“Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” – Michael Pollan What are pure foods? Put simply, pure foods are REAL foods – foods that are grown, not manufactured. Pure foods have not been processed or modified and they do not contain unnecessary additives or preservatives. Think fresh fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, legumes, lean meat and fish. Eating pure foods helps reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes and even some types of cancer. Since they are whole, natural foods, pure foods contain more vitamins, minerals and nutrients than packaged and processed foods. Pure foods also make you feel full longer. Why not become a pure food addict, right? 4 Tips When Buying Pure Foods Buy Local: Buyin

Breakfast “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!” – Moms Everywhere Yes, mom was right. Breakfast is an important way to start the day, for kids and adults alike. Skipping breakfast can lead to erratic eating patterns throughout the day, indulgence in more junk food and ultimately, weight gain. Here are three benefits of eating breakfast: Breakfast Jump-Starts the Gut: Studies show that people who begin the day with a balanced breakfast of protein, carbs, and fiber tend to eat less junk food during the day because it primes the brain and gut to expect (and crave) nutritious food for the rest of the day. Breakfast Jump-Starts the Brain: When you sleep, you’re fasting. Breaking your

If I say "Monday" what pops into your mind? Pictures of Grumpy Cat? Does your mood change? Why? It doesn't have too. Let me tell you a story about my husband. My husband is a very kind, generally patient, and understanding person, but Monday's used to always change his mood and set a tone for the whole day. When he came home and I asked about his day he would grumble and complain and make grumbly noises. I asked him why Monday's were so bad and he complained that Monday just always seemed to get the best of him. He struggled with feeling behind, disorganized, and just out of sorts. When we tried to break it down there was really nothing different about Monday except that it followed

“Eat. Sleep. Repeat.” – Unknown After a day in the sun or a hard day's work, you will likely be ready for a good night’s sleep. But, did you know that certain foods can also play a role in the quality of your sleep? All food we eat has an effect on our health in some form. The brain is highly affected, for better or for worse, by nutrition. Some foods help boost your brain activity and energy level, while others help you get a restful night’s sleep. The Science Tryptophan is the amino acid that the body uses to make serotonin. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that slows down nerve traffic so your brain isn’t so busy. Tryptophan is also used by your body to make melatonin, which helps y

“Eat. Sleep. Repeat.” – Unknown After a day in the sun or a hard day’s work, you will likely be ready for a good night’s sleep. But, did you know that certain foods can also play a role in the quality of your sleep? All food we eat has an effect on our health in some form. The brain is highly affected, for better or for worse, by nutrition. Some foods help boost your brain activity and energy level, while others help you get a restful night’s sleep. The Science Tryptophan is the amino acid that the body uses to make serotonin. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that slows down nerve traffic so your brain isn’t so busy. Tryptophan is also used by your body to make melatonin, which helps you sl

According to www.nutritionfacts.org less than 2% of Americans meet their recommended minimum adequate intake of potassium. This is in large part to our avoidance of veggies! So, what's the big deal you ask? I thought potassium was just for cramps. I don't have cramps; so, I'm good right? Wrong. Let's have a crash course in potassium. Potassium - "It is also an electrolyte, a substance that conducts electricity in the body, along with sodium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium. Potassium is crucial to heart function and plays a key role in skeletal and smooth muscle contraction, making it important for normal digestive and muscular function". - University of Maryland. Ok, so what does i

According to http://www.nutritionfacts.org less than 2% of Americans meet their recommended minimum adequate intake of potassium. This is in large part to our avoidance of veggies! So, what’s the big deal you ask? I thought potassium was just for cramps. I don’t have cramps; so, I’m good right? Wrong. Let’s have a crash course in potassium. Potassium – “It is also an electrolyte, a substance that conducts electricity in the body, along with sodium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium. Potassium is crucial to heart function and plays a key role in skeletal and smooth muscle contraction, making it important for normal digestive and muscular function”. – University of Maryland. Ok, so what

Superfoods: Garlic This Week’s Featured Superfood: Pomegranate TRIVIA The Fear of garlic is called Alliumphobia WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? Garlic promotes endothelial health – This helps keep arteries from getting stiff.  The endothelium is an important part of our blood vessels, working ike a pharmacy to our bodies.  Just as long as you don’t block it with plaque. Cardiovascular heath – Increases HDL while lowering LDL, lowers Triglycerides ,lowers blood pressure, and lowers platelet aggregation Decrease inflammation – Contains a unique suffer compound which reduces inflammation May improve bone health due to the zinc, manganese, and b6 Reduction in Stomach Cancer – A study in 2014 of the Korean