Clemson Extension Rural Health and Nutrition Blog

Yoga Props: Modify Your Movements to Meet Your Needs

A water bottle, yoga block, and pair of dumbbells.

Yoga blocks bring the floor closer or create space between parts of the body, helping practitioners modify poses for comfort, balance, and support. Image Credit: RHN Team Picture Bank Yoga can be adapted to meet different bodies, abilities, experience levels, and goals. Props do not make a pose less effective. They can provide support, improve […]

Fast Food and Diabetes: How to Make Informed Choices

When choosing healthier options at fast-food restaurants, you can enjoy the convenience while continuing to effectively self-manage your blood sugar. Image Credit: Conner Russell Fast food is convenient, affordable, and often part of a busy lifestyle. However, many fast-food meals are high in refined carbohydrates and added sugars and are served in large portion sizes, […]

Diabetes Superstar Foods

Blueberries, yogurt, and whole grains are diabetes superstar foods that deliver fiber, protein, and antioxidants to support overall health and blood sugar management. Image Credit: RHN Team Picture Bank Managing diabetes is often misunderstood as requiring people to give up their favorite foods or follow complicated meal plans. However, many everyday foods, which can be […]

Protein Bars with Diabetes

What is Diabetes? Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when an individual’s blood glucose (blood sugar) is too high. If an individual has diabetes, their body does not make enough insulin or does not use insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that helps glucose (sugar) enter into an individual’s cells, […]

Hypertension in the Lens of a Healthcare Disparity

Approximately 119.9 million Americans have been diagnosed with hypertension, making it one of the most common chronic diseases in the United States. In South Carolina, an estimated 1.5 million people have been medically diagnosed with this condition, which is often asymptomatic and is known as the “silent killer.” Hypertension affects nearly half of the adult […]

Oat Milk vs Almond Milk

A carton of oat milk next to a carton of almond milk.

Understanding Milk Alternatives Milk alternatives have become increasingly popular among consumers for a variety of reasons, including lactose intolerance, dairy allergies, dietary preferences, and environmental concerns. Plant-based beverages such as oat milk and almond milk are now widely available in grocery stores and commonly used in coffee drinks, cereals, smoothies, and recipes. While these products […]

Hormones and Their Impact on Health  

A person measuring their waist with a tape measure

This fact sheet is Part 1 of the Hormones and Chronic Disease series. Follow along each month to learn more about hormones and how they impact chronic disease risk, prevention, and management.   Introduction  Hormones are part of the endocrine system which includes various glands (pituitary gland, pineal gland, hypothalamus, parathyroid, thyroid, thymus, and adrenal gland) and organs […]

Microplastics and Health: What You Need to Know  

What are Microplastics? Microplastics are defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters (mm) in size, originating from larger pieces of plastic that break down over time through various processes. Due to their small size, the plastics are often difficult for the human eye to detect. However, the impact they leave does not go unnoticed. […]

Balance and Flexibility Training

A man practicing balance and flexibility exercises in a chair.

Balance and flexibility are two forms of physical activity that are essential to a well-rounded exercise plan. Although they are discussed less often than cardiovascular and strength training, both play an important role in healthy movement, injury prevention, and long-term physical function. Balance is the ability to remain steady and in control while standing, sitting, […]

Sleep and Recovery to Support Physical Activity

Quality sleep gives your body the time it needs to recover, restore energy, and prepare for your next day of physical activity. Image Credit: Canva Quality sleep is essential for good health, yet many adults do not get enough of it. Sleep is much more than a time to rest. It is when the body […]

Sleep, Recovery, and Physical Activity: Understanding the Science Behind Rest and Performance

During sleep, the body repairs muscle tissue, regulates hormones, and restores energy, making adequate sleep an essential part of recovery and overall health. Image Credit: Canva Why Sleep Matters Sleep is an essential biological process that supports physical, mental, and emotional health. Although sleep is often viewed as a period of rest, the body remains […]

Understanding and Addressing Sickness Absence in the Workplace

Figure 1 Clemson University FMLA manual

Sickness absence remains one of the most significant contributors to economic and social challenges, directly impacting daily workplace operations and overall organizational effectiveness. In 2003, reports indicated that over 176 million working days were lost due to sickness absence. Today, that figure has risen dramatically, with billions of workdays lost annually due to illnesses. What […]

How Caring for Plants Can Improve Your Well-Being

A toddler holding a bucket of flowers in the sun.

Gardening and caring for plants is much more than a hobby. While there are many well-known health benefits of having plants in and around your home, including the physical activity involved in gardening and nutritional value of consuming produce harvested from the garden, there are many other ways tending to plants can support our overall […]

Protein: For Diabetes, It Is a Balancing Act

A bowl containing two herb-baked chicken thighs served with roasted potatoes

What You Need to Know Protein is one of the three macronutrients considered the foundation of the foods we consume and is a necessary component of a wholesome, well-balanced diet. Good-quality proteins include: Proteins are made of amino acids, which are often called the building blocks of proteins. Within proteins, there are non-essential amino acids […]

Liver Health-From a Different View

Obesity Association Promotion Items

Metabolic Dysfunction–Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a condition characterized by the accumulation of excess fat in the liver, typically defined as fat comprising more than 5% of the liver’s weight. The development of MASLD is closely linked to underlying cardiometabolic risk factors, including obesity, hypertension, type […]

La relación entre la glucosa alta en la sangre y el hambre

Fruit, water, and yoga blocks.

Read this article in English Lo que necesita saber La polifagia (o polyphagia en inglés), o hiperfagia (o hyperphagia en inglés), es un término médico que describe un hambre excesivo o insaciable, incluso después de haber comido. Este fenómeno es común entre la gente trabajando a manejar la diagnosis de diabetes y puede presentar una […]

PCOS Is Now PMOS: Why Names Matter

An exam room at an OBGYN office.

In May 2026, the condition formerly known as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) was officially renamed to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). What is PMOS (formerly PCOS)? PMOS is a condition that affects over 170 million women worldwide and is linked to hormonal dysregulation in the body. The exact cause is unknown but is linked to […]