Latest news with #Velazquez
New York Post
26-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Why it's healthier to eat like it's the ‘80s — and how you can use the ‘ABCTs' rule to do it
Reaganomics. MTV. Power suits and shoulder pads. The '80s were loud, proud — and surprisingly healthy at the dinner table. That's according to Jodi Velazquez, an award-winning author, television co-host and mom on a mission, whose new book 'Know the Enemy: Preventing Weight Gain, Diabetes & Disease' makes the case for reviving vintage nutrition. The Post sat down with Velazquez to learn more about what raising a daughter with diabetes taught her, where today's food culture went wrong and how to feed your family like it's 1985. 6 Jodi Velazquez offers simple nutrition and fitness tips in her new book. Jodi Velazquez Finger pricks and food fights When Velazquez's firstborn was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at just 19 months old, she and her husband left the hospital with a bag full of medical supplies — and no clue what the future held. What followed was a crash course in survival. Velazquez was suddenly on 24/7 duty, pricking her toddler's finger every two hours to check blood sugar levels. 'That's where I really got my education, because I was able to see what every single food did to her, and what exercise and lack of exercise did to her,' she said. By the time her daughter turned 10, Velazquez had logged nearly 30,000 finger pricks and administered 8,700 insulin shots — all while trying to shield her child from a food culture built on sugar, temptation and processed junk. But it wasn't always this way. Supersized and sedentary In her new book, Velazquez highlights several factors she thinks have contributed to America's growing waistline. Flash back to 40 years ago: People ate out less, and when they did, it was usually local spots serving fresh, balanced meals. 'The scary thing is that if you were born after 1990, you were born into a world saturated with fast food and oversized portions.' Jodi Velazquez 'In the '70s and the '80s, we didn't eat fast food every day or every week,' she said. 'Our diets were more consistent.' Fast-forward to today, and research shows that many Americans no longer regularly fire up their stoves at home. Our concept of the 'dining out experience' has also shifted from sit-down family restaurants to quick, cheap, ultra-processed meals on the go. Just look at the numbers. Velazquez notes that there are now more than 25,000 fast-food chains in the US, a staggering 1,000% increase since 1970. McDonald's alone has exploded from 1,000 restaurants in 1968 to more than 14,000 today. Starbucks, meanwhile, has added more than 10,000 new stores since 1982, she writes. 6 CDC data suggests that about 84.8 million American adults eat fast food on any given day. beats_ – But it's not just the number of fast-food sites that has changed — it's what's on the menu. Take soda, for example: In the 1950s, a typical soft drink was 6.5 ounces and 85 calories. By 2014, that ballooned to 20 ounces and 250 calories — nearly triple the size, and triple the sugar, Velazquez points out. Why the bloat? Blame consumer demand and fierce competition among fast-food chains. 'Everybody wants to have the new thing, the tastiest thing, the craziest thing, the biggest thing, and people fall for it,' Velazquez said. 'I think it's marketing.' Today's fast-food frenzy also means our eating habits are wildly inconsistent compared to the more streamlined diets of the past. 'If you're eating a six-inch hamburger with french fries at a fast-food place one day and the next day you have spaghetti and meatballs at home, that's a very different variation in fat, sugar and salt,' Velazquez explained. 6 Americans are shifting away from the traditional three-meal-a-day structure. kanpisut – For diabetics, this means erratic blood sugar levels. For the rest of us, it leads to peaks and valleys in our energy levels. Parents, Velazquez said, struggle even more these days to track what's going into their children's bodies. Consider the classroom rewards, birthday treats and after-school sweets during playdates or day care — just a few sugary temptations that accumulate throughout the day. 'If you're a parent and your child doesn't have an issue like allergies or diabetes, there may not be a need to tell you,' she said. 'So that means parents might not even know that their kids are getting all of these calories outside of the house.' Worse yet, the concept of three square meals a day is becoming a thing of the past. 'We have the availability of food everywhere now,' Velazquez said. 'I think a lot of people are grazing all day, getting packaged and processed foods here and there.' But Velazquez emphasizes that time between meals is essential for our bodies. 'Breakfast, lunch and dinner gives your pancreas time to have a break. It gives your insulin time to work,' Velazquez said. 'You might have two or three hours in between meals, and I think that's a lost concept for a lot of people.' 6 Government data shows that 70% of US adults are overweight or obese. Christian Delbert – Despite consuming lower-quality foods in larger portions more frequently, we're moving less than ever. Studies show a significant decline in physical activity in recent decades, driven by factors like the rise of desk jobs, the convenience of automobiles and modern technology. Taken together, these factors have ignited a nationwide crisis, with nearly 260 million Americans expected to be overweight or obese by 2050. This puts them at increased risk for a laundry list of serious chronic health conditions, including heart disease and stroke. 'The scary thing is that if you were born after 1990, you were born into a world saturated with fast food and oversized portions,' Velazquez said. 'Now there's an uptick in young people getting diabetes, and those people don't have anything to revert back to,' she added. 'They don't have those basic, good nutritional habits.' Looking backward for a healthier future Raising a diabetic child in the 21st century wasn't easy for Velazquez. It required trial and error, diligent tracking, extensive research and even some negotiating with her daughter. But the effort paid off: Today, Marlo is a healthy, thriving 26-year-old. The lessons Velazquez learned while managing her daughter's diabetes reshaped her entire household's approach to food. Now, she's passing those insights on to others. 6 Marlo Velazquez was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 19 months old. Jodi Velazquez How to eat like the '80s in 2025 Returning to the basics of 'vintage nutrition' is the essential foundation for making sustainable, practical changes to your everyday diet, Velazquez explained. 'To feed your family like it's 1980 means just avoiding those high sugar and unhealthy fat foods that are out there, being active, having consistency in your diet and just having breakfast, lunch and dinner, with maybe a very small snack in between,' she said. A lot of these changes start right at home. 'When I go out, I seem to overeat because the portions are bigger,' Velazquez said. 'When I cook for myself, I have more energy and I feel better. I eat well and I don't eat a lot of high sugar and high fat foods. I can control how much salt goes into my meals.' 'It doesn't have to be bland, like hospital meals, but it also doesn't have to all be sprinkled and dipped and battered,' she continued. 'I think that's where we crossed the line.' 6 Cooking at home and packing your own lunch provides greater control over your food choices. Nicholas Felix/ – To help families remember the core principles of vintage nutrition, Velazquez created a simple acronym: Follow the ABCTs. A: Avoid unhealthy, high-fat and high-sugar foods. B: Be active and avoid being sedentary, especially after meals. C: Consistency in your food choices. T: Timing. She also has a clear message for parents: 'Always lead by example. If you're overeating, your kids are going to do the same thing.' In her book, Velazquez emphasizes the value of getting kids moving, teaching them how food affects their bodies and inviting them into the kitchen to learn those lessons firsthand. She also encourages parents to rethink how they talk about weight with their children. 'Little subtle reminders are great, like telling them here and there about trying to keep your weight in a good range because it's healthier for your body, not because of the way you want to look,' she said.
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Can Colombia's UFO sphere also turn out to be a hoax after Peru's ‘alien mummies' turned out to be dolls made from bones?
Strange sphere in Colombia rekindles UFO curiosity, but is it real? When a metallic sphere crashed near Buga, Colombia, earlier in March, 2025, it didn't just land in the dirt, it landed in the middle of a global debate. With mysterious carvings, no visible welds, and nine internal 'microspheres' revealed by X-ray scans, the object has captured the attention of UFO researchers and believers alike. Jose Luis Velazquez , one of the Colombian scientists studying the sphere, seemed genuinely astonished. He described it as having 'no welds or joints,' typically a clear marker of human construction. Even more intriguing, Velazquez said the sphere's interior consists of three metal layers and nine embedded microspheres, features unlike anything he had encountered before. 'It is a very rare piece … I've never seen a piece like this,' he remarked. Also read: A mysterious metallic sphere, without joints and ancient scripts, found in Colombia. Here's all we know about it by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Transform Your Child's Confidence with Our Public Speaking Program Planet Spark Book Now Undo The unusual find has drawn eerie comparisons to another so-called alien discovery, one that recently unraveled into something far more Earth-bound. Peru's alien mummies were really handmade dolls More than a year ago, international headlines were buzzing about a pair of 'alien mummies' discovered in Peru. The small humanoid figures were showcased at a congressional hearing in Mexico and claimed to be around 1,000 years old. But hopes of extraterrestrial contact quickly crumbled. Live Events In a press conference held by Peru's culture ministry, experts revealed that the dolls were made using animal bones and modern synthetic glue. 'They're not extraterrestrials. They're dolls made from animal bones from this planet joined together with modern synthetic glue,' said Flavio Estrada, an archaeologist with Peru's Institute for Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences. The bizarre figures had arrived mysteriously in a cardboard box at a DHL airport office in Lima, dressed in traditional Andean attire. Estrada dismissed the story as a complete fabrication. 'It's totally a made-up story,' he said. While some speculated the dolls were linked to those displayed in Mexico, experts firmly denied any extraterrestrial connection. Also read: 23 Soviet troops turned to stone by aliens? CIA memo unearths Cold War mystery The Peru hoax now casts a long shadow over similar discoveries, including Colombia's sphere. Experts urge scientific rigor over speculation Julia Mossbridge , a physicist from the University of San Diego and founder of The Institute for Love and Time, is urging restraint before anyone labels the Colombian artifact as alien. 'It looks to me like a really cool art project,' she told Fox News. Mossbridge emphasized the importance of involving credible scientific organizations like the Galileo Project , an international initiative led by Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, which investigates potential alien artifacts through rigorous research. 'Before you decide something's anomalous or a UFO, bring the object to a group like the Galileo Project,' she advised. Beyond the object itself, Mossbridge believes the fascination with UFO artifacts says more about us than the skies above. 'We are entering a time when we don't have the control that we thought we had,' she said, suggesting that artistic hoaxes might be reflecting deeper social uncertainty. 'Frankly, we've been looking at UAPs for decades, and the federal government has admitted that there are things that we don't understand,' she added. Mossbridge supports independent, non-governmental research efforts like the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies to help the public better understand what is happening 'in our skies' and 'in our waters.' Also read: Aliens: Little green men or big government secrets? Exploring UFO mysteries In a statement to PEOPLE, Mossbridge reflected on the psychological response to such events. 'The natural human response to the unknown is fear,' she said. 'But we need to start noticing that fear doesn't actually keep us safe. What keeps us safe is the willingness to understand and explore.'
Express Tribune
26-05-2025
- Science
- Express Tribune
UFO Sphere Colombia: Scientists perplexed at object found, with no human welds or joints
Listen to article Scientists are examining a mysterious metallic sphere recovered in Colombia, believed by some to be an unidentified flying object (UFO). The item was first seen flying over the town of Buga in early March before being recovered by local researchers. Jose Luis Velazquez, a scientist involved in the investigation, described the object as having no visible welds or joints, an unusual characteristic that has raised questions about its origin. He added that mysterious carvings were etched into its surface. 'It's a very rare piece,' Velazquez said in a video shared online. 'I've never seen a piece like this.' Initial scans using X-ray imaging revealed that the sphere comprises three layers of metal, as well as nine smaller 'microspheres' inside. While no definitive explanation has been offered, Velazquez's team continues to study the object. However, some experts remain cautious. Dr Julia Mossbridge, a physicist from the University of San Diego and founder of The Institute for Love and Time (TILT), said she believed the item could be a sophisticated art project. 'Before you decide something's anomalous or a UFO, bring the object to a group like the Galileo Project,' Mossbridge said, referring to the research initiative led by Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb that investigates unidentified aerial phenomena using scientific methods. Mossbridge noted that such discoveries might reflect societal anxieties more than alien encounters. 'We're entering a time when we don't have the control that we thought we had,' she said. 'If an artist is doing this, why is that? I think it's because we're learning we don't fully understand what's in our skies or waters.' While sceptical of the Colombian sphere, Mossbridge does not discount all reports of anomalous phenomena. 'The federal government has admitted that there are things we don't understand, but we are investigating them,' she added. She also highlighted the need for international, non-governmental research into these phenomena. 'The sphere in Colombia is in a different country. So what are the rules about how we deal with something interesting found there?' In a separate statement, Mossbridge urged a measured response to the unknown. 'The natural human response to the unknown is fear,' she said. 'But we need to recognise that understanding and exploration — not fear — are what keep us safe.'
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Mysterious sphere in Colombia sparks UFO talk
Scientists in Mexico are reportedly studying a metal orb that they think could have extraterrestrial origins after it was recovered in Colombia earlier this year, piquing online interest of a potential unidentified flying object (UFO). The sphere marked with decorative etchings was filmed floating erratically through the sky before it crashed near Buga, Colombia, in March and captured the attention of UFO enthusiasts. A video posted online that has racked up more than half a million views shows researcher Jose Luis Velazquez discussing the multilayered sphere with 'no welds or joints' that would be expected of a man-made object of its kind. Velazquez said in the video that an X-ray found the three layers of the sphere to be of different densities. Julia Mossbridge, founder of the Mossbridge Institute and an affiliate professor in the physics department at the University of San Diego, told Fox News that she doubts the 'Buga sphere' has alien origins, though. 'It looks to me like a really cool art project,' she told the outlet. The Pentagon released a report last year that found there have been no confirmed sightings of UFOs with alien origin or human interactions with extraterrestrial beings, despite a high-profile whistleblower's claims to the contrary without evidence. Congress ordered the report, which spanned classified and unclassified documents and included new interviews, as part of a probe into the history of UFOs, now referred to as unidentified anomalous phenomena. The Defense Department established an All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office to field new reports. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
25-05-2025
- Science
- The Hill
Mysterious sphere in Colombia sparks UFO talk
Scientists in Mexico are reportedly studying a metal orb that they think could have extraterrestrial origins after it was recovered in Colombia earlier this year, piquing online interest of a potential unidentified flying object (UFO). The sphere marked with decorative etchings was filmed floating erratically through the sky before it crashed near Buga, Colombia in March and captured the attention of UFO enthusiasts. A video posted online that has racked up more than half a million views shows researcher Jose Luis Velazquez discussing the multi-layered sphere with 'no welds or joints' that would be expected of a man-made object of its kind. Velazquez said in the video that an X-ray found the three layers of the sphere to be of different densities. Julia Mossbridge, founder of the Mossbridge Institute and an affiliate professor in the physics department at the University of San Diego, told Fox News that she doubts the 'Buga sphere' has alien origins, though. 'It looks to me like a really cool art project,' she told the outlet. The Pentagon released a report last year that found there have been no confirmed sightings of UFOs with alien origin or human interactions with extraterrestrial beings, despite a high-profile whistleblower's claims to the contrary without evidence. Congress ordered the report, which spanned classified and unclassified documents and included new interviews, as part of a probe into the history of UFOs, now referred to as unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP). The Defense Department established an All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to field new reports.
