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Sharon Collison is a Registered Dietitian and Instructor of Clinical Nutrition at the University of Delaware. Sharon completed her B.S. degree in Food Science and her M.S. degree in Human Nutrition with a concentration in exercise physiology at the University of Delaware. Sharon provides medical nutrition therapy (MNT) in the Nutrition Clinic with expertise in weight management with a body positive/intuitive eating approach, eating disorders/disordered eating, healthy aging, sports nutrition, cardiovascular and wellness nutrition. She has presented as a speaker and written several CEU articles for Today’s Dietitian on topics including nutrition and exercise strategies to reduce/prevent sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass and muscle function with aging) and impact of foods on inflammation and disease. She is board certified as an interdisciplinary specialist in obesity and weight management and maintained board-certification as a sports dietitian from 2008-2023. She is passionate about eating disorder awareness and prevention and is involved with the National Alliance for Eating Disorders as an affiliate of the local chapter and by co-leading support groups in Wilmington, DE. In her spare time, Sharon enjoys cycling, hiking, tennis, cooking, developing recipes, entering cooking contests, and reading. She won the grand prize, $100,000, at the Southern Living Cookoff in 2005 for her chocolate coffee cheesecake with mocha sauce.

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health-for-the-holidays-expert-provides-tips-for-keeping-diets-in-tact

Clinical Instructor, Health Behavior and Nutrition Science

 'Tis the season for meals with friends and family and sneaking in snacks before New Year's resolutions put the fun to a halt. Indeed, the holidays are a time for celebration, but they can also make it challenging to maintain balance in our lives. Sharon Collison, licensed registered dietitian and instructor of clinical nutrition at the University of Delaware, says dietary substitutes,  meal routines and comfortable clothing are key to savoring the season without going overboard.

 Collison, a board-certified specialist in obesity and weight management who provides medical nutrition therapy in the Nutrition Clinic in UD's College of Health Sciences, offered practical tips to help holiday revelers stay on the beam.

How can folks enjoy their favorite holiday foods without overindulging? Don't skip meals on the day of the holiday. If you're overly hungry when the holiday meal is served, it will be harder to keep portions controlled. Also, make choices. Decide what foods at the meal are most appealing to you and eat a moderate portion (such as a cup). For example, if the meal has mashed potatoes and a sweet potato casserole, decide which one is most appealing to you and enjoy. Try to be more mindful about choices, eat slowly, and make sure you are aware of how much you are eating. Check-in with yourself throughout the meal and pay attention to fullness signals.

How can we maintain a positive body image during the season of indulgence? Wear clothes that make you feel the most confident AND comfortable. Avoid clothing that is too tight, making you feel even more uncomfortable after eating. Also, make physical activity a priority during the holiday season. Several studies support the benefit of physical activity on body image independent of the effect on body weight.

 
Will dessert kill  diets, or is it all about balance?  Absolutely not! Diets are the problem, not dessert. I recommend eating dessert while paying attention to portions and eating mindfully. Not allowing yourself dessert or depriving yourself can backfire and lead to extreme dieting and overindulging, which is more harmful to your well-being.  

What are some tips for moderating alcohol consumption at holiday parties? Alternate alcoholic beverages with a glass of water or flavored seltzer. This will help you stay hydrated, too. 

What are some festive non-alcoholic drink options for celebrations? Flavored seltzer with added orange slices and fresh cranberries.

How do we stay active during the colder holiday months?  Bundle up in layers and go for a walk/hike. Purchase inexpensive exercise equipment, such as a stationary bike, to exercise without going outside or to a gym. Set a daily step goal and reach it at home by walking and talking on the phone with family or friends, dancing, and cleaning.

How can we handle food guilt or pressure to eat during family meals? Depending on your situation and family dynamics, consider talking to your family about perceived pressure to eat. Think about how you want to eat at holiday gatherings and tell your family you may eat differently than you did in the past. Ask them not to comment or draw attention and allow you to do what is best for you.  

Try to avoid extremes in eating; neither extreme works in the long run. Being too restrictive doesn't allow you to enjoy food. Food is meant to be enjoyed. Allow yourself to enjoy special foods over the holidays. Pay attention to both extremes so that you're not under eating or overeating. If you are still struggling with guilt or feel you are unable to avoid these extremes, consider working with a Registered Dietitian and psychotherapist who have the training to help you.

How can we make healthy eating choices while traveling for the holidays?   Consider packing some foods to give you more options. For example, bring everything you need to continue your breakfast routine. Plan ideas for lunches that you know help you feel your best. Since breakfast and lunch are closer to your regular routine, give yourself more flexibility with your dinner meal. 

Also, don’t be afraid to plan and research restaurants with options you feel good about.

Lastly, set a goal to ensure each meal/snack includes a serving of fruit or vegetables, which will help you consume smaller portions of higher-calorie foods.

How can we return to a balanced diet after a season of treats and large meals? If you avoid the extreme of eating much more than usual at holiday meals, you will much more easily be able to return to your regular food intake patterns.

But try not to look at the holiday season as a time to avoid setting limits on food intake. Make choices where you want to eat more than you might otherwise eat, but make these choices mindfully, and try not to view any meal as an unlimited buffet.

What small steps can we take to set healthy goals for the new year? Avoid the common goal of starting a diet on January 1 or 2. Instead, start increasing physical activity during the holiday season.

Focus on what to add to your diet rather than what to avoid; try setting a goal to ensure that each meal/snack includes vegetables and/or fruit, get two servings of whole grains/day, or eat a plant-based meal once/day or three meals/week.

What are some healthy swaps for traditional holiday dishes? The American Heart Association (AHA) has great heart-healthy holiday recipes. But here are some easy ways to modify your own recipes:

• Use fat-free half-and-half in place of heavy cream or regular half-and-half

• Use Truvia brown sugar baking blend instead of brown sugar (Tip: Reduce the portion of Truvia baking blend to half the amount of sugar.)

• Substitute white whole wheat flour for white flour in baking recipes; this will increase dietary fiber without changing the texture of the baked good that would occur if substituted with whole wheat flour.

• Use 1/2 full eggs + 1/2 liquid egg white to reduce calories/fat/cholesterol in any recipe (1/8 cup liquid egg/egg white = 1 egg).

• Use applesauce instead of 1/2 of the oil in a recipe to reduce fat content and calories.

• Use fat-free plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.

• It's important that food tastes good and is enjoyed; too many modifications can take the enjoyment out of a favorite food. If any of these modifications change the taste/texture of the recipe too much, consider replacing half of the ingredients as suggested and still include half of the original ingredient (sour cream, oil, sugar, etc.) to reduce overall calories/fat/sugar.


Health for the holidays: Expert provides tips for keeping diets in tact

the-importance-of-vitamin-k-for-a-healthy-diet

 Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays important roles in blood clotting and in bone metabolism. Sharon Collison, a registered dietitian and instructor of Clinical Nutrition at the University of Delaware, has over 30 years of experience looking at nutrition, diets and diet culture. She has studied the affects of vitamin K and the impact it can have on one's overall health. 

She notes that vitamin K decreases bone turnover,  protecting against fractures. Vitamin K is unique in that bacteria in the GI tract can synthesize vitamin K that can contribute to the body’s needs. People generally get about ½ their vitamin K from synthesis in the GI tract and ½ from food sources. 

 Here are some foods that Collison said are not only good sources of vitamin K, but are nutritional powerhouse foods that are nutrient dense.

Broccoli Raab: 241 mcg/100 grams of vitamin K.  Also high in dietary fiber, potassium and vitamin C. 

Artichokes: 14.8 mcg/100 grams vitamin K. Also an excellent source of dietary fiber and potassium. 

 
Broccoli: 102 mcg/100 grams vitamin K. Also high in vitamin C, beta carotene, dietary fiber, potassium, iron and phytonutrients — which has great cancer fighting properties.

 
Spinach: Chopped frozen boiled spinach has 543 mcg/100 grams of vitamin K, making it one of the best sources. Also high in vitamin C, folate, potassium, vitamin A and magnesium. 

Green leaf lettuce: 126 mcg/100 grams vitamin K. Also a good source of vitamin A and potassium, folate and very low in calories. 

 
Canola oil: 10 mcg/1 Tbsp vitamin K. Also a good source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and vitamin E.
 

Canned tuna in oil: 37 mcg/3 ounces vitamin K. Also rich in protein and heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids. 
 

Eggs: Vitamin K content varies between 67-192 mcg per egg yolk depending on the hen’s diet. Also an excellent source of protein. 

Arugula: 21 mcg/1 cup vitamin K. Also good source of potassium, vitamin C, folate, vitamin A and  calcium. 

Collison is affiliated with the National Alliance on Eating Disorder Awareness and Prevention. She has been a board-certified sports dietitian since 2008, providing sports nutrition guidance to middle-school, high-school, collegiate, elite and amateur athletes. 


The Importance of Vitamin K for a Healthy Diet

Sharon Collison, nutrition instructor in the College of  
Health Sciences at the University of Delaware, shares her award winning  
recipe for Lightened Chocolate Coffee Cheesecake with Mocha Sauce. The  
original version of her recipe (a bit less "light") won the grand prize of  
$100,000 in a Southern Living magazine cook-off in 2005.

Visit http://sites.udel.edu/bhan/ for more info!

Ingredients
●       2 cups crushed chocolate graham crackers (about 18 crackers)
●       1/3 cup butter, melted
●       Butter flavored cooking spray
●       3 (8-oz.) packages reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
●       1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
●       1 cup sugar
●       ¼ cup coffee liqueur
●       1 teaspoon vanilla extract
●       1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
●       1 cup liquid egg substitute
●       4 oz bittersweet baking chocolate squares

Directions:
1. Stir together crushed graham crackers and melted butter; press mixture  
into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking  
spray.
2. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven  
temperature to 325°.
3. Beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until  
blended. Add liqueur, vanilla, and coffee granules, beating at low speed  
until well blended. Add egg substitute, ¼ cup at a time, beating just until  
yellow disappears after each addition.
4. Remove and reserve 1 cup cream cheese mixture. Pour remaining batter  
into prepared crust.
5. Microwave chocolate in a medium-size, microwave-safe bowl 1 minute or  
until melted, stirring after 30 seconds. Stir reserved 1 cup cream cheese  
mixture into melted chocolate, blending well. (Mixture will be thick.)  
Spoon mixture in lines on top of batter in pan; gently swirl with a knife.
6. Bake at 325° for 1 hour or until almost set. Turn oven off. Let  
cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake  
from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen  
from sides of pan. (Do not remove sides of pan.) Cool 1 hour on a wire  
rack. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
7. Remove sides of springform pan. Serve with Mocha Sauce…

Mocha Sauce:
●       1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
●       ¼ cup fat-free half-and-half
●       2 teaspoons butter
●       3 tablespoons strong-brewed coffee

Heat first three ingredients in a small heavy saucepan over low heat,  
stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth. Remove from heat and stir  in coffee. Serve warm.  Visit http://www.udel.edu for more info.

Lightened Chocolate Coffee Cheesecake with Mocha Sauce

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