Tuesday Links!

Woohoo!  Tuesday Link Day!  I've got a lot of awesome stuff since I signed up for the SmartBrief nutritionist email blast.  Here ya go!

1) Gut Check time: Interesting, you can't spot train (lose weight in a determined place) but you CAN spot gain.  This article references studies showing that beer is literally the cause of that beer belly (beer more than wine!).  There's a bunch of common sense stuff in here--you know, don't eat the bar food, if you must drink, drink light beer, blah blah.  I was just interested to see that the beer belly is aptly named!  Who knew!

2) Your Chance to Tell the FDA What you Think of Food Labels: Ever wanted to influence public policy?  Well, now is your chance.  You have the opportunity to weigh in on new regulations for food packaging, including health labels, etc. on the front of food packages.  This article also links to another article which argues against labeling food in the front.  All of it, worth a read.

3) Food Deserts: Yes, deserts.  Now, I have to say, I have mixed feelings on this article because part of me sees the economics of the whole thing. Okay, I lied, my whole brain sees the economics of the whole thing.  This is a case of chicken and egg.  Who changed the demand?  The consumer.  If beautiful produce is rotting in the stands, you bet that the stockers are gonna go "send the best produce to places where it'll be purchased."  And to be frank with you, all of this talk about inner cities, I'm not seeing prejudice within the cities--I live in a big city and to be frank with you, I get crap produce even though I live in a wealthy neighborhood...which is why I go to the farmer's market.  It's not planned to be mean to poor people, it's part of the supply chain issue here.  It takes longer to get into a city with traffic, parking issues, and weird delivery schedules.  Not to mention, fresh produce goes bad in poor areas because, let's be frank here, ever been to a grocery in a slum?  Yes, they're gross and stuff goes bad when it's not kept in a clean area.  Hell, in the Safeway in the Watergate there used to be rats.  THE WATERGATE!  Oh city life, how I love thee.

Back to delivering the food...The harder it is to do something (i.e. deliver to the safeway outside my apartment) the more expensive it will be (ridiculously priced tomatoes) versus if it's easier (a massive backlot and loading dock behind the Albertson's by my parent's house in the 'burbs in Florida) it becomes cheaper.  Also, talk about taxes in the city.  HOLY MOLY.  Just go across the bridge into Virginia and watch your prices drop like bricks in the ocean.  If city planners made it easier for food to be delivered to grocery stores, I'm gonna bet prices are going to drop.  Okay, done rant.

4) Childhood Obesity and Diabetes: This is a great article for parents...and everyone else.  The examples that the doctor puts out for substitutes are great.

5) Fibromyalgia: No Thanks: Okay, maybe that isn't the title of the article.  But doesn't extreme muscle and joint pain sound like a drag?  Thought so.  Excess weight and lack of activity can nudge you that much closer to it.  Avoid.

6) Living by the Food Pyramid: Interesting, look at all those politics surrounding food!  Curse you lobbyists!  (terrifying, isn't it?) regardless.  An interesting history on the food pyramid and a link for a food "pedia" that gives you calorie counts of what you're ingesting.

Today got a bit out of hand at work, so I didn't get to share with you my Marathon Kickoff, but I will tomorrow.