For all the PLRGs out there who are trying to be good girls this year and do a a little less indulging, take this quiz to test your knowledge of calories, fat, sugar, sodium and more in traditional holiday foods….

This quiz was created by Jen Spilotro, MS RD LDN. She received her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University in Nutritional Sciences and her master’s degree in Nutrition from Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine. She has experience working in a community hospital as a clinical dietitian and food service manager. She has also worked as a Bionutritionist for Northwestern University’s Clinical Research Unit where she planned and prepared research diets. Jen is now working for the American Dietetics Association as a Research Analyst where she uses her industry expertise to evaluate scientific literature for ADA’s Evidence Analysis Library.

The world is full of toxins that try to get the best of our immune systems. In order to rid these toxins it is imperative to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. The website www.food.yahoo.com suggested these foods to help you stay on the fast track to a “cleansed” body.

• Green leafy vegetables- Eating them raw is the best, throw them into a soup, or add them to juices. Their chlorophyll helps swab out environmental toxins (pesticides) and protects the liver. Examples: kale, swiss chard, mustard & collard greens, spinach and arugula.
• Lemons- Nature’s Diuretic… You need to keep the fluids flowing to wash out the body and fresh lemonade is ideal. Its vitamin C, considered the detox vitamin, helps convert toxins into a water-soluble form that’s easily flushed away.
• Watercress- Put a handful into salads, soups, and sandwiches. The peppery little green leaves have a diuretic effect that helps move things through your system. And it is loaded with minerals too.
• Garlic-  Add it to everything: salads, sauces, spreads. In addition to the bulb’s cardio benefits, it activates liver enzymes that help filter out the bad stuff.
• Green tea-  This antioxidant rich brew is one of the healthiest ways to get more fluids into your system. Bonus: It contains catechins, which speed up liver activity.
• Sesame seeds- They’re credited with protecting liver cells from the damaging effects of alcohol and other chemicals. For a concentrated form, try tahini, the yummy sesame seed paste that’s a staple of Asian cooking. 
• Cabbage-  There are two main types of detoxifying enzymes in the liver; this potent veggie helps activate both of them. Coleslaw, anyone?
• Psyllium-  A plant that’s rich in soluble fiber, like oat bran, but more versatile. It mops up toxins (cholesterol too) and helps clear them out. Stir powdered psyllium into juice to help cleanse your colon, or have psyllium-fortified Bran Buds for breakfast. 
• Fruits, fruits, fruits-  They’re full of almost all the good things above: vitamin C, fiber, nutritious fluids, and all kinds of antioxidants. Besides, nothing tastes better than a ripe mango, fresh berries, or a perfect pear.
• Dandelions- This lawn herb is a rich source of lecithin. Lecithin aids in the removal of bile, a digestive fluid that may contain carcinogens. Dandelion contains a B vitamn called choline, which helps liver cells regenerate themselves. Dandelion also helps the body remove excess estrogens before the hormone has a chance to trigger endometriosis a condition in which tissue from the uterus grows on other abdominal organs.

Not sure how to make a meal out of them?? Well enjoy the recipes that follow; they do a body good.

Detox Smoothie
serves 2

• 1 banana
• 2/3 Cup organic green tea; cooled
• 1 Tbl honey
• 1 Cup frozen strawberries

Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Mango Gazpacho
serves 2-3

• 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 tomato, quartered
• 2 tsps soy sauce
• 1/2 lemon, juiced & 1 tsp of the zest
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tsp raw organic tahini (sesame paste)
• 1 Cup frozen mango
• sea salt & black pepper to taste

Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until desired smoothness. Chill for at least 30 minutes. Serve cold.

(Kristin Hamzik)

It’s a few weeks after Thanksgiving, and you’ve been fighting a silent war with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pecan pie (and if you’re from our house, a slew of adult beverages). You have less than two weeks before holiday cocktail parties begin and you don’t know if your body, or little black dress, can handle any more appetizers. So what can you do?

We caught up with integrative nutrition consultant, Donna Nelson, MS, RD, LD, to learn the ins and outs of the much talked about Elimination Diet. We know it’s not a good idea to crash diet, but from what we’ve heard it is actually more about eliminating the bad things from your body and giving your liver a break for a few days- not resorting to sucking on ice and celery for weeks on end.

According to Donna, after the holidays especially, there are “so many toxins in our system. But, the good news is that when the body has the right raw materials and support, it rids itself of toxic substances on its own.” Removing accumulated toxic materials enables the body to recover from imbalances, enabling it to work more efficiently while supporting healing.

Art is the elimination of the unnecessary - Pablo Picasso

Elimination* is the first step in any detoxification program and includes noshing on a ton of fruits and vegetables which not only contain fiber, but also nourish the intestines and liver, and they include a valuable source of enzymes.

Donna tells us in the 1st phase of this elimination to follow these simple guidelines:

Steer clear of:

• Gluten containing grains, such as wheat, rye, oats, barley and rye, soy, dairy and citrus fruits.
• Sugar and artificially sweetened foods.
• Limit red meats to once a week
• Caffeine and alcohol

Go right ahead and enjoy:

• Fruits and vegetables: Eat 5-7 veggies and 2-3 fruits a day. Excellent choices in vegetables are: artichokes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, garlic, kale, onions and radishes. Excellent fruit choices are all types of berries, cherries and peaches. Stay away from bananas, prunes, figs and citrus fruits.
• Fats/oils: Use organic olive oil, coconut oil and organic flaxseeds. Try to eat a handful of raw almonds or walnuts daily.
• Fiber: Easily found in fruits and vegetables, but you can also add 2 T. of ground flaxseed to whey or rice protein drinks to make a healthy smoothie.
• Protein: Use high quality protein, such as whey or rice protein powders. Try to eat cold-water wild-caught fish, such as salmon, halibut and sea bass as often as possible. You can also eat beans and legumes. Choose organic chicken or turkey.
• Water: Drink plenty of water! Drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of water daily (i.e., a 200 lb. man requires 100 oz. of water, roughly 3 quarts).
• Activities: You can also benefit from yoga, hot yoga, sauna, steam baths and whirlpools. When engaging in any of these activities, increase your intake of water to make up for the sweat lost.

This elimination diet phase 1 can be done for a period of 1-3 weeks.

Ok, so you don’t want to go through this program? One quick fix way is to do a one-day juice fast each week for several consecutive weeks. You drink various vegetable juices in place of solid food to decrease the digestive stress load.

Donna Nelson, MS, RD, LD is a Chicago based integrative nutrition consultant who uses alternative medicine and holistic practices. She provides individual nutrition assessments and counseling. If you are interested in more information on detoxing, don’t be shy. You can reach her at djn2468@sbcglobal.net.

The Elimination Diet is adapted from : James B. LaValle, R.Ph., C.C.N., N.D., Cracking the Metabolic Code, (Laguna Beach, Basic Health Publications, 2004). p.247-251.

*Before starting this or any other nutritional program, you should consult your physician. Fasts are not for everyone. Diabetics, pregnant or nursing women, those with cardiovascular disease or chronic illnesses, such as cancer and autoimmune diseases should fast only partake in them under strict medical supervision.

(Lindsey Duda)

The truth is, traveling is stressful. Getting stuck in traffic on the way to the airport, massive check-in lines, stripping down to nearly your skivvies for security and having to check a bag so you can bring your leave-in conditioner with you? It’s almost too much to handle.

The last thing on your mind when traversing concourse to concourse to find a snack is how dangerous said item can be to your diet. Airport food has never been (and probably will never be) the frontrunner in healthy. The food courts usually cater to a crowd that wants something easy to eat and run, and sadly, those options generally side with greasy, fried and are high in calories, sodium, fat… you get the picture. So, unless you’re planning on sleeping off the double-bacon heart attack you’re considering while your flight is delayed, why not check out some ideas from the well traveled PoorLittleRichGirls?

First off, we always like to grab a bag of mixed nuts and a big bottle of water after security. For about 200 calories you can curb your appetite at least for a couple of hours until you reach your destination. If nothing else, you’ll feel full enough that the double bacon heart attack doesn’t look as appealing as it would if you were starving. Plus, the water will help you stay hydrated (and feel full) throughout your travels.

Flight delayed? Here are some of our picks from O’Hare and Midway. And, since we’re Chicagoans and proud of it, we played favorites.

O’Hare International Airport

Billy Goat Tavern: Terminal 1, Concourse C: This year, Billy Goat Tavern entered potato chips as their “healthy item” in this year’s Taste of Chicago, so let’s be serious, it’s going to be tough to find something healthy here. Cut your losses and get a plain hamburger: you’ll lose a ton of saturated fat by skipping the cheese and probably only consume somewhere around 300-350 calories. (McDonald’s Hamburgers only tally up 250 calories and 9 grams of fat if you’re looking for a speedier option)

Gold Coast Dogs: Terminal 3 & 5 Food Courts. Order a plain hot dog, around 280 calories, 17 grams of fat, and skip the fries. They also have a falafel sandwich and garden-burgers for you vegetarians.

Midway International Airport

Manny’s: Always a crowd favorite. Manny’s is a must-eat at least once while you’re in Chicago. They’re downtown location (1141 S. Jefferson) gave way to the Midway offspring in Concourse A in 2002. For a calorie friendly fix, try the matzah ball soup (around 200 calories per serving) or cruise their vast salad selection- just be wary of heavy dressings and names like “Ruben Salad” (we’re guessing that means tons of corned beef and thousand island dressing).

Harry Carays 7th Inning Stretch: Another “child-star” of a famous Chicago restaurant. Harry Caray’s menu is pretty easy to decipher in terms of what’s good for you (Roasted Turkey Club on Wheat) and what’s not (Italian meatball sandwich on French). It’s early in the A.M? Try the veggie omelet (skip the potatoes), or the fruit salad with yogurt. Later in the day? The Tuscan salad is delicious as is the Roasted Turkey Club, just ask if you can sub steamed broccoli for your side.

(Lindsey Duda)

You would think with the hot-ass weather this summer we would have eaten lighter. You know, fresh fruit, fish, that sort of thing. But, no, not us. We ate those hot dogs at the Cubs game, the red-white and blue cupcakes on 4th of July. Not to mention the sugar drenched martinis we pounded at that roof top party last weekend. Yep, we practiced some pretty terrible eating habits this summer. And with Fall and Winter sneaking up on us and all of the holidays right around the corner, it seems the worst is yet to come.

Not having resigned ourselves to defeat just yet we signed up for myfooddiary.com. Its not a diet (PLRG does not believe in diets), rather it’s a website that allows you to track what you are eating, how much you are exercising and overall nutrition and weight-loss progress. With nutritional data on over 55,000 foods it’s easy to choose the specific brands and restaurant items you eat. You can even track your calories throughout the day and myfooddiary.com’s reports will let you know how many calories you have remaining that day to either maintain your weight or to lose weight. Very motivating! Best of all, it only costs $9 a month, so it’s far cheaper way to manage your weight than some other “diets” out there.

Now, if we could just get the good folks at myfooddiary.com to come stock our fridges for us…