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.

Vegetable Beef Stew

This one-pot meal is a family favorite. It has lots of vegetables and is gluten-free. You can add salt and pepper to taste. One of my granddaughters like to add brown rice to her bowl of Vegetable Beef Stew. She has to be gluten-free so the extra calories are warranted. It seems like she is always training for a ½ marathon somewhere.

Nutrition Strategies for Tournament Day or All-Day Competitions on the Road

If you are a mom or grandmother who is in charge of carpooling your student athlete(s) to their tournament or all-day competitions on the road, here are some nutrition strategies that might help your athlete maximize his or her performance throughout the day. Or if you are an adult who competes in tennis, pickleball or volleyball competitions, you can also find some great suggestions.

Sweet Potato-Spinach-Black Bean Quesadillas

This quesadilla recipe combines many of my favorite foods which are high nutrients: sweet potatoes, spinach, red pepper and black beans. It’s no secret, I love Mexican foods and so does my family. You can easily make this gluten-free if you substitute the whole wheat tortillas for corn tortillas. I like to top my quesadillas with a little salsa, some yummy guacamole, a dab of lite sour cream, and I make a side salad with diced tomatoes and chopped romaine lettuce.

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.

Peloton® App is a Great Christmas Present

I have been doing spin classes for over 25+ years…ever since Spinning became a fitness craze. In fact, I used to love to go to the Spin Classes. I have had a professional spin bike for 15+ years but always preferred going to in-person classes. But during Covid-19, I needed to find an alternative.

Easy-to-Fix Meatloaf Cupcakes

This is a very easy recipe to make. These cupcakes are easy quick meal for family. Meatloaf cupcakes are great to take for school or work lunches. You can add a microwave baked sweet potato and salad with blueberries or sliced strawberries to round out the meal. My grandkids like ketchup so they always add ketchup.

The Gift of Health Bean Soup with a Kick

By Barbara Day, M.S., R.D.
For a special Christmas present this year, you can mix dry beans together and give the festive bags with the attached recipe as a gift of health. Beans are a great source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber can help to lower your cholesterol and insoluble fiber helps to prevent and treat constipation. Beans are low fat and high in protein, folate, magnesium, potassium and iron.