Healthize.com

NYT has an interesting article up about the effect of unhealthy food advertisements on children. The bloated rate of childhood obesity, The Times suggests, is probably not entirely a coincidence.

Particularly on television, advertisements for fatty or high-sugar filled foods catering to children are ineffectively regulated.

Yes, food companies are required to meet certain standards when marketing to children under 12. But no, these are not government standards — they’re actually the company’s own standards.

So, Kellogg’s gets to choose how healthy Kellogg’s has to be, and the same goes for General Mills, Post, and all the rest of them.

This legislation might be lacking, but it does keep certain products from being marketed. Kellogg’s does not advertise for Cocoa Krispies, for example, because the cereal features 14 grams of sugar per serving — exceeding the company’s own limit of 12 grams.

Children, Health, Nutrition cereal, child marketing, childhood obesity, cocoa krispies, general mills, junk food, kellogg's, Nutrition, obesity, post, sugar

A new study has revealed a connection between diet and the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease, WebMD reports.

The data tracked more than 2,000 respondents over four years, and people who regularly ate butter, red meat, organic meat, and fatty diary products were less likely to develop the disease. Specific foods that these people consumed include:

• Salad dressing
• Poultry
• Fish
• Fruit
• Tomatoes
• Nuts
• Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, etc.)
• Dark/green vegetables

Researchers are interested in studying this diet pattern further, as it is unclear whether the nutrients involved work individually or collectively to help prevent Alzheimer’s.

Eat This, Health, Health Tips, Natural Remedies, Nutrition Alzheimer's Disease, brain food, dementia, diet, Nutrition, prevent Alzheimer's

Running is great way to boost your health — and it doesn’t even require any special equipment! The exercise is especially beneficial to the heart and lungs, as it promotes healthy oxygen and blood flow.

Studies have linked running to reducing the risk of contracting a cold and even developing cancer. It also provides excellent stress relief and can soothe mild forms of depression as well.

(And it’s good for dogs, too!)

Photo via richard.heeks on Flickr.

Fitness, Health, Health Tips, Natural Remedies aerobics, blood flow, cardio, exercise, Fitness, heart, heart health, lung function, lungs, running

We were happy to see an article on glutathione in The Huffington Post, as this powerful antioxidant is instrumental in removing toxins from the body.

Humans actually produce glutathione naturally. It serves as a sort of internal fly paper for toxins and free radicals — absorbing them so they can’t do harm elsewhere in the body. Ideally, everything goes smoothly, and the body recycles glutathione so it can keep on fly-papering, however an excess of pollutants can actually halt this process, thus leaving dangerous toxins inside our bodies.

Part of the problem, HuffPost reports, is that humans evolved in a much less toxin-filled environment, leaving our species rather unprepared for the pollutants of the 20th and 21st centuries. About one half of all people lack something called a GSTM1 function, leaving their bodies unable to fully remove toxins.

To bulk up on glutathione, HuffPost recommends ingesting sulfur-loaded foods such as onions, garlic, broccoli, and cabbage, in addition to exercising regularly. For more tips, check out the full article here.

Antioxidants, Fitness, Health, Health Tips, Natural Remedies, Nutrition Antioxidants, free radicals, glutathione, powerful antioxidant, toxins

Perhaps you’ve heard of something called the French Paradox — a term describing the apparent disparity between French and American diets. Basically, the French consume greater amounts of cream, cheese, and butter than Americans, but we’re the ones more likely to die of heart disease. What gives?

Some researchers contend that the secret lies in red wine — particularly in resveratrol, an ingredient that is vaguely associated with anti-aging and such… in mice. When such news first hit the States in 1991, the demand for red wine sky-rocked.

Alternatively, other experts argue that the French lifestyle more than compensates for said high fat content. Relevant factors include: more walking, less snacking, and a tendency to savor meals (as opposed to munching mindlessly).

Fitness, Health, Nutrition diet, fat, Fitness, France, French, French Paradox, lifestyle, losing weight, Nutrition, red wine, resveratrol, weight loss

WebMD has a neat slideshow featuring 12 things not to do while trying to shed some pounds:

Crash dieting. Patience is a virtue – especially when dieting. When you decrease your food intake to under 1,000 calories, your metabolism dramatically decreases, so that even if you lose weight, it’ll be hard to keep off (and probably come back).

Missing breakfast. D’oh! It’s hard to stick to your diet when you’re hungry to the point of distraction. To keep your cravings in check, start the day with a healthy, low-calorie breakfast like sugar-free cereal, granola, or oatmeal.

Snacking. A lot. There’s nothing wrong with snacking, but people have a way of letting themselves snack without even thinking about it – or without even being hungry. Don’t just eat food because it’s in front of you.

Snacking. Too little. Like Goldilocks, it’s up to you to find the perfect balance between over- and under-snacking. Having a healthy snack of nuts or dried fruit can help manage your hunger and make it easier to eat smaller meals.

Trusting the label. Low-fat and sugar-free foods aren’t always as healthy as they seem – these products are often loaded with calories or high in sodium, both of which can sabotage your diet. To make sure your food is as healthy as you think it is, be sure to read the label.

For the full list, click here!

Fitness, Health, Health Tips, Nutrition diet, dieting, dieting tips, diets, Health Tips, healthy snacks, losing weight, snacking, snacks, weight loss

We’re temporarily renaming our Eat This feature to Eat These, because you can never have just one grape. And with all the health benefits these tiny fruits have to offer, you never should!

So, what can grapes do for you?

Grapes are full of good stuff, including potassium, iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, and selenium – all very important minerals – and vitamins A, B6, C, and folate. Plus, the flavonoids in grapes are loaded with valuable antioxidants.

Plus, grapes have been shown to improve a number of conditions, including:

• Asthma
• Migraine
• Indigestion
• Kidney problems
• Alzheimer’s
• Cataracts and macular degeneration
• Infection
• Certain cancers
• Heart disease
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Bad cholesterol

What’s not to love?

Antioxidants, Eat This, Health, Health Tips, Natural Remedies, Nutrition Antioxidants, calcium, grape, grapes, minerals, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamins

Representing over 5,000 years old of posing in seemingly impossible positions, yoga isn’t just fun to look at — it’s good for you, too.

Yoga can improve your flexibility, strength, and posture, and the breathing methods can actually increase lung capacity. The activity is also associated with better heart health (it reduces blood pressure and slows your heart rate), in addition to combating a number of different conditions, including asthma, back pain, and multiple sclerosis. Plus, yoga has been shown to boost concentration and instill a sense of calm.

And isn’t that worth standing on your head?

Photo via 75mondays on Flickr.

Fitness, Health, Health Tips, Natural Remedies asthma, back pain, exercise, Fitness, flexibility, heart disease, heart health, lungs, multiple sclerosis, posture, strength, yoga

Varicose veins are painful, unsightly, and sometimes require surgical intervention. They are most common in women and frequently brought on by pregnancy, however genetics and lifestyle factors are also relevant.

Veins pump blood back to the heart, which means that leg veins are tasked with pumping blood upward, against gravity. Veins have natural leaflet valves to keep the blood moving in the right direction; in varicose veins, however, problems with the leaflets allow some of the blood to flow backwards, resulting in discomfort.

Let’s take a look at some of the lifestyle changes you can make to prevent varicose veins:

Sit and stand with care. To promote better circulation, maintain good posture and avoid crossing your legs when seated. Your circulation suffers when you sit or stand for a long time, so take frequent breaks to stretch your legs.

Invest in compression hose. Compression hose and socks are available both over-the-counter and by a doctor’s prescription. They apply pressure to the lower legs to help your veins pump blood upward toward the heart.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Easier said than done, we know, but keeping your weight down and activity level up have been shown to decrease your risk of developing varicose veins. Doctors recommend low-impact exercises like swimming, cycling, and walking.

Fitness, Health, Health Tips, Women circulation, compression hose, compression stocks, exercise, Fitness, legs, varicose veins, varicose veins stockings

WebMD has an interesting slideshow up about foods with high sodium contents, plus advice on how to make these foods healthier. We’ve summarized some of the most helpful tips below.

Canned Veggies: Canned vegetables are intermingled with sodium-rich preservatives, so WebMD recommends rinsing before serving, or just buying fresh.

Cereal: Even otherwise healthy cereals like raisin bran and corn flakes are often loaded with sodium, whereas puffed rice and wheat cereals never have any sodium. If you don’t like the taste, try combining puffed cereal and regular cereal in a one-to-one ratio.

Chips: Potato chips and other bagged snacks usually contain high amounts of sodium. Plus, baked chips, although healthy for other reasons, often feature unhealthy sodium concentrations.

Marinades/Flavorings: Teriyaki and soy sauce are two of the most notoriously high-sodium flavorings available – even their low-sodium versions are still pretty high. For an alternative, try lemon juice or vinegar, or pineapple or orange juice for your marinating needs.

All that being said, sodium isn’t all bad! In fact, it helps the body balance its fluids, allowing the nerves and muscles to operate at full capacity.

Health, Health Tips, Nutrition diet, food, foods with high sodium, muscles, nerves, Nutrition, salt, sodium