The New Nutritionist: Your Grocer

This article is about a food rating system being used by some grocery chains that is provided by a company called NuVal LLC that basically measures nutritional value. My first reaction was this could be good information for the average consumer but reading further into it, it seems some of the criteria used to establish the rating is pretty subjective. I am glad I don’t have a food product being negatively rated by these people. In my opinion, what is intended to help the consumer and simplify things is just confusing the issue even further. What’s yours?

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704229004575371010407610760.html?mod=ITP_personaljournal_0#printMode

Eating to Live or Living to Eat?

There is a lot here but some very interesting information describing how different areas of the brain affect our eating habits. This might help to explain some of the cravings we have, especially, in my case with sweets after eating a meal. Basically a concise, easy to understand account of what can be a very complicated subject for some of us non-medical “civilians”.

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704288204575363072381955744.html?mod=ITP_personaljournal_0

4 Ways to Reach Your Ideal Racing Weight

Like the title, the first paragraph of this article refers to running performance and achieving optimum racing weight, but even if you are not a high level runner/athlete these four suggestions regarding our eating habits can be helpful to any of us. Try them out for thirty days and see the results for yourself.

www.active.com/running/Articles/4_Ways_to_Reach_Your_Ideal_Racing_Weight.htm?cmp=11-815&utm_source=sendible&utm_medium=feed&PageMode=Print

Calorie counts of your favorite barbecue foods

Calorie counts and fat content of some of our summer favorites.

www.chicagotribune.com/features/sns-food-barbecue-favorites-calories,0,2592073.photogallery

A Guilt-Free Hamburger

While this “meta-study”, a compilation of data from 20 different studies from around the world, is not definitive, I personally come away from it feeling better about eating higher quality ground beef, steak, pork, etc than eating processed meat. It seems like the issue of salt levels is being raised more and more often and seen as a source of many health problems. As one of the doctor’s quoted states towards the end of the article, a balanced diet is essential but perhaps we don’t have to feel as guilty about having a serving of high quality red meat once in a while.

online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748704314904575250570943835414.html#printMode

For Nut Benefits, More Is Better

Just a couple servings of nuts a day (about 8 almonds or 15 to 20 peanuts are one serving) can have very positive effects on our health, especially lower cholesterol. This article describes results from a study published recently in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Diet and Exercise to the Extremes

This article from the New York times is about Scott Jurek, the ultimate ultra-marathoner in the US today. As the title suggests, he not only exercises at extreme levels but his diet would be considered somewhat extreme by many also.

While not suggesting going to these extremes, perhaps emulating Scott at even a minor level would help many of us increase not only our performance level while exercising or competing but would also have a positive effect on our level of health and wellness.

Since this article was written last week, Scott set the record for an American in the French race referred to, running 165.70 miles in 24 hours.

www.nytimes.com/2010/05/13/sports/13runner.html?pagewanted=1&ref=health

Omega-3 fatty acids are key to a healthier life

Omega-3 fatty acids can benefit our health in many ways including treatment of many serious chronic illnesses. But how do we incorporate more Omega-3’s into our diets? Fish of course is the primary source most think of but this article from the Chicago Tribune offers some more options, some easier to access and less expensive than trying to eat fish on a regular basis.

www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-omega-3s-20100426,0,4096697,print.story

Will Low-Salt Pretzels Taste Just as Good?

As this article from the Wall Street Journal outlines, there is growing pressure from a variety of sources on food manufacturers to lower the amounts of salt in processed foods. This is another somewhat complicated/controversial issue with one prominent organization, the National Academy of Sciences, imploring the FDA to take action. As we know, a diet with high sodium intake increases the possibility of high blood pressure and the resultant health issues. Is this yet another health issue in our lives where a little moderation and adjustment in our diets can go along way towards solving this problem versus having to create laws and government regulations?

online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748703763904575196283015020398.html#mod=todays_us_personal_journal

Ending a sweet but unhealthy relationship

I can relate and sympathize with this guy at the same time. Kicking sugar is a tough one. I pay attention to what I eat, eat pretty healthy, very seldom eat fast food anymore but when it comes to sugar and sweets, it’s all over. I guess moderation is a worthy goal because abstinence sure doesn’t seem possible.

www.chicagotribune.com/health/ct-talk-keilman-sugar-addict-20100420,0,4722215,print.story

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