Food Archives

John Walker: Why Is Losing Weight So Hard?

Why is losing weight so hard? If the concept of weight loss is so simple—burn more calories than you eat— then why isn’t everybody a healthy weight? Although the concept of weight loss is simple—calories in/calories out—it isn’t easy to implement in practice. Many people lack the motivation or willpower to eat less food, to pass up that donut, or to pay attention to the number of calories they’re putting in their body. Here is how John Walker explains the struggle of weight loss in his book The Hacker’s Diet.

Why Fad Diets Don’t Work and What to Do Instead

What’s all the backlash against fad diets? Why do most people gain the weight back after losing it on a fad diet? If you tried a fad diet and lost weight but you either gained it back or found it too hard to maintain, you’re not alone. Fad diets don’t work in the long term for these four reasons: they rely on the user losing water weight, you get bored of eating the same foods, your food choices are too limited, or you don’t feel satisfied with the foods you’re eating. Here is why fad diets don’t work and what

How Not to Die: Book Overview

What is Michael Greger’s How Not to Die about? What one factor, according to the author, can help prevent and reverse most of the modern killer diseases? In his book How Not to Die, Michael Greger argues that a plant-based, whole-food diet has been scientifically shown to reduce the most common diseases leading to death. Citing thousands of references from scientific literature, Greger covers the top 15 causes of death (from heart disease to Parkinson’s) and describes how diet can reduce each cause of death. Here is a brief overview of the main points from Michael Greger’s book How Not to Die: Discover the

Healthy Nuts and Seeds You Should Include in Your Diet

What are the main nutrients contained in nuts and seeds? Why do nutritionists recommend eating them despite their high-calorie content? What health benefits do they provide? Nuts and seeds are both nutritional powerhouses chock full of healthy fats, protein, and fiber. Many studies have shown nuts and seeds have some remarkable health properties such as the reduced risk of heart disease, lowering of blood pressure, and prevention of cancer proliferation. In their book How Not to Die, Gene Stone and Michael Greger hail healthy nuts and seeds for their disease-fighting benefits. Here are the key recommendations.

Diabetes: Causes and Prevention Measures

What causes diabetes? How does diabetes develop in the body? Diabetes is a chronic condition associated with abnormally high levels of glucose in the blood. Insulin produced by the pancreas lowers blood glucose. Absence or insufficient production of insulin, or an inability of the body to properly use insulin causes diabetes. Keep reading to learn about the two types of diabetes, causes, and prevention methods.

The Healthiest Spices and Herbs to Use in Your Cooking

Do herbs and spices have benefits beyond their culinary use? What are some of the healthiest herbs and spices to use? Herbs and spices have been hailed for their healing properties well before their culinary use. Further, their health benefits have been corroborated by dozens of scientific studies. Here are some of the healthiest spices and herbs to use in your cooking.

Coronary Heart Disease: Risk Factors and Prevention

What causes coronary heart disease? Is there anything you can do to prevent it? Coronary artery disease is caused by the build-up of atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries that drive blood to the heart. The only risk factor of developing atherosclerotic plaques is elevated LDL cholesterol. Therefore, to prevent coronary heart disease, you must reduce your LDL by limiting your consumption of trans fat, saturated fat, and dietary cholesterol. Keep reading to learn more about heart disease risk factors and prevention.

What Are the Most Nutrient-Dense Fruits and Berries?

How much fruit should you eat per day? What fruits are the healthiest nutrition-wise? The daily recommended fruit intake is 3 medium servings per day, but what fruit should you go for? If you want to get the biggest bang for your nutritional buck, you should opt for the ones that contain the most antioxidants and other protective compounds. The following fruit intake recommendations are taken from How Not to Die, a science-backed nutritional guide written by physicians Gene Stone and Michael Greger.

The Healthiest Veggies and Their Nutritional Benefits

Do you want to ramp up your veggie intake? What are some of the healthiest vegetables you can eat? It’s not a secret that vegetables are good for your health. Most veggies are low in calories but packed with nutritional goodness. This article takes a look at some of the healthiest veggies you can eat including greens and cruciferous vegetables.

High Blood Pressure: Risk Factors and Prevention

What causes high blood pressure? What are the main risk factors that predispose people to develop chronically elevated blood pressure? The exact causes of high blood pressure are not known. However, several factors have been shown to contribute to a heightened risk of the disease, the main one being a diet high in sodium and cholesterol. Keep reading to learn more about high blood pressure risk factors, how it develops, and some ways to prevent it.