Why Nutrition Matters

We were all told when we were younger to eat our peas and beans to grow big and strong; and our families were right! Nutrition is not just something that should be focused upon as we age, but all throughout our lives. The rates of lifestyle related disease are on the rise while infections and viruses are slowly dropping. This means that now, more than ever, your nutritional choices matter. The risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and kidney diseases are all influenced by our lifestyle habits. Therefore, if you aren’t active, or you choose not to keep in mind health while making your food choices, your chances of lifestyle related diseases is higher. But why should you make more health conscious decisions? The better your health is, the lower your insurance cost is, the less sick days you need to take from work and the more energy you have to do things you want to, rather than spend that time in a doctor’s office.

There are simple changes you can make every day to help reduce your risk of chronic disease. One easy change you can make today is to stop salting your foods before you eat them. I have seen it so often, the meal is served and someone immediately grabs the salt shaker and pours it on without even trying their food beforehand. Put down the salt shaker, taste the food, and then decide if it needs salt.

Vegetables and fruits are your friend, the saying that “An Apple a day keeps the doctor away” isn’t false at all! Fruits and vegetables have a high water content, which aids in hydration. Eating the skins of the fruits and vegetables will add fiber to your diet and help with digestion. Fiber adds bulk to the intestines and digested food, and makes it move along faster. They are also a great source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which are important in preventing chronic, lifestyle diseases. Micronutrient deficiencies can lead to illness, like osteoporosis from Vitamin D and Calcium deficiency, or inflammation of the skin from a niacin deficiency. The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables fight off free radicals in the body that can cause disease as well. They aren’t called super foods for nothing!

Hydration is key! When you are not properly hydrated, you can feel tired, sluggish, unable to focus, lethargic, and can put you at risk for urinary tract infections as well. Decreased water intake means there is less being held in your bladder, which allows bad bacteria to grow and not be flushed out. So, by drinking enough water, you can prevent UTIs! When you’re active, you should be drinking about 8oz of water every 15 minutes to prevent dehydration. Weigh yourself before and after working out, for every pound lost, you should be drinking 16oz of water. Lastly, if you feel like you’re thirsty, then you’re already on the path to being dehydrated!

These are only a few small things you can do every day to advance your health, but even the small things add up and count.

No longer on the road...

Yes, you read the title right! I am no longer on the road to being an RD. That's because, I am an RD!!!! YAY!!!

So whats next you may ask? Well, I am working as the RD/Clinical Dietitian for a Nursing home here in upstate NY, I am in my second term of my Master's degree studies, and I am about to launch nutrition counseling programs with Dynamic Health and Fitness of Liverpool NY. I pitched the idea to the owner back in the winter, and it has been a work in the process over the past few months with building nutrition counseling programs that can be done in person and online. They are launching this month and I could not be more excited than to be starting to work more in the sports nutrition world. I will be the gym's only Registered Dietitian and be able to work with people of all ages and health goals. 

I will continue to run my Instagram page @emilys.nutrition.bite and still run this blog as well. Hopefully in the future I will switch this over from being on the blogspot platform and move into my own website, but I've got a lot going on right now to hop into doing that too. 

So long story short, I am busy. Although my exam studying has come to an end, I am still working hard and will continue to bring recipes and education to your fingertips!

Podcast Appearances You Should Listen To!

Podcasts I've Appear on and One's You Should Listen to!

Through my instagram (@emilys.nutrition.bite) I've had the great opportunity to be a guest on a health and fitness podcast. I've actually appeared on the podcast 4 times! We've talked about the difference between a Registered Dietitian and a Nutritionist, the benefits of dairy, Sports Nutrition, and general nutrition suggestions. I believe it's best to educate yourself to aid in making decisions for your health and future, and that has been my aim with appearing on this great platform.
Also, join my email list to get the latest information on health and nutrition!
Sign up here for my email list!



http://fitarmadillo.com/how-to-eat-healthy-diet-ep-66/




Sports Nutrition 101- http://fitarmadillo.com/sports-nutrition-101-ep-67/



Registered Dietitian vs Nutritionist- http://fitarmadillo.com/nutritionists-vs-registered-dietitians-ep-3/




Dive into Dairy- http://fitarmadillo.com/cows-milk-bad-for-you-dairy-milk-ep-25/

White Bean Salad

I featured this salad today on my instagram, @emilys.nutrition.bite,  with a step by step video on how to make this easy White Bean Salad, but thought I would bring it to the blog too for everyone to enjoy!

White Bean Salad

Ingredients

- 2 cans Great White Beans (Cannelloni Beans)

- 1/4c Olive Oil

- 1/4c Grated Parmesan 

- 2 Cloves Minced Garlic

- Pepper to Taste

Instructions

Rinse the cans of beans in a strainer in the sink. Rinsing the beans will reduce the sodium content up to 40%. Pour into dish. Measure and pour Olive Oil over beans. Add Grated Parmesan, and 2 cloves Minced Garlic. Mix together and chill for 4-6 hours before serving. Add Pepper to taste and serve. 

This salad is great on its own, but can also be put on burgers or a green salad to add protein and fiber!

Snacks for Athletes

Whether your a weekend warrior, marathoner, tri-athlete, or even a high school or college athlete, nutrition is key for your success. I have come up with a few snack ideas for you to take and have on the go to make sure you're getting the most of your workout and activity. 

A Smoothie

Smoothies are a great post workout snack that can be prepared ahead of time, or right as you need them. I like to combine a small container of yogurt, Greek or Regular, with about a half a cup of milk, a cup of strawberries, frozen or fresh, and some frozen mango. This provides your body with simple carbs to replenish your carbohydrate stores, and protein to help build up your muscles.

Hard Boiled Eggs

Although, I am not the biggest hard boiled egg fan, they are packed with so many nutrients in a small package that can be taken and ate anywhere. One egg contains protein, fats and carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and minerals to help your body refuel. Have 2 eggs for 14 grams of high quality protein! 

Nuts and an Apple

1/4 cup of nuts has a good amount of protein, as well as heart healthy fats that won't clog your arteries. The apple will give you easily digestable carbohydrates to help refill your glucose stores. 

Chocolate Milk

Science and research has proven that chocolate milk is the best refuel drink for your body. It has a 3:1 carb to protein ratio and has 9 essential nutrients, like electrolytes, protein, and vitamins, to get the  most out of your workout. Best of all, there are brands that you don't even have to refrigerate in order to be able to drink them! 

A Sandwich

Grab some whole wheat bread, lean meat, cheese and whatever else you like on a sandwich and chow down. A sandwich will have all the necessary nutrients to refuel with. Use one slice of bread, this   will provide you with the necessary amount of carbohydrates without being overloaded.

Hummus, Crackers and Cheese

This snack combination is easy to eat on the go and will provide you with everything you need. Pack 2 tbsp of hummus in a small container, 1 oz of cheese and about 10-15 crackers to enjoy and refuel with. Top your hummus with a small amount of Olive Oil to give   yourself extra heart healthy fats. 

All of these ideas are easy to throw together and are portable too! It's important to get your refuel snack between 15-30 minutes after completing your workout or activity to reap the entire benefits! 

Ravioli Lasagna

Lasagna can be a time consuming dish, but I have reinvented it a little with a twist! For those that don't like Ricotta, like my boyfriend, this recipe is perfect.

It is also is a really great recipe that can be whipped up with 5 ingredients and takes little to no effort. 

As you can see too, I paired it with roasted broccoli and bread from Pastabilities, which is a pasta restaurant in Syracuse, NY! 

First, dump about 3/4 of a cup of sauce into a 13x9 baking dish and stir in a 2 cloves of minced garlic. I used pre-minced for convenience, but you can do fresh if you'd like. 

Next, start layering the frozen ravioli on top of the sauce in 1 layer. In a 13x9 this will take about 15 raviolis. If you're going to add ground beef or sausage, you can layer it on top of the ravioli. I used beef filled ravioli for a protein source. 

Then start layering on some cheese. I used 3 slices of provolone and about 1/2 cup of part-skim mozzarella cheese. After you have laid down the cheese, repeat the steps again with the sauce, then raviolis, and cheese. 

Once you have ran out of ravioli, sprinkle cheese on top and out dollops of sauce on top. Then, cover with tin foil and cook at 400 degrees for 40 minutes, and then uncovered for 10-15 minutes to brown and melt all the cheese.

The final product will look something like this! Served immediately, or break up into leftover containers for a week of meal prepped lunches or dinners!

Ravioli Lasagna

Ingredients

1 25oz Package of Ravioli

2 Cloves of Garlic

1 Large Container of Marinara Sauce

9 Slices of Provolone Cheese

3 Cups Part Skim Mozzarella

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. In a 13x9in baking pan, spread 3/4c of sauce and mix in 2 cloves of garlic

3. Layer on 15 Raviolis evenly on top of the sauce

4. Layer 3 slices of provolone and then cover with 1/2 of Mozzarella cheese

5. Spread another 3/4c of sauce on top of cheese and put another layer of ravioli and cheese on top

6. Once you run out of ravioli, layer on 1/2c of Mozzarella cheese and and sauce and cover with tin foil

7. Bake covered for 40 minutes, uncover and bake for an additional 10-15.

8. Serve immediately or pre-portion into meal prep containers for a week of lunches or dinners

The Power of Probiotics

The Power of Probiotics

What is a Probiotic?

Probiotics are a group of live, active microorganisms (mostly bacteria, but some other microbes like yeast) that have intended health benefits within the GI tract

What do Probiotics do inside our bellies?

Probiotics can ferment, decompose, and help to digest the foods you eat. The bacteria must be live cultures in order for us to get the benefits of probiotics.

What can probiotics do for our health?

Research has been emerging on probiotics and shows that those with lesser amount of “good” gut bacteria are more susceptible to diseases of the GI tract like Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s, Irritable Bowel, and even has been linked to greater risk of obesity.  Having appropriate amounts of probiotics in the diet and in the gut are linked to a healthier immune system, improved cardiovascular health, better nutrient absorption, and lessened risk of obesity.

Where do we get Probiotics?

We start acquiring gut microbes when we are born, and continue to acquire more depending on our environment. In fact, if you have a pet, you have more gut microbes than someone who doesn’t! Your food and drink choices, as well as, overall health, stress and antibiotic use can impact the gut microbe amounts. Antibiotics kill all of the bacteria in the gut, whether good or bad, in attempt to help fight off illness!

Sources of Probiotics

Fermented foods are all great sources of probiotics. Fermented foods are cheese, kefir, and yogurt. The good bacteria is used in the fermentation process, which helps yield the final product. To know if you’re getting good bacteria, the label on the product will say “live and active cultures”. There are other food sources of probiotics that go beyond dairy; these are any pickled vegetables, some soybean products, and unpasteurized sauerkraut. Another source of probiotics is Kombucha, which is a yeast fermented tea drink. It provides the good bacteria, while in a drinkable tea form.

Eating and Storage of Probiotics

-      Most probiotics need to be kept in a refrigerator, so be sure to store them between 34-38 degrees.

-      Probiotics come in different strains, check the label to see what type you’re getting (there’s Lactobacillus rhamnosus, L. casei, Bifidobacterium lactis, L. bulgaricus, and S. themophiles.)

-      Cooking and eating will destroy the live and active cultures

-      If you have a milk allergy, be careful because some probiotics are grown in a dairy medium, even if the product is in a dairy product

-      Try to have probiotics in your diet every day since they cannot be stored, they only pass through the GI tract