Are Ultra-processed Foods Making You and Your Family Sick?
In today’s world, many Americans are eating more ultra-processed and processed foods and not eating real foods that contain adequate amounts of dietary fiber and other nutrients. 75% of Americans are overweight with 45% of children being labeled as overweight. 20% of kids are labeled as obese with about 1/3 of kids having diabetes or pre-diabetes around age 12.
Weight Loss the Easy Way…Take a Weekly Shot but…Just Some Food for Thought
Its no big secret how obesity has tripled in 60 years. How did we get here: poor diet with lots ultra processed foods, fast food eating, and sedentary lifestyles. Ultra processed foods make up about half of all the calories consumed. The Food Industry has created lots of high sugar, high salt, junk food with enticing ads.
Magnesium Keeps Your Body Running Smoothly
Recently a family member told me his health professional recommended he take a magnesium supplement daily. She told him to look for a magnesium supplement that contain at least 200 milligrams (mg). He’s 75 years old and is also on blood pressure medicine. He asked me about what foods were high in magnesium which prompted me to write this column about magnesium. As a nutritionist, I always recommend foods over supplements unless my client doesn’t eat the foods high in the nutrient needed, they have a medical condition where they don’t absorb the nutrient well may cause a magnesium deficiency. In fact, when I was working as a performance nutritionist, when an athlete suffered from muscle cramps, besides discussing hydration, potassium status, calcium status, I also talked about magnesium. Many of energy & muscle system reactions are magnesium dependent to work effectively.
Keeping a Daily Food Diary Can Help You Lose Weight
In today’s world there are calorie counting apps you can add to your I-phone, I-pad or Android which makes keeping track of your foods and beverages easier. Some of the calorie counting apps are really good but many now are charging a monthly or yearly fee.
Adequate Daily Fluid Intake is a Key to Athletic Success
Drinking an adequate amount of water (fluids) is essential for top athletic performance. Water (fluid) is the most often nutrient neglected by athletes. If the you do not drink enough water (fluids), you will become dehydrated. When you become dehydrated, strength and endurance will be cut in half. If dehydration is not treated successfully, then you will continue to perform poorly, risking a heat illness. Heat illnesses can be life threatening!
Fast Facts on Dietary Fiber and Your Health
Dietary fibers are the non-starch forms of carbohydrate from plants and the human body cannot digest. Dietary fiber has many health benefits.
Maximizing the Rainbow of Colors for Your Health
Choosing the most colorful foods to eat on a daily basis ensures you are getting lots of antioxidants which can help to decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia and macular degeneration. Each color in a vegetable or fruit represents a different set of antioxidants which contain different health benefits. Common antioxidants are: vitamins C and E, beta carotene (precursor to vitamin A), lutein, lycopene, anthocyanins and isoflavones.
Is Eating a High-Sugar Diet Killing Americans?
Most people have a sweet tooth because we all love to eat brownies, cookies, candy and ice cream. These foods are actually considered comfort foods in today’s world. Medical research has been suggesting for years, high sugar intake is the main culprit in increasing your risk of all of the killing diseases in America.
How Vitamin D Can Help Keep You Healthy
Vitamin D is unique in that it is both a nutrient we eat and a hormone our bodies make. Research has suggested adequate vitamin D may help with bone health and muscle strength, help to prevent depression, prevent some types of cancers, treat heart disease and type 2 diabetes and help create a strong immune system.
A Potassium-Rich Diet Can Lower Your Risk of High Blood Pressure
Americans need to get more potassium in their diet to help lower the risk of high blood pressure, kidney stones, osteoporosis, and stroke. Women should get 2,600 mg and men should get 3,400 mg of potassium every day. Most Americans don’t meet that goal on a daily basis.
