Lounging on the couch after a long day is something everyone looks forward to. Unfortunately, we all have been doing too much of it. With more of our life becoming automated we find ourselves with more “couch time.”

Dietary fiber, it helps us poop and keep feel full. Most everyone has heard about fiber, and it gets mentioned a lot by healthcare professionals and food companies. But what is fiber, how much do we need, and where do we get it from?

Healthy fat. It’s important in maintaining the health of our body. You’ve probably heard about healthy fats from the media at some point. You may know you need to include more of these in your diet, but what makes these types of fat healthy and why do we need them?

Everyone at some point has had a chia pet and remembers the jingle, ch-ch-ch-chia pets. Turns out these little seeds are more beneficial than just growing fun looking hair or fur on clay pots. These seeds are packed with vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals (antioxidants), fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids! Not to mention they contain an impressive amount of protein (4.7g per ounce) for their size. 

Losing weight often leads to feelings of hunger. If left unchecked, hunger can become overwhelming and reverse your weight loss success. Learn how to curb you hunger with certain diet modifications.

Most people are aware of the calories they eat throughout the day. But when was the last time you considered the calories you drank throughout the day?

Take for example a 20 fl oz bottle of Coke, it has 240 calories and the majority of people tend to finish the whole bottle. Soda is an obvious culprit of high calories so let’s look at some beverages that are considered healthy.

Everything in moderation, it’s that bit of advice that everyone likes to give. You may have been told by your friend or colleague to enjoy sweets in moderation. Or when you over consume a healthy item such as fiber and get bloated, you're told to not overdo it and eat everything in moderation. But what exactly is moderation and how does it apply to our food and physical activity?

With the new year officially started, although cliche, this is the perfect time to get back on track and start making those positive lifestyle changes. Remember that it’s never too late to change your diet and lifestyle regardless of your age. Any little positive change can have a dramatic impact on your overall health. 

Being aware of what you’re eating is important to stay healthy. Being aware of your body’s natural signals and hunger/satiety cues is just as important. Essentially being in tune with your body takes some practice but is possible for everyone.

All mammals start their life with milk, then transition to solid foods for the remainder of their life. Humans are the only mammals that use milk from other species (cows, goats, etc.). Why do we drink other mammals' milk and consume dairy products? Is dairy even good for us or should we switch to a dairy alternative?

The bacteria in our gut have many important roles in keeping us healthy. We have several hundreds of different types of bacteria and together these make up the gut microbiota.

If you’re trying to lose weight, going out to eat can be a stressful experience. Even if you go to restaurants with “healthier” food options, the calories can rack up fast. Just think of a salad that seems it’ll be the right choice but has lots of toppings on it, a protein, and delicious dressing. 

How would you describe feeling full after a meal? We all know the busting at the seams, need to loosen the belt feeling from Thanksgiving dinner. How about just feeling full before you even reach that point. 

Take a look at your arm as you make a fist. You can see your forearm muscles activate. Some may have larger muscles than others, but they all play the same role. So, what does muscle have to do with nutrition and long-term health?

When life requires us to focus our energy towards something else such as work or family responsibilities, you have to give up some energy and focus on other parts of your life. When you do this, you fall back onto your old habits as these have been ingrained for many years and require little energy to execute. 

It starts with one sick person in your office or a sick kid at your child's school and then boom, everyone has it. But is there anything you can do to boost your immune system, lessen how sick you get, or even better prevent getting sick altogether?

Free radicals and oxidants cause oxidative stress and imbalance which can lead to chronic and degenerative diseases as we get older. A diet rich in antioxidants can help reverse and prevent oxidative stress and keep us healthy well into our later years.

Cravings are not the same as hunger. They come and go throughout the day and can be resolved through different methods.

We are currently in an era of portion distortion. Clever marketing campaigns, our obsession of getting our money's worth, and much of the country being taught to clean their plates has led to this current situation. Unfortunately, our metabolisms have not increased with our portions.

If you only do something a few random times, you can’t expect to improve let alone master it. By staying consistent with your task day after day and being persistent despite the obstacles, you can achieve what you plan on.