About a month ago I was at work and a guy ran past me and into the bathroom. Always ready to do the bouncer thing, I was going to put him out. He stayed in the restroom for a long time - a really long time, so I grabbed his buddies, who decided to call an ambulance. It turned out that the guy wasn’t drunk at all - he ordered something off of the menu and didn’t read the ingredients. The dish contained shrimp, which he was allergic to. (more…)

I learned something new today. I always thought that farm raised fish were the “healthy fish.” People eat them because they were fed KNOWN substances, typically grains. To me, that makes sense. By eating the farm raised fish, I am not concerned about the possibility of the fish eating contaminants. This article on health.com, however, states that farm raised fish may actually be less healthy than the wild fish. The diets of farm raised fish does not include algae, which is a staple in the diet of fish in the wild. It is this algae which builds the levels of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in their system - omega-3 fatty acids.

Farm raised fish have less of these healthy fats, but have been shown to have higher concentrations of saturated and monounsaturated fats. Farm raised fish have also been shown to in some cases have twice the amount of omega-6 fatty acids in their bodies. In moderation and with the right combination of omega-3s, omega-6 fatty acids can lead to lowered blood pressure. The typical American diet has 11 - 30 times more than required, likely due to the presence of omega-6 in meats. Too much of this fatty acid in the diet can lead to heart disease, arthritis and cancer. From now on, I will be less leery of wild fish.

Written by: Donnell Peavy

In the grand scheme of things, dieting really isn’t that hard. Change the way you eat, lose the weight - simple. Keeping the weight off, however, is an entirely different story, that can be HARD. In fact, studies show that sustaining weight loss can be extremely difficult, and without adequate exercise, nearly impossible. Why is dieting so much easier than sustaining weight loss? Because not everyone has a healthalicious attitude. Being fit is a way of life; a diet is merely a shortcut means of achieving a goal. Buzzle gives an excellent example for this: if a person were to only eat tuna and grapefruit everyday for two weeks, said person would definitely lose weight, but how long can a person only eat a diet consisting of tuna and grapefruit? Malnourishment would soon come into play, not to mention good old fashioned cravings and hunger. (more…)

After writing about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) back in August, the importance of really reading food labels seems a vital and natural tie-in. I know navigating all the jargon around food is a difficult one, and now adding in the GMO factor might make one feel overwhelmed about choosing safe, healthy food options. But fear not! (more…)

The weather is still beautiful in many parts of the country, and that means that people are still breaking out their barbeque grills to enjoy burgers, chicken, ribs and other grilled goodness. Another reason the grill is used is because grilled foods don’t need any added grease, breading, etc. which makes it a healthier option, right? Maybe. Meat, poultry and fish cooked at extremely high temperatures - such as those attained by a grill - cause the formation of a chemical called heterocyclic amine (HCA), which is a carcinogen. As the temperature of meat rises, so do the levels of HCA found within them. However, research has determined that by combining meat with antioxidant rich substances, formation of HCAs can be prevented. The next time you decide to barbeque, sprinkle on some rosemary, or perhaps garlic, basil or sage or oregano as these antioxidant containing herbs can combat free radicals. (more…)

Working out is the vessel we use for getting in shape and feeling great. That is only half of the equation, however. The other half consists of proper diet - eating clean and eating enough. Few know this as well as olympic athletes. health.com compiled five quick tips which will guarantee that your diet is on the right track.
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Everyone’s feeling the pinch in the today’s economy. Gym memberships are down, and “value” sized offering at fast food joints may look like a great deal, but now is not the time to pinch pennies when it comes to the health and wellness of you and your family. Join me along with my guest Greg Schnese as we share with you ways cut cost, not nutrition, as well as some fun and free ways to get in your daily activity. (more…)

Recently, I read a blog post which turned my stomach. A woman who teaches classes on healthy eating choices has a rather unique prop she uses in class - a hamburger from McDonald’s. What’s so special about this prop, you ask? The hamburger was purchased in 1996! After 12 years, the burger still looks the same, indicating that there are A LOT of preservatives in it. Naturally, she uses this prop to make the case that such food can in no way be nutritional, as it’s loaded with additives. (more…)

There is a lot of talk about what we eat. I think we can all agree the cookie diet just won’t work. To help you out, we revealed 5 diet myths:

High Fiber Foods Kick the Calories
Don’t fool yourself, high fiber is good for you but it depends on what you mix into your high fiber foods. If you have whole grain pasta and put fettuccini in it, you’re not making it healthy. (more…)

One of the beautiful things about working out is progress. You get to see and feel your body transform. One way to see this progress is through the use of a diary (for us guys, a “journal”, not a “diary”). By keeping a record of topics such as diet, workout progress, etc. a person has an easy method of determining how much progress they have - or haven’t - made. According to a study conducted by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, use of a journal can double your weight loss and help the weight stay off. In the study, 1,500 overweight adults were placed on a diet and workout regimen. After five months, participants lost an average of 13 pounds. (more…)