Nearly 30 years ago, within a 7 year time span, both of my parents died of cardiovascular disease. I was a young woman in her mid-twenties and they were in their early fifties. My father had high blood pressure, needed to lose weight and to stop smoking. Their lifestyles weren’t health oriented. They started smoking […]
healthy eating
Eat Together
For over a decade CASA Columbia has been promoting the benefits of frequent dinners by celebrating Family Day on the third Monday of September. The family dinner table (or breakfast or lunch) offers a great opportunity for parental engagement on a daily basis. Research that shows youth who eat regular meals with their families are […]
See the Cookie, Want the Cookie!
Are you attracted to food when you see it? Most of us tend to get hunger when we view food pictures we like. Researchers at the University of South California (USC) found that our brain centers of appetite and reward are triggered by viewing pictures of food, especially high-fat foods. From past studies we know […]
Fire Up the Grill!
Fire Up the Grill! It’s grilling season. Even the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends grilling (as well as broiling, poaching and roasting) as a good way to cook foods to avoid adding extra fat. Grilling is a healthy way to prepare meat without adding the fat of pan frying. However, potentially cancer-causing chemicals […]
How to Get Your Children to Eat Healthy Foods
Every day on the news we hear stories about childhood obesity, programs to improve the foods served at schools, or the garden at the White House. But have you learned the steps you can take to encourage your children, grandchildren, or the children in your scout troop or 4-H club to try healthier foods like […]
“Be One in a Million Hearts”
Did you know that Heart Disease is the number one killer in the United States? Preventing heart disease is the campaign of “Million Hearts.” The goal is to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes over the next few years. What can you do to prevent heart attacks? Million Hearts has examined the research and […]