Timi Gustafson, R.D. | How to Eat Right and Still Have Fun

Can Travel Make You Smarter?

Timi Gustafson — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:27:54 +0000

That travelling can broaden our horizon, both literally and figuratively speaking, is nothing new. As Mark Twain once famously said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.” But can it also improve our mental capacities? Scientists in Germany, who conducted a recent study of how our minds respond to new experiences that come with travel and exploration, say yes.

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Health Status of Americans Shows Few Improvements

Timi Gustafson — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:27:11 +0000

Most Americans aren’t getting healthier despite of easy access to information about health and lifestyle matters, according to the latest findings by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Weight problems continue to plague large parts of the population, resulting in a host of chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. Smoking and alcohol consumption add to the concerns, as does the prevalence of physical inactivity.

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Today’s Immigrants Face More Health Problems and Shorter Life Spans Than Their Predecessors

Timi Gustafson — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:26:49 +0000

For many generations, immigrants from all over the world have come to the United States hoping for greater opportunities and better living conditions compared to their home countries. Tales of rags to riches are a solid part of our national narrative and are told in countless versions, often laden with romanticizing overtones. But historically speaking, this has always been the exception rather than the rule. With growing income inequality over the past few decades, the notion of the American dream for all has lost ever more of its luster. Becoming an American nowadays may not only disappoint you in terms of your socio-economic prospects, it may even be bad for your health, according to several recent studies on the subject.

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Grilling “Green”

Timi Gustafson — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:26:31 +0000

Summer is almost here, which means grills across America are about to be fired up. I love grilling. There’s an almost primitive pleasure I derive from stepping outdoors and bidding adieu to the kitchen oven for a few months. In our family, the consensus is that practically every food tastes better grilled. Grilling is not only good for you, it can be good for the planet as well. Here are four of my favorite tips to keep your diet “green” during grilling season.

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Weight Loss Surgery Is No Substitute for a Healthy Diet and Lifestyle

Timi Gustafson — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:26:09 +0000

This year, many people in the United States are expected to undergo a gastric bypass procedure (GBP) in what should be their final attempt to shed excess weight that many of them have struggled with for years, if not most of their lives. However, gastric bypass surgery is only an aid to weight loss and weight maintenance. It is not a replacement for healthy eating and physical activity. Unfortunately, too many people who have had the surgery do not adopt a healthy lifestyle and regain their weight over time.

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Most Restaurant Food Has Too Many Calories, Studies Find

Timi Gustafson — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:12:28 +0000

That too much fondness of fast food can cause weight problems is old news. But the idea that nearly all types of restaurants dish up meals that can expand your waistline has not been as widely discussed – until now. Two separate studies, one from the University of Toronto, Canada, the other from Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, found that most restaurant food is not all that superior to hamburgers and fries when it comes to calorie and fat content.

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Reintroducing Cooking in American Households an Unlikely Prospect, Study Finds

Timi Gustafson — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:11:39 +0000

Americans don’t like to cook. They don’t want to spend the time it takes for food shopping, food preparation and clean up, especially when it’s so much easier to stop for a quick bite at a restaurant or drive-thru or bring home some take-out. Yet, experts are convinced that making home cooking fashionable again would be one of the most effective steps we could take to address the nation’s obesity crisis.

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Ten Years of “Food Politics”

Timi Gustafson — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:11:08 +0000

I can hardly believe it’s been over ten years since the University of California Press first published my book “Food Politics.” My goal in writing this book was to point out that food choices are political as well as personal. Initial reactions to this idea ranged from “You have to be kidding” to “How dare anyone suggest that food choices could be anything other than matters of personal responsibility?” How times have changed.

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The Dangers of Borderline Diabetes

Timi Gustafson — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:10:48 +0000

Many of my clients attending my diabetes class report that several years earlier they were told they had “borderline” diabetes. Unfortunately, they only made temporary efforts to eat more healthily or add some physical activity to their schedule, but they didn’t really take this diagnosis of “borderline” diabetes seriously. Within a few weeks the scare was forgotten and it was back to the old lifestyle.

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Weight Management for Active People

Timi Gustafson — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:09:57 +0000

As a physically active person, you are unlikely to be obese, but you may have concerns about your weight or have relatives who struggle with their weight. To address the complexities of how to deal with undesired body fat, the Weight Management Group of the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics (AND) held a recent conference on the subject. Here are some highlights.

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