Chicken not a risk-free protein option
When it comes to keeping your lousy LDL cholesterol in check, chicken may not be a risk-free choice. Recent research found that you should be mindful of the amount and type of red and white meat you consume. A study of 113 people revealed that those who ate meat — even skinless, lean poultry — had a higher level of lousy cholesterol than people who eschewed meat.
But that doesn’t mean you might as well eat steak! Red meat contains much higher levels of inflammation-causing proteins, mainly carnitine, than chicken. For example, 4 ounces of beefsteak has up to 162 milligrams of carnitine; 4 ounces of chicken breast has 5 milligrams. When your gut bacteria, and subsequently your body, process these proteins they create trimethylamine oxide (TMAO), which is linked to kidney dysfunction, increased risk of stroke and heart attack, impotence, cancer and memory dysfunction.
So skip red/processed meats and, if you eat animal proteins, stick with skinless, lean poultry as a side dish, and enjoy sea trout and salmon.
Fat-shaming just makes kids gain weight
In the 2018 film “Dumplin’,” Rosie (Jennifer Aniston) is a former beauty queen and mother of a teen nicknamed Dumplin’ (Danielle Macdonald), a toxic label Mom gave her as a child because she was heavyset. Now, in school and at home, the only thing anyone seems to notice about Willowdean (her real name) is the extra pounds she still carries. That is until, in an act of courage, Willowdean shocks her world by enrolling in the local beauty pageant. All of the bullies (including her mother) are left stunned by her talent.
Unfortunately, such a tale of fierce victory isn’t often the case for young people dealing with fat-shaming. A study in Pediatric Obesity followed over 100 kids around age 12 for more than eight years. The researchers found that overweight kids who are ridiculed/teased end up packing on more pounds — a 33 percent greater gain in BMI and a 91 percent greater gain in fat mass annually — than overweight peers who reported no fat-shaming!
Let your child know that bullying is never OK and to report it! Then lead by example: Make buying and cooking healthful foods family fun time; do physical activities together daily. Build healthy habits over time, and your child will find strength and happiness in discovering new skills and interests and healthiness.
Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare. com.