21 May 2012
I’m trying to decide what to make of this study. It seems to find an inverse correlation between coffee drinking and cause-specific mortality. The media is getting pretty excited about it, but even the study itself is careful to say that whether the link was a causal or associational finding can’t be determined from the data.
Either way, I think it’s safe to say at this point that science has shown coffee doesn’t have seriously detrimental effects. Whether it will safe your life has yet to be determined.
Previous coffee-centric posts:
What to Order at Starbucks
To Coffee or Not to Coffee?
Five Things to Drink Instead of Sugary Coffee Drinks
What do you guys think of the new study?
7 May 2012
Let’s get this week rolling with a rundown of some of the latest nutrition news that’s caught my eye. Did I miss any interesting nutrition stories?
A Fish a Day Keeps the Doctor Away: It’s undeniable that eating oily fish has great benefits for cardiovascular health, but what about people who don’t like or eat fish? Researchers have the scoop on omega-3 supplements.
Ad Council Fights Childhood Obesity: And you thought Clear Channel was evil! The Ad Council joined forces with Clear Channel to run a series of radio ads about childhood obesity on 850 Clear Channel stations. The ads employ humor to promote healthy eating and exercise habits among children. Think they’ll have any effect on the kidlings?
Sports and Energy Drinks Damage Teeth: My boyfriend, who despite my pleading, still thinks Gatorade is a necessary end to any sort of intense workout, should read this. Terrifying quote: “Young adults consume these drinks assuming that they will improve their sports performance and energy levels and that they are ‘better’ for them than soda … Most of these patients are shocked to learn that these drinks are essentially bathing their teeth with acid.”
Revival Tips for Women on the Go: Do you live in a constant state of exhaustion? I know many women who do. This article has good tips for identifying causes of fatigue and taking steps to correct it.
Sperm May Feel the Weight of Extra Pounds:Though their sperm might not actually be heavier, overweight/obese men are more likely to have low sperm counts — or no sperm production at all.
25 April 2012
![thedailywhat:
Burger King Announcement of the Day: Burger King said today that it will begin buying eggs only from farms that don’t cage their hens — and similarly, pork only from producers that don’t use gestation stalls to confine sows — with a plan to complete the transition by 2017. The decision is the first of its kind by a global fast food industry giant, and comes amid recent undercover investigations by animal rights activists and concessions from major companies.
“So many tens of thousands of animals will now be in better living conditions,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States. “Numerically this is significant because Burger King is such a big purchaser of these products.”
[nydn]
This? HUGE.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m31jw2L9Te1qzpwi0o1_500.jpg)
thedailywhat:
Burger King Announcement of the Day: Burger King said today that it will begin buying eggs only from farms that don’t cage their hens — and similarly, pork only from producers that don’t use gestation stalls to confine sows — with a plan to complete the transition by 2017. The decision is the first of its kind by a global fast food industry giant, and comes amid recent undercover investigations by animal rights activists and concessions from major companies.
“So many tens of thousands of animals will now be in better living conditions,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States. “Numerically this is significant because Burger King is such a big purchaser of these products.”
[nydn]
This? HUGE.
3 April 2012
This week I’m awarding health/nutrition news…
BANDWAGON AWARD
Someone else asks the question, “Is sugar toxic?” Namely, CBS News.
Dr. Lustig doesn’t mess around.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Is sugar toxic?
Dr. Robert Lustig: I believe it is.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Do you ever worry that that’s— it just sounds a little bit over the top?
Dr. Robert Lustig: Sure. All the time. But it’s the truth.
AMERICANS SUCK AWARD
No surprises here: Americans eat the cheapest food.
And the obvious question arises: At what cost?
NO SH*T SHERLOCK AWARD
Eating a low-glycemic breakfast can help control blood sugar all day.
Next, you’ll be telling us that eating a doughnut at breakfast probably isn’t the best idea for sustained energy.
DRINK UP AWARD
Alcohol may help heart attack survivors.
Welcome grandpa back from the hospital with a stuff drink.
WALK IT OUT AWARD
Do you live in one of the 25 best cities for walking?
I’m jealous.
13 March 2012
Yesterday, the Times posted an article called Red Meat Linked to Cancer and Heart Disease. This isn’t the first time red meat has been demonized, but after reading the short article, I had to question it. This paragraph seemed especially laughable:
People who ate more red meat were less physically active and more likely to smoke and had a higher body mass index, researchers found. Still, after controlling for those and other variables, they found that each daily increase of three ounces of red meat was associated with a 12 percent greater risk of dying over all, including a 16 percent greater risk of cardiovascular death and a 10 percent greater risk of cancer death.
I appreciate the researchers controlling for smoking, BMI, and activity level, but how about — hmm, I don’t know — DIET?! What else were the meat eaters eating?
My guess? A ton of sugar and processed carbs. I would like to see one study that controls for diet as a whole. How can they claim meat is the culprit for disease without looking at the rest of the meat eaters’ diets? It makes no sense to me. I mean, we’ve also learned that sugar can contribute to heart disease, so we need to know how much sugar these meat eaters were consuming. I would think that since the meat eaters had a higher BMI, they were probably eating plenty of sugar and carbs.
But in the absence of that study, here’s what I’d recommend: If you’re going to eat meat, make sure it’s high-quality, unprocessed, and grass-fed/hormone-free. I know there hasn’t been any research on meat quality as it relates to health (except studies showing that super processed meat can lead to increased risk of disease), and you should do what you feel comfortable with. But I can say with some confidence that kind of meat isn’t going to contribute to health problems.
ETA: Thanks to shorterexcerpts for pointing this out: “Plus, while they controlled for some things, it looks like they were only studying people who ate red meat DAILY. Surely no one thinks ‘a NY Strip a day keeps the cardiologist away.””
You can read a much more thorough analysis of this article/study here.
