Last week we kicked off our new Vitamin L series, which celebrates the various relationships in our lives throughout the month of February, with a post on friendship.

Next up, we’re talking family. That’s right, those crazy people who drive you nuts, and at one point (circa age 15) you didn’t want to be seen with, but at the end of the day, you love ‘em anyway.

Unlike some other relationships, we don’t get to choose our family members. Who we marry, yes; but that mother of yours who made you take those really awkward photos on the first say of school, you know, the one who is constantly reminding you that she’d like grandchildren someday? Well, you’re sort of stuck with her.

At times it’s easy to be harsh or brutally honest with these people, as we know our family will love us unconditionally. But that’s also the reason that we cherish them so much. On our good days they’re our biggest fans, and on our bad days there's nothing quite like the comfort a family member can provide.

More than 350 million people worldwide now have diabetes. That's greater than the entire population of the United States (307 million), and more than double the number of diabetes cases in 1980.

These frightening statistics from The Guardian will only get worse if we do not make dramatic changes to the our accustomed lifestyles.

By 2020, the UnitedHealth Group anticipates that 50% of Americans could have diabetes or prediabetes. As much as 95% of these cases are predicted to be Type 2 adult-onset diabetes, a condition highly correlated to obesity, poor diet, and lack of physical activity. In some cases, the condition can lead to kidney failure, heart attack, or stroke.

To reverse this trend, we've got to start at the source: the Standard American Diet and lifestyle that is now proliferating through all the nations of the world

Non-smoking adults at a normal weight who eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise have been proven to be 89% less likely to develop diabetes. That's a very encouraging prevention statistic!

What about those already diagnosed with diabetes? Just earlier this month, researchers had a breakthrough in diabetes care. As reported by the BBC, eleven people who had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes underwent a drastic eight-week diet regimen of 600 calories a day. At the end of the study, 7 of the 11 participants no longer had diabetes.

The government endorsed DASH diet has claimed the top pick in the US News' 20 Best Diets Overall!

The full rankings, released last week, were carefully determined by a panel of health experts and based on the diet's practicality, nutritional value, safety, weight loss results, and prevention of disease.

Medically speaking, DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is generally recommended for people struggling with high-blood pressure, but the good eating habits encouraged by the diet are a positive choice for anyone looking to improve health and wellness.

Today, the USDA abandoned the classic pyramid shape that Americans associate with the food groups and replaced it with a more practical shape for the eating public – a plate.

The revised chart is being supported by the Obama administration, and specifically by Michelle Obama in her campaign to fight obesity. In an article from Reuters, the first lady noted at the unveiling that the plate should serve as “a quick, simple reminder for all of us to be more mindful of the foods that we're eating.” 

The change is definitely a step in the right direction. The last pyramid, which colorfully summarized dietary guidelines into six long stripes to represent the food groups, was vague and unrealistic. Based on the width of the strips, one would assume milk is to be consumed in approximately the same quantities as vegetables. The foods shown below the pyramid indicate that canned fish is nutritionally equivalent to steak, as is orange juice to an apple and white rice to whole wheat bread. Serving sizes were converted from ambiguous numbers to ounces and cups, but the portions were still widely inapplicable.

It’s that time of year again, the beginning of the season for consumption of all things sweet. Halloween marks the start of the holiday season that extends until the beginning of January. The tendency to overindulge in sweet treats rises, the sugar rush ensues, and waistlines expand. Considering the rise in childhood obesity, here are some ideas to curb the sugar rush, and still keep the kids happy and healthy.

For the ghosts and goblins that come knocking: Select dark chocolate options for trick-or-treaters. Dark chocolate has health benefits such as antioxidants. Give out granola bars, 100% fruit chews, and yogurt or carob covered raisins. Look for the fun or mini size candy options for the ghouls and goblins; the smaller the better.  Or, avoid candy altogether and hand out coloring books and crayons, glow sticks, or stickers. 

And for your little pumpkins, avoid all unnecessary sugar on the day of Halloween. Omit soda, fruit drinks, certain cereals and other sugary stuff since you know they’ll be eating candy. Feed them a healthy meal before they go out roaming the neighborhood. The hungrier they are, the more candy they will eat along the way.  Get them exercising! Throw in a Thriller mix and have a little zombie dance party.  Also, have them walk from door to door.

Do you have any tips for healthy treaters? 

Have you ever thought that who you are today in your career, relationships and life might be linked to what your parents were going through when you were conceived?

Look at your life now. Is money always tight? Do you have loving relationships? Are your relationships tumultuous? Do you love to learn? Perhaps if you have concerns around money your parents were undergoing financial problems when they conceived you. Were they newly married and just starting their lives together? Perhaps the love they had for each other shows up in your romantic relationships. Do you have not one, but two or more degrees? Do you love to read or take classes? Maybe your mom or dad were in school when they conceived you, or were planning to go back to school.

This might be a difficult exercise for some of you, but I encourage you to take the time to do some research. If your parents are still around ask them. If you’re not able to ask your parents directly, maybe you have an older sibling or other relatives who might know.

How do these stories inform who you are today? What insights are you able to form, based on this part of your personal history? If you feel comfortable, share with us. If not, jot these insights down and keep for yourself. This is a great exercise to help you connect with your parents as well as to think about why you are the way you are.

A holistic lifestyle is more than just eating organic foods and practicing yoga from time to time. It means paying attention to all aspects of your life: relationships, career, health and spirituality to be sure that you are living a life in balance. This might mean making some adjustments. The important thing to realize is they are not quick fixes.

Take a minute now to think about all areas of your life:

Relationships: Are you surrounded by people who stimulate you? Do your friends and romantic partner make you laugh and are they kind to you? Are there people you can be spending more time with or less time with? Make an effort to spend more time with those who fill your life with joy.

Career: Are you satisfied with your day-to-day job? Do you feel challenged by your boss and your coworkers? Do you feel that you are compensated well for your hard work? Are you happy more than you are stressed-out? Make a list of the things you love about your job and the things that you do not.

Spirituality: Do you have a spiritual practice? This can be anything from meditating to going to church on a regular basis.

Health: Pay attention to the foods you eat. Do you enjoy whole grains, fruits and vegetables every day? How often do you consume junk food? When you crave sweets write down what you are doing. Sometimes when we crave junk food it means that something else in our lives is out of balance.

Everyone could nourish their relationships, career, spirituality and health a little more. By nourishing all aspects of your life you will live a healthier and happier life. What are you going to do today?

A few months ago we reported that The White House was talking about growing an organic garden to raise awareness around nutrition and sustainability. In the April issue of Oprah magazine, Michele Obama says they are definitely going to take this project on.

"We want to use it as a point of education, to talk about health and how delicious it is to eat fresh food, and how you can take that food and make it part of a healthy diet,” says the First Lady. This is great news. Not only will this be an opportunity for people to learn about the benefits of eating fresh, whole foods but in this economic climate people will save money by growing their own food.

Do any of you plan to start your own garden this spring/summer? Please share any tips with those who have never nurtured a garden.

Spring is in the air. The temperature is rising, the sun is shining and it stays light for longer.

Have you noticed that when these changes in weather occur people are generally happier? There’s a skip in everyone’s step and more people are smiling. The obvious reason is that people love the warmth of the sun and the look of a tan. While I think there is a lot of truth to that I think other factors contribute to people being happier in the spring and summer.

Think about everything that comes with warmer temperatures. People spend more time outside which is conducive to long walks, playing frisbee in the park, running or going for a bike ride. Instead of running on a treadmill alone or sitting in front of the TV, people go for a jog with friends or have a picnic with those they care about. Many people also consume more fruits and vegetables because they are cooling foods and fresher at this time. These seasons are also a time when people like to go on vacation with their friends and family to relax.

It makes sense that people would be happier and look healthier when the sun starts to shine. They’re getting more exercise, soaking up the sun which is high in vitamin D, nurturing their relationships, eating less processed foods and relaxing. People are getting a balance of primary and secondary foods!

In the upcoming weeks and months I encourage you to get outside for a walk with your friends and visit your local farmers’ market to pick up organic fruits and vegetables. Plan a vacation, even if it’s to a beach nearby with a loved one and soak up that much needed vitamin D—be sure to use sunscreen as well!

Get that spring back into your step! How do you enjoy your time outdoors?

Many people have rules around what they consume. Some people set guidelines in an effort to keep weight off. Other people don’t eat certain foods because of family traditions. And some people don’t know why they eat the foods they do.

Most people are not consciously aware that we have these food rules. But maybe by slowing down and understanding the reason behind eating a strict vegetarian or a low-carb diet we can vastly improve health throughout America. What do you think?

In Michael Pollan’s recent New York Times blog, he asks readers to send in their food rules. This is a great exercise to try out. Look at your own diet. Do you eat only until you are half-way full or do you stick to a strict vegetarian diet?

At Integrative Nutrition we encourage students to think about the foods they eat. Maybe you have been eating vegetarian for as long as you can remember. Do you know why you choose to stick to this diet? Experiment. Maybe one week you eat only vegetarian and another week you take milk out of your diet.

You may find that you have been a strict vegetarian for most of your life, but by experimenting with other ways of eating you feel better when you incorporate more meat into your daily meals. No dietary rule is set in stone. It is your body and it is important to find what works best for you.