7 "HEALTHY" Foods You May Think Are Healthy, But Aren't

Some foods, however, have gotten the healthy nod, when they’re actually laden with fat, sugar or both. That's why you should always read the label. To save you some time, here are seven items that you may think are good snacks, but might be better left on the store shelf.

GRANOLA BARS
Granola bars got their wholesome, outdoorsy reputation as the mountain climber’s snack of choice. They’re filled with whole oats, nuts, seeds and bits of dried fruit — how could that be a bad thing?

The downside: Many granola bars are dipped in sugary syrups or loaded with chocolate chips, highly processed or artificial ingredients and aren’t much better than high-calorie candy bars. Even the less sugared-up varieties have only a little protein, a smidgen of fiber and a small amount of vitamins and minerals.

If you can’t resist: Make your own trail mix with whole-grain, ready-to-eat cereals, such as shredded wheat, with whole nuts, seeds and chunks of unsweetened, dried fruit. Otherwise, stick to bars with a short ingredient list, essentially whole grains, nuts, seeds and real fruit. Pick ones with 4 or more grams of fiber, less than 150 calories per serving and no more than 6 grams of added sugars.

TEA DRINKS
Tea has been lauded for its antioxidant power. The phytonutrients in tea leaves may not predict your future, but they may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Tea leaves can calm inflammation in the body and may slow the growth of cancer cells.
Tea leaves can help fight cancer and heart disease, but not all tea drinks are the same.
Keep reading @ msnbc.msn.com

Americans Are Among the Fattest People on Earth

According to recent statistics from national and international health organizations, Americans are among the fattest people on earth. The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in the United States, obesity has risen at an epidemic rate during the past 20 years. Dr. Jennifer Zebrack, Assistant Professor of Medicine (General Internal Medicine) at the Medical College of Wisconsin, reports that 34% of all Americans are overweight – defined as having a Body Mass Index of 25.0 to 29.9 – and 30.5% are obese, defined as having a Body Mass Index of 30.0 or higher. Dr. Zebrack points out that it’s not just adults who are becoming problematically heavy, but children and adolescents as well; about 13% of children and adolescents in the US are now seriously overweight.
Continue Reading @ healthlink.mcw.edu

Study Shows Curvy Women Are More Intelligent than Skinny Women

T was already known that men find curvy women more attractive and that they live longer. Now research suggests that women with an hourglass figure are brighter and have cleverer children, too.
The study found that women with large hips and small waists are more intelligent than those with either “apple-shaped” or linear bodies.
The paper, to be published in the journal Evolution and Human Behaviour this week, suggests that such women give birth to more intelligent children - possibly a result of higher levels of omega3 fatty acids on the hips.
The researchers believe that the results offer a new explanation for why many men find curvy women more alluring. Nigella Lawson, the cookery presenter and Oxford University graduate, has one of Britain’s most famous hourglass figures, while Rachel Weisz, the curvy actress who won an Oscar for her role in The Constant Gardener, completed an English degree at Cambridge University while embarking on the first stages of her acting career. The researchers suggest that the fat around fuller hips and thighs holds higher levels of omega3 fatty acids which are essential for the growth of the brain during pregnancy. Fat around the waist may have higher levels of omega6 fatty acids, which are less suited to brain growth.The research may also explain why children born to teenage mothers do worse in cognitive tests: their mothers may have had insufficient stores of the best fatty acids.
“The cognitive development of their children is reduced, and their own cognitive development is impaired compared with those mothers with a later first birth,” say the researchers.
The study noted, however, that children born to teenage girls with traditional hourglass figures seemed to be protected from this phenomenon and did better in tests.
Keep reading at timesonline.co.uk

Holiday Healthy Fitness Tip

Physical activity is essential to burning calories and losing weight and -- especially important this time of year -- relieving stress. If your schedule is crazy, take 10-minute breaks throughout the day to power up your jump rope, walk around the block, or whatever you can to fit in some fitness. Or strap on a pedometer and work on taking more steps throughout the day, wherever your day takes you.

Holiday Healthy Eating Tip

If you really want another piece of candy or a big piece of pie, justify it. Eat smaller portions of other foods (except for the low-calorie, filling ones like vegetables) to save calories for the treats you crave, and/or spend a little more time working out. Remember this simple equation: Eating more than you burn equals weight gain.