Jul
26
2010
I was running on the treadmill last night and listening to a news story about a research study that showed the benefits from “light or moderate intensity physical activity.”* It made me think about all the times I have recommended to my friends and readers of this column, that all you need to start with is ten minutes of exercise a day (read “Take Ten”). The results are now proven scientifically: even a low level (low intensity) of exercise, over a small amount of time, can be helpful at improving your life* in quantity and quality. So then I started to think about whether we can correlate this to eating and did some preliminary research into the calorie restriction concept. From very early studies in mice and monkeys*, calorie restriction has led to longer life spans and has delayed the onset of many chronic diseases (e.g. cancer, heart disease and stroke).
In the United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent estimates, there are over 36 million people over the age of 65 and about 200,000 people over the age of 100. And according to the United Nations, by 2013, there will be over 3 million people in the world over the age of 100. So our population is growing and living ...
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Jul
23
2010
First, I want to thank tennis great John McEnroe for allowing me to use one of his famous lines when he was questioning a call from a judge at one of his professional tennis tournaments. I always wanted to use it in one of my articles, so thanks John. But in all seriousness, this issue of caffeine for kids is getting out of control. Yes I am aware that it is the young adults, teens and preteens that are becoming the “fastest growing group of coffee drinkers” according to the National Coffee Association. Even prime time television shows actors drinking caffeine drinks- the character “Abby Sciuto”, played by actress Pauley Perrette, is a forensic scientist in one of my favorite shows-NCIS (CBS), drinks a huge plastic cup called a “Caf-Pow” given to her as a reward for her amazing ability to come up with answers to puzzling clues using an array of technology and science. I do think she drinks way too much of it! Yes I am aware that in America alone, close to 500 million cups of coffee are consumed each and every day, with coffee drinkers drinking an average of 2.6 cups per day. The total caffeine intake per day for coffee drinkers is an astounding 363.5mg!!! In the United States, 80% of all adults consume caffeine on a daily basis-and the average daily consumption of caffeine ...
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Jul
19
2010
Let’s congratulate our bipartisan representatives in the United States Congress for passing the legislation: Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act (H.R. 5504) on July 14th, 2010. We are all aware that millions of kids come to school each and every morning hungry. According to Share Our Strength (Strength.org), over 12 million kids go to sleep each night with food insecurity. And we also know that the only chance at a healthy and nutritious meal (breakfast and or lunch) for these children is at school. There have been multiple studies published that demonstrate the importance and benefit of an adequate breakfast on the learning and skills of children.
What will this legislation do? Here are the highlights:
Improve Access to School Meal Programs
Increase the number of eligible children enrolled in the school lunch programs by using Medicaid/SCHIP data to directly certify children who meet income requirements without requiring individual applications and requiring states to establish and execute a plan to increase rates of direct certification.
Provide enhanced universal meal access for eligible children in high poverty communities by eliminating paper applications and using census data to determine school wide income eligibility.
Increase children’s access to healthy school breakfasts by providing competitive grants to school districts to start up or improve their program.
Improve Access to Out of School Meal Programs
Ensure fewer children go hungry year round by providing meals ...
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Jul
18
2010
First Lady Michelle Obama has made it her mission to tackle the issues of childhood obesity. She developed the Let’s Move campaign with the focus to encourage kids all over the United States (and the world) to get active and eat healthy:
“Through the Let’s Move! campaign—a comprehensive, collaborative, and community-oriented initiative that addresses all of the various factors that lead to childhood obesity—we are engaging every sector of society that impacts the health of children to provide schools, families and communities the simple tools they need to help kids be more active, eat better, and get healthy.”
As we all are aware, childhood (and adult) obesity is at epidemic proportions. According to the recent statistics, our nation is getting fatter and less fit. We are headed in the wrong direction. It is very difficult for individuals to lose the added weight once they have gained it. The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 (see Graehm Gray’s blog: DGA Parts One and Two in The Nerdel News) coming out soon will explain in detail the latest accumulated research based information on what we should be eating. However, a plan must be formed to try and prevent ...
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Jul
14
2010
As you read in my article on The New Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) Part 1, the new guidelines offer many differences and some similarities to the 2005 DGA. There are encouragements to eat more good mono and poly unsaturated fats (e.g. fish and plant varieties) over their bad cousins-the saturated fats (meats, poultry and dairy). There is more emphasis on eating whole grain products (e.g. brown rice, whole grain breads and pastas) over the refined and processed white starches. There is a new buzz word that has emerged from these guidelines-the SoFAS-solid fats (animal fats and hydrogenated vegetable oils) and added sugars (sugars and syrups and other caloric sweeteners added to foods during processing, preparation or consumed separately), which according to the statistics, have contributed to 35% of the total calorie (energy) intake of all Americans. These SoFAS are said to be responsible for the overconsumption of saturated fats, cholesterol, and added sugars and have taken the place of the important dietary fibers and nutrients (like vitamin D, calcium, potassium and unsaturated fatty acids like omega-3s) in the diet. There is a recognition that portion control in the home and at restaurants needs to be monitored and is responsible for the overconsumption of calories. In fact, restaurants and the food industry are being encouraged to offer lower calorie, foods with lower SoFAS, portion ...
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Jul
06
2010
I can’t believe how quick five years has been. The last Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005 (DGA 2005) came out five years ago. And now here comes the 2010 report. Does everyone reading this article know what I am talking about? Okay-let’s review. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans is a joint project between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to provide advice for people (two years and older), on how and what to eat, and how good nutrition and fitness (physical activity) can help promote good health and reduce the risk of major diseases. Information about choosing a nutritious diet, maintaining a healthy weight, achieving adequate exercise (part of the Physical Activity Guidelies for Americans), and food safety were all included in the 2005 report. The committee that makes these recommendations is composed of experts in the fields of nutrition, exercise, medicine and science. The committee takes into consideration many factors including the current status of chronic diseases in our society like heart disease, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and bones loss. The current levels of physical activity, obesity, food insecurity and nutrient ...
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Jul
04
2010
I have been reviewing the most recent report from the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)-F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2010. According to the report, the rates of obesity are on the rise in most states except Washington, D.C. (21.5% adult obesity and 20.1 % childhood obesity). In fact, in the most recent American Fitness Index, the District of Columbia was rated as the “fittest” city in the United States. In this new report, Mississippi with an adult obesity rate of 33.8% was ranked as the “most Obese State in the Nation,” while the State of Oregon had the lowest childhood obesity with a 9.6%.
Here are the highlights of the report:
More than two-thirds of states (38) have adult obesity rates above 25 percent. In 1991, no state had an obesity rate above 20 percent.
Adult obesity rates for Blacks and Latinos were higher than for Whites in at least 40 states and the District of Columbia.
10 out of the 11 states with the highest rates of obesity were in the South -- with Mississippi weighing in with highest rates for all adults (33.8 percent) for the sixth year in a row.
84 percent of parents believe their children are at ...
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Jun
29
2010
I went away for a few days on business recently and scheduled my flights through the Fort Lauderdale International Airport. Usually I eat before I get to the airport since the selections have been, shall I say, limited. However this time, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s always a panic for me. The moment when I arrive at the airport, getting my bags out of the cab or my friends car, checking in, finding out I owe money to get my bags checked, going through TSA, shoes and belt off, the whole nine yards, until I get passed the security en route to what I call, the relaxing phase of pre travel. That’s the time right before you board the plane, and after you have gone through security. Now, you look for your gate, scope out the various stores and eateries and look for a comfortable and fairly clean seat. Usually I go for the coffee and get some cashews and dried fruits for the plane. This time, I was a bit hungrier and to my surprise found a nice selection of salads and sandwiches with the Chef Allen’s 2 GO logo. I have been lucky to have eaten at Chef Allen’s Restaurant (chefallens.com) many times on my travels to South Florida and have come to know the Chef personally. Chef Allen is one of the famous celebrity chefs ...
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Jun
27
2010
Here we go again, fresh off the SpaghettiOs recall, the Kellogg Company of Battle Creek- Michigan, (working with the FDA) voluntarily has recalled selected packages of several popular breakfast cereals due to “ an uncharacteristic off-flavor and smell coming from the liner of the package.” The products affected have the letters “KN” following the Better If Used Before Date.
Products in Canada are not affected and those products with the “KM” designation are not affected.
Here are the exact product numbers and specifications:
Kellogg's® Apple Jacks®
UPC 3800039136 1: 17 ounce package with Better if Used Before Dates between APR 10 2011 and JUN 22 2011
UPC 3800039132 3: 8.7 ounce packages with Better if Used Before Dates between JUN 03 2011 and JUN 22 2011
Kellogg's® Corn Pops®
UPC 3800039109 5: 12.5 ounce packages with Better if Used Before Dates between MAR 26 2011 and JUN 22 2011
UPC 3800039111 8: 17.2 ounce packages with Better if Used Before Dates between MAR 26 2011 and JUN 22 2011
UPC 3800039116 3: 9.2 ounce packages with Better if Used Before Dates between APR 05 2011 and JUN 22 2011
Kellogg's® Froot Loops®
UPC 3800039118 7: 12.2 ounce packages with Better if Used Before Dates between MAR 26 2011 and JUN ...
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Jun
19
2010
“The neat new spaghetti you can eat with a spoon and the jingle Uh-Oh! SpaghettiOs.”
Well my friends, one of my favorite foods as a child was “SpaghettiOs.” I could sing the jingle all the time. Now sorry to say, “SpaghettiOs” made by the Campbell Soup Company, is being recalled-Uh-Oh!
According to the recent United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) news release:
Campbell Soup Supply Company, LLC, a Paris, Texas, establishment is recalling approximately 15,000,000 pounds of "SpaghettiOs with Meatballs" canned products due to possible under-processing, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
The following products (click here to see labels of SpaghettiOs) are subject to recall:
14.75-ounce cans of "SpaghettiOs" with Meatballs, bearing the identifying product code "U5" on the bottom of the can.
14.75-ounce cans of "SpaghettiOs" A to Z with Meatballs, bearing the identifying product code "4N" on the bottom of the can.
14.75-ounce cans of "SpaghettiOs" Fun Shapes with Meatballs (Cars), bearing the identifying product code "KS" on the bottom of the can.
The products subject to recall bear the establishment number "EST 4K," as well as a "Use By" date between June 2010 and December 2011 ink-jetted on the bottom of each can. These products were manufactured between December 2008 and ...
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