Liz Bonis is a registered dietitian, a certified nutritionist, a certified personal trainer, and a diabetes educator with a master's degree in public communication.

Good For The Body, Good For The Mind
Neurology
12/29/11

A new report details the nutrients your body needs not only for your physical health, but your mental health as well.

Researchers studied more than 104 people with an average age of 87 who had very little risk for memory and thinking problems. They found that those who had the highest blood levels of the following nutrients scored better on thinking and memory tests:

Omega-3 fats: You’ll find these, along with several other essential vitamins, in seafood like mackerel, salmon, and tuna. Omega-3s may reduce the risk of brain shrinkage, which has been associated with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Vitamin D: in milk and other dairy products

Vitamin C: in fruits and vegetables

B vitamins: in whole grains

All of these nutrients have been linked to better brain function over time, so be sure to get these into your diet!

Dining Dangers
7/25/11

Wellness experts at Cornell University have identified five bad habits we succumb to when eating out that sabotage our weight loss efforts. Do you recognize yourself in any of the following?

The “Dynamic Duo” For Weight Loss
International Journal Of Obesity
6/20/11

When it comes to losing weight, we’ve all heard the mantra “eat less, exercise more,” right? But a new report says there are two other elements critical to successfully losing weight—and keeping it off.

In a dual-phase randomized trial of 472 obese people, researchers found that managing stress and treating depression made a big difference to longterm weight loss.

This makes sense if you tend to overeat when you are stressed out, but even if you don’t, if you are finding it a struggle to manage your weight, you might want to have your stress and depression levels checked out.

If you can’t remove what’s stressing you, employ a coping mechanism such as exercise. It may also help ease depression; about one-third of people who exercise on a regular basis find that their mood improves with exercise.

What Was I Supposed To Eat, Again?
Journal of Nutrition
2/22/11

Think you can’t improve your brain power by what you eat? Think again! A new report says a compound called luteolin, an antioxidant found in certain vegetables and herbs, appears to reduce “brain drain.”

Researchers at the University of Illinois found that this compound regulates immune cells in a part of the brain that normally starts over-producing chemicals that trigger an inflammatory response as we age. This inflammation may cause age-related forgetfulness.

So to increase your luteolin levels, eat more fruits and vegetables like green peppers, chili peppers, spinach, artichokes, lemons, and blueberries, and herbs like thyme, sage, rosemary, parsley, basil, and peppermint.

Go Easy On The Breakfast
Journal of Nutrition
1/20/11

Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but it doesn’t have to be the biggest, research shows.

A recent study, conducted at the University of Munich, showed that while eating breakfast is good, eating a large breakfast is not necessarily better.

Researchers followed the eating habits of 380 people, some overweight and some normal weight, for two weeks. Some participants skipped breakfast altogether, some ate a small meal, and some ate a large meal that consisted of 400 calories more than a small breakfast (that would be something like an omelet, bacon, and hash browns).

It turned out that those who ate a large breakfast often didn’t eat less during the day to make up for it, and so were likely to gain weight. The study concluded that the belief that eating a large morning meal will cause you to eat less the rest of the day is a myth.

While it is essential to eat breakfast—within about an hour and a half of getting up—it’s best to eat a small amount. If you do eat a large breakfast, you need to eat less at subsequent meals, or you won’t be healthier. Or skinnier. And it’s best to eat three to six small meals a day rather than one or two large meals.

Kids And Empty Calories
11/1/10

Good nutrition begins at home...and, apparently, so does poor eating. A new report issued by the National Institutes of Health has found that nearly half of all the food children are used to eating at home is full of empty calories.

The researchers found that about 40 percent of the calories kids consume comes from foods that are nearly void of nutrition, and those empty calories come from solid fats and added sugars. And half of those empty calories came from just six foods: regular soda pop; fruity drinks with sugar; dairy desserts; traditional sugary desserts with flour, such as cakes, cookies, and pies; pizza; and whole milk. Experts with the American Dietetic Association found that children from ages 2 to 18 tend to consumes these foods.

Obesity rates in children have tripled in the last three decades, but reducing the amount of these foods kids eat each day—from 40 percent down to about 15 percent—could make a big difference in reducing obesity and the consequent complications from it.

Experts say that the best way to cut down on the consumption of empty calories at home is to ask kids to choose one of these types of food each day instead of eating all of them every day, making these foods special treats reserved for events such as parties and other special occasions outside the home.

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