Dec 20, 2013
A New Look on C-reactive Protein and Inflammation
A
study conducted by the Department of Behavioral Health
and Nutrition at the University of Delaware recently explored these findings. The
highlight of their findings was described most notably by lead researcher
Kuczmarski who stated “We found an inverse relationship between diet quality
and CRP levels in low-income adults.. The lower the quality of the diet, the
higher the levels of CRP.”
This poses an incentive for further research
on diet across socio economic statuses, how their body is affected by it, what
can be done to decrease chronic disease rates, and ultimately improve our
populations’ health.
For more information please read:
Study: Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity
across the Lifespan (HANDLS) by the National Institute on Aging
and
Irresistible Reasons for Food Cravings
The thought of enjoying an ice cold, creamy chocolate milkshake on a hot summer's day would make anyone’s mouth water. That’s the same sensation our brain
feels every time we consume sugar.
When we consume foods containing fat and sugar the part of our brain associated with award systems becomes active making us crave more. In a recent study conducted on over 100 healthy high school students funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), brain activity while drinking chocolate milkshakes was recorded. The milkshakes were identical to each other yet had different amounts of sugar and fat content in them. The researchers initially hypothesized the first group consuming high fat-low sugar content milkshakes would affect their brain rewards systems more than the second group consuming milkshakes of low fat-high sugar content.
The
researchers were surprised to find out that the milkshakes higher in sugar
actually increased reactions in the reward center of the brain most responsible
for compulsive eating. Conclusions suggest that when sugar was consumed, more
sugar was craved. In contrast to
conventional American’s diets which include higher levels of sugar than fats,
the study concluded that a diet higher in fat than sugar resulted in lower
levels of reward center activity in the brain.
With rising levels of obesity
within the United States, this knowledge can be used to better suit dietary
recommendations, knowing that against any amount of willpower, sugar may win,
and to avoid it more so than fat.
For more information please visit:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24132980
Obesity Negatively Affects Sperm Health in Men
findings can hopefully encourage perspective fathers to maintain a healthy weight not just for themselves but for their future children too
Obesity raises a slew of health concerns for the American people. One in particular is an issue surrounding perspective fathers’ weights during time of conception.
Recent findings published by the Research Center for Reproductive Health at the University of Adelaide in South Australia, find that a father’s weight during conception can negatively affect the genes given to their offspring increasing their chances for diabetes. They also found that these genes could negatively affect the second generation too. Dr. Tod Fullston states "Fathers should aim to be as healthy as possible at the time of conception to give future generations the best possible chance of good health."
These findings can hopefully encourage perspective fathers to maintain a healthy weight not just for themselves but for their future children too.
Perceived Children’s Weight by Parents Contrasts Actual Children’s Weight
In a study conducted in the Netherlands, opinions were collected from 800 parents of children 4yrs-5yrs of age regarding their child’s current weight. When shown a visual BMI scale of a child and asked to match their child’s weight to one an astounding 95% of parents chose a BMI lower than that of their child's.
What makes this information more weighty is that parents were also asked to report real data on their childen’s body such as height and weight, yet still perceived a lower image to match their children’s current weight. Parents with normal weight children often chose a Body Mass Index (BMI) one size smaller than actual, and parents of overweight or obese children chose on average three sizes smaller.
Conclusively, even though many parents were unaware of what an average healthy weight of children was, they were willing to receive information on healthy weight management for children no matter what their children’s current weight was. This information poses a need for health education classes for parents of younger aged children, especially since starting a healthy lifestyle at a young age could set them up for a healthy future.
A good child BMI calculator is available at:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/growth/bmi_charts.html
For more information please read:
Luttikhuis et al. How do parents of 4- to 5-year-old children perceive the weight of their children? Acta Paediatrica, 2010; 99: 263-267 DOI: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2009.01576.x
or
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-01/w-mpd012810.php
Dec 16, 2013
Poor Food Choices Associated With Depression
"Dietary choices truly affect the way we feel"
While everyone has undoubtedly heard
the quote, “You are what you eat,” some of us still prove to need convincing
that dietary choices truly affect the way we feel. According to a large cohort study that included
nearly 9000 adult participants in Spain, over consumption of junk foods is
associated with depression. For
participants who regularly ate “fast foods” like hamburgers and pizza, there
was a 40% increased likelihood for becoming depressed compared with participants
who ate smaller amounts or no “fast foods.”
Interestingly, risk for depression rose steadily when higher amounts of junk
foods were eaten. Risk for depression
was also found to be higher in adults who frequently consumed baked goods like
doughnuts, muffins, and croissants.
“We were not surprised with the
results. Several studies have analyzed
the association between fast food and commercial bakery consumption and
physical diseases, such as obesity or coronary heart disease,” according to Almudena
Sánchez-Villegas, PhD. Dr. Sánchez-Villegas
is from the Department of Clinical Sciences at the University of Las Palmas de
Gran Canaria and the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the
University of Navarra in Spain.
The study, published in Public Health Nutrition, aimed to
determine the role that fast food and processed food consumption plays in the
development of depression. Starting in
1999, researchers began tracking diet and lifestyle choices on an ongoing
basis. Prior to the beginning of the
study, no participants had taken any antidepressants before or received any
diagnosis of depression.
On a bi-annual basis, participants
were asked to fill out surveys as a way of assessing dietary intake. Researchers analyzed total consumption of
“fast foods” and commercial baked goods, including things like hamburgers,
pizza, hot dogs, croissants, doughnuts, and muffins. Researchers also analyzed incidence of
depression, use of antidepressant medications, as well as lifestyle data.
Results of the study indicated that
within about 6.2 years after study initiation, 493 participants had been
diagnosed with depression. Those adults
who consumed the most “fast foods” had a corresponding higher risk for
developing depression. These adults, in
addition to those eating high amounts of commercial baked goods, also tended to
be single, less active, smoke, work over 45 hours weekly, and eat diets lower
in fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, and/or olive oil. Even small amounts of “fast foods” were found
to be associated with a significantly increased depression risk.
A number of studies now support the
idea that mental well-being is heavily influenced by daily dietary and
lifestyle habits. Any comprehensive
treatment approach for depression should absolutely take into account and work
to optimize a person’s lifestyle choices and the foods they put into their body
on a regular basis. This will surely
increase the odds of success!
Dr. Shana McQueen
Dec 11, 2013
Mind and Body Connection for Weight loss Maintenance using Acupressure
The Human Mind-Body Connection
The human mind-body connection is most evident when our emotions pay a physical toll on our bodies. Examples include anxiety leading to a headache, receiving negative news resulting in an upset stomach, and in contrast, a happy life event leading to more physical energy. Knowing how closely our emotions and our bodies are connected, we can use this to our advantage; in this instance acupressure. Acupressure is an intervention derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This technique involves the utilization of pressure points along our body, and when stimulated can correspond to addressing the onset of ailments the body is experiencing.
Losing weight is not just diet based rather it includes other various health conditions to be resolved that are going on in the body (More Info). Once an amount of weight is lost, maintaining the current weight requires continuation of this lifestyle change the individual has made to initially lose it. In an article published by the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine the largest ongoing randomized control trial of an energy psychology intervention was reviewed. In a cohort of adult subjects they were categorized into an acupressure intervention and a self-directed social support group. The acupressure group utilized the Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT) by self administration. The acupressure group’s results would support positive findings that its use as a weight-loss maintenance tool could be applied in a variety of care settings, control food cravings, and reduce stress levels.
For more information please visit:
5 Easy Skin Protecting Tactics for Skiers & Snowboarders
Colorado is known for its high mountains, beautiful scenery, and great winter snow recreation. As high altitude equals thin air this also increases sun exposure resulting in Ultraviolet Ray (UV) levels being dangerously high. The importance of using sunscreen through all seasons is a must. Here are a few ways to decrease your exposure and additional research to back it up!
1. Apply SPF 15+ sunscreen to exposed areas on the face about 30 minutes before going into the sun to allow sunscreen to absorb and become effective
2. Re-apply sunscreen every 2 hours: this is the optimal recommendation to reduce exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation in sunlight for the prevention of skin cancer
3. Wear a brim: wearing a helmet with a brim or a helmet with a hat underneath that has a brim is an easy way to protect your skin from sun exposure all day long- no need to re apply!
4. Carry lip balm with you that has an SPF 15+ , this will improve sun protection on lips and avoid them chapping too
5. Wear eye protection even on cloudy days: overcast may seem to be less sunny however sun exposure remains the same. Continue wearing goggles during sports and sunglasses in between activities to keep your eyes along with the delicate skin around your eyes free of the sun’s harmful rays
Studies suggest that the compliance of wearing sunscreen during winter sports is well under the recommended amount. In a study published by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, aspects of compliance were examined. Among a cohort of 4,837 adult skiers, sunscreen advice was given and results were measured. Based on the aforementioned suggestions, a low compliance rate resulted. This suggests the general skiing public perceives there susceptibility to skin cancer as low- even when provided with skin protection advice and statistics on adverse outcomes of noncompliance.
Natural Sunscreen Vs Chemical
When shopping for sunscreens be wary of your options. Sunscreens can often times contain toxic additives that are harmful to the body. Always opt for a truly natural sunscreen that does not contain parabens or pthalates.
Skin Deep provides the public with a searchable database of cosmetic products along with safety information please visit:
For more information about AAD's study please read:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3193866/
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