Nutrition & Wellness

Illinois Extension is here to help with your nutrition needs.

Understanding core health and wellness topics are an important aspect of your family's overall well-being. From food safety to nutrition to chronic disease prevention and management, Illinois Extension is committed to helping families across the state and beyond live the best versions of their lives. Have questions not addressed in the topics listed below? Reach out to our nutrition and wellness educator Kristin Bogdonas to learn more or to schedule a program for your group or organization!

Wellness Wake Up Call Podcast

Nutrition and wellness educator Kristin Bogdonas provides timely news, information, ideas to promote healthy living in the Quad Cities and beyond. Wellness Wake Up Call is produced by WVIK in partnership with University of Illinois Extension.

Wellness Tips at Your Fingertips Text Program. Sign up below!

Sign up to get a text message each week on a variety of topics geared towards healthy finances, healthy living/healthy aging, and healthy eating. Standard text message rates applyYou can opt out of messages at anytimeYou will get minimally one message each week and no more than 2/weekYour number will not be shared with anyone, and we won’t use it for any other purposes. 

Testing your pressure canner for accuracy

To ensure safety in the home canning process, it is recommended that pressure canning lid gauges are tested annually University of Illinois Extension would like to help YOU be safe this canning season. Drop off your lids(s) at one of our offices. Once they are checked, you will be contacted for pickup. Testing is free and available year-round. For fastest service, take them to the Milan office. For more information contact Kristin Bogdonas, nutrition and wellness educator, at kmbogdo@illinois.edu or call her at 217-244-5274. 

Nutrition & Wellness Resources

You deserve to live a life of joyful purpose.
Our mental health impacts how we feel, think, and act. When we struggle, it can affect our work productivity, our family relationships, and our confidence to get through the day. Start here to find help for your journey to better.
Feeding my Baby from Cradle to Table
This University of Illinois Extension website provides expert information to put you at ease when feeding your baby.
Tools to Manage Diabetes
You can reduce your risk of diabetes. It is very important for people who have diabetes to make heart-healthy food choices because of their increased risk for cardiovascular complications.
Educational Programs offered by Kristin Bogdonas

MULTIPLE LESSONS

  • Meals for a Healthy Heart Diet and lifestyle can help manage high blood pressure and cholesterol.
  • I On Diabetes Talk about diabetes prevention and management, carbohydrate control and practice meal planning.
  • Yes! You Can Learn how to preserve food from canning to freezing to dehydration.

GROUP TRAININGS

  • ABCs of School Nutrition Free training for school food service staff on a variety of topics for USDA required continuing education.
  • Putting Wellness to Work Lunch-n-learn sessions for your employees on a variety of health and wellness topics.
  • Childcare Providers Continuing education through Gateways for childcare providers.
  • High School Health Lessons This is a supplement to health education classes on topics such as food safety, nutrition and cooking. 

SINGLE LESSONS

  • Mindful Eating Get back in touch with your food and your senses as we explore the when, why and how of our eating choices. 
  • Fermentation 101 Learn how to safely ferment food at home to create delicious, probiotic-rich meals and beverages. This can be a demonstration or a hands-on experience. 
  • Balancing Better Bites  Learn ways to snack healthier between meals.
  • Meals for Diabetes  Discuss meal planning for diabetes and tools to manage carbohydrate intake. 
  • Getting Creative with Herbs Herbs are versatile and can bring life back to your meals. Whether you want to make your own tea, herb blends, infused salts or vinegars, this herbalicious workshop will inspire your creativity in the kitchen. 
  • Healthy Lifestyles that Last Set achievable goals for your health and discuss ways to reach them.
  • Gateway to Gut Health This lesson will describe the gut microbiome and it's role in health and disease in addition to healthy lifestyle habits to keep things running smoothly. 
  • Make the Swap Identify healthier meal choices and substitutions when eating out and even cooking at home.
  • Reading Nutrition Facts Labels This lesson covers the various components of the nutrition facts label and how to use it when grocery shopping.  

Contact Kristin for more information on these programs.