FitSugar

Yogurt, Good for Your Tummy and Your BMI

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 07:30:00 PDT

I love yogurt. I am not lying when I say I eat it every single day. Mainly I eat yogurt because of the intestinal benefits and feel good ingredients, but now there is yet another reason to stock up on the stuff.

New research has found that women who ate three or more servings of yogurt over a two week period on average had a 15% lower body mass index (BMI) than women who didn't consume any yogurt.

Three servings of yogurt over 14 days? That's nothing. If this sounds good to you then try to incorporate yogurt into your diet.

Source

4 Lazy Moves That Boost Your Health

Prevention — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:05:16 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

You don’t have to go on a deprivation diet or spend hours exercising to ward off disease and be your healthiest self! Instead, try these supersimple tips
By the editors of Prevention

Staying healthy can feel like so much, well, work (think: logging hours at the gym and whipping up nutritious meals from scratch). However, there are plenty of small moves that you can make in your everyday life that will have big health benefits. We’ve rounded up 15 practically zero-effort ways to fight disease, whittle your waist, lower stress, and more. Bonus: many of these good-for-you moves feel good, too. So say sayonara to the old adage “no pain, no gain” and try these tips today.

Lazy Move No. 1: Protect Your Ticker by Snoozing
Need a good excuse to grab your comfiest set of pajamas and hit the sack? Skimping on shut-eye may do more than make you cranky or unproductive - it also boosts your risk of a heart attack. According to one Norwegian study, people who reported that they did not wake up feeling refreshed in the morning had a 27 percent higher risk of a heart attack, those who had trouble staying asleep almost every night in the last month had a 30 percent higher risk, and those who had trouble falling asleep almost every night in the last month had odds that jumped to 45 percent.

Twenty Ways to Sleep Better Every Night

Some researchers speculate that insomnia might trigger your body to release more of the stress hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol have been linked with high blood pressure and diabetes, which are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Plus when you’re exhausted, you may be more likely to make unhealthy choices that up your heart disease risk, such as skipping your workout or reaching for fatty or sugary snacks for a quick energy fix.

Keep reading for three more lazy ways to improve your health.

The No-Diet Trick to Reducing Belly Fat

Shape — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 04:07:27 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to Cynthia Sass, a registered dietitian with master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health.

In a new study published in the Journal of Obesity, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco found that mastering mindful eating and reducing stress effectively prevented weight gain, even without dieting, and that the women who experienced the greatest reduction in stress lost the most belly fat. In a nutshell, mindful eating is about being aware of your eating patterns and thoughts rather than acting on autopilot.

In this study, 24 of the 47 stressed, overweight or obese women were randomly assigned to practice mindfulness, while the other 23 served as a control group. The mindful group participated in weekly sessions for nine weeks, which included an intense meditation retreat, stress reduction, learning to recognize hunger and fullness, and become more aware of taste. They were asked to spend 30 minutes a day meditating and practicing mindful eating. These women experienced significant reductions in cortisol, a stress hormone linked to an increased appetite and more belly fat, and were able to maintain their body weight while reducing belly fat. In contrast, the women in the control group continued to put on pounds and saw no reduction in cortisol.

If you're like a lot of my one-on-one clients you may be thinking, "I don't have 30 minutes a day to meditate!" I hear you. But in my private practice I have found that a little mindfulness goes a long way. Check out my previous post about how practicing eating slowly, even just once in a while, can help raise your eating antennae. You can even practice by eating chocolate!

Learn more about how chocolate helps with losing weight after the break!

Should You Skip Sleep to Fit in a Workout?

Shape — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 04:33:26 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. Shape turned to personal trainer and strength coach Joe Dowdell for the answer!

Q. What's more important: getting enough sleep or fitting in an early-morning or late-night workout?

A. To change your body composition in the least amount of time, cleaning up your diet and getting seven to eight hours of quality sleep are both essential. Sleep is extremely important for body composition and helps the body and brain restore and rejuvenate in many different ways. Plus, sleep (or the lack thereof) affects important hormonal activity tied to appetite and therefore has a direct impact on your ability to lose weight (i.e. body fat).

One study published online at the Public Library of Science shows how sleep is connected to eating habits and weight gain. The December 2004 study found that people who slept less than seven to eight hours a night ate significantly more and weighed more than those who slept longer. What's more, the more sleep deprived the person was, the more they ate and the greater their weight gain. These results can be directly attributed to two key appetite-regulating hormones: leptin and ghrelin. Leptin (a hormone secreted by our fat cells) and ghrelin (a hormone secreted in our stomachs) work like a checks and balances system in the body and control your feelings of fullness and hunger. When you don't get enough sleep, your leptin levels drop and your ghrelin levels rise. In other words, you're more likely to crave sugary, high-carb foods (thanks to higher levels of Ghrelin) that have the potential to sabotage your diet. The growth hormone - which is extremely important for tissue repair, body fat reduction, and healthy immune function - also gets released during sleep.

Now you can see why getting quality sleep is just as important as your workout routine and nutrition. In fact, I would rank sleep and diet as more important than exercise, especially if fat loss (i.e. getting a lean, toned body) is your primary goal.

Can't Shake Those Last 10 Pounds? Freeze Away Your Fat

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:07:22 PDT

If you've dieted and exercised but can't seem to get rid of your stubborn muffin top or saddlebags, the FDA-approved CoolSculpting treatment may be for you. Developed by Harvard scientists, the nonsurgical and painless weight loss procedure essentially freezes your fat away without damaging your skin. It's not helpful for big weight loss but may be perfect for those struggling with resistant areas they want to spot treat.

A noninvasive applicator sucks on the area being treated, and for an hour your fat cells are lowered to a temperature that kills them but leaves your skin cells unharmed. As a result, the fat cells stop working and are metabolized over time - it takes two to four months to see a 20 percent reduction in fat in the treated area. Patients will experience a firm pulling sensation, intense cold, and pressure during the procedure and mild bruising afterward, but there's no recovery time necessary.

Keep reading to find out how much CoolSculpting costs.

Just How Bad Are Extensions For Your Hair?

Allure — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 15:37:00 PDT

We're excited to present this hair-raising story from Allure:

This week a hair loss expert at the London Centre of Trichology came out and said that in the last two years, he's seen a 15 percent increase in women seeking treatment after damaging their hair with glue extensions - which he now believes should be straight-up banned before they scalp more women. The trichologist told the BBC that the extension-related hair loss is traction alopecia, which is a condition caused when too much tension is regularly placed on the hair roots, pulling out the hairs, and damaging the follicles permanently. Yikes! We asked New York City dermatologist Francesca Fusco, who specializes in hair loss, if hair extensions are going to give us hair reductions in the long run. See her advice when you keep reading.

5 Reasons You Should Eat More Berries

FitSugar — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 00:25:53 PDT

If someone told me that the only food I'd be able to eat for the rest of my life were berries, I wouldn't bat an eyelash. I absolutely love all kinds of berries including strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries - they are a simple, sweet, healthy treat that can be added to a variety of dishes. Just buy them, or pick them, and rinse them up and enjoy. Berries not only taste good, but they are also chock-full of nutritious goodness and deliver a plethora of health benefits. Here are five reasons why you may want to up your berry intake.

They are good for your brain: Investigators with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston found that the polyphenols in berries help the part of the brain that takes care of regular maintenance and "housekeeping." Blueberries and strawberries were said to contain the most polyphenols.

They may help you lose weight: Berries are loaded with the powerful antioxidant anthocyanin. This antioxidant is said to be able to alter the activity of genes found in human fat cells, making it more difficult to put on weight if you are regularly consuming anthocyanins.
They are good for your eyes: Berries, especially blueberries and raspberries, contain lutein in the pigment of their skin, which is important for healthy eyes.
They are anticarcinogens: Christine Sardo, who manages clinical trials on berry consumption and cancer prevention for Ohio State University's College of Medicine, found that rats that ate a diet consisting of 10 percent black raspberries showed reductions in oral, esophageal, and colon cancers of about 50 percent compared to rats that did not eat berries. Sardo concluded that berries contain potent anticancer compounds including calcium, folic acid, fiber, and various phytochemicals. Specifically, black raspberries slow the growth rate of premalignant cancerous cells through a process called apitosis, therefore stimulating those cells to die.
They help slow down the aging process: The powerful antioxidants in berries prevent free radical damage in your body. And less free radical damage means slowing down the aging process and helping you live longer!

Is Central Heat Making Us Fat?

Kristen Hawley — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 04:30:52 PST

Winter weight gain can happen to the best of us, but new research out of England says that turning up the heat indoors can lead to weight gain. Apparently, temperatures in the low 60s, while still comfortable, causes a substance in our bodies called brown fat to burn, generating heat and burning calories.

Research was conducted by a team of professionals including health psychologists, biologists, and indoor-environment specialists. Apparently, since central heat became popular in the 1960s, indoor temperatures in both the US and the UK have gotten warmer; at the same time obesity rates have been climbing as well. Additionally, researchers found that due to the efficiency of modern heating systems, most people heat their entire house to one temperature, whereas in the past the bedrooms tended to be slightly colder.

Not being exposed to the cold, researchers say, means our bodies don't produce enough of this brown fat, which in turn is unable to burn calories. They also maintain that cold exposure or non-exposure is not a major contributing factor to obesity; exercise and food consumption still take top honors in that category. But at least one medical professional does maintain that lowering the temperature indoors may have a weight-reduction effect over time.

Next time you're feeling chilly, don't reach for the thermostat. Do some push-ups instead!

Invest in Your Bone Bank, and Do It Soon

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:30:03 PDT

On my last visit to my doctor, I was surprised to find out that bone strength peaks in women by the age of 35. After that, the body stops producing new bone and gradually loses bone mass. And in certain cases, bone loss can result in osteoporosis. Not only can osteoporosis result in a reduction of height, it leaves the body more susceptible to bone fractures. My doctor says that it's extremely important to maximize our bone strength now, to avoid the onset of problems later. Luckily, this can be done through proper diet and exercise.

Here are the two most important thing to consider for bone health:

Eating enough calcium and vitamin D is essential for healthy bones. Studies show that calcium and vitamin D are a must when it comes to bone health, and that we benefit more from eating these nutrients versus taking supplements. The RDI of calcium for women is 1,000 mg a day and for vitamin D, it's 200 to 400 IU.
Strength train for stronger bones. Weight bearing exercises will help make our bones stronger. Make sure to target areas that are susceptible to bone loss, like your shoulders, arms, spine, wrists, hips, and legs.

DrSugar Answers: Losing Weight With PCOS?

DrSugar — Tue, 04 May 2010 08:00:51 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! And she's answering your health-related questions.

Dear DrSugar,
I would love for you to discuss PCOS and weight loss. I am having such a hard time breaking a plateau despite counting calories and exercising daily. Any advice?
- Sick of the Plateau

This is a great topic to discuss, as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age and the most common cause of female infertility. Between one in 10 and one in 20 women of childbearing age has PCOS.

To learn more about PCOS and weight gain associated with it, continue reading.