A Scale that Counts Calories?

Source: Sharperimage.com (Summary by NIM)

The cat's out of the bag, guys - it turns out the secret to weight gain or weight loss just boils down to calories. Oh wait, you already knew that. But what you may not know is that the most accurate way to determine how many calories you're consuming each day is to actually weigh out all of your ingredients...which is so simple and quick, right? Not so much. Well, now (thankfully), there is a new device available which makes discovering your actual calorie intake much simpler. Enter: the Perfect Portions Digital Food Scale.

Imagine simply placing whatever you are about to eat onto this cool new scale, and finding out the exact nutritional value, nutrition label-style. No more weighing on a traditional scale and then having to look up every ingredient in some database! You'll know not only how many calories are in the particular food item, but also things like grams of fibre, sugar, fat and sodium! Even for non-calorie counters, this thing is pretty useful!

The database currently holds the nutritional value of 2,000 foods, with space to add another 99 custom foods. Certainly, this device can't tell you everything about everything you want to eat, and it's got to be a little more complicated than it seems (say you wanted to put a sushi roll on it? How would that work?) But at the very least - as the sales pitch goes - Knowledge is power when it comes to making healthier food choices!

Find out more about the Perfect Portions Digital Food Scale at at the Sharper Image.

A Woman's Secret to Living to 100 Includes Diet and Exercise

Source: Whittier Daily News (Summary by NIM)

Nowadays it's not uncommon for people to live longer than in generations before. Thanks to new developments in health care and new philosophies to living, many more people are enjoying good health far into their eighties and some into their nineties (my Polish Grandmother is 94 and can still put up a fight). And then, we have those lucky few people who make it all the way into their hundreds without even batting an eyelash! Can you even imagine all they have seen and done?

So long as we are in good health and are enjoying life, why not live it to it's fullest for as long as possible. Well, that's exactly what California native Maria Suarez is doing! Born in July, 1910, Suarez has just celebrated her 100th Birthday this month and is proud to say she's all natural - takes no medication and just enjoys life!

Suarez does not hesitate to give away her secret to longevity - "Stay active and eat right," she says. And don't forget a sprinkling of good faith - "faith is very important to a good life" she has said. Some of her pastimes have included traveling, swimming, camping, the outdoors, and gardening, where she grows her own vegetables. Now that is what I call a good life!

Read more at Whittier Daily News (July 26, 2010) in the article called "Woman, 100, credits faith, exercise, diet for longevity"

Posting Nutrition Information in Restaurants Might Make You Think Twice Before Ordering

Source: The Edmonton Journal (Summary by NIM)

Going out to a fancy restaurant can most definitely be a treat from time to time, especially when you're feeling like indulging a little (read: a lot). Really, what better way to celebrate a special event than by treating yourself to your favourite foods, a nice drink and maybe a little dessert? But when all you are looking to do is to satisfy your hunger by grabbing a meal out, the last thing you would probably want to do is order yourself a 2,000-calorie sugar-, sodium- and fat-filled food-bomb. Too bad that's what most people do without even knowing it.

As restaurants across the world embrace the trend (and thankfully this time it's a good one!) of increasing their transparency by posting nutritional information on their menus - heck even McDonald's is doing it these days - we are still lagging behind, here in Canada.

Some of the items on the menus of popular Canadian Restaurants, like The Keg's honey barbecue ribs, contain 1,975 calories which is roughly the amount an active woman should consume each day! Doesn't it seem as thought it should almost be a human right to know exactly what you're putting in your body? Especially if it's marketed to 'seem' healthy when it's really not! Some menu items on the menus of other restaurants may not be that bad, but if you can't see the info, you may never know it!

Find out more about this interesting issue by reading the article called "Many would change what they order if nutritional information were labelled" from the Edmonton Journal.

British Women Lose Lots of Cash, Little Weight on Diets

Source: The Daily Record (Summary by NIM)

In our world of instant gratification, those of us who want to lose weight expect it to happen very rapidly. Instead of taking a more manageable, sustainable approach that is easy to follow and guarantees results, most people opt for crash and fad diets, looking for a quick fix. The result? Cash blown, lots of suffering and cravings, but little weight loss success, according to a new survey.

In a recent survey by Engage Mutual.com, it has been found that British women spend an average of £542.43 (about $870 CAD) per year for a total of about £25,233 (about $40,500 CAD) in their lifetime on failed diet attempts. This includes stuff like exercise gear, supplements and gym memberships. That's an insane amount of cash spent on quick fixes that don't last!

The survey also found that British women attempt to diet 3 times a year, and they successfully stay on them for a mere 19 days - beyond that, the cravings for junk kick in and...another one bites the dust. Haven't any of these women heard of moderation? Yeah - you can have your cheesecake (/brownie/carrot cake etc.) and eat it too if you just simply watch your calorie intake and match it with calories out (exercise/physical activity). Really - it is that simple.

Find out more about this survey by reading the article called "Why women always lose pounds on a diet.. that's £££s, not lbs" from the Daily Record (July 23, 2010).

Train Like Your Favourite NFL Star with Wii

Source: USA Today (Summary by NIM)

What if you could have a little competitive fun with friends and family, get a workout and emulate your favourite NFL stars and at the same time? If that sounds like something you would be in to, you're in luck - EA sports has just announced the development of a new game for Nintendo's Wii console that will allow you to do all of the above.

The new game, which will be launched mid-November of this year, called EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp, is loaded with over 70 NFL drills used in real life by NFL coaches. These drills have been designed to help athletes improve their agility, response time, cardio capacity and strength, and now you can try them out for yourself! NFL star Tony Gonzalez of the Atlanta Falcons recently tested the game and gave it his stamp of approval.

According to Gonzalez, "You're running through tires, pushing blocking dummies...Put those sensors on your leg and arm and it keeps track of your heart rate and the calories that you burn. It's a pretty neat perspective. People can get an inside look at how we prepare and then also you get to train in your favorite stadium."

Sounds pretty awesome, regardless of whether you're a football fan or not. If you've got a Wii console, give this game a try for a totally different workout experience.

Read more at USA Today (July 20, 2010) in the article called "Falcons' Tony Gonzalez helps EA Sports' kick off 'NFL Training Camp'"

Obesity Changes how Fat is Perceived, Metabolized

Source: Science Daily (Summary by NIM)

It should come as no surprise that individuals with more fat on their frames - namely overweight and obese individuals - have a different relationship with fats than people who are of a healthy weight. Not only do they taste fat in different ways, but their bodies also respond to the molecules differently, according to a new study.

Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB), the researchers found that obese individuals were less able to detect the taste of fat and additionally, it seems their bodies were also unable to detect the presence of fat in the way that they are normally supposed to. When individuals of a healthy weight tasted the same fat-spiked beverage, they were more able to detect the presence of fat, and their stomachs correctly sent signals to their brains, resulting in the release of hormones that resulted in feelings of fullness, telling them to stop eating. This was not the case in obese individuals.

Basically, people who have a large amount of body fat or consume too many calories per day may continue to do so because their bodies aren't telling them that they are full! According to the leader of the research team, "At this point it is not possible to tell whether reduced responsiveness to the taste of fat or reduced gut hormone release causes over-consumption of fat, or whether eating a high-fat diet impairs taste and hormonal responses to fat ". Scary stuff! Bottom line - eat a healthy amount of fat in order to keep your weight in check and your body working properly!

Read more at Science Daily (July 19, 2010) in the article called "Obesity Is Associated With Reduced Sensitivity to Fat "

Eat More Fish to Keep Your Vision Sharp

Source: Reuters Health via Medline Plus (Summary by NIM)

Eating fish has long been associated with an overall improved health profile. It's a staple food in the Mediterranean diet - arguably the healthiest way of eating in the world - and for good reason! Now, a new study adds to an existing body of research that connects the consumption of fish with a lower risk of age related vision loss.

In the current American study, the diets of older adults who underwent eye exams were examined. It was found that those who consumed more fatty fish had a lower risk of developing AMD and enjoyed a protective effect against vision impairment. AMD, short for Age-related Macular Degeneration, is a condition that causes damage to the back of the eye resulting in the loss of central vision. People with AMD have trouble reading, driving and seeing faces, among other things. AMD is the leading cause of vision loss in Canadians.

In the study, however, it wasn't just any fish that helped prevent AMD, it had to be fatty fish; fish that contains lots of omega-3 fatty acids, presumably because of it's anti-inflammatory effects. Don't worry, though, if you love eating low-fat fish like sole, tilapia, basa or cod - they're all great sources of lean protein and also have excellent effects on your health, including lowering the consumption of saturated fat in your diet. Just be sure to enjoy some salmon once or twice a week and you're good to go!

Read more at Reuters Health via Medline Plus (July 20, 2010) in the article called "Fish eaters show lower risk of age-related eye disease".

New Talking Robot Helps Dieters Stay on Track

Source: The Wall Street Journal (Summary by NIM)

So we've heard of diet pills, exercise regimens, iPod Apps and of course diets that can help with weight loss, but this is definitely something new. Meet Autom, she's a little talking robot that knows all about you - your mood, your motivation, how much you have been exercising and whether or not you are sticking to your healthy eating plan - and she's there to help you stay on track.

Created by 32-year old Cory Kidd, co-founder and CEO of Intuitive Automata Inc., Autom is the first of her kind, and does more than any computer program can do. Autom can read social cues, responding to her user and motivating them in a way that a real trainer or coach could. Users have reported feeling accountable to someone (or something!) rather than simply following a diet or workout regimen on their own. Autom reminds her user to stay on track, asks about goals and monitors their progress.

Compared with personal trainers who can cost up to $75 an hour in some gyms, Autom costs only $500 plus sporadic fees for software updates. Apparently Autom is so easy to use that she doesn't even come with an instruction manual. All users have to do is plug the robot in and get started. It's that simple!

Find out more about this amazing invention by reading the article called "A Robot That Helps You Diet" from the Wall Street Journal (July 20, 2010).

Svelte Singer Cheryl Cole Eating Junk to Gain Weight

Source: OK! Magazine (Summary by NIM)

You know how much your body can transform for the better once you stop eating junk food (especially the greasy, fried kind!), but imagine if you did the exact opposite - adopting a high-cal fat-filled diet. Well, that's exactly what the gorgeous and talented singer Cheryl Cole is finding herself doing lately, but don't call her lucky - she's only doing it in order to battle her extreme weight loss due to a recent bout with malaria.

After dropping out of her position as a Judge on the latest season of the UK X factor due to the life threatening illness, the already tiny British songstress has dropped from 105 lbs to about 98 lbs! According to reports from the News of the World, "Cheryl is far too thin...she doesn't have any meat on her now. Her hip bones literally stick out. She won't be dancing for some time. Her routines were exhausting."

In order to battle her rapid weight loss, Cheryl is eating highly energy-dense foods like fries, sausages, hot dogs and burgers because she is terrified of losing any more weight (and good for her - some celebs like Tori Spelling just rolled with it and she just ended up looking like a Skeleton!). Cheryl's mom is on board making sure her daughter stays as healthy as possible and recovers quickly, so she's giving Cheryl whatever she wants to eat in order to make sure that her medication is working! Here's to a speedy recovery!

Read more at OK! Magazine (July 19, 2010) in the article called "Cheryl Cole is placed on 'a junk food diet' to help her gain malaria weight".

Health Boosters of the Future: IV Vitamin Drips

Source: The Globe and Mail (Summary by NIM)

If you're a run-down workaholic, celeb or athlete and simply don't have the time to recover and recuperate the 'normal' way (i.e. sleeping, being active and eating well), there may still be some hope for you, thanks to a new trend in health and wellness.

The use of Intravenous micronutrient therapy (IVMT), a system by which (as the name suggests), micronutrients are streamed into the body intravenously, is not actually new in and of itself. This therapeutic treatment has been around for decades to treat certain illnesses and ailments like asthma and fibromyalgia. Now, however, it's being offered in cushy relaxing settings in order for workaholics to relax and wake up feeling like a million bucks in the morning.

The main benefit of this treatment is that the vitamins and minerals are streamed right into your veins and are absorbed highly efficiently. Some patrons claim they are left with a profound sense of well being and glowing, radiant skin, akin to having gone on a relaxing week long vacation! If the price is right for you, you too can lounge in a leather recliner while watching your favourite TV shows or movies or even take a nap while being fed intravenously with a complex micronutrient cocktail!

Find out more by reading the article called "Run-down execs and celebs embrace the vitamin drip" from the Globe and Mail (July 12, 2010).