Every five years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services collaborate to publish the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The publication essentially serves as the U.S. government’s official food and beverage recommendations for Americans, based on the most recent health research and evidence. The guidelines aim to help people maintain a healthy weight and prevent chronic disease, while also providing educational institutions and healthcare providers with reliable dietary strategies and recommendations. They also help inform national health promotion programs, school lunches, food labels and various policies in many different industries and organizations. So, these Dietary Guidelines are extremely important for shaping what Americans eat and what they deem is healthy. The latest version, published last week, has some interesting surprises – and many health experts aren’t happy.

Cholesterol Not as Harmful?

Much of the guidelines reassert health notions that we’ve known for years. For example, around 75 percent of Americans do not eat enough fruit or vegetables. Most Americans exceed the recommended limits for saturated fats, added sugars and sodium. And of course, many Americans simply consume too many calories throughout the day. Cutting down on added sugar such as soft drinks and sweets, limiting your sodium intake, cutting down on saturated fat, reducing portion sizes and eating more fruits and veggies can all make a seriously positive impact on your health. Reducing sugar intake may be the most difficult aspect of this, as hidden sugars are found in so many things Americans eat every day.

At the same time, the new guidelines have some surprising new developments:

• Cholesterol – Despite the recommendations of the last 50 years or so, the new guidelines have relaxed the strict 300 mg per day restriction on dietary cholesterol. Instead, they imply that foods high in saturated fat are the real culprit when it comes to high cholesterol levels in the blood. This means that, once again, eggs can be considered generally healthy. Cholesterol is simply not considered a “nutrient of concern.”
• Coffee – For the first time since the guidelines have been published, coffee can be considered part of a healthy diet. Three to five 8 oz cups per day is ok, but start adding sugar to them and the number goes down fast.
• Breakfast – While still a great opportunity for eating something healthy and delicious, it’s not necessarily considered the “most important meal of the day” anymore. While previous guidelines asserted that skipping breakfast has been linked to excess body weight, no such statement is made in the new version.
• Salt – The limits on salt have been relaxed slightly for most people.

Lobbying Blamed for Oversights

Health experts have given the new guidelines mixed reviews. While some claim the new recommendations are in line with the latest research for the most part, others have pointed out that the dangers of red and processed meat are being particularly ignored. As pointed out by Time, critics of the new guidelines, including those from the American Cancer Society, state that the new recommendations simply aren’t explicit enough in telling people that red and processed meats should be seriously limited in one’s diet. There’s plenty of evidence showing that consuming too much of these types of meats is directly related to higher rates of cancer and heart disease. However, because the USDA’s primary stakeholders are major food manufacturers, some experts believe that politics has come into play – leading to confusing, unclear guidelines concerning the real dangers of processed meat.

New Dietary Guidelines: The Bottom Line

These Dietary Guidelines can have a huge impact on American society. They played a big part in the low-fat, high-carb diet recommendations that dominated much of the 1980s and 90s – a trend that has since been shown to be backwards and has failed to prevent a huge increase in obesity during that time period. Nevertheless, many health experts state that the guidelines have helped to improve Americans’ eating habits while painting a clear picture of what a healthy diet should be. Regardless of politics or potential mistakes, the basic assertions of these guidelines should definitely be followed: more fruits and veggies, less sugar, fewer calories, smaller portions.

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There’s no doubt that coffee is one of America’s favorite beverages. According to the National Coffee Association, 59 percent of Americans currently drink a cup of coffee every day. Some sources indicate that American workers who buy coffee regularly throughout the week spend an average of $1,092 on coffee every year. Despite it’s popularity, however, the effects of coffee on health are somewhat nebulous. Many studies have shown that coffee can provide all sorts of health advantages, such as skin cancer prevention and mental benefits. On the other hand, coffee is thought to present problems for those with cholesterol issues or sleep problems – especially if it’s loaded with sugar. The latest study is another win for coffee lovers, but despite the study’s massive coverage in the media, the results actually aren’t universally positive.

Coffee Helps You Live Longer

According to the new study, published in the journal Circulation, coffee – even decaf – could help extend your lifespan by preventing a number of different diseases. Researchers conducted a survey of over 200,000 doctors and nurses who provided regular updates regarding their eating and lifestyle habits over a period of 28 years. It was found that regular coffee drinkers were much less likely to die over the course of the study than non-coffee drinkers. Specifically, it was found that drinking three to five cups of coffee every day was linked with a lower risk of mortality from causes such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and suicide.

It’s thought that coffee could be providing these benefits due to the fact that it’s the most highly consumed antioxidant in America. Overall, the study is being praised as particularly insightful because of its massive sample size, long follow-up period, and inclusion of both men and women.

But There Are Some Catches

Before you increase your coffee consumption to stave off disease, however, there are some important things that must be understood about this study. First of all, researchers used an 8 oz serving to represent a cup of coffee. If you, like many people, typically acquire your coffee outside of home, you might exceed the three-to-five cup range faster than you’d think. After all, one of the smallest sizes at Starbucks, known as “tall,” is 12 oz. A “grande” is 16 oz, and a “venti” is 20. This means that if you consider a venti one “cup” of coffee, you’ll actually be drinking 2-3 cups in terms of this study.

Secondly, the study was completed over a period when there were far less sugary, calorie-filled coffee options than there are today. Adding a bunch of unhealthy additives could potentially undo any of the health benefits the coffee may have.

Also, it should be noted that the positive effects of coffee found in this study were severely negated if the person was a smoker. Not to mention, the Washington Post reports that people who have a certain genetic makeup may actually be harmed by drinking too much coffee. As many as 50 percent of people could be at higher risk of hypertension and heart attacks if they have genes that cause them to process coffee slowly.

Coffee Extends Lifespan: The Bottom Line

Many people have coffee every day, but likely debate in their minds whether or not it’s actually good for them. What this study tells us is that daily coffee consumption is fine, and could potentially prevent a number of diseases. However, it must be remembered that adding sugar or continuing with other unhealthy lifestyle choices like smoking will likely cancel out many of those beneficial effects.

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There are many factors that come into play when considering why you or someone you know may be overweight. Unhealthy lifestyle choices like smoking or not getting enough sleep can contribute to a high body weight, while medical conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure can enable obesity as well. Of course, the most well-known factors for maintaining a healthy body weight involve getting enough exercise and regularly consuming a healthy diet. Apart from all of these, however, there’s one factor that is often overlooked when it comes to weight loss: the brain. Although it’s not widely understood, mental health issues such as depression have been linked to weight gain. This causes some to ask: could it be possible that the opposite is true as well? In other words, is a positive, in-the-moment mental outlook linked to lower body weight? A new study says it’s possible.

Mindful People Have Lower Body Weights

According to the new study, published last month in the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, mindfulness could play a large role in weight loss. Due to the evolutionary history of humans, the researchers conducting the study believe that the brain directs us to eat as much as we can. This is due to a deep concern that we may not know when we’ll be eating next. Because early humans exerted so much energy hunting, our brains are also designed to encourage rest when possible, which causes us to often feel averse to exercise. What this all boils down to, researchers say, is that we must mentally fight our basic instincts in order to eat healthier and exercise more. Mindfulness, living in the moment, and paying close attention to our bodies’ signals can help prevent becoming overweight.

To test this hypothesis, researchers studied 394 people with a median age of 47. These participants were given a survey known as the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, which contains 15 statements such as “I could be experiencing some emotion and not be conscious of it until some time later,” or “I forget a person’s name almost as soon as I’ve been told it for the first time.” Participants answered each statement using a number 1 through 6, where 1 means “almost always” and 6 means “almost never.” After the data was collected, researchers found that people who scored lowly on this test were 34 percent more likely to be obese, in addition to having an average of one pound more belly fat than those who scored highly.

How Can You Become More Mindful?

When it comes to your diet, you can increase your mindfulness by simply taking a moment to listen to your body before indulging in something like cake, candy or fast food. You’ll probably find that, many times, you do indeed want to eat the unhealthy food you’ve been presented. However, taking a second to ask yourself why you’re choosing to eat unhealthily may make you realize that you actually don’t want to consume the cake, candy, soda or whatever the poor diet choice may be. Just taking a brief moment to consider the impetus behind your impulses may go a long way towards helping you become more mindful, regardless of the outcome. And the more mindful you become, the better chances you’ll have of making the right decisions in the future.

The three main tenets of mindfulness are self awareness, emotion regulation and attention control. Improving these aspects may not only help you watch your waistline, but they could also positively affect personal relationships, decision-making, attitude and many other facets of your life. The path toward becoming more mindful can begin by simply starting to meditate every now and then.

Mindfulness: The Bottom Line

While this study was small, it simply makes sense that being more mindful would be linked to eating more healthily. Taking a moment before impulse eating to try controlling your behavior could go a long way toward eliminating the less healthy foods in your diet. Meditating and analyzing the reasons behind poor lifestyle choices could also set you on the path toward correcting them.

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The benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids have been widely discussed in the past decade. Consuming foods high in Omega-3, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, walnuts, flaxseed and soybeans, is thought to help prevent many different health conditions, such as arthritis, asthma, diabetes, eczema, depression, high blood pressure and osteoporosis. Omega-3 has even been shown to reduce breast cancer risk. But perhaps the most common belief about Omega-3 is that it’s good for the brain, helping to prevent Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline in general. This has caused fish oil supplements to become some of the most widely used supplements in the country. Unfortunately, most studies have only shown a correlation between taking fish oil supplements and having better health – not a cause and effect. Now, an actual clinical trial questions their benefits altogether.

Supplements Have No Cognitive Benefits

The new study, appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, examined the cognitive effects of Omega-3 supplements on over 3,500 test subjects who had an average age of 73. All of the participants were determined to be at risk for macular degeneration, an age-related condition that causes vision loss in older adults. Macular degeneration is known to increase the risk of cognitive decline. To start, the volunteers were given cognitive tests that evaluated their memory, attention and immediate recall. The same tests would be given two years later, then two years after that.

Test subjects were then randomly split into four groups. The first would take a lutein/zeaxanthin supplement, the second would take an Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplement, the third would take both, and the fourth would take a placebo. After the four years had transpired, researchers discovered that the people taking Omega-3 supplements had not gained any “statistically significant” cognitive benefits whatsoever.

Omega-3 In Your Diet is Still Worthwhile

Even though the results were disappointing, researchers were clear about one thing: only the supplements were found to be ineffective – not Omega-3 itself. It may still be very advantageous to consume a healthy diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. As mentioned before, foods such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, walnuts, flaxseed and soybeans are great sources of Omega-3 fatty acid. Other such foods include:

• Halibut
• Oysters
• Herring
• Sardines
• Trout
• Eggs
• Soy Milk
• Brussels Sprouts
• Kale
• Canola Oil
• Cod Liver Oil

Researchers also noted that age 73 may simply be too late for fish oil supplements to have an effect. It’s possible that younger people may still see some benefit from taking them.

Omega-3 Supplements: The Bottom Line

This certainly isn’t the first time a supplement has been called into question. The effectiveness of supplements are still largely up for debate, and some have even had a history of ethical problems such as mislabeling. This study in particular, however, shows that anybody who’s relying entirely on Omega-3 supplements to get the benefits of fish oils should probably just start eating the foods that contain them instead.

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It’s a situation almost everybody has found themselves in at one time or another: you have a stressful day at work, you go home, collapse on the couch, and reach for the ice cream. Or potato chips. Or cookies. You end up eating most – if not all – of the pint/bag/box. If you’re trying to maintain a healthy diet, you’ve just obliterated any chance of meeting your daily goal. This phenomenon, commonly referred to as “stress eating,” “emotional eating” or, more colloquially, “eating your feelings,” is a real issue that’s been fairly widely studied. Most studies have shown that the stress hormone cortisol is responsible for stress eating. However, a new study published in the journal Neuron suggests that the problem is actually quite a bit more complicated. It also suggests that stress can lead to an overall reduction in self-regulatory behavior, which can affect more than just food choices.

The Brain Prefers Immediate Rewards When Stressed

For the new study, researchers from the University of Zurich found 51 young adult males who reported to exercise regularly and eat healthy diets, but also reported to enjoy junk food at times. Women were not included in the study due to cortisol’s tendency to interact with estrogen, which makes the study more difficult for researchers to control. The men were asked to rate images of 180 different food items by taste, healthiness and overall appeal. Twenty-nine men were then selected randomly from the original group to undergo a three-minute “stress induction procedure,” which involved immersing one hand in an ice bath while being monitored and videotaped. Then, all of the men were put in fMRI scanners, which monitors blood flow changes in the brain. Saliva samples were also taken during the course of the study to measure cortisol levels.

All 51 study participants underwent a seven-minute decision trial, in which the men were asked to choose between pairs of foods they had rated earlier. It was found that those who underwent the stress induction were much more likely to choose foods that they had originally deemed tastier rather than a more healthy alternative. Researchers noted that stress seemed to amplify the desire for short-term rewards while simultaneously impairing the influence of a region of the brain that contributes to self-control. Basically, stress can affect the brain in such a way that it becomes more difficult to resist the temptations of your favorite unhealthy foods.

A Vicious Cycle

While this study sheds light on how and why stress eating occurs, most people are well aware of the basic principle that stress can lead to poor diet. But isn’t it also possible that poor diet can lead to stress? Unfortunately, yes. According to the Stress Management Society in the UK, foods that can aggravate stress or anxiety include:

• Sugar
• Coffee
• Tea
• Energy Drinks
• Butter and cheese
• Alcohol
• Soda and other soft drinks
• Fast food
• Shellfish
• Coconut oil
• Almonds, macadamias and other nuts

So, it’s important to remember that your diet can impact your stress levels just as much as your stress levels can impact your diet.

Stress Eating: The Bottom Line

So how can a person avoid the vicious cycle of stress eating? Well, the researchers for this new study recommend one simple tactic: don’t keep unhealthy foods in your house. If you know that you tend to grab sugary, fatty snacks after a long day at work, you’ll be far less likely to eat them if they simply aren’t in your vicinity. Avoiding stress eating in the workplace can be significantly more difficult, but one of the best overall strategies is to just try reducing stress in your life as much as possible.

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A varied diet consisting of nutritious food is key for living a long, healthy life. Some foods in particular are well-known for promoting longevity due to their ability to help the body prevent disease, maintain a healthy weight, and improve overall health. For example, eating foods high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon and other fish have has been widely associated with a longer lifespan. Other foods such as blueberries and green tea have been known to promote a longer life due to the antioxidants they contain. The probiotics in yogurt could also help a person live longer, as could just about any food that’s been known to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.

According to a new study appearing in the International Journal of Epidemiology, we can now add one more potential superfood to the list: nuts. The study shows that nuts could reduce the risk of mortality caused by cancer, heart disease, stroke, brain diseases and respiratory diseases.

Over 120,000 People Studied

Researchers at Maastricht University in the Netherlands used data from the massive Netherlands Cohort Study to track the dietary habits of more than 120,000 people over a period of 10 years. Analyzed in the study were different types of tree nuts, peanut butter and peanuts, which are technically legumes but share many of the same properties as nuts in terms of fiber, vitamin, antioxidant and fatty acid content. Overall, it was found that people who ate nuts regularly were 23 percent less likely to die from diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke and others. The results were even more promising for Alzheimer’s: according to the study, people who ate at least 10 grams of nuts per day reduced their risk of developing a neurodegenerative disease by 45 percent.

It’s important to note that there was no direct correlation between the amount of nuts eaten and the percentage of reduction in risk. In other words, eating more nuts does not guarantee more health benefits. Instead, researchers stated that about half a handful per day was the most effective amount. Also, peanut butter was not found to provide any health benefits, probably due to its sugar, fat and salt content.

Not Everybody’s Buying It

While researchers controlled for many different health effects, some believe that the study simply shows how nut consumption is a marker of an overall healthy diet. Indeed, people who regularly ate the small amount of nuts deemed most beneficial also tended to eat more vegetables, avoid smoking, have lower blood pressure, and maintain a lower body weight. Combine this with the fact that there’s a relatively low upper limit on the amount you should eat each day, and it’s definitely not time to call nuts a “life-extending superfood” just yet.

Eating Nuts: The Bottom Line

According to this study, eating nuts in small amounts could go a surprisingly long way toward preventing death caused by many different potential diseases. However, this doesn’t mean that you should rush out, buy nuts in bulk, and start eating a bowl full of them every day. Instead, it’s more likely that the study simply reenforces the notion that a diet including foods rich in vitamins, fiber, antioxidants and unsaturated fatty acids provides health benefits that promote a longer life.

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Over the years, there have been many foods that the scientific community considers healthy, only to later claim that they’re detrimental or have no effect. Interestingly, many of these foods fall into the dairy food group, the most notorious of which is eggs. For years, it seemed as though a new study would be published every couple of months that would reverse the existing notion of whether or not eggs could be considered healthy. Just three months ago, the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans was released, which contained a controversial lifting of cholesterol regulations that essentially means eggs can be considered generally healthy again. A similar problem exists with milk, which, despite being considered essential, has been found by some studies to actually be bad for you. Now, the health benefits of another exalted product, yogurt, are being called into question.

Study Finds No Benefits of Yogurt Consumption

The new study, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, involved an analysis of the health data for 4,445 adults. Each study participant had their yogurt consumption tracked for an average of 3.5 years. In a find that contradicts previous studies as well as the prevailing general attitude towards yogurt, researchers concluded that people who ate yogurt were not significantly more healthy than anyone else. This was true in both physical and mental health categories. Even people who had no other risk factors such as chronic illness, smoking or poor diet showed any significant health benefits caused by regularly eating yogurt.

This study could be cause to re-evaluate dairy industry claims about the health benefits of yogurt. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is responsible for reviewing food industry claims, and if they find that yogurt does not actually provide some of the benefits professed by the dairy industry, they may choose prevent those claims from being made commercially.

Other Studies Disagree

Despite the results of this study, there’s plenty of other research out there that touts the potential health benefits of yogurt. Other studies have concluded that a diet including yogurt can:

• Lower the risk of hypertension
• Slow down weight gain
• Lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes
• Protect children against toxic chemicals
• Benefit pregnant women and their fetuses

Yogurt has also been known to act as a beneficial probiotic, which can help in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease and yeast infections.

Benefits of Yogurt: The Bottom Line

Yogurt may not be as beneficial as we think; however, that’s really no reason to stop eating it. After all, this study didn’t find that there’s necessarily anything harmful about consuming yogurt on a regular basis. Perhaps one of the best ways to get as much out of yogurt as possible is to eat unsweetened yogurt with fruit and berries instead of adding sugar to it.

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Going on a diet doesn’t necessarily require having a specific, regimented eating plan that’s devised by a health professional – but it can help. Every year, thousands of Americans enter into programs like Weight Watchers in order to take out some of the planning and guesswork involved in losing weight. Many people also try plans often described as “fad” diets such as the Atkins and South Beach diets. Unfortunately, not all of these diet plans are equally effective for everybody. How can you know which diet will work best for you?

Back in January, U.S. News & World Report ranked many different diet plans in terms of effectiveness for weight loss, heart health, diabetes prevention, and several other factors. Now, another study dealing with commercial diet plans has been published in an attempt to help dieters decide.

Jenny Craig Comes Out On Top

The new study, appearing this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine, involved a meta-analysis of 4,212 previous studies that assessed the effectiveness of various diet plans. Interestingly, it was found that only 45 of these studies met the “gold scientific standard.” This means that the majority of studies conducted regarding diet plans have not randomly assigned test subjects to different programs and tracked their weight over time. In other words, most of the studies have not been conducted in a way that’s proven to be useful for gleaning valuable information and helping consumers make smart choices.

Nevertheless, researchers used the studies to rank the effectiveness of 11 commercial diet plans. Overall, it was found that Jenny Craig users lost 4.9 percent more weight after 12 months than a control group made up of people that only received dietary education. Weight Watchers users lost 2.6 percent more weight than the control group. Despite it being the most effective, only 13 percent of the $2.5 billion spent on weight loss programs in America goes to Jenny Craig. Forty-five percent of that money goes to Weight Watchers, which could be due to its relatively lower cost.

Other commercial programs such as Nutrisystem saw users making small gains, but nothing near as significant as the top performers. Diet plans from Medifast and Optifast delivered great results initially, but users ended up gaining much of the weight back at the end of 12 months. One program called Health Management Resources saw users lose 13.2 percent more weight than the control group, but they also suffered serious side effects such as constipation and gallstones.

Should Doctors Treat Obesity With Commercial Diet Plans?

In an editorial accompanying the study, researchers argue that diet plans such as Weight Watchers could be more effective for treating obesity than the prepackaged meals, supplements or behavioral therapy that are often relied on. It makes sense, as the number of people with obesity is continually going up and the number of doctors who actually have weight loss training isn’t necessarily as high as you’d think. In fact, some states are already referring Medicaid patients to Weight Watchers.

Diet Plans: The Bottom Line

The first thing that this study tells us is that more dedicated research needs to be done before diet plans can be definitively ranked. Also, the study only examined commercial diet plans, so it might be possible that a vegetarian diet or Mediterranean diet could be just as effective – if not moreso – than Jenny Craig. Either way, those who are looking to start a weight loss program can rest easy knowing that Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers have been at least fairly effective for many people.

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When it comes to the health of children in America, it seems as though there hasn’t been much good news lately. According to the CDC, around 12.7 million children aged 2 to 19 were obese in 2012. Research from last year indicates that overweight children as young as preschool age may already exhibit risk factors for diabetes and heart disease, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure and elevated blood sugar. As recently as this week, it was reported that the vast majority of parents don’t recognize when their child is overweight or obese. Although that study occurred in the UK, it’s likely that similar trends could be occuring in America.

It’s common knowledge that low-quality food, especially pizza, plays a role in childhood obesity. Luckily, a new study provides a break from the bad news: kids are eating less fast food.

Calories Consumed Trends Downward

The new research, appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, used data collected in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to assess the fast food eating habits of children in the U.S. Overall, it was found that the average amount of fast food calories consumed by children aged 4 to 19 fell by 110 between 2003 and 2010. The percentage of children who eat at a fast food restaurant on any given day dropped from 39 percent to 33 percent during the same timeframe. Calories consumed from chicken, pizza and burger fast food restaurants were down, while sandwich and Mexican fast food places saw a steady amount of consumption.

Researchers state that the findings echo similar eating trends that have been observed in adults. However, it’s unclear at this time whether the downturn is due to consumers making more informed choices or to fast food restaurants cutting calories and offering smaller portion sizes. Researchers did find that people have generally been eating less during each sitting, which means that fast food menu changes could be having more of an effect than previously thought.

Good News With Some Caveats

Of course, just because kids are eating less fast food doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re any healthier. The study did not acknowledge the quality of the calories that were eaten, meaning that children could still end up suffering plenty of negative health effects from fast food despite eating less of it overall. Indeed, researchers pointed out that a decrease in calorie consumption would not be cause for celebration if kids were still getting high levels of sodium, refined grains and added sugar. If kids are replacing the lost fast food calories with even unhealthier snacks, they might actually end up worse off.

Children and Fast Food: The Bottom Line

Decreasing the amount of fast food your child eats is essential for allowing them to maintain a healthy weight. Also, too much fast food has been linked to poorer grades. While the decrease seen over the past few years is good news, parents must make sure that children aren’t replacing those calories with foods that are just as bad.

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Everybody knows that maintaining good dental health is a cornerstone of living a healthy and fit lifestyle. At the same time, dental problems are some of the most prevalent health issues faced by Americans. According to the national institute of dental and Craniofacial Research, tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in children. It’s seven times more common than hay fever and five times more common than asthma. The majority of adults in the U.S. also show signs of gingival or periodontal diseases.

Oral health has also been linked to disease prevention in other areas. For example, some research has shown that having periodontal disease could raise the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. But aside from the obvious brushing and flossing, what can be done to maintain dental health? You should avoid:

1. Chewing On Ice

Chewing on ice is a habit that many people find pleasurable, especially on a hot day. Unfortunately, teeth are not properly equipped to chomp down on materials as hard as ice, meaning that cracking, chipping and even fractures are likely to occur with regular ice chewing. Even if no direct damage is sustained, chewing on ice can still cause enamel to wear down and can make teeth more vulnerable to decay.

2. Grinding Teeth

Grinding your teeth, also known as bruxism, is an often stress-related habit that can lead to loosening, fracturing and even loss of teeth. Unfortunately, many people are unaware that they grind their teeth because the grinding often occurs during sleep. If you consistently wake up with a sore jaw or dull headache, you may need to contact a dentist to examine your teeth and recommend treatment options if evidence of bruxism is found.

3. Too Much Sugar

Out of all the bad dental habits on this list, sugar consumption may be the most obvious – and also the most ignored. Simply put, sugar is wreaking havoc on our health. Consuming too much candy, soda and sports drinks is leading to high tooth decay levels around the world, yet their consumption levels do not appear to be decreasing significantly. If you’re at all worried about protecting your teeth, limit your sugar intake. Instead of soda and sports drinks, simply choose water.

4. Sticky and Starchy Food

Sticky foods like dried fruit and gummy candy, as well as starchy foods like potato chips, are notorious for lodging themselves in-between your teeth. A simple brushing might not get rid of these types of food – flossing is necessary to prevent the plaque buildup that can occur from leaving these foods in your teeth.

5. Coffee and Wine

Coffee and wine are notorious teeth stainers. Studies have shown that coffee stains can be the most difficult type of stain to get rid of, and simple brushing doesn’t do a whole lot to combat them. Stains are not just a cosmetic problem either – very heavy coffee stains can cause teeth to be overly sticky and more apt to attract bacteria and food particles. Not to mention, these stains can lead to…

6. Overuse of Harsh Whiteners

Whiteners should be used only as directed, and their overuse can lead to serious oral pain and discomfort. To ensure that your teeth are whitened safely and correctly, it’s best to see a dentist.

7. Using Your Teeth as a Tool

It’s something we’ve probably all done, but using your teeth to rip open a difficult plastic bag or open a stubborn bottle can cause your teeth to chip, crack or otherwise weaken. Simply make sure you have scissors, twist-jar openers, and any other tools handy (especially in the kitchen) to prevent you from resorting to using your teeth.

8. Playing Sports Without Mouth Protection

The stereotype of the hockey player who’s missing teeth came about for a reason: contact sports can lead to serious oral injuries. One of the most potentially hazardous dental habits is to participate in football, cycling, hockey, skating or other possibly dangerous activity without using a helmet or mouth guard. According to Colgate, mouth guards prevent around 200,000 mouth injuries to football players each year.

9. Chewing on Pens or Pencils

Chewing on your pen is a nervous habit that can not only lead to illness, but can also cause your teeth to weaken or become loose. To break this habit, try popping in a piece of sugar-free gum any time you get the urge to chew on your writing utensil.

10. Biting Your Nails

Similarly to chewing on pens and pencils, nail-biting is a habit that can lead to minor infections, worn tooth enamel, and tooth misalignment. The habit is notoriously hard to break, though, and some estimate that as many as 10 to 20 percent of adults in the U.S. are nail-biters. However, special nail polishes can go a long way toward curing a nail-biting habit.

11. Smoking

The effects of smoking on teeth are well-known. Smoking can cause discoloration, bad breath, jaw bone loss, increased plaque buildup, increased risk of gum disease, and increased risk of oral cancer.

12. Brushing Too Hard

Bad dental habits can actually occur while trying to clean your teeth. The ADA usually recommends soft-brush toothbrushes, as bristles that are too stiff can end up damaging tooth enamel. Brushing too soon after an acidic meal can also cause some enamel to break down – give your teeth about 30 minutes to allow saliva to rinse acid away before brushing. Also, avoid brushing more than three times per day.

13. Using a Toothpick

Trying to remove food that’s stuck between your teeth is a noble goal, but products such as floss or interdental brushes are less likely to damage your gums. If you must use a toothpick, do it gently.

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