Category: Food/Nutrition Columnist

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – I enjoy trying new kitchen gadgets. Some are great. Some don’t measure up and some become staples in my kitchen. See what you think.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Everyone knows that living a healthy life and eating well are important for good health. The challenge is making changes to your current lifestyle to reap these health benefits in the future. Here are 12 easy health tips that require only small changes on your part. The more of these simple changes you can make on a regular basis the healthier you will be.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – About 1% of the population suffers from celiac disease. It is a chronic inflammation of the small intestine that impairs its ability to absorb nutrients and is triggered by eating gluten, a protein found in wheat. Symptoms of gluten sensitivity can vary widely from mild discomfort to debilitating fatigue and illness.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – February is Heart Month – on the 14th we celebrate affairs of the heart with Valentine’s Day, but the rest of the month we should be focusing on our heart’s health. Most of us believe that a moderate amount of alcohol is good for your heart. But, is that true? Maybe not.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – I was once told that genius is a twist on the ordinary. EcoZip bags are exactly that, an extremely inventive idea for an old standard, the press-lock, plastic, kitchen storage bags that we all use.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Eating well isn’t really that hard. It is applying commonsense to food decisions. In fact, good eating advice has remained the same for centuries. “If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.” (Hippocrates) Let’s look at some commonsense eating advice for 2012.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Eating nuts regularly has been linked to a lower risk of early death, less heart disease and a lowered risk for cancer. Eating 1 ounce of nuts fives times a week can reduce heart disease by 25% to 39%. Eating at least 5 ounces of nuts a week cuts the risk for type 2 diabetes. And, they taste good.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – People love to talk about food – what to eat; what not to eat; does the food have too many calories, too much carb, fat, cholesterol, and sodium; or does the food have enough protein and fiber. The Complete Food Counter, 4th Edition (Pocket Books, 2012) by Karen J. Nolan, PhD and Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD tells the reader everything they need to know.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Raising healthy eaters requires effort. As parents we need to appreciate family dynamics, recognize age-appropriate feeding skills, select good food choices, as well as understand the impact of food advertising and food availability. Sounds like a daunting task, but it isn’t.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – MojoMilk is a probiotic enhanced chocolate milk alternative. Premier High Protein Shakes are milk-based sports drink. Why should you consider using either of the products and what are their nutrition benefits?

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – I spent a morning last week at a showcase for the finalists in the 2012 Toy of the Year Awards. This annual affair looks at children’s toys, divided into categories, and finalists are evaluated based on fairly rigorous criteria including creativity, new technology and safety.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – No question, Thanksgiving is a day we often overeat. But, Thanksgiving is also a day when we eat foods that can pack a powerful nutrition punch. Let’s take a look at some traditional holiday favorites.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Your Complete Food Counter app is based on the successful nutrition counter book series from Pocket Books that I have co-authored, with more than 8.5 million satisfied readers. With over 23,000 foods, 900 take-out foods, and more than 120 restaurant chains listed, you can find the calories and nutrients in any food you eat. What can this app do for you – almost anything you wish?

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – A number of recent research reports confirm, one more time, dump the supplements and eat more fruits and vegetables. Two major studies show no health benefits to routine vitamin and mineral supplement use for healthy people. The key here is “healthy.” Those with defined nutrient deficiencies can still benefit from supplementation. But, for those of who are healthy, your money would be better spent on another head of broccoli. Why is food better than supplements?

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Forget acai, pomegranates and gogi berries. US grown tart cherries, available year round, are tiny nutrition powerhouses. Over 75 research studies dating from the 1950s have shown that compounds in cherries possess anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and anti-cancer properties. The pigment that gives cherries their bright red color has extraordinary antioxidant capacity.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Literacy is the ability to read and write, but health literacy is the capacity to process information so that we can understand health facts and make health decisions. A person that is literate can have very low health literacy. It’s estimated that only 12% of US adults have a proficient health literacy level. In simple terms this means for every 100 people, 88 of us will have trouble navigating the health care system, understanding medical terms, and actively participating in disease management.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – As our population ages and baby boomers turn 65 in record numbers, future health care costs will become staggering. A recent estimate by Kenneth E. Thorpe, PhD, of the Emory Rollins School of Public Health, showed that if Americans age 60 to 64 lost 10% of their current weight Medicare would save $8 billion in the next 10 years and $35 billion over their lifetime. Overweight Americans are a drain on the economy.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Advances in nutrition often depend on findings in related fields of science. Let’s take a look at some of the more recent advances that impact on nutrition.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – I’m a big fan of Greek-style yogurt, as I’m sure many of you are, too. Typical Greek yogurt is very thick with the same creamy texture as sour cream. The principle difference between making regular yogurt and Greek yogurt is that after the milk is heated and cultured, it is drained to remove some of the extra whey (liquid) providing a thicker mixture.

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Coffee is the second most consumed beverage in the world after tea. It gets a bad rap, often, for its caffeine content, but recently the research is showing coffee may be the new health beverage.