Articles

by Lisa Shettle, MS, RDN, CD-N March is National Nutrition Month, a time to focus on prioritizing your nutrition. One thing that’s usually lacking in people’s diets is adequate fruit & vegetable intake. A challenge to improve your nutrition this month might be aiming to “eat the rainbow”.  Eating a variety of colorful foods will nourish you with a wide array of phytonutrients to keep you feeling your best. Fruits and vegetables provide lots of nutrients without many calories and are full of fiber (good for your gut). Different colors mean different nutrients; for example, blueberries have different vitamins, minerals, …

by Lisa Shettle, MS, RDN, CD-N While the death rate from heart disease has dropped in recent years, it is still the leading cause of death in the U.S.1 February is American Heart Month, and we can reduce our risk of heart disease by eating a heart-healthy diet, reducing stress, and getting more exercise and sleep. A heart-healthy diet is rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins (fish, legumes); and low in highly processed foods, added sugar, and saturated fats.  When I counsel patients on heart-healthy eating, we find heart healthy foods they enjoy and …

by Lisa Shettle, MS, RDN, CD-N For many of us, January is all about giving things up: Maybe you’re going to stop eating meat and try a vegan diet; or you’re ready to kick excess sugar to the curb after a holiday season of too many cookies; or you’re committed to avoiding fast food. Instead of looking at what to cut out of your diet, focus on adding whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes while also reducing your consumption of processed foods.  Research shows eating a dietary pattern of whole plant-based foods reduces our risk of …