Fitness and Nutrition

Garlic season is upon us, which means that last year’s garlic will be on sale alongside the new crop. Don’t be fooled by a sale price; squeeze each head you buy. It should be as hard as a baseball. If not, there is probably a green sprout inside each clove.

Twelve products have made the annual list of “dirty dozen” produce. These fruits and veggies in particular contain high contents of residues from pesticides, according to a report by the Environmental Working Group.

The body cannot survive without sodium, but the typical American diet contains more sodium than the body can handle. High amounts of the mineral can lead to heart and kidney disease.

Some helpful tips to keep your spending down and your nutrition up.

Several programs are available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to assist low income consumers purchase healthy foods. The City of Boston also developed a program to enable SNAP recipients to purchase produce at local farmers’ markets.

Store brands are fast becoming the choice of many consumers. Store brands are typically less expensive than national brands and offer similar quality.

Supermarkets are designed to pique your interest into purchasing more items than originally intended. The ideal way to prevent overspending is to make a list and stick to it.

Although food is one of the highest costs for consumers, it is possible to eat healthy while keeping an eye on one’s budget.

This recipe that pairs butternut (winter) squash with shiitake mushrooms and sage is not only tasty it’s packed with vitamins and minerals, but low in sodium and fat.

Avocados are considered a power food because of its high nutritional value. Each contains nearly 20 minerals and vitamins that the body needs to perform sufficiently.

Regular exercise can increase the efficiency of the heart, which can help prevent or control high blood pressure.

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, was a study that determined that healthy eating could control blood pressure. Reduced daily intake of sodium decreased blood pressure even further.