By: Meaghan Orellana, Nutrition and Dietetics Student Did you know that 30-40% of all food produced in the U.S. goes to waste? That's a staggering amount! Reducing food waste is a powerful way to contribute to a more sustainable planet, save money, and get more creative in the kitchen. One of the best ways to start is by adopting a "use-it-all" mindset, ensuring every part of your food gets a second life. Here are practical tips for turning potential scraps into kitchen stars

By: Meaghan Orellana, Nutrition and Dietetics Student As we approach the holiday season surrounded by Halloween candy, Thanksgiving pie and cookies for Santa, we can also find ourselves surrounded by feelings of guilt. Why is it so hard to put down the bag of chips before it’s empty? We have heard the age-old phrase ‘everything in moderation’, so it can feel like our own personal failure when we overindulge. What Makes Some Foods Feel So Addictive? Our brains are wired to s

By: Meaghan Orellana, Student in Nutrition and Dietetics We live in a fast-paced society that can make it difficult to really give our brains a break. When we find a free moment, it can be hard not to run through your mental to-do list, find yourself daydreaming, scrolling through media or responding to never ending texts and emails. Taking time to deliberately slow down the mind can help calm yourself and stay present in the moment. What Does Being Mindful Mean? Mindfulnes

By: Meaghan Orellana, Nutrition and Dietetics Student What are Parabens and Phthalates? Parabens and Phthalates are synthetic chemicals...

By: Meaghan Orellana, Nutrition and Dietetics Student We can sometimes get stuck in our routine, eating similar foods week to week. As long as we’re eating fruits and veggies each day we should be good right? Plant foods contain many nutrients our bodies need including vitamins and minerals, but they also contain phytonutrients. These are nutrients that benefit human health but are not essential for life, found in different plant foods. There are thousands of different phyton

By Brittney Offenburg, BS Nutrition & Dietetics Student In nutrition, we often hear how amino acids are the building blocks of protein and how simple sugars are the building blocks of carbohydrates. We use the term building blocks to describe what remains after your digestive system breaks down your macronutrients into smaller molecules. In the spotlight of protein and carbohydrates, we often overlook the building blocks of dietary fat, better known as fatty acids. When you

Brittney Offenburg, BS Nutrition & Dietetics student We often hear the term “well balanced meal,” but what exactly does this entail? Well balanced meals contain a variety of foods that provide us with adequate vitamins, minerals and our more well known macronutrients; protein, carbohydrates and fat. Each nutrient offers a wide range of benefits alone, but together their actions are quite impressive. When we analyze how carbohydrates, protein and fat work together we are able

Buying organic ingredients can be difficult, overwhelming, time consuming and financially demanding. I’m here to help you navigate the products I recommend buying organic versus conventional (non-organic). Organic (adj.): of, relating to, yielding, or involving the use of food produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides. Organic products are regulat

When we think about food, we need to understand the balance of enjoyment, fuel, and information. If you are a member of Coastal Fitness...

I always find it interesting the themes that reoccur in my professional and personal life. The most recent theme that keeps popping up in...

I always get excited when fall rolls around: the activities, the crisp air (a little less crisp down here on the coast), the Holidays,...

Sleep is one of the most important factors to a healthy lifestyle. Lack of sleep can lead to increased blood pressure, diabetes / increased glucose levels, obesity, mental conditions such as depression and anxiety, pain, swelling, and chronic inflammation. Sleep is our brain’s way of resetting and detoxifying our bodies. The more research done on sleep, the more we find how incredibly important it is for our mind, body, and soul. Sleep hygiene is one factor that is strongly r

When it comes to food, it is important to understand nutrition labels in order to purchase the cleanest, healthiest versions. Here are some clean swaps to make on the most common purchases: Milk Conventional → Grass-fed (Maple Hill; Organic Valley) Milk Alternatives Oatly / Blue Diamond → Elmhurst, Malk Bread White or whole wheat → Sourdough bread, Ezekiel, Dave’s Killer Whole Grain Gluten-free Bread Udi’s, Canyon Bakery → Young Kobras, Food For Life – Sprouted

With the Holidays quickly approaching, many emotions are unfolding. Excitement to finally see family and friends we haven’t seen in over...