Importance of Potassium

I don't know if you've noticed, but there has been a lot of information coming out recently about sodium and the fact that Americans tend to eat a lot more salt than we actually need. In fact, the recommendations for sodium are being lowered to less than 1,500mg per day. In all this talk of reducing sodium, however, there is one mineral that tends to get overlooked--potassium.

In my last blog post, I talked about the new Dietary Guidelines that will be finalized at the end of this year. As part of this process, nutritional and dietary trends of Americans in the past 5 years were evaluated. It was found that potassium is a mineral that is consistently under-consumed by Americans. Most of us do not meet the recommended 4,700mg per day. The main reason for this is simply inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables.

So, why do we need to meet the recommendations for potassium? Why is it important? Potassium has many functions. It's essential for maintaining fluid balance as well as the acid-base balance in the body. It reduces risk for kidney stones and helps prevent bone loss. It is important for the heart, and helps prevent cardiac arrhythmia. Potassium has also been shown to help reduce blood pressure. In fact, consuming adequate amounts of potassium may be just as important in lowering blood pressure as decreasing sodium intake.

There are several different types of foods that contain potassium. In general, fruits and vegetables tend to be the best sources of potassium.

Here is a list of fruits/vegetables that are high in potassium:

(contains 200-300mg/serving--one serving = 1/2 cup or 1 medium piece of fruit)

• Apricots
• Kiwi
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Pears
• Oranges
• Fresh beets, cooked
• Fresh asparagus, cooked
• Mushrooms
• Okra
• Parsnips
• Potatoes, boiled or mashed
• Pumpkin

Here is a list of fruits/vegetables that are very high in potassium:

(contains greater than 300mg/serving--one serving = 1/2 cup or 1 medium piece of fruit unless otherwise stated)

• Artichokes (1/4 small)
• Beet greens (1/4 cup)
• 1/4 small avocado
• Bananas
• Cantaloupe and honeydew melons
• Mangos
• Papaya (1/2 medium)
• Corn on the cob
• Baked potatoes (1/2 medium)
• Spinach
• Sweet potatoes, yams
• Tomato sauce or juice
• Winter squash

Other fruits and vegetables contain potassium as well, but in lesser amounts than listed above. In addition to this, there are other foods that are good sources of potassium, including: beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, peanut butter, fish, poultry, meat and dairy products.

So, what is the trick to meeting the daily recommendations for potassium? It's fairly simple, actually. Eat balanced meals and snacks and include a variety of foods into your eating plan. Follow the plate method for meal planning. Make 1/2 of your plate fruits and vegetables, 1/4 of your plate whole grains and 1/4 of your plate lean proteins. This will help in meeting the recommended 7-11 servings of fruits/vegetables a day. This will also assist in incorporating lean proteins that are good sources of potassium like beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, fish, poultry, and low-fat dairy.

Potassium is an important mineral for many reasons, and by using balance, variety and plenty of fruits and vegetables in our eating, we can meet the recommended amount of potassium our bodies need for optimal health.

Rachel Cope MPH, RD, CD

Migraines

Chronic headaches or migraines affect 29.5 million people. Because it is so common, many believe that the environment must play a large role. I would agree. Nutritionally, it seems that many foods can act as suppressants or as triggers. Often individuals can identify potential triggers but may not know what foods can help.

Possible food triggers include:

• Aged cheese
• Chocolate
• Dried fruit
• Red Wine
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Artificial sweeteners (splenda, aspartame, etc)
• Preservatives in food, in particular benzoic acid
• Nitrites found in ham or bacon or other processed meats
• Food coloring
• MSG
• Cigarette or cigar smoke

Tyrosine is an amino acid in aged cheese, chocolate, dried fruit and red wine that increases blood flow to the brain triggering headaches. Artificial substances such as sweeteners, preservatives, nitrates, food colorings and MSG have also been shown to have an effect on headaches even in small amounts. For these additives, be sure to read ingredient lists carefully.

Foods that may help:

• Eat small, frequent meals that are well balanced. Avoid eating high sugar foods on an empty stomach.
• Eat foods freshly cooked. As foods age, they can increase in tyrosine.
• Eat foods rich in magnesium such as black beans, peanuts, seeds, scallops, halibut, vegetables (broccoli, okra and spinach in particular), soy milk, tofu and enriched grains such as bran cereals and breads. If migraines are severe, try to eat a serving of a magnesium rich food at each meal.
• Migraines often are brought on by inflammation and healthy fats can help to fight inflammation. Try to include a healthy fat at each meal. Examples include avocados, olive oil, canola oil, olives and nuts.
• Stay well hydrated. Be sure to keep a water bottle with you always and drink often. If you find yourself thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

To find what foods are triggers for you, it may be helpful to keep a food journal. Once you notice a headache forming, it will be easy to see what you have eaten recently and over time you will see a pattern forming. With that knowledge comes the ability to lessen the frequency of your headaches.

There are other environmental triggers other than food. Stress, heat, hormones, changes in weather patterns and lack of sleep are only a few other examples. And as always, genetics will play a role.

As one who gets headaches, I know how important it is to recognize triggers. Some of my environmental triggers have nothing to do with food. But I am also very sensitive to MSG and artificial sweeteners. Thank goodness chocolate is safe for me!

What about you? Do you suffer from migraines? What are your triggers? What have you found helpful? Have I missed anything on this list?

Emily Fonnesbeck RD,CD

The Dietary Guidelines

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are a set of guidelines that advise us on how healthy dietary habits can promote overall health and reduce risk of various diseases. At the moment, the 2005 Dietary Guidelines remain the current guidance on healthy eating. The Dietary Guidelines are updated and re-published every 5 years by the Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS).

This year just happens to be the year the guidelines are updated. I find this exciting, as it is interesting to review the dietary patterns of Americans over the past 5 years and see what changes need to be made in order to improve health. I thought I would take this opportunity to provide some information about the new proposed guidelines.

A few days ago, on June 15, a report on the Dietary Guidelines 2010 was released. This is an initial report, and the public can make comments on these guidelines until July 15, 2010. The Advisory Committee who put the report together will then have a series of committee meetings and review all the comments in preparation for completing the final version of the Dietary Guidelines 2010. The final guidelines will be released at the end of 2010.

In looking through the report, there were a few interesting things that caught my attention. Here are some of the key points:

As a result of the increasing number of Americans who have high blood pressure and are at risk for heart disease, the guidelines on fat and sodium have changed.

• We should aim to eat no more than 7% of daily calories from saturated fat (the recommendations used to be no more than 10%)
• We should replace saturated fat with monounsaturated fat (a healthier fat)
• We should avoid trans fats from industrial sources (this means avoiding pre-packaged/convenience foods that have hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils)
• We should aim for no more than 300mg of dietary cholesterol per day, but those at risk for heart disease or type 2 diabetes should aim for no more than 200mg per day
• We should aim to eat 2 servings (4 oz per serving) of oily fish each week (this will help us achieve an average of 250mg of omega 3 fatty acids per day)
• We should consume no more than 1,500mg of sodium per day (the recommendations used to be no more than 2,300mg per day)
• We should consume at least 4,700mg of potassium per day (this has been shown to help reduce blood pressure)

Other important points include:

• We should move toward eating a more plant-based diet, including whole grains, beans/lentils, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds
• In general, Americans are eating too many solid fats, added sugars and refined carbohydrates
• We should aim to reduce our consumption of calories from solid fats and added sugars
• We should replace refined carbohydrates with whole grains
• Multivitamins are not recommended for the general population, as we should be getting vitamins and minerals from whole foods rather than pills (this excludes certain groups of people who are at specific nutritional risk)

The report also states that there are certain nutrients that are under-consumed by Americans. These nutrients include: vitamin D, calcium, potassium and dietary fiber. As a result of this, the proposed guidelines recommend consuming more dairy or calcium-fortified dairy alternatives in order to increase our vitamin D and calcium content. The importance of eating adequate amounts of potassium is emphasized, as potassium has been found to be important in reducing blood pressure and risk of kidney stones as well as helping to prevent bone loss. We should be getting 4,700mg of potassium per day from our foods. In general, fruits and vegetables, beans, fish, and dairy products tend to be good sources of potassium. Similarly, the report discusses the importance of getting enough fiber by eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds.

The whole purpose of the Dietary Guidelines is to provide us with a list of suggestions to work toward in order to reduce our risk of disease and help us achieve healthy eating and nutritional balance. For those of you interested in checking out the report, click this link. If you're interested in getting involved and providing comments (comments accepted through July 15) , click this link. I also came across this article, where you can watch an interview with a registered dietitian about the proposed guidelines. When you go to this article, click on the icon that says, 'a look at the new USDA guidelines.' Similarly I found this article, which discusses in greater detail the new salt recommendation.

I feel the Dietary Guidelines for Americans provide useful information in guiding healthy eating behaviors and patterns. I hope you find them useful as well.

Rachel Cope MPH, RD, CD

Eating to Feel Good

During the Intuitive Eating lecture at the Resort, I often tell guests that motivation is an effect, not a cause. You don't usually start out motivated. Most guests upon returning home will have to go through the motions a bit. They will have to implement what they learned at the Resort because they know they need to if they want to meet their healthy lifestyle goals. While it might seem overwhelming at first, once they do this, they have the opportunity to notice a difference in how they feel. I say opportunity because all too often guests will implement the changes with only the goal of seeing a difference on the scale. However, if they only measure success by what the scale says, they will never be successful. But, if they take that opportunity and measure success by how much better they feel, then they will truly be successful.

Often guests say that sticking to the exercise at home is easy while nutrition is the hardest part. I think I have an answer for why. Immediately after exercising you get a reward. Not too many people ever say they regret having exercised. However, immediate rewards from food don't usually happen. Some may have to stay the course for a few weeks in order to truly notice a difference in energy levels, less cravings, smoother skin, thicker hair, better sleep patterns, regulated appetite and hunger levels, clearer cognitive function...and the list goes on. But if you do stick it out, you will notice all these things. And that is what will keep you going. Even if the number on the scale has stopped moving down, you still know that you can't turn back now. You have made too many changes, come too far and feel too good to ever go back to what you were before.

I really feel that the best approach to weight loss is to say, "I am going to treat my body the best way I know how. I am going to sleep well, I am going to eat well, stay hydrated, exercise...and I am going to see where my weight settles because I trust my body to find its healthy weight." And it will! You may have a goal in mind, and that's OK, but if you give your body a chance, it will find the best weight.

I also encourage guests to keep an open mind. For example, I know many people who have said that they could NEVER give up diet coke and artificial sweeteners. And many of these same people give it up and can't imagine themselves ever going back. Take a good hard look at what you are currently doing and know that anything is possible. But if you always say never, you will never progress. The way you talk to yourself and about yourself plays into your feelings of self-efficacy. You have to feel like you CAN do it to be able to do it. If you start eating healthier, you have to believe that you can. And I want you to know that I believe you can. I can say it over and over but if you can't say it, it will never happen. Keep a positive attitude and when thoughts of "I can't" or "I'm a failure" or I'm not worth it" enter in, push them immediately out.

My number one goal for guests leaving the Resort is for them to develop a healthier relationship with food. Once that happens, the behaviors become the easy part. Too often we want to lose weight so we change behavior first but in reality we have to get to the root of the problem. And the problem usually is an unhealthy relationship with food brought on by years of dieting, being too restrictive or perhaps too lenient, viewing food as "bad", confusion about what is healthy or perhaps using food to cover up bigger issues. Remember, excess in nothing, moderation in everything.

So your new mantra is: "I CAN BE HEALTHY!"

Emily Fonnesbeck RD,CD

Accepting New Foods

Many of us may find it difficult to accept foods we have never tried before. We can be alarmed by unfamiliar foods, disinclined to try new foods, or have a really short list of foods we will eat. How do we overcome this? What is the best way to try and improve our acceptance of new foods so we can increase the variety in our eating?

There is a book that I have found particularly helpful in my work as a dietitian, and I use it quite often when I'm talking about family meals or feeding a healthy family. The book was written by a dietitian named Ellyn Satter and is titled, 'Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family.' Among other things, it discusses how we, as adults, can improve our ability to try new foods. I find the suggestions and strategies in the book very useful, and wanted to share them.

In general, there are a few reasons why people can have poor food acceptance skills. Either they weren't exposed to a lot of different foods growing up, or they were put under too much pressure to try new foods, or a combination of both. In order to improve food acceptance skills, we should do the opposite of this. We should give ourselves plenty of time and opportunities to try new foods, and take the pressure off ourselves.

Here are some general suggestions for improving food acceptance skills:

• Base your meals on foods you enjoy--to experiment with the unfamiliar, you need the reassurance of the familiar.
• Pair familiar foods with unfamiliar foods, favorite with not-so-favorite. You may be braver about trying new foods if you have something familiar to fall back on.
• When you are ready to experiment with a new food, give yourself time and an escape hatch--you can back out at any time.

In order to give yourself ample opportunities to be exposed to new foods without putting pressure on yourself, here are some simple steps:

• Examine foods at the grocery store without buying them
• When you're comfortable, buy a small amount and prepare it without eating it
• When you feel ready, actually put the food in your mouth without swallowing it, and keep the tissues handy (get your mouth familiar with the texture and mouthfeel)
• Do this over and over again until you are ready to swallow
• Take another bite if you want to, or not if you don't

It's important to remember not to give up too quickly on new foods, especially after only a few tries. Studies show that it takes an adult an average of 10-20 tries, or even more to determine food acceptance. Similarly, don't overwhelm or stress yourself out with trying lots of different foods at once. Take it slowly. Small, simple steps are the key. Finally, each person is unique and individual. Find a solution or system that works best for you. Don't give up--you are definitely worth it! Over time, you can improve your food acceptance skills and enjoy eating a variety of foods.

Rachel Cope MPH, RD, CD

Wow! The Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge was featured in the Oprah.com Health Newsletter last week! Stephanie Snipes, Senior Content Producer for Oprah.com joined The Resort last week to get her own fitness jump start. Stephanie's journey began last year when she committed to losing over 100 pounds on her own - and she looks amazing! Read about her journey, successes, before and after photos and her experience at Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge on her blog!

Stephanie Snipes' Blog

Meatless Fare

Since last Monday I talked about Meatless Monday, I thought I would offer a dinner meal suggestion. This is actually one of my favorite "go to" vegetarian recipes, especially because my meat loving husband really likes it. If you like curry, you will love it too:

Vegetable and Garbanzo Curry

Another benefit to eating less meat is it saves you money! Meat is expensive, especially high quality, organic, or grass fed meat. A can of low sodium garbanzo beans will run you about $1.00? But still packed with protein, fiber, iron, zinc, magnesium...how can you beat that!

The nutrition information is listed in the recipe. I serve this with brown rice or barley and each 1/2 cup portion of grain will add another 80 calories. One serving of the curry with 1/2 cup rice or barley will be about 300 calories. It is the perfect balanced meal: lots of vegetables, beans for protein and a whole grain of your choice. Enjoy!

Emily Fonnesbeck RD,CD

The Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge Announces a New Location in Beautiful Malibu Hills, California!

We are so excited to finally OFFICIALLY announce our new location in Malibu Hills, California! The Malibu Resort is located in Southern California on 160 acres surrounded by a natural oasis of trees and wildflowers. Guests can experience a variety of hikes from the wooded mountain trails of the rugged Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area, to some hikes offering viewpoints of the sparkling blue waters alongside the Pacific Coast.

Read the National Press Release Here!

Eat a Rainbow

One of my favorite concepts of healthy eating is the idea of variety. Perhaps this is because I love food, and I love eating all different kinds of foods. One of the most important things we can do to improve our nutritional health is to have variety in our eating. This means rather than sticking to the same 10 or 15 foods each day, we should aim to branch out and try different varieties. The more varied our meal plans, the more vitamins, minerals and benefits we receive from our food. This is particularly important when it comes to fruits and vegetables.

During one of my recent nutrition workshops at The Resort, I discussed the benefits of eating a rainbow in regards to fruits and vegetables. Many guests were interested in this topic, so I thought I would provide some additional information and resources for those of you interested. Last year this blog post was written, and it has a lot of great information about the benefits of the different color pigments found in fruits and vegetables.

In general, fruits and vegetables can be divided into 5 different color groups, each group providing specific health benefits. Below is a summary of the groups and their respective benefits:

1) Red Fruits and Vegetables:

• Reduce the risk of cancers, particularly prostate cancer
• Protect our cells from damage
• Help prevent heart and lung disease
• Maintain urinary tract health

2) Orange/Yellow Fruits and Vegetables:

• Maintain mucus membranes
• Healthy eyes
• Help prevent heart disease
• Improve immune system function

3) Green Fruits and Vegetables:

• Healthy eyes
• Help maintain strong bones and teeth
• Protect against cancer

4) Blue/Purple Fruits and Vegetables:

• Protect cells from damage
• Reduce risk of some cancers
• Help prevent stroke and heart disease
• Improve memory function
• Promote healthy aging
• Maintain urinary tract health

5) White Fruits and Vegetables:

• Help lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure
• Reduce risk of stomach cancer
• Reduce risk of heart disease
• Increase our ability to fight sickness/infection

I recently found this website, which provides some great information about this topic as well as ways to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. I also found this article, which is a good reminder about the importance of eating a rainbow.

In addition to the phytochemicals found in color pigments, fruits and vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that are essential for good health. Summer is a great time to be eating fresh fruits and vegetables. I really enjoyed Emily's blog post from last year entitled, 'Summer Produce.' It's a good reminder of all the wonderful and tasty fruits and vegetables that are in season this time of year.

So during your next trip to the grocery store or farmer's market, try a fruit or vegetable you've never tasted before. Increase your variety and eat a rainbow for better health.

Rachel Cope MPH, RC, CD

Meatless Monday

Meatless Monday is a movement "to help reduce meat consumption 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet". This movement has been gaining momentum with supporters ranging from large scale hospitals to Mario Batali.

Eating less meat, or animal products, may help to reduce your risk of obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Also, by eating less meat, you would replace it with plant proteins that are low in cholesterol and fat (especially saturated fat) while high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that animal products may not have.

From a weight standpoint, research does show that individuals that reduce meat consumption have lower body weights and body mass indices than those who eat more meat. Some may worry about not getting enough protein, but most Americans get more than double the amount of protein than they actually need. And while I do feel protein is important and should be included at each meal or snack, it doesn't always have to be meat. Looking at the plate (1/2 fruits and vegetables, 1/4 whole grain and 1/4 lean protein) the protein could be beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, dairy products, eggs and soy products. Some examples would be:

• Stir fry with lots of veggies, brown rice and edamame (soy beans)
• Lentil soup
• Large salad with cottage cheese and whole wheat pita
• Peanut butter and banana sandwich
• Egg salad sandwich

From an environmental standpoint, it can help reduce the carbon footprint in production and transportation. Just reducing meat once a week can make a huge impact if done consistently. Click Here for a great article with more information.

I am not pushing a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, unless of course that is something you think would suit you. I do, however, think we have become too dependent on meat and am pushing for a better balance between animal products and plant products. So what do you say? Will you join the Meatless Monday Movement?

Emily Fonnesbeck RD,CD

Healthy Snacks for Kids

I've recently had a few guests asking for some ideas on healthy snacks for children. It's important for children to have a routine of eating regular, well-balanced meals and snacks. This helps them get the nutrients their bodies need for growth and development and assists in building healthy habits for the future.

Snacks that are well-balanced include combinations of foods from the various food groups. For example, a well-balanced snack for a child could include a fruit/vegetable, a grain (whole grains are best), a lean protein source (including dairy for calcium), and/or a healthy fat. Here are a few ideas for healthy snacks for children:

• Ants on a Log (celery filled with peanut butter and topped with raisins)
• Fruit and Cheese Kabobs (cut up variety of fruit with cubes of cheddar or other cheese, poked on long skewers or toothpicks)
• Fun Trail Mix (mixture of whole grain oat cereal or granola, almonds or walnuts, and dried cherries, cranberries, apricots or other dried fruit)
• Cinnamon Toast with Banana and Milk (toasted whole grain bread topped with olive oil/butter spread, then sprinkled with small amount of cinnamon and sugar. Serve with banana and glass of milk)
• Cheese Quesadilla with Salsa (corn tortillas, part-skim mozzarella, goat, or other cheese, and generous portion of salsa for dipping)
• Sugar Snap Peas with Dip (dip ideas: hummus, salsa, or honey-mustard dip--Greek yogurt mixed with honey and Dijon mustard)
• Peanut Butter and Banana Toast (spread natural peanut butter on whole grain toast and add a mashed up banana on top)
• Mini Pizza (whole wheat sandwich thin or other whole grain roll/flatbread as the base, add tomato puree or sauce, then add desired veggies. Top with part-skim mozzarella or other cheese and bake)
• Popcorn Banana Munch Mix (mixture of plain popcorn, banana chips, peanuts and dried cranberries)
• Frozen Banana (peel a banana and dip in yogurt. Roll in crushed, whole grain cereal and freeze)
• Pita Pockets (stuff a whole grain pita pocket with sliced apples and ricotta cheese. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon)

It can be difficult at times to get children to eat healthy, balanced snacks. Here are a few ideas that may help encourage children to eat the healthy snacks you prepare: make the food colorful and interesting, tell a fun story that incorporates the food, or have children help in the preparation/cooking.

I'd love to hear your ideas--what fun, healthy snacks do you serve your kids?

Rachel Cope MPH, RD, CD