Guidelines Updated for Statin Cholesterol Med; Obama: You Can Perhaps Keep Health Insurance

On our Lab Notes page CalorieLab’s editors select and rank the day’s essential health news items in real time. Readers can suggest, vote and comment on items. Below are brief summaries of this past week’s (November 9, 2013 through November 16, 2013) Lab Notes items. To see today’s items, visit Lab Notes. 1. Guidelines Updated for Statin Cholesterol Med New cholesterol guidelines are focused on lowering risk of heart disease and stroke instead of achieving target cholesterol levels. 2. Obama: You Can Perhaps Keep Health Insurance President Obama is trying to make good on his promise to let Americans keep their individual health insurance plans, but only for a year. 3. First Month Figures for Obamacare Released The first month’s figures for Obamacare enrollment have been released – and they are dismal. 4. E.coli Outbreak Forces 90-Ton Food Recall Over 90 tons of ready-to-eat salads and sandwich wraps sold at Trader Joe’s, Super Fresh Goods, Whole Food Markets and Delish supermarkets have been recalled after being linked to an outbreak of E. coli sickness that has stricken 26 people. https://secure.web.emory.edu/forums/read.php?9,2110,2110#msg-2110

 5. We Know We Should Walk, but We Still Don’t Survey says 90% of us believe walking helps us to remain trim and prevent heart disease, while 80% agree it can ease anxiety and depression, but 79% admit they don’t walk as much as they should, and 35% actually say they walk less than they used to. 6. Baby Food Recalled Due to Packaging Defect Plum Organics recalls three baby of their food products due to possible spoilage. 7. US Airports Ranked for Healthy Food Options The percentage of airline terminal restaurants that offer at least one plant-based, cholesterol-free entree, such as veggie burgers or salads, has risen at the 18 busiest US airports, from 57% in 2001 to 76% today. Topping the list is Denver, at 86%. 8. Food Stamps for Energy Drinks Now OK By changing the word “Supplement” http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/09/leo/intlblogday/forum/read.php?1,2269

 on their labels to the word “Nutrition,” energy drinks such as Monster, Red Bull and Rock Stark, composed of water, sugar and caffeine, are now considered food products, and are thus covered by the Food Stamp program. 9. Men More Likely to Be Fat at 40 British men in their early 40s are more likely to be overweight than women of the same age, say researchers from the University of London. - See more at:http://www.clevelandstatecc.edu/green/forum/viewthread/10645/

The Mediterranean Diet Can Lead to Better Health Later in Life

A new study shows that sticking to a Mediterranean diet in midlife years will positively impact health later in life. This holds especially true for women. Researchers analyzed the data of more than 10,000 women, most of whom were in their late 50s and in good health. They assessed participants’ mental and physical function periodically over the next 15 years. They found that those who followed a Mediterranean diet, which includes a high intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and fish, had a 40 percent greater chance of living beyond the age of 70. https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/forums/range/read.php?9,26985

They also found that these same participants were also fairly healthy after the age of 70 and did not suffer from any chronic diseases of physical disabilities. What the study, which was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, concluded is that middle-aged people who follow a Mediterranean diet, especially women, will have improved cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and a decreased risk of heart disease and cancer. They also have a lowered risk of developing Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease. - See more at:http://www.fitnesstrader.ca/forum/topic/we-do-not-think-about-the-health-of-joints

Breast Cancer Patients Are Likely to Have Unrelated Cosmetic Surgery

A new study examined the link between breast cancer patients and cosmetic surgery. A small number of patients who have undergone breast reconstruction surgery underwent cosmetic treatments to improve their self-esteem. Researchers studied more than 1,214 women, who had breast reconstruction between 2005 and 2012. Of these, 113 also had cosmetic procedures. Thirty-three percent of survey respondents from that pool said they had liposuction, 19 percent had a facelift and 12 percent had eyelid surgery. Their reasons for wanting the cosmetic surgery were overwhelmingly to improve their self-image (62 percent). Many said they were more self-conscious about their appearance after having breast reconstruction surgery. Most reported being more satisfied with their self-image after the cosmetic surgery; however, 28 percent said they did not experience any improvement. https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/forums/range/read.php?9,26993

 “Breast reconstruction is transformative in many ways. When a woman faces the prospect of losing a breast, one of the most gratifying things plastic surgeons can offer is the ability to help reconstruct the breast and possibly improve her appearance and restore her self-confidence,” said Dr. Liza Wu, the study’s co-author. Dr. Wu also notes that just a small number of breast cancer patients have cosmetic surgery, but for those that do, it can go a long way in helping boost patients’ self-esteem. - See more at:http://uchem.berkeley.edu/forum/read.php?26,500484

Carrie Underwood Shares Her Diet Secrets

Carrie Underwood looked fabulous during her recent gig as host of the 2013 Country Music Awards. The singer also covers the November 2013 issue of Redbook Magazine, where she shares her own diet secrets. Underwood reveals to the magazine that she wasn’t happy with her weight during her American Idol days. “It was on the Idol tour [after I won]. I put on a lot of weight [during the show] because we were locked in a room all day with a craft service table,” she told Redbook. “I was bored, so I was just eating. I was never overweight, but I feel better with myself now.” http://uchem.berkeley.edu/forum/read.php?26,500745

 She found a pretty easy and simple slim-down method to help her maintain a healthy diet — a food journal. “You know how you feel when you get full? Well, I don’t get full. I can eat a lot,” Underwood said. “[My husband] Mike and I were in Italy for 10 days and I put on 8 pounds. So in real life, I have to make sure I’m not eating just to eat.” Have you ever used a food journal to keep track of your diet? - See more at:https://secure.web.emory.edu/forums/read.php?9,2118,2118#msg-2118

Reduce Meat and Dairy Intake to Cut Your Risk of Diabetes

Reducing your intake of animal products such as meat and dairy can help reduce the risk of diabetes. Scientists at the Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health in France found that these products trigger stomach acids, which can lead to an array of diseases. However, acidic fruits are able to cut these acids. “A diet rich in animal protein may favor net acid intake, while most fruits and vegetables form alkaline precursors that neutralize the acidity,” said Dr. Francoise Clavel-Chapelon, the study’s leader. “Contrary to what is generally believed, most fruits such as peaches, apples, pears, bananas and even lemons and oranges actually reduce dietary acid load once the body has processed them.” An excess of acid can lead to a number of complications within the metabolic system. This reduces the body’s ability to regulate insulin, which leads to a higher risk of diabetes. Researchers studied the health of thousands of women over the course of 14 years.  http://www.clevelandstatecc.edu/talkgreen/viewthread/10651/

They found that those who had more acidic diets were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Women scored in the top 25 percent for potential renal acid load (Pral) were 56 percent more likely to develop diabetes than those in scored in the bottom 25 percent. Pral measures the impact foods have on acid levels within kidneys and urine. “Our study suggests that dietary acids may play a specific role in promoting the development of type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Clavel-Chapelon. “We have demonstrated for the first time in a large prospective study that dietary acid load was positively associated with type 2 diabetes risk, independently of other known risk factors for diabetes.” These findings may lead people to reconsider their diets by consuming less animal products and more fruits and vegetables. - See more at:http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/09/leo/intlblogday/forum/read.php?1,2274

Kids Will Eat Healthy Snacks if Schools Provide Them

Surprise, surprise: schools that provide healthy options in the cafeteria and vending machines help improve the students’ health. “When healthful food options are offered, students will select them, eat them, and improve their diet,” said Katherine Alaimo, associate professor of food science and human nutrition at Michigan State University. “Our study shows that schools can make the kinds of changes required by the forthcoming USDA guidelines, and these changes can have a positive impact on children’s nutrition.” The guidelines Alaimo speaks of is the “Smart Snacks” standards that are being implemented in schools on July 1, 2014. These standards set limits on the amount of calories, salt, sugar and fat found in the foods and beverages being sold at schools. http://www.sarticles.net/article/lose-weight-delicious-and-easy

 They will also be required to promote foods like fruits and vegetables, those made with whole-grains, and those that are low in fat and dairy. In a new study published in Child Obesity, researchers tested standards similar to the new USDA requirements to show how schools can impact the eating habits of students. Researchers found that schools that offered healthy snacks at lunch time or by vending machine were able to boost students’ daily consumption of fruits by 26 percent, vegetables by 14 percent and whole grains by 30 percent. Students were also getting more fiber, calcium and vitamins A and C. “Creating school environments where the healthy choice is the easy choice allows students to practice lessons learned in the classroom and form good habits at an early age, laying a foundation for a healthy future,” said Shannon Carney Oleksyk, a contributing author of the study. Researchers also noted that they measured students’ overall diets, not just what they consumed at school. - See more at: https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/forums/range/read.php?9,26992

Persistence Hunting and Persistence Living

One of the first forms of hunting used by early humans consisted of chasing their prey to the point of its exhaustion. This technique is termed persistence hunting.I believe modern humans’ health and fitness would benefit greatly from a variation of this concept, which I term persistence living. Since early humans did not have weapons to kill their prey from a distance and were not fast enough to catch the animal, one way to kill it would have been to run it down over a long distance for an extended period. Because of our ability to dissipate heat by sweating, we have an advantage over our prey, who cannot do this without slowing down and panting for thermoregulation. This hunting behavior is still used today by the Kalahari bushman and the Tarahumara and Raramuri people of Northern Mexico. http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/09/leo/intlblogday/forum/read.php?1,2273

The need to obtain food has had a lot of effect on our early hominid evolution. About 5 to 7 million years ago, some humans began to walk upright. As climate change turned our forest home into sparser woodlands, those who could walk on two legs and travel miles in search of food had a distinct advantage. About 2.5 million years ago, those woodlands were now becoming a savanna or plains, and as we had now evolved into Homo sapiens with our big wise brains we needed more calories than gathering could easily supply. Large animals were a prime source of these calories — if only we could catch and kill them. At this point, we became endurance runners and persistence hunting began. Hunting in a group, one person sprints after the prey. Of course the prey escapes temporarily, but the sprinter stays close enough to point the rest of the group to where the prey is recovering from its sprint. This chase is repeated a few more times, and the prey collapses from hyperthermia and is easily killed. The current state of humanity is much different. Food is cheap and plentiful, and we do not need to work so hard to chase it down. Unfortunately, we have already been turned into efficient persistence hunting machines by our evolution’s natural selection. Now the problem is that our evolutionary gain has become our loss, and it is killing us. We have become obese and unhealthy from our inactivity and poor food choices. I feel evolution is still as active as ever. Perhaps it’s not selecting for the fittest but more for the unfittest, but natural selection is in control, and that’s where persistence living and the example set by the early persistence hunters comes into play.  http://uchem.berkeley.edu/forum/read.php?26,500711

Whether we now do it in a group or alone does not matter as long as we do it. Being active daily and eating whole, natural, unprocessed foods just as our fore-runners did can turn the force of evolution once again in our species’ favor. This must be a consistent lifestyle change that we do for our lifetime. It will take our persistence, just as much as our ancestors needed to be persistent and survive those challenging conditions they had to face. This needed change will not be easy, as our current obesogenic lifestyle will challenge our attempts to alter our unhealthy behavioral direction. However, if you do not find a way to establish new healthy exercise and eating habits as your lifestyle, you will meet a fate that will not be pleasant. - See more at:https://secure.web.emory.edu/forums/read.php?9,2117,2117#msg-2117

Exercise Lowers the Risk of Depression Later on in Life

Exercising for just 30 minutes a day can reduce your risk of developing depression later in life. A new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that getting exercise at a younger age helps to keep depression at bay later on in life. Researchers looked at data from 30 studies that covered 26 years’ worth of information. They found that in 25 of the 30 studies there was direct link between a lack of physical activity and the diagnosis of depression later in life. “If you’re not physically active, you should start,” said George Mammen, co-author of the study and Ph.D candidate at the University of Toronto. “We usually think [of] exercise in terms of weight and how we look, but it’s also a way to maintain mental health far into the future.” The study recommends getting at least 20 to 30 minutes of exercise a day, even by doing simple activities such as walking and gardening. This alone can help ward off depression later on in life, which comes with its own slew of health problems, such as chronic pain and a higher risk of strokes. - See more at: http://www.sarticles.net/article/rhythmic-breathing-the-most-important-thing

Lab Notes: Walking Helps Prevent Strokes in Older Men; FAA to Test Obese Pilots for Sleep Apnea On our Lab Notes page CalorieLab’s editors select and rank the day’s essential health news items in real time. Readers can suggest, vote and comment on items. Below are brief summaries of this past week’s (November 16, 2013 through November 23, 2013) Lab Notes items. To see today’s items, visit Lab Notes. 1. Walking Helps Prevent Strokes in Older Men Older men who walk for several hours daily are less likely to have a stroke compared to peers who rarely take walks, find researchers from University College in London. 2. FAA to Test Obese Pilots for Sleep Apnea The Federal Aviation Administration has announced a program that will screen all airline pilots and air traffic controllers who have a body mass index greater than 40 to determine if their excess weight might negatively effect their work performance. 3. People Who Consume Nuts May Live Longer Eating nuts may increase longevity, finds a new large study. 4. Oral Birth Control Use May Up Glaucoma Risk Extended use of oral contraceptives may double a woman’s lifetime risk of developing glaucoma. 5. Signs of Cardiac Arrest Present Before Event Signs of cardiac arrest present themselves up to a month before the event in more than 1/2 of middle aged men, says new study. 6. Last-Line Antibiotics Becoming Ineffective Antibiotics that are used as the last line of defense against life threatening germs are becoming ineffective in Europe. https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/forums/range/read.php?9,26991

7. Spicy Hot Snacks Are Bad for Young Stomachs The latest junk food trend, spicy chips, snacks and candies, may be landing the products’ consumers, mostly kids, in the nearest ER or doctor’s office with gastritis, an erosion of the stomach lining that can result in burning, bloating or vomiting. 8. Princeton U May Use Foreign Meningitis Shot Authorities at Princeton University are weighing the use of a foreign meningitis vaccine to stem the outbreak of the disease which has caused 7 people to be hospitalized. 9. Birth Months Linked to Major Illness Risk Those born Jan. thru Mar. run a higher risk of Alzheimer’s, epilepsy and bipolar disorder, while those born Apr. thru June have high rates of glaucoma, MS and Parkinson’s. The statistically safest birth months are Sept. thru Nov. Nobody knows why. 10. Many Americans Forego Health Care Due to Cost More Americans skip health care due to costs than people in other high income countries, finds new report. - See more at:http://www.clevelandstatecc.edu/talkgreen/viewthread/10650/

Miranda Lambert Reveals Her Weight-Loss Plan

Country singer Miranda Lambert recently lost 25 pounds by simply giving up junk food and picking up a new workout routine that involves cardio and circuit training. Lambert recently turned 30 and wanted to do so with a healthy new outlook. “I spent my 20s on a roller coaster — my yo-yo weight, working all the time and partying. I just wanted to get healthier and go into my 30s in the best shape I could be in.” So, she worked with a personal trainer who even joined her on tour. “We do cardio and a lot of circuit training,” Lambert said. “We do things that use my body weight, like lunges. People think I [lost] more [than a dress size], but I’m 5’4″, so when I lose, I lose everywhere.” http://uchem.berkeley.edu/forum/read.php?26,500688

In addition to the new workout routine, Lambert made some drastic changes to her diet. She swapped her usual breakfast of bacon and eggs to green juice and pays more attention to her portion sizes. “Smaller portions right from the start,” she said. “Instead of steak for dinner, I might have chicken and a baked sweet potato.” - See more at: https://secure.web.emory.edu/forums/read.php?9,2116,2116#msg-2116

Pistachios are Good for the Heart and Weight Loss Goals

Pistachios serve as a great snack for those trying to lose weight and even help with heart health. A new study found that the fat in pistachios aren’t completely absorbed by the body, which makes them lower in calories than what was previously believed. The study, from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, found that, in the nut family, pistachios are among the lowest in calories, at 160 calories for each 30 gram serving. Researchers fed 16 volunteers, all healthy adults, pistachios as part of a controlled diet. They calculated the energy value by measuring the differences in energy excretion during the time frame of the study. They found that the energy value of each serving of pistachios is 5.9 percent less than what was previously thought. “Existing scientific research indicates that fat from nuts is poorly absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract,” said David J. Baer, lead ARS researcher and supervisory research physiologist.  https://secure.web.emory.edu/forums/read.php?9,2115,2115#msg-2115

 “The study confirms that the fat from pistachio nuts, specifically, is not completely digested or absorbed, resulting in a lower energy value. Another study from the University of California found that pistachios are a great snack for those looking to lose weight. They conducted a randomized study over a 12-week period that involved 52 overweight or obese volunteers. These volunteers were placed on a 500-calorie diet and were told to snack on either a pistachio snack (240 calories) or pretzel snack (220 calories). The group snacking on pistachios were more successful at reading their BMI goals, even though the pretzels were slightly lower in calories. - See more at: https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/forums/range/read.php?9,26990

A CalorieLab Holiday Survival Guide

The name of this website being CalorieLab, we usually produce at least one annual post reminding visitors of the nutritional and caloric hazards that confront us during the end-of-year holidays. Sometimes we, meaning I, post this warning in early December, after Thanksgiving has taken place and a considerable amount of the dietary damage has already been done. So, herewith a quick and hopefully timelier review of some of the basic rules and reminders: When there’s a broad selection of food items, you’re not obligated to sample some of each. In that situation, confine yourself to the items you really enjoy, focusing on those you don’t often get at home. Alcohol is calories with the amp turned up to 11, and that’s just one reason to toast the holidays in moderation. Sugary/creamy drinks such as Irish coffee and rum punch and egg nog should particularly be regarded as caloric land mines. The turkey skin, sublime though you may find it, is where the fat is. You might prepare a casserole or other entrees in advance for those times during the holiday rush that you just don’t have time to make dinner, which will spare you from having to resort to fast food. http://www.clevelandstatecc.edu/talkgreen/viewthread/10649/

‘Tis better to give than to receive, and this is especially true when it comes to pastries and other holiday baked goods and sweet treats. Should you find yourself up to here with such edible gifts, it is perfectly alright and nutritionally wise to re-gift some of them to co-workers, neighbors or friends. They will be appreciated, and will not be lying around tempting you. A little gravy goes a long way. Ditto on the dressing. Be wary of veggie side dishes that involve lots of creamy or cheesy or Hollandaise sauce. Many people put out bowls of peanuts or mixed nuts along with the chips and other snacks. The nuts contain fats and are usually salted, but are still among the healthiest snacks you can eat and certainly preferable to processed snacks. Beyond those caveats, the holidays present other, even more literal hazards. This is also the season of home-based accidents, ranging from falls and fires to electrical shocks from deteriorating Christmas lights. A few significant stats: There are, on average, 1,400 house fires each year during the holidays due to accidents with candles alone, peaking on the candle-fire trifecta: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Over 5,800 people will visit emergency rooms during the holidays to receive treatment for falls they took while putting up decorations, and this is not primarily an elderly-linked hazard; over 60 percent of the patients are in the 20-to-50 age range, and men tumble 40 percent more often than women. http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/09/leo/intlblogday/forum/read.php?1,2272

Other than minor contusions from trying out that new bicycle for the first time, the No. 1 threat to kids comes from toys small enough to be swallowed or choked on, but less recognized is the threat from the lithium button battery that powers a lot of those toys or games. Almost 3,500 kids swallow one of these batteries during a typical year, and the problem peaks during the season of new playthings. Button batteries contain seriously nasty chemicals, and if one becomes lodged in a child’s throat, there can be long-term consequences. If you’re going to be a helicopter parent at all, now’s the time. - See more at:http://uchem.berkeley.edu/forum/read.php?26,500628

Kids More Likely Than Adults to be Diagnosed With Mental Health Disorder

A new study suggests that kids are becoming more and more likely than adults to be diagnosed with a mental health disorder. The researchers looked at the data of almost 450,000 patient visits to doctor’s offices in the U.S. between 1995 and 2010. From 1995 to 1998 and 2007 to 2010, the visits that led to the diagnosis of mental health issues increased faster for patients under the age of 21 than it did for adults. The study, which was published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, also found that the number of visits to psychiatrists increased faster for kids than it did for adults. “Over the last several years, there has been an expansion in mental health care to children and adolescents in office-based medical practice,” http://www.sarticles.net/article/prana-in-the-yogic-teachings

 said Dr. Mark Olfson of the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University. According to the researchers, this increase, along with the rise of the number of prescriptions for psychiatric drugs, allows healthcare professionals to better help young people in their mental health disorders. “Yet it also poses risks related to adverse medication effects, delivery of non-evidence-based care and poorly coordinated services,” the researchers said. - See more at: https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/forums/range/read.php?9,26989

Our Health and Fitness Battle

I was in my fitness center on the Sunday after Thanksgiving for a workout, grateful that I road-warriored it on Saturday before the I-95 traffic was a solid East Coast gridlock! I had a great workout, pushing higher weight numbers than ever, perhaps due to the forced exercise break I had gotten over the holidays with travel and festivities.

While I was going around the center, I saw two people whom I knew well that gave me pause. One was a man who had lost a significant amount of weight over the last year. When I saw him a few weeks ago, I thought he might be gaining it back. I said hello as I waited for the same machine he was using. When he stopped, I had a few choice words for him as I noticed that he was indeed gaining it back! http://uchem.berkeley.edu/forum/read.php?26,500609
“I saw you with your wife a few weeks ago, are you two back together?”

“Yes, we are finally working our relationship out,” he said with a grateful smile on his face!”

“I’m so glad to hear that,” I said, as I moved to use the machine and he walked off.

This is a very important time in his personal life, and there will be more appropriate moments to discuss his fitness with him in the future.

The other person was a young man, as nice a person as you will ever meet, whom I hadn’t seen in a year. He was very obese when I first got to know him a few years ago. Over those years, I saw him work out with a personal trainer and lose at least 75 pounds to where, although still obese, he looked much healthier, and he would walk on the treadmill much more energetically.He looked terrible! He was so obese that he could barely turn his head as he waved back at me. His obesity was oppressive on every part of his body. I felt an overwhelming sadness and anger come over me as I thought about the world we live in and how it offers little assistance to those who cannot win the fitness battle without more help. https://secure.web.emory.edu/forums/read.php?9,2114,2114#msg-2114
I also thought about the readers and especially the commenters on the Dr. J column, and how so many of you fight this battle every day, many quite successfully, and I wanted to say how proud I am of all of you for the hard work that you put in, and for the wonderful example all of you set for others in an unhelpful world!

Holiday Eating Advice From the Experts

Some of it not quite what you’d expect © Alliance – Fotolia.com Statisticians tell us that the average American adult gains about one pound between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, which is not an unreasonable amount of weight, but the statistic ignores the fact that not every American adult is average. Indeed, most of us will consume an above-average amount of food during this period, but not all of us will pack on extra weight as a result. There are a lot of variables involved with this. One is simple physical activity: persons who engage in little or none of it during the holidays add an average of 1.5 pounds, while those who make a point of exercising or otherwise staying active actually lose a pound or more. The biggest variable of all, however, is the manner in which we approach all the eating opportunities that will present themselves to us over the next month. A number of nutrition experts have been weighing in on this subject in the media lately, and while I’ve probably missed some of their output, I’ve read enough of them to get a sense of what the prevailing current wisdom is on holiday weight management. Here are the major themes. Don’t overdo denial. https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/forums/range/read.php?9,26988

Trying to gut your way through the holidays with your teeth grit in refusal will only make you miserable, an emotion that often leads to guess what? That’s right: completely caving in to your urgings and totally bingeing. Studies have found that rigidly prohibiting yourself from eating certain foods merely intensifies your craving for them and puts additional stress and strain on your willpower, which you will need a lot of during the coming weeks. Moreover, researchers in Israel discovered that dieters who allowed themselves a small amount of sinfully sweet treats each day wound up losing an average of 15 more pounds than those who eschewed desserts and sweets altogether. You can indulge yourself; just be reasonable about it. Prepare yourself for the challenge. Don’t arrive at the party or banquet hungry or thirsty. Have a nice low-carb snack beforehand, maybe a salad, or veggies with a low-cal dip, or some soup. At the very least, drink a couple of glasses of water before heading to the event. The idea is to slake your hunger enough so that you aren’t driven to plunge into the available food mindlessly; this way you can review the situation and make the wisest food choices given the options. And take your time. The more leisurely you eat, the less you’ll consume before your body starts signaling “enough.” Also, the first few bites tend to be the tastiest; much beyond that, you’re not really getting that much pleasure per calorie, so try to consciously limit your portions up front. Go for the gold. As you scan the buffet or dining room table, you may observe that the things you like the most are invariably on every diet’s Avoid list. But self-indulgence is what these affairs are all about, and you can turn that reality to your advantage. Rather than trying some of everything, limit yourself to those items that are among your guiltiest pleasures. http://www.clevelandstatecc.edu/talkgreen/viewthread/10648/

You probably won’t be able to resist them altogether anyway, and they will leave you and your appetite satisfied much faster than most of the healthier alternatives. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Your nemesis is not overeating, but out-of-control overeating, which is the most dangerous kind, because once the craving takes control you’ll hammer down anything that’s available. The time to deal with your hunger is when it is still just moderate, and can be reasoned with. Don’t let it build up into an irresistible beast. Specifically, don’t let yourself become ravenous by starving yourself between eating events in order to somehow compensate for them. You’ll just wind up being at your hungriest precisely when confronted with the most unhealthy temptations. - See more at: http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/09/leo/intlblogday/forum/read.php?1,2271

Everyday Evidence of Fast Food Dominance: Tennis, Tantalizing and Tiny Tim

While playing tennis last week with a good friend, during one particularly energetic rally, I broke a string on the racket! After the match was over, we were talking, and he mentioned that the business where we had our rackets restrung for many years had recently closed. He went on to say that although the business was gone, some out-of-town organization had bought the inventory and set up shop in a new location, and that’s where things turned interesting and somewhat amusing. It seems that the new place was in an area of town that I hadn’t gone to in quite a while, so I asked him for directions. Most people are familiar with how locals always give directions with the expression, “It’s right next to ‘this business’ or where ‘some business’ used to be.” The funny thing was, every business he used trying to help me was a fast food restaurant or some other high-calorie, low-quality food place! After finally realizing that I was relatively fast food directionally challenged, he said: http://uchem.berkeley.edu/forum/read.php?26,500586

“You know, it used to be that we gave directions by using gas stations, but now it’s always restaurants, usually fast food ones!” It started me thinking about this recent phenomenon. It appears to me that a week doesn’t go by in my small city where a new tantalizing fast-food or high calorie-low quality food business opens, sometimes replacing one going out of business, sometimes not. I joked that they needed to find ways of making an intersection have more than four corners for restaurants, then realized that they already have! We have areas where restaurants are in tight double blocks with only one side facing the street with the other business attached like townhouses in a square. https://secure.web.emory.edu/forums/read.php?9,2113,2113#msg-2113

Then this formation is sometimes doubled by making it two stories so there are eight places where only one would have been. It might be fine if the quality of the food was good, but they are nothing special and certainly not that healthy — just quick, tasty, and numerous so we can eat a different type of unhealthy food most every day and every meal. The crafty food industry has evolved a way to make our trough more and more appealing without improving the quality of what’s in it in any way at all. If we are going to have a chance with this crappy cornucopia of consumption, we’d best be educated and vigilant. - See more at: http://www.sarticles.net/article/how-you-sit-at-the-workplace