Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Hurricane Irene!
We made out quite well with Hurricane Irene, but being in the house was another issue! Ate all day and night. Additionally drank too much sugary drinks an snacks. I have to get back on my grind, it's been hard since I came back from Jamaica. I know I'm not going to reach my goals my October 1st, but not giving up. It will just take a little longer.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Could Processed Meat Give You Cancer?
Are hot dogs a political issue? Surprisingly so.
On Monday July 25, my non-profit organization, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, erected a billboard outside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The picture was stark -- a cigarette pack emblazoned with a skull and crossbones. But sticking out of the pack were not cigarettes -- instead there were hot dogs. The message said "WARNING: Hot dogs can wreck your health."
The issue is cancer. Every year, about 143,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer and more than 50,000 die of the disease. About half of all cases are already incurable when found. The U.S. Government and other entities have poured millions of dollars into the search for the cause. But one of the causes they found turned out to be too hot for the government to handle.
It's the ordinary hot dog. At least 58 scientific studies have looked at the issue, and the jury has rendered its verdict, which is now beyond reasonable doubt. The more hot dogs people eat, the higher their risk of colorectal cancer. And it's not just hot dogs. Any sort of processed meat -- bacon, sausage, ham, deli slices -- is in this group. And here are the numbers: Every 50 grams of processed meat you eat on a daily basis (that's about one hot dog) increases your risk of colorectal cancer by 21 percent. And just as there is no safe level of smoking, no amount of hot dogs, bacon, sausage, ham or other processed meats comes out clean in scientific studies.
The problem goes beyond colorectal cancer. An NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study found a 10 percent increased risk of prostate cancer for every 10 grams of increased intake of processed meats. Other studies have linked these same products to leukemia and ovarian cancer. Exactly how processed meats do their dirty work is not clear; it could be their nitrites, saturated fat or other ingredients.
But here's where politics come in: Even though much of this research was paid for by the U.S. government, the government also subsidizes meat. It supports feed grains to fatten cows and pigs, buys up meats for the school lunch program and helps the meat industry in countless other ways. So I think that the last thing the government wants to do is to publicize the cancer risk of one of its favorite products. I believe that this is why there are no government billboards, radio ads or television spots to warn anyone about this easily preventable cause.
At a ballgame, if you're thinking about buying your daughter a hot dog, there are no notices, no warning labels on the food product, no nothing. Meat industry lobbyists have made sure that your government won't breathe a word.
The fact is, hot dogs are not fun, cute or "All-American." If you are not convinced, just ask to see how one is made.
When good research finds a potentially fatal risk to Americans -- one as close as our refrigerators and as dear to us as our children -- the government needs to let Americans know.
And when it does not, we will.
The issue is cancer. Every year, about 143,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer and more than 50,000 die of the disease. About half of all cases are already incurable when found. The U.S. Government and other entities have poured millions of dollars into the search for the cause. But one of the causes they found turned out to be too hot for the government to handle.
It's the ordinary hot dog. At least 58 scientific studies have looked at the issue, and the jury has rendered its verdict, which is now beyond reasonable doubt. The more hot dogs people eat, the higher their risk of colorectal cancer. And it's not just hot dogs. Any sort of processed meat -- bacon, sausage, ham, deli slices -- is in this group. And here are the numbers: Every 50 grams of processed meat you eat on a daily basis (that's about one hot dog) increases your risk of colorectal cancer by 21 percent. And just as there is no safe level of smoking, no amount of hot dogs, bacon, sausage, ham or other processed meats comes out clean in scientific studies.
The problem goes beyond colorectal cancer. An NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study found a 10 percent increased risk of prostate cancer for every 10 grams of increased intake of processed meats. Other studies have linked these same products to leukemia and ovarian cancer. Exactly how processed meats do their dirty work is not clear; it could be their nitrites, saturated fat or other ingredients.
But here's where politics come in: Even though much of this research was paid for by the U.S. government, the government also subsidizes meat. It supports feed grains to fatten cows and pigs, buys up meats for the school lunch program and helps the meat industry in countless other ways. So I think that the last thing the government wants to do is to publicize the cancer risk of one of its favorite products. I believe that this is why there are no government billboards, radio ads or television spots to warn anyone about this easily preventable cause.
At a ballgame, if you're thinking about buying your daughter a hot dog, there are no notices, no warning labels on the food product, no nothing. Meat industry lobbyists have made sure that your government won't breathe a word.
The fact is, hot dogs are not fun, cute or "All-American." If you are not convinced, just ask to see how one is made.
When good research finds a potentially fatal risk to Americans -- one as close as our refrigerators and as dear to us as our children -- the government needs to let Americans know.
And when it does not, we will.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Working out In Jamaica!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Worst Appetizers in America
#1: Worst Sampler
Applebee’s Appetizer Sampler
2,430 calories
166 g fat (48 g saturated; 2 g trans)
6,070 mg sodium
166 g fat (48 g saturated; 2 g trans)
6,070 mg sodium
Here's a rule you can live by: Never order an appetizer sampler. Most restaurants use them to unload cheap fats and oily dips and sauces. Case in point: This abominable appetizer from Applebee's. It combines spinach artichoke dip, mozzarella sticks, bacon quesadillas, and boneless buffalo wings for an absurd amount of fat and roughly three days' worth of sodium. Your better option is to order a platter of wings and split it. Remember: You still have dinner coming. All you need are a few bites to get you started.
Friday, July 29, 2011
NY State Fair 1,500 Calorie Donut Burger Might Outshine These Loser Burgers
A hamburger so divine makes these other burgers look really lame.
It’s pretty irrefutable that donuts—little edible secrets whispered from the mouth of god, soaked in oil, drenched in sugar and sometimes drizzled with chocolate, sprinkles, candy and a promise that the world might not be so bad—would be best paired with the second greatest food creation—the hamburger.
The hamburger and the donut have officially met and have engaged in greasy, hot, sticky coitus. Together they have made “The Big Kahuna Donut Burger.” This monster, which has 1,500 calories, will be debuted at the New York State fair in Syracuse on August 25, though many experimental donut hamburgers have come before it.
For only about $6 the consummator of the donut/ hamburger union will get to engage in a quarter-pound burger, cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onions between two grilled, glazed donuts. Delish.
A hamburger so divine makes these other burgers look really lame.
The canned burger, for instance, is an embarrassment to cans and burgers. It must smell like cat food and probably falls from its can with a similar suction sound. What a nightmare.
Face burger, which is actually a burger replica of Stewie from “Family Guy” looks wildly unhappy, meaning this burger is a no go.
The skateboard burgers being ridden by the Chihuahua look like they could be a good time, but the Chihuahua appears bored, so I am too.
Bed burger is actually incredible, but probably too hot to sleep in. Plus, getting boned in a burger is not sexy (okay, maybe a little bit).
And turtle burger, chicken burger and Asian baby burger are cruel.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
McDonald's Move May Make Healthy Business Sense
Correction July 26, 2011
The original version of this story reported that milk would be included in Happy Meals by default. Milk will be among the beverages available with Happy Meals, but the choice will be left to purchasers.
A McDonald's Cheeseburger Happy Meal with the new apple slices option is shown Tuesday. McDonald's Corp. says it is adding apple slices to every Happy Meal, part of the chain's larger push to paint itself as a healthy place to eat.
When McDonald's announced Tuesday that it would make the standard child's Happy Meal more healthful, company officials said they were responding to the desires of their customers. But the move also makes business sense, analysts say.
Sam Oches, an associate editor with QSR Magazine, a fast-food industry trade journal, says McDonald's won't say how many Happy Meals they sell, but they're rumored to account for about 10 percent of sales.
"They do more than $32 billion in sales every year, so Happy Meals are potentially a $3 billion chunk of that," Oches says. "That alone is more revenue than a lot of big restaurant chains."
For McDonald's, it's about holding on to a loyal customer base, one that has grown up being exposed to the Golden Arches.
"McDonald's has done great through the recession, they continue to grab market share and have had the cash to remodel their restaurants, while some of the other fast-food restaurants have struggled to keep up," Saleh says.
But the competition hasn't been standing still. The National Restaurant Association launched a similar initiative for healthier kids' choices earlier this month, pre-empting McDonald's. Among those signing on to the "Kids LiveWell" campaign are Burger King, IHOP, Denny's, Cracker Barrel and Sizzler.
And somewhere out there is an apple supplier who is even happier than the kids.
"The sheer size of McDonald's supply chain is kind of nuts, really," says Oches.
"You've got 14,000 stores, serving apples in every Happy Meal," he says. "You do the math. It's huge."
To be sure, healthier options at McDonald's have long been there for the asking. A parent could request fruit or milk instead of a soft drink, but most opted for the traditional meal by default. The big change is that the new Happy Meal will automatically include a quarter-cup of apple slices and about half as many french fries as before. Upon request, parents can hold the fries and get twice as many apple slices instead.
The move also should help ease criticism the company long has faced. In a study released in November, the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University listed the most nutritious Happy Meal at only 30th on a list of the healthiest meal combinations. The study was critical of the fast-food industry for its unhealthy kids' menus and for directing the power of its marketing at children.
"We found some pretty remarkable things," says Kelly Brownell, the center's director. "The average preschooler is subjected to 1,000 advertisements each year for fast food. No amount of education from school or from parents can compensate for that."
"It's a reasonable first step," Brownwell says of the changes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)