A Junk-Foodaholic's Journey to a Healthy Lifestyle: 6/1/08

Monday, June 30, 2008

Moms Say They Need Caffeine To Make It Through The Day

A study by an independent nonprofit research group, The National Sleep Foundation, found that more than 65 percent of moms drink caffeinated beverages to get through their day.

"I can definitely say without a doubt that I am addicted to caffeine," said Sarah Kripal, mother of two from Lincoln, Nebraska. "I need about four energy drinks, three cups of coffee and a six-pack of soda every day."

Lindy Smith, a mom of three in Forest Lake, Minnesota, says she needs caffeine just to get through the day. "I usually drink two to three pots of coffee a day. I am sure this is not good for me, but how do you keep up?"

Author and parenting expert Stacy DeBroff says today's moms are the busiest ever. "We have crammed lives. We work full time, our kids our busier than ever, and we are finding ourselves always on the go."

What's in Your Cup?

Caffeine content of common beverages:

Coffee: 80mg-150mg
Energy drinks: 75mg-375mg
Soda: 34mg-50mg
Tea: 45mg-55mg

Note: Energy drinks and soda estimates are per can, ranging from 8 to 18 ounces. Coffee and tea estimates are per 8-ounce serving. Source: CNN research

Caffeine works by suppressing the neurotransmitters in your brain that would normally release nerve impulses that make you tired. This is one reason caffeine is addictive, experts say. People start to depend on the boost of energy it provides.

But what effect is that having on your health? Research shows that caffeine can trigger migraines, heartburn, gastrointestinal problems and put women at an increased risk of miscarriage or heart problems.

"It makes you nervous, jittery, pulse races, premature heartbeat," said Emory University cardiologist Dr. Allen Dollar. "But the good news is, those are very short-term effects and have no long-term consequences whatsoever."

But the bigger issue may be the addictive nature of caffeine. "Needing any type of stimulant to get through your day is dangerous," Dollar noted.

Following are ways you can boost your energy naturally:

Sleep seven to eight hours every night.
Maintain a proper diet.
Exercise regularly.
Take a daily break (10 minutes or more) to rest or read a book.

Source: here

Related Article: 12 Reasons Why You Should Supplement Your Diet

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Hoopnotica - The Latest Fitness Craze

Take off pounds with the hooping trend taking Tinseltown by storm. Stars like Beyonce Knowles, Kate Moss, and Sandra Oh are crazy about it. Touted as "Part Dance, Part Exercise, and All Fun". It's called Hoopnotica.

Remember hula hooping when you were a kid? This hoop is made for adults (larger and heavier) and comes with an instructional DVD.

I don't know how many calories you can burn hooping but it looks like fun!

For all the details, visit Hoopnotica's site.

Check out the YouTube video here.

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Friday, June 27, 2008

Can You 'Think' Your Way To A Healthier Lifestyle?

A recent study in the Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research shows how “directed thinking” led to an increase in exercise performance and fitness in sedentary college students.

The study consisted of 61 college students who did not exercise on a regular basis or exercised inconsistently.

Researchers asked some of the participants to list ideas in the "Actions" category (actions they could take to increase exercise performance - Ex: join a gym or work out with a friend).

Other participants were asked to list ideas in the "Reasons" category (why they should increase their performance in a target exercise - Ex: to lose weight or be healthier)

Their findings were very interesting. The students who thought about the actions they could take to increase exercise, led to an increase in exercise and improved cardiovascular fitness. However, the students who thought about the reasons why they should do exercise, did not increase time spent exercising.

“Our results suggest that people who are out of shape and at risk for serious health problems may be able to think their own way out of their unhealthy lifestyle and onto the path towards better physical fitness,” the authors conclude. “It could change the way that people think about motivating themselves and others.”

Read the entire article here.

Related Article: What Everybody Ought To Know About Exercise

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

What a Great Day!

Dylan Polk in front of Feltner's Whatta-Burger

Our 15 year old son, Dylan, has been at a football camp for linemen for the past three days, at Arkansas Tech University, in Russellville.

So, my husband (Paul), kids (Rachael, Brady), and I went to Russellville today to pick him up.

After we loaded all of his stuff, we headed to Feltner's Whatta-Burger for lunch. The restaurant came highly recommended by the doctor who gave Dylan his football physical last Saturday.

I didn't realize it at the time, but Feltner's Whatta-Burger is an Arkansas institution. It has been in business for 41 years! Check out this cool review from Kat Robinson.

We had burgers, fries and shakes for lunch with no guilt on the side. It was delicious! Is there anything better than an old-fashioned hamburger and fries? All I can say is, if you're driving through Arkansas on I-40, you should stop by. Just take exit #81 and travel south for a mile or so. It's across the street from Arkansas Tech University.

When we got home, Dylan unpacked his clothes and we just milled around and let our food digest. Paul laid on the couch and did some work on the laptop. The picture to the right shows what happens to you after you consume a Whatta-Burger meal!

A couple hours later, Brady took a nap while Rachael and I did our Slim in 6 'Burn It Up' workout.

After Brady woke up, we packed up the car and headed to Wild River Country for some fun in the sun.

So it was a busy, but fun day. It was really cool to have a weekend day in the middle of the week. The bad side is, I have to experience two Mondays. Arrrrgh...

I hope you're having a good week!

Note: Comments on my blog are no longer moderated so anyone can leave comments without having to wait for approval. I have also removed the "nofollow" tag so all comment links are followed now. If you're a Google/Blogger user, be sure and select the Name/URL option so your name is linked to your website. Check out my comment policy here.

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Many Normal-Weight Teens Feel Fat

I read an interesting article today about a recent German study that surveyed nearly 7,000 boys and girls (aged 11 to 17), asking them to describe their bodies.

Options included far too thin, a bit too thin, just the right weight, a bit too fat and far too fat.

The sad thing is half the normal-weight girls and a quarter of the normal-weight boys still described themselves as being too fat.

The findings have been published in the current issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, a German medical journal.

Even though this is a German study, American teens and adolescents suffer with the same body image concerns. A 1999 study from the American Dietetic Association found that 55 percent of 7- to 12-year-old girls said they wanted to be thinner.

Read the complete article here.

Related Articles:
Stephanie Klein on her funny new memoir "Moose: A Memoir of Fat Camp"
Study: Video Game Slows Weight Gain, Boosts Confidence

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Monday, June 23, 2008

I'm Lovin' It: Man Loses 80 Pounds Eating McDonald's

And he did it in six short months.

It just goes to show you, anyone can lose weight if they create a deficit of calories and maintain it long enough... even if they consume most of their meals at McDonald's.

Why did he choose McDonald's as his food source to lose weight? He says it was convenient. I guess so. In my town of 55,000, we have five McDonald's restaurants. The fact that he lost weight shouldn't come as a surprise when you consider McDonald's offers several healthy low-fat meal options.

Eschewing burgers and fries, 42-year-old Chris Coleson ate mostly salads, wraps and apple dippers (minus the caramel sauce) to drop the weight.

Coleson, at 5 foot 8, weighed 278 pounds in December and now weighs 199 pounds. His waist size dropped from a size 50 to a size 36.

According to the news report, Chris' goal is to reach the 185 pounds he weighed when he married his wife, Tricia Coleson, ten years ago.

Source: here

Related Article: Hungry for Facts on Fast-Food Calories

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Scientific Evidence: Aerobic Exercise Suppresses Appetite

Following is an excerpt from an article I read on ScienceDaily.com that backs up my claim of aerobic exercise suppressing appetite.

"A research team evaluated blood levels of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) before and after a three-month program of aerobic exercise in 15 overweight men and women. The seven men and eight women, ages 26 to 51, worked out on a treadmill and bicycle. They were asked about their calorie intake and told to continue eating their usual number of calories. The participants were unaware that one of the study's objectives was to evaluate changes in food intake.

At the end of the study, the subjects had decreased BMI, waist circumference, and blood pressure, the data showed. They also reported consuming fewer calories than at the beginning of the study. Over the three months, BDNF levels greatly increased. The higher the concentration of BDNF, the less the subject's intake of calories and the greater the weight loss.

Thus, it is possible that increases in BDNF suppress appetite, she said. They did not test appetite suppression directly, but some past studies have shown that aerobic exercise suppresses appetite."

Source: here

Related post: What Everybody Ought to Know About Exercise

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Saturday, June 21, 2008

New Product Innovation: The Fast-Food Feedbag

Funny!

New Wearable Feedbags Let Americans Eat More, Move Less

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Friday, June 20, 2008

Almonds are Good but are Peanuts Bad?

It depends on how you look at it.

Almonds have long been considered the alternative to peanuts. Not just for people allergic to peanuts but for the health conscious as well.

So What Makes the Almond So Special?

Almonds are a true nut, whereas peanuts are a legume (family to the bean, pea, and lentil). Both peanuts and almonds are good for health, though in different ways.

The Nutritional Breakdown

Nutritionally, peanuts and almonds have many similarities. The main difference between them is peanuts are high in folate (one ounce provides 10 percent of the RDA) and almonds are high in vitamin E (one ounce provides 35 percent of the RDA) and magnesium (one ounce provides 21 percent of the RDA). Studies have shown that many Americans don’t get enough magnesium, with average intake falling about 100 milligrams shy of daily recommendations (420 mg for men, 320 mg for women). Magnesium is important to maintaining the proper proportion of calcium to potassium. Also, low levels of magnesium in the diet may contribute to heart attacks and hypertension.

A study reported in the Journal of the American Association suggests a diet rich in foods containing vitamin E may help protect some people against Alzheimer's disease.

Both peanuts and almonds help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Glycemic Response to Peanuts versus Almonds

Peanuts have a Glycemic Index of 14 which means they have a slow effect on blood sugar levels.
Almonds have a Glycemic Index of 0, which means they have no effect on blood sugar levels.

Will Nuts Make You Fat?

No, though all nuts are high in calories. About 80% of the calories come from fat. Much of the fat, though, is “good” monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat, not the “bad” saturated variety in meat and dairy products. In research studies, cholesterol-lowering diets that contain nuts reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol by 9%–20%, regardless of the amount of fat or nuts.

Which Nut is More Fattening?

Almonds are the clear winner here. A 2 tablespoon serving size of almond butter has 1 gram of saturated fat, whereas the same serving of peanut butter has 3 grams of saturated fat.

The Bad News About Peanuts

According to Mercola.com, peanuts are:

• Loaded with omega-6 fats that distort the omega 3:6 ratio
• Frequently contaminated with a carcinogenic mold called aflatoxin
• One of the most pesticide-contaminated crops

Almonds Will Help Your Body Absorb Vitamins

Vitamins D, E, A and K are fat-soluble. To help your body absorb these vitamins, you should eat a little healthy fat at breakfast - a little bit of egg or some almond butter on whole wheat toast.

What is a Serving of Nuts?

The FDA recommends up to 1.5 ounces of nuts daily. This equals a handful and a half of nuts.

Summary

Almonds are a good alternative to peanuts if you don't like them or are allergic. However, if you are able to eat both then you should feel good about doing so. Both are loaded with vitamins and minerals.

However, in the fat category, the almond is clearly superior to the peanut - which is why my family and I eat almond butter on a daily basis.

Related Posts: 4 Foods You Should Eat To Stay Slim

Sources:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/foodwine/2008002854_platkin18.html
http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/nutrition_nfs1102a_ENU_HTML.htm
http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ftmar04.htm
http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update1004d.shtml
http://www.philly.com/dailynews/features/20080605_He_heals_with_meals_Chef-turned-doctor_cooks_up_dishes_that_cure.html
http://beebleblog.com/2008/03/26/almonds-verses-peanuts/

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Fast-Food Dilemma: Order the Small Fries or Splurge on the Large?

It's the classic fast-food dilemma: Do you stick with the small fries or splurge on the large? What if the latter means an extra 270 calories? Though the restaurant industry remains skeptical, a new study finds that seeing calorie information may convince customers to place healthier (or at least smaller) orders.

Check out the following YouTube video here.

In the study, published today in the American Journal of Public Health, researchers surveyed more than 7,300 fast-food customers in New York City. Their average purchase totaled 827 calories. That's a Burger King Double Whopper Sandwich With Cheese (hold the mayo).

What's worse, one-third of customers bought 1,000 calories or more. At that rate, just two meals fulfill the recommended daily intake of 2,000 calories.

But when Subway customers saw calorie information before ordering, they purchased an average of 52 fewer calories than customers who overlooked the calorie counts. Translation: They went for the 6-inch turkey sub instead of the steak and cheese.

At the time of the study, Subway was the only restaurant that posted nutritional information near the register. So while 32 percent of Subway customers reported seeing calorie information, only 4 percent at other chains saw it.

The researchers say that calorie-posting can make a difference, but only if restaurants are upfront with the numbers.

Fast-Food Nation

The average American eats three meals a week from fast-food establishments, according to the NPD Group, a consumer market research firm.

"We all need to eat, and we all need fast food," Bassett says. "We lead very busy lives, and it's very convenient."

But many people don't realize that they're packing on the calories. Fewer than 15 percent of New Yorkers could identify the highest or lowest-calorie items on a chain restaurant menu in a poll released today by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

"It's very easy to walk into a fast-food chain and walk out with your entire daily calorie intake, and you think you've just had breakfast," Bassett says.

Read the entire article here.

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Working It Out - One Day at a Time

I don't like exercise.

Well, let me rephrase that. I like exercise once I get started but the thought of exercising does not get me pumped, if you know what I mean.

But as the saying goes, "Plan the work then work the plan." In other words, if you don't set out to do something, you'll never get it done. Especially when it comes to doing something you don't feel like doing.

I have to make myself exercise. The way I do that is I schedule exercise into my day. I know as soon as I get home, while I have an empty stomach, I'm going to exercise. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

The week wasn't without it's challenges of course. I noticed my back was a little bit sore last week. I wasn't sure if I hurt my back while exercising or if I slept wrong. But with each passing day it got progressively worse, to the point that on Sunday it hurt to move. Last Thursday, I started taking AIM Frame Essentials^® because it has always helped me with occasional back and knee problems I've had in the past. It's done me a world of good because I can tell this evening my back is almost back to normal. Having a strong, healthy back is crucial to my exercise goals. With it being so sore I had to temper my workout somewhat so it is very exciting for my back to feel good again.

I don't have any weight loss to report this week because I am gaining muscle. I weighed myself Sunday morning and found I had gained a pound. I felt lighter and thought the scales would reflect that. I didn't let the weight gain get to me because I know I'm building a foundation. My clothes are looser and my tummy is flatter.

I've decided to weigh and take my measurements on a monthly basis. The six week program, Slim In 6, that my daughter and I are doing right now will end on July 14th. I will give a progress report at that time. Like I said, I don't like exercise. But I'm loving the results!
Laura

Related Post: Progress Report

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

What Are Your Trigger Foods?

Foods that cause "out of control eating" are called "trigger foods". Trigger foods are foods that once tasted, cause you to eat more and more.

For some people, sugary foods may be a trigger food. Others may long for pasta or other carb-heavy foods like pizza or bread.

Trigger foods vary from person to person. Pinpointing your trigger foods is the first step and developing a plan to make sure they don't wreck your weight loss goals is the next step.

Slowly reduce your trigger foods

Aggressive diets and cold-turkey methods usually fail, leaving you depressed and defeated. To succeed, you should adopt a gradual approach.

When you feel like you absolutely must have the trigger food, add a small helping of fruit or vegetables before you indulge. Do this each time you eat the trigger food or foods, each time adding a little more of the healthy food and eating a little less of the trigger food. Eventually, you will not only associate the healthy food with the dopamine response of the trigger food, but you will ultimately remove the trigger food from your diet.

Exercise

Trigger foods give a much-desired high, a rewarding feeling in the body. But exercise delivers the same results with much better benefits. I have personally found that exercise greatly reduces the desire for trigger foods.

Making healthy choices

When making food choices, ask yourself which choice is wiser for weight management. Following are some healthy choices that will help you achieve your weight loss goals:

Choose smaller portions
Use a small plate for all meals
Fill your plate once and don't go back for seconds
Eat more vegetables
Snack on carrots and celery instead of cheese
Use less butter or sour cream on a baked potato, or skip the butter and add lowfat cottage cheese and salsa instead
Choose a piece of fruit instead of a candy bar for a snack
Choose a piece of fruit instead of cookies, cake or ice cream for dessert
Choose skim milk instead of whole milk or cream
Choose fat-free frozen yogurt instead of ice cream
Choose to share a dessert with a friend rather than eat it all yourself

Health is a choice. Be sure to choose wisely.

Related Article: What Everybody Ought To Know About Exercise

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Food Matters: Let Thy Food Be Thy Medicine

Sick and tired of the confusion surrounding food? Want to feel good and prevent or reverse illness and disease? Welcome to ‘Food Matters’, a documentary film informing you of the best choices you can make for you and your family's health.

‘Food Matters’ is a hard-hitting fast-paced look at our current state of health. Despite the billions of dollars of funding and research into new so-called cures, we continue to suffer from a raft of chronic ills and every day maladies. Approaching an over toxic and overindulgent population with a continuing onslaught of toxic therapies and nutrient sparse foods is deﬁnitely not helping the situation.

‘Food Matters’ seeks to uncover the business of disease and at the same time explore the safe, cheap and effective use of nutrition and supplementation for preventing and often curing the underlying causative aspects of our ills.

Becoming informed about the choices you have for your health and wellbeing can save your life. "It's a choice. You don't have to be sick." - Dr. Andrew Saul

The official website: FoodMatters.tv
The video on YouTube.

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Friday, June 13, 2008

"Wait Up, Heiffer!"

Last night was the second night that my daughter, Rachael, and I have done the Slim In 6 'Burn It Up' workout. It is totally 'kick-butt'. I expected it to be tough, but MAN!

My daughter laughed at me because she said on the first DVD, Slim In 6 'Ramp It Up', I made comments about the instructor, Debbie Siebers, like, "She has cute dimples." or "Look at her tiny waist!" And now, I don't pass out any compliments. Throughout the workout, I could be heard saying, "C'mon, lady!" or "She's mean!" One time, my daughter said, "Wait up, heifer!" That one made me laugh.

Rachael made the comment, "So this is what exercise is." It was very challenging. We couldn't keep up with every single step, but we did our best. And we did much better than we did the night before. I think the difference is we worked out on an empty stomach.

I remember each day we did the 'Ramp It Up' workout, we noticed we were stronger and could do more. So I know we will improve each day we do the 'Burn It Up' workout too.

The thing that amazes me most is, no matter how hard the workouts, the next day we're not sore. I just can't get over that.
Laura

Related Post: Progress Report

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Thursday, June 12, 2008

More Than Half of Men Fight the Flab

Their moobs, spare tires and beer bellies must have finally wobbled hard enough to alert their egos.

Because the majority of British men are trying to lose weight, a study has revealed.

More than half accepted that their figure might need a little improvement, and started a diet or a fitness regime this year.

Unfortunately, they also discovered how hard a health kick can be, with more than three-quarters giving up on the regime.

The study for Men's Health Week found that 10 per cent wanted to get in shape before a holiday so they could flex their toned bodies on the beach without a hint of moob, or man boob.

One in five were planning to dazzle their friends on a special occasion such as a wedding, or get in shape for a new job.

Most, however, embarked on a diet and fitness regime simply to become healthier.

Their main temptations were, unsurprisingly, beer and the snacks that go along with it.

One in ten of the almost 3,300 surveyed admitted that avoiding beer was the hardest part of a healthy lifestyle, even though it meant they were saving money.

More than a third said they found it hard to resist sweets and foods with a high-calorie count, while 47 per cent admitted to regularly snacking on crisps at work and 43 per cent said chocolate bars were their weakness.

Read the entire article here.

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

What Everybody Ought To Know About Exercise

I have been exercising daily for the past nine days, doing the Slim in 6 'Ramp it Up' workout.

I had forgotten how good exercise makes me feel - physically, emotionally, and mentally. I feel like a new person. I feel healthy and clean on the inside.

In addition to my appetite decreasing, my cravings for unhealthy foods has decreased as well. Instead, I've been wanting to drink more water.

The only explanation for how I feel now is the fact that I've been exercising.

Here's a quote from the article below:

"Volkow knows - from her own 6-mile daily runs and from her scientific experiments - that the brain literally likes physical activity. Exercise seems to invigorate neurochemicals that sense and reinforce pleasure."

The article below is about the benefits of exercise as it relates to the prevention of drug or alcohol addiction. I believe that exercise can prevent food addiction as well.

Can Exercise Help Prevent Addiction To Drugs Or Alcohol?
by Lauran Neergaard, AP Medical Writer

Sure, exercise is good for your waistline, your heart, your bones - but might it also help prevent addiction to drugs or alcohol?

There are some tantalizing clues that physical activity might spur changes in the brain to do just that. Now the government is beginning a push for hard research to prove it.

This is not about getting average people to achieve the so-called runner's high, a feat of pretty intense athletics.

Instead, the question is just how regular physical activity of varying intensity - dancing, bicycling, swimming, tae kwan do - might affect mood, academic performance, even the very reward systems in the brain that can get hijacked by substance abuse.

What first caught the attention of National Institute on Drug Abuse chief Dr. Nora Volkow: A study found tweens and teens who reported exercising daily were half as likely to smoke as their sedentary counterparts, and 40 percent less likely to experiment with marijuana.

Volkow knows - from her own 6-mile daily runs and from her scientific experiments - that the brain literally likes physical activity. Exercise seems to invigorate neurochemicals that sense and reinforce pleasure.

"In children, it's innate," she notes. "Children want to move."

But the nation's children are becoming more sedentary, as illustrated by the obesity epidemic, "screen time" replacing outdoor play and a drop in school P.E. And as youngsters approach adolescence, the run around the yard that used to be fun too often becomes a chore _ the dreaded jog around the school track or the nagging to get off the couch. The sedentary teen turns into the sedentary adult.

"Why do we lose the ability to experience pleasure from physical activity?" asks Volkow.

Last week she brought more than 100 specialists in exercise and neurobiology to a two-day conference to explore physical activity's potential in fighting substance abuse, and announced $4 million in new research grants to help.

Drug treatment programs often include exercise, partly to keep people distracted from their cravings, but there's been little formal research on the effects.

The best evidence: Brown University took smokers to the gym three times a week and found adding the exercise to a smoking-cessation program doubled women's chances of successfully kicking the habit. The quitters who worked out got an extra benefit: They gained half as much weight as women who managed to quit without exercising, says lead researcher Dr. Bess Marcus.

She now is working with the YMCA on a larger, NIDA-funded study to prove the benefit.

Marcus cautions that people trying to kick an addiction have a powerful incentive to exercise. Could that possibly translate into prevention? Among the clues:

Rats were less likely to ingest amphetamines if their cages had running wheels, suggesting exercise stimulated a reward pathway in the brain to leave them less vulnerable to the drug's rush.
In people, exercise acts as a mild antidepressant and relieves stress. Depression, anxiety and stress increase risk of alcoholism, smoking or drug abuse.
Volkow is intrigued that attention deficit disorder and obesity both involve problems with the brain chemical dopamine, one system that drugs hijack to create addiction.

Read the entire article here.

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Warning: Artificial Sweeteners May Wreck Your Diet and Your Health

Splenda is not satisfying—at least according to the brain. A new study found that even when the palate cannot distinguish between the artificial sweetener and sugar, our brain knows the difference.

At the University of California, San Diego, 12 women underwent functional MRI while sipping water sweetened with either real sugar (sucrose) or Splenda (sucralose).

Sweeteners, real or artificial, bind to and stimulate receptors on the taste buds, which then signal the brain via the cranial nerve. Although both sugar and Splenda initiate the same taste and pleasure pathways in the brain—and the subjects could not tell the solutions apart—the sugar activated pleasure-related brain regions more extensively than the Splenda did.

In particular, “the real thing, the sugar, elicits a much greater response in the insula,” says the study’s lead author, psychiatrist Guido Frank, now at the University of Colorado at Denver. The insula, involved with taste, also plays a role in enjoyment by connecting regions in the reward system that encode the sensation of pleasantness.

Although Splenda elicits less overall activity within the brain, the researchers were surprised to find that the artificial sweetener seems to inspire more communication between these regions. “Looking at the connection between the taste areas, Splenda is stronger,” Frank says. He suggests that when we taste Splenda, the reward system becomes activated but not satiated. “Our hypothesis is that Splenda has less of a feedback mechanism to stop the craving, to get satisfied.”

If that theory plays out, there could be implications for those who use artificial sweeteners as a weight-control aid. Recent research indeed suggests a correlation between artificial sweetener intake and compromised health.

In one large survey, diet soda consumption was found to be associated with elevated cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk. A different study reveals a possible mechanism behind this effect: rats that were fed artificially sweetened yogurt in addition to their regular feed ended up eating more and gaining more weight than rats that ate yogurt with real sugar.

The study’s authors suggest that exposure to an artificial sweetener may undermine the brain’s ability to track calories and to determine when to stop eating.

Read the entire article here.

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Monday, June 9, 2008

It's working! I've lost 6-1/4 inches!

No, that is not a picture of me (I wish). I have good news though!

I took my measurements this morning and I have lost 6-1/4 inches total over the last 4 weeks!

I lost 1-1/2 inches off my chest, 1-3/4 inches off my waist, 1-1/4 inches off my hips, 1-1/2 inches off my thighs, and 1/4 inch off my arms.

Over the last week, I lost a little less than a pound (.8). I didn't expect to see any weight loss, since I'm gaining muscle.

I can tell a difference in my clothes. My jeans are looser now.

I haven't been following a strict diet. The only things I've done is reduce my portions, eat healthier (no junk-food), and drink more water.

I also take The Pops (whole food supplements) and juice every day.

It's working!
Laura

Related Post: Progress Report

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

The Skinny on Fat: You're Not Always What You Eat

Ever wondered why some people seem able to gobble down anything and still stay slim?

New research shows that the answer may lie in serotonin, a neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger produced by nerve cells. Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco, (U.C.S.F.) report in the journal Cell Metabolism that the nerve messenger, a known appetite suppressant, not only controls whether and how much you eat but, independent of that, also plays a role in what the body does with the calories once they're consumed.

"This may mean you could develop therapeutic strategies to manipulate fat metabolism (the rate at which food is turned into energy) independently of what you eat," says study co-author Kaveh Ashrafi, a U.C.S.F. physiologist.

Many weight-loss drugs now on the market are designed to increase serotonin levels, but they were believed to work by stemming appetite; the new research shows they may also work by speeding metabolism. That means, Ashrafi says, that treatments could be developed that target obesity, which has been linked to a slew of ills from diabetes to cancer, without necessarily suppressing appetite.

Ashrafi says he launched the study to determine why some people on diet drugs regained their weight after they stopped popping them, even if they did not increase their caloric intake.

"The assumption that body weight is simply a consequence of behavior is not exactly correct," he says. "It is the combination of behavior and the organism's propensity for what to do with nutrients it takes in," whether to store or use them.

Ashrafi, postdoc Supriya Srinivasan and their colleagues conducted their research on roundworms (Caenorhabditis elegans), which are genetically similar to mammals; all the fundamental mechanisms at work in the organism are also found in humans. The team created a number of mutant worms with engineered defects in proteins that serotonin controls; some of the proteins they tampered with affected appetite, others metabolism.

The researchers found that worms would alter their eating habits—although their fat content did not change—if they blocked proteins linked to appetite; if they disrupted proteins involved with metabolism, the worms would slim down even if they continued to down the same amount of food.

"We are not saying that feeding is not important for fat," Ashrafi warns. "What we've discovered here in the worm, at a molecular level, is the mechanisms that allow serotonin to have its appetite effect are different from those that control metabolism." He says this may explain why two individuals with similar eating and physical activity habits may have very different body weights—because their bodies process the food differently.

Ashrafi expects the findings to translate to humans. He says, however, that there is still much to learn about how the body regulates fat content. "The goal of this is not to say that here is a pill that will make people thin regardless of what they eat," he notes. "There is nothing in our study that argues against good nutrition and physical activity."

Source: here

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Smoothies: The Summer's Best Healthy Refreshment

Summer is hot and something that’ll cool you off is always welcome.

That’s why it’s tough to get through summer without a smoothie -- and they’re seemingly everywhere, taunting you with their refreshing icy sweetness.

Why would you shell out five bucks for one that’s void of nutrition at a designer smoothie bar when you could blend your own healthy summer smoothies at a fraction of the cost? Plus, fruit smoothies are an excellent way to get a megadose of vitamins and antioxidants.

A few gulps can contain several servings of fruit, an all-too-important part of your diet. So, load up the blender, mash the liquefy button and down some healthy summer smoothies.

In season

For the best healthy summer smoothies, you’ll want to buy fruits that are in season.

It’s hard to tell what’s in season when you’re in a modern supermarket, where virtually every fruit or vegetable is available year round. Luckily, we’re here to tell you what fruits are at peak tastiness (and lowest cost) during the healthy summer smoothie season.

Look for bananas, grapes, kiwifruit, watermelon, figs, lemons, persimmons, blueberries, cantaloupe, peaches, plums, and strawberries. They’ll be your best bet for fresh, tasty summer fruit and refreshing and healthy summer smoothies.

Calorie counting

You may be worried about the massive amount of calories hidden away in a tall, frosty glass of pureed fruit.

Let’s take, for example, a power-sized Strawberry Whirl all-fruit smoothie prepared by the master smoothie blenders at Jamba Juice: It contains 30 ounces of liquefied fruit and a cool 370 calories. Sounds like a lot, but it contains a whopping six-and-a-half servings of fruit.

If you order the more manageable 16-ouncer, you cut the calorie count to 200 (and the fruit servings to three). Still, that’s a pound of fruit and 200 calories from fruit is a lot better for you than 200 calories from soda, which has no nutritional value.

If you make healthy summer smoothies at home, you can further reduce the calorie count of your favorite core-temperature-reducing icy treat.

Healthy Summer Smoothie Recipes

We scoured the internet for healthy summer smoothie recipes and then we tried them out. It gives us great pleasure to present to you four of the best healthy summer smoothie recipes that had our taste buds dancing the summer nights away.

Mango smoothie

This tropical delight is packed with equatorial super-nutrients and will give you a nice midday boost.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups chopped mango (fresh, jarred or frozen)
1 cup guava or mango nectar, chilled
2/3 cup NESTLÉ CARNATION Evaporated Milk
Juice from 2 limes
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
Ice cubes (optional)
Sliced almonds (optional)

Directions:
Combine first five ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve over ice and top with almonds if desired.

Strawberry smoothie

This straightforward strawberry smoothie will soothe your frazzled nerves and re-energize your energy supply.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups strawberries
1/2 cup strawberry nectar
1 pitted peach
1 cup low-fat, plain yogurt or strawberry yogurt if you don’t have the nectar
2 cups ice

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve quickly -- before the ice melts.

Lemonade smoothie

This healthy summer smoothie is perfect for a hot day since its refreshing goodness will fill your belly and quench your thirst.

Ingredients:
1 cup lemonade
1 1/2 cups of raspberries
1 cup low-fat lemon yogurt
2 cups of ice

Directions:
Making healthy summer smoothies is one of the easiest things you can do. So, once again, combine all ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth.

Blueberry smoothie

Blueberries contain more antioxidants per ounce than pretty much anything else. This smoothie will help your body combat the damage done by free radicals.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup plain, low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup washed, stemmed blueberries
honey to taste
2 cups of ice

Directions:
If you don’t have this by now, we’re wondering if summer has already fried your brain. We’ll repeat for your benefit: Mix all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve while it’s cold.

Smoothie Operator

Smoothies are popular for a reason: They taste great and they’re good for you. Make your own and you’ll save a ton of money, especially if you buy fruit in season. You’ll also ensure that you’re getting the most nutritional value out of your smoothies. So go ahead, fire up the blender along with the barbecue this summer.

Source: here

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Saturday, June 7, 2008

4 Foods You Should Eat To Stay Slim

Keeping those extra pounds off is even tougher than losing them in the first place.

Here's what to stock in your fridge so your weight doesn't creep back up.

About 70% of dieters report that they regain their lost pounds, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

The good news is that bucking the trend and staying slim doesn't mean starving. In fact, one issue may be the foods dieters don't eat.

If your weight keeps yo-yoing up and down, the problem may be that you're not eating enough of these four food groups (sorry—sugary, fried and fatty foods still aren't recommended):

1. Protein

2. Nuts

3. Fruits and Vegetables

4. Berries

Read the entire article here.

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Friday, June 6, 2008

Want To Take a Trip? A Flavor Trip That Is!

I don't know about you, but I would LOVE to eat a grapefruit and it taste like candy.

At "flavor tripping parties" guests eat a West African berry, Synsepalum dulcificum, better known as miracle fruit, which temporarily rewires taste buds, turning sour flavors sweet.

Unfortunately, miracle fruit is highly perishable and costs $2 or more per berry. Figures...

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Exercise is Good...Good...Good!

Rachael and I just finished the Slim in 6 'Ramp it Up' workout. Tonight makes our fourth night in a row to do this 48-minute workout. We are both amazed at how much progress we've made. The first night, we struggled at everything... huffing and puffing, whining and wheezing. It was pretty embarrassing. But each night, we've noticed that we're getting stronger and protesting less.

One of the things we both noticed is that even though the workouts have been killer, the next day we don't have a great amount of soreness. This has really surprised me because I have done many workouts in the past and usually the next day (or several days), it hurts to walk or get up out of a chair. Not so, with this program. Don't get me wrong, we are sore but it's tolerable.

Next Wednesday night, we'll start working out to the Slim in 6 'Burn in Up' DVD set so I will probably be singing another tune Thursday morning... I'll keep you posted. We will work out with the 'Burn in Up' DVD for the remaining 4-1/2 weeks of the program.

I canceled Rachael's and my membership at the fitness center. Rachael bought the Slim in 6 DVD set several months ago. We realized it made better sense to do these workouts at home (save gas, get more sleep, and I'm home with the baby if needed). We'll see how it goes. I may sign up at the fitness center again at a later time.

We plan to complete the Slim in 6 program on July 14th. We are then going to work out doing Tae-Bo. I am a huge Tae-Bo fan. I bought the Tae-Bo Workout DVD set nine years ago and lost 30 lbs. Then a couple of years ago, I bought the Tae-Bo 'Get Ripped' DVD set, so it makes sense for us to use what we have on hand.

This sounds crazy, but I already feel different. I can't see a difference on the outside, but I definitely feel different on the inside. I feel cleaner and healthier. I feel really, really good. I'm excited!
Laura

Related Post: Progress Report

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Fast Food Goes Organic

The history of the demand for organic food starts where you would expect: at a little farm in the country, with a farmer picking his way through his field.

That's nice and quaint, but not business for the masses. Co-ops brought the food to more people. Farmers markets caught on, even blocking traffic on busy streets in big cities like New York and Washington. Whole Foods transplanted the idea into corporate America, helping the growth of vast fields of organic produce throughout California.

Now there is organic fast food, and the options for it in the Washington area are about to grow. Organic to Go, a Seattle company founded in 2004, said yesterday that it has purchased locally based High Noon's four cafes, as well as its catering operation, and plans to turn the lunch hot spots into places where office workers can flee their cubicles and devour a meatloaf sandwich made with organic beef.

"We're trying to get more food that is of higher quality from organic and natural producers in the path of where people work, and that will in turn help to grow our company," said Jason Brown, Organic to Go's founder and chief executive.

The company is taking the Whole Foods prepared-food concept out of the grocery store and into places where people work and spend their days. With High Noon, Organic to Go gets District locations in busy business downtown corridors, including at 15th and K streets, and 19th and F streets. "If you stand outside High Noon and look around, there are great offices all over filled with people," Brown said. "That's who the customers are."

The average lunch customer is probably different from a decade ago, when standard fast-food fare would have done just fine. People who eat meals out increasingly want more nutritious food.

More than 76 percent of the people in a recent poll by the National Restaurant Association said they are trying to eat out more healthfully than they were two years ago. Another survey by the organization, this one of U.S. chefs, showed the No. 2 and No. 3 hottest trends were locally grown and organic produce, respectively -- after bite-size desserts.

Those healthy eating trends are bumping into the quick-service segment of the restaurant industry, which is expanding faster than traditional table-service restaurants, according to Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research for the National Restaurant Association.

Valerie Killifer, the editor of Fast Casual magazine, which focuses on restaurants serving quick meals, said consumer interest in eateries that serve nutritious food fast is poised to expand quickly. "Right now it's just on the ground level," she said, "but the opportunity is only going to grow."

"People are realizing that it's more important what they are eating," said Nicolas Jammet, co-owner of Sweetgreen. "Concepts like Organic to Go and us bring it down to the everyday level. I think it's good that people are starting to eat better. There is a lot of room for these kinds of concepts, and we welcome them because it expands overall interest."

Read the entire article here.

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Presidential Candidates Courting The Fat Vote

As Obese Population Rises, More Candidates Courting The Fat Vote

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Boy, I Would Love To Be Slim in 6 Weeks!

Whew, I'm tired. My 26 year old daughter, Rachael, and I finished a 48 minute Slim in 6 video workout an hour and a half ago and I'm feeling it. I know I'll be feeling it tomorrow too.

We didn't make it to our early morning workout at the gym because I didn't hear the alarm going off. (Note to self: It's not a good idea to sleep with the timer underneath your pillow.)

I've gained a half pound. I'm doing good aren't I? I'm not at all surprised because last week, I only exercised three days (two days on the treadmill and one day on the upper body weight machines). I really wasn't strict as far as what I ate either. Truthfully, I don't want to be super strict with what I eat because I feel I'll just be setting myself up for a fall.

Instead of getting depressed about my weight gain, I'm getting more and more determined. Especially after watching fitness instructor, Debbie Siebers and the other lady in the Slim in 6 video. They both look so good and so healthy. I said to my daughter, "Rachael, I don't care if it takes me a year to do it, I want to look like that!" Then I asked her, "Are you with me?" She said, "Yes!" So we're going to do it.

Every day, I'm going to do something positive that puts me in a position to succeed at my weight loss goals.

My husband, Paul, and I like to start the day out with a large glass of freshly extracted juice (carrot, celery, apple, and tomato blend) and a Pop-A-Purple (whole food supplements we sell). I had a glass of juice this morning and it made me feel good. It made me feel healthy inside.

What I have to learn to do is to continue the trend throughout the day. In other words, I need to little-by-little make healthier food choices and stick to a 6-day per week exercise regimen. I want to change my lifestyle forever and never be overweight again. I want to feel good, look good and be full of energy. I want to be an inspiration to others and help them succeed at their weight loss goals.

Read the post below, "Lose Weight Without Dieting" and you will get an idea of my philosophy as far as dieting goes. I believe exercise is the key to weight loss and maintaining that weight loss. I believe that when we diet, we're only doing it as a temporary measure ... a means to an end and when the diet is over or the goal is achieved, we go back to what we ate before and gain the weight back.

If we make exercise a part of our lifestyle, we will not only lose the extra weight we're carrying around but we'll be able to keep it off for good.

I'm ready to make some changes. How about you?
Laura

Related Post: Progress Report

My Other Websites: Are Your Vitamins Safe? Whole Food Nation Affiliate Link

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Fast-Food Nation

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