Who is a dietitian?
According to The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition in Dietetics:
A certified nutritionist is someone who has obtained a master’s degree or PhD in nutrition or a related field and has also gone through a certification process to be a “certified clinical nutritionist”. However, the term “nutritionist” is not a protected title and there is no regulation on who is able to identify him or herself as a nutritionist. It can be confusing because a dietitian is also a licensed nutritionist, but a nutritionist may not also be a licensed dietitian. It is worthy to note that dietitians are considered the nutrition experts in the US, but there are other health professionals that can offer accurate nutrition information. No matter whom you choose it is always important to understand their background, credentials and if they are a reputable source of information. Make sure you are working with someone you can trust. Always feel free to reach out to learn more. Sincerely, Kelsey Nicholson RD, LD KelseyRD@healthsuite110.com Sources: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "What are the qualifications of a registered dietitian?" http://www.eatright.org/. Be sure to contact Kelsey SOON to take advantage of her special spring pricing - prices go up June 1st!
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I believe we all want what's best for our kids and do our very best to provide them with the environment and opportunities to help them thrive. Many kids are lucky enough to be involved in extra-curricular activities including sports, drama, music and other hobbies. Through these activities, they learn valuable skills in self-discipline, teamwork, and stick-with-it-ness that will hopefully serve them well in their future endeavors. That being said, if I could recommend families do only ONE thing to improve a their child's health, wellbeing and chances for success in the world, it would be the family meal. It seems almost too simple or old-fashioned to be my go-to advice, but common sense and science agree that making time to sit down and for a meal together empowers children for: - better academic performance - higher self-esteeem - greater sense of resilience - improved social and communication skills - lower risk of substance abuse - lower risk of teen pregnancy - lower risk of depression and suicide - lower risk of developing eating disorders - lower rates of obesity - improved sense of belonging Need some FREE & easy recipe ideas? Check out these One Pot Wonders from the Family Dinner Project. Slow cooker and Quick & Easy recipes from AllRecipes. Happy eating! Dr. V Kylie Vannaman MD is a Board-Certified Family Medicine Doctor in Kansas City who believes that trusting relationships and quality conversations are essential to providing outstanding primary care to one and all. Sign up today! I love this book. In fact, many of my friends reading this blog will have a copy (paperback or audiobook version) that I gave them as a gift throughout the year following my first reading. So, what's so great about it? Well, where to start?! It's a book about food, but not in the way you think. It's a book about people and their (our) relationships with food. It's a book of great recipes (including a "No-Knead Artisan Bread for Busy People"), in fact, I store this book right along with my cookbooks in my kitchen. It's a book about the joy of learning something new and realizing the kitchen can be a source of inspiration, health and happiness for you and your family. The author explains that the book was, "Inspired by a supermarket encounter with a woman loading up on processed foods, I decided to use my culinary training to help nine novice cooks find their cooking confidence. The Kitchen Counter Cooking School takes these lessons and provides practical, healthy tips to boost your culinary self-confidence, and strategies to get the most from your grocery dollars, as well as simple recipes to get you cooking." Kathleen's goals with her books, website (www.cookfearless.com) and blog are to, "teach the world to cook, to foster a sense of confidence - no, more than that - the ability for people to once again be fearless in their kitchens". I know that my attitude about food and cooking changed immensely after reading this book and highly encourage everyone to check out this very enjoyable, informative read. Who knows, maybe you too will find yourself hosting a salt-tasting or knife skills party...be fearless! Bon appetit, Dr. V Dr. Vannaman is a Board Certified Family Medicine Doctor in Kansas City who believes that trusting relationships and quality conversations are essential to providing outstanding primary care to one and all. Sign up today! The American Heart Association strongly promotes "Life's Simple 7" to raise awareness of what it exactly means to live healthy. More importantly, there has been significant research in looking at these 7 goals and how they reduce the chance of developing heart disease and even cardiac death. The Life's Simple 7 are as follows: 1. Manage blood pressure 2. Control cholesterol 3. Reduce blood sugar 4. Get active 5. Eat better 6. Lose weight 7. Stop smoking A more detailed discussion into what each of these goals means... MANAGE BLOOD PRESSURE High blood pressure goes undiagnosed and many times because of the lack of time with your physician, it may not be treated appropriately. Many organs can be injured from high blood pressure aside from developing a stroke or a heart attack. These include kidneys, liver, your GI tract, eyes, and much more. Goal blood pressure is less than 120/80. CONTROL CHOLESTEROL By reducing your cholesterol levels, you give your arteries the best chance of not getting clogged. Plaques form from cholesterol deposits that can lead to strokes or heart attacks. REDUCE BLOOD SUGAR We may not realize how much sugar we consume as several foods we eat are full of sugar. The average American, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), consumes anywhere between 150 to 170 pounds of sugar in 1 year! That is equal to about 30-34 five pound bags of sugar lined up next to one another in a counter! High blood sugar levels affect every organ in our body, including fighting infections and healing wounds. Certainly, Diabetes is a major concern when one consumes a lot of sugar. Diabetes is a multi-system disease and the good news is that it is preventable and treatable. So how much sugar should you eat? As close to zero as you can get. GET ACTIVE Here is the skinny on how much activity you truly need: EAT BETTER
We know the usual stuff don't we:
LOSE WEIGHT What is the ideal weight? We are all inundated with advertisements of what it means to "look fit." So here is the truth and reality of what goals regarding weight actually result in optimal cardiovascular health, longevity, and living well. By focusing on your BMI, you can get a good assessment of where you need to be. It is a simple calculation by knowing your height and weight. Calculate yours today! STOP SMOKING This is a no brainer. The days of the Marlboro man are gone and most have tossed the cigarettes. Smoking causes cardiovascular disease, increases risk for stroke, peripheral vascular disease that can lead to amputation of limbs, poor wound healing, emphysema where you may need oxygen to breathe, and many types of deadly cancers. There is strong evidence regarding the risk of second hand smoke and the fact that it can cause similar damage to the body as if the person was a smoker. To get in-depth information regarding these 7 goals, visit this site Wishing you a life full of joy, happiness, and good health, - Dr. Ahmed Below is a great article by Dr. Mark Hyman, MD regarding the many benefits and tips on sleep. I'm off to get my 8+ hours now. ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz....... Dr. V YOU CAN LOSE WEIGHT without changing what you eat or doing one minute of exercise! It’s a bold claim. And don’t get me wrong: Nutrition and exercise are important! But there’s another key to weight loss – and most people don’t even know about it. It’s sleep. In fact, besides eating whole foods and moving your body, getting enough sleep is the most important thing you can do for your health. On the flip side, sleep deprivation makes you fat – AND leads to depression, pain, heart disease, diabetes, and much more. That’s why in today’s blog I want to talk about the impact sleep has on your health and give you 19 tips you can use to get a good night’s rest and enjoy all the health benefits sleep has to offer. Let’s start by talking about a rather serious sleep condition called sleep apnea. The Dangers of Sleep Apnea Sleep apnea is a condition where your sleep is interrupted all night because your airway closes and your body startles you awake so you don’t suffocate. This is a very common and extremely under-diagnosed problem. It affects 18 million Americans and most are NOT treated for it. Let me tell you about one of my patients who was in that same predicament. He was so tired that he had to stand up at his computer to work during the day so he wouldn’t fall asleep! His wife reported hearing his horrible snoring and gasping episodes at night. He would fall right asleep as soon as he sat down to watch TV at night. Most frightening, he had fallen asleep at the wheel when driving. Then he came to see me. When we got his sleep apnea diagnosed (with a sleep study in a sleep lab) and got him treated with a device to keep his airway open at night, he lost 50 pounds, his blood pressure turned to normal – and he got his life back. But people with sleep apnea are not the only ones in trouble. It is estimated that 70 percent of Americans are sleep deprived. The era of Starbucks has been surpassed by an era of prescription stimulants to keep people awake and functioning, like dexadrine and Ritalin – otherwise known as “speed” or amphetamines. Surprisingly, I see an increasing number of patients prescribed these “uppers” by their psychiatrist because coffee is not enough to keep them energetic. It seems we believe that if you can’t do ten things at once, something must be wrong with you. But this is preposterous. Your biological rhythms keep you healthy and produce cyclic pulses of healing and repair hormones, including melatonin and growth hormone. When those rhythms are disturbed by inadequate or insufficient sleep, disease and breakdown get the upper hand. It is estimated that 70 percent of Americans are sleep deprived. We evolved along with the rhythms of day and night. They signal a whole cascade of hormonal and neurochemical reactions that keep us healthy by repairing our DNA, building tissues and muscle, and regulating weight and mood chemicals. The advent of the light bulb changed all that. When you are sleep deprived, your cortisol rises – and so do all its harmful effects, including brain damage and dementia, weight gain, diabetes, heart attacks, high blood pressure, depression, osteoporosis, depressed immunity, and more. The reality is that most of us need at least eight hours of restful sleep a night. But meeting this goal has become more and more difficult. Partially because good sleep is not something that just happens (unless you are a baby or teenager). There are clearly defined things that interfere with or support healthy sleep. Here is what you need to do: 19 Tips to Improve Sleep First, you have to prioritize sleep! I used to think that “MD” stood for “medical deity” and meant I didn’t have to follow the same sleep rules as every other human being. I stayed up late working long shifts in the emergency room, ignoring the demands of my body to rest. It wasn’t until I learned that shift work (like I did in when I worked in the emergency room) leads to a shortened life expectancy that I quit. Unfortunately, our lives are infiltrated with stimuli – and we keep stimulated until the moment we get into bed. This is not the way to get restful sleep. Frankly, it’s no wonder we can’t sleep well when we eat late dinners, answer emails, surf the Internet, or do work, and then get right into bed and watch the evening news about all the disaster, pain, and suffering in the world. Instead we must take a little “holiday” in the two hours before bed. Creating a sleep ritual – a special set of little things you do before bed to help ready your system physically and psychologically for sleep – can guide your body into a deep, healing sleep. We all live with a little bit of post-traumatic stress syndrome (or, I should say, traumatic stress syndrome, because for many of us there is nothing “post” about it). Much research has been done on the effects of stress and traumatic experiences and images on sleep. If you follow my guidelines for restoring normal sleep below, your post-traumatic stress may become a thing of the past. Here’s how restore your natural sleep rhythm. It may take weeks or months, but using these tools in a coordinated way will eventually reset your biological rhythms:
Sleep Testing: What You Need to Know There are many medical sleep disorders, the most common (and most under-diagnosed) is sleep apnea. If you experience excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, snoring, and have been seen to stop breathing in the middle of the night by your spouse or partner, then you could be one of the many people with undiagnosed sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea have a higher risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and sudden death, so diagnosing and treating it is imperative. High blood pressure is a clue, because half of all people with high blood pressure have undiagnosed sleep apnea. Get an overnight sleep study done in a sleep lab. It may the best thing you ever do for yourself. It might just save your life! And remember – don’t skimp on sleep! It is one of the most powerful healing treatments available if you want to achieve lifelong vibrant health. For more on sleep, I recommend The Promise of Sleep by William C. Dement MD, PhD (Random House, 1999). To your good health, Mark Hyman, MD www.drhyman.com Dr. Vannaman is a Board Certified Family Medicine Doctor in Kansas City who believes that trusting relationships and quality conversations are essential to providing outstanding primary care to one and all. Sign up today! Hippocrates was on to the root of something (no pun intended) when he made his famous quote, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." Another well-known author and food-writer, Michael Pollan made an equally poignant statement in the opening of his book, In Defense of Food: an eater's manifesto, when he declares "the secret" revealed in all his years of research and writing about food and health. Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. His book then goes on to describe the transition of Americans going from thinking about food in the way of, well, FOOD to thinking about food in the way of "nutrients". He describes how in order to avoid angering the meat and dairy industries by suggesting people cut back on those foods, governmental agencies instead advised Americans to "decrease their intake of saturated fats". Gradually over time, we became increasingly obsessed with the labels on the boxes with their nice tables of nutritional information. Calories, fat grams, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, etc were all there to be counted and compared. Personally, I know many people who shy away from eating fresh fruits and vegetables because there isn't a label describing their exact nutritional data. Unfortunately, in our attempts to eat healthier, we exchange common sense for the current professional advice of the time. In John Harvey Kellogg's day, protein was the enemy, which led to his zeal for vegetarianism and regular enemas at his Battle Creek Sanitarium (side note: if you are one for satire, check out the 1994 movie "The Road to Wellville"). More recently fats have been the enemy, particularly in regards to cardiovascular disease, however these assumptions have been repeatedly challenged and now, "the lipid hypothesis is quietly melting away...(as we) come to the unavoidable conclusion that the emperors of nutrition have no clothes and we'll never listen to them again." writes Michael Pollan (In Defense of Food, chapter 5). Meanwhile, Dr. Atkins and others proclaim that carbohydrates are the true enemy and many people (celiac or not) are delving into the gluten-free mantra. I agree that many people feel better on a gluten-free diet, but I am skeptical whether this is because they are avoiding gluten per se, or all the other low-quality carbohydrates found in processed foods. By now, if you're like me, you've made yourself dizzy in trying to follow all these rules. So, what now? Again, I think Michael Pollan sums it up nicely: Michael Pollan's 7 Rules for Eating:
#6 is my favorite...and the topic of another blog... To your health! Dr. V Dr. Vannaman is a Board Certified Family Medicine Doctor in Kansas City who believes that trusting relationships and quality conversations are essential to providing outstanding primary care to one and all. Sign up today! As summer turns to fall, the nights get cooler, the leaves start to change, we start getting out our cozy sweaters and...BAM! cold and flu season starts ramping up. What can start out as a mildly irritating illness can turn down right miserable. So, how do you know if this is something that needs a doctor's visit vs a little TLC? Rest, fluids and over the counter medication for symptom relief vs a prescription or antibiotic? Read on for some clarification on some common misconceptions and TIPS on how to stay well. Green snot means you need an antibiotic. FALSE Any time you have increased mucous production, especially if it sits around in your sinuses for awhile, it will turn from its usual clear to yellow or green. This does not indicate a bacteria is necessarily the cause. I feel miserable. I must have the flu. Maybe... "The flu" is a specific infection caused by the influenza virus (typically A or B). The flu changes some each year, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, which is why a flu vaccine is recommended each year. If you have a cough and a runny nose, it's probably one of the many viruses that causes the common cold. If you have the above, PLUS, fever, muscle aches and feel like you've been hit by a bus...then you probably have the flu. The "stomach flu" is a thing. FALSE I grew up calling any vomiting or diarrhea illness "the stomach flu" too, but this is a tragic misnomer. If you have vomiting and diarrhea, you probably have some sort of food poisoning (bacterial cause) or viral gastroenteritis, but it's not any type of "flu". Antibiotics can help any serious infection. FALSE So, this one has a 2-part answer... 1. Antibiotics only kill bacteria, so anything caused by a virus will NOT be helped by an antibiotic. It may cause a rash or give you a yeast infection, but it won't cure your virus. 2. When antibiotics are used inappropriately (such as for a virus), we worsen antibiotic-resistant epidemic, which as it sounds, is BAD news. This creates "super bugs" that are harder to treat and often lands people in the hospital to get expensive, IV antibiotics to kill off these bacteria that were once susceptible to simple, inexpensive antibiotics. When my cold goes to my chest, I always need an antibiotic. FALSE Bronchitis can be very serious, causing chest tightness, productive cough and shortness of breath which may require prescription medication such as an inhaler or cough suppressant. There is a very common misconception that bronchitis, or a "chest cold", requires an antibiotic, however, the vast majority of the time, bronchitis is a viral infection caused by the same viruses that cause the common cold. A good history and careful physical exam can help determine if the bronchitis is caused by a virus or bacteria, but sometimes an X-ray or blood test is needed as well. If you are at high risk for infection (diabetic, immune deficiency, COPD or chronic bronchitis sufferers), an antibiotic may be given since they often don't present with typical symptoms and the risk of serious complication in this group is much higher. Viral infections are not as serious as bacterial infections. FALSE Viral infections, including those that cause the common cold and influenza (the flu) can make you super miserable with high fevers and muscle cramps that will make you want to curl up in bed and beg for spring to arrive. Even some types of meningitis (a scary infection of the spinal fluid surrounding your brain) are viral and can present very similarly to bacterial infections. Usually, a good history, physical exam and possibly blood tests can help distinguish between a viral and bacterial infection. If your illness is determined to be viral, this just means that an antibiotic won't do any good, NOT that your symptoms aren't serious. Instead, we need to focus on treating the symptoms, supporting your body's own immune system (which may require a hospital stay if severe) and waiting for your body to fight off the virus. If I don't need an antibiotic, there is nothing that will help me feel better. FALSE! There are lots of things that can help ease the symptoms that come along with the cold or flu. Ibuprofen or Tylenol can help ease muscle aches, sore throats, headache and fever. Saline nasal spray/rinse can help keep sinuses clear and that mucous moving along so it doesn't settle in and cause sinus infections (mostly adults) or ear infections (mostly kids). Humidifiers can help with congestion and nighttime cough. Vicks vapor rub on the chest, neck or feet can help with congestion and cough. Lemon and honey "tea" can soothe a sore throat. You'll also find tons of over-the-counter medication promising to help with symptoms, but read the labels carefully, avoid over-dosing on medication when taking more than one combo medicine and avoid these entirely in kiddos under age 4 - they don't tend to work and have caused serious side effects in children. When in doubt, ask your doctor or pharmacist. The cough from bronchitis only lasts a few days. FALSE I really hate to say it, but the average cough for VIRAL bronchitis lasts up to 3 or 4 WEEKS! Boo. This is important to realize as most people assume that a cough that lasts this long MUST require an antibiotic. But as we've discussed above, unless you are having other worsening symptoms, you just have to keep on with the chicken noodle soup and ride it out. I don't need a flu shot because I've never gotten the flu. FALSE You've probably never been hit by a bus, but I'll bet you still look both ways before crossing the street. In fact, we feel so strongly that the flu vaccine is important that we offer the flu vaccine FREE for all members over 6 months of age of our clinic. I'll let the CDC answer the rest of the most common flu shot questions. TIPS ON HOW TO SURVIVE COLD AND FLU SEASON These may sound familiar to what your grandma used to say... 1. Get plenty of rest 2. Drink plenty of fluids - we're talking water, green tea, etc. 3. Wash your hands frequently 4. Cough/sneeze into your elbow - and teach your kiddos to do the same 5. Get plenty of vitamin C - think strawberries, orange juice, bell peppers or a supplement 6. Get your flu shot early - it takes 2 weeks for your immune system to ramp up 7. Relax, find time for yourself and de-stress - stress causes increased cortisol levels which weakens your immune system. We offer weekly meditation classes at clinic, check out our newsletter or call for details. What other questions do YOU have about the cold and flu season? What's your best go-to treatment? Personally, I'm a big fan of chicken noodle soup, foot rubs and Vicks Vapor Rub smeared under my nose. Feel free to share your questions or comments below. Wishing you a happy and healthy fall! Dr. V Kylie Vannaman MD is a Board Certified Family Medicine Doctor in Kansas City who believes that trusting relationships and quality conversations are essential to providing outstanding primary care to one and all. Sign up today! Seasonal allergies, or commonly called hay fever, are a group of conditions that may cause a person to sneeze, have a stuffy nose, or a irritating runny nose. These symptoms happen certain times of the year when the irritants are in full exposure. Some of these irritants include:
In response to the body attacking the invaders, the body releases enzymes that cause allergic symptoms, like sneezing, coughing, and runny nose. Usually, folks get seasonal allergies during their childhood and the symptoms can get better or worse over time. How do I get tested? Ask your doctor about testing options. A simple physical exam is all that may be needed to diagnose seasonal allergies. However, an allergy skin test is recommended to find out what exactly you might be allergic to. During a skin test, the physician will drop a substance that you might be allergic to on your skin and make a tiny prick in your skin. Then we watch and see if it gets red and bumpy! That's it! Ok, so I have seasonal allergies, now how do I help my body fight this battle? 1. Nose rinses - Using salt water to rinse the inside of the nose cleans and gets rid of the pollen in the nose. Buy a neti pot or sinus rinse at your neighborhood CVS, Walmart or other convenience store! 2. Steroid nose sprays - Be patient with these. It takes a few days to weeks before they start working. 3. Antihistamines - The goal of this class of medications is to stop the symptoms, like itchy eyes, sneezing, runny nose, etc. Remember, some antihistamines can make you feel sleepy, like Benadryl. So, please consult with a physician regarding what you are taking, even though it is over the counter. Medications interact and can influence how you feel. 4. Allergy shot - These are usually every week or monthly administered by a physician. Again, this may take months to work. 5. Allergy pills - These are usually placed under the tongue. They work similar to allergy shots. These can be taken everyday for several months of the year. All of these treatments must be discussed with your primary care physician. Can seasonal allergies be prevented? Absolutely! If you know exactly what time of the year you get allergies, talk with your primary care physician. By starting your medication 2 weeks prior to that time of year, symptoms may be prevented. If you are allergic to pollen, try the following things:
So, it's not just you who thinks this allergy season is bad. There's science to back up what you are feeling! If you're like me, it's such a drag to get "Fine" as an answer to this classic dinnertime question. Luckily, I stumbled onto the brilliant folks over at Simple Simon & Company for some great suggestions on how to get a real conversation going and couldn't help but share their wisdom. Ready, set, go! #1. What was the best thing that happened at school today? (What was the worst thing that happened at school today?) #2. Tell me something that made you laugh today. #3. If you could choose who would you like to sit by in class? (Who would you NOT want to sit by in class? Why?) #4. Where is the coolest place at the school? #5. Tell me a weird word that you heard today. (Or something weird that someone said.) #6. If I called your teacher tonight what would she tell me about you? #7. How did you help somebody today? #8. How did somebody help you today? #9. Tell me one thing that you learned today. #10. When were you the happiest today? #11. When were you bored today? #12. If an alien spaceship came to your class and beamed up someone who would you want them to take? #13. Who would you like to play with at recess that you’ve never played with before? #14. Tell me something good that happened today. #15. What word did your teacher say most today? #16. What do you think you should do/learn more of at school? #17. What do you think you should do/learn less of at school? #18. Who in your class do you think you could be nicer to? #19. Where do you play the most at recess? #20. Who is the funniest person in your class? Why is he/she so funny? #21. What was your favorite part of lunch? #22. If you got to be the teacher tomorrow what would you do? #23. Is there anyone in your class that needs a time out? #24. If you could switch seats with anyone in the class who would you trade with? Why? #25. Tell me about three different times you used your pencil today at school. For their teen version, check out www.simplesimonandco.com I've marked my top favorites in RED. These have been handy for for me in figuring out some of my son's class dynamics in new and entertaining ways. Another dinnertime ritual that we do from time to time is for everyone around the table to share "3 Good Things" about their day. I find when we do this regularly, it helps build the habit of gratitude which gets us recognizing the "good things" in real time too! Happy parenting! Dr. V Dr. Vannaman is a Board Certified Family Medicine Doctor in Kansas City who believes that trusting relationships and quality conversations are essential to providing outstanding primary care to one and all. Sign up today! Don't forget about our upcoming Direct Primary Care for Business Event
Thursday August 25th from 5:30-7:30pm at the Matt Ross Community Center at 81st & Metcalf in Overland Park. Refreshments provided. Self-insured and small business owners encouraged to attend, EVERYONE welcome. Please RSVP & bring a friend! |
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