Nutrition

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. You hear it all the time. But your schedule is so jam-packed, you barely have time for a bathroom break. How are you supposed to chug water all day?

Drinking water is a staple of good health. It benefits all areas of your body, including your heart health, digestion, and organ function. But what if the water you drank had superpower and offered more bang for your buck?  

I tried a restrictive diet that cut out my favorite foods, but as soon as I started eating salty or sugary snacks that I love again, I found myself back at square one. While restricting certain foods is the most common type of diet, research shows it’s not effective in the long run. Restrictive diets often lead to short-term weight loss followed by ...

Shift work is critical for continuity of care in many health care settings. But working the night shift can take a toll. A 2021 study found that nurses who work the night shift tend to be less active, experience poorer sleep quality, and less satisfied with life than nurses who work days.  

Anyone who complains that a plant-based diet isn’t filling may not be eating the right plant-based foods. No matter what you’re eating, feeling full often has more to do with satiety — feeling comfortably full and no longer hungry — than simply filling your belly. Blog 3 in our Plant-Based Food Series!

When most people think of eating disorders, conditions like anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa may come to mind. But two lesser known (and underdiscussed) conditions include binge eating disorder (BED) and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) .  

Warning: The CDC cautions all those pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant to discuss all medicines with your healthcare provider including OTC meds, herbal and dietary supplements, and vitamins. Learn more . Additional Warning:  The FDA does not regulate dietary supplements. There is often conflicting research on whether certain ...

Plant-based eating provides incredible health benefits . But the challenge for many — especially during the holidays — is enjoying the beloved cultural dishes of your heritage while sticking to a plant-forward diet. Blog 2 in our Plant-Based Food Series!  

Your diet is an essential part of healthy living. What you eat can determine how your body grows, functions, and protects itself.  Blog 1 in our Plant-Based Food Series!  

As we gear up for the Hack Your Hydration Challenge, powered by Compass One Healthcare, this is the perfect time to discover more about tea. If you already drink it on a regular basis — great! If you don’t, maybe you’ll decide to incorporate a cup or 2 into your daily routine.

Most people understand why they should eat vegetables every day — they’re loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. But you may not realize that when you eat your veggies can make a difference. Packing veggies into your breakfast can impact how you feel and how much you eat that day.  

Do you know much about the food you’re putting into your body? Like how processed it is and what kind of nutrients it contains? Do you choose certain foods simply because they taste good, or do you choose foods because of how healthy they are?  

More than 130 million American adults live with diabetes or prediabetes — and nurses help all those people prevent or manage diabetes. But knowing how to lower the risk of diabetes doesn’t necessarily mean you’re taking those actions yourself.  

Authors:   Elizabeth Coleman, MSN, CRNP, CPNP-PC, Nursing Instructor &  Loretta T. Lee, PhD, CRNP, FNP-BC, CNE, Associate Professor and  Department Vice Chair Family, Community & Health Systems at the UAB School of Nursing,  University of Alabama at Birmingham Ms. Coleman is pictured below.

Have you ever stopped to read the nutrition labels on foods in the grocery store? Do you see words like humanely raised, grassfed, or cage-free? And if so, do you know what they mean?

Let’s talk about water. You know it’s a vital nutrient for every cell in your body. You know hydration plays a crucial role in health, like helping to regulate internal body temperature and lubricating joints. But how much of what you know about hydration is the truth? And how much is misinformation that’s been spread around society through social media ...

You can hack your hydration in ways beyond drinking water. Experts recommend that 80% of fluid intake comes liquids.  However, the remaining amount may come from foods that you are already eating. Today, try one of these recipes loaded with refreshing, hydrating ingredients! Want to easily print these recipes? Download the recipes by clicking on the ...

 Date Issued: April 27 Nurses Obesity Network will engage, support, and activate nurses nationwide as patients living with obesity, caregivers, and advocates calling for better care across diverse communities. Washington, D.C. — In recognition of National Minority Health Month , members of the leading nurse advocacy organizations are joining ...

This holiday season, get more cauliflower into your diet by substituting it for starches in common recipes. Here are two holiday favorite recipes that incorporate cauliflower. What are your favorite healthy substitutions for ingredients in common recipes? Join us in a discussion in the Healthy Holidays challenge powered by Compass One Healthcare ...

The COVID-19 pandemic creates upheaval for many nurses. Those who aren’t in patient care settings probably worked from home most of the past year. Children were also home doing virtual school. Now school is back in session for the fall. What better time to get organized with a meal planning strategy and new homecooked recipes? Your life is already busy — ...

Did you know your muscles and kidneys are 79% water? Your skin is 64% water, and 83% of your lungs are made of water, says the USGS Water Science School . You are what you drink — or at least that’s kind of the case with water. But when the blazing hot summer months hit (like now), it can be difficult to drink enough fluids. Are you giving your body the hydration it ...

DISCLAIMER:   The content provided on this webpage is general in nature and does not constitute medical advice.  This webpage is for reference only.  Always consult with a qualified health care provider for any questions you may have regarding your health. Do you have diabetes, or are you at risk for developing it? Your blood sugar levels are a good ...

Registered Dietitians (RDs) at Morrison Healthcare agree that nurses are their greatest ally in fighting malnutrition. To improve patient health, several RDs are taking creative steps to make it easier for nurses to help identify malnutrition and enlist RDs in this battle.  “Nurses are our partners, but they often have a lot on their plates, and ...

Food & Nutrition Services and Nursing might be considered separate departments, but both are more successful when they join forces. That’s because both have one goal in mind: patient well-being. Both want the patient to leave the hospital feeling good about their experience. Nutritious and delicious food is one way to create a positive experience ...

Eat healthy. Sounds simple, right? For many people, it’s not that easy. With all of the sugary, fatty, processed foods lining grocery store aisles, it’s easy to give in to temptation. Some of us require more insight into what healthy eating looks like — and that’s OK! 81% of people try to eat healthy and pay attention to their nutrition, according to a ...

By Heather Moreno Nutrition is a key, controllable factor affecting our health. But sadly, the CDC reports that most Americans don’t eat a healthy diet. Allowing for barriers to education and access to nutritious food, there’s still an alarming number of well-informed adults who eat poorly. Why doesn’t information equal healthy eating? There’s no ...

By Vanessa S. Elliott   It’s 4 am and you are nearing the end of your 12-hour shift, when your stomach starts growling and the first thing you grab are the crackers in the patient pantry. You have one pack, with hopes that you will be okay, but then suddenly you have downed 5 packs and washed it down with a soda. Then you say to yourself, “Well, there goes my ...

What is it?   This is a diet consisting of larger amount of fats, moderate amount of proteins and extremely low carbohydrate consumption.  Twenty to fifty grams of carbs or less are consumed daily.   (For context, there are 25 grams of carbohydrates in an apple and about 50 grams in a bagel). Reduced carbohydrate intake puts the body in a state of ketosis ...

By Angela Amico, MPH, Senior Policy Associate for the Center for Science in the Public Interest This time of the year, my friends and family are sharing their New Year’s resolutions. One resolution comes up again and again: to eat better. But in our food environment, eating healthy is like trudging through deep snow—it’s exhausting. Think about where ...

Lighten up your holiday spread while keeping tradition and flavor alive. As the holiday season approaches, you’re probably looking forward to indulging in the classic recipes (sweet potato casserole, buttery cookies, and creamy gravy to name a few). You might think that allowing yourself to have these special dishes will derail your health goals. ...

There are some foods combinations that just seem to go together perfectly. And we’re not talking about chocolate and peanut butter (although that is a delicious combo). The food pairings below increase the nutrients your body absorbs, making your meals healthier with no extra effort. Try these pairings, along with a healthy recipe that uses both ...

Boost your daily intake with these tips.

Skip the store and whip up these foods in your own kitchen for tastier, healthier, and cheaper fare.

Give meetings and conferences a health boost with these tips.   

Make these tweaks to your meals and snacks to stay energized throughout the day. 

7 strategies for maintaining good-for-you habits between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.   

These quick and healthy meals are simple enough to whip up even after a long shift.  

A balanced diet is a critical piece of the health picture. Unfortunately, many nurses face an uphill battle when it comes to eating right.

We ensure our patients drink enough fluids, but we don’t do the same for ourselves. Cardiac Clinical Nurse Specialist Nurse Alice Benjamin explains how to stay hydrated at work.

Nine suggestions for a simple and healthy morning meal to start your day off right. 

Try these 15 simple tweaks to up your fruit and veggie intake.  

As nurses, too often we are dealing with multiple emotions in a given day. Things at work and at home can be stressful and those  high-calorie treats  from coworkers or patients are just so readily available, that we hardly notice overindulgence. Before you reach for that feel good confection , try these strategies from other nurses!