Lose Weight on a Budget, Run!

USA Today is running (no pun intended) a weight-loss challenge and have selected Paul and Amy Kreidler of Glendale, Mo. to share their story. Combined, the couple dropped 160 pounds; Paul shed 120 pounds and Amy lost 40. In short, the couple blamed their weight gain on their hectic lifestyles and poor choices. Between work and raising kids, the couple often found themselves grabbing fast food. The couple decided they needed a change. They made two moves that helped them lose weight and become a happier, healthier couple. They started to eat healthier food and run. Amy, who doesn't like running as much as her husband says it's the quickest and best way to get her workout in. "It's free. It's fast. You put your shoes on, you warm up, you stretch and you go."

What's your weight loss secret?

One Couple, Two Trolley Cars, One Happy Marriage

When you read stories of couples working together, it's often within the same office or where one is assisting the other. Framingham, MA couple Diane and Ed Hyman run two roadside eateries, The Trolley Stop and Trolley Stop Jr. "We got married and we were just looking to do something together," says Ed. "It kind of came about by a fluke." The couple were dropping Diane's daughter off at a friend's when they spied the trolley trailer for sale. "We joked about it, then talked about it more seriously. We bought it a few weeks later." Ed works the Jr. store, while Diane attends the main Trolley Stop. The article from the Boston Globe doesn't go into detail on their marriage, but does talk a lot about the food deals. For example, a $2 trolley dog, plus for $1.25 more you can add chips, a drink and a chocolate chip cookie. A plain hot dog sound boring, how about a Snoop Dog with chili and cheddar cheese, or the Remdog adorned with sauerkraut. If visitors want something beyond a dog, they can get homemade soups, clam chowder, chili, sirloin angus hamburgers, mac and cheese. Morning patrons can also get coffee, cappuccinos, lattes, and chai tea. Do you have a favorite couple-run eatery near you? Maybe we should put together a list?

More Baby Formula Trouble

There might still be a battle going on between breast milk and baby formula, but some mothers out there might decide that nature's milk wins by default. After many recent scares about tainted baby formula, there is a new one. A new study from scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did a small study of 15 powdered formulas and the scientists found that all were contaminated with perchlorate. Perchlorate is a component of rocket fuel that's linked to thyroid disease. The study did not name the companies it studied, but did reveal that cow's milk formula with lactose had the highest perchlorate levels, compared to formulas that were soy-based, lactose-free or "elemental." Not sure if this will make you feel any better, but the Environmental Working Group found that perchlorate has been found to contaminate the drinking water in 28 states and territories. The baby formula study was conducted with perchlorate-free water. So what's next? This article (click here) says concerned parents should make sure that their infants have a diet with sufficient iodine, which can counteract perchlorate's harmful effects. They also added that the study didn't actually measure perchlorate in infants and that a study of that nature is essential to determine if infants are actually absorbing the perchlorate to which they're exposed to.

Drink With Friends...It's Good for You

Nearly 20,000 Japanese men were asked about their alcohol consumption and drinking environment over the span of more than 9 years by researchers from Osaka University. What these Japanese researchers found was that light to moderat drinking aligned with reduced risks of stroke and heart disease, and the effect was more pronounced in men with high levels of social support. One researcher believe the social support prevented unhealthy behaviors and enhancement of stress buffering. Moderate consumption was rated as less than 299 grams per week. Over 300 grams was shown to increase the risk of a stroke. Another interesting tidbit was that heavy drinkers were also more likely to not be married! So grab your spouse, find some friends and enjoy some moderate drinking. Cheers!

Medical Myths

Your kid eating sugar will make them hyper, right? Not so says British medical journal BMJ. They say that there is no scientific evidence to support this myth and that some of it is even psychological for the parents. The journal said that when parent were told their kids had sugary drinks, they rated that they were more hyper, even though the drinks were sugar free. Other myths include the one that poinsettias are poisonous, suicides increase during the holidays, eating at night makes you fat, you lose the most body heat through your head, and that their are cures for hangovers. To read the full article with explanations on these myths, click here. So go ahead and eat up at night with that sugary dessert, but don't drink too much because there's no cure in the morning. Happy holidays!

Are You Really Eating Worse Than You Think?

Sometimes we made food choices thinking we're doing something good for ourselves, or at least picking the less of two food evils. It may be surprising to some that some standard and popular lunchtime fare is really a pound-packing health bomb.

For example, I don't think a reasonable person would say that a Triple Whopper from Burger King is a healthy lunch, but who would expect that the fat equivalent is like like eating 10 slices of Papa John's cheese pizza! Or how about a Hardee's 2/3-lb Monster Thickburger? The saturated fat in this heart attack between two buns is the same as eating 43 strips of Oscar Mayer bacon. Or how about the Wild Buffalo Chicken Strip Basket at The Dairy Queen; that contains the same amount of sodium as 14 large orders of McDonald's French fries. Whoa! So before you place your next lunch order, be sure to read the nutrition sheet to see what you're really consuming. To read a more complete list of food items, click here.

Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Linked to Environmental Threats

A new report by the Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility and the Science and Environmental Health Network says that environmental factors such as lead, air pollution, and pesticides can lead to health risks and cognitive disease. Co-author of the repot, Jill Stein, MD says, "As we explored origins and patterns of chronic degenerative diseases, we discovered a web of conditions in the environment--including nutritional, chemical, physical and social factors--that have a direct influence on the risk of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and related chronic diseases. It is clear from these findings that our activities in the areas of food and agriculture, energy, chemical use, and social organization are key drivers in the abnormal loss of neurological function in older people throughout the modern world."

In diet, saturated fat intake was found to greatly increase the risk of dementia. What's frightening is that the report suggests these diseases are being driven by dramatic alterations over the past 50 to 100 years in the U.S. food supply, an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, and exposure to toxic chemicals.

"Honey, It's Time for a Diet"

Belittling a loved one about being too fat and then undermining efforts to lose weight are common mistakes among couples according to experts in this article from MSNBC. For example, making jokes about your spouse's weight, then when they do start losing the pounds, bring home a thing of cookies. In this article, this scenario happened and the couple eventually got divorced. So how do you tell your spouse that they're gaining a little too much weight and you're worried about them? Here are a few tips:

1. Don't nag
2. Be loving
3. Don't judge
4. Help solve problems
5. Don't sabotage
6. Be a role model
7. Don't play cop
8. Be a role model

To get more in-depth explanations on these steps, click here. Do you think you're spouse needs to lose weight? Talk about it on our forum.

Wine from Faucets

It's been a tough week and we've been holding onto this one for a few days just because we knew it would put a smile on your face. It's Friday, and the Dow Industrial has just concluded it's worst drop in history! If you've ever needed an excuse to drink, now may be it.

In Marino, Italy they hold a grape festival every year and reroute the plumbing to have sparkling white wine flow from the fountains in the main square. In an "error", the plumbing was switched to local homes instead. Which meant that wine was literally flowing from the faucets of local residents. The London Times reported that some locals were able to fill up jugs of wine before the error was corrected. Have a great weekend. Click here to read the full post.

Where Did That Hamburger Come From?

Keep an eye out the next time you're at the grocery store looking to pick up ingredients for dinner. A new law has gone into effect that requires all meats, fish, and fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables to be identified by their country of origin, whether by a sticker, a sign, a placard or a label. Organs such as hearts, livers and kidneys are not included. As this article from USA Today points out, there are a few loopholes. For example, cooked and processed foods are exempt. Another loop hole is that when you combine two of these foods, they become exempt. Meaning, frozen strawberries are covered and frozen blueberries are covered, but when they're put in the same bag, their origin does not have to be announced. This has been in the works since 2002 and it's finally in the stores. If you see that your beef has traveled 8,000 miles, will you put it back and instead go for the local stuff?

Eating At the Grocery Store

Times are tough and if you don't have the cash to go out to a fancy restaurant, we understand. Apparently, so do a lot of other Americans. It seems there's a rising trend of Americans eating out at the grocery store or purchasing already prepared food like rotisserie chicken and mashed potatoes. MSNBC ran a story discussing this trend and talks about the increase in food offerings by grocery stores and how the down economy is pushing this trend forward. Do you eat out at the grocery store? What's your favorite thing to pick up?

Coffee May Be Better For Health Than You Think

A new report by the Harvard School of Public Health says that coffee is loaded with antioxidants and that helps with heart disease. The study is based on the coffee drinking habits of 41,736 men and 86,216 women with no history of cardiovascular disease over 18 years for men and 24 years for women. The results showed that women who drank two to three cups a day had a whopping 25 percent drop in heart disease compared to non coffee drinkers. The authors of the study say, however, that more research is necessary to suggest people should drink coffee for their health. Saying that, the evidence is piling up that drinking coffee does have its benefits. From the USA Today article:

In 2000, researchers at the Mayo Clinic found that coffee intake was linked with decreased rates of Parkinson's disease. In 2004, Harvard researchers reported that it significantly reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. And a 2005 study found that coffee could help prevent the most common type of liver cancer, according to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Now that's eye opening.

Date Night Wines

One of our favorite vlogs, WineLibraryTV recently had an episode (451) on date night wines. This episode was targeted toward the pre-married crowd, but we say, why not use these tips to impress your spouse? On the show the host, Gary Vaynerchuk and his special guest, Twanna Hines sampled three different wines, a rose, white and red. One of the big tips from Gary was to break out of your regular box--no, not box wine--you know, the standard Merlot, Chianti, Chardonnay,and try something a little different. For example, they sampled a Barbera d'Asti wine, which is a red Italian wine produced from the Barbera grape variety. To watch the episode, click here.

What's your favorite wine?

Mom's Diets Affect Baby's Sex

The foods that a woman eats before she's pregnant could have an affect on what sex her baby will be according to a new study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, a British medical journal. Eating potassium-rich foods including bananas, having a hearty appetite and not skipping breakfast seemed to raise the odds of having a boy according to the study. The research involved roughly 700 first-time pregnant women in the UK. The women were asked about their eating habits in the year before getting pregnant, according to this article in USA Today. Fifty-six percent of women with the highest calorie intake before pregnancy (but still within a normal, healthy range), had boys.

Women who ate at least one bowl of breakfast cereal daily were 87 percent more likely to have boys than those who ate no more than one bowlful per week. The study did have its detractors and also some who said this new research coincides with other signs of a mother's habits predicting their baby's gender. Read the full article here.

More Ethnic Cuisine

This week, Dr. Ro wrote an article on how to eat out healthy by eating ethnic cuisine. We came across this article that reveals Food Network stars dishing on their favorite ethnic cuisines. Iron Chef, Masaharu Morimoto thinks that Japanese cuisine is going to continue to grow in popularity. Specifically he thinks shochu (similar to vodka but half the strength) will gain in popularity. Robin Miller of Quick Fix Meals thinks Spanish tapas-style meals will grow in popularity here in the States. Miller is also on the lookout for more fusion restaurants. She clearly likes lots of flavors on one plate. To read the complete article, click here.

Do Families Eat Together?

A study from Harris Interactive for SuperTarget says 47% of families eat together 5 to 6 times a week. Another 28% say they eat together 7 or more times per week. Only 3% percent say they never eat together and only 8% say they eat together once or twice per week. Do you find this surprising? How many times per week do you and your family eat together? Go ahead and talk about it on our message board. Click here to see the full chart.

Chocolate Price Fixing?

Did you feel ripped off yesterday when you slapped down your hard-earned cash for that heart-shaped box of chocolates? It seems others feel you're getting ripped off too. The German Federal Cartel Office have raided the offices of seven of leading chocolate companies including Mars, Kraft Foods and Nestle. Canada's Competition Bureau searched the offices of several companies, many of the same ones as in Germany. There has also been American lawsuits accusing chocolate companies of violating antitrust laws. The German Cartel Office says if they find evidence of collaboration, the companies face possible fines of up to 10% of their annual income. To read the entire article from USA Today, click here.

Valentine's Day Recipes

Looking to make a special meal for your sweetheart? The good people at FoodTV has an entire section of their website dedicated to Valentine's recipes for two. They've got it broken down into several sections, including Recipes for Romance, Kids Corner, Five Valentine's Cookies from One Simple Dough, Our Romantic Valentine's Dinner for Two, and more. There's also videos you can watch, including The Freaky Deaky Love Potion.

Are you making your spouse a special dinner for Valentine's Day? Click here to go to the FoodTV page.

Buying the Best Chocolate for Your Valentine

Yahoo! Personals has an article about how to buy the best chocolate. The author defines five characteristics to keep an eye on. The first and noted most important is the freshness of the chocolate. To avoid months old chocolate, the author recommends avoiding supermarkets and instead patronizing specialty chocolate shops. Another item of note is to not worry about any diet! Well, unless your spouse is a diabetic, in which case he says there are few low-glycemic index chocolates. Finally, another item to look out for is flavor. Make sure you get a flavor that your spouse likes.

What's wrong with pure dark chocolate? Hitched says not a thing.

Coffee May Boost Miscarriage Risk

A team of researchers working at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, Calif. concluded that a daily habit of drinking 200 milligrams of caffeine--about two cups of coffee--significantly increases the risk of miscarriage. It's about the caffeine more than it's about the coffee. The researchers say it didn't matter what the source of caffeine was: sodas, tea or coffee; just that once pregnant women crossed the 200 mg threshold, their pregnancy became in danger. The following two paragraphs are from the story which appeared on MSNBC:

In the study, published in Monday’s issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Li's team interviewed 1,063 women in the San Francisco area who became pregnant between 1996 and 1998 about their caffeine intake. While 164 of the women drank 200 mg of caffeine or more daily, 635 consumed some caffeine but less than 200 mg. The remaining 264 women said they didn’t consume any caffeine.

Overall, 172 of the women suffered a miscarriage. The risk of a miscarriage was more than double in women who consumed 200 mg or more of caffeine, with 25 percent suffering a miscarriage compared to just 12 percent of women who didn't consume caffeine. The low-caffeine drinkers also appeared to have an elevated risk of miscarriage, but this trend wasn't statistically significant, meaning the researchers could not rule out that it was merely due to chance.

Click here to read the full article.