Diet and Nutrition

The Best Vegan Cookbooks

Vegan’s often get a pretty bad rap from their stringent ways of eating. And while eating vegan is very specific and requires a lot of thought and planning, anyone who has ever eaten a truly vegan meal or bit into a decadent vegan dessert knows firsthand that veganism is not just healthy, but quite delicious.

Veganism is like the stricter sister of vegetarianism. Eschewing not just meat, but dairy, eggs and fish, vegans subsist on vegetables, fruit, grains, soy, nuts and seeds. And just as shunning meat has become increasingly popular among health and eco-friendly devotees, so has veganism seen a rapid rise in its comrades of followers. (more…)

Posted on April 5, 2024 by heather

Healthier Distractions

It seems that television and the internet have destroyed our attention spans. We have become too used to working, answering emails, following Twitter, and responding to text messages all at the same time. Even worse might be driving, applying makeup, and texting… you know who you are! It may seem like we are getting more done when we are multi-tasking and doing more at once, but are we doing it well? I recently burnt a grilled cheese sandwich because I was distracted with blogging or Twitter, or something else I was doing while trying to prepare lunch.

I burnt my lunch because I was not actually paying attention to what was happening on top of my stove. I am not the only one who has noticed an inability to focus. Researchers have found that when we multi-task we are actually wasting, not saving, mental energy. We are only able to devote our attention to one task at a time. (more…)

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Brooke Randolph

Pizza Not a Diet Death Sentence

Pizza is often the worst thing you can eat. But there are options that can make that pie a decent dietary option.

I’ve recently taken to making homemade pizza. Sure, it saves a little money as opposed to ordering takeout, but I also have fun kneading the dough and spreading the toppings myself. I’ve yet to graduate to throwing the dough in the air, which could be pretty scary stuff.

I’m not hear to tell you that what I make is the ultimate health food. I try my best to mimic a secret family recipe that has a sweet flakey pie-like crust (it remains under lock and key, no matter how hard we try to pry). But, I’m not so sure it’s altogether unhealthy either. I make it with a super thin crust, and I load it up with tons of mushrooms and chopped green peppers. And I go fairly easy on the cheese. There’s little to complain about. (more…)

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Jason

Quick, Easy, and Nutritious Springtime Snacks

You find your stomach growling, but know you’re hours away from lunch time. That vending machine down the hall is very tempting and is practically calling your name. What do you do? If you plan ahead and make your own healthy snacks at home (or having things to prepare at work) you can avoid the high fat, high-calorie vending machine temptation. Healthy snacking and being prepared will help provide your body with nutrients needed, as well as not adding pounds to your waistline.

Remember, you shouldn’t feel guilty about snacking while dieting, as long as you are making healthy choices. Snacking when you’re hungry may help because you will be less likely to over eat at your next meal (i.e. getting seconds or thirds), therefore help you stay on track to losing weight. The key to incorporating snacks into your weight loss plan is to plan them with variety, moderation and balance in mind.

Try some of these springtime snacks that are great for all ages!

Make your own trail mix- mix ready-to eat cereal, dried fruit and nuts.

Frozen banana-pop- Peel a banana and dip it in yogurt then roll it in crushed cereal or granola. Freeze and enjoy! (more…)

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Kinsey

Indiana is IN Shape!

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels wants Hoosiers to take the initiative to eat healthier, stop smoking, and get more active. INShape Indiana is the result of this initiative, linking Hoosiers to the resources and challenges available throughout the state that encourage healthier choices. Because I believe physical health and mental health are intrinsically tied together, I have chosen to partner with INShape Indiana. Technically this partnership means that I give a discount to INShape members, but I have become quite the INShape cheerleader.

A few weeks ago, while unsuspecting students were eating, chatting, and studying at the IUPUI Campus Center food court, INShape members were plotting a surprise to remind them that there is always time to fit physical activity into your day. (more…)

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Brooke Randolph

Research Says Being Fat Makes You Happy

New research is suggesting that our characterization of St. Nicholas as a jolly elf with a belly that bounces like a bowl full of jelly when he laughs may be very accurate. That is not to say that ‘Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause;’ but rather the research is suggesting that those who have extra fat around their midsection get more pleasure out of deep belly laughs.

Laughing is good for you mentally and physically. Research has shown that laughing reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, elevates mood, increases immune system functioning, improves brain functioning, protects the heart, is relaxes your body and mind, increases energy, and helps you connect to others. Laughing can stimulate your brain, abdominal muscles, and dopamine receptors. The simple act of contorting facial muscles into the shape of a smile, stimulates your brain to release chemicals that make you feel happy; imagine the power of laughing.

There are many types of laughter: snickers, giggling, snorts, chuckles, guffaws, taunting, near hyperventilation, and belly laughs. Apparently not all laughs are created equal. What the research is suggesting is that to get the longest lasting effects and feelings of jolliness, one must laugh with an intensity that vibrates the fat pad that lies over the abdominal muscle wall. When your belly shakes like a bowl full of jelly, the vibrations extend and intensify the chemical effect of laughter.

If you would like to be as jolly as St. Nick, especially if you have a rounder belly, don’t hold back with your laughter. Allow your joy to be a full body experience and it will last long past the joke that you originally found entertaining. Learn more about this research at Happy April Fool’s Day from DietsInReview.com!

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Brooke Randolph

Top 5 Foods to Economize Your Kitchen

Joining us in March as the Featured Guest Blogger of the Month is California Raisins. They’ve got a team of nutrition professionals who want to ensure all of us are living as healthy as possible, providing information about healthy, natural snacking and eating.

From gas to groceries, in these challenging economic times, Americans have become increasingly price conscious of their budget basics. While we may not be able to do much about the price of food, a few simple adjustments to our grocery list can help extend your food dollars.

The first step is to get creative and be positive. This is not the time for “ho-hum” thinking. Resourcefulness is one of Americans’ greatest qualities—put it to good use when you’re feeding your family. Think of foods that will give you the most nourishing bang for the buck. Often, this means going back to the basics, including: (more…)

Posted on March 31, 2024 by GuestBlogger

Tune In: Oprah Talks Weight Loss with Valerie Bertinelli, Star Jones and Marie Osmond

Valerie Bertinelli's Bikini Body on the cover of People. (via People.com)

Valerie Bertinelli's bikini body on the cover of People Magazine. (via People.com)

Update: This episode will air again on Monday, May 30 2024.

This Wednesday, April 1st, Oprah’s bringing out the famous faces of weight loss that we’ve been following the past couple of years. Valerie Bertinelli will appear on Oprah to share not only her very public weight loss journey with the help of Jenny Craig, but also her amazing bikini-ready body, which graces the cover of People magazine this week.

Tune in this week to hear Valerie’s talk about her weight loss success, Star Jones’ first public interview about her 160-pound weight loss, and Marie Osmond’s Dancing with the Stars and NutriSystem diet and her lifelong battle with her weight. (more…)

Posted on March 30, 2024 by heather

We Love Individual Kozy Shack Rice Pudding

This week, we love the individually-portioned Kozy Shack rice puddings. We love (read: need ) the individual portions because this stuff is SO good, we must scarf down the entire 22-ounce container during an episode of The Office.

Rice pudding is the ultimate comfort food and no one makes rice pudding like Kozy Shack. Kozy Shack’s rice pudding also comes in no-sugar added, soy pudding, and flans in a slew of flavors other than rice. The regular sugar-filled kind has just 130 calories per cup, 4 grams of fat and 10% of your calcium needs.

(more…)

Posted on March 30, 2024 by heather

Majority of Adults Eat Twice the Salt They Need

WebMD wrote a very interesting article on its website discussing the problem our country has with consuming too much salt/sodium in our diets. The Center of Disease Control found that 70 percent of Americans are consuming 2.3 times the healthy amount of salt on a daily basis.

Why is this bad?
A high sodium diet is associated with high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke, which sadly can lead to death.

How does this happen?
When you eat salt, your blood pressure increases. When you consistently consume high amounts of salt, your blood pressure remains high and dramatically increases your risk of stroke and heart disease.

The shocking news.
A major contributor to this increase in salt consumption is not due to sprinkling salt from the shaker (obviously this adds to it), but studies show that most salt from our diet is from processed and manufactured foods. (more…)

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Kinsey

Broccoli is a Super Food for Diabetics

A very interesting article was written on the Mayo Clinic website about broccoli’s ability to reverse diabetes damage. The Mayo Clinic is a very credible and highly renowned hospital that has a great reputation as a pioneer and innovator in medicine – patient care, medical research and academic education. The article discussed a research study in which scientists examined the phytochemical sulforaphane, found in broccoli.

Research has shown that sulforaphane seems to help:

Produce enzymes in the body that protect blood vessels, which is achieved by reducing tissue damaging substances triggered by high blood sugar. Vascular disease is a major complication of diabetes. This type of disease can lead to heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and circulation issues in extremities, which could lead to possible amputation.

Activate genes that regulate protective antioxidant (scavenger harmful free radicals) and detoxifying enzymes. (more…)

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Kinsey

Diet and Nutrition

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