Health and Nutrition Brief – 3

Follow the latest news on health and nutrition here.

Breath and Weight Gain

A study found an interesting connection between breath and weight gain. People with higher concentrations of methane and hydrogen in their breath are more likely to have more body fat. More hydrogen in the stomach encourages the growth of a bacteria called Methanobrevibacter smithii which consumes the hydrogen and produces the methane gas. More research is needed to see how these bacteria are could be leading to weight gain. More….

Americans Confused about Sodium Sources

A recent survey on consumers’ attitude towards sodium shows that they may be confused about where the excess sodium is coming from in their diet. 72% of those surveyed say that they cook with less salt and 69% say they salt their food less, but only 39% buy fewer packaged foods, and only 32% say they eat at restaurants less often despite the fact that packaged and restaurant foods are high in sodium. More….

No Link between Vaccinations and Autism

According to the latest research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there’s still no evidence to suggest that too many vaccinations cause autism. Results of a study indicate that parental concern about the number of vaccines children are receiving in the first two years of their lives have no bearing on their autism risk. More….

E.Coli Sickens 24

An ooutbreak of E.Coli has sickened 24 people in the US. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the bacteria was found in a Farm Rich brand package of frozen chicken quesadillas, and the company has now recalled its products. More….

Eating More Fiber May Reduce Stroke Risk

The current guidelines for fiber intake are 21 grams for women and 30 for men. A new study supports these recommendations and researchers say that fiber can reduce the risk of hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke. However, they did not have enough data to narrow down the types of fiber sources that provided the maximum protection against strokes. More….

Easy Way to Clean Your Kitchen Sponge

Your kitchen sponge can soak up bacteria from food and spread it around if you use it to clean up the counter and other areas. Easy ways to clean up your sponge include putting it in the diswasher or in the microwave for 1 minute on high heat to destroy any bacteria. More….

FCC to Look into Cell Phone Radio Waves

The Federal Communications Commission is looking to health agencies and experts for information on whether it needs to update regulations on cell-phone use because of concerns over radiation. Studies, so far, have been inconclusive. More….

Walk in The Park for Stress Relief

The noisy, hectic city life can cause a condition known as brain fatigue, which can make you forgetful and easily distracted. Researchers have long known that green spaces have a calming effect on the brain and studies have shown that people living near parks and trees have lower levels of the stress hormone “cortisol”. A new study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, shows that a walk in the park or just sitting in a park-like setting can have a restorative and calming effect. More….

Snacks That Help Your Fitness Goals

Healthy snacks can provide a much-needed energy boost, be it for work or work-outs, and can prevent you from overeating at lunch or dinner. Some nutritious snacks to keep handy or whip up quickly include trail-mixes, yogurt, steamed veggies like broccoli, and whole-wheat pitas and tortillas with hummus. More….

Soy Foods Help Cancer Patients Live Longer

A study of Chinese women shows that those who ate a lot of soy food before their lung cancer diagnosis increased their chances of living longer. More research is needed to confirm or refute the findings, but researchers recommend adding soy food to your daily diet. Lung cancer is the leading cause of death among women and the survival rate after diagnosis is only five years. More….

One-Day Diet Plans for Losing Weight

Dietitians say that one-day diet plans that require people to take specific steps on any given day can help them get back on track after a holiday or weekend of overindulging. Strategies include keeping a food diary so you can record everything you eat and drink and be accountable, eating a sensible breakfast to fuel your body and prevent you from overeating at lunch time, eating multicolored foods that are good for you, and eating smaller portions. More….

Chia Seeds in Food Products

Chia seeds have moved on from being merely decorative to nutritive.This ancient grain is gaining in popularity as it’s rich in protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids and is being added to products like snack bars, pastas, beverages, and puddings. More….

Beware Produce Pretenders

Some fruit and vegetable products may seem healthy but may, in fact, be loaded with extra calories, sugar, or fat, such as yogurt-covered raisins, veggie sticks, banana chips or fruit juices. The unhealthy ingredients in these packaged products include refined flours, unhealthy saturated fats and sugar. More….

New Exercise App for Lowering Blood Sugar

A new smartphone app helps diabetics control their blood sugar levels through guided exercise. The Power20 app provides 20-minute full-body workouts designed to improve strength, balance, and muscle tone, and help lower blood sugar. The app is available for both Android and iOS smartphone and tablet. More….

Boost Your Energy with These Foods

Low energy levels can be caused by health conditions such as hypothyroidism, anemia, depression, and low testosterone, and a good way to get an energy boost is through healthy foods. Dark leafy vegetables are great for those with anemia, as greens contain a lot of iron. Quinoa is also a great energy booster as it contains iron along with vitamin B2 and magnesium that help produce energy. More….

Soda Sales Declining in the US

Data shows that soda sales went down by 1.2% in 2012 in the US, compared to 1% in 2011 and 0.5% in 2010, indicating a growing trend. People seem to be turning to non-carbonated beverages like tea, water, and energy drinks as data shows that sales of these products rose 1% in the past year. More….

Belly Fat May Affect Bones

Research shows that healthy premenopausal women who had abdominal fat had weaker bones, challenging earlier favorable association between belly fat and bone quality. The study also shows that the fat also lowered the rate of bone formation among women with the most belly fat, raising concerns about their risk of fractures in the future. More….

No Link between Constipation and Colorectal Cancer

A study published in the Journal of Gastroenterology shows that there’s no evidence to support a link between constipation and colorectal cancer. Some experts have hypothesized that long-term constipation may increase the risk of cancer. Studies over the past few decades have both supported and refuted this hypothesis. The research team analyzed data across 28 studies on the issue and found no data to support this hypothesis. More….

Many Babies Introduced to Solid Food Too Early

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a good time to introduce solid food to babies is at seven months. Breast-feeding them for six months helps reduce their risk of respiratory and ear infections, as well as diarrhea, diabetes, obesity, and sudden infant death syndrome. A study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), however, showed that 40% of 1334 mothers started feeding solid food to their babies befoe they were 4 months old. More….

Mini Foods – A Diet Friend and Foe

A survey done by the National Restaurants Association lists mini desserts and bite-size appetizers among the top trends for 2013. Fast food restaurants have also joined the bandwagon of mini foods, with Pizza Hut offering pizza sliders, and Taco Time offering mini-tacos and mini meals. Dietitians, however, say that mini foods can be a caloric win only if people replace one regular-sized food with a mini serving – not if they have five mini foods. More….

Heart-Care Transformation

Treatment for heart problems is undergoing a major transformation these days. The surgeon’s knife is being replaced by catheters for heart problems like diseased heart valves, irregular heartbeat, and holes in the heart. Doctors are even trying these new devices and techniques to treat high blood pressure. Since patients can go home within a day or two after these procedures, recovery time and hospital stays are short, and can reduce the overall costs of treatment. More….

High-Heeled Shoes Can Cause Permanent Damage

High-heeled shoes can cause irreversible damage to your feet. The higher the heel, the worse the problems, as the pressure distributed through the ball of the foot increases and can cause corns, calluses, and blisters with short-term use. Long-term use can result in foot deformities such as hammertoes, bunions, and bone growth as in the case of actress Sarah Jessica Parker. More….

Pre-Diabetes Awareness Low Among Americans

About 79% of Americans have pre-diabetes, but only 11% are aware they have this condition, according to a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report. It’s easy to prevent or delay it by almost 58% with a healthy diet and exercise. More….

Lifestyle Changes One at a Time

Sports psychology experts say that if you want to make lifesyle changes to improve your health, the best way to do it is to modify one fitness behavior at a time, observe how it affects your energy and stress levels, sleep and other factors. You can continue the behavior if it has been beneficial, modify it or adopt a new behavior as needed. More…

Toddler Foods High in Sodium

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) researchers found that more than 75% of 1,150 food products for babies and toddlers had high sodium. They said parents need to be aware of the dangers of excessive salt and should read the nutrition labels for popular packaged products such as mac and cheese and pizza before buying. More….

Excessive Tea Consumption Causes Rare Bone Disease

A 47-year-old Michigan woman who drank a pitcher of tea made with 100 tea bags daily for 17 years developed a rare bone disease called skeletal fluorosis. The disease which caused a pain in her lower back, arms, legs, and hips, was the result of excessive consumption of flouride – found in tea and water. Excessive fluoride in the blood can lead to crystal deposits on the bones over time. More….

Introducing Allergenic Foods to Infants

The American Academy of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology (AAAAI) has come up with new recommendations for introducing known allergenic foods to infants. An infant over 4 months old who has tolerated non-allergenic foods like rice cereal, sweet potatoes, carrots, bananas, etc. can be introduced to other foods like wheat, dairy, nuts, one food at a time, to help isolate foods that cause any allergic reactions. More….

Carbs That Are Good for You

Carbohydrates are necessary for our bodies to function well, but overindulging in the wrong kind of carbs can lead to health problems like diabetes and heart disease. It’s important to make sure that the carbs you eat also have protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals. Those included in the healthy carb category include quinoa, bulgur, and barley. More….

Foods That Rev Up Your Metabolism

Experts say that if you want to rev up your metabolism and burn some calories, there are certain foods you should include in your daily breakfast. Make sure your breakfast includes protein in the form of nuts, seeds, and legumes. Capsaicin, found in hot chili peppers, is known to boost metabolism, so adding a dash of hot sauce or chillies to your breakfast dish can help as well. More….

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Research has shown a link between diet and inflammation, so if you can change your diet, you may be able to reduce inflammation in your body and manage diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Eating a diet that consists of vegetables and fruits that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants may help reduce inflammation. Foods to include in your diet are soy foods, nuts and seeds like walnuts, pecans, and flaxseeds, colorful fruits and veggies like berries, carrots, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens, and spices like cinnamon and turmeric. More….

Olive Oil Aroma Boosts Satiety

In a recent study, researchers found that people who ate yogurt with olive oil reported feeling satiated and less hungry than those who ate plain yogurt or with other oils. They also found that participants who were given yogurt with olive oil aroma extracts also consumed fewer calories, suggesting that it was the aroma that lowered their intake and curbed their appetite. More….

Mindful Eating Works

Studies show that mindful eating can be a great tool for weight control and for promoting overall health. Mindful eating includes recognizing hunger and satiety cues, choosing nutritious foods, and savoring the food you eat. This kind of awareness of food and the eating process can prevent overeating and other unhealthy habits. More….

Falling Asleep is Easy with These Foods

If you want to get a good night’s sleep, you can try consuming some foods that induce sleep before bed-time. Having a banana is a great idea because the potassium and magnesium in it help your muscles relax. Studies have shown that passionfruit tea has harman alkaloids which act on your nervous system and induce sleep. More….

Mayor Bloomberg’s Campaign Against Cigarettes

Despite the ruling against his sugary drinks regulation, New York Mayor Bloomberg is now proposing legislation that would make it illegal for stores to publicly display cigarettes. He hopes that this new legislation would bring down cigarette smoking among youth and the city overall. More….

Coffee and Green Tea Can Reduce Stroke Risk

People who drank one cup of coffee and two cups of green tea a day can lower their risk of stroke by 32% compared to those who didn’t. Published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association, the study examined the drinking habits of 83,000 adults in Japan. More….

High-Fat Dairy Linked to Cancer Mortality

People who have breast cancer and go on to consume high-fat dairy products have a 49% higher risk of dying from their cancer years earlier than those who consume low-fat dairy. Researchers link this to higher estrogen levels in milk in Western countries which cause the cancer to grow. More….

Cancer and Vitamin D Levels

Studies show that women whose vitamin D levels were low were three times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer. The association of low vitamin D in the blood seems to be strongest late in the development of cancer. More research is being done on how vitamin D can prevent pre-menopausal breast cancer. More….

Weight-Loss Diets Should Be Healthy and Safe

According to experts, for a weight-loss diet to work, you need to make sure the weight-loss diet you choose is designed for your body type and weight. Other things to consider are whether it includes an occasional treat and eating out, and if it’s healthy and safe. More….

Eat These Veggies for Eye Health

Veggies that are yellow, orange, and green in color can help prevent your eyes from age-related macular degeneration. Incude carrots and sweet potatoes in your diet as they contain beta carotene which gets converted to vitamin A that improves eyesight and boosts the immune system. Also include green leafy vegetables like spinach as they contain lutein and zeaxanthin that protect the eyes from cataract. More….

Food Companies and Parents Must Work Together

First Lady Michelle Obama urged food companies to work with parents in dealing with childhood obesity by marketing healthy foods and making fruits and veggies fun and even cool. She said that with more information, responsible marketing, better labels and product placement, it is possible to make a positive impact on children’s health. More….

Category: News