Smoking May Dull Ability to Sense Bitter Tastes

AppId is over the quota AppId is over the quota Buildup of tobacco chemicals could hamper regeneration of taste buds,

By Robert Preidt

THURSDAY, March 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Coffee's full taste might be lost on smokers and former smokers, a new study suggests.

Researchers in France found that smokers and former smokers were less able to detect bitter tastes than nonsmokers. They theorized that it's the result of exposure to toxic tobacco chemicals, although they didn't establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

The researchers tested how well about 450 people could recognize the four basic tastes -- sweet, sour, bitter and salty -- and the intensity of each taste. The participants were divided into groups of smokers, former smokers and nonsmokers.

Smoking had no impact on the ability to detect salty, sour or sweet tastes, but did affect the ability to detect the bitter taste of caffeine, the study found. Typically, the tongue's bitter receptors are able to detect this taste at very low concentrations.

About one in five smokers could not correctly identify the bitter taste of caffeine, compared with about one-quarter of former smokers and 13 percent of nonsmokers, according to the study, which was published online in the March issue of the journal Chemosensory Perception.

A buildup of certain compounds from tobacco smoke might hamper the regeneration of taste buds and reduce a person's ability to detect some types of tastes even after they quit smoking, said study leader Nelly Jacob and her colleagues from Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital in Paris.

"We consider that the perception of bitter taste should be examined more closely, both as a tool for smoking cessation or for preventing smoking initiation," Jacob said in a journal news release. "More generally, it would be worthwhile to consider the role of chemosensory perceptions in smoking behavior."

It was already known that smoking can cause a loss of taste, but it wasn't clear whether the full taste range returns to normal after a person quits smoking or how long that might take, the researchers said.

 

Smoking Bans Linked to Drop in Premature Births, Kids' Asthma Attacks

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
Smoke-free policies offer health benefits for people of all ages, study authors say

By Mary Elizabeth Dallas

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, March 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Bans on smoking in public places and the workplace in North America and Europe are linked to a 10 percent drop in premature births and the number of children going to the hospital for an asthma flare-up, according to a new study.

The study authors said this positive trend occurred within one year of smoke-free policies being put into effect. They added that their findings show smoking bans have significant health benefits for both adults and children.

The study was published online March 28 in the journal The Lancet.

"Our research found significant reductions in preterm birth and severe asthma attacks in childhood, as well as a 5 percent decline in children being born very small for gestational age after the introduction of smoke-free laws," Dr. Jasper Been, of the Maastricht University Medical Centre, in the Netherlands, said in a journal news release.

"Together with the known health benefits in adults, our study provides clear evidence that smoking bans have considerable public-health benefits for perinatal and child health, and provides strong support for [World Health Organization] recommendations to create smoke-free public environments on a national level," Been said.

The researchers examined five North American studies on local smoking bans and six European studies focused on national smoke-free policies. The review involved a combined 2.5 million births and almost 250,000 asthma flare-ups among children.

Study co-author Professor Aziz Sheikh said the new study shows the potential that smoke-free laws have to decrease premature births and childhood asthma.

"The many countries that are yet to enforce smoke-free legislation should in the light of these findings reconsider their positions on this important health policy question," said Sheikh, of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

The study authors said comprehensive smoking bans cover just 16 percent of the world's population, and 40 percent of children are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke. Young people account for more than 25 percent of all deaths and more than 50 percent of all healthy years of life lost to secondhand smoke exposure.

View the original article here

Paleo Jerk Chicken

Special thanks and congratulations to Alison Rost, The Paleo Diet Recipe Contest Winner!

Paleo jerk chicken adds a punch of fragrant and fiery spices for added kick to your menu.

Serves 3-4
1-1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs1 tsp freshly ground black pepper1/4 tsp ground turmeric1/4 tsp cayenne pepper1 tsp ground cumin1 tsp dried thyme (** or 1/2 teaspoon ajwain seeds)1/4 tsp garlic powder1 tsp bright red paprika1/2 tsp salt3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the spices. Set aside.

3. Cut each chicken thigh into 1-inch segments and place into a separate bowl.

4. Add the spice mix along with 1 Tbsp of the oil to the chicken. Mix well and set aside for 10 minutes.

5. Heat the remaining oil in a wok or large, nonstick frying pan over very high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the chicken.
6. Stir-fry quickly until the pieces are lightly browned or have turned opaque on the outside.
7. Place chicken pieces into a baking dish, and cover loosely with lightly oiled wax paper (which should sit inside the dish and directly on top of the chicken pieces) and bake for 8 – 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.

8. Enjoy while hot or remove from hot baking dish to maintain moisture for eating later.

Live Well, Live Longer.
The Paleo Team

Run with the Hunt: How Do Your Workouts Compare?

Run with the Hunt: How Do Your Workouts Compare?

Very few modern people have ever experienced what it is like to “run with the hunt.” One of the notable exceptions is Kim Hill, Ph.D., an anthropologist at Arizona State University who has spent the last 30 years living with and studying the Ache hunter-gatherers of Paraguay and the Hiwi foragers of southwestern Venezuela. His description of the amazing hunts which follow represents a rare glimpse into the activity patterns that would have been required of us all, were it not for the Agricultural Revolution.
Kim shared her story with me about a decade ago, which should be read by all contemporary athletic trainers, CrossFit enthusiasts and by The Paleo Manifesto
‘s John Durant and Breaking Muscle’s Erwan Le Corre, both good friends and colleagues who espouse ancient activity patterns for modern humans living in the western world.
“I have only spent a long time hunting with two groups, the Ache and the Hiwi. They were very different. The Ache hunted every day of the year if it didn’t rain. Recent GPS data I collected with them suggests that about 10 km per day is probably closer to their average distance covered during search. They might cover another 1–2 km per day in very rapid pursuit. Sometimes pursuits can be extremely strenuous and last more than an hour. Ache hunters often take an easy day after any particularly difficult day, and rainfall forces them to take a day or two a week with only an hour or two of exercise. Basically they do moderate days most of the time, and sometimes really hard days usually followed by a very easy day. The difficulty of the terrain is really what killed me (ducking under low branches and vines about once every 20 seconds all day long, and climbing over fallen trees, moving through tangled thorns, etc.). I was often drenched in sweat within an hour of leaving camp, and usually didn’t return for 7–9 hours with not more than 30 minutes rest during the day. The Ache seemed to have an easier time because they “walk better” in the forest than me (meaning the vines and branches don’t bother them as much). The really hard days when they literally ran me into the ground were long distance pursuits of peccary herds when the Ache hunters move at a fast trot through thick forest for about 2 hours before they catch up with the herd None of our other grad students could ever keep up with these hunts, and I only kept up because I was in very good shape back in the 1980s when I did this.

The Hiwi on the other hand only hunted about 2–3 days a week and often told me they wouldn’t go out on a particular day because they were “tired.” They would stay home and work on tools, etc. Their travel was not as strenuous as among the Ache (they often canoed to the hunt site), and their pursuits were usually shorter. But the Hiwi sometimes did amazing long distance walks that would have really hurt the Ache. They would walk to visit another village maybe 80–100 km away and then stay for only an hour or two before returning. This often included walking all night long as well as during the day. When I hunted with Machiguenga, Yora, Yanomamo Indians in the 1980s, my focal man days were much much easier than with the Ache. And virtually all these groups take an easy day after a particularly difficult one.

By the way, the Ache do converse and even sing during some of their search, but long distance peccary pursuits are too difficult for any talking. Basically men talk to each other until the speed gets up around 3km/hour which is a very tough pace in thick jungle. Normal search is more like about 1.5 km/hour, a pretty leisurely pace. Monkey hunts can also be very strenuous because they consist of bursts of sprints every 20–30 seconds (as the monkeys are flushed and flee to new cover), over a period of an hour or two without a rest. This feels a lot like doing a very long session of wind sprints.

Both my graduate student Rob Walker and Richard Bribiescas of Harvard were very impressed by Ache performance on the step test. Many of the guys in their mid 30s to mid 50s showed great aerobic conditioning compared to Americans of that age. (V02 max/kg body weight is very good.) While hunter-gatherers are generally in good physical condition if they haven’t yet been exposed to modern diseases and diets that come soon after permanent outside contact, I would not want to exaggerate their abilities. They are what you would expect if you took a genetic cross section of humans and put them in lifetime physical training at moderate to hard levels. Most hunting is search time not pursuit, thus a good deal of aerobic long distance travel is often involved (over rough terrain and carrying loads if the hunt is successful). I used to train for marathons as a grad student and could run at a 6:00 per mile pace for 10 miles, but the Ache would run me into the ground following peccary tracks through dense bush for a couple of hours. I did the 100 yd in 10.2 in high school (I was a fast pass catcher on my football team), and some Ache men can sprint as fast as me.”

Cordially,

Loren Cordain, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus

Raw Chocolate Covered Walnuts with Berries

For a special occasion, chocolate covered walnuts are the decadent Paleo Diet treat you’ve been craving!

Serves 3-4
One 3.5 oz. bar raw dark chocolate (at least 85%, 99% if possible)20 raw, sprouted walnut halves, organic if possible12 large organic fresh strawberries1. Place chocolate in double boiler pot on top of lower pot filled with water.
2. Bring water to simmer and stir chocolate with wooden spoon until melted.

3. Remove pot with chocolate from heat.

4. Using fork, dip one berry at a time into the chocolate and place on wax paper or silpat to cool.
5. Using same method, dip one walnut half at a time then place on wax paper to cool.
6. Dust with nutmeg, cinnamon or cayenne if desired.

7. Keep in tightly sealed plastic container for up to one week

Best,
Nell Stephenson, BS USC EXSC, ACSM H/FI, Paleolista

Paleo smoked salmon Pesto Pizza

Thanks and congratulations to Karlie Hindmarsh, The Paleo Diet contest winning recipe

We give this smoked salmon Pesto paleo Pizza 3 Ps for a paleo in the kitchen job well done!

3-4 persons
1/8 Cup chia seeds1/8 cup of flax meal1/8 cup of pumpkin seeds meal1/8 cup of sunflower free organic seed course meal3-5 cauliflower eggs1/4 a bunch of fresh basil leaves100g pine grilled active nuts50g cashew (nut soak overnight in filtered water to activate) 3 garlic cloves1 tbl spoon salt pink Himalayan
pressed extra virgin cold of 1 cup of olives oil200g smoked salmon1 Walnut spinach activated leavesHandful avocadoHandful (soak nuts overnight to enable)
1. mix all the dry ingredients to the egg and let in the container to soak overnight in the refrigerator.
2. the next day, coarsely chop cauliflower and discard florets in robot, processing up to a consistency of rice (that is to say, do cauliflower rice).

3. combine cauliflower rice into the egg/seed mixture, adding an extra egg to runnier if necessary is.
4. spread the mixture on parchment paper lined on the plateau. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned on top and cooked.
5. Meanwhile, make Pesto by throwing garlic, the basil leaves, cashews and walnuts of pine in the food processor. Then gradually add salt and olive oil until it has the consistency of a thick paste. Spread the pesto on the basis of the hot pizza, then have the smoked salmon, spinach leaves, slices of avocado and nuts enabled on top.

Well live, live longer.
The team of Paleo

The Truth About Belly Fat

By Sonya Collins
WebMD Feature
Surprise: Everyone has some belly fat, even people who have flat abs.

That's normal. But too much belly fat can affect your health in a way that other fat doesn't.

Some of your fat is right under your skin. Other fat is deeper inside, around your heart, lungs, liver, and other organs.

It's that deeper fat -- called "visceral" fat -- that may be the bigger problem, even for thin people.

You need some visceral fat. It provides cushioning around your organs.

But if you have too much of it, you may be more likely to get high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and certain cancers, including breast cancer and colon cancer.

The fat doesn't just sit there. It's an active part of your body, making "lots of nasty substances," says Kristen Hairston, MD, assistant professor of endocrinology and metabolism at Wake Forest School of Medicine.

If you gain too much weight, your body starts to store your fat in unusual places.

With increasing obesity, you have people whose regular areas to store fat are so full that the fat is deposited into the organs and around the heart, says Carol Shively, PhD, professor of pathology-comparative medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine.

The most precise way to determine how much visceral fat you have is to get a CT scan or MRI. But there's a much simpler, low-cost way to check.

Get a measuring tape, wrap it around your waist at your belly button, and check your girth. Do it while you're standing up, and make sure the tape measure is level.

For your health's sake, you want your waist size to be less than 35 inches if you're a woman and less than 40 inches if you're a man.

Having a "pear shape" -- bigger hips and thighs -- is considered safer than an "apple shape," which describes a wider waistline.

“What we’re really pointing to with the apple versus pear,” Hairston says, "is that, if you have more abdominal fat, it’s probably an indicator that you have more visceral fat."

Even if you're thin, you can still have too much visceral fat.

How much you have is partly about your genes, and partly about your lifestyle, especially how active you are.

Visceral fat likes inactivity. In one study, thin people who watched their diets but didn't exercise were  more likely to have too much visceral fat.

The key is to be active, no matter what size you are.

There are four keys to controlling belly fat: exercise, diet, sleep, and stress management.