Is Obesity Caused By Lack of Altitude?

Posted on April 11, 2013 | Comments Off on Is Obesity Caused By Lack of Altitude?

Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? An article at Obesity Panacea has the details that may convince you.

In case you can’t see that link, here’s the URL: http://blogs.plos.org/obesitypanacea/2013/04/10/obesity-and-altitude/

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Join Us For Dietriffic’s 30-Day Exercise Challenge

Posted on April 11, 2013 | 1 comment
exercise for weight loss and management, dumbbells

If you’re not familiar with weight training, a personal trainer is an great idea

Melanie Thomassian at Dietriffic has issued a social media-based challenge to see if you can form an exercise habit over the course of 30 days starting April 15.

Much of the psychology literature I’ve seen suggests that habit formation takes more like eight to 12 weeks.

You’ve got very little to lose, and much to gain if you’re currently a couch potato. Why not join us?

Details here.

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If You’re Obese, Very Low-Carb Diet Improves Heartburn

Posted on April 10, 2013 | Comments Off on If You’re Obese, Very Low-Carb Diet Improves Heartburn
He probably takes Prilosec daily

He probably takes Prilosec daily

I’ve heard anecdotal reports of this for years.  Here’s scientific evidence, although only eight patients were studied.  Whether those at normal weight or overweight improve similarly is unknown to me.

PS: Frequent episodes of heartburn is a condition called GERD: gastroesophageal reflux disease.

h/t Melissa McEwan

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QOTD: Parker on Homeopathy

Posted on April 9, 2013 | Comments Off on QOTD: Parker on Homeopathy

I love it when ads for medical remedies claim to be “homeopathic.” That way I know straight away they’re no better than placebo.

—Steve Parker, M.D.

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Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Mixed Nuts May Be Critical to Healthy Mediterranean Diet

Posted on April 6, 2013 | Comments Off on Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Mixed Nuts May Be Critical to Healthy Mediterranean Diet

Remember that PREDIMED study published a couple months ago. It showed significant health benefits from a Mediterranean diet supplemented with EVOO and/or nuts. The general press simply focused on the Mediterranean diet angle, which helped with my book sales (thank you!).

Lawrence Appel and Linda Van Horn have an editorial on PREDIMED in New England Journal of Medicine, from which I quote:

Policymakers already recommend consumption of a Mediterranean-style diet on the basis of a persuasive body of evidence from observational studies. Our sense is that the policy implications of the PREDIMED trial relate primarily to the supplemental foods. Specifically, in the context of a Mediterranean-style diet, increased consumption of mixed nuts or substitution of regular olive oil with extra-virgin olive oil has beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease.

Read the rest.

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Roger Ebert on Alcoholics Anonymous

Posted on April 5, 2013 | Comments Off on Roger Ebert on Alcoholics Anonymous

If you think you might have a drinking problem, you gotta read this. Of AA, Ebert wrote,

It was the best thing that ever happened to me.

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Walking Is Probably Just As Healthy As Jogging

Posted on April 5, 2013 | Comments Off on Walking Is Probably Just As Healthy As Jogging

…you just have to walk more, according to an article at MedPageToday. And that takes more time.

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More Potassium and Less Sodium May Reduce Cardiovascular Disease and Prolong Life

Posted on April 5, 2013 | Comments Off on More Potassium and Less Sodium May Reduce Cardiovascular Disease and Prolong Life

I bring this to your attention because of the potassium link. Most of us have heard that reducing salt (sodium) intake is supposed to be good for us, although even that’s debatable. Fewer have heard that higher potassium may be good for us. Those diet characteristics—low sodium and high potassium—are naturally incorporated into the Paleolithic diet (aka Stone Age, caveman, hunter-gatherer or paleo diet).

Read MedPageToday for details. The association between sodium restriction and lower rates of cardiovascular disease and mortality is a confusing mess. My gut feeling is that strict sodium avoidance is important for only 20% of the population, at most. From MedPageToday: 

However, the assertion that reduced salt intake will have beneficial effects on disease outcomes contradicts the results of a 2011 meta-analysis, which failed to show significant relationships between reduced salt intake and mortality or cardiovascular outcomes.

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“Pre-exercise stretching is generally unnecessary and likely counterproductive”

Posted on April 4, 2013 | Comments Off on “Pre-exercise stretching is generally unnecessary and likely counterproductive”

…writes Gretchen Reynolds at the New York Times Well blog.  I agree.

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In Women, Age-Related Brain Decline Linked to High Saturated Fat Intake

Posted on April 4, 2013 | Comments Off on In Women, Age-Related Brain Decline Linked to High Saturated Fat Intake

A high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid was also detrimental. On the other hand, high monounsaturated fat consumption was protective of the brain.

Read for details.

 

h/t Bix at Fanatic Cook

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