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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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Nov
07
2011
I was speaking to a group of friends this past weekend at a small get together. It was an interesting round of discussions. From politics to the economy, we seemed to touch on everything. Then, one of my friends brought up a new topic which I was unaware of: Facebook Depression. It seemed like other friends were more aware of this term. Maybe because they are on the social networking sites much more than I am. Anyway, after a bit of research, it is apparent that there is a definite depressive disorder that is associated with Facebook and this may extend to all of the social networking web sites. Actually all of these social networking sites are a kind of bulletin board for your life-if you want them to be. People post pictures of everything they are doing the moment they do it. Family events, play dates, dates, special events, non special events and just about everything in between. There are pictures of people just waking up in the morning. How is that interesting? And not only pictures, but a blow by blow description of exactly what they are doing. “Having cornflakes and coffee for breakfast.” "Going to the bathroom." Okay-so why do we need to know these facts? I am not sure-but it’s posted for the world to see. And not only do you know what everyone is doing, ...
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Nov
06
2011
The Nerdel Company is proud to announce that their most recently published book: Counting on Fruit with Nerdel , has just received the 2011 Silver Moonbeam Children’s Book Award in the Alphabet/Counting category.
The Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards contest is designed to honor the year's best children’s books, authors and illustrators. Presented by Jenkins Group and Independent Publisher magazine, the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards are designed to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading.
The Nerdel Series of Children’s Books is a wonderful way for your children to have fun and laugh as they learn. Nerdel, his family and friends, share and discover counting, the ABC’s, nutrition, exercise and many more exciting subjects as Nerdel and your children learn more about the world. Counting on Fruit with Nerdel and Nerdel’s ABC Book were both written by Drs. Marc and Robin Kesselman and illustrated by Natali Martinez. Please visit nerdel.com for more Nerdel information.
For more information about the Moonbeam Awards, please visit moonbeamawards.com.
Nerdel's ABC Book and Counting on Fruit with Nerdel can be purchased online at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and Nerdel.com.
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Oct
30
2011
STAY AWAY FROM BLACK LICORICE
As a kid, I loved licorice. The red swirly sticks were always a big hit in my group of friends. And once in a while we would eat the black licorice and even the chocolate ones. But ever since finding out that black licorice has a chemical that can cause high blood pressure, I have been advising my friends and family to stay away. Yes, the chemical is called “glycyrrhizin” and according to the FDA, if it is consumed in a large enough quantity-more than 2 ounces a day for two weeks, or more, glycyrrhizin has the potential to cause high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats. How does it do this? Well, first of all it can cause your kidneys to lose more potassium than usual and as a result, this imbalance (when the potassium is lower than it should be) may make the conditions in your heart vulnerable to set up an irregular heart rhythm. Secondly, the glycyrrhizin may cause your body to retain more salt and water-which can result in the body having a higher blood pressure and even a set up for heart failure (too much salt and water for the heart to handle). Thirdly, eating black licorice can interfere with other medicine that you may be taking including digoxin (a medicine used to control heart rhythms), laxatives and diuretics (a medicine that ...
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Oct
23
2011
FECAL BACTERIA ON YOUR CELL PHONE-YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS!
Okay my friend’s, here is one for the record books, a recent British Study (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Queen Mary, University of London, October 14, 2011) found that one out of every six cell phones in the United Kingdom, is contaminated with fecal material. Yes, that means lots of people in the UK (and probably all over the world) are not washing their hands after they use the bathroom. In fact, additional testing of hands after people leave the bathroom found that 82% of them had bacteria on them. According to experts, bacteria on surfaces can survive for hours to days at a time. If the temperature is warmer, bacteria can survive for longer periods. Millions of people all over the world pick up germs from surfaces (and foods) daily-sometimes with deadly consequences. What do you do? Come on, this is a no brainer-WASH YOUR HANDS people! Wash them thoroughly with soap and warm water. Wash them before you leave a bathroom. Wash them after touching various surfaces like door handles, counter tops, phones, plane seats, bus handles, etc. WASH YOUR HANDS! So the next time you are using your friend’s cell phone, think about where you are putting your ear!!
MORE ATHLETES ARE DYING FROM SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH
Another research document from the journals (Kimberly Harman, MD, et ...
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Oct
16
2011
This year’s Listeria monocytogenes outbreak has been labeled as the “deadliest in ten years,” according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials. As of October 11, 2011, a total of 116 people from 25 states have been infected. Twenty three people have died. Rocky Ford Cantaloupes shipped from July 29 through September 10, 2011, from Jensen Farms (www.jensenfarms.com; Colorado), to over 25 states have been recalled. Romaine lettuce from California has also been implicated. Illness from Listeria may take up to two months to show up and cause symptoms.
A recap of information from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the CDC about Listeria:
What are the Symptoms of Listeriosis?
Listeriosis is a rare and serious illness caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria called Listeria. Persons who think they might have become ill should consult their doctor. A person with listeriosis usually has fever and muscle aches(but also may present with neck stiffness, confusion and vomiting).
Who is at Risk?
Listeriosis can be fatal, especially in certain high-risk groups. These groups include older adults, people with compromised immune systems and certain chronic medical conditions (such as cancer), and unborn babies and newborns. In pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and serious illness or death in newborn babies, though the mother herself rarely becomes seriously ill.
What Do Consumers Need To Do?
Consumers should not eat Rocky Ford Cantaloupe shipped by Jensen ...
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