Happy Monday! If you haven’t seen it yet, my latest On Nutrition column for The Seattle Times is out: “Seven ways to eat for energy.” 
I think that for most people, eating healthy comes with some sort of longer-term goal, like losing weight, preventing weight gain, or managing or preventing chronic disease. People are less likely to think about how eating healthfully can simply make you feel your best each day. This is most obvious for people who do eat healthful foods on a regular basis, but occasionally partake of foods that are not-so-healthful, whether by choice (a special occasion) or by necessity (lack of healthful while traveling or visiting relatives). You can often feel the difference!
For those of us in the Seattle area (or any part of the country where there is little sunlight…or even daylight…to be had), it can be mighty hard to stay energized this time of year. By nourishing ourselves with healthful, delicious foods that provide steady energy, we can feel our best even in the throes of winter, and be better able to choose wisely from the endless parade of holiday goodies (i.e., picking the best of the best and leaving the rest).
Just think…we’re less than two weeks away from the winter solstice, then the days will start getting longer again!