AAI Q and A: Low Carb Diet, Allergies and the Double Down

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Dear AAI: I have been trying a low carbohydrate diet, but have been told eating no carbohydrates could affect my memory, is this true?  

Dear Reader: Unfortunately, it is. In one study conducted about a diet low in carbohydrates, the results found that people who cut out bread performed worse on memory tests than did people who just cut calories. But, when carbohydrates were added back to their diet, scores on the memory test were brought back to normal. Your brain needs glucose to function properly, so make sure to eat those carbohydrates!

Dear AAI: Now that it is spring, my allergies are going crazy! Is there a food out there to help alleviate all of the sneezing?  

Dear Reader: Lucky for you, there is! A compound in broccoli sprouts was found to help ease asthma and allergies. People who ate broccoli sprouts for three days had up to three times as many antioxidant enzymes in their nasal cells. The enzyme in the nasal cells detoxifies air pollutants that damage airways that lead to allergies and asthma. For the biggest dose of the enzyme; eat broccoli, broccoli sprouts, and cauliflower raw.

Dear AAI: If I just had to pick four vegetables to eat, what are the four top powerhouses?  

Dear Reader: All vegetables offer nutrients, but four that come out on top include: sweet potatoes (with the skin), kale, Swiss chard, and red bell peppers. One sweet potato offers 10% of the DRI (Daily Reference Intake) of potassium, a 1 ½ cup of Swiss chard offers 100& of the DRI for vitamin A, one red bell pepper contains 250% DRI for vitamin C, and one cup of cooked kale contains more than 10 times the DRI of vitamin K.

Dear AAI: Lately I have been losing inches but not losing pounds; what gives?  

Dear Reader: Congratulations on the loss! If the scale doesn’t budge, but your clothes are looser, that is not a bad thing. It means you are replacing flab with muscle, which is denser and takes up less space. So while it may seem that your weight doesn’t change, or goes up, be patient. Muscle burns calories even when you are at rest, so give it a little bit more time and you will likely see a loss of both inches and pounds.

Dear AAI: I recently heard about a new sandwich at KFC called the double down, what is in this new sandwich?  

Dear Reader: The new double down will be launched April 12th and contains grilled cheese and bacon surrounded by fried chicken. Yes, you read that correct, fried chicken has replaced the bread. I would advise to steer clear; unless you hate your arteries.