Spring is here and those New Years' resolutions for eating healthy foods and losing weight might be long gone. Do you need a boost to get back on track so you can be ready to wear summer shorts, tank tops and swim suits? Here are some tips for a diet turn-around.

Daily Nutrition Tip

Organic foods are becoming more popular due to concerns about pesticide use, synthetic fertilizer and herbicide residues in our food. Growing food organically is more work-intensive and so it is more expensive than non-organically grown food, but many people think that going organic is worth the extra price.

Not all foods that have the word organic on the label are completely free of bad stuff. If you want to buy organic foods, take some time to learn what the word organic means when you see in on a label. Read Organic Food Basics to learn more.

More About Organic Foods

• What is Organic Gardening?
• Can Organic Farming End World Hunger?
• Organic Wines
• Fruits and Vegetables You Should Buy Organic

Daily Nutrition Tip

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