Mediterranean Diet Could Help You Live Longer: Study

by | Nov 6, 2013 | High Fat Diet, Low carb diet | 0 comments

mediterranead diet We may be one step closer in that eternal quest to find the fountain of youth. A new study suggests eating a Mediterranean diet might increase lifespan.

The findings, published in the journal AGE, show that elderly people who eat a Mediterranean diet — which is high in fish and vegetables and low in animal products like milk and red meat — have about a 20 percent increased chance of living longer compared with their non-Mediterranean-eating counterparts.

“This means in practice that older people who eat a Mediterranean diet live an estimated 2-3 years longer than those who don’t,” Gianluca Tognon, scientist at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, said in a statement.

The study was based on data from the H70 study in Sweden; the H70 study has gone on for more than 40 years in the Swedish region, and included thousands of 70-year-olds, researchers said.

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Is Paleo Right for You?

by | Nov 4, 2013 | Diet, High Fat Diet | 0 comments

Plaeo Diet There are many different types of diets out there that have helped people to lose weight or look a certain way, but few of them have been as rooted in our past and the evolution of human beings as the Paleo diet.

As one might expect, the diet revolves around providing food in the form that is closest to what our Paleolithic ancestors might have had. This is done in order to create an environment that is closer to what our bodies are able to handle. Nonetheless, it is important to see whether the Paleo diet is actually right for you.

What is the Paleo Diet?

The first thing to understand when contemplating any kind of diet is whether or not the diet is for you. If you find that is actually not worthwhile after finding out the specifics of the diet, that is better than trying to do something that makes you miserable. To understand the basics of the Paleo diet, you cannot eat anything that a hunter-gatherer would not have been able to find. This means that you will predominantly eat meat and vegetables with a decent amount of healthy fats as well.

Foods that are on the Paleo diet are typically higher in protein and fat and lower in carbohydrates. To get a lot of calories on this diet, you have to overeat by a lot or just have excessive meat. In most cases, it is not easy to get a lot of carbohydrates while on the Paleo diet unless you are eating dates, sweet potatoes, or bananas all day long. Most Paleo dieters do not even eat the bananas for this reason.

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Children Are Eating Too Much Sugar, but Halloween Is Not to Blame

by | Nov 1, 2013 | Carbs, Diet, Sugars | 0 comments

Haloween Without fail, Halloween brings up concerns over children’s chocolate and candy intake. It’s largely understandable. It is not unusual for children to finish a night of trick-or-treating with several pounds of candy in tow.

As a nutrition professional, though, Halloween is the least of my concerns. It only comes once every 365 days. All the handwringing that surrounds sugar and candy intake come Halloween seems odd in light of how much sugar the average American child eats the other 364 days of the year (according to the American Heart Association, the average 1- to 3-year-old consumes roughly 12 teaspoons of sugar a day, and the average 4- to 8-year-old consumes 21 teaspoons on a daily basis).

Sugar is ubiquitous in most American children’s diets. Consider these eight commonly-consumed foods and beverages, and the sugar punch they pull. As you browse these figures, keep in mind that the American Heart Association recommends 8-year-olds cap their sugar intake at 12 grams a day.

1)Froot Loops Marshmallow cereal: 
Grams of sugar per serving: 14
Candy equivalent: 5 Hershey’s kisses

2) Pop-Tarts Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough toaster pastries:
Grams of sugar per serving: 17
Candy equivalent: 6 Original Starburst Fruit Chews

3) Nature Valley Crunchy Maple Brown Sugar granola bar:
Grams of sugar per serving: 12
Candy equivalent: 1.5 Snickers fun-size bars

4) Dunkin’ Donuts Small Strawberry Coolatta:
Grams of sugar per serving: 57
Candy equivalent: ½ cup Skittles

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Adventure To Fitness Offers Healthy Halloween Tips

by | Oct 31, 2013 | Exercise | 0 comments

Haloween On Halloween Eve, NYC-startup firm Adventure to Fitness has five “healthy Halloween tips” for kids and parents to keep in mind this year. The company’s popular series of educational fitness videos are now used by over 90,000 teachers in all 50 states.

“Halloween is the beginning of a generally less-healthy time of the year for kids and adults alike,” stated Michael Rhattigan, Chief Adventure Officer for Adventure to Fitness. “We understand the need for fun – it’s what our program is all about. We want communicate that there are some practical ways to stay healthy during Halloween and the upcoming holiday season that don’t interfere with the fun of the festivities.”

The company distributed the following 5 tips to the more than 8 million kids using the program, and encouraged industry leaders to deliver the message to their audiences as well.

Adventure to Fitness’s 5 Healthy Halloween Tips:

1. Make sure children always walk from house to house. They should never run. Always accompany children while they trick-or-treat, and make sure they wear reflective gear.

2. Do something active each day to counteract holiday treats and sedentary time. Even if the weather is poor, there are always activities you can do inside. Fun fitness videos are a great idea for kids.

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