Say "hi" to Ripon College President Zach Messitte

Ripon College President Zach Messitte  takes a look at The Food Is My Friend Diet

It was a pleasure to meet and chat with the new president of Ripon College at a recent alumni gathering in Anaheim, CA. I am happy to report that besides being brilliant, Zach is super nice. Did you know that his favorite food in the whole world is bananas? And his favorite physical activity is hiking. As a registered dietitian and personal trainer, those are great answers!

If you are thinking about going to college or know someone who is looking for a well-rounded education, check out Ripon College in Ripon, WI. It’s a small, private, liberal arts college founded in 1851. A couple of the more famous graduates include Al Jarreau and Harrison Ford. BTW: Ripon is the home of Rippin Good cookies and the birthplace of the Republican party. If you want to know more, visit www.ripon.edu.

Ripon provided a safe environment for me to learn about myself and discover the world. As a proud graduate of the class of 1975, it was an honor to welcome Zach to our Ripon family.

For National Nutrition Month 2013, “Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day”

 Everyone has unique tastes and habits. For National Nutrition Month this year, why not go global? Fine tune your eating habits to include healthy foods from around the world. To make it easy, use the USDA’s MyPlate as a guide.

• ·         Make half the plate fruits and vegetables. For Asian Indian, try fruit chutney; for Middle Eastern, try grilled pineapple (yum); for Latin American, try a mango smoothie or cactus salad, for Asian, try stir-fried greens, for African, try baked pumpkin sprinkled with cinnamon (so healthy!).
• ·         Make about one-quarter the plate protein, such as lean meats, black beans or tofu. How about making a Chinese dish with stir-fried chicken or tofu with bok choy, snap peas, carrots and bean sprouts?
• ·         Include one-quarter of the plate with grains - Half of the day should be whole grains. Ever try quinoa from Latin America? Or whole grain couscous from Africa?
• ·         Add some calcium to get all the nutrients you need. Low fat or fat free milk, yogurt or cheese would be good choices. Go Greek. Try tzatziki sauce, a creamy dressing made from yogurt, garlic and cucumber.

March is my favorite month. It’s a reminder how much I enjoy helping people eat healthfully. For lots of tips and useful resources check out, http://www.eatright.org/nnm/

What's a Person to Eat?

Many people are confused about what to eat and how much of it. Check out Day 3 of The Food Is My Friend Diet for the best ways to eat healthy and lose weight.