Dr. Ann

In an exhilarating new study, scientists found that simple changes to diet translated to big improvements in mood. For this three-week, clinical trial, 76 university students with poor diets and moderate to severe depression symptoms were randomly assigned to one of two groups—either the “diet change” group or the “regular diet” group. The “diet change” […]

  Your weight status in young adulthood appears to have a significant influence on your future risk of several major cancers. That was the conclusion of an illuminating, new study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology. For this study, scientists followed the body weight (BMI) and cancer status of over 220,000 adults for an average […]

Exercise is simply stellar for weight control. Check out all the different ways exercise can help you stay lean! Exercise burns calories. Exercise enhances insulin sensitivity (insulin action) which boosts calorie burning potential. Exercise builds lean body mass (muscle). The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn.  Muscles burn fat very effectively […]

Although life-long success with weight control requires regular physical activity and eating a healthy diet, there is more to the story. Science has uncovered some additional key facets that, in my experience, most people are in the dark about. Getting quality sleep (7-8 hours a night). Sleep deprivation quickly disrupts metabolic function and boosts appetite […]

I am fascinated by the science of appetite control (because I know it is the holy grail for weight control), and this study really grabbed my attention. In this investigation, Yale scientists learned that when our brains detect a drop in blood glucose (glucose is the only source of fuel for brain cells), several distinct […]

If you are using artificial sweeteners to control your weight, take heed. While past studies in both animals and humans have suggested they can lead to weight gain, scientists have identified how this can happen. In a series of sophisticated lab experiments, scientists found that lab animals regularly fed a diet containing the popular artificial […]

Yikes! Sleep loss appears to really bring on the fat. In a new report that combined the results from 11 previous studies to provide a more accurate and robust answer, the verdict was indeed eye-opening. We eat more (lots more!) when we do not get enough sleep. Relative to study subjects with normal sleep, those […]

Have you ever noticed that your hunger increases as the day goes on and peaks at night? If so, know that science has backed up this “gut feeling,” and the body’s internal clock (the circadian system) appears to be highly involved. The researchers noted that although this pattern of appetite and subsequent food consumption may have served […]

Appetite control is the Holy Grail for weight control and beans prove to be a winning food for keeping hunger at bay. In a systematic review of all available clinical trials, scientists concluded that people felt about 31% fuller after eating an average of 160 grams of beans (a bit more than ¾ a cup) […]

KEEP IT STEADY-EDDIE! Keeping your appetite under wraps can be as simple as maintaining your blood glucose level. Here is my best advice for preventing those hunger-driving drops in your blood glucose. Minimize foods known to precipitously drop your blood sugar—namely, the refined, high glycemic “Great White Hazards”—white flour products, white potatoes, white rice, and […]

July 10, 2018 • Kids Health

Brain Power in Kids

In a ground-breaking study that I hope grabs everyone’s attention, particularly parents and the education establishment, researchers confirmed that both physical activity and body weight have a decisive impact on how well a child’s brain functions. For this study, researchers carefully assessed cognitive function through a special battery of tests in 45 normal weight kids age […]

If you want to keep your hunger under wraps, be sure to include a nice dose of protein at each of your meals. Past studies have indicated that protein, relative to carbs and fats, has superior hunger-quieting effects. In an effort to confirm protein’s unique sating power, researchers performed a systematic review of past studies […]