That's Fit

Kinoki Detox Foot Pads claim to remove your cellulite through a pad you tape to the bottom of your foot while you sleep. When you awaken, it will be covered with icky brown junk -- these are the toxins your body needs to eliminate (apparently in the same way a tree eliminates toxins through its roots). In addition to removing cellulite, they are supposed to cure headaches, depression, and insomnia by helping your body detox through "Kinoki's Natural Power of Nature."

I'm not convinced. Not at all.

While there might be some merit in the ancient Japanese (or Chinese, depending on whether you're watching the infomercial or reading the website) secrets upon which these are based, they're not going to remove cellulite. This is one product I won't be spending my hard-earned cash on -- I'd rather use it toward a new set of running shoes or a healthy meal, both of which are more likely to yield real results.

12 "healthy" foods that really aren't:

Why? Click to find out!

After several reported deaths and illnesses, the blood-thinner heparin was recalled and has been under intense FDA scrutiny for several months. Federal drug regulators revealed this week that they have found the contaminant in the medication. An inexpensive and unapproved ingredient was included in the medication; it eluded detection until recently because the ingredient mimics the proper component.

At this point federal officials are not certain if the contaminant (an altered form of chondroitin sulfate) was introduced accidentally or if it was included intentionally. The contaminated heparin was sourced in China; traders and producers there say that the chondroitin sulfate is significantly cheaper than heparin -- as little as 1/20 the cost of heparin.

Americans eat out on average four to five times per week, says a survey conducted in 2000. Once a special treat, going out to eat is now routine, which makes it more important than ever that we're careful about what we consume. Keep these guidelines in mind when enjoying your favorite cuisines.

Italian

• Don't go overboard on portions that come with the names pesto, creamy tomato, alfredo, carbonera, pancetta, sausage, pepperoni, parmigiana, stuffed, or frito -- this means fried.
• Cut down on your servings of pasta dishes stuffed with cheese, like manicotti and lasagna. Instead choose noodles with a sprinkling of cheese.
  

Chinese

• Watch out for sauces. They are generally low in fat but high in sodium or sugar. Examples are: Black bean, hoisin, oyster, plum, and sweet and sour.
• Steer away from the words fried, crispy, or golden brown. It means the food has been battered and fried. Think egg rolls, egg foo young, spring rolls, pot stickers, won tons, and sesame noodles and you'll know what I mean.
• Beware of MSG (monosodium glutamate), a flavor enhancer that may come with sensitivity issues. Ask for your food to be prepared without this additive.
  

Japanese

• Minimize your sodium intake by passing on some of these: Miso, soy sauce, and teriaki. Try balancing these items with a lot of fruits, veggies, and water.
• Be mindful of the amount of cream cheese, avocado, and fried foods that are packed into your sushi rolls.
  

Mexican

• Choose your sides wisely. Most Mexican meals automatically come with chips, beans, rice, and tortillas. Forgo some and pick only what you really love.
• Order a side salad instead of either rice or beans for added nutrition and fiber.
• Take black or pinto beans over the refried variety -- these are higher in fat and some restaurants still use lard when preparing them.
• Use salsa and pico de gallo -- they are loaded with nutrients -- to add flavor without adding fat.
  

With Super Bowl Sunday only two days away, I'm sure the corporate execs at Domino's, Papa John's, and Pizza Hut are hoping for the usual delivery madness. Inasmuch as these pizza giants rule the delivery game on Super Sunday, plenty of folks may want to keep their diets in check by eating something healthier. A popular solution may be Chinese food; you still get the convenience of having it delivered, but you don't have to worry about all those calories. Or do you?

A new report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) reveals that Chinese food is ... well, suffice it to say not much better for you than the pizza!! That's because most Chinese food entrees contain between 1,000 and 1,500 calories -- and that's without taking rice, crispy noodles, and other extras into account. Not to mention that fact that some dishes were found to contain two days' worth of sodium.

But, if you're still bent on ordering Chinese food, ask for your sauces to be kept on the side, avoid deep-fried foods altogether, and keep the serving sizes small. To find out which Chinese dishes truly are healthy choices, visit www.dietdetective.com and do a little food sleuthing.

It looks like China is using Mattel's apology to reinforce the feeling around the world that Chinese exports are generally safe. While I applaud the effort, it's hard to see how China sees exports as being safe.

While trust may change on that topic after a period of time without some kind of product recall, the fact is that too many recalls have come out of that country in the last year. Albeit, these were from American firms many of the time, but the actual product maker or producer was a Chinese company or firm.

Are both American companies and Chinese exporters to blame here? You bet -- and it will take a while for the trust level to be built back up in countries around the world.

Chinese food isn't exactly known for being healthy -- at least, the Western translation of it isn't -- but it appears as if strides are being taken to make it more waistline-friendly, and they're starting with a sweet treat: Traditional mooncakes.

Made with sugar-infused lotus-bean paste and duck eggs, mooncakes are a traditional pastry given and eaten at Autumn Feast in China each year. But at 975 calories and 46 grams of fat, they're far from a healthy choice. So forward-thinking bakers are coming up with healthier versions -- including a diabetic-friendly one that uses a sugar substitute. Others are filling the pastry with fruit and yogurt, and some are cutting our refined white sugar and flour. You can even find organic mooncakes. But while these versions might sound healthier, they'll pack a calorie wallop no matter what and should be consumed in moderation.

What do you think -- is calorie-cutting a positive global initiative?

Kids are not often kind. From what I remember of grade school, my fellow students (and I was probably involved too) could come up with pretty much anything to pick on other kids. Almost nobody was safe, and from what I remember of the times I was on the receiving end of a nasty comment, it wasn't fun. The fact that I still remember specific incidents that happened ages ago says a lot.

For this reason, while I think that parents have the right to pick unique names for their children, there is such a thing as going to far because if you give your kids a wacky name, you're giving all the other kids in school way too much to work with. Nasty days on the playground are the first thing that came to mind when I saw this article about a couple in China that want to name their child the "@" symbol.

As the Chinese alphabet is made up of symbols, I suppose it may be less strange there than it would be in North America. The article also explains that the name would be pronounced "Love Him", which is kind of sweet but sweet isn't going to get the kid anywhere when he's 9 and is hearing some mean rhyme about his name for the thousandth time.

What do you think, should parent's be allowed to name their children whatever they like? What's the craziest baby name you've ever heard?

At the office the other day I was talking with a co-worker about the kind of crap I used to eat at the mall when I was a teenager. Cinnabuns with extra icing (the entire bun) and poutine (a French-Canadian specialty that consists of fries covered in cheese and gravy -- trust me, don't knock it until you tried it because it's indescribably delicious) were always the order of the day. I finished my end of the chat with the statement "no wonder I was so chubby in Jr. High".

I tend to avoid mall food altogether now but when I do need to grab a bite from the food court, I skip the fries and sugary stuff and stick to the healthy options that are available. These days there's way more variety with wraps, soups, sandwiches, salads and more on offer at most shopping centers.

As this article points out, lots different cultures are represented these days including Mexican, Greek, Italian, Chinese and Japanese. If you're willing to skip the fried stuff, ask for dressing on the side, opt for whole-wheat rather than white bread and avoid extra sauces like mayo and ketchup, you can cut calories while still consuming healthy veggies and protein. For ideas on the best items to order at the food fair, take a look here.

Hot on the heels of my Goji Juice post, I saw this one on Kombucha Tea on Fitsugar. It's been called a 'miracle cure-all', and call me a skeptic, but once something has been touted as miracle cure-all, I'm pretty convinced it's a scam.

So just what is this tea? It's a fermented drink, made of a combination of bacteria and yeast. Mmmmm, sounds delicious. It's been popular in China since the 200s BC, and though it's popular with people the world over, including celebrities, it's supposed 'benefits' haven't been confirmed. That's not to say it's not effective -- many people report increased energy -- but I have issues with companies that claim their product is a miracle cure-all when they have no scientific evidence to back it up. But I suppose a slogan along the lines of 'A few people say it makes them feel great!' isn't nearly as effective.

Have you tried it?

Fact: Japanese people have the highest life expectancy in the world. The Chinese aren't far behind them. Why is that? There have been a number of investigations into their longevity, and it's thought that a low-fat diet high in fish and antioxidant-rich vegetables -- plus a lifestyle that includes few car rides and plenty of walking in its place -- is what sets them apart from the rest of the world. If you want to read more on this, check this out.

For us North Americans, it would be pretty hard to eat like someone would in Japan. After all, fish is expensive and often not fresh in landlocked areas, things like processed beef, dairy and bread are abundant, and walking often isn't an option in our car-dependent sprawl. But the goal here is taking a small step, so why not try to eat Asian 2 or 3 times a week? Try things like sushi, miso soup, a vegetable stir-fry. As long as it's not battered and deep fried, it's probably pretty healthy.

With cigarette sales slumping and entire cities declaring smoking bans, tobacco farmers have seen a drop in demand for their product. Add an influx of imported, cheaper grades of tobacco coming from China, Brazil and Zimbabwe, and the farmers started hitting hard times.

The federal government in Canada decided to provide help to this troubled industry. They offered an incentive to the farmers to switch to other types of crops.

Over the past few years, tobacco farmers have been taking them up on the offer. The $67-million aid package helped them move away from tobacco and to a range of healthier crops - ginseng, lavender, hemp, asparagus, sweet corn, strawberries and cucumbers.