Diet and Nutrition

Tips to Improve Your Nutrition from HealthiNation’s Sharon Richter, RD

Recently we reported on a study by HealthiNation that revealed that Americans have an overly optimistic view of their nutritional well being. While majority of adults (52%) think that they are doing all they can do to achieve a balanced nutritional diet, 76% of adults are not getting the minimum daily serving of fruits and vegetables as recommended by the USDA.

To help close the gap between that optimism and the sober reality, we caught up with Sharon Richter, RD, a registered dietitian who is passionate about helping people understand the impact diet and nutrition have on their overall health. Based in New York City, Richter hosts HealthiNation’s nutrition programs and has a private practice where she counsels clients about sports nutrition, weight loss/gain, eating disorders, and disease prevention for children, adolescents and adults.

“I recommend that people try to achieve balance,” said Richter. “If you eat healthy 80% of the time and ensure that you’re meeting all of your dietary needs, you can indulge a little bit during the other 20% of the time.”

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Posted on May 12, 2024 by Maris

Help Control Rosacea Symptoms with a Healthy Diet

We know that a healthy diet can help prevent a number of diseases and conditions, including Type II diabetes and some heart diseases. While we might discuss our diet and lifestyle choices with our general physicians, we sometimes forget to ask our dermatologist how what we eat is affecting our skin.

Approximately 14 million people in the United States have rosacea, a skin disorder that causes inflammation of the cheeks, nose, chin, forehead, or eyelids. For some people, it may appear as redness – think severe blushing – or swelling, sometimes accompanied by acne flare-ups.

While you can’t necessarily prevent or control the symptoms of rosacea with diet alone, there are certain foods that may be associated with rosacea flare-ups.  According to Chicago Dermatologist and Skin Care Authority, Amy Forman Taub, MD, the Medical Director of Advanced Dermatology and Assistant Clinical Professor, Northwestern University Medical School, Department of Dermatology, some foods and beverages may cause dilatation of the blood vessels in the face, or may be associated with inflammation.

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Posted on May 12, 2024 by Maris

Is Frozen Yogurt a Healthy Choice?

Trying to lose weight often means dropping beloved high calorie foods from your diet. Sometimes a swap is barely noticeable – skim milk for whole, low fat cheese for full fat – but when trying to drop ice cream, you may not be pleased with your choices. Low fat or no fat ice creams are indeed lower in calories and fat, but many times have a different mouth feel or slightly bitter aftertaste. One of the most popular lower fat frozen desserts is frozen yogurt.

Drive through your city, and you’ll see an overwhelming number of businesses offering frozen desserts. Ice creams, custards, Italian ices, and the newest fad – frozen yogurt. From scoop shops to dispense your own, and many with massive topping choices, these dessert bars are popular for the ability to create a dessert that is exactly what you want – be it loaded with sugar and fats, or a more restrained, less calorically dense choice. Fro Yo (Frozen yogurt) is most often thought to be a healthier choice, with less fat and lower in calories, but is it really?

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Posted on May 12, 2024 by Carmen

Parsley May Help Prevent or Slow the Growth of Breast Cancer

A lot of people consider parsley to be no more than an annoying garnish on your dinner plate, but a recent study from researchers at the University of Missouri reported recently that the seemingly innocuous herb may contain properties that prevent certain breast cancer cells from spreading or growing.

In this study, researchers exposed rats with a certain type of breast cancer to a common compound called apigenin, which is found in parsley, along with other plant products. They found the rats that were exposed to this compound developed fewer tumors and experienced a delay in tumor formation.

According to FoxNews.com, apigenin is most prevalent in parsley and celery, but can also be found in apples, oranges, nuts and other plant products. Researchers believe these findings could impact women with breast cancer as well as women on certain hormone replacement therapies.

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Posted on May 12, 2024 by Maris

Celiac Disease Vaccine on the Horizon

People who suffer from celiac disease may have something to celebrate if scientific trials from Australia come to fruition. The scientists have just successfully completed the first stage tests for a vaccine.

It’s safe to say that in comparison to diabetes and heart disease, celiac disease is a relatively unknown diet-related health issue. Part of the reason may be that many people who suffer from it don’t even know that they have it. Since it is estimated that as many as two million Americans suffer from celiac disease, it’s important that people have an understanding of what it is.

Simply put, celiac disease is a genetic autoimmune disorder of the small intestine. Sufferers can’t eat gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley, because it damages the small intestine.

Celiac disease affects people in different ways. While some people may have digestive problems such as diarrhea or abdominal pain, others may suffer from mood shifts such as irritability or depression. (more…)

Posted on May 11, 2024 by Jason

Healthy Recipes for Memorial Day Parties

Memorial Day is one holiday almost everyone looks forward to. What’s not to love? The last Monday of every May, we honor our fallen U.S. soldiers and their families on a weekend when the weather starts to heat up in most parts on the country. Barbecues, camping trips and outdoor parties are how most people celebrate Memorial Day, the sunshine, and show their patriotism.

Memorial Day is tons of fun, but barbecues are notorious for being full of calorie and fat packed foods, so plan ahead. If you are taking advantage of the long weekend and going camping, indulging in 3 days worth of this indulgent food can really do some damage. If you are hosting, you have full control of the menu, but if you are a guest, bring your own “safe” dish that you know is healthy, and you already know the calories and fat per serving.

Whether you’re planning to usher in summer at the beach or with a backyard cookout, there are a lot of tempting, warmer-weather treats that might appeal to you no matter how much you want to stick to a healthy diet. Fend off cravings by making slimmer versions of your favorite meals and treats.

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Posted on May 11, 2024 by Maris

Inca Peanuts, an Ancient Superfood, Beneficial for Health and Weight Loss

Inca peanuts, also called sacha inchi nuts, are cultivated in the Andes Mountains of Peru. Loved for centuries by the Incas, Inca peanuts have recently been plugged by Dr. Oz as a superfood.

Historians believe that the sacha inchi plant (which produces the seeds we know as Inca peanuts) has been used by the natives of Peru for over 3,000 years. Images of the sacha inchi plant in Incan tombs are thought to be proof of this long-ago cultivation. The seeds are shelled and eaten raw, roasted, with sugar on top, or as an oil in traditional recipes. It’s also used as a cosmetic facial cream in some areas.

For those of us who live far from the Andes, Inca peanuts remain elusive. It can be hard to find them and the high cost of special ordering deters a lot of people so don’t be afraid to start off with a small order. Hopefully, availability will increase as time goes on and more people show an interest in the new health food- although there’s really nothing new about a centuries-old Amazonian plant.

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Posted on May 11, 2024 by Theresa

Oprah Inspires 100 Viewers to Lose Over 100 Pounds

Oprah's Ultimate Weight Loss Challengers shared their weight loss progress along with many other inspired Oprah guests on the May 10, 2024 episode

It is possibly one of the most famous moments in Oprah history. What am I talking about? I’m referring to the time when Oprah wheeled out 67 pounds of fat to represent the amount of weight that she had lost. Now, in her final season, Oprah dedicated her entire May 10 episode to weight loss, food addiction, emotional eating, and the 100 Oprah viewers who have each lost at least 100 pounds.

The first viewer whose story we saw was Sandra, a 5’2″ mother who weighed 240 pounds at her heaviest. Sandra admits to being an emotional eater who used food to comfort her in moments of sadness, frustration, or doubt. When she was 40-years old, she thought she was having a heart attack. The episode turned out to be a panic attack, but her doctor told her that a heart attack was in her near future. Sandra was afraid of working out, but when she saw a sports bra on the Oprah show, she was motivated to try ice-skating as a form of exercise. She has lost 106 pounds since then. Sandra placed third in a skating competition and is much happier and healthier now.

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Posted on May 11, 2024 by Health Buzz

Diet Disaster: Nabisco Confirms the Triple Double Oreo

Triple Double Oreo cookie and packageFirst leaked by a Reddit user as a “pre-release product” to be tested for Nabisco, the Double Triple Oreo is the latest portion-bloated Oreo. Not unlike a Big Mac’s third bun, the new cookie will have a third cookie and two layers of creme, one vanilla and one chocolate.

Nabisco confirmed the rumor with the following statement sent to Today.com:

“This summer, Oreo will introduce a new ‘twist’ on the iconic cookie: the Triple Double Oreo. Three chocolate Oreo wafers with two layers of creme — one classic vanilla, and one chocolate. While we tried our best to safeguard this news, we couldn’t hold back the buzz.”

When these new and ridiculous products get announced, I usually try to estimate how bad it will be for you, based on the composite ingredients. Now, it’s not just a Double Stuf Oreo multiplied by two. One Double Stuf cookie contains 70 calories, and according to LiveStrong, 50 of those calories come from the frosting-like filling. So, each wafer in the Oreo has 10 calories.

  • (Three wafers x 10 calories) + (2 cream fillings x 50 calories) = 130 calories per Double Triple Oreo

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Posted on May 10, 2024 by Margaret

High-Fat Diets Actually Help the Heart, Study Finds

File this one in the “goes against everything we’ve been told” file.

A recent study published in American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology suggests that a high-fat diet is OK and even beneficial for the heart. The study, which looked at cardiac function in patients suffering from heart failure, found that that a high-fat diet improved the heart’s ability to pump, along with boosting cardiac insulin resistance (which reduces the risk of diabetes). Sounds pretty different than what we’ve been told all along right? That eating too much fat is bad for the heart?

Not so fast. According to the study which was  funded by the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, and the Case Center for Imaging Research, all fats are not created equal. In fact, a balanced diet that includes mono- and polyunsaturated fats, and which replaces simple sugars and highly processed foods with complex carbs, are most beneficial for damaged hearts. Notice what wasn’t on that list of a healthy diet? Trans fats or saturated fats.

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Posted on May 10, 2024 by Jennipher

Nancy’s Steady Weight Loss Proves There is No Magic Pill

This guest post comes from Paige Corley, a Program Director at the Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge.

A co-worker of mine, Nancy, was telling me about her success with fitness and weight loss recently. She has lost 7 pounds in 15 weeks, improved her fitness, gained strength and lost inches. She looks great – not just in her body – but in her smile and eyes. She is more energetic, her clothes have become more fun, and she is excited about her new body and new healthy focus.

When Nancy posted her success on her Facebook page she was surprised to see responses like, “What is your secret?” or “What did you do differently?” Some of these responses were even from former guests at The Resort.

Nancy has no secret, and she has no magic pill: she simply increased her calorie burn and decreased her caloric intake. This is what we teach here at Fitness Ridge: calories in vs. calories out, healthy, balanced eating and drinking, and increased cardiovascular and strength training. This is what works.

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Posted on May 10, 2024 by GuestBlogger