Saturday, February 18, 2012

Mars Inc. Makers of Snickers, Twix, M&Ms New Health/Nutrition "Global Initiatives"

Say Goodbye to King-Size Snickers!

Interesting news... Candy giant Mars Inc. announced that it is ending production of king-sized candy bars as part of an large move towards healthier products. In a company statement, "Mars has a broad-based commitment to health and nutrition, and this includes a number of global initiatives," The company plans to discontinue chocolate products that contain over 250 calories per serving. Trans fat will also be eliminated from all products (thank goodness..no more hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils) and sodium cut down by 25% from 2007 levels by 2015. Although candy bars would still be unhealthy, these changes would definitely make them better. It might be wise for Mars Inc. business-wise; as more people become health-conscious, products that are considered healthier and reduced in fat, salt, or calories will likely be favored over traditional choices. The company will have a better standing with that group of consumers than their competitors.


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Man Suffers Heart Attack at the Heart Attack Grill

*Sigh* Today's news involves a male customer at the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vagas, Nevada. While eating a "triple bypass burger", a man started sweating, shaking, and having chest pains, all symptoms of a heart attack. Truly ironic you could say. I'm pretty perplexed that people actually eat at a restaurant that serves horribly unhealthy food and encourages bad eating habits and obesity. The "quadruple bypass burger" can easily exceed 8,000 calories. Customers over 350lbs eat free. And come on, the restaurant is pretty ridiculous itself! The staff are called "nurses", the owner "Doctor", and the customers "patients". A bottle of whiskey sits in a sealed case on the wall as an emergency defibrillator. The hospital theme is pretty much a mockery of health. Tasty food is one thing but this is just insane.



Donate to Food Bank of New York City

Hi guys, quick post. Please try to donate money to feed the needy! SigmaThetaRho Fraternity is trying to raise $1500 for Food Bank of New York City. "Proceeds from gifts made through the Virtual Food Drive go toward the programs and efforts of the Food Bank For New York City where they are needed most, in an effort to most effectively fulfill our mission to end hunger in New York City by organizing food, information and support for community survival and dignity. "
Every dollar counts!

 Donate here.

 

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Controversial: Preschooler's Lunch Deemed Inadequate, Supplemented With Chicken Nuggets

A very interesting story came up today, reported first by the CarolinaJournal. A North Carolina preschooler was told by an inspector to eat chicken nuggets with her homemade meal. The child ended up eating only the nuggets.
You need to eat these too! Says food monitor
Not good enough...
"The Division of Child Development and Early Education at the Department of Health and Human Services requires all lunches served in pre-kindergarten programs — including in-home day care centers — to meet USDA guidelines. That means lunches must consist of one serving of meat, one serving of milk, one serving of grain, and two servings of fruit or vegetables, even if the lunches are brought from home." The meal consisted of the following: turkey and cheese sandwich, banana, potato chips, and apple juice. As you can see, there's one serving of meat (turkey), 1 serving of milk (cheese), 1 serving of grain, and 2 servings of fruit (banana and apple juice). Unless the portions were really tiny, the meal fits the bill. Nevertheless, the child was given chicken nuggets and a $1.25 bill. I'm still very sketchy about chicken nuggets after doing this blog post. Chances are, the school's nuggets aren't that good either.
Since the incident, the mother has complained to North Carolina Representative G.L. Pridgen of Robeson County.
Are these lunch regulations necessary? Do they provide important oversight to help ensure kids are eating healthy, balanced meals? Or do they impede on parents' liberties and send children the wrong message?

Monday, February 13, 2012

Paleo Summit Presentation Coming Soon!

Hey guys! Between February 26th to March 4th, you can tune in to the Paleo Summit to see free videos on all things Paleo. (A reference to the Paleolithic period, a prehistoric time of hunter-gatherer societies.) Many believe that a return to certain Paleolithic ways (eating and exercise methods) can vastly improve our well-being. Over 20 experts, including Mark Sisson and Paul Chek, will be discussing this issue over the 8 day span.
 The event is free; just sign up with your email. You might just learn some very surprising things.paleo summit

Faking Before and After Photos of Fitness Testimonials REVEALED

I'm sure most of us take what fitness/diet advertisements say with a grain of salt. But, you may have looked at the before and after photos of such commercials and thought to yourself, "Man. He/she looks amazing now! Did they really follow this program or what?" Youtube user furiouspete123 sheds some light on what may actually transpire behind-the-scenes for those who are depicted in the remarkable shots in ads.
With Pete's theory, the photo shoot actually begins with the after-photo. The person (actor/actress you might say!) does some intense exercises to accentuate their muscles and blood vessels. Next, he or she gets a quick zap in the tanning bed. Then, after a couple of extra exercises, oil is applied to make his or her body extra shiny. Some good lighting, and (if desired) photo editing, and voila! you've got yourself a great after-photo.
The job isn't done yet. For the before-photo, Pete gorges himself with junk food, soda ("diet pop works better because it has more carbonation") and chocolate milk. He then snaps the photo, just under 5 hours from his after-photo. Pete looks astonishingly different; the transformation is a success. A look at the two photos and we can see that they are certainly misleading. On one side, a sullen and completely out-of-shape man; on the other, a handsome buff.

Hopefully, we'll all be a little more skeptical. Although it's likely that some testimonials are genuine, some are not. It's always best to get more information on the product and the people behind the product. Keep the three C's in mind:
  1. Credibility-is the company trustworthy? do they have good ratings?
  2. Claims- what do they say their product will do?can they back it up with objective and relative evidence?
  3. Common Sense- think about it: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't (true).