Diet and Nutrition

Congress Slaps Dr. Oz, Saying His Medical Advice Harms Consumers

After more than a decade of using colorful language such as “miracle pill,” silver bullet,” and personally endorsing diet supplements and plans, Dr. Oz was taken to task by Senator Claire McCaskill during a Commerce subcommittee meeting telling him frankly, “You have an amazing megaphone. Why would you cheapen your show when you say things like that?”

Speaking in front of the Senate as part of a hearing on false claims made in advertisements for weight loss supplements, the popular television host defended his position saying that although his “passion” may have led him to use language he now regrets. He also feels his “enthusiastic” descriptions have been used, “out of context.”

The doctor admitted that the products he touts don’t pass “scientific muster.” You think?

Doctor Jazz Hands

Dr. Oz is a TV personality with a penchant for the absurd, often sharing the stage with life size body parts and organs to illustrate his point. First and foremost, however, he is a licensed physician, which is why he was asked to join supplement manufacturers, advertisers, nutrition advocates, and other entities who make up the $2.4 billion diet supplement industry. McCaskill spoke about his responsibility as a doctor saying, “It is hard to tell sometimes with Dr. Oz where the doctor begins and ends, and where the entertainer begins and ends.”

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Posted on June 18, 2024 by Dani Stone

See How Beyonce and Jay Z are Fit Enough to be On the Run This Summer

Have you ever heard of a pop star called Beyoncé?

…just kidding. She is arguably the biggest pop and/or hip-hop star in the world who also happens to be married to one of the biggest and most respected rap artists / moguls in the world. “Power couple” does not even begin to describe these two.

In the past few months, the married parents of one announced that they would be going on tour together beginning this June 25. Beyoncé’s worldwide tour, “The Mrs. Carter Show,” just ended its run this past March, but if anyone can do two major tours in a year, it is Queen B. Since she is busy being a mom on top of everything else, one has to wonder how she has time to keep her ridiculously fit body in the shape it is currently in.

She has a few tips. Here we learn how to stay in shape while touring, mothering, wifing, and living — Beyoncé style. (more…)

Posted on June 18, 2024 by Jessica Tholmer

The Freshest Produce Picks for Early Summer: Here’s What’s Ripe in June

By Team Best Life

Nothing says summer like a garden full of fresh vegetables or a farmers market bursting with juicy, in-season fruit. It’s hard to beat the taste of a just-picked sweet tomato or a fragrant strawberry. Whether you eat them plain or toss them into a favorite dish, they’re sure to be a real crowd-pleaser.

Ready to kick off the summer? Try one of our four favorite June produce picks:

Broccoli. If you grow your own in a garden, you’ll likely start to see small heads soon. For a more tender and mild taste, try to harvest the heads and leaves before they grow too large. Don’t have a green thumb? Look for small heads of broccoli at your local farmers’ market early in the season. Use them to whip up this Fresh Broccoli Salad, which makes for a healthy barbecue side dish.

Raspberries. You can get most berries year-round, but early season raspberries are especially delicious. Look for black raspberries, which are available in many parts of the country in June. In this Raspberry Pistachio Chicken, they make a tasty topping. (more…)

Posted on June 17, 2024 by Jessica Cassity

7 Awesome Reasons Denver Residents Look and Feel So Good

I’ve lived in Denver for one month now, and by the end of the first week it was clear to me why Colorado as a state and Denver as a city own the top of the healthiest lists. From activity to fresh air and an attitude that supports wellness, how could anyone not feel their best here?

Year after year, Colorado remains at the top of the list for healthiest states. The CDC’s map of obesity trends starts in 1985, and it wasn’t until 1990 that Colorado even showed up for having less than 10 percent of its population qualify as obese. The most current map is from 2024 and puts Colorado as one of only nine states with an obesity population under 25 percent. Fitness and hiking clothes seem to be The Official Denver Outfit, as everyone at brunch, the park, the grocery store, and the office seem to be dressed down and ready to move!

While there are no doubt more, these are seven killer reasons that Denver residents look and feel so darn good!

Very Bicycle Friendly. I’m confident I’ve seen more bicycles in the last four weeks than I’ve seen in the last four years. Whether for commutes, fun, or exercise, bicycles own the roads in Denver. As recent as 2024, bicycle commuters were 2.4 percent of Denver’s population, a number up 183% since 1990. Bike racks and lanes exist everywhere, making it a no-brainer for cyclists to get out and ride to work, to the grocery store, or just out for fun. B-Cycle has 83 rental stations and 700 bikes throughout the city, making it pretty impossible not to bike.

Vegetarian Food Abounds. You can throw a stone and find vegetarian and even vegan dining options. Bonnie Brae makes a titillating homemade vegan ice cream, Native Foods has a mock fast food menu that will knock your socks off, and the locally-based Chipotle even puts sofritas (organic tofu braised with chilis and spices) on the menu. Every restaurant we’ve visited (and there have been a lot!) has hearty vegetarian options that even the most carnivorous will consider noshing on. The Goodness Truck roams around near Ft. Collins serving their grilled brie sandwich — to die! And all around the area you can dine at farm to table events. (more…)

Posted on June 16, 2024 by Natalie K

Work it Off: 3 Ways to Negate the 620 Calories in a Gooey Cinnamon Roll

Few things smell better than a cinnamon roll fresh out of the oven. (Cinnabon continues to bank on this one basic fact!) That’s one of the reasons I avoid a certain bakery in my neighborhood. Even walking in front of the building makes my mouth water—the cinnamon rolls smell (and taste!) that good.

But sometimes I give in, as I did earlier this week. The sweet scent was just too good to pass up. Of course, this came at a cost. Like, a really big cost: 620 delicious calories, to be exact, which is higher than pretty much any other treat I’ve learned how to burn off—even donuts and biscuits and gravy.

So, how could I help rid my body of the extra 620 calories?

I could have done hot yoga for 149 minutes. (Okay scratch that—I can barely stand 60 minutes in that heat!)

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Posted on June 15, 2024 by Jessica Cassity

Mike Kenney Lost Almost 100 Pounds by Living the Mantra: “Eat Clean and Train Dirty.”

Michael Kenney is a father of two, and Daddy Mike is cut! It’s hard to believe that 90 pounds ago, he was pre-diabetic and experiencing crippling migraines. With hard work, miles of spinning under his smaller belt, and tracking portion sizes, Mike says he feels better than he has in years. This Father’s Day, he’ll celebrate with daughters Jamie and Jordan, and continue to set a healthy example for his girls.

We love his mantra: Eat clean and train dirty.

The $190 Billion Problem: It’s the Actual Cost of Obesity in the U.S.

Health researchers continue to study—and warn about—the rising rate of obesity worldwide and particularly in the United States. The concern, of course, is for people’s overall health: Being obese is associated with a ton of medical problems including type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which is why you’ve probably heard that obesity is one of the main causes of skyrocketing health care costs. (more…)

Posted on June 12, 2024 by Jessica Cassity

How You Feel Affects How You Look: Mood and Weight Inextricably Linked

A number of factors in your life can contribute to your mood. Work, family, romantic relationships, and even the weather all play a part in how you feel. But what about weight loss or weight gain? Does how much you weigh affect how you feel? And does how you feel affect how much you weigh?

Speaking from experience, during the times that I am at a healthy and fit weight I’m in a happier mood than the times when I am heavier. Part of it has to do with how I feel about my body—better, obviously—but scientists think there’s more to it than that. Much of why you feel better at a healthier weight has to do with what you’re doing to reach those goals.

First off, exercise produces endorphins, so when you’re working out your brain rewards you with these feel-good chemicals. When you eat healthy foods like leafy greens, healthy fats, and lean proteins, you feed your brain nutrients that have been linked to happiness. (Conversely, when you eat trans fats and other bad for you foods your mood suffers.) And then there’s something to the idea of sticking with healthy habits, something that scientists call self-efficacy, which tends to lead to a boost in self-esteem and mood. (more…)

Posted on June 11, 2024 by Jessica Tholmer

Kale Not King? New Study Says Watercress is the Top Green

If you think kale is the top pick for powerhouse fruits and vegetables, a new study may have you thinking again about which produce packs the most punch.

Researchers from William Patterson University looked at powerhouse fruits and vegetables (PFV) in order develop a way to classify the fruits and vegetables that are more nutritionally dense. They measured the levels of 17 different nutrients in 47 fruits and vegetables, and found 41 of them contained enough of the nutrients to keep the label PFV.

To be a PFV, a food must provide 10 percent or more daily value per 100 calories of the measured nutrients.

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Posted on June 11, 2024 by Elizabeth

Sip on This: Fresh Strawberry Balsamic Drizzle Milkshakes

My favorite dessert started as something I didn’t even think I’d like. Friends presented a bowl with vanilla ice cream and strawberries and a dark, seemingly chocolate glaze poured over the top. But it didn’t smell like chocolate, and I knew the move was far too pedestrian for these foodies. They said it was a balsamic vinegar syrup. I loved balsamic — I mean, I could seriously drink the stuff! — but I wasn’t sure how that was going to go with dessert.

Well, I’m here to tell you it was like sky rockets in flight, after dinner delight all up in my mouth! It’s become my go-to dessert for dinner guests when I want something that appears super fancy but takes less than five minutes to prep and assemble.

Yes, fancy and five minutes in the same sentence!

This summer, I’ve decided to make my favorite dessert a bit more portable. You can’t really bob around in the pool with a big bowl of ice cream, but you can certainly float with a Strawberry Balsamic Drizzle Milkshake in your hand. Or at least I will. I won’t tell you how to spend your swim. (more…)

Posted on June 10, 2024 by Natalie K

Strength Training and Cardio Effective at Edging Out Stress

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., Best Life lead nutritionist

If you’re like the majority of Americans—67 percent of them, to be exact—then you’re stressed out. And your stress may trigger physical symptoms, like fatigue or upset stomach, as it does in 72 percent of Americans, according to an American Psychological Association survey. These symptoms are bad enough, but stress can be even more destructive, causing chronic inflammation, depression, heart disease, and other conditions.

There are many ways to combat stress, including meditation, social support, building your confidence, and coping skills, but exercise is near the top of the list. Exercise primarily refers to aerobic exercise (cardio), but a few studies also indicate that strength training is a good stress-buster as well.

Getting sweaty is exceptionally effective because it attacks stress from so many angles. When you regularly work out, you’re:

Likely to have lower levels of substances that spike stress and depression, such as cortisol and other stress hormones, inflammatory compounds and free radicals.
Apt to have a tamer cardiovascular response to stress; your heart rate and blood pressure don’t rise as high, and come back down more quickly. (more…)

Posted on June 10, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

Diet and Nutrition

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