The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Do you know a senior mom who’s hungry on Valentine’s Day?

Barb Anderson, founder of Mom's Meals, and her mom

By Rita R. Robison

Valentine’s Day can be a lonely holiday for many seniors.

Instead of giving chocolate this year, you may want to consider giving your aging parent or relative a gift that could make a difference on a daily basis – nutritious meals, says Mom’s Meals, a company that offers meals delivered to the home by FedEx.

It’s startling that:

• Poor nutrition and malnutrition occur in 15 to 50 percent of the elderly population. About 2,000 to 3,000 seniors die from malnutrition annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
• More than five million older Americans are at risk of hunger, and each day millions of older adults have to choose between buying groceries and the medications they need.
• Americans 75 years of age and older have a 40 percent rate of being underweight. Underweight people are 40 percent more likely to die in the first month after than patients who are overweight, according to a study in the Archives of Surgery.

Obesity in America is getting a lot of attention. However, hunger and nutrition issues among seniors don’t get much coverage. It may be a good idea to check out what’s in the refrigerator of your elderly loved ones and see what can be done to help out.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Consumer group asks FDA to require sodium reduction in food supply

By Rita R. Robison

Voluntary efforts by industry to reduce sodium levels in the food supply have failed, according to comments filed with the Food and Drug Administration last week by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy organization. 

On Friday, the center urged the FDA to create strong, but realistic, mandatory regulations to reduce sodium levels in restaurant and packaged foods.

The public sees the need to lower sodium, according to a recent survey commissioned by the center. Seventy-one percent of Americans indicated that the food industry had a responsibility to reduce the sodium content of their foods, and 58 percent support a government requirement to reduce the sodium in processed and restaurant foods.

“Overconsumption of sodium is one of the single greatest causes of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, and restaurant and packaged foods – not salt shakers –are far and away the largest contributors of sodium in the American diet,” Julie Greenstein, deputy director of health promotion policy for the center, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the food industry has failed to significantly bring down sodium levels despite 40 years of governmental admonitions. It’s time for the FDA to step in and require reasonable reductions.”

The U.S. government’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that people with hypertension, those who are middle-aged or older, and African Americans should consume no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day. About 70 percent of adults fall into those categories, yet current average daily consumption is actually closer to 4,000 mg, according to the Center for Disease Control.

Recently, the American Public Health Association passed a resolution that calls on the FDA to begin regulating sodium in the food supply within one year and to establish a timetable for gradually reducing sodium in the food supply by 75 percent over 10 years.

The center’s filing said that reducing sodium consumption would save billions of dollars in medical costs, and more than of 150,000 lives annually.

Overwhelming evidence indicates that excess sodium levels pose significant health risks, but consumer education efforts are poorly funded and ineffective, according to the center, making efforts to reform dietary habits of Americans difficult. 

A recent survey indicates that 59 percent of Americans are “not concerned” about their sodium intake. As a result, an Institute of Medicine committee recommended mandatory regulations limiting sodium levels to improve public health and decrease healthcare costs. 

Many frozen dinners and canned foods contain high amounts of sodium:

• Boston Market frozen Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy has 1,460 mg of sodium per serving, about one day’s worth.
• Marie Callender’s frozen Creamy Chicken and Shrimp Parmesan has 1,200 mg of sodium, almost a day’s worth.
• Applebee’s Provolone-Stuffed Meatballs with Fettuccine, has 3,700 mg of sodium, more than two days’ worth.
• Denny’s Spicy Buffalo Chicken Melt has 3,760 mg of sodium, two-and-a-half days’ worth.

The centers first petitioned the FDA in 1978 to reduce salt in processed foods. Besides urging the FDA to set mandatory limits on sodium content in the food supply, the center asked the agency to lower the Daily Value for sodium from 2,400 mg to 1,500 mg.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Winning videos show how kids, adults can add more fruits, vegetables to their diets

By Rita R. Robison

The winners of the MyPlate Fruits and Veggies Video Challenge show consumers of all ages innovative ways to "make half your plate fruits and vegetables."

Tips for Kids

1st Place: On the Go Snack Boxes – You can have a healthy option by creating easy to make snack boxes to put in your backpack. A busy student shares how she and her mom wash and cut up a variety of fruits and veggies and store them in individual snack boxes.

2nd Place: Let's Get Involved – A fun way to get your children excited about fruits and vegetables is let them select the fruits and vegetables they eat.

Popular Choice: The Fruit and Veggie Pokey! – These students share their tips for eating more fruits and vegetables while they dance to the "Hokey, Pokey Song."

Tips When Eating at Home

1st Place: Wrap Rap – A delicious and nutritious wrap is a great way to get more fruits and vegetables. A rapper provides us with an easy to remember "wrap" song to encourage us to make half our plates fruits and vegetables.

2nd Place: Eating fruits and veggies without straining your budget – Seasonal, local, and grow-your-own options are good ways to eat more fruits and veggies. This student provides some creative ways to stretch your dollar.

Popular Choice: My Tip: "Think Vegetables First" – A mom shares how she changed the meals for her family. Think vegetables first when planning a meal and add the rest of the foods to complement the vegetables.

Tips When Eating Away From Home

1st Place: Substitution and Replace...A story of Give and Take – A mom discovers her sons have been hiding junk food and avoiding more nutritional fruits and veggies. Through substitution and replacement her sons discover a healthier way to eat.

2nd Place: Pack Your Lunch Bag with Fruits and Veggies! – Here are some tips for workers/students on the go who want to make sure they fill half their plate – or lunch bag – with fruits and veggies. It saves money and calories.

Popular Choice: Richmond Avenue Café – Kids can make "make half your plate fruits and vegetables" when they eat out, too. A young student applies what he learned in health class at the Richmond Avenue School about healthy eating.

In September, U.S. Department of Agriculture asked individuals and teams to submit videos that provide innovative, easy, and practical tips on how to "make half your plate fruits and vegetables." The winners will divide $9,000 in prize money.

The videos are featured on ChooseMyPlate.gov. MyPlate is the USDA’s new icon that illustrates the five food groups, which are the building blocks for a healthy diet.  

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

12 ways to go green in 2012

By Rita R. Robison

Is going green among your New Year’s resolutions for 2012?

If so, the Worldwatch Institute, an environmental research organization, has these suggestions for you:

1. Recycle

Put a separate container next to your trash can or printer, making it easier to recycle your bottles, cans, and paper.

2. Turn off the lights

Turn off lights during bright daylight, or whenever you’ll be away for an extended period of time.

3. Make the switch

Use compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs because they use only 20 to 30 percent of the energy required by incandescents to create the same amount of light, and light emitting diodes or LEDs use only 10 percent, helping reduce both electric bills and carbon emissions.

4. Turn on the tap

Fill up your glasses and reusable water bottles with tap water.

5. Turn down the heat

Turn down your thermostat when you leave for work, or use a programmable thermostat to control your heating settings.

6. Support food recovery programs

Encourage your local restaurants and grocery stores to partner with food rescue organizations, such as City Harvest in New York City or Second Harvest Heartland in Minnesota. Go through your cabinets and shelves and donate any non-perishable canned and dried foods that you won't be using to your nearest food bank or shelter.

7. Buy local

Consider farmers markets and local farms for your produce, eggs, dairy, and meat instead of relying only on large supermarkets. Food from these sources is usually fresher and more flavorful, and your money will be going directly to these food producers. 

8. Get out and ride 

Use your city's bike share program to run short errands or commute to work if one is available in your community. Check out Bike Belong.org to find a listing of bike sharing programs in the United States. Take advantage of the bike lanes many cities and towns are providing, making it easier and safer to use your bike for transportation and recreation.

9. Share a car

Join a car share program. See Zipcar.com for information on car share programs in the U.S.

10. Plant a garden

Start by planting some lettuce in a window box. Lettuce seeds are inexpensive. When planted in full sun, one window box can provide enough lettuce to make numerous salads throughout a season. Move on to planting seedlings in pots on your patio. Next, investigate where in your yard you could create a raised bed garden.

11. Compost

See websites such as HowToCompost.org, which provide easy steps to reuse your organic waste.

12. Reduce your meat consumption

Cut down on the amount of meat you consume by substituting one meal day with a vegetarian option. Websites such as Meatless Monday and Eating Well offer many vegetarian recipes that are healthy for you and the environment.

For more and more people across the world, the impacts of hunger, poverty, and climate change are felt every day, according to the Worldwatch Institute. Simple practices, such as recycling or riding a bike, can have great impact on making 2012 a healthier, happier, and greener year for all.

 

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Federal agency launches SuperTracker to help consumers make healthy food, exercise choices

By Rita R. Robison

Just in time to help Americans follow through with their New Year's resolutions, SuperTracker, a new web tool, is being launched to assist consumers as they make changes in their life to reduce their risk of chronic disease and maintain a healthy weight.

"Overcoming the health and nutrition challenges we face as a nation is critical and the SuperTracker provides consumers with an assortment of tools to do just that," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.

"This easy-to-use website will help Americans at all stages of life improve their overall health and well-being as they input dietary and physical activity choices into the tool,” Vilsack said. “During the holiday season we are surrounded by good food and this is a perfect time to enjoy your food, but eat less." 

The web tool is the second in a series of consumer messages supporting the MyPlate icon – Enjoy Your Food, But Eat Less – that USDA is promoting over the next three months with more than 5,000 organizations participating in the MyPlate Nutrition Communicators Network.

The SuperTracker, available at ChooseMyPlate.gov, can help consumers choose a variety of features to support nutrition and physical activity goals. It offers them the ability to:

• Personalize recommendations for what and how much to eat and amount of physical activity.
• Track foods and physical activity from a database of foods and physical activities.
• Customize features such as goal setting, virtual coaching, weight tracking, and journaling.
• Measure progress with reports ranging from a meal summary to an analysis of food groups and nutrient intake over time.
• Put into operation the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines.
• Support family and friends by adding their individual profiles.

The SuperTracker complements the USDA and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let's Move! initiative and provides information to help health professionals, nutrition educators, and consumers build healthier diets to combat epidemic rates of overweight and obesity.

Additional consumer messages in the months to come will include Drink Water Instead of Sugary Drinks; Make at Least Half Your Grains Whole Grains; and Avoid Oversized Portions.

ChooseMyPlate.gov provides practical information to individuals, health professionals, nutrition educators, and the food industry to help consumers build healthier diets with resources and tools for dietary assessment, nutrition education, and other user-friendly nutrition information.

Additional resources include Dietary Guidelines.gov, ChooseMyPlate.gov, and LetsMove.gov.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Tips for healthy eating during the holidays

By Rita R. Robison

If you’re like me, you’ve put on a few too many pounds recently and you’re worried about additional weight you could gain during the holiday season. 

Parties abound and fabulous meals will confront you, with tasty wines, eggnog, and special liquors to tempt you. Holiday cookies, fruitcake, pies, and other delightful desserts also are a problem.

What can you do to keep from gaining weight? Here are some tips from the University of Illinois Extension’s DeWitt-Piatt-Macon Extension Unit to help get you through the maze of wonderful holiday food:

1. Be realistic about the holidays and don't try to lose weight. Instead, concentrate on having a good time with family and friends.

2. Eat before you eat. Try not to wait until time for that special meal to eat. Skipping breakfast and lunch can cause you to overeat. Have a bowl of cereal, a piece of fruit, some vegetable sticks, or handful of nuts before arriving for the meal.

3. Bring your own healthy dish. The host may appreciate it, and it can provide at least one healthy item for you to eat. 

4. Use pasteurized eggs for recipes that require raw egg with no additional cooking such as eggnog. 

5. Avoid excessive snacking. Save your calories for the big meal.

6. Be aware of beverages. Alcoholic beverages, soda pop, punches, and other sweet drinks provide a lot of calories and almost no nutritional value. In addition, alcohol can lessen inhibitions that may result in overeating.

7. Eat slowly and savor your food. Take time to enjoy your meal. It usually takes about 20 minutes for your brain to register that you are full. Eating slowly may prevent overeating.

8. Eat lightly during the next meal if you’ve overeaten. It takes about 500 calories per day above your normal calorie intake to gain one pound during one week.

9. Make dishes you’re preparing "healthier" by reducing the salt, fat, and sugar content.

10. Keep food safety in mind when preparing turkey, stuffing, and food items if you’re hosting the meal.

11. Find time to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days, including the holidays. Physical activity can help offset some of the calories from holiday eating.

Good luck with your healthy eating holiday plan. We all need it because there are so many wonderful temptations during the holidays.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Study finds vast majority of crops subsidized by federal government ends up in junk food

By Rita R. Robison

Federal subsidies for commodity crops are also subsidizing junk food additives such as high fructose corn syrup, enough to pay for 19 Twinkies per taxpayer every year, according to Apples to Twinkies, a new report by U.S. PIRG, a consumer advocacy organization.

However, limited subsidies for fresh fruits and vegetables would buy less than a quarter of an apple per taxpayer.

“At a time when childhood obesity rates are skyrocketing, it’s absurd that we’re spending billions of taxpayer dollars to make the problem worse,” U.S. PIRG Policy Analyst Mike Russo said in a statement. “It’s absurd that junk food is subsidized by taxpayers, while fresh fruits and vegetables barely get a bite at the apple.”

Between 1995 and 2010, American taxpayers spent more than $260 billion in agricultural subsidies. Most subsidies went to the country’s largest farming operations, mainly to grow a few commodity crops, including corn and soybeans. Among other uses, food manufacturers process these crops into additives such as high fructose corn syrup and vegetable oils that provide a cheap dose of sweetness and fat to a wide variety of junk food products.

“Shoveling cash at commodity crops also means we’re subsidizing these unhealthy additives, too,” said Russo. “At a time when government spending is coming under increasing scrutiny, it’s time for Congress to get its priorities straight.”

Among the report’s key findings: 

• Between 1995 and 2010, $16.9 billion in tax dollars subsidized four common food additives – corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, and soy oils, better known as hydrogenated vegetable oils. At $7.36 per taxpayer per year, that would buy each taxpayer 19 Twinkies. 

• Outside of commodity crops, other agricultural products receive very little in federal subsidies. Since 1995, taxpayers spent only $262 million subsidizing apples, which is the only significant federal subsidy of fresh fruits or vegetables. Coming to 11 cents per taxpayer per year that would buy less than a quarter of a Red Delicious apple. 

Childhood obesity rates have tripled over the last three decades, with one in five kids aged 6 to 11 now obese. Research shows that increased snacking is responsible for a significant portion of this increase.

The report is available on the U.S. PIRG website.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

What were your best and worst consumer experiences this week?

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Which consumer happenings cheered you this week and which ones made you want to scream or weep?

Here are my best and worst consumer experiences this week:

My best: Finding a kid friendly restaurant in Seattle

When I wanted to go out to lunch with my sister, daughter, and grandchildren in Seattle, we debated what would be a kid friendly restaurant. I didn’t want to go to the pizza place where we’d celebrated my birthday. Some of the staff weren’t polite.

We picked the 5 Spot on Queen Anne Hill. It worked out well. The 5 Spot has a kids menu, and we had enough space so that we didn’t feel crowded. The atmosphere was lively, and the waitress pleasant.

My worst: Trying to find gluten free bread at QFC

When I walked into a QFC store, I was pleased to see a big sign touting QFC’s gluten free products.

I looked through the fresh bread section to see if they had some nice, locally baked bread. I couldn’t find any that was gluten free.

When I went to the checkout counter, I asked about the sign. The cashier said they had gluten free bread in the Natural Food section and Freezer area. Since I wasn’t familiar with the store, she showed me where to look.

The bread in the Natural Food section was made from 100 percent rice flour. It’s a brand I’ve had before; it’s not tasty.

In the Freezer section, the cashier pointed out a gluten free loaf with flax seed that she thought looked good. I read the label and rejected it because it contained sugar. I selected another brand, Food for Life’s that isn’t too bad. It’s called Rice Almond and is sweetened with fruit juice.

I don’t know why stores are putting up huge signs about their gluten free food when their offerings are so poor. I had a similar experience at Safeway when I was looking for gluten free muffins.

Maybe manufacturers are making the signs. More and more products are saying gluten free on them, such as tomato sauce, even though many of them are products that wouldn’t normally contain gluten anyway.

A friend of mine said she's been able to find good gluten free food. I'll ask her where she buys it.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Food Day offers restaurants the opportunity to adopt ‘real food’ policies

 
Alice Waters

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Chefs, nutritionists, and food activists are inviting the nation’s restaurants to celebrate Food Day on October 24 by announcing improvements to menus and sourcing policies that advance health and the environment.

On Food Day, organized by Center for Science in the Public Interest, restaurants could begin buying more produce, meat, and eggs from local farms; adding more whole grains to breads and pastas; or collecting money for food banks, farmers markets, or other local organizations.

Chefs already participating in Food Day include Alice Waters, of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif., Dan Barber of Blue Hill in Manhattan and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and early organics pioneer Nora Pouillon of Washington, D.C.’s Restaurant Nora.

“I’m excited that many restaurants are seizing the opportunity presented by Food Day and becoming part of a movement aimed at getting people to celebrate honest-to-goodness real food that comes from farms and not factories,” Michael F. Jacobson, CSPI executive director, said in a statement.

Restaurants could invite farmers to meet diners, plan special menus or events, or publicize Food Day via email and social media, Jacobson said. Some examples planned include:

• A chain of vegan restaurants, Native Foods, will organize cooking demonstrations and tastings in its seven locations in California.
• In Manhattan, the Italian market Eataly has started handing out Food Day materials and will bring in 20 farmers to talk to customers.
• Food Day organizers in New Haven, Conn., are planning a Real Food Restaurant Week during which restaurants will offer special meals featuring local produce and healthier options.
• Uncommon Ground restaurant in Chicago will offer a three-course Farm-to-Table prix fixe menu from October 16 to October 24.

Food Day is partnering with groups such as the Chefs Collaborative, American Culinary Federation, and Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture and is encouraging local restaurants to seek out partnerships with area hunger and sustainable-agriculture groups.

Besides restaurants, national organizations – such as the American Dietetic Association, American Public Health Association, Community Food Security Coalition, Earth Day Network, Farmers Market Coalition, Humane Society of the United States, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, Prevention Institute, and Slow Food USA, along with many city- and state-level organizations – are planning on organizing or participating in Food Day events.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Better labeling for raw meat and poultry proposed

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

As strange as it seems, when consumers look at packages of raw meat and poultry in the display case at the store, they can’t tell which ones are filled with liquids and which ones aren’t.

A new rule is being proposed for the use of easy-to-understand names for raw meat and poultry products that include solutions, such as injections and marinades, that may not be visible to the consumer.

Currently, raw meat and poultry products that contain added water, teriyaki sauce, salt, or a mixture these items may have the same name on their labels as products that don’t contain added solutions, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said in a statement. For example, a single-ingredient chicken breast and a chicken breast with added solution both may be labeled as "chicken breast," even though one package contains only chicken breast and one may be 60 percent chicken breast and 40 percent solution.

While the ingredient label of the chicken breast with added solution must state that it contains solution, consumers may not notice the information if it isn’t a part of the product's name. An example of a product name under the proposed rule would be: "chicken breast – 40 percent added solution of water and teriyaki sauce."

Consumers may be buying raw meat and poultry products with higher sodium content than they realize.

The print for such labels would be presented in a font, size, and color that are easily visible to consumers.

The agency is asking for comments on the proposed rule.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist