Category: Eating Well With Kim

by Kim Beavers, MS, RD, LD, CDE To be mindful is to focus on the present moment. Mindfulness is quite trendy yet also challenging for many moms – especially during the holiday season. Being mindful is particularly important in regard to eating when you consider that we make hundreds of eating decisions each day.  Mindful eating practices help to form a healthy relationship with food which is something worth modeling to children growing up in a culture that demonizes certain ways of eating. Below are some examples of mindful eating strategies. Savor the flavors of food: Use all of...

by Kim Beavers, MS, RD, LD, CDE Holidays and sweet treats fit together, but holidays and fiber, maybe not so much.  I’d like to change that – now don’t get me wrong I am a fan of the occasional sweet treat, but I am a bigger fan of health. Consider these well known facts with health in mind. Fact one: Americans eat more sugar than is recommended. The average American eats 14 to 20 teaspoons of sugar per day. Children and teens consume slightly more than adults. • The American Heart Association recommendations for added sugar are gender based....

by Kim Beavers, MS, RD, LD, CDE Food and fear are two words that do not belong together one sentence. However, severe food allergies can instill fear in both children and parents when it comes to food related events. Since eating is an everyday occurrence, it is important to be educated about food allergies and to educate those providing care for your family. Knowledge is power! According to The Center for Disease Control four to six percent of children have food allergies of some type. In a typical classroom of 25 students, at least one student is likely to...

by Kim Beavers, MS, RD, LD, CDE Headlines abound about the nutritional benefits of eating protein and I agree protein is very important. It is important in the context of a healthy diet just like fat and carbohydrates. That crazy word “moderate” comes into play like it does with all things nutrition. Marketing wants us on the extreme side of things, think of it like a see-saw—-the fun part is when the see-saw swings from high to low (eat more of this, eat less of this) while the middle balanced position is a bit on the boring side. See-saws...

by Kim Beavers, MS, RD, LD, CDE Whew… it is HOT! This makes sense of course, because it is summer in the South. That not only means heat but water as well.  Swimming, boating, sprinklers and water balloon fights abound. However as school resumes, the water of summer may be regulated to the weekend but water is essential for hydration, health and proper functioning. So, how much water is recommended? There are many variables to consider such as weather, age, clothing, equipment, activity and other foods consumed. Fruits and vegetables contain higher water content than other foods. Read as:...