Monday, September 01, 2008 The Porky-Pink Elephant in the room! POST A COMMENT Have a seat. No, wait a sec, don't sit, I just got that new chair. 'And researchers are saying two-thirds of us are already overweight... Pointing out -- 'every American adult could be overweight 40 years from now. Intended as 'a wake-up call' the new study adds -- 'Simply telling people to eat less and exercise more is not enough. So, it really does take a village (maybe with reinforced seats) -- 'such as making communities more pedestrian-friendly so that people can walk regularly, or getting the food industry to offer healthier, calorie-conscious choices. "It really needs to be more than an individual effort. It needs to be a societal effort." -- I agree here, like climate change, it's the porky-pink elephant in the room that folks don't talk about. So, speak up. Walk it out; and learn more about what you're putting in your mouth. I wrote about my own hugging of a more 'Mediterranean lifestyle; 'read today another article suggest -- 'new studies present evidence that this plant-based diet - which features plenty of vegetables and limited meat, with olive oil the primary source of fat - also reduces cancer risk. I think some basic common sense works here, like simply writing down what you shove down your throat helps (the good, bad, ugly)...I'd suggest signing up online on one of the many social-dieting websites (they're free and it allows you to keep a daily diary that charts your progress). Isn't it really about baby-steps in the right direction. Here's a cool "eat this, not that." video...they also have a fun online quiz (Men's Health) Source: Rueters Health Labels: Health, Healthy Foods, HungryForChange.com, Mediterranan lifestyle, Obesity, Trends posted by Henry Cruz at 3:43 PM Sunday, August 24, 2008 Cut the fat-guessing POST A COMMENT 'Headed back into the gym last week, so I'm also back to sorting threw the latest fitness-trends. Every expert just about agrees that not all of us have the same body type... In terms of diets, I been kinda hugging the border of the Mediterranean Sea, or what's called the Mediterranean Diet -- (those folks near the Mediterranean sea have a low incident of heart disease, chronic diseases, and cancer, and the highest adult life-expectancy rate, which works for me). Here's the basic things about fat, the Mediterranean diet does contains 40% of total daily calories from fat. But, there is such a good thing as 'good fats. Olive oil, a staple of a Mediterranean diet, is a monosaturated fatty acid and counteracts animal fats. This type of fat does not raise blood cholesterol levels and is an excellent source of antioxidants. Monounsaturated fats are, in fact, required for the body in order to function effectively. Another staples in that diet is fish, which is high in omega-3 fatty acids, something that most people do not get enough of. I also eat lean pork and chicken breast, and rarely do I eat red meat... 'Speaking of fat, I read today about potentially -- pill popping your fat-away (for those really lazy people): 'Scientists discovered a protein that can promote the burning of body fat. "Mice injected with a protein called BMP7 increased their production of "good" brown fat cells, while keeping their levels of the normal white fat cells constant. Fat is a crucial part of the body's regulation of metabolism and body temperature. There are two types of fat cell with different functions: the well-known white fat cells, which store energy and contribute to obesity, and lesser-known brown fat cells that burn calories to generate body heat." "As we learn more about the controls of brown fat development, medical interventions to increase energy expenditure by brown fat inducing agents, such as BMP7, may provide hope to these individuals in losing weight and preventing the metabolic disorders associated with obesity," offers the head researcher. I haven't reached that level of lazyness...yet...but... 'Sounds sorta like the perks of the Mediterranean diet; which instead of counting calories, focuses on food selections. In general, Mediterranean style means eating food slowly and savoring the taste of the food. MEDITERRANEAN DIET-101 *High consumption of olive oil. *High consumption of fruit, legumes, and vegetables. *High consumption of grains, pasta, rice, bulgar, couscous, beans, nuts and seeds. *High consumption of garlic. Garlic lowers your cholesterol level and protects you against cancer. *Moderate consumption of grilled and steamed fish. *Low consumption of lean red meat and lean pork. *Low consumption of eggs and dairy products. *Low consumption of red wine. *Regular exercise is an important part of the Mediterranean lifestyle. - GUIDELINES FOR EATING THE MEDITERRANEAN WAY Plan your meals a week ahead. Try to include a wide variety of foods in your menu plan. *Replace butter and other fat with extra virgin olive oil in cooking and baking. Season your olive oil with garlic and/or herbs and spices. *Instead of dessert, eat a plateful of fresh fruit. *Eat lots of whole grains and beans. *Replace white potatoes with sweet potatoes. *Eat meals full of color! Add a variety of vegetables by eating salads and soups. *Limit processed foods. *Add fish to your diet twice a week and cut down on red meat. *Drink lots of water, never sugar-sweetened sodas. Source: Guardian U.K. Labels: drugs, Exercise, Healthy Foods, HungryForChange.com, News Trends, Obesity, Well-Balanced Life, Whole Foods posted by Henry Cruz at 2:48 PM Monday, August 04, 2008 Don't call 'em "Whole-Pay-Check" POST A COMMENT A couple of years back I had a friend over -- complaining as usual about his job -- and then he spotted my Whole Foods shopping bags laying out in the kitchen. "Oh man, you shop at whole-pay-check?" He says with a touch of disdain. "Only 'rich people shop there." -- Whole-Pay-Check, is what people have labeled the upscale market, -- meaning "shop at Whole Foods...'you'd better expect to spend your Whole-weekly-Paycheck there." I remember I got a tinge of being "too uppity," for wanting quality foods...hey, it was really hard at the time to get fresh fruits and veggies....so, I especially understood the recent NY Times article outlining -- in these tough times -- Whole Foods needs to remake itself: "convincing people that Whole Foods Market can be an economical place to shop." -- Um, Yeah, good luck with that one. "The company was once a Wall Street darling, but its sales growth was cooling even before the economy turned. Since peaking at the beginning of 2006, its stock has dropped more than 70 percent." “I came for something else one day and was shocked to find the meat on sale, so I bought it and put it in the freezer,” adds one customer. I'll be checking them out again this week to monitor the price changes, and see if I come home with at least half my paycheck -- (and I'll write a follow up here). A-Real estate side bar -- 'interesting thing about having a Whole Foods Market open up near you -- I learned watching HGTV -- are property values goes up. Mainly because whole foods will smartly only open up in college-friendly and areas where the average income and education level skews higher than the norm... I know when I buy my new place...it's gonna be near a whole foods so, it'll hold that resale value -- (assuming they can keep their asses in business long enough). Check out this Whole Foods video -- "inviting customers to show up for budget-focused store tours..." Source: NY Times Labels: economy, green living, Healthy Foods, News Trends, Obesity, Poverty Divide, rich and poor divide, Well-Balanced Life, Whole Foods posted by Henry Cruz at 1:35 PM Saturday, August 02, 2008 Time to eat the donuts? POST A COMMENT When folks think of health foods Dunkin' Donunts might be the last place that pops into their heads; but, "a new slate of better-for-you" menu options -- (which debuts Aug 6) -- is gonna try and say, "Hey, we have good stuff too." I'm gonna bet however, the typical Donut customer would sooner order shredded-pig-guts in lard sauce than the healthy alternatives. So this is for your tofu-eating-skinny friend -- who wondered into Dunkin' Donuts with you -- by accident. They'll now would be able to choose "flatbread sandwiches made with egg whites," and "turkey sausage egg-white sandwich or a vegetable one." -- (all under 300 calories) -- Like most fast-food-chains... The hope is to ward off the blame-game that Americans are all turning into uncontrolable fat diabetic slobs. "We're staying very true to our brand and very true to our heritage," says the company. "We're just growing and evolving." Speaking of evolving...'before gulping down those sweeties...dieters should realize that Food is energy — it is good for you. So, allow yourself some room for calorie mistakes. While most of us know choosing the right foods will keep us healthy. those same dieters, in a hurry, or looking for a quick bite -- or something just a bit-wicked with a side order of bacon grease -- turn out to be the donut shops best friend - (and I hear egg whites with a whole-lotta-kethup tastes de-li-ish...) Source: The Business Journal Labels: Diet 101, dunkin donuts, Health, Healthy Foods, HungryForChange.com, News Trends, Obesity, Restaurants, Well-Balanced Life posted by Henry Cruz at 3:40 PM Tuesday, July 29, 2008 Food Memories: Devoid of Fanciness! POST A COMMENT A friend of mine went to one of them fancy four star restaurants -- (that cost an arm and a leg) -- this past weekend, and complained how the food was really bad: "Not up to it's reputation....'too salty, badly prepared and way too costly." It got me thinking, why do people associate good food with high prices? On the Charlie Rose show last week I heard a great line from a famous chef about good-clean-food: "Sorta, maybe like a dive-bar," said David Chang, chef / owner of Momofuku Noodle Bar (NYC), on describing a quest for taking the elitist-stigma out of high rated restaurants. "Why can't that place --(meaning a simple dive bar)-- maybe serve the most delicious food in the world?...to love food in America you have this stigma of being elitist, and that shouldn't be the way." That pretty much sums up my feelings when I go out to eat in a restaurant. It's less about going to a fancy place, where you wear a suit and tie to...or the great ambiance...My motto is take me where the cab-drivers go to for a great meal...'cause doesn't it all come down to the simple and clean food... Menu prices doesn't have to be way-too-expensive -- or showcase an elitist environment to be a great meal...there are local places you can get a great meal experience...I'll be listing a few of my favs' here and over at HungryForChange.com Labels: Charlie Rose, Chefs, Health, Healthy Foods, HungryForChange.com, NYC, Obesity, Restaurants, Whole Foods posted by Henry Cruz at 2:13 PM Wednesday, July 09, 2008 Diaries: Hungry For Change! POST A COMMENT Big news -- from nutritionists -- keeping a food diary when you're managing your weight -- actually works. This latest findings are "part of a weight-loss maintenance trial...'after analyzing the data on weight loss to see which factors made a difference, researchers concluded that the more days a person kept a careful record, the more weight he or she lost." -- in some cases up to twice as much as others who didn't keep a daily record. My web-partner and I launched an online commnunity to motivate users on Food -- that has a daily-diary: HungryForChange.com, 'which is one option to keep track of what's going in...ultimately, there's no easy fix to dieting...but, all roads lead to making "life-style" changes that include better quality foods going in...and not so much of it. Source: U.S. News & World Report Labels: Exercise, Health, HungryForChange.com, Obesity, protein, Well-Balanced Life posted by Henry Cruz at 7:56 PM Sunday, April 20, 2008 Put down that X-box...? POST A COMMENT That which hurts us, well...um, 'will just make you hungrier. No, really. That X-box -- (or the X-box gen of kids) -- is actually changing the amount of accidents happening in the "outdoors" -- I'm talking about that article that points out: Most "Children are now more likely to be hurt falling out of bed than from a tree." According to the daily mail. Geez, Kinda gives new meaning to that Avril song with the line: "you're so delicious..." So, let's sing it out: Hey, hey...you, you...you know it's not a secret, eating and eating and more eating ...'will give you a fat ass... -- (okay, I'm no Avril) -- but, it got me thinking... the million dollar idea: Since the X-box has already captured the imagination of kids (it's like crack without the crack pipe), how 'bout a hybrid - x box ...the creative folks that can come up with a video game that actually makes it fun to shake your ass (that's a freebee folks)...discuss. Labels: Exercise, News Trends, Obesity, videogame posted by Henry Cruz at 5:06 AM Friday, April 11, 2008 videogame wars: patently offensive? POST A COMMENT The King -- (um, actually Stephen King) -- has way-ed-in on the debate to criminalize those violent video games when it come to kids. The pending bill would make it "illegal to disseminate material to minors that depicts violence..." -- in effect saying "violent videogames are pornographic and have no redeeming social merit." -- Now, we can debate the social merits of the classics like: "MILF Invaders part 6" (on another day). But, to simply say that "porn" and "video games" are along those same lines is...well, kinda stupid. Isn't it more like comparing "apples" and "jockstraps" (or whatever you're into). The two just don't fit together, and ultimately, as King suggests -- "parents" should be at the helm of what their kids are playing...not "politicians" who "take it upon themselves to play surrogate parents." The bigger issue to me, if you're going to go there, are the links of sitting around on our collective fat asses -- whether just playing innocent video games, or watching the three hour recap of American Idol gone wild -- all while stuffing our faces with Domino's....I'm talking about the issue of Obesity. Now, if you really want to save the children, let's grow a pair and pitch a bill on meatier issues that effect people's lives. In the meanwhile, I've got left-over Pizza in the fridge to deal with (hey, it was 3-pies for 20 bucks, can't beat that). Labels: Obesity, stephen king, videogame, violence posted by Henry Cruz at 1:54 PM Tuesday, October 02, 2007 Shocker: more fat people are going to get sick! POST A COMMENT 'reading that "twice as many U.S. adults are obese" compared to those skinny bitches in Europe, (Source Journal Health Affairs) -- In that study it says Americans will "suffer more often from cancer, diabetes and other chronic ailments." -- Yeek, belly check ya'll...I'll be doing a diet soon...and offering some cool stuff I find right here! -- here are five simple tips to help out: 1. Eat smaller meals throughout the day. Five or six small meals is ideal, helping your body digest more easily while storing less fat that causes cellulite. 2. Drink water. Drinking water after every meal also helps your body digest while hydrating you. Be careful though, too much water can be a bad thing. 3. Do exercises that gets your heart pumping. You can vary the intensity and duration of the exercises throughout the week. You can do high intensity/short duration like aerobics and low intensity/long duration like walking several times a week. 4. Incorporate strength training into your workout. Building the muscles around the problem areas can greatly reduce the appearance of cellulite. 5. Get plenty of rest. 7-8 hours of sleep will help out a lot. Also, when starting out, give your body about 48 hours of rest after strength training so you do not over-exert yourself. Ah, it all sounds so simple! Labels: Exercise, Health, Obesity, Tips posted by Henry Cruz at 5:46 PM     ARCHIVES October 2005 . November 2005 . December 2005 . August 2007 . September 2007 . October 2007 . November 2007 . December 2007 . March 2008 . April 2008 . May 2008 . June 2008 . 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