Category: Nutrition (Page 21 of 48)

Restricting Calories May Help Control Asthma

February 20, 2012 / Staff

Calorie restriction may aid in controlling asthma and other diseases, as well.

Calorie restriction has been used for over a century to treat a variety of illnesses as well as to improve overall health and extend lifespan.

There is controversy over the efficacy of such practice, however, there are those who swear by it’s benefits.

Scientists are exploring caloric restriction as a way to treat a host of conditions — including asthma, cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes and spinal cord injury — and so far, findings suggest a benefit. In addition, caloric restriction may have a role in preventing Alzheimer’s disease and cancer, said Mark Mattson, a neuroscientist at the National Institute on Aging in Baltimore.

Nutrition, Research, Wellness

asthma asthma treatments calorie restriction cancer treatment diet to treat illness

Sugar Overdose? Block the Effects With 7 Tricks

February 17, 2012 / Staff

Fatty snacks and a glass of wine with your dinner are just two of the ways that you can block the absorption of sugar into your system.

You can blunt the blood sugar-raising effects by taking advantage of natural substances in foods that slow carbohydrate digestion and entry into the bloodstream. No matter what kind of sugar blocker you use, your waistline (and health) will win in the end.

Read on for more tips.

Nutrition, Quality Control, Wellness

diet glucose High fructose corn syrup Sugar

Mediterranean Diet May Help Protect The Brain As Well As The Heart

February 16, 2012 / Staff

The Mediterranean diet is not only good for your heart but for your brain, as well, study shows.

All those beautiful fresh, colorful foods might be able to help to boost brain health.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil, nuts and fish are the staples of the diet credited with improving health and wellness.

Dr. Wright cautioned that the study doesn’t prove that a Mediterranean-style diet causes less brain damage and said more study is needed. But he said it indicates that the diet might be protective of small blood vessels in the brain.

Nutrition, Quality Control, Research, Wellness

benefits of Mediterranean diet fish Mediterranean diet olive oil

Should Everyone Avoid Gluten?

February 13, 2012 / Staff

Is gluten just the gimmick of the moment?

It seems like everyone is gluten intolerant, gluten sensitive or suffering from celiac disease these days.

But just who is really suffering from gluten?

The American Gastroenterological Association says that much more needs to be known about gluten sensitivity before official guidelines can be devised—including how many people suffer from it and to what degree.
About 1% of people in the U.S. have celiac disease, a fourfold increase over the past 50 years. Some gastroenterologists say that for every patient with celiac disease, they see six to eight who have the same symptoms, but without the tell-tale antibodies or intestinal damage needed to confirm celiac.
Evidence is mounting that gluten sensitivity does exist. Dr. Fasano and colleagues last year compared blood samples and intestinal biopsies from people with suspected gluten sensitivity to those with confirmed celiac disease and healthy controls, and found distinct differences in each.

Nutrition, Research, Wellness

celiac disease food allergies gastro-intestinal illness gluten gluten intolerance gluten-free

“Portion Distortion”

February 9, 2012 / Staff

Does offering smaller portions in restaurants help people to eat less?

Well, there is a recent study which suggests that this could be the case, indeed.

It turns out that people are willing to downsize but you have to ask them to do it.

When offered a smaller portion and being told that they would be cutting out 200 calories by doing so, a third of diners out of several hundred in the survey took the smaller portion.

Calorie labeling isn’t enough. And portion size needs to be determined before the order is filled to be effective.

It’s a part of our automated response mechanism.

Still, Schwartz says many people think restaurant portions are too big. And the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest dietary guidelines recommend smaller portions of grains like rice and noodles than what was served at the Chinese restaurant in the study. For example, the USDA recommends that a man (like me) between 19 and 30 years old eat no more than 8 ounces of grains a day. The full serving size of rice or noodles at the Chinese food restaurant was 10 ounces — and that’s just the side for lunch.