Food as Medicine Institute Blog

Building Habits That Last: A Smarter Way to Start the New Year

With the new year, you may be in a time of reflection and goal setting. The end of the year marks an exciting energetic shift symbolizing shedding old habits and a fresh new start. With this energy often comes resolutions- those lofty goals we set with the best of intentions to motivate ourselves to make change.   But research shows that most resolutions are abandoned within weeks. It’s even become known in pop-culture. Only ~40% of people maintain their resolutions beyond 6 months. This isn’t a failure of …

The Role of Fat, Fiber, and Micronutrients in Hormone Health

Have you ever wondered what keeps your body running so seamlessly behind the scenes?  It comes down to your hormones. Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers. They control everything from energy and mood to metabolism, sleep, and fertility. And fat fiber and micronutrients help promote hormone health. Our current diet and lifestyle can lead to hormone …

Moving to Boost Immunity: Lifestyle Habits for a Healthier Fall

With the start of fall comes the start of cold and flu season. We’re spending more time indoors, there’s less sunlight, and changing routines can challenge the immune system.  While many people turn to supplements, lifestyle choices are equally powerful in shaping how the body defends itself. Physical exercise, quality sleep, social connection and more …

Foods that heal: Cooking with nature’s immune boosters

The Power of Food in Healing  The concept of “food as medicine” isn’t new. In fact herbs, roots and other plants have been used for centuries in traditional medical systems like Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Indigenous medicine to treat and prevent a variety of conditions, including boosting immune support.  Researchers have studied many of …

Stress and Blood Sugar: How Your Mind and Body Are Connected

Everyone experiences stress, whether it’s a deadline at work, juggling kids’ schedules, or even a hard workout. While it may feel like something that just impacts your emotions, it significantly affects your body, too. Your blood sugar regulation is one of the systems most impacted.  Stress hormones can cause spikes in blood sugar levels and …

Simple Strategies for Supporting Balanced Blood Sugar

Heart bowl full of fruit

Why Blood Sugar Balance Matters  You’ve just wrapped up lunch, and an hour later your eyelids feel heavy, your focus is slipping, and you’re craving something sweet to get through the rest of the day. Sound familiar? These mid-afternoon crashes are often a sign that your blood sugar has spiked and is now crashing, and …

Healthy Grilling Guide: Tips for Reducing Risks and Boosting Nutrition

We’re in the heart of summer, and that means it’s prime grilling season. Backyard BBQs are one of the season’s highlights, bringing friends and family together to share good food and great company.  But there’s a catch: charred meats, sugary sauces, and highly processed sides can turn a fun cookout into a source of hidden …

Nourish with the Season: The Benefits of Seasonal Summer Eating

Have you ever noticed that you crave different foods at different times of the year? As summer comes into full swing with longer, sunnier days, our bodies crave lighter, hydrating summer foods, and for good reason.   Our bodies are naturally designed to digest certain foods at different times throughout the year.   We are big fans …

March 22 is We Love Broccoli Day!

broccoli chopped into florets in a bowl

We Love Broccoli here at the Food as Medicine Institute, so we’re celebrating this day with a post by first-year Master of Science in Nutrition student Laura Jarrell in which she shares how to Boost your broccoli! Boost your broccoli! by Laura Jarrell, NUNM Master of Science in Nutrition student Broccoli, a brassica vegetable, is …

Stress, Digestion, and Mindful Eating

Many of us have experienced an increase in stress over the last year. Though stress often carries a negative connotation, a healthy stress response is essential for our overall well-being. It is when stress becomes chronic and unmanaged that we start to see its detriments to health, and this has a lot to do with …