Study Shows Milk Drinkers Lose More Weight!

According to a research study found in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, adults who consumed 12 ounces of milk of 580 milligrams of dairy calcium lost 12 pounds at the end of the 2 year study. Adults who consumed less dairy, about 150 milligrams of dairy calcium only lost 7 pounds after 2 years. This study suggests that higher consumption of dairy products and increased intake in Vitamin D are linked to greater weight loss.

I think it's important to incorporate dairy and Vitamin D into a healthy diet not only for strong bones and teeth, but also to maintain a healthy weight. This is the article on the research : -->Article from WebMD on Milk Drinkers' Weight Loss<--

Eating Fruits and Vegetables as Children can Positively Affect Adult Health

-->Article from WebMD on how Eating Fruits and Vegetables as Children Affect Adult Health<--

According to a study found in the Journal of the American Heart Association, children who eat a lot of fruits and vegetables are less likely to develop atherosclerosis which can ultimately cause heart disease. Finnish researchers followed 1622 Fins between the ages of 3 and 18 for 27 years and compared their childhood and adulthood lifestyle. Lifestyle factors included: fruit and vegetable intake, smoking, and alcohol consumption. The results found that children that consumed less fruits and vegetables were more likely to develop a higher pulse wave velocity, which is the speed at which blood travels in the artery walls. If they are hardened, then the heart has to work extra hard to pump blood through the walls, which could lead to a heart attack.




The article also gives a few tips on encouraging children to eat more fruits and vegetables. The tips include:
-Involve children in fruit and vegetable shopping
-Involve children to prepare healthy meals
-Eat healthy, so children can look to you as a role model
-Create a variety of healthy snacks
-Grow your own vegetables

Is Hookah Smoking Safer than Cigarette Smoking?

-->Article from MayoClinic on Hookah Smoking<--

The answer--NO! Hookah smoking is no way safer than cigarette smoking! The reason why I researched this topic is because there is a Hookah bar that opened up over the summer back where I live in CT. Unfortunately, many young adults, including myself, have been to this establishment more than once with the preconceived idea that hookah smoking is not as dangerous as cigarette smoking. However, after reading this article I've learned that it is just as bad and if not worse than it's counter-part.


According to the article from MayoClinic, "Hookah smokers may actually inhale more tobacco smoke than cigarette smokers do because of the large volume of smoke they inhale in one smoking session, which can last as long as 60 minutes." Also, hookah smokers inhale more carbon monoxide than cigarette smokers.

The dangerous consequences of hookah smoking include:
-Contains high levels of toxic chemicals such as: carbon monoxide and carcinogens
-Linked to lung and oral cancer
-Delivers the same amount of nicotine as cigarettes and can lead to nicotine dependence
-Hookah smoke poses dangers with secondhand smoke
-Hookah smoking by pregnant women can result in low birth weight babies
-Hookah pipes may not be cleaned properly thus causing a high risk of infectious diseases



Although this sounds like hookah smoking is actually more unhealthy than cigarette smoking, they are BOTH harmful and can defitnitely cause detrimental consequences to your long term health.

Junk Food Diet Leads to Weight Loss?

-->Article from Mayo Clinic, on Junk food Diet<--

I was reading this article from Mayo Clinic and I couldn't believe a professor (from Kansas State University) actually tried a junk food diet AND lost weight AND increased his HDL (good cholesterol). His junk food diet over 10 weeks included: "chocolate-covered snacks, cream-filled cakes, sugary cereals, cookies and chips. For good measure, each day he also threw in a protein shake, a few veggies and a vitamin/mineral supplement"

This was a nutrient analysis of a sample daily menu:

• 1,600 calories (he tries to stay under 1,800 calories a day)
• 232 grams carbohydrate (56 percent of total calories)
• 60 grams fat (33 percent of calories)
• 44 grams protein (11 percent of calories)
• 25 grams saturated fat (14 percent of calories)
• 110 mg cholesterol
• 1,290 mg sodium

His preliminary medical results:

• A 27-pound weight loss over 10 weeks
• Body mass index now in the normal range (24.9)
• Total body fat reduced from 33.4 to 24.9 percent (between 18 and 24 percent is good for men)
• Total cholesterol reduced from 214 to 184 mg/dL (less than 200 is desirable)
• LDL "bad" cholesterol went from 153 to 123 mg/dL (less than 100 is optimal)
• HDL "good" cholesterol went from 37 to 46 mg/dL (60 or more is the target)

Even though he is mostly eating carbs, which are primarily sugars and double the saturated fats, he is consuming less calories than he needs. Therefore, he has maintained weight loss. With decrease weight loss comes lower blood pressure and blood sugar. However, long term effects of this junk food diet has not been studied yet, so I wouldn't recommend it! Healthy dieting, moderation, and consistent exercise are the most important factors to maintain weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.

Healthier School Lunches

Over 400 parents have signed a petition to achieve healthier school lunches for students at Lombard Elementary District 44 in Lombard, Illinois. The superintendent is working with the parents, who have been vocalizing their concerns over their kids' school menu at board meetings, to help choose their next food vendor for 2012. In the meantime, he will be working with Lombard's current vendor on upgrading the menu to incorporate healthier meals.  Even though the menu adheres to the basic dietary guidelines, those guidelines are extremely poor. According to the superintendent, Jim Blanche,

“I don’t eat a school lunch and I probably wouldn’t eat a school lunch, when you have guidelines that count ketchup as a vegetable, that might be a problem.” This is more than a problem! Unhealthy school lunches contribute to obesity, and diets high in unsaturated fats, oils, and sugar. If students aren't getting the proper nutrition from school, then how are they supposed to be energized and focused enough to learn?
--->Article on Lombard Elementary District 44 School Lunches<---

Blackout In A Can

--->University of Rhode Island Ban Four Loko Article <---

Recently, everyone on campus has been talking about the new alcohol beverage, Four Loko. This malt beverage is 12.0% in alcohol content and is about $3.00 a can. After recent incidences at colleges across the United States where numerous students have been hospitalized as a result of consuming this drink, some colleges have banned Four Loko from their campuses. The University of Rhode Island is the third and most recent college to have banned this drink.

Four Loko contains guarana, which is a caffeine-producing fruit and can keep a consumer "high" even after the point where they're drunk. However, according to the makers of Four Loko, there isn't any more caffeine than a tall coffee from Starbucks. Also, the marketing of the can is misleading on it's content. It's a colorful can and advertises fruit flavors. It doesn't look any different than a can of fruit juice so it defitnitely targets a younger population. According to the website, American youth abuse alcohol more than tobacco and drugs and people age 12 to 20 drink 11% of all alcohol consumed in the United States. In 2008, there were 190,000 emergency room visits from people under 20 years for alcohol-related accidents.

Personally, I think people don't know how to drink casually because drinking is restricted until 21 years old, but that's a different topic......Also, I don't think banning Four Loko is going to stop anyone from drinking it on campus. Every alcoholic beverage has detrimental consequences if it's not consumed in moderation, but it's up to the consumer to watch what they drink, not the companies that produce and market them.

Relaxation Techniques

Article on Relaxation Techniques--->Mayo Clinic<---

Today, I started my relaxation techniques class and I can already see that it is gong to benefit me in the future. We started class by sitting on mats on the floor without our shoes on while seated in a circle. Then we moved into a stretching exercise that was meant to lift your spine. One person sat cross-legged on the mat and raised their arms above their head and brought them together by touching their elbows. Then a partner stood behind and weaved their arms under my arms and slowly pulled my arms up to elevate my spine. After the activity, I quickly noticed the difference in how my back and core felt after I slouched down to my normal posture. My teacher said our breath was very important and when we don’t have good posture we can’t fully breathe in and out. A simple technique like this can help manage stress because you are paying attention to your body as well as allowing for steady breathing.  According to mayoclinic, “Relaxation reduces muscle tension and anxiety, increases self-control and leaves a person feeling refreshed and rejuvenated”.