Today we want to provide our listeners with some ideas about what foods will help them keep their brain and memory working smoothly and slowing down any cognitive decline. If you are concerned about your own memory or if one of your parents or grandparents struggle with Alzheimer’s disease, you may wonder if it possible to lower brain inflammation and oxidative stress while keeping the mind sharp and focused. As dietitians and nutritionists, we are always looking at research and have found the findings of a diet that shows some promising results. If you want to prevent dementia or slow down cognitive decline, choosing the right foods is one of the most important habits you can practice and, in this show, we’ll share the details of what to eat and what to avoid.

The past 20 months have been packed with stress and for many people turning to food, especially sugar and processed carbs, has been one way to cope. We all know that the pandemic has increased stress, but did you know that the sales of pre-packaged ultra-processed foods have also increased? The average diet in the U.S. has shifted from eating real food toward a processed food diet. If the COVID-19 pandemic has got you back on eating sweets, tune in to hear how sugar and processed carbs are also stress-producing and pick up some tips on how to reach for real food to help reduce stress.

Nutrition is involved in making every part of our body, including our bones. Today we are going to discuss what foods support strong and flexible bones and also the foods that can cause weak fragile bones. 15 to 20 million people in the U.S. suffer from osteoporosis and according to the Natural Osteoporosis Foundation while 44 million Americans have low bone density. A study in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research from the Mayo Clinic found that in the last 30 years, forearm fractures have increased by 32 percent in boys and 56% in girls. If you are concerned about the bone health of you or a family member, we have a bone-building plan for you! We believe your bones will be stronger and you will not have to endure a fracture as you age or when partaking in your favorite types of physical movement. Listen in for what to eat and what to avoid!

Tune in as two nutritionists discuss ways to deal with chronic pain.

Our dietitians today will focus the discussion on how nutrition helps to develop a strong immune function. We have had many shows about the immune system, but we decided to take this show in a different direction with a little more science than some of our other shows and podcasts. Today we want to share some of the research findings about how you can support your immune system, particularly now during this seemingly endless COVID-19 pandemic. The flu and cold season is almost upon us, so we will share and recommend some valuable action steps you may want to start using now to begin strengthening your immune system.

Listen in as two nutritionist talk about digestions issues and how to treat them.

There are over 6,000 women in the U.S. who go into menopause each and every day, which means about 27 million women are menopausal. Many of the women we are seeing in clinic lately have menopause symptoms starting as early as age 35 and lasting into their late 60’s or early 70’s. Chances are you or someone you love has, is, or will go through menopause and we are on a mission to educate women (and those who love them), starting today. Finding a hormonal solution takes a well-thought-out nutrition, lifestyle education, and support plan, so the topic of this show is all about natural ways to get relief from menopause symptoms.

80% of Americans have acne at some point in their lives. It is the most common skin condition in the U.S. with 50 to 60 million Americans having a problem with acne. Is having acne a serious health problem? Perhaps not, but it can lead to a serious health problem and can be a source of stress for those who struggle with it. As dietitians, we want to look at the foods that can cause acne for many people, tips to help promote healthy skin, and key supplements to support you from the inside out.

As many of our young people head back to school, they may be looking for ways to perform better in whatever sport or activity they have signed up for. If an athlete’s nutrition does not support their energy needs, while practicing and conditioning, then they are not going to perform at their best during a game, a match, a meet or an event. In the past, for long-term energy and optimal athletic performance, loading up on carbohydrates or “carb loading” was recommended. But is this advice still the best way to go? Does research back up this recommendation? As dietitians, we want to focus our attention on the foods young people should eat to help them compete in whatever sport or activity they want to excel at, so tune in for ideas on what to eat, how much to eat, and ways to make it happen with busy schedules.

On many Dishing Up Nutrition shows, we have discussed how sugar and processed carbs make body fat, how nutrition or lack of nutrition affects your brain, how food affects menopause symptoms and digestion. Today, the question is what should I eat to maintain or make muscle? This is an important topic for whatever life stage you are in, but especially as we age. Carolyn and Melanie share research that reports eating sufficient amounts of protein is critical to prevent muscle loss and to promote muscle gain. Tune in for ideas and tricks that we have found to add more protein into your diet for more fat loss and less muscle loss.