Eating For Health

Feeling a little overwhelmed after all the holiday hustle and bustle?   Well, there are some foods that can help you de-stress.   WebMD has a great article on Foods That Help Tame Stress .   Are there really foods you can eat to help calm those stressed out nerves?   Yes, there are and here are some suggestions.      Comfort foods – no, not the whole gallon of ice cream.   But try a bowl of oatmeal topped with some fresh fruit.   For an extra treat, sprinkle on some brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped walnuts.   How can a bowl of oatmeal help you de-stress?   Believe it or not, oatmeal can raise your serotonin levels – the chemical that helps calm your brain cells.   Oatmeal is also super healthy, full of vitamins and minerals and a good source of heart-healthy fiber. Enjoy some carbs for comfort – no, not the high sugar carbs that we all have been enjoying, but whole grain, complex carbs.   Choose some whole grai...

So much good food over the holidays.   Everywhere you go there are holiday parties with so much delicious food, chocolates, Christmas cookies, and everyone seems to be bringing in homemade goodies to share.   Who doesn’t want to enjoy all that good eating?   Well, enjoy and enjoy every bite.   As Joyce Meyers says, “Eat the cookie..”   On the last day of the nutrition class I teach, I had M&Ms in a glass on my desk as we were talking about the food coloring in food.   At the end of the class, one student asked for the M&M’s.   I gave them to her and another student stated, “You know, those M&M’s have added sugar.”   The student carrying out the M&Ms said, “Yes, but I went to the gym today and I can afford some discretionary calories.”   So true, we can enjoy some “discretionary calories” every day.   What do nutritionists recommend so that you can enjoy the holiday treats but still eat healthy and not overdo eating ...

Who doesn’t want to take off any extra pounds easily and fast?   So many people who want to lose weight fall for the latest fad diet.   A recent article on Popsugar noted that if one wants to take off the fat and the weight, there are 7 basic principles to follow.   Last week we talked about staving off those holiday pounds.   If you already have added a few pounds from the Thanksgiving feast or those holiday parties, here are some of the basics to keep in mind. Popsugar asked registered dietitians and personal trainers’ advice on how to get rid of the extra fat but not the muscle as one takes off some extra pounds.        1. Cut out some calories but still eat healthy.   Don’t cut the “carbs” and then decide to cut out bread like whole grain bread.   Not a healthy choice.   And don’t just focus on cutting back on food to lose a few pounds.   A simple fact we cover in the nutrition class is that one pound of wei...