How to navigate Halloween candy as a parent.

As a parent, you might feel some anxiety around Halloween approaching. There’s candy…everywhere… and your kids want it all. Or at least that’s how it may feel.

So how do you navigate allowing your child to eat candy? Many parents worry their child will eat too much.

Here’s some sweet food for thought:

• Treat candy the SAME as any other food, even vegetables.

  -Why? Because this will reduce the forbidden or “special” label on it. As humans, we like special things, limited time offers, forbidden treasures, and novelty items. By putting candy on the same playing field as veggies, it’s no longer this special it to be desired after.

• Allow your child to eat as much as they want.

  -If they eat too much, then they’ll get a stomachache and learn to eat less next time. Self regulating the amount they eat will help them feel satisfied and confident in their abilities to eat.

• Encourage your child to eat it as a part of meal or snacks.

  -This will ensure your child eats a variety of foods. This will also reinforce the first 🍭point. It also teaches that food isn’t something that needs to be earned (ex. If you eat your veggies you can get dessert).

More questions about this? Meet with our dietitian nutritionist!

Call the front desk to schedule an appointment.

Other Signs of Hunger

When we think of hunger signs we commonly imagine the classic sign of a growling stomach. Yet, there are a variety of hunger sings, some more subtle than others.

1. Headache or Mental “Fog”

   1. When you haven’t eaten in 3+ hours your body will experience a gradual dip in blood sugar levels. This can lead to a headache or lack of mental clarity. You might find it difficult to focus on a task or notice yourself continually zoning out.

2. Tiredness

   1. If the body is running low on energy, then we will likely feel tired. This can be one sign that it’s time to eat again.

3. Food Thoughts

   1. Are you constantly thinking about food or drawn to pictures of food? We are biologically wired to seek food when our body is hungry. This might show up as obsession with cooking, food pictures, grocery stores, or planning food.

4. Anxiety or Fidgeting

   1. While anxiety can have many origins and influencers, one of those can be related to hunger. When the brain is malnourished or hungry, it can produce an anxious state. Scientists suspect the anxiety might be a biological drive to make us more alert for food sources.

5. Irritation or Hangry

   1. Hangry is the mix of hunger and anger. When you notice your irritated (especially if its for no reason) check in with yourself. When was the last time you ate? Was it enough? Perhaps try eating something.

6. Feeling shaky or weak

   1. When the body is running low on energy, you might feel physically shaky or weak. Physical exertion, such as lifting weights, running, etc. may become more difficult than usual. This is a sign that your body doesn’t have enough energy.

7. Nausea or Stomach Pains

   1. This one may seem counterintuitive, however, nausea can sometimes be a symptom of hunger. This can occur due to the acidity of stomach acid, in addition to taking certain medications (ex. NASIDS) or supplements (ex. multivitamin) without food.

While this isn’t an exhaustive list of hunger signs, it hopefully provides you some guidance on navigating your less obvious hunger cues. Questions or want more? Contact us to meet with our nutritionist!

Five Nutrition Tips for Travelers

Traveling can make eating tricky with limited access to food, new foods, chaotic schedule, etc.

It’s important to stay nourished while traveling that way you’re energized and healthy. Take a look at the images below for tips on how to stay nourished while traveling!

When is your child's picky eating TOO picky?

“My kid is such a picky eater! I’m afraid they arent getting enough.”

Ever heard or said this phrase? Or perhaps you’ve said it before. It’s common for kids to go through a picky eating phase when they’re young. But….

How do you know when it becomes TOO PICKY?

• they become emotionally distressed when told to have a food they dislike (e.g. crying, screaming, running away from table, etc)

• they’re gagging on foods they don’t like

• they will only eat VERY specific foods

• their variety is severally limited

• they aren’t growing sufficiently

This isn’t a diagnostic list but it gives an idea of the difference between simple food preferences and a type of disorder eating, called Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).

ARFID is typically first noticed in young children and can persist into adulthood if not addressed.

It frequently includes severe texture, taste, smell, and temperature preferences, resulting in a very limited diet and anxiety around food.

How to approach treatment?

• Work with a trained ED-informed dietitian or therapist that provide in-person sessions

• they will likely have your child do controlled food exposures with feared / disliked foods

• these food exposures will likely need to be replicated and repeated at home

• understand that these feared / disliked food may be very distressing for your child… AND that don’t mean they can’t grow distress tolerance to them

Interested in treatment? Message us through our website portal!

Basic Nourishment

By: Julia Yuskavage, MS, RDN

With so many sources of nutrition information readily available in this day and age, it’s no wonder why people might feel confused about what, when, how, and why to eat. Oftentimes, nutrition counseling begins with providing some basic information about the major nutrients that our bodies use. The word “nutrition” is derived from “nourish”, which is from the Latin nutrire, meaning to sustain with food or nutriment; supply with what is necessary for life, health, and growth. There are three macronutrients, which include carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Many people have heard that it is “healthy” to avoid certain macronutrients entirely. However, this is not the case, as each of them serves vital roles in the human body. In fact, eliminating food groups from one's eating pattern can be a risk factor for developing an eating disorder. 

Keep in mind that consuming adequate food and nutrients helps the body (including cells, tissues, and organs) operate optimally and provides the body with the energy it needs to perform daily functions. Sometimes, people may find that they either eat too little or too much food in part due to intense emotions and overwhelming feelings (it can be helpful to talk about such emotions and feelings with a trained mental health clinician). When the human body is deprived of precious fuel and nutrition, both the mind and body can suffer and deteriorate, leading to complications that require medical intervention. The following is a brief description of each macronutrient, some of the functions that each serves, as well as some of the foods that each is found in. 

Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a major energy source for humans, and can be compared to the function of gasoline fueling a car. Without adequate fuel, you may find that you are “running on empty”. The brain prefers to use this macronutrient for energy, and it is also used during any physical activity/exercise. By consuming adequate carbohydrate, protein is spared, which preserves lean body mass. The three types of carbohydrates are simple (such as sugars found in fruit or cookies), complex (also known as starch), and fiber (which comes from plants and is indigestible). Foods such as corn, beans, potatoes, yogurt, milk, bread, fruit, and candy all provide some level of carbohydrates which are then broken down into glucose for use by the body.

Protein

Protein can also be used as an energy source, although it will not be used for energy needs if adequate carbohydrates are consumed and/or stored in the body, and if fat is also available for energy metabolism. This leaves protein available for functions such as building, maintaining and repairing muscle, skin, hair, bone, organs, and nails. Proteins are used in the creation of hormones and enzymes, and are needed to form antibodies in order to fight off infections and maintain a strong immune system. Some of the major food sources of protein include chicken, beef, pork, fish, cheese, milk, eggs, tofu, certain grains, and legumes such as soybeans, lentils, and peanuts, which are then broken down into amino acids by the body for use. While animal sources of protein provide all of the necessary amino acids our bodies need, plant-based protein sources lack certain amino acids. For this reason, it is important for vegetarians to be mindful about their food choices, in order to ensure that all essential amino acids are consumed through various foods.

Fat

Fat is the most energy-dense macronutrient and can be used as a fuel source. It is used by the body to support brain health, form cell structures, create hormones, regulate inflammation, and absorb fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamins A, D, E and K). Dietary fats create energy reserves for our bodies and protect vital organs. Along with providing insulation to keep one’s body warm enough, dietary fats also keep hair and skin vibrant and healthy. Among other foods, fat is found in oils, nuts, seeds, avocado, beef, salmon, cheese, potato chips, and ice cream. Dietary fats are broken down into free fatty acids and monoglycerides, which the body then uses for various functions. Like essential amino acids, the body also requires certain essential fatty acids, which can be found in plant foods as well as some fish.

References:

1. http://www.dictionary.com/browse/nutrition

2. https://www.eatrightpro.org/

3. http://www.diabetes.org/

4. https://mynutrition.wsu.edu/nutrition-basics/

5. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/other-nutrients/

6. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/