Data from a recent study by the American Diabetes Association shows that while diet sodas may be free of calories, they do not prevent you from gaining weight (via CBS). In fact, they may contribute to weight gain. Diet soda also contributes to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other chronic conditions.
The ADA analyzed measures of height, weight, and waist circumference compared to diet soda consumption over a period of nine and a half years and found that the adults who drank more diet soda per day gained more weight and added to their waistlines.
Those who drank two or more diet sodas a day added four more centimeters to their waistlines over time:
So if there aren't calories, what is causing the weight gain? In another study, the ADA, fed one group of mice a normal diet, and another group the same diet with the addition of aspartame, an artificial sweetener used in most diet drinks. At the end of three months, the mice on the aspartame diet had much higher blood glucose levels.
A co-author of both studies told the Daily Mail: "Artificial sweeteners could have the effect of triggering appetite but unlike regular sugars they don't deliver something that will squelch the appetite." She added the lack of real sugar could inhibit the body from feeling full.
Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Go raw diet...
Food fads and trends come and go. But one that seems to be increasing in popularity is already thousands of years old. And that’s the raw food diet, which is defined as being based on eating unprocessed, organic, whole, vegan foods, at least 75 percent of which should be uncooked. A variety of techniques are used to prepare these foods, including sprouting seeds, grains and beans; soaking nuts and dried fruits; and blending and juicing fruits and vegetables. Dehydration is also used, because it doesn’t require much heat.
The growing number of adherents to what is sometimes called a “living foods diet” – which include celebrity devotees like Demi Moore, Bryan Adams and Woody Harrelson – believe that eating uncooked food prolongs youth and fights disease. The raw diet tends to be dense with nutrients that are easily absorbed into your blood, and contains little or no saturated fat. It is low in sodium, high in potassium and fiber. These factors are important in helping to reduce the risk of certain diseases such as heart disease and some cancers.
More importantly, temperatures above about 116 degrees F (46.6 C) destroy food’s natural enzymes, which facilitate digestion and keep our gut and arteries clean, thus boosting health and energy. How that happens is a bit controversial, with some scientists claiming that digestion depends on enzymes that the body generates and not on food enzymes. But fiber and antioxidants – of which fruits and vegetables are prime sources – influence that process. And the less cooked the fruit or vegetable is, the more antioxidants and fiber it retains.
We do know that cooking food modifies the molecular structure of protein, making it less usable by our bodies. When proteins are subjected to high heat during cooking, enzyme-resistant linkages are formed between the amino acid chains. The body cannot separate these amino acids and the indigestible, coagulated protein molecules become a source of toxicity.
Swiss research from the 1930s suggests that, when cooked food is ingested, the immune system sends armies of white blood cells to the digestive tract to fight what it perceives to be a threat. Absorption of un- or partially-digested proteins into the bloodstream can cause allergic reactions and toxicity of the immune system. This immune reaction is called Leukocytosis. In simple terms, this process throws the body into shock, acting in self-defense by pumping out its own enzymes to digest the foreign substances that were ingested.
Scientists have continued to study cooked versus raw food diets. A Finnish study published in the journal Nutrition in 1992, for example, confirmed that raw vegan diets decrease toxic products in the colon. Results suggest that a raw food uncooked extreme vegan diet causes a decrease in bacterial enzymes and certain toxic products that have been implicated in colon cancer risk.
The growing number of adherents to what is sometimes called a “living foods diet” – which include celebrity devotees like Demi Moore, Bryan Adams and Woody Harrelson – believe that eating uncooked food prolongs youth and fights disease. The raw diet tends to be dense with nutrients that are easily absorbed into your blood, and contains little or no saturated fat. It is low in sodium, high in potassium and fiber. These factors are important in helping to reduce the risk of certain diseases such as heart disease and some cancers.
More importantly, temperatures above about 116 degrees F (46.6 C) destroy food’s natural enzymes, which facilitate digestion and keep our gut and arteries clean, thus boosting health and energy. How that happens is a bit controversial, with some scientists claiming that digestion depends on enzymes that the body generates and not on food enzymes. But fiber and antioxidants – of which fruits and vegetables are prime sources – influence that process. And the less cooked the fruit or vegetable is, the more antioxidants and fiber it retains.
We do know that cooking food modifies the molecular structure of protein, making it less usable by our bodies. When proteins are subjected to high heat during cooking, enzyme-resistant linkages are formed between the amino acid chains. The body cannot separate these amino acids and the indigestible, coagulated protein molecules become a source of toxicity.
Swiss research from the 1930s suggests that, when cooked food is ingested, the immune system sends armies of white blood cells to the digestive tract to fight what it perceives to be a threat. Absorption of un- or partially-digested proteins into the bloodstream can cause allergic reactions and toxicity of the immune system. This immune reaction is called Leukocytosis. In simple terms, this process throws the body into shock, acting in self-defense by pumping out its own enzymes to digest the foreign substances that were ingested.
Scientists have continued to study cooked versus raw food diets. A Finnish study published in the journal Nutrition in 1992, for example, confirmed that raw vegan diets decrease toxic products in the colon. Results suggest that a raw food uncooked extreme vegan diet causes a decrease in bacterial enzymes and certain toxic products that have been implicated in colon cancer risk.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Simple 5 step to lose weight
Following these steps at your own pace will help you lose weight, get healthier and be ready for spring when those jackets come off!
1. Drink Up..!
You've heard it before: we should all be drinking at least 8-10 cups a day. But are you doing it?
Are you spacing your water out through the day?
Water will keep you filled up, energized and running efficiently. Lack of water can slow the metabolism and make you confuse thirst for hunger. If there's one step that's easy to make on the road to weight loss, it's to drink more water.
2. Move, Move, Move
We all know we should probably log more minutes on the treadmill or elliptical machine. But what about building more exercise into your daily life?
What about taking the stairs at work or at the mall? Or taking five minutes to dance to your favorite song? Every little bit helps with weight loss so get out there and move!
3. Eat Dessert
We love dessert. In fact, dessert is usually our favorite part of the meal. It's logical and natural to want something sweet to balance off that extra cheese lasagna or that chicken and broccoli casserole.
But what about having a bowl of sweet red strawberries instead of those brownies? What about sliced apples with cinnamon instead of chocolate chip cookies?
Look for ways to build in fruit for dessert instead of sugary snacks and you'll save a load of calories without feeling deprived of that sweet taste.
4. Cut Down Where You Can
Ok, so you don't want to deny yourself the cheesecake or your favorite burger. You have to eat that birthday cake or sample your Aunt Mathilda's famous chicken pot pie.
But do you really need to finish it?
Start cutting back on portion sizes now, not denying yourself, but doing what you can - and you'll find it makes a big difference calorie-wise in the long run.
5. Challenge Yourself
There are some days where the universe is with you. You can go without that chocolate bar, you can drinks lots of water and you actually want that salad for lunch.
Recognize these days for what they are - a chance to leap ahead in your weight loss goals and make up for the times you feel you've blown it.
Run with it for as long as you can. Challenge yourself to make the healthiest choices possible and soon you'll be feeling so good about these choices, you'll want to make more.
So there they are: 5 Steps Towards a Better Body. While you may not lose ten pounds in one week following these steps (on the other hand, you might...), they'll definitely get you started on the road to weight loss, without feeling deprived or hungry.
1. Drink Up..!
You've heard it before: we should all be drinking at least 8-10 cups a day. But are you doing it?
Are you spacing your water out through the day?
Water will keep you filled up, energized and running efficiently. Lack of water can slow the metabolism and make you confuse thirst for hunger. If there's one step that's easy to make on the road to weight loss, it's to drink more water.
2. Move, Move, Move
We all know we should probably log more minutes on the treadmill or elliptical machine. But what about building more exercise into your daily life?
What about taking the stairs at work or at the mall? Or taking five minutes to dance to your favorite song? Every little bit helps with weight loss so get out there and move!
3. Eat Dessert
We love dessert. In fact, dessert is usually our favorite part of the meal. It's logical and natural to want something sweet to balance off that extra cheese lasagna or that chicken and broccoli casserole.
But what about having a bowl of sweet red strawberries instead of those brownies? What about sliced apples with cinnamon instead of chocolate chip cookies?
Look for ways to build in fruit for dessert instead of sugary snacks and you'll save a load of calories without feeling deprived of that sweet taste.
4. Cut Down Where You Can
Ok, so you don't want to deny yourself the cheesecake or your favorite burger. You have to eat that birthday cake or sample your Aunt Mathilda's famous chicken pot pie.
But do you really need to finish it?
Start cutting back on portion sizes now, not denying yourself, but doing what you can - and you'll find it makes a big difference calorie-wise in the long run.
5. Challenge Yourself
There are some days where the universe is with you. You can go without that chocolate bar, you can drinks lots of water and you actually want that salad for lunch.
Recognize these days for what they are - a chance to leap ahead in your weight loss goals and make up for the times you feel you've blown it.
Run with it for as long as you can. Challenge yourself to make the healthiest choices possible and soon you'll be feeling so good about these choices, you'll want to make more.
So there they are: 5 Steps Towards a Better Body. While you may not lose ten pounds in one week following these steps (on the other hand, you might...), they'll definitely get you started on the road to weight loss, without feeling deprived or hungry.
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