by Guest | Feb 10, 2021 | Being Well, Eat Well
What does pleasant hunger feel like to you? This can be a hard question to answer! Pleasure and hunger don’t always seem to belong in the same sentence. Unpleasant hunger makes more sense. “Hanger” and the negative emotions associated with a feeling of “starvation” come to mind right away. Luckily, hunger can be pleasant if it is realized early on and leads to intentional planning of when and what you eat.
Pleasant hunger is thinking to yourself “I think I’m ready for a meal/snack” and allowing yourself to consider what’s available, sounds satisfying and meets your health goals. You sit down to eat and find yourself savoring your food. This is a pleasurable feeling! On the other hand, let’s say you ignored that initial hunger cue. Time passes, you start to feel impatient and anxious, maybe you have a headache or feel shaky. You’ve reached a point where you don’t care what you eat, you just. need. to. eat! You scarf down whatever is within reach, not paying attention to how it tastes, how much you eat or if it’s truly satisfying. While you might feel relieved afterwards, wouldn’t you rather have enjoyed the complete eating experience?
Enjoying your eating experience is a concept of intuitive eating, or mindful eating. It encourages listening to your body’s cues about hunger and food. It’s also sometimes called the “anti-diet approach” because it takes the rigidity out of eating we see with dieting. Mindful eating frees you from the “dos and don’ts” of eating that a culture of fad diets attempts to instill in us. Mindful eaters have more body appreciation, they enjoy eating, and they experience fewer disordered eating behaviors like intentionally skipping meals, yo-yo dieting, and feelings of guilt and shame around food. Mindful eaters also tend to be more food budget conscious- something we can all appreciate!
Below are the 10 principles of intuitive eating, developed by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. (https://www.intuitiveeating.org/) Remember, these principles are guidelines, not rules. Food and rules are like oil and water; they just don’t blend.
- Reject the Diet Mentality – Has living in a culture that promotes fad diets distorted your thoughts about yourself? Has it impacted your social life, opinions about food, or your personal relationships? Try redirecting your time and energy into something meaningful that brings you joy.
- Honor Your Hunger – How do you handle your other bodily cues, like a full bladder? When you feel the need, you use the restroom without following “rules” or questioning if you “deserve” it. Try approaching hunger in the same, ordinary manner. Eat when you really are hungry or find an alternative activity (read, dance, listen to music, etc.) if you’re actually bored, emotional or looking for a distraction. Consistent and accurate honoring of hunger cues heals and rebuilds connection with your body.
- Make Peace with Food – While traditional food fights (the kind that involve messes) are fun, the battle between food “rules” and your needs or wants is anything but fun. Try taking a bite and then ask yourself: how does this food taste?
- Challenge the Food Police – The food police enforce those unreasonable rules that diet culture has created. Remember, food and rules don’t belong together. Work with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who can help you find healthy eating style that works for you.
- Discover the Satisfaction Factor Explore your food, especially taste, texture and aroma. Does it bring back any memories? How does it make you feel? Satisfaction in eating comes from within.
- Feel Your Fullness We’ve explored pleasant hunger; how would you imagine or describe how pleasant fullness feels?
- Cope with Your Emotions with Kindness While food is comforting, it can’t solve our problems. Consider writing down how you’re feeling, making a pros-and-cons list, or calling a friend. Explore actions that might offer you some clarity.
- Respect Your Body How awesome is it that you have your very own, one-of-a-kind genetic blueprint? Nobody is like you! So, is it fair to compare your body to another body, or judge your food preferences or cravings against those of others?
- Movement- Feel the Difference Can you reflect on a time, perhaps as a child, when you looked forward to physical activity? What has changed, and how can you rebuild that positive relationship?
- Honor Your Health- Gentle Nutrition Healthy eating looks different for everyone- there is not a perfect formula. Try making food choices that honor your health and preferences while also making you feel good.
After practicing intuitive eating ideas for a while, you might find yourself going for a walk because you want to, not because you “have to.” Maybe you’ll try your hand at art, pick up a fun book, or try a new yoga class. Practicing intuitive eating can help you honor your needs -social, emotional, cultural, physical, etc.- and find pleasure in truly nourishing yourself. Hopefully these ideas bring peace to your meals and snacks!
AUTHOR: Katlyn Wolf, Oregon State Dietetic Intern, future Registered Dietitian
For more local health and wellness information, follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
by Guest | Sep 24, 2020 | Eat Well
How many times have you found yourself out and about and in need of a snack? For me it’s a lot. Now, how many times have you chosen an apple or maybe some nuts over the option of a bag of chips or a soda? For me it’s not often. I want a good healthy snack, but I have a hard time finding something that is enjoyable and tasty while also offering me the nutrition I need. Running into the store and grabbing the cheapest thing that sounds good seems so much easier. I get it! There must be a better way and there is. Snacking is important – just make sure that when you are looking for snacks, you are looking for options that are high in fiber, contain lower sodium and less added sugars. This way you are consuming calories that will allow you to sustain energy until your next meal.
According to the International Food Information Council Foundation, about 97% of us snack at some point during the week. It is a common thing, and it is good for us to recognize it and why we are doing it.
There are many reasons we need snacks:
- Needing energy
- We often find ourselves tired as long workdays drag on and food can be a good resource to help us wake up.
- Boredom
- If you find yourself bored, you may feel hungry.
- Thirsty
- Our thirst receptors are very weak. This is why it is common for us to think we are hungry when actually we are just dehydrated.
- Emotional eating
- It is common that when we are emotional, we tend to comfort ourselves through food.
- Craving something salty or sweet
- You may find yourself in a position where you really just want something sweet or salty.
After recognizing why we are snacking, and understanding that it is ok and normal no matter the circumstances, we can think about healthy choices. Here are a few examples of tasty, nutrient-rich snacks that will help sustain energy and satisfy hunger.
Examples of healthy snacks:
- Trail mix
- Look for ones that include nuts, seeds and dried fruits. Read the label to see how many calories are in a serving to help you decide how much to eat. Many trail mixes have a lot of added salt and sugars so be sure to read the labels and compare.
- Granola bars
- Bars with fruit and whole grains offer higher amounts of fiber and energy. Some bars have a lot of added sugars, so it is important to read the labels and compare.
- Fresh fruit
- Fruit is a great thing to throw in your bag before you leave the house or pick up at the closest grocery store. Bananas, apples, oranges and peaches or nectarines are great options for on the go.
- Crackers/veggies and dip
- Look for whole-grain or low sodium crackers.
- Chips and salsa
- Try baked chips, or low-sodium tortilla chips. Guacamole and hummus are also great for dipping.
- Low-fat popcorn and rice cakes
- A great and tasty source of fiber for all ages.
- Applesauce, fruit cups and canned fruit
- Look for fruits canned in juice or light syrup to avoid added sugar.
- Smoothies
- Make with fresh or frozen fruit. Use milk and/or yogurt for more protein and nutrition.
Next time you find yourself in a pinch and needing a snack, or heading out and wanting to pack some sustenance, think about these fun, healthy and yummy options.
Healthy Snack Recipe: Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Recipe Source: https://www.foodhero.org/banana-oatmeal-cookies
Number of servings: 14 cookies
Time for preparation (including preparation and cooking): 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 very ripe bananas
- 1 cup oats (quick or old-fashioned)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup raisins
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, mash bananas with a fork until mostly smooth.
- Add oats, cinnamon, vanilla and raisins. Mix well.
- Drop spoonful’s of dough onto lightly sprayed or oiled baking sheet. Flatten with the back of a spoon or bottom of a drinking glass.
- Bake 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool before serving
Notes:
- Texture will be best when freshly made.
- Try dried cranberries or chopped nuts instead of raisins.
Resources
Pike, A. (2019, May 31). Snacking On the Rise: 2019 Food & Health Survey Results. Retrieved July 10, 2020, from https://foodinsight.org/snacking-on-the-rise-2019-food-health-survey-results/
Healthy School Snacks: Center for Science in the Public Interest. (n.d.). Retrieved July 10, 2020, from https://cspinet.org/protecting-our-health/nutrition/healthy-school-snacks
Healthy Snacking. (n.d.). Retrieved July 10, 2020, from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/add-color/healthy-snacking
AUTHOR: Kasey Purcell, OSU Extension Service Intern
For more local health and wellness information, follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
by Michelle | Aug 6, 2020 | Eat Well, Recipes, Uncategorized
When is the last time you went on a picnic? I mean an honest to goodness, basket full of goodies, let’s feed the ants picnic? I thought so. It’s been a while, huh? Me too. There is something so delightful and memorable about a good old fashion picnic that I think we all need to slow down and with proper COVID-19 safety precautions make them happen more often.
Eating outside can take a simple walk and turn it into an enjoyable adventure, a romantic occasion or just a welcome change of pace. A picnic doesn’t really have to be a big production; you can just grab some peanut butter and celery sticks and head for the park or you can plan a bit and make it just a wee bit more special. Taking the time to enjoy life outside, particularly in these warmer summer months, is a great way to invite healthy lifestyle into your life.
There are many great foods to take but there are several wrong foods to avoid for picnics; foods that will spoil, foods that are meant to be very cold, or piping hot, since you can rarely guarantee either; and foods that require labor-intensive eating methods. (Messy is bad) Stay away from these foods and you will find your outdoor meals much more relaxing and fun.
There are the classic picnic foods that many of us grew up on and are devoted to like potato salad, sandwiches and watermelon. They are easy to fall back on. Yet I encourage us to expand our picnic repertoire and embrace some new and very easy foods. (Let’s keep it easy so we’ll actually do this!) I have compiled a list of some deliciously easy foods for your gastronomic soirée out into the great outdoors. Hopefully all these ideas will stimulate you to get out and enjoy nature and tasty food in this beautiful season. Go picnicking for a better tomorrow and life!
~Salad in a jar~
Get a large mouth mason quart jar and assemble a salad in it in this order; dressing on the bottom lettuce on the top with the details in the middle. If the lettuce mix touches the dressing it gets all wilty and gross, so dressing in first, then use a hearty veggie like shredded cabbage, carrots or peapods next. Layer from there with bite sized yummies like celery, cucumber, nuts, cheese, cherry tomatoes, apple chunks tossed in lemon juice, black olives, berries and sprouts. (avocados don’t work to well in this mix) Think color and flavors. Then, when you are ready, just dump your salad out of the jar on a plate and voila! A perfectly portable salad.
Use your imagination on salad in a jar but here are a few examples to get you going:
-One of my favorite salad combinations: in this order in the jar, raspberry vinaigrette, peapods, shredded carrots, chopped hazelnuts, strawberries, finely diced red onions, feta cheese and spinach on top.
-A Caesar salad jar would go together something like this; Caesar salad dressing, shredded carrots, diced celery, chunks of grilled chicken breast, or salad shrimp, green onion, parmesan cheese, and top off with romaine. (Skip the croutons or bring them along in a separate baggie. They get all mushy in the jar.)
-Cobb salad in the jar; Red wine vinaigrette, celery, red cabbage, fresh corn kernels, red bell pepper, red onion, boiled eggs, bacon bits, chopped ham, grilled chicken breast and romaine. If you want avocado, bring a whole one and cut it up on the salad right before you eat it.
More picnic options
– Caprese salad skewers; on bamboo skewers thread washed cherry tomatoes, marinated mozzarella balls and basil leaves. So good you’ll wonder why you haven’t done it before!
-Lightly steam a bunch of veggies like asparagus, green beans and carrot sticks and serve with your favorite dip. Or puréed jarred roasted red peppers with feta, marjoram or oregano and parsley, olive oil and garlic for the dip. Nom nom
-Try fresh skewers. Grill or cook chicken breast, tofu or a nice steak then cut into bite sized pieces. Skewer on bamboo skewers with fresh cherry tomatoes, pineapple and cucumbers. Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing.
-Bake your favorite brownie or cheesecake in the small one cup jars. After they are cool, top with a berry jam and fresh berries and put the lid on. Portable heaven.
So now that you are armed with all these abundant ideas, get out there and enjoy the great outdoors with fun food and family time! Remember to follow current COVID-19 safety guidelines, keep a physical distance of 6ft from anyone not in your immediate household, wash your hands often, and don’t forget to bring your face covering when you are out!
If you are looking for places to picnic, check out and play in our “Explore Your Outdoors” bingo activity. To make it fun and easy, our team has assembled a list of 24 area locations and activity suggestions for local day trips and outings. Most locations are family-friendly and highly accessible to people of all abilities, and game information and materials are available in both English and Spanish, visit tillamookcountywellness.org/bingo for more information!
AUTHOR: Dana Zia, The Golightly Gourmet
For more local health and wellness inspiration, follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
