Healthy Living

with Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

 

Eat Your Spuds!

Pittsburgh is a meat-and potatoes-town. If you shy away from potatoes because they're "fattening," think again. A baked potato is a great choice when it comes to weight control. A spud the size of a baseball eaten with the skin on has about 100 calories (nix the butter and sour cream!). It has a whopping 5 grams of fiber (about 25 percent of your daily need) and also is loaded with vitamin C, magnesium and potassium, yet it's naturally low in sodium. Flavor your potato with garlic or other herbs or salsa. If you need that buttery taste - add another 30 calories with some low-fat butter, or for even fewer calories, try several squirts of a minimal-calorie "butter spray."

Ask Dr. Fernstrom

Q. Should I be taking fish oil?
A. New science continues to support the health benefits of fish oil - especially true when it comes to heart health. So what's the best source? The optimal choice is to consume "fatty fish" (salmon, mackerel and other "oily" fish with higher amounts of key essential fatty acids) at least two to three times a week - every week. Since we're inland, and fresh fish can be quite expensive, you might go the frozen route (a taste problem for many people) or look for fish-oil capsules. You'll need to consume about 1,800 milligrams each day for demonstrated heart benefits. Always check with your doctor to determine your individual needs. While both fish and fish-oil capsules can be pricey, they are a good investment in your health.

In the News

Food "downsizing" is the latest trend in portion control, which is a good thing considering our region is known for large "Pittsburgh" portions. Driven by the higher cost of food, some food providers are keeping the prices the same but giving you less food. From fast-food and chain restaurants to all kinds of supermarket products, the shrinking portion sizes are good for our waistlines.

Flex Your Mental Muscles

It's perfectly normal to have brief memory lapses from time to time - often referred to as "brain burps" or "senior moments," depending on your age. Whether it's forgetting a name or a friend's phone number, many of these episodes can be tracked to a simple lack of focus and attention. As a nation of "multi-taskers," we often don't give our full attention to one activity at a time. With multiple distractions, we're less likely to "imprint" certain memory messages into our brain. The solution is to flex your "mental muscles." Focus and pay attention to small details; set up small memory cues to prompt yourself (the teacher's name is "Mrs. Green" - my favorite color), or pick up a book on mental exercises to keep your brain "in shape."

No Time to Exercise?

No worries. You can make time by increasing your "activity of daily living." Buy a pedometer to calculate your daily steps. A mile is about 2,500 steps, which translates to about 100 calories. While the gold standard for health is roughly 10,000 steps a day - about an hour of brisk walking - whatever you can do to get going is a plus. It's just as effective to get five minutes at a time, multiple times a day, as to walk for an hour. Start small - just a few minutes here and there can really boost your activity, endurance and health. More important, a pedometer can help you separate physical fatigue from mental fatigue, which "feel" the same. If you're exhausted, and your pedometer reads only 3,500 steps - it's time to evaluate whether better stress management is in order.

If you have a health question for Dr. Fernstrom, e-mail her at fernstrom@wqed.org.

 

Dr. Madelyn H. Fernstrom, Ph.D., C.N.S., is the founder and director of UPMC's Weight Management Center. She is the diet and nutrition editor for NBC's "Today Show" and is the author of The Runner's Diet. Also visit "Health Journal with Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom," a health and wellness blog at iVillage.com.