As we close the door on 2011, nutrition and wellness -- the pursuit of optimal health -- continues to lead the country as an issue and major challenge. Looking ahead, there is much to be hopeful about, and a few things to watch out for.

1. Bye Bye Calorie Counting,...

Will history repeat itself in Bristol Bay, Alaska, while we watch more of our natural resources destroyed at the hands (and financial gain) of a foreign company? You can help decide the fate of Bristol Bay's salmon, its water, OUR world. As a consumer and as a voter, your actions...

For years, people would routinely pose the same question to me, "so what are you?" Pretty sure that people are clear that I'm a brunette, a female, even that I'm a dietitian (though sometimes they confuse that with a nutritionist -- sorry folks, I have a license and the education...

Four cups a day, keeps diabetes away. Really?

Did I just hear right? Indeed I did. I caught a moment of the news and the anchor was covering a new study touting these results -- and later, after a quick online search, I learned that this anchor wasn't alone --...

Whether you overdid it or not, the New Year seems to spark the desire in everyone to clean up their act. But what of the cleanses we read about -- are they healthy, do they work, what if I don't have the $500 a week or more to go to...

I work with many patients who suffer from different forms of arthritis -- osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) -- and when we talk about the benefits of a healthier diet, including preparing eating occasions at home, I always feel like I am putting them between a rock and a hard place....

Wherever Marissa is today, friends, family and colleagues say, "You seem amazing!" And that glow comes from her hard work and the amazing advice of Huffington Post Living experts for 12 months. Let's look back on the past year and see how she got where she is today.

January: Sleep...

December, the twelfth month of the year, the time when holidays can create a holidaze, leaving even the most health-committed person saying, "I'll get back on track in the New Year." Well, we all know what putting off for tomorrow what we should do today can do for our health,...

Colbert highlights Raw Dairy Raid in Venice, CA and it begs the question: Why are some people: celebs, athletes, and not-so-local folks enduring LA traffic and paying to join a private club (Rawesome) so they can consume these products?

Before The Raid
Rawesome was just a...

Last month, I once again went to the source of a food (nutrient), as part of my ongoing effort to see food production firsthand and address any questions or concerns that I have on behalf of U.S. consumers. Unlike recent trips to Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica and Alaska, this trip...

It's happened to so many stars before, a sweetheart is discovered, she succeeds on her merit and talents, but then eager to get a piece of her success, some build her up so high she can only help but fall (in someone's eyes) and she often loses fans as people...

10/10/10 stands for so many things: Some people are choosing to get married, some are choosing to celebrate being cancer-free or the lives of those they lost to cancer (October is Breast Cancer Awareness month), some people are deciding for whom to cast their vote for governor and other state...

When not spending time at the office, at work meetings, or her son's sporting events, Marissa comes home to her apartment. Home should be a place that fosters our best energy. And yet, as I learned when I was recently at a Smart Living event in Boulder, Colorado many homes...

How does the state of our agriculture today compare to 20 years ago? How similar are our farming and health care issues? Can they even be separated? Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Chuck Benbrook, Ph.D., chief scientist at The Organic Center, to discuss the findings in...

"Slow down, you move too fast, you gotta make the moment last ... "

What had me feelin' groovy this week? A yoga-food induced buzz experienced at the hands of two of my favorite friends. A new friend, David Romanelli, led us through yoga poses aimed to slow...

Despite a crazy work and life schedule, Marissa always managed to get her workouts in. She loves yoga and finds so much peace of mind and balancing energy from her home practice and classes at Strala with Tara Stiles.

That said, when I talked to Marissa a few months...

This spring, a confluence of events has exponentially increased my passion for saving our oceans, and those that inhabit them. I was invited to Monterrey Bay Aquarium (if you've never been, run there ASAP!) for their annual media conference on Sustainable Seafood (Cooking Solutions).

I learned so...

I am excited to read about the following finding as I recently returned from a trip to Bristol Bay, Alaska to explore firsthand wild Alaskan salmon and the healing power of its fish oil. Wild salmon fish oil contains numerous nutrients that can help further explain the powerful results discussed...

I'm not sure if it's the photo accompanying the section entitled "Nirvana," India's baby cupcakes or mama mantra recommended to be displayed in one's kitchen, but altogether Anni Daulter's cookbook/guide, Organically Raised: Conscious Cooking for Babies and Toddlers, delivers on the health trifecta: great taste, nutrient-dense and doable.

With recent...

In the last decade, we've seen new sections created in grocery stores, natural product expos and magazines as they cover the latest and greatest in protein powders, shakes and bars. So what's the scoop? Let's start by looking at sources, then forms, and finally rationales to determine what's good for...