You Are What You Eat: Healthy Foods For Your Skin

We often think of lotions, creams, and soaps for bringing out the best in your skin. Did you know that what you eat also affects how your skin will look and feel? Below are some great foods to help keep your skin looking young, prevent premature aging, reduce your risk of skin cancer, and bring out the best in your skin.

 

Water: Drinking water helps to keep your skin hydrated. Hydrated skin helps move nutrients around and removes toxins. Try to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

Green tea: Green tea has anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce the health risks from ultra-violet light. It may also reduce the risk of skin cancers. Try drinking a cup of green tea every day.

Vitamin A, C, and E: All three of these vitamins provide antioxidant properties which are helpful to your skin. There are many factors that can damage your skin including the sun, air pollution, and cigarette smoke. Antioxidants help to repair the skin from these and many other irritating agents.

o Vitamin A is vital for skin health. It is necessary for the maintenance and repair of skin tissue Great sources of Vitamin A include carrots, sweet potatoes, and cantaloupe. Low-fat dairy including yogurt, low fat cheese, milk, and cottage cheese also provide a great source of Vitamin A. The healthy bacteria in yogurt also help with digestion which is beneficial for your skin.


o Vitamin C fights premature aging by reducing the damage caused by free radicals from the sun, smoke, and pollution. Some great food sources include kiwifruit, oranges, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, and cauliflower.


o Vitamin E also protects skin cells from ultra violet light, smoke, and pollution that produce cell damaging free radicals. It also helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Food sources include sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, peanut butter, wheat germ, and tomatoes.

Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids: Fatty acids act as a barrier to harmful agents and also act as a passageway for nutrients to get into your skin and waste products to get out. The healthier your cell membranes are, the better they can hold moisture. Fatty acids can be found in salmon, tuna, flaxseed and walnuts.

Healthier cell membranes → moisture in your skin → softer, younger-looking skin.

Selenium: Selenium helps to protect your skin from sun damage and delays aging by protecting skin quality and elasticity. Selenium can be found in whole wheat bread, muffins, and cereals; turkey, cottage cheese, tuna and Brazil nuts.

Enjoy a variety of healthy foods that contain the nutrients above to help your skin and overall health.

Your skin will thank you!

The challenges of staying with the plan when everyone else is eating the good food

In an ideal “dieting world”, everyone around you would be eating healthy, there would only be healthy food available to eat, and there would be plenty of time for exercise without the stresses of everyday life.

Unfortunately, this ideal world does not exist for most of us. We are faced with many challenges that make dieting hard at times.

One prominent challenge is seeing eveyone around you eating “the good food”. It is often hard to eat a salad when you see your friends and family eating the food you want. So how do you stay successful with the challenges?

• If you know you will be attending a party or going to a restaurant, choose foods wisely the rest of the day. This will allow some wiggle room for making some not so healthy choices when with friends.

• Do not tell everyone you are dieting. Some may try to tempt you with unhealthy foods, others may question everything you are eating, and some may offer unsolicited advise. If others ask, just let them know you are trying to eat healthier.

• If you are going to a restaurant, go online and look at the menu earlier in the day and make your food selection – and stick with it. This will reduce the temptation for making unhealthy food choices.

• Remember, that even though others around you may not be eating healthy food at that particular time, they may be eating very healthy at other times or just may not be motivated for a healthy lifestyle at this point of time. Don’t let their habits infuence your goals.

• If you are hosting friends at your house, plan to prepare a healthy meal. If you are going to someone elses house, offer to bring a healthy dish.

• Even though it may be challenging, keep reminding yourself why you are trying to lose weight. This can help keep you on track.

• Remember, it is ok to try a small piece of “unhealthy food”. On the other hand, if you don’t think you can stop – just skip it.

• Join an exercise class where you may meet new friends that are also focusing on health. You can motivate each other.

Don't Let the State Fair Wreak Havoc on Your Diet

The much anticipated NC State Fair begins tomorrow, Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 3:00! For many of us it is one of the most exciting times of the year. Unfortunately a lot of us think of the Fair as a place to go to binge on things like turkey legs, french fries, and deep-fried cheesecake. The scary truth....just those 3 things total up to 2,351 calories!! Pretty shocking, isn't it?! Want to know what to eat instead? Check out this link http://www.wral.com/news/local/page/3805503/ to find some better choices such as a regular corn dog, corn on the cob, and cotton candy for a total of 622 calories.

The best option would be to forgo Fair food all together. That might sound really hard but just think about all of the hard work you've been putting into your diet. A few tips on how to say no to the temptations:

1. Eat before you go.

2. Pack a few healthy snacks.

3. Instead of focusing on the food at the Fair, plan your trip based on the different things you want to experience while there. Here is the link to the NC State Fair website, http://www.ncstatefair.org/2010/. If you map out your trip and keep the focus on entertainment, exhibits, and competitions you won't even have time to think about the food!

Its Fall, so let the pounds fall off with exercise

Now that the season is changing and it is getting cooler outside, it is a great time to get some fresh air and go for a daily walk. Walking is a great source of exercise, a great way to destress, and a great way to spend time with friends and/or family. Walking also provides great benefits for your heath.  Its many benefits include; major reductions in diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, and an increase in bone density.

Some tips for exercising

• Get a good pair of walking shoes that fit your feet well. This will make walking more comfortable and keep your feet feeling good.
• Try walking in the early morning - many studies have found that early morning exercise is the easiest exercise to maintain over the long term.
• Or, exercise with co-workers during your lunch hour at work. It is a great time to get outside if you are in an office all day.
• Or, exercise in the evening either before or after dinner. This is a great time to exercise with your family. While walking you can talk about your day or just take in the cool air. If you are walking in the evening, be sure to wear reflective clothing so that cars can easily see you.

You may also want to use a pedometer. A pedometer will record how many steps you are taking. It is a great way to track your daily distance and be sure you are getting enough daily exercise.

So get out and walk..... and watch the pounds and leaves FALL.

Healthy Recipes for September

This week I thought it would be nice to pass along some easy to prepare healthy meals. When you find you are getting bored with your diet, feel like you don't know what to make for dinner, or just need some new ideas, it is always good to try new healthy recipes.

For those of you on the meal replacement plan I have listed a recipe to add some spice to your meal replacements. For those of you on the modified plan or calorie control food based plan, I have included a meal and snack recipe. I hope you enjoy the recipes and be sure to go to Mayoclinic.com (where I got the food recipes). They have great information on nutrition, health and wellness and of course, additional recipes. And if you have any healthy recipes you would like to add to the blog, we would love to hear about them.

MWL Tomato and Herb Soup

(Recipe developed by a participant at the Center for Medical Weight Loss)

Start with the Center for Medical Weight Loss Tomato Soup.  Add fresh basil and oregano to the mix. If you do not have your own herb garden, go to the farmer's market and purchase fresh herbs. For variety, try different herbs in the mixture.


Fruit Kabobs:
From the MayoClinic website: Mayoclinic.com


Ingredients
4 ounces low-fat, sugar-free lemon yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
4 to 6 pineapple chunks
4 to 6 strawberries
1 kiwi, peeled and diced
1/2 banana, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
4 to 6 red grapes
4 wooden skewers

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lime juice and lime zest. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Thread 1 of each fruit onto the skewer. Repeat with the other skewers until the fruit is gone. Serve with the lemon lime dip.

Nutritional Analysis (per serving)
Serving size: 2 fruit kebabs

Calories 160
Cholesterol 4 mg
Protein 4 g
Sodium 45 mg
Carbohydrate 36 g
Fiber 4 g
Total fat 1 g
Saturated fat < 1 g
Monounsaturated fat trace



Chicken Strips with Honey Mustard Sauce
From the MayoClinic website: Mayoclinic.com

Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, each 4 ounces and cut into 3 strips
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil

For the dipping sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard

Directions
In a large bowl, add the chicken strips. Pour milk over the chicken and mix to coat well. Place in a single layer on wax paper. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the chicken strips, turning the chicken to coat evenly. Shake to remove excess.In a large, nonstick frying pan, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Place the chicken strips in an even layer in the pan. Saute, turning once on each side until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove and place on paper towels to drain.

To make the dipping sauce, combine the honey and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Stir to mix evenly.

Nutritional Analysis (per serving)
Serving size: 3 chicken strips and 3 tablespoons sauce
Calories 380
Cholesterol 75 mg
Protein 30 g
Sodium 210 mg
Carbohydrate 42 g
Fiber 0 g
Total fat 10 g
Saturated fat 2 g
Monounsaturated fat 4 g

Keeping the Weight Off - Staying Motivated

Last evening we had our first support group for Fall 2010 at CMWL. We discussed ways to stay motivated and avoid relapses. Everyone at the group had stories of challenging times that they regained weight; and then shared great ideas on how they have stayed motivated and kept the weight off.  We made "I want to lose weight because....." cards to keep in our wallets for those days we feel challenged.  Thanks to everyone who attended. If you were not able to make it, we have our next support group next month and would love for you to join us. If you have any ideas of topics you would like to be added to the support group, please either post them on this blog or let Sarah or Monika know. As always we want to provide information to help you meet your diet and weight loss goals.

Fall 2010 Schedule for the CMWL support group

Wednesday, October 13, 2010:
Watching Others; The challenges of staying with the plan when everyone else is eating the good food.

Wednesday, Novermber 10, 2010:
Exercise, Exercise, Exercise: How to keep it interesting.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010:
Surviving the Holidays

Keeping the Weight Off...How to Stay Motivated

Don't forget that Support Group is this coming Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at 6:30pm. This month’s meeting is going to focus on “Keeping the Weight Off…How to Stay Motivated” and will be held right here in the office that you come to for your appointments. Monika Kraus, R.D. will be leading the support group.
If you are going to attend support group please either email me back at loseweight@fmaraleigh.com or give me a call at 919-232-9436. We want to make sure that we set up in an area where we have plenty of room to accommodate everyone.
Also keep in mind that even though there is normally a $5.00 fee, this month the meeting is FREE! So come on out and take advantage of the knowledge that Monika has to share with you while connecting with other individuals who are sharing the same experiences, struggles, and successes!
Can’t wait to see you all there!

What's NEW at the Raleigh Center for Medical Weight Loss

The Center for Medical Weight Loss is now offering a dietary supplement that NATURALLY increases your metabolism!

Capsiate Natura is a natural supplement derived from peppers that increases your metabolism without increasing blood pressure or heart rate.

In fact, it has NO known side effects.

Make an appointment with us today to discuss the possibility of adding Capsiate Natura to your CMWL program if you:

-Have a medical condition and are not a candidate for a prescription appetite suppressant.

-Suffer from hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol or heart disease.

-Have reached a weight loss plateau.

-Want to increase you metabolism while losing weight to minimize the natural metabolism slowing that usually occurs with weight loss.

-Are entering the maintenance phase and you want to increase your metabolism to help keep the recently lost pounds off.

-Prefer a natural approach to weight loss.

Increasing Your Fiber Intake

Are you ready to eat healthier?

One of the easiest and healthiest ways to improve the way you eat is to focus on increasing your fiber intake.

But what is fiber? Why do you need it? And how much fiber should you have each day?

What is Fiber?
Fiber is the indigestible part of a plant. When eaten, fiber passes through your digestive system without being broken down. Fiber is found in all plant foods including fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, seeds, and grains. It is not found in any animal sources of food. There are two types of fiber, insoluble and soluble fiber. Many foods contain both types of fiber.



Benefits of Fiber
• May help to reduce your cholesterol level.
• Helps to keep your stool soft. This improves and prevents constipation.
• May reduce the risk of colon cancer, hemorrhoids, and varicose veins.
• Slows down the digestion of food in your body and helps you to feel full, which leads to eating less.
• Some studies have shown that a high fiber diet helps to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels. This is a very beneficial finding for diabetics.


Fiber Recommendations
The American Heart Association recommends consuming 25-30 grams of fiber a day. The American Dietetic Association reports that most Americans fall below the recommendation and get an average of 14-15 grams of fiber a day.



Fiber Content of Some Common Foods
Fiber Content ( based on common serving sizes) Food Source

6 grams of fiber a serving: most beans and peas, raspberries, and many bran cereals.


3-6 grams of fiber: brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, most nuts, most fruits, and most vegetables.


Recommendations for increasing fiber

• Increase your fiber intake slowly to a goal of 25-30 grams to prevent stomach discomfort.
• Drink plenty of water when increasing your fiber intake to prevent constipation.
• Read food labels and look at the fiber content listed on the nutrition label. This is very helpful when choosing packaged products like cereals, crackers, and breads that you eat on a daily basis.
• Add fruit at breakfast, add a vegetable with dinner, and snack on fruits and vegetables during the day.

Before starting a high fiber diet, talk with your doctor since there may be some contraindications for some individuals.

Welcome to the blog

Welcome to the Center for Medical Weight Loss blog. We will be posting monthly articles and tips for living a healthy lifestyle. We hope that you enjoy the articles. We welcome feedback and discussions on this blog.

Also, please join us monthly for our support group. This is a great place to discuss your success, challenges, and learn valuable information from others who are also trying to lose weight. We hope to see you at our next meeting on Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at 6:30pm at the Center for Medical Weight Loss.

Monika Kraus, MS, RD, LD
Nutritionist at the Center for Medical Weight Loss