below to increase your knowledge of diabetes as part of Diabetes Awareness Month.

What are the Different Types?

 There are 3 main types of diabetes:

1) Type 1 diabetes, affecting about 5% of all diabetics, occurs when the pancreas does not produce insulin. This is an autoimmune disorder where insulin-producing cells in the pancreas are attacked and destroyed by the body's own immune system. Although more likely to manifest in childhood, Type 1 can be diagnosed at any age.

2) Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Affecting 95% of all diabetics, Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to utilize insulin appropriately.

3) Gestational diabetes occurs in 2-10% of all pregnancies, usually around the 24th week of gestation and typically disappears postpartum. However, the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life increases if gestational diabetes has presented during an previous pregancy.

What Are The Risks?

Though the causes of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are different, they both have a genetic influence. Ongoing research is attempting to determine the causes and risks for Type 1 diabetes, but family history, exposure to viruses, cold weather and early diet are all identified as plausible influences on later development of the disease .

Different factors affect your chances of getting Type 2 diabetes; for example age, race and family history are known factors. Although those factors are not in your control, being aware of and understanding them will help you be aware of your individual risk and allow you to delay the possible onset of diabetes with modifiable lifestyle changes! You can evaluate your risk by going to the American Diabetes Association website and answering a few short questions here.

How Can I Prevent, Delay or Manage Diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is diagnosed via a blood test for antibodies while Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed when a blood-marker called hemoglobin A1C is 6.5 % or higher. If your A1C is between 5.7% and 6.5% then you have prediabetes, which represents a crucial time to take action to delay and/or prevent progression to diabetes. Research shows that many people with prediabetes progress to a diagnoses of diabetes within 10 years even though moderate amount of weight loss (5-7% of body weight) may delay or reduce the risk of this progression.

Moving Forward

If you have already been diagnosed with diabetes, you likely know that diet is a key component of your treatment plan. Understanding carbohydrates, being able to count carbohydrates and, if necessary, adjusting your insulin dose accordingly are critical to staying in good control. Monitoring your blood sugar before and after every meal can also be help you get a clear picture of how your body reacts to different foods.

Watching blood sugar levels, a balanced diet, engaging in exercise, and stress management are the cornerstones of good blood sugar control and Certified Diabetes Educators at Nutrition Energy are here to equip you with strategies to make you a healthier YOU!

Thanksgiving Survival Guide

Worried about how to navigate the Thanksgiving table this week? Never fear! The Nutrition Energy team has you covered with a list of 10 different strategies to make your Thanksgiving Day yet another day filled with healthy, nourishing food.

 

1. Break the Fast.  Start your Thanksgiving with a healthy breakfast: Try an egg white omelet and veggies, a piece of whole wheat toast, and fruit to help you stay full during the day and refrain from overeating at the Thanksgiving table
2. Have a piece of fruit or a few nuts between breakfast and your big Thanksgiving day meal.
3. You can have your pie and eat it too...just lighten them a little! Visit the Eating Well Website for great ways to trim the fat and calories from all the traditional pies - pumpkin, pecan or apple.
4. Make a simple substitution. Stuffing can have up to 500 calories in just 1 cup! Instead, have a cup of sweet potatoes to cut your calorie intake down to 114 calories!
5. Think Before You Drink. If a big part of your holiday fun is to be able to have a drink with your family and friends, make sure to watch the number of drinks. Alternate each drink of alcohol with a glass of water. Remember that alcohol is high in calories. Beer can vary in calories and of course, the lighter the beer, the fewer the calories. A can of regular beer (12 oz) has 154 calories. Wine has 25 calories in 1 oz. and 125 in a serving (5 oz). Spirits have more calories ounce for ounce than wine but the serving size is much smaller - 1.5 oz. Also, be sure to keep away from sugary mixers. Or add your own reduced sugar mixes.  Interested in how many calories you take in from alcoholic beverages? Click here!
6. If you are drinking alcohol and want to munch on something go for nuts, which will provide you with healthy unsaturated fats, instead of chips typically higher in sugar and salt.
7. Eating Meat? To reduce your overall fat intake, remove the skin from the turkey and opt for white meat over dark meat.
8. Veggies Come First! Make sure to eat up your vegetables by plating those green beans or carrots first. Then add the sweet potatoes, turkey, and other higher-calorie dishes to make sure you don't crowd vegetables off of your plate.
9. Hit the Road! Sign up a Turkey Trot or simply go for a walk/jog/run around the neighborhood before and after your meal, particularly before the tryptophan sidelines you to couch. Click here for a list of road races near you!
10. MOST IMPORTANTLY, relax, enjoy the time off with you loved ones and pat yourself on the back for the great work you've done in minding your health!

Thanksgiving is a great time to be mindful and reflect on the world around you-meals, drinks, and snacks not excluded! So keep up the good work you've done all year and don't let one long weekend set you back. Remember, the dietitians at Nutrition Energy are available to help you stay on track as the holiday season continues!