For Athletes, the Time of an Event Can Affect Performance– It makes perfect sense to me that we are not at peak performance if it is outside of our normal routine with working out, sleeping, and eating. In this study they also find an athlete can start working on tweaking their “circadian clocks” in order to help prepare of an event.  “Now British researchers are reporting that something completely legal and much less damaging to the body can dwarf the effects of drugs like EPO or testosterone. What really matters, they say, is whether the time of an event is in sync with an athlete’s body clock.”

The Selling of The Avocado– Ok I really enjoyed this one. First I love business. I am a merchandiser for a living, so I know the importance of having the right item, at the right price, for the right market. Marketing and PR play a huge role in an items success. This article is all about how the avocado or “alligator pear” as it was originally called gained popularity due to how it was marketed. The second reason I love this article, well I love avocados. Who does not want to know more about their history? “The story of how avocados went from being an obscure West-Coast cash crop to the juggernaut of the Midwestern produce section is one of extreme feats of marketing and major shifts in ideas about nutrition. It is a story of a desperate renaming, a PR Hail-Mary, and of the changing nature of the Super Bowl.”

It’s All Bullshit– I like this guy. What he states is very matter a fact, no sympathy and just says it like it is. He also happens to be right in my opinion. “The fitness industry loves extremes – going to the extremes sells shit really well. But try being honest, telling people it’ll be at least 16 weeks of dedicated eating and training before they’ll see any drastic changes, and they’ll head somewhere else. This is a lifestyle you need to buy into long-term to see results. If you don’t make a habit of it, the weight loss will revert to weight gain as soon as your motivation falls off.’

A Possible Treatment for Peanut Allergies– I am luck to not have any food allergies, but for my friends who do it is not always easy. Food allergies in children are increasing so I love how research is finding ways to potentially help those who have them. “Using a mix of peanut protein and bacteria found in yogurt, pediatric immunologists from Murdoch Childrens Research Institute temporarily treated 80 percent of their allergy-stricken patients, they reported this month in theJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.”

How Weight Training Can Help You Keep The Weight Off– Maybe because of my personal connection of having lost weight and having to maintain it, I found the research in this article interesting and pretty spot on at least from my experience. “Over all, the data suggest that exercise — and, in particular, weight training — after weight loss prompts people to move more throughout the day. As a result, they burn more calories and, with some discipline about food intake, should stave off weight regain.”

Photo from Huff Post