Explore the Latest in A Healthier Michigan

Podcast

How Much Protein Do You Need?

Protein is added to everything, including waffles, chips and even your Starbucks drink. On this episode, Chuck Gaidica is joined by Registered Dietitian Shanthi Appelö to discuss protein and whether you are eating the right amount or too much. In this episode of the A Healthier Michigan Podcast, we explore: What is the right amount of protein? What is the best way to get protein? Why is protein in everything now? Do our protein needs change?

Home and Family

How to Spot Common Food Allergies in Children

Offices, classrooms and even restaurants often have signs that warn of food allergies. Here’s how parents can stay ahead of them.

A mother applies a tissue to a child's runny nose outdoors.
Health and Wellness

Before You Blame IBS: Common Myths and Supporting Your Gut Safely

Self-diagnosing yourself with irritable bowel syndrome or another gastrointestinal issue is problematic on many levels. Here's why.

Food and Recipes

Food for Calm: 5 Foods That Naturally Support Your Nervous System

Diet is an essential part of mental health, and eating foods that support the nervous system can reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety. Here is a look at the gut-brain connection and foods to focus on for a healthy gut.

African American man smiling and eating fresh salad and chicken meat near tea and smartphone in his kitchen.
Community

Sensory Spaces for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

For people with Autism Spectrum Disorder, spaces that are too-bright or too-loud can be painfully overwhelming. Sensory-friendly activities can help.

Boy exercising at senory gym
Health and Wellness

What Meal Should be the Biggest of the Day?

Breakfast, lunch or dinner, which meal should be the heaviest? If you are trying to lose weight, what you eat and the amount is important, in addition to the timing.

Food and Recipes

How to Stock a Mocktail Pantry

From liquor alternatives to alcohol-removed wines, here’s everything you need to elevate your zero-proof game.

Food and Recipes

Aperol Spritz Mocktail

With its signature orange glow and sparkle, this alcohol-free version captures that effortlessly chic, patio-ready feeling.

Food and Recipes

Two Easy Spring Appetizers That Look Fancy (But Aren’t)

These two appetizers deliver visual impact with minimal effort. They’re perfect for everything from brunch spreads to garden parties.

Food and Recipes

Roasted Beet with Orange and Walnut Crostini

This appetizer is all about contrast: earthy roasted beets, bright citrus, crunchy walnuts and crisp toasted bread.

Food and Recipes

Herbed Goat Cheese Log

The creamy tang of goat cheese paired with strawberries, honey and a bit of pistachio crunch create a perfectly balanced bite.

Food and Recipes

Berry Basil Smash Mocktail

This mocktail is lightly sweet, a little tart and finished with that subtle herbal note.

Food and Recipes

Peanut Allergies Are Becoming Less Common in Children: Here’s Why the Numbers Have Dropped

In recent years, thanks to new guidelines, peanut allergies in young children have dropped by 43%, according to a new observational study.

A young girl is eating a sandwich with a jar of peanut butter next to her. The scene is casual and relaxed, with the girl enjoying her snack.
Health and Wellness

What’s in Your Food? Enriched Flour Tops List of Unhealthy Ingredients

Enriched flour is a processed food. Here's how it can affect blood sugar and which foods are commonly made with it.

Health and Wellness

Balance Exercises for Falls Prevention

Balance exercises can lower the risk of falling as well as the risk of injuries. Here are some balance exercises that are helpful for balance training and preventing falls and related injuries.

Health and Wellness

Autism and Food Aversions: Tips for Parents with Picky Eaters

Autism Acceptance Month in April can be a time to learn more about the connection between selective eating and autism. Here are eight tips parents can try to help their kids become less selective.

Health and Wellness

How Seasonal Changes, Even in the Spring, Affect My Anxiety

I’ve noticed something about my anxiety over the years – that almost every year it feels like my anxiety heightens around mid-March and early April. Learn more about springtime seasonal mood changes.

Monica Drake
Food and Recipes

How to Make a Sunny Side Up Egg

A sunny side up egg is one of the simplest things you can cook, yet getting it just right can take a little practice. When done properly, the egg white is fully set, the edges are tender (or lightly crisp, depending on your preference) and the yolk stays bright, golden and perfectly runny.

Food and Recipes

3 Delicious Salads with Seasonal Greens

Salads don’t have to be boring. By using a variety of creative ingredients and dressings, you can build a delicious salad that is tailored to your tastes.

Meeting of girls at the fashion restaurant
Health and Wellness

Finding New Purpose in Life as We Age

It’s important for older adults to seek meaningful ways to stay engaged for their mental health. These research-backed ideas can help seniors find purpose.

Man holding his dog
Podcast

Morning Doomscrolling is Bad For Your Mental Health

The average person spends 4.5 hours a day on their smartphone. And starting your day with a burst of information, comparison culture and breaking news? That can spike stress. On this episode, Chuck Gaidica is joined by Dr. Amy Milewski, Vice President of Clinical Partnerships and Associate Chief Medical Officer. Together, they discuss doomscrolling, your smartphone and whether you should be checking it in the morning. In this episode of A Healthier Michigan Podcast, we explore: What happens when you check your phone? What are better ways to start the day? What’s happening in your brain when you wake up? Tips to limit screen time

Community

5 Ways to Get Your Garden Ready to Plant in May

Garden lovers, this is the season of so much anticipation. Major gardening activity typically waits until the soil warms up enough to plant the most common crops, and for us in Michigan, this usually means mid to late May.

Child and mother gardening in vegetable garden in the backyard
Food and Recipes

Essential Ingredients for a Flavorful, Healthy Stir-Fry

With a few key ingredients and a little know-how, you can create a vibrant, flavorful stir-fry dish every time.

Health and Wellness

6 Things You’re Forgetting to Spring Clean

There may be some parts of your life that may be more cluttered than you realize, causing you stress. Here are six things to spring clean.

Woman wipes down her keyboard at her work station while spring cleaning
Food and Recipes

How to Cook Black Rice

Black rice goes great in a grain bowl, stir-fry or rice pudding. Whether you are using a stovetop or a rice cooker, check out these black rice cooking instructions.

Health and Wellness

The Science Behind the Perfect Workout Playlist

Upbeat music can make exercise feel easier, and the right collection of songs can put you in the zone. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are building a workout playlist.

Food and Recipes

Bread Flour vs. All-Purpose Flour for Baking

Flours used for baking are differentiated by their protein content. This makes a big difference in how baked goods rise and their texture.

Community

Blue Cross’ Winter Warm Up Event Helps Michiganders Heal, Move and Reconnect, One Step at a Time

The Blue Cross Winter Warm Up helps mid-Michigan residents work their way through a free, walking-based, eight-week training program that culminates in a 5K. Here, two Michiganders who participated this year share their "why."

Health and Wellness

How Does Caffeine Affect the Body?

Caffeine is a stimulant that has wide-ranging effects on the body. You have to consider its impact on digestion, whether it dehydrates you and how it affects your heart before consuming unhealthy amounts of it.

Person Holding Coffee Cup Having Headache
Food and Recipes

The Month-by-Month Guide for When to Eat Michigan Produce

Certain fruits and vegetables are in-season in Michigan between March and September. Learn about each one and find out how long each growing season lasts.

Food and Recipes

3 Flavor-Packed Easter Brunch Ideas

Here are three fresh, better-for-you spring brunch ideas that deliver on both flavor and nutrition.

Food and Recipes

Street Corn Avocado Toast

Think toasted corn, a sprinkle of cheese, a squeeze of lime and a touch of spice layered over creamy avocado and bread.

A Healthier Michigan is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit, independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
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