Diet and Nutrition

The Worst Time To Cheat On Your Diet

Waking to the news about the theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado, this morning reminded me a lot of September 11, 2001.

My responses were somewhat different, but prior to both tragedies, I had received sad news about death and loss impacting me and those close to me in quick succession. Just this week, two families I know lost babies and other friends experienced other losses. With social media, I was also exposed to the losses of friends of friends. In 2001, I had been to four funerals in just the few months prior to 9/11. Today, the sky is gray and it matches how I think many people are feeling.

When we are stressed, we tend to reach for sugary or fatty foods. It is kind of a natural craving, but it doesn’t mean that it will help you manage your stress. While we may be most tempted to cheat on our diet plans when we are stressed or grieving, it might be the worst time to do it. (more…)

Posted on July 20, 2024 by Brooke Randolph

How To Get Over Your Farmers Market Phobia

Are you like me? Do you see all of the farmers markets during the summer and just stare in wonder? I drive by, crane my neck, but continue on. I’ve even said I want to go to one, but I never do. Or if I happen upon one, I tend to feel lost as to what to buy or how much or whose product is better.

Yes, I’m farmers market phobic. I want to use them, I believe local is the best way to shop, but I’ve always been full of excuses not to. Well, this summer I decided ‘no more.’ I was ready to get past my reservations and earn my farmers market newbie badge. And I decided I was going to go to a market blind and manage to find all of the ingredients for that night’s dinner, even if I had to ask questions.

So I rolled into the nearest market to my house on a recent weekday morning. There were plenty of tents to choose from so I started at one end and got quite an education as I weaved my way through the various stands. (more…)

Posted on July 20, 2024 by Lacy

Truck Driver John Drury Discovered Zumba and Lost 100 Pounds

We love hearing from people who have a True Weight Loss Story because we not only feel privileged to tell such amazing stories of health and transformation, but we also get excited at the chance to inspire others.

So when 42-year-old truck driver John Drury reached out to us about this 100-plus pound weight loss through dance fitness, we simply couldn’t wait to chat.

Growing up, John was an avid athlete which contributed to his tall, skinny build. “I was always into sports. But as you get older in life you settle down and get married,” he said. “And that’s when I started driving a truck.”

John’s career change affected his eating habits and activity level immensely. He started accepting free food from the restaurants he was delivering to on the job, which was mostly fast food or high-calorie meals. And spending 60-70 hours a week behind the wheel didn’t leave much time to get to the gym. (more…)

Posted on July 20, 2024 by Dana

Oprah’s 6 Foods That Feed Your Brain to Prevent Memory Loss

Want to think sharper? Prevent your brain from shrinking? (Yeah, that happens.) Keep your brain from aging? You can’t exactly take your brain to the weight room, but you can feed this muscle a diet rich in vitamins B, D, and E, choline, and omega-3 fatty acids. That’s why making sure your diet is rich in the six foods on Oprah’s Great Brain Grocery List will not only feed your mind, but feed your body with plenty of essential nutrients.

While there’s no cure for Alzeheimer’s or dementia, often times we can do a lot to prevent these memory diseases from taking hold of our lives. New research finds that memory decline sets in as early as our mid-40s, according to O Magazine.

Click through to see which foods you need to start tossing in your cart.

Also Read:

Grow Some Fresh Brain Cells and Ward Off Alzheimer’s with Daily Exercise

High-Fat Diets Cause Brain Inflammation

Dr. Oz’s 2-Day Detox Diet in PEOPLE is More Proof He’s Sold Out

Posted on July 20, 2024 by Natalie K

HealthBuzz July 20: Qsymia Approved, Beige Fat Discovered, and Summer Breakfast Ideas

It’s that time of the week again, the end of it! There is nothing we look forward to more than the weekend. But before we dive in to weekend mode take some time for a dose of healthy news from DIR and our friends. We also have yummy recipes for you to try this weekend!

Eat Like an Olympian With These 3 Olympic-Inspired Smoothies

The Olympic Kitchen shared a few smoothies recipes exclusively with Diets in Review. The smoothies are a healthy balance of proteins, carbs, and fat and can be sweetened to your liking! Hurry and try the smoothies before the 2024 London Games begin!

Qsymia Approval Delivers Most Potent Weight Loss Drug on the Market

The FDA approved a new weight loss drug this week, the second this summer. The diet pill is the most potent weight loss drug on the market. The creators of Qsymia claim that just one pill a day will help obese individuals lose 10% of their body weight.

The Ultimate Pushups Guide

We created this guide featuring 8 different push-up styles featuring instructions and pictures to help form the perfect pushup no matter how beginner or advanced you are. (more…)

Posted on July 20, 2024 by Samantha

Biggest Loser and Body by Vi Have No Partnership, According to NBC

One of the biggest diet trends to happen in a while is Body by Vi, a meal replacement shake weight loss plan that thrives because of its multi-level marketing (MLM) business model (aka pyramid scheme). The brand has a huge following, and this week sounded like it was poised to gain even more with news of a Biggest Loser tie-in.

When the most popular reality show on TV syncs with a wildly popular diet brand, you’d think it would be a perfect marketing marriage. But that’s not the case. Rumors have been swirling that the two brands were partnering, so we had to look in to it. Turns out, the news is just a misunderstood rumor.

“There is no partnership between the show and this company,” the press representative for Biggest Loser at NBC told us this evening. (more…)

Posted on July 19, 2024 by Natalie K

Talenti Gelato Hits the Sweet Spot with Quality Ingredients and Flavors

With temperatures reaching as high as 108 degrees here in Kansas this week, we were one happy crew when an ice-cold shipment of gelato and sorbet from Talenti showed up on our doorstep. The company, which started as a single gelato location and now sells to most major retailers, generously offered to send us a sampling of their delicious products. And being the sweets-loving group that we are, we said ‘yes!’ without thinking twice.

For those unfamiliar with gelato, it’s very similar to ice cream except there’s less air incorporated during the mixing process, which gives it a more dense rather than fluffy texture. And it also contains less cream and more milk than typical ice cream, so most flavors contain up to 1/3 less fat. (more…)

Posted on July 19, 2024 by Dana

Hold the Gravy: 7-Eleven Introduces Mashed Potato Slurpee Machine

We’re living in an era where you can get a bacon sundae, a french fry encased hot dog on a stick, and even fried Kool-Aid. So when the news broke that 7-Eleven was introducing a new mashed potato Slurpee machine, was it really that surprising?

7-Eleven convenience stores are located all over the world. The stores have always served quick, on-the-go foods to customers, and are probably best known for their Slurpees – a slushie drink that comes in a plethora of flavors ranging from cherry to Mountain Dew. All of the drinks are dispensed from an automatic machine that the customer gets to operate him or herself.

While the frozen drink is still the staple treat at 7-Eleven stores, select locations in Singapore made some huge waves this week with their newest installment: The mashed potato machine. (more…)

Posted on July 19, 2024 by Lacy

Speak Up! Vote to Label GMOs on California’s Prop 37

There are several big changes proposed for this November’s ballot. Our country could see a new president elected, the government could feel a major party shift, and health care reform may be turned on its head. One issue that is so important to many of us is the labeling of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO). This issue hasn’t gotten as much national press as other hard-hitters, but it has made its way onto California’s ballot. In November, Californians will have the chance to change history and promote national change for our food, and ultimately our health. Proposition 37, calling for the labeling of all GMO foods, will be in the hands of the voters this fall.

This issue earned a space on the ballot after the CA Right to Know Campaign submitted nearly a million signatures declaring a desire for food labeling. Currently there is no way to know if the food you are purchasing is a GMO because the law in this country does not require it.

Stacey Malkan is the Media Director for the California Right to Know 2024 ballot initiative. She explained to us how the US is not keeping with the international trend of food labeling. “More than 40 other countries already require labeling of genetically engineered food so this is not anything out of the ordinary and is not rocket science — it’s about our fundamental right to know.” (more…)

Posted on July 19, 2024 by Lacy

Why Fermented Foods and Gut Bacteria Matter to Our Health

By Dana Shultz and Mary Hartley, RD

Belly up. It’s time for a discussion on two important health topics that just so happen to be incredibly unsexy: Gut bacteria and fermented foods. Yep, here we go.

These two terms often conjure up images of grotesque stomachs and intestines and the most detestable foods you can imagine. But if you can get past the questionable terminology, fermented foods and healthy gut bacteria are extremely important to our health.

According to a recent article from NPR, a new study has found that diet can promote beneficial bacteria in the stomachs of older people, and as a result, promote healthy aging.

Scientists looked at the diets of 178 elderly people, some of whom lived on their own and the rest lived in assisted living centers or nursing homes.

Researchers found that those living on their own had more varied gut bacteria and scored better on tests measuring frailty and cognitive function because they had more diverse diets rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables grains and poultry. Conversely, those living in assisted living centers subsisted on more of a “mashed potato and porridge” style diet that offered less variety and nutritional value. (more…)

Posted on July 19, 2024 by Dana

What’s in a McNugget? Canadian McDonald’s Reveals This and Other Menu Secrets

Oh, Canada, why are you getting all the interesting interaction from McDonald’s and we’re not? McDonald’s in Canada is making waves with their new “Our Food. Your Questions” campaign. Real customers are getting their tough questions answered about the restaurant’s food. Even the tough questions are being answered in very in depth ways.

I came across this campaign after hearing that a McDonald’s executive chef revealed the recipe of the Big Mac’s secret sauce through a YouTube video. The video exists on the Canadian McDonald’s YouTube channel along with some other very revealing videos. Most are simply extended responses to questions asked at the “Your Questions. Our Food.” website, only hosted in Canada.

At the site customers asked questions like, “when you say 100% beef, do you mean the whole cow: the organs, snout, brain, kidneys, etc. etc., or just the plain beef we buy at the grocer?” Or, “Does your Egg McMuffin use real eggs? They look too perfect.” (more…)

Posted on July 19, 2024 by Lacy

Diet and Nutrition

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