Ask Nana Jorj Morgan is the author of 5 books whose subjects range from entertaining to cooking and most recently to health and wellness. Jorj’s books include Gorgeous: The Sum of all Your Glorious Parts, Fresh Traditions: Classic Dishes for a Contemporary Lifestyle, and At Home in the Kitchen. Most importantly Jorj is a mom and new grandmom. Learn more on her website From Nana's Kitchen A Quick Course in Wellness Q: Dear Nana, With all of the information and misinformation floating around about diet and health, can you give us new grandmas a quick course in wellness? What All Nanas Need to Know in Cincinnati, OH A: Dear What All Nanas Need to Know: Here are the basics: Your grandchild’s wellness is a by-product of a healthy immune system. Scientists now know that as our immune system comes under attack, we open ourselves to the possibility of disease, like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Damage to our immune system occurs for many reasons – some we know, some we don’t. We know that our cells can become damaged when they react with toxic by-products, such as tobacco smoke, ultraviolet radiation, pollution, stress, certain foods and food additives, and viruses; these reactions create molecules called “free radicals.” Free radicals cause an oxidation process in the cell that is similar to the rusting of metal. To wage war against those nasty free radicals, here come NANA’s best friends: the super heroes, “antioxidants” – the guys who protect our cells. Antioxidants are found in – guess where – FOOD. By food, I mean real foods, like fruits and veggies, nuts, grains, meats, poultry, and fish; we boost our grandchildren’s immune systems with a diet just like this, as it is filled with foods that are rich in antioxidants! “You are what you eat.” You’ve probably heard this adage all your life. Isn’t it good to know that the advice handed down through the generations agrees with what nutritionists are still saying today? The more nutritious our family’s diet, the healthier our family will be, so go ahead and visit my Nana blog for nutrient-packed recipes today! —Nana Send your Ask Nana questions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it