Holiday Nutrition Reset
While most people focus on nutrition and healthy eating after the holidays have passed and the damage has been done, paying attention to what you’re eating during this busy season can really pay off. Healthier eating habits during the holidays can provide the energy for a jam-packed schedule and allow you to start the new year feeling better than ever.
Read moreAllie’s Corner: Self-Care during Pregnancy
Self-care can be challenging for women throughout the lives, not to mention during the busy and emotional experience of pregnancy. Ultimately, self-care is even more important when you’re pregnant because you are growing another human being.
Read moreAllie’s Corner: The Calorie Myth
ou probably recognize that 200 calories worth of pasta isn’t exactly the same thing as 200 calories of salmon. Without even thinking about it, your body can probably feel the difference between an afternoon snack of an apple and almond butter versus a super-size candy bar. The ‘calorie myth’ acknowledges that a calorie isn’t just a calorie. In fact, calories from nutrient-dense whole foods impact our bodies and moods differently than those from nutrient-poor processed foods.
Read more“Be Your Best Self” Event Series
Save the date! We are so excited for the new year at Clinic Sofia, and particularly eager to announce a couple of events we have in store with TeamWomenMN in 2018.
Read moreFood Trends for 2017
If you have a New Year’s resolution associated with health and wellness, or simply an interest in the latest food trends, you might be interested to learn a little more about what’s trending when it comes to what we eat.
Allie Nowak, Clinic Sofia physician assistant and competitive athlete, places a priority on healthy eating. In particular, she continues to notice an uptick in interest and options for Paleo and gluten-free dining. Paleo focuses on protein-rich whole foods such as chicken, fish, red meat, organic full-fat dairy and organic eggs – all popular at the supermarket and in restaurants today. Nowak also notes that refined high-carb/high-sugar and low-fat foods are all on a downward trend.
Read moreNutrition on the Run
If you were preparing to run an Ironman race – 2.4 miles swimming, 112 miles biking and 26.2 miles running – how would you eat? Drink? Take care of yourself and your body?
A longtime runner and regular in road races, Clinic Sofia Physician Assistant Allie Nowak is training for the Madison Ironman in September and uses nutrition to fuel her workouts and days at work as she prepares for the upcoming race. She consumes a whole foods-based diet with vegetables and fruit, grass-fed meat, fish and healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, avocado and coconut, and focuses on three healthy meals a day for energy and wellness.
Read moreNutrition
A healthy body starts with the right food and activity. Balancing your diet will ensure that your body is getting everything it needs for strong bones, immune system, organs, and mental health. Every woman’s body is unique. A diet that may work for one person may not be right for another.
Read moreFood Safety
Make sure your food is prepared safely to avoid foodborne illness. This is especially important for pregnant women, who are at higher risk for Listeria and parasites due to a weakened immune system. Luckily, you can take measures to keep yourself and others safe.
Read moreAre You Getting Enough Vitamin D?
If you suffer from muscle weakness, bone pain, the winter blues or increased illness when winter rolls around, you might have a deficiency of vitamin D. How do you get enough of the sunshine vitamin on a cold winter day?
Read moreAsk Sofia: Why Do I Have to Be Tested for Gestational Diabetes?
Characterized by high blood sugar or glucose levels and generally developing between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy, gestational diabetes is different from a type 1 or type 2 diabetes diagnosis before or after your pregnancy. It occurs in about five percent of all pregnancies and is caused by increased levels of hormones in the placenta that lead to higher blood sugar levels.
Read moreIs an Elimination Diet Right for You?
How do you feel about gluten, sugar, dairy, caffeine, alcohol, soy, eggs and nuts? And how does your body feel about each of these? If you suspect a food intolerance, you may have considered an elimination diet. Elimination diets chiefly focus on eliminating the above or other items in order to lose weight, reduce headaches and fatigue, cure digestive challenges, or manage asthma and allergies.
Read moreSunscreen, Sun Exposure and Vitamin D
Find the best balance between sunscreen and sun exposure.
Read more