The Art of Cooking Gluten-Free
Transitioning to a new diet from what one is used to often feels quite overwhelming.  With good information, support, and planning, it really isn't too bad at all.
The truth is that we live in a time where it is easier to go gluten-free than ever before. 
 
 
 
 UPCOMING EVENTS

 

 

 

 
 PAST EVENTS
  • Friday, June 27th; The Hope Heart Institute presents "Women Take Heart"; Nutrition Education; Washington Corrections Center for Women; Gig Harbor, Washington; http://www.hopeheart.org
  • Saturday, May 3rd, 10AM to 12PM; FREE Nutrition Education; Maple Valley Library Conference Room; Maple Valley, Washington; http://www.kcls.org/maplevalley
  • Sunday, April 20th, 9:30 AM to 1:30PM; Healthy Living Expo; Qwest Field Event Center; Seattle, Washington; "Ask the Dietitian" booth (#938); http://www.king5.com/expo/2008
  • Preschool Co-op; Maple Valley Community Center; Maple Valley, Washington; April 2008; Topic: Feeding Tots
  • Moms Club of Maple Valley; Light of Life Church; Maple Valley, Washington; April 2008; Event: Spring Business Fair
  • Maple Valley Library; Maple Valley, Washington; March 2008; Event: FREE Nutrition Education
  • The Northwest Women's Show; The Hope Heart Institute booth; Qwest Field Event Center; Seattle, Washington; March 2008; Event: FREE Nutrition Information & Counseling
  • Kirkland Youth Summit; Lake Washington Technical College; Kirkland, Washington; March 2008; Topic: Food for Teens (Nutrition Myths)
  • Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS); Bible Church; Bellevue, Washington; January 2008; Topic: Food for Tots
 
                   5 Must-Haves (and Have-nots) of Mummy's Diet
                                                            by Stacey Oberst Peterson, MS, RD
1. Omega-3 fatty acids for brain function and mental health
    Having kids is a lot of work, physically and mentally. Did you know that 60% of the brain's dry weight is fat, 25-30% of which is DHA, an omega-3 fat that is inefficiently made in the body and commonly scarce in the average diet.
    Sources of DHA: cold-water fish (wild salmon, halibut, cod, snapper, herring, sardines), cod liver oil (liquid or capsule form), vegetarian DHA (derived from algae), grass-fed beef
     Sources of ALA (precursor to DHA): flax seed (ground & oil), walnuts
 
2. Trans fats are plain no good
There is a bounty of research that shows the negative effects of trans fat on human health
  Ideal level of intake: 0 grams per day
  Food sources of detrimental trans fats: any product that lists partially hydrogenated oil in the ingredients list (even if it says 0 grams trans fat per serving!)
 
3. Go organic

    Minimize exposure to harmful pesticides (several classified as cancern-causing), heavy metals (including mercury and lead), and solvents (e.g. benzene, toluene) particularly important for breastfeeding mummys.

    The Dirty Dozen (nectarines, celery, pears, peaches, apples, cherries, strawberries, imported grapes, spinach, potatoes, bell peppers, raspberries) these should be organic as much as possible as testing has revealed the produce on this list to be notorious for high levels of the above-mentioned chemicals.
    Much research has revealed that time and time again, organic produce outdoes conventional produce in terms of nutrient content.  Over 30 studies on the subject reveal that organic produce had an equal or greater nutrient content 85% of the time.
 
4. Antioxidants

    What do they do? Stop oxidation & guard the body from the damaging effects of free radicals.

    a. Oxidation is a normal process in the body, but is upregulated with exposure to chemicals such as    
    pesticides.  Other things that increase oxidation in the body are excessive exercise, smoking, excessive sun
    exposure, and drug use. Food sources: fresh fruits & vegetables.
    a. Antioxidant-rich foods worth mentioning: legumes (pinto beans, kidney beans, small red beans, black
    beans), berries (blueberries, acai berries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries), prunes, apples
    (skin included), potatoes (skin included), sweet cherries, pecans. 
    b. Antioxidants are best obtained in the diet, but if you want a supplement, ensure that the antioxidant
    nutrients (particularly vitamin E, vitamin C and beta carotene) are derived from natural sources rather than
    synthetic. 
    Vitamin E: d-alpha-tocopherol (natural); dl-alpha-tocopherol (syntethic)
    Beta carotene & vitamin C: if natural, will list the food source from which the nutrient was derived (e.g.    
    natural vitamin C is commonly derived from rose hips) 
 
 5. To supplement or not: not all supplements are created equal 
    What to avoid: artificial colors (e.g. FD & C colors), artificial sweeteners (e.g. aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, acesulfame potassium), artificial flavors, hydrogenated oils.
    Rule of thumb: tablets are generally very difficult to digest; better choices are capsules or liquids (minus the above-listed ingredients).