<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
    xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
    xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
    xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/">
<channel>
    <title>Healing Nutrition</title>
    <category>Healing Nutrition</category>
    <link>https://tj.durangoherald.com/section/columnists-healing-nutrition/feed/</link>
    <atom:link href="https://tj.durangoherald.com/section/columnists-healing-nutrition/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
    <description>Latest local news from The Durango Herald.</description>
    <lastBuildDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2026 21:08:23 -0600</lastBuildDate>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <ttl>30</ttl>
    <item>
        <link>https://tj.durangoherald.com/spring-cleaning-your-nutrition/</link>
        <title>Spring cleaning your nutrition</title>
        <description>We all get stuck in food ruts when we eat the same thing day after day, leaving us feeling bored and unmotivated with our meal plan. Even though we’re bored, sometimes it’s easier to stay in the rut than to...</description>
        <pubDate>Wed, 20 Mar 2019 05:03:09 -0600</pubDate>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">847CCFA5-C894-331A-E053-0100007FDE43</guid>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[We all get stuck in food ruts when we eat the same thing day after day, leaving us feeling bored and unmotivated with our meal plan. Even though we’re bored, sometimes it’s easier to stay in the rut than to get out and try something new because it takes a little effort. With warmer temperatures around the corner, it’s a great time to break free from the winter food rut. It’s a perfect time of year to “spring clean” your diet. That means out with the heavy winter foods and in with lighter, healthier eats. The solution is to eat foods that are in season. This allows you to eat foods that have greater nutritional values, and your diet changes based on the time of the year. It has allowed us to thrive for thousands of years, so why change it now? Spring is a great time to focus on tender, leafy vegetables that represent the fresh, new growth of the season. Greens to add to your plate include Swiss chard, spinach, romaine lettuce, fresh parsley, basil and asparagus. Leafy greens are loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber – nutrients that many people don’t get enough of. Eating more salads or lightly sautéing them are great ways to get them into your meal plan. Keep in mind that in Colorado, harvest times vary from year to year depending on frosts, pests, temperatures, snowfall and rainfall. Naturally, in the warmest years, seasons start earlier and last longer. In colder years, harvest times begin later and end sooner. Eating food in season will save you money because it is more abundant. For example, you’ll pay a hefty price for asparagus in the winter. In spring, it is abundant and affordable. Food in season typically has a higher nutrient punch. The foods with the most nutritional value are those picked after being ripened under the warm sunshine. However, our food is usually picked early and ripened in a warehouse or shipping truck while in transit to the local grocery store. By the time the produce makes it to your refrigerator crisper, the fruit or veggie has been in transit for some time. This is why store-bought bananas turn brown or apples get mushy or strawberries mold so quickly. The components of the fruit or vegetable start to break down. This is food chemistry at its finest. I challenge you to buy local greens this season and pay attention to how much longer they last compared to your store-bought, bagged salad greens. Finding your spring eats locally is the healthiest way to go. It’s also a great way to support your local farmers and economy. There are a few options you can explore. First, you can visit your local farmers market during the growing season. Another option is to participate in a community share agriculture program, which lets you subscribe to foods grown at certain farms. Both options have you buying healthier food directly from the farmer. Not only are they in season and packed with vitamins and minerals, but this keeps you out of a food rut as you discover amazing foods you didn’t even know you liked. Fran Sutherlin, RD, MS is a local registered dietitian, digestive health coach, speaker and owner of Sustainable Nutrition. She can be reached at 444-2122 or fran@fransutherlin.com.]]></content:encoded>
    </item>
    <item>
        <link>https://tj.durangoherald.com/healing-nutrition-five-immunity-boosters-to-add-to-your-diet/</link>
        <title>Healing Nutrition Five immunity boosters to add to your diet</title>
        <description>Sometimes in the winter it feels like coughing, scratchy throats and runny noses are just a part of daily life. I don’t give financial advice, but my goal is to share how the foods you eat can boost your immune...</description>
        <pubDate>Wed, 20 Feb 2019 05:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">8269DE8A-2125-3117-E053-0100007FA433</guid>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[Sometimes in the winter it feels like coughing, scratchy throats and runny noses are just a part of daily life. I don’t give financial advice, but my goal is to share how the foods you eat can boost your immune system and get you through the season without having to cash out your 401(k) to buy more Kleenex and cough drops. Let’s start with the most well-known superstar, vitamin C, which is a great booster of immune function. Since we don’t make or store vitamin C in our body, it’s important that we get it through food. All citrus fruit is loaded with vitamin C. But surprisingly, red bell peppers are the ounce-per-ounce champion. Other great sources include strawberries, rosehip, blackcurrants, Brussels sprouts, guava, papaya, spinach, kale and other leafy greens. It’s easy to get enough daily vitamin C from foods, as a medium-size orange will provide about 70 milligrams of vitamin C. Shooting for 90-150 mg per day is adequate for most. If you struggle to get it from your diet, work on that first. However, if you take a vitamin C supplement, be sure it’s not loaded with sugar. It’s also notable that vitamin C does not build up in the body, so you can’t overdo it. If you take too much, you may experience intestinal discomfort such as cramping, diarrhea, bloating or gas. When this happens, back off the dose. Another important tool for fighting off infection is vitamin E. It’s usually overlooked when it comes to immune boosting, but it can be easily obtained from your diet. Find this powerful antioxidant in high concentrations in spinach, almonds, peanuts and sunflower seeds. Unlike vitamin C, vitamin E builds up in your body, so taking a supplement is usually not needed or recommended. Vitamin A is also a powerhouse for boosting immune function. Look for vivid orange vegetables to get this nutrient. Foods loaded with carotenoids, which are converted to vitamin A, include carrots, pumpkin, cantaloupe, squash and sweet potatoes. Selenium is an important mineral in maintaining a healthy immune system. The amount in food depends on the soil in which it grew. Brazil nuts are one of the highest sources of selenium. Be careful because it’s easy to overeat these and get too much. A few servings a couple times per week are plenty. Tuna, sardines, halibut, shrimp, salmon and oysters are also great sources. Last, but not least, is zinc. Zinc is not stored in your body, so getting it from food is important. Oysters contain more zinc than any other food, but it’s also found in red meat and poultry. Don’t eat meat? You can find it in beans, nuts, whole grains and dairy. Keep in mind it’s easier for the body to absorb zinc from meat than from plants. The best way to get these vitamins and minerals is through food because your body absorbs more that way than from a supplement. Eating a variety of foods is fun and key to keeping your immune system strong. Fran Sutherlin, RD, MS is a local registered dietitian, digestive health coach, speaker and owner of Sustainable Nutrition. She can be reached at 444-2122 or fran@fransutherlin.com.]]></content:encoded>
    </item>
    <item>
        <link>https://tj.durangoherald.com/three-tips-for-surviving-the-holidays/</link>
        <title>Three tips for surviving the holidays</title>
        <description>Worried your willpower will let you down this holiday season? You should be, but read on because there’s still hope. As the holidays kick off, it usually means extra time with family and friends and often a party or two....</description>
        <pubDate>Wed, 14 Nov 2018 05:03:10 -0700</pubDate>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">7A8F9761-F7DD-2816-E053-0100007F3328</guid>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[Worried your willpower will let you down this holiday season? You should be, but read on because there’s still hope. As the holidays kick off, it usually means extra time with family and friends and often a party or two. But when it comes to your nutrition and health, the 42-day stretch of endless desserts, baking and sweets at home and the office, it can seem like a season full of temptations. Preparation is a must! The good news is that there are three time-tested strategies you can use to enjoy the holidays. These simple yet powerful tactics will help you move beyond relying on your willpower alone. The first holiday survival strategy is to remember it’s a holi-DAY, not a holi-WEEK or a holi-MONTH. The number of days of indulgence are fewer than you might think: Thanksgiving Day with one day of leftovers (2 days), Christmas Eve and Day (2 days), and New Year’s Eve and Day (2 days). That’s six days of indulgence over a six-week period. That’s not too bad, if you stay on track the other remaining 36 days. The second survival strategy is to remember that portion size counts! Never “save calories” for the big meal. While this is a common practice, it will work against you in a big way if you are looking to watch carbohydrate, fat and calorie intake on the day of the feast. This causes your blood sugar to drop too low, which makes you overeat (and never really feel satisfied). This is sabotage at its finest when you have a house full of tasty home-cooked food and endless savory desserts. Never go to social events hungry. Instead, have your usual meals for the day (just lighter) that include fat, fiber and protein. It’s also important to include a healthy breakfast and to drink lots of water throughout the day – and between cocktails! The third holiday survival strategy is to put food out of sight and out of mind. Putting food and less-than-healthy snacks away between meals makes it harder for you to graze all day long. Leaving food out and available makes it easier to eat when you’re not hungry because we eat with our eyes. Also, when putting food away, don’t store unhealthy foods in a see-through container. If you see a glass jar full of cookies on the kitchen counter, it is almost a guarantee you will want one every time you walk by because your eyes trigger the desire. Store unhealthy foods in closed containers and put them in the back of the fridge behind the healthier alternatives. During the holidays, we’re surrounded by many of our favorite dishes and desserts and a ton of new ones to try. We look forward to these delicious foods that only come around once a year. The trick is to enjoy your favorites, but don’t overindulge at every opportunity. Make better choices so you aren’t left wondering “what happened?” when January rolls around. Finally, a bonus tip: It’s not all or nothing. If you get off track, let go of your guilt and make your next step forward a good one. Fran Sutherlin is a local registered dietitian, health coach, speaker and owner of Sustainable Nutrition, which has offices in Durango and Bayfield. She can be reached at 444-2122 or fran@fransutherlin.com.]]></content:encoded>
    </item>
    <item>
        <link>https://tj.durangoherald.com/learning-growing-can-start-with-a-good-snack/</link>
        <title>Learning, growing can start with a good snack</title>
        <description>It’s shocking that despite all the medical advances over the last century, today’s children are expected to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. A big contributor to this problem is poor nutrition, but it doesn’t have to be...</description>
        <pubDate>Tue, 07 Aug 2018 05:00:00 -0600</pubDate>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">73037130-361E-14D5-E053-0100007F1E35</guid>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[It’s shocking that despite all the medical advances over the last century, today’s children are expected to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. A big contributor to this problem is poor nutrition, but it doesn’t have to be that way in your house. Feeding your kids healthier food provides them the nutrients they need to grow, develop and be healthier. When they are getting the nutrition they need, they are able to think and learn at a higher capacity. Back-to-school time is your chance to shop smarter so your children can have their “best foot” forward this school year. I suggest that most parents start this process by slowly, but deliberately, changing the family’s taste buds. If your kids are eating a lot of processed, packaged snacks filled with artificial flavors, sugars and high-fructose corn syrup, it will be difficult to serve them a plate of fresh fruit or fresh vegetables and have them be excited about it. Here are some healthy snacks that will help move your kids’ taste buds in the right direction and provide them with the nutrients they need to thrive: Healthy Greek yogurt: Your best option here is to buy the plain, unflavored Greek yogurt and add your own flavor – fresh or frozen berries, a teaspoon of honey, bananas or chocolate chips. Adding the sweetness at home allows you to control how much sugar is in the yogurt. They’ll be getting the goodness of Greek yogurt without the food engineering of high-fructose corn syrup or loads of sugar in the flavored version. Your next best option here would be a pre-packaged brand like Wallaby or Stoneyfield that many times has smaller servings and includes less sugar than other options. Healthy fruit snacks:If you think of fruit snacks and automatically think of something in a package, we have some work to do. The nutritional punch that fresh fruit has to offer your child’s growth and development cannot be matched. So, your best option is to cut up some fresh fruit: strawberries, kiwis and cantaloupe (all varieties count) and leave in the fridge for your child’s next quick, nutritious snack. Chopping the fruit and making it readily available in plain site will ensure it is consumed. Your next-best option would be fruit leather made solely from 100 percent fruit. This will be a much healthier option than the little bag of sugar-filled fruit impostors. Healthy nut butters:All-natural nut butters are a FANTASTIC addition to your child’s healthy nutrition plan. If you grind a nut, you get its butter. The ingredients for these products should consist of only the nut and salt. PB&J will always be a child’s favorite; just make sure the “PB” is the healthiest version. A new school year is a new opportunity to evaluate where you’re at with your family’s nutrition and health and be deliberate about making sure you’re heading in the right direction. Fran Sutherlin is a local registered dietitian, health coach, speaker and owner of Sustainable Nutrition, which has offices in Durango and Bayfield. She can be reached at 444-2122 or fran@fransutherlin.com.]]></content:encoded>
    </item>
</channel>
</rss>
