August 2, Ice Cream Sandwich Day

An educated consumer has the knowledge to make healthy choices.

August Food, Nutrition, and Health Events

Current News, Resources and Events in Nutrition, Food, Health, Environment, Safety, and Disability Rights. Encourages awareness and inspires ideas for Journalists, Educators, Consumers and Health Professionals. Wellness News is updated daily and includes weekly and daily events. To view the entire Newsletter online click here. 

August
Events, Celebrations, and Resources

Food Events

Kids Eat Right Month

National Water Quality Month

National Goat Cheese Month

1-7 World Breastfeeding Week
 

National Farmer's Market Week
 


Exercise with Your Child Week

Wellness News employs young adults with "Special Needs" (Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Down Syndrome, Muscular Dystrophy). Contact Dr. Sandra Frank for additional information (recipenews@gmail.com).

Prepared by
Dietitians-Online
Weighing-Success
Wellness News

Sandra Frank, Ed.D, RD, LDN

Jake Frank

John Gargiullo

Gorgeous Grandma Day

July 23rd is “officially” Gorgeous Grandma Day!  For those of you not familiar with “Gorgeous Grandma” here is what she is:

“Gorgeous Grandma” are women over fifty, sixty, or seventy plus who:

• 1. Believes she has her whole life ahead of her, not her whole life behind her.
  2. Wants to get the most out of every day of her life
  3. Wants to thrive, not just survive
• 4. Cares for her mind and her body
• 5. Remains adaptable to life’s bittersweet as well as sweet
• 6. Cherishes herself as much as she cherishes her loved ones
• 7. Refuses to remain static – who is always open to learning, to new ideas, to new challenges, and to new experiences.
• 8. Loves life – and lets everyone know it!
• 9. And for those single gorgeous grandmas – recovers after loss and learns to love again.
• 
  

Golden Grannies

National Lollipop Day

National Lollipop Day

Lollipops are what we call "Empty Calories." A food labeled as empty calories provides little to no nutrients, except calories. The calories in the "Dum Dum Pop" comes from sugar and corn syrup.

Food Network - Dum Dum Pops Unwrapped

National Grilling Month - Safe Grilling Tips

Summer Grilling - Food Safety Tips with Chef Michael

Top 14 Healthy Summer Grilling Recipes
Recipe Compilations | Allrecipes.com

Grilling is a form of cooking involving dry heat applied to the surface of food, usually from above or below. Grilling involves a significant amount of direct, radiant heat, and tends to be used for cooking meat quickly.

Grilling is often performed outdoors, using charcoal, real wood, preformed briquettes, or propane gas. Mesquite or hickory wood chips (damp) may be added on top of the coals to allow a smoldering effect that provides additional flavor to the food. Other hardwoods such as pecan, apple, maple, and oak may also be used.

Gridironing is the cooking of meats or other foods using a grill suspended above a heat source. This cover can be used for smokers for grilling, roasting, or barbecuing.

Risks of Grilling

Studies show cooking beef, pork, poultry, and fish at high temperatures can lead to the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCA), benzopyrenes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which are carcinogens. Grilling is frequently presented as a healthy alternative to cooking with oil, although the fat and juices lost by grilling can contribute to drier food.

Healthy Grilling Tips

1. Grill Fruits and Vegetables. Grilling fruits and vegetables is a way to reduce your risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, obesity, and some types of cancer.

PAHs and HCAs do not form on grilled fruits and vegetables. In addition, if you are having grilled meat, the fruits and vegetables will provide antioxidants.

2. Grill with Lean Meat. Choose lean meats or trim visible fat and skin to limit the amount of fat that drips on the coals.

3. Marinating.  It is possible to reduce carcinogens when grilling meat or lessen their effect. Garlic, rosemary, basil, mint, sage, savory, marjoram, oregano, olive oil, and cherries have been shown to reduce the formation of both HCAs and PAHs by as much as 92% to 99%. Choosing the right marinade ingredients limits the fat dripping on the coal. Select wines, vinegar, lemon, lime juice, low-sodium soy sauce, honey, onions, herbs, spices, fat-free or low-fat marinades on your grilled meats, fish, and poultry.

Meats and poultry should marinate at least 1-2 hours; fish and vegetables usually only need to marinate for an hour. Marinating enhances the flavor of meats, fruits, and vegetables.

4. Cut Down on Grilling Time. Grill smaller portions of meat, poultry, and fish so they cook faster and spend less time on the grill. Another method is pre-cooking the meat in the microwave and then draining meat juices so they do not fall onto flames, preventing the release of PAHs.

A skewer or brochette is a fun way to cook small pieces of food. The resulting food product is often called a "kabob" which means "to grill" in Persian.

5. Cooking Temperatures. Make sure to bring a cooking thermometer. Cook beef to 160 degrees Fahrenheit and poultry to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Resources
1. Wikipedia, Grilling
2. WebMD, A Healthier Way to Grill 

July Health, Nutrition, and Food Events

Current News, Resources and Events in Nutrition, Food, Health, Environment, Safety, and Disability Rights. Encourages awareness and inspires ideas for Journalists, Educators, Consumers and Health Professionals. Wellness News is updated daily and includes weekly and daily events. To view the entire Newsletter online click here.

July Featured Causes and Events

An Independence Day Tribute

July Health, Nutrition, and Food Events

National Baked Bean Month National Blueberry Month National Culinary Arts Month National Grilling Month National Horseradish Month National Hot Dog Month National Ice Cream Month      National Pickle Month National Picnic Month National Watermelon Month

Smart Irrigation Month Herbal/Prescription Interaction Awareness  International Group B Strep Awareness Month Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month Family Reunion Month National Make a Difference to Children Month National Recreation and Parks Month Sandwich Generation Month

Wellness News employs young adults with "Special Needs" (Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Down Syndrome, Muscular Dystrophy). Contact Dr. Sandra Frank for additional information (recipenews@gmail.com).

Prepared by 

http://www.dietitians-online.com/

http://www.weighing-success.com/

Wellness News (www.weighing-success.com/WellnessNews.html)

Sandra Frank, Ed.D, RDN, LD, FAND

Jake FrankJohn Gargiullo

Michelle Canazaro

National Men's Health Week

Men's Health Week.com  is maintained by Men's Health Network. Men's Health Network (MHN), is a non-profit educational organization focused on improving the health and well-being of men, boys, and their families through a broad spectrum of national screening, educational campaigns, advocacy opportunities, and patient navigation.

MHN can be found in every state and over 25 foreign countries. The advisory board consists of over 800 physicians, researchers, public health workers, and community leaders specializing in men's and family health.

Preventative Care

When you get a preventive medical test, you’re not just doing it for yourself. You’re doing it for your family and loved ones:

• Men are 24 percent less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year and are 22 percent more likely to have neglected their cholesterol tests.
• Men are 28 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for congestive heart failure.
• Men are 32 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for long-term complications of diabetes and are more than twice as likely than women to have a leg or foot amputated due to complications related to diabetes.
• Men are 24 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for pneumonia that could have been prevented by getting an immunization.

The single most important way you can take care of yourself and those you love is to actively take part in your health care. Educate yourself on health care and participate in decisions with your doctor. This site will help you get started.

Source: Healthcare Cost & Utilization Project and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data

Men's Health Week

The purpose of Men's Health Week is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.

This week gives health care providers, public policymakers, the media, and individuals an opportunity to encourage men and boys to seek regular medical advice and early treatment for disease and injury.

The Goals of Men’s Health Network

1. Save men's lives by reducing premature mortality of men and boys.

2. Foster health care education and services that encourage men of all ages to implement positive lifestyles for themselves and their families.

3. Increase the physical and mental health of men so that they can live fuller and happier lives.

4. Energize government involvement in men's health activities so that existing government health networks can be utilized to increase the health and well-being of men and boys.

Men: Stay Healthy at Any Age Your Checklist for Health (pdf file)
The information in this fact sheet is based on research findings from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The USPSTF is the leading independent panel of experts in prevention and primary care. The Task Force, which is supported by AHRQ, conducts rigorous, impartial assessments of the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of a broad range of clinical preventive services, including screening, counseling, and preventive medications. Its recommendations are considered the gold standard for clinical preventive services.

 Tips for men to get/stay healthy.

Resources

1. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Men's Health
2. US Department of Health and Human Services: Men's Health
3. Men's Health Network (MHN)
4. Get it Checked (pdf)
5. International Men's Health Week
6. During Men’s Health Month, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Reminds Men To Eat Right

National Veggie Burger Day- Black Bean-Quinoa Burger

National Veggie Burger Day 21 Recipes for Extra Flavorful Plant-Based Burgers  

May 28, National Brisket Day Brisket on Rye Makeover

After

The original sandwich contained 6-1/2 ounces of brisket. By cutting back the brisket to 2 ounces lean saves 470 calories. Add vegetables to give the sandwich height, fiber and additional nutrients.

Ingredients

2 oz Brisket, lean

2 sl Rye Bread w/seeds

1 Onion, sliced

1/3 Red Pepper, grilled 

1 Romaine Leaves

6 Grape Tomatoes 

1/3 Cucumber, chopped

1 Tbsp Light Vinaigrette

Food Facts

Brisket is a beef cut taken from the breast or lower chest section, behind the foreshank. Brisket is an inexpensive boneless cut. In order to tenderize, the meat requires long, slow cooking to break down the collagen in the connective muscle tissues. 

Methods of Cooking
1. Basting
2. Smoking: Rubbing with a spice rub or marinating, then cooking slowly over indirect heat from charcoal or wood.

Tradition / Culture
Jewish: Braised as a pot roast; or cut for corned beef, which is further spiced and smoked to make pastrami.

Hong Kong: Cooked with spices over low heat until tender, and is commonly served with noodles in soup or curry.

Korean: Traditionally it is first boiled at low temperature with aromatic vegetables, then pressed with a heavy object overnight and served thinly sliced.

Britain: Cooked very slowly in a lidded casserole dish with gravy. The dish, known as a pot roast in the USA but more commonly as braised or stewed beef in the UK, is often accompanied by root vegetables.

Resource
Wikipedia. Brisket
ESHA, Food Processor

World Hunger Day

World Hunger Day is an initiative by The Hunger Project. Started in 2011, it aims to celebrate sustainable solutions to hunger and poverty.

This year, the day will highlight the importance of "fostering self-reliance, upholding principles of human dignity and recognizing that every human is inherently creative, resourceful, responsible and productive. Decades of systematic marginalization have kept people from making lasting changes in their communities.

A holistic development approach — one that includes peacebuilding, social harmony, human rights and good governance — is essential to ensuring the empowerment of people living in hunger and poverty.

More than 815 million people in the world do not have enough food.

Join #WorldHungerDay and make a difference in the poorest communities.

The Hunger Project believes ending hunger is possible when we empower people to become agents of change, lifting themselves - and their communities - out of hunger and poverty for the long term.

May, Older Americans Month Nutrition and Wellness for Older Adults

Special Message for Older Americans Month 2020

Theme: Make Your Mark!
Remember to #SocialDistance #WearMask #EatRight #StayinTouch 

Every May, the Administration for Community Living leads the nation’s observance of Older Americans Month. The theme for 2020 is ‘Make Your Mark’.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, seniors hold a special significance.

In the early ’60s, only 17 million Americans had reached their 65th birthday. Today we have about 52 million older Americans, and that’s according to the 2018 Census data. 

“We need to continue to protect older Americans as they remain the most vulnerable to the ravages of the Coronavirus,” said Dr. Kostelic.

And that doesn’t end when the country begins to reopen. Dr. Kostelic says, “We can’t forget these vulnerable populations and things that we can still do to support them and help inspire them and inspire joy.”

For some ideas on how to ‘Make Your Mark’, click HERE.

Smart Food Choices for Healthy Aging

Take Care of Those Who Took Care of You

Resources

Administration for Community Living. Older Americans Month

AARP. http://www.aarp.org/ 

Nutrition.gov.  Resources for Seniors from Nutrition.gov

National Sweet Vidalia Onions Month

Vidalia onion is a sweet onion with varieties including the hybrid yellow granex, varieties of granex parentage, and other similar varieties recommended by the Vidalia Onion Committee and approved by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

The onions are named Vidalia because of where they are grown: Vidalia, Georgia. The growing of Vidalia onions there started in the early 1930s. The different varieties are unusually sweet, due to the low amount of sulfur in the soil in which the onions are grown.

The Vidalia onion was named Georgia's official state vegetable in 1990.

Selection

Look for firm onions without decay or blemishes. There should be no sprouts attached and the skins should be dry.

Storage

Store Vidalia onions at room temperature in the legs of clean, sheer pantyhose. Tie a knot between each Vidalia and cut above the knot when ready to use. Hang in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. On elevated racks or screens, not touching and in a cool place. In the refrigerator, wrap individually in paper towels for up to 6 months. Vidalia onions can also be frozen, either whole or chopped. Frozen onions should be used only for cooking purposes.

Nutrition Profile

Vidalia onions are fat-free, saturated fat-free, cholesterol free, sodium free, a good source of vitamin C and chromium.

Skillet-Charred Vidalia Onion Salad, CookingLight

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day

Fruits and Vegetables Key Consumer Message:

Dietary Recommendations 

for Americans, 2015 - 2020 

Fruits and Vegetables 

There are three reasons to eat the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables.

1. Most vegetables and fruits contribute a wide variety of nutrients, including folate, magnesium, potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamins A, C, and K. 

2. Consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with reduced risk of many chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.

3. Most fruits and vegetables have no cholesterol and are low in calories and fat. Eating more will help maintain a healthy weight.

From MyPlate.gov
What Foods Are in the Fruit and Vegetable Groups?

Fruits. Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of the Fruit Group. Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, and may be whole, cut-up, or pureed.

In general, 1 cup of fruit or 100% fruit juice, or ½ cup of dried fruit can be considered as 1 cup from the Fruit Group. The following link lists specific fruits and amounts that count as one cup of fruit (or in some cases equivalents for ½ cup are noted.) MyPlate Fruits. 

Vegetables. Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as a member of the Vegetable Group. Vegetables may be raw or cooked; fresh, frozen, canned, or dried/dehydrated; and may be whole, cut-up, or mashed.  Vegetables are organized into 5 subgroups, based on their nutrient content. Dark-green vegetables; Red and orange vegetables; Beans and peas (legumes); Starchy vegetables; and Others. 

In general, 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, or 2 cups of raw leafy greens is considered as 1 cup from the Vegetable Group. The following link lists specific vegetables and amounts that count as 1 cup of vegetables (or in some cases equivalents for ½ cup are noted).  MyPlate Vegetables. 

Safety with Fruits and Vegetables

* Rinse and wash fruits and vegetables before preparing or eating them. Under clean, running water, rub fruits and vegetables briskly with your hands to remove dirt and surface microorganisms. Dry with a clean cloth towel or paper towel after rinsing.
* Keep fruits and vegetables separate from raw meat, poultry and seafood while shopping, preparing and storing.

Teaching Kids to Eat Their
Fruits and Vegetables


Healthy Kids PSA: Color of Life

Presented by Fruits and Veggies, More Matters

Bring color to your life, and your plate, with nutritious, delicious vegetables.
Visit Fruits and Veggies, More Matters
for healthy recipes, menus,
fruit and vegetable nutrition information,
tips on healthy meal planning and
how to get your
kids involved in healthy cooking!



Fruits and Vegetables Song

Resources

1. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

2. Fruits and Veggies, More Matters

3. MyPlate.gov

National Strawberries and Cream Day

May 21 is designated as National Strawberry and Cream Day. By portion planning, you can turn a desert into a healthy snack.

 Strawberries and Cream with Granola

Ingredients.
1/4 cup Light Strawberry Ice Cream
1 Tablespoon Granola
1/4 cup Strawberries, chopped
1/2 cup Strawberries

Strawberry Parfait with
Frozen Strawberry Yogurt and Granola

Ingredients.
1/3 cup Light Frozen Strawberry Yogurt
2 Tablespoon Granola
1/4 cup Strawberries, chopped
1/2 cup Strawberries
1.5 teaspoons Strawberry Preserves



Nutrition Information. 165 Calories; 3 g Protein; 34 g Carbohydrates; 2 g Dietary Fiber; 3 g Fat (g); 7 mg Cholesterol; 49 mg Vitamin C; 120 mcg Folate; 48 mg Sodium