Reese’s for Breakfast!

Weight loss advice: Eat dessert with breakfast. If only we found out about this earlier. 

As highly unlikely and mind-boggling as it sounds, researchers are saying that having a low calorie diet which includes dessert for breakfast will help you lose weight. Isn’t that hard to believe? Well, the New York Times has published this controversial article to inform readers with the latest research and receive their input on this topic. 

According to the March issue of the journal Steriods, scientists randomly chose 144 obese individuals between the ages of 20 to 65. The men were exposed to a low-carbohydrate diet providing 1,600 calories whereas the women had to consume 1,400 daily calories. The only main difference between their diets was that some individuals received a "high-carbohydrate, protein enriched breakfast with a choice of cookies, chocolate cake or ice cream." Who would refuse a delicious homemade peanut butter cookie for the most important meal of the day?

At the initial 16-week period, the average weight loss for each group was about the same. It was around 32 pounds. However, the participants that ate the dessert demonstrated more competent at keeping the weight off. Over the 16-week follow-up, people on the dessert-with-breakfast diet lost an extra 13 pounds on average, while the others regained back the lost pounds.

The following results are supported by measurement of the blood levels of ghrelin, a hormone that tells the brain when the body needs to be fed. The higher the levels of ghrelin, the bigger the appetite one has. Scientists found that the participants on the dessert regimen retained lower levels of ghrelin and reported considerably higher levels of fullness.

This suggests that the participants that ate a large breakfast which included dessert had fewer cravings during the day. It kept them fuller and so they were less likely to indulge throughout the day which allowed them to maintain weight loss. In any event, if you get a sweet tooth early in the morning, I am not going to stop you. 

The Ice Cream Secret

In this day and age, society has managed to surround a population by self-serve yogurt shops and confectionaries that are similar to the goodies sold centuries ago. It is no question that the current popularity of these shops provide a difficult challenge, especially to those on their way to changing unhealthy eating behaviors.

I have always been a loyal ice cream admirer. The connection between ice cream and the world’s history related nutrition, including the journey it has gone through to get where it is today, never fails to leave such strong impressions. OF SUGAR AND SNOW written by Jeri Quinzio takes an approach to educate her readers by taking them back in time with the use of historical recipes and comments that expel the truth behind A history of Ice Cream Making.

What’s the Secret?

Many people are curious; can you get addicted to ice cream?

Perhaps, but one researcher’s thoughts on the situation provided that, "Over consumption of these foods down regulates reward processes," he explained. "That may, in turn, make you eat more," in an effort to feel the same pleasure you once did.

In other words, ice cream can have addictive-like properties. 

So what happens if you add alcohol to the mix?  

Surely you have heard about Arizona locals having their own SnoBar, found in 5 different locations across the valley creating a fun way to enjoy cocktails. The gourmet, frozen alcohol-infused ice-pops and ice cream are made with natural ingredients and premium alcohol containing a full cocktail in every serving. 

These are for those who are at least 21. So the way I see it, these also contain addictive-like properties and should be consumed responsibly. 

Check them out, you never know; maybe they have a secret of their own. Looking forward to reading about them in the books.  

He's not My Oprah

Perhaps in the eyes of many viewers, they want to find out the truth before making such drastic changes to their eating habits. Imagine -- you’re at home sitting on the edge of your seat, licking lips over the 4 “best all natural weight loss aids” that might help shed those last few. Dying to hear about what ingredients are exactly needed “to add to every meal in order to drop the pounds” you listen to the solution—items “such as Maitake Mushroom Extract, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Sage Leaf Tea and Glucomannan.”

Dr Oz Sage Leaf Tea

The Dr. Oz Show recommends trying 1-cup sage leaf tea during breakfast and it will, “dramatically change the way your body is thinking about food.”

Here’s what I found. The sage teas traditional uses involve the treatment of upset stomach or indigestion, mouth, throat and skin inflammations. Also further research is needed to distinguish the benefits related to how much should be consumed. According to a livestrong.com article, “Sage leaf tea may not exactly be your cup of tea.” 

Dr Oz Alpha Lipoic Acid

The use of this supplement is actually said to terminate free radicals, however research shows in one study that the major benefit is found through those patients with nerve damage associated with diabetes mellitus.

Dr Oz Maitake Mushrooms

 This product comes in droplet form and is said to “control cravings by adjusting sugar levels. “

One study examined the hypoglycemic activity of three different fungi, including Maitake, all of which are rich in vanadium - a trace mineral found in many foods. Coprinus comatus, the common fungus often seen growing on the lawn was the one to show significant hypoglycemic effects in animals. Further research is suggested.

Dr Oz Glucomannan

 It’s one of those ingredients seen on the back of many processed foods as a thickening agent. There have been studies done to support the potential health benefits, however the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have not approved this product. 

My advice: eat a variety of colorful vegetables/ superfoods, exercise daily and stay clever!

Communicating Nutrition

   

I have been thinking a lot lately about what it is that I really want my message to be after I graduate with my Nutrition Communication degree. What do I really want to teach people? How will I do it? I am learning so much about food, health, nutrition, and the lifestyle that will encourage longevity, that I feel like I have so much to share. How will I as a nutrition expert get the point across? Well first, I have to have a point to make. It was not until I started working on a presentation I have to make about nutrition that it all really started to come together. How do we teach people who "live to eat", to "eat to live"? Well you can't. As a nutrition student and food lover myself, I have realized that it is not poor eating habits that are making people sick and overweight, it is their love of food. I totally get that. I love food and I would not be to accepting to the idea of someone telling me I cannot eat what I like. This is where the communication part of my background will come into play. It is all about delivery. If I am going to be educating people on nutrition, I have to be able to relate to them. I can relate to their love of food and at the same time share my knowledge on good vs. bad nutrition. If you think about it, a bowl of ice cream, a double bacon cheeseburger, even alcohol, is all nutrition. It is food that you put into your body and is then converted into energy. There it is: nutrition. What I want to teach is the good vs. bad, not tell people what to do. No one likes to be told what to do and it will most likely close them off to any kind of information I have to share. There is no one single definition of nutrition, in my opinion. It is the way I will communicate with people, relate to people and empathize with people that will really get them to open up and ultimately welcome changes to their nutritional choices, from bad choices to good choices. Or at least somewhere in between, which would be knowledge; at least they will have that. Just communication alone will help open peoples' minds to what nutrition really is. From one foodie to another: it is possible to eat to live while also living to eat...I do it every day.

Vegan, Un-American?

Maybe it’s conditioning or it’s just amazing media conviction, but there are people who think that vegan diets are unhealthy, unbalanced and even “Un-American”. In THIS episode of ABC’s “What Would You Do?” television show, a hidden-camera-type reality show creating scenarios in public places to see how average Americans act when nobody’s watching, tackle just this subject... with a twist. A mother and her young daughter are in a restaurant and explain to the waitress that they’re vegans (actors, of course) and the couple next to them (also actors) interject and say things that many vegans have heard a million times; “You get no protein.”, “It’s unhealthy.”, and even that it’s a form of child abuse to choose this diet for their children. According to experts, when done in a balanced way that accounts for key nutrients, vegan diets are suitable for all stages of life from pregnancy onward.

I find these reactions strange although commonplace in our society. People generally feel as if they’re being “converted” or “stigmatized” by others in all diet choices. What I find most interesting is that much of this is learned behavior. We are conditioned to believe through the media, our families and multimillion dollar marketing campaigns that eating meat and drinking milk are not only normal, but the ONLY way. Any deviation from this is abnormal and even harmful. I’m sorry, but dangerous diets exist in every type, from fast food hamburgers and fries to greasy pizza to highly processed fake “meats”. None of these things are significantly good or bad for you in moderation, but when it becomes the BASE of your diet, you’re treading on thin ice. Thin ice that can lead to obesity, heart disease, some forms of cancer, nutrient deficiencies and more.

Eating more plant foods is not only healthy, but actually recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the FDA. Of course, they are not saying to “eat less” of any particular foods, but are advocating a more plant-based style of eating. It’s healthy for you and it’s healthy for kids.

Can't Turn off the Lights?

There is extensive research showing the benefits from getting enough sleep at night. Do you feel like you are not getting enough sleep? Most adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep a night, so anything less than that is not enough. Sleep is a major contributor to health, happiness, and energy. Most of the reasoning behind not getting enough sleep would be the fact that many of us can’t get to bed on time, or “can’t turn out the lights”. If you feel you need more sleep or are having a hard time falling asleep at night, try these helpful tips:

1.       Give yourself a specific bedtime and follow it.

2.       Don’t wait until you feel sleepy. It’s very easy to stay busy well past the time that you were supposed to be asleep.

3.       Stay away from the internet for at least an hour before going to bed. The internet is more apt to make you feel wide awake.

4.       Don’t drink caffeine for several hours before your bedtime.

5.       Remind yourself how great it feels to wake up naturally, before the alarm goes off, without that sickening jolt into wakefulness.

6.       Get ready for bed well ahead of time.

7.       Create a bedtime ritual or routine such as drinking herbal tea or reading in bed.

Click on the link below to learn more about the seven easy steps in detail. Following these easy steps could help you get the rest that you need. Just remember how good and energetic you feel the next day!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gretchen-rubin/bedtime-tips_b_1280228.html?ref=health-and-fitness&ir=Health%20and%20Fitness&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008

IT WORKS

This weekend I had to work for the woman I am interning for, Jyl Steinback at the annual Shape Up US event. While going from booth to booth, one particular woman grabbed my attention. She was selling an Ultimate Body Applicator for the company “It Works”.  This woman was the definition of a nutrition “quack”. She was trying to persuade me into buying these body applicators that “suck out the fat from your stomach so you can eat anything you want without gaining any weight”. Her words to be exact… Little did she know I am a Nutrition major at Arizona State. All I could think about was how many people were going to actually believe her and buy this product. All in all, it is crazy to think that there are so many people and organizations out there, that are trying to make money off of nutrition quackery!! Check out this video. It shows just how ridiculous these products are.. Enjoy!