Archive for the ‘Healthy Eating’ CategoryVisit Farmers Markets to Battle Childhood ObesityWednesday, April 21st, 2010One reason for today’s childhood obesity epidemic is that children do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. Instead, they fill up on packaged food with little to no nutritional value. But how do you get your kids excited about eating more fruits and veggies? Introduce them to farmers markets!
This is especially important if you ask your child where vegetables come from, and she answers, “The grocery store.”
With the arrival of spring comes the return of farmers markets throughout most of the United States. In addition to helping the local economy when you regularly visit farmers markets, you can help your kids combat childhood obesity simply because of the personal connection that children make with the people who grow their food.
Let Your Child Decide What’s for Dinner
Children love to shop. In the grocery store, it can be dangerous to allow your child to shop for himself because kids often gravitate toward the high sugar, high salt, packaged foods they see advertised on TV. But at a farmers market, you can give your child a few dollars and let him choose something that looks delicious to him.
Make the experience a multisensory one. Encourage him to admire all the colors of fresh produce. Talk about how you can tell when various fruits and vegetables are ripe. Smell the produce. If farmers offer small samples, let your child take a bite and then tell you what he thinks.
When your child settles on a purchase, don’t question the decision, even if it’s an unconventional choice. Together, you can find recipes online for anything you buy. If it’s not a hit, tell your child that he can choose something else next week. Make a game of it!
Meet Local Farmers
As you’re walking around the farmers market, encourage your child to ask questions of the farmers. How long does it take to grow green beans? What time of year should you plant a tomato?
And my favorite question: Do you welcome visitors to your farm? Farmers are some of the hardest workers of any career field, but even so, many will allow visitors from time to time. Visiting a farm is another amazing way to help your child look at vegetables as a good thing. As you and your child walk through rows of plants, you can foster a sense of wonder at the incredible life cycle of plants.
While you’re there, buy a dozen fresh eggs if you get the chance! Breakfast for dinner with farm fresh eggs is an experience your child won’t soon forget.
Grow Your Own Vegetables
The farmers market might inspire your child to want to grow something of her own. You might not have the space or time to grow a vegetable garden in your back yard, but do you have enough time to grow one plant in a pot? Choose a plant that is likely to succeed, such as a tomato or a green bean. You can even read Jack & the Beanstalk before you get started, although that story might set up unreasonable expectations in young children. Let your child dig the hole, plant the seed, and care for the plant as it grows. And, of course, your little farmer gets the first bite of the delicious results.
How to Find a Farmers Market Near You
LocalHarvest.org has a database of thousands of farmers markets around the country. Search for your zip code to find a farmers market near you. Enjoy nature’s bounty!
This is especially important if you ask your child where vegetables come from, and she answers, “The grocery store.” With the arrival of spring comes the return of farmers markets throughout most of the United States. In addition to helping the local economy when you regularly visit farmers markets, you can help your kids combat childhood obesity simply because of the personal connection that children make with the people who grow their food. Let Your Child Decide What’s for DinnerChildren love to shop. In the grocery store, it can be dangerous to allow your child to shop for himself because kids often gravitate toward the high sugar, high salt, packaged foods they see advertised on TV. But at a farmers market, you can give your child a few dollars and let him choose something that looks delicious to him. Make the experience a multisensory one. Encourage him to admire all the colors of fresh produce. Talk about how you can tell when various fruits and vegetables are ripe. Smell the produce. If farmers offer small samples, let your child take a bite and then tell you what he thinks. When your child settles on a purchase, don’t question the decision, even if it’s an unconventional choice. Together, you can find recipes online for anything you buy. If it’s not a hit, tell your child that he can choose something else next week. Make a game of it! Meet Local FarmersAs you’re walking around the farmers market, encourage your child to ask questions of the farmers. How long does it take to grow green beans? What time of year should you plant a tomato? And my favorite question: Do you welcome visitors to your farm? Farmers are some of the hardest workers of any career field, but even so, many will allow visitors from time to time. Visiting a farm is another amazing way to help your child look at vegetables as a good thing. As you and your child walk through rows of plants, you can foster a sense of wonder at the incredible life cycle of plants. While you’re there, buy a dozen fresh eggs if you get the chance! Breakfast for dinner with farm fresh eggs is an experience your child won’t soon forget. Grow Your Own VegetablesThe farmers market might inspire your child to want to grow something of her own. You might not have the space or time to grow a vegetable garden in your back yard, but do you have enough time to grow one plant in a pot? Choose a plant that is likely to succeed, such as a tomato or a green bean. You can even read Jack & the Beanstalk before you get started, although that story might set up unreasonable expectations in young children. Let your child dig the hole, plant the seed, and care for the plant as it grows. And, of course, your little farmer gets the first bite of the delicious results. How to Find a Farmers Market Near YouLocalHarvest.org has a database of thousands of farmers markets around the country. Search for your zip code to find a farmers market near you. Enjoy nature’s bounty! Posted in Healthy Eating | No Comments » Walking and DinnerMonday, April 12th, 2010
Some Japanese companies encourage their employees to exercise for a few minutes at the beginning of the working day, in order to boost their productivity. We started a walking club at Pediatric Center of Round Rock. Right now it is just five of us, but we are having a lot of fun as we enjoy the fresh spring air in the morning. We walk for about 30 minutes around the Round Rock Hospital campus and surrounding area, from 8 AM to 8:30 AM. Come and join us! Winter is not a good season for me. Like many of you I prefer spring, summer and fall in Texas. Now that I started walking again I feel like taking every opportunity to escape out of the house with any excuse in mind. Yesterday, as I was starting dinner, I realized I needed a couple of ingredients for my meal. Natalie and I strapped the dogs in their harnesses, grabbed the eco-friendly HEB green bag and started our walk to the grocery store. I was planning on cooking black-eyed peas for dinner, but at the last minute I found out I was missing leeks and carrots. The ingredients for my black-eyed pea soup include a 1 bag of peas (1 lb), 1 leek, 2 carrots, 1 medium onion, 2 garlic cloves, olive oil and pimenton (Spanish Paprika). When I looked in the refrigerator I found no leeks and no carrots. Surprise! But I did have a bunch of celery that was looking at me with despair while appearing warped and sad. The peas had been soaking since the morning and there was no turning back now. While Natalie was getting the dogs ready to walk to the store, I salted the onion, garlic and cut-up celery in some olive oil. A couple of minutes later I added the black-eyed peas, stirring constantly and added water to cover. I turned the stove to low and I instructed my husband to keep an eye on the soup, adding cold water if needed, while we walked to HEB to buy the leeks and carrots. It was warm and humid, which made us use even more energy during the walk. The dogs loved it; they enjoy stopping at the Cat Hollow Park for some water in the middle of the trip. By the time we made it back to the house the soup was already cooked. Soaking the beans ahead really cuts down cooking time. I didn’t see the need to add the leeks and carrots now, when the other ingredients were completely cooked. The next step consisted of heating some olive oil in a saucepan and adding two links of sausage, cut up in small pieces. Then we added a couple of teaspoonfuls of Spanish paprika (pimenton) and when the sausage was mildly brown, we added it all to the peas, stirring all ingredients together. We add salt to taste and the soup was complete. We prepared a green salad with some lettuce and tomatoes and dinner was done. Painless! A couple of slices of French bread gave the final touch. Who said cooking a healthy meal has to be elaborate and difficult? Marta Katalenas M.D. Posted in Healthy Eating | No Comments » Let’s Move: A Campaign against Childhood ObesityTuesday, April 6th, 2010
The government is getting involved because the obesity epidemic in children will lead to even more obesity in adults, which will further lead to a greatly increased toll on our public sector. If the obesity trend is not reversed, more people will develop diabetes, more people will suffer from debilitating joint pain, more people will have strokes, and more people will become unable to work and have to rely upon public assistance. Let’s Move has four components:
Better Educated Parents The parent education component is key, particularly when children are young. Children don’t often choose what they are going to eat. Parents choose, and parents also choose how the children will spend their free time, too. When parents understand the consequences of their choices, they will make better decisions on behalf of the children they love. As part of the parent education component of the Let’s Move program, the AAP recommends that pediatricians measure their patients’ body-mass index (BMI) at every well child check-up beginning at age 2, and then discuss the results with parents. When necessary, the pediatrician should write a prescription for healthy living, with recommendations on food choices and how to encourage the children to be more active.Healthier School Lunches Many children eat half of their daily calories at school, so it’s important that those calories are packed with nutritional value. If unhealthy choices are unavailable, children will develop a palate for healthy foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables. This year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will work with schools and with partners in the private sector to double the number of schools that meet the Healthier U.S. Schools Challenge. Major school food suppliers are reworking their menus to decrease fat, salt, and sugar in their foods, and to increase the amount of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains they serve. More Active Children Parents and children can have fun together earning the President’s Active Lifestyle Challenge award. [link: http://www.presidentschallenge.org/the_challenge/active_lifestyle.aspx For six weeks, adults must document at least 30 minutes of activity per day, six days a week, and children must document at least 60 minutes per day, six days a week. It is hoped that by the end of the challenge, this level of activity will become a habit, and will be maintained after the award is earned. Once a person earns the President’s Active Lifestyle Challenge award, he or she can work toward becoming a President’s Champion. Mrs. Obama has also called upon the help of professional sports organizations such as the National Football League to help in this effort. The NFL and other pro sports organizations will help motivate and inspire kids to become more active by showing how fun it can be. Available, Healthy Food Nationwide Some of the poorest people in this country are also the most prone to obesity because poverty-stricken people are more likely to live in areas where fresh, healthy food choices are either not available or are prohibitively expensive. These low-income areas, both urban and rural, are more than a mile from the nearest supermarket, and the people who live here often do not have reliable transportation. In conjunction with the Let’s Move campaign, the government plans to provide financing to bring supermarkets and grants to bring farmers markets into the food deserts. For more information about this exciting new campaign in the war against childhood obesity, visit www.letsmove.gov Posted in Healthy Eating | No Comments » TV Commercials Tied to Childhood ObesityMonday, March 22nd, 2010It probably won’t surprise parents that the amount of TV their children watch can impact the ability to maintain a healthy weight. After all, watching TV is a sedentary activity, so the more TV a kid watches, the less exercise he or she gets. However, parents must also be aware that the type of TV their children watch can also have an enormous effect.
In February, the UCLA School of Public Health issued a press release in February titled “Childhood Obesity: It’s not the amount of TV, it’s the number of junk food commercials.” [link:http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/it-s-not-how-much-tv-kids-watch-153255.aspx ] Researchers Frederick J. Zimmerman and Janice F. Bell found that children who watch commercial TV programming with junk food commercials are more likely to be overweight than children who watch other types of TV.
Everyone has experienced the siren call of the refrigerator after a commercial for a popular snack chip. The viewer sees the ad, feels a pang of hunger, and checks the pantry. Children have less impulse control than adults, and less awareness of the consequences of their actions.
And children are bombarded with junk food commercials.
For every half-hour television program, there are about eight minutes of commercials. Adult programs come with ads for cars and life insurance and all sorts of things that won’t make anyone gain weight, but commercials during children’s programs advertise toys and food, and that’s about it. This wouldn’t matter so much if the food ads touted the benefits of leafy green vegetables and smaller portion sizes. But no, the food commercials advertise high sugar, high fat, high salt, high calorie foods with little to no nutritional value. Junk.
The ads are loud, bright, and entertaining, and they feature attractive people singing catchy little songs that kids hear over and over again in their heads. At the grocery store, many kids sing jingles or re-enact commercials when they see a heavily promoted product. That’s a good sign that the children are being brainwashed by junk food companies, and it’s the parents’ job to put a stop to it.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no TV viewing whatsoever for children under the age of 2. For older children, they recommend no more than 1-2 hours of TV… but specifically of educational, nonviolent TV. To that, I’ll add my own personal recommendation that children avoid commercial TV altogether. If parents find that to be impossible, then I recommend that at a minimum, they develop a family habit of muting the TV during commercials.
According to the UCLA study, “Non-commercial viewing, including watching DVDs or educational television programming, had no significant association with [childhood] obesity.”
Parents on a budget can often get DVDs for free at their local library, or purchase used DVDs at yard sales and video stores. Even if the children watch the same programs on DVD that they would have been watching on TV, they won’t be tempted by the commercials.
Children may complain about the change in their routine, but parents should stand firm as they remember the long-term goal of helping their child to reach and maintain a healthy weight. This is one change that every parent can make, and that will show positive, measurable results.
In February, the UCLA School of Public Health issued a press release in February titled “Childhood Obesity: It’s not the amount of TV, it’s the number of junk food commercials.” Researchers Frederick J. Zimmerman and Janice F. Bell found that children who watch commercial TV programming with junk food commercials are more likely to be overweight than children who watch other types of TV. Everyone has experienced the siren call of the refrigerator after a commercial for a popular snack chip. The viewer sees the ad, feels a pang of hunger, and checks the pantry. Children have less impulse control than adults, and less awareness of the consequences of their actions. And children are bombarded with junk food commercials. For every half-hour television program, there are about eight minutes of commercials. Adult programs come with ads for cars and life insurance and all sorts of things that won’t make anyone gain weight, but commercials during children’s programs advertise toys and food, and that’s about it. This wouldn’t matter so much if the food ads touted the benefits of leafy green vegetables and smaller portion sizes. But no, the food commercials advertise high sugar, high fat, high salt, high calorie foods with little to no nutritional value. Junk. The ads are loud, bright, and entertaining, and they feature attractive people singing catchy little songs that kids hear over and over again in their heads. At the grocery store, many kids sing jingles or re-enact commercials when they see a heavily promoted product. That’s a good sign that the children are being brainwashed by junk food companies, and it’s the parents’ job to put a stop to it. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no TV viewing whatsoever for children under the age of 2. For older children, they recommend no more than 1-2 hours of TV… but specifically of educational, nonviolent TV. To that, I’ll add my own personal recommendation that children avoid commercial TV altogether. If parents find that to be impossible, then I recommend that at a minimum, they develop a family habit of muting the TV during commercials. According to the UCLA study, “Non-commercial viewing, including watching DVDs or educational television programming, had no significant association with [childhood] obesity.” Parents on a budget can often get DVDs for free at their local library, or purchase used DVDs at yard sales and video stores. Even if the children watch the same programs on DVD that they would have been watching on TV, they won’t be tempted by the commercials. Children may complain about the change in their routine, but parents should stand firm as they remember the long-term goal of helping their child to reach and maintain a healthy weight. This is one change that every parent can make, and that will show positive, measurable results. Dr. Marta Katalenas Posted in Health Alerts, Healthy Eating | No Comments » Potatoes Omelet- Tortilla EspanolaFriday, March 5th, 2010
I can save your airfare right now by showing you how to make Tortilla Espanola, right here. In the United States we think about breakfast when we serve eggs in any form, but Tortilla Espanola is mostly eaten as part of lunch or dinner, or as a “tapa” at any time of the day. The nutrition advantage starts with the proportion of carbohydrates and protein provided by the potatoes and eggs; it also includes onion, adding vitamin C and fiber; and it ends with the flavor of olive oil that helps maintain your cholesterol in balance. In itself, Tortilla Espanola is a meal. You can serve it for dinner and, with a lettuce and tomato salad, the Mediterranean flavor is complete. You may as well be sitting in a terrace at a café in Madrid. Ingredients: 4 medium potatoes. Cut the potatoes in small cubes, after pilling them; add salt. Fry them in abundant olive oil. Now, when it comes to answering the question of how much olive oil to use, I only can tell you A LOT. I remember when I prepared Tortilla for some friends in California, at their house, and they gave me a tiny container of olive oil to fry my potatoes. At the time, in the 80’s, there was a big “low fat” and “fat free” movement. The whole population was scared about eating anything containing fat, even if it was natural, monounsaturated fat that is good-for-you, as is the case with olive oil. My friends did not want to listen to my arguments and requested that I boil the potatoes, instead of frying them. I did, but the result was not spectacular, like it should be. I encourage using enough olive oil where you can easily fry your potatoes without them becoming too dry and sticky. Mince the onion and add it to the frying pan after about 5 minutes, since onions cook faster than potatoes. During the frying process, I like to mash the potatoes with a rubber spatula, as they become softer. They are done when they are lightly brown. Take the potatoes and onion mixture out of the oil, squeezing out extra oil, and reserve. Beat the 4 eggs and add salt to them. Add the fried potatoes and onions to the beaten eggs and mix all well. In an 8” frying pan, put 3 tablespoons of olive oil and heat it up. When is hot, add the eggs, potatoes and onions mixture and turn the heat to medium. Shape the sides with a fork, making the edges round and smooth. Cook for about 5 minutes. Turn the omelet by placing a plate over the pan and flipping it over. Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and place the omelet in the pan to cook on the other side for about 4-5 minutes. Tortilla Espanola makes a nice dish that is enjoyed by all ages. If you have a concern about calories, eat a small piece. Remember, it is best to eat good quality food in small amounts. Get your stomach used to handling smaller portions of nutritious foods and you won’t feel hungry as often. Marta Katalenas M.D. Posted in Healthy Eating, Healthy Recipes | No Comments » Childhood Obesity: Kids Must Play the Hand They’re DealtFriday, February 19th, 2010
Biology plays a significant role in weight. On HealthyChildren.org, the American Academy of Pediatrics cites a Danish study which compared the body mass index (BMI) of adults who had been adopted with their birth parents’ and with their adoptive parents’. Overwhelmingly, their BMI matched that of their biological parents, even though they had been raised with the eating habits of their adoptive family. Without a doubt, it is more difficult for some children to maintain a healthy weight than it is for other children. But – and this is a key point – staying at a healthy weight is beneficial for all children. So whether it’s easy or difficult for a child to stay trim, the effort is worthwhile. Children who are obese are more likely to suffer from asthma, joint pain, high blood pressure, severe headaches, gallstones… the list goes on and on. One of the most serious potential health issues an overweight child might face is Type 2 diabetes. With diabetes come daily blood sugar testing, possible injections, medications, frequent doctor visits, and constant vigilance that is much more onerous than losing weight would’ve been in the first place. What should parents do when their children complain it’s not fair? With kindness and understanding, parents should help their children to understand that each person must play the hand they’re dealt. In other words, what is, is. Every person is unique and must find her way through the world from her unique perspective, with all the advantages and disadvantages that go with it. When genetics are a factor in a child being overweight, in all likelihood, her parents have struggled with the same issues. This, again, can be both positive and negative. If parents have given up the fight and keep an abundance of unhealthy foods in the house, then it’s nearly impossible for a child to lose weight. On the other hand, if the parents change their habits, start eating healthy and exercising more, they can be the best possible support system for their children. Their shared DNA means they can share the frustrations and triumphs, and grow closer than ever. Losing weight for some families might not be easy, but by working together, they can do it. And because they made that commitment and stuck with it, those families will live happier, healthier, and longer lives. Posted in Healthy Eating | No Comments » Fish Stew – Easy and Delicous!Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
Well, I misspoke. I cannot cook without pimenton (Spanish paprika) and saffron, so I always have those two condiments at my fingertips. I strongly advise you to invest in buying them, since they can add the little kick of Mediterranean taste that some dishes need. They are both natural, unprocessed, no additives or chemical added ingredients you are going to love. But this days talking about price is important; I must say that Pimenton is not expensive since a small can of it (2.5 oz) can last months. Saffron, on the other hand, is considered the most precious and expensive spice IN THE WORLD. It comes in small filaments that are only the stigmas of the saffron flower (a member of the Iris family). Since each flower has only 3 stigmas and they must be removed from the flower by hand, it makes this spice one of the most expensive you can find. Luckily, you only need a few filaments to cook a meal! Saffron has been known since ancient times, being mentioned in the Bible. Older civilizations used it for cooking because of its unique aroma and yellow coloring properties. They also used it to make perfumes and for its therapeutic properties. It was used to calm fevers, as a liver tonic and to calm nerves. Anyway, the history is long and vast, since most ancient civilizations used it, including the Romans, Greeks and Egyptians. Today, it is indispensable ingredient in Spanish cuisine and used in all Mediterranean countries. Going back to the fish stew. Say it is Monday evening and you are driving home from work, exhausted and hungry. Let say you already have 4 potatoes, ½ onion, 2 garlic cloves, ¼ of a green bell pepper and some olive oil at home. Well, all you have to do is pay a quick visit to your friendly HEB store and pick up some white fish. You can choose between basa, cod, halibut…it goes well with any white fish. You need about 1 ½ lb. When you get home, before you change, cut the potatoes in pieces and set aside. Mince the onions, the garlic and bell pepper and cook it all in about 4 tablespoons of olive oil, until the onions are transparent. At this point you add the potatoes, in cubes, and add water to barely cover the potatoes. Add 2 teaspoons of Pimenton and 1 envelop of saffron. Cook over medium-low for 20 minutes. Now you can go and change. You also have time to check out the evening news. Now you are ready to cut the fish in small pieces, about 1×1” and add the fish to the cooking mixture. The fish will cook fast; you may need an additional 15 minutes. While you set the table and put together a salad, your fish stew will rest and absorb all the flavorings of its ingredients. Ah! I forgot to mention 1bay leaf. You should add it to the stew when you add the fish. Look in the back of your pantry, you may have some. By now you may be aware of the many studies praising the benefits of Omega 3 oils. Well, here you have them. Fish stew provides a balanced mixture of carbohydrates and protein, together with the vitamins and soothing effect of the herbs and vegetables. Perfect for dinner. Your family will be able to enjoy from the door, the minute they step into the house. I still remember the complaints of my kids when they were small. Those of you with kids know exactly what I am talking about. I had to mash everything with a fork before they would agree to eat it; they didn’t want to feel the fish, or the pepper, and blah, blah, blah. I also remember doing the exact same thing to my mother. Now we all enjoy this very simple and nutritious dish. It is time for you to create traditions and memories. The best ones will come from your efforts, when you try to teach your children to enjoy good food. Posted in Healthy Eating, Healthy Recipes | No Comments » Parents: Are Your Kids Getting Too Much Salt?Friday, January 15th, 2010High blood pressure in children is not as rare as you might think. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has found that about 5% of children have blood pressure that’s higher than normal. Less than 1% of children have blood pressure that’s high enough to be classified as medically significant, but whenever a child’s blood pressure is higher than normal, it’s cause for concern. Those children face a much higher risk of developing dangerously high blood pressure as they age. One of the main contributing factors in high blood pressure for people of any age is too much salt. Salt should be used very sparingly and, in most cases, not at all. What can parents do? The fastest and most effective change you can make is to stop serving your child processed foods. Most of the sodium in our diets comes from processed foods. For example, when you make a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese, one serving has 580 milligrams of sodium. Weigh that against the recommended daily allowance of sodium for adults, 1500-2400 milligrams, then adjust for your child’s age and size. On the other hand, if you use a bag of pre-shredded cheddar cheese to make macaroni and cheese from scratch – skip the salt, which is unnecessary – it will take about the same amount of time but will cut the sodium by 25%! Even better, make it with low-fat cheese and a healthier alternative to butter, and serve it with a small salad to help fill up your child’s tummy.
Honestly, healthy cooking doesn’t have to take any longer than putting together a prepackaged meal. One kitchen tool that I highly recommend is a steamer. You can throw a few frozen chicken breasts into the steamer basket along with the vegetables, turn on the steamer, and then walk away. Give the kids a bath and, by the time you’re finished, dinner is cooked. Sprinkle on some salt-free seasoning when the food is done. Nothing could be easier than that. Fast food restaurants are notorious for using packaged foods, and like all packaged foods, they’re heavily laden with salt. Limit your trips to a fast food restaurant to no more than once a month. If you must eat out more often than that, choose a local restaurant where the food is cooked fresh. Want to learn more about healthy eating for kids?
A good place to start is at www.HealthyChildren.org, a website developed by AAP to teach parents about all health issues facing your children. It’s your job to educate your children, and the first step is to educate yourself. Posted in Healthy Eating | 1 Comment » New Year ResolutionsMonday, January 4th, 2010
Here I am again, thinking up goals to accomplish in 2010. My list this year is long and diverse: I want to learn how to play baseball and dance flamenco. I am going to exercise in the morning at least 2 days per week and I am going to resume pilates and yoga, but this time I am not going to find excuses as regularly as I did during the old 2009. We are going to have “ board game night” with the kids on Friday night and I am going to take the dogs for a walk twice a day. By having all of those projects I can be sure to accomplish at least one of them, you see. I’m not the only one making a wish list at this time of the year. I can see television commercials advertising exercise plans, gym memberships and diet plans every time I tune in. We are all ready to go. We feel energized. We need to start over. It gives us a good feeling to talk to people and find out their special projects and wishes for the new year. I can sense the energy flowing from person to person and the positive thinking that makes anything possible running through the days during this very first part of the year. I love it. I know I’m not going to meet all my goals but, you know what? I’m sure going to try. Last week I was trying to explain to one of my adolescent patients how easy it is to lose 10 lbs in one year without a lot of pain and sacrifice. Imagine you have the habit of coming home in the evening and drinking a can of soda before dinner. Every can/bottle of soda has about 140 calories, but we are going to imagine it contains just 100 calories, to make the numbers easier to calculate. By giving up that evening soda alone you are going to miss 36,500 calories by the end of the year. Since every 3,500 calories translates into 1 lb, by December 2010 you can be 10.4 lb lighter, without even trying hard; just by giving up a small part of your day. Can you imagine how much weight loss you can add to the equation by going for a walk around the block instead of sitting down to drink the soda? How about running around the block instead of walking? It would take just a couple of minutes! You get the picture. Yes, it is not that difficult. But, like everything in life, you must be consistent and keep going. Don’t give up. Stick to your plan even when you don’t see immediate results. We live in a society that claims instant gratification and we seldom recognize the value of persistence and stamina when it comes to accomplishing a goal. Remember, the journey of 1,000 miles begins with one step. Happy, Healthy 2010 to y’all! Marta Katalenas M.D. Posted in Healthy Eating | No Comments » X-MAS LITE, AND A HAPPY NEW YEARMonday, December 28th, 2009
When I go to Spain she cooks for me. She doesn’t get tired and she never makes excuses to avoid cooking. Everyday I spend there she asks me in the morning: “ What do you want to eat today?” On Christmas Eve I wanted to know what she was making. She told me she was going to cook light, since they had been overeating for a few days and she doesn’t like going to bed while still digesting heavy food. She made white fish with shrimp, saffron rice and spinach with garlic. I’ve tried this recipe before and I am going to adopt it for New Year’s Eve. This is how it goes: You take 2 white fish fillets; it can be any kind of white fish, from pangessius to cod. You place them in an oven-safe dish, applying olive oil to the bottom part, in contact with the dish. Then you take about ¾ lb of uncooked shrimp, cut them in very small pieces and place them over the fish, covering the whole surface. Then apply mayonnaise on top, being careful not to disrupt the shrimp on top of the fish. A good way to apply the mayonnaise is by using a rubber spatula, which allows you to make the surface smooth. How much mayonnaise to apply? I don’t know, enough to have the shrimp completely covered. Be generous! Then you only have to place in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until you observe the mayonnaise is turning brown. The saffron rice is prepared just the way you would prepare white rice, but adding saffron. Take 1 cup of rice, ½ onion and 1 garlic clove. Warm up 2 ½ cups of water and in the mean time start sautéing the onion and garlic in about 3 tablespoons of olive oil. When the water is about to boil, add the rice to the onions and garlic and, immediately, cover it all with the boiling water. Add 1 envelope or 1 tsp of saffron and allow cooking for about 20 minutes. Add salt while it is cooking. The spinach part of the meal adds even more color and texture. In a wok, place 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 3 garlic cloves. When the garlic starts to get golden, add the spinach, stirring until they are done; it takes a couple of minutes. Be aware, spinach reduces in size a lot when you cook them. Plan to use a large amount if you are feeding 4 people or more. I usually buy a big tub containing 16 oz of spinach at the grocery store. If we don’t eat it all at one meal, no problem, it tastes good if you microwave it the next day. This will be my New Year’s Eve dinner. This year my family and I decide to create a new tradition for Christmas Eve. We decided to cook something humble and easy, since we are celebrating the birth of He who was Humble and Modest. We made fried potatoes, eggs and Spanish chorizo. This combination constitutes the typical Spanish meal for when you don’t have anything else ready. If you visit friends or relatives unannounced at mealtime and they don’t have enough food prepared to share, they will make you a good plate of fried potatoes with eggs and chorizo. All fried in abundant olive oil. It is not calorie-free, as no food is, but it is natural and simple. From now on, fried potatoes with eggs and chorizo are going to be my family’s Christmas Eve meal. A tradition I hope my kids would continue for years to come in their own houses (if they ever move out of mine, that is). Note: if interested in buying good Spanish chorizo, visit www.latienda.com. Happy 2010 to you all! Marta Katalenas M.D. Posted in Healthy Eating, Healthy Recipes | No Comments » |
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One reason for today’s childhood obesity epidemic is that children do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. Instead, they fill up on packaged food with little to no nutritional value. But how do you get your kids excited about eating more fruits and veggies? Introduce them to farmers markets!
Walking is an easy exercise modality available to everyone. Walking in the morning stimulates the body’s metabolic rate for the day making us more productive and energized.
It probably won’t surprise parents that the amount of TV their children watch can impact the ability to maintain a healthy weight. After all, watching TV is a sedentary activity, so the more TV a kid watches, the less exercise he or she gets. However, parents must also be aware that the type of TV their children watch can also have an enormous effect.
If you go to a restaurant in Spain and ask for a “tortilla”, they are not going to bring you the flat, flour pancake like they would here in Texas, or anywhere in the United States. You are going to be presented with a golden color potato and egg, round, pie-like dish I assure you are going to love.
Children want to be just like their friends. This can be a positive, such as encouraging each other to get good grades or to join a sports team. Or it can be a negative, such as filling up on junk food. But the truth is, children are not just like their friends, and they never will be. This is a difficult concept for kids to accept when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight. An overweight child may see his peers overloading on sugary drinks and pizza and think, “If they’re not eating healthy foods and they don’t gain weight, why do I have to diet?” 
Making a delicious meal for the family should not be difficult. It should be easy and painless. If you ever want to impress and at the same time start training your kid’s taste buds in the right direction, try this fish stew recipe that is not complicated. It does require some planning ahead, but no more time consuming that a quick stop at HEB on your way home from work to buy some fresh fish. The rest of the ingredients you may already have at home.
Macaroni and cheese isn’t the only meal that comes from a box. Whenever you’re tempted to pick up a boxed type meal, at the very least, take a moment to look at the nutrition information provided. Do this in the grocery store, before you decide whether you really want to bring this food into your home. Once it’s home, you will make it, and your child will eat it. But if you read the nutrition information in the store and see that one serving has more sodium than your child should eat in a day, you will be more likely to return the box to the shelf and look for healthier alternatives. Soon, you may skip the packaged meal aisle altogether.
Everybody has good intentions at the beginning of a new year. We promise to be good, to eat right and to exercise regularly; even when those were the old, un-met goals for the year that just ended. I know, because I do it every year too.
Have I ever mentioned my mother is the best cook in the whole wide world? Well, she is. All I know about healthy eating I learned from her, even when my trials to emulate her are not that successful. My kids notice the difference first, and I don’t know why, since I follow her teachings to the smallest detail! This is what they tell me: “It is good, but Aya’s taste better”. We call her Aya.