Is drinking soda really that bad for you?

Read the low down on drinking soda. Great report from CNN News! Personally, I prefer Water.

Editor's note: Dr. Melina Jampolis, CNN's diet and fitness expert, is a physician nutrition specialist and the author of "The Calendar Diet: A Month by Month Guide to Losing Weight While Living Your Life."

(CNN) -- Q: I've heard so much about the dangers of drinking soda. Is it really all that bad for you? Or is it just empty calories?

You may have heard about a new study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Nutrition that found an increased risk of stroke in people who consumed more than one soda per day.

These findings are not surprising in light of the growing body of evidence linking intake of sugar sweetened beverages -- of which soda makes up the largest percentage -- and diseases such as......

read complete article here: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/18/health/jampolis-dangers-drinking-soda/index.html

Oatmeal as Food Star

I love a bowl brimming with hot oatmeal. It's one of the best ways to start your day. Slow-burning complex carbohydrates in oatmeal prolong the feeling of fullness and prevent blood sugar from rising wildly. You want to feel fuller longer and the soluble fiber in oatmeal fills you while lowering blood cholesterol. Oatmeal also contains plant protein, essential for building muscle. Oatmeal is one of the few foods rich in silicon, a mineral responsible for building beautiful skin, hair, bones and teeth. Oats also contain phosphorus, essential for brain and nerve growth during youth.
Star Nutrients:

• Soluble fiber


• Protein


• Complex Carbohydrates


• Silicon

Lower Your Cholesterol

Scientists have revealed that we can get our cholesterol back to a healthy level not only by eliminating damaging foods (such as saturated and trans fats) but by incorporating some of nature's most nutritious foods in our daily menu.

Include these healthy foods into you daily meals and watch your numbers go down.

• Oats - Beta-glucan in oats absorbs "Bad"LDL cholesterol which is then excreted through the bowel. A Columbia University study discovered that eating 2 servings of cereal containing oats each day for 6 weeks lowered total cholesterol by 4.5% and "Bad"LDL cholesterol by 5.3%. Wow! Shouldn't we be finding more ways to get Oats into our daily menus?


• Walnuts - The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that eating 1.5 ounces of whole nuts, 6 days a week for 1 month lowered "Bad"LDL cholesterol 9.3% and total cholesterol 5.4%. Be aware that all nuts are calorie dense and a 1.5 ounce serving contains about 277 calories.


• Fatty Fish - Such as salmon, herring & sardines eaten twice a week for 1 month raises "Good"HDL cholesterol by 4%. I found some frozen salmon pattys at my grocer that we use in place of ground beef pattys. They are very delicious and convenient.


• Beans (Legumes) - Carol Johnston, PhD.RD, professor of nutrition at Arizona State University says Pinto beans, when eaten everyday for 8 weeks can lower cholesterol levels 8%. Legumes contain soluble fiber which inhibits the absorption of cholesterol.


• Mushrooms - Eating maitake, enoki & shiitake mushrooms daily can lower blood cholesterol by 25% after 4 weeks. This was reported in a study published in Experimental Biology and Medicine. This is the highest reduction I've found so far! WOW!