Less $=More Fat

In a society where fast food is more affordable and accessible than nutrient-rich greens, it comes as no surprise that obesity rates are higher for poor adults than for the well-off. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that a study conducted by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health revealed that obesity rates for poor adults were 9 percent higher than for the well-off, and the gap was even greater for children. One of our biggest misconceptions is that it's poor people's fault. The poor, without access to healthy foods, are making the best possible choices under difficult circumstances. The Inquirer highlights the struggle for the destitute to eat healthy, as they profile a resident of the First Congressional District of Philadelphia -- the "second-hungriest" sector in the United States.

Read more at the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Tips to Decrease Your Sugar Cravings this Holiday Season

• Eat regularly. Eat three meals and two snacks or five small meals a day. For many people, if they don't eat regularly, their blood sugar levels drop, they feel hungry and are more likely to crave sweet sugary snacks.

• Choose whole foods. The closer a food is to its original form, the less processed sugar it will contain. Food in its natural form, including fruits and vegetables, usually presents no metabolic problems for a normal body, especially when consumed in variety.

• Have a breakfast of protein, fat and phytonutrients to start your day off right. The typical breakfast full of carbs and sugary or starchy foods is the worst option since you'll have cravings all day. Eating a good breakfast is essential to prevent sugar cravings

• Try incorporate protein and/or fat with each meal. This helps control blood sugar levels. Make sure they are healthy sources of each.

• Add spices. Coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom will naturally sweeten your foods and reduce cravings.

• Move your body. Exercise, dance or do some pilates. Whatever movement you enjoy will help reduce tension, boost your energy and decrease your need for a sugar lift.

• Get enough sleep. When we are tired we often use sugar for energy to counteract the exhaustion.

• Keep sugary snacks out of your house and office. It's difficult to snack on things that aren't there!

• Don't substitute artificial sweeteners for sugar. This will do little to alter your desire for sweets. If you do need a sweetener, try Stevia, it's the healthiest.

• Learn to read labels. Although I would encourage you to eat as few foods as possible that have labels, educate yourself about what you're putting into your body. The longer the list of ingredients, the more likely sugar is going to be included on that list. So check the grams of sugar, and choose products with the least sugar per serving.

• Become familiar with sugar terminology. Recognize that all of these are sweeteners: corn syrup, corn sugar, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, honey, molasses, turbinado sugar and brown sugar.

• Sugar in disguise. Remember that most of the "complex" carbohydrates we consume like bread, bagels and pasta aren't really complex at all. They are usually highly refined and act just like sugars in the body and are to be avoided.

• Drink lots of water. Sometimes drinking water or seltzer water can help with the sugar cravings. Also sometimes what we perceive as a food craving is really thirst.

• Have a piece of fruit. If you give in to your cravings, have a piece of fruit, it should satisfy a sweet craving and is much healthier.

Carcinogenic Compounds In Gulf

Researchers testing the waters off Louisiana in June found hugely elevated levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, some of which are known carcinogens. The researchers from Oregon State University say that a device taking samples just off the shore of Louisiana's Grande Isle registered a 40-fold increase in PAHs between May and June.


What's worse is that the sampling device was specifically designed to measure the fraction of PAHs in the environment that could make their way through a biological membrane. "This is a measure of what would enter into an organism," said Kim Anderson, an OSU professor of environmental and molecular toxicology. "There was a huge increase of PAHs that are bio-available to the organisms -- and that means they can essentially be uptaken by organisms throughout the food chain."



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