nutrition
Tag Archives
Gut–Brain Connection: Nutritional Support for Mood & Motivation
The gut and brain communicate through a dynamic two-way system that researchers increasingly recognize as central to digestion, emotional wellbeing and metabolic health (Harvard Health Publishing 2025). This relationship; often referred to as the gut–brain axis, involves hormones, neurotransmitters, immune signaling and the vast community of microbes that live in the gastrointestinal tract. When the…
Developing Metabolic Flexibility
Building metabolic flexibility doesn’t require extreme shifts or restrictive programs. Instead, it involves a thoughtful, progressive blend of nutritional variety, strength and movement habits, and practical meal timing that supports; not overwhelms, the body’s natural capacity to adapt. Below is an in-depth exploration of each component, followed by sample implementation plans and a full week-long…
A Healthier Holiday Season
For many clients, the holiday season is a combination of celebration, food-centered gatherings, and disrupted routines. As a fitness professional, you play an important role in helping people shift away from the “all or nothing” mindset that often surfaces during this time. This season doesn’t have to feel like a nutritional freefall nor does it…
The New Frontier of Active Aging Nutrition
As the population over 50 continues to grow, so does interest in how nutrition can support not just a longer life—but a better quality of life. For fitness professionals, dietitians, and wellness coaches, understanding the latest trends in active aging nutrition is essential for guiding clients toward greater strength, vitality, and independence as they age. …
Yogurt and Honey are a Perfect Pairing
Here is some sweet news: Researchers stationed at the University of Illinois suggest that clover honey, when mixed with yogurt, can significantly improve the survival of beneficial bacteria in our digestive systems. The journey of probiotics found in fermented foods like yogurt through our digestive system is fraught with challenges. For instance, the acidic environment…
Most of the World’s Population Lacks Some Essential Micronutrients
Nutrients such as iron and calcium are critical for good health, but a big portion of the world’s population is coming up short in them. Research published in the journal The Lancet Global Health found that more than 4 billion people worldwide are not consuming enough of the critical nutrients iodine, calcium, iron, folate, riboflavin,…
A Variety of Dark Chocolate Products Contaminated With Heavy Metals, Study Finds
Chocoholics, brace yourselves: That velvety square of chocolate melting on your tongue might be a source of harmful heavy metals. A study published in Frontiers in Nutrition that examined 72 types of chocolate products – dark chocolate bars, nibs and cocoa powders – found that 43% contained elevated lead levels and 35% had higher cadmium…
Ultra-Processed Food Intake Tied to Chronic Insomnia
It’s not just late-night screen time that could be messing up people’s sleep, but also the amount of nutritionally poor grub that they are eating. Consumption of ultra-processed foods is independently tied to poor sleep in the general population, according to an epidemiological study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.…
USDA Aims to Make Eating Poultry Safer
Chicken, turkey and other poultry will be a safer dinner choice if new proposed rules by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to limit salmonella come into effect. According to the new food safety regulations, poultry producing companies would be expected to keep salmonella levels below a specific threshold (less than 10 colony-forming units (CFU)…
Dietary variety boosts mental health
If you want to perform well ‘up top’ for years to come, research suggests that you don’t cut out healthy foods. Its long been said that variety is the spice of life. When it comes to diet, it also appears to be a recipe for better mental functioning as we age. An investigation involving 182,000…
Food as Medicine: Meals for Mental Health
Ever eat your feelings? Or feel low after a few too many nutrition-poor meals? A newer area of practice called nutritional psychology looks at this intersection of nutrition and mental health. Read on for more on nutrition and mental health, nutrition strategies to optimize mental health, and practical tips to share with clients. Why We…
Calories, Not Meal Timing, Key to Weight Loss
A study finds that it’s caloric deficit that spurs weight loss, not any change in meal timing. When it comes to the battle of the bulge, we have more evidence that calories are king. A head-to-head trial of a calorie-reduced diet and a time-restricted eating diet, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, found no difference…
Mercury Levels in Tuna Haven’t Budged in the Past Five Decades
The popular canned fish and sushi staple has the same level of mercury despite efforts to reduce pollution. It’s not easy to drain toxins from our food supply. An analysis of nearly 3,000 tuna samples caught in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans between 1971 and 2022 revealed stable mercury concentrations in tuna during those…
Eating more healthy plant-based foods is associated with a lower risk for diabetes
Research finds that not all plant foods are created equal in the battle against type 2 diabetes. The incidence of type 2 diabetes worldwide is on the rise. Currently, an estimated 6.3% of the adult population has diabetes, with over 90% of those cases being type 2 diabetes. Perhaps noshing on more whole plants could…
Choosing sugary drinks for toddlers linked to risk of later life obesity
Study shows why we need to do a better job of instilling good dietary habits from the get-go. A study that that linked the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks in the first few years of childhood to poor diet patterns that increase the risk of obesity in later life, adds to the totality of evidence that…
An Ingredient in Nearly Every Heavily Processed Package Food Might Pose a Health Risk
Emulsifiers are everywhere, with research showing they may not be benign for our health. Skim the labels on nearly any packaged food in the supermarket and you’re bound to find a few ingredients that aren’t in your kitchen cabinets. But while you’re fretting about high-fructose this and artificial that, scientists have uncovered a potential new…
What Do You Think?
Should Everyone Get Their Own Personalized Nutrition Plan? There can be a wide variation in how people’s bodies respond to different foods, which is why there is increasing interest in the field of personalized nutrition formulated specifically for an individual’s unique biology, lifestyle and health history. A 2024 study published in Nature Medicine evaluated the…
Buy or Bye: Bone Broth
Bone broth certainly isn’t new; cooks from different cultures have been using bone-based stocks and broths for centuries in their cuisine. But thanks to our modern wellness culture, it’s trendier than ever. The hoopla around bone broth highlights its collagen content, plus the vitamins and minerals it might contain. The rich-tasting liquid is sold as…
Eating ultra-processed foods is tied to over three dozen health problems
Wondering if that junk food is REALLY having an effect? Find out why ultra-processed foods are so bad for you.
Secrets of Super Agers
What’s their secret? Why do Super Agers, people who live past 90, have such long lives? What can you do to live a longer, healthier life?
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