No matter how hard we try, it’s not easy to avoid using plastic. Think of the number of times you may have used and reused a plastic water bottle. I almost always accept a bottle of water if offered, and don’t think twice about it.

If you want to get more mileage out of your life, one of the best things you can do is reduce your intake of ultra-processed foods. While most food is processed in some way, ultra-processed foods are the convenient, “heat and eat” products with little “food in the food”. These foods have steadily replaced regular foods made from fresh, minimally processed ingredients.

Most people recognize the detrimental effects of uncontrolled blood sugar. Risk for heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease are a few chronic conditions that can develop over time. According to the CDC, nearly 16% of US adults are diagnosed with diabetes, while 4.5% are undiagnosed. 1

Canned soup, fast food, frozen meals, - oh my! What do these all have in common? Too much sodium, that’s what. Too much sodium can exacerbate high blood pressure, which is associated with cardiovascular disease. This in turn may result in 20 million deaths globally each year. And if that’s not bad enough, stoke is one of the leading causes of disability.

Yes, butter is delicious. There’s no substitute for holiday baking, corn on the cob, or lobster tail. Or is there? Thankfully these foods are enjoyed on occasion or seasonally.

A new study from Mass General Brigham, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard suggests that people who eat plant-based oil in place of butter may have more health benefits and a lower risk of dying prematurely.