Trim Your Waistline

You may be looking at your waistline as the target of your weight loss program because it is so prominent. It is what you notice the most as you watch your reflection in the glass windows as you walk through the mall. And it makes fastening your jeans a real challenge. But appearance isn’t everything. There are some real health dangers associated with having a large waistline.

Those dangers include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, sleep apnea, arthritis and back pain, to name a few. More than anything else, it is these dangers that should motivate you to trim your waistline.

You may be familiar with all kinds of online offers for losing belly fat. As with all the other quick weight loss schemes, be careful. If you want to lose the belly fat you have to lose the weight. That means committing to a program that requires improvements in the way you eat and making time for exercise.

How can you jumpstart the process?

First, make healthier food choices. Second, eliminate the sodas, chips, cookies, candy, cake and other sugary and high-fat foods. Third, skip the fast food and nightly pizza. And finally, get moving.
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Consult a Registered Dietitian. If you need help with creating a healthy weight loss program, talk to a registered dietitian. Registered dietitians are the healthcare professionals most trained and experienced in the art and science of nutrition for healthy weight loss. You can locate a registered dietitian by going to the American Dietetic Association website at www.eatright.org and searching to find a registered dietitian.

Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

It’s Valentine’s Day and more chocolate will probably be eaten today than any other day of the year. That could mean a lot of sugar for people who are trying to cut back on calories.

But the news is not all bad. Chocolate that contains a high percentage of cocoa might actually be good for you. Natural cocoa from cocoa beans are high in antioxidants, which can protect your cells from oxidative damage. Milk chocolate less cocoa and, therefore, does not provide the same level of protection.

Studies show that polyphenols, the active compounds in dark chocolate, may help to lower blood pressure, improve heart health and prevent stroke. These compounds might also protect brain cells, thus helping to slow dementia.

Keep in mind that all chocolates are not equal. Milk chocolate does not contain the same high levels of polyphenols that are found in dark chocolate. That means you would not be getting the same health benefits.  So, the next time you reach for chocolate, make sure it is dark chocolate.

Read the label before you buy.

References

BioMed Central
Circulation

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If you need help planning healthy meals and snacks for heart health or to control your blood pressure, talk to a registered dietitian. Find a registered dietitian by visiting the American Dietetic Association website at www.eatright.org or do an online search. Registered dietitians are the healthcare professionals most trained and experienced in the art and science of nutrition, medical nutrition therapy and other aspects of food and nutrition. 

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Read the Daily Diet Guide.

Health Benefits of Resveratrol

Overview

Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant that helps to prevent heart disease and may provide a number of other health benefits, as well. Red wine has a high concentration of resveratrol from grapes.

Health Benefits of Resveratrol

Studies show that resveratrol promotes health by protecting cells in your body from oxidative damage. The effects of resveratrol in protecting the heart and blood vessels is clear. On the other hand, the effect on cancer. obesity and other diseases is not so clear. 

• Heart disease. Resveratrol in red wine promotes heart health by reducing “LDL or ‘bad” cholesterol and increasing HDL or “good” cholesterol. Studies show that resveratrol may also work by reducing inflammation in the cells. Inflammation is a major cause of a number of chronic diseases, including heart disease and cancer.
• Cancer. Laboratory studies show that resveratrol can prevent the growth of cancer in cell culture and in some laboratory animals by interfering with the ability of cancer cells to multiply and grow. However, further investigations will be needed to determine if the same effects can be achieved with humans.
• Obesity. Resveratrol might help to prevent or treat obesity, based on studies in rats in which  resveratrol prevented fat cells from maturing. Resveratrol also appears to change the size and function of fat cells. However, researchers caution that more studies would be needed to determine the long-term effects of such treatment on humans.

Food Sources of Resveratrol

The most common food sources of resveratrol are red wine, grapes and purple grape juice. Other sources include berries, such as blueberries and cranberries.

A Word About Drinking

Red wine is a good source of resveratrol and offers real health benefits to people who drink responsibly. It is also an alcoholic beverage, which means it has the potential for abuse. Excessive drinking could lead to alcoholism, liver damage and other serious health problems. Recognizing these potential dangers, the American Heart Association and others caution against drinking too much. The recommended limit for those who drink is one drink (12 ounces of wine) per day for women and 2 drinks (24 ounces of wine) per day for men.

Resources

Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2003 - PubMed result

The Endocrine Society