It’s National Eating Disorders Awareness Week and we’re spreading the news about eating disorders. The theme for 2009 is …until eating disorders are history and through this awareness campaign the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is working to:

ultimately prevent eating disorders and body image issues while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment. Eating disorders are serious, life-threatening illnesses — not choices — and it’s important to recognize the pressures, attitudes and behaviors that shape the disorder.

If you or someone you know may be dealing with anorexia, bulemia or binge eating disorder, you can find tips for talking to a friend or family member who may have an eating disorder and resources for seeking treatment at the NEDA website.

Eating disorders can destroy lives. Stand up to the pressures that beat down the body images of women and understand how eating disorders can develop and be prevented. With your support, NEDA can make eating disorders…history.

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

It’s likely that you’ve heard of the Mediterranean Diet before. The Mediterranean diet is composed mostly of foods common in the Mediterranean region like fish, olive oil, whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruit and is low in saturated fat, meat and dairy products.

While previous research has suggested that a regular diet of those foods common in the Mediterranean can have positive effects on heart health, it appears a Mediterranean diet may also be good for your brain. According to a recent study published in the Archives of Neurology, people who ate a diet similar to the Mediterranean diet were less likely to develop Mild Cognitive Impairment and were also less likely for this impairment to turn into Alzheimer’s disease.

The more we learn about our bodies, the clearer it is that what we eat truly affects every aspect of our health. Eating a diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables as well as beans and healthy oils (like olive and canola oil) is not only good for our hearts, it’s apparently good for our heads, too. This month, while we’re all focused on heart health, why not get a two-for-one benefit by adding some new foods to your diet. Try incorporating more vegetables into your dinners or consider trading your pasta in for some brown rice or quinoa. A few small changes can add up to big benefits for your health.

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, a day filled with hearts and love. But how is your heart doing these days? Do you know? February is American Heart Month and it’s the perfect time to make sure your heart is healthy.

• Test what you know about the influence of various factors on heart health.
• Calculate your risk for heart disease.
• Learn how your blood pressure affects your risk.
• Build healthier habits.

Knowing your risk factors can save your life. If you don’t already know your numbers, see your doctor to learn if your blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar levels may be increasing your risk for heart disease. If you are at risk, your doctor can also help you decide how to begin making changes to improve the health of your heart.

Don’t wait another month to take care of your heart. Having a healthy heart will help ensure you enjoy many more February 14ths with your Valentine.

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

Here at Feed the Soul, we get a lot of questions about how to live a healthier, more active lifestyle. This got us to thinking–why not share these questions and answers on our blog so that all our readers could benefit? And that’s how our Ask the Dietitian series was born.

Starting this month we’ll be adding a regular feature where we answer frequently asked questions about health, nutrition, fitness and general wellness. We’d also like to include reader questions in the mix, so if you have a question about how to live a healthier life, please feel free to ask it in the comments on any post.

We want you to have all the answers you need to “eat well, live well and be well” every single day.

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."