Spring is my favorite time of the year. The days are getting longer, the sun is stronger, winter is definitely over, and summer is on its way! It’s the perfect time of year to work on healthy habits like exercising more and eating better.

If you’ve been to the grocery store lately, you might have noticed that the produce department is brimming with fresh tomatoes, strawberries, blackberries, and even corn on the cob. 

Are you are one of the almost 80 million Americans who have been diagnosed with prediabetes? If so, consider it a warning sign. It’s important to make changes as soon as you can to help prevent or slow the development of diabetes.

Most people who develop Type 2 diabetes start with prediabetes, also known as impaired fasting blood sugar. Fasting blood sugar levels are elevated, between 100 and 125mg/dl, and Hemoglobin A1c 5.7-6.4%,

It seems as if there are new nutrition studies coming out on a regular basis, and unfortunately, after the information is funneled through all of the media channels available, it comes out the other end pretty garbled and very confusing. This of course can be very frustrating to those of you who are trying to eat healthfully and lose weight. Consulting with a registered dietitian is the best way to straighten out the confounding mess of information,

Each one of us has our own individual food preferences, cultural traditions, and most importantly, “relationship” with food. But sometimes the choices we make are not fostering the healthiest person we can be. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics promotes March as National Nutrition Month®, and it is an excellent time to become informed about the importance of good nutrition for overall health and well-being.

Have you ever stopped to think about how important your kidneys are to long-term health? Kidneys are vital organs that usually fly under the radar when we think about a healthy lifestyle. Many key functions in our body depend upon our kidneys including:

• Removing waste and extra fluid as urine
• Balancing electrolytes, like sodium and potassium
• Producing red blood cells
• Regulating blood pressure
• Controlling pH balance
• Making an active form of Vitamin D to support bone health

Nearly 1 in 7 Americans have chronic kidney disease (CKD),

In February, we celebrate the fascinating organ that pumps 2,000 gallons of blood for us each day – the heart. Unfortunately, too many of us take this amazing organ for granted, and heart disease remains the leading cause of death for men and women in the US. The good news is that heart disease for many people is preventable. One strategy for prevention is proper nutrition – feeding the body nutrients that promote health and life.

Holidays are truly a wonderful time of the year for many of us, but the season can also be a challenging time if you are trying to maintain a healthy regimen. After all, food is usually a part of every gathering with family, friends, and co-workers.

Research has indicated that the average person gains 1-5lbs. each holiday season and the same research shows that most people never lose the extra weight.

According to recent estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 37 million American adults and children have Type 2 Diabetes, the most common form of diabetes, and that number has been steadily increasing over the past years.

In addition, an alarming 96 million more individuals have prediabetes, which is diagnosed when your a1c is between 5.7 and 6.4 percent, and your fasting glucose is between 100 and 125 mg/dl.