Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Protein Supplement Helps Managed Type 2 Diabetes

whey supplement


If you are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes the bad news is it is perceived as progressive and incurable, however there is a good news! Type 2 diabetes can be reversed through sustained weight loss. This means you need to do regular exercise and eating healthy.

Another way according to a latest study, consuming a small amount of whey protein before meals can help manage blood sugar level in person with type 2 diabetes. The research said the patients with type 2 diabetes were divided into two groups. One group took protein supplement before meals which contained a low dose of whey protein. While the other group where not given any protein supplement. Both group were monitored while they carry on with their daily routine.

The group who took whey protein supplement showed positive results from the glucose monitoring. Their glucose levels were much more controlled compared to the other group who did not take the protein supplement before meals. The group had two hours extra per day of normal blood sugar levels on average compared to those who did not have protein supplement. Their daily blood glucose levels were also lower by 0.6 mmol/L.

According to the research whey protein benefits people with type 2 diabetes
in two ways:
First, it slows down the process of which the food passes through the digestive system. Second, it stimulates a number of important hormones that prevent the blood sugars from shooting up so high.

The study is composed of 18 patients 50 to 56 years old with type 2 diabetes. They took a small drink of protein (100 ml) that contains 15 grams (0.5 ounces) of protein 10 minutes before breakfast, lunch, and dinner for over seven days and they stick to their prescribed diabetes medication. Their glucose were monitored continously and their blood glucose levels were tracked automatically throughout the duration of the study.

The study was done by the Human Nutrition Research Centre and Diabetes Research Group at Newcastle University, UK and is published by BMJ.

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Thursday, October 26, 2017

US Population Cholesterol Levels are Improving





According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the country's population cholesterol numbers have improved significantly over the past 17 years. Since 1999, the number of people who suffers from high total cholesterol has declined from 18.3% to 12.4% in 2016.


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Health experts attribute the positive results to several key factors: the public's growing awareness of high cholesterol’s dangers, more people's health-conscious diets, the phaseout of artificial trans fats in the food supply and the use of cholesterol-lowering statin medications.

The report by the CDC was released on Thursday and it also show what needs to be done to further improve the numbers. The prevalence of high total cholesterol was greatest among adults ages 40 to 59 — particularly for women. By race and gender, white women also had the greatest prevalence of high total cholesterol.

The two main types of cholesterol are Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) which are commonly called “bad” cholesterol. High levels of LDL cholesterol can build up in your arteries, causing heart disease; and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol, which helps ferry that bad cholesterol through your bloodstream to your liver to be expunged.

Americans in general now have more good cholesterol overall. From 2007 to 2016, people suffering from low levels of good cholesterol declined from 22% to 18%.





Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Avocados, Spinach and Bananas May Lower the Risks of Heart Disease

Avocados, Spinach and Bananas, heart disease, health


Researchers from the University of Alabama recently discovered that food with high concentration of potassium could help with heart disease risk factors. The more potassium in your diet, the less likely your arteries will harden.

Using mice in their research they found that the subject with a diet lower in potassium had elevated hardened arteries compared to mice consuming a normal amount. Potassium can be found in foods including potatoes, bananas, avocados and spinach.

The findings of their research could lead to "uncovered mechanisms that offer opportunities to develop therapeutic strategies to control vascular disease."

In the study, groups of mice were fed low, normal, and high levels of potassium. Results showed mice with low levels of potassium had increased vascular calcification and hardened arteries, while mice fed high levels of potassium showed less stiffness.

Heart disease is the top cause of death among men and women in the U.S., according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. One in every four Americans die of a heart attack every year.

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Saturday, August 5, 2017

Are you "Overfat"?

 


Rihanna fat

Overfat is a word that describe people who have a body fat level that is harmful to their health. An overweight person has a BMI (body mass index) between 25 to 29.9, while an "obese" individual has a BMI of 30 or above. Even if that individual has normal weight or is non-obese using traditional standards, those with high fat level can still be categorized as "Overfat."

health, fat, overfat

Being overfat will have some seriously negative consequences for a person's overall health since excess body fat is associated with cardiometabolic dysfunction, a clinical situation that can progressively worsen, potentially leading to various common disease risk factors, chronic diseases, increased morbidity and mortality, and reduced quality of life.

A recent study about "Overfat Adults and Children in Developed Countries" reveals that overfat people in the top 30 industrialized countries eclipse the all of the obese and overweight people in the world. In fact, they estimate that 90% of the men and 50% of the children in the US, New Zealand, Greece and Iceland are overfat. In the top overfat countries, researchers found 80% of the women were overfat, too.

The authors of the new study argue that using BMI will not account about 50% of the people who still have dangerous amounts of fat. Those are typically people who have the proverbial beer belly, but are otherwise in decent shape.

Author Paul Laursen, an adjunct professor and performance physiologist at the Sports Performance Research Institute in New Zealand said: "We shouldn't be as much worried about weight, what we should really be worried about is the fat part and where your fat is concentrated."

Abdominal overfat is the most unhealthful form of this condition, since the fat that is in your stomach area grows deep inside your body and it wraps around your vital organs. Your liver borrows this fat and turns it into cholesterol that can sneak into your arteries and start collecting there. When it collects, your arteries start to harden, and when they get hard, this can lead you to having a heart attack or stroke. This is why it is concerning that average waist circumference measures, generally indicative of abdominal overfat, have increased. Despite a leveling off appearance of being overweight and/or obese in some developed countries, the overfat pandemic continues to grow.

This deep layer of belly fat is also what makes your body insulin-resistant, which can lead you to having type 2 diabetes. It can also cause inflammation, which scientists are finding at the root of many chronic diseases and even cancer and Alzheimer's. Excess belly fat can also raise your glucose levels and decrease your muscle mass. You need good muscle mass to help keep good heart health.

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Thursday, April 6, 2017

Pineapple Water Detoxify, Diet, and Reduce Swelling and Pain



Pineapple Water, diet, health

I learned about pineapple water when I visit Hawaii at the lobby of a hotel they give complementary drink to help re-hydrate the guests after they spent too much time on the beach. It's more refreshing than plain water since the fruit adds some subtle sweet taste to the water.

What's great about it is it's not only refreshing but it also helps your body to remove harmful toxins, it also reduces swelling and pain in your joins and it boost your immune system. Pineapples are sweet and very delicious, it has a lot of health benefits too. It is very effective against bloating, water retention, and ugly cellulite. The potassium in it eliminates the excess water in your body. The iron supply your body red blood cells that transport oxygen throughout your whole body.

In a 100-gram serving, raw pineapple is an excellent source of manganese (44% Daily Value [DV]) and vitamin C. Pineapples can help reduce the risk of macular degeneration, a disease that affects the eyes as people age, due in part to its high amount of vitamin C and the antioxidants it contains. Pineapple contains dietary fiber, which is essential in keeping your intestines healthy. It also contains enzyme called bromelain which helps you improve your digestion and fight against inflammatory processes of the organism. The enzyme also fasten your metabolism that leads to weight loss. A 100-gram serving of pineapple is just 40 calories.

Health benefits of Pineapple:

1. Anti-inflammatory
2. Helps you lose weight
3. Eliminates intestinal parasites
4. Improves thyroid function
5. Balances electrolyte levels
6. Eliminates toxins and heavy metals from your body
7. Improves digestion
8. Keeps your gums and teeth healthy
9. Improves vision
10. Prevents cancer
11. Strengthen your bones

Here's a Pineapple-Mint-Ginger Water Recipe from Foodnetwork:


Place 4 cups thinly sliced pineapple (about 1 1/4 pounds), 5 sprigs mint (lightly crushed) and 8 round slices ginger (smashed) in a pitcher. For still infused water, add 2 quarts of water. For sparkling water, add 1 quart of seltzer during prep and a second quart just before serving. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours to allow the ingredients to infuse. Stir well and strain, discarding the solids. For serving, add fresh pineapple, mint and ginger for garnish and plenty of ice. The infused water will keep refrigerated for up to 2 days.

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Thursday, December 1, 2016

Low Carb Diet



Low Carb Diet, nutrition, health, LCHF, Low Carb Diet

Low Carb Diet is a diet that usually involves limiting the consumption of carbohydrates like those found in sugary foods, pasta and bread. This diet is high in protein, fat and healthy vegetables that includes meat, poultry, fish and eggs. It also limit most grains, legumes, fruits, breads, sweets, pastas and starchy vegetables, and sometimes nuts and seeds.

There are different kinds of low-carb diets and each of them has varying restrictions on the types and amounts of carbohydrates you can eat.

According to an article by Business Insider high-fat, low-carb diet may improve athletic performance. It said that our bodies normally first try to burn through our glycogen energy stores, which are easily accessible and we get from breaking down carbohydrates. After we burn through those glycogen energy stores, our bodies eventually can start getting energy by burning through ketones, energy produced from fatty acids (basically, energy from fat). However, it also said that this diet is not for everyone it may work for some but not for others.

Check out "Big Easy On Low Carb" for more information on low carb lifestyle.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Study: People Who Consumed Less Water Tend to be Obese

ice cold water, water diet, diet, health, obese, obesity

A new study shows that people who drink less water has more chances to be obese. The average water consumption in the U.S. about 4 cups a day which is not enough. While, despite a huge focus and support diet and physical activity the country is still experiencing increasing obesity rates.

Some researchers link low water consumption to obesity. In a new study published in the Annals of Family Medicine, experts used latest data from about 9,500 adults enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination survey (NHANES), a nationally representative sample of what Americans are eating. The data also contain information on how hydrated the subjects are by measuring the concentration of their urine.

“There’s so much focus on food and exercise, but so much more than just food and exercise goes into weight,” says Dr. Tammy Chang, assistant professor in the department of family medicine at the University of Michigan medical school.

About 33% of the people who took part in the study were not taking enough water. The study also found a link between dehydration and obesity. People who don't drink enough water had higher BMIs than those who do.

Of course those who are obese need more water than people who have smaller bodies, making the hydration threshold potentially harder to attain. People who are obese eat less and take fewer calories when they drink water before a meal than if they eat it without water.

So how will you know if you are well hydrated? Dr. Tammy Chang said that the most reliable way to check it is through the color of your urine. Light colored urine almost the same color of water means that you are well hydrated. If it’s dark, you need to drink more water.

You can also take water and be hydrated by eating fresh fruits and vegetables which contains a lot of water. A cup of sliced radishes contains about 120ml of water, while a 2-cup serving of watermelon or 1 cucumber contains more than a cup of water.

“They’re good for you because of their nutritional value, while you’re improving your hydration as well,” Chang says.

However, the link between hydration and obesity needs more study. “More studies are needed to understand the directionality,” Chang says. “But staying hydrated is good for you no matter what.”




Thursday, October 22, 2015

Sleep Deprivation Linked to Risk Factors for Stroke, Diabetes and Heart Disease

Sleep Deprivation, no sleep, can't sleep, health

According to a recent study, those who are getting less than 6 hours of sleep are more likely to increase their chances to develop diabetes, heart disease and strokes.

The clustering of risk factors that includes high cholesterol, high blood sugar, high serum triglycerides, abdominal (central) obesity, and high blood pressure is known as metabolic syndrome.

Dr. Jang Young Kim of Yonsei University in South Korea  said that the people who lacks sleep should be aware of the risks of developing metabolic syndrome, which could lead them to suffer from life threatening and chronic diseases."

Their research is composed of 2,600 adults they were studied for more than 2 years and found that participants who didn’t get at least 6 hours of sleep a night were 41% more likely to develop metabolic syndrome than individuals who got 6 to 8 hours of sleep. The subjects underwent medical exams and shared their medical history.

The team followed up on the subjects after 2 and half years and 560 (22%) of them developed metabolic syndrome. Sleep deprivation was linked to about 30% increased risk of high blood sugar and excess belly fat, as well as 56% higher odds of hypertension, compared to those who have ample sleep.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Saturated Fats are Good in Moderation

Saturated Fats, food, health


There are a lot of products that say low or zero fat and people think in an instant that they are healthy because it keep them fit and keep their heart healthy. However, that is not entirely true. The
McMaster University in Canada did not find any link between the amount of saturated fat people ate and their risk of death from heart disease, stroke or Type 2 diabetes. Also there are dietitians that advice people to take in more good fats in our diet.

Food products don't differentiate between good fats and bad fats, so buying food that are zero or low fat is not wise and can harm your health.

Dr. John Briffa of The Cholesterol Truth  said that the mainstream focusing on the dangers of saturated fat are absurdly exaggerated. These means you should not follow the advice of some health advocate or fad diet to cut down on saturated fats just eat in moderation. Eating butter is not bad if taken in moderately since it is rich in saturated fats, vitamins, cholesterol that is important for brain and nervous system development and various natural compounds with anti-fungal, antioxidant and even anti-cancer properties.

If you remove saturated fats from your diet, you will be missing the health benefits that it can give you like vitamins D, E, K, and A. People should know the differences between good and bad dietary fats.

Fats that are bad for you are Trans-fats (Hydrogenated fats) since they are dense and can block your coronary arteries. These fats are made through "hydrogenation" which is a food manufacturing process in which oils are turned from liquid to solid at high temperatures. They add hydrogen atom to the oil molecule which will turn the oil solid.

This fat also increase the level of LDL which are bad cholesterol in our blood, it also lower the HDL which are good cholesterol.

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Saturday, August 15, 2015

Low-fat diet is Better than Low carb Diet

Low-fat diet, Low carb Diet, health, fitness

It is often debated among health enthusiast which is better Low-fat diet or Low carb diet both offers a good lifestyle and better health however a new study shows that restricting dietary fat can lead to greater weight loss loss than carbohydrate restriction, even though a low-carb diet reduces insulin and increases fat burning.

The study was published at Cell Metabolism journal. According to one of the researchers Kevin Hall from National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases"A lot of people have very strong opinions about what matters for weight loss, and the physiological data upon which those beliefs are based are sometimes lacking. I wanted to rigorously test the theory that carbohydrate restriction is particularly effective for losing body fat since this idea has been influencing many people's decisions about their diets."

For the research, they use 19 adults that suffers from obesity they confine them to a metabolic ward for two dieting periods of two weeks each. After two dieting periods, they have found that body fat lost under the Low-fat diet was better than with Low carb Diet even though more fat was burned with the low-carb diet.

Body fat loss was calculated using the difference between daily fat intake and net fat oxidation while participants were inside a metabolic chamber.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Ticks in Toronto tested for Lyme disease

Ticks, Lyme disease, health, disease

Ticks are nasty and it can be nastier if it carries lyme disease. Blacklegged ticks ussually hang around in tall grass and wooded areas and they often latch on to campers and hikers. Health officials in Toronto said that they are testing ticks that are found in Morningside Park and on Algonquin Island for Lyme disease. They have also tested ticks in the Rouge Valley which tested positive to Lyme disease.

Health officials said that people with Lyme Disease has shoot up from 128 cases in 2009 in Canada to 682 by 2013.

Officials said people who are in outdoor a lot should check for ticks after outdoor activities like walking the dog, hiking, or mowing the lawn. They also suggest wearing long sleeves and pants and clothes that are ligth colored.

Symptoms of Lyme disease include a red bull’s-eye rash, headaches, fever, fatigue, and muscle pain.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Healthy Eats: Pseudograins are Good for you

Pseudograins, Paleo diet, diet, health


We eat grains a lot, grains are food that are derived from rice, wheat, cornmeal, oats, etc. Grain products are pasta, bread, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits. The problem with grains and grain products is that it contains toxic anti-nutrients and inflammatory proteins just like gluten. It also has a high carbohydrate content that is unhealthy if consumed excessively. It may lead to type II diabetes, cancer, and obesity.

It is important to eat less grains, you can substitute it with Pseudograins. Pseudograins are seeds and grasses that looks like grains. They are high in protein, fiber, and also gluten-free. Pseudograins has low-glycemic carbohydrates. Examples of pseudograins are quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, wild rice, and teff.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Kale is Good for you!

vegetable, healthy food, kale, health, wellness

Kale (borecole) is a very nutritious vegetable that has a green or sometimes purple leaves. Kale tastes better when frozen, it is a lot sweeter and more flavorful if it is frozen.

A lot of health experts are a fan of Kale with its healthy properties. Kale packed with high levels of beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, Vitamine A, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium and rich in calcium. Kale is also a source of two carotenoids namely lutein and zeaxanthin.

Just like broccoli, kale has sulforaphane that is a potent chemical with anti-cancer properties.

It has high concentration of Vitamin C that boost collagen and copper which has a good anti-inflammatory properties to protect your skin from the sun. The Vitamin A in Kale promotes healthy cell growth to keep your skin young and fresh.

Kale is packed with both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, this acids keeps your scalp and hair moisturized that keeps you from having flakes and brittle hair. It also helps in the circulation of blood in your scalp that promotes hair growth.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Don't Have Enough Time to Work-out? Then Why not Do it for just 30 min a Week

High Intensity Training, work out, HIT, exercise, body slimming, body weight, health

Do you work from 9-5, and have lots of things to do after work like taking care of your kids,  meaning you don't have time to exercise on a regular basis. What if I told you that you can do it for just 30 minutes a week?

Researchers found out that a 10-minute exercise 3 times a week can make you fit. Now you have no excuse not to work-out. They found out that working for long hours is not what matters most but how you exercise. You need to push yourself to your limits for you to succeed. It is called High Intensity Training (HIT), you need to exert all your efforts in short bursts that lasts for only a few minutes but can give you a lot of benefits like weight loss and toned muscles.

University of Ontario researchers study 10 men and 10 women and divide the into half to perform High Intensity Training (HIT) which is 6 bursts of 30-second sprints and the other half to do the hour-long runs three times a week for six weeks. The results was outstanding, the people who performed HIT lose twice as much weight as the others who are doing the regular long-hours workout. The lost an 12.4% of their fat mass for just a little time.

So how do you do High Intensity Training (HIT)? The ideal set-up is three times a week that includes walking, running, and cycling for 10 minutes. Combined that with squats and lunges that concentrates on large muscle groups. This will give you metabolism-boosting effect that will burn significant amouth of calories. It will also induce catecholamines and growth hormone in the blood that will hasten the loss of fatty tissues.

Here are Great High Intensity Training (HIT) that you can follow:

40 seconds hard exercise - you will need to push your limit for two brief 20-second bursts. You can do cycling, sprinting, or swimming. If you choose cycling, you can do it indoors using a stationary bike just increase the intensity or if you prefer outdoors do it up-hill.

- start out normally for a few minutes then when you are ready go in full speed with all your might for 20 seconds.
- Slow down to recover for a few minutes then speed up again in full for another 20 seconds. All in all it will only cost you about 10 minutes to do this exercise. Do it three times a week and you will see results.





   






Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Eating Peanuts While Pregnant is OK

peanuts


A study suggests that pregnant women who eat peanuts will lessen that likelihood to have children with peanut allergies. The study was released in Monday’s JAMA Pediatrics.

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics were based on a study of more than 8,200 US children. Among those, researchers found 140 cases of children who were allergic to nuts.

In 2000, the American Academy of Pediatrics informed pregnant women to avoid peanuts and tree nuts to avoid exposing infants. They also advised women to keep children away from nuts until the age of 3.

Researchers said that, looking at mother's diet they found that women who ate 5 or more servings per week of peanuts or tree nuts (cashews, almonds and walnuts) were far less likely to have a child with peanut allergy.

Author Michael Young of the Boston Children's Hospital Division of Allergy and Immunology said:

"Our study showed increased peanut consumption by pregnant mothers who weren't nut allergic was associated with lower risk of peanut allergy in their offspring."

"Assuming she isn't allergic to peanuts, there's no reason for a woman to avoid peanuts during pregnancy."




Thursday, December 12, 2013

Hawaii Healthiest state in the US

Latest health ranking that is released on Wednesday shows the healthiest state in the country. The United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings for 2013 take into account indicators like obesity, smoking rates, cardiovascular deaths, deaths from substance abuse, dental care, and disparity in health status.

Hawaii got the top spot while Mississippi is last in the list.

Here is the 2013 United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings:

1. Hawaii
2. Vermont
3. Minnesota
4. Massachusetts
5. New Hampshire
6. Utah
7. Connecticut
8. Colorado
9. North Dakota
10. New Jersey
11. Nebraska
12. Idaho
13. Oregon
14. Washington
15. New York
16. Maine
17. Wyoming
18. Iowa
19. Rhode Island
20. Wisconsin
21. California
22. South Dakota
23. Montana
24. Maryland graph
25. Alaska
26. Virginia
27. Kansas
28. Arizona
29. Pennsylvania
30. Illinois
31. Delaware
32. New Mexico
33. Florida
34. Michigan
35. North Carolina
36. Texas
37. Nevada
38. Georgia
39. Missouri
40. Ohio
41. Indiana
42. Tennessee
43. South Carolina
44. Oklahoma
45. Kentucky
46. West Virginia
47. Alabama
48. Louisiana graph
49. Arkansas
50. Mississippi

See more at: http://www.americashealthrankings.org/Rankings

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Salt in Medicines May Cause Heart Attacks and Stroke

Salt in Medicines May Cause Heart Attacks and Stroke, health, medicine, wellness and health

Soluble painkillers, paracetamol and vitamin C are used by billions of people and this may pose a health risk because of high salt content, researchers warned.

Some formulations taken at maximum dose may put users over the recommended daily sodium intake for an adult and this may cause a potentially dangerous consequences.

The researchers found a link between effervescent tablets and heart attacks and stroke.

Patients who regularly took effervescent or soluble medications increased their risk of having a heart attack, stroke or dying from a vascular disease compared to those patients that took drugs without salt. Patients who took medicines with salts were also seven times more likely to develop high blood pressure and hypertension, which the researchers say is at the root of the problem.

Dr Jacob George who is the lead researcher from Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, England said. "We know that high salt causes hypertension and that hypertension leads to stroke."

The British Heart Foundation gave a statement that it is important to remember that the research applied to people who were taking these medicines every day. It does not mean that occasional use could damage your heart health.

Most effervescent medicines contain salt. This is because in order to fizz and dissolve, they contain a substance called bicarbonate, which is often combined with sodium.

Dr Madina Kara a neuroscientist at the Stroke Association, said: “It’s crucial to be aware of our sodium intake, as it is a component of salt. Excess salt in our diet can lead to high blood pressure, which is the single biggest risk factor for stroke.

“A diet low in saturated salt and fat, regular exercise and blood pressure checks can go a long way to keeping your stroke risk down.”

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Why Avoid Sugar From Your Diet

Robert Lustig MD, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology, he explores the damage caused by sugary foods. He argues that too much fructose and not enough fiber appear to be cornerstones of the obesity epidemic through their effects on insulin.

Lustig said that the last 30 years have seen an onslaught of sugar and dwindling of fiber in the food environment which is a deadly combination for consumers who have been duped by the food industry. His 2009 lecture "Sugar: The Bitter Truth," has now been viewed 3,850,000 times on youtube. You can watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM&list=TL8lMbN4dKkvs.

Now he has brought the battle in the supermarket with his new e-book, "Sugar Has 56 Names: A Shopper's Guide." This e-book guide is meant for smartphones or tablets that you can view while shopping your groceries. It provides consumers with a new nutrition label for hundreds of processed foods that concentrate on sugar. From soy milk to sausage, and Sara Lee to supermarket brands, the data delineates the quality and quantity of sugar in products. Why the distinction? Because, as the book's title indicates, sugar goes by varied names - from fructose to fruit juice, and these derivatives differ greatly in how they're processed by the body.

"By paying attention to the sugar portion of the label people can do better in terms of making their own decisions," Lustig says.

Lustig said that it's not just the issue of obesity but the risk of metabolic diseases, which includes diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease, cancer and dementia. And sugar, he says, is a big part of the problem.

He gave readers with some interesting directives: don't go to the supermarket hungry; shop along the perimeter of the supermarket where fresh, whole foods abound; if it comes with a logo you've heard of, it's been processed; avoid anything "partially hydrogenated" it will outlive you,"; just because it says "whole grain" doesn't mean it is, but if it doesn't say whole grain it isn't; if sugar is listed among the first three ingredients, it's dessert.

For his part, there's "no such thing as a sugared beverage" in his home. "We have milk, we have water and occasionally we have some alcoholic drinks when we have friends over," he says. "There is no reason to drink your calories." To ensure sufficient fiber, the Lustigs have salad with every meal, which typically consists of a protein and green vegetables and whole-grain bread instead of white rice, pasta and potatoes. For dessert, it's whole fruit, except for weekends, when they treat their daughters, ages 8 and 14, to something "a little more elaborate," he says.

"We have to get back to dessert being once a week, not once a meal," Lustig says. As he writes, "Sugar is reward. Sugar is fun, but if every meal is fun, then no meal is fun. And I promise, you won't be having fun taking your insulin shots while you're on dialysis."

To change the food culture, and the food supply, he encourages consumers to vote with their mouths and wallets. "We, as a society, have to reduce availability, and we cannot do that right now without the food industry helping us do it," he says. "If you won't buy it, they won't sell it."

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Study: Short burst of activity effective in shedding pounds

There's no short cut in a healthy weight loss however, a new study finds that short micro-bursts of activity throughout the day can make a big impact in losing weight.

The research was published on September 1 in the American Journal of Health Promotion, University of Utah researchers found that even brief episodes of physical activity of high intensity -- such as carrying a load of laundry or taking a flight of stairs -- worked just as well as longer 10-minute bouts.

"What we learned is that for preventing weight gain, the intensity of the activity matters more than duration," says researcher Jessie X. Fan, professor of family and consumer studies. "Knowing that even short bouts of 'brisk' activity can add up to a positive effect is an encouraging message for promoting better health."

Researchers used data from more than 4,500 men and women who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In the survey, participants wore accelerometers for seven days, which captured data on their physical activity. Researchers then compared measurements of physical activity based on length of time and intensity. Four categories were created: higher-intensity bouts (greater than 10 minutes exertion at greater than 2,020 counts per minutes, or CPM), higher-intensity short bouts (less than 10 minutes at greater than 2,020 CPM), lower-intensity long bouts (greater than 10 minutes and less than 2,019 CPM), and lower-intensity short bouts (less than 10 minutes and less than 2,019 CPM).

The study used body mass index, BMI, to measure weight status with results showing that for women, each daily minute spent in higher-intensity short bouts was related to a decrease of .07 BMI (A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal weight, whereas a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is overweight; and over 30 is obese.) Looking at it another way, each such minute offset the calorie equivalent of .41 pounds (.18 kilos). Men had similar results, the researchers said.

A separate study announced earlier this year found that short bursts of activity, such as pacing while chatting on the phone, provided they add up to 30 minutes a day, are just as effective as a gym session. In the study, researchers at Oregon State University analyzed data on physical activity and health markers such as cholesterol and blood pressure for more than 6,000 US adults.

Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/when-it-comes-to-weight-loss-every-movement-counts-study-1.1436944#ixzz2doNW0e9y

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Man diagnosed with chronic tardiness disease



Jim Dunbar a Scottish man has been diagnosed by doctors with chronic lateness or chronic tardiness disease and this after he showed up for his appointment 20 minutes late, the Evening Telegraph reports. He has been late for everything his entire life from showing up to school at 5 years old to funerals, dinner parties and first dates.

Doctors say that his condition resembles ADHD and affects the part of the brain that measures how long things take. Dunbar hopes his diagnosis can help others who are also afflicted, and hopes to raise awareness about his condition.

“The reason I want it out in the open is that there has got to be other folk out there with it and they don’t realise that it’s not their fault,” he said.

Dunbar has a special clock that keeps perfect time, but it doesn’t help. He sets his watch fast, to no avail. He even gives himself an 11-hour head start to get to the movies on time, and still arrives 20 minutes late.