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All Nutrition and Weight Control Alerts

BMI Isn’t the Only Way To Evaluate Your Weight: Here Are Others

If you are carrying around some extra pounds, you may know that you are at risk for diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease and stroke. But even if you have a normal body mass index (BMI), you may still be at increased risk if you are carrying extra fat around your midsection -- so-called abdominal obesity. That's why in addition to knowing your BMI, you should also know your waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-stature ratio (WSR) to get a fuller picture of your health. Here’s how to calculate these important measurements. More...

Gaining Weight? It Could Be Your Medication

Have you noticed the number on your scale creeping up as you’ve gotten older? It may be your prescription medication. Weight gain from prescription medication has become increasingly common as more Americans take prescription drugs for chronic illness. More...

Advice to Help You Kick-Start Your Metabolism

Increasing activity and limiting calories are the most important ways to keep weight off as you get older. But by following the metabolism-boosting pointers below, you may have an easier time keeping those extra pounds from creeping up on you. More...

Research: Exercise Plus DASH Diet Lowers Blood Pressure More

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet can effectively reduce high blood pressure. Adhering to an exercise and weight loss program along with the DASH diet may lower blood pressure and cardiovascular markers even further, according to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine (Volume 170, page 126). More...

Understanding Why Metabolism Matters

Have you ever wondered why you keep getting heavier even though you exercise and watch your diet? The answer rests in your metabolism: your body's conversion of what you eat and drink into either energy or stored fat. Unfortunately, your metabolism tends to slow down in your 30s -- which makes avoiding weight gain in later years an uphill battle. The good news is that no matter what your age or how fit you are, you can take steps to speed up your metabolism. More...

Research on Vitamins B6 and B12 and Depression

Scientists have long hypothesized that depression is associated with a deficiency of B vitamins. A new report from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Volume 92, page 330) suggests that vitamins B6 and B12 may indeed protect older adults from the symptoms of depression. More...

Fight Disease With Phytochemicals

Fruits, vegetables and other plant foods are packed with healthy compounds known as phytochemicals, in addition to vitamins, minerals and fiber. From anthocyanins (the red pigment in strawberries and cherries) to allylic sulfides (responsible for the pungent flavor of garlic and onions), these phytochemicals may be responsible for some of the disease-preventing effects of fruits and vegetables. More...

How Keeping a Food Diary Can Help You Lose Weight

Looking for a powerful set of weight-loss tools? Search no further than the pen and paper in your desk drawer. Writing down everything you eat each day in a food diary can help lead you to weight-loss success. More...

Straight Talk on the Health Risks of Herbal Supplements

Many people assume that dietary supplements are inherently safe because they are sold without a prescription. This is particularly the case for herbal supplements, which some people perceive as "natural" and therefore safer than artificial "chemicals." But nothing could be further from the truth. More...

How Much Weight Would You Gain By Eating an Extra Cookie Every Day?

Eating more calories than you expend is an important cause of obesity. In fact, regardless of your genetic predisposition or your resting metabolic rate, you cannot gain weight without consuming more calories than you burn. Even small excesses in calorie intake can add pounds over the long term. More...

Vitamin D: How Much Is Enough?

The current recommended daily intake of vitamin D in the United States is 600 IU for adults over age 70, 400 IU for adults 51 to 70 years old and 200 IU for adults under age 50 and children. However, the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend even more --1,000 IU for people with darker skin, older adults and those who aren't exposed to adequate sunlight on a daily basis. If you meet these criteria, you should aim for this higher intake. More...

Vitamin D Protection: More Than Just the Bones

In the past few years, there has been a flurry of news reports about the importance of vitamin D. These headlines followed the publication of several high-profile studies suggesting the nutrient plays an unexpected role in preventing many illnesses, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and heart failure, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and colorectal cancer. More...

Weighing Gastric Band Surgery for the Less Obese

Until recently, bariatric surgery -- also known as weight-loss surgery -- has been an option only for the severely obese, especially those who also have obesity-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes or sleep apnea (both of which increase the risk for heart disease complications). But that may soon change. More...

Answering Questions About Vitamin D

This Health Alert answers basic questions about vitamin D, an important nutrient that aids calcium absorption, which, in turn promotes bone strength and maintains healthy bones and teeth. More...

Red Wine and Your Health

A reader asks: Should I drink red wine for its health benefits? Here’s what the research suggests. More...

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