SAN DIEGO Wednesday evening, as clouds rolled over Petco Park, the Washington Nationals found a new way to win. Tom Gorzelanny concealed his smile after he smacked an RBI single on his way to a three-inning save. Starting pitchers kicked their feet up on the dugout railing. Hitters bumped fists at the helmet rack. Manager Davey Johnson sat back on the bench.

The Nationals had built the National Leagues best record on a steady diet of incredible pitching, one-run leads, antacid pills and chewed-off fingernails. Wednesday, they could finally relax with a 7-2 victory over the San Diego Padres, their largest margin of victory during an unprecedented, unexpected and unbelievable start.

After Jordan Zimmermanns stellar performance and an unusual outpouring of support for him, the Nationals had another series victory in their back pocket, 6 for 6 this year. They have a 14-4 record, the best start in Washington baseball history, matched only by the 1932 Senators. This laid-back victory put all the others 13 decided by four runs or fewer, eight decided by two or one in perspective.

Not that we can lay down late in the game, first baseman Adam LaRoche said. But its nice to know every pitch, every play isnt a potential loss. If we keep flirting with these one- and two-run games, one pitch, one base hit and we can lose. It hasnt happened. And its been awesome.

If the Nationals wanted to add another nip-and-tuck win, Zimmermann made it possible. He allowed one run in six innings on four hits and no walks to go with six strikeouts, which actually raised his ERA to 1.33, which ranks no better than third among Nationals starters.

For me, I always want to try to do better than the guy before, Zimmermann said. That would not be a problem on most staffs. But he follows Gio Gonzalez, who has a 20-inning scoreless streak. And Gonzalez follows Stephen Strasburg.

Before he allowed a home run in the fifth, Zimmermann extended the Nationals starting rotations scoreless streak to 26 innings, their longest such stretch since baseball returned to Washington. In 14 of 18 games this season, their starters have allowed two or fewer earned runs.

Theyre trying to compete against each other when theyre going out there, Johnson said. Its been fun to watch.

The difference Wednesday was, without Ryan Zimmerman but against the rancid Padres (5-14), the Nationals didnt need a great start. LaRoche went 3 for 3 with a walk, raising his on-base percentage to over .400 while producing his team-leading 14th RBI. The Nationals turned a one-run game into a blowout with a four-run seventh, paced by Wilson Ramoss two-run, bases-loaded single.

The Nationals could lose Zimmerman for another week. They have played all season without cleanup hitter Michael Morse and closer Drew Storen. It hasnt mattered.

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Nationals vs. Padres: Jordan Zimmermann gets rare run support as Washington cruises to win

Any diet other than omnivorous one containing meat can be somewhat inconvenient to follow due to availability of particular types of food, so why do these vegetarians all over campus even bother? With controversy over what diets are truly most healthy for humans, what reasons actually make someone go through the trouble following one of these strict diets?A vegetarian diet can be seen as healthier for mainly reasons regarding the higher risks of heart disease, some cancers and osteoporosis. Others choose this way of life due to religious or philosophical reasons. Some people simply choose not to consume meat because they may have job that entails working with animals and see an omnivorous diet as contradictory.

Not choosing to eat meat can be a silent protest against the way meat production is handled in the United States since the efficiency of beef production is significantly lower than that of plant-based products. Whatever the reason for the diet change, every food choice we make sends an economic message in support of the kind of food system that produced that food.

Vegetarianism many not be the best diet for everyone and not all can maintain a healthy diet without red meat, fish or poultry as a source of protein. That being said, we must recognize that not all of our meat is created equal.

As much as we may try to stay away from animal fats believing them to be bad for our health, some fats and oils are essential for health. There are ways to increase the health benefits of our meats by the diets farmers provide for their livestock.

The best way to do this is to feed ruminant livestock exclusively on grass and legume pastures. Currently, our agricultural system may not be ready for the change to all-pasture animal products, but the steady pressure of consumer demand can help make the change.

It is essential that as responsible consumers we understand the differences between organic meats, meat from grass-based systems, and meat from grass-fed livestock. Animal-product foods from animals with a natural diet are more healthful for both the animal and the human consumer.

They are also beneficial to agricultural land and water resources since livestock are not fed concentrate feeds produced from row-crops. A restructuring of our nations food system is in need, and it can be supported through our diet choices, vegetarian or omnivorous.

Jessica Anson is a student in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She may be reached atja399@cornell.edu.The Missing Link: Food & Agappears on Wednesdays.

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FOOD & AG: The Diet Dilemma

TUCSON - We all know a healthy diet and exercise is the best option when trying to lose weight and look better, but can diet and exercise alone surpass a tummy tuck?

Today on "Make Me Over" on News 4 at 4, Dr. Gwen Maxwell stopped by to discuss weight loss options, both surgical and non-surgical.

Here's what she had to say:

Yes, diet and exercise can surpass a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)...for some people. If the skin on the abdomen has good elasticity and if the underlying muscles are intact, diet and exercise would be the best option for improving the appearance of the mid-section. However, if the skin is loose with stretch marks and/or diastasis recti is present, then a tummy tuck is needed to remove the excess skin and tighten the underlying muscles. Diet and exercise resulting in additional weight loss is also beneficial after a tummy tuck. The additional weight loss can really enhance the results.

Here are some general guidelines on who can benefit from an abdominoplasty and who should try diet and exercise first. If you are overweight, diet and exercise with weight loss is recommended prior to an abdominoplasty or liposuction. After the weight-loss you may find that you do not need an abdominoplasty. As added benefits you'll save money and the abdominoplasty scar. After you have lost weight, if you have stretched loose skin in the midsection, you are an excellent candidate for an abdominoplasty. For those who have always been within range of their ideal weight but have excess skin or stretched abdominal muscles as a result of pregnancy, additional weight loss is not likely to correct the problem. An abdominoplasty will remove excess skin and tighten the underlying muscles.

Price Range of the Abdominoplasty Procedure in the Tucson Area: $6,500 to $8,700

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Make Me Over: Diet and exercise vs. the tummy tuck

Public release date: 25-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Zachary Rathner Zachary.Rathner@oup.com 301-841-1286 Journal of the National Cancer Institute

Government regulators and the scientific community should work to ensure that they give clear guidance to the public about dietary supplements and cancer risk, according to a commentary published April 25 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Evidence from animal, in vitro and observational studies has suggested that taking dietary supplements may lower cancer risk. However, the small number of randomized controlled studies, the gold standard in evidence-based medicine, has not confirmed thisand some studies have actually shown that supplements may increase cancer risk. Still, the supplement industry is booming, with estimated annual sales at $30 billion in the U.S.

To examine the potential role of dietary supplements and cancer risk, Maria Elena Martinez, Ph.D., of the University of California San Diego Moores Cancer Center and colleagues, looked at observational studies of several supplements, including anti-oxidants, folic acid, vitamin D, and calcium. Several observational studies found that diets high in fruits and vegetables were associated with lower risk of certain cancers, including respiratory and gastrointestinal. Specifically, with respect to anti-oxidant supplements, the authors found that: "The importance of oxidative stress for carcinogenesis does not establish that the administration of supplemental antioxidants will protect against the carcinogenesis that oxidative stress may induce." Furthermore, they write, "Supplementation by exogenous antioxidants may well be a two-edged sword; these compounds could, in vivo, serve as pro-oxidants or interfere with any of a number of protective processes such as apoptosis induction." Indeed, several antioxidant trials the researchers examined reported increased cancer risks with supplementation. They looked at trials with supplements using folic acid, vitamin D and calcium, among other compounds.

The researchers caution against taking dietary supplements for cancer prevention, adding that many expert committees and organizations have concluded that nutritional supplements have little or no benefit in cancer prevention. They say that more randomized control trialsspanning many years instead of just a feware needed to verify the effect of nutritional supplementation in cancer risk.

Meanwhile, people continue to take supplements, spurred by manufacturers' suggestions that supplements are healthy at best and harmless at worst. Furthermore, believers in supplements assume that they are well regulated, the authors write. "These beliefs underscore the need for efforts by scientists and government officials to encourage the public to make prudent decisions based on sound evidence with respect to use of dietary supplements for cancer prevention."

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Contact Info:

Scott LaFee, Senior Public Information Officer, UC San Diego Health Sciences Marketing and Communications, 619-543-6163, slafee@ucsd.edu

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Supplements and cancer prevention: A cautionary tale

Could trying to lose weight actually lead to weight gain in the long-run?

Research cited by the Daily Mail seems to point to the possibility that, in general, diets don't work long term.

A study by Joseph Proietto, a professor of medicine at the University of Melbourne, took 50 overweight men and 50 overweight women and put them on a 550 calorie diet for eight weeks. Then, over the next year, participants were given counseling to encourage healthy eating habits.

Though participants typically lost weight over the eight week diet, most regained a substantial amount of it over the next year and many reported feeling hungrier and more food obsessed than before the diet.

That's because, according to the study, the participants' brains released hormones making them feel like they were starving. Their metabolisms also slowed and more of the food they ate was stored as fat.

PhysOrg reported on similar research in 2007.

In that study, Traci Mann, UCLA associate professor of psychology lead a team of researchers that looked at 31 long-term diet studies and reached the conclusion that diets can actually make people gain weight.

"You can initially lose 5 to 10 percent of your weight on any number of diets, but then the weight comes back," Mann said, according to PhysOrg. "We found that the majority of people regained all the weight, plus more. Sustained weight loss was found only in a small minority of participants, while complete weight regain was found in the majority. Diets do not lead to sustained weight loss or health benefits for the majority of people."

But there is still hope for those looking to permanently shed pounds. It just takes more than a diet.

HULIQ spoke to trainer Julie Kocher-Zinkus who said permanent weight loss requires a lifestyle change.

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Why Diets Don't Work: Study Says Dieting Can Actually Cause Weight Gain In The Long Term

Lucy Pemoni/AP

Staying fit and eating well can help cancer survivors, too, a review of the latest evidence shows.

Eat right and exercise is about as basic as medical advice gets.

Follow it, and you'll benefit from better overall fitness, improved quality of life, and a reduced risk for chronic conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.

The American Cancer Society now says the evidence has piled up that diet and exercise can help cancer survivors manage, beat, and stay free of their disease, too.

"There's just been an explosion of research in this area that gives us the confidence that these things matter," Colleen Doyle, director of nutrition and physical activity for ACS, tells Shots.

Doyle is a co-author of the Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines for Cancer Survivors. Published this morning online by CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, the guidelines are based on the results of more than 100 studies released since 2006, the last time ACS weighed in on the issue.

Those studies "really spell out the benefits of weight control, of physical activity, and of healthy diet in terms of recurrence of cancer and surviving cancer," Doyle says.

They key recommendations are:

It's not rocket science. After all, these are the same things healthy people are told to do to maintain overall fitness. But for cancer survivors, the stakes are even higher: in addition to the risk of recurrence, they also tend to be at increased risk of developing a second primary cancer.

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Evidence Mounts That Diet, Exercise Help Survivors Cut Cancer Risk