Taking folic acid? Here's what you need to know

Folic acid supplements have long been thought to have potential heart benefits, but a large new study which appears in the Archives of Internal Medicine, suggests that these pills don't lower the risk of heart attacks or strokes. Folic acid does, however, need to be a key part of our diet.

As a synthetic version of folate, a B vitamin essential to cell growth, folic acid helps to stave off birth defects. Folate is found in green vegetables, fruits, juices, dried beans, peas, nuts, and in grain products that have been fortified with folic acid. Foods containing folate are often good for the heart, but most likely due to other nutrients, such as cholesterol-lowering fiber. We all need folic acid to create healthy new cells on an ongoing basis.

January is National Birth Defects Prevention month, so remind those who are pregnant that they need 400 mcg of folic acid each day. A supplement is encouraged to ensure that needs are met. For those who are not pregnant, requirements are the same, but the outcome of consuming less folate is less serious. Eating a healthy and balanced diet full of folate-rich foods is a natural way to ensure that you're getting all of the essential vitamins, including folate. But, there’s no reason to super-supplement.

See how you measure up with folate by using the Food Tracker at myGPNS.com. It will show you what foods you like that contain folate. And, contact your GPNS Health coach for tips on how to get more of these foods into your diet.

It's a Matter of Strength

In an attempt to stay fit and manage weight, calorie focused gym goers will often hop on the treadmill or elliptical machine for an hour and call it a day. While this emphasis on cardio does help to burn calories, it omits a vital part of maintaining physical fitness and health: strength training!

Strength training, sometimes referred to as resistance training or weight-bearing exercise, has a lot more to offer than simply building and toning muscles. Research has shown it to be imperative for maintaining strong bones as we age, helping to prevent or slow progression of osteoporosis and reduce bone fractures. In addition, strength training helps to increase lean body mass, which has the residual benefits of lowering body fat percentage and boosting both resting and active metabolism. In other words, with a little more meat on your bones you can burn even more calories with that 60 minute cardio workout!

The American college of Sports Medicine recommends doing 8-10 strength training exercises (8-12 repetitions of each) two times per week, in addition to cardio training. Try a mix of some of the following exercise to get yours:

• lift weights (free weights or machines)
• work with resistance bands
• body-weight calisthenics (push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups etc.)
• Power yoga or Pilates
• Heavy duty housework (heavy gardening, shoveling snow etc.)

What are some of your favorite strength training exercises? Share with us and your peers in the comments.

Before you set your New Year’s Resolutions, read this!

No matter how stubborn a habit you've developed, there are ways to break those negative patterns and keep healthy resolutions throughout the New Year. The trick is to keep everything in perspective.

Experts in psychology at University of Maryland Medical Center offer these tips to help you reach your goals in the New Year:

● View the glass half full. Focus on the positive, instead of dwelling in the negative. Think: a small raise in salary is better than no raise at all.

● Learn and grow from mistakes. If you fall short of your goals, ask yourself what kept you from achieving them and then try to make corrections.

● Set realistic, not absolute, resolutions. For example, instead of deciding not to yell at your kids when they fight, set a goal to yell less often.

● Chat it up. Tell someone you trust about your goals so they can offer support if necessary.

● Really want it. If you don't have strong, internal motivation within yourself, you won't be successful. Make your goal meaningful to you.

● Take baby steps. Set realistic goals that are attainable and then take small steps that are likely to be met with success toward those goals. For example, set a goal to lose 1 pound per week (not 10!) and enlist a support group to help.

● Hone in on spirituality. For example, if one of your goals is to get fit, you may also resolve to get outdoors more often and experience nature instead of going to the gym.


For more motivation on goal-setting, contact your GPNS Health Coach at www.mygpns.com.

'Tis the Season to Stew

As the leaves fall, the weather turns colder and the sky begins to threaten snow, our bodies naturally begin to crave hearty warming foods. Nothing meets these innate needs quite like a hot bowl of soup or stew. This Italian inspired chicken stew has warmth, flavor and a heart healthy nutrition profile. Serve it over some wilted greens and brown rice and you've got yourself a solid winter meal!

Mangia!

Tomato and White Bean Chicken Stew

Yield: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Total Cook Time: 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 whole chicken (cut into parts, breasts halved)

1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 14.5 -ounce cans stewed tomatoes

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth/stock

3/4 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat large heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add one tablespoon of olive oil.
2. Sprinkle chicken pieces with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Then brown each piece on both sides (about 3 minutes per side) in the pot in one or two batches. Remove chicken pieces to a plate when complete.
3. Add onion to the pot and sweat until translucent, about 8 minutes. As the onions cook be sure to scrape all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with your wooden spoon. Then add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more.
4. Return chicken to the pot and add stewed tomatoes, chicken broth, wine, basil and oregano. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 50-60 minutes until chicken is cooked through and pulls apart easily.
5. Add cannellini beans and continue to simmer 10 minutes.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Enjoy! You may want to save some for leftovers... these dishes are often even better the next day!

Servings per recipe: 8
Calories 410, Fat 16g, Sodium 400mg, Carbohydrate 32g, Fiber 8g, Sugars 8g, Protein 32g

Inspired by a recipe from Bon Appetit, December 1999.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chicken-Stew-with-Tomatoes-and-White-Beans-102665

New Research on Vitamin D: How much do we really need?

A new report from the Institute of Medicine states that we need 600 international units (IU) of Vitamin D per day, which is 200 IU higher than previous recommendations set in 1997. However, it is difficult to get the new recommended amount of Vitamin D from food and sunlight. We would have to eat the equivalent of 2 servings of salmon, or 1 serving of salmon plus 3 cups of milk on a daily basis. In addition, vitamin D fortified foods such as orange juice and some breakfast cereals have such small amounts that it would be difficult to meet the requirement this way. We can also make Vitamin D from the sun, but it is more difficult to obtain in the winter months, and we often use sunscreen to block the sun’s rays in the summer, minimizing the amount of D we are actually getting.

The bottom line: Eat Vitamin D-rich foods on a daily basis and consider taking a Vitamin D supplement that is US Pharmacopeia (USP) certified to reach a daily dose of 600 IU. Ask your doctor about testing for Vitamin D deficiency so that you can be directed to necessary options for extra supplementation if necessary.

For more information and tips, contact your GPNS Health Coach at http://www.mygpns.com.