Showing posts with label by. Show all posts
Showing posts with label by. Show all posts
42 of Americans Obese by 2030 Says Doc Oc
Sunday, May 18, 2014
According to the National Institute of Health, being overweight and obese is the second leading cause of preventable death in the US. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of US predicts that in the next 18 years the number of obese people in the US is expected to rise to 42 per cent of the adult population.That means about 32 million more Americans will become obese by 2030 compared to current levels the proportion of Americans who are severely obese, meaning more than 100 pounds overweight, will reach 11 percent, about double the current rate.
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| Is this the future of Spider-man |
The reports authors give a sobering price tag for these predictions, such an increase would create $550 billion of obesity-related health care costs. It costs hundreds of billions of dollars each year and leads to deadly chronic diseases. But who is to blame for the US obesity epidemic?
The report was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and was released at the CDCs Weight of the Nation conference, a gathering focused on the impact of the obesity epidemic. The authors analyzed data collected from each state and made projections based on a number of factors influencing obesity rates, including the cost of healthy and unhealthy foods, gas prices and Internet access. "Predicting obesity is tricky and no one variable showed up as causing obesity, said one of the author.
The report was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and was released at the CDCs Weight of the Nation conference, a gathering focused on the impact of the obesity epidemic. The authors analyzed data collected from each state and made projections based on a number of factors influencing obesity rates, including the cost of healthy and unhealthy foods, gas prices and Internet access. "Predicting obesity is tricky and no one variable showed up as causing obesity, said one of the author.
One of the authors of the report, said the prospect of such increasing rates, particularly those of severely obese Americans, is alarming since efforts aimed at helping people lose weight have so far proven relatively ineffective. "Their weight continues to increase. Over the last 10 years, it has gone up tremendously," he said in a press conference. "This is a group at great risk of health complications, and yet they are increasing at an even greater rate than the rate of obesity."
Barbara Moore, the president of Shape UP America! at national campaign to raise awareness about obesity as a health issue said "Obesity is caused by a perfect storm of a multiplicity of factors and not one factor is going to be entirely responsible for this problem … personal choice and responsibility does play a part but a part of many other factors."
Although recent data suggest that rates of obesity have reached a plateau, current rates of obesity are still alarmingly high. About 34 percent of adults are currently obese, creating a whole host of expensive, chronic health problems, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
The reports authors said a number of factors could lead to the predicted rise in obesity. About two-thirds of Americans are currently overweight and could continue to gain weight and move into the obese category.
THE STATE OF OBESITY IN THE US:
Institute of Medicine (IoM) released a report that rejects the idea that obesity is largely the result of a lack of willpower and personal responsibility of the people of America. US has an obesity-promoting environment, an average person cannot maintain a healthy weight.
THE STATE OF OBESITY IN THE US:
- About 35.7 per cent of the adult American population suffers from obesity now.
- Over 42 per cent of adult Americans will be obese in 2030
- Percentage of severely obese to double between 2010 and 2030, growing from five per cent to 11 per cent by 2030
- Non-Hispanic blacks have the highest obesity rates at 44.1 per cent
- Treating additional obese people to cost $550bn over 20 years
- Medical-related costs of obesity estimated at $150 bn a year
- Obesity costs account for about nine per cent of annual medical costs
- At least 30 per cent of the populace is obese in most US southern states - Mississippi has the highest rate at 34 per cent
- The western US has the lowest obesity rates, with Colorado at 21 per cent
Institute of Medicine (IoM) released a report that rejects the idea that obesity is largely the result of a lack of willpower and personal responsibility of the people of America. US has an obesity-promoting environment, an average person cannot maintain a healthy weight.
IoM Suggested some dramatic measures and changes, Recommends schools be the focus for anti-obesity efforts, It wants schools to ensure quality physical activity and awareness of nutritional standards among children, about 50 percent of severe obesity in adults is consequence of obesity in childhood. Currently about 17 percent of children and adolescents are obese. Anti-obesity measures such as better urban design, access to recreational facilities, workplace health promotion and new drugs could help reign in the problem.
IoM blamed Us farm policy, Lawmakers and food industry for obesity epidemic.
US FOOD INDUSTRY LOBBY:
- The industry is worth about $1.5 trillion annually
- About $175m has been spent on lobbying since 2009, including an effort to defeat proposed sugary-drinks tax that was led by Coca-Cola and Pepsi
- Lobbyists spent more than $40m to defeat the sugary-drink tax - they defeated the soda tax initiatives in 23 US states
- The industry spent close to $1m fighting school menu changes
- In US schools, tomato sauce on pizza is counted as a vegetable
- In 2011 McDonalds Corp spent over $1.5m on lobbying efforts, Nestle spent close to $4m
The IoM panel also suggested to tax sugar-sweetened beverages, as their link to obesity is stronger than that of any other food or beverage.
Asthma can be cured by itself when an adult child
Friday, May 16, 2014
Asthma can be cured by itself when an adult child - Asthma sufferers would be so excruciating, especially if the affected are children. However, a recent study indicates that asthma can be cured by itself when the children get older. Unfortunately, the possibility of recovering this only occurs in one in five children affected by asthma.
Even so, it would not seem to apply to girls who had asthma as allergic to furry animals like dogs and cats. Research has shown that girls with the allergy to heal on its own as an adult is quite small.
These results were found after Swedish researchers followed 200 children with asthma. When 19-year-old, 21 percent of children has decreased asthma symptoms. They no longer frequent shortness of breath and did not need the inhaler device. Decrease in these symptoms is more common in boys.
"The sensitivity of the furry animals and asthma are more acute at the age of seven to eight years did not decline as adults," said study author Dr. Martin Anderson from the Obstructive Lung Disease in Northern Sweden, as reported by U.S. News.
Many children who have asthma as a child had fallen when grown. But doctors rarely consider it a cure for fear of asthma will appear again when the children met with asthma triggers. Researchers found that the reduction rate can range between 16-60 percent in adolescents.
This study provides hope for parents to see their children recover from asthma. However, this study also did not provide a guarantee. Unfortunately, this study did not clarify whether the treatment of asthma like allergy shots can affect the possibility of recovery from asthma in the future.
Even so, it would not seem to apply to girls who had asthma as allergic to furry animals like dogs and cats. Research has shown that girls with the allergy to heal on its own as an adult is quite small.
These results were found after Swedish researchers followed 200 children with asthma. When 19-year-old, 21 percent of children has decreased asthma symptoms. They no longer frequent shortness of breath and did not need the inhaler device. Decrease in these symptoms is more common in boys.
"The sensitivity of the furry animals and asthma are more acute at the age of seven to eight years did not decline as adults," said study author Dr. Martin Anderson from the Obstructive Lung Disease in Northern Sweden, as reported by U.S. News.
Many children who have asthma as a child had fallen when grown. But doctors rarely consider it a cure for fear of asthma will appear again when the children met with asthma triggers. Researchers found that the reduction rate can range between 16-60 percent in adolescents.
This study provides hope for parents to see their children recover from asthma. However, this study also did not provide a guarantee. Unfortunately, this study did not clarify whether the treatment of asthma like allergy shots can affect the possibility of recovery from asthma in the future.
Sweetened Beverages Increase Heart Disease Risk in Men by Twenty Percent
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Researchers publishing the results of a study in the prestigious American Heart Association journalCirculation have found that men who drank a 12-ounce sugar-sweetened beverage a day had a 20 percent higher risk of heart disease compared to men who didnt drink any sugar-sweetened drinks. This should come as no surprise as sweetened (and calorie-free) beverages have come under scrutiny for contributing to increased risk of potentially fatal conditions such as diabetes, dementia, stroke, liver necrosis (fatty liver), overweight and obesity.
Excess glucose in the bloodstream is easily converted to triglycerides by the liver and promptly stored as fat, typically around the waistline for use during leaner times. This survival mechanism worked very well for our ancestors of several hundred generations past, but times of plenty now exist regularly, several times each day for most.
Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Boost Blood Fats to Significantly Increase Heart Disease Risk
Humans were never metabolically wired to consume the large amount of nutrient-poor calories as we do today, and it is leading to an early grave for millions. The bottom line is simple: eliminate calories from sugar-sweetened beverages and lower your risk of heart disease by one-fifth.
Humans were never metabolically wired to consume the large amount of nutrient-poor calories as we do today, and it is leading to an early grave for millions. The bottom line is simple: eliminate calories from sugar-sweetened beverages and lower your risk of heart disease by one-fifth.
Researchers reviewed the beverage consuming habits of 42,883 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, and after controlling for risk factors including smoking, physical inactivity, alcohol use and family history of heart disease, they determined that daily consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages resulted in a twenty percent increase in cardiovascular disease. Scientists found that less frequent consumption, on the order of twice weekly to twice monthly did not increase risk.
Eliminate Sugary Drinks in Favor of Water, Green and White Teas
Lead study author, Dr. Frank Hu and his team from the Harvard School of Public Health measured blood markers for cardiovascular disease in the group such as C-reactive protein (CRP), potentially damaging blood fats including triglycerides and oxidized LDL cholesterol as well as good lipids known as high-density lipoproteins (HDL). They found that compared to a group of non-sweetened beverage drinkers, the test participants had significantly elevated levels of triglyceride, CRP and lower HDL levels.
Lead study author, Dr. Frank Hu and his team from the Harvard School of Public Health measured blood markers for cardiovascular disease in the group such as C-reactive protein (CRP), potentially damaging blood fats including triglycerides and oxidized LDL cholesterol as well as good lipids known as high-density lipoproteins (HDL). They found that compared to a group of non-sweetened beverage drinkers, the test participants had significantly elevated levels of triglyceride, CRP and lower HDL levels.
These findings are to be expected with excess consumption of glucose. Excess sugar in the blood, when not required for energy to fuel metabolic processes is rapidly converted to free circulating blood fats and then stored as body fat. High levels of LDL cholesterol become oxidized (making the lipoprotein molecules sticky) where they are easily combined with calcium and other materials in the blood and are incorporated into atherosclerotic plaque. Most health-minded people will eliminate sugar-sweetened beverages entirely from their diet, as well as dramatically reduce all sources of quick-releasing ined carbohydrates to dramatically lower their risk of heart disease.
Prevent obesity in children by 5 steps
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Prevent obesity in children by 5 steps - Obesity can affect anyone. Both young and old. Even with the rise of fast food this time, the children susceptible to obesity. Its a very unfortunate thing because obesity can lead to some serious diseases that will attack the obese children.
Obesity in children can be prevented as early as possible. As a parent you can prevent it by following these 5 easy steps as has been reported from galtime.com.
1. Provide healthy food at home
Healthy foods like fruits can replace those unhealthy snacks. Potato chips, chocolate, and candy is a small portion of the sample snacks kids love. To make it look attractive, you can make a fruit salad that favored child.
2. Limit your time watching TV and playing games
Both of the above activities is the kind of activity that did not make the body of your baby move. In fact, in order to prevent obesity, the children have to do a healthy activity to burn calories. Theore limit the time watching television and playing games on the computer and get them to play outside the house.
3. As a mother, you have to be diligent cooking
If you are diligent cooking for your baby then less likely to eat fast food filled with additives that trigger obesity. Moreover, by cooking your own meals then you can create a healthy menu for the little guy.
4. Diligently visited the doctor nutrition
Nutrients will help your doctor to determine what nutrients and how much amount is needed by your baby. With proper nutrition then your baby will avoid obesity
5. Be a good example for your child
You forbid your children to eat unhealthy food, but instead your own doing. Well , usually the child will imitate the behavior of their parents. Theore, if you forbid your children to snack at random then you also have to consequently.
However, if obesity has attacked your child , take her to speak. Tell that obesity can be removed with exercise and a healthy diet. Encourage your child not even blame the obesity he experienced.
Obesity in children can be prevented as early as possible. As a parent you can prevent it by following these 5 easy steps as has been reported from galtime.com.
1. Provide healthy food at home
Healthy foods like fruits can replace those unhealthy snacks. Potato chips, chocolate, and candy is a small portion of the sample snacks kids love. To make it look attractive, you can make a fruit salad that favored child.
2. Limit your time watching TV and playing games
Both of the above activities is the kind of activity that did not make the body of your baby move. In fact, in order to prevent obesity, the children have to do a healthy activity to burn calories. Theore limit the time watching television and playing games on the computer and get them to play outside the house.
3. As a mother, you have to be diligent cooking
If you are diligent cooking for your baby then less likely to eat fast food filled with additives that trigger obesity. Moreover, by cooking your own meals then you can create a healthy menu for the little guy.
4. Diligently visited the doctor nutrition
Nutrients will help your doctor to determine what nutrients and how much amount is needed by your baby. With proper nutrition then your baby will avoid obesity
5. Be a good example for your child
You forbid your children to eat unhealthy food, but instead your own doing. Well , usually the child will imitate the behavior of their parents. Theore, if you forbid your children to snack at random then you also have to consequently.
However, if obesity has attacked your child , take her to speak. Tell that obesity can be removed with exercise and a healthy diet. Encourage your child not even blame the obesity he experienced.
Moderate coffee consumption may reduce risk of diabetes by up to 25 percent
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Drinking three to four cups of coffee per day may help to prevent type 2 diabetes according to research highlighted in a session report published by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC), a not-for-profit organisation devoted to the study and disclosure of science related to coffee and health.
Recent scientific evidence has consistently linked regular, moderate coffee consumption with a possible reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. An update of this research and key findings presented during a session at the 2012 World Congress on Prevention of Diabetes and Its Complications (WCPD) is summarized in the report.
The report outlines the epidemiological evidence linking coffee consumption to diabetes prevention, highlighting research that shows three to four cups of coffee per day is associated with an approximate 25 per cent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared to consuming none or less than two cups per day1. Another study also found an inverse dose dependent response effect with each additional cup of coffee reducing the relative risk by 7-8 per cent2.
Whilst these epidemiological studies suggest an association between moderate coffee consumption and reduced risk of developing diabetes, they are unable to infer a causal effect. As such, clinical intervention trails are required to study the effect in a controlled setting. One prospective randomized controlled trial3, tested glucose and insulin after an oral glucose tolerance test with 12g decaffeinated coffee, 1g chlorogenic acid, 500 mg trigonelline, or placebo. This study demonstrated that chlorogenic acid, and trigonelline reduced early glucose and insulin responses, and contribute to the putative beneficial effect of coffee.
The report notes that the association between coffee consumption a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes could be seen as counter intuitive, as drinking coffee is often linked to unhealthier habits, such as smoking and low levels of physical activity. Furthermore, studies have illustrated that moderate coffee consumption is not associated with an increased risk of hypertension, stroke or coronary heart disease4 ,5, 6. Research with patients with CVD has also shown that moderate coffee consumption is inversely associated with risk of heart failure, with a J-shaped relationship7.
Finally, the report puts forward some of the key mechanistic theories that underlie the possible relationship between coffee consumption and the reduced risk of diabetes. These included the Energy Expenditure Hypothesis, which suggests that the caffeine in coffee stimulates metabolism and increases energy expenditure and the Carbohydrate Metabolic Hypothesis, whereby it is thought that coffee components play a key role by influencing the glucose balance within the body. There is also a subset of theories that suggest coffee contains components that may improve insulin sensitivity though mechanisms such as modulating inflammatory pathways, mediating the oxidative stress of cells, hormonal effects or by reducing iron stores.
Not affected by the other body if youre a beginner
Saturday, April 26, 2014
I know its very rare that you go to the gym is not affected by other body, where the magnitude of their bodies and their ability to carry heavy weights too.
But everyone of us has a special ability and a special force different from the others, so it is not important bearing sleeve, but it is always important to be caul on your continued bodybuilding exercises.
From there might be someone stronger to you, but that means hes better than you?, Of course not, but that means he has continued where they are a short period or longitudinal, but the most important is to continue.
You do not rehearse in order to be a hero in lifting weights, but only to improve the shape and strength of your body.
Try to get rid of worrying about how much weight you can or you can not drive.
Also see during the period of practice, some of the people practicing 6 or 7 exercises for muscle and only one, but this is mad
They always marvel and wonder why their bodies do not grow?
The answer is because they follow the style is Magdy, it may be that their bodies more harm than benefit them
You must be exercised 3 exercises per muscle max.
At the end of my talk I advise you to
1 - do not bother you carry, but cared only muscle workout constantly
2 - continue to insist on exercise, no matter how long period of time even if the year
3 - settled only three exercises maximum (per muscle).
Vintage Cookbook Hoedown The Quick Cookbook 1961 by Lois S Kellogg
Friday, April 25, 2014
This article first appeared in February 2010.
A few months ago, I fell into possession of The Quick Cook Book by Lois S. Kellogg, a 1961 paperback filled with hundreds of convenient and occasionally jaw-dropping recipes.
There are Mayonnaise Mounds. There are Corned Beef Cobblers. Theres even Prune Whip. And Im pretty sure we can trace Americas obesity problems directly to the Canned Chicken section.
To be fair to Lois, she seems to specialize in baking. The cake and cookie recipes look tasty and are mostly made from scratch. Some arent, but ... well get to that later.
First, lets pretend were hosting a party on Mad Men. And what better way to kick off a soiree than Cholives?
Of course, if youre not fond of olive and cheddar finger foods, deep-fried whole chicken sandwiches make an excellent light appetizer.
The meal really begins with soup. Tomatoes and pineapples are delicious, inexpensive, and come in cans. They should be lovely together.
Side dishes are vital to the success of any meal. I like to make a lot of them, since theyre less expensive than meat.
Id love to serve macaroni and cheese, but I find the garish yellow hue too distressing. How do I cope?
Of course, the most distressing part of hosting a party is that I never know what to serve for the main course. Jellied Meat Loaf? Corned Beef Corn Ring? Ham Wheel Pie? Corned Beef Cobbler? So many options, and all on the same page...
I know! Well do breakfast for dinner! With a twist!
Its important to end the meal with a wholesome, appealing dessert. Since I believe halitosis is a myth, (like morally upright socialists), this should fit the bill!
You know, Onion Ice Cream is definitely going on the menu, but Bob really pers treats that keep him regular. Maybe this would please him?
As for my son ... be caul, Danny. This peach pie is "Different" from all the other peach pies. Youre such a good student. Dont let it ruin your future.
And to cap it all off, coffee. But drinking it just seems so ... pedestrian. Isnt there a better way to get that caffeine fix?
Mmm ... delicious. I bet the Jell-O company will pay me at least one hundred dollars for this recipe.
Cheers, everyone!
~~~
If you like this article, you might also like:
- 11 Things Dwight K. Schrute Taught Me About Food and Frugality
- The Argument for Spending More on Food
- The Dos and Donts of Buying a Cookbook
Saturday Throwback How to Tell if a Recipe is Cheap and Healthy Just by Looking at it
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Every Saturday, we post a piece from the CHG archives. This one comes from June 2009.
Though it might seem intuitive, determining a recipe’s cost and nutritional value can get pretty complicated, pretty quickly. Ingredient prices can add up before you know it, and a combination of fats, meats, and cheeses will take a toll on your calorie count without even registering on your radar. And sometimes, even the most harmless-looking dishes, like All Recipes’ Greek Pasta Salad with Shrimp, Tomatoes, Zucchini, Peppers, and Feta, can run you $2 and 42 grams of fat per serving.
So, how can you tell if a dish is good for you, just by looking at it? How can you avoid the pitfalls of secretly fatty and financially unsound food? How can you err on the side of caution when it comes to cooking?
Look no further, sweet readers. We’ve got you covered. If your recipe source doesn’t give a nutritional breakdown and you’re unsure of the potential cost, these tips will help you decide whether the money/waistline expenditures are worth the trouble. If you have any suggestions, be sure to include them in the comment section.
DO choose your source wisely. Man, I love Paula Deen. Her food looks stupendous and she’s endlessly entertaining – like Yo Gabba Gabba if it was a charmingly cackley southern woman. That said, her concoctions might not be the best choice for those concerned about weight. If you know you’re looking for healthier recipes, sources like Everyday Food, Cooking Light, and Eating Well will generally be more helpful than the Neelys or the Two Fat Ladies. Likewise, reproducing a dish from Grant Achatz’s Alinea cookbook will probably run you a pretty penny compared to the average Cook’s Illustrated meal. Starting your search with a website, cookbook, or blog aimed at your requirements is half the battle.
DO check the number of servings. Once you have a recipe in mind, before you do anything else, check how many people it’s supposed to sate. Fourteen ounces of flank steak does little damage split among eight eaters, but can destroy diets if it’s meant only for two.
DO read the ingredient list caully. After the serving size, the ingredients are the most important determinant of the cost and nutritional value of a recipe. Scan the rundown, look for a few keywords (many of which are listed below), and be extra aware of extravagant or difficult-to-find foods for your area, which will drive up the price.
DO consider recipes with one or two out-of-the-box ingredients. In small doses, odds are it/they won’t break the bank, and you can incorporate new flavors into your repertoire. Lemongrass? Meyer lemons? Lemon basil? Sure, why not?
DON’T dismiss a long list of ingredients outright. Lighter foods like Bon Appetit’s Turkey Chili with Beans frequently require multiple, inexpensive spices and flavorings to make up for the absence of fat. While their sheer number can seem pretty intimidating, don’t fret. Oftentimes, these foods can be found right in your pantry for minimal cost.
DO count the number of ingredients already in-house. Speaking about that pantry, recipes based on dry goods will usually be cheaper than ones requiring a trip to the supermarket. Look for meals that use rice, beans, pasta, and other staples as jump off points, and go from there.
DO opt for whole food ingredients. If it can be found in the outer aisles of your supermarket, it’s probably a good start to a meal. Fresh fruits, veggies, and lean meats give recipes more bang for the buck, and almost guarantee a healthier overall experience. Fewer preservatives and extra-excellent flavor are just bonuses.
DON’T choose recipes made from processed food. The less ingredients are handled by humans, the better. Why? Well, in general, heavily processed and pre-cut edibles are more expensive and worse for you than the aforementioned whole foods. Semi Homemade-style meals may be convenient, but when you’re sacrificing money, nutrition, and taste, is it worth it?
DO watch out for lots of meat and cheese. In moderation, neither of these is anything to fear. But prices and calories rise when a meal centers on multiple cups of frommage or large cuts of beef or pork. Instead, search for recipes where meat and cheese are add-ons instead of the main event. You’ll save all around.
DO calculate about 12 or 13 grams of fat per tablespoon of butter or oil. When doing a cursory scan of any recipe, I take extra care to check the total cooking fat. If there’s a lot, but it can be easily reduced (like in sautés), I keep going. If there’s a lot, but the amount is set in stone (as in some baking), I move along to the next dish.
DON’T rule out all fatty ingredients. Nuts, olives, avocados and certain oils aren’t low-fat foods, but they’re healthy ones because of the vitamins and minerals they offer. Relatively inexpensive and often pivotal to a dish’s overall flavor, they should be incorporated into any diet in moderation.
DO look for words like: baked, roasted, steamed, grilled, or sautéed. These cooking techniques tend to use less fat than others while still producing flavorful foods. Steaming and boiling are good keywords as well.
DON’T choose recipes with the words: fried, au gratin, cream sauce, bisque, bacon-wrapped, or lard. Each of these terms implies one thing: fat. If you’re serious about watching your weight, there are lighter recipes for certain dishes (Spaghetti Carbonara, etc.), but straight-up lobster bisque will do a number on your numbers.
Confusing? Maybe. Do-able? Definitely. With some practice, these rules will get easier to use. And in the end, you’ll have no problem telling the difference between the recipe you really want and the recipe you thought you wanted.
Readers, fire away in the comment section.
~~~
If you liked this article, you might also dig:
Though it might seem intuitive, determining a recipe’s cost and nutritional value can get pretty complicated, pretty quickly. Ingredient prices can add up before you know it, and a combination of fats, meats, and cheeses will take a toll on your calorie count without even registering on your radar. And sometimes, even the most harmless-looking dishes, like All Recipes’ Greek Pasta Salad with Shrimp, Tomatoes, Zucchini, Peppers, and Feta, can run you $2 and 42 grams of fat per serving.
So, how can you tell if a dish is good for you, just by looking at it? How can you avoid the pitfalls of secretly fatty and financially unsound food? How can you err on the side of caution when it comes to cooking?
Look no further, sweet readers. We’ve got you covered. If your recipe source doesn’t give a nutritional breakdown and you’re unsure of the potential cost, these tips will help you decide whether the money/waistline expenditures are worth the trouble. If you have any suggestions, be sure to include them in the comment section.
DO choose your source wisely. Man, I love Paula Deen. Her food looks stupendous and she’s endlessly entertaining – like Yo Gabba Gabba if it was a charmingly cackley southern woman. That said, her concoctions might not be the best choice for those concerned about weight. If you know you’re looking for healthier recipes, sources like Everyday Food, Cooking Light, and Eating Well will generally be more helpful than the Neelys or the Two Fat Ladies. Likewise, reproducing a dish from Grant Achatz’s Alinea cookbook will probably run you a pretty penny compared to the average Cook’s Illustrated meal. Starting your search with a website, cookbook, or blog aimed at your requirements is half the battle.
DO check the number of servings. Once you have a recipe in mind, before you do anything else, check how many people it’s supposed to sate. Fourteen ounces of flank steak does little damage split among eight eaters, but can destroy diets if it’s meant only for two.
DO read the ingredient list caully. After the serving size, the ingredients are the most important determinant of the cost and nutritional value of a recipe. Scan the rundown, look for a few keywords (many of which are listed below), and be extra aware of extravagant or difficult-to-find foods for your area, which will drive up the price.
DO consider recipes with one or two out-of-the-box ingredients. In small doses, odds are it/they won’t break the bank, and you can incorporate new flavors into your repertoire. Lemongrass? Meyer lemons? Lemon basil? Sure, why not?
DON’T dismiss a long list of ingredients outright. Lighter foods like Bon Appetit’s Turkey Chili with Beans frequently require multiple, inexpensive spices and flavorings to make up for the absence of fat. While their sheer number can seem pretty intimidating, don’t fret. Oftentimes, these foods can be found right in your pantry for minimal cost.
DO count the number of ingredients already in-house. Speaking about that pantry, recipes based on dry goods will usually be cheaper than ones requiring a trip to the supermarket. Look for meals that use rice, beans, pasta, and other staples as jump off points, and go from there.
DO opt for whole food ingredients. If it can be found in the outer aisles of your supermarket, it’s probably a good start to a meal. Fresh fruits, veggies, and lean meats give recipes more bang for the buck, and almost guarantee a healthier overall experience. Fewer preservatives and extra-excellent flavor are just bonuses.
DON’T choose recipes made from processed food. The less ingredients are handled by humans, the better. Why? Well, in general, heavily processed and pre-cut edibles are more expensive and worse for you than the aforementioned whole foods. Semi Homemade-style meals may be convenient, but when you’re sacrificing money, nutrition, and taste, is it worth it?
DO watch out for lots of meat and cheese. In moderation, neither of these is anything to fear. But prices and calories rise when a meal centers on multiple cups of frommage or large cuts of beef or pork. Instead, search for recipes where meat and cheese are add-ons instead of the main event. You’ll save all around.
DO calculate about 12 or 13 grams of fat per tablespoon of butter or oil. When doing a cursory scan of any recipe, I take extra care to check the total cooking fat. If there’s a lot, but it can be easily reduced (like in sautés), I keep going. If there’s a lot, but the amount is set in stone (as in some baking), I move along to the next dish.
DON’T rule out all fatty ingredients. Nuts, olives, avocados and certain oils aren’t low-fat foods, but they’re healthy ones because of the vitamins and minerals they offer. Relatively inexpensive and often pivotal to a dish’s overall flavor, they should be incorporated into any diet in moderation.
DO look for words like: baked, roasted, steamed, grilled, or sautéed. These cooking techniques tend to use less fat than others while still producing flavorful foods. Steaming and boiling are good keywords as well.
DON’T choose recipes with the words: fried, au gratin, cream sauce, bisque, bacon-wrapped, or lard. Each of these terms implies one thing: fat. If you’re serious about watching your weight, there are lighter recipes for certain dishes (Spaghetti Carbonara, etc.), but straight-up lobster bisque will do a number on your numbers.
Confusing? Maybe. Do-able? Definitely. With some practice, these rules will get easier to use. And in the end, you’ll have no problem telling the difference between the recipe you really want and the recipe you thought you wanted.
Readers, fire away in the comment section.
~~~
If you liked this article, you might also dig:
- How to Tell if a Recipe is Worth Cooking With Five Easy Questions at Casual Kitchen
- Frugal Food Hacks: 10 Tricks to Simplifying Online Recipe Searches
- The Dos and Don’ts of Buying a Cookbook
Milk Thistle Compound Can Stop Lung Cancer by Inhibiting Gene Expression
Monday, April 21, 2014
Lung cancer is a devastating disease with a traditionally poor survival rate less than ten percent after five years from diagnosis. There are a number of well documented triggers that cause tissue damage that eventually results in DNA damage, allowing lung cancer cells to develop and spread.
Researchers from the University of Colorado publishing in the journalMolecular Carcinogenesis found that treatment with silibinin, a major component of milk thistle effectively treated wound development in lung cancer cells that halted the disease and prevented metastasis. Long known for its rejuvenating effects on the liver, milk thistle is now emerging as a viable therapy to help prevent and reverse the damage caused by years of cellular breakdown in lung tissue and halt the spread of this deadly disease.
Milk Thistle Halts the Inflammatory Chain Known to Promote Lung Cancer Progression
Although milk thistle use has been documented for nearly 2,000 years, very little solid science exists to validate the beneficial effects on human health. Cells communicate with one another through a complex series of signals to achieve an end result, normally the creation of a protein or completion of an enzymatic reaction. When this chain is broken as a result of poor dietor lifestyle choices that affect metabolic homeostasis, diseases such as cancer are allowed to develop and manifest in tissues throughout the body.
Big Pharma frequently looks to break these chain reactions in an unnatural way to halt metabolic processes in the body, commonly with undesired or potentially deadly consequences. COX2 and iNOS are two enzymesthat are involved in a chain of actions that elicit an inflammatory response to wounds and infectious processes. If you were to cut yourself, inflammation at the local site is a desired response that will aid healing. Unfortunately, systemic inflammation caused by excess body weight and poor dietary choices is a serious problem underlying many chronic diseases including lung cancer.
Milk Thistle Compound Inhibits Genetic Expression to Help Prevent Lung Cancer
Both COX2 and iNOS aid tumor growth when they remain in circulation as a response to chronic inflammation. Two transcription factors known as STAT1 and STAT3 allow the blueprint of DNA to bind with proteins that continue the signal cascade, eventually leading to the production of harmful COX2 and iNOS. Researchers found that when chain is broken, tumor growth is halted and metastatic growth stops. They found that a derivative of milk thistle called silibinin was able to inhibit the upstream signals that lead to the expression of COX2 and iNOS to help prevent lung cancer.
Lead study authors concluded“What we showed is that STAT1 and STAT3 may be promising therapeutic targets in the treatment of lung cancer… and that naturally-derived products like silibinin may be as effective as todays best treatments.” Milk thistle represents another natural compound that provides a powerful effect to prevent and treat chronic diseases. Alternative health experts recommend supplementing with 250 mg of a standardized milk thistle extract each day to fight the threat of lung cancer.
Now bladder cancer can be detected by the smell of urine
Friday, April 18, 2014
Now, bladder cancer can be detected by the smell of urine - Scientists in the UK have created a tool that can smell a rat bladder cancer cells in human urine samples. This tool uses a sensor that can detect gaseous chemical substance produced by cancer cells.
Initial experiments indicate that this test provides accurate results. Approximately nine out of 10 trials prove successful detect bladder cancer in urine. However, the authors argue that further research is needed to make it more perfect and tools available in the community.
So far, researchers have been attracted by the smell to detect cancer as it proves there is a dog who can recognize the smell of cancer. Tool created by researchers from Liverpool University and the University of West England is able to detect the smell of cancer cells.
"This tool can read existing chemical gas in the urine when the sample is heated," said Professor Norman Ratcliffe, as reported by the BBC.
For the study, scientists used 98 urine samples from 24 men who had bladder cancer and 74 men with bladder problems but do not have cancer.
Initial experiments indicate that this test provides accurate results. Approximately nine out of 10 trials prove successful detect bladder cancer in urine. However, the authors argue that further research is needed to make it more perfect and tools available in the community.
So far, researchers have been attracted by the smell to detect cancer as it proves there is a dog who can recognize the smell of cancer. Tool created by researchers from Liverpool University and the University of West England is able to detect the smell of cancer cells.
"This tool can read existing chemical gas in the urine when the sample is heated," said Professor Norman Ratcliffe, as reported by the BBC.
For the study, scientists used 98 urine samples from 24 men who had bladder cancer and 74 men with bladder problems but do not have cancer.
Coffee Consumption Lowers Depression by Twenty Percent in Women
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Depression is a chronic and recurrent condition that affects twice as many women as men, including approximately one of every five U.S. women during their lifetime. Loss of productive work hours has become a significant problem in the workplace making the development of strategies to prevent the debilitating condition a priority for research scientists.
The result of a peer-reviewed journal study publishedin the Archives of Internal Medicineexplains that consumption of caffeinated coffee can reduce the symptoms of depression in women in a dose dependent manner. This is an important finding because coffee is a popular beverage already consumed by many. Just three to four cups of java each day may just help lift your spirits and improve feelings of melancholy.
Four Cups of Coffee Consumed Daily Found to Lower Depression Symptom by 20%
The authors of the study noted that 80% of worldwide caffeine consumption is in the form of coffee, the most commonly used CNS (central nervous system) stimulant. The research leader, Dr. Michel Lucas and his team set out to determine if the consumption of coffee or other drinks containing caffeine might be linked to depression risk. To conduct the study they gathered data on 50,737 women with an average age 63 years. It was determined that none of them had depression when the study began.
The participants were part of the Nurses Health Study and were asked to complete a detailed questionnaire detailing their caffeine and coffee consumption over a 24 year period. The researchers determined how often they consumed caffeinated and non-caffeinated coffee, non-herbal teas, caffeinated sodas (sugared or low calorie) and all types of caffeine-free soft drinks as well as chocolate intake. For the purpose of this study, depressionwas defined as having a diagnosis of clinical depression and being prescribed regular antidepressants during the previous two years.
Coffee Found to Lower Depression in Women in a Dose Dependent Manner
During the course of the studyanalysis, 2,607 new cases of depression were recorded among the participants. From the data collected, researchers found that women who consumed two to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day were 15% less likely to develop depression compared to those who drank a maximum of one cup of caffeinated coffee per week. Further they determined women who drank at least 4 cups per day had a 20% lower risk than the females consuming only one cup per day.
Interestingly, the consumption of decaffeinated coffee had no impact on depression risk, an indicator that a synergistic link exists between chemical compounds in coffee and caffeine to produce the risk-lowering effect. Study authors concluded "In this large prospective cohort of older women free of clinical depression or severe depressive symptoms at baseline, risk of depression decreased in a dose-dependent manner with increasing consumption of caffeinated coffee." Drinking two to four cups daily of a caffeinated coffee beverage may provide significant depression-lowering benefits in women.
Prevent Heart Disease Lose Weight by Eliminating Sugar
Monday, April 14, 2014
(Article first published as Cut Sugar, Lose Weight and Prevent Heart Disease Through Diet on Technorati.)
Heart disease ranks as the leading cause of death among Americans, yet this killer disease remains a mystery to most people who may someday suffer from its devastating grasp. The etiology of heart disease is no longer a shrouded mystery, as researchers now have a solid understanding of the factors which cause the most common form of heart disease known as coronary artery disease.
Diet plays a major role in the cascade of events which leads to the formation of arterial plaque and clots which can break away and plug the delicate arteries of the heart. Information published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that women who consumed diets high in sugar and ined carbohydrates were twice as likely to suffer from heart disease compared with their lower carb counterparts.
Eliminate Processed Carbs, Reduce Heart Disease Risk
Eating your favorite breakfast cereal or multi grain bread may not be a healthy choice, despite the barrage of advertisements to the contrary. Sugar transforms into triglycerides in the blood, regardless of whether it’s added as table sugar, consumed in ice cream, converted through high glycemic load carbs or swallowed in sugary soft drinks in the form of high fructose corn syrup.
Avoid Blood Sugar Spikes and Drop Weight
Cut back, or even eliminate sugar in its many forms to drop risk of heart disease and a potentially fatal heart attack. Excess sugar and carbohydrates are the primary reason so many people are unable to lose weight, as it wreaks havoc on your metabolism causing sharp spikes in blood sugar.
This results in excess residual blood sugar which is eventually converted to triglycerides for storage as fat. Break the sugar rush cycle, and your body will begin to function properly by releasing excess fat, with weight loss as a natural result.
Use Sugar Substitutes
The first step to removing sugar from your diet is to replace sugars added to food and drink with low-calorie substitutes. While there’s some controversy about using artificial sweeteners, the benefits far outweigh the poorly documented risks, especially when considering the significant health hazard posed by sugar. The two best options are sucralose (Splenda brand) and the all natural sweetener, stevia. Avoid using any product containing aspartame, as it has been linked to brain cell excitation and neurologic disorders.
Swap Fruit for Sweets
Your ultimate goal is to eliminate sugar in all its different disguises entirely from your diet. This is best done slowly through a caully planned series of substitutions. Fruit works well as it has the same sweet taste as sugar, yet for most people doesn’t promote the rapid blood sugar surge due to its fiber content. Grab an apple instead of cake for dessert, or have a healthy bowl of mixed fruit and berries instead of your favorite breakfast cereal. Include a protein source to further level the blood sugar response.
Research is shining a bright light on how sugar leads to heart disease, and causes metabolic alterations which promote the storage of fat. In order to drop our risk from this number one killer, and naturally lose weight, we must slowly cut back and remove sugar in all forms from our diet. We consume sugar from many sources, including table sugar, baked goods, breads, and drinks. A plan which methodically eliminates sugar entirely will have a positive impact on our overall health and assist in natural weight loss.
Diet plays a major role in the cascade of events which leads to the formation of arterial plaque and clots which can break away and plug the delicate arteries of the heart. Information published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that women who consumed diets high in sugar and ined carbohydrates were twice as likely to suffer from heart disease compared with their lower carb counterparts.
Eliminate Processed Carbs, Reduce Heart Disease Risk
Eating your favorite breakfast cereal or multi grain bread may not be a healthy choice, despite the barrage of advertisements to the contrary. Sugar transforms into triglycerides in the blood, regardless of whether it’s added as table sugar, consumed in ice cream, converted through high glycemic load carbs or swallowed in sugary soft drinks in the form of high fructose corn syrup.
Avoid Blood Sugar Spikes and Drop Weight
This results in excess residual blood sugar which is eventually converted to triglycerides for storage as fat. Break the sugar rush cycle, and your body will begin to function properly by releasing excess fat, with weight loss as a natural result.
Use Sugar Substitutes
The first step to removing sugar from your diet is to replace sugars added to food and drink with low-calorie substitutes. While there’s some controversy about using artificial sweeteners, the benefits far outweigh the poorly documented risks, especially when considering the significant health hazard posed by sugar. The two best options are sucralose (Splenda brand) and the all natural sweetener, stevia. Avoid using any product containing aspartame, as it has been linked to brain cell excitation and neurologic disorders.
Swap Fruit for Sweets
Research is shining a bright light on how sugar leads to heart disease, and causes metabolic alterations which promote the storage of fat. In order to drop our risk from this number one killer, and naturally lose weight, we must slowly cut back and remove sugar in all forms from our diet. We consume sugar from many sources, including table sugar, baked goods, breads, and drinks. A plan which methodically eliminates sugar entirely will have a positive impact on our overall health and assist in natural weight loss.
Atkins Wins by Slim Margin in Study of 4 Diets
A study that appeared in the March 6 issue of JAMA shed a favorable light on a diet that is, relative to USDA recommendations, lower in carbohydrate and higher in protein and fat.
Researchers randomly assigned overweight premenopausal women to one of 4 diets representing a range of carbohydrate intake: Atkins (low-carb), Zone, LEARN (follows USDA Food Guide Pyramid), and Ornish (high-carb). The women received instruction on the diets and were followed for a year.
They concluded:
"Women assigned to follow the Atkins diet, which had the lowest carbohydrate intake, lost more weight and experienced more favorable overall metabolic effects at 12 months than women assigned to follow the Zone, Ornish, or LEARN diets."
However, overall weight loss was minimal:
There was no difference in fasting glucose or insulin among the 4 groups. Women following the Atkins diet did experience a small reduction in systolic blood pressure relative to the other diets.
For the study (abstract):
Comparison of the Atkins, Zone, Ornish, and LEARN Diets for Change in Weight and Related Risk Factors Among Overweight Premenopausal Women
News summaries:
And the Winner Is ... Well, Nobody
Atkins Beats Other Diet Plans In Study
Day by Day and Other Side Affects
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Hi,
Day 3 -- and I am not holding my mis-steps against me, I am simply moving on. I have had no sugar today -- which means I did on both days 1 and 2. It only stalls my own progress to do such things, but Ive gotten that out of my house, now. I think where I made the mistake was in not setting my start date a little farther in the future by a day or two and doing the prep steps a little more thoroughly.
I got almost everything out of the house that I should not eat, and I got good raw veggies and protein in the house to provide what I need. It is that "almost everything" that is the problem. I did not even follow my own advice during the preparatory steps -- but the Christmas candy is now gone. Im actually wondering if I should simply call this Day 1.... No, Ill just accept the responsibility and move on. Today was a mostly clean program day. I hope yours was too. Today my only faulty meal was three breaded chicken strips with honey mustard dip. Everything else was on target.
Ive been thinking about the overall positive and negative "side affects" that can be expected when following a narrow program like this one (see previous days post). I dont actually think that eating fresh raw veggies and animal protein is narrow, but I can see where other people might. It is rather a large jump to go from eating the Standard American Diet (SAD) directly to the blood sugar reducing program I am advocating here. I truly believe it is the best program an over weight, hypertensive, post-menopausal woman with pre-diabetes and gout can do. It is the only one that actually allows me to lose any weight at all so Im glad to be back on it.
If you are coming directly off of SAD it will be easier on you if you start with the 50/50 portions. Do that for a week and then begin adding more veggies and removing a little protein until you gradually work your way up to 80/20. Do not remove the protein entirely because you need it to help stabilize your blood sugars. Remember: eat when you are hungry -- and always have both raw veggies and animal protein.
Side affects: The first side affect Ive been thinking about is the way we react emotionally to this kind of a food program. There is a reason that high carb dishes are called "comfort food." They actually do affect our moods so when you first go off of them you may at some point run into a feeling of either anxiety or depression -- the opposite of "comfort." The high carb meal on day seven should alleviate most of that. In fact that is part of the purpose of the weekly cheat meal: to restore the brain carbs that we need. Carbs seem to have what I call a "cumulative" effect which is why the withdrawals take three days and the reduction in pain takes six days, so restocking the carb stores every seven days should side-step the mood swings.
If you happen to run into it sooner there are also two supplements that my doctor advised me to take that really seem to keep bad feelings completely out of my picture. One is called L-Theanine and the other is Taurine. These are both amino acids that can be purchased at any health food store or on the internet. I take one of each in the morning to prevent anxiety and black moods and am rarely troubled by them. If before I go to bed I feel the need of more peaceful feelings I am likely to take one more of each before going to bed. I only do that on rare occasions. You will have to try it out to see if it helps you. That emotional response is part of the addictive behavior that Ive been mentioning and I am all for anything that helps me to conquer the addiction.
The other thing I want to address is not really a "side effect" but a symptom of our own "SAD food syndrome." We seem to be a nation of people that mentally files particular foods into certain meal slots and heaven forbid that they might be eaten at a different time or in a different way. Like eggs are relegated to breakfast only. Steak or salad is only for dinner. Who decided that and why do we feel the need to force ourselves to follow it? What purpose does it serve? None that I can see.
Try having a new thought about when and where you can eat different food items. It really is not far fetched to eat salad for breakfast. Ive been enjoying salad for breakfast for quite some time and find it really pleasureable. I like eggs for breakfast (and also eat them any time during the day) so I fry up a couple of over-easy eggs and place them on my salad. The liquid yellow actually makes a very tasty salad dressing. If you have ever had a Cobb Salad or a Chef Salad you have had hard boiled eggs on your salad before. Why not some over-easy or scrambled eggs? Try it. You might like it.
I also put salt and pepper and spices on my salad before I put either the eggs or the salad dressing on them. Try sprinkling a few Italian herbs on your salad with a little salt and pepper to really move a salad into the "actually tasty" realm. Experiment with your own favorite seasonings and create some new combinations for yourself. Salad does not have to be a boring bowl of ice berg lettuce and grape tomatoes that needs to be drowned in salad dressing to be appetizing.
Try wandering the produce aisle at your favorite grocery store and imagining how you might choose to use the different ingredients in your own creative salad! See if they have some items that you have never noticed before and try some out. I like to print out a copy of the "Craving Reducing Shopping List" (see yesterdays post) and highlight the things Im planning on purchasing. That keeps me in the "safe" zone and also reminds me of what I need. Try some endive in your salad. Try some broccoli sprouts!! What about some red leaf lettuce? It is very tender and tasty. I like to use Romain as my basis but I add various other lettuces and rotate the greens to get all the goodness from the variety that is available.
Once you have been eating this way for a while your stomach will likely no longer be bothered by cucumbers or radishes, too. Begin to experiment and add new vegetables to your basket and your salads as you go along.
I find that the best way to store lettuces is to stand them up in about a half inch of water which I accomplish by putting them diagonally into a 1-gallon size plastic zipper bag and standing it up against the wall of the rigerator. Sometimes I place them in a colander for support in staying upright. The water (which should be changed every other day) will keep your lettuces fresh and lively longer. Think about it: they are still alive when you purchase them -- they need a drink. You do that to cut flowers and it keeps them attractive longer -- the same is true for lettuces -- they need a drink to stay fresh, crisp, and lively.
Here is the last piece of advice for today: Eat when you are hungry. You do not have to deprive yourself. It will be a new experience (it was for me) to actually trust the messages you are getting from your body. Listen to you body and eat when you are hungry and stop eating when you are full.
OK one more: Dont forget to decide not to eat the things you should not eat. I need that one the most!!
Be back soon,
Marcia
Day 3 -- and I am not holding my mis-steps against me, I am simply moving on. I have had no sugar today -- which means I did on both days 1 and 2. It only stalls my own progress to do such things, but Ive gotten that out of my house, now. I think where I made the mistake was in not setting my start date a little farther in the future by a day or two and doing the prep steps a little more thoroughly.
I got almost everything out of the house that I should not eat, and I got good raw veggies and protein in the house to provide what I need. It is that "almost everything" that is the problem. I did not even follow my own advice during the preparatory steps -- but the Christmas candy is now gone. Im actually wondering if I should simply call this Day 1.... No, Ill just accept the responsibility and move on. Today was a mostly clean program day. I hope yours was too. Today my only faulty meal was three breaded chicken strips with honey mustard dip. Everything else was on target.
Ive been thinking about the overall positive and negative "side affects" that can be expected when following a narrow program like this one (see previous days post). I dont actually think that eating fresh raw veggies and animal protein is narrow, but I can see where other people might. It is rather a large jump to go from eating the Standard American Diet (SAD) directly to the blood sugar reducing program I am advocating here. I truly believe it is the best program an over weight, hypertensive, post-menopausal woman with pre-diabetes and gout can do. It is the only one that actually allows me to lose any weight at all so Im glad to be back on it.
If you are coming directly off of SAD it will be easier on you if you start with the 50/50 portions. Do that for a week and then begin adding more veggies and removing a little protein until you gradually work your way up to 80/20. Do not remove the protein entirely because you need it to help stabilize your blood sugars. Remember: eat when you are hungry -- and always have both raw veggies and animal protein.
Side affects: The first side affect Ive been thinking about is the way we react emotionally to this kind of a food program. There is a reason that high carb dishes are called "comfort food." They actually do affect our moods so when you first go off of them you may at some point run into a feeling of either anxiety or depression -- the opposite of "comfort." The high carb meal on day seven should alleviate most of that. In fact that is part of the purpose of the weekly cheat meal: to restore the brain carbs that we need. Carbs seem to have what I call a "cumulative" effect which is why the withdrawals take three days and the reduction in pain takes six days, so restocking the carb stores every seven days should side-step the mood swings.
If you happen to run into it sooner there are also two supplements that my doctor advised me to take that really seem to keep bad feelings completely out of my picture. One is called L-Theanine and the other is Taurine. These are both amino acids that can be purchased at any health food store or on the internet. I take one of each in the morning to prevent anxiety and black moods and am rarely troubled by them. If before I go to bed I feel the need of more peaceful feelings I am likely to take one more of each before going to bed. I only do that on rare occasions. You will have to try it out to see if it helps you. That emotional response is part of the addictive behavior that Ive been mentioning and I am all for anything that helps me to conquer the addiction.
The other thing I want to address is not really a "side effect" but a symptom of our own "SAD food syndrome." We seem to be a nation of people that mentally files particular foods into certain meal slots and heaven forbid that they might be eaten at a different time or in a different way. Like eggs are relegated to breakfast only. Steak or salad is only for dinner. Who decided that and why do we feel the need to force ourselves to follow it? What purpose does it serve? None that I can see.
Try having a new thought about when and where you can eat different food items. It really is not far fetched to eat salad for breakfast. Ive been enjoying salad for breakfast for quite some time and find it really pleasureable. I like eggs for breakfast (and also eat them any time during the day) so I fry up a couple of over-easy eggs and place them on my salad. The liquid yellow actually makes a very tasty salad dressing. If you have ever had a Cobb Salad or a Chef Salad you have had hard boiled eggs on your salad before. Why not some over-easy or scrambled eggs? Try it. You might like it.
I also put salt and pepper and spices on my salad before I put either the eggs or the salad dressing on them. Try sprinkling a few Italian herbs on your salad with a little salt and pepper to really move a salad into the "actually tasty" realm. Experiment with your own favorite seasonings and create some new combinations for yourself. Salad does not have to be a boring bowl of ice berg lettuce and grape tomatoes that needs to be drowned in salad dressing to be appetizing.
Try wandering the produce aisle at your favorite grocery store and imagining how you might choose to use the different ingredients in your own creative salad! See if they have some items that you have never noticed before and try some out. I like to print out a copy of the "Craving Reducing Shopping List" (see yesterdays post) and highlight the things Im planning on purchasing. That keeps me in the "safe" zone and also reminds me of what I need. Try some endive in your salad. Try some broccoli sprouts!! What about some red leaf lettuce? It is very tender and tasty. I like to use Romain as my basis but I add various other lettuces and rotate the greens to get all the goodness from the variety that is available.
Once you have been eating this way for a while your stomach will likely no longer be bothered by cucumbers or radishes, too. Begin to experiment and add new vegetables to your basket and your salads as you go along.
I find that the best way to store lettuces is to stand them up in about a half inch of water which I accomplish by putting them diagonally into a 1-gallon size plastic zipper bag and standing it up against the wall of the rigerator. Sometimes I place them in a colander for support in staying upright. The water (which should be changed every other day) will keep your lettuces fresh and lively longer. Think about it: they are still alive when you purchase them -- they need a drink. You do that to cut flowers and it keeps them attractive longer -- the same is true for lettuces -- they need a drink to stay fresh, crisp, and lively.
Here is the last piece of advice for today: Eat when you are hungry. You do not have to deprive yourself. It will be a new experience (it was for me) to actually trust the messages you are getting from your body. Listen to you body and eat when you are hungry and stop eating when you are full.
OK one more: Dont forget to decide not to eat the things you should not eat. I need that one the most!!
Be back soon,
Marcia
Clean pacifier by sucking away children from asthma
Monday, April 7, 2014
Cleaning pacifier sucking ways might be considered dirty. Most parents will clean pacifier by washing with tap water. But the researchers found that older people who clean pacifier to suck can keep children from the risk of asthma and hives.
This study does not prove that the technique may protect children from asthma or allergies. However, researchers believe that the possibility of transfer of oral bacteria and microbes of parents in children can boost the immune system and the digestive system which in turn makes the child they are exposed to a small risk of allergy or asthma.
"We know that bacteria are also important for growing children," said Dr. Wilfried Karmaus from the University of Memphis, as reported by Reuters.
In this research, scientists recruited pregnant women in one of the Swedish hospitals and followed them for three years. Of the 184 infants who were observed, 80 percent have parents with allergies. After the babies were tested at the age of 18 and 36 months.
In the first test 46 infants have eczema and 10 had symptoms of asthma. Children who use the usual dot cleaned by his mother smoked by 63 percent less likely to have eczema and 88 percent less affected by asthma.
While in the second test, when the baby was 36 months, the difference for asthma began to disappear, while babies with pacifiers are cleaned by his mother smoked still have a 49 percent lower risk of developing eczema.
Researchers believe that more research must be done to demonstrate clearly the benefits of cleaning with megisapnya dot. Before clear, researchers would not recommend this technique for the parents.
This study does not prove that the technique may protect children from asthma or allergies. However, researchers believe that the possibility of transfer of oral bacteria and microbes of parents in children can boost the immune system and the digestive system which in turn makes the child they are exposed to a small risk of allergy or asthma.
"We know that bacteria are also important for growing children," said Dr. Wilfried Karmaus from the University of Memphis, as reported by Reuters.
In this research, scientists recruited pregnant women in one of the Swedish hospitals and followed them for three years. Of the 184 infants who were observed, 80 percent have parents with allergies. After the babies were tested at the age of 18 and 36 months.
In the first test 46 infants have eczema and 10 had symptoms of asthma. Children who use the usual dot cleaned by his mother smoked by 63 percent less likely to have eczema and 88 percent less affected by asthma.
While in the second test, when the baby was 36 months, the difference for asthma began to disappear, while babies with pacifiers are cleaned by his mother smoked still have a 49 percent lower risk of developing eczema.
Researchers believe that more research must be done to demonstrate clearly the benefits of cleaning with megisapnya dot. Before clear, researchers would not recommend this technique for the parents.
Processed Meats Boost Pancreatic Cancer Risk by Nearly One Quarter
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Researchers publishingin the British Journal of Cancer have determined that processed meat consumption increases the risk of developing one of the most deadly forms of pancreatic cancer by nineteen percent in men and women. In addition, the same study found that a diet high in red meat can lead to increased risk of the disease in men. Eating the equivalent of one sausage or two strips of bacon each day was found to jump the risk of developing pancreatic cancer in this prospective meta-analysis study, compared to those who consumed no meat.
A diet of just over four ounces of red meat eaten daily increased the risk of pancreatic cancerin men by close to thirty percent. Health-minded individuals wishing to limit their risk for developing pancreatic cancer will want to eliminate processed meats and severely limit red meat consumption.
Research Shows That Processed Meats and Smoking Dramatically Increase Pancreatic Cancer Risk
The lifetime risk of developing pancreatic cancer in western cultures is 1 in 79 for women and 1 in 77 for men, compared to smoking which increases the risk by 74%. Any habit that increases the risk of developing this form of the disease that defies early diagnosis and carries a dismal five-year survival rate less than five percent is unacceptable.
British researchers conducted a meta-analysis of eleven significant studies involving more than 6,000 individuals with pancreatic cancer. The scientist’s compiled details on the consumption of processed and red meats for the study subjects across all studies considered, and then analyzed to determine the impact on disease genesis and prognosis. The study leader, Professor Susanna Larsson noted “Pancreatic cancer has poor survival rates. So as well as diagnosing it early, it’s important to understand what can increase the risk of this disease.”
Deadly Carcinogenic Amines Form When Meats are Cooked at High Temperatures
Researchers found that process meats contain a high level of nitrites and N-nitroso compounds used to preserve the meat and provide flavor. The positive association between processed meat consumption and risk of pancreatic cancer increases as the compounds pass from the bloodstream to the pancreas where they are known to be carcinogenic. In a similar fashion, humans are exposed to N-nitroso compounds via cigarette smoking, an established risk factor for pancreatic cancer. The study suggests that the risk of developing pancreatic cancer is greatly increased with a diet of processed meats and smoking.
Interestingly, the study did not find that eating red meat increased pancreatic cancer risk in women. The authors believe this is because women eat less red meat than men, and there is a tolerance level exceeded by men and not women. Similar studies have shown that heterocyclic amines form when red meat is cooked using high-temperature methods such as pan frying or grilling directly over an open flame, dramatically increasing pancreatic cancer risk.
Health-minded individuals are well advised to avoid all processed meats (sausage, bacon and luncheon meats). The study researchers concluded“The jury is still out as to whether meat is a definite risk factor for pancreatic cancer and more large studies are needed to confirm this. But this new analysis suggests processed meat may be playing a role.”
Bipartisan Health Care Cost Control By Diktat Insurers or Providers or Both
Thursday, March 27, 2014
According to the Kaiser Foundation, health care costs are continuing to go up. Assuming Uncle Sam is doing everything he can to "increase efficiency" and "reduce waste," what are the options that can quickly control costs?Its simple: leverage the insurance companies or the providers or both.
1. Tell the insurance companies what they can charge: While the ability of the Feds to regulate insurance remains murky, the Affordable Care Act enables CMS to require that insurance companies "justify" a premium increase of 10% and keep their administrative costs below 15%.
What is less appreciated is that the Medicare premium support plan being championed by Republican Paul Ryan is a variation of this same strategy. Thanks to a voucher that is indexed to the rate of inflation, insurance companies would be essentially told what they can charge for the bulk of their insurance. If the health insurers need to charge more, theyll have to wrestle that out of the beneficiary.
2. Tell the providers what they can charge: For an excellent example of this at the state level, check out this article in JAMA that describes Massachusettss just-passed law that aims to control the Bay States $9278 per capita health spending. Large providers (with more than 15,000 patients or $25 million in revenue) are now subject to cost controls that are tied to the states inflation rate. Enforcement mechanisms will include "performance plan" reviews for violators, public reporting and the threat of civil penalties.
Of course, Medicares fee schedule functionally dictates what providers can charge for their services at the federal level, but up until now, Congress has been unwilling to leverage that. While a softer and gentler approach of "upside risk arrangements" and "global fees" are being developed, the paranoid DMCB suspects that theyll be ultimately calculated to cover a predetermined charge that is supplemented with a small profit margin.
While Democrats and Republicans have been supportive of a limited number of options ultimately lecting their ideology, the DMCB predicts that, over time and with a worsening fisc, both parties will converge on using all of the options described above. Thats because theyll have no choice.
Heluva way to achieve bipartisanship, but there you go.
Slash Heart Disease Risk by 80
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
(Article first published as Four Step Approach to Cut Heart Disease Risk by Eighty Percent on Technorati.)
Nearly one million people fall victim to heart disease every year. The vast majority of these people are unaware that this devastating condition can be prevented with a natural approach to diet. Researchers from the European EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) study have developed a plan that can reduce the risk of coronary artery disease by 81%.
The typical patient diagnosed with heart disease is placed on a low fat diet and given a handful of medications including a statin. Statins cause muscle pain in 40% of those who take them and information from a study published in The Lancet journal confirms that this class of medication causes diabetes. Volumes of research confirm that high cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease, yet it remains a popular target of treatment because it`s easy to lower with drugs. Similarly, a low fat diet perpetuates and worsens heart disease as it triggers continual blood sugar surges and high triglycerides.
Refined Carbohydrates, Grains and Sugar: Processed foods have become a staple in the typical diet. These foods are loaded with simple carbs that quickly break down to glucose and cause rapid blood sugar spikes. This eventually leads to insulin resistance and damages the delicate inner endothelial lining of the coronary arteries. Cut all breads, pasta, rice, sugary treats and any foods made with wheat (including whole grain) or corn.
Medical researchers understand that heart disease begins early in life and progresses to threaten life as we approach our senior years. The good news is that heart disease can be controlled and reversed by making simple changes to lifestyle and diet.
Drugs Can`t Fix Heart Disease
Correcting the Real Cause of Heart Disease
The results of the EPIC study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine demonstrate that changes in diet could lower the risk of a heart attack by 81% through inflammation reduction and lowering blood pressure. The study highlighted four dietary factors that result in heart disease.
Excess Omega-6 Vegetable Oils: Vegetable oils are stable at room temperature and are used in virtually all baked and processed foods to enhance flavor and increase shelf life. Excess amounts of vegetable fats trigger the release of inflammatory chemical messengers that increase oxidative stress and damage the vascular system. Don`t use vegetable oils for cooking and avoid all fried foods and corn fed meats.
Omega-3 Fat Deficiency: Our modern diet is virtually void of health-sustaining Omega-3 fats that have been a part of the human diet for countless generations. The proper ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fats is ideally 1:1. Experts agree that many people are closer to a 20:1 ratio. This creates an imbalance and promotes systemic inflammation. Include tuna, salmon, sardines, nuts and seeds to balance your fat ratio or include a high potency fish oil supplement.
Oxidative Stress: The normal course of breathing, eating and moving generates free radicals that can damage our genetic structure and cause LDL cholesterol to become oxidized. We can’t avoid the process entirely but we can include healthy quantities of fresh vegetables, berries and targeted supplements to negate the effects of free radicals on our heart and other organs.
Heart disease is the leading killer of people in western society. Most of these deaths can be prevented by following a natural diet and adopting a healthy lifestyle. Reduce your risk of death from heart disease by making these changes today and live to pass the word to your great grandchildren.
Vegetarian Diet Lowers the Risk of Heart Disease by One Third
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Vegetarian Diet Lowers Blood Pressure and Improves Blood Lipid Biomarkers to Reduce Heart Disease Risk
Researchers from the University of Oxford in the UK have published the result of a studyin The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that explains how the risk of hospitalization or death from heart disease is thirty-two percent lower in vegetarians than people who eat meat and fish. Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in all western societies, taking the lives of more than 700,000 men and women each year in the US alone.
In the largest study of its kind conducted in the UK, scientists compared rates of heart disease between vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Lead study author Dr. Francesca Crowe noted “Most of the difference in risk is probably caused by effects on cholesterol and blood pressure, and shows the important role of diet in the prevention of heart disease.” Researchers analyzed the diet of nearly 45,000 British and Scottish volunteers enrolled in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Thirty-four percent of the participants were vegetarian.
Eat Five to Nine daily Servings of Raw of Lightly Steamed Vegetables Every Day to Slash Heart Disease
Volunteers completed a lifestyle questionnaire detailing diet and exercise as well as other factors affecting health such as smoking and alcohol consumption. Almost 20,000 participants had their blood pressures recorded, and gave blood samples for cholesterol testing. Participants were tracked for nearly twenty years and researchers identified 1,235 cases of heart disease, which resulted in 169 deaths and 1,066 hospital diagnoses.
The study authors concluded“The results clearly show that the risk of heart disease in vegetarians is about a third lower than in comparable non-vegetarians.”Researchers found that vegetarians had lower blood pressures and cholesterol levels than non-vegetarians, which is thought to be the main reason behind their reduced risk of heart disease. The findings reinforce the idea that diet is critical to prevent heart disease. Nutrition experts recommend five to nine daily servings of fresh leafy greens and vegetables of all colors to halt chronic illnesses and lower risk from heart disease by one-third.
Zinc Fights Infection and Inflammation by Boosting the Body’s Immune Response
Zinc Activates the Innate Immune Response to Help Fight Viral and Bacterial Pathogens
A research team from Ohio State University has released the result of a study revealing how zinchelps control infections by gently tapping the brakes on the immune response in a way that prevents out of control inflammation that can be damaging and even deadly. Working with human cell cultures, the scientists have demonstrated how a specific protein ushers zinc into key cells that stimulate a critical immune response to fight against infection. The mineral interacts with a cellular process that neutralizes infection and helps balance the normal immune response.
Scientists present groundbreaking work that demonstrates for the first time how zinc disables an important pathway to effectively ensure that the immune response does not spiral out of control in response to an infection, and similarly to perpetually elevated levels of inflammation erred to as systemic. Senior study author, Dr. Daren Knoell commented “Without zinc on board to begin with, it could increase vulnerability to infection… our work is focused on what happens once you get an infection… if you are deficient in zinc you are at a disadvantage because your defense system is amplified, and inappropriately so.”
Include Dietary Sources of Zinc and Supplement as Necessary to Improve Immune Defenses
Monocytes, which are white blood cells that provide the first line of defense against an invading pathogen, were extracted from human blood samples to determine what happens when the immune response is launched. Researchers found that when a pathogen is detected, a series of complex responses occur to wake the innate immune response utilizing the nuclear-factor kappa beta pathway (NF-kB). The team showed that once NF-kB is activated, a gene is expressed that allows zinc to be ushered from the bloodstream into the cell where it can bind with proteins that block the activity of the pathogen and halt excess inflammation.
Dr. Knoell concluded“We believe that our findings help to narrow an important gap that has existed in our understanding of how this relatively simple metal helps us defend ourselves from infection.” Zinc deficiency affects two billion people around the world, representing an estimated forty percent of the elderly in the US, and helps to explain why our aging population is unable to fight the most common infections. Dietary sources of zinc include beans, nuts, some shellfish, whole grains, fortified cereals and dairy products. Health-minded individuals may want to avoid meat, dairy and grain sources and supplement with 15 to 25 mg per day to fight infection and systemic inflammation.
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