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A “low-energy-dense food diet” sounds like just another weight loss fad, but it’s an approach with decades of research behind it. The concept is simple: Eat more foods with a higher water content to get more volume for fewer calories. Energy density is simply the amount of energy — or calories — in a gram of a food. Foods can be very low-, low-, medium- or high-energy density. Butter, for instance, is a high-density food with 180 calories in 20 grams. Watermelon is very low, with just 7 calories in 20 grams. Portion size is another way to see the difference. For example, one and a half juicy oranges have the same number of calories as a mere three pretzel rods. To find a food’s energy density, divide the number of calories in a serving by the number of grams in that serving. Energy density ranges in the very low category are from 0.5 to 1 calorie/gram. As you move to the high end, it’s from 4 to 9 calories per gram. You can easily calculate the energy density of any food. Use a calorie counter to do the math for fresh foods. For packaged ones, use the Nutrition Facts Panel and divide the calories by the grams in a portion. Low-energy density foods are usually high in fiber as well as water, so they’re… read on >

A state-of-the-art home gym might not just be beyond the scope of your budget, it also might be beyond the scope of available space. But don’t rule out this convenient fitness option so fast. According to the American Council on Exercise, if you can clear a 6-foot by 6-foot area for working out, you can outfit a home gym with the basics for under $100. Plus, these space-conscious items can be stored in a closet or under the bed when not in use. Just don’t forget that they’re there once you buy them! Start with a good mat for floor work, like yoga, Pilates, ab exercises and push-ups. The price typically depends on the thickness you choose, and thickness depends on what you’re using it for. Next is at least one stability ball for doing a variety of exercises, including balance work and crunches. Choose one made for your weight and height. When you’re sitting on it, your thighs should be parallel with the floor. Stretchy resistance bands are great for strength training when you don’t want a full set of weights. On their own, they weigh nothing and take up less space than a pair of socks. You might buy them in various tensions to match up with the different strengths of various muscle groups. There are also circular bands that go around your… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Some 13 million workers in the United States may be exposed to hazardous chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin, the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) says. This type of exposure may lead to contact dermatitis (eczema), skin cancer and skin infection or injury, the agency warns. Workers at risk include those in food service, cosmetology, health care, agriculture, cleaning, painting, construction and printing, NIOSH adds. The skin is the body’s largest organ, accounting for more than 10 percent of a person’s body mass. Traditionally, workplace exposure has focused on preventing inhalation of chemicals, rather than skin exposure, the agency says. It notes that this accounts for why preventive measures against skin exposure are much more limited.

With concerns about overfishing, it’s shocking to learn that 40 percent of the edible U.S. seafood supply is lost or wasted every year — and half of that is by consumers. That’s not only money down the drain, but also a loss of valuable nutrients like protein and omega-3 fatty acids. To cut waste, calculate the amount of fish you really need before shopping based on the recipe you’ll be following and portion sizes. It will also help to have a plan for any leftovers, such as a brown bag lunch the next day. Be sure the seafood is fresh when you buy it. At the store, it should be refrigerated or displayed on ice in a case or under a cover. Fish should smell like the sea, not fishy or ammonia-like — those are signs of spoilage in raw or cooked fish. Seafood shopping tips: The eyes of whole fish should be clear and bulge slightly. Flesh should be shiny, not slimy, and spring back when pressed. Shrimp flesh should be translucent. Consider buying frozen seafood, like bags of shrimp, which can be economical and used as needed. At home, store fresh seafood properly so it won’t spoil before you can eat it. If you’ll cook it within two days, you can put it in the fridge, optimally on ice. Otherwise, wrap it tightly… read on >

After having a stroke, heart attack or cardiac arrest, people are less likely to be employed than their healthy peers, new research shows. Even if they are working, they may earn significantly less than people who haven’t had a stroke or heart event, the investigators found. Although the majority of people who have one of these serious health scares do end up back at work, about 20 percent of those who had a stroke weren’t back at work three years later. Meanwhile, about 5 percent of those who had a heart attack hadn’t gone back to work, while 13 percent of those who’d had cardiac arrest weren’t back on the job after three years. (Cardiac arrest is when your heart suddenly stops beating.) The study also found an average drop in yearly earnings of more than $13,000 after a stroke, about $11,000 after cardiac arrest and nearly $4,000 after a heart attack. “When we look at the impact of health events, we need to look not only at short-term, easy-to-measure outcomes like life and death. Quality of life and economic well-being are equally important to people,” said study author Dr. Allan Garland. He is a professor of medicine and community health sciences at the University of Manitoba and Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg in Canada. Garland said that most people want to work, so it’s important… read on >

Losing a job or taking a big pay cut is hard on more than just your checkbook — it might drastically increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure or death. A new study finds that people who endure large swings in income over the years are much more likely to develop heart disease or suffer a premature death. “We found that individuals in the highest third of income volatility — the individuals with the most fluctuation in income — had an almost double risk of cardiovascular disease and death in the subsequent 10 years, compared with people who had the least fluctuation in income,” said lead researcher Tali Elfassy. She is an assistant professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. People who had the most volatile incomes between 1990 and 2005 were a little more than twice as likely to develop heart disease and 78 percent more likely to die from any cause during the following decade, compared with people with the most stable incomes, Elfassy and her colleagues found. Further, people who suffered two or more income drops during that same period were 2.5 times more likely to develop heart disease and 92 percent more likely to die from any cause, compared with those who never had their income go down, the study findings showed. The study only found… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Some decorations sold for use on birthday cakes may not be what parents wish for, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. Some decorative glitters and dusts may contain ingredients that shouldn’t be eaten, the agency says. They’re marketed as luster dust, disco dust, twinkle dust, sparkle dust highlighter, shimmer powder, pearl dust and petal dust. The FDA offers these suggestions before deciding on how to decorate a cake: Carefully check the label of any decorative product. Edible glitters and dusts are required by law to include a full list of ingredients on the label. Look for ingredients such as sugar, acacia, maltodextrinornstarch and color additives specifically approved for food use. Most edible glitters and dusts state “edible” on the label. If the label simply says “non-toxic” or “for decorative purposes only” and does not include an ingredients list, you should not use the product on foods.

After suffering through a cold, many people still have a persistent cough — but why? According to Dr. Jonathan Parsons, director of the Asthma Center at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, here are some reasons for a continuing cough: Coughing is protective. It removes irritants from the lungs and protects the airway. The cough might be due to an upper respiratory tract infection. Even after the infection is gone, you may still have some inflammation in the lungs. Coughing can be worse at night. “For some patients, their cough is so severe that it disrupts their sleep to the point where they aren’t getting any sleep at all, which impacts their ability to function during the day. In that situation, you might consider taking a cough suppressant with codeine to blunt the cough reflex and assist with sleep,” Parsons said in a center news release. A cough that lasts more than three weeks may be a chronic condition. If you’re still coughing and feeling sick after three weeks, then you should see a doctor. Causes of a chronic cough include: Uncontrolled allergies, Uncontrolled asthma, Side effects of medicine, Acid reflux. Persistent cough might be a symptom of a serious illness. “If you’re coughing up blood, spiking fevers or have significant shortness of breath associated with the cough, you need to be evaluated quickly. You… read on >

The number of weekly recommended workout sessions can really add up. With five or more periods of cardio, and two or three each of strength training, flexibility and motor skills for balance and agility, it’s inevitable that you’ll need to do more than one type of exercise on any given day. To make the most of every session, know the right sequence to follow. A Western Colorado University study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) tested the variables and found definitive results. First, on days when you’re doing cardio, you should typically start with this workout, whatever aerobic activity you choose. You’ll not only get the maximum benefits by doing it first, but you’ll also warm up your body for the second exercise. If strength training is also part of that day’s plan, do it next. If you’re piggy-backing all types of exercise, flexibility and motor skills should follow strength training, in whatever order you like. The research found that this sequence had psychological as well as physical benefits. However, experts add that it’s fine to personalize these findings based on individual goals. For instance, if you need to focus on one type of exercise in particular, like flexibility to help with low back pain, start a multi-discipline session with that workout so that you’re fresh when doing it. Or if building muscle… read on >

Weekly Gravy

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

A Better Way to Look at Food

Creating a Home Gym on the Cheap

Health Tip: Job-Related Chemical Exposure Through the Skin

Get Smart About Storing Seafood

Stroke, Heart Events Can Sideline You From Work

Job Insecurity May Take a Toll on Your Heart

Health Tip: Some Cake Decorations Shouldn’t Be Eaten

Persistent Cough May Mean See Your Doctor

Persistent Cough May Mean See Your Doctor

Working Out Your Exercise Schedule