In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) came out with a new statement in regards to processed meats and cancer. It advises people to moderate consumption of processed meat to reduce the risk of cancer. The WHO also classified processed meats as Group 1, meaning they are carcinogenic to humans. This rating may be surprising – Group 1 also includes smoking tobacco—but
according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), this does not mean that they are equally danger...

Dietary and nutrition recommendations typically focus on the quality and quantity of the food rather
than on when it is consumed.  New evidence has emerged to help shed light on the relationship between mealtime and its physiological effects.  This week, a study that will be published in the Journal of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences sought to demonstrate the intersection of the circadian system (internal body clock), the behavioral cycle (including the sleep/wake an...

MANY people have been making the case that Americans have grown fat because they eat too much starch and sugar, and not enough meat, fat and eggs. Recently, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee lifted recommendations that consumption of dietary cholesterol should be restricted, citing research that dietary cholesterol does not have a major effect on blood cholesterol levels. The predictable headlines followed: "Back to Eggs and Bacon?" But, alas, bacon and egg yolks are not health foods. Read More

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the United States and the second leading cause of death from cancer. Colorectal cancer affects people in all racial and ethnic groups and is most often found in people age 50 and older.The good news? If everyone age 50 and older were screened regularly, 6 out of 10 deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented. Communities, health professionals, and families can work together to encourage people ...

Adapted From: Food in My Beard Preparation Time: 30 minutes + overnight marinating
Cooking Time: 30 min minutes
Serving Size: ½ cup polenta + 2 eggs + 1 sausage patty; Serves about 4
1 Slice on the Slice Plan. . Ingredients
Sausage
1 lb Ground Lamb
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Fennel
1 TB Paprika
½ cup Dried Chiles (ripped and broken, seeds removed)
1/8 tsp Ci...

People are always trying different methods of achieving a healthy weight. For those who feel extreme pressure to "cook more," or for that matter do not know how to cook at all, this may result in an increased use of processed foods. Frozen diet meals, foods labeled "low fat" or "healthy," and even meals sent straight to your door (i.e. Nutrisystem) become an area of interest. Why not have the best of both worlds - convenience and nutrition? We all know that most processed foods aren’t good for...

Pop quiz time. It's 3 p.m. — what's for dinner? Maybe this week you didn't have time to plan your meals, and dining out is calling your name. As much as we’d all love to serve our families from-scratch meals seven days a week, life happens; we are busy, and that isn’t always possible. So what can you do? By utilizing frozen foods, you can make quick, convenient and easy dinners at home.
Here are five reasons you should consider frozen fruits & vegetables: 1. Frozen Fo...

Most people know that The Sage: Nutritious Solutions was developed by a singular dietitian, Mr. Cook-It, in order to help spread truth about nutrition and awareness about ways to live healthier, richer, fuller lives. Nutrition is a confusing topic for a lot of people, as food is the heart of society, love, and comfort. Food elicits strong emotions, connections, and memories. Most people feel that “good nutrition” means forgetting about all of these factors in lieu of being “hea...

In those without Type-1 Diabetes, insulin regulates blood sugar by allowing cells in the body to turn the sugar in the blood stream into energy. In those living with this kind of diabetes, the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin and other blood sugar-regulating hormones are destroyed by the immune system, so diabetics produce no insulin on their own. Additional abnormalities are often also present, including abnormal secretion and/or action of glucagon (1), the hormone produced to raise b...

Turmeric has been used for thousands of years and is a common spice in Southeastern Asian cuisine (especially Indian cuisine). During the 13 century, Marco Polo described the spice as very similar to saffron, but "not really saffron". It provides dishes with a brilliant yellow color, as often seen in curries. Turmeric has even found its way into Western foods, and is commonly used as a natural food coloring for butter and mustard, and as part of the pickling process. It is a mild tastin...

We all hear how "breakfast is the most important meal of the day," but is it? For started, an adequate breakfast has been linked to the following: • Cognitive performance • Feelings of well-being • Weight management • Greater overall nutrient intake • Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes But, what does adequate mean? Research tends to vary when it comes to defining what a healthy breakfast includes. However, the result of this abundant research has result...

Adapted from: Rachel Arthur, Food Navigator USA The original article, found HERE, discusses the differences in health markers as it relates to consumption of fresh oranges versus juice from oranges. The study found that vitamins A and C levels in orange juice are reduced by 3-18% compared to that in fresh oranges. In addition, fiber and flavonoid (compounds with antioxidant abilities studied to have an anti-inflammatory association) levels were also diminished upon juicing. Despite thi...

The New Year is upon us and what better time than to reconsider your nutritional goals? Often times, we see people starting "diets," joining gyms, or purchasing weight-loss pills. Of course, the healthier way is to start a new lifestyle, one that welcomes in nutritious food, makes you feel better and gives you the energy you need to sustain overall health and wellness. Here are 15 easy tips to help you do just that: 1. Balance it Out - make sure to include all food groups (protein, starc...

There never is really a "time of year" when nutrition is NOT on someone’s mind. Whether you are thinking about your physical appearance, the types of foods you eat, trying to be more physically active, or doing what you "should not be doing," the idea of nutrition is the underlying theme. In response to any of these feelings, we try to implement small changes in our lives. Sometimes, we implement larger changes that do not last. While a series of smaller changes is usually recommended ...

I've seen a meme shared on social media multiple times this week, asserting that our foods contain paint thinners in the form of Trisodium Phosphate (TSP). The image below was shared on a FaceBook page called “Organic Health” with the caption “It's right in our faces… Just mocking us. Can you believe there is paint thinner in cereal?” The meme links to an article over at ‘Natural Cures Not Medicine' (here). The article contains very little scientific materia...

Here at The-Sage, we spend lots of time talking about chronic diseases, recipes, and even educational videos - all with food and nutrition in mind. However, one of the least discussed topics in food and nutrition are eating disorders. In reality, millions of lives are impacted by eating disorders in the United States everyday. Eating disorders are a set of conditions that include: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. The National Eating Disorders Association estim...

Making Spice Blends from home reduces the amount of crap you feed you and your family's bodies! Use simply pantry ingredients to flavor any dish deliciously! Check out some of the recipes out, below: Taco Seasoning: 1 TB chili powder, 1 TB cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, ½ tsp coriandor, 1 TB salt, ¼ tsp cayenne Cajun Seasoning: 1 tsp cayenne, ¼ tsp turmeric, ¼ tsp ground mustard, ½ tsp chili powder, 2 TB oregano, 1 TB thyme,...

Check out this post written by a Temple University Journalist on the benefits and risks of protein powder supplements in women! Before Madeline Hamberger began incorporating adequate amounts of protein into her diet, she weighed a mere 90 lbs. "I always had the assumption that protein would make you gain weight, so I tried to avoid it," Hamberger said. "I was not educated [in terms of nutrition] at all." The 21-year-old Phillipsburg, N.J., resident, now a contestant in bikini fitness co...

A lot of people believe grass-fed beef is better tasting meat, nutritionally superior, and more environmentally friendly than commercial corn/grain-fed beef. It certainly costs more than your typical commercial beef, but before you shell out the extra dollars - how honest are these said benefits of consuming grass-fed versus grain-fed beef? Whether you are debating between restaurants to satisfy your cheeseburger craving or at the grocery store shopping for meat for taco night - we investigated ...

Preparation Time: approx. 30 minutes Cooking Time: approximately 5 minutes Serving Size: 1 cup gnocchi with ½ cup sauce - Serves about 8 2 Slices on The Slice Plan Ingredients 2 lb butternut squash, diced large 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated 2 TB brown sugar 2 tsp kosher salt ½ tsp ground nutmeg 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour Goat Cheese Mushroom Sauce 2 TB olive oil 1 lb portobello mushrooms, sliced 1 TB garlic,...

Breastfeeding has well-established benefits for both mom and baby; it fosters the development of the infant’s immune system, strengthens the maternal-infant bond, has economic advantages over formula feeding, helps mothers return to their pre-pregnancy weight and might even act as a buffer against type 2 diabetes and obesity for the infant. Furthermore, breast milk provides the perfect balance of carbohydrates, fats, and protein while providing necessary vitamins and minerals that no formula ...

Pumpkins are nutritious power foods as they contain so many great vitamins and minerals. Pumpkins trump bananas in potassium content, which is vital to electrolyte balance and muscle function. Pumpkins have lots of fiber that is great for maintaining digestive health. Pumpkins contain antioxidants like beta-carotene and vitamin C, which are wonderful for your skin, your immune system, and preventing other oxidative damage. Pumpkins also have a generous Vitamin A content, which is needed for ...

Mr. Cook-It will be going to the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Atlanta, Georgia this week to stay on top of current nutrition research, updated recommendations and interventions, and network with colleagues! He will be posting LIVE tidbits from the conference - to stay on top of what is going on or chat with him in Atlanta, contact him through social media: Facebook Twitter ...

Nuts are a delicious and nutritious snack as well as an important ingredient to many dishes. Nuts can be roasted, salted, flavored, tossed in salads, baked in breads, mixed in pastas, or otherwise eaten raw! Once pegged as a high fat and calorically dense food group that we should stay away from, nuts are now embraced and considered highly advantageous to our health. Nuts range between about 160 to 200 calories per 1 ounce serving (about a small handful), making the caloric differences pretty ne...

The school year is now well underway - one big challenge you may be faced with is packing for your child's school lunch. Packing a healthy and nutritious lunch that your child will actually eat and not ditch for vending machine chips or corner store candy can be difficult. Eating a healthy meal at lunch will not only help your kid retain his or her energy for the second half of the school day, but it will also provide them with long term health benefits as well. Here are 6 tips to help you nail...

“As early as the 16th century, humans have been fascinated with "the fountain of youth." Since then, people have made great attempts at lengthening their life span, hoping to maintain optimal health as long as possible. Recent studies have suggested calorie restriction (CR) as a way to delay or prevent the onset of many age-related conditions…” Read more… HERE. ...

Chris - Thank you for your question!Smoothies can be a great way to get in nutrition on-the-go. It's all about the device! The nutribullet, ninja, and vitamix are all great options. The goal with the device here is to preserve the beneficial natural fibers found in the fruits and vegetables you are pureeing. Now, let's talk ingredients. While peanut butter is a great option for protein (especially for vegetarians), it is also high in fat. If you are not trying to lose weight or are at a healthy...

“Most people know to get enough sleep. But busy lifestyles, erratic work schedules, or even new children (and puppies) can keep someone from getting the sleep they need. Current research now shows a connection between good (nutritious) health and sleep. So the question is … do you get enough?…” Read More… HERE:

As early as the 16th century, humans have been fascinated with the idea of "the fountain of youth." Since then, people have made great attempts at lengthening their life span, all the while hoping to maintain optimal health as long as they can. Recent studies have suggested calorie restriction (CR) as a possible way to delay or prevent the onset of many aging-related conditions with increased longevity and health span. CR is defined as a 10-40% reduction in intake of a nutrient-rich diet....

Your mother may have told you to eat your carrots to keep your eyes healthy and strong. This may actually not be that far from the truth - the vitamin A found in carrots is a crucial nutrient to optimize eye health. Your eyes need more than just carrots to stay healthy, though. There are several key nutrients involved in maintaining good eye function that can be easily obtained through a balanced diet. Research has shown that in addition to vitamin A, other carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxant...

Thanks for your question - I think this speaks a lot to people who are very worried about “getting cancer” from something in the diet. As with most things, the research can vary place-to-place, food-to-food, etc.  One thing to keep in mind is that there are a variety of catalysts that lead to increased cancer risk. We know most of them (smoking, genetics, excessive alcohol intake, just to name a few), but it is very hard to discern foods - well, because we do not just eat ONE food o...

Peptic ulcers are open sores that occur in the stomach or duodenum (the first section of the small intestines) of the gastrointestinal tract when the stomach lining has been compromised by strong stomach acids. The lining protects your GI tract from the acidic environment needed to digest food, however if the lining becomes damaged, you are at risk for developing an ulcer. Some common misconceptions that people believe cause peptic ulcers include consuming too many spicy foods and stress. Stomac...

There is a lot of speculation out in the media, the internet, and in word-of-mouth conversation about nightshade vegetables and how they can contribute or worsen inflammatory conditions such as inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), arthritis, and even osteoporosis. But what are nightshade vegetables? They are vegetables that fall under the Solanum group of vegetables believed to contain "dangerous alkaloids." These vegetables have been cultivated for consump...

"Clean Eating" is trending among the more health conscious population along with individuals who wish to be more health minded. "Clean Eating" has become a hot nutrition topic as more people flock to attempt various diet challenges that typically look like "Clean Eating for X Number of Days." But what exactly does "Clean" eating even mean? What are the benefits and risks of following this dietary regimen - and are these claims substantiated in any way? The basis of clean eating i...

Thanks for your question! While all B vitamins have their own unique functions in the body, B vitamins in general act as a coenzyme. Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, Biotin, Pantothenic acid, B6, and B12 all act as part of coenzymes - which are small molecules that combine with an enzyme and activate it. Without a coenzyme, the enzyme is not able to do its job. Enzymes in the body help to affect absorption of key nutrients (including protein, fats, and carbohydrates), metabolism, and excr...

Recipe courtesy of Sydney Allen, check her out HERE. Preparation Time: 8-10 minutes Serving Size: ½ cup; Serves about 6 1 Slice on the Slice Plan. Ingredients 1-15 oz can cannellini beans 1 English cucumber, diced 2 medium bell peppers, diced 1/8 cup of olive oil ¼ cup of stone ground mustard ¼ cup of BBQ sauce ½ TB apple cider vinegar Directions Combine beans, cucumber and bell peppers into a large mixing bowl. ...

Check out The Slice Plan featured in the Books section of Food and Nutrition Magazine… HERE. Purchase your very own copy by visiting www.the-sage.org/thesliceplan !

Aspartame, sucralose, and saccharine - all words that might sound scary or confusing to you. This might be because of the controversial and health-conscious debates that have surrounded artificial sweeteners, otherwise known as non-nutritive sweeteners, over the years. Name brands you may be more familiar with include Equal, Splenda, and Sweet’N Low (the blue, yellow, and pink packets, respectively). The most recently explored question in research and in the media regardin...

Have you ever eaten a particularly greasy or spicy meal and experienced a burning sensation from your stomach back up to the throat? Did it feel predominantly in your chest? You may be more familiar with the term heartburn, however, this is clinically referred to as gastroesophageal reflux or simply GER. GER may affect us more as we age but is something that all age groups may suffer from, including infants and children. GER may be the norm for some people, simply a process of agin...

“Omega 3 fatty acids are known to help reduce LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels, reduce triglyceride levels (fats from carbohydrate intake), increase HDL ("good") cholesterol levels, and generally are beneficial to help reduce risk of cardiovascular disease. The reason is because HDL helps carry LDL (which attaches to your arteries and can cause high blood pressure, clots, etc.) to the liver for disposal…” Read more… HERE....

Tooth decay is among the top chronic diseases affecting humans worldwide. Good nutrition and eating habits, routine visits to the dentist, and good oral hygiene practices are essential in the maintenance of oral health (1). Dental health is a vital component of nutrition because our digestive systems begin with our mouths and teeth. There are several nutrients that are beneficial to oral health and there are also some typical beverages and foods that we should enjoy minimally due to their negati...

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes Cooking Time: approximately 20 minutes Serving Size: about 2 tacos, Serves about 4 2 Slices on The Slice Plan Ingredients 8 corn tacos 2 - 6 oz mahi mahi filets 2 tsp chipotle peppers in adobo, minced ½ tsp kosher salt ½ tsp black pepper ½ tsp cumin ¼ cup radish, julienne cilantro (optional) Tropical "Sage Salsa" 1 TB orange juice 2 tsp lime juice 1 p...

Skin is something very difficult to hide from the world, and while our initial reasoning for maintaining skin health might be due to vanity - skin is our largest organ that protects our internal body from the external environment. Aside from being one of the most influential factors in our perceived sense of beauty, skin is important for regulating body temperature, wound healing, immune response, and even blood pressure control. Nutrition is a critical component in maintaining skin health. The ...

If a new supplement out on the market sounds too good to be true, it usually is…right? Garcinia Cambogia Extract (GCE) is a pill that promises dramatic weight loss and has been receiving a lot of buzz from television doctors and famous celebrities in the media and on the web. GCE is advertised as a 100% natural and pure product that contains a key weight loss ingredient called Hydroxycitric acid (HCA.) HCA is extracted from Garcinia Cambogia, which is a "pumpkin shaped fruit that gro...

Search “Red Wine” and you will get millions of hits on it's potential health benefits. This is because it is as popularly associated with health and wellness as dark chocolate and coffee, regardless of the facts. In spite of the potential health benefits, frequent consumption is still not advised. Red wine has in fact shown to benefit heart health but only in moderation. Red wine has also been a hot topic in possibly decreasing risk for cancer, minimizing neurological ...

May is Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Awareness Month and as you may or may not know CF has many health concerns for those diagnosed with the disease. Oral health is often pushed to the way side for most of us, let alone for individuals dealing with the management of CF, who can have multiple lung treatments everyday. However, dental health is an extremely important component of nutrition, as the digestive system begins with our mouths and teeth. Some concerns for dental health and cystic fibrosis ...

Preparation Time: approximately 10 minutes Serving Size: ½ cup Makes about 10 servings 1 Slice on the Slice Plan. Ingredients 2- 15.5 oz cans cannellini beans, drained/rinsed 2 avocados, diced large 4 TB olive oil 1 TB kosher salt 1 TB garlic, chopped 2 tsp cumin, ground 1 tsp chili powder ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional) ½ lime, juice of (about 1 TB) 2 TB cilantro Directions In a food processor, combi...

Pictured: Mandy Wagner, CF Survivor 1985-2012 For many people, Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a condition they have never heard of. However, CF is the most commonly inherited disease in the United States, affecting over 30,000 people. In the U.S., 1 in every 3,700 people will be diagnosed with CF each year. On the plus side, early detection and treatment means that the median age has increased dramatically over the past decade alone. So what is CF? CF is a lifelong disease caused by a d...

Obesity is an ever-growing epidemic in the United States (affecting over 50% of the population) that is also responsible for increased rates of type- II diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other health risks. Healthcare has focused its energy on "fixing obesity" through the help of bariatric specialists, who perform specific surgeries to kickstart rapid weight loss. The three most common gastric bypass surgeries include, Roux-en-Y, Laprascopic Sleeve Gastrectomy, and the adjusta...

Most people know to get ‘enough sleep.’ Busy lifestyles, erratic work schedules, or even new children (and puppies) can keep someone from getting the sleep they need. Current research now shows a connection between good (nutritious) health and sleep. So the question is… do you get enough? ‘Enough’ can be described in different ways, but usually describes anything more than 6 hours of sleep. Sleep deprivation may also not be intentional; it could be related to Obstructive ...