Jan
13
2012
Okay my friends, I don’t want to be the “I told you” type but I did! The “you’re fat” tax is coming soon. So you ask, what in the world is a “fat tax”? I am glad you asked. As we all are aware, obesity is growing at an alarming rate. Most of us are already overweight and some of us are way overweight-yes face it we are obese. Come on, take a look at your waist line. Look down there now. You can see it as plain as day. Yes, say it with me, I am overweight. Good-that’s a start. You have tried dieting, exercising and nothing seems to work. Well, our government seems to think that it is now up to our elected public officials to help correct an epidemic. How, you may ask? How does the government respond to issues that threaten public safety-by making new laws and regulations and yes, you know it, it’s on the tip of your tongue-yes, taxes! Of course, taxes-a penalty for this indiscretion. Only this time, the indiscretion is being overweight. As many friends of mine point out, when injuries and fatal accidents as a result of car crashes became major issues, wearing seatbelts was advised. However this advisory didn’t help. So the next step was a law and regulation that made it mandatory for everyone to buckle-up. And it’s working. ...
Posted in: Editor's Page, Home
Jan
05
2012
Here are my top ten ways to stay fit and healthy for 2012:
10. Eat more fruits and veggies for every meal-yes, this is super important. Besides being a recommendation by the USDA and the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, fruits and veggies have lots of vitamins, antioxidants, nutrients and fiber with very little fat and sugar. Remember to “make half of your plate fruits and veggies.”
9. Exercise for at least 60 minutes a day. Okay, I know you are saying to yourself, “unrealistic,” but this is really important, not only for kids but for adults too. Exercise provides many healthy benefits including weight control and it has been firmly established that those adults that exercise on a regular basis are a healthier group of adults and can maintain their good health as they age. For kids, they too need 60 minutes a day-including recess and other physical activity. For some adults, 90 minutes is needed. Walking is included and remember the 10,000 steps a day theory-that will equal approximately 5 miles-so get yourself a pedometer and get going!
8. Drink lots of water and forget the sugar and salt loaded, supplement loaded energy drinks. Many of the energy drinks that are available today are meant for use by athletes that are involved with vigorous training. If you fit into that category, then maybe you can benefit from a supplement loaded fluid replacement. ...
Posted in: Editor's Page, Home
Dec
18
2011
Professional basketball player Jeff Green of the Boston Celtics went in to have his annual physical and came out with unexpected news: he has an aortic aneurysm and will need to have surgery. Green, 25, will undergo surgery at the Cleveland Clinic and will miss the entire 2011-2012 abbreviated NBA basket ball season.
What is an aortic aneurysm anyway? The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body and sometimes due to various medical conditions and risk factors (e.g. high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, male gender, emphysema, genetic factors and obesity), it becomes very large and dilated and can balloon outward which is called an aneurysm. This ballooning has a high risk of bursting or rupturing, which is usually catastrophic and most of the time lethal. The key is to catch it early!!
What are the symptoms of an aortic aneurysm? In most cases, the aneurysms develop slowly over a long time and can be painless while growing to a large size. As the blood vessel grows and expands, sometimes it can grow rapidly and start to tear. When it tears, the symptoms may be the following: pain in the abdomen or back, pain that radiates into the groin, buttocks and legs, nausea, vomiting, rapid heart rate, clammy skin and finally shock.
What are the physical signs of an aortic aneurysm? A lump in the abdominal area or feeling a pulsation in ...
Posted in: Editor's Page, Home
Dec
12
2011
DON’T EAT WHEN YOU ARE NOT HUNGRY!
We are all guilty of eating when we are not really hungry. Some call it stress, while others say they just need to have something to keep them busy. Others say they don’t know why they are eating-they just eat and eat and eat. Is it due to the TV commercial for that juicy burger or oven hot pizza? How about just sitting and watching television. Have you worn out the path to the kitchen?Whatever the reason is, it's not hunger that is stimulating this “extra” eating. And this “extra” eating piles on the calories, lots of them! In between snacks and non hunger related snacking made up of carbs and fats are responsible for a large amount of the overweight and obesity we are seeing. So how do we change this persistent habit? A new study by a group of researchers at the University of Minnesota led by Kerri Boutelle, Ph.D. and published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, demonstrates that by improving the responses to the clues of truly being hungry and decreasing the responses to non hunger related eating, children can be trained to respond better to hunger and less to other stimuli (e.g. television commercials focusing on food). Boutelle and her group were also able to train children to understand body clues better and to respond better to being satiated ...
Posted in: Editor's Page, Home
Dec
05
2011
WOMEN WHO EAT LOTS OF VEGETABLES HAVE A LOWER RISK OF STROKE
Dr. Susanne Rautiainen and her research group from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, reported in the journal: Stroke, that after collecting data on the dietary habits of women, they found that those women who consumed the highest amount of antioxidant containing foods (foods that have elevated levels of vitamins C, E, carotenoids, flavonoids and phytochemicals-fruits and veggies and grains) had a lower risk of stroke. Lesson-Make half your plate fruits and veggies-especially if you are a woman!!!
VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES AND EFFECT ON BRAIN FUNCTIONING
Researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine presented data recently showing that in a test group of young men, ages 18 to 29, that were told to play a violent video game for ten hours, MRI studies and cognitive testing performed afterwards revealed changes in brain function, and cognitive behavior. These changes did revert back almost to baseline, after a week of not playing the games. Lesson: parents, be careful with what video games your children are playing in your home and at the homes of friends. There is an abundance of violent and incredibly popular video games coming out daily, for all of the techno-game boxes and these games seem to obtain viewing access in many homes with young children. Be aware, stay informed and stay connected !
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE GOES UNTREATED IN MANY ...
Posted in: Editor's Page, Home
Nov
29
2011
As I was scanning the morning health news, like I always do every morning, I came across another positive article supporting the Mediterranean Diet. This new research, coming to us from the online European Respiratory Journal , by researchers from the University of Crete in Greece, focused on a sleep condition commonly found in obese individuals called Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS). Sleep apnea is a disorder of the normal sleep pattern associated with pauses in breathing. The study found that obese subjects that followed a Mediterranean diet, had more motivation to stay on the diet, more enthusiasm to follow an exercise plan and a decrease in the episodes of the OSAS.
So why is this diet so good for us? Let’s examine it a bit more closely. The Mediterranean diet, took its name from the foods and diet that was being followed by the residents of Southern Italy, mainland Greece and the island of Crete in the 1960’s. This plant based diet is composed of lots of olive oil/olives, fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains (cereals and breads), beans, dairy in the form of yogurts and cheese, tree nuts, but no BUTTER. Also there is a moderate consumption of fish and poultry, low to moderate consumption of eggs and a low consumption of red meat. Moderate alcohol intake, optional to the diet, is an additional beverage added to meals. Regular outdoor ...
Posted in: Editor's Page, Home
Nov
24
2011
Is there a reason to say thank you this year? Thanks for what, you may ask. If we look at the economy, unemployment is at an all time high. Lots of Americans in every state are out of work. American soldiers, away from their families, are stationed all over this globe protecting life and the spirit of freedom. We are in the midst of an election campaign and our President and congressional electorate can’t work together to come up with a jobs producing agreement or budget reduction framework. All over the world, we are seeing a disenfranchised public push to oust an aging autocracy. Europe, facing huge debt and unemployment is on the verge of a grand recession. From catastrophic weather events to unexpected land shifts, to territorial fights, people all over this world are in a state of need. World famine (925 million people: WFP) and poverty are at an all time high. Internally, despite our wide spread food insecurity and rising hunger (50 million people), the population in the United States is getting fatter. Statistics from 2008 revealed that there will be a huge surge in obesity and diabetes by 2030. Now, current research (Northwestern University-Feinberg School of Medicine, presented at the AHA Meetings in Orlando, Florida November 16, 2011) reveals that by the year 2020, ten years earlier than previously expected, the majority of American adults will ...
Posted in: Editor's Page, Home
Nov
20
2011
As many of you know already, the USDA has changed its eating and nutritional educational system from a pyramid to a plate (www.ChooseMyPlate.gov). All of the nutritional information is based on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which is a structured knowledge base to help people make better nutritional choices. The main messages from the 2010 Dietary Guidelines and ChooseMyPlate.gov are the following:
It’s okay to enjoy your meals but eat less
Avoid overeating and sized portions
Make half your plate fruits and veggies
Switch to fat-free or low fat (1%) dairy products
Follow a lower sodium diet
Drink water in place of sugary beverages
Cut back on solid fats (e.g. trans fats, saturated fats), refined grains and added sugars
Eat more whole grains
Add more veggies to each and every meal
The Nerdel Company, a multi media company that wants to empower kids all over the world with the knowledge and information to make healthier nutritional choices and improve their physical fitness, has produced a new PSA (Public Service Announcement) that encourages kids to eat more fruits and veggies and to grow them in their own garden. The short video, titled Nerdel Loves Fruits & Veggies: From My Garden To MyPlate, features the amazing puppets of The Nerdel Company: Nerdel, Chef Mangel (pronounced Mahn-jel) and the Zeppets. You can see this entertaining and educational video at www.nerdel.com, at the top right corner.
The Nerdel Company has also been ...
Posted in: Editor's Page, Home
Nov
16
2011
Women Who Drink Sugary Drinks Have Higher Risk of Heart Disease and Diabetes
Presented at the American Heart Association meetings in Orlando, Florida this week, researcher Christina Shay, Ph.D., M.A., Assistant Professor at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, and her group, reported that women who drink two or more sugar-sweetened drinks (e.g. soda, sweet tea, flavored waters, etc.) a day, will have a super high level of the blood fat-triglycerides, more belly fat and abdominal obesity, and are at an increased risk of developing heart disease and diabetes, even if they didn’t gain weight! What do you do: my opinion is-women and everyone need to cut way back on any sugary beverage or foods they are consuming. Here is scientific evidence that all of those sugary sodas and coffees may be “stress relieving”, but are really hazardous to your health!
Have You Checked Your Child’s Cholesterol Level?
New screening guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics indicate that all children ages 9 to 11 and 17 to 21 should be screened for cholesterol. Previous guidelines only recommended obtaining a cholesterol level in children that have a strong family history of heart disease or a cholesterol abnormality. These new guidelines stem from that fact that researchers have determined that the atherosclerotic process begins very early in life, even at the age of 9. If cholesterol levels are found to be elevated ...
Posted in: Editor's Page, Home
Nov
13
2011
As we already know, our kids are getting many of their calories each day from sugary foods like soda, energy drinks and sugar loaded snacks. Now, new research by Joseph Carlson of Michigan State University’s Division of Sports and Cardiovascular Nutrition and published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, indicates that teens need to increase the fiber in their diets by eating more plant based foods and not focus on restricting the fats. According to the USDA (choosemyplate.gov), here are the health benefits from eating more plant based foods (fruits and vegetables):
Eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for heart disease, including heart attack and stroke.
Eating a diet rich in some vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain types of cancers.
Diets rich in foods containing fiber, such as some vegetables and fruits, may reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
Eating vegetables and fruits rich in potassium as part of an overall healthy diet may lower blood pressure, and may also reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and help to decrease bone loss.
Eating foods such as fruits that are lower in calories per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake
Dietary fiber from fruits, as part of an overall ...
Posted in: Editor's Page, Home
