All Blog Posts Tagged 'calories' (75)

Do sugary drinks affect blood pressure?

A few years ago, a large study of more than 150,000 women helped clear poor, vilified coffee of the suspicion it was contributing to hypertension.

But while that 2005 study found no connection between even many daily cups of coffee and high blood pressure, it pointed a finger at another suspect (indeed –one of the usual suspects): It found that soda intake—regular and diet alike—was associated with higher blood… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on May 31, 2010 at 6:30am — No Comments

Organic is healthier…but you can still get fat

We like to eat. We especially like indulgent foods – desserts, snacks and tasty treats.

We’d love to believe it’s okay to heap our plates with foods we perceive as “healthy".

In fact, studies have shown time and again that foods perceived as healthy or foods with a health aura drive us — if only subconsciously — to eat more. Foods with "low… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on May 10, 2010 at 6:01am — No Comments

Kids’ food: Innocent fun or a bad habit?

First Mom Michelle Obama said to food makers recently: “If there is anyone here who can sell food to our kids, it’s you. You know what gets them to drive their parents crazy in the grocery store.”

We parents are quite aware of a TV ad when we see one, but marketing efforts go way beyond direct advertising on TV and internet games. Kids are exposed to slick… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on May 3, 2010 at 5:50am — No Comments

Eight early life factors that may drive obesity

Oh, how things change.

It wasn’t that long ago when I had newborns—they’re now a tween and teens—and the unspoken competition between new moms was how well our babies gain weight, how high they plot on the percentile charts and how quickly they outgrow their clothes. Chubby was cute, and—it’s embarrassing to say—many breastfeeding moms were encouraged by medical personnel to add-on some formula if the baby wasn’t gaining weight at a remarkable pace.

I was already a… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on April 5, 2010 at 5:26am — No Comments

A healthy farewell to winter

I meant to share a recipe earlier in the winter, and here we are with the exuberance of spring unfolding, the days getting longer and the joys of fresh produce coming back to the gardens and markets. So I’d better hurry up and offer my ginger carrot and miso soup—a delicious way to transition from winter to spring—before it gets too… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on March 29, 2010 at 4:49am — No Comments

Michelle Obama to food makers: Make healthier food, now

First Lady Michelle Obama gave some tough love to the food industry last week.

In her remarks at the Grocery Manufacturers Association meeting in Washington D.C. last week Mrs. Obama was tactful, diplomatic and generous with praise… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on March 22, 2010 at 7:45am — No Comments

Want milk? Lactose intolerance shouldn’t stop you

Are most Americans lactose intolerant? Do all dairy products contain lactose? How critical is it to stick to a lactose-free diet?

Although most of us know someone who is lactose intolerant, and “lactose intolerance” frequently comes up in health-related conversations, there are many myths and misconceptions regarding this common digestive issue.… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on March 15, 2010 at 6:30am — No Comments

Misleading health claims finally under fire

Is the health claim party coming to an end?

This past week, the Food and Drug Administration released 17 letters of warning to food manufacturers whose product claims don't adhere to federal labeling rules. FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, MD, also sent an… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on March 8, 2010 at 6:30am — No Comments

Three healthy habits to fight childhood obesity

One in three American kids is overweight or obese. Many of our kids start accumulating extra weight—or develop the habits that will lead to weight gain later on—in very early childhood, setting them up for a lifelong struggle with both weight and a multitude of chronic diseases.

But many parents don’t pay much attention to obesity prevention advice; they don’t believe it’s relevant to their kids. They’re more focused on making sure their kids develop well, and… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on March 1, 2010 at 4:28am — No Comments

The recipe for a long and healthy life

Do you want to live to 100?

For most of us, a long and well-lived life sounds rather tempting. So what can we do to get as much out of life as we can, for as long as we can?

It turns out we know some important things about what influences longevity; there’s even a fun game online that will estimate how old you’ll live to be. All you have to do is answer 40 quick questions related to your health and family history and a calculator (at the end of this post) will do… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on February 22, 2010 at 6:01am — 1 Comment

”Let’s Move” to reform school food

School food received some major media attention in the past week.

Michelle Obama launched the Let’s Move anti-obesity campaign last Tuesday, with improving school food as a major program cornerstone. Congress will reauthorize the Childhood Nutrition Act this year—with some planned overhauls and budget… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on February 15, 2010 at 4:17am — 1 Comment

10 healthy cooking tips for great flavor with less salt

I devoted last week’s post to salt, and to the fact that we consume, to our detriment, two-to-three times our recommended daily upper limit of salt. The bulk of this excess intake comes unnoticed and hidden in processed and restaurant (especially fast-food… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on February 8, 2010 at 5:03am — 2 Comments

Just a pinch of salt for health

World Salt Awareness Week starts today, and it’s the perfect time to look at salt and health.

Salt runs in the veins of language. There are reminders everywhere of salt’s former glory. The word “salary” is derived from salt (Roman soldiers were paid in salt),… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on February 1, 2010 at 6:00am — 2 Comments

What do burgers and fries have to do with diabetes?

Morgan Spurlock gained 25 pounds and suffered physically and emotionally after eating exclusively at McDonald's for just one month in his excellent documentary Super Size Me.

But that’s not the reason “minimize fast food” is the rallying cry of almost all serious health and weight-loss advocates.

Spurlock’s personal experiment makes for good entertainment, but personal stories aren’t scientific proof, and… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on January 25, 2010 at 4:32am — 2 Comments

Knock the Stuffing Out of Those Extra Pounds

As much as I hate to admit it, I’m fast approaching the big 50, and losing a few pounds has become increasingly difficult. Partly because I’m a foodie that loves to cook and loves to eat, and partly because my body has decided to jump ship when it comes to burning those extra calories.

When it comes to losing weight my favorite mantra is “calories in - calories out.” These days the calories in seem to be sticking no matter how hard I work at the calories out.

So, I’ve… Continue

Added by Kristi Rimkus on January 24, 2010 at 12:36pm — No Comments

Why do we care what the Surgeon General weighs?

As soon as President Obama announced Dr. Regina Benjamin as his pick for surgeon general last July she came under fire for—can you believe it?—her weight!

Dr Benjamin’s figure has received more scrutiny and bashing from bloggers and commentators than her exemplary… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on January 18, 2010 at 6:17am — 3 Comments

Immunity boosting foods? Really?

The connection between diet and health was proposed some 24 centuries ago by Hippocrates, and I can imagine he first heard of it from his mom, who heard it from her ancestors.

Today, grandmas, moms and physicians have piles of scientific evidence supporting their observations and advice. It’s true: Diet does play an important role in health. We’re learning more… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on January 11, 2010 at 6:37am — 3 Comments

Five small changes worth trying in the coming new year

While New Year’s resolutions are made with the best of intentions, they’re usually forgotten by mid-February. If this first sentence describes your own experience I'd like to suggest to you a no-resolution plan for change this coming year.

How could that work?

New Year’s resolutions tend to be big plans—commitments to a “project” that are often unrealistic because they impose impracticable demands on our tendency to stick to old habits. Try as we might,… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on December 28, 2009 at 7:30am — No Comments

Are artificial sweeteners a healthier option?

Sweet tasting foods are rare in nature. Fruits and vegetables have some sweetness to them, but they’re also packed with lots of fiber, water, micronutrients and phytochemicals, and are nutritious and quite filling. Honey was hard to find for most of human history and even harder to harvest—it’s protected by an army of stinging warriors.

It’s only in our… Continue

Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on December 21, 2009 at 5:16am — 2 Comments

What would you change about the Nutrition Facts Panel?

Nutrition Facts labels became law in the US some 15 years ago, and the familiar panel we all know and strain our eyes over—the one that provides some key nutrition information, an ingredient list and allergen declarations—continues to evolve.