Topic: Health

You eat right. You exercise. But still your scale won't budge.

Despite your good intentions and all the stomach crunches you can stand, you could be unknowingly be sabotaging your efforts every day by eating one ingredient that is guaranteed to plug you up, bloat you out, and pack on the pounds.

That dreaded diet saboteur is salt.

Salt is everywhere—especially in the very diet foods we eat to lose weight—and it's devastating to our health and our waistlines.

In fact, as the Nutrition Twins explain in The Secret to Skinny (HCI), if you drop the salt you will drop at least one size in just four weeks!

Think you can't imagine eating food without the salt and flavor? Think again.

The Secret to Skinny -- as well as the Diet-to-Go meals -- provides palette-pleasing meals and snacks that will fill you up without filling you out while you enjoy the side benefits of going low-sodium: improved blood pressure, heart function, skin tone and overall energy.

The Nutrition Twins, a.k.a. registered dietitians Tammy Lakatos Shames and Lyssie Lakatos have pinpointed the foods that get and keep you lean by ridding your body of excess salt and revving your metabolism for maximum fat burning. They've also discovered the everyday foods that are derailing your best efforts.

"Just taking the salt shaker off the table won't make that much of a difference," Tammy tells DiettoGo.com. "We get 70 percent of our salt from the processed foods we eat. And that includes 'healthy' stuff like whole-grain bread and turkey breast lunchmeat!"

The “easy answer” is to eat wholesome foods like fresh fruits and veggies, brown rice, water and green tea.

“And always read the labels,” Lyssie urges. “We need to be paying better attention to what we buy and eat.”

For more information, be sure to check out the website NutritionTwins.com.

Meanwhile, check out this Secret to Skinny excerpt reprinted courtesy of HCI Books and the Nutrition Twins.

Many people are well aware of the health problems that too much salt can cause, including high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. But most people aren’t aware of how excess salt contributes to weight gain.

Sodium, along with other minerals such as calcium, magnesium, chloride, and potassium, is an electrolyte that helps keep your metabolism running, ensures proper flow of nutrients and waste into and out of your body, and maintains the acid-base (pH) balance in your blood. If you get too much sodium, you create electrolyte imbalances that throw your body off-kilter.

This means your metabolism can’t function at its peak, and you can’t burn as much fat as you should.

Excess salt also negatively affects insulin, a hormone that helps transport sugar out of the blood and into the muscles and tissues for energy. This means that insulin can’t do its job, so sugar builds up in the blood, damaging vessels and making it difficult for fat-burning oxygen to flow to cells and melt fat.

Making matters worse, when people gain weight, especially in the abdominal area, they can become insulin resistant. This means their bodies don’t respond well to insulin. In response, the pancreas secretes more insulin, which in time can result in diabetes. With higher insulin levels, not only does your body store more fat, but your kidneys will have a harder time getting rid of salt, which can lead to electrolyte imbalances, high blood pressure, and bloating.

Bloating and Appearance

In addition to weight gain, too much sodium can take a toll on your appearance, including causing a puffy, tired-looking face. Ever notice that after a meal filled with salty foods (think soy sauce, smoked fish or meat, French fries, or chips) your stomach is distended and you weigh more the next morning? That’s your body’s reaction to eating too much salt. The retention of extra water and fluid leads to major bloating. Even if you’re skinny, you’ll still look bloated and puffy from all the excess fluid.

Heart Disease

Salt-filled foods can lead to cardiovascular disease, not only from high blood pressure, but also from increased fat and cholesterol intake. Most of the salt Americans get comes from processed food, which is full of fat, cholesterol, and calories. Not only do these fats attach to your waist, hips, and thighs, they also clog and harden your arteries and make it more difficult for oxygen to get to your cells.

When oxygen can’t get to your cells, not only can’t you burn fat, but you are also at higher risk for a heart attack. When your heart pumps blood through the blood vessels, oxygen and nutrients are delivered to your cells, and waste products are removed (you get an energized body, glowing skin, nourished muscles, and increased fat burning). As it circulates, your blood exerts a force against the walls of the blood vessels, and this force is known as your blood pressure (BP).

Problems occur when your blood vessels get clogged up. This can happen from eating large amounts of fat and cholesterol, but too much salt intake is also a major culprit in clogging the pipes. Since excess salt intake leads to excess water in the blood, there is more pressure in your blood vessels, and your heart has to work harder. This is what we call high blood pressure or hypertension.

6 Reasons to Drop the Salt

1. Salt increases the number of fat cells in your body

2. It makes the fat cells you have fatter

3. Salt prevents your metabolism from burning fat as it should

4. It increases insulin resistance

5. It makes you hungrier and thirstier

6. Salt makes it more difficult for fat-burning oxygen to blast the fat in your fat stores

Salt is not the same thing as sodium. Salt contains sodium and chloride. However, to simplify, we use the terms “salt” and “sodium” interchangeably since most people need to reduce sodium, and the best way to do it is to cut back on salt.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Diet-to-Go recently cut the sodium levels in many of its great meals. Read all about it here.

Face it friends… we’re suckers for flashy food labels and cleverly worded marketing claims that lead us into temptation by making us think a food or drink is good for us.

Acai berries anyone? You’ve probably seen the deluge of ads for this “amazing… as seen on Oprah… fat fighter… grown in the Amazon rainforest”… blah, blah, blah…

Trouble is, according to the food watchdogs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, "there's no evidence whatsoever to suggest that acai pills will help shed pounds, flatten tummies, cleanse colon, enhance sexual desire, or perform any of the other commonly advertised functions."

A food doesn’t have to claim an exotic heritage to fool us into parting with our money.

Our cupboards and fridge doors are crammed with foods touting the healthy buzzwords multigrain, fat-free, and all-natural. Sadly, many of these are the foods that are sabotaging our diets and expanding our waistlines.

My pal Dr. C.W. Randolph, Jr., co-author of From Belly Fat to Belly Flat and co-founder of The Natural Hormone Institute of America, says there are 10 everyday foods and drinks that we think are doing us good but aren’t.

“These terrible 10 sound like great choices for someone watching his or her weight, but they’re loaded with fats, preservatives and hidden calories which are all big saboteurs of a slimmer belly, thighs or rear,” Dr. Randolph warns.

The 10 Healthy Foods That Ain’t All That Healthy

1. Diet soda
Soda is never good for you, but diet sodas create more insulin in your body, which means more sugar. Diet soda also inhibits the hormone leptin, which regulates your metabolism and appetite. Try a glass of water with your meal instead.

2. Pretzels
You may think pretzels are better than potato chips, but most varieties are made with enriched white flour and loaded with carbohydrates – a big diet no-no.

3. Fruit juices
Many fruit juices contain high amounts of sugar – natural and added. Depending on the brand, some may have as little as 5 percent natural fruit juice. For more fiber and less calories, eat your fruits rather than drink them.

4. Salad kits
Salad dressings plus the buttery croutons, nuts and cheeses that accompany many “toss at home” salads can add hundreds of calories and more fat than a dieter – or anyone for that matter – needs to consume in a single day let alone a single meal. Go light on dressings and extras.

5. Reduced-fat peanut butter
On the surface, a reduced-fat version of anything seems like a great idea. Unfortunately, the removed fat is often replaced with sweet fillers that keep the calorie level the same. Using a bit less of your favorite full-fat peanut butter is your best choice.

6. Chicken or turkey hot dogs
No matter how you slice it, the majority of hot dogs include skin and fat – yes, even those healthier-sounding hot dogs made from chicken or turkey. Try a low-fat or fat-free dog as a lower-calorie alternative for your cookouts.

7. Cereal bars
There are plenty of cereal bars that are low in fat and calories. But be sure to read labels closely! Many of these “meal replacement” or “energy” bars are packed with sugar and saturated fat.

8. Frozen yogurt
Frozen yogurt often contains added sugar to make up for the fat found in traditional ice cream. And that translates into extra calories. Look for a low-fat variety and indulge sparingly. Better yet, give frozen yogurt the cold shoulder altogether!

9. Rice cakes
These crispy treats can cause your blood sugar to spike, which in turn causes your body to store unwanted fat by slowing down its ability to burn it off. And beware of flavored rice cakes. They're usually loaded with sodium.

10. Granola
Combining healthy grains and nuts makes for a meal that’s good for you, right? Wrong. Many granola varieties contain about 350 calories and 12 grams of fat per 3/4 cup. And don’t forget the added sugar. Low-fat or low-sugar granolas make for a better snack.

Other foods that are often wrongly assumed healthy include: seeds and nuts, fruit smoothies, dried fruit, muffins, muesli, sports drinks, cereal, vegetarian meals and low-fat ice cream.

OK, Diet-to-Go fans… it’s time for you to confess which unhealthy “healthy foods” you’ve fallen victim to at the supermarket. Please list them at the new Diet-to-Go Community Forum.

Contributed by Brandi Koskie, the Senior Editor for DietsInReview.com, which provides the tools and information needed to shape a healthier you.

At times it seems that you need an advanced degree to understand what's listed on food labels. Most of us just bypass reading the label altogether.

But, you should know that buried in those multi-syllabic words are chemical additives that may have an adverse effect on your health and how your body absorbs nutrients.

These chemical ingredients are used because they increase a food’s shelf life, enhance their flavor and color, and make them more appealing to consumers.

Use this list as a guide of the eight chemical additives you should always avoid.

1. Trans Fat

This additive garnered a lot of attention when Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels noted that, if it was up to her, she'd completely remove trans fat from grocery store shelves.

Noted on food ingredient labels as "Partially Hydrogenated Oil or Vegetable Oil," consuming it can be detrimental to your health by promoting poor cardiovascular health and premature heart attacks. Carefully read your labels - a food containing <.5g of trans fat per serving is permitted to list zero grams on its label (like Special K Bars).

Culprits: Fried Food, Restaurant Food, Microwave Popcorn, Margarine, Crackers, Chips, Packaged Cookies and Cakes

2. Salt/Sodium

Salt may be one of the most dangerous additives in our food supply. Everyone -- from food manufacturers, restaurant chefs and our beloved mothers -- use it in nearly everything we eat and drink.

Whether used as a preservative or as a flavor enhancer, foods high in salt/sodium pose a serious risk to our cardiovascular health. The recommended daily allowance for sodium is 2,400 mg, or 1 teaspoon of table salt, per day. Fast food meals like McDonald’s Grilled Chicken Ranch BLT combo (1,785 mg sodium), can contain close to, if not more, than an entire day’s worth of sodium.

Culprits: Fast Food, Deli Meats, Canned Goods, Crackers, Chips, Processed/Packaged Foods

3. Artificial Coloring

Artificial coloring is usually found in foods that don't provide substantial nutrition. It's best to avoid anything with artificial colors when you can.

The dyes contain no vitamins, minerals or other nutrients. Be sure to read food labels carefully, and be especially cautious of those listing Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, Yellow 6, all of which have been linked with various tumors and cancers.

Culprits: Soda, Candy, Juice, Packaged Baked Goods, Frosting, Gelatin, Fruit Cocktail, Sausage

4. Saccharin

Sweeter than sugar, this artificial sweetener has made it possible for people to enjoy the foods they love, even while dieting.

In recent years, aspartame has taken the spotlight, and hasn't been looked at as negatively.

The FDA has considered banning saccharin, and is linked to multiple types of cancers in many studies. It’s a man-made chemical with nothing nutritious to speak of. It should be avoided whenever possible.

Culprits: Diet Soda, Sweetener Packets, Sugar-Free Food Products

5. Diacetyl

That buttery flavor you love can often be attibuted to the chemical ingredient diacetyl.

In 2007 it got a lot of publicity for being the responsible party behind “popcorn lung,” causing lung disease in the workers at microwave popcorn factories. That publicity fortunately caused it to be removed from most foods, but it is still worth examining your food labels to see if its in a food you are considering.

Culprits: Microwave Popcorn, Butter-Flavored Anything

6. Olestra

Proctor & Gamble went created its own fat that goes by the brand name Olean.

When first created, Olean was promoted as not only being a fat you could eat, but one that would help you lose weight. It is often added to foods that are normally greasy junk food snacks.

It didn't take long to find out that Olestra caused severe gastrointestinal and digestive issues because it is indigestible. It also inhibits the body’s ability to absorb nutrients like beta-carotene and lycopene found in fruits and vegetables.

Culprits: Pringles Light, Lay’s Light

7. Sodium Nitrite or Nitrate

Nitrates are additives to "cured meats," which give them that salty flavor, and maintains their reddish tint.

As an example, your hot dogs and bacon would be a grey color without it.

Manufacturers say its use is important to prevent bacteria growth, but critics say modern refrigeration does the same thing. This additive has been linked with cancers in children and adults.

Culprits: Ham, Hotdogs, Bacon, Canned Meats/Fish, Corned Beef

8. Potassium Bromate

The U.S. is one of only two countries in the world that have not banned the  use of potassium bromate (Japan being the other). Bromate can be used to give bread more volume and a better structure. It has been linked to cancer in animal studies.

Culprits: White Flour Bread/Grain Products

As the Chef Rocco from Biggest Loser advises, shop the perimeter of your grocery store. That's where you will find the unprocessed foods.

Eat a diet rich in fresh produce, whole grains, lean proteins and fish and low-fat dairy and your body will thank you.

The Diet-to-Go Low-Fat and Vegetarian meal plans provide a variety of nutritionally rich foods and therefore a variety of the vitamins and minerals your body needs to operate at maximum efficiency.

However, a new study shows that women following trendy, fad-like diets that limit certain foods face the risk of not getting enough vitamins and minerals.

Researchers from Stanford University in California found major differences in the amounts of vitamins and minerals consumed by dieters.

"Shifting around the food sources that are good sources of fats versus carbohydrates means more than just changing fat and carbohydrate levels," says chief researcher Christopher Gardner.

Here's the scary part: These deficiencies can boost your risk of several serious health problems, including a lowered blood count, the bone-brittling disease osteoporosis and even neurological damage.

Gardner's team pored over data from 300 overweight or obese women who had been randomly assigned to one of four diets.

"Our bodies work best when vitamin and mineral deficiencies are absent, and healthy food is the best way to get enough of these important nutrients," notes Dr. Michael Dansinger of Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston.

Why should you care about getting the proper amounts and types of vitamins and minerals?

Well, according to WebMd.com, "Each vitamin or mineral regulates a bodily process. For instance, the mineral calcium keeps bones strong and helps to prevent low bone density and fractures.

"Vitamin A is important to keep your skin smooth and healthy. Vitamin C helps protect your body against infection. Vitamin E stimulates the function of T-cells, which are important fighters in your immune system."

The Stanford study found more than 65% of the dieters weren't getting enough vitamin E.

The bottom line: You may need to supplement your diet with a multivitamin. Diet-to-Go recommends two 8-ounce glasses of skim milk or a calcium supplement for users of our Low-Fat Meal Plan.

"When you go on a fad diet and exclude any of the necessary nutrients, you're putting yourself at risk for illness," warns WedbMd.com.

"Getting too little of a specific nutrient may not cause a problem immediately. But if it's depleted for a long period of time, you may suffer health consequences."

Contributed by Jason Knapfel, the Senior Producer for DietsInReview.com, which provides the tools and information needed to shape a healthier you.

Your body produces cholesterol on its own, but the amount depends upon genetics. Cholesterol is not inherently bad, since you need it for certain bodily functions. However, too much cholesterol can be bad news.

The American Heart Association has set ranges of cholesterol levels that show you where you stand health-wise:

•     Less than 200 mg/dL is considered healthy
•     200 to 239 mg/dL is borderline high cholesterol
•     240 mg/dL and above is an unhealthy cholesterol level

Many tasty foods increase your cholesterol levels. But the good news is that there are some foods that actually lower them. Here are four foods that will do the trick:

1. Oatmeal and Oat Bran

Fiber is a key weapon in fighting high cholesterol. Oatmeal has soluble fiber, which lowers your LDL cholesterol, better known as the "bad" cholesterol.

2. Walnuts and Almonds

Walnuts and almonds are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which help lower cholesterol levels.

3. Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Fish and omega-3s have all kinds of health benefits. If you eat fish like salmon, mackerel, and albacore tuna, the omega-3 fatty acids will help your heart in many ways, including lowering cholesterol.

4. Olive Oil

Use it lightly on salads or other foods. This Mediterranean favorite contains antioxidants that lower LDL cholesterol. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that people get about two tablespoons of olive oil every day.

These are just a few of the foods that can help reverse your high cholesterol levels. Not only can should you incorporate those mentioned above, but a balanced diet can also include foods like eggs and beef in moderation without guilt or worry of damaging your health.

As the grand brand guru at eBrandAid.com, Kerry McLeod makes it her business to prevent food and drink makers from giving consumers the business!

Kerry knows that all food products show nutrition information but it sometimes takes a science degree to decipher what the numbers mean to your diet.

But what really crumbles Kerry's cookies are the label claims that compel us to make impulse buys. You've seen the bold, colorful words that sound so enticing: Natural! Fortified! Reduced Fat!

These foods can't be bad for us can they? Um... YES!

Sure, manufacturers aren't actually lying. But they are using words to mislead us.

Kerry, author of the The Last Diet Book Standing, has seen it all.

"Don't believe the label," she advises.

"Manufacturers can basically lie and make you believe the product is good for you even though it's really bad."

Don't Fall for These 8 Label Tricks

Made with wheat... rye...or multi-grains

This implies the food is a good source of whole grains. Food makers are not required by law to say how much "whole grain" is in the food. Look for the word WHOLE before grain on the ingredients list.

Lite or light

There is no clear concept of what "lite" or "light" is supposed to mean. Don't be fooled into thinking that it means the food you picked up and put in your cart is any lighter in fat or calories. The lite variety of one brand of potato chips might have the same calories and fat as the standard version of another brand. Maddening... yes! 

Low-fat/fat-free

According to Wikipedia.com, "In the U.S. a product labeled low fat must not contain more than 3 grams of fat per serving; and to be labeled fat free it must contain less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving." BUT, just because the fat levels have been skimmed doesn't mean the food is healthy. Many food makers will pump up the sugars to compensate for that loss of fat.

Natural... made from natural... pure...

This sounds great BUT simply means the manufacturer started with a natural source of food. Once processed, the food you buy may not resemble anything natural or pure.

Organically grown... organic... pesticide-free

This says little about the nutritional value or safety of the food. Put your trust in labels that proclaim "certified organically grown."

No artificial preservatives

The word artificial is key here. The food could include other natural preservatives like sodium. And, as you should know by now, less is best when it comes to salt.

Fruit drink

Please don't get tripped up by this one. Fruit drinks are not fruit juice -- they may contain little or no fruit juice. But fruit drinks are often packed with loads of extra sugar. Look for brands that say "100% fruit juice."

Sugar-free/no added sugar

Nice try labelmakers. Products that resort to using these terms can contain sugar alcohols that can slap you with just as many calories as table sugar. And note that those foods and drinks that proclaim "No sugar added!" may have been sweet to begin with.

About Kerry McLeod

Kerry McLeod, PSHFC (Practitioner in the Science of Healthy Food Choices), is BrandAid’s chief Brand Doctor. Kerry became a professional label reader and expert brand selector years ago, after making the major transformation from chocolate-chomping, junk-food junkie to author, Sports Nutrition Certified Instructor, wife, and mother. For more information, check out www.ebrandaid.com

For many people diagnosed with diabetes, the first thought is, "Oh no... I've been sentenced to a life of boring foods!"

Not only is that NOT the case, but Dr. Howard M. Shapiro and Chef Franklin Becker are here to show you how you can continue to eat great while you control your diabetes.

You can even eat delicious brownies as you'll see from the following exclusive excerpt from the new book Eat & Beat Diabetes with Picture Perfect Weight Loss: The Visual Program to Prevent and Control Diabetes (Harlequin).

Get ready to dig in to some yummy recipes and, as you'll see from the great images and recipes in this book, the proof is in the pudding... and the salads... and the soups... 

A Note on Chocolate: The Good Keeps Getting Better
by Dr. Howard M. Shapiro & Chef Franklin Becker

Chocolate is the gift that keeps giving -- as rich in health benefits as it is in pleasurable taste. Yes, chocolate contains saturated fat, but unlike other saturated fats, its fat content does not raise blood cholesterol levels. And cocoa, which is chocolate without the fat, is even low in calories.

We're talking here about dark chocolate -- not milk or white chocolate, which are loaded with sugar. White chocolate, in fact, is not technically chocolate at all and delivers none of the considerable health benefits of chocolate.

But at the heart of the matter is chocolate's content of flavonols, phytonutrients found in many fruits and vegetables, including the cocoa bean. Especially where diabetes is an issue, flavonols pack a powerful health punch, helping to raise insulin sensitivity, lower blood pressure, decrease bad cholesterol, raise good cholesterol and promote the health of blood vessels.

There's a simple way to put it: Chocolate is very, very good for heart health.

Several studies have shown that insulin resistance drops and insulin sensitivity rises after ingesting chocolate -- specifically, dark chocolate. That gives chocolate a special punch when it comes to preventing and/or managing diabetes.

Equally powerful is research showing chocolate's impact on blood pressure. One recent study demonstrated that the drop in blood pressure from consuming cocoa products was equivalent to the decrease that would have been achieved had the study participants been taking blood pressure medication!

Well, how would you rather control your blood pressure -- with prescription drugs or with cocoa?

Cocoa and chocolate have also been proven to be beneficial where vascular health is concerned. Studies have shown that these foods help limit the buildup of plaque in the arteries by lowering LDL cholesterol. At the same time, they help raise HDL cholesterol levels.

Other studies demonstrate the power of chocolate to inhibit blood platelet activity and limit clotting -- the same sort of thing aspirin does -- and to keep the blood vessels relaxed and dilated, thus helping to maintain a healthy blood flow.

Yes, there are calories to contend with, so how can you get these stunning benefits of the flavonols without the calories? One answer is by focusing on cocoa -- regular cocoa, not dutch cocoa, which is processed with an alkali that actually destroys the flavonols. Try adding a teaspoon of cocoa to your hot or iced coffee for a mocha effect. Or mix it into your sugar-free cocoa mix for a healthful hot chocolate on a cold winter's day. If you find the taste isn't sweet enough for you, add a packet or two of Splenda or your preferred low-calorie sweetener.

Another way to get the benefits of flavonols is sugar-free dark chocolate candy bars. Although caloric, these bars are fine for an occasional treat.

One note: When making desserts with chocolate, always use unsweetened or baking chocolate (100 percent cacao), and sweeten with sugar-free syrup, sugar-free preserves or the low-calorie sweetener of your choice.

As you see, chocolate can be your friend.

And as the recipes that follow demonstrate, where weight loss and diabetes management are concerned, chocolate lovers really can have it all.

Beat Diabetes Brownies

1 cup granulated Splenda 
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour 
1/2 cup unsweetened soy protein powder*
6-8 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
2/3 cup brewed coffee, regular or decaffeinated 
1/2 cup sugar-free syrup (preferably chocolate, but any flavor is fine) 
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan, or coat with nonstick spray.

1. In a large bowl combine Splenda, flour, protein powder and salt. Add coffee, syrup, oil and vanilla, and stir until well blended.

2. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over top and press gently into batter.

3. Bake 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool thoroughly in pan before cutting into squares.

Yield: 12 brownies

Regular brownie (2.5 ounces)
360 calories
14 grams fat
20 grams sugar
= 3 pats butter, 5 teaspoons sugar

Beat Diabetes Brownie (per 2 .5 ounce brownie)
110 calories
9 grams fiber
= no sugar added 
less than 1 gram saturated fat

* Available in health-food stores and many markets (Whole Foods, Trader Joe's etc).

The above is an excerpt from the book Eat & Beat Diabetes with Picture Perfect Weight Loss: The Visual Program to Prevent and Control Diabetes by Dr. Howard M. Shapiro and Chef Franklin Becker. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Copyright © 2010  Dr. Howard M. Shapiro and Chef Franklin Becker, authors of Eat & Beat Diabetes with Picture Perfect Weight Loss: The Visual Program to Prevent and Control Diabetes

Author Bios
Dr. Howard M. Shapiro changed the way American lost weight with his New York Times bestseller Picture Perfect Weight Loss. He is the founder and director of Howard M. Shapiro Medical Associates, a private multidisciplinary medical office in New York City that specializes in weight control, nutrition counseling and life management. Visit his website at www.drhowardshapiro.com.

Franklin Becker has served as executive chef at several of New York's premier restaurants and his work has been featured in the New York Times, New York magazine, Esquire and People. At the age of 27, he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Following his diagnosis, Chef Becker lost 35 pounds and transformed his cooking style to create dazzling dishes that are healthy and flavorful. Chef Becker currently presides over Abe & Arthur's restaurant, located in New York City's Meatpacking district. Visit his website at www.cheffranklinbecker.com.

Click here for more information about Eat & Beat Diabetes with Picture Perfect Weight Loss: The Visual Program to Prevent and Control Diabetes

There's been a lot of talk about sodium lately. In fact, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration is considering stepping in and forcing food makers to cut back on the amount of sodium they add to their products.

As the registered dietitian for Diet-to-Go, I am pleased to report that our low-fat traditional menu and vegetarian low-fat menu continue to meet the recommended guidelines for sodium.

By most standards, Americans are urged to limit their daily intake of sodium to 2,400 milligrams – about one teaspoon.

On average, you'll get less than 2,400mg of sodium per day with your Diet-to-Go low-fat and vegetarian fare.

Sadly, the majority of Americans eat a diet that contains 3,000-4,000mg of sodium per day.

Please note that Diet-to-Go does not add sodium to its food. Nor do we stir in any other preservatives. The sodium that is in your meals comes from the sodium that's naturally present in the foods and ingredients we use to craft your delicious meals.

It's a good thing to be watchful of the amount of sodium you are consuming, but you can rest easy knowing your sodium intake will be within the recommended guidelines if you consume Diet-to-Go meals.

We recently upgraded our low fat and vegetarian menus to remove higher-sodium foods and replace them with even healthier choices. Our chefs are constantly looking for ways to remove more fat and sodium while adding in flavor.

It's important to note that your body does indeed need some sodium to operate efficiently.

According to the Mayo Clinic, "Sodium helps maintain the right balance of fluids in your body, helps transmit nerve impulses, and influences the contraction and relaxation of muscles. Too much sodium, though, can be harmful. Most sodium in your diet comes from eating processed and prepared foods, such as canned vegetables, soups, luncheon meats and frozen foods."

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following was written by Dr. Patrick Havey of The Health & Wellness Institute. It is his unique take on what health care really means -- and why our system is so messed up.

Health care has been a very heavily debated subject for many years.

The subject in Washington has been how to help those who have not been able to get insurance coverage that enables them doctor visits, medicines, surgeries or other treatments that may be needed.

In a country where our health care technologies lead the world, many people make the conclusion that it is almost criminal not to allow everyone who needs care (or even those who don't) the opportunity to get whatever medical care they need.

The issue is not quite so simple, although the solution is.

First, in order to better understand the solution we have to agree on the problem.

The problem is the high cost of insurance. This most everyone can agree on. Insurance premiums have to be very expensive in order to cover a large percentage of doctors visits, medicines and other treatments; or the not-so-expensive premiums that cover less percentage of any medical bills, leaving you the patient more of the bill to pay out of your pocket. So far so good?

So, on one side we have the insurance companies that charge high premiums - let's just make that blanket statement, although the cost varies based on age, fitness, and overall health (like being a smoker or not). The premiums have become practically too expensive for companies or individuals who purchase their own, especially those who have families.

And on the other side are the care providers: doctors, nurses, hospitals. We're going to put drug companies into this category because they are providing care with the drugs they provide. (On a side note, if you look at the number of drug "reps" per physician, you will see estimates of 1 drug representative per 8 doctors.

This is the side of health care that must be addressed. But let's not be so quick to point fingers... yet.

Those on the side of providing care may be prescribing too many drugs, performing too many surgeries, and recommending too many diagnostic tests.

Hi-tech, high-cost

When you have access to a plethora of high-tech machines that can see the most detailed pictures of any organ or tissue, you will tend to use it... even if it isn't completely necessary. By necessary, it is meant that the treatment won't change based on the result of the diagnostic test.

Secondly, the number of drug prescriptions that are being given out today have gone exponentially relative to a decade ago. With an estimated 100,000 drug reps pursuing 850,000 physicians to "push" their brand of drug on the doctor, it isn't hard to understand why so many prescriptions go out the door.

Just look at what Walgreen's, CVS, Rite Aid, and even Wal-Mart, and just about every major supermarket in the country has done with the Pharmacy departments: increased their size and staff to handle the increase of drug sales.

Walgreen's transition in the past 15 years has been amazing - they have become the biggest retail pharmacy outlet in the U.S. based on sales.

This is a market that has been created by drug companies and doctors, yet is also perpetuated by you the patient. Going to the doctor for every scratch, sniffle, bump, bruise or fever does not help keep the cost of premiums down, nor does it slow down the revenue that continues to flow into drug retailers and therefore drug makers.

There are some estimates that more than 90% of drug prescriptions are not absolutely necessary.  Antibiotics would not be one of those, although an argument could be made that they are overprescribed.

The largest slice of the pie

There is one specifically designated group of people that are provided medical treatment that make up the largest percentage of the pie of medical costs. And those are the ones who are provided care for the last few months of their life.

This is the group who have the best insurance coverage, yet are most likely not going to live more than a year due to their condition, illness, or disease. Yet their insurance provides hospitals and doctors the opportunity to use every single drug, surgery, or any treatment possible to, not return the patient to a somewhat decent or "normal" quality of life, but what only amounts to prolonging their final days.

It is a morbid thought. Everyone would like to die in peace and comfort, but with an abundance of insurance, it's like giving the hospitals and doctors a blank check.

So what about the question of how to insure the millions of people who either don't, won't, or can't get coverage for medical care?

This may be a question that has a simple answer, but not an easy one to carry out. The real question is how do we get care to those who can't afford either the care or the insurance for the care.

Here's where there exists a conundrum. There are people who need treatments or medicines for conditions that they were born with, developed, or happened upon - conditions that are considered non-preventable, and yes some may have been from accidents (although auto insurance covers a big percentage of this category).

But on the other hand, there are those who overuse medical care (as described), no matter whether initiated by the doctor or the patient, who have conditions that are either minor and take only simple intervention to fix (a common cold, for example), or and this is the big one - those conditions that are the result of unhealthy lifestyle choices, which means they are or were preventable.

It all starts with a healthy diet

In other words, if all of us collectively chose to eat a healthy diet that consists of the minimum recommended number of fruits and vegetables each day - the foods that provide the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals we need - then that would be a major step in the direction of prevention.

If we stopped the consumption of soft drinks - the number one contributor to the overweight and obesity epidemic - in favor of water, this would be another major step in the direction of prevention.

Third, if we cut out the consumption of fast foods - the typical kind you think of when you hear the term: hamburgers, fries, pizzas, burritos - in favor of healthier foods like fish, lean meats, beans, or even salads, that would be the next major step in the direction of better health and prevetion.  This is what health CARE is all about -- caring for your health.

Most doctors give you something for a symptom. That's not health care. That's not even sick care. It's symptom care. We are responsible for caring for our own health. We have to care.

For those who have conditions like diabetes where medicines are needed, there should be no denying them the care that they need.  All of those people, whether rich or poor, who have conditions that are not and were not preventable, that can be fixed, treated, or managed, should have access to the care they need.

However, this is a very small percentage of the total health care costs that would be spent if we all chose to live a healthier lifestyle than we do now.

Your health care awaits

So your health care literally does await you. It awaits your decision.

Eating a diet that consists of lots of a variety of fruits and vegetables, plenty of water, and healthy sources of lean protein like beans, fish, almonds, yogurt, and the like instead of fast foods, soft drinks, and fatty foods... it's the choice you must make.

The one other item that must be eliminated for better health and prevention of sickness and disease: all tobacco products. This should go without saying, but again this is a cause of health care problems that could be prevented. 

The bottom line is that a country whose citizens are eating healthier and making healthier choices and ultimately living a healthier lifestyle, will see a large percentage of today's illnesses, conditions, and diseases prevented or at the very least be delayed until the much later years of life.

This would reduce the overall health care costs significantly, and would make access for those who absolutely need care, much easier and certainly more affordable.

It may be a hard pill to swallow, but our health is our personal responsibility.

The health of a nation does not improve because of government makes a law that allows every single citizen access to medical care. This only increases the market that drug retailers (and hence, drug makers) will be able to sell to.

Sure there will be some who really need the care.  But care starts with each of us individually. We must care for our own health. We must choose to eat right, exercise, and avoid those things that cause health problems in the first place.

The health care reform in Washington means nothing if don't reform how we choose to live.  When we each choose a healthy lifestyle, we'll be the reform that we need.

NOTE: You'll notice that "health care" was avoided in this article in favor of "medical care" or just "care." That's because true health care is based on what you do for yourself, not what a doctor or hospital does for you. This is no knock to the doctors and practitioners who are looking out for an individual's best interest and teaching them how to best care for their own health, but they are the minority.

Dr. Patrick Havey
The Health & Wellness Institute

The word "cleanse" is all over the news these days. It pops up just about everywhere because there's always a celebrity cleanse du jour.

Last week we heard how Gwynneth Paltrow used an extreme diet that included cleansing to prepare for her Pepper Potts role in Iron Man 2.

There's the juice cleanse, the master cleanse, the 5-day cleanse, the 7-day cleanse... and I have even seen the 14-day cleanse!  There are spa cleanse programs and even "Cleanse Destinations."

The list is endless. Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon.

But what is a cleanse, you ask? Good question. A cleanse is a diet regimen ideally designed to remove toxins from the body, generally by way of a radical diet change.

A cleanse regimen often involves consuming mainly liquids. If there is food involved, the food is generally high in fiber and eaten in its raw state.

Certain cleanses target the entire body, although there are cleanses designed for specific body systems or organs such as the kidneys or liver. The idea is that the toxins will be removed, leaving you with a better, healthier digestive tract and, subsequently, a healthier immune system and extra energy.

Sounds good, right?

While working in the health and wellness profession, I've found that people are always looking for the next best health claim. They want a magic bullet or miracle cure all for their weight and health.

Unfortunately, cleansing is not the magic elixir it's cracked up to be. Information from the medical community basically states that there is little scientific evidence that cleansing has benefits.

In fact, there is a major concern that cleansing can lead to extreme dehydration. If you suffer medical conditions involving the kidneys or liver, the consequences can be serious.

Basically, your digestive tract regulates itself. Doing things to speed up the process -- especially without medical direction -- is a bad idea.

Yes, people do lose weight when cleansing. With that kind of drastic calorie cut back how could you not?

However, I will always state that any radical diet isn't a very good solution for anything and it won't be very effective in the long term.

The body is a perfect machine… until we gunk it up.

So, what's the best way to "cleanse" your system?

First, increase your water intake and make sure you are getting enough throughout the day. While the "8 glasses a day" theory isn’t exact science, it works in most cases.

Second, eat high fiber whole foods. Frankly if you are looking to "unchemical" your system, focus your food selection around unprocessed and organic food choices.

Lastly, boost your exercise level. Get rid of the toxins that may build in your body the old fashion way -- by sweating it out!

If you do decide you want to try the cleanse route, please seek the advice of a medical professional before initiating any plan.  The risk of harm most certainly would outweigh the benefits.

Until next time, be well!

Alicia       

Alicia is an American Council on Exercise Certified Personal Trainer and a Weight & Lifestyle Management consultant. The owner of Evolution Total Wellness in New York is also the author of "Oscar & Otis, Fat Fighters." For more information, visit www.linkedin.com/in/evolutiontotalwellness.