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Reducing the Rice in Your Diet
Tweet Share on Facebook October 1, 2012 CommentThe recent Consumer Reports article on the high content of inorganic arsenic in rice created quite an understandable stir. Inorganic arsenic is a known carcinogen (cancer-causing substance), and the possibility that we may be inadvertently consuming more of it than we realize is concerning.
Arsenic is a metal that occurs naturally in soil in trace amounts, but its concentration can be increased significantly from a variety of environmental pollutants. The use of arsenic-containing fertilizer, for example, can cause soil to have higher concentrations of arsenic, and adjacent groundwater can be contaminated with runoff from these soils. Here in the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency sets limits for arsenic content in public water, but no government agency monitors or regulates arsenic content in food.
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How to Plant a Juice Garden
Tweet Share on Facebook October 1, 2012 CommentIf your day has you on the run (and whose doesn't?), you may have discovered that liquid lunches are the way to go—and I'm not talking martinis here. I'm talking kale, carrots, apples, and a whole slew of other healthy goodies pressed through a juicer or perhaps just blended, poured into a travel cup, and taken here, there, and everywhere. "Delicious, nutritious, and makes you feel ambitious," as the mother of a friend of mine likes to say.
However, it probably didn't take long before you realized that daily juices require a whole lot of inputs. Bags of apples. Piles of carrots. Armfuls of greens. Not only does this require frequent trips to the market, but also a whole lot of money. There has to be a better way, doesn't there?
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Wrestling With Their Weight ... Literally
Tweet Share on Facebook September 28, 2012 Comment"My friend just told me that he has to lose 10 pounds by next week … isn't that unhealthy?" asked my 17-year-old son. Perplexed and troubled, he went on to say that unless his friend "starved" himself, he wouldn't "make his weight" for his wrestling team.
Unfortunately, this is not atypical. Anywhere from one-quarter to two-thirds of high school wrestlers use fasting, excessive exercise, unbalanced diets, and voluntary dehydration as techniques to help them achieve a fighting weight, according to some estimates. Ironically, these behaviors only sap athletes of the strength and energy needed to compete in this sport—and they're particularly dangerous for still-growing teens, who demand calories to fuel both mind and body. Furthermore, an improper diet can have a profoundly negative impact on learning and focusing at a time when students can barely afford to divert their attention from college applications and SAT's to rigorous after-school workouts and weekend tournaments.
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Arsenic in Rice: of Baby and Bath Water
Tweet Share on Facebook September 28, 2012 CommentPredictably, there was widespread media attention to a recent release by Consumer Reports highlighting contamination of rice by arsenic. In customary "consumer watchdog" fashion, Consumer Reports presented a long list of popular consumer products, from cooking rice, to rice cakes, to breakfast cereal, and most worrisome, baby food, with arsenic levels in each. The story was covered extensively by the major network news programs.
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Should Tuna Be Banned from School Lunches?
Tweet Share on Facebook September 28, 2012 CommentCanned tuna made news last week as the star in a scandalous debate: A coalition of consumer groups is reportedly urging schools to take tuna off the lunch menu. The reason? A recently published study that reported higher amounts of mercury than expected, as well as large variances in the levels of mercury, based on tests of several different brands and types of canned tuna.
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Have Your Cocktail, and Drink it, too—Without Weight Gain
Tweet Share on Facebook September 27, 2012 CommentMany of us, though not all, enjoy our cocktails. I will admit I'm a lover of a vodka (Kettle One to be exact) martini—hold the vermouth, with olives. And it never ceases to amaze me when my patients think that in order to lose weight they must forego all alcoholic beverages.
Yes, too much alcohol equals too many calories and weight gain, along with a long list of health risks. According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, if you choose to drink alcohol, you should do so only in moderation: up to one drink a day for women, and two drinks a day for men. Moderate alcohol consumption has been linked to a possible decrease in heart disease and stroke.
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Fall for These Fall Recipes
Tweet Share on Facebook September 26, 2012 CommentIt's time to say bittersweet goodbyes to summer produce. This was an amazing year for tomatoes and berries, and I hope you got your fill—they won't be as flavorful, inexpensive, or abundant until next summer. Still, I'm ridiculously excited to see fall's bounty hit the markets. Autumnal deliciousness starts with apples. If we chug through the alphabet, we'll also find: artichokes, arugula, beets, Brussels sprouts and cabbages, cauliflower, chard, cranberries, edamame, eggplant, fennel, figs, garlic, grapes, herbs, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lemongrass, lime, mushrooms, onions, pears, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, radicchio, spinach, sweet potatoes, turnips, and winter squash. I cannot wait to break out my crock pot, roasting pan, and fall recipes. Here's what I'm most looking forward to in the coming months:
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Why Fast Food Could Be Good for Your Waistline
Tweet Share on Facebook September 26, 2012 CommentWaiting for her flight, Sharon had a few eating options: Chili's Grill and Bar, McDonald's, Starbucks, and some non-descript airport bar. With her waistline in mind, Sharon chose Chili's, where after spending at least five minutes meticulously scrutinizing the menu, she decided to play it safe and order the Santa Fe Chicken Salad as a main. She was also proud to have pushed the bread basket aside, but at the insistent request of her husband and two teenage girls, she did agree to eat her share of the Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Chips. And while she spent zero calories on a Diet Coke, she couldn't resist grabbing a few spoonfuls of her daughter's Brownie Sunday.
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How to Stop Feeling Selfish About 'Me Time'
Tweet Share on Facebook September 25, 2012 CommentAccording to a 2009 Pew Research Center report, called "The Harried Life of the Working Mother," 66 percent of women with children 17 or younger work full or part time. But these working women are extremely hard on themselves. Only one-third gave themselves top marks on being a mom. Among the full-time workers, only 13 percent agreed it was ideal for child rearing.
Hello, guilt. It's no wonder working moms feel the need to compensate for their lack of "mom performance," rushing to get to their families ASAP to ease the guilt of being gone in the first place. There's the added pressure to schedule kids' extracurricular activities, which can leave kids coming home late in the evening, just as tired as their parents! Then there's homework, dinner, and the work E-mails you can't seem to ignore. For everyone in the family, it's go, go, go. There is no down time, no more empty space on the calendar. It's not surprising that four in 10 working moms describe themselves as "always rushed," according to the Pew study.
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7 Ways to Lose Fat Fast—And Fit Into Your Skinny Jeans!
Tweet Share on Facebook September 24, 2012 CommentIt's that time of year again when many of us regret the diet decisions we made over the summer as we realize our jeans are too tight! The all-inclusive vacation and trips to the beach and pool can often lead to some unwanted pounds by September and, as a result, poorly fitting jeans. Look your best, and get ready to slip into your skinny jeans with these tips to help you shape up quickly.
1. Eat protein at every meal. Eating enough protein will help you stay satisfied and resist the temptation to snack excessively between meals. If you want to lose weight, aim to eat approximately .7 grams of protein for each pound of your body weight. Just multiply your body weight, in pounds, by .7 to determine the number of protein grams to eat each day. Protein also helps boost your metabolism, since it takes more calories to metabolize compared to fat and carbohydrates. Some high-quality protein sources include: lean beef, chicken breast, fish, lentils, beans, and Greek yogurt.
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