All the news that's fit to eat
By Rebecca Taggart Chances are you already know that dark, leafy greens are good for you, but are you eating enough of them? With report after report detailing their exceptional health benefits, there is good reason to eat greens every day: cancer prevention, cholesterol reduction, cardiovascular health, anti-inflammatory benefits, antioxidant properties, nutrient richness, and more. [...]
Food That Can Save Your Life By Rebecca Taggart We have been told for two decades that eating like Italians, Spaniards, and Greeks is good for us, because epidemiological studies have shown that people from those Mediterranean countries have lower rates of heart disease. It was not possible, however, to tie those findings directly to [...]
Mom’s Chicken Soup Still Best Remedy By Eileen Ecklund This year’s flu season has been worse than usual, and even if you got your shot and have been taking care of yourself, a bug can still knock you down. Although there’s no real cure for viral colds or flu, certain foods can help bolster the [...]
New Year, New Habits By Pia Hinckle Little lifestyle tweaks can add up to big changes in health, mood, and waistlines. Instead of resolving to take on an intensive diet or exercise regime, why not keep it simple? Pick 5 habits to lose and 5 habits to start for 2013 and this time next year, [...]
Turmeric’s Benefits Get Scientific Boost By Elizabeth Weinstein As a child growing up in Chennai, India, Aarthi Narayanan remembers that whenever she felt sick, the first line of defense wasn’t found in the medicine cabinet — it was growing in the garden. Narayanan’s grandmother plucked plants and herbs from the tropical trees and plants growing [...]
Wash Your Hands! By Pia Hinckle Raise your hand if you have already gotten the fall cold that’s in circulation. Did you wash that hand? Probably not — or not enough. Fall heralds the beginning of the flu season in the office and on the playground. The influenza virus, aka the flu, is spread person-to-person [...]
Try Juicing Fruit and Veggies By Rebecca North Just can’t eat your way through a whole box of fresh nutritious produce? Juicing is an easy and excellent way to provide the body with immense amounts of raw food full of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Raw, unheated foods supply the body with exceptional natural enzymes, phytochemicals, [...]
Focus on Waist Reduction for Better Health By Pia Hinckle Not all fat is created equal. If you’ve a gained a few extra pounds, you should know that where you carry that weight could put you at greater risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Where to watch? Your waist. If you can pinch a good [...]
Calories hidden in more drinks than soda By Pia Hinckle Have you gained a few pounds lately even though you’re watching what you eat? You may need to start paying more attention to what you drink. Sweetened beverages and coffee drinks add loads of empty calories to your day—and to your waistline. Enough that regular [...]
Not all Sun Protection is Equal By Rebecca Taggart I can still remember my mother slathering on sun tanning oil when I was a child, hoping I’d get a faster tan. These days we’re all horrified at the thought of accelerated tanning and use sunscreen to keep us safe from sun damage, and the skin [...]
First wave of spring vegetables begins By Rebecca Taggart Winter has been very mild this year for most of us who don’t live in Alaska. The general lack of snow and cold is attributable to unusual patterns in the Arctic and North Atlantic Oscillations, which have kept the jet stream more northerly than usual. The [...]
Sweet Sweat By Rebecca Taggart “Life without sauna seems to me impossible.” - Urho Kekkonen, former Prime Minister and longest-serving President of Finland The Finnish sauna has been around for thousands of years but only came to the United States relatively recently. While Americans used to look upon saunas with suspicion in the 1800s, when Finnish [...]
Eat to Fight the Heat By Nicole Laverty, Registered Dietician Courtesy of mannapa.org Record temperatures and humidity across the country has made getting cool the name of the game. While there is always air conditioning, the pool, or the good old-fashioned fan, there are other options to stay comfortable. What you eat and drink can [...]
Which pyramid? By Pia Hinckle & Rebecca Taggart Nutrition pyramids are supposed to be graphical representations of a healthy diet. But whose? The latest guidelines issued by the U.S. government emphasize eating more fruits and vegetables and less fat, salt, and sugar, as we reported back in February. But there are as many food pyramids [...]
To B6 or not to B4 By Rebecca Taggart Vitamin B is not just a vitamin, it’s a whole family of vitamins with numerous variations and all the little subscripts, such as B3 or B12. Scientists originally thought the eight B vitamins were a single B vitamin critical for cell metabolism. As subsequent research showed [...]
By Jeff Koelemay Summer days mean beaches, barbeques, and more outdoor activities. We all know the importance of staying hydrated on hot days—it’s our bodies’ natural response to reach for a cold drink. But not all beverage choices are created equal. Why not try to make this summer a soda-free summer? The cola wars are over, [...]
By Heidi Lewis Definition: hive [haiv] n. A large group of people buzzing about everything bee related, swapping hints and tips, rubbing elbows and listening to expert entomologists with great reverence, concern and interest for the world’s bee population. The Fifth Annual Bee Symposium, held in March in Sebastopol, CA (Sonoma County), was a hive [...]
By Laurie Sterling of SFGH HeartBeets Last Friday Farm Shop participated in SpringFest, a program of HeartBeets at San Francisco General Hospital. HeartBeets is a superb example of a program working to unite good nutrition, social justice, local food and the medical community. Launched in 2009, the HeartBeets program is dedicated to increasing patient, staff, [...]
By Rebecca Taggart For me, the word ergonomics has always called to mind carpal tunnel syndrome and back pain. But what does it mean exactly? The science of ergonomics finds the best fit between a person and the equipment she or he uses to maintain health and promote productivity. When it comes to our desks [...]
By Rebecca Taggart Last month we wrote about plastics and the potential health hazards some can present for food preparation and storage because of the inclusion of the chemicals biphenyl-A (BPA) and phthalates. Here we show you ways to identify plastics to help determine which are safe and resources on popular brands of food storage [...]
Skip the Dishwasher and Microwave to Reduce Health Risks Plastics are widely used in the kitchen, from containers for leftovers to dishware, cutlery, baby bottles, even the coating inside canned foods. But recent research has shown that the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates commonly found in many plastics, can leach into food and pose [...]
A much anticipated new study on guidelines for vitamin D and calcium consumption raised recommended intake levels for both nutrients in regard to bone health but advised more research on other potential benefits, such as heart health and depression prevention. The Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D report was released by the Institute [...]
Holidays and food often evoke memories of overeating and sleepiness, perhaps brought on by Uncle Ed or Aunt Bertha’s long-winded story at the other end of the table. Holiday menus provide comfort, but does the turkey and mashed potatoes offer anything special nutritionally? Can stuffing ourselves on traditional food possibly be healthy? Let’s look at [...]
Everyone knows the old adage “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” but research over the last decade has begun to reveal why that is true: strongly anti-oxidant polyphenols that reside in the skin. Polyphenols in apples’ colored skin help protect them from bacteria, viruses, fungi, and the damaging effects of UV-B radiation. Polyphenols [...]
Know Which Sweet is Which An apple, brown rice, and a chicken breast all have a common ingredient: sugar. Sugars occur naturally in most whole foods, together with proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and other nutrients. In the 19th century, adding sugar to foods was a rare treat for all but the richest folks. Today nearly all processed [...]
Enjoy the true treasures of the classic autumn harvest: pears, apples, walnuts, and herbs, as well as some grandmotherly health advice courtesy of Nana Mae’s unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar. Vinegar is a liquid produced by the fermentation of ethanol. Most traditional vinegars are made from grapes and the acidity of this acetic acid ranges from [...]
Looking for a miracle food that helps you lose weight, feel full, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and keeps you regular? Fiber is the answer. Most of us know very little about fiber, beyond the vague notion that it prevents constipation, yet it plays many critical roles in our body. If your grandmother ever [...]
Cardiovascular disease is the single biggest killer of both male and female Americans, causing 1 in 2.9 of all deaths—more than all cancers combined—and currently affects 26% of the population. In Heart Healthy Foods: A Delicious Diet can Lower Cholesterol, we wrote about heart-healthy foods and what makes them healthy, from oatmeal to asparagus to [...]
Calcium and phosphorus are critical minerals that form the basic building block of bones and teeth, giving them both strength and density. Calcium is also critical to nerve and muscle function, blood clotting, enzyme and hormone regulation, and cell membrane function. When we don’t consume adequate amounts of calcium through food or supplements, our bodies [...]
As New York and the East Coast cool down a bit from a record heat wave, everyone is ready for a break. But summer is here for awhile so you may still be at risk for heat-related illnesses such as heat rash, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and, most seriously, heatstroke. Why is heat such a [...]
“I do not like broccoli. And I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I’m President of the United States and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli.” – George H.W. Bush, 41st U.S. President The first President Bush may not have been fond of his broccoli, but [...]
Vacations are great, but the travel can be hard on your body. Yoga To Beat Jetlag described the benefits of the pose viparita karani (Legs up the Wall) after a long airline flight or car trip. In this follow-up, you’ll learn a set of four poses to refresh your body and help reset your internal [...]
Long, warm, sunny days are the hallmark of summer, when the sun’s warmth drives off all memory of winter. Summer is about spending time outside, whether at the beach with a book, working in the garden, or just eating lunch on a park bench. Exposure to sun makes us feel good and makes our bodies [...]
As the busy summer travel season approaches, many of us will find ourselves on planes. The journey may be long or short, but the effects on the body are similar: airline flight slows the body’s metabolism dramatically, makes digestion sluggish, and can cause legs to swell due to decreased blood circulation. The recycled air, cramped [...]
Lots of packaged foods now promote their omega-3 content, as interest in the essential fatty acid has made it the latest hot nutrient but less commonly understood is the importance of the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 consumption for overall health. It appears that humans used to consume roughly equal amounts of omega-3s and omega-6s [...]
Gardening offers a refuge from the stresses of modern living, be it tending a backyard orchard, plants in a window box, or a collection of potted herbs in the kitchen. Many of us have sedentary work indoors, and the stress of just getting to work and coping with deadlines can numb both our bodies and [...]
Did the change to Daylight Savings Time throw you for a loop? I saw a lot of yawns around our water cooler. Even this one-hour time change reminds us how important our sleep cycle is, and how easily it is disrupted. Sleep is controlled by our circadian rhythm, or internal daily biological clock, which dictates recurring physical [...]
Just what are these omega-3s that the news and food product labels are full of? Omega 3s are essential fatty acids, which means our bodies need them but cannot make them so we have to get them from our diet. There are three different omega-3s: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA exists [...]
Orange juice has been breaking American fasts since the Jazz Age; it’s as American as apple pie. Recently author Alissa Hamilton, a Food and Society Fellow with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, has been punching holes in our orange juice cartons. In her book Squeezed: What You Don’t Know about Orange Juice, Hamilton [...]
Breathing. Is there anything we do so often yet think about so little? Our breath is fundamental to our lives…
Maybe it’s the rain, or the cold, or the winter light, but at this time of year those Calgon-take-me-away-moments seem nearer. One of the best for me was a few winters back: at a small restaurant I was helping my twin toddlers and my young son, who was wearing his favorite stuffed green parrot wrapped [...]
Vitamin D has been getting a lot of attention lately for several reasons. It appears that vitamin D deficiency may affect many more people than previously thought who reside at mid-northern latitudes, including most of the United States. This is true even at the current recommended daily intake of 400 International Units (IU). The National [...]
Although we do not hibernate the same way as bears and chipmunks, we humans do respond physically to the winter season. Both colder temperatures and decreased natural light trigger responses in us we may or may not be aware of. Modern life often requires us to act against these natural changes, leaving us more vulnerable to disease and unhealthy tendencies.
Does your morning commute zap your energy and your wallet? With traffic snarling, gas prices skyrocketing, and bridge tolls on the rise – now is the time to try something new – bike to work. Bicycle coalitions nationwide are promoting Bike To Work Day – May 15th in most West Coast cities, and May 16th [...]
The deadline for the California Fit Business Award is one week away. The Task Force on Workplace Wellness wants to award organizations that are improving their employee’s health and well being through Workplace Wellness programs. There are separate categories for company size. Previous winners, like Shield Health Care, reported getting ideas of ways to improve [...]
What does this term Workplace Wellness mean? Workplace Wellness is an employer policy that has been moving into the forefront of our work-a-day life. More companies, of all sizes, are implementing programs that benefit their employees well-being, and of course their bottom line. Workplace Wellness programs represent a great handshake between ROI for companies and [...]
The FruitGuys provides clients access to the Berkeley Wellness Letter. Get a jump on better health and have fun while you’re at it. A childhood favorite, the jump-rope, has swung back into popularity among fitness trainers and exercisers due to the multiple benefits delivered via a workout with this simple, low tech device. Jumping rope [...]
Anyone have childhood memories of twilight games of Kick-the-Can with the kids from the neighborhood? The ones when you, the brave one, charge in to kick the can and set everyone free? Now, a posse of Bay Area health organizations are riding into town with a new promotion to help us kick the soda-pop habit. [...]
Let us hear from you! Send us your experience with FruitGuys fruit at your workplace. We’d even like to see pictures of you away from the office enjoying healthy farm fresh fruit! Free t-shirts for first ten people to respond. Send us your FruitGuys stories and pictures!
Of all the ways to stay fit, walking is the easiest, safest, and cheapest. It can also be the most fun: a fine day, a good companion, an attainable goal (say, a scenic spot) three or four miles away. On city streets, in the woods, or even round and round the high school track, walking [...]
The SlowFood movement began in Rome in 1986. Carlo Petrini witnessed the opening of a McDonald’s restaurant near the ancient Spanish Steps. This icon of processed and low quality food dropped into the heart of Rome, with it’s timeless history, seemed perverse. It was the last straw for the Italian, and he became the champion of [...]
When you remove the peel or skin from fruits and vegetables, you lose a lot of nutrition, since it’s a concentrated source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and potentially beneficial phytochemicals. The pigments in produce are healthful, and the skins or peels are often the most colorful part. Vegetable peels or skins are particularly good sources [...]
Core Power in your FruitCrate this Month Yes, fruit is healthy, but one of the healthiest things in a FruitGuys FruitCrate is the Berkeley Wellness Letter. This month’s issue is ripe with quality information on how to get your September health goals off to a good start. On Page 4, there is a spread “Strength [...]
Since we’re in the business of delivering fruit as a wellness benefit, we hear it all the time… but at The FruitGuys we never tire of the adage, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” We live it and we love it. We might even add: a banana a day keeps the internist at [...]
We usually talk about fruit here but we wanted to talk about something that is pervasive in workplaces and generally considered a dessert: chocolate. Many recent studies – and chocolate marketing campaigns – have pointed to the potential health benefits of chocolate consumption. But as October’s Berkeley Wellness Letter reports, if you’re eating milk or [...]
The FruitGuys provides clients with the Berkeley Wellness Letter to learn about health and nutrition. Log in to the subscribers area with your FruitGuys password. October’s password is: optimism Watch and share videos with FruitGuys farmers, the Bananas and more:
October is a great month to get in step with your company’s walking program. It’s autumn now, which means brisk walking in crisp air through nature’s leaf palette exploding in fully-formed 3-D HD Technicolor. While not all of us can have the classic East coast experience, there are plenty of places to get your fall [...]
Introducing: Keep your student on track for success! Now, delivering fresh fruit to your child at college is easy! www.dormsnack.com DormSnack delivers farm fresh fruit to colleges nationwide, brought to you by The FruitGuys. Forget about sending the old fashioned “college care package” laden with sugary, processed foods. Kids today want to avoid the freshman [...]
The FruitGuys provides clients with the Berkeley Wellness Letter to learn about health and nutrition. Log in to the subscribers area with your FruitGuys password. November’s password is: Remedy
The FruitGuys provides clients with The Berkeley Wellness Letter to learn about health and nutrition. Go to: www.berkeleywellness.com Log in to the subscribers area with your FruitGuys password. November’s password is: Remedy If you need help logging in, feel free to call us for assistance: 1-877-FRUIT-ME or email us.
We at The FruitGuys spend a lot of time thinking about Wellness. Every day we ask ourselves how we can help our clients make healthier workplaces. For starters, we bring your office farm-fresh produce and provide nutrition information and everything you need to start an office walking club. But The FruitGuys are committed to delivering [...]
Great fitness tips and more in the Berkeley Wellness Letter. January’s password is salmon. Check out the hard copy in your fruitcrate the first Monday of each month. FREE for FruitGuys customers.
Do you remember the opening sequence to The Six Million Dollar Man? “Gentlemen, we can rebuild him… we have the technology.” I loved the Atari-esque “scientific” sound effects of that ‘70s show and the famous scene where Steve Austin runs 60 mph on a treadmill. But it doesn’t take cyborg limbs to get in better [...]
The New Year brings vigor and fresh starts to establishing healthier habits. Many of us will start a weight-loss diet on the first day of the first month or… The first Monday back to work, or… The first full moon of the year, or … We are not alone – millions of Americans are dieting [...]
Great fitness tips and more in the Berkeley Wellness Letter. January’s password is salmon. Check out the hard copy in your fruitcrate the first Monday of each month. FREE for FruitGuys customers.
Great fitness tips and more in the Berkeley Wellness Letter. February’s password is Yogurt. Check out the hard copy in your fruitcrate the first Monday of each month. FREE for FruitGuys customers.
February is American Heart Month. Not just the chocolate-filled, pink-foiled, “Will you be my valentine?” heart month, but the 10 oz muscle-that-pumps-blood-oxygen-and-nutrients-thoughout-your-body-so-you-can-live month. The Heart Association probably got February because it looks really good in red, but isn’t every month, heart month? And every day, heart day? Your heart beats 60-100 times a minute depending [...]
Great fitness tips and more in the Berkeley Wellness Letter. February’s password is Yogurt.
Regular exercise is really good for you, even without any other complicated changes to your daily routine. A Duke University study showed that walking just 30 minutes a day could help you lose weight and body fat and improve muscle tone. The eight-month-long study involved men and women over age 40 who made no additional [...]
Great fitness tips and more in the Berkeley Wellness Letter. The March password is orange.
Great fitness tips and more in the Berkeley Wellness Letter. The March password is orange.
The FruitGuys can deliver great fruit and fun nutritional education materials to your school on a weekly basis or as extra snacks during testing. Whether your site qualifies for the federal Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program or not, the FruitGuys can work with your school site or PTO to help your kids (and teachers!) eat [...]
To eat healthy, we try to combine different food groups and make sure we get enough whole grains, vegetables, protein, etc. It can be helpful to think about exercise the same way: combining different types of exercise into your overall fitness routine may be more effective than any single method alone. The Mayo Clinic identifies [...]
The Berkeley Wellness Letter In the April issue: Long Live Your Liver Your liver works hard. It helps digest food, regulates cholesterol and fat metabolism, and cleans the blood of impurities, among other essential functions. It’s no wonder then that there are dozens of dietary supplements – pills, powders, and tonics – touted to protect [...]
As part of your FruitGuys subscription you have online access to The Wellness Letter. The Wellness Letter relies on the expertise of the School of Public Health and other researchers at UC Berkeley, as well as other top scientists from around the world. It translates this leading-edge research into practical advice for daily living – [...]
Worksite wellness programs have been found to reduce health care costs, increase productivity and worker loyalty, and lower absenteeism. See this study by the Center for Disease Control on how a wellness program at a Texas business reduced their healthcare costs. According to a recent white paper, published by the American Heart Association and Harris [...]
As part of your FruitGuys subscription, we provide you and your employees online access to UC Berkeley’s Wellness Letter, the Newsletter of Nutrition, Fitness and Self-Care. It translates leading-edge research into practical advice for daily living – at home, at work, while exercising, shopping, or cooking. Highlights from May’s Wellness Letter: Orange You Glad? Citrus [...]
May is National Bike Month! The League of American Bicyclists in Washington, DC is promoting Bike-To-Work-Week from May 11-15th and Bike-To-Work-Day on Friday, May 15th. For more information about how to get involved at your workplace check out this guide at bikeleague.org. CA Fit Business Awards Tip: Supporting employees who bike to work fits right [...]
California currently leads the nation in obesity rates for working-age adults. Each year employees’ poor health costs state businesses billions of dollars in lost productivity, workers’ compensations and direct and indirect medical costs, according to the state department of public health. Since 2004, the state assembly’s Taskforce on Youth and Workplace Wellness has recognized companies [...]
A few customers have asked about Swine Flu, fruit, and our packing procedures here at FruitGuys. First some information: According to the CDC, Swine flu is transmitted primarily though human contact, not food; we have always recommended that all fruit and produce (organic or conventional) be thoroughly washed before consumption; none of the fruit in [...]
