healthy eating habits

My Family’s Grocery List

/ Katie P. Tolley, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC / Leave a comment

I’ve been asked by a few followers if I would write a grocery list of gluten free foods. That’s pretty much all I buy, so I thought it wouldn’t be that hard for me to share my list. This is also the list I share in my challenge groups. Be sure to check back frequently, I’ll be changing it up as I discover more secrets. We still have a few things in the cabinet that we haven’t tried yet, like GF pizza crust. We have frozen, vacuum sealed, and flour/mix to make from scratch… I’ll keep you posted. Update: skip the vacuum sealed option. 😉

I go Live on FB occasionally and opened my cabinets to show you most of the products my family uses. I share my Thrive Market shipments, my Butcher Box shipments and other health and nutrition info, so, be sure to follow me on Facebook.

Without further ado, here’s my list…

Continue reading →

Getting ‘Glutened’ is Drugging My Kid! I’ve had it!! (Digestive Health Series, Part 3)

/ Katie P. Tolley, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC / Leave a comment

 

So, What does getting ‘glutened’ look like?

A. Laziness, fatigue

B. Anxious, depressed, irritable, angry

C. Disoriented, unaware, spaced out, Cognitive dysfunction

D. Stomach ache, migraine, joint pain

E. All of the above and then some!!!

Anyone that has talked with me knows this is a hot topic for me. What angers me the most is the total disregard of our society for the people that have true dietary issues that are ignored by the general population, including much of the medical population. As a nurse practitioner, I don’t like to say we’re missing things in medicine, but… WE ARE MISSING THINGS!!!!

As a mom, I knew there was more to it, and I knew I needed to keep searching for answers. Never. Give. Up. That’s going to be the name of my book. I’m not really a very good writer, avoided it like the plague in school. I have no idea where to start with a book, but it’s a goal of mine, and I need to share our story with other families. Moms need to know that it is worth every bit of energy you use figuring out how to help your child. 

He is so bright, it puts him on a different level. Friends started noticing it before I did, he put concepts together that 2 year olds just didn’t put together. He was smarter than some of the adults in his world and it caused problems. Problems that gradually got worse as the years went on. There were jokes about Einstein being thrown out of school, he even has a hat with Al on it. But, seriously, it took a decade of lots of struggles and difficulties to realize he wasn’t going to get better with prescriptions or school accommodation or anything else traditionally done for bright, ADHD kids. We’d been trying for years, and things were just getting worse… WHY???  Continue reading →

Digestive Health Lesson #2 – It all Starts with Inflammation

/ Katie P. Tolley, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC / 3 Comments

Dr. Tanya Edwards, director of the Center for Integrative Medicine (Cleveland), wrote that inflammation is now recognized as the underlying basis of a significant number of diseases.

Inflammation

Inflammation 101

Inflammation defined by the free online medical dictionary: 1. A localized protective response elicited by injury or destruction of tissues, which serves to destroy, dilute, or wall off both the injurious agent and the injured tissue.  2.The inflammatory response can be provoked by physical, chemical, and biologic agents, including mechanical trauma, exposure to excessive amounts of sunlight, x-rays and radioactive materials, corrosive chemicals, extremes of heat and cold, or by infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, and other pathogenic microorganisms. Although these infectious agents can produce inflammation, infection and inflammation are not synonymous.

Dr. Edwards points out that anti-inflammatory foods have been used to combat Cancer and many other diseases, i.e.: Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, many Autoimmune diseases, asthma. Here is the abstract from her article:  Continue reading →

Mom’s Healthy Snacks #1 – Pears w/ Cinnamon

/ Katie P. Tolley, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC / 1 Comment

If you are like me, you are always looking for a healthy snack for the kids.

So, I’ve decided to post healthy snack ideas for us all to enjoy.

One of Joshua’s favorites is Pears with Cinnamon!

There is no secret to figuring this one out. Just cut up a pear, and sprinkle a little Cinnamon Sugar on it. (You can do the same thing with apples.)

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Pears are not only a tasty snack, but great for overall health. Pears are a great source of fiber (6 gms), Vitamin C (7mg), Vitamin A (38 IU), and potassium (190 mg). The fiber is great for keeping the GI track and bowels moving. The Vitamins A & C are great for the immune system. These vitamins are also good for skin, eyes, bones, cardiovascular health, and preventing cancer. Potassium is good for many things, but most of all it is good for the heart! What is the benefit of the cinnamon? According to some sources, cinnamon may reduce inflammation, fight bacteria, and may be a good antioxidant as well. Most of us have discovered  that cinnamon is also good for moving the bowels. 😉

Pears with a sprinkle of cinnamon are a great snack. Healthy and Tasty all in one!

So, the next time you are looking for a healthy snack for your kiddos, think about cutting up a pear and sprinkling a little cinnamon on it. You and the kids will be glad you did!

Hope you are enjoying the journey! 

Let them eat cake…for breakfast??

/ Katie P. Tolley, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC / 3 Comments

Two thumbs up for cake for breakfast!! I was lucky enough to spend the morning taste testing wedding cake with my brother and future sister-in-law, Yummmm!!! We laughed about having cake for breakfast.  Sarah said, “this would be a good one for your blog”…I think she was right.  The smart one was Sarah’s mom, who ate an egg before our mini cake marathon.  Eggs are a great source of protein, so that was a good idea.  So,  when I thought about today’s daily dose of helpful hints, I figured I would write a bit about some nutrition basics.

So, is it really OK to eat cake for breakfast??  Not regularly, but I believe anything and everything is acceptable in moderation. Cake for a special occasion, birthday, or on vacation is no big deal no matter what time of day as long as we follow healthy eating habits and live a healthy lifestyle most of the time.

I usually let the kids go a little overboard when we are on vacation…why not, it is vacation. BTW-That’s how I get away with eating Key Lime pie for breakfast! Have you ever heard the song Kenny Chesney wrote about Key Lime Pie? Great song, it used to be the theme song in the Pilates class I taught. A little encouragement while we were exercising. 😉  My, My, My, Key Lime Pie…. (if you want to hear the song, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jle9Pe2NWFg)

So, now that I have you thinking about cake and pie (sorry), I’ll tell you about some Daily Nutrition Basics for everyone:

  • Eat 4-5 servings of fruits or vegetables daily.  Fruits and vegetables have essential vitamins and nutrients that our bodies need for good health.  Fruits and veggies add daily fiber, which is necessary for a healthy gastrointestinal system.  Notice this is servings per day, a large bowl of fruit or a large salad may give you multiple servings at one time.
  • Eat 2-3 servings of protein daily.  Protein builds muscle.  Muscle burns fat.  Eating protein and exercising daily can help increase lean muscle mass.  Protein comes from many sources, such as: fish, meat, eggs, beans, nuts, and peanut butter.
  • Drink your milk,  and chocolate is fine with me!! Calcium is crucial for good bone growth and development, and maintaining good bone density.  Milk and other dairy products are an excellent source of calcium.  For optimal bone health, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends:  1 to 3 years old — 700 milligrams of calcium daily, 4 to 8 years old — 1000 milligrams, 9 to 18 years old — 1,300 milligrams.  One 8oz glass of milk or calcium fortified OJ has about 300mg of calcium.  For more information on Calcium intake and sources of calcium, visit. http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/feeding/calcium.html#.
  • When eating carbohydrates, eat whole grains vs. white flour products.  Whole grains are healthier and better for our digestive system than white flour.
  • Meals should be equally balanced with protein, fiber and carbohydrates.
  • Control your potion size.  An adequate portion is the size of your fist or palm.  Keep in mind, for children, it is the size of THEIR fist or palm.  If your child wants second helpings, encourage seconds of protein and veggies before seconds of carbs.
  • And, of course, if you read any of my post, you know daily water intake is a must for proper nutrition. Check out my post on hydration for more details.

I tell my patients that they should follow these basic rules, everything else is alright in moderation. Living a healthy lifestyle consists of healthy eating habits, as well as staying active and getting regular exercise.  Yes, it’s ok to have sweets, but not all the time.

I hope these basic rules will help you keep your family happy and healthy.

So, while you enjoy the journey…. Let them eat cake!!!  😉