Eating Healthy 101 with Sarah Nelson

Last night the Young at Heart Cancer Support Group hosted a very informational session on Eating Healthy as a Cancer Patient or Survivor. Dietician Sarah Nelson from the Hamilton HyVee gave a great presentation. She has a wealth of knowledge and is always researching new topics and ideas. To contact Sarah to set up a session with her, call 712-277-8120.

Here is an overview of what I learned during the session (remember I am not a dietician, so before taking this information please consult Sarah or a dietician regarding your specific issues).

Tips to stay healthy:

1) Maintain a healthy weight

2) Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise daily

3) Limit energy-dense foods (ie: cheese, chocolate)

4) Eat plant foods (have it cover 2/3 of your plate)

5) Limit red meat/processed meat (ie: beef, pork, lamb, deli meat, etc.)

6) Limit alcohol

7) Limit sodium (you should not eat more than 2,400 mg of salt/day = 1 t.)

8) Take a multivitamin, but also eat plenty of fruits/veggies

9) It's best to breastfeed, because it lowers mother's hormones which can cause other cancers

10 Superfoods:

1) Chia seeds (eat 2 T./day, they are "super flaxseed")

2) Greek yogurt (eat the 0% or 2%, not the total, b/c it is very calorie dense)

3) Berries (ie: blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries)

4) Cruciferous veggies (ie: broccoli, cabbage, kale, brussel sprouts, cauliflower)

5) Nuts (P.A.W. = pecans, almonds, walnuts, aim for 1/4 c./day)

6) Whole Grains (look for the brown rice, quinoa, etc.)

7) Beans (substitute them in burgers, meatloaf and casseroles for more filler)

8) Tea (white, green, oolong, black, unsweetened is best)

9) Soy (unless you have a connection to breast cancer or an estrogen-based cancer)

10) Salmon (or tuna, trout, sardines, eat 2 servings/week)

The big thing to think about now is "Was this food genetically modified?" Sarah said genetic modification of foods has been around since the 1990's and the top five genetically modified foods are:

1) Soy

2) Corn

3) Canola

4) Sugar beets

5) Cotton seeds

According to Wikipedia, Genetically modified foods are defined as:

"foods derived from genetically modified organisms. Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques...Animal products have also been developed, although as of July 2010 none are currently on the market."

One big genetically modified food is artificial sweeteners or a sugar substitute, like in diet pop. Aspartame, stevia, sucralose, neotame, saccharin, acesulfame potassium are all artificial sweeteners. Sarah said in moderation, it is not known to cause harm and the studies that have been conducted are not conclusive.

Sarah advised the best way to avoid genetically modified food is to eat organic. While it may be expensive at the time, the results might pay off if you can avoid bills for heart disease, cancer, high cholesterol, and other ailments in the future.

This has really gotten me thinking about how I eat. I currently eat chia seeds (they are great to mix into yogurt and oatmeal at breakfast time and they keep you filling full all morning long). I also eat greek yogurt, whole grains, and drink a cup of hot tea each day, but I know I need to do a better job eating more berries, veggies, healthy nuts, beans, and fish. Somehow, I don't think fish sticks count....

Thanks for the presentation Sarah!

**Remember this is my interpretation of Sarah's presentation. I am not a medical professional or dietician, so all facts should be checked with your doctor/dietician.**