A recent column about my recent trip to New Mexico brought lots of feedback.

Jay. D writes: “It’s embarrassing that you are from New Mexico, and are a dietitian and nutritionist (and apparently a columnist) and yet you do not know the difference between Chile (which is a country in South America) and chili (which is a spicy food, or a type ...Read more

I’m not the best gardener. But I enjoy working in the soil, especially since we live where lawns and flowers only flourish a few months of the year.

That’s probably why I get so excited to see the first gentle blooms of spring begin to emerge. I’m not thrilled, however, that the weeds seem to show up even sooner.

One of my in-laws has a ...Read more

Some things never change. Some do.

I realized this after a recent trip to New Mexico for a reunion with some of my rodeo buddies from New Mexico State University. It’s been several decades since I met up with these folks. And while I knew my old roommate right away, let’s just say name tags would have been helpful for the rest of us.

...Read more

Last week we rewatched the old movie “Hoosiers,” which was filmed entirely in Indiana. According to one theory regarding the origin of the state's nickname, when a visitor knocked on the door of a pioneer cabin in Indiana, the settler would respond, "Who's yere?"

Here’s “yere” questions from readers in northwestern Indiana.

“As an...Read more

My husband and I have become intrigued with "Farmer Wants a Wife," a new television series aimed at matching four farmers in Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee with potential spouses.

In the first episode, the men were each introduced to five gorgeous women — most from large cities — who expressed interest in finding a husband...Read more

A couple of recent columns generated these questions:

Mark Z. writes: “I just read your article entitled 'Repurpose your extra food to avoid waste.' You conspicuously omit composting as an option. What better way to repurpose food?”

Composting is definitely part of the equation, Mark. But according to the U.S. Environmental Protection ...Read more

I had a conversation with a young mom who was surprised to hear some of the new guidelines for feeding infants in the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 (www.dietaryguidelines.gov). The recommendations are updated every five years by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services.

One of the best ways to ...Read more

“It’s hard for a bruised apple to find a home.”

That’s how registered dietitian Judy Barbe began a recent webinar sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics titled "Fuel for the Future: Solutions to Reduce Food Waste at Home."

We’ve all been perpetrators of food waste in ways which we may not be aware, she explained. ...Read more

If you ever thought your digestive system’s only role was to break down food, think again.

According to microbiome researcher Christopher Lowry, “what happens in the gut affects other parts of the body, including the brain.” And much of this activity is related to trillions of good and bad bacteria — collectively called our “...Read more

I love corny food jokes — ones that made my kids groan and now cause my grandkids to roll their eyes. So in this season of April Fool’s, bear with me if you’ve heard these before.

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A man walks into the emergency room with a carrot poking out of one eye. A zucchini is shoved up his nose. A banana is pushed into his ear. The doctor ...Read more

Thank you, readers, for these and all the other great questions you sent for National Nutrition Month.

From Anna B. in Arizona: "I have high blood pressure. How can I lower my blood pressure through diet (I eat a vegan diet) in order to get off the medication?"

Dear Anna (my grandmother’s name by the way): There is plenty of evidence that ...Read more

Sally K from Pennsylvania writes: "My husband and I read your article on nutrition in the Republican Herald. We are curious as to the benefits of Balance of Nature, Red Beet powder and other supplements that are heavily advertised on TV."

I was curious, too, Sally. Let’s start with Balance of Nature fruits and vegetable powders. According to ...Read more

As promised for this celebration of National Nutrition Month, our first installment of questions from readers:

Corliss J. from Tucson, Arizona, writes: "I would like to get more natural vitamin C from foods. I have a condition called 'stomach dumping' and also heartburn. Juicy sweet fruits cause digestive distress and heartburn. I take a 500 mg...Read more