How Others Affect YOUR Food Intake

Source: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Does being informed of the food choices of others in your social world affect what you eat?
According to the latest research published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, it most certainly can.  This could be a good thing or a not-so-good thing.  

In this article, researchers reviewed and analyzed data from 15 studies and found that if participants were provided information about the eating habits of other people, it influenced their food  choices and intake.  For example, if the participants in the studies were given information indicating that others in their social world were making low-calorie or high-calorie food choices, this information significantly increased the likelihood that the participants made similar choices.

Click on this audiocast to learn more about the study:

“It appears that in some contexts, conforming to informational eating norms may be a way of reinforcing identity to a social group, which is in line with social identity theory,” explains lead investigator Eric Robinson, PhD, of the University of Liverpool. “By this social identity account, if a person’s sense of self is strongly guided by their identity as a member of their local community and that community is perceived to eat healthily, then that person would be hypothesized to eat healthily in order to maintain a consistent sense of social identity.”

How can you apply the results of these studies to help you make more positive, healthy changes in your diet?  Before you sit down to eat, order a meal at a restaurant, or grab a snack from a vending machine, consider these latest survey  findings about how others are making healthy diet changes.  Then, apply the tips provided below:

• Over 70 percent of American adults surveyed stated that they are trying to consume smaller portions as a way to improve their diet.  Tip: Downsize the circumference of your dinner plate by at least 2 inches.  The smaller the plate, the less food you will heap on it and eat. You don’t need to buy an entire new dinnerware set.  Just find one, inexpensive smaller plate and eat all of your meals off it.
• The majority of Americans surveyed (88 percent) have made efforts to eat more fruits and vegetables daily.  Tip:  See the above tip and cover half your plate with fruits and veggies at ALL meals.
• Six out of ten Americans surveyed are trying to limit or avoid sodium entirely and consider the sodium content of packaged foods and beverages when shopping. Tip: Since fresh fruits and veggies are naturally low in sodium, doing the above two tips could dramatically cut the sodium in your diet.  When buying frozen, canned or packaged foods, comparison shop.  Read the label and purchase the variety with the least amount of added salt.
• Over 45 percent of Americans surveyed are eating more fish.   Tip: While it is recommended that you eat at least two fish meals, particularly fatty fish, weekly (at least 8 ounces total per week), you don’t have to always consume it at dinner.  Add canned salmon to your salad or combine it with a light mayo sandwiched between two slices of whole wheat bread at lunch.

Be well, Joan


If you have a topic you would like me to cover on my blog, please email me at: salge@bu.edu

                                        Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

A Look Back on the Year in Nutrition

The past 12 months have been a very busy time in the evolving world of nutrition.   

In 2013, we saw how technology played a role in the foods you eat when scientists historically produced the first laboratory grown hamburger, and computer wizards released numerous apps that helped you get dinner on the table.    The FDA was busy not only considering the banning of partially hydrogenated oils, which are the major sources of trans fat in the diet, but also standardizing gluten-free labeling down the supermarket food aisles.   Both the U.S. Senate and a major physicians’ association declared war on the marketing of energy drinks to kids, and professional athletes were uncovered for profiting from endorsing junk foods being sold to adolescents.

With so much going on, I thought it would be fun to provide you with the links, in order of popularity, of my Top 10 Nutrition and You blog posts in 2013:

1. The 5 Best Diet Changes to Make in 2013
2. Myths and Facts:  What to Eat To Beat The Common Cold
3. To Lose Weight: Eat Breakfast Like a King, Dinner Like a Pauper
4. The Best Kept Secret for Weight Loss
5. The Health Benefits of Beer
6. Why Women Drink
7. Ideas for Healthy, Weekday Dinners
8. Can Oatmeal Help You Lose Weight?
9. FDA Alert: Grapefruit and Medications, A Dangerous Mix
10. Study: An Eating Out Trick to Help You Order Less

Wishing you health and happiness in 2014, Joan

Follow Joan on Twitter at:  JoanSalgeBlake

Dietary and Herb Supplements May Cause Liver Damage

Source:  FDA

If the product sounds too good to be true, it likely is.   Reported by the New York Times and  MedPage Today, the rate of liver damage caused by consuming dietary and herbal supplements is growing. These findings were reported at a recent meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease.

According to MedPage Today, the percentage of reported cases of liver damage caused by those taking these supplements has increased as much as 20 percent, with a more predominate rise among bodybuilders.  This isn't the first report of liver damage among supplement users.  Three separate case reports were presented at a recent American College of Gastroenterology’s (ACG) Annual Scientific Meeting.

While many individuals are using herbal and dietary supplements for a variety of health problems, they are taking them without disclosing their use to their health care providers.  In essence, the left hand isn’t informing the right hand as to what is being ingested.

This is what ACG reported:

Case Report No. 1:  Liver Failure with the Use of SlimQuick

At the meeting, Dr. Halegoua-De Marzio, MD, reported a case of liver failure in a 52-year old female who, after fasting three weeks, had ingested SlimQuick for two days.  SlimQuick is a weight loss supplement containing green tea extract.  There have been reports of toxicity issues in individuals using this supplement in the past, according to the ACG.    As a result, the patient had to have a liver transplant. 

Case Report No. 2: Liver Toxicity with Black Cohosh

Investigator Khadija Haroon Chaudrey, MD, described a 44-year old female who, with no history of alcohol intake or other risk factors, developed liver damage leading to early cirrhosis after consuming black cohosh for one month.  Cirrhosis is the late stage of alcohol liver disease in which liver cells die, causing severe scarring.  “Given [the] patient’s history of black cohosh use and the timing of her abnormal liver chemistries, it was clinically evident the culprit agent was black cohosh,” claimed Dr. Chaudrey.   Once she stopped taking the black cohosh, her liver improved.

Case Report No. 3:  Acute Liver Failure after Chronically Consuming a Sugar-Free Energy Drink

According to Brian Huang, MD, Chief Resident of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, a 36-year old male was admitted to the hospital after binge drinking (10 beers in three hours) and complaining of abdominal pain, fatigue, and jaundice.  He also admitted to having three energy drinks, specifically Rockstar Sugar Free, on a daily basis for the past year.  According to Dr. Huang, “We believe his prior history of binge drinking may have provided initial damage in his liver, making him more susceptible to develop liver failure.  Although the patient had a history of weekend binge drinking, his liver biopsy was not consistent with alcoholic hepatitis.  Thus, we believe the liver failure was linked to the long-term energy drink consumption.”  Dr. Huang advocates for more studies that look at the relationship between energy drinks and liver damage.

Before you consume any supplements, you should check with your health care professional.  The FDA recommends that you keep a chart, such as the one shown below, of all of the supplements that you consume and provide it to your health care provider for a review.

Source:  FDA

 

 

The last thing you want to occur is to end up as a case report at a future scientific medical meeting.

Be well, Joan

Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

Do Not Toss the Vitamin Supplement Just Yet

Source:  NIH

An editorial from a group of physicians and researchers in the latest publication of the Annals of Internal Medicine emphatically states that Americans should stop wasting their hard earned money on vitamin and mineral supplements.   Their decision was based on a review of a number of studies, some of which were published simultaneously in the journal, which failed to show any evidence of a beneficial, protective effect among well-nourished, supplement users in fighting heart disease, cancer, cognitive decline, or dying prematurely, no matter what the cause. 

Granted, nothing can beat a well-balanced diet for not only providing all of your daily nutrient needs.  Food provides other compounds such as phytochemicals and fiber, which likely work in concert with these nutrients to keep you healthy.   In fact, there isn’t any additional benefit from taking a supplement if you are meeting your needs from the food you eat.  In fact, when it comes to some vitamins and minerals, some may be good but more is not always better.   For example, consuming too much beta-carotene in a supplement may increase the risk of lung cancer in some folks and excess vitamin E supplements may increase the risk of dying prematurely.

However, according to a position paper from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, there are some folks who, after a consultation with their health care provider and registered dietitian, may benefit from a supplement of the following nutrients:

Vitamin B12: This vitamin is needed for healthy nerves and red blood cells.    Some individuals, age 50 years and older, may not be able to properly absorb vitamin B12 contained in food. The dilemma appears to be due to a natural decline in the acidic juices in your stomach as you age.   The acids help break the bonds that bind the B12 to the proteins in foods so that it can be properly absorbed.  The synthetic form of vitamin B12 that is found in fortified foods and supplements isn’t bound to protein so it doesn’t depend on your stomach acids to be absorbed.

Folic Acid:  This vitamin plays an extremely important role during pregnancy, particularly in the first few weeks after conception, in helping to reduce the risk of a certain type of birth defect in the baby.  Because 50 percent of pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, women who are at risk of becoming pregnant are recommended to consume 400 micrograms of synthetic folic acid daily from fortified foods or supplements, along with a well-balanced diet.  While folic acid is added to all enriched grains and cereal products, if women are limiting or eliminating these foods from their diet, they may fall short of their daily needs without a supplement. 

Calcium:  While meeting your daily calcium needs are important to keeping your bones strong, many Americans’ diets fall short of this important mineral.

Vitamin D:   An adequate amount of vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium in your body and to help reduce the risk of bone fractures, yet many Americans are not consuming enough of this mineral.   Vitamin D can also be made in your body if your skin is exposed to adequate amounts of sunlight.   Unfortunately, in the dead of winter, bundled up with layers of warm clothing and little skin exposure, it  is likely that many people will not be producing enough vitamin D.

Iron:  Pregnant women will need to take a supplement as advised by their health care provider to meet their higher need of this mineral during pregnancy

Always speak with your health care provider before taking a supplement and look to a registered dietitian for nutritional advice regarding the adequacy of your diet in meeting your needs.  You can find a dietitian here.

Be well, Joan

If you have topic you would like me to cover on my blog, please email me at: salge@bu.edu

                                        Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

Tis the Seasoning: How Herbs and Spices Can Help You Live Better

Sage. Photo Source:  NCCAM

By now, we all know that we need to reduce the sodium in our diet as research suggests that as the sodium in our diet increases, our blood pressure follows.  With high blood pressure being associated with heart disease and stroke, major killers of Americans, retiring the salt shaker is not new news.  But the latest research suggests specific herbs and spices can not only replace sodium as a seasoning and flavoring agent in your meals, but more importantly, also provide health benefits on their own.

For example, as you age and your memory declines, sage may be your best friend as research has uncovered that this savvy herb may improve memory and attention in older adults.   Garlic has been shown to potentially help lower blood pressure, especially in people with high blood pressure, and  in short-term studies, ginger has been shown to be helpful in relieving the gosh awful nausea that many pregnant women experience.  The jury is still out on whether or not ginger can also help the nausea that is often experienced by those who are plagued with motion sickness or undergoing chemotherapy.   Lastly, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, (NCCAM)  website, “Preliminary findings from animal and other laboratory studies suggest that a chemical found in turmeric—called curcumin—may have anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties, but these findings have not been confirmed in people.”

While many of us have a cupboard full of herbs and spices, the million dollar question is what herb or spice goes with which foods?   The following chart will help you to spice up your life and season your foods without salt.

 

Source:  McCormick

Try some of these seasoning combinations and you will be deliciously surprised how quickly you will be able to stop reaching for the salt to flavor your meals as well as improve your health.

Be well, Joan

If you have topic you would like me to cover on my blog, please email me at: salge@bu.edu

                                        Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

Simple Home Remedies

 There are times when you might run out of your supplies and there is no way you can buy any decent herbs on a Saturday night when you need it the most. Fortunately there are things you can do with some basic ingredients you most likely have at home, or at least can pick up at the regular store.

Cough

You can make a simple cough syrup from warm pineapple juice and two teaspoons of honey. The bromelain in the pineapple is activated by the honey.

You can also make a cough syrup by mixing the juice of one  lemon with two tablespoons glycerine and then add 12 teaspoons honey to the mixture and stir.  Stir before each use. I always use raw honey.

According to the Ayureda tradition you can take  equal part  teaspoons of lemon and honey. If you have a cough with mucus you can add 1/2 teaspoon ginger, a pinch of clove, and a pinch of cinnamon to one cup of water.

You can also gargle by adding a pinch of salt and two pinches of turmeric to a glass of water.

Another remedy which is easy to make at home is to slice an onion into a deep bowl and cover with honey and let it sit over night. The next day you strain the mixture and this will make a simple elixir. Another tasty remedy is hot pear juice with a cinnamon stick. You can also cardamon and cumin to juices.

Ear Problems

Garlic is considered to be a natural antibiotic. For smaller children warm garlic oil to room temperature and drop a few drops in the ear. You can also improve lymphatic drainage by rubbing some garlic oil down the neck. I mostly have garlic capsules at home and I just poke a hole in the capsule, but you can also soak crushed  garlic  in olive oil. For older children and adults you can cut a clove of garlic and put a little olive oil on it put it on the outside of the ear like an hearing aid.

Another way is to bake or steam an onion and let it cool to room temperature and then place a few drops  oil in the ear. The onion can also be cut in half and placed over the ear. The post, How to Deal With Earaches Naturally has more detailed information.

This time of the year it is also a good idea to work on prevention. I like to incorporate pungent and aromatic herb into my cooking since they give the body energy to heal itself and many of them have powerful healing properties. Cayenne pepper, ginger, peppermint, rosemary, cinnamon, garlic, sage, chamomile, horseradish and thyme are herbs I use a lot.

There are many ways I incorporate these herbs into my daily life and not just wait to the day I start feeling ill. I like to make herbal teas of peppermint, ginger and chamomile and I always add some raw honey and  lemon juice to make it a powerful healing tea.

I add pungent and aromatic herbs to all of my cooking instead of store bought spice mixes,  and this time of they year I often make soups and stews which are perfect for adding cayenne, rosemary, garlic and thyme to. I don't follow any recipe I just kind of add a handful of what I have at home, but I am picky about the quality of herbs I buy. You can also add fresh ginger to stir fries.

It is a good idea to stock up on the supplies this time of the year so you don't get caught by a surprise cold when you have important meetings to attend to. I make sure I have my favorite herbal blends, supplements, essential oils, raw honey, lemon, teas, silver shield and bulk herbs at home just to be prepared.

You can also make an Onion Garlic Soup. I like to make it for the family and we eat it as prevention,  and  I freeze the leftovers. When I re-heat it I just add more pungent herbs.  This is a soup you can sip all through the day if you are sick.

Old-Fashioned Garlic and Onion Soup- the original recipe from Cookesley

4 large white or yellow onions, thinly sliced

2 whole heads of garlic

2 tsp. thyme

4 tbs. olive oil

6 cups vegetable broth

1/2 dry white wine

1 bay leaf

2 tbs honey

4 tbs. each of fresh parsley and basil

1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional)

sea salt, fresh ground pepper to taste

Saute the garlic, thyme and onions in olive oil until golden brown. Add garlic and onions to a slow cooker or a bigger pot to be cooked with the vegetable broth, wine and bay leaf. Slowly cook for 2 to 3 hours or over night if using a slow cooker. Strain the liquid, add the honey, fresh basil; and parsley, sea salt, fresh ground pepper and cayenne. I like to experiment and I add different kinds of herbs to the soup and many times I make it without adding the wine. We don't use any salt in our cooking either.

As always it is important to avoid food that weakens the immune system.

This post is linked to:
Your Green `Resource, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways , Seasonal Celebration Sunday , Eco-Kids
Wildcrafting Wednesday, Tuesday Greens, Tuesday with a Twist

Can Oatmeal Help You Lose Weight?

Photo Source: Ellie Krieger

If the drop in temperature outside causes you to switch from a cold breakfast cereal to a hot one, you may end up a little thinner for the change.

In a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers at Louisiana State University (LSU) fed 46 adults either oatmeal or a ready-to-eat, sweetened oat cereal that contained the same amount of calories.  They then switched their breakfasts on another day.   The hot oatmeal breakfast, which was higher in fiber and lower in sugar than the cereal, was shown to significantly increase the feeling of fullness among the adults compared to when they consumed the cold breakfast.   The results also showed that when the individuals ate the hot oatmeal there was a greater reduction in both their hunger and desire to eat hours later as compared to the cold cereal.  In other words, the oatmeal had better staying power, which could potentially help minimize mid-morning hunger and snacking and/or overeating at lunch.

According to Frank L. Greenway, MD, one of the authors of the study, both the form of the fiber and how it was prepared may play a role in the increased feeling of fullness, also known as satiety, that was observed among the individuals when they consumed the hot oatmeal.  Oats are rich in a bulky, viscous type of soluble fiber, called ß-Glucan.  When heated, this type of soluble fiber dissolves more readily in fluid, increasing its bulking properties and viscosity.  The bulking causes the stomach to distend or enlarge and its increased viscosity slows down both the fiber’s departure from the stomach and movement through the gastrointestinal tract. All of these factors can help you feel fuller longer.  Also, the ready-to-eat cereal has been processed so the size of the ß-Glucan is smaller, which reduces its viscosity compared to the oatmeal, according to Dr. Greenway.

While more studies are currently being done at LSU to confirm these results, oatmeal in the morning is a healthy, affordable, and warm way to start your day.  Here are 3 ways to enjoy oatmeal in the morning:

1. Cook your oats in the microwave and top with nonfat Greek yogurt for a high fiber, calcium-rich, protein–packed breakfast for less than 250 calories.
2. Add a chopped apple and cinnamon to the oats for a hot morning cereal that tastes like apple crisp on a crisp, brisk morning. 
3. By adding a dash of vanilla extract, nutmeg and raisins, you will enjoy rising and dining with this Vanilla Spice Oatmeal created by Food Network TV star, Ellie Krieger and author of Weeknight Wonders.

Be well, Joan

If you have topic you would like me to cover on my blog, please email me at: salge@bu.edu

                                        Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake

3 Unique Tips for Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

Source:  CDC

The festive news about holiday weight gain is darn right jolly.  According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, research suggests that Americans, on average, gain only about one pound during the holiday season yet those who are overweight are more likely to gain a tad more.  Unfortunately, if you don’t lose that weight but rather carry it over year after year, it can snowball into a hefty mound after a decade of holidays.

To help you avoid ringing in the New Year with even a mere pound more of you, I have uncovered 3 simple, science-based strategies that could help you avoid weight gain during the holidays.  Who knows?  These may be so effective for you that you may even lose some weight.  



Strategy No. 1:  Eat off Red Plates

When you are driving and see a red stop sign, you stop (hopefully).  Eating foods on a red plate may have the same motivating effect on your consumption, according to a study published in the journal, Appetite.    In this study, researchers allowed 109 individuals to freely snack on pretzels served on either a white, blue, or red plate while completing a questionnaire.  Those who were given pretzels on a red plate ate significantly less than the individuals who were given pretzels on a white or blue plate.  (The difference in hunger among the individuals in the three groups was ruled out.)   The authors hypothesized that the color red may elicit an avoidance reaction through socially and culturally learned habits, such as a red traffic light or flashing red alert. 

Using red plates may help you and your guests eat less at your next cocktail party.  If there was ever a time of the year where you easily find small, red cocktail plates, it’s this season.  Try this simple strategy and see if you end up with more leftovers than usual at your party.

Strategy No. 2:  Use Tall, Narrow Wine Glasses

The shape of your glass, if you hold the glass when you pour yourself the wine, and the color of the wine may all affect the amount you drink.  Researchers wanted to investigate the effect of environmental cues on individuals’ wine pouring behavior.  To do this, they allowed 73 adults to pour themselves wine at various wine pouring stations that were strategically design to measure the amount of wine poured in the glass.  This is what they uncovered:

 

Source:  Cornell University

This holiday season, use tall rather than wide wine glasses, don’t hold the glass when you pour the wine, and be aware that contrast, that is pouring red wine rather than white wine, into a clear glass, may make it easier for you to keep your wine portion, and associated calories, in check. 

Strategy No. 3:  Begin at the Healthier End of the Buffet Table

Depending upon how the food is displayed on the buffet table may impact what you put on your plate.  In a recent study, researchers randomly assigned 124 adults to freely choose food items from one of two breakfast buffets.   The first buffet started with healthy foods such as fruit and low fat yogurt and ended with more fatty foods such as cheesy eggs, bacon, and cinnamon rolls.  The other buffet table had the same foods but in reverse order.

Researchers uncovered that 86 percent of individuals took fruit when it was the first item on the buffet table but only 54 percent took fruit when it was at the end of the buffet table.  “Each food taken may partly determine what other foods a person selects. In this way, the first food a person selects triggers what they take next,” claims behavioral economists Professor Brian Wansink and Andrew Hanks, postdoctoral researcher, and authors of the study.  “The first three food items a person encountered in the buffet comprised 66 percent of their total plate, regardless of whether the items were high or low-calorie foods,” said Wansink.

If you are a guest at a holiday buffet, head first to whichever end of the buffet table that has the healthier foods and begin filling up your plate.  If you are hosting the holiday event, put the healthier items at the beginning of the buffet table.  Your guests will be happier with you in the morning.

Be well, Joan

If you have topic you would like me to cover on my blog, please email me at: salge@bu.edu

                                        Follow Joan on Twitter at:  joansalgeblake