Category: Wellness (Page 6 of 116)

Energy Drink Claims Scrutinized By New York Law Makers

August 29, 2012 / Staff

Beverages just can’t seem to catch a break in New York lately.

Now the claims of energy drinks are being examined by New York law makers to protect the public from caffeine toxicity.

Teens are admitted to emergency rooms for caffeine toxicity in record numbers and better labeling and awareness could help

The amount of caffeine in beverages can range from about 80 milligrams to more than 500 milligrams, and the health risks of too much caffeine consumption include cardiovascular problems. Health officials are also concerned about the common practice among young consumers of mixing energy drinks and alcohol, since the stimulation from the caffeinated energy drinks can mask intoxication.

Excessive sugar, caffeine and herbal stimulants contribute to addiction and abuse of beverages.

Quality Control, Wellness

caffeine caffeine toxicity energy drink claims energy drinks

Strategies To Fight Weight Gain After Menopause

August 28, 2012 / Staff

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It’s not your imagination.

Weight gain after menopause is real and sometimes diet and exercise alone simply does not work anymore.

As expected, more of the women who got specific diet and nutrition counseling lost weight. But Gibbs and colleagues wanted to know what worked for any of the women who managed to lose weight, regardless of which group they were in.
Early on, some of the more obvious diet strategies worked — eating less fried food, staying away from restaurants, avoiding sweets and eating more fish. But these approaches didn’t work for the women in the long term, Gibbs reported in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
“What we found at four years is that the women who changed their eating behaviors to eat more fruits and vegetables, who ate less desserts, less sugar-sweetened beverages and less meats and cheeses were more likely to have greater weight loss or less weight gain long term,” says Gibbs, an assistant professor in the Department of Health and Physical Activity.

Building lost muscle with weight training and avoiding sugar are probably the two biggest ways to jump start weight loss.

Regular exercise and a healthy eating along with good sleep habits contribute to well balanced hormones.

There is no quick fix. Real lifestyle changes are key.

Nutrition, Research, Wellness

hormone replacement therapy HRT Menopause post-menopausal weight gain weight gain after menopause women's health

Healthy Snacking Is Possible

August 28, 2012 / Staff

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Snacking can be a necessary part of your daily routine.

When you’re not hungry enough for a meal but need to keep up your energy until the next meal a little nibble can be crucial.

Snacking rules have changed.

Empty calories and sweet treats are no longer the standard fare to quiet stomach grumblings at 3:30 in the afternoon; prime snack time.

Indulge in snacks when you are truly hungry and not out of a habit.

But do be prepared so that you don’t fill up on empty calories and junk food.

Keep healthy nutritious foods in reach but eat only when you’re hungry and can’t make it until the next meal.

This strategy will also help to prevent you from gorging yourself when you finally do sit down to a meal.

When to snack: Just because you always grab a granola bar and coffee at 10 a.m. doesn’t mean you should. Don’t snack because it’s part of your daily routine; do it when you’re a little bit hungry.
What to snack on: Keep these general guidelines in mind when choosing a snack: 150 to 250 calories, about 3 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein, and no more than 12 grams of fat. “Protein and fiber help you feel full and satisfied,” says Crandall. “So you shouldn’t feel the need to grab another snack soon after, and you’ll be less likely to overeat at your next meal.” Realistically, hitting all these markers with every snack is near impossible. So aim for overall balance. If one snack is short on protein, for instance, make sure your next one has a little extra. Find 19 healthy snack ideas.
How to snack: One word: mindfully. Treat each snack as a mini meal by taking one serving and, if possible, putting it on a plate, says Marissa Lippert, a registered dietitian in New York City and the founder of Nourish, a nutrition-counseling company. She recommends keeping a salad plate in your desk drawer at work. Why? We tend to associate a clean plate with satisfaction and a feeling of fullness (something an empty 100-calorie–pack wrapper may not supply).

Nutrition, Quality Control, Wellness

diet healthy eating healthy snacking healthy snacks snacking

Smoking Patterns Around The World Alarm Researchers

August 25, 2012 / Staff

Women and young people in developing countries are smoking in increasingly alarming numbers.

According to a study in the Lancet Journal, after years of anti-smoking measures have been encouraged across the world, there exists an alarming rate of tobacco use in developing countries.

Tobacco is likely to kill half of its users as there are low quit rates.

Women and young people are among the most addicted.

“Although 1.1 billion people have been covered by the adoption of the most effective tobacco-control policies since 2008, 83 percent of the world’s population are not covered by two or more of these policies,” Gary Giovino of the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions in New York, who led the research, told Reuters.
Such measures include legislation in some developed nations banning smoking in public places, imposing advertising bans and requiring more graphic health warnings on cigarette packets.

Quality Control, Research, Wellness

smoking addiction third world countries Tobacco women smoking women's health world smoking statistics