Feeling the January chill? Well, being cold isn't all bad. Scientists have found that exposing yourself to cold temperatures regularly could speed up weight loss. It turns out there just might really be a way to burn calories more efficiently without slaving away at the gym or (god forbid) turning down dessert. The trick barely takes any effort: Just step outdoors or lower your thermostat, and you could be golden — if the newest research from the Center for Integrative Metabolic and Endocrine Research at the Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan, checks out. To get how all this works, you need to know a bit about fat: When you eat more calories than you burn, your body stores the leftovers as white or brown fat, explains James Granneman, Ph.D., a scientist at Wayne State University who co-authored the new research. White fat can accumulate in your ti...
What's lurking in YOUR salad? Experts warn prewashed spinach still contains 90% of its bacteria and can cause food poisoning
Health experts have warned against eating pre-washed spinach. They say commercial washing techniques fails to remove 90% of the bacteria. Small peaks and valleys in baby spinach leaves could be a key reason why there have been numerous bacterial outbreaks involving leafy green vegetables, they say. Greens are washed by commercial processes before they head to the grocery store. But these methods, which can include water and bleach rinses or irradiation, are not completely effective, says Nichola Kinsinger of the University of California. She says scientists have estimated that 99 percent of food-borne illnesses from leafy greens can be traced back to disinfection issues. 'In a sense the leaf is protecting the bacteria and allowing it to spread,' said Nichola Kinsinger, a post-doctoral researcher working with Sharon Walker, a professor of chemical and environmental engineering. 'It was surprising to discover how the leaf surface formed micro-environments t...
