Three Awesome Effects of Exercise

August 25th, 2011 by Nicki Hicks in Fitness and Weight Loss

We all know exercise has a ton of benefits (including weight loss), but there are quite a few additional benefits you may not have known about.

Eating to Beat the Heat

August 23rd, 2011 by Jaclyn Collins & Katie Bachmeier in Colleges and Universities, Eating Well

Summertime has finally arrived, even in North Dakota! With temperatures hitting the 90s, the last thing most of us want to feel is weighed down by the heat and our meal choices. We find that the traditional three-meal-a-day outlook no longer applies, as the last thing we are craving on a sweltering hot day is a heavy meal. Jaclyn and I have found that breaking up meal times to five smaller meals a day, rather than the heavier three, is not only a proven healthier choice, but more satisfying in the summer weather. Although, having five smaller meals seems a less daunting task when compared to cooking three larger meals, it is important to still incorporate the needed macro-nutrients in one’s diet. We’ve decided to take a typical day in our own lives to create a summer meal plan that you can incorporate in your own lifestyle.

Locavore: Healthy Eating = Eating Local

August 18th, 2011 by Erin Dow in Expert Chef, General

I’ve often written about the fact that eating the freshest, local and seasonally-relevant foods can make cooking easier: better quality ingredients = better flavor with less work. But finding local and seasonal foods can be challenging for people who aren’t dialed into the nuances of the growing seasons and the best sources for the amazing local products that surround them. Fortunately, there are numerous apps available for iPhone and Android devices that provide an easy solution. I’ve dubbed around with several of them on both platforms, and the one I recommend most is Locavore, obtainable at both the Apple App Store and Android Market and, as of this writing, available for precisely no money whatsoever. That’s my kind of price.

Nuts About Berries

August 16th, 2011 by Lori Kaley in Eating Well, Food Shopping

When human beings were truly hunters and gatherers during the Stone Age, nuts and berries were an important part of our diet. Think about how much easier we have it now since our hunting and gathering can take place at the local supermarket and farmers’ market. Take advantage of this ease and consider including these foods in your diet every day. Studies show that berries, nuts, colorful vegetables and fatty fish provide health benefits important to today’s lifestyle. Here are some ideas on how to enjoy these foods and why they are important to your health.

How Many Diets Have you Tried?

August 10th, 2011 by Allison Stowell in Eating Well, Fitness and Weight Loss, Health and Wellness

If you are like most people, I’m sure at some point in your life you have “tried” to be on a diet. Take a second to think about and add it up. Most adults can list the many experiences they have had with one diet or another, while some are so deeply identified as “dieters” that they would do better to try to remember the few times they weren’t on a diet. Imagine how happy that makes the diet industry! Then consider how sad it is that a basic need like eating has become so tangled that we need a multi-million dollar company to “teach” us how to do it.