Tag Archives: Spring

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Is Medication the only Answer to your Allergies?

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Do you have a runny, stuffy and itchy nose? Of course you do, it’s Spring! Unless you’re one of the lucky few who don’t suffer spring allergies, I would recommend that you keep reading to learn more about allergies and the many different causes; some that you may not even be thinking of!

When you flip on the news every morning, you hear the local weatherman talking about the pollen and ragweed counts so you know what to expect from your allergies for the day. But, did you know that your runny nose may not have anything to do with what’s going on outside your body? Instead, it may have everything to do with what’s going on inside your body. For many people, food allergies or sensitivities can cause allergic reactions very similar to your common seasonal allergy. If this is the case, instead of resorting to allergy medication, simply adjusting the foods that you eat could cure the allergy symptoms that keep you inside on these beautiful spring days.

Here are a couple of clues that you may be suffering from food allergies: If you feel like you’re constantly taking medication and never feeling better, this is usually a sign that your allergies may be food related. Also, keep in mind that you shouldn’t discount food allergies if they only show up during this time of year. For many, eating habits change when spring arrives because of the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables, which are sometimes the cause of food allergies. If this is you, we recommended speaking with a dietitian to decide what’s right for you. With their expertise in this field, your dietitian can point you in the right direction and help you enjoy an allergy free life no matter the season! For more information, you can also check out The Total Food Allergy Health & Diet Guide at the NCES website. As always, our products are hand selected and approved by dietitians, so you’re sure to get the best information available!

5208 Total Food Allergy Health and Diet Guide

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Beat your Budget with a Garden

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NCES GardenSpring is here! Well, if you’re here with us in the Midwest, it doesn’t feel like it though. Regardless, April is Garden Month and we’re going to celebrate rain or shine… or snow, or sleet, or hail! Planting a garden is one of the best things you can do for your health, and your budget. I can’t tell you how often I hear the complaint “I can’t afford to eat healthy”. Although I think there are many options for making eating healthy affordable, growing your own vegetable garden is one of the best solutions to eating healthy on a budget.

Did you know that you can go to Amazon and order a pack of tomato seeds for around $2? Depending on where you get your seeds, the quality and how many you get, the price will vary. But, either way, $2 for an entire growing season of tomatoes is pretty affordable. Plus, if you grow them without the use of any pesticides, your tomatoes will be completely organic. You would pay a premium for that at the store!

Other vegetables that are great for growing in your garden at home include lettuce, onions, radishes, peppers and green beans. With some of these, such as lettuce or onions, they will only produce the consumable vegetable once. But, if you plant them early enough in the season, you can often replant after your first batch and have time to grow a second batch before the end of the growing season.

It’s easy to see why April is Garden Month. This is the best time to get your vegetable garden planted in order to see great results throughout the summer! Just remember, vegetable gardens need water. Be sure to cultivate your garden to keep it weed free and fully hydrated throughout the hot summer months.

By the way, if you’re wondering where we come up with all of our nutrition themes for the blog, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Food, Nutrition & Health department creates this calendar each month. It’s a great free resource that you can use to create themes for the material you use with your clients. You can find the calendar at http://food.unl.edu/web/fnh/april

We’ve also created a printable desktop calendar for May using the UNL calendar. Oh yeah, did I mention that it’s free. Go check it out today! http://www.ncescatalog.com/May-2013-Foodie-Calendar_p_1230.html

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Spring in to Picnic Day 2013

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PicnicCan you think of anything more ideally perfect than an April picnic? I can’t! I’m sure that’s why tomorrow, April 23rd, is Picnic Day. However, many people don’t think of this perfect opportunity to get out, get some fresh air and enjoy a fresh, ‘springy’ meal. So, here’s our challenge to you: If you’re not already too busy today, take your lunch outside! Even if you just find a park bench or an open grassy space, odds are you can have the perfect picnic with the lunch you already packed. Or, if that’s not an option, take a few minutes to plan the perfect picnic for your family tonight or this weekend. Need a little help? Here are our top tips for packing the perfect picnic.

  1. Pack a well-balanced meal – This is important to remember when preparing any meal, especially for your children. Be sure to include a protein, grain, veggie, fruit and dairy. Tip: Freeze some mixed berries ahead of time. They’ll make a great dessert to satisfy their sweet tooth!
  2. Take plenty of H20 – Our bodies are composed of 60-70% water. Therefore, it is important that we consume plenty of H2O, especially when we’re active. Make it a goal that everyone consume 8 oz. of water each hour while you are out in the heat enjoying your picnic.
  3. Keep the cold stuff cold – Always remember food safety! To reduce the risk of sicknesses due to bacteria, cold foods need to remain cold throughout your trip.  For any non-perishable items, a picnic basket is great. However, you’ll need to keep the cold items in a cooler with ice. Tip: Reserve the bottom of the cooler for the cold items. They’ll stay cooler down there.
  4. Think about the extras – Of course you’ll need food on your picnic. But, what else do you need? A couple things to take would be bug spray and sun screen. Sunburns are still possible in the spring, even when the sun isn’t as hot.
  5. Take a long a good ground-cover – Don’t you want to be comfortable? Sometimes, grass can leave your legs a little itchy. A good ground cover will keep you clean, and itch-free.

If you’re someone who already enjoys the occasional picnic to soak up whatever sun you can, use this holiday as an opportunity to invite some friends on your picnic with you. Or, invite some of your neighborhood families to picnic at the park with you this weekend. So, enjoy Picnic Day 2013. And, don’t use it as the only day each year you picnic, instead use it to get in the habit of getting outside often!

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Fill your Plate with Colorful Foods

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As spring shows its beautiful face, it seems more appropriate than ever to fill our plates with colorful foods. Right now, fruits and vegetables are starting to show up in the grocery store with a new found sense of purpose! Their more colorful, more flavorful and fuller than they’ve been in quite a few months. So, let’s take advantage of the season and eat healthy!

We all know that, according to MyPlate, we should fill half our plate with fresh fruits and veggies. But, as we all know, it’s just hard to do that in the winter. We find ourselves having to get more creative to get the fruits and veggies that we need. But, this time of year, throw creativity out the window and start slicing up fresh foods to fill your plate. Plus, spring encourages us to go RAW… getting back to the basics. One of our RAW-10 Steps to Reducing America’s Waistline- tips is to avoid processed and prepackaged foods. So, in light of that and in celebration of spring, we’ve decided to share a few of our favorite RAW
recipes with you! Plus, if you haven’t had a chance to view our RAW tear pad, now is a great time. This handout will help you teach patients about the importance of ‘getting back to the basics’ by enjoying fresh foods and physical activity.

Snap Bean–Corn Salad with Yellow Tomato Vinaigrette
Source: Delish.com

Grilled Chicken and Garden Vegetable Penne Pasta with Oven Roasted Tomatoes
Source: MidwestLiving.com

Pomegranate-Glazed Chicken with Blackberries
Source: Health.com

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Happy Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day

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Have you ever celebrated “Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day”? Well, we haven’t! So, we are pretty excited to be celebrating, for the first time, with you today! Grilled Cheese sandwiches are one of the most versatile foods around. So, we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate with you than by giving a few examples of ways to ‘spice up’ your grilled cheese, and make it a nutritious, filling option for you and you’re family!

Many people enjoy eating their grilled cheese sandwich with a large bowl of tomato soup. However, tomato soup is high in calories. So, our first change is simple, but tasty. Simply adding your favorite veggies, like tomato slices, to your grilled cheese sandwich is a great way to add nutrients and flavor. Not only are you going to get rid of unnecessary calories by subbing soup with vegetables, they are also packed with many health-promoting vitamins. Another one of our favorite vegetable additions are red peppers and onions.

Another way to cut calories, and liven up the flavor of your grilled cheese sandwich, is to switch up the type of cheese that you use. Traditionally, grilled cheese sandwiches are made with sliced American cheese or Velveeta. These cheeses are high in calories and not as full of flavor as some other options. Next time, try switching those old, boring cheeses, for a half slice of low-fat cheddar and a half slice of low-fat Swiss. This combination will give your sandwich a great new flavor, while cutting your total calorie intake.

Are you tired of eating your grilled cheese sandwich on plain, white bread? So are we! Switching out your boring old bread for a tastier option can also be healthy. Be sure to use a whole-grain replacement. You can also use new sandwich thins. Or, to really change things up, try making yourself a grilled cheese rollup, using tortillas.

In the past, you may have though of a grilled cheese sandwich as the last option, when you didn’t feel like cooking anything else. Now, with these simple changes, you can look at a grilled cheese sandwich as a nutritious, gourmet dish that your whole family will enjoy!

How do you like to make your grilled cheese sandwich both healthy and tasty? Share your comments by posting a comment on the blog, on Facebook or on Twitter.