Have you ever wondered what exactly vitamins do in the body? Or do you wonder which foods you can eat to make sure you are getting all the vitamins you need? Vitamins are one of six essential nutrients, meaning our bodies can’t make what we need on our own so we have to get them from food. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my previous posts which focus on the other essential nutrients. Today, I’ll outline all of the vitamins, why they are important, and the best food sources for each.

Meat is often what comes to mind when thinking of protein, but it is not the only source! Protein is one of six essential nutrients that are required by the body in order to function (be sure to read last week’s post if you are looking for more information about the other five essential nutrients). Today I’ll discuss the function of protein, main sources of it in the diet, and how much we need to eat (hint: it’s a lot less than you may think!).

There is so much information out there about what is healthy and what isn't, so over the next few weeks I’ll start from the beginning and talk about why eating the right foods can keep you healthy and feeling great! Today I’ll focus on the six essential nutrients our bodies need in order to function properly.

Have you ever tried cooking or baking with almond flour? Almond flour is made from finely ground almonds and is a lower-carb and gluten-free alternative to regular flour. Though you may be skeptical, it still makes for delicious baked goods, or can even be used as a substitute for breadcrumbs in savory dishes. Read on to find out why I like using almond flour and for some of my favorite recipes!

Sodium is something you’ve likely heard about, especially if you have high blood pressure. Sodium naturally occurs in some foods but is also added to many foods in the form of salt. I briefly mentioned sodium in last week’s post about healthy restaurant eating, so today I’ll talk more about the function of sodium in the diet (yes, we do need some!), recommendations for intake, main food sources, and how to make your food taste great without adding a bunch of salt.

Since we’ve been talking so much about carbs, I thought I’d share some of my favorite ways to incorporate carbs into meals and snacks. Keep reading for a few of my favorite recipes!

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is diabetes that occurs in pregnancy. Though it may be scary to hear that you’ve been diagnosed with GDM, it is common and very manageable, often with just diet and exercise. Today I’ll talk about what GDM is and how to manage it so that you can have a healthy pregnancy and prevent the development of type 2 diabetes in the future.

Eating when you have diabetes may seem like a chore; you may feel like there is nothing you can eat, but this isn’t true! Eating your favorite foods is still possible even if you have diabetes. Today I’ll discuss methods for managing diabetes, focusing mainly on making the right food choices.

You may have heard the term “prediabetes” and are wondering exactly what it means. Last week, I discussed what diabetes is and that, unfortunately, you can’t get rid of diabetes once you have it. But, the good news is that you can get rid of prediabetes with lifestyle changes! Today I’ll go into more detail about what prediabetes is and how you can prevent type 2 diabetes.

Over the last two weeks, my posts have focused on the importance of carbs as part of a healthy diet. But can you eat carbs if you have diabetes? YES, you can! I’ll talk more about managing diabetes with a healthy diet in the next few weeks, but today I’m going to discuss what diabetes is, how it’s diagnosed, and complications that can occur in uncontrolled or undiagnosed diabetes.