The Checkup: What You Need to Know About The Latest Trend in Dieting

Here, your daily check-in chock full of health-related reads.


• In the constantly growing realm of trendy diets: The Sirtfood Diet. It’s a fairly controversial low-calorie diet created by two nutrition pros out of the U.K. that promises a loss of up to seven pounds in seven days. The diet aims to activate sirtuin (get the name now?) — that’s a protein in the body that is said to regulate metabolism and protect cells from aging — by eating foods rich in sirtuin like kale, salmon and green tea. Some experts are skeptical about the diet’s low calorie count and claims, but note that half-assing it could actually be good for you. #Winning [Men’s Health]

• Everyone wants to get the most out of their gym memberships, but few actually do — a new app is looking to change just that. POPiN, which launched in mid-July in NYC, allows users to pay for their workouts by the minute, charging between 15 and 26 cents per minute. [FastCompany]

• The days are getting colder and shorter — the inevitable sign that winter is coming — and with that comes the darkness of Seasonal Affective Disorder: Here are eight ways to cope with seasonal gloom. [Health]

• If you’re looking to get more ginger in your life, it’s time you learn how to peel it like a pro — with a spoon, that is.[Bon Appetit]

• Interesting! New research suggests that genistein, a component of soy, has cancer-fighting properties. [Medical News Today]

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