7 Everyday Habits That Could Give You A Yeast Infection

Got yeast? Yes, you might—even if you’re not burning, itching, or noticing weird discharge when you wipe. Yeast, which is actually a fungus called candida, pretty much always hangs out in the vagina in small numbers. “Yeast likes warm, damp places,” says Nina Ali, MD, assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine.


Most of the time, that's okay: It’s too acidic in a healthy vagina for yeast to multiply and cause infection. But it doesn’t take much to change a vagina’s pH level and give yeast the green light to take off, which might be why 3 out of every 4 women will have a yeast infection in their lifetime. And once you get one, you’re more likely to get others, though doctors aren’t quite sure why. (Here are 9 highly effective treatments for vaginal yeast infections.)

Whether or not you're naturally prone to this problem, you might unknowingly be raising your risk by making one or more of these common mistakes.


Letting sugar dominate your diet
You don't have to eat chocolate cake to flood your blood with glucose. Sugar seems to lurk in everything, from ketchup to bread to peanut butter and more. (Watch for these 6 secret sugar bombs you're buying at the grocery store.) And when you consistently take in too much, it can lead to a host of problems—including yeast infections. “If there's more glucose available in your body, that's an energy source for the yeast,” says Ali.

High blood sugar can also throw off the pH balance in your vaginal area, which allows yeast to thrive. So perhaps it's not surprising that recurrent yeast infections are common among people with diabetes. In some cases, they may be a sign that diabetes is on the horizon, says Michael Cackovic, MD, an ob-gyn at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center.


Running errands in your gym clothes or swimwear
The longer you wait to change out of sweaty or wet clothes, the longer you surround your vagina with moist, damp, humid conditions that are perfect for yeast to grow. “Everybody's on the go, jetting from workouts to pick up groceries or this and that,” says Ali. But if you don’t take the time to change into something dry, you’re setting the stage for infection.

Cotton underwear can be a comfortable choice, but it may also hold on to dampness, says Cackovic. “It's like wearing a towel, essentially,” he says. He recommends choosing moisture-wicking fabrics that pull water and sweat away from your skin. But more important than your fabric choice is keeping things fresh and dry: If the clothes near your crotch are damp, change them as soon as you can.

Burning the midnight oil
Are you a night owl? Do you sit up surfing channels or your smartphone until the wee hours? Your lack of sleep is likely doing a number on your immune system. When you don’t get quality shut-eye, your body isn’t well-equipped to fight off infections, and that includes yeast infections. In fact, any habit that keeps you from maintaining good health—staying stressed, not exercising, eating poorly—can wreak havoc on your body’s defenses, says Ali. (Having trouble sleeping? Try these 12 foolproof natural sleep remedies experts swear by.)

Squeezing into tight jeans
Any clothing that’s pressed up against your crotch creates a dark and damp haven for yeast to thrive. Your clothes should be breathable, so that any sweat you get can evaporate quickly. “Anything tight creates that situation where things can't get aired out,” says Cackovic.

Being very overweight can also be problematic. Yeast is a fan of skin folds, and if you have them in your nether regions and don't keep them dry it's easy to end up with infections both within and beyond the vagina. (Skin rashes are common.)


Having sex without protection
Although a yeast infection isn’t technically a sexually-transmitted disease, it may be possible to get it from your partner during sex. “Generally, it doesn't get passed that way, but when women keep coming back with recurrent infections sometimes we do ask the partner to get treated to see if that helps," says Ali. (Sex is also one of these 8 most common causes or UTIs.)

Men who are uncircumcised have a slightly higher chance of passing on yeast, since their foreskin creates a dark, damp area where it can hang out. Your risk also goes up every time you have a brand-new partner, because everyone has different flora, says Cackovic.

Stretching out your tampon time
Ever hit the end of a really busy day and realize you can’t remember the last time you changed your tampon? Bad mistake. Anything you put in your vagina can upset the bacteria and pH balance. “You definitely don't want to forget about anything that's inserted in the vagina,” says Ali.

Using pads or a menstrual cup? Make sure you change (or empty) those often, too. And don't even think about douching: It only makes your body have to work harder to restore its natural bacteria balance.


Using hormonal birth control
The cells in your vagina are very sensitive to estrogen and other hormones found in oral contraceptives, patches, and hormonal IUDs, so when you start using one of these methods it may alter your vagina’s environment and up your risk of getting a yeast infection. (Try these 10 non-hormonal birth control methods.) Luckily, studies show that this risk goes down over time, so if you've been on the Pill for years it's unlikely to start causing a problem now.

Also good to know: Sometimes birth control can change your discharge enough that it can fool you into thinking you have a yeast infection when you don’t. Anytime you're unsure, consult an expert before heading to the drugstore. “See your doctor, let them take a look under a microscope, and come up with a plan based on that,” says Cackovic.

Beet Juice Keeps Your Brain Young

Over the last five years, I’ve written an embarrassingly large number of posts about beet juice. In a world of overhyped and mostly ineffective sports supplements, beet juice is one of the very few with solid, peer-reviewed evidence of its real-world effectiveness—primarily for making endurance exercise more “efficient” (i.e., consuming less oxygen at a given pace), and for lowering resting blood pressure.

But there’s another intriguing line of research that’s been gaining traction, which is the effects of beet juice on the brain. A new study from researchers at Wake Forest University, published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, offers some intriguing hints that a daily shot of beet juice an hour before exercise can produce significant—and beneficial—changes in the function and organization of aging brains.



The key component of beet juice is nitrate, which is converted in the body to nitrite and then nitric oxide, which has powerful effects on the responsiveness of your blood vessels. As a result, previous research has found that beet juice can enhance the amount of oxygen reaching your brain, and can even acutely boost some aspects of cognitive function, like reaction time, when you’re fatigued.


The new study investigated the combined effects of exercise and beet juice. A group of 26 sedentary men with an average age of 65 were assigned to do six weeks of exercise along with daily shots of either beet juice or a placebo. All the men had high blood pressure, which made them more likely to benefit from the effects of beet juice on blood vessels.

The beet juice was administered in the form of Beet-It Sport Shots, which are concentrated beet juice shots that contain 560 milligrams of nitrate in each 70-milliliter (2.4-ounce) bottle. The placebos were exactly the same except that the nitrate had been removed. They took one shot per day, and timed it to be an hour before exercise on their workout days.


The exercise program was fairly simple. The participants walked on a treadmill three times a week for six weeks, building up until they were doing 50 minutes per session at a perceived effort of 12 or 13 on the Borg scale (13 corresponds to “somewhat hard”).

The researchers were interested in neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to rewire and remake itself in response to new stimuli. And they were interested in the emerging idea that some of the physical problems of aging may reflect “invisible” problems in the central nervous system rather than just the more obvious problems like loss of muscle or aerobic fitness. To explore this possibility, they used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) before and after the trial, looking at the connections between different brain regions.


A previous study, also from Wake Forest, had found distinct differences in the “functional brain networks” of older adults depending on their level of mobility. Those who could get around quite well had better “community consistency” within the motor regions of the brain—that is, neurons within the motor region tended to be mostly connected to other neurons within the motor region.

Those who had mobility problems, on the other hand, tended to have more “secondary connections” from the motor regions to other regions of the brain, particularly areas associated with balance and other forms of self-monitoring. It’s hard to know exactly what this means at this point, but the interesting thing is that you can indeed tell the difference between mobile and mobility-impaired adults by looking at their brains.


So with this in mind, what did six weeks of exercise and beet juice (or placebo) do? It improved the “community consistency” of both groups of subjects, but the improvements were significantly greater in the group that had beet juice along with exercise. In fact, by the end of the study, the average number of red-flag-raising “secondary connections” in the beet juice group was comparable to the number in the younger control group (average age 26) from the previous study.

For those who like to see it visually, here’s a view of the average community consistency in motor areas of the brain for the two groups (BRJ is beet juice) at the beginning and end of the study:

beet juice for brain power
The thinking is that drinking beet juice means you have lots of nitrate in your body, which is then converted to nitrate and circulates throughout the bloodstream. The final step, which is converting nitrite to nitric oxide, seems to be enhanced in low-oxygen conditions—which, as it happens, are induced during hard exercise. So during your workout, as areas of your brain (among other places) start to suffer from lower oxygen levels, there’s plenty of nitrite that gets converted to nitric oxide, which in turn helps relax and dilate your blood vessels to bring more oxygen-rich blood to that site.

So is this a call to rush out and buy beet juice?

Maybe. Personally, despite all the articles I’ve written, I’ve never even tasted beet juice. Given my current running goals, and more importantly my particular motivations for racing, I’ve never really been tempted. But the associated health effects do get my attention, and have prompted me to incorporate beets (and other nitrate-rich vegetables like spinach and arugula) into my diet far more frequently than I used to.

Is that effective? From an acute running perspective, while there’s some weak evidence that you might get a boost from wolfing down 200 grams (a little less than half a pound) of beets before a run, it’s probably not a reliable bet. But for health purposes, a consistent and sustainable diet with lots of nitrate-rich food like beets seems like a reasonable bet.

Fortunately, after all this beet research, there’s one conclusion that I have 100% confidence in, even though I never would have predicted it before reading the studies: I really, really like oven-roasted beets. They’re delicious. So I’m going to keep eating them regardless of what the next study says.

​6 Times You May Need To Eat MORE Salt

Let’s be clear about one thing from the get-go: Few of us are in danger of coming up short when it comes to our salt (sodium) intake.

“Most people consume adequate amounts of sodium—if not greater amounts than the current recommendation of 2,300 milligrams per day,” says Joy Dubost, PhD, a food scientist and registered dietician.

(Transform your health with 365 days of slimming secrets, health tips, and motivation—get your 2018 Prevention Calendar and Health Planner today!)

The average American diet is notoriously loaded with salt. So if you eat anything resembling the typical three-squares-plus-a-snack program most westerners adhere to, you likely have little to worry about when it comes to your sodium levels.

There are exceptions, which we’ll get to in a minute.

But before we do, Dubost says that if any of the scenarios on this list apply to you—or if you’re thinking about upping your salt consumption for some other reason—first take a week or two to carefully track your sodium intake. (These 5 signs could mean your body wants you to cut back on salt.)

She says apps like SuperTracker or MyFitnessPal can help you with that. Also keep a close eye on your serving sizes and nutrition labels—with an assist from the USDA’s Food Composition Database to help you identify the sodium in your whole or unpackaged foods.




You’re partaking in some marathon-intensity exercise.
Athletes who engage in intense exercise for prolonged periods of time—an hour or more—may at times need a sodium boost, Dubost says. “Hyponatremia can occur, which is a drop of sodium in the blood resulting in dizziness, confusion, weakness, and even death,” she explains. While it’s not common, hyponatremia can occur when people are sweating hard and pounding lots of water to rehydrate, but aren’t replacing the sodium their bodies shed while perspiring. If you’ve just wrapped up a grueling, shirt-soaking workout—or if, during an endurance event, you’re experiencing any of the symptoms Dubost mentioned—eating some salty foods can help your body recover. (Try these 13 good-for-you salty snacks.)




You live in a hot, muggy climate.
“Once again, excessive sweating can result in a drop in sodium,” Dubost says. As with heavy exercise, excessive sweating could in some cases lead to hyponatremia, she explains. If the weather conditions are making you sweat hard and you’re experiencing headaches, light-headedness, or crazy thirst, sprinkling some salt onto whatever you’re eating may relieve your symptoms. (Sweating too much? Here are 9 things your sweat is trying to tell you.)


You have this medical condition.
Salt-losing nephropathy is a form of kidney disease that makes it difficult for your body to maintain adequate sodium levels, says Lawrence Appel, MD, an American Heart Association spokesperson and a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University Medical Institutions. “People with this condition lose excess sodium in their urine, and need to make a conscious effort to keep their [sodium] levels up,” he says. If they don’t, the result could once again be hyponatremia, which could produce symptoms like dizziness, headaches, weakness, or fatigue. Call your doctor and let her know what’s up. (Know these 6 signs of kidney failure.)


You’re taking diuretic medications.
Several medications—diuretics, in particular—can lead to mineral imbalances in your body by increasing your urine output, Dubost says. While it’s true that diuretics are often prescribed for those with hypertension, and it's also true that eating too much salt can be risky for those with elevated BP, there may still be times when someone taking diuretics needs to consume some extra sodium to help balance things out.


You’re an older adult, and your thinking is muddled.
Seniors—especially those aged 80 or older—may experience a brain boost by upping their salt intake, according to a study published earlier this year in the Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging. The study team found that, compared to older adults on low-sodium diets, those who consumed moderate amounts of sodium performed better on some tests of brain functioning. It’s important to point out that this study is preliminary. So while it’s possible some extra sodium may benefit your brain, don’t go nuts with the salt shaker until you’ve cleared it with your doctor. (Plus, one recent study also linked increased sodium intake to greater risk for diabetes.)


You’re suffering from this rare syndrome.
A cluster of conditions known collectively as Bartter syndrome can affect your kidneys’ ability to process the salt you consume. Basically, too much sodium ends up in your urine, and not enough is absorbed into your body, Appel says. The condition is rare, and it springs from genetic abnormalities. Symptoms of the syndrome include everything from vomiting and excessive thirst to intense salt cravings. Again, you need to speak with your doctor before upping your salt consumption.

What Exactly are Natural Flavors in Halloween Candy?

If candy manufacturers were required to declare the exact ingredients found in candy, the label would read like something out of a witch’s brew: dried beaver’s sac, sheepskin excretions or insect excretions. This may sound more like “trick” than “treat,” but it’s true. When it comes to the ingredient “natural flavors,” it is considered a trade secret and, as a result, does not require disclosure from manufacturers. So, what exactly are “natural flavors” and just how natural are they?

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) here’s the official definition of natural flavors:

“(3) The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional. Natural flavors include the natural essence or extractives obtained from plants (identified in other sections of the document).”  

While it’s a bit intense, on the surface it seems fairly harmless too. But, there are a few issues:

Odd and unwanted ingredients

Because the single ingredient of natural flavors can contain 100 other ingredients, there is room for a lot of potentially unwanted substances in foods containing this enigmatic ingredient. Some candy manufacturers exploit the definition to include ingredients like castoreum—found in the dried castor sacs (near the anus) of beavers—while this ingredient is technically “natural” in that it is derived from meat, it’s not something most people would knowingly choose to eat. Nor is confectioner’s glaze or shellac, which gives many candies their shiny coating, but it is actually extracted from the excretions of certain insects found in India and South Asia.

Potential for allergens

If you have a severe food allergy, such as seafood, you’re better off staying clear of any candy (or any other food for that matter) that contains natural flavors. As you may have noticed from the FDA description, natural flavors can be derived from seafood, among other potential allergens. The same is true if you have an egg or dairy allergy. You may be at risk of an allergic reaction when consuming candies that contain natural flavors.

Potential for GMOs

Because genetically-modified organisms currently have GRAS status “generally-recognized as safe” genetically-modified dairy products, corn, soy or other GMO food can be used in the process of obtaining natural flavors. GMO foods have been linked in studies to reproductive disorders, cancer and other serious health concerns, so candy containing natural flavors may not be suitable for you or the children who are consuming it in droves this Halloween.

Solvents and pesticides

There are frequently residues of solvents (usually petroleum-based) used in the extraction of certain flavors from plant or animal sources. Additionally, because the foods used to manufacture natural flavors is probably not organic, the ingredient “natural flavors” tends to have pesticide residues as well.

Sometimes natural flavors are listed as “natural flavor (organic vanilla)” or “natural flavor (organic peppermint),” or something similar on labels. In these cases, the candy is probably devoid of the unwanted ingredients sometimes found in natural flavors and is likely safe to eat. But, considering that “natural flavors” is the fourth most used ingredientin processed foods, after salt, water and sugar, unwanted or questionable ingredients are found in a lot of our foods, and certainly a lot of the Halloween candy being distributed to children.

7 Delicious Fruits That Boost Iron Levels

Did you know that iron deficiency is the leading cause of anemia? And did you further know that women have higher risk of iron deficiency anemia due to excessive bleeding during menstruation and pregnancy. 

Women in childbearing age should consume 18 mg of iron a day while men only need 8 mg a day.

The good news is you can lower risk of iron deficiency anemia by eating iron-rich fruits.

Fruits are one of the best sources of iron because they contain vitamin C. Vitamin C helps enhance absorption of iron into the body.

Here are the best fruits to boost iron levels and lower risk of iron deficiency anemia.

1. Sun-dried tomatoes

Don’t be surprised to see tomatoes here. Tomatoes are a fruit, not a vegetable. 

Sun-dried tomatoes are one of the best sources of iron. One hundred grams of tomatoes contain 9.1 mg of iron. That is 50 percent of the recommended daily intake.

Make sun-dried tomatoes at home or buy them in the store. They’ll give you iron whether you eat them fresh or cooked.

2. Prunes

Chances are you’ve made prune juice after reading this article. Prunes (dried plums) can boost iron intake and help fight iron deficiency.

A serving of prunes will give you 9 percent of recommended daily iron intake.

3. Raisins

Raisins or rather dried grapes contain more iron than most fruits. A cup of raisins has 3.2 mg of iron.

Combining raisins with melons, oranges, strawberries and other vitamin C-rich foods will increase iron absorption.

4. Dates

Dates may not be the best source of iron for people who want to lose weight due to high sugar and calories.

But other people can benefit from moderate intake of dates. This fruit also contains potassium, fiber and antioxidants which can help improve heart health.

Some doctors advise diabetics not to eat dates but this study found that eating dates didn’t cause a significant blood sugar spike in diabetics compared to healthy individuals.

5. Dried Apricots

You’re missing out if you don’t eat apricots. Other than preventing iron deficiency, this fruit strengthens the bones, improves heart health and is good for the skin.

A serving of apricots will provide 19 percent of the recommended daily intake of iron.

6. Pomegranate

Pomegranates are a good source of iron, vitamin C and K, fiber, folate and potassium. This fruit also contains punicalagins, compounds which improve heart health and build better blood.

Drink pomegranate juice to get all the nutrients in this fruit. Pomegranate juice has been shown to fight cancer, reduce hypertension and improve memory.

7. Dried Mulberries

Mulberries have more vitamin C than oranges. And they’re also loaded with antioxidants, iron and fiber.

A serving of mulberries will give you 30 percent of the daily recommended iron.

The Most Important Supplement for Skin, Bones, and Joints. And Everyone Must Take it Daily

Consumer interest in Collagen supplements has exploded in recent years.  This is due to the large amount of scientific research that indicates powerful anti-aging properties for skin, bones and joints… all parts of our body that age impacts.  Unfortunately, as we age our ability to naturally produce collagen is depleted… by age 40 our body loses more collagen than it makes and by age 60 over half of the body’s collagen is lost.

  

Collagen for Skin, Bones, and Joints.

As is turns out, collagen is an an essential building block for proteins and connective tissues in our body that help maintain strength and elasticity.  The Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology published a study where research demonstrated that individuals who consumed collagen peptides showed an increase in the size and composition of collagen fibrils in their Achilles tendon.  This indicates a strong ability of collagen to rebuild and strengthen body tissue and muscles. Further, another study was published in the periodical Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism that said ingestion of 10 grams of collagen peptides per day (for 30-90 days) had a positive effect on knee joint comfort.

  

 They also noted that the positive effect was even more pronounced on patients with severe arthritic symptoms.  However, probably the most convincing study was published in the medical journal Skin Pharmacology and physiology.  It was a double blind, placebo controlled scientific study that demonstrated a positive correlation between collagen consumption and significantly improved skin elasticity, structure and moisture.

However, it is also important to note that the quality and source of hydrolyzed collagen is very important and will affect your results.  Therefore, to ensure the best results possible,   Our collagen is GMO free and grass fed.  The bovine it is sourced from is not artificially fattened with GMO corn nor is it contaminated with vaccines and/or steroids.  

Since, like all supplements, the body’s ability to absorb and process nutrients is extremely important, otherwise it will just go through you.  This is why Livingtraditionally Collagen is Hydrolyzed, the digestive breakdown is half done for you!  You will also notice that Livingtraditionally collagen powder is very fine, which means your body will quickly break it down and absorb the benefits.  Don’t waste your time with other brands or cheap substitutes!   

10 Processed Foods to Avoid

What Is Processed Food?

Ideally, we’d shop the farmers’ market every day for fresh, local foods, and make all of our goodies from scratch. In reality, we live far from our food sources, have to buy foods we can store on the shelf, and barely have time to eat dinner, much less prepare it.

Processed foods are convenient, and not all of them are bad for you: pre-chopped vegetables, or fruits canned in their own juice, are just two examples.

Sometimes, however, convenience can mean large amounts of hidden sodium, fats, and sugar, which are always bad news. Read on to learn which processed foods to avoid and why. 

Bacon

 

Bacon contains high levels of sodium, which can lead to high blood pressure. And sodium is just the beginning.

Part of the reason why bacon is so delicious is because it’s loaded with saturated fat. Saturated fat is linked to heart disease and obesity. Danger also lurks in virtually all store-bought bacon because of how many preservatives it contains, which are related to every health concern from headaches to cancer. 

Granola Bars

 

Consider the granola bar, also known as the cereal bar. They are stuffed with hearty grains and packaged in boxes featuring mountains and sunrises. So wholesome!

Too bad granola bars are also loaded with added sugars, which digest quickly and don’t satisfy hunger for long. Despite their healthy marketing image, granola bars don’t offer much in the way of good nutrition. Avoid them for their high simple-carbohydrate count and the long ingredient list filled with difficult-to-pronounce words.

Instant Ramen

 

Most college students have had the experience of powering through finals week fueled only by ramen and cheap coffee. Warning: Do not continue this habit beyond your senior year. Better yet, stop now.

A packet of ramen can contain nearly 2,000 milligrams (mg) of sodium, which is 500 mg more than the American Heart Association’s daily recommended intake. That boosts blood pressure, which could lead to stroke. Additionally, with simple carbohydrates making up most of the other ingredients, ramen provides almost zero nutritional support. You should also check out the amount of fat in ramen noodles. Who knew so many unhealthy things could come in such a small package!

As a healthy meal, instant ramen gets a failing grade.

Dried Fruits

 

You might reach for a handful of raisins or a few spears of dried mango to satisfy a sweet tooth. There’s probably a really good reason they are so satisfying. These dried fruits are a better option than Skittles, since they have a good amount of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Be careful with the portion, however — even a small portion carries a high-calorie, high-sugar punch.

The extra sugar also promises weight gain. If you eat more than your body needs, it adds to your body’s fat store.

Flavored Nuts

 

Flavored nuts have a shelf of their own in the sounds-good-for-you-but-isn’t pantry.

Whether they are maple-flavored, soy sauce- and wasabi-dusted, or coated in toffee, flavored nuts are packed with extra salt and sugar. This extra salt and sugar can lead to weight gain, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Their sticky, sugary goodness also makes them the enemy of healthy teeth.

Fruit Snacks

 

An enemy of both your teeth and waistline, fruit snacks may be the grocer’s most inaccurately named food. Most varieties are packed with high fructose corn syrup and cane sugar — which could lead to weight gain, which can increase your risk for diabetes — and contain only a drop of actual fruit ingredients.

Their extra sugar and gelatinous ingredients also stick to teeth, providing an ideal environment for bacteria to create cavities.

Margarine

 

There was a time when margarine was considered the healthy alternative to butter. However, the truth is that some margarine contains a lot of trans fats, which is considered more unhealthy than any other fat, including saturated fats.

Trans fats increase bad cholesterol, which can lead to heart disease and stroke. Although the link between trans fatty acids and cancer is unclear, Johns Hopkins Medicine is just one institution that suggests lowering these fats as a part of their dietary recommendations for cancer patients and survivors.

Microwave Popcorn

 

There’s nothing wrong with popcorn (as long as you go easy on the salt and butter) and there’s nothing wrong with microwaving food. So what’s so bad about microwave popcorn?

It’s in the bag. Perfluoroalkyls are just one class of chemical found in microwave popcorn bags. Studies have linked perfluoroalkyls with health problems as diverse as kidney disease and poor semen quality.

Ketchup

 

“Catsup” or “ketchup”? No matter where you stand on the spelling debate, America’s favorite condiment spells bad news.

While a little dollop of ketchup is fine, the amounts we slather onto our burgers and fries is problematic, as is the frequency.

The tomatoes in ketchup are so diluted by sugar and salt that they offer no natural value. With most of the calories in ketchup coming from sugar, you might as well sprinkle your fries with sugar!

Frozen Dinners

 

Frozen dinners are the next best thing to takeout: a complete meal of vegetables, entrée, and starch, all on one plate, right out of the microwave.

However, frozen dinners are often loaded with sugars, fat, and sodium. Those additives can lead to weight and heart problems. They can also raise your blood pressure, putting you at danger for stroke. If you do get frozen meals, focus on organic meals with an ingredient list full of foods you recognize.

All Things in Moderation

Processed foods are not a modern convenience — they’ve been around since the first barrel of salt-pork sailed across the Atlantic. They provide convenience and give us access to foods that would otherwise perish in transit.

Enjoy them in moderation, and use your common sense. Check the nutrition labels to avoid anything high in fats, sugars, and chemicals you can’t pronounce. Be sure to make fresh, simple ingredients the focus of your diet.