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Summer and hot weather are here.   What are you doing to be sure you are staying hydrated?   Everyday Health recommends Simple Ways to Stay Hydrated This Summer .   The Henry Ford Health System also offers tips on How to Stay Hydrated .   Since hot weather is here, it is time to think about easy ways you can keep your body hydrated in the heat.   If you have kids, think of how you can ensure they keep hydrated as kids may need a reminder to drink water or other fluids in the hot weather.   Water – a great way to stay hydrated is to ensure you bring water with you.   Carry a water bottle in your car.   Have a water bottle at your desk and refill it often.   Fill a glass with ice water and add a slice of lemon.   Water is a great choice for hydration but you can also hydrate with juice, milk, coffee, tea, fruit juice. Feeling thirsty, frazzled?   Thirst is the first sign your body is becoming dehydrated, so quench that thirst. ...

Are you making some nutrition mistakes?   Even those who are health conscious and pride themselves on eating well can make some of the mistakes noted below.   Or, you may be interested in eating healthier and want to avoid some nutrition mistakes.    An interesting article in the Washington Post, 10 Nutrition Mistakes Even Really Healthy People Make covered a number of “mistakes” you may not be aware of.   What are some of these nutrition mistakes?          1.       Flax seeds – Flax seeds are the latest trend and healthy so you add some whole flax seeds to your cereal, your smoothie.   Flax seeds are super healthy, loaded with heart healthy omega-3 fats plus fiber and some antioxidants.   But to get the benefit of flax seeds, don’t eat them whole as they may go through you pretty much undigested.   Instead, buy ground flax seeds and sprinkle some on your morning oatmeal, add to your smooth...

There are so many articles on the internet about updating your kitchen to make it more modern and add more conveniences.   But how can you give your kitchen a makeover for healthier eating?   Since March is National Nutrition Month, the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has many articles on ways we can all eat healthier this month.   So what are the Academy’s recommendations for a kitchen makeover ? (Changes are adapted from the article.) Make a list when going grocery shopping       First – look at what you have on hand.   Then put on your list the fruits, vegetables and other healthy items you and your family need for the week. Change it Up – Forgo the white bread for some whole wheat bread.   Or buy some whole grain bagel thins such as Thomas’ 100% Whole Wheat Bagel Thins – great for packed lunches.   These bagel thins are 100% whole wheat, have no high fructose corn syrup and provide 5 grams of fiber.   Instead of wh...

The health headlines this week read:   To Live Longer, Cut Out the Bacon and Soda; Eat More Nuts.     Researchers studied what foods are linked to a longer life and what foods are linked to diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes.   They found a diet high in processed foods like bacon and high sugar foods like soda shorten your life and a diet high in healthy food choices like nuts leads to a longer life.   The study published in JAMA reviewed diets of 7000,000 Americans who died from heart disease, strokes or diabetes.   They analyzed what they ate or did not eat.   A great research article to focus on during March, National Nutrition Month. What foods/nutrients to eat to live longer by lessening your chances of a heart attack, stroke or diabetes? “ Good” Foods – Eat more of these for a longer life: Nuts – As noted in a number of my blogs, a handful of nuts a day is a Dr. Oz recommendation and a good habit to adapt.   Nuts do have...

February was heart health month and March is National Nutrition Month, a campaign led by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.   Their theme this year is, “Put Your Best Fork Forward” meaning that each bite of food counts and even small changes in your diet can have big health benefits.   The overall theme of this nutrition/health blog has been small changes for a healthier you.   Recently, students in the nutrition class I teach wrote down everything they ate for 24 hours.   One student ate Frosted Flakes for breakfast.   I noted if they made just one change, switching to a General Mills cereal such as Cheerios or choosing oatmeal for breakfast, would be a huge change in their diet. Why?   By just switching to a healthier cereal, they would add a serving of whole grains, more fiber, and more nutrients to their day.   The student went to the grocery store, bought a new cereal, took a picture of the box and showed me the picture at the next class. The...

How many times do you hear people say, “I am watching my carbs.”   Have you ever heard someone say, “I am watching the fat in my diet”?   Probably not.   So much focus on carbs but so little focus on fat in one’s diet.   Since February is heart health month, let’s look at what fats you should be “watching” in your diet.   We need fat in our diets but we also should cut back on saturated fats in our diets.   The Dietary Guidelines offer specific recommendations about saturated fat: Limit calories from saturated fat by consuming an eating pattern low in saturated fats.   Specifically, by consuming less than 10 percent of calories per day from saturated fats.   Why the focus on lowering our saturated fat intake? The Dietary Guidelines and the American Heart Association recommend lowering our saturated fat intake because: The recommendation to limit intake of calories from saturated fats to less than 10 percent per day is a target based on evidence ...