5 health benefits of cinnamon | Fox News: Cinnamon is one of my feel-good foods. The scent reminds me of fall, my favorite time of year, and brings back memories of making apple pies with my mom, and celebrating the holidays.
While I’ve always been a fan of its flavor and aroma, as a nutritionist, I’m also thrilled to spread the news about cinnamon’s health benefits. For example, one teaspoon of cinnamon packs as much antioxidant potency as a half cup of blueberries, and cinnamon’s natural antimicrobial properties have been shown to fight strains of E. coli, as well as Candida yeast. Also, while technically not sweet, “sweet spices” like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger have been shown to boost satiety and mimic sweetness, which allows you to cut back on sugar in nearly anything, from your morning cup of Joe to a batch of homemade muffins.
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Yogurt May Cut Type 2 Diabetes Risk - Forbes
Yogurt May Cut Type 2 Diabetes Risk - Forbes: Yogurt has approached wonder-food status in recent years, as studies have suggested that it may help everything from irritable bowel syndrome to depression to high blood pressure. Now, research out in BMC Medicine suggests it’s also linked to lower risk for type 2 diabetes, a disease that currently affects some 366 million people worldwide, and is expected to affect many millions more by the year 2030. In the new study, other forms of dairy like milk and cheese, did not offer the same kind of protection as yogurt for diabetes risk. Which sounds like good news for yogurt devotees — as long as you don’t mind the fact that no one quite understands how the relationship works
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Thanksgiving science: Why gratitude is good for your health
Thanksgiving science: Why gratitude is good for your health | Fox News: Dozens of studies have found that gratitude can improve well-being, and can even help people curb depression and anxiety, improve cholesterol, and get better sleep, said Robert Emmons, a psychologist at the University of California, Davis, and author of "Gratitude Works! A 21-Day Program for Creating Emotional Prosperity" (Jossey-Bass, 2013).
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"Grateful people engage in more exercise, have better dietary behaviors, are less likely to smoke and abuse alcohol, and have higher rates of medication adherence," Emmons wrote in an email. "Gratitude is good medicine."
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"Grateful people engage in more exercise, have better dietary behaviors, are less likely to smoke and abuse alcohol, and have higher rates of medication adherence," Emmons wrote in an email. "Gratitude is good medicine."
What do successful weight-loss maintainers have to teach us?
Maintaining weight loss can be very challenging. And from the moment we buy that first bag of Halloween candy until the last glass of champagne is toasted early on New Year's Day, it seems that holiday temptations plot to keep us from sticking to our healthy eating habits. However, it is not hopeless. About one in 20 people who lose weight will keep the weight off. Ever wonder why some who diet are successful while others are not? What is their secret?
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Can you out-exercise bad eating habits?
Can you out-exercise bad eating habits? | Fox News: "I work out so I can eat whatever I want."
Consider those the famous last words uttered by formerly thin guys everywhere.
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"A lot of people think if they eat an extra 300 calories they can work it off, but that's not the case," says Holly Lofton, M.D., director of weight management at NYU Langone Medical Center.
Consider those the famous last words uttered by formerly thin guys everywhere.
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"A lot of people think if they eat an extra 300 calories they can work it off, but that's not the case," says Holly Lofton, M.D., director of weight management at NYU Langone Medical Center.
Man eats sugar-heavy diet for 60 days, receives shocking diagnosis | Fox News
Man eats sugar-heavy diet for 60 days, receives shocking diagnosis | Fox News: Within three weeks, the formerly healthy Gameau became moody and sluggish. A doctor gave him the shocking diagnosis: He was beginning to develop fatty liver disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, the most severe outcome for fatty liver disease is liver failure.
High-fructose diet may contribute to anxiety, depression during adolescence | Fox News
High-fructose diet may contribute to anxiety, depression during adolescence | Fox News: In the animal study, presented Tuesday at an annual meeting for the Society for Neuroscience, scientists at Emory University in Atlanta found that fructose can alter how the brain responds to stress. People develop these brain processes during adolescence, which suggests that teens may be most vulnerable to fructose’s potential effects.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
What the research says: Can exercise make you smarter? | Fox News
What the research says: Can exercise make you smarter? | Fox News: We all know that regular exercise can have dramatic effects on our physical health, as it helps protect us from preventable diseases, but what about our minds? The effects of physical fitness may extend beyond disease and obesity prevention, potentially impacting our intelligence from before birth well into old age.
Friday, November 14, 2014
People who speak two languages have more efficient brains, study says | Fox News
People who speak two languages have more efficient brains, study says | Fox News: Bilingual people require less brain power to complete tasks compared to people who speak only one language, suggests new research published in the journal Brain and Language.
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans, researchers at Northwestern University and the University of Houston studied the brain activity of 18 monolingual English speakers and 17 bilingual Spanish and English speakers who scored similarly in working memory tests at the onset of the study. Dual language speakers were all fluent in both languages, having grown up speaking them.
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans, researchers at Northwestern University and the University of Houston studied the brain activity of 18 monolingual English speakers and 17 bilingual Spanish and English speakers who scored similarly in working memory tests at the onset of the study. Dual language speakers were all fluent in both languages, having grown up speaking them.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Brains of chronic pot smokers are different, study says | Fox News
Brains of chronic pot smokers are different, study says | Fox News: A new study out of the University of Texas' Center for BrainHealth and the Mind Research Network is showing brain differences in regular pot users—differences that have already been reported in lab mice.
The study, published in PNAS, found that 48 "chronic" users who smoked at least four times a week had less gray matter in the orbitofrontal cortex than 62 control subjects who didn't use pot, reports the Los Angeles Times.
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The orbitofrontal cortex "helps us determine what is good for us and what keeps us sustained," the lead author tells the Washington Post. It's unclear whether these "shrunken brains" are the result of chronic use or contribute to the tendency to use in the first place
The study, published in PNAS, found that 48 "chronic" users who smoked at least four times a week had less gray matter in the orbitofrontal cortex than 62 control subjects who didn't use pot, reports the Los Angeles Times.
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The orbitofrontal cortex "helps us determine what is good for us and what keeps us sustained," the lead author tells the Washington Post. It's unclear whether these "shrunken brains" are the result of chronic use or contribute to the tendency to use in the first place
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Dark chocolate may ease walking for patients with artery disease | Fox News
Dark chocolate may ease walking for patients with artery disease | Fox News: Older people who have trouble getting around because of poor blood flow to their legs may be able to walk a little longer and farther after eating dark chocolate, according to a new small Italian study.
People with peripheral artery disease (PAD) who ate a dark chocolate bar were able to slightly increase the time and distance they walked a couple of hours later, compared to people who ate milk chocolate, researchers found.
People with peripheral artery disease (PAD) who ate a dark chocolate bar were able to slightly increase the time and distance they walked a couple of hours later, compared to people who ate milk chocolate, researchers found.
The hidden allergen in your gluten-free foods | Fox News
The hidden allergen in your gluten-free foods | Fox News: Ever hear of lupin? Me neither. That is, until last week, when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a warning about this legume, stating that it can cause allergic reactions ranging from a mild case of hives to full-blown anaphylaxis (yikes). The most susceptible populations: People with existing legume allergies, especially peanut allergies.
The reason this news is troublesome: Lupin is popping up in an increasing amount of foods, thanks to the onslaught of gluten-free products (apparently it makes a great substitute for gluten-containing flours), yet people still have no idea what it is or that it may cause them harm, said Dr. Stefano Luccioli, a senior medical advisor at the FDA.
The reason this news is troublesome: Lupin is popping up in an increasing amount of foods, thanks to the onslaught of gluten-free products (apparently it makes a great substitute for gluten-containing flours), yet people still have no idea what it is or that it may cause them harm, said Dr. Stefano Luccioli, a senior medical advisor at the FDA.
Walking is the superfood of fitness, experts say | Fox News
Walking is the superfood of fitness, experts say | Fox News: Walking may never become as trendy as CrossFit, as sexy as mud runs or as ego-boosting as Ironman races but for fitness experts who stress daily movement over workouts and an active lifestyle over weekends of warrior games, walking is a super star.
For author and scientist Katy Bowman, walking is a biological imperative like eating. In her book, “Move Your DNA: Restore Your Health Through Natural Movement," she suggests there are movement nutrients, just like dietary nutrients, that the body needs.
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“Walking is a superfood. It’s the defining movement of a human,” said Bowman, a biomechanist based in Ventura, California. “It’s a lot easier to get movement than it is to get exercise.”
For author and scientist Katy Bowman, walking is a biological imperative like eating. In her book, “Move Your DNA: Restore Your Health Through Natural Movement," she suggests there are movement nutrients, just like dietary nutrients, that the body needs.
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“Walking is a superfood. It’s the defining movement of a human,” said Bowman, a biomechanist based in Ventura, California. “It’s a lot easier to get movement than it is to get exercise.”
Laundry pods pose serious poisoning risk to young children, study finds | Fox News
Laundry pods pose serious poisoning risk to young children, study finds | Fox News: New research conducted by researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, found that from 2012 through 2013, U.S. poison control centers received reports of 17,230 children younger than age 6 swallowing, inhaling or being exposed to chemicals in laundry detergent pods. Nearly two-thirds of the cases involved 1 and 2 year olds. A total of 769 young children had to be hospitalized, an average of one per day.
Daily Checkup: Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in U.S. - NY Daily News
Daily Checkup: Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in U.S. - NY Daily News: One of the reasons such an emphasis is placed on screening is that many patients with diabetes have no idea they have it — and no red flags to alert them. “Unfortunately some patients don’t have symptoms at all until they start developing complications as the result of prolonged periods of elevated glucose,” says Albu. “Doctors want to work together with patients to avoid reaching that point.”
Once patients have developed diabetes, there can be some typical warning signs. “Often patients experience increased thirst and urination, and sometimes there can be blurred vision,” says Albu. “Some patients start losing weight without diet or exercise, but others experience weight gain — which is another reason we don’t like to rely on symptoms to make the diagnosis.”
Once patients have developed diabetes, there can be some typical warning signs. “Often patients experience increased thirst and urination, and sometimes there can be blurred vision,” says Albu. “Some patients start losing weight without diet or exercise, but others experience weight gain — which is another reason we don’t like to rely on symptoms to make the diagnosis.”
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Is butter part of a healthy diet? | Fox News
Is butter part of a healthy diet? | Fox News: Recent studies and experts agree: butter is back. Yet the news might be a hard one to swallow especially if you nixed it from your diet years ago.
So how much butter is beneficial? And is it really better than olive oil? Here, experts weigh in on where butter fits in a healthy diet and how much we should be eating.
So how much butter is beneficial? And is it really better than olive oil? Here, experts weigh in on where butter fits in a healthy diet and how much we should be eating.
Friday, November 7, 2014
13 best and worst foods for people with diabetes | Fox News
13 best and worst foods for people with diabetes | Fox News: "The basic goal of nutrition for people with diabetes is to avoid blood sugar spikes," said Dr. Gerald Bernstein, director of the diabetes management program at Friedman Diabetes Institute, Beth Israel Medical Center in New York.
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Candy and soda can be dangerous for diabetics because the body absorbs these simple sugars almost instantly. But all types of carbs need to be watched, and foods high in fat—particularly unhealthy fats—are problematic as well because people with diabetes are at very high risk of heart disease, said Sandy Andrews, RD, director of education for the William Sansum Diabetes Center in Santa Barbara, Calif.
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Candy and soda can be dangerous for diabetics because the body absorbs these simple sugars almost instantly. But all types of carbs need to be watched, and foods high in fat—particularly unhealthy fats—are problematic as well because people with diabetes are at very high risk of heart disease, said Sandy Andrews, RD, director of education for the William Sansum Diabetes Center in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Animal study suggests heavy drinking in adolescence associated with lasting brain changes
Animal study suggests heavy drinking in adolescence associated with lasting brain changes: Heavy drinking during adolescence may lead to structural changes in the brain and memory deficits that persist into adulthood, according to an animal study published October 29 in The Journal of Neuroscience. The study found that, even as adults, rats given daily access to alcohol during adolescence had reduced levels of myelin — the fatty coating on nerve fibers that accelerates the transmission of electrical signals between neurons. These changes were observed in a brain region important in reasoning and decision-making. Animals that were the heaviest drinkers also performed worse on a memory test later in adulthood. The findings suggest that high doses of alcohol during adolescence may continue to affect the brain even after drinking stops. Further research is required to determine the applicability of these findings to humans.
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