Dishing Up Nutrition

Insulin is an important hormone made by the pancreas. It helps glucose get into cells all over your body. Insulin resistance is when your body can't process insulin properly and in turn has a hard time dealing with the glucose you eat. Tune in to this weeks episode of Ask a Nutritionist with Leah as she covers the in's and out's of being insulin resistant.

There is a lot of misinformation online and on social media about skin, hair, and nails. It seems like everyone is trying to sell something that will be the overnight fix or the magic cure. As dietitians, we want to clear all this up for you today, because strong nails, beautiful hair, and radiant skin begin on the inside and there is always a nutrition connection. It’s not just about vanity because what we see on the outside is like a barometer of your internal health. We’ll give you ideas on what you can do to see these positive changes for your hair, skin, and nails!

Tears are a critical component to keeping the surface of our eyes properly lubricated, clean, and healthy. So what happens if you don't produce enough tears? Dry eyes! Dry eye syndrome is a very common eye condition caused by insufficient tear production, which itself can be caused by many different things. Tune in to this weeks episode of Ask a Nutritionist with Britni to find out what you can do to keep your eyes healthy with your own natural tears.

In honor of March being National Kidney Month and the repeated requests we’ve received for this topic, today we will discuss foods to eat for good kidney function. One in seven American adults have chronic kidney disease, but many don’t even realize it until it is in an advanced stage because the signs aren’t obvious. Early detection is the best for treating kidney issues and for preventing toxins that can lead to other health conditions such as gout, bone disease, and heart disease. Today we want to discuss the major sources for kidney disease and help you understand that what you are eating can play a part in how well your kidneys function.

Did you know that some flour is more nutritious than others? Did you know that wheat flour has many alternatives, like almond flour, coconut flour, tapioca flour and much more. Tune in to this week's episode of Ask a Nutritionist with Leah to learn all about flour.

In this show we are going to tackle the topic of supporting the child in your life if they have emotional outbursts, mood swings, apathy, or problems focusing. Have you ever considered that their low moods, depression, anxiety, or issues related to attention or behavior, could be related to what they are eating? A lot of the emotional ups and downs are biochemical and often related to nutrition. Let’s talk about how to set up our kids’ bodies and brains so they are less reactive and more resilient to manage regular, daily growing up challenges.

What's LDL cholesterol? What about HDL cholesterol? They should both be low, right? Understanding cholesterol is an important factor to assessing health risks like developing heart disease or having a heart attack or stroke. On this week's episode of Ask a Nutritionist Brandy covers some great information on cholesterol including a few ways to lower it without taking any medications.

As spring slowly approaches, many of us are starting to think about ways to shed the weight we’ve gained that perhaps started over the holidays and continued through winter. It’s so common to gain weight during the winter season. How do we start making improvements to our diet and lifestyle habits now so that we are feeling lighter, more energized, and like the best versions of ourselves come the long-awaited springtime? Our show today is all about those habits that interfere with weight loss and healthy habits to support weight loss plus overall health. Walk away with an action plan you can start today!

When you hear the word ‘detox’ what comes to mind? Perhaps doing a juice cleanse, the master cleanse, a water fast, or some type of detox powder that is designed to flush toxins out of your body. But there is actually a smarter and more effective way to think about detox and we believe it starts in your kitchen! Today we are peeking inside your home to help you take the first step in detoxification. We’ll be offering many suggestions (so don’t feel overwhelmed!) from food products to cookware and you can choose the swap that feels most doable for you and your household.

Have you ever reached for that bag of air popped popcorn thinking you're eating a healthy snack? Contrary to popular belief, it's not a healthy snack, it's actually a carb that ends up spiking your blood sugar. Tune into this week's episode of Ask a Nutritionist to learn all about popcorn.

Do you have joint pain or stiffness? Have you been diagnosed with arthritis? Some people have mild joint pain, but for many, it can make every day activities seem very challenging. Things like cleaning the house or going grocery shopping become a burden when you are dealing with achy or stiff knees, wrists, shoulders, or back pain. Our show today is going to give natural solutions you can implement to help you with your joints, no matter what stage of joint pain or joint breakdown you are experiencing. We will discuss foods that cause inflammation and speed up the process of joint break down, as well as foods that support our joints. We’ll also mention a few key supplements for added joint support.

Citrate? Glycinate? Threonate? Magnesium comes in many different forms. It's an important mineral in many different bodily functions. Unfortunately most people don't get as much magnesium as they should. The good news is that magnesium is found in many foods as well as convenient dietary supplements. Tune in to this weeks episode of Ask a Nutritionist to learn all about magnesium.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression could be one of the top health concerns in the world by the year 2030. Our emotions and moods affect everything in life: our productivity and focus at our jobs or school, in our social lives, and with our relationships we have with our family, friends, classmates, co-workers. Are you someone who struggles with moods? Do you consider yourself “overly emotional”? Does being on an “emotional rollercoaster” resonate for you or someone you love? Tune-in today to learn about what’s going on in your body biochemically and how real food nutrition can help you feel better.

Turns out sugar is in a lot of food. Do you know how much sugar is in your diet? How does sugar effect your glucose levels? Are you eating foods that turns into sugar in your body? Tune in to this weeks episode of Ask a Nutritionist to learn all about sugar.

Today our show is about urinary tract infections. What are they? How common are they? And what are some preventative measures with food and supplements that might help? We’ve worked with many clients who are in the middle of a UTI or who want to avoid getting another UTI, so we’ll share from experience in the clinic some tips and tricks that might help if you or someone you love is dealing with urinary tract issues.

We bring about what we think about. Thats why it's so important to understand where we are mentally when it comes to improving our health. Listen in this week as Leah talks about ways our thoughts effects us along our health improvement journeys.

Whether you participated in Dry January or not (refraining from drinking during January as a reset after the holidays), we are covering the difficult topic of alcohol and how it affects your health. Maybe you’ve heard that there are health benefits in wine, but today we’re going to debunk that myth. In this show, we’ll discuss why alcohol can lead to certain health problems, give you several tips on how you can go about avoiding or decreasing your consumption if that fits with your personal health goals, and share the nutrients you need for nourishing your body as you make habit changes.

The only thing less fun than digestive issues is tracking down what triggers the issue in the first place. Here are a couple of foods for you to think about today. Two of the most common triggers for digestive issues are gluten and dairy. How do they effect you? How do you know how they effect you? How can you treat digestive issues? Listen in this week for those answers and more as Britni goes through potential triggers as well as potential solutions to food based digestive issues.

Menopause officially starts when a woman has not had a period in her menstrual cycle for 12 months. This is a time where many women find it is easy to gain weight and difficult to lose it. It’s one of the common concerns from our clients during the perimenopause and menopause stage of life! In this episode, we’ll shed some light on how stress can be a big component to weight gain during and leading up to menopause, and some things you can do about it.

If you haven't heard of bone broth and its many benefits, get ready. Looking to get better sleep? Want to strengthen your skins elasticity? Need an easy source of protein? Try some bone broth. Listen in to this episode of Ask a Nutritionist to learn about how you can improve your health by adding bone broth to your diet.

If you or someone you know had Covid and now have lingering fatigue, brain fog, sleep problems, muscle aches, depression, anxiety, or poor memory problems, you may be experiencing Long Covid or Long Hauler symptoms. The number of people who report post-Covid symptoms varies from about 13 percent to 30 percent. Today we want to share information about many of the known symptoms and how nutrition and a healthy lifestyle can help manage these health challenges.

Welcome to our new mid week show, Ask A Nutritionist! In this short podcast, nutritionists will be answering questions received from Dishing Up Nutrition listeners. On todays episode Britni Goes into a thorough discussion all about protein powder. Whey, beef, pea, whats the difference? Different people tolerate different protein powders better than others. Listen in and find out which protein powder is best for you.

Welcome to the first show and podcast of Dishing Up Nutrition for the New Year of 2023! Many of you are ready to get back on track with your food choices, your exercise, your sleep, and stress management. But are you wondering, how am I going to get there? We help our students and clients create healthy change in their lives everyday! Tune in to this show for some practical ways to get back on track. We’ll cover positive thoughts, getting healthy forms of dopamine, kicking cravings to the curb, how food can help manage stress, and choosing healthy habits as a form of self-care.

If you’ve been with us for one episode or hundreds of episodes, you know our message is a simple one: Eat Real Food for Better Health. It is a simple message that gets amazing results. Can it really be that easy? Is it too good to be true? Today, registered dietitian Teresa Wagner interviews two of her clients who share their real life success stories. Both of these ladies have been focusing on this simple message of eating real food for more than a year and are achieving the amazing results we often talk about on this show.

In our show today, we are going to talk about a substance that many of our listeners have a love/hate relationship with. If you’ve tried to give up sugar in the past by white-knuckling it for awhile only to find yourself back at the store buying all of your sugary favorites, this show is for you! If you are hooked on sugar, please know that you are not alone and it’s not your fault. In this show, we’ll dive into the science and biochemistry of why sugar is so addictive – and we are going to give you solutions on how to finally break free of your sugar addiction. We’ll talk about the blood sugar component, the pleasurable reward pathway in the brain, and practical strategies you can take today that don’t relay only on willpower alone.

Getting a diagnosis of cancer is life changing and many thoughts go through your mind. Today we have a special show for you because our co-hosts have over 25 years of experience each in the field of nutrition and they have both had cancer. They have researched cancer diets and know from experience how difficult it can be to eat during treatment. In this show, we’ll discuss how to use nutrition to maintain your strength during and after cancer treatments.

With the gatherings with families, friends, and coworkers in the midst of the Covid, flu, and RSV viruses, what can you do to keep from getting sick? Ask yourself: are you eating enough real food each day to have all the virus fighting nutrients such as zinc, selenium, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin E you need to stay well? How’s your protein intake and your quality of sleep? In this show, we’ll discuss the micronutrients and healthy habits that will help you stay well this holiday.

We are well into the holiday season and are attending parties, family get-togethers, and even work celebrations. With all the festivities from now until New Years, we are certainly faced with more food challenges. Many of our clients are asking, “how can I maintain my good eating habits so I don’t regain the weight I have lost?” Today we want to help you make a plan to get through the holidays with tips on how to prioritize your health and well-being while still enjoying yourself and maintaining your success.

Do you have joint pain or stiffness? Have you been diagnosed with arthritis? Some people have mild joint pain, but for many, it can make every day activities seem very challenging. Things like cleaning the house or going grocery shopping become a burden when you are dealing with achy or stiff knees, wrists, shoulders, or back pain. Our show today is going to give natural solutions you can implement to help you with your joints, no matter what stage of joint pain or joint breakdown you are experiencing. We will discuss foods that cause inflammation and speed up the process of joint break down, as well as foods that support our joints. We’ll also mention a few key supplements for added joint support.

Today we want to help you make the connection between what you are eating and acid reflux. At least 1/3 of people taking heartburn medication still have a burning sensation in their throat and chest, so if this is you, you’re not alone. In this show, we’ll cover what is happening in the body when you have GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), the digestive disorder that causes heartburn along with other uncomfortable symptoms, and we’ll give you some options of what you can do with dietary changes and supplements to find relief.

Do you or someone you love experience regular migraines? We know how debilitating they can be! We’ve helped many clients become detectives to figure out what is triggering these migraines and, in today’s show, we’ll offer you some potential food triggers that might be causing yours.

The average adult brain weighs about 3 pounds and is made up of at least 60% fat. For many of us, diet has an impact on brain function and today we’ll share research about how healthy fats are used for epilepsy management. We’ll touch on what foods stress the brain, how the ketogenic diet got started, and what small changes to your nutrition can produce big results, whether you suffer from seizures or are simply wanting a healthier brain and body.

We know that heart disease is the #1 cause of death in our country so this is a very serious matter. More than ½ million Americans die each year from heart disease and it’s thought that almost 50% of our population is at risk for heart disease due to multiple risk factors. In today’s show we’ll go over what those risk factors are, what current research is saying about heart health, and what you can do with your nutritional habits to avoid a heart condition. Tune in to hear lots of great science information and practical, actionable tips!

In the US, 15 to 20 million people suffer with osteoporosis. 10% of women have osteoporosis and 1/3 of women have bone thinning that could lead to an osteoporosis diagnosis. Today, we have two very special guests who will be sharing their stories on how eating real food and taking some key supplements helped them to support their bone health by regaining bone density and overcoming osteoporosis.

Acne is the most common skin condition in the US, a health concern for up to 50 million Americans annually. Both teens and adults experience acne and it can be a challenge no matter how old you are! Today, we’ll share information on how food impacts acne, healthy fats focus on for healthy skin, how hormones play a role, the blood sugar and inflammation connection to acne, and what foods to eat to support clear, healthy skin.

“I am not losing weight fast enough!” “ I feel better and have more energy, but the scale doesn’t budge.” “Should I cut down how much I am eating?” These are some common concerns we hear in clinic with folks who are starting out their wellness journey and today we will dig into at least four common reasons for slow weight loss. We will look at the possible underlying issues, how that challenged your metabolism, and what may be a solution to get your metabolism working again from a real food healing plan.

About 60% of women will experience a urinary tract infection (a UTI) at some point in their life. And while men can get UTIs as well, women are 10 times as likely to get them and about 40% of women will get another UTI within 6 months of the first infection. Prevention is the key to being UTI free! In this show, we’ll share some symptoms of a UTI, what causes a UTI, what foods you will want to avoid or incorporate, and some key preventative supplements that might help as part of your prevention plan.

We've heard the message that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day", but for many it's a challenge to squeeze in a healthy meal during the morning rush. 1/3 of Americans who do eat breakfast choose cold cereal, which is made up of 75% sugar or highly processed grains. Our nutritionists explain why a real-food balanced breakfast is important for all ages and will provide tips on how to start a new breakfast habit.

30% of US adults between ages 50 to 59 have diverticulosis while 70% of those older than 80 struggle with it. In today’s show, we’ll explain the difference between diverticulitis and diverticulosis by describing what is happening in the colon. We’ll talk about what symptoms you might have with these two conditions and offer nutritional solutions to help you manage or prevent these health issues.

When we think about our metabolism, it is a simple word but can be a complex process. Resetting your metabolism takes time and it can involve making many changes in your life… from how much you sleep you get to the amount of stress you are experiencing. Boosting a broken metabolism needs a nutritional approach and we are here to give you insights and ideas on how to get started as well as share some success we know is possible for you too.

Aging encompasses every organ in your body and brain with sugar having an influence on that aging process. Since skin is the largest organ of the body, we’re talking skin health today! How does the food you eat effect the appearance of your skin? We’ll cover how sugar especially causes both damage and inflammation as well as what other foods might be causing harm to your tissues and what you can do to keep your skin glowing.

Research from JAMA shows that 50% of the population has prediabetes or diabetes. Prediabetes and Type 2 can be prevented and even reversed when the right nutritional strategies are implemented. Our nutritionists will dive into the science of how excess carbs and sugar elevate glucose levels, and over time, can lead to these chronic conditions. Our signature eating plan with real vegetable carbs, healthy fats to anchor blood sugar, and moderate protein, can help the body heal.

If you’re someone with a sweet tooth, you may or may not be surprised that researchers have found sugar or the sweet taste to be the preferred food for both humans and animals. Today, our nutritionists will help you understand the metabolic connection of sugar, insulin, and weight gain. They’ll discuss how our brain fits into the sweet tooth and cravings equation and what happens in our body when we eat a lot of sugar and processed carbs. Tune in to hear how you can reset your brain’s pleasure center to help your metabolism!

If you’re a longtime listener, you know we talk a lot about eating real food in balance. Getting in those three components of healthy protein, fat, and carb can be healing for a multitude of things. We know what to do, but how do we do it? Research has found that 40% of our actions are based on the habits we have and not necessarily from the our choices in the moment. Today we will discuss key points from the book The Power of Habits by Charles Duhigg and help you start thinking about how you can upgrade the habits that make up your life right now for the better.

If you’ve been with us for one episode or hundreds of episodes, you know our message is a simple one: Eat Real Food for Better Health. It is a simple message that gets amazing results. Can it really be that easy? Is it too good to be true? Today, registered dietitian Teresa Wagner interviews two of her clients who share their real life success stories. Both of these ladies have been focusing on this simple message of eating real food for more than a year and are achieving the amazing results we often talk about on this show.

Nutrition is impactful no matter what stage of life you are in and that includes the life stages of your family! We have worked with clients who come to us to find out what they should eat for better fertility as they try to conceive, what to eat during pregnancy, what to eat while breast feeding, and how to feed growing kiddos. In today’s show, we start at the beginning with the fertility phase. Changing your food to increase your fertility is a process and it often takes several months, so tune in for a few tips on where to get started.

Menopause usually occurs when women are between the ages of 45 – 55 and it is estimated that 1.3 billion women worldwide will be in menopause by the year 2025. One of the most common complaints we hear in clinic is the sudden weight gain, as if a switch was flipped overnight. The tried and true ways of losing weight in the past don’t work the same way and, for these women, it feels like a different kind of struggle with weight in their 40s, 50s, 60s. In this show, we’ll talk more about what the main causes are for this weight gain and what lifestyle changes can be done to reverse a slow metabolism.

When you are making food choices, do you ever consider: what foods support or help me keep healthy gums and what foods breakdown my gums? Your mouth and the health of your gums can affect your whole body, including influencing some very serious health issues. Today we will discuss what foods are good for oral health and how poor gum health can affect metabolism and other inflammatory conditions. The bottom line is that food matters when it comes to gum and teeth health, so tune in to learn more about what you can do to keep your mouth and teeth happy and healthy!

Today we will share the reasons why almost two billion people worldwide have a condition known as fatty liver disease. We’ll talk about the two main types of fatty liver disease, discuss how what you eat and drink affects your liver, cover the health problems related to fatty liver disease, and, most importantly, share how you can reverse a fatty liver with a real food plan.

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the US with hypertension or high blood pressure implicated as the primary cause. Controlling hypertension is and has been a major focus of public health initiatives. Often the advice for blood pressure issues is to reduce your salt intake. How does salt cause high levels of blood pressure? What does sugar have to do with hypertension? What are you eating that may be containing too much sodium or sugar and negatively effecting your blood pressure? As nutritionists and dietitians, we’ll be talking about this food connection to your blood pressure and what you can do about it.