I was talking to a friend the other day when she mentioned she had developed quarantine 15. Seeing the perplexed look on my face, she went on to say that in the 6 weeks she’d been staying put, she’d gained 15 pounds! “None of my pants fit anymore.”

I’m sure she’s not alone. Since many of us are eating and drinking more, I thought I’d toss a little nutritional advice to you.

The nutritional stars are:

Sauerkraut, kimchi, and fermented beet juice are all great for your gut microbiome.

Berries have high levels of antioxidants which lower risks for several diseases including cognitive decline.

Most fish including canned tuna.

Any kind of nuts.

Sprouted foods; nuts, fruit, beans, and whole grains.

I heard many times that you should eat 5-6 small meals a day. According to Dr. Valter Longo, director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California, says “that leads to eating the wrong foods 5-6 times a day.” He recommends “two meals a day, plus a snack like a nut bar.”

Dr. Bruce Lee, executive director of the Global Obesity Prevention Center at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, recommends eating more whole foods. “The more packaging you have to go through to get to a food, the worse it probably is for you.”

Also, remember to keep moving! As you know, I a huge advocate of activity, but it’s much easier to cut calories than to try to burn them off!

Stay well, John R Blilie, MS OSC