by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Diets, Health, Nutrition
This edition of MRM Talking With is focused on Millennials. Stacie Sopinka, Vice President of Product Development and Innovation at US Foods shares with Modern Restaurant Management magazine her views on millennial dining and food trends and why it’s important for restaurateurs to understand this demographic.�In its new Spring Scoop, US Foods aims to help local chefs and independent restaurants create products and food experiences catered specifically for millennials. Some of the highlights include:
- Globally inspired cuisines that feature authentic ingredients and international flavors
- High-quality products that are both responsibly prepared and satisfy the taste buds
- A new menu design offering that helps restaurateurs design top-quality menus
Under the banner “What Millennials Crave,” Spring Scoop features a lineup of 26 new products designed to help restaurant customers attract more millennial diners. Also featured are new menu design capabilities and a wide array of products that address several trends and product attributes important to millennials, including global cuisine, sustainability and portability.
What are some unique trends and dishes millennials crave?
Nearly half of millennials seek globally-inspired foods when dining out.
The demand for ethnic cuisine is continually growing. Nearly half of millennials seek globally-inspired foods when dining out. To meet this demand head-on, we�re recommending that restaurants add items to their menus that feature international ingredients and flavors. Spring Scoop includes products like Pacific Jade� Indian Curry, Thai Red Curry Sauce Starters and Chef�s Line� All Natural Chicken Shawarma to help give chefs and operators easy options to add ethnic flare to their menus.
Natural, organic and sustainably sourced foods are also very popular with millennial diners, with 65 percent saying that they enjoy foods that are natural or organic (The Hartman Group). As demand continues to grow, we�ve made it a priority at US Foods to develop products and responsibly sourced ingredients. Spring Scoop aims to build on the success of last year�s Serve-Good� line with other new, sustainable products like Chef�s Line All Natural Fire Grilled Chicken Breast and White and Dark Turkey Burgers that are vegetarian-fed and raised without antibiotics.
Stacie Sopinka
Why is it crucial for restaurants to cater to this demographic?
Millennials spend more money dining out than any other demographic, so it�s essential that operators understand their preferences and shape their menus accordingly. Studies show millennials spend on average $174 a month on food away from home, compared to $153 for other generations. But what�s really compelling about this demographic is how much they cherish the experience of eating out. Studies also show that an overwhelming majority of millennials will prioritize eating out, even when money is tight.
How is the millennial taste bud different than previous generations?
Millennials are twice as likely to risk danger in order to participate in an adventure. This behavior translates into food as well with bold and spicy flavors being millennial favorites. Extreme Eating can also take the form of participating in decadent offerings like fried chicken, ice cream sandwiches and poutine. Millennials have also redefined the term �healthy� as they shift their focus from low fat and low calorie towards food tribe favorites such as the paleo diet, vegan and gluten free offerings.
What was the process of putting together these new items?
US Foods has a dedicated internal product innovation team that is charged with researching and identifying consumer trends and eating habits to inform our ongoing product development. We have three Scoop launches per year (Spring, Summer and Fall) that average around 25 new products and each launch has a different theme or set of trends that we try to concentrate our product innovation around.
With two-thirds of the team being millennials, we were able to draw on direct first-hand knowledge and experience for this year�s Spring Scoop.
How do you feel they will inspire chefs and restaurateurs?
The new Spring Scoop products will help chefs and restaurateurs attract more millennial diners. These customizable products allow operators to design dishes in their own unique way, which keeps the menu independent and true to their vision.
How important is menu design for restaurants?
Nothing is more important that a first impression, and for restaurants, that first impression is often made through the menu. Recent stats from OpenTable suggest that 86 percent of millennial diners browse a restaurant�s menu online before choosing to eat there. Therefore, menu design should express the personality of a restaurant, be clear, and highlight the most profitable products.
We launched US Foods Menu in Spring Scoop to help restaurateurs design top-quality menus that highlight key dishes and engage diners.
What are some upcoming trends you are seeing?
Diners are increasingly eating on the run and also ordering their meals to go.� We think of this as lifestyle eating � snacking, eating at your desk and in your car are all part of the new norm.� Approximately 20 percent of meals are eaten in cars in the U.S. and with busy schedules eating three square meals is increasingly becoming a rarity.� This opens up opportunities in the foodservice industry for shareable plates, portable healthy foods that are individually wrapped and increased focus on making home delivery ordering easy for customers.
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by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Diets, Fitness
Parkinson’s disease can cause tremors, stiffness and trouble with walking. But a new study suggests that regular exercise can slow the progression of the disease.
Even those with advanced Parkinson’s can benefit from activity, the study authors said.
The research included more than 3,400 patients in North America, the Netherlands and Israel who were followed for more than two years. During that time, Parkinson’s-related changes in mobility were assessed by timing how long it took patients to rise from a chair, walk about 10 feet, turn and return to a sitting position.
The results were published online recently in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease.
“We found that people with Parkinson’s disease who maintained exercise 150 minutes per week had a smaller decline in quality of life and mobility over two years compared to people who did not exercise or exercised less,” said lead investigator Miriam Rafferty, of Northwestern University and Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
“The smaller decline was significant for people who started the study as regular exercisers, as well as for people who started to exercise 150 minutes per week after their first study-related visit,” she said in a journal news release.
The study didn’t look at what specific types of exercise might be best for people with Parkinson’s disease. But the findings suggest that at least 150 minutes a week of any type of exercise offers benefits.
“People with Parkinson’s disease should feel empowered to find the type of exercise they enjoy, even those with more advanced symptoms,” Rafferty added.
The study also found that people with more advanced Parkinson’s disease saw the greatest benefit from 30-minute-per-week increases in exercise. This finding could prove important in making exercise more accessible to these people. Currently, their increased disability may limit their independent participation in community and group exercise programs, according to the researchers.
“The most important part of the study is that it suggests that people who are not currently achieving recommended levels of exercise could start to exercise today to lessen the declines in quality of life and mobility that can occur with this progressive disease,” Rafferty said.
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Diets, Fitness
It may be tempting to latch on to the latest diet fad like juicing or going gluten-free to lose weight or achieve other health goals. But when it comes to heart health, doctors say sticking with old standbys like fruits, veggies and olive oil is still the best approach.
To see what kind of diet patterns might be the most heart healthy, a team of doctors and researchers examined results from more than a dozen previously published nutrition studies. Taken together, all of this evidence shows the best regimen for heart health includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, the study concludes.
“There is a great amount of misinformation about nutrition fads, including antioxidant pills, juicing and gluten-free diets,” said lead study author Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness in the division of cardiology at National Jewish Health in Denver.
“However, there are number of dietary patterns that have clearly been demonstrated to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease,” Freeman said in a statement. “There is growing consensus that a predominantly plant-based diet that emphasizes green, leafy vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fruit is where the best improvements are seen in heart health.”
Based on the scientific data available, nuts in moderation, extra-virgin olive oil and lean meats can also be part of a heart healthy diet, Freeman and colleagues report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
To help avoid high cholesterol, one risk factor for heart disease, the study authors also recommend skipping or limiting eggs and other oils like coconut and palm oil.
Even though U.S. dietary guidelines released last year removed previous recommendations to limit cholesterol, the current research review still advises against eating too many eggs because they are associated with higher cholesterol levels in the blood.
Coconut oil and palm oil may be trendy, but there isn’t much data to show they’re healthy for routine use, the study also concludes. Olive oil does have proven benefits, but should be consumed in moderation because it’s high in calories.
When it comes to antioxidants, another diet fad, there’s no evidence that supplements can help the heart and some evidence that they may have harmful health effects. But the science does support eating whole fruits and vegetables to get these nutrients.
Juicing, too, may not be as good for the heart as whole fruits and vegetables if people end up drinking too many calories, the researchers note. Juices without added sugar may, however, make sense for people who don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables.
“The problem with juicing is that many individuals who drink these tend to consume more calories from added sugars (fruit, yogurt, milk) than they realize,” Dr. Daniel Rader of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia said by email. He wasn’t involved in the study.
Gluten-free diets that avoid ingredients like wheat, barley and rye are necessary for people with celiac disease or gluten allergies, but don’t have proven benefits for anyone else, the study concludes.
It’s possible that fad diets avoiding gluten without a medical reason to do this might appear to be successful because people who try eating this way to improve their health also do other things that are healthy like getting plenty of exercise and sleep and avoiding smoking and junk food, said Alvaro Hernaez, a researcher at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute in Barcelona.
“They feel better because of the general improvement in their lifestyle habits,” Hernaez, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email.
Fads diets, especially those that load up on meat or restrict too much food, should be avoided, said Samantha Heller, a nutritionist at New York University Langone Medical Center who wasn’t involved in the study.
“We would all benefit from eating fewer foods that come from animals such as ham, beef, cheese, butter and pork, and eating a lot more plant foods,” Heller said by email.
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Diets, Nutrition, Wellness
If You�re Craving Something Sweet
It�s easy to get a quick sugar fix from foods that might be lying around (hello, blueberry muffins in the office kitchenette). Chances are, though, that you’re already eating way too much sugar; the average person takes in 22 teaspoons of�sugar daily�more than three times the amount suggested by the American Heart Association. A growing body of research links the sweet stuff to high cholesterol and blood pressure, increased risk for cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, and�of course�excess weight gain. Plus, a sweet treat can cause a blood sugar spike and crash, leaving you feeling sluggish, moody, and hungry (again).
Reach For A Piece Of Fruit Instead
You’ll be satisfied�we promise. �When you craving something cold, creamy and sweet, think healthier options like frozen bananas, grapes, organic fruit purees, or homemade frozen yogurt pops,� suggests Natalia Levey, certified health and nutrition coach and author of Cravings Boss. Low-fat Greek or plain yogurt with some fruit on top is another nutrient-packed option. �The yogurt provides calcium which is good for your bones and the berries are packed with immune boosting antioxidants,� says Keri Gans, RD, New York City-based nutritionist and author of The Small Change Diet
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by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic, Diets, Health, Nutrition
Mediterranean Diet
An Estimated 86 Million Americans Are At Risk For Type 2 Diabetes
But nearly 90 percent of them don�t know it.
Doctors say adhering to a Mediterranean diet may help to reverse your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
The Mediterranean diet, which is especially popular from Spain and Italy to Greece and the Middle East, largely focuses on seasonal fruits and vegetables.
�It�s dark leafy greens, freshly foraged greens in all different varieties� like kale and collards and spinach and chard,� said Dahlia Shaaban, founder of Washington, D.C.-based Live Deliciously.
The majority of foods in a Mediterranean diet do come from plants, but Shaaban says to go for fish or lean proteins twice per week. Salmon and tuna, for example, contain Omega 3 Fatty Acids which promote heart and brain health.
�So you can think of crowding out your plate with more plant-based foods, then enjoying meat here and there,� explained Shaaban.
Beans, Nuts & Whole Grains Are Everyday Staples In A Mediterranean Meal
�The grain is something you can hold onto,� said Shaaban. �Brown rice, farro, wide rice, quinoa, bulgur or cracked wheat. The most common beans you find in the Mediterranean are:�lentils, chickpeas, fava beans, black eyed peas.�
The American Diabetes Association suggests using olive oil to cook instead of butter or margarine. That can help to lower cholesterol levels. And when it comes to seasoning, herbs, spices and citrus juice are better options than salt.
Finally, limit alcohol and sugar�and you�ve got the perfect blend of health-conscious choices for people managing diabetes.
�It�s not just a diet, it�s a lifestyle,� said Shaaban.
For Mediterranean-inspired recipes, visit the Live Deliciously�and�Live Deliciously Tribe Facebook pages.
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� 2017 WFAA-TV
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Diets, Fitness
Any marathoner will tell you that the grueling 26-mile races can do a number on the hips, knees, ankles and feet.
Now, a small study suggests that these tests of endurance are also tough on the kidneys.
“Marathon runners demonstrate transient or reverse short-term kidney injury,” said Dr. Chirag Parikh, professor of medicine at Yale University.
In his study of 22 participants in the 2015 Hartford, Conn. Marathon, Parikh found that 82 percent showed acute kidney injury after the race. In this condition, the kidneys fail to filter waste from the blood.
The good news is that the kidney injury seems to clear up within two days of the race, he said.
“On day 2, they are all fine,” Parikh said.
Runners likely don’t even know they’ve had this transient injury, Parikh said. “For the short term, I don’t think they would notice anything,” he said.
Parikh isn’t certain why the strenuous event is linked with kidney injury. But some potential causes include the sustained rise in core body temperature, dehydration, or the decreased blood flow to the kidneys that occurs during a marathon, he explained.
When the blood is pumped to the skin and muscles while running, he said, the kidneys may not get as much blood as they normally do.
Nor can Parikh say whether the effect might be cumulative, getting worse with more marathons run. It may be that the kidney adapts over time instead, he noted.
To evaluate this type of kidney injury, his team looked at blood and urine samples collected before and after the marathon. These tests included measuring blood creatinine levels and proteins in the urine, along with looking at kidney cells on a microscope. Creatinine is a waste product excreted by the kidneys; measuring it in the blood helps assess kidney health.
In a previous study, published in 2011, Dr. Peter McCullough, vice chief of medicine at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, and colleagues evaluated 25 men and women marathoners. They found 40 percent of the runners met the definition of acute kidney injury based on their blood creatinine levels.
In the new study, Parikh’s team also “performed an in depth evaluation of the urine and found evidence of injury,” McCullough said.
“The larger question looming is: do these repeated bouts of injury in endurance athletes lead to chronic kidney disease years later? Can anything be done about the injury at the time including hydration strategy?” McCullough said. More study is crucial, he added.
Parikh said additional research is also needed to assess whether certain people may not recover as quickly. For now, those with a family history of kidney disease should let their physician know they run marathons, he suggested.
Dr. Cathy Fieseler said marathoners who want to reduce their risk of kidney injury should avoid anti-inflammatory drugs before the race. Those drugs include over-the-counter ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) and naproxen (Aleve), Fieseler said. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is cleared through the liver.
Fieseler is a primary care sports medicine doctor at Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health System in Tyler, Texas. She’s also medical director of the American Running Association.
The study was published March 28 in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases.
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Diets, Nutrition, Wellness
Most of us already know that eating less and moving more are the keys to dropping extra pounds. But if you’re already doing everything right and can’t seem to lose weight or are even gaining it you may have a hidden health condition that’s sabotaging your efforts. And the symptoms may be so subtle that even your doctor can miss them. Here, some possible weight-loss blockers and how to get the help you need.
A Sluggish Thyroid
Your thyroid gland makes hormones that regulate the way your body uses energy. An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) disrupts your metabolism, as well as many other aspects of your health. Some estimate that as many as 10 percent of adults have hypothyroidism, which is more common in women and is most often diagnosed in the 40s and 50s.
Could this be you? Besides weight gain or an inability to lose weight, you may notice fatigue, hair loss, dry skin, joint pain and muscle weakness, heavy periods, increased sensitivity to cold, even depression. Many people with low-grade hypothyroidism just feel off, with no obvious signs of being truly sick.
How to get tested: Ask your internist to run a TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) screening. In general, the higher your TSH level, the slower your thyroid is. While traditional normal’ values are between .45 and 4.5, if your level is above 2, you might still struggle to lose weight, explains Jamie Kane, MD, medical director of Park Avenue Medical Weight and Wellness in New York City. Your doctor may also want to check your levels of T-3 and T-4, the two main thyroid hormones. But hypothyroidism isn’t always a straight numbers game; more and more doctors are now treating the symptoms, not just the blood-test results. If a patient isn’t feeling well, it’s often because her thyroid isn’t functioning as well as it should for her body, says Erika Schwartz, MD, an internist in New York City.
How it’s treated: Your doc will usually start by prescribing a low-dose T-4 thyroid hormone like Synthroid. If your symptoms don’t improve, discuss upping your dosage or switching to a combination of T-3 and T-4.
Out-Of-Whack Hormones
As many as 1 in 10 women of childbearing age have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition in which a woman’s ovaries produce an excess of male hormones. In addition to causing ovulation problems and infertility, PCOS may go hand-in-hand with insulin resistance, a glitch in the way your body processes blood sugar, which is often associated with excess fat storage, especially around the waist. Left untreated, insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Could this be you? You may have irregular periods, excess facial and body hair, acne, some male pattern balding, and trouble getting pregnant, along with unexplained weight gain (though not everyone with PCOS has weight issues).
How to get tested: Your gynecologist or internist can test your levels of sex hormones for an imbalance of testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen, says David Katz, MD, director of the Yale Prevention Research Center. She may then test your blood sugar and insulin levels or perform an ultrasound to check for cysts on your ovaries.
How it’s treated: Lifestyle changes are usually the first step. If you’re already eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, you may have to kick it up another notch to see results. If you have insulin resistance, Dr. Katz says, you’ll also want to cut out refined carbs and added sugars. If you’ve made these changes and still don’t notice a difference, your doc may prescribe a drug called metformin, which is used to treat insulin resistance as well as assist with ovulation (if you’re trying to get pregnant).
Trouble-Making Foods
Most people know if they’re allergic to certain foods like nuts or shellfish, but many aren’t aware of food intolerances. While a true food allergy results when your immune system mistakenly identifies a food as harmful and mounts an immediate response, food intolerances can have a variety of causes, including lack of a certain digestive enzyme (as with lactose intolerance) or sensitivity to food additives, and tend to manifest over time, says Elizabeth W. Boham, MD, RD, a family practitioner at The UltraWellness Center in Lenox, Massachusetts. Eating a trouble foodthe most common being dairy, gluten, eggs, soy, corn, and nutscan lead to bloating and water-weight gain, among other symptoms. Experts estimate that food intolerances affect as many as 1 in 10 people.
Could this be you? You may regularly have bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipationas well as seemingly unrelated symptoms like mild asthma, eczema, headaches, muscle and joint pain, and fatigue.
How to get tested: An internist or gastroenterologist can help you diagnose the problem, but you can begin to figure it out for yourself through an elimination diet. Dr. Boham suggests that you start by removing gluten and dairy (these are the biggest culprits) from your diet for two to three weeks. If you don’t notice a difference, also eliminate eggs, corn, soy, and nuts, and consider nixing additives such as food coloring and preservatives. After a few weeks, slowly reintroduce the possible culprits, one at a time, noting any reactions.
How it’s treated: If the reaction is severe, you’ll need to cut the offending food from your diet. For mild reactions, try a daily probiotic supplement, which restores the good bacteria in your gut necessary for digestion and can help prevent bloating and water weight gain. Dr. Boham recommends one with at least 10 billion live bacteria per pill.
Pills That Pack On Pounds
Weight gain can be an unwelcome side effect of some drugs, including anti-depressants, steroids, and, more rarely, birth-control pills (due to a temporary increase in water retention).
Could this be you? You may notice weight gain within a few weeks of starting a new medication, though it could take several months before you see any effects, Dr. Kane says.
How to get tested: No special test is needed; you know if you’re gaining weight.
How to get tested: No special test is needed; you know if you’re gaining weight.How it’s treated: Talk to your doctor, who may be able to prescribe an alternative. In the case of anti-depressants, bupropion has been shown to cause less weight gain and possibly even lead to weight loss. With birth control pills, switching to a version with a lower dose of hormones might minimize weight gain. But remember, treating the condition you’re taking the drug for is your biggest priority, so you should never go off any meds on your own.
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