Nutrition News

November 2001

Hi there!
Thanksgiving is just days away - how wonderful that the holiday season is here already. We wish you very happy holidays!

Many people have bought NutritionWorks gift certificates as gifts for their loved ones this year. Many of us do not need more ‘things’ but greatly appreciate the opportunity to improve our health. Please contact us if you would like to take us up on this gift idea for your family or friends.

Initial consults as well as packages are available.
There is some great information in this month’s newsletter – as well as a recipe for the best pumpkin pie on the planet!

As always, we appreciate your feedback so email us your comments or any nutrition news you have to share.

Take care,
Sandi and Kathleen

Eating directly after exercise
When you exercise intensely, your muscles use up their stores of glucose, which are called glycogen. Your muscles can replace glycogen at the rate of about 5 percent per hour. So, it can take at least 20 hours to replace very depleted muscles. Within 15 minutes of your workout, the enzymes responsible for making glycogen are most active and you can increase replacement of
glycogen to 7 or 8 percent per hour.

Glycogen replacement is still increased within 45 minutes of exercise. What this means is that within 45 minutes after a workout, you need to eat some carbohydrate to help your body replace its glycogen stores. This will aid in your recovery so you are ready for your workout the next day.

Some people eat a mixed meal (protein, carbohydrates and fat) directly after exercise. It is best to eat just carbohydrate directly after exercise, and then sit down to a balanced meal about an hour after your workout session.
Some examples of carbohydrate rich snacks to eat after exercise include fresh fruit, dried fruit or a bagel.

Bear in mind that this advice is important after intense exercise sessions. If you go for a light walk, you will not deplete your glycogen stores and thus will not require quick repletion.

Potassium, magnesium and high blood pressure
Results of numerous studies have shown that diets high in potassium and magnesium may be beneficial for hypertension (high blood pressure).

High-salt diets have been shown to aggravate hypertension and cause kidney damage, while diets high in both potassium and magnesium decrease blood pressure and protect the kidneys from damage.

The following foods contain at least 350mg of potassium per serving:
1 cup of cantaloupe, 1 medium banana, 15 raw baby carrots, ½ cup boiled spinach, and ½ cup unsalted tomato sauce.

Just one more reason to eat lots of fruit and vegetables every day!

In the research
Whole grains and cancer risk
While whole grains lower cancer risk, a study from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis reports that refined grains increase cancers of the large bowel, stomach and other sites.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2000;70:1107-1110.

Carbohydrates and exercise
High-quality carbohydrate-rich foods boost serotonin levels in the brain, which might reduce muscle fatigue associated with exercise, state researchers at the University of South Carolina, Columbia.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2000;72:S573-S578.

Eating in front of the TV…bad news
Children who eat meals in front of the TV are less likely to consume fruits and vegetables and are more likely to overeat pizza, snack foods, and soda pop compared to children who eat meals away from TV, state researchers at Tufts University in Boston.
Pediatrics 2001;107:167.

Cookbook Recommendations
We recently rediscovered a wonderful online resource for vegetarian recipes. It is the Vegetarian Resource Group at www.vrg.org
They publish the Vegetarian Journal which is full of interesting articles and delicious recipes. Many of the articles are available online. It’s a
great option when you don’t feel like looking through your cookbooks!

The Best Light Pumpkin Pie

This pumpkin pie saves 151 calories and 12 grams of fat per slice from the traditional version and it tastes identical!

1 cup ginger snaps
16 oz can pumpkin
1/2 cup egg whites (about 4)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, cloves)
12 oz can evaporated skim milk

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grind the cookies in a food processor. Lightly spray a 9" glass pie pan with vegetable cooking spray. Pat the cookie crumbs into the pan evenly. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Pour into the crust and bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Store in the refrigerator.

Allow to cool and slice in 8 wedges.

Optional: serve each wedge with fat-free whipped cream.

Serves 8. Each slice: 165 calories, 1.5 g fat, .5 g saturated fat, 1.5 mg cholesterol, 170 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 6 g protein.

From www.foodandhealth.com

Favorite Food of the month
Many of us use energy bars as a convenient snack or treat. We were excited to find that Balance Outdoor Bars are a great addition to the Balance Bar product line. Most of the regular Balance Bars contain hydrogenated oils or
unacceptably high amounts of saturated fat (generally 3.5g per bar). However Balance Outdoor Bars contain only 1g of saturated fat and no hydrogenated oils. Also, they do not contain high fructose corn syrup. Try them and let us know what you think.

But remember, any energy bars should be used in moderation. Real food like whole fruits and vegetables are always the best snack choice.

NutritionWorks Happenings

• Kathleen and Sandi are going to be teaching community classes at the Experimental College this upcoming winter quarter. Look for our classes in the Winter catalog – we will be teaching workshops on vegan nutrition, fad diets, and the latest on soy.
• Kathleen was interviewed by Megan Sukys for the KUOW show called The Human Condition. Kathleen spoke about the Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease. The show will be aired in mid-December, and we will let you know the exact date and time soon. We will also have a link on our website so you can listen to the show at any time.
• Sandi will be teaching more classes at Sno Isle Co-op in Everett in the winter. Topics include Macrobiotics – practice and principles, as well as Eating Your Herbs and Spices. We will keep you posted on the details.
• Kathleen’s presentations were a hit at the Gluten Intolerance Group conference in Los Angeles. She presented to both the general public, as well as to healthcare professionals, and her talks were well received.

We'd love to hear from you
Let us know if you'd like us to write about a particular topic or if you have a question you would like printed in the newsletter!

Want to share? If you have had success with managing your health or weight by using a specific technique or would like to share favorite ideas or foods or recipes, please send those in and we will print them in the next newsletter, honoring your privacy if requested of course.

If you know of anyone who would like a nutrition or wellness presentation offered, please let him or her know about NutritionWorks!