MC Life Family Health

Thank you for visiting the home of MC Life Family Health. Here you will find a diverse aggregation of usable information for you and family.
Expertise is presented from The MC Life Team, our many experienced and qualified friends and colleagues, and links to valuable resources on family health and fitness. We will provide updated science and pointers on topics such as eating healthy at home, family health care, scheduling physical activity into busy schedules, sports and competition for youth, coaching tips for various sports skills, and a great deal more. Write us with any questions, comments or constructive information you may want to share.

Why it pay$ to make health a family affair

By Laura Faraldi, B.S., SPHR

Whether you get your health insurance from your employer, purchase it on the open market, or are uninsured and pay for health services on an as needed basis, there is a significant “pay-off” for making a healthy lifestyle a family affair.  By adopting healthy behaviors – eating right, exercising, and avoiding the harmful ones such as tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption – you can have more money in your pocket.  And who couldn’t use more money in today’s economy?

It’s no secret that healthcare costs have been increasing over the years.  In just a 10 year period, from 1999 to 2009, health spending in the U.S. nearly doubled.  In terms of “buying power,” this increase left an average family with only $95 more per month than in 1999.[1]

As the overall costs associated with providing and delivering healthcare go up, so does the amount we (i.e., the consumer) pay.  You have most likely felt this pain in the way of higher insurance premiums/employee contributions or in greater out-of pocket-costs (deductibles, coinsurance, and co-pays) or both.  

Numerous factors are to “blame” for the high cost of healthcare many of which are perhaps outside our direct span of control – advancements in medical technology, an aging population, increased prevalence of fraud and abuse.  In addition, as consumers, we generally have little or no say in the type(s) of plans available to us or, for that matter, the price we pay for those plans as this is often directed by insurance companies and employers.

BUT, to a great extent, we do have control and influence over our own health and the health of our families, which has a direct impact on how much we spend for our healthcare.  By staying healthy you visit the doctor less often, fill fewer prescriptions, and are better equipped to circumvent a costly hospital stay.  Furthermore, by adopting a healthy lifestyle and practicing prevention you can either avoid or significantly reduce the severity of certain diseases and chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.  As a matter of fact, researchers estimate that 75% of all healthcare costs stem directly from preventable health conditions.[2]  Consider then that the cost to treat disease is estimated by some to be one thousand times greater than it is to prevent it.[3]

So why not take-up what’s good for you – regular exercise and good nutrition – and give-up what’s not – tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption.  Even small lifestyle changes can have a positive impact on your bottom line not to mention your quality of life. 

Stay tuned for some “Fiscally Friendly” Healthcare tips…

As the cooler weather approaches, many of us start to crave comfort foods on cold evenings; warm bowls of soup, spicy and hearty chili, thick stews and casseroles. Some of these dishes require pre-planning and some prep work, but chili is usually quite easy to throw together – even when you get home from work, as long as you have certain staples on hand. And a vegetarian chili is super-easy provided you have a few cans of beans, a can of diced tomatoes, and some spices in your kitchen.

This vegetarian chili provides includes two different types of beans, pinto and black beans, both of which are an excellent source of fiber, folate, potassium, Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) and iron. Moreover, the fiber in beans is mostly soluble fiber, which can help regulate blood sugar by delaying the rate of digestion and also help lower LDL (aka “bad” cholesterol) levels. This vegetarian chili also contains carrots and sweet potatoes, both of which are excellent sources of beta-carotene, and green pepper – which is a great source of Vitamin C and can help boost iron absorption from the beans.

The chili is great with simply the beans and vegetables, but for an extra dose of protein and iron you can easily add some ground beef or turkey to it – just remember to brown it before adding the other ingredients and to add extra water and tomato sauce. Vegetarians could also add tempeh crumbles or cooked lentils to increase the protein and iron content.

And as with any chili – you can adjust the spiciness factor with more or less cayenne pepper so adjust according to your taste buds!

Vegetarian Chili (makes 6 cups)

Ingredients:
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes w/chilies (e.g. Muir Glen brand)
2/3 can (about 12 oz.) water (add more for thinner consistency, less for chunkier chili)
2 tsp. grapeseed or canola oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 small white onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1/2 cup or 1/2 ear of corn
1/2 sweet potato (cooked), chopped into cubes
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. chili powder (can use less)
1 tsp. cumin powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sprinkle of cayenne pepper (to make it even spicier!)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large pot. Over medium heat. Add onions and cook till translucent – about 5 minutes. Add garlic, peppers, carrot and corn, and sauté for another 2 minutes.

2. Add all other remaining ingredients and stir to mix thoroughly. Cover the pot and allow to cook for 25-30 minutes on medium-low heat until flavors have melded together.

3. Serve with cilantro, shredded cheese and yogurt or sour cream if desired, with tortilla chips, rice or tacos!

Nutrition Stats per cup (makes 6 cups): About 200 calories, 9.5g protein, 33g carbs, 2.5g fat

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Healthy Alternatives to Peanut Butter
by Farah Z Khan

A stand-by classic for an easy, on-the-go breakfast, lunch or dinner for kids and adults is the ubiquitous Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich. Variations on it might include: peanut butter and banana, peanut butter and strawberries, peanut butter and honey, or peanut butter….and more peanut butter. But have you ever considered venturing into the field of “other nut butters?” (Though technically, peanuts are not nuts but legumes).
Don’t get me wrong – I love my peanut butter as much as anyone else (and have several different kinds stocked in my fridge to prove this), but there are various other nut butters, some even healthier then the peanut classic, that are definitely worth a try.

Almond Butter – This nut butter may be competing with PB in popularity. Almonds are a great source of vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps prevent damage from free radicals in our body, and may also help reduce high LDL levels, i.e. the bad cholesterol. Almonds also contain fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, folic acid and protein, (2 Tbsp. of almond butter contain 7g of protein and 180-200 calories), and is lower in saturated fat than peanut butter. Some varieties, offered by Trader Joes and Earth Balance, also contain flaxseed – an excellent way to boost your intake of Omega 3 fats. Moreover, almond butter is a great alternative for individuals who are allergic to peanut butter but can still eat other nuts and seeds.

Cashew Butter – Cashews sometimes receive a bad rep for being high in fat, but in actual fact they are fairly low in saturated fat and the total the fat content is comparable to that of peanuts. Cashews are also a great source of copper and magnesium, mineral that are essential for maintaining healthy joints, and like other nut butters they contain fiber and protein (2 Tbsp. contain 5 – 6 g of protein and 190 calories). Cashew butter has a very distinct, creamy and mellow flavor compared to peanut butter, and its rich, decadent taste makes it a great choice for thickening sauces, curries and smoothies. It is also great on toast, apples, crudités and as a spread in savory sandwiches.

Sunflower Seed Butter – Technically, this is a ‘seed’ butter and not a nut butter. However, it is becoming a very popular item, especially for school lunches, due to the prevalence of peanut allergies and the subsequent restrictions on bringing PB&J sandwiches to school. Sunflower seed butter is actually incredibly healthy; it’s an excellent source of vitamin E, vitamin B1, magnesium, copper, selenium, folate, fiber and protein (2 Tbsp. have 6-7g). It has a deep, roasted flavor that may be an acquired taste for some, and many varieties include a small amount of cane juice to add a touch of sweetness. Like peanut butter, it is available in both creamy and crunchy varieties and can be bought at Trader Joes and most grocery stores (under the Sunbutter brand). It is also slightly lower in saturated fat than peanut butter, and may be more ‘runny’ than the classic…Definitely worth a try though.

If you find that your standby of PB&J has been banned from your kid’s school, ask if they allow Sunflower seed butter as a replacement. It is less allergenic and may be acceptable and could thus form the basis of a SSB&J (Sunflower Seed Butter & Jelly sandwich) for packed school lunches. For adults, sunflower seed butter might also be used in place of peanut butter in curries and stir-fries – to add a different flavor twist and variety to your meals.

Walnut Butter – Walnut Butter is certainly not as popular as any of the other varieties mentioned above, and it is also more expensive. However, it is a great source of omega 3 fats and also contains calcium, magnesium, folate, fiber and vit B6. Walnut butter tastes sweeter than the other nut butters above, and has a mild flavor and a soft, creamy texture. It is a delicious addition to breakfast staples such as oatmeal, on pancakes and waffles, and can also be used in baked goods such as muffins and the occasional dessert treat like baklava or pie. Walnut butter may only be available in specialty grocery stores but it may be a fun and delicious option to try at home, and a delicious dip to add to a dinner party, alongside a fruit and cheese platter or crackers and a fig jam.

All the nut butters above are low in saturated fat, and excellent sources of poly and mono unsaturated fats – which are known to aid in maintaining good cardiovascular health. So if you’re stuck in a PB&J rut, try a different type of nut butter for variety. My recommendation would be to go for Sunflower Seed butter for the added nutrition and the lower levels of saturated fat. That being said, I do think that they are all delicious, and eaten in moderation (1-2 Tbsp per day) in place of other saturated fats (e.g. from butter, cheese etc.) are a healthy addition to your diet.

Farah Khan is the Cheif Advisor on Family Health and Nutrition, for My Competitive Life. See her bio under – About Us -

You can also visit Farah at: http://coffeebeansandgreens.wordpress.com/

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Adding More Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Your Family’s Diet
By Farah Z. Khan

There’s no doubt that most people have heard of Omega -3 fats and that they are “good” for you, but when it comes down to incorporating more of these fats in our diet, many individuals still fall short of the recommendations. Omega-3 fatty acids can really be classified as either alpha-Linolenic (ALA) fatty acids, found in flaxseeds, walnuts, flaxseed oil, soybeans and to a lesser degree in kale and spinach, and EPA and DHA which are the omega-3 fats in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines. Most scientific sources such as the World Health Organization and the Mayo Clinic, recommend that adults consume 0.3-0.5 g of DHA and EPA and 0.8-1.1 g of ALA per day.
So why are Omega-3 fats so good for us? Well, to start with, they are essential fatty acids – meaning that our body cannot make them and so we have to obtain them from dietary sources (Although, our body can convert some ALA fats into small amounts of EPA and DHA). Furthermore, these fats have several important benefits: they can help reduce inflammation, help protect us against cardiovascular and heart disease, and help ease symptoms of arthritis and depression. In addition, they are essential to brain development, maintaining cell membranes and ensuring healthy joint functions. Children can certainly benefit from Omega-3 fats since it is a factor in brain development, and so adding these nutrients to their diet may be especially important.
However, these recommendations do not mean that we have to eat cans of sardines every day in order to get our Omega-3s! And many of us may not be even be ardent fans of those little canned fishes. There are in fact plenty of other ways in which to incorporate Omega 3 fats in our meals; some suggestions are:

• Adding a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to smoothies.
• Mixing a tablespoon of flaxseed and/or adding a tablespoon of walnuts to cereal at breakfast
• Having tuna salad or salmon salad for lunch a couple of times per week (and packing tuna or salmon salad for school lunches)
• Adding salmon, trout or halibut to your weekly dinner plans twice a week.
• Using peanut or almond butter that is fortified with flaxseeds, for PB&J sandwiches (Trader Joes and Earth Balance both have excellent nut butters that are fortified with flaxseeds)
• Adding ground flaxseed to pancakes, waffles, muffins and breads that you bake at home.
• Mixing ground flaxseed into the egg batter for French Toast, and to yogurt for an afternoon snack.
• Adding a handful of walnuts to salads, yogurt and trail mix.
• Topping pancakes and waffles with walnuts and ground flaxseeds.

Source: “Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Fish Oil, Alpha-Linolenic Acid.” Mayo Clinic, , Oct 1, 2011. Accessed: Sept 16, 2011 <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fish-oil/NS_patient-fishoil/DSECTION=dosing>

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 Healthy Snacking – at Work, School and Home

By Farah Z Khan

            How many times has 3pm come around and your stomach has suddenly started to growl? Or you’ve left work at a decent hour with the very best intentions of going to the gym, but then hunger strikes and you’re negotiating an alternative exercise date with yourself? If you’re a parent, then you might often be faced with the scenario where your your kids are home from school and they’re starving – reaching for anything in sight, or begging to stop at the ice cream or donut shop. It’s too early for dinner and yet you don’t want your kids to wait several hours to eat. That’s where healthy snacks come into play. Snacks that are filling and satisfying enough to tide you and your kids to your next meal, or give you a boost of energy to go workout before dinner.

            Snacks between meals are not necessarily a “bad idea,” nor will they cause you to overeat over the course of the day, especially if you’re concerned about gaining weight or are trying to lose weight. In fact, snacks can help satisfy hunger pangs between meals, provide energy for pre-dinner exercise, and prevent you from getting too hungry so that you don’t arrive at meals feeling as if you could eat the entire table. Healthy snacks can also help fill in any nutrient deficiencies that you might have at your other meals, particularly with regard to omega 3 fats, calcium and fiber. 

Some tips to healthy snacking are:

(1)  Pick nutrient dense options. It goes without saying that an apple is better than a donut – but many people don’t plan ahead to buy nutrient dense options before hunger strikes. So stock up on portable fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges, nuts, and nut butters, quality proteins such as yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, and crunchy vegetables such as carrots, jicama, celery and cucumbers.

(2)  Plan ahead! If you know that you typically feel hungry between lunch and dinner, or your kids come home wanting a snack after school, plan ahead so that you have healthy options to take to work and ready at home for your kids. Planning ahead may mean packaging fruit and veggies to take to work, portioning out yogurt, cottage cheese and nuts/nut butters to pack for school/work, and accounting for healthy snack options when grocery shopping.

(3)  Eating a carbohydrate based snack with some protein and/or healthy fat. Often, many people may just grab an apple or a handful of crackers as a snack, but then they’re hungry again in les than an hour. That’s because they’ve primarily consumed carbohydrates – which were digested fairly quickly, leaving them hungry again. Complex carbohydrates such as fibrous fruits are processed more slowly by our bodies than simple carbs (like candy and soda,) but pairing them with a healthy fat or protein will promote satiety and delay digestion – leaving you full for a longer period of time.

(4)  Aim for a variety of flavor, texture and aroma in a snack. This concept may seem strange but people often just don’t feel satisfied after eating a single food item as a snack. As individuals, we typically crave variety in our meals, and when we eat a meal we engage all of our olfactory senses in appreciating the taste, flavor, aroma and texture of the food. The variety of texture and flavor is what leaves us “mentally” satisfied with a meal. The same idea can easily be applied to snacks – albeit on a smaller scale and in conjunction with tip # 3 above, of adding a healthy fat or protein to a carb based snack.

So what are some options for healthy snacks that you can pack for school or work, or leave prepped at home? I’ve listed a few ideas below but of course there are many more possibilities depending on what foods you like and feel like eating midafternoon. The principle though is the same: aim for a combination of healthy carbs, protein and fat, and a variety of flavor, taste and texture. You might find that your next snack is much more satisfying and tides you over for much longer than your previous mid-afternoon munchies!

Healthy Snack Ideas:

• Apple slices with 2 tsp – 1Tbsp of almond butter, and 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, with a sprinkle of additional almonds.
• Baby carrots, sliced cucumbers or celery with almond or peanut butter, 1/2 cup yogurt, cottage or ricotta cheese.
• Baked tortilla chips with salsa, sliced avocado and 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.
• A hard-boiled egg, mashed onto a slice of toast with some crunchy, diced carrots or celery.
• 1/2 mashed banana on toast with almond butter and chopped almonds.
• Crackers and cottage cheese/Greek yogurt or mashed soft tofu with chopped almonds and 2 tsp of almond butter.
• A small cup of broth based or vegetable soup (e.g. minestrone, tomato or butternut squash soup – without cream) with whole grain or rice-based crackers, chopped avocado and/or dollop of cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.
• A small cup of tea or decaf coffee along with a 1 cup of yogurt,  1-2 Tbsp sliced almonds, some sliced fruit and a couple of whole grain crackers.
• Half a whole grain granola bar crumbled into a ½ cup or 1 cup of yogurt, with a tsp of almond butter or chopped almonds.
• 2 – 3 Tbsp hummus with a handful of baby carrots and/or celery, and a half cup of yogurt.

 As with all snacks though remember to control portion sizes – this is a snack and not a meal after all! For kids, this may mean portioning out yogurt, carrots, nut butters etc., and leaving them in containers in the fridge for when they come home (or packing them for school). Portioning snacks may also require you to initially use cups and spoon measures to get an idea of serving sizes. Once you can gauge the appropriate portion sizes for each food type, you can just eye-ball the quantities.

Healthy snacking does require some planning but it’s worth the effort. Worth it to know that you and your kids are eating nutritious foods between meals, worth it to know that you won’t resort to the donut or the cookie in the office vending machine at 3pm, and worth it to know that you can make it to the gym after work without a growling stomach!

Farah Khan is the Cheif Advisor on Family Health and Nutrition, for My Competitive Life. See her bio under – About Us -

You can also visit Farah at: http://coffeebeansandgreens.wordpress.com/