Kelly is a Nutritionist at the HCC at SAS Institute Inc. in Cary NC. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science from Arizona State University and her Master of Science degree in Nutrition from Bastyr University. She is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and an Integrative and Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner. Her areas of expertise include functional nutrition, health and wellness education, prenatal nutrition, food allergies and intolerances and culinary nutrition.
March is National Nutrition Month®, an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (the organization behind our RDN credentials). This year's theme, Personalize Your Plate, promotes creating nutritious meals to meet individuals' cultural and personal food preferences.
We’ve all heard that we need to eat more plant foods, but what is it about plant foods that make them so good for us? Plants foods have many benefits, but beyond their fiber, vitamin and mineral content is their amazing and powerful polyphenol content.
We are all aging, every day, and there is nothing we can do about that (at least not yet). BUT there are many things we can do that determine HOW we age and how long we live. Only a small amount of our longevity is determined by genetics (estimated to
Bone broth has been around for centuries, it’s the traditional way to make soup or stew. It just seems like a new thing since many of us don’t tend to make soups or broths from scratch anymore. It has become popular due to its supposed healing properties as well.
COVID-19 has significantly altered our lives in many ways. While we continue to focus on mitigating infection rates by staying at home, social distancing when out, frequent handwashing and wearing masks, it’s important to think about how we can increase our resilience so that if we do get sick with
Coffee and tea are the most popular drinks around the world, and of course we all love chocolate. However, special attention should be paid to these crops not only because of their environmental impact but also because of the social injustice issues that are pervasive among these industries.
We hear about how good seafood is for us all the time. We know that getting adequate omega-3 fatty acids is essential for proper brain development, heart health, eye health, mood and many other things. But we also hear about concerns of overfishing and fish being high in mercury or
Ghee is a type of clarified butter that’s been used for thousands of years in Indian cooking and Ayurvedic medicine. Clarified butter simply means that the water and milk proteins have been removed from the butter, by cooking.
We all know that eating fruits and vegetables is good for us. This is a message we have heard since we were kids. The USDA recommends eating 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. However, nutrition experts and research suggest that more is better, typically agreeing that at least 8-10 servings
Hair loss in women is, unfortunately, fairly common. Studies tell us that 30-50% of women under the age of 50 will be affected. Of course, some hair loss is normal. We typically shed around 100 strands of hair daily due to normal turnover. Hair loss beyond that can happen either
Sheet pan meals have been gaining in popularity over the last few years, and for good reason. I’m a big fan of having fewer dishes to clean up at the end of a meal. I also like easy recipes that require minimal steps. My favorite sheet pan recipes typically include
In the previous blog, The Endocannabinoid System, I reviewed how the endocannabinoid system (ECS) works, what it affects and a few ways to optimize how it functions. The use of exogenous cannabinoids like CBD is one way to change how your ECS is working, and it’s a hot topic right
It’s been dubbed “the most important body system that you’ve never heard of.” The endocannabinoid system (ECS) was discovered in the early 1990’s. It’s not a structural system like the nervous or vascular systems. Instead, the ECS is made up of a network of receptor sites in almost every part
Your preconception health can have a huge impact on your fertility. And, your health at the time of conception will impact your child’s health. For these two reasons alone, optimizing health before getting pregnant is really important.
Salads are the image most of us see in our heads when we think of healthy eating. And for good reason, they can be really healthy. However, it is possible (and very common) for salads to end up being not so healthy, or just not enough for a meal.
We have all likely heard by now that if you have diabetes you also have an increased risk of heart disease. But what you might not know is that if you have diabetes (especially poorly controlled) your risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s is also increased. A growing body of research
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is unfortunately very common, affecting 1 billion people worldwide. According to the CDC, 1 in 3 American adults have hypertension (about 75 million people!), and only about half of them (54%) have it under control. Having high blood pressure greatly increases your risk of heart
Cast iron skillets seem to intimidate many of us. With all the do’s and don’ts, they may seem like a lot of work, but once you get the hang of how to take care of them, they’re a breeze and a great safe cookware option.
We all know that vegetables are good for us and there are literally thousands of studies over decades of research that tell us this. And many of us know that we don’t eat enough of them. Full of antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and fiber- things your body NEEDS!- vegetables are
Vitamin D (technically, a hormone) plays a role in just about every aspect of our health. It’s not only important for bone health, it also plays a role in blood glucose regulation, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, brain function, thyroid health and even conditions such as ADHD, Autism and depression. Several
We’ve known for decades that certain chemicals in our food supply could be damaging to our bodies. With more and more evidence accumulating, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) finally put out an official policy statement pointing out these dangers, especially for infants and children.
When it comes to feeding our children many of us feel lost. Maybe you’re just starting to introduce solids to your baby or maybe you are having all out wars with your 5 year old at dinner time. If meal times stress you out, you might be making some of
I first heard about blender muffins maybe a year ago. Muffins made with no flour, and you just dump all the ingredients into a blender? Uh, ok. My little one was starting finger foods at the time, so I figured I’d give these recipes a shot. They were a hit!
With Valentine’s Day just a week away, many of you might already be thinking about the treats that tend to come along with this holiday. Whether or not you celebrate Valentine’s Day, we all love a little special treat now and then. While I don’t believe that you have to
Non-dairy milks are becoming more and more popular. Have you seen all the options at the grocery store lately? There are so many! Unfortunately, many of those options contain ingredients we may not want to have on a regular basis, like added sugar, gums, stabilizers or other fillers. Plus they
It’s that time of year again! Time for colds and runny noses and sniffles and sneezing. With an 11 month old in daycare, I am very aware that it is cold and flu season. Luckily there are plenty of things that can be done to help prevent colds and other
Many of us struggle with getting enough good quality sleep. I have a 9 month old daughter, so I am well aware of the struggles and the consequences of not getting enough sleep. Winding down from the day is one of the top reasons why it takes many of us
If you have recently had a baby you’ve likely heard of baby led weaning (BLW). The concept has been around for centuries, but it has become much more popular in the last few years. Baby led weaning is one way to start solids. Basically, it means that baby is allowed
By now most of us have heard about grass-fed beef and dairy, but you may still be confused about what that really means and if the benefits are worth the extra cost. First let me point out that “organic” has nothing to do with whether an animal product is grass
As some of you might know, I have recently had a baby. This means that everything about my life has changed! Including how I go about making dinner. Currently, I have very limited time to prepare meals on most nights. For a while it was whatever I could make with
