Monthly Insights
Flaxseed and drug-nutrient interactions (March 2026)
Flaxseeds and flaxseed meal have a lot to offer nutritionally. They’re a wonderful source of plant-based omega-3 unsaturated fats as well as dietary fiber, which may protect against cardiovascular disease—partly by helping to reduce your total and LDL cholesterol and your blood pressure. The fiber in flaxseeds can also help keep you regular while its […]
Red Yeast Rice: What is it? Is it safe to take to reduce your total cholesterol? (August 2024)
Red yeast rice is a product created by fermenting rice with the yeast Monascus purpureus, or other derivatives of the same fungal family, which turns the rice red. This “traditional” medicine has been used in China for many years to lower cholesterol, improve blood circulation and improve digestion. Fermentation with some Monascus strains produce substances […]
Understanding the role of nutrition and Parkinson’s Disease (July 2024)
In more than two decades of working with various types of clients as a dietitian, I’ve noticed that helping people with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) isn’t often talked about. That raises the question: how can nutrition support Parkinson’s Disease? Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that can cause uncontrollable or unintended movements such as tremors […]
Why it’s important to consult a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) instead of following an influencer…(June 2024)
Many people seek health and nutrition information from the internet—“Dr. Google,” YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok are just a few sources we might tap into. When we feel desperate, helpless—or just want an instant answer—the internet can be a great resource. Except when it’s not. Sadly, neither the nutrition information you find, nor the […]
Why menopause increases risk of eating disorders (May 2024)
By Carrie Dennett, MPH, RDN Ask several people what someone with an eating disorder looks like, and most of them would probably say something like, “thin, white, young, female.” But eating disorders know no demographic boundaries, and the truth is that eating disorders in midlife—and beyond—are all too common among women. For example, a 2012 […]
Can decaffeinated coffee ease caffeine withdrawal? (April 2024)
Have you considered giving up coffee, or simply reducing your daily intake, but are putting it off because you dread going through caffeine withdrawal? Decaffeinated coffee may be an unexpected tool to help you make the transition. Research from the University of Sydney, published last year in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, found that when participants […]
Body dissatisfaction can trigger eating disorders at any age (March 2024)
As I embark on midlife, more and more female clients disclose to me how dissatisfied they are with their bodies. Many of these clients have been chronic dieters, and many have struggled with body image during much of their lifetime, while many others have not thought twice about their body until now. Typically, eating disorders […]
Expand Medicare Coverage … (February 2024)
Registered dietitians are necessary team members to help people manage many medical issues. Eating Disorders can be chronic, are devastating and have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness (second after opioid addiction). To support and help our Medicare population please contact your representing advocating for this expansion of medicare and will help to […]
Why AI is a dubious source of nutrition and health information (January 2024)
Carrie Dennett, MPH, RDN It’s common to paint certain forms of technology as either good or bad, but in most cases it’s not about the technology itself, but about how it’s used. Take artificial intelligence, or AI. If you’ve ever asked Alexa a simple question only to get “Sorry, I don’t know that”—or maybe an […]
One-dose-might-not-fit-all with vitamin D (December 2023)
—Carrie Dennett, MPH, RDN About a decade ago, there was a flurry of vitamin D research underway to test the theory that low blood levels of vitamin D contributed to just about every chronic disease under the sun. But over the years, potential links between vitamin D and one health condition after another broke, although […]
Are low-calorie sweeteners a healthy substitute for sugar? (November 2023)
By Carrie Dennett, MPH, RDN Most people who are trying to limit added sugar include some type of sugar substitute in their diets. But whether you’re talking about artificial sweeteners or “natural” low-calorie sweeteners, sugar substitutes are not without controversy. It’s a controversy that was stirred up earlier this year by a study published in […]