Eating For Health

Lots of people are talking about what RFK, Jr. may do to the food industry as he focuses on making foods healthier with less additives and chemicals.   Many articles have been written about it.   What foods might be affected by health policies favored by RFK, Jr.? Foods with additives:   Ever take the time to read the ingredient label on foods?   So many have ingredients that are hard to pronounce and most people have no idea what the chemical or additive is.   Food manufacturers add chemicals “to enhance flavor, color, or shelf life” but in doing so such chemicals may adversely affect our health.   Food Dyes :   EWG notes that three food colors comprise 90% of the food dyes in food, including Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 5, and Yellow Dye No. 6.   o    Red Dye No. 40 – so many foods have been colored with red dye including candies, snacks, and many beverages like fruit punches and fruit drinks.   In fact, EWG says “more ...

Everyone with diabetes or prediabetes knows that control of blood sugar levels is important.   But did you know that just walking for 2 minutes after meals is helpful in lowering blood sugar?   Yes, just 2 minutes.   And walking has so many other health benefits.   A relative with prediabetes was at the doctor’s this week for a checkup.   The doctor was impressed with how well the relative was controlling her blood sugar.   The relative said she tries to stay active.   The doctor said too many of his patients with prediabetes aren’t active which raises their blood glucose levels.   How does walking help lower blood sugar levels?   After you eat a meal, your body digests the meal and turns the carbs you eat like starches, fruit, and desserts into sugar.   This sugar enters your blood raising blood sugar levels.   Exercising after one eats a meal or snack helps your body get that sugar into cells to be used for energy.  ...

There may be no fountain of youth but there seems to be some heart-healthy habits that may slow biological aging.    Medical News Today has an interesting article , “8 heart-healthy habits may slow biological aging by up to 6 years, researchers say”.   What study did researchers do and what did they find? Researchers looked at 6500 adults (average age of 47) to study the American Heart Association’s recommendations of Life’s Essential 8 checklist to see if following the 8 essentials would slow biological aging.   They found that adults “with high cardiovascular health were about six years younger biologically than their chronological age.”    Why would high cardiovascular health extend life? Researchers surmise that good heart health reduces one’s risk of heart disease but also other age-related diseases.   What are the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 ?   AHA notes their 8 lifestyle steps not only lead to better hear...

Who isn’t looking forward to all the great food there is to eat on Thanksgiving?   In our family, we have some great cooks and they love to cook up a storm and they bring lots of different main dishes, side dishes and desserts.    How can you enjoy all those Thanksgiving goodies without feeling guilty?   Last year I provided some tips on how you can enjoy the Thanksgiving feast and all those leftovers without ending up gaining weight over the long weekend.   Not exactly an easy thing to do but some of these tips may help you stave off groaning when you get on the scale after the Thanksgiving break.   No, I am not recommending dieting – who wants to skimp on all the good food?    And Thanksgiving is a day not to be on a diet but a day we can enjoy every bite but not gain a lot as a result.   How can you make some slight modifications in your Thanksgiving feast and still enjoy a tasty meal? What are some suggestions for enjoying all the food bu...