FitSugar

Sustain Your Energy For the Long Haul

FitSugar — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 03:00:00 -0700

We all bandy about the term "well balanced meal" and the term seems to have many interpretations. One way to measure the balance of a meal is to be sure it contains carbs, protein and fats, creating a balance of macronutrients. These are the foods our bodies digest and turn into energy. The macronutrients are digested at different rates to keep you full and provide energy over the long haul.

To see why a meal should contain all three, read more.

Carbs: The digestion of carbs actually begins in your mouth, making them the body's preference for quick energy production. Carbs provide the energy that fuels muscle contraction and nourish your brain. It is amazing they have become so maligned. Carbs provide energy quickly and fruit, containing many simple carbs, will be metabolized into energy quickly.
Protein: Protein is digested in the stomach, which is why it is important to have some at every meal. It helps keep you full and provides mid-range energy. Protein can help you stay mentally alert too.
Fat: The digestion of fat begins in the intestines. Being broken down so late in the digestion game, fat can help you stay fuller for longer. Not to mention it is an essential nutrient vital for vitamin absorption, regulating bodily functions, and keeping body temperature stable. Of course you want to make sure you eat mostly unsaturated fat, because they are the best for you.

Different diets call for different ratios of the macronutrients. A typical diet is generally 60 percent carbs, 30 percent fats, and 10 percent protein, whereas the Zone diet calls for 40 percent carbs, 30 percent fat, and 30 percent protein.

So balance your macronutrients and hopefully your energy will stay balanced as well.

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Vitamins and Minerals: What's the Diff?

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 02:00:00 -0700

First off, it's good to know that our bodies require 6 nutrients:

Carbohydrates
Fats
Protein
Vitamins
Minerals
Water

Carbs, fat, and protein are known as macronutrients because we need to eat them in larger quantities (grams per day). Our bodies metabolize them and turn them into energy.

Vitamins and Minerals are considered micronutrients because we need them in smaller quantities (milligrams per day). They don't give us energy but rather help our bodies carry out necessary and important physiological processes.

Vitamins are either water-soluble (water is required for absorption and are excreted in urine) or fat-soluble (requires fat for absorption and are stored in fat tissue). There are 9 different water-soluble vitamins: Vitamin C and all 8 B vitamins. There are 4 fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, and K.

Each of these vitamins have unique roles and functions in our bodies. For example, Vitamin A promotes healthy eyesight and helps us see in the dark while Vitamin K plays an essential role in clotting the blood.
Minerals are either Macro (major) or Micro (trace) minerals. Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, and sulfur are considered Macro minerals and are needed in quantities of 100 mg a day or more.
Iron, iodine, zinc, chromium, selenium, fluoride, molybdenum, copper, and manganese are Micro minerals, and are needed in much smaller or "trace" amounts.

There are 16 essential minerals and they are also needed to keep the body healthy. Calcium prevents osteoporosis and iron prevents anemia.

Want to know what else makes them different? Then read more

Vitamins are organic which means they contain carbon, and they contain atoms of one or more different elements. Minerals are pure inorganic elements (containing atoms of the same element), meaning they are much simpler in chemical form than vitamins.

Vitamins can be affected by heat, light, and chemicals so proper processing, cooking, and storage is necessary to preserve their health benefits. Minerals on the other hand are considered more stable.

Fit's Tips: To get enough vitamins and minerals each day, make sure you're eating a variety of fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains, and protein. It's completely possible to get everything you need in your diet alone. If you are concerned about a deficiency, get tested by your doctor.

Must-Read: The End of Overeating

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:10:33 -0700

He took on big tobacco as the head of the FDA, then once out of the government Dr. David Kessler decided to take on America's growing obesity problem, focusing on the issue of overeating. His motivation was personal this time, having dieted on and off for years watching his scale yo-yo up and down.

In his new book The End of Overeating, Kessler explains why foods that takes you to your bliss point are not only preying on human biology, but these foods have also been engineered by the food industry to whet your appetite. Kessler lays out his arguments like a scientist, backing up almost every point. It is easy to get bogged down by these reports, but from them you learn how and why we crave sugar, fat, and salt. The author makes a point to reemphasize that eating more calories than you burn creates weight gain and that we wasted a couple of decades finger-pointing at specific macronutrients. Kessler also details the inner workings of the food scientist and research used to engineer food to ensure it not only tastes good, but will make you want to keep tasting until well beyond satiety. All in all, the book details why many Americans are obsessed and even addicted to food. To see what Kessler has to say about the actual process of ending overeating continue reading.

6 Meatless Ways to Get Five Grams of Protein

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Eating enough protein daily helps with weight loss, since this macronutrient satiates your hunger better than carbs or fats. Plus, protein is the building block of the human body. Your muscles, skin, hair, and connective tissues are mostly made up of protein, but it also plays a huge role in every cell in your body. Our enzymes, hormones, and DNA are also partially made up of protein, so it's important to get enough every day. Depending on your weight and activity level, a woman needs between 40 and 60 grams per day. Check this chart to see exactly how much you need.

Since I'm always hearing that women feel like they have a difficult time getting their daily amount, here are five easy ways to get an added five grams of protein.

Add 1/2 a cup of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) to your salad for 5.9 grams of protein. If you're not a fan of beans, then sprinkle one ounce of organic shredded cheddar cheese instead to get six grams of protein.
Crumble 1/8 of a block of tofu and mix it into your pasta sauce for an added 6.4 grams of protein.

To see the other ways to get five grams of protein, read more.

Spoon out two ounces of cottage cheese and add it to cut-up cantaloupe for 7.8 grams of protein.
Snack on 1/4 cup edamame (boiled green soybeans) and you'll consume 5.6 grams of protein.
Just one ounce of tempeh (1/8 of a package) can be added to your stir fry to get 5.5 grams of protein.
Munch on 20 almonds, which contain 5.1 grams of protein. Or if you prefer, you can spread two tablespoons of almond butter on crackers to get 4.8 grams of protein.

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Back to Basics: Calories Explained

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:00:00 -0800

We talk, or at least think, about calories almost daily. You cut calories. You count them. You burn them. But do you know what a calorie is?

Simply put, a calorie is a unit of energy. When you eat, you're fueling your body with potential energy in the form of calories, which your body uses not just for exercise but for vital functions like breathing. Basically, a calorie is the amount of energy it takes for the temperature of one gram of water to increase by one degree Celsius, or 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit. However, when we talk about calories burned or calories consumed we are technically talking about kilocalories, each of which equals 1,000 calories. Kilocalories are most often referred to as calories for short. Scientifically speaking, the term is capitalized, but in most literature about food and exercise "calorie" is written in all lowercase and it's assumed we are all talking about the same unit of measurement.

Foods are made out of mixtures of macronutrients: protein, carbs, and fat. Protein and carbs each contain four calories per gram, while fat contains nine calories per gram. These caloric amounts represent the amount of potential energy these macronutrients provide.

To see how the body burns calories, just read more.

The body uses calories for three distinct categories of activities. One is your basal metabolic rate (BMR), or how many calories your body burns just to keep the basic operations going - heart beating, kidneys functioning, lungs breathing. Sixty to 70 percent of all calories go toward just keeping your body operational, kind of like overhead expenses. The body also needs calories for physical activity, be it washing your dishes, walking your dog, or running a marathon. The third component of calories burned is the thermic effect of food, or how much energy it takes to digest your food to turn it into energy. Your body burns 10 percent of overall calories consumed to fuel the digestion process of those calories you just consumed.

Food is energy, or calories, that you put into your body to fuel all your activities for the day. If you do not use all that fuel, your body stores the fuel just in case you need it during a famine, and you gain weight. If you use more fuel than you have consumed, by burning more calories than you have eaten, you will lose weight.

The Health Guide has some pretty cool tools to help you understand your personal relationship with calories. To see how many calories your body requires to maintain your weight, check out this Nutritional Needs Calculator. To see roughly how many calories you're burning during a variety of activities, visit the Calorie Burner Calculator.

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5 Things About Fat

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 03:30:00 -0700

Much like carbs, fat has been seriously maligned of late. Slowly, fat is regaining a if not a healthy reputation, a reputation as a necessary nutrient. Here are 5 things about fat for you to chew on. that you should know. Listed in no particular order, here goes:

A gram of fat contains 9 calories. In contrast, carbs and protein only have 4 calories per gram. In other words, you can eat twice as many carbs or protein for the same amount of calories. However, monounsaturated fats, considered healthy fats, help you feel full. Avocados, almonds, and olive oil are three great sources for monounsaturated fat.
Fat is a macronutrient and the recommended daily intake (RDI) for fat for adults is 20 to 35 percent of total daily calories. That's about 44 to 77 grams of fat a day if you eat the classic diet of 2,000 calories a day.
It is recommended that saturated fats (animal fat, butter, coconut and palm oils) should make up less than 10 percent of your total calories per day. For a person eating 2000 calories a day, this would be 20 grams of saturated fat or less per day. For reference one ounce of cheddar cheese, about the size of two 9-volt batteries, contains six grams of saturated fat.

For two more facts about fat, read more.

A pound of body fat burns 2 calories per day whereas a pound of muscle can burn up to 35 calories per day. Body fat is less dense than muscle, so body fat takes up more space. A pound of fat is roughly 3,500 calories. If you want to lose a pound of fat in a week, you need to create a caloric deficit of 3,500, which you can do by diet and exercise.
Fats, primarily omega-3 fatty acids are important for the health of you body on the outside and inside. These fats help your skin stay hydrated and youthful for looking. Omega-3s help your heart avoid irregular heart beats and fight high blood pressure. You can find these fatty acids in flax seeds and salmon.

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Eggs = High Quality Protein

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 03:30:00 -0800

Protein is the building block of life. You need a healthy dose of the macronutrient daily to build muscle. Plus, protein gives you energy. A new study from the University of Illinois found the humble egg to be a great source of high-quality protein. Egg protein helps preserve muscle mass and provides steady and sustained energy. The study recommends eggs as a protein source for endurance athletes since eggs are high in the amino acid leucine, which helps muscles utilize the fuel glucose. If you were avoiding eggs for health reasons, it is considered safe to eat six eggs a week.

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Benign prostatic hyperplasia

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:35:32 -0700

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland, makes urination difficult and uncomfortable. Your prostate gland is located underneath your bladder and surrounds your urethra, which empties urine from the bladder. As the prostate gland expands, it squeezes the urethra or causes the muscles around the urethra to contract, making it difficult to urinate.

Prostate enlargement is very common as men age – symptoms usually develop around age 50 and by age 60, most men have some degree of BPH. At age 80, men have an 80 percent chance of having urination problems caused by BPH. It’s important to note that BPH is not cancer and it does not put you at increased risk for developing prostate cancer.

Signs and Symptoms

Needing to urinate frequently
Difficulty starting urination
Stopping and starting while urinating
Urinating frequently at night (nocturia)
Dribbling after urination ends
Being unable to empty your bladder
Blood in the urine (BPH can cause small blood vessels to burst)
Urinary tract infection

Causes

Nobody knows the basic cause of BPH. Research shows that testosterone, the male hormone, or dihydrotestosterone, a chemical produced when testosterone breaks down in a man's body, may cause the prostate to keep growing. Another theory is that changes in the ratio of testosterone and estrogen (female hormone) as men age cause the prostate to grow.

Some over-the-counter medications for colds or allergies can drastically worsen BPH.

Diagnosis

Your health care provider may check the size of your prostate gland directly by putting a gloved finger in your rectum and feeling the back wall of the prostate. He or she will also order blood tests and possibly a urine sample. Other tests may include:

Urinary flow test - Your doctor may ask you to urinate into a device that measures the flow of urine.
Intravenous pyelography - Your doctor injects a dye into a vein to make the flow of urine visible on an X ray.
Transrectal ultrasound - Your doctor will insert an ultrasound probe in your rectum to get an image of your prostate gland.

In addition, you may be asked to complete a self-screening form to evaluate the severity of your symptoms and the impact on your daily life. Your doctor can use this to monitor your condition over time.

Treatment Approach

Treatment will depend on your age, overall health, and the severity of your symptoms. BPH symptoms may come and go, so it’s important to receive regular check-ups to monitor the progression of symptoms. There are many ways to successfully treat BPH, including some simple lifestyle changes if your symptoms are mild and several herbal remedies and medications that can be effective. If no other therapies work and the symptoms are severe enough, there are also several types of surgery to correct the condition.

Lifestyle

Many men with BPH have only minor symptoms. Some simple lifestyle changes may be all you need to feel better:

Urinate when you first get the urge.
Go to the bathroom when you have the chance, even if you don't feel a need to urinate.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine, especially after dinner. Try not to drink within 2 hours before going to bed.
Spread out your fluid intake throughout the day – avoid drinking large amounts of fluid at one time.
Avoid cold and sinus medications. Decongestants and antihistamines can worsen BPH symptoms.
Exercise regularly.
Do Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor.
Reduce stress.

Medications

Alpha blockers - cause the muscles around your bladder to relax, making it easier to urinate. These drugs were originally used to treat high blood pressure, and seem to work best in men with moderately enlarged prostates. Common side effects include decreased ejaculation and low blood pressure. These drugs should not be taken with medications for erectile dysfunction, such as Viagra or Cialis. Alpha blockers include:

Terzosin (Hytrin)
Doxazosin (Cardura)
Tamsulosin (Flomax)
Alfuzosin (Uroxatral)

5-alpha-reductase inhibitors - shrink the prostate gland by lowering the amount of testosterone that the body converts into dihydrotestosterone, a hormone the prostate needs to grow. These drugs take longer to work than alpha blockers, and they lower PSA levels (a high level of PSA can indicate prostate cancer), making it harder to screen for prostate cancer. Enzyme inhibitors include

Finasteride (Proscar)
Dutasteride (Avodart)

Your doctor may suggest combination therapy – taking an alpha blocker and an enzyme inhibitor at the same time.

Surgery and Other Procedures

Prostate surgery may be recommended if you have:

Incontinence
Recurrent blood in the urine
Urinary retention
Recurrent urinary tract infections

Which procedure is best for you usually depends on the severity of your symptoms and the size and shape of your prostate gland.

Minimally invasive techniques

These techniques may be better at relieving symptoms than medications, but are often not as effective as surgery. However, they are less likely to cause side effects than surgery.

Transurethtral microwave therapy - uses heat from microwaves to shrink the prostate. This procedure works best for men with moderate symptoms and enlargement of the prostate.

Transurethral needle ablation - uses radio waves to get rid of the part of the prostate that is blocking urine flow. It works best for men with mild to moderate enlargement of the prostate.

Interstitial laser therapy - uses a laser to destroy excess tissue and shrink the prostate. It works best for men who have mild to moderate enlargement of the prostate and don’t experience urinary retention.

Surgery

Surgery is the most effective way to reduce your symptoms, but potential side effects include a small risk erectile dysfunction or urinary incontinence.

Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) - is the most common surgical treatment for BPH. It is performed by inserting a scope through the penis and removing the interior of the prostate piece by piece. It reduces symptoms quickly and is often used to treat men with moderately or severely enlarged prostates. One potential side effect is retrograde ejaculation, where semen goes into the bladder instead of out the urethra.

Transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP) - similar to TURP, but is usually performed in men who have a relatively small prostate. Like the TURP, a scope is inserted through the penis until the prostate is reached. Then, rather than removing prostate tissue, a small incision is made in the tissue to let the urethra expand and make urination easier.

Laser surgery - Two types of laser surgery are used to destroy excess prostate tissue. Photosensitive vaporization of the prostate (PVP) is used for men with mild to moderate prostate enlargement, while holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) is usually used for men with severely enlarged prostates. Side effects can include retrograde ejaculation.

Open prostatectomy - usually performed using general or spinal anesthesia. A surgeon makes an incision in your lower abdomen to reach the prostate and removes the inner part of the gland. This is a lengthy procedure, and usually requires a hospital stay of 5 to 10 days.

Most men who have prostate surgery see improvement in urine flow rates and symptoms. Possible complications include impotence, urinary incontinence, retrograde ejaculation, infertility, and urethral stricture (narrowing).

Nutrition and Dietary Supplements

Beta-sitosterol (60 to 130 mg per day) - Beta-sitosterol is a cholesterol-like compound found in plants. It has been studied for BPH and found to significantly improve urinary flow and decrease the amount of urine left in the bladder. It does not shrink the prostate, however. Beta-sitosterol is also used to lower cholesterol, making it a good option for men whose cholesterol levels are high. Plants that are high in beta-sitosterol, such as pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo), are sometimes suggested for BPH.

Herbs

The use of herbs is a time-honored approach to strengthening the body and treating disease. Herbs, however, can trigger side effects and can interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, herbs should be taken with care, under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner.

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens, 320 mg per day) - A number of studies have examined whether saw palmetto can relieve BPH symptoms, and many (though not all) showed positive results. Saw palmetto appears to work like Proscar and Avodart, which prevent testosterone from being converted into dihydrotestosterone (needed for prostate growth) in the body. Some studies have shown saw palmetto to be as effective as Proscar, and with fewer side effects. However, it does not shrink the overall prostate like Proscar does, but shrinks the inner lining of the gland. It should be noted that, unlike previous studies, a newer, high-quality study found that saw palmetto had no effect on BPH symptoms. Talk to your doctor if you want to try saw palmetto for your symptoms, and look for a fat-soluble saw palmetto extract that has been standardized to contain 85% to 95% fatty acids and sterols.
Pygeum or African plum extract (Pygeum africanum, 75 to 200 mg per day) - Pygeum has been used historically for urinary problems. In several scientific studies, pygeum relieved BPH symptoms including nocturia (increased urination at night) and improved urine flow.
Grass pollen (Secale cereale) - Two studies that compared a standardized extract of rye grass pollen to placebo found that the grass pollen improved BPH symptoms, including reducing frequency of nighttime urination and the amount of urine left in the bladder. One study also indicated that grass pollen decreased the size of the prostate as measured by ultrasound. The brand of rye grass pollen most often used in studies is Cernilton.

Prognosis and Complications

While the majority of men get better with treatment of BPH, men who have had long-standing BPH may develop:

Sudden inability to urinate
Urinary tract infections
Urinary stones
Damage to the kidneys
Blood in the urine

Supporting Research

Berges RR, Kassen A, Senge T. Treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia with beta-sitosterol: an 18-month follow-up. BJU Int. 2000;85:842-6.

Berges RR, Windeler J, Trampisch HJ, et al. Randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial of beta-sitosterol in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Beta-sitosterol Study Group. Lancet. 1995;345:1529-32.

Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Boston, Mass: Integrative Medicine Communications; 1998:201.

Bondarenko B, Walther C, Funk P, Schlafke S, Engelmann U. Long-term efficacy and safety of PRO 160/120 (a combination of sabal and urtica extract) in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Phytomedicine. 2003:10 Suppl 4:53-55.

Braeckman J. The extract of Serenoa repens in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: A multicenter open study. Curr Therapeut Res. 1994;55:776–785.

Buck AC, Cox R, Rees RW, et al. Treatment of outflow tract obstruction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia with the pollen extract, cernilton. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Br J Urol. 1990;66:398-404.

Chapple CR. Clinical study of benign prostatic disease, current concepts and future prospects randomized controlled trials versus real life practice. Curr Opin Urol. 2003;13(1):1-5.

Denis L, Morton MS, Griffiths K. Diet and its preventive role in prostatic disease. Eur Urol. 1999;35(5-6):377-387.

Di Silverio F, D'Eramo G, Lubrano C, et al. Evidence that Serenoa repens extract displays an antiestrogenic activity in prostatic tissue of benign prostatic hypertrophy patients. Eur Uro. 1992;21:309-314.

Ernst E. Herbal medications for common ailments in the elderly. Drugs Aging. 1999;15(6):423-428.

Ernst E. The risk-benefit profile of commonly used herbal therapies: Ginkgo, St. John's Wort, Ginseng, Echinacea, Saw Palmetto, and Kava. Ann Intern Med. 2002;136(1):42-53.

Gerber GS. Saw palmetto for the treatment of men with lower urinary tract symptoms. J Urol. 2000;163(5):1408-1412.

Gerber GS, Kuznetsov D, Johnson BC, Burstein JD. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of saw palmetto in men with lower urinary tract symptoms. Urology. 2001;58(6):960-965.

Goepel M, Hecker U, Krege S. Saw palmetto extracts potently and noncompetitively inhibit human a1-adrenoceptors in vitro. Prostate. 1998;38(3):208–215.

Gordon AE, Shaughnessy AF. Saw palmetto for prostate disorders. Am Fam Physician. 2003;67(6):1281-1283.

Ishani A, MacDonald R, Nelson D, et al. Pygeum africanum for the treatment of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia: a systematic review and quantitative meta-analysis. Am J Med. 2000;109:654-64.

Katz AE. Flavonoid and botanical approaches to prostate health. J Altern Complemet Med. 2002;8(6):813-821.

Klingler HC. New innovative therapies for benign prostatic hyperplasia: any advance? Curr Opin Urol. 2003;13(1):11-15.

Koch E. Extracts from fruits of saw palmetto (Sabal serrulata) and roots of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica): viable alternatives in the medical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and associated lower urinary tracts symptoms. Planta Med. 2001;67(6):489-500.

Krzeski T, Kazon M, Borkowski A, Witeska A, Kuczera J. Combined extracts of Urtica dioica and Pygeum africanum in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: double-blind comparison of two doses. Clin Ther. 1993;15:1011–1020.

Lagiou P, Wuu J, Trichopoulou A, Hsieh CC, Adami HO, Trichopoulos D. Diet and benign prostatic hyperplasia: a study in Greece. Urology. 1999;54(2):284-290.

MacDonald R, Ishani A, Rutks I, Wilt TJ. A systematic review of Cernilton for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. BJU Int. 2000;85:836-41.

Managing lower urinary tract symptoms in men. Drug Ther Bull. 2003;41(3):18-21.

Marks LS, Partin AW, Epstein JI, et al. Effects of saw palmetto herbal blend in men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. J Urol. 2000;163(5):1451-1456.

Pittler MH. Complementary therapies for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia. FACT. 2000;5(4):255-257.

Rotblatt M, Ziment I. Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine. Philadelphia, Penn: Hanley & Belfus, Inc.; 2002:327-331.

Suzuki S, Platz EA, Kawachi I, Willett WC, Giovannucci E. Intakes of energy and macronutrients and the risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002;75(4):689-697.

Willets KE, Clements MS, Champion S, Ehsman S, Eden JA. Serenoa repens extract for benign prostate hyperplasia: a randomized controlled trial. BJU Int. 2003;92(3):267-270.

Wilt T, Ishani A, Mac Donald R, et al. Pygeum africanum for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;CD001044.

Wilt T, Ishani A, Mac Donald R. Serenoa repens for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(3):CD001423

Wilt TJ, Ishani A, Rutks I, MacDonald R. Phytotherapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Public Health Nutr. 2000;3(4A):459-472.

Wilt TJ, Ishani A, Stark G, MacDonald R, Lau J, Mulrow C. Saw palmetto extracts for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a systemic review. JAMA. 1998;280(18):1604-1609.

Review Date:
12/27/2007
Reviewed By:
Steven D. Ehrlich, N.M.D., private practice specializing in complementary and alternative medicine, Phoenix, AZ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

A.D.A.M. Copyright

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-2009 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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Alcohol and diet

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:24:38 -0700

Back

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Alcohol is considered a macronutrient in that it provides energy (about 7 calories per gram). The equivalent of a 1-ounce shot of liquor is approximately 80 to 90 calories.

Review Date: 2/6/2008

Reviewed By: Christos Ballas, MD, Attending Psychiatrist, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M. Copyright

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Eat by Numbers

FitSugar — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:30:00 -0700

Need a simple number, one through 100, to tell you how to eat? Well the good folks at Griffin Prevention Research Center, part of Yale University, created an algorithm to rank the “overall nutritional quality" of food. The equation factors in vitamin content, macronutrient composition, nutritional density, and other nutritional properties. The Overall Nutritional Quality Index (ONQI) will begin appearing on foods at many grocery stores soon. To see how 11 foods ranked, click the orange start button.

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