Mar
28

What to Eat For Better Sleep

By Anne Danahy MS RDN

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A good night’s sleep is something most people take for granted — until it stops happening. Diet and lifestyle play a more prominent role in sleep than many people are aware. Often a few changes here and there can keep you from tossing and turning or asking for sleeping medication.



Adults require at least seven hours of sleep each night for good health and well-being. Unfortunately, at least one-third of adults have insomnia and regularly get less than that, notes the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (1). Insomnia is defined as:



• Having trouble falling asleep


• Waking frequently during the night


• Waking too early and not being able to fall back asleep


• Having...


Mar
15

Nutritional Care for the Transgender Community

By Lisa Andrews Med RD LD

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Transgender identity



According to a 2016 survey by the Williams Institute, roughly .58% of the US population or 1.4 million adults identify as being transgender. Estimating a true number is difficult as population-based surveys rarely ask about transgender status. 1



The term transgender is defined as identifying with a different gender than you were assigned at birth. A transgender man is someone assigned female that identifies as male, while a transgender woman identifies as female. Cisgender applies to those who identify with their assigned gender at birth.



Non-binary means the individual does not identify with either male or female and may describe themself as they or them. Not all trans...


Mar
02

Curious About Integrative Nutrition? Courses and Resources to Expand Your Knowledge

By Anne Danahy MS RDN


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Integrative and functional medicine treats the patient as a whole – and many who work in the field are convinced this is the future of medicine. The goal is to understand why the patient is ill, and work to fix the root cause, rather than just prescribe a medication to manage their disease.



Similarly, integrative and functional nutrition is a more personalized approach in which a dietitian and patient partner together to heal the root causes of symptoms or an illness. It’s still science-based, but it considers all aspects of a patient’s lifestyle, genetics, and biochemistry, rather than just prescribing a standard diet for their disease.



Using an integrative and function...


Feb
09

National Nutrition Month RD Resources

By Lisa Andrews Med RD LD

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Unless you’ve got your head in the sand, you’re well aware that the most important month for nutrition professionals is right around the corner. That’s right! National Nutrition Month is less than 4 weeks away!


With the recent release of the 2020 US Dietary Guidelines, this year’s theme is all about “personalizing your plate”. As dietetics professionals, it’s our job to help our clients meet their unique nutritional needs on their terms. Gone are the days of simply handing someone a pre-printed list of suggested foods to eat. What good does that do anyone?


Our national Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) has lots of great resources to help you bri...


Jan
26

What's New in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines?

By Anne Danahy MS RDN

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The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released the latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These science-based recommendations provide guidance about what and how much to eat to meet nutrient needs for health, and to prevent chronic disease.


Although each version of the Dietary Guidelines adheres to a consistent message of healthy eating, the details in that message do evolve. As such, they’re updated every five years, to account for the latest nutrition research, recommendations from science advisors, and diet trends or attitudes among consumers.


Here’s a look at the major highlights of the 2020-2025 Die...


Jan
05

On Our Plates in 2021

By Lisa Andrews Med RD LD

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Most of us can’t wait to kiss 2020 good-bye. In addition to a new year, we’re ready to embrace some new food trends. While we welcomed sour dough and banana bread back into our lives in 2020, some tempting taste twists await us in 2021.


For starters, big breakfasts are back. Gone are the days of grabbing a granola bar and running out the door. While more people will continue to make their living from their living room, breakfast has gotten more focus. Egg white wraps and some made from cheese are popular items on the menu for the low carb folks while whole grain pancakes will also make the plate.


Deja brew. Coffee’s not just comfort in a cup. It’s moving into yogurt, g...


Dec
21

15 Creative Holiday Gift Ideas that Dietitians Love to Give

By Anne Danahy MS RDN

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Despite all of the time we’ve had on our hands this year, many of us will no doubt still be scrambling to finish (or start) our holiday shopping. If you’re stuck for creative ideas that your foodie and health-minded friends and family will love, RDs are here to save the day.



We’ve rounded up a list of food and nutrition-inspired holiday gift ideas that dietitians love to give – and many of these are also created or sold by RDs.



Framed Kitchen Art


Customized kitchen art is surprisingly easy, inexpensive and fun to make. Chrissy Carroll downloads free food and fitness-themed art printable images (available online), prints them on high quality paper, and frames them for...


Dec
17

RD Holiday Recipe Hacks

By Lisa Andrews Med RD LD

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Contrary to popular belief, dietitians are not the food police. We really love food! We want to give our clients delicious ways to enjoy nutritious food and not see it as punishment. Holidays can be particularly tough for people on modified diets or those wanting to lose weight, but in the end- we all want our cake and to eat it, too.


This month, I’ve asked a handful of RDs for their best recipe hacks. These include creative tips to increase the nutrient quality of a dish without compromising flavor and practicing mindfulness. Lettuce face it- food must taste good for us to eat it!


Recipe hacks


Joby Neelankavil www.jobyneelankavil.com advises “using cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg to...


Dec
01

Yoga For All

By Lisa Andrews Med RD LD


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Yoga is much more than sitting on the floor trying to get your legs into a pretzel formation. The ancient Hindu practice dates back over 5,000 years and includes mental, spiritual and physical exercises. It was initially started as 1:1 teaching, but has grown in Western cultures to include group classes. Though many people practice yoga alone, the word yoga means union. Here are some benefits to hitting the mat.


Stress reduction


Yoga has several health benefits and has been found to be beneficial in reducing stress and anxiety. According to Lauren O'Connor, Registered Dietitian, Yoga Instructor and owner of


https://nutrisavvyhealth.com/, “Whether 30 minutes or an hour-and-a-half; dail...


Nov
10

Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

By Lisa Andrews Med RD LD


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You don’t hear much about pancreatic cancer, but when you hear someone is diagnosed, you should be alarmed. While pancreatic cancer is rare, it’s one of the more fatal types of gastrointestinal cancers and is on the rise. Unfortunately, many people with pancreatic cancer are asymptomatic until it’s too late and in its final stages.


A recent study published in JAMA this year showed that unintentional weight loss and diabetes may be signs of this deadly cancer. The study tracked 160,000 adults for close to 30 years. Individuals who had been diagnosed with diabetes for 4 or more years had twice the risk of pancreatic cancer while those with a new diagnosis had triple the risk...