Blog Posts by LIVESTRONG.COM

Imagine that just after you've enjoyed a decadent meal of gourmet steak and roasted potatoes, the dim restaurant lights brighten to reveal the steak's true color -- bluish -- and the potato's -- greenish. That's what happened in a study conducted in the 1970s, journalist Eric Schlosser writes in his book "Fast Food Nation." Upon recognizing the "off" color of the food, numerous people who consumed it became ill. That's because food color can have a significant effect on perception of food and, potentially, on mood. Restaurants and food manufacturers use the technique to their benefit -- and so can you.

"People seem to eat for two major reasons," said licensed psychotherapist and author Karen Koenig. "One is excitatory, where we want to be more engaged, more focused. We're seeking pleasure and passion. The other is inhibitory. We are already feeling too much, so we want to relax, soothe and contain."

Koenig suggests asking yourself at the start of a meal what you hope to gain

Pat Buck remembers, all too well, the helpless bedside moments she spent with her daughter Barbara Kowalcyk and then-suffering grandson, Kevin. "You're graphically there. The smells are horrible. The sights are horrible. The cries are pitiful. And you just can do nothing except sit by that child and just wait." Towards the end, the doctors urged the family not to even touch Kevin--they did not want him to associate his incredible pain with his family.

On August 11, 2001, Kevin died from E. coli O157:H7. The lack of public health response after Kevin's death initiated a long and arduous journey for Pat and Barbara. This mother and daughter team--with the support of family, friends, volunteers and strangers--have fought for close to a decade to ensure that a similar tragedy not spread to more American families. In 2006, they founded the Center for Foodborne Illness Research & Prevention (CFI). In 2009, the center was highlighted in the oft-acclaimed documentary, Food Inc.

Overview

With childhood obesity rates steadily rising, there is a greater premium on proper nutrition for children. Obese children are much more likely than their peers to be obese adults, develop cardiovascular disease, experience joint problems, suffer from low self-esteem and a host of other problems. Teaching kids clean eating develops good habits and paves the way for a healthy adulthood.

Description

Clean eating is based on the principle of eating unprocessed, natural and primarily organic foods. Tosca Reno is noted for developing the "Eat Clean Diet" that focuses on this concept. Reno stresses that eating clean is not a diet, but rather a way of life. It provides the optimal nutrients the body needs for healthy functioning, without the burden of counting calories, carbohydrates, fats or protein.

Foods to Eat

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest feeding your kids an abundance of vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Limit dairy

Weight loss goals set in January are so proverbial, they've become cliche. Rather than beating yourself up over previous failed attempts or jumping on board with a fad, "quick fix" diet---one reason for the redundancy of weight loss resolve---follow the American Dietetic Association's recommendation for long-term weight loss success. The big success secret? Adjust your food portions and choose healthy foods most often. MyPlate, LIVESTRONG.COM's free online food tracker and weight loss tool, can help you make those small daily changes that lead to big, lasting results.

To get started, visit MyPlate and follow the registration prompts. Once you're in, you can begin recording your food intake straight away. MyPlate differs from other online calorie counters and weight loss programs, according to LIVESTRONG.COM nutrition advisor and registered dietitian Alyse Levine. MyPlate provides the world's most expansive, accurate food database. "It allows you to track your

With interval training, you perform short bursts of intense exercise, then take a longer period to recover. For example, sprint all out for 20 seconds, then walk for 60 seconds. Interval training burns more calories because of the intense bursts of work. The faster you burn 3,500 calories, the faster you will burn fat. You can do interval training with any method of exercise, inclulding running, swimming, biking and step aerobics.

Interval training allows you to exercise at higher levels of intensity compared to continuous aerobic exercise. When you alternate between short bouts of very-high-intensity exercise with lower-intensity exercise, your body is able to process lactic acid build-up, therefore reducing fatigue. You are then able to burn calories and fat at a faster rate compared to less intense, longer aerobic exercise.

Training at such high intensities utilizes your body's short-term energy systems: the ATP-PCr

If you only eliminate foods in the effort to lose weight, you may find yourself frustrated if not sabotaged in your diet goals. A better option is to substitute some of your favorite foods and snacks for metabolism-boosting and weight loss-encouraging alternatives. For example, swapping healthy, whole-grain pastas for refined ones can help you to enjoy your favorite meals while encouraging overall weight loss in the process.

Trade in your ice cream with hot fudge syrup and cookies for a cup of low-fat yogurt. Sprinkle it with fresh fruits, nuts, seeds and cinnamon and enjoy knowing that you may be boosting your weight loss. Nicholas Perricone, in "The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet: A Simple 3-Part Plan to Lose the Fat, the Wrinkles, and the Years," recommends low-fat yogurt along with low-fat kefir and acidophilus milk as "nutriceutical obesity-fighters." He explains that calcium-rich dairy foods help to promote weight loss, particularly when substituted for denser,

The common cold is an upper-respiratory illness, caused by a virus. Common symptoms include runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing and fever. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center there are over 1 billion colds occur in the United States annually and children average 3 to 8 colds per year. A healthy dietary lifestyle can help prevent and treat the common cold. If symptoms are severe or long-lasting, seek guidance from your doctor.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble vitamin that must be obtained through food. Vitamin C also holds powerful antioxidant properties, which protect the body from virus-causing bacteria. According to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin C for adults in the United States was increased from 60 mg per day to 90 milligrams per day. Children require between 15 and 75 mg daily, depending upon their age and health needs. Consuming 5 1/2 cups

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, food guide pyramid is available to help adults and children make healthy food choices to enhance quality of life and reduce disease risk. The food guide pyramid has changed throughout the years. As of 2010, the newest version of the food guide pyramid is called MyPyramid, which was introduced in 2005.

The USDA food guide pyramid provides general meal plans for adults based on age, gender, activity level, height and current body weight. MyPyramid plans are also available for pregnant women, breast-feeding women and children. The plans include physical activity recommendations, which for adults is at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week.

Food groups used in MyPyramid meal plans include grains, milk, meat and beans, fruits, vegetables, oils and discretionary calories. Serving sizes for food groups are given in cups, ounces or