What women notice at first...about other women.

According to a study of 2,000 women, the first thing a women notices about another woman is her weight. The other things on the list are interesting too.

It might be a shallow to exercise and lose weight based on this motivation, but if it gets the job done, you will be a healthier shallow person with more years in your life to work on getting deeper.

The Dukan diet: Simplify, Adapt or Abandon?

What is the appeal, besides the ordinary promise of quick weight loss, in the new "Dukan" Diet?" In spite of health warnings and odd side effects, such as "bad breath and fatigue," its popularity is growing.

I think the attraction is in the variety and the complexity. A lot of diets are simple, but boring, and are abandoned before giving the results they are capable of producing. The complexity engages the mind and provides a script to follow, making the dieter conscious of exactly what is being eaten. This is not for me. I would rather read a book than think about my food.

I like simplicity myself. If you want to try the diet, you can "uncomplexify" it and save your money. It is basically just a low-carb, hi (low fat) protein diet, with a bunch of oat-bran and water tossed in. So, just eat low-carb meals and have a Fiber-One or similar oat bran bar for a between meal snack and keep hydrated.

Why make things complex when you don't need too? There is no good reason, except maybe to fill the pages of a new diet book and have something to sell. Save yourself some money. You can do this yourself.

Consumer Reports Rates the Diets. Who Won, Lost?

Dr. Jennifer Ashton gives a video interview about the results of the Consumer Reports rating for the big name diets for effectiveness. There are some surprises. Take a look:

7 Myths about Caffine

Are you annoyed by people who try to change your coffee drinking habits? I know I am. Well here is a good article debunking a lot of the myths believed in and touted by your well meaning, but sadly misinformed friends.

Can a Big Rubber Band Make Your Big Stomach Smaller?

A good article came out recently about "gastric bands." The concept is simple: Make your stomach smaller so you will eat less and lose weight. The sounds nice. Unfortunately, it often only succeeds in making your wallet smaller. It can also reduce your muscle mass along with any fat loss. Overall, your health suffers. At best, you lose some weight, but it comes at the expense of your health, strength, and your money.

A more likely outcome is that the weight drops for a period and then creeps back up. After you just spent time and money in the hospital, this can be devastating. after all, if a medical procedure can't help you, what's left?

Maybe you should take a long walk and think about it. If you take a long enough walk, often enough, you just might walk yourself right out of the problem all together.

"Eat an apple on going to bed, and you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread,"


This is an older version of our more familiar proverb "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." It first appeared in print in 1866. Today, in 2011, we are still reading about the health benefits of apples. A new study shows they can lower cholesterol and provide some weight loss. The numbers are not big numbers, but something as simple as adding an apple or two a day to your diet definitely pays a health dividend.

Not only does it bring you a health benefit, but when it comes time to share your secrets of success, you can be a little smug about showing how tapping into the age old wisdom of your ancestors made a difference in your circumference.





Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20053114-10391704.html#ixzz1JLzK6Kf6

Somethings shouldn't be done in public...

This is how I think I look running around the neighborhood. I think if I had a treadmill I just might put in a few more miles every day. Even if I did the same amount as before, I would deprive my neighbors an opportunity a snicker at my expense.

Horizon Fitness T101 Treadmill

More Evidence of Coffee Helping People with Diabetes

Does Coffee Protect Against Type 2 Diabetes?  

Clay Wirestone
Feb 19, 2011

Folks who need that morning cup of coffee to get going may be protecting themselves from type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests. UCLA researchers wrote in the journal Diabetes last month that drinking four cups of coffee a day reduced women's chance of developing type 2 by a bit less than half. What's more, the scientists point to a specific reason why all that java has a beneficial effect: a protein known as sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). Scientists have suspected for some time that SHBG was connected to diabetes development.

What about those coffee jitters? Folks hoping to cut their risk through this method may have to endure them. (Who knows? They may learn to love them.)

"Consumption of decaffeinated coffee was not significantly associated with SHBG levels, nor diabetes risk," said the study's lead author, Atsushi Goto of the University of California, Los Angeles. "So you probably have to go for the octane."

This isn't the first study looking at diabetes and coffee consumption. Past work has produced conflicting results, so you may want to weigh the data before mainlining Starbucks.

An Archives of Internal Medicine paper from 2006 showed that women who drank decaffeinated coffee had the most protection from type 2 diabetes (they were 22 percent less likely to develop it). Those who drank the regular stuff also received some protection, the earlier study said, but not as much.

Other studies have cast doubt on coffee itself, suggesting that the beveragemakes it harder for the body to break down sugar.

The UCLA study looked at 359 postmenopausal women with new cases of type 2 diabetes and compared them with 359 women who didn't have the disease but were otherwise similar. In addition to the researchers from UCLA, scientists from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School contributed to the study.

Your Health on Coffee: 7 Facts To Change Your Perception

“Coffee Reduces Your Risk of Diabetes”

7 facts about Coffee - 3 good, 4 bad. But the good might outweigh the bad depending on your situation. Read the link and ponder your coffee addiction. Is it time to give it up or ask for a refill?

— Your Health on Coffee: 7 Facts To Change Your Perception - Planet Green

Breakfast On A Stick

The “breakfast on a stick” idea sounds fun, but I thinks they’ve got the food in the wrong order.

I am afraid just saving time by making food faster is making us all fatter and more prone to diabetes. It is time to slow down a bit and put more time into breakfast.

"Sugar, Sugar" for students with a sense of humor, or just desperate to pass the test.

Remember the “Sugar, Sugar” song? Well, here is comic version medical and chemistry students might find useful before that big exam.

Stealth Health + 7 ideas to get you started

The “Stealth Health” movement is dedicated to sneaking healthy habits into our daily living. It is easier than you might think.

“You can infuse your life with the power of prevention incrementally and fairly painlessly, and yes, doing something, no matter how small, is infinitely better for you than doing nothing,” says David Katz, MD, MPH, director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center and of the Yale Preventive Medicine Center. Katz is also co-author of the book Stealth Health: How to Sneak Age-Defying, Disease-Fighting Habits into Your Life without Really Trying.

From your morning shower to the evening news, from your work commute to your household chores, Katz says, there are at least 2,400 ways to sneak healthy activities into daily living.

“If you let yourself make small changes, they will add up to meaningful changes in the quality of your diet, your physical activity pattern, your capacity to deal with stress, and in your sleep quality — and those four things comprise an enormously powerful health promotion that can change your life,” says Katz.

And yes, he says, a nap on the couch can be a health-giving opportunity — particularly if you aren’t getting enough sleep at night.  Sleep is so important that being rested gives you energy to do so much more.

Nutritionist and diabetes educator Fran Grossman, RD, CDE, agrees. “You don’t have to belong to a gym or live on wheat grass just to be healthy,” says Grossman, a nutrition counselor at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York. “There are dozens of small things you can do every day that make a difference, and you don’t always have to do a lot to gain a lot.”

___

7 Sneaky Ideas. Here are some from my personal list:

1 While brushing my teeth: I put one leg on the toilet and stretch,.

2. Shaving: Stand on toes.

3. Watching TV: I do 500-800 steps while watching the first half of “The Biggest Loser" and rest during the 2nd half of the show.

4. At the Mall: do 1 or 2 laps without stopping before entering any stores..

5. I alternate sitting and standing activities so I can keep working longer longer without stopping. ex: 1. Do a 800 step exercise. 2. Answer e-mails, pay bills. 3. Go to Mall: do two laps and then shop.  4.return home: Study, grade papers….etc.

6. Take the stairs whenever possible. Park in the parking garage and take the stairs to the level I want.

7. Walk up escalators instead of riding them.

Got any ideas of your own? Please list a few.

Lose fat-lose the diabetes: 50 Fat Burning Tips from CBS News

CBS Health has a very good "50 tips" articles for burning off that extra fat in 2011. The article is presented in "gallery view" which I find annoying, but the information is good and you can learn a few new things there. I like number #38, which fits in with my strategy of eating smaller, but more frequent meals:

"#38 Stop Gorging" Your body can only handle so much food at a time, so stick to 600 calories or less per meal to maximize fat-burning, says Leslie Cooper, co-author of Flip the Switch: Proven Strategies to Fuel Your Metabolism and Burn Fat

2 glasses of water before meals = 14.5 Lbs a year weight loss...big deal or big yawn?

14.5 lbs a year seems to be a very boring rate of weight loss...but on the other hand, water is free, good for you and 14.5 pounds a year can get you to your ideal weight eventually without changing very much else in your life.

I don't see a lot of people adding a 2 glass per meal water habit to their daily routine. It seems such a "tame" method. Now, if the article mentioned adding green tea to your diet with ginseng and honey, etc., a few converts might be expected. Perhaps this is why articles abound concerning the health benefits of coffee, tea, soups and certain juices. It may be just the simple act of taking in more water every day is making people healthier.


I believe I will try and add some more of that green tea to my diet. I especially like the mango flavor. I don't mind adding more water if I can spice it up a little.

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The CNN Health report highlights these facts: 

"Dr. Brenda Davy, associate professor of human nutrition, foods and exercise at Virginia Tech, presented  a study at last year's obesity conference in Phoenix, Arizona, showing that people who drank two glasses of water 20 to 30 minutes before every meal lost weight more quickly initially and lost significantly more weight than those who didn't.

In another study by Davy and her group, published last year in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, she found that people who drank water before meals ate an average of 75 fewer calories at that meal. This may not seem like much, but if you ate 75 fewer calories at lunch and dinner for the next year, you could lose about 14½ pounds! In addition, being even 1 percent dehydrated can cause a significant drop in metabolism, which can also interfere with weight loss."

Can Exercise Makes You Smarter? Science Daily says "Yes"

What ever happened to the stereotypic dumb jock? He might be smarter than you thought.


 A  study presented to the Radiological Society of North America this year contained these interesting points: People who walked between 5-6 miles a week had greater brain volume and a slower rate of memory loss as they aged when compared to people who did not walk as often or as much.

Good Food from a Fun Chef - Mediterranean Chicken of Love

The "Happy Diabetic" is a fun loving chef, that was in charge of Cracker Barrel  Restaurant Menu development for many years. He has a lot of good recipies. Here is one...

 

Chef Robert's Mediterranean Chicken of Love

If you've ever traveled to Greece, you know all about the healthy eating habits of the locals. This dish is a rich and full-flavored sample of their cuisine, heavy with aromas from the Mediterranean.

The tender chicken, garlic, and tomatoes create a delicious combination that your friends and family will not soon forget, and it's just as good if you substitute shrimp for the chicken. This recipe is easy to prepare… and remember, it was made with love!

Ingredients

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, sliced
2 cloves of garlic
3 roma tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon oregano
10 pitted kalamata or black pitted olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced chicken and sautè about 4 to 6 minutes, until golden. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

Sautè garlic in pan drippings for 30 seconds, then add tomatoes and sautè for 3 minutes. Lower heat, add white wine, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add oregano, rosemary, and basil, and simmer for 2 to 3 more minutes.

Return chicken to skillet and cover. Cook over low heat until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside. Add olives and parsley to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Servings: 4

Nutrition at a Glance (per serving)

Calories 336
Total fat 17.75g
Carbohydrate 4.92g
Protein 34.58g

Nothing to eat? 50 Low Carb Snack Ideas....

Here is a list of 50 low carb snack foods most of these are under 15g of carbs (watch the portion size) and shouldn't elevate your blood sugar too much. The rule of thumb is: Eat 15 grams, wait 15 min. & test again, to see about a modest 15 + rise in your blood sugar.

1. String Cheese
2. Celery and carrots
3. Cucumber sticks
4. Apple slices
5. Pretzels sticks
6. Popcorn (Mini Bag)100 calorie bag
7. Half a peanut butter sandwich make sure to use whole grain bread
8. Some cubes of cheese & a couple of rye triscuits
9. Peanut M&M's (very high carb and high GI - use sparingly)
10. Baked apple with a little cool whip
11. Celery sticks with peanut butter(you can find them in the store)
12. Cheddar cheese & apple slices
13. Muenster & pear slices
14. Feta & tomatoes
15. Sunflower seeds in shell
16. Dried apricots (High carb & High GI - use sparingly)
17. Bananas, strawberries, grapes(High carb)try freezing them for a summer snack
18. Arrow root cookies(limit to 15 gr carb)
19. Steamed asparagus with a squeeze of lime juice
20. Grilled zucchini with a squeeze of lemon juice
21. Poached fish served on lettuce leaves
22. Tuna roll ups in whole wheat tortillas
23. Tossed salad
24. Crunchy peanut butter toast with 1/8c raisins & 1/2 t cinnamon
25. Crunchy peanut butter toast with sliced peaches
26. Crunchy peanut butter toast with bananas
27. Coffee with cinnamon as a drink
28. Sliced radishes with a touch of salt
29. Crystal Light iced tea
30. Frozen grapes, frozen strawberries or frozen bananas(High Carb)
31. Laura Scudders 'nothing-added-except-salt peanut butter'
32. Dole fruit cups that come in a 6 pack. Freeze them and it is just like eating sherbet(contain real sugar)
33. Low fat Lorraine Swiss cheese and low salt crackers
34. Salsas mixed with low fat sour cream in a blender and then dip celery, green peppers and carrots in it. You can bake tortilla chips too.
35. Sugar free Jell-O containers
36. Little cans or containers of lite fruit with low fat cottage cheese.
37. Add bouillon(I use onion) to plain yogurt and dip veggies in it.
38. Raw carrots dipped in either tahina or organic unsweetened peanut butter
39. Raw cauliflower pieces and (plain) hummus (for dipping).
40. Hard boiled eggs
41. Deviled eggs
42. Egg salad on Wasa crackers
43. TUNA SALAD HEAPED ON WASA CRACKERS
44. EGG OR TUNA OR CHICKEN SALAD WRAPPED UP IN BUTTER LETTUCE LEAVES
45. BLT ROLLED UP INSIDE A SLICE OF TURKEY BREAST
46. MEATBALLS (COLD)
47. COLD ROAST CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS OR WINGS
48. SLICED ROAST BEEF WRAPPED AROUND STRING CHEESE STICKS
49. BEEF JERKY, SLIM JIMS, OTHER CURED DRIED MEAT PRODUCTS
50. SUGAR FREE JELLO

How Many Sugar Cubes are You Eating?

Can you visualize how much sugar is in the food you eat? You can now. The "sugar cube" pyramid project does the trick.

It is made by taking the grams of sugar found on the food's nutritional information label, multiplying that number by the number of servings and thus finding the total grams of sugar in a package. Then divide the total number of sugar grams by the weight of 1  sugar cube (4.1 grams of sugar).

Got that? Now, just take that number and count out all the sugar cubes you make yourself a nice sugar pyramid.  Better take a picture before someone eats it.

 I think this would make a great project for kids to do at the Science Fair. I teach Biology and am seriously thinking to make this an extra credit project for this year or I could have all the kids bring a box of sugar cubes and have them make a sugar pyramid/food product/photo display. We could then set up in the cafeteria. 

Then again, the kids walking by might just eat the sugar cubes. Maybe we’ll just use the pictures.

For more pictures visit: Diabetes Mine

Balance: When raising one number, consider lowering another number…

We like fast food and faster tech. But when technology is added, we often sacrifice activity and add some pounds as well.

Love for tech could work in your favor. Maybe you can make a deal with yourself: “No more tech toys until I hit my goal weight.” That way, you just might be motivated to drop those pounds at a faster clip and have your (tech) cake and eat it too.

Will a “Fat Tax” Make Us Skinny? NY Times Says “YES”

The New York Times reports that a recent study shows that for every 10 percent

 increase in the price of a two-liter bottle, people consumed 7 percent fewer soda calories and less calories in total by the end of the day. For larger price increases, the drop in Calories and weight was significant.

“When people faced an even larger increase — $1 for a two-liter bottle of soda, comparable to a proposed tax in Philadelphia — they consumed 124 fewer calories a day, the study found. The lower soda intake was associated with a drop in weight of more than two pounds — and a lower risk for pre-diabetes.”

So…what does this all mean for us? It looks like the people who want to tax us into good health just got some new ammunition. I think that armed with this ammo, it won’t belong before the “Fat Tax” becomes a reality.

I hate taxes and being ruled by a “Nanny State” government. But if this study is correct, I maybe become skinner and healthier protester.