Nutrition
- Researching Joint Pain Supplements
- Nutrition and Strength Training
- Vitamin B12 and Brain Functioning
- Eating Healthy on a Budget
- Back to Weight Watchers
- Mercury in Fish
- Foods That Fool You.
- Cloned Animals in the Food Supply
- Joys Fit Club
- My Year Anniversary!
Researching Joint Pain Supplements
Posted by
Jennifer Murray
Jennifer Murray
Researching glucosamine and chondroitin supplements before purchasing helps consumers ensure they're getting what they pay for.
My recent article, Osteoarthritis and Supplements, outlines a topic that interests me because of my mom. She suffers from osteoarthritis and has had problems with pain, stiffness, swelling, and gnarling of her fingers. I had heard about glucosamine and chondroitin helping with joint pain about a year ago, so I bought a glucosamine chondroitin supplement for her, and she has stated numerous times how much it has helped her, especially with the pain.
But with so many brands of glucosamine and chondroitin on the market, how did I choose which one to buy? I'll share with you what I did (and these are the steps I take before buying any dietary supplement) to help me decide which brand to get.
The first thing I do is check the list of USP verified dietary supplements. I then check the manufacturer's website to see if they manufacture the type of supplement I am looking for. If they do not (and sometimes even if they do), I go to ConsumerLab and check their supplement tests. ConsumerLab is a fee-based website; however, I have found it to be an invaluable resource. I was totally shocked to find so many brand name products that do not contain what the bottle says it does! Some supplements have a hefty price tag, so I want to be 100 percent certain that I get what I am paying for, and CL has saved me quite a few times from spending money on supplements that would've been a waste of money.
But with so many brands of glucosamine and chondroitin on the market, how did I choose which one to buy? I'll share with you what I did (and these are the steps I take before buying any dietary supplement) to help me decide which brand to get.
The first thing I do is check the list of USP verified dietary supplements. I then check the manufacturer's website to see if they manufacture the type of supplement I am looking for. If they do not (and sometimes even if they do), I go to ConsumerLab and check their supplement tests. ConsumerLab is a fee-based website; however, I have found it to be an invaluable resource. I was totally shocked to find so many brand name products that do not contain what the bottle says it does! Some supplements have a hefty price tag, so I want to be 100 percent certain that I get what I am paying for, and CL has saved me quite a few times from spending money on supplements that would've been a waste of money.
Nutrition and Strength Training
Posted by
Jennifer Murray
Jennifer Murray
If you want to get the best results you can from resistance training, what you eat is just as important as the type of exercise you do.
While writing my most recent article, a review of The New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women, I started thinking about all of the books I have read on strength training, and while large portions of this book and others that I have read are devoted to why women should resistance train, how they should resistance train, and descriptions of strength training options, the books do not spend a lot of time talking about nutrition and strength training and how to eat in order to experience maximum results.
While most of these types of books do provide recipes, what the majority of authors do not explain is that what we eat is responsible for 80% of how we look and feel. You can do all of the aerobics and resistance training you want, but if you're not nourishing your body with the right type and amount of food, you may get results, but those results will probably not be the results you're looking for. A lot of women are surprised that once they add strength training to their workout regimen, they actually need to eat more, not less. The need to eat more doesn't mean the need to eat more of just any food (i.e., junk food), but to eat wholesome, healthy foods and a well-rounded diet consisting of enough calories, carbs, protein, and fat to fuel the body to build the muscle you want.
The type of diet you eat will depend upon what type of results you want and will require more research, but it's always a good idea to start out with a healthy diet and adjust it to suit your fitness needs and desires.
While most of these types of books do provide recipes, what the majority of authors do not explain is that what we eat is responsible for 80% of how we look and feel. You can do all of the aerobics and resistance training you want, but if you're not nourishing your body with the right type and amount of food, you may get results, but those results will probably not be the results you're looking for. A lot of women are surprised that once they add strength training to their workout regimen, they actually need to eat more, not less. The need to eat more doesn't mean the need to eat more of just any food (i.e., junk food), but to eat wholesome, healthy foods and a well-rounded diet consisting of enough calories, carbs, protein, and fat to fuel the body to build the muscle you want.
The type of diet you eat will depend upon what type of results you want and will require more research, but it's always a good idea to start out with a healthy diet and adjust it to suit your fitness needs and desires.
Vitamin B12 and Brain Functioning
Posted by
Jennifer Murray
Jennifer Murray
Have trouble remembering? You could be deficient in vitamin B12. New study suggests supplementing with B12 to improve memory.
When I'm feeling a little down in the dumps, I usually take a vitamin B supplement since B vitamins are known to help with depression. Since I do have 2 or 3 cups of caffeinated coffee per day, it would not be surprising that I would be deficient in vitamin B since caffeine is one thing that destroys B vitamins in the body. In addition to all the many benefits of B vitamins, new research has found that taking a vitamin B12 supplement can help with memory. Researchers at the University of Oxford in the U.K. found those who are deficient in vitamin B12 experience a faster decline in memory over a 10-year span than those with higher levels of B12, and that supplementing with vitamin B12 can slow down mental decline by one-third.
Of course, it's always best to try and get what the body needs from food. Some good food sources of vitamin B12 include:
The recent research is good news to those of us who are extremely forgetful. Since I seem to be having a bit of trouble remembering things lately without sticking a post-it note on my computer screen, maybe I will try taking a B12 supplement every day instead of waiting for a case of the blues to strike.
Of course, it's always best to try and get what the body needs from food. Some good food sources of vitamin B12 include:
- ground beef
- beef and chicken livers
- steamed clams
- light tuna in water
- cottage cheese
- low-fat yogurt
The recent research is good news to those of us who are extremely forgetful. Since I seem to be having a bit of trouble remembering things lately without sticking a post-it note on my computer screen, maybe I will try taking a B12 supplement every day instead of waiting for a case of the blues to strike.
Posted by
Jennifer Murray
Jennifer Murray
With the rising cost of food, eating healthy is starting to get more expensive. There are ways to spend less and still eat nutritious foods.
With the rising cost of gas, and therefore increasing food prices, many people are looking for ways to save money on their grocery bill, including me. I am shocked at how much the cost of food has increased! Gas prices are expected to keep rising, so the price of food is going to get even more expensive. Here are two ways I'm saving money on food while still eating healthy:
Planting a garden. While growing up, my mother always planted a garden and canned foods in the summer. I never learned to do it, but this year is the year I decided to plant my own garden and learn how to can my own foods. I'm somewhat excited and can't wait for my veggies to be ready to be picked, cut, and canned. So I'll have fresh vegetables in the winter, and I'm even going to make my own pasta and pizza sauces and salsa. Yum!
Buying from a local farmer. For those foods that I'm not planting in my garden, I am going to a local farmer's market or local farm to buy. I have found that buying from a farmer's market or going and picking the fruit (and vegetables) from a farm is actually less expensive, and the produce is fresher and more flavorful than when buying from the store. If you don't know where there is a farmer's market or farm near you, check out Local Harvest. However, I do not buy from Local Harvest online because their online prices to be a lot more expensive than just going somewhere local.
While I'll still have to purchase some food from the grocery store, I look for the above two ways of saving money on healthy food to cut my grocery bill by at least half.
Planting a garden. While growing up, my mother always planted a garden and canned foods in the summer. I never learned to do it, but this year is the year I decided to plant my own garden and learn how to can my own foods. I'm somewhat excited and can't wait for my veggies to be ready to be picked, cut, and canned. So I'll have fresh vegetables in the winter, and I'm even going to make my own pasta and pizza sauces and salsa. Yum!
Buying from a local farmer. For those foods that I'm not planting in my garden, I am going to a local farmer's market or local farm to buy. I have found that buying from a farmer's market or going and picking the fruit (and vegetables) from a farm is actually less expensive, and the produce is fresher and more flavorful than when buying from the store. If you don't know where there is a farmer's market or farm near you, check out Local Harvest. However, I do not buy from Local Harvest online because their online prices to be a lot more expensive than just going somewhere local.
While I'll still have to purchase some food from the grocery store, I look for the above two ways of saving money on healthy food to cut my grocery bill by at least half.
Posted by
Samantha Rufle
Even a food writer needs a little help staying on track.
Sometimes I need a little help eating right, just the same as everyone else. I have to admit, I am still trying to shed my holiday weight. It seems that when I got used to eating larger portions and tons of sugar, I lost a little perspective on how much I was eating. Plus I was craving sugar!
So to counter all the stuff I was eating I decided that doing the online Weight Watchers program will help me keep track and keep my portions to a more reasonable size. One thing that is really cool about going back to Weight Watchers online is that all my old info, meals and such is still there so it is easy to get right back on track!
So wish me luck! I only need to lose about ten pounds (thank goodness).
So to counter all the stuff I was eating I decided that doing the online Weight Watchers program will help me keep track and keep my portions to a more reasonable size. One thing that is really cool about going back to Weight Watchers online is that all my old info, meals and such is still there so it is easy to get right back on track!
So wish me luck! I only need to lose about ten pounds (thank goodness).
Posted by
Samantha Rufle
Tests shows that fish tested in New York have dangerous levels of mercury.
Here are a few facts to consider when eating fish.
What is so dangerous about eating mercury?
It cumulates in the body. It can take up to a year to leave the body. It can cause damage to heart, kidneys, and can especially effect neurological development.
All fish have at least some traces of mercury but preditory fish like tuna and sword fish have higher levels.
Some studies have concluded that some fish may have dangerous levels of mercury.
Who should be concerned?
If you eat 20 to 30 peices of sushi a week you are probably getting too much mercury.
If you are eating more than the recommended amount of fish (two servings) and they are peditory fish like tuna or sword fish.
If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, avoid fish know to have high levels of mercury.
To get omega threes with out the risk of eating too much mercury- eat flax seeds!
What is so dangerous about eating mercury?
It cumulates in the body. It can take up to a year to leave the body. It can cause damage to heart, kidneys, and can especially effect neurological development.
All fish have at least some traces of mercury but preditory fish like tuna and sword fish have higher levels.
Some studies have concluded that some fish may have dangerous levels of mercury.
Who should be concerned?
If you eat 20 to 30 peices of sushi a week you are probably getting too much mercury.
If you are eating more than the recommended amount of fish (two servings) and they are peditory fish like tuna or sword fish.
If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, avoid fish know to have high levels of mercury.
To get omega threes with out the risk of eating too much mercury- eat flax seeds!
Posted by
Samantha Rufle
Check out the list of foods that may food you as you walk the isles at the local super market.
The Today show has this amazing resource on their web site. It is a list of fifteen foods that can fool you at the grocery store. What is really nice is that you can click on the list and it gives you reasons these foods can be tricky and a few solutions so that you do not fall prey to clever advertizing. Love it!
Another section has the 16 Secrets Resturants do not want you to know about. This is a great resource that shows you how deceptive some of the big chain resturants can be to keep you in the dark about what you are eating.
I love these two resources because they give you the information you really need to make an informed desicion about what to buy at the local grocery store and when you eat out! Maybe with knowing the truth we can all work toward eating healthier with a little less effort!
Another section has the 16 Secrets Resturants do not want you to know about. This is a great resource that shows you how deceptive some of the big chain resturants can be to keep you in the dark about what you are eating.
I love these two resources because they give you the information you really need to make an informed desicion about what to buy at the local grocery store and when you eat out! Maybe with knowing the truth we can all work toward eating healthier with a little less effort!
Cloned Animals in the Food Supply
Posted by
Samantha Rufle
Raise your hand if you think eating the product of cloned animals is a good idea?
Putting cloned animals in the food supply raises tons of red flags for me. As a nutritionist and ethicly. There are several things that make me very uncomfortable.
- No labeling requirements. So you will not know if you are eating cloned or the product of cloned meat.
- Cloned animals do not live as long as their noncloned counterparts. Does this mean there is something wrong that we are not seeing?
- The study of cloning animals started only seven years ago, which hardly is enough time to deem this practice safe.
Posted by
Samantha Rufle
Joy Bauer's weight loss plan on NBC is fantastic and doable plan for most people.
This morning I was watching the Today Show and she was giving tips on how to follow her plan Joy's Fit Club. Here is the link to the video that gives to overview of the plan. It is really nutritionally sound and it looks fairly easy to follow and adaptable to many different lifestyles.
Here is more a more in depth look at the plan and information on how you can sign up.
A few of things that I like about Joy Bauer's Fit Club Plan are
Here is more a more in depth look at the plan and information on how you can sign up.
A few of things that I like about Joy Bauer's Fit Club Plan are
- It realistic about sweets and snacks. The snacks are not so small they hardly count for anything.
- The meals look great, nutritional and easy to make.
- The plan offers plenty of solutions to common problems when following a weight loss plan
Posted by
Samantha Rufle
It is hard to believe that I have been writing here for almost an entire year!
I am just a couple of weeks away from my one year anniversary with Suite 101! My how things have changed. Writing for Suite101 has really changed my life in a good way. I spent thins year figuring out what I want. The greatest thing is I think that I have found it and this next year I will be spending it getting what I want!
I would definitely recommend writing for Suite 101 if you want an idea of how to start a freelance writing career. I know I am definately a better writer for it. That is for sure! I also should thank one of my best friends (who is like a sister to me) for turning me on to writing in the first place. I only wish I had realized earlier in my life that I wanted to do this!
I would definitely recommend writing for Suite 101 if you want an idea of how to start a freelance writing career. I know I am definately a better writer for it. That is for sure! I also should thank one of my best friends (who is like a sister to me) for turning me on to writing in the first place. I only wish I had realized earlier in my life that I wanted to do this!