Please don’t pass the salt
Almost everyone eats way too much salt these days. Luckily this is an easy thing to track in Heads Up, so pay attention to it. Most people find if they lower their sodium intake, in a short amount of time they don’t miss it. Personally I find most processed foods too salty tasting these days, as is normal in people who restrict their sodium intake. Besides the health reasons, excess sodium intake causes bloating, so you’ll look skinnier if you cut the salt.
Here’s a recent study indicating thousands of lives would be saved if people just lowered their sodium intake.
Consuming a little less salt could mean fewer deaths
For every gram of salt that Americans reduce in their diets daily, a quarter of a million fewer new heart disease cases and over 200,000 fewer deaths would occur over a decade, researchers said at the American Heart Association’s 49th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.
Filed under Published research | Comment (0)Get on the fish oil bandwagon
If you don’t already take a fish oil supplement, get started now. So many studies have shown all kinds of benefits of the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil. Personally, I take 2 teaspoons of pharmaceutical-grade fish oil per day; it’s citrus flavored and not bad at all–definitely easier than olive oil. Here’s some of the latest research on fish oil:
Columbia research shows novel benefits of fatty acids in arteries
New research from Columbia University Medical Center continues to shed light on the benefits of making fish a staple of any diet.
Eating fish may prevent memory loss and stroke in old age
Eating tuna and other types of fish may help lower the risk of cognitive decline and stroke in healthy older adults, according to a study published in the August 5, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Eat oily fish at least once a week to protect your eyesight in old age
Eating oily fish once a week may reduce age-related macular degeneration (AMD) which is the major cause of blindness and poor vision in adults in western countries and the third cause of global blindness, according to a study published today in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Filed under Published research | Comment (0)Diet trumps exercise when it comes to weight loss
Okay, you probably knew this, but a new study says that controlling your diet plays the dominant role over exercise when it comes to weight loss. Exercise is awesome, no doubt, but it amazes me that people are willing to spend hundreds of dollars and hours of their time at the gym, but are reluctant to spend 10 minutes a day using a free service like Heads Up to ensure their diet is in order. Why not just take that one extra baby step? Maybe it is because they haven’t tried Heads Up!
Personally, I’ve lifted since high school and did cardio on and off, but never tracked my diet. Once I started tracking my diet, I saw my body change for the better in a way I’d never seen before in only a couple months. It made such an incredible difference, and had a lot to do with inspiring me to create Heads Up.
Filed under Published research | Comment (0)Another reason to eat protein for breakfast
Besides the positive effects on blood sugar and hormone levels, new research says that eating high quality protein such as eggs and Canadian bacon for breakfast helps you feel fuller throughout the rest of the day.
New study reveals higher protein breakfast may help dieters stay on track from PhysOrg.com
A new study published online today in the British Journal of Nutrition found that timing of dietary protein intake affects feelings of fullness throughout the day. The study concluded that when people ate high-quality protein foods, from sources such as eggs and lean Canadian bacon, for breakfast they had a greater sense of sustained fullness throughout the day compared to when more protein was eaten at lunch or dinner
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The effects of calorie-restricted diets on aging
I’ve been seeing a slew of research lately on the effects of calorie cutting and aging. It has been observed for some time that calorie restriction tends to slow aging, and scientists are trying to find out more about the mechanisms involved and other possible effects on the body. Though everyone has different goals in using Heads Up and I don’t promote or dissuade calorie restriction (Heads Up is a tool, not a prescribed diet plan)–this research may be interesting to certain users.
Cutting calories could limit muscle wasting in later years from PhysOrg.com
Chemical concoctions can smooth over wrinkles and hide those pesky grays, but what about the signs of aging that aren’t so easy to fix, such as losing muscle mass? Cutting calories early could help, say University of Florida researchers who studied the phenomenon in rats.
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Calorie restriction does not appear to induce bone loss in overweight adults from PhysOrg.com
Young adults who follow a diet that is low in calories but nutritionally sound for six months appear to lose weight and fat without significant bone loss, according to a report in the September 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Longevity, cancer and diet connected: New research in worms could apply to humans from PhysOrg.com
Researchers have discovered a connection between genes that could hold the key to a longer, healthier life.
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Kaiser Permanente study finds keeping a food diary doubles diet weight loss
One of the most comprehensive studies on weight loss ever has been performed, confirming of course what we knew all along: that keeping a food journal works better than anything else for losing weight!
Kaiser Permanente study finds keeping a food diary doubles diet weight loss
In light of this study, and the fact that I really want to get the site out there for everyone finally, as of now I’m freezing new features until after the official launch. I’m going to be concentrating on creating help documentation, tips, and tutorials.
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