Diet and Nutrition

What is Orthorexia Nervosa?

Orthorexia Nervosa is not a diagnosable eating disorder, according to the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), nor is it planned to be included in the updated version scheduled for 2024. Researchers are investigating the symptoms described as orthorexia nervosa. Rather than a desire to lose weight, those who suffer from orthorexia nervosa want to feel healthy, natural, and/or pure.

Definition

Orthorexia Nervosa is a term that was coined in 1997 by Dr. Steven Bratman to describe those who have an unhealthy obsession with eating healthy foods. (more…)

Posted on August 30, 2024 by Brooke Randolph

Your BMI May be Misleading

Pop quiz: What does an obese person look like?

BMI (body mass index) is a number health professionals use to classify people into categories based on their height and weight. It’s a simple equation that gives a single number, but not always an accurate one.

A person’s BMI is determined by dividing weight by the square of the person’s height. The number that comes out then corresponds with a health classification. A BMI of 25 or less classifies a person as being of a normal weight. If the number is 25-29, the person is overweight, and 30 and above is obese. The weight classification is what signals to doctors how at risk for health problems you are. It ‘s assumed that the closer you are to a normal weight, the healthier you are. (more…)

Posted on August 30, 2024 by Kelly

Elisabeth Hasselbeck Discusses Gluten Free Diet on the Dr. Oz Show

Tune in this Wednesday, September 1 to the Dr. Oz Show when The View co-host, Elisabeth Hasselbeck discusses her gluten-free diet.

For almost a decade, Elisabeth couldn’t figure out what was making her so sick. She consulted doctors and nutritionists, but no one had any answers.

However, while starving in the Australian Outback on the TV show Survivor, her symptoms vanished. It was clear that something in her diet back home had been severely damaging her body.

She finally discovered that it was gluten, the binding protein in grains like wheat, barley, rye, contaminated oats, and numerous other products. It’s also a food additive found in everything from condiments to medications. (more…)

Posted on August 30, 2024 by heather

Nutrisystem Allows You to Enjoy Regular Food

For 16 weeks, Lori Jackson, a mom of three and grandmother to two, will be checking in with DietsInReview.com to share her personal experience with Nutrisystem. The good, the bad, and everything in between, see first-hand how the Nutrisystem program works.

Nutrisystem Week 7

Hope your week has been as wonderful as mine.  Had a birthday this week and finally got most of the new place unpacked. And got to spend time with my two daughters, two granddaughters, my mother and my great son-in-law. That is all I need for a birthday. My daughter made a wonderful dinner for me of salmon, asparagus, and roasted sweet potatoes. I love that with the Nutrisystem meal plan we are not strapped to our micro dinners all the time, that we can step out and eat regular foods and still stay in the realm of the plan. (more…)

Posted on August 29, 2024 by Lori

Best Cottage Cheese is Friendship Cottage Cheese

I love cottage cheese. It’s one of those Super Foods that’s always in my fridge. Eaten plain, mixed with fresh fruit, combined with salsa, swirled with honey or fruit preserves, or added to pancake batter, I swear by the versatility and nutritional power of this amazing dairy source.

As a self-proclaimed cottage cheese connoisseur, I have tested numerous varieties, usually opting for the low-fat version. Last year, I was visiting the East Coast and came across Friendship Dairies’ Whipped Cottage Cheese. Curious, I bought a container. And upon my first bite, I knew I was breaking new ground in my relationship with this curdled protein powerhouse. (more…)

Posted on August 28, 2024 by heather

Best and Worst Movie Theater Snacks

Nothing is more thrilling than sitting down in a cushy movie theater seat anxiously awaiting to see your must-see flick on the big screen. Most of us go to the movies on the weekend, and weekends frequently transform into two-day splurges that sabotage our well-intentioned healthy eating efforts of the week prior.

The movie theater is where our food demons tempt us to fall for the buttered popcorn and Goobers. But movies and snacking do not need to be so traumatic.

Before the weekend hits, read on to find out which of your devilish movie snacks are best left behind the concessions counter and which ones you can peacefully nosh on. (more…)

Posted on August 27, 2024 by heather

How to Cope with a Sugar Addiction

sugar cubesSugar seems like such an innocent substance. It’s often one of the main ingredients in many of our comfort foods, from cake and cookies to ice cream and pudding. But it actually has serious addictive qualities.

Studies have shown that sugar has the same effects on the brain as cocaine and heroin. People eat it compulsively, even when they know it’s bad for them and will prevent them from getting to long-term goals, like losing weight. Those who cut sugar out of their diets may even experience withdrawal symptoms.

Cutting down on sugar isn’t impossible, but it does require a strategy. Like overcoming many addictions, it’s more than a question of will power. You need to get to the emotional root that causes your unhealthy eating habits.

Here are five tips from Ph.D. Jeffery Rossman to help you fight a sugar addiction on a phycological level.

1. Be honest with yourself. Think about the times you eat that are not driven by hunger. Are you using sugar to cover up uncomfortable feelings? Are you cheering yourself up when you feel lonely? Are you eating when you feel bored? All of these things have non-food solutions, but they can be a little scary to face. Reach out to a friend, family member or even consider if you need professional help. (more…)

Posted on August 27, 2024 by Health Buzz

Monsanto’s Genetically Engineered Food Scrutinized

sugar beets

Monsanto, the company behind the development of the growth hormone rBGH (more commonly known as Bovine Growth Hormone) is in the news again. The company has been referred to as the most hated corporation for unfair business practices and is currently the focus of a U.S. District Court Judge. A recent ruling directed that the USDA has to begin regulating the company’s genetically engineered sugar beets.

Monsanto originally developed rBGH and marketed it for years before selling it in 2024. They have insisted that the use of the hormone is perfectly safe. This, despite the reality that Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Australia and all 27 nations of the European Union have outlawed its use due to studies that have shown that the use of rBGH has caused elevated markers of IGF-1 in milk. The burning questions is, are elevated levels of IGF-1 in milk unsafe? (more…)

Posted on August 27, 2024 by Carmen

Fresh Menu Ideas for a Healthier Potluck

Potlucks are a great idea when you want to get together with your friends and enjoy a meal inexpensively with less work on your part. Preparing just one dish and enjoying the entire meal has many benefits. It can, however, be a caloric overload, especially if the other cooks aren’t conscious of the fat and calorie count. Instead of sacrificing your diet to a high calorie feast, try some of these more healthy alternatives:

  • Taco Bar: always a popular choice, Mexican foods can be high in fat and calories. Instead of starting with ground beef, swap out ground chicken or turkey. Use fat-free refried beans instead of full fat. Load your plate with crunchy veggies, such as lettuce and tomato, and add grilled veggies like squash, zucchini, peppers and onions. Salsa adds lots of flavor, but not high calories. Low-fat cheeses and reduced- or fat-free sour cream or Greek yogurt complete the selection. Skip white flour tortillas and instead try whole grain or corn, as well as baked chips in place of fried. You can supply the meat and assign a topping to each of your guests. (more…)
Posted on August 27, 2024 by Carmen

10 Ways to Eat Sustainably

Words like “sustainable,” “eco-friendly,” and “green” have become daily utterances in our vernacular. In a recent issue of Whole Living magazine, they discussed 50 ways to eat sustainably. We took 10 of our favorite suggestions from their list and compiled them into our own.

Today, eating, living, breathing and doing with a greater mindfulness of how our actions affect not just ourselves, but our community, world and planet has never before been so urgent. And since it is the small actions we do on a daily basis that accumulate to a greater and more long-lasting benefit, the choices you make in your everyday eating and cooking practices can have a profound effect on the health of our bodies and Earth.

Make a commitment to follow one, five or all of these sustainable eating tips and notice the subtle changes in your world:

(more…)

Posted on August 27, 2024 by heather

Turn Your Office into a Healthy Hideaway

A common complaint amongst time-squeezed Americans is that there just aren’t enough hours in the day. The solution? Make the most of the hours we have.

Most people spend eight or more hours sitting on their butts in an office or cubicle in front of a computer. Eight hours of inactivity, five days a week, is a recipe for weight gain. If you use your time wisely, however, and do a little planning, you can turn your home away from home into a weight loss mecca.

  • Prepare for afternoon cravings and mindless eating by stocking your drawers with green tea and gum.
  • Buy a cheap mini fridge for your workspace and fill it up with low-fat yogurt, bottled water, and cut veggies. If you can’t do a fridge, keep your stash in the break room fridge, just be sure to label your food clearly. (more…)
Posted on August 27, 2024 by Kelly