There’s an old adage that says TV rots your brain. While this may not be literally true, there are ways it can contribute to the spoiling of your health. A newly published meta-study carried out by researchers at Loughborough University’s School of Sport, Exercise and Health (SSEHS), in England, has underscored potential health hazards of spending too much time in front of the tube.

Data was collected from 53 separate international studies which focused on sedentary behavior as it relates to dietary and television viewing habits. A strong association was found between watching large amounts of television and increased intake of nutritionally poor foods such as high-calorie snacks, fast food, and soda. A reduction in fruit and vegetable consumption among avid TV viewers was also identified.

Dual Action

According to Dr. Natalie Biddle, lead author of the investigation, the negative influence television has may stem from some combination of interrelated factors. Constant bombardment of commercial advertisements during segment breaks and even within actual programming can encourage unhealthy food-related decisions. When this influence is combined with regular exposure to short bursts of highly targeted audio and visual stimulation, it has a very real effect on the viewer’s attention span and can impact their ability to make informed decisions properly.

Normal activities associated with TV viewing, like channel-surfing and “TiVoing”, also reward impulsive behavior. When viewers see a food advertised, there’s a good chance they’re going to want it, even if they aren’t really hungry. If that food isn’t readily available, they may lose interest and return to their seat empty handed… or they might just grab the next best thing sitting around the kitchen instead, and it may be less than nutritionally ideal.

Not only does habitually staring at the TV generally lead to increased snacking and poor diet practices, the sedentary nature of watching TV also takes a hefty toll on viewer health and physical appearance.

Alternatives

The easiest way to avoid these, and other, health risks connected with excessive TV viewing is to simply watch less television. Even without taking the recent Loughborough University findings into consideration, limiting TV time to a maximum of three or four hours a week is still a smart idea. Cutting back on television may result in having a lot of newly available free time to pick up new hobbies. And, spending the extra time hanging out with friends and family or using it to catch up on your reading will feel far more rewarding.

What do you think of the outcome of this meta-study? How does TV fit into your day? Let’s discuss, in the comments below!

~Dr. G

Recommended Reading:

• Dangers of Soft Drinks
• Research: TV Food Advertisements Promote Unhealthy Diets
• Americans Will Believe Almost Anything
• 7 Types of Foods to Avoid with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

We are excited to announce that Dr. Group will be the featured guest this week on ‘Natural News Talk Hour’ on January 12, 2012 at 9:00pm to 10:00pm (EST).

They will be discussing the various toxins present in many homes and how to identify and eliminate those toxins from your home using organic methods.

A few of the topics to be discussed:

• The most dangerous foods in your kitchen and refrigerator
• Harmful toxins that are most likely floating in the air inside your home
• Toxic chemicals in your home water system, dishwasher and laundry machine
• Chemicals and heavy metals most people and children are exposed to everyday
• The dangers of using a microwave oven
• Harmful radiation levels in the home

Continue reading: “ANNOUNCEMENT: Dr. Group will be on ‘NaturalNews Talk Hour’ on January 12″

If growing news coverage of the potential dangers of cellphone radiation has you concerned, you’re not alone. Before it was put on “indefinite hold”, the City of San Francisco tried to enact a controversial new law which would require cell phone manufacturers to post the amount of radiation emitted by their respective devices.

In response to the newfound awareness which has prompted this law and others like it, an Israeli company called Tawkon has developed a mobile app (ironically enough) designed to measure the radiation levels of smart phones.

While phone manufacturers remain skeptical of its overall validity, their cellphone radiation app has been a huge success for the company, recently raising $1.5 million. Apple, specifically, has banned Tawkon from its online app store, citing that they felt it would be confusing to customers.

Not surprisingly, the application’s developer has responded publicly that they believe Apple is more concerned that the new app could harm sales of their overwhelmingly popular iPhone, and not with any potential “confusion” it might cause users.

Regardless of Apple’s true motives for wanting to keep Tawkon out of their app store, there may indeed be certain shortcomings to the approach it takes in gauging the radioactive threat of these increasingly necessary devices.

Continue reading: “Cellphone App Claims to Measure How Much Radiation Is Coming From Your Cell Phone”

I would like to present to you ‘The Fluoride Deception’, the latest mini-documentary from Mike Adams, executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, editor of NaturalNews.com and a close personal friend of mine.

We’ve all heard about the dangers of fluoride, but how many of us actually know where fluoride comes from? In the video below, you’ll learn the truth about fluoride, where it really comes from and what it does to your body.

What do you think? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Continue reading: “VIDEO: The Fluoride Deception”

Earlier this year, the American Heart Association (AHA) called for a nationwide reduction in daily salt intake, along with tighter government and industry regulations regarding the levels of standard table salt (Sodium Chloride) found in everyday foods.

The AHA’s previous suggestion – set forth in the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans back in 2005 – called for a maximum upper limit of 2,300 milligrams of salt daily. Most experts now believe that this figure is much too high for the average person, and have lowered the official recommended limit to 1,500 mg per day.

Readily accepted estimates hold that the majority of people consume about twice this newly prescribed amount (roughly one and a half teaspoons of pure salt) each day as part of their regular diet. The bulk of this coming from pre-packaged and restaurant foods. While it’s no secret that the standard American diet is less than ideal, these figures are still cause for concern.

Continue reading: “American Heart Association: Reducing Daily Salt Intake Recommended for Improved Health”