Category Archives: Diet And Food

ScienceDaily (June 16, 2012) Vitamin D and calcium are dietary requirements, but it's unclear how much is best for us. New draft findings by the United States Preventive Services Task Force conclude that for healthy, postmenopausal women, daily supplementation with low levels of vitamin D -- up to 400 international units -- combined with 1,000 milligrams of calcium, does not reduce fracture risk.

However, this amount of supplementation is associated with a small but significantly increased likelihood of developing painful kidney stones, according to the task force.

Because relatively few, high quality studies have been done, the task force was unable to draw conclusions about the fracture-preventing merits of supplementation in healthy men and in premenopausal women.

Nor did studies offer conclusive evidence regarding vitamin D and cancer prevention, according to the task force. Evidence also was inadequate to draw conclusions about supplementation with higher doses.

The task force did not review studies on supplementation that were focused on individuals who already had osteoporosis or vitamin D deficiencies. Nor did the task force investigate other putative benefits of vitamin D.

However the task force did previously recommend vitamin D supplementation to prevent falls among men and women age 65 and older. Falls are a major cause of hip fracture and early death among the elderly, especially among those with osteoporosis.

Vitamin D Benefits, Risks, Not Adequately Studied "We know that vitamin D and calcium are essential for a healthy diet," said task force member Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, MD, PhD, a UCSF epidemiologist and internist. "We're not making recommendations about the treatment of osteoporosis or of vitamin deficiency. We're making recommendations that apply to generally healthy women who are seeking to supplement their diets to prevent fractures."

The task force reviewed already-published studies to draw conclusions. The public comment period for the new draft recommendations runs through July 10.

To reach its recommendation that healthy, postmenopausal women not take low-dose vitamin D and calcium supplements to ward off fractures, task force members examined 16 studies in which participants took supplements. Formulations and dosages of vitamin D and calcium varied among the studies.

Among them was the Women's Health Initiative (WHI). The WHI included 36,282 health postmenopausal women ages 50 to 79. As part of the study, many women were assigned to take 400 international units of vitamin D3 and 1,000 milligrams of calcium carbonate each day. Results of other studies of low-dose supplementation were consistent with WHI findings, Bibbins-Domingo said.

Go here to see the original:
Low-dose vitamin D may not prevent fractures in healthy women –- what about higher doses?

Lack of time to exercise, an increase in the number of takeaways and endless sleepless nights are to blame

By Daniel Miller

PUBLISHED: 23:35 EST, 14 June 2012 | UPDATED: 23:35 EST, 14 June 2012

British men are putting on an average of one and a half stone after having a child, recent research has found

Experts believe a lack of time to exercise, an increase in the number of takeaways and endless sleepless nights are to blame for the growing problem.

Paul Keenan, of Benenden Healthcare which carried out the study in conjunction with the Mens Health Forum, said: 'The modern lifestyle is a hectic one and this study clearly shows the impact this is having on fatherhood.

Big change: The average British father puts on more than one and a half stone after having a child

'As we approach Fathers Day, we discover that the modern dads health is suffering under the strain from diverging pressures such as work and family life.

'As a result, dads are taking shortcuts with their diets - leading to increased weight, a more sedentary lifestyle and eventually running the risk of health scares.

Excerpt from:
Dad's got a baby bump: British men put on one and a half stone after having a child

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Designing a T-shirt is one thing, but designing a T-shirt that catches the eye of designers Zac Posen, Cynthia Rowley and LWren Scott and seeing it in the aisles of Target stores across the country? Now thats extraordinary.

Diet Coke and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) today announced a partnership to give talented design students an extraordinary portfolio boost a chance to have their design featured at Target stores nationwide.

The three fashion-forward brands will celebrate up-and-coming talent through the Diet Coke Young Designer Challenge, a new competition searching for the next official Diet Coke T-shirt to inspire creative, extraordinary individuals everywhere.

The CFDA is an authoritative voice in the world of fashion and style, and we couldnt ask for a better partner for the Diet Coke Young Designer Challenge, said William White, Group Director Brand Diet Coke, Coca-Cola North America. With their support, one up-and-coming design student will have an extraordinary opportunity to launch his or her career in the world of fashion.

Adding to the excitement, the winning T-shirt design will be selected by some of the biggest names in fashion, including Vince Voron, associate Vice President, Strategic Design and Integrated Marketing Content, Coca-Cola North America, creative experts from Target and luminary designers Zac Posen, Cynthia Rowley and LWren Scott.

These leading style and fashion experts will select the winning design from a pool of 10 finalists, who will be chosen based on an online vote.

Through June 18, visitors to DietCoke.com/Design will be able to cast their vote for the T-shirt design they believe best represents the multi-dimensional and aspirational Diet Coke brand. The 20 designs in the running are the creations of the following design students, and were pre-selected from submissions by sophomores and juniors at CFDA partner colleges:

In addition to having his or her design available in Target stores nationwide this September, the grand-prize winner also will receive a $10,000 scholarship and a trip to New York City in September to experience the rush of a week of high fashion.

Diet Coke is an exciting and stylish brand, and we are pleased to be a partner in this unique design challenge, said Steven Kolb, CEO of the CFDA. Were always looking for ways to support the next generation of fashion designers, and this will be an amazing accomplishment for a student to put on a resume before he or she even graduates!

Go here to see the original:
Diet Coke Partners with the Council of Fashion Designers of America to Celebrate Extraordinary Young Talent

ScienceDaily (June 14, 2012) A novel form of vitamin B3 found in milk in small quantities produces remarkable health benefits in mice when high doses are administered, according to a new study conducted by researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College and the Polytechnic School in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The findings, recently reported in the June 2012 issue of the journal, Cell Metabolism, reveal that high doses of the vitamin precursor, nicotinamide riboside (NR) -- a cousin of niacin -- prevent obesity in mice that are fed a fatty diet, and also increase muscle performance, improve energy expenditure and prevent diabetes development, all without side effects.

The Swiss researchers, led by Dr. Johan Auwerx, performed the mouse experiments, while the ability to give the animals sufficient doses of NR was made possible by Weill Cornell Medical College researchers, who played key roles in uncovering the biological story of NR.

"This study is very important. It shows that in animals, the use of NR offers the health benefits of a low-calorie diet and exercise -- without doing either one," says Dr. Anthony Sauve, associate professor of Pharmacology at Weill Cornell Medical College.

Dr. Sauve is the pharmacologist and organic chemist who has invented a simple method for efficiently synthesizing NR in large scale. He was first to show that NR increases nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) levels in mammalian cells. NAD is a central player in energy metabolism. He has pioneered research into the compound, and he is a leader in investigating how NAD can signal adaptation in cells and in physiology.

"The research also suggests that the effects of NR could be even broader," Dr. Sauve says. "The bottom line is that NR improves the function of mitochondria, the cell's energy factories. Mitochondrial decline is the hallmark of many diseases associated with aging, such as cancer and neurodegeneration, and NR supplementation boosts mitochondrial functioning."

The Swiss researchers call NR a "hidden vitamin" that is believed to also be present in many other foods, although levels are low and difficult to measure. Nevertheless, the effects of NR on metabolism "are nothing short of astonishing."

Got nicotinamide riboside?

The study depended on a series of crucial discoveries by Dr. Sauve and his laboratory colleagues.

NR, related to niacin and other common forms of vitamin B3, was first investigated more than 60 years ago by a Stanford researcher and 1959 Nobel Laureate, Arthur Kornberg. But little more was known about its effects in mammals until Dr. Sauve discovered the effect NR had in stimulating levels of NAD in mammalian cells -- work he published in 2007.

Read more:
Hidden vitamin in milk yields remarkable health benefits

PLYMOUTH, England, June 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

June 15th 2012 represents a ground-breaking date in the history of diabetes research. After twelve years the EarlyBird project has made significant advances in understanding what triggers diabetes and cardio-vascular disease and the means to determine how advanced these conditions are. The Earlybird research has worryingly shown just how early in life the underlying symptoms of diabetes start, and how focus must move to early prevention through diet not simply physical activity, despite the current focus of government policy.

The EarlyBirds, a randomly selected group of 300 healthy children, have undergone an intensive series of measurements and tests from the age of five to seventeen. Since 2000, the Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the Peninsula Medical School in Plymouth, Terence Wilkin has been leading the 'EarlyBird study' to find which factors in childhood cause diabetes in later life.

The project aim is to help parents, teachers and decision makers in government to understand the preventable factors in childhood that are responsible for the current epidemics of diabetes and heart disease. This radical medical research will provide evidence to help academics identify the causes of diabetes.

The EarlyBird study has been distinctive in combining objective measures of physical activity and body composition, with annual fasting blood samples. These measures reach beyond simple body composition (BMI and body fat) to metabolic health (glucose control, insulin sensitivity, blood fats, cholesterol, blood pressure).

Critical to the success of the programme has been the funding of Dr Chai Patel, his Bright Future Trust and the Patel family who will have donated over 1million by the time the study is completed September 2013.

Dr Chai Patel, said:

"EarlyBird has developed and harnessed critical new advances in medical science in order to challenge some of the misconceptions surrounding diabetes, and its causes, and will undoubtedly lead to better medical practices being implemented to tackle the root cause of diabetes-onset.

"We are all incredibly grateful to the volunteers who have shown commitment, motivation and maturity which has been truly remarkable and would daunt most adults.

"I am proud to have been associated with a project that has massive potential to change lives across the world."

Continued here:
Ground-breaking Research Reveals Government Must Focus on Healthy Children's Diets to Prevent Diabetes

Key concepts Chemistry Physics Materials science Carbonation Physical reactions Explosions

Introduction Have you ever seen the Diet Coke and Mentos experiment that is all over the Internet and wondered what makes the reaction work? You might think that there is some ingredient in a Mentos candy that causes a chemical reaction with the soda pop, like the way baking soda reacts with vinegar. But the amazing eruption that takes place when Mentos are dropped into Diet Coke or other brands of diet soda pop is not a chemical reaction at all! Instead it is a physical reaction. That means that all of the pieces of the reaction are there, but that they are simply rearranged. It also means changing some factors may cause a larger or smaller physical reaction to take place.

Background A carbonated beverage is packed full of dissolved carbon dioxide gas, which forms bonds with water. While the soda is in the bottle, the gas is kept in solution by the bottle's pressurized conditions. When you pour some soda into a glass, some gas escapes and forms foam, but most stays trapped by the surface tension of the water. But all those gas bubbles want to escape, making it no wonder that soda makes you burp!

To create bubbles, the carbon dioxide needs to interact with itself, which means that the carbon dioxide's bonds with water in the Diet Coke must be broken. A Mentos candy can help with this. Although the candy may look smooth, if you looked at it under a microscope you'd see tiny bumps coating its entire surface. This rough surface allows the bonds between the carbon dioxide gas and the water to more easily break, helping to create carbon dioxide bubbles and cause the classic eruption. The speed at which the Mentos falls through the soda can affect how large the eruption is, and this can be tested by comparing whole with crushed Mentos, the latter of which are less dense.

Materials Wax paper Cutting board Knife One roll of Mentos (at least eight candies) Two index cards Tape Two two-liter bottles of Diet Coke An outdoor area at least two meters from buildings Eye protection (safety goggles or glasses) Video camera with either a tripod or a helper to take the images (optional)

Preparation Place a piece of wax paper on top of the cutting board. On the wax paper, carefully use a knife to crush and cut four Mentos candies into many small pieces. An adult may help you cut up the candies. What does the inside of the candies look like? Make a Mentos cartridge to hold the candies for you before you drop them into the Diet Coke bottle by rolling an index card into a tube, slightly larger than the diameter of a Mentos candy. Tape the tube together on the side. Be sure to wear eye protection when putting the candies into the cola! Wear clothes that you would not mind if they get splashed with a little soda popthis activity can get a little messy!

Procedure Place a Diet Coke bottle in an outdoor area, at least two meters from any buildings or anything hanging above the area, such as eaves, overhangs or wires. Make sure that the bottle is on a level surface and stably standing straight. Why do you think all of this is important? If you want to videotape the reactions, set up the video camera so that it has in its viewfinder the bottle and a height equivalent to at least the first story of a building. Carefully remove the cap from the bottle and place the flat index card on top, covering the hole. Add four whole Mentos candies to your cartridge, put on your eye protection, and start the video camera. Place your full cartridge on top of the flat index card. Line up where the opening of the bottle is with the opening of your cartridge. Quickly pull out the flat index card, releasing the Mentos candies into the bottle. Then step back without tipping the bottle over or disturbing the reaction. How quickly did the reaction start to happen, and how quickly did it stop? About how high did the eruption go? How much cola is left in the bottle? When the bottle stops spouting, stop recording. Remove the spent cola bottle and place a new full bottle in the same position, again making sure that it is level and stably standing straight. As with the first bottle, remove the cap and place the flat index card on top, covering the hole. Add your four crushed Mentos candies to your cartridge, pouring them in from the wax paper. Put on your eye protection and start the video camera. Like you did before, place your full cartridge on top of the flat index card, then line up where the opening of the bottle is with the opening of your cartridge. Quickly pull out the flat index card, releasing the crushed Mentos into the bottle, then step back without tipping the bottle over or disturbing the reaction. How quickly did the reaction start to happen, and how quickly did it stop? How high did the eruption appear to go? How much liquid is left in the bottle? Is it more or less than the amount that was left when you used whole candies? When the bottle stops spouting, stop recording. If you videotaped the reactions, you can watch your videos now. What do you notice from the videos? Which reaction went higher, the whole or the crushed Mentos? Extra: Find an exterior wall of a building with no windows and set a Diet Coke bottle at the base of the wall. Use a tape measure and blue painter's tape to mark off the height from the top of the bottle in meters. Then repeat this activity three times, with the bottle in front of the tape-marked wall, video taping it each time. When you review the recordings, use slow motion and pause the recording when the spout is at its maximum height. Using the tape marks in the background, estimate the height of the spout. Calculate the average height of the fountains for the whole and for the crushed Mentos. What is the difference in height of the eruptions? Extra: What other factors affect the size of the Mentos and Diet Coke eruption? You can try testing different kinds of carbonated beverages, different kinds of candies with different shapes and textures or using other things to start the reaction, like rock salt, pennies or dice. Which beverages, candies or other things cause the largest and smallest fountains? Why do you think this is? Extra: Do this activity again but instead of testing whole Mentos versus crushed, compare warm versus cold Diet Coke. Does temperature affect the eruption height?

Read more:
Spurting Science: Erupting Diet Coke with Mentos

Tammy Jackson swears she hasn't blown her nose in seven months. The credit, she said, goes to a change in diet.

Jackson and her boyfriend, Will Poole, started the Paleo diet in an effort to help Poole deal with Type I diabetes.

The Paleo diet eliminates processed foods and focuses on hunter-gatherer foods, much like cavemen would have eaten during the Paleolithic era. The philosophy is centered on the theory that our bodies respond best to food that is, and has been for thousands of years, naturally available to us.

Breads, cereals, potatoes, legumes and dairy products are prohibited in the strictest versions of the diet. Jackson and Poole have adapted their diets to include more meats, vegetables and nuts.

And eggs, Jackson said. "We eat a lot of eggs."

Health advantages

Jackson and Poole are convinced that the Paleo diet has improved their health.

Before the Paleo diet, Poole's food choices were adversely affecting his health.

"I didn't do a good job," he said. His idea of managing his diabetes well was, "I wasn't having to have to go to the ER on regular basis."

"Will's diet was a big concern of mine," Jackson said. "He ate anything. He would eat food that would spike his blood sugar and then treat it with insulin."

Continued here:
Local Couple Improves Health Through Paleo Diet

FRESNO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

A Pennsylvania State University study published online this month in Hypertension, an American Heart Association Journal, reveals that including pistachios in a healthy diet may positively reduce the bodys response to the stresses of everyday life.

Adults with elevated cholesterol were enrolled in a randomized, controlled clinical trial comparing diets containing pistachios to a low fat diet. The results show that a healthy diet supplemented with pistachios helps decrease systolic blood pressure, peripheral vascular resistance and heart rate during acute stress. Cardiovascular responses were measured while participants engaged in a challenging mental arithmetic test and again as they immersed their foot in cold water.

The study conducted at Pennsylvania State University by Drs. Sheila G. West and Penny M. Kris-Etherton and colleagues examined how diets containing pistachios (one-and-a-half and three ounces per day) versus a low-fat diet without pistachios, affect responses to stress on subjects with elevated LDL cholesterol, but normal blood pressure. This study is the first to show that including both salted and unsalted pistachios in a healthy diet helps reduce blood pressure and lessen the vascular load on the heart.

The people in the study were healthy, non-smoking men and women with elevated LDL cholesterol (commonly regarded as bad cholesterol) but normal blood pressure. All of the meals were provided and calorie levels were customized to maintain body weight. Pistachios were substituted for other foods in the diet to prevent weight gain. Participants followed three different diets one low fat diet (25% fat ) without pistachios, and two with different levels of pistachios (approximately 1.5 oz or 10% of calories from pistachios and 3.0 oz or (20% of calories from pistachios). The pistachio diets contained higher amounts of potassium, healthy fats and protein. All diets were rich in fruit, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains, consistent with current food-based dietary recommendations. Participant demographics and the diet design have been published previously.2

Daily events, such as work stress, a tight deadline, or public speaking can increase blood pressure, and we know that we cant avoid all of the stressors in our lives. These results are significant because they show that physiological responses to stress are affected by the foods we eat, stated Sheila West, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biobehavioral Health and the studys lead author. Dr. West continues, These changes in blood pressure occurred even though self-reported mood, anxiety, and tension were not changed.

The largest drop in blood pressure, - 4.8 mm Hg, was associated with eating about one-and-a-half ounces of pistachios a day versus a -1.8 mm Hg on the low-fat diet and, -2.4 mm Hg, three ounces of pistachios per day. The diet containing three ounces of pistachios resulted in a significant decrease in peripheral vascular resistance, a measure of artery stiffness and heart rate versus the control diet. Fifty percent of the pistachios were given salted as a snack and the other half were unsalted and incorporated into recipes. Interestingly, although high sodium intake is typically associated with high blood pressure, the largest drop in in blood pressure was not associated with the lowest sodium diet. Pistachios do provide potassium (8% Daily Value) and magnesium (8% Daily Value) which are important in maintaining a healthy blood pressure.

In addition, these results are very exciting because they demonstrate further benefits of pistachios on another risk factor for cardiovascular disease, added Penny M. Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., R.D., Distinguished Professor of Nutrition, and a lead researcher for the study. Dr. Kris-Etherton adds, Our previous research suggests including pistachios in a healthy diet lowers LDL cholesterol in a dose-response fashion2 and increases antioxidants in the blood.3

This research adds to the growing body of literature on the health benefits of pistachios, added Constance J. Geiger, Ph.D., R.D. who serves as a nutrition research consultant with the American Pistachio Growers. Dr. Geiger continues, Nuts, such as pistachios, are an important part of a healthy diet.

For more information and to read the full study, go to hyper.ahajournals.org.1

See more here:
Pistachios Shown to Help Reduce Blood Pressure and Biological Responses to Everyday Stress

By Frances Childs

PUBLISHED: 16:34 EST, 13 June 2012 | UPDATED: 19:41 EST, 13 June 2012

Since astrology can give us an insight into what makes us tick - helping us understand how we act in a relationship, what we need to inspire us and the situations we should try to avoid - then could our star sign also help determine the best way to keep in shape?

Astrologer Sharon Ward, who has more than 20 years experience in lecturing and writing on astrology and health, thinks so. Astrology can give us a real insight into personality, so it can help you find a diet and exercise regime that youll stick to, she explains.

Using her insights, Sharon has created a special astro-diet plan. So what do the diet and fitness experts think? Andrew Stemler, director of training at Crossfit in London, says: Looking at your star sign to work out what you enjoy is a fun way to start exercising, and anything that inspires you to get fit is a good thing.

Dietician Anne Myers, of the British Dietetic Association, says the astro-diet plan has some great ideas. I think everyone should be following these suggestions, whatever star sign they are. So whether youre a sensitive Piscean or a wilful Taurus, heres astrologer Sharons guide to getting your beach body this year...

Since astrology can give us an insight into what makes us tick could our star sign also help determine the best way to keep in shape?

ARIES Mar 20 - Apr 20

Driven, high-achieving, Victoria Beckham is a typical Aries. You thrive on competition and are determined to win. When it comes to dieting, fast-paced regimes that bring quick results are perfect for you because patience definitely isnt a virtue.

DIET: Atkins (high in protein, low in carbs) is a good bet for an Aries. It provides concentrated fuel and appeals to your competitive, all-or-nothing personality. This is quite an extreme diet so Id recommend regular health checks to keep an eye on things such as your cholesterol.

See the original post here:
The zodiac diet: Can't find a slimming regime that works for you? Maybe the answer is in your stars

Enlarge Charles Dharapak/AFP/Getty Images

First Lady Michelle Obama gardens in Soweto township, in Johannesburg, South Africa. The first lady has planted a garden on the South Lawn of the White House it's the first vegetable garden to be planted there since Eleanor Roosevelt's victory garden.

First Lady Michelle Obama gardens in Soweto township, in Johannesburg, South Africa. The first lady has planted a garden on the South Lawn of the White House it's the first vegetable garden to be planted there since Eleanor Roosevelt's victory garden.

Many first ladies choose a mission, and when Michelle Obama moved into the White House, she decided to take up the cause of combating childhood obesity. It's an epidemic that affects up to one-third of all children in the U.S. It's also a personal issue for the First Lady. A number of years ago, her pediatrician asked her to rethink her daughters' diets.

In February 2010, she launched Let's Move!, an initiative to encourage healthier lifestyles and push for better-quality food in schools and neighborhoods. She also cultivates the White House vegetable garden, which provides fresh produce for formal lunches, State Dinners and Obama family meals. Critics complain Obama's anti-obesity campaign represents the long reach of an overbearing government; supporters applaud her for focusing attention on the issue.

NPR's Neal Conan talks with first lady Michelle Obama about ways to get children to eat healthier, and her new book, American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America.

On how she changed her family's eating habits

"The hard part was trying to get the kids excited about a new diet. I mean, you know, one of the challenges that we face as moms is that today's foods are so high in sodium and sugar in an artificial way that kids' taste buds are really adjusted for that high level of sugar and salt. So when you go back to natural foods, things that aren't processed, it takes them time to adjust.

"... But once we got them involved in the process of clearing out the cabinets, and we explained what was going on, and we spent time with them in farmer's markets, slowly but surely we started to introduce real food to their diets: fresh vegetables, which tend to taste more tasty for kids; fresh juices, which they got adjusted to.

"And slowly they began to embrace it, and that's where the whole notion of planting a garden came from because I found that in my own kids, when they were involved in the process of growing and harvesting their own food, and they were engaged, they actually embraced the idea. And I thought, well, if I didn't have this figured out with all my education and all my exposure, you know, there are probably other parents and families out there who needed help, as well."

See the article here:
First Lady: Nation's Health 'Starts With Our Kids'