Chewing gum might help you remember names, whiten your teeth, relieve your stress, and make you thinner. What? Yep, the sticky stuff holds so much promise as a health food that the Wrigley Company last year formed the Wrigley Science Institute to fund gum studies around the world. Is it that good, really? Seems it could be.

In one 2002 study, gum-chewers performed better than non-chewers on memory tests. The act of chewing gum apparently causes your heart to pump more blood to your brain, which results in more oxygen.

Another study, this one in 2006, suggests chewing gum results in less snacking and fewer calories consumed throughout the day. It might minimize cravings for sweets too.

Don't get your hopes up too high just yet -- research is still in the early stages and sometimes different studies turn up different results -- but try a stick or two a day and see what gum does for you. At the very least, it should help you fight cavities and bad breath. Just make it sugar-free and remember that chewing gum will never be a suitable replacement for good nutrition and exercise.

Source

Most of the gum available on the market today is made from synthetic materials, and, while that isn't necessarily a problem for many of us, it might be a bit disconcerting for folks who strive to eat as naturally as possible.

Glee Gum is one of the few chewing gums available made from chicle, the original source of gum. The use of chicle in chewing gum goes back to the late 1800s, but aside from being historically interesting, this natural gum has another benefit -- chicle is still a very important part of the economy in many rainforest areas. It's harvested by cutting into trees just deep enough to release the sap, but not so far as to cause any permanent damage to the trees, allowing these parts of the rainforest to be profitable without being cut down.

This gum is made from all natural ingredients and comes in a variety of flavors -- in fact, there's even a "Make Your Own Gum" option, which could be a fun project to do with your kids. Glee Gum contains no artificial preservatives, flavors, colors, or sweeteners, so if you want to chew on something you can feel good about, this might be just the thing!

Source

I hate a growling stomach. Well, my own growling stomach, anyway. Other people's grumbling bellies don't bother me at all. When it's mine, though, I want it to stop. Real Simple magazine (August 2008) offers two tips for people like me who wish to silence the screams.

• Eat. Our stomachs are constantly churning, and they churn more when hungry.
• Don't chew gum -- swallowing air only exacerbates the sound.
  
  

And here's my two cents: Carry around portable, healthy snacks wherever you go so you can buy some time between grumblings and mealtimes. Try some popcorn, whole wheat crackers, or a handful of nuts.

Source

Have no fear. Swallowing gum won't muck up your insides. It passes through the digestive system just like everything else you eat. It's digested like celery and other roughage, which is pretty much not at all. Still, it makes its way through and won't stick around any longer than normal. Gum can be a choking hazard, however, so keep it away from kids five and under.

Don't worry about your knuckles either. Cracking them won't damage your joints. Here's what happens when you hear that crack, snap, and pop: Each joint is lubricated by a gummy substance that absorbs air and creates a vacuum. When you pull, the seal breaks and gas bubbles pop. In 20 minutes, the vacuum re-seals.

One more: Drinking coffee. Is it a vice? Nope. Unless you are pregnant, there's almost never a health reason for adults to give up their coffee habits. Some studies show that drinking coffee can better your health -- one study of a bunch of nurses suggests two cups of coffee per day lowers the risk of women developing diabetes.

Got a "bad" habit you suspect isn't all that bad? Tell us what it is and we'll investigate.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens, April 2008

Source

Fitzness Fiends is a section devoted to you, the reader! We all have learned so much on our path to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other! Fitzness Fiends are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect, some are not. All have health on the mind. Please send Fitz your answers to these questions with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: Alexandra Harris

Age: 51

Occupation: Life Coach

How often do you exercise? I eat seven days a week, and I exercise seven days a week!

What type of exercise do you do? Power walking, light weight training (for muscle tone), and yoga (for balance, flexibility, and occasionally turning my organs upside down). I think there's something really healthy about moving your organs around!

Source

I love flying but one aspect I don't like the effect it has on my ears. I'm really sensitive to pressure changes, you see, and sometimes the pressure in my ears caused by the altitude change is uncomfortable. If you have the same problems, consider these suggestions:

• Chew gum. Yes, it's the most common suggestion, because it works. If you don't like gum, suck on a candy, sip some water or eat something.
  
• Swallow and yawn, often.
  
• Close your mouth, plug your nose and gently blow through your nose. Gently is the key here -- blow too hard and you can bust an ear drum. Also, don't do this one if you have a head cold.
  
• If you do have a head cold, take a decongestant.
  
• Place a warm, damp towel over your ears. You know, the kind the flight attendants give out to first class. Don't be afraid to ask for one.
  
• Got a baby travelling with you? Try to have them suck on a pacifier during take off and landing.
  

Have any tips of your own? Please share.

Source

So low brow, I know. But my sister sent her fabulous fitness trainer counterpart (me) this ridiculous photo today and I had to share it with you. I suppose, bubblegum could be bad for more than just your teeth!

I've never looked at the stability ball this way before, but I promise I will never look at it any other way again!

Source

Dieting? Hungry? Those two seem to go hand in hand. After all, diets are all about deprivation, right? Wrong. You don't have to be hungry when you diet. You just need to be smart about how you're eating. If you're hungry and trying to lose weight, here are some things to munch on from WebMD:

• Protein. It really is best for curbing hunger and keeping you full for a long time.
  
• Fiber. Fiber slows down the rate at which food gets processed in your body, which means it will fill you up and keep you full.
  
• Nuts. nuts add protein to your diet and they're a good source of healthy fat too.
  
• Exercise. If you get some activity in when you're hungry, you'll curb your appetite. Try it -- it works!
• Keep your hands busy. Eat something that requires some work -- think edamame or nuts in the shell. It will help distract you while you eat.
  
• Taste something. Sometimes pleasing your tastebuds will alleviate hungry. Try some herbal tea, a mint or some gum.
  

What do you reach for when hunger strikes?

Source

Bulimia nervosa, like anorexia nervosa, is an eating disorder that centers around control. One of the most common eating disorders, bulimia is characterized by consuming large amounts of food and then ridding the stomach of its contents by way of vomiting, over-exercising, or use of laxatives.

Eating to excess (called the "binge") is comforting to bulimics. But eating too much causes them to feel out of control. They also feel guilt, shame, and a fear of weight gain which causes them to "purge." This "binge and purge" cycle is extremely dangerous and can lead to serious and long-term health problems, like tooth decay, gum disease, loss of tooth enamel, osteoporosis, kidney damage, heart problems, and even death.

Because bulimia is harder to recognize than anorexia -- the symptoms are more subtle and bulimics are not always thin -- awareness is critical. Please consider these symptoms and physical effects of bulimia.

Source

Halloween can be the demise of your best-laid dieting plans, but it doesn't have to be. Glee magazine has out together a list of Halloween treats that won't ruin your diet -- as long as you practice moderation. Here are some tips:

• Buy a kind of candy that you aren't overly crazy about. Don't buy your favourite, or you'll have a devil of a time resisting.
  
• If you choose chocolate, try to find dark chocolate -- it's better for you than milk chocolate.
  
• Consider giving gum -- and make sure it's sugar-free
• Fill up on sugar-free hot chocolate to keep you from raiding the candy bowl.
  

Other ideas? Volunteer to go Trick-or-treating with the kids -- at least you'll get some walking in!

How do you stay slim through the Halloween season?

Source

According to this, smokers who are trying to kick the nicotine habit need to be treated like addicts hooked on a drug like heroin. Doctors say that those trying to quit smoking need to be given a product that provides a hit of nicotine as strong as one they'd get from a cigarette, much the same way that heroin addicts use methadone to quit that drug.

The article points out some scary statistics -- 100 million people died in the last century due to the negative effects of smoking cigarettes, 150 million will likely die over the next 20 years and a whopping 1 billion people are projected to die of smoking-related causes in the 21st century.

Unfortunately, those who want to quit only have access to products like nicotine gum or the patch, which deliver low doses of the drug, rather than the kind of fix a smoker would get from a cigarette. The solution? The piece mentions that better cigarette substitutes need to be developed to give smokers a better chance of kicking the habit.

Source

Losing weight is hard work. It seems like losing even five pounds takes manic exercise sessions and near-starvation. Does it have to be this way? According to AOL Body, no. There are some easy ways to lose 5 pounds without even really trying. Want examples? Here are some of their tips:

• Chew gum when you're hungry
• Drink green tea several times a day
• Use smaller plates
• Fidget
  
• Eat grapefruit
• Get some sleep
• Slow down when you're eating
• Do crunches during the commercial breaks
• Don't take seconds

Want to find out why these things can help you lose weight? Click here.

Source

Many companies are suffering as a result of the recent war on junk food, but one candy company is actually cashing in on it: Wrigley's gum. They're taking on the angle Gum is good, and it makes sense -- out of everything in the candy aisle, gum is the only one that won't make you fat (as long as it's sugar-free.) And so Wrigley's wants you to chew a piece of delicious gum every time you feel the need to binge on sweet stuff.

In fact Wrigley's believes that gum has a number of benefits -- it can reduce stress, it can improve oral health and it can improve your concentration. While I think some of these benefits might be a bit exaggerated, I do agree that gum can help control cravings. I chew gum when I get cravings while I'm working and it works -- for a while at least.

What do you think about gum as a weight-loss tool?

Source

Chewing the right kind of gum is a good habit for many of us: it gives us something to do when we are bored at work, it entertains our gums and burns calories and it can be a great replacement for overeating. If you used to smoke, gum may have helped you quit, too.

The sugared kind with artificial colors is not my top choice, though. Regardless of the type you choose to chew, isn't it annoying when that bubble pops and leaves a sticky mess everywhere?

Non-stick is something you usually hear referenced with cookware, but researchers may be showing the world a non-stick chewing gum soon. It can reportedly be cleaned from hair, teeth, clothes and public objects like sidewalks with ease.

Source

Here's my problem -- I usually eat healthy but when it's bedtime and it's 6 hours since my last meal, I feel hungry and it's awfully hard to sleep with my stomachs grumbling. But late-night eating will not only mess up your sleep, it's also a common time to over-indulge. So what 'free' (meaning calorie-free) foods can I use to quench my hunger?

eDiets recommends a bunch of stuff like sugar-free gelatin, chewing gum, club soda with a twist of lemon and salad without dressing. They also recommend spacing out your meals so you don't end up ravenous when you go to bed. Of course, if you're not too concerned with calories, you can have something like fruit, frozen yogurt, graham wafers or even a glass of milk before bed. Just make sure you don't eat eat something light and you don't over-indulge.

Source