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Who hasn’t used the 5 second rule?   You drop some food on the floor and if it is less than 5 seconds, is it safe to eat?   If it is on the floor longer than 5 seconds, is it really more contaminated?   Does the type of floor matter?   The type of food?   Is the 5 Second Rule another food myth?    Believe it or not, researchers have actually studied the 5 second rule.   What foods did they drop and what did they find? A number of researchers have studied the 5 Second Rule the most recent study about Myth Debunked , was published in September in the journal of Applied and Environmental Microbiology.   Previously, a high school student studied gummy bears and fudge-striped cookies dropped on a floor contaminated with E. coli.   He found that food was contaminated in less than 5 seconds.    So, what did the 2016 researchers find? What is the 5 Second Rule – the belief is if you drop any food on the ground/floor and pick it up in...

Now that the weather has turned colder, it is time to think about how you can protect yourself and family members from getting colds or flu this winter.    There are many things people can do in terms of diet, exercise and habits that can greatly reduce your chances of getting sick.    What diet and other changes can you focus on to boost your immune system and keep you healthy?      1.   Fruits and Vegetables – 5 A Day is the suggested amount but eating even more than 5 A Day during the cold and flu season is a wise choice. a.        Antioxidants for your immune system: Fruits and vegetables are not only full of vitamins and minerals but also antioxidants that can help you fight off those infections and build your immune system.   But each color of fruit and vegetable has different antioxidants.   To ensure you are getting a wide range of colors, vary your colors.   Include many different kinds o...

Watching your carbs?   Who hasn’t heard people who say, “I am watching my carbs.”?   Well, you should “watch your carbs” to make sure you are getting whole grains in your diet every day.   Most Americans are getting enough grains in their diet, but not enough whole grains. The Whole Grains Council lists many benefits of eating whole grains. Reduce your risk for many diseases.   Eating whole grains can reduce your risk of: o    Stroke by 30-36% o    Type 2 diabetes by 21-30% o    Heart disease by 25-28%                 And, contrary to public opinion, whole grains can make maintaining your weight easier. The American Heart Association in articles in Circulation , noted replacing refined grains like white bread with whole grains like whole wheat bread and whole grain cereals lowered one’s risk of heart disease ( Replace refined grains with whole grains ).  ...

Everyone knows fruits and vegetables are good for your health.   But many parents don’t know about half of what a kid eats should be fruits and vegetables.   MyPlate shows a plate with half the plate being fruits and veggies.   Many parents aren’t serving kids even one fruit or vegetable at a meal, let alone 2 at each meal.   In fact, statistics show only 22% of kids ages 2-5 are getting the recommended servings of vegetables. For older kids, it’s even worse with only 16% of kids ages 6-11 and only 11% of kids ages 12 to 18 are getting the recommended vegetable servings.   Even then the vegetable is often French fries or chips.        Many nutritionists and health care professionals offer tips to parents on how to get kids to eat their veggies (and their fruit).   One bite rule – child care centers often invoke this rule.   A child has to take at least one bite before they get to veto the food.   The child may find they actual...

Everyone knows exercise is good for you, but exercise can be walking every day.   Recent research has good news about how healthy walking is.    Walk After Eating For those with Type 2 diabetes this is especially important but walking after eating is a healthy practice many of us may want to consider.   Walking at any time during the day is a healthy habit.   But walking after eating a meal, seem to have special health benefits. o    Lower blood sugar levels – every time you eat, your blood sugar goes up as your body digests the food.   Taking a walk after you eat, helps lower your blood sugar level. Those who walked after eating had 12% lower blood sugar levels than those who walked at other times a day.   Those who walked after dinner, lowered their blood sugar by a whopping 22%.    So walking anytime is good, but walking after the evening meal is an especially healthy habit. o    Helps prevent heart disease – Higher b...

Now that the leaves are turning and summer crops are gone, purchase some healthy fall produce.    Some farmers’ markets are still open and if not, head to your local supermarket.   Here are some healthy choices for fall produce: (Adapted from:   9 Fall Produce Picks to Add to Your Plate ) Pumpkins – not just for carving but for eating.    Pumpkins are loaded with vitamin A, full of fiber, basically fat free, offers lots of potassium.   Make some pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins.   Pumpkin pie does have some added sugar but also offers a lot of healthy nutrients. Sweet Potatoes – so many people avoid potatoes because they think they are fattening.   It is the add-ons like sour cream, that add the calories.   Sweet potatoes are low in fat but loaded with nutrients including vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.    When eating out, choose the baked sweet potato over the baked white potato for a nutrition boost.   Enjoy so...