http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/nutrition_weight_control/index.html en-us © 2007 Medletter Associates, LLC. All rights reserved. customerservice@johnshopkinshealthalerts.com webmaster@iproduction.com Wed, 07 May 2008 00:03:26 CDT Wed, 07 May 2008 00:03:26 CDT IPS - www.iproduction.com Dieting is a way of life for many people. Surveys consistently show that a large percentage of Americans are always on the lookout for new ways to lose and control their weight. Here is some sound weight-loss advice, courtesy of the latest crop of nutrition studies.Weight Loss Strategy 1 -- Pack in the Protein… http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/nutrition_weight_control/1943-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Johns Hopkins offers 7 strategies on how to keep your metabolism humming as you grow older.Wrinkles, sagging skin, and graying hair aren't the only crosses you have to bear as you age. Your metabolism also makes the growing-older hit list.After age 30, metabolism slows by about 2% per decade, thanks to a loss of muscle mass -- we lose as much as 50% of our muscle mass between the ages of 20 and 90,… http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/nutrition_weight_control/1811-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Recently, the American Heart Association (AHA) removed folic acid from its list of dietary supplements that might help prevent heart attack or stroke. The research behind the AHA's decision raises questions about the other purported benefits of folic acid. Is folic acid still worth considering?Folate is a type of B vitamin that is found naturally in foods such as leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, dried beans, and peas. In supplement form it is called folic… http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/nutrition_weight_control/1526-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Nutrition and Weight Loss Glossary: Johns Hopkins Health Alerts http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/nutrition_weight_control/929-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS By now most people have heard the claims that antioxidants can ward off chronic diseases, preserve good vision, cure arthritis, and perform other miracles. The main antioxidants in foods are vitamins C and E; carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, and similar plant compounds; and the mineral selenium. There are many other antioxidant compounds, including ones the body itself manufactures—chiefly enzymes, which can destroy harmful products of metabolism. http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/nutrition_weight_control/662-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS The Food Pyramid we all know has been updated, redesigned—and turned technologically savvy. In the Spring of 2005, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a new food pyramid called "MyPyramid." http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/nutrition_weight_control/467-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS About half of American adults take vitamin or mineral supplements in an effort to ward off chronic conditions or offset a possible deficiency, a strategy that may benefit certain individuals. For example, the elderly are advised to take supplements of calcium and vitamin D to help prevent bone loss because the aging body manufactures less vitamin D, as well as a vitamin B12 supplement. Women of childbearing age are advised to consume an additional supplement of 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid per day. http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/nutrition_weight_control/389-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Popular "fad" diets have been around for decades and are appealing because they often result in rapid, seemingly effortless weight loss, at least initially, owing to loss of body water. Recently, there has been an enormous resurgence in the popularity of low-carbohydrate (high-protein) diets. Such diets promote the same basic idea that was put forth in the 1960s: Eat high-protein foods (such as meat and eggs) and restrict carbohydrate-rich foods (such as potatoes, pasta, fruits, and certain vegetables). http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/nutrition_weight_control/332-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Many people believe that dietary changes made later in life are of little consequence. But in fact, changing your diet at mid-life or even later is a powerful weapon against several leading chronic diseases. The amount and types of food you eat may determine whether and when you develop a disease that reduces your quality of life (such as osteoporosis) or a life-threatening disorder (such as cancer or coronary heart disease). http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/nutrition_weight_control/139-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS An ability to alter lifelong attitudes toward diet and exercise may ultimately be the key to successful weight management: You must be motivated enough to change habits not for a few weeks or months, but for a lifetime. The importance of this resolve cannot be underestimated.The desire to lose weight must come from within. A person who wants to shed 20 lbs. to please a spouse is not likely to be as motivated, or as successful, as someone whose goal is to improve health or increase self-esteem. Choosing the right time to start a weight-loss http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/nutrition_weight_control/67-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS