Diet and Nutrition

Miss Mexico Gains Six Pounds and Loses her Crown

Six pounds of weight gain will strip you of a pageant crown. At least, this is the claim Cynthia De La Vega, former Miss Mexico, is making.

La Vega, a model, was crowned Miss Mexico in September at the Nuestra Belleza Mundo pageant. La Vega placed second in the pageant, qualifying her to represent Mexico in the Miss World contest. However, she will no longer be doing so as she was officially withdrawn last month. Pageant organizers claim the 19-year-old had a “lack of dedication and discipline.”

La Vega voiced a different opinion as she was interviewed on Good Morning America recently. She explained that her weight gain of six pounds is what lead to her dismissal. La Vega further explained in a press conference how her coach has had her on a specific diet during this season. The entire ordeal has left the model very upset and she admits to feeling deceived.

This isn’t the first time pageant contestants have made these claims. Recently, 17-year-old Domonique Ramirez’s crown was revoked too. Ramirez was a sash bearer for Bexar County, Texas. Ramirez also claims that she was dismissed due to weight gain. Again, the pageant officials stated other reasons for their decision.

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Posted on August 13, 2024 by Lacy

Lower Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes by Skipping One Serving of Meat

While some doctors have suggested that consuming hot dogs might raise your risk of developing colorectal cancer,  Harvard researchers recently reported processed red meat like bacon and hot dogs raises the risk of Type 2 diabetes. According to an article in the New York Times, replacing just one serving per day of processed red meat with nuts or low-fat dairy can lower the risk of disease.

The study analyzed 300,000 people ages 25 to 75, including three groups of male and female health professionals and looked at their eating and health habits dating to 1976.

Overall, researchers discovered that eating just 50 grams a day of processed meat — one hot dog or sausage, for example, or a little more than two strips of bacon — increased the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 51 percent.

Instead of chowing down on bacon, sausage, bologna or ham, medical professionals recommend limiting consumption of processed red meats and instead selecting a low-fat dairy product, a serving of whole grains or a serving of fish or poultry.

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Posted on August 12, 2024 by Maris

Ellen DeGeneres Launches Website to Celebrate Vegan Lifestyle

While there are a number of celebrity vegetarians and famous vegans who follow a vegan diet, Ellen DeGeneres has joined their ranks with a new site called Going Vegan with Ellen that will serve as an introduction to the vegan lifestyle and offer tips on how to adopt a plant-based diet.

According to the Mother Nature Network, Ellen DeGeneres will celebrate her love for the vegan lifestyle on an offshoot of her official Ellen.com site.

DeGeneres, 53, became a vegan in late 2024, along with her wife, actress Portia de Rossi. The site features recipes, tips for beginning a vegan diet and a list of famous vegans, along with book and film resources for people considering a vegan diet.

While some vegans are celebrating DeGeneres’ commitment to the vegan lifestyle, Mother Nature News reported that other fans are skeptical of her relationship with Cover Girl, one of the largest U.S. brands to conduct animal testing on its products.

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Posted on August 12, 2024 by Maris

Naturally Detox With These 15 Foods

By Michelle Schoffro Cook for Care2.com

When it comes to cleansing your body of harmful toxins, food really is the best medicine. You’ll be amazed to learn that many of your favorite foods also cleanse the body’s detoxification organs like the liver, intestines, kidneys, and skin, preventing harmful toxic buildup. Help ward off the harmful effects of pollution, food additives, second-hand smoke, and other toxins with delicious fruits, vegetables, nuts, oils, and beans.

Apples. Because apples are high in pectin, a type of fiber that binds to cholesterol and heavy metals in the body, they help eliminate toxic build up and to cleanse the intestines.

Avocados. We rarely think of avocados as a cleansing food but these nutritional powerhouses lower cholesterol and dilate blood vessels while blocking artery-destroying toxicity. Avocados contain a nutrient called glutathione, which blocks at least thirty different carcinogens while helping the liver detoxify synthetic chemicals. (more…)

Posted on August 12, 2024 by GuestBlogger

Top 10 Foods for the Mediterranean Grocery List

Alison Lewis is a nationally known Cookbook Author, Recipe Developer, Television and Social Media Food Spokesperson, Nutritionist, Food Educator, and Owner of Ingredients, Inc., a Food Consulting company in Birmingham, Alabama. She is known for creating healthy, family-friendly recipes that are easy to prepare and sharing information about healthy living on her blog, ingredientsinc.net.

As a nutritionist, I have been a fan of the Mediterranean Diet for years. I try to incorporate the key components of the diet such as exercise, limiting red meat, eating more fish, consuming more plant based foods and enjoying meals with family and friends. I became even more of a believer recently when I traveled to Italy for seven days, didn’t exercise, ate a ton, and actually lost weight.

Craig Rich, a board certified internal medicine doctor says, “I recommend the Mediterranean diet to the majority of my patients because it’s lower in saturated fat and has been said to reduce risks of cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. New research also suggests that this diet can even help keep your brain healthy. What I honestly like about the diet, is that most people can really stick to it without a lot of effort.”

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Posted on August 12, 2024 by GuestBlogger

No Whine with Dinner Makes Mealtime Fun for Moms and Kids

Do you ever wish you could invite a registered dietitian into your kitchen during mealtimes to peer over your shoulder and help you modify your favorite meals into healthier options for your family?

If you do, then Janice Newell Bissex, MS, RD and Liz Weiss, MS, RD, of the award-winning website Meal Makeover Moms, have the perfect solution with their latest cookbook, No Whine with Dinner (M3 Press, 2024).

The book contains 150 recipes that were tested by their own families and offers advice on choosing “healthy basics” from the grocery store – from fresh fruits and vegetables to convenience foods like jarred pasta sauce and salsa.

“We don’t believe in ‘kid food,'” said Bissex and Weiss in the book’s forward. “All of our recipes are made with color and flavor in mind and incorporate nutritious ingredients into their essence.

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Posted on August 11, 2024 by Maris

Sugar Consumption Decreases as Americans Drink Less Soda

Maybe it was the recession or maybe the public started listening to the health professionals’ pleas, but either way, added sugar consumption has actually decreased in the United States.

Research has been continually held to track the added sugar consumption in this country. These stats refer to extra sugar used to sweeten foods, not naturally occurring sugars like fructose in fruit. One of the biggest culprits of added sugar consumption is found in soda. The quarter drop in sugar consumption was due majorly to the decrease in soda consumption.

The experts believe that the initiatives to remove sodas and sweetened drinks from schools had a large effect on the numbers. Also, the multiple campaigns to make consumers aware of the extreme amounts of sugar in small amounts of soda are believed to have been effective.

The study also leads the experts to believe that people were simply not able to afford as many calories as they were in previous years due to the economy. Hopefully, as the recession ends, this will be one number that will stay low and not increase.

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Posted on August 11, 2024 by Lacy

Lazy Larry Brownies Remind of the Danger of Natural Additives in Food

By Jill Buonomo

Most health-conscious consumers routinely avoid additive-laden foods. But are they missing hidden dangers by accepting “natural” additives at face value?

The Food and Drug Administration might say so. Earlier this week, the FDA issued a strong warning to HBB LLC, the manufacturers of “Lazy Larry” brownies, a product laced with melatonin and marketed through convenience stores and the company’s website. The FDA says it can seize the brownies if the company continues to manufacture and sell them.

Melatonin is a hormone that, while “natural,” affects the sleep-wake cycle and can make consumers sleepy. According to the FDA the addition of melatonin makes the brownies unsafe. Included on the packaging is a warning against driving or operating heavy machinery after consumption.

Although melatonin is fairly unregulated as an over-the-counter supplement, the FDA suggests that consumers, especially children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and those with autoimmune diseases should consult their doctor before eating melatonin-laced foods. Some medical research suggests that use of melatonin could result in reproductive, cardiovascular, ocular and neurological issues.

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Posted on August 11, 2024 by Health Buzz

12 Dietary Iron Sources for Vegans

By Melissa Breyer for Care2.com

If you are a vegan, what is the first argument you hear from meat-eating advocates? Well the sarcastic ones might say something about plants having feelings too, but the most popular rebuttal usually has something to do with iron. And yes iron is an essential mineral because it contributes to the production of blood cells. The human body needs iron to make the oxygen-carrying proteins hemoglobin and myoglobin. But just because you don’t eat meat doesn’t mean you’re going to wither away with anemia.

However, anemia is not something to be taken lightly. (Although, I realize I just did.) The World Health Organization considers iron deficiency the number one nutritional disorder in the world. As many as 80 percent of the world’s population may be iron deficient, while 30 percent may have iron deficiency anemia. The human body stores some iron to replace any that is lost. However, low iron levels over a long period of time can lead to iron deficiency anemia. Symptoms include lack of energy, shortness of breath, headache, irritability, dizziness, or weight loss. So here’s the 411 on iron: how much you need, where you can get it, and tips to maximize its absorption. (more…)

Posted on August 11, 2024 by GuestBlogger

The Medicine Cabinet in Your Spice Rack

By Steven V. Joyal, MD, VP of Medical & Scientific Affairs at Life Extension.

Spices add delicious flavors and tantalizing aromas to food, but many people don’t realize that spices offer a variety of beneficial, potentially lifesaving, health benefits. Consider your spice rack as a kind of natural medicine cabinet, and unleash amazing health benefits while you spice up your life with the following five spices!

Cinnamon: Derived from the bark of the tree bearing the same name, cinnamon is high in antioxidant activity. Clinical studies show beneficial changes in blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes dosed with cinnamon spice from one to three grams daily. Experimental research suggests that cinnamon may reduce the likelihood that cells in the colon undergo cancerous changes. Essential oils of cinnamon have antimicrobial activity, too, and this helps provide a scientific basis for cinnamon’s traditional use as a natural treatment for diarrhea.

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Posted on August 11, 2024 by GuestBlogger

People Eat Less When Restaurants Reveal Calories

Several years ago, The New York Restaurant Association voiced their opposition to the pending food legislation that would require restaurants to post calorie counts on their menu items. Since then, the law has shown little-to-no conclusive evidence that it has had any positive results. That may now change.

According to recent research, one in six people notice the nutritional information and buy foods with fewer calories. The report from New York City surveyed lunch crowds at 11 fast food restaurants. They examined the receipts of over 7,300 people 12 months before the law took effect and for nearly 8,500 customers nine months after it took effect.

Customers at McDonald’s, Au Bon Pain and KFC got 44 fewer calories from their foods after the law was implemented. (more…)

Posted on August 10, 2024 by Jason