If you are trying to cut down on the salt in your diet, it is good to know where it might be coming from. Here are the top 10 sources of sodium in the American diet according to the Center for Disease Control.
Bread and rolls
Pizza
Sandwiches
Cold cuts and
cured meats
Soups
Burritos and tacos
Savory snacks like
chips, popcorn, pretzels and crackers
Chicken
Cheese
Eggs and omelets
The Study
Olive oil has been inversely associated with type 2
diabetes, cardiovascular disease and total mortality in the research
literature. However, because it is so calorie dense, many limit consumption for
fear of weight gain.
In this interesting study, Harvard University looked at olive oil consumption and 4 year weight gain in 121,119 members of the Nurses’ Health Study, Nurses Health Study II and Health Professional Follow-up Study. Subjects were followed for a minimum of 20 years.
The results showed that each ½ tablespoon of olive oil per day was inversely associated with body weight.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2025;121:1149-56
Take Home Message
In this cohort, olive oil consumption did not contribute
to weight gain, but surprisingly was associated with weight loss. The
researchers believed that the monounsaturated fats in olive oil increased
satiety and thermogenesis in these subjects. This would explain the positive
impact that olive oil had on their body weight.
You don’t need to limit olive oil if you are trying to manage your weight. It is one of the healthiest fats you can eat, so include it in your diet often.
The Study
Obesity has been hypothesized to have a negative impact on immune function. In this interesting study, 24 obese and 31 normal weight subjects were fed a standardized diet for 4 weeks and then had a variety of immune factors tested. The subjects were put on the same diet because what we eat can influence our immune system.
The results showed that measures of immune function such as C-reactive protein, T cell activity and white blood cell counts were significantly worse in the obese subjects.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2025;121:1315-27
Take Home Message
Obesity is thought to be associated with a shift away
from immune cell metabolism and toward an increase in glucose metabolism. This
can increase inflammation and reduce the efficiency of the immune system. This
is just another reason to do your best to keep your weight in the normal range.
Fasting has become a very popular weight loss strategy. Proponents of fasting believe that it results in increased weight loss and improved health in comparison to standard calorie restriction. Does the research literature back this up? A new study has recently been published that I believe allows us to answer this question definitively.
The Study
This investigation is a systematic review and meta-analysis out of
Harvard University and was published in the British Medical Journal
(Reference #1). This type of study accumulates all available evidence on a
given topic and comes up with a statistical summary estimate. This study
included 99 randomized trials that compared different types of fasting to
standard calorie restriction:
Here are the results for the 2 most commonly practiced forms of fasting:
Whole day fasting: 24 hour food restriction a few days per week.
Time restricted fasting: Limiting eating to a certain window of time each day.
-In both short and long term studies, there was no additional weight loss when comparing these two types of fasting to standard calorie restriction.
-The study looked at the health effects of these diets on risk factors that included blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL triglycerides, HbA1c and fasting glucose. The only significant difference was that the standard calorie restriction diet showed a more favorable effect on total cholesterol than time restricted fasting.
-More than half of the studies that reported side effects recorded adverse reactions to fasting. This included constipation, dizziness, diarrhea, headache, insomnia, low energy, strong feelings of hunger, difficulty concentrating, irritability, fatigue, bad breath, nausea, anxiety, hypoglycemia, cramps and palpitations.
Conclusions And Recommendations
This is a really well-done study by a top research university in a very
well-regarded journal. For me the conclusions of this investigation are
definitive. Looking at 99 randomized trials, it is clear that whole day fasting
and time restricted eating are not better options than standard 3 meal a day
calorie restriction.
These fasting methods do not result in additional weight loss, are not associated with improved health and seem to come with a whole host of side effects that don’t look like a lot of fun to me.
If you are trying to lose weight and improve your health, there is really no reason to starve yourself.
References
1) Semnani-Azad Z, et al. Intermittent fasting strategies and their
effects of body weight and other cardiometab0lic risk factors. British
Medical Journal 2025;389:e082007
Americans are currently consuming an average of 3,400 mg of sodium per day, which is too much. Excess sodium has been associated with hypertension and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. It also can increase risk of kidney disease, stomach cancer and osteoporosis.
Based on the best current research evidence, the US Dietary Reference Intakes has calculated a Chronic Disease Risk Reduction Intake of 2,300 mg of sodium per day.
If you are otherwise healthy, this is a great level to shoot for.
I have previously reviewed and recommended BowFlex SelectTech Dumbells on this Blog/Newsletter. I have been using them myself for over 15 years. These are adjustable dumbbells that go from 2.5 to 52.5 lbs. with the turn of a dial.
I just wanted to let you know that if you did pick these up, there has been a voluntary recall for this product. Appartently, in a few rare instances, the plates can dislodge and there is a risk of injury. The company is offering a pro-rated refund depending on when you bought them.
Here is a link from BowFlex for more info:
https://www.bowflex.com/dumbbell-recalls.html?lid=tx6wrdzvdw8l#different-remedies
The Study
Research suggests that what we eat in midlife can have a significant impact on our health as we age. In this interesting study, 47,513 subjects from Harvard’s Nurses’ Health Study had their carbohydrate consumption measured from 1984-1986 and were followed until 2014.
The goal was to see how different types of carbohydrate foods consumed in midlife influenced the odds of healthy aging. Healthy aging was considered to be an absence of major chronic disease, no cognitive or physical function impairments and good mental health.
The results were compelling:
-High quality carbohydrates were significantly and positively associated with healthy aging.
-Refined carbohydrates such as bread, white rice and sugar were significantly and negatively associated with healthy aging.
-Glycemic index was significantly and negatively associated with healthy aging.
-Fruits, vegetables, fiber and whole grains were significantly and positively associated with healthy aging.
JAMA Network Open. 2025;8(5):e2511056.
Take Home Message
Carbohydrates are a topic near and dear to my heart. I actually did my doctoral dissertation on carbohydrate metabolism. This is a thoughtful and important study. Many chronic diseases take decades to develop, so looking at how diet at midlife can impact healthy aging is a great idea.
The authors of the paper believed the tremendous benefit of healthy carbs was due to the impact of fiber on the gut microbiome and inflammation. The B vitamins and polyphenols found in healthy carbohydrate foods were also thought to be important.
Regardless of age, focus on healthy, high fiber sources of carbohydrate such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains like quinoa, oatmeal and brown rice.
Strictly limit refined carbohydrates such as bread, pasta white rice and sugar.
Anyone who has tried to lose weight has been there. You had a great week of eating and exercise and are excited for your weekly weigh in. To your shock, you did not lose anything. Or maybe even you gained!
Here are some tips to handle this surprisingly common occurrence.
1) Don't freak out. Keep the right attitude. View your weekly weigh in as a data point to help you attain your goals, nothing more.
2) You can retain 2 or 3 pounds of water after a meal that has a lot of salt or refined carbs. The same is true if you drank alcohol. Look at the last few days to see if this is the case. Only weigh yourself after two days of clean eating.
3) If you are lifting weights, as you should be, you are adding muscle weight. This is good but will show up on the scale. If your clothes are fitting you better, you are still losing body fat. I once had a client who did not lose a pound but dropped a dress size. She was losing fat and gaining muscle at the same rate, so the scale did not move. You can have your body fat measured if you suspect this is happening.
4) Keep going another week. Your body may need a little time to adjust to your recent weight loss. If after 2 weeks, you still have not lost, then I would look at your diet, exercise and lifestyle a little more closely and see if you need to make some changes.
The Study
In this interesting study, researchers wanted to see if exercise influenced survival among subjects diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. After treatment, subjects had their exercise monitored for 3 years. Survival was compared to people of the same age that did not have colon cancer. The results were impressive:
-Subjects that completed 18 or more METS per week (equivalent to walking briskly for about 5 hours per week) had a survival rate that was only 3.5% lower than the general, healthy population.
-Subjects that completed less than 3 METS per week (equivalent to walking briskly for less than 1 hour per week) had a survival rate that was 17.1% lower than the general population.
Cancer 2025:E35727
Take Home Message
It is amazing to me that moderate exercise can increase survival so dramatically after a stage 3 colon cancer diagnosis. It just goes to show you how powerful the influence of physical activity is on our health.
The researchers were not sure of the mechanisms. One possibility is that exercise decreases inflammation. Another is that the exercise improves insulin function. Both of these may act to reduce cancer recurrence.
Whatever the reason, physical activity should be a big part of any colon cancer treatment plan.
The Study
Previous research has shown that a significant percentage of stroke, dementia and depression diagnoses are due to lifestyle choices. In this study, a systematic review was conducted to identify all of the modifiable risk factors to keep your brain healthy as you get older. Fifty-nine meta-analyses were included.
Here are the 17 factors that were identified in this investigation:
Alcohol
Blood Pressure
Body Mass Index
Fasting Glucose
Total Cholesterol
Leisure Time Cognitive Activity
Depression
Healthy Diet
Hearing Loss
Kidney Function
Pain
Physical Activity
Purpose In Life
Sleep
Smoking
Social Engagement
Stress Levels
https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2024-334925
Take Home Message
Work with your doctor to make sure you are taking care of all of these risk factors. This will greatly improve your odds of keeping your brain healthy as you get older.
A number of popular fad diets consider butter a healthy source of fat and place no limitations on its consumption. Followers of these diets are even known to put butter in their coffee instead of milk. As a nutrition researcher, seeing this is both fascinating and sad. It is fascinating for me to see how far these fad diets deviate from what the research literature has taught us in the last several decades. It is sad because I know these people are hurting their health.
Decades of convincing research has shown that butter and other saturated fats have a negative impact on LDL cholesterol and inflammation. This can increase risk of cardiovascular disease and even cancer. A recent study was published in JAMA Internal Medicine that looked at the long-term risk of death for those that consume a lot of butter compared to those that choose plant-based oils more frequently.
The Study
Harvard University conducted this study with a combined cohort including The Nurses’ Health Study, The Nurses’ Health Study II and The Health Professional Follow-up Study (Reference 1). The Study included over 221,000 subjects who were followed for up to 33 years. The results were compelling:
-Subjects consuming the most butter had a 15% higher risk of dying from any cause when compared to subjects who consumed the least.
-Subjects consuming the most plant-based oils had a 16% lower risk of dying from any cause when compared to subjects who consumed the least.
-Substituting 10 grams of butter each day with plant oils reduced mortality by 17%.
Conclusions And Recommendations
So, why is butter harmful? It is high in saturated fat. This has a negative impact on LDL cholesterol and can increase risk of heart disease and stroke. Saturated fat also increases inflammation, which is an important pathway to cancer. There is also evidence that saturated fat increases hormonal activity, which can have a negative influence on hormone sensitive cancers like breast and prostate cancer.
Why are plant oils beneficial? For the opposite reasons. They decrease LDL cholesterol and inflammation.
The take home message is pretty simple: Strictly limit butter. Use plant oils such as olive oil and canola oil instead. If a meal or food calls for butter, you can instead use a plant based oil spread like Olivio or Smart Balance. These taste a lot like butter and are way healthier for you.
References
1) Zhang Y, et al. Butter and plant based oils intake and mortality. JAMA Intern Medicine doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.0205
The Study
Protein derived from plant sources has been shown in the research literature to be extremely health promoting. In this study, over 200,000 subjects from the Nurses’ Health Study, the Nurses’ Health Study II and the Health Professional Follow-up Study had their sources of protein measured and were followed for 30 years.
Here is what was found:
-Subjects with the highest plant:animal protein ratio of .76 had a 19% lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to subjects with the lowest ratio (.24).
-They also had a 37% lower risk of coronary artery disease.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2024; 120:1373-86
Take Home Message
Good sources of vegetable protein are nuts, beans, lentils and whole grains.
These proteins will generally be lower in saturated fat and higher in fiber and unsaturated fat. This in turn will reduce incidence of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. All of these increase cardiovascular disease risk.
Do your best to substitute plant proteins for red meat, processed meats and other animal based proteins.
The Study
Age related macular degeneration is a disease that causes vision loss in millions of Americans. There is evidence that diet plays a role in the progression of this debilitating disease.
In this interesting study, 1,757 subjects (and 2,697 eyes) showed signs of early stage macular degeneration. Diet was measured with food frequency questionnaires and subjects were followed for 5 years to see if any foods were associated with progression of this disease.
-By the end of follow-up, subjects consuming greater than 2.5 servings per week of green leafy vegetables had a 25% lower incidence of progression of their macular degeneration. A serving was considered ½ cup.
-Subjects consuming 2 or more 4-ounce servings of fish had a 21% lower incidence of progression.
-The researchers calculated that 41% of outcomes in this study could have been prevented if everyone in the cohort consumed adequate amounts of fish and green leafy vegetables.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2024; 120:1387-98
Take Home Message
Fish and green leafy vegetables should be a part of every healthy diet. If you have early stage or a family history of macular degeneration, these appear to be particularly important.
Picking healthy sources of protein is relatively easy when at home. Most good sources, such as lean meats, fish, eggs and beans need to be cooked prior to consumption and refrigerated if not consumed right away. This makes picking good protein sources a little tricky when you are on the go and away from home.
I recently came across a product called The Good Bean that comes in very handy when looking for a healthy source of protein that travels well.
Pros
1) These baked legume snacks are really tasty and crunchy. It is almost like you are eating chips. We have tried the Chickpea and the Fava Bean/Split Pea varieties. Both are great.
2) This is a really good source of protein. 6-7 grams per ¼ cup serving. This amount is similar to a large egg.
3) This is vegetable and more specifically legume protein, which is widely considered the most healthy source of protein. It is also much easier on the environment than animal based protein.
4) It is highly portable. It does not need to be refrigerated, so it can go any where for any length of time.
5) It is low in sodium.
6) It is also a nice source of fiber, 3-5 grams per serving.
Cons
1) The only con I can come up with is that it is a little pricey at just under $5 per bag. If you compare it to boxed or canned beans you buy at the supermarket, it is more expensive. If you compare it to sliced deli turkey breast, it is probably pretty similar in price per serving.
Do I Recommend The Good Bean Protein Snack Mix?
Absolutely. This is a healthy and portable protein source that will come in handy when you are on the go. Consider it another great tool for your nutritional arsenal.
Disclosure: I am not affiliated with the company that makes The Good Bean Protein Snack Mix and make no money if you buy it.
Weighing yourself regularly and with precision is an important component of any weight loss program. It serves 3 purposes:
1) To measure your progress. If you are losing weight, you’ll know your program is working. If not, you’ll know that it is time to make some changes.
2) To refine and perfect your weight loss strategy. No two people lose weight the same way. It is a highly subjective process. When you weigh yourself weekly, you’ll start to see certain patterns. You’ll study what you did when you lost weight, and you’ll study what you did when you didn’t. Over time, you’ll refine your program with laser-like focus, knowing exactly what you have to do to achieve your goals.
3) To support weight maintenance. Once you hit your goal weight, weighing yourself weekly will keep you focused. Old habits will tend to creep back in. If you see small increases in your weight, you can make the necessary adjustments before they become a bigger problem that will take more time to correct.
Weighing yourself correctly is a bit more complicated than you may think. Here’s how I have my clients do it:
1) Make sure you have a research quality scale. I’m a big fan of the Tanita Iron man (www.tanita.com). These are digital scales that are highly accurate and can even measure your body fat. They run around $120, but last forever.
2) Pick a day of the week that will be your regular weigh in day. Alcohol, salt, and refined carbohydrates make you retain water like crazy for up to 2 days after consumption. Many of my clients will see weight increases of 3 pounds after a cheat meal. This is not body fat, just water retention that goes away after a couple of days.
For this reason, you want to eat very clean for 2 days before your weigh in day. That means no splurges, alcohol, or restaurant meals. Since most of my clients splurge on the weekends and get back on track Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday is a natural weigh in day. Personally, I like Saturday morning. I’m very tight with my diet on Thursday and Friday, so Saturday is my day.
3) Weigh yourself first thing in the morning, before you eat or drink anything, in your underwear. You wake up in a dehydrated state, which will help control for level of hydration, which is a confounder for accurate weight readings.
4) Record your weight so you can measure your progress and search for patterns.
Weighing yourself regularly and accurately is a vital tool in your arsenal when trying to lose or maintain your weight. Make sure you use it properly!
The Study
Research has previously shown that a healthy lifestyle can help maintain cognitive function as we age. In this interesting study, 754 deceased individuals from the Rush Memory And Aging Project Cohort were studied. These individuals had provided detailed information about their lifestyle and cognitive function up until they died. A healthy lifestyle score was computed for each subject. Researchers also conducted autopsies on these subjects after their deaths.
Components of the healthy lifestyle score included:
-Not smoking
-150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week
-Limiting alcohol consumption
-Following a Mediterranean diet
Subjects most closely following these lifestyle factors had higher global cognitive functioning prior to death and also had significantly lower beta amyloid plaques in their brain upon autopsy. Beta amyloid plaques are an indicator of Alzheimer’s disease.
JAMA Neurology 2024; 81:233-39
Take Home Message
This is the first study I have ever seen that did autopsies on subjects after they passed. These lifestyle factors are tried and true and have been shown to reduce risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, all cause mortality and as this study demonstrates, loss of cognitive functioning with age.
Make each of them a priority in the New Year!
The Study
The energy density of a food is the number of calories delivered in 1 gram of that particular food. It has been theorized that if we eat high energy density foods, we will compensate by eating less at later meals that day.
In this interesting randomized crossover study, 34 men and women were served the same lunch and then were offered all you can eat desserts on 3 separate occasions.
The desserts were low energy density (vanilla yogurt), medium energy density (vanilla ice cream) and high energy density (vanilla cheesecake).
-Subjects consumed 186 calories when offered the low and medium energy density desserts.
-Subjects consumed 427 calories when offered the high energy density dessert. This was 241 calories more than the low and medium energy density desserts.
-Subjects did not eat less food later in the day to compensate for this increase in calories.
Appetite 2024; 200:107533
Take Home Message
The results of this study show that calories do matter and we are unlikely to compensate when eating high energy density foods.
Shoot for lower calorie versions of appetizers, main dishes, side dishes and desserts if you are trying to manage your weight.
No matter what your fitness goals may be, it is critical to set up an environment where exercise is easy for you to accomplish. Nothing is easier than having exercise equipment in your home. Today’s review is for a piece of equipment that is near and dear to my heart.
I have worked at a lot of gyms over the years. I have also belonged to a lot of gyms. The Life Fitness Elliptical Trainer is my absolute favorite cardio machine of all time. I picked up a home version as soon as we moved into our new house and let me tell you, it is awesome.
Pros
1) Extremely well made and durable: I have had mine for 8 years and it looks like I just took it out of the box.
2) Variable intensity: There are 20 levels of resistance as well as computer guided workouts included.
3) Quiet: This machine is very quiet. I can work out while my wife is sleeping and she won’t know it.
4) Feels exactly like the more expensive commercial gym model. This is a great workout.
5) Extremely low impact: Elliptical training is my preferred mode of cardio for just about everyone. You burn a lot of calories with virtually no impact on your joints. It feels like you are running on air when on this machine.
6) Having any piece of cardio in your home allows you to avoid bad weather, which can make it very hard to get your cardio in consistently if you exercise outdoors.
Cons
1) On the expensive side. At the time of this writing, it goes for $2320 on the Life Fitness website. This price includes both shipping and assembly. This is a pretty big initial investment, but if you divide it by the number of years you will have it, this elliptical comes out to far less than you would pay in yearly dues to a nice gym.
2) It takes up a lot of space. Having said this, I would recommend putting it someplace that you will use it, such as your bedroom or your living room. Exercise machines put in a damp basement have a tendency to disappear from your life. It is also helpful to put it in front of a TV so you can combine your cardio with your TV time.
Do I Recommend The Life Fitness Elliptical Trainer?
Absolutely. If you have the space and are able to make the financial commitment, there is no better option for cardio than this, in my opinion. You can check out this machine at Life Fitness website here
Disclosure: I am not affiliated with the company that makes the Life Fitness Elliptical Trainer and make no money if you buy it.
