Blog Posts by Eat Like Me, SELF Magazine

Conde Nast Digital StudioSarah-Jane Bedwell, SELF magazine

We all have them--food cravings that is. But have you ever wondering why you are craving a certain food, and if it is actually a sign of something else?

In order to decipher why you are craving that salty or sweet snack, we first need to decide if there were in external triggers present that would have lead you to want that certain food. Some possible external triggers are:

• Have you seen an ad for or read an article about that certain food? The power of suggestion and seeing the food presented in a positive light can lead to a craving for that food.
• Did you see or smell the food you're craving lately? For example, walking by a bakery and smelling the aroma of fresh baked goods on your way to work could prime you for a craving later on.
• Even sounds-like the beeping of the microwave, a co-work crunching on chips, or the sound of popping open a drink can lead to a craving if you associate those sounds with foods you enjoy.

Conde Nast Digital Studio



By Sarah-Jane Bedwell

Soup is a staple this time of year, and for good reason--it's warm, easy, and comforting. However, some canned soups leave something to be desired when it comes to nutrition or their ability to keep us full. Here are some simple things you can do to make your soup healthier and heartier.

Mix-and-Match: Love your vegetable beef soup, but it seems a little thin? Wish your chicken noodle soup had a little more spice? Try mixing two or more different types of soups together to add flavor and bulk. Mixing several cans of soup together creates more servings, which is great when you need a big pot of soup to serve a crowd. Some of my favorites to mix are black bean and vegetable beef or minestrone with a creamy tomato basil. Be creative-the sky's the limit!

Add Veggies: One of the best ways to make a soup heartier and healthier is to add healthy extras. It's super easy to throw in a handful of fresh baby spinach or arugula before heating your soup. Another option is to

Conde Nast Digital StudioBy Sarah-Jane Bedwell, Self magazine

"Drink a cup of joe and call me in the morning."

Don't be surprised if you hear your doctors say those words soon. You may not think of coffee as healthy, but actually it's the number one source of antioxidants in the American diet (not because it has more antioxidants than any other food, but because of foods/drinks Americans regularly consume, it has the highest levels). In honor of today being National Coffee Day, I wanted to share some of these benefits with you!

You are probably already familiar with the heart health and anti-aging benefits of antioxidants, but antioxidants and other compounds in coffee have been shown to do more than just that. The antioxidants in coffee have been shown to lower the risk for several types of cancer.

Related: 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss

Even the caffeine in coffee appears to have some benefits. In fact, a recent study found that women who drank two to three cups of caffeinated coffee a day were 15% less

Conde Nast Digital StudioSarah-Jane Bedwell, SELF magazine

You shampoo, you condition, you use shine serum, and yet your hair still doesn't look as young and healthy as you would like it to. If this is the case for you, try eating more of these foods for healthy hair. Below I describe the nutrients that I try to include in my daily diet to keep my locks looking luscious.

Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5):
Benefit: May prevent the graying of hair.
Food sources include: Eggs, whole grain breads and cereals, cooked dried beans and peas, nuts, dates, potatoes, avocados, and cauliflower

Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
Benefit: Prevents brittle hair.
Food sources include: walnuts, salmon, tuna, flax seed, pumpkin seeds

Related: Superfoods for Flat Abs

Protein:
Benefit: May help to lengthen hair by promoting hair growth.
Food Sources Include: lean meats, eggs, low-fat dairy products, beans/legumes

Vitamins A and C:
Benefit: Helps the body to produce sebum, which keeps hair shiny and helps to prevent dandruff.
Food sources

Conde Nast Digital StudioSarah-Jane Bedwell, Eat Like Me, SELF magazine

According to the USDA, Americans eat about 140 pounds of potatoes per person per year! However, potatoes often get a bad rap nutritionally speaking, and many Americans beat themselves up for eating this starchy "white food." When counseling my clients, many of them are surprised to find out that they can eat potatoes.

Even though recent research has linked potatoes (baked or fried) to weight gain, potatoes provide many nutritional benefits. And as a dietitian, I believe it's just how we prepare them sometimes that makes them a less than healthy choice. When prepared correctly, potatoes provide a relatively inexpensive source of many key nutrients.

Related: How Jennifer Hudson Lost 80 Pounds

There are many good reasons to include potatoes as a part of a healthy diet. Here are my top five: 1. Potatoes are high in potassium. Potassium is an electrolyte important for keeping a balance of water and body fluids in the cells. Potassium also

Conde Nast Digital StudioSarah-Jane Bedwell, SELF magazine

The heat is on! As the temperatures continue to climb this summer, staying cool because even more of a priority for all of us. But don't crank up the air conditioning to full blast just yet, what you are eating may make a difference in beating the heat. Here are 5 ways that you can stay cool with food.

Eat Light. You may find that you don't want to eat the same heavy meals in the summer that you crave in the winter. Listening to your body about this is important as sticking to several lighter meals throughout the day really can keep you cooler. After we eat, the thermic effect of food takes place, in which our body temperature rises as we digest the food- the larger the meal, the greater this effect. In addition, just say no to spicy food on hot days as the compound capsaicin (which gives spicy food its heat) can also raise body temperature and make you sweat!

Freeze Your Favorites. Something ice cold always sounds good on a hot day, but slushies and

Conde Nast Digital StudioSarah-Jane Bedwell, Eat Like Me, Self Magazine

"Should I buy organic fruits and vegetables?" This seems to be an ever-present question these days, and there is not necessarily a cut and dry answer to it, but I will share with you my professional opinion and what the most recent-research says about the pros and cons of buying organic foods.

I will start with a definition of what organic is so that we are all on the same page. Organic produce is grown without synthetic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. Organic products never use genetic engineering or irradiation.

Related: Yoga Moves for Flat Abs

Overall, I believe that organic produce is a healthy choice. If you can afford to buy organic produce, do so, because research has shown that people who work with pesticides have higher rates of cancers and other conditions than those who don't. So there definitely could be a correlation between preventing certain health concerns and eating organic produce that is grown without the

Conde Nast Digital StudioSusan Dopart, Eat Like Me, SELF magazine

When I tell people it's okay to eat nuts, avocadoes or foods with fat they often look at me like I'm from Mars. But when I start to explain the whole fat story or at least part of it, they get it. Here's what's behind what some may consider alien thinking...

In the 1980s, the fat-free craze exploded -- everyone thought as long as they avoided fat they would be home free. What most people did not realize was that foods without fat DO have calories and are mostly high in sugar.

As time went on, the fat-free craze started to die, but it made its mark for many of us. Despite new information over the last two decades, many claims from the fat-free craze still cause confusion.

So, based on current thinking, let's look at which fats are okay to eat and how they benefit us.

Benefits of Fat

Healthy bones
Sex hormones are made of fat. If you don't have enough fat in your diet, it may compromise getting your period, which protects your bones from