Nutrition Health Tips

7 Side Effects of Drinking Diet Soda

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 16:18:00 +0000

Pop quiz! What's the single biggest source of calories for Americans? White bread? Big Macs? Actually, try soda. The average American drinks about two cans of the stuff every day. "But I drink diet soda," you say. "With no calories or sugar, it's the perfect alternative for weight watchers...Right?"
Not so fast. Before you pop the top off the caramel-colored bubbly, know this: guzzling diet soda comes with its own set of side effects that may harm your health--from kickstarting kidney problems to adding inches to your waistline.
Unfortunately, diet soda is more in vogue than ever. Kids consume the stuff at more than double the rate of last decade, according to research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Among adults, consumption has grown almost 25%.
But knowing these 7 side effects of drinking diet soda may help you kick the can for good.

1. Kidney Problems

Here's something you didn't know about your diet soda: It might be bad for your kidneys. In an 11-year-long Harvard Medical School study of more than 3,000 women, researchers found that diet cola is associated with a two-fold increased risk for kidney decline. Kidney function started declining when women drank more than two sodas a day. Even more interesting: Since kidney decline was not associated with sugar-sweetened sodas, researchers suspect that the diet sweeteners are responsible.

The Kidneys

2. Messed-Up Metabolism

According to a 2008 University of Minnesota study of almost 10,000 adults, even just one diet soda a day is linked to a 34% higher risk of metabolic syndrome, the group of symptoms including belly fat and high cholesterol that puts you at risk for heart disease. Whether that link is attributed to an ingredient in diet soda or the drinkers' eating habits is unclear. But is that one can really worth it?

3. Obesity

You read that right: Diet soda doesn't help you lose weight after all. A University of Texas Health Science Center study found that the more diet sodas a person drank, the greater their risk of becoming overweight. Downing just two or more cans a day increased waistlines by 500%. Why? Artificial sweeteners can disrupt the body's natural ability to regulate calorie intake based on the sweetness of foods, suggested an animal study from Purdue University. That means people who consume diet foods might be more likely to overeat, because your body is being tricked into thinking it's eating sugar, and you crave more.

4. A Terrible Hangover

Your first bad decision was ordering that Vodka Diet--and you may make the next one sooner than you thought. Cocktails made with diet soda get you drunker, faster, according to a study out of the Royal Adelaide Hospital in Australia. That's because sugar-free mixers allow liquor to enter your bloodstream much quicker than those with sugar, leaving you with a bigger buzz.

5. Cell Damage

Diet sodas contain something many regular sodas don't: mold inhibitors. They go by the names sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate, and they're in nearly all diet sodas. But many regular sodas, such as Coke and Pepsi, don't contain this preservative.

That's bad news for diet drinkers. "These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it - they knock it out altogether," Peter Piper, a professor of molecular biology and biotechnology at the University of Sheffield in the U.K.,told a British newspaper in 1999. The preservative has also been linked to hives, asthma, and other allergic conditions, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Since then, some companies have phased out sodium benzoate. Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi have replaced it with another preservative, potassium benzoate. Both sodium and potassium benzoate were classified by the Food Commission in the UK as mild irritants to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.

6. Rotting Teeth

With a pH of 3.2, diet soda is very acidic. (As a point of reference, the pH of battery acid is 1. Water is 7.) The acid is what readily dissolves enamel, and just because a soda is diet doesn't make it acid-light. Adults who drink three or more sodas a day have worse dental health, says a University of Michigan analysis of dental checkup data. Soda drinkers had far greater decay, more missing teeth, and more fillings.

7. Reproductive Issues

Sometimes, the vessel for your beverage is just as harmful. Diet or not, soft drink cans are coated with the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA), which has been linked to everything from heart disease to obesity to reproductive problems. That's a lot of risktaking for one can of pop.

5 Fish You Should Never Eat

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:01:00 +0000

By David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding
Nov 14, 2011

If you’re over the age of 12, you’ve probably had more than a few dearly held beliefs ruined by reality. Like when you discovered it was Mom and Dad, not Santa, who were orchestrating the magic of Christmas. Or when you spent hours watching “Kim’s Fairytale Wedding” over and over again, only to learn that keeping up with this Kardashian was a waste of time. As they say, reality bites.

Well, folks, I hate to do this to you, but . . .

Not all fish are good for you.

Last year, the USDA increased its seafood recommendation to 8 ounces per week, and that has led many to believe that all fish are equally smart choices. But some are so high in contaminants like mercury that their health benefits are outweighed by their health risks. Others are flown in from halfway around the world, but given labels that make you think they were caught fresh earlier that morning. And still others are raised in filthy, overcrowed pools and loaded up with chemicals to keep them alive.

So let me shed light on some very rough waters. Put these fish at the top of your don't-eat list and you'll avoid most of the troubles of the world's fishing industry.

#1: ATLANTIC BLUEFIN TUNA

Why It's Bad: A recent analysis by The New York Times found that Atlantic bluefin tuna has the highest levels of mercury of any type of tuna. To top it off, bluefin tuna are severely overharvested, to the point of reaching near-extinction levels, and are considered "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Rather than trying to navigate the ever-changing recommendations for which tuna is best, consider giving it up altogether. But if you can't . . .
Eat This Instead: Opt for American or Canadian (but not imported!) albacore tuna, which is caught while it's young and doesn't contain as high levels of mercury.

#2: ATLANTIC SALMON (Both Wild-caught and Farmed)

Why It's Bad: It's actually illegal to capture wild Atlantic salmon because the fish stocks are so low, and they're low, in part, because of farmed salmon. Salmon farming is very polluting: Thousands of fish are crammed into pens, which leads to the growth of diseases and parasites that require antibiotics and pesticides. Often, the fish escape and compete with native fish for food, leading to declines in native populations.
Adding to our salmon woes, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is moving forward with approving genetically engineered salmon to be sold, unlabeled, to unsuspecting seafood lovers. That salmon would be farmed off the coast of Panama, and it's unclear how it would be labeled. Currently, all fish labeled "Atlantic salmon" come from fish farms. And, as you know if you follow me on Twitter, they're fed pellets that contain pink dye—that's how they get their color. Gross!
Eat This Instead: Opt for Wild Alaskan salmon.

#3: ATLANTIC FLATFISH

Why It's Bad: This group of fish includes flounder, sole, and halibut that are caught off the Atlantic coast. They found their way onto the list because of heavy contamination and overfishing that dates back to the 1800s. According to Food and Water Watch, populations of these fish are as low as 1 percent of what's necessary to be considered sustainable for long-term fishing.

Eat This Instead: Pacific halibut seems to be doing well, but the group also recommends replacing these fish with other mild-flavored white-fleshed fish, such as domestically farmed catfish or tilapia.

#4: IMPORTED KING CRAB

Why It's Bad: The biggest problem with imported crab is that most of it comes from Russia, where limits on fish harvests aren't strongly enforced. But this crab also suffers from something of an identity crisis: Imported king crab is often misnamed Alaskan king crab, because most people think that's the name of the crab. And supermarkets often add to the confusion by labeling imported king crab "Alaskan King Crab, Imported." But Alaskan king crab—crab that actually hails from the great state of Alaska—is a completely separate animal and is much more responsibly harvested than the imported stuff.

Eat This Instead: When you shop for king crab, whatever the label says, ask whether it comes from Alaska or if it's imported. Approximately 70 percent of the king crab sold in the U.S. is imported, so it's important to make that distinction and go domestic.

#5 IMPORTED SHRIMP

Why It's Bad: Imported shrimp actually holds the designation of being the dirtiest of all the seafood we looked at. (For our full list, check out 12 Fish You Should Never Eat.) Problem is, 90 percent of shrimp sold in the U.S. is imported. Imported farmed shrimp comes with a whole bevy of contaminants including antibiotics, residues from chemicals used to clean pens, E. coli, mouse hair, rat hair, and pieces of insects. Yum! Part of this has to do with the fact that less than 2 percent of all imported seafood (shrimp, crab, catfish, or others) gets inspected before its sold, which is why it's that much more important to buy domestic seafood.
Eat This Instead: Domestic shrimp. Seventy percent of domestic shrimp comes from the Gulf of Mexico, which relies heavily on shrimp for economic reasons. Pink shrimp from Oregon are another good choice; the fisheries there are certified under the stringent Marine Stewardship Council guidelines.

8 "Scary" Food Myths—Busted!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 22:55:00 +0000

There are plenty of things to be afraid of nowadays. Occupy Wall Street has turned into Occupy All Streets. The Democrats and Republicans can’t put their heads together without making a hollow coconut sound. And Charlie Sheen is still free to date our daughters! It’s hard to know what to dress up as for Halloween, since everyday life is already really creepy!And nothing has been made scarier than our food. We've been subjected to so many nutritional ghost stories—It's cholesterol! No, it's gluten! No, it's mercury in the fish!—that we’ve turned into the consumer equivalent of grade schoolers on a camping trip, sitting around the fire listening to tales of creatures ready to jump out and drag us into the woods.But here's the good news: The supermarket isn’t a scary place at all. You already know how to eat right and take care of yourself. You just need to trust your instincts.
Below, I’m saying “Boo!” to some of the nutritional horror stories that have seized our nation of late. As Halloween season sets in, it’s time to stop fearing what lurks in your fridge. Come with me to a new nutritional world, compliments of the brand-new Eat This, Not That! 2012: The No-Diet Weight -Loss Solution, where there are no tricks, just plenty of treats!

Nutrition "Scare" #1: Fat Will Make You Fat!

Eating fat does not make you fat. In fact, not eating enough fat can make you fat. A 2008 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that a diet high in healthy fats proved to be superior to a low-fat diet, both in terms of weight loss and overall health benefits. Saturated and trans fats have given fat a bad name, but the truth is that the unsaturated fats found in foods like nuts, salmon, and olive oil are a key component in a healthy diet. For more easy and effective weight-loss secrets that will melt your belly fat faster than ever.

Nutrition "Scare" #2: Bread Will Make You Fat!

The low-carb craze of the early 2000s had people terrified of breaking bread, but eating the right kinds of breads and other grains can actually help you lose weight. An American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found that overweight people who obtained all of their grain servings from whole grains lost more belly fat than those who skipped the whole grains. The reason: The fiber found in whole grain foods helps slow digestion, keeping you fuller longer. You should still avoid refined grains like "enriched" flour, but a moderate amount of whole grain bread can be a great addition to a balanced diet. Tip: True whole grain bread products will have "whole wheat" or "whole grain" flour as their first ingredient. If you see anything else, your "wheat" bread is an imposter.

Nutrition "Scare" #3: Snacking Will Make You Fat!

Mom may have told you that eating frequently is a surefire way to pack on the pounds, but she probably also told you that your face will freeze that way. In fact, snacking throughout the day is actually one of the best ways to avoid an expanding waistline. In a recent study, Spanish researchers found that participants lost significantly more body weight when they added low-sugar, high-protein snacks to their daily food routine. Why? Because consistent snacking helps maintain blood-sugar levels, keeping you full and preventing your body from storing excess fat. Two great options for a low-sugar, high-protein snack: nuts and (low-fat) dairy products, like yogurt. Or, try anything from this must-have list of the 50 Best Snack Foods in America.

Nutrition "Scare" #4: Coffee is Ruining Your Health!

It turns out that Americans' java addiction may not be such a bad thing. A 2006 study in the journal Diabetes Care showed that coffee drinkers were significantly less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, and other research has linked coffee consumption with a reduced risk of Parkinson's disease, dementia, st roke, and depression. And get this: According to researchers from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, coffee is the number-one leading source of antioxidants in the American diet. So go ahead, enjoy your morning cup of joe guilt free!

Nutrition "Scare" #5: Thinking About Food Will Make You Obsessed With Eating!

Think about other things: Your friends. Your 401(k). The game. Grandma’s dentures. Anything that will get your mind off food, right? Well, no: According to Dutch researchers, thinking about snacks and meals can actually help you stay lean. The study found that when asked questions like, "What will you do if you get hungry two hours before your next meal?" thinner participants were better able to give healthy responses, like "eat a handful of nuts." While fantasizing about how many onion rings you could feasibly fit on a double bacon cheeseburger is probably not going to keep the pounds at bay, taking a proactive approach to your diet by thinking ahead will. Try planning nutritious meals for the week or keeping healthy snacks like fruit and nuts on hand to ward off hunger. To save money, time and calories, cook your own delicious meals at home with the New York Times bestseller Cook This, Not That! Easy & Awesome 350-Calorie Meals.

Nutrition "Scare" #6: Dessert Will Ruin Your Life!

Au contraire: Dessert makes life worth living, and it just might help you stay lean as well. Studies have shown that completely eliminating foods you love can send you sailing straight into binge mode. Is chocolate mud pie good for you? No, and if you feel like you want to cut down on indulgences, go right ahead. But if, like most of us, swearing off sweets instantly causes you to start daydreaming about hot fudge sundaes, you might want to rethink your approach. Try allowing yourself a small dessert every day to satisfy your cravings without doing too much damage. Need help? Try a Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Vanilla Fudge Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich. It has a very reasonable 160 calories and 16 grams of sugar. Or feast on this delectable list of 15 Desserts That Burn Fat!.

Nutrition "Scare" #7: Red Meat Will Give You a Heart Attack!

Harvard researchers recently discovered that while eating processed meats like hotdogs and bacon can contribute to heart disease, there is no such risk for people who consume only unprocessed meat. Meat is also a complete protein, providing all nine essential amino acids, and many studies have linked protein consumption with weight loss. Moreover, meat and other animal products are the only dietary sources of vitamin B12, which helps your body make blood cells and maintain a healthy nervous system. But beware: Eating too much saturated fat has been linked to heart disease, so go ahead and include meat in your diet, but opt for the leanest cuts. Make other small tweaks to your diet to lose 10, 20 or even 30 pounds with this must-see report: The 25 Best Nutrition Secrets Ever!

Nutrition "Scare" #8: Eggs are Cholesterol Bombs!

Perhaps the biggest nutrition myth is that eggs are bad for your heart, a fact attributed to the cholesterol in the yolk. But here's the truth: The dietary cholesterol found in eggs actually has little effect on the amount of cholesterol in your blood. When it comes to increasing LDL ("bad cholesterol"), trans and saturated fats are the real culprits. The incredible, edible egg is actually an excellent, affordable source of protein and B vitamins, and it may help you lose weight. A 2008 study in the International Journal of Obesity found that dieters who consumed two eggs for breakfast each day lost significantly more weight than those who consumed bagels.
Finally, start your day right. A great breakfast will jump start your metabolism and have you burning more calories throughout the day. The wrong one might fill you up with empty calories and an entire day’s worth of fat, sugar and/or salt. Make sure you steer clear of the breakfasts in this shocking list of the 20 Worst Breakfasts in America.

5 Nutrients You're Not Getting Enough Of

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 10:47:00 +0000

After a long hard day at the office, I crave a manly dinner. Something that will sharpen my mind, feed my muscles, and infuse me with energy to keep up with two young kids till bedtime.

So, often, I have a bowl of cereal. With bananas and whole milk. Mmm.

Do I feel like I’m depriving my body of key nutrients? Quite the opposite, actually. My favorite dinner isn't just for kids. It contains high levels of three nutrients that American adults need much more of: B12, potassium, and iodine. Our shortfalls with these nutrients—along with vitamin D and magnesium—have serious health consequences, including a higher risk of heart disease and stroke, fatigue, and weight gain.

Here's the good news: These nutrients are readily available in the foods you know and love. You can get more of one simply by spending more time outside. That doesn't sound so hard, does it? Here's how to fortify your diet—and your health.

1. VITAMIN D

This vitamin's biggest claim to fame is its role in strengthening your skeleton. But vitamin D isn't a one-trick nutrient: A study in Circulation found that people deficient in D were up to 80 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke. The reason? Vitamin D may reduce inflammation in your arteries. Also, a University of Minnesota study found that people with adequate vitamin D levels release more leptin, a hormone that conveys the "I'm full" message to your brain. Even more impressive, the study also found that the nutrient triggers weight loss primarily from the belly. Another study found that people with higher D levels in their bloodstream store less fat.

The shortfall: Vitamin D is created in your body when the sun's ultraviolet B rays penetrate your skin. Problem is, the vitamin D you stockpile during sunnier months is often depleted by winter, especially if you live in the northern half of the United States, where UVB rays are less intense from November through February. When Boston University researchers measured the vitamin D status of young adults at the end of winter, 36 percent of them were found to be deficient.

Hit the mark: First, ask your doctor to test your blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. "You need to be above 30 nanograms per milliliter," says Michael Holick, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of medicine at Boston University. Come up short? Eat foods like salmon (900 IU per serving), mackerel (400 IU), and tuna (150 IU). Milk and eggs are also good, with about 100 IU per serving. But to ensure you're getting enough, take 1,400 IU of vitamin D daily from a supplement and a multivitamin. That's about seven times the recommended daily intake for men, but it takes that much to boost blood levels of D, says Dr. Holick.

YOU, IMPROVED: If you have a problem, we have your solution. Click here for surprising ways to improve your life today!

2. MAGNESIUM
This lightweight mineral is a tireless multitasker: It's involved in more than 300 bodily processes. Plus, a study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that low levels of magnesium may increase your blood levels of C-reactive protein, a key marker of heart disease.

The shortfall: Nutrition surveys reveal that men consume only about 80 percent of the recommended 400 milligrams (mg) of magnesium a day. "We're just barely getting by," says Dana King, M.D., a professor of family medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina. "Without enough magnesium, every cell in your body has to struggle to generate energy."

Hit the mark: Fortify your diet with more magnesium-rich foods, such as halibut, navy beans, and spinach. Then hit the supplement aisle: Few men can reach 400 mg through diet alone, so Dr. King recommends ingesting some insurance in the form of a 250 mg supplement. One caveat: Scrutinize the ingredients list. You want a product that uses magnesium citrate, the form best absorbed by your body.

DID YOU KNOW? There are 46,000 foods in the average supermarket. How to choose what to put in your cart? Here's your shopping list: The 125 Best Foods.

3. VITAMIN B12
Consider B12 the guardian of your gray matter: In a British study, older people with the lowest levels of B12 lost brain volume at a faster rate over a span of five years than those with the highest levels.

The shortfall: Even though most men do consume the daily quota of 2.4 micrograms, the stats don't tell the whole story. "We're seeing an increase in B12 deficiencies due to interactions with medications," says Katherine Tucker, Ph.D., director of a USDA program at Tufts University. The culprits: acid-blocking drugs, such as Prilosec, and the diabetes medication metformin.

Hit the mark: You'll find B12 in lamb and salmon, but the most accessible source may be fortified cereals. That's because the B12 in meat is bound to proteins, and your stomach must produce acid to release and absorb it. Eat a bowl of 100 percent B12-boosted cereal and milk every morning and you'll be covered, even if you take the occasional acid-blocking med. However, if you pop Prilosec on a regular basis or are on metformin, talk to your doctor about tracking your B12 levels and possibly taking an additional supplement.

4. POTASSIUM

Without this essential mineral, your heart couldn't beat, your muscles wouldn't contract, and your brain couldn't comprehend this sentence. Why? Potassium helps your cells use glucose for energy.

The shortfall: Despite potassium's can't-live-without-it importance, nutrition surveys indicate that young men consume just 60 percent to 70 percent of the recommended 4,700 mg a day. To make matters worse, most guys load up on sodium: High sodium can boost blood pressure, while normal potassium levels work to lower it, says Lydia A. L. Bazzano, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of epidemiology at Tulane University.

Hit the mark: Half an avocado contains nearly 500 mg potassium, while one banana boasts roughly 400 mg. Not a fan of either fruit? Pick up some potatoes—a single large spud is packed with 1,600 mg. Most multivitamins have less than 100 mg of potassium, so eat your fruits and vegetables, folks!

5. IODINE

Your thyroid gland requires iodine to produce the hormones T3 and T4, both of which help control how efficiently you burn calories. That means insufficient iodine may cause you to gain weight and feel fatigued.

The shortfall: Since iodized salt is an important source of the element, you might assume you're swimming in the stuff. But when University of Texas at Arlington researchers tested 88 samples of table salt, they found that half contained less than the FDA-recommended amount of iodine. And you're not making up the difference with all the salt hiding in processed foods—U.S. manufacturers aren't required to use iodized salt. The result is that we've been sliding toward iodine deficiency since the 1970s.

Hit the mark: Sprinkling more salt on top of an already sodium-packed diet isn't a great idea, but iodine can also be found in a nearly sodium-free source: milk. Animal feed is fortified with the element, meaning it travels from cows to your cereal bowl. Not a milk man? Eat at least one serving of eggs or yogurt a day; both are good sources of iodine.

Also, check out our list of the 40 Foods with Superpowers—foods that, even in moderation, can strengthen your heart, fortify your bones, and boost your metabolism so you can lose weight more quickly.

By Bill Phillips and the Editors of Men's Health
Sep 01, 2011

6 cancer-fighting superfoods

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 09:45:00 +0000

To reduce your risk of cancer, look no further than your fridge. "All the studies on cancer and nutrition point to eating plant-based foods for their phytonutrients and other special compounds," says Richard Béliveau, PhD, chair in the prevention and treatment of cancer at the University of Québec at Montreal and author of Foods to Fight Cancer.

Aim for five to nine daily servings of all kinds of fruits and vegetables—especially these six superstars.

Broccoli
All cruciferous veggies (think cauliflower, cabbage, kale) contain cancer-fighting properties, but broccoli is the only one with a sizable amount of sulforaphane, a particularly potent compound that boosts the body's protective enzymes and flushes out cancer-causing chemicals, says Jed Fahey, ScD. A recent University of Michigan study on mice found that sulforaphane also targets cancer stem cells—those that aid in tumor growth.

Helps fight: breast, liver, lung, prostate, skin, stomach, and bladder cancers

Your Rx: The more broccoli, the better, research suggests—so add it wherever you can, from salads to omelets to the top of your pizza.

Health.com: 13 easy pizza recipes

Berries
All berries are packed with cancer-fighting phytonutrients. But black raspberries, in particular, contain very high concentrations of phytochemicals called anthocyanins, which slow down the growth of premalignant cells and keep new blood vessels from forming (and potentially feeding a cancerous tumor), according to Gary D. Stoner, PhD, a professor of internal medicine at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.

Helps fight: colon, esophageal, oral, and skin cancers

Your Rx: Stoner uses a concentrated berry powder in his studies but says a half-cup serving of berries a day may help your health, too.

Health.com: Go wild for berries!

Tomatoes
This juicy fruit is the best dietary source of lycopene, a carotenoid that gives tomatoes their red hue, Béliveau says. And that's good news, because lycopene was found to stop endometrial cancer cell growth in a study in Nutrition and Cancer. Endometrial cancer causes nearly 8,000 deaths a year.

Helps fight: endometrial, lung, prostate, and stomach cancers

Your Rx: The biggest benefits come from cooked tomatoes (think pasta sauce!), since the heating process increases the amount of lycopene your body is able to absorb.

Health.com: 10 tasty tomato recipes

Walnuts
Their phytosterols (cholesterol-like molecules found in plants) have been shown to block estrogen receptors in breast cancer cells, possibly slowing the cells' growth, says Elaine Hardman, PhD, associate professor at Marshall University School of Medicine in Huntington, West Virginia.

Helps fight: breast and prostate cancers

Your Rx: Munching on an ounce of walnuts a day may yield the best benefits, Hardman's research found.

Health.com: 8 super nuts

Garlic
Phytochemicals in garlic have been found to halt the formation of nitrosamines, carcinogens formed in the stomach (and in the intestines, in certain conditions) when you consume nitrates, a common food preservative, Béliveau says. In fact, the Iowa Women's Health Study found that women with the highest amounts of garlic in their diets had a 50 percent lower risk of certain colon cancers than women who ate the least.

Helps fight: breast, colon, esophageal, and stomach cancers

Your Rx: Chop a clove of fresh, crushed garlic (crushing helps release beneficial enzymes), and sprinkle it into that lycopene-rich tomato sauce while it simmers.

Health.com: Surprising health benefits of garlic

Beans
A study out of Michigan State University found that black and navy beans significantly reduced colon cancer incidence in rats, in part because a diet rich in the legumes increased levels of the fatty acid butyrate, which in high concentrations has protective effects against cancer growth. Another study, in the journal Crop Science, found dried beans particularly effective in preventing breast cancer in rats.

Helps fight: breast and colon cancers

Your Rx: Add a serving—a half-cup—of legumes a few times a week (either from a can or dry beans that've been soaked and cooked) to your usual rotation of greens or other veggies.

GARLIC - The Wonder Food

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:19:00 +0000

A clove of garlic a day keeps cancer away.But it does more than that.It also keeps the possibility of a love life away! Take heart however.There's always Close Up to remedy the situation!

Garlic contains a chemical called Allicin, which has already proved to have numerous health benefits. A team of Israeli scientists recently used this chemical to successfully kill cancer cells as well as malignant tumors in mice.

Allicin is not present in an unbroken clove of garlic. It only gets released when the clove is crushed, so when using garlic in cooking, make sure you crush it and use it.Don't add the entire unbroken clove in your food, as though this will give you the flavour of garlic, it will not provide you with the benefits of its anti-carcinogenic properties.

The clove needs to be damaged, so it is more effective crushed than cut.When crushed garlic is added to a dish, any parasites, bacteria or other microbes get killed even before the temperature kills them, so if you are worried about eating outside food - the safest option would be to order food with a strong garlic flavour. Chances of food poisoning would be slim! Garlic, as we all know or should be knowing, is a natural antiseptic, and eating a clove of garlic a day also helps ward off most infections.

Italians and Chinese eat plenty of garlic in their food, and have very low incidences of cancer.Pizzas and pastas,Italian dishes rich in maida and cheese, have liberal dozes of garlic, with the result that Italians seem relatively immune to other problems associated with such a diet such as high cholesterol and heart ailments. Similarly, Chinese food is rich in garlic, and the Chinese too are statistically less prone to cancer and heart ailments.

How should you eat the clove?

Needless to say, crushing a clove of garlic and eating it raw would not be the most pleasant of experiences.Garlic has a very strong flavour, and it needs to be mixed with other foods in order to be enjoyed.The best way to eat garlic would be to add it in food while cooking it. Allicin gets distributed throughout the meal, providing you with the benefits of its anti-carcinogenic and antiseptic properties.

Make sure you peel the garlic before cooking it. Cooking garlic in its peel destroys its curative properties. Similarly, peeling the garlic days before and crushing and storing all the crushed garlic together to be used a little at a time may be very convenient as a time saver, but you lose many of garlic's potent health properties. The natural compound of Allicin as found in garlic loses its beneficial properties within hours because it begins to react with garlic's other components as soon as the clove is crushed.

Peel the garlic and let it sit for fifteen minutes before cooking. Just before cooking, crush it. Consume soon after.

While you can get garlic supplements if you are looking for the easier way out, it is highly recommended that you get your daily doze of garlic the natural way - through the clove itself. As already mentioned, garlic has numerous other health benefits,and eating the garlic fresh would give you all these benefits. If you can consume the garlic raw, there's nothing like it! Peel it, crush it fifteen minutes later and down it, followed by a little milk. Do this every night - so you will not smell of garlic the entire day. Before long, you will see your health and immunity improve, and you needn't fear cancer again.

Top tips for a healthy diet

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:54:00 +0000

• Choose a variety of foods from each of the different food groups to make sure you’re getting a good balance.

• Ask your doctor about extra supplements if you’re worried you’re not eating from a particular food group.

• Have 3 regular meals and 2 to 3 light snacks a day.

• Include generous helpings of fruits and vegetables, wholegrain cereals and beans to increase your fibre intake.

• Drink water regularly – at least 8 glasses a day.

• Include other drinks in your diet such as low-fat milk, fresh fruit juices and soup.

• Eat one portion of oily fish and one portion of white fish each week (but avoid shark, swordfish and marlin).

• Use vegetable oils such as corn, olive and sunflower oil in your cooking, but use them sparingly.

• Limit your intake of processed and preserved foods as they usually contain high levels of salt.

• Reduce your caffeine intake to no more than 4 cups a day.

• Limit your intake of sweets, crisps, cakes, biscuits, fats, oils, and sugar. These all provide extra calories but not much of the nutritional value that you and your child need. Over-indulging now means it will be harder to regain your pre-pregnancy figure afterwards, so try to resist dipping into the biscuit tin too often!

Menopause

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:37:00 +0000

What is Menopause & Perimenopause

Menopause is the permanent ending of menstruation as a result of loss of ovarian follicular function in woman. It is identified retrospectively after twelve months of amenorrhea that is absence of menstruation. The average age at menopause is fifty one year’s among United States women.

Natural menopause takes place while the journal cycle of ovulation moves toward to an end. This is because of the refuse of ovarian delivery of follicles and spawns piercingly as woman move towards menopause.

In the end, as the ovaries are rejection longer intelligent to expand an egg for the ovulation process, manufacture of estrogen leaves into a enduring refuse, and progesterone is not longer shaped. The inside layer of the uterus skinny, since it is not life form enthused by elevated estrogen heights every month and journal blood loss stop and Menopause happens. Do not discount the significance of the “postmenopausal ovary”, though! It carries on creating hormones still after ovulation trimmings, creating a number of estrogen and too androgens.

Perimenopause

The Perimenopause points towards the to the occasion period previous to menopause, when fertility diminishes and indiscretion of menstrual series augments, waiting the primary year after end of menses. The start of perimenopause heads the last menses by two to eight years, with a mean duration of four years. Smoking accelerates the menopausal transition by two years. Though the peri- and postmenopausal periods share many symptoms, the physiology and clinical management of the two periods differ. Low-dose oral contraceptives have become a therapeutic basis in perimenopause, whereas postmenopausal hormone therapy is an ordinary technique of indication mitigation following menstruation stops.

Ovarian accumulation and fruitfulness refuse piercingly following age of thirty five years and even more abruptly throughout perimenopause. Reduction of main follicles, a procedure that starts earlier than birth, occur progressively awaiting menopause. In case of perimenopause, intermenstrual gaps shorten considerably characteristically by three days due to speedy follicular phase. Follicle-stimulating hormone levels known as FSH rise, due to altered folliculogenesis that is production of follicles and less inhibin emission. In difference to the time after time elevated FSH and short estradiol heights observe in menopause, perimenopause is typify with the help of “irregularly irregular” hormone heights.

Tomato Allergy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:45:00 +0000

Some Important Facts About Having a Tomato Allergy

Have you ever wondered if you had a tomato allergy? This type of allergy is caused by the body having a bad reaction to tomatoes or any type of food that contains tomatoes. You may have eaten something with this ingredient in the past and suffered from a terrible reaction. You may have wondered if you were allergic to something you ate. This brief article will supply you with some of the important facts you may want to know.

A tomato allergy is actually very rare. However, for individuals that fear they may be allergic to tomatoes it is very important to know which part of the plant is dangerous. The seeds, skin, and juice are all actually very harmful to someone who suffers from this type of allergy. It would not be wise to touch the tomato or drink anything that has fresh tomato juice in it. The reason that fresh tomatoes are stressed here is because sometimes people with a tomato allergy can eat things that have processes tomatoes in them and not suffer from any adverse reactions. Allergies to foods such as tomatoes can develop at any time. Just because you are not allergic today does not mean that you will not be allergic tomorrow. Your reactions to the allergy can also become worse over time. It may be best to stay away from any food that may have tomatoes or tomato products in them. You can never be sure if there are fresh tomatoes on something that is mainly made from processed tomatoes.

You may begin with having a runny nose. Your eyes may also become sore, red, watery or even itchy. Next, you may begin to develop a cough. Although these symptoms may seem very similar to cold symptoms, you need to be aware of other complications that could develop with a tomato allergy. The symptoms will begin to get worse as your lip and tongue can begin to swell. Swelling of the throat may make it difficult to breath and you may have an asthma attack. Wheezing can also develop and contribute to these breathing difficulties. Other people could notice that your voice sounds hoarse. Your mouth may tingle or even feel itchy.

The following symptoms have a lot of the similarities to the flu. The tomato allergy may cause you to have diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. However, you may also become very constipated and have difficulties going to the restroom at all. Abdominal pain can be experienced as well. As you continue to experience some of these symptoms you might begin to fell very tired. This feeling of tiredness can also be accompanied by disturbed sleep. This can be very annoying when you do not feel well and you are tired but can not sleep.

You need to keep in mind that your reaction can vary from mild to life-threatening. If your reaction to the tomato is extreme you could even go into anaphylactic shock. This can cause you to become unconscious and can even result in death if you are not treated quickly and appropriately. You should always talk to your physician if you are concerned that you have an allergy to any type of food to ensure that you are prepared for any life threatening reactions.

Finally, remember that you can get relief from many of the mild symptoms that have been discussed. Vitamins may help you feel better and you can also consider buying an over the counter medication. Vitamins A,B,C and E may help you deal with allergies and function more comfortably if you are suffering. You can get these vitamins from supplements but you can also each foods that are rich in these vitamins. Eating healthy can be a great way to deal with allergies.

The Facts about Oatmeal Nutrition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:45:00 +0000

Many people have never even considered the benefits of oatmeal nutrition. That’s because some of us think of oatmeal as a food of the past. You might remember your mother making you oatmeal for breakfast, especially if you lived in a place with winter snow. She may even have told you that you needed something hearty to get you through to lunch. If you were like most kids, you probably weren’t very concerned that you get your share of oatmeal nutrition. You may even have begged for a sugary cereal like some of your friends are for breakfast.

Well, if you had oatmeal for breakfast, you were indeed having a healthy meal. If your diet has changed now that you are an adult and you no longer are taking the value of oatmeal seriously, you might want to take another look at oatmeal nutrition. One of the phrases that you hear everywhere today is that to eat healthy, you need to eat more whole grains. Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber and have many other benefits.

Most of us do not eat enough whole grains. People who grew up eating the soft, white “miracle bread,” can have a hard time switching to a thick, heavy, chewy bread as is the case with many types of bread made from whole grains. Many people think that the only way to eat whole grains is to choose a product like a multi- or nine-grain bread. For those who grew up with white bread and peanut butter, this is a big change.

And, maybe you just don’t like the taste of whole wheat, or the other whole grains you find in these breads and other foods. Perhaps you are just one of those people who don’t care to have seeds or nuts in their bread. The good news is that if you take a new look at oatmeal nutrition, you might find just the answer to the whole grain dilemma. That’s because oatmeal is a complete whole-grain food.

The FDA recommends that each individual eat a minimum of three servings of whole-grain foods every day. And, if we are conscientious about doing this, the statistics indicate that we can decrease our risk of heart disease by as much as twenty to thirty percent. Oatmeal is one way to meet this goal, and the great thing about oatmeal is that it is lighter and sweeter tasting than many of the other whole grain products you will find at the store.

You can have oatmeal for breakfast or sandwiches made of oatmeal bread. You can have oatmeal bars for snacks. That’s already three servings of oatmeal. Plus, when you add fruit and milk to oatmeal you make it healthier still. Oatmeal actually sticks to the bad cholesterol in your blood and takes it with it out of your body. Keeping good cholesterol and getting rid of the bad is one of the best ways to have a healthy heart and prevent heart attacks and strokes.

If you eat oatmeal, nutrition in your diet is going to improve dramatically. Oatmeal is a complex carbohydrate. It is not one of those simple sugars that is released quickly in your blood and raises your glucose level too high for a short period of time. Complex carbohydrates break down slowly, helping blood sugar to level off, and all the while increasing our energy and stamina. People who run marathons eat a ton of complex carbohydrates.

Another part of oatmeal nutrition is the fact that it is full of vitamins and minerals--vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, iron and calcium are just a few of them. The fiber contained in oatmeal benefits not only the heart but the digestive system as well. Fiber is just what you need to clean out your colon and get your digestive tract back to a healthy level.

If you thought oatmeal was just a breakfast food for little kids or you simply just haven’t thought of it as a whole grain, take another look at oatmeal. Nutritionally, you can’t go wrong.

SKIPPING MEALS CAN HELP LOSE WEIGHT

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:41:00 +0000

Many people think that by skipping a meal, they will be eating less food and therefore lose weight. As we now know, this is a nutrition myth. People who think skipping meals means weight loss do not understand how our bodies work.

If you skip a meal, your body will think that you are in starvation mode and therefore slow down the metabolism to compensate. You then tend to overeat at the next meal. Often, skipping a meal and then eating too much at the next one means that you have a higher total caloric intake than if you just ate more frequently throughout the day. A better approach is to eat smaller frequent healthy meals and snacks to keep your blood sugar balanced.