#MichelleStewart

May 25, 2016
3 min

What’s Healthy Now?

There has been a lot of conversation lately about “healthy” and I must admit it made me take a minute and ask myself “So what do people think is healthy?” In working with clients over the years, I’ve learned the definition of the word or the interpretation of healthy can mean a ton of things. Because these differences in opinion on healthy can be a challenge to staying on point in the well-being lifestyle, I hope today’s post will help clear things up. I found several defini

May 2, 2016
3 min

Prince Made Us Dance & It’s Healthy

There has been a lot of dancing in the streets and reflections on music as a backdrop to life experiences. In musing over the changes that occur when the music from a legendary artist stops, we don’t think about the importance of music in helping us stay healthy. Moving more and eating less means fitting exercise of some type into your daily routine. It is recommended that you get in at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day. Can you imagine the challenge of fitting exer

Apr 13, 2016
3 min

Travel Is A Trip—Take Health Goals on the Road

Travel is a tremendous experience which can be exciting, enriching, and exasperating. And sometimes the challenge of getting to the destination can totally blow your efforts to focus on a healthy lifestyle. As my clients share their travel plans with me, we talk about eating well wherever they are going. However, getting there can be a route filled with detours from the wholesome lifestyle plan when you find yourself delayed due to transportation challenges beyond your contro

Mar 29, 2016
3 min

Spring Forward with Fruits and Vegetables

Now that you’ve finished up the big meal from the Spring holiday, let’s get the folks who strayed from their best laid “healthy” eating plan back on track. In this season of fresh tender vegetables and richly flavored fruits, these food groups come with plenty of the right stuff. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables are an aid in maintaining good health. A produce-filled diet can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, l

Mar 15, 2016
3 min

Savor the Flavor with Healthy Options

Most of us enjoy eating. We have a list of favorites and are fond of sampling new dishes and foods that we can add to our list. Suddenly advice from the doctor to make lifestyle and daily diet changes can be jarring. The meal routines that we have on auto pilot now need to stop. I hear all types of excuses from my clients when they are faced with this challenge. “But I can’t,” “it is not the same”, “it doesn’t taste good.” I totally get it, change is challenging. However, you

Feb 23, 2016
3 min

Opt For Heart Health Everyday

We’ve turned the page on the calendar —the chocolate roses, truffles, heart-shaped foods and all that jazz are behind us. I’m not trying to dismiss February 14 as insignificant, but I do want to remind you that the heart is bigger than one day. I want you to give equal attention to keeping your heart healthy and adopting a lifestyle that will help keep it that way. My goal is to motivate you to go beyond slipping into something red and looking good on the outside, to consider

Feb 9, 2016
2 min

Host or Party Goer?—Choose Wise & Healthy Foods

Between big time football games, awards shows and long weekends, before we know it this month will be over. Now I know how easy it can be to drop the ball and fumble your best laid plans to move toward a healthier lifestyle. No worries, you can easily make changes to incorporate your quest for better health into your social life. Here are a few guidelines to help you stay on track for healthy eating. Whatever the sport, you can root for your team, enjoy the festivities and th

Jan 26, 2016
3 min

New Dietary Guidelines Aid in Making Wise Choices

This time of year the buzz is about what’s trending in the food world. I try to share with my clients how the trends around wholesome food choices can aid them in making the best choices for a healthy lifestyle. The recommended dietary guidelines issued every five years reflect some topical food trends along with recommendations for healthy eating. They are published by the United States Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and of Agriculture (USDA) and were issued

Jan 5, 2016
3 min

Resolutions for A Healthier You

With the arrival of the New Year, I’ve had more than a few calls from clients sharing their resolutions and commitment to make changes to improve their well-being. These resolutions range from broad-based to the specific—more wholesome eating, reducing carbohydrate intake, monitoring their food-related health issues, losing pounds, going gluten-free, opting for weight-loss surgery and several others. The important thing to remember when deciding to change your lifestyle is to

Dec 18, 2015
3 min

What’s the Story on Coconut?

Back in the day most of the questions on coconut were all about using the pulp to shred or shave as an ingredient in a list of tempting desserts. Today clients are talking about coconut oil, coconut water, beverages, and their perceived health benefits. Now I’m always open to new news, but my mantra continues to be “all things in moderation and there is no one food that is the answer to all ills. “ Coconut oil is made from the fruit of the coconut palm tree. It is a saturated

Nov 12, 2015
3 min

Holiday Helps to Manage Diabetes

November is National Diabetes Month and the Center for Disease Control reports that there are 29.1 million people diagnosed and undiagnosed, that are challenged with this disease in the United States. As a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) I focus on wise food choices throughout the year. As the holiday season unfolds, I want to give people the tools to eat well and wisely. In planning menus and choosing items from those often served at holiday meals denyabetes can afflict th

Oct 28, 2015
3 min

Lightened Up Tailgate Tips

Whether it’s Friday night lights, college or pro football, flavorful things to eat and drink are key to winning the tailgate game. Typical game day snacks aren’t exactly the best choice for a balanced lifestyle, but with a little bit of planning, my suggestions will help you make lightened-up, portion-sized snacks and sips for your tailgate party menu that won’t add extra pounds. Consider all of your fan favorites and get ready to lighten them up! Include protein, vegetables

Oct 14, 2015
3 min

Paint Your Plate Pink

In recent years advocates for breast cancer awareness have made pink the color of the month. It’s on the fashion pages and websites, flags, and pro football teams. Cities nationwide are illuminated with spotlights to cast a pink glow onto their skylines. In counseling clients and talking to the wellness groups I work with; I encourage people to eat colorful foods—how about painting your plate pink? Some of the choices to add a splash of pink to the menu include guava, pink gr

Sep 22, 2015
3 min

BP (Be Proactive) Well-Being Figures in Blood Pressure Health

In working with clients and providing advice and counsel encouraging them to focus on a well-being lifestyle, I often hear questions that start with,” I heard in the news . . .” This month one of the topic's making news was high blood pressure or hypertension. High blood pressure is a leading risk factor for heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and other health problems. About 30 percent of people in the United States have high blood pressure. The National Institutes of Hea

Sep 2, 2015
3 min

Dorm and Dining Tactics To Fight The Freshmen 15

I’ve been fielding questions from my clients focused on kids leaving home to start college. Some parents want to give advice and step away. Others however want to hover, defeating their goals of helping develop life skills to be independent. In sharing advice and counsel with the parents of newly minted college freshmen, I remind them their kids will be faced with choices, and those young adults will replay their advice and make wise choices. When it comes to food and fueling

Aug 25, 2015
3 min

It’s A Birthday—Social Security, Medicare & You

This summer Social Security celebrated its 80th birthday and Medicare turned 50. There are more than a few naysayers talking about the ills of Social Security, but in reality, the fact that they are available is one very positive factor in the well-being of many. One of the myths about Social Security is that you have to be retired to receive those benefits. That is only partially true. Social Security benefits are resources that include child survivor benefits, widow’s survi

Jul 21, 2015
2 min

Are You Getting Enough Choline?

I hear some of you responding as my clients often reply, “What is choline? I’ve never heard of that.” Choline is a relatively recent addition to the list of required human vitamins. It is a water-soluble vitamin traditionally linked to the B-complex vitamins. It was originally believed that we made enough choline needed inside of our bodies, but the latest research on choline-depleted diets indicates that people need outside help from food to ensure that adequate amounts of c

Jul 10, 2015
3 min

Farm to Table to Fitness

There has been a boom in farmers’ markets in recent years. The USDA produces a farmers’ market directory that lists more than 8,000 markets, and an increase of 76 percent since 2008! If you’re a market enthusiast, you know the local market delivers a bounty of good things to eat; the catch is to get to the market early and benefit from the best selection. Seasonal fruits, melons, berries and other produce are nutrient dense. In other words, these are foods that are high in nu

Jun 24, 2015
2 min

Summer BBQ Fare with Flair

What’s the perfect recipe for summer? Beaches, a little pool and of course a good barbeque. But how do you enjoy the tastes of summer and keep calories in check at the same time? As a registered dietitian, I like to say, everything is okay as long as you have it in moderation. Whether you are the host or a guest, it can be easy to over-pile the portions onto your plate. Make wholesome and wise choices and adopt what I call “buffet discipline.” Here are my personal tips for en

Jun 19, 2015
2 min

Helping Men Make Changes for Better Health

Though Father’s Day was noted for more than 50 years, it was not an official nationwide holiday, until 1972. President Nixon signed the law making the third Sunday in June, the day to celebrate the contribution that fathers and father figures make in their children’s lives. Fathers and father figures have a significant impact on the well-being of their children and families. And it’s important that folks in a father’s circle focus some attention on keeping dads and surrogate

THE NUTRITION PLANNER