National Pumpkin Day - From Seed to Table

Pumpkins are thought to have originated in North America. The oldest evidence, pumpkin-related seeds dating to 7000-5500 BC, was found in Mexico.

The color of pumpkins derives from orange carotenoid pigments, including beta-cryptoxanthin, alpha and beta-carotene, all of which are provitamin A compounds converted to vitamin A in the body. 

Pumpkins
Is anything more fall-like than a pumpkin? These orange winter squashes are chock-full of vitamin A and deliver 3 grams of fiber per ½-cup serving of cooked sugar pumpkin, plus potassium. Note that the pumpkins you carve into jack-o’-lanterns are not the same type of pumpkins you eat. Try pumpkin puree mixed with mac-and-cheese or with hummus for a seasonal spread. Looking for more options? Add pumpkin to pancake batter, oatmeal, smoothies, or your kid's favorite chili.

Nutritional Profile

And don't forget about roasting the seeds! Pumpkin seeds are a delicious and healthy snack and a good source of several nutrients, including zinc, which is essential for many body processes, including immune function.

To toast your pumpkin seeds, first, rinse to remove pulp and strings. Spread seeds on a baking sheet that has been coated with cooking spray or drizzle a small amount of olive oil over seeds. Bake at 325°F for about 30 minutes or until lightly toasted. Stir occasionally during cooking. Take a look at your spice rack and try a seasoning on your toasted seeds, such as garlic powder or Cajun seasoning.

Vegetable Soup served in a Pumpkin Bowl

18 Amazing Twists On Pumpkin Soup

Healthy Halloween Treats

There are healthy Halloween snacks to choose from at the market. Read the label—make sure fruit snacks are made with 100 percent real fruit; choose treats without trans fats; and look for items with whole grains. 

The following items are available in snack-size packages:
1. Whole-grain cheddar-flavored crackers
2. Fruit snacks made with 100% fruit with added vitamin C
3. Fruit leathers made with 100 percent fruit

4. Animal-shaped graham crackers made without trans fat
5. Raisins
6. Individual fruit cups
7. Low-fat pudding cups
8. Baked, unsalted pretzels
9. Popcorn

Make Your Own Halloween Treats

• Stuffed Jack-O-Lantern Peppers
   Oranges and Grapefruit
• Witches Brew
• Mummy Hot Dogs
• Avocado Frankenstein Toast
• Cheese Fingers with Almonds
• Banana Ghosts and Tangerine Pumpkins

Resources
1. EatRight, Enjoy a Healthy and Happy Halloween
2. EatRight, 7 Ways to Make Halloween Safer for Kids with Food Allergies, Rima Kleiner, MS, RD, LDN
3. Terrifying Scary Movies to Watch for Halloween

October 24, Food Day - From Our Garden to Our Table

Welcome to Our Food Day Celebration!
From Our Garden to Our Table

Food Day inspires Americans to change their diets and our food policies. Every October 24, thousands of events across the country bring Americans together to celebrate real food, enjoy it, and push for improved food policies. 

6 FOOD DAY PRINCIPLES

1. Reduce diet-related diseases by promoting safe, healthy foods.

2. Support sustainable farms and limit subsidies to big agribusiness.

3. Expand access to food and alleviate hunger.

4. Protect the environment and animals by reforming factory farms.

5. Promote health by curbing junk-food marketing to kids.

6. Support fair conditions for food and farmworkers.

Planning Our Food Day Meal Every family is unique. When planning our meal, we considered foods from our garden, finances, physical abilities, including finger foods that are easy to chew and swallow, and color—the theme for our dinner. 

Our family and friends come from diverse backgrounds with physical and emotional challenges or chronic illnesses, such as Cerebral Palsy, Autism, and Heart Disease.

Our Meal

The main course is tri-color pasta with various toppings. Our garden provided us with tomatoes, onions, broccoli, cucumbers, and basil. We purchased spinach, pasta sauce, locally grown fruits, and part-skim mozzarella. For the meat-eaters, we had ground turkey meatballs and shredded chicken.

In addition, we prepared a red, white, and green grilled cheese sandwich from the US Department of Health and Human Services cookbook “Keep the Beat Recipes. " A free copy of the cookbook is available on their website. 

The dessert was a big hit. We made fruit kabobs using locally grown fruits and paired them with low-fat ice cream, and for Jake, we prepared a smoothie using the same ingredients.

Adaptations and Individual Preferences

My son Jake was born with Cerebral Palsy and is quadriplegic. He is unable to hold utensils and requires a straw to drink fluids. Finger foods and a weighted cup with a flexi straw usually provide him the most independence.

Food & Drug Interaction Education: What Every Consumer Should Know

Food & Drug Interactions: What You Need to Know

Introduction

Taking medication is a normal part of life for many people. However, it’s important to recognize that medicines don’t act alone — what you eat and drink, your age, weight, sex, health conditions, and even your supplements can change how medications work.

Some drugs perform best on an empty stomach, while others can cause discomfort without food. Alcohol adds another layer of complexity — consuming alcohol before, during, or after taking medication can dramatically alter how the drug works in your body.

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What Is a Food–Drug Interaction?

When food affects how a medication works in your body, it’s called a food–drug interaction.
Food can:

• Prevent medicine from working properly

• Make side effects worse or create new ones

• Change how your body absorbs or breaks down a drug

Likewise, medications can influence how your body processes nutrients. These interactions can occur with prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

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Examples in Everyday Life

• Green leafy vegetables (rich in Vitamin K) can reduce the effectiveness of aspirin or warfarin in thinning the blood. Keeping your intake steady each day minimizes this effect.

• Grapefruit juice increases the absorption of statins like Lipitor, potentially leading to dangerous side effects.

• Calcium channel blockers (for high blood pressure) are also affected by grapefruit juice — levels in the blood can rise too high.

• Dairy products can block absorption of antibiotics; take these medications one to two hours before or after consuming milk, yogurt, or cheese.

• Alcohol can prolong the effects of insulin or diabetes pills, leading to low blood sugar.

• Mixing alcohol with pain relievers containing acetaminophen increases the risk of severe liver damage.

• Combining alcohol and antihistamines, like Benadryl, can cause extreme drowsiness.

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Tips for Safe Medication Use

✅ Always read the label and follow directions carefully.
✅ Take most medications with water unless instructed otherwise.
✅ Keep a list of all medications, vitamins, and supplements you take.
✅ Ask your pharmacist or doctor before changing your diet.
✅ Avoid mixing alcohol with medication unless cleared by a professional.

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Final Thoughts

Food–drug interaction education is an essential part of preventive healthcare. By understanding how your diet affects your medication, you can reduce side effects, improve effectiveness, and take charge of your health.

Doctors, dietitians, and pharmacists are always ready to help. Don’t hesitate to ask questions — your health depends on it.

National Color Day - Explore the Many Colors of Food

Music: The Wonderful World of Color,
Walt Disney and Disney World.

Eat Right with Colors explores the health benefits associated with eating foods of many colors. Including color diversity in your meals and food choices enhances your intake of a wide range of nutrients. 

Red and Pink Foods

Apples, Beets, Cayenne, Cherries, Cranberries, Guava, Kidney Beans, Papaya, Pink Beans, Pink/Red Grapefruit, Pomegranates, Radicchio, Radishes, Raspberries, Red Bell Peppers, Red Cabbages, Red Chili Peppers, Red Corn, Red Currants, Red Grapes, Red Onions, Red Pears, Red Peppers, Red Plums, Red Potatoes, Red Tomatoes, Rhubarb, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Watermelons

Green Foods

Alfalfa, Artichokes, Arugula, Asparagus, Avocado, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccoli rabe, Brussels Sprouts, Celery, Chives, Collard Greens, Cucumbers, Dandelion Greens, Edamame, Endive, Fennel, Green apples, Green Beans, Green cabbage, Green Grapes, Green Olives, Green Onion, Green Pears, Green Peas, Green Pepper, Green Tomatoes, Honeydew, Kale, Kiwi, Leeks, Lettuce, Limes, Mint, Okra, Oregano, Parsley, Pistachios, Snow Peas, Spinach, Sugar snap peas, Swiss Chard, Tarragon, Tomatillo, Wasabi, Watercress, Zucchini

Blue and Purple Foods

Blue Grapes, Blue and Purple Potatoes, Blueberries, Dried Plums, Plums, Eggplant, Pomegranates, Elderberries, Juniper Berries, Kelp (Seaweed), Purple Belgian Endive, Purple Cabbage, Purple Figs

Yellow and Orange Foods

Apricots, Bananas, Butternut Squash, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Cheddar Cheese, Citrus Fruits, Clementines, Corn, Creamsicle, Garbanzo Beans, Golden Apples, Golden Flax Seed, Golden Raisins, Grapefruit, Honey, Lemon, Lemongrass, Mandarin Oranges, Mangoes, Nectarines, Orange Jello, Orange Peppers, Orange Tomatoes, Oranges, Papaya, Parsnips, Peaches, Pears, Persimmons, Pineapple, Pumpkin, Rutabagas, Saffron, Salmon, Spaghetti Squash, Squash Blossoms, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potatoes, Tangerines, Whole Grains, Yams, Yellow Apples, Yellow Beans, Yellow Peppers, Yellow Summer Squash, Yellow Wax Beans

White and Black Foods

White: Cauliflower, Coconut, Garlic, Ginger, Green Onions, Scallions, Horseradish, Jicama, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Millet, Mushrooms, Onions, Parsnips, Quinoa, Shallots, Soy Products, Sunflower Seeds, Tofu, Turnips, White Beans, White Corn, White Sesame Seeds

Black: Black Beans, Black Cherries, Black Currants, Black Mushrooms, Black Olives, Black Quinoa, Black Raspberry, Black Rice, Black Sesame Seeds, Black Soybeans, Blackberries, Boysenberries, Prunes, Raisins, Seaweeds, Tamari (Soy Sauce)

Wellness News employs adults with "Special Needs" (Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Down Syndrome, Muscular Dystrophy). Many of the photographs are available for purchase, with the proceeds going to special needs adults. Contact Dr. Sandra Frank for additional information (recipenews@gmail.com). 

Prepared by

Sandra Frank, Ed.D, RD, LDN
Jake Frank
Michelle Canazaro
John Gargiullo

October 22, National Nut Day

Nuts once considered a high fat, high-calorie food is now being recognized as a Nutritious Snack with essential fatty acids, omega fats, protein, and many vitamins and minerals.

Answers Below

Health Benefits of Nuts

Recipes and Marketing Nuts

Planters Commercial

Oregon Hazelnut

Resources and Answers
1. Peanuts

2. Cashews 

3. Walnuts 

4. Pistachios
5. Pine nuts 

6. Pecans
7. Macadamia
8. Almonds 

National Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake
Food Network

Autumn is the perfect time to add pumpkin to one of America’s favorite desserts. Cheesecake is a sweet dessert with a mixture of fresh soft cheese, cream cheese or cottage cheese, eggs, and sugar on a crust made from crushed graham crackers, crushed cookies, pastry, or sponge cake. Cheesecakes can be prepared baked or unbaked, flavored, and are often served topped with fruit, fruit sauce, chocolate, or whipped cream.