Food and Fitness

We've all been there maybe you just got home from work or school, or maybe it's the middle of the night, and you decide to check the fridge for a snack.

Your taste buds will welcome this sweet salad topped with fresh strawberries tossed with tangy raspberry vinaigrette. This Simply Salad contest winning dish was submitted by Lindsay Knight, UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, MA 

Serves 2

Just a few ingredients give your broccoli a flavor lift. This Simply Salad contest winning dish was submitted by Linda Ciccone, UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, MA. 

Serves 4

Enjoy this flavorful salad blending the flavors of pineapple, green apple and yellow pepper. This Simply Salad contest winning dish was submitted by Priscila Forteza, UMass Memorial Health - HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital, Clinton, MA. 

Serves 4

When you have arthritis, your body is in an inflammatory state, and what you eat may not only increase inflammation, it can also set you up for other chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes. 

Think twice about eating these eight inflammation food triggers:

Do you like salt? Do you love salt? If you answered yes to either question, you're not alone. Salt finds its way into an abundance of foods. Needless to say, this is not ideal for our health. So what can we do? 

"Bacteria" is a negative word, right? Not necessarily. If a bacterium comes in probiotic form, you ought to jump at the chance to take it in. It's about time the good bacteria stop getting a bum rap. 

Heading to a holiday party? Visiting a friend's house? Getting ready for company?

Break out the scented candles, turn on some Barry White, and get ready to massage your kale. Kale is a nutritious green vegetable rich in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium and iron. But if you're going to eat it raw, say in a salad, you may enjoy it more if it's given a good rubdown.