Probiotics: Why Your Tummy Needs Them

Do you eat food? Do you have a stomach? Have you ever been sick? Have you ever taken an antibiotic? Do you get heartburn or other related tummy issues?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, you need probiotics!!!! A probiotic is a food or a dietary supplement containing live bacteria (as lactobacilli) that is taken orally to restore beneficial bacteria to the body.

Why do you need probiotics? We all are born with lots of good bacteria in our gut and as time passes, so does our good bacteria. Age, illness, medications, environmental factors and much more depletes our massive stores of this life-enhancing substance. Probiotics helps us digest food, absorb nutrients, build a strong immune system and prevent illness.

Probiotics may also help prevent or ease the symptoms of a lot of GI issues many people experience: bloating, gas, IBS, diarrhea, constipation, acid reflux, food intolerances/allergies, vitamin and mineral deficiencies and the list goes on and on.

70% of your immune system is in your gut and if you are missing good bacteria, your immune system is suffering. Every medication you take and every time you take an antibiotic, you kill off good bacteria. If you find yourself with numerous colds, infections and doctor appointments, you need to be replacing your good bacteria.

Probiotics are naturally found in many foods with the most common one bring yogurt. Greek yogurt usually has 5 different strains of good bacteria and standard yogurt has 1 strain. Both are a great choice and should be eaten every day. You can also find probiotics in fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, kombucha, miso and ginger beverages.

 

 

Pharmax Probiotics are Dietitian and Pharmacist Recommended.

Not into a yogurt a day or fermented foods? There are supplements available that can also be taken daily. But there is not a one-size-fits-all oral probiotic pill. You must seek out a professional to navigate the probiotic pills. I have favorites that I recommend to my clients and will be happy to discuss the one that is perfect for you.

 

Bottom line: Make probiotics part of you daily routine. Dietitian recommended!

~Crazy 

Dairy Inspired Vacation Getaway

Summer is all about vacations and making lasting memories. June has been a whirlwind of crazy cool travels and some amazing friends and food.

 

One of my favorite people and my best friend, Carlena and I had the joy of a girls trip to Florida. You might be asking why in the world would we travel to Florida during the hot summer month of June? Because we love the beach and we love the sun! 

 

While in Florida, we soaked up the rays at New Smyrna Beach and the Siesta Keys. We went on a nighttime bioluminescent kayaking tour and saw the life under the water glow in the dark and made friends with a few Dolphins. One of my "must- dos" in Florida was dine on key lime pie. Key lime pie is one of my top 3 favorite desserts and there was no way I was passing it up on my trip. 

 

Upon my return, I wanted to take my inspiration of the warm and sunny citrus flavors of the key lime and recreate a healthier version of my favorite sweet treat. I was inspired by celebrating my trip and the memories I made with one of my favorite months being June: National Dairy Month. 

Key lime pie is traditionally a lot of sugar, so I wanted to health it up a bit. With the flavor of the fresh key lime juice and the protein packed creaminess of Greek yogurt, I created a key lime pie dip that I can eat when not on vacation. 

 

 

It is refreshing and so easy to do!  All you do is combine the key lime juice, yogurt, marshmallow fluff and fat-free condensed milk and stir. But it must be fresh squeezed key lime juice to get the true flavors you would on vacation. By combining the juice with yogurt, you also get protein and calcium for a healthier and more satisfying treat. Using nutrient-dense dairy foods in recipes boost the nutrition in anything that you make and while I am eating my delicious sweet treat, I want to share with you my "Top-10" Reasons that I love dairy:

 

1.  Dairy foods are full of 9 essential nutrients that I need to get from the food I eat, in a pinch, I always can find milk in any situation, especially at convenience stores.

2.  Yogurt saves me from the hungries as my afternoon snack. The protein keeps me full and focused during a busy day. 

3.  Fat-free milk is my go-to to make my oatmeal creamy and delicious in the morning. 

4.  Cottage cheese mixed with salsa and served with homemade tortilla chips, is the appetizer I take to many events for a healthy and tasty alternative to nacho cheese dip. 

5.  Fat-free chocolate milk is a great way to curb a sweet craving (and trust me, I have them often!)

6. The more cheese the merrier!  I keep a variety of 2% milk cheese sticks in my refrigerator for a perfect portion size of cheese for snacks and for various recipes I make.

7. Yogurt is packed with probiotics that help keep our tummies happy and our immune systems strong. It is one of few foods that has this incredible benefit.

8. I have a secret obsession with marscapone cheese. I use this creamy cheese on fruit and whole grain bread and then sprinkle cinnamon all over this twist on cream cheese.

9. Mozzarella is the cheese I recommend to most of my clients as the healthiest choice of cheese because it is made with part-skim milk and melts amazingly in a variety of recipes.

10.  After I have a morning workout, I start out each day with a protein-packed drink of fat-free milk, spinach, frozen blueberries and whey protein powder. I love it for breakfast!

For other ideas and suggestions for dairy foods, check out some of my fellow dietitians and my favorite dairy farmers share their own ideas for the versatility of dairy:  Dairy Makes Sense Blog. This recipe also shows how versatile dairy foods are. I like to serve the dip with graham crackers (Star Wars character grahams were a must for this dish) or it is also delicious with apple slices. It makes a generous amount so it would be a great dish to take to a weekend barbecue or picnic with family and friends.

 

All You Need:

• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice (this is around 10-12 key limes)

 

All You Do: 

1. Mix all ingredients together with a whisk and until smooth.
2. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Serve with fresh fruit and graham crackers.

 

Cheers to summer; vacations; friends, the deliciousness of dairy, lasting memories and the food that reminds us of it all! 

~Crazy

 

The Coconut Craze

I know you are all curious on the craze of all things coconut. Coconut milk, coconut water, coconut oil...coconut is popping up in everything including soaps and shampoos. 

So what does a dietitian think about this craze? 

I will give you my short version (for more in depth information, please feel free to email me!)

I love to eat coconut. The real deal. The yummy rich and creamy meat that comes inside the rough brown ball. I like unsweetened flaked coconut to use in recipes. My favorite is toasted coconut and you will want to have it on hand all the time! 

Coconut Oil: This stuff is great for basic treatment of dry anything on the body. Dry skin and a deep conditioner for dry hair.  Will I cook with it? Nope. Will I rinse it in my mouth? Nope.  Will I add it to a smoothie to make me skinnier? Nope. But it sure does make my dry winter skin look and feel amazing.

Coconut Water: This is a good substitute for someone who needs to replace electrolytes after a intense workout that last more than 90 minutes. It is a healthier version than other electrolyte drinks on the market. Does it replace plain water? Nope. Should you drink it if you exercise less than 90 minutes? Nope. Will it make me lose weight? Nope and nope.

Coconut Milk: There are 2 kinds: think condensed sweetened milk (found in a can and has substantial fat and sugar, great for that Coconut Thai Curry Soup recipe you always wanted to make) and as a substitute for cows milk. I personally am not a fan of Coconut Milk in place of cows milk because it lacks protein and a slew of other vitamins and minerals. I do recommend it for someone who may have dairy allergies as an alternative. 

So again, back to the real deal. Actual coconut. I always have some at home because it adds a lot flavor to foods and you only need a little bit.

Lately, I have been a huge fan of Greek yogurts with fancy mix-ins. Sunday, I was at home and had a bit of a sweet craving. All I had to do was dig in my pantry to come up with this coconut deliciousness. 

I gathered plain Greek yogurt, coconut flakes, almond slices and dark chocolate. 

I toasted 1 tablespoon of coconut and 1 tablespoon of almonds over medium heat for about 4-6 minutes, constantly stirring to prevent burning (they can be delicate little flowers and go from toasted to burnt in no time, ask Cool!).

I chopped up one square of my >70% cacao dark chocolate.

And my yogurt was ready to be ordained with these fancy and fun toppings.

Now doesn't this look like the best way to get your coconut fix?  

Not only was this satisfying, but from start to finish, it was the perfect amount of time to deep condition my hair with coconut oil on a Sunday afternoon and have a snack.  

~Crazy