Topic of Study: Screen time and kids’ behavior
Location of study: U.K.
Study subjects: 11,000 children born between 2000 and 2002
Results: A study published in Archives of Disease in Childhood states that five year-olds who watch TV for more than three hours a day are more likely to engage in negative antisocial behaviors, such as fighting or stealing, by the age of seven. But researchers also found that time spent playing computer or electronic games had no impact on behavior.
Significance: The report stated that the risk of TV’s influence on behavioral development was found to be very small, adding little conclusive evidence to the long waged debate on how screen time affects children’s development.

Topic of Study: Microorganisms and obesity
Location of study: U.S.
Study subjects: 792 people
Results: Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center have found that people whose breath had high concentrations of both hydrogen and methane gasses – that is, bad breath — were more likely to be overweight. The cause is an abundance of a microorganism called methanobrevibacter smithii, which helps convert food into energy.
Significance: “Usually, the microorganisms living in the digestive tract benefit us by helping convert food into energy. However, when this particular organism– M. smithii – becomes overabundant, it may alter this balance in a way that causes someone to be more likely to gain weight,” because they hold onto more calories, lead author Dr. Ruchi Mathur says.

Topic of Study: How diet influences disease
Location of study: U.S.
Study subjects: 380,000 people
Results: A 13-year study found that people who made seven lifestyle changes recommended by the American Institute for Cancer Research cut their risk of dying from many diseases – including cancer, circulatory disease and respiratory disease — by 34 percent, compared to those who did not follow the recommendations. The research, published in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,” found that the greatest ways to reduce the risk of premature death was to avoid being overweight or obese (22 percent lower risk), and eat a plant-based diet (21 percent lower risk).
Significance: Researchers think that this is more evidence that diet and lifestyle greatly affect the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases.

Topic of Study: Difficulty getting pregnant linked to neuro problems
Location of study: Denmark
Study subjects: 209 two-year-olds
Results: A study of children born to parents with impaired fertility — that is, those who fail to become pregnant within 12 months of trying — found that neurological development problems in their children were more likely. Most of the children studied were born to parents who become pregnant via fertility treatment. The study, published online in the Fetal & Neonatal Edition of Archives of Disease in Childhood, concluded that longer it took for the women to get pregnant, the more likely her child was to have neurodevelopment problems.
Significance: Ironically, the data shows that efforts to increase fertility may actually be causing more harm than good. Previous studies have found that children conceived via fertility treatment also have a higher risk of premature birth and low birth weight.

The post Today in Medicine: More screen time linked to bad behavior in kids appeared first on Metro.us.

Here, she opens up to Metro about the ‘nightmare’ gym sessions, sparring herself into shape and how she celebrated getting into the skimpy lingerie with a cupcake — just one.
 

Q: It seems like hell — getting ready for the show. How do you girls cope with the pressure?

A: “One thing I need to get straight- I’ve never felt pressure from either Victoria’s Secret or my agency. No one pressured me to get ready for the show this fast. It’s a decision I made on my own. It was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done because you’re dealing with nature. You do what you need to do to get ready but after having a baby you really don’t know how your body is going to react.”
 

Q: Sounds stressful. How did you react on the big day? Did you down shots of vodka backstage? 

A: “I get nervous before every single show. I thought that feeling would go away but it never did. Plus this year I was opening the show, which is a big responsibility as everybody kind of follows your mood. But every girl has a different way of expressing her nervousness. I don’t like talking so I just listen to music- anything by Eminem, Rihanna, Kings of Leon, “Rock and Roll” by Led Zeppelin, and “Heartbeats” by The Knife.” 

Q: Did getting ready for the show give you nightmares? Did you dream you were being attacked by giant candy bars?

A: “No! It was more during the day, when I had to go to the gym- that was my nightmare! Don’t get me wrong, I really love exercise…but it’s not easy.
The actual workout- it’s tough you know. You need a lot of determination in order to do it every single day. Every minute of every workout counts and this year, I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it or not.”

Q: Models Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn (both in the Victoria’s Secret show with Adriana) reportedly ate pizza and KFC hours before the show. Would you want to scream if they ate in front of you, or join them?

A: “Ha! I’m a little bit older than them. But regardless of age, I’m really aware of the fact that you are what you eat.”

Q: Are you saying they’re going to turn into a giant pizza or a chicken wing?

A: “Maybe not right now but they’re going to see the results in the future, when they get old. It depends what they eat but they may have problems with cholesterol or diabetes, I don’t know. I just like to eat healthy. I have two children and I’m concerned about their health. I’m their example. I don’t want my three year old asking me “mama, I want chocolate for lunch.” Cake is festive, it’s not something you should eat everyday.” 

Q: What’s the first thing you did when the show ended? Run backstage, take off that lingerie and demolish a cheeseburger?

A: “No! But I did have a cupcake. Once in a while, I do eat these things you know. I just don’t do it every day. Even now that the show is over, I’m still working out and eating healthy. It’s my job.” 
 

Q: There are a lot of rumors out there that you Victoria’s Secret models literally starve yourselves in order to get ready for the show. You also shared sweaty pictures of yourself on Twitter to show how hard you were working out. How did you really go about it?

A: “I’d just had a baby so I had to do everything in a healthy way in order to best take care of myself and my body. I never do things on my own — I have a nutritionist and a personal trainer. I don’t want to have any problems. I know people see us on the runway and working out- but I don’t want them to think that we don’t eat. I don’t starve myself. I don’t do that. I love food, but I do watch what I eat.”

Q: So what kinds of workouts did you focus on? What foods did you eat?

A: “I was boxing — sparring, doing a little bit of rope and lots of abdominal and core work. I sometimes went running in the morning but that’s pretty much it. As for my diet, I was eating three ounces of protein, three times a day with plenty of steamed green vegetables and drinking lots of water.”  

Q: What’s more painful- getting ready for the show or giving birth?

A: “I enjoyed every second of both. When you make your own choices and you’re not forced to do things, nothing is painful. Being a mother is amazing and there are no words to describe that but also, the Victoria’s Secret Show…I mean every girl in the world would love to be an Angel.”

Q: At the end of the day… is all the pain of the workouts and the dieting worth it?

A: “Of course. I do things that I love and I do them from my heart- you understand?”

The Victoria Secret show is airing on CBS on December 4th 2012 at 10 PM EST / PST.
 

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If you need a natural mood enhancer or an energy boost, here are a few carb-loading spots in NYC that are well worth the calories and inches. Warning: A tummy tuck may be in order.
 

Bagels

 
Tal Bagels
2446 Broadway between 90th and 91st Streets, Upper West Side
Whole Wheat Everything Bagel (untoasted) with veggie cream cheese is not to be missed.
 
Ess-A-Bagel
359 First Avenue between 20th & 21st Streets, Gramercy
Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside —this might be the perfect bagel. Pair it with the strawberry cream cheese.
 

Bakeries

 
Balthazar
80 Spring Street, between Broadway and Crosby, SoHo
With a baguette like no other outside of Paris, this bistro/bakery is not for Atkins or Zone diet followers. Also famous for French pastries and flaky croissants, you’ll find Balthazar breads scattered throughout other restaurants in Manhattan.
 
Silver Moon Bakery
2740 Broadway at 105th Street, Manhattan Valley
Charming spot with delectable tarts and cookies and 44 kinds of bread on the regular menu; many use organic and whole grains.

Pizza

 
Di Fara Pizza
1424 J Street, Midwood, Brooklyn
Attend pizza theatre and watch owner, Dom, pull each pie out of the oven with his bare hands, only to clip fresh basil and drizzle with olive oil. No frills, long waits but best pizza anywhere (in my opinion). Nuff said.
 
Celeste
502 Amsterdam Avenue between 84th & 85th Street, Upper West Side
Trattoria has best Pizza Margherita with thin crust, fresh mozzarella and basil, and baked to perfection in a wood-fired oven.
 
Co.
230 Ninth Avenue at 24th Street, Chelsea
Beautifully crafted artisanal pizzas in modern space by Sullivan Street Bakery owner Jim Lahey. This man knows bread. Love the Stracciatella Pizza with arugula, crushed tomato, and black pepper. For meat and carb-lovers, go for the Veal Meatball Pizza with caramelized onions. (Salads are also delicious, but who needs those?) Bellissimo!
 
For more about New York, follow me on Twitter, or on Tracy’s New York Life.

The post What’s life without carbs? appeared first on Metro.us.

For about $1,500 a pop — a real bargain for a feeding tube — brides can have protein nourishment pumped into their noses through a tube. They receive a steady stream of calories for 10 days and don’t have to worry about eating.

The method is called enteral proteic nutrition, or the K-E Diet. It’s most commonly used for people who are morbidly obese, though a growing number of brides-to-be are turning to the method to drop those last 10 or 15 pounds before the big day, as chronicled in an ABC story.

With a promise of shedding 20 pounds in 10 days, a doctor inserts a tube through the nose and all the way down to the stomach. About 800 calories in nutrition per day are pumped through the tube.

The rapid weight loss is a result of ketosis, which is when the body burns fat instead of sugar, and muscle stays relatively in tact.Dr. Oliver Di Pietro told ABC that people on the tube won’t even experience any hunger for the 10 days. The dieters carry around a tote which holds the bag of liquid that’s being filtered through the tube leading to their nose.  

“People think I’m sick, I’m dying,” Florida bride Jessica Schnaider said of being seen in public with a tube in her nose.

Dying? Probably not. But there is something pretty sick about this whole thing.

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1. “Eat Your Way to Sexy” by Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D.: Somer offers tips on shedding pounds and getting healthy — which in turn, she notes, will boost your sex life.

2. “The Men’s Health Diet” and “The Women’s Health Diet” by Stephen Perrine: Perrine and each magazine’s editors have aggregated their best diet and exercise tips into these manuals.

3. “Think and Grow Thin” by Charles D’Angelo: Endorsed by President Bill Clinton, D’Angelo’s book aims to change your mindset before your body.

4. “Full-Filled: The 6-Week Weight-Loss Plan for Changing Your Relationship with Food — and Your Life —from the Inside Out” by Renee Stephens: Former overeater Stephens details her own journey through food addiction — pulling food from the trash, topping everything with chocolate syrup — and how she overcame it.

5. “The Thyroid Diet Revolution” by Mary J. Shomon: Are your hormones impeding your weight loss efforts? This book will help you find out and tell what to do about it.

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“People should just start moving in general — get out, take the car less,” says Fawn Cronin, Boston Sports Clubs’ fitness manager. “Walk those two blocks to the coffee shop. Most people sit all day for work. [You] need to get up and move around every 20 minutes. Take the stairs for a few floors so that you’re getting more cardio.”

The first area to work on is the abdomen. “Always start with the core,” she says. “A strong core is the basis of a fit body. Without a strong core, there’s no support.”

Cronin says people who aren’t used to exercise should expect some discomfort from the effort; however, pain is a cue to stop. “I don’t believe that ‘no pain, no gain’ is the motto today,” she says.

“Approach exercise slowly. Listen to your body. If you feel tightness, adjust. Listening to your body is number one.”

And now that the weather is colder, you’ll likely be tempted to coop up indoors all day. But being active doesn’t require power-hours at the gym. “Even if it’s just to a video game, get up and get moving,” advises Cronin. “There’s so many things you can do around the house, something functional in your everyday life. Just get moving.”

Cronin’s tips

Body-toning exercises to do at home

1. Dumbbell squat into overhead press
 
Choose weights challenging enough for you to press overhead but light enough to maintain good posture.
 
Line the heels up with the hips, with the weights in front of your shoulders.
 

Hinging at the hips, sit back into a squat — simulating a movement that is comparable to sitting into a chair.
 
Push through the heels to stand while rotating the palms away from the body, and lift the weights into an overhead shoulder press.

2. Push-up into side plank
 
Position the body into a full plank by placing the palms shoulder-width apart, and the feet in line with the hips.
 
Lower the body into a push-up, engaging the core and glutes. Press back into the plank position.
 
From here, shift the weight of the body to one hand and rotate, reaching the other hand upward to bring the body into a side plank.
 
Return to full plank and repeat on the other side.

3. Reverse lunge with a twist to balance
 
Begin standing on one leg.
 
Reach the opposite leg back into a reverse lunge.  
 
Keeping the body straight, bend the legs to lower yourself and reach the opposite elbow to the front knee.  
 
With a tight core, push off the back foot to stand on one leg again and balance.

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The lazy one

Stereotype: Exercise? Say again? And forget planning ahead — it’s too much effort. 

“What a lazy person most needs is a friend to work out with, as generally they have no desire to push themselves into working out,” explains Dalton Wong, weight loss expert at the U.K.’s Bodyism Clinic. “The best is for them to join a class with a dynamic vibe and common goal. That adds pressure and they are more likely to participate.”

When it comes to food, a lazy person should plan ahead. “Set aside one afternoon to prepare meals for the next few days,” says Wong. “At the supermarket, pick up everything at once. And go for the easy options such as pre-cut vegetables and fruit, pre-cooked rice [and] yogurt.”

“With someone who’s lazy, it can go one of two ways,” says nutritionist Carrie Wiatt, who has designed meal plans for Jennifer Aniston and Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas. “They can either over- or under-eat. Their laziness could cause them to reach out for ready-made processed foods, often full of additives, salt and sugar,” she says. To control this unsteady pattern, they should eat a controlled portion every three to four hours.

The athlete

Stereotype: You tackle a 5-mile run in the morning and spin class after work.

“What an athlete needs most is rest,” says Wong. When someone is always  ‘go, go, go!’ they can end up injured and unable to exercise. “Exercise addicts need self-imposed ‘time out’ from their routine where they should do little more than stretch to allow their body to recover,” he suggests. “For every intense week of training, in three or four weeks they should be taking one week off.” For diet, Wong suggests eating plenty of ‘living’ foods, especially green vegetables and lean proteins.

The workaholic

Stereotype: You have your local takeout place on speed dial and sleep with your BlackBerry under your pillow.

“Our bodies are designed to move, even if this is a two-minute walk to the water cooler every hour or taking the stairs instead of the elevator,” says Wong. “We need an absolute minimum of 15 to 20 minutes a day where we keep moving if we want to keep the weight off.” He also suggests regular meals, as  workaholics often forget to eat during the day and then have three meals in one at night. “If your body functions well, you will have more energy and be more productive at work,” he says.

The stay-home parent

Stereotype: You have a screaming baby to deal with and no time for a two-hour gym session.

“Parents focus on their children 100 percent,” says Wiatt. “They spend so much time cooking meals for others that they don’t eat properly themselves and lack the energy to get through a hectic day,” she adds. Wong explains that young parents need to be very conscious of what they eat. “The key is to avoid picking and have set meals, as parents tend to erratically graze at food throughout the day — which in the long-term leads to an excess in calories and weight gain.” He also advises that you exercise with your kids as much as possible, whether it’s running or rolling around, or holding them in your arms as you walk up the stairs. “Learn to work out in short bursts whenever you can,” he says.
“Doing housework and running errands burns calories. Do some squats or lunges when the baby is having a nap, or put on an exercise DVD. Anything is better than nothing.” 

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In a groundbreaking revelation, a new study finds that increasing intake of vegetables, fruit, fiber-rich grains, legumes and nuts can actually lower a woman’s risk for some breast tumors. Also great for bone health and avoiding obesity, by the way.

From Reuters: “The findings, from a large, long-running study of U.S. nurses, showed that women with diets high in plant foods — but low in red meat, sodium and processed carbohydrates — tended to have a lower risk of developing certain breast tumors.”

Wait a minute!! Does that mean red meat, sodium and processed carbs are bad for you?! Why hasn’t anyone ever told us this?!

OK, in all seriousness, apparently out of 86,000 women, the ones who closely maintained veggie-rich eating habits resembling the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet (an eating plan for lowering blood pressure), were 20 percent less likely to develop ER-negative breast cancer. Interesting!

However, Teresa T. Fung, an associate professor of nutrition at Simmons College in Boston and the lead researcher on the new study, said exactly how much any one woman might benefit from eating more vegetables — at least as far as breast cancer risk — is unclear.

Helpful.

In general, the average U.S. woman has about a 12 percent chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime, with ER-positive tumors being most common.

So what have we learned here today? We’ve learned that eating more vegetables and other plant-based food stuffs, may be good for you but it’s unclear how much it may be good for you. We’ve learned that it might prevent cancer for some women, but maybe not necessarily for you.

Stay tuned for upcoming studies telling you that red meat is actually good for you (oh wait– that already happened) and sodium prevents heart disease (oh wait– that already happened, too.)

We just don’t know what to believe anymore!

All of these conflicting studies pretty much boil down to this: You cannot eat anything, ever. But you should eat everything, all the time.

Good luck.

The post SHOCKING NEWS: Vegetables are good for you appeared first on Metro.us.

Sleep studies back up this theory. One found that cutting sleep down to just four hours a night increased levels of ghrelin, a hormone that increases appetite, by 28 percent after only two days, while levels of leptin, a hormone that registers satiety and regulates energy, dropped by 18 percent.

“Not getting enough sleep changes the body’s metabolic process,” says Dr. David Volpi, director of  the Manhattan Snoring and Sleep Center. “When we’re tired, we eat more and exercise less because we’re exhausted. Also, being overweight can cause sleep apnea (interrupted breathing), which further disturbs rest.”

One study of 500 overweight adults who underwent a six-month diet and exercise program resulted in 60 percent losing at least 10 pounds, while others lost nothing or put on weight. The people in that 60 percent shared one thing: Each person slept for six to eight hours every night.

Getting back on track with sleep isn’t easy, but it is achievable.

“I’m not a big fan of drugs,” says Dr. Volpi.

It’s much better to tackle underlying causes, which can be stress, anxiety or depression — as well as caffeine, drug or alcohol use. You should also avoid eating sugary foods, particularly chocolate and especially at night.

“Also, don’t go to bed until you’re tired,” adds Dr. Volpi. “Lying there, staring at the ceiling, is only going to make you more anxious.”

The post Sleeping: A new way to lose those poundzzzzz? appeared first on Metro.us.

“We know that one of the biggest barriers to eating healthy is a packed schedule. We want to change that,” says Niki Leondakis, president and COO of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. “People should not have to feel like they can’t wait to get home to restart their ‘real’ lives.”

The San Francisco-based Kimpton chain brought in nutrition expert and author Joy Bauer MS, RD, CDN to help. Bauer — who is the diet expert on NBC’s “Today”  show and an associate faculty member at Columbia University — cooked up special “Travel Healthy” room-service menus with dishes that monitor calories, fat and salt contents for you. She also leads Kimpton’s new short in-room videos titled “Healthy Breakfast,” “High Energy Snacks,” “Tips for the ‘Morning After’” and “In Room Workout.” All are free to view on demand.

Bauer designed several items for in-room dining, from breakfast oatmeal to entrees like whole wheat pasta tossed with vegetables and creamy goat cheese. Each dish is under 500 calories, but she says they won’t leave you hungry and reaching for snacks.

“These healthy options are downright delicious,” she says, possibly with a hint of bias. “They also happen to be low in calories, sugar and salt — and loaded with high-quality carb and protein.”

But Bauer is quick to share the credit.

“At the end of the day, Kimpton was a stickler for ensuring that my healthy meals taste delicious,” she says.

Plan ahead

When venturing beyond your hotel room, Bauer recommends planning ahead.

“I
think it’s important to always carry an emergency stash of healthy
snacks, whether it’s some almonds or pistachio nuts, a nutrition bar or
fresh fruit like an apple or banana,” she says.

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So Sunday night, with an unexpected night home as my schedule shifts a bit, I realized I’d run right into the Oscars buzzsaw. In my house, that means dressing up in fancy clothes, cheering and talking to the TV and getting in the zone unlike anything I’ve ever done for a football game, I swear.

Knowing I had to get through it, I offered to cook and create an Oscars-themed menu. I guess you could say I was enabling, but I’ve been stuck at 24 pounds lost for two weeks now and was getting antsy to eat beyond my calorie budget. This was a case of the reward (a happy wife) far outweighed the risk (of a big dietary setback).

Salad course:

"Toy Story" Tug at Your Heartstrings of Romaine salad, with "King’s Speech" heirloom tomatoes and king crab meat in a lemon-garlic vinaigrette.

Soup:

In honor of Boston, the setting of "The Fighter" and "The Social Network," and to pay respect to all the passion through this year’s nominees, a Spicy New England Clam Chowder. I cheated on this one and started with a can of Progresso, but added more of the lump crab meat, some sea salt and enough cayenne pepper to make it burn a little going down.

Appetizer:

"The Fighter" Black and Blue Filet Mignon. Seared quickly on the outside and raw in the middle, with a black pepper crust and grilled onions on a piece of toast. Served with organic arugula, a shout out to the dude in "The Kids Are Alright."

Entree:

The most literal and the most figurative dish rolled into one. "True Grit" is the remake of a classic. And in my family, it doesn’t get much more classic than my grandfather’s favorite, Osso Bucco, which translates nicely to match "Winter’s Bone." And for a special tribute to "127 Hours," I found mushrooms that cost $450/pound. In other word’s, an arm and a leg (although I swapped in a much cheaper version, sort of like costume jewelery).

Dessert:

I called this, The Dessert of Your Dreams (thanks, "Inception"), and created a plate of my wife’s favorites, all paying respect to the white/black of "Black Swan": Brownie with vanilla ice cream, oreo cookies and chocolate covered vanilla wafers.

–

So, since this is my diet blog, I should tie it all together.

I added up the calories for the day, and I really blew through the 1,800 mark and finished at 3,000. But it was so easy to see where I could have kept it respectable. Dessert alone was almost 900 calories. Throughout the meal I tried to make good decisions. For instance, the salad had a handmade dressing with only a little olive oil. The portion on the filet mignon was about 4 ounces, enough to get the flavor without overdoing it. Even the osso bucco was served alongside string beans and zucchini sauteed in a little olive oil and a nice blast of fresh lemon, rather than my normal pasta or risotto.

But the real calorie bomb was at dessert when I simply gave in to my impulses. At that moment, the taste mattered more than my weight, and I can honestly say that for the first time in two months that has happened.

The key test starts this morning. Nearly every failed diet I’ve done started with one bad meal, spiraled into one bad day, and ended with some absurd week-long binge. But I’m looking at last night’s Oscars meal as a special event, certainly not an ordinary Sunday dinner (although in the past, it would have been). Today is a fresh start and I got going with my yogurt and granola and I’m more determined to keep it to 1,800 calories than I’ve been in a couple weeks.

I’ve been trying to separate food from emotion, so I hate to say that making my wife’s special night all the better was worth the calories. But it did, and now I’m ready to get right back to eating the right way so she can be proud of that, too.

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