Tag Archives: modern

The new science of weight loss: Introducing the anti-inflammatory diet

You likely haven't given much thought to your cells since high-school biology, but focusing on them might be the key to unlocking your best body ever. While most diets prioritize cutting calories and fat, the anti-inflammatory diet—Hollywood's new favorite healthy-eating plan—operates on a biochemical level.  Designed to neutralize the inflammation that occurs inside your body, the regimen offers big benefits, including a slimmer waist, a clearer mind, fewer cravings, and better skin. No surprise, then, that image-minded celebrities have taken notice: Matthew Fox followed an anti-inflammatory eating plan to get in shape for his upcoming movie World War Z. So how does it work? Eating high levels of saturated fats, trans fats, and refined sugars (read: the modern American diet) sets off a series of reactions: The “bad fat” triggers the liver to release chemicals to fight the toxins, which causes inflammation. Meanwhile, the glucose in food can't be transported to your cells while the body is inflamed, which means that your brain isn't registering the intake. The result: You're left feeling foggy, hungry, and more prone to cravings, which then restarts the cycle. “The more inflammation you have, the less efficiently you're using your calories, so you eat more and feel worse,” says Jackie Keller, the Los Angeles–based founder of the NutriFit meal-delivery service, who crafts anti-inflammatory diet plans for Channing Tatum, Penelope Cruz, and Charlize Theron. Cellular inflammation also stiffens up your arteries, causes skin breakouts, and makes you more prone to heart disease and cancer. “Because we're eating so many processed foods, inflammation is a bigger problem than ever before,” said Kristin Kirkpatrick, a registered dietitian and wellness manager at the Cleveland Clinic. “This diet is partly about what you don't eat—saturated fats, trans fats, and sugar—and a lot about what you do eat.” The focus is on unsaturated fats in fish and olive oil, plus plenty of produce, especially deeply colored fruits and vegetables, which are packed with phytonutrients that help neutralize inflammation.  Another major hallmark is a reliance on herbs and spices: Powerful compounds including quercetin in garlic, gingerol in ginger, cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon, and curcumin in turmeric may all help fight inflammation, said Kirkpatrick. “Not all of my clients understand the science,” Keller said. “But they feel better and they find it easier to lose weight, and that's what matters. ___________________________________________________ More From Details: Elimination Diets: A Primer Why You Should Be a Meat and Potatoes Guy 8 (Surprising) Things That Make You Fat ___________________________________________________ The Anti-Inflammatory Menu Breakfast: 1 cup cooked steel-cut oats with cinnamon and 1 oz almonds. Morning Snack: 1½ cups seasonal berries with 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt. Lunch: 4 oz baked chicken, cut into strips, mixed with 2 cups steamed or stir-fried Asian vegetables, such as bok choy and shiitake mushrooms, with garlic and ginger. Afternoon Snack: 1 cup fresh cherries or 1 cup cherry juice. Dinner: 6 oz grilled fresh trout seasoned with curry powder (which includes turmeric), 2 cups dark-green vegetables (preferably broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or kale) cooked in 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil. Dessert: 1 oz dark chocolate.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/13/new-science-weight-loss-introducing-anti-inflammatory-diet/

Toxic waste from Greek yogurt poses danger to waterways

Greek yogurt has become an increasingly popular low-calorie treat in the United States, as it is thicker and contains more protein than regular yogurt.  In fact, the yogurt is in such high demand that total yogurt production has nearly tripled in New York state over the last five years. But the new diet fad harbors a dark secret. When Greek yogurt is strained, a thin, runny waste product known as acid (sour) whey is left over.  According to a new report from Modern Farmer, whey acid – a liquid containing mostly water, lactose (sugar), protein and yogurt cultures – is extremely toxic to the environment, making it illegal to dump.  The substance is so detrimental to the environment that if it enters nearby streams and rivers, it robs the water of so much oxygen that fish and other aquatic life start to die off over potentially large areas. The Modern Farmer report stated that for every 3 to 4 ounces of milk used, Chobani and other manufacturers can only make 1 ounce of Greek yogurt – the rest becoming acid whey.  Chobani is so desperate to get rid of the whey, the report maintained, they pay nearby farmers to haul the whey somewhere else.  They claim that 70 percent of their excess whey winds up in livestock feed. But the yogurt industry has remained relatively secretive on the issue, as there are currently no industry-wide statistics regarding where all of this excess whey is going.. Fortunately, the Modern Farmer report noted a possible consumer of excess whey: babies.  Dave Barbano, a dairy scientist at Cornell University, believes that the tiny amount of protein left over in acid whey could be used in infant formula.  Cheese manufacturers have managed to sell similar products from sweet whey, a byproduct of cheese. Whey protein is sold as an ingredient in body building supplements and in other foodstuffs – and Greek yogurt manufacturers are eager to try the same tactics. “There are a lot of people coming in and out of New York state looking at whether this is a good opportunity for investment,” Barbano told Modern Farmer. Other researchers at the Center for Dairy Research at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, are trying to figure out a way to extract the sugar from acid whey, which could be used as an ingredient in things like icing and bread.  And a farm in Scipio Center, N.Y., is hoping to convert the whey’s lactose into methane – which could ultimately be used to generate electricity. No matter what, the Modern Farmer report maintained that a solution needs to be found as soon as possible, because the development of excess whey isn’t slowing down. Click for more from Modern Farmer.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/29/toxic-waste-from-greek-yogurt-poses-danger-to-waterways/