McDaniel Nutrition Therapy

Outside of wishing every day was Mother's Day, and a gift certificate to either of my 2 favorite STL places: @lussotheboutique + @ivyhillboutiqueivyhill, I'm requesting: First: time alone + second, individual time with each kid. ... As a mom of three boys, my house is loud, messy and I should just submit to a referee jersey + whistle. But, one-on-one time gives me the chance to truly see, feel and enjoy their sweet hearts {with no one around to tease or sneak a quick punch}. Our kids are 3 parts - part mom, part dad and part them. And, that alone time gives me a chance to truly get to know that "part them," which lights me up on the day I get to celebrate being a mother. Happy Mother's Day weekend, beautiful mamas!

MNT Dietitian, @mewissmann, wants what a lot of moms want "a day free of duty!" Moms handle a million details every day. Most of them, unnoticed. In the process of caretaking, moms often neglect themselves in the process. Finding a balance between the many layers of life can be overwhelming, tricky and in all honestly brutally exhausting. SO, superwomen - take the day off. Soak in how it feels, and do it more often {outside of Mother's Day}! ... It's a chance of practicing "delegation" that the whole family + moms benefit from. See more

Today's Mother's Day idea comes from our MNT birthday girl! Happy Birthday @growinggreennutrition! Have you tried kombucha? Kombucha is a fizzy, fermented drink containing probiotics. It's a great replacement for soda, only containing small amounts of sugar with big-time fizz. ... The problem? It's expensive! So, if mom's really into it - getting her this starter kit is a fun family project + a way she can craft her own brew. OR - the easy button may be more attractive - just buy her a variety pack or big growler from your local shop! #guthealth

What does a mom really want? Time alone with nature! MNT Dietitian shares her two favorite places to forest "bathe" in Missouri! With May being National Mental Health month, from one mom to another, going for a walk in nature is like taking the best anti-depressant drug ever. #mothersday2021

Today, I’m speaking on Stress & Burnout with the fabulous team from @republicoftea But, yesterday, I had a hard time following my own advice, and I’ll admit that in our conversation. Progressnot perfection, right?! ... Stopping the stress train can be hard. Strategies must be manageable + easy to implement, consistently. Stress management shouldn’t add more to our plates. The Outline: Planful problem solving: What areas in you life could be easier if you had more of a plan? #mealplanning?! Positive re-appraisal: How can we see stressors as a change to build resiliency vs. resist them? Exercise: The #1 WAY to move stress out of our bodies Breathing: Long slow exhales that make your belly contract instantly lower stress hormones. What also works? Laughter, Creativity, and Affection. What doesn’t worktelling yourself I’m fine Just be grateful or drinking a green smoothie. If this outline sounds like something your company could benefit from - message us! Our corporate nutrition team would love the chance to connect & collaborate

What did you enjoy doing when you were young? My mom, a talented musician, tried to teach me piano. But, you know how it goes when your mom tries to teach you something. But, as an adult, my choice to have recently picked up an instrument feels right. It's motivated by true intrinsic intentions. It can be hard for an adult to remember what being "playful" or creative expression looks like. ... But, science shows creative expression reduces stress. What creative, playful, fun thing makes you feel more alive? And, most importantly, what do you need to train OUT of your life so you TRAIN in something more fun and playful?

I know this doesn't come as a surprise to you. But, when we move our bodies, we move stress OUT. And, by "move," it doesn't have to = exercise - like a 30 minute walk, a 45-minute exercise video or going for a run. Movement, to reduce STRESS, could be:... Stretching between zoom calls. Taking a phone call while walking up and down your driveway. Tensing up your muscles and relaxing them. Playing soccer in the basement with your kids. Or, an actual bout of dedicated exercise like running. But, we must move, and we must do it often. Keep it easy, make it something you want to do, and do it consistently. And, we promise, you will feel a slight, but noticeable shift in how stress impacts your health.

How do you hold your stress? Suppress it? Push it down? Ignore it until it takes you over? Or, do you notice it in smaller ways through changes in your breath, noticing your shoulders are in your ears? A snap at your kiddos?... We cannot control, run from or avoid stressORS. But, we can deal with them, and it's best if we do it DAILY. Or, stress finds a way to wreck our mental and physical health. This week, we are focusing on EVIDENCE-based ways to move stress out of our bodes - or "complete the stress cycle." And, we're aiming for ways that won't add more "to-do.'s" to your day. We're all about easy, joyful, efficient steps. Do you have an favorite stress-buster? #stress See more

Puppy Chow, a sweet mixture of cereal, chocolate and peanut butter is decadent. We do decadent. But, we also like sprinkling a little nutrition into the snack foods of our sweethearts. We kept the puppy chow recipe chocolate-ly and peanut-ty. But, we also added:... unsweetened cocoa powder (provides a dose of healthy heart-health antioxidants) cinnamon (a spice that supports healthy blood sugars whole-grain heart cereal (Kashi Honey Toasted Oats) + dried cherries Your V-Day kiddos might only eat the chow, but hey, we tried! Happy Valentine’s Day, Friends. We think you’re sweet, and we hope you enjoy this fun, festive puppy chow treat! #valentinesday

Nut-Free Pumpkin Energy Bites This pumpkin energy bite is dedicated to all our friends & family who can’t enjoy nuts! Get the full recipe below: https://www.mcdanielnutrition.com/pumpkin-spiced-energy/

This week’s McDaniel Short-Cut Ingredient: Bertolli Balsamic Glaze. I’m a big fan of easy, ingredients that instantly add flavor to whatever it is I’m throwing together. This convenient condiment helps me add bold, fancy flavor with simplicity of a squeeze. Drizzle over this week’s recipe: Fig & Arugula Flatbread, grilled vegetables, chicken, pork, steak, or salmon; berries; pizza, or even vanilla ice cream. It’s also the perfect addition to a cheese plate. You know, ...for all that indoor entertaining you’re doing these days. P.S. Our dietitians are not only dietitians (RD’s), but we’re also moms + we have a RD/chef on boardif you could use menu planning support for your family, we’d love to make life easier for you! #mcdanielshortcuts https://www.mcdanielnutrition.com/fig-and-arugula-flatbread/

That time we had Thanksgiving on Easter and dressed like it was Halloween Rituals feel more necessary than ever. Not formal, involved rituals, but simple ways we come together as a family, like over a meal. Rituals are like glue - they can be messy, but if we’re consistent, they hold us together. Family mealtime is a common ritual that most families share. Yet, there are lots of barriers to family mealtime, and sometimes, mealtime can be stressful! {Esp for th...e cook}. Since laughter is glue that makes family mealtime memorable, I’m sharing one of my fave resources from the Family Dinner Project below for simple ideas to EASILY elevate the ritual of sharing a meal. #rituals https://thefamilydinnerproject.org/fun/

Our Family Voting Mission Statement: WE: Recognize the privilege and responsibility of voting. Respect each other’s opinions. ... Consult facts not fear. Will lovingly be there for each other when the results roll in. Voting (and talking about voting) enshrines the value that the stability and longevity of our family & relationships with friends and neighbors transcends politics. May we show compassion & decency and choose kindness to all sides. P.S. McDaniel Nutrition will be pausing on social for a few days to take our own intentional break, to reflect and work on bringing meaningful content to our audience. Now go vote for your values! #vote2020 See more

Nearly 70% of respondents said the elections are a significant source of stress & 38% of adults said they have overeaten or eaten unhealthy foods in the past month because of stress. I’ve been having a lot of conversations about mindful eating (the antidote to stress eating) strategies during stressful times with my clients. Here are a few pieces of our conversations: Take a few deep breaths before and after eating (and throughout the day!) ... Put all food on a plate. See what you eat. Watch and note your cravings and give them potential time to pass. If they’re still there in 20 minutes, go for that halloween candy! Just pick out what you really want. Put the pillowcase back in the pantry & enjoy every bite. Try to maintain an eating schedule. Stress likes to mess with hunger hormones, but skipping meals tends to backfire. VOTE, and know you’ve done what you can. XO Jen #stressrelief See more