The April showers are over and you know what that means… only a little over a month until summer is officially here and we won’t be able to hide under baggy clothing much longer. It’s time to get back on the Medifast diet and lose those pesky pounds so you can look and feel great for beach season!

To help your wallet look and feel great we have the May 2012 Medifast promotions and deals that can help you save a lot when you order. Here’s a look at this month’s deals…

Deal #1: Save $66 on orders of $250 or more – the perfect offer for those of you who are on the program full time and need a full month’s supply of food.

Deal #2: Free Shipping on orders of $150 or more – a fantastic deal for those of you who are maintaining on the diet and just want to order a few items for the month.

Now is the time to keep pushing and get that slim and toned body just in time to lounge around by the pool in the nice hot summer weather.

Stay strong and keep pushing until you meet your goals!

Below are the latest Medifast coupon deals and promotions for May 2012 provided by LoseWeightDaily.com. We verify these codes every day so they are guaranteed to work on your next order. We love our readers so we made sure that these are the very best May Medifast coupon deals and promotions so you save the most money when you order. If you have any questions about the coupon codes please let us know and we will do our best to resolve them. In the meantime enjoy the Medifast coupon codes and good luck on your weight loss!

Hurry These Coupons Will Expire
in 14 days, 17 hours, 6 minutes, 38 seconds

How To Redeem Your Coupons

Using your coupons is very simple, all you need to do is…

1. Click the “Activate Coupon” button above
2. Select the items you would like to purchase on the Medifast website
3. At checkout enter the coupon code and click “Apply Coupon Code” (see screenshot below)
4. That’s it!

Even though we review a lot of diets, our Medifast review is by far the most popular so I wanted to create a page that focuses exclusively on Medifast coupons and discounts, and any other special deals that they are having to help you save a little money.

As you know Medifast can be a little pricey but it definitely works as they have shown time and time again but that doesn’t mean you should pay too much for it. Use Medifast Coupons get Medifast as cheap as you can and show off that beach ready body in no time! Here are the current coupons… I will keep this as updated as I can!

For those of you who are diabetics and are not sure if the Medifast diet is right for you then I encourage you to check out the variety of diabetic options offered. There are specific low glycemic packages that are perfect for diabetics so don’t feel like you’re left out from losing weight and feeling great. For more information on diabetes I also encourage you to check out the American Diabetes Association website which provides wonderful tips for diabetics.

Disclosure: Lose Weight Daily is a marketing affiliate of Medifast, Inc.

In a recent interview on 60 Minutes that aired on CBS, Dr. Sanjay Gupta sparked a national conversation when he discussed the recent research results surrounding sugar consumption and the effects it can have on the human body with Dr. Robert Lustig, professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. But just how dangerous is sugar consumption and what will it do to you over the long haul?

Most experts agree that excessive sugar consumption is either directly or indirectly to blame for many of the current diseases and adverse health conditions that are found in the developed world. This includes diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, cancer and heart disease. And when you consider that around 16 percent of the total calories in many American diets come from added sugar that is contained in energy drinks, soda, desserts, fruit drinks, ice cream and chocolate, it’s easy to see that many of us are consuming too many calories and too few nutrients by skipping over whole grains, fruits and veggies.

The truth is that many of us don’t realize just how much sugar we are consuming. This includes via regular table sugar, as well as honey, syrup, and virtually all processed foods. In addition, Lustig says sugar is often hidden in foods such as yogurt, sauces, bread and peanut butter, and that many consumers don’t understand that high fructose corn syrup – which he says is virtually identical to sugar in the way it is processed by the body. All of this sugar is addictive, and ingrained in our biology, according to Lustig.

“We love it. We go out of our way to find it,” he stated. “I think one of the reasons evolutionarily is because there is no food stuff on the planet that has fructose that is poisonous to you. It is all good. So when you taste something that’s sweet, it’s an evolutionary Darwinian signal that this is a safe food.”

Humans naturally used to get fructose mainly by eating fruit, which is also typically high in fiber, which helps to slow consumption and the body’s absorption of the food. But today’s processed foods, which contain refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup, are much easier to overeat, leading Americans alone to consume upwards of 130 pounds of the sweet stuff each year.

However, it’s important to note that not all nutrition experts are convinced that sugar is highly toxic. Although most agree that, when consumed in excess, sugar can be detrimental to your health, it is also widely accepted that when consumed in moderation sugar is absolutely fine.

The American Heart Association currently recommends that women only consume around 100 calories – or 25 grams – of added sugar each day, while men limit consumption to around 150 calories – or 38 grams. To limit sugar consumption, forego reaching for sugary drinks such as soda, and opt instead for unsweetened ice tea, water or 100 percent fruit juice. Also, pay attention to labels and recognize that, in addition to high fructose corn syrup and sugar, items like corn syrup, corn syrup solids, malt syrup, liquid fructose, molasses, anhydrous dextrose and crystal dextrose all signal added sugars in a processed food item.

Sources: MSNBC Today Health, CBS News

Most of us realize that fast food tends to be high in salt, but a new international study shows that the amount varies according to country. The study results were published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal and showed that fast food in the U.S. contains a higher salt content than the same items in the UK, France, New Zealand, Australia and Canada.

For example, an order of Chicken McNuggets in the U.S. was found to have 2.5 times the sodium of the same size order in the UK, while comparable servings in New Zealand, Australia and France fell in between but still lower than what was found in the U.S. The study included a number of chain restaurants and found that salt content varied significantly depending on where the food was sold, which suggests that the companies are able to lower sodium content and are not limited by technology or other processes.

“The salt content of fast foods varies substantially, not only by type of food, but by company and country in which the food is produced,” stated lead researcher Elizabeth Dunford of the George Institute for Global Health in Australia. “Although the reasons for this variation are not clear, the marked differences in salt content of very similar products suggest that technical reasons are not a primary explanation.”

Study researchers examined nutritional information from more than 2,000 popular fast food items Burger King, Domino’s Pizza, Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald’s Pizza Hut and Subway. Across the board, poultry products were found to have the highest sodium content, while salads – perhaps not surprisingly – were found to have the lowest.

The reason for the variation between comparable food items sold in different countries was not made apparent by the data collected in the study but is not believed to be linked to taste preferences among customers. For example, while U.S. consumers generally consume more salt than Canadians, fries sold in Canada had more than double the salt compared to those sold in the U.S.

Researchers believe that UK government salt-reduction targets for the food industry could play a role in the lower sodium levels found in UK fast food chains, although they do not currently apply to that industry.

“In the right regulatory environment, it is likely that fast food companies could substantially reduce the salt in their products, translating to large gains for population health,” stated Dunford.

To be fair, the study involved data collected in 2010, and McDonald’s has since reduced the amount of sodium by 10 percent in most of its U.S. chicken menu options. The company also plans to continue reducing the salt content in its food through 2015, reaching an average reduction of 15 percent across the national menu by this time.

Regardless, the fast food industry could continue to play a greater role in reducing the high levels of salt intake among U.S. consumers, which is connected to high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 90 percent of Americans currently consume too much sodium, despite the fact that lowering the amount of salt that is added to food goes largely unnoticed by our taste buds.

Sources: Today Health, Reuters

A recent study by the Center for Applied Genomics at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and published in Nature Genetics has found that there are two genetic variations that seem to increase the risk of obesity among children. The study is the largest ever of its kind and takes a close look at the origins of this common – and deadly – childhood condition.

Data was collected from meta-analysis of 14 studies conducted in North America, Australia and Europe, involving 5,530 obese children and 8,318 non-obese children, comparing their genetic data.

“When we surveyed all the genetic variation across the obese children and non-obese children, some variants were highly, statistically, overrepresented in the obese cases,” stated lead investigator Struan F.A. Grant, PhD. “We saw a genetic signature for the disease.”

This study stands in contrast to previous research, which focused more heavily on extreme forms of childhood obesity and found it to be connected with rare diseases. In the most recent research, the team was able to identify two ‘new’ childhood obesity-related genes; one located near the OLFM4 gene on chromosome 13, and the other within the HOXB5 gene on chromosome 17.

According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity among children has more than tripled over the last 30 years, caused in large part by a caloric imbalance, which is just a fancy way of saying that kids are consuming more calories than they are expending.

Although physical activity levels, diet and environment are all factors in childhood obesity, the study implies a genetic connection as well.

“There is a genetic predisposition to childhood obesity, epidemiologists have been saying that,” Grant stated. “The facts are bearing that out, as we see genetic variants associated with the trait. Some kids are obese; your genetic repertoire will interact with the environment. What your genetic load is will have a bearing on how your environment impacts your obesity risk.”

Grant went on to say that what is known at this point about the genes that were identified points toward intestinal function, although their precise role is still unknown. The study authors also hope that getting to the bottom of the genetic component in children should be simpler than doing so in adults, simply because environmental exposure has only gone on for a relatively short period of time.

It is also important to note that these genetic variations do not fully explain the epidemic of childhood obesity, and more research is necessary in order to understand the entire genetic impact. Researchers plan to look for additional factors that are related to obesity in order to gain a more complete picture of this issue, including incorporating children from a variety of ethnic backgrounds in future studies. The goal is to eventually design preventative interventions and treatments for children based on their individual genomes, but healthy lifestyle habits, including a balanced diet and regular exercise, will likely remain important components of warding off obesity, regardless of a person’s genetic predisposition.

Sources: The Chart at CNN, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The recent ABC News report that exposed the use of ‘pink slime’ which is a buzzword created to describe scrap and waste meat that is used as filler in many ground beef products, has caused quite a stir in recent weeks. The consumer outrage surrounding the use of pink slime has been fueled in large part by postings on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and started due to concerns about its use in food used to make school lunches.

Perhaps one of the most alarming things about pink slime is that it is treated with ammonium hydroxide prior to consumption, although it is also important to point out that there have been no reported cases of illness or disease traced to the trimmings. Regardless, the food industry has experienced a widespread removal of the product from use since the news story first made headlines, after concerned parents and outraged consumers made their revulsion clear online.

Although ammonium hydroxide has been used in commercial ground beef products since the 1990s, it was the knowledge that the USDA planned to purchase upwards of 7 million pounds of pink slime to be used in schools throughout the country that initially caused the greatest sense of alarm. Regardless, since the story broke several major grocery chains, including Safeway, Remke bigg’s, Kroger and Supervalue, along with restaurants like McDonald’s and other hamburger chains, have announced that they will stop using the product, while a growing number of schools have announced that they will not include it as part of their lunch program.

The overall consensus seems to be that people want to know what is in their food, and pink slime, which is known by the industry as “lean, finely textured beef,” seems to be an unwanted addition for most. It is made from fatty bits of leftover meat that are first heated up, and then spun to remove fat before being compressed into blocks and blasted with ammonium hydroxide to kill bacteria. Incredibly, this processed meat product reportedly makes up a whopping 70 percent of all ground beef that is consumed in the U.S.

Unfortunately, the backlash against the use of pink slime has caused hard times for Beef Products, Inc. and the company’s employees, which makes the product and has already closed three of its four plants due to loss of business. The negative attention is also expected to cause an increase in hamburger prices, as well as hard times for the cattle industry, which has already experienced hardship since February of 2010 due to low cattle supplies in the U.S.

Kevin Concannon, who is former director of the Iowa Department of Human Services and now serves as undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services at the USDA, has told U.S. schools that they can opt to stop using beef that contains the additive. Most of them did just that, joining the majority of supermarkets and restaurants in discontinuing use of the product.

If eating so-called pink slime is a concern for you, the best way to make sure you are not consuming the additive is to buy ground beef that is stamped with the USDA organic label, which contains only pure meat and no filler.

Sources: MSNBC Vitals, Your Life at USA Today

A new study by researchers at the National Center for Health Statistics, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, examines the dietary habits of Mexican-Americans, who make up one of the fastest-growing ethnic groups in the U.S. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there will be at least 132 million Americans of Hispanic descent living in the U.S. by 2050, which will account for at least 30 percent of the entire population.

After looking at data from 1982 to 1984 and 1999 to 2006, it was discovered that obesity and diabetes is on the rise among Hispanics in the U.S., similar to the rest of the population. In the early 1980’s, only 21 percent of Mexican-Americans were found to be obese, while less than 10 percent had diabetes. By 2006, nearly 35 percent of Hispanic adults in the U.S. were obese, and more than 14 percent suffered from diabetes. As of 2010, the obesity numbers had soared to almost 40 percent, which is nearly double the data from 1984.

Regardless of ethnicity, obesity increases a person’s risk of health complications, including Type 2 diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

“The trends in obesity and diabetes among the Mexican-American population are similar to trends in adults in the U.S., increasing over time,” stated Cheryl Fryar, who is a lead author on the study and a health statistician with the CDC.

Many people fail to understand that losing a relatively small amount of weight can significantly reduce their likelihood of developing unwanted health conditions such as heart problems and diabetes, nor do they realize how severe complications from these diseases can be. For example, long-term implications of obesity-related diseases can lead to heart attacks, kidney failure, amputations, nerve damage and blindness, to name only a few.

Climbing obesity rates in the U.S. are directly linked in many cases to increased consumption of carbs. The study found that Mexican-Americans consume significantly more carbohydrates today than they did in the early 1980’s, along with a reduced amount of protein, which is similar to what has been found among the general population.

The reality is that many Mexican-Americans, much like other Americans, have bought into our fast-food culture, which is often very bad news for long-term health concerns. The fast pace of life in the U.S. could be partly to blame, with many Hispanics working double shifts and taking on more than one job, which makes it tougher to cook healthy at home.

The study data actually weighed and measured participants, taking blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar readings and asking a variety of dietary questions. After analyzing the data, researchers discovered that instances of high blood pressure increase with age and affected around 22 percent of participants as of 2006. In the same year, the average daily caloric intake for Mexican-American men was around 2,521, followed by women at 1,821 calories per day. Both of these numbers reflected a significant increase since the early 1980’s.

To combat obesity, researchers recommend reducing consumption of carbohydrates and fat, while increasing levels of exercise and consumption of healthy lean proteins, fruits, whole grains and vegetables. It is also essential for children to be involved in making these important lifestyle changes, in order to avoid perpetuating – or increasing – the obesity cycle in the next generation.

Sources: The Chart at CNN, Your Life at USA Today

Here at Lose Weight Daily we focus a lot on losing weight and as important as it is to help people who are overweight lose weight to help protect their health and well being it is equally important to help those with an eating disorder as well.

Dieting is a great and healthy thing to do, but it is very important to know when you go too far and have a disorder, so to assist those of you who think that they might be suffering from anorexia, bulimia or any other disorder we have a list of resources below that we think are very helpful.

General Eating Disorder Resources

National Eating Disorder Association – The National Eating Disorder Association official website features many helpful resources for eating disorders of all types. They feature information on the disorders themselves, information about research helping to find a cure as well as a way for you to get involved.

Eating Disorder Resource Center – The Eating Disorder Resource Center provides information about how to get help with an eating disorder, links to treatment professionals and help to get your health insurance to cover treatment of your disorder.

Renfrew Center – The Renfrew Center is a mental health center that specializes in treatment of eating disorders with locations spread across the country. Open since 1985 they were pioneers in the treatment of eating disorders and have a well established track record of success for their clients.

Academy for Eating Disorders – The Academy for Eating Disorders provides information, resources and even has conferences to discuss the latest developments in eating disorder detection and prevention.

Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness – The AEDA provides resources for treatment and prevention of eating disorders including a free comprehensive guide to eating disorder treatment programs across the United States.

Anorexia Resources

National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders – The ANAD is a wealth of information about Anorexia treatment and prevention. They are an excellent resource to help find a treatment center and they also provide support groups to help keep your recovery on track.

Mayo Clinic Anorexia Fact Sheet – The Mayo Clinic put together an excellent resource that explains the causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention of Anorexia. If you are looking for information about the disease this is a great place to start.

MedicineNet Anorexia Signs & Symptoms – MedicineNet.com provides a nice summary of the signs and symptoms of Anorexia as well as information about diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Bulimia Resources

Bulimia Nervosa Resource Guide – The Bulimia Nervosa Resource Guide is a one stop shop for everything you need to know about Bulimia. They cover everything from the causes, symptoms and treatment of Bulimia to resources to help you find treatment centers and help get it covered by your insurance or other health resources.

Bulimia Fact Sheet – WomenHealth.gov, a service provided by the Department of Health and Human Services, has a great fact sheet that provides a wealth of information about Bulimia like the causes of the disease as well as information about curing it.

Medicine Plus Bulimia Information Guide – MedicinePlus brought to you by the National Institute of Health provides their own Bulimia fact sheet outlining the causes, symptoms and treatment of Bulimia.

Although people in many Asian countries regularly consume white rice, a new study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) shows a link between consumption of white rice and the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Study participants who ate between three and four servings of white rice each day experienced a 10 percent increase in their risk of developing the disease for each serving consumed, compared with those who ate only one or two servings each week.

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston evaluated data from four separate studies that varied in length from four to 22 years and included a total of 352,000 people, with 13,284 of the participants developing diabetes throughout the course of the study. Two of the studies were conducted in China and Japan, and two that took place in the United States and Australia.

None of the participants had diabetes when the studies began, and those who lived in Asian countries consumed an average of four servings of rice daily, compared to those in Western countries, who consumed an average of five servings per week or less. The research showed that a person’s likelihood of contracting Type 2 diabetes, which is linked closely with obesity, rose dramatically depending on the number of servings of white rice that were consumed each day.

According to researchers, the study was not intended to show a direct link between consuming white rice and being diagnosed with diabetes. However, it does show a correlation between consuming starchy carbohydrates that are low in fiber and high on the glycemic index, which causes a sudden spike in blood sugar levels, and contracting the disease.

“It’s not just white rice, either,” stated Qi Sun, MD, a researcher on the study. “Other white starchy carbohydrates, such as white bread, white pasta, and white potatoes, will likely have the same effect if eaten often enough.”

To avoid this, opt for whole grains more often than white carbs, which should be consumed in moderation. Since all starchy foods are believed to increase the risk for diabetes when consumed regularly, those who are at high risk for diabetes should aim to reduce the number of calories from this area and increase the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables that are eaten each day.

The research showed a close link between instances of Type 2 diabetes and white rice consumption among participants regardless of their ethnicity or place of residence, but women were found to have a greater likelihood than men of suffering from the disease.

Keep in mind that genetics also play an important role in determining whether or not you are at a significant risk for being diagnosed with diabetes, but obesity is also an important factor. Thinking about your food choices and understanding the role that carbohydrates play in your diet is also a key factor.

According to researchers, controlled studies will need to be conducted in order to determine whether or not consuming white rice every day can actually lead to being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Until then, eating healthy and getting plenty of exercise is a proven way to reduce your risk.

Sources: MSNBC Vitals

Spring time is officially here, the flowers are starting to bloom and you can tell that summer is on it’s way very soon. That means it’s extra important to look great and feel great when it comes time to try on that summer wardrobe and swim suits. There is no better time than now to take advantage of our April Medifast promotion savings so you can look and feel great just in time to enjoy the nice warm weather!

There are two options for our Medifast promotions, you can save $66 on your order of $250 or more, or you can get free shipping on $150 or more. If you’re looking for even more savings you can save even more with the Medifast Advantage plan (formerly known as the Medifast VIP program) which is by far the best way to save on your next order.

April Medifast coupons and promotions are here so be sure to take advantage while they last. Save money on your Medifast order today!