Is variety the spice of your diet?

It is said that "Variety is the spice of life!", but is variety the spice of your diet?   Did you know that when we're exposed to a greater variety of food, we tend to eat more?  Think about it.  Have you ever been to a buffet? A party where people brought special dishes from home?  A Thanksgiving dinner? Raise your hand if you've ever been in one of these situations and overate.  If you did not raise your hand, you are either a liar or have some superhuman ability to not get so tantalized by the numerous tasty-looking offerings.

Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, has conducted some interesting research regarding perceived variety and how it affects food consumption.  In one study, participants were given a bowl containing 300 M & M's.  However, one group received seven different colors of M & M's while the other received ten different colors.  You've had M & M's, right?  Even though some may disagree, they ALL taste the same regardless of their color. However, the people in the group given the bowl with ten different colors consumed 43% more M & M's than the other group (91 vs 64 M & M's). At 3.44 kcals per M & M, we're talking a 93 kcal difference here.  So, when it comes to some of the more energy dense foods, this whole variety thing could be a challenge.  Walk down any chip aisle or cookie aisle, and you might get an idea of where some of our problem with poor nutrition comes from in our country.  Geez, we have whole aisles in stores dedicated to chips, cookies, sodas, ice cream?!

Nonetheless, I tell my clients and students that variety can work against us but that it can also work for us.  Let's talk about how it can work for us!  I'm going to go out on a limb and conduct my own very informal mini-experiment here with you.  Look at the two following pictures of fruit bowls.

Option A

Option B

So, if given a choice, would you eat more often from Option A or Option B? I'm hoping you say B.  But if you selected A, might I suggest that you're a monkey or you have a banana fetish?  So, what's the point of having more variety in your diet? Well according to recent reports, only 33% of Americans consume 2+ servings of fruit per day and a mere 27% consume 3+ servings of vegetables a day, so we need as many strategies as possible to improve our intake of these two vital food groups.  Variety is one key to a more nutritious diet!  When we expose ourselves to more options -- colors, shapes, sizes, textures, aromas, tastes -- we might just eat more.  Eating a variety of foods adds a dimension of pleasure and interest in our eating, and I truly believe that we should enjoy eating...really!  Variety also helps increase the chance that we will consume adequate nutrients as well as non-nutrients, such as flavonoids.

So, here's the run down of  a few ways you might incorporate a greater variety of vegetables and fruits into your diet.

• Let your senses be your guide.  Look for new shapes (star fruit? lychee?), sizes (pommelo?), textures (cactus pads? kiwi?), aromas (durian?), and colors (tomatillos?). Note the photo heading this post...my inspiration.  This beautiful, succulent-looking, jewel-toned red pear caught my eye in the grocery store recently with its incessant calling, "Pick me! Pick me!".  I'm truly a sucker for something new, especially when it comes to my veggies and fruits. So, even if it's a different 'variety' within the same family of foods -- apples, pears, oranges, etc. --give something new-to-you a try.
• Savor your old favorites in a new way.  You already love 'em, but maybe you need to spice things up.  Vegetables in a smoothie?  Try Green Smoothies.  Like apples and pears? Bake them with spices  -- cinnamon and nutmeg work well.  Ever had a fruit soup?  Melons and berries and pears oh my!  Combine fruit with spice for some kick -- spicy melon salads add interest to the palate. Change the serving temp -- go for gazpacho.
  
• Enjoy seasonal eating.  When you eat seasonally, you get to appreciate fresh, ripe, and tasty food that has been harvested at its most natural time. Eating seasonally allows you to try out foods that you might not otherwise try.
  
• Visit your local farmer's market.  I absolutely love visiting the farmer's market as you can be introduced to a lot of great new-to-you produce, and you will often get to try before you buy.  Plus, it's also fun meeting the growers of my food:)  In California, you can search for certified farmer's markets here.
• Visit local ethnic markets in your area.  You will surprised at all of the new vegetables and fruits you'd never even heard of, seen, or imagined when you take an adventure into an ethnic market. 
• Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).  Once you're a member, you receive a box of locally grown, seasonal produce every week.  While you typically know a little ahead of time what you can expect, it's often a wonderful surprise to see what arrives. It can definitely keep you on your toes in finding new ways to prepare the produce, especially if it's something you haven't really tried before.

Have a happy taste adventure!

Question: How do you incorporate variety into your vegetable and fruit options?

The 4-1-1 on Vitamin C and the Common Cold

It's definitely that time of year again...cold and flu season. It seems like people are succumbing to the seasonal plague left and right lately.  And maybe you, like many others, are ready to down some vitamin C to ward off that cold. Don't worry, I just went to Target the other day and their shelves are fully stocked with products, like Emergen-C, just for you.  But before you head on over to build up your own stash, let's take a look at the 4-1-1 on whether or not such products really work.

When researchers set out to see if our "cure" for the common cold really was a cure, their analysis of over 30 clinical trials conducted over a stretch of about 40 years uncovered some interesting results.  Overall, investigators found no significant effect of supplemental vitamin C on preventing the common cold for most healthy people.  I say most because the combined results of six studies detected a 50% reduction in risk of catching a cold for certain groups taking routine doses of 250-1000 mg/day of vitamin C  -- marathon runners, young skiers, and soldiers working in freezing temperatures to be exact. So, for the general population, loading up on vitamin C throughout the year or when cold season hits apparently doesn't really fend off those colds, but if you're exposed to extreme physical stress or cold temperatures, it might actually be helpful.

As far as vitamin C's use as a cold remedy goes, the evidence is mixed.  Thirty studies exhibited a slight reduction in the duration of colds for adults and children taking daily megadoses of vitamin C compared to those on placebo. What does this amount to?  If the average cold lasts about 7 days, this means that a routine vitamin C supplement may lessen the duration of a cold by 1/2 a day for adults and 1 day for children.  However, seven studies showed no difference between vitamin C megadoses and placebo for lessening the duration of a cold when supplementation started at the onset of symptoms.  In an analysis of 15 studies, regular megadoses or those taken after the onset of symptoms did not significantly affect the severity of cold symptoms.

One important note to make is that vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which means that little of it is stored in the body.  A few studies suggest that the body's cells become saturated with daily doses of 200-400 mg and that digestive absorption decreases at doses >200 mg/day.  Given some of the hefty doses in available supplements, often around 1000-2000 mg, do you wonder what happens to the excess if our body cannot store it?  We eliminate it via the urine. And at intakes >2000 mg/d, one can potentially experience adverse effects, such as kidney stone formation, nausea, abdominal cramps, excessive gas, and diarrhea.

I know...you swear that you take (or have taken) vitamin C and it's truly helped prevent a cold, right?  Well, there may be good reason -- placebo effect.  In a surprising twist, investigators in one study found that individuals who took placebo but thought they were taking vitamin C recounted fewer colds than those who actually consumed vitamin C but believed they were receiving a placebo. 

So, where does this leave us -- the real, live persons surrounded by this onslaught of sneezes and sniffles?  If you don't mind sparing the expense and feel that saving yourself from 1/2 a day's worth of a cold (when you catch one) is worth it, then daily supplementation with up to 200 mg of vitamin C may be worthwhile to you. (The recommended intake is 75 mg/d for women, 90 mg/d for men, and an additional 35 mg/d for smokers.)  Will you be harmed by taking doses of up to 2000 mg/d? It's unlikely as the risk of potential adverse effects at that level is low.  However, one can easily obtain the recommended intake (and more) through food alone by aiming for at least 5 cups of vegetables and fruits daily.  Let's see how this is done.

• Breakfast: 1 large orange = 91 mg
• Snack:  2 kiwis = 128 mg
  
• Lunch:  1/2 c cherry tomatoes = 9.5 mg, 1 c romaine lettuce = 11 mg
  
• Snack:   1/2 c red bell pepper = 95 mg
• Dinner:  1 large baked sweet potato = 35 mg, 1/2 c broccoli = 40 mg
• Total =  409.5 mg of Vitamin C from the equivalent of 5 c of vegetables and fruits!

Stay tuned for future posts related to this timely topic.

Is gluten-free the new low-carb?

I've been seeing inklings of one of the latest diet crazes...gluten-free. Just a few months ago, Elizabeth Hasselbeck of The View published The G-Free Diet which is being presented as the next big thing in achieving optimal health and in treating conditions such as high cholesterol and ADD/ADHD. I'm sure the diet is catching on as I recently perused an online nutrition and health message board where I came across a poster who suggested gluten-free waffles as a "healthier" breakfast option. I cringed!  I really take issue with this new trend on several fronts.

First of all, it's a cRaZe -- aka, a fad, phase -- otherwise something that is going to come and go because it's really not what some people are making it out to be -- the panacea solution for achieving health. Ever hear the phrase, "If it sounds too good to be true..."? Yeah, that. There really are people who need to follow a gluten-free diet -- those with celiac disease or a sensitivity or allergy to gluten. However, going gluten-free before getting the proper diagnosis is ill-advised for a few reasons. In order to provide an accurate diagnosis for celiac disease, gluten actually needs to be present in the diet. If a person removes gluten from the diet, then the signs, symptoms and biological markers for the disease subside making confirmation difficult. To affirm a diagnosis of a gluten allergy or sensitivity, certain tests and special elimination diets or food challenges are recommended, and these tests can help determine the real culprit of someone's problems or rule certain things out with the guidance of a health professional.  And a formal diagnosis is important in order to ensure the appropriate steps are taken to manage the condition and prevent potential complications.  For celiac disease, the consequences are potentially serious including malnutrition, iron deficiency anemia and a slightly increased risk for intestinal and lymphatic cancer and osteoporosis. Also, an individual may run the risk of developing malnutrition by not incorporating appropriate gluten-free alternatives to ensure nutritional adequacy and from inadequate avoidance of gluten-containing foods and other products, such as medications, that contain hidden gluten.

Next, gluten-free does not equal healthy. Gluten-free products do not necessarily provide more vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, fiber, healthful fats, etc. than their gluten-containing counterparts. Plus, gluten-free products can still incorporate plenty of added sugars, less healthful fats, sodium, and calories.  And don't even get me started on how I believe that one of the reasons the diet craze is taking off has something to do with the growth of this niche in the market and clever manufacturers/marketers adding fuel to the fire with more and more gluten-free offerings. Do we recall the low-carb thing?  It was EVERYWHERE, and what did it do for us? Hmmmm.... 

I've heard from some people who've gone gluten-free to manage autism, ADD/ADHD, and irritable bowel syndrome and others who are trying it out because they think it's more healthful. I've talked to people who claim that it's helped them feel better, and that may be true. At this point, there's not enough strong research-based evidence that suggests that a gluten-free diet does or does not help manage conditions such as these.  In some cases, the improvements may have a lot more to do with the shift in food intake from more processed foods to more minimally processed foods that happen to be naturally gluten-free (i.e., vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, and lean proteins) than from the absence of gluten. I still believe it is important to receive a thorough medical assessment in order to assure that a proper diagnosis and treatment is obtained.  And I also think that professional guidance on meal planning is beneficial in order to ensure nutritional adequacy when eliminating gluten-containing foods from the diet. 

So, what's the bottom line? I'll go back to the beginning..."If it sounds too good to be true...".  While some individuals definitely benefit from following a gluten-free diet for medical reasons, most of us generally have no problem digesting, absorbing, and metabolizing gluten, and a gluten-free diet is not necessary nor is it more healthful. If someone hasn't been diagnosed with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity or allergy and believes s/he may have a problem with gluten, then consultation with a physician(s) for the appropriate diagnostic tests is advised. When following a gluten-free diet, it's best to seek the help of a health professional, such as a registered dietitian, with experience in providing the appropriate nutrition education and developing individualized meal plans and strategies to ensure nutritional balance, adequacy, and safety when going gluten-free. For sound nutrition information on a gluten-free diet, you may want to check out Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide by Shelly Case, a Registered Dietitian and expert in this area.  For recipes and cooking/baking tips, you may want to check out this blog at glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com by Karina Allrich.


In good health...

My bytes: Energy bars

Ask someone what his or her major roadblock to eating more healthfully is, and I would have to guess that you'll often hear the word TIME. Many of my clients identify this as a major barrier, especially when I'm encouraging them to consume smaller, more frequent meals and snacks throughout the day. Who isn't busy in today's fast-paced world? Many of us, including myself, are pressed for time to make or even eat certain meals and snacks during the daily grind. What to do, what to do? Well, I'll tell you one of the things that I do. I go on the offensive when it comes to eating. You'll almost never catch me without some sort of snack on hand, usually a portable piece of fresh fruit in mother nature's own packaging (i.e., bananas) or an energy, granola, or protein bar. Seriously, I keep at least one bar in my purse, car, diaper bag, and desk at all times, and believe me, it's been a lifesaver on many occasions.

Going for long periods of time (typically >4 hours) without eating essentially begins to exhaust our body's energy stores, and then our hunger really kicks into high gear. When our hunger spikes, we are quickly driven to eat to alleviate some of the symptoms of hunger (i.e., headache, fatigue, stomach pangs). And if we're that hungry, anything looks good. Have you taken a look around yourself lately to see what that anything can be? Well, I'm not taking my chances on that anything.

So, how do energy bars fit into all of this? They let us rather than our environment take control of our food-related decisions during a nutrition "emergency". Remember, when we're extremely hungry, anything....no...everything looks good, and I'm sorry to say but our environment doesn't generally support the most healthful eating. Energy bars are also very convenient to carry and consume no matter where you are. Also, the individualized packaging provides automatic portion control, so no worries about going overboard on the calories. A bar newbie are you? Or someone who's just overwhelmed with the options? Well, I've listed a few bars that I currently like and recommend to clients OR if you're adventurous, try making your own. A couple of websites I like are www.eatingwell.com or www.foodnetwork.com.

• Larabars are a newfound favorite of mine as they are made with very simple whole foods, which makes them very flavorful.
  
• Pure Bars are another great option because they also keep it pretty simple on the ingredients and they're quite tasty, too.
  
• Zing Nutrition Bars were actually created by dietitians, believe it or not. One thing I like about these is that they contain more satiating protein in each bar at 10-13 g of protein each.
• Gnu Bars are great because they're chock full of filling fiber providing about 50% of what we need in a day!
• Raw Revolution Live Food Bars also have very few but easy to pronounce ingredients.
• Clif Nectar Bars are made with 5 or less 100% organic ingredients and are also a good source of fiber. They also offer bars that are on the lower calorie side.

Question: What energy bars do you enjoy?

Sugar by any other name...

I've noticed an interesting trend on food labels lately. More and more companies are moving away from using "sugar" in their products' ingredient lists. I think that there are a couple of driving forces behind the trend: 1) Health conscious consumers are trying to steer clear of "sugar" based on some of the latest recommendations. 2) People are interested in consuming more natural foods and ingredients, and "sugar", that white table kind that usually comes to mind when we hear the word, is not necessarily considered natural by many.

We can't simply take an ingredient, such as sugar, out of a food without some consequence...a sacrifice in flavor, texture, volume, and/or color. These are all characteristics that sugar contributes to food. So, if manufacturers aren't using "sugar" in their products, then what are they doing to maintain the quality? You may have to be a detective to figure it out, but if you browse through various food labels, you may be seeing ingredients such as "evaporated cane juice", "brown rice syrup", "grape juice concentrate", and "crystalline fructose". Technically, these are all sources of sugar (aka, simple carbohydrates). They are just different forms or are from different sources.

In terms of health, are these ingredients superior to the more refined table sugar? Not really. They are similar in calories at 4 kcals/gram. So, whether a product contains 20 g of "evaporated cane juice" or 20 g of "sugar", each contributes about 80 calories to the final product. Some will say, "But evaporated cane juice is less refined, so it's healthier." The additional nutrients contained in some of these alternative sources of sugar is minimal at best. Seriously, there are more significant and nutritious sources of these nutrients than evaporated cane juice, brown rice syrup, or fruit juice concentrate. Next, someone might ask, "Isn't "refined sugar" absorbed and metabolized more quickly by the body? Doesn't it turn into fat more easily?" It is true that some types of sugar are absorbed more quickly depending on their chemical make-up, but this feature isn't limited to the so-called refined sugars. Plus, once absorbed into the body, all sugars travel to the liver and are converted to other compounds, mostly glucose. Regardless of the source of sugar, if the body does not immediately use or store that glucose (in the form of glycogen) for energy, the excess is primarily converted to and stored as fat. Finally, I totally believe that if someone is going to consume something that contains sugar anyway but wants a product with less refined sugars for environmental, ethical, culinary, or other reasons (i.e., allergies), then go right ahead. However, I will state for the record that natural still does not equal healthful.

We have to ask ourselves what foods typically contain these alternative sources of sugar. Hmmmm...could they be...processed? Yes, and processed foods (i.e., comes in a box, bag, can, or package of some sort) are major sources of added sugar in the diet. So, what does this dietitian suggest?

To best achieve optimal nutrition, I propose the consumption of more fresh, minimally processed foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. These foods naturally contain fewer added sugars and will also be more nutrient dense containing more vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals than more processed or refined foods. Nutrient dense foods, especially fresh vegetables and fruits, will also naturally offer greater volume for fewer calories. So, they will be more satisfying without contributing an abundance of calories, especially from added sugars. When we focus on increasing our intake of more nutrient dense foods, we will naturally consume fewer foods that contain added sugars as there's just less room for them in our diet...and our stomachs:) Just try it. I dare you!

Am I suggesting that we cut out processed food altogether? No, but I do emphasize the importance of meeting nutrient needs through less processed, nutrient dense foods first. However, in the {real world}, I understand that we are exposed to a wide variety of foods, including processed foods, that we enjoy. Can you say CHOCOLATE? We may have a lifestyle for which processed foods provide a satisfying and convenient option, like energy bars. Or we may actually have a need for processed products, such as sport beverages for endurance athletes. So my second piece of advice is to read food labels to identify sources of added sugar. I know a lot of people who look for the Total Sugar content on the food label, and while this does tell you how much sugar there is per serving, what it will not tell you is whether or not that sugar is naturally occurring or added. So, a good rule of thumb is to read the ingredient list and most often select foods and beverages that do not list sources of sugar as one of the first three ingredients. And don't be fooled into thinking it's healthier just because it's listed as "organic". Organic does not equal healthy either. Here are examples of added sugar that you might see in an ingredient list:

• Agave nectar or agave syrup
  
• Barley malt
  
• Brown rice syrup
  
• Brown sugar
• Cane crystals or cane juice crystals
  
• Cane sugar
• Corn sweetener
• Corn syrup
• Crystallized cane juice
  
• Crystalline fructose
• Date sugar
• Demerara
  
• Dextrose
• Evaporated or dehydrated cane juice
• Fructose
• Fruit juice concentrates (grape, peach, pear, and pineapple are common)
• Glucose
• High fructose corn syrup
• High maltose syrup
  
• Honey
• Invert sugar
• Lactose
• Maltose
• Malt syrup
• Maple powder, maple sugar or maple syrup
  
• Molasses
• Muscovado
• Oat syrup
• Rapadura
  
• Raw sugar
• Rice syrup
  
• Sucanat
  
• Sucrose
• Sugar
• Syrup
• Tapioca syrup
  
• Turbinado

So put on your investigator's hat and start scanning those food labels. If it seems too overwhelming to look at every food item you buy, you may want to start with the top 5-10 foods that you consume most frequently. Once you get the hang of it, you'll become a pro. Happy hunting!

Smoothie with a twist

I'm not sure whether to blame our Southern California heat wave or my post-pregnancy state, but I've been on a smoothie kick lately. However, I've put a little twist on my typical smoothie. Thanks to my friend, Jim, for introducing me to the Green Smoothie. We had a get together at our house a few months ago, and he thought it would be a good idea to use some of the greens (mostly spinach) from our garden to impress us with his Green Smoothie. Believe me, I was skeptical at first, but after trying it, I was sold. It was refreshingly good, and I love that it packs a nutritious punch! Spinach is actually quite a versatile vegetable and the flavor blends easily with other flavors without overpowering the final product. I've made a few different versions, so I thought I'd share a few of my concoctions here.

The Refreshing Green Smoothie
{Print this recipe}
Ingredients:
3/4 c cold water
3 c raw spinach leaves
2 apples (cored and chopped)
1/2 large banana
Juice of half a lemon (or ~1 T)

Directions:
1) Add the water and spinach to the blender and blend on low until smooth.
2) Add the apples, banana, and lemon juice and mix on high until smooth.
3) Enjoy!

Serves: 2
Nutritional Information:
Calories: 121 Carbohydrate: 27.5 g   Fat: 1.5 g   Protein: 2.5 g   Fiber: 4.5 g   Cholesterol: 0 mg   Sodium: 14.3 mg
1 serving of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit
Excellent source of vitamin A, K, and folate.
Good source of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and iron.
Also a source of phytochemicals, such as lutein and quercetin.

The Dangerously Delicious Green Smoothie
{Print this recipe}
Ingredients:
1 c light vanilla yogurt (could use plain yogurt or low-fat milk, too)
2 c raw spinach leaves
1 frozen banana
1 T peanut butter

Directions:
1) Add the yogurt and spinach to the blender and blend on low until smooth.
2) Add the banana and peanut butter and mix on high until smooth.
3) Enjoy!

Serves: 2
Nutritional Information:
Calories: 149  Carbohydrate:  20.5 g   Fat:  5 g   Protein:  6.3 g   Fiber: 2 g   Cholesterol:  1 mg   Sodium: 74 mg
1/2 serving vegetables, 1/2 serving of fruit
Excellent source of vitamin A, D, K, B6, and B12, and riboflavin.
Good source of folate, potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium.
Also a source of phytochemicals, such as lutein and quercetin, as well as probiotics from the yogurt.

Recipe tips:

• You may want to experiment with some of the amounts on the ingredients to your liking. They are quite flexible.
• Instead of spinach, you may want to try other dark leafy greens, such as romaine lettuce.
• You can also experiment with other types of fruit, such as pears, berries, or nectarines.
  
• For an added taste adventure, you may want to add some herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, or mint to taste.

Green Smoothie mustache = Kid tested and approved!

Breastfeeding: Sticking with it

Back in January 2000, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the Healthy People 2010, which involves over 450 health objectives for our nation. Here were the objectives set for the area of breastfeeding at that time:

• Increase the proportion of mothers who breastfeed in the early postpartum period from 64% to 75%.
• Increase the proportion of mothers who breastfeed at six months from 29% to 50%.
• Increase the proportion of mothers who breastfeed at one year from 16% to 25%.

Fast forward to September 2009. How are we doing? Well, based on the most recent data, U.S. mothers are not quite hitting these targets. Of those surveyed:

• 70.9% of mothers breastfed in the early postpartum period.
• 36.4% breastfed for six months.
• 17.7% breastfed for one year.

At least we're heading in the right direction, but we're not quite there yet. So, what's the problem? Knowing doesn't equal doing! Many women may know about the benefits of breastfeeding over formula feeding, as we can see by breastfeeding initiation rates (approaching the goal of 75%!). However, it does not mean that mothers have the knowledge, tools, and {most of all} the support to stick with the decision. While it was easy for me to choose to breastfeed initially, once my first child had arrived and I actually started breastfeeding, there were times that I seriously felt like giving up. Thankfully, I had (and have) a few tricks up my sleeve to keep me from doing just that, and that's what I'd like to talk about -- the strategies that worked for me and for other moms I've known.

• Arm yourself with information about the challenges and solutions before baby arrives. I did a lot to accomplish this as I was strongly committed to my decision to breastfeed, and I believe that getting a head start in gaining the knowledge and skills needed for a positive breastfeeding experience before starting the process was priceless!
  
• Attend a lactation education class (or classes) offered through a hospital or birthing center. My husband and I both attended a lactation education class taught by a Registered Nurse and Certified Lactation Consultant. The class was an excellent investment of our time. Not only did I learn a lot about the how-to's associated with breastfeeding, but it also allowed my husband to be a HUGE support during the process by learning about everything along with me. When I ran into a challenge, he'd recall something he learned in the class and helped me through it.
  
• Talk to family members, friends, and others who have breastfed or are currently breastfeeding. After having my first child, I remember referring to my sister for many of my questions as she was breastfeeding her son at the time (7 months older than my daughter). She had a lot of practical tips and tools to offer, and she played a major role in helping me stay on track during that first few weeks. I also joined online groups of pregnant and nursing moms for additional support. I can't even begin to tell you how valuable that online connection was! Sources I've liked are kellymom.com and La Leche League.
• Obtain professional guidance from a Certified Lactation Consultant or Certified Lactation Educator. Fortunately, I have a colleague and friend who is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Registered Dietitian, and I was able to refer to her several times throughout the experience with my first child and prior to having my second child for knowledge and guidance. If your hospital or birthing center offers access to a lactation consultant or educator, I suggest that you take advantage of their expertise. Thankfully, the hospital in which I delivered my children had lactation consultants available on a daily basis to provide one-on-one help with breastfeeding during my stay. I believe that this truly enhanced my early post-partum breastfeeding experience.
  
• Read, read, read! One great source of information before getting started was the book, The Nursing Mother's Companion. This super tool covered a wide range of information from proper latch-on to bra-fitting. You may also want to bone up on nutrition for lactation. I'd recommend Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy by Registered Dietitian Elizabeth Ward.
• Find a hospital, birthing center, and pediatrician who support breastfeeding. When searching for a pediatrician, I made it a priority to find one that encouraged my decision to breastfeed, and believe me, it was a tremendous help through that first year. You can also search for a hospital or birth center that has implemented the UNICEF/WHO Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative.
  
• If you plan on returning to work after having your baby, make sure to inform your employer of your decision to breastfeed. Make arrangements regarding the timing and location needed for pumping and storage of breastmilk.
• Join a support group for nursing moms. You can find local support groups through the La Leche League or you may want to ask your hospital or birthing center, your pediatrician or OB, or a lactation consultant/educator to recommend one.
  
• Invest in essential tools. You may need to seek advice from family, friends, peers, or lactation professionals on what tools might be "necessary". Do you need nursing tops or bras? A nursing pillow? A nursing cover? Nursing pads? A breast pump, storage containers, and bottles?
• Remember your reason. It's always good to remind yourself about why you chose to breastfeed your child in the first place. Doing this can often get you through the tough times. Based on my experience and that of other mothers I know, there may be some tough spots through the process, especially at first, but armed with the right knowledge, skills, and support, you really will get through it and the experience will be positive and rewarding.

Well, this ends the four part blog series on breastfeeding. I hope that it has enhanced or solidified your knowledge about breastfeeding as the optimal source of nutrition for infants, and I also hope that it has helped you consider ways in which you can commit to your decision to breastfeed and/or serve as a source of support for someone else in your life who is or will be breastfeeding her child. The experience is valuable in so many ways, and you and your child are worth it!