It’s that time of year again – the Girl Scouts are peddling their cookies and we’re buying them up. But what is it about these cookies that the Girl Scouts don’t want you to know?

Girl Scout Cookies - What They Don't Want You To Know

When it comes to health, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that eating a cookie isn’t good for you, but let’s face it, having a treat every once in awhile makes life worth living. And as a nutritionalist, I have no problem with that. I tell my clients all the time, you have to live your life and having a treat once in awhile is okay, as long as the treat isn’t loaded with garbage.

What the Girl Scouts don’t want you to know is their cookies are loaded with garbage … a lot of garbage.

My issue is the Girl Scout cookies don’t have to be filled with garbage. When additives are put into the cookies for the shear reason of causing addiction and cheapening production at the health risk of those who consume, well, I have a MAJOR problem with that.

And you should too.

First, let’s cover the use of High Fructose Corn Syrup which is found in Girl Scout cookies. This is an extremely dangerous ingredient to use in ANY food. What was shocking to me is the Girl Scout organization officially commented why they use High Fructose Corn Syrup in their cookies:

Our licensed vendors use a variety of ingredients in the production of Girl Scout Cookies, including, in some cookies, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). Our bakers have indicated that HCFS is a specifically helpful ingredient in the browning process, and helps cookies retain freshness. For those cookies where HFCS is used, our bakers indicate that it is a key ingredient in ensuring the quality of the cookie.

Seriously, they are going to try and get you to believe that they use HFCS because it is helpful “in the browning process”? Really? You wouldn’t hear as much B.S. in the Republican debates! The real reason they use it? It is cheaper and more addictive than real sugar.

Corporations who sell food products know they can make more money two ways: make their product with cheaper ingredients or get people to consume more of them. HFCS allows them to do both.

That’s shameful.

What’s worse? You think you are supporting your local Girl Scout troop, but they only receive between 10-20% of the sales. That’s it. Why not just go door-to-door and ask for donations instead of selling a product that is detrimental to one’s health?

I will be straight up with you, as delicious as these cookies are, they are poison to your body, and they don’t need to be. If they would accept less profit and actually use natural ingredients, Girl Scout cookies could be much healthier. Using the cheapest ingredients to maximize profits and contributing to the sharp rise in obesity and diabetes … especially among juveniles, is morally wrong.

Stand up for what is right and pass on the Girl Scout cookies. Send a message that no matter how addicting of a product they try to make, the public is smart enough to pass.

If you need a healthy snack that will also satisfy your sweet tooth and also give your body the nutrition it is craving, turn to our snack items to lose weight and feel better. We never use high fructose corn syrup as our meals are designed with your health in mind. After all, our diet has been recommended by more than 20,000 since 1980, that’s over 30 years. There is a reason why Medifast is the last diet people try because it works and it can for you too.

Fact: Sleep is Key to Fight Obesity!

Sleep deprivation and obesity-is there a link between the two? So many American’s are now obese, more than one-third of us fall into that category. As the decades come and go, the problem just keeps getting worse. Lower amounts of physical activity, higher caloric intake, how our genes and our environment mesh as well as the impact our culture has on us all contribute to our overall fat/weight gains. While all of these things have had an impact on our lives, American’s now sleep less than ever before. Researchers are beginning to see what the effect this lack of sleep has on us; does it have an effect? You be the judge.

Our ancestors slept more than we do, that’s a fact. In the 1900’s the average sleep time was 9 hours per night as opposed to us today as we average less than 7 hours each night. That’s two full hours less. A study done in 2001 found that if you get less than 6 hours of sleep a night, and stay awake after midnight, you are more likely to be obese. 1.1 million adults were surveyed in 2002. It was discovered that those who got less than 7 hours of sleep a night also found that as a result, their body mass index (BMI) increased.

It is a known fact that overall, those of us who are overweight or obese get less sleep then individuals who are a normal weight. How much more overweight are those sleepy eyed people? A 2004 study found that those who got in less than 8 hours of shut eye a night increased their BMI proportional to how much sleep they lost.

In the past 20 years, over 12 studies have been conducted on more than 45,000 children and it was found that there is absolutely a link between how many hours of sleep these kids got a night and their risk of future obesity. If children sleep less, they show a higher risk of obesity in the future. The British Medical Journal discovered that 3 years olds with short sleep patterns had a higher risk of obesity by age 7. This shows that poor sleep patterns may permanently influence the part of the brain that controls appetite and energy levels.

One study examined how restricting sleep to 4 hours per night for a week impacted the subject’s metabolism. The subjects showed signs of glucose intolerance (this leads to diabetes) as well as hormone changes that are hooked to weigh gain and hypertension. And hypertension is one of the fastest growing health issues in America today. These physiological changes were reversible as normal sleep patterns returned. Yes, reversible.

A good night sleep is so important for so many reasons. When you are sleep deprived you are affected in almost every aspect of your life. Just a few of the areas affected include:

Memory loss
Weight Fluctuations
Weakened immune system
Increased sensitivity to pain
Shakiness and hand tremors
Slurred speech
Increased risk of cancer

If you find yourself locked into some poor sleep habits, whether by choice or by circumstances out of your control, what can you do to get back on the sleepy time train?

Here are some things that may help:

Stick to a schedule: Have a set bedtime and stick to it even on the weekends. In addition, wake up at the same time every morning.

Keep your room cool: We tend to sleep better in a cooler room; about 65º. If your bedroom is too hot or too cold it could interrupt your sleep.

Do something relaxing right before bed: Doing something relaxing to help you wind down after a busy day can help you feel sleepy. Try reading, a warm bath or listening to soft music. Most important, cut off TV and electronic use at least an hour before you go to sleep. This will allow your mind to relax and allow you to get a better night’s sleep.

Cut out caffeine: Caffeine can keep you up even ten to twelve hours after drinking it! Think about eliminating caffeine after lunch or cutting back your overall intake.

If you have tried everything and you still need extra help getting a good night’s sleep, Medifast has a fantastic sleep aide called Essential 1: Sleep Health. It contains a time released blend of melatonin. It not only helps you fall asleep but also helps keep you sleeping all night without making you feel groggy.

You know you aren’t “yourself”. You’ve been bothered by chronic indigestion, perhaps leading your doctor to order an endoscopy so he/she could look down your esophagus and into your stomach with a camera, and, give you some tests. It wasn’t the most pleasant thing you’ve done, but then again, neither is chronic indigestion. You want to feel better. You hold your breath waiting to hear your doctor’s findings. The finding? For many, it’s that their digestive system is harboring the intestinal bacteria H. pylori… what now?

In 1982, when H. pylori was discovered to be at the root of stomach ulcers, the medical community celebrated, immediately deciding that the news meant ulcers could be cured by an intense course of antibiotics to kill off all those nasty bacteria. But now we know that a wise treatment path for people with H. pylori is not so straightforward. Yes, the bacteria are linked to a host of gastrointestinal (GI) problems, including ulcers and even gastric cancer. But many of us carry H. pylori around in our systems without ill effects, and doctors have found that eliminating it entirely is associated with other problems, including esophageal cancer.

Friend or Foe?

Should we kill H. pylori every time we detect it? Probably not, says Eric Yarnell, ND, a clinical supervisor at Bastyr University’s Center for Natural Health in Seattle. When he sees patients with H. pylori-related complaints, including inflammation, pain and other symptoms, his goal is to restore comfort by replenishing the stomach’s natural defenses against the bacteria overgrowth that has thrown the system out of balance, but he aims for full elimination of the particular bacterium itself only in cases of recurrent illness or associated cancers.

Should You Follow Doctors’ Orders?

Conventional medical treatment of H. pylori infection uses a 14-day course of an antibiotic (usually clarithromycin or amoxicillin) to remove H. pylori from the stomach, as well as the antimicrobial metronidazole (Flagyl)… and either a bismuth-salt preparation to blunt inflammation and soothe the tissue or (more likely) an antacid proton pump inhibitor (PPI), such as esomeprazole (Nexium),omeprazole (Prilosec) or lansoprazole (Prevacid). If this triple therapy fails to make your symptoms go away, your doctor will next try instead “quadruple therapy” – tetracycline, metronidazole, a PPI and the bismuth compound for an additional 14 days. Many doctors also will prescribe the PPIs even longer, up to an additional three weeks.

Andrew L. Rubman, ND, disagrees with this approach. He warns that these regimens bring significant side effects. If you take a PPI for longer than two weeks, you reduce your stomach’s ability to produce adequate amounts of acid to digest food and also reduce its innate ability to protect you from dangerous pathogens. Antibiotics indiscriminately suppress many beneficial bacteria as well as the ones making you sick and as a result can lead to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of H. pylori, paradoxically placing you at greater risk for digestive disorders.

A Better Way: Natural Therapies

Rather than attempting to eradicate H. pylori, some doctors may seek to get it back in “balance” by first calming irritation and inflammation and then restoring proper stomach function, including adequate acid production to stabilize H. pylori and prevent its overgrowth.

Dr. Rubman says that this safe and natural approach may include…

• Bismuth-based therapy. Bismuth salts, originally believed to simply coat ulcers and physically block erosive stomach acid, now are known to directly attack and impair H. pylori.

• Digestive enzymes. Once irritation is resolved, hydrochloric acid (usually the supplement betaine hydrochloride) helps reestablish efficient acid production, which may have been interrupted by the infection but is necessary for normal digestion.

• Manuka honey. Evidence supporting the use of this New Zealand honey is largely anecdotal, but you may find that taking some before meals and before bed, helps combat H. pylori. Discuss with your doctor how much to take if you want to try this therapy.

• Mastic gum. This natural resin from the sap of the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus), which grows mainly on the Greek island of Chios, inhibits H. pylori growth, according to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine. Capsules can be found at iHerb.com and in health-food stores.

• Broccoli sprouts. A small Japanese trial suggests that broccoli sprouts activate protective enzymes. Unlike mature heads, the sprouts contain high levels of sulforaphane, a potent natural weapon against H. pyloricolonization. These can be eaten in salads or on sandwiches as a way to help keep H. pylori in check. (See Daily Health News, September 3, 2009, for more on broccoli sprouts.)

• Bovine lactoferrin. Studies show that this protein from cows (consumed as a powder added to shakes and smoothies) improves the effectiveness of other therapies against H. pylori. It can be purchased at iHerb.com and in some health-food stores.

Rather than eradicating H. pylori entirely, a better approach is to tame the bacteria so it can play a healthful, not harmful, role in your digestive system, Dr. Rubman said. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience these symptoms: Vomit blood or what looks like coffee grounds, having bloody or tarry black stools, or experiencing sudden, severe and persistent abdominal pain.

While you may not be able to eliminate exposure to H. pylori, Dr. Rubman points out that people who maintain a healthy lifestyle, a diet of nutrient-rich whole foods, no smoking, regular exercise, alcohol in moderation only, etc., are more likely to have robust immune systems and less likely to develop active infections or discomfort even if H. pylori is in their systems.

Source(s):

Andrew L. Rubman, ND, founder and director, Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines, Southbury, Connecticut. www.SouthburyClinic.com.

Eric Yarnell, ND, clinical supervisor, Bastyr Center for Natural Health, core faculty member, Bastyr University, Seattle. Dr. Yarnell is currently president of the Botanical Medicine Academy in Seattle, chief financial officer of Healing Mountain Publishing and vice president of Heron Botanicals, Inc. He has published and coauthored numerous books and articles.

Are you serious? Vitamin D? It seems like every health article always asks the one standard question, “Are you getting enough Vitamin D?” We’re now being given a “curve ball” from the Institute of Medicine as they have just issued cautionary advice about taking too much of the sunshine vitamin.

Okay, so cautioning about “taking too much” is better than stating there is something wrong with the vitamin, but it should trigger an alarm in your head due to the way most Americans think. Due to all the “Super Sized” marketing we have been subjected to over the last couple of of decades, we think that if a little is good, a lot will be better.

This is true with Vitamin D too. There are many published reports from respected organizations suggesting that consumers consider taking 5,000 international units (IU) or more of vitamin D per day. This new report makes it clear, that’s a potentially dangerous dose. Alan Gaby, MD, author of the just published book Nutritional Medicine (www.DoctorGaby.com) will supply some expert insights on the appropriate use of vitamin D for good health, so you don’t make the mistake of overdoing it.

Where Good “D” Advice Went Wrong

How did this situation reach such extremes? As it happens, there were some very good reasons why scientists got concerned about plummeting levels of vitamin D among Americans. Changes in lifestyle, including the fact that people were spending more and more time indoors, plus slathering on sunscreen and practicing other sun-avoidance techniques, resulted in widespread deficiency of this important nutrient. That’s a problem, since vitamin D is vital to good health. And the biggest and best source of Vitamin D is the sun.

A refresher: Vitamin D is actually a type of “pre-hormone” that the body converts into a hormone that regulates as many as 1,000 different genes. Among its many protective functions, Vitamin D helps eliminate precancerous cells; prevent cardiac disease, stroke and diabetes; maintain the immune system and thus protect against colds, flu and the like; protect joints against arthritis; and promote absorption of calcium and phosphate, making it vital for healthy bones and teeth. Some of the problems caused or exacerbated by low levels of vitamin D include muscle weakness, poor balance leading to recurrent falls, low back pain and osteoporosis. A lack of Vitamin D also can make fibromyalgia worse, says Dr. Gaby. Given that long list, it’s no wonder that excitement about vitamin D became so intense.

How Much Vitamin D and Too Much

Until a few months ago, the standard recommendation from the Institute of Medicine for vitamin D intake for adults age 51 to 70 had been 400 IU/day, and for adults over age 70, it was 600 IU/day. That was definitely not enough, Dr. Gaby said. New evidence shows that people under age 70 need 600 IU/day and adults over age 70 need 800 IU/day to prevent falls and thinning bones, which is what the new Institute of Medicine report recommends.

Although some scientists and doctors believe that people should routinely take larger doses, Dr. Gaby said research doesn’t support this. “Given the weakness of the evidence regarding both safety and efficacy, I think that caution is in order,” he said, adding that he personally does not recommend doses above 2,000 IU per day except in rare circumstances. “I am not anti-vitamin D, but it is premature and potentially dangerous to take large doses for the sole purpose of pushing blood levels to an arbitrary target level,” he said.

Dr. Gaby said it is important to realize that too much Vitamin D is toxic and can cause serious problems, including a buildup of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia) that can result in nausea, vomiting, weakness, constipation, heart rhythm abnormalities and possibly kidney stones. Another serious concern is atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), one study showed that swine fed high doses of vitamin D-3 developed arterial changes akin to those seen in people who need coronary bypass surgery.

It’s Complicated

Vitamin D is a uniquely complex nutrient, Dr. Gaby noted, maintaining the right levels to optimize health isn’t a simple matter of swallowing a supplement once or twice a day. Specifically, he cited the following challenges:

Our bodies manufacture Vitamin D in response to sunlight. The biochemical effects of sunlight exposure are not the same as what occurs with oral supplementation with Vitamin D. So-called “sunshine D” has built-in protection against toxicity as it prevents the release of excessive amounts into circulation and also modulates how it is used in the body.

Testing for D is imprecise and not always reliable. The most common blood test to measure Vitamin D levels is called the 25(OH)D, which shows levels based on intake and sun exposure over three weeks. However, genetic differences can intrude on this test’s accuracy, Dr. Gaby said.
It’s hard to get significant amounts of vitamin D from foods, even fortified ones.

What to Do About Vitamin D

For those reasons, it’s good to get vitamin D the old-fashioned way, spend 10 to 15 minutes in the sun most days during the hours from 10 am to 2 pm. Expose as much skin as possible and, do not wear any sunscreen during this time.

Dr. Gaby said that most people would do well to take 800 IU to 1,200 IU of D-3 each day, especially during the winter months and most especially for people who are seldom in midday sun and older adults, whose skin loses some of its ability to manufacture D from sunlight. But, said Dr. Gaby, people with osteoporosis and diseases that cause malabsorption (such as Crohn’s disease) should probably be tested to determine where they are in terms of D levels, since they may require supplementation in higher doses.

While vitamin D is not the magic bullet some experts have made it out to be, it is without question immensely important. Do make an effort to get regular doses from sunlight, food and supplements, but do not overdo your Vitamin D!

Let’s talk about what position you like in bed, for sleep, I mean. Your habit of sleeping on your back or your belly, or even your left or right side, has important implications for your health, says Matthew Edlund, MD, MOH, author of The Power of Rest: Why Sleep Alone Is Not Enough.

For example, people who spend most or all of the night on their backs tend to snore more and are most likely to develop sleep apnea, while those who sleep on their right sides may experience more heartburn than those who sleep on their left sides.

I’m not suggesting that any sleep position is inherently bad for everyone, if you sleep well and have no medical issues, that’s fine, notes Dr. Edlund. But if you have health concerns, most particularly daytime fatigue (which can be a sign of sleep apnea, especially in people who snore) or heartburn, you may benefit from changing your sleep position. Dr. Edlund told me that generally speaking, sleeping on one’s side is best, which side is a question I will get to in a minute.

Back = Bad

If you sleep on your back, you are more likely to be a snorer and also to have sleep apnea, brief suspensions of breathing when the tissue at the back of your throat temporarily blocks your airway. A clue: If your bed partner tells you that you seem to stop breathing for 10 or more seconds between snores, ask your doctor about being tested. Not only can apnea lead to daytime sleepiness and poor concentration, over time it raises your risk for serious health problems such as high blood pressure, heart-rhythm disturbances, heart failure, stroke, decreased libido and insulin resistance. Sleeping on your side (either one) can help reduce sleep apnea.

It’s difficult to change your customary sleep position, but it can be done. For example, for a back sleeper, Dr. Edlund recommends trying the “tennis ball technique.” Sew a pocket into the lower back of a T-shirt and then sew or snap three tennis balls into the pocket. Wear the shirt to bed. When you roll over onto your back, the discomfort of the tennis balls will quickly send you back to your side. Eventually you may begin to sleep naturally on your side and not need the tennis balls, though this may take months. For those who can’t or don’t want to use tennis balls, the commercially available Zzoma Positional Sleeper (a belt with a foam attachment at the back that keeps you from rolling onto your back, available at ZzomaSleep, $99.95) is an option, albeit a more expensive one.

Left is Best

As many as one in four Americans suffers from nighttime heartburn or acid reflux, but what few people know is that this condition can be aggravated by sleeping on one’s right side. The reason: The stomach empties toward the right side, so lying down when a meal is still in the stomach causes premature movement of food into the small intestine. It takes two-and-a-half to three hours for the stomach to empty 50%, and four to five hours for it to empty completely. According to a study published in The Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, individuals who rested on their right sides for four hours after a high-fat meal had significantly greater reflux than those who rested on their left.

To control nocturnal acid discomfort, Dr. Edlund advises:

• Sleep on your left side. Use the tennis ball technique (in this case, sewing the pocket onto the right side of the T-shirt) to shift from right- to left-side sleeping, or ask your partner to gently nudge you back into position if he/she notices that you have strayed.

• Go F-A-R. Follow a pattern of Food-Activity-Rest. After every meal, harness the power of gravity to keep airways open and assist your stomach acid in doing its job by standing, or better yet, walking, for 20 to 30 minutes.

• Sleep on an incline. Raise the head of your bed four to six inches by placing blocks or boards under the frame of the bed, or if this is not practical, under the mattress. (In Dr. Edlund’s opinion, popular wedge pillows advertised for this purpose are not very effective.)

Also helpful: Avoid acid triggers such as large meals, spicy or fatty foods, carbonated drinks, chocolate, caffeine and alcohol, don’t wear clothing that constricts your waist, maintain an appropriate weight, don’t eat during the several hours before bedtime, and don’t smoke. And remember to chew your food slowly and thoroughly and drink fluids sparingly with meals, and if you can, stand or stroll after them.

The Medifast diet is an extremely flexible weight loss program and if you’ve been using Medifast shakes for a while then you’re familiar with two things: The diet works; but after a while you crave more variety.

But why? Some people drink the same thing every day and never get sick of it. Take for example people who flock to Starbucks, McDonald’s, or Dunkin Donuts every day for a Mocha this, Frappe that, or Dunka whatever. Some even go twice a day for the same drink!

Well, we’re certainly not suggesting that! Here’s a better idea. Why not turn a Medifast shake into a coffee-shop inspired holiday shake–without cheating on your diet! If you’re looking to add some holiday pizazz or for easy ways to add variety to shakes we’ve got a great recipe for you below with more to follow on days to come!

Peppermint Mocha Medifast Shake

Starbucks has the Frappuccino®. McDonald’s came along with the Frappe. Dunkin Donuts offers the Dunkaccino®. They’re all semi trucks of sugary goodness waiting to park on our hips. But they’re GOOD—no doubt about that. Real good. So, let’s whip up a healthier version.

What you’ll need:

• (1) Medifast shake packet. Preferrably chocolate.
• Large cup (about 18 oz)
• Blender
• 3 oz. cold water
• 2 oz. cold coffee
• 2 teaspoons of sugar free peppermint syrup
• 7 oz. of ice

Instructions:

1. In a blender, add 3 oz. of cold water and 2 teaspoons of peppermint syrup. Cover and hit the blend button for a few seconds.

2. Next, add the 2 oz. of FRESH cold coffee and the Medifast shake powder. Cover and blend until the powder is mixed well.

3. Add 7 oz. of ice. Cover, blend and crush the ice until it reaches your preferred consistency.

4. Unplug the blender and taste the mixture. If you want to make the drink sweeter, add a small amount of Stevia. For a more “chocolately” taste add sugar free cocoa, like Ghiradelli’s natural unsweetened cocoa. One tablespoon contains 1.5 grams of fat, 1 carb and no sugar, but only add one teaspoon at a time as it is a strong taste. NOTE: If adding the cocoa, also add a few drops of sugar free vanilla.

5. Pour into a tall (18 oz.) cup suitable for cold beverages. Using an insulated beverage cup will keep this colder longer.

VARIATIONS:
If you’re not a big coffee drinker, just substitute more cold water for the coffee, or skim milk.

This recipe can be altered into any type of mocha you prefer, just substitute the 2 teaspoons of peppermint for whatever type of sugar free syrup you prefer.

• Carmel Mocha
• Pumpkin Spice Mocha
• Hazelnut Mocha
• Raspberry Mocha
• English Toffee Mocha
• Peanut Butter Mocha
• Almond Mocha

Stay tuned, we have more great holiday recipes on the way.

December Medifast Coupons

If you need to reorder Medifast shakes, here is a Medifast coupon code that will save you $25, $50 or more on your next purchase. To learn more about the Medifast diet, read the Medifast blog.

Next we’ll show you how to turn this into a Hot Mocha!

The drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) is currently the most commonly prescribed diabetes medication is now known to raise the risk for heart disease, which itself is one of the most serious health consequences of having diabetes. That’s not good. This is a cautionary tale for our times, rife with corporate greed, medical shortsightedness and, not for the first time, an appalling lack of oversight by the FDA.

But are you surprised?

How did all this happen, you might wonder? Steven Nissen, MD, and chairman of the department of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Nissen brought public attention to the dangers associated with Avandia back in 2007, when he conducted a review of studies finding that the drug increased risk of heart attacks by 30% to 43%.

So why are we just hearing about it now? Good question.

THE HISTORY OF AVANDIA

In 1999, the FDA approved GlaxoSmithKline’s new drug Avandia for treatment of diabetes. The drug, which works by increasing the body’s sensitivity to changes in insulin levels, had gone through numerous clinical trials involving thousands of patients, and even back then, several studies showed that it substantially increased LDL cholesterol. Dr. Nissen said that one study showed that the patients taking Avandia had almost twice as many “ischemic myocardial events” (including heart attack, angina and hospitalization for chest pain) as the patients taking other diabetes therapies. This was particularly worrisome given that the trials were short-term, typically 24 weeks, whatever damage the drug did happened quickly.

So why was Avandia approved? Solely because of its effect on blood sugar according to Dr. Nissen. He called this “shortsighted and scientifically unwise,” and noting that Avandia clearly had adverse effects that, for some patients, would overwhelm the benefit they’d get from taking the drug. Nonetheless, with GlaxoSmithKline’s considerable resources behind it, Avandia quickly became the biggest-selling diabetes medication, though another drug (Actos/pioglitazone, a drug of the same class made by a different company that was introduced around the same time) works as well and is safer.

Meanwhile, having noticed that blip in cardiovascular events, Dr. Nissen and his colleagues set out to learn more, undertaking a meta-analysis of the data from 42 trials of Avandia, 35 of which had never been published. Their research efforts led the FDA to revisit the safety of Avandia, too. Both groups arrived at the same conclusion, there was an estimated 40% higher risk for heart attack among people taking Avandia than those taking other diabetes medications, including Actos, leading the FDA to issue a “black box” warning linking Avandia to elevated risk for cardiovascular events.

Dr. Nissen’s study results led to two new reports, both published this summer, calling yet more attention to the drug’s dangers. And now there is talk of doing away with Avandia altogether.

WHAT TO DO?

While many experts believe that Avandia presents an unacceptable cardiac risk and doesn’t work any better than Actos, others disagree. The FDA is weighing these mixed recommendations in determining whether to remove Avandia from the market. Dr. Nissen said that he believes “the evidence is strong enough to warrant the drug’s withdrawal, it’s been strong enough for years.”

If you’re currently taking Avandia, don’t make a change on your own, but it may be time to call your doctor and ask the question that many experts have posed, why take a drug with serious risks when one without the risks will work as well?

Once more we’re left with evidence that the safety of the medications prescribed to vulnerable patients cannot be taken for granted. Drugs often have risks that are undisclosed, underplayed or clinically unappreciated, they too often end up making sick people sicker. The better solution, by far, is to solve the problem at its root. For people with type 2 diabetes, that usually means by addressing the lifestyle issues that underlie the illness, eat wisely, exercise more and control stress.

Source(s):

Steven Nissen, MD, chairman, department of cardiovascular medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.

Reprinted with the permission of:
Bottom Line Publications/Daily Health News
Boardroom Inc.
281 Tresser Blvd., 8th Floor
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www.BottomLineSecrets.com

Low-calorie Salad

For anyone on a diet, a salad is always a good meal option regardless of whether it is a snack or an entrée. But the question that we need to ask ourselves is, “are salads really low in calories?” The truth is, the dressings and the fixings can spell the difference between a low-calorie salad and a high-calorie salad. Depending on the dressing and the fixings, salads may not always be low in calories.

FIXINGS

When it comes to salads, fixings do spell the difference between a healthy meal and a calorie-laden meal. If you add the wrong kind of fixings and pile them on, you might as well eat a big cheeseburger with fries.

Croutons, bacon, meat, fried chicken strips, wonton strips as well as mayonnaise-rich salads such as coleslaw are definitely going to add unnecessary calories into your meal. So, it is best to avoid them.

To have a healthy and low-calorie salad, always choose a good variety of colorful vegetables, fruits, beans as well as mixed greens. Dark, leafy greens such as spinach, arugula, and fresh herbs often have more nutritional value. It is said that the darker the leaf, the more nutrients it provides. For a really nice treat, it is best to add on some of your favorite vegetables. Some good and healthy choices include: grape tomatoes, red bell peppers, carrots, cabbage and mushrooms.

You may add small amounts of lean protein such as a hard-boiled egg, grilled chicken or shrimp to have a filling entree salad. You can top your salad with small amounts of low-fat cheese or a small amount of avocado or chopped nuts. Be careful not to overdo this. Remember that food items such as avocados, cheese, nuts, olives, dried fruits are all high-calorie items and should be taken in controlled portions.

SALAD DRESSINGS

Salad dressings are also a critical ingredient to creating your low-fat salads. Too much of the wrong salad dressing can trick you into eating a high-calorie meal without you knowing it.

A light vinaigrette or salsa as well as balsamic vinegar or any other flavorful vinegar together with a olive oil can help you create a low-calorie salad. You can get away with a creamy dressing by using just a small portion of the dressing or by diluting the dressing with a little water.

When dining out, always opt to order the salad dressing on the side and use only a portion of it. Remember that dressings do add calories to your meal.

Follow these tips to create or order a delicious salad that is satisfying, low in calories, high in fiber, and full of nutrients. If you frequent a chain restaurant, check the web site to see which of their salads and salad dressings is healthier.

Working Medifast Coupons

It’s music to our ears when we learn that things that make us happy are actually good for us, too. A few years ago, researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore showed that laughter had a cardiovascular benefit. Now the same researchers have shown that joyful music elicits that same kind of heart-healthy response. The music causes endothelial tissue (a layer of cells lining the interior surface of blood vessels) to expand, thereby increasing blood flow to the heart and other vital organs.

“We had previously demonstrated that positive emotions, such as laughter, were good for vascular health,” said lead investigator Michael Miller, MD, director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center and associate professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “A natural extension of the research on laughter was the question of whether other emotions, such as those evoked by music, have a similar effect.”

In Dr. Miller’s latest study, 10 healthy, non-smoking volunteers (70% were men, with mean age of 36) participated in four different study phases in random order. In two of the phases, participants either listened to music they selected that evoked joy and made them feel good, or other music that they said made them feel anxious. In a third phase, the participants listened to relaxation tapes and in the fourth phase participants were shown humorous video clips. When the study volunteers listened to the joyful music, brachial artery (the artery located in the upper arm) flow increased 26% compared with baseline measures. In contrast, when they listened to music that made them feel anxious, the brachial arteries narrowed by 6%. Blood flow increased by 19% during the humorous video phase and by 11% during the relaxation phase. The study results were presented in November at the Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association.

I asked Dr. Miller how joyful music creates this positive vascular response. He hypothesized that “endorphin-like compounds released from the brain either directly or indirectly interact at the level of the endothelium to release nitric oxide, the chemical that causes vasodilation and a host of other cardio-protective effects.”

The impact of joyful music on the cardiovascular system is quite significant, on a par with what is achieved by engaging in regular aerobic exercise and even some medications. Dr. Miller suggested listening to joyful music 15 to 30 minutes several times weekly as an additional lifestyle measure to improve heart health. You don’t even need to be actively listening — background music can also be beneficial as long as you obtain the positive emotional response.

Interestingly, however, too much of a good thing (listening to the same joyful song over and over again) can reduce its positive cardiovascular effect. Dr. Miller suggests accentuating the response by choosing different selections and rotating them — he recommends listening to each song no more often than every two to four weeks.

Source(s):

Michael Miller, MD, is an associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and director, Center for Preventive Cardiology, University of Maryland Medical Center.