Kent State Interns

                   I like, as many others do, enjoying a sweet treat after dinner or even just as a pick-me-up throughout the day. I know this can be conflicting, as some may think that you should not eat dessert every day; however, I believe balance is key, so why not incorporate a nice tang of sweetness into your daily life? The best part is that it doesn’t have to be necessarily “bad” for you. What if I were to tell you that you could enjoy dessert every day that not only tastes good but also offers health benefits? I am talking about chocolate, but not just any type of chocolate, dark chocolate. Dark chocolate offers a multi-sensorial experience with its combination of color, snap, mouthfeel, and its array of flavors and aromas. Not only does this dessert act as a chemical mood booster, but it can also be the perfect addition to a well-balanced diet by offering health benefits. Dark chocolate with 70% cocoa content is rich in plant-b...

March is National Nutrition Month  March is National Nutrition Month!! This year's theme is "Discover the Power of Nutrition” and I think it is a great theme to show how influential nutrition can be on someone's health. Not everyone knows how powerful nutrition can truly be for someone. The saying “you are what you eat” is almost entirely true because of the effects it can do. Someone who eats fruits and veggies constantly has an overall better health than someone who eats fast food all the time. Now, with that being said there is so much misinformation out there revolving around nutrition that can really hurt someone's body in the long run. It is important for people to take advice or information from people with a background in nutrition like registered dietitians. Registered dietitians spend years understanding and analyzing how micronutrients and macronutrients affect our bodies. Influencers do not have those credentials and do not have the scientific knowledge lik...

When we think of February, We LOVE to think of how this month is about romance and heartfelt intention. It brings upon our ability to celebrate not only our loved ones, whether that may mean family, friends, or significant others, but also an opportunity to celebrate ourselves. Among many other celebratory occasions such as Black History month and Valentines Day, February is also “American Heart Month.”   Our heart has the job of pumping our blood. Specifically, 2,000 gallons (or about 7,500 Liters) every day, how crazy when put into perspective! Our hearts are specifically designed to maintain our body processes and keep us going throughout the day by using our blood as a lifeline. Unfortunately, Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. More awareness is needed on the effects of cardiovascular disease and how heart health can influence how the rest of the body functions throughout life. This observance spotlights cardiovascular disease and calls o...

Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death in America currently? One person dies every 34 seconds from cardiovascular disease. Your heart is a vital organ that helps you live a healthy life so it is important you take care of it. Its job is to constantly move blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout your body. The heart is important in controlling your heart rate and maintaining blood pressure. There are many conditions and disorders that can affect the heart so it is important we take care of it as much as possible! Here are some tips to take care of your heart to live a fulfilling life! 1. Eat a low sodium and saturated fat diet 2. Eat more fiber like fruits, vegetables and whole grains 3. Drink alcohol in moderation or none at all 4. Manage stress as much as possible 5. Be physically active, 30 minutes a day goes a long way 6.   Stop smoking Here is a recipe for strawberry cheesecake overnight oats that contains fiber to help with your heart health! Strawberry C...

 Valentine's Day is a day all about love, but there are foods that love and support you every day! February is American Heart Month making it the perfect time to show your heart some extra love through food. These pink and red foods support your heart, mood, energy, and overall health.  🍓Berries: strawberries and raspberries are rich in antioxidants to fight inflammation and support heart health. They are naturally sweet making them the perfect addition to any sweet treat, yogurt, smoothies, or paired with dark chocolate!  🫜Root Vegetables: beets and radishes are low calorie vegetables packed with antioxidants, fiber, and minerals that support heart health, digestion, and the immune system. Nitrates in beets can help relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure!  🍒Other red fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, cherries, red onions, and red bell peppers contain lycopene which helps improve heart health, decrease the risk of stroke, decrease the risk of some canc...

  Faint, Puke, Die, or Keep Walking. The wise words of TV personality Jilliam Michaels trainer on Biggest Loser. But are those words really that wise? And did this TV show leave its contestants and most of America in a worse place? In short, yes.  Over the 18 seasons of Biggest Loser we watched 14 contestants on average go from their starting weights of sometimes up to 400 pounds drop as much as they could as fast as they could, all well-being publicly shamed on national television. With the idea that they would fight tooth and nail to get to their dream bodies and they would do it only with diet and exercise and emerge a healthy and happy person once it was all done. Well also keeping in mind that you would be kicked off the show if you did not lose enough. All with challenges designed to make you crack and trainers pushing you to know you were never going to be good enough.  A 2016 study published in the journal  Obesity  followed contestants after being on th...