Eating For Health

Exercise.   Who has time to fit exercise into their day during the holiday season?   And what are the guidelines for how much exercise we should get each day?   A frequently asked question from my students is “How much exercise do I need each day?”   Well, recently, November 2018 to be precise, the federal guidelines on physical activity were updated.   So, what are the latest recommendations and who sets those guidelines anyway? Who sets the guidelines for exercise? The federal government sets guidelines for what we should eat at MyPlate.   A number of federal agencies worked together to update the physical activity guidelines including:   Centers for Disease Control, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, National Institutes of Health and the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.   The guidelines were first issued in 2008 and November, 2018 is the first time the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans h...

Some interesting nutrition articles in the news this week.   Last week we talked about avoiding sick days and how healthier habits can prevent getting sick this winter.   Well, here are some other habits to think about this week and this winter season.    Touch screens and bacteria Who doesn’t like to order food at those convenient touch screens?   So many fast food restaurants are adding these touch screens.   You can walk up to the screen, order what you want and your order begins to be processed.   Usually no line waiting to use the touch screen.   However, before you take your first bite into the food you ordered this way, you may want to wash your hands.   Or, use the handy hand sanitizer I recommended you take with you wherever you go.    Researchers in London swabbed touch screen kiosks at eight different restaurants in the United Kingdom.   Unfortunately, they found bacteria on every kiosk.   ...