Kent State Interns

            Did you know that March is National Peanut Month? Why shouldn’t this versatile legume have its own month to be celebrated for all it offers! Packed with protein, monounsaturated fats, and a wide range of vitamins and minerals, peanuts in moderation can be a great addition to your diet. Check out these recipes to learn how to enjoy peanuts in some pretty unique ways:

Nutrition enthusiast or not, you may know that snacking on some cheese cubes and crackers gives you some protein and Calcium, not just fat. The average adult, between the age of 19 and 49 needs 1,000 mg of Calcium every day, according to the Dietary reference intakes.  It's convenient to add some cheese to a meal and get some protein and that much needed Calcium in your diet. Adding cheeses to my food was how I was getting my Calcium. Notice how I said " was" ? I'm not fully vegan, as I still eat meat, but I had to start avoiding all dairy, due to a bad intolerance. Getting my Calcium in has been a struggle without a supplement. When I initially said goodbye to dairy, I started to get used to various vegan alternatives, and as I found ones that tasted good, I started subconsciously tricking myself into believing that I was, at the very least, getting my calcium by eating them.   Well....don't those vegan cheese alternatives have Calcium and protein in them? You kn...

You've probably heard of this new “trend” over the past few years or so about healthcare becoming “weight neutral.” This has become apparent especially in a nutrition setting. I had the opportunity in my business rotation to help in the development of a “weight-neutral diabetes management program.” Yes, you read that right—a weight neutral  diabetes  management program! The weight-neutral wave is not just for those who have no health concerns whatsoever! While it can be a little more difficult due to needing to balance your nutrition knowledge with what you crave and how that may impact your weight, etc., this balance is possible.  Without further ado, I’d like to share a few reasons why weight neutral care is important and why it should be here to stay! 1) The BMI Issue Oh yes, the dreadful BMI. The BMI formula considers height and weight, but what about sex, physical activity, racial and ethnic backgrounds, etc.??? NOPE! Even one of the big components of the equation it...

Nutrigenomics- Specialized Nutrition      The last two rotations I have been at have been involved in nutrigenomics. Before my internship I had no idea what that meant and honestly, I'm still learning new things about it every day. I have had the opportunity to write a few blog posts for both companies involved in Nutrigenomics- Celebrate Vitamins and Base10Genetics. The following post will be shared on Celebrate Vitamin's Website in the upcoming months so keep an eye out for it!  Nutrigenomics- a diet guide from your genes       If you haven’t yet heard of nutrigenomics, you soon will. Nutrigenomics refers to the application of genetics to nutrition research1. Genetics doesn’t just decide your hair color or eye color, it even influences the way your body interacts with diet. Nutrigenomics was developed after the Human Genome Project of the 90s- a project that mapped out the genetic makeup of humans. Through the mapping out of our genetic makeup,...

6 Foods that Reduce Inflammation Inflammation happens whenever your immune system is activated for any amount of time. Short-term or acute inflammation protects your body from invaders, but longterm chronic inflammation is harmful to your health. Chronic inflammation contributes to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and other conditions. Protect your long-term health from chronic inflammation by consuming more of the foods below! Tomatoes Tomato's are rich in potent antioxidants. Olive Oil Olive oil contains polyphenols at show powerful antioxidant inflammatory effects. Green Leafy Vegetables Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and collard greens, contain an abundant amount of vitamin E which inhibits inflammation. Nuts Nuts such as almonds and walnuts also contain an abundant amount of vitamin E.  Fatty Fish Fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, and tuna contain an abundant amount of Omega-3 Fatty Acids that suppress inflammation.  Fruit Fruit such as oranges, bl...

Have you ever found yourself mindlessly scrolling for hours on your favorite social media site? Whether its Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube or any other one of the many out there, it’s pretty rare to find someone that doesn’t have at least one form of social media now-a-days. But social media has strayed far from its original purpose. Originally social networking platforms were created to allow people to stay connected with their friends and families, however, now-a-days the rise of the “influencer” has shifted people’s friends lists to include more strangers than people they’ve actually met in real life. But what exactly is an influencer and why do we base our trust on the amount of people that follow them?   One of the hottest topics across most social media platforms is nutrition. What should I be eating to lose weight? Will this juice cleanse help me lose 20 pounds in two weeks? How many calories should I consume a day? Is keto a good way to lose weigh...

As we get further into the year, new year's resolutions or goals tend to drop off and are given up on. Instead of trying another fad diet that is bound to fail you, let go of diet culture and become more in-tune with your body and your body's needs. Heal your relationship with food. https://www.optimumhealthusa.com/blog/2020/05/mindful-eating-part-2/ Mindful eating occurs when you listen to your hunger cues, you eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full. You do not allow yourself to get so hungry that you feel as if you’re starving or eat so much that you feel sick. Here are some factors that can influence you to ignore or suppress your hunger cues.  Being taught from a young age.  Children are very in-tune with their bodies, but when they are pressured or bribed to completely clean their plate, they are being taught that their hunger/satiety cues should be ignored. Bribing children with desserts also teaches them that food is earned or that dessert is a superior food. ...