Archive for March 2013
Fructose, Glucose and Weight Gain
The type of sugar in your beverage could affect whether or not you feel hungry after drinking it. In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers determined that fructose and glucose are processed differently in the brain. Both are simple sugars, yet fructose did not cause participants to feel full,…
Read MoreLack of Sleep, Hunger and Gender
When they don’t get enough sleep, women feel less full and men have a bigger appetite, according to a recent issue of the journal SLEEP. Twenty-seven normal-weight men and women (aged 30–45) were studied under short-sleep (4 hours) and habitual-sleep (9 hours) conditions. After a short night’s sleep, fasting blood samples indicated that fasting and morning ghrelin levels rose in men, while afternoon GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide) levels fell in women. Sleep duration had no effect on insulin, glucose and leptin profiles.
Read MoreOverweight and Obese Women Should Scale Back Weight Gain During Pregnancy
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has come out with recommendations for weight gain during pregnancy based on the mother’s body mass index and on updated tables from the Institute of Medicine. For overweight women with a BMI of 25–29.9, ACOG recommends a total weight gain of 15–25 pounds. For obese women (BMI 30…
Read MoreSweet Greens Smoothie
This juice recipe is terrific for mornings when you feel sluggish. Very smooth and slightly sweet, it also makes a great afternoon snack if you have a sugar craving. Rinse the greens; chop the cucumber and pear in halves; and peel the lemon. If you have a Vitamix® or similar high-power blender, toss in all the ingredients and purée them. You’ll get a lovely, frothy, delicious juice with a beautiful bright-green hue. Add a few ice cubes if you wish.
Read MoreProfessional Nutrition Groups and Ties to Corporate Sponsors
Public health attorney Michele Simon recently published an explosive indictment of the links between the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics—the largest association of nutrition professionals in the U.S.—and the food industry. In the report, titled “And Now a Word From Our Sponsors: Are America’s Nutrition Professionals in the Pocket of Big Food?,” Simon questions the influence and relationship that many leading food corporations have with the association’s 74,000 members.
Read MoreAsk the RD
Answer: Good observation! Opinion on coconut oil has shifted, and the once reviled fat is now emerging as a healthful oil. But before you go tearing into packages of processed chips and cookies, be clear that virgin coconut oil—not the partially hydrogenated variety found in processed foods—is the one sharing the shelf with olive oil.
Read MoreFast Foods and Pediatric Asthma, Rhinoconjunctivitis and Eczema
Researchers in New Zealand were curious whether fast food could increase or decrease the risk of developing asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis (itchy, watery eyes, with sneezing and nasal itching) and eczema (inflammatory reaction of the skin) for children and adolescents.
By looking at the prevalence of these three conditions in comparison with types and frequencies of food intake over a 12-month period, the study authors discovered two things of significance for public health policies:
Read MoreLink Between Poor Diet and Depression in Women
Can a poor diet predict depression in women? Perhaps. The American Society for Nutrition just published the results of a long-term study of 4,215 people that examined whether or not dietary patterns were associated with future risk of depressive symptoms. Using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), self-reported use of antidepressants and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale as measurement tools, researchers found a correlation between recurrent depressive symptoms and a poor diet, but only for women, not men.
Read MoreEat Yogurt! Lose Weight!
If you want to improve your energy metabolism and reduce body fat levels by up to 4%, try a daily dose of probiotic yogurt. According to the Journal of Functional Foods, 28 healthy, overweight people who ate yogurt that contained the probiotic strain Lactobacillus amylovorus or the strain Lactobacillus fermentum for 6 weeks experienced an increase in energy metabolism and a decrease in weight.
Read MoreEat Strawberries & Blueberries to Cut Your Risk of Heart Attack
Three is the magic number. Women who eat three or more servings of blueberries and strawberries per week may reduce their risk of heart attack by one-third.
Read MoreNeglected Greens
Many greens that are high in nutritional value don’t get the same amount of love and attention as, say, kale. For example, dandelion greens rank high in beta-carotene and contain vitamin E, calcium, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, potassium and zinc. Best picked when young, these bitter greens also support kidney functioning and toxin removal. Known for…
Read MoreRecharging Trainers From the Inside Out
Nothing is more rewarding than seeing clients smile—and not because they lost weight or improved their fitness, either. When clients exude confidence that comes from having adopted a healthier outlook on life, it is because their transformation was more than external—it came from within.
Read MoreIndoor Cycling Warm-Ups: A New “Spin”
When it comes to warm-ups, indoor cycling instructors often fall victim to the “oatmeal effect”—it’s good for you, but not very memorable. It’s easy to just jump on a bike and ride. However, with a little creativity and skillful instruction, you can engage participants from the start. Be prepared, connect with riders and add a little ingenuity. Begin with a warm welcome and a short introduction, and then ride into one of the following warm-ups.
The Color Wheel
Read MoreThe Impact of Exercise on Perimenopause
Menopause is different for each woman. Although the average age of natural menopause is 52, some women start the transition as soon as their early 40s. Chances are you have or will have clients who fit this profile. Are you aware of the unique challenges this population faces?
Read MoreTop 3 Tips to Jumpstart Your Corporate Wellness Business
Corporate wellness is the “elephant in the room” in our industry. You can ignore it. You can dance around it and say it’s not your thing. Or you can embrace it.
Learn to dominate in this fast-growing field by putting your skills and passion to work for workplaces. There is room for creativity, so don’t worry about what you know or don’t know, or about a lack of standard resources. Armed with the simple tips in this article, you can inspire real change in a workplace, impact your bottom line and grow your brand.
It’s a Red-Tape World
Read MoreExertional Rhabdomyolysis: When Too Much Exercise Becomes Dangerous
Rhabdomyolysis at a Glance
Definition. Muscle breakdown that leaks harmful proteins into the bloodstream. Causes. Crushing injuries; repetitive bouts of eccentric exercise, intense exercise or high-repetition exercise; blood restriction to tissues; some drugs. Threats. Renal failure, blood clotting, irregular heart rate.
Yoga as Therapy for Postpartum Clients
Many women enjoy the benefits of yoga or other exercise during pregnancy, but then become inactive postpartum—perhaps because they don’t know which activities are safe or appropriate. Sadly, they miss the opportunity to restore a gateway to stability in the body, and later they may find themselves hampered by weaknesses in the pelvic floor and…
Read MoreDynamic Duos
Batman and Robin, Thelma and Louise, Brad and Angelina. Some pairs are just meant to be. The same holds true for various foods. Over the past few decades, nutrition scientists have produced a dizzying amount of data on the healing powers of individual food components such as lycopene, vitamin D and omega fatty acids. Lately,…
Read MoreTraining for Mind-Body Resilience
Think of a recent time you felt stressed. Maybe it was during an argument with your spouse, or a meltdown with your kids. Maybe you were stuck in traffic and late for an important meeting. Or maybe you were lying in bed, worrying about work. Whatever the cause of your stress, your body and brain were almost certainly experiencing the same thing: boiling blood pressure, a churning stomach, tight muscles and a racing mind.
Read MoreExploring Fibromyalgia: The Puzzling Pain-Fatigue Syndrome
They’re usually in pain, typically tired and often depressed. There’s no cure for their condition, but science has proven that exercise can be a huge help.
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