FitSugar

Weekend Reading: Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels

FitSugar — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 03:30:00 -0700

The key to mastering your metabolism, according to the new book by Jillian Michaels? Hormones! But not in the way you normally think of hormones.

In Master Your Metabolism: The 3 Diet Secrets to Naturally Balancing Your Hormones For a Hot and Healthy Body!, the Biggest Loser trainer explains how the myriad hormones that make up your endocrine system - including cortisol, ghrelin, testosterone, and leptin - work to keep your body healthy and balanced.

One of the new anti-diet books, this incredibly detailed guide combines personal memoir, serious science, and healthy eating recommendations to shed light on how artificial additives and other external factors can sabotage our weight-loss efforts. The book starts out incredibly academic, defining the various hormones and how they work; it was too much scientific jargon for me. But after wading through that I learned a lot. To find out what, read more.

Michaels's basic premise is that the toxins in processed foods, nonorganic produce, prescription medications, and the environment can throw our hormones out of whack, wreaking havoc on our systems. She writes, "Any and every body function you can imagine is controlled by your hormones." Her "three diet secrets" divide the book into three phases: removing these toxins from your life, replacing them with healthy foods, and rebalancing your hormones through diet, sleep, and exercise.

She offers a strict and simple meal plan that involves eating every four hours and tells you how to look at all the labels in your pantry and toss out the really bad stuff. She also acknowledges that we can't eat perfectly all the time and offers suggestions for good but not great foods. Along the way, she adds personal touches, like memories of being an overweight kid and confessing that she hates to exercise (which I have a hard time believing).

I like how the book offers different reasons for eating healthy than the ones we're used to hearing. It really made me think about how bad junk food really is and how every decision about what we put in our bodies has a ripple effect. This certainly isn't a book you can absorb with a quick skim; it's very dense with information. But I learned a great deal reading it and plan to return to it as a reference.

Sunscreen and Breast Cancer Risk

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 03:30:00 -0700

I have heard rumors lately that sunscreen can cause breast cancer. Sounds frightening doesn't it? Our tried and true enemy against skin cancer and wrinkling may be an enemy itself? Well, it doesn't seem to be true, but the answer is a little bit more complicated.

Here's the deal: some ultraviolet (UV) filters used in sunscreen may mimic estrogen according to animal and laboratory studies and thereby disrupt the endocrine system. Just to review a little human biology, the endocrine system uses hormones to regulate functions like metabolism, growth and development. However, there is no evidence that human exposure to these types of endocrine disruptors in the low levels used in sunscreen create health problems. In fact, a study using human volunteers found that even though UV filters were absorbed by the skin, they had no effect on the volunteers over all health or hormone levels, even estrogen.

Hopefully more research will be done on this matter. In the mean time, if you are concerned about messing with your endocrine system look for sunscreens containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide (these block the UV rays rather than filter them), since these ingredients are not absorbed by your skin and they don't mimic estrogen.

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Controversial Plastics and You

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:30:00 -0700

How do you feel about bisphenol A (BPA)? While you might not know what this chemical compound is, chances are high that it is in your home and even in you. I hate to sound so alarmist but a recent report on BPA alarmed me.

The chemical compound BPA is used to make hard plastics and is found in plastic baby bottles, dental sealants and linings of metal cans among other common household objects. Recent government tests found that PBA was in 95% of human subjects studied. PBA mimics the action of hormones in animals studied and has been linked to obesity, early puberty, hyperactivity, and abnormal reproductive cycles.

In a recent statement, 38 scientists said that Americans are exposed to more off this chemical than previously thought and that the level likely surpasses the governments current safety standard. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, bisphenol A is safe in doses of up to 50 micrograms per kilogram of body weight, per day. But a paper presented Thursday concludes that the high levels of bisphenol A in human blood and tissue suggest people are actually exposed to 10 times that amount. YIKES!

Although the scientists say their estimates are conservative, the American Chemistry Council, the trade association representing North American chemical manufacturers, feels the anti PBA statement is unbalanced and inaccurate.

I think we will be hearing a bit more about PBA as more studies are slated to determine how this chemical is interacting with our bodies and our environment.

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Dairy and Acne: Is There a Connection?

FitSugar — Tue, 01 May 2007 02:30:00 -0700

I was just flipping through nutritionist Joy Bauer's wonderful new book Food Cures and saw this little tidbit about the acne / dairy connection.

It seems that the connection between dairy and acne is not the milk fat like I previously thought, but iodine and hormones. Iodine-fortified feed is given to cows since iodine helps fight infections and iodine can cause acne in some people. Although the amount of iodine in milk is low, it is enough to create acne in folks that are sensitive.

On the hormone side of things, lactating cows are often pregnant while they are in milk production. About 75-90% of milk comes from pregnant cows and pregnancy means hormones. The hormones get into the milk, and then into your system (if you drink milk and eat dairy products). Unfortunately, we all know the connection between hormones and zits.

Bauer recommends taking time off of dairy to determine if it is causing acne outbreaks. Eliminate all dairy from your diet for at least a month and see if your skin improves. If it doesn't improve, dairy is not your enemy. If you do see a positive change, try adding dairy back in your diet by having 2 servings a day for four days. If the acne flares back up, dairy is a trigger for your skin and worthy of elimination.

Fit's Tip: If you do eliminate dairy be sure to take a calcium supplement. Or eat these foods that are high in calcium to make sure you are getting your RDI of the mineral.

For more helpful food cures, you should check out Food Cures. It is chock full of information and tasty recipes. Buy it online from Barnes and Noble for $13.26 - or look for it at your local bookstore.

Nellie's Nest Eggs

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 11:45:00 -0700

The other morning I went to the grocery to pick up some eggs to hard boil so I could decorate them with my girls, and they were out of Pete and Gerry's Organic Eggs.

I freaked for half a second, but then noticed another brand right next to them. I picked up a 6-pack of Nellie's Nest Eggs and read the label. Just like my other favorite eggs, Nellie's are also Certified Organic and Certified Humane.

Nellie's Nest Eggs are also Cage Free. Their eggs come from hens that are kept in spacious chicken coops, where they can roam, scratch, perch, and nest as they please. Their hens are fed all natural vegetarian grain with no animal by-products, hormones, or antibiotics.

I was so psyched to find another egg company I could trust and feel happy to support.

Eggs are nutritious, providing 6 grams of protein per egg. One egg also contains approximately 200 mg of Omega-3 fatty acids which are known to have health benefits such as prevention of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

Fit's Tips: The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 300 mg of cholesterol a day . One of Nellie's Nest Eggs contains about 215 mg, so it's OK to eat an egg a day for breakfast, as long as you aren't eating it with cholesterol-loaded bacon and sausage too.

Ovarian Cysts: What Every Women Should Know

FitSugar — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 09:30:00 -0700

I've heard of ovarian cysts, I'm sure you have too. Do you know how they form? Are they something I need to worry about?

Every month, if you're not using a form of birth control that prevents ovulation, one ovary produces 1 egg (occasionally more, which is how we get fraternal twins and triplets). When you ovulate, a cyst-like structure called a follicle is formed inside your ovary. When the egg is released, the follicle bursts. Usually the remaining tissue just dissolves and is absorbed by the body. Occasionally it doesn't, and that's what causes functional ovarian cysts.

Functional ovarian cysts are basically small fluid-filled sacs and are quite common for women to get during their reproductive years. The cysts often shrink and disappear on their own within 2 or 3 menstrual cycles.

You may experience a full or bloated feeling, pressure, or a dull ache in your lower back, belly, or thighs. They can also cause breast tenderness, nausea, or weight gain. Who knew a little cyst can cause all that?

Woman who take the birth control pill or other systemic hormonal treatment usually don't experience ovarian cysts (and the pain that comes from them), because they aren't ovulating.

There are other, more serious forms of ovarian cysts known as Dermoid cysts, Endometrioma Cysts, Cystadenoma Cysts, and Polycystic Ovarian Disease. These cysts can develop from an imbalance of female hormones (estrogen and progesterone). These can grow to be very large (like the one shown in the picture), and can cause severe pain. If found, chances are high that a doctor will recommend removing immediately.

Fit's Tips: If you experience severe pain during intercourse, during menstruation, or have swelling in your abdomen, you should see your doctor immediately. They may prescribe oral contraceptives to help shrink the cyst. Surgery may also be an option if the hormone treatment doesn't work.

Women Love The Way a Sweaty Man Smells

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 07:30:00 -0800

This news comes to us just in time for Valentine's Day... Do you like the way your man smells after he has been sweating?

You may not think you do but apparently there's nothing like the smell of a man's sweat. Researchers from the University of California at Berkeley said women who smelled a chemical found in male sweat experienced elevated levels of the important hormone cortisol, along with higher sexual arousal, faster heart rate and other effects.

The study focused on androstadienone, considered a male chemical signal. A derivative of testosterone, it is found in male sweat as well as in saliva and semen. It smells somewhat musky. Cortisol is secreted by the body to help maintain proper arousal and sense of well-being, respond to stress and other functions. For comparison's sake, the the women also smelled baking yeast, which did not trigger the same effects. Jeez, it has been so long but I can't remember the last time baking yeast got me going...

Hmm. So this Valentine's Day, get your man into the gym. Go for a run together. Hop. Skip. Whatever. Just try doing what it takes to get him sweating -- After all, a sweaty man may be the answer to all your Valentine's dreams come true.

Feeling Hormonal?

FitSugar — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 11:45:00 -0700

Are you feeling hormonal? Hormones course through our veins regulating so many functions (and feelings) of our bodies. They ebb and flow too, with the levels of hormones changing throughout the month. Many of our everyday actions can affect our hormone levels.

So, if you are feeling hormonal maybe this quiz will help you figure out why!

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Take the quiz

Label Able: Hormone Free Eggs

FitSugar — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 03:30:00 -0700

Buying eggs is confusing. From Omega-3 eggs to cage free, it's hard to know what is best.

Don't be fooled by the term "Hormone Free" or "No Hormones Administered" when buying eggs. The fact is that virtually all commercial eggs (organic or not) in the United States are hormone free. Hormones have not been approved for use in U.S. egg or poultry production by the FDA. The cost may be higher and it may sound good, but in reality the term is useless when it comes to eggs, so save your money.

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Insulin IS a Hormone

FitSugar — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 03:30:00 -0700

There is so much in the news about Diabetes these days, especially since Type 2 Diabetes is on the rise and the number of new cases seems to be sky rocketing. Since yesterday was American Diabetes Alert Day , I wanted to learn a bit more about the disease. I thought I should start at the beginning, go to the source as they say, and figure out what insulin is and what it does.

First off, insulin is a hormone that is produced in an area of the pancreas known as the Islets of Langerhans hence its name - insulin is derived from the Latin word insula meaning island. Hormones are chemical messengers bringing "information" from one cell to one or more other cells. Inuslin helps move glucose (aka energy) around our bodies, from the bloodstream to individual cells. Cells require glucose for movement, growth, repair, and other functions. It acts as a messenger between the bloodstream and cells, helping the cells absorb energy.

Insulin also regulates carbohydrate metabolism, the breakdown of carbs primarily into glucose. It effects fat metabolism as well.

When glucose enters our blood, the pancreas should automatically produce the right amount of insulin to move glucose into our cells. Type 1 diabetes (previously called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes) is a disorder of the body's immune system that results from the pancreas not producing any insulin. Type 2 diabetes (previously called adult onset diabetes) results when the body doesn't respond appropriately to insulin, a condition called "insulin resistance."