My daughter just spent two weeks recovering from COVID-19. And she doesn’t want to do that again. She did, however, request that I write something about foods that help strengthen the immune system.

Glad to, my dear. After all, experts tell us that a strong immune system is one of the strongest weapons we have against viral illnesses like ...Read more

Yes, I know the current wisdom for feeding kids. They need foods loaded with nutrients — vitamins, minerals (like calcium), protein and other substances to support their rapid growth and development. They need to acquire these substances in a variety of foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seafood, eggs, beans, peas, lentils, nuts ...Read more

A scene from the 1978 western comedy “Goin’ South” is not easy to forget. At a wild get-together with his old gang, Jack Nicholson’s character asks, “Anybody hungry?”

A scraggly-looking fellow spits out that he’s so hungry, he could “eat a frozen dog.”

“Well, we’ll just go out to the kitchen and see if we got one already ...Read more

A recent column about breastfeeding brought some varied responses. Dan G. from the Monterey Peninsula writes: “Not sure about humans but with cattle the essential ingredient is colostrum. My parents and I ran a cow/calf operation in central Montana for 20 years. Once the newborn was up and got the colostrum, it was almost indestructible. If ...Read more

It was truly a trip down memory lane. After more years than I wish had gone by, we revisited the small town in northwest Colorado where—during my college years—I had spent summers on my uncle’s ranch.

Driving through this familiar country was more emotional than I had expected. Although the ranch is no longer in our family, it is still ...Read more

Joan G reads this column in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and writes: “I'm always eager to learn about nutrition from an expert versus the people trying to push products. Speaking of products, do you have any knowledge about Ka'Chava? I was wondering if you would recommend it?”

I did some digging and this is what I’ve learned. Ka’Chava (...Read more

It’s been called “an ancient art and a modern miracle” for good reason. Feeding a newborn with mother’s milk has been around for a long, long time. And the more scientists learn about this traditional way of feeding babies, the more divinely inspired it appears to be.

Research continues to confirm that breast milk is the ideal ...Read more

A recent column on processed meats generated more questions. Cheri M. from California writes: “Your article…made me wonder. Does processed meat include whole roasted chickens and turkeys and hams that we eat at Thanksgiving and Christmas? We eat a whole roasted chicken about every two weeks.”

Most recommendations to avoid excessive intake...Read more

Valerie M. from Monterey, California, sent me an article that stated how Americans are eating fewer potatoes than ever before. She writes: “I read this about potatoes, and it made me sad. I love potatoes and wish people understood they are not bad. I hope the farmers don’t pull back on growing them…”

Don’t despair, Valerie. Potatoes ...Read more

Every four years, I relapse into an Olympic couch potato. What the human body must endure to win a medal is a wonder to watch.

What goes into these finely tuned bodies to support the speed, endurance and precision required for such intense competition? Much of that is determined for American athletes by the nutrition sports team of the United ...Read more

LS from Richmond, Virginia writes: “I know that processed lunch meat is not a good choice. Is freshly sliced meat bought in the deli section of the store a better choice, or does that have a lot of the same additives as packaged lunch meat? Thank you!”

Dear LS: It depends on what type of freshly sliced meat you choose. Items like roast beef...Read more

In response to recent columns about counting calories, a few readers responded with their own suggestions:

Karen K. in Dallas (who notes she’s the daughter of a dietitian) writes: "As an alternative approach for those who don’t enjoy counting calories, simply cutting portion sizes does essentially the same thing. Portion sizes in the U.S. ...Read more