Melinda Krautmann MS BSN RN
A Smaller Plate Is A Healthier Plate
January, 18, 2012, 09:26 AM
Last week, Bethel offered dishes to anyone who needed them, because of the generous donation of dishes to us from Emmanuel Baptist Church of Kansas City, KS several weeks ago.
After last Wednesday's Arthritis Exercise class, one of the seniors remarked how small the plates were in comparison to the plates we use nowadays. Another person mentioned how great it was that the plates all matched, and none of them had even a chip. Someone added that these were heavy duty china dishes used by cafeterias, restaurants, and churches, and they probably dated back to the 1960's or maybe earlier!
Interestingly, the Bethel seniors are also on a quest to keep their weight in a healthy range, engage in more physical activity each day, and choose healthier portions sizes. As part of our Tuesday morning Healthy Community discussions, I asked them to remember how people were thinner back in the days when people ate on smaller plates. I also asked them to think about how a meal appears to you when it's served on a smaller plate vs. a larger plate. We had discussed the "Healthy Plate Method" in several previous health presentations, and now the group members were being offered the chance to update their kitchen with dishes to fit their new healthier lifestyle.
One group participant mentioned today that in her diabetes class, she learned it was advisable not just for people with diabetes. She explained that the portion size of food would appear to be plenty rather than not enough. 'That way, you're not tempted to eat more than your recommended portion, " she offered. And then someone else mentioned, she would feel embarrassed to go for 'seconds' if it already appeared that she'd eaten enough by the looks of her own plate filled with food.
So,in closing, let me say that there are so many ways to help yourself stay on track with your health goals for 2012. One way is to plan what you'll eat ahead of mealtimes, when you're not starving hungry and want to devour everything in the cabinet. Use the Healthy Plate Method. Another way is to make changes in your environment. For example, eat on a smaller plate, surround yourself with like-minded people on the same quest as you.
These caring people are here at Bethel Neighborhood Center. We'll support you in your healthy lifestyle! You are not alone when you're part of our community! PLEASE JOIN US, 9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And here's a hearty and healthy 'Thank You' to Emmanuel Baptist Church of Kansas City, KS for donating the "Healthy Plates!"
After last Wednesday's Arthritis Exercise class, one of the seniors remarked how small the plates were in comparison to the plates we use nowadays. Another person mentioned how great it was that the plates all matched, and none of them had even a chip. Someone added that these were heavy duty china dishes used by cafeterias, restaurants, and churches, and they probably dated back to the 1960's or maybe earlier!
One group participant mentioned today that in her diabetes class, she learned it was advisable not just for people with diabetes. She explained that the portion size of food would appear to be plenty rather than not enough. 'That way, you're not tempted to eat more than your recommended portion, " she offered. And then someone else mentioned, she would feel embarrassed to go for 'seconds' if it already appeared that she'd eaten enough by the looks of her own plate filled with food.
So,in closing, let me say that there are so many ways to help yourself stay on track with your health goals for 2012. One way is to plan what you'll eat ahead of mealtimes, when you're not starving hungry and want to devour everything in the cabinet. Use the Healthy Plate Method. Another way is to make changes in your environment. For example, eat on a smaller plate, surround yourself with like-minded people on the same quest as you.
These caring people are here at Bethel Neighborhood Center. We'll support you in your healthy lifestyle! You are not alone when you're part of our community! PLEASE JOIN US, 9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And here's a hearty and healthy 'Thank You' to Emmanuel Baptist Church of Kansas City, KS for donating the "Healthy Plates!"
"My Bethel..."
January, 05, 2012, 02:24 PM
Today, the daughter of one of our Bethel Seniors stopped by my office to pick up her mother’s prescription medication, which I’d administered to her each month. Her mother, at age 93, recently suffered a debilitating stroke. I’ve been following up with the daughter to support her in her next steps to care for her mom, now that she’s home from the hospital. I’ve given her a list of community resources, coached her on the new role of caregiver for her mother, contacted an elder law specialist to help her set up an appointment for estate planning, and taught her about how to convene a family meeting to plan for her mother’s health care now that she is disabled and living with her.
In the course of today’s conversation, the daughter mentioned how much Bethel meant to her mom and to her too. She explained today that she would drive her mom past Bethel often in the past, and her mom would always remark, “There’s my Bethel! I’ve been going there for over 30 years.”
Her mom would continue to talk about Bethel, expressing how much she had benefitted from all the health information she’s received, and how much she appreciated having me take her blood pressure and give her the Vitamin B-12 shot monthly, how much people at Bethel really cared for her. She would talk about how my diabetes classes helped her to understand how to eat more nutritiously. She would mention that she had less back pain because she did the home exercises, which I taught her to do in our exercise classes.
In closing, the daughter expressed her appreciation for all the phone calls that I’d made in the past to her mom’s physician, advocating for her in regards to side effects from her medications, and explaining her lab test results. To say ‘Thank You’ for all that Bethel had provided to her mom and to her, the daughter said she’d like to donate all the frozen meat from her mom’s home freezer to Bethel, so that we could help feed some of the people who come to Bethel for food assistance. “It’s all I can offer you in return right now,” she said.
In the course of today’s conversation, the daughter mentioned how much Bethel meant to her mom and to her too. She explained today that she would drive her mom past Bethel often in the past, and her mom would always remark, “There’s my Bethel! I’ve been going there for over 30 years.”
Her mom would continue to talk about Bethel, expressing how much she had benefitted from all the health information she’s received, and how much she appreciated having me take her blood pressure and give her the Vitamin B-12 shot monthly, how much people at Bethel really cared for her. She would talk about how my diabetes classes helped her to understand how to eat more nutritiously. She would mention that she had less back pain because she did the home exercises, which I taught her to do in our exercise classes.
In closing, the daughter expressed her appreciation for all the phone calls that I’d made in the past to her mom’s physician, advocating for her in regards to side effects from her medications, and explaining her lab test results. To say ‘Thank You’ for all that Bethel had provided to her mom and to her, the daughter said she’d like to donate all the frozen meat from her mom’s home freezer to Bethel, so that we could help feed some of the people who come to Bethel for food assistance. “It’s all I can offer you in return right now,” she said.