WARNING: May result in
rapid fat loss, major
health improvements and
extremely impressed relatives!
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The Tuesday 10:
This Tuesday’s 10 serves up a tempting buffet of unusual and useful health nibbles. Guaranteed to be at least as entertaining as a heat lamp and definitely more interesting than a pan of reconstituted potato flake crests rising from lakes of Yellow No. 5 “butter”.
10. Peter Pan may have to grow up and face the salmonella, but it’s just as well, because now there’s an excellent alternative: Omega-3 peanut butter. That’s right – peanut butter, the all-American food spread which is neither nut nor butter, is now enhanced with heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids.
(And it’s true: the peanut is more pea than nut – it’s a legume. Also, we think it’s time for a new cardiovascular-benefit phrase, because “heart-healthy” is just so tired. Cardio-caring? Artery-amor? Oh, fine…)
9. According to these genii, sugar does not have any relationship to type 2 diabetes. You see, that’s just a silly myth that foolish people used to believe. In fact, according to the experts at the American Diabetes Association, no one is sure what exactly causes type 2 diabetes.
All we know is that the liver can’t handle sugar a certain substance sometimes so the pancreas has to pump out insulin to manage the blood sugar and when this happens too much over a prolonged period of time from eating sugar unknown causes, the entire system gets worn out and, interestingly, you get diabetes. It’s a very mysterious mechanism, this liver-pancreas-blood thing. There may be some association. But it definitely has nothing to do with sugar.
(Note: this information was brought to you by the ADA, the same progressive association which sent out Christmas cards in 2006 that were plastered with images of candy canes. So obviously sugar has nothing to do with diabetes.)
8. What beef broth and beef flavoring are typically made from. Warning: this does take all the fun out of ramen. And with all we know about refined starch and trans fat, this couldn’t come at a worse time for noodles.
7. The weirdest disease you’ve ever heard of. (After #8, we figure you need a break.)
6. What’s as big as a football and hangs out below your ribs? No, not your belly (we hope). This important guy. Give him love.
5. Happy cows? Not only is a picture worth a thousand words, it’s worth some clickativity. This is a very well-written, thoughtful dairy piece that comes out in favor of Big Moo. Some further investigation into the studies reveals Blunder Tonic bias, but since we promised to give da-iry and mad cows a rest, we’ll let it slide…for now. This link is merely to draw attention to food production circa 2007.
4. Crazy fact: If you actually read through that dairy article, you’ll learn there are about 9 million dairy cows in this country. And all of them are the spawn of only a couple of bulls. Incest jokes aside, isn’t it wacky that 300 million+ people are drinking/chewing/DiGiorning the reproductive fluid of animals with identical fathers (and therefore genetic history)? We really are all connected.
Just chew on that one for a minute.
3. Mark’s been griping about the Cheesecake Factory’s one-pound slices of cake and Chili’s 2,700-calorie onion appetizer for months. Finally, a group decides that burritos as big as shoes might be a problem deserving of a little heads-up.
While we’re on the subject, what kind of a name is “Cheesecake Factory”? Why does it work? Unhealthy item + Unhealthy item + Mass-production structure? “Lardsugar Turbine” would never fly, but then, neither would “Vitaminarugula Wok”.
2. Ridiculous item of the day:
Don’t worry, obesity is no big deal.
1. Is your brain happy?
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Posted By: Worker Bee
Worker Bees’ Daily Bites:
Or should that be…health is the new blog? And have you noticed the constant “this is the new that” slogans everybody likes to come up with? (Just Google: sugar is the new trans fat, brown is the new black, adults are the new kids.) How about a new turn of phrase device? Like…”couplets are the new turn of phrase device”. Oh, wait, that’s just the new thing again. Nevermind.
Here’s your piping hot batch of health news!
1) No More Wining
All the benefits of wine, none of the headache-inducing tannins and brain toxins. Just make sure you pick 100% real juice, and don’t drink too much of it (because…yes…sugar is the new trans fat). Or just eat grapes. The beneficial antioxidants everyone is in a big stomp about (like resveratrol) are found in the skins of the grapes.
2) Unexpected Mad Cow News
Here is some unexpected mad cow news. We’ll keep you posted as research develops. You might want to consider going organic in the meantime.
3) Will it make a difference?
The Faster Death Agency Food and Drug Administration has come under furious scrutiny over all manner of corruption and shenanigans (Vioxx, politicizing Plan B, Prempro and numerous other drug scandals). A recent independent investigation found that the FDA errs – big surprise here – on the side of approval even when new drugs have not had extensive testing. Essentially, the FDA gives drug companies a hall pass. In so many words, the FDA says “Hey, Big Pharma, you’re gonna make sure your product is safe, right? Cool. Sally, did you find my iPod yet? I have to make my private jet to Telluride in, like, 30 minutes!”
The actual wording is convoluted legalese, but that’s pretty much what it boils down to.
In light of the fact that a post at the FDA is a cushy chill-out job for stressed former Pharma execs, this news fills us with hope. We’ll keep an eye on whether or not it actually makes a difference. Check the press release (link below), and you’ll see that the official spin is maddeningly glib: the FDA is changing because it’s simply time to update processes in light of new scientific methods. Gosh, is that it? How fun. Translation: the FDA is changing because, oops, we need to stop approving needless deaths by instituting standards that have already been around for two hundred years.
In the meantime, be careful about trying new drugs or multiple prescriptions without first doing a little research – and always get a second or third opinion (fortunately, real research is now easy to find at places like Pubmed, Vitasearch and even the FDA’s own website).
And let’s just remember, the FDA is the fine organization that brings us this inflamed nubbin:
4) Finally!
New York has taken steps to ban trans fat. So we knew L.A. would catch up sooner or later. It just needed time to come up with a subtle little “Um, we’re already so much healthier than NYC!” jab, and here it is:
“I haven’t received one call from a restaurant saying it doesn’t want to make a change. I get more phone calls a day from restaurants that say they’ve never used it.”
We don’t care, as long as more cities jump out of the fryer, too.
Technorati Tags: sugar is the new trans fat, benefits of wine, antioxidants, resveratrol, organic, FDA, ban trans fat
Posted By: Worker Bee
Most of us eat out for at least one-third of our meals. It’s a necessary convenience these days. Unfortunately, that means a lot of extra calories and unhealthy choices. It’s no wonder Americans have gotten wider as restaurant dining has become the norm.
This week, resolve to eat right when you dine out. That means no junk or fast food. No sea of bacon grease or pasta swimming in alfredo sauce. It means no basket of bread with butter before your meal, and no dessert after your dish (the food we eat after we’ve already…eaten?). Stick to salads, grilled fish or chicken, simple vegetable or fruit sides – and hold the grease, sauces, and spreads! You’ll feel really great choosing the healthiest thing on the menu. (And you’ll probably lose a few pounds).
And here’s the second part of the challenge:
Help others make healthy choices, too. Click on Forum above, and take a moment to share how you stay healthy while dining on-the-go. If you aren’t already an Apple, registering takes just a few moments, and of course, joining is completely spam-free. Tell us your tips!
Posted By: Mark Sisson
Here’s your smart fuel, just in time for the weekend!
Wild Rice
This chewy grain is not really a grain at all. It’s not even rice, technically speaking. It’s a grass shoot, more akin to bamboo. (Which, incidentally, is grass, not a tree. Imagine mowing that.)
Wild rice is incredibly high in protein, low in sugar, and has more fiber than a cardboard box. This is one of the smartest ways to get an internal “scrub” (hey, it’s true). It also tastes a lot better than cardboard and won’t puff you up like pasta or white rice.
Here’s a great recipe for wild rice from the Bees. I suggest substituting the sausage with organic chicken or turkey.
Posted By: Mark Sisson
Worker Bees’ Daily Bites:
All the news, none of the preservatives.
1) Inflammation Causes Cancer
This is huge news, so be sure to spread it! Scientists have long suggested a link between inflammation and cancer, but lacked conclusive evidence. Lo and behold…
Inflammation is caused by many things. Among the most common culprits: injury, stress, smoking, alcohol abuse, obesity (this is a “two way street”), and poor diet. Pro-inflammatory foods are – you guessed it – the most common foods in the American diet. To avoid inflammation, avoid sugars and starches, fried foods, and processed, packaged items. Examples are waffles, pasta, french fries, snacks and chips, pastries, and frozen convenience meals.
Translation: stay away from things that inflame! Inflammation is a common culprit behind obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and much more.
In related health matters, acid reflux may lead to cancer, too. And guess what causes acid reflux? Your buddy, inflammation. Like the guy on the couch in your college days, it’s time to say goodbye if you’re letting inflammation hang around and damage your health. Here are important things to avoid if you want to reduce heartburn and reflux risk.
2) Fun Facts About Mark’s Daily Apple
Did you know that hovering over links and pictures here at Mark’s Daily Apple can provide you with hours of hilarious entertainment? That’s because we pride ourselves on sneaking in funny (okay, maybe cheesy is more like it) comments when Mark is not looking. Don’t tell him.
Another fun fact:
See that nifty little description above Mark’s head? We’re going to be holding a contest to change it (which means the contest just started). One of the Bees likes “Better than bran muffins.” Mark says “Will blog for health.” We want to know what your idea is! We know there’s a witty, funny, healthy phrase inside you, just waiting to get out! So tell us. Shoot us your ideas by clicking “Ask Anything!” at the top of this page. A very cool and healthy reward goes to the first winner. Because hey, we might just change it again.
3) Embolization is the new surgery! Wait…what’s embolization?
Scientists say that uterine fibroid tumors can be treated successfully without surgery, which involves serious risks, side effects and longer hospital stays. The trade-off: one in five women undergoing the embolization process has to come back for more traditional treatments. But it’s a reasonable and encouraging alternative to the invasive and permanent nature of hysterectomies.
4) Fizzy Fruit
We’re in a tizzy over fizzy fruit (hey, we couldn’t resist). Thanks to Dr. Mercola for the heads-up: this ridiculously unhealthy “fruit” product aimed at children is being marketed with the help of some old Coca-Cola pros. Now if you’ll excuse us, the Fuming Fuji has blown his top and we need to call the contractor.
Fruit is already fun for kids. We don’t need to make it fizzy – who needs yet another processed food? This is one more example of taking a food that has a vague reputation of health, turning it into a processed, unnatural product, and espousing it as a health food. Fresh, whole, natural foods are best – isn’t that simply common sense?
Unfortunately, this is one of those items that kids will love and parents may go along with because of the convenience factor – and fruit is “healthy”, right? Of course children love sugar and soda – which is what this snack boils down to. The carbonation may not have added sugar, but this is a glorified dessert nevertheless.
Here’s Fizzy Fruit’s bizarre wonderland website. Is it a farm, Hollywood, a scary freeway, or Wonka’s magic factory? We want to know: how do these enemies of children’s health sleep at night knowing they’re contributing to a lifetime of bad health for the next generation? (And what genius thinks words like “Fizzonator” and “Serfizzes” are clever? Kids are smart, so this is insulting, which tells you a lot about what the company’s real aims are.)
Posted By: Worker Bee
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