Category Archive

by Lisa Shettle, MS, RDN, CD-N As the crisp air of fall approaches, it’s the perfect time to embrace seasonal produce to nourish your family’s health. There are a variety of delicious and nutritious foods that can be part of your family’s meals. Here are some tips to keep your family healthy during this season: Seasonal Produce Some seasonal favorites to incorporate into your meals: Apples Enjoy a family outing to an orchard for apple picking and use the fresh harvest in snacks, salads, and desserts. One apple provides over 4 grams of fiber and 8.4 mg of vitamin C. …

by Lisa Shettle, MS, RDN, CD-N Rarely a day goes by lately when we aren’t asked about the “weight loss miracle drug” semaglutide (also known at Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus). We are sure you’ve heard about this medicine by now – it has made the headlines over and over and is being used (and endorsed!) by lots of celebrities. The media coverage makes it seem like it’s a wonder drug and a one-size-fits-all easy-peasy approach to weight loss. Sadly, this is not the case. While semaglutide may be appropriate for some people, at Swan Integrative we are careful about who …

by Lisa Shettle, MS, RDN, CD-N Cinco de Mayo is a time to savor all the festive flavors that come with the holiday. Enjoy this fun and festive holiday by including these tips into your celebration for a nutrient boost. Here are some tips for enjoying your favorite Cinco de Mayo dishes to make them lower in calories and sodium. Spice it up Enhance the flavor of your dishes with traditional spices, chilis, herbs and citrus juice rather than salt. Some common herbs and spices:  Chili powder Cumin Fresh or dried cilantro Coriander seeds Cinnamon Cayenne pepper Garlic Less common …

by Lisa Shettle, MS, RDN, CD-N Happy American Heart Month! It’s a time to remind ourselves to focus on our cardiovascular health. Nutrition choices and lifestyle are key players in reducing our risk for cardiovascular disease. Here are some basic nutritional strategies you can follow to maintain good heart health: It’s important to have healthy blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels and your diet can impact those values:  Eating soluble fiber, which is found in foods such as oats, beans, ground flaxseed, fruits and vegetables, has been shown to help lower cholesterol levels.  Avoiding highly processed foods that contain excess …

by Lisa Shettle, MS, RDN, CD-N Happy, Healthy Holidays!   Savor the flavors of the season – without overdoing it! The rush of the winter holidays can make it challenging to stick to good nutritional habits. Many things can divert us from our best intentions. All sorts of social events, tempting treats, last-minute shopping excursions, traveling out of town… these holiday extras may interfere with our regular eating habits and derail a healthy diet. First, spend a little time thinking about what you usually do during the holidays for nutrition and how you want to approach it this year.  Ask …

by Lisa Shettle, MS, RDN, CD-N Food is fantastic during the fall season! The smells of the season make all of us crave a cozy meal or drink like a warm pumpkin spiced latte. But, pumpkin spice isn’t the only thing that’s nice this time of year! From apples to sweet potatoes, there are so many wonderful flavors to try.  These different foods are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and other healthy plant elements. There are many nutrients that overlap amongst the different produce items, but there are also many differences. Aiming for a variety of foods will provide a variety of …

Sweet Sweet Summer Time by Sarah Fontaine, APRN, FNP-C Kids love getting outside and having fun in the summer. Keep the fun going and protect your little ones from damaging UV rays with these quick tips for sunscreen usage: Do not apply sunscreen to a baby under the age of 6 months. Keep babies under the age of 6 months out of direct sunlight and instead allow for indirect sunshine; place baby near a sunny window or take outside and keep under umbrella. Cover skin with loose cotton if going in direct sun. After age 6 months, use a mineral …

by Lisa Shettle, MS, RDN, CD-N With summer comes ice cream in the warm evenings, hot dogs at barbecues and popsicles and cocktails by the pool. With all that fun, it can be easy to lose track of any nutrition goals you might have set for yourself. To help balance summer fun while maintaining healthy habits here are some healthy summer nutrition swaps: Add Fresh Produce to Your Meal Plan Summer is a great time to check out some local farmers markets and get fresh produce for new recipes. Visit a nearby farmers market for some in season produce or …