Did you know that Americans consume more calories during the Super Bowl than nearly any other day during the year – second only to Thanksgiving?

That’s why Rachel Berman, RD, CSR, CD/N, the Director of Nutrition for CalorieCount.com (where I get the nutritional info for many of my recipes) is offering up some tips on how to cut back and stay healthy this Super Bowl Sunday.

Cut back on saturated fat

• Add more beans instead of meat to a chili recipe.
• Use reduced-fat cheese for nachos.
• Swap no fat Greek yogurt for sour cream when making dips and spreads.
• Make a healthier version of chicken wings by baking chicken tenders that are lightly seasoned with your favorite spices – and serve reduced fat blue cheese.

Skip the chips

• Serve a big platter of veggies like like jicama, artichoke hearts, radishes, mushrooms, and grilled asparagus. Pair with hummus, salsa or a yogurt dip.
• Make a healthier version of chips by slicing whole-wheat pitas or tortillas into wedges and then lightly toasting these in the oven

Eliminate excess calories

• Beer, even light beer, can pack on the calories. It can also lead to mindless munching. Keep track of how much you drink and steer clear of any specialty cocktails prepared with juice or soda.
• When it’s time for kick-off, relax and enjoy the celebration – but keep an eye on portion size and make a plate of food when hungry instead of grazing throughout the day.

Go to CalorieCount.com for great game day recipes

• Mango Salsa (41 calories, 0g fat)
• Tomato & Basil Pita Pizzas (199 calories, 2g fat)
• Cucumber Dip (5 calories, 0g fat)
• Taco Cups (137 calories, 2g fat)
• Rosemary Cheese Biscuits (131 calories, 5g fat)
• Oven-Fried Onion Rings (79 calories, 4g fat)
• Chicken Taquitos (159 calories, 5g fat)
• Broiled Buffalo Chicken (218 calories, 8g fat)

Check out This Mama Cooks! On a Diet’s Super Bowl, healthy snacks and party food recipes, too!

Healthy Super Bowl snacks and calorie swaps is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

We all know that going through a teeth straightening treatment like Invisalign or traditional braces improves your appearance. However, did you know that having straighter teeth can also improve your overall health?

Malocclusion

When your teeth are improperly aligned in your mouth it creates what dentists and orthodontists call “malocclusion.” Left untreated, malocclusion can lead to periodontal disease, stress on teeth and jaws, and  premature wear of your teeth.

Crowding - If you have crowded teeth, it’s more difficult to brush and floss properly. This may cause gum inflammation and periodontal disease. In turn, it can lead to soft tissue damage, receding gums, the formation of pockets between teeth and gums, bone loss, and eventually tooth loss.

My husband has crowded teeth and has had to undergo painful gum scrapings in the past. To prevent gum disease, he gets his teeth professionally cleaned four times instead of twice a year. He also makes sure to brush and floss several times a day and uses a dental water flosser on a daily basis. He makes a lot of effort to make sure his teeth and gums are healthy. However, it’s a lot of work and something many people aren’t willing to do.

Spacing between teeth - If you have wide spaces between your teeth, food may lodge between your teeth and cause sore, tender gums, which could result in periodontal disease.

Deep bite - If you have a deep bite, your over-erupted lower front teeth can damage your palate. Also, a deep bite can cause premature wear and chipping of the lower front teeth.

The benefits of straight, properly aligned teeth

Properly aligned teeth are easier to brush and floss than crowded or crooked teeth. Properly positioned teeth can help gums “fit” more tightly around them, which may lead to better periodontal health. Since you’re able to brush and floss more effectively, the chances of having plaque build up, tooth decay, and periodontal disease can be reduced.

Properly aligned teeth also mean that you reduce the risk of expensive procedures required to repair the effects of abnormal force, such as tooth chipping, breaking, or wear. There’s also less stress on your jaw joints when your teeth are properly aligned.

Dental health affects overall health

According to the Mayo Clinic, your oral health may contribute to various diseases and conditions.

• Gum disease may allow bacteria to enter your bloodstream. If you have a weak immune system or a damaged heart valve, this can cause infection in other parts of the body such as endocarditis, an infection of the inner lining of the heart.
• Some research suggests that cardiovascular disease, clogged arteries and stroke may be linked to oral bacteria, possibly due to chronic inflammation from periodontitis.
• Gum disease has been linked to premature birth and low birth weight.
• Osteoporosis may be associated with periodontal bone loss and tooth loss.
• Tooth loss before age 35 may be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.

Taking care of your oral health is an investment in your overall health. Isn’t it worth getting braces or Invisalign to feel good as well as look good?

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Disclosure: I’m a member of the Invisalign Teen Mom Advisory Board. I’m receiving complimentary treatment from Invisalign, but all opinions and experiences expressed are my own.

Can straightening your teeth improve your health? is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Has anyone in your community been affected by meningitis? Back in the summer of 2009 in my area of Colorado, two young men in their 20s who played in a hockey rec league contracted meningitis (meningococcal disease) and died. You can read the story here. A year later a couple of Colorado State University students were hospitalized with meningitis and one died. (You can read the story here.) I’m sure you could do a Google search of your area and the word “meningitis” and find similar stories about adults, teens and children.

Protect Infants Now

After hearing about these tragedies in my state, I made sure that my kids were vaccinated against meningitis. It’s also why I’m partnering with Meningitis Angels, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about meningitis and other vaccine-preventable diseases, to fight meningococcal disease via their Protect Infants Now (PIN) campaign.

The goal of PIN is to encourage the government to recommend the current meningococcal meningitis vaccines be given to infants since they’re most susceptible to meningococcal disease due to their immature immune systems. Through the online PIN petition, Meningitis Angels wants to encourage the CDC to include meningitis vaccines in the recommended vaccination schedule for infants.

What is meningitis?

According to the CDC:

Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial illness. It' is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children 2 through 18 years old in the United States. Meningitis is an infection of the covering of the brain and the spinal cord. Meningococcal disease also causes blood infections.

About 1,000 – 1,200 people get meningococcal disease each year in the U.S. Even when they are treated with antibiotics, 10-15% of these people die. Of those who live, another 11%-19% lose their arms or legs, have problems with their nervous systems, become deaf or mentally retarded, or suffer seizures or strokes.

Anyone can get meningococcal disease. But it is most common in infants less than one year of age and people 16-21 years. Children with certain medical conditions, such as lack of a spleen, have an increased risk of getting meningococcal disease. College freshmen living in dorms are also at increased risk.

Meningococcal infections can be treated with drugs such as penicillin. Still, many people who get the disease die from it, and many others are affected for life. This is why preventing the disease through use of meningococcal vaccine is important for people at highest risk.

What’s so scary about the disease is that it typically starts off looking like the flu. It’s so aggressive a previously healthy child can die within 24-48 hours of the first symptoms.

What can you do about meningococcal disease?

First, no matter what your view is on vaccines, get educated about meningitis and the threat to you or your kids. Talk with your pediatrician or family doctor. Review the information available from the CDC. Then view the material on the Meningitis Angels and Protect Infants Now websites.

What really made up my mind that I did the right thing in making sure my kids were vaccinated and supporting the PIN campaign were videos like this one.

I can’t imagine anything worse watching your child suffer and die or to live with severe disfigurements and handicaps after contracting a preventable disease. If you feel the same way, I hope you’ll sign the petition at petitionbuzz.com/petitions/protectinfantsnow.

Also, if you have any questions about meningitis or the vaccine, there’s a box underneath the petition where you can chat online with a doctor.

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Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central and Meningitis Angels. This campaign was made possible in part through support provided by Novartis Vaccines. A small donation to a charity of my choice was made in my name from Mom Central as a thank-you for participating. All opinions in this posting are 100% my own.

Protect Infants Now and prevent meningococcal disease is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Did you know that GMO (genetically modified organisms) ingredients are found in 80% of packed foods in US? Today’s infographic from reusethisbag.com helps explain environmental concerns and potential health risks around GMOs, and gives some info on MSG and food labeling as well.

Source: Reusable bags

Food labeling and what you should know about GMOs and MSG {infographic} is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Have you ever wondered about the nutritional breakdown of juice and  how much water and sugar is in it? This infographic gives you the 411 and a little food for thought that makes you wonder if you should eat your fruit and vegetables (more fiber that way) rather than drink all those calories and sugar grams.

Prepared by Dr. Bob Sandor of www.LabAnalyticalBalance.com

What’s in your juice? is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Happy New Year’s Day! Many people make New Year's resolutions to lose weight and get in shape - and fail. This infographic from Nexercise shows the way to get back on track by making small changes such as taking the stairs or working out in the morning.

What are your health goals for 2012?

by NowSourcing via

 

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Source: Nexercise.com

How to get back on track after an indulgent holiday season is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

As we approach the end of 2012, I’d like to share with you what others are predicting as the top food and nutrition trends for 2012.

First up is Euro RSCG’s CEO Marian Salzman, who says, “On the food front, we finally accept that we are what we eat and start walking the walk. The government helps, by cracking down on our expanding waistlines, and we flock to farmers markets for artisanal and seasonal offerings. Even our new taste for Nordic cuisine is fueled, perhaps, by images of the lean, robust and outdoorsy.”

Here are her food trends to watch in 2012-13:

1. Fat Phobia - As hate for overweight grips the globe—even the stylish French are seeing a disturbing rise in obesity--look for big names such as Pepsi to get in on healthy choices act.
2. Guilt-Free Snacks - Healthy snack offerings—and their sales—leap off the charts as we get mindful about what we munch. Look for packaged baby carrots, and low-fat chips and salsa or hummus to be huge for slimming down.
3. Southern Fried - There’s a fervor for down-home, Southern cuisine, perhaps in reaction to fat phobia. Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s Harlem eatery Red Rooster, for example, is wooing celebrities with okra, smothered pork chops and fried green tomatoes. Not exactly lean cuisine.
4. Zinging It Up - Foodies are buzzing about Korean flavor that’s pickled and peppered. Tacos and kimchis made the food truck scene in L.A., and recently Michelin awarded its first star to a Korean restaurant in Manhattan. Expect more Korean eateries to come.
5. Mobile Eats - As our mobile, pop-up and food-truck obsession grows, look for big brands/chains to jump on the bandwagon with mobile offerings. Hungry consumers have shown they’ll queue up anywhere for well-priced, innovative, multi-cultural fare.

Restaurant trends

According to Nation’s Restaurant News:

1. Even though the economy is fragile, consumers will splurge if they perceive value in it.
2. Restaurants will focus on three types of dining occasions. First up are inexpensive foods for patrons who want something quick and easy. Second, they’ll sell more healthful items for diners who watch what they eat. Finally, they’ll offer menu items consumers will consider splurges – either calorie or money wise.
3. Pistachio’s are hot!
4. Small ice cream shakes called “shake shots” will be trendy, as they’re cheaper and lower in calories than a full sized shake. This is similar in thinking to the mini Blizzard at Dairy Queen, i.e., small, affordable indulgences.
5. Bananas foster flavoring in retro style desserts will be an in flavor.
6. Local is still hot. More restaurant owners and chefs will run their own farms. Big chain restaurants will get in on the “eat local” trend, too.
7. Restaurants will make it a point to let their patrons know where their food is grown and imported from.
8. Asian and Indian cuisines and flavors will go more mainstream.

Foodie predictions for 2012

Here are Yahoo! Shine’s and the Daily Meal’s Top Food Trend Predictions for 2012 and the Top Food Trend Predictions for 2012 Slideshow. What am I liking off this list?

• #4 Gluten-Free…and the Backlash – frankly people need to stop thinking gluten free is trendy or cool. For many of us, it’s going GF or feeling extremely ill.
• #10 Wild Greens – foraging for anything from wild mushrooms to dandelion greens is HOT – and good for you!
• #13 Jewish Food - one of my favorite cuisines ever!

More food trends for 2012

• Top Five Nutrition Trends for 2012 from Progressive Grocer
• 10 food trends to watch in 2012 from the Chicago Sun Times
• Food Channel Names 10 Food Trends for 2012 from Gourmet Retailer
• What Will Hit (in 2012) and What Will Fall from Ashley Koff at HuffPo
• The good food news of 2011 from Grist
• Top 5 Health Trends for 2012 (see  healthy food trends #1 and #3) from The Values Institute

Food trends for 2012 is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

The folks at MARS and Dr. Dean Ornish are partnering on a website called MARS Healthy Living. MARS the candy company? Well, I was a bit surprised too until I read about MARS’ Responsible Marketing practices and how they won’t market to kids under 12. Maybe they do care about moderation and consumers making good choices.

However, since Dr. Ornish is all about healthy diet and lifestyle and well respected, I thought I’d go ahead and share his advice on behalf of MARS Healthy Living. You can’t go wrong with Dr. Dean, especially just before those fattening New Year’s Eve parties!

How to indulge during the holidays by Dr. Dean Ornish

1. Eat something beforehand. If you don’t eat all day, you may arrive at holiday meals and parties ravenous and lose control.
2. Put 20 percent fewer high-calorie foods and 20 percent more fruits and vegetables on your plate. Studies show that you probably won’t notice the difference.
3. Eat the healthier foods first – they will fill you up somewhat, so you’ll be less likely to overeat the more indulgent foods.
4. Choose foods that leave evidence – e.g., keep the shrimp tails and chicken wing bones on your plate after you’ve eaten them. Studies show that if you have cues to see how much you’ve eaten, you’ll eat less.
5. Try not to put more than two or three items on your plate at one time. We eat more when food is in front of us.
6. Eat more slowly. The faster we eat, the more we eat. Sip water between bites. Holiday meals last longer than typical meals. If you wolf down your food, your plate may be clean while others are still eating, which will lead to seconds.
7. If you have a choice, use a smaller plate!
8. If you’re at someone’s home, try to serve yourself instead of allowing your relative to heap your plate full.
9. Arrive a little late and make a grand entrance. More of the indulgent foods will be gone by then.
10. If you go to a restaurant, ask your server not to put bread on the table beforehand. If it’s there, you’ll probably eat it. Leave more room for your favorite holiday foods instead.
11. Substitute cranberry sauce for gravy, which is usually high in fat and calories. Cranberry sauce is nutritious and loaded with antioxidants.
12. If you eat baked potatoes and yams, avoid toppings such as butter, cheese, bacon and sour cream. If possible, substitute low-fat yogurt or nonfat sour cream.
13. Watch the alcohol, which is high in calories and slows your metabolism. Also, too much alcohol can impair judgment, so the more you drink, the more you’re likely to eat.
14. Close your eyes and savor the food periodically during the meal. You’ll consume fewer calories and experience more pleasure.
15. Have just a few bites of dessert. The first and last bites are always the best, anyway.
16. Take a walk after dinner. You don’t have to hike five miles. A stroll around the block is a good start. Walking not only burns calories, it also helps relieve bloating and prevent heartburn.

For more information, and additional tips from Dr. Ornish on how to make healthy choices throughout the holiday season, visit www.marshealthyliving.com.

Dr. Dean Ornish’s 16 steps to healthy holiday eating is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

It’s been nearly four months since I’ve started my Invisalign treatment and wanted to give you an update. So far everything is going very well. I’ve had no problems with the aligner trays and there hasn’t been any discomfort. But I’ve noticed a few things as well that I wanted to share:

• Since my bite is changing with my Invisalign treatment, I’ve found that I’m frequently biting the inside of my lower lip when I eat. I try to be very careful when I chew, but still – ouch!
• It’s a bit tricky to keep the Invisalign aligner trays clean. I brush them with a little toothpaste in the morning and at night. However, this means specks of toothpaste goes flying everywhere. You may want to keep some glass and sink cleaner under the sink along with some paper towels for a quick wipe down of your mirror and sink area.
• I’m obsessed with toothpaste – really. It has to be Arm & Hammer Advance White. I received a sample of this at a blogging conference last year, and I love how fresh it makes my mouth feel. That fresh feeling is so important when you brush your teeth as often as I do!
• It’s so nice to have to see my orthodontist only every six to eight weeks. Since moms and teens are so busy with work, school and sports this is such a time saver.
• The changes in my teeth so far are pretty dramatic and things are straightening out nicely.

I’m looking forward to watching my smile change and completing my Invisalign treatment in 2012.

All I want for Christmas – great gifts for Invisalign and braces patients

Are you looking for some inexpensive gifts for teens and adults who are getting their teeth straightened with Invisalign or traditional braces? Many of these would make cute stocking stuffers and most are relatively inexpensive.

• A cool pencil case or small makeup bag for their dental hygiene gear. Teenagers may want to have several – one for their locker, one for their backpack or purse, and maybe one for their gym bag if they do sports. Target and Walmart have cute makeup bags for girls. For boys, soft pencil cases work well or even small travel shaving kit bags. Check your dollar store, too!
• Additional Invisalign cases. If you can’t get another set from your orthodontist, look into the cases athletes use for their mouth guards like these on Amazon.
• Speaking of cases, your teen may want to personalize their case by gluing on rhinestones or pasting on stickers. If they’re crafty this could be a fun project to do over winter break.
• Extra toothbrushes including a small travel sized one for a purse or backpack.
• Small tubes of their favorite toothpaste. Travel sized toothpaste is fine to keep in a backpack or purse. But look for small regular sized tubes for lockers and gym bags where storage room isn’t as much of a concern. Those mini tubes are expensive for the amount of toothpaste you get!
• Extra dental hygiene stuff like dental picks (for wearers of traditional braces) and floss for the Invisalign patients.
• Lip balm. My mouth and lips get drier now that I’m wearing Invisalign at night. I keep some on my night stand, some in the car, and some in my purse.
• Nail polish or a manicure gift certificate for former nail biters. I can’t bite my nails when I’m wearing my Invisalign aligners and actually have longish nails for the first time in years!
• A gift certificate for a professional portrait once their braces are off or their Invisalign treatment is over. Show off that smile!

New Year’s resolutions

If you or your teen considering Invisalign or traditional braces, maybe that’s your present to them (or yourself) this year.

• Make it your New Year’s resolution to book a consultation with an orthodontist. (See my post, How to pick an orthodontist, for tips in finding a good one in your area.)
• If you have dental insurance, look into your benefits. Do they cover braces and how much will they pay? (Every plan is different!)
• If you’re self-insured, talk with your insurance agent to find a dental plan that covers braces.
• If you have a health savings plan at work, discuss with your HR person how it can help you cover the cost of braces.
• And while you’re at it, make sure to make an appointment with your regular dentist for a cleaning!

Here’s to a happy and healthy 2012 and big, straight smiles!

________________
Disclosure: I’m a member of the Invisalign Teen Mom Advisory Board. I’m receiving complimentary treatment from Invisalign, but all opinions and experiences expressed are my own.

All I want for Christmas is…some straightened teeth! #invisalign is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Omega-3 fatty acids are made up of EPA and DHA, both of which are long-chain fatty acids. Another Omega-3, ALA, is a short-chain fatty acid found in plant sources like flaxseed oil. EPA is primarily known to support heart health, while DHA is believed to be beneficial for infant brain and learning development. The most common dietary source of both EPA and DHA is fatty fish – and since many of us do not eat enough fish, we don’t get enough of these key nutrients.

Benefits of Omega-3s

One of the ways Omega-3s work is by reducing the inflammatory effects of Omega-6 fatty acids, which are found in egg yolks, meat, and other animal-based foods. Research shows that the proper balance between these Omegas fatty acids is a ratio of roughly three parts Omega-6 to one part Omega-3. Unfortunately, the average American diet is 10 parts Omega-6 to one part Omega-3. This is way out of balance and why you need to take an Omega-3 supplement.

Omega-3s supplements are taken by many people for heart health, to combat symptoms of PMS and arthritis, to improve brain function and fight the signs of aging. I personally take it for heart health on the recommendation of my doctor. Talk with your doctor or a nutritionist on why an Omega-3 supplement would be right for your health needs.

The American Heart Association recommends that you eat two servings of fatty fish like salmon, herring, tuna, cod, mackerel, and sardines (the equivalent of 500mg of EPA and DHA per day) per week for heart health. However, since most people don’t eat enough fish, so an Omega-3 supplement is a great alternative.

Fish oil versus krill oil

There are many Omega-3 supplements out there, so it’s challenging to to know which is the best one. My recommendation is to look at the EPA and DHA levels in the supplement and buy the brand with the most bang for your buck. (Ignore ALA as 5% or less of it can be converted by your body into EPA.)

One type of Omega-3 supplement you may want to consider is Everest Nutrition’s Krill Oil, which contains 300mg Omega-3 including 165mg EPA and 95mg DHA (for two capsules). They claim that Krill Oil is is superior to fish oil since the Omega 3 fatty acids in Krill Oil are structured in phospholipid form and NOT triglyceride form. According to the information on their website, since phospholipids are the same type of fat cells found in the human body, this means there are no triglycerides to break down and the Omega 3s can directly enter your body.

In addition, Krill Oil  contains astaxanthin, which they claim contains more antioxidant power than Vitamin A, lutein, Vitamin E, and lycopene. Astaxanthin is also known for its anti-aging capabilities. In addition, Everest Nutrition Krill Oil has an ORAC value of 431 which makes it 54x times more powerful as an antioxidant compared to fish oil.

Krill Oil’s biggest selling point is that their supplement is made from krill taken from the pristine waters off the coast of Antarctica. Unlike fish, krill are at the bottom of the marine food chain. This means they are virtually free of toxins such as mercury, PCBs, metals and other pollutants. It’s those toxins which make me wary of fish high on the food chain like tuna and concerned about what’s in my fish oil supplement.

You can learn more about Krill Oil on their website at www.krilloil.com.

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The statements in this post have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Krill Oil is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This post is courtesy of KrillOil.com.

The benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids and Krill Oil is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!