Pass the Turmeric, Please

Theresa (Tracy) Garrett Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Certified Diabetes Educator (As seen in the Sun City Independent and Surprise Today) I’ve been reading about turmeric and its healing properties. What can you tell me about it? The ancient spice turmeric is enjoying a golden moment in nutrition circles these days and for good reason. The […]
Fighting Back with Food

Breast cancers are attributed to being overweight and obesity Cancer-fighting foods Broccoli Canola oil Cauliflower Citrus fruit Fish, high in omega-3 fatty acids Flaxseed oil Low-fat yogurt Salmon/tuna Tomatoes Walnuts Whole grains/beans Foods to avoid Butter Cheeses made with whole milk Fatty meats Fried foods Lard Palm and/or coconut oil Processed foods Shortening Whole milk […]
Eating Well at Holiday Parties

Healthy Holiday Eating Tips The holiday season just wouldn’t be quite as delightful without some special, baked goodies using recipes that have often been handed-down from mom, grandma and even great-grandma. But with just a few tasty tweaks, these yummy treats can become healthier. Here’s how: Instead of butter, use equal parts cinnamon-flavored no-sugar-added applesauce. […]
Healthy Weight 101

Understanding factors that can affect your weight is critical to your overall health We asked our Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing expert – Rhonda Zonoozi, exercise physiologist and certified health coach – to offer advice for successful weight-loss or weight maintenance in 2016. Here’s what she had to say: Besides the obvious – […]
Latest Dietary Guidelines Provide Food for Thought
(As seen in the Surprise Independent) The public lambastes the U.S. government a lot these days for poking its nose into areas where many people may feel it doesn’t belong. Thus, with the recent release of the government’s 2015- 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, we might think, “You mean the government is telling us […]
All Hail Kale: Why This ‘Super Food’ Should be on Your Table
(As seen in the Surprise Independent newspaper) What are the health benefits of kale? It’s is a dark-green leafy vegetable chock full of vitamins and minerals. Considered a “super food” by many nutrition experts – kale contains folate, which improves brain health; calcium, which strengthens bones; and fiber, which helps manage blood pressure and digestion. Kale also […]
Tips to Manage Holiday Treats
(As seen in the Scottsdale Independent.) When it comes to holiday treats, Sun Health registered dietitian Tracy Garrett is no Scrooge. How can I eat healthy during the holidays, when there are so many tempting treats? Moderation can be a tough pill to swallow any time of year. But, the “M” word can be a real “bah-humbugger” during the holidays when food, glorious food, is […]
Reduce Your Cancer Risk with Fabulous Fiber
(As seen in YourWestValley.com and the Daily News-Sun.) In comedienne Anita Renfroe’s musical ode to fiber, aptly named “Fiber,” she recites a long list of ills associated with aging and declares that fiber is the cure. “You just need fiber, it’s what you need. When you are full of fiber my friend, you are full indeed.” I […]
We’re Keen on Quinoa – Here’s Why
What is quinoa and what are its benefits? Do you mean Chenopodim quinoa? I was trying to impress you by using quinoa’s scientific name. But the truth is that you’re better off being impressed with quinoa (keen-wah) itself, a grain crop prized for its edible seeds and nutritional value. Quinoa has a lot going […]
Fiftysomething Diet: 5 Foods You Should Never Eat — or Try Not To!
Get these nutritional freeloaders out of your kitchen — they’re not doing your body any good by Maureen Callahan for Next Avenue Suggesting that someone never eat certain foods tends to stirs up a lot of angst. Surely the rare splurge on chocolate cake, French fries or any other tasty treat without nutritional merit […]