Food for Thought

You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients.
- Julia Child

HIV/AIDS Awareness

March 10 is National women and girls HIV/ AIDS Awareness day. A day to rise awareness of the increasing inpact of HIV/ AIDS on women and girls. It is important that we talke action to get tested and provide treatment for all those who need it.

For more information go to http://www.cdc.gov/Features/WomenGirlsHIVAIDS/

To Find an HIV testing location near you go to http://www.hivtest.org/

Celebrating National Nutrition Month

March has been designated National Nutrition Month. March is a month when the focus is on the importance of making good food choices and developing healthy eating and physical activity habits.

Now is always the best time to look at our food habits and determine what we should change to promote a healthy life. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) have developed Dietary Guidelines for Americans. By comparing our choice to those recommend in the dietary guidelines and make one small change we can work towards a healthier life.

• Maintaine a healthy weight


• Increased intake of fruits and vegetables


• Decreased intake of saturated fat


• Choose more whole grains


• Avoid high salt foods


• Participate in regualr physcial activity

Lets make is March a successful National Nutrition Month by making the decision to change the way we eat, exercise and live.

Counsling with a Dietitian is a Benefit Even when Taking Diet Pills

Many people are looking for an easy way out when it comes to weight loss. A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine show that even a when taking a diet pill, effort is required

The study looked at the benefits of seeing a dietitian for weight loss in combination with taking a diet pill. All participants took a diet pill and was asked to decrease their calorie intake by 750 kcals a day. The participants were also encouraged to walk everyday.

The research found that "the type and frequency of lifestyle counseling support have a profound effect on weight loss." The study found that the greatest amount of weight was lost when the participant had face to face contact with a dietitian. When face to face counseling is not possible the study also found that counseling over the telephone was found to be an effective alternative.

Reference:
Digenio, Macuso, Gerber, Dvorak. Comparison of Methods for Delivering a Lifestyle Modification Promgram for Obese Patients. 17 February 2009,Volume 150 Issue 4:Pages 255-262

Food for Thought

“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.”
James Beard (1903-1985)

New Health Reform Bills in Utah Legislature

On February 19th the Utah House of Representatives approved three bills that were presented by the Healthy Reform Task Force. These Bills are now headed to the Senate for approval and if passed will go to the Governor for his signature or veto.

The Three Bill

• Health reform, Administrative Simplification: This bills goal is to simplify the coordination of benefits, standardize health care cards and create a broad based demonstrative project between provides and payers to help improve the payment and delivery of health care in Utah.
• Health System Reform: This bill would allow insurers to offer lower cost health insurance products that do not include certain state mandates. It will also create the Utah NetCare Plan, a low cost health benefit plan as an alternative to current federal COBRA and defines contribution arrangement market to be available on the internet portal. This bill would also re-authorize the Health Reform Task Force for one year.
• Health Reform, Health Insurance Coverage in State Contracts: This bill would require several state departments and government agencies to require a contractor who contracts with them to offer qualified health insurance coverage to the contractor’s eligible employee’s and the employee’s dependents if the contract or subcontract amount is above $500,000.

Chex® and O's Snackin' Bars

Everyone is looking for a fast and easy breakfast option, that won't pile on the pounds. This chex and O' bars is the a perfect solution.

Compare the Calories to Store Bars

• Chex and O's Snakin Bars 90 kcals
• Kashi TLC: Ripe strawberry cereal Bars 110 kcals
• Special K Bar: Cinnamon Peacon 90 kcals
• Nutri-Grain: Apple Cinnamon 130 kcals
• Soy Joy 130 kcals
• Quaker breakfast cookies 180 kcals

Recipe
Pre time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Makes: 36 bars






Ingredents

3 cups Corn Chex® cereal
3 cups Cheerios® cereal
1 bag (7 oz) mixed dried fruit and raisins
1 cup dried pineapple, chopped
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 T all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light corn syrup

Instructions

1. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large heatproof bowl, mix cereals, dried fruit and pineapple.


2. In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, flour and corn syrup. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Pour over cereal mixture; toss to mix well (mixture will be sticky).


3. Spoon cereal mixture into pan; spread evenly. Cool completely before cutting, about 30 minutes. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows.

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin

I have recently written an article on Human Chorionic Gonadotropin which can be found at http://weight-loss-methods.suite101.com/article.cfm/human_chorionic_gonadotropin_hcg
I received a comment on accuracy of the ways the study cites used to measure weight loss. I do agree that currently there are more accurate ways a looking at weight loss which could improve the results of the study. As for citing a study that was not within the last 3 years, it is because I was unable to locate current peer viewed studies that looked that the effectiveness of HCG. If there is current research available I would love to have the links.

Self-Weighting May Increase Weight Loss

A study published by the American journal of Preventive Medicine shows that obese adults that weighted themselves regularly lost about 1 extra pour for every 11 days they self-weighed. Those participants were also 11 times more likely to lose at least 5% of their pretreatment weight after 6 months. The study concluded that self-weighting may be an effective we to improve weight loss.

Reference:
VanWormer, Martinez, Martinson, Crain, Benson, Cosentino, Pronk. Self-Weighting Promotes Weight Loss for obese Adults. American Journal of preventive Medicine. 2009. 36(1);70-73

Antioxidents in Alternative Sweeteners

A new study publised by the American Dietetic Association suggests that a person can increase the intake of antioxidents by choosing alternative sweeterns. The sudy showed that while refined sugar, corn syrup and agave caintained mininal antioxident activity, dark aand blacktrap molasses had the hight antioxident acivity, while maple syrup, brown sugar and honey showed intermediate antioxident capacity. The research states that by subsituting alternative sweeteners could increase antioixidant intake by an average of 2.6 mmol/day, similar to that amount found in a serving of berries or nuts.

References:

1. Phillips, Carlsen, Blomhoff. Total Antioxidant Content of Alternatives to Refined Sugar. J. Am. dietetic Association.2009. 109(1):64-71