Nourished Living Blog

Unsuspecting Food Allergies

nospam@example.com (Christina Fitzgerald, MS RD LDN) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:46:42 -0800

When most people think about food allergies, thoughts of peanut-induced anaphylaxis might spring to mind. Are you familiar with Food-pollen allergy syndrome or Latex-fruit syndrome? Well, when my husband and I first met, I was not. I actually laughed at him. My husband, at the time, was not the healthiest person. So, naturally when he told me that fresh carrots, celery, and cherries made his throat itch, I thought he was trying to keep his crazy-dietitian-girlfriend from fixing his diet.

About the time that my nephew was diagnosed with mild peanut and milk protein allergies, I started delving more into food allergy literature. I now, for the entire world to read, apologize to my husband for giving him such a hard time! So, lets explore these two poorly-known allergies:

Food-Pollen Allergy Syndrome

This is also referred to as oral allergy syndrome and fresh-fruit syndrome. This condition occurs in 25-50% of people suffering from seasonal allergies. Within a few minutes of eating a fresh fruit or veggie, this person can experience itchiness of the mouth/throat. Symptoms last about 20-30 minutes and then disappear. It's caused by similar allergens that are found in both the pollen and some fresh foods. An allergy skin test may confirm the allergy.

Problem foods:

Apple
Peach
Apricot
Cherry
Hazelnut
Almond
Melon
Kiwi
Banana
Carrot
Celery
Parsnip

Latex-fruit syndrome

Another lesser known food allergy can affect those with latex allergies. Certain fresh foods (specifically kiwi, water chestnut, avocado, mango, and sometimes potato) can cause an allergic reaction as these foods share similar proteins as latex.

Family Meals Matter!

nospam@example.com (Christina Fitzgerald, MS RD LDN) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:32:50 -0800

Welcome to the Daily Herald's December column from "Your Neighborhood Nutritionist":

When I started thinking about the holidays and all the delicious food, I tried to come up with some fun nutrition topics that might help other parents embark on a healthier holiday season. Instead, my mind kept traveling to thoughts of the family... Full Story

Happy Thanksgiving from My Family to Yours!

nospam@example.com (Christina Fitzgerald, MS RD LDN) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 12:59:36 -0800

November 14 - Diabetes Awareness Day!

nospam@example.com (Christina Fitzgerald, MS RD LDN) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 03:45:19 -0800

Diabetes awareness is first step in fighting it.

In my life before kids, I had the best job — working with the endocrinology team at Children’s Memorial Hospital.

Working closely with all the families was extremely rewarding, but now that I’m a mom, I can better empathize with the challenges diabetes can place on the day-to-day life of a child, their family, and their friends.

Nov. 14 is World Diabetes Day, and I couldn’t think of a better topic to discuss this month, especially with the sweet treats of the holiday season upon us... Full Story

Toying with Going Organic?

nospam@example.com (Christina Fitzgerald, MS RD LDN) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:39:24 -0700

Whether you are a new parent and starting solids with your baby or have older school-aged kids, organic food is a hot topic.

Luckily, since the organic industry has grown by leaps and bounds over the last decade, you can walk into almost any grocery chain, large or small, and find an abundance of organic produce to choose from.

Continue to the full story

Ordering From The Kid's Menu? Think Twice!

nospam@example.com (Christina Fitzgerald, MS RD LDN) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:21:00 -0700

When you're a parent, letting your kids pick from the kid's menu may seem the most logical route. They're often chalk full of kid's favorites: chicken fingers, mac & cheese, pizza, soda/juice/chocolate milk. It's also way cheaper - which is enticing when you have a 3 year old like mine who is a 50/50 shot of actually eating his meal. However, next time you snag the kids' menu from the hostess, think of the following reasons to say "no thank you!"

Excessive Calories and Salt.

Most restaurants, not all but most, serve foods to our kids that are chock full of butter and salt. A great example is the Panera Kids Macaroni and cheese. A serving (7.5 oz) contains 490 calories and around 1250 mg sodium!!! That meets 62% of an adult's sodium needs for the day!

Limited Fruit and Vegetable Servings.

Most restaurants don't automatically serve fruit and vegetables with the kid's course. They're typically offered as side options but for an extra price. I used my phone calculator last time we ate out: it would've cost me the same to order a kid's entree with a side of broccoli and greats as it would to order an adult entree that came with a hefty side of fruit.

Discourages Food Exploration.

One of the things that I loved most about living downtown Chicago was the ability to walk out our door and be within minutes of a thai, chinese, indian, mexican or american restaurant. Ordering or sharing an ethnic meal for you child helps them develop a love for these tastes and flavors at an early age. Yes, ordering from the kids menu may help ensure that they eat, but it might not help them develop a taste for sushi or pad thai. Consider planning ahead and bringing some fun pictures of thailand next time you venture out for thai. Make it a game to see who can name the most animals that are native to china when ordering stir-fry.

The Battle With Constipation

nospam@example.com (Christina Fitzgerald, MS RD LDN) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:21:00 -0700

Constipation in children is probably one of the top five reasons that a parent contacts me. It can be frustrating, both for the child and the parent. When a child experiences pain passing a stool, they can often try to hold it in in the future - this only perpetuates the problem. And, consider the last time you had a bout of constipation, your stomach feels so full that the last thing you want to do is put more food in. Kids feel the same way. Unfortunately, younger children are often more sporadic eaters. You put this on top of the sporadic eating and it usually results with a very frustrated parent.

What Is Constipation?

First, lets look at how a normal stool forms: as digested food moves thru the intestines, water is absorbed and the waste from the food is left creating the stool. For a soft stool, enough water must remain and the rectal muscles need to contract to move this stool along. When either the water or the muscle pathways fail, constipation results. If these pathways are malfunctioning, the stool sits for longer periods in the intestines causing it to become harder and larger. The larger it gets, the more it weakens the intestine muscles creating even more difficulty in passing it. Additionally, the harder and larger the stool becomes, the more likely it becomes to tear the soft tissue of the rectum causing pain and often blood. All of this combined causing the child to react by holding on to the stool longer as a protection from the pain.

Causes Of Constipation In Infants And Children

New foods or introduction of milk in the infant
Poor consumption of fluids
Low activity levels
Low intake of fiber - often the leading cause in a pickier eater!

Natural Laxatives

Based on the common causes of constipation in children, the first steps in treatment are to: drink plenty, get moving, and add more fiber to the diet (check out a previous hot topic for more information on fiber). However, if this doesn't stimulate the stool, your child may need medical assistance with a stool softener, but there are several natural laxatives you can implement.

The following fruits are natural laxatives that help regulate the intestines and soften stools extremely well. You can add these fruits to smoothies, puree them and smooth on toast or add to oatmeal, and stir them into yogurt.

4 P's of Laxatives: Peaches, Pears, Prunes, Plums

Have A Picky Eater?

nospam@example.com (Christina Fitzgerald, MS RD LDN) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:57:00 -0700

This week, Joey's favorite meal is mac and cheese with strawberries and next week, he won't touch it. Frustration. As you finally have a small repertoire of guaranteed meals, Joey hits a food rut and won't eat any of it — now, he fights even coming to the table. Frustration peaks. If this sounds like your house, you are not alone...

Delicious Pasta Ragu

nospam@example.com (Christina Fitzgerald, MS RD LDN) — Wed, 25 May 2011 19:35:00 -0700

This is a tasty and fast recipe! And, for those wondering, a sausage ragu can still be considered healthy - you just need to be mindful of portions. For most, 1 cup of cooked pasta with 1 cup of sauce is a great portion. Then round out your plate with a extra side of roasted vegetables or a crisp green salad.

3/4 lb italian sausage, taken out of the casing
1 onion, diced fine
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, diced fine
3 tsp of minced garlic
3 tsp tomato paste
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 cans diced tomatoes with the juice
crushed red pepper to taste
handful of chopped parsley
Whole Grain penne noodles, cooked al dente

Brown the sausage for about 5 minutes
Add onion and pepper to saute pan and cook till tender, about another 2-3 minutes.
Add garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add wine to deglaze the pan. Then turn heat to high and cook off most of the wine.
Add diced tomatoes with juice and simmer till the sauce has thickened.
Serve over a warm bowl of noodles and pair with a nice crisp green salad.

Bon Appetit!

** This is one of those great recipes that can easily hide some extra veggies in it. Try chopping up a little zucchini in addition to the peppers. Mixing in yellow/orange/green veggies will give an awesome assortment of vitamins and phytonutrients!

New Nutrition Column - Check It Out!

nospam@example.com (Christina Fitzgerald, MS RD LDN) — Tue, 24 May 2011 12:59:00 -0700

I am very excited to share with all of you my latest venture! If you live in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago, the Daily Herald produces a monthly insert in the paper called "Suburban Parent" and I will be contributing a monthly nutrition column all about kids and family. Check it out!

Tips For A Healthy Family

nospam@example.com (Christina Fitzgerald, MS RD LDN) — Mon, 09 May 2011 13:01:00 -0700

Wellness is an ongoing lifestyle, which requires taking responsibility and making healthy choices. These tips can help you and your family stay on track.

Try new foods

Serve one new food once a week, with no pressure to eat it all. After everyone has tried the food, put it to a formal vote. If everyone enjoys it, add it to the regular menu. Choose an exotic fruit or vegetable or an ethnic dish that you've never tried before. You may find that your children like veggie burgers or hummus served with raw vegetables.

Go meatless at least one night each week

For delicious recipes and information about Meatless Monday, visit www.meatlessmonday.com. This movement is already popular in many countries.

Eat the rainbow

Have your children set a goal of eating a fruit or vegetable from every major color group each week - red, orange-yellow, green, blue-purple, and white. Divide a piece of paper into seven columns, one column for each day. Use markers, crayons, or colorful stickers to help your child mark the colors eaten each day.

Make activity part of your daily routine

Take a walk after dinner. Use the stairs instead of the escalator at the mall. Don't choose the closest parking spot to the store's entrance. Work physical activity into everyone's schedule. The possibilities are endless!

Is Food Really Addicting?

nospam@example.com (Christina Fitzgerald, MS RD LDN) — Mon, 02 May 2011 13:04:00 -0700

We've all heard people state that they're "addicted to food", but does such a condition really exist? The answer is yes, and it's sometimes very serious. Some experts, however, refrain from using the term "food addiction:, preferring to refer to it as "bingeing disorder". Food addicting or binge eating disorder involves the same brain circuits and underlying genetic susceptibilities as addiction to drugs.

The following are some symptoms of food addiction/binge eating disorder:

Having a preoccupation or obsession with food that goes beyond eating, such as recipe collecting, food shopping, reading about food, etc.
Displaying a lack of self-control around food
Associating food with pleasure and comfort, and necessitating food to have these feelings
Having strong physical cravings for food
Possibly hiding or hoarding food
Communicating intense feelings of shame or remors1e after eating
Appearing seeminly unable to stop eating, even when wanting to
Eating in secret
Putting the rest of life on hold until able to get food issues under control
Often eating so fast that food is not even tasted

These suggestions may help a person suffering from food addiction/binge eating disorder:

See a psychologist or behavioral therapist
Meet with a dietitian who is an eating disorder specialist
Enroll in Overeaters Anonymous or Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous
Consider alternative therapies, such as deep breating or meditation
Devise a structured eating plan and learn about portion sizes
Practice avoiding foods and situations that are difficult, and using distractions when cravings hit
Change the way that you feel about food, especially if you consider food as a source of emotional satisfaction

What To Do With Unusual Grains

nospam@example.com (Christina Fitzgerald, MS RD LDN) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:12:00 -0700

More and more is discovered each day about the health benefits of whole grains. All of this new information has been raising questions among my clients on how to introduce more variety into their grains. I've even found myself, at times, stumbling down the grain aisle at Whole Foods not sure which grain to cook. So, here's a quick description of some of the more elusive grains out there and when they work the best.

Amarenth

These tiny kernels, usually pale yellow, are porridge-like when simmered, making amaranth useful as a food thickener. You can bake or steam amarenth as well, and it is available as cereal and flour. Many people add a strongly flavored liquid to this grain when cooking it - broth and tomato juice are good choices.

Buckwheat

Buckwheat is used as an alternative to rice as a side dish or ingredient. It pairs well with beef, root vegetables, cabbage, winter squash, and eggplant. Buckwheat grits are finely grount oats, served as a hot cereal. Buckwheat flour is available in most markets and is commonly used in pancake preparation.

Bulgur

Steamed, dried, and cracked-wheat berries, bulgur cooks like brown rice. Substitute it for rice in all dishes. Use the finely ground variety to prepare a hot breakfast cereal.

Quinoa

Quinoa grains are flat, pointed ovals. Quinoa comes in a variety of colors, including pale yellow, red, and black. When cooked, the external germ spirals out, creating a "tail". Rinse prior to cooking. Brown in a skillet for 5 minutes prior to simmering or baking. It is good when served as a pilaf, in a baked casserole, in a vegetable soup, or as a cold salad.

Brown Bag Lunches Banned At School

nospam@example.com (Christina Fitzgerald, MS RD LDN) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:57:00 -0700

My husband sent me this yahoo article a week ago, and as I'm reading it (finally!) today, I have complete mixed emotions. For the full story, check it out at this link below:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110411/us_yblog_thelookout/chicago-school-bans-homemade-lunches-the-latest-in-national-food-fight

Essentially, there is a Chicago public school, Little Village Academy, where the principal has banned the students from bringing their own brown bag lunch and they are forced to consume the school-made lunch or go hungry. Now, many of the children are on the lunch program (income level is low enough to receive free bkfst/lunch from your school), however, a percentage of the children do not receive full lunch and are forced to pay $2.25 daily for lunch. The principal stands by firmly, stating that all the students are consuming healthier food this way. That's my quick and poetic summary - again, read the full article, much more said!

However, this got me thinking. Having worked at Children's Memorial Hospital with the Endocrine department, I saw TOO MANY obese children come thru the doors being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. And, too many times, I'd educate the families on how to change their food habits only for the parents to scoff at my healthy suggestions or to state that they couldn't afford to buy healthy foods. So, for kids coming in from these situations, this system might be great.

However, the principal is, not only punishing those parents/children that do pack healthy lunches (as this is also more economical than $2.25/day), but she is now taking away the many avenues for nutrition education among her students and parents. Instead of placing a ban, push for education of the parents on how to create healthier lunches that their kids would enjoy - they can be quick, economical and tasty all at the same time. Think, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.

Like I said before, I get what she's trying to do. She's looking out for the children that would show up to school daily with chocolate milk, candy and other junk in their lunch. I get that she is well-intentioned. But, forcing kids to eat a specific lunch is only putting a band-aid on our obesity epidemic. It's not teaching the family the fundamentals of planning, buying and cooking healthy meals for a lifetime of good health.

Kid-Perfect Sloppy Joes

nospam@example.com (Christina Fitzgerald, MS RD LDN) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:33:00 -0700

Love Sloppy Joes but don't dare give them to your kids because of all the messy sauce? I agree! So, here's our favorite sloppy joe dish - still lots of great taste but with a much more manageable sauce level. The kids can easily pick up their buns to scarf it down and you don't have to watch Fido licking all the sauce off of the chairs and floor afterwards. And, for an extra perk, I add finely diced green peppers for an extra surprise veggie serving - my kids have never known the difference!

* Note, we love ground beef in our house but you can easily swap out ground turkey for a leaner recipe

SLOPPY JOES

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1/4 green pepper, diced
1/2 small onion, diced
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp yellow mustard
pepper to taste

Add ground beef, green pepper and onion to a non-stick skillet and cook until beef is browned.
Mix in the remaining ingredients. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occassionally.
Serve on a whole wheat bun with your favorite side dishes.

Bon Appetit!