The annual change from Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time brings welcome sunlight into the early evening hours, however it can take a few days to get used to the disruption of your sleeping patterns. There are a few things you can with do with your diet do to ease the transition:

Go easy on the caffeine. A cup of coffee or two in the morning is fine, but consuming too much caffeine later in the day may make it difficult for you to sleep.

Don't skip breakfast. Even if you're groggy in the AM, you need to get some fuel in your body before going to work and school.

Avoid heavy foods or spicy foods. Or any foods you know that may cause heartburn, making it difficult for you to sleep.

Don't drink too much alcohol. Over-consumption of your favorite adult beverages may cause a very restless uncomfortable night.

Eat cherries. Not only are they rich in vitamins, cherries contain melatonin, a substance also found in the human body that helps regulate sleep. Eating fresh or dried cherries before you go to bed at night may help you sleep better.

Today's Nutrition Tip

_{Photo © Tom Denham}

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the First Lady Michelle Obama have announced a cool new Apps for Healthy Kids competition as part of the Let's Move! initiative. So if you're a software developer, a game designer, or you've got the technical knowledge to make up your own apps, why not come up with some innovative ideas to help the USDA and Ms. Obama? They're looking for apps that offer fun tools and games that can help kids get more exercise and help them choose healthier foods.

Entries must be submitted between March 10, and June 30, 2010. Official rules may be found at www.AppsForHealthyKids.com.

Daily Nutrition Tip

Thousands of processed food products have been recalled due to salmonella contamination of a flavor enhancer called hydrolyzed vegetable protein, or HVP. This flavor enhancer is found in a wide variety of processed foods including soups, stews, hot dogs, snack chips and dressings.

Although no one has become sick from salmonella-tainted HVP yet, the FDA believes this may become the largest recall ever. The FDA has a list of food brands that may contain the recalled HVP.

Daily Nutrition Tip

What comes to mind when you think about that old grill out in the backyard? Images of your dad wielding a huge spatula, flipping burgers and sliding hot dogs around the grill? Maybe steaks or barbecue ribs on occasional family reunions or summer holidays?

I used to think of the grill as that big greasy black thing on the deck that charred meats and made them totally unhealthy. Then one summer, I learned that it is possible to use a grill and keep foods healthy.

My change of heart began when I realized that using the oven in the summer would heat up my kitchen and the whole house. To keep the extra heat out of the kitchen, I decided to try the grill for more than just the occasional hamburger or hot dog. With a bit of research and practice, I realized that grilling could be healthy way to prepare a variety of foods. Which is good to know, because now that spring's almost here, it's almost time to get the grill ready for summer.

Daily Nutrition Tip

_{Photo © Shane Gardner}