We are busy! Competing for our time is a constant stream of notifications, emails, and texts, endless errands, work and family. Matching the hectic pace of living means that we might have bad eating habits. A growing body of research suggests that our bodies function optimally when we align our eating patterns with our circadian rhythms, the internal 24-hour cycles that tell our bodies when to wake up, when to eat, when to fall asleep. Studies show that chronically disrupting this rhythm — by eating late meals or nibbling on midnight snacks, for example — could be a recipe for weight gain and... Read More

Writer’s block. The struggle is real. My problem this week was deciding which of several cool things to write about. While struggling with this decision, I took a walk and found myself confronted with my favorite restaurant in Denver. When tempted, I usually succumb, and so I went inside and treated myself to some dinner at Corner Ramen with the comfortable companion of a science fiction paperback. As I worked through my drink, it became clear as filtered sake that I needed to write about this Denver treasure. My cozy but unfashionable neighborhood in Denver has had the blessing of being overlooked... Read More

There is no perfect diet for everyone, in spite of what you might have heard.  It seems the human body can adapt to almost any diet and survive, even thrive!  Consider the diet of the Inuit, the people indigenous to polar locations such as Siberia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. Theirs is a mostly meat diet, and yet they are a hardy population who consume few to no vegetables in their diet. In the US, experts recommend a diet largely focused on healthy grains, fruits and vegetables.  Most Americans don’t get the recommended 5 servings per day, and even fewer eat the 5-9 servings that is considered... Read More

Scientists have talked for years about the impact global climate will have on our planet.  Some are even speculating that, at this point, there are some things that have happened as a result of the changing climate that are already irreversible. For example, mountain glaciers are in alarming retreat and the downstream effects of reduced water supply in the driest months may already be a foregone conclusion. Did you know that global climate change is having an impact on your health now? Some scientists say that impact may also be irreversible. Catastrophic weather such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes,... Read More

Recently, a technology that edits genomes was used in China to genetically modify pigs.  The result for the consumer would be pigs that are better adapted to cold weather while carrying around 24% less fat.  The technology, called CRISPR, an acronym for clusters of regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats,  has two components. First, CRISPR is essentially scissors that cut DNA.  The other component is RNA, remember that from your high school biology class?  RNA transmits biological information throughout the genome.  The RNA leads the scissors to the a precise string of compounds,... Read More

It’s that time of year – the sun comes up a little later; goes down a little earlier and you need a jacket or sweater to combat the slight nip in the air. Fall brings with it the promise of rain and cooler temperatures. Its rhythms remind us that it’s time to turn inside, ruminate and care for ourselves. Take advantage of the change of season to make some changes to your routine; following the rhythm of the seasons, makes us less likely to get sick. At the beginning of fall, temperatures are finally starting to drop, making it the perfect opportunity to go outdoors. Take advantage of... Read More

Are you an intuitive eater?  Intuitive eating is a nutrition philosophy based on the premise that becoming more attuned to the body’s natural hunger signals is a more effective way to attain a healthy weight, rather than keeping track of the amounts of calories or other dieting methods. Also known as wisdom eating or conscious eating,  intuitive eating relies on your ability to know your body and understand when you are hungry and full. To be successful at intuitive eating, there are some principles that have to be followed to adapt to this way of life. Eat when you’re hungry. Easier... Read More

Whether from your garden, the farmer’s market or the grocery store shelf, fall produce is fresh, seasonal and happening now!  Eating healthy may seem harder come fall, when your favorite summer produce dwindles and the choices seem fewer and, perhaps, unfamiliar. Take advantage of the opportunity and think outside the box in your fall food preparation. Most fall produce can be prepared in a number of tasty ways and all of the produce mentioned here is grown locally. Brussels sprouts are exceptionally rich in protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Sprouts are a good source... Read More

Studies have shown that hormones play a role in elevating the desire to eat foods containing carbohydrates during prolonged periods of stress. When our brains are notified that we are experiencing stress, they respond by releasing cortisol, a hormone whose primary function is to raise blood sugar and promote the metabolism of carbohydrates, protein and fat. In response to higher blood sugar levels, the pancreas releases extra insulin, which has the effect of lowering blood sugar rather quickly, causing a craving for foods rich in carbohydrates. Cortisol is considered a catabolic hormone, which... Read More

Elisa left her hometown in Italy in 1979 for what was then just a small mid-western town in Colorado. Her journey certainly wasn’t an easy one, as she not only had to adapt to a new world, but didn’t even speak English. Coming from the population dense town of Naples, Elisa’s first impression of Colorado was “where is everybody?” Elisa found herself waiting tables at a Mr. Steak on the outskirts of Denver, and fell in love with working in restaurants. Opening a restaurant became a dream of hers, and in 1991, that dream became a reality. Café Jordano, named after her first son Jordan,... Read More