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Food Fight: School Lunch, a 'Battlefield'
Tweet Share on Facebook August 23, 2012 CommentOne of the more contentious debates in modern public health, as it wrestles with relentlessly epidemic obesity and its protean consequences, is the role of personal responsibility.
At one end of the spectrum are those who believe that because we're in control of how we use our feet and forks each day, a simple matter of making good choices must trump all. At the other extreme are environmental determinists who feel we can never take better care of ourselves until the environment makes that the inescapable default; that only comprehensive policy changes will do. Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposed ban on large sodas garners support from the latter camp, for instance.
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Kid-Pleasing Sleepover Party Recipes
Tweet Share on Facebook August 22, 2012 CommentThe end of summer always calls for one thing at my house: a sleepover soirée! My kids know late summer nights are coming to an end, so they love having friends spend the night (on a weeknight!) before school starts again. Besides the Twister (yes, we still play this), card games, and a movie, I try to make part of the fun for the kids center around dinner and snacks.
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Sensational Nutrition Headlines: Ignore Them
Tweet Share on Facebook August 22, 2012 CommentDon't blame the media, but the news you're reading regarding the impact of food on chronic disease is almost certainly wrong.
This past year has seen its fair share of sensational nutrition headlines. The New York Times shouted "High-Protein Diet Is Linked to Heart Risks." CBS News told us "Eating Lots of Chocolate Helps People Stay Thin, Study Finds." WebMD warned "White Rice Linked to Diabetes Risk." The LA Times declared "All Red Meat is Risky, A Study Finds." And just last week, CNN asked "Is Eating Egg Yolks as Bad as Smoking?"
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When Nutrition Labels Lie
Tweet Share on Facebook August 21, 2012 CommentWe're all familiar with the standard Nutrition Facts label that appears on all packaged foods sold in this country. The label is mandated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in accordance with the 1990 Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) and requires that values for specific nutrients be reported in a standardized format. This law was intended to provide clearer, more transparent information to consumers, and enable them to better compare the nutritional merits of products.
Unfortunately, Nutrition Facts labels are not always factual. For starters, the law allows a pretty lax margin of error—up to 20 percent—for the stated value versus actual value of nutrients. In reality, that means a 100-calorie pack could, theoretically, contain up to 120 calories and still not be violating the law. The same margin of error goes for other nutrients as well, which doesn't bode well for diabetic carb counters, folks with high blood pressure who are watching sodium intake, or moms looking to boost the iron content of their babies' diets. The FDA has never established a systematic, random label-auditing process, and compliance with the law is expected to be self-enforced by food manufacturers.
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Saving Summer Crops: How to Hold On to Your Harvest
Tweet Share on Facebook August 20, 2012 CommentThe school bus is already rolling down the streets here in metro Atlanta, and the seemingly-endless 95-degree heat of summer is starting to break a little. I even wore a long-sleeved shirt for the first time in months the other night, and that means, yes, the seasons are most definitely changing, and summer's bounty in the garden will soon be slowing down and ending. Although an entirely new season filled with what we consider "cool season crops" (lettuces, cooking greens, root crops, broccoli, peas, and more) is equally bountiful here, we won't see our summer favorites again—the tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash on which we've been sustaining ourselves—for months now.
Those of you elsewhere are likely saying goodbye to your summer favorites as well. I know you're busy, but trust me when I say that taking a little time now to capture the essence of summer will benefit you well into the seasons to come. For our friends in even hotter places than Atlanta, I know that, perhaps, summer may be a time when you give your garden a chance to rejuvenate as you head into your tomato season. Save this advice for when that season ends for you as well.
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The Secret to Sticking With Exercise
Tweet Share on Facebook August 20, 2012 CommentThere's a big reason why the average American only gets 17 minutes of physical activity a day, barely half of the recommended amount. Many people give excuses for falling short, usually attributing the gap to some variation of having "no time." The reality is it all comes down to one issue—value.
People do things that are important to them. Every day you set priorities, schedule your time and, for the most part, follow your "to-do" list. The most important things get done and things you care less about are most likely to fall off the schedule.
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The Diet Mentality Paradox: Why Dieting Can Make You Fat
Tweet Share on Facebook August 17, 2012 CommentIf you were to stop 10 random people on the street and ask, "What should a person do if he wants to lose weight?" chances are that most would respond, "Go on a diet." This is our cultural solution to our national obesity problem. And it's making us fat.
A recent study published in the Journal of Obesity demonstrated that normal-weight teenagers were more likely to be overweight 10 years later if they thought of themselves as overweight to begin with. This is not a new observation. Earlier studies, such as one published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, identified the same problem: Kids who feel fat are more likely to be fat years later.
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Olympic Games + Junk Food Ads = Outrageous Combination
Tweet Share on Facebook August 16, 2012 CommentOver the course of the generally wonderful and inspiring London Olympic Games, now drawn to a close, something rather ominous about the superimposition of money, mouths, and medals was persistently on my mind—and remains so now.
Our mouths are important, and how we use them matters. They are the source of our words, and consequently, our premier capacity to share ideas, ideals, and convictions with one another. Our mouths give voice to our character.
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Eating Healthy When Those Around You Don't
Tweet Share on Facebook August 16, 2012 CommentOne of the most common complaints I hear from my patients is that it's hard to eat healthy because the people around them don't. Their co-workers, family members, and friends seem to eat whatever they want, whenever they want, without thinking about their health or weight.
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Beans: The Undervalued Superfood
Tweet Share on Facebook August 16, 2012 CommentWe've all heard the expression "shop the perimeter of the store." But if you skip the middle, you're missing out on a wealth of wholesome, delicious food choices. Your supermarket shelves are filled with hidden treasures that you shouldn't pass up. Like beans, one of the most neglected and under-valued items.
