Every other Wednesday in the Pacific Daily News, Giana Santos writes Wellness Wednesdays, a column offering suggestions to live a balanced lifestyle. Giana is the health educator and nutrition counselor at TakeCare. She is also a certified nutrition and wellness consultant and is a credentialed indigenous lactation counselor. Giana’s most recent columns are below and linked to the original columns at guampdn.com.
Question? Contact Giana at: giana.santos@takecareasia.com.
Hidden enemies on your grocery shelves - June 11, 2025
Walk into any local supermarket and you’re surrounded by thousands of products designed to grab your attention with bright packaging and promises of convenience. But lurking behind those colorful labels is a category of foods that might be quietly undermining your health with every bite: ultra-processed foods. The reality is these factory food creations have the potential to make up more than half of your daily calories in just one serving size. One study by the University College London found that toddlers eat 47% of their total calories from UPFs, with a rise to 59% by the time they’re 7 years old. Yet most people can’t even define what ultra-processed foods are, let alone understand why they’re so problematic for our bodies.
Here are some thoughts for you to think about.
To read the rest of the column, click here
You have the power to prevent type 2 diabetes - June 25, 2025
If you’ve been told you’re at risk for type 2 diabetes, here’s some encouraging news: you have more control over your future than you might think. Research shows that relatively simple lifestyle changes can dramatically reduce your chances of developing this condition, and it doesn’t require a complete life overhaul. The truth is that type 2 diabetes is largely preventable. You don’t need expensive treatments or complicated medical interventions.
What you need is the knowledge and motivation to make some key changes that can transform your health trajectory.
To read the rest of the column, click here