Low-carb beats low-fat in diet duel
July 19, 2008
From NBC News
ATLANTA – The Atkins diet may have proved itself after all: A low-carb diet and a Mediterranean-style regimen helped people lose more weight than a traditional low-fat diet in one of the longest and largest studies to compare the dueling weight-loss techniques.
A bigger surprise: The low-carb diet improved cholesterol more than the other two. Some critics had predicted the opposite.
“It is a vindication,” said Abby Bloch of the Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Foundation, a philanthropy group that honors the Atkins’ diet’s creator and was the study’s main funder.
Fast Food Chains Post Calories Now
July 19, 2008
From NBC News
NEW YORK – Several big fast food chains say they have finally begun obeying a new rule requiring some New York City restaurants to post calorie counts right on the menu.
Burger King and McDonalds were among the chains that began changing their menu boards Friday after months of resistance.
A city health department rule requiring the switch has been in effect since May, but legal action delayed enforcement until now.
Less than 160 calories Desserts
July 17, 2008
From ABC News
By Loren Chidoni
When you’re squeezing into last year’s tankini, the dessert end of the freezer aisle seems taboo. But what would summer be without Popsicles and fro-yo? Sucky, that’s what.
To find frosty goodies that won’t test the limits of Lycra, we sampled 27 kinds. The result: these eight amazing, guilt-free indulgences–and one mother of an ice-cream headache.
Best For 100 Cals
Klondike Slim-a-Bear sandwiches
100 calories each, $4.30/box of 6
These creamy-on-the-inside sandwiches are the poster child for portion control: we could devour one without guilty urges to rip into a second or third.
Healthy Lifestyle Triggers Genetic Changes: Study
June 18, 2008
From abcnews.com
By Will Dunham
Comprehensive lifestyle changes including a better diet and more exercise can lead not only to a better physique, but also to swift and dramatic changes at the genetic level, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
In a small study, the researchers tracked 30 men with low-risk prostate cancer who decided against conventional medical treatment such as surgery and radiation or hormone therapy.
The men underwent three months of major lifestyle changes, including eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy products, moderate exercise such as walking for half an hour a day, and an hour of daily stress management methods such as meditation.
Burn More Calories in Less Time
June 18, 2008
From Yahoo Health
By Lucy Danziger
The way to shape up fast is no secret. Weight training will sculpt and build lean muscle, which (unlike fat) burns calories on its own; cardio (brisk walking, biking, jogging, etc.) will shed the fat hiding those defined muscles. I’m a cardio fan from way back (I love how it feels to get my heart rate up), but who wants to slog away on a treadmill in a dull gym, going nowhere fast (or slow, as the case may be)? Not me! Especially when you can spend less time and get better results.
The secret is intervals. Study subjects who spent just 20 minutes mixing sprints with jogging lost three times the fat off their legs and butt in 15 weeks, compared to those who jogged steadily for 40 minutes, research from the University of New South Wales in Sydney finds. Intervals may spark fat-mobilizing hormones, and they amp your cardio capacity so your future runs will actually feel easier.
Couch-potato culture may cut our lives short
June 12, 2008
From msnbc.om
By Jacqueline Stenson
The turning point happened last summer when Sherrie Boughter’s son came to her in tears about his weight — at 8 years old, he tipped the scales at 184 pounds.
“I weigh more than Rey Mysterio,” the professional wrestler, Justin told his mom. “You have to help me! You have to help me!” he pleaded.
“We sat and cried for an hour,” remembers Boughter, 41, who lives in Medina, Ohio.
She and her husband, Brian, sought help from the Akron Children’s Hospital Future Fitness Clinic, where she says the staff didn’t beat around the bush. While Justin didn’t have full-blown diabetes, which runs in the family, he had brown patches on the back of his neck that can be a warning sign of the disease.
Fast Food Chains Hold the Tomatoes
June 10, 2008
From abcnews.com
By Randy Gyllenhaal
Several grocery stores and fast food restaurants said Monday that they are temporarily pulling sliced tomatoes from their restaurants and shelves in the wake of a mysterious salmonella outbreak that has spread to at least 16 states.
McDonald’s, Subway, Burger King and Chipotle all announced plans to pull tomatoes from their restaurants, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said there have been 145 reported cases of salmonellosis across the country, sending 23 people to the hospital. No deaths have been reported so far. The culprit: an uncommon strain of salmonella called Salmonella Saintpaul.
The FDA has advised restaurants and retailers to remove certain types of tomatoes from their shelves and products.
Families Battle Insurers Over Eating Disorders
June 10, 2008
From abcnews.com
Janell Smith struggled with an eating disorder for months. By the time she was hospitalized, in January 2003, the 26-year-old weighed 68 pounds and needed to be put on a feeding tube to save her life.
Less than a month later, according to a lawsuit filed by her parents, Brian Smith got call from his daughter’s insurer saying she would be discharged in four days. Within days of her release, she committed suicide.
The lawsuit, which is scheduled to go to trial this month, alleges that their insurer decided to discharge Smith over her father’s protests and without consulting with her doctors, who, despite her gradual weight gain, believed she was not healthy enough to be released.
The Smiths’ case is one of several court fights around the country between insurance companies and families of those who suffer from eating disorders, who have lost loved ones or spent tens of thousands of dollars on treatment that, they claim, should have been covered by insurance.
Slow Down, You are Eating Too Fast!
June 10, 2008
From Yahoo Health
It’s tough not to rush through your meals; some days, I barely have time to sit down for lunch till 3 p.m.! But slowing down can help you slim down: Researchers from the University of Rhode Island at Kingston found that people who ate more slowly consumed 70 fewer calories per meal than speed eaters.
Instead of plowing through your meals, pace yourself using this soothing breathing technique before you start to eat: Inhale deeply through your nose, then exhale slowly. Repeat several times, says Yvonne Nienstadt, nutrition director at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Baja California, Mexico.
How one family walked off 191 pounds
June 5, 2008
From MSNBC News
By Natalie Gingerich
The Janssens are a picture of the Iowa heartland — especially at the dinner table. A true meat-and-potatoes family, they were taught to eat whatever was on their plates. And with 10 siblings, they learned early that it was better to take an extra scoop of mashed potatoes than end up hungry! Fast-forward a few decades and all that meat and potatoes (don’t forget the gravy), along with genetics, left the family with health problems, including heart disease and diabetes. Nine years ago, eldest sibling Claudia Meyer (now 65 and a Team Prevention marathoner) had a stroke, and doctors said she’d never walk again. In 2003, youngest brother Bruce passed away at age 47 from a blood clot, and a little over 2 years later sister Valerie, 57, died suddenly from a heart attack.
The family has seen no shortage of loss, but there is no shortage of love either. “It’s like having a twin with each one of our siblings,” says Nita Ott, 54.
Diet pills may harm brain development
June 5, 2008
From MSNBC News
CHICAGO – A drug from a new class of weight-loss treatments disrupted wiring needed for brain development in young mice, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday, raising concerns about using such medications in children.
Mark Bear and colleagues at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology studied the effects of a chemical that suppresses appetite by blocking cannabinoid receptors in the brain, the same brain mechanisms that make people hungry when they smoke marijuana.
“I think that the cautionary note is that these mechanisms play an important role in … brain development,” said Bear, whose study appears in the journal Neuron.
Got an urge for something weird and tasty?
June 5, 2008
From MSNBC News
By Jane Weaver
Whether it’s a green banana and bacon sandwich or peanut butter and yellow mustard, msnbc.com readers like some bizarre food combinations.
We asked you to share your food cravings and the lengths you’d go to satisfy them. We learned that a five-hour drive for a special roast beef sub isn’t out of the question, and what some folks might find, well, unappetizing can give someone else a satisfied “mmmm” feeling.
The most common cravings are for sweet or creamy foods and salty snacks, experts say. Many of you get an urgent need for combinations of salty and sweet together — like Doritos and vanilla ice cream — or salty and sour, like the pickles and potato chips that give C. Sartor of Los Angeles that feel-good feeling.
Fill your grocery cart without busting your budget
June 5, 2008
From MSNBC News
By Bridget Murray Law
The weekly trip to the grocery store is getting more expensive and there’s no relief in sight, experts say. Many shoppers are wondering how to save on their food bills, without sacrificing nutrition.
There are some strategies you can follow to help avoid grocery sticker shock, says Phil Lempert, TODAY food editor. Here’s what he suggests:List it: Shopping with a list can save you 10 percent on unnecessary items like junk food.
Buy in bulk: But don’t buy more than you’ll use. Waste is costly too.
Simpler is better: The more processed the food, the more it costs—and, generally, the less healthy it is.
Dodge impulse traps: Stores are set up to spur impulse buying. Focus on staples such as milk, eggs, bread and canned or frozen veggies and avoid tempting cookies and cakes in the deli section.
Trying to get rid of chubby cells? Fat chance
June 5, 2008
From MSNBC News
By Rachel Mahan
Want to get rid of some fat cells as you age? Fat chance.
You’re stuck with the number of fat cells you have acquired by about age 20, a new study finds.
Researchers have known that people gain and lose weight at least in part by changing how much fat is in their fat cells. The new finding is particularly important for obese people, who the researchers say can have twice as many fat cells as their lean counterparts.
Study Offers Hope For U.S. Kids’ Obesity
May 29, 2008
From cbsnews.com
The percentage of American children who are overweight or obese appears to have leveled off after a 25-year increase, according to new figures that offer a glimmer of hope in an otherwise dismal battle.
“That is a first encouraging finding in what has been unremittingly bad news,” said Dr. David Ludwig, director of an obesity clinic at Children’s Hospital Boston. “But it’s too soon to know if this really means we’re beginning to make meaningful inroads into this epidemic. It may simply be a statistical fluke.”
Overall, roughly 32 percent of children were overweight but not obese, 16 percent were obese and 11 percent were extremely obese, in a study based on in-person measurements of height and weight in 2005 and 2006.
McDonald’s Fries, Hold The Trans-Fat
May 23, 2008
From CBS News
McDonald’s said Thursday its french fries are now trans-fat-free in all its restaurants in the United States and Canada, catching it up with its fast-food rivals in that category.
CEO Jim Skinner made the word official at its annual shareholders meeting at McDonald’s Corp. headquarters in Oak Brook, Ill.
McDonald’s has lagged other restaurant operators in switching over to a zero-trans-fat cooking oil out of worries it would compromise the taste of its trademark fries. It has been under increasing pressure from consumer advocates and some public officials to make the change, but did so quietly.
Lots of water ‘is little benefit’
May 20, 2008
From BBC News
UK experts say research which finds drinking lots of water does little to improve health should not discourage people from topping up regularly.
A scientific review by the University of Pennsylvania said some people, such as athletes, may need to drink a lot.
But they found little evidence that flushing out toxins through drinking copious amounts improved health.
However, the Food Standards Agency is sticking to its recommendation to drink six to eight glasses of fluid a day.
How to Look Beautiful on Your Big Day
May 20, 2008
From foxnews.com
By Jessica Ryen Doyle
In 2005, actress Laura Linney described her Oscar-readying process as simply putting on her J. Mendel gown when it arrived.
It might be safe to assume that Linney, who is up for lead actress in Sunday’s Academy Awards, does a little more primping in preparation for Hollywood’s most glamorous night.
But you don’t have to be famous to be red-carpet ready for your big event, according to health and beauty experts.
“The most important thing to do is to make a plan and stick with it,” said Dr. Rhoda Narins, a celebrity dermasurgeon and past president of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.
Get Healthy and Fit Playing Video Game!
May 20, 2008
From cbsnews.com
By Larry Magid
Thanks to Nintendo, I now know I’m a somewhat overweight couch potato with poor balance. But there is hope. If I stick with the plan, I may lose weight, get stronger and improve my balance and posture. At least that’s the theory behind Nintendo’s innovative Wii Fit – an $89.99 game and accessory for the Nintendo Wii designed to help people of all ages and both genders get healthier. The Wii Fit was officially launched in North America on Monday and is expected in stores on Wednesday.
In addition to the CD, Wii Fit comes with a balance board that wirelessly communicates with the required Nintendo Wii Console (the list price is $249 but shortages make it hard to find at that price).
10 Minutes to Better Health
May 18, 2008
From Health 24
By Susan Erasmus
Water, water everywhere. Drink at least 6 glasses of water a day. Remember tea and coffee actually dehydrate you. That puffy look in the morning, means you are dehydrated.
Tomato trick. Tomato, in all its forms, containes lycopene, a very powerful antioxidant, which helps your body fight cancer. If you don’t like raw tomato, tomato sauce or tomato paste will have almost the same effect. You can also get it in supplement form: it’s called Lyc-O-Mato, which the manufacturers claim concentrates the lycopene from non genetically modified, organically-grown tomatoes.
Are You in Shape?
May 18, 2008
From CBS News
If you didn’t get a Presidential Physical Fitness Award in school, the government is giving you another chance to prove you’re in shape.
An adult fitness test is being introduced Wednesday by the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. It will incorporate several of the exercises that millions of students undertake each year as they aim for a certificate signed by the president.
“What were trying to do is inspire and motivate Americans to move their bodies more,” said Melissa Johnson, executive director of the council.
The test involves three basic components: aerobic fitness, muscular strength and flexibility. The test is for people 18 and older who are in good health. It was inspired by scores of baby boomers who kept asking council members whether there was a fitness test available today that was similar to the ones they took as students, Johnson said.
Infected Babies Pass HIV to Mothers
May 14, 2008
From Foxnews.com
OSH, Kyrgyzstan — Not long ago, she was a wife, mother and teacher. Now Dilfuza Mustafakulova is HIV-positive and has lost her husband and her job. Mustafakulova’s baby son was among 72 children infected with the virus at two Kyrgyz hospitals. Sixteen mothers also have contracted it — in some cases by breast-feeding their children.
The scandal has led to charges of negligence against 14 medical workers in the impoverished former Soviet republic, where investigators suspect the children were infected by tainted blood and the reuse of needles.
Although HIV infection from breast-feeding is rare, it is possible, usually when the baby has mouth sores and the mother has lesions on her nipples, according to AIDS experts. Mustafakulova, whose son was 7 months old at the time, said her breasts were cracked and bleeding.
Top 10 Worst Foods
May 12, 2008
From LifeScript
By Lisa Mosing
Chimichangas. Pork rinds. Cool Whip. These naughty nibbles make you pay with higher cholesterol, rising blood pressure and soaring numbers on the scale. With snacks like these, who needs enemies? Still, none of us are dieting angels all the time. But if you’re going to lapse, at the very least you can cut the worst offenders from your grab bag. Read on to see which foods need to stay on the forbidden list. Plus, substitutes you’ll love…
Prevent and Remove Stretch Marks
May 4, 2008
From Foxnews.com
By Karlie Pouliot
Dena Ragusa has worked hard to get her body into shape. About 12 years ago she lost 50 pounds by exercising and eating healthy — but she still wasn’t completely happy with the results.
“Even though I feel really good I have these terrible stretch marks,” Ragusa said.
“So, I’m kind of limited to the clothing and bathing suits I can wear.”
She’s not alone. For millions of women and men, stretch marks are an unfortunate part of life.
“These tears occur during periods of considerable fluctuation in weight including pregnancy, bodybuilding, yo-yo dieting and adolescent growth spurts,” said Ariel Ostad, a cosmetic and dermatologic surgeon in New York City.
Study Gives The Skinny On “Fit And Fat”
May 2, 2008
By Kelli Stacy
Regular exercise has long been touted as the key to a healthy heart, but a new study shows it is unlikely to fully reverse a woman’s chances of heart disease if she is carrying extra weight.
Researchers report in the April 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine that although physical activity definitely helps improve cardiovascular health, such exercise does not “eliminate the negative effects of being overweight.”
The findings underscore the importance of being fit and trim and cast doubt on the newer notion that it’s possible to be “fit and fat.” Both obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are modifiable risk factors for coronary heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women in the United States.
Longer Sleep=Less Obesity
May 2, 2008
By Kelli Stacy
The number on your bathroom scale may have a lot to do with how much shut-eye you get each night.
A new study in the journal Sleep upholds the widely accepted notion that body weight plays a large role in how well a person sleeps. Francesco P. Cappuccio, MD, of Warwick Medical School in England, and colleagues reviewed worldwide literature regarding obesity and short sleep duration in children and adults to determine if existing evidence supported a link between short sleepers and obesity.
The researchers’ analysis showed a “striking, consistent” pattern of increased odds of being a short sleeper if you are obese regardless of age. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, you are a short sleeper if you regularly sleep fewer hours than the average member of your age group. For this analysis, short sleep was defined as five hours or less for adults and less than 10 hours for children.
Easiest Way to Lose Weight? Just Stand-up
May 1, 2008
By LEE DYE
Scientists have found intriguing evidence that one major reason so many people are overweight these days may be as close as the seat of their pants. Literally. According to the researchers, most of us sit too much.
In most cases, exercise alone, according to a team of scientists at the University of Missouri, isn’t enough to take off those added pounds. The problem, they say, is that all the stuff we’ve heard the last few years about weight control left one key factor out of the equation. When we sit, the researchers found, the enzymes that are responsible for burning fat just shut down.
Quick Tips to Build Muscle Naturally
May 1, 2008
By Maria Esposito
Even if you aren’t a player, you still may be looking into the mirror and thinking about how to get rid of that extra flab and tone up those muscles before swimsuit season begins. Since there aren’t too many weeks left, you need a safe, effective and natural way to accomplish your goal. The solution to your search is weight training.
While any kind of exercise benefits the body, when it comes to changing the way your body looks, weight training provides the best results.
Debbie Mandel, author of “Turn On Your Inner Light: Fitness for Body, Mind and Soul,” and host of “Turn On Your Inner Light” on Radio WGBB 1240AM in Freeport, N.Y., gave FOXNews.com these five tips for gaining muscle.
Diet Plan that Fits Your Personality
May 1, 2008
Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
Author Robert F. Kushner, MD, teaches medicine at Northwestern University and is director of the Wellness Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. After seeing a lot of people who wanted — and needed — to lose weight, Kushner realized there’s no one-size-fits-all diet.
The Personality Type diet asks readers to answer 66 questions about their habits and attitudes toward eating, exercise, and coping. Based on the scores, a person falls into one or more “categories. For example, when it comes to eating, a person may be a “Mindless Muncher;” when it comes to exercise, an “All-or-Nothing Doer;” in coping, a “Can’t-Say-No Pleaser.”
Want Flat Belly? Five Secret Foods
May 1, 2008
By webmd.com
These ingredients hold the power to truly transform your body, not to mention lengthen your life. The secret is their magical “MUFA” (Aka good fat!)
To the ancient Greeks, olive oil was liquid gold. For the Aztecs, chocolate was sacred. Almonds were prized by Egypt’s pharaohs, and avocados have symbolized fertility for centuries. These can’t-live-without-’em foods share more than history; they also share unique health properties. They’re packed with monounsaturated fatty acids (also known as MUFAs, pronounced MOO-fahs), those good-for-you fats that protect you from chronic disease and, according to new research, can help you lose fat, specifically around your middle.
