Diet and Nutrition

Is Health Nut Gwyneth Paltrow Endorsing Processed Food?

Actress and health nut Gwyneth Paltrow has recently gotten some flack for her newest endorsement. The actress once commented that eating processed cheese was comparable to smoking crack. Today she’s the new face of SPAR Veggies, an Australian line of packaged, processed vegetarian foods.

Paltrow is being accused of hypocrisy. Many celebs are often thought to endorse a foreign product for the cash assuming it won’t ever been viewed by their native audience. However, Paltrow stands by the health and quality of the product. “They are a really healthy alternative to grab and go!” she’s said.

President of SPAR Veggie, Dr. Gerhard Drexel claims Paltrow is the perfect fit for their company.

“Gwyneth Paltrow credibly embodies today’s modern and health conscious woman, integrating meat-less dishes into her lifestyle, not every day but every now and then.”

So what’s the big fuss about? Many critics are stating that the food is the equivalent of a gas station salad. Gas station food is far from Paltrow’s high standards.

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Posted on February 24, 2024 by Lacy

Glee Star Amber Riley Drops Two Dress Sizes by Dropping Junk Food

Glee star Amber Riley showed off her smaller frame at last week’s NAACP Image Awards. The 26-year old has recently dropped two dress sizes and is loving the change.

Riley began a new diet and exercise plan last July. The actress had been experiencing chronic stomach pains as a result of her diet and a visit to her doctor put her on a path that cut out fast food. She says the weight loss was unintentional as the actress’ goal was simply to get healthier.

Another exciting, yet unintentional side effect? Many of Riley’s old clothes do not fit and she has had a new wardrobe provided for her on the set of Glee. In addition to the new clothes on set, the actress admits getting dolled up for events is much nicer now too. Riley explained how formal gowns fit much better at her new size.
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Posted on February 24, 2024 by Lacy

No-Tox “Botox” at Home with a Kale and Brazil Nut Pesto Recipe

By Abra Pappa for Nutritious America

Skin is the body’s largest organ working in partnership with the liver, kidneys, and colon to remove waste and toxins from your system. Wrinkles, blemishes, clogged pores, acne, and poor skin color or tone are all the result of the body’s elimination process not functioning properly.

If you are struggling with dull, blemished skin and looking to achieve a dewy, youthful glow you are closer than you think. Take a few steps into your kitchen and get to work!

Yes, what you eat absolutely affects what your skin looks like. You can certainly go out and spend hundreds of dollars on potions and lotions, but if you aren’t nourishing your skin from the inside out you are fighting a losing battle (and wasting a ton of money in the process).

Let’s get cooking. Here is a recipe for amazing skin rejuvenation that is jam packed with essential skin-beautiful ingredients. I recommend adding this to your weekly meal plan and as spring blooms you will have the youthful glow you are looking for.

For optimal beautiful skin health focus on these four nutrients (and the foods they are found in): (more…)

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Nutritious_America

Qnexa is One Step Closer to FDA Approval

If, at first, you don’t succeed try, try again. That’s what Vivus, the makers of a diet drug called Qnexa did by resubmitting their drug approval application to the FDA advisory committee and it is now one step closer to being approved. The initial application was rejected because of two main concerns: risk of cardiac events like heart attacks and risk to women of child bearing age and women who may be pregnant.

Qnexa is a combination drug of phentermine and topiramate. Both these drugs are currently available by prescription which makes the approval process a little bit easier for Qnexa because there already are a lot of clinical trials and data available about these drugs. Phetermine increases metabolism while topiramate is used for seizures, migraine prevention and as an adjunct therapy for conditions like bipolar disorder. Weight loss for topiramate is really more of a glorified side effect that is believed to be caused by an increase in energy for the patient and increased feeling of fullness after eating because the digestive tract is slowed down.

Qnexa is a capsule made up of immediate release phentermine and extended release topiramate which would have a longer duration of action and is taken once daily. Vivus is currently studying the use of a low, moderate and high dose combination. Qnexa is indicated for people who have a BMI of 30 or higher or overweight patients with a BMI greater than 27 who have other conditions like hypertension, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and fat that is most prominent on the abdomen also known as belly fat. The most common side effects of this combination drug include a prickling or tingling sensation, dry mouth, constipation, and headache.

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Posted on February 23, 2024 by Sarah

Obama Administration to Set School Vending Machine Standards

School lunches and childhood obesity are hot topics this year and as they should be. The current stats from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that one in every five children are obese. That’s a clear picture that our kids need more help. The lunch standards are being changed and now the standards for food outside the cafeteria are being challenged.

It’s estimated that $2.3 billion in snack foods and drinks are sold each year in our schools. The Obama administration is set to propose a change in what is sold in vending machines and school snack stores. The new standards are expected in a few weeks. Experts assume that the new guidelines will mirror those of the school lunch standards: reduction of sugar, salt, and fat amounts.

There are many impacted by these changes. Schools may face restrictions on school fundraisers, as many sell candy and sweets to raise money for sports, music, and art programs. Food and beverage companies fear that the guidelines will be too strict and they will lose revenue if they can’t sell in the schools. Many companies feel they’ve made changes to their inventory to reflect the need for healthier foods.
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Posted on February 23, 2024 by Lacy

Dr. Oz Claims You Can Lose Your Behind with a “Butt-Busting” Brownie

dr oz show black and white logo Today, The Dr. Oz Show is featuring a four-step guide to getting rid of butt fat. The “Butt-Blasting Plan” consists of a supplement, a low-fat diet, a seven-day workout and a brownie. How can eating dessert help you lose fat? Dr. Oz claims that his no-bake dessert “revs up your metabolism.” There’s no sugar in this brownie either, just raw cacao powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, milk, raisins and oats (see the full recipe at the end of this post).

For the rest of the diet, Dr. Oz recommends eating plenty of complex carbs and no more than 34 grams of fat. He explains that the butt is prone to storing fat, so it’s better to increase your carb intake when targeting this area. Dr. Oz adds that you should supplement this diet with 100 milligrams of kudzu root at breakfast. Kudzu is a climbing vine native to Japan and southeast China and is used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Of course, exercise is also key to the butt blasting plan. Dr. Oz lays out a seven-day workout schedule, which consists of a different exercise to work the booty for each day. The exercises are donkey kicks, twisting lunges, dead lifts, a squat-to-jump move, glute glides using a chair, leg lifts while lying on your back and a bridge pose. Each exercise will be done 10 or 15 times.

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Posted on February 22, 2024 by Health Buzz

Free Access to Nutrisystem’s All-New Community Site Now Available

Nutrisystem is relaunching their community web site to better meet the needs of dieters. Nutrisystem doesn’t want to make its customers feel like there is a one-size-fits-all approach to losing weight, and the community offers a place for dieters to have a personal and customized experience and meet other dieters.

The Nutrisystem community redesign is focused on the dieter and many of the changes were made through the direct suggestion of members, including the names of certain sections. The site is free for the first time ever and offers three different levels of 24/7 access. As a guest you will be able to read content, dining out and grocery guides, message boards and member pages without having to enter any personal information. For more extensive access to the site, including interacting with other members, you simply register and become a Nutrisystem member, which is also free. The VIP membership level is available to those who are on a Nutrisystem program. This membership option offers access to all of the content on the web site as well as tracking tools designed to help you through your weight loss journey. (more…)

Posted on February 22, 2024 by Descygna

We Love U-Relish Farm Crock Pot Meals

U-Relish Farm crock pot meals have become an integral part of my meal planning. Cara Dafforn, formerly the Director of Development for the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at IUPUI which has a department of Nutrition and Dietetics, created the company to provide nutrient dense, preservative free, delicious meals in minutes to assist busy families avoid fast food and convenience food options. The ingredients are all regionally sourced and much is grown on Cara’s own farm near Indianapolis. It is all prepared in a kitchen free of gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, and shellfish. My favorite story was the young boy that approached Cara to tell her that he loved one of her meals as much as he loves his Wii! Any time we can get children excited about healthy eating, especially if they have not been before, it is a success!

U-Relish Farm crock pot meals come in savory, spicy, or sweet. There is a pea product line, a bean product line, and a lentil product line. The Chipolte Corn Chili was really spicy in my opinion! Each eight ounce package is labeled with cooking instructions, serving notes, protein suggestions, and ingredients. The packages say that they serve three, but we easily got 4-6 servings from a package by adding protein and serving with rice. I also used the leftover (too spicy for me) Chipolte Corn Chili to top eggs and spice up breakfast.

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Posted on February 22, 2024 by Brooke Randolph

We Love BOLD Organics Gluten-Free Frozen Pizzas

BOLD Organics made a skeptic a believer, so now we love BOLD Organics Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Pizzas.

The tag line for these pizzas reads, “Pizza lovers can finally enjoy a delicious and healthy frozen pizza.” Three major red flags stood in my way to believing this. Gluten-free, dairy-free, and healthy rarely equal good taste. As a lactose intolerant, gluten sensitive eater, I’ve gotten excited one too many times over these claims when it comes to a new product. Typically my experience with these restricted foods has been very unpleasant. I’ve often felt I was eating wallpaper paste and cardboard.

However, when the chance to try these pizzas came my way, I thought I’d give them a shot, hoping that maybe someone could prove me wrong.

I read the back story about the company before I sampled. Aaron Greenwald is the founder of BOLD Organics. He has struggled to find decent health food, especially gluten-free and dairy-free foods. My ears were perked. Then I learned that Greenwald brought Chef Eric Brenner on board to perfect his recipes. Together the two created a frozen pizza with claims unlike any other- healthy, organic ingredients, and great tasting alternatives to insure all pizzas are gluten-free and dairy-free.

The pizzas come in four flavors: Vegan cheese pizza, veggie lovers pizza, meat lovers pizza, and deluxe pizza. All four flavors have been made with ingredients that are very high quality for any pizza, especially a frozen pizza. Greewald and Brenner claim they searched the country for the best flavors and the highest health benefits. Their pizzas include items such as organic roasted red peppers, organic roasted yellow onions, and shiitake mushrooms. For non-vegan consumers, they chose the leanest and nitrate-free meats available on the market.
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Posted on February 21, 2024 by Lacy

Scientists to Dish Up “Test-Tube Burger”

Scientists in the Netherlands have been growing meat tissues in the laboratory, and hope to create the first ever “test-tube burger” by the end of 2024. Also known as “in vitro” or “cultured” meat, the researchers have successfully used stem cells to grow strips of muscle in petri dishes. This tissue will be combined with blood and artificially grown fats to make meat with a hamburger consistency.

The project was funded by an anonymous investor, who contributed roughly $330,000. Although this is a high cost to produce just one hamburger, lead researcher Prof. Mark Post is confident that costs can be dramatically reduced by commercialization, like so many other inventions.

The concept of lab-grown meat may trigger a gag reflex in many, but a number of organizations argue that it can reduce the environmental damage caused by raising livestock. The global demand for meat continues to climb, particularly in Asia and Africa. It’s hoped that artificial meat will use fewer resources to produce, in addition to cutting down the animal cruelty so too often found in factory farms. PETA endorses lab-produced meat, going so far as to offer a million dollars to the first scientist able to bring the product to the commercial market.

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Posted on February 21, 2024 by Margaret

3 New Weight Watchers Menu Items Unveiled at Applebee’s

Eatin’ good in the neighborhood just got a lot easier to do if you’re on Weight Watchers. Applebee’s, who has worked in partnership with the weight loss brand since 2004, just announced its extension of the relationship. To celebrate, they’re unveiling three new menu items endorsed by Weight Watchers.

Diners will find a new steak, shrimp, and chicken entree upon their next visit to Applebee’s, and each meal boasts 12 PointsPlus or less. These meals also appear on their Under 550 Calories Menu.

Grilled Jalapeno-Lime Shrimp offers a generous serving of grilled chipotle lime shrimp and black bean corn salsa flavored with lime juice and cilantro. This meal comes with mixed grilled zucchini, marinated tomatoes, onions and red peppers with steamed white rice. This meal has 8 Weight Watchers PointsPlus.

Creamy Parmesan Chicken is a juicy grilled chicken breast with an au gratin Parmesan sauce served with sides of steamed spinach and mushroom rice pilaf. This meal has 12 Weight Watchers PointsPlus.

Cabernet Mushroom Sirloin is a cut of Applebee’s seven-ounce grilled House Sirloin with sautéed Portobello mushrooms and onions in a Napa Valley Cabernet sauce. Sides include steamed herbed potatoes and garlic broccoli. This meal has 12 Weight Watchers PointsPlus

While Weight Watchers members can use the app, member site, or materials from meetings to learn the PointsPlus values in countless restaurant meals, Applebee’s is the only restaurant where customers will find approved meals right on their menu. With lean cuts of meat, vegetable sides, and flavorful ingredients, diet or not this would be a smart menu to order from. We’re especially glad to see cooking preparations like steaming and grilling used.

We’d still love to see a few minor alterations to these menu items, and you should at least try to ask for them when you order. This will reduce the calories further, or the PointsPlus values, or simply add healthier items to your meal. You can make these requests to any menu item at any restaurant.

1. No white rice. Ask your server if you can swap the white rice (read: void of nutritional value) for a serving of brown or wild rice.

2. Skip the oils. Ask your server if your vegetable sides can be steamed, and if the preparation involves oil ask them to leave it off.

3. Sauces on the side. Ask your server if the au gratin Parmesan sauce can be served on the side instead smothered on top of the chicken breast.

All in all, it looks like Applebee’s and Weight Watchers have really worked to provide meals that diners don’t really have to think twice about. If you’re adding spirits to your meal, consider one of their 100-calorie SkinnyBee margaritas (just skip dessert if you do!).

Posted on February 21, 2024 by Natalie K

Diet and Nutrition

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