Healthy Eating Archive

Diets high in free sugar—which includes sugar added to processed foods and drinks as well as the sugar in syrups, fruit juice, and honey—are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The carbohydrate-insulin model of obesity considers the biological mechanisms that trigger the body to store too much fat. Eating fast-digesting carbs causes the body to release large amounts of insulin, which causes excess calories to be stored as fat. When fat cells suck up too many calories, there are too few calories for the rest of the body, which causes hunger and overeating. Cutting back on carbohydrates may shift metabolism in ways that promote weight loss without causing excess hunger, while also improving common risk factors for heart disease. The amount of carbohydrate reduction people might consider depends on their specific health parameters.

The gallbladder stores bile from the liver and squeezes it into the small intestine to help digest fats. About 15% of American adults have gallbladder disease, most commonly gallstones. Women are more prone to gallstones because estrogen slows the gallbladder's ability to empty. Serious complications can result from gallbladder disease, including inflammation, infection, and blockages. People can reduce their risk for gallbladder problems by eating more fruits and vegetables, favoring lean proteins, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Prehabilitation, or prehab, involves a wide range of steps to take before surgery to maximize recovery afterward. Prehab components include nutritional support, strength and fitness, blood sugar control, medication management, smoking cessation, pain management, and delirium prevention. Research suggests prehab can increase the odds people will heal faster, experience fewer complications, and recover more smoothly over all.

What people choose to eat has a big impact on their cardiovascular health. The dietary habits of the nation as a whole also have a major effect on the country's economic health. About 45% of the costs associated with heart disease, stroke, and diabetes is related to unhealthy diets. The dietary habits that appear to have the biggest effect are not eating enough nuts, seeds, and seafood omega-3 fatty acids. Among foods to avoid, sugary beverages and processed meats seem to contribute the most to higher costs. Each year, unhealthy diets cost the United States an average of about $300 per person in medical costs, which translates to $50 billion nationwide.

The Mediterranean diet is touted for its health benefits, which include a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and potentially even improvements to the gut bacteria, which may reduce harmful inflammation inside the body. Making some simple changes to your current diet can help improve your health. These include switching to olive oil as the primary fat, eating more whole grains and less processed food and sugar and reducing red meat consumption. Whenever possible, base your daily diet on a base of vegetables, fruits and plant-based options.

A sugary diet contributes to weight gain and other factors that boost heart disease risk, including inflammation, disrupted blood sugar control, and increased cholesterol. The typical American diet is very high in added sugar, nearly half of which comes from sugar-sweetened beverages. Another 30% comes from baked goods such as cookies, brownies, cakes, pies, doughnuts, sweet rolls, and pastries. People don't need to completely give up sweet treats but should enjoy them just once or twice a week rather than daily.

Some research says taking a daily fish oil supplement can reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, while other studies say the evidence remains thin. While fish oil is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids (essential nutrients that the body cannot make on its own),  taking an over-the-counter fish oil supplement probably provides no extra heart benefit beyond a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of omega-3-rich fatty fish, nuts, and seeds.

Intermittent fasting means that people avoid food for a designated amount of time each day. One of the most popular approaches is called 16/8. People eat during an eight-hour period—for example from noon to 8 p.m.— followed by 16 hours of fasting, in this case from 8 p.m. until noon the next day, when the pattern repeats. While science does not yet know the long-term benefits of intermittent fasting, initial short-term research has suggested the practice may help lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and weight, among other health benefits.

During his lifetime, a man loses about 30% of his muscle mass. Older men can maintain and even regain muscle by combining regular weight training and a proper diet, including adequate amounts of protein. Research suggests that to help counter lost muscle mass, healthy older adults need 1.2 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight per day. This is calculated by dividing a person's weight in pounds by 2.2 and then multiplying by 1.2.