Working With Pesticides Harms Fertility in Women

January 27th, 2011 - Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese

pesticides-sign

Women exposed to pesticides and plasticizers are more likely to have fertility problems and lower birth-weight babies, says a new study.

Plasticizers (or phthalates) are chemical additives used to increase plasticity and softness of materials like plastic, clay, cement, and concrete. Bisphenol A – notoriously known as BPA – is found in some plasticizers.

Read More:Working With Pesticides Harms Fertility in Women

Toxin Kills Bees and Poisons Food

January 6th, 2011 - Jill Ettinger

toxic pesticides are killing bees and poisoning crops

In a recently leaked EPA document, the pesticide, Clothianidin, was revealed to be extremely toxic to honeybees causing their drastic and potentially irreversible decline in recent years.

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Can Regulations Help Fight Obesity?

November 3rd, 2010 - Barbara Feiner

Soda

The Pyramid CookbookNew York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposal to ban the use of food stamps for soda purchases is still under U.S. Department of Agriculture review.

Some critics, however, believe regulations are no substitute for education.

“In search for yet another ‘quick fix’ to obesity, legislators and politicians nationwide have been trying to regulate what we eat and drink, and this latest proposal is no different,” says Pat Baird, author of The Pyramid Cookbook: Pleasures of the Food Guide Pyramid (right). “As a registered dietitian who advises clients on a daily basis, I know that telling people they can’t have something does not teach them how to make healthier choices. Education is key to cracking obesity. People need information to help them make healthy lifestyle changes.”

Read More:Can Regulations Help Fight Obesity?

U.S. Diabetes Cases Expected to Double or Triple by 2050

October 27th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner

Testing glucose levels

Diabetes bookAs many as 1 in 3 U.S. adults could have diabetes by 2050 if current trends continue, according to a new analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

One in 10 U.S. adults currently has diabetes. The prevalence is expected to rise sharply over the next 40 years because:

  1. An aging population is more likely to develop the disease.
  2. Ethnic populations at high risk for type 2 diabetes are expected to grow.
  3. Better treatment allows diabetics to live longer.
Read More:U.S. Diabetes Cases Expected to Double or Triple by 2050

Front of Food Packages Should Highlight Calories, Fats, Sodium Levels

October 21st, 2010 - Barbara Feiner

Processed Foods

Nutrition Facts sampleNutrition labels and symbols would best benefit shoppers if they appeared on the front of food packages and focused on calories, saturated fat, trans fat and sodium—the top four overconsumed nutrients, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM).

The not-so-fab four are strongly associated with many of America’s health woes, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.

The IOM recognizes that packages have limited space, so its expert committee believes information on cholesterol, fiber, added sugars, vitamins and other nutrients that are listed on Nutrition Facts panels (right) can remain on the back.

Read More:Front of Food Packages Should Highlight Calories, Fats, Sodium Levels

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg: Hero or Hypocrite?

October 13th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner

Pepsi Sign in New York City

Michael BloombergAs I reported Friday, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (right) wants to prevent food-stamp recipients in the Big Apple from using them to buy soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages.

New York Times reporter Anemona Hartocollis has since put Bloomberg in an awkward position by revealing that his company, Bloomberg, L.P., offers free Coke, Pepsi, Fanta orange soda, ginger ale and Mountain Dew to its employees.

Critics are debating whether Bloomberg’s food-stamp proposal makes him a hypocrite or hero. In the meantime, New York City obesity stats remain alarming:

Read More:NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg: Hero or Hypocrite?

NYC Mayor Seeks to Ban Use of Food Stamps for Soda Purchases

October 8th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner

Paterson and Bloomberg

SodaAs the New York Times reported on Wednesday, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to bar residents who receive food stamps from using them to purchase soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages.

His goal: to help combat the obesity epidemic—a move supported by the state and city health commissioners.

Read More:NYC Mayor Seeks to Ban Use of Food Stamps for Soda Purchases

Kids Consume 40% of Calories from Solid Fat, Sugar

October 6th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner

Sugar-sweetened beverages

Anyone wondering why more than 23 million U.S. children and adolescents are overweight or obese can find the answer in a study published this month in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Researchers from the National Cancer Institute can sum it up in two words: empty calories.

Here are the basic findings:

Read More:Kids Consume 40% of Calories from Solid Fat, Sugar

Researchers Prove Fast Food/Obesity Connection

September 26th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner

Fast food breakfast

Fast-food chains love to argue that their menus don’t make us fat, but a Journal of Nutrition study reveals high consumption over a long period leads to weight gain, as well as increased cardiovascular and diabetes risks.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina studied 3,643 young adults over a 13-year period (from ages 7 to 20) to identify how they ate when away from home.

Those who ate the most fast food weighed more, had larger waists and triglyceride levels, and showed signs of metabolic syndrome—a precursor to diabetes, heart disease and possibly cancer.

Read More:Researchers Prove Fast Food/Obesity Connection

Make Your Organic Breakfast a High-Priority, High-Protein Meal

July 22nd, 2010 - Barbara Feiner

Organic Eggs

Research shows that eating a healthy breakfast reduces our risk for heart attack, stroke and diabetes, while also facilitating weight loss. We also know that kids who skip their morning meal lack energy, are more irritable, become fatigued and depressed, and fail to perform well in school. 

Put the emphasis on protein if you want to maintain muscle mass, curb hunger, reduce abdominal fat, and slow age-related bone and muscle loss, advises Marie Spano, a registered dietitian and sports nutritionist who currently serves as vice president of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 

Higher-protein diets “are associated with greater bone mass and fewer fractures when calcium intake is adequate,” she told attendees this week at the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting. “In addition, replacing carbohydrates with protein can prevent obesity and obesity-relted conditions, such as type 2 diabetes.” 

As we grow older, the consequences of protein deficiency become more apparent. We all know seniors who have developed conditions like osteoarthritis and sarcopenia (degenerative loss of muscle mass). Eating a protein-rich diet will create a healthier population of older (and more agile) adults, which simultaneously lowers healthcare costs. 

Try these five high-protein, egg-based  recipes for breakfast, lunch or dinner: 

  1. Asparagus, Red Pepper and Potato Frittata (made with egg whites)
  2. Southwestern Scramble
  3. Sesame-Ginger Frittata with Broccoli and Shrimp (made with egg whites)
  4. Egg and Vegetable Salad Sandwich
  5. Tomato-Feta Frittata
Read More:Make Your Organic Breakfast a High-Priority, High-Protein Meal

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