There’s a lot of talk about water these days, and ultimately the question everyone wants answered is, how much do you need? The truth is, that number is entirely dependent on the person asking – their lifestyle, activity levels, eating habits, and even climate. The best way to figure out what you need is by paying attention to your body.
Dehydration actually sets in before you start feeling thirsty, and is often indicated by, oddly enough, feeling slightly hungry. If you find yourself feeling like a snack, try having a glass of water first, and see what happens. Sipping water throughout the day can also help curb dehydration and is one of the simplest ways to deal with it. For people who struggle in the mornings, having a couple of glasses of water right when you wake up will help boost your blood pressure to normal levels. It will also help clean out your system and get you to the bathroom quickly.[1]
As we covered in a previous article about how much water we need:
Luckily our bodies come equipped with an attentive water detection system called thirst. Once your body has lost between one to two percent of its total water content, it will signal its needs by making you feel thirsty.
A simple rule of thumb for assessing your water needs is by looking at the colour of your urine. Dark urine likely indicates your kidneys are retaining fluid to maintain normal body functions. However, this isn’t to be confused with darker urine due to supplement intake, such as multi-vitamins.
If you are dehydrated, you will also likely urinate less often. According to Dr. Mercola, a healthy person urinates about 7-8 times per day. So monitoring how often you are urinating in a day is an important assessment tool.
The ongoing battle of the bulge, while once considered primarily a matter of vanity, may actually be one of the best ways to reduce your risk of dying from a multitude of causes (i.e. all-cause mortality), but especially heart attack.[1]
Some studies have even revealed that abdominal obesity, known clinically as central obesity, and which is measured by the hip-to-waist ratio, may be more important than blood lipids, i.e. “cholesterol,” in determining heart attack risk. [2]
So, with this in mind, the following 6 “diet tips,” take on even greater relevance to your overall health.
Coconut Oil – Two human studies now exist showing that dietary coconut is safe and effective in reducing midsection fat in both women and men. In the women’s study, the treatment group received two tablespoons of coconut oil (30 ml), daily, over a period of 12 weeks, resulting in both a reduction in waist circumference, as well as a boost in their “good” HDL cholesterol levels. [3] In the male study, obese men received two tablespoons (30 ml) of coconut oil per day, taken in 3 divided doses, half an hour before each meal, for one month. The men experienced an average of over one inch (2.86 cm) reduction in their waist circumference, with no changes in their blood lipids. You can read the full study here.
Green Tea – Green tea has been called “the medicine which grew into a beverage.” Indeed, our project has identified research on over 200 health conditions that may benefit from its use, with obesity on top of the list.[4] In a 2009 study published in the journal Obesity, the consumption of catechin-rich green tea was found to be safe and effective in reducing weight in moderately overweight subjects, including an over two inch reduction in their waist circumference.[5]
Sunlight – A 2011 study in The Journal of Investigative Dermatology revealed a remarkable fact of metabolism: The exposure of human skin to UV light results in increased subcutaneous fat metabolism. While subcutaneous fat, unlike visceral fat, is not considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, it is known that a deficiency of one of sunlight’s best known beneficial byproducts, vitamin D, is associated with greater visceral fat.[6] Also, there is a solid body of research showing that vitamin D deficiency is linked to obesity, with 9 such studies on our obesity research page. One of them, titled “Association of plasma vitamin D levels with adiposity in Hispanic and African Americans,” and which was published in the journal Anticancer Research in 2005, found that vitamin D levels were inversely associated with adiposity in Hispanics and African-Americans, including abdominal obesity.[7] The point? Exposure to UVB radiation, which is most abundant two hours on either side of solar noon and responsible for producing vitamin D, may be an essential strategy in burning midsection fat, the natural way.
Soy Protein – While soy has become a punching bag of sorts, for rightful (GMO/non-organic/over-consumption/exclusively non-fermented) and wrongful reasons (disregarding the positive soy research), it does seem to have value as a medicinal food in addressing subcutaneous and total abdominal fat in postmenopausal women, likely because it does have hormone-modulating properties. [8] And for those who have now become convinced that soy’s phytoestrogenic properties are a breast cancer risk, we encourage you to look at the 12 studies on our breast cancer page, indicating quite oppositely that it has potent protective effects against breast cancer initiation and recurrence. Certainly it’s not a one, or even two-dimensional issue, but it is important that we don’t shut down discussion altogether on the potential value of soy, or any food, for our health – at least not until we have familiarized ourselves with the depth of research extant on the topic.
Dietary Challenges: While there are likely hundreds of other chemicals that may contribute to midsection weight gain, the 3 main problematic substances we have identified are (industrially produced) Fructose, Bisphenol A and MSG. You can view the first-hand studies we have collected on the topic under the “Problem Substances” Quick Summary on our Abdominal Obesity Research page. Additionally, a study published in 2011 and published in the journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that weight cycling, i.e. the yo-yo diet, is associated with body weight excess and abdominal fat accumulation.[9]
Exercise – This one is obvious to many, but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded that there is more to midsection weight loss than what you do and do not eat. In other words, move it, and you lose it. One of the best ways to accelerate the reduction of belly fat through exercising is through increasing the intensity of your work outs. A 2008 study in the journal of Medical & Science in Sports & Exercise showed that body composition changes are affected by the intensity of exercise training with high-intensity training (HIET) being most effective for total abdominal fat, subcutaneous fat, and abdominal visceral fat loss, at least in obese women with metabolic syndrome. [10] There is also research that green tea catechin consumption enhances exercise-induced abdominal fat loss, as well as soluble fiber intake.
[1] Effect of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with myocardial infarction in 52 countries (the INTERHEART study): case-control study. Lancet. 2004 Sep 11-17;364(9438):937-52. PMID: 15364185
[2] Risk factors for acute myocardial infarction in Latin America: the INTERHEART Latin American study. Circulation. 2007 Mar 6 ;115(9):1067-74. PMID: 17339564
[6] Association Between Visceral Obesity and Sarcopenia and Vitamin D Deficiency in Older Koreans: The Ansan Geriatric Study. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2012 Feb 8. Epub 2012 Feb 8. PMID: 22316299
[7] Association of plasma vitamin D levels with adiposity in Hispanic and African Americans. Anticancer Res. 2005 Mar-Apr;25(2A):971-9. PMID: 19549738
Americans have never needed to lose weight more than they do right now. According to brand new numbers that were just released by the National Center For Health Statistics, nearly 40 percent of all U.S. adults are now officially obese. That is an all-time record. And as you will see below, more than 70 percent of us are officially overweight. Of course most of the population does not even understand what is being done to them. The elite that own our major food corporations know that eating heavily processed foods is a highway to heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other deadly diseases, but they keep pushing those foods on us anyway. The average American diet is extremely self-destructive, and it is time for a change.
If we do not change, our “obesity epidemic” will continue to grow even worse. The following comes from CNN…
The United States will not be escaping the obesity epidemic crisis anytime soon: Nearly 40% of adults and 19% of youth are obese, the highest rate the country has ever seen in all adults, according to research released Friday by the National Center for Health Statistics.
Since 1999, there has been a staggering rise in the prevalence of obesity, particularly in adults, without any “signs of it slowing down,” according to the study’s lead researcher, Dr. Craig Hales, medical epidemiologist at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
1999 was not that long ago.
And of course people were definitely talking about an “obesity epidemic” back then, but now it has gotten much, much worse. In fact, researchers say that adult obesity and youth obesity have both risen by at least 30 percent since that time…
What is “very striking” about this information is that there has been a 30% increase in adult obesity and 33% increase in youth obesity from 1999-2000 data to 2015-16, despite government-focused efforts to address the issue, according to Michael W. Long, assistant professor at the Milken Institute of School Public Health at George Washington University.
So how do you know if you are obese?
It is not as simple as just looking in the mirror. According to health authorities, if you have a body mass index over 30 you are obese, and a recent WHO report discovered that childhood obesity has risen “more than tenfold over the past four decades”…
Obesity is medically defined as having a body-mass index of more than 30. The findings on obese kids in the U.S. comes on top of this week’s World Health Organization report that childhood obesity is soaring around the world, increasing more than tenfold over the past four decades.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why this is happening. As the world economy has become globalized, the major food manufacturers are getting their garbage into the hands of more and more people. Today, billions of people all over the planet are eating nutritionally-empty foods that are packed with all sorts of ingredients that humans simply should not be eating.
We are literally digging our own graves with our forks and our spoons. According to this brand new report from the National Center For Health Statistics, at this point more than 70 percent of us “are either overweight or obese”…
Overall, 70.7 percent of Americans are either overweight or obese, meaning that an unhealthy weight has become the norm, with normal weight Americans — a BMI of less than 25 — now in the minority.
That means that less than 30 percent of the population is at a healthy weight right now.
So what is the solution?
Going “on a diet” is not the answer. Any short-term changes that you make are ultimately going to be futile if you don’t make long-term changes to your eating patterns.
If you really would like to have a healthier future, some major changes will be necessary. Here are just a few tips to help get you started…
-Get as much sugar and high fructose corn syrup out of your diet as possible. A great place to start is by getting rid of sodas and other sugary drinks. My wife and I will have a soda when we go out to eat as a treat, but we don’t have any in our refrigerator at home.
-Try to start eliminating heavily processed foods from your diet. This can be very difficult to do, because most of us have become quite accustomed to eating what the large food manufacturers offer us.
-Start shopping in the organic section of your local supermarket if you can afford to do so. Organic food manufacturers often offer similar versions of what the large food manufacturers make, but the ingredients are far superior.
-Incorporate as much fresh produce into your diet as possible. As humans, we are supposed to be eating a plant-based diet, but most of us have gotten very far away from that ideal.
-Make exercise a regular part of your daily life. A sedentary lifestyle kills, and those that live active lifestyles often find that they can stay active well into their golden years.
If we don’t change our ways, the cost of treating obesity-related illnesses is going to threaten to overwhelm our healthcare system. It is being reported that our obesity epidemic is already costing us 190 billion dollars a year…
The consequences of the obesity epidemic are devastating: High blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and stroke are not only killing millions of Americans annually — the obesity epidemic is also a humongous burden on the American health care system, making up $190 billion a year in weight-related medical bills.
As long as we keep eating what they offer us, the major food manufacturers are going to keep doing what they have always done.
So it is up to us to make the changes that are necessary, and this is a battle that we simply cannot afford to lose.
Americans have never needed to lose weight more than they do right now. According to brand new numbers that were just released by the National Center For Health Statistics, nearly 40 percent of all U.S. adults are now officially obese. That is an all-time record. And as you will see below, more than 70 percent of us are officially overweight. Of course most of the population does not even understand what is being done to them. The elite that own our major food corporations know that eating heavily processed foods is a highway to heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other deadly diseases, but they keep pushing those foods on us anyway. The average American diet is extremely self-destructive, and it is time for a change.
If we do not change, our “obesity epidemic” will continue to grow even worse. The following comes from CNN…
The United States will not be escaping the obesity epidemic crisis anytime soon: Nearly 40% of adults and 19% of youth are obese, the highest rate the country has ever seen in all adults, according to research released Friday by the National Center for Health Statistics.
Since 1999, there has been a staggering rise in the prevalence of obesity, particularly in adults, without any “signs of it slowing down,” according to the study’s lead researcher, Dr. Craig Hales, medical epidemiologist at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
1999 was not that long ago.
And of course people were definitely talking about an “obesity epidemic” back then, but now it has gotten much, much worse. In fact, researchers say that adult obesity and youth obesity have both risen by at least 30 percent since that time…
What is “very striking” about this information is that there has been a 30% increase in adult obesity and 33% increase in youth obesity from 1999-2000 data to 2015-16, despite government-focused efforts to address the issue, according to Michael W. Long, assistant professor at the Milken Institute of School Public Health at George Washington University.
So how do you know if you are obese?
It is not as simple as just looking in the mirror. According to health authorities, if you have a body mass index over 30 you are obese, and a recent WHO report discovered that childhood obesity has risen “more than tenfold over the past four decades”…
Obesity is medically defined as having a body-mass index of more than 30. The findings on obese kids in the U.S. comes on top of this week’s World Health Organization report that childhood obesity is soaring around the world, increasing more than tenfold over the past four decades.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why this is happening. As the world economy has become globalized, the major food manufacturers are getting their garbage into the hands of more and more people. Today, billions of people all over the planet are eating nutritionally-empty foods that are packed with all sorts of ingredients that humans simply should not be eating.
We are literally digging our own graves with our forks and our spoons. According to this brand new report from the National Center For Health Statistics, at this point more than 70 percent of us “are either overweight or obese”…
Overall, 70.7 percent of Americans are either overweight or obese, meaning that an unhealthy weight has become the norm, with normal weight Americans — a BMI of less than 25 — now in the minority.
That means that less than 30 percent of the population is at a healthy weight right now.
So what is the solution?
Going “on a diet” is not the answer. Any short-term changes that you make are ultimately going to be futile if you don’t make long-term changes to your eating patterns.
If you really would like to have a healthier future, some major changes will be necessary. Here are just a few tips to help get you started…
-Get as much sugar and high fructose corn syrup out of your diet as possible. A great place to start is by getting rid of sodas and other sugary drinks. My wife and I will have a soda when we go out to eat as a treat, but we don’t have any in our refrigerator at home.
-Try to start eliminating heavily processed foods from your diet. This can be very difficult to do, because most of us have become quite accustomed to eating what the large food manufacturers offer us.
-Start shopping in the organic section of your local supermarket if you can afford to do so. Organic food manufacturers often offer similar versions of what the large food manufacturers make, but the ingredients are far superior.
-Incorporate as much fresh produce into your diet as possible. As humans, we are supposed to be eating a plant-based diet, but most of us have gotten very far away from that ideal.
-Make exercise a regular part of your daily life. A sedentary lifestyle kills, and those that live active lifestyles often find that they can stay active well into their golden years.
If we don’t change our ways, the cost of treating obesity-related illnesses is going to threaten to overwhelm our healthcare system. It is being reported that our obesity epidemic is already costing us 190 billion dollars a year…
The consequences of the obesity epidemic are devastating: High blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and stroke are not only killing millions of Americans annually — the obesity epidemic is also a humongous burden on the American health care system, making up $190 billion a year in weight-related medical bills.
As long as we keep eating what they offer us, the major food manufacturers are going to keep doing what they have always done.
So it is up to us to make the changes that are necessary, and this is a battle that we simply cannot afford to lose.
A healthy weight loss program only produces sustaining results when exercise is combined with the right dietary approach. There are other components that play a role, such as sleep and sunlight exposure, but certain foods could really give your weight loss efforts a substantial boost. Turmeric is one of those foods. The active compound in turmeric, curcumin, could in fact halt the infiltration of fat tissue throughout the body by inhibiting angiogenesis.
Is Turmeric the Magic Component for Weight Loss?
Managing weight is a constant issue for many people, and researchers have been searching to find the solution. A study performed at Tufts University took a look at whether turmeric could produce favorable changes in body mass index. [1] A 12-week study in mice compared the effects of turmeric on a high-fat diet, administering a very small amount of curcumin daily of about 1.5 to 1.75 milligrams.
In comparison to the non-supplemented group of mice, those that were receiving turmeric gained less weight and body fat throughout the duration of the study. The mice taking curcumin during the 12 week period also had less blood vessel growth present in fat tissue, and blood sugar, cholesterol, liver fat, and triglycerides were remarkably lower. It does suggest that turmeric extract may be a beneficial supplement when attempting to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.
How Does Turmeric Work for Weight Loss?
The exact mechanisms behind turmeric’s weight loss capabilities is still unclear; however, there are a few theories. For one, turmeric is one of the most powerful spices for reducing systemic redness, swelling, and irritation in the body, and this irritation is one of the leading factors behind obesity and every other debilitating disease. Turmeric also rates high on the ORAC antioxidant scale. [2] Antioxidants are not only helpful for protecting DNA and cells from oxidative damage, they’re also extremely useful for reducing fat accumulation.
Do you use turmeric regularly? Please let us know if it’s been helping you!
One of the healthiest aspects of an avocado is its fat content. Even though a 1-cup serving of avocado contains 22 grams of fat, eating avocados has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, improve LDL cholesterol, and decrease levels of oxidative stress in the bloodstream. The monounsaturated fat in avocados, especially oleic acid, plays a role in these cardiovascular benefits. [1]
Rachael Hartley, a dietitian in South Carolina, said:
“Avocados, they have that great healthy fat. Fat is an often overlooked nutrient, but it is definitely important for keeping us full or keeping us satisfied.”
I guess not everyone got the message.
The SlimCado is an avocado grown in Florida that, according to The Wall Street Journal, is trying to compete with the Hass variety, which is grown in California. Hass avocados account for 95% of the American avocado market and 80% of global demand.
However, SlimCados contain half the fat of a Hass avocado; and if that sounds gross, well, that seems to be the general consensus.
Here are a few fast facts about the “slim” avocados:
SlimCados can weigh up to 3 pounds – nearly 6 times the size of a Hass avocado.
Aside from containing half the fat of regular avocados, SlimCados contain 35% fewer calories than a Hass.
SlimCados offer a “subtle tropical flavor similar to papaya.”
Many native Floridians grew up eating SlimCados.
SlimCados are much more fibrous and contain much more water (some describe the texture as “slimy”).
A SlimCado leeches water in a big way when you salt it. [2]
Corinne Zmoos, an avocado lover in Boston, tweeted:
“I’ve never felt so betrayed by a piece of food in my life.”
She went on:
“I have not given them another chance. They broke my heart.”
The 22-year-old grad student describes the low-fat avocados as having a watery texture that produced a soupy guacamole that lacked the beloved rich, creamy flavor of regular avocados.
SlimCados are trademarked by Brooks Tropicals LLC. The reportedly unpalatable fruits are available for 8 months each year starting in June, and actually consist of several Florida varieties. In 2003, Brooks began selling them as SlimCados so that they wouldn’t be confused with the Hass avocados.
Brooks has gotten accustomed to customer complaints. Mary Ostlund, a Brooks Tropicals spokeswoman, said:
“I get a lot of people from California absolutely emailing me and calling me saying, ‘What the heck are you doing?’’
The magazine Cooking Light gave the avocados a giant thumbs-down as well. Kimberly Holland, a Cooking Light editor, said in a text message to the magazine’s nutrition editor, Sidney Fry:
“I tried the SlimCado tonight. Please let’s never ever recommend it. Ever.”
Fry agreed, responding:
“Omg I hated it! Watery slimy. Gross.”
Well, I think they sound nasty, but some people love them. Delores Curtis, of Waldorf, Maryland, lost 180 pounds when she changed her diet, which included incorporating SlimCados. When she first brought a SlimCado home, her husband was skeptical. But for her, it was love at first bite. She recalled:
“He said, ‘Slim what? Slim who? Slim Jims?’ I put it on almost anything. I just love it.”
People still believe that fat is bad for you, but science tells another story. A study published in 2010 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that “there is no significant evidence for concluding that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of CDH [coronary heart disease] or CVD [cardiovascular disease].” A 1-cup serving of regular avocado contains 3.1 grams of saturated fat.
In another study, researchers found that healthy fats, such as those found in avocados, may help men with prostate cancer extend their lives. Those who reported eating more vegetable fats were less likely to develop fatal tumors or die from other causes than those who ate carbohydrate- and animal-fat filled diets.
Those are just a few examples of literally tons of studies showing the importance of eating healthy fats, and especially vegetable fats like those found in avocados.
No need to eat gross, flavorless, slimy substitutes!
Julie Fidler is a freelance writer, legal blogger, and the author of Adventures in Holy Matrimony: For Better or the Absolute Worst. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two ridiculously spoiled cats. She occasionally pontificates on her blog.
Parents who dream of their young child growing up to become an NBA player should maybe avoid substituting plant-based milks for cow’s milk, a study finds. Toddlers who drink soy, almond, or other milk “alternatives” may be shorter than youngsters who drink plain old cow’s milk. A strange correlation indeed.
Researchers wrote in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that each daily cup of non-cow’s milk consumed was associated with 0.4 centimeters (0.15 inches) lower height than average for a child’s age. [1]
Dr. Jonathon Maguire, the study’s lead author and a pediatrician and researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, said:
“We found that children who are consuming non-cow’s milk like rice, almond and soy milk tended to be a little bit shorter than children who consumed cow’s milk. For example, a 3-year-old child consuming three cups of non-cow’s milk relative to cow’s milk was on average 1.5 centimeters shorter.” [2]
That half-an-inch difference “is not a tiny difference” when you’re 3 years old, Maguire noted.
Researchers looked at a cross-section of more than 5,000 healthy Canadian children ages 2 to 6 years old, 51% of whom were male, and were recruited from 9 family and pediatric healthcare practices from December 2008 to September 2015.
About 5% of participants drank exclusively non-cow’s milk
About 84% drank only cow’s milk
About 8% drank both
About 3% drank neither
The researchers were most stunned to discover “that the amount children were shorter depended on how much they were consuming,” according to Maguire.
He said:
“It’s not like if you’re not consuming cow’s milk, you’re a little shorter. It’s more like if you are consuming non-cow’s milk, with each cup that a child consumes, that child on average appears to be a little bit smaller, a little bit shorter. That’s a bit surprising.”
Does that mean children who drink non-cow’s milk will grow up to be shorter than their peers? Maybe, maybe not.
Maguire said:
“That’s one remaining question. We don’t know if the kids consuming non-cow’s milk, maybe they catch up over time, or maybe they don’t. Time’s going to have to tell.
We do know in general as pediatricians that children who are on a certain percentile line in terms of height tend to stay on that line for the rest of their childhood and into adulthood.”
A Weak Correlation
But according to Amy Joy Lanou, a professor of health and wellness at the University of North Carolina-Asheville who was not involved in the research, the researchers didn’t include enough variables for the findings to be accurate. Most notably, only milk consumption was considered.
She said:
“It’s just odd to me why we wouldn’t be looking at the overall diets of the children. If they’re making the claim that it’s because it’s the difference in the types of milk the kids are drinking, well, what else are they eating?”
Lanou’s own research has led to her to believe that cow’s milk is “not a necessary food,” and she believes the study wrongly assumes that taller equals healthier.
“Taller children and heavier children are not necessarily healthier adults, or even healthier children. I think they’re using height as a marker for health, and I’m not sure that’s appropriate.”
Maguire acknowledged there could have been differences in the children’s overall diets, but he said the nutritional content in different milk substitutes varies widely. And it’s “reasonable to hypothesize that some shortchange children on protein, fat, and other nutrients.” [1]
Reasons to Argue that the Connection is Real
Connie Weaver, a professor of nutrition science at Purdue Universitywho was also not involved in the study, believes fewer nutrients in plant-based beverages compared to cow’s milk may partly explain why young children who consumed milk alternatives were found to be shorter. [2]
Weaver stated:
“This is the first study that I recall directly comparing cow milk with plant-based beverages for a physiological benefit.
We know that some of the plant beverages, almond especially, have lower protein contents so I have speculated that calcium absorption may be lower. This would suggest that cow’s milk is superior.”
Another contributing factor to the difference in height could be that plant-based milks don’t stimulate the production of insulin-like growth factor, or IGF, as well as cow’s milk does.
Weaver explained:
“Having less IGF may compromise height but that may lower risk of fracture — and some cancers, too.”
The authors wrote:
“Many parents are choosing non-cow’s milk beverages like soy and almond milk because of perceived health benefits. However, non-cow’s milk contains less protein and fat than cow’s milk and may not have the same effect on height.” [3]
Maguire added:
“If products are being marketed as being equivalent to cow’s milk, as a consumer and a parent, I would like to know that they are in fact the same in terms of their effects on children’s growth.”
The researchers said there is no reason for parents to stop giving their children plant-based milks, but they should be “savvy” about reading nutrition labels, and should avoid milk beverages containing added sugar. [2]
Julie Fidler is a freelance writer, legal blogger, and the author of Adventures in Holy Matrimony: For Better or the Absolute Worst. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two ridiculously spoiled cats. She occasionally pontificates on her blog.
Americans have more luxuries and more opportunities to lay back and do nothing than perhaps any other country in the world. Perhaps that’s why on a global scale, the U.S. is one of the laziest countries on Earth, according to a Stanford University study. [1]
The great Ron Swanson once said:
“The whole point of [America] is if you want to eat garbage, balloon up to 600 pounds and die of a heart attack at 43, you can! You are free to do so. To me, that’s beautiful.”
Sure, it’s a quote from a sitcom (“Parks and Recreation”), but it appears that an awful lot of Americans actually live this way.
Stanford researchers used step-counters installed in the smartphones of about 700,000 people in 46 countries to track their walking activity. The study was massive – 1,000 times bigger than any previous research into human movement, according to Scott Delp, a professor of bioengineering who co-led the research.
The findings, published in the journal Nature, show China is the least lazy of all nations. People living in Hong Kong, especially, are very active, with individuals walking an average of about 6,880 steps per day.
Indonesia was found to be the laziest country, with Indonesians only walking about 3,513 steps.
Americans averaged about 4,774 daily steps, which is pretty close to the worldwide average of 4,961.
Source: USA Today
But average number of steps didn’t always coincide with more obesity in the study. Obesity levels can be more accurately gauged by calculating “activity inequality” – the difference between most active and least active. The team found that in nations with higher rates of obesity, larger gaps existed between those who walked a lot and those who didn’t walk often at all.
“For instance, Sweden had one of the smallest gaps between activity rich and activity poor… it also had one of the lowest rates of obesity.” [2]
Gender was found to be a significant factor in country-to-country activity inequality. The study found that men were more active than women, including in the U.S. That was not the case in every country, however. For example, men and women in Japan exercised a similar amount. [3]
Jure Leskovec, a computer scientist at Stanford and a co-author of the study, said:
“When activity inequality is greatest, women’s activity is reduced much more dramatically than men’s activity, and thus the negative connections to obesity can affect women more greatly.”
The scientists hope their findings will contribute to public health campaigns aimed at reducing obesity and support policies designed to make cities more “walkable.”
Julie Fidler is a freelance writer, legal blogger, and the author of Adventures in Holy Matrimony: For Better or the Absolute Worst. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two ridiculously spoiled cats. She occasionally pontificates on her blog.
You are probably well aware of the symptoms of liver toxicity due to a poor lifestyle. Liver disease, on the other hand, is commonly prescribed to people who consume too much alcohol. Recently, another type of liver disease has been on the rise. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a different type of liver disease that is not affected by alcohol intake. [1] Instead, it is caused by the high level of accumulated fat within the liver. A normal liver is about 5 – 10% fat. Anymore than that can be harmful and lead to NAFLD or, the more threatening and harmful version, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). At its worst, NAFLD or NASH can lead to liver failure or liver cancer.
Who Is at Risk for NAFLD?
The liver acts as a filter for the body by separating helpful nutrients and discarding harmful substances. Consequently, the liver encounters many hard-to-handle toxins, as well as lipids or fat cells. Since NAFLD is affected by the amount of fat in the liver, individuals who are overweight or obese are often at risk. Also, people with diabetes or high blood pressure can develop the disease. NAFLD has also been seen in people who undergo rapid weight loss. It has been discovered that 25% of Americans are affected by NAFLD. [2] It is more common in women than in men and is also most prevalent in people ages 40 – 60.
What Are the Symptoms of NAFLD and What Does it Do?
Typically, NAFLD presents with few or no symptoms, [3] but possible signs include: fatigue, weakness, weight loss or loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, and jaundice. NAFLD is usually confirmed via blood tests and ultrasounds. The disease affects the body negatively by causing inflammation in the liver. This inflammation can lead to scarring of the liver tissue which can affect liver functions. If left unchecked, the inflammation and scarring can lead to the escalated form of NAFLD which can, as mentioned above, lead to liver failure.
How Can I Prevent NAFLD?
The best way to avoid developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is by leading a healthy lifestyle. If you eat healthy foods, especially ones that support your liver, get regular exercise, and limit your alcohol intake, you should be able to lower your risks of developing NAFLD or NASH. [4]
Has NAFLD affected you or someone you know? Leave a comment and share your experience with us.
Despite being one of the most preventable conditions on the planet, obesity is, unfortunately, a hugely significant problem. According to the World Health Association, the global obesity rate has more than doubled since 1980. [1] Certainly diet and exercise can go a long way in supporting a healthy weight, but sometimes even that isn’t enough. According to government health charts, if you have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, you’re considered obese. The BMI scale, however, is largely generalized and doesn’t take into account muscle weight.
What You Should Know About Obesity
Left unchecked, obesity can cause a myriad of health issues. For example, obesity may promote mental distress, heart disease, and research also implicates it in cancer. While it’s a difficult subject to talk about because we don’t really like to acknowledge it, it must be addressed. Here are 5 things you should know about obesity, including how you can fight it.
1. There’s Huge Debate About Obesity’s Disability Status
Labeling obesity as a disability is a constant debate. In fact, 88% of doctors polled through SERMO, a medical social network, disagreed with a recent European Union ruling that employers should accommodate obese workers with things like special parking spots, larger chairs, and in some cases, government services. [2][3] Many of those doctors believe accommodations could be necessary in the case of medically-caused obesity, but Europe has gone a bit further than that with this ruling. Do you think this decision is just supporting the problem?
Pollution Can Promote Obesity
A recent report classed almost 30 percent of the world population as overweight, and pollution could also be contributing to that number. [4][5] Researchers in Southern California followed over 3,000 children throughout eight years and found a tentative link between BMI, secondhand smoke, and traffic pollution. According to the report, BMI was significantly higher in children exposed to pollution and secondhand smoke. Those exposed to both doubled their risk of being obese. This new finding could challenge the view that childhood obesity is a direct product of diet and exercise.
Dirty Water Is Causing Obesity and Diabetes
There’s also another study suggesting polluted water is a cause of obesity. The report notes many poor, rural towns in California’s Central Valley have trouble finding clean drinking water and are switching to more sodas and sugary drinks. This, in turn, is causing an increase in obesity and type-2 diabetes. [6] According to data from the Community Water Center, the water supply in one of those areas is among the most contaminated—“tainted with nitrates, arsenic, coliform bacteria, pesticides, disinfectant byproducts, and uranium.” [7]
4. Obesity Also Affects Mental Health
Yes, while obesity can be damaging to your physical health, let’s not forget how it can influence your mental state. As mentioned earlier, obesity is on the rise; but, with super-sized food portions, it seems especially problematic in the U.S. In fact, over 6% of the U.S. population is classed as severely obese—that is, having a BMI of 35 or greater. For some, it might seem like obesity and depression go hand-in-hand, and the scientific community is studying that link. There’s recent evidence suggesting depression could be connected to obesity, with over 50% of those taking antidepressants classed as obese. [8]
Obesity is as Damaging as Smoking
While the health effects are damaging, the economic toll is staggering. A recent report estimated the global cost of obesity—mostly in terms of health care—to be 2 trillion dollars each year, roughly the equivalent cost of smoking. [9] Based on the current rate of obesity, that same report envisions that just about half of the world’s adult population will be obese by the year 2030.
Practical Solutions for Fighting Obesity
If obesity is a problem for you or a loved one, I urge you not to give up. You can make small changes for the better. If you’re looking to change eating habits, consider a plant-based diet. Such a shift can significantly reduce the risk for certain medical conditions. You don’t have to go completely vegan, of course; there are lots of other options. You could try your hand at a semi-vegetarian, or flexitarian, diet and only occasionally eat meat, or there’s the ovo-lacto vegetarian diet which cuts out meat completely, but includes eggs and dairy. There are certainly other choices, but these are two great ones!
Do you have any comments or questions about obesity? Tell us in the comments below!
Between 30-40% of American adults have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition with no visible signs that rarely causes symptoms. Despite its near-invisibility, NAFLD raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. What’s more, a recent study suggests that people with a high-risk variant of the PNPLA3 gene are much more likely to have NAFLD if they’re obese than if they’re thin. [1]
NAFLD actually refers to several stages of disease. Most people have a form of the disease known as “fatty liver,” in which more than 5% of the liver is made up of fat cells. It is often related to obesity, poor diet, and a sedentary lifestyle.
A poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle are the natural precursors to obesity. And in people with the gene variant, obesity may be a precursor to a fatty liver.
Study co-author Jonathan Cohen, professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, explains:
“If you are obese and lack the variant, then there is a good chance that you won’t have excess fat in your liver. But if you are obese and do have the variant—particularly if you have two copies of the variant—you are very likely to have excess fat in your liver.” [1]
Oddly enough, in most people with NAFLD, liver problems like inflammation and scarring aren’t much of a problem. Insulin resistance – which can lead to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease – is much more of a concern.
However, an advanced form of NAFLD, called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, affects 3% to 12% of U.S. adults. Dr. Jaideep Behari, associate professor and founder of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Fatty Liver Clinic, says:
“This form is characterized by inflammation and cell injury. Cells are dying and there’s progressive scarring, which can lead to cirrhosis and even liver cancer.” [1]
Research suggests that people with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and excess fat around their middle are more at risk for NASH; but researchers say it isn’t clear why some people develop the more advanced form of NAFLD, while others never do. Some people actually alternate between the two forms of the disease.
“Sometimes people exercise more and eat a healthier diet while at other times they’re being less healthy. They’re going back and forth with their lifestyle, and the condition of their liver is going back and forth as well.” [1]
Not everyone who has NAFLD is obese, either. According to Behari, doctors are seeing an increase in people with normal body weight presenting with the disease. This is referred to as “lean fatty liver.” Certain ethnic groups with lower BMIs have a greater chance of developing lean fatty liver, too, including people of Asian descent.
Dr. Hobbs, Director of the McDermott Center, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator, and a Professor of Internal Medicine and Molecular Genetics, says that all obese people who have NAFLD can benefit from weight loss, but “those who have the risk allele in PNPLA3 are likely to benefit more.” [2]
A “Western-Style” Diet may Increase the Risk of NAFLD
Researchers used participants in the Rotterdam Study to examine the dietary components of NAFLD in elderly adults. They presented their findings in April to the International Liver Congress in Amsterdam.
The team collated data from 3,440 people, of which 30% were considered lean and the remaining 70% were considered overweight. The participants’ diets were assessed using a 389-item food frequency questionnaire.
Using an ultrasound, researchers detected NAFLD in 35% of the participants.
Source: GB Health Watch
Total protein intake was linked to an increased risk of NAFLD, which was primarily driven by animal protein. The link was particularly strong in obese individuals. Even after researchers adjusted for metabolic factors, animal protein – but not total protein – remained a significant risk factor.
Dr. Louise Alferink says:
“The results from this study demonstrate that animal protein is associated with NAFLD in overweight elderly people. This in line with a recently proposed hypothesis that a Western-style diet, rich in animal proteins and refined food items, may cause low-grade disturbances to the body homeostasis, glucose metabolism, and acid-based balance.
Another interesting finding is that, although current guidelines advise against foods containing fructose, such as soda and sugar, our results do not indicate a harmful association with mono- and disaccharides with NAFLD per se. In fact, we even found a slight beneficial association, which was attenuated when adjusted for metabolic factors.” [3]
Glucose is a monosaccharide, and sucrose is a disaccharide. Simply put, they are naturally occurring sugars. [4]
The authors believe this slight beneficial association might be because of healthy food items in the mono- and disaccharide food groups, such as antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. [3]
So, at the end of the day, the advice for avoiding and/or improving conditions like NAFLD and NASH may end up sounding very familiar: Consume less meat, eat more fruits and vegetables, and stay away from processed food and added sugar.
A vegan or vegetarian diet is one way to accomplish that. A Mediterranean diet – repeatedly shown in studies to be one of the healthiest eating patterns – may also help, for people who don’t want to totally give up meat.
Says Behari:
“For the majority of patients, lifestyle modification is way more effective than any drug. All of these chronic disorders—fatty liver, diabetes, heart disease—share an underlying metabolic component, and the same common-sense healthy living principles apply for all of them.” [1]
I’m fortunate to call the windswept prairie of the Great Plains my home. If you get out of farm country, it’s just grass as far as you can see. In fact, there are still places nearly unchanged since pioneers first tried settling this area more than 100 years ago.
Although quiet and expansive, there are real challenges to living in the plains. This rings especially true for a person who pursues knowledge in woodcraft. One of the biggest barriers to settling the plains was the lack of timber. Historically, people all around the world have overwhelmingly depended on wood as a natural construction material. The lack of trees on the prairie was one of the biggest obstacles pioneers faced when they looked into the Great American Desert. Wood was, and is, such a central part of our life, especially when forging a living from the land. Lack of timber seemed to make settlement nearly impossible.
While most Americans during the mid-19th century looked at the prairie as an inhospitable land, there were already people living happily in this treeless expanse. An array of Native American societies were established, each developing strategies for living a life that depend on wood as little as possible. Adventurous mountain men and explorers had also learned these lessons the hard way. They, too, knew how to survive in a land devoid of such a pivotal resource. One thing everyone on the plains had to know was how to build a fire without using wood as a fire fuel.
Even today, we can take a page from their book and remember there are other excellent fire fuels besides wood. Here are three examples of resources you can burn when heavy timber may be in short supply:
1. Buffalo chips/cattle manure
Buffalo chips is a reference to the dried manure of buffalo that once dotted our grasslands. Once dubbed as “Plains oak”, buffalo chips were widely used as fire fuel for generations on the plains. When cattle were brought north, their manure also was collected for the same purpose. Both sources were a very common source of fuel, and actually offered several advantages to wood fires. For starters, in such a dry environment, buffalo chips don’t throw sparks like wood fires tend to do. Manure fuels smolder more than they actually burn. The smoldering actually helps control the fire, rather than constantly setting the prairie ablaze.
Image source: Pixabay.com
This smoldering characteristic also made buffalo chips ideal for burning in tipis and other natural shelters. Another advantage of using a fuel “cut by the cows” was the saved labor. Rather than spending hours cutting and splitting wood, people living on the plains simply gathered and stacked the chips. In a region so difficult to make a living, this saved labor would have been nice.
2. Woody shrubs
Although there is a lack of trees on the Great Plains, there are locations with an abundance of woody shrubs. Most prolific in my area are sagebrush and yucca. At times, these sources of fuel came in especially handy. One mountain man, Osborne Russell, kept a journal of his experience depending on sagebrush for fire.
Russell and a few companion’s horses had been run off, and the group was on foot. Back in those days, being afoot on the prairie was akin to a death sentence. They headed for an army fort they that lay across a sagebrush sea more than a week’s march. While making their way across the barren land, they carried little more than their rifles and basic gear. No blankets, no food, and none of the small comforts their rough lives knew. As they traveled, they shot buffalo when they came upon them and used the hides to sleep on. While caught in his sagebrush sea, a mix of rain and snow moved in upon the group. Russell’s account of the incident leaves no debate that the trip was miserable. After many, many cold and wet miles, the group finally safely walked into an army fort and survived the ordeal.
Along the way, though, the group needed to build a fire each day. With no wood in sight, they turned to a nearly endless source of fuel in the sagebrush. Russell noted that at times these fires consisted of no fuel larger than thumb size. Needless to say, it kept them alive in poor conditions.
Sage and other woody shrubs should not be overlooked for their potential as a fuel source. As with buffalo chips, small shrubs offer the advantage of keeping a fire small. Again, in a place that is so dry and windy, keeping your fire small is important. An old mountain man adage was “the bigger the fire, the bigger the fool.” By keeping the fire small, they not only limited the chance of spreading fire, but they saved labor and decreased their chances of being seen by those who meant to do them harm.
3. Animal fat
A final alternative fire fuel people utilized is animal fat. In the past, animals like bear provided not only meat for the larder, but fire fuel, such as for burning lamps. If the pioneers or Native Americans happened to be in an area devoid of animal manure or shrubs, fat would have been a viable option.
In my own experience, I’ve used raccoon fat as a fuel source while building a campfire. I can testify to its ability to put out some heat. A word of caution, though: Unlike the previously mentioned fuels, fat burns extremely hot and very fast. Just toss a bit of raccoon fat on the fire and step back. It is best used in small amounts; otherwise your fire could easily get out of control. Have a bucket of dirt on hand. (With a grease fire, water only would heighten the problem.)
Do you have any fire-starting advice? Share your tips in the section below:
Source: Chosen Foods
