Menu Makeover: Slow is the New Fast

The goal of the Michiana BetterU healthy cooking class is to demonstrate "fast food" does not only exist at the drive through window. I am not so sure "fast food" is really that fast.  Think about this for a minute; by the time you decide where to go to pick up food, get in your car, drive to the restaurant, order, then be served and drive home 30 – 45 minutes has passed. In the same amount of time you could have enjoyed a relaxing home cooked healthy meal with your family creating a healthier life for you and your family. 

The Michiana BetterU Challengers learned how to fight fast food with slow food during the interactive Menu Makeover healthy cooking class. In case you have not heard of the Slow Food Movement, it's a philosophy which focuses on combating the idea when it comes to food, fast food is NOT your only choice nor is it the best choice.

The Slow Food Movement, like the American Heart Association focuses on choosing healthier food options, the fresher the better. There seems to be confusion as to what healthy food is and is not. To add to the confusion are hundreds of media messages every day telling us manufactured foods are cheaper, faster and has the same level of nutrition as foods made at home from natural whole food ingredients. This is simply is not true.

The fact is any food you prepare from home, with your ingredients and that do not come out of a bag, box or freezer are always going to be healthier than any food you get anywhere else. During the cooking class we chopped, mixed, stirred, cooked then served a 5 course meal fast in just 30 minutes. I'd say that's pretty fast!

The menu included foods we think of as fast food: 

oven baked corn chips

tomato and fruit salsa

vegetable soup

fruit and vegetable green salad

oven baked chicken nuggets

fruit parfait 

and sparkling water with a dash of pomegranate juice.

Here is what else we learned: 

1. The easier the food is to make the more sodium and fat it tends to have.

2. What is unhealthy about prepared and process foods.

3. How to make healthy substitutions for prepared foods common to family menus.

4. Food is always healthier when prepared at home.

5. Healthy foods can be prepared “fast” at home.

6. A serving size of chicken, beef, pork and fish is smaller than you think.

7. The recommended servings of fruits, vegetables and whole grains are more than you think.

8. New nutrition facts label will help us make better food choices. 

In class we examined food for heart healthy labeling looking for sodium, cholesterol, fat, fiber and sugar comparing these "ready to go foods" with foods requiring some simple preparation. We prepared a full meal containing USDA recommendations for a healthy diet and reviewed healthy plate management strategies.

The healthy cooking class demonstrates with an organized plan, knowledge and a strategy that works cooking from home is nutritious, easy to do, economical and takes very little time.

Thank you to Martin's Supermarkets for assisting us with our cooking class and the beautiful cooking school location. Also to American Heart Association for providing helpful tools in their Nutrition Center and C2 Your Health LLC for teaching the class.

Slow is the new fast!  

Your partner in health,

Cindy Cohen RN

Certified Health Coach

C2 Your Health LLC

2014 Michiana BetterU 12 Week Challenge Celebration Join Us May 8th, 2014

Join us for the American Heart Association Go Red for Women Michiana BetterU Luncheon when we celebrate the challenges and successes of 12 women from Elkhart General Hospital seeking a healthy life. These women are an example of what you can do to develop healthy lifestyle behavior change with community support and those around you. This is a call to action for each one of us to reach out to one women in our community and  teach them what we have learned to be healthy.

Thank you to our sponsors Macy's, Merck, Teachers Credit Union, Elkhart General Hospital, C2 Your Health LLC, Body Evolution of South Bend, South Bend Medical Foundation and Martin's Supermarkets.

The Road to Better Health is Traveled in the Supermarket

Each year the Michiana AHA BetterU Challengers participate in the BetterU Challenge Supermarket Scavenger Hunt. This spot on our healthy journey is where we learn how distinguish the unhealthy foods from the healthiest foods and how to make those selections.  Thank you to Martin’s Supermarkets for hosting our scavenger hunt.  The challengers supported by their family, friends and each other enjoyed a healthy dinner and scavenged the supermarket for healthy foods guided by the AHA BetterU Health Coach, Cindy Cohen RN of C2Your Health LLC.

Some of the things we learned...

It's important to read the nutrition facts on the food label on the packaging and use this as a guide to making healthier food selections. 

It's easy to be fooled by the advertisements on the front of the food packaging. Some manufactures claim on the package something entirely different than what actually exists. For example, the front of the package my say "No Trans Fats" and the ingredient list says “hydrogenated oils” which is a trans-fat.  

Fiber is our friend and not always where you think it is. Some foods you think have fiber do not. For example, some whole wheat breads have zero fiber. The best choices are the foods that have at least   

1 gram of fiber.    

It's hard to find flavored drinks that don't contain added sugars, high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners (unhealthy). Water is always the best choice.

Many foods are loaded with more than days serving of salt (sodium) in one serving such as some soups and spaghetti sauces.

How to make sense of food certifying organizations such as organic, gluten free, and Heart Check - American Heart Association approved.

The Supermarket Scavenger Hunt Class demonstrates the road to better health is not always clear and it's important to be aware of the pot holes (TV ads) and warning signs (misleading labels) along the way. Adding new meaning to the seemingly harmless act of going to the grocery store to "buyers beware"; as Dr. David Katz, Nutrition Detectives says about some foods "Step away and no one will get hurt."

What did you learn the last time you went grocery shopping at the supermarket?

Your partner in health,

Health Coach

Wellness Consultant

C2 Your Health LLC

Becoming a BetterU: Michana Go Red for Women Challenge 2014

Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women, 

taking the life of 1 in 3 women each year. This means women just like you - mothers, sisters, friends - are dying at the rate of one per minute because they don't know what you know: heart disease kills.  

It's year 6 for the Michiana Go Red BetterU Challenge and we're off to a big start! This year our BetterU Challengers hail from Elkhart Community Hospital, Elkhart, Indiana. These 12 women were selected out of 45 applicants seeking a healthier life by following the American Heart Association's Guidelines for a Healthy Heart.  

These women have come together for the American Heart Association Go Red for Women Michiana BetterU Challenge to join in the fight against heart disease for all women. Though their efforts they demonstrate by developing simple healthy habits every women can make make a difference their health. We encourage these women to learn first for themselves. then teach their families and friends how to live a health filled life by developing lasting healthy habits.

These women spend their day in a high stress hospital environment and face the same challenges of many women such as working more than one job, going to school and juggling family responsibilities. What get's left behind is making time to pay attention of their own health. Sound familiar?

Over the next couple of months our Michiana BetterU Challengers will be sharing what they learn about themselves, their lifestyle habits, struggles to a healthier life, over-coming obstacles and their successes.

Go Red For Women has made it their mission to save lives by bringing a voice to this silent killer. The Go Red BetterU Challenge program is a 12-week program developed by the American Heart Association as a voice that takes a woman step-by-step to learn more about heart health, eating healthy and exercising.

The truth is: our lives are in our hands. We can stop our No. 1 killer together by sharing the truth. We can be the difference between life and death. To uncover the truth about heart disease and to learn how to make ending it a reality at GoRedForWomen.org.

We invite you to join us to make it your mission to fight heart disease by becoming a better you, and participating in the American Heart Association BetterU Nutrition and Fitness Program, then share with us your journey. 

Your partner in health,

 

Cindy Cohen RN
BetterU Health Coach
Wellness Consultant
C2 Your Health LLC

What We Learned - 7 Keys to a BetterU

The American Heart Association Go Red for Women 2013 Michiana BetterU Challenge is coming to a close. Over the last 12 weeks, 12 women from Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center have been weighted and measured, attended weekly coaching sessions, exercised on a regular basis, developed a personal mission statement, visited Martin's Supermarkets for a lesson in food label reading and a cooking class.

The BetterU Challengers have learned how lifestyle choices such as smoking, being overweight, choosing to eat unhealthy foods and inactivity increase their risks of heart disease, heart attack and stroke along with other chronic illnesses.

7 Keys to a BetterU

1. You need a plan - A program, system, or guide to point you in the right direction and give you the steps towards making lasting healthy lifestyle changes such as the Go Red for Women 12 Week BetterU Program.

2. Education is key - As they say, knowledge is power. Accurate information (not hype) from a reliable source like the American Heart Association gives you the tools to build a healthy life.

3. Follow the pattern for success - There are no secrets. The foundation to a healthy life includes eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and good fats. A healthy life is built on adding activity to include exercising 30 minutes most days of the week and sealed with managing stress. This advice has not changed in over 10 years.

4. Find strategies that work - Overcoming the old habits is not easy. Trying new strategies until you find a strategy to break old habits takes a new way of thinking about old habits. It's a trial and error process to find the ones that work. 

5. Commit and persist - Staying committed over the "long haul" takes time, energy and focus. Life is a "one day at a time" program, with a new start each morning. Persistence is a daily choice and comes with great rewards.

6. Get a buddy - A buddy, a coach, a cheerleader or a support group to hold you accountable, help you remember what your plan was, and encourage you to stick to it.

7. It takes a community - Telling others your healthy life plan, sharing what you learn along the way with those you care about not only helps you; it helps those around you too live a healthy life too. Participating in community health events like the Heart Walk inspires others to  begin or continue their path to a healthier life with you.

The BetterU Challengers shared their challenges, obstacles and stories of success on their road to better health.  Together we learned the road to better health is one step at a time, sometimes confusing, but with a plan, good strategies and a buddy it's was easier than we thought.

Your partner in health,

 

Cindy Cohen RN, BS BA

Health Coach

C2 Your Health LLC

One Word

No matter what it is you want to achieve, there is one question you can ask yourself to get to the core fundamentals of your goal and massively increase your motivation.

That question is simply, “Why?”

 Glen Allsopp, How One Little Word Improve Your Motivation

Here we are at the midpoint of the Better U Challenge, 6 weeks in and 6 to go. Now is the time for a little reflection; as the famous statement goes from the movie Mission Impossible, "Your mission, should you choose to accept it" is to put into one single word what success means to you, or in other words "your why?"  

Just one word, not an essay, a paragraph, or even a sentence, just one word.  One word that's personal for you. One word with meaning and depth that goes to the core of answering the question of "why be healthy and fit for the rest of my life? One word to motivate, inspire and direct your actions as you move forward. One word that's bigger than you, and temptation to lose direction. One word to hold you accountable.  

The assignment is to select the all omnipotent “one word”, write it down on multiple index cards then keep it in front of you every day to infuse you with inspiration to stay true to your "one word" mission.  Where to put this power word? Where you will see it often for example, on the refrigerator door, bathroom mirror and / or car dash board. 

The question "What is your one word?"

"One word" ... shared with us at the midpoint BetterU Challenge Coaching session; 

Grace, Communication, Dance, Adaptive, Confidence, Peace, Family, Thrive, Strength

In one word, what would best describe your "why" to provide you with a clear vision and infuse strength to move you forward as you travel down the torturous road to better health?

For me it's "100". What does 100 mean to me? 

It's the number of years I plan on spending on this earth, my life's duration. It's not just living to 100 I am focused and moving towards. It's 100 plus health, longevity, vitality, and everything that goes with it. It's 100 plus being active, free to go and do what makes me happy for those around me.  It's 100 plus continuing to give back to the community through volunteering my time and knowledge to improve the lives of others by helping them get healthier. It's 100 plus being with the grand kids playing in the park, holding their hand on their first day of school, and discussing what's important in life with them. It's 100 plus so much more I have even yet to discover.

Where do I see 100? I see 100 everywhere I look, in every decision, every choice, every day of my life.  I see 100 in every food I eat or don't eat and activity I do or don't do. I see 100 in the eyes of my family, friends and those I care about.

When do I lose sight of my "one word"? When I make unhealthy food choices, forget or don't make time to exercise, stay up at night too late, don't get enough sleep, and become "stressed out" too often. I mainly forget about my one word when I forgot about me. I forgot about what's really important in my life; those I care about and care about me.  Then I think with regret, I am once again lost in the things of life  .... I look up and see on the door of my refrigerator,”100" on the crumpled and stained index care and remember.....

What's your "why" you "one word" what does it mean to you and those you care about around you?

Your partner in health,

Cindy Cohen RN
C2 Your Health LLC

A special thank you goes to Rustin Dyer, Clinical Supervisor Cardiac Rehab, Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Dyer Coaching Services  for providing the "one word" assignment. 

Supermarket Scavenger Hunt Made Just for a BetterU - Buyer Beware

To kick-start the 2013 BetterU Challengers on their road to better health Michiana American Heart Association hosted a Supermarket Scavenger Hunt thanks to Martin's Supermarkets. The challengers supported by their family, friends and each other enjoyed a healthy dinner and scavenged the supermarket for healthy foods guided by Health Coach, Cindy Cohen RN of C2 Your Health LLC.

Erin Crawford Cressy, Behavior Coach discussed what behaviors would be helpful in developing healthy living strategies and Laura Guy, American Heart Association (AHA) reviewed healthy eating tools available from AHA.

Some of the things we learned ...

• It's easy to be fooled by the advertisements on the front of the food packaging. Some manufactures claim on the package something entirely different that what is on the ingredient list such as " No Trans Fats" on the front of the pack and hydrogenated oils on the label.
• Fiber is our friend and not always where you think it is. Foods containing at least 1gm of fiber are the best choices.   
• It's hard to find flavored drinks that don't contain additives (unhealthy); the ones with artificial sweeteners, and high fructose corn syrup, so water is always the better choice.
• Many foods are loaded with more than days serving of salt (sodium) in one serving such as some soups and spaghetti sauces.
• How to make sense of food certifying organizations such as organic, gluten free, and Heart Check - American Heart Association approved.

The Supermarket Scavenger Hunt Class demonstrates the road to better health is not always clear and it's important to be aware of the pot holes (TV ads) and warning signs (misleading labels) along the way. Adding new meaning to the seemingly harmless act of going to the grocery store to "buyer beware"; as Dr. David Katz, Nutrition Detectives says about some foods "Step away and no on will get hurt."

What did you learn the last time you went grocery shopping at the supermarket?

You partner in health,

Cindy Cohen RN, Health Coach

C2 Your Health LLC

Are you eating in circles?

Dr. Oz reported diet sodas are safe - California is labeling soft drinks as cancer causing. The corn industry advertises high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is "healthy" - Diabetes Health (consumer watch dog) says HFCS contributes to diabetes risk. Paula Dean serves up a dish of "deep fried butter" and signs a contract with a drug company advertising the latest diabetes drug. Are supplements good for you or do they cause more harm than good like Dateline NBC reported. We also learned from our grocery store scavenger hunt, low sodium is a relative term (lower than what?), healthy has many meanings and servings sizes can be deceiving. Oh wait, is it butter that's good for you or margarine?


Around and around we go ... does all this leave you thinking ... which is it?
What's true will always be true even if you want it to be something different. 

10 Tips to Chew On
1. Food in it's most natural form is always healthiest.
2. If you see it on a tree or growing from the ground eat that it's better than the frozen food section of the grocery store.
3. Fruits and vegetables will always be good for you. 
4. Fast food and junk food will never be good for you no matter how many "antioxidents" it has.
5. Artificial anything is just that ... artificial which means your body does not know what to do with it.
6. Eating something not healthy takes up room in your stomach where something healthy could be.
7. Food manufactures will try to trick you into eating more because that's how they make money, by selling more.
8. There are no neutral foods. Food is either good for your health or bad for your health. 
9. Less is more - organic / non genetically modified (non gmo)  / hormone free is best.
10. If you prepare it, you know what's in it.


It's about creating a healthier life through a healthier lifestyle on the road to better health one step at a time. Enjoy your journey! 

Your partner in health,
Cindy Cohen RN, Health Coach
Health-E 4 Life Worksite Wellness 

You Are Not Alone

Let's face it we spend most of our life in the presence of others.

We arrive into this world for the most part into a family, those who promise to love and care for us. They keep us close every step of the way helping, supporting and encouraging us to take our first steps, say our first words and guiding us along the way.  As we get older we are with people at school, on a team or perhaps at church or temple. As we get older we "work" along side other people too. In fact we spend most of our life with people all around us.

We ask those around us what they think, for help, guidance and support in the happenings of life. How to the raise the kids? What school should they go to? What to say to the husband when there is a disagreement? What church is the most friendly or shares the same beliefs?  I find it interesting when it comes to taking care of our physical self; having a strong healthy body we don't ask for help from others. Somehow we think we can "fight" the constant media barrage of fast food messages, diet products and endless supply of infomercials telling us to buy the next "magic pill to the new sexy you" all by yourself.

All by yourself?  Maybe. For some maybe yes, maybe no. For others a definite no. But why do it alone? There's really no need to. It's hard to go it alone.

The easy way is to ask others for help, support and join us in a healthier lifestyle. Ask for healthy recipe ideas and share a healthy meal together. Invite a friend to exercise with you, nothing fancy; a walk around the mall. Involve your family in decisions on what your whole family can do to become thinking about how to make healthier decisions.

In the process not only will you experience greater vitality, your family and friends will become healthier too. You are not alone. You're in a world full of possibilities for the next 12 weeks and the rest of you life.

The greatest gift you can give yourself is the gift of health; even better if you can share the gift of health with those you love.