Welcome to “FitnessMantra Weekend”, your once-a-week health news update. As always you can also stay updated with the latest in fitness news by subscribing separately to the Fitness Mantra del.icio.us feed.

Think fast-food and most people are already thinking of the word “unhealthy” along with it, but is it possible to eat healthy with fast-food? Well, HelpGuide.org certainly seems to think so and their comprehensive resource “Healthy Restaurant Eating / Fast Food Nutrition” really is proof that they are serious about their claim.

The page is a veritable goldmine for the frequent fast-food joint/diner-eater. It all begins with the question that is right now uppermost in your mind: “Fast food nutrition – is it possible?” which they answer by honestly accepting that fast food is not really the best choice for those who have decided to make fitness a way of their lives (a.k.a. you, reader!). With high calories, fat and sodium, fast-food generally lacks essential fiber, vitamins or minerals that are all vital for your all-round well being and health.

But when we do find ourselves in such a place, we can make the best of the situation by following the useful tips listed on the site like choosing the healthier options that many restaurants now offer and sharing the typically oversized portions. Meals made with with grilled chicken, whole-rolls/wraps and low-fat sandwiches are just some of the suggestions provided. You also get a list of items to stay away from (so called “house-special” sauces, gravy) and even the “avoid like the plague” list (chicken nuggets, fried fish, jumbo fries)!

The page rounds up with a list of suggestions for children and even a list of general guidelines. Yes, it might seem like the usual “avoid buffets”, “watch portions” and “share meals” - stuff you’ve read about on FitnessMantra before, but it’s all stuff that’s well worth repeating when the stakes are as high as your health and especially if eating out at fast-food joints is unavoidable.

Once you know all about Healthy Restaurant Eating / Fast Food Nutrition, complete your weekly health-news updation with these stories:

1. Arkansas obesity reports reduced amid concerns: They let me know that I was at risk of having things like diabetes and a heart attack if I kept going the way I was
2. Avocados May Help Prevent Oral Cancer, OSU Study Shows: Nutrients taken from avocados are able to thwart oral cancer cells, killing some and preventing pre-cancerous cells from developing into actual cancers.
3. ‘Unwalkable’ neighborhoods thwart exercisers: Nearly one in four people in the Atlanta area are exercise enthusiasts stuck in neighborhoods without sidewalks or other walking amenities
4. Mediterranean diet may ease arthritis pain: Learning how to eat Mediterranean-style may help people with rheumatoid arthritis improve their symptoms
5. Vitamin C Plus Fat Might Spur Cancer: When fat is present in the stomach, vitamin C transforms from a cancer-fighter to a possible contributor to malignancy
6. Toddlers ‘ill’ from too much salt: Children as young as four are eating so much salt it is putting their health at risk by raising their blood pressure
7. Study: Early-Risers at Risk for Heart Problems: Early to bed, early to rise may be a mantra praised for generations, but a new Japanese study finds that early-risers are at a higher risk for developing heart problems
8. Nutrients in red wine helps reduce risk of prostate cancer: Nutrients in red wine may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer, a new study showed.
9. Addicted to Food? Maybe It’s All in Your Head: Alcohol, nicotine and cocaine are a few of the substances known to be addictive. Now some scientists wonder whether food should be added to the list.
10. Obese U.S. youngsters suffer iron deficiency: study: Overweight U.S. children run an alarmingly high risk of iron deficiency, a condition which can lead to learning and behavior problems
11. Why gym may fix it: An important new study of UK schools indicates that pupils who do more physical education at school have significantly smaller waistlines.
12. Healthy Restaurant Eating / Fast Food Nutrition: How can you make the most of your fast food meal? For that matter, how can you make the most of any restaurant meal?

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Have a great weekend!

Technorati Tags: health, fitness, health news, fitness news, health links, fitness links, del.icio.us, fast food, restaurant, portion

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Welcome to “FitnessMantra Weekend”, your once-a-week health news update. As always you can also stay updated with the latest in fitness news by subscribing separately to the Fitness Mantra del.icio.us feed.

Like Yogi Berra would say, “It’s deja vu all over again”! Last year, almost to the date, I reported that adult obesity increased in 31 states with Mississippi being the most unhealthy at 29.5% of adults obese and Colorado the healthiest with 16.9%. Fast forward one year and nothing much has changed at all! Trust For America, the non-profit, non-partisan organization which has made it its mission to prevent epidemics be it diabetes, cancer or even obesity, is back in the news again.

Their annual report “F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America” is out for 2007 (PDF - 2.06MB ) and surprisingly even the headline is the same: Obesity has increased in 31 states - again. And not a single state reduced its obesity rate. Ten of the top fifteen states are from the south and while various reasons can be offered for this (the Southerners loooove their gravy!), one cannot - and should not - shy away from the most probable of those reasons - poverty:

Poverty and obesity often go hand in hand, doctors say, because poor families stretch their budgets by buying cheaper, processed foods that have higher fat content and lower nutritional value.

- Why obesity is so high in the South

This correlation between poverty and obesity is also something I spoke about last year and not much has changed (if anything it has gotten worse - Mississippi is now past the 30% mark and at this rate a full third of its adults will likely be obese in a few short years!

CalorieLab has the whole gory scene on a map (smaller version on right). Click it for an enlarged view and more details from the CalorieLab website.

After you figure out where your state stands (my home-state of Connecticut ranks 46th with 20.1% of adults obese), check out these other top health and fitness stories of the week:

1. Tips to build muscles mass at any age: If you think 20 to 30 minutes of cardio a few days a week is all you need to keep your health in check over the next few decades, it’s time to wake up and smell the iron.
2. Meals Offer New Details To Digest: Loudoun County’s school cafeteria food is about to get a closer inspection from parents this year, as the school system publishes ingredients for every item on the menu.
3. Having a hot flash? Flaxseed can help: Flaxseed’s popularity is certainly heating up. A small study has found that eating the grain can decrease hot flashes in postmenopausal women.
4. High blood sugar ups death risk in leukemic: High blood sugar levels increase the rate of in-hospital deaths by nearly 40 percent in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
5. Diet starts Monday, right?: There’s something about weekends that sends caution - and calories - to the wind.
6. Why obesity is so high in the South: Mississippians need to skip the gravy, say no to the fried pickles and start taking brisk walks to fight an epidemic of obesity
7. Obesity rising across the United States, study finds: For the third straight year, Mississippi is the fattest state and Colorado the leanest, but the obesity rate is increasing everywhere, a new report says.
8. Treating mom’s diabetes may keep baby trim: The research found that the higher the mother’s blood sugar levels, the greater the child’s risk of being obese by age 5 to 7, even if the mother wasn’t diagnosed with diabetes.
9. Dunkin Donuts going zero grams trans fat: Dunkin’ planned to announce Monday that it has developed an alternative cooking oil and reformulated more than 50 menu items - doughnuts included.

Get the best health and fitness stories of the week in your RSS inbox.

Have a great weekend!

Technorati Tags: health, fitness, health news, fitness news, health links, fitness links, del.icio.us, adult obesity

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