City of San Bruno Senior Moments, 29 Sep 2010

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From YouTube: San Bruno Cable's Senior Moments "Nutrition"

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San Bruno Cable's Senior Moments "Nutrition"

A

When I was a girl growing up in northern Minnesota every night for dinner, along with the meat and potatoes, my mother served a green salad and at least one vegetable when I grew up. She and I discussed this, and she said she didn't know exactly what we were supposed to eat only that we needed a variety of food. In my opinion, that was, and still is a common-sense approach to eating well.

B

Sunshine: oh! That's! Where your hands after then, you can't be far you in my dreams. Every night.

B

A

Adults living well as our own responsibilities. Our quality of life is directly related to how well we accept that eat well, exercise and get plenty of sleep now. Where have we heard that before, as you may have guessed, nutrition is the focus of today's episode. Life is made up of choices and your local grocery store has thousands of them. So let's get some pointers from an expert and see what we should add to our grocery list. I'm here today, with Jennifer Stimson of the family health services of San Mateo County welcome Jennifer.

A

Thank you, you're, going to be here. Oh it's nice to have you here, we're all dying to know what does healthy look like? Is it fat thin, medium? Well,.

C

It's all it can be all of the above, because it's not necessarily if you're thin, you're healthy. um You could be eating a terrible diet and be you know, slim thin, look fine on the outside and have a terrible diet. So it's more to it than just what you look like so I assume.

A

That you'd want sort of a glow to to you, I mean.

B

Yeah, that's nice. You know.

A

I mean I think some of the chose on your complexion. How healthy you are true and your eyes and absolutely absolutely well. What would what would you include in a healthy diet? Well,.

C

Really the cornerstone for a healthy diet is your fruits and vegetables. That's in this country, people just generally don't get enough fruits and vegetables. So that should be the crux of main crux of your diet: whole grains are really important for the fiber and other nutrients. They bring to the table um lean. Protein sources are also important. You need a little bit of fat in your diet, especially if you get monounsaturated fat, that's the best and that's from nuts and avocados, and things.

A

Like that, well, what do you tell somebody who doesn't like vegetables well.

C

You don't have to you know: fruits also contain a lot the same or similar nutrients that vegetables have. So if you've got you know some lot of people a lot of children, for example, don't like vegetables, so if they make it up by eating fruits, that's fine too, because they have similar nutrient and you know makeups, but.

A

Then there's so many vegetables to choose from two aren't there and.

C

That's so that's so great because if you don't like one I have people come to tell me and say come to see me and say: oh I, don't like vegetables and you start to quiz them and it's like oh yeah. They do actually there's a handful vegetables actually like so.

A

Was there any food that we should exclude from our diet or try to stay away from well.

C

Generally, you know, as a dietitian, we generally tell people everything in moderation is fine, um but I think some of the things that are probably the least helpful for our health are the all the processed and packaged foods. They tend to be higher in saturated fat. They tend to be higher in sodium or salt, and a lot of people need to cut down in their salts.

C

Oh, and they also tend to be because they're so processed, they tend to contain refined, carbohydrate sources, um and that just means that a lot of fibers taken out a lot of nutrients are taken out. So so there's it's like empty food, not.

B

Not the best choice, it fills.

A

You up, but it doesn't give you what you need right. Well, you know that there's so much has been said about fat. You know it's like anti anti fat, but we really.

B

C

To find our diet, though I absolutely you need it for your complexion, you need it for padding. You know we're sitting here today. If we didn't have some, it would be kind of a rough I'm, sick uh-huh. So you need it for all kinds of things. We.

A

C

Don't need a lot of it.

A

And in a lot of these fat-free foods, I noticed that they they add a little sugar, so.

C

Yeah, they do tend to add more sugar just for the flavor, because fat I'm carries flavor. So it.

A

C

Taste better, so they will and a sugar I heard.

A

Something said about colored foods. What would you have to talk about that, or what would you say.

C

It's a good idea by choosing a wide variety of colored fit in different colors of foods. May.

A

Be made like vegetables like dark, green vegetables and red purple.

C

Vegetable ohalu vegetables, like blueberries and so forth, um phytochemicals are some of the things that make blueberries blue, for example,.

C

And those same phytochemicals or plant chemicals um do have, you know, there's been research done that shows that they may help decrease some chronic disease and so for so they're really quite beneficial. So it's good to choose a wide variety of you know, colors in your diet. Well,.

A

I would think that just the fact that vegetables they've got the sunlight they've got stuff from the earth that all of that good stuff is coming into you. Oh yeah,.

C

Absolutely how.

A

Do you a a certain that you get kind of good foods? What would you recommend when, when people go shopping well,.

C

It's a good idea to go to farmers markets and there's lots of them on the peninsula here that to choose from so that's a good place. You know to always visit the farmers markets and then, when you do that, you can have take part in the seasonal produce that we have and we're so blessed here in California with such a long growing season. So you can really get a wide variety of vegetables that way another another way to get fresh produce and local produce. This community supported agriculture.

C

That's a trend that we're seeing more of and that's kind of that whole local eating, sustainable eating a trend. That's going on right now and there's a lot of community supported agriculture, which is actually small farms that you can buy a share of, and then they deliver a box like either a weekly basis or, however, they set it up, and you get some really interesting exposure to different vegetables that you may not pick up in the grocery store, normally uh-huh.

A

And they send to you whatever happens, to be what.

C

They're growing.

A

What I, whatever they're,.

B

Growing on them so.

C

You can really try some new vegetables that maybe you've never you know tried before and if you have grandchildren or family, you can expose them to the vegetables too. Okay,.

A

You had mentioned community supported agriculture or farms yeah. You said that you belong to that. How do you get into that? Well,.

C

I got into it, I think I just found out about in the chronicle or some newspaper, and you can find out about it on. If you have a computer, just google it or whatever there's tons of them in the Bay Area. We're really fortunate- and it's very you know popular here- it's been going on for quite some time. It has.

A

Well, this is the first time I've ever heard of it yeah. So you really like that to get your little box of goodies, I.

C

Do and it's really been nice for me as I really enjoy cooking. It's been a nice experience to actually cook things in season I'm, instead of just grabbing a recipe and buying things out of season so and it's cheaper too uh-huh when you cook in season yeah well,.

A

It's very interesting, yeah well know how about shopping at the grocery store. What do you recommend well.

C

For the grocery store, it's a really good idea and we, you know to limit the packaged foods as much as possible. I really read if you're buying something in a package read that label. That's there for us consumers to make good decisions, so you want to take advantage of that. Read the label read the ingredients. You want to know. What's in your food Oh, what.

A

Should we be looking for the wood, we read the label well,.

C

You want to be looking for fiber, that's something that a lot of people don't get enough of uh-huh and that's really important for good health. You want to look for the calories. How many calories is in this food because you don't want to be consuming excess calories?

C

If that's an issue for you, so you want to look at, doesn't contain any vitamins or minerals, because you know our body needs that I'm, you don't want to be choosing things that are just empty calories that are just calories and saturated fat and don't have a whole lot of nutrients. Well, how.

A

About in the ingredients, the ingredient that's listed, first, isn't it isn't that the one that has the most.

C

Most of it right most of it.

A

C

A

And less its own and.

C

You want to look for things to that, have maybe not so many ingredients, because then the fewer ingredients, the closer to the natural source. It is well that's a good point, yeah very nice and things that you can say it was another good ingredients that you can actually pronounce. What.

A

Role does the federal government play in our nutrition know.

C

It plays a huge role in what way. Well, for example, are you familiar with the farm bill at all? A lot of people aren't familiar with the farm.

C

um This is a bill that comes out every five years and it's basically a bill that originated in kind of depression-era times to help family farms stay afloat in bad years and what's happened now, it's more of the money goes to sort of big agribusiness, and it's just become this behemoth type bill with lots of money attached to it and it really benefits a a few select crops such as corn, soybean wheat, cotton at the exclusion of other crops like, for example, something like this chips and packaged goods and stepped kind of junk food is actually subsidized uses crops that are subsidized by our taxpayer dollars through the farm bill, whereas something like this orange, this is considered a specialty crop.

C

Much like you know, the all. The fruits and vegetables are considered specialty crops. They don't get any federal funding through the farm bill, so we're essentially so not supporting this, but we're supporting chips with our taxpayer dollars. That's.

A

Why our junk food is so inexpensive? Absolutely the oranges and apples are absolutely unaffordable.

C

In some case, absolutely in the same with fast food, restaurants, that's why they, you know they can really get this. These foods for cheap. You know and have dollar menus, so.

A

All that is success yeah. It's.

C

Definitely subsidized which.

A

C

It's kind of a mixed message. Basically, because you know the government does tell you to eat more fruits and vegetables and things like that, but, on the same token, they're not affordable for many people, especially you know lately times have been tough for a lot of folks, and so it's harder and harder to get these foods. You know he's healthy foods that we should be eating. I.

A

See so now, I'm beginning to understand why we should really watch out for for some of these things and.

C

You can educate yourself, you know you can look, there's a lot of information about the farm bill on the web. It comes up every five years and I.

C

Think more and more people are getting aware of it, and not only does it touch what we eat and what's available in this country, but also it touches the environment to there's a lot of different if you, depending on what your interests are sure and it's something you know, we start learning about it now and you know because it just passed in 2007, so there's some time to learn about and mobilize and maybe talk to your legislators and tell them how important it is to you uh-huh.

C

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B

A

A lot to think about right. Absolutely: what's the difference between the diet of a senior in the diet of a younger I thought, I took a.

C

Question there's a few key differences on there. Some nutrients that seniors either can't absorb or need more of b12 is one of them that, as you age, you have less stomach acid and you need stomach acid to absorb b12 and b12 found in animal products, so meat, dairy eggs and so forth. So it's not a bad idea for seniors to take a b12 supplement. Calcium is another one. That seniors generally need more of the other thing about seniors and food. Is that as you age, your metabolism slows down somewhat.

C

So you know you can't you need fewer calories, but then, with those fewer calories, you still need the nutrients. You really need to pick nutrient-dense foods mm-hmm, so less of the junk food you know less room for junk food and foods with no nutritive value, but.

A

As always, if you're a very active adult, even as a senior, you need more food than you would have, if that's.

B

Correct so, in other words, either don't.

A

Eat it, if you need it right.

C

Right, another thing that I didn't mention before is that the need for fluids, as you grow older, the sensation of thirst decreases. So you, your body, is not telling you you're thirsty, but you actually are. So that's something that seniors, especially older, seniors need to be particularly careful about is getting enough fluids enough water, dead, hydration is pretty common, I understood.

A

That, if you feel thirsty, you're, already dehydrated cracked, yeah, absolutely I, know little tidbits like that. So what do you recommend they do? Do you I mean now do? Can you consider things like coffee and tea fluids or or just water? No.

C

You can get water actually from even food fruits and vegetables contain mostly water, so you can get water from soup. So a lot of different sources. Coffee is partially a diuretic, but which means it helps you lose water because of the caffeine, but it also contains water. So the net effect is probably that you're getting a little more water with coffee. Even if you're drinking it teas fine. It.

A

Is mm-hmm? Okay? How about there's there's like different kinds of tea? You know the fermented black tea, the green tea white tea is there anyone that you recommend not.

C

Over another, no, no, no, whatever you like! Oh.

A

C

A

Like okay, how do you do you recommend a certain amount of ounces per day or well.

C

The general rule has always been like eight glasses of water, a.

A

C

So that's that's a good benchmark.

A

But you can include your soup in that or whatever. Yes, that's addict: yeah, mm-hmm; okay, how about food allergies, food.

C

Allergies seem to be more either more common or more diagnose nowadays we're seeing a lot of them, especially in children mm-hmm. The most common allergens are things like soy, dairy um cow's, milk, specifically um nuts, not allergies, and those are the peanut allergies. You hear about a lot.

A

C

um What else shellfish is another one? Wheat is another allergen, so they can definitely be. Debt room will be kind of annoying if you have the allergy, because you really have to look at and it's hard to go out to eat as well, because you know there's so many foods that are so mixed and you really have to be on guard, especially if it's an allergy, um that's severe like some of the peanut allergies, uh-huh. Well, we'll.

A

Get right back, I'd like to ask you a little bit more about enter about allergies, but we'll be right back.

B

Laughter, sunshine: oh! That's where you are.

B

Hey how's it going.

B

Sir, are you okay? What how this it's probably nothing, I'm sure it'll go away, go away! What sir? That can't be good? No, it's cool! Really! Do you want a napkin or something everything's? Fine thanks! You wouldn't ignore this. So I ignore the signs of a stroke at the first warning. Signs call 911 immediately because time lost is brain lost, I'm smith and I'm joe and we're conducting an experiment to see if people like trash in their homes, yeah hello, sir, please step back.

B

Who are you guys? ha Judging from your reaction, it looks like you don't like trash in your home. No, of course not sir. This is yours. We saw you dump it out of your car, every 100 for your home, sir. Obviously, and you don't like trash in your home. No of course, why would you trash California? Don't trash California, my grandpa yeah I do something very important: grandma he'll go out for just an old day. The CDC recommends that all seniors get out for their flu.

B

Shots for old Bob so be sure you protect yourself against influenza is home. After all, it's important to a lot of people. Well, grandpa gets back we're gonna wrestle, be smart, be well get your flu shot. Yeah I go a public service message from the US Department of Health and Human Services, hello, patty I've decided to follow your lead and file for Social Security benefits online, but Cass. Aren't you back in Zanzibar I just got on my laptop and went to socialsecurity.gov.

B

It took less than 15 minutes wow. You are a miracle worker, well Cheers, addy, I'm off to film a baby rhino.

B

Sunshine: oh! That's where you are, whereas after back.

A

Here with Jennifer Stimpson registered dietitian, we were just talking about food allergies. Now you mentioned all of the different possible food allergies that that most people have that.

C

Many is that, yes, how.

A

Can somebody tell if they have a food allergy generally.

C

What happens is it's? The allergic reaction is manifest like with hives or maybe a rash or red face, or what you know. Something like that, and if something like that happens, you really want to talk to your doctor and see if you can get tested, have an allergy test.

A

So I mean I suppose you could cut something out of your diet for a while and see if you have the effect next time. You.

B

Write to that's.

A

Probably the easiest way to tell if you're, not if you didn't go to the doctor right.

C

Right, that's a good idea. You.

A

Know we had really discussed what you do as a registered dietitian. Okay,.

C

So I actually work with aging and adult services here with the county and I'm their consultant dietitian and I work with all of the senior centers within this county, all up and down the peninsula. What I do for them is that they serve lunches, as you may be aware that the senior centers give and I review the menus and make sure that they meet the nutrient requirements for federal funding.

C

So that's one of the pieces that I do I also go to the senior centers and make sure that they are falling food safety regulations, the food safe, so yeah and I really enjoy it. So it gets you out of the.

B

A

B

Does your uses.

A

Your knowledge and right so you probably know our our you've probably been to our local Senior Center in San food, absolutely.

C

Alright, very female, well I do and our.

B

Food safe there, it's.

C

Very thick, all right.

B

A

To hear that delicious, yes, yes, I eat there, often good.

B

A

That's the night.

B

C

A

Would you suggest for people who go out to eat, you know it's it's easy to stay at home and and and eat what you have there. You know after shopping so well.

C

And farmers but.

A

What do you do when you go out to eat? Well,.

C

There's a few different things that you can do you if you notice at restaurants over the years the portions have gotten bigger and bigger and bigger. um So one of the things that you can do is when you, when you first sit down any order and your order comes to maybe cut it in half and put half in a doggie bag for to take home. That way, it's not right in front of you tempting you. That's a way to cook.

A

How the doggie bag.

C

First right right exactly another thing: is order either a double portion of vegetables or try and pick out something in the menu that has lots of vegetables because restaurant food there's it generally has fewer vegetables and maybe what's something that you would make at home, so try and get double vegetables or order a vegetarian meal with lots of vegetables. That's another option.

C

They also tend to have a lot of like pasta and grains large portions of that so try and cut down and that a little bit if possible or see. If you can order brown rice, you know some, you know. If you go to a Chinese restaurant, for example, they may have brown rice or something different to kind of get some more fiber and those whole grains in mm-hmm.

A

Well now, I'm surprised and talking to you normally I kind of expected and talking to a dietitian that you'd say: okay, now, here's that here's, the pyramid of food- you have to have this many of this and this many servings of this, and this many servings of that you do. You haven't done that at all today, very interesting! Well,.

C

I think most of us are to be just kind of go through our day. We're not you know so prescribed in our eating, so I mean I. Think it's easier just to really my messages always eat more of those fruits and vegetables get as many.

C

You know, if you don't have any underlying health issues that were preclude you from that to get as many fruits and vegetables in as you can um I like the real basic concepts, because I think people it's just easier to go through your day, doing that kind of thing, instead of being so prescriptive, yes well, you'd or.

A

C

A

Just mentioned about eating out and the portions being so loud so.

C

A

Is a portion well.

C

For fruits and vegetables, it's a half cup cooked if it's a salad, if it's like a green leafy raw salad, a cup is a serving a medium piece of fruit is a serving of fruit for grains like a half cup of pasta or half cup of rice, which isn't often not what you see yeah.

A

Half a cup of these half a cup of rice, cooked correct, okay, yeah and.

C

A half a cup of pasta, cook, correct and then um for your for your protein foods, then those that's that always you know, takes people back a back a little bit because it's about the size of your palm of your hand or a deck of cards mm-hmm. So that's that's about a three or four sites portion before oh yeah, exactly yeah, so we're.

A

We're all eating way too much, because I mean some of those yeah a steak who wants a steak? That's this big! We want a steak. That's this big right right.

C

That's why, when you go to those restaurants, it's important to try and you know either share your meal or cut it in half and.

A

Even eating at home I think that many of us serve too much right.

C

Well, we're so used to larger portions were kind of trained in that mindset now. I just heard.

A

About smaller plates, instead of these giant plates, that's my.

C

Other good trick yeah to use a salad plate as a serving plate. Instead of those big places, you officially want to fill it up. If it's, if it's you don't want to eat from an empty plate right, it's not appealing.

A

Well, last: question: okay: what is your? What is your greatest passion about nutrition? Well,.

C

I'm really excited about. We, we have talked about the community, supported agriculture, local foods, seasonal foods, I'm, really passionate about that people are starting a garden and I. Think that's really exciting and I do that at home as well. So that's really fun cooking is another passion and you know sharing all that information with other people and like.

A

Talk to be fun with it ro absolutely.

C

It should be fun I love to eat. You know it should.

A

Be I mean I think cookies, nice to shore it it's kind of gratifying to see your meal placed on the table and looking good and so on.

C

Right and getting your hands in there is 0 right all right. Well,.

A

Jennifer. Thank you so much thanks.

C

I really appreciate I appreciate it.

A

So much it was fun talking to you too. Thank you we'll be right back.

B

You promised me the world. Is this what you had in mind? Every choice we make has a consequence, help earth Sharon its members, restore balance to the world visit earth, share, org and see what you can do. Earth's share one environment, one simple way to care for it filing for Social Security online is so easy. A beatnik could do it with his laptop in any March up.

C

Any questions no.

B

You know we're not magicians, we can't we need your questions. Teaching every kind will react with my.

B

What are all these tests.

B

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B

Oh, that's where you are.

A

To summarize what Jennifer said, eight colorful foods a rainbow if that helps you remember and eat lots of fruits and vegetables they're so important, and if you don't like one vegetable try another one, there are so many to choose from be adventurous, learn how to serve something new read labels. Consider this less is more make your meals fun as well as colorful. If you're bored with your diet, try some new recipes eat an occasional cookie or a piece of candy everything in moderation. Remember.

A

You can also join others at the San Bruno Senior Center for lunch Monday through Friday for a nominal donation. Each meal is balanced and served in an active and sometimes entertaining environment. Be well, and thank you for joining us for this senior moment.