tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516114373139950342024-03-13T07:16:24.722-04:00Dr. Thomas L. HaltonWeight Loss, Nutrition, Health and Exercise GuideDr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.comBlogger291125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-7907893503428132572024-03-13T07:15:00.003-04:002024-03-13T07:15:34.380-04:00Exercise And Risk Of Depression<p><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Study</span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Recent evidence suggests that cardiovascular exercise is associated with
a reduced risk of depression. In this interesting study, 4,016 subjects from
the Irish Longitudinal Study On Aging cohort had their physical activity and
levels of depression measured for 10 years.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">By the end of follow-up, subjects who completed 400-600 METS per week had
a 43% lower odds of depression.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">JAMA Network Open</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> 2023; 6:e2322489</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Take
Home Message</span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Since one minute
of brisk walking is equal to 4 METS, the level of exercise found to reduce the
odds of depression in this study is equivalent to only 100 minutes of brisk
walking per week.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Cardiovascular
exercise is not just important for our physical health, but our mental health
as well. Do your very best to make it a priority in your life.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-82008471812077026172024-03-13T07:12:00.000-04:002024-03-13T07:12:01.145-04:00Fruit Juice And Weight Gain<p><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Study</span></span></b></p><p><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">100% fruit juice has historically been considered part of
a healthy breakfast. Recent research suggests that it may be associated with
weight gain. In this study, a comprehensive review and meta-analysis of the
research literature was conducted to answer this question. Forty-two studies
were included.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Here is what the researchers found when combining all of
the data:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-Among children, each additional serving of fruit juice
was associated with a statistically significant increase in body mass index.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-In adults, studies that did not adjust for total energy
consumption showed a statistically significant weight gain with 100% fruit
juice consumption.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics </span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.6124</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Take Home Message</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">There are a few potential explanations for these results:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: white;">1) Drinking fruit juice may increase cravings for sweet
foods.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">2) Liquid calories are not registered in the same way as
solid calories, so we tend to overeat when consuming liquid calories.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">3) There is less fiber in fruit juice which results in a
more rapid absorption of the sugar found in juice.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Always eat fruit in it’s whole and natural form. For
example, have an orange instead of orange juice. Have an apple instead of apple
juice. When it comes to our food, the less processing, the better.</span></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-70637269948609341792024-01-12T09:30:00.001-05:002024-01-12T09:30:41.401-05:00How To Get Back On Track With Your Diet After The Holidays<p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">The time between
Thanksgiving and New Year’s day presents some real challenges for those trying
to eat healthy and lose weight. The holidays are great and it is a lot of fun
to eat and drink a bit more during this time. Just about everyone puts on a few
pounds by New Year’s Day.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">However, for many
of us, the unhealthy eating continues well into January and even February. This
is mostly due to swings in blood sugar that result in increased hunger and
cravings for refined carbohydrates, which were likely consumed in large amounts
over the last several weeks. The more we eat bread, pasta, white rice and
sugar, the more we want these foods.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">A couple of extra
cheat meals and a few pounds gained during the holiday season are not much of a
problem. But if the disordered eating lasts for months, you will put on some
serious weight. Even my most successful and dedicated clients will struggle during
and after the holidays. Here are a few strategies that help them get back on
track:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">1) If you have
eaten more refined carbohydrates during the holiday season, you will have an
increase in cravings for them. You will also be more hungry in general. Step
one is to mentally realize this. Tell yourself that you will be hungry for the
wrong foods, but will not give into them. Getting your head right and
understanding the origin of the cravings is very helpful.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">2) Write down your
food for 2 weeks. It adds a layer of accountability that gets you back on the
right track. A great free app to help you do this is MyFitness Pal.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">3) Go to the
grocery store and load up on all of the right foods. Make it easy to eat
healthy. Similarly, get all of the unhealthy foods out of your house.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">4) Plan your meals
ahead of time. Think about what you will eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner
for the next few days or even a week.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">5) Try to limit
eating out at restaurants for the first week or two. Restaurant meals usually
have a lot more calories, fat, salt and sugar.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">After a week or
two of eating right, you will find that your blood sugar has stabilized and the
hunger and cravings for the wrong foods will start to calm down.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-8526090082673671062024-01-12T09:26:00.002-05:002024-01-12T09:26:45.764-05:00Mediterranean Diet And PTSD<p><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Study</span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">The association between diet and mental health has been an area of
increasing interest in the research literature. In this interesting study, 191
women who had traumatic exposure and PTSD symptoms had their diet evaluated.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">The researchers found that higher PTSD symptoms were associated with less
adherence to a Mediterranean diet.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Nature Mental Health</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> 2023; 1:900</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Take
Home Message</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Diets that are
easy on our blood sugar seem to have a positive impact on mood and mental
health. A Mediterranean diet is a great example. This type of diet focuses on
fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, olive oil, seafood and
chicken.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">It limits refined
grains, sugars, red meat and saturated fat. It is a great way to eat for both
your physical and mental health.</span></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-70914554891984166772024-01-12T09:16:00.000-05:002024-01-12T09:16:15.115-05:00Protein Timing After A Workout<p><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Study</span></span></b></p><p><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">It has long been theorized that consuming protein just
after a resistance training session will maximize gains in muscular strength
and growth. The thought here is that there is an anabolic “window of
opportunity” for protein uptake and muscle synthesis that can be taken
advantage of with supplementation. What does the research say? </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">A review published in the </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Journal of the International
Society of Sports Nutrition</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> examined this question. After summarizing the 6
most influential studies on this subject, the researchers concluded that there
was no definitive evidence that supplementing protein after a workout improves
results.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: white;">Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
2013; 10:5</span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Take Home Message</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">As long as you are getting adequate protein at all 3
meals, there is no reason to load up on protein after a workout.</span></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-65556364432222433342024-01-12T08:16:00.000-05:002024-01-12T08:16:00.492-05:00Is Organic Produce Worth The Extra Expense?<p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">At first glance,
the idea that organically grown produce is healthier than conventionally grown
makes a lot of sense. If organic products cost the same amount of money as
conventionally grown, it would be a pretty easy decision for most of us. However,
this is not the case. Organic produce can cost twice as much as conventionally
grown. This begs the question: Is it worth the extra money? Let’s look at what
the research says:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Study #1</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Stanford University conducted a review of the research literature that
included 240 studies on organically grown foods (Reference 1). The Authors
concluded that there was no convincing evidence that organic produce was more nutritious
or would result in significantly improved health outcomes.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Study #2</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">A research group
from a British medical school conducted a similar investigation (Reference 2).
This review included a variety of outcomes and 12 separate influential studies.
The researchers concluded that evidence was lacking for any nutrition related
health effects of organically grown food.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Study #3</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">In 2021, the USDA
conducted its annual testing of pesticide residues on foods available for sale
in the U.S. (Reference 3). This included 2.7 million analyses.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">-24% of foods tested
had no detectable residues.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">-99% of foods were
below the EPA’s tolerance levels. These levels are conservatively set at 1/100</span><sup style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
of an exposure that caused no toxicity in laboratory animals.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Conclusions And Recommendations</span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">These studies may be surprising to many and even a bit controversial. However,
in the field of nutrition, many commonly held beliefs by the public are not
supported by the research literature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Organic produce is much more expensive than conventionally grown, often two
times as much money. Most buyers of organic foods spend this extra money for
one of two reasons:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-They think there are more nutrients in organic foods.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-They believe that organic foods will have a more positive effect on
their health than conventionally grown food.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Up to this point, the research indicates that neither are true. If you like
to buy organic produce and can easily afford to do so, by all means continue.
However, if you are buying organic produce because you think it is more nutritious
or will result in improved health, there is very little evidence that this is
true.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">References</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">1) Smith-Spangler C, et al. Are organic foods safer or healthier than
conventional alternative? A systematic review.</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> Annals of Internal Medicine</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
2012; 157:348-66.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">2) Dangour AD, et al. Nutrition related health effects of organic foods:
A systematic review. </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> 2010; 92:203-10.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">3) https://www.ams.usda.gov/reports/pdp-annual-summary-reports</span></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-82675361235267059182023-11-13T10:47:00.002-05:002023-11-13T10:49:18.796-05:00Should I Avoid Seafood Because It’s High In Mercury?<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: white;">Seafood is a very healthy food, but because of industrial
pollution, there is a legitimate concern of mercury contamination in the fish
we consume. So, just where does seafood fit into a healthy diet?</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Benefits of Seafood</span><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; line-height: 107%;">Seafood contains a lot of healthy nutrients. It is high in
Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin D. It is also a great source of protein that is
low in saturated fat.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: white;">Omega 3 fatty acids from seafood have been shown in the
research literature to have a nice impact on arrhythmias, triglycerides,
inflammation, blood pressure, heart rate and vascular function. This all
translates to a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular for those that
regularly consume seafood.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Risk of Mercury Consumption</span><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: white;">High levels of mercury can harm nerves in adults and have a
negative impact on the development of the nervous system and brains of
children. Mercury may also increase risk of cardiovascular disease.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">What I Tell My Clients</span><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; line-height: 107%;">The benefits of seafood consumption are undeniable, but you
don’t want to go overboard and load up on mercury either. The goal is to strike
a balance by following 2 guidelines:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; line-height: 107%;">1) Stick to 3 servings of seafood per week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; line-height: 107%;">2) Avoid seafood species with the highest levels of mercury:
Swordfish, Shark, King Mackerel, Tilefish, Orange Roughy, Marlin and Albacore-,
Bigeye- or Yellow-fin tuna.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: white;">If you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or nursing,
talk to your doctor about the amount of seafood that is right for you.</span><o:p style="font-size: 14pt;"></o:p></span></p></div>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-62358529155722261452023-11-13T10:37:00.000-05:002023-11-13T10:37:06.377-05:00Weight Loss With And Without Exercise<p><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Study</span></span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">In this interesting trial, 8 obese, prediabetic subjects lost 10% of
their body weight by changing their diet and another 8 obese, prediabetic
subjects lost 10% of their body weight by changing their diet and exercising. A
variety of metabolic tests were conducted both before and after the
intervention.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">The group that added exercise to their weight loss program had a two-fold
improvement in insulin sensitivity. These subjects also had an increased muscular
expression of genes involved in the biogenesis of mitochondria, energy
metabolism and angiogenesis (which is the creation of new blood vessels).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Nature Metabolism</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> 2023; 5:1221.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Take
Home Message</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Losing weight by
changing your diet is great. Losing weight by changing your diet and exercising
is even better. This study is really relevant given the explosion in the use of
Ozempic and Mounjaro weight loss medications. Many are losing weight with these
drugs while not really paying attention to their diet and exercise programs. This
leaves a lot of health benefits on the table. Exercise is an essential
component of any weight loss program and should not be neglected.</span></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-8771601655453652392023-11-13T10:33:00.001-05:002023-11-13T10:52:22.968-05:00Are Weekend Warriors Just As Healthy?<p><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Study</span></span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">A long-standing debate in the field of exercise science
is whether exercising every day is better for your health than just exercising
on the weekend. A recent study from England using the UK Biobank cohort put
this to the test.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">The study included 89,573 subjects who wore an accelerometer
for 7 days. The subjects were split into two groups: those that exercised for
150 minutes spread throughout the week and those that exercised for 150 minutes
just on 1 or 2 days of the week. The subjects were then followed for
cardiovascular events, which included myocardial infarction, stroke and heart
failure.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">The statistically significant decrease in risk of
cardiovascular events did not differ between groups.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">JAMA</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> 2023; 330:247.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Take Home Message</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">This is a really reassuring result for those of us whose
jobs make it difficult to exercise during the work week. Do your best to get
your cardio in on a daily basis, but if you cannot, you can make up what you
miss on the weekend.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">This study provides
evidence that you won’t be missing out on any of the health benefits.</span></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-44409150718226308602023-09-13T08:57:00.002-04:002023-09-13T08:57:29.638-04:00Glycemic Index And Brain Function<p><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Study</span></span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">In this interesting study, 25 type 2 diabetics consumed a high or low
glycemic breakfast, lunch and dinner on 2 separate occasions. The glycemic
index is a measure of how a carbohydrate food impacts your blood sugar. High
glycemic foods cause a spike in glucose and insulin levels and low glycemic
foods have a more modest impact on blood sugar and insulin. All subjects went
through a battery of cognitive tests during each study day.</span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">The subjects had a significant improvement in global cognitive and
executive functioning when comparing the low glycemic day to the high glycemic
day.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: white;">American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</span></span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: white;"> 2023; 117:859-69.</span><br /><o:p></o:p></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><o:p> <br /></o:p></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Take
Home Message</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><br /></span></b><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">It sounds funny
saying this, but the way you eat can impact how smart you are. Your brain works
better when you eat in a way that provides a stable blood sugar.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">The authors
proposed several potential mechanisms for the cognitive benefits seen in this
study after the low-glycemic index meal plan:<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">-More energy on
the low GI day was responsible for the improvements in cognitive function.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">-A better mood on
the low GI day was responsible for the improvements in cognitive function.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">-Less hunger on
the low GI day was responsible for the improvements in cognitive function.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">-Improvements in
cerebral blood flow may also be responsible.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: white;">When it comes to
carbs, focus on fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains such as oatmeal,
quinoa and brown rice. Strictly limit bread, pasta, white rice and sugar.</span></span></div>
Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-64218367431780673882023-09-13T08:53:00.000-04:002023-09-13T08:53:31.028-04:00Gut Microbiome And Body Weight<p><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Study</span></span></b></p><p><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Recent research has shown that our gut microbiome may
influence energy balance. In this interesting crossover trial, 31 young and
normal weight men and women consumed a Western Diet and a Microbiome Enhancing
Diet for 23 days each.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Both of these diets had the same number of calories and macronutrient
break down. The Western Diet was a typical unhealthy American way of eating.
The Microbiome Enhancer Diet was high in fiber, resistant starch, had a larger
particle size and fewer processed foods.<br /></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">After each dietary intervention, a variety of
measurements were taken.<br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">During the Microbiome Enhancing Diet protocol, subjects
lost 116 calories per day in their feces.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Nature Communications</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"> 2023; 14:3161.<br /></span></span><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;"><br /></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Take Home Message</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">This is a truly
fascinating study. 116 calories may not sound like much, but in a year, it adds
up to 12 lbs. lost. The gut microbiome is emerging as something of a control
center for energy balance. How it does this is unclear, but there are a few
theories:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><o:p> <br /></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">1) It has an
influence on the number of calories harvested from food.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><o:p> <br /></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">2) It has an influence
on gut hormones.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><o:p> <br /></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">3) Signaling
through microbiome metabolic byproducts such as SCFA’s (short chain fatty
acids).<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: white;">There are many
reasons to eat a diet high in fiber and low in processed foods. You can
potentially add enhancing your gut microbiome to the list.</span></span></div>
Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-6485389785259121272023-09-13T08:02:00.001-04:002023-09-13T08:32:47.755-04:00Product Review: Cooper Complete Basic One Iron Free Multivitamin<p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Many of my clients
ask me if I take a multivitamin and if I have one to recommend. The answer is
yes to both questions. But before we get to that, just a bit of background. If
you have worked with me or read any of my books, you likely know that I am not
a supplement guy. There are several reasons why this is true:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-It is always better
to get whatever nutrients you are looking for by eating healthy.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-Because of the 1994
Dietary Supplement Health And Education Act, there is virtually no regulation
of the supplement industry. In other words, no one is testing if your
supplement has what it says it does. And no one is testing whether anything
else unsafe may be added to it. This has caused a ton of problems. Some
supplements have been found to have prescription drugs like Prozac or Viagra
when tested. Not good!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">However,
multivitamins have several benefits:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-Recently a Harvard
study showed that taking a daily multivitamin improved memory and slowed
cognitive decline in older adults (Reference 1).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-Most of us need to
supplement vitamin D, particularly in the winter months. It is really hard to
get enough from your food. You can find a multivitamin that includes Vitamin D
to take care of this.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-A multivitamin can
act as insurance for your healthy diet. Sometimes even the best diets lack
certain nutrients. A multivitamin can make up this small difference.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">I have for years been
recommending a great multivitamin sold by Cooper Concepts. It is called Cooper
Complete Basic One Iron Free. Dr. Kenneth Cooper is an amazing Physician,
Researcher and Entrepreneur who has focused on exercise and preventative health
for his entire career. One of his companies, Cooper Concepts, sells a one a day
multivitamin that checks all my boxes.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #fcff01; font-family: Georgia, serif;">
<b><span>Pro’s</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">1) Dr. Cooper consulted with leading nutrition researchers, including the
Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health, to help him
determine what nutrients to include in this multivitamin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">2) This vitamin
contains 2000 IU’s of Vitamin D.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">3)Most importantly,
Dr. Cooper has an independent lab test this multivitamin to be sure that it
contains what it says it does and nothing else. This is huge!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;"><b>Con's</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">1) This multivitamin
is a bit more expensive than other brands. It is priced at $29.98 for 60
tabl</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">ets.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">What I Recommend To
My Clients</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">If a client’s diet is
otherwise good, I recommend taking this multivitamin 3 times per week as
insurance and to make sure they are getting enough vitamin D. This is
particularly important in the winter, when the sun is less strong (we make
vitamin D through our skin from sun exposure).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">This also brings the
cost down quite a bit. At 12 pills a month, the bottle will last 5 months or
so, which is $6 a month. Since each pill contains 2000 IU of Vitamin D, taking
3 a week averages just over 800 IU per day, which is a level I am comfortable
with. For more information or to pick up this multivitamin, click <a href="https://coopercomplete.com/product/basic-one-multivitamin-iron-free/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">References</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">1) </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">American
Journal Of Clinical Nutrition</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> 2023 118:273-82</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Disclosure: I am not affiliated
with the company that makes Cooper Complete supplements and make no money if
you buy any of their products.</span></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-57559367660708745272023-07-13T07:27:00.000-04:002023-07-13T07:27:10.737-04:00How Many Times A Week Should I Lift Weights?<p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Weight lifting,
also known as resistance training, is a critical component of health and
fitness no matter what your goals may be. There are two major reasons why:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-As we age, we
start to lose muscle. This can have a significant negative impact on our metabolism,
level of functioning and ability to manage our weight.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-Resistance
training spares lean body mass during the weight loss process, which makes it
much easier to keep the lost weight off for good.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Hit the weights 3
times per week on non-consecutive days. Monday, Wednesday and Friday or
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. You need time for the muscles to rest and
rebuild in between sessions.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">If time is a
serious issue, you can get away with 2 times a week. One last note, make sure
to contact your Doctor whenever starting an exercise program to make sure it is
safe for you to do so.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-14137755156227483502023-07-13T07:25:00.000-04:002023-07-13T07:25:05.004-04:00Sugar And Weight Gain<p><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Study</span></span></b></p><p><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">This study is a systematic review of 169 trials that examined the
relationship between sugar consumption and weight gain.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">The results were pretty predictable:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">In trials where sugar was added to the diet, subjects experienced statistically
significant weight gain.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">In trials where sugar was subtracted from the diet, subjects experienced
statistically significant weight loss.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> 2023; 117:741-65.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Take
Home Message</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Simple message
here.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">If you are trying to lose weight
and keep it off, you need to be seriously concerned about the amount of sugar
you are consuming.</span></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-75906274580979504582023-07-13T07:23:00.000-04:002023-07-13T07:23:01.048-04:00Importance Of Carbohydrates In Weight Management<p><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Study</span></span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">A recent weight loss trial (The Diet Fits Trial) compared
a low-fat diet to a low-carb diet. The results showed that a lower carb diet
increased weight loss at 3 and 6 months but that there was no difference after
a year.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">This study reanalyzed the data by creating a biomarker of
carbohydrate intake (triglycerides/HDL cholesterol) and a biomarker of fat
intake (LDL cholesterol + HDL cholesterol) and examined how these impacted
weight loss in the Diet Fits subjects. The results were interesting:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-The carbohydrate biomarker predicted weight loss at all
3 time points.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-The fat biomarker did not predict weight loss.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-The reduction of the glycemic load drove most of the
weight loss in these subjects.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> 2023; 117:599-606.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Take Home Message</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">The message here
is simple. If you are trying to lose weight, pay attention to your carbs. The
glycemic load of the carbs you eat will have the biggest impact on your ability
to lose weight. The research bears this out, as does my 20 years of experience
working with weight loss clients.</span></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-66524133284257923572023-07-13T07:19:00.001-04:002023-07-13T08:24:55.150-04:00Book Review: The Good Life<p><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Next up for review
is </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The Good Life, </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">by Dr. Robert Waldinger and Dr. Marc Schulz.
The authors are the directors of the Harvard Study of Adult Development.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Introduction</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">The main focus of
this book is to report on the findings of the 84-year Harvard Study of Adult
Development. In 1938, 268 sophomores at Harvard University and 456 inner city
Boston 14-year-old boys initiated a lifelong study to learn what makes people
healthy and happy. They were sent questionnaires and interviewed regularly throughout
their lifespan. The study actually continues to this day for the offspring of
the original members. The book has 351 pages. It is well written and I really
enjoyed reading it.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">5 Things I Really Liked About <i>The Good Life</i></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">1) The main conclusion
of this research is that the quality of our relationships is the most important
factor determining our health and happiness throughout our lives. Most of us
focus on making money, having career success and status in an effort to make us
happy and it turns out they don’t matter that much at all. I found this fascinating.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">2) Most of the research
that I have conducted and read focuses on length of life and disease risk
reduction. I like that this study also looked at happiness and quality of life,
which is every bit as important as length of days.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">3) The fact that
this study has gone on for 84 years with 84% follow-up is amazing.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">4) I like how the
authors used participant’s interview question answers over the years to illustrate
how relationships, good or bad, had a huge impact on their happiness.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">5) I also like how
the book invites us to review the relationships in our own life and offers
suggestions to improve them in both in number and quality.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">5 Things I Didn’t Agree With In <i>The Good Life</i></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">1) I wish the book was not so laser focused on relationships. There was a
lot of data on other lifestyle choices that impacted happiness and health that
were mentioned very quickly. I wish they were fleshed out a bit.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">2) As a quantitative researcher, I was looking for some numbers and statistics
to back up the claims made by the authors. For example, there are objective
surveys to determine happiness and quality of life. Were these administered for
any part of the follow-up? If they were, the impact of distinct lifestyle
habits could have been tested statistically.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">3) Similar to point #1, the authors mention that exercise was very important
for health and happiness but didn’t really go into it. I would have love to see
a whole chapter on this topic.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">4) Ditto for the impact of nutrition and body weight on our health and happiness.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">5) The authors mention a bit about how money was not really associated
with happiness. I found this fascinating and would have loved a whole chapter
on the impact of money on health and happiness.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Is <i>The Good Life</i> Worth Reading?</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Absolutely! This book covers some really important research regarding how
our relationships impact our health and happiness. It provides the reader with
an opportunity to evaluate the relationships in his or her life and offers tips
on how to nurture them. Although I would have liked to see more data on other lifestyle
choices, this is a really important book and definitely worth a look.</span></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-26605818058542798242023-05-12T07:51:00.001-04:002023-05-12T07:51:36.391-04:00 What Is The Best Cardio Machine For Weight Loss?<p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">This one is easy
to answer. The elliptical trainer is by far the best cardio machine for weight
loss.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Here is why:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">1) It is an
upright form of exercise, so it burns a lot of calories. When using an
elliptical trainer, you are supporting your own body weight. This burns more
calories than if your weight is supported, as it is on a bicycle.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">2) It is very low
impact and easy on the joints. This is important for my older clients and those
with orthopedic concerns.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">3) There are
inexpensive home models available. Exercising outdoors is great. I do it as
much as possible. However, rain, snow and cold can sometimes keep you inside.
Consistency is key when it comes to cardio. Having a home elliptical makes it
easy to hit your cardio goals no matter what the weather is doing.</span></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-40656574104760772442023-05-12T07:49:00.000-04:002023-05-12T07:49:25.599-04:00Sleep Deprivation And Energy Intake In Children<p><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Study</span></span></b></p><p><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">In this interesting study, 105 children between the ages of 8 and 12 went
to bed 1 hour earlier for 7 days and then 1 hour later for 7 days. They had
their food intake measured throughout the study period.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Here is what they found:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-During sleep restriction, children consumed 86 more calories per day
then when well slept. This does not sound like much, but if consumed over a
full year, would result in 9 lbs. gained.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-During sleep restriction, children consumed significantly more total
sugars, ultra-processed foods and sugar sweetened beverages.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> 2023; 117:317-25.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Take
Home Message</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">For the last several decades, the research on the importance of sleep in
weight maintenance has really started to build.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">There is evidence that sleep deprivation influences hormones that
dictate appetite, such as leptin and ghrelin. There is also evidence that
metabolism slows down and you burn fewer calories when under slept.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Proper sleep is also really important for your energy, mood and immune
system. For adults, hit a minimum of 7 hours per night. The number varies for
children. This study looked at 8-12 year old’s and the range for them is 8 to
11 hours per night.</span></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-6691160771406109142023-05-12T07:43:00.005-04:002023-05-12T07:43:57.533-04:00Eating At Restaurants And Weight Gain<p><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Study</span></span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">The average American consumes 3 meals per week at
restaurants. These meals are usually nutritionally inferior to what would be
cooked at home. In this investigation, nearly 100,000 U.S. adults from The
American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Cohort had their weight and
restaurant visits measured over a 3 year period.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Here is what they found:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Subjects who maintained their number of fast food and
full-service restaurant visits gained weight over the 3 years.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Subjects who reduced their level of fast food and full-service
restaurant visits had a statistically significant weight loss over the 3 years.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: white;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> 2023; 117:392-401.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Take Home Message</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">This is a really simple study with a powerful message: Eat
out less if you are trying to lose weight.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Restaurant meals
are almost always higher in fat, sugar, salt and calories than food prepared at
home. Keep in mind that a chef’s goal is to make food taste good, not to make
it as healthy as possible.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">I give my clients
2 cheat meals a week to go off their diets. A great strategy is to save your
restaurant trips for these splurge meals. The rest of the time, cook healthy
meals at home. You’ll be surprised how much this can influence your rate of
weight loss.</span></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-14620465499338662722023-03-13T07:43:00.000-04:002023-03-13T07:43:10.256-04:00Diet And COVID-19 Severity<p><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Study</span></span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">The association between eating a healthy diet and risk of COVID-19
outcomes was examined in almost 43,000 subjects from Harvard’s Nurses’ Health
Study and the Health Professional Follow-up Study. A healthy diet score was
created to see how closely subjects followed a Mediterranean diet. The results
were interesting:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-Subjects who most closely followed a Mediterranean diet had a 22% lower
chance of contracting the virus when compared to those who followed it the
least.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-When they did contract COVID-19, subjects who most closely followed a
Mediterranean diet had less severe infections and were less likely to be
hospitalized.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> 2022; 116:1672-81.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Take Home Message</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">I know that most
people are tired of thinking about COVID-19. I am too. However, it appears that
it will continue to be a part of our lives, at least for the immediate future.
It has taken some time for good quality research to be conducted on COVID-19
and it is now being published in large amounts.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">This study suggests
that you can protect yourself from catching COVID-19 and/or a bad case of the
virus by eating right.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">The authors
believe that a healthy diet improved immune function and decreased inflammation
in their subjects. This is the most likely reason for the benefit seen here.</span></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-18650590810903114752023-03-13T07:38:00.005-04:002023-03-13T07:38:46.156-04:00Dietary Trends In Fat And Sugar Intake<p><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Study</span></span></b></p><p><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Every few years, the government conducts the NHANES (National
Health And Nutrition Examination Survey) survey to examine the health of the U.S.
population. This cross-sectional, geographically and ethnically representative
survey gives a snapshot view of what we are all eating.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">This current study looked at the added sugar and
saturated fat consumption of 2-18 year olds. The results were not good.
Saturated fat and added sugar accounted for 30% of energy intake. The goal is
under 15%.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">The top 3 sources of food for our children were:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">1) Sweet bakery foods</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">2) Savory snacks (like potato chips)</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">3) Pizza</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> 2022; 116:1779-89.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Take Home Message</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">These results are disturbing to me for at least 4
reasons:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">1) Our children are not getting the nutrients they need
to promote healthy growing bodies and brains.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">2) This style of eating will dramatically increase risk of
weight gain, which is now epidemic among our children.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">3) Diets this high in sugar and saturated fat will
substantially increase risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, stroke and
certain cancers. There has also been an association found between eating this
way and negative mental health outcomes, like anxiety and depression.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">4) We are instilling bad eating habits in our kids which
most certainly will be carried on into adulthood.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">We need to do a lot better with what we are feeding our children.</span></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-22827088536053145792023-03-13T07:34:00.002-04:002023-03-13T07:34:48.590-04:00App Review: MyNetDiary<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">If you are trying to
make positive changes in your diet to lose weight and/or improve your health,
it is very useful to keep track of the foods you eat. It provides
accountability and allows you to spot trends in your eating patterns. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">With smartphones, it
is now easier than ever to log your food intake. There are a lot of food
tracking apps out there. Today, I will review one of them; MyNetDiary. This app
is available for download on both Android and iPhones. There is a free version,
as well as a paid premium version.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Pro’s</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">1) As mentioned, the basic version is free. I still don’t know why these apps
are mostly free, but they are and we won’t complain!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">2) You don’t have to
set up an account with MyNetDiary. It is always a pain to sign up for an
account with these apps. Then you get blasted with emails about upgrades and
offers. You don’t have to do this with MyNetDiary, you just download it and are
ready to go.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">3) It has a very easy
interface. It took me just a couple of minutes to figure out how to log my
foods.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">4) It has a bar code reader,
so you can scan in your food items. This is a really cool feature.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">5) There are tons of
foods in the database. Every brand I looked up, I found.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">6) There is a nice,
simple nutrient report, along with a pie chart showing fat, protein and carb percentages.
You can see this for each meal and for the whole day. This is very useful.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">7) You can store
commonly eaten foods, so once you search for a food, you can easily access it
for a future meal.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Con’s</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">1) There are just a
few too many notifications suggesting things to try out on the app.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">This can be mildly annoying.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">2) The dashboard is a
bit cluttered with options you don’t really need and likely will never use.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Would I Recommend MyNetDiary?</span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Absolutely! This free
and handy little app will be a real asset to anyone trying to track changes in
their diet. I always have new clients write down their food for the first few
weeks we work together. It is a powerful tool that takes just minutes a day.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Disclosure: I am not affiliated
with the company that makes the MyNetDiary and make no money if you buy the
premium version.</span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-86207261280160003012023-01-13T07:41:00.000-05:002023-01-13T07:41:20.467-05:00How Do I Get Back On Track With My Diet After The Holidays?<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: white;">The time between
Thanksgiving and New Year’s day presents some real challenges for those trying
to eat healthy and lose weight. The holidays are great and it is a lot of fun
to eat and drink a bit more during this time. Just about everyone puts on a few
pounds by New Year’s Day. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">However, for many
of us, the unhealthy eating continues well into January and even February. This
is mostly due to swings in blood sugar that result in increased hunger and
cravings for refined carbohydrates, which were likely consumed in large amounts
over the last several weeks. The more we eat bread, pasta, white rice and
sugar, the more we want these foods.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">A couple of extra
cheat meals and a few pounds gained during the holiday season are not much of a
problem. But if the disordered eating lasts for months, you will put on some
serious weight. Even my most successful and dedicated clients will struggle
during and after the holidays. Here are a few strategies that help them get
back on track:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">1) If you have
eaten more refined carbohydrates during the holiday season, you will have an
increase in cravings for them. You will also be more hungry in general. Step
one is to mentally realize this. Tell yourself that you will be hungry for the
wrong foods, but will not give into them. Getting your head right and
understanding the origin of the cravings is very helpful.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">2) Write down your
food for 2 weeks. It adds a layer of accountability that gets you back on the
right track. A great free app to help you do this is MyFitness Pal.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">3) Go to the
grocery store and load up on all of the right foods. Make it easy to eat
healthy. Similarly, get all of the unhealthy foods out of your house.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">4) Plan your meals
ahead of time. Think about what you will eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner
for the next few days or even a week.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">5) Try to limit
eating out at restaurants for the first week or two. Restaurant meals usually
have a lot more calories, fat, salt and sugar.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">After a week or
two of eating right, you will find that your blood sugar has stabilized and the
hunger and cravings for the wrong foods will start to calm down.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"> </span></p>
<p><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"> </span></b> </p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-10025375331259680372023-01-13T07:37:00.000-05:002023-01-13T07:37:05.338-05:00Physical Activity And COVID Outcomes<p><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Study</span></span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">The association between physical activity and COVID outcomes was examined
in a cohort of 194,191 COVID positive adults. Subjects were categorized into
different fitness levels based on self-reported exercise habits at doctor’s
visits. The results were very interesting:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">-When compared to subjects who were physically active 150 minutes per
week or more, subject active less than 10 minutes per week had a 91% increased
risk of COVID related hospitalization.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">- When compared to subjects who were physically active 150 minutes per
week or more, subject active less than 10 minutes per week had a 391% increased
risk of dying from COVID.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">American Journal of Preventive Medicine </span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">2022 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2022.10.007</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Take Home Message</span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><span style="color: white;">There are several
potential mechanisms for the association between exercise and COVID outcomes
seen in this investigation. Regular exercise decreases the risk of heart
disease, stroke and diabetes, which are risk factors for adverse outcomes with COVID.
Exercise also improves immune function and decreases inflammation. These could
also explain the association.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Exercise is one of
the best weapons to fight virtually every disease, including viruses such as
COVID. Get moving and stay active.</span></span></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3351611437313995034.post-66691811517347212192023-01-13T07:34:00.000-05:002023-01-13T07:34:15.829-05:00Dietary Choices And Sleep Quality<p><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Study</span></span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">The association between diet and sleep quality was
investigated by a research team at Columbia University. Twenty-six subjects
slept 5 nights in a research lab. Four of those days they ate a controlled
diet, and the fifth they could eat whatever they wanted. The results were very
interesting:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-Fiber was associated with better quality sleep (more
slow wave sleep).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-Saturated fat was associated with worse quality sleep
(less slow wave sleep).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">-Sugar and low fiber carbs were associated with worse
quality sleep (more arousals).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: white;">Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine</span></span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: white;"> 2016; 12:19-24.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">Take Home Message</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">Quality sleep is critically
important for both our physical and mental health. This study shows that what
you eat can have a real impact on your sleep. The researchers theorized that our
food choices can have an impact on our circadian rhythm and melatonin
production.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: white;">There are lots of
reasons to limit saturated fat, sugar and refined carbs and make sure you are
getting enough fiber. Now we have one more.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Dr. Thomas Haltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05572895847030755799noreply@blogger.com0