HealthyLife Articles

Tag: nutrition

Fall In Love With Fall Vegetables

HEALTHY EATING

Perhaps the days of watermelon and cucumbers are behind us for now, but fall has plenty of delicious in-season veggies and fruits to offer.

Eating what’s “in season” often means you can get food that’s fresher, more nutritious, and costs less. Check out the grocery store or farmer’s market for some of these delicious fall favorites:

* Pumpkins

* Carrots

* Winter squash, such as acorn, butternut and buttercup

* Broccoli

* Cauliflower

* Sweet potatoes

* Mushrooms

* Spinach

* Grapes

Of course, some produce is available year-round when it can be shipped from far away. But, check out where the food was grown to ensure you’re getting something fresh. The USDA requires that fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, along with some meats and fish, have a label on them stating the “country of origin.” In general, the farther it’s had to travel, the less fresh it will be when it gets to your grocery store.

Remember many of your favorites can be found in the frozen food section if it’s not available fresh at certain times of year.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Halloween Candy Control

HEALTHY EATING

Despite all your work to help your kids eat healthy, holidays like Halloween can quickly throw your efforts off track. Candy in the stores and at school, and, of course, while trick-or-treating means your kids have plenty of access to junk food. It might be downright scary.

While a little candy isn’t harmful, it can be easy to overdo it when junk food seems to be everywhere. And the health problems associated with sugary snacks and unhealthy foods are real:

* The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 1 in 5 school-aged children has obesity. While candy alone isn’t to blame, experts know that eating too many foods high in calories and low in nutrition (such as candy and sugary treats) are part of the problem.

* Sugary treats can cause cavities. The American Dental Association says some of the worst offenders are sticky treats that cling to teeth and those that sit in the mouth for a long time like hard candies and suckers. But, any high-sugar snack can spell trouble for someone’s dental health.

The good news is, even health-conscious families can enjoy the fun of Halloween (and a few treats) if they have a plan in place before the spooky day arrives:

*Don’t leave candy out where it can be grabbed any time.Kids (and adults) tend to reach for whatever is available, and may mindlessly eat whatever is sitting out. Put candy and other goodies in a hard-to-reach cupboard instead. This requires more effort to get to it, so it is “out of sight, out of mind.”

*Teach kids moderation.If you make candy and sweets off-limits, kids may want the forbidden food even more. Instead, allow them a small treat after they’ve eaten a healthy dinner.

*Lead by example.If you have a hard time avoiding sweet treats, now is a great time to make healthy eating a family effort. Reserve your candy and other treats for after dinner. Make it a small amount, such as one fun-sized candy bar.

*Buy what you don’t like.If you like to grab a piece here and there while the trick-or-treaters visit your house, buy candy you won’t be tempted to eat.

*Donate your candy!Teach kids to do good by giving their candy to soldiers and charitable causes, such as for kids who are in the hospital. A variety of organizations accept candy, but check first. Try your local food bank, Operation Gratitude, the Halloween Candy Buy Back and Ronald McDonald House.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
New Guidelines On How To Eat Right

HEALTHY EATING

When it comes to eating right, it’s easy to get frustrated. It seems there’s always a new diet in the news, telling you to avoid certain foods or only eat certain things. How do you know what works and what’s just a fad?

Every five years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issues new eating tips for Americans to help them make healthy food choices. These guidelines aim to help you eat a wide variety of healthy foods and minimize unhealthy choices. The latest guidelines were recently released, and they recommend that you eat the following:

* Vegetables in a variety of colors – dark green, yellow, red, and orange

* Legumes (beans and peas), starchy foods like potatoes, and other fresh produce

* Plenty of whole fruits

* A variety of grains like bread and pasta, making sure at least half of them are whole grains

* Fat-free or low-fat dairy, including milk, yogurt, cheese, and/or fortified non-dairy beverages

* Protein foods, including seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds, and soy products

* Healthy oils, such as olive and canola

What not to eat

The guidelines say you should limit saturated fats to less than 10 percent of your daily calories. Do the same for added sugars – no more than 10 percent of total calories. Avoid trans fats altogether. Limit daily sodium intake to 2,300 mg. You can find all of these nutrients on the nutrition facts panel.

Activity and your health

Finally, the USDA recommends adults get at least 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week. Walking is a great choice for most people. This can be broken up into smaller, 10-minute increments if needed. The main point is to avoid being inactive. Exercise has numerous benefits for your health, including reduced risks of heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and even some types of cancers.

The guidelines are meant to be a helpful resource. If you’re not meeting all of them now, don’t give up. Each day that you work toward these healthy guidelines is a step in the right direction.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
State Fair Food. How Unhealthy?

HEALTHY EATING

State fair food booths are famous for deep-frying most anything-even butter. It’s not unusual for a single serving to hit 500 or even 1,000 calories, with dozens of grams of fat.

As unlikely as it may sound, it is possible to get a taste of a state fair without overindulging, says Dr. Donald Hensrud, a Mayo Clinic specialist in nutrition and preventive medicine.

* Give yourself a good start and eat something healthy before you go. Have some fruit to start the day or a salad before you go in the afternoon.

* Work off the extra calories through walking, which is easy to do at the fair.

* Burn off extra calories by getting in an extra workout or two, before or after the fair.

* Decide ahead of time how much and what you’ll indulge in. If you have a plan, you’re less likely to overeat. Turkey legs on the midway or dairy barn homemade ice cream? Pick one and plan ahead.

* Split portions with family or friends. This will not only help decrease calorie intake, but also lets you enjoy more tastes and may help to save money.

* Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and aid the digestive process. Stay away from non-diet soda. It’s loaded with calories and sugar and has no nutritional benefit. Drink water instead.

* Don’t panic if you overindulge. Return to your normal eating routine the next day.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
What Is A Serving Size, Anyway?

HEALTHY EATING

Even if you know you need to eat smaller portions, that’s only part of the battle. You’ll need to learn how to recognize serving sizes of foods so you can put the right amount on your plate each day. Here’s a list of food group servings to help:

Vegetables

Fresh, frozen or canned: 5 servings per day

Leafy greens: 1 cup

Cut-up vegetables: ½ cup

Cooked beans or peas: ½ cup

100% vegetable juice: ¼ cup

Fruits

Fresh, frozen, canned, or dried: 4 servings per day

Whole fruit: 1 medium fruit

Cut-up fruit: ½ cup

100% fruit juice: ¼ cup

Dried fruit: ¼ cup

Grains

6 servings per day

Bread: 1 slice (a 2-slice sandwich is 2 servings of grains)

Pasta or rice uncooked: 1 oz (⅛ cup)

Cooked rice, pasta, or cereal: ½ cup

Popcorn: 1 oz. (⅛ cup) uncooked

At least half should be whole grain and high in fiber.

Dairy

(or non-dairy milks with added calcium and vitamin D): 3 servings per day

1 cup milk or yogurt

1.5 oz. cheese (size varies depending on the type of cheese)

Meat & poultry

8 to 9 servings per week

3 oz. cooked meat or poultry, about the size of a deck of cards

1 egg or 2 egg whites

Choose lean meats with skin and fat removed.

Nuts, seeds, beans & legumes

5 servings per week

Nut butter: 1 Tbsp.

Nuts or seeds: 2 Tbsp.

Seafood/fish

2-3 servings a week

3 oz. cooked seafood, about the size of a checkbook

Choose fish that provides omega-3 fatty acids. Pregnant women should ask their doctors about safe types of fish to eat.

Fats & oils

3 servings per day

Vegetable oil, margarine, dressing: 1 Tbsp.

To help with portion sizes, you may wish to find out how many calories you should be eating. Use the National Institutes of Health Body Weight Planner atwww.supertracker.usda.gov. Keep this number in mind as you eat throughout the day.

Source: American Heart Association

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Use Food Labels

Healthylife® Weigh

Part 3

Information on food labels can help you choose healthy foods and drinks and avoid less healthy options. Some of the healthiest foods, like fruits and vegetables, don’t have a label at all! Practice reading food labels with the foods you have at home or the next time you grocery shop.

What seems “normal” as a portion is influenced by what you have eaten in the past, what you see others eat, what you have been served at a restaurant, and what is on a food label. Part of adopting a balanced diet may be creating a new “normal” for yourself that is pleasing, filling, AND the right amount for your body.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Choosing Healthy Nut Butters

HEALTHY EATING

For many years, people thought they should avoid fats to be healthy. But the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says eating the right kinds of fat is good for you, and may even be good for your heart.

Nut butters can be a healthy way to get some of these fats. But with so many different types, how do you choose? Each offers different benefits, so try eating a variety.

*Peanut butter:This popular nut butter contains plenty of monounsaturated fat, which has been shown to help lower bad cholesterol. This can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

*Almond butter:Almonds are an excellent source of vitamin E, which is an important nutrient for your heart and immune system, according to the National Institutes of Health. It also contains an even higher amount of monounsaturated fat than peanut butter.

*Walnut butter:Although this can be harder to find, some health food stores carry walnut butter. It contains a high amount of polyphenols, which help reduce the risk of heart disease. It also contains omega-3 fats, which reduce inflammation in the body. This is especially good for people with diseases like Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Although nut butters are healthy, they are high in calories. Be careful about portion sizes and avoid eating too much. Choose nut butters that have no added sugar or salt listed in the ingredients.

Source: American Heart Association; USDA National Nutrient Database

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Family Meals: Healthy & Simple

HEALTHY EATING

Try these time-saving tips to make eating healthier simpler for you and your family, says Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD, professor of nutrition at Penn State University.

Plan out 2 to 4 weeks of healthy meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.Sit down and map out meals that include your family’s heart-healthy favorites. Update your list as you come across new recipe ideas.

Use the weekend to make menus.Start by using the list from the first tip and make sure you grab the ingredients you need when you go grocery shopping. Keep an eye out for fresh, seasonal items that are on sale.

If you work during the week, cook over the weekend and store leftovers in the fridge or freezer.Meals can be hassle-free when you’re just thawing and reheating for quick lunches and dinners.

Cut up vegetables and keep them handy in the fridge.You’ll have ready-made nutritious snacks and ingredients.

Shop sales, clip coupons, and buy fruits and vegetables in season.Look for less-expensive items. For example, blueberries cost less in spring and summer, when they’re in season. You’ll pay more in the fall and winter when they’re shipped from warmer continents.

Skip the ready-made foods.They can be higher in sodium and often cost more than homemade foods.

Replace high-calorie or high-fat favorites with nutrition-rich foods one at a time.Your family won’t feel shocked or deprived of their favorites if the changes to their diets are gradual. Try one change per week as a starting point.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Healthier Super Bowl Snacks

HEALTHY EATING

On Super Bowl Sunday, people across the country will gather at homes, restaurants, and bars to watch the big game and enjoy game-day food. Sadly, traditional football fare tends to be high in fat and calories and low in nutrition. The Calorie Control Council says many Super Bowl fans will consume 2,000 calories or more during the game. That’s about a full day’s worth of calories in just a few hours.

So how can you enjoy the game without the unhealthy side effects? Here are a few tips to help:

* Keep a zero-calorie drink like water in your hand, and sip on it throughout the day instead of snacking on food.

* Keep your distance from the kitchen or wherever the food is sitting out. If it’s out of sight, you’ll be less likely to mindlessly reach for snacks when you’re not hungry.

* If fresh fruit and veggies are available, fill your plate with those. This leaves little room for other choices.

Be mindful of how much you’re eating, and stick to only a small serving of the high-calorie foods. If you’re cooking, take the opportunity to prepare a variety of healthy but fun choices for your guests.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
No Yoke?

HEALTHY EATING

Adding eggs to a salad with a variety of raw vegetables is an effective method to improve the absorption of carotenoids. Those are fat-soluble nutrients that help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, according to research from Purdue University. “Eating a salad with a variety of colorful vegetables provides several unique types of carotenoids, including beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene,” said Wayne Campbell, a professor of nutrition science. “The lipid contained in whole eggs (including the yoke especially) enhances the absorption of all these carotenoids.”

This research is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

FYI:

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting dietary cholesterol to no more than 300 mg a day. (A single egg has almost 200 mg.) The 2015 Dietary Guidelines, to be published later this year, will no longer restrict dietary cholesterol. Why? The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s found no evidence to show a strong enough link between consuming dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol levels. As with all medical guidelines, discuss your particular needs with your doctor.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026