Nutrition News Roundup

Just wanted to pass along a few interesting stories in the world of nutrition:


SEE, I told you I am not joking when I claim to be a junk food junkie...


healthy diets protect against depression... HERE


A new drug, HERE, also fight diabetes. Gotta love things that perform double duty!


HERE is a new skinny gene, possessed by supermodels across the world


Battle of the beer companies, for who can make their beer taste the most like 60 calorie water, HERE...

AND

ADHD may be a result of your Mama's low folate, HERE

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Here is a pictorial roundup of my life during the month of October in no particular order:

A verbose post, with deets to follow. Until then...

Already October?

All I can really say is, all work and no minimal play makes me ignore my blog...

Allow me to sum up my last few weeks (at least the fun parts) in pictures:

What can I say? I'm all Vol...
don't worry it is still safely stored in my freezer.

The darling husband gave me a super early b'day present,
if only I could figure out how to work it...

We went with the to BB&B with the intentions of purchasing
under cabinet wine glass holders, and came out with this. I love it!


The highlight of the past 3 weeks has
been our discovery of a place that serves boba!
We even bought our own tapioca pearls to make our own boba... woot woot

That pretty much sums up my 3 weeks. You can fill in the gaps with data entry, exams, and lots of reading.

In regards to my weight loss, there has been a definite stagnation. I wish I could say I don't understand or know why, but that is a blatant lie. I have been sucking at portion control lately and have increased my sedentary-ness. Hence, lack of weight loss. I keep telling myself I will restart, but I can't seem to get my act together. C'est la vie.

Kanye West needs a mouth lockdown...

Oh Kanye, always the dramz...


Just popping in for a minute. I have been busy with work, school, and html. Regular posting and commenting should resume in the near future.

Is Plus Size the New Vampire?

Apparently, the past few years has seen a surge in teen novels with plus size main characters...

In titles that include "Looks," "Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies" and "This Book Isn't Fat, It's Fabulous," young people with meat on their bones are front and center in at least two dozen new books out since last year, rather than the usual ugly-duckling best friend or neighbor. Many of the stories conclude without significant weight loss, a huge breakthrough for some young fans.
"We're beginning to realize there's more to life than weight loss," Elizabeth Law (publisher of Egmont USA) said. "There just seems to be a little more acknowledgment in our culture now that everybody just can't go on Slim-Fast and get it taken care of."

Click HERE for the full article from the LA Times.

Definitely interesting, and something that I was unaware of. I think that most people that have never had a weight problem are unaware of how much it consumes your thoughts. Simple things such as getting up during class to use the restroom can take twenty minutes to decide, because my classmates might look at me. I always pick aisle seats at the movies so as to avoid having to climb over people. I am convinced that when I go to the gym the thin women look at me with disgust. Silly, but true. Being fat is partially a state of mind, and I suppose I am surprised that it has taken writers this long to capitalize on it...

Happy Wednesday!

A year ago today...

I started Confessions of a Fat Dietitian. The idea had been swimming around in my head, and I finally bit the bullet and created my very first post Who is the Fat Dietitian?


I am a year older, *hopefully* a little wiser, definitely a few pounds lighter, and most importantly more comfortable in my own skin. But, some things haven't changed... I still struggle with food, I am still trying to lose weight, and I am still a master procrastinator. I hope a year from today, I will be at a healthier weight and *that* much closer to my goal of becoming an RD.

Click HERE for a little bloggy nostalgia.

Hope you had a fabulous Labor Day Weekend! Mine was a little too fabulous, it was a weekend of gluttony due to a visit from out of town friends.

BTW - either those eyedrops were a miracle drug, or I didn't need them to begin with... the eye was back to normal by Saturday.
Note to self... return to previous modus operandi - seeing a doctor only if you are being followed by the grim reeper.

$90 Eyedrops...

Still alive, just grouchy.


I have adenovirus in my left eye so I look like a hot mess. Ironically, my eye is about the color of that little angry face above. The cost of the eye drops would make you believe it is made from liquid gold.

TGIFB43DW.

If you didn't catch that, its thank goodness its friday before a 3 day weekend!

Enjoy your labor day...

Biochemistry... the bane of my existence

In truth, I like biochemistry. However, at the moment I am cramming studying, attempting to memorize structures and reactions and all that fun stuff. I cannot tell you how many times I have memorized amino acid structure, and yet it always seems to seep right out of my pretty little head.

Anyhow, I thought I would take a break and use this time to explain kudzu a little more thoroughly. It is a fast-growing vine that is native to Japan, and it currently covers seven million acres of land in the southeast. Amazingly, kudzu can grow at a rate of a foot per day during the summer months.

Whether, you love it or hate it... kudzu grows on you.

Sorry, lame joke but you know me - easily amused.

Happy Wednesday!

Kudzu

Just wanted to share some interesting research with you before I head back to class...


If you are anywhere in the southeast, you know exactly what kudzu is. It is that vine that takes over EVERYTHING. It has been called, among other things, a noxious weed (and it is). New research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry is suggesting that a compound in kudzu may provide significant health benefits for people with metabolic syndrome.

"The study found that a kudzu root extract had beneficial effects lab rats used as a model for research on the metabolic syndrome. After two months of taking the extract, the rats had lower cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and insulin levels that a control group not given the extract. Kudzu root may provide a dietary supplement that significantly decreases the risk and severity of stroke and cardiovascular disease in at-risk individuals."

Definitely some interesting stuff, perhaps we can finally put the stuff to good use!

Lunchbox Envy...

I was inspired by The Bonde Duck showing off her adorable lunch box. I am somewhat obsessed with adorable lunchboxes, and have long admired bento and yet I do not own one. You see, I am sitting here eating a salad out of ugly, plain, boring tupperware.

I am hoping that a certain husband will purchase THIS for me, especially since it is T-minus-2 months until a certain rotund soon to be RD's birthday.

Do you brown bag, carry a lunchbox, or buy your lunch?

PS - My husband rocks his job so much, he got a little partay at work this morning! Congrats Lovey...

Fat Like Me...

Hey kids...

This morning before I run off to TA for a bit, I thought I would share an article that a friend of the hubs sent my way. *thanks again*

The article is called "Fat Like Me," and it is written by Kali Meister. Kali is an obese woman who tried to land a slot on The Biggest Loser.

Here is my favorite quote (and definitely one I can relate to on more emotional days): "I was convinced I was Jabba the Hut. All I was missing was Carrie Fisher wearing a metal bikini at the end of a leash."

Definitely entertaining, and definitely worth the few minutes it takes to read it. So if you would like step into the mind of a fat lady other than me CLICK HERE.


Enjoy!

Bento Love and Cucumbers...

How freaking cute is this bento?

Image courtesy of Geekologie.


My husband is probably hoping I'll step up my lunch packing game...

BTW, the adorable cucumbers from the other day are apparently grown into those shapes by attaching plastic molds to the stems of the plants. I wonder if this would work for lots of veggies, or only somewhat soft andpliable ones...

I am off to the Food City Food Show with the husband this evening spend the evening alone while the husband has an affair works late, and then I plan on a whole house cleaning spree. Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Book Review: Younger (Thinner) You Diet

A few months ago a kind woman from Rodale books sent me the book Younger (Thinner) You Diet written by Eric R. Braverman, MD. I have been meaning to review it for at least a month now, such is the life of a chronic procrastinator...

Well, here goes:

Braverman asserts that the key to losing weight is all about brain biochemistry, essentially the balance of several critical neurotransmitters. I was extremely excited to read the book, because it is definitely an intriguing idea. But I was more than a little thrown off by the first sentence of the book, "What if I told you that everything you know about dieting is completely wrong?" Hmmm... well I am going to assume that the author needed a catchy one liner to grab his readers' attention.

The first several chapters are dedicated to various studies used to support Braverman's ideas regarding diet and brain chemistry. The second half of the book is dedicated to the actual diet.
There is also a quiz that helps you to assess which of your neurotransmitters are out of whack. Unfortunately, all of mine seemed to be (that would explain a lot).

After reading the first several chapters, I was unsure what to think as I am not an expert in neurobiology. However, I noticed that Dr Braverman referenced the professor I work for on three different occasions and came to some pretty wild conclusions about his research (he also called the university by 2 different names, which I thought was strange). I decided to go to the source, and ask my professor his thoughts on this. He flipped through the book and said that the author suggested some unfounded conclusions regarding biochemistry. For example: dairy foods have been shown to break down body fat (this is true, based on several studies), then Braverman suggests this is because dietary fat is a precursor to acetylcholine (maybe so, but this has not been studied... it could be calcium or even the branched chain amino acids).

The diet is better than the first half of the book. The diet promotes tea, low fat dairy, colorful fruits and vegetables, and plenty of water. The author also promotes exercise and provides meal plans and recipes for the reader. The diet is well balanced and sensible, and I feel confident in saying that if you followed the diet you will lose weight. Do I think that is because of altered brain chemistry? No. I think it is most likely due to fewer calories. Study after study has found that as long as you take in fewer calories than you need, you will lose weight. I think more research is needed in order for the author to make the assertions he does.

Overall conclusion: Braverman has good suggestions that will most likely result in weight loss, but he sucks at biochemistry.

Enjoy!

TGIW

Thought I would pop in for a minute to update ye olde blog...

First, the hubs sent me THIS and I squealed with delight. Definitely a new strategy to get myself children to eat veggies.

Then he sent me THIS, and I freaked for a minute. Apparently obese people have brain degeneration, scary right? I have since come to the conclusion that if I were thin I would be a genius... I have enough quircks to make me socially awkward, so maybe its for the best.

In light of the passing of Ted Kennedy (RIP) I thought I would mention some old research and methods that are garnering a lot of attention for treating cancer, particularly brain cancer. The ketogenic diet has long been used as a treatment for epilepsy that cannot be controlled with meds. The ketogenic diet is extremely high fat and it forces the body to utilize ketone bodies instead of glucose. Interestingly, cancer cells rely almost exclusively on glucose which means that an individual in ketosis can "starve" the cancer cells. Definitely interesting stuff, and a lot less stressful than chemo. Click HERE for a little more info...

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Pathetic Excuse for a Blog Post

I only have a few minutes, so this will have to be quick...

• I ♥ grad school.
• I adore my genome science class.
• Still attempting to lose weight.
• Still stagnating.
• Beer + PMS = a bad Friday night for the husband
• Star Trek and home made pizza hopefully made up for the above bullet.
• I miss NAOmni.
• I have a book I need to review this week.
• A coworker of the hubs shared a HI-larious article I will pass on to you.
• I am getting a haircut today.
• I am mildly obsessed with generic wheaties at the moment.
  
• I got a super cute black dress with a gift card I've had since Christmas. *Thanks Mom*
• Quentin Tarantino rocks my world...

Go see Inglourious Basterds immediately...

Enjoy!

Speaking of Cupcakes...

Image courtesy of Gourmet Gift Baskets

A new record was set for the world's largest cupcake. It was a vanilla cupcake with pink frosting, and the ingredients included 800 eggs, 200 pounds of sugar, and 200 pounds of flour. The cupcake weighed in at 1,224 pounds, and over 2 million calories! The cupcake was made by Gourmet Gift Baskets, and proceeds from its sale were donated to Susan G Komen's Passionately Pink for the Cure. Click HERE for the full story.

A close friend sent this story to me and said it must be a dietitian's nightmare. It might also be a dentist's nightmare...


Enjoy!

It's Official...

After a degree in biology, a short-lived miserable teaching career, getting married, moving across the country, a second degree, and several orientations... I am now officially a graduate student and a dietetic intern.

Now I can say things to undergrads like, "I'm really busy, I'm a graduate student." Just kidding. After being spoken to like that I vowed to never become THAT grad student. Classes begin today, and I am uber excited. I have honestly been waiting since May to start school again. Wish me luck!

Just for fun, look at these adorable cupcakes my sister made:

I wonder if Sprinkles is hiring...

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Famous Potatoes...

My potato vacay is over, and my normal life has resumed. Although the hubs and I had a lot of fun visiting his family, we are both happy to be home. My MIL is a fabulous cook, and definitely spoiled us while we were in Idaho, on the other hand we are going on a beef free diet for awhile...

Here are some pics from the trip:

Babes, the adorable bulldog

a gorgeous view

The FIL's super speedy boat wake

my husband asked, "who is Grace?"

my husband and 4 of his 5 beautiful sisters

Monday should bring a return to my blogging about nutrition. Have a fabulous weekend!

I-DA-HO

Still in Idaho, but I should be resuming my normal life by Thursday...

My bestie sent this to me, and I thought it was too cute not to share it immediately!

see more Lolcats and funny pictures


Enjoy!

Leaving on a jet plane...

but don't worry I know when I'll be back again. The hubs and I are heading to the gem potato state to visit family for a few days. I may or may not be able to hop on the computer to update, but I will chronicle our yummy adventures for sure! Happy Friday.

LOLs for your njoymint:

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

see more dog and puppy pictures

see more dog and puppy pictures


Enjoy!

Q & A: Almond Milk

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

The Question:

I received the following question in an email from a close friend earlier this week, and decided I would address it here...
"so, random question for you: i have wanted to try "almond milk" for a really long time and it finally went on sale the other day. so i got a box. is it actually any better for you than regular milk? ;) "



My Answer:

Almond milk is a blogosphere obsession, and this is something I have been thinking about lately. I actually have yet to try almond milk, I can never bring myself to pay for it!

Almond milk can be a great alternative to cow's milk, particularly for those who are lactose intolerant or allergic to the milk protein casein. Almond milk is vegan, contains no cholesterol, and the unsweetened variety is lower in calories than either cow's or soy milk. Many of the health claims surrounding almond milk are based on research done with whole almonds. Unfortunately, almond milk does not provide the same benefits of whole almonds. However, most almond milks are enriched with vitamins A and D as well as calcium.

I am still a self-proclaimed dairy fan. The benefits of dairy reach far beyond the calcium content and bone health. Milk also contains branched chain amino acids that could be responsible for the numerous benefits of dairy. Dairy provides protection from metabolic syndrome, breast cancer, childhood obesity, and may help you whittle your waist.

In the end it is all personal choice. I adore cow's milk and grew up drinking it, but I use vanilla soy milk to flavor my coffee. My husband, who is mildly lactose intolerant, abhors milk because "it comes from a cow's tit."

My advice: buy what you like, and marry a man who always makes you laugh...






References:
http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=dailytip&dbid=203
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=130

Note to Self...

eating with men is good for my diet. At least according to a new study:

"If you are a woman who dines with a man,
chances are you choose food with fewer calories
than if you dine with a woman. That is
one of the findings in a study conducted
by researchers at McMaster University."

Click HERE for the full story.

Definitely an interesting idea. I wonder if eating with my husband counts. I am going to lean towards no since the scale won't budge. I think I need to go back tochronicling my food intake, and get it under control.

Happy Wednesday!

This is lycanthropy...

So it would seem that I have been gaining and losing the same 2 to 3 pounds over and over again. I am always so successful initially with my weight loss, and then it simply stagnates and I can't seem to get my behind in gear. I have really great days where I eat well and then exercise, and then the very next day I overindulge. Uggh.


Enough complaining... I have an obsession I must tell you about. It is the new Shakira song "She Wolf." I have been listening to it on repeat, and I LOVE it! Click HERE to see the sexy video, or listen to the song below. By the way, the title of this post is my favorite line from the song, and apparently lycanthropy is a condition in which a person believes they can transform into a wolf (I don't recall that word on the GRE)!



Enjoy!

The Omega-3 Man IV

Ummm... so its August, and once again I went MIA from the blogosphere. Oooops. I wish I had a cool excuse like being a secret agent in addition to my duties as a nutrition student. Unfortunately, the blog was simply placed on the backburner for a brief moment in time (although I have been tinkering with html for a new layout). Well I have returned, and with school starting up again in a few weeks I should be back to my regular blogging schedule!

So now for the final installment of The Omega-3 Man... just how much omega-3 should we be eating?

The answer is somewhat vague, and depends on what your health goal is. If you are looking for overall heart health 1000mg per day is a good goal. This can be acheived with 3 fish oil capsules, or eating salmon, flaxseed and smartbalance peanut butter (hopefully not all in 1 meal)! If you are looking to decrease high triglycerides a higher dose may be needed. Individuals with hypertriglyceridemia may be advised to take as much as 5,000mg of omega-3s per day! Lovaza is a prescription omega-3 that contains 850mg per capsule. Fortunately omega-3s have very few side effects aside from fish burps!

Enjoy...

A Reason to Look Forward to Mondays...

McDonald's Free Mocha Monday

Enjoy!

Where did Monday go?

Oh my... I meant to post yesterday. It seems I blinked and Monday disappeared. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I had an incredibly indulgent weekend. I weighed myself Friday and was down 3 pounds! I weighed myself yesterday and was up 5. Ugh. I know it is water weight because I fluctuate so wildly, but I am still frustrated. Alcohol and dessert on the weekend is killing me. During the week I am pretty disciplined and don't have a problem with it. But the weekend comes along and my food inhibitions disappear... The first few weeks I was gung-ho about it day in and day out, but the weekends are such a struggle now.

How do you stay motivated after initial weight loss success?




PS - the Omega-3 Man series will resume tomorrow