Like any busy mom, I’m constantly running around from errands to appointments to football practice (my son’s, not mine!). In the hustle and bustle, it’s a near guarantee that my kids or I will find ourselves hungry at snack time. And since we usually don’t have time to stop off for a nourishing mini-meal, I’ve…
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Skincare is about so much more than finding the right acne wash. Among other factors, diet can play a significant role in the appearance of your skin. While the American Academy of Dermatology Association cautions against putting too much emphasis on diet for skin health (as in, removing a single ingredient like gluten probably won’t clear up…
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Eating for heart health involves sticking to a few basic principles: cutting back on sodium and saturated fat, upping your fruit and vegetable intake, focusing on lean protein, and opting for whole grains, to name a few. Heart-healthy eating patterns like the Mediterranean and DASH diets emphasize choosing whole, minimally processed foods as much as…
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A visit to the beach isn’t complete without a cooler of cold drinks. Kicking back with your feet in the hot sand practically requires something cool to sip on! But whether you’re the designated driver or are just trying to cut back on alcohol, you might prefer to pack zero-proof beverages for your beach day.…
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Following a Mediterranean diet is totally worth putting in some time and effort. This anti-inflammatory eating plan centered around whole grains, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and healthy oils has benefits galore, from reducing your risk of heart disease to possibly extending your life. But in the summertime, you might not feel like heating up the kitchen…
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If you live with discomfort in your joints, your body might feel like a rusty door hinge that just can’t seem to get enough oil. That’s because, as we age, the cartilage in our joints begins to break down and the underlying bone begins to change.
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Healthy, sustainable weight loss is usually a slow process made up of tiny little choices we make every day — even as little as our snack choices! Though snacks might seem like small potatoes compared to the content of your meals, choosing the right items to munch on contributes to weight loss in some important…
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Between work pressures, family commitments, global political drama, and climate woes, it’s fair to say we live in a stressful world. Just getting through your everyday life can easily run you ragged. Sometimes, don’t you just want to step back and feel relaxed?
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These days, there’s no shortage of immune-supporting supplements to choose from, and Americans are reaching for them in droves. About 58% of people over age 20 say they take supplements in general—and the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements reports that sales of immune-targeted supplements markedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic as folks…
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People love to joke that spring is the shortest season: one day you’re shivering in freezing temps and a week later, you’re scorching at 90 degrees. The seemingly fleeting nature of this beloved season is one more reason to enjoy the tasty produce it has to offer — like veggies! Asparagus, radishes, peas, leeks, beets,…
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Is there any food as humble-yet-perfect as beans? Whether you’re a vegetarian or just want to incorporate more plant-based protein into your diet, beans are an immediate go-to ingredient. And when you whip up these slow cooker bean recipes for set-and-forget cooking, you can enjoy their creamy texture and ample nutrition even more conveniently. Despite…
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Listening to some official reports about sugar and health, you might think that sweet foods are a curse straight from the netherworld. Greater consumption of sugar has been linked to increased risk of everything from obesity to higher odds of heart disease to disrupted mental health. These are real, serious effects of overdoing it on…
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They say the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and the same is often true for the journey of more nutritious eating. Though some people may do well making drastic dietary changes overnight, for most of us, incremental modifications lead to greater positive change. Fortunately, taking things slow and steady doesn’t…
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Folks have long bandied about the phrase “you are what you eat,” but it might be more accurate to say “you feel what you eat.” The more we learn about diet and mental health, the more it seems these two critical elements of well-being are interconnected. A growing body of research shows that what we…
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Maybe lately you’ve been feeling a little sluggish, rather bloated, and – ugh — is that a pimple breaking out on your forehead? As you try to identify a cause for your symptoms, you might consider stress, hormones, or perhaps a poor diet. Or could it be a leaky gut? This recently identified condition is…
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Though grocery prices have been rising for a while now, it can still be a shock to show up at your local supermarket and realize that food costs have jumped again. Wasn’t that $5 loaf of bread just $3 last week, and those $7 eggs formerly $4? Sometimes it’s hard to know whether to laugh…
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Looking to eat more plant-based protein sources? You’re in good company. According to the International Food Information Council’s 2022 Food and Health survey, plant-based diets are the fourth most common eating pattern among Americans, with 12% of us striving to go veg. There are tons of benefits to a plant-forward lifestyle, including reduced risk of…
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When you think about the connection between stress and eating, your thoughts probably drift to the pint of ice cream down in a single sitting after a difficult day or the greasy cheeseburger crammed between errands. Though it’s true that the pressures of life can drive us toward less-than-healthy eating habits, the link between stress…
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It’s 5:30 on a weeknight and you’ve just crashed through the door after a stressful day. So…what’s for dinner? Will it be takeout (again)? Or the package of Top Ramen that’s been hanging around the back of your pantry like a lonely, salty ghost? Or maybe, just maybe, could there be a way to toss…
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Besides the allure of low price and high quality, Costco is also a surprising source of good-for-you foods, especially in the freezer cases.
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Your brain is, arguably, your most important organ. The gray matter inside your head not only controls all your other organs, it’s the source of your personality, memory, and intellect. Within your body, there’s nothing that doesn’t happen under its watch! Yet, in our pursuit of a healthy diet, we often focus on other goals…
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When I moved to a new house 11 years ago, I was thrilled with its location near freeways and good school — but possibly even more excited at its proximity to the closest Trader Joe’s. A mere two miles were now all that stood between me and the iconic California grocery chain. And believe me,…
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On the surface of things, it might not look like people who live in the six blue zones (Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, California; Sardinia, Italy; and Nicoya, Costa Rica) have much in common. But look a little closer and you’ll find that people living in these locations bear some striking similarities, both in…
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For as long as we can remember, folklore has held that eating certain foods will influence your dreams. For example, legend says eating the Welsh cheese dish rarebit will cause strange and bizarre nighttime visions. Or avoid spicy food if you don’t want nightmares. While science hasn’t nailed down the exact effects of your dinner…
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