We've long heard that the Mediterranean Diet is how all of us should eat. The diet, inspired by the coastal cuisine of such countries as Greece, Italy and southern France, is characterized by its abundant portions of fruits and vegetables, frequent meals of fish and poultry, use of olive oil and spices for seasoning, and red wine in moderation. Red meat and butter are limited, and grains are mostly whole. The diet has been studied for its effects on heart disease, weight loss, cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. And it's arguably a more pleasurable way of eating than, say, the strict Paleo and Ketogenic diets, or the faddish but not necessarily effective low-carbohydrate diet.

But it won't work if you're poor.

That's the latest finding from a team of Italian researchers, who studied 18,000 men and women over a four-year period. They found that the Mediterranean Diet reduced the risk of heart disease by 15 percent - but only for people who made more than approximately $46,000 a year. There were no observed cardiovascular benefits for people who made less than that amount.

The study, which was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, also found that highly educated people - who may be likely to have higher incomes - did better on the diet, in part because they selected a wider variety of vegetables and were more likely to eat whole grains. The more varied a person's diet is, the more types of nutrients they consume. Highly educated participants were also more likely to buy organic food.

The study "found that higher-SES subjects tend to consume more organic vegetables which can contain higher concentrations of antioxidants, lower concentrations of cadmium and a lower incidence of pesticide residues, as compared with conventionally grown foods. We might then speculate that the quality of the bundle of foods that make up the MD actually differs across SES."

So, it doesn't just matter that you adhere to the tenets of the Mediterranean Diet - it matters what kind of foods you pick within its framework, how that food was grown and how you prepare it. The findings will inevitably contribute to the ongoing discussion of food inequality, or how access to healthful food is a tenet of social justice.

We have long known that poorer Americans lack access to nutritious food and full-service grocery stores. They are more likely to rely on processed or fast foods. One recent study found that this nutritional gap is widening. "Price is a major determinant of food choice, and healthful foods generally cost more than unhealthful foods in the United States," that study said. It also found a link between education and healthy eating, suggesting that programs to teach low-socioeconomic status people how to choose and prepare cheap healthy meals - and the benefits they can derive from such choices - are important.

And that's what the Italian research team's takeaway is. "These results support the need to adopt more effective strategies aiming to reduce socioeconomic disparities in health, not only by promoting the adoption of healthy eating patterns but also by facilitating access to foods with higher nutritional values," they wrote.

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The Mediterranean diet works but not if you're poor, a study finds - Chicago Tribune

by Brittany Ford, FOX 11 News

A look at one of the items on the menu when Packers players stay at St. Norbert College for training camp. (WLUK/Mike Raasch)

DE PERE (WLUK) -- If you're a Packers player, your diet is just as important as your performance.

During training camp, chefs at St. Norbert make sure the players are served a variety of tasty, and nutritious meals.

In the Michels Ballroom, at St. Norbert College, Packers players eat their meals.

St. Norbert Chef T.W. Stanciu has been cooking at training camp for 13 years.

As the players stay on campus, the university provides both a snack, and dinner.

FOX 11 got a sneak peek at one of the menu items.

T.W. says during the players stay there is usually a rotating menu.

"We'll repeat most of the items, but I'll watch what they eat, if they like it we'll put it on," said T.W. Stanciu.

He says over the years, they have taken a healthier approach to the menu, hints the kale in this burger.

"We like to use buffalo meat, because it's better for the athletes," he said. "Back six year ago, they weren't eating as healthy, we had snacks, candy, malts but we switched that up," he said.

He says the players' diet mostly consist of vegetables, fruits, carbs, and protein.

"You wouldn't think an omelet after 8:30 at night, would be something you want to eat, but they love it," Stanciu said.

As he topped of the burger, and put it out for display.

"This something we'll probably we'll serve for the Green Back Packers during Training Camp," Stanciu said.

He says training camp is a time the college looks forward to each year.

"It's nice to see the progress over the years," he said.

St. Norbert and the Packers have the longest standing relationship between a college and Pro football team. 2017 marks 60 years.

See the article here:
Packers players' diet includes veggies, fruits, carbs, and protein - Fox11online.com

If you want to lose weight, theres always the option of eating less. Of course, that may be too complicated a solution for many of us who want to see quick results, like losing eight pounds before going out for dinner tonight with friends we havent seen since high school.

Instead, you could always follow one of these popular dieting plans:

The Atkins Diet. Named after the renowned guitarist Chet Atkins, this diet requires you to try to eat while you are also trying to remember the chord progression of I Wanna Hold Your Hand. Nutritionally speaking, this is like trying to tap your head, pat your tummy and solve a quadratic equation at the same time. You will become so frustrated trying to do it all you will give up food completely during this diet and never be able to solve a quadratic equation.

The Low-Fat, High-Carb Diet. Whenever you sit down at the table, you divide your food into those with a low amount of fats, like celery stalks and facial tissues, which you put on the left. High-carb foods, like your Subarus carburetor, you put on the right. You stare at both piles, then you pull up pictures of Twinkies on your smartphone and begin to salivate, thus losing water weight.

The High-Fat, Low-Carb Diet. This is exactly like what the Low-Fat, High-Carb Diet feels like when it is staring in the mirror.

The South Beach Diet. Spend all the time you would normally devote to eating walking south on the beach and scorching your toes on burning hot sand. This will keep your mind off Twinkies, unless you happen to step on a discarded Twinkie wrapper. For dietary variety, step on some jagged sea shells, which will take your mind off your scorched toes.

The Mediterranean Diet. On this diet, you are allowed to only eat highly seasoned water that has been imported directly from the Mediterranean and put in an expensive bottle that you might be able to dangle from your belt loop. The premium version of the diet includes an all-expenses-paid trip to Greece and a stay at an AirBnB where the hosts are impossibly thin and extra virgin.

The Paleo Diet. The idea behind this diet is that if you could hunt and gather it, you can eat it. That means yes to meats, fruits and veggies, but no to Devil Dogs, caramel popcorn and Good & Plenty, unless you have a license to hunt Good & Plenty during the fall breeding season.

Remember, no cereal grains, legumes, dairy and potatoes on this diet, which makes it difficult. But while research isn't conclusive, one small study has found that after three weeks on this diet, subjects had dropped an average of five pounds, mainly by tearing their hair out.

The Good & Plenty Diet. For breakfast, eat the white ones first, then the pink ones. Then for lunch, work in the opposite direction, balancing your intake. For dinner, gobble them both up at the same time. You may not lose weight, but youll make your dentist happy.

Neil Offen can be reached at theneiloffencolumn@yahoo.com. Past columns can be found at http://www.theneiloffencolumn.wordpress.com.

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Choosing your diet plan Neil Offen - Durham Herald Sun (blog)

To better understand the relationship between a Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular health, a team of Italian scientists recently turned to the data in the Moli-Sani cohort study, a longitudinal study of the cardiovascular health of thousands of people in southern Italy.

Across a sample of nearly 19,000 people aged 35 and older, researchers saw a 15% average decrease in participants risk of cardiovascular incidents for every two-point jump on the scientists nine-point scale of diet adherence. That wasnt terribly surprising: previous studies have linked the plant-rich diet to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

But upon closer inspection of the data, the researchers realized that those benefits werent equally distributed. They only appeared for the well-off and well-educated. Participants with post-secondary education saw a 57% decrease in cardiovascular risk after following the diet, and those earning more than 40,000 (about $47,000) a year saw a 61% decrease. Those of lower socioeconomic status saw no benefits.

Adhering optimally to a Mediterranean diet is not enough, co-author and epidemiologist Marialaura Bonaccio told Quartz via email. Other factors beyond quantity and frequency of Mediterranean food appear to influence future health outcomes: one of them may be quality of foods.

A Mediterranean diet consists primarily of plant-based foods, with smaller proportions of seafood, dairy products, and meat. Those broad guidelines allow for a lot of individual variation.

The foods eaten by subjects of this study varied widely depending on their socioeconomic status. The more educated the participants, the more likely they were to report eating a broader variety of vegetables, plus more whole grains and organic vegetables. More educated participants had daily diets that contained higher proportions of monounsaturated fats like those found in olive oil and nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and fiber. Meanwhile, higher-income study subjects ate more whole grain breads, fruits, nuts, and fish, and fewer meat products than subjects with lower incomes.

The Italian study couldnt answer precisely why the diets effectiveness varied by income and education. Previous research in the US found nutritional inequalities between the rich and poor, driven by both knowledge of what constitutes nutritious food andmore importantlythe means to buy it.

It is reasonable to think that higher socioeconomic groups are more conscious of what a healthy diet is and have greater material resources to afford a healthy dietary style, Bonaccio said.

Read the original here:
The Mediterranean diet works for the wealthy and well-educated ... - Quartz

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Obesity is a risk factor for numerous disorders that afflict the human race, so understanding how to maintain a healthy body weight is one of the most urgent issues facing society. By 2025, it is estimated,18 percentof men and 21 percent of women will be obese worldwide.

In the U.S. alone, 68.8 percentof people are already classified as overweight or obese. The U.K., meanwhile, has one of the greatest problems in Western Europe67 percentof men, 57 percentof women and a quarter of children are overweight.

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In order to lose and maintain a healthy weight, public health policy typically advises eating fewer caloriesby reducing the calorie content of food items or reducing portion size, for example. We propose, however, that simply choosing food items with reduced calories is not necessarily the best way to maintain a low weight.

There are hundreds of diets that, for a period, reduce calorie intake and in this way decrease body weight. But the number of those who are dieting at any one time demonstrates that this is not a long-term solution. Every year in the U.K., 65 percentof women and 44 percentof men try to reduce their weight, by, for example, decreasing fatty or sugary foods or eating smaller portions.

It is estimated that a quarter of people are always trying to lose weight. Mason Masteka/Flickr

Surveys also estimate that a quarter of people are always trying to lose weight, or "yo-yo dieting." The constant dieting to lose weight, subsequent weight gain and further weight loss are part of a cycle that repeats itself for these people. Losing weight is much easier than maintaining weight loss, yet for health reasons we need to retain the lower weight.

Although cutting calories can cause weight loss, it does not follow that if a person returns to their usual diet they will maintain their new low weight. In fact, studies have found that after a low calorie diet, between one- and two-thirds of people regain more weight than they had lost initially.

The fundamental problem with cutting calories is that the human body defends its original weight. Evolution has produced a body that anticipates future famine, with the result that when you reduce calorie intake there are strong physiological pressures to replace the lost energy.

For example, dieting causes the gut to release a range of hormones that increase appetite: changes that are still apparent after the diet is over. Leptinwhich makes one feel satisfied and fullhas been found to be still reduced a year after dieting has finished, while ghrelin, a hormone which stimulates appetite, remains raised. So even a year after a person finishes their diet, they will feel hungrier than when they started dieting, and still anticipate a higher food consumption than before the diet.

Reducing food intake also reduces the bodys metabolic rate and production of body heat. The resulting lower energy consumption helps a more thrifty body to return to its initial weight, as fewer calories are needed to fulfill these basic bodily functions.

There is also increasing evidence that dieting changes taste-sensitivity. For example, those who have recently lost weight rate the taste of sugar as more pleasant.

Dieting makes sugar taste more appealing. USembassy.gov

When low-calorie versions of foods are unknowingly consumed, there is a subconscious tendency to replace lost calories by changing other aspects of the diet. In one study, researchers gave artificially sweetened drinks to unknowing participants who were used to drinking sugary drinks. The scientists found that although on the first day the participants consumed fewer carbohydrates, from the second to the seventh day, the overall energy intake was unaffected: They made up for the lack of calories in the sweetened drinks with energy from other foods and beverages.

The overwhelming message is that the price of freedom from obesity is eternal vigilance. When the initial attention associated with dieting dissipates, basic biology ensures that weight is regained. For the weight-conscious, actively counting calories can be successful, but losing weight and keeping it off can only work if ones calorie intake becomes an issue high on the agenda.

The passive removal of caloriesfor example, when a manufacturer reduces portion size, or a government requests that chocolate bars should not contain more than 250 calorieswill only be influential if an individual persistently monitors overall calorie consumption. Without this psychological engagement, basic human biology will take over, and any lost calories will be replaced.

David Bentonis professor of psychology atSwansea University.

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How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off? Eternal Dieting Vigilance - Newsweek

New research shows bear bait makes up more than 40 percent of a black bears diet in northern Wisconsin. Researchers say bait could be playing a role in the high density of bears up north. The region is home to around 20,400 bears.

Dave MacFarland, large carnivore specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, co-authored the findings published in the Journal of Wildlife Management last month.

"It was a study designed to better understand the ecology of bears in the state and the role that the various foods on the landscape play in the population," said MacFarland. "That gives us information on the impact of regulations. Its sort of a first step to better understanding the role of bait in bear diet."

Baits often consist of high-calorie foods like meat, candy or cookies.MacFarland, along with researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison,sampled bear bait and native foods in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest for the study. They then compared those samples to tissues taken from black bears during the 2011-2013 hunting seasons.

The study was restricted to areas that were primarily forest and wetlands to minimize the influence of crop cover on results.

The Wisconsin DNR estimates around 4 million gallons of bear bait are used annually on the landscape, and researchers noted northern Wisconsin black bears had a higher percentage of bait in their diets than food-conditioned bears in Yosemite National Park.

Female black bears that eat bait have been known to experience increased fertility, but researchers say further study is needed to assess the impact of baiting policies on the bear population.

"Itd also be interesting to see what in states with different policies and different regulations what role bait is playing in the diet of those bears, said MacFarland. "Theres some more work potentially to be done, but I think its an important first step in us better understanding this.

The baiting period in Wisconsin is roughly three times longer than neighboring states Michigan and Minnesota. The state allows baiting from April 15 through early October.

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Research Says Bait Makes Up More Than 40 Percent Of Bear Diets In Northern Wisconsin - Wisconsin Public Radio News

To the editor: The Times fails its readers with its sophomoric characterization and reductive understanding of the issue and the people affected. (Blowback over road diets, Editorial, July 30)

We are not "selfish," we are concerned residents who want safety and honest representation.

We want emergency personnel to move quickly, not be stuck in traffic.

We want to turn right without hitting cyclists.

We want local businesses to flourish, not lose money. We want [L.A. City Councilman Mike] Bonin to understand that surveys from 1% of Mar Vista's residents do not equal "extensive outreach" or "clamoring" for this change.

We want safe streets, not dangerously designed, clogged ones.

Catherine Melody, Mar Vista

..

To the editor: Your editorial was excellent, but missed a very important aspect of the problem.

Yes, our neighborhoods are drive-throughs for commuters. My street in Venice has become a narrow and dangerous freeway that is used by South Bay and Playa Vista drivers to get to jobs in Santa Monica. Most cars speed down the street and almost none stop at the stop signs. There is a park at the end of my street, and there are kids everywhere.

I have tried unsuccessfully to get traffic law enforcement or even just speed bumps. LAPD and Bonin say that they don't have any officers to ticket the speeders. Less enforcement results in more violations of the law.

It isnt the job of the L.A. city government to ease the drive of these people to and from work. It is their job to make our city streets safe. When will they start to do so?

Jack Schwartz, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: Regarding road diets, you point out that the loudest critics of the Vista del Mar reconfiguration dont live there.

Who lives there? Commuters were the only ones impacted.

You mention that taking half of the traffic lanes might slow traffic. Might? Really? Try standstill.

And why add bike lanes when just a few yards away theres a bike path on the beach?

Sure, cutting car speeds from 40 to 20 mph reduces the chance of pedestrian fatality. Why stop there? If we all travel at 10 miles per hour there will be no fatalities.

We dont do that because it makes no practical sense. Neither do road diets.

Paul Konwiser, Manhattan Beach

..

To the editor: The juvenile characterization of the hundreds of thousands of folks who live too far from their jobs to bicycle or use our meager transit system as homicidal narcissists is unworthy of an essay on the serious and complex issue of how to make this city work better.

At best, the so-called road diet is little more than a high visibility feel-good vote getter that may or may not actually save lives.

Allen Coulter, Burbank

..

To the editor: Your editorial depicting motorists as insensitive louts was ridiculous and an insult to every resident in this city who drives to work.

The fact of the matter is that because of the great distances in L.A., most people simply have no choice but to use their cars to reach their places of employment.

Thats how Los Angeles was designed from the beginning. Until the city can come up with a mass transit system that truly eliminates traffic, people will continue to commute by car.

The road diets were a bad idea, and worse than that, they were implemented without the publics input.

The resulting furor that it caused is a prime example of bad planning and ineffective city management.

Charles Reilly, Manhattan Beach

..

To the editor: Your editorial needed to spell out that some of the loudest critics of the traffic lane changes in Playa del Rey live in the affluent cities of Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach.

These rich commuters feel that they have a right to drive through L.A. city residential neighborhoods at high speeds to avoid 405 traffic. (The driving speeds in their safe beach cities are much lower.)

Meena Rao, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: I disagree strongly with your endorsement of the city's Vision Zero program. The reasons for eliminating traffic lanes may be very altruistic, but they are not realistic.

A large number of people cannot ride bikes or reach their destinations via public transportation.

The resulting horrific traffic jams lead to increasingly frustrated drivers, leading to more road rage.

Return our lanes, and continue to encourage people who can use alternative transportation to do so.

Myra Kraus, West Los Angeles

To the editor: The tone of the editorial that people from the South Bay are selfish and anti-safety is not true. Bonin's apology was condescending.

It's not about parents coming home late and missing reading time with their toddlers. Doctors, nurses, emergency workers and thousands of other people are impacted by the unpredictable extra road time every day.

The problem is with Bonin and L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti and their pet project to get cars off the road. It's certain to take a long time to get this vanity pilot project properly corrected, and at what cost to the citizens?

Joyce Handschmacher, Manhattan Beach

..

To the editor: It's true that residents of South Bay beach cities Manhattan, Hermosa, and to some extent Redondo use Vista del Mar as a way to commute to Culver City and the Westside.

They have done so for decades, thereby taking traffic away from the 405, which should merit applause, not criticism.

Julie Bisceglia, Manhattan Beach

..

To the editor: Venice Boulevard is the best way for those of us who live west of Lincoln to travel east weekday afternoons, since Washington is not direct and I-10 is nearly impassable.

The only thing wrong with the Venice road configuration is the section where Venice Boulevard loses a car lane on each side for about a mile, causing a bottleneck that slows traffic to a crawl, making it harder for emergency vehicles and buses to get through.

I write this as a man who cycles more than he drives, often down Venice Boulevard.

Bring back the old street configuration, with 3 lanes of traffic on each side, a lane for parking and a bike lane.

Paul Suchecki, Venice

..

To the editor: Is it possible that the government just might be totally wrong and the people absolutely right when it comes to the misguided notion that bicycles should have equal access to our city streets ?

Taking away needed traffic lanes in the name of increased bicycle use is a myth. All that has been created is an animosity that people trying to get to work in a reasonable amount of time are somehow the bad guys.

As an avid bicyclist, the changes that have been made make my plight more dangerous because drivers cannot see me at stop signs and intersections.

Im a member of the Parking and Transportation Committee for the Venice Neighborhood Council, and we had nearly 100 people at our recent meeting. An overwhelming number opposed these ridiculous changes.

The only ones in support were not-for-profit bicycling advocates, city bureaucrats and non-Venice residents pretending to speak for those phantom supporters of this ill-conceived and poorly planned proposal.

Nick Antonicello, Venice

The writer is a member of the Parking and Transportation Committee of the Venice Neighborhood Council

..

To the editor: I have lived three blocks from Venice and Centinela in Mar Vista for 40-plus years. I was ignorant of the fact that this intersection was included in the most dangerous in Los Angeles and worthy of a road diet.

I have utilized this intersection almost twice a day for most of those years going to work and back and have never witnessed an accident. I guess I'm not there at the appropriate time.

The new configuration of only two lanes in each direction on Venice is clearly a mess. It's one lane when someone tries to parallel park.

I did not receive any documentation for any kind of input, ideas and or suggestions pertaining to this Vision Zero concept. Just wait till school starts and the traffic increases.

The increased population density is the real problem.

Glenn Zweifel, Mar Vista

..

To the editor: The city needs to focus on creating win-win solutions, rather than pitting cyclists vs. motorists and making both sides more resentful of each other.

Los Angeles needs to crack down on hit-and-run drivers. Letting drivers who've injured people avoid accountability while punishing all motorists via lane removal is not useful.

Then the city needs to expand the network of cycling options on secondary streets, so cyclists can take advantage of lighter traffic and motorists can use major thoroughfares.

Finally, the city needs to look at repurposing/augmenting existing infrastructure for cyclists/pedestrians. There are lots of lesser-known aqueducts, access roads, and even larger storm drains (during the dry seasons) that could offer nonroad cycling and walking routes.

John Brown, Los Angeles

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Original post:
We want safe streets, not 'road diets' and we are not 'selfish' - Los Angeles Times

GIF

The late-night spoons of ready-made frosting were the best. The preteen thrill of sneaking downstairs to the fridge and plunging a spoon into an open can of sweet and creamy vanilla sludge made the treat all the sweeter as it melted over my tongue and then slid down my throat.

My parents caught onto my clandestine snacking. My pediatrician had already warned my parents to rein in my eating habits and my growing belly. Dadwho overindulged without shame in the light of dayteased me about it. Mom had even made me wear a snap-on modesty apron below my bikini top to hide the pooch.

So with the typical ambivalence of a tween girl, I felt both exposed and defiant. I plotted my next secret rebellion: lifting sugar packets from the table at restaurants when no one was looking, excusing myself to go to the restroom and, once safely hidden in a stall, pouring the crystals down my gullet. The seediness of the location made it feel all the more right.

My love affair with sugar was deep, unruly and destructive. Over the years, as my weight fluctuated, the affair would lure me into unhealthy and frequent transactions with the Carrot Cake Man of Philadelphia (his bakery was just down the street from my home!) and convince me that it was totally healthy to eat a massive slice of Mississippi mud pie in one sitting, as long as it was vegan. Even co-editing a book with the words Choosing Health and Wellness in its title and a chapter on Recognizing and Preventing Diabetes couldnt break up the affair. Sugar has the power to make hypocrites of us all.

Eventually I developed a pretty healthy lifestyle in order to control another health condition that I could not ignore: high blood pressure. I avoided most dairy items and fried foods, as well as sodas and sugary drinks. I even ran in the park a couple of days a week.

Then came a series of life-altering breakups. The first happened to my marriage, an upheaval that robbed me of sleep, sending me to the doctor in search of relief. She required me to go through a complete, standard physical exam, and then called me with the news that finally forced me to separate with sugar, too: I was within a hairs breadth of becoming diabetic.

The evidence was the results from an A1C test, one of several that reflect ones blood sugar level. A normal reading is below 5.7. A reading of 5.7 to 6.4 is considered prediabetic, which means that, like more than 1 in 3 Americans, you have a high risk of developing diabetes. Above that, you are diabetic. My reading was 6.3.

Shock is an inadequate word for what I was feeling. I had never had a prediabetic result that I could remember. Sure, I knew that African Americans are at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, the most common type, in which the body doesnt use insulin properly to move glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into the bodys cells. (With the rarer Type 1 diabetes, insulin is not produced at all and must be injected.) I knew that I had high blood pressure, another risk factor, though it was being managed. I even knew I had relatives with Type 2 diabetesyet another risk factor. So why had the doctors diagnosis blindsided me?

It was because I had gotten the message from doctors and health organizations that people get diabetes when they indulge in an unhealthy lifestyle. Any black woman who consumes health information is likely to know that we have been singled out as the group with the highest rate of overweight or obesity in the U.S., exceptional for the wrong reason in a society where thin is in.

The diagnosis made me feel like the 11-year-old in the apron bikini pouring sugar down her throat all over again. Having a grandmother and an uncle who had developed diabetes in midlife was reason enough, said my doctor, interrupting my reverie. She advised me to cut back on sugar and food with high glycemic loads that could cause my blood sugar to spike quickly, such as complex carbohydrates (also known as starchy foods). I was to replace them in smaller portions with fiber-rich, low-glycemicload foods that are digested more slowly, and then come back in a month to see if I should be put on medication to avoid developing full-blown diabetes.

As I left her office, the specter of amputated limbs, blindness and painful neuropathyall complications of diabeteshaunted me. Oh no, I thought. That will not be me.

Desserts (yes, all desserts) and energy bars were replaced with homemade dried-fruit-and-nut trail mix and vegan fruit smoothies. As my palate adjusted to less sweetness, I stepped down to healthier fresh fruit, which, in moderation, is now the only type of dessert I haveexcept my once-yearly vegan birthday cupcake. Juicing, which concentrates sugar, is out. I dont miss it. Whole fruits and vegetables are better, and tasty when your palate is no longer stunned by sugar.

Proper portion control with complex carbs rather than simple carbs was the bigger challenge, because they were the real trigger foods for me. Remember the old saying, You cant just eat one potato chip; you have to finish the whole bag? That was me with white rice, regular pasta, noodles, potatoes and any kind of chips. I switched to smaller portions of the whole-grain versions, which made me feel full a lot sooner anyway.

Meanwhile, I had cranked up the twice-weekly running habit with a lifelong dream in my sights: to run the New York City Marathon.

Little more than a month later, I came back to the doctor. After a brief examination, during which she noted that I had lost more than 5 pounds, she said that nonetheless she would put me on medication to prevent diabetes. Most people cant move the needle in such a short time, she explained. Test my blood sugar first, I insisted.

When the results came back, it was time for the doctor to be shocked. My A1C was within normal range, and it has been ever since. Within six months, I would lose another 20 pounds. Within two years (and newly divorced), I ran the Chicago Marathon and, a year later, the New York City Marathon.

Five years since my prediabetes diagnosis, I still have normal blood sugar readings, a continued passion for running, and a clear understanding that I simply have to work harder than others to stay healthy and avoid diabetes. Its simply in my makeup, as it is for many other black people.

Getting past the feeling of being shamed came with having a frank conversation with my physician that went beyond lose weight to here are your numbers and the steps tailored to your life and physiology that you can take to improve them.

That customized approach is key. Theres not one diet that is appropriate for every person with diabetes, or prediabetes, explains William T. Cefalu, M.D., chief scientific, medical and mission officer at the American Diabetes Association. It needs to be a flexible nutrition plan, and it needs to be tailored to the individuals needs, their activityand, basically, what works for that patient. For some, medication is also necessary, he added.

As I had been, 90 percent of prediabetic people are unaware of their condition. With so many people at risk, I recommend that anyone reading this educate him- or herself at DoIHavePrediabetes.org or Diabetes.org. Theres no shame in itonly the risk of having a tawdry rendezvous with better health.

Sheryl Huggins Salomon is senior editor-at-large at The Root. Follow her on Twitter.

Continued here:
How Shame, Secrets and Sugar Get Between Us and Better Health - The Root

It's important to stay hydrated, especially in the summer.

Michelle Dunaway and Grace Derocha, a registered dietitian with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, explain you don't just have to hydrate using plain old water.

Studies show that 75 percent of Americans drink significantly less water than what is recommended daily. A common misconception is that dehydration results solely from water loss, however, it can also stem from chronic illness, medication, caffeine/alcohol intake and several other factors. Paired with long periods of time in the heat, cases of dehydration can escalate into more serious health issues including muscle cramps, severe exhaustion or heat stroke. Throughout summer, its important to keep in mind the dangers of dehydration and how to enjoy the warmer weather safely.

Learn the Signs

It can be easy to overlook some of the beginning stages of dehydration, especially on busy summer days. While it varies among individuals, some of the most common signs of dehydration include:

Confusion or lethargy

Decreased urine output

Diarrhea

Dizziness

Dry mouth

Dry skin

Fainting

Fever

Headache

Low blood pressure

Rapid heart rate

Thirst

Tired or sleepy

Urine is more yellow

Vomiting

Weakness

Whos at Risk?

Although dehydration is a leading cause of hospital visits for seniors, it affects people of all ages. The recommendation for water intake depends on a variety of factors including diet, lifestyle, activity levels, pre-existing conditions and environment. For five to eight-year-olds, the recommendation is one liter daily. Nine to 12-year-olds should get in 1.5 liters and children ages 13 and older should be consuming up to two liters of water each day. A general rule of thumb for adults is to aim for at least half ones body weight in ounces of water daily. Athletes and individuals managing diabetes or kidney disease, among other chronic illnesses, should consult their primary care provider to determine the appropriate daily water intake.

Simple, Safe Measures

Fortunately, there are a variety of convenient ways children, adults and seniors can stay hydrated. Some methods include:

Hydrating Foods: Approximately 80 percent of hydration comes from liquids, while 20 percent comes from foods. Incorporating a variety of vegetables and fruits that naturally hydrate is a great way to avoid dehydration. Water-dense foods include celery, cucumbers, strawberries and watermelon. Its also important to consume foods that increase the bodys electrolyte-count such as cheese, milk, pickles and yogurt.

Get Creative: For some, drinking water is a tedious task. To add flavor without compromising hydration, consider infusing fruits and herbs or freezing fusions into healthy, hydrating Popsicle. Another option is to drink coconut water, natural juices or a sparkling water beverage. Keep in mind that coffee, tea, pop and other caffeinated drinks are diuretics that naturally decrease the amount of fluid in the body.

Friendly Reminders: If staying hydrated throughout the day isnt a habit, consider setting an alarm that acts as a reminder to drink two or three times an hour. Another great way to keep track of water intake is to mark times on a bottle to follow how much should be consumed at any given time of the day.

Dress in Light Colors: While dark-colored clothing is great for UV-protection, it absorbs heat and can raise the bodys temperature quickly. Because sweating contributes to dehydration, its best to wear lightweight, light-colored clothing with sunblock outdoors.

Cool Off: Whether its at a park, beach or in the backyardremember to take breaks from the heat. For every hour of physical activity, drink 16-31 ounces of water.

Peach Blackberry and Cucumber Salad - Inspired by Chef Savvy

Ingredients

Salad

3 cups mixed greens

1 whole peach, pitted, rinsed and sliced

cup blackberries

cup of cucumbers, diced (de-seeding is optional)

2 tablespoons feta cheese

2 tablespoons pecans, chopped

Balsamic Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon brown sugar

cup olive oil

Instructions

Salad

1. To assemble the salad fill two bowls with mixed greens.

2. Top with peaches, blackberries, cucumbers, feta cheese and pecans.

3. Drizzle with the Balsamic Vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1. In a small bowl combine balsamic vinegar and brown sugar.

2. In a slow steady stream whisk in the oil until combined and thickened. Set aside until ready to serve with the salad. If oil and vinegar separate whisk again right before serving. Enjoy!

Infused Water with Cantaloupe, Raspberry and Mint

Ingredients

Cantaloupe, cut into balls or chunks

Raspberries

Mint leaves

Water

Ice, optional

Instructions

1. Place desired amount of cleaned cantaloupe, raspberry and mint into glass or pitcher.

2. Fill cup or pitcher with water and ice, if desired.

3. Allow to sit for as little as 10 minute to overnight before drinking. Enjoy!

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Wellness for the Family: Healthy Foods that Hydrate, Infuse Water - 9&10 News