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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,…

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Lack 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.

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Sweet 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.

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Professional 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.

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Ask 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.

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Fast 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:

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Link 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.

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Eat 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.

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Neglected 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…

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Indoor 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

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The 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?

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Top 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

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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…

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Dynamic 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,…

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