Monday, August 30, 2010

Food for Your Brain

Your brain is the central processing unit for your body, and like the other tissues in your body, your brain depends on the foods you eat in order to get the nutrients it needs for optimal functioning. Yet, you probably never give a second thought to how the foods you eat affect your brain.

Studies show that mental function declines as people age. This decline often leads to diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Low levels of certain nutrients are found in people with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. In other cases, studies show that performance on memory tests and other functions requiring mental acuity may be diminished in people who have low levels of certain nutrients.

You can get the nutrients you need by making a special effort to eat brain foods everyday.

Fats
Omega-3 fats are unsaturated fatty acids that act as powerful antioxidants. These antioxidants protect your brain by binding with free radicals to prevent them from causing damage to your brain cells. Omega-3 fats are also used to build the myelin sheath that covers the nerve fibers in your brain.
You can get an abundance of omega-3 fats in your diet by eating oily fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel, as well as nuts, including walnuts and almonds, and vegetable oils such as flaxseed oil and canola oil.

Eggs
Eggs contain choline, a B vitamin that your brain uses to produce a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. This neurotransmitter helps brain cells to transmit or pass information on, from one neuron to another.

Sugar
Sugar is the main source of energy for your brain. The best way to get sugar into your brain is to eat complex carbohydrates, in the form of starches. These starches broken down to sugar molecules, but since it takes longer for starches to be digested and absorbed that sugar, you are less likely to experience a sugar ‘high’ followed by a ‘crash’ caused by rapid highs and lows in your blood sugar. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are good sources of complex carbohydrates.

Green Tea
Green tea contains polyphenols, which are antioxidant compounds that capture free radicals and prevent them from causing damage to healthy brain cells.

Dark Green Leafy Vegetables
Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, collard greens and turnip greens supply the brain with folic acid (folate), a B vitamin that is essential for the development of healthy brain tissue.

Fruits
Fruits, such as blueberries, grapes and apples are loaded with flavonoids. Flavonoids are antioxidants that bind free radicals in your brain to protect your brain cells from being damaged by free radicals.

Other Brain Foods
A few other foods that are rich in antioxidants and offer protection for your brain are chocolate, whole grains, turmeric, onion, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli.
Meat, seafood, eggs, dairy and soy also promote brain health by supplying two essential amino acids, tryptophan and tyrosine. These amino acids are used to make neurotransmitters, which allow your brain cells to communicate with each other.

Antioxidant Vitamins
Beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E are antioxidant vitamins that help to protect your brain from free radicals. by binding free, rendering them incapable causing damage to brain the brain cells. Additionally, vitamin C is used to make neurotransmitters, which allow your brain cells to send messages back and forth. Vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 are other vitamins that play a vital role in protecting nerve tissue and enhancing brain function.
A healthy brain requires a healthy diet that provides the nutrients your brain needs to prevent oxidative damage and promote proper functioning of the neurons. Lack of these vital nutrients can lead to poor brain function, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other manifestations of brain dysfunction. On the other hand, a diet rich in these foods will help to improve brain function

About the Author
Dr. Dorene E. Carter is a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant with over 25 years of experience in teaching, counseling, training, project development and writing. Dr. Carter earned her PhD in nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley and is currently President & CEO of CHANA Project, the Child Health and Nutrition Access Project. 


Should You Be Concerned About Your Child's Weight?

We all know that obesity is a major problem in the United States. According to the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 9 million children in this country are obese. And the government spends over $147 million dollars annually on hospitalizations due to medical conditions associated with childhood obesity.

But the issue hits home for parents who watch helplessly as their children begin to gain excessive weight and ultimately reach the point of being diagnosed as obese. Fear, sadness, depression and loss of control may describe their daily lives. Obesity also takes a toll on the physical health of the child who may be diagnosed as having diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, sleep apnea and a number of other conditions that were once considered adult onset diseases.

If your child is so unfortunate as to become obese, it is important to focus on what could be done to reverse the problem. You should know that your child does not have to life the rest of his life as an obese person. It will take a great deal of effort to turn things around, but where there is a will there is a way.
You will need to work closely with your child's pediatrician and a registered dietitian to design a weight management plan that is uniquely suited to meet your child's need. In some cases, a number of other healthcare professionals may be there to help.

Keep in mind that diabetes, heart disease and other obesity-related chronic diseases could be fatal. So, it is important for you and the whole family to keep a positive attitude and make some critical changes to your son's diet and lifestyle habits. Your doctor might recommend eating enough to lose a small amount of weight monthly, to stop weight gain or to slow the amount of weight gained to see if height will catch up with weight, thus reducing the BMI to within an acceptable range. Whatever the advice, work with a registered dietitian for the best results.

Here are a few tips:
·      Teach your child to make healthy food choices from early on. 
·      Teach your child what are the right size portions for their age.
·      Make sure that you stock fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grain breads and cereal and other nutritious foods that your child can have when he or she needs a snack.
·      Encourage your child to drink water instead of sugary drinks.
Keep in mind that food does more than please the taste buds or fill the stomach. Food must provide the nutrients that your child needs for healthy growth. The earlier your child begins eating the healthy way, the greater the chances of preventing childhood obesity.


About the Author
Dr. Dorene E. Carter is a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant with over 25 years of experience in teaching, counseling, training, project development and writing. Dr. Carter earned her PhD in nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley and is currently President & CEO of CHANA Project, the Child Health and Nutrition Access Project. 

Keep Kids Cool With Healthy Treats to Beat the Summer Heat

Kids are likely to fill up on sodas and other sweetened beverages to quench their thirst during the summer months. As a result, they may consume an extraordinary amount of calories from sugar. If those calories are not burned, they will be stored as fat in your child’s body, which can ultimately lead to obesity.

You can help to keep your child from gaining too much weight by offering a variety of cool and nutritious snacks without added sugar and by providing lots of opportunity for physical activity. The American Association of Pediatricians recommend that children get 60 minutes of physical activity daily or most days.

Here are a few ideas:

Fun Treats
  • Frozen juice cups
  • Watermelon chunks
  • Fruit kebab
  • Fresh fruit salad
  • Frozen strawberries
  • Very fruity smoothie
  • Yogurt parfait

Fun Physical Activity
  • Free play
  • A family walk in the park
  • Swimming
  • Dancing
  • Jumping rope
  • Hop scotch
  • Hula hoop
  • Hide and seek
  • Tree climbing
  • Hot potato
  • Ball toss
  • Team sports


About the Author
Dr. Dorene E. Carter is a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant with over 25 years of experience in teaching, counseling, training, project development and writing. Dr. Carter earned her PhD in nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley and is currently President & CEO of CHANA Project, the Child Health and Nutrition Access Project.

Copyright 2010 (c) Dorene E. Carter, PhD, RD. All rights reserved. Unauthorized copying or reprinting in any manner or form is strictly prohibited.

Please note: The information provided herein is for education and information services only and is not intended as a substitute for proper, personalized medical attention. 

7 Quick Tips for Getting Your Child to Eat More Vegetables

Children choose foods, not based on the nutritional goodness or health benefits that foods provide. Rather, they are guided by their taste buds. But that’s not all. Habit plays a major role in what children like and what they do not like. And habits are developed early.

Unfortunately, children are exposed to high sugar, high fat and high sodium (salt) foods so early in life that they never learn to enjoy the natural goodness of foods without these added ingredients. The end result is a child who likes all the “wrong” foods and who may refuse to eat the “right” foods.

Parents know that vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals and other vital compounds that promote healthy growth and development. But, getting children to eat their vegetables could prove to be quite challenging, to the point of frustration.

So, short of throwing in the towel, what can parents do to make sure that their children eat their vegetables?

Here are a few ideas:

1. Make vegetables a regular part of every meal. This will get children to accept vegetables as a normal part of the course and get them comfortable with these foods on their plate.

2. Serve up a variety of colorful vegetables. Kids like colors, so use colorful vegetables to tweak their curiosity about the foods on their plate.

3. Serve small portions, particularly when you are introducing a new vegetable for the first time. Seeing too much food on the plate could have the child feeling overwhelmed, perhaps even feeling like he might be punished if he doesn’t eat all. Serving smaller portions will help to remove the fear.

4. Allow the child to have seconds if he wants, while teaching him to control portions.

5. Disguise vegetables by adding them to soups, salads, casserole, gravies, pasta sauce and other dishes where they can be hidden. Chop, mash or grate the vegetables if necessary, but be careful not to overwhelm the dish with the vegetables so that the taste si overpowering that the child refuses to eat it. Gradually, increase the visibility of the vegetables as the child develops the taste or outgrows the resistance to them.

6. Be a good role model. If your child sees you eating your vegetables, he is more likely to do the same.

7. As soon as your child is old enough, involve him in doing fun things to peak his interest in vegetables and motivate him to want to at least try new ones. Be creative.



About the Author
Dr. Dorene E. Carter is a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant with over 25 years of experience in teaching, counseling, training, project development and writing. Dr. Carter earned her PhD in nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley and is currently President & CEO of CHANA Project, the Child Health and Nutrition Access Project. 


Copyright 2010 (c) Dorene E. Carter, PhD, RD. All rights reserved. Unauthorized copying or reprinting in any manner or form is strictly prohibited.
The information provided herein is for education and information services only and is not intended as a substitute for proper, personalized medical attention.

5 Ways to Protect Your Family from Food Poisoning

Germs such as salmonella, E. coli, staphylococci, and listeria are responsible for tens of thousands of cases of food poisoning each year. Most of these cases can be prevented if you follow a few basic, commonsense rules for handling, cooking and storing food.

Symptoms of food poisoning include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea. In more severe cases, your kidney could shut down, resulting in a fatal outcome.

You can protect yourself and your family from food poisoning by following a few basic food safety rules. Here are some food safety rules from IFIC - the International Food Information Council:
  1. Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood, (as well as raw eggs) away from foods that are cooked or that will be eaten raw.
  2. Wash hands, cutting boards and other surfaces thoroughly and often.
  3. Cook food thoroughly (to recommended temperature).
  4. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
  5. Store leftovers promptly and reheat food thoroughly.




References
Back to Basics. The Importance of Food Safety


About the Author
Dr. Dorene E. Carter is a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant with over 25 years of experience in teaching, counseling, training, project development and writing. Dr. Carter earned her PhD in nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley and is currently President & CEO of CHANA Project, the Child Health and Nutrition Access Project. 

Hundreds Sickened by Salmonella in Eggs


You may be aware of the massive egg recall of August 2010. This recall was initiated because of salmonella poisoning (food poisoning), which caused more than 300 American to get sick.

According to the CDC, salmonella poisoning is caused by a bacteria that is found in contaminated food, water or by contact with infected animals. 

Salmonella can cause people to develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Severe diarrhea caused by salmonella poisoning can be so serious that you may need to be hospitalized.

You can protect yourself from becoming sickened with salmonella from eggs by avoiding eating recalled eggs or products made from them. Throw out recalled eggs or better yet, return them to the store where you purchased them and get a refund.

If you think that you got sick from eating recalled eggs or products made from recalled eggs, discuss the issue with your doctor.  If it is an emergency, call 911. You should also report illness to your state health department and the federal government: For the FDA, call 866-300-4374. For the USDA call 888-674-8954.

To learn it the eggs you have purchased are on the recall list, go to the FDA website at www.fda.gov

References

About the Author
Dr. Dorene E. Carter is a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant with over 25 years of experience in teaching, counseling, training, project development and writing. Dr. Carter earned her PhD in nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley and is currently President & CEO of CHANA Project, the Child Health and Nutrition Access Project.