Community Healthcare Network
(866) 246-8259 My Patient Portal
Community Healthcare Network
(866) 246-8259
My Patient Portal Locations Donate

Category: Wellness / Nutrition

By: Miriam Van Harn, CHN Nutritionist

Tofu is a popular plant-based protein made from blended, fermented soybeans, much like cheese is made from cow’s milk. It’s known for how versatile it is and its ability to take on the flavor of whichever seasonings or sauces you add to it. Tofu is commonly used in Asian cooking and has become more popular in the West with rising interest in plant-based diets. Tofu is a good source of protein, calcium, and iron.

There are different textures of tofu, ranging from silken (softest, lowest in protein) to super firm (hardest, highest in protein).

Tofu Graphic from Rainbow Plant Life

Image from Rainbow Plant Life

Tips for Cooking Tofu

  • Remove excess water by pressing tofu between a couple of clean dish towels. This helps tofu take on more flavor while cooking, and creates a firmer texture and crispness.
  • Allow tofu to marinate in sauce overnight to help the tofu take on more flavor while cooking.
  • Cook on a low heat & be patient! Because tofu is quite wet (even after draining), it sticks to a pan until it’s crispy enough to lift off. Cook on a low-medium heat to prevent burning.

Simple Baked Tofu Recipe
Yield: 4 servings

  • Ingredients:
    • 1 block (about 16 ounces) super firm tofu
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon corn starch
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Instructions:
    1. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
    2. Slice tofu block into 2 even slabs. Lay a clean dish towel on a flat surface and place the slabs side-by-side on top of the towel. Cover with another clean dish towel and apply pressure to the tofu to remove excess water.
    3. Slice each tofu slab in half, then into evenly sized cubes.
    4. Add tofu cubes to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil until evenly coated.
    5. Toss tofu in cornstarch, salt, garlic powder and black pepper until evenly coated.
    6. Arrange tofu in an even layer onto the parchment-covered baking sheet.
    7. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip each cube and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the tofu reaches your desired crispiness.
    8. Add baked tofu to a salad or stir fry or coat in your favorite sauce and pair with a starch and a veggie.
By: Jasmine Rodriguez, CHN Nutritionist

Many of the beans, peas, and nuts we eat come from plants in the same family called legumes. Read on to learn more.

We use the word legume when we talk about the whole plant from the leaves to the root. The word pulse refers to just the edible seeds that grow in pods on the plant. Pulses has been grown and eaten by humans across the globe for over 11,000 years!

Examples of pulses include dried beans like black or pinto beans, dried peas like spit peas, guandules, or black eyed peas, lentils, soy beans, and even peanuts.

Pulses have many health benefits:

  • May lower blood pressure & cholesterol
  • Rich in fiber and can help with digestion
  • A low-fat, plant-based protein source
  • Can improve blood sugar levels
  • Great source of minerals like iron and calcium

Storage Tips:

  • Uncooked: store in clean, dry, airtight container in a dark, cool place.
  • Cooked: store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-6 days.

Cooking Tips:

  • Canned pulses are already cooked, no need to soak. Just drain and rinse to remove excess salt.

  • Sift through dried pulses before cooking and throw away any debris. Soak for 8 hours (or overnight) to soften and make cooking quicker. Pressure cooking is a quick way to skip the soaking step. Depending on the pulse, this can take between 25-40 minutes.

  • Combine pulses with whole grains for a complete protein, for example black beans and brown rice.

Tis the season for gift giving! If you’re looking for meaningful gifts that promote health, physical, and mental wellness, consider options that will benefit those in your life all year long.

Here are some thoughtful gift ideas:

  • Potted herb plants – Choose potted herb plants for cooking and wellness.
  • Home work-out gear – Encourage and promote fitness by staying in gear for virtual at home classes or any work-out routine.
  • Healthy meal kits – Prioritize nutritious eating by treating your loved one to a year-long subscription to a home meal delivery service.
  • Water bottles or water filters – Encourage hydration on the go with a re-usable water bottle.
  • Fitness or sleep trackers – Gift a gadget that helps monitor and set physical and wellness goals.
  • Gym membership – Give the gift of motivation and physical activity. Sponsor a 6 or 12-month gym membership or streaming subscription.
  • Language learning membership – Promote continual cognitive learning at any age. Fund a membership to a language learning app.
  • Gift card to a healthy restaurant – Gift your loved one a nutritious meal at their favorite restaurant.

Personalize your gift-giving this season and consider crafting handmade gifts that show you care:

  • Bath bombs – Moisturizing bath bombs help hydrate skin, relax and soothe sore muscles (see recipe on next page).
  • Family scrapbooks – Gather mementos, pictures, and notes in a scrapbook using personalized decorations reflecting your recipient’s interests.
  • DIY handmade journals – Create a personalized journal where your recipient can feel empowered to memorialize their thoughts, dreams, goals, wishes, and experiences.
  • Scented sachets – Sew small fabric bags with dried herbs or lavender to freshen up drawers or closets with a natural, clean and calming scent.
  • Infused oils and vinegars – For those who love to cook, fill decorative bottles with olive oil, vinegar and fresh herbs or spices to garnish foods and use as marinades.
  • Customized recipe book – Collect and handwrite all your favorite recipes on special paper and organize them into a recipe book.
  • Custom candles – Craft personalized scented candles using essential oils and decorative jars.
  • Personalized mugs – Embellish plain ceramic mugs with oil-based paint or markers and personalize by adding names, quotes or designs that reflect each person’s personality.

What you eat can affect the health of your teeth and gums. Eating poorly can lead to cavities and gum disease. A diet rich in calcium, fiber, and lean protein can help keep your teeth strong and healthy. A balanced diet equals a healthy smile!

To protect your teeth, limit foods that can cause your teeth to weaken. It’s best to limit foods and drinks high in sugars or starches and that are easily caught in your teeth, such as:

  • Soda
  • Juice
  • Candy
  • Cookies
  • Pastries
  • Sugary cereals
  • Crackers
  • Chips

Include more of these foods and drinks for healthy teeth and gums:

  • Cheese, milk, and yogurt are high in calcium, which helps build strong bones and teeth. Cheese and milk also have casein, which strengthens your teeth’s protective coating, called enamel. Yogurt has probiotics, which protect against gun disease, cavities, and bad breath.
  • Water is the best drink, especially water treated with fluoride, which protects your teeth from cavities.
  • Fruits and vegetables have fiber, which helps clean your teeth and makes more saliva. Saliva helps neutralize the acid that weakens teeth.
  • Nuts and seeds have phosphorus, a mineral that protects your teeth.
  • Lean meat and fatty fish makes you chew and produce saliva, which neutralizes acid. Fatty fish are also a good source of phosphorus to protect your teeth’s enamel.

With fall nearing us on the horizon, this is a time of year when it feels right to start new routines and habits.
It might be a good time to re-focus on healthy lunches and snacking for you and your family too! We know figuring out a variety of meals and snacks can be hard, and there are lots of factors to eating too: hunger, boredom, portion sizes, timing, convenience, and much more.

Use these tips to help guide you to a balanced rhythm for lunches and snacks:

  •  Eat when you feel hungry, not when you feel bored. Put away your work/phone for a few minutes while you eat to avoid mindless eating. When you’re not paying attention to how much you’re eating, it’s very easy to overeat.
  • Get creative with meal and snack time. Make them interesting and fun! Try to include crunchy and chewy foods for variety (see ideas attached).
  • Prepare and portion out your snacks and meals at home. Bring lunch and snacks with you each day. Preparing beforehand will help you avoid reaching for junk food when you feel hungry…. and it saves A LOT of money too!
  • Make your snacks and meals with protein to avoid a blood sugar spike and crash.

Try these simple, low-calorie snacks to give you some energy on the go: 

    • Celery with peanut butter
    • Carrots with hummus
    • Cherry tomatoes with string cheese
    • Peanut butter and apple slices
    • Pita pocket with light cream cheese, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes
    • Nutty energy mix: mix 1 cup of low-sugar/high-fiber cereal, ½ cup unsalted nuts, and ¼ cup of raisins. Or try unsalted sunflower seeds, almonds, & dried apricots.

You can also try our nutritionist-approved Lunch and snack Planner.

Print the grid and snack/meal suggestions to plan what to bring for lunch/snacks from home during the work week.
This makes a great activity to do with kids for back-to-school too!

Your first space is where you live, your second space is where you work or go to school, and your third space can be any location that doesn’t fall into the first two categories.

Third spaces play an important role in helping us build individual and collective identities outside the home and workplace. A third space is where you relax in public, encounter familiar faces, make new connections, and experience new sights/sounds. This facilitates leisure time – creating a sense of well-being and positivity while also helping to combat depression, anxiety, and loneliness, and increase our resiliency. Spending time unstructured provides a valuable break from the sometimes unrelenting nature of our schedules. Some guidelines for a third space include:

  • Neutral ground (no obligation to be there)
  • Easy to get to – ideally by foot or a short transit
  • Encourages “public relaxation”
  • Does not have a cost to attend
  • Allows you to move and convers freely
  • Somewhere you can frequent
  • A leveling effect (no emphasis on individual status)

Some third space examples are:

  • Coffee shops
  • Parks / Pools
  • Public libraries / Bookstores / Book Club
  • Churches / Community Centers
  • Gyms / Studios / Running Clubs
  • Barber Shop / Salon
  • Front stoop/ Porches
  • Markets or Village Square
  • Fantasy Football Leagues
  • Dog park / H.S. Track
  • Can also be a space for “solitude without loneliness” – like a theater or yoga

How to find your third space:

It may take some courage and experimentation but finding local third spaces that resonate with you is well worth it. Perhaps slow down to chat with your neighbors on the block. Join a group to learn a new hobby or reconnect with an old one. Find a place to volunteer or attend a faith-based community gathering. Take your next project to your local café and work from there.  Please know that while virtual community building is tied to some psychological benefits, research shows it does not yet match the positive impact on wellbeing demonstrated by developing in-person communities. And finding an in-person third space is especially important for remote workers, whose second space is already primarily virtual.

Bonus Idea To Try: start a summer tradition of Friday-night picnic dinners in the park. Pick a green space destination to meet up with family or friends after work on Friday, pick up some picnic foods, drinks, and reusable plates/utensils + a blanket = feels like jumping right into your weekend while enjoying the benefits of longer summer evenings before sunset.

By: CHN Nutritionist Keshia Okorie. Reviewed by Dr. Alexander Nmoma

Our feet form the foundation for our whole body. The foods we eat can help support healthy feet with every step that we take.

Build a solid foundation: Protein, vitamins A,C,D, & E, and minerals calcium, magnesium, and zinc keep our muscles, tissue, and bones healthy. This can help prevent issues like broken bones and sprains.

To support bone and tissue health include:

  • Carrot, sweet potato, spinach, or beef liver for vitamin A.
  • Fatty fish, egg yolk, mushrooms (UV exposed), fortified cereals, and fortified milk for vitamin D.
  • Broccoli, potatoes, and citrus fruits for vitamin C.
  • Avocado, oils, nuts, and seeds for vitamin E.
  • Dark leafy greens, dairy, and fortified plant milks for calcium.
  • Green leafy vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole grains for magnesium.
  • Oysters, red meat, poultry, or lentils for zinc.

Reduce inflammation:

Including antioxidant-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds helps reduce inflammation from issues like plantar fasciitis, arthritis, and gout. Omega-3 fatty acids in fish and flaxseeds also help.

Support blood flow for healthy nerves:

Support blood flow with water and vitamin E, and include vitamin B12 (from meat, fish, dairy, or fortified foods) and iron (from meat, fish, or beans) for healthy nerves.

Hydration for healthy skin and joints:

Drinking water helps prevent dehydration which can lead to dry skin, cracked heels, and foot cramps. Drink enough water to keep skin moisturized and joints lubricated.

Epsom Salt Foot Soak

Try a Magnesium-rich Epsom salt foot soak to promote relaxation and soothe tired, achy feet

Items Needed:

  • Bathtub or large bowl
  • 1/2 cup Epsom salt
  • Warm water
  • A few drops of diluted essential oil such as lavender or eucalyptus
  • Lotion
  • Towel

Instructions:

  1. Fill a bathtub or bowl with enough warm water to cover your feet.
  2. Scoop 1/2 cup of Epsom salt into the warm water.
  3. Soak feet for 30-60 minutes.
  4. Dry feet (top, bottom, in between toes) and moisturize feet (no lotion in between toes)
  5. Repeat up to 2 times per week

Check out these summer foot care tips from the CHN Podiatry Team.

By: CHN Wellness Team

It’s the season to get some extra Vitamin D with time spent outside in the sunshine!  That being said, we know some people start feeling anxious about this time of year when thinking about “showing more skin”.  So this blog post is about Body Positivity, and what exactly that means.

Body image is the thoughts, feelings, attitudes and beliefs we have about our bodies and how we look. Our views are often formed by our families, friends, communities, and media (like TV, magazines, Instagram and TikTok). People with negative body image are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, poor self-esteem, social isolation and avoid seeking medical care.

Body positivity encourages people to love the body they have now, without worrying about body standards. It encourages people to feel beautiful and love their bodies regardless of shape, size, color, gender, or ability.

Body neutrality can be helpful if it feels difficult to love your body. This allows for an appreciation and acceptance of what our body can do, regardless of how it looks. Body acceptance allows individuals to acknowledge that there may be things they feel conflicted about or don’t always love, and at the same time promotes the importance of respect and care for bodies no matter what.

When concerns about your body and appearance come first, you often end up putting your mental health second.

Reframe how you talk to yourself to protect your-peace of mind with these strategies:

  • Practice gratitude for what your body does for you daily. For example “I’m grateful my legs allow me to walk my dog” or “I love that my arms let me hug my kids”.
  • Curate your social media by following accounts that feel supportive and inclusive of bodies like yours. When you are scrolling what makes you feel good or bad? Unfollow or mute accounts that bring any negativity.
  • Connect with your body by doing activities that you enjoy (like dancing, biking, yoga, frisbee). Pamper yourself and eat in a way that nourishes your body while still allowing for pleasure and joy from food.
  • Engage in positive affirmations to combat negativity. Try: “My body works hard and deserves kindness”, “I am proud of my body and myself”, “I am worthy, confident and strong” or come up with your own!
  • Ditch diet culture which often values weight, shape, and size over health and well-being. Diets often sell the idea that there is an ‘ideal’ body shape and size, and that achieving this is the key to happiness. Instead focus on health goals that are not tied to your physical appearance.
  • Make yourself comfortable by choosing clothes that fit well and make you feel good in your body.
  • Cut out negative self-talk. When you feel yourself being critical of your body, ask yourself “Would I talk this way to my best friend?” and treat yourself with that same respect and compassion.
  • Know your worth – you are so much more than how you look! Create a list of people you admire who have contributed to your life, your community or the world – was their value to society based on their appearance?  Nope!

Remember that bad days are normal and okay – We won’t feel great about our bodies every single day. Try to work through these sticky feelings by accepting them. Try self-talk: “I’m not feeling good about myself today. But I know I am worthy. I know I’m a great friend/partner, and that’s based on me, not on what I look like”.  Your body’s appearance doesn’t determine your worth!

By: CHN Nutrinionist Miriam Van Harn

Eating the right foods before and after exercise can have a big impact on how you feel during your workout. Our bodies need nutrients before, during, and after exercise to help us perform our best. A nutritionist can help you make an eating plan to help you reach your exercise goals.

Before: The foods you eat before your workout give your body the strength it needs to exercise.

  • Eat a balanced meal 2-3 hours before your workout, or a carb-packed snack, like 1/2 PBJ sandwich, 1-2 hours before your workout.

During:

  • Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated.
  • If you are lifting weights or exercising lightly, you do not need to eat during your workout.
  • If you are running, swimming, or biking for more than an hour, you can eat a small, carb-packed snack, like a handful of pretzels or a large banana, after 30 minutes to keep your strength up.

After: The foods you eat after your workout give your body what it needs to heal from exercise.

  • Eat a balanced meal or protein-packed snack, like Greek yogurt with granola and berries, within 2 hours of ending your workout.
  • Keep drinking water to keep yourself hydrated.

Try to make energy bites, they are a great carb-packed snack to eat before your workout. To make these a protein-packed snack, add your favorite protein powder!

By: CHN Nutritionist Melissa Olson

If you or someone you know has Inflammatory Bowel Disease like Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or chronic acid reflux, read on for some tips that really work for symptom relief:

Eat Anti-Inflammatory Foods to help calm irritation in the stomach or gut:

  • Olive Oil
  • Avocado
  • Omega-3 foods like walnuts, wild fish, ground flaxseed, or an omega-3 supplement
  • Turmeric – see recipe below for example to use it in cooking

If you have a flare-up of symptoms like diarrhea, severe bloating, pain, or sour stomach, eat easy-to-digest foods for gut rest:

  • Try clear liquids for a day: Jell-o, popsicles, soup broth, herbal teas, or clear juice.
  • Then, move to soothing foods for about a week or until symptoms get better: daily yogurt or kefir, oatmeal, tofu, quinoa, soups, applesauce, rice, and soft-cooked vegetables.
  • Avoid coffee and other caffeinated drinks during this time as it further stimulates your gut.

Focus on Self-Care. Stress and anxiety can worsen digestive issues and acid reflux. Try to:

  • Make sleep a priority.
  • Decrease stress with gentle exercise like Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong, massage, or meditation.
  • Drink plenty of water and limit alcohol.

Try this tasty way to enhance the flavor of quinoa while supporting your digestion.