I like May for all sorts of reasons, including for its various “holiday” statuses. Did you know, for example, that May is National Foot Health Month, Mental Health Month, Correct Posture Month and Share a Story Month? For all you foodies out there, May is National Strawberry Month, Chocolate Custard Month, Egg Month, Artisan Gelato Month, Asparagus Month and – my personal favorite – National Salsa Month. May is a veritable smorgasbord of benefits!

It's May - time for salads!

Posted in Community Service, Des Moines Events, Healthy Cooking, Life in Des Moines | 1 Comment

May is Bike Month and Des Moines has a ton of opportunities for you to dust off those wheels and hit the trails.

• May 14: Two-Wheel Caucus, 7-8 a.m. Meet at 39th Street and Grand Avenue, as politicians from central Iowa will ride with commuters downtown. Ride ends at Congressman Leonard Boswell’s office, 300 E. Locust St.

• May 16: Join cyclists nationwide in a silent, slow-paced Ride of Silence (max of 10 mph) to honor those killed or injured while cycling. 6:30-7:45 p.m., State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust St.

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A few quick facts about physician assistants:

• They are licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision in physicians’ offices, hospitals and other health care settings.
• They are formally trained to examine patients, diagnose injuries and illnesses, provide treatment and prescribe medications.
• According to the U.S. Department of Labor, job opportunities for physician assistants (PAs) are growing at a rate of 30 percent – “much faster” than the average among various professions.

Posted in Community Service, Current Students, Life in Des Moines, Physician Assistant, Student Life | Leave a Comment

If you read the foodie blogs, or follow the food debates, it doesn’t take long to find someone who doesn’t want you to eat something.  Whether their reasons are passionate, personal or evidence–based, the volume and clutter of “don’t eat” messages sometimes are enough to drive even the most open-minded food consumer to the point of foodie exhaustion.

There are compelling reasons, including health, fitness, social responsibility and economic development to change things about the way we eat. But despite the number of clamoring voices for change, the reality is the typical family is not likely to completely reinvent their diet or buying habits. There are ways to make incremental changes that are important to you.

Posted in DMU Wellness, Health News, Healthy Cooking, Public Health | 1 Comment

Did your mother ever tell you to chew your food slowly and thoroughly? If so, it appears her advice was spot-on for weight control: A recent Iowa State University study found that chewing each bite 40 times before swallowing causes healthy young adults to eat less.

James Hollis, an ISU assistant professor of food science and human nutrition, and Yong Zhu, a doctoral research assistant, divided 20 ISU students into two groups, instructing one to chew their pizza 15 times per bite and the other group, 40 times per bite. They monitored the subjects’ appetites and took blood samples to study plasma glucose levels and hormones, reported an ISU news release.

Posted in Healthy Cooking, Research | 1 Comment