Eating For Health

Good Housekeeping   Who doesn’t love going to holiday parties and enjoying all that good food to eat?   But along with enjoying all that delicious holiday food can come some unwanted pounds.   What can you do to enjoy the food but not add on the unwanted weight?   Between mid-November and mid-January, Americans gain about 1-2 pounds.   Not all that much except if one doesn’t lose those couple of pounds and they stick around until the next year’s holiday season.   Some experts think this holiday weight gain is responsible for adult weight creep.   Just a few added pounds a year ends up being many pounds over a decade.   Consumer Reports and others have a few recommendations to help avoid gaining weight over the holidays.   Try out what works for you, even try one of the tips each day. Tip 1:   Know your holiday starting weight – weigh yourself first thing in the morning.   This is your weight goal to maintain over the holiday se...

Want to eat healthier in 2021?   What does “eating healthy” mean?   In the last two blogs we discussed simple changes you can make to start eating healthier.   If you want to follow a “diet” or eating plan for eating healthier, what are your options?   In the class I teach, students are always recommending we eat healthier diets.   But when I ask them what this means they often struggle to come up with specifics.   Instead of making a resolution to go on a “diet” this year, why not go on a “diet” to eat healthier?   Are there healthy diets to follow?   A diet not for weight loss or weight gain, but just a healthy eating pattern? Not a “diet” you go on for a week or two but a healthy eating pattern diet that you can go on all year long.   I was watching TV recently and saw the commercial for taking pills to get your fruit and veggies each day.   Rather than take pills, eat your fruit and veggies as a way to eat healthier in 2021.  ...

Blueberries – why are they considered a super healthy food?   Growing up, I went blueberry picking with my grandfather.   At first, more blueberries went into my mouth than into the bucket.   Who knew I was boosting my health every time I went blueberry picking? Why are blueberries so healthy?   What make blueberries a power food?   Health.com discusses the   5 Health Benefits of Blueberries, According to a Nutritionist .   Antioxidants – blueberries are “blue” or some say “purple”.   This coloring means blueberries provide different antioxidants than other colored fruit.   Berries , in particular, have higher antioxidant levels than other fruits.   Antioxidants are great for our health as they help protect our bodies and cells from damage and thus protect us from some diseases and “protect against inflammation ”.   Blueberries provide the antioxidant, anthocyanin which lowers our risk of certain cancers, helps our memories...