Current guidelines for daily vitamin D intake during pregnancy range from 200 international units (IU) per day to 400 IU, the amount found in most prenatal vitamins. For decades, doctors have worried that too much vitamin D during pregnancy could cause birth defects, and under current guidelines anything over 2,000 IU per day is still considered potentially unsafe for anyone, not just pregnant women.

That much vitamin D is not only safe during pregnancy, the researchers say, but doubling it may actually reduce the risk of complications.

Pregnant women should not change their vitamin D intake without consulting their physicians, however. The study looked only at women in their second trimester and beyond, and it’s not yet clear whether high doses of vitamin D are safe earlier in pregnancy, when organs are formed and the fetus is especially vulnerable to birth defects.

In the study, 500 women who were at least 12 weeks pregnant took either 400, 2,000, or 4,000 IU of vitamin D per day. The women who took 4,000 IU were least likely to go into labor early, give birth prematurely, or develop infections.

“Pregnant women need to take 4,000 IU of vitamin D a day,” says Bruce Hollis, Ph.D., the director of pediatric nutritional sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina, in Charleston, and one of the authors of the study. “We didn’t see a single adverse effect. It was absolutely safe, and we saw a lot of improved outcomes. The risk of preterm labor was vastly decreased and so was the risk of other complications of pregnancy.”

Hollis and his colleagues presented their research today at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies in Vancouver, B.C.

Taking supplements is the only practical way to consume that much vitamin D. “You can’t drink that much milk,” Hollis says. “You take prenatal vitamins for other things, but the amount [of vitamin D] in a prenatal vitamin is useless.”

The findings are a sign that current vitamin D guidelines are far too low, says Elisa Ross, M.D., a staff physician at the Cleveland Clinic Institute of Women’s Health, in Ohio. “In the olden days, we thought vitamin D could be associated with certain birth defects and may cause more calcium to build up in the women’s blood. If this study is confirmed — which I am hoping it will be — it will increase the amount of vitamin D we recommend 10-fold.”

Rasa Kazlauskaite, M.D., an endocrinologist at Rush University Medical Center, in Chicago, Illinois, cautions that more research is needed before firm recommendations can be made. “This study answers the question, ‘Is vitamin D safe and beneficial for the average pregnant women?’ but how it affects individual pregnant women needs to be answered,” she says.

For instance, Kazlauskaite says, vitamin D intake during pregnancy should perhaps be pegged to a woman’s blood levels of vitamin D. The American Academy of Pediatrics, which recommends that pregnant women take a prenatal vitamin containing at least 400 IU of the vitamin, also recommends that obstetricians measure the vitamin D in pregnant women’s blood to ensure that the fetus is receiving enough to develop properly.

Despite the medical community’s long-standing fears, few women in the study were concerned about vitamin D–related birth defects, according to Hollis. “We got more resistance from physicians than from patients,” he says. “One doctor wrote to the National Institutes of Health and said, ‘Don’t let this study go forward. You are going to injure fetuses.’” (The National Institutes of Health funded the research.)

“There are no risks,” Hollis adds. The conventional wisdom about the dangers of too much vitamin D was “manufactured and based on flawed data,” he says. “There was never any real harm, just misconceptions.”

Known as the “sunshine vitamin” because the body produces it when exposed to sunlight, vitamin D has been the focus of intensive research in recent years. Studies in adults have linked vitamin D deficiency to a laundry list of serious health problems, including heart disease, certain cancers, osteoporosis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and some autoimmune disorders.

Even though vitamin D is added to food products such as milk, a deficiency of the vitamin is widespread in adults, children, and infants. A decrease in everyday sun exposure and the growing obesity epidemic are both likely to blame for this, according to Kazlauskaite. “At least half of Americans are overweight or obese, and fat traps vitamin D,” she explains. “As a result, we are more predisposed to vitamin D deficiency.”

Michael F. Holick, M.D., a professor of medicine, physiology, and biophysics at the Boston University School of Medicine, has maintained for years that getting too little vitamin D is worse than getting too much. Although doctors have been taught that vitamin D is toxic in large amounts, he says, vitamin D intoxication is extremely rare and easy to treat.

The levels of vitamin D recommended in the new study are sensible, Holick says. Previous research suggests that pregnant women who get too little vitamin D are more likely to develop life-threatening high blood pressure (preeclampsia) and are also more likely to require a Cesarean section, he says.

“Giving 4,000 IU a day to pregnant women not only doesn’t cause toxicity, but may improve birth outcomes,” Holick says. “The risks of vitamin D during pregnancy are overblown and the benefits are understated.”

Prompted by the recent flood of research on vitamin D deficiency, the Institute of Medicine, an independent organization that advises the U.S. government on health matters, is now considering whether to raise its guidelines for vitamin D intake, including those for pregnant women (200 IU per day) and the maximum safe daily dose (2,000 IU). The new guidelines are expected to be announced this summer.

Hollis predicts that the institute will take a conservative approach. But he hopes that at the very least, “the upper limit is raised from 2,000 IU to something much higher, so it is not an impediment to doing research.”

It’s a fact of life: Chips, cupcakes, and lots of other not-so-nutritionally noble foods are going to find their way into your child’s mouth. Heck, if left to their own devices, a lot of kids wouldn’t eat anything that didn’t come out of a pizza or pasta box. But that’s all the more reason to make sure the meals you serve up are packed with as much good stuff as possible. Parenting went to Rachel Beller, R.D., founder of the Beller Nutritional Institute in Beverly Hills, California, a mom of four, and an expert in eating for disease prevention, to get her top picks of true bite-for-bite nutritional powerhouses. Most important, they’re also foods kids might actually eat. Add them to this week’s shopping list!

Blueberries

They’ve ranked among the healthiest fruits for years (go, antioxidants!). Now research suggests that in addition to protecting against heart disease and diabetes and improving brain function, blueberries may also help reduce visceral “toxic” belly fat — a type of fat that has been linked to obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Ways to get them in your kid’s diet: They’re a natural go-with breakfast choice (say, tossed into a bowl of granola and milk) and are also great in summer salads and desserts. Try making ice pops by freezing a blend of whirred-up blueberries, yogurt and some honey (after age 1).

Tofu

“Whole soy foods are an excellent source of lean protein and have potent anti-cancer benefits,” says Beller. “Tofu is great for young girls because it has a protective effect as their bodies and breast tissue are developing — which lasts into adulthood.”

Ways to get it in your kid’s diet: Dice and toss tofu into stir-fries or soups; use the silken variety as a sub for yogurt in fruit smoothies; snack on lightly boiled and salted edamame (soybeans) — the kids will have fun popping them out of the shells.

Tomatoes

They’re loaded with lycopene — a substance that protects against many cancers. Cooking tomatoes makes them even healthier because the heat releases the lycopene. Hint:

Pairing tomato-y foods with a good fat, like olive oil, helps the body absorb more. Ways to get them in your kid’s diet: Pizza and pasta sauces are obvious choices, or add tomato sauce to turkey meatballs or meatloaf if you need to disguise it. A bowl of chili and salsa for dipping are good options if you’ve got a spice lover.

Low-fat Greek yogurt

It contains healthy bacteria known to boost immunity and aid digestion, and has two to three times the amount of protein and less sugar than regular yogurt. Add a drizzle of honey (after age 1) for sweetness, a bit of maple syrup or try a squeeze of agave syrup (a sweetener with a lower glycemic index, so it won’t make your child’s blood sugar — and energy level — spike and then crash soon after breakfast). Agave is available in grocery stores, either in the organic aisle or where you’d find honey.

Cabbage

It has a mild flavor and crunch that kids tend to like better than the usual salad greens. And cruciferous veggies such as cabbage, broccoli and kale contain phytonutrients known to lower the risk for many types of cancer, as well as improve digestion. It also helps clear harmful toxins from the body by triggering the release of enzymes whose job it is to whisk them out.

Ways to get it in your kid’s diet: Make coleslaw with low-fat mayo; shred and toss it into soups or Asian noodle dishes.

Salmon

It contains heart-healthy omega-3 fats, which are also known to boost brain development, fend off depression, and have superb anti-inflammatory powers. Be sure to pick the wild kind, which is lower in mercury and higher in omega-3′s.

Best way to get your kid to eat it: Pair salmon with ingredients he already likes. Glaze salmon fillets with orange juice or brush them with teriyaki sauce. Or serve it as salmon cakes, burgers or salad (mashed and mixed with low-fat mayo).

Cocoa

You probably think of the marshmallow-studded beverage, but cocoa powder actually has one of the highest concentrations of flavonoids, a compound known to improve blood pressure and heart and oral health. They may also protect skin from sun damage. Use at least 70 percent pure cocoa and check that it isn’t processed with alkali (also called “Dutch processed”), which removes most of the flavonoids.

Ways to serve it (beyond hot cocoa): Sprinkle it on pancakes, waffles or French toast, or melt some dark chocolate and dunk strawberries in it.

Black beans

“Beans are a great source of protein, as well as fiber and calcium — two things kids tend not to get enough of. The darker the color, the better they are,” says Beller. “They also help guard against heart disease and high cholesterol, which aren’t adults-only problems. I have a nine-year-old patient with very high cholesterol.”

Ways to get them in your kid’s diet: Make nachos or quesadillas with black beans, cheese, and salsa; try black-bean veggie burgers, or whip up black-bean hummus.

Basil

This herb is packed with antioxidants — vitamins A, C, and K — as well as iron, potassium and calcium and can help improve digestion. Some research shows it may even ease headaches, notes Beller.

Ways to get it in your kid’s diet: Make pesto and spoon over chicken breasts or stir into cooked pasta. Does your kid freak out at the sight of little green flecks in his food? Welcome to the club! Grind basil up superfine and hide it in sauces, soups, and that ever-popular master of disguise, meatballs.

Cinnamon

Research shows that this spice can help regulate blood sugar, which may also minimize those all-too-common mid-morning energy crashes (kiddie meltdown!), says Beller.

Ways to get it in your kid’s diet: Sprinkle it on oatmeal, pancakes, cold cereal and yogurt, and add a few extra dashes of cinnamon to muffin or quick-bread recipes that call for it. “My kids also love it on air-popped popcorn,” says Beller. Or combine it in a shaker with cocoa and sprinkle both together for a superfood two-fer.

1. Catch the running bug. You’ll continue to burn fat after your jog: People who run for at least four hours a week melt more calories than non-runners, even when they’re not running, a Yale University School of Medicine study reports.

2. Crank it up early. Working out harder during the first half of your workout and taking it easier during the second burns up to 23 percent more fat than doing the opposite, according to a study from The College of New Jersey.

3 & 4. Go hard — and make it quick. Staying at 80 percent of your max heart rate for 40 minutes can amp your metabolism for 19 hours afterward, research published in Obesity notes. And doing a shorter workout at 75 percent of your max aerobic capacity will give you a greater metabolic boost than sweating longer at 50 percent, a Colorado State University reveals.

5 to 7. Lift dumbbells … slowly. More muscle equals mega metabolism boost. Strength training can help you trim major fat, research reveals — and doing super-slow (versus normal speed) reps increases strength by 50 percent.

Plus, using dumbbells activates more muscle fibers than using machines, explains Gregory Haff, Ph.D., an associate professor in the exercise physiology department at West Virginia University.

8. Speed up, slow down. Alternating bouts of high-intensity and low-intensity cardio has been shown to torch pounds.

9. Put on weight (literally). Wearing a weighted vest (about 10 percent of your body weight) while walking can boost your calorie burn by 8 percent.

10. Download Rihanna, not Brahms. Listening to up-tempo songs actually makes you run faster and harder than listening to slower-paced music, British scientists say.

11. Let kettlebells ring. Not only does working out with kettlebells build muscle, but doing it for 20 minutes burns as many calories as running at a 6-minute-mile pace for the same amount of time.

12. Keep it up. As few as 80 minutes a week of aerobic or weight training helps keep you from regaining belly fat after losing weight, according to researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

13. Add poles. Use Nordic poles while you walk, and you’ll burn 20 percent more calories, says research from The Cooper Institute in Dallas.

14 & 15. Lift first, nix the rest. Doing strength training before cardio can torch more fat than cardio alone. And if you do one move after another without pausing, “you’ll see more gains in strength and muscle mass,” says Dr. Pierre Manfroy, M.D., consultant for the book “100 Ways to Supercharge Your Metabolism.”

16. Add pounds. Lift heavier weights for fewer reps to make your workout more intense — and burn more fat — Manfroy says.

17. Try aromatherapy. Exercisers who inhaled strawberry and buttered-popcorn scents torched more calories than those who sniffed neutral odors, according to research from the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago.

18. Box yourself in. Wii boxing knocks out nearly twice as many calories as some other games, like Wii golf.

19. Kick it. Playing soccer not only torches more fat and builds more muscle than jogging, but it feels less tiring, Danish research reveals.

20. Stay in shape. Fit people have more fat-burning metabolites in their blood than couch potatoes do, scientists say.

IN THE KITCHEN

22. Get more protein. Eating a protein-packed breakfast and lunch helps you burn more post-meal fat than if you eat lower-protein meals, according to Australian research.

23 & 24. Guzzle green tea — or coffee. Downing five 5-ounce cups of green tea a day boosts metabolism, says Lyssie Lakatos, R.D., author of “Fire Up Your Metabolism.” Two cups of coffee will also do the trick, one study shows.

25. Have an omelet. Eating two eggs for breakfast while dieting will help you trim more weight and body fat than if you ate the same amount of calories noshing on a bagel, scientists say.

26. Stay above 1,200 calories… ”The average person’s body goes into starvation mode if she eats fewer than 1,200 calories a day,” says Eric Berg, author of “The 7 Principles of Fat Burning.” “That’s stress, and stress creates more belly fat.”

27. … and cut calories gradually. If you diet, don’t trim more than 250 calories a day. Cutting calories too quickly slows your metabolism down, Dr. Manfroy says.

28 to 33. Munch on these. Almonds, cherries, yogurt, grapefruit, whole grains, and spicy foods have all been shown to torch fat.

34. Fuel up right. Eating a low-glycemic-index breakfast (such as muesli and peaches) will help you burn more fat during a subsequent workout than eating a high-glycemic-index meal (like waffles), researchers from the University of Nottingham reveal.

35. Think before you drink. Sipping as few as 90 calories’ worth of vodka can slow your metabolism by 73 percent, one study shows.

36. Graze. Women who go without eating for long periods are more likely to have higher body-fat percentages than women who nosh more regularly, one study notes.

37. Dine like a Greek. Eating a diet rich in monounsaturated fat (think olive oil, avocados) can help trim both weight and fat, research published in the British Journal of Nutrition shows.

38. Stop gorging. Your body can only handle so much food at a time, so stick to 600 calories or less per meal to maximize fat-burning, says Leslie Cooper, co-author of “Flip the Switch: Proven Strategies to Fuel Your Metabolism and Burn Fat 24 Hours a Day.”

39. Skip juice. Reaching for an apple instead of apple juice is not only better calorie-wise, but it’ll also do a better job of boosting your metabolism, Dr. Manfroy explains.

IN YOUR LIFE

41 & 42. Get C and D. Vitamin C can help you burn more fat, and D may help you lose fat, research notes. Aim for 400 to 500 mg of C and 800 mg of D a day.

43 & 44. Walk more (in denim). Researchers found that fitness-friendly offices (think treadmill desks, mobile headsets) helped people trim pounds and fat, as did wearing jeans to work, since dressing casual encourages you to move more. Wear comfy clothes when you can, pace while on the phone, and stand while chatting with co-workers.

45. Add fish oil (And work out). Taking 6 grams of fish oil per day and hitting the gym three times a week can help nix body fat, an Australian study reveals.

46. Work the day shift. Keeping nontraditional hours lowers levels of hormones that trigger satiety, increases blood glucose and insulin levels, and raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol (which can drive you to eat more), scientists say.

47. Nix the boob tube. Cut your TV time in half, and you’ll burn more calories each day, research from the University of Vermont suggests.

48. Go mental. People who visualized themselves training a specific muscle boosted the strength in that muscle group, researchers found.

49. Eat a smaller dinner. Your body may not digest food — and burn fat — as efficiently if you down a huge meal right before bedtime, especially because your metabolism is slower while you sleep, Dr. Manfroy says.

50. Jump-start your morning. Wake up your metabolism — and get fat-burning started — by doing some sort of exercise within the first few hours of being awake, Cooper suggests.

51. Get your snooze on. Sleep for a solid 81D 2 hours instead of 51D 2, according to research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, and you’ll lose more fat. Sweet dreams!

The research looked at a type of sleep called Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, the phase of deep sleep when dreams occur. In the small study, researchers exposed people to images designed to trigger an emotional response and looked at how the time of day they were viewed affected their emotions and brain activity. The researchers found that those participants who slept between viewings showed reduced activity in brain areas linked to emotion, and reported finding the images less intense.

This small study highlights some interesting theories as to why sleep may promote emotional wellbeing. Generally, it seems to support the commonly held belief that a good night’s sleep can put our worries and emotions in perspective. However, it only involved 34 participants, and looked at the short-term outcomes in an artificial setting. It would therefore be unwise to draw any firm conclusions from its findings, or to assume that sleep is therapy for traumatic experiences.

The study was generally overinterpreted by the press. In particular, the claims that dreams can help ease bad memories is not supported by its findings.

 Where did the story come from?

The study was carried out by researchers from the University of California and was funded by the US National Institutes of Health. The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal, Current Biology.

 What kind of research was this?

This was a randomised study of 34 healthy adults. It looked at the links between the dreaming stage of sleep, called REM sleep, and recent emotional experiences. It measured the effects REM sleep had on people’s emotions using a variety of methods, such as:

• subjective reports from the participants
• MRI scans of their brains
• recordings of electrical brain activity during REM sleep

The researchers say there is evidence that there may be a ‘potentially causal interaction’ between sleep and the part of the brain concerned with processing emotion and feeling.

The researchers point out that nearly all mood disorders involve sleep abnormalities, usually relating to REM sleep. They add that recent theories suggest REM sleep may reduce the brain’s reaction to recent waking emotional experiences, thus reducing their emotional intensity. They suggest it is done possibly by suppressing certain chemical messengers commonly implicated in stress and arousal.

 What did the research involve?

The researchers recruited 34 healthy young adults aged between 18 and 30 years. They were randomly divided into two groups that were put through emotional response tests but at different times during the day. In these tests all participants were shown 150 ‘emotional’ images, which were taken from a standardised picture system designed to test emotional reaction (the study provides no detail as to what these images might portray).

Participants viewed the images twice, 12 hours apart. After each viewing they were asked to rate the subjective emotional intensity of the images on a 1-5 scale, with the higher numbers corresponding to increasing intensity. At the same time as they took these tests, an MRI scanner measured brain activity.

Participants in one group viewed the images in the morning and again in the evening, staying awake between the two viewings. The other group viewed the images in the evening and again in the morning after a full night’s sleep. Researchers also recorded the electrical brain activity of the second group while they slept, using electroencephalograms (EEG).

 What were the basic results?

The researchers observed a number of differences between the two groups, which differed in brain activity, subjective ratings of the images and EEG recordings.

From the MRI scans they found changes in the activity in the part of the brain called the amygdala, a small, almond-shaped part of the brain thought to be involved in processing emotion. They found that:

• In the group that had slept overnight between viewings of the images, activity in the amygdala was significantly reduced between the first and second viewings.
• In the group who viewed the images without sleeping overnight, activity in the amygdala increased significantly between the first and second viewings.
• These differences were also associated with changes in activity in part of the brain called the ‘ventromedial prefrontal cortex’ (vmPFC), part of the brain associated with cognitive functions such as making decisions.
• Between the two viewings, the sleep group showed an increase in vmPFC activity, while the awake group showed a reduction in vmPFC activity.

From the subjective ratings of the images, participants who had slept overnight between the viewings gave less intense ratings to the images and more ‘neutral ratings’ on their second viewing, while those who had both viewings during the day showed no decrease in ratings for emotional intensity.

Finally, they found that in the sleep group, recordings of electrical brain activity showed that certain patterns of electrical activity decreased during REM sleep. They say this is a marker for reduced ‘adrenergic’ activity (brain activity associated with substances such as adrenaline).

 How did the researchers interpret the results?

They say the experiment shows that REM sleep acts on the central nervous system to decrease the emotional intensity of previous experiences. It is possible, they say, that the disruption of REM sleep in certain psychological disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, may make it difficult for people to recover. It may also explain why treatments that suppress brain activity at night may be successful in this type of disorder.

 Conclusion

This small study puts forward some interesting theories as to why sleep may promote emotional wellbeing. It seems to support the commonly held and commonsense idea that a good night’s sleep can help people get their worries and emotional reactions in perspective. A regular healthy sleep pattern may also help those with anxiety and other disorders.

However, it should be noted that the study only involved 34 participants, that it only looked at the possible effects of sleep on specific emotional stimuli and that it was conducted over a 12-hour period. It would therefore be unwise to draw any firm conclusions from its findings. Although its findings are of interest to scientists in the field of sleep disorders, it is not possible to draw any conclusions about sleep as therapy.

In addition, the study was not blinded, which means both researchers and participants knew which group participants were in. So it is possible that the reactions of people in the sleep group were affected by the knowledge that they had slept, rather than by sleep itself.

Nor does anything in the study show that dreaming specifically has a beneficial effect. It is possible that achieving deep sleep, rather than having dreams, was responsible for the possible changes in brain activity and also the reactions that researchers recorded.

What Is Sugar?

Sugar (sucrose) is a carbohydrate that occurs naturally in every fruit and vegetable. It is a major product of photosynthesis, the process by which plants transform the sun’s energy into food. Sugar occurs in greatest quantities in sugarcane and sugar beets from which it is separated for commercial use.

Other nutritive sweeteners (sugars) in the diet include honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, fructose, and fruit juice concentrates.

What Roles Does Sugar Play In The Diet?

a. Taste - Mary Poppins knew that “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.” This principle applies to food as well as cough syrup.

Sugar makes many nutritious foods taste good enough to eat. The brown sugar we sprinkle on our morning oatmeal, the syrup that tops our pancakes, or the granulated sugar baked into a bran muffin contribute abundantly to eating pleasure.

b. Carbohydrates - Sugar (sucrose) is an important source of carbohydrate, the body’s primary energy source.
Surveys indicate that we are eating more than enough protein and probably too much fat. Carbohydrates are the only calorie source in which an increase in consumption is recommended. Nutrition guidelines often suggest emphasizing complex carbohydrates, such as starch, because foods rich in complex carbohydrates usually are low in fat and are good sources of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Planning a low-fat diet is much easier if you use a little sugar to add taste appeal to low-fat foods, such as grapefruit or yogurt.

c. Food Technology - Sugar is a multi-purpose carbohydrate that contributes significantly to the flavor, aroma, texture, color and body of a variety of foods.
Sugar helps bread rise by acting as a food for the yeast. In all baked products, sugar contributes to flavor and crust color as well as prolonged shelf life.
In jams and jellies, sugar preserves against the growth of yeasts and molds. Sugar syrups protect frozen and canned fruits from browning and withering.
Sugar is an important contributor to bulk, texture and body in ice cream, beverages, baked goods and other products. Many condiments — salad dressing, tomato sauce, ketchup, etc. — rely on sugar to soften acidity, blend flavors and contribute mouthfeel.

What Role Does Sugar Play In Weight Management?

We gain weight when we take in more calories from food than we burn up for energy needs. The cornerstones of weight management are diet and exercise.
Carbohydrates are the dieter’s best friend. Sugar and other carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram, the same as protein. Fats have more than twice the calories — 9 per gram.
Recent research has found that calories from fats are used differently by the body from carbohydrate and protein calories. Virtually all fat calories are immediately stored in fat cells. But carbohydrates and protein are converted into glucose for fuel, and only those calories in excess of the body’s energy needs are stored.
At 16 calories per teaspoon, sugar is not particularly fattening. Fortunately, many low calorie, low-fat sweets — angel food cake, frozen fruit ices or sorbets, low-fat frozen yogurt and fruit shakes made with low-fat milk — can be included in a weight management plan.
One popular calorie-saving tip: Substitute one teaspoon of jam or jelly for butter or margarine on your breakfast toast.

What Do Alternative Sweeteners Contribute To The Diet?

~ Nutritive Sweeteners – From a nutrition and calorie perspective, the various types of nutritive sweeteners (sugar, honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrates) are very similar.

Consumers should be aware that recipes or labels promoting “sugarless” sweets frequently contain nutritive sweeteners (sugars) which may be honey, molasses or some highly sweet foods, such as raisins, dates, fruit juices or fruit juice concentrates.
Many food products today are processed with fruit juice concentrates that are very similar in calories and nutrient composition to sugar syrups. Nutritionally, they are equivalent to liquid sugar.

~ Artificial Sweeteners - No studies show that artificial sweeteners are effective aids to long-term weight loss.Weight loss depends on reducing the total amount and kind of calories consumed and/or increasing caloric expenditure through exercise. Artificial sweeteners and fat substitutes will not help dieters lower their calorie intake unless they are used as part of a total diet/exercise regimen.

How Does The Body Use Carbohydrates?

All carbohydrates are made up of one or more molecules of simple sugars. Carbohydrates are combinations of carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O), with the latter two components occurring in the same proportion as in water.The basic formula: C_nH_2nO_n.

All carbohydrate foods — potatoes, broccoli, apples, grapes, sugar, honey — have the same ultimate destination.They are converted to the simple sugar, glucose, the primary fuel for the body.

Do Different Carbohydrates Have Different Effects On The Body?

In recent years, nutrition scientists have reexamined traditional views about the differences between simple and complex carbohydrates. The old view was that any simple carbohydrate raised blood sugar levels very quickly because it was metabolized rapidly, while any complex carbohydrate caused a slower and more moderate rise in blood sugar.

New research on the “glycemic index of foods” shows no easily defined nutritional difference between simple and complex carbohydrates. Some simple sugars cause a slow, moderate rise in blood sugar levels; some complex carbohydrates cause a rapid rise. Sugar (sucrose), itself, gives a medium blood sugar response, less than either bread or potatoes.

What Is Hypoglycemia?

Hypoglycemia is a medical name for a condition in which the level of blood glucose is too low to meet the immediate energy needs of the body. True hypoglycemia is a relatively rare condition. It is not a disease but is considered a sign of an underlying ailment that requires the diagnosis and treatment of a physician.

The belief that hypoglycemia might be related to sugar consumption stems back to the time when it was thought that the insulin response to complex carbohydrates was slow and steady, while simple carbohydrates were thought to encourage a “rush” of insulin that caused a sharp drop in blood glucose. Research on the “glycemic” effects of carbohydrates (see above) demonstrates that sugar does not affect insulin levels this dramatically and provides additional evidence that hypoglycemia is not caused by eating any carbohydrates, including sugar.

What Does Research Say About Diet And Diabetes?

Though all the causes of diabetes are not known, genetic factors play a major part in the development of this disease. Diabetes is not caused by carbohydrate, including sugars, consumption, but the composition of the diet becomes important once an individual develops this condition.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that some diabetic individuals can consume a diet similar to that recommended by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.The total calorie content of the diet should be appropriate to achieving and maintaining desirable body weight.
As a result of recent studies, the American Diabetes Association changed its policy on the use of nutritive sweeteners in ADA recipes. The new policy permits 1 teaspoon of sugar or other nutritive sweetener per reasonable serving size in a recipe. Recipes marked “for occasional use” may contain up to 1 tablespoon of sugar per serving and should be limited to one serving per day. Individuals with diabetes should contact their physician or registered dietitian before changing diet or meal plans.

Is It Possible To Be Addicted To Sugar?

No. Addiction is a specific medical condition characterized by compulsive behavior and severe emotional, mental or physiologic symptoms. Eating sugar or any carbohydrate, (or proteins or fats) does not produce these symptoms.

People do like and desire pleasurable foods. But this does not qualify as addiction.

Is There A Relationship Between Carbohydrate or Sugar Consumption And Behavior?

Numerous carefully controlled studies show no relationship between sugar consumption and childhood behavior problems such as hyperactivity. In its comprehensive evaluation, FDA found no solid evidence that sugar consumption contributes to behavioral changes. The U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Nutrition and Health agrees, as does the National Academy of Sciences Diet and Health report.

A small percentage of the population (from 1 to 5% of school-age children) is affected by a syndrome known as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). If a child is diagnosed as having ADHD, his/her treatment and progress should be closely monitored by a physician.

How Does Diet Affect Dental Health?

Tooth decay occurs because bacteria break down carbohydrates (sugars and starches) to form acids in the plaque which then demineralize (dissolve) the nearby tooth enamel. The most significant diet-related factors are:

• Frequency - Frequent snacking on carbohydrate containing foods increases the amount of time the teeth are exposed to the demineralizing effects of the various acids. The amount of carbohydrate consumed is not as significant to the formation of dental caries as the frequency of consumption.
• Form - Sticky carbohydrates are retained on the teeth and allow acid production to be prolonged. In addition to sugars-containing sticky foods (e.g. chewing gum, raisins and other dried fruits, some candies) researchers are finding that starchy foods (e.g. breadsticks, cornflakes, potato chips) may linger in the mouth longer than some sweet foods.

Tooth decay prevalence in the United States has declined dramatically in recent years. Experts credit the widespread use of fluoride as well as improved levels of dental care. To achieve and maintain optimal dental health the American Dental Association recommends:

• Brush and floss regularly to remove dental plaque
• Use a fluoride dentifrice and mouthrinse
• Visit a dentist regularly
• Eat a balanced diet
• Minimize the number of between-meal snacks eaten each day
• Limit sweets consumption to mealtimes
• Do not allow infants to sleep with bottles containing sweetened liquids, fruit juices, milk or formula

What Is The Role Of Carbohydrate Foods in Heart Healthy Diets?

Carbohydrate-rich foods often have little or no cholesterol and can be low in saturated fat and calories. Many provide fiber that may help lower blood cholesterol levels.Experts agree that sugar can play a role in heart healthy eating.

• Sugar adds taste and flavor to many nutritious foods.
• High-fat recipes can be adapted for heart healthy diets by substituting small amounts of sugar for fat. A little sugar helps produce the mouthfeel of fat.
• The Food and Drug Administration in its review of the health aspects of sugars consumption concluded: “There was no conclusive evidence that dietary sugars are an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease in the general population.”

You’ll also find plenty of tips on building stamina, strength and flexibility, as well as diet and motivation.

There’s no right time to exercise. It depends on the individual. “You need to listen to your body,” says Robin. “Some people feel rough in the morning, whereas others can hop out of bed and do a 10 mile run.”

What is tai chi?
Tai chi, also called tai chi chuan, combines deep breathing and relaxation with slow and gentle movements. Originally developed as a martial art in 13th-century China, tai chi is today practised around the world as a health-promoting exercise.

What are the health benefits of tai chi?
While there’s scope for more rigorous studies on tai chi’s health benefits, studies have shown that tai chi can help people aged 65 and over to reduce stress, improve balance and general mobility, and increase muscle strength in the legs.

Can tai chi help prevent having falls?

Binge eating, addiction to junk food and her experiments with alcohol and drugs turned Britney’s svelte dancer’s body into bloated and ugly. For a person so constantly in the public eye as Britney Spears, this was nothing more than professional suicide.

In 2008, her managers gave her an ultimatum to shape up or ship out. Britney resolved to lead a healthier lifestyle and in a short time, showed remarkable progress. Her recent pictures in a bikini show a perfectly toned body. How Britney achieved the impossible has been the subject of much media speculation.

Britney’s health plan was two pronged- based on diet and exercise. On the plus side, despite having had two children, Britney is still in her twenties and had a faster metabolism on her side. Her addiction to junk food and relapses into alcohol dependency were tough to overcome.
The Britney Spears Diet Plan

The Britney Spears diet, as it came to be known is a high protein diet nil sugar diet .Junk food, soft drinks, energy drinks, coffee with cream and alcohol are strictly. The choice of foods is listed below:

Breakfast

* A slice of whole meal toast with peanut butter, and two kiwi fruits
* Two slices of grilled bacon ( fat trimmed off) in a whole meal roll with a sliced tomato
* A bowl of Bite size Shredded Wheat topped with sliced strawberries and skimmed milk
* Omelets filled with one sliced tomato and a small handful of spinach
* Two boiled eggs, with a slice of whole meal toast

Lunch

* A baked sweet potato topped with a mix of kidney beans and chick-peas drizzled with balsamic with a side salad
* A shop bought sandwich under 400 calories
* A whole meal pita bread stuffed with prawns, a tablespoon of hummus
* Vegetable soup, with a slice of whole meal bread
* A cereal bowl amount of penne pasta mixed with a tomato-based sauce

Dinner

* Pesto whole meal spaghetti with cooked cherry tomatoes
* Baked cod, served with green beans and three tablespoons of cous cous
* A salad made with green leaves, chopped peppers and cucumber, grated carrot and canned tuna (in spring water). Drizzled with balsamic vinegar or any low fat dressing
* Baked salmon fillet, with three boiled new potatoes and baked broccoli
* A chicken, vegetable and cashew nut stir-fry.

Snacks:

* 2 snacks a day of any of the following are allowed:
* A small handful of almonds (no more than 10)
* A small pot of low- fat yoghurt
* A banana
* A chopped pepper with a large tablespoon of hummus
* Two oatcakes topped with Manuka honey

Women and Heart Attacks

Heart attack symptoms in women may be different from those experienced by men. Many women who have a heart attack do not know it. Women tend to feel a burning sensation in their upper abdomen and may experience lightheadedness, an upset stomach, and sweating. Because they may not feel the typical pain in the left half of their chest, many women may ignore symptoms that indicate they are having a heart attack.
Heart attacks are generally more severe in women than in men. In the first year after a heart attack, women are more than 50% more likely to die than men are. In the first 6 years after a heart attack, women are almost twice as likely to have a second heart attack.

Estrogen and Heart Disease

Studies have shown that after menopause, women experience an increased risk of heart disease. Researchers have connected this pattern to decreasing levels of the female hormone estrogen during menopause—a process that begins around age 50. Estrogen is associated with higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good cholesterol”) and lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad cholesterol”). Withdrawal of the natural estrogen that occurs in menopause leads to lower “good cholesterol” and higher “bad cholesterol” thus increasing the risk of heart disease. Because the life expectancy for women in the United States is 79 years, women can expect to live a large part of their lives with an increased risk of heart disease. In fact, 1 out of 4 women older than 65 has some form of identified heart disease.

Researchers have looked at how hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may affect women who already have heart disease. In the Heart and Estrogen/progestin Replacement Study (HERS), doctors found that postmenopausal women with heart disease who were given estrogen and progestin actually had more heart attacks and heart disease deaths during the first year of the study than women not on HRT did. However, after 4 years of study, there were no differences between the groups in heart attacks or heart disease deaths. After HERS and other trials, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommended against the use of HRT in women with known heart disease.

In 2002, one phase of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trial showed that healthy postmenopausal women with a uterus who were taking the combination hormone treatment of estrogen plus progestin were not protected from heart disease. The AHA was awaiting the results of this trial before making their recommendation about HRT for these women. But the trial was stopped early, because the combined estrogen and progestin treatment was shown to increase the risk of breast cancer, stroke, and heart disease. So, the study’s researchers recommend that combined estrogen and progestin therapy should not be started or continued solely for the prevention of heart disease in these women.

The National Institutes of Health has since stopped the estrogen-only phase of the WHI trial after finding an increased risk of stroke and no reduction in the risk of heart disease in postmenopausal women without a uterus. Because of the results from this phase of the WHI trial, researchers recommend that estrogen-only therapy not be used for the prevention of heart disease.

In 2008, results of a Danish study—the largest since the WHI study—showed that how and when women take HRT may affect their risk of heart attack. During a 6-year period, researchers looked at almost 700,000 healthy Danish women aged 51 to 69. There was no information on whether the women were postmenopausal, but given the womens’ age range, the researchers stated that most of even the younger women in the study were probably postmenopausal.

Results of the Danish study showed that there was no increased risk of a heart attack in women who were currently taking HRT compared with women who had never taken HRT. But there was a 24% increased risk in younger women (aged 51 to 54) and a heightened risk in younger women who had been taking HRT for a long time. Women who took a combination of estrogen and progesterone administered continuously had a 35% increased risk of heart attack compared with women who had never used HRT. But estrogen taken alone, followed by estrogen plus progesterone (a cyclical regimen) actually resulted in a reduced risk of heart attack compared to women who had never taken HRT.

The AHA still does not advise women to take HRT to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke. Women should weigh the risks of HRT and discuss them with their doctor. For the symptoms of menopause, including bone loss, effective non-hormonal treatments are available.

Modifiable Risk Factors for Women

Women need to be aware of therisk factors for cardiovascular disease and the importance of making lifestyle changes that may reduce those risks. Factors such as race, increasing age, and a family history of heart disease cannot be changed. Other risk factors, however, can be changed or eliminated by making informed decisions about cardiovascular health.

Smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Although the overall number of adult smokers has decreased in this country during the last 20 years, the number of teenaged girls who smoke has increased. Studies show that smoking lowers levels of good cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease. Cigarette smoking combined with the use of birth control pills has also been shown to increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. The good news is that no matter how long or how much someone has smoked, smokers can immediately reduce their risk of heart attack by quitting. After 1 year of not smoking, the excess risk of heart disease created by smoking is reduced 80%; after 7 years of not smoking, all the risk from smoking is gone. It is never too late to stop smoking.

High blood pressure, or hypertension is a silent disease. If left untreated, it makes the heart work harder, speeds up hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), and increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. Women who have a history of high blood pressure, black women with high blood pressure, and overweight women with high blood pressure are also at greater risk. Although high blood pressure cannot be cured, it can be controlled with diet, exercise, and, if necessary, medicines. High blood pressure is a lifelong risk and requires effective long-term management, including regular blood pressure checks and the appropriate medicines.

Pregnancy may trigger high blood pressure, especially during the third trimester, but high blood pressure caused by pregnancy usually goes away after childbirth. This is called pregnancy-induced hypertension. Another form of high blood pressure that can occur during pregnancy is called preeclampsia, and it is usually accompanied by swelling and increased protein in the urine. Women with a history of preeclampsia face double the risk of stroke, heart disease and dangerous clotting in their veins during the 5 to 15 years after pregnancy.

Cholesterol levels are also related to a person’s risk of heart disease. Doctors look at how your levels of LDL, HDL, and fats called triglycerides relate to each other and to your total cholesterol level. Before menopause, women in general have higher cholesterol levels than men because estrogen increases HDL levels in the blood. A study reported in the American Journal of Cardiology found that HDL levels were the most important predictor of cardiovascular health. That is, the higher a woman’s HDL level, the less likely she is to have a cardiovascular event such as heart attack or stroke. But after menopause, HDL levels tend to drop, increasing the risk of heart disease. HDL and LDL cholesterol levels can be improved by diet, exercise, and, in serious cases, cholesterol-lowering medicines.

Obesity is a strong predictor for heart disease, especially among women. A person is considered obese if body weight exceeds the “desirable” weight for height and gender by 20 percent or more. Where fat settles on the body is also an important predictor. Women who have a lot of fat around the waist are at greater risk than those who have fat around the hips. In the United States, about one third of women are classified as obese. A plan of diet and exercise approved by your doctor is the best way to safely lose weight.

Diabetes is more common in overweight, less active women and poses a greater risk because it cancels the protective effects of estrogen in premenopausal women. Results of one study showed that women with diabetes have a higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease than men with diabetes have. The increased risk may also be explained by the fact that most diabetic patients tend to be overweight and physically inactive, have high cholesterol levels, and are more likely to have high blood pressure. Proper management of diabetes is important for cardiovascular health. If you think you have diabetes, see your doctor.

Other diseases and conditions, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, can also increase a woman’s risk of heart disease. According to new guidelines released by the AHA, illnesses linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease should now be incorporated into a woman’s overall risk factor evaluation.

Physical inactivity is a significant risk factor for heart disease, yet millions of Americans still don’t exercise at all. Many studies have shown that exercise reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke, increases HDL cholesterol levels, regulates glucose, lowers blood pressure, and increases the flexibility of arteries. Exercise has also been shown to reduce mental stress as well. Many people can benefit from exercising for 30 minutes a day, at least three times a week.

Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) may pose an increased cardiovascular risk for women, especially those with other risk factors such as smoking. Researchers believe that birth control pills raise blood pressure and blood sugar levels in some women, as well as increase the risk of blood clots. The risks associated with birth control pills increase as women get older. Women should tell their doctors about any other cardiovascular risk factors they have before they begin taking birth control pills.

Excessive alcohol intake can contribute to obesity, raise triglyceride and blood pressure levels, cause heart failure, and lead to stroke. Although studies have shown that the risk of heart disease in people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol is lower than in nondrinkers, this does not mean that nondrinkers should start drinking alcohol or that those who do drink should increase the amount they drink. For women, a moderate amount of alcohol is an average of one drink per day.

Stress is considered a contributing risk factor for both sexes, although researchers are still unclear about its relationship to heart disease. Stress, however, can lead to other risk factors such as smoking and overeating.

Depression treatment has not been shown to directly improve cardiovascular health, but depression might affect whether women follow their doctor’s advice. According to new guidelines from the AHA, depression screening should now be part of an overall evaluation of women for cardiovascular risk.

Many risk factors that contribute to heart disease can be controlled. Quitting smoking, losing weight, exercising, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, controlling diabetes, and reducing stress are within every woman’s grasp.