Topic: digestion

Al Roker Markets Weight Loss Memoir With Story About Pooping His Pants At The White House

Al Roker Markets Weight Loss Memoir With Story About Pooping His Pants At The White House

Al Roker has probably been all over your TV talking about his new book, “Never Goin’ Back: My Weight Loss Journey.” And in the past 24 hours, he has splashed all over our internets, thanks to the now infamous story of how he pooped his pants at the White House, as told in a Dateline interview that aired Sunday night. And you know what? This might actually be the smartest marketing strategy we’ve ever seen for a book about weight loss. More »

Aloe Vera: Can It Do More Than Just Soothe Skin?

Aloe Vera: Can It Do More Than Just Soothe Skin?

The sticky, oozy gel of the aloe vera plant has been used to treat skin and other health problems for thousands of years. I’m sure you’ve spread it on a nasty sunburn or to soothe a scrape, as it has both moisturizing and healing properties. Aloe is also increasingly used a nutritional supplement, especially to treat digestive disorders.  People swear by drinking the juice or gel, but its internal uses are considerably less proven. More »

Antibiotics Could Make You Fat (If You Took Them As A Baby)

Antibiotics Could Make You Fat (If You Took Them As A Baby)

Over-use and mis-use of antibiotics has raised public consternation in recent years, and a new study isn’t apt to give them a popularity boost: Apparently, they could also make you fat. According to research published in the International Journal of Obesity, babies who are given antibiotics within the first six months of life are more likely to become overweight than their drug-free peers; adding to the fear that antibiotics are wrecking our digestion by killing off the “good” bacteria in our gut. More »

The Hormone Diet: Bloated? You Might Need to Go On Acid

The Hormone Diet: Bloated? You Might Need to Go On Acid

Have you been dealing with bloating, gas, indigestion or heartburn? Many people association gastric distress with an excess of stomach acid, but low stomach acid is more likely to be the surprising cause behind your digestive issues. Low stomach acid—technically known as hydrochloric acid—is associated with a variety of conditions, including asthma, constipation, celiac disease, eczema, chronic hives and acne rosacea. We need stomach acid to produce the enzymes that break down our food, so low levels of acid can affect vitamin and mineral absorption and could lead to overgrowth of harmful bacteria, yeast or parasites in the stomach and small intestine. Believe it or not, improper stomach acid levels will also stop any weight loss program in its tracks. More »

Interview: Top Ramen & Gatorade Video Makers Are Not On A Crusade Against Processed Food

Interview: Top Ramen & Gatorade Video Makers Are Not On A Crusade Against Processed Food

Last week, this video of what happens in your body when you eat Top Ramen and other processed foods like Gatorade went viral on the internet, causing our stomachs to turn with images from a unique ‘M2A’ capsule (that’s mouth-to-anus) revealing just how long it takes to digest processed food versus homemade. But the video’s creators aren’t just out to scare you away from instant soup: Stefani Bardin (the voice you hear in the video) is a media maker working between video, film, installation and performance, Dr. Braden Kuo, her partner-in-crime, is a gastroenterologist. To find out more about their mission, we went straight to the source and interviewed them. More »

What Your Toilet Is Telling You About Your Health

What Your Toilet Is Telling You About Your Health

In today’s vital-but-gross discussion, we’re going to talk about your bowel movements. Did you know your bathroom “leave-behinds” can say a lot about your health? Specifically, they can let you know if you’re eating and digesting your food properly, which are two important components of optimal health. In order to keep tabs on how your body’s dealing with your diet, you should look at your stools each time you go—come on, you’ve done it before! And when you do take a gander, there are three important things you should pay attention to, according to Dr. Oz: More »

How To Flatten Your Abs With High-Fiber Foods

How To Flatten Your Abs With High-Fiber Foods

Many factors contribute to hormonal balance but one of them has the power to reduce insulin, inflammation and toxic estrogen and even help you live longer—and it’s likely lurking in your kitchen right now. According to a recent study by National Institutes of Health, participants who consumed an adequate amount of fiber in their daily diet had significant reductions in the risk of death from cardiovascular, infectious and respiratory diseases, with the greatest benefit seen among those who consumed the largest amount of fiber. In fact, researchers of this 390,000-wide study found that a high-fiber diet reduced the risk of death from any cause over the nine-year period the data was collected. Despite this, on average North Americans only take in 16 grams of total fiber a day, while Europeans consume 22 grams. With recommendations for daily fiber intake being 25-35 grams per day for women and 35-40 grams for men, it appears we are falling drastically short. More »

Heidi’s Got (More) Milk; Should You?

Heidi's Got (More) Milk; Should You?

Heidi Klum shot a new ad for the “Got Milk?” campaign, lending the controversial beverage her stamp of approval (and sex appeal) yet again. But (kind of like we wondered whether a skinny girl like Gwyneth Paltrow could really be eating all the pasta she’s been forking in front of cameras, I can’t help but wonder whether Heidi is really drinking milk in between Victoria’s Secret shoots. Dairy is marketed to women for its high calcium content, but in recent years, it’s been scrutinized by docs who say that most milk on the market is full of artificial hormones that can wreak havoc on our bodies, leading to problems with weight, acne, digestion, and allergies. So should you got milk? Not necessarily. More »

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