issue 14 / volume 40 Dont take your vitamins » A New Year's resolution we can—and should-—stick to Sophie Isbister Life & Style Editor UM lifeandstyle @theotherpress.ca at do Eliseo Guallar, MD, DrPH; Saverio Stranges, MD, PhD; Cynthia Mulrow, MD, MSc; Lawrence J. Appel, MD, MPH; and Edgar R. Miller III, MD, PhD all have in common? Besides being big- deal scientists and having way more letters after their names than you or I will in four years, they all say not to take your vitamins. Conventional wisdom has always told me that an important part of being a healthy person involved washing down a shot glass full of multi-vitamins with my Tropicana Pulp-Free each morning, and every day that I didn’t take my vitamins (so, every day) was another day that I would feel a little twinge of shame. But just in time to assuage my growing guilt and stop the annual wave of new year’s healthy goal-setters, the above influential names in medicine have published an editorial entitled “Enough Is : Enough: Stop Wasting Money : on Vitamin and Mineral : Supplements” in the American : College of Physicians’ Annals of : : Internal Medicine journal. This isn’t the first time : that vitamins have come under : fire as a mostly useless sham, : but it is probably the most : definitive time, as the Annals : of Internal Medicine is very : influential and well-respected. : And hopefully their words will — : : start to make a dent in Canada’s : : health products and vitamin : : industry, which, according : to the Canadian Health : Food Association, is worth : $3.5-billion (still nowhere near : America’s $28-billion industry). Ample research clearly : places vitamins in the : department of magical : thinking, which is the idea : that certain actions will have : positive outcomes, even when : there is no scientific evidence— : and in fact, evidence to the : contrary—to back it up. Along : with their editorial, Annals : published three articles that : analyzed large sets of existing : data surrounding the efficacy : of vitamin supplements : for general health and : for prevention of chronic 0 : disease, and they reported : in their editorial that “Most : supplements do not prevent chronic disease or death, their : use is not justified, and they : should be avoided.” They also : added that in the United States : and similar countries that have : access to a balanced diet (for : the most part), it is even more : unnecessary to supplement : with vitamins. Further, Annals found that some vitamins (such as “B-carotene, vitamin E, and : possibly high doses of vitamin : A supplements”) can actually : be harmful for you. And despite : continued studies regarding : their efficacy (or lack thereof!), : the vitamin industry continues : to grow in the US as people : presumably continue the search : for the magic pill that will solve : all of their imaginary problems. I’m taking a stand this : year, resolving to keep doing : what my lazy self has always : done and forgo the expensive : vitamins. Maybe instead of : shelling out cash on marked-up : snake oil, I’ll spend that money : ona tried-and-true source of : valuable nutrients: vegetables. life & style // 11 RES JO clayyee MOveSs for a C0 2014 f Google’s yearly search rankings are any indicator (and they are), twerking captured the world’s collective imagination in 2013. “What is twerking?” was the top “What is... ?” search of the year, which bodes well for the dance move’s continued popularity, but also begs the question: which long-lost dance move is due for a comeback in 2014? L&S Listed presents our shortlist. . The Mashed Potato = . The Moonwalk . The Electric Slide . The Robot . The Humpty Dance . The Hammer Dance . The Macarena . The Hand-Jive OlMINI/ AD] aAlAI] WIN . The Worm 10. Planking Lunch of the Week: Tin it to win it » Whatever it is, put some tuna in it Sophie Isbister Life & Style Editor MU lifeandstyle @theotherpress.ca et’s talk about protein. Specifically, let’s talk about how the amount of protein ina next meal. There area lot of plant- and dairy-based ways to get protein, such as oats (13 grams per half kale (three grams in one cup), or cottage cheese (13 grams per four ounces). However, the protein that comes from animal sources contains all nine essential amino doesn’t produce on its own), : making it a complete protein. : Tinned tuna isa lunchtime hero, : which is why it’s my Lunch of the : : Week nominee to help you stick : to any diet-based resolutions you : might have made. When eaten with : carbohydrates, protein extends : the amount of time that the carbs : tin of tuna can give your body the = jelease energy into your body. It energy it needs to get you to your : makes that 10 a.m. cereal binge : seem like not sucha bad idea, : as long as you follow it witha : hard-boiled egg—which contains : : approximately six grams of cup), tofu (10 grams per half cup), : protein. So how much protein do : we need? The average Canadian : adult needs 0.8 grams per kg : of body weight per day (unless : : . : you're an athlete, then you need acids (amino acids that your body : 3 pit more at 1.2-1. 4 grams/kg/ : day). So, a 180-lb person needs : to consume about 65.5 grams of : protein daily to ensure they have enough pep in their step and : enough body fuel to buildand —: : repair muscles. Which is why the : : 15 grams of proteinfoundinone : : tin of flaked light tuna in water : can provide the boost yourdiet —: needs to kick you into the protein : : sweet spot. : : Here are some great ways to : slip tuna into your lunch: : © Make a tuna pasta salad with tuna, mayo, cold pasta, tomatoes, celery, and whatever other vegetables and spices you want to add. : © Makeatuna casserole for dinner and then bring the leftovers to school the next day. Add a tin of tuna to a green : salad from home, or greens : from the cafeteria salad bar. : Eat it plain with crackers. Rip off Starbucks and make your own tuna wrap, with thai spices, carrot, and cabbage. Put it in Kraft Dinner (seriously—don'’t judge me). Add it to a bowl of plain rice with some vegetables. Tuna travel tip: buy no- drain tuna to save ona mess at school, or drain it at home and take it in your Tupperware. Tuna enjoyment tip: Store it in your fridge so it’s nice and cold if you need it fora salad or sandwich.