On this Fourth of July week, I began to write about color. How the varied colors of flowers attract insects to their food sources. How the diverse hues in a garden encourage bees, butterflies and other flying bugs to bring fertilizing pollen to plants. And how this large array of pigments in the food we eat provide a multitude of benefits to our...Read more

In response to a recent column about diabetes, reader F.D. sends this question: "Question on (A1C) test: Please explain how does this test know to take an average of 3 months and not 2 months or 1 week? I take my blood level check everyday and that gives an answer at that precise moment of time, which I understand. No one has been able to answer...Read more

We made this pact after returning from our two-night camping trip. Next time, stay at least three days. It takes at least that much time to relax after getting ourselves -- plus horses and dogs -- ready for the trip.

While my husband checked to make sure our horse trailer/camper was fully prepared for our adventure, I packed the food for us and...Read more

One of my unfavorite activities is deleting email from my ever-growing daily accumulations. Not the ones I receive from readers, mind you. These are the ones I never asked for that remind me daily of a special product or service that I most certainly may need.

Some messages I truly enjoy, however. Especially the Food and Nutrition Updates from ...Read more

Now that warm weather is here, I was intrigued by this recent letter from a reader in Corvallis, Ore.: "A few months ago, you wrote that Victoria's Secret Body Mist called Bombshell seems to repel mosquitos. If I am outdoors at twilight I usually end up with about 50-75 insect bites. Even during sleep at night, I will end up with several (10 or ...Read more

What's new in the field of nutrition for people with diabetes? Lots, according to registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes care and education specialist, Mary Ann Hodorowicz. In a recent webinar for nutrition professionals, she updated us on the latest guidelines to control the ABC's of diabetes.

A is for A1C. That's a blood ...Read more

Last week I addressed questions from a reader in Oregon on the subject of calories. A recent step on my own scale reminded me to pay a little more attention to his follow-up questions:

"Our nominal diet is supposed to be about 2,000 (US) calories per day, enough to keep a reasonably active adult going but hopefully not putting on weight. How ...Read more

Sometimes it's not what you say but what you fail to say that counts. And I sure dropped the ball when I answered Claudette's letter about low sugar fruits in her husband's smoothies.

"My standard advice for a healthful smoothie without excess carbs," I wrote, "is 1 serving of fresh or frozen fruit (1/2 to 1 cup for most types of fruit), up to ...Read more

Interesting how the complications we are currently experiencing have driven us back to the basics of living. Same holds true for the science of nutrition. When things get complicated, we need to retreat to the basics. Here is an example from reader Claudette:

"My husband has a large smoothie every day with about 1 1/2 to 2 cups frozen fruit and...Read more

Temporarily furloughed from her job, my younger daughter is helping her sister with kid-sitting duties. On a recent morning, she video-called to show my 6- and 7-year-old grandkids jumping up and down to a music video led by a dancing hot dog named Not Dog.

This particular character invites her audience to travel via time machine to the year ...Read more

I'm not hinting, but this may interest some of you during these long days at home. According to registered dietitian nutritionist Elizabeth Ward, a good body of research now suggests that a woman's ability to become pregnant is influenced by what she eats.

In the Nurses' Health Study II, for example, researchers found that nearly half the cases...Read more

This delightful letter arrived a few weeks ago:

"Dear Ms. Quinn, I truly enjoy and value your column. I learn so much from your writing, even if I can't always follow your advice as much as I would like to.

"I am a war baby and blame all my bad eating habits on the war, since there was so much we couldn't get. When the war ended and sugar ...Read more