It is no secret that adolescents and teens are influenced by social media. Many influencers have no expertise in the subject matter they endorse. This is vastly true when it comes to dieting and eating habits promoted by individuals with no medical or dietary background, many of whom are thin young women, promoting potentially harmful eating habits with no scientific basis. Teen girls on social media from which they get much of their health and dietary information. I will out

Children eating a plant-based meal. There are many variations of eating: Vegetarian: excludes animals Vegan: excludes animals, dairy, and eggs Lacto-vegetarian: excludes meat, poultry, and fish but includes milk and milk products Ovo-vegetarian: excludes meat, poultry, and fish but includes eggs Lacto-ovo-vegetarian: excludes meat, poultry, and fish but includes milk, milk products, and eggs Pescatarian: excludes meat and poultry but includes fish, milk, milk products, and e

Now that we discussed improving the nutrient density of meals - let’s use that information to create meals and snacks for home and on the go. School and activities are back in swing! Just because you are eating in the car while rushing from one activity to the next does not mean the drive-thru is your only option. With some planning and preparation, you can feel good about what you serve your kids when away from home. Snacks can be just as nutritious as meals and serve as a m

Making meals that are  nutrient-dense  rather than  energy-dense  is easy and affordable. Nutrient-dense refers to foods high in...

One wouldn’t think in this land of plenty that children would be deficient in crucial vitamins and minerals. Deficiencies are found not...

What is Fiber? Fiber is a carbohydrate found only in plant-based foods - fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Fiber...

If you or your kids are considering a juice cleanse or liver detox diet, think again. This article presents food for thought to outline...

Short answer…no. These drinks are loaded with caffeine, sugar, and other stimulants that are unsafe for children and teens. They also...

I recently read an interesting medical research article on a study done in Denmark on children with central (abdominal) obesity. The...

Why is Stable Blood Sugar Important? You may be familiar with how certain foods affect your blood sugar. Blood sugar, or glucose, gives...

I previously wrote about food contamination following an outbreak caused by raw onions on burgers. This was another interesting...

Group of young multi-cultural women. I recently returned from a Culinary Medicine conference in New Orleans, the birthplace of the...

Now that we are in to warmer weather, I am repeating a past article while I am attending a Culinary Medicine Conference. The rest of the...

Research is making it very clear that ultra-processed foods consumed frequently can lead to a significant decrease in mental function...

Have you ever observed your child’s behavior change after eating certain foods? I had a child who was very sensitive to small blood sugar...

Anxiety disorders are the most common illness in this country. About half of those with anxiety also experience depression. These...

Most drugs used to treat mental health disorders act on the chemicals in the brain to alter these and return the brain to a healthy...

Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, I devote every article this month to a different mental health topic and links to nutrition....

You hear a lot these days about PUFAs - polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These two PUFAs are...

What are probiotics and prebiotics? Are they different? Do we need to take them as supplements, or can we get them in our diet? Are they...