Food & Fitness Advisor articles from February 2007

Food & Fitness Advisor archives from February 2007

Body weight and body chemistry: obesity is not just lack of willpower or exercise, but body chemistry gone awry--but you can outsmart the system.
February 1, 2007... Ever had the munchies even after you just ate? That urge to snack may be due to an overactive chemical "feedback" system that regulates appetite, food intake, fat metabolism, and body weight. The chemical culprit is called the endocannabinoid...

Some probiotic supplements lack beneficial bacteria.(ConsumerLab.com)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... If you buy probiotic supplements, you may not be getting what you pay for. Recent tests by ConsumerLab.com found that 44 percent of probiotic supplements actually contained too few viable organisms to be effective. In the right amount, live...

More evidence that folic acid does not protect the heart.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... A meta-analysis of clinical trials finds that folic acid supplementation does not decrease the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke in people with a history of vascular disease. The review, conducted by the Tulane University School of...

Higher physical activity, lower risk of breast cancer.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Women who have higher levels of physical activity may have a reduced risk of breast cancer after menopause, especially more aggressive tumors. Researchers analyzed data from the Iowa Women's Health Study, conducted among 36,363 women who were...

Onions and garlic reduce cancer risks.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Seasoning your food with lots of onions and garlic might reduce your risk of colon, ovarian, kidney, and throat cancer. Italian researchers analyzed eight recent studies and found older adults with the highest intakes of onion and garlic had...

Tap into safer water: how to make sure your tap water is safe to drink.
February 1, 2007... Every day more than 298 million Americans turn on their taps for water to drink, cook with, and bathe in. New research shows something as simple as using an inexpensive carbon filter pitcher can help make your water safer. The vast...

Log onto fitness: exercises from the Internet can help you get in shape and often for free, but pick Web sites wisely.
February 1, 2007... Internet fitness is a growing trend, with personal trainers, fitness companies, and other commercial organizations offering a variety of exercise programs online. Some of the best Internet workouts for women over 50 are offered for free on...

How to pick 100-calorie packs: beware: some snacks and cookies may have more calories than a bigger serving of a low-fat product.(THE SUPERMARKET SLEUTH)
February 1, 2007... A quick scan of the snack section of your local supermarket finds that 100 is today's magic number. Both consumers and food manufacturers have gotten the message about America's obesity epidemic, and 100- calorie packs are growing in...

Mastering food label lingo.(www.cfsan.fda.gov/labelman)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... If you find yourself confused by food labels and serving sizes, you can log onto a new Web site launched by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for some tools to help you make smarter food choices. The FDA Center for Food Safety...

Stop mindless munching, get trim: supersized servings have made our eyes bigger than our stomachs--but you can retrain your eyes.(HEALTHFUL EATING)
February 1, 2007... It's dinner time: Do you know just how much you're actually eating? When it comes to judging a "serving" of food, it's easy to be confused. Although most people say they use food labels to help decide what to buy in the grocery store, recent...

The posture/pain connection: a new way to think about posture not only helps you stand taller, it can even help ease neck and back pain.
February 1, 2007... Our mothers may have admonished us to sit and stand up straight when we were kids, but sitting ramrod straight may not be a good thing. You need to sit upright but preserve the natural curve of the lower back (lordosis). Experts also say...

3 moves to improve posture.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... 1. Basic bridge Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms at your side. Tilt your pelvis up toward your ribs; tighten your buttocks, and lift your hips off the floor, while holding the pelvic tilt. Lift only as high as...

Yogurt is good for your heart: fruit-enriched and soy yogurts may help you control high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
February 1, 2007... Yogurts enriched with fruit--especially blueberries--and those made from soy contain natural compounds that may dampen the activity of enzymes that play a role in high blood pressure and in type 2 diabetes, according to scientists from the...

Ask Dr. Etingin.
February 1, 2007... In your article on sweeteners in the December 2006 Food & Fitness Advisor, you did not mention high fructose corn syrup. Is it an artificial sweetener? Isn't sugar more natural and healthful? High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is manufactured...

Decaf still contains caffeine.(decaffeinated coffee)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... If you've been drinking decaffeinated coffee hoping to avoid the side effects of caffeine and sleep better at night, you may be surprised by a new study from the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville. The study found that...