Heart Healthy Foods: Cardiologists' Latest Advice

A group of heart experts studied trending nutrition controversies. Here's the latest on dairy, sugar, coffee, alcohol, energy drinks, mushrooms and hummus.

Could DNA-based diets reveal your ideal diet?

Are gene-based diet recommendations ready for prime time? Researchers analyzed all the relevant scientific studies and we have to wonder whether commercial companies are moving ahead of the science.

prevention, weight loss, nutritionAyala Laufer-CahanaJuly 27, 2018Nutrigenomics, personalized diets, metabolism, obesity, FTO gene, caloriesComment

A new batch of studies for coffee lovers

New studies provide further evidence that if you enjoy your coffee you can do so guilt free – coffee is probably good for you, as long as you remember that coffee, at its essence, is a calorie free, unsweetened drink.

Losing control while eating for two

“You’re eating for two” is often interpreted as “eat twice as much” which is, admittedly, more catchy than “you should eat healthy, gain some weight but not too much (and not too little)”. Unfortunately, excessive weight gain in pregnancy isn't just hard to lose, it may have a lasting effect on a child’s weight and health.

celebrity, parenting, preventionAyala Laufer-CahanaJune 28, 2018Comment

Why you should rethink alcohol in moderation

A new study shows why you should think again about alcohol in moderation for heart health. Remember the French paradox? Recent studies put into question our convenient belief that alcohol is a double-edged sword.

Fight unhealthy snacking while maintaining peace and harmony – science-based tips that work

A new study joins others in showing that over time, well-meaning parents’ attempts to curb unhealthy snacking by restricting them backfires and achieves the opposite results. On the other hand, if parents remove unhealthy foods and replace them with healthy foods, without comment of fuss, kids eat better after a while.

You are what your gut bacteria eat

Recent studies find that the state of the inhabitants of our gut may affect our immune system, our weight status, our susceptibility to disease, our energy levels, our mental state and our mood.
But how does one get the kind of microbial society that’s most conducive to wellness?

The Mediterranean diet: Healthy eating with an eco-friendly bonus

The better the adherence to the Mediterranean diet, the lower the environmental cost – natural resources use and emissions go down with Mediterranean adherence. Meat – especially beef meat – eggs and dairy consumption have the highest detrimental impact on the environment.

The ripple effect of eating well

When it comes to weight, couples are symbiotic. Tom Brady’s diet was affected by Gisele’s, and that’s true not just for the beautiful and famous. When one spouse becomes obese, the likelihood of the other spouse becoming obese is 37 percent! Could weight loss also spread in such a way?

weight loss, diet, celebrityAyala Laufer-CahanaFebruary 20, 2018Tom Brady, Eagles, Super Bowl, weight Loss, Weight WatchersComment

Would you like your coffee with a cancer warning?

Almost every human action or inaction carries some risk, and one needs some perspective and wisdom in order to carry on with a happy life and not be bogged down by foreboding information.

The many gifts of family meals: Eat better, bond & prevent obesity

A new meta-analysis, including 200,000 people, finds that family meals help fight overweight and obesity. The family meal offers a great opportunity to lead by example, communicate good habits and to enjoy healthier food.

How to stay motivated and stick with your healthy new year resolutions

If there were a drug that could lower your cancer risk by 25 or 33 percent, wouldn’t you be urging your doctor to prescribe it for you?

cancer, exercise, diet, prevention, tipsAyala Laufer-CahanaJanuary 10, 2018prevention, BMI, weight-loss, fruits, vegetables, smoking, habit, wellness, nutrition, fitness, exercise, mindfulComment

Make 2018 the year of real food

If you’re looking for an easy to follow, realistic, positive, healthy living goal for 2018, try eating real. I’m not suggesting you make all your food from scratch. It would also be highly impractical to mill your own wheat, or press your own oil. Just try to avoid the highly processed stuff.

The best diet for shedding belly fat

When it comes to storing fat it isn’t just how much we eat, but also what we eat. Some foods – and no, it isn’t just beer that causes a big belly – lead to fat storage in the worst-for-health places – in the liver and around internal organs.

The Healing Power of Gratitude and Tricks to Cultivate it

Despite gratitude's proven benefits, noticing our blessings isn’t easy. Food can be an excellent cue to remind us to appreciate what we have and to give some thought to the wonder of what made our meal possible.

positivity, preventionAyala Laufer-CahanaNovember 23, 2017gratitude, food, fruit, vegetable, Thanksgiving, holiday, positivityComment

What happens when you switch to whole grains

Whole grains – unlike refined grains, which have been stripped off their bran and germ and rendered into pretty much pure carbs – retain many essential nutrients. A new study puts whole grains to the test.