KTK-Nutrition

Many people love spicy foods.   Did you know that adding some spices to your foods is actually good for your health?   Not only do spices have almost no calories, they add lots of health benefits.   A class activity I did with students was to modify a lasagna recipe to make it healthier.   One group of students took out all the spices thinking this somehow made the lasagna healthier.   A good learning opportunity as we then discussed how you want to ADD SPICES to your day for good health.    Why are spices healthy? Think antioxidants , those healthy chemicals in plant foods.   There are over 100 different spices and these not only are a source of antioxidants but a concentrated source of antioxidants.   Different spices provide a varying array of antioxidants.   Health benefits of spices can include being anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, helping to lower glucose and cholesterol levels, and even boost your mood and brain function. Jo...

This Fall how can you eat to boost your immune system?   What foods should you be adding to your day or week?   Fall and winter may bring on colds, the flu, and other infections.   Are there foods you can eat to help boost your immune system?   Besides the traditional chicken soup and hot tea that many recommend, what other foods can give your immune system a boost?      Can some foods really give your immune system a boost? No one food will prevent you from getting sick.   But eating foods full of the vitamins and minerals your immune system needs, will help give your immune system a boost and may help prevent an illness and help you recover faster if you do get sick.   Doctor Cassandra Calabrese says , “There’s no doubt that a healthy diet improves your immunity to illness.   What you put in your body is important for your overall health, including your immune system.”   What are some foods to stock up on to give your immune...

So much has been written about strengthening one’s immune system.   An important thing to do in the era of COVID.   Recently I wrote about Vitamin and Supplements to Boost Your Immune System , describing how vitamins C and D, the mineral zinc and the herb, turmeric,   can be helpful in boosting one’s immune system.   But just this week, I read an article about how drinking cow’s milk can help one in the fight against COVID.   Not plant-based milks like Almond milk, oat milk, rice milk, but real cow’s milk.  Cow's milk may help fight COVID. What has the research on milk found? As far back as June 2021, research was being published in Frontiers of Immunology outlining how the proteins in cow’s milk may be helpful in the fight against COVID.   More recently, an article published in the Journal of Dairy Science (February 24, 2022), found that a protein in cow’s milk helps us fight off some viruses, bacteria and other disease-causing organisms. ...

How can you boost your immune system?   The students in the class I teach are now asking about what they can do to boost their immune system.   This question was never asked before but in the age of COVID, people are now interested in finding ways to build a stronger immune system.   My husband shared a good article with me on this topic:   The 4 vitamin and supplements this doctor takes every day to strengthen her immune system .   I find it interesting that throughout this pandemic so little was being said about what we could do to live a healthier lifestyle including enhancing our immune system.   Well, this article gives you some ways to do so. Often health experts say that if you eat a healthy diet, you don’t need supplements of any kind.   I eat a healthy diet but I also take some supplements just to be sure I am getting all the vitamins and minerals I need each day.   Many Americans are not eating healthy diets and don’t take supplements...

Many of my students and blog followers ask, “What foods can I eat for healthier skin”?   There are many topical beauty products one can buy for healthier skin but eating healthy foods should be a first step.   Eat This, Not That ! has a great article, 25 Healthy Foods That Give You Glowing Skin .   Besides eating healthy, keeping the sun off your face by wearing a hat and using sunscreen are also wise ideas.   The article makes the point that having healthy, “hydrated skin starts from within” by eating healthy foods.   Healthy foods can help build up collagen in your skin, and help strengthen your skin. Collagen is important as one New York dermatologist says, “It’s the glue that holds the body together.   “Collagen makes up about 75% of the dry weight of your skin, providing volume that keeps skin looking plump and keeps lines at bay.”   What are some foods that promote healthy skin and what is in these foods that works that magic? Tomatoes – ...

Students in my class are interested in anti-inflammatory foods as many work out and are interested in reducing inflammation.   Others are interested in diets to reduce inflammation for those with colitis or IBD.   Older students are interesting in anti-inflammatory diets to control osteoarthritis.   Rather than just taking drugs to reduce inflammation, are there anti-inflammatory foods? What are the foods one can eat to reduce inflammation and what conditions do anti-inflammatory diets help?   Osteoarthritis – a common form of arthritis people experience as they age.   The cartilage in our joints begins to break down which results in swelling, stiffness, and pain in the joints.   The U.S. News & World Report has many interesting articles on diet with a recent one titled, “ Osteoarthritis Diet:   Foods to Eat and Avoid ”.   According to the registered dietitian, Daniela Novotny, from Missouri State University, the foods we eat can incr...