News And Updates: October 2016

Monday 31 October 2016

Arsenic, rice and your baby’s diet

(CNN)Ask any mom or dad to name their baby’s first food. The likely answer? Rice cereal. What’s a common go-to “healthy” snack for toddlers and kiddos? Rice cakes.

Yet a growing amount of scientific evidence is pointing to an alarming connection between inorganic arsenic in brown and white rice and harm to children’s immune systems and intellectual development.

FDA

“Best first foods for infants are avocado, pureed veggies, peanut-butter oatmeal and salmon,” Altmann said. “They all provide important nutrients that babies need, help develop their taste buds to prefer healthy food and may decrease food allergies.”

She believes meats are a better source of iron and zinc for babies than rice cereal, “so I haven’t been recommending rice cereal as a first food for several years.”

And if parents insist on rice cereal, Altmann said, “I always recommend brown rice over white rice. I personally prefer whole-grain oatmeal mixed with peanut butter to decrease risk of peanut allergies later in life, and quinoa cereal mixed with vegetables.”

What about snack foods?

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“There’s no reason that snack food has to be packaged and processed,” Altmann said. “I recommend parents offer real, single-ingredient foods as much as possible for both meals and snacks.”

Altmann recommends “berries, steamed or cooked veggies, peanut puffs, Greek yogurt, string cheese, a thin layer of nut butter on whole-grain bread, hard-boiled or scrambled egg, whole-grain O-shaped cereal and pieces of lean chicken (or whatever is left over from lunch or dinner).”

Mediterranean diet linked to lower risk of heart attack, stroke

(CNN)The list of Mediterranean diet benefits is getting even longer. A new study found that a diet high in fruits, vegetables, fish and unrefined foods is linked to a lower risk of heart attack and stroke in people who have heart disease.

The latest research builds on previous evidence that your health might benefit if you follow the Mediterranean diet. It can help your bones, keep your brain young, help you live longer, manage your weight better (PDF) and lower your risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

The current study examined more than 15,000 people in 39 countries around the world, all with stable heart disease and an average age of 67. Researchers asked about their diet, including how many times a week they consumed servings from food groups such as meat, fish, dairy, whole grains or refined grains, vegetables, fruit, desserts, sweets, sugary drinks, deep-fried foods and alcohol. Participants were given a “Mediterranean diet score,” based on consumption of healthy foods, or a “Western diet score,” based on consumption of unhealthy foods.

Mediterranean

Drayer said the Mediterranean diet is consistent with the new U.S. Dietary Guidelines and other diets, such as Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, which have proved to be protective in terms of disease prevention. She recommends including foods from the Mediterranean diet, such as salmon, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and even a glass of wine, to keep our hearts healthy.

“The diet has proven itself, and it behooves every one of us to eat more fish on a regular basis, to have half of our plate filled with produce and to enjoy the occasional glass of wine,” she said. “And the more consistent you are with this type of diet, the more impact it has on your health.”

Study isn’t a ‘green light’ for unhealthy foods

The researchers also found that consuming a Western diet did not increase the risk of cardiovascular events. Stewart said this is surprising because such a diet includes foods known to increase the risk of obesity.

Although the study didn’t find an association with the Western diet, Drayer said it’s still important to limit processed and fried foods, since they’ve been shown to increase weight gain, cholesterol and heart disease risk.

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The study does have some limitations, as it relied on people’s memories of what they ate, and the questionnaire didn’t define a serving size. The study was also part of a drug trial, but the findings of this study were not related to the drug.

Stewart and Drayer both caution that these new findings don’t mean people can consume unhealthy foods without restrictions.

“This study should not give people the green light to go ahead and eat large portions of sugary foods and beverages and deep-fried foods,” Drayer said. “But this study shows that it’s never too late to make changes in your diet, and it can be particularly beneficial to include healthy foods.”

The Mountain’s Diet Is More Shocking Than Anything On ‘Game Of Thrones’

Did Walt Whitman Really Promote A ‘Paleo’ Diet? Not Quite.

Whole-wheat bread and other ‘healthy’ foods diet experts avoid

(CNN)We know nutrition pros load up on wild salmon, ancient grains, and kale, but what virtuous-seeming fare will you never find on their plates? Here are the health-halo items they leave right on the shelves.

No-Sugar-Added Ice Cream

“I never buy no-sugar-added or light ice creams. The no-sugar-added types may have up to 18 additional ingredients, including artificial sweeteners that can even produce a laxative effect! Go for the real thing — not only will you be more satisfied with less, you’ll be doing your health and digestive system a favor.” — Maggie Michalczyk, RD, a nutritionist in New York City

Puffed Veggie Chips

'Good

“They can contain highly processed oils or partially hydrogenated oils, added sugar, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and artificial colors. Choose one with ingredients you can pronounce like olive oil, sea salt, lemon, apple cider vinegar, herbs, spices. My go-to homemade dressing is: 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 fresh lemon juiced, 1 tablespoon of real maple syrup, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, a pinch of salt and pepper. ” — Megan Roosevelt, RD, founder and host of The Healthy Grocery Girl Cooking Show on YouTube

Whole-wheat bread

“This is one of the ultimate cons and deceivers. The glycemic index of wheat bread is 69. This load causes extreme blood sugar elevations, which results in high insulin response, and ultimately in inflammation and fat accumulation.” — Mark Sherwood, NO, and Michele Sherwood, DO, founders of the Functional Medical Institute in Tulsa and authors of The Quest for Wellness

Cold-Pressed Juices

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“While these juices often contain a great deal of fruits and/or vegetables, the amount of sugar is extremely high. Also, the juicing process destroys much of the beneficial fiber in the produce. Lastly, your body can only absorb so many vitamins and minerals at one time. So a great deal of the nutrients are not absorbed.” — Natalie Rizzo, RD, a nutritionist in New York City

RELATED: 20 Best Foods for Fiber

This article originally appeared on Health.com.

Could you survive on Mariah Carey’s wedding diet? | Fox News

Singer Mariah Carey arrives at the Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party in West Hollywood, California February 28, 2016. REUTERS/Gus Ruelas – RTS8GKU (REUTERS/Gus Ruelas)

We dont blame you if you thought that Mariah Careys wedding diet would be something absurd like a fad or crash diet. Its safe to assume that Carey will be saying, Touch my body, to fiancé James Packer, but her wedding day bod wont be one that was created with crazy calorie restrictions, a juice cleanse, or anything else that sounds unpleasant.

Click here for 10 Ridiculous Fad Diets and Why They Bit the Dust.

Lets see how many Mariah Carey song puns we can work into this next sentence: In order to make it happen, Carey will be eating a dietersfantasy, holding in heremotions until one sweet daywhen she can eat happily with her dreamlover, Packer. Was that good? Did it make sense? Doesnt matter. What does matter is that Carey is still enjoying cheese while on her wedding diet.

Thats right, in addition to sushi, Chilean sea bass, and chicken salad with light mayo or mustard, Brie with low-fat crackers has made it into this brides wedding day preparatory repertoire. Shes also consuming plenty of high-quality proteins like chicken, beef, and shrimp, along with greens and asparagus. Each morning, Carey enjoys some type of smoothie or protein shake. This sounds #beautiful, but were dying to know: If this is your wedding diet, how do you normally eat, Mariah?

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Diet Drinks During Pregnancy May Be Worse Than Regular Soda

By Kathryn Doyle

(Reuters Health) – – Women who drank artificially sweetened beverages like diet soda every day while pregnant were more likely a year later to have infants with a higher body mass index (BMI), according to a new study.

The researchers did not find a link between sugary beverages during pregnancy and babies’ BMI, which is a measure of weight in relation to height.

They did see an association with the total amount of sugar a pregnant woman consumes every day, “but no extra effect of sugary beverages,” said lead author Meghan B. Azad of Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada.

“There’s growing evidence in adults that artificial sweeteners may have counterintuitive relations with weight gain,” Azad told Reuters Health by phone.

The researchers studied more than 3,000 mother and infant pairs from a long-term Canadian study, which recruited pregnant women between 2009 and 2012. The women completed dietary questionnaires in the second or third trimester of pregnancy.

Almost 30 percent of women said they consumed some artificially sweetened beverages during pregnancy, and five percent said they did so at least once a day. More than 20 percent said they drank at least one sugar-sweetened beverage per day.

The babies’ height and weight were measured when they were a year old. About 5 percent of the infants were overweight for their age.

After accounting for the mothers’ weight, diet quality and calorie intake, infants whose mothers drank artificial sweeteners on a daily basis during pregnancy were twice as likely to be overweight as those whose mothers did not drink any artificial sweeteners, the research team reported in JAMA Pediatrics.

Artificial sweeteners can pass from mother to child via breast milk, Azad said.

“Women consuming (the) most artificial sweeteners were most likely to be obese or have diabetes, so we had to correct for that,” but the association remained, Azad said.

Although this study only included diet soda and sweeteners in tea or coffee, these sweeteners can also be found in energy drinks, juices and teas, said Mark A. Pereira of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, who coauthored an editorial alongside the new study.

“Five artificial sweeteners have been deemed safe for human consumption by the U.S. (Food and Drug Administration) on the basis of the available evidence from animal and human studies, including acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, and neotame,” Pereira told Reuters Health by email. “Stevia (rebaudioside A or rebiana) is extracted from the Stevia plant, so it is not an artificial sweetener.”

But even though they are FDA-approved, women should avoid these sweeteners during pregnancy, he said.

This study doesn’t prove causation yet, only that there is some link between these beverages and infant BMI, Azad said.

“It’s not time to ban them or tell everyone not to consume them, but it does raise a question,” she said.

Many pregnant women already try to avoid artificial sweeteners, she said.

Infant BMI may not be the best measure of current and future health, although BMI is tied to health outcomes like diabetes, Azad said. The infants in this study have now turned three years old and will be reassessed at age five to see if the pattern persisted.

“I would have expected sugar-sweetened beverages to also be linked to BMI as that is typically found in studies of children and adults,” Pereira said. “And, I am suspicious about whether artificially sweetened beverages really impact obesity risk in a causal way.”

People who consume a lot of artificially sweetened beverages tend to be overweight or obese to start with, which may have an effect, he said.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1Zxzf2S JAMA Pediatrics, online May 9, 2016.

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How healthy is your diet?

(CNN)

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6 things to consider before starting a wedding diet | Fox News

Of course every bride wants to look beautiful in her wedding dress. Its the one day in her life where she gets to dress up and be treated like a princess. A camera will be pointed at her for the entirety of the wedding ceremony and wedding reception, and these photos are ones shell cherish forever and ever, so obviously she wants to look perfect in them all.

Most brides put themselves through a pre-wedding diet to various degrees of intensity to get ready for their fairytale day. A healthy wedding diet that will leave her looking fit, well, and happy on the big day is what every bride dreams of. No bride, however, dreams of putting on her wedding dress and looking ill, stressed, and exhausted, because her diet was far too extreme.

Before starting a wedding diet, there are six things you need to consider, to be sure that this part of your wedding preparation goes without any hitches:

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Allow Yourself Enough Time

If you want to lose weight before your wedding, dont leave it until two weeks before. Depending on how much weight you want to lose, allow yourself at least one or two months to reach your target. This will allow you to lose weight healthily and safely, enabling you to gain muscle, and lose the fat. Last minute crash diets will stress you and your body out, and will probably leave you ill, panicky, and depleted of energy, making you look like a very unhealthy bride.

Buy a Dress That Fits

Youve probably found the perfect dress a little while before your wedding. As soon as the engagement ring is on your finger, its hard to resist starting the hunt for a dress of your dreams. But make sure you dont buy that dress of your dreams in two sizes smaller than actually fits you. You may well lose weight before the wedding, but buying a dress that looks like it has been made to fit a Barbie doll is not worth the endless stress youll put yourself under as you have repetitive nightmares about not being able to button it up on your wedding day. Anyway, the tailor will find it much easier to reduce the size of your dress by a size the week before the wedding if necessary, than to increase it two sizes the day of.

Dont Be Too Strict on Yourself

If your wedding is in May, and as soon as Christmas is over you tell yourself that youre going to start your wedding diet now by giving up all sugar until you eat a slice of your wedding cake, youre setting yourself up for failure. Setting unrealistically strict rules such as absolutely no chocolate, will only make you crave what you have given up even more. Rather than giving yourself rigid rules, allow yourself some flexibility; make sure you treat yourself to your biggest, unhealthiest weakness every now and again, and the whole dieting process will be much easier, and much more successful.

Prioritize Exercising and Healthy Eating

The months leading up to your wedding are likely to be some the busiest of your life. Youre essentially doing two full-time jobs: your regular one, and that of a wedding planner. Its easy in this hectic period to convince yourself that you simply dont have time to worry about what youre eating, or youre exercise regime. Unsurprisingly, not prioritizing healthy eating and regular exercise means your wedding diet is not going to work. Put these two things at the top of your daily to-do lists, make a habit of them, and we promise the planning and your actual job wont suffer as a result.

Set Your Targets

Before you start your diet, its important to set yourself some clear targets. And these targets have to be realistic ones. Once youve decided what they are and what your sensible timeline is, its time to get started. But you also need to remember to stop when you reach the target. Dont be tempted to carry on: Yes you should continue to exercise and eat healthily, but stop shedding all those pounds. Enough is enough.

Skip the Diet Pills

Diet pills may sound like the perfect easy solution to a beautiful wedding day body, but dont be tempted. Most diet pills contain a lot of caffeine, which will make you feel on-edge and nervous, as well as stopping you from getting a good nights sleep. An exhausted, edgy bride-to-be is not what any pre-wedding diet should cause.

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Why Reaching For Diet Snacks Can Seriously Backfire

You may already know that so-called “diet foods” can sometimes be worse for you than the full-fat varieties they’re supposed to replace. But in addition to their nutritional qualities, new research suggests that the way we eat “light” snacks may be making them even worse for our health.

According to a study to be published later this year by the International Journal of Research in Marketing, people who eat “light” snacks and drinks such as baked potato chips or diet soda are likely to eat 13 percent more calories than people eating full fat snacks. That’s because it’s easier to justify overindulging when a food is labeled as healthier, according to the study’s lead author, Joost Pennings, a finance and marketing professor at Maastricht University in the Netherlands.

Pennings told The Huffington Post that while the snacks themselves can be effective, it’s a matter of how we react to the label.

“‘Light’ products may help, but behavioral responses to the light claim may wash out the positive effect,” he said. “Understanding the psychological effect of the claim that a product is ‘light’ need further investigation to ensure that ‘light’ results in a lower calorie intake by consumers.”

This so-called “health halo” effect is nothing new. A study from Sept. 2015 found that if you drink diet soda, you’re more likely to indulge in other junk foods like cookies and candy. Ruopeng An, that study’s author, suggested that perhaps people “feel less guilty about consuming more calories after drinking a diet beverage, and therefore they feel justified in eating muffins or chips.”

So what should people who are trying to watch their weight reach for instead? Perhaps one of these 13 healthy snacks might do the trick.

Check out the video below:

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‘Lethal’ DNP diet pills still on sale despite crackdown, BBC finds – BBC News

How I quit Diet Coke, my favorite vice | Mary Valle

It doesnt taste good, but Diet Coke gave me an identity and an excuse to take a break. So why have I decided to finally pull the plug on the habit?

When I recently learned that intestines have feelings, too, I began wondering what their days must be like, and listening more carefully to their cries. Sometimes they are quite obvious a bloat that says, please dont eat oatmeal or a clench that says thats not a good idea.

Then I felt like drinking a Diet Coke. I drink a fair amount it, at least one 20-ounce bottle a day, if not two. But then a thought infiltrated into my brain from its snaky neighbor to the south.

Quit it with the Diet Coke, it said. You know what Im talking about.

I did know. Ive contemplated quitting Diet Coke before, but Ive come up with all manner of excuses every time. Its my only vice, I whine. Its too hard. I cant deal with that right now.

But I thought about all the reasons why I would like to quit Diet Coke. I dont want empty cans and bottles around me that I have to deal with it makes me feel like a wino. It must be killing my teeth. Some say Diet Coke causes all kinds of brain problems and joint issues and maybe even cancer.

Then I asked myself, what are the benefits of this regimen of consuming regular amounts of expensive, tainted water? Little breaks it becomes associated with a sense of relief. A banal identity marker. Youre a Diet Coker? Me too! Companionship that little joy you feel because Diet Coke is always there for you.

Why doesnt eating baby carrots or having a plain glass of water trigger the same sensations? I also drink a lot of tea, and that doesnt do it either.

I think its because Diet Coke has a dark side. Despite the beverages marketed image of fun and sexy, Diet Coke really isnt.

It doesnt actually taste good. It can make you burp. Is it cute to be drinking sodas all day long? Not really. Its that little crackle of I like sabotaging myself with bad decisions that keeps em coming back. Maybe this time it will taste good. Maybe it actually will be refreshing.

Diet Coke promises a lot, but delivers little. A diet drink is supposed to be a guilt-free sweet treat. No calories all joy! But Diet Coke can make its drinkers feel guilty, knowing that maybe something isnt quite right in their body as it slides down into their depths. It is in that curious category of non-food items at best, tooth-rotting and fattening; at worst? Who knows? Coke took something decent (water), mucked it up, called it the real thing and exported it all over the globe. I have a friend who calls Coke the black water of imperialism.

Why are we all so thirsty, anyway? People used to have two cups of coffee and a scotch as their daily hydration. They were fine. I sometimes think that weve turned into big babies (myself included) who need our ba-bas, as we lug around bottles of water and diet sodas.

Nonetheless, something had to replace my beloved Diet Cokes. I couldnt just ditch my ba-ba cold turkey. So I cranked up my seltzer machine and laid in some Key limes. I am not lying when I say that this watery treat is about a million times better than Diet Coke.

Im going to save a lot of money, anyway. Diet Coke retails for about 2.5 cents per ounce. My tap water costs about 2 cents per gallon.

How terrific do I feel since quitting? Physically, about the same. Mentally, I feel more peaceful without that nagging feeling of maybe I should stop and get a Diet Coke. I dont have the insane sugar cravings I thought were part of my personality just the regular ones. I am walking taller since I have taken back a piece of something I didnt realize I had lost: my self-respect.

Sure, a lot of Diet Cokers will roll their eyes at suggestions that its an unhealthy beverage. Some will make uncomfortable jokes. Others will admit sadly that they, too, have tried to leave, but Diet Coke wont let them.

But they arent really talking about Diet Coke. The craving is real, yes. But its bigger than that continuing to do things that you dont want to do, but you feel you must do, but you dont really have to do, is a real sparkle-killer.

And, also, Diet Coke is awful.

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