On Wednesday, the Connecticut Public Interest Research Group, (ConnPIRG), released the findings of its report Apples to Twinkies 2012, which showed that more of Connecticut taxpayer dollars go toward subsidizing junk food ingredients than fresh vegetables and fruits, like apples. At a gathering outside city hall in New Haven on Wednesday, the impact to taxpayers of funding junk food and the … [Read more...]
There were mixed reactions across the state to the 5 to 4 U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Lieut. Gov. Nancy Wyman echoed the praise of fellow state Democrats for the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision. In a joint statement on Thursday they called it a tremendous day for all Americans. “The Supreme Court has taken a historic … [Read more...]
A plethora of studies have been published in recent months linking inadequate sleep to obesity, diabetes and stroke. Now, a recent review by the American Medical Association found research that suggests disruptions of the circadian rhythm due to nighttime light could also play a role in the risk of breast cancer, as well as of ovarian, prostate and colorectal cancers. The work of University of … [Read more...]
Hartford often gets a bad rap for crime, poverty and the quality of its education, but it recently received high praise for its level of health and fitness. Among the nation’s 50 fittest largest metropolitan areas, the Hartford area recently was ranked 5th. Only the San Francisco, Calif. Boston, Mass., Washington, D.C. and Minneapolis, Minn. areas ranked higher. The ACSM (American College of … [Read more...]
On Wednesday, the American Heart Association (AHA) sponsored National Walk to Work Day to encourage sedentary workers to unhitch themselves from their desks and get their heart pumping by walking at least a half hour of their day, whether it was part of their commute, during their lunch hour or after the work day. Yet the health benefits of walking extend long beyond April 4. The results of … [Read more...]
On Monday, a surprising and promising new development in autoimmune research was announced to the scientific world. An animal version of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was found to have protective properties against the development of lupus in mice prone to getting the autoimmune disease. Prior studies suggested that the opposite was true—that EBV had the potential to increase the … [Read more...]
Who says you can’t have your cake and enjoy it too? For many of us who are gluten-free, it can certainly be a challenge to find desserts that not only meet our dietary requirements, but please our taste buds as well. As someone who used to look forward to dessert as the highlight of a meal, I am especially selective about my GF sweet treats. When I came across this recipe for a chocolate cake … [Read more...]
Ever find yourself cranky and restless in the middle of the day for seemingly no reason? Then, after a stop to the water cooler in the office or to the tap in your kitchen, you seem to find your second wind, feel in better spirits and are more focused. Well, there’s scientific reasoning behind that, according to a study published in January's issue of the Journal of Nutrition. Researchers at the … [Read more...]
by Renée Canada Stark anti-obesity ads in Georgia have generated fiery debate across the nation since they began appearing on billboards this past August in the Atlanta area. Now Alan Guttmacher, a leading child health expert at the National Institutes of Health has come out against the ads, saying they carry a “great risk of increasing stigma” for overweight children. The campaign, which has … [Read more...]
by Renée Canada Some heads were spinning when Congress ruled in November that tomato paste on pizza would count as a vegetable, and many protested the refusal to limit weekly servings of starchy foods like potatoes. Yet the general consensus is praise for the new nutrition standards announced last Wednesday by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for school lunches. These proposed requirements … [Read more...]