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Last year Tracy’s doctor told her that she needed to lose some weight, especially in her midsection (visceral fat).  He said it was an important step towards decreasing her risk of serious health conditions, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, both of which her family had a history.
He had been concerned because she had gained 30 pounds between doctor’s appointments, with most of it in her midsection.  Taking his advice to heart, Tracy started working out at least 30 minutes a day, 5-6 times a week, and changed her diet to a much healthier one. A year later, she was back to a healthy weight and feeling good about her accomplishments. Now she had to maintain her weight loss, but wasn’t sure how much time she needed to dedicate to exercise to prevent the return of the harmful visceral fat.

A study by the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Human Studies may have the answer for Tracy.

Study:
Scientists from the University of Alabama looked at how exercise affects the regain of harmful visceral fat a year after weight loss.  In the study, 45 European-American and 52 African-American women, were randomly placed into 3 different groups: aerobic training, resistance training or no exercise.  All participants were placed on an 800 calorie-a-day diet* and lost an average of 24 pounds.  Researchers then measured total fat, abdominal subcutaneous fat and visceral fat for each participant.  Afterward, participants in the two exercise groups were asked to continue exercising 40 minutes a day, twice a week for a year.  At the end of the study, the researchers found that the individuals that continued to exercise, even though they had regained some weight, had not regained any visceral fat.  The ones who stopped exercising or weren’t put on any exercise program, regained, on average, about 33 percent of the lost visceral fat.

So what does that mean?
That means that even after you achieve your weight loss goal, you can’t stop exercising.  Even a small amount of exercise can be beneficial in preventing the return of visceral fat.  In this study, exercising a minimum of 80 minutes a week, either aerobic or resistance, was all that was needed to prevent regains.  That is important because excess visceral fat increases risk of both heart disease and diabetes.  But if the goal is not just preventing the return of visceral fat, but also maintaining the other weight loss, exercise longer than 80 minutes weekly is probably necessary.

*BeingHealthy.tv recommends against starvation diets and is only reporting on this study for the purpose of detailing the importance of exercising in order to prevent the return of unhealthy visceral fat. Weight loss should be done in a slower, healthier manner than that undertaken in this study.

Source: University of Alabama at Birmingham (2009, October 29) (via ScienceDaily)

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Jamie was on a quest to gain more weight in the form of rippling muscles.  He was a tall guy, measuring in at 6 foot 4 inches (1.93 m), but only weighed 165 pounds (75 kg).  He wasn’t happy with his wiry look and wanted a stronger, more muscular physique.  In his mission to add more muscle bulk, Jamie started hitting the gym 6 days a week, lifting weights for 2 hours at a time, and eating as much protein as he could get his hands on.  He started eating steak and four eggs daily and was constantly either drinking high protein shakes or eating protein bars.

Some people might be wondering if Jamie is going about achieving his muscle gains the right way.  That is a good question.  Is Jamie’s ultra high protein diet the right way to build bigger muscles?  Well, a study coming out of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston is strongly saying that a high protein diet is not necessary for muscle growth.

Study:
Researchers from the University of Texas compared the changes in muscle protein synthesis (growth) in volunteers who consumed different amounts of 90% lean beef. Some volunteers were fed 30 g of beef protein per meal (about 4 oz), while others ate 90 g of beef protein per meal (about 12 oz). Using blood samples and thigh muscle biopsies, the researchers determined the subjects’ muscle growth rates following each of the meals. They found out that only the first 30 g of protein per meal was used to build muscle in the young and elderly volunteers.

What does this mean?
This means that when it comes to muscle growth, the old adage “The more protein you eat, the better,” is not true.  There seems to be an upper limit to how much protein a muscle can use at a given time.  So, eating more than 30 grams of protein per meal, or what is equivalent to 4 oz of chicken or 90% lean ground beef, will not stimulate more muscle growth.  Instead, the excess protein will usually just break down and be used for energy or converted to fat.  So, in order to maximize muscle growth, the study argues that it is best to consume a moderate amount of protein throughout the day, instead of in one meal.  Unfortunately, dinner is where most people eat the most protein and breakfast is where they eat the least.  So, if you want to maximize muscle growth, eat a moderate amount of protein (no more than 30 grams) at any meal.  If you spread the protein consumption throughout the day, your body will be synthesizing muscle all day long!

Source: University of Texas Medical Branch (via ScienceDaily)

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Over the past few years, Karen transitioned from an unhealthy diet to a much healthier one.  These days, she felt much less fatigued and much happier.  She was so happy with the results that she was determined to keep studying up on health, in order to make better and better food choices.  So, when she read that blueberries were among the fruits with the highest antioxidant levels, she immediately went out and bought some fresh blueberries.  The next morning she topped her cereal with fresh blueberries, proud that she was taking one more positive step for her health.

Blueberries are definitely a fruit worth eating.  What Karen may not realize is that what you eat blueberries with may play a role in how much of the antioxidants you receive from them.

Study:
Scientists from the National Institute of Research for Diet and Nutrition in Rome, Italy were interested in finding out what happens to the antioxidant activity of blueberries when milk is consumed with them.  The study involved eleven healthy participants who were asked to consume either 200g of blueberries with 200ml of water or 200g of blueberries with 200ml of whole milk.  Blood samples were collected prior to consumption and at one, two and five hours post consumption.  After studying the samples, the scientists concluded that the antioxidant activity of blueberries was impaired significantly when milk was ingested.

What does this mean?
This means that if you want to get the most health benefits from eating blueberries, you probably do not want to include them in any cereal or meal that includes milk.  In this small study, the antioxidant activity of blueberries was reduced substantially when milk was involved.  So, please continue enjoying this super fruit, just not with milk!

Source: National Institute of Research for Diet and Nutrition (via PubMed)

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The flu season has arrived and H1N1 is in full bloom. Everywhere we turn, we hear about someone infected with “swine” flu.  Plus, the CDC is stating that the number of flu related hospitalizations and deaths is higher than normal for this time of year.

Hopefully, you aren’t among those diagnosed with H1N1. If you are though, what should you do?  Well, you should follow your doctor’s instructions of course, but it is always good to understand your treatment options. Currently, there are two antiviral medications that are active against H1N1 and are used to treat those who have been diagnosed with (or are strongly suspected of having) this infection.  They are oseltamivir, known as Tamiflu and zanamivir, known as Relenza.  When used for treating infection, these medications are usually administered twice a day for five days.  They do not immediately relieve symptoms, but usually shorten the duration of symptoms by approximately one day, on average.  Not an amazingly quick cure, but scientists at multiple research facilities are collaborating to find a better drug to treat swine flu strains.

Study:
In fact, a collaboration of researchers from the University of Alabama Birmingham, Adamas Pharmaceuticals, the United States Naval Health Research Center in San Diego, Utah State University in Logan, and the Amsterdam Medical Center in the Netherlands may be coming closer to finding a drug that is more effective in treating H1N1 than what is currently in use.  A triple combo drug, consisting of oseltamivir (Tamiflu), amantadine (Symmetrel) and ribavirin are showing promising results in test tubes for stopping flu virus replication for not only H1N1, but also seasonal flus, H3N2 seasonal flu and H5N1 avian flu.  Plus, it may address the drug resistance H1N1 has to Tamiflu.  Researchers are excited about the laboratory findings and are taking their research to the next level with human studies currently underway.

What does this mean?
This experimental three drug combo may be the ideal antiviral drug that will be used to treat serious flu cases in the future.  That doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to pop a pill and be better the next day.  However, people getting well faster will mean that they will infect less people, so less people will get sick, spend time in hospitals and possibly die.  While the work in the laboratory seems very promising though, only time will tell if if this drug combination is as effective in humans.  We’ll just have to wait and see!

Source: University of Alabama at Birmingham (via ScienceDaily)

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The osteoarthritis in Betty’s hands got worse every year.  Her hands had become so stiff and painful that picking up her cup of coffee in the morning was becoming difficult.  It was so bad that when a distributor came to her door selling magnetic bracelets to cure arthritis, she bought one without even questioning if there was any scientific evidence behind the claims.  At that point she was willing to try anything that promised pain relief.

Magnetic and copper bracelets have become popular products used by many to manage the pain of chronic musculoskeletal issues, such as osteoarthritis.  In fact, worldwide sales of therapeutic devices incorporating permanent magnets is estimated at $4 billion.  But do they really work?  Well a study coming out of the University of York is raising some doubts on the effectiveness of magnetic and copper therapy.

Study:
Researchers in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York performed a randomized, controlled study that involved 45 individuals who were diagnosed with osteoarthritis.  During the 16 week study, each participant wore four devices in random order: two wrist straps with differing levels of magnetism, a demagnetized wrist strap and a copper bracelet.  At the end of the trial, no significant difference was seen between the different bracelets in relation to treating pain, stiffness or function.  Essentially, the study concluded that wearing a placebo wrist strap was just as effective as wearing a strap that had copper or magnets in it.

What does this mean?
This study claims that the pain relief people claim wearing copper and magnetic wrist straps brings may merely be a placebo effect.  Sometimes, believing that something will work, will actually make someone feel better.  Also, it may be that magnets are employed when pain is at its worst.  Then when the pain eases for other reasons, the benefit is incorrectly attributed to the copper or magnets.  So, you might not want to spend a lot of money on magnetic or copper products.  If it is a placebo that you are buying, a cheap one will do just as well.

Source: Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2009; DOI: 10.1016

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Megan’s family has a history of type 2 diabetes.  Her mom, dad, older sister and aunt all have it and the doctors even said that the diabetes had contributed to both her father’s heart attack and her aunt’s nerve damage.  That was more than enough to scare Megan into learning as much about diabetes as possible in order to avoid getting it herself.  No matter how busy she got, she was making sure her health was her number one priority.

For people like Megan that are trying to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes, a new study coming out of the Netherlands may be of great interest.

Study:
Scientists from Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care looked at how consumption of coffee and tea may impact the risk of type 2 diabetes.  They sent out a food-frequency questionnaire to 40,011 participants to assess coffee and tea consumption and other lifestyle and dietary factors, with an average follow up time of 10 years.  The scientists also examined blood pressure, caffeine, magnesium and potassium as possible contributing factors.  What they found out was that daily consumption of at least 3 cups of coffee and/or tea reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by approximately 42%.  However, there was no association found with blood pressure, magnesium, potassium and caffeine.

What does this mean?
This means that drinking at least 3 cups of coffee and/or tea daily may lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.  However, scientists are unsure what it was in the coffee or tea that caused this decreased risk.  So, yes more studies still need to be done.  But at least you will have one more reason to feel good about drinking your coffee or tea!

Source: Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Netherlands, Diabetologia. 2009 Sep 1. (via PubMed)

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Of the many words that we dread hearing, one of the most dreaded is Alzheimer’s. Many people fear losing themselves or their family members to this degenerative brain disease that not only makes us forget who we are and the names of our friends and family, but is also fatal.  Alzheimer’s disease is no joke.  It is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States and currently has no cure.

Alzheimer’s kills brain cells, which leads to memory loss and to changes in our behavior and thoughts, affecting our activities of daily living and social life. However, even though the outlook for Alzheimer’s looks bleak, there is a worldwide effort to find better treatments to prevent the disease from developing.

Study:
The in vitro findings of a team of researchers from Monell Center and Northwestern University may hold the key to preventing and treating Alzheimer’s disease.  These researchers studied the affects of oleocanthal (a natural compound found in extra-virgin olive oil) on highly toxic proteins that are believed to contribute to the degenerative effects of Alzheimer’s.  They incubated these toxic proteins with oleocanthal and found that the oleocanthal altered the structure of the proteins by making them bigger.  This affected the proteins’ ability to bind to neural synapses and damage brain nerve cells.  They also discovered that oleocanthal made these toxic proteins more accessible to antibodies.  This looks like a very promising area of study that may lead to a way to slow or halt the progress of Alzheimer’s.

What does this mean?
This means we are getting closer to find a cure for this debilitating disease.  However, studies have to move out of in vitro tests and into clinical trials before we’ll know how effective oleocanthal would be for Alzheimer’s treatments.  So, only time will tell.  Until then, I’ll continue eating extra-virgin olive oil, regularly.  After all, it is healthy in many other ways and it is rich in oleocanthal, which may prevent or decrease your risk of Alzheimer’s.

Source: Monell Chemical Senses Center

Photo by Per Ola Wiberg

Jackie was doing everything in her power to stay on her weight loss plan, but it felt like her family and co-workers were constantly trying to sabotage it.  Her coworkers were constantly tempting her with cookies, cakes and donuts.  And her husband was not making it any easier.  Last week he brought home a carton of cookies ‘n cream ice cream.  He knew that she was trying to eat healthier and he bought her favorite ice cream! What was he trying to do?!

Even though she had been tempted, she had not touched any of these high fat foods since she went on her diet.  That is because she had very little self control when it came to sweets.  She couldn’t eat just one cookie or one scoop of ice cream.  Even a small taste seemed to unleash something inside her that left her wanting more.  And not just that day. The cravings lingered for a few days afterwards.  What was it about high fat foods that make them so irresistible to her?

Study:
A study coming out of UT Southwestern Medical Center may have the answer to that question.  They decided to look at how the brain reacted in relation to the consumption of high fat foods, since they knew that the brain utilizes some of the fats that we eat in its structure.  To find out how the brain reacted to different fats, researchers experimented on animals by exposing them to various types of fat (palmitic acid, monounsaturated fatty acid and oleic acid).  The fat was either injected directly into the brain, infused through the carotid artery or fed to the animals through a stomach tube.

What they found out is that only “palmitic acid” (the saturated fatty acid most commonly found in animals and plants, such as milk, butter, cheese, beef, palm oil and palm kernel oil) had a negative effect on brain chemistry.  Essentially, when this fatty acid entered the brain, it inhibited the effects of leptin and insulin, which are hormones that play an important role in appetite regulation.  These hormones tell you when you are full and thus when to stop eating. In the animals tested, this change in brain activity lasted three days.  This may explain why most people who splurge on fatty foods on Friday night or Saturday are hungrier than normal when they return to work on Monday.

What does this mean?
This means that if you want to lose weight, it is best to avoid or limit your intake of foods high in saturated fat because they may stimulate you to overeat.  These foods have a way of triggering your brain to ignore the signals that you are full.  That doesn’t mean you have to give up fats completely.  What you should do is try substituting products high in unsaturated fats (like olive and canola oil) for one high in saturated fats because the unsaturated fats don’t produce the negative affects on the brain.

Source: UT Southwestern Medical Center (via ScienceDaily)

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Many people blame their weight on genetics.  After all, maybe their father and/or mother suffer from obesity.  Plus, in the last few years the news media has covered how scientists have identified a gene that is linked to obesity, called the fat mass and obesity associated gene (FTO), or as some like to call it the “fat” gene.  It is a common gene, which has been shown to affect appetite and weight gain.

Some people look at their family trees and are pretty sure that they must have the fat gene and are most likely destined to be fat.  After all, who can beat genetics?  But a study out of Lund University in Sweden says that you have more control over your weight than you may think.

Study:
The researchers found that, when it comes to obesity, food choices play a bigger role than many people think.  In their research, they examined the FTO gene in relation to eating habits by carefully documenting the eating habits of FTO gene carriers via questionnaires, interviews and food diaries.  What they found out was that the participants that ate a high fat diet and had low physical activity were more susceptible to obesity.  Those that ate a low fat diet had lower occurrences of obesity even though they had the inherited risk.

What does this mean?
This means that even if someone has the FTO gene, they are not condemned to obesity.  Lifestyle factors, such as food choices and exercise play a significant role countering the FTO gene and determining body weight.  So, if you’re concerned that you might have the FTO gene, the best thing to do is eat a low fat diet and get regular exercise.  The “fat” gene just increases the chance of obesity, it doesn’t guarantee it.

Source: Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2009, 27958 (via ScienceDaily)

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Since losing weight takes willpower, foresight and planning, it can be challenging at times.  You have to reduce the calories you consume and take time to exercise more, so that you burn more calories than you consume. Unfortunately, according to researchers at Northwestern University, having a a successful weight loss program might be a little more complicated than merely counting the calories you take in and subtracting the calories you burn.  The time of day you take in the calories may be just as important.

Study:
The study, which was performed on laboratory mice at Northwestern University, was designed to discover whether the body’s natural circadian rhythm and the timing of food intake played a role in energy expenditure. The circadian rhythm is our body’s internal clock, which is linked to the light-dark cycle and influences when we sleep and eat.  The researchers found that the time of day mice eat influences their energy use and weight gain.

The researchers fed some mice a high-fat diet during their normal sleeping hours, while other mice were fed the same type and amount of food during their normal waking hours.  The mice who ate during their normal sleeping hours, gained significantly more weight (a 48% increase) than their counterparts (a 20% increase).

So, what does that mean?
What these results mean is that it is not enough to watch the calories you consume.  You have to watch when you consume them.  Eating during the times when you should should be sleeping, such as right before bed or when you wake up in the middle of the night, can contribute more weight gain than the calories in the item you eat would suggest.

That is because it appears that the body’s energy use is linked to its circadian rhythm.  More of the calories that are consumed are burned during natural waking hours than would be if they were consumed during normal sleeping hours. So, try to eat during more normal eating hours, so that you can maximize the amount of calories burned.  That way you can work smarter, not harder when you are trying to lose or maintain weight.

Source: Obesity, 2009, 264 (via ScienceDaily)

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Whenever I enter a coffee shop, I find the smell of coffee intoxicating.  It is so rich, warm, inviting, relaxing and invigorating all at once that it feels like it must be a drug. There are so many different ways you could describe the wonderful scent of coffee. But what is it about the smell of roasted coffee beans that most of us find so delightful?

Study:
Well, a group of international scientists led by Han-Seok Seo of Seoul National University is shedding some light on how the aroma of coffee might positively affect our brains.  These researchers studied gene and protein expression in the brains of lab rats.  And what they found was quite surprising!  They found that the aroma of coffee did have a beneficial effect on rats brains who were stressed by sleep deprivation. They found that when these rats inhaled the aroma of coffee, there was a change in the levels of activity of 17 genes and in the level of some brain proteins that helped reduce the stress level of the sleep deprived rats and initiated healthy antioxidant activity.

So, what does that mean?
Well, it may mean that you may not have to drink coffee to get health benefits from it.  Just smelling coffee may reduce your stress level by altering the activity of genes in your brain.  Does that mean you should run out and buy a bag of roasted coffee beans and inhale it whenever you are stressed or don’t get enough sleep?  Not necessarily. More research is still needed, especially human studies, but so far the findings of this study are encouraging.  You never know, the aroma of coffee may improve your health!

Source: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2008, 56