Finding Coupons Online Has Increased to Stretch Grocery Budgets - WSJ.com

From the Wall Street Journal:

Finding Coupons Online Has Increased to Stretch Grocery Budgets - WSJ.com:

"Last month, Kroger Co. said it would go national with its free text-messaging coupon program, a service provided by Cellfire Inc.

Dan Keefe, who works for a technology firm in Cincinnati, signed up for Cellfire last fall. Now every Sunday, Mr. Keefe, 46 years old, checks his BlackBerry for deals, such as the 50-cent discount on a package of Kroger-brand cheddar cheese he recently received. Clicking on a link in the text message tells Kroger's computer system to add the discount when Mr. Keefe's loyalty card is scanned at check-out."

You can do the same. We use Twitter for this. Sign up for twitter, then "follow" us (click on follow), be sure to turn your device (your cell phone/blackberry etc) on (under settings) and stay tuned :)

Active Transportation keeps you thin

Findings: Walking or biking is a good means to keep you thin.

While the study was done on school age males, I would wager that the same conclusion would be true had it been done on walking to shop, church, or anywhere else.

Obesity - Active Transportation to School Over 2 Years in Relation to Weight Status and Physical Activity:

"Boys who actively commuted to school had lower BMI (p<0.01)>Discussion: Walking and cycling to school may contribute to preventing excessive weight gain, or leaner children may walk or cycle to school."

Take away: Exercise is valuable and even small amounts is probably worthwhile. Make the resolution to walk and bike more. You will be glad you did.

Tweet tweet--do you twitter?

Want an occasional coupon sent to your phone? Or want to know about in-store specials? Good deals? Recalls? You can now with our new account on Twitter. Sign up, its free, easy, and fun! (FEF!)

http://twitter.com/ParkandShop

Study: Proximity to fast-food restaurants linked to stroke risk - CNN.com

Obviously this is not conclusive, but assuming those near fast-food restaurants are more apt to eat at the fast food restaurants, well...you decide

Study: Proximity to fast-food restaurants linked to stroke risk - CNN.com:

"A person's risk of stroke is associated with the number of fast-food restaurants near their residence, according to a study presented Thursday at a stroke conference in San Diego, California....."The association suggested that the risk of stroke in a neighborhood increased by 1 percent for every fast-food restaurant," the authors wrote in a poster presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference."

Secondhand Smoke Bad for Brain?

Secondhand Smoke Bad for Brain?:

"People who are exposed to secondhand smoke may be more likely than their peers to have cognitive impairment, a new study shows.

The study, published in the advance online edition of BMJ (formerly called the British Medical Journal), doesn't prove that secondhand smoke exposure causes cognitive impairment. But it does show that cognitive impairment was more common among nonsmokers and former smokers with high levels of cotinine, a nicotine-related chemical, in their saliva samples."

(I was nice and deleted what I had originally put here...Short version, Please Don't Smoke!)

New Factor In Teen Obesity: Parents

New Factor In Teen Obesity: Parents:

"The new research is a reminder, however, that 'good dietary habits start at home,' according to center research scientist Susan H. Babey, a co-author of the policy brief. 'If parents are eating poorly, chances are their kids are too.'"

Additional Evidence That Potato Chips Should Be Eaten Only In Moderation

Additional Evidence That Potato Chips Should Be Eaten Only In Moderation:

"A new study published in the March 2009 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition by Marek Naruszewicz and colleagues from Poland suggests that acrylamide from foods may increase the risk of heart disease. Acrylamide has been linked previously to nervous system disorders and possibly to cancer."

Mediterranean Diet Aids the Aging Brain: Study

Mediterranean Diet Aids the Aging Brain: Study:

"Mediterranean diet: The eating regimen, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, fish and olive oil, may help the brain stay sharp into old age, a new study suggests.

Following the healthful diet reduced the risk of getting mild cognitive impairment -- marked by forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating. And it also cut the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease if cognitive impairment was already present, said study lead author Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas, an assistant professor of neurology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City."

and later in the article

"You see what is called a dose response. The more stringently you follow the Mediterranean diet, the better the outcome," noted Dr. Gary Kennedy, director of geriatric psychiatry at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City."

The Six Healthiest Staple Foods in Middle Eastern Cuisine

I really like Hummus and have it often, so I figured I better check to see if it is any good for me. Lo and behold, it is!

The Six Healthiest Staple Foods in Middle Eastern Cuisine:

"Chickpeas, with their subtle nutty flavor and buttery texture, are used as a main ingredient in hummus, a rich garlicky dip that's growing in popularity here in the United States....Chickpeas are also popular in soups, stews and side dishes.

Health Benefits: Chickpeas contain healthy nutrients including protein, manganese, folate, tryptophan, copper, phosphorus and iron. Plus, they're an excellent source of fiber, which is known to help lower cholesterol, fight heart disease and stabilize blood sugar levels"

Healthier Pizza -- Food Chemists Slice Up Healthier Pizza

Healthier Pizza -- Food Chemists Slice Up Healthier Pizza:

"Food chemists have shown that making a pizza crust with whole wheat flour and cooking it longer releases more antioxidants. These chronic disease-fighting compounds increased by 82 percent when baked at a higher temperature, by 60 percent when baked twice as long and doubled when the dough was left to rise an extra day."

Plums Poised To Give Blueberries Run For The Money

Plums Poised To Give Blueberries Run For The Money:

"“...blueberries have some stiff competition,” said Dr. Luis Cisneros, AgriLife Research food scientist.'Stone fruits are super fruits with plums as emerging stars.'

Far from fruit snobbery, the plum is being ushered in after Cisneros and Dr. David Byrne, AgriLife Research plant breeder, judged more than 100 varieties of plums, peaches and nectarines and found them to match or exceed the much-touted blueberries in antioxidants and phytonutrients associated with disease prevention."

BBC NEWS | Health | Alzheimer's 'is brain diabetes'

How exciting. Who knows watching diet may lessen Alzaheimer risks? wow.

BBC NEWS | Health | Alzheimer's 'is brain diabetes':

"His colleague, Professor Sergio Ferreira, from Rio de Janeiro, said: 'Recognising that Alzheimer's disease is a type of brain diabetes points the way to novel discoveries that may finally result in disease-modifying treatments for this devastating disease.'

A spokesman for the Alzheimer's Research Trust said that the study shed light on how insulin interacted with toxic proteins linked to the disease.

'People with diabetes are at higher risk of developing Alzheimer's. It is well known that insulin affects how the brain works, and this research adds more evidence to the possibility that Alzheimer's could be a type of brain diabetes."

17 Best Foods for Dieters

While the list is vastly different than what I would have come up with, this is from WebMD.
17 Best Foods for Dieters:

"Dieting can be downright difficult, especially if your diet includes foods you don't particularly enjoy. After all, how much cabbage soup can a person stand? The good news is that there are thousands of diet foods that are healthy, taste great, and can help you stick to your weight loss plan."

CNN.com - Career - Barry Sears: Edible success - January 19, 2001

Here is an interesting interview with Barry Sears of the Zone Diet.


CNN.com - Career - Barry Sears: Edible success - January 19, 2001:

"'What I set out to do was to try to find the Rosetta Stone of food -- the right balance of protein, carbohydrate and fat -- to allow you to keep your insulin in an appropriate 'therapeutic zone' from meal to meal.".......even though we were developing a program for cardiovascular patients and diabetics, we did much of the testing in world-class athletes. In fact, the athletes I've personally worked with in the last three Olympics have won 23 gold medals.

"Between those two extremes -- the cardiovascular patient and the world-class athlete -- lies everyone else."....

It just happens that one of the side effects of lowering insulin is the loss of excess body fat."

BY no means is this an endorsement, but I have read some of his books and there is a great deal I like about them.

Huge Burden Of Diabetes Shown By New Survey

Get tested. It is hard to believe that that many have the disease and do not know it.

Huge Burden Of Diabetes Shown By New Survey:

"In the United States, nearly 13 percent of adults age 20 and older have diabetes, but 40 percent of them have not been diagnosed, according to epidemiologists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),....

"We're facing a diabetes epidemic that shows no signs of abating, judging from the number of individuals with pre-diabetes," said lead author Catherine Cowie, Ph.D., of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), a part of the NIH. "For years, diabetes prevalence estimates have been based mainly on data that included a fasting glucose test but not an OGTT. The 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, or NHANES, is the first national survey in 15 years to include the OGTT. The addition of the OGTT gives us greater confidence that we're seeing the true burden of diabetes and pre-diabetes in a representative sample of the U.S. population.""

Aspirin May Prevent Liver Damage That Afflicts Millions, Study Finds

What is the limit to aspirin? Every year they find something else good about it.


Aspirin May Prevent Liver Damage That Afflicts Millions, Study Finds:

"Simple aspirin may prevent liver damage in millions of people suffering from side effects of common drugs, alcohol abuse, and obesity-related liver disease, a new Yale University study suggests."

Omega-6 Fatty Acids: Make Them Part Of Heart-healthy Eating

Omega-6 Fatty Acids: Make Them Part Of Heart-healthy Eating:

"Omega-6 fatty acids – found in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds – are a beneficial part of a heart-healthy eating plan, according to a science advisory published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.....said William Harris, Ph.D., lead author of the advisory. “Our goal was simply to let Americans know that foods containing omega-6 fatty acids can be part of a healthy diet, and can even help improve your cardiovascular risk profile.”

The American Heart Association’s dietary recommendations suggest a broadly defined healthy eating pattern over time – with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, high-fiber whole grains, lean meat, poultry, and fish twice a week. Diets rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains have been associated in a large number of studies with reduced cardiovascular risk.

Linoleic acid (LA) is the main omega-6 fatty acid in foods, accounting for 85 percent to 90 percent of the dietary omega-6 PUFA."

More recalls linked to salmonella-tainted peanut butter - KHQ-TV- msnbc.com

More recalls linked to salmonella-tainted peanut butter - KHQ-TV- msnbc.com:

"Health officials advise consumers to avoid cookies, crackers, and other foods containing peanut butter but there's no indication that jars of peanut butter sold in stores have been affected."

Study: Men's brains fight food urges better - CNN.com

Interesting.
Study: Men's brains fight food urges better - CNN.com:

"In a new brain-scan study, researchers flashed tasty food in front of men and women who hadn't eaten anything in at least 17 hours. Both were told to fight their hunger, but only men showed a drop in activity in brain regions involved in emotion and motivation.

Men may have better tools for appetite control, which may help explain why women are more likely to be obese than men and have a tougher time dieting, according to the study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."

Peanut Butter Recall Spreads To More Products

Items that we sell that are being recalled due to possible Salmonella:

Peanut Butter Recall Spreads To More Products: "

Little Debbie Peanut Butter Toasty sandwich crackers — all sizes.
• Little Debbie Peanut Butter Cheese sandwich crackers — all sizes.

Both varieties of crackers were made on or after July, 1, 2008."

Perry Ice Cream:

Meanwhile, Perry's Ice Cream has announced a voluntary recall of select ice cream products containing peanut butter because the products have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Peanut Corporation of America, maker of King Nut peanut butter, is one of Perry's suppliers.

Perry's is recalling ice cream products containing peanut butter sauce, which have been recalled by PCA. The company has not received any consumer illness complaints about these products. The products below have been distributed in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia.

Perry's Premium Peanut Butter Cup Craze Ice Cream 1/2 Pint
• Perry's Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream 1.5 QT, 1.75 QT AND 3 GL
• Perry's Peanut Butter Chip Frozen Yogurt 1.5 QT, 1.75 QT and 3 GL
• Perry's Peanut Butter Sundae Crunch Ice Cream Bar Bulk 24 pack
• Perry's Premium Peanut Butter Fudge Ice Cream 1.5 QT and 1.75 QT
• Perry's Perfectly Churned Light Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream 1.5 QT and 1.75 QT
• Perry's Light Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream 1.75 QT
• Shurfine Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream 1.75 QT

Austin also has some products being recalled listed here:

• Austin® Quality Foods Cheese Crackers with Peanut Butter - all sizes
• Austin® Quality Foods Cheese & Peanut ButterSandwich Crackers – all sizes
• Austin® Quality Foods Mega Stuffed Cheese Crackers with Peanut Butter – all sizes
• Austin® Quality Foods PB & J Cracker Sandwiches – all sizes
• Austin® Quality FoodsSuper Snack Pack Sandwich Crackers
• Austin® Quality Foods Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers – all sizes
• Austin® Quality Foods Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter – all sizes
• Austin® Quality Foods Reduced Fat Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
• Austin® Quality Foods Reduced Fat Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
• Austin® Quality FoodsCookie/Cracker Pack
• Austin® Quality FoodsVariety Pack
• Keebler® Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers – all sizes
• Keebler® Toast & PB'n J Flavored Sandwich Crackers – all sizes
• Keebler® Toast & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers – all sizes
• Famous Amos® Peanut Butter Cookies (2- and 3-ounce)
• Keebler® Soft Batch Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies (2.5-ounce)

AT THIS TIME, no jars of Peanut Butter are affected:
From FDA: "Salmonella Typhimurium Outbreak:

"At this time, there is no indication that any national name brand jars of peanut butter sold in retail stores are linked to the PCA recall. As the investigation continues over the weekend, and into next week, the FDA will be able to update the advice based on new sampling and distribution information.""

We will continue to watch this developing story.