Lancaster Dietitian

A simple switch with significant impact.

At Lancaster Dietitian, we believe education is an important factor to behavior change. To assist you in making realistic, often small, changes to improve your health, it helps to know the “why.”

Prioritizing a meal before reaching for caffeine can help you to:
* Reduce stomach irritation and chances of experiencing reflux by not introducing acidic coffee to an already acidic empty stomach
* Improve digestion; feeling less urgency to move your bowels quickly and experience less overall GI discomfort
* Manage your blood sugar by reducing the rapid rise and fall of blood sugar levels
* Reduce your body’s stress response. Caffeine can stimulate stress hormones like cortisol which may exacerbate feelings of stress or anxiety when consumed on an empty stomach

Tomorrow is Thankgiving and I am always a fan of BYOV (bring your own veggies) when it comes Holiday celebrations. A simple DIY hummus platter is a beautiful addition to any occasion or it can be a meal all on it's own! And it couldn't be easier to make! All you need are some fresh fruits and veggies.

Ingredients needed: Fresh vegetables, , , olives, marinated cheeses, fruit, nuts and garnishes (springs of fresh herbs) 🥕🥒🍏🥦

Carboydrates are essential but so controversial 🍞🥯🥖🥐🌽🥞🧇

Let's be blunt: most people left to their own devices would eat too many carbs - pasta, bread, potatoes and grainy desserts all make the list of the top 10 foods consumed by U.S. adults.

My clients know that a carb hierarchy exists when working with me. I call these recommended carbs, RD approved starches. These starches are whole, unprocessed and higher in nutrients & vitamins, fiber and protein.

Start swapping these into meals that you normally would eat cheat starches (white flours, white grains) and see how you feel hours later. Buh-bye sugar crashes!

*Sweet Potato
*Winter Squash
*Oatmeal
*Quinoa
*Black or Wild Rice
*Sprouted Grain Bread or Tortilla
*Beans
*Lentils

It's almost 3pm and you may be feeling a crash from lunch and while many of us love a nice cup of coffee to pull us out of an afternoon slump, caffeine can jangle our moods and affect our sleep - which for many of us, this pandemic has already disrupted. Instead of habitually grabbing coffee (which by the way has a half life of 5 hours), try going on a 15 minute walk after lunch to help with post meal blood sugar control, rehydrate with 12-16 ounces of H20 or make a warm cup of tea with adaptogens like tumeric, reishi, ashwaganda, holy basil or ginseng. My two favorite store bought tea brands are: Caffeine Free Tulsi Original and Peppermint Herbal Tea. Highly recommend 🙌🏻 On the go? Swing by , or

is a staple in Lancaster - I love stopping by while I am in town. They offer the freshest food, and their assortment of drinks is unmatched! The hot tea is my favorite as the temps drop!

is one of my favorite local grocery stores featuring some of the best brands - , , and to name a few! Their mantra is cultivating food, health, and community; couldn't say it better myself!