Tag Archives: science

Summertime Hydration, the P.K. Way

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dehydration

Don’t let this be you.  Stay hydrated to maintain peak performance this summer.

 What do you drink to keep cool and hydrated during the summer?

Hello fitness enthusiasts!  My last four posts at Share It Fitness have been dedicated to helping you think about your diet critically in your quest for better health and bodies. In case you missed those and want to check them out, here are the links:

I have one final piece in the series. You can’t wait, I know, but, hey, at least baseball is involved. I’ll get to that next time, because today I’m writing about a very important topic: hydration. The article was in part instigated by last week’s heat wave here on the east coast, underscoring the need to keep hydrated during warmer temps.

Now, I’m not going to cover that topic in depth from a nutritional perspective (e.g., hydration for endurance athletes, risk of water intoxication, electrolyte balance, etc.). I touch upon the topic lightly, sure, but the point of the post is to share with you my favorite go-to, summertime beverage to keep me hydrated in a healthy, tasty way. In my opinion, it’s the best summertime beverage ever. And just for the record, I actually hate it when people say “This is the best ever!” It seems so tenth-grade-teenage-girl and kind of annoying, right? But it really just fits the sentiment this time. This drink is in my fridge all summer long – and, honestly, oftentimes in the winter, too. I love it, it costs pennies to make, and has no calories.

And no, it’s not water.

glass tea 150x150 So what is it, you ask? Click here to find out. You can check out some of my other berry-related posts this week, too, if you like. I’ve been on a berry kick – as you’ll see from my new cover photo – since they’re finally in season here in Boston. (That’s your hint, by the way.) I’ve also been mixing up some great summer cocktails. Um, speaking of non-hydration libations. Hey, it can’t be about working out all the time, right?

Anyhow, check out the article, and let me know what your favorite drink is to keep hydrated in the summer!

Dr. P.K. Newby is a guest blogger who writes about food, nutrition, science, cooking and health to help bring science-based dietary advice to your plates – and cups! – in delectable ways. Subscribe to her blog at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, become a fan on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, or check out her food porn on Pinterest.

 

 

Seeking Dietary Advice? Make Sure You’re Looking in the Right Places!

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images If the sources giving you dietary advice look like they’re trying too hard (above), might be a good idea to steer clear.

 

Over the past month or so I’ve been guest posting a set of articles related to helping you improve your diet, whether you’re looking to slim down for the summer or just improve the overall healthfulness of what you’re putting into your body. So far we’ve covered three things:

  1. Recalibrate the way you think about your diet;
  2. Get a better handle on your diet by  measuring what you’re eating; and
  3. Clean out your house to clean up your diet.

And your desk. And your car. You get the point. Just FYI, to implement all of this into your own diet – i.e., sure, but what should I EAT? – you can visit my blog for fabulous food, dishes, and recipes. That’s what I mostly write about, but now and again I like to step back and talk about the science, too, as I’m doing now. So in the fourth part of the series today, I’m encouraging you to think carefully about where you’re getting your dietary advice in your quest for optimal health.

In a nutshell? Nutrition is a science. Look to credible sources for dietary advice. But how do you know who’s credible and who’s not? Keep reading!

Science Makes the World Go ‘Round

Know the tune “Love makes the world go ’round”?  It’s a song from the musical Carnival.  It’s a metaphor, I know, but I nonetheless feel the need to point out that while love, art, and sport may make life more pleasant, ’tis science that makes the world go ’round. For all of you reading this here on Share It Fitness, you may not know that my one of my hobbies is theater – I grew up singing and dancing onstage and founded a nonprofit theater company 15 years ago. I tell you this to warn you that on occasion I reference theater. Surely there are some of you out there that like theater? We do dramas as well as musicals, so no, I’m not just a musical theater geek. I’m a science geek, too, after all. But I digress, and I’m losing you, I fear. Please keep reading. There’s a point, I promise.

So, sure, science makes the world go ’round, not love. You don’t need to be an astronomer to figure that one out. I’m not trying to be overly analytical, I simply like to say this when the occasion presents itself to remind people that science should not be overlooked. Like oxygen in the air, science is essential yet we don’t always see its role or stop to appreciate its value. As well, alternative explanations to explain the world are frequently delivered from charismatic personalities with louder voices. My own discipline is no exception, as the world is replete with individuals proselytizing nutrition who have no scientific expertise whatsoever. I do not want you to fall prey to such smoke and mirrors – I’m reminded of the Wizard of Oz – which brings me to my fourth strategy for you to consider when thinking about diet, nutrition, and weight: Look to Science. 

Learn to Distinguish Science From Anti-science

Look to science, she says. Easier said than done in today’s day and age.  Identifying scientifically sound guidance – what health professionals and physicians often refer to as “evidence-based” as it relies on rigorous scientific studies and research– can be rather tricky given the constant flow of (mis)information spewing from all sources. This is why how science is perceived, presented, and discussed by popular writers, politicos, and comedians is a theme I discuss on my blog now and again to help readers differentiate between nutrition fact and myth.

The good news? There are 10 tips to guide you in your quest for accurate information from the internet and other media sources, so click here for the full article.

And here’s to your health!

Dr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator – and serious cook and foodie – who writes and vlogs about food, cooking, health, science, and sustainability on her blog Play a Good Knife and Fork. You can follow her on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook, or check out her food porn on Pinterest.

 

 

Spring Clean Your Diet By Cleaning Out Your House

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This is the third post in my series on dieting, weight loss, and healthy eating, as we continue to look forward with anticipation (dread?) to warmer weather and smaller clothes. Now, jut to be very clear, these articles are not just for people trying to lose weight. You see, many of the strategies for successful weight loss I discuss are general tactics designed to improve the healthfulness of anyone’s diet. Also remember that you can be skinny and still have a host of metabolic risk factors you can’t see on the outside.

In the first two posts I encouraged you to recalibrate the way you think about your diet and gain a better handle on what you’re eating by measuring your diet using a food record. Whether you did these or not, today’s piece is my first specific strategy for healthy eating and weight loss: Clean House. In other words, do not keep tempting, high-energy/low-nutrient foods in your home (or desk … or car… or pocket …). Whatever your vice, tasty treats are often eaten in large portions and contribute substantial calories with very little nutritional value. And guess what? You wouldn’t eat this stuff nearly as often if it weren’t at your fingertips. Obvious, perhaps, yet many people don’t take this seriously – or follow the wrong advice about what is “healthy” – and thus their cupboards and offices are filled with nutritional land mines.

Let’s begin by defining generally what kinds of foods I’m talking about expunging from your home.

  • Cookies, granola bars, and other cookie-like things (low/no-fat and -sugar varieties count)
  • Desserts such as cakes, pies, puddings, and so forth (same notes on fat and sugar as above)
  • Salty snacks including potato chips/crisps, pretzels, doodles, crackers, or funyuns – anything of that ilk (even if baked or low-fat, and especially if it has a name and ingredient list that scream “This isn’t food!”)
  • Frozen desserts like ice cream, frozen yogurt, etc. (includes dairy and non-dairy versions of any fat or sugar content)
  • Candy or chocolate (Need I say more? Yes, actually, and I’ll do so shortly.)
  • Food(s) you know you should be eating less frequently that contribute excess calories to your diet. (You know what these are for you and can gain an even greater understanding if you actually measure your diet...)

I think why I’ve highlighted the above food groups is fairly obvious, but the world is full of dietary advice and anecdotes that do not reflect the latest nutrition science. Here’s the full article for more details and research-based nutritional advice and behavioral strategies where I debunk a few of the popular nutrition mythunderstandings out there.

(That’s a horrible, horrible pun, I know. If any of you are Buffy fans, you’ll recognize the reference.)

A serious cook and obvious Joss Whedon fan, Dr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator who writes about food, cooking, health, science, and sustainability on her blog Play a Good Knife and Fork. You can follow her on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook, or check out her food porn on Pinterest.