I had high hopes in January that we would build up our emergency fund to a respectable amount by the end of the year. Although we’ve made some progress, we haven’t been keeping on track. How can we do better in the future?
You’re not alone. More than half of Americans don’t have an emergency fund capable of paying three months’ worth of household expenses in case of sickness, job loss or other emergency, according to the 2012 National Financial Capability Study.
It may be hard to believe, but many people don’t even have a small emergency fund with $500 or $1,000 to pay for those unexpected expenses — a brake job or other car repair, a medical problem, or a household repair. It’s one reason why so many people get into debt — they use...
My father, who has high blood pressure, has recently started using more salt, saying he has read that it’s not as bad as people think. Can that be right?
If your father has high blood pressure, he should definitely limit his use of the salt shaker — as should most people. But it’s not hard to figure out where his confusion is probably coming from.
Earlier this year, the Institute of Medicine issued a report examining sodium intake and its relation to cardiovascular disease and death. It found higher levels of sodium are indeed associated with increased health risks. But another finding tended to get more attention: that very low sodium intake might also carry health risks. Your father might have seen those headlines and could very easily have taken them out of...
I heard recently that the government set a definition for “gluten-free” labels on foods. If that just happened, why have I seen “gluten-free” on some food labels for years?
Unfortunately, the gluten-free labels you’ve seen in the past had no standard definition — and that will continue to be the case until August 2014, when the new rule by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration goes fully into effect.
At that point, you can be assured that any food labeled gluten-free will contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. That is the lowest level of gluten that can be consistently detected in foods using valid scientific testing, and is a standard consistent with that used in other countries.
Luckily, the FDA believes that of the foods...
I know that getting enough exercise is recommended to reduce the risk of heart disease. Is that just because doing so helps you maintain a healthy weight, or is there a separate benefit?
Your instincts are on the mark. While both a healthy diet and regular physical activity can reduce a whole host of risk factors related to heart disease — such as maintaining a healthy weight, reducing blood pressure and cholesterol, and managing blood sugar levels — they both have heart-healthy benefits in their own right.
Inactive people are nearly twice as likely to develop coronary heart disease as people who are physically active, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Physical activity helps the heart in a number of ways. Regularly engaging in moderate...
WOOSTER, Ohio -- Produce farmers have an extended period to comment on changes that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will require in its proposed food safety rule, and an Ohio State University food safety program coordinator is encouraging them to take advantage of the opportunity.
"The FDA seems to be listening to the grower quite a bit, especially the smaller grower," said Lindsey Hoover, who started in her position earlier this year. "They want to know what the concerns are."
The food safety program is part of Ohio State's Produce Safety Team, part of OSU Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, the outreach and research arms of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
The proposed produce safety...
It seems like fresh produce has become more of a food safety problem than it was when I was growing up. Why? And what can I do to reduce my risk?
You’d probably find few people who would disagree with you. From 2006, when an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak was linked to fresh spinach, to 2012, when a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak was linked to cantaloupe, some people have become wary about fresh produce.
The reasons we’re seeing more produce-related outbreaks are multiple. It could be that we spot them more often now. Public health authorities have put in place sophisticated surveillance systems that can identify multi-state outbreaks more easily, so illnesses that might have slipped under the radar in the past are now connected and identified as an outbreak.
And, more of...
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Kenneth M. Quinn, president of the World Food Prize Foundation and former U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia, will give the keynote address to the World Food Prize Foundation's 2013 Ohio Youth Institute on Sept. 5 at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center on The Ohio State University campus.
Quinn will be available for media interviews before and after his 1-1:30 p.m. address.
Contact Martha Filipic, 614-292-9833 or filipic.3@osu.edu, to make arrangements.
Background: Each year, more than 100 high school students from across the United States and other countries are selected to participate in the three-day Global Youth Institute hosted by the World Food Prize Foundation in Des Moines, Iowa, in mid-October. Students and their teacher mentors...
Researchers to study ecological health, sustainability and biodiversity, including groundwater, surface water, air/soil quality.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State University researchers have begun focusing their expertise on the shale energy industry in Ohio.
With the industry growing at a rapid pace in Ohio and around the country, Ohio State aims to produce research that can help inform policymakers, industry leaders and the public.
The university formed a research cluster with a $50,000 seed grant from the university’s Environmental Sciences Network in October 2012. The team, the Shale Environmental Management Research Cluster, has attracted about 30 Ohio State faculty members from four colleges across the campus: the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (...
I just started my first year of college and I’m living away from home for the first time. My mom keeps telling me to watch my diet, especially my calcium intake. Why is she so worried about that?
It’s not unusual for young adults in your situation to fall into poor eating habits. You’ll be dealing with stress and an irregular routine, and you could lose easy access to nutrient-dense foods, including dairy foods.
Calcium is a special concern because getting enough as a young person has long-term implications. The body uses calcium in a lot of different ways, including helping muscles and blood vessels expand and contract, helping release hormones and enzymes, and helping send messages from the brain throughout the body through the nervous system. And, of course, you...
It’s back-to-school time. I think I dread it more than the kids do because it’s always such a struggle to get them back into a routine after summer break. What can I do differently this year to help things go more smoothly?
It’s all in the routine.
And the more quickly you establish that routine at the beginning of the school year, the more it will pay off.
Although they might complain about adhering to a new day-to-day routine at first, young people need such structure. If they know what’s next on their daily schedule, it helps them feel more secure and well-rested. Being organized is even more important if your children have after-school or evening activities. Making lists and finding ways to get chores, homework and everything else done will help the whole...
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Feeding a world population that will jump from 7 billion to 9 billion by 2050 isn't just a matter of increasing agricultural yields. It will also require advances in food processing, in distribution systems, in public policy -- even in the way people think about and interact with food.
To jump-start the conversation and help direct Ohio State University research and programs in this area, the university's Food Innovation Center is sponsoring a food summit, "Food for Billions," on Sept. 12 at the Ohio Union, 1739 N. High St., Columbus.
The keynote speaker is Michael Specter, a New Yorker staff writer who covers science, technology and public health issues and is the author of "Denialism: How Irrational Thinking Hinders Scientific Progress, Harms...
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- More than half of Americans don't have an emergency fund. Only 37 percent have tried to figure out their retirement savings needs. More than 40 percent believe they have too much debt.
While these findings from the 2012 National Financial Capability Study aren't surprising to Betsy DeMatteo, they are trends she would like to see reversed.
That's why DeMatteo, an Ohio State University Extension educator in family and consumer sciences, is coordinating the effort behind Ohio Saves, a statewide campaign to encourage people to save money, pay down debt and build wealth. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of Ohio State's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
The Ohio Saves program is free. Anyone can sign up by going to http://ohiosaves....
Our garden is producing an overabundance of cucumbers this year. I thought I might try pickling some of them, but I’m not sure where to start. Any ideas?
First, if the cucumbers you’re growing aren’t a suitable variety for pickling, you might be disappointed in the results. Pickling cucumbers are usually smaller than cucumbers grown for slicing, and they tend to have thicker, bumpier skins. According to the cooking encyclopedia The Cook’s Thesaurus, the best varieties for pickling include gherkin, cornichon, Kirby and lemon cucumber.
But if you want to try, your first decision will be whether you want to make fermented pickles, which are pickled from lactic acid in a fermentation process over three to four weeks in a crock or other suitable container, or...
WOOSTER, Ohio -- As public health officials keep a wary eye for signs of resurgence of a deadly flu strain that emerged in China last spring, an Ohio State University researcher is working on a new type of flu vaccine that would vastly improve the odds of protecting both humans and animals from the flu virus.
Chang-Won Lee, an associate professor in the Food Animal Health Research Program of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), received a five-year, $2.2 million grant earlier this year from a special joint program between the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The program funds medical research that uses relevant farm animal models with an aim to improve both human and animal health.
Lee's project is using swine...
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- An Ohio State University graduate student from Tanzania informed policy-makers about the tangible benefits of continued U.S. engagement on global food security at a July 25 Capitol Hill panel discussion co-hosted by the Senate Hunger Caucus.
Rita Mirondo, a doctoral student in Ohio State's Department of Food Science and Technology, was invited to be one of three panelists for "Feed the Future: Growing Innovation, Harvesting Results." The purpose of the event was to highlight advances in global food security being made by the U.S. Agency for International Development's Feed the Future initiative.
Mirondo is studying at Ohio State with seven other Tanzanians as part of a Feed-the-Future project, the Innovative Agricultural Research Initiative. Another...
Everyone I know seems to have a different nutrition app on their smart phone. Where can I find information about whether an app is a good one?
With thousands of nutrition- and food-related apps available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
It helps to narrow down what you’re looking for: Do you want something to help you plan healthy meals, or are you more interested in tracking calories, managing blood sugar or finding restaurants that serve gluten-free food?
Once you have narrowed down what kind of information you’re looking for specifically, talk more to your friends about the apps they use and what they like or don’t like about them. If they say they like their app but that it’s “clunky” or otherwise cumbersome, search around for other...
I stopped buying soft drinks to have at home because I’ve read that they are a big reason why so many children are overweight. But my kids said they would stop eating so many snacks if I started buying soda again. Does that sound like an even trade?
Depending on what kind of snacks your children are eating, it might be a good idea to cut them back. But it’s always a good idea to restrict sugary drinks. Don’t negotiate on that.
Today, more than one-third of U.S. children and adolescents are overweight or obese, and the percentage who are obese tripled between 1980 and 2008.
Of course, there are many reasons for these increases, but sugary drinks have been in the spotlight because they are the primary source of added sugar in children’s diets. Each 12-ounce can of...
Due to my work, I have learned a lot about food safety. But no matter what I say, friends and family think I’m too finicky, and they continue to take what I think are unnecessary risks. How can I get my message across?
Don’t be discouraged. It’s often difficult for people to distinguish between words to the wise and the cries of Chicken Little. But at least some of your guidance about practical food safety measures just might sink in over time.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that each year, about 1 in 6 Americans get a case of foodborne illness. Most people recover within a few days, but of those estimated 48 million cases, 128,000 result in hospitalizations, and 3,000 are fatal.
Some foodborne illnesses can cause long-lasting effects, including...
We’ve had some unanticipated expenses this summer, so we’re looking for ways to trim spending on back-to-school clothes and other items. Any tips? We have three children, in elementary, middle and high school.
Although your economic situation right now may be challenging, you can use this time of belt-tightening as a teachable moment for your children.
Parents often try to keep family financial struggles hidden from their children so they won’t be burdened with adult concerns. But if you matter-of-factly explain that money is tight and you’ll have to cut back on some expenses, you can map out some money-saving strategies with them. Use this time to help them determine the difference between “wants” and “needs.” This will be a tool they...
We’ve been making (and eating) a lot of zucchini bread lately. Is it as nutritious as I hope it is?
As with any homemade dish, the nutrition really depends on your recipe.
Zucchini itself is a great vegetable. A half-cup of sliced raw zucchini or other summer squash contains just 10 calories but supplies 15 percent of the daily recommendation for vitamin C, as well as a gram of fiber and good amount of vitamin K, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium and potassium.
If you don’t peel the skin, you’ll have the added benefit of getting a healthy dose of the nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin — carotenoids that can promote healthy vision and potentially offer other health benefits.
As for zucchini bread, most recipes call for one to two cups of grated zucchini per...
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- What we eat is determined by more than just hunger pangs.
It's often an unconscious response to what's around us, according to a sensory researcher with Ohio State University's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
"Our environment can affect how much we eat, and even how much we like a food," said Chris Simons, who joined the Department of Food Science and Technology earlier this year. "Environmental cues -- visual, auditory, aroma -- can generate cravings that influence food intake."
Simons, whose background is in both sensory science and neuroscience, is now putting the finishing touches on new labs in the Parker Food Science and Technology Building that will help him study human response to such cues, and will...
I heard about a study that showed drinking more water can help people lose weight. But I thought that was a myth that had been debunked a long time ago. Can you clarify?
You probably heard something about a recent review of previous studies on this topic, published ahead of print online in late June in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Researchers searched through nearly 5,000 records of research in online databases for studies that reported on an association between daily water consumption and any weight-related outcome. They found just 11 original studies and two other systematic reviews. Of the 11 original studies, only three specifically focused on people trying to lose weight or maintain weight loss.
Those three studies did, in fact, show a relation between increased...
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Despite fears that a sudden influx of workers related to the shale development boom in eastern Ohio could lead to a housing shortage, researchers with the C. William Swank Program in Rural-Urban Policy at Ohio State University say the issue appears to be a manageable one.
A policy brief, "Too Many Heads and Not Enough Beds: Will Shale Development Cause a Housing Shortage?" (http://go.osu.edu/shale_housing_rpt) examines the impact of shale development on housing in Pennsylvania from 2007 to 2011, the first four years of Pennsylvania's boom period, and uses that information to predict what Ohio can expect in the coming years.
The Swank Program is part of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and is supported by the college's...
We ate out this weekend, and I got a take-home container for my leftovers. On the way home, we stopped at a store and were there much longer than we anticipated. By the time we got home, it was three hours since we had been served at the restaurant. We refrigerated the leftovers, but should we throw them away instead?
Yes, it’s a good idea to pitch them.
Food safety authorities recommend throwing away food items that have been left out for more than two hours, or for more than one hour if the surrounding air temperature is 90 degrees or above.
At those temperatures, harmful microorganisms can multiply rapidly and can easily get to a point where they can cause illness. Reheating the leftovers would kill bacteria, but some types of organisms that cause foodborne illness can...
My favorite fruit is watermelon. Since it’s so watery, does it offer much nutrition?
You’re correct that watermelon is “watery.” In fact, it’s more than 90 percent water. Still, two cups of diced watermelon (about 10 ounces) offers 38 percent of the vitamin C you need in a day, 32 percent of vitamin A, as well as a small amount of protein and fiber, and all for a mere 85 calories.
Watermelon is also a good source of lycopene, a phytonutrient that gives your favorite fruit (as well as tomatoes and pink grapefruit) its red color. Lycopene protects against prostate cancer and possibly other cancers, and also protects cells from damage associated with heart disease.
In addition, citrulline in watermelon is converted into arginine, an amino acid that plays a...
