Monthly Archives: November 2016

Maintaining a healthy weight can be a challenge at any age, but helping children maintain a healthy weight presents its own unique challenges.
Here are some tips that can help…

Make Fruit And Vegetables Part Of Meals And Snacks
Many children like the sweet taste of fruit, so use this to your advantage by providing fruit as a snack or dessert instead of food with added sugar.
Veggies can be a harder sell for many children, but mild-tasting steamed vegetables, such as broccoli, can be a good choice.
Baby carrots or sliced peppers can also make a good snack option. You can dip it into hummus.

Think Outside The Box For Breakfast
Breakfast cereal is easy to prepare, but is actually a fairly highly processed food. Many cereals also have added sugar, which can add up to a surprisingly high calorie count per serving.
Think about eggs or yogurt as an alternative that is still relatively simple to prepare and clean up after in the morning.

Focus On Low-Fat Dairy
Milk, yogurt, and cheese have a place in a healthy diet, but moderation and low-fat choices are key. For example, Greek-style yogurt can be a much lower calorie alternative to sour cream.

Physical Activity Is Important
While recent research indicates that diet is the most important element in maintaining a healthy weight, physical activity also plays an important role. Try to make physical activity a fun family activity, rather than a chore. Play basketball or soccer together, or make a habit of going for a walk together after dinner.

Keep An Eye On Portion Size
Moderating food intake is probably the single most important factor in maintaining a healthy weight at any age. It is very easy to overestimate what is a healthy portion size and consequently underestimate how many calories are actually being consumed. To the extent you can, try to measure out portions accurately. Using smaller plates, bowls, and serving utensils can also help keep portion sizes healthy.

Andrea Berez, MS, RD, CSP
KareBoost Health
 
Nutrition Coaching Appointments

Thank you to everyone who made our Karma Yoga event with Michael’s Miracles a success!  On Wednesday, November 16th, 2016, KareBoost Health partnered with Michael’s Miracles, a registered 501 (c)(3) non-profit, for an event to raise awareness about Type 1 Diabetes.   Michael’s Miracles was founded because of one family’s experience with Type 1 Diabetes.  It began as a support system for newly diagnosed families and a source of information so that parents would be better prepared to care for their children with juvenile diabetes and realize that they are not alone.  Michael’s Miracles hosts monthly support groups, school trainings and awareness events.  They also raise money for diabetes camp scholarships and care packages for families.  KareBoost Health was honored to work with this wonderful nonprofit that supports children with Type 1 Diabetes and their families. 
           
            Our event began with a short introduction to Michael’s Miracles and all the wonderful services that KareBoost offers, like nutrition consults, massage, Reiki and yoga!  Participants had a chance to win great prizes in a raffle, such as a massage or personal training session.  We then enjoyed a relaxing 45-minute beginner’s yoga practice, lead by KareBoost Health’s own yoga instructor, Kara Unal.  All proceeds from the event benefitted Michael’s Miracles. There was also a raffle for coupons for a free service at KareBoost Health in honor of Michael’s Miracles.
 
            We will be hosting another wonderful Karma Yoga event on Tuesday, December 13th, 2016 at 6 pm to benefit CASA ShaW, or Court Appointed Special Advocates.   Please join us for the chance to win prizes in the raffle, enjoy a yoga session, and raise money for abused and neglected children. 
 
Kara Unal JD, RYT
KareBoost Health
 
 
CHECK OUT OUR NEXT KARMA YOGA EVENT ON DECEMBER 13 AT 6PM FOR CASA SHaW!!

Congratulations on your decision to start practicing yoga!  Here are some tips to help you feel at ease and make the most out of your first class.
 
1)     Pick the right class!  Choose a class specifically labeled for beginners.  Call the studio ahead of time- they will be happy to help place you in the class that’s right for you.
2)     Get there early.  Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes ahead of time.  This will give you time to fill out the health wavier and meet the teacher.   Let the teacher know that you are new to yoga.  Arriving early allows you time to settle and start to unwind.
3)     Place your shoes outside of the studio.  Yoga is practiced barefoot.  Studios will often have a place outside of the practice area to place shoes.
4)     Turn your cell phone off, or better yet, don’t bring it in!  You are here to relax and focus on your body and breath for the next hour.
5)     Modify.  Starting a new practice can be overwhelming.  If you need to rest, rest.  Take care of yourself.  It is always acceptable to sit or lay quietly on your mat.  Yoga is about tuning into your body and quieting your mind, not about putting your foot behind your head!  Sitting still and listening to your breath is the heart of the practice. 
6)     Use props.  Props don’t make you a bad student- they help you achieve better alignment and ease in a pose.  
7)     Give yourself time!  Like starting anything new, yoga may seem strange and unfamiliar at first.  Try different classes and different teachers to find the right fit for you.  You may find that you enjoy morning classes more than evening classes, or vice versa.
8)     Let go of judgments.  Above all, try to enjoy your practice!  Focus on your breath and don’t compare yourself to other students.  Every person has a different skeleton and will look different in the same pose. 
 
Now get out there and practice!  Stay tuned for more helpful hints, such as how to use those yoga props!  
 
Kara Unal JD, RYT
KareBoost Health

Schedule your Next Yoga Class here

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Come Join Us for a FREE Grocery Store Tour with KareBoost’s Registered Dietitian for Healthy Shopping for a Healthy Lifestyle ​

WHERE: SHOPRITE – 432 Elizabeth Ave, Somerset, NJ 08873
(Meet just inside the entrance)
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Hosted by Kareboost Health

​If you are making an effort to help you and your family eat healthier, perhaps you are cooking and preparing more meals at home.  That’s great!  Cooking at home gives you more control over the choices you make and helps you avoid hidden nutrition pitfalls in fast food and take out.  However, with the overwhelming choices presented in grocery stores today, picking healthier foods at the store can feel difficult.  While tips like reading nutrition labels and shopping the perimeter of the store for produce are helpful, that advice can be impractical if you are short on time or shopping with young children.  Additionally, if you are shopping for your household, you may be trying to meet different nutritional needs and dietary restrictions for each family member.  
           
            So how can you shop quickly, efficiently and feel good about the foods you are feeding your family?  Luckily, you are not alone and grocery stores have started to recognize this particular need.  KareBoost Health has their very own Registered Dietitian (RDs), Andrea Berez, ready to help you learn how to shop efficiently and effectively in a grocery store.  Andrea will provide guided shopping trips with various topics in mind, such as shopping for a balanced diet, budget shopping, and learning about new foods and healthier substitution.   If you are juggling different food restrictions in your household such as gluten-free or lactose-intolerant or food allergies, Andrea can guide you to foods that fit your health requirements and budget. 
 
            On Monday, December 5, 2016 at 12pm, Andrea Berez, KareBoost’s Registered Dietitian, will be providing a FREE Grocery Store Tour at Shoprite for Healthy Shopping for a Healthy Lifestyle.  The focus of this tour is to start your New Year in a healthy way by learning how to navigate the grocery store aisles to eat a more balanced diet and limit the unnecessities in life.  There will be many more Grocery Store Tours with Andrea on various topics.
 
            Andrea Berez can also help you with nutrition coaching for you and your children as she is a Pediatric Registered Dietitian. Andrea can help you with a wide range of issues, such as food allergies, prenatal nutrition, gluten free diet, constipation, healthy lifestyle changes, sports nutrition and much much more.  Make an appointment now 
 
Check out our Free Grocery Store Tour hosted by KareBoost Health!

Grocery Store Tour: Monday December 5, 2016 at NOON

Also Check out KareBoost’s Healthy Holiday Eating Nutrition Workshop where Andrea will be providing many helpful tips to minimize overeating during the holidays.  

Healthy Holiday Eating: Tuesday December 6, 2016 at 6:30pm
 
Andrea Berez, MS, RD, CSP
Kara Unal JD, RYT
KareBoost Health

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Come Join Us at our Healthy Holiday Eating Workshop with our Dietitian

​WHERE: KareBoost Health (107 Cedar Grove, Suite 100, Somerset, NJ 08873)
​
TIME: Tuesday, December 6, 2016 at 6:30pm
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1.  Make a plan ahead of time.  I cannot repeat and emphasize this enough.  Whatever your intentions are to get you and your family through the holidays healthfully, discuss them with your family ahead of time so everybody is on board. Read through these tips carefully and decide which will work best for you and your family. 
2.  Keep the routine as much as possible.  Try not to skip meals.  This will only cause you and your children to overeat at the gathering(s).  Additionally, keep active as much as possible.  If you know your kids will be sitting around playing video games while you are sitting around being a couch potato most of the day, then plan for a family walk in the morning.  You get the gist.
3.  Be realistic.  Face it, everybody is going to overeat somewhat.  This is not the time to be counting calories or asking your children to keep track on their food logs.  At least don not expect this on the actual holidays themselves or if your kids are spending a few days at grandma and grandpa’s house.
4.  Survey party buffets before filling your plate.  Go with your kids on a loop or two around the buffet table so you can give a little thought to yours and their food choices before the mouth stuffing begins.  Make sure there is a little color on everyone’s plate.   Even if your kids do not eat the brussel sprouts, at least it will take the place of an extra spoonful of stuffing. Ask them to choose what they most like, and leave behind the plum pudding if it’s not their favorite.
5.  Eat until you are satisfied and not stuffed.  Wait 10-15 minutes before going for seconds because it takes your brain that amount of time to feel full.  Ask your kids to go play for a while.  Before you know it, they will forget all about the extra food left on the table.
6.  Keep the focus on fun, not food.  This can be easier said than done when the holidays are not in your house.  However, it cannot hurt to have a talk with your sister ahead of time to see if she would be willing to plan a fun game (or maybe just leave a box of Twister laying around or you can even bring it).  A non-edible project for the kids is also great like decorating ornaments or making matchbox gifts that they can bring home and give to their friends.
7.  Bring your own healthy dish to a holiday gathering.  If you know that Grandma Joyce’s version of the healthy dish on the table is the butter and sugar-laden sweet potatoes, then bring a side of roasted vegetables.
8.  It’s okay to say no to food, it’s not rude. Your kids are always feeling pressured to take more when they are at cousin Anne’s house.  Prep them ahead of time to tell cousin Anne politely that they love her mashed potatoes, but they want to save room for her pumpkin pie as well.
9.  Make your kid the chef for the day.  Plan a day when your kid(s) make the menu and invite some close family friends over for dinner. You might wind up eating star-shaped grilled cheese sandwiches with a side of crooked ants on a log, but at least it made your kids feel good to serve and eat a fairly balanced meal that they prepared mostly on their own. (And bonus for you, it kept them busy for a while as well.)
10.Last, but not least, always make sure you are being a good role model.  Do not expect your husband and kids to follow your plan if you blow it.  You might not want that side of brussel sprouts on your plate either, but if you do not put it there (and at least attempt to eat it too), neither will your kids.
​
Andrea Berez MS, RD, CSP
KareBoost Health

CHECK OUT OUR HEALTHY HOLIDAY EATING WORKSHOP 
​

WHERE: KareBoost Health (107 Cedar Grove, Suite 100, Somerset, NJ 08873)
TIME: Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at 6-7:30pm​

The majority of newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic children come from families with no history of diabetes.  They are hit unaware, and many children enter the hospital extremely sick, because the signs were missed.  Part of our mission at Michael’s Miracles is to reach as many people as possible to educate them of the signs.   One issue is that the signs can easily be dismissed as other illnesses, or even dismissed in general.  Frequent thirst, (it’s summer), frequent urination, (well s/he is drinking a lot), stomachache, lethargy, weight loss, sweet smelling breath, vomiting, and potentially even coma. 

Once diagnosed with this life changing illness, it requires 24-hour monitoring, frequent blood sugar checks, carbohydrate counting, followed by calculated doses of insulin, and worry.  Parents become life-saving medical personnel.  Children become pin cushions, tied to the daily regimen of checking and covering their sugar levels.  Most young children are kept on a normal diet, as they need sugar to grow, to think and to keep active.  A big misconception about these children with Type 1 Diabetes, is that they should avoid sugar, or even that sugar caused their diabetes.  This misconception can be very upsetting to parents and children. 

​Children with Type 1 Diabetes can do anything they want to do.  They look normal to you, but we, parents, see the pin pricks on their fingertips, the scar tissue on their bellies and tears as they get yet another shot.    We are the guardians of the night, getting up 1-3 times to make sure that blood sugar levels are in a good range, too high means organ damage, too low could mean coma or death.  It is a lifestyle that only Type 1 Diabetes parents understand. 

Michael’s Miracles began as a support system for these newly diagnosed families and has grown into so much more.  Our Monthly support group meetings, our care packages, our School training program, our awareness events, and our diabetes camp scholarships, all provide comfort to families who have children with Type 1 Diabetes.  We are here so they do not feel so alone. 
By Kim Buonocore
CEO of Michael’s Miracles
www.michaelsmiracles.net
 
CHECK OUT OUR KARMA YOGA EVENT FOR MICHAEL’S MIRACLES

CHECK OUT OUR KARMA YOGA EVENT FOR DIABETES AWARENESS MONTH!! ​