May 28, 2008

Use Vitamins as a Supplement, not a Replacement

Many people think that they can take take vitamins as a replacement for eating right . When it comes down to it, this is not generally a good idea. It is essential to take vitamin supplements, but you need to make sure that you are also eating right. If you are finding it difficult to get enough vitamins through your food intake, for one reason or the next, adding a daily supplement could be the answer to all of your questions. There is no denying that a vitamin supplement offers many benefits. As long as you continue to eat well and do not overdo you can maximize your overall potential.

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May 14, 2008

Lose Weight for the Summer Months the Fun Way

Do you want to look better than ever before when you head to the beach this summer? If so, it is time for you to kick your exercise routine into high gear. While many think that exercise is a boring, necessary evil, this does not necessarily have to be the case.

Believe it or not, people all over the world are putting on their dancing shoes
as a way to lose weight and get in shape. What would your rather do? Dance the weight off, or spend hours on end running on a treadmill.

By combining fun exercise with diet pill supplements, such as the Hydroxytrol Ephedra Diet Pill, you will be able to shed the pounds and attract attention this summer!

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March 21, 2008

Too Stretch or Not too Stretch

Do you feel guilty when you’re running late to the gym and you finally arrive only to skip your stretching routine?! You don’t feel as though you have the time to stretch when your late on your reps! Eager to gulp down cool bottle of Endorush 12 RTD Energy Drinkand start feeling the sweat...the last thing you want to do is relax and stretch! Is it necessary?

Many people routinely stretch before working out and after a work. We are taught at a very young age to stretch before sporting activities, especially high cardio and weight lifting. Stretching is penciled into most classes thatare elected in gyms across the country.
But the question arises, To Stretch or Not to Stretch? The Answer is Elastic

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March 06, 2008

A Few Spring Tips for Your Bodybuilding Snacks- Protein Bars

•Make sure you don’t leave your Protein Bar on your car seat! The rising temperature inside the car can melt away the delicious coating. You may find your hand covered in melted chocolate if you rip into bar that has been sitting in the sun. Keeping your bar in the cool air will help keep the bar fresh. •Check the expiration date on your supplement bars. Some do expire! •Buy in Bulk- Save money by buying your bars in bulk. •Display your nutrition bars on your counter and you may find it easier to grab one and eat healthier than grabbing a cookie from the cookie jar on the counter. •Purchase a Nutritional Bar with nutritional value, low in saturated fat- read the labels. If the internet retailer does not display the nutritional facts- beware and don’t purchase the bars. View image

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January 08, 2008

American Gladiators Revival

People are a buzz about the latest old show to make a comeback. People of all ages have enjoyed watching the Classic battle of strength between our American Gladiators and the average contestant. The original “American Gladiators” series ran for almost ten years from 1989 to 1996. After watching the series last night it was clear the contestants were all prepared to battle against the Gladiators. Supplements like creatine , or protein shakes clearly helped them attain the muscular physiques!

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December 30, 2007

Words to Live By

As we all start the New Year and take time to reflect on the past and look forward to our future goals for the year, we should take the time to ponder the words from Nick Scott, a wheelchair bodybuilder
Nick broke his back in a car accident back in high school that paralyzed him for life. Despite the setback, in the last two years Scott has completed and posed in 10 bodybuilding shows!

Scott states “life is not about having a glass half empty or half full.
It is just having a glass that is enough to be thankful about”.

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Is Physical Activity the Closest thing to a Fountain of Youth for the Brain?

Exercise does seem to slow and even reverse the metal slide that often accompanies aging.
Most people are already well aware of this concept, but researchers are finding more and more evidence to support this finding.

Since it is clear Regular physical exercise can by and large help improve a person’s quality of life, it is important to Take to exercise and harvest the benefits!

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December 27, 2007

20 Steaks & 30 Chicken Breasts in a Week!

An Indreabhan bodybuilder Cathal Mac Tiarnán, consumes 20 steaks and 30 chicken breasts a week to achieve the below physique!

He explains, "The worst part of bodybuilding is the diet. You have to eat every two and half hours. The whole rocky thing with a big glass of raw eggs is myth,” he explains, however Cathal eats 12 egg whites fried every morning followed by a huge bowl of porridge and then a cup or two of coffee. Two or three chicken breasts, two or three steaks, 200g of brown rice, 250g of turkey, 250 of diet cottage cheese, broccoli, salad, power bars and two large tins of tuna make up the rest of his daily diet.

I’ll stick to my protein shakes!

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Soy News

One scientist may have found another clue as to why SOY helps promote weight loss .
Current research shows that when soy consumption is up, body weight decreases!
"And we found that soy did have an effect on these mechanisms and hormones that are induced in the body to help us degrade lipids and reduce body weight, but it did so by boosting metabolism and not by reducing food intake," she said.

Pass the SOY !

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December 15, 2007

Raw Eggs for Building Muscle?

Believe it or not, many hard core bodybuilders have found that raw eggs are not among the best foods for building muscle. Yes, you heard that right. Even though this was a huge myth in the past, it is more or less dying down. Not only does the thought of eating raw eggs disgust many bodybuilders, but they are also high in cholesterol; which is obviously bad for your health.

Bodybuilders have found that they do not need to eat raw eggs in order to get the proper level of protein . Instead, they can rely on supplements as well as energy drinks such as Whey protein .

Bodybuilders may have gulped down a couple of raw eggs
per day in the past. But with so many supplements on the market today, this is no longer necessary.

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New Generation of Bodybuilding Supplements

With all of the negative talk about steroids in sports, it is about time that something good comes about. There is a new generation of bodybuilding supplements that are becoming quite popular among online retailers. These Pro-steroids are more or less a natural variation of illegal steroid supplements. As you can imagine, these have become very popular among both amateurs as well as those who are hoping to take their career to the next level.

While Pro-steroids are walking a fine line between legal and illegal, they have been around in some form for many years. For instance, androstenedione became very popular during the late 1990’s and is still widely used for the best performance.

It will be interesting to see if these drugs, such as Permadrol stick around or are simply a fad.

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December 04, 2007

5 Minuets A Day?

A Better Body in 5 Minuets’ is this realistic?!?!
Bodybuilders know it takes more than 5 mins. a day.

Nutritional & bodybuilding supplements, Hard Work, Eating Healthy outweighs the 5 mins a day that is portrayed in this article.

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3 Off Base Exercise Tips from a Celebrity Trainer!

Exercise and working out are something that a lot of people are interested in. Unfortunately, many people get off on the wrong foot because they listen to the many myths that are circulating the fitness industry.

Check out three of the worst exercise tips as given by celebrity fitness trainers

1. An over abundance of sit-ups will help you to get rid of excess belly fat.

2. Unlike men, women should stay away from weight training unless they want to add bulk.

3. Working out in the fat burning zone will produce the best results.

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November 26, 2007

Bulking Season

Countdown to 2008 is underway. The Bulking Season is around the corner! The weather is cold, the midriff is covered… this is the season to bulk up. Breaking up the year into a bulking up season and a cutting up season enables you to make gains that you would never be able to make by trying to do both at the same time.

Workouts: Cardiovascular endurance is very important for your overall health. But the sheer amount of calories it consumes can get in the way of a bulking up program. The solution is to make your cardio workouts short but intense. Sprints on your favorite exercise equipment are in order. Another solution is to occasionally skip the cardio portion of your workout in favor of a heart-pounding strength training session. The key to this is to move from exercise to exercise with little to no rest between. It works out your heart as well as surprises your muscles. Any change in your workout will increase your gains.

Most importantly, change your strength training sessions to utilize the extra calories and nutrition. Regularly change your routine, and in general, concentrate more on heavy weights and less on reps.

Diet: As appealing as it is to turn the bulking up season into a cheat season… resist the temptation! The goal is to gain muscle, but if that goal is accomplished with a good amount of fat you will be doing a huge disservice to yourself when spring rolls around. Instead, take this opportunity to not only bulk up on muscle, but the nutrition that you may have cut back on during the summer. Load up on the fruits and vegetables that were possibly excluded before… sweet potatoes, berries, oranges, kiwi, pomegranate juice.. Include produce from all spectrums of the rainbow to ensure a broad range of vitamins and antioxidants.

Finally, increase your Protein intake to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. A two hundred pound man would, thus, need to consume 300 grams of lean protein. Since this is such a huge amount, it’s very important to break it up into 7-8 meals. Any more protein than that in one sitting would be detrimental to your goals.

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October 31, 2007

Kids Nutrition and Fitness in the News

School administrators and parents everywhere are doing their best to make eating healthier and exercise more fun for kids. 

School nutrition improving; students served healthier foods

When it comes to encouraging healthy habits, the nation's schools still aren't earning straight As. But with a three-year plan outlining nutritional objectives, the Fairfield Community School District is making an honest effort.

Program gets kids into fun fitness habit

More than 20,000 children from 260 area elementary schools came with their parents to get their promised medals and T-shirts — rewards for completing the Go! Kids Challenge, which requires that children log six days of 30-minute exercise periods a week.

Questioning the Value of ‘Stealth’ Veggies

While it’s always a good idea to try to improve the nutritional quality of the foods we eat, the stealth veggie strategy doesn’t teach kids to like vegetables. It just teaches them to like macaroni and cheese and brownies.

Obesity study shapes up kids

A trailblazing new study on childhood obesity shows promise in tackling the epidemic by changing a child’s environment, and hundreds of kids in Somerville have narrower waistlines to show for it.

Freshman year is fraught with nutritional perils

The "Freshman 15," named for the amount of pounds students tend to gain during their first year in college, is one of the most talked about college phenomena.

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October 05, 2007

Workout Tips: Nutrition and a Cold Bath

Matching nutrition to your fitness goals and easing discomfort after a hard workout are the subjects of two informative articles.

Linking your nutrition needs with your workouts

Many fitness experts agree that the average person who works out for about an hour a day doesn't require specialized food or drinks, especially if they're trying to lose weight.

Fitness tip: Take a cold bath

“After hard efforts you have microscopic tearing to your muscles,” said Scott. “That tearing causes inflammation, swelling, aches and pains the next day. You want to stop the bleeding and reduce the inflammation. When you use ice it starts to constrict the muscles. Then when the muscles warm up again, blood gorges into the muscles and flushes out the toxins.”

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August 28, 2007

You Are What You Eat

Three new articles explore that ever-fascinating adventure -- what we put in our mouths.

Nutrition Notes: Knowing Your Calorie Needs

Many of today's nutrition recommendations -- whether for weight control or for how much fat, vegetables or other foods fit in a healthy diet - are based on calorie needs. That's a problem, since most of us apparently cannot identify our calorie needs.

FAMILY DINNERS: Keep Them Off the Endangered Species List

Social scientists from UCLA have just completed an exhaustive study of what the typical two-income American family eats for dinner. Instead of relying extensively on take-out foods, families are making dinner at home. They aren’t cooking from scratch, but they are assembling a meal from numerous convenience products. Hamburger extender meals, pre-prepped entrees that only need to be heated and eaten, bagged salads, and frozen vegetables form the bulk of most dinner meals. 

3 On Your Side: Fast Food Breakfast Nutrition

If you're constantly on the run, chances are you've grabbed breakfast from a fast-food chain or your favorite coffee house. If you're not careful, you could be consuming most of your day's calories in that single meal.

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August 20, 2007

Back to School -- Time to Eat Right

Back to school nutrition is in the news as summer comes to a close and Labor Day approaches. For some great tips, check out these articles.

How to Avoid the 'Freshman 15': Tips from The Nutrition Twins
The Nutrition Twins offer time-tested tips to help college students be prepared and organized to fight the 'Freshman 15'.

Kellogg Unveils New US Cereal Packaging With Nutrition Data
The new packaging follows Kellogg's announcement in June that it will raise the nutritional value of cereals and snacks it markets to children.

Back to school nutrition quiz
"One of the most important messages you can deliver to your children is that all foods are permissible as long as portion sizes are appropriate."

Low-fat diets can stunt child's growth
Researchers have shown that children burn more body fat than adults for each calorie spent, which means they get rid of it more easily. They hope this information will convince parents not to go to extremes in fighting the battle of the bulge for their kids.

 

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August 11, 2007

Branding Makes It Taste Better

A new study shows that young children think foods taste better when they're in a McDonald's wrapper.

The study, by Dr. Tom Robinson, had kids sample identical foods that were either in branded wrappers or plain. Kids overwhelmingly said the branded foods tasted better. Read the details at CNN.com's Study: Food in McDonald's wrapper tastes better to kids.

Parents were quick to find some ways to exploit this information -- wrap your carrots in the Golden Arches. Tricks are for kids' nutrition outlines some fun and easy ways to get nutrition into your kids' diet, unbeknownst to them.

Finally, an editorial from The Republican deplores the study results but advocates giving your children good eating habits at the earliest possible age.

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July 30, 2007

The Language of Nutrition

Sometimes we all have trouble sorting out what people mean with various nutritional terms. Here are two great articles that give some essential definitions:

Nutrition and Health: Decoding the confusing language of vitamins: Learn more about Multi-vitamins, Vitamin C, folic acid, Calcium, Vitamin B12 and fat-soluable vitamins. 

A smart way to shape up for good: learn more about the Glycemic Index.

With nutrition, it's important to know what you're talking about!  

 

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July 09, 2007

"An Organic Cheesepuff Is Still a Cheespuff"

Time to bust some more food myths!

• Does skipping breakfast mean losing weight?

• Are calories eaten at night more fattening?

• Does fasting help rid the body of toxins?

• Does low-fat always means low calories?

• And, is organic food is always more nutritious?

For the answers, refer to Food-myth busters from the Columbus Dispatch. 

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June 25, 2007

"Have You Had Your Colors Today?"

For an innovative way to look at nutrition, don't ask, "Have you had your veggies?" but "Have you had your colors?"

Colorize your diet shows just how practical this question can be. 

"Recent studies have shown that red vegetables such as tomatoes contain lycopene, which promotes a healthy heart and memory and may help prevent prostate cancer. Meanwhile, blue and purple fruits and vegetables, such as blueberries, plums, raisins and eggplant, may slow aging. Dark green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach and mustard greens contain calcium, which promotes strong bones and teeth. Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables — cantaloupe, nectarines, papayas, peaches, peppers, pumpkins, squash and sweet corn — may protect the immune system, strengthen the heart and eyes, and lower the risk of cancer.

"Which brings us to the question mothers might ask today — not 'Have you eaten your vegetables?' but 'Have you had your colors?'"

Paint a beautiful palate for your palate with all the colors of the rainbow.  

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June 18, 2007

Summer Yummies

There's a lot of plusses to the summer, not the least of which is the wide array of fruits available.

The Friday Flyer brings us Taking full advantage of fresh summer fruits, a fun article extoling the virtues of fruit. Don't miss the recipe for Fruit Pizza!

Remember spitting watermelon seeds as a kid? Well, celebrity Chef Harry Schwartz announces his 'Fitness from the Start' National Tour promoting the health benefits of watermelon and fighting childhood obesity.

Enjoy your summer choices, and get fit.

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Kellogg Doing Its Good Deed for the Kids

You could argue that it's really up to the parents to police what their kids eat, but at least one food company is taking the reins itself to encourage better nutrition.

Kellogg, maker of Froot Loops, Frosted Flakes, Apple Jacks and the like, has agreed to raise the nutritional value of cereals and snacks it markets to children.

The company said it won't promote foods in TV, radio, print or Website ads that reach audiences at least half of whom are under age 12 unless a single serving of the product meets these standards:

• No more than 200 calories.
• No trans fat and no more than 2 grams of saturated fat.
• No more than 230 milligrams of sodium, except for Eggo frozen waffles.
• No more than 12 grams of sugar, not counting sugar from fruit, dairy and vegetables.

Kellogg said it would reformulate products to meet these criteria or stop marketing them to children under 12 by the end of 2008.

This is good news! Of course, it might have been to avoid a lawsuit, but the effect is still a good one. As an article about US Representative Ed Markey, proponent of the change and chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, says, it's Grrreat!

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May 15, 2007

Good and Good For You: Nutrition Tips for Kids

Check out these online articles fro some great tips on how to get your kids eating right.

In 5 Tips to Teach Your Kids About Nutrition, you'll learn about these essential strategies:

• Involve Kids in Purchasing
• Take a List and Stick to it
• Compare Ingredients
• Try One New Thing
• Be Positive

 

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Did You Know?: Ice Cream and Protein Facts

Do you know how much protein you should have every day per your body weight? Do you know how much of ice cream must be milk fat to be called "ice cream"?

For these and other fun facts, check out two Nutrition IQ columns in two different publications.

The Columbus Dispatch's column tells us about protein. Are the following True or False? Check out the column to be sure.

• Adults need to eat 0.08 gram of protein per day for every 2.2 pounds of ideal body weight.
• Growing children and pregnant women need more protein for every pound of body weight than adult men.
• A diet high in protein increases the body's muscle mass.
• The body converts excess protein to fat.

We learn about ice cream from The Sacramento Bee. True, or False?

• Ice cream is a good source of calcium.
• In general, less expensive ice cream has less fat.
• Federal standards require that anything labeled ice cream must be made with a minimum of 10 percent cream, milk or butter fat.
• Ice cream is low in protein.
  

Learn other important facts at the links provided.

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April 30, 2007

Fruit IQ

Do you know all there is to know about fruit? How about answering these true / false questions?

• The best way to eat a grapefuit is to use a spoon to dig out the segments.
• Green seedless grapes have more nutritional benefits than purple ones.
• Dried figs are high in sugar and calories, but they also are high in protein and fiber.
• Sweet cherries have more beta carotene than sour cherries.

For the answers to these and other challenging factoids, check out Nutrition IQ.

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April 24, 2007

Coaching for Better Nutrition

The New York Times brings us this in-depth report: Winning the Nutrition Game, With Help From a Coach.

In it, you'll read about Mariam Noorzai of Camarillo, Calif., who weighed 279 pounds but dropped to 128 pounds with the help of a personal nutrition coach.

"Nutrition coaches often rely on tests they conduct themselves, or those conducted by a physician, to determine problems related to blood sugar, hormone imbalances, cholesterol level, food allergies and even brain chemistry. ... Services from nutrition coaches range from creating meal plans to shopping with clients, cooking for them and even stocking their cupboards. For executive clients who travel often, coaches give advice about what to order at restaurants."

Like any kind of coaching, one-on-one works the best.  

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April 11, 2007

Nutrition Myth Busting

University of Nevada's Rebel Yell brings an informative article on nutrition myths.

In Rebel Nutrition: The myths about eating, you'll find the truth about:

• Brown food -- is it always whole grain?
• Are all preservatives bad?
• Is raw food always more nutritious than processed?
• Do we really need to drink 8 glasses of water every day?

Check out the article for some surprising truths about nutrition.

In related news, Fort-Wayne.com offers Nutrition – with no guilt, letting us know the secret to guilt free protein: our friends, the fish.

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April 06, 2007

Tips on Portion Control

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Old Standbys Give Good Nutrition

Eggs and peanut butter -- you can't get more basic than that.

In Both white, yolk part of egg's nutrition package, Ed Blonz from San Diego's Union-Tribune maintains that all parts of the egg are halthy. "I am wondering why you are tossing your yolks," he writes to an inquirer. "You are throwing away good food." He also answers questions about fiber and legumes, along with omega-3 in tuna packed in water. 

In Peanut butter good for gaining muscle, Colin Kennedy of the Daily Evergreen writes, "Peanut butter is high in calories, but this by no means makes it unhealthy. I wouldn’t recommend downing spoonfuls of peanut butter if your goal is to lose 10 pounds, but for those trying to gain a little muscle mass, peanut butter is an excellent way to fuel your body with the energy it needs." 

Eggs and peanut butter. They've both been around a long time. Don't leave them out of your eating regimen!

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March 13, 2007

Nutrition Myths -- Busted

Test yourself: do you know if these statements are fact or myths? Find out the answers at Nutrition myths are easy to swallow. 

1. Calories eaten at night are more fattening.

2. Fasting helps rid the body of toxins.

3. Skipping breakfast helps you lose weight.

4. Your body can't tell the difference between honey and sugar.

5. Low-fat always means low calories.

6. You can still eat shrimp and other shellfish on a cholesterol-lowering diet.

7. Multigrain foods are always made with whole grains.

8. Olive oil has fewer calories than other fats.

9. Frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh.

10. Foods boasting "0 trans fat" contain "good" fats.

11. Organic food is always more nutritious.

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February 05, 2007

Nutrition for Every Age

Here's a sampling of some of the lastest news on nutrition, especially as it relates to kids. 

New Food Pyramid Offers Building Blocks to Good Nutrition from Forbes.com:  "The new pyramid features vertical bands (rather than the old horizontal pyramid sections) in six different colors to represent different food groups and types. Orange equals grains, green is for vegetables, red is for fruits, blue represents dairy, purple is meat and beans, and yellow stands for oils." See more at MyPyramid.gov.

Raising Healthy Eaters from the Parents and Kids section of townonline.com: "So much is written these days about the epidemic of childhood obesity that it’s easy to forget that nutrition involves more than just not getting fat. Although low-fat choices are smart, parents also need to be sure their kids are getting all the nutrients they need."

Moms get nutrition, exercise lessons from sunjournal.com: "'Moms tend to be a group that is a little more interested or focused on health for their families. They are at that stage where they are more likely to change or improve their behaviors. If we move them along that continuum of behavior change they will hopefully lead the way along for others as well.'"
 

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January 08, 2007

For a New Kind of Training, Get a Nutrition Coach

You've got a personal trainer at the gym and a coach for your team. Add one more coach to make the set complete: a nutrition coach.

Nutrition coaching is seen as effective in reducing weight and staying healthy. Nutritionists give one-to-one attention that takes into account your personal lifestyle and preferences. They can take a detailed look at what you're eating and to help you determine what changees to make that will suit you best, thereby increasing the odds of your successfully achieving your goals.

NUTRITION COACHING DOES INCREASES WEIGHT LOSS SUCCESS is a press release that outlines some of the benefits of nutrition coaching.

For articles about two nutrition experts, see:

• Nutrition expert offers healthy eating advice for new year (about Laura Molseed, a registered dietitian at Del Monte Foods)

• Holistic nutrition can help you get healthier (about Kathy Shackleton, holistic nutritionist)

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January 06, 2007

Get the Most from Your Veggies

It's not just what you eat, it's how you eat it.

"The key to retaining vegetables’ nutrients is to cook them quickly and with little water," MSNBC's Avoid watering down veggie nutrition tells us. Steaming, microwaving or stir-frying are better ways to go.

Another helpful column is WRAL's Nutrition Basics for the New Year. In this blog posting, we're given a wide range of tips on how to eat all day long, from breakfast on.

Maximize your veggie power in 2007, and feel the health benefits. 

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December 30, 2006

Smart Tips for a Happy, Healthy New Year

Being SMART about your goals, deepening your understanding of your fitness regimen, and making small, incremental changes can be the keys to successful resolution-keeping.

• Fitness Guru: Get 'SMART' With Your Fitness Resolutions from Eugenie Jones

If you’d like to see your New Year’s resolutions make it past Valentine’s Day, setting "S.M.A.R.T." resolutions is the way to go. SMART resolutions are thoughtfully considered, scripted goals where the "S" stands for specific, the "M" for measurable, the "A" for attainable, the "R" for relevant and "T" for timetable.

• For the Love of Fit: Understanding can empower a fitness regimen from Milo Bryant

Too many of us are hurting our attempts at gaining better fitness because we do not understand why we are doing the exercises we do.

• When it comes to diet, simple change biggest from J.M. HIRSCH

Maybe this year try a more novel -- and more likely to succeed -- approach: small changes that are easy to live with, but that cumulatively can have significant and lasting effects on your health.

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December 27, 2006

Fitness after the Holidays

Here's a feast of fitness tips for getting back on track if the holidays threw you for a loop.

• Party's over, feasting's finished, time to pay: from Stephen Glass and Terence Rueben. Sensible tips, such as, "Frequent, small meals, at about 500 calories each, will help to reduce the amount of fat storage. 'Think of it as a "dose" of food to meet immediate needs. Too large a dose, and you store the excess as fat.'"

• Test your nutrition knowledge: from Gwen Schoen. Quick: True or false? Fast foods should not be eaten when dieting. Find the answer in Gwen's quiz on nutrution.

• Fitness for the brain: Aerobics!: from Sharon Begley. "For the first time, scientists have found something that not only halts the brain shrinkage that starts in a person's 40s, especially in regions responsible for memory and higher cognition, but actually reverses it: aerobic exercise."

So keep moving, and keep in shape!

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December 18, 2006

Nutrition Notes

Here's a sampling of some of the latest nutrition news.

There's a lot of nutrition information out there, and Americans are turning to the Internet to find it. Denver Post lists many Internet resources for nutrition in Americans hunger for nutrition, diet advice from the Internet, including Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, The Portfolio Eating Plan, and My Pyramid.

Los Angeles Times fills us in on "the rainbow effect," or how foods with widespread pigments combine to give us the most nutritional punch. "In nutrition," the article states, "there is sometimes a tendency to identify a food by a single outstanding nutrient — milk for calcium, meat for iron, orange juice for vitamin C. But in looking at foods this way, the forest may be lost for the trees. Foods are certainly more than one single component — and this is especially true for fruits and vegetables, which contain literally thousands of substances called phytochemicals, which have wide-reaching effects on health."

Finally, the Washington Times reports in Faith-based diets promote health for body and soul that "the latest crop of faith-based diet books are moving outside the realm of food and exercise, touting a more holistic approach that encourages everything from advanced hygiene, a challenge to feed the poor and a call to add prayer and meditation alongside your vegetables and hormone-free meat."

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December 04, 2006

Health-Conscious Habits Lead to Success

In two recent studies, it's been shown that health-conscious habits indicate a person is more likely to succeed in their health goals.

• Weighting oneself daily is a habit of those who are most successful at weight control, reports Karen Collins in Weight Checks: How Often? How Helpful?
  

"Recent evidence does suggest frequent weight checks influence behaviors. Weight checks allow you to catch small gains before they become large ones. That can lead to cutting back on portions and high-calorie foods or adding an extra 15 minutes of daily exercise. Data from the National Weight Control Registry suggests that people are more likely to stop and reverse small weight gains than large ones. In a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine, people who lost weight maintained their loss better by checking weight daily and changing eating or exercise anytime weight changed by more than three pounds."

• A U.S. study suggests adolescents who take multiple-vitamin supplements also tend to follow more healthful dietary and lifestyle behaviors, reports Study links diet and vitamin supplements.

"Supplement users were more likely to be physically active, have more healthful diets and participate in team and organized sports, and were less likely to be overweight and to watch more than an hour of television per day."

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November 27, 2006

Santa Claus Isn't the Only Holiday Myth

The State Journal-Register does us all a favor by busting some holiday nutrition myths: It’s time to separate nutrition fiction from fact.

So, which of these are fact, and which are fiction?

American adults gain an average of 5 to 8 pounds during the annual feasting season, the end of October through the beginning of January. FICTION. In 2000, The New England Journal of Medicine published a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health that found that although people did gain weight over the holidays, it’s only about 0.48 kilograms, or slightly over 1 pound. The problem, according to the study, is that few adults lose that extra holiday weight.

Total caloric intake for Thanksgiving Day is often more than 4,000 calories. FACT. “Many people start by snacking throughout the day, and that combined with the meal can lead to a total caloric intake of 4,500,” says Dr. Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the San Diego-based American Council on Exercise. Bryant says holiday delicacies can be enjoyed as long as they’re eaten in moderation and combined with a proper exercise plan.

Dinner isn’t a race to the finish. You’ll eat less food if you eat slowly. FACT. It takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to signal the brain that you’re full. So, chew your food thoroughly, put down your fork in between bites and savor the flavor, smell and texture of your foods. By lingering over your meal, you’ll let the body’s natural satiation mechanism work and you’ll likely eat less than if you wolf down your meal, says Katie Bogue, a registered dietitian and director of the San Diego & Imperial Counties Nutrition Network.

You can barely keep your eyes open to finish your dessert. Blame it on the turkey and all its sleep-inducing tryptophan. FICTION. Tryptophan is only one minor amino acid among many in turkey and other protein foods, and the amount eaten even in a big Thanksgiving meal is not enough to cause an appreciable effect. That lazy, lethargic feeling is more likely because of eating a high-calorie meal while imbibing alcohol.

Hide the candy canes and cookies. All that sugar will have the kids bouncing off the walls. FICTION. Contrary to what many people believe, sugar doesn’t make children hyperactive. A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine gave some kids sugared foods and others foods with artificial sweeteners. Their parents and the researchers didn’t know who was eating sugar and who wasn’t. The kids were monitored for things like irritability and hyperactivity, and no difference was found. Kids get hyper because there are other kids around; they’re excited because it’s a party.

Go ahead and have another cookie, or four or five. They’re fat-free so they’re not fattening. FICTION. Low-fat or fat-free doesn’t means no calories. Sometimes a fat-reduced food may have more calories than the full-fat version because extra sugar, flour or starch thickeners are added to make it taste better.

For other important tips, check out the entire article!

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US Navy Improves Shipboard Menus

Looks like the US Navy is trying to put the days of unappetizing and unhealthy rations behind them.

In New shipboard menu offers more nutrition, less fat, NavyTimes.com reports:

The Navy in October introduced a new and standardized menu designed to inject more health into every meal served on ships across the globe. Officials want to set a new course for a healthier fleet with a menu that incorporates some favorite foods and tried-and-true recipes but that also offers more foods that are lighter on fats and calories and dense in nutrients.

With the standardized menu, every ship in the fleet will serve the same basic meals that are healthier than what’s offered now. Gone will be the hodgepodge of meals, the disparate menus and the long list of food supplies required to sustain them.

The new menu includes chicken, beef, pork, seafood and fish dishes. Sailors will get smaller servings of some foods, such as mashed potatoes, but larger portions of items such as steamed vegetables. Sandwiches, soups, desserts, cakes and pies will remain, along with packaged items such as dry cereal. Ice cream, hot dogs and barbecued ribs remain on the menu, along with pizza. Hamburgers, too, will remain a weekly menu mainstay, but will now be made from leaner cuts of beef. 

But one thing had to go -- the Navy plans to deep-six its deep-fat fryers. 

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November 20, 2006

How to Keep Fit through the Holidays

Here's a little pre-holiday buffet of nutrition ideas:

• The Jackson Hole Star-Tribune tells how to Avoid post-holidays heftiness.
  

• No, it's not turkey that makes you sleepy! Southern Utah University brings us: Planning, preparation make a difference in season's nutrition

• Avoid diet sabotage over the holidays with these Nutrition IQ tips.
  

• And, last but not least to pet owners: Pets need to watch weight during the holidays, too.

Eat right and enjoy the holidays! Happy Thanksgiving.

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November 13, 2006

Nutrition during Pregnancy

Eating for two doesn't mean eating twice as much.

This and other helpful tidbits are from Facts and figures about prenatal nutrition by Kyra Williams, MD.

The article answers the questions:  

Other healthy eating tips include:

• Don't skip breakfast. If you wake up to morning sickness, eat a slice of whole-wheat toast or whole-grain crackers to relieve your nausea.
• Eat high-fiber foods such as whole-grain cereals, vegetables, fruit and beans.
  
• Keep healthy foods within easy reach.
  

Great tips for a healthier you, and baby, too!

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November 08, 2006

Nutrition and Supplements News

Several recent articles give great information on supplements and nutrition.

• Supplements preferred over drugs for weight loss: A recent survey shows that 34% percent of Americans trying to lose weight are using supplements rather than drugs.

• Q&As on Olive Oil, Leaner Ground Beef, and Process Cheese: Olive oil includes phenols, lean meat is leaner even after cooking, and process cheese is a blend of other cheeses.

• Iron Supplements Prevent Infertility: Harvard study suggests taking iron supplements protects against infertility.

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October 23, 2006

Want to lose weight? Be sure to get enough sleep.

"As the numbers of obese continue to rise, researchers are exploring the possible connection between obesity and how too many of us-both adults and children-are getting too little sleep," reports Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN, in her Nutrition Notes: More Studies Link Lack of Sleep to Overweight.

Consider these statistics:

• Almost one-third of adults report sleeping six hours or less a night.
• In one study of more than 900 patients ranging in age from 18 to 91, those who were overweight or obese reported fewer hours of sleep per night than those at a healthy weight.
• Compared to those who slept at least seven hours a night, adults reporting 6 hours of sleep were 23 percent more likely to be obese; those averaging 5 hours were 50 percent more likely to be obese; and those sleeping four hours or less nightly were 73 percent more likely to be obese.
• A new study of children ages 5 to 10 associated children's sleep habits with the risk of overweight or obesity.

It makes sense: lack of sleep can lead to a feeling of low energy, which can lead to trying to eat more to make up for it.

So get in a full night's sleep each night, and keep your energy level up.

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October 16, 2006

Tips: Natural Bodybuilding Diet

Did you know that... 

• ...it's best to eat before you grocery shop? 
• ...artificial sweeteners cause cravings for sugar?
• ...dehydration can be misinterpreted as hunger?
• ...a once-per-week junk food fest can keep you on the dieting straight-and-narrow? 

For these and other tips, check out:

Diet For Natural Bodybuilding – Powerful Tips You Can Use Everyday

by Mike Selscum. For more muscle building tips, visit The Muscle Guide.  

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October 02, 2006

Two New Books on Nutrition

The Deseret Morning News provides reviews of two new books on nutrition:

NUTRITION FOR DUMMIES (4th edition), by Carol Ann Rinzler, Wiley, 383 pages, $21.99

• Review: "Nutrition for Dummies" may be the go-to guide for someone who's never taken the time to figure out exactly what the nutrition facts label means.

THE POWERFOOD NUTRITION PLAN, by Susan M. Kleiner with Jeff O'Connell, Rodale, 430 pages, $19.95

• Review: "The Powerfood Nutrition Plan" has a subtitle featured prominently on the cover that promises guys they can get lots of good things, from health to brains to strength and looks — with food.

Both books sound like they are a wealth of information, so take a look the next time you're at your local bookstore or order from Amazon.

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September 26, 2006

Journaling Helps with Fitness

Trying to track down those extra calories or keep a record of your exercise regimen?

Sure, you can use an online service, or a special computer program, or even some handheld devices. But what about doing it the old-fashioned way--with pencil and paper?

NBC13.com recommends just that in its Fix Your Fitness With Pen, Paper. Exercise science instructor Jennifer Yee of Creighton University says in the article, "If you have to write it down, you're probably not going to eat it."

Writing down what you're consuming forces you to think about what you eat, along with being able to evaluate later the overall balance of your diet. It makes it easier to pinpoint deficiencies and to set goals.

A related article at Good Housekeeping says, "Seeing exactly what you put in your mouth makes you more accountable."

So sharpen those pencils and write it down!

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Coverage from Malaysia: Super Nutrition and Spirulina

For some fascinating coverage of anti-aging Super Nutrition and the supplement Spirulina, visit these articles at the New Strait Times:

• Goodness of spirulina: "Organic spirulina is called a whole food because it contains an almost complete range of nutrients. It is also a rich source of easily digested protein. It contains chlorophyll, carotenoids, minerals, gamma-linolenic acids (GLA) and some unique pigments."

• Anti-ageing through 'super nutrition': "Dr Robert I-San Lin, an expert on nutrition in health-promotion, disease-prevention, and anti-ageing, says that nutrition is the key to building a strong body, looking good and living a long life."

Posted by worldclass on 02:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 25, 2006

The Crunchy Antioxidant: Almonds

Almonds have a long history with the human race, from being considered a special luxury at weddings in the ancient Middle East to filling up today's Snickers Almond. Now they have a new claim to fame as a powerful antioxidant.

MarketDay.com reports, Almonds Join Green Tea, Broccoli as Powerful Antioxidants, "The researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University performed a groundbreaking study on the quality and amount of antioxidant compounds in California almonds. They found that almonds contain high levels of several antioxidant compounds, similar to the levels in many fruits and vegetables.

"One ounce serving of almonds provides as much of these antioxidants as found in a cup of brewed black or green tea, in addition to being an excellent source of vitamin E. Furthermore, the researchers noted that the
main antioxidant compounds found in almonds -- catechin, epicatechin and kaempferol -- are also the ones that provide the highest degree of protection against cell death from oxidants, a mechanism that appears to play an important role in reducing the risk of chronic diseases."

So munch away! 

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September 21, 2006

Getting to Know the Potato

How well do you know the potato?

In Potato 101: A vegetable of color, nutrition, you'll find out how to:

• Select potatoes (did you know green spots are bad?)
• Store potatoes (did you know not to refrigerate uncooked potatoes?)
  
• Cook potatoes (did you know you can microwave an unpeeled potato?)
  

The article states, "Americans eat more potatoes than any other vegetable, frequently in the form of fries. Frying potatoes changes a medium potato with 100 calories and no fat into a medium order of fries with about 400 calories and 5 teaspoons of fat."

For more nutrition information and healthy recipes, visit Cornell University's Cooperative Extension site. 

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Straight Talk to Kids on Nutrition

Ah, youth. Remember the days when you just thought you were immortal? 

Recent developments, though, have shown that good habits need to start when we're young. Check out these articles for great information especially pertaining to kids' health, and be sure to pass the word to any parents you know.

• Weightlifting may cut teen diabetes risk: "A small but promising study found that pudgy boys who lifted weights twice a week for four months lowered their risk for Type 2 diabetes without losing weight..."
• Straight talk on supplements: "Nutrition store owner says athletes should be chugging water, not energy drinks"
• Nutrition is sent home from school: "A new program, called ‘Kids Packs to Go” aims to bridge the gap between school and home during long holiday weekends, providing elementary school children with healthy food while they’re away from school, and educating them on nutrition and encouraging the development of healthy eating and lifestyle habits."
• More schools hire food services: "With students wanting to eat more than pizza, subs, and fries, the district put its food services program out to bid, and reached a deal..."
  

The more kids and parents know about taking care of youthful bodies, the less long-term problems we'll all have to deal with later.

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September 20, 2006

Don't Forget to Eat Your Greens!

NUTRAingredients.com reports in Salad eaters more likely to get key nutrients what many of us have long suspected: raw vegetables hold the key to many essential nutrients.

The article states, "People who eat salads have higher serum levels of vitamins C and E, folic acid, and carotenoids, according to a large study of US adults that suggests these nutrients are well absorbed in the body from raw vegetables." That's a lot of goodies packed into a very green package.

Researchers at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans based their findings on data from a federal health and nutrition survey of 17,688 US adults between 1988 and 1994. For the study, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, salad consumption was assessed based on intakes of salad, raw vegetables and salad dressing.

Some findings of interest:

• Consumption of salads or raw vegetables was 10 to 15 percent less among non-Hispanic African Americans than among non-Hispanic whites of the same age and sex.
• 4.4 percent of diseases in Europe can be attributed to diets low in fruits and vegetables.
• Since vegetables are more closely linked to reduced cancer risk than fruit, it is thought that increasing vegetable consumption should be emphasized more than fruit.

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September 19, 2006

Improve Nutrition: Make the Bad Stuff More Expensive

Want a new tactic for encouraging your employees to make heathy eating choices? Make the junk food more expensive!

In a new program at Stamford, Connecticut's Pitney Bowes, the good-for-you food is priced substantially lower than its unhealthy alternatives. In the cafeteria line, a veggie wrap stuffed with portobello mushrooms, shredded carrots and lettuce costs $2.49, chicken fingers are $3.77, and pizza tops out at $4.48. At the vending machines, apples cost 65 cents and Pop-Tarts cost 90 cents. Machines sell fried chips for 75 cents, but baked ones for 50 cents.

As reported by the Hartford Courant (and reprinted on vindy.com), "Exploding health care costs, and mounting burdens on employers to foot them, have been the main drive for the shift toward better nutrition in the workplace."

Posted by worldclass on 09:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 15, 2006

Extolling the Virtues of the Blueberry

The Rebel Yell, online edition of the University of Los Vegas newspaper, has opted to recommend something more than traditional college fare -- the blueberry.

"What's small, blue, full of Antioxidants, improves memory, protects against colon cancer and macular degeneration, lowers cholesterol, improves vision, helps your heart and is a good source of fiber?  It's not the latest pill; it's a blueberry!"

Read the complete article for more fun facts about the blueberry.

(photo courtesy Refracted Moments)

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September 13, 2006

Actually, You Can Be Too Thin

Remember the famous line from the Duchess of Windsor, "You can never be too rich or too thin"? Well, the officials at Spain's Fashion Week has said you can. At least, they're saying it's time to admit when thin is too thin.

In an industry upset this week, the top fashion show in Madrid has turned away a slew of models on grounds they are too skinny -- an unprecedented swipe at body images blamed for encouraging eating disorders among young people. (Reported by AP, and reprinted on InteliHealth.)

Last years' show had drawn protests from medical associations, so this year, the Madrid regional authorities stepped in. Using the Body Mass Index (BMI), officials determined which models would be allowed to appear.

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Healthy Eating: Not Just at Home

It's a quandary anyone who's trying to watch their calorie intake has faced -- do I risk going out to eat with friends when there may be no good choices at the restaurant?

The National Restaurant Association aims to change all that with their newest endeavor: a Website that will provide a list of healthy meals and restaurants across the country.

"While the Healthy Dining Finder site isn't as upfront as the onsite brochures and posters that health experts have called for, it is a step in the right direction, said Christine Gerbstadt, a nutritionist with the American Dietetic Association," reports the Associated Press.

While no specific date has been set for the site's launch, the press release says "mid-2006" and the demo promises extensive publicity at launch.

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September 11, 2006

New Process for Beta-Cryptoxanthin

A team of researchers from Mexico have reported a process to produce the carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin at high yields and purity for use in dietary supplements, reports NUTRAingredients-USA.com.

“The results presented are the first steps toward the design of more efficient, continuous or semicontinuous processes, suggesting a potential alternative to produce beta-cryptoxanthin for commercial production,” wrote the authors in the Journal of Food Science (Vol. 71, pp. E314-E319).

Beta-cryptoxanthin, found naturally in many citrus fruits, mangos and papaya, is a provitamin A carotenoid, meaning it is converted to vitamin A in the body. A growing number of studies have linked increased intake of the carotenoid to a lower risk of many diseases such as heart disease, skin cancer, prostate cancer, and arthritis.

Posted by worldclass on 07:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 07, 2006

Nutritious Foods Get Three Gold Stars

A new program at Hannaford Bros., a New England grocery store chain, rates its products with stars.

Under Hannaford's Guiding Stars program, more-or-less healthy products are given 1 star, better choices get 2 and the best are given 3. Foods with no nutritional value -- an example would be Doritos -- get no stars at all.

The tags appear near the prices on the shelves, not on the products themselves, and the system doesn't include for calorie count. So consumers will still need to be aware of how much they're eating. But this is a step in the right direction for reducing the percentage of Americans who are overweight.

Posted by worldclass on 04:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 06, 2006

Embassy Suites to Help Guests with Fitness

When it is a hotel more than a hotel? When it's a fitness spa and a nutrition center, too.

Embassy Suites Hotels announced today its partnership with fitness expert Rick Bradley and cookbook author Paulette Mitchell in a program especially designed for business travelers.

Drawing on research that shows that business people are 25% more stressed when traveling, Embassy Suites seeks to close that gap. Their Business Balance program, launching in 2007, will include complimentary in-suite television programming, Internet content, and other in-hotel information developed in partnership with Bradley and Mitchell. The program offers:

• Rick Bradley's 15-minute Work Out sessions available on complementary in-hotel television so guests can workout in their rooms.

• Paulette Mitchell's "What to Eat at 25,000 Feet" nutrition tips to help guests create quick, healthful meals on their way to the airport, train station or drive home.

• Each morning, guests will read Paulette's and Rick's coffee cup "Break-Facts," offering tips on how to energize the day through nutrition and exercise.

• Embassy Suites' and Rick Bradley's Internet "Bod-casts" will demonstrate quick exercises to rev up energy, stretch tired muscles and improve cardiovascular strength.

• Paulette Mitchell has evaluated the offerings at Embassy Suites' complimentary breakfast and has created the "Eat for Success" guide that customizes breakfast menus for different levels of business activities.

Definitely not business as usual.

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July 27, 2006

Increase Calories During Pregnancy

According to a new study, it's not what type of calories pregnant women eat, it's how many that makes a difference in their child's development. More is better according to a Hindustan Times article that says, "Dieting During Pregnancy May Harm Baby: Study."

Experts say, "They found that, on an average, the lower the mother's intake during pregnancy, the thicker the artery wall of the child. The link was closely correlated, with mother's eating the fewest calories producing children who had the thickest arteries." This thickening of the arteries could lead to atherosclerosis later in life: this could lead to heart attack and stroke.         

Posted by worldclass on 10:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 19, 2006

Fiber Helps Control Weight

The Hornell Evening Tribune suggests that more fiber is the key to your weight loss goals. They say, in the July 17th, 2006 edition, that most American "Dieters Fall Short on Fiber." This fact is apparently derived from a comparison of the nation's most popular diet programs and the American Dietetic Association's guidelines for daily fiber intake.

The problem, according to the Evening Tribune, "is a sad irony, since fiber makes you feel satisfied more quickly, thereby helping in weight control." Plus, fiber "promotes healthy colon function" and "helps maintain your intestinal lining."  

Posted by worldclass on 08:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 07, 2006

Eating Healthy on a Budget

Saturated fats and sugary foods are always on sale. If you follow the Coupon Mom's recipe for cutting your grocery bill in half, you'll be astounded by the amount of groceries you can buy for pennies on the dollar. The problem is, most of these deeply-discounted name brand items are not healthy for us. So how do we eat Healthy Food on an Unhealthy Budget? That's the question Get Rich Slowly tries to answer.

"Learning to eat and prepare more meals at home" is the first step in reducing undesirable calories on a budget. Get Rich Slowly recommends some recipes to help you get started. But the main thing to do when shopping is to buy plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Other ideas include replacing soda with water, learning to make pasta primavera, and preparing a cup of rice with a vegetarian stir-fry.

Posted by worldclass on 08:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 10, 2006

How To Stop Overeating

Why do people contribute more food to their waist lines than they do to their waste baskets? Are these principled over-eaters, the ones who claim to be doing their part against world hunger, really just kidding themselves? Perhaps the truth is that that last piece of cheese pizza is less satiable than the more nutritious turkey sandwhich on wheat bread. Foods with less water, protein, and fiber--like Twinkies and cheese pizza--are less likely to satisfy large appetites. Basically, stomachs will continue chirping until they get the nutrients they need.

Our bodies are born smart enough to know when enough is enough. But as Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, points out, "Babies are born knowing to eat when they are hungry, and stop when they are comfortable. But as we grow up and are exposed to fad diets, advertising, food used as a reward, etc., many of us unlearn this beautifully balanced way of eating." So re-learning what we knew at birth is the key to an empowering diet. Try these tips for getting more satisfaction from fewer calories in a WebMD weight loss clinic feature article by Magee at Medicine Net.

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May 02, 2006

Over-the-Phone Nutrition Advice

The next time you sit down to eat, take a picture of it, send it to a professional nutrition advisor, and receive personalized video feedback. That's how simple it is to meet nutrition goals with Sprint's MyFoodPhone nutrition counseling service. It costs $9.99 a month and can help you stay fit by detailing the nutritional value of every snack and meal you eat.

According to Personal Tech Pipeline, you can also monitor and store weight, exercise, and calorie-burns onto the phone for future analysis. When exercise takes you outdoors, a built-in GPS antenna can automatically calculate distance and speed information for activities like bike-riding, swimming, and running. In essence, your mobile-phone can become your personal trainer and high-tech training journal available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Posted by worldclass on 09:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 27, 2006

Download Nutrition Information To Your iPOD

You can now download detailed nutrition information onto your iPOD. The information currently covers twelve of the most popular fast food restaurants including McDonald's, Burger King, and KFC. In addition to the nutritional value of these fast food menu items, the software includes dietary definitions and nutrition guidelines.

View nutrition information by restaurant and menu item. For instance, select a Quarter Pounder from McDonald's to see the number of calories, calories from fat, total fat (g), cholesterol (mg), sodium (mg), total carbs (g), and total sugars (g) in the popular hamburger.

Posted by worldclass on 03:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 25, 2006

Lose One Pound Per Week Without Exercise

Without counting calories or without increasing exercise routines, vegetarians can drop to a healthy body weight at a rate of approximately one pound per week. This finding comes from scientific research that squares the differences between vegetarians and meat eaters once and for all.

Heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity are significantly higher in meat eaters. Not only that, but the research shows Vegan diets can increase calorie burns after meals. This means that nutrients from plants are being stored as fuel more efficiently.

Posted by worldclass on 01:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 21, 2006

American Fruits and Vegetables Nutrition Decline

Fruits and vegetables are not all they were cracked up to be. They're still the best source of nutrients, but American farmers are opting for bigger and faster instead of slower and better. That's why the nutrients in America's fruits and vegetables has steadily declined for the last 50 years.

Fruits, Vegetables Not as Nutritious as 50 Years Ago is the latest news on this unfortunate trade-off in American farming. So while Americans need to eat more fruits and vegetables than they do, they may need to make up for missing nutrients through other foods and dietary supplements.

Posted by worldclass on 01:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 20, 2006

Poor Diets in Female Athletes Risk Health

For women who maintain a Poor Diet, Training Can Cause Problems. A Herald News report warns about the serious health consequences of disorderly eating patterns. These patterns are not eating disorders, but they have similar effects.

Women athletes believe that skinnier is better, faster and stronger. But this is not the case. The real problem is that trying to make weight with disordered patterns of eating can lead to three interrelated health problems: disordered eating leads to amenorrhea (halted menstrual cycle) which leads to lower estrogen levels causing osteoporosis (weakening of bones).

Women need to eat a balanced diet full of necessary nutrients to keep them healthy. Eating healthy and training hard does not mean sacrificing performance--and even if it did, it's not worth it.

Posted by worldclass on 01:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 05, 2006

Are Beans a Meat or a Vegetable?

Whether you're talking about green beans (pictured right) or dry beans, or any kind of bean, there's some good news. Not only can a diet rich in beans reduce the risk of heart disease and certain kinds of cancer, but people who eat beans weigh less than those who don't.

Recent data shows that adults who eat beans also intake less saturated fats and they are at a lower risk for obesity. And teen bean eaters have smaller waist sizes than non-bean eaters. This data provided by the National Nutrition and Health Examination Survey was for a larger study presented at the Experimental Biology Conference in San Francisco April 1-5.

So do these nutritional super-foods belong in the meat group or the vegetable group? The USDA lists beans as both: a meat and a vegetable.

 

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March 30, 2006

Ten Cooking Tips to Reduce Fat

Here are Ten Tips to Cut Back the Fat in our diets while enjoying a sundry palette of flavorful favorites. These tips leave plenty of room for dessert too. You might consider fat-free ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbert or sorbet topped with berries or a fat-free nondairy whipped topping. The point is, you can enjoy many foods without over-loading on saturated fat.

Cooling down this spring with some frozen yogurt is just the beginning. Try chilling soups, gravies and stews, then skim off the fat that floats on top. You end up with a delicious, heart-healthy dish. Read all of these Mayo Clinic health tips and more for smarter cooking. Incorporating a couple of these tips into your food preparation can really make a difference.

Posted by worldclass on 11:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 29, 2006

New Omega-3 Pork Sausage and Bacon

Americans have sided with saturated fats in their sausage and bacon rich diets. So instead of trying to stop the consumption of bacon or sausage, scientists decided to try making bacon and sausage healthy with omega-3 fatty acids. By adding the healthy gene to the pork, Americans will actually be eating something that is good for them. However, the increased omega-3 content doesn't mean that bacon, pork, and sausage could be consumed without some consequence: the saturated fats would still exist.

Read more about how Transgenic Pigs Are Rich in Healthy Fats. While all of the benefits of omega-3s are unclear, researchers continue to experiment:

[They] created pigs that can convert their unhealthy omega-6 fatty acids into omega-3s, changing the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats by fivefold.

Posted by worldclass on 04:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Calcium and Vitamin D Can Stop PMS

Calcium and vitamin D could help prevent PMS. Researchers from Harvard, the University of Massachusetts, and the University of Iowa already knew that calcium supplements could sometimes lessen PMS symptoms. But what they really wanted to know was whether calcium and vitamin D could stop PMS altogether. While it's uncertain as to why it works, it does: calcium and vitamin D do in fact lessen the risk of PMS.

There's good advice from US News and World Report: "When it's that time of the month, drink your milk, eat your spinach, and pack a yogurt in your lunch." So instead of dreading that time of the month, you now know what to do.

Posted by worldclass on 03:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 27, 2006

The Diet War

In health news, CNN's David Williams says, "Allowing an occasional indulgence can make going without easier." Dieting is a matter of willpower over temptation. Find out how to win this epic struggle in Dieting War Strategy: Givin' In to Win.

"The fact is that anyone who loves chocolate can tell you that in some cases a sweet fruit just won't fill the void of that wonderful taste of chocolate," said Cathy Nonas, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association who works with obese patients.

Posted by worldclass on 03:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 26, 2006

Increasing Your Metabolism

Read up on a few tips and tricks to help you boost your metabolism. Metabolic rate is the speed and efficiency of the internal process of breaking down food into energy. A high metabolic rate translates into a slow rate of weight gain. Metabolic rates can be increased for higher efficiency by developing some simple eating habits. You might be surprised to find out that less isn't always more:

The problem with only eating once or twice a day is that you are contributing to the slowing of your metabolism. Your body is an amazing machine that in extreme circumstances is going to make adjustments to survive.

Learn the secrets here.

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March 22, 2006

Going Nuts for Raw Almonds

A handful of raw almonds can help maximize the amount of nutrition per calorie you eat every day. It's being called a nutritionally-dense superfood helping to curb appetites and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. This heart-healthy nut contains vegetable protein, fiber, plant sterols, and other nutrients. One ounce (about a handful) provides vitamin E, magnesium, monounsaturated fat, protein, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, and iron. This tasty snack can also help dieters maintain or lose weight.

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March 20, 2006

Atkins Diet Considered Dangerous

The Atkins diet recommends that dieters substantially decrease fruit, vegetable, and carbohydrate intake while significantly increasing saturated fat and protein intake from red meat. Dr. Tsuh-Yin Chen of Lenox Hill Hospital explains that the diet operates on the premise "that a carbo-hydrate starved body will start to burn up stored fat cells, a process called ketosis." The safety of this diet is questioned.

Doctor Lyn Steffen and Jennifer Nettleton suggest that the increased protein load and decreased carbohydrates is an unsafe compromise that is not nutritionally balanced and is "far from healthy, given their association with ketosis, constipation or diarrhoea, halitosis, headache and general fatigue to name a few."

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March 17, 2006

Cardiovascular Health

Diets low in saturated fat promote a healthy heart, low blood pressure, and low cholesterol levels. But a comparison of three healthy diets, each low in saturated fats, found that replacing carbohydrates with monosaturated fat or protein from plants is the optimal diet for a healthy cardiovascular system.

"Our study provides strong evidence that replacing some carbohydrate with either protein or monounsaturated fat has important health benefits," says internist Lawrence Appel, M.D., M.P.H., a professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and lead author of the study covered in his article in eMaxHealth called "Protein Rich Health Diets." "There is already agreement that reducing saturated fat lowers risk for heart disease, but the question of which macronutrient to emphasize has been controversial." He continues, “But the protein and monounsaturated fat diets had an edge over the carbohydrate-rich diet.”

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February 24, 2006

Managing trans fats in your diet

With the addition of trans fat amounts to food labels, consumers need to know how to regulate the quantity of trans fats in their diets. 

The amount of trans fat per serving is listed on food labels underneath total fat, along with other types of fat, like saturated, polyunsaturated or monounsaturated. Although trans fat occurs naturally in some animal fat, most trans fats in the American diet come from partially hydrogenated oils. These are vegetable oils that have hydrogen forced into their chemical structure to give them a longer shelf life before spoiling. Because hydrogenated oils harden, they can be used in margarine or shortening. Almost a third of the fat in these products is trans fat.

Many consumers are aware that trans fat is unhealthy, but researchers don’t yet agree on what amount is safe. There is no recommended limit or Daily Value (DV) for trans fat. For now, the message from nutrition experts is to get as little as you can while eating a balanced diet. You shouldn’t try to eat zero trans fat, because you would have to avoid foods that provide healthful nutrients and only trace amounts of trans fat.

Learn more at CalorieLab.

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Goodbye Gatorade, hello chocolate milk

 

If you use a sports drink to replenish lost glycogen during your workouts, you may want to reconsider.  Scientists are reporting that chocolate milk may be a more effective way to refuel:

A new study shows that plain old chocolate milk may be as good -- or better -- than sports drinks like Gatorade at helping athletes recover from strenuous exercise.

The study, published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, was small in scale; it was partially funded by the dairy industry. But dietitians say the study should help to counter the notion that high-tech, expensive supplements are better than whole foods when it comes to athletic performance. They also note that milk contains key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, in quantities that sports drinks can't match.

"[Milk] is a sports drink 'plus,'" Keith Ayoob, EdD, a registered dietitian and associate professor of pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, tells WebMD. "It will supply you with things you need whether or not you're working out."

Read Chocolate Milk: The New Sports Drink?

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February 21, 2006

The Low-Fat Debate

Earlier this month the results of an extensive study published in the Journal of American Medicine cast doubt on the power of low-fat diets to fight disease.  Among the women who participated in the study, those who followed a low-fat diet over a period of years failed to show any significant decrease in rates of breast cancer, colon cancer, or heart disease:

The new study was conducted by researchers with the Women's Health Initiative, a $415 million National Institutes of Health study of nearly 49,000 postmenopausal women.

They analyzed the health of women who ate a diet lower in fat and higher in vegetables, fruits and grains over an eight-year period. The low-fat group was compared with women on a regular diet.  

At the end of the study, the low-fat group did not show a significantly lower risk of developing breast cancer, colon cancer or heart disease and strokes.

Doctors are urging people to continue to manage the amount of fat intake in their diet in spite of these findings:

Whatever the concern, the lackluster findings do not mean people should add more fat to their diets, because some small health benefits were seen in the low-fat group, said Dr. Jacques Rossouw, the Women's Health Initiative project officer.

Notably, the low-fat eaters had lower body weight, blood pressure and "bad" cholesterol levels, he said. "I hope it [the study's findings] doesn't say to the public that oh, fat doesn't matter," he said. Read Do Low-Fat Diets Curb Disease?

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