Prostate cancer urine test nears

British scientists have moved a step closer to developing a simple urine test to identify men at risk of getting prostate cancer.

They have discovered that a protein found in urine is affected by a genetic change linked to the cancer.

More research was needed, but their work could lead to the development of a reliable test costing £5.50 ($8.82).

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, killing about 10,000 men in Britain every year.

Continue reading the main story

There is currently no routine screening programme in the UK, although men with a family history of the disease can have a prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test to detect signs of the disease.

But this is notoriously inaccurate and although 10-15% of men will have high enough PSA levels to warrant carrying out a prostate biopsy, only 2-3% will require any treatment.

Research published in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE showed that the protein, called MSMB, is present at reduced levels in men diagnosed with the disease.

Levels also appear to be affected by tumour aggressiveness.

Potentially 'powerful'

Study leader Dr Hayley Whitaker, from Cancer Research UK charity's Cambridge Research Institute, said: "We looked in tissue and urine from over 350 men with and without prostate cancer to find out how much MSMB they had.

"We then looked to see who had the genetic change. It was really exciting to find out that the genetic change and the amount of protein were linked.

"The protein is easy to detect because it is found in urine and would potentially be a very simple test to carry out on men to identify those most at risk of developing the disease."

Dr Kate Holmes, research manager at The Prostate Cancer Charity, described the test as "potentially... a powerful way to predict how likely a man is to develop prostate cancer".

Reference;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11538881

Researchers Studying Plant That Boosts Mood, Relieves Hunger

JOHANNESBURG – For hundreds of years, indigenous South Africans have chewed a plant they say reduces stress, relieves hunger, sedates and elevates moods. Now they have a license to study and market it, and plan to sell it over-the-counter worldwide.

Researchers say the plant, called sceletium tortuosum, has great potential and could also help boost the local economy. Still, the American pharmaceutical company working on the project says it doesn't know whether the plant has been approved by U.S. regulators or how soon it may be available to consumers.

On Friday, South Africa's environmental minister traveled to the country's arid southwest where the plant is found to celebrate the issuing of the first license of an indigenous plant to the South African company HGH Pharmaceuticals.

HGH has not registered the product, which they will market as a dietary supplement, in any country, as the company is still compiling scientific and technical data, said Nigel Gericke, director of research at HGH.

"We're positioning (the product) for everyday people who are having a stressful time in the office, feeling a bit of social anxiety, tension or in a low mood," Gericke said.

The plant - known within South Africa as Kanna, Channa or Kougoed - has been used by the San people to reduce hunger, thirst and fatigue and is said to have sedative, hypnotic and mood-elevating effects. It is commonly chewed, but also can be made into tea or smoked.

Ben-Erik Van Wyk, a professor of botany and plant biotechnology at the University of Johannesburg, said he's extensively researched the plant and found no ill effects or evidence of dependency.

Van Wyk, who has worked with a researcher at the company that will be marketing it but is not involved in the project, said he hopes the plant may draw attention to the wisdom of the ancient San people, sometimes referred to as Bushmen.

When chewed, the plant gives a slight head rush, which is similar to the effect of smoking a cigarette, Van Wyk said.

"It's a product with huge potential," he said. "Anyone who has chewed it and has experienced the sensation of the plant definitely knows there's something happening."

"So often traditional remedies are looked down upon as old-fashioned and outdated," Van Wyk added. "If this product becomes a huge success, the culture will become more respected and better known."

Gericke first read about the plant in 1985 while paging through a botanical book in a public library in Australia. When he returned home to South Africa, he and a psychiatrist visited regions of the San people to research doses and side effects.

HGH has an agreement with Morristown, New Jersey-based P.L. Thomas & Co, which plans to launch the product in 2011, said spokeswoman Paula Nurnberger.

It may be some time before consumers get a chance to try a pill containing the plant's extracts, which they hope to market over-the-counter as Zembrin. Nurnberger said she does not know whether the product has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Reference:

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2010/10/01/researchers-studying-plant-boosts-mood-relieves-hunger/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+foxnews/health+(Internal+-+Health+-+Text)

Too Much Selenium Could Increase Cholesterol Levels

Taking too much selenium, an essential mineral touted for immune boosting and anti-cancer benefits, could increase cholesterol levels by 10 percent and, as a result, raise the risk of heart disease, a new study suggests.

The findings, published online November 10 in the Journal of Nutrition, a publication of the American Society for Nutrition, warns consumers against taking too much selenium until more research is done to gain a better understanding of the risks and benefits of selenium supplementation.

Study co-author, Dr. Saverio Stranges of the Warwick Medical School in Warwick, England, said the findings of this observational study are "consistent with the findings of earlier clinical work," which have suggested an association between elevated blood levels of selenium and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol.

Selenium is a mineral found in grains, nuts, fish and meats. Foods grown and raised in selenium rich environments like the United States have higher natural selenium content than those grown in selenium poor areas, like China.

Not getting enough selenium can contribute to heart disease, an underactive thyroid gland, and a weakened immune system. But, selenium deficiency is rare in healthy populations like the United States where a greater threat may be posed by getting too much.

"If you get more selenium than what you need ... there are no additional benefits and actually there is the potential for adverse effects," such as an increased risk of diabetes or high cholesterol, Stranges noted in a telephone interview with Reuters Health.

As in the U.S., dietary supplement use is on the rise in the U.K. Stranges and colleagues wanted to know if the findings of previous selenium studies in the U.S. held true for Britain, where people are exposed to less selenium in their environment.

The research team analyzed the 2000 and 2001 diets and health records of more than a thousand British adults. Participants gave blood and answered questions about smoking, drinking, exercise at work and at play, prescription drug use, supplement use, income, and education. Information about physical characteristics such as weight and height was also gathered.

The researchers stopped short of claiming too much selenium causes a boost in cholesterol but wrote that the association between selenium levels in the blood and total cholesterol "was strong," and consistent with earlier studies.

Cholesterol levels, the researchers found, rose in tandem with blood selenium concentrations.

The researchers caution that the benefits of antioxidants, like selenium, have been aggressively marketed, despite "a lack of definitive evidence on their efficacy for cancer and other chronic disease prevention."

"We believe that the widespread use of selenium supplements or of any other strategy that artificially increases selenium status above the level required is unwarranted at the present time," Stranges said in a prepared statement.

Green tea 'may block lung cancer'

Drinking green tea may offer some protection against lung cancer, say experts who studied the disease at a medical university in Taiwan.

The latest work in more than 500 people adds to growing evidence suggesting the beverage has anti-cancer powers.

In the study, smokers and non-smokers who drank at least a cup a day cut their lung cancer risk significantly, a US cancer research conference heard.

The protection was greatest for people carrying certain genes.

But cancer experts said the findings did not change the fact that smoking is bad for health.

Daily cuppa

Green tea is made from the dried leaves of the Asian plant Camellia sinesis and is drunk widely across Asia.

The rates of many cancers are much lower in Asia than other parts of the world, which has led some to link the two.

Laboratory studies have shown that extracts from green tea, called polyphenols, can stop cancer cells from growing.

The best thing a smoker can do to reduce their risk of lung cancer, and more than a dozen other cancer types, is to quit. Yinka Ebo of Cancer Research UK

But results from human studies have been mixed. Some have shown a protective effect while others have failed to find any evidence of protection.

In July 2009, the Oxford-based research group Cochrane published a review of 51 studies on green tea and cancer which included over 1.5 million people.

They concluded that while green tea is safe to drink in moderation, the research so far is conflicting about whether or not it can prevent certain cancers.

Reduced risk

Dr I-Hsin Lin, of Shan Medical University, found that among smokers and non-smokers, people who did not drink green tea were more than five times as likely to get lung cancer than those who drank at least one cup of green tea a day.

Among smokers, those who did not drink green tea at all were more than 12 times as likely to develop lung cancer than those who drank at least a cup a day.

Researchers then analysed the DNA of people in the study and found certain genes appeared to play a role in the risk reduction.

Green tea drinkers, whether smokers or non smokers, with certain types of a gene called IGF1, were far less likely to develop lung cancer than other green tea drinkers with different types of this gene.

Yinka Ebo, of Cancer Research UK, said the findings should not be used as an excuse to keep smoking.

"Smoking tobacco fills your lungs with around 80 cancer-causing chemicals. Drinking green tea is not going to compensate for that.

"Unfortunately, it's not possible to make up for the harm caused by smoking by doing other things right like eating a healthy, balanced diet.

"The best thing a smoker can do to reduce their risk of lung cancer, and more than a dozen other cancer types, is to quit."

Reference:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8453628.stm

Having a big bum, hips and thighs 'is healthy'

Carrying extra weight on your hips, bum and thighs is good for your health, protecting against heart and metabolic problems, UK experts have said.

Hip fat mops up harmful fatty acids and contains an anti-inflammatory agent that stops arteries clogging, they say.

Big behinds are preferable to extra fat around the waistline, which gives no such protection, the Oxford team said.

Science could look to deliberately increase hip fat, they told the International Journal of Obesity.

And in the future, doctors might prescribe ways to redistribute body fat to the hips to protect against cardiovascular and metabolic diseases such as diabetes.

They said having too little fat around the hips can lead to serious metabolic problems, as occurs in Cushing's syndrome.

Shape not weight

Evidence shows that fat around the thighs and backside is harder to shift than fat around the waist.

Although this may sound undesirable, it is actually beneficial because when fat is broken down quickly it releases a lot of cytokines which trigger inflammation in the body, say experts.

These cytokines have been linked to cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and diabetes.

Fat around the hips and thighs is good for you but around the tummy is bad Lead researcher Dr Konstantinos Manolopoulos

The slower burning hip fat also makes more of the hormone adiponectin that protects the arteries and promotes better blood sugar control and fat burning.

In comparison, carrying excess fat around the stomach, being "apple shaped", raises the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Lead researcher Dr Konstantinos Manolopoulos, of Oxford University, said: "It is shape that matters and where the fat gathers.

"Fat around the hips and thighs is good for you but around the tummy is bad."

He said in an ideal world, the more fat around the thighs the better - as long as the tummy stays slim.

"Unfortunately, you tend not to get one without the other," he said.

Fotini Rozakeas of the British Heart Foundation said: "This research helps us better to understand how fat acts in the body in order to develop new approaches in reducing heart and circulatory disease.

"If you are overweight, obese, or if you have a waist size that is increased, it is important to make changes to your lifestyle, such as eating a healthy diet and doing regular physical activity, to reduce your risk of heart health problems."

Reference:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8451674.stm

Custom-Made Muscle

Modify any exercise to suit your fitness level with these simple adjustments.

Easier: squat

Band-assisted squat: Place a stretchable band around a chinup bar and stand just behind the bar. Hold the band with both hands as you squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Stand back up.

Why it works: The band lends stability as you squat, and assists your legs as you press back up to the starting position.

Easier: deadlift

Elevated straight-leg deadlift: Stand between two 6- to 12-inch-high boxes with your knees slightly bent, holding a barbell with an overhand grip. Bend at your hips and lower your torso until the barbell touches the boxes. Pause, and return to an upright position.

Why it works: The boxes limits your range of motion, helping you master the deadlift. Discover five other smart shortcuts to bigger muscles.

Easier: chinup/pullup

Negative chinup/pullup: Stand on a box beneath a pullup bar. Grab the bar and jump up, pulling your chest to the bar. Then take 6 to 10 seconds to lower yourself until your feet touch the box. Repeat.

Why it works: Slowly lowering your body can help build your upper-body muscles and increase the pulling power you need for chinups or pullups.

Easier: barbell bench press

Negative pushup: This isn't a bench press, but it provides the same benefit. Perform a pushup, and take 6 to 10 seconds to lower your body as you keep your core tight. Once you're an inch above the ground, explosively push your body back up.

Why it works: When you slowly lower your body, you activate more muscle fibers, increasing your chest, back, and triceps strength. And be sure you don't believe any of the five muscle myths holding you back.

Easier: plank

Kneeling plank: Assume a pushup position, but rest on your forearms and your knees. Your body should form a straight line from shoulders to knees. Brace your core and hold the position as long as you can.

Why it works: Bending your knees reduces the weight your core has to support. Also, if you feel back pain when you do regular planks, this eases tension.

Harder: squat

Box squat: Stand 4 to 6 inches forward of a knee-high bench or box. With a barbell loaded onto your upper back, squat and sit on the bench for a moment. Keeping your heels pressed into the ground, stand back up.

Why it works: When you sit, you kill the weight's momentum; to rise again, you need to use your lower-body muscles more. That teaches your body to move explosively. Learn eight additional weightlifting fixes for more muscle.

Harder: deadlift

Straight-leg deadlift with shrug: Hold a barbell at arm's length in front of your hips, using an overhand grip. Bend at your hips and lower your torso until it's almost parallel to the floor. Pause, and then come back up and shrug your shoulders.

Why it works: You're emphasizing your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back, which are typically weaker than your quads.

Harder: chinup/pullup

Commando pullup: Instead of facing the bar, stand so you're looking down its length. Grab it with one hand in front of the other, your palms facing inward. Now pull up and lean to the left so your right shoulder touches the bar. Then lean to the right and touch the bar with your left shoulder.

Why it works: This kind of pullup causes an imbalance of weight and forces you to work your back and arms more as you pull your body up on each side. Check out 40 more small changes for bigger muscles.

Harder: barbell bench press

Cage bench press: Lie on a bench inside a power rack with the barbell resting on safety bars 3 to 6 inches above your chest. Press the bar off the rack until your arms are straight. Then lower it.

Why it works: You're starting from your weakest position in the bench press, with no momentum to help out. This forces your chest to work harder and improves your ability to bench more weight.

Harder: plank

Plank with opposite arm and leg lift: From the plank position on your elbows, lift your left foot and right arm off the floor for 5 to 10 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.

Why it works: By adding movement and instability, you force your body to work harder to keep your core tight and stable. If you want your six-pack to show, follow these five steps to rock-hard abs.

How to boost your sex drive

Food, music, drugs and even scents can all help fire up flagging desire. Jane Feinmann reports on how to make Valentine's Day go with a swing.

It may be St Valentine's Day this week. But 14 February is also National Impotence Day – highlighting "la différence" in the way men and women can't do it. For men, it seems, the problem is normally "hydraulic" whereas for women, it's mostly in their heads. And the good news is we can all do it better. Here's how both men and women can boost their sex drive.

Food

Artichokes, like wine, are good for ladies when men consume them, according to an old French saying. No surprise that the country that invented champagne also had the idea that food can improve lovemaking: until recently, French bridegrooms were given asparagus on the eve of their weddings. There's no science to suggest it did any good – but is there an evidence base for other favourite aphrodisiacs?

* Pumpkin seeds, along with Brazil nuts and almonds, are rich in the amino acid arginine, boosting levels of blood to the genitals, making them natural Viagra, according to both the nutritionist Patrick Holford and the television pundit Gillian McKeith. in 2005, McKeith caused a stampede on UK supermarkets when she revealed the power of the pumpkin seed on the female libido – though there's no sign of either sex rushing back to buy new supplies.

* Oysters, the richest source of zinc, nourish the prostate gland and boost testosterone production, according to the nutrition consultant Suzannah Olivier (author of Food Medicine, Robinson).

* Chocolate contains phenethylamine, a nutrient that enhances mood and is the chemical we produce in our brains when we fall in love, according to Olivier. "The higher the cocoa content of the chocolate the better the effect, so stick to 60-70 per cent cocoa solid chocolate," she says.

* It's the smell of food rather than its constituent parts that gets men in the mood, says the neurologist Alan Hirsch, the founder of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. He measured the effects of aromas on penile blood flow and found that American men responded best to doughnuts, pizza, popcorn and strawberries. Men, he concluded, are turned on by smells that evoke the security and pleasure of childhood. Vanilla apparently works for the same reason.

* Any dish can be erotic when enjoyed with sensual pleasure, according to Dr Michel Odent. We all need substantial bursts of the "love hormone" oxytocin to get sexually aroused – and that's less likely to happen if his body is fizzing with stress hormones or her rational brain is on overdrive. Physically enjoying food quickens production of this pulsating hormone, as do dim lights and softly playing music, says Odent. His book The Scientification of Love (Free Association) provides the evidence base for the St Valentine's Day dinner date.

* Being wined as well as dined boosts endorphins, the pleasure hormones helping to release tension and inhibitions as well as testosterone, encouraging flirtatious talk. Too much wine, however, reduces men's sex drive and women who drink too much are more likely to have sex but less likely to enjoy it, according to research.

Prescription drugs

It's exactly 10 years since Viagra exploded into the public consciousness. As the first oral treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED), it quickly became one of the biggest success stories in pharmaceutical history – outstripping the "sunshine" antidepressant pill Prozac as the fastest-selling medicinal drug ever.

A consequence of Viagra's success was that it overturned the widespread view that ED was mostly in the mind. While stress and other pressures can disrupt male sexuality, persistent dysfunction usually has a physical cause – most frequently the first signs that the blood vessels are clogging up (atherosclerosis). "The blood vessels to the penis are among the smallest in the body and ED is often an early symptom of atherosclerotic disease, which is also a risk factor for heart disease and stroke," explains Dr David Goldmeier, a consultant in genito-urinary medicine at St Mary's NHS Trust in London.

Anyone suffering from ED should get their health checked for diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol, all of which need to be addressed. In the meantime, medication such as Viagra can be used to improve penile blood flow and therefore erectile function.

One in seven men doesn't respond to Viagra, however, while others have unacceptable side effects. A firmer favourite is newcomer Cialis, known as the first morning-after pill for men: the effects last for at least 24 hours, which means men with ED can have sex at night and again the next morning. "Preference studies have been published showing that on the whole men prefer Cialis because they get a better erection," says Dr Goldmeier – "though the studies were funded by its manufacturers of Cialis and need to be treated with caution."

Hormones

Testosterone is essential to libido in both sexes and supplements in the form of gels, sprays and patches are available for both sexes. However, testosterone patches and gels (Andropatch, Testoderm, Androderm) are only licensed for the one in five 60-plus men who suffers from hypogonadism (very low testosterone levels). And female testosterone patches and sprays that are on the market as "the female equivalent of Viagra", to treat the newly recognised problem of female sexual dysfunction, are highly controversial. The British Society for Sexual Medicine does not recommend testosterone for women unless they are shown to have unusually low levels: "Low female sex drive is a much more complex thing than men not getting an erection," it says, warning of excess facial hair as a common side effect – not necessarily the look you want on St Valentine's Day. As Dr Phil Hammond points out in his new book, Medicine Balls (Black & White Publishing): "If you look at the criteria – not feeling like sex for a few days in the last month – then I've got female sexual dysfunction too."

The impact of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on female libido has been pretty well written out of the equation during the recent repeated health scares that have linked post-menopausal oestrogen to a small increase in the risk of breast cancer. Bear in mind, however, that HRT was first seen as a miracle anti-ageing drug that zapped post-menopausal low libido along with the hot flushes – with a series of older female celebrities expressing their gratitude to the hormone therapy for enabling them to remain a little bit tarty-looking well into middle age and beyond.

The fine print of maintaining surging oestrogen levels was always a bit vague. Perhaps the single most important effect is the role of oestrogen in lubricating the tissues of the vagina – with plenty of evidence that the devastating impact on couples' sex lives following the menopause is particularly due to vaginal symptoms such as dryness and discomfort. For those considering HRT purely as a sex aid, doctors are likely to recommend oestrogen cream or slow-release suppositories that have an impact on the genital area.

One step removed from these sex hormones is another popular anti-ageing hormone, DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone), a natural precursor of both testosterone and oestrogen that, according to enthusiasts, can be taken as an oral supplement. It's widely touted on the internet as boosting libido – though so far without a shred of evidence.

Counselling

Medication is almost never the whole answer to sexual problems: half of men who begin Viagra or Cialis are no longer taking it after a year. It takes two to tango, says Dr Goldmeier, and there isn't a prescription drug to cure relationship problems – and good communication is also needed.

The first step is to confront the problem: "Men so often feel self-conscious about coming to me with their difficulty and don't realise it's my job to talk to men in the same situation," says the urologist Dr Mike Kirby.

But there can still be problems once everything is working properly. Couples counsellor Tricia Barnes says it's common for couples to continue to experience an emotional barrier which prevents them enjoying their love life to the full, once the male partner can obtain and maintain reliable erections again.

"The fear and anxiety about sexual functioning may have been alleviated, but fear of establishing or re-establishing emotional intimacy remains," she says. Marriage guidance or couples counselling can help people communicate more openly and honestly including being able to talk about their likes and dislikes in bed.

Body/Mind connection

The brain is said to be the biggest sex organ – so if you feel good you're more likely to get sexually aroused, and vice versa. A sudden inability to get an erection is most likely to have a psychological background in a man: often caused by anxiety or loss of confidence as a result of divorce, bereavement, redundancy or a similar life event.

More generally, sex becomes less alluring through boredom, incompatibility, low self-esteem, depression and fatigue and, particularly for women, a combination of lifestyle and physical changes that occurs, for instance, with the arrival of children and their departure from the family nest. So sensible guidance encourages a multi-faceted approach to sexuality, including: exercise to improve stamina and body image; improving skills to cope better with work and financial stress; and, for women, pelvic floor exercises to create better awareness of the muscles involved in sexual pleasure, boosting libido and self-esteem at a stroke.

Reference:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/healthy-living/how-to-boost-your-sex-drive-780947.html

6 Tips to Build Your Strongest Bones

Approximately 50 percent of American women will be afflicted with osteoporosis in their lives. One out of four women has osteopenia, a stage of bone loss before true osteoporosis sets in. Dr. Maoshing Ni, author of Second Spring, provides the following six ways to nurture your bones and ward off bone loss:

Got greens?

Most dairy products that come from cows, such as milk and cheese, have nutritional elements that you want: calcium and protein. But when you consume cow’s milk and its derivatives, there’s a catch. The high protein content in dairy items acidifies the blood, causing the body to draw calcium from the bones to balance it out. The net effect of this is to leach more calcium from the body than you gain.

Additionally, the protein molecules in milk are larger than the molecules a human digestive system is meant to handle, so the immune system may reject them as foreign, or allergenic. That’s why many people experience fatigue, lowered ability to concentrate, and overproduction of mucus when they eat dairy. Some people lack enzymes, such as lactase, to properly digest dairy sugar; for them, consumption of dairy causes stomach pain, gas and diarrhea. For the best protection against osteoporosis, take advantage of the absorbable calcium found in leafy greens, beans and seeds.

Orange juice does a body good

Calcium and vitamin D are essential for bone health. While the calcium is necessary to build and maintain bone, vitamin D is needed because the body cannot absorb calcium without it. Cow’s milk has traditionally been credited as the best food for strong bones, but new studies show that your body is able to absorb both calcium and vitamin D from orange juice as readily as from milk, if not more so. (Because citrus juice’s acetic acid can erode teeth enamel, don’t brush your teeth for an hour after drinking juice.)

Another bonus: Orange juice is full of vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that also helps facilitate calcium absorption into the body, a double benefit. So enjoy the fresh nectar of the citrus fruit while you bulk up your bones.

Sunbathe early and late—not in between

Throughout history, Chinese women have sunbathed indoors through thin rice paper screens that filter out damaging UV-A rays but admit beneficial UV-Bs. Outdoors, the women used parasols to shield their skin from the penetrating rays of the sun.

Chinese tradition has always understood that sunlight is a double-edged sword. Sun is necessary for your body to produce vitamin D, essential for bone health, proper immune function and resistance to cancer.

In the West, heliotherapy is used to speed recovery from illness and treat conditions ranging from rickets to tuberculosis. But it is crucial to avoid overexposure, which can lead to premature skin aging and even cancer.

To receive the benefits of sunlight, spend time outdoors before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m. during the summer or before 10 a.m. and after 3 p.m. in winter, without sunscreen. However, if you are out in the sun in the midday hours, do use sunscreen, and if possible wear a hat and long sleeves.

Soft drinks are hard on your health

It may be satisfying to down a soft drink on a hot day—you may even feel “safe” because you’re drinking the diet kind, avoiding calories so you won’t put on weight. But calories aren’t the only drawback in colas and other carbonated beverages—they can deplete the calcium in your bones, because they contain phosphoric acid, which makes calcium pass out of your system in the urine.

Now more than ever, when you are at increased risk of osteoporosis, you want to avoid soft drinks. If you crave a bubbly refreshment, drink carbonated mineral water and add a slice of lemon!

Taking calcium supplements: how to do it right

To avoid the stooped posture and broken bones of osteoporosis, act while you are still in your prime. Get regular weight-bearing exercise—that’s smart for good health in general. But also, beginning at age 35, take proper calcium supplementation.

It’s not quite as easy as popping a pill, so follow these guidelines. Make sure you take calcium carbonate, the easiest type to absorb, because many forms are not really bio-available. It must also be formulated with magnesium, preferably 1,200 mg of calcium to 600 mg of magnesium, and you will need trace amounts of boron, copper, zinc and vitamin B3 (often included in your daily multivitamin/mineral pill). Liquid calcium in a citrate base is an excellent choice, easy to add to juice drinks or power shakes. Remember to take your calcium in several doses throughout the day, as the body cannot absorb it all at once.

The trace mineral connection to strong bones

Calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D get all the credit for maintaining good bone health, while trace minerals essential to bone formation like boron, manganese, copper, zinc and vitamin K are often overlooked. These trace minerals act as cofactors in the bone-building process. For instance, the trace element boron positively affects the metabolism of calcium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus and vitamin D in bone formation. Studies show that supplementation with boron reduced the loss of calcium in the urine. Boron is found in fruits, vegetables, and nuts and seeds. Vitamin K, on the other hand, found in leafy green vegetables, has been shown to be essential for specific proteins that are building blocks of bones. These are called trace minerals because very minute amounts of them are needed, so the supplemental dosage is very small.

Daily intake of the following amounts—along with calcium, magnesium and vitamin D—are optimal for maintaining good bone health: 10 mg boron, 5 mg manganese, 5 mg copper, 25 mg zinc and 150 mcg vitamin K. Make sure your daily multivitamin contains these trace minerals.

Three Steps to Strength and Stamina

Sets and reps get old. This routine from Jim Liston, C.S.C.S., founder of Catz Sports in Pasadena, Calif., builds muscle and endurance through pyramid repetitions.

After the warmup (No. 1), do one rep of exercise pair No. 2, then two reps, then three, then four, and then work back down to one rep. Repeat with exercise pair No. 3. Do as many rounds as you can in 15 minutes.

1. Boxer's Punch + Dumbbell Squat

With a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand, throw 32 punches, alternating lefts and rights. Then let your arms hang loosely at your sides and place your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Bend at the hips and knees to lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor, and then press back up. Complete 16 squats. Repeat the sequence once.

2. Push-Up + Prone Row

Push-up: Place two six-sided dumbbells on the floor and grip them while you do a full push-up. (Lower in two seconds, push up in one.)

Prone row: In the up position of the push-up (still holding onto the dumbbells), bring your right-hand weight up to your armpit and squeeze your shoulder blade back. Lower the weight and repeat the move with your left arm. (Take one second to raise the weight and two seconds to lower it.)

3. Jump Squat + Curl

Jump squat: Assume a squat position as you hold dumbbells at your sides, your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Press through your heels to explode up quickly. Then land softly on the balls of your feet and sink back onto your heels.

Curl: After landing, let the dumbbells hang at your sides. Without moving your upper arms, curl the weights up. (Take one second to raise them and two seconds to lower.)

How Exercise Helps Boost Recovery

Working out can help you bounce back from illness.

Regular exercise has been shown to help prevent obesity, cardiovascular disease, bone loss, and various other ailments and conditions. Still, it can’t protect against everything.

And when problems do arise, the road to recovery can be long and hard.

New research, however, indicates that moderate physical activity in the wake of some health crises may enhance the healing process and help get you back on your feet—sometimes literally.

PARADE: 4 diseases you can fight with fitness

In a recent review of 24 studies involving 1,147 stroke victims, researchers analyzed how exercise programs affected rates of death, dependence, and disability. Fitness training included cardio (such as cycling), strength training (with free weights and resistance bands), or a combination of the two.

The team found that moderate cardiorespiratory training after a stroke helped improve patients’ walking ability, which fostered mobility and independence. Subjects who walked three or more days a week for at least 20 minutes at a time increased their speed and were able to do more on their own than study participants who didn’t exercise.

PARADE: 5 keys to lasting fitness

Other research, published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, suggests that exercise may improve survival rates among people with chronic kidney disease. Patients who got the recommended amount of weekly physical activity after their diagnosis were up to 56% less likely to die during seven years of follow-up than those who did not exercise at all. And patients who exercised less than the recommended amount but were still active were 42% less likely to die during follow-up than the non-exercisers.

Fitness may also have an effect on prostate cancer. A study in the Journal of Urology by researchers at Duke Prostate Center found that among men undergoing prostate biopsy, those who got the equivalent of three or more hours of brisk walking every week had a 66% lower risk of the disease than their inactive peers. Furthermore, among men who had malignant biopsy results, those who walked at least an hour a week were less likely to have an aggressive or fast-growing form of the cancer.

PARADE: You can walk yourself healthy

Researchers say that in addition to strengthening the immune system, exercise may lower levels of hormones that help feed the growth of prostate cancer.

Ideally, of course, you’ll never have to face anything as serious as a stroke or cancer. But in the event that you do, it’s nice to know that something as simple as taking a walk can help facilitate your recovery.

Drinking cups of tea and coffee 'can prevent diabetes'

Tea and coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a large body of evidence shows.

And the protection may not be down to caffeine since decaf coffee has the greatest effect, say researchers in Archives of Internal Medicine.

They looked at 18 separate studies involving nearly 500,000 people.

This analysis revealed that people who drink three or four cups of coffee or tea a day cut their risk by a fifth or more, say researchers.

The same amount of decaffeinated coffee had an even bigger effect, lowering risk by a third.

Type 2 diabetes usually starts after the age of 40 and develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly. Type 2 diabetes is treated with a healthy diet and increased physical activity. In addition to this, medication and/or insulin is often required.

If the findings prove true, doctors may well start advising people to put the kettle on as well as take more exercise and watch their weight, say the researchers.

When the authors combined and analysed the data, they found that each additional cup of coffee consumed in a day cut diabetes risk by 7%.

Lead researcher Dr Rachel Huxley, from the University of Sydney in Australia, said because of the finding with decaffeinated coffee, the link is unlikely to be solely related to caffeine.

Instead, other compounds in coffee and tea - including magnesium and antioxidants known as lignans or chlorogenic acids - may be involved.

Special brew

"The identification of the active components of these beverages would open up new therapeutic pathways for the primary prevention of diabetes mellitus.

"If such beneficial effects were observed in interventional trials to be real, the implications for the millions of individuals who have diabetes mellitus, or who are at future risk of developing it, would be substantial."

Dr Victoria King, of Diabetes UK, said: "Without full information about what other factors may be influencing the type 2 diabetes risk of the studies' participants - such as their physical activity levels and diet - as well as what the active ingredient in tea or coffee appears to be, we cannot be sure what, if anything, this observed effect is down to.

"What we can be sure of is that the development of type 2 diabetes is strongly linked to lifestyle, which means that many cases could be prevented by keeping active and eating a healthy balanced diet that is low in fat, salt and sugar with plenty of fruit and vegetables."

Reference:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8411605.stm

7 maladies of the mouth and how to treat them—yourself

Sensitive teeth

Cause: Exposed nerve roots, often from receding gums.

Treatment: Lay off the whitening, tartar-control and baking-soda toothpastes—they're abrasive and can contain phosphates, which make teeth sensitive. Don't brush too hard, which can lead to recessed gums, says Sherri Worth, D.D.S., a celebrity cosmetic dentist. If pain persists, visit your dentist for a prescription fluoride treatment to toughen up your choppers. While you're at it, fortify your entire body against time.

Lost tooth

Cause: Dikembe Mutombo, inline skates, Jell-O shots or all three

Treatment: Rinse it off and push it back in right away, then bite down gently on a soft cloth or moistened tea bag to hold it in place. Knocking out a tooth tears the periodontal ligaments, but some might still cling to the tooth. If reconnected early enough, they can reattach to the gums. The tooth will feel strong in a few days and could be good as new in a month or two, says Dr. Worth. Want to make sure? See a dentist.

Burned palate

Cause: Hot pizza, impatience

Treatment: Burning the roof of your mouth softens the tissue, making it more prone to infection, says Pia Lieb, D.D.S., a cosmetic dentist in New York City. She recommends using Kenalog in Orabase, a corticosteroid paste that creates a protective coating on the burn and speeds healing. For more help, follow these tips from top medical experts to control the worst pains.

Burned tongue

Cause: Hot coffee, improper flame-breathing technique

Treatment: Rinse your mouth with a solution of 1 teaspoon of salt and a cup of warm water. "It's actually very soothing," says Dr. Worth. The salt can draw infection to the surface of the tissue, where the body eliminates it, and salt helps neutralize the acidic environment that fosters bacteria.

Jaw soreness

Cause: Possibly temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMD, which can lead to splitting headaches marked by pain radiating down the front of your ears to your jaw. The improper alignment of your jaw leads to unconscious grinding of the teeth, often at night.

Treatment: "Your muscles are looking to find comfort, so you move your jaw around constantly," Dr. Lieb says. Try sleeping on your side or back with a supportive pillow, instead of facedown. If you still don't sleep soundly, try these strategies for a peaceful night's rest every night.

Canker sore

Cause: There are numerous possible causes but Cap'n Crunch, Doritos, salsa, and other sharp and spicy foods can further irritate the sore. Avoid mixing them.

Treatment: Apply vegetable oil to a cotton ball and hold it against the sore three or four times a day. "The oil helps coat the sore and protect it from irritation," says Mary Ellen Camire, Ph.D., a Men's Health nutrition advisor.

Chipped or cracked teeth

Cause: Temperature disparity that occurs when you bite into hot food then swig an ice-cold drink. "Between the expansion and contraction, cracks will form on your enamel," says Richard Price, D.M.D., a consumer advisor for the American Dental Association.

Treatment: A chip can be the San Andreas Fault; your tooth can be California, sliding gently into the ocean. Or the chip or crack could simply leave you susceptible to infection and decay. A dentist can bond or seal the tooth, repairing chips while keeping your choppers safe from ending up a dental dead zone. And remember not to brush too hard—being a clean freak can be bad for you. Find out if your habits are actually breaking down your body.

Alcohol 'protects men's hearts'

Drinking alcohol every day cuts the risk of heart disease in men by more than a third, a major study suggests.

The Spanish research involving more than 15,500 men and 26,000 women found large quantities of alcohol could be even more beneficial for men.

Female drinkers did not benefit to the same extent, the study in Heart found.

Experts are critical, warning heavy drinking can increase the risk of other diseases, with alcohol responsible for 1.8 million deaths globally per year.

The study was conducted in Spain, a country with relatively high rates of alcohol consumption and low rates of coronary heart disease.

The research involved men and women aged between 29 and 69, who were asked to document their lifetime drinking habits and followed for 10 years.

Crucially the research team claim to have eliminated the "sick abstainers" risk by differentiating between those who had never drunk and those whom ill-health had forced to quit. This has been used in the past to explain fewer heart-related deaths among drinkers on the basis that those who are unhealthy to start with are less likely to drink.

Good cholesterol

The researchers from centres across Spain placed the participants into six categories - from never having drunk to drinking more than 90g of alcohol each day. This would be the equivalent of consuming about eight bottles of wine a week, or 28 pints of lager.

For those drinking little - less than a shot of vodka a day for instance - the risk was reduced by 35%. And for those who drank anything from three shots to more than 11 shots each day, the risk worked out an average of 50% less.

The same benefits were not seen in women, who suffer fewer heart problems than men to start with. Researchers speculated this difference could be down to the fact that women process alcohol differently, and that female hormones protect against the disease in younger age groups.

The type of alcohol drunk did not seem to make a difference, but protection was greater for those drinking moderate to high amounts of varied drinks.

The exact mechanisms are as yet unclear, but it is known that alcohol helps to raise high-density lipoproteins, sometimes known as good cholesterol, which helps stop so-called bad cholesterol from building up in the arteries.

'Binge-drinking'

UK experts said the findings should be treated with caution because they do not take into account ill-health from a range of other diseases caused by excess drinking.

"Whilst moderate alcohol intake can lower the risk of having a heart attack, coronary heart disease is just one type of heart disease. Cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle, is associated with high alcohol intake and can lead to a poor quality of life and premature death," said the British Heart Foundation's senior cardiac nurse, Cathy Ross.

"The heart is just one of many organs in the body. While alcohol could offer limited protection to one organ, abuse of it can damage the heart and other organs such as the liver, pancreas and brain."

The Stroke Association meanwhile noted that overall, evidence indicated that people who regularly consumed a large amount of alcohol had a three-fold increased risk of stroke.

"Six units within six hours is considered 'binge-drinking' and anyone indulging in regular 'binge-drinking' increases their risk of stroke greatly," said research officer Joanne Murphy.

Public health specialists warned no-one should be encouraged to drink more as a result of this study.

"The relationship between alcohol and heart disease remains controversial," said Professor Martin McKee of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

"While there is good evidence that moderate consumption is protective in people who are at substantial risk of heart disease - which excludes most people under the age of 40 - we also know that most people underestimate how much they drink. This paper adds to the existing literature but should not be considered as definitive. "

In the UK, the recommendation is no more than two to three units of alcohol a day for women - the equivalent of one standard glass of wine - and three to four units for men.

Reference:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8367141.stm

Meditation 'eases heart disease'

Heart disease patients who practise Transcendental Meditation have reduced death rates, US researchers have said.

At a meeting of the American Heart Association they said they randomly assigned 201 African Americans to meditate or to make lifestyle changes.

After nine years, the meditation group had a 47% reduction in deaths, heart attacks and strokes.

The research was carried out by the Medical College in Wisconsin with the Maharishi University in Iowa.

It was funded by a £2.3m grant from the National Institutes of Health and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

'Significant benefits'

The African American men and women had an average age of 59 years and narrowing of the arteries in their hearts.

The meditation group practised for 20 minutes twice a day.

The lifestyle change group received education classes in traditional risk factors, including dietary modification and exercise.

As well as the reductions in death, heart attacks and strokes in the meditating group, there was a clinically significant drop (5mm Hg) in blood pressure.

And a significant reduction in psychological stress in some participants.

Robert Schneider, lead author and director of the Centre for Natural Medicine and Prevention at the Maharishi University in Iowa, said other studies had shown the benefits of Transcendental Meditation on blood pressure and stress, irrespective of ethnicity.

"This is the first controlled clinical trial to show that long-term practise of this particular stress reduction programme reduces the incidence of clinical cardiovascular events, that is heart attacks, strokes and mortality," he said.

Dr Schneider said that the effect of Transcendental Meditation in the trial was like adding a class of newly discovered drugs for the prevention of heart disease.

He said: "In this case, the new medications are derived from the body's own internal pharmacy stimulated by the Transcendental Meditation practice."

Ingrid Collins, a consultant educational psychologist at the London Medical Centre, said: "I'm not at all surprised that a change of behaviour like this can have enormous benefits both emotionally and physically.

"Physical and emotional energy is on a continuum and whatever happens to us physically can effect our emotions and vice versa."

Reference:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8363302.stm

Plastic chemicals 'feminise boys'

Chemicals in plastics alter the brains of baby boys, making them "more feminine", say US researchers.

Males exposed to high doses in the womb went on to be less likely to play with boys' toys like cars or to join in rough and tumble games, they found.

The University of Rochester team's latest work adds to concerns about the safety of phthalates, found in vinyl flooring and PVC shower curtains.

The findings are reported in the International Journal of Andrology.

Plastic furniture

Phthalates have the ability to disrupt hormones, and have been banned in toys in the EU for some years.

However, they are still widely used in many different household items, including plastic furniture and packaging.

There are many different types and some mimic the female hormone oestrogen.

The same researchers have already shown that this can mean boys are born with genital abnormalities.

Now they say certain phthalates also impact on the developing brain, by knocking out the action of the male hormone testosterone.

Dr Shanna Swan and her team tested urine samples from mothers over midway through pregnancy for traces of phthalates.

The women, who gave birth to 74 boys and 71 girls, were followed up when their children were aged four to seven and asked about the toys the youngsters played with and the games they enjoyed.

Girls' play

They found that two phthalates DEHP and DBP can affect play behaviour.

Boys exposed to high levels of these in the womb were less likely than other boys to play with cars, trains and guns or engage in "rougher" games like playfighting.

Elizabeth Salter-Green, director of the chemicals campaign group CHEM Trust, said the results were worrying.

"We now know that phthalates, to which we are all constantly exposed, are extremely worrying from a health perspective, leading to disruption of male reproduction health and, it appears, male behaviour too.

"This feminising capacity of phthalates makes them true 'gender benders'."

She acknowledged that the boys who have been studied were still young, but she said reduced masculine play at this age might lead to other feminised developments in later life.

But Tim Edgar, of the European Council for Plasticisers and Intermediates, said: "We need to get some scientific experts to look at this study in more detail before we can make a proper judgement."

He said there were many different phthalates in use and the study concerned two of the less commonly used types that were on the EU candidate list as potentially hazardous and needing authorisation for use.

DBP has been banned from use in cosmetics, such as nail varnish, since 2005 in the EU.

The British Plastics Federation said: "Chemical safety is of paramount importance to the plastics industry which has invested heavily in researching the substances it uses.

"Moreover, the new European Chemical Regulation, REACH, will ensure further rigorous evaluation and testing or chemical substances and their uses."

Reference:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8361863.stm

Health Food ... or Health Fraud?

Beware of packaging propaganda: Food-industry health claims can be misleading, say researchers at the University of California, Davis. Case in point: Recently, Dannon settled a false advertising lawsuit—that will pay out up to $35 million—for claims made on the labels of Activia and DanActive yogurts. The suit alleged, among other things, that the company charged a premium for products that haven’t been shown to provide additional health benefits for already healthy people, as claimed. Dannon denies any wrongdoing, but agreed to make several changes to their packaging.

You see, your supermarket’s shelves are packed with overhyped health claims. And while many of these claims may be factual, they may also be giving you the wrong impression about just how healthful a product really is. That’s because marketers highlight what they want you to notice. “Even if a food is fat free, it could be loaded with sugar,” says study author Clare Hasler, Ph.D. “Or a product that’s ‘made with whole grains’ may also contain a high amount of refined flour.” Your best strategy: Use this guide to learn the science behind the sales pitch. Call it the Eat This, Not That crib sheet for helping you to beat Big Food at its own game—and eat healthier for life.

The product: Franken Berry

The claim: “With Whole Grain”

What you should know: If it’s really “100% whole grain,” it’ll say so on the package. Even in a “whole grain” product, some of the flour can come from refined grains—and probably does. Check the ingredient list: Any flour that doesn’t start with the word “whole” isn’t. And remember, ingredients are listed in descending order of the amount used by weight. Another example: Reese’s Puffs touts “with whole grain” on the label. Of course, the label doesn’t boast that a three-quarter cup serving of the cereal also contains 3 teaspoons of sugar.

Bonus tip: For even more examples of how you’re being tricked by the food industry, check out 30 “healthy” foods that aren’t.

The product: Kellogg's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pop-Tarts

The claim: "Good source of 7 vitamins and minerals"

What you should know: Federal regulations require that enriched flour—the first ingredient in this product and the same stuff white bread is made from—contain five of the seven vitamins and minerals the package so proudly touts. That’s right: Load a product with refined flour, and you can distract consumers from the fact that it’s not made with whole grains by simply bragging that it contains all kinds of vitamins and minerals.

The product: Cheetos Puffs

The claim: “0 Grams Trans Fat”

What you should know: To claim “0 grams of trans fat” a product must contain less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving—so it’s not necessarily trans fat free. The dead giveaway? The words “partially hydrogenated” on the ingredient list. Granted, half a gram is a tiny amount, but don’t assume the product is healthy even it doesn’t contain any trans fat. After all, it could still be packed with an overload of sugar, fat, sodium or additives. Remember, marketers are masters of misdirection.

Bonus tip: If you dare, find out the truth about your food—it could be the most important health story you read this year.

The product: Welch's 100% Grape Juice

The claims:

• “No sugar added—ever!”
• “Helps support a healthy heart, mind & immune system.”

What you should know: While an 8-ounce serving of this beverage is loaded with healthful antioxidants, it also contains more sugar than a 12-ounce soda. That’s something to keep in mind, since research shows that high-sugar drinks don’t seem to reduce your hunger compared to solid food. As a result, the calories they provide can become excess calories if you’re not careful.

The product: Twizzlers Strawberry Twists

The claim: “As always: a low-fat candy.”

What you should know: Of course Twizzlers are low in fat—more than 90 percent of their calories come from sugar and processed carbs. What’s more, you’ll find “fat free” claims on the labels of such sugar-packed products as Swedish Fish, Mike and Ike, and Good & Plenty. It seems that food manufacturers think you’re stupid. In fact, their marketing strategies rely on that belief. For instance, the makers of the aforementioned candies may be hoping you’ll equate “fat free” with “healthy” or “nonfattening,” so you’ll forget about all the sugar their products contain.

Bonus tip: Losing weight isn’t the only secret to looking younger; find more in this excerpt from Your Best Body at 40-Plus.

The product: Quaker Instant Oatmeal Maple & Brown Sugar

The claim: An American Heart Association logo displayed on the product’s box, with fine print below the logo that reads that the food meets the AHA’s “food criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol.”

What you should know: It contains more sugar than a bowl of Froot Loops. Fact is, it could contain a pound of sugar and still meet the AHA’s qualifications. But guess what? Froot Loops meets the AHA’s criteria, too, only no logo is displayed. That’s because companies must pay to be an American Heart Association–certified food. That’s why the AHA checkmark might appear on one product but not on another, even when both meet the guidelines.

The product: Nabisco Honey Teddy Grahams

The claim: “A good source of: calcium, iron, zinc”

What you should know: For a food to be considered a good source of a specific vitamin or mineral, a serving must contain 10 percent of the recommended daily value for that nutrient. In this case, you’d have to eat 10 servings of Teddy Grahams—more than the entire box—to hit the amount of calcium you need for the day. Now think about it: Is that really a good source?

The product: SnackWell's Devil's Food Cookie Cakes

The claim: "Sensible snacking: fat-free, no cholesterol, low sodium"

What you should know: The first four ingredients are sugar, enriched flour, high-fructose corn syrup and corn syrup. Is that really sensible snacking? Of course not. Follow these seven snack-smart strategies instead.

The product: Kellogg’s Corn Flakes

The claim: There’s a “Diabetes Friendly” logo on the box’s side panel.

What you need to know: Australian researchers have shown that corn flakes raise blood glucose faster and to a greater extent than straight table sugar. (High blood glucose is the primary indicator of diabetes.) Below the logo, the cereal maker does provide a link to its Web site, where general nutrition recommendations are provided for people with diabetes. But these recommendations are authored by Kellogg’s nutritionists—and simply “based on” the guidelines of the American Dietetic Association and the American Diabetes Association.

The product: Kellogg’s Smart Start Strong Heart Toasted Oat

The claim: That its content of whole grain oats, antioxidants and potassium, along with the fact that it’s low in sodium, can help lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.

What you need to know: Yes, this cereal has plenty of healthful ingredients. However, one serving contains more sugar—17 grams—than a serving of Froot Loops (12 grams). Hey, Froot Loops is an easy target! So before you think you've found the ultimate cereal—"It's healthy and it tastes like candy!"—consider all the nutrition facts, not just the ones they tout on the front of the box.

Skinny-Food Myths

It's hard enough trying to eat healthy without all of the noise from diet books, the grocery aisle and the news media about what's good for you--and what isn't. Carbs are making you fat. Actually, it's all that sugar. Never mind. It's fat that's making you fat.

In the quest to figure out the magic formula for weight loss, many dieters obsess about what to eat and leave out one critical component. "The boring message of the day when it comes to food is that there are only two variables: what you are eating and how much," says Dawn Jackson Blatner, R.D., a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association and the author of The Flexitarian Diet.

An average adult woman should consume about 1,600 calories a day, says Deanna Hoelscher, director of the Michael & Susan Dell Center for the Advancement of Healthy Living and a professor at the University of Texas, Austin, School of Public Health. But the focus on calories is not simply a numbers game. Eating a variety of foods in proper portions will also help you maintain a healthy weight.

One easy way to think about what and how much you are eating is, ironically, to picture a plate: One quarter should be lean protein (such as chicken or fish), another quarter should be grains (including whole grains like oatmeal and brown rice) and the last half should be fruits and vegetables.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has long promoted these types of paint-by-number rules for balanced eating in healthy portions. But quick fixes like banning one type of food--carbs in the Atkins Diet, for instance--can seem like a simpler and more attractive option.

The Healthy Halo

Prohibiting--and thus demonizing--some foods like fat or sodium has caused other foods to acquire what Blatner calls a "healthy halo." When a food is labeled as "healthy," many dieters decide to eat as much as they want, and don't look at calories. Chicken is a food many turn to as a lean protein and alternative to beef. Problems arise, however, when it is consumed as though it were calorie-free. Six ounces of chicken has 280 calories. (As a reference point, 3/4 cup of whole wheat pasta is 130 calories.) "If people [on a diet] are going to overeat something, it's not pasta or bread, it's chicken," says Blatner.

A good-for-you reputation can also cover up the calories. "Salads are taken as wholesale by consumers as a reliable way to order," says Matt Goulding, food and nutrition editor at Men's Health and co-author of Eat This, Not That! Restaurants don't even have to market them as healthy. Even a salad with a wholesome (and exotic) name like California Pizza Kitchen's Thai Crunch Salad with grilled chicken breast, carrots and cabbage--not to mention fried wontons and peanut dressing--has over 2,000 calories, or the equivalent of eight slices of the restaurant's pizza.

Not All Good, Not All Bad

Similarly, when we find out that a food is healthy in one way, we might assume it is good in all ways. Olive oil is a legitimately heart-healthy food because it contains monounsaturated fat. The Food and Drug Administration says two tablespoons a day can reduce the risk of heart disease. But before liberally pouring it in the pan, calorie counters should know that one tablespoon of olive oil still has 120 calories--the same amount found in peanut, canola and coconut oils.

On the other side of things, some foods that have a bad rap are often banned entirely. The food with the worst public image? Fat, says Goulding. "It happens to be named the same thing that hangs off our bodies," he says. People think, "Fat in me equals fat on me." In fact, foods with good fats, such as avocados, walnuts and salmon, can be beneficial and help stave off hunger without clogging your arteries.

Read the Labels

If fat is banned, why not just eat the reduced-fat version? Very often, when one thing is taken out, something else is substituted in. Yogurt with fruit that is labeled low-fat, for instance, can have more sugar than two scoops of ice cream, according to Goulding.

But this isn't entirely a food industry conspiracy. Nutrition labels reveal more information than ever before. Consumers just have to look. Additionally, food marketers are not always the ones plotting diet trends, or putting the fork in your mouth, says John Stanton, chair of department of food marketing at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. "If a diet book comes out, sells millions and says 'no carbs,' you'll see 'no carbs' on the packaging," he says. It is the consumer who then decides, "This is low in something so I can eat a ton of it."

This is even true for foods that have portioned calories as part of the marketing. A 2008 study from Arizona State University and the University of Kentucky showed that dieters will actually eat more if the portions are presented in small packages because the reduced sizes are perceived to be diet food.

A magic bullet for weight loss--whether it's pre-packaged portions, low-carb, reduced-fat or sugar-free--might work. Sometimes. And then there's the proven method: Eat less, exercise more. "It's almost like we haven't moved on from Ponce de Leon, and we are still searching for that thing that is going to solve all our problems--keep us thin, keep us young," says Stanton. "It's not cutting out snacking or cutting out fat." So what is the solution? "Cut out food," he says.