Fresh Focus

Throughout this six-episode Myth Busters series on the Fresh Focus podcast , we are choosing a different popular nutrition myth each episode to break down. There’s so much nutrition information (and misinformation) out there that we wanted to provide you this series so that you could have evidence-based answers to your burning nutrition questions in between visits with your registered dietitian.  ...

Nutrition advice is anywhere and everywhere these days. The information can be overwhelming to sift through. Here at the Fresh Focus podcast we thought it would be a great time to review some common nutrition myths. We will be going through several nutrition topics and diving in more to help all of you out there listening. In our Myth Busters series, we invited Abbie Spiwak, RDN, to chat about a c...

Does searching for healthy food options feel like solving a puzzle to you? Ask a VA Dietitian! Our job is to help take the mystery out of good nutrition habits.    Here at Fresh Focus, we want to make it as simple as possible for you to make the healthy choices you need to reach your nutrition and lifestyle goals.  Concepts, ideas and recipes from any and all episodes can be modified and tailored...

Does searching for healthy food options feel like solving a puzzle to you? Ask a VA Dietitian! Our job is to help take the mystery out of good nutrition habits.    Here at Fresh Focus, we want to make it as simple as possible for you to make the healthy choices you need to reach your nutrition and lifestyle goals.  Concepts, ideas and recipes from any and all episodes can be modified and tailored...

Did you know American Veterans experience higher prevalence of pain and more severe pain than non-Veterans?    The good news is that no matter where you are in your health journey: just starting out, managing several chronic conditions, or somewhere in-between by making these diet changes you can really make a difference!     The team at Fresh Focus , is highlighting the benefits of eating and fol...

Have you ever wondered what food has to do with inflammation? Listen in on Fresh Focus Dietitians with fellow Dietitian and Integrative and Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner Nancy White to find out answers surrounding fighting inflammation with food.   Chronic inflammation causes our body to stop functioning in a healthy way. This can lead to the development of chronic diseases such as h...

Did you know that the human body is absolutely meant to move and that Movement , activity, and exercise , can all relate and to pain management? Let Fresh Focus get you started by having a discussion on ways to improve your functional independence and freedom. One way to begin is to identify ways to overcome any of your barriers and for most of us that includes reducing pain.       Exercise can be...

There are several lifestyle factors that can influence inflammation in our bodies and the great news is there is lot we can do to improve our health!    Listen in on episode 43 of Fresh Focus   while Registered Dietitians dive in on lifestyle factors that can affect inflammation.   ·          Smoking --If you smoke we recommend quitting to reduce inflammation. This includes vaping as well. Contact...

Have you ever wondered if the food you are eating is causing you pain due to inflammation? If so, stick around and listen in on how nutrition and what we eat day to day can influence inflammation and could be causing an increase in your pain level.   Inflammation is the body’s protective response against injury, infection, stress, or foreign substances.  In episode 42 of Fresh Focus , Megan goes t...

Have you ever thought that what is on your plate could make a difference in your level of pain?  Healthy food choices can improve your overall health,  help with weight management, give you more energy and even help reduce pain. The Fresh Focus team thought it was a perfect time to start discussions on the pain and nutrition connection in episode 41 as they interview a VA nurse who is very involve...

When thinking of summer cooking, usually the first thing we all think of is the grill . However, remember that just because we use this king of summertime cooking every year, this doesn’t mean we always have to use it the same way. For example, it isn’t only for burgers and hot dogs!     When cooking on a grill, the first thing you need to be aware of is the use of direct or indirect heat. Direct...

Now that the weather is starting to warm up, we can get excited about summer recipes! In general, when the weather gets warm, we tend to eat lighter foods unlike the heavy, hearty meals that we consume during the winter months.  This means we get to use all of those good veggies from the garden, seasonal fruit, and lighter protein options.     Here are some recipes that use garden (or any) vegetab...

When you enter the grocery store have you ever wondered how to choose the best produce? Our food environment today is one where we can pretty much get any food anytime we want it.  Listen to Episode 38 from the Fresh Focus team where Dietitian Zachari Breeding talks about how to choose produce to fit your needs.    The benefits of seasonal produce include being higher in nutrient and flavor conten...

How many plants are we eating on a routine basis? How many colorful varieties of fruits and vegetables are we consuming on a daily basis? Eating a diet rich in vegetables and whole fruits has countless health benefits . These plants are packed with vitamins and minerals that our bodies need on a daily basis.    The more color you eat, the better. Each color of vegetable represents a different phyt...

Ever tasted a dish and thought to yourself how flavorful it was? Herbs are often used to enhance a dish and raise the flavor profile to a new level. Herbs are sometimes an afterthought when it comes to meal planning and preparation. They have been used for thousands of years for their medicinal properties. Herbs add flavor to cooking without adding any fat or sodium. Not only do they add great fla...

Do you ever seek out your family for advice? Although our Fresh Focus Dietitians are the specialists on planning your plate the healthy way, getting back to your own family roots can help show you how to begin before you even pick up your plate. What better way to kick off the season of warmer weather with being able to grab some fresh veggies to put on your plate from your very own back yard! Lis...

Description: During a nutrition assessment, your Registered Dietitian Nutritionist will ask a lot of questions to the Veteran, but also to their caregiver. Being a caregiver comes with a unique set of challenges. Sometimes, a referral to the Caregiver Support Program will be made from your Dietitian. Listen in to episode 34 of Fresh Focus , as we welcome Jonnah Coffel to shed light on what to do i...

Description: Families and caregivers are the Veteran’s support system and help to prevent or manage chronic illness with healthy eating. So whether you find yourself brand new in that caregiver role, or maybe have been considered a caregiver for years, we want to support you. Listen as Home Based Primary Care Dietitian, Amanda, goes through 5 tips for taking care of yourself while you are taking c...

Description: If you have ever been distracted while eating you know how easy it can happen to any one of us, but when we are concerned when a loved one may not be eating enough, we want to focus on how to help them reduce distracted eating.  Listen to episode #32 for tips and tricks on keeping focused at the table.    Host Bio: The Fresh Focus Dietitians Beth Blair and Lindsey Purcell welcome Beth...

Description: As a caregiver or someone in a veteran’s support system, you may notice your loved one having difficulty chewing or swallowing certain food items. Veterans with neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, and dementia are more likely to have difficulty swallowing, or what we call Dysphagia.   In episode #31, Michele Martin, Marion VA...

Have ever been sitting at the kitchen table with your veteran loved one and notice them having difficulty feeding themselves?  If you are nodding YES, then you will understand how hard it is to figure out your role as the caregiver when your Veteran needs some additional support with eating their favorite foods. Episode #30 gives tips and tricks for making meaningful modifications at the table to...

When people think of seeing a Registered Dietitian, most often we think of eating healthier or losing weight, however for some of our veterans, gaining too much weight is not their problem it is actually quite the opposite. More often than you may think, we do see veterans who are dealing with malnutrition or unintended weight loss and are actually needing to find ways to increase food intake, and...

There can be so much information and misinformation out there when it comes to eating for weight loss, so we brought in Registered Dietitian and Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management, PJ Pivec, to help clear up some common myths and give you some actionable items to take away.    PJ talks all about how weight management (and weight loss) comes down to an energy balance, including h...

Description: It’s common to hear that high sodium items should be avoided to promote heart health, but this episode dives into the “why” behind that recommendation, along with other heart healthy eating tips! Joining us is Lisa Conticello, cardiology dietitian at the Bay Pines VA is interviewed by Dietetic Intern, Megan Rivenburg. Lisa works specifically with Veterans with heart failure, Veterans...

The Fresh Focus team welcome Robin LaCroix, Dietitians from the Wayfort Junction VA in Vermont and Melanya Souza from the VA Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida to share their experiences with the Healthy Teaching Kitchen (HTK) program. HTK is dedicated to improving Veterans’ skills and confidence to prepare healthy meals. Increasing Veterans’ self-efficacy with regards to food selection and pr...