Newspaper stands, talk shows, billboards are plastered with ways to get thin from skipping meals to eating pounds of meat per day. Diet fads come and go along with the pounds they promised. When it comes down to the line, the end goal is health. If an individual is healthy they can contribute to society, [...]
Archive for March, 2010
31 Mar
I want the multi-vitamin, please.
My body smiles when I say vitamins. Our body needs vitamins and mineral to keep it healthy; Vitamin C helps our immune system, anti-oxidants bind to harmful free-radicals, and Vitamin A may be absorbed by the retina to improve eye sight. Vitamin supplements are readily available and can used to ensure that your body gets [...]
31 Mar
“No processed foods, please”- your stomach
Once-in-awhile, we all crave and consume processed foods. Processed foods are quick, easy, and cheap. They are readily available and taste delicious. There is one main problem: they are NOT nutritious. Many chemicals and preservatives like sodium have been added while many nutrients have been removed. It’s important to look at the amount of preservatives, [...]
31 Mar
Whole, not muli-grain please.
The food guide recommendation includes consuming whole grains. How do whole grains and multi-grains differ you ask? Whole grain consists of the entire intact caryopsis which still has the principal anatomical component. In other words, for the most part, whole grains haven’t been processed and still contain most of the nutrients. This is important because [...]
30 Mar
Mmm… Sweets, Please
Naturally our bodies, at times, crave specific food. A common craving is sweet food. Sweets are mostly simple carbohydrates. Simple carbs prompt the brain to secrete serotonin; serotonin is a calming hormone that can ease both stress and depression. It is why during crunch time, many turn to a candy bar, chocolate, and baked goods. Interestingly [...]
29 Mar
Will you pass the salt, please?
If you were a true friend, you wouldn’t. America is a nation of salt lovers we salt anything from apples to edamame, from packaged food to frosting. It’s literally already in our blood and we should keep sodium levels low. New York started the trend with trans fat regulations and now it’s spread to sodium. [...]
28 Mar
I want a snack, please.
Snacking is an American way of life. Many have stashes of snack food in drawers at work, secrete places in the bedroom, and in the freezer right above the frostbitten frozen vegetables purchased 3 months ago in an attempt to eat more healthy. I’m a sucker for sweets just like the next but by making healthier choices, [...]
28 Mar
Protein, Please.
Say what? How much? Why? Nutritionists to diet gurus constantly toss around serving sizes, food categories, and what your body needs. To the untrained ear, it’s difficult to decipher what is important to what is another food fad. I will debunk certain myths of protein, why we need it, what it does, how it helps us, and what [...]
27 Mar
A healthy heart, please.
As science continues to unfold her many mysteries, we learn important information about nutrition and how to keep our bodies, more specifically our hearts, healthy. As of December 31, 2009, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Last year alone it killed over 631, 636 people in the United States. The causes of [...]
27 Mar
Who is responsible???
Obesity is rampant across the United States; it not only plagues adults but has spread to teenagers and children. In a matter of 10 years, obesity rates have drastically increased. Now, over 30% of Americans have a BMI > 30. With these statistics, the age old question ‘who is to blame?’ is posed. Parents? Advertising? [...]
