Are you eating 2 cups of whole fruits daily?

The new dietary guidelines shine light on how Americans aren't following a fully balanced, nutritious diet. Click here to see my blog on the new guidelines in a nutshell.

One way to combat obesity and live a healthier life is to acknowledge the lack of balance in your diet. I hope this blog will help you to do so!

I recently blogged on tips to increase your vegetable intake and today I'll discuss the next very important food group -- fruits.

Whole fruits are important for all vitamins (especially C), minerals, and fiber.

As you can see from figure A below, we seem to be eating enough fruits until age 8. The average intake of fruits, including juice, are lowest among girls ages 14 to 18 years and adults ages 19 to 50 years.

30% of the intake of fruits in the U.S. population comes from fruit juice, and 60% from whole fruits. According to the study -  "the highest proportion of juice to whole fruits intake is among children ages 1 to 3 years, for whom about 47 percent of total fruit intake comes from fruit juice, and about 53 percent from whole fruits."

Figure A: Average Daily Food Group Intakes by Age-Sex Groups, Compared to Ranges of Recommended Intake of Fruits

DATA SOURCES:

What We Eat in America, NHANES 2007-2010 for average intakes by age-sex group. Healthy U.S.-Style Food Patterns, which vary based on age, sex, and activity level, for recommended intake ranges.

What are whole fruits? 

Whole fruits include fresh, canned, frozen, and dried forms of fruit. 100% fruit juice is an alternative option to whole fruits, but eating whole fruits is healthier as it contains fiber. 

What is the recommended daily amount of whole fruits?

The recommended amount is 2 cups of whole fruits a day, based on a 2000 calorie daily diet. 1 cup of 100% juice is equivalent to 1 cup of whole fruits. ½ cup of dried fruit is equivalent to 1 cup of whole fruits. For more information on what counts as a cup of fruit visit: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/fruit

Am I consuming the right fruits as whole fruits?

Many patients tell me that they are happy with their fruit intake, and when I review their diet diary, I find they are not eating whole fruits at all!
Be aware of marketing, just because it's "fruit flavored" or has "added fruit" doesn't mean it contains whole fruits!

The following are not ideal ways to consume whole fruits:
-Bottled smoothie beverages
-Fruit candies
-Fruit strips, fruit snacks or fruit roll-ups
-Boxed juice drinks (read labels and don't choose it if the drink reads anything below 100% fruit juice)
-Bottled fruit juice with less than 100% fruit juice or added sugars
-Fruit pies
-Pastries containing fruits
-Craisins
-Apple sauce
-Jello
-Fruit flavored cereals
-Fruits in gelatin
-Fruit jams/jellies

How can I increase my fruit intake?

-Utilize fruits in interesting ways such an pureed in sauces
  Apples, pear, mango sauces are great with meat and vegetables!

- Entrees with fruits don't always have to be sweet
  Be creative and make savory dishes with fruits. Apples are great for this, since there are so many varieties of both sweet and tart. 
Think about the savory entrees you have tried with fruit. Many fruits pair excellently with pork. Thanksgiving turkey is never complete without fresh cooked cranberries on the side! My mother in law makes an amazing savory dish with lychee. Many Asian recipes call for tropical fruits like mango, pineapples, guava, etc.

- Add cut up whole fruits to salad and sandwiches

- Eat fruits as a whole when you can with skin!
  The skin of certain fruits is an excellent source of fiber.

- Choose fruits for dessert instead of things with added sugar like cakes, cookies, pastries, ice cream, etc.

-Buy a large bag of frozen fruits and store in your freezer.
  Use these to make your favorite smoothies with low fat yogurt, ice or water as the base

-Make a large container of fresh juice from scratch and store it in the fridge as your go-to drink

-Read nutrition labels, and drink 100% fruit juice beverages
  Make sure there are no hidden sugars. Find out more about added sugars here. 

-Substitute water or milk for fruit juices!

-The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that young children consume no more than 4 to 6 fluid ounces of 100% fruit juice per day (that's less than 1 cup!)

-If you cannot be without juice --add 1/4 cup juice to 1/2 cup water to dilute it down

-Watch your serving sizes, especially if you are limiting carbohydrates

  Fruits have natural sugars, and these also cause spikes in blood sugar. If you are restricting carbohydrates for diet reasons or for Diabetes -- watch your serving size!

Follow me on Instagram for some delicious and quick healthy dish ideas at at Live.Laugh.Love.Be_healthy!

Do you have any health tips to add?? 

Please feel free to ask any questions! Email me at DoctorDeenaMD@gmail.com or ask/follow me on Twitter @Doctor_Deena or Instagram at Live.Laugh.Love.Be_healthy :)


**PLEASE REMEMBER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AND/OR BEFORE STARTING OR STOPPING ANY TREATMENT OR ACTING UPON INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE, YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR OWN PHYSICIAN OR HEALTH-CARE PROVIDER**

Americans aren't eating enough vegetables. Tips on how to increase your vegetable intake!

Did you know that Americans are eating much less vegetables than what's recommended for our diet? This is especially true with our nation's youth!
My goal for today's blog is to try to close this gap and educate everyone on eating more healthy, well-balanced meals.

The great thing about vegetables is they are filling, nutritious and low calorie! Vegetables are an important source of fiber, nutrients, and vitamins. It's important to have at least 2-3 servings of vegetables every day. If you incorporate a side of vegetables with every meal, you can easily meet this target.

Based on Figure 2-3 from the NHANES database - you can see that that the intake of vegetables across all age groups is below recommendations, and is lowest among boys ages 9 to 13 years and girls ages 14 to 18 years.

DATA SOURCES:
What We Eat in America, NHANES 2007-2010 for average intakes by age-sex group. Healthy U.S.-Style Food Patterns, which vary based on age, sex, and activity level, for recommended intake ranges.

Tomatoes and potatoes are the most popular vegetables in our American diet. According to the article "about 60 percent of all vegetables are eaten as a separate food item, about 30 percent as part of a mixed dish, and the remaining 10 percent as part of snack foods, condiments, and gravies. Vegetables are part of many types of mixed dishes, from burgers, sandwiches, and tacos to pizza, meat stews, pasta dishes, grain-based casseroles, and soups."

Most vegetables can be divided into certain groups. I'll discuss each group separately - starting with the dark green vegetables. Dark green vegetables include:

• broccoli
• spinach
• swiss chard 
• romaine lettuce
• collard greens
• bok choy
• kale
• turnip greens
• mustard greens
• green herbs (parsley, cilantro)

This group of vegetables is high in fiber, vitamins (A, C, K, D, folate), calcium, and iron. 

The best way to eat these dark, green vegetables are as the base of a salad or wrap. I also enjoy adding spinach and broccoli into an omelet. Mustard greens,collard greens, swiss chard goes great in a soup or stew -- as they are very hearty vegetables! Any of the above vegetables can be added into a stir fry with meat or even tofu. I also make a great "green" smoothie with a blend of fat-free yogurt, kale, mint, cucumber, salt and pepper!

Bright colored vegetables like our red and orange colored vegetables are grouped together. These vegetables include:

• tomatoes
• carrots
• sweet potatoes
• red peppers
• orange peppers
• winter squash
• pumpkin

Red and orange vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins A and C. If you are interested in learning of the importance of vitamin A click here and of vitamin C click  here. These vegetables are also high in antioxidants (like lycopene and anthocyanins) which help in cell repair & fighting off infection. 

Red and orange vegetables are delicious raw, and make an excellent snack on-the-go. Sometimes I even eat them with a dipping sauce like a fat-free yogurt or hummus. These are my favorite vegetables to puree and use as the base for a soup. During the colder months -- I love to simply roast them in the oven with some fresh herbs and spice! 

Another group of vegetables are the starchy vegetables. These include:

• potatoes
• corn
• green peas
• lima beans
• plaintains
• cassava
• taro
• yuca

Be aware of starchy vegetables since these should be limited for those watching their carbohydrate intake - as they are "starchy" and have a higher natural sugar content. Potatoes, plantains, taro, and/or yuca are perfect roasted, baked, or mashed. Peas and lima beans are an excellent addition to salads, soups, or pastas. Corn is so versatile and can be prepared in so many ways -- my favorite is as simple corn on the cob! 

There are also vegetables that are grouped as "other" because there are no similar properties between them and these include:

• onions
• cucumbers
• celery
• cabbage
• mushrooms
• avocado
• cauliflower
• eggplant
• garlic
• sprouts
• olives
• asparagus
• avocado

Each of these vegetables has important nutrients and minerals that you should look up individually. For example, onions are great for flavor but not high in vitamins. In fact the vitamins in onions do not exceed more than 20% of our recommended daily intake. That's why onions are better to cook with as part of a meal, rather than to eat alone. Garlic is a great source for Vitamin C, B-6 and Manganese. It even has some calcium with 1 cup containing 25% of total daily value. Everything mentioned above can be prepared as a single entree with some interesting seasoning and spices.

I categorize legumes like beans, lentils, chickpeas, split peas, soybeans, etc. as proteins more than vegetables. Since their protein content is very high, they are often used as a meat alternative for vegetarians! I'll discuss this in a separate article.

Now that you have a sense of all the vegetables out there. Here are some tips to increase your overall intake of vegetables:

1. Make sure you have a side of vegetables with each meal
    With more than 10000+ vegetables out there, there are so many 
options to make side dishes exciting. Be creative. Write down           recipes or ingredients from tv shows or blogs. If you loved a salad from a restaurant- note down its ingredients and try to make it at home to suit your taste buds.

2. Make an entree with vegetables 2-3 times weekly
    Vegetable entrees are just as good, and sometimes just as            nutritious as meat entrees! This will also allow you to learn how      vegetables can be made as the star of any dish with spices, herbs      and other seasonings.

3. Find good vegetarian recipes
   Certain cultures have many interesting recipes with vegetables,    especially Asian and Indian cuisines.

4. Start drinking smoothies made from fresh vegetables with ice, water or low-fat yogurt as the base

5. Always keep packages of frozen vegetables in the freezer so they are on hand at all times 
     This is so cheap and easy! Some frozen veggies even come in       steam packs where you microwave the bag for 3 minutes, add some salt, pepper, seasoning and you are good to go! I always have bags of mixed vegetables, string beans and edamame in the freezer because these taste just as crisp as the fresh variety.

6. Always keep cans of beans, lentils, etc. in the cupboard

7. Use vegetables as snacks
   I cut up pieces of carrots, celery, peppers, etc. and put them into plastic tupperware so they are easily seen and accessible. Choose to give your kids cut up vegetables and fruits as a snack rather than cookies, sweets, juice, candy, fruit snacks, etc.

8. Buy a blender or food processor
   This allows you to enjoy smoothies, vegetable sauces, and certain soups.

9. Choose to steam, bake, or roast your vegetables when you can
   Preparing vegetables in the above ways keeps your dish healthy. Avoid deep frying vegetables, breading them, or cooking with butter -- since this adds calories and fat, making the dish less nutritious! 

Also you can follow me on Instagram for some delicious and quick vegetable dish ideas at at Live.Laugh.Love.Be_healthy!

Do you have any health tips to add?? How about tips to make your children eat more vegetables?

Please feel free to ask any questions! Email me at DoctorDeenaMD@gmail.com or ask/follow me on Twitter @Doctor_Deena or Instagram at Live.Laugh.Love.Be_healthy :)

**PLEASE REMEMBER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AND/OR BEFORE STARTING OR STOPPING ANY TREATMENT OR ACTING UPON INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE, YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR OWN PHYSICIAN OR HEALTH-CARE PROVIDER**

Don't follow fad diets. Here's 7 tips to find a diet that works for you!

The weight loss industry is huge in this country, and millions of dollars is spent every few months on advertisements, marketing and celebrity endorsements. 

Just because Weight Watchers worked for Oprah, doesn't mean that its the right decision for you! In fact, research has shown that most diets are equally effective as long as you stick to them!

I recently wrote an article on how to find a diet that works the best for you for Huffington Post.

Check out my tips here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mount-sinai-health-system/7-tips-for-losing-weighta_b_8923260.html

Hope this information helps! Please feel free to email me at DoctorDeenaMD@gmail.com or ask/follow me on Twitter @Doctor_Deena or Instagram at Live.Laugh.Love.Be_healthy

**PLEASE REMEMBER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AND/OR BEFORE STARTING OR STOPPING ANY TREATMENT OR ACTING UPON INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE, YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR OWN PHYSICIAN OR HEALTH-CARE PROVIDER**

Tips to Keeping Warm During the Winter!

Its officially winter time in NYC with below freezing temperatures! 

Here are some tips to keep warm and protect yourself on a cold winter's day:

1) Dress in layers with thin layers at the bottom (like thermal underwear) and thicker layers on top (like a bulky sweater)

I have friends who even wear multiple layers of socks to keep their feet warm. The bottom line is - do what you need to do to keep warm! You can always remove layers once you are back in a warm place.

2) Protect the coldest areas of your body

The areas most susceptible to cold temperatures include your ears, feet and hands. Protect them with a hat, ear muffs, gloves, socks, etc.

3) Speedwalk rather than stroll 

Bringing up your heart rate allows for vasodilation (opening up of the blood vessels) which causes warm blood to flow throughout your body -- ultimately keeping you warmer.

4) Use warm packs or "hot packs" inside your gloves or in your socks

These packs can be bought in stores, or can be made at home (who knew?!). Check out DIY handwarmers here

5) Limit your time outdoors 

Spend more time indoors with the heat on and with your loved ones, especially if you love to cuddle (an excellent way to keep warm!)

6) Ladies: avoid wearing leggings, tights, stockings in cold temperatures

Basically any thin layer of clothing over your legs will offer no added protection from the cold. Wear thick pants when you can.

7) Ladies again: wear close-toed shoes

You can still be fashionable in the winter, but without sandals or ballet flats. As cute and as comfortable as they may be, your feet are still exposed and subject to freezing temperatures.

8) If you want to warm your hands under hot water, make sure it's luke warm 

Don't turn up the heat of water when warming your hands under the faucet. When your hands are cold they are less likely to sense very hot temperatures which could cause a 1st or 2nd degree skin burn.


9) This is the time for carbon monoxide poisoning from malfunctioning fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, ranges, water heaters and room heaters

Make sure that you have a carbon monoxide detector in your home. If you do - make sure that you check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are on (not unplugged) & working effectively.

Hope this information helps! Please feel free to email me at DoctorDeenaMD@gmail.com or ask/follow me on Twitter @Doctor_Deena or Instagram at Live.Laugh.Love.Be_healthy

**PLEASE REMEMBER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AND/OR BEFORE STARTING OR STOPPING ANY TREATMENT OR ACTING UPON INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE, YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR OWN PHYSICIAN OR HEALTH-CARE PROVIDER**