Diet and Nutrition

Food Fight: White Turkey Meat Versus Dark Turkey Meat

In response to the fear of fat that has been driven into our brains for the past few decades, many of us on Thanksgiving shun the dark turkey meat and instead pile our plates high with the white meat. But in our attempts to shave off a few calories, are we missing out on some key nutrients?

Here is a look at the benefits of white and dark meat turkey and some surprising facts that might have you and your health conscious aunt fighting for the drumstick.

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Posted on November 13, 2023 by heather

Five Easy Food Swaps to Prevent Diabetes

Everyone loves easy. The easier something is, the more likely you are going to do it, right? Trust me, I’m right. In the spirit of easy and diabetes awareness, today I’m sharing easy changes you can make to prevent diabetes.

These five tips involve slashing sugar, saturated and trans fats, and cutting back on calories so you can lose weight and better control your blood sugar levels.

1. Swap water for calorie beverages. Water has zero calories, that’s the bottom line. Used to sodas? Try sparkling water with a twist of lime. Need more flavor? Add some mint or unsweetened iced tea. I love using herbal teas! You’ll save 17 teaspoons of sugar for each 20-ounce soda.

2. Swap a coffee beverage with a small skim milk latte. A small pumpkin spice latte made with 2% milk has almost 40 grams of sugar (about 10 teaspoons – a day’s worth of added sugar), whereas a small, fat-free latte has only 16 grams sugar and that comes from the milk! If you would like, you can always “split the difference” and ask for one pump of pumpkin spice. That’s about 10 grams of added sugar – just under three teaspoons. Sure beats 10, doesn’t it? (more…)

Posted on November 12, 2023 by Rebecca

Diet Soda May Cause Kidney Problems

While diet soda is a better choice than full-sugar drinks, they aren’t free of health risks. A new study has found that anything more than one diet soda a day may increase one’s risk of decreased kidney function.

The study was conducted by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. They examined the effects of sodium and artificial sweeteners on kidney function among 3,256 women with a median age of 67. The women filled out a questionnaire about their soda drinking habits.

When the researchers compared the women’s kidney function, they found that 372 had a decline of 30 percent or more in kidney function. Further analysis revealed that the decline was associated with drinking two or more artificially sweetened soft drinks a day. (more…)

Posted on November 11, 2023 by Jason

Making Weight Loss Goals Manageable

Have you ever had that moment when you look at your to do list, schedule or inbox and feel entirely overwhelmed? Have you ever had a project that you put off because of how long it would take to complete? Fitness and weight loss goals can often feel overwhelming because they are complicated tasks that require an investment of time. If you are like me, you prefer tasks that can be completed quickly and easily (which is likely why diet pills are so popular despite the risks and lack of long-term effectiveness).

Losing 20 pounds, being able to complete 10 pull ups, running a marathon, eliminating trans fats, or being able to terminate certain medications can seem like overwhelming tasks. It is not surprising that so few people actually make changes recommended by their doctors if they believe it would be too difficult. If you can break these tasks into smaller steps, they can seem more manageable. (more…)

Posted on November 11, 2023 by Brooke Randolph

DietTribe Season Two Episode Five Recap

On episode five of Lifetime TV’s DietTribe Season Two, the five women faced some of their toughest fears by braving the ocean waters in order to train for the triathalon which is just a mere six weeks away.

With ten weeks left to go on their weight loss journey, the women have just crossed the half-way point of their 120-day challenge to lose 50 pounds each and compete in a triathalon. Despite Mary’s near panic attack in the water, all of them made it to shore safely and with a newly found confidence in themselves.

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Posted on November 10, 2023 by heather

Tune In: A Vegan Challenge on the Dr. Oz Show

Tune in this Tuesday, November 10 to the Dr. Oz Show as he checks in on a former guest who has been following the famous doctor’s vegan challenge for the past 28 days.

Rocco is a 53-year-old meat and potato-eating, diabetic cowboy with the heart of a man thirty years older. Terrified that his eating habits were truly risking his life, Rocco sought the support of Dr. Oz who, with the help of Dr. Michael Roizen, followed a month-long diet without any animal products.

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Posted on November 9, 2023 by heather

Kellogg’s Ends Deceptive Cereal Labeling

I was taken aback when I first saw the commercial on television. “Cereal now boosts your immunity!” crowed the little elves commonly known as Snap, Crackle and Pop. I looked more closely at the package when I visited the grocery store that evening. (Yes, I visit the grocery – at least once every couple of days. I can’t keep food in this house to save my life. Kids and their insane desire to eat ten times a day.)

Cocoa Krispies were labeled, until last week, with a splashy logo touting a 25% daily value of antioxidants and nutrients – Vitamins A, B, C and E. To this mom, it seemed to capitalize on the H1N1/Swine Flu hype that has been ongoing. How will we protect our children? What can we do to keep them safe?

Hint: the answer is definitely not “Feed them Cocoa Krispies.” (more…)

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Carmen

Tune In: Tapeworm Diet on The Tyra Show

UPDATE: This show will air again on Monday, 5/23/11.

Tune in, this Monday, November 9 to The Tyra Show to learn about the Tapeworm Diet, one of the most repulsive and extreme diets that have women risking their digestive systems just to be skinny.

The Tapeworm Diet is truly only for those with tough, iron-clad stomachs: Swallow a parasite that eats up everything you consume. As you eat, rather than your food being absorbed and metabolized by your body, the tapeworm devours everything from your breakfast cereal to your afternoon bag of chips, leaving you with a loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea and of course, weight loss.

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Posted on November 8, 2023 by heather

Embarrassing Situations Yield Learning Lessons

When something doesn’t go quite right or as I had planned, I generally try to consider it a “lesson learned” rather than beating myself up over mistakes. By doing so, I can keep myself from getting too frustrated, keep my sense of humor, stay focused on creating a better me in a better future, and hopefully find a way to help someone else. Although, at times, I am more inclined to make up an example for the lesson than use my own experience. What you are about to hear is one of those things I probably wouldn’t normally share online (I didn’t even tell my co-workers).

One thing I have to guard against on a regular basis is doing too much and overpacking my schedule. As a result, I sometimes feel rushed even when I am not. This morning after assisting my friend to take his great dane to the vet and a quick drop off at doggy daycare, I jumped in my car to get to one of my weekly therapuetic client meetings. I could either get some breakfast on the way or run out for something in the 30 minutes between my client and staff meeting. Still debating my timing until I pulled in to my favorite brunch restaurant, I made the better choice of fresh, local ingredients to go. Dipping my fork into the syrup rather than dumping it on my cinnamon pear french toast was also a wise choice; trying to do so while driving was not… (more…)

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Brooke Randolph

How to Eat According to the Middle Way

Guest blogger Mary Claybon RN, M.Ed. is the managing member of Promoting Health: The Middle Way, LLC. She is a certified wellness coach and engaging speaker. Mary works with professional women and men who are working on lifestyle changes and understands the importance of the mind/body/thought connection to wellness. You can also read more about Mary through her personal blog.

The Middle Way is the path to moderation, avoiding extremes and living a life of joy and balance. Let’s face it, food is all around us and it’s not just about eating. It’s about socializing, sharing, tasting, cooking, and savoring every bite, and enjoying holidays, celebrations, international cuisine and travel. Food is such a part of all of our lives, and yet it has been used in excess and with lack of enjoyment.

Food is often considered evil unless it is low fat, low calorie, healthy, fresh, natural, organic, and low sodium. There are more obese people in the world than there has ever been and there are more people on diets than ever. What’s the problem? We have lost our ability to enjoy food. And we lack the energy to enjoy movement.

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Posted on November 7, 2023 by GuestBlogger

How to Dine Out: Chinese Food

Chinese food is a genre of food with various flavors and sauces that can be very yummy, but also pack a punch in terms of calories. Depending on where you go for your Chinese food, you can in many instances find buffet options and quick serve restaurants in your local mall or shopping center. Beware of buffets, as with any genre of food, because this type of eating provides too many temptations for over-filling the plate and repeat visits.

Popular dishes such as Sesame Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken and General Tso’s Chicken should not be kept on your list of go-to options. These types of meals are fried – a major offense right off the bat and then covered in sauces that are full of sugar and in some cases MSG, which is not something you want to be ingesting. Check out my newsletter article from June 2024 where I highlight the negative effects of MSG. (more…)

Posted on November 7, 2023 by Amy

Diet and Nutrition

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