Think back to your childhood.   What are your memories of?   Most likely you think of family vacations, sports teams, playing dress up or summer camps.   But what about food?   Is it a constant thought, memory, or reminder?   Imagine if it was.   A constant thought that you didn't look good enough.   That if you ate just 100 more calories you need to run at least a mile as quick as you can to burn those 100 calories off so it doesn't sit on your thighs.   Or the fear that you have to go to that family reunion this weekend and make it look like you are eating just like everyone else, all the while counting each morsel of calories in your head and hating yourself for being so weak. Throughout the next months we'll be following "Sarah," a client who has been dealing with Anorexia for over 20 years.   We'll learn how it started, hear some highs and lows, and finally follow Sarah as she continues with recovery.   I hope each and ever...

Welcome to Ask Amy's first guest blog post.  Today Kate Flaherty, Outreach and Awareness Coordinator for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance, provides us with insight into Cancer fighting foods.  Kate became passionate about cancer education after losing her grandmother to lung cancer four years ago.  She has especially become interested in complementary methods of treatment such as nutrition and yoga and how they can be beneficial when combined in comprehensive treatment.  To learn more about the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance go to www.mesothelioma.com .  Below is an insight into cancer fighting foods.  Are they in your diet?  Be well everyone. Cancer Fighting Foods Nutrition plays a tremendous role both in preventative cancer care and for those who have been diagnosed with cancer. After heart disease (also acutely tied to nutrition), cancer is the leading cause of death in the United States. Luckily we’re learning now that we can take steps to keep c...

We’ve all heard it.   It is important to value mealtime and eat with your family each night.   Some of us are champs at this and some struggle to get it all together.   This is something I sometimes struggle with which is why I was so interested at the findings of Fiese and Amber Hammons who reviewed 17 studies involving nutrition and eating patterns.   Results were published in the June issue of Pediatrics. After reviewing more than 182,000 adults and children, results showed that teenagers who ate at least five meals a week with families had  35% less of a risk in disordered eating. It also found that those who ate at least three meals a week with their families were 12% less overweight and were 24% more likely to eat healthy foods than those who did not share family mealtime. Researchers suggest that if mealtime is not a forced activity children and teenagers are more likely to be more connected to their family and talk about unhealthy behaviors...

Can there possibly be environmental factors that contribute to autism or spectrum disorders? Recent research suggests this may be the case.   A study published November 2010 in Archives of General Psychiatry researched 192 identical and fraternal twins where at least one twin had classic autism, and in many other cases the sibling had a less severe form of autism or autism spectrum disorder. It is important to note that identical twins share 100% of genes where fraternal twins share 50% of genes.   Comparing identical and fraternal twins allowed the researchers to not only measure genes but also the role of environmental causes.   In this study 77% of identical male twins and 50% of female identical twins had autism or autism spectrum disorder compared to 31% of male fraternal twins and 36% of female fraternal twins.   When reviewing the results above, mathematics and statistics concluded that 38% of autism or autism spectrum disorder attributed to genes and 58%...

  As a dietitian, I have to say I become acutely aware of my surroundings when it comes to food.   I hear the discussions dictating what you should or shouldn’t eat.   I hear opinions about what a good or bad food is.   I see the mother tell their child they can’t eat that “bad” food and then watch that particular child inhale their Halloween candy or that piece of cake like it is their last meal.    I also see Pre Diabetes, high cholesterol, Cancer, and obesity with many clients who are eating what they “should” as well as clients with eating disorders who can recall issues with food as early as eight years old. There are many reasons why Americans particularly have issues understanding foods predominant role of nourishment. When you combine any of these issues with the confusion of food labeling chaos sets in.   Our food labels are a complete mess and create confusion on many levels. In an article in the NY Times this weekend, organi...