Michelle Toole

This Site Was Inspired By An Interest in Protecting the Environment: We had the privilege and joy of learning from Dr. Charlie Stine who instilled a love for the natural world through incredible field trips with the Johns Hopkins Odyssey Certificate program in Environmental Studies. At the time, the program was endorsed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Sadly, after Dr. Stine retired, the program was phased out. We hope that we honor his legacy by shining a bright light on environmental issues and sharing good news about the success of various conservation programs when possible.

11 Ways to Strengthen Your Hips

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One of the number one complaints of exercising adults – especially runners – in today’s world is a complaint of hip pain. Statistics show that over 175,000 hip replacements are performed annually each year.  Here are eleven ways you can strengthen your hips and work to prevent hip failure as you age. Stretch Regularly Regular … Read more

Signs You’re Eating Too Many Carbs

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Everyone knows a balanced diet is a key to good health, but knowing is often different than doing. It’s easy to say “I’m going to eat healthier”, but how does one go about finding a healthy and doable balance when it comes to eating well? The main dietary challenge that most people face today in … Read more

10 Exercise Cheats to Burn More Calories

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People often make fitness more difficult than it is. Truth be told, there’s no “quick fix” for better health, and there’s no easy way to a fit and healthy body. You are what you eat, and calories in vs. calories out determines whether you’ll gain, maintain or lose weight. However, there are things you can … Read more

Eating Curry Three Times a Week Can Increase Your Lifespan

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Curry is rapidly gaining recognition as a rising international superfood. Research studies have highlighted the remarkable health advantages associated with curry, including its potential to boost metabolism, alleviate arthritis discomfort, and contribute to the fight against heart disease. A recent study has brought to light the potential of curried foods in extending one’s lifespan. An … Read more

Peanut Allergies

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Being a parent is tough. Whether you are on your first or your 10th child, parenting advice and wisdom seems to change on a nearly daily basis. What was done a decade ago or even one year ago is now considered dangerous. However, all of this information can help you make better choices for your … Read more

Smoothie Roundup

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Smoothies are all the rage right now, but that’s not why you should be drinking one every day. Rather, you should be enjoying a cold smoothie every day because of the huge amount of health benefits you can gain. Smoothies allow you to take in more fruits and vegetables than you might if you were … Read more

5 Meals to Build Muscle

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Breakfast Ideas for Strong Bones and Osteoporosis Prevention Osteoporosis is a major concern, the older you get. It causes your bones to become more brittle, increasing the likelihood of broken bones. You probably already know that vitamin D and calcium are the best nutrients for strengthening your bones. Getting more of these nutrients will help prevent osteoporosis and other bone related problems. While you could take a multi-vitamin, the healthier solution is to eat meals filled with nutrients. As it turns out, some of the foods containing the highest levels of calcium, vitamin D, and other vital nutrients are essential breakfast foods. Orange juice, cereal, milk, and yogurt are all great sources of healthy nutrients. If you prefer to keep your breakfast light, or already have a set morning meal, salmon and various cheese are also good options for getting vitamin D and calcium. Nutrient Rich Breakfast Ideas Take a look at each of these breakfast options and try to choose one for each day of the week. Also notice the included calcium content of each meal, when picking out your breakfast: • 1 cup of calcium-rich cereal (500 milligrams of calcium) • 8 ounces of soy milk (80 to 500 milligrams) • 1 cup of milk (300 milligrams) • 1 cup of yogurt (300 to 400 milligrams) • 8 ounces of orange juice (200 to 340 milligrams) Various cheeses, and even eggs, have vitamin D and calcium; though, in smaller amounts than the items listed above. Consider having a cheesy omelet or scrambled eggs served with a glass of milk or orange juice. That alone would likely add up to at least 500 milligrams of calcium. Searching for Your Own Calcium Rich Foods The foods listed may not include your preferred breakfast choices. When searching for your own calcium rich foods, pay attention to the food labels. Food labels often list calcium and other nutrients as a percentage of the daily recommended value. The standard recommended amount of calcium that an adult should consume each day is 1000 milligrams. So, if a food label states that the product as 25% of your daily recommended value of calcium per serving, it would have 250 mg of calcium. Add another decimal point to the end of the percentage, and you have your total per serving in milligrams. Additional Tips for Stronger Bones Along with a healthy breakfast, there are a few other tips you should follow for stronger bones. If you have already been diagnosed with osteoporosis, then you should consume 500 milligrams of calcium, three times a day. Make sure that each of your three meals is full of calcium to reverse the effects of osteoporosis. Strength training is another method that you can use for building bone strength. Regular exercise helps increase your flexibility, build muscle, and promotes stronger bone growth. The bottom line is that the key to strong bones is calcium and vitamin D. Get it any way you can, but preferably with your morning meal. Start basing your breakfasts around healthy foods that contain your essential nutrients, such as cereal, milk, and yogurt. Ward away osteoporosis and promote strong, healthy bones. References: http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/living-with-osteoporosis-7/diet-nutrition

While eating complex carbohydrates will help give you an energy boost for your day, eating protein packed meals will help you build muscle.  Eating an adequate amount of protein necessary to aid in building muscle doesn’t have to mean scarfing down a sirloin steak three times a day. There are many protein packed foods that … Read more

Processed Salt and Autoimmune

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Autoimmune disorders are some of the most difficult to diagnose and treat in the medical world. They are typically chronic, as there are very few therapies available for attacking malfunctioning immune cells without also attacking the immune system directly.  In addition, there seems to be some genetic link with these diseases. However, one researcher put … Read more

Hours of Sleep Needed

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 The common cold is one of the most obnoxious illnesses that sweeps the country every fall and winter. It may not be particularly dangerous or painful, but there’s nothing you can do to get rid of it besides wait it out. Instead of looking for cold cures in a couple months, learn how you can … Read more

Overnight Oats Recipe

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Oatmeal, at one point the most popular breakfast food in the United States, seems to have fallen out of fashion in recent years. However, it is more important to eat oats as part of your daily routine now than it ever was before. Oats are one of the most belly friendly foods you can eat, … Read more