Move Over, Beer Belly…

You know what a beer belly is, right? That saggy, baggy gut that we attribute to raising a stein of your favorite frosty beer all too often. But doctors these days are noticing a NEW kind of belly — the soda belly. Researchers from the University of Minnesota believe that soda can increase your risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Symptoms of metabolic syndrome include: High blood sugar levels High cholesterol Belly fat A study of nearly ten thousand adults between the ages of forty-five and sixty-four found that people who drink soda on a daily basis — even a single … Continue reading →

Know the Hunger Scale

Overeating is a serious problem — and a big contributor to the epidemic of obesity. Are you eating out of habit? Momentum? Or are you truly hungry? Use this hunger scale to judge just how hungry you really are. Stuffed: that overfull feeling. One more bite, and you might just burst. Uncomfortable doesn’t begin to describe it — you might be experiencing heartburn or acid reflux from stomach acids rising into your esophagus. Full: at this point, you’re just beyond sated. Your stomach might feel a little bloated, and the food isn’t as satisfying. Momentum is the only reason you’re … Continue reading →

Six More Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

You want to turn your body into a lean, mean fat-burning machine? Great! Here are six more ways to give your metabolism a jump start. Drink plenty of water. Better yet — drink cold water. Research from Germany suggests that the extra work your body does to heat the water to body temperature can give your metabolism a boost. Aim for six cups (forty-eight ounces) of cold water daily. Make sure you get plenty of iron in your diet. Iron is essential for carrying oxygen through your body. Your muscles need oxygen in order to burn fat. So if you … Continue reading →

Six Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

Want your body to become a more efficient fat-burning machine? Try these tips! Be sure that you are eating enough. Starving yourself will make your body slow your metabolism — not speed it up! For most women, eating around 1400 calories daily will keep your metabolism moving. Less than 1200 calories per day is less than your body needs for basic biological function — so your body will be forced to break down muscle for energy. That’s not a good thing. Make sure you include breakfast in your day. That early morning meal gives you a burst of energy AND … Continue reading →

A Link Between Obesity and Your Immune System?

Scientists from the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Boston Medical Center are looking at a possible link between obesity and immune system function. Previous research has found that obese people are more likely to suffer from periodontal disease than lean people. This new study looked at why. Researchers worked with laboratory mice — some who were obese and some who were lean and healthy. The mice were infected with a bacterium that causes periodontal disease (porphyromonas gingivalis). The obese mice were more susceptible to gum disease and had a blunted immune system reaction to the infection. Ten … Continue reading →

Inflammation and Your Appetite

Are you suffering from inflammation? Inflammation is a condition where your immune system is kicked into overdrive by stress, lack of exercise, an unhealthy diet, or exposure to toxins. Your body wants to fight something off. Inflammation can lead to weight gain, arthritis, and heart disease. Why? In a healthy, normal weight person, the body produces a hormone called leptin to control appetite and metabolism. When body fat increases, leptin levels rise to tell the brain to decrease appetite and speed up metabolism. In an obese person, the body isn’t getting the message from leptin — it may not be … Continue reading →

Is Obesity Contagious?

Okay. You can’t “catch” obesity like you catch a cold. But obesity can spread like a disease through social networks, according to research from Harvard University. The Harvard study found that if a close friend gains an unhealthy amount of weight, your chances of packing on the pounds increase by more than fifty percent. If you and your overweight friend are the same gender, your chance of gaining an unhealthy amount of weight is more than seventy percent. Why? Because being around heavyset people might stretch your perception of what is appropriate in terms of body size. It isn’t a … Continue reading →

Downsize Unhealthy Eating Habits

You can sneak hundreds of unhealthy things out of your diet and not even notice the absence! Are you ready to give unhealthy eating the pink slip? Try these sneaky tips to downsize your diet. Eat the actual fruit instead of the juice. You’ll get lots of vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber — the fiber will help you feel fuller longer. Snack on healthy fiber cereal instead of cookies or chips. Add fruit for extra sweetness and you’ll save a bunch of calories and cut a ton of sugar. Slow down! If you take your time with your meals, you’ll eat … Continue reading →

The Different Kinds of Fat

It used to be that fat was the enemy. But the more we learn, the more we realize that there are some kinds of fat that our bodies do need! More important than the quantity of fat in your diet is the quality of the fat you consume. Experts suggest that between twenty and thirty-five percent of your daily calories should come from fat. But what type of fat is the best? Trans fat: probably the worst kind of fat out there. It raises your LDL (bad cholesterol) and lowers your HDL (good cholesterol), raising your risk of heart disease … Continue reading →

Shrek—Health Role Model For Kids?

He’s the animated ogre who taught kids to love their appearance—no matter what. He was a hit on the big screen and was later adopted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to be a health advocate. But, now the green guy’s role with the department may be in jeopardy. A children’s advocacy group wants the Department of Health and Human Services to strip Shrek of his role as spokesperson (spokes-ogre) for an anti-obesity drive. Executives with the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood say the latest Shrek movie–“Shrek the Third”—which is scheduled to be released next month, has … Continue reading →