Let’s Talk About Eating Disorders

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By Maggie Hensley, RD | Registered Dietitian

The last week of February is National Eating Disorder Awareness week. This week helps raise awareness on how common eating disorders actually are. According to the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA), 28.2 million Americans experience an eating disorder at some point in their lives.

National Eating Disorder Awareness Week also helps end the stigma of getting help and treatment for them. Have questions about eating disorders, signs, and treatments? You aren’t alone.

What’s an Eating Disorder?

Eating disorders are mental and physical illnesses. People of all ages, sexes, and background can face eating disorders. In general, an eating disorder involves a person becoming focused on food and weight issues to the point where it gets harder to focus on other parts of your life.

Eating disorders include several related conditions each with its own unique symptoms. Some of the more well-known eating disorders include:

  • Anorexia Nervosa – involves weight loss and challenges having a healthy body weight for age and height.
  • Bulimia Nervosa – is when a person goes between cycles of binge eating and getting ride of the excess food they ate, either by vomiting, laxatives, or excessive exercise.
  • Binge Eating – involves someone losing control over their eating, usually eating large amounts of food even when they aren’t hungry.

The more we learn about eating disorders, the more we realize these illnesses can affect any type of person. Many people who don’t fit our perception of what an eating disorder looks like don’t get diagnosed because of current kinds screening tools used.

Signs & Symptoms of Eating Disorders

According to the NEDA, there are emotional and physical signs that someone might be living with an eating disorder. Some signs like weight fluctuations, extreme mood swings, uncomfortable eating with others, dizziness, sleep problems, and others listed here.

The NEDA also has a confidential online screening for those 13 years and older here. The earlier an eating disorder is detected, the sooner treatment can begin, and the better the person’s recovery. And recovery is important, because after opioid-dependency, eating disorders are the second most deadly mental illness.  

Eating Disorder Prevention

The best way to avoid an eating disorder is to have a healthy relationship with food. That usually means ditching diets that call for heavy calorie restriction or eliminating an entire food group. Anything less than 1800 calories per day is usually not advised. When thinking about any diets, remember that all food groups are important, even carbohydrates!

It is also important to practice body positivity or body neutrality. This helps us realize we are so much more than just our bodies. This can help us learn that bodies come in all kinds of shapes, colors, and sizes.

If you are unhappy with your current eating patterns or want to pursue a healthier relationship with food, talk to NOAH. We have on-site dietitians who are experts in nutrition and can help you with those needs.

Mouth Healthy Eating

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Desert Mission Health Center Now Open!

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NEWS: NOAH Celebrates Emerging Leader Dora Correal

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NOAH is thrilled to share that one of our own dedicated and caring team members, Dora Correal, Director of Community Access, received the Emerging Leader Award from the Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health Policy.

This national award honors young, emerging leaders within community and farmworker health centers who have made a career in the health center family and personify the enduring strength of health centers.

Dora joined NOAH in 2015 as an Eligibility Specialist, where she quickly established herself as a subject matter expert in government assistance programs and customer service. She has led the growth of our Community Resource Department as the first Supervisor, Manager, and now Director of that department. It has been through her leadership that a four-member team providing application assistance has grown to a 30-person team helping our patients and organization with crucial functions for our mission.

“Dora inspires and motivates us to keep finding innovative ways to help and serve our patients, NOAH team members, and community,” said Julia Nierad, NOAH CFO. “Leading with compassion and empathy, she is a champion for ensuring our community obtains access to resources in an efficient, dignified, and friendly manner. We are so grateful to have her passion and dedication on our team as we continue to address community need, particularly for those severely impacted by the pandemic.”


Dora inspires and motivates us to keep finding innovative ways to help and serve our patients, NOAH team members, and community. 

Compassion, empathy, and strength are how Dora leads her team to deliver for NOAH patients every day. She sees opportunities and finds ways for the Community Resource Department to help bridge gaps for patients, the community, and for NOAH’s own team.

“The Emerging Leaders selected each year represent the future of health centers. The policy and program champions, clinicians, health educators, and clinic administrators recognized each year truly will become the next generation of senior leaders.” – Feygele Jacobs, President, and CEO of the RCHN Community Health Foundation

Emerging leaders like Dora are celebrated for the work they do to help further the mission of healthcare and better health for medically overlooked patients, communities, and special populations.

The future of NOAH and community health centers looks bright with leaders like Dora sharing their talents and passion with organizations serving the medically overlooked populations. Congratulations, Dora!

Learn more about the Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health Policy Emerging Leader Award here.

Recipes and Tips to Keep Your Heart Healthy

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By Brandon Bolton, RDN | Nutrition Educator

February is American Heart Month, so let’s raise awareness and support for heart health in the fight against heart disease!

According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the number one killer in the United States, and it is the leading cause of death worldwide. There are many risk factors that impact your chances of having heart disease. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute states that preventing heart disease starts with knowing what your risk factors are and what you can do to lower them.

Some risk factors for heart disease include:

  • high blood pressure
  • high blood cholesterol
  • obesity
  • diabetes
  • smoking
  • lack of physical activity
  • unhealthy eating behaviors

Heart Healthy Eating Habits

You can reduce your risk of heart disease by maintaining a heart healthy diet. Here are some guidelines to get you started:

  • Eat a balance of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean protein sources
  • Try to have at least half of your grain intake come from whole grains such as 100% whole wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, and quinoa
  • Aim for 1 to 2 cups of fruit daily
  • Aim for 1 to 3 cups of vegetables daily
  • Choose fat-free or low-fat dairy products when having milk, cheese, or yogurt

If your menu needs a pick-me-up or you’re looking for some heart healthy recipes to get you started, try these yummy options which are brand new to NOAH’s recipe collection:

Peaches N’ Cream Overnight Oats

This yummy breakfast tastes great and includes plenty of fruit, dairy and fiber to get your day off to the right start. It’s super easy to whip up before bedtime and ready to enjoy the next morning. Swap out the peaches for seasonal fruit and enjoy a variety of flavors throughout the year.

Mediterranean Lentil Salad

This salad packs a punch when it comes to heart health. Lentils are high in potassium which counters the bad effects of salt and lowers blood pressure. Bonus, just 1/2 cup of lentils contains almost one-third of the recommended daily fiber intake.

Jackfruit “BBQ” Sandwiches

Grab some extra napkins because this sandwich is dripping with classic barbecue flavor. While jackfruit can be used as an alternative source of protein, it only contains about three grams of protein per serving so you may want to add some beans to your plate for a well-rounded meal. Since cholesterol is only found in foods that come from animals, switching to a plant-based protein meal one night a week is a great way to lower total cholesterol intake.

For even more tasty menu options, check out our full library of nutritious recipes.

Snack Food Month – Tips for Healthier and More Satisfying Snacks

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By Mina Goodman, RD | Nutrition Educator

When thinking about snacking, what often comes to mind is chips, cookies, ice cream and more foods we consider to be “junk foods”. What we may not realize is that snacking can be a healthy way to keep blood sugar and energy levels steady between meals, prevent overeating at mealtimes, and provide more opportunities to get the right nutrients each day. Below are some tips for healthier snacking that are easy, delicious, and dietician approved.

  • Think of snacks as small meals. Use the MyPlate model to plan your snacks. At a minimum, try to include a source of protein and a source of carbohydrate, for example an apple with peanut butter or grapes with cheese. When possible, add vegetables to the snack to add fiber, water, vitamins, and minerals to your diet.
  • Make small changes to your current snacks. For example, if you like snack packs from the supermarket that include a mix of meat, cheese, nuts, crackers, or fruit, try to recreate your own healthier (and less expensive) version at home. Look for low sodium cold cuts, low fat cheese, unsalted nuts, berries, and high fiber or whole grain crackers.
  • Enjoy a variety of healthy snacks. Check out NOAH recipes or speak with a dietitian at NOAH for personalized snack ideas.

Here are some examples to get you started!

  • 2 Tbsp hummus with 1 cup cucumbers, carrots, grape tomatoes and/or celery sticks
  • 4 dates with 1/4 cup almonds
  • 2 Tbsp natural peanut butter with 2 celery stalks and raisins (ants on a log)
  • 1/4 cup salsa and 1/3 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1/2 cup low sodium cottage cheese with fresh tomato and basil
  • 6 oz Greek yogurt with
    • 1/2 Tbsp honey
    • 1/2 sliced apple or mango
  • 20 grapes dipped in Greek yogurt and frozen
  • Brown rice cake and 2 Tbsp almond, peanut, or sunflower butter
  • Turkey jerky and 1/4 cup mixed nuts
  • 1 hardboiled egg with whole wheat bread or high fiber crackers

10 Bright Ideas for Weight Loss

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By Kahti Paydar, RDN | Registered Dietician

Are you finding yourself wanting to lose weight?  Do you feel your weight loss New Year’s resolution got off to a late start?  Believe it or not, there’s still time to achieve your health goals!  Make small, gradual, and realistic changes that will build upon one another, creating a healthier future.  Start today by reviewing these strategies to help you control your weight:

1. Think “choose well” not “diet.”

Instead of trying to starve yourself, choose foods that allow you to fill up on fewer calories.  These are foods that are:

  • Minimally processed
  • High in fiber
  • Low in fat and sugar

Examples include fruits, vegetables, cooked whole grains such as barley, oatmeal, buckwheat bulgur (cracked wheat), quinoa, millet, wild rice and brown rice and legumes for protein. Always pick leaner choices such as white breast meat of poultry (without skin), pork loin, lean beef (eye of round roast and steak, sirloin tip side steak, top round roast and steak, bottom round roast and steak, and top sirloin steak), legumes, and seafood.  Prepare these items with little added fat.

2. Don’t skip breakfast.

Starting the day with a high fiber, low fat breakfast will help you consume fewer calories the rest of the day.  Never skip breakfast!

3. Only eat when you are hungry.

Avoid eating to relax, cure boredom or overcome depression.  These are emotions that trigger a desire to eat. Instead, brainstorm better ways to distract, calm, comfort, and nurture yourself without turning to food.  Take a walk or call a friend.

4. Snack for better health.

  • Snack only when hungry.
  • Instead of packaged snacks, think “out of the bag” and enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables with low fat dips or fat-free, light yogurt.  Baked potatoes, sweet potatoes and oatmeal also make great snacks.

5. Limit sugar & refined starch.

  • Limit the amount of foods you eat that contain added sugars.
  • Limit refined starch foods that are made with flour and are low in fiber.  Fill up instead with high-fiber choices such as corn, potatoes, yams, lima beans, peas, dried beans, and whole grains.

 6. Use less fat when cooking.

  • Prepare foods using lower-fat cooking methods such as baking meats on a rack, broiling. Grilling, roasting or steaming instead of frying.
  • Eliminate “extra” fats.  Trim visible fats from meats.  Rinse cooked ground meat.  Remove skin from poultry.

7. Be a smart shopper.

  • Avoid shopping when tired or hungry as that’s when you’re more likely to walk away with unnecessary impulse buys.
  • Fill grocery carts 2/3 full of whole foods instead of convenience foods.  These include fat-free dairy, fruits, whole grains, vegetables, seafood, chicken, and lean cuts of meat.
  • Spend most of your time in the produce section of the store.  Buy plenty of fruits and vegetables.  Aim for 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
  • Follow these storage tips to keep produce fresh longer.

8. Be a little adventurous.

  • Be adventurous and expand your range of healthful food choices.
  • Buy a low-fat cookbook to help you modify traditional high-fat favorites, and to introduce quick healthful dishes.

9. Take care when eating out.

  • When you eat out, choose soup and salad or smaller dishes that are low in fat.
  • Ask for sauces and dressing on the side.
  • If portions are large, take half home.

10. Try to make exercise fun.

  • Take up several aerobic activities that are enjoyable, such as an aerobics class, walking, bike riding, swimming, running, hiking, tennis, softball, etc.
  • Work out aerobically at least an hour a day, five or six days a week.
  • Include weight lifting, also known as resistance training, three to four times a week.
  • Celebrate your effort by determining the number of calories used in your workout.