Well, hello there. I promise to stop ranting about the weather soon. I’m living in Michigan [land of plentiful lake effect snow] through the winter for the first time since 2003, and it’s a bit of a rough adjustment.
[however, Bayley the poodle doesn’t really seem to mind…].
In an effort to use up the surplus of frozen bananas taking over my freezer, I made banana muffins. They are vegan and delicious and have extra oatmeal for fiber power.
I am super excited about all those who are participating in…
and I also wanted to say that I am definitely not against giving {and receiving} gifts during the holiday season. When all focus on the giving aspect is lost or starts heading toward the realm of greediness…that’s when I start to get frustrated.
Day 3: Sustainable Harvest International
SHI was founded in 1997 by a Peace Corps volunteer and works to combat the tropical deforestation crisis in Central America by providing farmers with sustainable alternatives to slash-and-burn agriculture. They use organic vegetable gardens, wood-conserving stoves, biogas digesters and a host of other projects to preserve our planet's tropical forests while overcoming poverty.
Ways to help:
- buy chocolate sauce?! ($10.95)
- plant a tree ($25)
- reforest a family farm ($30)
- make a donation of any size…
Recently I did a little background research on supplements for a nutrition counseling client. My general thought on supplements: they are meant to supplement [ha] a generally healthful diet. You cannot eat a steady diet of twinkies and french fries followed by a dose of omega-3’s and expect a miracle.
Here are some supplements that have been popping up a lot recently:
- multivitamins: I think these are ok to cover your bases and to meet any nutrient requirements you may have missed on a daily basis. Just make sure that none of the vitamins exceed the tolerable upper limit (check the Office of Dietary Supplements).
- fish oil: role in cardiovascular health, decreasing blood pressure, lowering triglycerides; the American Heart Association recommends 2 servings (3.5 oz or ¾ cup baked, flaked fish) of fatty fish/week (salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna); Include oils and foods rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) (flaxseed, canola and soybean oils; flaxseed and walnuts); recommendations: 3 grams or less per day (from capsules); if you are healthy but aren’t consuming fish or sources of ALA regularly, a supplement may be ok, depending on the amount of omega-3’s it contains.
- L-carnitine: plays a role in fatty acid metabolism; not enough evidence to support L-carnitine for athletic performance, improved immune function, or weight reduction (Fragakis &Thompson, 2007); supplements not necessary for healthy individuals
- green tea extract: possesses antioxidant activity; may have anticarcinogenic activity (anti-cancer); moderate doses demonstrated to be safe; may interfere with iron absorption; insufficient evidence to conclude that green tea improves heart health, assists in blood pressure control, or promotes weight control by increasing energy expenditure; get antioxidants by eating vegetables and fruit!
- vitamin D: plays role in calcium metabolism; may provide protection from osteoporosis, hypertension (high blood pressure), cancer, and several autoimmune diseases. The IOM recently released new recommendations: 600 IU/day, with upper tolerable limit 4,000 IU/day. This level is controversial, and some have taken well over 4,000 IU/day without negative side effects. Supplements not necessarily harmful but may not be needed if you’re already getting dietary vitamin D and vitamin D through your multivitamin (and the sun!); we don’t know the optimal level of vitamin D intake.
Do you take any supplements? Thoughts?
…and a shameless plug: My friend Sarah’s brother [Sam] is a finalist in the Lea & Perrins contest for his shake it up pulled pork sandwich…he is trying to raise money to study abroad and needs your votes!
