Usually, when we think of chocolate milk, we think of children grabbing the sugary drink in the lunch line at school much to the dismay of their parents. Not many people picture a bottle of the sweet moo-juice tossed into the gym bag of the muscle-bound endurance athlete as a recovery drink. Research, however, tells us that chocolate milk is the best choice to refuel after your toughest workouts. Director of the Human Performance laboratory at Indiana University Physiologist Joel Stager’s latest study, published in January’s International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, names chocolate milk as the optimum choice for after a long workout.
No matter which health goal you have, odds are it ties back to your heart. As we explained in a recent post aboutheart health statistics and facts, brushing your teeth, stressing less, exercising, losing weight all have a direct, and positive, impact on your heart. One of the ideas we discussed was reducing inflammation, so we followed-up with one of the foremost experts on inflammation and its relationship to heart health, Dr. Barry Sears.
In the household name sense, Dr. Sears is the creator of the Zone Diet, a clinically proven lifestyle program designed for losing weight, fighting the effects of aging, reducing the risk of chronic disorders and improving mental and physical performance. Not to mention, the Zone Diet has a tremendous affect on reducing inflammation.
Watch our interview with Dr. Sears as we discuss the current status of heart health in the U.S., which he calls “under flux.” Dr. Sears also explains what inflammation is, how it affects our hearts, and what we can do to treat or prevent it. Finally, you’ll hear the single most important thing you can do for heart health.
Valentine’s Day is here and for the nearly 26 million Americans with type 2 diabetes, finding a diabetes-friendly Valentine’s Day treat can be a challenge. If you or a loved one has diabetes, you might have assumed you’d have to forgo dessert this Valentine’s Day. While there are plenty of low-and no-sugar dessert options out there, it can be difficult to find replicas of your traditional favorite recipes for holidays.
The good news is that diabetes-friendly menu items can be delicious– they’re just generally lower in sodium, carbohydrates, saturated fat and cholesterol, and higher in fiber compared with other dishes. Of course, everyone, regardless of whether or not they have diabetes, should watch portion sizes and stick to one serving – even if it is a special holiday.
A recent study from the University of Miami presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference found that people who regularly drink diet soda are at a much higher risk of stroke. The study analyzed over 2,500 people and found that those who drank diet soda daily were at a 61 percent higher risk of stroke than those who do not drink soda.
Although the study said it adjusted the data to account for smoking, physical activity and alcohol consumption, the survey is already facing much criticism from nutrition and health experts.
Critics say that the questionnaire-based study did not include enough people who drank diet soda daily, and only asked about behavior at the beginning of a 10-year period, but assumed that the participant’s soda consumption did not change over time. The study has also been criticized for not gathering more data about the participant’s eating habits, which is a confounding factor.
Maruchy Lachance is president of Running Ninja!, a lifestyle brand for runners by runners. Running Ninja! offers a wide variety of apparel and gifts for runners to keep you happy and inspired while you’re on the run.
After enjoying a lovely weekend with my girlfriends, one of them said to the group how beginning Monday she would be eating salads to make up for the two days of indulging.
In spite of how often I hear this, it still surprises me that people really believe that the only way to weight loss and fitness is through deprivation and torture. It’s that attitude that keeps the pounds on and prevents us from ever being free of the weight loss roller coaster.
One of the most trusted and proven methods of weight loss is managing your caloric intake in conjunction with some form of exercise. You can expect weight loss if you ingest the recommended amount of calories calculated for your current weight and height. If your daily allotment is 1,600 calories, you have flexibility in what you eat… as long as you stay within that amount. (more…)
Much is made in our society today about living in a green manner. An organic diet is one way of becoming a little more natural and establishing a healthy lifestyle.
The diet that stresses organic products for weight loss should interest women. When we can lose weight slowly and evenly, we can be assured of better results and more success and crash dieting is proven wrong, again. The organic path to dieting involves establishing a new way of eating and involves organic weight loss through natural selection of good foods.
For any food to be considered as organic, it must not be made with the use of anything artificial such as hormones, pesticides, herbicides or any form of genetic engineering. Any organic diet for women must include non-saturated fats that are lean and not overly processed. We have to be careful when we consider chicken and fish as each of these can be genetically engineered and should not be part of our diet. Free range chicken and freshly caught fish are considered organic. There are lean beef options available, so long as the animals have not been fed grains or other feed that has been raised with pesticides.
Whole fruits and vegetables can be organic as are whole grains, and legumes. Whole oats and oatmeal will provide a good source of fiber and complex carbohydrates. Eating organic does not mean that you cannot have cheese, meat products, or wine. According to governmental figures, we should limit our calories and make sure that less than thirty percent of our calories are obtained from fats.
Inflammation is a major health problem, particularly as we get older. The term “inflammation” refers to a pretty broad spectrum of health issues, including symptoms such as pain, swelling, and redness of an affected organ or tissue.
So, where does diet come into play? Well, a poor diet can cause chronic inflammation, which could lead to arthritis and various auto-immune diseases. Proponents also point to the growing evidence that long-term inflammation can lead to some cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure and even Alzheimer’s disease.
The key may be in a hormone called prostaglandins. These hormones are produced to regulate our body’s inflammatory response and come from the fats we eat. There is evidence that shows that the types of prostaglandins produced in our body can depend on the types of fat eat. So, in order to adhere to an anti-inflammatory diet, you need to stick with eating “good” fats and avoid “bad” ones. (more…)
What is the difference between sea salt and table salt? You may have wondered this last time you were at the grocery store and noticed shelf after shelf of gourmet seasoning salts.
While table salt and sea salt have the same basic nutritional value, sea salt is typically marketed as a natural, healthier alternative. While there is no real health benefit to choosing sea salt over table salt, there are differences in taste and texture that some home cooks prefer.
According to The Spice House in Chicago, IL, salt is a mineral, not a spice. It has become an important player in the culinary game since it does not lose its flavor over time, as is typical of some herbs and spices.
Flowers have always been a popular Valentine’s Day gift but did you know that sometimes you can eat them, too? Edible flowers are at the forefront of designer cocktail trends and some even play a role in delicious desserts.
Edible flowers transform an ordinary glass of bubbly into an enchanting cocktail and can make the simplest piece of low-fat cheesecake look like something from a four-star restaurant.
Wild Hibiscus: With a slightly acidic taste, hibiscus flowers make a big impact. Just drop this edible hibiscus flower into a glass of your favorite sparkling wine and watch the bubbles “bloom” the flower before your eyes. Ease into culinary flowers with Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup, an all-natural product preserved in a syrup of cane sugar and spring water with a flavor reminiscent of raspberry and rhubarb. It’s crimson color is ideal for Valentine’s Day.
We wanted to see what the best menu items were at a popular fast-food restaurant: Burger King. After some digging, we came up with the below choices that are all selected based on feedback from registered dietitian Rebecca Scritchfield. All meals have less than 500 calories and about 500 milligrams of sodium, as part of the new daily sodium recommendations from the U.S. government. Because all fast food is generally high in salt, it was really difficult to find meals that fell into these guidelines at Burger King, and what we did find, unfortunately, wasn’t all that exciting.
Healthiest Meals at Burger King
1. Hamburger. With 340 calories and 520 milligrams of sodium, this is the lowest-sodium option for a sandwich. Our recommendation for rounding out this meal? Bring some raw cut-up veggies from home or pick up a piece of fruit to help fill you up and keep you energized.
Of all of the large fast-food chains, I’ve always thought that Wendy’s seemed to have some of the most health-conscious options, especially when it comes to eating a lower-calorie meal. However, we recently scoured the menu for food options based on feedback from registered dietitian Rebecca Scritchfield who recommends that all meals have less than 500 calories and about 500 milligrams of sodium, as part of the new daily sodium recommendations from the U.S. government, and found otherwise.
The results? A little surprising. I’ve always loved Wendy’s chili as a good source of filling, yet lower-calorie protein and fiber, but at 800 milligrams of sodium for even a small cup, it didn’t make the cut!
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