Kent State Interns

Have you ever considered how the foods you eat can effect acne? When we think of factors contributing to acne, we often times think it's hormone-related and out of our control. While it's true that acne is hormone-related, the foods you eat directly impact hormone production in your body. Therefore, what you eat can have a large impact on your acne. The good news is- you have control over what foods you put in your mouth and making a few small changes to your diet can help your acne tremendouly. Foods Fueling Acne 1. Diets high in sugar can cause acne breakouts to occur more frequently and more severely. When there is an excess amount of sugar in the bloodstream, the hormone, insulin, rises and causes other hormones in the body to rise as well. As a result, sugar intake directly impacts many hormone levels, indirectly impacting acne production. Sweets and sodas are two of the most popular souces of sugar that increase blood sugars and fuel the production of acne. ...

Coca-Cola and other sodas on the market are notorious for completing the cravings of that "sweet fizz taste". It’s an obsession but those taking a sip are not having their health in mind. Soda has high amounts of added sugars and drinking it often can lead to vicious cycles of unhealthy behaviors such as drinking or eating foods with added sugars. The recommended intake of added sugars daily is less than 10% of your total daily calories. For example, if you consume around a 2,000-calorie diet, you shouldn’t consume more than 200 calories from added sugars. That is 12 teaspoons (50 grams). To make matters worse, soda has 36.8 grams according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Kelly Kenney, RD, a dietitian, for Everyday health says, “it's about 1.5 times more than the American Heart Association recommends a woman to have in an entire day.” It’s hard to avoid added sugar in drinks, so what are some better choices? Whether you want to change the ...

 Popcorn is an awesome, easy snack. Anything I can throw in the microwave and eat 2 minutes later is a win in my book. The American Heart Association even calls it a healthy snack (well, if it’s air-popped and lightly seasoned). My problem with the store-bought popcorn is it’s often too oily, salty, and expensive! However, last week a classmate shared a piece of information that blew my mind: You can buy popcorn kernels, put a half cup in a brown paper lunch bag, fold it over, and microwave it – and it pops exactly like the storebought microwave popcorn! WHAT? WHERE HAS THIS INFORMATION BEEN MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE? So not only can I control the amount of salt or oil I add, it’s also much cheaper. It also adds almost no extra time to the process. I was buying Orville Redenbacher’s Simply Salted Naturals. 6 bags for $5.99. If we do some difficult math, that comes to $1 per bag. Now for $6.14 I can buy almost 3 pounds of Orville Redenbacher’s Whole Grain Popping Corn. It c...

 Ever read an article or seen something online from a random person demonizing certain foods or food groups? No? I do not believe you...  In today's society, we are saturated with various messaging; some good and some bad. A negative (and common) message most have come across is that, "Carbs are bad" or "Carbs are the enemy." Attached are typically photographs of bread, rice, pasta, and dessert foods with a continuation of the message promoting protein foods. And while I am not here to take away from the importance of protein and the roles it plays in the body, I AM here to stress the importance of carbohydrates and the roles IT plays in the body.  Carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of energy. What does that mean? It means that there are specific processes in the body ONLY MEANT for carbohydrates. When carbohydrates are present in the body, it will go through these specific processes and give us energy. But not just energy to go for a run, lift...

 It is no secret that Ohio is no stranger to low temperatures in the wintertime! As unfortunate as this can be, do not let inclement weather stop you from reaching your exercise and nutrition goals. It can be hard to find motivation to cook nutrition and delicious meals every evening & find time to exercise --> especially when the sun sets at 5pm :(. Here are some tips and tricks to stay fit during the cold winter months!      1. Meal Prep: Taking time to plan out weekday evening meals on the weekend helps set you and your family up for success! Create a calendar to map out what everyone would like to have during the week, and prepare as much of the meal as you can on Sunday. This decreases the amount of time spent cooking during the week and creates more opportunities to do other fun activities in the evening. * B O N U S  P O I N T S * if you can plan a meal ahead of time that only requires a quick pop in the microwave to be eaten.    2....

  Sleepy Interns💤   Finals are around the corner and everyone knows how important sleep is. We’ve only been told a million times now to get a good night’s rest before our big exam. Well guess what, we would if we could. I don’t know about you, but when I have a big day coming up, my mind seems to be racing on repeat and sometimes I really just can’t sleep. That’s usually the time I roll over and grab my melatonin gummy out of my nightstand drawer.    Melatonin gummies are great, but maybe not a necessity anymore. As dietetic students, we’re always taught to treat with food first right? Well maybe foods the solution to insomnia as well?    Here are five foods to consider switching out your bedtime snack for, for optimal sleep. Each of these contain their own natural form of melatonin and have shown to improve sleep.    1. Almonds 2.   Bananas   3.   Cherry Juice   4.   Walnuts   5 .   Seeds     So next ...

Traditional Thanksgiving meals are all about delicious, comfort foods. All the carbs, am I right 🙂 (My favorite macronutrient). Indulge in your favorite Thanksgiving foods! But also include some delicious, healthier options as well. Try my homemade sweet potato casserole that has a little health kick to back it up. I mean look at that picture, it just looks like it tastes amazing! Sweet potatoes are a good source of vitamin A, B6 and C, potassium and fiber. You can eat and serve them so many different ways. This casserole is not just for Thanksgiving, I make it numerous times throughout the year for a healthy, nutritious side dish. I have used this recipe for years and it’s always a hit with my family. 3 pounds sweet potatoes (3 large or 5 medium) 2 ½ Tbsp maple syrup ½ unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice) 1 Tbsp vanilla extract 1 egg (flax egg or egg alternative) 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp nutmeg Pinch of allspice ¼ tsp salt Topping: ¼ cup whole wheat flour ⅓ cup rolled oats ⅓ cup p...