Study Shows Women of Young Children Eat More Calories

Are you having a struggle with weight loss?  Well, now you have someone to blame.  According to a study from the University of Minnesota, mothers of young children were heavier and ate more calories, fatty foods, and sugary drinks than women without children.  In addition, both parents were less active than those of the same age without children.  The study was not a small one.  There were over 1,500 adults with children younger than five and according to the report which is in the journal Pediatrics, mothers in this study with young children had a diet so poor, they'd have to walk three miles a day to not gain a pound.

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The Mediterranean Diet Has Medical Benefits

There has been a great deal of news lately surrounding the Mediterranean diet.  We know this diet is definitely a big help when it comes to fighting heart disease, and there are numerous reports that it can increase life expectancy.  Recently, there have been several reports looking at whether it helps prevent Alzheimer's disease.  The debate goes back and forth, and certainly there has been some groundbreaking work by Columbia University looking into the matter, but I think it's time to make a commonsense point.   There is great reason to continue studies here, but we also know the Mediterranean diet is just good for you.  

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Sleep More to Weigh Less

If you’re a child, and you want to knock off a few pounds, one of the theories is just get more sleep. That’s a word from a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology which followed more than 68,000 people over a 16-year period. Now, what they found is that researchers who found patients who caught more Z’s each night tend to put less weight on throughout their entire life. It’s a Case Western University research study. Basically, the amount of sleep you’re looking for is independent, and it varies by age.

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Study of Exercise and Extending Life

When it comes to exercise, any form of exercise is good for you, and according to a report from the National Institute on Aging, any kind of exercise will help extend your life. The officials at the Institute are not just relying on common sense, they’re basing their views on a study, a six year study of 302 people between 70 and 82. What they did was measure energy expenditure in a unique way. When people exercise, they produce carbon dioxide which can be excreted in the urine. In the study, the researchers had volunteers drink water containing two harmless isotopes, oxygen 18 and hydrogen 2. Oxygen 18 is eliminated from the body in water while hydrogen 2 is eliminated not only in water, but also in carbon dioxide. This is how they were able to measure carbon dioxide. After six years of research, they found death rates went down as daily energy expenditure went up.

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Children Should Not Focus on Dieting

When diet is a problem, we often don't talk about it the way we should.  Here’s an example.  Sometimes people try to lose weight, and that's fine, but sometimes people are obsessed with it.  And when it comes to children, it's very important that we recognize there is a problem that has to be looked at.  In other words, a child should not be overly concerned about diet.  They should be worried about eating proper foods, they should worry about exercising, but not losing weight and looking good in a bathing suit.  That's important.  

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Too Much Salt and Sugar

The American Medical Association represents doctors in the political and economic arena, but they have a far more important role…attempting to help set the health agenda for millions of Americans. The organization is taking a strong stand warning people about the dangers of too much salt and excessive of sugar in the diet. There is no doubt we consume far too much of each. There is a direct link between sodium and high blood pressure, and sugar? Well, it’s everywhere. Sadly, far too much is added to preserve foods, cakes and pies. Expect public service announcements and education over the next decade as the AMA tries to help people make informed decisions; this is much along the lines as the American Heart Association talking about cholesterol.

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Eating a Healthy Diet During Pregnancy

The best diet during pregnancy is one that is actually high in fruits and vegetables. What doctors often suggest you do is you talk to your obstetrician/gynecologist to discuss the best foods during pregnancy, but one of the things that physicians look at, essentially, is trying to get people to have a balanced diet. You don’t want to eat too much or too little, and you want to make sure that you have the proper components of fruits and vegetables. You want to avoid things that are high in fat, in excess. Again, it’s moderation that is the key.

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When Exercise Becomes Compulsive

Exercise is a great thing, but when you see compulsive exercise, it’s a problem. That is where a teenager, in particular, begins to exercise because they feel pressure to stay in shape. Maybe they want their body to be better. Maybe they want to be better athletes. Maybe they have anorexia or bulimic-type tendencies and they’re worried about their self-image. Exercise is great, but when it starts to take on a life of its own, that’s when you have to be concerned. Counsel the child. Try to find out why they’re exercising so much and if there’s changes that need to be made.

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Importance of Water for Health

It is a major point of discussion. What do you think is the most important step you can take when it comes to your overall health? Clearly, proper diet and exercise are essential. But what else? We want to raise the water argument. Think about it. It’s very important to drink plenty of water when you’re playing sports, exercising or performing virtually any activity that causes you to sweat and lose bodily fluids. Basically, there are other cases where it’s critical. Researchers at Northwestern say it can also help regulate body temperature and improve digestion.

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Study Looks at Calories and Weight Gain

It is a very simple concept: Calories in, calories out.  The more calories you take in, the greater your chances you will gain weight.  The problem is that many people, in fact, most of us, do not want to believe it.  We're always looking for an edge.  We want some way that we can beat the system.  So, if you're looking for a way to beat the system, you will not be happy with the results of a study done at Brigham and Women's Hospital.  Researchers followed a large group of healthy, middle-aged, U.S. women for more than a decade.  The first step of the study confirmed the fact that too many calories leads to weight gain (that's pretty obvious).  In the second part of the study they found that for those who started off at a healthy weight, being successful at maintaining a normal weight meant participating in an average of 60 minutes a day of moderately intense exercise.

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How You Lose Weight Is Important for Success

Losing weight is important, but how you lose it is even more important.  A lot of people go on diets where they get dramatic losses in weight over a short period of time.  But those diets are often doomed to failure because the people who lost that weight will gain it relatively rapidly and that is a problem.  One of the problems we have to deal with when it comes to dieting is people don't always understand that the weight loss that they can have is actually one which is transient.  It may last 6 months or 8 weeks, but it's not going to last a lifetime.  Changing life habits is the way to do it. 

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Study Shows Women of Young Children Eat More Calories

Are you having a struggle with weight loss?  Well, now you have someone to blame.  According to a study from the University of Minnesota, mothers of young children were heavier and ate more calories, fatty foods, and sugary drinks than women without children.  In addition, both parents were less active than those of the same age without children.  The study was not a small one.  There were over 1,500 adults with children younger than five and according to the report which is in the journal Pediatrics, mothers in this study with young children had a diet so poor, they'd have to walk three miles a day to not gain a pound. 

For more information, please go to www.123MyMD.com.   

Too Little Salt in the Diet?

It is one of those studies that raises all sorts of dietary issues.  A recent report suggests that people who have too little salt in their diet may be worse off than those who have too much salt.  As you are probably aware of, a high salt diet has been linked to increases in blood pressure.  So the question has been asked, "Who is correct?"  The best advice is to stay within recommended daily allowances.  What this does is it assures that it is being monitored by people who have looked at things in large numbers of people over long periods of time.  

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Coffee and Exercise

It is a daily ritual for many people. Wake up early. Grab a cup of coffee. And run on the treadmill, or get some sort of workout. But now, researchers suggest the amount of caffeine in just two cups of coffee can cut down the body’s ability to increase blood flow to the heart during exercise. Now this means that vital blood flow to the heart can be cut back when the body needs it most. The report is in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Caffeine did not affect heart blood flow when the participants were inactive. Caffeine may block certain receptors in the walls of blood vessels interfering with the normal signaling processes that cause blood vessels to dilate in response to exercise. Now, some people regard caffeine as a stimulant. The studies suggest it may not increase athletic performance. It also raises serious questions about people with heart problems drinking coffee before exercise.

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Read the Ingredients in Food, Not Just the Food Label

Eating healthy may take more than just reading the food label.  It's easy for food labels to fool you if you don't know exactly what you're looking for.  The packaging and the wording are precisely constructed.  Here’s an example.  If you're walking through the bread aisle and you see wording on a label such as "heart healthy" or "100% whole wheat," it might be correct, but do yourself a favor...turn to the back and read the ingredients.  Reading the ingredients is more important than reading the label.  If you read the ingredients, not just the label, you will find you will be making better choices.  This is certainly an art that you have to develop over time.  Try to understand what you're doing, take your time, and do it slowly.  It will make a big difference.

We always appreciate your comments and suggestions.  For more information, please go to www.123MyMD.com.   

Study Looks at Calories and Weight Gain

It is a very simple concept: Calories in, calories out.  The more calories you take in, the greater your chances you will gain weight.  The problem is that many people, in fact, most of us, do not want to believe it.  We're always looking for an edge.  We want some way that we can beat the system.  So, if you're looking for a way to beat the system, you will not be happy with the results of a study done at Brigham and Women's Hospital.  Researchers followed a large group of healthy, middle-aged, U.S. women for more than a decade.  The first step of the study confirmed the fact that too many calories leads to weight gain (that's pretty obvious).  In the second part of the study they found that for those who started off at a healthy weight, being successful at maintaining a normal weight meant participating in an average of 60 minutes a day of moderately intense exercise.  

We always appreciate your comments and suggestions.  For more information, please go to www.123MyMD.com.   

Decreased Sex Drive

A decreased sex drive is something that can occur at any age.  Some people have trouble in dealing with it, but the bottom line is sexual feelings, just like any other part of our human body, can change over time.  There are different periods where the sex drive may be up or it may be down and it has to do with all sorts of problems; things such as stress, pressure, diet, exercise, lack of exercise, or feelings about your partner.  All of these things can have a direct effect. 

We always appreciate your comments and suggestions.  For more information, please go to www.123MyMD.com.   

The Keys to Staying Young

Do you want to stay young?  If you want to stay young, you don't have to use special facial creams or start the latest fad diet.  Believe it or not, you just need to use common sense and care for yourself.  The most important step is eating a balanced diet; plenty of fruits, vegetables, and those types of things.  You want to try to cut back on sugar and pre-processed foods.  The other concept to get down is you don't have to be perfect.  You can have a piece of cake or pie and stop at a fast-food restaurant every now and then.  Just limit the high-risk exposure.  The other major step is exercise.  Once again, you don't need to be an Olympic athlete.  Just get out there and participate.  Make it fun.  If you have fun, you will continue to play, and that is the key.  The best way to achieve success with your diet or exercise is have a reasonable plan and to stick with it.

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A Baby’s Birth-Weight Can Have Lifelong Health Effects

Some of the most important things your mother ever did for you happened before you were born.  Proper diet, exercise, and avoidance of alcohol and cigarettes during pregnancy can have life-long effects on an unborn baby.  As we learn more about the role of prenatal care, we're also realizing that the birth-weight can have lifelong effects as well.  Very high and very low birth-weight are associated with an increased risk of complications during birth.  Additionally, low birth-weight has been associated with some chronic adult diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure.  There is no doubt that a mother's health and attention to a healthy pregnancy can have a major impact. 

We always appreciate your comments. 

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What Is The Key To Successful Dieting?

What do you do when you go on a diet? Well, many people actually just cut calories and they suffer. That really isn’t an effective way to diet. The problem with that is you can’t prolong it. People who are going to diet and do well have to do something they can do over time, to be proud of it, to prolong it, to make sure it’s something that lasts. If you’re going to be someone who is going to diet, make sure that you evaluate things on a regular basis. Look at your calories in, your calories out, and make sure you can sustain it over the long haul.

We always appreciate your comments. 

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