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Answers to Your Questions About Nutrition
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Einstein Healthcare Network
11:17
The chat will take place right here. You can post your questions about healthy eating and nutrition beforehand in the box below or during the live chat on Tuesday, June 27, 2017 at 2 p.m. There will be no video or audio - just lots of questions and answers.
*** Tuesday, June 27 ***
Einstein Healthcare Network
1:55
The dietitian is in the house. Caitlyn is here. We'll get started answering your questions in about five minutes.
2:02
Hi everyone!  It's Caitlyn, I'm happy to be here and am ready to help you with your nutrition questions!
Conrad
2:03
69 yrs old, having trouble losing weight. What would be an ideal meal plan for weight loss
Einstein Healthcare Network
2:04
Hi Conrad,
2:05
Hi Conrad, Some guidelines to help you maintain healthy and sustainable eating habits involve:
1) Eating 3 balanced meals eat day, where you eat to the point of satisfaction.  Satisfaction is the happy point in between still hungry and overly full on your hunger scale.
2) Some guidelines to make a healthy meal include:
A) Use a 9-inch plate
B) Cover ½ your plate with veggies
C) Use ¼ of you plate for a lean protein like: chicken, fish, eggs, turkey, beans, tofu, nuts, peanut butter
D) Use the other ¼ of your plate for the carbohydrate/starch portion (remember carb/starch = your body’s energy source) examples include: whole grains like brown rice, whole grain pasta/bread/crackers, oatmeal, cereal, or starchy veggies like corn, peas, potatoes, or low-fat dairy or whole fruit.  
3) Snacking when you are physically hungry, and when doing so, choose to make a “Smart snack”, something that will fill you up and hold you over to your next meal.
Doug Karan
2:06
My daughter works out regularly and tries hard to eat healthy foods.  She feels hungry many times a day...perhaps every 2 hours or so.  What foods do you suggest she eats for both her main meals of the day plus snacks so that she can eat in a healthy fashion yet feel that her hunger is satisfied?  Thank you for your help!
Einstein Healthcare Network
2:06
Hi Doug, See above. This same answer applies to you.
geet8588y@gmail.com
2:11
hi as per my height 5.6 and my weight is just 51 kg can you please help me to best diet plan or a diet which can help me to improve a weight and skin
Einstein Healthcare Network
2:11
Hi geet8588y:
From the weight and height you provided, it sounds like you may have some questions about gaining weight or some more specific questions on how to eat, this can be very individual.  I would recommend scheduling an appointment with a Registered Dietitian (RD) near you.  Feel free to call me to schedule an appointment at Einstein: 215-456-6649. Or you can look up an RD in your area by visiting http://www.eatright.org/find-an-expert then enter your zip code and will bring up a list of RDs in your area.
Drew
2:13
Do One A Day vitamins really offset what your meals don't offer?  What's the best 3 foods to replace a One a Day vitamins?
Einstein Healthcare Network
2:13
The best way your body absorbs and uses vitamins and minerals is from food because that is the way nature designed us to receive those nutrients.  With that said, if a patient wants to take a multivitamin daily, go for it!  If a patient doesn’t want to, then that’s fine too!  Aim to eat balanced meals that include all the food groups throughout your day and involve the major nutrients (healthy fat, protein, carbs and fiber) and chances are you can get just about all the vitamins and minerals you need.  Please check with your doctor before starting a new multivitamin or any supplement, and this information does not apply to people with vitamin or mineral deficiencies.  More questions?  Make an appointment with a Registered Dietitian (RD)!
Gail
2:14
Hi! My husband and I are looking to have increased energy through the food we eat! Any basic tips?
Einstein Healthcare Network
2:14
Hi Gail, Great question! Maintaining energy through out the day can be a combination of things, but here are a few things to try out: 1) Eat 3 balanced meals each day (see the first response to learn how to make a balanced meal).  2) Snack when you are physically hungry, but make a smart snack that involves protein and fiber foods to maintain your fullness and energy levels. 3) Make sure that you are drinking enough water throughout your day.  The right amount is different for everyone but a good general place to start is 8-10 cups per day (1 cup = 8oz).  4) Last but not least, be sure to get enough sleep and try to keep yourself on a consistent sleep schedule, vast changes to your sleeping schedule can lead to low energy.   If all else fails, make an appointment with a Registered Dietitian, we can help you navigate this topic specifically to meet your needs!
To Nguyen
2:15
I have high Cholesterol( not too high ), mostly Triglyceride. My Mom had a heart problem when she was 60 years old and passed away with GI cancer. I read  several articles about moderate drinking can help healthy heart. I am having a beer a day, mostly at dinner time. I am sixty five and a half now and I am still working. My personal feeling  is a beer a day help me to get back my energy and feel good by the end of a working day. Will I be doing fine or should I stop drinking ? Please advise. Thank you
Einstein Healthcare Network
2:15
For men the maximum recommendation for alcohol is 2 drinks per day and for women it’s 1 drink per day.  This has been shown to improve health to some degree, but more than 1 to 2 per day can be harmful to health.  For heart health, drinking a glass of red wine has been shown to have antioxidants that can be helpful and may be something to consider.  With that said, for someone with family history of heart disease I would recommend meeting with a Registered Dietitian to better navigate this topic for you specifically.  Just having a drink each day is not the only piece to the heart health puzzle.  Eating a healthy diet that includes, whole grains, fruits, veggies, low-fat dairy and lean proteins, as well as controlling stress, getting enough sleep and other things can all work together to better protect your heart and overall health.
Hi Karen,
Yolanda
2:17
Is the Braggs apple Cider vinegar really health to consume daily?.....
Einstein Healthcare Network
2:17
Yolanda, what we know from the few smaller scientific studies done with apple cider vinegar is that it may show some improvement in Hemoglobin A1C levels for people with pre-diabetes.  What that means is that for someone with pre-diabetes it may help to make slight improvements in their blood sugar numbers, the key word is slight.  What that means for those out there looking to use it for weight loss, is that science doesn’t really have the evidence to tell you if this will be helpful or hurtful at this point.  For the generally healthy person who wants to take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar each day, is it going to help you lose weight? Maybe, maybe not, we just don’t know yet.  Is it going to hurt you, most likely not, but check with your doctor first.  One thing to caution is that drinking straight apple cider vinegar can burn your esophagus, make sure that you mix it in a glass of water to water it down first!
Julie
2:18
Hello I wanted know is it better not to eat after 8pm will that help you lose weight
Einstein Healthcare Network
2:18
Great question, Julie. Avoiding eating after a certain time of the night is a question I get from my patients frequently.  While just doing this alone will not guarantee weight loss.  I do find for some people, stopping eating after a certain time of night can help them to avoid mindlessly eating a bunch of food that they didn’t even want to eat in the first place.  But more likely we would need to examine a few things:
Are you eating 3 balanced meals each day and snacking when physically hungry, if so you may not be as hungry in the evening.
Are you staying up very late at night when maybe you should be sleeping?  Getting too little sleep and staying up late can cause crazy cravings and hormonal fluctuations because your body is stressed out and not able to function optimally, so it may be sending you all kinds of crazy signals including late night cravings.
ljohnson7208@gmail.com
2:19
Is coconut oil good for us or not. I read that it has antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antiparasitic properties and should be used in place of butter, margerine and nutseed oils. On the news the other day, it stated that coconut oil is only good for external use, such as for hair and skin moisterizing. What's the truth? Thanks.
Jared
2:19
I'm curious about your opinion regarding coconut oil, the American Heart Association recently released a statement condoning its use in ones diet.  I like it and use it often - should I stop?
Eileen
2:19
Should I change from olive oil to coconut oil in selected recipes?
Bruce
2:19
What's your opinion about coconut oil. There's been a lot of bad press  lately
Einstein Healthcare Network
2:20
Coconut oil is mostly made up of saturated fat, like many of the other tropical oils including palm kernel oil and palm oil.  What science tells us is that higher intakes of saturated fat can increase your risk of heart disease by increasing your LDL cholesterol (aka bad cholesterol) levels which can lead to heart attack and stroke.
If someone is currently diagnosed with or has family history of heart disease, I would not recommend eating a lot of coconut oil because of the high saturated fat content.  However, if that same person wanted to use in on their hair, skin or any exterior part of their body, I would say that is up to them and possibly their doctor.  But as far as nutrition goes, if you have any risk for heart disease I would not recommend eating it.
If someone does not currently have any heart disease risk, incorporating coconut oil in moderation while still using other heart-healthy fats, such as olive oil and canola oil, avocados, nuts and seeds etc., can be done.  However, I would not recommend anyone to switch 100% to coconut oil.  Variety and moderation are key.
What I tell my patients is: let’s stick to what we have known all along from things like the Mediterranean diet.  Mono and polyunsaturated fats, like olive oil, canola oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados are heart healthy.  If you stick to what we know and science supports, you will be making a heart healthy choice that you can have confidence in!
Maryanne
2:20
What is a better substitute than bread to cut down on carb intake?
Einstein Healthcare Network
2:20
Carbs are not bad and carbs do not make you fat, even though I know that is what you hear in the media and from family and friends.  Carbs are the main energy source for your body and your brain actually requires a minimum amount to keep it working well each day! Choosing the more complex carbs like whole grains, fruits and veggies more often, when compared to the simple carbs like candies, cookies, pastries, white bread and white rice can provide you with longer more sustained energy levels.  Just keep in mind that is not just about the carbs you eat, it’s also very important what is on the rest of your plate.  Trying to balance your meals with carbs, protein, healthy fat and fiber is always a good idea.  For more information, I would suggest making an appointment with a Registered Dietitian (RD) to help you further navigate this topic!
fatty boomalatty
2:21
I just ate a quart of brewers ice cream how Bout dat
Einstein Healthcare Network
2:21
Remember that all foods fit when keeping in mind variety and moderation!  However, we do want to treat foods like cookies, candies and ice cream, like they should be treated, as “Treats”! “Treats” are something that you should enjoy in a reasonable portion size, but try not to make them a daily habit.  How bout dat!
laughing 3
Jared
2:22
When is the best time to consume large protein quantities after weight training??  Right away?  A few hours? The next day?  I often see and here recommendations to drink protein shakes or consume protein rich meals to help rebuild the muscles - but when?
Einstein Healthcare Network
2:22
Jared, the best time to refuel with protein is post-workout within 1 hour.  Otherwise trying to incorporate about 20-30g of protein into your 3 balanced meals each day can help to evenly distribute the amount of protein through your day. The key with protein is timing throughout the day.  The body tends to optimally absorb and utilize protein in doses of 20-30g at meals, going over that at one time will not necessarily help you absorb more.  The biggest struggle for most people is that breakfast tends to be a low protein meal, lunch has a little more and dinner has the most protein.  So being more aware of evenly distributing your protein intake throughout the day can make a big different in your workouts and recovery.
Jared
2:23
What is your thought about high fat diets and ketosis?  There is a pretty large movement regarding a change of metabolism from "sugar-burning" to "fat-burning".  How do I know if that change is right for me?
Einstein Healthcare Network
2:23
Unless you have a medical condition that indicates you need to follow the ketogenic diet I would tell you that it is not the right choice for you.  The ketogenic diet is used for patients with epilepsy and seizures and can greatly improve the management of their medical condition.  Other than that reason, the ketogenic diet is just another diet and as you have heard me say: diets don’t work in the long run, life style changes that you can see yourself doing for the rest of your life do.  See my video here about why diets don’t work: https://www.einstein.edu/nutrition/videos . Also, the ketogenic diet is very restrictive and hard to follow, which means eating out with friends and family can become quite the chore and leave you feeling left out and missing the foods you love.  You shouldn’t have to miss the foods you love! Variety and moderations are key and using this guidance, all foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle!
Sharon Seaborough
2:24
Is there real benefits to a low carbohydrate diet?
Einstein Healthcare Network
2:24
Sharon, you are going to hear me say this a lot, but diets just don’t work in the long term (see my video here: https://www.einstein.edu/nutrition/videos )  

You may lose weight rapidly initially on a low carb diet and that is greatly due to loss of water weight. This is because for us to store carbohydrates in our body, for every 1g of carbohydrate we store 3g of water with it.  So while you are losing some weight, you are also losing a lot of water weight, as well as dehydrating.  Bottom line is: Low carb diets don’t work in the long term just like every diet out there, what does work is small, incremental lifestyle changes over time that you can sustain.  Unless you see yourself eating that way for the rest of your life (and let’s face it that doesn’t sound like fun or healthy either!) it’s not going to give you the long term results you are looking for!
Sharon Barnes
2:25
Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day?
Einstein Healthcare Network
2:25
Good question, Sharon. Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day!  Check out my video here for more info – it explains it all!: https://www.einstein.edu/nutrition/videos
Art
2:25
Is eating fruit like watermelon oranges grapes etc ok for type 2 diabetics
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