@barbarasobelnutrition2023

The Benefits of Keeping a Food and Symptom Journal

It seems that every time I go out and gather with others, someone says something like this to me: I took XYZ food out of my diet because I read a book or listened to a podcast that said it isn’t good for you.  Each of Our Bodies is…

Satisfying, Tasty, Nourishing, Blood Sugar Balancing Lunch Idea

We are knee-deep in summer, and for those of us in the northern hemisphere, salads are a great option for lunch. My goto lunch is usually a salad made with some sort of leftovers and whatever else I have in the refrigerator. You may assume that…

3 Tips for Addressing Menopause Weight Gain

Menopause is a complex transition in a woman’s life. During the process, many women gain weight, especially in the midsection. There are a lot of theories on why this may occur. Increased stress, decreased sleep, decreased insulin sensitivity,…

What to Look for when Considering Supplements to Help Reduce Inflammation

Diet and lifestyle changes are my first step in reducing chronic inflammation, but sometimes they are just not enough.  Supplements can be a very helpful addition to an inflammation-reducing protocol when added to a diet rich in real, whole…

Coffee: An Anti-inflammatory Food for Many, But Not For Every One

Most of us think of our morning coffee as a reward for getting out of bed. It turns out that plain coffee can help reduce inflammation. Coffee is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help remove free radicals and decrease oxidative stress, key components…

This Is the Absolute Best Food for Fighting Inflammation, According to Registered Dietitians

I was recently interviewed for an article on www.Parade.com about the best food for fighting inflammation. While many foods are anti-inflammatory, think colorful plant foods, fatty fish, olive oil, coffee, tea, herbs, and spices, along with…

Is Tuna Good For You?

Tuna is high in protein, and low in calories and saturated fat. It is inexpensive, quick to prepare, and keeps in the pantry for several years. Tuna contains anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, although not as much as some of the fattier…

Kitchen Tools: Sharp Knives

Several months ago, I wrote about wanting to go through my cookbooks and either start using them or give them away. I have finally started on that project. When I opened up Kenji Lopez-Alt's The Food Lab, I started reading the almost 100-page…

Mindful Eating Challenge

I am thrilled to be announcing that I am launching my 5-Day Mindful Eating Challenge June 26-30 in collaboration with BossaBars. You might remember that I offered this challenge last winter and got great feedback from the participants. I…

Vitamin D is a Superstar

I have been noticing two interesting trends in my practice. First, a lot of my clients are not being tested for vitamin D levels. Second, when they are being tested most of my clients are falling below the optimal range. Today I wanted to talk…

Top Three Diet and Lifestyle Habits for Supporting Mental Health

I read an opinion piece in the New York Times last week about how we currently treat depression. It left me frustrated. It offered two models of care. Therapy and medication and then went on to show how both can in some cases help and how other…

Meal Planning: As easy as 1, 2, 3

For those of us who are working on health and wellness goals, meal planning is an important tool in helping us reach those goals. As the old saying goes, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. When we first think of meal planning, it can…

Aging Well: Movement

As we end the year I am reflecting on how many of my friends, clients, and family members mention a symptom like stiff joints or sore muscles, brain fog, and new diagnoses around cardiovascular disease, cancer, or blood sugar, weight gain, and…

What Does Gut Health Have To Do With It?

In my own health journey and those of many of my clients, optimizing gut health has been game-changing. I want to share the experience of one client I worked with recently. She came to me with embarrassing bloating and gas, joint pain, brain…

Diet and Lifestyle Habits for Supporting Mental Health

I read an opinion piece in the New York Times last week about how we currently treat depression. It offered two models of care. Therapy and medication and then went on to show how both can in some cases help and how other times neither is helpful.…

Hydration: Are you well hydrated?

Water is in the news a lot. From Flint to Jackson and from the draught to massive floods. Water is one of our most essential ingredients for life. People can only live a few days without water. Many of my clients are confused about how much…

What is Best? Cooked or Raw

My son, husband, and I were working at home one day last week when my husband volunteered to pick something up for lunch for all of us. Usually, we eat whatever we have in the house, so when he offered, my son and I let out an emphatic yes.…
barbarasobel2021

Preserving the Nutrients in Our Foods

We all know that our soil is being depleted, most of our farms grow the same few varietals, our food often travels long distances to reach us, and most of our grocery store shelves are filled with refined, processed foods. The result of all…

Blood Sugar Balance

You don’t have to be diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes to be interested in managing your sugar balance. Blood sugar affects mood, weight gain, energy, cognition, sleep, hormones, and appetite, and it can be very, very difficult to fully…

Superfoods

I was interviewed by Marin Magazine about superfoods -- what they are, how they can help us age well, and how to get more of them in our diets. You can find links to the article (that includes some great looking recipes) and the full issue on…
@barbarasobel2022

Staying True to Your Health and Wellness Goals Over the Summers

School is out and it is summertime. I was at my son's college graduation this past weekend. The plane was full and filled with kids of all ages. The sun was out and the ice cream stores were open. For those of us who have special diets or health…
barbara sobel 2022

Diet and Lifestyle Tips for Supporting Mental Health

According to Mental Health America almost 20% of adults, roughly 50 million people, in the US are experiencing a mental illness right now and roughly one-third of us can expect to experience anxiety, one of the most common mental illnesses,…

Blood Pressure

Recently, I shared some tips about cardiovascular disease. This week I wanted to dig down a little bit deeper into high blood pressure because I am seeing more and more clients, especially women in midlife being diagnosed with high blood pressure…

Diet and Lifestyle Tips to Help Prevent and Improve Cardiovascular Disease

As I sit at my desk this morning looking out at new spring flowers popping up in my yard, I am reminded that even in California we have seasonal changes and that it brings joy to celebrate them, as subtle as they sometimes are. I like to use…