Low- and no- carb eating is all the rage these days.  Ditching carbs is tough to do-over the long haul. For starters, adults in the U.S. get about 50 percent of their daily calories from carbohydrates. If you cut out all carbs, you’ll have to give up fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans — which are the building blocks of a healthy diet. If you’re a woman, you may be doing yourself a disservice giving up carbs.  For women, particularly peri-menopausal or menopausal women, carbs stimulate serotonin production in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that governs our mood.  Some... Read More

More Americans are drinking alcohol, and a growing number of them are drinking to a point that’s dangerous or harmful, according to a new study published in JAMA Psychiatry this week.  The study, sponsored by a federal agency for alcohol research, examined how drinking patterns changed between 2002 and 2013, based on in-person surveys of tens of thousands of U.S. adults. Previous research showed steady or declining drinking patterns from the 1970s through the 1990s, the report says. In the 90s, however, alcohol consumption increased — the percentage of people who drank at all increased... Read More

It’s no secret that our children are not the healthiest in the U.S.  One in three children in America are overweight or obese. Today’s toddlers can expect good health until about age 65 and live about 76 years. By contrast, Japanese children have the highest healthy life expectancy in the world, with Japanese boys and girls expected to live to 73 without any major illness or disability and overall life expectancy in the 80s. Why is this the case?  The Japanese eat fewer calories per day including more fish, more vegetable products, less meat and dairy and consume more reasonable... Read More

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit environmental research and advocacy organization has disclosed that, when grown conventionally, strawberries are contaminated with more types of pesticides and in higher concentrations than any other produce tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration. EWG analyzed test results of more than 35,000 samples of popular fruits and vegetables and found 98% of strawberries had detectable pesticide residues. While the levels were within Environmental Protection Agency limits, federal regulations are too lax and some... Read More

There seems to be some confusion about whether dairy should be part of the American diet.  While some dietitians recommend dairy, specifically milk, because it’s a good source of calcium and vitamin D — nutrients that contribute to bone health — researchers say that the science behind milk consumption and bone health is not conclusive.  So, what are the benefits of dairy products? While there is nutrient value to dairy products, most are available from eating other foods.  There are benefits to consuming dairy products, some of which are contrary to what we previously believed... Read More

Colorado is frequently ranked high on lists of the most dog-friendly places. Denver has gotten positive feedback for its overall dog-friendliness, including rankings on the dog-centric community website Rover and financial consulting company SmartAsset. Match.com ranked Colorado as the number one dog loving state. Spending quality time with pets, specifically dogs, provides humans with companionship and can improve health. From a physiological standpoint, being with your dog can release feel-good hormones such as serotonin and oxytocin that elevate your mood. There are also other ways in which... Read More

Did you know that a green (unripe) banana confers its own unique health benefits? Green bananas are a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and contain resistant starch which cannot be broken down by enzymes in your digestive system and, therefore, acts more like fiber. Including foods high in resistant starch in your diet may reduce your risk of diabetes and heart disease by aiding in blood sugar control and lowering blood cholesterol levels. Bananas have higher levels of antioxidants as they ripen. Fully ripened bananas produce a substance called Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF). TNF regulates... Read More

So, you  eat a bowl of cereal during the Late Show.  No harm in that, right?  The answer may depend on how much of a habit late night eating is for you. Research says that eating snacks and meals late in the evening can lead to acid reflux, weight gain and even impaired memory and learning ability. In 2014, the New York Times reported that as many as 40% of Americans have acid reflux.  In addition to heartburn and indigestion, reflux symptoms may include postnasal drip, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, chronic throat clearing, coughing and asthma. The high incidence of acid reflux is significant... Read More

The company you keep has a lot to do with your success at losing weight. According to a story in the journal Obesity, if you want to lose, you might have more success dropping pounds by including thinner people in your social circle. Researchers asked about 9,000 adults ages 18 to 65 about their weight goals and their friends. In addition, they were also asked to describe the physical build of their four closest friends in relation to their own. The group was tracked for a year. Those who wanted to lose weight often spent more time with people who were also carrying extra pounds, but when they... Read More

Today, about three million Americans are gluten free, 72 per cent of whom are classified as PWAGs: people without celiac disease avoiding gluten. Aside from celiac disease, there are other conditions impacted by gluten in the diet–rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and other autoimmune disorders. Gluten is a mixture of two different proteins present in cereal grains, especially wheat, rye, and barley. For those with sensitivities, gluten causes inflammation and damage in the intestinal tracts and other parts of the body. One in 133 people have celiac disease, an autoimmune disease... Read More