• 22Jul

  How to create healthy recipes

  Family Nutrition No Comments

  We all know that eating healthy is important for our bodies to function properly and help prevent disease which helps us enjoy life to the fullest. However, when we think about fixing healthy meals, we normally envision dull, tasteless meals that are unappetizing. Well, that way of thinking is officially outdated. Healthy, low fat recipes can be delicious and flavorful if you use the right ingredients. Angela Pollock from Hellium shares some great tips for creating recipes with rich, bold flavor there’s no way you won’t enjoy it.

  A big part of eating healthier, aside from cutting out fat, is including more fruits and vegetables (of course!) in the meal. We’ve all steamed our vegetables so they retain their nutrients and tried to only add a little salt, pepper, or some other spices to bump up the flavor – instead of adding butter – but sometimes it’s just not enough. That’s why we found this great article from LJWorld.com. They share 10 ideas for cooking fruits and vegetables. From boiling, to sauteeing, to roasting, you’ll really enjoy these new ways to prepare your fruits and vegetables.

  Of course, we can’t leave out ways to create healthy meals your children will love too. A school in Somerville, Massachusetts has mastered this. The school started serving locally grown vegetables and even features a Vegetable of the Month like butternut squash. I certainly don’t remember having anything like butternut squash served when I was in school. When the school started this initiative, they knew the biggest obstacle was going to be finding nutritious foods that kids will actually eat. So they did some testing that both made the students feel involved in the initiative and letting them know their opinions matter and helped the staff figure out what to serve the students that they’d actually eat.

  The last article is about a mom, Angie Struhs, who loves getting creative in the kitchen. It’s because of this that Angie ended up winning the Heart Healthiest 2010 recipe contest with her Avocado-Lime Salsa. Angie’s 6 year old daughter says “it’s her favorite salsa”. Check out the recipe at The Salt Lake Tribune and check out all the recipes from the contest at hearthighway.org.

  Tags: Healthy Cooking

• 09Jul

  July is National Make a Difference to a Child Month

  Family Nutrition No Comments

  July is National Make a Difference to a Child Month so I decided to focus on that for this week’s topic. Children are so important to the future and we have to teach them and guide them on how to live healthy lives and make good decisions. So as always, our focus in this article will be teaching children about living a healthy lifestyle.

  Teaching children about the importance of fruits and vegetables in their diet is one of the best places to start. The base of a healthy lifestyle starts with what you put in your mouth. For the most part, children today don’t understand why they should eat fruits and vegetables and how eating healthy affects their body. Another problem is that a lot of adults don’t fully understand this either so it’s hard for them to teach their children. So I found this article from The American Heart Association where they provide tips for teaching kids how to eat to be heart healthy. The rest of the website has some great information as well.

  Staying active is another important part of living a healthy lifestyle. When I was younger, my parents always required that I be a part of some type of sport or activity. I never understood why until I grew up and realized how important being active was to being healthy. And of course just telling your child they need to be active doesn’t impact them as much if you aren’t active too. As they say ‘a family that plays together stays together’. So read this article from the USA Today and find some great way to stay active and have fun this summer as a family. Feel free to share your own ideas in the comments section.

  As we know, children get tired of listening to their parents sometimes and would rather take tips from their peers. So if you’re having trouble getting through to your child, share with these tips from students Cuesta College in California. These students came up with some great ways to eat healthy while in college and the tips can also be applied to younger students who are still at home. Or you can encourage your child to take a cooking class like these students in California who are learning to cook with vegetables. When a child learns to do something themselves they become more invested in it and more prone to do it. Who know, you may even find you’ve had an amateur chef living in your home.

  Tags: College Students, National Make a Difference to a Child Month

• 23Jun

  Eating healthy – it’s possible whether you grow your own vegetables, buy them in a store, or eat out

  Family Nutrition No Comments

  I’ve talked a lot about gardening lately, especially since April was National Gardening Month, and I found one more article that I though the gardeners out there would appreciate. The Santa Barbara Independent tells you how to grow a thriving garden by using crop rotation. This technique seems fairly time consuming, detailed, and scientifically based. All things that would normally scare me away. But if you’re a vegetable gardener, it’s also definitely worth your time and brain power.

  For those of you who aren’t the gardening type, but still want your family to eat right at home, it all starts with the choices you make at the grocery store. The Mercury Life gives you great tips on how to shop healthy at the grocery store. Of course, there are the tips you hear all the time, like buy fresh food instead of over processed food in boxes. But they also have a few new tips. Check out the article for all the tips. And before you get to the store, check out this article from Today’s Diet on foods that help you mend. You may want to add a few items to your list once you find out what foods can be your ally when battling stress, fighting fatigue or illness, or trying to heal from wounds or injuries.

  Of course as busy as we are nowadays, all this talk about eating healthy normally gets put aside when you’re too tired to cook. We’ve all had those days when just deciding what to cook for dinner seems like a terrible chore by itself. So we opt for take out instead. But eating out doesn’t always have to mean unhealthy. Fitness at Home shares their guide to eating out right. Many restaurants are starting to realize the need for healthier menu choices and this article helps you pick them out.

  And as I’m sure you know, a healthy lifestyle doesn’t just mean eating right, it means being active. If you’re one of those people who gets burned out from doing the same exercise routine day after day take a look at this article from Today’s Diet. They show you how to add new flavors to your fitness routine. Most of these tips are simple modifications to your exercise routine to make it a little less mundane. Exercise should be fun, not something you dread doing. So spice it up a little! Share some of your own ideas for adding flavor to your fitness routine in the comments section.

  Tags: Eating Out, Exercise, Gardening

• 02Jun

  Fruits and vegetables help with anti-aging

  Family Nutrition No Comments

  We all know fruits and vegetables are good for us but now studies suggest they can help keep us young. MSN shares the seven fruits and vegetables that can help you defy your age. Who isn’t interested in staying young?! But, since a lot of fruits and vegetables are seasonal, it doesn’t matter how young a blueberry can make me look, I’m not eating it if it’s out of season. So to make sure your produce is in season, use the seasonal fruit and veggie tool from RealSimple.com. Not only does the tool tell you what’s in season, it also tells you how to buy, store, and cook the produce. It’s a very helpful tool for those, like myself, who aren’t extremely knowledge on the subject.

  If you’re interested in knowing what’s in season and how to cook these items then you probably do your fair share of cooking your meals at home or your interested in doing it more often. And if you have children you’ll be happy to know that according to CNN, cooking meals at home can lead to healthier kids. Of course, as long as you don’t live in a fast food restaurant, this statement makes complete sense. When you cook a meal yourself you pay more attention to the ingredients used and the ratio of fruits and vegetables to meats and breads. We normally make healthier decisions when we are behind the stove, especially when children are involved.

  We’ve shared several articles touting great healthy living tips for children and what to do to help your kids eat more fruits and vegetables but this next article changed it up a little. WJTV* in Jackson, Mississippi went to several elementary schools and got healthier living tips from the children themselves. It’s so great to see children that understand the importance of healthy living.

  National Women’s Health Week was last month and to help celebrate Ellen Pompeo and thousands of others have committed to health and cancer prevention. They are calling it Choose You. They want women everywhere to be part of the Choose You Movement and commit to making a healthy living and early detection a priority. You can choose to Eat Right, Get Active, Quit Smoking, Get Regular Health Checks, or Protect Your Skin. Join Ellen in this movement and Choose You.

  Share your comments and questions in the Comments section.

  *When you click this link you’ll need to scroll down the page to March 31, 2010. The article is a little old but still great!

  Tags: Anti Aging, Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables, Women's Health

• 12Apr

  Spring is here! And it’s National Garden Month

  Family Nutrition No Comments

  Spring is finally here. It’s time to get back outside and enjoy the sunshine (while soaking in some Vitamin D). This is also the time that we get back to our yards, flower beds, and if we’re feeling really motivated, a garden.

  To some, planting a garden is a lot of extra time and effort and can be a little scary. But having a garden full of fresh fruits and vegetables has so many benefits, I wanted to try and make it a little easier for you. So I found an article in The Monitor, they share 10 easy steps to garden success. They start by helping you select a location for your garden and advise you to start small. Read the full article for all their great tips.

  While planting your garden may take some extra time outside, there are so many benefits to having one. You get to grow the fruits and vegetables you and your family love and eat the most and you get to eat them at their peak of ripeness (when they are at their most nutritious). Not to mention how expensive fresh produce is at the grocery store. An article in NPR discusses the problem we are experiencing with junk food costing less than healthy foods! No wonder people are more prone to make bad choices.

  Another benefit of having your own garden is being able to teach your children first hand where fruits and vegetables come from. Children can always benefit from being outside and learning new things. An article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says that kids are often willing to try new foods when they learn about healthful ingredients and help prepare tasty recipes. What better place to start learning about healthful ingredients than their own backyard? And who doesn’t want a little help in the kitchen?

  As the temperature starts to rise, a healthy diet can actually help keep you cool. The Deccan Herald shares some great tips on how your diet can help keep you cool this summer. According to this article, you may want to grow some berries, melons, and cucumbers in your garden so you can stay cool while growing some nutritious produce!

  Share your comments and questions in the Comments section.

  Tags: National Garden Month

• 26Mar

  Rise in strokes among younger generations

  Family Nutrition No Comments

  A new study reported by CBS, shows that poor diets may be causing a rise in strokes among the younger generations. The percentage of people ages 20-45 who had a stoke in 2005 was up 7.3% – from 1993-94 when it was 4.5%. With more and more studies like this one coming out, we are realizing how important it is to educated our youth on good nutrition.

  With that in mind, the following three articles are highlighted below because of their educational aspects.

  We all know what the diet of a college student consists of – pizza, ramen noodles, and beer. And rarely do you see a single vegetable on one of those pizzas. Well Northwestern University decided to educate their student body a little on good nutrition. The University shared some great tips on how the students can improve their diets while having a limited cash flow. A lot of people are feeling the strains of limited cash flow at the moment so everyone may benefit from what Northwestern University has to say.

  The ABC news segment, The View from the Bay, shared some interesting information on good fats vs. bad fats. They tell you that adding a healthy fat to every meal, such as oil, olives, nuts, or dark chocolate, is a great idea. But keep in mind that a little goes a long way!

  This last article is a great one but I honestly feel this should be common sense. Business Week shares a study done by Duke University that suggests a good diet and regular exercise may help the mind function better. This makes complete sense! We’ve all hit that midday lull where you can’t focus on anything for longer than 30 seconds. But once we get a healthy lunch in us, we have some energy and our brains start functioning again. And we all love that feeling we get after some moderate exercise. Read the full article at BusinessWeek.com, you’ll think this should be common sense too.

  Share your thoughts and comments in the Comment Section. Thanks!

  Tags: College Students, Healthy Tips

• 12Mar

  March is National Nutrition Month

  Family Nutrition No Comments

  March is National Nutrition Month. Obviously we love this month and wish it could last all year long. Unfortunately we only have 31 days, but we’ll take it.

  The American Dietetic Association (ADA) is responsible for giving March the honor of being National Nutrition Month. The ADA started this campaign to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. On their website, you can watch videos with tips on how to reduce your salt intake or on home food safety and much more.

  In honor of National Nutrition Month, the Gaston Gazette has tips on how to add flavors and colors to your diet. They suggest aiming for at least four different shades of produce on your next shopping trip and eat fruit to satisfy your sweet tooth. Read all the great tips at the Gaston Gazette website.

  When talking about nutrition we always have to talk about the nutrition of our youth. The New York Times wrote an article about the ‘generation of snackers’. It seems that kids today are constantly grazing throughout the day and unfortunately, they’re not grazing on the most healthy foods. Instead they’re constantly grazing on cookies, salty foods, fruit drinks, and soda. And this could be a factor in the childhood obesity epidemic our nation is facing. But one school is standing up to bad nutrition. According to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, an Elementary school in San Dimas, CA added a salad bar to their lunch program. And strangely enough, it was a hit! Twice a week the students are treated to a full salad bar filled with locally grown produce. It sounds delicious and should be available to all children everyday.

  Share your thoughts, comments, and questions in the comments section.

  Tags: National Nutrition Month

• 23Feb

  Adult Health: Only 14% eat enough fruits and vegetables a day

  Family Nutrition No Comments

  We all know we need to eat a healthy diet full of a variety of fruits and vegetables. We know that doing this will help us feel better, improve our immune system, help us live longer, and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is needed for our bodies to function properly. But even though we know how essential fruits and vegetables are to our well-being, only 14% of American adults eat the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables according to a report released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported by USA Today.

  USA Today quoted Marisa Moore, a registered dietitian in Atlanta and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association as saying, “It’s absolutely possibly for adults to change their eating patterns.” And because adults are the best role models for children, it’s absolutely necessary for adults to make an effort to change. We have made children’s health a topic of several discussions here on Science & Health News but adult health is important too, so we decided to focus on the adults today.

  Recent studies have found that your diet can affect both your memory and your vision. In The Telegraph, scientists at the University of Cincinnati have found that grapes can reduce or even reverse memory loss. This was a fairly small study but the “trends suggested improved short-term memory retention and spatial, non-verbal memory.” The study gives further weight to the suggestion that the consumption of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables may help slow or reverse memory decline.

  The Sun Sentinel discusses the topic of vision. According to a national survey, Americans pay little attention to vision changes until it’s too advanced to treat. Obviously routine eye exams are necessary to catch problems before it’s too late but they also suggest looking at your diet. A diet rich in lutein – found in green leafy vegetable such as broccoli and Kale – and fatty acids can aid in vision health.

  * Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

  Tags: Adult Health, Memory Loss, Vision

• 15Feb

  The First Lady is Taking on Childhood Obesity

  Family Nutrition No Comments

  Putting all political beliefs aside, we are very glad to see someone taking such a serious and active look at the health of our nation’s children. First Lady, Michelle Obama, has been making headlines this week due to her national public awareness campaign against childhood obesity called Let’s Move.

  Today, one in three American children are overweight. This puts them at a higher risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other illnesses that nobody should have to worry about until much later in life. According to the L.A. Times, Obama’s campaign is aimed at solving the childhood obesity problem  so that the children of today can reach adulthood at a healthy weight.

  Michelle tells USA Today why this is so important to her. The First Lady is just like any other mom. She juggled school pick-ups, a busy husband, and a job. When it came to mealtime, she was too tired to cook and drive-thrus or takeout were a simple and attractive alternative. When her pediatrician told Michelle he was concerned with the fluctuations in her daughter’s weight, Michelle realized those ‘easy’ meals weren’t doing anybody any favors in the long run. So she decided it was time to do something about it. That something has become the Let’s Move campaign.

  Let us know your thoughts on the the Let’s Move campaign and Michelle’s fights against childhood obesity.

  Tags: Childhood Obesity, Let's Move campaign, Michelle Obama

• 28Jan

  The Impact of Healthy Habits by Dr. Janet Roberto

  Family Nutrition No Comments
  

  Janet Roberto, M.D.

  As a practicing family physician for over 20 years, I have had the privilege to share in the health care of many families – to celebrate their joys and successes as well as support and share struggles and losses. I have seen how lifestyle choices impact a person’s wellness, quality of life, and longevity.

  Will the habits you have now really make a difference when you’re older? The majority of all age related illnesses are related directly to behaviors like poor diet, inactivity, stress, smoking, and inadequate sleep. Poor behaviors when you are young can increase the risk of developing serious diseases when you are older like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, which are responsible for over half of all deaths in adults. The good news? It’s never too late to begin a proactive approach to your health.

  Start with the basics – eat right, be active , and maintain a healthy weight. According to the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association , a healthy diet and lifestyle are your best weapons for maintaining health.

  Part of a healthy lifestyle includes a diet with an emphasis on plant foods. You should eat five or more servings or a variety of vegetables and fruits every day. It’s not as difficult as it sounds. The CDC created a web site to help you increase the amount of fruits and vegetables in your diet. You can even join their Fruit and Vegetable of the Month Club. Now that is a new idea!

  Remember that change happens a little bit at a time. Start by making small changes to your lifestyle and pretty soon you’ll be on your way to a healthier you.

  Janet Roberto, M.D.
  Family Medicine

  Note: Dr. Janet Roberto is one of the many health professionals who share Juice Plus+^® with their patients and colleagues as a Juice Plus+^® distributor.

  *Register to share your comments/questions with us. (The registration button is found in the upper left navigation bar.)

  Tags: Healthy Habits, Janet Roberto MD

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