Spirit of Women magazine is a national publication presented to women by hospitals and their physicians. The magazine provides up-to-date, evidence-based healthcare information and promotes our hospitals as leaders in women's health excellence.
Issue link: https://spiritofwomen.epubxp.com/i/877943
28 Health Central Diet The chocolate beat Most of us don't need an excuse to eat more chocolate, but research now suggests that the treat could reduce your risk of being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AFib), a common and serious type of irregular heartbeat. An international team of researchers looked at data on health, lifestyle and chocolate consumption from more than 55,000 adults and recorded 3,346 cases of AFib during a 13.5-year period. Those who ate between two and six servings of chocolate a week had a 20 percent lower rate of AFib than those who ate less than one (1-ounce) serving a month, reports the journal Heart . Eating even more chocolate, however, did not improve AFib risk and could end up contributing excessive calories to your diet. College and weight gain Your college freshman probably won't gain those mythical 15 pounds during his or her first year. But by degree time, your student may have put on an extra 10 pounds, according to a study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior . That's especially important because 23 percent of students in the study were overweight or obese when they began college, and 41 percent were in those categories by the time they graduated, a jump of almost 80 percent. The students' mean 10-pound weight gain put them at greater risk for diabetes and hypertension, say researchers. Encourage your college student to make an extra effort to eat healthy and establish a regular exercise routine. Carbs vs. fat Postmenopausal women who consume the fewest carbohydrates have less risk for weight gain than those who eat the least fat, according to a recent report in the British Journal of Nutrition . Researchers analyzed four common dietary patterns, including low carbohydrate, low fat, a Mediterranean type diet and a diet that follows the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, regularly updated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Using data from close to 100,000 women in the long-term Women's Health Initiative Observational Study, researchers found that older women who consumed the fewest carbohydrates had a significantly reduced risk of gaining 10 percent of their body weight over an eight-year period. The opposite was true for women who ate the least fat. In addition, those women who followed the Dietary Guidelines for Americans plan were more likely to gain weight. The Mediterranean diet, however, had no association with weight gain. Smarter food choices by smartphone If you're trying to improve your diet, the social media app Instagram may be able to help. Posting photos of your nutritious food selections can help you track what you're eating, and your followers can hold you accountable for sticking to your dietary changes, suggests a new study from the University of Washington. Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 16 people on the challenges and benefits of enlisting the platform to achieve their dietary and fitness goals. Those using Instagram became more honest about how much they ate, and they reported that taking photos was more enjoyable than keeping a written account. They also found support from their social media followers. So don't be shy about whipping out your smartphone to take pictures of your food—it could be the first step toward a healthier diet.