Cravings We all have been there! That late night trip to the ice cream store in your pajamas for a giant sundae, right? Not so quick! Sugar cravings can wreak havoc on the greatest of nutrition plans. If you're like most people in the U.S., you eat 19 teaspoons or more of added...

Thoughts of chocolates, flowers and romance are in the air as Valentine's Day approaches. February appropriately is also Heart Health Month which should help get us thinking about more long-term gifts for the special "Valentines" in our lives. Adopting a healthier eating pattern helps decrease the...

One in eleven Americans has diabetes today. Men and women of all races, ages, shapes and sizes are battling this mostly invisible disease. Every twenty-three seconds someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with diabetes. It is important to bring awareness to this chronic disease and dispel stereotypes,...

Did you know that throughout life you are continually losing and rebuilding bone tissue? In fact, children make new bone at a substantially greater rate, compared to adults. This is because during childhood and adolescence, much more bone is being built than lost, as their bones are growing in both...

  The November 28, 2016 Nutrition and Wellness team's Motivation Monday is being shared as a blog post.   Are you making your holiday gift list and checking it twice? Why not give a gift of health? We have all been the recipient of or given gifts that sit in the closet never to be used.  A...

In yesterday's blog post we learned that May is National Osteoporosis Month, today we will talk about how making healthy lifestyle choices can help prevent or delay the onset of osteoporosis. Making healthy lifestyle choices can help prevent or delay the onset of osteoporosis....

As the new year starts, many people pick improved health as a goal or resolution, whether that is weight loss, getting to the gym, or stopping smoking. Since January hosts Cervical Health Awareness Month, this post - Part 1 – will focus on food and lifestyle for cancer risk reduction. Risk...

As the new year starts, many people pick improved health as a goal or resolution, whether that is weight loss, getting to the gym, or stopping smoking. Since January hosts Cervical Health Awareness Month, this post - Part 2 – will focus on picking foods during treatment. ...

Grilling and Summer Food Safety Summer is officially here! And if you haven't already gotten your grill out, you should consider doing so. Grilling is a great way to keep the kitchen cool and enjoy the many wonderful foods summer has to offer. Whether you are grilling meat, poultry...

The occasional creek and pop of your joints may not hurt. However, not everyone is so fortunate. For Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month, let's talk joint health and decode joint supplements. Nutrients in Joint Health All nutrients are...

This holiday season many of us will be sitting down to enjoy our favorite traditional and seasonal dishes. One dish commonly enjoyed is candied sweet potatoes. This versatile food has become increasingly popular and is a great addition to any meal. And with more and more Americans looking to...

Much controversy exists about whether the foods you eat or do not eat affect symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. No evidence has shown particular foods will stop rheumatoid arthritis from getting worse. However, some studies have shown short term improvement in symptoms with certain foods. These...

Alright men, listen up! (Or ladies, pass this post along to the men in your life.) June is Men's Health Month and a time to encourage men to take charge of their health. Food choices are a way to tip the scales – positive or negative – in health. As...

Yesterday we learned that sweet potatoes are considered a superfood. And although there is no true definition of a superfood, we know superfoods are foods that are packed full of key nutrients and phytochemicals. What are Phytochemicals? Phytochemicals are naturally occurring...

According to Mintel, a global research firm, sales of baby food significantly dropped between 2007 and 2011, and it's expected to continue to decline. The slump in sales have been attributed to more mothers making their own baby food, allowing moms to know what it's made out of and giving them a...

Any woman has probably heard the adage that breast milk is good for the baby, whether you are a mom or not. There are benefits of breastmilk, from immune health to strong...

Ever made a succulent pork roast, had a wonderful meal with family or friends, then sat down for a favorite television show and realized three hours later that the leftover cooked roast is still sitting on the kitchen counter? Food left in temperatures between 40° and 140°F, the danger zone, for...

Coming off the "Family Mealtime Challenge" in my unit last week (Dewitt, Macon, and Piatt counties), I am pumped to keep it going into October. October is Eat Better, Eat Together Month, and another time to encourage families to eat together. I think anymore I rarely have to convince families that...

You know what they say… "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach"…meaning a woman can make a man love her by cooking him good meals. Whether this is true or not, I believe that cooking a meal for someone is an act of love but what if you can't even boil a pot of water?! Although this can...