FitSugar

New Country of Origin Food Label Law

FitSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:00:00 -0700

I like eating seasonally and locally, but I am a realist too. I know much of the food we all eat comes from outside the US. Remember the tomato and hot pepper salmonella scare? Food regulations vary from country to country and many are not as strict as ones in the US, which can pose some health risks. Now a new food label law comes into effect that will require companies to state where certain products such as meat, produce, and other products came from. Now you'll be able to tell if the foods you buy are imported or not, and from which countries they were produced.

The country of origin labeling requirement has been years in the making, and now that it's here, the law is a little confusing since not all foods are covered under the new regulations. Certain foods that are processed such as roasted peanuts, breaded chicken, and bacon are excluded from this law, as are bags of mixed lettuce. Retailers have six months from now to learn and implement the new labeling rules, so you should begin seeing labels in stores relatively soon. This mandatory labeling could help sell products since many people will appreciate knowing their apples came from a local farm. The food origin labels might also discourage people from buying products from unsafe sources, such as with the recent issues in China. The thing is though, consumers have a right to know where their food was grown or packaged. I'm in full support of this law and look forward to the day when the government requires all food retailers to state where their foods come from. What do you think? Are you happy about this new law or not really phased by it? Will these new labels affect how you shop?

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Anatomy of a Tattoo

FitSugar — Wed, 16 May 2007 03:30:00 -0700

I am ever curious about how the human body works, and recently I pondered the permanence of tattoos. Skin is always shedding layers of dead cells (especially if you exfoliate), so how can a tattoo remain year after year?

Let's start at the beginning with how a tattoo is created. Tattoos are made by inserting pigment into the skin with an electrically powered solid needle that punctures the skin between 50 and 3,000 times per minute (makes me think of a sewing machine - yikes!!). The needle penetrates the skin by about a millimeter and deposits a drop of insoluble ink into the skin with each puncture.

When you look at a person's tattoo, you're seeing the ink through the epidermis - the outer layer of skin. The ink resides in the dermis - the second layer of skin, just below the epidermis. Dermis cells are far more stable than the cells of the epidermis, so the tattoo's ink will stay in place, with only minor fading and dispersion (spreading out), for a person's entire life!

Fit's Tips: FYI - tattoo parlors are NOT regulated by the FDA and not ALL states require tattoo parlors to be licensed. If I were you, I'd go to a place that is licensed and inspected by the state. The licensed places will definitely follow all the correct sterilization and sanitation procedures. Since tattoos involve needles and blood, you want to make sure there is little risk for the transmission of diseases such as hepatitis, tuberculosis, and STIs. These regulations may make tattoos safer, but it sure won't make those needles hurt any less!

Want to see some interesting tattoos? Then read more

View 6 Photos ›

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You Asked: Is Homeopathic Medicine Regulated by the FDA?

FitSugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:30:00 -0700

You're asking and I'm answering.

Dear Fit,
I recently went to see a naturopath about my eczema and she gave me some homeopathic medicine. I'm a little nervous about taking these weird little pills. Are they regulated by the FDA?
-Skeptical Stacey

This is a great question since many people are trying alternative and complementary forms of medicine when the Western medicine route doesn't work. To see my answer, just read more.

The FDA does in fact regulate homeopathic medicine, but not in the same way or to the same degree as prescription drugs. In 1938, the US Congress passed a law declaring that homeopathic remedies must be regulated by the FDA in the same manner as nonprescription, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. Nowadays though, new OTC drugs are subjected to thorough testing and review by the FDA for both safety and effectiveness before they can hit the shelves, but oddly enough this requirement doesn't apply to homeopathic drugs. These medications are, however, required to meet certain legal standards for strength, quality, purity, and packaging. In 1988, the FDA began requiring all homeopathic medicines to be labeled as "homeopathic." Their labels must also list the ingredients, dilutions, instructions for use, and what specific medical problems the medicine is intended to treat. In the FDA's opinion, homeopathic medications contain little or no pharmacologically active ingredients, so there's no real safety concern and that's why the FDA isn't as strict about the regulations. I'm not sure how you'll take this info, but I'd talk to your regular doctor if you have any concerns.

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5 Things About Salt

FitSugar — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 07:30:00 -0800

Since the FDA is considering regulating sodium in processed foods, I have been hearing more and more about the reasons why. Here are five things to ponder about the sodium content in your diet.

Seventy-five percent of the salt we consume comes from processed food and food from restaurants, not from the salt shaker.
Your tongue cannot adequately discern how much salt is in your food. If the salt is on the surface of the food, like a potato chip, it will taste salty. However, when the sodium of a serving of frozen mac-n-cheese is 500 mg chances are your tongue will not register that this portion of food contains 25 percent of your RDI (recommended daily intake) of sodium. You really need to read the nutritional label on processed foods to know.
Processed foods in the US generally contain more sodium than the same product in the UK. McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets is a great example – in the US they contain more than twice as much sodium as the United Kingdom version. Breakfast cereal is not exempt either – Kellogg’s Special K (advertised as "super healthy") has 58 percent more sodium per serving in the US version than the UK cereal.

There are two more reasons so read more

Not only does sodium content of specific products vary widely country to country, within the same type of product, like different types of canned tuna and corn chips, the sodium content can be drastically different. Once again I remind you to read the label.
Sodium is added to processed food to prevent it from spoiling. The salt draws moisture out of food so bacteria can't grow. It also helps to thicken soup and reduce dryness in crackers and pretzels.

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Organ Lessons: The Pancreas

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:47:02 -0800

It's time to take some organ lessons, but not the musical kind. I'm going to teach you about your internal organs, starting with the pancreas.

November is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, devoted to educating people about the disease that took the life of Patrick Swayze earlier this year. If you're like most people, you probably don't know exactly what the pancreas does, so read on to learn more.

Garlic Does More Than Scare Away Vampires

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:30:23 -0700

I love garlic. I can't think of any savory meal where I don't use it, and I also take garlic supplements. It's something my doctor recommended because she believes it helps regulate digestion and ward off colds. Turns out she's right, at least about the preventing colds part.

A study followed two groups - one that took garlic supplements and another that took a placebo - and found that the garlic group came down with fewer colds, and recovered faster too. Researchers aren't exactly clear why it helps, but some suggest that allicin, a main component of the pungent vegetable, blocks enzymes that play a part in causing infections.

It's also not clear if garlic works after the onset of a cold, or if it needs to be taken as a preventative measure. Until more research comes in, I'll keep taking my supplements regularly.

Smarter Eats: Taste the Rainbow

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:00:20 -0700

Eating whole foods with different colors is an easy way to get the nutrients your body needs. Pigments in fruits and veggies contain essential antioxidants that protect against cancer, promote brain health, regulate cholesterol, and act as anti-inflammatories. The more intense the color, the greater the good stuff.

Don't be monochromatic either, each pigment provides different benefits. For example, orange foods contain carotene, which protect skin and aid in enzyme production, while the cancer-fighting antioxidant lycopene helps give tomatoes their red color.

The next time you plan a meal see if you can get all the colors of the rainbow - red, green, yellow, blue, orange - onto your plate.

Pearl Izumi Gets Technical

FitSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:30:06 -0700

Pearl Izumi ruffled some feathers with its ad campaign pitting runner against joggers, but regardless they make amazing biking gear. Recently, the company released clothing made with four technical fabrics designed to reduce drag, regulate body temperature, and address the problems of moisture. They sent me a few items to check out, which meant a couple of bike rides and a spin class over the course of a few days - any excuse to hop on my bike.

The fabric used to construct P.R.O. Octane Shorts ($225) feels more luxurious than anything I have ever worn for a workout. These lightweight shorts feel great on as well. The technical fabric used in their construction is designed to keep a rider cool during a hot competition. In the hot spin I took wearing them, they did just that. Honestly, the price of these shorts indicates they are truly made for elite high mileage riders or serious competitors. I hope to wear them soon for a distance ride, but don't think I would ever drop that much dough on shorts.

To read about the other two more affordable items, just read more.

The W's Transfer Short Sleeve Baselayer ($50) worked well on a cold, yet sweaty ride. My core stayed warm and dry as I powered up hills and sped down the descents. It's made with Pearl Izumi trademarked Minerale fabric, a polyester fortified with carbon based minerals to improve wicking and keep the stink out of the shirt. After a three hour, sweaty ride the smelled only a little bit and the small amount of smell washed out easily. A short sleeve base layer for Autumn biking worked well for me. This shirt is seriously lightweight and tailored to fit the female form.

My favorite piece is the P.R.O. Barrier Lite Jacket ($95.00). A solid windbreaker can save you on a cold and blustery ride, and this windbreaker did just that. Should the sun come out and the wind dies down, this jacket packs down small to easily fit in a the back pocket of a biking jersey. I am impressed with how thin the material was yet how much wind protection it offered. This jacket might be pricey, but as long as it is not raining I think I can wear it all year long. I would wear it to run too.

All three items are available at the Pearl Izumi website. Look for them at your local bike shop too.

PMDD: My Dirty Little Secret

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Three years ago I was diagnosed with PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) - it's sort of like PMS on overdrive, except way worse. Before the diagnosis I was embarrassed at how unstable I felt as my period approached, especially when all of my girlfriends seemed to be handling their PMS symptoms in a manageable way.

My menstrual cycles were always preceded by feelings of severe depression, crying bouts, anxiety, fatigue, and extreme back pain that would disappear the day my period started. I decided that I could no longer live like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and had a conversation with my doctor. To my relief she confirmed that what I was going through was much more severe than PMS.

For those of you who might be suffering with PMDD, here are some tips I've learned from my doctor over the years to make life more bearable. You'll want to do everything on this list during the two weeks leading up to your period.

To see my tips, read more.

Keep a rigorous calendar of your cycle so you can anticipate when your symptoms will start. Knowing this time frame helps calm anxiety and allows you to take the necessary precautions to offset PMDD. It's also helpful to let those close to you anticipate these dates since they can help offer extra support during this time.
Exercise has been shown to help decrease symptoms of PMDD - go on more walks or bike rides leading up to your menstrual cycle.
Uncontrollable cravings and fatigue are signs of PMDD and can be offset by having a balanced diet of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins. Adjust your diet by reducing caffeine, salt, refined sugars, and high carb meals.
Take the herbal remedies chasteberry and L-tryptophan. In clinical trials, both have shown to help decrease the emotional effects of PMDD.

If these tips don't improve your PMDD, talk to your doctor about other options. I've also had great success taking Yaz, the only birth control pill approved to treat PMDD, but some health experts are not convinced that Yaz is as safe as it claims to be.

Many women have symptoms so severe that they go on short cycles of antidepressants each month or take oral contraceptives to help with hormone regulation.

Should Perfume Be Altered to Reduce Allergens?

FitSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:00:52 -0700

Did you know that the perfume industry has a reigning watchdog? I didn't. It's called the International Fragrance Association (IFRA), and its latest set of regulations will require many perfume makers to change their scents.

According to the IFRA, new standards are "a necessary evil" to protect individuals with severe skin allergies. Those in the perfume industry aren't buying the explanation. They think that the regulations are strict and unnecessary, citing that perfume allergies are generally mild. People with a perfume allergy might disagree, though. Common symptoms include itchy eyes, skin rashes, and in severe cases, anaphylactic shock.

Under the new rules, fragrance houses will have to cut back on their use of allergens - like jasmine and other aromas - in perfume recipes. It's unknown how many classic scents will have to be altered as a result.

What do you think about this?