In the past few years, omega-3 fatty acids have become increasingly popular with their numerous amounts of health benefits. Omega-3 fatty acids work as an anti-inflammatory agent that helps reverse the processes of heart disease, cancer and many other conditions.  As of Monday, April 13th, new research has just been added to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition on the effects of walnuts and fish on heart disease.

Researchers from Loma Linda University concluded that in healthy individuals walnuts lowered cholesterol more than fish, while fatty fish lowered triglyceride levels ultimately both reducing the overall risk of coronary heart disease. This study was conducted to show everyone including the healthiest of people how imperative and easy it is to simply add walnuts and fatty fish to their daily diet.

The American heart association recommends eating fish 3 times a week to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease. Using this as a guideline, the researchers found that healthy people who included fatty fish twice a week, decreased triglyceride levels by 11.4 percent. In addition, adding 1.5 ounces of walnuts to their eating regimen lowered their LDL levels by 9.3 percent compared to a control diet based on USDA recommendations. Studies have shown that walnuts can significantly reduce blood cholesterol. Walnuts are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, and they also help keep blood vessels healthy and elastic.

Some of the highest levels of omega-3 fats can be found fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon.  The reason for this being, that fish is a good source of protein and doesn’t have the high saturated fat like ones found in fatty meats.  

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and founder of Skinnyandthecity.com.    She is also the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

MYTH: EATING AFTER 8 CAUSES WEIGHT GAIN
The reason most people think that eating at night causes weight gain is because people tend to eat extra at night, not taking into account what they have already eaten during the day. Well, the way it works is that at the end of the day, the more calories you eat, the more weight you gain — regardless if it’s during the day or at night.  Even the healthiest foods, when eaten in greater amounts than needed for energy, will be stored as fat. It is not possible to circumvent the laws of thermodynamics and energy balance. It all comes down to calories in vs. calories out.
However, the reason most people do gain weight from eating at night is because they have a late dinner after not eating for a long period of time. This makes it hard to make good food choices and also to keep portions in control. You may end up picking up a slice of pizza or two whereas if you weren’t as hungry you would have time to cook a healthy dinner without sabotaging your diet.

The second concern that comes with late night eating is “mindless” snacking in front of the TV or hanging out with your buddies. People tend to pig out on ice cream, cookies, or pizza (not on celery and carrots) and this leads to weight gain because it is usually extra calories taken in.

So aim to spread your calories throughout the day and if you do have to eat a late dinner, don’t worry about it leading to weight gain as long as you have not overeaten during the day.  Try and eat most of your carbs during the day (carbs are used for energy so eat them at breakfast, lunch and snack to fuel your activities: work, school, gym, etc). At night, focus on eating protein and vegetables since most likely your lying around and don’t need the energy from carbs.

MYTH: SUGAR MAKES KIDS HYPER
This is a huge myth. It has even spawned a popular phrase:  “sugar buzz.” But when researchers put it to the test, they found no evidence that sugar led to hyperactivity in kids or adults. Researchers found that hyperactivity of children at parties or any type of festivity is from the environment they are in. In fact, in one study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, they gave some kids sugared foods and gave others foods with artificial sweeteners. Their parents and the researchers didn’t know who was eating sugar and who wasn’t. They monitored the kids for things like irritability and hyperactivity and they found no difference. 

Another cause for hyperactivity could be from caffeine found in soda or even chocolate. Sugar may have an effect on kids with established hyperactivity, but it won’t make a non-hyperactive child become hyperactive. All sugar will do will increase your energy level, but it won’t cause hyperactivity. Many people still blame sugar for their children’s “wild” behavior, but technically speaking there is no science that proves this.

Any food that affects blood-sugar levels can create an adrenaline surge, which will lead to a burst of energy. However, many kid-favorite, sugary snacks are lacking fiber which is the  reason why your child may become hyperactive.  So if your child is often bouncing off the walls of your home, simply swapping an orange for orange juice or high-fiber cereals for sugared varieties, will keep their blood sugar levels normal.

MYTH: SWALLOWED GUM STAYS IN YOUR BODY FOR 7 YEARS
For the most part, gum is as indigestible as a paper clip. Gum is made from gum resin, flavoring and sweeteners. The human body cannot digest gum resin. Many of us were told as children that it would stick to our insides for seven years, but that is absolutely not true. Our bodies move indigestible material through our digestive systems and out of our bodies in bowel movements.

Many people don’t realize this, but chewing gum can cause bloating because it causes you to swallow air. All that air gets trapped in your GI tract and causes pressure, bloating, and belly expansion.

There is absolutely no nutritional benefit to gum. Sugar-free gum often contains sorbitol. Sorbitol is a sugar substitute that acts as a laxative, which draws water into the large intestine. As little as four sticks of sorbitol-containing gum can cause bloating and abdominal pain.

MYTH: ORGANIC FOOD IS HEALTHIER THAN CONVENTIONAL FOODS
According to The Institute of Food Technologists, organic food is no healthier than conventionally grown foods. Organic food means that its ingredients were grown without chemical pesticides, fertilizers or insecticides. It’s healthy because there are no chemicals, but organic doesn’t necessarily mean the food is nutritious.

Of course, even organic or all-natural food can pack on pounds. So be careful you don’t get carried away.  Take organic potato chips and cookies for example. Over eating these will still make you fat!

Considering organically-grown food can cost more than twice as much as conventionally-grown food, sticking to a diet rich in whole grains, lean protein, fruits and vegetables is your best bet to your healthiest and happiest diet.

MYTH: RAW VEGETABLES ARE ALWAYS BETTER THAN COOKED VEGETABLES
Not so. The amount of nutrients you get from vegetables can differ for a number of reasons, such as how long you store them and how (or if) you cook them. Although cooking vegetables can lose nutrients, cooking can sometimes increase the amount of nutrients available to the body. An example of this is the antioxidant lycopene in tomatoes. Cooking tomatoes releases more lycopene than is available in raw tomatoes.  In addition, in January, a report in The Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry concluded that cooking carrots, zucchini and broccoli was better than eating them raw.

Loss of nutrients can occur in cooking because some vitamins, like vitamins B and C, dissolve in water. Some can be lost if the vegetables are boiled for too long. Steaming or stir-frying helps retain the vitamins when you cook vegetables. The fact of the matter is vegetables are powerhouses of nutrition, no matter which way you eat them. Whether raw or cooked, five servings of vegetables a day are recommended for good nutrition.

MYTH: CARBS MAKE YOU FAT
One of the greatest diet myths is that carbs make you fat.  Nothing can be further from the truth. If the only thing you ate all day was a bagel, that bagel would not make you fat.  It’s not that carbohydrates make us fat; it’s the quantity we eat which packs on the pounds. For example Italians live on pasta. Yet they eat pasta as their starter-primo piatto, which consists of 1 ½ cups equaling 375 calories. Then they follow with a segunda or main course of lean meat or fish and vegetables.

In the United States, on the other hand, we most often eat pasta as our main course. A typical main course serving of pasta in this country is about 4 cups, or 1,000 calories. Big difference! 

The secret to eating carbs and shedding pounds is eating high-fiber carbohydrates. Fiber is the zero calorie, indigestible component of carbohydrates. The more fiber a food contains, the less digestible carbohydrate there is. It is the net carbohydrate, not the total carbohydrate that gets converted and stored as fat.  High-fiber carbohydrates have lower net carbohydrates than foods that contain no fiber. In addition, fiber adds texture, bulk and chewing satisfaction, which aids in consuming fewer calories, yet still feeling full. Choose whole grain breads, cereals, fruits vegetables, and legumes to fill your tank without gaining weight. 

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and founder of Skinnyandthecity.com.    She is also the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

Dear Yvonne,
I am a 50-year-old-man who has lost all interest in — and avoided — sex with my partner since she has gained weight. Watching her gobble a double pie a la mode for a nighttime snack was like an anti-Viagra for me. When I met her 3 years ago, she was perhaps 30 pounds thinner. I noticed an older photo of her and she appeared to be perhaps 50 pounds heavier. Do women lose weight to meet a man and seek commitment as if crossing a finish line to find the food again?
—JK 

Dear JK,
Both men and women often seek to be physically fit in order to attract a potential partner. Many do “let themselves go” once they have the commitment since they feel that the woo’ing phase of the relationship no longer requires work. However, it’s hard to say, if your partner intentionally lost weight to “nab” you, and then didn’t have a care in the world when she put the weight back on.

The reasons why people put on weight are very complicated and numerous. Factors that lead to weight gain include:

          o Diets high in calories (sodas), saturated fat (fried foods), and/or sugar (candy)
          o A lack of exercise
          o Not getting enough sleep
          o Stress
          o Health problems, for example, hypothyroidism
          o Medications
          o Menopause

In order to reclaim your sex life, try to spend quality time with your lover in ways that keep both of you active and eating healthy meals. Instead of being critical, try to be compassionate by expressing concern for her health, and offer to be of assistance in any way possible. Feeling sorry for yourself won’t do you or her any good.

Dr. Yvonne Kristín Fulbright is a sex educator, relationship expert, columnist and founder of Sexuality Source Inc. She is the author of several books including, “Touch Me There! A Hands-On Guide to Your Orgasmic Hot Spots.”

The holidays are a time of “lots.”   Lots of parties, lots of drinking and lots of eating!  On average, people gain around 9 and 11 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years.  Which makes sense that for many of us, losing weight is on the top of our New Year’s resolution list.

Here are some tips to help you lose that extra poundage and get your body back in shape.

1.  Eat every 3-4 hours.  Eating small portions regularly will help to keep your hunger at bay and your calories in check so you don’t end up overeating. When your blood sugar drops, you end up overeating to compensate for it. Fiber and protein are the two nutrients with the lowest caloric density so you fill up without filling out. Some excellent snacks to keep at the office include fiber-rich crackers with peanut butter, pistachios with dried fruit, string cheese and an apple.

2. Add more fiber to your diet.  Cut out the refined carbs, which have no fiber. Carbs get converted into glucose which gets filled with water – if you’re storing carbs, you’re storing water. High-fiber carbs give you the carb fix without the bloat — added bonus: WEIGHT LOSS. Fiber-rich foods fill you up on just a few calories leading to weight loss without hunger!  Swap out all white flour refined products from your diet and replace them with high-fiber foods such as whole wheat cereals and breads, and rice.

3. Include more fruits and vegetables.  High- fiber options are low in calories and high in antioxidants. Fiber acts as a natural detox. Soup is a great way to fill up on high fiber veggies in the winter. Nothing is more filling and satisfying then a hearty bowl of soup, on your lunch break, or a big salad. Try eating an apple, pear or berries to once again see your hard rock abs. 

4. Add more protein to your diet. Lean proteins such as fish, chicken, and lean cuts of beef, lamb, veal and pork contain 35-55 calories an ounce. Fill your plate with at least 3-5 ounces of protein at lunch and dinner with a side of fiber-rich vegetables.  Who wouldn’t want to sit down to a succulent steak??

5. Eat foods that boost metabolism.  Many foods help increase metabolism, so make sure to incorporate them into your diet. The best metabolism-boosting foods include low-fat dairy, berries, high-fiber cereals, green tea, hot peppers, soy beans, citrus fruits, cold-water fish like salmon, tuna and sardines. Spicy foods are also a great way to add flavor to your foods without adding salt. By increasing your body temperature and heart rate, the amount of calories your body is burning will be instantly increased. Ask your wife to add extra spice to your favorite homemade dishes!

6. Drink eight glasses of water.  People often mistake thirst for hunger. Water fills you up so you tend to eat less. When you don’t drink enough water, your body gets dehydrated. Not only does water help to flush out the toxins in your body, but drinking water hydrates you, preventing your skin from drying out. 

7. Exercise.  Muscle burns more calories than fat.  Added muscle can help to burn that eggnog belly you earned celebrating the holiday season.  Try increasing the pounds you lift and/or increasing your reps, to see results.
 
Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and founder of Skinnyandthecity.com.    She is also the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

Nearly 50 million Americans have high cholesterol. There are two kinds of cholesterol: HDL (high-density lipoprotein) and LDL (low-density lipoprotein). HDL is often called the “good” kind of cholesterol because it helps remove unwanted cholesterol from the body. LDL is the “bad” cholesterol made up primarily of fat, and is a particular risk factor for heart disease. So when setting out to lower your cholesterol, you need to know your HDL number, your LDL number, and your total cholesterol number.

This  chart will provide you with some helpful information:

High levels of cholesterol in the blood increase your chances of developing heart disease. In an effort to lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk, you must increase your fiber intake. Clinical studies show that a heart-healthy diet that is low-fat and includes lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grain products that contain fiber can lower blood cholesterol. Fiber, among its other benefits, seems to bind up cholesterol allowing it to be eliminated from your body. If enough is removed it can lower cholesterol by 10-15 percent.

Many studies have shown that fiber can slow the liver’s manufacture of cholesterol, as well as modify LDL particles to make them larger and less dense. Researchers believe that small, dense LDL particles pose a bigger health threat.

The American Dietetic Association recommends that Americans eat 20-35 grams of fiber per day. Here are some fiber-filled foods to help lower cholesterol:

•   Oat/oat bran/whole-wheat products
•   Dried beans and peas
•   Nuts
•   Barley
•   Flax seed
•   Fruits such as apples and pears
•   Vegetables such as carrots and broccoli
The key to improve overall health is not only dieting, but making physical activity a part of your daily routine. Regular physical activity is key to keeping your cholesterol low. Aerobic exercise may improve insulin sensitivity, HDL, and triglyceride levels, and may reduce your heart risk. People who exercise and control their diet appear to be more successful in long-term lifestyle modifications that improve their heart risk profile.
 
Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

Dear Yvonne,
My husband & I have been married for 29 years and are just now opening up sexually, REALLY opening up. He gets back from Afghanistan in 45 days, and after 6 months gone, I can’t wait. He loves getting oral sex and I love giving it to him, but I wanted to know if there are any foods he can eat that will change the taste of his semen. 
- Noreen

Dear Noreen,
To improve the taste of his semen, eat acidic foods, like fruits, for a sweeter taste. So citrus (especially lemon), cranberry and pineapple, as well as juices made from such, are often recommended. Cardamom, cinnamon, and peppermint are also said to make him tastier. Certain vegetables can work to his benefit in the taste department, for example, celery and parsley, but broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and beets will NOT work.

Foods that can further affect his taste for the worse are red meat and fish, since these are alkaline-based. Garlic, onion, chemically processed liquor, drugs and nicotine tend to affect his taste for the worse. The high bacterial content of dairy products also has a negative effect on his semen’s taste. Lastly, your husband should be mindful of consuming strong tasting foods and spices, which end up getting secreted by his body, changing his flavor and overall odor.

Dr. Yvonne Kristín Fulbright is a sex educator, relationship expert, columnist and founder of Sexuality Source Inc. She is the author of several books including, “Touch Me There! A Hands-On Guide to Your Orgasmic Hot Spots.”

Q: What’s better for me: olive oil or butter?

A: While olive oil is better for you than butter from a health standpoint, nutritionally they are both equally fattening and have 135 calories per tablespoon and 15 grams of fat.

When choosing between olive oil and butter, olive oil is the healthier choice because it is a monounsaturated fat and high in antioxidants.  Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the “good” cholesterol) levels. Studies also link monounsaturated fats to reducing the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and even depression and Alzheimer’s disease.

A recent study by the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition Studies showed people who consumed 25 milliliters - about 2 tablespoons – of virgin olive oil daily for 1 week showed less oxidation of LDL cholesterol and higher levels of antioxidant compounds, particularly phenols, in the blood.

On the other hand, butter, a saturated fat, can raise LDL cholesterol levels, increasing your risk of heart disease. Saturated fats, also found in fatty beef, pork, lamb, cream, ice cream and other full-fat dairy products are what clog your arteries leading to plaque buildup and heart attacks.

While olive oil may be good for your heart and bacon fat may be bad, either can make you fat if you eat too much. Oil is a fat and fat has a lot of calories, period. Ounce for ounce, olive oil and butter have about the same amount of calories.

So when you reach for the bread basket tonight at dinner, don’t forget that one tablespoon of olive oil equals 135 calories. When you dip your bread in oil, the bread acts as a sponge and soaks up far more oil than you might have intended on eating.  To help combat this, do not eat from the bread basket - order a salad instead to keep your hands and mouth busy.  Or, if you must have a piece of bread, order butter instead of oil so that you are aware of how much you are spreading and, consequently, eating.

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

Because there is so much conflicting health information in the media, you may have your own stigmas associated with certain foods. Below are some myth busters to address some common misconceptions about nutrition.

MYTH: Fruit juices are high in carbs and low in fiber.
Juices do, in fact, have redeeming qualities for your health, and there are times when juice is uniquely beneficial. After a workout, for example, it helps replace fluids and blood sugar and provides nutrients. Juice also comes in handy when eating is simply not convenient – when you’re driving, say, or traveling, but still want something with nutritional value. Be sure to drink 100% juice, with no added sweeteners, or no sugar added. But be careful; the calories quickly add up!

MYTH: Ketosis is good for you.
This is definitely misleading. Ketosis is a sign that the blood is becoming too acidic. To combat this, the body takes calcium from the bones, which raises the risk of osteoporosis. In fact, the Nurses’ Health Study showed that women on higher-protein diets had a higher risk of bone fractures. Ketosis can also damage the kidneys, cause bad breath, and trigger irregular heart rhythms that can cause sudden death.

MYTH: Eggs are bad for you.
A study published in 1999 that followed 38,000 men and 80,000 women found that an egg a day had no impact on the risk of heart disease or stroke in healthy men and women. Eggs eaten in moderation, about 3 or 4 a week, are fine for most people. Health professionals advise people who already have high blood cholesterol to carefully watch their saturated fat intake and lose weight if they are overweight.

MYTH: Taking vitamins replaces the need for healthy foods.
So-called whole foods like veggies and whole grains contain fiber and a host of other important nutrients that can’t be adequately delivered through pills. In fact, scientists are still finding new “trace elements” in whole foods that may someday be labeled essential to health – but aren’t found in any pill. Many experts will tell you that taking vitamins doesn’t compensate for a healthy diet.

One of the reasons I came up with the Hot Latin Diet has a lot to do with being an ob-gyn for over 30 years. Throughout my career, I’ve had hundreds of mommies—and soon-to-be-moms—coming through my office door. What I’ve noticed is that over the past few decades, moms have been gaining significant weight during their pregnancies, and then they haven’t lost the weight—in fact, they have gotten heavier after just two years. We’ve seen an epidemic of obesity in children and type 2 diabetes in females.

I am disturbed by the alarming growth (yes, literally!!) of the entire American population. The statistics speak for themselves: chronic diseases (cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes) are now among the most prevalent, costly, and preventable of all health problems, et they affect the lives of more than 90 million Americans (not to mention the cost of health care); 1.7 million people die annually as a result of chronic disease, which translates into the deaths of seven out of ten people. And despite the fact that chronic diseases are perhaps the most common and costly of health problems, they are also among the most preventable. They can simply be prevented by the food we put in our mouths.

In our quest for balance, it’s interesting to me that everyone—myself included—may have a different reason for getting in shape. Ironically, the main reason, being healthy, doesn’t seem to be in the forefront. But whatever your reasons are, the seven Latin powerfoods can help you get there.

The important thing to remember is that The Hot Latin Diet is not just a diet, but rather a lifestyle change. And by employing the benefits of the seven Latin powerfoods, you can change your life for the better.

Each day for the next week, I’ll be discussing one item from the list of powerfoods, and providing tips on how to live a healthier life; Latino style!

 A Virginia man lost about 80 pounds in six months by eating nearly every meal at McDonald’s.

Not Big Macs, french fries and chocolate shakes. Mostly salads, wraps and apple dippers without the caramel sauce.

Chris Coleson tipped the scales at 278 pounds in December. The 5-foot-8 Coleson now weighs 199 pounds and his waist size has dropped from 50 to 36.

The 42-year-old businessman from Quinton says he chose McDonald’s because it’s convenient.