Food & Nutrition

Spoiler Alert: If you love fried chicken, and knowing that pigs are intelligent interferes with your love of bacon, do not read this. “ … Chickens are misperceived as lacking most of the psychological characteristics we recognize in other intelligent animals and are typically thought of as possessing a low level of intelligence compared with other animals.”
Among the claims made by the plaintiff, Center for Science in the Public Interest, is this: “Like the tobacco industry, Coca-Cola needs to replenish the ranks of its customers, and it tries to recruit them young.” But on this issue, what does science have to say?
My work day last spring had been frustrating; the writing had gone slowly (and not too well). In my desire to write an acceptable paper had I forgotten how my neighbors eat today; I was using too many academic studies with their stark numbers and not enough of today’s eating realities. A reality check of the real world was in order.  I also wanted a break from the computer screen, the isolation of my cluttered office, and needed the invigoration of people milling around.  I slid my computer chair back, hurried downstairs, and out the back door into the garage, backed my car down the twisting gravel driveway into the oncoming traffic. I abruptly stopped, allowing a runner to slide by the trunk of my car.  
If anyone embodies the ideals of healthy living and longevity, it seems there's no better person than Robert Marchand. The Frenchman's raison d'etre, if you will, includes "a lot of fruits and vegetables, no smoking, just the occasional glass of wine and exercising on a daily basis." Our recommendations exactly.
As if "lactivists" (aka lactation activists) didn't have enough fodder for their culture war on working women, a recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition provided yet another reason for them to pile the guilt onto parents who feed their babies formula. 
I can burn how many calories while shoveling?  You don't have to resolve to hit the gym this month, especially if you can easily burn 200-400 calories while doing winter outdoor activities: skiing, snowshoeing, and even shoveling.     
An untreated iron deficiency could lead to various health problems, one being Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA). Now, researchers have discovered IDA itself could be linked to another potential problem — hearing loss. 
Once inside a wine bottle, oxygen can combine with other compounds to provide fuel for bacteria. This is particularly true for white wine. The right amount of oxygen can deliver a pleasing libation. An insufficient amount, however, cause a white wine to deliver hints of cabbage or rotten eggs. 
It's surprising, but true. A California man was arrested for driving under the influence ... of caffeine! And given that millions of Americans consume 3+ cups of coffee per day, it's highly likely we're all guilty of driving while caffeinated. But does caffeine really impair our ability to get behind the wheel?
If weight gain means anything to you, perhaps take a look at how many calories some of our favorite holiday beverages — champagne and eggnog — contain. (On the other hand, maybe just wait 'til after New Year's and the next resolution!)
We're concerned about Santa. We really are. Think of it: He's wriggling down chimneys all over the world, toting a bag of gifts, and in gratitude snacks are left for him under the tree. Nothing wrong with that, of course. The problem, however, is that the snacks are traditionally cookies and milk. This could be a serious health issue!
Surely Pfizer wouldn't mind if you took a closer look at what's listed on its label for Centrum Silver Men, which is marketed to men age 50+, right? Copper sulfate: Pesticide. Silicon dioxide. Glass. Titanium dioxide. Paint. But the biggest dirty little secret about multivitamins is that few people actually need dietary supplements.