Collection of Diet Hacks!

For those who're looking to get in shape, see the collection of diet and weight loss articles below:

Weight Loss Tips:

• 10 Really Good Diet Hacks
• Best Exercises for Rapid Weight Loss
• 6 Foods for Fast Weight Loss
• 10 Realistic Weight Loss Tips
• 7 Tips to Lose Weight Fast
• 10 Weight Loss Tips
• 7 Newish Tips to Lose Weight
• Healthy Tips to Manage Weight Loss
• How to Lose Weight with Hypnosis
• How to Overcome Weight Loss Plateaus
• Eat Whatever You Want and Still Lose Weight
• Twitter Tools to Help You Lose Weight?
• Stupid Weight Loss Tips that Work
• 5 More Weight Loss Tips
• Lose Weight with a Food Journal
• Jenny Craig Diet Plan
• Theintervention Online Weight Loss Program
• 10 Reasons NOT to Diet to Lose Weight
• Use Thermodynamics to Lose Weight

Weight Loss Supplements

• Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss
• How to Lose Weight with Red Peppers?
• Nutritional Supplements for Weight Loss?
• 3 Weight Loss Supplements that Actually Work!
• Green Tea for Weight Loss
• Rapid Weight Loss with Adipotide
• Lose Weight in a Week
• Herbal Remedies for Weight Loss

Fat Burning Tips:

• How to Get Rid of Lower Belly Fat
• 8 Fat Burning Tips
• 8 Foods that Boost Metabolism
• Healthy Foods that Burn Fat
• How to Burn 1000 Calories in Your Workout
• Losing Body Fat by Increasing Metabolic Cost
• How Water Consumption Helps You Lose Weight?
• Burn Fat by Sleeping More
• Tips to Lose Fat and Gain Muscle for Women
• Lasers for Medical Weight Loss
• How to Get a Slimmer Stomach?
• 6 Most Common Types of Fasting to Lose Weight
• Zerona Laser Liposuction Review

Holiday Weight Tips

• 3 Tips for staying lean these holidays
• 5 Tips to keep the holiday fat away
• 10 Reasons Your Not Losing Weight

Exercise For Weight Loss

• Running For Weight Loss
• Best Exercises For Sustained Weight Loss

Folic Acid Supplementation for Psoriasis

Folic Acid Supplementation for Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a very common skin disorder that affects millions of Americans. In fact, it is believed to affect approximately 2-3% of the population. Frequently, people with psoriasis develop red scaly patches. These psoriatic plaques, as they are often referred to as, are areas of excessive skin production and inflammation.

Though the actual cause of psoriasis is unknown, genetic factors are thought to be involved. Overall, psoriasis can impact the quality of life of people who suffer from this skin condition.

Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory disease involving the spine and peripheral joints that develops in patients with psoriasis. Further, psoriatic arthritis develops in 5-10% of patients with psoriasis.

A recent study published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment discussed the role of folic acid supplementation in patients with psoriasis.

Background:

“Relative deficiency of folic acid may occur in conditions such as pregnancy and hyperproliferative or chronic inflammatory disorders.”

Conclusion:

“Folic acid supplementation appears as a reasonable therapeutic option in patients affected by chronic inflammatory skin diseases, such as moderate to severe psoriasis; in particular, those with concomitant hyperhomocysteinemia, low plasma folate and additional cardiovascular risk factors.”

Reference:

Gisondi P, Fantuzzi F, Malerba M, Girolomoni G. Folic acid in general medicine and dermatology. J Dermatolog Treat. 2007;18(3):138-46.

Of the vegetables and fruit food group, which component may bemore important for your joint health--Vegetables or Fruit?

The consumption of both vegetables and fruit are both very important to maintain our overall health. However, in terms of the health of our joints, a recent study suggests that fruit consumption may play a more important role than vegetables (Wang et al, 2007).

"Intake of vegetables and other carotenoids was not significantly associated with cartilage or bone measures. The present study suggests a beneficial effect of fruit consumption and vitamin C intake as they are associated with a reduction in bone size and the number of bone marrow lesions, both of which are important in the pathogenesis of knee osteoarthritis" (Wang et al, 2007).

If you suffer from arthritis, make sure that you maintain an adquate intake of fruit!

As I am Canadian, here's a link for a free copy of the Canada Food Guide for a reference:

Reference:

Wang Y, Hodge AM, Wluka AE, English DR, Giles GG, O'sullivan R, Forbes A, Cicuttini FM. Effect of antioxidants on knee cartilage and bone in healthy, middle-aged subjects: a cross-sectional study. Arthritis Res Ther. 2007 Jul 6;9(4):R66

Could folic acid fortication of food affect patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Folic acid is a B vitamin which is found in green, leafy vegetables. Pregnant women are often advised to take folic acid during their pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Some evidence also suggests that folic acid supplementation may reduce the risks of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Moreover, some clinical trials have found that low levels of folic acid are associated with clinical depression.

Dietary fortification with folic acid has been used in the United States since 1997 to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in newborn babies.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating condition which has a world wide distribution with an estimated incidence of 1-2% of the population. Disability is very high amongst patients with rheumatoid arthritis with approximately 60% being unable to work ten years after the onset of the disease. However, folic acid supplementation could theoretically reduce the effectiveness of anti-folate medications such as methotrexate. In fact, a recent study concluded that, "folic acid supplementation may contribute to higher MTX dosing in patients with RA" (Arabelovic et al, 1007).

Arabelovic S, Sam G, Dallal GE, Jacques PF, Selhub J, Rosenberg IH, Roubenoff R. Preliminary evidence shows that folic Acid fortification of the food supply is associated with higher methotrexate dosing in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. J Am Coll Nutr. 2007 Oct;26(5):453-5.

Results of a study just published links diet with osteoarthritis risk

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA):

A study just recently published in the medical journal, Osteoarthritis Cartilage, found a link between higher intakes of monounsaturated fatty acids and bone marrow lesions. Bone marrow lesions are important in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (Wang et al, 2007).

What does this mean?

When I was in medical school, one type of diet gaining popularity was the Mediterranean diet (Spain, Italy, and Greece). This particular diet was of interested as people in this region were noted to have lower levels of cholesterol and a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease. People in this region consume reasonably large quantities of Olive Oil, which has a high MUFA content. Not surprisingly, there is a high content of MUFAs in this Mediterranean diet.

1. A diet high in MUFA (versus a high-carbohydrate diet) improves glycemic control in individuals with adult onset diabetes (NIDDM) who maintain body weight.
2. Individuals with elevated triglycerides or insulin levels also may benefit from a high-MUFA diet.
3. Additionally, there is epidemiological evidence that dietary MUFAs have a beneficial effect on the risk of coronary heart disease.

However, despite the numerous potential benefits of MUFAs, there is some preliminary evidence that they may have adverse effect on your joint health. However, the risk of MUFAs on bone marrow lesions is not firmly established and further studies are required.
If your health concerns include type II diabetes, coronary heart disease, or high cholesterol, you may want to discuss the Mediterranean Diet with your physician, dietitian, etc.

Wang Y, Wluka AE, Hodge AM, English DR, Giles GG, O'sullivan R, Cicuttini FM. Effect of fatty acids on bone marrow lesions and knee cartilage in healthy, middle-aged subjects without clinical knee osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2007 Oct 13;

What is the connection between food and OA?

Although the current consensus within the medical community is that is diet and arthritis are not connected, there is some evidence that certain types of diets, with specific amounts of calories, protein, and fatty acids, may affect the inflammation that occurs with arthritis. An increasing number of physicians recognize the need to re-evaluate this position in light of new knowledge about food and its potential role in treating or preventing chronic conditions such as arthritis.