Healthy Holiday Tips

The holidays have come on quickly, haven't they!? I feel that it was just Halloween and now here we are a few days before Christmas.

The holidays are joyful, stressful and almost certainly filled with challenges to your healthy lifestyle. There are extra sweets and fun holiday foods around and there seems to be much less time for exercise. When you combine extra calories consumed, fewer calories burned and the short December days, it can lead to weight changes and more stress.

So, how do you stay healthy during the holidays?

Try some of these tips:
1. Eat at regular intervals - meaning, do not skip a meal because you are going to a party later in the day and want to eat a bunch of goodies there. Eat normally prior to going to the party so that you're not ravenous by the time you get to sample your favorite treats - this will help prevent over-indulging.
2. If time is an issue, exercise in shorter bouts. Sometimes we get hung up on not having enough time to get in our "full workout," but it's better to squeeze in a 20-minute jog than to skip it entirely.
3. Watch the booze - alcohol not only has plenty of calories, it can also increase our appetite and lowers our resolve to eat healthfully. And, of course, never drink and drive. Be safe.
4. Remember your year-round strategies for healthy eating:
eat lots of fruits and veggies, stay hydrated, eat slowly and so on

Check out this article on 10 Strategies to Prevent the Holiday Bulge: http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/10_Strategies_to_Prevent_the_Holiday_Bulge.htm

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, all the best to you and yours!

The Importance of Being Well Fed

Dining Services locations will be open at 7am from Dec 5-9th for Early Bird breakfast hours. You should eat prior to taking your early morning finals -

If you're not convinced, check out this article:

Does Eating Breakfast Affect the Performance of College Students on Biology Exams? Gregory W. Phillips at Blinn College

http://amcbt.indstate.edu/volume_30/v30-4p15-19.pdf

Ok, I know, it's finals week and the last thing you want to do is read an article that won't be on your test! So here is the gist: in this study, the college students who ate breakfast had a higher pass rate than those who did not eat breakfast.

Booyah.

EAT BREAKFAST!

Good luck on your finals!

Healthy Thanksgiving Foods

Some people associate Thanksgiving with over-eating on rich, delicious, homemade foods...oh ok, everyone thinks of Thanksgiving that way! And, to some extent, that is healthy. Celebration, relaxation, meals with family and friends - these are all very healthy and wonderful parts of life.

But did you know that many of the traditional Thanksgiving foods are quite healthy as well?

• turkey white meat
• cranberries
• sweet potatoes
• pumpkins
• carrots, peas, green beans, broccoli

That's the good news! The next step is to avoid over-indulging so much so that you can still enjoy the football games, great company and spirit of the holiday.

Check out this article for the healthy Thanksgiving foods to include on your table this Thursday:

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2011/11/17/Thanksgiving-foods-are-some-of-the-healthiest/UPI-43321321582377/

What are you thankful for this year? I am thankful for my 3-week old healthy baby. I am also thankful that I can still write full sentences on the smallest amount of sleep I've ever had in a 3-week period. Ah, life with a newborn.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Freshman 15 - Fact or Fiction?

A new study shows that the so-called, "Freshman 15," the supposed 15 pounds that first-year college students gain during their freshman year, might be a fallacy for the majority of college students.

The new data suggest that about 90% of first year students do NOT gain the Freshman 15. A researcher at Ohio State University tracked back the concept of the Freshman 15 to a 1989 article in Seventeen magazine - isn't that wild!? Check out more information on the recent study that debunks the Freshman 15 and offers some more insight as to what college students should be concerned about: http://teens.webmd.com/news/20111103/freshman-15-may-be-just-a-myth .

Transitioning to college is a challenge but don't be overly worried about weight gain. Make smart choices - eat healthfully most of the time, exercise regularly, get your sleep, avoid alcohol. Ok, when I read that list of suggestions, I wonder if I would've snickered at it as a freshman...yep, I would have. But be smart, first-years. College is a wonderful, exciting, stressful time...just don't stress about the Freshman 15!

Fruits and Veggies - You Know You Need Them But...

Are you eating enough fruit and vegetable servings on average in your day?

Most college students do not eat the recommended amount of fruit and vegetable daily but the good news is that a larger number of people in the U.S., including college students, are aware that they need to eat more fruit and vegetable everyday. Awareness is a great first step.

The picture at right is the Produce Patch (or fresh veggie/fruit area) of the Village Place & Market. Look at all that yummy produce!

What are you looking for when you are trying to increase your fruit and veggie intake?

• select fruits and veggies that you like - that way you'll be more inclined to actually eat them!
• but don't be afraid to try new things, of course - you never know what you might enjoy. What's my current veggie obsession? It's hearts of palm, which I honestly only eat at restaurants...but I love them nonetheless.
• choose organic when you can (lots of choices in Dining Services restaurants and Markets are organic - feel free to ask the chef or manager on duty for that info). Check out the "dirty dozen" from the EWG to know which fruits/veggies are more important to buy organic: http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/ On the flip side, maybe don't stress about the Clean 15 - those would be less important to purchase organic since they tend to have the lowest pesticide residue according to the EWG.
• choose many different colors of fruits and veggies - basically the different hue coordinate with different nutrients. Choosing different colors helps you to get in a variety of nutrients.
• incorporate fruits and veggies into your meals to help you bump up your daily servings - for examples, slice a banana onto your toast and peanut butter in the morning or add steamed broccoli to that formerly boring bowl of dinnertime pasta.

And a final thought on fruits and veggies: although we learn new things everyday about nutrition, nutrients in our foods, the impact of farming practices and environmental changes on our food supply and more, NO ONE has ever said, "eat fewer fruits and veggies to be healthier" - that would just be crazy! So, it's an extremely consistent message: fresh produce and lightly cooked produce - GOOD FOR YOU.

What Should You Drink?

The photo here is of a few doors of the beverage refrigerators at the Village Place & Market in the Village East community. Look at all those choices! We are lucky in the U.S. to have so many options but sometimes those options for beverages (or gum, or bread, or pasta sauce or cheese or the millions of other things for which we have a zillion choices) can overwhelm us, making it hard to settle on a simple drink.

So what should you drink? Beverages quench our thirst, keep us hydrated and can provide nutrients. Beverages often provide too many calories and added sugars for many people in the U.S., which can contribute to weight gain. That doesn't mean that soda is evil - it does mean that you should know not to drink soda in large quantities, though.

Here are some beverages to include regularly:

• water
• non fat or lowfat milk or soy milk
• tea (hot or iced)

Here are some beverages that most people can derive some benefits from but should be consumed in small quantities:

• 100% juices (great nutrients, but most of us should aim to eat more whole fruits)
• coffee (has some health benefits; know your caffeine tolerance)
• artificially-sweetened, low-to-no calorie beverages (don't want to start a great debate about artificial sweeteners here but the real deal is this: it is better to be hydrated by an artificially-sweetened, low-to-no calorie beverage than to be dehydrated or drink excessive calories from a sugar-sweetened beverage and gaining weight)

Here are some drinks to consider "treats":

• regular soda
• fancy, high-calorie coffee drinks
• juice drinks

What do college students drink all the time that they really don't need and could be dangerous if consumed excessively?

• ok, yes, alcohol
• but I was really thinking of so-called "energy drinks" - Basically, energy drinks have unproven health claims, can make you jittery, can be dangerous when paired with alcohol and are generally unnecessary and unable to deliver on their promises. If you feel like you "need energy," don't look for an energy drink as a solution. Instead, evaluate your sleep habits, your eating habits, your stress management, your hydration status, and/or your medical status.
  

I'm off to get a glass of water!

Happy Halloween - Are You Being Tricked by Your Treat?

Here are some Halloween candies by the numbers (all approximate):

HIGH calorie:

• snack sized Twizzlers: 130 calories


• snack sized Reese's PB cup: 110 calories


• snack sized Butterfinger: 100 calories


• fun sized M&Ms: 100 calories


• snack sized Milky Way: 90 calories

LOWER calorie:

• mini Tootsie Roll: 13 calories


• Reese's mini-cup: 35 calories


• treat sized box of Milk Duds: 40 calories


• mini box of Raisins: 40 calories and good for you!


• treat size box of Sweet Tarts: 50 calories

So, Halloween candies have some ranges on calories. There is certainly room to include your favorite candies during this time of year - watch your portions and enjoy! (Also brush your teeth after eating all that stuff - keep your teeth healthy, too!)

Other tips for staying healthy on Halloween?

Well, let's get to the Real Deal: during the college years in particular, Halloween tends to be more about partying than eating candy. So stay safe this year. Check out these tips for safety and information on alcohol and drugs from Student Health Services: http://studenthealth.ucsd.edu/atodeducation.shtml

Be safe, be smart, and Happy Halloween!

Whole Grains Month Coming to an End

So, students...what did you think about October's Whole Grains Month? Did you enjoy the daily Whole Grains Features in Dining? (popcorn, quinoa, whole grain waffles, etc.?)

Did you find yourself choosing more Whole Grains? As October comes to an end, you're probably more concerned with your Halloween costume than with your intake of whole grains but I encourage you to continue to include whole grains in your regular intake beyond this month.

Some easy ways to incorporate whole grains into your daily food choices:

• choose whole grain pasta -it's as easy to cook as refined white pasta!
• select whole grain breads when you're having a sandwich, making toast or even whipping up french toast
• try some of the funkier whole grains to see what you think - for example, quinoa, which appears regularly in Dining Services' menus
• snack on healthy popcorn instead of chips or pretzels
• make oatmeal a regular breakfast choice
• when asked, "white or brown rice?" - say "brown"

For other ideas, click on http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/easy-ways-to-enjoy-whole-grains

Happy Halloween Weekend!

Wednesdays - Whole Grain Bread Day

Dining Services offers a variety of whole grain breads in our Places & Markets and you can also find whole grain breads at the deli areas. Why not make Wednesdays your whole grain bread day too?

How do you know if a bread is a whole grain?

• Look for this stamp on the package:

(Image Courtesy Oldways and the Whole Grains Council, wholegrainscouncil.org)

• Or read the ingredients: if the first ingredients says, "whole grain" or "whole wheat," that's a whole grain bread.
• Look on the front of the package - sometimes the product will claim, "100% Whole Grain Bread" - you can still double-check the ingredients but unless the manufacturer is unscrupulous, a bold claim like that should be good
• check out a long list of whole grain bread products from the Whole Grains Council: http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/find-whole-grains/breads

What else makes a healthy sandwich besides the bread?

• add veggies! Some of my faves found in Dining Services - pepperocinis, spinach leaves, tomatoes
• lean, lower-sodium deli meat (examples: turkey, ham as opposed to bologna)
• watch the portion, especially of meat and cheese. Keep the total meat/cheese to 3oz or less.
• consider hummus or guacamole as a healthy spread - more nutritious than mayo and more tasty too...if you ask me!

Happy Whole Grain Bread Wednesday.

Cooking Demo Tonight at the Zone with Chef Vaughn

What? Cooking Demonstration featuring Whole Grains

Who? Dining Services' Executive Chef, Vaughn Vargus, CEC, CCA

Where? The Zone at the Price Center (next to Jamba Juice)

When? Tuesday, October 25, 2011 from 5-6pm

Who's Invited? Everyone, especially UC San Diego students!

Why? Great cooking advice and free samples!

Come celebrate UC Food Week with Chef Vaughn. He'll make you laugh, answer your culinary questions and give you some free food. Can't beat that!

Whole Grains Challenge

It occurred to me that I've been yapping for weeks about the Whole Grains Challenge that Dining Services is participating in all month and that some of you might have no idea what it's all about.

If you're interested in learning more about the Whole Grains Challenge, check out: http://wholegrainscouncil.org/newsroom/whole-grains-council-kicks-off-5th-annual-whole-grains-challenge

UC San Diego Dining Services hopes that you've been enjoying the increased whole grain choices during October and the increased visibility of these options. Dining is committed to healthy choices of all kinds all year 'round and we love the opportunity to focus in on certain topics. It's especially fun when there is a contest involved!

There is only 1 week of October left but it's not too late for you to take on the Whole Grains Challenge for yourself! Get to it - get to the Whole Grains!

Corn - Friday's Featured Whole Grain, October's Featured Whole Grain

Corn is Dining's Friday featured whole grain and October is Whole Grains Month. Dining Services continues in the month-long Whole Grains Challenge, which involves serving at least one whole grain dish per day in all five residential dining restaurants (Plaza Cafe, Pines, OVT, Cafe V and Canyon Vista). Fridays are Corn Day!

The Whole Grains Council (http://wholegrainscouncil.org/ ) chose corn as the featured whole grain of October: http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/corn-october-grain-of-the-month .

You might wonder, why corn? Well, it's true that corn has gotten a bit of a bad rep as of late in the U.S. due to hotly debated topics such as high-fructose corn syrup and the nature of the U.S. food system. But...those are topics for another day. Actual corn can definitely be part of a healthy diet!

You might also wonder whether corn is a grain at all - or is it a vegetable? Well, who cares really? But basically fresh corn is considered a starchy vegetable (is that confusing enough for you?) and dried corn is considered a grain. But here's the Real Deal, the Whole Grains Council chose corn as its featured Whole Grain during Whole Grain Month so I'm going with that!

What else is cool about corn?

• it's high in vitamin A
• it's gluten-free
• popcorn kernels can pop up to 3 feet in the air
• most of the world refers to corn as maize and I don't know if it's an American thing like we measure our weight in pounds unlike anywhere else. On another side note, if you're a fan of Modern Family, you will remember Cam posing as a Native American to get his daughter into a prestigious pre-school and referring to corn as "maize" - it's a great scene.

Happy Corn Day - is that corny? Oh gosh...

Calcium - you need it, are you getting it?

Calcium is a nutrient that many college-age students, especially college women, do not consume in adequate amounts. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and serves many functions. Our serum calcium is very tightly regulated but the majority of our body's calcium in stored in our bones and teeth where it maintains their structure and function.

How much calcium do you need?

• Adults aged 19-50 need 1,000mg calcium daily
• young first year students (ages 14-18) need 1,300mg daily

A large number of college students do not meet these daily calcium requirements from food. The picture to the right is of two of my favorite ways to get calcium from food - Greek yogurt, and a decaf, nonfat latte. Yum! I got both of those from Roger's Place & Market on Revelle College.

If you find that you cannot meet your daily calcium needs with food, a calcium supplement makes sense to help you get to the 1,000mg daily requirement. How do you know how much calcium you're getting from food? Check this out http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium#h3

Protect those bones, get that calcium!

Whole Grains Challenge Month

Dining Services is participating in the Whole Grains Challenge this month -- are you?

Dining is offering daily whole grain foods:

• Sundays - whole wheat pancakes


• Mondays - popcorn


• Tuesdays - whole wheat pastas


• Wednesdays - whole grain bread


• Thursdays - assorted whole grains (quinoa, wild rice, brown rice)


• Fridays - assorted corn choices


• Saturdays - oatmeal

In addition, the Places & Markets are featuring their daily whole grain choices as well. Look for whole grain displays and/or ask a manager for help finding the whole grain choices.

Why whole grains, you ask? Whole grains, like fruits and veggies, contain tiny but mighty antioxidants and phytochemicals. These antioxidants and phytochemicals fight disease. So many times we focus on what we shouldn't eat...it's far more effective and enjoyable to focus on what we should be eating. Whole grains? You should be eating them! For more info, check out the Whole Grains Council at http://wholegrainscouncil.org/

The WHOLE GRAINS CHALLENGE - are you in!?

Oatmeal, Whole Grain Goodness

Diets rich in whole grains and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
(This health claim is approved by the FDA.)

Here's the deal: whole grains are good for you. Here's the other deal: you're in college, which means you have a busy, variable schedule and probably live on a tight budget.

So, how can you get some affordable, quick whole grains?

Oatmeal! Dining Services offers steel cut oatmeal every day. Every Saturday of this month, we'll be offering even more mix-ins to help you enjoy your delicious whole grain, college-friendly oatmeal. Not everyone loooooooves oatmeal but give it a try. It looks a little weird but it's tasty and good for you.

Whole Grains Features in Dining All October

As part of Dining's Whole Grains Challenge, we will be serving fun, whole grain features everyday in October.








Here is what you can look forward to:

• Sundays: whole wheat pancakes


• Mondays: popcorn (yup, it's whole grain!)


• Tuesdays: whole wheat pastas


• Wednesdays: whole grain breads


• Thursdays: assorted whole grains such as quinoa, wild rice, brown rice


• Fridays: corn day - corn on cob, corn salad, corn salsa, corn chowder


• Saturdays: steel cut oatmeal with fun mix-ins (dried fruits, syrups, brown sugar)

Whole Grains Month - UC Eats Real

October is Whole Grains Month. In honor of whole grain goodness, Dining Services will be featuring daily whole grain choices in Residential Dining and in our Places & Markets. Look for the UC Eats Real logo above in Dining Services.

You can also find Whole Grain stamps (also pictured above) on packaged goods that contain whole grains.

Today's feature in Dining Services? POPCORN! Yes, popcorn is a whole grain and a really fun one if I may say so. Dining will be offering popcorn in two really yummy ways today: cracker-jack style and white cheddar cheese popcorn. Ok, ok, so plain popcorn is the healthier way to eat it but we're trying to have some fun with our whole grains.

Eat whole grains, eat well!

October: Whole Grains Month in Dining Services

Happy October!

For the month of October, Dining Services will be featuring WHOLE GRAIN foods everyday. We are participating in the Whole Grains Challenge http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/get-involved/whole-grains-challenge and want to spark interest among the study body in incorporating more daily whole grain foods.

So, join Dining Services in eating more whole grains this month and from now on! Look for the whole grains feature everyday this month in your favorite Dining restaurant and Place & Market.

Pines - Direct Links to Useful Info

Pines restaurant on Muir College has digital boards near the entrance that can provide you with useful information.

For example, from your smartphone, you can use a QR scanner (free app if you don't have one already) to get directly to several different webpages regarding Housing and Dining.

The link in blue on the picture at right is to the Nutrition page. (Hey, that's my page!)

Other helpful links are to Current Events, Important Deadlines, Sustainability and all kinds of Housing info too. Check out the digital boards and definitely check the HDH website for all kinds of info: http://hdh.ucsd.edu/

John's Market - New to Muir College

Muir College has a new market where you can use your Dining Dollars, Triton Cash, credit or cash to purchase specialty coffee drinks, assorted beverages, milks, groceries, snacks and supplies. John's is located on Muir College just south of Pines restaurant. There is outdoor seating to use while you enjoy your latte and scone in between classes.

John's is open now!

Hours are Mon-Fri 7am-1am and Sat-Sun 9am-1am

Triton Card Accounts - Help with your card

If you have any trouble with your Triton Card, please contact the Triton Card Accounts Office:

Academic School Year Hours are:
Monday-Friday from 7:30am - 7:00pm
Weekends/Holidays from 11:00am - 3:00pm


Office Location:
Revelle College
HDH Administration Building, west of Plaza Cafe
2nd floor

Phone: (858) 534-7587

Email: tritoncardaccounts@ucsd.edu

What's Healthy to Eat on Campus?

UC San Diego resident students are fortunate to have a wide range of food options and locations from which to choose to spend their Dining Dollars (meal plan).

Check out all of Dining's locations at http://hdh.ucsd.edu/diningservices/

The 5 large restaurants are:

• Plaza Cafe (Revelle)



• Pines (Muir)



• Oceanview Terrace (Marshall)



• Cafe Ventanas (ERC)



• Canyon Vista (Warren)

There are also Places & Markets, which are mini-groceries, coffee shops and places to hang out:

• Roger's (Revelle)



• John's (Muir)



• Goody's (Marshall)



• The Village Market (ERC/the Village)



• Earl's (Warren)



• Sixth Market (Sixth)

And we have some more places where you can get different things to eat and also accept your Dining Dollars:

• Goody's - burritos, sandwiches, wraps, salads, fruits, veggies and more



• Foodworx - salads, sandwiches, wraps, pizzas, fruits, veggies and more



• the Bistro - full-service restaurant with great service and great cuisine


• Club Med - breakfast and lunch salads, flatbread pizzas, hot and cold sandwiches

You can make healthy choices at each and every one of these locations. If you need help knowing how to choose healthfully, well that's where I can help! Let me know and I'll be happy to assist you in staying healthy while living and eating on campus. Also look for the LiveWell logo (above) at the 5 large restaurants - LiveWell meals are RD-approved, healthy meals.

Some Like it Hot Sauce! My Fave is Cholula!

Returning students may remember that Dining Services provides a plethora of sauces to allow you to spice up your meals based on your own preferences. Condiments like ketchup, mustard, mayo, bbq sauce, soy sauce, srichacha sauce and cholula are available daily.

This year you'll see that Dining Services was able to obtain large dispensers of cholula hot sauce in place of the smaller bottles that often went missing...hey, were you guys taking those to your rooms!? Having the larger dispensers means fewer bottles to track down on the tables and quicker, easier refilling when the supply runs low. All that means more hot sauce for your enjoyment!

Taste preferences are individual, of course, but my favorite foods to add hot sauce to include:

• scrambled eggs


• burritos of all kinds


• refried beans


• grilled chicken
  

Happy hot sauce eating!

Welcome to UC San Diego!

To All New and Returning Students at UC San Diego:




Welcome to UC San Diego's Dining Services Healthy Eating blog! The purpose of this blog is to help you stay connected to what's happening in Dining Services with a special focus on the healthier side of things. My name is Becky and I'm the registered dietitian (RD) for Housing, Dining & Hospitality. I help students make healthy lifestyle choices while living on campus. Please feel free to check into this blog for posts on healthy foods, healthy events and what I hope is fun and informative nutrition and health information.

Check for the orange and purple "Real Deal on Nutrition" logo (see above) for nutrition news and events where I'll appear.



Also visit our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2387457222 for updated information on what's happening all over Housing*Dining*Hospitality.

Do you have questions about eating at one of Dining's locations? Email me at rmcdivitt@ucsd.edu and I'll be happy to help!

Welcome to the start of a great academic year and good luck with your studies!

Club Med, Dining's Newest Location, Now Open!

Club Med, Dining Services' newest location, is now open on the School of Medicine campus at UC San Diego. Here are some photos of the interior of the new Club Med. The photo at top is one of the salads and one of the flatbread sandwiches.

This location is open Monday-Friday from 7:30am until 2:00pm and features freshly made-to-order salads, warm flatbread sandwiches, deli sandwiches and flatbread pizzas. There are daily vegetarian choices and a variety of grab and go items such as sushi, chips, yogurts, fresh fruits, and beverages (sodas, juices, coffee).

Club Med accepts Dining Dollars (for resident students), TritonCash, regular cash and credit. Come check it out and have a yummy breakfast or lunch.

Welcome Early Birds!

Early move-in starts today. Welcome to UC San Diego, early birds!

Dining Services is open for limited hours during the next few days to accommodate the early move-in schedule. Please check here for locations and hours: http://hdh.ucsd.edu/diningservices/hours.asp

Your meal plan begins on Saturday, September 17th. We'll be open for our regular weekend hours beginning that day and open for regular weekday hours starting on 9/19/11.

10 Years Later, Remembering September 11, 2011

No one could forget where they were when they heard the news 10 years ago that a jet plane had crashed into the World Trade Center building in New York City.

I was working in a hospital clinic in Baltimore, Maryland that had televisions for patients receiving infusions to watch during their procedures. Virtually the entire clinic staff along with several patients crowded into the infusion rooms to watch in horror as the media coverage revealed the attacks on the United States. We at the hospital braced for a possible influx of victims that we would receive from the Washington, DC attack or where ever else they might originate. I wondered what I would possibly be able to do for anyone as a dietitian (the answer was deliver food to staff and patients as needed.) Alas, my hospital did not receive a huge influx of injured. I went home that night to hug my family a little tighter and share the fear and hope that the entire country felt.

Today we remember all the people who were lost in the senseless attacks from 10 years ago. We stand in solidarity with our fellow Americans in thanking all who fought bravely to save others during the minutes and hours following the awful plane crashes in NYC, DC and PA.

Since this is a healthy eating blog, here is the one connection I'll make between nutrition and 9/11: Before you eat your meals today, take a moment of silence to remember those who died and to be grateful for the lives, safety and well-being of your loved ones.

Power Was Out!

Wow, what a power outage! SDG&E customers (all 1.5 million of us) were without power yesterday for 10-12 hours. I am very impressed with how quickly they got us all back online but of course there are food and water safety concerns following any kind of prolonged outage such as this one.
Therefore Dining Services' restaurants (and the UC San Diego campus) are shut down today.


Essential personnel are busy working to restore the campus to full function and things are looking pretty good from what I can tell.

This power outage was a really good reminder to have emergency supplies at home, work and even in your car. Do you have an emergency kit in case of disaster?
Check out the CDC's recommendations for emergency kit supplies at http://emergency.cdc.gov/preparedness/kit/disasters/

Be safe and remember to feel grateful when you flick a switch and the light turns on, when you use the loo and the toilet flushes, when you sit on your comfy couch and watch football (or reality tv, whatever you're into), etc., etc. We are fortunate in this country to have the best of modern conveniences and luxury!

Dining Services Locations - Re-Opening 9/14/11 Except for Club Med Open Now

This week UC San Diego Dining Services is busy preparing for move-in, which begins with early move-in on 9/14/11. We expect most of our resident students to join us starting on 9/17/11.

We are so excited to meet you, share meals together and have a great year overall.

If you happen to be on campus this week, we have one open location: Club Med. It's on the School of Medicine campus and is open from 7:30a-2p, Monday-Friday.

We're working hard to be ready to serve you the best meals that Dining Dollars can buy. See you soon!

From Associate Director of Dining Services at UC San Diego, Steve Casad:


Dear UC San Diego Student,


Welcome to the University of California, San Diego. We would like to introduce you to our department, Dining Services. Currently Dining Services provides 16 on-campus locations to dine and socialize with 1 additional location under construction. Our restaurants and markets are conveniently located throughout the campus at each of the 6 colleges. Now is the time to join us! We would like to offer you the opportunity for on-campus employment.

Employment with Dining Services is convenient, competitive and full of perks:

-students report that it is convenient to work in the neighborhood where they live and learn
-schedules are a minimum of 12 hours/week and a maximum of 20 hours/week so work does not interfere with academics
-Dining Services provides flexible scheduling around classes
-competitive wages starting at $8.64/hour with bonuses to follow
-ample opportunity for growth and promotion
-free meals for every shift worked
-the additional benefit of being paid to make new friends!

If you are interested in employment, please check our website at http://hdh.ucsd.edu/diningservices/employ.asp. Contact information for our locations' student managers is provided under the "Contact the facilities" heading. We pride ourselves on the contribution we have in our students' lives as they live, work, and play at UC San Diego. Welcome to the community - we look forward to meeting you in the fall!

Sincerely,


Steven D. Casad

Associate Director of Dining, Retail and Conference Services

Code Blue - Resuscitation! Club Med is Now Open on the School of Medicine Campus!

Club Med is a Dining restaurant on the School of Medicine's campus that re-opened today. Club Med was last on the medical campus in 2008 but was closed during an extensive remodel of buildings at the School of Medicine.

Today Club Med has been revived and has strong vital signs! The menu features flatbread pizza (check out my Tuscan flatbread pizza above with mozzarella cheese, kalamata olives, pepperocinis, fresh basil and tomatoes. I added red pepper flakes, of course, because I love the spicy heat on pizza), warm turbo sandwiches (such as the Sante Fe chicken in the first picture), freshly made salads (see the chopped salad in the first picture), deli sandwiches, sushi and other tasty options for breakfast and lunch.

Club Med will be open Monday-Friday for breakfast and lunch. Stop by and check it out - if you see someone in a short white coat walking around looking lost, it's a new medical student. Help her/him out!

Can You Feel Summertime Slip, Sliding Away?

It's the end of August and Labor day weekend, the unofficial end of summer, is swiftly approaching. Those of us in San Diego are lucky to have plenty of summery weather ahead of us but everyone feels the back-to-school vibe - more traffic, schoolkids at bus stops, new fall line-ups getting heavy promotion on the television.

I just looooooooooove summer and like to hold on tightly to it as long as I can. In honor of my favorite season, here are some yummy summer recipes. Let's savor the next few weeks!

Here is an simple go-to recipe that I make at home, especially when I haven't planned anything and I want to eat in the next half hour (oh gosh, that's really frequently...)! What do I love about this recipe? It uses items that I often have around in the summer and I love me some black olives. If you're not an olive-lover like I, substitute in something else (cherry tomatoes, green beans) or just skip them.

Quick & Easy Summer Spaghetti
Serves 4
12 ounces of spaghetti (about 3/4 box)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
5 small zucchini, sliced
3/4 cup black olives
salt and pepper to taste
optional: grated parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to directions on the box
2. Meanwhile heat oil in skillet, add garlic
3. Add zucchini, salt and pepper to oil and garlic, cook until zucchini is tender
4. Add black olives, simmer for a minute or so
5. Add zucchini mixture to the pasta and toss to combine
6. Sprinkle with parmesan if desired



Check out this Corn and Summer Vegetable Saute from Cooking Light: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/corn-summer-vegetable-saut-10000001622502/
What do I love about this recipe? It's loaded with vegetables so it's loaded with nutrients. It has beans in it, which are great vegetarian protein sources and fabulous fiber boosters, AND it has a jalapeno in it. I love jalapenos!


And here is another fun, summer recipe using an ingredient that really says, "summertime" - hot dogs! This recipe is called: Hot Dogs Run Through the Garden - http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe-hot-dogs-run-through-garden-10000001634699/ Alright, I realize that hot dogs really can't be turned into being actually healthy themselves, however, consider that you have had a summer cookout and possess leftover hot dogs that you want to use up. Why not add a bunch of veggies on top? You'll enjoy that salty, snappy hot dog and actually get some good nutrition from the added veggies. It's better than eating the dog with a bag of chips, people!

Happy eating and SAVOR THE SUMMER!

Why is Celiac Disease on the Rise?

At this point, everyone knows someone who is following a gluten-free diet who has either has been diagnosed with celiac disease or thinks he has some form of gluten intolerance.

Many people wonder why celiac disease has been on the rise in recent years. Many theories exist for the rise in celiac disease - many of them are false and the answer might be a combination of factors.

Alession Fasano, MD, a celiac disease expert at the University of Maryland School of Medicine cites several possible explanations for the rise:

• more gluten in the grains that we eat


• earlier exposure to gluten in childrens' diets


• variations in breast-feeding practices


• and the most popular theories involve: improvements in sanitation and sanitation in modern society (also known as the "hygiene theory" or "clean theory")

Check out a good article on the topic: http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=651247

Experts estimate that approximately 1 out of 133 people in the United States has celiac disease. That sounds like a lot when you hear it that way - however, put another way, that's 0.7% of the population. Certainly the numbers are on the rise but there are many people making assumptions that gluten-free is the diet for them and they are not necessarily making a good choice. Make sure to consult a physician before putting yourself on a gluten-free diet. If you don't need to follow the diet for medical reasons, don't! There are a lot of delicious gluten-containing items that you would miss dearly over the long run. And there is no medical justification at this time to follow a gluten-free diet unless you have some sort of intolerance to it.

Favorite Recipe Sites

When you're looking for a new recipe, where do you go? I love online cookbooks and recipe databases. Here are some of the ones I visit most regularly for personal and professional use:

• www.allrecipes.com - It's well-named since it really has a huge database of choices.


• www.eatingwell.com - A great site for mostly healthy recipes


• www.vrg.org - the Vegetarian Resource Group's website. This is a Baltimore-based (shout-out to my hometown!) vegetarian/vegan group that has a wealth of information on vegetarianism and veganism. I refer a lot of college students who are making their first forays into vegetarian/veganism here.


• www.cookinglight.com - a good, old standby.


• www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/RecipeIndex - I love many part of the Mayo Clinic's website. These recipes can be very useful too.

Do you have a favorite recipe website? Let me know!

Colon Cleansing: Among the Odd Topics That People Ask Me

So this might not be something that you would think people would ask a dietitian but I assure you, they do...people want to know what's up with colon cleansing.

Here's the deal: DON'T DO IT. It is not medically recommended and from the stories I have heard, it's incredibly unpleasant. There are potential risks: pain, vomiting, serious and even fatal infections. Your body does NOT need help cleaning its colon. It knows what it's doing in there so let it be!

Check out this article for more information: http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/AlternativeMedicine/27280 , which cites the Journal of Family Practice article entitled, "The dangers of colon cleansing."

And that's the Real Deal today.

Why You Might Be Wrong When You Think, "I Need To Eat More Protein"

People often ask me how much protein they need and are almost always surprised by my estimate of their daily recommended amount. It's likely that the amount of protein that you need is less than what you are used to consuming on a daily basis.

The average male needs approximately 65 grams of protein per day while the average female needs 55 grams protein per day. Of course, there is variation among people but those ballpark figures should help you to understand that consuming sufficient protein is relatively easy for most people, even vegetarians!

Eating too much protein can be a bad thing on two fronts:
1) your health - if you eat too much animal-based protein, especially processed meats or red meats (anything from lunchmeat to hot dogs to chicken fingers to steaks), you could be raising your risk of heart disease and cancer.
2) your environmental impact - the amount of energy it takes to get animal-based food products all the way to your plate is tremendous. There is a significant amount of water consumption that goes into one piece of steak. Perhaps that is a newer way to think about how we eat...but it's becoming more important as we look at global water shortages and environmental impacts.

Here is a pretty cool summary article on the topic of protein consumption with information from my favorite nutrition professor, Marion Nestle, of NYU: http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/how-much-protein-do-you-really-need-2523319/

Dining Services has joined the Meatless Monday movement by offering only meatless options at the grill station of our 5 residential restaurants every Monday from September through June (the academic year.)

Dietary Supplements: What Should You Take?

I really posed a big question with the title of this post! I can't answer the question precisely for each individual because we all vary with our dietary intake and needs. For example, there are some people who struggle with iron-deficiency anemia and would need to take supplemental iron but for many people, iron supplementation is unnecessary and potentially harmful. There are conditions that warrant supplementation - people with inflammatory bowel disease, for example, often need a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement and additional vitamin B12 due to absorptive challenges. There are some trends that exist among groups of people. Often women do not take in the recommended amount of calcium per day from food so there are many women who could benefit from calcium supplementation.

So...how do you know whether you should take dietary supplements and how do you learn the specifics like dosages and timing of supplementation? Talk to your doctor or dietitian - healthcare professionals can look at your medical history and dietary intake to make individualized recommendations for you.

Here is a great resource for information as well from NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements: http://ods.od.nih.gov/HealthInformation/DS_WhatYouNeedToKnow.aspx

Is the Old Adage Calories In Vs. Calories Out Enough to Guide Weight Loss?

Probably not. Although technically calories in versus calories out is a good guideline for how the body gains and loses weight: if you consume more calories than you burn off resulting in a net gain of calories, you'll gain weight (and vice versa), it's not enough to help people effectively manage their weight.

Researchers from Harvard reviewed information gathered in the Nurses' Health Study, Nurses' Health Study II and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study over study periods of 12-20 years. Every 2 years, the nurses, doctors, dentists and veterinarians in the study filled out detailed questionnaires about their eating habits and weight.

The average participant gained 3.35 pounds every 4 years or 16.8 pounds over 20 years.

So, what's not surprising?

• people gained weight as the aged


• exercise helped prevent weight gain


• weight gain was gradual over the years but added up over the long run


• foods associated with the most weight gain included french fries, potato chips, sugar-sweetened beverages and processed meats

What surprised me?

• yogurt was the food most strongly linked to weight loss


• people who slept less than 6 hours or more than 8 hours per night tended to gain the most (I was surprised that the long sleepers gained a lot too.)


• drinking wine (1 glass/day) did not affect weight but increasing intake of other forms of alcohol did cause weight gain

Check out a great summary of the results published in the The New England Journal of Medicine at the NY Times here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/19/health/19brody.html?_r=2

Mindless vs. Mindful Eating

When I talk with people about their eating habits, I ask them not only about their food and beverage intake but also about their meal/snack experience. What I mean by "experience" is where do they eat, are they seated at a table or standing in front of the counter, do they eat with others, is the television on, etc.?

I am also amazed by the number of colleagues who eat at their desks or say that they are too busy to stop working for a meal. Mistakes! We all need breaks from work in order to recharge and be efficient and, in addition, nourishment and fueling the body are essential to being good at our jobs!

When I meet with someone who is engaging in mindless eating, I hope to help him/her to become more of a mindful eater with some of the following strategies:

• pay attention to the food that you are eating


• really taste it, savor the flavors, notice the textures, enjoy it


• eat slowly


• listen to body cues on hunger and satiety - stop before getting stuffed


• turn off the distractions such as television


• if at work, get away from the desk and take a break from looking at your smartphone - sit outside if the day is nice, go to a cafe if you have time

Interested in more about this topic? Check out one of my favorite books and approaches to eating, called "Intuitive Eating": http://www.intuitiveeating.org/

High Fructose Corn Syrup

People ask me about high fructose corn syrup fairly regularly. They want to know if it's worse for us than regular sugar and how it impacts weight management. Interestingly, recent consumer research showed that in the past 6 months, out of consumers surveyed, 37% limited or avoided calories, 20% were watching fats and oils, and 17% were cutting back on products with sugar or added sugar, while only 4% were monitoring high fructose corn syrup. Check out http://www.drugstorenews.com/article/research-consumers-more-concerned-fat-calorie-intake-high-fructose-corn-syrup

I am surprised by the lower percentage of people who are concerned with high fructose corn syrup because it's such a hot topic right now. Food manufacturers have begun to respond to demand for "no high fructose corn syrup" products so it will be interesting to see what happens to its consumption in the U.S. over the next few years.

Have you been trying to reduce your intake of high fructose corn syrup?

Chocolate and Exercise, Huh?

Researchers at the UC San Diego have discovered a possible link between eating chocolate and improved exercise capacity. A flavonol in dark chocolate, called epicatechin, was fed to mice in liquid form in a study of oxidative capacity and fatigue resistance in mouse muscle. Check out the study at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21788351

The researchers found that the mice fed epicatechin instead of plain water had increased exercise endurance capacity.

So, should you eat a candy bar prior to your next long run? Sadly, no. The amount of epicatechin fed to the mice in the study equates to a sixth of an ounce of dark chocolate or one half of one square of one chocolate bar. Bummer.

But there is good news about dark chocolate overall. It can be part of a healthy intake. People who regularly eat small amounts of dark chocolate have lower rates of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. So eat some dark chocolate, exercise regularly and go for balance in your life!

Can Chewing Gum Help You Maintain a Healthy Weight?

I am a life-long gum devotee. When I was a kid, I could chew through packs of Hubba Bubba and Bubblicious like nobody's business. I have fond memories of going with my dad to a local convenience store called Lucky's where I could gaze upon the huge display of candies and gums. He would let me pick out a pack or two and would often say, "don't tell your mother."

Anyway, 20-some years later I still enjoy at least one piece of gum following every meal and wonder what sort of role regular gum-chewing has on eating habits and weight management. There have been some studies to suggest that gum-chewing has an effect on digestion or can help with maintaining weight and staving off cravings.

A recent and rather small study published in the journal, Appetite, and paid in part by Wrigley (the gum company) looked at the "Effects of chewing gum on short-term appetite regulation in moderately restrained eaters." Check out the Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21718732

In this study, gum chewers (45 minutes at a time) ate slightly less and reportedly had better satiety through suppressed appetite and craving levels.

Dentists would surely recommend sugarless gum but for some people the artificial sweeteners can cause gastrointestinal symptoms. So, it's up to you. I will continue my gum obsession.

Cutting Back on Sugar?

I frequently hear people say that they are trying to "cut back on sugar" or that they "don't eat sugar." I often wonder exactly what they mean when they say, "sugar." A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that Americans cut back on added sugar in a study period during 2007-2008 as compared to a study of added sugar intake between 1999-2000.

The "typical" American diet contained 100 grams of added sugar in '99-'00 versus 77 grams in '07-'08. The study says that the decrease is primarily from a reduction in sodas and sugary beverages.

http://www.ajcn.org/content/early/2011/07/13/ajcn.111.018366

I'd say that that's good news for Americans but unfortunately rates of obesity, Type 2 diabetes and other chronic illnesses continue to climb.

Even still, choosing beverages without added sugars such as water, milk, 100% juice or freshly squeezed juices, teas, coffees is better for you than choosing sugary beverages, sodas, "juice drinks," and highly sugared tea and coffee specialty drinks. But keep in mind that added sugar is just one part of the nutrition puzzle. Having an occasional iced cold cola with some salty peanuts is one of my favorite treats - and there is some serious sugar in that cola! But it's worth it and put into the larger scope of a balanced diet, it's an ok thing to do.

Trying to figure out the nutrition puzzle? Let me know your questions!

Becky at rmcdivitt@ucsd.edu

Delicious and Healthy Options Today for Lunch

Check out some of the healthy options for lunch today available in UC San Diego Dining Services restaurants: the far left is Roasted Red Potatoes, the middle is Rosemary Chicken and on the right is the Herb Crusted Tilapia. Mmm-mmm! For a healthy lunch, choose one of the entrees (chicken or tilapia) and a serving of potatoes. Then round out the meal with fresh fruit, a mulit-colored salad from the salad bar or a serving of steamed veggies.

And to drink? Opt for water, iced tea or non-fat milk.

Summertime Topic: How Long Should You Wait After Eating to Go Swimming?

Well, this topic has been widely debated among all types of groups: parents and kids, athletes and coaches, friends, babysitters and charges.

There is a new study that actually lends credence to the old adage that you should wait to swim after you eat. The study does not take a stance on how long you should wait but it highlights data that reveal a high percentage of drowning victims had eaten shortly before swimming. (Major downer, I know.) The authors believe that drowning risk was raised by aspirated stomach contents and diverted blood to the intestine due to digestion.

Check out a summary of the article here: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/231674.php

So the take-home message is to wait awhile after you eat if you're going swimming. Relax, take a nap, read a book, go for a walk on the beach, shop or do whatever it is that you love to do in the summer. In addition, alcohol consumption is linked to drowning risk so you should not drink and swim.


Summer is awesome, people, so be safe!

Get Your Plate in Shape

The theme for National Nutrition Month 2012 has been announced and it's "Get Your Plate in Shape." National Nutrition Month, which is every March, is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored by the American Dietetic Association. The "Get Your Plate in Shape" theme fits nicely with the Choose My Plate program from the USDA http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ .

You can learn more about National Nutrition Month at http://www.eatright.org/nnm/

All this talking about plates reminds me of the Plate Method. Check out this video of me demonstrating the Plate Method: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4iCB-6SJ7W

Do You Rely on the Calorie Counts Provided by Restaurants?

Researchers from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University conducted a study of 269 restaurant dishes to determine their caloric content and to compare the measured calorie level to the stated calorie level from the restaurant.

On average, the calories posted by the restaurants were accurate. However, out of the 269 samples, 50 dishes contained 100 or more calories than posted; 17 dishes had at least 273 more calories than posted.

See more about the study here: http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/diet-nutrition/story/2011/07/Healthy-restaurant-dishes-pack-more-calories-than-expected/49517614/1

What is the take-home message here?

On average, the calorie information posted by restaurants can be helpful when you are trying to make chocies based on that information. However, there are some discrepancies in the information. Listen to your body's hunger and satiation cues. Eat slowly, enjoy the meal and don't "eat by numbers."

Are You a Competent Eater?

How many of you grew up eating dinners seated around a table with your family members?

Or did you eat whenever you could, often without others, perhaps in front of the television? How many of you now eat while looking at your iPad or smartphone?

Sure, things have changed and we have more distractions everyday. There is good reason to hark back to traditional family meals, though. Some experts believe that eating together with your family makes you a more competent eater and overall healthier individual. Research on adolescents have shown connections between eating together as a family and positive health outcomes such as better grades and healthier weights. For more information, check out: http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20110717/EDIT05/307179978/1147/EDIT07tt

There could even be a connection between eating together as a family and becoming a competent eater, an individual who enjoys meals, eats when hungry and stops when full, has a healthy relationship with food and likes a variety of foods.

So, try it this week - sit down to a relaxed dinner with your family, friends or roommates. Turn off the TV and electronic distractions, talk to each other and enjoy the food and experience!

61 Year Old Lady to Swim 103 Miles, For Real

Ok, so this isn't really a nutrition-focused blog entry...unless you consider that this 61-year old lady must know a thing or two about good nutrition in order to power her body from Cuba to the Florida Keys. I am talking about SWIMMING from Cuba to the Keys, people!

She's amazing! Diana Nyad has been a long-distance swimmer for quite some time and holds the world record for the longest ocean swim (102 miles.) Apparently she also knows how to manage her own fear or at least she knows how to manage what I'd be afraid of...the dark, deep ocean water and what swims in it! She'll be swimming for 3 days, which includes the pitch-black nights...with sharks!

Check her out and be inspired to get out there and get moving.

http://nytimes.com/2011/07/19/health/nutrition/19swim.html?_r=1&ref=health

Do Toning Shoes Really Work?

I have been asked this question several times, "do toning sneakers work?"

At this point the data are not supportive of toning shoes having the effects of burning more calories or toning large muscle groups. So basically, no, the shoes don't really work. I think this article is a great summary of the research that has been conducted on toning shoes, including a recent study:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/13/can-shoes-really-tone-the-body/?ref=health

My favorite quote from this article is from Dr. John Mercer of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Dr. Mercer says, "Humans are quite lazy, from a physiological standpoint. Our bodies will try to do the least work possible in any situation." Bascially what he is saying is that even when the toning shoes change our walking mechanics, we adapt quickly and figure out how to walk in the rounded-bottom shoes more efficiently. However, Dr. Mercer does point out that if a person enjoys the way that the shoes feel, she may be more inclined to exercise - and that is a good thing.

Too much Sodium, Too Little Potassium Linked to Higher Risk of Death in U.S.

Many Americans consume too much sodium and too little potassium each day - this imbalance leads to an increased risk of death according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, an online medical journal. The study, which included researchers from the Centers for Disease Control, Emory University and Harvard University, concluded that:

• a diet high in sodium increases risk of death from all causes


• increasing potassium intake reduces risk of death from all causes


• too much sodium and not enough potassium increases risk of death from all causes and cardiovascular disease by nearly 50%; it also more than doubles the risk of death from heart attacks
  

  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/230866.php

So, what does this mean to you?

• reduce your sodium intake by decreasing processed foods, convenience foods and restaurant foods


• limit your portions of foods that you know have higher sodium but you just can't live without


• read labels for sodium - choose the lower sodium content choice


• aim for 1,500mg sodium per day, especially if you have heart-disease risks


• increase potassium intake by eating more potassium-rich foods such as avocadoes, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas, oranges, lima beans, edamame, tomato sauce, salmon, winter squash, cantaloupe, yogurt and others

Get Enough Sleep to Best Manage Your Weight?

Can getting enough sleep help you manage your weight? Maybe. Many studies show some link between sleep habits and eating habits. People who are sleep-deprived tend to eat more calories and often eat less healthy food choices than people who have had adequate sleep. One recent study showed that sleep-deprived people ate approximately 300 more calories per day than their well-rested counterparts: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/08/us-sleep-gain-weight-idUSTRE7675RE20110708

Millions of Americans are sleep-deprived so the general message is: work towards good sleeping habits. It might help you manage your weight more effectively and you know that it will make you feel better, look better and be more fun to be around!

The Holy Grail: What is the Secret to Successful Weight Loss/Management?

People ask me nearly everyday how to lose weight. Although there are many answers to that question, I always remind those who ask me that the real key is not just how to lose weight but how to successfully maintain a healthy weight over the long term.

We continue to learn new and interesting things about weight loss, human metabolism, the importance of exercise but still the majority of Americans are overweight.

Have you heard of the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR)? It is a fascinating prospective investigation of long-term successful weight loss maintenance. Some key findings about the people in the NWCR who have successfully lost weight:

• 78% eat breakfast every day


• 75% weigh themselves at least once per week


• 62% watch less than 10 hours of television per week


• 90% exercise 1 hour per day, on average

Want to know more about the NWCR? Check it out: http://www.nwcr.ws/default.htm

Dining Services Has Been Composting for Nearly One Year!

UC San Diego's department of Housing, Dining & Hospitality is committed to sustainability. One of the "green" programs that we are very proud of is the Dining Services Composting Program, which is part of the City of San Diego's Food Waste Composting Program. Starting in August 2010, Dining Services restaurants began diverting compostable food waste from landfills to the composting area where the City of San Diego's great program processes the food scraps into a rich compost product that can improve soil texture. See more about the program and scroll down for UC San Diego's blurb:



www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services/miramar/foodwaste.shtml




Composting takes commitment from the employees of UC San Diego's Dining Services and the City of San Diego. It's the right thing to do for San Diego and the environment. Yeah composting!

Do Calories on the Menu Affect Your Choices?

I am always curious about the many ways that we are influenced to make food choices. In California, state law mandates that calories for all menu items appear on the menu in all restaurants with 20 or more locations.

Looking at the calories on the menu at Chili's, for example, is a changed experience now that the calorie numbers are listed right next to the item name. I mean, I never thought that the Texas cheese fries were a "healthy" choice but I didn't necessarily give much thought to the fact that a half-order of those with ranch dressing would total 1260 calories. Yowsers.

The data on this topic - whether posting calorie info will alter consumer behavior - are mixed. I suppose public health officials would like to believe that knowledge is power and that people will choose more wisely if they know how many calories they are choosing...but some studies suggest otherwise.

What do you think? Do calorie postings affect your choices?

New Guidelines on Exercise Released

Well, these guidelines might not appear totally new but they officially supersede the 1998 American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand on exercise.

In the July 2011 Official Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (www.acsm.org ), the new Position Stand has been released to help health professionals provide exercise guidelines to individuals.

Basically, here is what's recommended:

• at least 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week (at least 30 mins, 5x/week)


• of those 150 minutes, 75 minutes should be intense


• resistance exercises (strength-training) 2-3 times per week


• flexibility exercises (stretching) 2 or more days per week


• if these guidelines cannot be reached, a lesser amount of exercise can also be beneficial

The Position Stand is a 26-page document so I decided to post a summary news article on the topic instead: http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/la-heb-exercise-guidelines-20110628,0,7367747.story

Talk to a health professional to get an exercise prescription that works for you.

Wacky Diets

Have you heard of these diets?

The Baby Food Diet

The Twinkie Diet

The Twitter Diet

Click here for a brief news clip about these 3 fad diets: http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/food_food&id=8216089

Here's the deal, people. There is no fad diet that is a magical cure-all for weight reduction or weight maintenance. The Baby Food diet does not make sense and will be really, really boring after half of a day. The Twinkie or Hostess diet...well, that's just wrong. Those types of foods, while delicious (or in my mom's opinion, "repulsive!" - she only likes home-cooked baked goods), lack nutrients for a healthy intake. And really, you won't want to eat a cupcake or Twinkie every meal...even if it sounds kind of fun right now. The Twitter diet? It's not a really a diet but a way to post your intake and keep yourself accountable in an online social community.

The Real Deal here?
Diets don't work! Healthy eating and regular exercise do!