The Governor of California is at it again: leading America to a healthier life style. He is putting forward legislation to ban the trans fats used in cooking at the local fast food restaurants in the State and it looks like other Californian politicians will approve the ban. On Tuesday Los Angeles officials approved a ban in a 32 square mile area of south L.A.
What are Trans Fats?
The majority of trans fats are man-made and are the result of adding hydrogen to unsaturated fats (good fats - Beeble) creating a more saturated fat (bad fat – Beeble) he unfortunate by-product of this process is the trans fat which has not been completely hydrogenated and is detrimental to our health. This man-made fat allows for a higher melting point which means they are solid at room temperature so less refrigeration is needed and this is used to give food produce a longer shelf life. When used for deep frying it can be reused time and time again, much more so than conventional oils (mmmm that sounds lovely – Beeble). That said they have developed other oils now that can outlast these. Maybe in fifty years time we will know what damage these have done to us.
Many of us are now looking forward to a well earned break and even as I write this my mind wanders: I picture myself on a beach in the early morning, just as the sun is waking, eating my freshly picked grapefruit. Is it just me that considers the grapefruit’s acidity and high water content so refreshing? Probably not, but seeing as most fruits are high in water content and refreshing it is probably that time where I look a little more deeply into this bitter fruit.
We are all aware of what we need to do to achieve our health and fitness goals: eat well and exercise regularly, but there is one aspect that is nearly always overlooked. Co-ordination is our topic today and more specifically, proprioception. Proprioception is a scientific term that refers to our awareness of the space around us. We use this skill everyday and it help us from everything from running to sitting.
High blood pressure
The weight loss drug rimonabant (known under various brand names, including Acomplia) has recently been approved for use by the National Health Service in the UK. It has not been approved for use in the US due to fears about its safety.
