7 Reasons You're Still Overweight (and How to Get Slim Fast)

By David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding - Posted on Mon, Feb 08, 2010, 1:08 pm PST

Eat This, Not That
by David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding a Yahoo! Health Expert for Nutrition

Why do some people pack on the pounds effortlessly? It’s not always genetics and it’s not always gluttony, and you can’t always blame it on lack of exercise. Indeed, becoming overweight is often a result of some simple—and easily correctible—bad habits, especially when it comes to dining out. (I know. I used to be a chunky kid.)

As we began researching Eat This, Not That! Restaurant Survival Guide, we discovered plenty of egregious examples of super-fattening foods in both America’s supermarkets and our chain restaurants. And we learned that if you simply know what to order and what to avoid, you can shave off pounds effortlessly. For example, does On the Border really need to stuff more than a day’s worth of calories into its Dos XX Fish Tacos? (Remember when fish was healthy?) And shouldn’t Chili’s warn parents when a selection on its kids’ menu comes with 82 grams of fat, like its Pepper Pals Little Chicken Crispers does?

If you know these secrets, the power to eat what you want and still stay slim is in your hands. That's why we created the Eat This, Not That! iPhone app!—it’s like having your own personal nutritionist at your fingertips.

In the meantime, here’s the hard truth: There's more contributing to America's obesity problem than just fattening food. The restaurant industry has spent decades studying human behavior and figuring out all sorts of subliminal ways to make us want to order and eat more. And a lot of those psychological tricks have become ingrained in our behavior.

In a study in the journal Obesity, researchers looked at the habits of people dining at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Those with the highest body mass index (BMI)—a measure of obesity—shared many of the behaviors listed below. Know them so you can take charge of your waistline—and your health.

#1. Overweight people use larger plates.
When offered two plate sizes, 98.6 percent of those with the highest BMI took the larger of the two plates to the buffet. A bigger plate tricks your eye into thinking you’re not eating as much when you stuff more food onto the surface—and into your mouth. Use a smaller plate, get a smaller belly.

Bonus tip: The same principle holds true for drinks, as we've found while researching the upcoming Drink This, Not That! The larger the cup, the bigger your gut. Check out our list of The 20 Worst Drinks in America and The 40 Best and Worst Beers for two eye-opening lineups of belt-busting beverages that'll drown your diet aspirations. (It's baffling that some drinks can pack more than 2000 calories!)

#2. Overweight people eat while looking at food.
Of those with high BMIs, 41.7 percent took seats that overlooked the buffet, instead of sitting in a booth or facing in a different direction. The sight of food tends to make our minds think we have more work to do, eating-wise. Keep your food stored in the fridge or stashed in the pantry, not out on the countertops.

#3. Overweight people eat with maximum efficiency.
While Chinese buffets offer chopsticks, 91.3 percent of obese patrons opt for forks. That just makes it easier to shovel in the food.

Bonus tip: For simple steps to live a longer and healthier life, read through Dr. Oz's 25 Greatest Health Tips Ever. His tips will dramatically improve your life.

#4. Overweight people clean their plates.
Of those patrons who were the heaviest, 94 percent cleaned their plates so there was nothing left. Ignore Mom’s advice—let a little linger, or take it to go.

#5. Overweight people chew less.
Researchers actually monitored the chewing habits of the buffet-goers and discovered that the heaviest one-third among them chewed their food an average of 11.9 times before swallowing. The middle one-third chewed an average of 14 times, and the leanest one-third chewed 14.8 times.

Bonus tip: Whatever you do, don't chew on these 20 Worst Restaurant Foods in America. Some of these secret meals pack days' worth of salt, sugar, trans-fat and saturated fat! Learn exactly which ones so you can steer clear.

#6. Overweight people dive in.
The leanest people in the study typically took a lap around the buffet first, to plot out what they wanted to eat. But the more overweight group charged right in; doing so means you may fill up on some less-appealing items, then have to go back to snag that one nosh you have to have but missed the first time.

#7. Overweight people skip breakfast.
A simple habit, but missing this crucial meal raises your risk of obesity by a whopping 450 percent! Start your day with some lean protein and fiber—which will jumpstart your metabolism and keep you full. (An egg sandwich is actually a great choice.)

Heart Disease:The Greatest Threat of All

Think of a heart attack victim and you'll probably picture a middle-aged man, perhaps a little paunchy, most likely a workaholic executive type. It's a stereotype that has been reinforced by the media and by the medical profession itself, which in the past has focused much of its research into heart disease on this type of patient.

Not Just a Man's Disease

The facts, however, tell quite a different story. Heart disease is more than just a man's disease -- much more. Better than 1 in 5 women have some form of heart or blood disease. By the time a woman reaches 65, she has a 1 in 3 chance of developing cardiovascular disease. And a number of studies show that African-American women are at even greater risk than these averages.

Heart disease, in its various forms, is the leading killer of American women. The following statistics paint a graphic picture:

The reason that so much more attention has been focused on men is that they are much more likely to be stricken with heart disease in their prime middle years, whereas women tend to get it 10 to 20 years later. For most women, it is only after menopause that heart disease becomes a problem. But a woman of 60 is about as likely to get heart disease as a man of 50, and by the time they are in their 70s, men and women get heart disease at equal rates. In the past two decades, death rates from cardiovascular disease have declined in both men and women, but have gone down more slowly in women.

Cardiovascular Disease: The Fate of Every Third Woman

The facts, however, tell quite a different story. Heart disease is more than just a man's disease -- much more. Better than 1 in 5 women have some form of heart or blood disease. By the time a woman reaches 65, she has a 1 in 3 chance of developing cardiovascular disease. And a number of studies show that African-American women are at even greater risk than these averages.

Heart disease, in its various forms, is the leading killer of American women. The following statistics paint a graphic picture:

• One-third of all deaths of American women each year are attributable to heart disease. Heart disease kills more women each year than all types of cancer, accidents, and diabetes combined.

• All forms of cardiovascular disease kill more than 500,000 American women a year (compared to about 450,000 men). Stroke alone kills more than 97,000 women annually.

• Myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, kills 244,000 women a year.

• Forty percent of women with heart disease will eventually die of it.

• About 6.3 million American women alive today have a history of heart attack, angina (chest pain), or both.

The reason that so much more attention has been focused on men is that they are much more likely to be stricken with heart disease in their prime middle years, whereas women tend to get it 10 to 20 years later. For most women, it is only after menopause that heart disease becomes a problem. But a woman of 60 is about as likely to get heart disease as a man of 50, and by the time they are in their 70s, men and women get heart disease at equal rates. In the past two decades, death rates from cardiovascular disease have declined in both men and women, but have gone down more slowly in women.

The significance of these facts is clear when you consider the aging of the American population. Currently, 38 percent of American women are 45 years of age or older and nearly 50 million have reached or passed 50 years of age. By 2015, that percentage will rise to 45 percent. This means that heart disease in women will be an even bigger problem in the future than it is now.

In the past, care of women with heart disease was based primarily on what was known about men. Given the many factors unique to a woman's health, it became apparent that this approach was not satisfactory. Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment cannot adequately take account of these factors until they have been systematically studied and evaluated.

Women have paid a heavy price for medicine's excessive focus on male heart patients, suffering delayed diagnosis, inadequate treatment, and a toll that could be counted in disabilities and death. One study found that an increased death rate in women following heart attacks was associated with less use of certain treatments, such as clot-busting drugs, compared to men.

Finally, however, this situation is changing. Greater attention to women's health in general and a growing awareness of the risks of heart disease in women are replacing the disregard of the past. An increasing number of scientific studies are focusing on how heart disease affects women. Gradually, doctors are becoming better informed about the dangers to women from heart disease, so that they are less likely to attribute chest pain to anxiety or other non-heart-related problems. And women themselves are learning that their own attention to their health must not be limited to an annual visit to the gynecologist.

So why is this important? If nothing could be done about heart disease, all of this attention might be academic. However, heart disease is both preventable and treatable; and as doctors learn more about what causes the problem, it is becoming increasingly apparent that there is much that you can do to prevent it from ever occurring. Diet and lifestyle changes can be very effective preventive efforts for some forms of heart disease. To work best, these efforts should begin early in life, long before you perceive yourself to be at risk. And if heart disease does strike, modern science and technology have an ever-growing arsenal of weapons available to successfully fight it and restore its survivors to healthy and productive lives.

Statistics reflect an encouraging trend. Better understanding of preventive measures and increasing sophistication in diagnosis and treatment have resulted in decreasing rates of heart disease in both men and women. For example, from 1987 to 1997, the death rate from coronary heart disease in women declined 23.5 percent, while the death rate from all forms of cardiovascular disease among women went down 17.5 percent.

4 Foods to Help You Look Years Younger

Joy Bauer

By Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N. - Posted on Fri, Jan 15, 2010, 6:08 pm PST

Joy's Healthy Bite
by Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N. a Yahoo! Health Expert for Nutrition

1. Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potatoes are a dynamite source of beta-carotene (their bright orange color is a dead giveaway). Your body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A, a nutrient that helps to continually generate new, healthy skin cells.

I like to turn sweet potatoes into crispy oven-baked French fries. Cut peeled potatoes into ¼-inch strips and spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with oil spray. Mist the fries with oil spray and season with salt, black pepper, or any other seasonings (ground cinnamon, curry powder, and chili powder are all fun options). Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, flipping the fries halfway through. I finish my fries under the broiler for 5 minutes to get them extra crispy!

2. Balsamic Carrots
Like sweet potatoes, carrots come equipped with a generous supply of beta-carotene. In addition to its pivotal role in skin cell renewal, beta-carotene acts as a potent antioxidant, sopping up damaging free radicals that accelerate skin aging.

Fend off wrinkles with my recipe for Roasted Balsamic Carrots. Cut 1 pound of peeled carrots into 1/2-inch wedges. Spread the carrots over half of a large sheet of aluminum foil, and sprinkle them with ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary, 2 cloves minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon paprika, salt, and pepper. Drizzle the carrots with 1 tablespoon olive oil and fold the foil over to create a tightly sealed packet. Place on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 25 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

3. Spinach Marinara
Spinach delivers a triple of dose of wrinkle-fighting antioxidants: vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. All three work in concert to protect your skin from the sun's UV rays so it stays vibrant and healthy.

Make a quick spinach marinara sauce by wilting fresh spinach leaves into a pot of simmering tomato sauce, then serve over pasta or grilled chicken cutlets.

4. Toasted Pecans
Pecans are one of a short list of foods rich in Vitamin E, a nutrient that's vital to skin health. By forming a protective barrier in the cell membranes of your skin, the vitamin E in pecans helps to ward off harmful free radicals and therefore helps to keep skin firm and elastic.

Pecans are delicious on their own, but toasting them makes them incredibly buttery and rich...they're like candy! Spread pecans on an ungreased baking sheet and toast them in a preheated 350 degree oven (or a toaster oven) for about 10 minutes (watch them closely to make sure they don't burn). Enjoy them whole as a scrumptious snack, or chop them up and sprinkle them into oatmeal or low-fat yogurt.

5 Secrets to Winter Health and Energy

By Dr. Maoshing Ni - Posted on Thu, Dec 31, 2009, 1:17 am PST

Dr. Mao's Secrets of Longevity
by Dr. Maoshing Ni a Yahoo! Health Expert for Alternative Medicine

Visit Alternative Medicine Home »

When the weather gets colder, take some time for yourself to restore your energy. Don't resist the urge to nestle into your snug home; it turns out that the law of nature requires you to slow down in the winter. Here are 5 secrets that will preserve your energy, bringing you health and tranquility.

Winter: the sleep of nature

The winter season is when nature sleeps, and everything experiences the slowing of natural processes -- even our bodies. Humans stopped hibernating like their ancestral cousins long ago, but our bodies still experience the natural inclination to slow down in winter. The winter is a time to come back to quietness and rebuild your energy reserves.

Nearly five millennia ago, the Yellow Emperor's Classics of Medicine recognized the seasonal influences on health and illness. According to Chinese medicine, the winter season is linked to kidneys, the adrenal glands, and the bladder; when these bodily systems are out of balance, it depletes energy and leads the way to illness. During the cold months of winter, people are more prone to colds, flu, poor circulation, low vitality, and seasonal mood disorders.

To stay healthy, happy, and vital, follow the wise winter advice of the Yellow Emperor:

1. Early to bed, rise when the sun is up
Go to sleep early and wait to let the sun bathe the house before rising from bed. Get your zzz's in -- at least 8 hours of sleep every night. Try taking a 20- to 30-minute easy walk one hour before you go to bed to improve the quality of your sleep.

2. Be contented
The Yellow Emperor advises us to avoid experiencing excessive emotions in the winter because they drain your energy reserves.

• Follow your bliss. Use the cold dark days of winter to stay in and cuddle up with a book, or pick up a new indoor hobby, like knitting, woodcarving, baking -- whatever appeals to you.

• Beat the winter blues with light therapy. Studies show that exposure to sunlight stimulates the pineal gland, which affects the production of other brain chemicals such as serotonin, the neurotransmitter sometimes called the "mood chemical." It can also boost your immune system, waking up the activities of the natural killer cells that patrol our borders looking for intruders and cancer cells. If weather permits, get outdoors daily and let the sun bathe you with its life-giving and spirit-lifting properties. Even in the winter, avoid overexposure with sunscreen if out in the sun between 10 am - 3 pm.

3. Nurture energy storage
The three months of winter are when all living things should return home and be conserved. Engage in activities that are in harmony with the energies of winter.

• Physical movement is essential for circulating energy -- but avoid perspiring excessively. In Chinese medicine, the sweat is seen as an escape of yang energy. Nurture your energy reserves by being active in a moderate way. Walking is one moderate activity to keep your energy up. Or consider practicing tai chi or qigong exercises, which are very effective in balancing energy.

• Avoid energy-depleting activities. Don't try to do too much in one day. Try making only one or two items a priority every day. And be sure you give yourself some personal time, not just from other people, but also from our modern amenities that claim ever more of our personal space, such as TV, computers, and smart phones. Try this: pick one day a week to perform your own "system restore." Turn off the TV. Don't watch the news. Limit your email time. These are the ways to maintain your energy and lessen stress.

4. Eat for the season: no raw, cold foods
To keep your health and energy up in the cold months of winter, the Yellow Emperor recommends avoiding cold and raw foods, reducing salt to protect your kidneys, and increasing bitter flavors (like kale, for instance.) So steer clear of raw vegetables, cold salads, and icy cold foods and beverages. Instead your diet should follow nature's menu for the seasons.

In winter, you'll tend toward a warming diet including leeks, onions, and turnips. Also, iron-rich foods can help warm you up: try spinach, broccoli, dried plums, oats, quinoa, sunflower and sesame seeds, walnuts, yams, squash, kale, garlic, scallions, and parsley. Hearty soups are good for you during the winter months. Drink only warm or hot water.

5. Avoid coldness and linger around warmth
• Dress warmly, paying special attention to your middle. In Chinese medicine, the abdomen is considered the storehouse of the body's energy. Keeping your abdomen warm and protected from weather extremes has immense immunity benefits. A good way to replenish your energy bank is to regularly place a hot water bottle on your middle.

• Drink warming tea to keep your vitality fired up. Steep 1 teaspoon of any of the following in 1 cup of hot water: ginger, cinnamon, and clove. Or try the Winter Tea to expel cold, warm your kidney/adrenal system, and stoke your sensual fire.

• Chinese herbs can protect your energy reserves and boost your immunity. Astragalus and ginseng are considered to be adaptogens -- natural substances that improve the body's resistance to physical and environmental stress, thereby enhancing the immune system. For a whole body tune-up that gives you high tolerance to stress, physical vitality, and strong immunity, try a balanced combination of 44 traditional Chinese herbs that support healthy function of the bodily systems, the Five Elements of Health Formula.

If you go against these rules for winter, it is said that weakness and coldness in the extremities will leave your energy level weakened in the spring.

I hope this advice gives you the steps for a healthy, happy winter! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

-Dr. Mao

Is sugar bad for you?

http://www.organicnutrition.co.uk/articles/is-sugar-bad-for-you.htm

The white crystalline substance we know of as sugar is an unnatural substance produced by industrial processes (mostly from sugar cane or sugar beets) by refining it down to pure sucrose, after stripping away all the vitamins, minerals, proteins, enzymes and other beneficial nutrients.

What is left is a concentrated unnatural substance which the human body is not able to handle, at least not in anywhere near the quantities that is now ingested in today's accepted lifestyle. Sugar is addictive. The average American now consumes approximately 115 lbs. of sugar per year. This is per man, woman and child.

The biggest reason sugar does more damage than any other poison, drug or narcotic is twofold:

• (a) It is considered a "food" and ingested in such massive quantities, and
• (b) The damaging effects begin early, from the day a baby is born and is fed sugar in its formula. Even mothers milk is contaminated with it if the mother eats sugar, and
• (c) Practically 95% of people are addicted to it to some degree or other.

Sugar is eaten to excess

It has been said that the criteria as to whether a substance (any substance) is harmful or medically beneficial is the quantity in which it is used in the human body. To point to a dramatic illustration: we all know that the venom of a rattlesnake, a cobra, water moccasin, coral, and other venomous snakes is deadly to the human system. There are some snakes whose bite is so deadly it can cause death within a matter of seconds. Nevertheless, even snake venom, deadly as it is, has been used for therapeutic, medical purposes when used in minute quantities.

History of sugar

Whereas sugar had been around in minute quantities for several thousand years, it was practically unknown and formed an insignificant part of the average diet in the Classical civilizations of Egypt, Greece and Rome. The Greeks (who had a word for nearly everything!) did not even have a word for it. Even in medieval Europe it was practically unknown and then only a rare delicacy in the royal courts.

During the last major Crusade that ended in 1204 some of the Christian Crusaders were introduced to sugar freely used by the Saracens. The Moors when invading and colonizing the southern part of Spain grew sugar cane on Spanish soil and refined sugar. When Spain drove out the Moors, it inherited some of the cane plantations. It was during this time that Christendom took its first big bite of the forbidden fruit and liked it.

Sugar is an unnatural chemical

Why is sugar so devastating to our health? One reason is it is pure chemical and (like heroin) through refining has been stripped of all the natural food nutrition that it originally had in the plant itself.

Heroin and sugar are arrived at by very similar processes of refinement. In producing heroin, the opium is first extracted from the poppy: The opium is then refined into morphine. The chemists then went to work on morphine and further refined it into heroin, proclaiming they had "discovered" a wonderful new pain-killer that was non-addictive. So they said.

Similarly, sugar is first pressed as a juice from the cane (or beet) and refined into molasses. Then it is refined into brown sugar, and finally into strange white crystals C12H22O, that are an alien chemical to the human system.

Sugar is addictive

A second reason that sugar is so harmful is that like heroin it is addictive, and being delectable and seductive to the taste, it is also habit forming. Starting with sugar in the baby's formula, people not only develop a strong taste for sugar but an insatiable craving for it so that they never seem to get enough of this poison.

Slow but insidious

A third reason is that the damage sugar does is slow and insidious. It takes years before it ruins your pancreas, your adrenal glands, throws your whole endocrine system out of kilter and produces a huge list of damage.

Foods are loaded with sugar

A fourth reason is the outrageous amounts of sugar civilized nations consume. Americans in particular are told how they are the best fed and best nourished people on the face of the earth. If we are talking about processed junk food - this is true.

If you examine the "foods" in any supermarket more closely and start reading labels, you will find just about everything contains sugar. Most of the foods are loaded with it - from cereals, to soups, to ketchup, to hotdogs. Even flue-cured tobacco can contain as much as 20% sugar by weight. Some cereals are as much as 50% sugar.

List of Damages

We have stated that sugar is deleterious to your health: that it is more damaging than all other narcotics combined; that it is a long term chemical poison. Just what damage does sugar do to the human body? The list is endless.

When we talk about sugar, we are including bad nutrition as a whole, since anyone who indulges in sugar has bad dietary habits per se.

1. Sugar is by far the leading cause of dental deterioration - cavities in teeth, bleeding gums, failure of bone structure, and loss of teeth.
2. Sugar is the main cause of diabetes, hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.
3. It is either a significant or contributory cause of heart disease, arteriosclerosis, mental illness, depression, senility, hypertension, cancer.
4. It has an extremely harmful effect in unbalancing the endocrine system and injuring its component glands such as the adrenal glands, pancreas and liver, causing the blood sugar level to fluctuate widely. It has a number of other extremely damaging effects on the human body.

Some of the other effects of sugar on the body are:

• Increases overgrowth of candida yeast organism
• Increases chronic fatigue
• Can trigger binge eating in those with bulima
• Increases PMS symptoms
• Increases hyperactivity in about 50% of children
• Increases tooth decay
• Increases anxiety and irritability
• Can increase or intensify symptoms of anxiety and panic in susceptible women
• Can make it difficult to lose weight because of constantly high insulin levels, which causes the body to store excess carbs as fat.

There are a number of books available on the subject, but perhaps one of the most interesting ones is "Sugar Blues" by William Dufty. It is available in most Health Food stores.

Walnuts for a good night sleep?

I’m a big nut lover (keep it clean, people). In all seriousness, I love nuts: They have a wonderful taste that makes most dishes robust and flavorful. Nuts, in general, are wonderful for your health. And, if you are a vegetarian, are a great source of protein. This season, enjoy the powerful little nugget, as they offer tons of benefits:

1. Omega-3 Dense: Although walnuts are also high in Omega-6s, one serving provides almost 91% of your daily value for Omega-3 essential fatty acids. This is important because our body can’t manufacture essential fatty acids on their own. Omega-3s are known to protect our heart, promote cognitive function and provide anti-inflammatory benefits.
2. Immune Booster: Due to its containing ellagic acid, an antioxidant, walnuts are wonderful in supporting the immune system.
3. Decreases Cholesterol Levels: Due to their high content of monounsaturated fats, walnuts may be helpful in reducing cholesterol and as a result, can potentially reduce risk for cardiovascular disease.
4. Supports Healthy Sleep: Walnuts contain melatonin in bio-available form, which is helpful in promoting a good night sleep.
5. Increased Bone Health: Omega-3s help to prevent excessive bone loss, while the protein in the walnuts help to build muscle. Those with more muscle tend to have stronger bones than those who don’t.
6. Weight Management: Studies have shown that those who eat nuts at least twice a week are less likely to gain weight than those who never or almost never do.

Ways to Enjoy Your Walnuts:

Walnuts are still high in fat, so a little goes a long way (a recommended serving size is 1/4 cup). Try them in:

1. Oatmeal: Round out a bowl of oatmeal with one-quarter cup of walnuts, some fruit and a dusting of sucanat for a delicious start to your day.
2. Salads: Salads can be a meal if you dress it right. Mix spinach, 2 oz. grilled chicken, red onion, fat-free feta, 1/8 cup of walnuts, 1/8 cup of raisins, and balsamic vinegar and olive oil for a tasty and filling salad.
3. Chicken Salad: Take a grilled chicken breast and dice it up. Mix with a tablespoon of fat-free plain greek yogurt, 1/4 cup of apples (diced) and 1/8 cup of chopped walnuts. Salt and pepper to taste for a yummy chicken salad.
4. Mid-Day Snack: Pair an apple with one-quarter cup of walnuts.
5. Dessert: Bake an apple pie with walnuts in the filling; or add to your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Do you have any favorite ways to enjoy walnuts?

Another great find on Yahoo!

Could Eating a Burger Make You Depressed?

You may have seen the headline: A new study says that eating fatty or processed foods may contribute to depression and anxiety.

Well as they say, no kidding Sherlock. (Actually they don't say that exactly, but I avoided the foul alliteration.)

As an avid media consumer, I am bombarded with information about how healthy eating will improve my life: Drinking tea could make me live longer; less meat means more energy; and if I choose Honey Nut Cheerios for breakfast over regular Cheerios--too much sugar--I should just stick my head under my pillow and call the day a wash.

So really, it's hard not to feel depressed when I buckle and scarf down a delicious cheeseburger or rip into a bag of nachos. Did I mention that burger was delicious? Okay, but now I feel guilty and anxious.

I saw this headline and thought, "How in the world did they come to that conclusion . . . scientifically."

A team at the University of Melbourne, Australia studied 1,046 randomly selected women aged 20-93 over a period of 10 years. They made psychiatric evaluations and assessed the women's habitual dietary patterns. And they found that women who consume what they refer to as a "Western" diet--burgers, pizza, white bread, chips, sugary drinks--were more likely to suffer from mood disorders than women who consume a "Traditional" Australian diet--vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, and whole grains.

Here's the interesting part. This likelihood remained true regardless of a woman's age, body weight, social and economic status, education, physical activity, smoking, and boozing habits.

That surprised me. I was sure that eating a "Western" diet might lead to weight gain, which can also cause depression. Or guzzling down beer every night makes you crave pizza. Or living with a lower income leads to purchasing fast food--and anyone knows that being strapped for cash can make a person anxious. I assumed that all of these factors could be interrelated, so who is to say if eating junk is directly causing depression.

Well, no one can. The researchers conclude that "reverse causality" and "confounding" cannot be ruled out by their study. But their evidence that diet and mental health are related is very strong.

So why does it matter? Because more than 26 percent of Americans over the age of 18--that's 1 in 4 adults--suffer from mood disorders like depression or anxiety, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. And depression is more common among women than men, which is downright annoying. These are serious medical illnesses that disrupt the lives of millions of people, and often those people feel helpless.

The value in this study is that it may present an option to people who are suffering. Emerging from a state of anxiety or depression is difficult, so if eating a little differently can help, why not at least try? Don't skip the burger when you really crave it. But if you're feeling downright awful, try to change your diet, and let's see if these Australians know what they're talking about.

Curried Chicken Nirvana Salad

Curried Chicken Nirvana Salad

1 chicken breast, chopped

1/2 apple chopped

slice of red onion chopped

1 T raisins

1T walnuts, chopped

1/2 avocado cubed

~1t curry powder

~1T white wine vinegar

pinch of cumin

pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients, shake, and experience nirvana!

for more delicious recipes, check out: LunchLadyCynthia.blogspot.com

Health benefits of my salad are tremendous ad include:

chicken - chock full of protein, which helps build muscle which helps burn fat

apple - has quercetin (antioxidant) and loaded with fiber to keep you full

onion - also has quercetin

raisins - red ones have resveratrol which is great for your ticker, is a natural antioxidant, and has been linked to longevity as well

walnuts - has healthy fats (MUFAs) as well as omega-3s that are great for your heart and may help improve mood

avocado - chock full of healthy fats to keep you full (MUFAs)

curry- helps protect against cancer and inflammation

vinegar - studies have shown that vinegar helps rev metabolism...and everyone could use a boost everyone now and again

cumin - various health benefits for disease-prevention

5 Foods You Should Be Eating

All fruits and vegetables are good for you. Period
As you take on this new year, commit to changing up your menu. Here’s a list of five foods you should be eating, if you aren’t already, and a few ideas for enjoying them:

1. Whole Eggs - Don't ditch the yolk, which is a good source of choline. Contrary to what most people think of the yolks, the choline present can help lower homocysteine levels in the blood which actually reduces your heart attack risk.

2. Garbanzo Beans - You can get health in a can! I love to keep a container of drained garbanzo beans (or chickpeas) in the refrigerator for salad toppers. Bake them in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes and you'll have a crunchy, healthy snack that's cheaper than cheese puffs and way healthier.

3. Kale - No longer a plate decoration with an orange slice, kale is rising to the top of "must try" vegetables. You can steam or saute kale. Try it with whole wheat pasta and pesto sauce. Feeling adventurous? Bake kale at 350 for 15 minutes to make kale chips.

4. Cherries - With powerful natural anti-inflammatory agents, cherries are an athlete's best friend. You'll recover faster and you'll fight all the oxidation you created in your workout. When they are out of season, buy frozen or dried cherries with no sugar added.

5. Almond Butter - Step up your butter love and go for almond butter. Natural almond butter is made from roasted pureed almonds. It's great with fruits like banana and apple or on a piece of whole wheat toast as a snack. The vitamin E in almond butter is an antioxidant we generally don't get enough of. Vitamin E supports a healthy immune system so you don't catch a cold.

20 Easy Steps to Lower Stress

I founds these on Yahoo and thought I should share!

Go to bed thirty minutes earlier than usual.
Get up twenty minutes earlier than usual.
Before you go to sleep, prepare for the morning.
Bring a hat and an umbrella.
Don’t wear tight clothes or uncomfortable shoes.
Make a list.
Listen to a favorite song.
Keep extra cash and stamps in the house.
Be polite and be fair.
Laugh out loud.
Have a good book to read.
Keep an extra set of keys.
Exercise.
Always keep your passport in the same place.
Throw something away.
Don’t say mean things about other people.
Put a Bandaid in your wallet.
Keep gas in the car.
Pay attention to someone else.
Make your bed.

New Year and a Fresh Start!

2009 WAS AN EXCITING YEAR!

I began making lifestyle changes in December 2008 and by April 2009 I had lost 51 pounds. Eating right and going to the gym can be difficult but with a bit of discipline and hard work I survived.

Over the summer we traveled 3,000 miles one-way in a 26 foot uhaul truck and two beautiful cats. What a trip! Eight weeks later, we did it all over again. Needless to say I have had my fair share of driving and am thankful to be back in one piece.

In September I started and completed the Standard Process Detox Program. Not only did my skin clear up but my nails grew like crazy. I felt so much better after the detox. Since then I have helped several others with the 21-day program. The record for weight loss on the program is 12 pounds.

I decided not to make any resolutions for 2010. I feel that so many people make unreasonable resolutions for the new year and are unable to stick with it. I plan on having another exciting year (with a bit less driving) and enjoying every minute of it.

Have a Happy and Healthy 2010!