Ace Nutrition for Tennis

Whether preparing for the club championship or the US Open, a “healthy” diet and body can clearly contribute to a player’s quest to reach peak performance. Tennis athletes of all ages try to find that “extra edge” that could help improve their overall athletic ability. Countless hours on the practice court are definitely important, but athletes’ full potential can be hindered without proper fueling strategies.

It is essential for tennis athletes to provide their bodies with the right nutrients. In turn, they will be rewarded with higher energy, more muscle for strength and power, and faster recovery. A winning sports diet consists of several components including: wholesome meals that include high quality carbohydrates, proteins, and fats; proper hydration strategies; energy boosting mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks; and most importantly, post-workout/ practice/ competition recovery nutrition. When these components are incorporated in a consistent manner, athletes are more likely to reach both their fitness and performance goals.

Even though the importance of nutrition is the same for all athletes, they must also understand that there is not a “one size fits all” sports diet. Athletes come in all shapes and sizes; what one athlete eats may not be the best for another. That is why it is suggested that athletes meet with a Sports Dietitian to establish the best sports diet for that individual. Don’t get discouraged, it can take some experimenting with different foods and timing of meals, but once the athlete finds the best eating regimen (in addition to optimal training and recovery), success is almost inevitable.

Below is an example one-day food plan to help athletes’ ace nutrition.

Breakfast: Scrambled Egg and Mozzarella Breakfast Pizza

Snack: Greek yogurt and slivered almonds.

Lunch: Turkey avocado wrap with raw carrots and a cheese stick.

Post-workout recovery: low-fat Chocolate Milk (8 ounces for every hour on the court)

Dinner:Baked Fish Au Gratin with brown rice and steamed broccoli.

Snack: Fruit and Yogurt Smoothie

 

Jamie Meeks, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN is a registered dietitian and certified sports specialist in dietetics with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Jamie serves as the head sports dietitian for the Louisiana State University helping fuel LSU Student-Athletes for success on & off the field. @HealthyTigerLSU

Don’t Agonize, Strategize When It Comes to Picky Eaters

The dinner table shouldn’t be a battle ground. It often can be, however, when there are picky eaters at the table. Parents want their children to eat better and children want to eat what appeals to them, which may or may not be what parents had in mind. As both a mother and a dietitian, I understand. Despite my best efforts, my 5 year old and 2 year old can be somewhat picky about what they eat, especially when it comes to vegetables. I don’t believe in pressuring, bribing or tricking them into eating what I want. Instead, I use creative strategies to make the food more appealing so that they make the better choice on their own.

• Pair it with cheese. Children love cheese and will eat just about anything with it. Parmesan cheese boosts the flavor for roasted vegetables and melting cheese on any of your child’s favorite vegetables is an exciting change of pace.
• Put a straw in it. What is it about straws and children? And the more fun the straw, the more they love it! My daughter tends to drink more milk when she has a straw, and same is true for smoothies.
• Top it with yogurt. My children are yogurt fanatics and I always have plain Greek yogurt on hand which is a great substitute for sour cream. A favorite dessert at our house is frozen berries topped with vanilla yogurt.
• Dip it. Ranch dressing is popular for a reason among children – it tastes good! I would much rather my children dip their veggies in a little bit of ranch than skip out on the veggies all together.  It is also quick and easy to make your own, like my personal favorite, cucumber ranch dressing.

What are your strategies for overcoming picky eaters?

 

 

Ann Dunaway Teh, MS, RDN, LD, a licensed and registered dietitian nutritionist in private practice in Atlanta, Georgia.

Finding Your Optimal Health through Social Media

In today’s digital age, there is an abundance of health and wellness information available. It is easier than ever to get healthy with so many avenues to obtain information. Whether its signing in to Facebook or Twitter, perusing your favorite blogs or even using an app on your smart phone—health and nutrition information is right at your fingertips!
If you’re interested on getting healthy with social media, here are some of my favorite sites to help keep you on track this spring:

If you’re looking for healthy recipes:
• Social Media Site: On the Southeast Dairy Association’s Pinterest page, you will find a variety of healthy & delicious recipes.
• App: I love the app Cooking Light Recipes: Quick and Healthy Menu Maker for iPhone and iPad because it not only houses 300+ healthy recipes, it helps you pair a main dish with healthy sides for an easy healthy main meal. Bonus: a real time nutrition calculator and grocery shopping tips.

If you’re a cheese lover:
• Blog: The Laughing Cow and Mini Baby Bell blog provides wellness tips as well as several recipes with healthy low-fat cheeses!
• Social Media Site: Cabot Cheese’s Pinterest page not only provides recipes from the whole family, it focuses on its dairy farmers as well.

If you’re lactose intolerant:
• Social Media Site: On the Southeast Dairy Association’s website, you can not only learn more about lactose intolerance, you can also find lactose-free recipes.
• App: Fooducate not only helps you choose foods that are lactose free, it tells you what is really in your food and suggests healthy alternatives.

 

Brittany Chin, RD, LD, CTTS  is an upstate South Carolina-based registered dietitian for Health Diagnostic Laboratory Inc., a nutrition blogger and a self-proclaimed “foodie.” She blogs at BLTFoodies.blogspot.com and brittanychinrd.com. Follow her on Twitter and Pinterest.”

Optimistic Nutrition

Parenting is challenging and rewarding all in the same breath. In my 11 years of being a mother, I have learned that trusting my instinct is the best way to approach hard situations and that optimism can help to turn even the hardest situations around.

As any parent can attest, one of the most difficult battles you face is trying to get children to eat and enjoy nutrient-rich foods. This battle is especially difficult with so much negativity surrounding children’s health in the news.

However, being optimistic in your approach to child nutrition is a big help in today’s world. This is the approach I take both personally and professionally– simply focusing on the positive side of a situation rather than the negative.

In fact, one recent example from my family is that my son decided that he would only drink chocolate milk. As a registered dietitian, I at first thought that my son was making an unhealthy choice by choosing flavored milk over white. However, after learning that all milk—whether flavored or white—has 9 essential nutrients that growing children need, my approach changed. And it seems that I was not the only parent concerned. It turns out that the milk processors listened to parent’s concerns and have decreased the amount of sugar in flavored milks by a whopping 40%. Talk about looking on the bright side!

Optimism is a beautiful thing, and research actually shows that an optimistic attitude correlates to healthy behaviors and positive dietary changes. It is time we shift away from a negative nutrition approach and embrace the joy of eating and living a healthy lifestyle.

Kim Beavers is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Diabetes Educator for University Health Care System.  She lives in North Augusta, South Carolina with her husband and two children and she is the co-host of the culinary nutrition Television segement Eating Well with Kim, which can be seen at http://www.wrdw.com/ewwk. To join the recipe club or view recipes, visit www.universityhealth.org/ewwk.

Homemade Dessert that Delivers

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching. This celebration of love and friendship dates far back to the third century, but the traditions many of us share today evolved around the 18^th century when loved ones began presenting each other with flowers, candies and greeting cards known as “valentines.”

If you are looking for a way to treat your special someone, a homemade dessert can be a tasty acknowledgement.  My favorite is cheesecake.  This delicious dessert made with tangy cream cheese is a treat all by itself, but it can also be a platform for healthy and delicious toppings.  Add a little protein and crunch with pecans, slivered almonds or crushed peanuts.  For some extra sweetness and fiber, top with blueberries, strawberries or raspberries.  And dark chocolate shavings will satisfy any craving and offer a healthy dose of antioxidants too.  Set out a topping bar and invite friends and family over to make their own custom creation.

Dreamy Creamy Cheesecake

Crust

2 packages of graham crackers (crushed)

1 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp butter (melted)

Pour graham crackers into spring form pan.  Add cinnamon and butter to moisten.  Press to form crust. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes to set.

Filling

Combine:

3 well beaten eggs

2 8oz packages of cream cheese (softened and creamed)

1cup sugar

½ tsp salt

1Tbsp vanilla extract

1tsp almond extract

Beat until smooth.

Blend 3 cup (24 ounces) sour cream into the above mixture.

Pour creamy mixture into previously prepared crust/pan.

Bake at 375 in water bath until set – approximately 45 minutes.

Chill 4-5 hours before serving.

Click here for more delicious Valentine’s Day dessert ideas.

Alisa L Hearl RN, BSN

Alisa Hearl is a Registered Nurse for the Sullivan County Department of Health in Tennessee where she serves as the School Health Services Supervisor. She is a King University graduate and will earn her Masters of Science in Nursing Education in May 2014 from East Tennessee State University. Alisa has worked in ER, OR, home health, and corrections but has found her passion working with the students of Sullivan County, TN. She has 5 children and 2 granddaughters that fill her life with joy and laughter.

Holiday Eating Survival Guide

Holiday festivities revolve around decadent foods, desserts, and drinks which can leave us packing on unwanted pounds! Fight back! Use this survival plan to cruise through the holidays and on into the New Year, enjoying every occasion without the unwanted baggage.

Everyone deserves a treat once a week. Is there an office party, holiday gathering, or Banana-Pecan Streusel Bread Pudding in the near future? Eat right and exercise the rest of the week and on your splurge day, indulge in your tasty treat guilt free. Start the process all over again for the next week. Limit food splurges to once a week and cut hundreds of pointless calories.

Use MyPlate as your weapon to conquer any calorie polluted celebration. Divide your plate into thirds; one large and two smaller sections. First, select a lean protein to fill in one small section. Don’t forget low fat dairy provides a unique combination of protein and eight other essential nutrients. Next, choose a grain to fill in the other small portion like breads, pasta, crackers, and tortillas.   Finally, fill half the plate with fruits and vegetables.

 Mindless snacking on hors d’oeuvres before the main meal can dangerously add up. Remember, just because a food is bite sized doesn’t mean it is miniature in calories.  Look for a fruit and veggie tray to curb pre dinner hunger and save your calorie budget for the delicious main entrée and a sensible dessert.

Alas, after a calorie busting day get up and get moving. Use time off work as an invitation to hit the pavement and try and score 10,000 steps or more daily. Go slow, enjoy the fellowship and bring in the New Year with a commitment to healthy habits.

Rebecca A. Turner, MS, RD, LD 

How My Newborn Can Solve Healthy Lifestyle Dilemmas

I am a Registered Dietitian with a Master’s Degree in Nutrition Science. I’ve practiced nutrition for years and even taught at the college level. However, nothing has been a better teacher of a healthy lifestyle for me than my newborn little boy.

My son is 3 months old now and his lifestyle is one that most Americans could benefit from modeling theirs after. While I know many of us would love to sleep in fuzzy jammies, be carried around all day and have books read to us, what I’m talking about are healthy decisions made each day to make for healthier bodies and minds.

Eat every 3-4 hours

My son never goes more than 3 to 4 hours without eating, which, according to the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, is how often adults should eat in order to maintain energy throughout the day. Be sure to include nutrient-rich dairy in your meals and snacks for even more energy to take on your To Do list!

Stop When Full

While this sounds simple, it is much easier said than done. Babies recognize when they are full and refuse to eat more than they need because they understand their true hunger cues. However, the same can’t be said for many of us, as we tend to eat due to boredom, stress and a slew of reasons other than true hunger.

Insider Tip: Include healthy snacks throughout the day, like cheese sticks and yogurt, to prevent overeating at meals!

Get Enough Sleep

Nearly 70 million Americans are not getting enough sleep, which can lead to increased risk for heart disease, diabetes and obesity. While many of us may not be able to “sleep like a baby,” we can learn from infants to make the most of the time that we do have to get some shut eye.  One of the best ways to do this is to include dairy in your diet, which helps to promote good sleep patterns.

Our children teach us many things in life and the gift of learning healthy habits is certainly one of the best!

Lanier Dabruzzi, MS, RD, LD

Milk and Cookies for Santa

Santa…the mere mention of his name elicits pure joy in the hearts of the young and those young at heart. Christmas Eve traditions culminate with the laying out of the milk and cookies chosen specifically for Santa’s enjoyment. In my house, making the cookies for Santa has become one of our family’s favorite traditions.

The recipe card for my Great Grandmother’s Sugar cookies is weathered from flour, sticky fingers and the love passed down from generation to generation. Each year, on the 23rd, I am assigned the task of baking a multitude of these cookies to be decorated the following night. I make sure to include the angels, stars, mittens, Christmas trees, Santa hats, stockings, and snow men that my three angels MUST have to create their cookie masterpieces.

After church on Christmas Eve our home transforms into Santa’s workshop. Instead of toys, we have cookies galore with every possible icing color, sprinkle and glittery decoration imaginable. The elves are my children, nieces, nephews, cousins and neighborhood friends who have heard of our tradition and want to be part of it. Fueled by hot cocoa, they work until every last cookie is complete. Favorites are chosen for Santa and an ice cold glass of milk is poured before everyone settles in for a long winters nap.

Try our favorite hot cocoa recipe and share it with family while enjoying your favorite holiday traditions!

Crockpot Hot Chocolate
5 cups Milk
½ cup Hershey’s Cocoa
½ cup sugar
1 cup hot water

Directions
Combine cocoa, sugar and hot water in large pan. Stir and bring to a gentle boil. Transfer mixture to crock pot and add milk. Stir, then cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 4 hours, until hot. Pour into mugs, then top with whipped cream and enjoy!

***

Guest blog by Wendi Morgan, RN

Wendi has been a Registered Nurse for 25 years and a School Nurse in Daviess County Public Schools for the last 17 years, where she currently serves as District Health Coordinator.  Wendi oversees the School Health Program in DCPS and participates in the Wellness Initiative for the district.  In addition to her job she currently holds the position of President and Exhibitor Chair of the Kentucky School Nurse Association.   In 2006, Wendi was named the Kentucky School Nurse of the Year by KSNA.

 

Flu Fighting Foods

Sore throat, runny nose, achy body…flu season is here! Unfortunately, my family was hit with these symptoms over the Thanksgiving holiday (and yes, we have all had our flu shot). Germs abound this time of year, and are sometimes hard to avoid, even with the best precautions. But I still believe in arming myself and my family for the battle against the  flu and colds. In addition to getting our flu shots, washing our hands regularly and getting plenty of rest every night, I keep the fridge stocked with these flu fighting foods:

Milk:  We know the importance of drinking milk to build strong bones, but milk is also a flu-fighting beverage! Milk has a unique combination of calcium and 8 other vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D. Research  indicates that low levels of vitamin D may be linked to an increase in colds and flu. Vitamin-D fortified milk is one of the best dietary sources of vitamin D. Consuming at least three daily servings of milk every day provides 50% of the recommended daily requirements of this D-lightful vitamin.

Chicken Soup:  Most moms’ default to chicken soup when a child gets the cold or flu; my mom did and I always make it for my children when they don’t feel well. Research backs us up, suggesting that chicken soup has an anti-inflammatory effect, which may ease symptoms of the cold and flu, as well as shorten upper respiratory tract infections.

Yogurt:  Probiotics, healthy bacteria found in yogurt and cultured dairy foods, help strengthen our immune system, something we can all use during cold and flu season. The best picks for probiotic foods include Greek yogurt, Kefir, and yogurts that contain Lactobacillus. Look for the Live and Active Cultures seal on yogurt products to make sure you are getting the most benefit from your yogurt. 

Laura Buxenbaum, MPH, RD, LDN

Miracle Tiger Trim Down Tailgate

If you love SEC football, you know the amazing turnaround season of the Auburn University Tigers. As a true orange and blue fan, I have had the pleasure of witnessing first hand this unbelievable team receive complete redemption and win, win, win! Thanks to yet another miracle, the Auburn Tigers are now the SEC champions, on their way to the Bowl College Selection (BCS) National Championship game in Pasadena.

Auburn Tiger fans love to tailgate and enjoy game day grub. Unfortunately, many foods favored during a traditional tailgate will not help you fit in your lucky game day jeans. “Trim down” your tailgating line-up by limiting high calorie and high fat foods, and adding in more nutritious food choices. For example, rather than serving fried chicken tenders (which have more calories from fat) try these baked Cheesy Chicken Crunchers.

Also, remember to choose dishes easily prepared at home and then assemble them moments before the tailgate begins such as this delicious Touchdown Taco Salad. Keep fresh veggies and low-fat yogurt dip on hand for game day snacking to boost calcium, vitamins, minerals and fiber.

MVP Parfait is as sweet as those final points that put the game away. This yummy pudding parfait is easy to transport and since it’s made with low-fat milk you know you’ll be getting a unique package of nine key vitamins and minerals that help build stronger bones and teeth. On cold game days, pack this cinnamon almond hot chocolate in a thermos to help keep you warm and ready to cheer.

No matter what happens in Pasadena, Auburn fans will tailgate and continue to discuss the miraculous run of this 2013 team. Yes – it’s great to be an Auburn Tiger!

Mary Martin Nordness, MA, RD, LD, CHES