Sunflower Butter Energy Bites - A Big 9 Allergen Friendly Snack

 Written By: Julia Horowitz; SLU Dietetic Intern

So far throughout my experience in rotations, I have noticed the lack of allergen friendly snacks available in hospitals, universities, and stores in general. According to the USDA, 4%-8% of children in the United States, and about 2% of adults are affected by food allergies. In fact, each year anaphylaxis reaction caused by food may result in 2,000 hospitalizations, 30,000 emergency room visits, and unfortunately, 150 deaths in the US. Food allergies are a serious issue and people needing these food modifications need to have options. 

So you may be asking, what are the big 9 food allergens?

Even though there are many foods, 160 plus foods, that can cause people to experience allergic reactions, there are 9 that are the most common. Peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, milk, eggs, fish, sesame, and wheat cause about 90% of all allergic reactions. Besides anaphylaxis, foods may cause people to feel itchy in the mouth, flushed skin or rash, difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat, wheezing or coughing, and abdominal cramps. 

It is extremely important to read food labels before consuming any snacks or food items. 

Wheat Allergy: 

This is not to be confused with the gluten free diet. This occurs when antibodies are produced in the body to fight off proteins in wheat. Celiac disease is a reaction specific to gluten, which is a different immune reaction. Symptoms of wheat allergies include hives, anaphylaxis, headaves, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, nasal congestion, and swelling at the throat or mouth. Wheat is found in foods like bread, crackers, soy sauce, dairy, semolina, breakfast cereals, cakes, muffins, pasta, and spelt. Oftentimes people who have this allergy may be allergic to oats, barley, and rye. 

Peanuts Allergy:

This allergy is one of the most common allergies. People with this allergy may experience anaphylaxis, itching, runny nose, tightening of the throat, vomiting, and digestive problems. This allergy can also occur due to direct contact, cross-contact, or even inhalation. 

Tree Nut Allergy: 

This is an allergy to nuts such as cashews, almonds, walnuts, pine-nuts, and lychee nuts. This allergy is very hard to outgrow, as only 10% of people with this allergy are about to outgrow it. Symptoms of this allergy include nausea, diarrhea, anaphylaxis, abdominal pain, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath. 

Shellfish Allergy: 

This is an allergy where the body creates immune reactions to proteins found in marine animals, such as crab, scallops, lobster, shrimp, oysters, snails, and squids. Some symptoms of this allergy are anaphylaxis, hives, swelling of the lips, dizziness, nasal stuffiness, abdominal pain, and irritated skin.

Fish: 

This allergy is very common, as it affects 1% of the U.S. population. This includes allergies to salmon, tuna, catfish, cod, anchovies, tilapia, trout, flounder, grouper, amongst others. It is important to avoid products such as fish oil, fish gelatin, fish flavoring, and other sauces that may contain traces of fish or fish oil. Symptoms of a fish allergy include anaphylaxis, swelling of the throat, abdominal pain, skin rashes, vomiting, or diarrhea. 

Milk: 

This allergy is very common in children. This can be an allergy to cow's milk, goat milk, and buffalo milk. Symptoms of this allergy include vomiting, coughing, swelling of the lips and tongue, itching around the mouth, abdominal cramps, and watery eyes. Milk can be found in foods like yogurt, butter, cheese, whey, casein, artificial cheese and butter flavor, and candies. 

Eggs: 

This allergy may develop as early as infancy, however, it is possible to outgrow. Someone with an egg allergy may develop a reaction a few minutes to hours after consuming eggs. Symptoms include anaphylaxis, cramping, vomiting, nausea, hives, and nasal congestion. Eggs may be found in products such as bread, mayonnaise, breaded foods, frosting, pretzels, pasta, salad dressing, processed meat, and marshmallows. 

Sesame: 

It is estimated that every 1 in 100 people are allergic to sesame seeds. Sesame can be found in baked goods, sushi, bread, crackers, soups, dipping sauces, processed meats, and dressings. Symptoms include anaphylaxis, hives, swelling, difficulty breathing, and dizziness. 

Soy: 

This allergy is most common amongst infants. It is when the immune system reacts to soy proteins. Soy is found in tempeh, soy-non dairy alternatives, soy protein, tofu, soy sauce, miso, natto, tamari, and hoisin. Symptoms of this allergy include anaphylaxis, indigestion, hives, eczema, vomiting, nausea, itching, stomach cramps, and feeling of tightness in your throat.

Five Steps to Fuel for the Future

 Written By: Emma Hubbard; SLU Dietetic Intern

National Nutrition Month is here! This year’s theme is Fuel for the Future, and there’s no better way to fuel for the future than eating with the environment in mind.

What is Food Waste?

Food waste is defined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as “the amount of food, postharvest, that is available for human consumption but is not consumed for any reason.” Food waste can occur at every stage of production, including during processing, transportation, and consumption (USDA, n.d.).

Food Waste and the Environment

A recent report by Feeding America estimates 408 billion dollars worth of food is thrown away each year (Feeding America, 2022). A whopping 24% of all food in the United States is estimated to end up in landfills (ReFED, 2022). This food waste then contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and use of natural resources, like land, for disposal sites.

So what can you do? Follow these 5 steps to help decrease your environmental impact while giving your body the fuel it needs:

Go meatless

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), meat contributes to over 20% of the carbon footprint of total food waste (FAO, 2023). Swapping out your meat for a plant-based alternative a few days a week can help reduce your carbon footprint. And, increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables in your diet gives you more fiber, vitamins, and minerals that your body needs to stay healthy. Switch your meat for plant-based protein sources like tofu, black beans, lentils, edamame, and chickpeas. For more ideas and recipes on plant-based eating, check out the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website. 

Plan your meals

How many times have you had to throw away a sad head of lettuce or those molding berries forgotten in the back of your fridge? Planning meals reduces food waste by making sure you use the food you buy before it goes bad. Making a shopping list is key! Start by checking what you have on hand, and plan your grocery list to fill in any gaps. Always consider how you can use leftovers so they don’t get thrown away. Most meals can be turned into a delicious bowl or wrap the next day!

Buy local

Purchasing locally grown, in-season produce is a great way to reduce your environmental impact. Foods grown locally require fewer resources to transport. Plus, buying in-season can save you a few dollars. You can find out what’s in season in Missouri using this harvest calendar. Take a trip to your local farmer’s market, and look for locally produced items at the grocery store.

Start your own garden

You don’t need a huge backyard to grow your own food. Starting small with plants that can easily be grown in containers like tomatoes, beans, and herbs will build your gardening confidence. Knowing how food is grown and where it comes from can help you appreciate the food supply, and might change how you think about using and disposing of food. Plus, gardening is a great way to get outside and be physically active!

Be mindful

The highest carbon footprint of food waste (37% of the total) occurs at the consumption phase of the supply chain (that’s you!) (FAO, 2023). Being aware of the food waste you generate is the most important step you can take to make a change. Think about portion sizes and expiration dates when preparing meals to avoid extra food going to waste.

With these five steps, you’re ready to sustainably fuel for the future. Use #NationalNutritionMonth on social media to share how you’ll eat sustainably this month and beyond!

For more information on National Nutrition Month and eating right for the environment, visit https://www.eatright.org/national-nutrition-month-2023 

Day in the Life of a Pediatric Dietetic Intern

 Written By: Katie Henslee; SLU Dietetic Intern

One of the many reasons I chose Saint Louis University to complete my dietetic internship and Master’s degree was the unique option of a pediatrics concentration. During my undergraduate studies I was exposed to pediatric nutrition, and I fell in love with the idea of helping little humans create a strong foundation of nutrition that they can carry with them throughout their entire life. Working with pediatrics is composed not only of working with kids, but also their family members. It can be a challenge to effectively communicate with an entire family, but seeing the results is so rewarding. Dietetic internships can be crazy busy, but prioritizing and time management have made my experience amazing so far. Let me take you along for a day in the life of a pediatric dietetic intern!

A typical day in my life starts around 6:00 am. I wake up, get ready, eat breakfast, and usually rush out the door around 7:00 am. I grew up about 30 minutes outside of St. Louis, so I decided to live with my family during my internship to save money and have some extra support through this challenging program. Although it causes me to have a longer commute, it has been so worth it! One of my favorite parts of each day is my drive to and from the city. I listen to my favorite music, decompress, and get some much needed alone time.

On Mondays we have sessions throughout the day that we get to hear from RDs and other community members about what they do and how it can impact us in our future practice. All of the interns get to spend time in the same place and we learn about so many different topics. Tuesday through Friday we spend out at sites doing various rotations including clinical, community, and food service. I’m currently in my pediatric rotation, so I have spent the past few weeks at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. I usually arrive anytime between 7:45 am and 8:30 am depending on what my schedule looks like for the day. A great thing about rotations at Cardinal Glennon is they allow you to do something different every single day which has allowed me to gain so much hands-on experience. I’ve spent time in the NICU, PICU, outpatient clinics, worked with inpatients, attended rounds with physicians, worked with special needs children, eating disorders, and so much more! I start my day with one dietitian and work with them until about 12:30 pm. Then I will eat lunch, catch up on any work I need to do, and get back to work around 1:00 pm. After lunch I will head off with a different dietitian and finish off the day around 4:00 pm.

This particular day in my life I spent the morning in the NICU with a lactation consultant (which was amazing!) and I spent my afternoon with an RD working in the Complex Medical Care Program outpatient clinic. There I saw children who have multiple medical conditions that are followed by more than one specialty. This clinic allows children and their families to speak with multiple clinicians all in one visit, which helps decrease the amount of time they spend going to doctors appointments. Let me tell you, that clinic was not only amazing to see, but it also challenged me to use MNT in ways that I’ve never been exposed to before.

After I get done with rotations, I will either head home or go to my night class. As a pediatric intern I have class on Monday and Wednesday nights. This semester I am taking Human Nutrition: Physiology and Metabolism II and Pediatric Nutrition (which I have been loving). Wednesdays tend to be long days, but I try to make sure that I don’t have anything to do after class so I can relax for the rest of the night.

I tend to spend my evenings catching up on homework, projects, or working on my capstone. I eat dinner around 6:30 pm, shower, make my lunch, get my clothes ready for the next day, and always make sure to do one thing that makes me happy every single day. I’ll end my day around 10:30 pm and head off to bed to get some rest.

My biggest piece of advice for anyone preparing for a dietetic internship is to always make time for self care and always prioritize things that make you happy. A dietetic internship can be insanely stressful at times, but it has hands down been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Thanks for tagging along on a day in my life! Check out this TikTok to see it in action.

Celebrate National Nutrition Month with Some Tips on Meal Planning

 Written By: Valerie Graham; SLU Dietetic Intern

As March quickly approaches, National Nutrition Month is nearly here! Started by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 1973 as National Nutrition week, by 1980 was upgraded to an annual month long celebration to highlight all that is nutrition and healthy eating. To celebrate this year’s theme, “Fuel for the Future”, we wanted to reach out with some helpful tips and resources. Thinking about our habits and wellness today protects our future health and keeps us feeling our best. One of the best ways to plan for your immediate future and to ensure a well balanced diet is to take a little time now to plan and cook your meals ahead of time.  

 

Meal planning can be overwhelming but here are some ways to help you tackle it! 

 

1. 1. Consider your schedule and lifestyle 

• If you have a lot of time on the weekend but not during weekdays, making entire meals ahead of time and freezing them is a great idea for dinners. You just make all your meals on the weekend, throw them in the freezer, then reheat them for weeknight dinners. 
• If you don’t have time to make entire meals on the weekends, you can keep ready to go and convenient healthy snacks available. Frozen rice can be reheated in a couple of minutes and pairs well with roasted vegetables and baked chicken breast. Sheet Pan dinners can cut down on dishes and can help you create some flavorful combinations. Below are some delicious sheet pan recipe ideas you can throw in the oven.  

• https://www.wellplated.com/sheet-pan-chicken-rainbow-vegetables/ 

• https://sweetsavoryandsteph.com/healthy-sheet-pan-teriyaki-chicken-and-vegetables/ 

• https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/257878/sheet-pan-chicken-fajitas/  

• If you find yourself in a hurry in the morning, a few minutes the night before putting some overnight oats in a jar can help you find the time to get a balanced breakfast. Experiment with different flavors to keep your breakfasts interesting. 

• https://lifemadesweeter.com/overnight-oats-8-ways/ 

  

2. 2. Search for delicious balanced recipes and go grocery shopping. 

• There are a lot of great recipe ideas online for convenient healthy meals. Pick a day to get everything you’ll need for your weekly prep. I like to come up with 2-3 dinner ideas and rotate them during a week. Lunch can be simpler and take less prep. Chopping veggies on the weekend can allow for endless salad combinations at lunchtime.  
• Some good resources for balanced meals include; 

• https://www.eatright.org/recipes 

• https://www.myplate.gov/myplate-kitchen/recipes 

3. 3. Schedule a day to prepare your meals.   

• Routines can be helpful in cementing habits. Blocking off a few hours on a day you know you’ll be available every week can help create the habit and make it easier to maintain.  

 

 

 

 

To learn more about National Nutrition Month and to find more resources on healthy eating please visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. You can also schedule an individualized consultation with a Registered Dietitian to hear the latest evidence based guidelines for healthy eating. You can also share how you plan to Fuel for your Future at #NationalNutritionMonth! on social media.