Carrie Dennett

Pacific Northwest

Freelance Writer at Freelance

#WeightInclusive, #nondiet, #HAES registered dietitian, certified #IntuitiveEating counselor and journalist who helps people be healthier without dieting.

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Articles

For health and well-being, exercise matters - no matter what you weigh

2 weeks ago | seattletimes.com | Carrie Dennett

One of several headlines from late last year that didn’t make me happy was this: “Ozempic killed diet and exercise.” The article it topped discussed how, now that we have next-generation weight loss medications, many people feel they don’t have to worry about things like nutritious food and physical activity.
What’s the nature-gut microbiome connection? The secret’s in the soil

3 weeks ago | seattletimes.com | Carrie Dennett

Back in February, I wrote the column “Do you really want to live forever, or just be healthier for longer?“ In it, I mentioned that being in green spaces can contribute to a robust gut microbiome. I received a few emails from readers asking me, “How?” As an avid gardener and camper — and general lover of green spaces — I am delighted to answer that question in this week’s column.
‘Find Your Food Voice’ offers a supportive path away from dieting

1 month ago | seattletimes.com | Carrie Dennett

There’s no shortage of external rules floating around — some evidence-based, some not — about what, when and how to eat. But rather than making life simpler, over time, these rules often make for a complicated relationship with food.
How strong is the evidence on ultraprocessed food and chronic disease?

1 month ago | seattletimes.com | Carrie Dennett

In last week’s column, I discussed how ultraprocessed foods are defined, and the fact that the definition doesn’t take nutrition into account. Given the prevailing sense of certainty that ultraprocessed foods are a prime culprit in chronic disease, it may surprise you that there is little research-based evidence to back this up — and what evidence there is isn’t exactly robust.
Are ultraprocessed foods the dietary demons they’re made out to be?

1 month ago | seattletimes.com | Carrie Dennett

There’s no shortage of public discourse — some of it “expert,” much of it not — about ultraprocessed foods lately. It’s even entered the political fray, with calls to eliminate ultraprocessed foods from schools and the food supply at large. Some experts have made statements akin to “we know enough to recommend the avoidance of ultraprocessed foods to optimize health.” But do we?
What is that standing desk doing for you? Not exactly what you think

1 month ago | seattletimes.com | Carrie Dennett

Did you hop on the standing desk bandwagon back when the phrase “sitting is the new smoking” became ubiquitous? Well, recent research casts doubt on whether standing more is the panacea we thought it was.
Answers to your questions on carbohydrates, cholesterol and fish

2 months ago | seattletimes.com | Carrie Dennett

This week, I’m answering your questions about carbohydrates and diabetes, lowering cholesterol with diet and lifestyle, and the pros and cons of eating fish. Do you need to avoid carbs if you have diabetes? My short answer is no. While plenty of people — some expert, some not — recommend that people with diabetes restrict carbohydrates, the reality is that not all carbs are created equal.
Can Zinc Really Help Fight Colds and Covid?

2 months ago | rethinkingwellness.substack.com | Christy Harrison |Joe Schwarcz |Carrie Dennett

Welcome to another installment of the Rethinking Wellness link roundup! Here I’m offering a small collection of links from around the internet that are relevant to the conversations we have here, along with some quick takes and occasional deeper dives for paid subscribers. This time the take/dive is about whether zinc supplements are helpful for immunity, which I was personally invested in exploring because I’ve been sick so much this season.
Do you really want to live forever, or just be healthier for longer?

2 months ago | seattletimes.com | Carrie Dennett

Does anyone remember the early days of Longevity magazine? Sprinkled on the covers featuring Madonna, Cindy Crawford and Princess Diana were teasers such as “Who’ll Live the Longest” and “Controlling Your Own Longevity.” Three decades later, the longevity business is booming, but pills and technologies that claim to slow down the body’s aging process are unproven and expensive. Instead of aiming for centenarian status, why not try to make the years you do have good ones?
Is green tea as good for you as claims say? Let's look at the evidence

2 months ago | seattletimes.com | Carrie Dennett

One nutrition trend forecast for 2025 is a boom in tea drinking — including predictions that vintage-inspired adult tea parties could replace happy hour among certain demographics. We’ll eventually know if that forecast holds true, but in the meantime, if you’re someone who prefers tea over coffee, or in addition to coffee, you’ve probably heard that there are some health perks to drinking tea — but which claims are based on real evidence, and which are wishful thinking?