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By Jennifer Vagios, RD,
APOGEE’s Dietitian

Clients often come to me and ask about alternatives to wheat. Perhaps they’ve heard that wheat can be an irritant—even an allergen—causing sluggishness, indigestion, headaches, joint aches and more. APOGEE’s own integrative health advisor, Woodson Merrell, M.D., suggests removing wheat from your diet when you’re on his Power Up 21-day energy plan. “In my experience, wheat is the most sensitizing food,” says Merrell. “Nearly 50 percent of my patients become sensitive to wheat by age 40.”  If you’re in that group, Merrell says, you’ll feel more energetic when wheat is cut from your diet.

My advice? Choose breads and pastas made from kamut, an ancient form of wheat that’s 30 percent higher in protein than the modern hybridized wheat we eat today. It’s also a good source of fiber, iron, magnesium and antioxidants.

You can substitute kamut in most recipes requiring wheat—it has a slightly nutty and sweet flavor. Look for kamut in prepared breads and pastas, in flour and baking mixes, or as whole grain. Keep in mind that because kamut has less gluten than traditional wheat, baked goods made with it will probably be denser. (However, kamut is not an alternative grain for people with celiac disease who must avoid all gluten.)

My favorite recipe for kamut is as a substitute for oatmeal at breakfast: Measure out the dry grain; add the appropriate amount of water, milk, or soymilk; mash up a banana or add sautéed or fresh apples; then sprinkle in spices such as cinnamon, pie spice, or vanilla extract and heat.  Yum!

Learn more about energizing your life from Woodson Merrell, M.D., at APOGEE White Plains on December 2. Details.

By APOGEE’s Nutrition StaffYou probably have a Thanksgiving shopping list, travel itinerary, and a food preparation schedule. Do you have a Thanksgiving wellness plan, too? If you create a health and fitness strategy now, you’re more likely to emerge from this holiday week feeling energized and in control.

1.  Schedule time for your physical well-being. Whether it’s an exercise class, a walk with a friend, or 20 minutes on your mat at home, find a time each day to maintain your physical fitness habit during this holiday week. Maintaining a routine is easier than stopping and starting. (Check APOGEE’s holiday hours at our White Plains and Bedford Hills locations.)

2.  List the special foods you’d like to indulge in. Nothing says Thanksgiving like a helping of—you name it! Perhaps it’s stuffing, sweet potatoes, or pumpkin pie. If you have preferred dishes, then make a plan to skip the foods that are not your favorites. If you’re a guest, scan the table or buffet before you begin to make your choices. Choosing what is special will help you enjoy the meal without overindulging.

3.  Make a drink plan, too. The calories in alcoholic beverages add up quickly. Decide ahead of time what you will drink and how much. Be certain you have a water glass handy—and full.

4.  Picture healthful portions. Visualize a plate with space between normal-sized portions of the Thanksgiving foods you love. Picture yourself savoring the flavors and textures you look forward to. Then imagine yourself feeling comfortably full afterwards. Visualizing what you want will help you achieve it.

5.  Bring in some healthful options. Have vegetables and fruit on hand so everyone has healthful options to munch on; bring them as a hostess gift if you need to. Include plenty of non-caloric drinks such as water.

6.  Make friends, family and gratitude the focus of the day. Yes, the food brings us together, but it’s the people around the table—and the gratitude you express—that make the day meaningful.

Learn more about healthful eating at APOGEE’s Nourish Basics workshops.

By Jennifer Vagios, RD, APOGEE’s Dietitian

Many APOGEE members ask me how to include more vegetables in their diet. Here’s one way: I make a quick and nutritious dinner using spaghetti squash instead of pasta.

In local farmer’s markets right now you’ll find a colorful spectrum of winter squash, including spaghetti squash. Yellow, smooth, and cylindrical, it’s what’s on the inside that makes this squash so versatile: When cooked, the flesh separates into long, tender strands, perfect for topping with your favorite traditional pasta sauce.

How to prepare spaghetti squash: Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scrape the seeds out, then place both halves cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces the squash. When done, flip it over and pull out the strands with a fork.

I top the cooked squash with my favorite tomato sauce and, for protein, vegetarian meatballs. Like grain-based pasta, spaghetti squash is a good source of carbohydrates, but because it’s a veggie, it also contains fiber, Vitamin B6, potassium, and Vitamin C.

Westchester County has many good farmer’s markets; this site may list one near you.

By Jennifer Vagios, RD, APOGEE’s Dietitian

Food is all around us—gigantic muffins at the coffee shop, neverending office snacks, tempting commercials during your favorite TV programs. It’s no wonder that we often eat when we’re not truly “hungry.” But research has shown that “intuitive eating”—tuning into your hunger cues rather than things like emotions, food availability, social environment and eating in front of the television—is better than dieting when it comes to losing and maintaining weight.

Do you eat when you’re truly hungry? Here are some some tips to help you start eating intuitively:

·    Keep a log of when, what and how you feel when you eat (don’t forget the piece of chocolate at 3 pm because you were “bored!”). Start rating your hunger level on a scale of 1 to 10. If you typically eat when the numbers are low then that is a sign that you may not be eating when you’re actually hungry.

·    If you often find yourself munching on something while watching television, take note of that action and behavior and replace it with something else; for example, only allow yourself to eat while at the table, and not “out of a bag!”

·    When co-workers bring donuts/sweets/fast food to the office and you’ve already eaten a meal within a few hours, it’s likely you’re not hungry. To avoid this situation you can either have a pre-planned healthy snack available such as yogurt with fruit, and/or find a way to avoid the food and situation all together.

·    Keeping “trigger” foods out of the house is one easy step to avoiding eating when you’re emotional, stressed and/or bored. Once you’ve taken notice of your own personal eating style you will be more able to handle these situations. If you typically eat when you’re emotional, find an alternative other than food such as yoga, going for a walk, reading a book, calling a friend!

·    Think long-term: Every healthful choice you make contributes to a healthy future. It’s like a bank account. Along the way, you’re bound to make some choices that aren’t so great, but don’t judge yourself harshly. Part of being healthy is keeping things, including food, in perspective.

By Jennifer Vagios, MS, RD, APOGEE Dietitian

With so many great restaurants with tempting dishes and big portions, there’s no question that dining out in Westchester County can take a toll on your waistline and undermine your plan for healthy eating. And, since the average American consumes 4.2 meals per week prepared outside the home, it’s a universal challenge. But, there is a survival guide-one that’s easy to follow and still affords a memorable dining experience-so you can tip the waiter without tipping the scales.

Here’s my menu of easy-to-follow tips for healthy eating at restaurants:

• Before ordering, think about how hungry you really are. Keep checking in with yourself throughout the meal and only eat until you feel satisfied.
• Never skip meals before dining out. If it’s been several hours since you’ve last eaten, make sure to have a light snack. There’s less of a chance you’ll overeat.
• Decide what you’ll eat before you get to the restaurant. Most menus are available online, including their daily specials. Browse through before you dine in order to make healthier choices.
• Try to order before your dining companions do so you won’t be influenced or feel pressured by what they choose.
• Split a dish with someone and ask for two plates to cut back on total calories and the fat. Most dinner entrees are plenty for two.
• Order two appetizers or an appetizer and a salad versus a full entrée and other courses.
• Let tonight’s dinner provide tomorrow’s lunch. Restaurant portions are typically much larger than then they should be. Consume only half your entrée and bag the rest. You’ll save time, money and unwanted calories.
• If you want dessert, have dessert—but consider splitting it or ordering a fruit sorbet, frozen yogurt or just a cappuccino.

Even high-end restaurants specializing in haute cuisine have accepted if not embraced the trend toward healthy eating. Regardless of how sophisticated their menus, most are delighted to honor any special requests (steamed instead of fried, sauce on the side, for example). They recognize what’s most important—that you thoroughly enjoy your meal.