Summer is a great time to enjoy the outdoors, but too much sun and heat can lead to sunburn, dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. A few simple habits can help keep you healthy all season long.

Quinoa is a quick-cooking whole grain, and the Instapot makes it even easier — no watching the stove, no guessing when it's done.

No crust, no added sugar — just ripe peaches doing the work

The trick to this pie is patience, not sugar. Letting peaches ripen fully on the counter concentrates their natural sweetness to the point that no added sugar is needed at all. Skip the crust, skip the sugar, and let ripe fruit and a hot oven do the rest.

Cherry tomatoes are at their peak this time of year, and unlike many summer vegetables, they hold up well in the refrigerator — so stocking up doesn't mean racing to use them before they spoil. Here are five easy ways to work through a full basket.

The DASH diet isn't just about cutting sodium — it's just as much about adding in vegetables, fruits, and legumes. These three lunches do both at once, and every one of them ends the same easy way: fresh fruit for dessert.

Eating with the seasons means better flavor, better prices, and often better nutrition — produce picked at peak ripeness has less distance to travel and less time to lose nutrients. Here's what to look for at the farmers market or grocery store from now through September.

Sparkling water is everywhere right now, and it's easy to see why: it's a calorie-free swap for soda and sweetened drinks. A recent study looked at whether the fizz itself might also give blood sugar and metabolism a boost. The short answer: maybe a little, but not enough to make a real difference on its own.

‍If you’ve ever known someone with pre-diabetes, they may have been told that weight loss will lower their blood sugar. While research still supports this advice, a recent study suggests that lifestyle and diet changes alone may move the needle. 1, 2   ‍

The DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is one of the most researched eating patterns for improving heart health and overall wellness. It emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, and beans while limiting sodium, added sugars, and saturated fat.

Dense Bean Salads (often called DBS on social media) are hearty, meal-prep-friendly salads built around beans instead of leafy greens. Unlike traditional salads that wilt after a day, dense bean salads are designed to be packed with fiber-rich ingredients that hold up well in the refrigerator for several days, making them ideal for healthy lunches and quick dinners.

There are so many choices for fresh fruits and veggies in the store! Plan which ones you will use this week.

Check out our watermelon salad above made with fresh watermelon, cucumbers, onions, mint, and feta cheese.

Start Small

You don't need dozens of containers or a detailed meal plan. Simply make a little extra whenever you cook. Roast one more tray of vegetables, cook an extra serving of grains, or prepare additional protein.

Micro-prepping is one of the easiest ways to save time, reduce stress, and make healthy eating more achievable—because sometimes the best meal prep strategy is simply cooking once and serving twice.

Micro-Prepping: Cook Once, Serve Twice

Meal prep doesn't have to mean spending an entire Sunday chopping vegetables and filling rows of containers. A simpler approach is micro-prepping—doing a little extra each time you cook so future meals come together faster and with less effort.

The idea is simple: whenever you're making a meal, prepare extra ingredients or portions for another meal later in the week. You're already washing, chopping, cooking, and cleaning. A few additional minutes can save you much more time later.

While these alternatives can offer flavor and small amounts of nutrients, moderation is still important. The healthiest approach is to gradually reduce your preference for sweetness overall while choosing minimally processed sweeteners when possible.

As heart disease remains the number one killer in the US, reducing your risk is key. If you’re a self-declared “junk food junkie”, keep reading. Recent research presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26) found that a diet of mostly ultra-processed foods (UPFs) significantly raises the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death.

Being chronically stressed is bad news for your gut. But combining it with a late-night splurge is a recipe for disaster. New research finds that stressed-out, late-night eaters were more likely to experience constipation and diarrhea.