A presentation at the International Association for Dental Research reported for the that the citric acid in sports beverages causes significant tooth enamel erosion compromising tooth integrity and predisposing to fissures and cracks. I consider sports beverages a close cousin to soda and never recommend their use except for those engaging in vigorous physical activity […]
I am frequently queried about nutrition in the realm of athletic performance. Although the specifics can vary dependent on the type of sport or activity – the broad lessons remain the same and are as follows: By far the single greatest impact from food/diet on an athlete’s performance derives from day to day nutrition overtime. Meaning, […]
Snacking is as American as apple pie – a culturally reinforced behavior that is simply hard wired into our food environment. And while traditional snack choices have largely been nutritional disasters, typically low in the good stuff, like fiber and nutrients, and high in the bad stuff, like excess calories, bad fats, salts, sugar and […]
All standard teas from the Camellias Sinensis will have caffeine in them. Contrary to what people think, all varieties including black, green white and oolong have similar amounts. Bag teas generally have a little less than loose leaf. Unfortunately, the decaffeination process destroys most of the beneficial catechins. For those sensitive to caffeine that still want […]
I consider fiber a secret weapon on the disease-fighting front and this provocative study reminds us to load up early and often for optimal heart health. In the study, scientists demonstrated that a high fiber diet in early-to-mid adult life was associated with a significantly lower lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease. The lead investigator described […]
According to a report in Gastroenterology (July 09), Celiac Disease is 4 times more common in the US than it was during the 1950’s. The disease results from an intolerance to the protein gluten, found in wheat, barley, and rye. When celiac patients consume gluten, they suffer an inflammatory reaction within the small intestine that can lead to a […]
We now have credible data to support that calories consumed late at night are more fattening than those consumed during the day. An intriguing laboratory study revealed “hard data” to give us reason to be particularly food-wary during the wee hours of the night. Scientist have consistently observed that shift workers who are frequently forced to eat […]
If shedding some weight via exercise is one of your health goals for the New Year and you want to get the most bang for your time, you would be best served to incorporate aerobic vs. resistance exercise. In a study that marks the largest randomized trial ever undertaken to directly quantify changes in body […]
Thanks to Vanderbilt researchers, the sparkling reputation of green tea is shining even brighter. In a study that included 75,000 middle-aged and older Chinese women, consuming green tea was associated with significant cancer protection. Those who reported regular green tea consumption (defined as at least 3 times a week) for at least 20 years were […]
Resveratrol, the powerful antioxidant in red wine, has become somewhat of a wonder compound in the laboratory with new studies linking it with a host of remarkable benefits from cancer prevention to slowing the again process. Unfortunately, resveratrol is very poorly absorbed once it enters the gastrointestinal tract, but new research has shown that it […]
A provocative and scary report found that obesity has a “socially contagious” component to it. Meaning – your body weight can impact the body weight of your friends and even your friends’ friends. Now we have some much “lighter” and truly uplifting science that reports happiness is contagious too and that you can make your friends […]
Want a delicious way to live a longer life? Eat more polyphenol-rich foods. Polyphenols are a family of plant-based compounds that have exhibited a broad range of health benefits including lowering inflammation and oxidation in the body, reducing cancer risk, protecting the cardiovascular system, and slowing the aging process. In an interesting study, scientists determined that […]
