Author: Staff (Page 75 of 157)

      Deconstructing the Twinkie

      January 23, 2012 /

      The surprising ingredients in a Twinkie are revealed in Steve Ettlinger’s book, “Twinkie, Deconstructed”.

      Hostess, the maker of Ho-Hos, Wonder Bread and Twinkie, has filed for bankruptcy protection recently which has stirred up some nostalgic pangs for the tasty snacks.

      These wonders of chemistry seem to resist spoiling and decay and by the list of ingredients can only loosely be categorized as food.

      Processed food ingredients are made in large parts from the most common industrial chemicals, like phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid and ethylene, which comes from natural gas. That, for me, is sobering. I’m not saying,, “Oh, shocker, we rely on petroleum for our food.” Petroleum is needed to transport locally produced organic food too. Petroleum is used for transportation, for pesticides and herbicides, for processing.

      Quality Control, Research

      Insurers Don’t Like the Big Business of Sleep Apnea

      January 22, 2012 /

      Sleep apnea is proving to be a drain on insurance companies.

      Snoring was once considered an annoyance, however, research has shown that complications can increase the risk of several serious illnesses, including heart disease, stroke and dementia.

      Testing can be a lucrative business, and labs have popped up in free-standing clinics and hospitals across the country. Over the past decade, the number of accredited sleep labs that test for the disorder has quadrupled, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

      At the same time, insurer spending on the procedure has skyrocketed. Medicare payments for sleep testing increased from $62 million in 2001 to $235 million in 2009, according to the Office of the Inspector General.

      Although the initial cost may be a burden on insurers the hope lies in the prevention of more serious and costly ailments in the future.

      Health Insurance, Medicare, Research, Resources, Wellness

      Alzheimer’s Treatment By 2025

      January 21, 2012 /

      Finding an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s has become a priority for the U.S. government.

      Regardless, an estimated 5.4 million Americans already have Alzheimer’s or similar dementias — and how to help their families cope with day-to-day care is a priority, the advisory committee made clear Tuesday.

      The disease is growing steadily as the population ages: By 2050, 13 million to 16 million Americans are projected to have Alzheimer’s, costing $1 trillion in medical and nursing home expenditures. That doesn’t count the billions of dollars in unpaid care provided by relatives and friends.


      Among the goals being debated for the national plan:

      —Begin a national public awareness campaign of dementia’s early warning signs, to improve timely diagnosis.

      —Give primary care doctors the tools to assess signs of dementia as part of Medicare’s annual check-up.

      —Have caregivers’ health, physical and mental, regularly checked.

      —Improve care-planning and training for families so they know what resources are available for their loved one and themselves.

      Health Care Policy, Research, Resources, Wellness

      Paula Deen Has Diabetes

      January 21, 2012 /

      Paula Deen announces she has diabetes and has no plans to change her cooking.

      Deen, who is famous for her use of copious amounts of fat, butter and sugar, encourages moderation in her defense.

      Deen has also signed on as a paid spokesperson for Novo Nordisk proving that she is more interested in being part of the problem than a part of the solution to the diabetes epidemic.

      While Deen’s recipes — which promote prodigious amounts of butter and fried foods — may not specifically cause diabetes, eating that kind of high fat and high sugar food regularly can make it very difficult to maintain a healthy weight.

      And for people who did inherit a susceptibility, lifestyle can make a difference. That means they may stave off diabetes by maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly.

      Nutrition, Quality Control, Resources, Wellness

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