Eating For Health

Thanksgiving is a celebration of gratitude—and yes, delicious food. But with the average feast clocking in at 1,800 to 3,500+ calories , it’s easy to feel weighed down afterward. The good news? You don’t need to diet or skip dessert. You just need a plan. 🍽️ Smart Swaps That Still Taste Amazing ·          Pumpkin pie : Use 2% evaporated milk and reduce sugar to ½ cup. The pumpkin flavor shines through. ·          Cranberry sauce : Make it fresh and cut sugar to ¾ cup for a tangy twist. ·          Sweet potato casserole : Reduce butter and sugar slightly—but keep the marshmallows and crunchy topping. ·          Pecan pie : Try an oatmeal-thickened version (recipe below) with less corn syrup. Each slice is ~311 calories vs. 739 in traditional pie. 🥗 Portion & Plate Tips ·       ...

Most people know too much salt increases your risk for high blood pressure and strokes.   Although everyone knows about salt in the salt shaker but many people aren’t aware of the hidden salt in the foods we eat and even drinks.   In fact, more than 70% of the salt (sodium) in our diet comes from packaged, prepared foods and restaurant foods.   🧠 What Sodium Does in the Body Sodium helps regulate fluid balance , nerve function , and muscle contractions . It’s essential—but only in small amounts. Most people consume far more than the recommended daily limit. The American Heart Association recommends 2300 milligrams of sodium a day.   Yet, the average American consumes about 3,300 mg a day or about 50% more than the recommended amount.     ⚠️ Health Risks of Too Much Sodium High Blood Pressure ( Hypertension ): The most direct and dangerous effect. Sodium causes the body to retain water, increasing blood volu...

How much ultra-processed foods are Americans eating?   A lot, according to a CDC study released this week.   This is concern not only for health reasons but also because Americans youth are consuming even more ultra-processed foods.   How much ultra-processed foods are Americans eating? Although young children aged 1-5 consume fewer calories from ultra-processed foods, those ages 6-11 and 12-18 consume well over 50% of their calories from ultra-processed foods as the chart indicates.   (See: Ultra-processed Foods, Chemicals, and Chronic Illness:   RFK Jr.’s MAHA Report About Children’s Health in America .)   But even older adults, those 60 and over consume over 50% of their calories from ultra-processed foods. 🧪 What Counts as Ultra-Processed Food? There is no one standard definition of ultra-processed foods, but most experts relay on the NOVA classification system .   Basically, ultra-processed foods are: ·      ...