Recipes

Find new recipes ideas here.

Nutrition in the News

A way to be educated about nutrition and health by reputable and accurate sources that happen to be in a newspaper or article!

 

Nutrients

Learn about macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) here!

My Path

The page describes my personal RD path. I hope the information is helpful, insightful, and relatable.

How to get your daily dose of the sunshine vitamin

Written by: Ellen Miller

Have you noticed the days getting shorter and nights getting longer? As we enter the winter months in Wisconsin, it’s important to pay close attention to our vitamin D intake as it provides many necessary functions to our bodies daily. According to the American Heart Association, 85 percent of people aren’t getting enough vitamin D.

 

As kids, we were all told that vitamin D will help make your bones strong. While maintaining strong bones is a big part of why we need vitamin D, there are many other valuable roles, like helping calcium and phosphorus to be absorbed for bone and muscle functions.

 

In addition, there has been data found that proves a link between enough vitamin D and the reduction of cancer risk. The DRI, or Dietary Reference Intake, is about 600 IU per day, which is about 1 cup of fortified milk, an egg yolk, 3 ounces of Swiss cheese, and 3 ounces of portobello mushrooms.

Signs of a lack of vitamin D, or a deficiency, aren’t always obvious. Common signs of being deficient are tiredness, aches and pains. Severe signs are bone pain and weakness, and frequent infections.

 

To get your daily dose of vitamin D there are three methods: the sun, food or a vitamin.

 

For sun exposure, all that is needed is 15 minutes in direct sunlight in midday for at least two times per week without sunscreen. It’s recommended that exposing a larger part of your body, such as your back, would be better for absorbing the most vitamin D from the sun.

It may also be harder to get natural vitamin D when you live further away from the equator. For instance, in Wisconsin we can’t produce vitamin D naturally from the sun from the months of November through March. The amount of vitamin D you get also depends on one’s skin color. The darker your skin color, the harder it is for you to absorb vitamin D.

 

The second way to receive enough vitamin D is through food. The best sources of vitamin D are fatty fish like tuna and salmon, or cheese, egg yolks, and some mushrooms.

Fortified foods are what to look for in everyday foods like milk, cereal, orange juice, yogurt, cheese and some soy beverages. It’s important to keep in mind that vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means that it will be absorbed better with healthy fats.

 

The third way to receive enough vitamin D is through a vitamin. People who may need supplementation are infants who don’t receive vitamin D in breastmilk, the elderly, darker skinned people who don’t absorb vitamin D quite as well, and people with chronic medical conditions like osteoporosis.

 

It’s important to talk to your doctor first to see that a supplement is necessary, and then be tested for vitamin D blood levels accordingly. When picking out the proper vitamin D supplement, D3 is the most resembling of the sun’s natural vitamin D.

 

Vitamin D is useful for more than just building our bones nice and strong — it’s a part of muscle strength, immune system and many more functions that relate to everyday life. Now is the time to start building your supply of vitamin D.

Article can be found in the Racine Journal Times

Starting From Seed🌱

I’ll admit I was never overeager about helping my mom or grandma in the garden, but in the last couple of years I have grown into the idea of learning more about gardening and growing my own little harvest. So after starting to compost last spring during COVID quarantine, I decided this year would be the perfect time to sow my very own seeds.

Let me tell you how it’s going.

First, I started composting again on my new apartment balcony in my compost tumbler. I started this batch of compost in early March.

Then I did my research, a lot of it. I of course went on Pinterest, visited a few helpful sites (click here and here) and I looked at what types of plants are good for balconies and containers. Here are the plants that are suggested in containers on balconies:

• Beans
• Tomatoes- probably the best and easiest to grow in containers (from what I’ve learned)
• Lettuce
• Cucumber
• Herbs
• Peppers and chilies
• Carrots
• Radishes
• Peas
• Eggplant
• Onions
• Beets
• Strawberries

I decided that the best plants for my balcony (and for my tastes) were cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, beans and hopefully strawberries. I will buy strawberry plants, not seeds, and plant the bean seeds directly into the soil later.

Then I bought my seeds and seed germinating dome containers. I decided to go organic even though I don’t worry about buying organic produce at the store, but I figured I would start as clean as I could growing my own food. Here are the seeds I bought:

I planted my seeds (peppers and tomatoes) two weeks ago (March 20^th). The germinating container has little soil pellets wrapped in netting. To loosen up the soil and prepare it for the seeds, water was poured in the base and the pellets soaked up most of the water and the excess was discarded. Then I unraveled and broke the netting open on top of the pellets and made a divot to insert the seeds and replaced the dome on top. The dome holds the moisture in so the plants can germinate well. No, I do NOT have a grow light but all of the packaging and some sites I read recommended the container to be in a location away from direct light but a warm location. So I left them on my kitchen counter. I might decide later on that a grow light would be helpful but for the time being, natural light it is.

Within a week my baby tomatoes were sprouting much quicker than the peppers. I took the tomato plants out of the container and replanted them in a bigger pot. I added seed soil and watered the soil until the soil was very saturated with water then inserted the whole plant pellet. It has now been a week and they are still moist and have not been watered again. I put them now in a sunny location and once they grow more leaves I will snip back the shorter ones to let the stronger stems grow better.

I am excited to see how my plants turn out and how successful I will be. It really does bring a sense of excitement and pride when growing one’s own food and plants. But, like I said, I shouldn’t speak too soon as to my future success.

Wait and see the fruits (and maybe misfortunes) of my labor! 🌱

Visit this site for more general seed starting tips!

New Job – New Meal Prep

It has now been a month into my new job as a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). However, with that has come some adjustment, including once again preparing my own healthy meals. While I sure miss my mom’s cooking and having a meal ready right when I am reaching the hangry threshold, I have gotten into a groove again. Here are some tips that I have found helpful over this month (and the past couple years) when I have had to meal prep on my own:

• Plan out meals to make (at the beginning of the week -usually Saturday or Sunday):
  • Take inventory of your pantry and fridge before planning meals and use those ingredients to make your meal plan to reduce food and money waste- do you have too many pitas like I do, might your lettuce go bad soon? Let’s make some pita sandwiches!
  • Use the store ads and deals to decide what meals to plan
  • Make sure it’s something you will eat and enjoy
  • Work to incorporate a well-rounded diet with lots of fruit and vegetables
  • Make extras- I plan two to three meals since it is just me and either freeze or put the rest in the fridge into portioned out containers
• Make a grocery list:
  • Include the ingredients needed to make the recipes for that week
  • Replenish some staples & easy snack ingredients such as: milk, bread, cereal, yogurt, cheese sticks, unsalted nuts, granola bars, hummus, peanut butter, apples, carrots, bananas, lettuce etc.
  • Grocery shop when you are NOT hungry- studies show people buy more and not the food they intended when they are hungry (I can attest to this)
  • A good key is to try to stick mostly to the outside of the store, where the fresh items are usually kept
• Weekly prep:
  • Pre-wash and cut produce like carrots or lettuce that may make it easier to make that snack or meal later in the week
  • Each night put your portioned meal into your lunch box (I always have a main meal, fruit, vegetable and snack) and stick it in the fridge so you can just pluck it out in the morning and go
  • Two ways to meal prep:
    • Make all of your meals on the weekend and portion them out for use later in the week
    • – OR – 
    • Plan the days you will make those meals ahead of time (I like to eat my food fresh at least once, but like leftovers for lunches and quick dinners)- utilize your crock pot if you have one!

Try some of my recent meal prep favorites:

• Taco/Savory Salad:  This is a meal you can really make your own. It’s an easy prep ahead meal for a couple lunches during the week
  • Ingredients: (make enough to serve your needs/meals)
    • Rice (I used brown rice)
    • Black beans
    • Romaine lettuce
    • Cucumber
    • Carrots
    • Bell Peppers
    • Cheese (I used feta- because I love it)
    • Salad dressing
  • Instructions: Add all ingredients (except the dressing) to a container, put dressing in another small container to add later. It’s that simple!

• Mom’s Chicken Stir Fry: This is family favorite and my mom makes it almost weekly
  • Ingredients: (serves about 4) *veggies are interchangeable
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • ½ cup peapods, chopped
    • 1 bell pepper, chopped
    • ½ cup grated carrots
    • 1 T. garlic
    • 1 pound chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
    • 1 cup rice, cooked
    • ½ -1 T. Teriyaki sauce
    • 1-2 T. Hoisin sauce
    • Olive oil to cook
  • Instructions:
    • Pour 1 Tablespoon of Teriyaki sauce and chicken pieces to marinade and put in fridge.
    • Meanwhile, chop up all of the veggies
    • Spray large sauté pan with cooking spray and add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and cook chicken until cooked through
    • Sauté veggies in more oil and add garlic
    • Turn pan down to medium and add 1 Tablespoon of Hoisin sauce and mix in
    • Mix chicken back in and serve over rice

From other sources:

• Crock pot taco soup
• Chicken or Tofu Tika Masala: See links below: both were very tasty and were great reheated for a lunch
  • Chicken tika masala
  • Tofu tika masala (shown in photo below)

Keto or Veto?

You may have heard of the ketogenic diet, otherwise known as keto. It’s a diet based around high fat, moderate protein and low carbohydrate intake, usually consisting of about 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrate daily. But what do we know about the effects, both positive and negative, of a keto diet? There may be some key facts to think about before you decide to keto or veto.

What happens to your body on a keto diet?

• The ketogenic diet is mainly used as a treatment for epilepsy (seizure disorders) with positive results thought to be due to the protective effects of omega-3 fatty acids.
• Carbohydrates (carbs) are our body’s main source of energy. In a low carbohydrate and higher fat diet in the keto diet, the body breaks down fat instead for energy. This process creates ketone bodies which are used for energy, specifically in the brain which usually only uses carbs for energy.
• The keto diet basically puts our bodies into a type of starvation since we are starving our bodies of their preferred source of energy, carbohydrates.
• You may experience some flu-like symptoms, also known as the “keto flu”, that usually occur when someone’s body is experiencing ketosis, or the creation of ketones for energy. These symptoms include:
  • fatigue
  • dizziness
  • upset stomach & nausea
  • headache
  • diarrhea
  • abdominal cramping
  • increased constipation (due to the low fiber in a keto diet)
• there is also a diuretic effect with the keto diet which may cause a loss of water and cause dehydration in the body.

Will the keto diet really improve my health and weight?

• Results seem to vary a lot in animal versus human studies.
• Weight loss:

While significant improvements in weight loss, up to 10-20%, have been seen with a keto diet as compared to a controlled diet, the weight loss could simply be due to reduced appetite. There could also be a decrease in lean body mass, aka muscle, as opposed to just fat.

• Fats and cholesterol:

A keto diet could reduce triglyceride levels but have also been reported to increase LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol).

• Blood glucose and insulin:

There have shown to be reductions in blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c levels, especially in those with type two diabetes, and therefore reduce reliance on diabetic medications. However, these results were only shown in short-term studies.

• Blood pressure conditions improved with the keto diet, although markers of dehydration were increased too.

Is a keto diet safe?

• Short-term side effects:
  • Reduced fiber consumption due to lack of fruit, vegetables and whole grains could result in constipation.
  • Decreased intake of vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables could result in deficiencies.
• There is a lot we don’t yet know about the keto diet, including long-term effects due to the lack of long-term studies. Some possible long-term effects are:
  • lower red blood cell counts and other anemia markers
  • issues in liver and kidney function (such as kidney stones)
  • decreased water content in the body possibly leading to dehydration
  • reduced memory
  • osteoporosis
  • heart disease
• Not recommended for those with:
  • Type 2 diabetes in the long-term
  • pancreatic disease
  • liver issues
  • thyroid issues
  • eating disorders
  • gallbladder disease or have had the gallbladder removed
  • critically monitoring of those with kidney diseases
  • pregnant or lactating women
  • reliance on sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) medications

Recommendations:

• Following a Mediterranean or well-rounded diet with variety and focusing your plate on non-starchy vegetables, whole grains, fruit and lean protein is recommended by the American Diabetes Association. Focusing on portion control is most important and more sustainable for the long-run.
• Low carb diets should be monitored by medical personnel routinely and adjusted over time (check with your provider to see if vitamin and mineral supplements are needed due to deficiencies in the diet).
• Every body reacts differently to diets, just as every person’s diet should be individualized to them and their needs. Should someone desire to try the keto diet they should seek professional assistance and monitoring with a registered dietitian nutritionist.

Resources:

1. Arsyad, Aryadi, et al. “Long-Term Ketogenic Diet Induces Metabolic Acidosis, Anemia, and Oxidative Stress in Healthy Wistar Rats.” Journal of Nutrition & Metabolism, June 2020, pp. 1–7. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1155/2020/3642035.
2. Bruci, Adriano, et al. “Very Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet: A Safe and Effective Tool for Weight Loss in Patients With Obesity and Mild Kidney Failure.” Nutrients, vol. 12, no. 2, Jan. 2020. EBSCOhost, doi:10.3390/nu12020333.
3. Brouns, Fred. “Overweight and Diabetes Prevention: Is a Low-Carbohydrate-High-Fat Diet Recommendable?” European Journal of Nutrition, vol. 57, no. 4, June 2018, pp. 1301–1312. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/s00394-018-1636-y.
4. Kosinski, Christophe, and François R. Jornayvaz. “Effects of Ketogenic Diets on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Evidence from Animal and Human Studies.” Nutrients, vol. 9, no. 5, May 2017, p. 517. EBSCOhost, doi:10.3390/nu9050517.
5. Choi, Yeo Jin, et al. “Impact of a Ketogenic Diet on Metabolic Parameters in Patients with Obesity or Overweight and with or without Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.” Nutrients, vol. 12, no. 7, July 2020. EBSCOhost, doi:10.3390/nu12072005.
6. Lifestyle Management: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes – 2019. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/diacare/42/Supplement_1/S46.full.pdf
7. Gordon, B. (n.d.). What is the Ketogenic Diet. Retrieved January 22, 2021, from https://www.eatright.org/health/weight-loss/fad-diets/what-is-the-ketogenic-diet

Compost Diary Part 2

This is a long overdue update to the composting diary.

I have completed two batches of compost in my compost tumbler. It is still a work in progress, one of the batches being larger and drier and the other being smaller and more wet and clumpy. I can see that my parents’ dry, clay-like soil is more rich now and will be ready for planting in the spring, with the addition of more compost. I have decided to clean out the compost tumbler for the winter, even though I did start my composting adventure in the late winter/early spring this past year.

Below are the pictures to illustrate the final product from my composting tumbler this fall:

Alternative to at-home composting:

There are other ways in which you can add to the compost pile and not the trash heap even if you don’t have your own composting area at home. We also utilize a city compost dump site, which happens to be at a county police station, in which they also have a community garden that I believe the compost is used for. That way you can feel good about contributing to the right pile without the responsibility of maintaining it yourself. Below is a link to learn about community composting:

What is Community Composting?

8 Tips for Studying for the RD Exam

It wasn’t that long ago this summer that I was stressing and studying for the Registered Dietitian exam, but luckily I can say I’ve passed and I am now an RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist). While I don’t have all the answers, here are some of my top tips on studying for the exam:

1. Find some good study material:

Many internships provide at least some study material for their interns post-internship. I was provided with the Inman study binder and USB audio, which seems fairly common for other internships as well. I also purchased the AND study binder outline, and that’s exactly what it was, just an outline. That was fine, but for me it was not as useful as the Inman study materials. I did, however, utilize the practice paper and online tests that were given through the AND binder, but all of the five practice tests were exactly the same questions so unfortunately it was solely a practice for timing and how the online platform would generally work.

2. Pick a test date & make a study plan!

Photo by Jess Bailey Designs on Pexels.com

It’s easy to pick a date and get lost in the weeks that lead up to the test and then before you know you have run out of time. When you are done or almost done with your internship, look up the dates and locations in your area and mark it in ink on your calendar when you sign up. Then, count the number of days you will willingly study before your test date. For a more specific division of study, look up the percent of content from each section that will likely be on the test and divide the number of study days you have by that percent for each section. Then divide the number of pages for each section by the number of days you’ve designated for that section. Or you can focus more time on a section that you know maybe isn’t your strong suit.

3. Be aware of your preferred learning method.

Click here to learn about your learning style!

For me, I learn best visually and with hands-on learning. So that meant I used videos and diagrams in addition to the audio and written materials. Some people liked to listen to the audio on walks, in the car or around the house but I knew I needed to see the words while hearing them.

4. Make it a routine.

Photo by Breakingpic on Pexels.com

Make time in your planner for study time each day and make a routine of how you will study too. This routine helped me (almost) look forward to it instead of dread it. For instance, I first would listen and read the study guide two times for the pages I allotted that day and highlight parts I needed more work on or parts that were emphasized in the audio. Then I would look up some parts I highlighted, mostly on YouTube so I could have a visual representation of it. I then wrote flash cards of the points that were highlighted. The next day before I started the routine over again, I would review the previous notecards for extra repetition. After every section I would take a practice test and highlight what I may have missed to re-emphasized later.

5. Think outside the box.

When things get monotonous, sometimes you need another way to look at the material to really grasp it. Sometimes this came in the form of YouTube videos, sometimes reviewing with friendly (virtually), other times I made a matching game out of it. For instance, for the vitamins and minerals I wrote out the sources, deficiency signs, functions, and RDAs on separate slips of paper and then shuffled them up to make it a matching game. I also drew out some of the macronutrient pathways and cut them out to make another matching-like game to help remember the pathway better (although I wouldn’t stress learning the entire pathways in great detail as you might have for advanced nutrition since the test is about a variety of dietetic information).

6. Take some “me” time.

When you only have a few notecards left to really cement in your head and a couple days before your test, take some time for yourself. Get a message, your nails done, have a night out with friends, treat yourself to a favorite dinner or dessert, or relax with a trip to the beach or a hike.

7. Take a test drive.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The day or two before your test take a test drive to the testing center to make sure your testing day goes as planned. Also read over all of the expectations for the testing center, such as having a picture id, not bringing your own calculator, wearing a mask, being aware that you’ll have to turn your phone off, and arriving at least 30 minutes early. *requirements may vary based on the testing center*

8. Get your beauty sleep!

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Go to bed early and take a deep breathe. You’ve studied a long time and know more than you think.

Healthy Meal Prepping on a Budget

This article was published in Spectrum Blodgett Hospital’s National Nutrition Month publication:

Can I eat healthy if I’m on a tight budget? It all depends on how you shop and plan. Below is a comparison of two different meals around $5. The difference between these two meals is that one provides one meal for one person with extra fat, sugar and calories. The other is around the same price and can provide multiple servings and contains more nutrients. A fast food double cheeseburger, medium fries, and medium soft drink can cost around $4.77. While grocery store-bought whole wheat spaghetti noodles, pasta sauce, frozen broccoli, and a half gallon of skim milk can cost around $5.82.

               

Try using these budgeting tips while you shop:

• Instead of eating out, plan your meals the week before, make a double batch and freeze the extras for lunches and busy nights
• Shop local farmers markets like Grand Rapids’ own Fulton Street Farmers Market & buy seasonal produce (you can visit the Fulton Street Farmers Market by clicking here)
• Save money by checking out a store’s online deals
• Set your grocery bill limit and add up each item on your phone as you shop
• Buy only what you need of fresh fruits and veggies to avoid spoilage
• Buy frozen or canned fruit and veggies (looking for food canned in water instead of syrup or juice and rinse before use)
• Buy whole grains in bulk, such as oats, quinoa, brown rice and whole wheat noodles
• Go for the low-cost proteins: peanut butter, lentils, beans, eggs, canned fish, whole grains
• Prep to-go snacks: yogurt parfaits, dried fruit and nuts, popcorn, whole fruit and veggies with hummus or peanut butter

 

Try this simple and nutritious recipe:

Crunchy Chicken Salad:

Portioned Recipe Total Cost: $3.65

5 Servings ($0.73/serving)

• 2 cups cooked chicken (or tofu) – $2.99/lb.
• ½ cup celery – $1.49/each celery heart
• ¼ cup green peppers – $0.79/each
• ¼ onion – $1.09/lb.
• ½ cucumber – $0.59/each
• ½ cup grapes – $1.99/lb.
• 1 small apple, diced with peel on – $1.99/lb.
• ¼ cup plain yogurt – $0.89/each 5.3oz container

Instructions:

1. Chop celery, green pepper into small pieces, peel and chop 1/4 of an onion, and chop half of a cucumber.
2. Chop the apple into pieces with peel on.
3. Cut grapes in half.
4. Put all ingredients into a large bowl and stir.
5. Serve on a lettuce leaf, with whole wheat crackers or on whole wheat bread.

 

Recipe from: https://choosemyplate-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/cookbooks/HealthyEatingonaBudgetCookbook.pdf

 

 

Spring Lobby Weekend 2020

I have never liked politics and I never thought I’d be one to put myself out there to advocate for policies. I’ve always thought that was way too above my head and uncomfortable. I was wrong.

A couple of weeks ago my fellow dietetic interns and I had the very unique experience to lobby our state (Michigan, not Wisconsin) legislators on the topic of climate change through the Spring Lobby Weekend put on by the Friends Committee on National Legislation. This event is usually held in person in D.C. but if there is one positive thing to come out of this pandemic it’s that many more young people were able to participate since the event was held virtually and we lobbied via phone. How lucky am I to say that I lobbied my legislators about climate change, a topic I’m very interested in, with many of my inspiring interns, from my couch!

The piece of legislation we were lobbying for was the Climate Action Rebate Act of 2019. The goal of this act is to reduce global green house gas emissions (GHG) by 55% by the year 2030 and by 100% by 2050 by adding a carbon price of $15 per metric ton of GHG emissions and increasing that price by $15 yearly. The income from this carbon price will not be for nothing. The money will go back into the people who need it most, middle and low-income households, fossil fuel workers transitioning to cleaner energy production, and funding for clean energy infrastructure.

While I was nervous about how I was going to discuss this topic effectively, the advice and simple trainings held the previous days virtually through the Spring Lobby Weekend were very helpful and they even gave us a layout to follow on the call. I also learned about how to talk to those who don’t have the same viewpoints as you might. I learned about climate change and its relation to agriculture and public health, the economy, mass incarceration and immigration. It really does affect us all. However, being a dietetic intern, the agriculture and public health aspects appealed to me most. One of the hot topics in sustainable agriculture is no till farming to reduce the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere as well as reducing soil erosion, nutrient loss and evaporation. In addition, our overall health is being affected by climate change due to the direct effect it has on our water and food supply.

As you can tell I am passionate about climate change, that is why I chose to apply to the internship program I am in. But the one thing that was drilled into our heads over the course of the three-day lobbying weekend was that the most important piece to lobbying is your personal story. If you can tie the legislation to you and something that you have experienced personally, your legislator will find tremendous impact in that. They are there to listen to you! I really enjoyed this experience so much more than I thought and found it to be so inspiring and eye-opening.

 

More Information:

• https://www.fcnl.org/updates/spring-lobby-weekend-2020-watch-the-recordings-1914
• https://www.fcnl.org/documents/1068

Composting 101

April 5, 2020:

This week I started on a new adventure…composting! I have never really thought I would compost but recently I took a community class with some fellow interns and was inspired by how I could do it at home. After this class I started subconsciously becoming more aware of just how much waste I create that could be composted. So, I started off on this journey. I read other composting blog articles, ventured into Pinterest and various educational materials I’d been given through my internship. One booklet in particular I got through a gardening group at an elementary school in Grand Rapids during my time as an intern with the Grand Rapids Public School District has been useful and realistic, “An Illustrated Guide to Growing Food on Your Balcony”. I will be referencing the advice in this booklet throughout this post.

What is compost?

Some of you may wonder first of all, what is compost and why go through all this work for some dirt?

Compost is the process of breaking down (or decomposition of) food waste and other decomposing materials such as leaves and paper into nutrient-rich soil. This soil can be used to nurture plants, vegetables, or flowers and be a great way to reuse natural food waste and reduce its buildup in landfills.

What do I put in my compost?

Your compost, as I’ve been taught recently, needs both green and brown material to generate the appropriate amount of nitrogen and carbon and produce a not-to-wet and not-to-dry soil. The green and brown materials are outlined below:

Add to the pile:	Avoid adding to the pile:
Greens: ·         Fruits & Vegetables ·         Eggshells ·         Coffee grounds, tea ·         Plain grains ·         Nut shells	·         Meat, dairy (can be added and decomposed but will create odor and attract some animals) ·         Animal poo (turns into manure but takes excessive amount of time) ·         Plastic, Styrofoam, metal, glass, stickers, tags, twist ties ·         Diseased plants ·         Glossy or color-printed paper ·         Coal, charcoal ash ·         Black walnut tree leaves and twigs
Browns: ·         Dry leaves, yard trimmings, grass clippings, hay, straw ·         Shredded newspaper (and some regular paper, shredded without too much ink), cardboard ·         Sawdust or wood chips (untreated and un-coated) ·         Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint (no plastics!) ·         Hair and fur ·         Fireplace ashes

How I started the process:

1. I researched all I could and was going to use an old container and poke holes in the bottom for ample aeration. I decided instead that a composting tumbler would be my best bet on my balcony. It’s fairly cheap and makes it easy to turn and in addition it is compact and a closed system that keeps pests and odor out. I bought mine from Walmart for about $60. Although worm bins are useful as well since the worms do a lot of the work for you and they can be clean and compact as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Buy some soil or manure to add to the mixture as a base. I was advised at Walmart to get some manure as they didn’t have any compost starter.

 

3. Have a container ready to add your kitchen scraps until you can dispose of them in the composter. I’m currently using an old protein powder canister since it has a lid and the smell isn’t escaping so far.

In my kitchen scraps this week: avocado skin, bell pepper tops, banana peels, a lot of eggshells, apple cores, lettuce pieces, and coffee grounds.

 

4. Lastly, I’ve added about a 1/3 of the bag of the manure with my (about a gallon) food scraps and shredded newspaper and paper. I gave the tumbler a few turns to get the process going, and will continue to turn it daily until I get the consistency I want. The compost you be warm after awhile of the process and be moist but not dripping. My balcony is on the south side in the sun, which is good for producing compost.

*Stay tuned for my composting adventure!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resources:

1. “An Illustrated Guide to Growing Food on Your Balcony” By: Lara Lucretia Mrosovsky
2. “Build a Backyard Composter”, KVCC Food Innovation Center, By: Chris Broadbent & Amelia Stefanac
3. https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/how-to-compost-in-an-apartment/

 

I Simulated Living with Diabetes for Three Days

This past week I worked with registered dietitians that are specifically versed in educating and counseling those with diabetes at the Spectrum outpatient endocrinology and diabetes care clinic. I had already known that I was interested in diabetes outpatient care and that that could possibly be a future career path for me. Little did I know that I would love it as much as I did. The dietitians I worked with were so passionate about caring for those with diabetes, they not only educated patients at the level they were at of understanding diabetes management, they also were experts in managing the electronic devices used to regulate blood sugars and took a step back at times when patients simply needed a shoulder to lean on regardless of the reason why.

Diabetes is an autoimmune disease that can be genetic, as in type one diabetes. Diabetes can also be incurred in various ways with increased risk with obesity, old age, race, history of gestational diabetes (increased blood sugar especially in the second or third trimester of pregnancy) related to a decrease in the amount or efficacy of insulin secretion from the pancreas, as in type two diabetes. It is part of dietitian’s responsibility to educate newly diagnosed patients about the type of diabetes they are diagnosed with, what markers diagnose them, how to better control their blood sugars throughout the day, how to deal with high or low blood sugar, and how to use equipment such as a meter, glucose pump or continuous glucose monitor.

For three days I was “diagnosed” and lived as though I had diabetes. I did not, however, have to inject myself with insulin or take an actual pill as I do not indeed have diabetes. I did learn a lot about how I might teach or assist someone who actually is a new diabetes patient. I had to re-arrange my schedule a little bit to accompany testing my blood sugars when I woke up, before lunch, dinner, and bed. I was on the phone with my dad one night and he was shocked how many times I had to prick my finger throughout the day and noted that it must be painful and not enjoyable. I told him that it really was not that bad, specifically in the beginning, but that was probably due to the fact that I did not have to take insulin, deal with actual high and low blood sugar symptoms throughout the day, and knew that I would not have to live with this for the rest of my life. I became a lot more aware of what I was eating, just like tracking your food in general, but knew that I had to attempt to dose my insulin prior to eating so it would work on the food I consumed when it was being digested. This was sometimes a challenge as I would not always eat all of my food, be in a rush, or simply would dose incorrectly. Had I actually had diabetes, I might have run low in my blood sugars due to too much insulin, resulting in feeling shaky, sweaty, dizzy, or if left too long without taking in some sugar I could become unconscious. This is all very scary for a newly diagnosed diabetic. A dietitian’s role is so crucial in preventing diabetes diagnosis, monitoring symptoms and maintaining good blood sugar control over the course of someone’s daily routine.

Culinary Medicine

The second week of my clinical nutrition rotation at Spectrum Blodgett hospital I got to sit in on an evening culinary medicine class at the Grand Rapids Downtown Market. What is culinary medicine you ask? It is a program that has been spread across the country, originally started at Duke University School of Medicine, and focused on educating medical students on the role nutrition plays in fostering health and how to alter dishes to be more nutritious. Now this new take on teaching nutrition is used in community settings as an intervention for improving health. Participants sign up for a weekly or biweekly course and learn about various traditional recipes that they can alter to be more nutritious such as incorporating more veggies or adding healthy fats. They even get to take home premade leftovers!

The class I assisted with and attended was the first class in the series and was called “Less Meat, Forget Fried”. This class started out by introducing families to kitchen utensils and their uses and ingredients that would be used, then addressed topics like the Mediterranean diet, how to buy seafood that can be used as a part of a Mediterranean diet and mindful eating practices. Finally, families were broken up into pairs and the dietitians and volunteers assisted them in making various dishes for the feast later on. The dishes served (in the following order below) were spaghetti with lentils instead of meat sauce, black bean brownies (my personal favorite), apricot lentil soup, sesame ginger broccoli for a crisp vegetable, oven-baked fish sticks instead of fried, and salad with a homemade vinaigrette. I assisted with the groups that made the oven-baked fish sticks and the salad. It was such a fun and rewarding experience to see families working together and excited about what they were making.

 

Click here for more information about how the project started through Duke!