When you embark on food and lifestyle changes with health in mind, what defines “success?” For many people, weight loss is the primary marker of change they focus on when they are trying to eat better and exercise consistently. But weight change is only one possible outcome of improvements to … Read More
Kristen N. Smith, PhD, RDN, LD
Ever feel the frustration of starting the day out on the wrong foot? This feeling is so familiar for many of us...but have you noticed how your day seems to go when you start it out on the RIGHT foot? For me, having a balanced and tasty breakfast (that requires … Read More
Kristen N. Smith, PhD, RDN, LD
Belly bloat often brings with it the dreaded discomfort of a mash-up of seemingly relentless symptoms, like abdominal pressure and pain, distended abdomen, and gas. We don’t like to talk about it, but it’s actually very common in otherwise healthy individuals. In fact, nearly 10 to 25 percent of people … Read More
We all know that calcium is good for our bones and milk is a great source of calcium. But what happens to our bones if we don’t drink milk due to dairy allergies or diets, such as a vegan diet? Vegans may be at risk for developing calcium deficiency, but … Read More
Inflammation is a hot topic these days. With so many people suffering from chronic diseases, we are all looking for ways to reduce our risk. It turns out that diet is a major risk factor for inflammation and chronic disease. This fact has many people asking, “What anti-inflammatory foods should … Read More
Vitamin D is an important vitamin for health. It helps you absorb calcium from your diet that you need for strong bones. Vitamin D is also important for muscle movement and nerve function, and it helps your immune system stay strong to fight disease. [1-3] Some research suggests that having … Read More
Oatmeal has been a popular choice for a healthy breakfast in America for over 150 years, but our busy schedules these days often prevent us from preparing it in the traditional way. Food manufacturers addressed the issue in the 1960s by introducing instant oatmeal, which cut the cooking time to … Read More
Being constipated stinks—your bowel movements are dry, almost painful to pass, with little relief. Worse yet, you can manage to push something through only a couple of days a week. You feel bloated, fatigued, and just plain uncomfortable. It’s all you can think about. And, after a week or so, … Read More
It happened just like that. You sat on the couch, spoon in hand, to enjoy a few spoonfuls of your favorite ice cream. Suddenly, you were staring down the barrel of an empty carton, with remnants of Rocky Road splattered on your chin. “Not again,” you cried. As you pondered … Read More
The American Heart Association recommends that anyone with hypertension should be monitoring blood pressure at home. Monitoring at home is the best way to see if your treatment is working to control your blood pressure. [1,2] Home monitoring may also help your doctor diagnose hypertension. Some people tend to have … Read More
