Source: United States Department of Agriculture This year, our MyPlate, MyWins video series has introduced you to families sharing their solutions for incorporating healthy eating into their unique lifestyles. In the final family video, Carol and Brad share how they plan meals around foods they either produce themselves in their family garden or are on sale at the grocery store. View Full Article (video) http://bit.ly/2fqxiJt

Source: Harvard University As the holiday season gets underway, you might wonder why you feel compelled to return to the office cookie tin or to sample the party’s dessert platter more often than you probably should. The glycemic index—a measure of how fast carbohydrates are turned into sugar—offers an answer. View Full Article http://bit.ly/1BDjejh

Source: Harvard University “The single most important part of the label change is adding information on added sugars,” says Dr. Rimm. Growing evidence suggests people who eat sugar-rich diets are more likely to die from complications of diabetes and heart disease. The average American eats about 22 teaspoons of sugar a day, mostly from processed and prepared foods. Some sugars occur naturally in foods, such as fructose in fruit and lactose in milk; the rest are added. Some show up in foods that you might not expect, such… Read More →

Source: SparkPeople, Inc. If it’s not the homemade cookies and cakes that get you, the eggnog and cocktails will certainly do their best to tempt you into overindulging. While we may still be lingering in the land of everything pumpkin, we’re just a snowball’s throw away from the start of the winter holiday season—and with that comes the veritable blizzard of dinners, parties and edible gifts. When you’re trying to lose or maintain your weight, this time of year is filled with tantalizing temptations that could derail even… Read More →

Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus Fried foods and free-flowing beer may be the norm at many football or tailgate parties, but the American Heart Association (AHA) says there are many healthier options. When it comes to meats for the grill, they recommend choosing lean or extra-lean beef burgers and keeping the patties to the size of a deck of cards. Or try turkey or salmon burgers. Instead of fried chicken wings, grill chicken breast strips coated in a small amount of your favorite sauce…. View Full… Read More →

Source: University of California, Berkeley Fall is a great time of year to get outside and play. The summer heat has subsided and you can revel in crisp autumn air. One advantage of outdoor fall activities is that they can be so fun and exhilarating you’ll barely notice that you’re getting exercise. And they’re a great way to model an active lifestyle to your kids or grandkids while spending some quality time together. Here are five ideas for activities that will get the whole family moving. View Full… Read More →

Source: The Nemours Foundation Once you have a couple of Halloweens under your belt, you start to know the deal. Like which of your neighbors give out oversized chocolate bars and which ones greet you with toothbrushes. But you also start to realize something else: That even though it’s fun to own a mountain of candy, it’s probably not the best idea to eat it all. So this year, after sorting through your favorites, why not find something else to do with the rest? We’ve got 15 awesome… Read More →

By: Wren Fair Curious about the health benefits of coconut based products? Discern fact from fiction here. Though the weather may indicate otherwise, it is officially fall in central Texas! Read about how to use pumpkins and their weight loss benefits! It’s important to replace calories from saturated fats with calories from healthy fats and whole grains to have an impact on heart disease risk. Find out why from the Havard Health blog. Salt may be “getting an unfair shake” in the nutrition world. The Huffington Post reports… Read More →

Author: Wren Fair Spicy food lovers rejoice! A new study has found that more spicy food in the diet translates to a longer life and a lower risk of many chronic diseases. Not a breakfast person? You may want to reconsider! Listen to this short podcast from Harvard researchers who examine the health impacts of regularly skipping breakfast. How well do you know veggies? Take the MyPlate vegetable quiz and find out! As the weather cools down you may be planning a camping trip or other outdoor adventure…. Read More →

By: Wren Fair CNN reports on foods that have been proven to be just as effective as the leading medicines in treating different ailments. It turns out that bananas can pack quite a nutritional punch. Read about the fruit that some have said is unhealthy and causes weight gain. Ever wonder about probiotics and how to incorporate them into your diet? Take a look at this probiotic overview from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Struggling with arthritis related joint pain? Check out these 5 exercises…. Read More →