Eat Right to Boost Immunity – National Nutrition Month

I don’t know about where you live, but there are lots of nasty illnesses going around - from the flu to strep to this weird stomach ache that is nicely paired with a low grade headache and an all-over achy body.  Our family was lucky to have the stomach cluster issue all last week, but have (so far) warded off the other stuff.  Don’t be surprised when I tell you that our eating patterns can help protect or put us at risk for all the nastiness out there.  Good nutrition is essential to keeping your immune system strong.

March happens to be National Nutrition Month, and every March we encourage everyone to get back to the basics of healthy eating.  This year’s theme, “Get Your Plate in Shape,” is a perfect reminder in using food as a weapon against a variety of illnesses from the minor to the major.  So many people turn to popping supplements that they forget the power that food has in doing the trick better!  The USDA’s MyPlate is a great visual of how we should build our plates. 

Here are some ways to “Get Your Plate in Shape” and also boost that immune system:

·        Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables: Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark-green, red and orange varieties. Add fresh, dried, frozen or canned fruits to meals and snacks.  Fruits and vegetables are loaded with immunity-boosting capabilities including key nutrients such as vitamins A and C (especially orange and yellow varieties).

·         Make at least half your grains whole: Choose 100 percent whole-grain breads, cereals, crackers, pasta and brown rice. Check the ingredients list on food packages to find whole-grain foods.  Whole grains including fortified cereals and breads contain zinc has been a key player in maximizing immunity.

·         Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk: Fat-free and low-fat milk have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but less fat and calories. For those who are lactose intolerant, try lactose-free milk or a calcium-fortified soy beverage.  High in protein and vitamin D, these are also two things that help ward off illness.  Some research suggests that vitamin D may help reduce the incidence of the flu.  And if they happen to get the flu, it is important to have adequate levels to fight off the illness. 

·         Vary your protein choices: Eat a variety of foods from the protein food group each week, such as seafood, nuts and beans, as well as lean meat, poultry and eggs.  Keep meat and poultry portions small and lean. And be sure to choose seafood as the protein at least twice a week.  Lean meat, poultry, beans and nuts are all good sources of zinc.  Non-meat sources of protein include beans, nuts and tofu.  Protein is the basic building block of immune cells, so it is vital for both the prevention and treatment of illness.  

·         Cut back on sodium and empty calories from solid fats and added sugars: Compare sodium in foods and choose those with lower numbers, and season your foods with herbs and spices instead of salt. Switch from solid fats to healthy oils like olive and canola oil. Replace sugary drinks with water and choose fruit for dessert.   High sugar foods have a tendency to have less nutrients to fuel that immune system.

·         Enjoy your foods but eat less: Avoid oversized portions. Use a smaller plate, bowl and glass. Cook more often at home where you are in control of what’s in your food. When eating out, choose lower calorie menu options.  Overeating and being overweight can stress your body out, which can lead to a variety of illnesses including cancer.

·         Be physically active your way: Adults need at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of physical activity every week. Choose activities that you enjoy, and start by doing as much as you can.  Exercise has been shown to fight off infections, although they aren’t fully sure how.  Some theories include flushing bacteria through the lungs, temporarily increasing body temperature to kill bacteria and decreasing stress hormones.

Other ways to keep immunity boosted nicely is to get plenty of sleep and keep stress levels to a minimum.  I know this is easier said than done sometimes, so make sure you have people around you to encourage and support you in this thing we call “life.”

Throughout the month of March, I will discuss other practical ways to "Get Your Plate in Shape."  What are your barriers to eating healthy?  I would love to hear from you!  We can address them together.

For more information on National Nutrition Month, head over to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics webpage to check out some fun nutrition games and practical food suggestions by topic.

Nutrition Education Highlights For Families

If I was a mother trying to feed my family healthy, but wasn’t a dietitian, I would hope that someone would give me the highlights of what dietitians talk about when they get together!  Well, here you go, part 2 of highlight series on the ADA Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE).  If you missed the vision that was imparted on us, check out my first post, Vision: Do You Have It?.  This post discusses just some education sessions that apply to families.  Truly, I could do a 20-part series on everything because really everything ties back to families, doesn’t it? 

Since I have nutrition specialties in digestive health and immunology, I have a separate section on that for those families that may have a child or family member with a chronic condition.  I am always looking out for you!

GENERAL

Food processing.  There isn’t an official definition for processed foods – anything that has been done to get your food to your table is processing, really.  However, we all agree that minimally processed foods are usually the best choice.  But do know that some processing has been shown to be beneficial.  For instance, our fortification process of grains in the U.S.  has virtually eliminated illness and death associated with B-vitamin deficiencies like pellagra and beriberi.  When you get technical with the words “processed foods”, you do get foods that I recommend for busy families like bagged salad, pre-cut veggies and even dried fruits.  Don’t be completely averse to the reference of processed foods, but instead focus your attention on minimization.


Create a short video showing how
you build a healthy plate with fruits
and veggies on a budget and you
could win some serious cash for
your family!

Update on MyPlate.  The MyPlate website is getting even more full of practical applications for families.  There is an entire section on eating healthy on a budget, you can analyze your own diet quality and you can get personalized plans for each family member.   Anyone want to participate in the MyPlate Fruits and Veggies Video Challenge?   They are giving a lot of cash for prizes out on this one!  There will be 3 winners picked to win $1500, 3 for second place that will win $1000 and 3 “Popular Choice” winners that will each receive $500.

Farm to School Initiatives.  This is a super cool trend that is spreading (not fast enough) across the US.  California is a really good example of how connecting children to food at the farm level grows their appreciation for foods.  I sent an e-mail to my daughter’s school foodservice manager encouraging them to do something in this arena.  Even if you can get them to do a field trip to a local farm, this will give kids a bit more insight than just seeing food on their plates.  Go to the USDA Farm to School site for more information on these type of programs.

Digestive Health and Other Conditions

Gluten-Free (GF) Diets.  There was some interesting investigation presented on current gluten-free products currently sold in the U.S.  Here are the highlights and recommendations:
•Whenever possible gluten-free consumers should choose labeled gluten-free grains, flours, & products made from them.  Even GF flours such as buckwheat, soy, sorghum and millet have been shown to have 29-2900 ppm of gluten!
•When choosing processed foods not labeled gluten free consumers should look for 6 ingredients on the food label, namely wheat, barley, rye, oats, malt, & brewer?s yeast; for starch, starch, & dextrin.  Glucose syrup, dextrose, maltodextrin, caramel color, & sugar alcohols that contain wheat must have wheat listed in the ingredient label under FALCPA. (Even when derived from wheat or barley these ingredients are exceedingly unlikely to cause an otherwise gluten-free food to contain 20 ppm or more gluten)
•While gluten-free foods may be allowed to contain < 20 ppm gluten, the vast majority of products tested by Gluten Free Watchdog contain < 5 ppm gluten

Irritable Bowel Syndrome.*   Gerard Mullin, MD, Associate Professor at The John Hopkins Hospital, presented some current research on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and it looks very promising:
• Nutraceutical supplements such as peppermint oil, STW5 and melatonin may be helpful to control IBS symptoms• Commercially available herbal preparation STW 5: bitter candytuft, chamomile flower, peppermint leaves, caraway fruit, licorice root, lemon balm leaves, celandine herbs, angelica root, milk thistle fruit.• Elimination of “FODMAPs” may help a subset of IBS patients with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth [The acronym, ‘FODMAP’—Fermentable Oligo-, Di- and Monosaccharides and Polyols—was coined to describe a previously unrelated group of short-chain carbohydrates and
sugar alcohols (polyols). They comprise fructose, lactose, fructo- and galactooligosaccharides (fructans, and galactans), and polyols (such as sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol and maltitol).
• Probiotics (VSL #3 showed great results) appear to control IBS symptoms.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).*  The great GI dietitian queen herself, Dr. Laura Matarese, RD, presented on functional and superfoods for IBD.  There was some decent research on things such as high levels of omega-3’s, curcumin, probiotics and diet.  For those that are interested, let me know and I could discuss these with you. 

Update on autism and diet.  Dr. Timothy Buie, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School presented an accumulation of current studies and recommendations on autism and diet.  This is the take home as of now per Dr. Buie.   Current studies, including survey studies from complementary providers do not support diet changes for the treatment of autism (*Note: Current studies do suggest that 5-8% of pediatric patients may have food allergy). Some individuals with history consistent with food sensitivity may merit testing or trial of diet.  However, available research data does not support the use of a casein-free diet, a gluten-free diet, or combined gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet as a primary treatment for individuals with autism.  Could GI issues CAUSE autism? Environmental/nutritional factors modulating genetically predisposed individuals.  GI inflammation where some body processes (colitis, allergy, infection) release chemical or immune mediators that affect brain function.  Further studies need to be done.

* If you are interested in trying some of these supplements or nutraceuticals, do check in with your physician and your local registered dietitian first.  They can advise you if any therapies are right for your particular situation and specifically how to implement them if at all.

My last post in this recap series of the dietitian’s conference will be food products and tools that were presented in the exhibit are – that I thought were the best.  Don’t miss it!

MyPlate: A Nutrition Educator's Perspective

Goodbye, Food Guide Pyramid.  Mr. Pyramid, you've had a good run, but your place is now inside the history books - we appreciate your efforts in keeping Americans healthy.  There's a new graphic in town that's gonna try to improve on your healthy diet messaging.

Well, I'm hear Kingsville, Texas on a very interesting food investigation (future post!) so I was unable to join the news conference yesterday on the unveiling of the new USDA's MyPlate, which is the new icon that replaces the MyPyramid graphic. 

The MyPlate was rolled out with the intention of educating the new 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines (just like the MyPyramid attempted in the past guidelines). The key messages here are:



Introducing MyPlate - the USDA MyPyramid replacement.


Balancing Calories

• Enjoy your food but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions

Foods to Increase

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables
• Make at least half of your grains whole
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1% milk)

Foods to Reduce

• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals ― and choose the foods with lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

PROS: The MyPlate graphic reminds me of the Idaho Plate Method that has been out for years.  In the past, I have used it with my adult weight management patients and it works very well.  In fact, I used to give out compartment plates to them so they could practice loading their plate appropriately.  This visual helped patients not only eat the right types of foods, but give them an idea of portion size for each food group.  So this MyPlate visual is something I really appreciate as a clinician, and one that I believe will translate better to consumers.

I also like how the USDA has produced some printable aids that further allow consumers to understand and put the MyPlate into practice.  Their Let's Eat For the Health of It provides practical tips that families can use.  The 10 Tip Series is an educational set that delves deeper into the key messages of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines.  They can be viewed online or printed for future reference.  I am pleased that the Get a Personalized Plan feature was not pulled off the new website, which is now http://www.choosemyplate.com/.  I used this feature with the old MyPyramid plan and it really helps people see how much of each food group they need for proper nutrition.  This personalized information can be integrated into the new graphic as well.

CONS:  I had hoped that the focus on vegetables would translate into half the visual plate and place the fruit portion on the side like the milk.  Again, this is how the Idaho Plate Method's visual had it and it looks like more food, maximizes vegetable intake and it shows consumers that they could get their sweet treat after a meal using fresh fruit.

Just like the other food guidance graphics, consumers need to know that this guidance is for the average American without special nutritional needs.  It may not be completely appropriate for people with increased calorie needs (athletes, those dealing with injury or disease) or that are on special diets.  The good news is that dietitians can put together custom plans that can assist with special populations.

It will be interesting to see how MyPlate translates to consumers.  I plan to do a little sample study among my own patient population to see if this new graphic really does help them eat better.  What do you think?  I would love to hear your thoughts!