• 26Feb

    “How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Count the Ways”

    Contributed by GMM Community Health Dietitian Laura Delfausse MS, RD, LD

     

    It is February, and whether you chose to participate in Valentine’s Day or not, there is no escaping the topic love and romance. Therefore, I thought an appropriate theme to discuss this month is relationships. Not the ones with your spouses or significant others, but the ones with your food.

    A good relationship is measured by an appropriate balance of give and take. What does this have to do with food you may ask? What can I give my food? The answer – respect. Respect your food for what it is and the awesome potential it has to heal and protect not only your body, but also your soul. If you respect your food it will repay you in more ways than you can measure. And much like the
    relationships in our personal lives, a healthy relationship with food takes constant work. Therefore, it is important to lay some groundwork, so that you will always know where the two of you stand. Here are 2 simple questions you can ask your food before digging in:

    1) Where is the love? One of the first things I ask myself before buying food is how much love was put into this item? If I don’t feel like it was appropriately nurtured, then for me that is a deal breaker.

    What do I mean by this? This answer is very personal, based on my own needs and ideals. Therefore, you are the only one who can answer to this question. Some of you may want to
    know if it was made in a factory or by hand. Others need to know the company’s motivation behind producing a particular product. And let’s be honest about his one, everyone needs to make money to survive. However, some go about the process more thoughtfully than others and, thus, put more love into their brand.

    The drive behind what we do at Good Measure Meals is you and it’s our community, which 100% of our proceeds support. We believe in health and wellness, and we’re implementing our beliefs through healthy meal plans and through support systems, because health and wellness extends beyond just the food you eat. Health and wellness is a lifestyle.

    Do your research and make sure the companies you patronize deserve you. Know where your food is coming from; research a company’s charitable pursuits and business model; take the time get to know your food. Don’t waste your time with superficial relationships, because you deserve more!

    2) Is this worth my time? In other words, what does your food bring to the table? Is it loaded with trans fats and empty calories, but “who cares because it tastes really good?” Or is it bland and unsatisfying, but really helping to keep those extra pounds away? Well here at Good Measure Meals, believe there is no justification for either scenario. The only meal worthy of your time includes
    both health and happiness. Without this balance, you are doomed to an unhealthy relationship with food.

    So, force yourself outside of your comfort zone once in a while. Don’t settle. Build your relationship with food on trust and mutual understanding, and you will be reap the rewards for many, many years to come. You will be amazed at what you will discover!

    Permalink Filed under: Corporate Wellness, Fitness, In the Community, In the Kitchen, Nutrition Tags: , , , , , , , No Comments
  • 19Nov

    Power Up With Breakfast, Good Measure Style!

    Breakfast is an essential component of a balanced diet, and not only provides your body with the energy that you need to function throughout the morning, but also assists with weight management by jump starting your metabolism!  I will admit that I have always been a breakfast eater, but until I started on my Good Measure Meals™- I usually resorted to a grab and go item or a bowl of cereal if I had the time.  I knew that I should be eating a more nutrient dense morning meal, but who has the time to whip up and perfectly balance breakfast?

    I have GMM to thank for my new morning routine, that still manages to keep my mornings quick (I really do enjoy hitting the snooze button in the A.M.!) and provides me with the protein and energy to make it through the day!  In honor of breakfast, I wanted to write a quick blog post about one of my favorite breakfast entrees, the Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bar with Cranberries and Walnuts!  We all love the taste, but in GMM fashion, there is a lot of great nutrition that goes into the recipe, so I thought I would break down some of the ingredients for everyone, to show you why our culinary staff includes certain items in our menu!  Here it goes…

    Pumpkin: A naturally low fat and low calorie food, pumpkin is packed with disease fighting nutrients like alpha and beta-carotene, fiber, vitamins C & E, potassium and magnesium. The carotenes are converted into vitamin A once eaten and promote healthy vision immune response.  There is also evidence that pumpkin helps reverse skin damage caused by the sun and acts as an anti-inflammatory.  The Carotenoid properties of pumpkin also boost immunity and lessen the risk of heart disease!

    Oats: A great source of soluble fiber, oats have been proven to help lower “bad” cholesterol (LDL), boost “good” cholesterol(HDL), maintain a healthy circulatory system, and help prevent heart attacks!  Not only do they provide these heart healthy benefits, they are also jam packed with a wide range of vitamins and minerals including vitamins B and E, magnesium, iron and calcium!  They are also low on the glycemic index, so for folks managing insulin resistance, oats are a great addition to the diet!

    Cranberries: They may be small, but this tiny fruit is a powerhouse for health!  Cranberries are high in soluble fiber and protect against heart disease.  Because of their quinic acid content, they are one of the best treatments for urinary tract infections and help prevent digestive disorders and stomach ulcers

    Walnuts: Nuts are notorious for their high fat content, but walnuts are much richer in polyunsaturated fats than monounsaturated fats, boasting an unusually high content of omega-3 fatty acid.  This makeup proves walnuts to be helpful in the prevention of heart disease, cancers, arthritis, skin problems and disorders of the nervous system.  There’s more too!  Walnuts have been should to lower “bad” cholesterol and blood pressure, while increasing the elasticity of the arteries!

    Cinnamon: Did you know that cinnamon has an anticoagulant compound (cinnamaldehyde) that can help protect against strokes?  It is also an anti-inflammatory, shown to relieve symptoms of arthritis and asthma…hard to believe, right?  The benefits don’t stop there though, cinnamon also functions as a digestive aid- relieving bloating and flatulence, and reducing heartburn… maybe that’s why it is so abundant in the holiday feasts!

    Now that you know some of the health benefits of this morning treat, get excited about Monday morning, because your GMM breakfast kicks off the week with our very own Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bar goodness!

    What’s your favorite Good Measure Meal™ Breakfast?

    Permalink Filed under: In the Kitchen, Nutrition Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments
  • 16Nov

    Fit for Fall!

    As the Georgia weather becomes more and more tolerable into the autumn days, I find myself wanting to spend every moment I can outdoors. As a wellness professional, I am constantly looking for ways to stay fit and have fun, utilizing the resources we have right here in our community. This last weekend, myself and GMM Culinary Dietitian Ashley Ritchie decided that we were in need of some physical activity and fresh air, so we decided to turn our fitness focus to Stone Mountain Park.

    There are so many ways to be active at the park, from hiking up the mountain(a 1.3 mile trek to the top!), completing the sky ropes course(for the adventurous visitor) to biking, running the 5 mile loop around the mountain, or going on a pedal boat ride through the lake. There are even 15 miles of hiking trails throughout the park! That being said, Ashley and I decided that we’d take a scenic trail to the base of the mountain and then make the hike straight up, which starts out at a pretty gradual slope and manages to become incredibly steep near the top! Check out the pics from the hike up!

    On the way back down, we were discussing how amazing it was to see so many active folks climbing up and running around the park. Being in the wellness industry, we were both impressed and excited to see all the activity around us and decided we should make a habit of hiking around the park with friends and family. No sooner than this fleeting thought left our conversation, did we stumble upon two of our favorite coworkers and their wives, making their trek up the massive hill! Great fun seeing friends out being active!

    Fitness fanatics from GMM and Open Hand!

    At the end of the hike we had taken over 9000 steps (thanks to the trusty pedometer I wore to track our trek!) and thoroughly enjoyed the great outdoors! We even stopped at the Farmer’s Market on the way home to scout out some ideas for the next GMM menu cycle! What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon embracing health and wellness!

    Almost a days worth!

    Permalink Filed under: In the Community Tags: , , , , , , , , , , No Comments
  • 02Nov

    What to do with those Pumpkin Seeds?

    Halloween is over and many of you are left with Jack-o-lanterns and a pile of dried pumpkin seeds that you were planning on doing something with, but just haven’t gotten around to yet… am I right?

     As my favorite seasonal food, pumpkin makes its way into many of my holiday recipes and while most people would probably guess that this means pumpkin breads, pies and cookies- there are also many healthy ways to use this amazing food. Today I want to focus on pumpkin seeds. Many of you might have noticed that new GMM menu found a use for pumpkin seeds in one of our new Dinner Selections: Northern Italian Raviolis of Sage Pasta stuffed with Butternut Squash topped with Genoa Style Tomato Sauce. Fresh Spinach Salad with Carrots, Pumpkin Seeds and Multigrain Croutons with Balsamic Vinaigrette. Sound delicious? It is and also a great way to incorporate the nutrient packed pumpkin seed into a balanced meal! Great work Ashley!

    Pumpkin seeds are not edible when raw, but with a little olive oil and 20 minutes in the oven on low heat, you have a tasty and oh so healthy snack. The seeds are extremely high in both zinc and iron, both minerals needed in our daily diets. Zinc is an antioxidant mineral, which not only boosts the immune system, but also protects against prostate enlargement and cancer in the male population. Iron improves energy levels and is vital for healthy blood cells. Foods that contain high amounts of these minerals are particularly important for vegetarians, but also very beneficial to meat eaters, as the seeds also contain sterols, which help remove “bad” cholesterol, lowering LDL. As if these benefits weren’t enough to entice you to add pumpkin seeds into your diet, they also contain some Omega-3 fats (the healthy fat!), vitamin E, folate, and magnesium that can maintain heart health!

     Tips for Using Pumpkin Seeds: Always chew the seeds well to ensure maximum absorption of nutrients and think about adding seeds to salads, yogurt, muesli or cereal. You can also consider grounding the seeds and adding it to veggie, nut or bean burgers to increase your iron!

    How do you use pumpkin seeds?

    Permalink Filed under: In the Kitchen, Nutrition Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments
  • 09Aug

    Swim, Bike, Run…SUCCESS!

     

    If you have read this blog before you know that I was gently coerced into signing up for my first triathlon this summer.  Although I wasn’t as prepared as I would have liked to been, I had an absolute blast and can’t wait for the next race!  I know that it can be scary to try something new, especially when you don’t know the first thing about training, but there are so many resources now to help, not to mention the outpouring of support from family and friends who all want you to achieve a personal goal.  I think what amazed me the most was the amount of advice that came from individuals that I didn’t know had ever completed a triathlon.  My openness about training and the race led to many great conversations and new friendships!  Talk about a support network!

    Anyway, I know you are all dying to know how it went, so here’s the skinny.  My friend Katie and I set a time goal of 2 hours.  We figured (both being newbies) that this was a realistic starting point, and we would be satisfied finishing in any time under that.  We got up to the race site before dawn on Sunday to set up our transition site.  I cannot begin to tell you how nervous we were, but seeing all of the athletes there (some veterans and other first timers) was actually very reassuring.  We weren’t there to compete with anyone but ourselves and had a new “family” of 650 out there trying to accomplish the same.  How refreshing it is to see so many people really testing themselves!

    We were in the last heat due to our experience level and age, so we started a 19 minutes behind the 1st group.  It gave us a little extra time to see that people were successfully completing the swim, and the likelihood of us drowning was slim to none…whew, one hurdle down.  It was now our turn.  The countdown ended with us running and diving in the lake in a massive heard which was a tad bit unruly.  I got tossed around a bit and learned that next time I need to stick to the outside to avoid the crowd!  I managed to finish in a slow but acceptable time and ran to my transition station, which went quickly.  On to the bike.  This is what I considered to be my strongest leg.  While I didn’t really practice much on the road bike, years of riding as a child and the massive soccer legs gave me the confidence that I needed to start off strong.  I thought I was booking it, but looking at the results in retrospect, I was really middle of the pack- but I felt great nonetheless!  The ride was only 13 miles, but gave me enough time to catch back up to those that flew by me in the swim.  By the time I made it back into the transition station, I had a second wind and flew out of the gates into the run.  Unfortunately, that second wind was short lived as I blew by the first turn only to see a massive hill that immediately warned me of impending doom.  A good many of those in front of me decided to walk the hill, which I decided was a good choice since my legs still wanted to move in the circular pedaling motion.  I lunged up the hill stretching out my quads and hamstrings and at the top decided to really push myself and run the remainder of the route.  I was pretty successful in that challenge; minus the moments I had to walk while taking a drink of water.  Turns out I am not very coordinated and running while drinking resulted in a wet shirt opposed to hydration.   

    I finished the race as strong as I could, leaving everything on the course.  My mom said I was pretty green running through the gate, but I regained color within a few minutes and felt good about the last push to the finish.  I found out that I finished in 1 hour and 38 minutes, well below the 2 hour mark!  While this honestly is pretty middle of the pack, I was ecstatic, as this was my first experience and I had not drowned, crashed, or passed out!  It was a Success!  In fact, Katie had an incredibly strong finish and the other girls that we had trained with/met at the event all seemed so satisfied with their accomplishments as well!  It was such a great event and we are already planning on other triathlons to train for.  I want to thank all of those who supported me and especially my Good Measure family who helped with pre race nutrition and advice on making the most of my nutritional intake and post race recovery!

    Now I am on to my next challenge… any suggestions?  I was thinking maybe rock climbing, kayaking, or some sort of dance class.  If you are interested in taking up a new fitness challenge, let me know and just maybe you’ll see me training with you!  Here’s to being active and always having fun!

    Permalink Filed under: Corporate Wellness, In the Community Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments
  • 08Jul

    Raise a Glass to the Dog Days of Summer!

    As we head into the hottest days of summer (the high today is 99!), I thought it would be a good idea to address proper hydration.  Whether you are extremely active or mostly sedentary, hydration plays a vital role in your personal health! 

    Let’s start with the facts:

    Water is an essential component of your body’s make up, accounting for around 60% of your body weight. Every physiological system depends on water to carry out its function – from carrying nutrients to cells to flushing out toxins and much, much more.

    If you aren’t consuming enough water, you can become dehydrated.  Basically, this means that your bodily functions cannot be performed efficiently which drains your energy and leaves you feeling fatigued.  So how much water should you consume each day?  There is no simple answer to this relatively simple question, but we can explore some tips and goals that are sure to keep you properly hydrated throughout the hot and humid summer months!

    First off, remember that consumption of water doesn’t just mean drinking straight up water.  You can also rehydrate through eating foods with large water content.  An average diet usually accounts for 20% of your water intake, mostly through fruits and veggies, but also through beverages such as milk and juice.  Although there is water content in beer, wine, and caffeinated beverages, these sources should be used sparingly as they can also be diuretics and have adverse effects on hydration.  The dietitians here at Good Measure Meals™ advocate for water consumption with our meals is to ensure that you are not adding extra calories to your plan (altering the daily nutrition balance) and also to keep you properly hydrated!

    For the average Joe there are several schools of thought on hydration.  The most common approach is the 8 by 8 rule, which basically states that one must consume 8 glasses of liquid per day.  Although this is not supported by scientific evidence, it is an easy guideline to follow.  According to the Institute of Medicine, men are advised to consume around 3 liters of beverage per day and women around 2.2 liters.  Another study by the Mayo Clinic said that proper hydration could be determined using the following equation:

    Body Weight(lbs) / 2 = ounces of water needed

    This is the total consumption though, so you would need to take the equation one step further and account for the 20% water from food, so the equation would look something like this for a 140 lb women:

    140 lbs / 2 = 70 oz.

    70oz * 80% = 56 oz.

    56 oz / 8(oz in a cup) = 7 cups of water per day

    Obviously these are the baseline consumption guidelines, so for those participating in physical activity, we must increase the intake to account for the water loss due to perspiration.  A good guideline is to add an additional 8oz. of water or sport drink for every 20 minutes of vigorous activity.  I found a great resource addressing Exercise Hydration that was put together by the Dietitians from the Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition group of the American Dietetic Association.  Click on the image below to read through the 1 page fact sheet about how to properly stay hydrated and rehydrate throughout bouts of exercise!

    I hope you found some of this information useful and are ready to fight the summer heat with proper hydration!  Let me know if you have any questions regarding exercise, dehydration, or water consumption!

    In Health,  Jess

    Permalink Filed under: Corporate Wellness, In the Community, Nutrition Tags: , , , , , , , 4 Comments
  • 14Jun

    Barley – A New Addition to the Menu

    As I started planning our next set of meals for the Fall/Winter menu, I thought about customer feedback and the suggestion that brown rice is a little, well, boring.  Brown rice is definitely a reliable staple in a healthy diet, but I listened to what you had to say and decided to trade some of the rice for other grains to add a little variety to the menu.  Which brings us to…barley. 

    When you think of barley, your next thought might be “beer!”—but it’s actually a wonderful grain to add to your regular diet.  Pearled barley is the most common kind, and it is most often used in soups, though it also can be used in pilafs, salads, or stuffing.  We’ll be using it in two Fall/Winter meals:  beef and barley stew and mushroom-barley pilaf.

    Hearty Vegetable Beef and Barley Stew - a new addition to the lunch menu.

    As new recipes are being developed, the staff members here at Good Measure are guinea pigs—trying each new recipe after it’s been cooked.  Both the stew and pilaf were big hits, with people commenting on how hearty the stew was, and how much they enjoyed the barley’s chewiness in the pilaf. 

    Aside from variety, why are we including barley in these meals?  For one thing, barley is very heart healthy.  A half-cup serving of the cooked grain contains only 100 calories, less than a half gram of fat, and no cholesterol.  Barley is also high in soluble fiber, so it could lower your LDL cholesterol level and potentially reduce your risk of heart disease.  Pearled barley has about twice as much fiber as brown rice, and it has a nuttier flavor, so it’s a great alternative when you’re tired of rice! 

    Along with other nutrients, it also contains these vitamins and minerals:

    • B vitamins – helps your body turn food into energy, keep your nervous system healthy, and are important for normal digestive system function
    • Selenium – a mineral which may help prevent cancer
    • Iron – helps your body use oxygen
    • Zinc – helps maintain your immune system and keeps your skin healthy

    For more information about whole grains and their nutritional benefits, check out these sites:

    Health Gains from Whole Grains

    All you ever wanted to know about barley – focus on health and nutrition

    What foods are in the grain group?

    Permalink Filed under: In the Kitchen, Nutrition Tags: , , , , , , , , 2 Comments