We live in a fast-paced society. We’re constantly on the go, and we prefer convenience and short cuts. Don’t get me wrong, I get caught up in the chaos, too. As a graduate student, dietetic intern, and part-time employee, I understand what it’s like to be so busy that sitting down for a meal can feel like a burden and a waste of time. Too often I find myself driving through Chick-fil-A just to scarf down dinner in my car between running errands, but usually I’m left feeling unsatisfied. I recently had a conversation with Sherry about the idea of “mindful eating”. We talked about how our mindset while eating can sometimes be more impactful on our overall health than...
The gut microbiota is one of my favorite things to talk about. (File that statement under things you will only hear a dietitian say…) But really, I am completely fascinated by the gut and its role in our overall health. The gut microbiota is the microbial population (bacteria) that lives in our intestine and helps our body to function properly. This microbial population is so complex and diverse. Not only does it vary from human to human, but the contents of an individual’s gut microbiota can change rapidly depending on a variety of factors. Stick with me. This is about to get a little science-y, but I promise I’ll bring it back to food. That’s what we all really want...
The past two weeks we have been so fortunate to have a dietetic intern with us- Megan Andrews! Megan is a student at Samford working towards her MS as well as completing a 12-month Dietetic Internship which will allow her to become a Registered Dietitian. We absolutely loved having her with us, and she's even written some contributions for the blog! Enjoy her post in a new series called "Intern Spotlight". ----------------------------------------- At Katie’s Plates, we love to use herbs and spices in our recipes! But what exactly are herbs and spices, and what are the benefits of using them? Herbs and spices are the leaf, root, stem, bark, or seed of a plant. They are used to enhance...
Are you experiencing any of the following? Unintentional weight loss or gain that can’t be explained by diet Depression and anxiety Ongoing fatigue Insomnia Digestive issues Hair loss or thinning Infertility and irregular periods Changes in appetite Answering yes to one or more of the above conditions could indicate that you are experiencing hormonal imbalance. Before we talk about what this means, here is a brief overview of our endocrine system, which can be thought of as our hormone control system. The endocrine system (coming from Greek words, “endo” meaning within and “crinis” meaning to secrete) is a collection of glands that produce hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers in the body that regulate the activity of cells and organ tissues-...
Can the color of natural foods indicate the time when their nutrients are most bioavailable? Are packaged foods made to be certain colors in order to manipulate how we perceive them? Can the juxtaposition of foods of different colors on a plate increase food acceptability? These are the questions that keep me up at night. Consider the following: A huge bowl of pineapple chunks. A sea of glossy yellow pieces, in a bowl, placed before you. Now, placed before you is a bowl full of bright green kiwi, lush blueberries, crisp apple chunks, sliced strawberries, and vibrant pineapple all mixed together. It’s so beautiful! You’d probably eat the pineapple in either bowl (if you enjoy pineapple), but there is something...
