Daily Diet Blog

August 6, 2008

Is Soy Good or Bad for Us?

Filed under: Health News — EatingToLive @ 11:59 am

Well, I used to, like everyone else, think that soy-based products were fine. In fact, I thought they were so fine, and actually good for you, that I would eat them in plentiful abundance some days when I didn’t feel like eating meat. I love the flavor of most soy based processed products, but I do have one complaint about them, and that is they seem to make my breath really bad, and bad for hours too, after I eat them, so it hangs on.

I’m still not quite sure why they do that to me, but they also do that to my boyfriend, whom I’ve gotten to try quite a few soy products like tofu and soy burgers and soy cheese.

Sometimes you just don’t know who to believe when you read about foods that are supposedly good for you and foods that are supposedly bad for you, but for some reason I believe this guy Dr. Mercola, whose newsletter I signed up for through a naturopathic health site one day.

I periodically will get these emails, and won’t read every single one of them, but this specific one I did because it said something about soy being one of the worst things you can eat, and how the soy industry has tricked us into thinking soy is a health food. Well, this of course sort of blew up my theory that I was eating healthy when eating these soy based (processed soy though) products.

Apparently, there is a good type of soy and a bad type, and the type that is processed for the meat imitations and so forth is not good, and can actually do more harm than good when consumed in any sort of quantity. Apparently it can do harm because it produces so many estrogen compounds in the body that can actually interfere with the production and healthy activity of the real, human estrogen in the body.

After reading it, I felt very schooled in the truth about soy, although of course I cannot vouch for the fact that this Dr. is 100% right or does not have ulterior motives of some sort. However, what he said did make sense, and I’ve decided to still enjoy soy products, but only in moderation.

July 19, 2008

Diabetes On the Rise

Filed under: Health News — EatingToLive @ 11:12 am

Diabetes, or an increased blood sugar level, is on the rise in the U. S. at an alarming rate.   One of the reasons cited for this rapid rise is that more people are being diagnosed with this medical condition.  Actually, the worst case scenario is if you are diabetic and are not aware of it since you would not be taking measures to control your blood glucose.
Are there things you can do to try to avoid being part of this grim statistic?  Absolutely, you can work with your physician to control some of the risk factors associated with diabetes.
Have your blood glucose levels checked regularly to see if you are at a high risk.  If your blood sugar levels become higher than normal but not high enough to be considered diabetic you would be classified as pre- diabetic.
At this point, you could take natural steps to avoid beconing diabetic.  Of utmost importance is attaining and maintaining a healthy weight.  Other important measures you should take are eating healthy and exercising.  These changes should be complete lifestyle changes and not just a crash diet and exercising for several weeks or months.
When approaching the weight loss issue, set a goal and a realistic time frame to achieve it.  Even a small amount of weight loss will help you to better control your blood glucose.
Keep your dietary intake high in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fat free milk, lean meats, poultry and fish.  Avoid foods high in saturated fats, cholesterol, trans fats or foods with added salt or sugar.
Reasons for the increase, besides better diagnosis of diabetes, are more people being overweight and sedentary and having high blood pressure and high cholesterol.  Raising awareness of the diabetes increase will hopefully help to curb incidence of this disease.
Diabetes, when uncontrolled, can lead to vision problems, circulatory problems and often kidney problems and failure.  It is imperative that, if you are diabetic or pre-diabetic, you make lifestyle changes to control your blood sugar for your overall health and longevity.

June 3, 2008

McDonald’s Changes to Healthy Fat for Fries

Filed under: Health News — EatingToLive @ 8:48 pm

WOW!  I have to say, it’s a relief that McDonald’s, who has my personal favorite in the realms of greasy, good but oh so bad french fries to pig out on, has made the switch over to trans fat free oil to fry their little golden fries that are one of their signatures in.  Following suit after several other high profile fast food places have made the healthier switch to a better, less addictive and side effect riddled fat, McDonald’s says the flavor of their famous fries should not be changed too much.

Which brings me to a point that I forgot about until now.  I had a teacher back in highschool (it was a long time ago, don’t ask), who had told me that it was way too long ago for me to remember because I was so young when it happened, or may not have even been born yet, but McDonald’s used to fry their french fries in an even worse fat than the trans fat oil they used up until now.

And,…….drum roll please!  It used to be that they fried their french fries in BEEF FAT!!!  Yes, a highly cholesterol heightening, artery clogging fat was what they used to fry their beloved french fries in.  And guess what - it was delicious, according to my high school teacher.  She said that, although I couldnt’ believe my McDonald’s fries could have been any better than they already were back then, they used to be the most delightful thing she had ever eaten. 

So, I guess after Mickey D’s must’ve taken a lot of heat for frying their stuff in this high fat oil they switched to what it is today, and now they are switching again.   I have to wonder, are they going to say in another ten years or even twenty years that whatever they’ve switched to now is no good too? 

I think we all understand that most oils are not good, and some are good for us only when used in moderation, so I’m wondering how good one oil can be when compared to another when you are literally dunking a whole carton of french fries in it.  But oh well, I guess as long as it’s a healthier fat, every little bit helps, right? 

April 30, 2008

Reducing Red Meat Always a Good Idea

Filed under: Health News — EatingToLive @ 5:14 am

Dietitians have long been discouraging the consumption fo large amounts of red meat and processed red meats.  Consumption of large quantities of red or processed meats has been linked to high cholesterol levels and a higher chance of obesity.  Red meats include beef, pork and lamb.  Processed red meats include cold cuts, ham, sausage, bacon and hot dogs.
Cancer experts from the American Institute for Cancer Research have been studying the effect of diet as it relates to cancer occurrence.  This Institute concluded the risk of developing colon cancer increases by 42% for every 3.5 oz. of processed red meat eaten per day.  The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends avoiding all processed red meat except on rare special occasions.
The recommendations by cancer experts, after reviewing red meat consumption and it’s link to colon cancer, is to limit red meat consumption to 18 oz. or less per week.  In the United States, we eat far more red meat than 18 oz.per week.  As an alternative to red meat or processed red meat, it is recommended that we substitute poultry or fish as our source of protein for main entrees at lunch or dinner.  Meatless meals, made with soy or vegetables can also be hearty and filling.
For decades now, Americans have been shifting away from their peak consumption of red and processed meats.  According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Reasearch Service, we have dropped our annual consumption of red meat by an average of 14 pounds per year per person. 
While this is definitely progress away from a meat that although it has some nutritional value, it is still very difficult to digest and also has a bad reputation for increasing cancer risks, and must be reduced even further to be of a true health benefit.  Still, according to cancer experts, we need to drop that statistic further. Consuming more fish and poultry and fruits and vegetables and further decreasing our red meat and processed red meat will decrease our risk of developing colon cancer.

March 22, 2008

Drinking Water Contaminated?

Filed under: Health News — EatingToLive @ 11:18 am

Most of us assumed that drinking tap water was relatively safe, since it is so rigorously tested and treated for human consumption.  However, traces of pharmaceuticals have been found in drinking water supplies at 24 major metropolitan areas. 
The question that pops into my mind is how the pharmaceuticals got into the water supply in the first place.  People consume the medication as prescribed and absorb what they will and the remainder is excreted and flushed away via the toilet. 
While the wastewater is treated before it reaches lakes and reservoirs and then treated a second time at a treatment plant for drinking water consumption, it does not remove all of the residual drugs.
Some of the testing results that found pharmaceutical residue were as follows.  In Washington D.C., the drinking water tested positive for six pharmaceuticals.  In southern California, drinking water tested positive for anti-epileptic and anti-anxiety drugs.  In Philadelphia, it was found that the drinking water contained by products of drugs for pain, epilepsy, asthma, cholesterol, mental illness and heart problems.
Research shows that fish and wildlife are suffering from the effects of drug contamination in rivers and lakes around the nation and globally.  The EPA intends to learn more about the concentrations of pharmaceuticals in wastewater. 
At present, the federal government does not mandate testing for pharmaceuticals or set safety limits yet for it in drinking water.  The boom of the pharmaceutical industry may be part of the cause.  Increasingly, more Americans are taking medications regularly and even our pets are medicated more frequently.
The concern for the long term consumption of a random mix of trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in our drinking water is valid.  Research is underway and continuing for how this might effect cell growth and especially how it may effect embryos, the very young and the very old.

February 26, 2008

Obesity and Cancer Linked by Science

Filed under: Health News — EatingToLive @ 12:23 pm

It has long been sort of an “understood” that cancer incidence is increased by obesity, but up until now I don’t believe it’s ever been conclusively linked.  Obesity has been linked to a number of health issues that are plaguing us today, including diabetes, cancer, digestive disorders, mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, heart problems, circulatory issues, and the list goes on and on into almost every possible conceivable body part and area you can think of.

In fact, the link between obesity and various types of cancer has become so strong and scientifically proveable (ok, is that a word, or did I just make that up?), that it is now being listed as the number one killer, ahead of the all time worst, smoking.  The  most plausible explanation may be that obese people tend to not get a lot of the good, healthy foods that help us arm against cancers in their diet, like fruits and vegetables, but instead focus on highly fattening, salty and sugary foods which both promote weight gain and unhealthy blood sugars, as well as help to fuel every type of cancer, which is known to be fueld by excess sugar in the diet.

So, one of your best defenses against cancer, it seems, is to make sure you eat right and maintain that svelte, fit figure to help ward off cancers of all types. 

December 24, 2007

Happy Holidays from Daily Diet Blog!

Filed under: Health News — EatingToLive @ 7:34 pm

Just wanted to take the time to wish everyone a wonderful holiday, whatever you might be celebrating.  For me, it’s Christmas, so Merry Christmas!  Tis the season to be with friends and family and have a lot of holiday cheer - which means lots of food. 

Hopefully we helped you a little with getting through that difficult time, but if not, this next year holds lots of exciting new prospects in the field of natural diet products like herbal weight loss pills and hoodia diet gum, which help to zap the appetite and get your waistline back in order.  Here’s a to a great year in 2008 for the diet and weight watching community.  To your continued health and happiness! 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM DAILYDIETBLOG.COM!!

December 6, 2007

Master Cleanse Diet : My Review

Filed under: Health News, Diet Reviews — EatingToLive @ 6:37 am

OK, so as promised, I had run out of time when I was about to spill my Master Cleanser diet review.  As I had previously states in my last post, I didn’t finish the ten day regime that the Master Cleanser diet by Stanley Borroughs recommended, but it was not because I don’t believe in the cleansing and detoxifying powers of the diet, it was because it takes willpower and perseverence, and I couldn’t finish because of too many personal issues right now.  I do intend to do the entire ten days after Christmas though.

Well, I started my first day of the diet by making my freshly “brewed” double batch of the master cleanser lemonade.  The idea behind the lemonade is sort of two fold.  One, it contains enough nutrients and adequate blood sugar boosters in the maple syrup to keep your blood sugar from totally bottoming out as long as you sip it when you feel extremely hungry, and two, the lemon juice helps to alkalize the body, which means to neutralize acid, and also helps to loosen plaque and mucus from the bowels and intestines so they may be flushed out, and then the cayenne also acts as a stimulant to rid the debris from the colon, as well as satiates the appetite a bit and perhaps even causes a mild metabolism boost. 

For the ten days, all you are supposed to drink is the lemonade and your herbal laxative tea.  You are supposed to drink the laxative tea every night and morning, or you have the option of doing the saltwater internal bath in the morning instead of the tea.  Let me tell you, I only did the saltwater bath once in the morning, and it was not pleasant getting a quart (which is a whole 32 ounces) of saltwater down. 

I almost gagged every time I took a gulp.  You are supposed to drink it as much at once as you can, and you are supposed to have several bowel movement in the next half hour to hour after you drink this disgusting concoction.  I had several bowel movements about a half hour after I drank the saltwater. 

I did not get any cramps, rather I was just ready to go all the sudden when the  movements occurred.  I have to say, there were some questionable items in my eliminations, and that makes me think that the cleanse really does remove debris that you probably don’t even remember consuming! I can see why this diet says that it accelerates fat loss, because it is purging you of debris and toxins that most likely may also cause excess fat storage.   

I did end up feeling sick both mornings I woke up, and I had a heavy coating of something on my tongue both mornings as well.  I assume this was the act of my body detoxing, which even though it felt gross, was somehow oddly pleasing since I knew it was working.  After I felt sick and weak in the morning, I felt good and energetic. 

It was very hard to ignore the smells and sights of foods though, and that really does take an iron will the first few days of the diet when you are still experiencing cravings due to your inherent “addiction” to food.  It is almost like an alcoholic who goes through alcohol detox.  You want it and crave it, even though you know your detoxing is doing wonders, your body does rebel against you when you first begin. 

My skin, in the whole two and a half days I was on the diet, did seem to clear up nicely, which was another nice side benefit.  When I try this diet again after the holidays, I plan on keeping a daily or bi-daily journal on this blog of my experience and review of the Master Cleanse diet, so stay tuned! 

September 3, 2007

A Healthier Donut?

Filed under: Health News — EatingToLive @ 9:11 pm

Well, yes, in terms of healthier for your cholesterol, and also probably healthier for your heart, BUT donuts are still fattening, and still a big no-no food, trust me.  Dunkin Donuts has been the latest fast fooder to jump on the trans fat ban wagon by announcing that they are now making all of their famously delicious donuts with a trans fat free oil.  Donut eaters rejoice, but don’t think this justifies cramming more of those luscious, fluffy empty and non-filling calories down your gullet!

It’s announced that it will be re-doing about 5o menu items or so, and then maybe they will do more if this new trans fat free thing works.  Trans fats have received a lot of bad press lately, for a good reason.  Trans fats are what’s called hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils that actually make those bad junk foods taste better, but they are also highly addictive, if you ask me, and they are also likely responsible for the increasing cholesterol rates here in the US, and almost certainly a contributing factor to the growing and not getting better obesity trend in the US.

The fats were dreamt up so that they could create a partially artificial oil with a better taste and longer shelf life, and voila, they came up with one of the worst and most sinful foods or byproducts in the history of modern food.  It’s right up there with MSG, which I can’t figure out for the life of me why that hasn’t been banned yet - that and artificial sweeteners made with saccharin and other chemicals. 

August 27, 2007

Eating Habits Originate Pre-birth?

Filed under: Health News — EatingToLive @ 5:43 pm

I read an interesting story the other day about how many scientists now believe that mothers who binge on sweets and salty, high fat snacks while pregnant may in fact be hurting their fetus more than they know by instilling these types of eating habits and cravings on the little person while they’re still in the womb.  Interesting, because my mom and I laugh about how I somehoe love processed American cheese, and she practically lived on Velveeta cheese loaf when she was pregnant with me.  So, by that example, I could totally see how this premise could hold true.

Researchers are saying that expectant moms who indulge in tons of junk and snack foods and high calorie content foods as well as high calorie diets while pregnant (hint : the phrase “eating for two” is not true), may be increasing their unborn child’s chances of becoming overweight or struggling with their weight througout their life by providing a basis for unhealthy eating and a tendency to crave these types of comfort foods since this is what they were used to while in the womb.

Going a step further, this can happen not only while the baby is still in the mother’s womb, but also when she is breastfeeding, she may want to be careful not to over do it on the junk food all the time, as this still may affect the child’s eating and appetite tendencies for junk foods and fatty snacks when they are of age to make their own choices, so moms also need to be conscious of their health and food choices while breast feeding as well.

Eating healthy, meaning fruits and veggies, whole grains and lean proteins, and not over eating, may help a child to develop a naturally more suppressed appetite than, say, a child who has been raised on too many calories and all the wrong types of food while in the womb and being breast fed.  I guess the lesson here, is what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, or what’s good for the mom is good for the baby.  Mom’s just may want to watch they don’t over eat when nursing or pregnant, and also to eat good foods, so the baby has a chance at having a healthy appetite control as well as healthy inclinations toward food choices in their future. 

 

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