Foodtherapy™

Expectant Eating

2009-09-26T16:34:00.003-05:00

The reason for the long pause between posts is that I'm .... pregnant! As I'm learning, pregnancy has a way of completely changing your relationship to food. First there's morning sickness accompanied by alternating bouts of nausea and starvation. Then you soon find out that the foods that you previously loved now cause you to wince. (While I stopped drinking coffee a few months before pregnancy, I have always loved the smell of a freshly brewed cup. Now, that same smell can repel me from 15 feet away.) My love for chocolate, sweets, and quinoa have been denounced. I find that I will love a brand of crackers one week and deplore it the next. While I know that this fickleness is rooted in hormone fluctuations, I can't help but think it's my babies' (yes, there are two in there) way of telling me who is now boss.

As if navigating your own appetite wasn't enough, there's all of the unsolicited advice you get from others, especially the media. You are told to gain weight, how many grams of protein, fat, carbs to consume. There are "good" foods: milk, fruit, vegetables. And "bad:" lunch meat, sprouts, sushi. And, of course, what and how much of anything you should eat is a moving target. Not that any of this is new. We live in a culture that thinks there can only be one answer to the question "what should I eat?"; where our appetites are controlled by our minds not our senses. What makes this feel much more ominous during pregnancy is that moms-to-be are already feeling vulnerable since they are wanting to do the best for their babies. So listen up well meaning friends, family and pregnancy book authors: women have have managed to nurture generations of babies on every imaginable diet you can think of and somehow the race has continued. There are enough stressors in pregnancy. How about if eating wasn't one of them?

Why Are Americans Fat?

2009-07-20T16:41:00.007-05:00

"Though weight-loss books will doubtless always be more popular, what might be called weight-gain books, which attempt to account for our corpulence, are an expanding genre," writes Elizabeth Kolbert in a recent New Yorker. She then expounds upon our increasing waistlines by quoting from some of the more provacative books on the topic.

According to Kolbert, men and women are now on average of 17 and 19 pounds heavier, respectively, than they were in the late seventies. And there is no shortage of explanations to tell us why. Evolutionary theorists explain that, due to the unpredictability of food supplies during primitive times, the body was designed to hoarde calories during times when food was accessible. While, for most Americans, food is as near as the closest vending machine, our bodies are still operating under a mentality of scarcity. Meanwhhile, economists postulate that the cheap cost of calories -- in the familiar forms of soda, cookies, and triple-burgers -- encourages people to consume more.

Citing from “The End of Overeating” by David A. Kessler, Kolbert talks about food as entertainment and the fact that by rewarding ourselves with Cheetoes and Cinnabons we reinforce the ongoing need for these treats, also known as “conditioned hypereating." Finally, the elasticity of the human appetite is the subject of Brian Wansink’s “Mindless Eating” tome. Kolbert recounts several experiments where Wansink was able to demonstrate that the amount of food we eat is related to portion size vs. internal cues about hunger.

Lest we feel alone, by the end of the article we discover that in Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Malta, and Slovakia, the proportion of overweight adults is actually higher than in the U.S. Whatever the root cause, obesity is definitely an epidemic that's spreading.

Warning: Please Exercise Caution When Eating this Food

2009-06-21T17:51:00.003-05:00

During a recent trip to France I noticed something new while standing in the Metro station. Billboards for foods like cereal, ice cream, and candy drew me in with clever tag lines and mouth-watering photos, just as they do in the U.S. But what was starkly different was the cautionary advice that was slapped on the bottom in easy-to-read print: "For your health, avoid eating too much fat, too much sugar, too much salt."

Initially, I thought this was geared to only a certain group of foods deemed unhealthy. But, throughout the course of my stay, I came to see similar subtitles nearly everywhere I looked. "For your health, eat at least five fruits and vegetables a day," commanded a billboard for a popular line of frozen entrees. "For your health, avoid snacking between meals," advised a poster of a McFlurry in front of a Parisian McDonalds.

I later learned that the taglines are a requirement of the French government in an effort to curb the growing problem of obesity. Currently over 9 percent of French qualify as obese. While that may not sound like a lot compared to the 32 percent of Americans who currently earn that distinction, the French aren't waiting around for things to worsen. France’s recommendation affects advertisements on television, radio, billboards and the Internet for processed, sweetened or salted food and drinks. Advertisers who refuse to run the mandated messages are reportedly fined 1.5 percent of the cost of the ad.

Some of my French friends thought this campaign was utterly laughable as a means of helping individuals make better food choices. But for an American who feels no protection from her government when it comes to regulating what we eat, this feels like a hopeful first step.

101 Cookbooks

2009-04-26T19:24:00.004-05:00

A friend recently turned me onto 101cookbooks.com and it's now my favorite recipe website hands down. Have I cooked any of the recipes yet, you ask? Err ... eh ... no. But the photos and ingredient lists have inspired improvisations of standards in my weekly repertoire. And I have bookmarked a few to prepare on the fabled weekend that I imagine will give me the time I need to make the mouth-watering "Basic Chocolate Cake" or "Ginger Poached Noodles," both of which have been featured in recent weeks. Click over to the website by clicking the headline above if you want to start fantasizing about your next meal.

Detox Diets: More Hype than Health

2009-03-01T19:02:00.007-06:00

As a nutrition counselor, I often have requests from clients who want assistance launching an intense detox diet ... they inquire about "The Master Cleanse" or a "Fat Flush" they read about in a magazine. After acknowledging the allure of these much-hyped "cleanses", I typically guide them toward making holistic changes that involve a greater commitment of time but are much more likely to yield true health changes. It seems that, finally, I'm in good company. According to a recent article in The New York Times "many Western doctors question the legitimacy of these regimens and their claims of promoting good health, believing detoxification does little to no good, and is possibly harmful."

Unfortunately, we live in a society that thrives on instant gratification and drama (hence reality TV shows). As a result, extreme two-week diets trump months of day-in-day-out healthy eating. But, in the same way that you can't cram for the SATs or GREs by condensing years worth of knowledge into two weeks of study, you can't take the place of ongoing healthy eating habits with a two-week detox.

While it's true that our environments are certainly more toxic than they used to be, what seems to be most effective in combating these toxins is a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, water, exercise and other seemingly boring things that we all know we ought to be doing. Alas, preserving our health isn't really about magic tricks, it's about common sense. “People are selling a product," explained one of the doctors interviewed by The Times. "There’s a difference between selling a product and practicing good medicine.” Let the buyer beware.

Stuffed and Starved

2009-01-31T19:58:00.005-06:00

Last weekend I heard Raj Patel discuss the world's not-so-ironic, simultaneous surge of both obesity and starvation -- there are currently a billion people on the planet who are overweight and another billion who are starving. Patel is an economist turned academic who is passionate about ending the disasterous effects that globalization has had on the way we eat. Formerly with the World Bank, Patel is currently a researcher at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa and a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley. The guy makes a persuasive case for how converting the production and dissemination of food over to "the free markets" has done everything BUT ensure food security. Instead, we have created a relatively new phenomenon whereby farmers around the world can't afford the food they grow.

Meanwhile, consumers are being fed foods that would have previously been deemed unfit for human consumption. Factory farms are turning out soy and corn to be processed into the myriad packaged foods we now find ourselves eating. "We are being made for our food," Patel muses, explaining how capitalist culture has turned us into the type of people who value convenience over taste. According to Patel, the only entities that gain from the "free market" are the six wealthy corporations that control the distribution of food around the world. To learn more, read Patel's new book, Stuffed and Starved; to do more, make choices that support local, independent farms and petition the new administration to create policies that support these farmers over corporate food conglomerates.

Did the Obesity Epidemic Predict the Economic Crisis?

2008-12-23T14:08:00.005-06:00

For the past decade, pundits have obsessed over our increasing waistlines. An understandable concern given that, as our nation grew more obese, significant health issues -- diabetes, heart disease, cancer -- snowballed. Meanwhile, we heard far less about the dangers of increased (non-edible) consumption in the form of SUVs, homes, and high-tech goods. One is now left wondering how things might have gone differently for the economy had the press spent as much time analyzing our collective pocketbooks as they did our grocery carts.

Similar to the commercials for Coke that promised us giddy joy in each can of soda (never mind the high-fructose corn syrup content), we were made to believe that owning more things was our ticket to happiness, our American-earned right. Unfortunately, as with any decadent treat -- be it cookies or beach homes -- moderation is key. This is not to say that the complex issues of obesity or the current economic crisis can be reduced to a simple matter of gluttony. It is equally about misinformation -- people lacking adequate information to act in their best interests, long-term. Both the obesity and economic crises were exacerbated by industries that profited enormously by misleading individuals ... or at least not giving them all of the facts. Food manufacturers made hefty profits by promoting high-caloric foods in huge quantities. And banks made staggering sums by extending credit for real estate transactions that were beyond the means of their buyers. Whether we've overextended ourselves calorically or financially, we can relate to wanting to have our cake and eat it too ... but since that's no longer an option, many of us may be left feeling like we are on a globally-imposed diet.

Elevated Carbon Dioxide Levels Impact Food Quality

2008-11-11T19:53:00.007-06:00

Rising rates of carbon dioxide have been credited for the myriad environmental consequences that fall under the umbrella of global warming. While nay-sayers deny any "measurable" impact from our growing carbon footprint, research continues to reveal the many unexpected ways in which rising levels of carbon dioxide are threatening the health of our planet. A recent study conducted by scientists at Southwestern University now shows us that the effects are as close as our next meal. This research concludes that elevated atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide are leading to the reduction of protein concentrations in popular plant foods such as rice, wheat, potatoes, and soybeans -- as much as a 15% decrease. While this study primarily focused on protein content, there is no telling what impact environmental changes are having on other nutrients. With over-consumption of food linked to the ongoing obesity epidemic, increasing portion sizes doesn't seem like the prudent strategy for recouping our nutritional losses. Instead it furthers the argument for directly targeting core problems such as pollution.

Coffee: Separating Fact from Fiction

2008-09-13T12:34:00.007-05:00

While many of us have grown to accept and heed fashion trends, recent history shows us the folly that ensues when we apply the same practice to foods. Take butter, for example. It was part of a healthy diet for centuries until scientists warned us of the ills of saturated fat and transitioned us to margarine. Now after decades of dipping our knives into tubs of trans-fats, we are discovering that, oops, margarine turns out to be worse for us ... much worse.

There are many more guilty pleasures whose health warnings are finally being debunked, coffee perhaps the most popular among them. A review of recent research, conducted by Jane Brody of The New York Times revealed that many of coffee's mythic ills are unfounded. Of course those of us who brighten after a morning cappuccino don't need science to tell us this. According to Roland Griffiths of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, "the most important effects of caffeine are its ability to enhance mood and mental and physical performance. At consumption up to 200 milligrams (the average 16 ounce cup of coffee), consumers report an improved sense of well-being, happiness, energy, alertness, and sociability ... although higher amounts sometimes cause anxiety and stomach upset." Here are some other findings culled from the latest scientific literature:

Breast Cancer: A study of 59,000 women in Sweden found no connection between coffee or caffeine consumption and breast cancer.

Diabetes: People who drink 4-6 cups of coffee a day (with or without caffeine) have a 28% lower risk of Type 2 diabetes than non-coffee drinkers.

Heart Disease: An analysis of 10 studies of more than 400,000 people found no increase in heart disease among daily coffee drinkers.

Hydration: Contrary to popular belief, only in quantities above 575 milligrams does caffeine become a diuretic.

Weight Loss: Although caffeine speeds up metabolism, studies paradoxically show that men and women who increased their caffeine consumption actually gained more weight than those that did not.

Is Your Stomach Anxious?

2008-08-10T18:03:00.005-05:00

It should come as no surprise that when our minds are anxious, our bodies feel it too. According to Harvard University's School of Public Health, anxiety has been implicated in several chronic physical illnesses, including gastrointestinal conditions. While the cause of conditions such as acid reflux or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may not be strictly emotional, when people with these disorders have untreated anxiety, the physical disease is more difficult to treat. In the two most common functional digestive disorders — IBS and functional dyspepsia (upset stomach)—the nerves regulating digestion appear to be hypersensitive to stimulation. A 2007 New Zealand study of subjects with gastroenteritis (inflammation of the digestive tract) found an association between high anxiety levels and the development of IBS following a bowel infection. Therefore, some form of counseling can be an important part of the treatment process. According to a report by Harvard University's School of Public Health, in situations where anxiety is present, "medications alone are less effective than psychotherapy over the long term."

New Strategies for Treating Kids with ADHD

2008-06-29T15:04:00.003-05:00

According to The New York Times, "as many as two-thirds of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, have used some form of alternative treatment" in an effort to avoid stimulant drugs. The most common of these strategies involve dietary changes. So far the results are mixed. A trial of St. John's Wart showed that this herbal supplement performed the same as its placebo. Data on sugar is similarly inconclusive. While parents often believe that sugar can exacerbate their child's symptoms, no conclusive evidence has corroborated this. There is more hope for omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and fish-oil supplements. A review published last year in Pediatric Clinics of North America concluded that a “growing body of evidence” supported the use of such supplements for children with ADHD.

Since the research for non-pharmaceutical alternatives to treat ADHD is still in its infancy, finding a physician who is willing to explore options is crucial when embarking upon this path. For a list of pediatricians who offer alternative treatments, contact the Integrative Pediatrics Council at www.integrativepeds.org.

Inspiration for Locavores

2008-06-03T19:26:00.007-05:00

If you're at all interested in the movement to eat locally-grown food, you've no doubt heard of Barbara Kingsolver's new memoir/exposé Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, which recently came out in paperback. Kingsolver touches upon poignant themes that echo arguments made by Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser -- basically, that the way Americans produce and consume food is setting the stage for dire consequences. But Kingsolver goes beyond intellectual arguments that underscore the importance of health and environmental concerns and zeros in on a new consideration: taste.

After reading the first few chapters I felt as though I'd never truly tasted a stalk of asparagus since my supply most likely came to me many, many days after it was severed from the stalk. Part of me became anxious to transform my meager yard into a vegetable farm, the other felt shame in the recognition that I could never pull it off. The bottom line: that extra stop at the farmer's market that I've avoided adding to my semiweekly supermarket trips suddenly seems a small effort for such large gains.

Study Reports 75% of Women Have Disordered Eating

2008-04-28T19:15:00.002-05:00

An online survey of over 4,000 women, conducted by Self Magazine and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, shows that 65% of American women between the ages of 25 and 45 report having disordered eating behaviors and an additional 10% report symptoms consistent with eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. The study's researchers reported that the results cut across age, race, and ethnic lines.

Here are some interesting statistics gleaned by the study:

67% of women (excluding those with actual eating disorders) are trying to lose weight
53% of dieters are already at a healthy weight and are still trying to lose weight
39% of women say concerns about what they eat or weigh interfere with their happiness
37% regularly skip meals to try to lose weight
27% would be “extremely upset” if they gained just five pounds
26% cut out entire food groups
16% have dieted on 1,000 calories a day or fewer
13% smoke to lose weight
12% often eat when they’re not hungry; 49 percent sometimes do

But Is It Therapy?

2008-03-30T18:58:00.004-05:00

On a recent trip to the local bookstore, I found myself drawn to the headlines of several popular women's magazines. After leafing through their glossy pages, I learned about all sorts of new "therapies" that are vying to take the place of psychotherapy. The first was the "fortune-telling facial" which aims to combine psychic healing, aura reading, and pore cleansing -- what a concept! The columnist, who wrote about her first-hand experience, reported that by the end of the first session her optimism and skin were both gleaming. Meanwhile, the new "Done & Divorced" course at London's Jemma-Kidd Make-up School offers a new spin on the support group. Apparently, a divorcee's make-up can be used to analyze her psyche. Do you hold onto a lipstick even when the color is obviously no longer flattering? Are the brushes and compacts clanging around in your purse a symptom of bad self-care? While the four-hour course costs about as much as four individual sessions with a psychotherapist ($400), my suspicion is that the latter option offers a far less superficial fix. So what does the popularity of these new (dare I call them) modalities say about the state of self-exploration? Are today's women less interested in delving into their issues than in covering them up?

Exercise to Fight Fatigue

2008-03-07T10:07:00.005-06:00

It may seem counter-intuitive but anyone who has tried it knows it's true. When we're feeling lethargic and sapped, the best thing we can do is exercise. Now scientists agree. A new study published in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics shows that regular, low-intensity exercise may help boost energy levels in people suffering from fatigue.

One of the most common health symptoms and a sign of a many medical problems, fatigue is a common condition that causes concern. Yet about 25% of individuals seeking medical care for this condition experience general fatigue not associated with a serious medical condition.

University of Georgia researchers decided to study whether exercise can be used to treat fatigue. One group was prescribed 20 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise three times a week for six weeks. The second group engaged in low-intensity aerobic exercise for the same time period, while a third control group did not exercise at all. In the end, both of the exercise groups had a 20 percent increase in energy levels by the end of the study, compared to the control group. However, the researchers found that more intense exercise wasn't necessarily the best way to reduce fatigue. The low-intensity group reported a 65 percent drop in feelings of fatigue, compared to a 49 percent drop in the group doing more intense exercise. While scientists can't quite explain why this phenomenon works any of us who've tried it simply know it does.

Why Are There So Few French Vegetarians?

2008-02-18T16:22:00.005-06:00

I recently came across an interesting thread on an international online bulletin board. French omnivores -- and the Francophiles who love them -- were musing over why there seems to be so few French vegetarians. I've often wondered the same so lingered for a few days to see what theories would surface.

One Frenchman wrote about how he was raised with the idea of balance as an ideal to be followed with all aspects of life including food. He wrote, "I think vegetarianism would be seen by many French as an extreme, to be followed only if absolutely medically necessary. We are raised to believe that variety and balance are the healthiest way to go."

Another poster to the thread, an American presumably, wrote that "Anglophone culture" is really unusual in its support of non-mainstream dietary practices when compared with other cultures. He also theorized that this acceptance can perhaps be seen as an after-effect of 19th-century Protestant social reform that opposed animal cruelty. He opined that the French view animals very differently than do Americans. He writes: "The Frenchman (or -woman) has attitudes not dissimilar to that of an agricultural worker. They have grown up seeing the carcasses of whole food animals at the market; it's just another commodity." Or perhaps it's a symptom of the widening distance between Americans and their food source? Put plainly: "The American looks at a dead pig hanging in the window and sees an adorable Disney character brutally slaughtered before its time. The Frenchman sees dinner."

My experience, based on my frequent travels to France, has led me to believe that food is such an integral part of social connection that rejecting a certain type of food could be construed as being unsociable or, Mon Dieu, un-French. What we choose to eat is a way of asserting who we are and the culture -- or subculture -- with which we identify.

Food: More than the Sum of Its Parts

2008-01-31T19:00:00.000-06:00

A recent study published in The Annals of Internal Medicine showed that selenium supplements, taken to help prevent cancer, may actually cause more harm than good. This is not unlike the study done many years ago that showed that beta-carotene supplements which were intended to ward off lung cancer actually increased its likelihood. Why is it that anytime a food correlates with wellness, scientists try to pinpoint the nutrient responsible and then repackage it as a supplement? Is it because we as a society are used to improving our health with pills?

Perhaps it's easier for us to pop a Vitamin C tablet than to peel and eat an orange. And it's definitely more profitable for the food industry to sell us supplements, tinctures, and fortified foods than to forfeit their profits to the produce section. But, in the end, can you really improve upon mother nature? For reasons that science has yet to identify (but which commonsense seems to dictate), food is more than the sum of its nutrients. You may be able to pinpoint and isolate all of the antioxidants found in a carrot but you can't beat the health benefits to be reaped when these nutrients are consumed in their original packaging.

Finally, A Simple Guide Eating Well

2008-01-20T16:18:00.001-06:00

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Such begins Michael Pollan's latest book, In Defense of Food. This deceptively simple phrase does a better job of communicating the essentials of healthy eating than an entire shelf of diet books at your nearest book store. Healthy eating should feel as intuitive as walking and not involve laborious lists and schedules. Of course to truly "eat food," one must first distinguish it from what Pollan calls “edible food-like substances.'’

In his book, Pollan discusses what he calls the great American paradox: The more we worry about nutrition, the less healthy we seem to become. A brief Q&A with Pollan in The New York Times is peppered with gems like the following: "A lot of us are intimidated by cooking today. We watch cooking shows on TV but we cook very little. We’re turning cooking into a spectator sport. This process of outsourcing our food preparation to large corporations, which is what we’ve been doing the last 50 years, is a big part of our problem." To read the entire interview, click on the headline above.

Curbing Emotional Eating

2008-01-13T15:37:00.000-06:00

Most of us derive a lot of pleasure from food. However, if we find ourselves eating as a constant coping mechanism it may be time to rethink our eating habits. If you struggle with emotional eating, here are a few strategies to help you gain more control over what and when you eat:

1. Learn to distinguish true hunger from a desire to be soothed.

2. Uncover the emotional situations that trigger your food cravings.

3. Develop other avenues for comforting yourself. Try other activities that you find soothing such as a bike ride or a phone call to a friend.

4. Plan ahead by stocking your kitchen with healthy snacks instead of temptations like ice cream or chips.

5. Eat regular meals that nourish you so that you are less susceptible to constant snacking.

Make Resolutions that You Can Keep

2008-01-01T17:37:00.002-06:00

If you find yourself making some of the very same resolutions that you've made in past years put down your pen. When a resolve to change something becomes an annual plea, it's not you but the resolution that needs changing. Maybe it's not something you really want to do but feel you should ("I will stop drinking coffee" or "I will run for an hour every morning.") Ask yourself what's the motivating force behind your resolution and then see if there's a more palatable way to achieve it. For example, if you want to reduce your caffeine intake but love the taste of coffee, initially try switching to half-caf coffee in the morning. And if the reason behind running everyday is to get in better physical shape, consider alternatives such as yoga or swimming that might be more palatable. Uncovering paths of lesser resistance can help you to reach your underlying goal.

More commonly, we make resolutions that are too broad or abstract to be of use. Take the popular resolution "I will lose weight." Research shows that most people abandon this particular resolution before February. Goals can be great motivators if they are specific and measurable, providing the momentum that comes from incremental gains. If you set a goal to lose 1 lb. each week for the first four months and you weigh yourself weekly (not daily) you may find that the lost a pound provides a great incentive to keep going.

This brings us to resolutions' worst enemy, reality. It's important that you are honest with yourself as to how realistic a given goal is. Using the examples above, you could ask yourself how realistic is it to quit caffeine completely during the winter when you already have trouble waking up in the dark or, if you are a new mother with an erratic sleeping schedule, is an hour of intense exercise feasible? This isn't to say that you should abandon the desire to improve your health, only that by making these goals more realistic and tangible that they are more likely to succeed. After all, a small step toward your ultimate goal is more likely to lead to another. Better to tiptoe forward than to jump in place.

Reducing Your Breast Cancer Risk

2007-12-10T13:39:00.001-06:00

Researchers have found correlations between certain nutritional factors and breast cancer risk. However, many of these associations have not necessarily resulted in risk-reducing strategies. For example, there just isn’t enough evidence to recommend for or against many of the things that once seemed promising, such as eating more soy or taking supplements like vitamin E, vitamin C, or selenium. That said, there is growing evidence that we can lower our risk through certain healthy lifestyle choices and medical strategies. While there’s no single way to reduce your risk for breast cancer, experts at Harvard Medical School recommend the following approaches which, when combined, could make a difference:

1. Address weight gain
2. Increase regular physical activity
3. Reduce alcohol consumption
4. Make sure you are getting the daily recommended amount of Vitamin D
5. Discuss the risks of oral contraceptives or postmenopausal hormone therapy with your physician
6. If you have dense breast tissue, talk to your clinician about screening with digital mammography
7. Consider anti-estrogen drugs if you have a history of breast cancer in your family

How Much Do You Procrastinate?

2007-11-29T16:42:00.000-06:00

Are you reading this instead of working, doing your laundry, or going to the gym? If so, you are part of a growing trend of procrastinators. According to Piers Steel, a psychologist at the University of Calgary who studies the history of this vice, its prevalence appears to be growing. Steel points his finger at the decline of structure in the workplace and the growing number of accessible distractions competing for our attention. There are no shortage of things that can tempt us along our path of good intentions -- email, IM, Podcasts, and YouTube all come to mind. If you'd like to avoid the next item on your to-do list, you might consider taking Steel's survey, which will tell you how much of a procrastinator you really are. Just click on the headline above to while away 20-30 minutes.

The Stink About Garlic

2007-11-26T14:54:00.000-06:00

We all have heard at some point in our lives that eating garlic is good for us. It has been credited with warding off colds as well as more serious illnesses. But, despite its use for centuries, no one has really understood why. Now researchers at the National Academy of Sciences think they may have stumbled upon the cause. It appears that the production of hydrogen sulfide in our blood stream is boosted by the consumption of garlic. This compound has been linked to protection from various cancers and heart disease.

So how much of this potent plant do you need to consume to reap its benefits? The latest study used a garlic extract equivalent to two medium-sized cloves per day. That might not seem like much if you frequently find yourself cooking from scratch. But before you chop and sauté a couple of cloves in your next dish, take time to let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Apparently, that helps boost their health benefits.

Good Calories, Bad Calories

2007-11-18T19:24:00.002-06:00

In his new 601-page tome, Good Calories, Bad Calories, science writer Gary Taubes shows us that almost everything we believe about the nature of a healthy diet is wrong. Taubes argues that obesity and diabetes stem from refined carbohydrates and sugars via their dramatic and longterm effects on insulin, the hormone that regulates fat accumulation. Furthermore, he claims that the key to good health is the kind of calories we take in, not the number. Given the not-so-distant popularity of the Atkin's diet, carb-bashing surely seems like nothing new. But has it once and for all been definitively validated?

In her New York Times review of Taubes' book, Gina Kolata writes: "Taubes ignores what diabetes researchers say is a body of published papers documenting a complex system of metabolic controls that, in the end, assure that a calorie is a calorie is a calorie." Harvard Medical School recently published an article in which they listed several concerns with low-carbohydrate/high-protein diets: they contribute to kidney stress, cause ketosis, often lead to increased cholesterol, and may offer insufficient plant-based nutrients.

Throughout his book Taubes debunks many historical studies, asserting that, due to the limitations of nutritional experiments, most research eventually gets overturned. Therefore, the question begs to be asked: how do we know that years from now scientists won't once again be arguing in favor of carbohydrates and telling us to put our butter knives away?

Weed Out Unwanted Catalogs

2007-10-24T16:21:00.000-05:00

Do you flinch every time you see a Land's End or Pottery Barn catalog in your mailbox? Over eight million tons of trees are consumed each year in the production of paper catalogs. What's more, the production and disposal of direct mail consumes more energy than three million cars. If most of your catalogs go straight into the trash (or, hopefully, the recycling bin), you can help cut down on some of this waste by signing up with the Catalog Choice. A sponsored project of the Ecology Center, the Catalog Choice lets you select which catalogs you no longer wish to receive. The service then contacts the catalog providers on your behalf, requesting that your name be removed from their mailing lists. Within 10 weeks your load should be lighter.

French Eating ... It's Not Such a Paradox

2007-10-10T08:59:00.000-05:00

It's not just what one eats but how one acquires the ingredients. In America, most people file into a supermarket once a week to purchase everything they'll need for the next 5-8 days worth of meals. In France, where sensory pleasure trumps efficiency, grocery shopping is a different experience altogether. It is not uncommon to make several stops to gather what one needs for the day's meals: the frommager for a nicely-aged chevre, an epicerie for flavorful olives, and the poissonerie for the freshest fish. At a minimum one will visit the baker daily to purchase a just-baked baguette for the morning's tartine or to pick-up a pre-made sandwich during lunchtime.

Living in Paris these past weeks, my food-shopping routine has changed dramatically. Acquiring the items for a recent dinner required a visit to no fewer than five shops and took about an hour and a half. The line at the produce market was slow-moving since the owners pick out the produce for you, after asking questions such as "Will you be eating these pears tonight or tomorrow?" French purveyors don't sell you food, they help orchestrate your meal. The wine merchant wanted to know what cheese I was planning to serve before he would suggest the appropriate bottle of wine. So with each purchase there was a human exchange and considerably more consciousness as to what I dropped into my basket. The result: a meal worth savoring so that, with each bite, you derive a pleasure focused more on quality than quantity. Yes, it's true that the French indulge in full-fat dairy, simple carbs, and alcohol during most meals served after 12pm. But given that they tend to eat fresh rather than processed foods and limit their eating to modestly-sized sit-down meals, what they consume turns out to be a whole lot healthier than the Standard American Diet.

France to Reduce GMOs

2007-09-27T11:04:00.000-05:00

Genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) are becoming a larger component of the foods we eat everyday. Unless we're eating all organic, it's likely that they're lurking in our daily cereal, sandwich, and dinner salad. It's something that we don't think about since, in the U.S., there is no mention of this on the labels of the products we consume. While those who create and use genetically-modified seeds claim that tinkering with mother nature allows farmers to increase production while decreasing costs, the impact on our health and that of the environment hasn't adequately been addressed. As a result, more countries are starting to second-guess their decision to allow the use of GMOs.

Last week Jean-Louis Borloo, France's minister for ecology, development and sustainable management, committed to reducing the spread of GMOs by preparing a freeze on the commercialization of GM seeds, while expanding the research on the effects of GMOs to include a greater cross-section of the scientific community. Currently, most of the research done is by biotech companies who have an obvious vested interest. France's minister told Le Monde: "Everyone is in agreement on the GM issue: it is not possible to control their spread. So we will not take the risk."

Another Reason to Love Your Friends

2007-09-17T11:43:00.000-05:00

It's common knowledge that prolonged isolation can lead to depression and cause other psychological harm. Now scientists say they've found a genetic component that may help explain why persistent loneliness is physically unhealthy. In a study of people on both extremes of the loneliness scale, lonely individuals were found to have overactive genes that promoted inflammation and cell growth when compared with their socially-connected peers. Similarly, the genes of lonely people were deficient in controlling inflammation and the cellular life cycle. It's not that certain individuals are genetically doomed to loneliness. Rather, the study concluded that certain genes may be more or less active in lonely people and have consequential negative effects on their health. According to WebMD these genetic patterns may explain why chronic loneliness has long been linked to poorer health and accelerated aging. Like with so many things in life, researchers highlight that it's the quality and not the quality of relationships one has that seems to matter.

Surviving the Postprandial Energy Dip

2007-08-29T11:40:00.000-05:00

If you typically feel the postprandial urge to nap in your desk chair, you're not alone. According to The New York Times, it is natural for us to want to go to sleep about 7 hours after we wake. While this phenomenon is common, it affects each of us differently, with 15-20% of us unable to resist a few minutes of shut-eye. Since the last time that most of us were encouraged to take an after-lunch nap was kindergarten, we rely on alternatives to get ourselves over the hump. For some this means reaching for sugar or caffeine. But there are other options to help stay alert such as meeting with a colleague or stretching at your desk. Ultimately, it's best to address the underlying factors of fatigue which involve getting the right amount of sleep at night and waking up at the same time each morning.

Antioxidant Supplements Don't Offer Protection Against Heart Disease

2007-08-19T16:08:00.001-05:00

While pill-popping has become popular preventative maintenance for a variety of ailments, a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine concludes that this might not be the best course of action when it comes to heart health. New research shows that vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene are not effective for preventing heart attacks, strokes, or related deaths. This study, one of the longest ever to examine the cardiovascular impact of antioxidant supplements, included more than 8,000 women at high risk for cardiovascular disease. During the 10-year study, no evidence emerged to support the benefits of antioxidant supplementation. The findings are consistent with other major studies published in recent years. According to the study's authors, when all is said and done, a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is preferable to isolating individual components through supplementation.

Can Weight-Gain Be Contagious?

2007-08-07T21:26:00.000-05:00

According to a study that was recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine, having a friend become obese increases a person’s chances of becoming obese by 57 percent. Surprisingly, a friend's weight gain has more impact than that of family members. How is this "contagion" effect possible? Dr. Nicholas Christakis, a physician and professor of medical sociology at Harvard Medical School and a principal investigator in the study, told The New York Times that one explanation is that friends affect each others’ perception of fatness. When a close friend becomes obese, obesity may not look so bad. The researchers say their findings can help explain why Americans have become fatter in recent years.

How Doctors Forget Who Is the Patient

2007-07-08T14:54:00.000-05:00

According to research published in The Archives of Internal Medicine, it is not uncommon for physicians to share personal information that in no way helps the patient. The study involved 100 primary-care doctors in Rochester, New York, who agreed to being visited at some point during the year by an anonymous individual posing as a patient. Recordings of these visits were made and showed that a third of doctors made disclosures about themselves that in no way benefited the patient. In some cases these disclosures were distracting and actually prevented the physician from completing the examination. In fact, four out of five times when the doctor interjected personal information -- a recent vacation, a similar injury, etc. -- the conversation never returned to the topic being discussed prior to the interruption. Whether or not this means that doctors need more social support or mistakenly see these disclosures as helping to build rapport, patients are cautioned to make sure that their own needs are met by the end of the visit.

How Clean is the Air You Breathe?

2007-06-28T13:05:00.000-05:00

The American Lung Association recently published their 2007 State of the Air report, measuring the pollution levels across the country. Los Angeles garnered the distinction of most-polluted metropolitan area. Meanwhile, Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, topped the least-polluted list. To see where your home ranked, to read the full report, or to get tips on how to protect yourself from the growing threats of pollution, click on the link above.

Why Twinkies Are Cheaper Than Tangerines

2007-05-20T12:13:00.000-05:00

In a recent article published in The New York Times, Michael Pollan talks about the ways in which the current farm bill influences what we eat -- by determining which crops will be subsidized -- and, ultimately, contributes to our national obesity epidemic. For the last several decades U.S. agricultural policy has been designed in such a way as to promote the overproduction of commodities such as corn and soy.

Pollan writes: "The current farm bill helps commodity farmers by cutting them a check based on how many bushels they can grow, rather than, say, by supporting prices and limiting production, as farm bills once did. The result? A food system awash in added sugars (derived from corn) and added fats (derived mainly from soy), as well as dirt-cheap meat and milk (derived from both). By comparison, the farm bill does almost nothing to support farmers growing fresh produce. A result of these policy choices is on stark display in your supermarket, where the real price of fruits and vegetables between 1985 and 2000 increased by nearly 40 percent while the real price of soft drinks (a k a liquid corn) declined by 23 percent. The reason the least healthful calories in the supermarket are the cheapest is that those are the ones the farm bill encourages farmers to grow."

Reduce Junk Mail

2007-04-23T13:26:00.000-05:00

Bothered by all of the junk mail that was landing at their doorsteps, three brothers decided to do something about it and formed 41pounds.org. The name comes from the amount of junk mail that the average American receives each year. For $41, 41pounds.org promises to reduce the amount of unsolicited mail that you receive over the next 5 years by 80-95%. Founded in 2006, this service has grown by word of mouth and through partnerships with nonprofit organizations who share their concern about the environmental impact of junk mail.

Drinking Your Calories?

2007-03-27T20:49:00.000-05:00

Wondering what's behind our expanding waistlines? About 21 percent of calories consumed by Americans over the age of 2 come from beverages, predominantly soft drinks and fruit drinks with added sugars, according to The New York Times. The calories from these sugary drinks account for half the rise in caloric intake by Americans since the late 1970s. But calories from sodas and creamy coffee concoctions are only half the only problem. A report in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition explained that these beverages do little or nothing to curb your appetite, which means that people do not compensate for the calories they drink by eating less. If anything, they may eat more.

Mission Organic 2010

2007-01-28T17:54:00.000-06:00

The Organic Center, a non-profit based in Rhode Island, has launched a campaign to get the word out about the many ways that organic products benefit our health -- and that of the environment. The group's goal is to get consumers to pledge that 10% of their grocery cart will contain organic products by the year 2010. Among the many benefits to look forward to upon meeting this goal are less pesticides in our water and the elimination of antibiotics and growth hormones from 20 million servings of milk. Ready to pledge? Click on the link above.

One Theory on Why Diets Fail

2007-01-15T14:10:00.000-06:00

Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, has a theory on why diets fail. In an interview published by The Oprah Magazine she explains that, based on animal studies, people experience withdrawal when they try to kick certain foods that their brains have become dependent on. "This makes it hard for them to eliminate those foods because they may feel depressed or sluggish or generally horrible." In many ways, it's no different from quitting smoking or drugs. The secret, she says, is changing your diet slowly and gradually getting yourself "hooked" on healthier foods.

New Year's Resolutions

2006-12-23T17:35:00.000-06:00

Most of us choose the beginning of the new year to commit ourselves to areas of self-improvement. While some of us resolve to exercise more, become a savvier investor or finally redo the bathroom, others contemplate how they can successfully weed out some of life’s responsibilities in order to de-stress.

As our society evolves, we are increasingly caught between our Western impulse to accomplish and acquire more and the Eastern mantra that beckons us to slow down and quiet our desirous mind. The former energy is always focused on the future, the latter is steeped in the present. So where are we better off investing our time and energy? Challenging ourselves with new goals, be it changing careers or training for a marathon, helps us to fully realize our potential. But peeling back the clutter of our lives that can take the form of mindless Internet surfing or hollow social obligations equally shrouds us from our potential.

Before we can commit to the right resolution, we need to understand the difference between wanting to do more and needing to do less. Will learning a new instrument create more joy in our lives or will it become that obligation that weighs heavily on our sleep-deprived psyches? Only by taking inventory of what is and isn’t working in our lives will we be able to determine whether speeding up or slowing down offers us the greatest opportunity for rebalancing in our lives.

What Makes a Fish Organic?

2006-12-12T11:39:00.000-06:00

A recent controversy at the Department of Agriculture has the seafood industry swimming in all different directions. Given the cache of the "organic" label, there is a lot of interest in being able to finally market fish as such. But unlike other agricultural products, what constitutes such designation is quite mirky when it comes to seafood. The issue comes down largely to what a fish eats. In order to qualify for the organic label, the fish must be fed an organic diet. This is easy to control for vegetarian fish like tilapia and catfish, but what about fish like salmon that eat other fish? Or, for that matter, wild salmon who were not farmed but rather fed off the ocean's habitat? According to current regulations, wild salmon would not be able to be labeled organic yet farmed salmon that abided by organic bylaws could. So when it comes to buying seafood, it may be important to look beyond the label and find out where your fish swam before making its way to your dining room table.

Is Red Wine the Secret to a Long Life?

2006-11-28T06:39:00.000-06:00

Researchers at the Harvard Medical School and the National Institute on Aging report that a natural substance found in red wine, known as resveratrol, offsets the bad effects of a high-calorie diet in mice and significantly extends their lifespan.

If men are like mice, the results imply that very large daily doses of resveratrol could offset the unhealthy, high-calorie diet thought to underlie the rising toll of obesity. Resveratrol is found in the skin of grapes and in red wine and is thought to partially explain the French paradox, the puzzling fact that people in France tend to enjoy a high-fat diet yet suffer less heart disease than Americans. The mice were fed a hefty dose of resveratrol, 24 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. Red wine has about 1.5 to 3 milligrams of resveratrol per liter, so a 150-pound person would need to drink from 1,500 to 3,000 bottles of red wine a day for an equivalent dose. Obviously, that's not a healthy option. Researchers caution individuals to wait for the results of safety testing since substances that are safe and beneficial in small doses may prove to be harmful when taken in high doses.

Depression Self-Assessment

2006-11-14T10:34:00.000-06:00

Feeling blue? The Mayo Clinic has developed an online self-assessment that can help you determine whether you have some of the symptoms of depression. You can also explore depression treatment options and get some tips for self-care. Keep in mind that this assessment is purely a screening tool. It's not meant to give you a diagnosis but to increase your self-awareness. For more information you should follow-up with a mental health care practitioner.

U.S. Falls Short on Fruit & Vegetable Consumption

2006-11-01T17:28:00.000-06:00

Diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer and other chronic diseases. In 1999-2000, only 40% of Americans ate an average of five or more ½-cup servings, or about 2½ cups, of fruits and vegetables per day. The government's most recent dietary guidelines suggest consuming even greater amounts (between 2 to 6½ cups per day), depending on age, sex, and activity level. The proportions of individuals meeting these new recommendations range from 0.7% for males 14-18 years of age to 48% for children 2-3 years of age. Toddlers' rates of consumption can be attributed to the fact that they drink about twice as much fruit juice as the rest of the population. Clearly, most individuals' intakes of fruits and vegetables are below recommended levels. So raising recommendations is one thing, but working to ensure that these foods make it into our diets is quite another.

Top-rated Organic Dairies

2006-10-14T17:57:00.000-05:00

The Cornucopia's Organic Integrity Project acts as a corporate watchdog to assure that the credibility of organic farming methods don't get compromised in the pursuit of profit. The organization recently did a survey of organic dairies and gave the "outstanding," five cow-rating to Butterworks Farm, Seven Stars Farm, Cedar Summit, and Traders Point Creamery and "excellent" four cow-status to Nancy's, Organic Valley, Stonyfield Farm, and Straus Family Creamery.

Why Don't U.S. Docs Recommend Fish Oil to Heart Attack Patients?

2006-10-03T10:40:00.000-05:00

Heart attack patients in most countries go home with a prescription for fish oil or omega-3 fatty acids. Not so in the U.S. The fact that heart patients receive such different treatments in sophisticated hospitals around the world highlights the central role that drug companies play in disseminating medical information, experts told The New York Times.

In a large number of studies, prescription fish oil has been shown to improve survival after heart attacks and to reduce fatal heart rhythms. In the largest study of fish oil — conducted more than a decade ago — Italian researchers gave 11,000 patients one gram of prescription fish oil a day after heart attacks. After three years, the study found that the number of deaths was reduced by 20 percent and that the number of sudden deaths by 40 percent, compared with a control group. It seems natural for Italy to be at the forefront of the fish oil trend and home to the largest clinical trials. Scientists have long noted that Mediterranean diets are healthy for the heart and theorized that the high content of broiled and baked fish might be partly responsible.

Longevity Linked to Where One Lives

2006-09-14T21:40:00.000-05:00

A government-funded study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health concluded that where you live, combined with race and income, plays a huge role in the nation's health disparities. For example, Asian-American women living in Bergen County, N.J., lead the nation in longevity, typically reaching their 91st birthdays. On the opposite end of the spectrum are American Indian men in South Dakota, who die around age 58 -- three decades sooner.

Health disparities are widely considered an issue of minorities and the poor being unable to find or afford good medical care. This study's county-by-county comparison of life expectancy shows the problem is far more complex. Regional differences in alcohol and tobacco use, blood pressure, cholesterol and obesity all seemed to be significant contributors to death rates.

To find out where your state ranked, click on the headline for the full story.

Drink "Kleaner" Water

2006-09-04T15:30:00.000-05:00

With the ongoing controversy about whether or not plastic water bottles leach plastics into the contents they hold, health-conscious drinkers are looking for alternatives. In addition, buying bottled water generates millions of used bottles each year, regardless of whether or not they make it into the recycling bin. Luckily, new options are beginning to surface. One that's particularly attractive is Klean Kanteen's stainless steel water bottles, which come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Click on the link above to see a variety of alternatives to plastic containers.

A Disagreement About the Benefits of Iodine

2006-08-13T19:55:00.000-05:00

About 70% of American households regularly use iodized salt. If you are one of them, the latest debate on the benefits of iodine supplementation may interest you. A Chinese study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, found that over time increased iodine intake was linked to decreased thyroid function. Yet not all doctors agree with the study's findings. Robert Utiger, MD, a thyroid expert at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston dismisses these conclusions as "overcautious," stating that low iodine intake is more problematic than excessive consumption. So before you start supplementing, you may want to consider how much iodine you normally take in through foods. Fish and dairy products are rich natural sources of iodine, as are some seaweeds.

The Myth of Negative-Calorie Foods

2006-07-25T18:48:00.000-05:00

For years, diets and weight-loss books have boasted that you can lose oodles of weight by eating foods that contains fewer calories than are expended by chewing them -- like celery and cabbage. According to Cathy Nonas, director of obesity and diabetes programs at North General Hospital in Harlem, while this might technically be true, the calorie difference is so miniscule that it would not add up to actual weight loss. Instead, these diets work their "magic" by substituting high-cal indulgences with low-cal foods. In other words, by substituting a 500-calorie cookie with a 10-calorie stalk of celery, the savings quickly adds up.

Good Fat Beats Low-Fat

2006-07-05T16:37:00.000-05:00

Mediterranean-style diets, rich in healthy fats from olive oil or nuts, may be better for the heart than low-fat regimens, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Spanish researchers found that the traditional Mediterranean diet bested a low-fat diet in helping older adults improve their cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. The findings add to the mounting evidence that diets rich in healthy fats offer better cardiovascular protection than diets that limit fat altogether.

Mediterranean-style eating typically includes plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, limited amounts of red meat and processed foods, and a relatively high amount of fat from olive oil and nuts. This latest finding is in line with several studies that have shown that people living in the Mediterranean region have lower rates of heart disease, despite their high fat intake.

It's Now Easier Being Green

2006-06-24T19:20:00.000-05:00

Curious if it's better to reuse or recycle that plastic water bottle? The Greenguide.com provides information on a wide variety of environmental and health topics. The website and it's sister newsletter are both published by The Green Guide Institute, an independent media service geared toward providing news and information about timely environmental and health matters.

How Healthy Are Your Pots & Pans?

2006-06-09T17:04:00.000-05:00

We've all heard about the dangers of non-stick cookware. According to the Environmental Working Group, Teflon emits toxic fumes when heated to high temperatures. But if we need to swap out our pots and pans, what do we replace them with?

If possible, it’s best to cook in non-reactive materials such as ceramic, glass and lead-free earthenware. The enzymes in food are very chemically active and tend to react with the metallic ions in metal cookware, leaching small amounts of these metals into your food. If you do choose to use metal pots and pans, use high-density cast iron or heavy-gauge stainless steel.

There is currently a great deal of controversy surrounding aluminum’s link to Alzheimer’s disease so I would caution you against using aluminum cookware until there’s more conclusive evidence that it poses no risk. When it comes to anodized aluminum, manufacturers claim that this process seals in the aluminum, preventing it from leaching into food. Another safe bet is good quality enamel-coated cast iron and stoneware by manufacturers such as Le Creuset. Be weary of cheaper imitations, which tend to chip easily, since you don’t want these fragments finding their way into your food.

Is Eating Well Elitist?

2006-05-24T10:38:00.000-05:00

Michael Pollan, author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma," currently hosts a blog on The New York Times website where he explores issues surrounding food. In a recent post, he writes the following:

One dollar spent in the processed food section of the supermarket — the aisles in the middle of the store — will buy you 1200 calories of cookies and snacks. That same dollar spent in the produce section on the perimeter will buy you only 250 calories of carrots. Similarly, a dollar spent in the processed food aisles will buy you 875 calories of soda but only 170 calories of fruit juice. So if you’re in the desperate position of shopping simply for calories to keep your family going, the rational strategy is to buy the junk. ... The question is, how did energy-dense foods become so much cheaper in the supermarket than they are in the state of nature? This is not a function of the free market. It is very simply a function of government policy: our farm policies subsidize the most energy-dense and least healthy calories in the supermarket. ... We need farm policies that will somehow right this imbalance, so that healthy calories can compete with unhealthy ones — so that it becomes rational for someone with little to spend on food to buy the carrots instead of the cookies, the orange juice instead of the Sprite. Until that happens, eating well will remain “elitist.”

Assess Your Risk for Breast Cancer

2006-05-15T19:47:00.000-05:00

Breast cancer is a potent threat that's on the minds of millions of women. As a result, a new interactive tool was designed by scientists at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) to estimate a woman's risk of developing invasive breast cancer. While it's advised that a woman talk over the result with her physician, this questionnaire can be a potent step in beginning a conversation about the disease.

Raising the Standards for School Food

2006-04-15T20:05:00.000-05:00

An amendment to the National School Lunch Act may finally require high nutritional standards of all food sold on school premises. That means not just in cafeterias but in vending machines, school stores, and snack bars as well, even at fund-raising events. The measure, which has strong bipartisan support in both houses, would do on a national level what many school districts have been trying to do for years: require that the schools set an example by providing only healthful foods during school hours.

Can Eating Less Help You Live Longer?

2006-04-10T20:45:00.000-05:00

A low-calorie diet, even in people who are not overweight, can lead to changes in metabolism and body chemistry that have been linked to better health and longer life. A recent study showed that calorie restriction was linked to decreases in insulin levels and body temperature. Both are considered signs of longevity, partly because an earlier study by other researchers found both traits in long-lived people. The diet also led to a drop in thyroid hormones and declines in DNA damage.

Several explanations exist for why a strict diet, low in calories but high in nutrients, may slow aging. Many scientists think that an important factor in aging is DNA damage caused by free radicals, highly reactive oxygen-containing molecules formed during normal metabolism. Eating less leads to a slower metabolism and fewer free radicals. But before you start cutting back on calories, the study's doctors caution that the study is preliminary and has not conclusively proved that calorie restriction could make people healthier or add years to their lives.

Recipe Makeovers

2006-03-24T16:49:00.000-06:00

If you are trying to cut down on fat, sodium, or sugar you might think that you can no longer indulge in your favorite family recipes for banana bread or lasagna. Yet many recipes can be made healthier with just a few simple tweaks. Here are five strategies from the Mayo Clinic for transforming your recipes from guilt-laden to wellness-promoting pleasures.

Two Angry Moms

2006-03-14T15:10:00.000-06:00

When Texas Agricultural Secretary Susan Coombs told the media that it will take 2 million angry moms to change the school lunch program, Amy Kalafa and Susan Rubin thought "Why not start with just two?" Armed with a movie camera, these two moms set out on a plan to visit school cafeterias to see what's on the menu and what the kids are eating. On their agenda is speaking to food service vendors, teachers, health experts, politicians and parents as well as officials from the USDA and the FDA. They hope to analyze the contents of various school lunches, compare costs and nutrition with a whole foods meal, and offer examples and workable alternatives.

Protect Your Right to Know!

2006-03-06T21:46:00.000-06:00

The House of Representatives will vote this week on a controversial "national food uniformity" labeling law. This law is poised to eliminate local government and states' ability to require food safety food labels on foods or beverages that are likely to cause cancer, birth defects, allergic reactions, or mercury poisoning. This bill would also prevent citizens in local municipalities and states from passing laws requiring that genetically engineered foods and ingredients such as recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) be labeled. This law clearly benefits the food industry (and the politicians whose campaigns they contribute to) at a great cost to consumers.

Click on the link above and tell your representatives to vote NO on March 8th!

Red Grapefruit Could Reduce Cholesterol

2006-02-21T17:10:00.000-06:00

A recent study on dietary interventions aimed at lowering cholesterol divided participants into three groups. Each group consumed the same diet, except that one ate one red grapefruit daily, the second ate one white grapefruit, and the third ate no grapefruit at all. After only one month, there were no differences in the heart rate, blood pressure or weight of the three groups. Antioxidant activity in both white and red groups was increased compared with the group that ate no grapefruit. But the group that ate red grapefruit every day also had significantly decreased blood levels of triglycerides. Although it is common knowledge that grapefruit and other citrus fruits contain antioxidants that help control lipid levels, the researchers can't explain what components of red grapefruit make it so much more effective than other varieties.

Low-Fat Diet Debunked by Study

2006-02-10T18:58:00.000-06:00

For years doctors have sung the praises of a low-fat diet. While it makes sense on the surface, an eight-year study that tracked 49,000 women aged 50-79, seems to suggest otherwise. Regardless of whether participants were assigned to low-fat diet or left to their own devices to eat what they pleased, they experienced the same rate of heart disease and cancer. While the $415 million research was deemed "the Rolls Royce of studies," some doctors speculate that the study did not go far enough in terms of measuring the benefits of a low-fat diet. One criticism is that the study should have targeted younger women. Another is that the percentage of fat in the low-fat diets should have been kept lower than 24-29%. Finally, some nutrition experts claim that it's less about the amount of fat in your diet and more about the type. Either way, it's clear that the more we study the link between diet and disease, the less we really know.

Alternative Medicine's Growing Attraction

2006-02-03T15:15:00.000-06:00

Whether taking herbal remedies to prevent a cold or traveling to Mexico for alternative cancer care, as the late Coretta Scott King did, Americans spend $27 billion annually on complementary medicine. According to The New York Times, the increase has as much to do with the increasing distrust of mainstream medicine as with the therapeutic properties of herbs or other supplements.

Is Your Diet Getting on Your Nerves?

2006-01-24T19:34:00.000-06:00

Has your last meal got you feelin' blue or mellow yellow? New research on common food additives, including the popular sweetener aspartame and certain blue and yellow food dyes, suggests they may interfere with the development of the nervous system.

Researchers at the University of Liverpool examined the toxic effects on nerve cells caused by various combinations of four common food additives - aspartame, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and the artificial brilliant blue and quinoline yellow colorings. To read the findings of their two-year study as published in the journal Toxicological Sciences, click on the link above.

Check Your Chakras

2006-01-12T14:17:00.000-06:00

The chakra system provides a theoretical base for fine-tuning our yoga practice to suit our unique personality and circumstances. Traditionally, Indians saw the body as containing seven main chakras, arranged vertically from the base of the spine to the top of the head. For a "crown" to "root" guide, click on the link above.

Walnuts Found to Fight Free Radicals

2005-12-14T20:00:00.000-06:00

A recent study conducted by the University of Texas Health Science Center found that walnuts contain a significant amount of melatonin, a hormone that protects our cells against free radical damage. Many diseases associated with aging, such as cataracts, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s, have a free radical component that melatonin could help curb, says study author Russel J. Reiter, PhD. Melatonin, best known as a sleep hormone, has also been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease and inhibit breast, liver, and prostate cancers.

Cancer Risk Factors

2005-11-18T16:46:00.000-06:00

A study by the Harvard School of Public Health of the 7 million people worldwide who died of cancer in 2001 showed that more than a third of these deaths stemmed from nine potentially modifiable risk factors:

Smoking
Being overweight or obese
Physical inactivity
Low intake of fruits and vegetables
Alcohol use
"Unsafe" sex
Indoor smoke from household use of solid fuels
Contaminated injections in health care settings
Air pollution

According to the research, smoking, alcohol use, and weight problems (being overweight or obese) were "the most important causes of cancer" in high-income countries while sexual transmission of the human papillomavirus (HPV) -- which can cause cervical cancer -- was a big risk factor for women in low- and middle-income countries.

Loosing Sleep Over It

2005-11-04T17:35:00.000-06:00

A recent Gallup survey of adults over 50 years old showed that stress hindered nearly one in four in their ability to fall asleep in the month before the survey. Being overweight or having health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and cancer were also sighted as sleep burdens. Of course, sleep wasn't always interrupted by a grave health issue. A little less than half of all participants (43%) said they had often gotten up at night to go to the bathroom in the past month. The study also found that one in five participants reported getting less than six hours of nightly sleep and 45% agreed that they felt they needed more sleep than they had in their 20s.

Kids Create Ads for Fresh Fruit

2005-10-15T19:20:00.000-05:00

Bus riders in Seattle are seeing many of the traditional junk food advertisements on the buses transformed into child-created promotions for fresh fruits and vegetables. The campaign is sponsored by Washington State University Extension Food $ense Program through a grant from the King County STEPS to a Healthier US. The program has helped nearly a thousand minority and low income kids create posters for healthy foods which are featured on city buses. Its main goal is to improve the nutrition of low-income inner city kids by teaching them gardening, cooking and food self reliance skills.

Just Say “Ommm”

2005-10-02T10:43:00.000-05:00

Even with all of the press the obesity epidemic has incited, American waistlines continue to expand. According to public health advocacy group Trust for America’s Health, about 24.5 percent of Americans carry enough extra poundage to qualify as “obese.” One effective weapon in the national battle of the bulge seems to be yoga. Researchers have found that people in their 50s who regularly practice yoga lose about five pounds over the course of 10 years, while their non-downward-dogging counterparts gain about 13.5 pounds over the same period. Read about this and other timely topics in my column in Whole Life Times by clicking on the link above.

Save Organic Standards

2005-09-23T15:09:00.000-05:00

A proposed amendment to the Organic Food Production Act is attempting to weaken organic standards. With the organic market becoming a multi-billion dollar industry, corporate agribusinesses have been lobbying the government in favor of easier-to-maintain standards. This will invite companies to lower the quality of the foods that they produce while still being able to certify their products as organic. To learn more and take action, please visit the Organic Consumers Association site by clicking on the link above.

Help Rebuild

2005-09-14T21:29:00.001-05:00

Following Hurricane Katrina’s catastrophic strike on the Gulf Coast, Habitat for Humanity International announced an emergency appeal for funds to help low-income families in the affected areas recover and rebuild. As conditions on the ground allow, Habitat teams will move to assist those who lived in the storm’s destructive path and provide whatever immediate assistance possible. Long-term assistance will involve Habitat affiliates and volunteers working together with those impacted by the storm in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Visit the link above to learn more about how you can help.

The Power of a Placebo

2005-09-01T19:32:00.000-05:00

Researchers at the University of Michigan have shown that the placebo effect is not "just in our heads," but has a real physiological basis. In a study where scientists gave placebos masking as pain-killers to people suffering from jaw discomfort, the subjects showed an increase in endorphins, which in turn helped to alleviate their pain. This research offers new hope for the development of pain treatments that are similar to the cognitive techniques that are frequently used to help people overcome anxiety and depression.

School Policies on Soda Seem Flat

2005-08-25T10:40:00.000-05:00

The American Beverage Association announced a new policy aimed at curbing the in-school sales of soda in an effort to help address the growing problem of childhood obesity. However, critics charge that the measures are as flat as day-old soda. The plan bypasses high-school students, who are seen as having "the ability to make informed choices" and focuses solely on middle-school. The new policy calls for restricting full-calorie soda and juice drinks containing 5 percent or less real juice to after-school hours. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the many types of lemonade, iced tea, flavored fruit drinks and sports drinks being peddled as alternatives are nothing more than "soda without the bubbles."

Slow Down And Taste the Rosemary

2005-08-10T09:31:00.000-05:00

Microwave ovens, packaged foods and cup holders might be boosting our efficiency, but they certainly aren't doing wonders for the state of our health -- both physical and emotional. How can you compare a frozen lasagna with one whose home-made aroma has been wafting through the house for the past hour? The Slow Food movement, founded almost 20 years ago, is devoted to preserving the sensuous pleasures that come from cooking, tasting, smelling -- and sitting down long enough to really enjoy -- your food. Click on the link above to learn more.

The End of the Low-Carb Craze?

2005-08-02T07:59:00.000-05:00

Atkins Nutritionals, the company launched by Dr. Robert Atkins to promote his famous diet, filed for bankruptcy last Sunday. For the past decade, the Atkins diet, which encouraged weight loss through a diet rich in proteins like meat and cheese had its share of proponents and critics. The low-carb craze peaked in early 2004, when over 9 percent of U.S. adults claimed to be on this diet, according to market research firm NPD Group. That figure declined to 2.2 percent last month. As a result, the company, which manufactures a wide range of packaged foods and supplements to support this lifestyle, suffered steep declines in sales. The company now plans to streamline its operations and focus primarily on selling its nutrition bars and shakes.

Japanese Women Live Longest

2005-07-26T08:56:00.000-05:00

The average Japanese women lived 85.59 years in 2004, making them the world's longest-living group for the 20th consecutive year. Women in Hong Kong came in second, according to Japanese government figures, followed by Swiss women. How did the men fare? Japanese men averaged a life expectancy of 78.64 years, which placed them second after Icelandic men, who live an average of 78.8 years. The Japanese attribute their impressive longevity to a range of factors, including a healthy diet, which tends to be rich in vegetables and fish products and relatively low in animal fats.

In Praise of Papaya

2005-07-20T07:15:00.000-05:00

Though it resembles a tree, the papaya plant is actually an overgrown herb. Low in calories (only 120) and rich in nutrients, papaya has more vitamin C than an orange. This tropical fruit is also loaded with vitamin A, potassium, folate, fiber and carotenoids. Papayas contain a protein-digesting enzyme called papain, which has led to its well-deserved reputation as a digestion aid. Recent research suggests that papayas have an antibacterial agent that may aid in the healing of wounds and reduce swelling and fever after surgery. Even the cosmetic industry has seized upon papaya's health benefits, introducing the fruit in a variety of beauty products.

Stop Junk Mail

2005-07-13T11:24:00.000-05:00

In addition to generating clutter, unwanted junk mail production wastes energy and trees. Sign up with the Direct Marketing Association for a mail preference service that promises to decrease the amount of mail you receive by up to 75 percent. Click on the link above for information about how you can do this online (for a $5 charge) or via the mail for free.

Krugman Tackles the Topic of Obesity

2005-07-08T07:05:00.000-05:00

"The debate over obesity, it turns out, is a lot like the debate over global warming. In both cases, major companies protect their profits not only by lobbying against policies they don't like, but also by financing advocacy groups devoted to debunking research whose conclusions they don't like," writes New York Times op-ed columnist Paul Krugman, who devoted two columns this week to the topic of obesity. Apparently, the food industry has launched an advocacy group -- The Center for Consumer Freedom -- to convince Americans that over-eating is one our basic liberties and, as such, needs to be protected.

"We need to put aside our anti-government prejudices and realize that the history of government interventions on behalf of public health, from the construction of sewer systems to the campaign against smoking, is one of consistent, life-enhancing success," continues Krugman. "Obesity is America's fastest-growing health problem; let's do something about it."

Amen.

A Better Frank for the Fourth

2005-07-04T04:28:00.000-05:00

Nothing seems to pair better with fireworks than a fresh-off-the-grill hot dog. Health-conscious eaters no longer need to forego this treat for fear of antibiotics, nitrates or "mystery meat." There are plenty of all-natural and organic varieties now on the market to satisfy your craving. But which brands make a suitable stand-in? Organic Style recently taste-tested two dozen varieties and came up with their favorites. Topping the list were Wellshire Farms Old Fashioned Beef Frank and Applegate Farms Organic Uncured Chicken Hot Dogs. Click on the link above for the full round-up.

Dark Chocolate is Sweet for the Arteries

2005-06-26T22:43:00.000-05:00

The health benefits of dark chocolate have been trumpeted for years, but a new study published in the American Journal of Hypertension gives more credence to the advantages of this much-beloved food. Researchers report that the flavonoids present in dark chocolate may have a protective effect on the cardiovascular system. Apparently, these flavonoids have a dilatory effect that helps to stimulate blood flow. Chocolate consumption also appeared to lead to a decrease in aortic stiffness, which scientists point out is an important predictor of cardiovascular risk. Either way, here's another reason to indulge in a few squares of the high-quality stuff.

New Evidence Links Red Meat to Cancer

2005-06-15T17:43:00.000-05:00

An extensive 10-year study of over 500,000 people across Europe has turned up some interesting links between diet and cancer. The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) reported that bowel cancer risk was a third higher for those who regularly ate over two 80-gram portions of red or processed meat a day, compared to less than one a week. While eating poultry apparently had no impact on cancer risk, people who ate one portion or more of fish every other day were nearly a third less likely to be diagnosed with bowel cancer than those who ate fish less than once a week. EPIC's study is reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Supplement Check

2005-06-05T09:32:00.000-05:00

Most of the supplements sold in the United States are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. This means that you're essentially taking the word of the manufacturer that what's in the bottles you buy actually meets their claims. But for certain supplements there's now a way to confirm that what you're buying is the real deal. Consumerlabs.com offers an unbiased, scientific examination of several vitamins and supplements. Not only does Consumerlabs confirm that the dosage of specific manufactured brands is correct, it also uncovers dangerous elements that could be lurking in our supplements -- such as lead and mercury. For more information, click on the link above.

Keeping Mosquitos at Bay

2005-05-27T16:20:00.000-05:00

While many of us are excited about the arrival of summer, the change in seasons brings an unwelcome counterpart -- bugs! The popular repellant DEET is one of the most effective ways of preventing a mosquito from spotting you and it offers the only proven protection against the deer ticks that carry Lyme disease. While protection is important, you should use this chemical cautiously as it has been linked to seizures and comas. Search your local health food store for plant-based alternatives containing oil of geranium, cedar, lemon grass, soy or citronella. While they aren't as effective, they may do the trick for those brief periods outdoors when you're not at serious risk.

New Link Between Diet and Cancer

2005-05-18T16:50:00.000-05:00

Breast cancer patients who follow a low-fat diet may reduce the chance that their tumors will return, according to new research unveiled at this week's meeting of American Society of Clinical Oncology. The study showed that women who followed a low-fat diet had more than a 20 percent reduction in their rate of recurrence over five years. It's still unclear if the benefit stems from the reduced amount of fat that these women consumed or their consequential weight loss. Another factor could be the foods that these women chose to substitute for the fat in their diet -- possibly more fruits and vegetables. In any case, researchers agree that this is the first time that a large, rigorous study has shown the impact of diet on any cancer.

Brushing Out Toxins

2005-05-13T14:12:00.000-05:00

While we may be conscious of the food that we put in our mouths, most of us don't put much thought into our choice of toothpaste. Sure, we may veer away from conventional brands that contain saccharine. But even brands that promote themselves as "all natural" can contain plenty of undesirable ingredients. Some of the top offenders include titanium dioxide, silica and the popular foaming agent sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), an industrial-strength soap which is thought to help other chemicals get past your body's protective barriers. The Environmental Working Group has sifted through all of the toothpastes on the market and checked their ingredients for unhealthy inclusions. Click on the link above to see where your toothpaste ranks.

The China Study

2005-05-06T12:50:00.000-05:00

While it might not qualify as light summer reading, The China Study is definitely a page-turner. Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University, presents the exhaustive findings of his research, examining more than 350 variables of health and nutrition. With surveys from 6,500 adults in 65 counties, representing 2,500 counties across rural China and Taiwan, his study aims to connect the dots between nutrition and heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Campbell concludes that proper nutrition can have a dramatic effect on reducing and reversing these ailments as well as obesity. In addition, he includes a whole section entitled "Why You Haven't Heard This Before," which throws light on the tremendous impact that special interest groups have on the information that makes it into the public realm.

Why You Should Give a Fig About Figs

2005-05-02T17:29:00.000-05:00

Dried figs are proven to have six times the antioxidant power of vitamin C, E or beta-carotene, according to laboratory tests conducted at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. When tests were later conducted on people, figs were seen to boost antioxidant capacity in the bloodstream by as much as 18 percent. Apparently, as the fruit undergoes dehydration, its phenol content gets boosted. So how do other dried fruits fare? While the fig has no rivals, apricots, cranberries, dates and raisins all showed impressive antioxidant potency.

New Food Pyramid Unveiled

2005-04-27T14:54:00.000-05:00

The U.S. Department of Agriculture introduced its revised food pyramid to the public last week. But despite the sizable $2.5 million sum payed to the international marketing firm Porter Novelli for the creation of its symbol, many nutrition experts remained unimpressed with its substance. The goal of the pyramid was to distill the 70-page Dietary Guidelines for Americans into a graphic that would be useful to the public. But much of the details seem lost in translation. Check it out for yourself at www.mypyramid.gov.

NRDC Call-a-Thon

2005-04-21T07:45:00.000-05:00

The Natural Resources Defense Council is rallying people together today in hopes of pressuring Bayer to stop selling the highly toxic pesticide lindane, which has been banned in more than 35 countries around the world. Lindane is an old, dangerous pesticide that targets the central nervous system and can cause dizziness, nausea, vomiting, seizures and coma. The chemical builds up in our bodies, and has been found in the blood and breast milk of people worldwide.

Aspiring activists are asked to call Bayer's Crop Sciences North American today, Thursday, April 21, from 9am-5pm EST and leave a message for Wayne Carlson, the Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, urging Bayer to stop distributing this chemical. The call-in number is: 1-919-549-2828 (please note, this is not a toll-free call).

Runners Now Cautioned Against Drinking

2005-04-15T17:15:00.000-05:00

Bucking traditional wisdom, some doctors are now cautioning runners against drinking too much during intense exercise. According to new research published in the New England Journal of Medicine, an increasing number of athletes are severely diluting their blood by drinking too much fluid. The research involved 488 runners in the 2002 Boston Marathon. The runners gave blood samples before and after the race. These samples revealed that 13 percent had drank so much that they had hyponatremia, or abnormally low blood sodium levels. In three cases, the levels were so low that they were in danger of dying. Apparently, intense exercise prevents the kidneys from excreting excess water. As people keep drinking, the extra water moves into their cells, including brain cells. The engorged brain cells, with no room to expand, press against the skull and can compress the brain stem, the results of which can be fatal.

Onions Could Curb Osteoporosis

2005-04-10T16:43:00.000-05:00

Scientists from the University of Bern in Switzerland believe they've discovered a compound in white onions that is able to reduce the breakdown of bone. The Swiss researchers fed dried white onion flakes (or extracts made from onion flakes) to young male rats. The rats also received injections of a chemical that marks bone loss. Based on levels of that chemical in the rats' urine, the onion-eating rats lost less bone. In addition, the scientists harvested bone cells from rats and then exposed them to parathyroid hormone, which increases bone breakdown. When these bone cells were later treated with onion extract, it seemed to curb bone loss. Continued research is underway.

Majority of Cancer Deaths Preventable

2005-04-05T15:23:00.000-05:00

Over 60 percent of cancer deaths could be prevented if people stopped smoking, exercised more, ate healthier food and underwent recommended cancer screenings, according to the American Cancer Society. This year 1.368 million Americans will learn they have cancer and 563,700 will die. "The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2005, more than 168,140 cancer deaths will be caused by tobacco use alone," the organization said in a statement. "In addition, scientists estimate that approximately one third (190,090) of the 570,280 cancer deaths expected to occur in 2005 will be related to poor nutrition, physical inactivity, overweight, obesity and other lifestyle factors." That totals 358,230, or 62 percent, of all cancer deaths.

Desk Yoga

2005-03-30T19:08:00.000-06:00

Sitting in front of a computer screen all day takes a toll on our bodies. Om Yoga's own Cyndi Lee tells Yoga Journal's desk-bound readers how to orchestrate nearly an entire yoga practice at the office. Click on the headline above and strike a pose.

Children of Working Moms Do Just Fine

2005-03-27T18:15:00.000-06:00

Working moms need not worry. New research confirms that quality is as important as quantity when it comes to spending time with an infant or toddler. After examining two 24-hour time periods that included one workday and one nonworking day for the moms with outside jobs, the researchers found that stay-at-home moms spent only about an hour and a half more with their young child than working moms. More important to a child's development, explained researchers, were the qualities that the mother exhibited. For example, was she sensitive to the child's need and did she engage in stimulating and interesting activities with her child? The findings, which will be published in an upcoming issue of "Child Development," conclude that a mom's employment status has little or no impact on her child's social and intellectual development.

Searching for Poison-free Lipstick?

2005-03-21T10:38:00.000-06:00

As more and more toxins find their way into our bodies, we need to take a closer look at how they got there. While a tube of lipstick can't cause significant harm on its own, the chemicals it contains are compounded by a battery of others found in the soaps, shampoos and cosmetics we use everyday. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is trying to bring attention to the major loopholes in the federal law that give the cosmetics industry carte blanche to pour unlimited amounts of chemicals into the products we use to care for our bodies. For a list of companies that have pledged to make safer products, check out their website at www.safecosmetics.org.

Doctors vs. Milk

2005-03-17T17:35:00.000-06:00

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has done a scientific review of 58 previously-published studies and concluded that milk's ability to build bone health is no more than a myth. According to nutritionist Amy Joy Lanou, Ph.D., the lead author of this research: “A clear majority of the studies we examined for this review found no relationship between dairy or dietary calcium intake and measures of bone health. In the remaining reports, the evidence was sketchy. In some, the effects on bone health were small, and in others, the results were confounded by vitamin D intake from milk fortified with vitamin D." In the end, the researchers concluded that physical activity early in life appears to be a stronger predictor of bone health than dairy consumption.

According to the non-profit PCRM, the level of dairy product consumption in the United States is among the highest in the world and yet osteoporosis and fracture rates are also among the highest. This “calcium paradox” was an impetus for the current investigation.

Why Fish Oils Work

2005-03-15T10:56:00.000-06:00

Researchers have identified a new class of fats in the human body which can be credited with controlling inflammation. These fats, called resolvins, work by stopping the migration of inflammatory cells to sites of inflammation and then turning on other inflammatory cells. As scientists have long-hypothesized, these fats are made from the omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish such as salmon. "We always suggest that people with arthritis eat two or three portions of oily fish a week, or take 1,500mg fish oil capsules a day," said a spokesperson for the Arthritis Foundation. Now there's scientific proof behind why it works.

Ritalin May Increase Children's Cancer Risk

2005-03-09T08:59:00.000-06:00

Parents who give their children Ritalin -- the calm-inducing drug prescribed to children for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder -- may find themselves a bit jittery upon reading the results of a new study. Researchers from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston recruited a dozen 8-year olds with ADHD to examine Ritalin's effects. Blood samples were taken from the children before and three months after starting the drug. After testing white blood cells, researchers found a threefold increase in the level of chromosomal damage in the samples taken after the children were started on Ritalin. Lead researcher Randa A. El-Zein, MD, PhD. remarked: "It was pretty surprising to me that all of the children taking [Ritalin] showed an increase in chromosome abnormalities in a relatively short period of time." So if your child is on Ritalin, you may want to work with your practitioner to investigate alternatives.

Can An Apple a Day Keep Breast Cancer Away?

2005-03-03T10:30:00.002-06:00

Researchers as Cornell University have shown the phytochemicals in apples to be effective in combating breast cancer. After giving rats a chemical to induce breast cancer, they then fed them variable doses of extract distilled from the popular Red Delicious apple. After 24 weeks, breast tumor rates were 17 percent lower in the rats who received the low dose of the apple extract, 39 percent lower with the medium dose and 44 percent lower with the high dose.

But don't go reaching for a supplement. Researchers emphasized that there is no substitute for the real thing. "No single antioxidant can replace the combination of natural phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables in achieving ultimate health benefits," write the researchers. "The pure compounds either lose their bioactivities in isolation or may not behave the same way as the compound in complex whole foods."