Source: http://greatist.com/live/poop-pills-for-weight-loss?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feed_http–greatistcom-

We’ve poo-pooed diet pills in the past, but poop in pill form could be a weight loss solution in the future. An upcoming study will test if transferring fecal microbiota (the tiny bacteria in poop) from thin to obese people helps them lose weight. Some lucky participants will take pills that contain freeze-dried fecal matter, while others are given a placebo containing a mixture of cocoa powder and gelatin (you know, so everyone feels included and the study remains scientifically sound).

It may sound crazy, but research has already found links between the bacteria in your gut and how much you weigh. Scientists believe it may be affecting important things like your blood sugar regulation and response to hunger. (Plus, the switcheroo resulted in weight loss when it was tested on mice.1 ) This begs the question: Would you take a poop pill to lose weight?

Works Cited Gut microbiota from twins discordant for obesity modulate metabolism in mice. Ridaura VK, Faith JJ, Rey FE. Science (New York, N.Y.), 2013, Oct.;341(6150):1095-9203. …

Source: http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/01/14/463061869/warning-labels-might-help-parents-buy-fewer-sugary-drinks-study-finds?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=thesalt

A Baltimore councilman introduced legislation to require warning labels like this one on sugar-sweetened drinks in the city. A study published in Pediatrics found that such a label might deter parents from buying the drinks.

Baltimore City Health Department

Eating healthfully in America is hard. We have to contend with constant sugary and oily temptations, while pervasive ads coax us to eat these items day in and out.

The public health community generally agrees that regulations and taxes could help remind us of the potential health toll of the unhealthiest items — like beverages high in sugar — and keep us from consuming too much of them.

Lately, the idea of affixing a health warning label to sugary beverages also has been gett…

Source: http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/01/15/463071516/place-a-bet-on-your-weight-loss-goal-and-you-may-win-twice?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=thesalt

Listen to the Story

Morning Edition

7:03

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Money is a big motivator. And the prospect of a cash payoff in any sort of gamble is alluring — just think of the Powerball buzz this week.

So, what happens when financial incentives are tied to weight-loss goals? A growing body of evidence suggests that it’s not necessarily a slam dunk.

Just …

Source: http://summertomato.com/for-the-love-of-food-the-truth-about-msg-hacking-your-memories-for-weight-loss-and-the-double-standard-in-the-2015-dietary-guidelines/

For the Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup. 

This week the truth about MSG, hacking your memories for weight loss, and the double standard in the 2015 Dietary Guidelines.

Too busy to read them all? Try this awesome free speed reading app I just discovered to read at 300+ wpm. So neat!

Want to see all my favorite links? (There’s lots more). Be sure to follow me on Delicious. I also share links on Twitter @summertomato and the Summer Tomato Facebook page. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you.

Links of the week

The Brazilian Guide to Weight Loss <<If only the US dietary guidelines were so enlightened. (The Atlantic)
How MSG Got A Bad Rap: Flawed Science And Xenophobia <<People really don’t like it when science contradicts what they already believe. (FiveThirtyEight)
Exercise to feel good in the moment, not for long term goals <<Excellent, scientifically backed advice on encouraging more exercise. It’s a little wonky, but I also enjoyed Michelle Segar’s book, No Sweat, where this research comes from. (Treehugger)
The Strawberry Ice Cream Diet: Hacking …

Source: http://romanfitnesssystems.com/articles/time-tempo/

We’re not starting today’s article with the beginning or end in mind, but rather, we’re here to discuss life in the middle.

The most frustrating place for anyone with a pulse.

Let’s start with science: according to the NSCA (the National Strength and Conditioning Association), a novice lifter is someone with less than 2 months of resistance training under their belt. An advanced lifter has done it for 1+ years and an intermediate lifter is someone who’s been weight training consistently (2-3 times a week) for at least 6 months.1

The majority of us fall into this middle, advanced lifter category. I’ve been lifting for 13 years, but let me tell you, while the length of my training life may be a teenager, I’ve only been successfully lifting for 5-6 years. 

The definition above holds a lot of merit and without it, we couldn’t base this discussion. The issue is that the definition presupposes each lifter has made linear progress where you’ve consistently grown stronger, leaner, and have improved your exercise technique.

The reality is that most people experience incidental progress, and yet they continue lifting (because lifting is awesome) and never experience true progress.

Most people in this category need to do one o…

Source: http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/01/15/463190984/most-new-hen-houses-are-now-cage-free?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=thesalt

Listen to the Story

All Things Considered

3:40

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A view inside a cage-free “aviary” chicken house, designed by Big Dutchman.

Courtesy of Big Dutchman, Inc.

From McDonalds to CostCo, Big Food has been declaring a shift to buying only cage-free eggs. Three more companies took the step this month: Denny’s, sandwich chain Quizno’s and Mondelez International, maker of Ritz crackers and Chips Ahoy cookies.

Here at The Salt, we’ve been wondering how egg producers are reacting.

So we called up the …

Source: http://www.sonima.com/videos/parents-with-kids-with-cancer/

Watch video on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD4Wnx-bDU4

In this video interview, Sonima founder Sonia Jones sits down with Erica Nunnally, who opened The Bija Institute in Cumberland, Rhode Island, as a wellness retreat for parents and caregivers of children who are battling cancer. A former advertising executive, Nunnally had returned to her yoga practice after her four-year-old daughter’s cancer diagnosis in 2012. Her personal experience led her to found this scenic sanctuary—located not far from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children’s Hospital in Massachusetts as well as the Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Rhode Island—to encourage parents in similar situations to destress through yoga, meditation, nourishment, and community. Allowing parents to relax, renew, and recharge for two days in this safe haven may ultimately help them return mentally and physically stronger for their child. Watch this quick clip (above) to learn more about this special getaway with a powerful mission.

Related: Comfort Food Recipes for Cancer Patients

The post A Unique Retreat for Caregivers of Cancer Patients appeared first on Sonima.

…

Source: http://www.foodpolitics.com/2016/01/weekend-reading-divided-spirits/

Sarah Bowen.  Divided Spirits: Tequila, Mezcal, and the Politics of Production.  University of California Press, 2015

This remarkable book, a recent addition to UC Press’s series on California Studies in Food and Culture, uses drinks distilled from roasted, fermented agave as a basis for entering into debates about production and protection of indigenous food products in the face of globalization.

In recent years, traditional foods and drinks have emerged as profitable and politically salient alternatives to the perceived homogenizing effects of globalization.  Initiatives like the Slow Food movement and DOs [denomination of origin] attempt to rescue eating establishments, dishes, and products from the flood of standardization engendered by the industrial food system.  In doing so, they strive to support the rural communities, farmers, and processors involved in the production of traditional products.  And yet, as my research shows, efforts to regulate Mexico’s iconic spirits illustrate the limitations of relying on alternative markets to protect food cultures and the livelihoods of those who produce them.  My work demonstrates how cultural symbolism can be manipulated to perpetuate and deepen long-standing inequalities along global commodity chains.

Or, as she explains much later, “the right to d…

Source: http://www.sonima.com/meditation/develop-self-control/

As many of us start the year with aims for healthier lifestyles, we are faced not simply with the creation of new habits but also with the management of temptation.

Over the last decade, a surge of research has emerged in science publications about the psychological and physiological benefits of ancient Eastern mindfulness meditation. Newer research now documents that different forms of mindfulness practice—seated and walking meditations, scanning and relaxing tension through the body, and breathing awareness—may significantly reduce stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms as well as increase self-regulatory behaviors and help develop self-control.

Intrigued by the possibility of mindfulness regulating appetitive behaviors, social psychology professor and expert in dieting and goal-related behavior at Utrecht University, Esther K. Papies, Ph.D., lead a three-part study on the initial effects of mindful attention on behavioral responses to two common appetitive stimuli: food and sex appeal.

When resolving to change our behaviors related to food and sex, much of the battle occurs in the mind before the tasty dish is even in our hands. Among a number of mechanisms, the act of simply looking at food or even just reading appetizing words can stimulate gustatory and pleasure centers in the brain, suggesting that the viewer processes a food cue as if actually eating it. Such mental “reward simulations” are also seen in processing…

Source: http://www.fannetasticfood.com/2016/01/15/charleston-bound/

This morning, Matt and I are flying south to Charleston, South Carolina for the weekend! As you guys know, we’ll be there to run the Charleston Half Marathon, for which we are being very kindly sponsored by my friends at Cabot (they will be at the race feeding the volunteers). You can see what we’re up to – and how the race goes – on Instagram, Twitter, and/or Facebook before I pop back in here with a recap next week. It will be fun to have a little weekend getaway together!

So, what are my race goals? I’m going into the race with the aim of setting a new PR (personal record) and am planning to start out at my goal pace (under 7:54 minutes/mile) and just see how it feels. If it’s not my day, that’s okay and I’m not going to beat myself up about it – but I’m going to do my best to stay positive, enjoy the views, and hold on to that pace for dear life. …