Diet and Nutrition

Skim Milk May be Making You Fat

It’s a well-known fact that the less fat there is in your milk, the less fat there’ll be in your pants. Equipped with this superior dairy knowledge, we often sway toward non-fat when making milk selections as opposed to whole when we’re trying to shed a few pounds.

I’m guilty of this myself and could’ve sworn my tighter pants and shortness of breath were attributed to my purchasing Vitamin D milk instead of my usual 1 percent last week at the store.

However, a bundle of new research is now contradicting that, saying that when it comes to milk, whole is king. But how is this so? Let’s start by looking at the facts.

At first glance, skim milk seems like the obvious winner with one cup containing just 83 calories and practically no fat. And when compared to its fattier counterparts, 2 percent falls slightly behind with 122 calories and 5 grams of fat; and whole milk comes in last with 146 calories and 8 grams of fat. (more…)

Posted on June 8, 2024 by Dana

“650 Pound Virgin” Struggled with Mental Challenges of Weight Loss

We live in an era that focuses a great deal on weight. We also live in a media era that has allowed us to watch obese people transform right before our eyes. With our focus on the physical, we often ignore the mental and emotional aspects of obesity and dramatic weight loss. This week, our weight and media era gave us a glimpse into the battle beyond the bulge.

David Smith appeared on The Today Show this week, and this wasn’t his first appearance on the show. Smith was a guest three years ago, showing off the transformation his once 650-pound body had gone ‘through after he lost 400 pounds. Smith’s weight loss was chronicled for a TLC documentary titled, “The 650-pound Virgin.”

This week’s appearance was just as surprising as Smith has regained more than 250 pounds in the past two years, putting him dangerously close to his starting weight. (more…)

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Lacy

Liam Hemsworth Stays Fit Surfing, Boxing and Lifting Weights

Australian-born actor Liam Hemsworth is lighting up the news this week with his engagement to former Disney star and singer Miley Cyrus.

Cyrus, whose childhood has had several tumultuous turns and controversies, has grown up in the limelight following the lead of her country singing star father Billy Ray Cyrus.

Cyrus, 19, became most well known for her role as Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel, but saw much criticism when she made a sultry transition into a saucy pop star in 2024. The star is reportedly working on her fourth studio album to be completed before her marriage to 22-year-old Hemsworth, which is rumored to be “very adult and sexy.”

Not surprisingly, the former Disney star has picked a proper suitor who’s seen nearly as much fame as she has herself. Born in Melbourne, Australia, to a family that seemingly breeds actors, Hemsworth began acting in his teens and moved to the U.S. in 2024 to further pursue his career. His most recent role as Gale in the Hunger Games catapulted him to fame. (more…)

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Dana

Waist Size Linked to Diabetes Risk

Beer belly, muffin top, spillage, or gut. Whatever you call it, that large waist may be more dangerous than originally thought. A recent research publication states that a large waist is an important warning sign for diabetes.

CNN Health reported about a 17-year study regarding waist measurements and what they mean for our health. Previously, Body Mass Index (BMI) was the standard form of measurement to help determine if one’s weight was putting their health at risk. But more recently, the height-to-weight ratio has come under criticism as it fails to distinguish fat from muscle and it doesn’t focus on the location of fat on the body. This study found waist size to be a better marker of health risks like diabetes.

Researchers in Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in the UK, measured the waist size and BMI of nearly 30,000 middle-aged Europeans. This group was followed for 17 years. Those who started overweight, not obese, yet had a large waist were more likely than obese people with normal or moderately sized waists to develop type 2 diabetes. A large waist is defined as 40 inches for a man and 35 inches for a woman. (more…)

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Lacy

The Paleo Diet Enters the Medical Field with Paleo Physicians Network

It’s been called the Caveman diet, the Paleolithic diet, the Darwinian diet, and a whole slough of others pre-historic names. But however you may refer to it, the paleo diet is gaining momentum and not just in the diet and health realm, but in the medical realm as well.

For those unfamiliar with the paleo diet, it mimics the habits of our ancestors 10,000 years before us who were primarily hunter-gathers. Historians propose they lived off the land, consuming mostly animal meat and any fruits and vegetables they may be able to forage.

For followers of the paleo diet, that means eating a lot of meat and produce and absolutely no sugar, dairy, grains and beans. This sometimes extreme way of eating – and living –  obviously isn’t for everyone. But proponents of the diet remain that it works, it makes sense, and it’s worth sharing.

One such proponent is Loren Cordain, a professor at Colorado State University, who holds a doctorate in exercise science. Cordain is also the author of the book paleo eaters swoon over: The Paleo Diet.

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Posted on June 6, 2024 by Dana

How Much Water Is Enough? The New Rules for Hydration

You’ve heard it been said that we should drink a lot more water than we currently do in order to stay hydrated, since our bodies are made up of 80 percent water and need tons of the stuff to function properly. But what if this notion is false? What if we’re all looking like overzealous idiots carrying around our 82 ounce Nalgene bottles in an effort to stave off dehydration?

While experts typically recommend that we aim for 2.5 liters of water a day – or roughly eight glasses – new insight from an article published in the Australian public health journal is arguing otherwise, saying that the necessity for 64 ounces of water a day is a flat-out myth.

The primary message of the new research is this: While drinking a lot of water has been shown to decrease appetite, the authors of the article contend that consuming foods with a high water content promotes even more weight loss than just plain water. And in addition, they argue that our bodies are likely getting the hydration they need from the fluids we take in in addition to water- including coffee, tea, and even beer. (more…)

Posted on June 6, 2024 by Dana

High Fructose Corn Syrup and Memory Loss Research Study Needs a Control Group

Yet again it seems that mass media is not accurately portraying scientific research. This time the research is by Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, a professor of neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a professor of integrative biology and physiology in the UCLA College of Letters and Science. The headlines are claiming that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) damages memory or “makes you stupid“. Unfortunately, the study was not done with a control group on a regular diet, just rats eating HFCS and other rats eating HFCS with omega-3 fatty acids, so it is difficult to draw any solid conclusions from the research.

When trying to navigate a maze learned six weeks earlier, the rats that had only been eating HFCS “were slower, and their brains showed a decline in synaptic activity. Their brain cells had trouble signaling each other, disrupting the rats’ ability to think clearly and recall the route they’d learned six weeks earlier,” according to researcher Gomez-Pinilla. This could imply that:

  • HFCS causes memory loss
  • Or it could be interpreted that HFCS interferes with focus and attention span
  • Or it could mean that omega-3 fatty acids counteract the harmful effects of HFCS (more…)
Posted on June 6, 2024 by Brooke Randolph

Drew Manning Completes Fat to Fit Journey by Losing 70 Pounds

For personal trainer Drew Manning, gaining 70 pounds on purpose was a personal choice. And not for the attention or to see if he could withstand the challenge, but to better empathize with his clients.

A lifelong fitness junkie, Drew took up personal training as a side job after earning her NASM fitness certification. Having never struggled with his own weight, he found himself wanting to better understand what his clients were going through. So, he decided to complete a year-long project in which he gained weight intentionally for six months and then spent six months losing it all again.

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Posted on June 6, 2024 by Dana

Is Salt Really as Bad as We Think?

It seems the general rule when it comes to salt is ‘don’t have too much – it’s not healthy for you.’ And after hearing this message for most of our lives, the majority of people view it as fact. Put the salt shaker down; it’ll give you high blood pressure.

But a recent editorial piece in the New York Times by Gary Taubes argues otherwise, questioning whether or not salt really is as bad as they say it is.

Taubes points out that recent evidence suggests restricting the amount of salt we eat can actually increase our likelihood of dying prematurely, which is the exact opposite of what we thought before. In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture still considers salt the nation’s greatest health threat before fats, sugars and alcohol. But, a new rebel band of health experts now suspects that it’s more likely that eating the amount of salt the USDA and CDC actually recommends would be doing more of a disservice than benefit.

In the 1970s, despite no conclusive evidence showing a connection between salt intake and serious health problems, salt reduction was declared a must. Health experts at the time thought this to be true primarily based on the observation that populations outside the U.S. that ate little salt had minimal hypertension, as well as a study that showed a group of rats developed hypertension on a high-salt diet. (more…)

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Dana

Michelle Pfeiffer Goes Vegan

Going vegan isn’t just trendy anymore, it’s a practical diet choice for those seeking a longer, healthier life. Deemed ‘The Kind Diet‘ by actress Alicia Silverstone, vegans enjoy a diet free of animal meat and byproducts, including eggs, milk, butter and even honey.

Thanks to some big names joining the ranks as recent converts, including Bill Clinton, Madonna, Travis Barker and Carrie Underwood, the argument for vegan is becoming all the more convincing. And now another Hollywood leading lady has made the switch – 54-year-old actress Michelle Pfeiffer.

Pfeiffer, best known for her early roles in Grease 2 and Scarface, announced her decision to go vegan during a recent interview on CNN with Sanjay Gupta. When asked what prompted her switch to an animal-free diet, Pfeiffer said it was initially inspired by Bill Clinton’s move to go vegan after his second heart attack and quadruple bypass surgery. (more…)

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Dana

Eat Well Everywhere Travel Map Allows for Healthy Summer Road Trips

If you’ve been reading your Facebook or Twitter feed recently, you’ve surely been watching on as the the world prepares for their coveted summer vacations. And if you’re one of those lucky ducks who’s getting ready to set off for some carefree time in the sun, be sure to include the Eat Well Guide when you’re packing for your trip.

The Eat Well Guide is a free, online dictionary that contains more than 250,000 healthy eating options including fresh, locally grown, and even sustainably-produced food in the United States and Canada. Instead of succumbing to a drive-thru while you’re out of town, you can search the best cafes, stores, and even farmers markets near you to find healthy eats where you may be. This little tool will help you avoid making your vacation from work and school a vacation from your healthy eating habits as well.

Beyond the fantastic database of eateries, the Eat Well Guide also offers the Eat Well Everywhere Travel Map, which is available in app-form. This versatile function allows travelers to find healthy options near their driving route wherever they may land. (more…)

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Lacy