I remind myself of these reasons nearly everyday. They can also apply to you and most other Americans...
The Essential Nine Amino Acids
Amino acids are like legos. They come in many different shapes and sizes and they join together to form structures in our body called proteins. But these structures are constantly breaking down and falling apart, so your body needs a steady supply of them to repair and rebuild. There are 20 amino acids, eleven of... Continue Reading →
Calories and Campfires
Our metabolism is like a campfire. When we eat food and drink, it's sent to the liver to be metabolized and burned away like wood to produce heat (calories). If we hork down too much, like three out of every four people in America, we’re tossing a large amount of wood on a fire that... Continue Reading →
Keeping Your Foundation Strong. A Message from Vitamin D.
Dear humans, Hello, my name is Deon. You probably know me by my Earth name: Vitamin D. With winter upon us, I thought it was necessary to provide you with some critical information. First, I ask that you keep this message confidential. The Academy of Nutrients, Vitamins And Minerals (ANVAM) has made me swear not... Continue Reading →
Store Holiday Memories, Not Holiday Fat
The snow before January is white and crisp—take a picture and post it on Instagram. The colors of Christmas lights radiate your neighborhood—tell a story on Snapchat. You enjoy some holiday cheer with friends and family—tag your besties and siblings on Facebook. No, wait—you better not post that picture. Your face looks fat, and you... Continue Reading →
How to Trick the Undead this Halloween
It's damp, cold, the last warm breath of summer whisked away with a pile of leaves. You grab your now musty jacket and sit on the porch glider, swinging and shivering, telling yourself fall is better than summer because of the beautiful leaves. You shift your eyes away from your half-dead tree in the front... Continue Reading →
Fat is on Your Freeway. Understanding Good and Bad Fats
Gone are the days when we simply looked at the Total Fat value on a nutrition label and could tell if a food was healthy or unhealthy. If the fat was too high, it was bad for us; if the fat was low, it was good for us. Done! Well, it’s not the 1990s anymore.... Continue Reading →
Antioxidants: Cleaning up Your Body’s City Streets
The word Antioxidants is tattooed everywhere we shop for food—from cereal boxes and sports drinks to waters and nutmilks—you'd think consuming them would lead to immortality. But through all this antioxidant hype from food marketers, there’s one question that comes to my mind: What in the hell is an antioxidant? As a registered dietitian, I... Continue Reading →