Five Tips for Eating Healthy During the Holidays

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Liberty Lutheran

Holiday weight gain may seem inevitable, however there are ways you can win the battle of the bulge this season. There’s no need to pack on extra pound says Jamie Hernandez, M.A, M.A, certified health coach & hypnotherapist at The Becoming Center.

Here are Jamie’s Five Tips for Eating Healthy During the Holidays.

1 – Hydrate – Drink lots of water. Drinking water before meals can fill the stomach so you don’t eat as much. Staying hydrated also helps you to feel healthy and energetic!

2 – Move – Plan time for exercise. Stick to your current exercise routine, or if you don’t have one, now is the time to start. Even if it means taking a walk with family after a meal, or going to the gym with your spouse. Get moving!

3 – Slow Down – Eat slowly, chew thoroughly. Chewing your food not only helps to slow down your eating, but it also releases digestive enzymes that allow you to digest your food better and absorb more of the nutrition. By eating slower, you can pay attention to how you are feeling and will be able to stop when you are actually full. A good rule of thumb is to put down you fork for 30-60 seconds in between each bite. This also allows you to engage in conversation with your loved ones.

4 – Portions – Use a smaller plate, and fill it up with salad and vegetables first. If cakes, pies and cookies are your downfall, offer to share a slice with someone when deserts are served.

5 – Sleep – Get appropriate sleep. The holidays can be a busy time and you may get less sleep or less productive sleep if you are feeling stressed. When you are tired, you tend to go for fatty, calorie-laden comfort foods. Sticking to a good sleep schedule, and doing something to calm your mind before you go to sleep, like meditation, will help you to make healthier food choices the next day.

Learn more about what Liberty’s The Becoming Center can do for you.
Visit BecomingCenter.org for general information or click here for information on nutrition counseling and classes.

Healthy Meals, Happy Seniors

Posted on May 26, 2016 by Liberty Lutheran

In 2014, 74-year-old Jessie suffered a severe heart attack and knew that recovery would require resilience and commitment.

Fortunately, Jessie was a member of LCFS’ West Philadelphia Senior Community Center (WPSCC), a beloved neighborhood hub that helps to improve the lives of older adults through a wide range of social services and life enrichment programs.

WPSCC helped Jessie, one of its members, lose 61lbs.

As a member, Jessie had already been taking advantage of some of the offerings provided by the Center. But, after the heart attack, she significantly stepped up her game. “I started to take the Center’s nutrition class every Monday and eat the nutritional meals they serve for lunch each day. In the last two years, I’ve lost 61 pounds!,” she says.

Jessie says she doesn’t know if she’d be here today if she hadn’t suffered the heart attack. It was an eye-opener that inspired positive changes in her life—many of which WPSCC helped her make through education and healthy eating.

Grants Help to Transform Health
A variety of generous grants enable the West Philadelphia Senior Community Center to provide programs that empower Jessie and hundreds of other older adults—many whom suffer from food insecurity and poor nutrition—to transform their health.

Most critically, the programs bring to West Philadelphia seniors a cornucopia of fresh, nutritious foods that many cannot access themselves, while teaching them how to prepare these foods to optimize health.

“The focus of our programs is healthy eating, healthy living, healthy choice, and portion control,” says Helen Rayon, WPSCC’s Health and Wellness Coordinator. “A majority of seniors have diabetes, pre-diabetes, or hypertension so we try to re-purpose old recipes to make them healthier recipes.”

The corps of healthy eating and nutrition programs includes healthy cooking demonstrations, nutrition classes, allocation of bagged breakfast meals, distribution of fresh produce and other food staples, and provision of emergency food vouchers.

Donor Dollars Make a Lasting Impact
All of these essential programs could not operate without the support of several charitable organizations, including $44,000 in grant dollars from the W.W. Smith Charitable Trust, $7,500 from Bank of America, and $3,250 from the Sara Long Trust.

The generosity of these funders is making a critical impact among one of Philadelphia’s most vulnerable populations. “WPSCC is proud to boast that so many members talk about positive change. One lady was almost shouting praises because her latest medical exam showed vast improvement as a result of her eating habits and the classes she’s been taking,” says Helen.

Jessie readily concurs. “WPSCC is an excellent place. Its nutrition class and lunches really helped me. And, there’s a lot of support from the instructors,” she says.

About the West Philadelphia Senior Community Center
Currently, WPSCC serves more than 4,000 seniors throughout West Philadelphia. More than 90% of the Center’s members and clients cope with severe economic challenges, and for many, their only hot meal of the day comes from WPSCC. The Center’s many vital educational and recreational activities, health and wellness programs, and social services are made possible by funds from the Philadelphia Corporation of Aging, Pennsylvania Department of Aging, and other generous donors. For more information about WPSCC, visit westphilaseniorcenter.org.

Becoming Center Nutritionist Shares Healthy Fall Recipe

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Liberty Lutheran

As November rolls around, hearty meals for cold nights are a favorite.

This week John Fairchild, a nutritionist at the Becoming Center, Liberty’s senior wellness and fitness facility, shares a recipe for acorn squash. While it looks and tastes like a comfort food should, roasted squash with wild rice stuffing will help keep the pounds off as the holidays approach.

First, a little about acorn squash.

Acorn squash is a winter variety of squashes containing high amounts of fiber, antioxidants, vitamin A (beta-carotene), niacin, folate, thiamine, vitamin B-6, and an exceptional source of vitamin C.

One cup (245 grams) of acorn squash, boiled (or roasted) and mashed, provides 82 calories, 26% of your daily value of vitamin C, 24% of your daily value of dietary fiber, 18% of your daily value of potassium, 16% of your daily value of magnesium, and 12% of your daily value of vitamin A.

When picking one, choose squashes that feel heavy and are free from blemishes and mold. They should be firm and have no soft spots. If kept cool and dry, a good squash will last a month or more. Cut or cooked acorn squash should be refrigerated.

The average acorn squash weighs from one to three pounds. Smaller varieties tend to be more flavorful and hydrated. A good bright yellow-orange coloring is optimum for sweetness.

Roasted Squash with Wild Rice Stuffing

Directions:
Rinse winter squash under cold running water before cutting.
Carefully cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and pulp.
Place on a ridged baking pan (cut side up), add 1/4 inch of water to pan and roast at 400 degrees for approximately 1 hour or until soft (depending on size).
Better to overcook than to under-cook. Remove and cool.
You may spread a small amount of maple syrup on the exposed cut area prior to baking.

Rice Stuffing
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups wild rice
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken, turkey or vegetable broth
4 cups cubed whole wheat bread (toasted, if preferred)
1 pound sweet apple turkey sausage, skin removed and diced
1 cup dried cherries or cranberries
2 cups leeks, chopped (can use 1/2 cup white onions)
2 apples (Honey Crisp, Gala, Pink Lady), diced
1 cup celery, diced
1/2 tablespoon marjoram
1 teaspoon thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:
Place rice in a medium saucepan and cover with water (2 inches above rice). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, keep covered and cook until tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Drain well if excess liquid.
Cook sausage and leeks in a large pan over medium heat, breaking up with a spoon or potato masher until browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add apples and celery; cook for approximately 3 minutes or until soft.
Transfer the sausage mixture to a large bowl.
Add the rice and bread, broth, cherries, pecans, and spices.
Transfer to the squash halves.
Bake for 30 minutes.

While the roasted squash with wild rice can serve as a main dish, roasted squash alone can be mashed and served as an alternate to potatoes or rice.

To subscribe to the Liberty Lutheran blog, enter your email address in the box in the upper right.

Navigating Nutrition at the Supermarket

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Liberty Lutheran

Grocery shopping can become increasingly difficult as people age. Older adults tend to be less mobile and weaker than they once were. The experience of walking the aisles, reading the fine print on packages, reaching for items on top shelves and lugging bags of food home can be hard to handle on their own.

Continue reading →