Smart Bytes™
Feeling nutrition info overload? I will help you sort through to find what’s important to you. Read more. . .
Nutrition Distraction Disorder: Fight it with Sloppy Success
Nutrition Distraction Disorder: If it were a real diagnosable condition, a lot of people would have it. Do you? Whether I’m at a speaking engagement or simply watching the headlines, I’ve noticed lately how many people are dipping a toe in the pool of a healthier lifestyle, and then jumping out and running to something else. They never stick with a change long enough to feel the benefits, and are frazzled from trying to keep up with the latest “sure-fire” nutrition strategy.
On a conference call recently, my valued colleague Bridget Swinney, MS, RD shared one of the take-home messages from a writers’ conference she recently attended: “Sloppy Success is better than Perfect Procrastination.” That may have been said regarding writing, but I think it’s relevant to much more. Let’s look at how some imperfect changes to your eating habits and lifestyle might be the answer to replace “Nutrition Distraction Disorder”. Continue reading
Extended Sitting: Why researchers see health impact & What you can do
Put aside thoughts of whether or not you meet recommendations for walking or other moderate activity, and answer two questions of newly recognized importance: How many minutes a day do you spend butt-in-chair or-car? And of that time, how much is extended sitting versus up-and-down?
Are too much sitting and too little activity independent health risks?
The potential relevance of these two questions to your risk of cancer and other chronic diseases was one of the major topics emerging from last week’s research conference held by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR).
Since I’ve been back from the conference, I’ve been plowing through the latest findings. There’s enough here that I will be making some simple changes in my life, and will be more intentional about encouraging them in my work with clients and in speaking.
Can You Beat Metabolic Syndrome with Your Fork? Essential Pieces of the Puzzle
Studies don’t show any one particular kind of food choice that will make a difference in dealing with or reducing risk of metabolic syndrome. It really seems to be about the overall eating habits. A combined analysis of 50 studies shows that a Mediterranean-style eating pattern lowers risk of metabolic syndrome by about 30 percent. That doesn’t mean eating at Italian and Greek restaurants every night – in fact, the way those cuisines are often adapted for U.S. customers, that could be exactly the wrong thing to do.
Here are what seem to be the keys to the Mediterranean pattern that counters development of metabolic syndrome: Continue reading
How bad is a little bad? When it spells Metabolic Syndrome
Someone recently asked me, “If my blood sugar and blood pressure are only a little high…not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes or hypertension…does it really matter?” He acknowledged that he’d been gaining weight over the last ten years and asked (with a reluctant look in his eyes), “Do I really need to go on a diet now?” 
This is Metabolic Syndrome, and one in every three American adults has it. It doesn’t only change your risk of heart disease; it affects your risk of cancer and other diseases, too. Fortunately, you can do something about it. More on that in just a minute….
What is metabolic syndrome?
Major health organizations have now agreed on criteria for diagnosing metabolic syndrome. Continue reading