It’s simple to check your own BMI. Simply use an online BMI calculator like ours. Enter your weight and height, and the calculator will provide your BMI result along with a range to help you determine into which category you fall.

Underweight

If your BMI is less than 18.5, you are considered underweight. Being underweight can be just as stressful on your body as being overweight. Some health concerns for underweight people are as follows:

• Weakening of the immune system
•  Higher risk of osteoporosis
•  Infertility

Being seriously underweight can lead to problems with your heart and other organs. Talk to your doctor about healthy ways to add weight, including increasing your caloric intake with healthy foods and strength training to develop lean muscle.

Normal

When your BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9, your weight is considered normal for your height. It is possible to have a normal BMI and have troubles associated with being overweight, including high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. Eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly to stay within this range. Have regular checkups with your doctor to make sure your cholesterol and insulin levels are good.

Overweight

If your BMI is 25 to 29.9, you are considered overweight. This category can be tricky and is the most difficult to interpret. One of the flaws of BMI measurement is that it only measures total weight. It doesn’t take into account your skeletal structure or your muscle mass. Since muscle is denser than fat, if you are fairly muscular you will weigh more than an average person of your height, even though you may look leaner. Professional athletes often have BMIs in the overweight category although they have hardly any fat on their bodies.

To help determine if you are truly overweight, your doctor will use a caliper to take a body fat reading. If you do in fact fall into this category, it’s time to consider a lifestyle change. Even a moderate amount of extra weight increases your risk for a number of health conditions, including stroke, heart attack and diabetes.

Obese

If your BMI is over 30, you are medically obese. As your BMI rises, your health risks are considerably greater. According to a study co-authored by the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute and published in 2010 in the New England Journal of Medicine, one in three Americans over the age of 20 are obese. Approximately 17 percent of women and 11 percent of men are severely obese, with BMIs over 40.

One of the most frightening results of the study is that people with BMIs of 30 to 35 have a 44 percent increase in their risk of death, compared to people with BMIs in the normal range. People with BMIs between 35 and 40 increase their risk of death by 88 percent. Those with BMIs over 40 have an astonishing 250 percent increased risk of death. According to the study, these numbers remained static, regardless of other risk factors, including alcohol use and activity level.

Why is the increased risk of death so dramatic? A higher-than-30 BMI drastically increases your chances of developing the following serious health conditions:

•  High blood pressure
•  Stroke
•  Heart disease
•  Diabetes
•  Difficulty breathing
•  Certain types of cancer

While many people are aware of these risks, few are aware that a BMI in the obese range means tremendous kidney strain. One study found that nearly 35 percent of kidney disease could be prevented if obesity were not a factor. The same study found that the overweight people had a 40 percent increased risk of kidney disease compared to those with normal BMIs, and obesity meant an 83 percent higher risk.

If you are overweight or obese, work with your doctor to create a weight loss plan focused on a healthy diet and exercise plan. Reducing your BMI will reduce your risk of disease and early death.

Sources:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bmi-calculator/NU00597

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/news/News/high-bmi-linked-to-higher-risk-of-death

http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/publications/nutritioninsights/insight16.pdf

http://www.renalandurologynews.com/high-bmi-raises-kidney-disease-risk/article/108872/

http://www.nature.com/ki/journal/v73/n1/abs/5002586a.html

When tracking down the sources of excess fat in your diet, the two primary culprits are likely to be dairy foods and meats. Look at these lists for ways you can cut back your fat intake:

Dairy

1.  Whole milk

It can be easier on your family to make the milk switch gradually. Transition down to 2 percent milk. After that, work down to 1 percent and then to skim. It might take some time, but once your family is drinking skim, you will wonder how you ever choked down the whole milk!

2.  Ice cream

There are many great lower-fat options when it comes to ice cream. Most of the major brands have low-fat versions of your favorite flavors. Frozen yogurt is also a great low-fat option. To really cut the fat, try whole fruit sorbets.

3.  Sour cream

Reduced-fat and nonfat versions of sour cream are available, but for cooking, try nonfat plain yogurt.

4.  Cheese

Reduced-fat and reduced-calorie cheeses are available. You may have to experiment to find one that you like. One good option is part-skim mozzarella. You can’t tell the difference and it melts just as well.

5.  Whipped cream

Look for whipped cream made with nonfat milk. While not quite the same, it is a good everyday substitute. Watch out for nondairy whipped toppings:  They may still be high in fat; they just use vegetable oils instead of dairy fats.

Meats

1.  Cold cuts

Plenty of good lunchmeat options are available with little to no fat. Look for lighter turkey, ham and chicken options in your grocery’s deli.

2.  Bacon

Swap out bacon with Canadian bacon slices or turkey bacon. Some brands of turkey bacon are quite good and work well, especially in recipes or as bacon bits.

3.  Ground beef

Purchase lean ground beef, preferably with a fat content of less than 10 percent. Ground lean turkey also makes a great substitute when making chili or pasta sauce. Another option is to drain the meat very well when you cook it and rinse it to remove any extra fat.

4.  Breaded fish

Instead of purchasing fish sticks or other baked or fried breaded fish products from the freezer section, purchase fresh fish directly from the fish counter. It tastes better and is a much healthier option. Plus, it’s loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, a very healthy type of fat your body needs.

5.  Beef cuts

To choose lean cuts of beef, there are certain key words on the label to look for:  “Loin” and “round” indicate lean cuts of beef. Look for cuts that are well trimmed, or trim it yourself prior to cooking.

6.  Pork

The words to look for when choosing lean pork cuts are “loin” and “leg.” Like beef, trim the visible fat before you cook.

Other sources of fat

While meat and dairy make up the bulk of American fat consumption, fat can also be found in other foods too. You might not even suspect the other places where fat might be lurking!

1.  Ramen noodles

You’re probably aware of the high salt content in ramen noodles, but did you know that they are also high in fat? This is because before the noodles were fried prior to packaging. Try cooking rice or regular pasta instead.

2.  Granola

This is one of the hidden sources of fat. Many granolas are baked with vegetable oil. Try eating bran or rice cereals instead. Reduced-fat granolas can also be a good option, but be careful as some of these can have higher amounts of sugar.

3.  Baked goods

Watch fat content on items like cookies, crackers and muffins. While a blueberry muffin might sound like a healthy option, you might be surprised by how much fat is hidden inside. Look for reduced-calorie versions, or substitute French rolls, bagels or English muffins. To satisfy a sweet tooth, choose angel-food cake. It’s much lighter than other types of cake and tastes delicious topped with fresh fruit.

4.  Potato chips

If you are craving something salty and crunchy, dodge the chips. Popcorn is a much better option. Pop it using an air-popper and you can control the toppings. Try some grated Parmesan cheese and herbs for a savory, crunchy treat.

5.  Dressings

Look for reduced-fat varieties and avoid creamy dressings. Try sprinkling your salad with flavored vinegar or fresh herbs instead for a burst of flavor with no added fat.

Remember that portion control is also important. Choosing reduced-fat options won’t help if you eat the entire package. Watch labels carefully!

When considering your next diet plan, ask yourself the following questions before you begin. Then discuss the dietary changes with your doctor before beginning.

1. Does the diet offer a range of foods?

A diet that revolves around one food or type of food will deprive dieters of a balanced intake of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, calories and vitamins that a balanced diet demands. Fad diets do not typically contain adequate fruit and vegetables in the quantities that your body needs. A good diet will include fruit, dairy, protein, cereals, vegetables and bread.

2. Is your diet short on carbohydrates? Low carb diets are among the most damaging weight loss methods. People often feel constantly tired while they are on low carb diets, and sometimes report constipation and other symptoms associated with an unbalanced diet.

Low carb dietary regimes could deprive the organs of your body – including your brain - of enough carbohydrates to function properly.  While science does not wholly understand the enduring consequences of low-carb diets, it is a fact that they do not contain the sources of nourishment to sustain enduring health. In addition, those who follow them often suffer side effects such as constipation and fatigue.

With the severe limitations the fad diets place on your eating choices, if there are not enough calories going into your body, it will draw the energy it needs from muscle tissue. The outcome is not only drastic weight loss, but also your appearance suffers due to an absence of muscle. Without muscle, your body will not burn the calories it needs to, so the weight starts to pile back on.

3. Does your diet guarantee a large weight loss in a short time?

The loss of weight that comes as a result of rapid diets is frequently only water, and it returns as quickly as it vanished.

4. Does your diet include an exercise plan?

Fad diets are focused on the positive results of changes to the kind of food you eat, with little or no advice regarding exercise. Neither is there any warning about the possibility of symptoms like diarrhea, low blood pressure and dehydration.

5. Does the diet require that you buy a dietary supplement, pills or a shake?

Some diets are associated with supplementary products that should only be taken under the guidance of a nutritionist. If you do not have this guidance, the supplements will not be an integrated part of a real diet plan and could do more harm than good.

6. Does the diet offer any kind of plan beyond the promised early weight loss?

Real and permanent weight loss is the result of a long-term change in eating habits and alterations in lifestyle. Fad diets do not include a plan for motivating the dieter after the initial loss of weight. If you are not offered assistance with sustaining a healthy weight, where is the point in dieting?

Because every person has a different personality, distinctive habits and a unique metabolism, it is impossible to make blanket recommendations but changes like walking to buy a paper instead of taking the car, drinking water instead of soft drink and juice, or making use of the stairs instead of the elevator will make a positive difference if combined with healthy food choices. This is where regular consultation with a doctor or nutritionist is necessary.

If your diet plan doesn’t offer a realistic diet that you can follow for a life time, the results will be temporary at best and possibly dangerous to your health. Remember this when considering your next diet plan.

Use Your Tools

You can use the same weight-loss tools that you use all year long to help you get through Thanksgiving without throwing your weight loss down the drain. Tools that you use at buffet restaurants, such as using a dessert plate instead of a dinner plate to get your main course, might work well here. Of course, if you’re at somebody else’s house, you might not have any control over the size of your plate. But you can certainly engage in good habits.

When you sit down to eat, look over the entire table and decide which foods you most want. Thanksgiving is supposed to be a special occasion, so don’t deprive yourself of anything you look forward to all year. For example, if you love your grandmother’s stuffing, don’t skip it because of the calories. Instead, make it your first choice out of everything on the table.

Don’t forget everything you’ve learned about portion sizes, either. As my grandmother used to say, “Anything you eat is fattening if you eat too much of it.” So take a couple spoonfuls of that stuffing rather than filling an entire plate with it and then take a small portion of whatever your second-favorite Thanksgiving Day food is.

Eat Slowly

Eating slowly is the best defense against overeating on Thanksgiving or any other day. If you think about the meaning of the holiday, it makes even more sense to stop yourself from rushing through your Thanksgiving meal. On Thanksgiving, people are supposed to express gratitude for the good things in their lives, including the food they’re eating. If you eat so fast that you don’t remember what you just ate or don’t notice how it tastes, you’re not truly enjoying it and can’t be thankful for it. So concentrate on savoring every bite on this special holiday.

Similarly, don’t look at the holiday as an excuse to eat a gigantic meal. Thanksgiving really should be about getting together with friends and family and sharing delicious foods because you are grateful for their presence in your life. If you focus on talking with the people around you at the table, you might not feel as much like overeating. Focusing too much on all the food in front of you can make you feel deprived even if you’re full and lead to overeating.

Decide What Kind of Diet to Follow In Advance

You have more choices than you might think when it comes to your Thanksgiving meal. Some people choose to take a day off from their diet altogether and focus just on portion sizes, or even choose not to worry about overeating because they know they’re going to get back on track the next day. However, if you follow a low-carb or other specialized diet, you may choose to continue to follow it even on special occasions. Decide before you get to the Thanksgiving table which approach you want to take so that you can make appropriate food choices.

For example, if you decide you’d rather follow a low-carb diet on Thanksgiving, you’ll have to be prepared to avoid most of the side dishes, which tend to be full of starch, and focus on the turkey and vegetables.

If you have specific dietary needs, it’s best to communicate with your host in advance about them. You don’t want to get to the table and find the only thing you can eat is the turkey or that only one side dish meets your needs. You can also offer to bring a dish so that you can make something that’s in line with your dietary needs for the whole table to enjoy.

References

http://www.acefitness.org/article/3303/

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/thanksgiving/a/thanksgivingdin.htm

http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/holidayrecipes/a/lowfathols1104.htm

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/22/a-vegetarian-thanksgiving-even-for-carnivores/

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein most often found in food additives, wheat, rye and barley. The substance allows dough to become elastic and gives chewiness to other baked goods. However, individuals who diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder known as celiac disease may experience many side effects including fatigue, bloating, abdominal pain, anemia and diarrhea. They may also have a decreased ability to absorb nutrients and damaged intestines. Since there is no cure for this disease that affects one out of every 133 people, the only way to avoid these reactions is to stick to a gluten-free diet. Even those who do not have the disease may still experience one or more of the effects from eating gluten-enhanced products.

What if I Don’t Have Problems with Gluten?

Some people claim that gluten makes your body gain more weight and feel more sluggish. These individuals maintain that humans were not meant to digest these domesticated grains and that avoiding this substance entirely can lead to loss of excess weight, better absorption of nutrients and more energy.

Some athletes and exercise physiologists have noticed a dramatic difference when they eliminated gluten from their diets. They reported more energy and experienced higher recovery periods following their workouts. Because athletes had more energy, they were able to continue their workouts for longer durations and higher intensities, thus increasing their overall physical productivity. However, this is strictly anecdotal; there is not enough research to substantiate the claims of those who insist gluten is harmful to every person. There is no scientific evidence that supports the theory that a gluten-free diet can lead to benefits for the entire population.

Can a Gluten-Free Diet Help You Lose Weight?

If you are trying to lose weight, you may consider switching to a gluten-free diet. Now, just because cookies and brownies claim to be gluten-free, it does not mean that you should gorge and stuff yourself on these otherwise-unhealthy foods. The key to losing weight on a gluten-free diet is that you must consume high amounts of proteins and nutrients while reducing the amount of gluten in wheat.

A gluten-free diet forces you to avoid refined carbohydrates, such as those found in burgers, pancakes, beer and pizza; foods that also lead to weight gain. However, even though you can buy gluten-free versions of almost every wheat-based product, keep in mind that these products still have just as many calories and may not fall into your diet anyway.

You need to make sure your blood sugar level is stable, and consuming low-glycemic-load foods, your body absorbs the sugars slowly. The rise in your blood sugar level is more gradual, as is its leveling out after your insulin kicks in. You then experience fewer cravings. Try to avoid pretzels, crackers and breads, even if they are gluten-free, to try to lose weight. Since you are avoiding wheat and rye, you may try different grains and flour for the first time that do not have gluten in them, such as wild rice, buckwheat and millet. This allows you to add nutritional variety to your diet, thus promoting a healthier lifestyle.

Does Gluten Affect Children?

Some theories state that children with autism may benefit from a gluten-free, casein-free diet. These children are unable to digest the milk, or casein, and proteins in cereals (gluten), and parents have reported that removing these substances has benefitted their children tremendously. Parents have noticed that their children are able to make and maintain eye contact, their children have an increased attention span and that their general moods are elevated. There are fewer reports of aggression, temper tantrums and self-stimulatory behavior like rocking and hand flapping.

To maintain a healthy lifestyle, consider switching to gluten-free products. Keep in mind, however, that just because these products may seem like “safe” foods, you should try not to overindulge to avoid any unhealthy repercussions. Even if you stick to a gluten-free diet, while you may not experience some of the unpleasant side effects of gluten, you may find yourself gaining weight and consuming extra calories, which may not fit into your healthy diet plan. Smart alternatives to gluten include quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth.

What Is a Weight Loss Calculator?

A weight loss calculator is a tool used to calculate the caloric intake level you need to be at in order to lose weight in a reasonable time period. Weight loss calculators have become one of those essential tools you can use when planning your fitness goals.  These calculators can provide the necessary information to help you make a clear cut goal, and can help you establish the foundation of a routine and diet plan that will help you lose weight.  One of the biggest benefits is that you’ll avoid cutting back too drastically…even those on a strict diet need calories…calories are the energy that keeps your body going through the day.  Cut back too much, and you won’t have enough energy to do normal activities, never mind exercise.

How To Use a Weight Loss Calculator:

Also Try Our: Calorie Calculator & BMI Calculator

One of the best attributes to a weight loss calculator is it’s ease of use and convenience. Diets, and weight loss in general, can sometimes feel complicated.  Any tool that makes things easier and more convenient,  like weight loss calculators,  helps simplify your approach, and keeps you from feeling overwhelmed.

Make sure you have the necessary information available such as your current weight, height, and age so thatthe result is as accurate as possible. Some weight loss calculators actually ask for information like how much time you have to lose a certain amount of weight, and how much you would like to lose over a specific period.  Make sure you know what your initial goals are and this will help the calculator to determine your result.  Also, be sure to keep your goals realistic…losing more than a couple of pounds a week can be unsafe, and it’s certainly not sustainable.

Once you have your numbers all correct, then just enter the numbers according to what the calculator is requesting to be filled in. There usually is a button that says get results or calculate now. Choose that button and wait for your results.  You may want to try calculators from several different websites, as their results often vary a bit.   Try a few, and avoid the ones that show number significantly higher or lower than the others.

Interpreting Your Results:

When your results are determined, you will want to at least write them down or print them out. There are many ways that you can utilize the information that the weight loss calculator has provided you with. You can start a weight loss plan, record the numbers in your journal, and begin plotting which diet and exercise program you want to follow  based on the caloric intake level recommended by the calculator. These calculators have a great way of providing a basis for developing a weight loss plan. Use it to your benefit, get motivated, get inspired, and get going.  The tools can simplify your weight loss process, but only you can make them happen!

Health Benefits.

According to the Mayo Clinic, walking can improve your blood pressure, lower bad cholesterol and weight, reduce the risk of type-two diabetes and improve your overall mood. An aerobic exercise, walking improves blood circulation and provides the same heart-healthy stimulation that jogging and running do.

Environmental Benefits.

Harvard’s Commuter Choice Program estimates that eliminating a single four-mile drive by walking instead keeps 15 pounds of pollutants from entering the atmosphere. If every adult in the nation walked to work just one day every two weeks, billions of gallons of gasoline would be saved, as well.

Even with the myriad benefits, Walk Score’s chief technology officer, Matt Lerner, asserts that there are time constraints involved in walking to conduct everyday business and errands. He explains that people are not likely to walk in favor of using their car unless their destination is within a quarter-mile. This distance makes for a five-minute walk for most average adults. In the American culture of instant gratification, the time it takes to walk is considered time wasted.

With so many cities sprawled out with few central amenities, there is little option for pedestrian traffic in much of the nation. If you wish to walk, you will be delighted to know that there are some cities that are perfectly suited to a pedestrian lifestyle. The news team at MSN has compiled a list of Walk Score’s top walker-friendly cities. These are the top five.

5. Philadelphia.

Many of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods are hundreds of years old. Since the automobile was unheard of when the mortar was laid, many residents here enjoy communities of tightly packed brownstones and row houses. Many people live in a small area in Philadelphia, and local businesses are located within walking distance of a great number of locations. Sixty-six percent of Philadelphia residents live in neighborhoods scoring 70 or greater on the Walk Score scale. Center City and University City have the highest marks.

4. Chicago.

The windy city offers a variety of neighborhoods suitable for walking, but there are areas of the city that just do not meet the standard. Still, only three percent of Chicago residents live in neighborhoods that require the use of a car. Sixty-four percent enjoy Walk Score ratings of 70 or more. Chicago’s most suitable pedestrian neighborhoods are Printers Row, Near North and Sheridan Park. The “L,” or elevated train, helps to keep commuters out of their cars.

3. Boston.

Like Philadelphia, Boston is a city that was built well before the existence of cars. Today’s commuters can still benefit from the historic layout of the town. Boston ranks high on Walk Score’s list because 79 percent of its residents have a rating of 70 or more. Public transit is prevalent in Boston, as well, making automobile transportation practically unnecessary while travelling to any point in the city. Haymarket, Bay Village, Chinatown and Beacon Hill are Boston’s most walker-friendly neighborhoods.

2. San Francisco.

Don’t let its hills fool you! San Francisco has an excellent selection of neighborhoods rating near perfect on Walk Score’s scale. The densely packed neighborhoods in San Francisco make commuting on foot an easy option. Chinatown, the financial district, the Tenderloin and downtown San Francisco are the most pedestrian-friendly places in the city. Eighty-eight percent of San Francisco residents live in areas with Walk Scores 70 or higher.

1. New York.

This may come as little surprise, but New York tops the walking charts. Five of the boroughs rank a 100 percent on Walk Score’s rating, with all of the desirable amenities or public transit within a quarter-mile radius. If you are looking for a perfect place to live and commute on foot, look for a home within Little Italy, NoHo, SoHo, Greenwich Village or the Flatiron district. An impressive 90 percent of New York City’s residents enjoy a Walk Score of 70 or more.

The Stanford Study

The study followed 35 patients who had received the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. A year after the surgery, adult family members who participated were also, on average, eight pounds lighter. The adult family members weren’t the only ones who benefited; kids in the family also showed a lower BMI than would have otherwise been expected.

Senior author of the study, John Morton, M.D., director of bariatric surgery and associate professor of surgery at Stanford University, noted that the weight lost by family members was comparable to that expected from participating in a medically controlled diet, like Atkins or Ornish. The only actual participation on the parts of the family members was accompanying the surgery patient to pre- and post-surgery appointments.

Simply by accompanying the patient to the appointments, these family members had the benefit of getting the same diet and lifestyle counseling as the patient. The subjects discussed at these appointments included topics like the importance of a high-protein and high-fiber diet, avoiding foods high in sugar and fat, eating small and frequent meals, setting exercise goals, getting an appropriate amount of sleep, moderating alcohol consumption and having less screen time.

Changes in Family Members

Some of the changes noted in the family members included:

• A significant decrease in waist size
• A sharp decrease in alcohol consumption
• Less emotional eating
• Less uncontrollable eating
• Substantial increase in activity levels

How Does This Happen?

Evidence shows that lifestyle changes are socially contagious. This can be both positive and negative, since negative changes are just as likely to be contagious as positive changes. A husband is more likely to stop smoking if his wife quits but is more likely to gain weight if his wife does. So how can people harness this tendency and use it to create positive changes?

Making Positive Changes in Your Family’s Health

Threatening and cajoling are not likely to help when it comes to improving your family’s health. If you want your spouse and kids to join you in your quest to live a healthier life or lose weight, you will have to model the behavior you want them to emulate and expose them to information about living healthier.

If you are under a doctor’s care for weight, encourage them to come to appointments with you. They may benefit from the lifestyle counseling your doctor provides. Likewise, if you participate in a program like Weight Watchers, bring your kids to the meetings and encourage your spouse or other adult family members to participate with you.

Other positive steps you can take to encourage and support a lifestyle change in your family:

• Fix healthy and well-balanced meals for everyone in the family.
• Have your kids help in the kitchen, and talk with them about which ingredients you are cooking with and why you choose those.
• Stock the pantry and the refrigerator with fresh fruits and vegetables, and avoid buying processed junk food.
• Break the soda habit.
• Find fun and energetic activities in which the whole family can participate. Some good choices would be swimming at a gym, practicing sports, rollerblading, hiking and skiing.
• Set limitations on screen time for the entire family. Encourage kids to play outside instead of hooking up to the computer or game console.
• Make sure everyone gets to bed on time, every night. Emphasize that this is not a punishment; it is a way to make sure you feel good the next day.
• Most importantly, stay calm. Screaming and yelling won’t encourage family members to participate. Set a good example, and soon your family will follow.

How Antioxidants Help Keep You Healthier

A normal, healthy body creates something called free radicals every day. These free radicals are usually produced in small enough amounts that they don’t cause any noticeable health problems, but they do seem to play a large part in the aging process because they can help a body’s tissues break down more quickly. Researchers have found that antioxidants attach themselves to these free radicals and neutralize them so that they behave like normal atoms. Reducing the number of free radicals in your system tends to increase your body’s stability so that it can fight off illnesses more easily.

Antioxidants Generally Found in Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Healthy bodies create their own antioxidants to keep the free radicals under control when you are younger, but the body’s antioxidant production tends to slow as you age. A good way to supplement your natural antioxidant production is to eat fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants. Berries, nuts, and green leafy vegetables are excellent sources of antioxidants. Your body can only process antioxidants from natural sources, so you have to get them through eating or drinking the right foods. Over the counter vitamins or supplements are not useful sources of antioxidants.

Spices Provide More Concentrated Antioxidants

The McCormick study showed that dried culinary spices contain higher levels of antioxidants than you would find in a single fruit or vegetable source. Researchers in Australia discovered that a 1/2 teaspoon serving of cloves contained more antioxidants than a 1/2 cup serving of cranberries or blueberries. The same study showed you only need to eat 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano to receive the same antioxidant benefit that you would receive from eating 1/2 cup of sweet potatoes. The concentrated nature of antioxidants in culinary spices makes it easier to consume adequate amounts of antioxidants without increasing your food intake.

Combinations of Spices and Vegetables can Increase Antioxidant Levels

An additional benefit of using culinary spices for antioxidants is that different combinations of spices can create exponential antioxidant increases. If you add antioxidant rich spices to foods that contain their own natural antioxidants, the antioxidant levels can complement one another to create a higher number of antioxidants than you would have gotten by eating the food or the spices separately. Scientists believe that the flavonoids in the foods react with the antioxidants in the herbs and spices to create this synergistic relationship, providing a more potent antioxidant source.

Some Spices Reduce Harmful Elements in Meats

Grilled meats contain elements like heterocyclic amines and malondialdehyde that can be harmful if ingested in large quantities. Using certain spices on the meats can cut down these elements significantly. A Kansas State University research study compared hamburgers cooked with spices to hamburgers cooked without spices and found that those with spices had up to 40% fewer heterocylclic amines than those without spices. The researchers attribute this difference in the elemental makeup of the cooked meat to the presence of antioxidants in the spices that were used. When researchers analyzed the urine of research subjects who ate both types of meat, those who consumed the spiced burgers had measurably less malondialdehyde than those who ate the burgers without spices.

Spices Could Protect against Problems from High Fat Meals

Another study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, shows that using spices can cause your body to react differently after you eat a high fat meal. Typically, you experience a sharp rise in triglyceride activity in your system immediately following a high fat meal. Researchers have found that adding certain culinary spices to the meal will slow down the triglyceride response, which could reduce the possibility of heart disease from eating foods that are high in fats. These preventative effects of antioxidant rich spices are not fully understood by scientists yet, but studies continue to prove that there is a connection between the body’s reaction to high fat foods and antioxidant rich spices.

Best Results with a Wide Variety of Antioxidants

All of the research results show that you will receive the best results by including a wide variety of antioxidants in your diet. Different types of spices, herbs, fruits, and vegetables each contain different antioxidant compounds. A good combination of foods will ensure that you receive the maximum benefit from all of the different compounds.

Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors. When someone has three or more of these interrelated risk factors, they are considered to have metabolic syndrome. The risk factors are:

• An elevated fasting blood sugar: When the blood sugar taken before breakfast is 100 mg/dl or higher it could indicate insulin resistance. This is when the body does not use the hormone insulin as it should. The insulin is unable to convert the sugar (glucose) into energy. The body will continue to make insulin but since it does not work, the blood’s glucose will continue to be high.
• High blood pressure: A blood pressure of 130/85 or higher is a risk factor. This includes people who are currently taking high blood pressure medicine.
• A large waist size: Abdominal obesity is considered a waist of 35 inches or larger in women, and 40 inches or larger in men.
• High triglycerides: A triglyceride level of 150 mg/dl or higher is a risk factor. This includes anyone taking cholesterol medicine.
• Low HDL level: This is the good cholesterol. An HDL level less than 50 mg/dl for women or less than 40 mg/dl for men is a risk factor. Like triglycerides, this includes people who take cholesterol medicine.

If you have been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome you are not alone. It has been estimated that close to 40 percent of Americans are affected. This puts people at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.

Treatment

Standard dietary treatment is to follow a heart healthy diet. This includes foods low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and trans fat. Limiting salt intake is also recommended. This is still good advice and should be followed.

Data is showing that reducing carbohydrates in the diet may actually help better than reducing fats when it comes to controlling the symptoms of metabolic syndrome. The logic is that since metabolic syndrome is closely linked to the imbalance in insulin that controlling the carbohydrates will help to control the insulin and its response.

According to a study by Volek and Feinman restricting carbohydrate intake will control high blood sugar, lower the triglycerides, raise the HDL, and lower blood pressure. It is interesting to note that when someone follows a low fat diet but consumes a large amount of carbohydrates that the triglyceride level actually increases, the HDL decreases and the blood sugar is more difficult to control.

The cause of metabolic syndrome is unknown but the generally accepted theory is that obesity causes it. This includes a diet chronically high in carbohydrates that leads to the body producing high levels of insulin. Weight loss is an important part of treatment as well as exercise.

The study concluded that all five of the symptoms of metabolic syndrome were improved by following a low carbohydrate diet.

Recommendations

Keep carbohydrates to less than 50 percent of the total calories. Choose complex carbohydrates like whole grains and brown rice. Avoid refined sugar and increase fiber intake with legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Thirty-percent of the total calories should be from good fats like olive oil, canola oil and nuts. Also, lose weight and do aerobic exercise for at 30-minutes.

By following these recommendations and understanding the reasons for them will help anyone gain control over metabolic syndrome. It is a healthy lifestyle that can be followed for a lifetime.