Arizona Dept. of Public Health saluted dietitians.

 Highlighting public health dietitians during National Nutrition Month

March has been celebrated as National Nutrition Month for 50 years by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Registered Dietitian Nutritionists work in a variety of settings including health care, education, industry, and government. Public health nutrition is the application of nutrition and public health principles to design programs, systems, policies and environments that aim to improve or maintain the optimal health of populations and targeted groups. Public health models incorporating policy, systems, and environmental initiatives that address social determinants of health allow Registered Dietitian Nutritionists to have a greater impact on the root causes of nutrition inequities.

To do this work, public health registered dietitian nutritionists strive to develop specialized skills that allow them to integrate dietetic knowledge and experience into broader efforts that meet the 10 essential services of public health. Using these skills, public health registered dietitian nutritionists aim for an asset-based community-engaged approach that promotes a culture of safety, empowerment, and healing.

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Sent on behalf of the Arizona Department of Health Services using GovDelivery ∙ 150 North 18th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85007 ∙ 602-542-1025 ∙ azhealth.gov

Another outbreak of Listeria

This announcement from the FDA tells why Listeria (a type of food poisoning) is dangerous and describes symptoms; it can even cause miscarriage if a woman is pregnant. Then, it presents a chart giving a long list of contaminated foods and identification codes (eg, expiration dates). 

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/fresh-ideation-food-group-llc-recalls-sandwiches-and-other-products-because-possible-health-risk

PFAS

++ PFAS stands for PolyFlouroAlkyl Substances 

These chemicals are resistant to grease oil, and water. This makes them effective coatings for, among other things, containers and wrappers for foods, including fast foods and microwavable popcorn; both on the container itself, and in the ink used for printing on it. They are also found in stain-resistant or water-repellant coatings for a variety of household items and some clothing, nonstick cookware, and some kinds of paints and cosmetic items. 

The bad news is that they can migrate into food. This is a concern because evidence is increasing that they can contribute to high blood pressure, liver damage, cancer, immune suppression, etc.  They also decompose very slowly, so they last a long time in your body - and in the landfill that accepts your trash. New substitutes, for example with smaller molecules, are not much better, but can give people a false sense of increased safety. There a many varieties of PHAS, and tests are available for only a few, which can give rise to misleading statistics about their presence in a food. Don't be mislead! 

++ So, what can you do?   

• To limit how much migrates into your foods, don't store or reheat food in the original wrapper.
• Patronize restaurants and other retailers who have pledged to reduce use of PFAS. You can often find this information of their websites or on the websites of consumer protection organizations.  
• Try to limit your exposure to non-food sources. 

It's almost Halloween - Sweet!

 Consumer Reports shows us how many calories we eat if we raid the trick-or-treat candy. 

Oat-banana Cookies

Try a new recipe from Kids Eat Right! 

 https://www.eatright.org/food/planning-and-prep/recipes/oat-banana-breakfast-cookies

Mediterranean Diet

Looking for ideas for Mediterranean cooking? 

This website can help. 

 Oldwayspt.Org

Whole grains have shaped Mediterranean cuisine for centuries. Until the late 19th century, Mediterranean people ate grains in their whole grain form, as it was too expensive and labor intensive to remove the nutritious bran and germ. In the decades that followed, nutrition experts began to understand that a cuisine based around whole grains has tremendous health benefits.  Happy cooking from the team at Oldways!

Mediterranean Whole Grains Although wheat—along with grapes and olives—is part of the “trinity” of the Mediterranean Diet, there are a wide variety of delicious whole grains to be found throughout the Mediterranean region. Join us on a tour of Mediterranean whole grains and delight in the foods and flavors that await!

Healthy Teeth

 

    When I worked for a community action agency in Iowa, I created this handout. Most of the information bears repeating, with Halloween just around the corner. 

Probiotics. Prebiotics. and now, POSTBIOTICS???

    You have probably been hearing about probiotics, prebiotics, and how they make the gut healthier. Now, postbiotics are emerging on the scene.  What does all this mean? I'll go back a step and tell you a little about the backstory.      

> Microbiome: Your body has at least as many bacteria and other microorganisms as human cells.  You hear about the ones that cause sickness a lot; even more so now that we are in the midst of a pandemic. But, many of these "germs" are benign, and some are actually helpful. For example, if you are on antibiotics for long enough, you may get a fungal infection: the antibiotic kills the good bacteria, too, so they aren't there to fight against the fungus. And, some of the "germs" can also digest your food and give off "waste" that's good for you.  

    Your collection of good germs is a little different from anyone else's, both in types and in relative numbers.  In fact, they are about as unique to you as are your fingerprints. 

> Probiotics are good germs in your food. They usually don't take up permanent residence, but they can help you while they're with you. Advertising for some foods (for example, yogurt) boasts about having probiotics. Because your gut microbiome is unique, eating these foods helps some people more than others. The same is true for pre- and post-biotics. 

> Prebiotics are substances in food that promote the growth of probiotics, commonly, some types of the fiber in whole grains, vegetables, and fruit. In other words, prebiotics are foods for probiotics. 

> Postbiotics are compounds made in the food (by the biome) before you eat it. This is most common in fermentation, such as in sauerkraut, some kinds of pickles, sourdough bread, and some dairy products. Sometimes, the compounds outlive their producers.  For example, when sourdough bread rises, the yeast in it make it fluffier, and a special type of bacteria make it sour. When the bread is baked, the yeast and bacteria die in the heat, but the changes they made are still there, the bread tastes great, and some people can digest the bread more comfortably. 

    If your have concerns or questions about what this means for you, talk to your doctor or a dietitian. 

    Meanwhile, enjoy a variety of foods, follow public health guidelines - And Stay Healthy!