Diet and Nutrition

Staying Fit with Multiple Sclerosis

multiple sclerosisMarch is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month In the United States. (Canada will celebrate in May.) Although Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can be understood as a neurodegenerative disorder, it is defined as an autoimmune disorder because the immune systems of sufferers attack their own central nervous systems, damaging the myelin sheath of neurons. This damage causes miscommunication and missed messages between the brain and the nerves. MS can be a very emotionally heavy diagnosis because it is chronic, there is no known cure, and it a very unpredictable disorder. MS can effect any function controlled by the central nervous system.

Symptoms tend to come episodically without any warning. One day a person with MS may be functioning just fine and the next muscle weakness may inhibit walking. These symptoms can also terminate without any warning. The unpredictable nature can be very stressful, the lack of a cure can be disheartening, and the often degenerative nature of the disorder can be depressing. (more…)

Obesity Gene is Not a Death Sentence

There has been research in recent years showing that being fat can be tied to a genetic predisposition. And I’m sure it’s made many an overweight person throw their hands up and say, “hey, there’s nothing I can do about it, may as well enjoy myself.”boy eating apple

But this isn’t a life sentence for those who inherit a variant version of the FTO gene. The “obesity gene” predisposes people to being fat, but it’s not an unchangeable fate.

“We know that genes affect our body weight set point. But so does our environment and our diet,” says child obesity expert David S. Ludwig, MD, PhD. “We can’t change our genes, but we can change our diet, and by doing so in a sophisticated way, we may be able to adjust that body weight set point in our favor.” (more…)

The Best (and Worst) Breakfast Cereals

In honor of National Cereal Day, we at DietsInReview, are giving you a rundown of five of the best cereals on the market today and a few that fall way short of meeting the nutritional guidelines for the day’s most important meal.

cereal

1) Kashi Go Lean: We love the folks at Kashi, particularly because their cereals are filled with whole grains, fiber and protein. One cup of Kashi Go Lean contains 140 calories, 10 grams of fiber and 13 grams of protein.

2) Special K Red Berries: Crunchy, sweet and lo-cal – you can’t ask for more in a cereal. Coming in at just 110 calories per cup, Special K is a great way to start your day.

3) Post Total: It’s a crunchy, sweet and satisfying way to get in 100% of your daily vitamins and minerals. (more…)

Biggest Loser Protein Powder

biggest loser proteinI’m sure you have noticed that the Biggest Loser has a new line of nutritional products, kitchen appliances, books and DVDs. They’re in the background on each episode and I’ve even seen Ali Vincent promoting them. Listed below are the two options for the Biggest Loser Protein products.

Biggest Loser Protein Powder
The Biggest Loser is now offering a protein powder mix formulated by Designer Whey. With your choice of flavors in Red Raspberry, Blue Blueberry, Vanilla Bean or Chocolate Deluxe, the Biggest Loser Protein Powder can be mixed into a drink or blended into a shake. Each scoop is 40 calories (chocolate is 50 calories) and offers 6g of protein. Adding the protein powder to your diet is a great way to promote feeling full and helps to build muscle for faster fat burning with exercise.  Each 10 oz. can offers 16 servings. (more…)

We Love Kashi’s TLC Fruit and Grain Bars

This week, we are head-over-heels in love with Kashi’s TLC Fruit and Grain Bars. These scrumptious bars come in three decadent flavors like dark chocolate coconut, pumpkin pie and chocolate raspberry.

Each one packs Kashi’s signature Seven Whole Grains and protein mix and they contain no high fructose corn syrup, sugar or trans-fats.

Our favorite is the pumpkin pie. It tastes exactly like the smoothness of a slice of the real thing with just the perfect combination of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

Each bar contains about 120 calories, 4 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein.

These delish bars are perfect for a pre- or post-workout snack or when the need for something sweet (but not naughty) arises.

Gywneth Paltrow and Bent On Learning Teach Kids Yoga

Gwyneth Paltrow at the Bent on Learning Charity event.

Gwyneth Paltrow at the Bent on Learning charity event.

It is not just adults who are down-dogging these days, it is also kids. And kid’s yoga is proving to be a huge hit for these young yogis.

Bent on Learning is a non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance physical, emotional and cognitive abilities in New York City-based school children through yoga. With support from yoga devotee Gwyneth Paltrow and Donna Karan’s Urban Zen Foundation, Bent on Learning is bringing yoga into select New York City public schools and also offering workshops to teachers to incorporate simple yoga techniques and mindfulness training into their teaching.

With the support of some of New York City’s most accomplished and passionate yoga instructors, Bent on Learning is holding weekly classes at select NYC schools. Each class teaches yoga postures, or asanas, breath work and meditation. The program is also aligned with New York state and national physical education standards. (more…)

Biggest Loser Appliances Teach Kitchen Healthy New Tricks

On the Biggest Loser we always hear about weighing our food and measuring to make sure we are eating the right portions. Portion control and eating right are two tips to live by when maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In order to do so, it helps to have the tools you need around your kitchen. Here are a few of the latest kitchen appliances from the Biggest Loser.

The Biggest Loser Digital Food Scale
To get precise portion control, I use a kitchen scale to measure out my foods such as chicken breast, turkey and cheese. The scale is compact and stores in a kitchen drawer. The glass top makes for easy clean up or you can measure in a bowl. This scale is a great tool to maintain a fit lifestyle. I have used many kitchen scales, but my favorite so far is the Taylor scale offered by the Biggest Loser. (more…)

Treat Yourself Like You’d Treat Your Best Friend

woman thumbs upYou can continue to add to your list of positive characteristics and skills by being in tune to the things other people say about you. How often has someone tried to pay you a compliment and rather than thanking them for their kind words and recognition, you tell them they are wrong? Not only are you not accepting the compliment, but you are not accepting them or their opinion, and you are likely making it less likely for them to say such things to you again in the future.

If you are struggling with self-esteem, let those around you tell you those things that make you special. Often those closest to you have a more accurate view of you than you do. If you have a healthy support team, you will hear positive things about yourself, not negative. Teach yourself to say “Thank you” to every compliment! (more…)

Smoking and Obesity are Equally Fatal

When we think of smokers, most non-smokers think about the elementary fact that they are at a serious risk of premature death. And often, people scoff at the behavior as being careless, which usually begins in the impressionable teenage years. But research now shows that it’s not any more dangerous (or frivolous) for young adults to smoke than it is to be overweight.teen smoker

Dr. Martin Neovius of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden and his colleagues stressed that since overweight and smoking are both associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers, that if young adults fall in either category, they are at risk of an early death. Although the pathogenic mechanisms differ, he said, a synergistic effect of smoking and obesity may be possible.

The researchers found that obesity and being overweight in late adolescence increased mortality risk, regardless of whether or not they also smoked.

Researchers concluded that “overweight, obesity, and smoking among adolescents might be good targets for intensified public health initiatives.”

(via: MedPage Today)

Food Find: Noble Bars

When it comes to nutrition bars, there is a taste for everyone. From bars that are little more than a candy bar injected with a multivitamin to bars that have more protein in them than a baby calf, energy bars line grocery store shelves and promise you the convenience of fast-food eating with the nutrition of a balanced meal.

The Food of Ancient Rome

Noble Bars: The Food of Ancient Rome

So when I heard about the Noble Bar, an all-natural fruit, nut and whole grain bar that coins itself as being The Food from Ancient Rome, I had to give it a try. Then when all I had to do was send the company an email to receive a free bar, I really had to give it a try.

Just a few days ago, the whole-foods enthusiasts at Noble Bar sent me a sample of Centurion Fig in the mail. And quite different from the four lines of ingredients that accompany most nutrition bars, many of them unrecognizable, the ingredients of the Noble Bar contained only five items – organic figs, apples, walnuts, organic hard wheat berries and honey. Already, I liked it. And when I tasted it, it was like eating a sweet and nutty mixture blended up by Mother Nature herself. I loved it! The sweetness from the natural fruits, crunch from the wheat berries and figs and moistness from the all-natural goodness created a yummy bar that felt super healthy – in a good way. (more…)

Chef Rocco’s Recipes for Fast-Food Alternatives

chef rocco on biggest loserThe Biggest Loser kitchen was graced with Chef Rocco‘s presence once again during episode 9 of season 7. He had some shocking numbers for the contestants. A startling $110 billion per year is spent in America on fast-food. These restaurants have been highly scrutinized for the role their calories, fat content, poor ingredients and over-sized portions have played in the frightening obesity epidemic in the U.S.

Rocco shared some of the nutrition facts for the four most popular fast-food menu items. Each of the contestants looked completely shocked as they learned what their former bodies were consuming.

  • Stuffed Crust Meat Pizza: 490 Calories 27g Fat, 1570mg Sodium (per slice)
  • Stuffed Burrito: 1100 Calories, 46g Fat, 2600mg Sodium
  • Triple Cheeseburger: 1230 Calories, 82g Fat (110g Fat with fries), 1500mg Sodium
  • Fried Chicken, 1 Breast and 1 Drumstick: 460 Calories, 27g Fat, 1300mg Sodium (per CalorieKing.com) (more…)