What if it's not the kinds of foods we're eating?

Although it has been my rant for the last couple years, here is some research support for the idea Americans are getting fatter not because of the foods we're eating ("healthy" vs. "unhealthy") but  that we're just eating too much.  Too much, as in, too many meals and snacks:

"According to a new study, the biggest single contributor to the sharp rise in calorie intake has been the number of snacks and meals people eat per day. Over the past 30-odd years, the study found, Americans have gone from consuming 3.8 snacks and meals per day to 4.9, on average — a 29% increase.


The average portion size has increased, too, but only by about 12%. And, surprisingly, the average number of calories per 1-gram serving of food (known as “energy density”) actually declined slightly over that period, which suggests that calorie-rich food has played a relatively minor role in our expanding waistlines."

credit to Stanford Scope

Green tea affecting iron absorption?

We all try to eat healthy -- increase our antioxidants -- do all the things we should to maintain and improve out health.  What happens when too much of one good thing interferes with another?

Research has recently reported at study looking into what happens when participants ate grape seed extract and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) found in green tea.

The take home:  these compounds may block iron absorption.  Interested in learning more?  Click here.

Medical Marijuana

Yesterday, Diane Rehm was discussing medical marijuana on her show.  I have heard of the compounds cannibaniods but didn't know there were a number of them.  I knew that THC was a component that would produce the "high" but didn't know there was another cannibanoid that would produce many of the healthful benefits (anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant properties, etc) but didn't make the user high.

This "other" cannibanoid has been breed down in plant where the users and growing were looking to increase the amount of THC in the drug for recreational uses.  There are some grower now however, who are looking to increase the amounts of health producing cannibanoids while decreasing the amount of THC.

What would be the ramifications of this?  Take a listen here and you might get a new perspective! (there is a "listen" button just below the "Home" tab)

It's your whole diet pattern that matter -- not individual components

Ever consider just taking a pill instead of eating your veggies?  Same thing, right?  Sorry!  The answer is no it's not.  Scientist have looked at people with Metabolic Syndrome.  Those most successful at reversing their health issues are the ones that change their whole dietary pattern to include less high-fat, highly processed food and add in more whole grains, fruits and vegetables.  (in other words, REAL FOOD)

There's just no getting around it!  We need to eat things that grow in the ground and on trees if we want to achieve that next level of health.

Click here and here for more information.