Get Kids Cooking to Promote Healthy Eating. According to a new report, getting kids involved in cooking may make them more likely to choose healthier foods. The study found that cooking programs and classes for children seem to positively influence children’s food preferences and behaviors. Cooking education programs teach children about healthy foods and how…

Gluten May Not Be the Only Culprit in Celiac Disease. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley and is known to cause health problems in individuals with celiac disease. New research suggests that some individuals with celiac disease also react to non-gluten proteins. The authors of the study note that the role…

Drink More Water and Less Cola to Avoid Kidney Stone Recurrence. Recently released evidence-based guidelines from the American College of Physicians recommend that patients with a history of kidney stones can help reduce their risk for kidney stone recurrence by increasing their fluid intake so as to produce at least two liters of urine per…

Micronutrient Levels in Female College Students. Blood samples from 308 female college students showed that nearly 44% had below-normal iron levels, 11.3% had low vitamin B12 levels, and nearly 100% had excess folate (vitamin B9) levels. It’s hoped that future research will investigate the food choices and dietary behaviors that may be most responsible for…

Mediterranean-Style Diet May Lower Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease. Individuals who eat a Mediterranean-style diet may have up to a 50% lower risk for chronic kidney disease. The Mediterranean diet is characterized by the high-consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts, and whole grains, eating fish and poultry at least twice a week, reducing red…

Reduced Epileptic Seizures Noted with Low-Carb, High-Fat Diets. A review of the current research shows that diets high in fats and low in carbohydrates could be an alternative treatment for reducing epileptic seizures. Currently, about 35% of epileptics fail to respond to medications, so alternative treatments are very important. The investigators found that across all…

Fried Foods Increases Risk of Gestational Diabetes. Research involving over 21,000 single-child pregnancies reveals that regularly eating fried food before conception increases the risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy. Investigators found that those who ate fried food one to three times a week before becoming pregnant had a 13% higher risk of gestational diabetes. Those…

A Chemical in Broccoli May Help Treat Autism. Sulforaphane, a chemical found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, shows promise for improving some behavioral symptoms of autism. Researchers found that about two thirds of participants who received sulforaphane saw their scores on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist reduced by 34%, while their scores on the Social…

Organic Foods May Offer Greater Health & Safety. A survey of prior research concludes that organically grown foods are about 48% lower in cadmium than conventionally grown foods. Cadmium is a heavy metal that has become a major cause of vascular disorders, common cancers, osteoporosis, kidney disease, and can damage the reproductive and neurological systems.…

Family Meals During Childhood May Prevent Obesity. Family meals could protect children against obesity, as such meals tend to include fruits, vegetables, calcium, and whole grains. A new study indicates that even having as few as one to two family meals a week during adolescence significantly reduces the odds of an individual being overweight or…