Dani Spies

Whenever I can find a tool that helps make "nutritional science" a little easier, I'm all over it!

Vitamin D prevents osteoporosis, depression, prostrate cancer, breast cancer, and even affects diabetes and obesity. Vitamin D is perhaps the single most underrated nutrient in the world of nutrition. That’s probably because it’s free; your body makes it when sunlight touches your skin. Truth is, most people don’t know the real story on vitamin D and health.

This is definitely a time of year where the occasional sweet treat tends to show up more than occasionally!  So other than practicing moderation and portion size, how else can we avoid the highs and lows that can be the end result of those oh-so-seductive sugary sweets?  We can try cutting back on white, refined sugars and start experimenting with some more natural alternatives!

Here are a few examples of natural alternatives to white sugar:

Like many of you, I have become a big fan of the White Whole Wheat.  It’s basically a lighter (in both taste and color) type of whole wheat flour, so it’s a great choice when you are looking for the health benefits that whole wheat flour has to offer but are not looking for the heavier taste and hearty texture. 

You can’t turn on the TV, drive down the road or go to a party without being confronted with America’s hottest obsession: WEIGHT! Diets are a billion-dollar industry; companies spend millions and millions of dollars luring you to try the latest diet (low carb, high protein, low fat, no fat, you name it!) with promises that this will (finally!) be the solution—your shortcut to a thinner body. Advertising efforts also deeply affect children, who develop distorted body images and are often on diets as early as nine or ten years of age.  I can remember my first diet when I was in fifth grade (however old that makes you!).

When it comes to health and nutrition, I am a strong believer that we need to pick and choose our battles!  There are a lot of options, a lot of contradicting theories, and a lot of facts to sort through.  At the end of the day we all need to do the best we can and make the choices that help us to FEEL the best.

There’s no denying, that at one time or another, we all have snack attacks! And like every other theory in nutrition, people seem to have different views on snacking. Some feel that snacking is bad and that eating between meals can lead to weight gain. Others believe that eating many small meals and snacks throughout the day is a healthy way to maintain energy levels and optimal weight. If there were one way of snacking that was right for everyone, we would all be doing it! 

We’ve all been there before; your out to eat at your favorite restaurant when that warm basket of bread and butter hits the table and before you can even think your hand is habitually in the basket reaching for a piece of bread.

Or how about when you are finished with your meal and the waiter walks by and waives the dessert tray under your nose… you weren’t even thinking about dessert but once you see those beautiful babies, there’s just no escaping the seduction of that chocolate mousse tart or that strawberry cheesecake that you love so much.

So it’s true…kale (and all other dark leafy greens) is the number one ingredient missing in the average American’s diet!! Kind of hard to believe knowing just how yummy kale is and knowing all of the benefits it has to offer!

Other than the fact that they are absolutely delicious, what else makes these gorgeous potatoes so darn good?!

Every time I eat a sweet potato I can’t help but be SO surprised at just how sweet they really are.  They are unbelievably sweet, which is how I suppose they earned their name;).

Buyer Beware!  You may want to think twice before picking up that bag of “light” chips OR those “fat-free” cookies because intriguing labels may be steering you wrong! 

Watch this video to learn the real deal!!

Our bodies are an amazing source of intelligence. They are always there for us. Pumping our blood, never skipping a heartbeat, digesting whatever food we put in, and maintaining homeostasis.  So do you think that this reliable, intelligent bio-computer is making a mistake by craving ice cream or a hamburger or chocolate?

Are cravings really due to lack of will power or discipline?  I’m gonna have to say, “Nope”.