Guest Post By: Pablo Monsivais, Ph.D., MPH
Associate Professor – Nutrition and Exercise Physiology

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been writing about the health and environmental benefits of swapping your car commute for a bike commute, and our Campus Bike Challenge and our Bike Buddy Program and tips for happy, safe riding. Commuting to work by bike, or just doing some of your normal car-based errands with your bike- is a great ‘health hack’. Why? Because it’s a powerful way to dial-in some physical activity into your daily routine in a way that doesn’t require much extra time but still adds to your well-being and quality of life. » More …

Did you know that just one cup of mangoes provide 100% of your daily intake of Vitamin C? It also has 12% of your daily fiber intake, and contains over 20 different vitamins and minerals. Combine that with it’s fresh taste and you’ll want a mango every day! Luckily, even though mangoes are only grown in tropical climates, they are generally offered in American stores year round. Try out a unique mango recipe today with this crunchy Thai salad for a flavorful new twist to your traditional salad. » More …

Guest Post By: Pablo Monsivais, Ph.D., MPH
Associate Professor – Nutrition and Exercise Physiology

Last week I wrote about some of the wellness benefits of biking to work and the Campus Bike Challenge. This week I give you a bit more detail about the Campus Bike Challenge and provide some tips that could make your bike commute to work more pleasant, safe and fun!

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Guest Post By: Pablo Monsivais, Ph.D., MPH
Associate Professor – Nutrition and Exercise Physiology

What one thing can lighten your body, lighten your mood, and lighten your impact on the environment?  Biking to work! » More …

Earth day is less than a week away now, and if asked how your daily routine impacts the environment, what would you say? Many of us would likely consider our daily commute or perhaps even recycling habits to be the main contributors of our carbon footprint. While these are important factors to consider, have you ever thought about what you eat also has an impact on the environment? » More …

Happy Spring Equinox everyone! In celebration of today, the second annual Employee Wellness Event hosted by the Wellness Collaborative and Chancellor DeWald is being held in the CCRS building from 11 AM – 1 PM. The overall event is designed to help faculty and staff rejuvenate their well-being by taking a break in their busy work day to de-stress and get away from their desks. At the event, I get the fun job of helping run our food demonstration/sampling with the Fresh Plate by helping people create their own healthy grain bowls or instant layered soups! While we don’t have any particular recipes to share, we have several healthy ingredient options that leave the flavor combinations endlessly creative. Come down to the event for your lunch break and experience how yummy grain bowls or instant soups can be! If that isn’t enough for you to come, we also have some other enticing attractions such as an animal petting station, Bloomsday sign-up table, Wii bowling competition, massages, mindfulness sessions and even a virtual reality station!

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You may be familiar with a quinoa tabbouleh, but using freekeh instead of quinoa is a new twist to this classic recipe. An ancient grain that is traditionally grown in Mediterranean and North African regions, freekeh comes from wheat harvested while still young and green followed by being roasted and rubbed to get it’s unique flavor. While not gluten free, it has more protein and twice as much fiber as quinoa which makes it nutrient dense. Try this recipe today to get a nutritious and fresh side dish to your next meal!

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While I don’t usually make resolutions in January, I have joined the resolutions bandwagon this year and made it a priority to be better at self-care, specifically with being more active. To ensure I am giving my body what it needs to be stronger, I have also accompanied this resolution to include nutritious meals before and after my workouts. The recipe I am sharing with you today is just one example of a great post workout meal I have found. The quinoa and vegan cheese sauce bring a lot of protein and iron when you need it most, combined with the broccoli and chickpeas to give you fiber and a wealth of vitamins that will help stabilize your recovery. Not much of a vegan fan? Try this recipe out with regular cheese and chicken! » More …

By Lonika Sood, M.D., M.H.P.E., F.A.C.P., F.H.M.
ESFCOM Clinical Education Director for Internal Medicine

The holidays are coming upon us – and that can mean only one thing…. Food, and lots of it. Drawing from my Indian roots (and the 5000-year-old ancient art of Ayurveda), I am sharing with you the historical uses of some herbs, that have been known to aide in digestion: » More …

Waking up to the cold and wet weather this morning, I felt sorry for all the trick or treaters that will loyally still go out tonight in the spirit of Halloween tradition and fun. However this dedicated group of kids will also include an accompaniment of dedicated parents/loved ones that will look after them, even on a miserable night for a stroll around the block. If this fits in with your plans tonight, be sure to give yourself a warm dish that will help bring some nourishment for that long trek tonight and hopefully get a head start on any colds that might come afterwards. Don’t be fooled by this harvest stew though, while the seasonal root vegetables and squash make it very nutritious, it is packed full of savory flavor from the sausage that will keep you coming back for seconds. I had mine with a few slices of french bread I picked up on the way home this weekend, and my family loved it.

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