In a new report, the AHA claims all this sugar is making Americans fat and setting us up for diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and cardiovascular disease.

The AHA suggests slashing sugar consumption, big time! You’re average Joe sucks down 22 teaspoons of sugar each day.

The recommendation snipes at the beverage industry, with the AHA saying people should eat no more than 100 to 150 calories of added sugar per day. That’s 6 teaspoons for women, and 9 teaspoons for men.

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They have identified a new genetic mechanism, which controls the body’s fat-building process.

A gene called MCPIP (Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1 Induced Protein), controls the development of fat cells. Until now, a different protein, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma), had been universally accepted as the master controller of fat cell formation–technically called adipogenesis.

(You can now impress your friends by telling them, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma is like, sooo yesterday.)

Lead researcher Pappachan Kolattukudy (which is almost as hard to say as “peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma”), said MCPIP is potentially an ideal target for drugs, which would prevent the body from becoming resistant to insulin, and prone to type 2 diabetes.

They want to make a drug for this? Shocking!
How the “Wonder Drug” Will Work

According to Klattukudy, shutting down MCPIP, a regulator of fat cell formation and blood vessel formation which feeds the fat cell, will prevent obesity and the major inflammatory diseases resulting from obesity, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The findings of a mouse study will be published in the October issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
What To Do In The Meantime

I think my default reaction with these “breakthroughs” is knee-jerk skepticism. Even if they do find the right chemical concoction to knock out this gene, it will probably take many years.

Obesity treatments are advancing very quickly, and there is obviously an extraordinary amount of money to be made by discovering drugs and other treatments to cure obesity. If this ever gets developed, it will be used either as a preventative measure, halting people from getting fat in the first place, or as a treatment, preventing further weight gain.

So, for the near future, don’t put your healthy lifestyle on hold.

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Try the following tasty and quick to make salad dressings which can actually be a positive addition to your diet. ‘Good’ oils such as olive oil not only add flavour, but can actually help make the nutrients in your greens more accessible to your body. These delicious dressings will add extra zing to your salads while helping you keep up with your healthy lifestyle.

Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes

Shrimp salad dressing (2 tablespoons per serving)
1/2 medium onion, sliced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ?
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar ?
2 tablespoons water ?
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh basil ?chopped
2 tablespoons fresh dill ?chopped
1 teaspoon garlic ?finely chopped

Directions: Whisk together and serve over shrimp salad.

Hold the oil French dressing (2 tablespoons per serving, 38 calories yield: 14 servings)
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) reduced-sodium condensed tomato soup
1 tablespoon grated onion
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions: Whisk together and pour over your salad of choice.

Tuna salad dressing (2 tablespoons per serving)
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil ?
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice ?
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped ?
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions: Whisk together and drizzle over tuna salad.

Steamed asparagus dressing (2 tablespoons per serving)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice ?
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper ?
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard ? ?
1 teaspoon salt, if desired

Directions: Whisk together and pour over steamed asparagus.

Zesty Salad Dressing (2 tablespoons per serving, 20 calories, yield: 6 servings)
1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
1/4 cup chili sauce
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon steak sauce
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions: Whisk all of the ingredients. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Conclusion:
These 5 salad dressing recipes are not only going to make your salads more tasty, but definitely more healthy than any processed salad dressing you buy in a store. Try making more of the dressings and store them in a container to use for the week. Also feel free to add your favorite herbs to give these recipes a huge amount of variety.

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The study was presented to the American Chemical Society (ACS), and was led by Dr Joe Vinson, of the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania.

Previously, it was thought that the benefits of whole-grain snack foods (such as popcorn and breakfast cereals) were limited to the extra fiber they provide.

Dr Vinson said this:

But recently, polyphenols emerged as potentially more important. Breakfast cereals, pasta, crackers, and salty snacks constitute more than 66% of whole-grain intake in the US diet. This is the first study to examine total phenol antioxidants in breakfast cereals and snacks

Obviously, this research shouldn’t be used as an excuse to start eating giant tubs of popcorn–and remember that adding lots of sugar or salt is a nutritional no-no. However, plain air-popped corn, or that flavored with spices or seasonings, could make a great alternative snack to replace chips or candy.

With breakfast cereals, check the label. Many contain high amounts of added sugar. The researchers found that cold, oat-based cereals were higher in antioxidants than other varieties.

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The long-term success rates of diets is shockingly low. Figures vary on this, but at best, about 10% of dieters manage to maintain their new, lower weight.

So, what can you do to make sure you don’t stand on the scales one day only to realise you’re back to square one?
While You’re Dieting

There are several things you can do while losing weight to maximise your chances of keeping it off:

• Go slowly: The longer it takes you to lose weight, the more likely you are to maintain.

• Change your habits: Seek out a diet plan that helps re-educate your eating habits.

• Don’t ban foods: Banning foods (like chocolate, cheese, etc) can make you crave them even more. It can also cause problems when you come “off” your diet - you won’t have learnt to indulge sensibly in these.

• Take exercise: This will help you lose weight faster, plus establishing an exercise routine will help you maintain a steady weight once you’ve reached your target. The muscle you build up also helps out by burning extra calories, even when you’re at rest.

While You’re Maintaining

Once you’ve reached your target weight (ideally a BMI between 20 and 25), the hard work isn’t over. If you go straight back to how you were eating before your diet, of course you’ll gain weight. Instead:

• Increase calories gradually: If you were eating 500 calories fewer per day than your maintenance level, try going up just 250 per day for a couple of weeks - otherwise you may find you gain a couple of pounds straight away.

• Weigh regularly: Don’t hide the scales away. Keep weighing yourself weekly - you’ll quickly notice if your weight’s creeping up, and you can take early action.

• Stick to good habits: If you managed to kick the daily-candy-bar habit whilst dieting, don’t let it creep back in. If you switched from whole-fat milk to skim milk, stay with it.

• Get support: Many dieters who joined a group such as Weight Watchers stick with it after reaching their goal - the support and accountability helps them to maintain.

• Adjust when necessary: If you do find that you’ve put on a pound a week for a month, put yourself back on a diet. Keeping a food diary, avoiding dessert, or reducing all portions by a quarter can be enough to see those pounds drop off again.

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The answer is not as straight forward as you might think. Current research implies that slightly more fat is burned in the morning when a person exercises directly following the overnight fast. However, the low morning body temperature means that morning time has a naturally lower energy and blood flow resulting in a less intense workout.

Also a concern for exercising directly after an overnight fast is that your blood sugar levels are going to be extremely low and this can lead to light headedness. You may want to experiment with this to find out what is right for your body. Personally I love exercising in the morning as it provides a long lasting adrenaline rush throughout the day. But, I do like to have something quick to eat that is easily digestible right before I get ready to head out the door. Usually it consists of some oatmeal with bananas and a glass of skim milk to provide my muscles with some amino acids.

With all this said, let’s examine the pros and cons of exercise at the four main times of the day: morning, noon, afternoon and night.

Morning

Pros:

• Fewer distractions and schedule interruptions

• Raises your metabolism to burn more calories throughout the day

• Gives a physical and mental energy boost

• Easier to form exercise habit through morning exercise

• Cooler temperatures in the summer

Cons:

• Body temperature is at its lowest meaning less energy and blood flow

• Cold muscles are more prone to injury

Noon

Pros:

• Body temperatures are higher

• Can help regulate the amount of food you eat at lunch

• Improves blood flow to the brain for the afternoon

• Can make it a habit to walk at lunch time with an exercise buddy from work

Cons:

• Time constraints might not allow a full workout

• Lung function is worst at noon

• Distractions are readily available

Afternoon

Pros:

• Best time to exercise for endurance and for building muscle

• Body temperature is at best level

• Lung function is best

• Perceived exertion is lowest

• Stress relief after busy day

Cons:

• Distractions may keep you from exercising

• Evening

Pros:

• Muscles are warm and flexible

• Perceived exertion is low

• Can help regulate the amount of food you feel like for dinner

Cons:

• Need to wind down after exercising to fall asleep

• Distractions may keep you from exercising

So really when is the best time to exercise? The best time is the time that you are most likely to workout consistently. Exercise when and where you most enjoy it and you’ll be more likely to stick with your routine.

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This diet looks at restricting high Glycemic carbs to the morning only. If you are wondering why high Glycemic carbs are considered at all, the reason is because they help fuel your muscles and allow you to maximize the intensity of your workouts.

The other part of this diet looks at eliminating processed foods with the exception of instant oatmeal (although not as processed as most cereals), as the oats are a great source of fiber and carbohydrates which provide your muscles with the energy bursts they need to burn fat.

Lastly, high quality lean meats are essential to providing your body with amino acids they need to function, along with fruits and veggies to provide the vitamins and minerals. With all this in mind you will also notice that you will be eating 7 times a day and although you may consider some as snacks, let’s look at them as important meals that you don’t skip so you keep your metabolism high.

Try this diet for 4 weeks (you can have one cheat day a week to relax with what you eat, I like for it to be Saturdays when I’m out with friends and still try and moderate it a little). After 4 weeks you are guaranteed to see a noticeable reduction of body fat.

Ready? Here we go…
This is an example of a meal plan that you can follow to keep you ongoing with your fat loss efforts. Take this as a guide and be creative with substituting different lean meats, veggies, fruits and most importantly seasonings! Great substitutes for meats includes: tuna, prawns, chicken breast, black forest ham, extra lean beef, and 7oz sirloin stripped fat steak.

Meal 1 (as soon as you wake up)
1 cup instant oatmeal with ½ cup skim milk, sprinkled with cinnamon and microwaved for 90 seconds. Add a handful of frozen blueberries on top to give it some sweetness!

Meal 2 (2 hours later)
1 banana

Meal 3 (2 hours later)
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 tbsp mustard
8 oz turkey breast
½ tablespoon reduced fat mayo
As much spinach as you like
3 cherry tomatoes
Crushed black pepper to taste

Meal 4 (3 hours later)
1 apple/orange/nectarine

Meal 5 (2 hours later)
6 oz baked salmon with crushed garlic, cayenne pepper, lime juice, 1tbsp olive oil
1 cup brown rice
3 asparagus branches with your herb of choice and ½ tbsp butter
Small yam steamed with Cajun spice sprinkled on top

Meal 6 (2 hours later)
½ cup low-fat cottage cheese and 2 strawberries sliced on top

Meal 7 (2 hours later)
½ cup fresh pineapple

Now how about that meal plan? Not as bad as you thought right? Lots of fruits, veggies, lean meats and a good amount of protein and healthy carbohydrates. You can be creative with the fruits and veggies, and if you are feeling hungry still add more veggies of any kind (celery, carrots, peppers, onions etc.).

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This according to researcher Steven Blair, who called Americans’ physical inactivity “the biggest public health problem of the 21st century.”

Research has shown approximately 25 percent to 35 percent of American adults are inactive. Meaning they have sedentary jobs, no regular physical activity program, and are generally inactive around the house or yard.

Here’s a rundown of the findings:

• The ~50 million inactive people are virtually doubling their risk of developing numerous health conditions.

• The research comes primarily from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, which began in 1970 and includes more than 80,000 participants. They noted that fitness level was a significant predictor of mortality.

• The researchers periodically measured the participants’ body composition and body mass index, and each patient underwent a stress test. Researchers also looked at numerous other factors including the participants’ medical histories.

• One follow-up study of 40,842 longitudinal study participants, showed poor fitness level accounted for about 16 percent of all deaths in both men and women.

• This percentage was significantly higher than when other risk factors were considered, including obesity, smoking, high cholesterol and diabetes.

• The Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study also found that moderately fit men lived six years longer than unfit men.

• The study also showed that women who were very fit were 55 percent less likely to die from breast cancer than women who were not in good shape. This was after the researchers had controlled for BMI, smoking, family history of breast cancer and other possible risk factors.

• Blair also highlighted the benefits of exercise on the mind, referring to recent emerging evidence that activity delays the mind’s decline and is good for brain health overall.

• Doing something is better than doing nothing, and doing more is better than doing less.

It’s time to take action!

While this may seem like sort of a “duh” kind of revelation, when the stats are laid out in such blunt terms, it becomes harder to ignore.

So, while it’s popular nowadays to bash the importance of exercise when it comes to fat loss, there really is no debate about exercise being good for you… extending-your-life good for you.

And, let’s not forget that exercise not only adds years to your life, but also life to your years.

Here’s a quick and easy guide

• Find activities you enjoy and pursue them vigorously.

• Try something new - join a team, running or walking group, join a gym, get some exercise DVD’s, find an accountability partner, plan exercise-based family activities.

• Be sure to include resistance training amongst your exercise choices and seek professional guidance where necessary.

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Authors Kym Douglas and Cindy Pearlman have rounded them all up and made a book out of it: The Black Book of Hollywood Diet Secrets.

Whether or not you should take such a book seriously is questionable. Celebrity diet tips are at best silly and at worst dangerous. The tips are also anecdotal - how can you really be sure that Jennifer Lopez sniffs grapefruit oil and should you even care?

You too can look and feel like an A-lister:

• John Cusack avoids everythings white (flour, sugar, and wheat).

• Oprah Winfrey uses wulong slimming tea.

• Heidi Klum and Cindy Crawford take a few sips of vinegar before dinner because the “vinegar kills your hunger pangs”. (Interesting - because the Ultimate New York Diet counts Heidi Klum as one of its success stories — and vinegar-sipping is not a part of the plan).

• Apparently asparagus, parsley, and dried prunes are a celebrity staple due to their “ability to repress hunger and reduce bloating”.

• Carmen Electra and Jennifer Lopez carry around a vial of grapefruit oil. Apparently the “aroma that affects your liver enzymes, which activates the nerves that cause fats to be broken down and burnt off.”.

That’s about enough of celebrity wisdom. Who cares.

Being a first-rate version of yourself always beats being a second-rate version of someone else.

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The research was led by the University of Exeter, and involved eight men, aged 19 - 38. The men performed a series of cycling tests on exercise bikes, after six consecutive days of drinking:

* 500mls a day of organic beetroot juice

* 500mls a day of a placebo, blackcurrant cordial

After drinking beetroot juice, the group were able to cycle for an average of 11 minutes, 25 seconds — 92 seconds longer than when using the placebo. This translates into a 2 per cent reduction in the time taken to cover a set distance.

It’s thought that the nitrate in the beetroot improved stamina by reducing the oxygen cost of exercise. The reduction in the beetroot-drinkers’ oxygen use was found to be greater than with any other method, including training.

There was also a reduction in the participants’ resting blood pressure. This supports a 2008 study which found drinking beetroot juice lowered blood pressure.

Lead researcher, Professor Andy Jones, said:

We were amazed by the effects of beetroot juice on oxygen uptake because these effects cannot be achieved by any other known means, including training … I am sure professional and amateur athletes will be interested in the results.

This was an extremely small study, and it will be interesting to see the results of future research into this area.

In the meantime, why not try swapping your regular glass of orange or apple juice for beetroot juice? Just one warning: if you develop a taste for it, don’t be surprised if you see the effects of “beeturia” - where your urine turns pink or red!

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