The holidays are upon us! As you may have experienced, Thanksgiving often serves as the starter pistol for the holiday weight gain marathon. Don’t let holiday collateral damage be the impetus for your New Year’s resolutions this year. A little planning and mindfulness can keep the joy in your season

In the blink of an eye, summer is gone, fall is slipping by and winter is quickly approaching. Though hopes of snow flurries enter our minds, we often think of winter as a season of germs. Your annual flu shot and regular hand washing are a great start to preventing

If breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day then why do so many of us skip it? Often it’s because we feel we don’t have enough time or we just aren’t hungry. However, taking a few quick minutes in the morning to "break the fast" can have

Another summer has almost come and gone and fall is on its way bringing cooler temperatures, lower humidity, and colorful leaves. However, just because fall is knocking on our door doesn’t mean we have to stop enjoying our favorite summer produce. If you’re a home gardener or a frequent flyer

Ways We Excrete Toxins You learned in the previous Chews Strategically post, Foods for Natural Detox, that certain foods provide important nutrients that assist the liver in transforming toxins so they can be excreted from the body. After the toxins are transformed into water soluble substances they are excreted through

The words "Detox" or "Detoxification" get thrown around a lot these days but few people know what these words really mean. Detoxification in reference to human health refers to your body’s ability to convert, or biotransform, waste products and toxins into non-toxic substances that can be excreted from the body.

Conventional or Organic? That is the question. Research varies about whether organic foods are healthier than conventional foods. However, one of the biggest arguments for buying organic is in regards to pesticide exposure. Convincing evidence is revealing that the pesticides we eat, drink and inhale are stored in our bodies

Most of us can probably recite the age-old recommendation to "drink eight 8-ounce cups of water every day" in our sleep. However, how many of us actually do it? We are often quick to replace our water bottles with sugar-sweetened beverages, coffee, or tea while telling ourselves, "it’s mostly water,

Humans have over 10,000 taste buds which are made up of hundreds of receptor cells that control our sense of taste. Each type of receptor responds to one of these 5 basic tastes: Sweet: activated by presence of sugars (ie: fruit, sugary drinks, desserts) Salty: activated by presence sodium chloride

"Food choices not only directly influence our health, but profoundly influence the health of the planet." There are many reasons why buying local foods is the best way to go! Here are just a few: 1. Local Food Tastes Better When you are shopping at a farmers market or picking

Peppers, sweet or hot, are packed full of great nutrition and are extremely versatile ingredients. Bell peppers are a favorite pepper for many and appeal to a wide range of people because, while they still have a bite, they are much sweeter since they lack capsaicin (compound responsible for the

March is National Nutrition Month!  This year's theme, "Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day," encourages personalized healthy eating choices. All of us are different and, therefore, have unique food preferences that have been influenced by friends and family, lifestyle, culture, health status, and ethnic and religious traditions. None of us

In Part 1 of our February is Heart Month series, I discussed 5 Powerful Foods for Your Heart. It is well known that a healthy diet and regular exercise are very beneficial for keeping our hearts and other organs healthy, reducing our risk of developing heart disease and other illnesses.

Super Bowl XLVII is almost here!  Whether you’re a Ravens or a 49ers fan or just watching the game for the commercials, Super Bowl snacks always seem to take center field and are the true MVPs. According to an article from Huffington Post, Americans will eat nearly 11 million pounds

Happy 2013, it’s hard to believe another year has passed! New Year’s is typically a time for new beginnings and for many people New Year’s Resolutions. How many years have you vowed on January 1st to start eating healthier, lose weight, or hit the gym more? And how often have

I recently heard morning radio DJs talking about things people would never want to receive as holiday gifts. One of the categories they mentioned was kitchen appliances. Giving kitchen tools and appliances as gifts may be frowned upon by some but for the foodies in your family, culinary utensils can stir squeals

Trick or Treat! Halloween and its endless candy supply marks the beginning of a continuous stream of social gatherings, family meals, and tempting holiday foods from October to January. For many, this also means unwanted extra pounds.  However, you can still enjoy Halloween without breaking the calorie bank; you just

Beans aren’t just good for your heart; they’re affordable, convenient, and packed with nutrients that have a wide range of health benefits including lowered LDL cholesterol, blood sugar control, weight management, and more. Beans are an excellent plant-based source of protein and fiber and are rich in minerals such as

 75 degrees, 30% humidity and a cloudless, blue sky: It’s hard to beat Fall in North Carolina! Something else I enjoy this time of year is the colors of Fall, both outdoors and in the kitchen. Many fruits and vegetables are at their peak right now providing amazing, colorful menu

After weeks of anticipation, one of fall’s best offerings, Football Season, is here! Hot diggity!!! Now many sports fans view this as a total positive, but those who have been working hard all summer to shave percentage points off their body fat and boost their fitness levels recognize football season’s