Estrogen and the Male Waistline

The other day my roommate's boyfriend asked me to figure out how he can ensure he doesn't get the infamous male pot belly with age.  While my first thoughts were eat healthy, exercise, live a balanced life style and drink less beer, turns out that how fat he gets may actually depend on ESTROGEN?

Listen up Tom, this one's for you.

As men age, their bodies change (Sorry boys! But as a woman I've been facing this fact since I graduated high school - stuff your face now, because that gym-free six-pack isn't going to stick around forever).  It is well established that testosterone levels decrease as the years go by.  This causes changes in lean muscle mass, fat mass, and sexual function.  However, a study recently publish in the New England Journal of Medicine found that estrogen plays a fundamental role in these changes as well.

Estrogen is made from testosterone by the body in both men and women.  This can make it difficult to distinguish between the two metabolites in experimental studies. This study teased out differences and found that while testosterone changes impact lean muscle mass quantity and strength, the fat accumulation men see with age is actually attributable to changes in estrogen.

Turns out estrogen is not just a concern for women.  Estrogen levels have previously been ignored in studies investigating body changes in men.  Understanding that low estrogen explains increased fat accumulation in men and also may explain increased risk for osteoporosis may help scientist and doctors develop new treatments.

Tom, this doesn't mean you can still eat all of the chips, salsa, and cookies you want while drinking gallons of beer to wash it down, but it does mean that there may be more going on than we previously thought.  From hot flashes to mood swings and now pot bellies, silly estrogen is at it again!

Say Goodbye to Those Nasty Under-Eye Bags

It's hump day.  Middle of the week.  Exhaustion is starting to set in, but there is still so much to do!  Looking in the mirror this morning, my under-eye bags look darker than ever.  Now that my "tan" (let's be honest, I spent most of the summer in a research lab, so "tan" is pushing it) has started to fade, those nasty eye bags are just screaming for attention.  Concealer always helps, but how can we kick those eye bags for good?

Picture Credit: Huffington Post

Upon investigation, I found that there are many reasons for dark under-eye circles.  Some are have quick-fixes, while others pose a bigger challenge.

1. Fluid Build Up: If you have under-eye circles in the morning, but they are gone by noon, its likely that they are caused by fluid build up. Sleeping on your side or stomach can encourage fluid build up under your eyes as you sleep (thanks gravity).  Try sleeping on your back instead and use an extra pillow.
2. Allergies, a cold, sinus congestion: Fluid build up under your eye can increase puffiness and stretch the thin skin under your eyes worsening dark under-eye circles.  Relieving your sinus cavities of fluid can help reduce under-eye swelling and darkness.  
3. Genetics:  If your parents have dark under-eye circles, chances are so do you. (Now I understand what people really mean when they say I have my father's eyes...).  There's not much you can do about this one. Although certain creams have been shown to be somewhat effective.  See below.
4. Lack of Sleep:  Not getting adequate sleep causes skin paleness which makes dark circles more visible.  Go get some zzzz's!
5. Diet: Lack of iron and high sodium both are associated with dark under eye circles.   Diets high in sodium result in fluid build up (see #1).    
6. Age: As we age, dark circles increase with age. So don't wait to address the issue, it'll only get worse!

Quick-Fixes!

• Change Your Diet! Increase intake of iron-rich foods such as spinach, lean red-meat, and egg yolks.  Or take a supplement.  Vitamin K can also help reduce dark under-eye circles.  Eat more eggs, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and milk.  
• Sleep More
• Change Your Sleep Position - Sleep on your back
• Reduce Sodium Intake
• Sunscreen - UV rays weaken collagen and cause premature wrinkling and sagging.  Use a moisturizer with SPF to protect the skin under your eyes.

Other Solutions: 

UNDER-EYE CREAMS - Do they really work?

Diet and sleep position are things that I can make an effort to change, but genetics and my lack of sleep aren't going to change.  So what about those creams?!  Do they really work?

According to a study conducted in Japan, creams that contain 2% phytonadione (vitamin K), 0.1% retinol, and 0.1% vitamin C and E are moderately effective at reducing under eye circles. 

Presently I use EyeHope by Philosophy.  It contains none of the ingredients found to be effective in the Japanese study, but I feel that it has been somewhat effective in reducing the darkness of my under-eye circles.  Looking into the reasoning behind this, I found that one ingredient, coffee extract, has also been shown to reduce under-eye circle darkness and puffiness.  Also, it is a hydrating cream. The skin around our eyes is think and fragile.  Hydration of this area can help reduce aging and help brighten the skin.

Another highly rated under eye cream is Clinque Even Better Eyes, which has been clinically shown to reduce under eye circles by 30%.  I was unable to find this study online, but the active ingredient is mulberry root, which is full of oxyresveratrol, an antioxidant that slows down the accumulation of melanin.  It also contains caffeine and green tea extract and whey protein which reportedly strengthens and tightens the skin in that area.   

Don't want to spend $40+ on an under eye cream? Grab a Potato!

Yes, you read that correctly.  Potatoes contain catecholase, which has been shown to act as a skin lightener.  I couldn't find any peer-reviewed scientific studies supporting this, but there are plenty of online bloggers who also support this idea.  Slice a raw potato, soak slices in cool water, and try it for yourself!

The Better Bottled Water

The Better Bottled Water

Hydration is important.  It helps maintain fluid balance, control calorie intake, keeps your skin looking healthy, and keeps those bowels regular.

So ditch that bottle of diet soda and grab yourself a bottle of water!....Right!?  Well, based on the findings from a recent study conducted in Germany, there is evidence that you might not want to buy either bottled drink.

The study found an endocrine-disrupting compound (EDC) is commercially bottled water.  EDC's have been associated with increased risk for breast cancer.

The group reviewed 18 different types of bottled water products.  13 of the 18 types of bottled water products were found to have antiestrogenicity (an antiestrogen is a compound that blocks the production or utilization of estrogens - in other words these compounds will block or inhibit the effects of the hormones that promote certain sex characteristics).  16 of the 18 compounds had 90% effective antiandrogenic activity (meaning that they were very effective at blocking certain biological activity).  Their study found that a compound DEHF to play a role in these effects, but suspect that there are other EDC's in water that they have not yet identified.

There is currently no strong evidence on whether or not DEHF specifically is harmful to people, but it is clear that the plastic packaging poses a risk for consumers.  

This is especially concerning because it seems that most people prefer bottled water to tap water.  But, just keep in mind that the bottled water may not be any more pure that tap water.  In fact, there may be chemicals in it that have adverse effects we don't even completely understand yet!

So next time you're out, skip the bottled water.  Go get yourself a Brita filter, a cool BPA-free or metal water bottle (i'm obessed with this one - it keeps your water cold for up to 24-hours!!), and turn on that tap! Ultimately you'll reduce your risk of health problems from chemicals that disrupt hormone functions in your body and your save $$$ too (honestly at $2 a bottle, why do we drink so much bottled water!)


HAPPY MONDAY!  Now go drink some tap water!

Food Label Lies

I'll let this video speak for itself!  Definitely food for thought!

A HEALTHIER MUFFIN FOR YOUR MUFFIN TOP?

Oh hey there.  After a long break from my blog, I'M BACKKKK!!  The past year I became buried in my studies for my masters degree in nutritional and metabolic biology, but I'm just finishing up my research project and finally have more time for the things I love, like this! My roommates will be relieved to find that I have a new outlet for my health and nutrition rants.

So anyway, back to the good stuff.

A HEALTHIER MUFFIN FOR YOUR MUFFIN TOP??

Last night I decided to make a muffin without sugar or butter (NO SUGAR OR BUTTER??? ARE YOU MAD? Yes, perhaps....but hey, whats life without a little crazy?). Also, I've been seeing recipes all over Pinterest about such muffins and I was confident that I could create one of my own.

I ended up making these: Whole-Wheat Oatmeal Carrot Muffins, full of spices and deliciousness.  Or so I thought.  I used applesauce and bananas to substitute for sugar and butter.  I was stoked.

They smelled AMAZING in the oven, but tasted like cold, rubbery, oatmeal.  AWFUL.  I would share the recipe, but honestly, I'm ashamed.

After I got past the disappointment and drank my lonely cup of coffee sans muffin, I began thinking two things:

1)   How can I change this? What do I need to do next time when I’m making a healthy muffin?

2)  But then I thought, WHY DO WE FEEL THE NEED TO MAKE UNHEALTHY FOODS HEALTHY?

When I think of biting into a muffin I want it to be warm and soft.  A small moment of heaven on my tongue.  When I think of something healthy, I think crisp veggies.  They are refreshing and yes, delicious, but not indulgent in the way a muffin should be.  So then why do I need to make a “healthy muffin”?  Why are we always trying to make unhealthy foods healthy?  Maybe that is the crux of our problem.

Think of it like this: You’re at a party and there are muffins on the table.  You take one and it is delicious.  If I told you the muffin was healthy would you go back for another?  How much “healthier” would it need to be?  How much healthier can a muffin really be?

Take these two labels for Jif Peanut Butter:

                         

Which one is the reduced fat peanut butter?  Which one is healthier? Which one should you choose if you’re trying to loose weight?  

The label on the left has less calories from fat, BUT it has more sugars.  In fact, it has TWICE the amount of sugar.  It also has THREE TIMES the amount of sodium and more calories overall.  If you guessed that the label on the left is the reduced fat peanut butter, that is correct.  The label on the RIGHT is REGULAR.  The label on the LEFT is REDUCED FAT.

Looking at it more closely now, which peanut butter would you buy?  Just because a item is reduced fat (or sugar, sodium, for that matter), does not necessarily mean its healthier. 

The risk when buying products that are advertised as being "reduced fat" or "healthy" is that psychologically we think we can eat more of it for an equivalent amount of calories.  Looking at the labels above, we can see that that is not always the case.  A recent study in the International Journal of Obesity, found that people estimated larger portions of healthier versions of food compared to the regular version, despite the two versions being equivalent in calorie content.  Just because an item is marketed as being healthier does not mean that it will have less calories.  

There is no magic healthy muffin to wipe away a muffin top, but it is ok to eat a muffin once in a while.  Just don't lie to yourself about what is actually going into your body and be informed about the nutritional content.  Be smart when making healthy choices and always read your nutrition labels!

Happy Thursday!