I struggle to not overindulge during the holidays. I find the weeks following Christmas it is difficult to get back into my routine of healthy meals. . . well, the healthy meals aren’t so difficult, but eliminating unnecessary snacks is. I know I’m not alone in this struggle.

Why does holiday overeating make it hard to return to normal eating habits?

1 – Stomach is physically larger – Overeating causes the stomach to become enlarged and it can take more food to provide the same feeling of satisfaction.

2 – Lack of sleep – This is probably the biggest culprit for me. I do not usually get good nights sleep during the holidays as we travel between families. A lack of sleep leads to elevated levels of the hormone ghrelin which causes you to feel hungry.

So, what can you do to recover from holiday overeating?
Continue reading ‘Tips to Recover from Holiday Overeating’ »

Every March we celebrate National Nutrition Month. This year the focus is on making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.

‘Eat Right with Color’ is the theme this year. What does this mean for you?

Continue reading ‘Will you ‘Eat with Color’ this National Nutrition Month?’ »

The effectiveness of potassium to lower blood pressure is directly related to sodium. Potassium works to balance out the sodium in your diet. An adequate potassium intake can lower systolic pressure ~4.4 mm Hg and diastolic pressure ~2.5 mm Hg.

If you want to prevent or lower blood pressure it’s very important you balance your intake of sodium and potassium. The more potassium in your diet and the lower the sodium, the better your blood pressure will be.

Sodium Recommendations

The typical American diet contains 3.6 grams of sodium daily. It’s recommended that sodium intake be limited to 2.3 grams or less daily (~1 teaspoon). If you already have high blood pressure you’ll want to restrict your sodium intake even further – less than 1500 mg/day.

How Much Potassium?

Continue reading ‘Lower Blood Pressure with Potassium’ »

Current recommendations are to consume 25-35 grams of dietary fiber everyday. Here are 4 benefits you’ll receive from achieving the recommended intake.

1. Lower cholesterol and stabilized blood sugar/insulin levels.

2. Regularity to prevent constipation and diverticulosis (small out-pouchings from the large intestine).

3. Reduced risk of colon cancer.

4. Increased satiety – you’ll feel full when eating less calories and fat to promote weight loss.

Some of the best fiber sources include fruits and vegetables!

All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps
http://www.lowercholesterolwithlisa.com

When you peel fruits and vegetables you throw away a large chunk of its nutritional value. Such as a large dietary fiber loss when you throw out an apple skin, along with vitamin C, and various other minerals.

You may be tempted to throw out produce skins due to pesticides. Instead opt to thoroughly wash your produce to remove potential contaminants. If you are especially concerned, consider buying organic produce.

All the best,
Lisa Nelson, RD
eNutritionServices

Canned vegetables are high in sodium, while frozen vegetables (without added sauces) usually have no added sodium. Buy the large economy size bags, pour out the amount you need for your meal, close the bag with zip closure or twist tie and stick back in the freezer until next time!

Making this change will significantly reduce your sodium intake, promote blood pressure control and heart health!

Be sure to sign up for regular heart health and weight loss tips through The Heart of Health ezine!