Omega-3 fats found to have antidepressant effects in women
There is little doubt that food can affect brain function. For example, caffeine can enhance mental energy and alertness, while a lull in blood sugar levels can have the reverse effect. Another important nutritional factor in mental functioning are the so-called omega-3 fats that are found most plentifully in “oily” varieties of fish such as [...]
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Having a ‘healthy’ BMI is not necessarily as healthy as we think
The body mass index (weight in kg divided by the square of someone’s height in metres) is well-established as a marker for health. Generally speaking, we’re told that BMIs of 18.5 are “normal” and “healthy”, while those of 25.0-29.9 are “overweight”, and those 30 and above mark people out as “obese” There’s a number of [...]
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Diabetes costs ‘out of control’, and why this is no surprise given standard dietary advice for diabetics
I saw this story on the BBC website this morning. It concerns the costs of treating those with diabetes. Apparently, the cost of drugs for managing diabetes is rising (a lot), and now accounts for 7 per cent of the total amount spent on prescribing in the UK. Between 2000 and 2008 prescriptions for diabetic [...]
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Nonsense study being used to claim that meat causes weight gain
There’s a study doing the rounds that is being reported as evidence that “Atkins was wrong”. Apparently, according to those reporting the study, it shows that eating more meat generally causes increased weight gain over time [1]. To see a typical way in which this study is being reported, see here. Sitting on a plane [...]
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Low cholesterol levels associated with depression and other mental health issues
I know that some doctors and scientists would have us believe that, where cholesterol is concerned, “lower is better”, but I have real difficulty mustering any enthusiasm for this stance. And one major reason for this is the fact that low levels of cholesterol are associated with enhanced risk of death, perhaps most notably from [...]
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Multivitamin and mineral supplementation found to help fat loss and speed metabolic rate
While I am interested in many aspects of health, and in particular providing information that individuals can use to exert more control over their health and wellbeing, I do confess to having a particular interest in weight loss. One reason for this is that its an issue that is quite commonly on people’s mind. As [...]
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More evidence suggests that rapid weight loss leads to better results than slower progress
There’s a commonly-held notion that as far as weight loss is concerned, slow and steady wins the day. In other words, gradual weight loss (often advised in the order of 1-2 pounds a week) leads to better long term results than more rapid loss. I wrote about this back in May. This blog focused on [...]
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Not just what you eat, but how much believe you’ve eaten, determines how satisfying food is
When it comes to advising about what to eat for fat loss, I’m very much into quality over quantity. Eating a protein-rich diet which is relatively low in carb tends to work very well for the purposes of fat loss, even when no restriction is placed on calorie intake. Why? Well, one reason might be [...]
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Drug company accused of hiding hazards of diabetes drug rosiglitazone (Avandia)
Rosiglitazone is a drug used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Back in 2007 it emerged that this drug posed significant risks to the heart health of those who took it. These facts only emerged, however, as the result of independent analysis of data that rosiglitazone’s manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) had been forced to publish [...]
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Sedentary behaviour does not lead to weight gain (it’s the other way round)
I think it’s true that our preconceived ideas about something can make us somewhat rigid in our thinking and generally unable to consider other possibilities. By way of example, I’d like to recount an experience I had shortly after delivering a presentation in Edam in the Netherlands. During the presentation, I had been detailing some [...]
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