Editor’s Note: This story is Part 1 of a 2-part series recapping our favorite health tips from 2025. Part 2 focuses on tips for supporting your mind and body in the coming year.
Forget the fad diets – local providers share steps for fostering good nutrition in the coming year below.
Build Better Bone Health: “Bones are remarkable organs that require certain nutrients for optimal health,” says Lana Knisely, a registered dietitian at UCHealth Jan Bishop Cancer Center in Steamboat Springs. She emphasizes that nutrition and bone health are intricately linked, so much so that a well-planned diet can significantly reduce the risk of fractures.
Knisely recommends adopting the Mediterranean diet, renowned for its balanced approach to nutrition. It emphasizes a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, beans and legumes, healthy fats, and lean proteins. “If we don’t get enough protein, we risk losing muscle mass, and muscle mass and bone density are directly related,” Knisely notes. “When we build muscles, we build bones.”
Keep Tabs on Critical Nutrients: Vitamins and minerals are foundational for good health. Pam Wooster, a registered dietitian at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center, insists on the importance of ensuring sufficient levels of vital nutrients.
Key nutrients include calcium for bone health, vitamin D for the well-being of nerves, muscles, bones, and the immune system; iron, essential for red blood cells and hormones; vitamin C for healing and tissue formation; and magnesium for regulating blood sugar, blood pressure, and muscle function.
While supplements can be beneficial, Wooster advises focusing on a variety of whole foods. “When you choose a diet rich in foods that are closest to their natural state, you are securing essential building blocks for robust health,” she shares.
Boost Kids’ Nutrition with a Balanced Diet: Encouraging a balanced diet in children becomes particularly important during the long winter months. Start with a nutritious breakfast each day, and ensure that lunch includes an array of fruits, vegetables, proteins, and carbohydrates.
“Try to eat the rainbow every day – consuming fruits and vegetables of all colors – as maintaining a healthy diet is key to immune system support,” says Brooke Packard, a physician assistant with UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center and supporter of the Steamboat Springs School District’s employee health clinic.
Proper hydration is also crucial; Packard recommends that children drink between three to eight cups of water daily, depending on their age and level of physical activity. Utilizing a thermos or fun water bottle can make drinking water more attractive to kids.
Finally, she underscores the importance of vitamin D for individuals of all ages, especially during winter when people often spend more time indoors. “If there’s one vitamin everyone can take throughout their lives, it’s D,” Packard asserts.
Avoid GI Bugs: No one wants to start the new year with food poisoning or an unpleasant stomach bug. Lauren Bryan, infection prevention program manager at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center, recommends several precautionary steps to stay healthy during family gatherings centered around food.
“It’s essential for communities and families to come together, and food often plays a central role,” Bryan points out. She encourages enjoying meals while being mindful of food safety to prevent foodborne illnesses.
Key recommendations include defrosting meat in the refrigerator or microwave rather than on the countertop, using a thermometer to ensure meat is cooked to the right temperature, refrigerating leftovers promptly, and avoiding raw eggs—including cookie dough. Additionally, she emphasizes the importance of personal hygiene: “I can’t stress enough to follow your mother’s advice: wash your hands.”
Susan Cunningham writes for UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center. You can reach her at cunninghamsbc@gmail.com.