We’ve all heard about anxiety, depression, and even bipolar disorder, but not many have heard about executive dysfunction or oppositional defiant disorder. Although not well-known, these two mental health disorders can significantly affect the dynamics of holiday gatherings.

Are you dreading holiday gatherings because someone you will be around pushes your buttons but you aren’t just sure as to the reason?

Maybe it’s because they exhibit characteristics of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults.

For many, the holiday season from Thanksgiving to the New Year is the most joyful time of year. Unfortunately, for others, the holidays are quite the opposite.

We have Thanksgiving in the rear-view mirror and the hustle and bustle of Christmas is upon us. During that hustle and bustle, we sometimes forget to keep healthy nutrition habits at the forefront.

If we think about those who are food insecure, it might help us take a different approach to eating during the holidays.

Take your health into your own hands through awareness, detection, management, and thriving despite living with diabetes!

Halloween is just the kickoff to the holiday eating season that spans from Halloween to potentially as far as Easter. Check out these Halloween tricks that can help keep you and your family on track for healthy treats you can eat.

Unless you have one of the situations requiring going gluten-free, go enjoy all whole grains while supporting Kansas wheat farmers at the same time!

Don’t be fooled by marketing labels for GMO’s and non-GMO’s or any other nutrition “claims” and know that GMO’s are our friend!

Sometimes I talk about foods when it’s time to plant them and sometimes when time to harvest them. If you have an established strawberry crop, June is the month to harvest strawberries in Kansas, but they have been “in season” in the grocery store since about March.

Decision is made to move back to family ranch with no formal plan but an informal plan to “help out” while expressing interest in preserving the family homestead.

Which came first…the chicken or the egg…stressful environmental and situational factors or pre-menopausal hormonal symptoms?

A vicious cycle. One exacerbates the other.

What is so “golden” about turmeric?

Is it the color used in foods and cosmetics? No.

Is it the flavoring in many Asian foods? No.

Is it the potential to help with depression? Maybe.

Or the potential to help with high triglycerides? Maybe.

Oooorrr…is it the potential to help reduce inflammation? Yeeeeesss!

Until about age 45, I slept like a rock at night, and then I started having restless nights that escalated to nights with little to no sleep. So, I decided to research sleep and factors, especially nutrition-related factors, that affect sleep quality and quantity. I want to share some of the factors.

Registered dietitians are food and nutrition experts, translating the science of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living. The expertise, training and credentials that back a registered dietitian are vital for promoting positive lifestyle choices.

In March, the Academy focuses attention on healthful eating through National Nutrition Month®. This year’s theme, Personalize Your Plate, promotes creating nutritious meals to meet individuals’ cultural and personal food preferences.

Maybe it was the new goggles. Maybe it was the full night of sleep I finally got the night prior. Maybe it was being properly fueled for the activity.

THAT is what I want to talk about in this post…being properly fueled for activity.

Canned vegetables have many benefits. These include but are not limited to keeping all the same nutrients as fresh veggies while having the convenience of a much longer “shelf life”.

A vicious cycle…based on research and personal experience, knowing intentional physical activity helps with physical, mental, and emotional well-being but not making time for it or not making it a priority to fit it in to my daily schedule.

To be clear, I am not talking about an issue of emotional eating. I am talking about guilt and frustration resulting from a lack of time, whether perceived or real, to eat healthy.