A Plant-based Diet: Can It Help You Prevent and Control Diabetes?

by Sabra Rebo, R.D. Down to Earth Community Outreach Team Leader

Living in Hawaii, many of us in some way have either seen or heard about the complications associated with diabetes. With our high diabetes rates, it’s important to know that certain foods can make a major impact on treating or preventing this disease. There is a lot of information available about different meal plans to manage type 2 diabetes. You may be wondering how a plant-based diet fits into meal planning? The great news is a well-planned vegetarian diet can be a healthy choice for people with type 2 diabetes.

Have a Healthy and Happy Father’s Day

by Manjari Fergusson

Father’s day is coming up and it’s always a nice time to reflect on dad and show him how much you appreciate him. The best way? A little quality time on the day! We get so caught up in our daily lives, and when you have to go to work, take care of children, and deal with all the other things in life, sometimes our parents get taken for granted.

Most dads love going on adventures, and Hawaii is the best place for it! Don’t bother with restaurants, noise, and crowds. Have some dad time by saving some money and enjoying some health and wellness together.

Get Fit and Feel Fab

by Manjari Fergusson

One of the most fun ways to live a healthy lifestyle is to make sure you’re living an ACTIVE lifestyle. That’s right – exercising and engaging in physical activity doesn’t have to be torture! And as much as you might want it to be, it’s not an option to not be physically active if you want to have a healthy life.

Don’t worry; it’s never too late to start! The benefits of exercise are too numerous to list, but they include prevention of chronic diseases, weight loss and maintenance, muscle strength, improving mental health, and longevity.[i]

Switching to a Greener Lifestyle for Earth Day

by Manjari Fergusson

Earth Day is a good time to jumpstart a more eco-friendly and healthy lifestyle. Here are a few switches you can make to establish a greener way of living:

From conventional green, leafy vegetables to organic

Green, leafy vegetables are often heavily sprayed, but it’s worth the extra money to switch over to clean and organic… still chock full of vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and fiber,1 but without the toxic agrochemicals.

Curbing Colorectal Cancer Through a Plant-based Diet

by Manjari Fergusson

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, addressing a common type of cancer that affects both men and women. This cancer, affecting the colon and rectum at the same time, is the third most common type of cancer in the world.[1] Studies have shown that meat consumption increases the risk for this deadly disease, and vegetarian, plant-based diets are associated with decreased incidences and overall lower numbers of colorectal cancers.[2]

Essential Fats for a Healthy Heart

by Manjari Fergusson

One way to keep your heart healthy and protected is by ensuring that you have the right amount of essential fatty acids in your diet, particularly Omega 3’s. They provide many heart protective properties among a host of other benefits. Omega 3’s help lower triglycerides, reduce arrhythmias (abnormal heart beats), lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation.i

Truly Healthy: Fitness and Inner Happiness

by Manjari Fergusson

Living a truly healthy lifestyle includes all aspects of a person’s life: what they consume, how active they are, how they manage stress, their mental and emotional health, and how they care for each other. This month’s Feature Article discusses the healthy-eating side of wellness, while our Health Tip focuses on the other aspects of a person’s health and wellbeing.

Healthy Desserts During the Holiday Season

by Manjari Fergusson

One of the scariest parts about cooking or baking during the holiday season is the expectation that being healthy means sacrificing taste or flavor; but that really doesn’t have to be the case! You can have the best of both worlds and create yummy dishes that you and your friends and family won’t even realize are “healthy”.

Tasty desserts made using wholesome ingredients are not only delicious, but easier on your waistline and leave you feeling fuller, causing you to eat less. Win!

Here are some healthy ideas for yummy desserts, perfect for your holiday meals:

Eating Healthy Around the Holidays

by Manjari Fergusson

Thanksgiving is a fun-filled holiday that’s known for big eating and those pesky pounds that go along with it. But you can actually enjoy the holiday season without weight gain if you learn to avoid overindulging on and around the holidays leading up to the New Year.

This doesn’t mean you can’t still have fun and enjoy the holidays with your family and friends – naturally you’ll be eating richer, higher calorie foods over those three or four days. But you can do it in a healthier way by incorporating a few of these tips:

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