What’s your favorite vegetable? While a few of you are cringing at the question because you don’t like any vegetables, most of you do have a few you really enjoy eating. How about broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, and collard greens? Do you like any of these? They are from the Brassica genus of plants and are known as … [Read more...] about Navigating the Nutrition Maze: Cruciferous Vegetables
Promoting Healthful Living
Housework as Exercise
I’m motivated to maintain my house and keep it clean for a number of reasons: stewardship, comfort and safety, the look and feel of clean surfaces, creating a warm environment for guests, etc. Now I can add physical fitness to the list. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, many housekeeping activities constitute … [Read more...] about Housework as Exercise
Navigating the Nutrition Maze: BPA
The Navigating the Nutrition Maze series is an ongoing exploration of nutrition-related issues to help navigate the turns, dead ends, and intricate passages to healthy eating. BPA is an abbreviation for an industrial chemical (bisphenol A) that is used to make certain plastics and resins. Several years ago the public was virtually unaware … [Read more...] about Navigating the Nutrition Maze: BPA
Germ Hot Spots in the Home
Which surface in your home has the highest concentration of germs? A toilet seat? A trashcan? What researchers found from swabs of common household surfaces may surprise you. The 10 germiest places in the home In 2011, researchers at NSF International conducted a study to identify the top 10 germ-laden surfaces in the home. Here’s what … [Read more...] about Germ Hot Spots in the Home
Time Change Safety Cues
When was the last time you tested your smoke alarms? If you’re like me, your answer is a shrug (I sure hope your answer isn’t that you don’t have any!). Given by background in nursing and public health, I’m generally very attentive to safety issues. However, I haven’t managed to find the motivation to test my smoke alarms at the recommended … [Read more...] about Time Change Safety Cues
My Food Philosophy
After publishing a post one week ago about embracing a food philosophy without judging others, I’m featuring a snapshot of my food philosophy. I do not assert that my philosophy is “correct” or “the best.” In fact, issues such as food allergies, diseases that are influenced by diet, and nutrient deficiencies mean that there is no philosophy … [Read more...] about My Food Philosophy
Benefits of Walking for Exercise
It may not be as suave as Zumba or as exhilarating as kickboxing, but walking is an effective form of exercise. In fact, experts say that it can achieve benefits similar to those achieved by running if it is performed frequently and for long enough periods (at least 30 minutes on five days each week). As long as you have sturdy shoes and an … [Read more...] about Benefits of Walking for Exercise
Navigating the Nutrition Maze: Embracing a Food Philosophy Without Judging Others
Our culture is rife with various food philosophies, which are the beliefs, attitudes, and values a person holds regarding food selection, cooking, and eating. The philosophies seem innumerable—real food, traditional food, organic, fair trade, free range, unpasteurized, locavore, paleo, vegetarian, vegan, etc. While the health and environmental … [Read more...] about Navigating the Nutrition Maze: Embracing a Food Philosophy Without Judging Others
