Sneaky High-Salt Foods

• By Jennifer Acosta Scott | Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

1 / 9  

If you’ve been in a grocery store lately, you’ve probably noticed more and more low-sodium foods on shelves, from cheese to crackers. There’s good reason for the change: Consuming salty foods can increase your risk for serious health conditions, like high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. The obvious fix is to cut some of the salt from your diet, but sodium is sneaky — it can lurk in many seemingly healthy foods. Here are some of the worst offenders.

2 / 9   Beware of Certain Breads

You probably don’t think of bread as salty food, but some types can contain fairly high amounts of sodium. A six-and-a-half-inch pita, for example, contains more than 300 milligrams of salt. That doesn’t sound like much, but it can add up when you consider that most adults are advised to keep their salt intake below 2,000 mg of sodium per day, says Kelly O’Connor, RD, a nutritionist and certified diabetes educator at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. The next time you’re craving a sandwich, reach for low-sodium rye bread — the reduced-calorie version contains only 93 mg per slice, significantly less than the 170 mg in the average slice of white bread. Another good choice is whole-grain bread, which has about 127 mg per slice.

3 / 9   Forget Frozen Meals

Packaged low-calorie frozen meals may seem like the easy way to control portions and watch your weight, but most of them contain way too much salt. “Although many brands now offer low-sodium alternatives, the meals still contain significant amounts,” O’Connor says. “Some of them contain more than 500 mg per meal, which is one-third of your recommended daily intake if you are following a low-sodium diet.” A leftover meal made from last night’s healthier homemade dinner can serve as a low-sodium, quick-lunch alternative to lower your salt intake, O’Connor adds.

4 / 9   Ditch the Salad Dressing

You may feel virtuous opting for a salad over a hamburger, but pay attention to the condiments that you add to your greens. One tablespoon of commercially prepared French dressing, for example, has 214 mg of sodium. “This is not a red-flag amount of sodium per serving, but think of how many people pour the salad dressing on their salads directly from the bottle, serving themselves several tablespoons and maybe 800 to 1,000 mg of sodium,” O’Connor says. The next time you reach for a salad, try using oil and vinegar, which won’t add to your salt intake.

5 / 9   Curb Cereals

You probably don’t think of breakfast cereal as a salty food, but many of the “healthier” cereals on the market, like corn flakes and toasted-oat cereals, have almost 300 mg of sodium per cup. Again, the problem isn’t the sodium per serving, but the small amount that counts as a serving size. “A typical cereal bowl can hold one and a half to two cups of cereal, if not more,” O’Connor says. To control your salt intake at breakfast time, watch your portion size, and try shredded-wheat-type cereals, which are low-sodium foods. A one-cup serving of frosted miniature-wheat cereal, for example, has only 3 mg of salt.

6 / 9   Be Cautious About Canned Beans

Some people opt for beans as a way to get protein while controlling their fat and cholesterol intakes, but the canned versions often have too much salt. One cup of plain baked beans has a whopping 1,008 mg of sodium, which is half of an adult’s recommended daily salt intake. “A roasted chicken breast [without the skin] would be an all-around better choice, with less than 100 mg of sodium and minimal fat and cholesterol content,” O’Connor says. If you’re a vegetarian, try cooking dried beans — one cup of boiled navy beans has only 2 mg of sodium.

7 / 9   Junk the Jarred Spaghetti Sauce

Be prudent the next time you serve pasta: On average, one cup of ready-to-serve marinara or spaghetti sauce weighs in at over 1,000 mg of sodium. If you still want the convenience of jarred sauce, look for lower-sodium versions, some of which contain just 100 mg of salt per serving. Better yet, curb your salt intake by making your own sauce with fresh tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers; these vegetables have very low amounts of sodium, and the finished sauce can easily be frozen for convenience.

8 / 9   Drop the Diet Cola

While diet colas don’t have the sugar and calories of regular cola, they actually have more sodium — 28 mg for a 12-ounce can compared to 15 mg for regular. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but again, O’Connor says, the key is frequency of consumption — several cans of diet cola over the course of a day can add up to too much salt. The next time you’re feeling thirsty, skip the soda in favor of decaf herbal tea or fruit juice, both of which are very low in sodium. “But of course, the best choice would be water,” O’Connor says. The average cup of municipal tap water comes in at about 5 mg of sodium.

9 / 9   Can the Canned Soup

Those cans of minestrone and tomato soup may make for a comforting meal, but they’re veritable salt-fests. One cup of canned chicken noodle soup contains 1,106 milligrams of sodium. If you don’t have time to make soup from scratch, limit your salt intake by choosing canned soups labeled “healthy” or “low-sodium.” While not free of salt, they usually contain much less than regular versions. (Check the nutrition labels to be sure.) Or try the ready-made soup selections in your grocery store’s deli department, which tend to be lower in sodium than shelf-stable products.

Sugar Busters Diet

• By Katherine Lee | Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

Can cutting sugar help cut obesity? The authors of the low-carb Sugar Busters diet think so. Discover why.

Sugar Busters! is a low-carb diet and lifestyle book based on the premise that eliminating sugar from the diet will achieve weight loss, fight obesity, and improve overall health. The authors of the book are a corporate CEO who lost 20 pounds on the Sugar Busters diet and three doctors — one specializing in cardiovascular surgery, another in endocrinology, and the third in gastroenterology. Their premise includes the theory that cutting sugar can cut our growing obesity problem.
At the core of the Sugar Busters plan is the belief that sugar — not just refined sugar, but the sugar processed by our body from complex carbohydrates and starches — is toxic for the body.
According to the authors of the Sugar Busters diet, removing foods that are high in sugar from your diet will help achieve weight loss, lower cholesterol, increase energy levels, and be generally healthier. Sugar Busters lists foods to avoid, offers a 14-day sample meal plan, and also includes recipes.
Sugar Busters Diet: How Does It Work?
“The Sugar Busters diet works by restriction,” says registered dietitian Keri Gans, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. “It’s a restrictive diet that eliminates foods.”
The foods being targeted are those high in various sugars. Why? Sugar stimulates the body to produce excess insulin, which can cause it to store excess sugar as fat and increase cholesterol production. Carbohydrates also inhibit the body’s ability to break down fat. According to the authors of Sugar Busters!, carbohydrates, not fats, are the dietary culprits that cause weight gain.
The Sugar Busters diet recommends removing foods that have a high glycemic index from your diet. The glycemic index is the measure of the effect a carbohydrate food has on blood sugar levels. Foods with a high glycemic index include potatoes, corn, carrots, and beets. Foods with a low glycemic load include whole grain foods that are high in fiber.
The Sugar Busters diet provides menus to follow, which are about 1,200 calories a day. “If anyone follows a 1,200 calorie diet, they will lose weight,” says registered dietitian Angela Ginn-Meadow, RD, a certified diabetes educator and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

Sugar Busters Diet: Sample Diet
Here is a sample day of meals following the diet’s principles for weight loss:
Breakfast
1 large orange
Hot oatmeal made with water, no added sugar or margarine
Lunch
Sandwich of turkey breast and regular Swiss cheese on rye bread with Dijon mustard,
light mayo, lettuce, and tomato
Snack
12 grapes
Dinner
Whole-wheat pasta with meat sauce made from lean ground beef
1 cup steamed yellow and green zucchini
Salad of Romaine lettuce, snow peas, and pine nuts with regular oil and vinegar dressing
1 cup sugar-free, non-fat frozen yogurt
Sugar Busters Diet: Pros and Cons
Sugar Busters stresses eating healthy foods, such as whole grains, legumes and beans, and lean meats. And cutting out refined sugars in processed foods is a plus. However, Gans believes the diet is too restrictive.
The restricted foods are tough to avoid, Ginn-Meadow adds: “A lot of the forbidden foods are common American staples such as pasta, potatoes, honey, syrup, and pineapples. It will be difficult to maintain the restrictions.”
Others concerns include:

• Eliminating foods means eliminating nutrients. Restricting any foods that contain vitamins and minerals is not beneficial, says Ginn-Meadow. You may not get enough calcium, iron, and vitamins D and E with this diet.
• It labels foods as good or bad. “Consumers need a positive message,” says Gans. “Instead of saying ‘Don’t eat this,’ or ‘Don’t eat that,’ it’s better to say something like, “Lean protein is good for you.”
• Avoiding sugar is no guarantee of avoiding diseases. “The one thing I don’t want people to think is that this diet will prevent diabetes,” says Ginn-Meadow. “The best ways to reduce your risk are through healthy eating and physical activity.”

Sugar Busters Diet: Short- and Long-Term Effects
In the short term, the Sugar Busters plan is likely to result in weight loss because it eliminates many foods, including baked goods and other sweets. And your food choices will be better, such as substituting whole grains for white bread, for instance. “There will be more fruits and vegetables and other healthier choices,” says Ginn-Meadow.
On the other hand, there are consequences to cutting out too many carbohydrates from your diet. “If you eliminate a lot of the carbs you normally eat, you won’t have energy,” says Gans. “Our brains need glucose to function. You may become irritable and tired.”
The long-term outlook is problematic because the Sugar Busters diet lacks the tools to help you make long-term lifestyle changes. “It does not talk about portion sizes or how to make weight loss a permanent lifestyle,” says Ginn-Meadow. “There is no behavioral or exercise component, both of which are necessary for long-term weight loss.” According to dietitians, the likelihood is high that you’ll gain back weight lost on the Sugar Busters diet.

The Power of Fiber

• By Anne L. Fritz

Five benefits of a high-fiber diet

Fiber has long been known to promote good digestive health and regularity, but those are only two of the many benefits fiber offers. Consider that a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who ate a high-fiber diet of oats, barley, eggplant, okra, and other vegetables lowered their cholesterol by close to 30 percent after four weeks. In addition to improving digestive health and lowering cholesterol levels, a high-fiber diet can help you reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes, and keep your weight in check. Here's a closer look at each benefit.
Fiber and Digestion
As fiber passes through the stomach and intestines, it absorbs water, adding bulk to the stool. This promotes regularity and reduces constipation, says James Anderson, M.D., chair of the National Fiber Council. "Insoluble fiber, found in wheat bran, whole grains, and vegetables, speeds the passage of food through the stomach and intestines," he says. For more high-fiber foods, read Easy Ways to Add Fiber to Your Diet.
Fiber and Cholesterol
Fiber is undigested starch, says Dr. Anderson, and as such, it traps cholesterol and drags it out of the body through the digestive system. Soluble fiber, found in oat bran, barley, oranges, apples, carrots, and dried beans, turns into a gel during the digestive process and prevents cholesterol, fat, and sugars from being absorbed by the body.

Fiber and Heart Disease
"When it comes to heart health, the importance of fiber in your diet cannot be overstated," says Kathy Kastan, president of WomenHeart, the National Coalition for Women With Heart Disease.and the coauthor of WomenHeart's All Heart Family Cookbook.
Several studies have shown that fiber reduces the risk of heart disease. In addition to the above-mentioned cholesterol study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology Foundation that followed 39,876 women for six years found that those who ingested an average of 26.3 grams of fiber daily were at lower risk for developing heart disease or having a heart attack than those who ate less.
Fiber and Diabetes
A high-fiber diet may lower a person's risk for diabetes. Fiber slows the absorption of sugars, which can reduce glucose levels in the blood and prevent blood sugar spikes, says Dr. Anderson. Results of a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggest that whole-grain fiber (the kind found in some breakfast cereals, breads, and crackers) may be more beneficial in reducing blood sugar than fruits and vegetables.
Fiber and Weight Loss
Fiber expands in the stomach and intestines, which creates a feeling of fullness. This means that after eating a fiber-rich meal, you'll typically feel fuller longer and may eat less throughout the day. In addition, because soluble fiber turns into a gel in the stomach, it binds to sugars, cholesterol, and fats and carries them, largely unabsorbed, through the digestive tract, says Anderson.
What About Fiber and Colon Cancer?
Can a high-fiber diet help prevent colon cancer? It's still unknown. Early studies on fiber's ability to lower the risk of colon cancer were promising, and it seems logical to researchers that fiber may have protective properties against this cancer, but more recent studies have been inconclusive.
Last reviewed: September 23, 2008 | Last updated: September 23, 2008
This section created and produced exclusively by the editorial staff of EverydayHealth.com. © 2008 EverydayHealth.com; all rights reserved.

Chứng dày sừng tiết bã (Seborrheic Keratoses)

Image Source: Color Atlas of Cosmetic Dermatology Marc R. Avram, Sandy Tsao, Zeina Tannous, Mathew M. Avram Copyright 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Chứng dày sừng da tiết bã (Seborrheic Keratoses - SK) là các khối u lành tính ở da phổ biến nhất, và SK ở người lớn là mụn cơm, tăng trưởng da dầy sừng mà lần đầu tiên có mặt sau 40 tuổi. Có đường kính từ vài mm đến centimét có thể biến đổi màu từ hồng đến màu nâu sẫm. Tổn thương có thể đơn độc hay nhiều. Theo thời gian, bệnh nhân phát triển bất cứ nơi nào từ một vài đến hàng trăm SKS. Nhiều bệnh nhân yêu cầu loại bỏ SKS, đặc biệt là khi nhiều hay lớn, vì vẻ bề ngoài khó coi của chúng.

Hình ở đây nhiều da dầy sừng tiết bã trên lưng của người cao tuổi nam.

Chứng dày sừng tiết bã

Image reprinted with permission from eMedicine.com, 2009

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Chứng dày sừng da tiết bã : Một rối loạn da lành tính do sự phát triển quá mức của các lớp tế bào trên da, thường được tìm thấy ở những người trên 30 tuổi. Họ có thể xuất hiện như chỉ là một trưởng hoặc ở dạng cụm. Chúng thường màu nâu nhưng có thể khác nhau về màu sắc và bất cứ nơi nào từ ánh sáng tan màu đen. Chúng có kích thước khác nhau, bất cứ nơi nào từ một phần nhỏ của một inch (hoặc < 1 cm) đến một inch (2,5 cm), đường kính. Các tính năng hiệu của chứng dầy sừng da tiết bã là chúng trông giống như chúng đã được dán trên da hoặc chỉ bị mắc kẹt trên đó. Họ có thể trông giống như một thoa sáp nến màu nâu ấm áp giảm trên da. Hầu như tất cả mọi người cuối cùng phát triển ít nhất một vài chứng dầy sừng da tiết bã vì chúng có xu hướng trở nên phổ biến hơn và nhiều hơn với độ tuổi. Đôi khi chúng được gọi là "hàu của tuổi già." Sự phát triển của chứng dầy sừng da tiết bã đôi khi được kích hoạt bởi khi mang thai , liệu pháp estrogen hoặc điều kiện y tế nhất định.

Chứng dầy sừng da tiết bã thường được tìm thấy trên ngực hoặc lưng nhưng có thể được tìm thấy trên da đầu, mặt, hoặc cổ hoặc bất cứ nơi nào trên cơ thể. Khi chúng lần đầu tiên xuất hiện, tăng trưởng thường bắt đầu cùng một lúc như va chạm thô nhỏ. Cuối cùng chúng dày lên và phát triển một bề mặt mụn cơm thô. Mặc dù chứng dầy sừng da tiết bã đầu tiên có thể xuất hiện ở một chỗ và dường như lây lan khác, chúng không đánh bắt. Khi con người già họ chỉ đơn giản có thể phát triển một vài chi tiết. Những tăng trưởng có thể không đẹp mắt, đặc biệt là nếu chúng bắt đầu xuất hiện trên mặt. Chúng có thể nhận được kích thích bởi quần áo cọ xát chống lại chúng. Bởi vì chúng có thể phát triển lớn hơn trong những năm qua, loại bỏ đôi khi được đề nghị đặc biệt là nếu chúng nhận được kích thích và dễ chảy máu. Một chứng dày sừng da tiết bã có thể chuyển sang màu đen và có thể khó phân biệt với một bệnh ung thư da . Đôi khi tốc độ tăng trưởng như vậy phải được loại bỏ và nghiên cứu dưới kính hiển vi để xác định xem nó là ung thư hay không.

Nô lệ, thuốc mỡ hoặc thuốc có thể không chữa trị cũng không ngăn chặn chứng dầy sừng da tiết bã. Thường xuyên nhất chứng dầy sừng da tiết bã được điều trị bằng một trong ba phương pháp:

• Đóng băng - Một phương pháp được gọi là phương pháp áp lạnh , hoặc đông lạnh. Một chất lỏng rất lạnh được gọi là nitơ lỏng được áp dụng cho sự tăng trưởng với một tăm bông hoặc súng phun để làm lạnh. Vẩy có thể hình thành dưới sự tăng trưởng khô thành một lớp vỏ như vẩy. Các chứng dày sừng thường rơi khỏi trong vòng vài tuần. Không có dấu thường còn lại, mặc dù đôi khi có thể là một điểm tối hoặc ánh sáng nhỏ. Những sẽ mờ dần theo thời gian.
• Cạo - Một phương pháp khác được gọi là nạo. Các tăng trưởng được loại bỏ bằng cách "curetting" hoặc cạo chúng từ bề mặt của da. Tiêm hoặc xịt là việc đầu tiên được sử dụng để làm tê liệt khu vực trước khi sự phát triển được loại bỏ. Không có mũi khâu là cần thiết và chảy máu rất hạn chế. Nó có thể được kiểm soát bằng cách áp dụng áp lực hay bởi các ứng dụng của một hóa chất đông máu.
• Cắt điện - cắt điện là một hình thức điều trị. Sự tăng trưởng là lần đầu tiên tê, sau đó bị đốt cháy bằng cách sử dụng một dòng điện và sau đó lấy ra.

Hình ảnh của ung thư da (skin cancer)

Just Do It or Just Duet? The Benefits of Love Partnerships in Weight Maintenance

By Everyday Health Guest Columnist

Published Feb 11, 2014

By Thomas N. Bradbury, PhD, and Benjamin R. Karney, PhD, Special to Everyday Health

If you have been in a relationship for any length of time, chances are you have said something like this to your partner: “Boy, I am not feeling great about how I look. I need to lose some weight, maybe make some changes to my diet, but I am not sure how to get started.”
And maybe you have heard something like this in response: 
“Yes, honey, I’ve noticed your clothes fitting tighter too. Glad you’re working on this!”
“Sure, I am totally OK with you getting healthier, but I’m looking fine. Do what you have to do, but leave me out of it.”
“How hard could it be? If you want to lose weight, you have to eat right and move more. Just do it!”
“Hmm, where have I heard that before? Oh right! You said the same thing last year– and the year before that!”
Talking with your partner about eating, exercise, and weight-loss can be an emotional minefield. In our lab, we have videotaped hundreds of couples having some version of exactly these conversations. In fact, when we allow couples to talk about anything at all that they want to change, 50% to 70% of them choose to discuss their desire become healthy and fit. And in those tapes we have seen partners who genuinely want to support each start to panic when they find themselves uncertain about how to proceed.
What traps couples is a fundamental misconception about what it takes to maintain a healthy weight. Diet books, gyms, and even our doctors all tell us that weight management boils down to individual choice and personal willpower. After all, our partners feed themselves and move their own bodies, so it makes sense to assume that the responsibility for healthier habits lies squarely on their shoulders and theirs alone.
As studies from several labs now demonstrate, this assumption is plainly false. If our partners are to make changes that last, they need our support. And if we have any inclination to stick with healthier habits of our own, we too need something more persuasive than the tag line from a sneaker commercial.
The fact that people in relationships routinely turn to their partners for help in this situation suggests that plenty of us already know, intuitively, that our relationship can be the key to a healthier lifestyle. But that does not mean our partners know how to respond when we ask for help in changing our diet and exercise habits, or that our partners know a sensitive way to steer us toward the vegetables and away from the desserts the next time we go out for dinner.
Fortunately, new studies yield concrete suggestions for couples who want to team up effectively around diet and exercise.

• Extensive research shows that our environment profoundly affects how much and what we eat, by making some foods more or less accessible than others. In a relationship, each partner shapes the environment for each other. So, without saying a word, there is a lot our partners can do to make the healthier choices easier, and the less healthy choices more difficult. When you look into the fridge for a snack, it makes a difference whether your partner has left you cold pizza or fruit and non-fat yogurt.

• When we express concern about our appearance or weight, our partners might be tempted to offer reassurance (“No, baby, you look terrific!”). Observational research on couples reveals that too much reassurance can lead to complacency, and does nothing to support our desires to change. What we actually need is two distinct kinds of support: yes, we want to be loved as we are, but we also want support for our efforts to be healthier. The combination of reassurance and encouragement gives us the strength and motivation we need to make better choices. The next time you feel your partner is not delivering both parts of the message, take a moment and ask for exactly the kind of support that would help you the most.

• It’s hard to stick with healthy choices when the unhealthy ones are so tempting. But experiments show that immediate temptations lose their pull when we are thinking of our long-term goals. A slice of cheesecake looks delicious and all-but-irresistible… until we offset that image with the thought of an active retirement or time spent with rambunctious grandchildren. No one is better positioned than our partners to help us keep our eyes on the long-term prize. Our shared commitment to a healthy long-term future can be, well, the icing on the cake.

We all know by now eating right and moving more are keys to maintaining a healthy weight. But we also know from soaring obesity and diabetes rates that following this formula is difficult. Our closest relationships have the power to overcome the barriers to being healthier, provided we know how to team up effectively with our partners. When we abandon the misguided view that willpower alone is enough to ensure healthy behaviors, we can recognize the opportunities within our relationships to make healthier choices a part of our everyday lives.
Thomas Bradbury and Benjamin Karney are Professors in the UCLA Department of Psychology and Co-directors of the UCLA Relationship Institute. They are the authors of Love Me Slender: How Smart Couples Team Up to Lose Weight, Exercise More, and Stay Healthy Together (Simon & Schuster, 2014).