Posted by Ian Ibbetson on Fri, Sep 25, 2009
Health Experts say a proposed national tax on soda and other sugary drinks of 1 cent per ounce could aid the United States' obesity epidemic, while generating $14.9 billion the first year alone.
The tax could help fund programs to prevent obesity, say a group of prominent researchers in an article in the Sept. 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
The authors believe such a tax would deter people from buying non-nutritious sweet drinks, thereby helping Americans to lose weight and reduce their health risks.
The tax would increase the cost of a 20-ounce soft drink by 15 to 20 percent. Researchers suggest the increased cost would lead to a minimum reduction of 20 calories a day per person from sweetened beverages. The revenue collected would benefit individual states and the federal government.
The concept of levying a "Twinkie tax" first gained attention in 1994, when Yale University psychology professor Kelly D. Brownell made the proposal in a piece in The New York Times.
Earlier this month, President Barack Obama said such taxes could help cover the cost of overhauling the U.S. health care system.
Meanwhile, studies continue to link consumption of beverages sweetened with sucrose (regular sugar), high-fructose corn syrup or fruit-juice concentrates to obesity, diabetes and heart disease, not to mention dental decay.
One such study found that each additional serving of sugar-sweetened beverage increased the risk of obesity in middle-school students by 60 percent.
In another study involving 100 high-school students, eliminating such drinks led to a significant decrease in body weight.
While the tax strategy has reduced cigarette and alcohol use, there's no guarantee it would work with food.
The beverage industry opposes a soda tax and also disputes the connection between consumption of sweetened drinks and obesity.
"Excise taxes on soft drinks simply do not reduce obesity rates," the American Beverage Association said in a statement issued Wednesday. "West Virginia and Arkansas are two prime examples -- both have excise taxes on soft drinks, yet rank fifth and sixth highest in the nation for obesity rates, " it said.
What are your thoughts on the proposed tax? Leave a comment and let us know.
Posted by Ian Ibbetson on Mon, Aug 17, 2009
With over 100 million American's with, or at risk for high blood pressure, it is important to take measures to control your blood pressure in order to stay healthy. Fortunately, many people can successfully manage their blood pressure naturally by maintaining some healthy lifestyle habits.
Here are 12 things you can do to manage your blood pressure naturally:
Exercise – One of the most effective ways to control your insulin levels is through exercise. A regular exercise program can go a long way towards maintain healthy blood pressure levels. Exercise 5-7 days a week for 30 minutes and you could drop 4-9 points.
- Follow a low fat diet. A diet high in fruit, veggies and low-fat dairy, and low in fat, red meat, sweets and sugary beverages. Following a healthy diet can drop your blood pressure by 8-14 points.
- Lose weight. It’s estimated that you could drop 5-20 points for every 22 pounds you lose.
- Limit your sodium intake to 2,400 mg day and you could drop 2-8 points.
- Limit alcohol to 2 drinks a day for men, 1 for women and you could drop 2-4 points.
- Sleep Well. Not getting enough sleep may contribute to hypertension.
- Reduce your stress. It can raise your blood pressure and over time, may contribute to the permanent condition of hypertension. Find ways to relax.
- Potassium. Make sure to get enough by eating a varied diet containing plenty of fruit, veggies, dairy and fish.
- Calcium. Make sure you are getting 1,000 mg a day if you’re under 50 and 1,200 mg if you’re over 50.
- Vitamin C. Studies indicate that daily intake of 500 mg supplementary vitamin C may have beneficial effects on blood pressure.
- Get enough omega-3 fatty acids by eating fatty fish and by taking a high quality fish oil supplement.
- Normalize your vitamin D levels – It has recently become clear that normalizing your vitamin D levels can have a powerful effect on normalizing your blood pressure.
Simple efforts on your part can result in measurable differences in your blood pressure and a vast majority of people can manage their blood pressure by implementing healthy lifestyle habits.
If you are concerned about your blood pressure, Healthy Choice Naturals Blood Pressure Formula is an all-natural, scientifically developed combination of herbs and vitamins, including magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamins c and d, formulated to help maintain optimum blood pressure levels.
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