It seems that many Americans are in denial regarding their health. With over two-thirds of our country classified as overweight or with obesity and people looking to blame everything or everyone but themselves, I find it alarming when people are surprised, no SHOCKED when I tell them they are in the classification of overweight or obesity. But is there a better way to know if this is a concern? And learn it from the comfort of your own home?

Many people set goals for the new year to lose weight, eat healthier, or start the latest trending diet, including lists of foods to cut out or avoid. This year consider an approach different from a temporary diet or short-term program by doing something for more than a few weeks while also improving health and weight.

While there is nothing wrong with a diet for a couple of weeks or 30 days, dietary changes that will positively impact weight and overall health require eating better well past a month of restrictions.

It will hit many people in the next day or two: the result of ringing in the New Year with more than just the toast at midnight. One of the many traditions of the New Year is often drinking to excess. Not everyone starts the night anticipating the hangover; it just happens after you realize a bit too late that you have had too much to drink. You can take steps to prevent the hangover or the steps to cure it.

The question is often asked and researched: what time is best to exercise: morning, after lunch, after work? While there are some minor differences when is ideal for the time on the clock, realistically, there is no actual physical benefit to certain times of the day. Here is the answer: whatever time of day works best for you.

If your true love gives you a partridge in a pear tree, then kiss your true love. Your pear tree provides you with a fruit low in calories, high in fiber, and full of vitamin C. A medium pear is about 100 calories and has 6 grams of fiber, about one-fifth to one-quarter of your fiber needs in just ONE pear.

Eat like turtle doves! They eat fruit and seeds primarily.

If humans, specifically those of us in the United States, ate more fruits and seeds, as well as vegetables, whole grains, and nuts, we would be a whole lot healthier as a population.

Question: are the three French hens healthier because they are French or drink red wine? More than 30 years ago, the term “French Paradox” hit the United States, and red wine consumption soared. To this day, people often tell me that they drink red wine because the French are healthier, “don’t get fat,” or any number of “health” reasons. However, is red wine the fountain of health, or is there something else?

Did you also know that most black foods are good for you? We often promote color in nutrition, and as dietitians, we suggest a rainbow of colors for your fruits and vegetables: red, orange, yellow, green, purple, and even white. But what about black foods? Here are seven black foods you can easily incorporate into your diet now and into the new year.

According to the Urban Dictionary, the expression “grab for the gold ring” is “to take a chance and reach for some goal or desire.” We often neglect things in our lives or put them on the back burner, which decreases our healthy life and quality of life. Think about what you want to reach for in the next year, and consider these five things in your life.

If you are doing holiday baking and find you sampled a bit too much during the day - what should you do? It isn’t as much about the calories (though they do add up), but avoiding the poor eating/sugar hangover the next day. Read more for tips to help manage these days.

Alcohol in moderation is one of the few things precisely defined. But, unfortunately, moderation is one of those words with some ambiguity to it. It means something different depending on the subject, person, and pre-existing habits.

What do the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 say about alcohol now?

Ever wonder about those dates on food packages such as Sell-By, Use-By, and Best-By? They are not terms representing safety or even food expiration. The only food product with an actual end or Use-By date, as required by law, is infant formula. For all other cases, food manufacturers add the dates voluntarily related to food quality or freshness. So what can you do to know what is still good?

Concerned about holiday weight gain and overeating? Let it go.

I discourage restrictions and deprivation year-round, and during the holidays so don't skip your favorites, especially when they are once-a-year dishes. Just watch the portions - if you want one of each pie, it doesn't have to be a whole slice of each one. Really.

There are many hazards to watch for during the holidays, and while most of us think about drunk drivers and crushing crowds at the big box store, food safety can affect all of us. If we are the ones preparing the food, we are the ones under pressure to get everything done at the time promised and take short-cuts, or we may want to relax after dinner and put the food away “later.”

While I don’t think it is a “new” trend; sweet potatoes are eaten and seen more than just from Thanksgiving and Christmas on the menu. For example, we can order sweet potato fries or baked sweet potatoes over “regular” fries or a baked Russet potato. We can even get the frozen sweet potato options in the grocery store, including fries.

I LOVE cranberry sauce. I make my own and have it year-round in my fridge since I stash cranberries in my freezer for this very purpose. Yes, cranberry sauce does have added sugar, but have you ever had cranberries straight? If you have not, give it a try and be prepared. Today’s post has some cranberry health benefits and a couple of cocktail recipes using homemade cranberry sauce. (That recipe is also included.)

If you host Thanksgiving on other holiday gatherings, have you asked your guests if they have any diet restrictions? Consider that some people may be vegetarian (ask what kind), someone else may have a wheat allergy (never mind if it is accurate or not), and another could have a dairy allergy. Oh, and a couple may have diabetes.

What to do with so many dinner guests and their diet restrictions? Here is what you can do.

Explore the significance of National Diabetes Month and the focus on prediabetes prevention. Learn about the history of insulin, the impact of diabetes on heart health, and the key details about type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. Discover the importance of regular screenings, risk factors, and the role of lifestyle changes in preventing or delaying type 2 diabetes. Get insights into testing methods, signs, symptoms, and actionable steps for a healthier lifestyle. Take control of your health and join the movement for diabetes awareness.

So does turkey make us sleepy? Of course, it does. Doesn’t it? Why else would we be so sleepy after our thanksgiving dinner?

Not so fast. The truth is that tryptophan isn’t likely the reason why you are sleepy.

Is Peanut Butter a “Perfect Food”

Yes, yes, it is. That is all.

I suppose I will elaborate more.

First, if someone doesn’t eat or like peanut butter, I cannot work with them. Peanut allergy? I can deal with that.

Of course, I am joking about discriminating against people who don’t like peanut butter, but really what is WRONG with them? Peanut butter is a staple food when I make dietary recommendations.