Health Advice/Discussion

Tu_triky wrote:

Seriously....I guess you get what you pay for...you want cheap fish that's grown in lakes in which ppl pee...you know where to go.

This is a larger food supply dilemma - people want cheaper and cheaper.. and really, you get what you pay for.

I mean, think about beef: we've screwed up the diets of most of american cattle which in turn produce sickly animals and way more greenhouse gases and we construct a monoculture agricultural system for corn. Sure we get cheaper beef.. but the beef is less healthy to eat and far worse for the economy and the environment. Short-sightedness is the name of our game, isn't it?

phlargo wrote:

This is a larger food supply dilemma - people want cheaper and cheaper.. and really, you get what you pay for.

I mean, think about beef: we've screwed up the diets of most of american cattle which in turn produce sickly animals and way more greenhouse gases and we construct a monoculture agricultural system for corn. Sure we get cheaper beef.. but the beef is less healthy to eat and far worse for the economy and the environment. Short-sightedness is the name of our game, isn't it?

Indeed. Indeed.

phlargo wrote:Short-sightedness is the name of our game, isn't it?

The U.S. has got game. :mrgreen: :beaten:

From Yahoo! Health:

7 Super Snacks That Heal
Posted Mon, Jun 30, 2008, 12:35 pm PDT

If some doctors had their way today, Americans would be more medicated than industrial feedlot cattle. But what most people donft realize is that the first line of defense against stress, fatigue, depression, and so many other maladies is found in supermarket aisles, not in the drug store.

Research shows that the vitamins, minerals, and active compounds specific to certain fruits, vegetables, and even chocolate and red wine have an immediate and lasting impact on your mood, your health, your fitness \ even your sex life.

Whether you have a big presentation at work, or the need to burn a few hundred extra calories a day (and who doesnft want to do that?), why not put food to work for you? Here are seven research-backed quick cures just waiting for you in the fresh produce bins and supermarket shelves.

1. When You're Stressed...
Eat This:
1 Cup of Low-Fat Yogurt or 2 Tbsp of Mixed Nuts

Scientists in Slovakia gave people 3 grams each of two amino acids \ lysine and arginine \ or a placebo and asked them to deliver a speech. Blood measurements of stress hormones revealed that the amino acid–fortified public speakers were half as anxious during and after the speech as those who took the placebo. Yogurt is one of the best food sources of lysine; nuts pack tons of arginine.

Not That!
A Can of Soda

A study from the American Journal of Public Health found that people who drink 20 ounces of soda daily are three times more likely to be depressed and anxious, compared with those who drink less.

2. When You Want to Increase Your Metabolism...
Drink This:
Green Tea

Catechins, the powerful antioxidants found in green tea, are known to stoke your metabolism, making it burn hotter and torch more calories. A study by Japanese researchers found that participants who consumed 690 milligrams of catechins from green tea daily had significantly lower body-mass indexes and smaller waist measurements than tea-totalers (i.e., they avoid the stuff).

Not That!
Nothing

Skipping meals lets your body's calorie-burning furnace go cold. Spread out snacks throughout the day. Try a cup of yogurt with fresh fruit or almonds between breakfast and lunch, and a hard-boiled egg or hummus with vegetables in the afternoon.

3. When You're Low on Energy...
Eat This:
A Handful of Trail Mix

Raisins provide potassium, which your body uses to convert sugar into energy. Nuts stock your body with magnesium, which boosts metabolism and improves nerve and muscle function. (When magnesium levels are low, your body produces more lactic acid \ the same fatigue-byproduct that makes your muscles ache at the end of a workout.)

Not That!
Espresso-Based Drinks

Sure, the caffeine will perk you up, but the spike in blood sugar that follows \ with anywhere from 16 grams (latte) to 59 grams (white chocolate mocha) of sugar coursing through your veins \ will ultimately launch your own personal energy crisis. Stick to brewed coffee with one packet of sugar, max.

4. When You Need a Brain Boost...
Eat This:
Blueberries

Antioxidants in blueberries help protect the brain from free-radical damage, which could decrease your risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, and improve cognitive processing. Wild blueberries, if you can find them (or grow them!), have even more brain-boosting antioxidants than the cultivated variety.

Not That!
Ice Cream

Sugary foods incite sudden surges of blood glucose that, in the long term, cause sugar highs and lows, and make you as distractable as a toddler in the Disney store. And foods high in saturated fat can clog blood vessels and slow the flow of nutrients and blood to the brain.

5. When You're Under the Weather...
Drink This:
Ginseng Tea, Hot or Iced

In a Canadian study, people who took 400 milligrams of ginseng a day had 25 percent fewer colds than people who popped a placebo. Ginseng helps kill invading viruses by increasing the body's production of key immune cells.

Not That!
Caffeinated Beverages and Energy Drinks

Excessive caffeine messes with your sleep schedule and sabotages key immune agents. And insufficient sleep opens the door to colds, upper respiratory infections, and other ills. What's more, caffeine can dehydrate you, and hydration is vital during illness: Fluids not only transport nutrients to the problem zones, but also carry away toxins.

6. When You Need to Wake Up and Go...
Eat This:
Eggs and Whole-Wheat Toast

Eggs are a great source of protein, and having them for breakfast sets you up for a perfect day of eating. Saint Louis University researchers found that people who eat eggs for breakfast consume 264 fewer calories the rest of the day than those who eat bagels and cream cheese.

Not That!
Bagel and Cream Cheese

At 500 calories and 20 grams of fat, this deli disaster is one of the worst ways to start your day. Sixty grams of fast-burning carbohydrates will cause a dip in energy and a spike in hunger, long before lunchtime. The same goes for croissants, danish, donuts, and pancakes.

7. When You Want to Get ''In the Mood''...
Eat This:
Dark Chocolate

The cocoa in chocolate contains stimulants that increase your body's sensitivity. Chocolate also contains phenylethylamine, a chemical that can give you a slight natural high. And Italian researchers found that women who often eat chocolate have a higher sex drive than those who don't. Make sure your chocolate has at least 60 percent cacao.

Not That!
The Third Glass of Wine

The alcohol in wine affects your prefrontal cortex, which can decrease inhibition and up your sexual appetite. But only for the first glass or two. Beyond that, the toxic affects of alcohol in your system take over and are as likely to make you sleepy as they are to make you sexy. The more pouring, the more snoring.

dark chocolate increases your sex drive. wow.

anyway, i've lost around 50lbs but the thing is, somehow my cheeks are still chubby! a lot of people even actually said they sometimes look disproportional with my body. anyone know how to get rid of the fat in the cheeks? i want an oval face for a change :shamefulcry: :hehe:

monta wrote:dark chocolate increases your sex drive. wow.

That's old news.

anyway, i've lost around 50lbs but the thing is, somehow my cheeks are still chubby! a lot of people even actually said they sometimes look disproportional with my body. anyone know how to get rid of the fat in the cheeks? i want an oval face for a change :shamefulcry: :hehe:

Keep exercising. :victory:

monta wrote:

anyway, i've lost around 50lbs but the thing is, somehow my cheeks are still chubby! a lot of people even actually said they sometimes look disproportional with my body. anyone know how to get rid of the fat in the cheeks? i want an oval face for a change :shamefulcry: :hehe:

Congratulations!!!! :victory:
How old are you Monta? Some people tend to have a bit of a chubby face in their teens and early twenties.
I was one of them :mrgreen:

You could exercise the muscles in your face - there are surely some sites available ...

monta wrote:dark chocolate increases your sex drive. wow.

anyway, i've lost around 50lbs but the thing is, somehow my cheeks are still chubby! a lot of people even actually said they sometimes look disproportional with my body. anyone know how to get rid of the fat in the cheeks? i want an oval face for a change :shamefulcry: :hehe:

It could just be genetics, monta-kun. :patpat: I have a perpetually round face myself.

Wynter wrote:

It could just be genetics, monta-kun. :patpat: I have a perpetually round face myself.

aww... thanx Wynter. that makes me happy in a way... and sad at the same time :shamefulcry: :beaten: :hehe:

monta wrote:

aww... thanx Wynter. that makes me happy in a way... and sad at the same time :shamefulcry: :beaten: :hehe:

Eat a durian you'll feel better, and smell good, too.

Tu_triky wrote:

Eat a durian you'll feel better, and smell good, too.

you Asians and your crazy gamey, oniony fruits :)

phlargo wrote:

you Asians and your crazy gamey, oniony fruits :)

EH?! Toshi-kun is Asian?!

Wynter wrote:

EH?! Toshi-kun is Asian?!

I'm not but I do bathe in Durian juice.

Tu_triky wrote:I'm not but I do bathe in Durian juice.

if that is suppose to be some sort of remedy, i would welcome any ailments. can't stand the stink of durians. :bleh:

niko2x wrote:if that is suppose to be some sort of remedy, i would welcome any ailments. can't stand the stink of durians. :bleh:

When it comes to curing my diseases and injuries, I have a strict chemicals only policy :victory:

niko2x wrote:if that is suppose to be some sort of remedy, i would welcome any ailments. can't stand the stink of durians. :bleh:

If you scrub your face with the skin, it's a wonderful exfoliating agent.

:hehe:

EstherM wrote:

When it comes to curing my diseases and injuries, I have a strict chemicals only policy :victory:

Beer.

Study: Low-carb diet best for weight, cholesterol

By MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer

The Atkins diet may have proved itself after all: A low-carb diet and a Mediterranean-style regimen helped people lose more weight than a traditional low-fat diet in one of the longest and largest studies to compare the dueling weight-loss techniques.

A bigger surprise: The low-carb diet improved cholesterol more than the other two. Some critics had predicted the opposite.

"It is a vindication," said Abby Bloch of the Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Foundation, a philanthropy group that honors the Atkins' diet's creator and was the study's main funder.

However, all three approaches \ the low-carb diet, a low-fat diet and a so-called Mediterranean diet \ achieved weight loss and improved cholesterol.

The study is remarkable not only because it lasted two years, much longer than most, but also because of the huge proportion of people who stuck with the diets \ 85 percent.

Researchers approached the Atkins Foundation with the idea for the study. But the foundation played no role in the study's design or reporting of the results, said the lead author, Iris Shai of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

Other experts said the study \ being published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine \ was highly credible.

"This is a very good group of researchers," said Kelly Brownell, director of Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.

The research was done in a controlled environment \ an isolated nuclear research facility in Israel. The 322 participants got their main meal of the day, lunch, at a central cafeteria.

"The workers can't easily just go out to lunch at a nearby Subway or McDonald's," said Dr. Meir Stampfer, the study's senior author and a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.

In the cafeteria, the appropriate foods for each diet were identified with colored dots, using red for low-fat, green for Mediterranean and blue for low-carb.

As for breakfast and dinner, the dieters were counseled on how to stick to their eating plans and were asked to fill out questionnaires on what they ate, Stampfer said.

The low-fat diet \ no more than 30 percent of calories from fat \ restricted calories and cholesterol and focused on low-fat grains, vegetables and fruits as options. The Mediterranean diet had similar calorie, fat and cholesterol restrictions, emphasizing poultry, fish, olive oil and nuts.

The low-carb diet set limits for carbohydrates, but none for calories or fat. It urged dieters to choose vegetarian sources of fat and protein.

"So not a lot of butter and eggs and cream," said Madelyn Fernstrom, a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center weight management expert who reviewed the study but was not involved in it.

Most of the participants were men; all men and women in the study got roughly equal amounts of exercise, the study's authors said.

Average weight loss for those in the low-carb group was 10.3 pounds after two years. Those in the Mediterranean diet lost 10 pounds, and those on the low-fat regimen dropped 6.5.

More surprising were the measures of cholesterol. Critics have long acknowledged that an Atkins-style diet could help people lose weight but feared that over the long term, it may drive up cholesterol because it allows more fat.

But the low-carb approach seemed to trigger the most improvement in several cholesterol measures, including the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL, the "good" cholesterol. For example, someone with total cholesterol of 200 and an HDL of 50 would have a ratio of 4 to 1. The optimum ratio is 3.5 to 1, according to the American Heart Association.

Doctors see that ratio as a sign of a patient's risk for hardening of the arteries. "You want that low," Stampfer said.

The ratio declined by 20 percent in people on the low-carb diet, compared to 16 percent in those on the Mediterranean and 12 percent in low-fat dieters.

The study is not the first to offer a favorable comparison of an Atkins-like diet. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association last year found overweight women on the Atkins plan had slightly better blood pressure and cholesterol readings than those on the low-carb Zone diet, the low-fat Ornish diet and a low-fat diet that followed U.S. government guidelines.

The heart association has long recommended low-fat diets to reduce heart risks, but some of its leaders have noted the Mediterranean diet has also proven safe and effective.

The heart association recommends a low-fat diet even more restrictive than the one in the study, said Dr. Robert Eckel, the association's past president who is a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado-Denver.

It does not recommend the Atkins diet. However, a low-carb approach is consistent with heart association guidelines so long as there are limitations on the kinds of saturated fats often consumed by people on the Atkins diet, Eckel said.

The new study's results favored the Atkins-like approach less when subgroups such as diabetics and women were examined.

Among the 36 diabetics, only those on the Mediterranean diet lowered blood sugar levels. Among the 45 women, those on the Mediterranean diet lost the most weight.

"I think these data suggest that men may be much more responsive to a diet in which there are clear limits on what foods can be consumed," such as an Atkins-like diet, said Dr. William Dietz, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"It suggests that because women have had more experience dieting or losing weight, they're more capable of implementing a more complicated diet," said Dietz, who heads CDC's nutrition unit.

Tu_triky wrote:

Beer.

Well, it can heal wounds :say_yes:

bmwracer wrote:Study: Low-carb diet best for weight, cholesterol

Good for me :mrgreen: :victory:

Tu_triky wrote:

Eat a durian you'll feel better, and smell good, too.

i actually like the smell of durian :beaten: . durian ice cream, durian juice, durian flavored biscuits.

yumm...

maybe i should buy one...