Superfoods Save Your Healthy Day

Superfoods Save Your Healthy Day: "The July/August 2009 issue of Health magazine features a list of nine superfoods for women that provide alternatives to common nutrient-rich foods like blueberries and broccoli. Check out these options:

1. Kiwifruit: Instead of oranges, try these fruits also packed with vitamin C.

2. Mushrooms: If your attitude toward broccoli is similar to the first President Bush’s, you can get nutritious phytochemicals from this meaty vegetable instead."

(Via Well Fed Network.)

I enjoyed that article in Health, as you don't hear sky-high praises for a lot of the foods mentioned all that often. That's not to imply they're unhealthy, just that they're neglected.

Incidentally, the article also mentioned three "superfood" spices:

1. Cayenne pepper: This seasoning not only adds a spicy kick to your food but also can help with an overactive bladder and increase your metabolism.

2. Cinnamon: This one I've heard about a lot in relation to diabetes. Apparently, it helps insulin work better, which keeps your blood sugar more stable. I've also heard it's good for helping you lose weight by suppressing appetite or something; I'm guessing that's related.

3. Turmeric: I've read before that this yellow spice is an anti-inflammatory, and Health confirms that it may fight inflammatory bowel disease and keep away pancreatic cancer. I like to add it to creamed corn to make the whole dish shockingly yellow.

Cut Energy Use By Cutting Calories

Thinner is better to curb global warming, study says:

(CNN) -- Here's yet another reason to stay in shape: Thinner people contribute less to global warming, according to a new study.
More than 1 billion adults worldwide are overweight, and about 300 million are obese.

More than 1 billion adults worldwide are overweight, and about 300 million are obese.

Researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine published a study showing that, because of food production and transportation factors, a population of heavier people contributes more harmful gases to the planet than a population of thin people.

Given that it takes more energy to move heavier people, transportation of heavier people requires more fuel, which creates more greenhouse gas emissions, the authors write.

"The main message is staying thin. It's good for you, and it's good for the planet," said Phil Edwards, senior lecturer at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Cut the calories by reducing meat consumption, and you'll save even more greenhouse gas emissions. Oh, the plague that is cattle flatulence . . .

Small Changes for Big Results?

Does this sound like you?

5 small changes to help you lose weight - CNN.com: "Inspired, Kassouf made radical changes in his diet.

'That would last about a day,' he said.

So he moved on to Plan B: small changes. That worked. Four years after he got mad at his girlfriend, Kassouf weighs 200 pounds, down from 245, mostly by focusing on a few parts of his diet without changing everything.

'What I started to realize is, it didn't have to be all or nothing,' he said.

There's actually a name for what Kassouf did: It's called the 'small changes approach.' James Hill, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, is the father of the movement, and in this month's American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, he writes about how 'small changes are more feasible to achieve and maintain than large changes.'

For Kassouf, small changes started with soda.

'I was probably drinking 10 Cokes a day,' he said. By switching out those Cokes for water, Kassouf saved 1,400 calories a day."

Alas, it sounds nothing like me. If only weight loss were as simple as switching from Coke to water.

Giving up sugary drinks is too often cited by women's magazines and soft news stories like this as a quick route to weight loss, but honestly, how many people striving to take off five pounds are still drinking Dr. Pepper?

Of course, if I'm being entirely too judgmental about this, and there are some tips that apply to you, please forget everything I just said.

Small changes do make a big difference to people who haven't considered weight-loss strategies before. It helped my husband to give up Coke in favor of Coke Zero and sugarless iced tea. As for myself, I don't think I've consumed sugary soft drinks more than once every few months since high school.

If you're searching the web today for inspiration for first-time New Year's weight-loss resolution, though, go check this article out!

Economical Holiday Dinner Plans

The Well blog has an extensive roundup of links to articles offering tips for planning a festive holiday meal without busting your budget:

Holiday Feasting on a Budget - Well Blog - NYTimes.com: “The budget-conscious dinner party is getting a lot of attention these days as home cooks search for affordable foods to serve holiday guests.

The Boston Globe offers a particularly interesting meal for less than $8.50 a person. Health-conscious revelers will like the gingered mashed sweet potatoes and the interesting cabbage and pomegranate slaw. The glazed braised pork shoulder looks delicious and will be a hit with low-carb eaters.”

Check the original out for more. We'll be making our own Christmas dinner more economical through making the main meal mostly a potluck (how else could you feed more than 30 people?!).

I'm also selecting recipes for my holiday cookie extravaganza based on how exotic and expensive their ingredients are. This year, I'm leaving nut-based cookies off Mrs. Claus' list, and I drew the line at two extracts beyond what was already in the pantry. Altogether, I've spent $20 (on top of what was in the pantry anyway) for ingredients enough to make 10 cookie recipes using this method, leaving me more for spending on presents.

When Food Attacks!

I'm in the thick of Thanksgiving prep today, but on my lunch break I found this story waiting in my inbox. As someone who can end up sick for days following the euphoria of feasting, this comprehensive look at trigger foods hits close to home.

I can say from personal experience that dietary change can profoundly affect your overall feeling of wellness. I wouldn't claim a change in how you eat will prevent you from contracting a disease or open your mind, but no question, it can relieve you of the distinctly uncomfortable symptoms of things like acid reflux, heartburn, bloating, indigestion, gas, and so on.

I've identified spicy foods, raw garlic, and coffee as three triggers for my unpleasant digestive symptoms, and an overabundance of citrus can do me in, too. Eating too much food also brings me pain -- something to keep in mind for tomorrow, I suppose.

Read on to learn what foods might be causing your pain.

ABC News: 10 Foods That Bring on the Pain: “While an estimated 40 million Americans live with what they describe as chronic pain, many more suffer from acute bouts of pain, such as acid reflux and headaches. But be it chronic or acute, pain is something we'd all like to live without.

Dr. Neal Barnard, founder and president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and president of the Cancer Project in Washington, D.C., believes that pain-free living could be a dietary change away.

"What we know is that when people eliminate certain foods from their diets, their symptoms are eliminated or reduced, so we know that there is a link here," says Barnard, who is an outspoken advocate of vegetarianism. The link could be a number of things, ranging from a reaction to certain proteins found in particular foods, to an increase in cholesterol, which can irritate the lining of our arteries, he says.”

Healthy Thanksgiving Roundup

Ready to start planning for the big day? It's less than a week away . . .

Hungry Girl offers a list of must-have holiday ingredients to slim down your festivities. Some are the usual branded, processed goods, but you'll also find out the benefits of plain puréed pumpkin and natural butternut squash. One surprise for me: Campbell's 98% Fat Free Cream of Celery soup has fewer calories than either the Mushroom or Chicken varieties.

Also on offer from Hungry Girl is today's holiday hit list - and I don't mean the Top 10 kind. She offers suggestions for cutting calories from the worst Thanksgiving table offenders. Sure to make hesitant holiday cooks sing with joy is the advice to go ahead and use gravy mix. You'll save loads of calories and fat while being guaranteed no lumps on the big day.

Health Magazine put together a collection of recipes for a healthier Thanksgiving. The cornbread stuffing, cipollini onions, and apple galette all look especially attractive to me. You can read more about the holiday fun at Health at my post on Fit Fare. Go try your hand at that Thanksgiving foods quiz and see if you fared any better than I did!

While you're at Fit Fare, you can keep on the lookout for more healthy holiday eating advice. Right now, you can find a recipe for vegan Pumpkin Tofu "Ricotta" to help you through the upcoming office parties. I know when I was teaching in Las Vegas that the mini-quiches were my downfall at our holiday teachers' lounge parties. At least I won't have the temptation this year!

Good Housekeeping also went the healthy route with its Thanksgiving recipes this year. Check out the healthy variations from the November issue using the links below.

• Roast Turkey with Roasted-Garlic Gravy (scroll to the bottom for healthy-variation instructions)


• Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes


• Ginger and Pear Cranberry Sauce


• Whole-Grain Apple-Fennel Stuffing (scroll to the bottom for healthy-variation instructions)


• Green Beans with Garlic (scroll to the bottom for healthy-variation instructions)


• Squash Soup with Curried Pear (scroll to the bottom for healthy-variation instructions)


• Ginger-Almond Sweet Potatoes (scroll to the bottom for healthy-variation instructions)


• Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Chives (scroll to the bottom for healthy-variation instructions)

The New York Times' Recipes for Health series has focused on a classic holiday food, sweet potatoes, this week. You can check out recipes for Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup and Sweet Potato Purée with Apples, as well as an article on their nutritional wonders.

If you follow the South Beach way of eating, Kalyn's Kitchen has an ever-expanding list of low-glycemic Thanksgiving recipes to keep you on track through the holidays.

Is it stress more than meal planning that gets you down during the holidays? The Beauty Eats blog by the people behind the Real Age site offers a top-five list of foods to keep you happy at this time of year.

Hungry Girl sneaks back into the roundup on her Yahoo! Food blog with a list of 7 Ways to Avoid Thanksgiving Weight Gain. Check out some of the recipes linked on this page to follow her advice and bring your own guilt-free contribution!

Finally, if you still can't find just what you were looking for, check out Cheap Healthy Good's exhaustive list of more than a hundred Thanksgiving links. It wears me out just looking at it!

Have a delicious holiday (prep) weekend!

The Joys of Junk and More Hot Links

New York Times - Money Is Tight, and Junk Food Beckons
My, this sounds familiar. I am not yet making tortillas from scratch, but I do bake a lot of our bread, muffins, and sandwich rolls. I've switched to dried beans and never buy pre-cut or washed produce. It takes a little more work, but it saves us enough money that we can actually eat more than just grains.

Honestly, though, I have to wonder where all this cheap junk food is. A pound of chips costs more than a pound of any of the raw vegetables I bought at the grocery store today, even including the vegetable oil I might use in cooking them.

If you want to talk fast-food versus grocery-store prices, I suppose it's less clear cut. Still, I think fast food wins out for most people because of its convenience, not its cost.

New York Times - Stretching: The Truth
Punning headline aside, read this article to learn the correct way to stretch as part of a warm up. Hint: Not the way you probably learned in P.E.

ABC News - Ten Foods to Fight Colds and Boost Your Immunity
I get sick less often when I stick to a healthy diet (including avoiding foods that trigger my digestive issues). I don't know for sure it's my diet and not some other factor helping my immune system, but surely eating healthy is also good in its own right.

New York Times - Calories Do Count
It's hilarious how restaurants are spinning their scramble to offer lower-cal menu items as solely due to giving the customers what they want, not AT ALL due to legislation forcing calorie counts out of the shadows. They have to promote that agenda to fight off further calorie-posting laws, but the truth is, consumers wouldn't be demanding less caloric items if they hadn't been confronted with JUST HOW MANY calories are in their favorite dishes.

Well Blog - Still Spooked by High-Fructose Corn Syrup
Now you can respond to those silly commercials.

Health - Heart-Healthy, Cost-Conscious Recipes and Food Tips
A roundup of some of the latest healthy eating news from a conference.

Everything's Better with (Turkey) Bacon and Other Sizzling Hot Links

SFGate - One Turkey Bacon Stands Out in the Flock
We have a stock of Oscar Mayer's Louis Rich turkey bacon from Costco, and it is surprisingly bacon-like. It won't render enough fat to cook other things in, and it doesn't ever get as crispy as the real deal, but the taste is close enough to make it a good "everyday" bacon.

Health - Solving My Own Energy Crisis: Better Diet and Sleep Strategies
I can handle the healthy eating; it's the sleeping that gets me.

Kraft Live Healthy and Happy - Superfoods
General good advice on eating plenty of vegetables. If you don't mind commercial overtones, Kraft's newsletters are the best of the food manufacturer e-mails I've sampled.

Health - Heart-Healthy, Cost-Conscious Recipes and Food Tips
Interesting info on the latest in nutrition research, with recipes. More evidence that healthy eating and cheap eating can intersect!

Now I'm going to go bury myself under a blanket for the duration of the weekend. Where did the sun go?!

But first -- BOO!!!

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food, healthy eating, links

The Miracles of Chicken Soup and Other Steaming Hot Links

Poked and Prodded - Chicken Soup: Can It Really Lower Blood Pressure?
Maybe the relaxation induced by comfort food might help, but salty broth isn't going to do much for your arteries. Still, you can always eat chicken soup for its cold-soothing properties.

Healthy Eating - New Vitamin Guidelines: Easy Ways to Double Your D
I remember all those 19th-century novels with kids having to force down spoonfuls of cod-liver oil each night. Guess those parents had the right idea.

The Simple Dollar - How to Plan Ahead for Next Week’s Meals (And Save Significant Money): A Step-By-Step Guide
Another guide to meal planning.

The Simple Dollar - The Power of the Chaperone
Odd. I thought most people recommended avoiding shopping with kids in tow because they plead and whine extra junk into the cart. Maybe it's an age thing.

ABC News - The 10 Best Foods You Aren't Eating
I'm not eating beets, guava, Swiss chard, purslane, pomegranate juice, dried plums, or pumpkin seeds. For some, it's not that I am opposed - it's just that they are expensive or a pain to prepare. We sure eat a lot of cabbage, though.

Healthy Eating - Nibbling Know-How: Snack Healthier
Healthy snacks are all well and good, but don't use exercise as an excuse to eat more! People always overestimate the number of calories burned by exercise. Stick with your body's hunger cues in deciding how much to eat. Also, even playing a partial short-order chef with kids' meals is a fool's game. Why create the expectation that kid food is at all different from adult food, or that you must alter everything to their taste? Keep presenting the healthy dinner night after night because eventually, kids will overcome their food fears. It usually is fear (specifically, neophobia), not outright dislike, that holds them back.

Have a great, relaxing weekend!

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food, healthy eating, links, meal planning

The Sky Is Falling! And Other News Bites

Not really, Chicken Little. But sometimes it feels that way when I see the grocery bill!

Poked and Prodded - Will the Bad Economy Force Unhealthy Changes to Our Diets?
I definitely feel the pull of ramen noodles these days, but we're sticking mostly to the plan of eating less meat and not buying junky snacks that waste our money.

Hungry Girl - Lunchbox Finds
I'm considering those Flatout wraps right now. I always find that tortillas split or spill when I try to make a wrap, plus one with reasonable calorie stats often doesn't hold much filling.

Health - Tea Is Trendy Again: Health Benefits Caught on Camera
Who knew tea was so good for your heart? Or even your teeth? I so need to drink more tea. It might prevent Alzheimer's, prevent cancer, and improve immune function, too. Apparently, tea is the miracle drug my family has been lacking. Make sure you stick with brewed tea to get the benefits, not wannabe bottled "tea."

Health - For Healthy Eyes, Think Broccoli and Kale, Not Carrots
More reasons to be eating your veggies, people! A dose of healthy fat alongside makes absorbing nutrients easier for your body, so don't think you have to stick with the steamer, either.

Health - How to Satisfy Late-Night Cravings
Soup is another way to go for a low-cal but filling nosh. I've also heard that something like easily digestible like saltines can help you sleep. I like a small bowl of cereal with skim milk sometimes myself.

Well Blog - Women’s Heart Symptoms Often Blamed on Stress
Stress does cause unpleasant symptoms, but apparently it's unwise simply to chalk up (or allow your doctor to chalk up) worrying symptoms to bad coping skills.

Have a great weekend!

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Picky Kids, Baby Eats, and More Hot Links

It's good to get back on track with posting again. It's like normality has returned to my life. If only "normal" didn't get interrupted so frequently, I'd be totally back on schedule!

I may have disappeared for a couple weeks, but you can't keep me away from the Internet forever. Here's some stories that caught my eye recently.

New York Times - 6 Food Mistakes Parents Make
I'm not a parent, but I have been a teacher, so I know it's difficult to stick to your principles about the right way to do things with kids under pressure. I hope I'll be able to take a step back from the situation and keep calmly offering foods that elicit a "Yuck!" when I am a parent someday, but I'm not making any guarantees.

And on a related note:
New York Times - Momma, I'll Have Some of Whatever You're Having
You may or may not avoid growing a picky eater following this strategy, but you definitely will save some money steering clear of prepackaged baby foods.

Well Blog - Dieters Gain More Weight During Pregnancy
Parenting-related articles abound in the Times of late. The takeaway here is that pregnancy does not equal an unlimited pass for chips and ice cream. Eat a bit more, yes, definitely, but think of the baby and make nutritious choices.

Fit Fare - Wii Fit Diary
Check out Sarah Caron's ongoing story of getting fit with a Wii bit of help. (Surely I'm not the first to make that pun!)

Health - Eating to Control Cholesterol Levels
A succinct guide to the lifestyle changes you can make to lower your bad cholesterol without having to resort to a statin (and its accompanying side effects).

Eureka Alert - New study reveals higher protein breakfast may help dieters stay on track
You might call this the Egg McMuffin study, based on the multiple mentions of eggs and Canadian bacon, but it's the egg and pork industries behind this release, not McDonald's. Take it with a grain of salt (or hot sauce, if you prefer). (Via Hungry Girl.)

Poked & Prodded - Getting My Diabetic Day Off on the Wrong Foot
Continuing the breakfast theme . . . don't neglect to eat your breakfast! This post offers more evidence of the importance of packing said meal with protein as well as good carbs, if you found the last link less than convincing.

Photo: Colleen Fischer

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food, healthy eating, links

New Cooking Show Coming to Lifetime

Posted now on Edible TV:

Soon Lifetime will start offering suggestions for menus to fuel that body that looks good naked with the introduction of a cooking show.

“Mom’s Cooking” is part of the network for women’s first-ever set of original, unscripted daytime shows, according to Reuters and the Hollywood Reporter. On the show, moms will teach their daughters how to cook their special dishes, the ones that engender all those warm and fuzzy childhood memories.

Check out the rest over at the original site. Unfortunately, I seriously doubt any of the recipes from a show about mom cooking will offer much health value. But then, who can resist a taste of the classics from time to time?

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television, cooking show, food

Bawk, Bawk, Bawking Hot Links

The Simple Dollar: The Frugal Whole Chicken (or, Waste Not, Want Not)
I've been looking forward to roasting chickens again anyway (a year without an oven, remember?), and seeing again what a great budget option it is just makes me want one more!

New York Times - Better to Be Fat and Fit Than Skinny and Unfit
What concerns me about articles like this is that they don't sufficiently emphasize what it means to be "fit." Unless you read carefully and think about what it means, you could get the impression that being obese is not a problem and so you shouldn't take any action. In fact, the obese and overweight were more likely to show cardiac risk factors than the normal-weight subjects, and those who weren't at risk in all groups were people with a high level of fitness -- that is, people who exercise. This data isn't an excuse to sit on the couch with the Cheetos.

Poked and Prodded - In Weight Loss, Accountability Is Essential
It's true. I tend to plateau myself if I am not at least loosely tracking my calories.

Poked and Prodded - Alabama Slaps a Tax on Fat People
More signs that obesity is becoming the new smoking. I don't think it's a terrible idea to add accountability when we're talking something so clearly related to the obesity problem like health insurance. Doctor conversations don't do the trick for people, so maybe taking the same approach as to smokers will make a difference in the same way. Maybe.

Eggscellent Facts and Other Hot Links

You know what would be good now? A nice egg in the hole, with whole-wheat bread and a touch of olive oil subbed in for the butter. Mmm . . .

Good Housekeeping - Eggs Explained: Facts About Eggs
Basics from the significance of color to info about how to store these cheap protein powerhouses. And did you know that a little blood spot in your egg doesn't mean it's bad?

Well - For Health, Body Size Can Be Misleading
Showing us again the importance of making healthy food choices and getting plenty of exercise, even if you're not seeing your weight plummet because of it.

Good Housekeeping - 30 Ideas for School Lunches: Sandwiches and Munchies
It's getting to be that time again! The recipes here aren't all for sandwiches, either.

Cheap, Healthy, Good - If I Had Known Then: Food and Financial Advice for the College-Bound (Also, a Story)
I wish I had known a bit more about food when I was in college, too -- like about the importance of choosing healthy foods and eating more vegetables. I ate a lot of mac and cheese and pizza. Also, when I tried to cook back then, I was always adding tons of ingredients to recipes trying to "perfect" them. Only later did I learn that you don't need a lot of extra spices and such when you use good ingredients with the right techniques.

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food, healthy eating, eggs, lunch

The Slow Chew and Other Hot Links

Happy Friday! I'm in a dash with a wedding to attend today, so excuse the disorganization. Enjoy today's links!

Heart & Stroke Foundation - Chewing food slowly lowers calorie intake, ups satisfaction
I find this to be true for myself. When I take my time eating dinner rather than shoveling food into my mouth, I feel full before devouring everything in sight. It helps to avoid reaching "starving" levels of hunger before hitting the dinner table if you want to prevent the shoveling.
(Via Hungry Girl.)

Vegan Lunch Box - Fruit Cozies
How cute! If you're into knitting and snacking on fruit, check these out. Includes a pattern for a banana sleeve.

Well - Rethinking Diets, Weight Loss and Health
A reminder of the importance of self-esteem in successfully making yourself into a healthier person.

Does Fructose Make You Fatter?
Continuing the controversy over high-fructose corn syrup. Incidentally, not all versions are particularly "high" in fructose compared to table sugar, which is 50 percent fructose. On the other hand, there's no arguing with the fact that HFCS is a highly processed food that sneaks its way into tons of innocuous-seeming "natural" products.

Fast Food Critic - Long John Silver’s Super Sampler
I wouldn't tell you to avoid fast-food completely, as you can make some decent choices at most places if you are picking up a meal on the run. But this? Ho-ly fish.

Hungry Girl - Cut Calories in HALF
Suggestions for lightening dishes based on the ideas that inspired the Volumetrics diet.

Poked and Prodded - Can Fruit Juice Be Worse Than Soda?
Apparently, it might up your type 2 diabetes risk. But don't go subbing in soda!

Poked and Prodded - Exercise an Hour a Day? Here’s How to Make It Painless
Your hour of exercise can be cumulative throughout the day.

Well - The Sunny Side of Eggs
I love eggs, so I'm all for reports that their benefits outweigh their risks. I've started eating more egg yolks with my whites lately because I've been hearing they're packed with nutrients.

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Spend or Save? And Other Hot Links

Sometimes Real Simple magazine runs features on whether consumers should spend more or save money on products like makeup or cleansers. They instruct you to shell out extra for almost everything on their lists, which either says something about the readership or the sources they choose to consult when making these lists. As for myself, I get scores of compliments on my long, shiny hair, even though it never sees salon-quality products outside of my irregular visits to SuperCuts.

I survive just as well with generic food products instead of fancy brands. But is it ever necessary to shop up from rock bottom?

Featured Link

Cheap Healthy Good - 10 Foods You Should Always Splurge On
A couple of things here I don't think of as splurges but as choosing quality over convenience: whole garlic instead of minced and lemons instead of bottled juice. I do use bottled juice, or preferably True Lemon powder, for flavoring water, but I always cook with the real stuff. I do splurge on vegetables, shunning most cheap canned varieties in favor of fresh or frozen. Right now, I have a can of cut green beans sitting in the kitchen that I dread cracking open. It will be wonderful to have a normal refrigerator again next week.

Hot Topics

New York Times - Health 'Facts' You Only Thought You Knew
It's true -- eight glasses of water a day is an old wives' tale.

Fast Food Maven - Grocery prices jump 8.5 percent compared to last year
Is it a recession yet? All the more reason to learn how to meal plan.

SF Gate - Marion Nestle: Global food crisis comes back to calories
Continuing with our current careless attitude toward food here in the rich world could have ever-worsening consequences elsewhere. (Via Diner's Journal.)

Time - Which Are Worse: Calories from Carbs or Fat?
In the end, calories are calories when it comes to weight gain and loss. Fat packs in more per gram than protein and carbs do, but you need at least some fat in your diet.
(Via Diner's Journal.)

CNN/Cooking Light - Fast facts on fats: What to eat, what to avoid
This article defines all the different types of fat, including telling how they affect your body, with studies cited as evidence.

CNN - CDC survey: South leads nation in obesity
Don't get excited, North and West. Turns out your pretty chubby, too.

Poked and Prodded - When We’re All Fat, What Does the Ranking Matter?
Southerner fights back!

CNN - Salmonella found on pepper; FDA strengthens warning
Tomatoes get exonerated, but fresh salsa remains verboten.

Slashfood - Fruit juice: An invitation to diabetes?
Perhaps it's not such a great idea to let your excitement about the water myth lead you to replace those eight glasses a day with apple juice. Water is still calorie free.

Caught in the Web

Reader's Digest - Eat Smart When Dining Out: 20 Tips
I doubt anyone's going to take to dressing up for every meal out, and asking for a box at the beginning of the meal just shouts to the table, "I'm on a diet!" Learn the other rules, though, and you'll be prepared to make smart choices. (Via Consumerist.)

Hungry Girl - HG's List of Tasty Travel Treats (Pack & Chew!)
Foods that won't melt or rot when packed along for your summer travels.

Mayo Clinic - Healthy diet: Do you know what to eat?
Simple and well-organized walkthrough of the average person's daily nutritional needs.

Health - Healthy Eating: Diet Guide
I kind of have a morbid fascination with reading about crazy fad diets. Not that all these are nutty: Weight Watchers and South Beach are reviewed here, too.

Health - Inside Crunch Taste-Test Results
Visit if you're looking for honest reviews of (mostly) junk foods trying to project healthier images.

Photo: Colleen Fischer

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Diets Don't Work, Teens Don't Move, and Links Don't Stop

Photo: Colleen Fischer

Two big studies hit the press this week offering us little we couldn't guess on our own, but hey, who couldn't use a refresher course in common sense every once in a while?

In the News

New York Times - Healthy Diets Shown to Have Benefit Despite Modest Weight Losses
Check it out, as surely everyone will be talking about this study's implications. I prefer the Times' spin to the AP's, as that reporter does little but give a pat on the back to the Atkins Foundation, which helped sponsor the study. The study's low-carb program produced a greater improvement in cholesterol readings than either the Mediterranean or low-fat (if you consider up to 30 percent low) diets. The Times, however, points out that after two whole years of dieting, the subjects lost no more than an average of six to 10 pounds. What can we take away? Weight loss requires a more serious commitment than the study's authors say they demanded, for one thing. Aside from that, we have some definite good news: Even small weight loss resulting from a permanent change in eating patterns can make you significantly healthier.

New York Times - As Children Grow, Activity Quickly Slows
Who wouldn't have guessed the findings of this study? If you've been a teenager, then you know how awesome sitting and sleeping seemed back then. Once I hit junior high, active play just didn't hold a candle to books, television, and computer activities. The article notes that physical education and sport activities are less available to teens than kids as well.

Yahoo! News - Obesity ups a woman's pancreatic cancer risk: study
Another vote for the waist-measurement method of assessing weight-related health risk. It's not just heart problems or diabetes that a wide waist can set you up for. Obese men are at risk for pancreatic cancer, too, but doctors already had established that link.

New York Times - Prevention: A New Way to Gauge Heart Disease Risk
Don't feel surprised if your doctor measures your blood pressure around your ankle at the next visit!

New York Times - Too Fat and Pregnant
That's blunt. Of course, the image of pregnant women needing the loading-dock scale to measure their weight is pretty stark, too. Definitely consult your obstetrician before even considering losing weight while pregnant, even if you do have some pounds to drop.

The Guardian - Waste not . . .
Twenty tips for reducing food waste and, therefore, food spending. The only one I question is the advice to spend more on food items just so that you'll waste less of them. It's best to not buy any yogurt if you're not going to use before it rots. Still, props for mentioning meal planning, actually cooking, and packing a lunch. (Via Consumerist.)

Caught in the Web

Mashable.com - Lose the Blogger 15: 25+ Web Apps for Dieting & Getting in Shape
Great collection of online tools to help you get in shape! I used FitDay.com as my food diary before I bought a standalone program. Not every choice is a winner, though: I did not like eDiets at all when I tried it last year. (Via Serious Eats.)

Hungry Girl on Yahoo! Food - Hot Tips to Cut Calories at Your Next BBQ
A barbecue survival guide, with tips you might expect: Avoid the mayo-laden sides, stick with lean grilled items, and so on. Also, she offers a few product picks that can slim down the pickin's at your next picnic, including my favorite Hebrew National reduced-fat hot dogs.

Divine Caroline - The 20 Healthiest Foods for Under $1
Under $1 for a serving, that is. Some, such as nuts and eggs, will cost more upfront for several servings but save you money in the long run. (Via Consumerist.)

Bite of the Best - A Truism Proven: Eat Slowly to Help Lose Weight
You'll feel full before polishing off multiple servings if you take your time with your food. Plus, you'll have the time to actually, you know, taste it.

The Simple Dollar - Ten Ways to Find Bargains on Fresh Food
Mostly based on the eat-local trend. You know, I miss the days when eating locally simply meant getting nice, ripe tomatoes and strawberries rather than joining a movement. Anyway, check the list for creative ideas in that vein along with a few bonuses (like the tip to try new fruits and veggies).

Good Housekeeping - 8 Exercises to Lose Weight
You won't lose weight by exercise alone, but moving more will make you look and feel better. Building muscle will also boost your resting metabolic rate, making it easier to drop pounds. (Via That's Fit.)

Epicurious.com - Dinner Rush: Week of July 21
Another meal planning resource. Epicurious' recipes are more elegant than those on many sites, what with having Gourmet and Bon Appétit as sources. You even get wine-pairing suggestions. Just remember to double-check how much wine is in one serving before you fill your glass to the brim.

That's it for this week! Thanks for stopping by. Check back next week for information on portion sizes, reviews of select Healthy Choice frozen meals, and more!

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Food Diaries, Risky Chiles, and the Elusive Obesity Gene

And I thought finding enough links to post each week would be hard.

ABC News - Keeping Food Diary Doubles Weight Loss
A study proves what for me was the biggest takeaway lesson in my own weight-loss journey. Writing down what's in every bite that passes your lips may sound like a chore, but it's a huge motivator for success and a significant educational tool. You'll finally understand why you "just couldn't" lose weight before. And hey, you'll have a record to check should you contract that dreaded salmonella . . .

Fast Food Maven - Salmonella outbreak probe turns to jalapeños & salsa
How frustrating is it when someone pulls the rug out from under you like that? All across the country, people and businesses discard millions of tomatoes, and it may have been all for nothing. There's a thousand confirmed cases of salmonella now, and no one even knows what produce we should avoid.

Yahoo! News - Hardwired for fat: scientists identify obesity gene
Don't see it as a wall, but merely as another obstacle you can overcome on your way to better health. It will require more work and more vigilance, no doubt, but it's a worthwhile fight. Genes are not destiny, too. Just because you have additional risk for any given disease written into your makeup doesn't mean you will end up that illness (DNA is highly complex) and doesn't mean you can't work to prevent or alleviate the problem.


Weight Watchers - The Secret to Hungry Girl's Success
I subscribe to Hungry Girl's daily newsletter myself. I find her gung-ho spirit inspiring and the writing cute. The food reviews are a guilty pleasure, although I know I could never let myself indulge in most of the carb-heavy items mentioned in the e-mails without bingeing. The rest of the content is useful for anyone looking to maintain a healthy weight without shunning all the fun of food.

Hungry Girl - HG's Holy Moly Guacamole
Hungry Girl posts all of her e-mails online. Check out this guacamole revision that cleverly cuts down on the calories (by subbing in peas) without pulling out all the avocado. What's guacamole without avocado, anyway? Thankfully, too, the recipe calls only for "safe" grape tomatoes and canned chiles.

Well - Cholesterol Drugs for Kids
Wow. When doctors start recommending statins for eight-year-olds, something must be out of whack. The sad thing is, while American kids are suffering from the effects of obesity, kids on the other side of the world are facing starvation. Nobody wins here.

New York Times - 8-Year-Olds on Statins? A New Plan Quickly Bites Back

The backlash emerged awfully quickly for that new treatment recommendation. Certainly, diet and exercise should always be the first line of defense, no matter what your age. It's trickier than you might think with kids' diets, though, and I'm not talking about the inevitable picky eaters. Plenty of kids who, say, only eat white foods are at least slim. Instead, either you have parents who don't model the healthy diet these kids need to follow, or you have grocery gatekeepers who like to indulge as an expression of love. There's no need to be judgmental. Parents are not trying to hurt their kids, but they may not realize what's happening or may feel powerless to change, just like overweight adults.

Good Housekeeping - The Limits of Thin: Losing Weight Doesn't Fix Everything
Losing weight will make you feel better about many things. Your body will feel renewed and reenergized, and your mind may feel less stress about your health and more confidence about your appearance. But it's important to keep perspective: Weight loss does not make all your problems evaporate and it most definitely does not cure depression. (Via That's Fit.)

Well - Should Doctors Lecture Patients About Their Weight?
Here's a refreshing view on how to approach health-oriented weight loss in a doctor's own words. More doctors should consider an overall-health approach to encouraging patients to lose weight. For many people, emotional problems need to be overcome before other health issues can be addressed. It's just like in education: Students need to have basic needs, such as food, shelter, and social acceptance, met before they can strive for academic achievement.

New York Times - Not a Moment Too Soon, I Thought of Tim Russert
It's scary that heart attacks can have such subtle symptoms. Like the guy says, he would be dead now if the recent passing of Tim Russert hadn't led him to research his mild symptoms. Also, the article reminds us again that even if you exercise and try to eat right, you still have significant cardiac risk if you, like Russert and the author, carry a bit too much around the middle.

Gather.com - Meal Planning Saved My Marriage
CityMama writes about how meal planning allows her to feed her family whole, nutritious foods without busting the budget. (Via CityMama.)

Every Day with Rachael Ray - Menu Planner
One link to help you start thinking about meal planning before we get to the big meal-planning basics article here. Not all of the recipes look particularly healthy, but meals cooked at home, by you are going to beat fast food any day.

EatingWell - Ten Pounds in 10 Days?
Reasonable weight loss is one or two pounds per week. Really.

Divine Caroline - The Top Ten Most Ridiculous Diets
None of them will honestly help you lose 10 pounds in 10 days, either! I have to say, the Russian Air Force Diet is my favorite. Is that a hoax?! (Via That's Fit.)

Whew, I think it's the link list that needs to go on a crash diet for next week! Don't forget to check back Monday for one of my personal secrets for curbing mindless snacking. Enjoy clicking around, and have a great weekend!

Articles of Independence (Day)!

I'm polishing up the first couple of posts for the site still. Look for more soon on weigh-ins and fruity deliciousness! In the mean time, check out this week's articles of interest:

New York Times - The Claim: Mayonnaise Can Increase Risk of Food Poisoning
I'm glad to see they've finally taken on this old saw, and just in time for July 4th picnics. I discovered mayo had been given a bad rap years ago on the wonderful Good Eats. I'd like to present Rachael Ray with this article particularly. She's always going on about how her mayo-free slaw and salad recipes are designed to be great for picnics, but in truth, she just doesn't like the taste of mayonnaise. Admit it on the show already!

WebMD - Top 10 Healthy Summer Foods for Children
Last I checked, though, it wasn't just kids who loved hamburgers and nachos! Find suggestions for lightening up beloved junk staples here. (Via That's Fit.)

Vegan Lunch Box - Summer Veg Out Part III: EASY & EATEN
A cute and simple idea for making vegetables more appealing to kids. Take away the emotional blackmail; add the ability to sample at their own pace what they're curious about.

Fad Diet.com - Cheaters Tips
It's a humorous list with perhaps a bit more truth to it than dieters might like. Have a laugh while the voice in the back of the head asks, "But isn't that true?!" (Via That's Fit.)

Epicurious - Budget Boosters
Everyone's chiming in with tips for saving money at the supermarket these days. Most this article is the same old advice about shopping around and using coupons, but there's a few more innovative hints buried in there: How about simply asking the deli worker to slice your cold cuts a little thinner to stretch them over more sandwiches?

Well - The 11 Best Foods You Aren't Eating
This post is taking the web by storm (as many entries in Tara Parker-Pope's blog do -- she's really tapping the zeitgeist), so you may have already seen it. If not, go learn about the glories of cabbage (coleslaw today, anyone?) and turmeric.

New York Times - Solution, or Mess? A Milk Jug for a Green Earth
I've been dying to weigh in on this one! Read the article before lashing out at the new, more cubical milk jugs. They may be difficult to pour, but they're working wonders for production efficiency (milk from the cow to the store in the same day!) and environmental conservation. Not to mention that they've caused one of the few drops in food prices. To the people who can't stand the jugs, I ask: Why not just pour the milk into your own spout-bearing reusable container at home? In Europe, milk comes in aseptic boxes that can't be sealed after opening, yet there's been no crying here. Besides, I don't see how much has changed. The old gallon jugs spill milk all over when they're full, too.

New York Times - Diabetes: Underrated, Insidious and Deadly
More from Tara Parker-Pope, this time her regular weekly column. Diabetes is soaring with so many Americans overweight and obese, and unfortunately, it seems, people either don't know or don't take seriously the very real and debilitating complications of the disease. If you need a reason to get down to a healthy weight, look here. It is possible to prevent type-2 diabetes and its accompanying problems!

New York Times - Aging: Good Cholesterol, Good Memory
Check this article out for motivation to add more monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, into your diet.

A Mighty Appetite - Kind-Hearted Cake
Kim O'Donnel bakes a vegan cake, free of unhealthy solid fats, for a sweet-toothed friend returned to work after a coronary bypass operation. A good reminder that we can still treat friends and family with heart problems without unfairly tempting them away from their artery-friendly diets.

Well - Lying About Your Vegetables
Studies often show Americans eating far more vegetables than they really do. The big survey studies certainly are flawed -- I myself can't remember what I ate two days ago without checking my food diary. But let's not forget the takeaway: Eat more vegetables! Lying about your consumption only hurts you.

MSNBC - Cleveland Clinic pairs with Weight Watchers
Wow, talk about practicing what you preach! (Via That's Fit.)

CNN - Get more flavor, nutrition from produce with the right prep
I find that information on the best way to prepare produce changes a lot (boiling? steaming? microwaving?), but for the most part, eating veggies prepared any way beats not eating them. The bit about cooking tomatoes to increase the amount of lycopene you can get from them seems pretty consistent across articles, though.

And that's it! Have a great holiday weekend!

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