The Incredible Emptiness Of Diet Soft Drinks

If you think a diet soft drink can redeem the health destruction of a poor diet, you’ve been watching too many soft drink commercials. These drinks contain artificial sweeteners that can wreak havoc on your metabolism. And now researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have carefully examined the difference between those who drink diet soda and those who never imbibe.

The scientists found that consumers of diet sodaare generally less healthy than folks who never touch the stuff.

The researchers studied data collected over 20 years from more than 4,000 young adults who participated in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study.

In terms of eating habits, the people fell into two groups: those who ate what researchers termed a “prudent” diet (one with more fruit, fish, whole grains, nuts and milk) and individuals who consumed a “Western” diet (containing higher amounts of fast food, meat and poultry, pizza and snacks).

People who were healthiest tended to be those who ate a prudent diet and did not consume diet beverages. They had a lower risk of fat around the middle, higher triglyceride levels (blood fats) and metabolic syndrome — 22 percent, 28 percent and 36 percent lower, respectively, than people who ate a Western diet and did not drink diet soda. But the second healthiest group consisted of individuals with a “prudent” diet who also consumed diet beverages.

In contrast, individuals who consumed the Western diet had increased risk of heart disease, regardless of whether they drank diet beverages.

The Spice That Battles Alzheimer’s

A common spice may help you avoid the destruction of Alzheimer’s. Chances are, the spice is already sitting in a small jar on a shelf in your kitchen.

Two natural compounds found in cinnamon — cinnamaldehyde and epicatechin — are showing promise in the effort to fight Alzheimer’s. According to researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, the compounds have been shown to prevent the development of the filamentous “tangles” found in the brain cells that characterize Alzheimer’s.

If cinnamon and its compounds do live up to their promise, it could be a significant step in the ongoing battle against Alzheimer’s. In the United States, Alzheimer’s is growing in an aging population. The problem threatens to overwhelm the U.S. healthcare system. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, in 2013, Alzheimer’s disease will cost the nation $203 billion.

“Wouldn’t it be interesting if a small molecule from (cinnamon) could help?” asks researcher Donald Graves.

The #1 WORST Food that HARMS Your Brain (avoid!)

First, here's the BAD NEWS... Certain foods you eat can indeed harm your brain, both in impaired learning ability as well as impaired memory. Even worse, the wrong food and drink choices throughout your life can even lead to the terrible and deadly disease of Alzheimer's. A friend of mine just told me that her dad died of Alzheimer's recently and it was just a terrible disease where he didn't even know who she was anymore towards the end. Even in our 30s, 40s and 50s, the choices we make with our daily food can help PREVENT these terrible diseases. So let's dig in with the topic today of foods that harm your brain, and what you can do about it... >> Click Here To Read More

The 10 Best Foods For Your Skin

A healthy and balanced diet can shield your insides from all sorts of bad health mojo, but it can also protect your outside. The right vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils, fish, teas, and chocolates can shield your skin from the ravages of the environment, time, and even cancer.

Click here for the 10 best foods for your skin »

The 'White' Foods You Should Be EatingCertain ones can actually be highly nutritious. Read more here » The New Rules of BreakfastWake up with these fresh ideas. Read more here » Bake Crunchy Kale ChipsUpgrade your snacking skills. Read more here »

Move over, milk

If you've been a reader of mine for a while, you know how I feel about milk. Simply put, kids don't need it. It's loaded with sugar. It's not even their best source of calcium. (That honor goes to dark leafy greens.) And according to new research, a different mineral may be more essential to your child's bones, anyway. As part of this recent study, researchers recruited 63 healthy children between the ages of 4 and 8 years old. None of them were taking any multivitamins or minerals. All families filled out food diaries and measured portions so that researchers could accurately determine dietary calcium and magnesium intake. Researchers also assessed the kids' levels and absorption of these minerals--along with bone mineral content and density--over a three-day period. Results showed that magnesium consumption and absorption were both strong predictors of the kids' bone mass and density. But dietary calcium intake? Not so much. So do your kids a favor and dump their milk down the drain. Then replace it with a handful of magnesium-rich almonds. Believe me, their bones will be better off for it. Until next time, Dr. Fred

Less is more than nothing

Dear Reader, I often ask my patients to make huge changes to their habits. And I don't think it's unreasonable at all. I feel most people, given enough support, can make really big changes like this--ones that can dramatically alter and extend their lives. And they can stick with these changes, too. But that doesn't mean it's not hard. Or intimidating. The fact is, sometimes baby steps are just plain easier to handle...at least in the beginning. I get that. Which is why I thought I would tell you about a new review that shows that even little changes can make a big difference. Little changes like losing just a couple of pounds. Or taking a brisk 15- to 30-minute walk after dinner every night. Yes, that daily walk I keep hounding you about can cut your risk of heart disease by 10 percent. Same goes for dropping your HbA1c--a measure of long-term blood sugar control--by .5 percent. You can see similar improvements just by reducing your blood pressure by a mere 2 to 5 points. (This can drop a diabetic's risk of heart disease death by 18 percent, at a minimum.) Meanwhile, modest losses of just 2 to 5 percent of your body weight--a few measly pounds for most people--can slash your diabetes risk dramatically. I've mentioned this many times. Obesity increases your risk for metabolic syndrome. And that, in turn, doubles your risk of heart disease and diabetes. But for every two pounds you lose--yes, two pounds--you reduce your risk of diabetes by 16 percent. Obviously, losing weight is critical. That's why I talk about it so much. Research continues to reveal clear linear links between weight loss and drops in long-term blood sugar, blood pressure, and triglycerides. Again, even a small loss chips away at these risk factors in a significant way. What's more, it can also translate to impressive reversals in fatty liver--one of the most prevalent diseases in the country today. And when I say impressive, I mean it. Losing 5 percent or less of your body weight can reduce hepatic (liver) fat by as much as a third. (Lose more than 10 percent of your body weight, and you can cut fatty liver by 80 percent.) So you can see why I had to mention this. Because, really? Making any positive change is important. All too often, people use the excuse that they couldn't give up sugar, or find time to exercise every day...you fill in the blank. So they stopped doing anything healthy. But accomplishing something small is always better than doing nothing at all. And this study is proof positive of that. Even little changes can add up to something amazing, so long as you're consistent with them and stick with the plan. And that's all I ever ask.

Angelina Jolie's Double Mastectomy: A Lifesaving Move... or a Big Mistake?   
She did it because she was told she had an 87% risk of breast cancer, but these figures are almost ridiculous. You have the power to change the expressions of your genes - here's how to slash your risk by 75-90%...

Really? Never Go Shopping on an Empty Stomach
Is it true that you should avoid grocery shopping when you're hungry? New research answers this food-shopping conundrum.