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Pete & Gerry's Organic Eggs

FitSugar — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 02:00:00 -0800

Pete and Gerry's Organic Eggs are organically produced in the fresh air of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. So what makes them organic?

Their hens eat organic grain beginning on their second day of life. They don't give their hens antibiotics or medications. And no pesticides or herbicides are used in the production of the grain that they eat.

What else makes these eggs great? The grain their hens eat is made of certified organic flaxseed, which contains high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. The Omega-3 in the hen's diet is passed on to their eggs - each egg contains about 200mg of Omega-3. Two of their eggs contain as much Omega-3 as you'll get in 1.5 ounces of fish.

Their hens are raised in cage-free barns, where they can choose where they will lay their eggs and where they want to be. Their hens are also given access to the outdoors.

Their motto? "Happy chickens lay better eggs." I believe it. These are delicious, and I feel good buying them, knowing their hens are treated with kindness and respect.

Looking for a new way to eat your eggs? Check out these Square Eggs.

The State of Eating Veggies in the US

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:35:55 -0700

When it comes to eating enough veggies and fruits, Americans are failing miserably. The CDC estimates that only 14 percent of adults and fewer than 10 percent of teenagers in the US eat three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit on a daily basis.

And you know, five servings of fruit and veggies is the minimum suggestion. Many health advocates believe we should be eating nine servings of produce daily. The percentages above represent the national average; in some states only nine percent of the adults eat enough produce. The CDC published this first state-by-state report to help us all understand how far off the mark we are when it comes to nutrition.

Here's the CDC list, ranking states from lowest to highest percentage of folks meeting the recommended servings of fruit and veggies.

1. Mississippi: 8.8%

2. Oklahoma and South Carolina: 9.3%

3. Alabama: 9.8%

4. South Dakota: 10.1%

5. West Virginia: 10.3%

Didn't see your state in the bottom five? Then keep on reading.

Fried Food Ban at Hospitals: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:35:15 -0700

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, what does fried food bring? Ultimately a heart attack according to many cardiologists. This is why more than 250 hospitals across the country are participating in the Healthy Food Pledge, which not only involves serving healthier fare in hospitals but using locally grown food as well.

This pledge means no more fried food in one New Hampshire hospital cafeteria. Although the nursing staff is lamenting the lack of "chicken finger Monday," the staff is sympathetic to the nutritious cause since patient meals will be free of fried food as well. The only drawback is emotional: french fries, the ultimate fried food, are America's comfort food. Hanging out in a hospital usually implies stressful times, so this ban will be forcing patients, staff, and family members to seek new forms of comfort food, which is maybe not such a bad thing after all.

This healthy food initiative comes on the heels of the smoking ban imposed by many hospitals. What do you think?

How Clean Is Your Beach?

FitSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:00:26 -0700

If you're heading to the beach soon to beat the Summer heat, you might want to see how clean it is. Recently, we learned that playing in the sand can increase your risk of developing gastrointestinal ailments, and the water might not be too clean either.

The National Resource Defense Council just released its annual report on the cleanliness of our beaches, and unfortunately some did not pass muster. Let's start with the top ranked beaches based on water quality and frequency the water is tested - the cleanest are in California, Minnesota (land of 10,000 lakes), and New Hampshire. The dirtiest are in the Northeast and Florida. Both water and sand become polluted from runoff water that drains into the ocean after a storm. The runoff collects pesticides, pet waste, road grease, etc., and all this ends up in the water. The polluted water can lead to a variety of health problems from skin rashes to neurological disorders.

You can check out your beach with this NRDC chart or this interactive map from the Environmental Protection Agency. Unfortunately, with budget shortfalls in most states, the beaches are not being monitored as closely as they once were. Just remember to steer clear of the beach after a heavy rainstorm.

"F as in Fat" 2009 Finds Mississippi Heaviest State

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:45:17 -0700

The Trust For America's Health compiles a report every year, detailing how our nation's obesity policies are failing. The report, titled F as in Fat, doesn't mince words, but it does break down the rates of obesity by state.

For the fifth year in a row, Mississippi has the unfortunate distinction of topping the list with 32.5 percent of its adult population considered obese. The magnolia state also ranks number one for childhood weight woes; just over 44 percent of the population of 10- to 17-year-olds are considered overweight or obese.

This report does much more than finger-point; it examines state and federal policy and how it relates to the obesity epidemic. It looks at the relationship between obesity and the economy - cheap food is often unhealthy. There is even a section on how Summer break affects childhood obesity, titled "The Summer Slide." The report also makes recommendations for policy reform, changes in infrastructure (more sidewalks and bike paths, for one), and personal responsibility. You can find the entire 108-page report online in PDF format.

See how your state ranked.

The Geography of Stress in the USA

FitSugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 03:00:00 -0700

The state that created the concept of hanging loose is unsurprisingly the least stressed-out state in the union. According to a CDC phone survey, involving 2.4 million Americans, fewer Hawaiians experience "frequent mental distress" than anywhere else in the US.

Participants were asked the total days, out of the previous 30, they would describe their mental health as being "not good." The term mental health includes stress, depression, and emotional problems. If they answered 14 days, participants were classified as having "frequent mental distress." According to the survey, only 6.6 percent of the folks living in the island state were considered frequently stressed, followed closely by South Dakotans - where only 6.7 percent of respondents reported experiencing two weeks of not-so-good mental health days.

Learn how stressed your state is when you read more.

Here's the ranking of states according to the percentage of adults experiencing frequent mental distress, and states that "tied" with the same percentage are listed together.

1. Hawaii: 6.6%
2. South Dakota: 6.7%
3. Washington DC: 7.4%
4. Kansas, Nebraska, and North Dakota: 7.5%
5. Arizona: 7.6%
6. Iowa and Montana: 7.7%
7. Illinois: 7.9%
8. Connecticut: 8%
9. Wisconsin: 8.1%
10. Minnesota: 8.2%
11. North Carolina: 8.4%
12. Alaska, Maryland, Vermont: 8.5%
13. Ohio, Wyoming: 8.6%
14. New Jersey: 8.7%
15. New Hampshire, Oklahoma: 8.8%
16. Maine, Virginia: 9%
17. Washington: 9.2%
18. Colorado, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, South Carolina: 9.3%
19. Idaho, Tennessee: 9.4%
20. Massachusetts, Georgia, Utah: 9.5%
21. New York: 9.6%
22. New Mexico, Rhode Island, Texas: 9.7%
23. Delaware: 9.8%
24. Missouri: 9.9%
25. Oregon: 10%
26. Arkansas, Florida, California: 10.1%
27. Indiana: 10.3%
28. Michigan: 10.5%
29. Alabama, Mississippi: 10.8%
30. Nevada: 10.9%
31. West Virginia: 11.2%
32. Kentucky: 14.4%

I find it sad to see that so many of the residents of my golden state are frequently stressed. How did your state fare in the survey?

Source

Tainted Tomatoes Now in 30 States: Are You Avoiding Them?

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Unfortunately, the salmonella tainted tomato problem is growing, and reported cases have been found in 30 states now, including Pennsylvania and New Hampshire. Six cases have been reported from New York City raising the total number of confirmed cases to 383, and counting. Forty-eight people have been hospitalized after eating these unsafe veggies, and now the FDA is saying it may be "impossible to trace the ultimate source of the tainted tomatoes." That's not very comforting, is it? The tracking difficulties stem from the fact that tomatoes are often sold without tags. Also, by the time people become symptomatic, there's rarely a tainted tomato left to test. Since they were the main supplies of tomatoes when the salmonella outbreak began, Mexico and Florida remain top on the list of possible sources of contaminated produce. Still plugging along in their investigation, the FDA has asked Mexican health authorities to test for cases of this exact strain of salmonella.

For now, it's best to continue avoiding raw red plum, red Roma, or red round tomatoes unless they were grown in specific states or countries that FDA has deemed safe (check this list). Also, all grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, and home-grown tomatoes are still considered safe to eat. Tomatoes are supposed to hit stores and restaurants soon, but now I'm a little leery about eating any until this matter is cleared up.

I am curious to know that with . . .

Source

Healthiest State of the Nation Is...

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 03:30:00 -0800

Compared with last year, there has been a little shake up in the rankings this year of the healthiest state. Vermont edged out Minnesota, but the real take away message from the United Health Foundation annual survey is: health rankings for all states show a decline in health. That my friend is not good news at all.

The survey is based on a variety of health indicators as well as state policy regarding health. Here are some of the factors taken into consideration for the rankings: obesity rates, tobacco and alcohol use, high school graduation rates, as well as state laws and regulations promoting better health. The survey also measures access to health services and also environmental issues like pollution, infectious disease rates, and crime.

The top 5 states are:
1. Vermont (also voted best state for raising children)
2. Minnesota
3. Hawaii
4. New Hampshire
5. Connecticut

If your state is not in the top and you want to see where it ranked, just read more

6. Utah
7. Maine
8. North Dakota
9. Massachusetts
10. Nebraska
11. Rhode Island
12. Washington State
13. Wisconsin
14. Iowa
15. Idaho
16. Colorado
17. South Dakota
18. Montana
19. Wyoming
20. Oregon
21. New Jersey
22. Virginia
23. Kansas
24. Pennsylvania
25. California
26. New York
27. Illinois
28. Maryland
29. Ohio
30. Alaska
31. Michigan
32. Indiana
33. Arizona
34. Delaware
35. Missouri
36. North Carolina
37. Texas
38. New Mexico
39. Nevada
40. Georgia
41. Florida
42. South Carolina
43. Kentucky
44. West Virginia
45. Alabama
46. Tennessee
47. Oklahoma
48. Arkansas
49. Louisiana
50. Mississippi

I have to admit I was bummed to see California smack dab in the middle of the list. How do you feel about your state's ranking? Tell me all about it in the comments section below.

Young Doesn't Necessarily Mean Healthy

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 02:00:00 -0700

Time at college is often looked back on as the good ol' days, but new reports indicate new trends in college aged kids might be making them old before their time.

A recent survey of 800 University of New Hampshire undergraduates found some unhealthy traits in the students surveyed. More than two-thirds of the women were not meeting their RDI's of iron, calcium or folate. While well over 50 percent of the male students had high blood pressure and 8% had metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of symptoms used as predictors for future heart disease and type 2 diabetes. In essence, those undergrads would be getting a low grade for overall health.

Public health experts fear that if this trend continues, this age group will begin to experience chronic diseases at earlier ages than previous generations.

So if you are in college and feel like you are missing those three vital nutrients, you should know the RDI for iron is 18 mg and you can find iron in beef, tofu and sun dried tomatoes. Look for folate in leafy greens and beans. Remember to eat your calcium since it is more effective at strengthening your bones if the mineral comes to you as a food source not a supplement.

Fit's Tip: Take advantage of the free gym your college has to offer. Facilities at colleges and universities are great, and when you graduate, trust me, you are going to miss having access to the free fitness center on campus.

Source

The Most Active States in America

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 08:45:00 -0700

Are people in your state active?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, has put together a list of the most active states, as well as the least active states in the nation. Each state is ranked based on the percentage of people in each state meeting physical activity recommendations. Does your state make the top ten?

Alaska: 56.7%
Vermont: 55.9%
Wisconsin: 55.6%
Wyoming: 54.8%
Montana: 54.7%
New Hampshire: 54.4%
Oregon: 54.3%
Washington: 52.9%
Maine and Utah: 52.8%
California: 52.7%

Yay California - woot, woot!

To see the most sedentary states, just read more

The following ranks states by the percentage of people who are physically inactive, defined as those who report being physically active for less than 10 minutes per week.

Puerto Rico: 37.3%
Kentucky: 28.8%
Louisiana: 25.3%
Tennessee: 24.3%
West Virginia: 24%
U.S. Virgin Islands: 22.3%
Mississippi: 21.9%
Alabama: 20.1%
North Carolina: 19.5%
Georgia: 19%

To see the full list, visit the CDC website.