Home Blog

Blog

Mindful Eating: How to Create Healthy Dietary Habits

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   On these really hot summer days, do you find yourself inside, bored and searching your kitchen for snacks?  Often when we have nothing to do our minds can turn to wanting to eat.  Perhaps this is a nighttime issue for you.  Many people find themselves snacking after dinner even when they are not really hungry.  We’ve all been guilty of eating mindlessly at one time or another, but for some of us, it can occur more frequently.   Scarfing down lunch while glued to a computer at work, shoveling in spoonfuls of food while watching TV, inhaling a meal while mesmerized...

Nighttime Routines: How to Promote More Restful Sleep

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   With school starting back up, getting into a nighttime routine will help everyone in the house get a good nights sleep and prevent some of the morning chaos.  If you’re a parent, you know the nightly challenge: to get your kids to go to bed -- and stay there. It’s not easy, but it’s one of the most important things you can do for them. Sleep is just as crucial to your health as a nutritious diet and regular exercise, and poor sleep can negatively impact your hormones, performance, and brain function.   Regular schedules and bedtime rituals play a big...

Foods that Heal: Summer Produce with Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   With school starting, it's easy to anticipate the coming of autumn and cooler weather. However, this warm weather still has a lot to offer when it comes to fresh produce. If you haven't taken advantage of all the delicious seasonal fruits and veggies by now, it's the perfect time to start eating nutrient-dense foods that fight inflammation.  How amazing is it that we have the ability to aid in curbing chronic inflammation through our food choices? What we eat can not only increase or decrease inflammation but also increase or decrease our risk of developing...

Hidden Sugar: A List of Over 50 Names for the Sneaky Diet Foe

Written by Julie Paiva   While many of us immediately associate sugar with foods like candy and soda, sugar is hidden in many things you might be surprised to find it in. Most jarred spaghetti sauces and peanut butters, for example, contain sugar in their ingredients.   Unfortunately, now-a-days sugar is added into almost everything that is processed.  Added Sugar (including High-Fructose Corn Syrup), has been linked to America’s obesity epidemic as well as a host of other chronic diseases.   This added sugar isn’t as easy to spot as just looking for sugar on the list of ingredients on a packages nutrition...

Grilling Tips: How to Prepare and Serve Foods Safely at Your Next Cookout

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   Grilling is perfect for entertaining when the weather is hot and you want to keep it simple but need to feed a group of people. Whether you're lighting up the gas grill for a quick weeknight dinner or tending to the coals with company on a Sunday afternoon, grilling can be fun and easy.  Fire up the grill and get ready to make some delicious recipes. Here are a few tips to make sure your summer cookouts are healthy and safe!   Keep direct exposure to a minimum.   When meat is exposed to high temperatures (especially over an open flame), it...

Summer Cravings: Eating Healthy in Warmer Months

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   Cravings can happen for a variety of reasons – hormonal shifts, lack of sleep, and stress, to name a few. While sugar and starch are the most commonly craved foods, there are a few other things you may find yourself drawn to during the warmer months. Let's take a look at what these foods are, why you might be craving them, and how you can satisfy them!   Cooling Foods The heat of the summer may lead us to reach for cooling foods and beverages, like cucumber, watermelon, lettuce, and chilled drinks. Nature provides these delicious, cooling fruits...

Blood Sugar Stabilization: A Closer Look At The Glycemic Index

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   Today's busy schedules can lead to unpredictable meals times making it harder than ever to eat a balanced diet. Without proper planning, it's easy to develop bad habits and find yourself perhaps surviving your work day off of three cups of coffee and a scone.  It's not surprising that dietary choices such as this will make you feel terrible throughout the day. Shakiness, sluggishness, and headaches are just a few signs that you may be riding a blood sugar rollercoaster. So what can we do to balance out our blood sugar? A good place to...

Create a Personal Independence Day

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   Over the past few weeks, I’m sure that you have spent time celebrating the Fourth of July (United States freedom from Great Britain).  Also known as Independence Day, freedom and autonomy are celebrated by families across the country with fireworks, barbecues, and parades.  Now that July 4th is behind us, let's focus on celebrating our own personal independence which is likely much needed if y0u have kids out for summer break.  So I challenge you to create a day in your life or carve out a little time each day to celebrate yourself.   The first step to reclaiming our...

How to Host A Healthy Summer Cookout

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   For most Americans, the 4th of July signifies, family, fun, community, patriotism, and FOOD.  With Independence Day falling midweek this year, its safe to assume that many of us will continue our festivities and backyard BBQ's throughout the weekend.   While these events make for some of the best memories, the typical cookout foods like greasy hamburgers and hotdogs and sugary sweet tea and ice cream often leave us feeling not so well.  The key is to learn how to celebrate in a way that leaves you feeling energized, happy, and healthy.   Be the host.   One easy way to do...

Three Habits to Avoid Summer Bloat and Weight Gain

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   Traditional summertime foods can leave us puffy, bloated, and uncomfortable. Hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salads, sweet tea and ice cream are often considered our summertime menu.  Yet the gluten, dairy, sugar and added salt can wreak havoc on how you feel. Combine these foods with an increase in sedentary activities trying to beat the heat, you may find yourself with an expanded waist line and a few extra pounds.   This summer, try to focus on foods and drinks that will cool you down, cleanse you out, and hydrate your system. Fresh, seasonal produce and light summer recipes will delight...

Cool off with Summer Seasonal Produce

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   Summer brings us many beautiful fruits and vegetables.  Beyond their nutritious benefits seasonal summer produce often has cooling affects on the body.  Summer is a great time of year to be a cook. Markets and gardens are bursting with gorgeous fruits and vegetables in their prime.  Food this time of year is often easy to prepare as it can largely be served cold.  Salads, raw veggies and fruits can be refreshing on a hot summer day.  Spend your time enjoying the beautiful weather and your loved ones, instead of in your kitchen for hours on...

Food Labels: Understanding Common Phrases and Claims

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   While we are looking for food labels to tell us if a product is healthy or not, it is important to remember that the manufacturers and stores are looking to sell the product to us.  Therefore, the function of  labeling is often not in line with the “truth” that we seek when trying to make nutritionally conscious purchases. Labels can be misleading, especially if you don’t learn to read between the lines and examine the fine print.   When doing your shopping for the week, the best advice is to buy things on the outside walls of the...
- Advertisement -

Latest Blogs

Reduce Your Food Waste

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC How may times have you done your weekly grocery shopping with the intention to make a bunch of healthy meals;...

Flip the Script on the Sunday Night Blues and Set the Tone for your Week with these 6 Pro Tips

Written By: Julie Paiva, CHHC   Does anxiety creep in when you think about the upcoming week?  Do those thoughts get you to feeling a little...

Don’t Sweat It: A Guide to Choosing the Right Deodorant

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   During these warmer summer months, you likely are sure to apply deodorant before leaving the house. Most people use deodorant...

Healthy Grocery Shopping Tips

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC Grocery shopping can be daunting and confusing especially if you are new to a healthy living lifestyle.  Here are some...

Friendships Increase Our Health

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC If any of you were ever a Girl Scout, you might remember that friendship song that has a line something...
>