Kristen N. Smith, PhD, RDN, LD
We live in a diet culture, one in which we are constantly exposed to the “next best way to weight loss.” If you’ve toyed with trying one of these trends on for size—Keto, Vegetarian, Atkins, Whole30—or if you’re the type who just dives right in, you likely already know that … Read More
Kristen N. Smith, PhD, RDN, LD
Sugar is not so sweet in the health and wellness world, now more than ever. Its bad reputation stems from research on added sugars, fructose in particular, in foods and beverages, linking it with chronic illness and disease, such as heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. But even so, … Read More
Type 2 diabetes is diabetes that you are not born with. It develops over time. Type 2 diabetes starts with a condition called prediabetes. When you have prediabetes, your blood sugar is high, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. With type 2 diabetes, your body … Read More
If you have prediabetes, there is about a 50 percent chance you will go on to develop type 2 diabetes. This is something you want to avoid because type 2 diabetes increases your risk for damage to your heart, blood vessels, and kidneys. The good news is that making some … Read More
Eating moderate amounts of dark chocolate may benefit health in many ways. In fact, some research suggests that chocolate is now considered an anti-aging, anti-inflammatory “superfood” for the brain and body. Although we need a lot more research before experts agree, some studies examining the health benefits of chocolate suggest … Read More
Have you ever been warned that you should cut bread out of your diet because it's full of carbohydrates, makes you gain weight, and is bad for your health? If you’re a bread lover, sourdough bread may be a great option, because the health benefits of sourdough bread are numerous. … Read More
In our post Chocolate Benefits for Your Brain, you learned about the phytochemicals in dark chocolate and cocoa and their impact on your mood and cognitive performance. Here, we’ll continue with an overview of cocoa benefits (from cocoa powder and dark chocolate) on heart health. Chocolate’s polyphenols, particularly its flavanols, … Read More
Officially discovered in 1994, leptin is a hormone that has quickly become known as a central player in controlling body fat Soon after, pharmaceutical companies rushed to get leptin-like drugs to market, thinking they finally had the miracle weight loss pill that could end the obesity epidemic (and make them … Read More
Why do some women grow mustaches while some men start crying at movies? You may be surprised to know these embarrassing traits are typical high blood sugar symptoms. High blood sugar is caused by a diet high in sweets, soda, and starches (breads, pasta, rice, corn, potatoes, etc.) This diet … Read More
Is your depression the type that causes carb cravings, weight gain, and fatigue in addition to your low mood? If so, you’re certainly not alone, despite the fact that you have what is classified as “atypical depression” in the medical world. Up to 42% of individuals seeking treatment for depression … Read More
