Eating For Health

How often do you get to work and then by noon you are feeling tired?   Or after a good lunch do you do well but then by 3 pm you are ready for a nap?   What can you do to stay energized from morning through the afternoon?   My husband sent me a great article on “What to Eat for All-Day Energy”.   The focus is on the food you eat and when you eat them.   ⚡️ How to Eat for All-Day Energy 🥣 1. Start Strong with Breakfast Breakfast really means to “break the fast”.   After a good night’s sleep, your energy stores need replenishing.   A balanced breakfast replenishes glucose and sets the tone for stable energy. Focus on protein and carbs with fiber. Try: Greek yogurt with fruit, oatmeal with nuts, or a veggie-packed breakfast wrap. Avoid: Refined carbs like pastries or donuts—they spike blood sugar and lead to mid-morning crashes. 🥗 2. Build Balanced Meals Focused on the Right Combo Combine protein + fiber...

So many people complain about inflammation.   Many don’t realize that making some dietary changes can help your body fight inflammation.   What are some of those dietary habits? What are some symptoms of inflammation?   Some inflammation is temporary like acute inflammation due to an injury, infection or being bit like a bee sting.   Long term inflammation can result from diseases such as “diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and autoimmune disorders”.   Some symptoms include: Body aches/muscle pain: Hips, knees, backs are common aches. Migraine headaches can be caused by inflammation. Fatigue: Who would think that being tired might be linked to inflammation? What are some treatments for inflammation? Anti-inflammatory drugs are often prescribed to help with symptoms but drugs won’t “treat the root cause of the problem…”   Diet: What are some anti-inflammatory Diet Habits You Can Adopt to fight inflammation?   Registered Dietitian , Julia...

Who doesn’t enjoy a cup of tea?   As NIH noted, “drinking tea has been considered a health-promoting habit since ancient times”. Researchers have found this to be true.   Why is tea so healthy? What are the substances in tea that promote health? Polyphenols include catechins which are antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties.   Flavonoids act as antioxidants in our bodies and may inhibit cancer cell growth.      Theanine is an amino acid that helps with relaxation. Caffeine is a stimulant that can improve alertness and focus. A cup of tea provides much less caffeine than a cup of coffee: black tea about 47 mg of caffeine, green tea only 28 mg.   Herbal teas like ginger tea and peppermint tea have no caffeine.   Minerals : Tea can provide minerals like potassium, magnesium, copper, and zinc.        What are some of the many health benefits of tea? Heart Health: Black tea but especially green tea can ...

My husband showed me an article on coffee and how drinking coffee can adversely affect the medications you may be taking.   Many Americans are on medications and probably give little thought as to how their morning cup of coffee might affect their medications.   And there are ways to still enjoy your coffee and avoid those coffee-drug interactions?   In what ways might coffee interfere with prescription medications? Absorption: Coffee can interfere with the absorption of a medication. Metabolism Changes: Coffee needs some liver enzymes for metabolism and these liver enzymes may also be needed to metabolize a medication.   This can lead to the levels of medication potentially increasing or decreasing in the bloodstream.   Blood Sugar:   Coffee, especially if mixed with sugar and/or milk, can affect blood sugar levels which can make it harder to manage diabetes.   Drug interactions:   Coffee can form complexes with some medications making them...

Want an easy habit to adopt for better health?   Just add a handful of nuts a day.   So easy to do and so many great health benefits.   Nuts are packed with good nutrition including protein, fiber, healthy fats, and many vitamins and minerals.   Health benefits of adding a handful of nuts a day include reducing your risk of heart disease, reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes and helping with weight management. What nutrients are in nuts? Protein: Nuts are a good source of protein.   Not as good as animal foods like dairy, eggs, or meat but a good plant-based source of protein providing about 3-7 grams of protein per ounce.   Which nut provides the most protein?   Peanuts with about 7 grams of protein per ounce.   Next are almonds and pistachios providing about 6 grams of protein per ounce.   (See: How can you add some high-quality protein foods to your day? ) Healthy fats:   Although nuts are high in fat , they are rich in monounsat...

At the gym this week a friend shared that their A1c was 8.7 and that he was now reading food labels and was cutting back on sugar.   So many Americans are finding their fasting blood glucose levels are higher than normal and their A1c level is high.   Many Americans have either prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.   How many Americans have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes?   Prediabetes is becoming increasingly common with 97.6 million Americans (38%) with prediabetes meaning they have blood sugar levels above normal but not high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.   Those with higher levels have type 2 diabetes.   According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) an estimated 34.2 million Americans (10.5%) have type 2 diabetes as of 2020.   Can prediabetes be reversed?   Prediabetes can be thought of as a warning sign for type 2 diabetes.   The good news is that prediabetes can be reversed with lifestyle changes su...