1. Will Farmed Salmon Up My Cancer Risk?
2. Can I Eat More Treats If I Cut Back On Calories?
3. Do The New Salts Really Promote Weight Loss?

Will Farmed Salmon Up My Cancer Risk?  After hearing about all the health benefits of eating fish, I vowed to have it twice a week.  I always go for salmon since it’s low in mercury, but a pal just told me farmed salmon is packed with cancer-causing toxins.  I’ve been eating farm-raised fish, so I’m worried.  Could my new dinner habit be harmful? 

Here’s the scoop: Due primarily to their diet, farm-raised salmon have higher concentrations of 13 pollutants (including polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs) than wild salmon.  Some experts theorize that these pollutants can accumulate in the human body, increasing the risk of immune-system dysfunction.  On the flip side, salmon is one of nature’s richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which deliver a range of health benefits such a blood sugar regulation (to prevent weight gain) and protection against heart disease.  So while opting for wild salmon might give you peace of mind, I believe the benefits of eating any salmon outweigh the potential risks.  What’s more, simply removing the skin and grilling or broiling the fish on a rack (to let the fat drip off) can greatly reduce your toxin intake since most contamination accumulate in the skin and the fatty layer just beneath it. 

Can I Eat More Treats If I Cut Back On Calories?I lost 28 pounds over the summer, and I’d love to drop 12 more.  But with the holidays here, it’s getting harder to deny my cookie cravings.  Still, a calorie is a calorie, right?  So if I want dessert, can’t I just cancel it out by eating fewer calories during one of my meals?  Or will I still put on weight? 

It is possible to indulge a bit if you budget “splurge” calories into your daily caloric intake.  However, if you eat more calories from carbs and fewer from protein, you could end up hungry and tired.  So rather than fussing over calories, consume at least 4oz. of protein (meat, fish or poultry the size of a deck of cards, one egg white or a handful of nuts) twice daily.  Protein’s amino acids stimulate muscle-tissue growth to deliver a 25 percent jump in calorie-burning, energy-revving metabolic rate.  That will allow you to savor a treat once or twice a week without worry. 

Do The New Salts Really Promote Weight Loss?  I recently came across several message-board posts about using potassium-sodium salt blends as a way to manage weight.  I’d like to try them, but will these products really help me get slim? 

Several studies have linked the high sodium levels of table salt to water retention, or “false fat,” which can add up to five pounds to your frame.  The new salt blends are lower in sodium and rich in potassium, an electrolyte that helps regulate the water balance in the body to ward off bloat.  But to fight actual fat, I recommend experimenting with slimming spices.  Cayenne pepper, mustard, ginger and cinnamon are all metabolism boosters that provide health perks ranging from pain relief to blood sugar control.