Erika Van Calcar, MS, RD, Nutrition Coach:   We have all been there, right? We’re curled up in front of the TV with a bowl of ice cream and suddenly we look down and are shocked to find that it’s all gone.  Someone else must have come along and helped themselves or perhaps it was a case of momentary possession; we think, “Certainly I could not have eaten all of that! Could I?” Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas say, yes you can. Certain fats, specifically palm... [More]

Erin Thompson, Marketing Manager:   Today’s environment makes it extremely easy to neglect physical activity, an essential element of maintaining good health, warding off chronic disease, and achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Labor-saving technology, long commutes by car or bus, and hours spent on the computer for both work and play drain us of our energy and make it even harder to fit time in our busy schedules to get up and move. In Free & Clear's latest Clear Insights... [More]

Jason Kalivas, Quit Coach, Service Delivery:   A participant asked me recently how long it takes being quit before there are no more cravings for nicotine, at all, ever. "It's different for everyone," I said. "Some people never miss it; for some people it takes years; and for some those cravings never go away, but just become manageable." I'd learned it in Free & Clear University, while training to be a Quit Coach. I'd heard it from participants on the phone. I know that it's a true ans... [More]

Sandi Kaplan, Associate Director, Clinical Development and Support:   I stared aghast at the photo of long-time fashion model Filippa Hamilton in a recent Ralph Lauren ad. We know that if the doll Barbie was a real woman, her dimensions are such that she would be unable to stand upright. Well, the dimensions of Hamilton’s photo made me wonder how the woman could possibly be alive. She looks emaciated in the extreme. Hamilton spoke out after the release of the photo to say that it ... [More]

Janice Milliman, Quit Coach, Service Delivery:   What do cereal and tobacco manufacturers have in common? Walking down the grocery store cereal aisle can be a challenge, especially with kids in tow. Brightly colored cereal boxes with toys and other freebies grab their attention. Cereal manufacturers developed creative and effective ways of marketing toward their most important audience: kids. Unfortunately, tobacco manufacturers are using some of the same tactics to lure kids into... [More]

Ryan Crawford, Quit Coach Supervisor, Service Delivery:   A friend came to me recently, heartbroken. She and her husband have been together for 10 years. He was her first love. And now, they’re getting a divorce. We thought they were great together. Sure, he smelled bad, but we let that go because she loved him so much. He was always with her at parties, always there to celebrate the fun times with her. He was there in the hard times too, when she had stressful days, when she felt... [More]

Jane Connell, MS, RD, Nutrition Coach:   Among the many hats I wear, I’m a soccer coach. Last year at this time, our local newspaper ran an article I wrote called, “Sports Snacks: Food for Thought.” With childhood obesity and obesity-related diseases skyrocketing, I thought it made good sense to seriously look at our tradition of feeding our kids the overly-processed, “ginormous” post-game snack. For some reason, many of our children’s sports events have evolved into a “will play ... [More]

Janice Milliman, Quit Coach, Service Delivery:   The recent death of Patrick Swayze raised much media attention and discussion of a little known and very deadly cancer: pancreatic.  For me, it also brought back bad memories. My good friend, Jim, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March of 2007.  Unfortunately, he did not survive long, and lost his battle 2 months later. I felt such grief and compassion upon learning of Mr. Swayze's death.  I wondered if he suffered the extrem... [More]