- With Mayo Clinic nutritionists
Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
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Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
Katherine Zeratsky and Jennifer Nelson
Jennifer K. Nelson, M.S., R.D., L.D., C.N.S.D.
Jennifer Nelson is your link to a better diet. As specialty editor of the Food & Nutrition Center, she plays a vital role in bringing you healthy recipes and meal planning."Nutrition is one way people have direct control over the quality of their lives," she says. "I hope to translate the science of nutrition into ways that people can select and prepare great-tasting foods that help maintain health and treat disease."
A St. Paul, Minn., native, she is certified by the National Board of Nutrition Support Certification, has been with Mayo Clinic since 1978, and is director of clinical dietetics and an associate professor of nutrition at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
She leads clinical nutrition efforts for a staff of more than 50 clinical dietitians and nine dietetic technicians and oversees staffing, strategic and financial planning, and quality improvement. Nelson was co-editor of the James Beard Foundation Award-winning "The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook." She has been a contributing author to and reviewer of many Mayo Clinic books, including "Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight for EveryBody," "The Mayo Clinic Family Health Book" and "The Mayo Clinic/Williams Sonoma Cookbook." She contributes to the strategic direction of the Food & Nutrition Center, which includes creating recipes and menus, reviewing nutrition content of various articles, and answering nutrition questions posed to Ask a Specialist.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor for the Food & Nutrition Center, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in pediatrics at Mayo Clinic Rochester and nutrition education related to the physiology and recommended intakes for premature infants.
Other areas of interest include breast milk and formula safety, neonatal feeding, and nutrition for breast-feeding mothers.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
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Nutrition-wise blog
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Aug. 5, 2009
Blog: Children offer lessons in healthy eating
By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
As we discussed in a previous blog, young children seem to instinctively know to eat only when they're hungry and to stop when they're full. At some point, unfortunately, they seem to lose this ability. I remember watching my preschooler start choosing to eat because something looked good — not because he was hungry.
Is all hope lost after toddlerhood? No. To get back to basics, try tapping into your inner child with these tips:
- Eat when you're hungry. Don't eat just because the clock says noon or your coworker brought in treats.
- See things anew. Take time to look at your food and admire its color and smell. Chew slowly and really notice the different tastes and textures.
- Drink your milk. Or other beverage. Drinking helps fill you up, which helps you control how much you eat.
- Dawdle. Put your fork down after 15 or 20 minutes and take a break. Ask yourself, "Am I still hungry?" If the answer is no, stop eating.
- Throw food. Throw it away, that is. Or package it up for another meal. Just don't keep picking away at the leftovers on your plate.
After you've tried some of these tips, let us know how it went. If you've tried similar tactics before, tell us about your experience.
5 comments posted
October 14, 2009 2:18 p.m.
My son is almost 9 months old and I feel like I haven't gotten to watch him grow up. I had him and went back to work after four weeks and he has been with a nanny ever since. I work 6 days a week and my husband does as well. We work at Narconon drug rehab and with the problem int he US today, we can't afford to take off any. How can I manage my time more so that I don't feel like I am missing out on my sons childhood?
- Megan
August 14, 2009 9:23 a.m.
I recently saw a portion control lunch called Basikbox. www.Basikbox.com. Such products like these can really help people teach their kids about portion control and what are the right foods to to eat to stay healthy. This Basikbox is great for eating on the go which is what most of our kids are doing anyway.
- Carla
August 12, 2009 8:18 a.m.
your tips are good, but they are not flawless --- in a perfect world, a person might have time to follow them, but in this hectic, sometimes out of control, real environment people live in, your idealisms just don't cut it --- i think you also forgot one of the most important tips of all, that being moderation in all things and a happy balance of food varieties!
- Terri
August 11, 2009 6:00 p.m.
Children learn from the people around them. When mom or dad is cooking or baking, they have to taste things. Child want to taste. Parents look at snacks and have to have some. After the child see this many time, he developes the same habit as parents. If parents eat lots of fruit, the kids will eat fruit. My daughter refused to eat certain foods, for unknown reasons. Although she's not vocal about it, her kids also refuse to eat the same foods, even though they have never tasted it. Dogs and cats in the wild don't eat snacks and are seldom overweight. When we bring them home and they do a good thing or trick, we give them a snack. It doesn't take long for them to want the snacks. Your kids are learning most of this from you. Lynn
- Lynn
August 6, 2009 2:38 p.m.
Great tips! I know that if I wait until I'm hungry that it is way too late! I know that it really helps me with portion control if I listen to my body and stop before I am over full. No picking at the food for me. No matter how much I enjoy it! Save it and have for another meal later. Another tip I would add is to put your fork or spoon down between bites. And chew thoroughly. My mom always says 30 chews per bite but that is a bit much for me.
- Liz
5 comments posted