Although there are certainly a number of different knee-related injuries and ways that one can incur such injuries, there are also a number of preventative measures and exercises one can employ to reduce the risk of injury or knee pain in the future. Here we examine some of the best low-impact exercises for your knees, as well as some preventative measures you may take to decrease the chance of knee problems later in life.:

• Proper Footwear/Accessories: Before beginning any land training, it’s hugely important that you find the right footwear for the exercise. Although running is one of the hardest exercises on your knees, if you absolutely can’t give it up, make sure you have the right shoes, and consider knee braces or other means of knee support if you already have knee pain/problems. Speak with a doctor or orthopedic expert about the best options for your particular goals and needs.
• Stretching: Before and after any exercise regimen you should maintain a simple stretching routine. There are certain stretches that are more effective for certain exercises; doing some research and finding out which stretches are best for your exercise method is extremely important. Stretching properly is also another important consideration for staying healthy and injury-free.
• Stationary Bicycle: Riding a stationary bicycle is a great, low-impact exercise for your knees that is a great substitute for running. When riding a stationary bike, make sure the seat is high enough to keep your knees from bending beyond a 90-degree angle. The knee should be slightly bent when the pedal is furthest away from your body on an upright bike. Using a reclined or recumbent bike is usually easier on the lower back and also on the knees, but generally offers a less intense workout.
• Elliptical Machine: A cross between stationary bicycle and stair climber, the elliptical machine offers an intense cardio workout option with a lower impact than walking. Its design promotes the use of all of the body’s main muscle groups and is a great way to lose weight, get in shape, and feel better, without compromising your knees.
• Swimming/Water Exercises: There are many great swimming and water exercises that offer incredible cardio workouts with almost no impact on your knees. If you live near a public pool, there are often water exercise classes that you might consider enrolling in. Water supports the body’s weight while providing resistance that makes your muscles work harder when performing basic movements. Many regular land exercises can be performed in an aquatic environment that is far easier on the knees and other joints, while giving a similar or sometime better workout.

No matter your age or physical fitness level, there are some great options out there for staying active and promoting healthy knee and body function at the same time. While these five tips and tools can certainly help you achieve your personal fitness goals while staying safe, there are also a number of others that it can be beneficial to research before beginning any training program.

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Nora Charles is a freelance writer that has worked with many bloggers for several years now.

Let me show you a sample menu to give you an example. The following suggested menu items require only a cooler, a pot and a single burner camp stove. There is minimal cooking ahead of time for some of these meals. For longer trips, one might consider purchasing a mini-fridge. However, power availability and price are considerations. If a boat can handle a mini-fridge and there is room for it, one can usually pick them up for between 70 and 150 dollars. A used mini-fridge should cost even less.

Breakfast

A healthy breakfast consists of a minimal amount of cooked foods, so this meal should not be difficult. Fresh fruit salad with a fat free yogurt is one idea. This takes up very little space in the cooler, as fruit can be stored at room temperature until it is cut. Low-fat granola cereal with low-fat milk is another idea that requires minimal cold storage. For those working hard on boats and in need of protein, bring some eggs and cook them without butter in a non-stick pan. This can be done in even a soup pot, so there is no need to bring extra pans.

Lunch

Healthy sandwiches make for a convenient lunch option. Try fat-free chicken breast with guacamole spread on whole wheat bread. For cold days, prepare a low-fat stew ahead of time and store it in Ziploc bags. It can be heated on the boat by pouring it into an empty pot or boiling it in water while it is in the bag. Busy fishermen can make an easy, healthy lunch by bringing along a bag of salad and a can of tuna. Put the plain tuna on top of the salad, then mix with a low-fat dressing. Or if you want to reduce your exposure to mercury, you can substitute another canned fish like canned salmon.

Dinner

Healthy meals that can be prepared ahead of time and heated in Ziploc bags in boiling water include foods such as cooked wheat pasta with a chunky marinara sauce, mixed vegetables with grilled salmon steak and vegetable soup. Almost any healthy meal can be prepared on board a boat this way. It may not have the same consistency as a meal that went straight from the oven to a plate, but it will have all of the same flavors and nutrients. For a healthy take on a comfort food, bring veggie burgers, sizzle them in a pan and serve them on wheat bread.

Snacks

Healthy snacks are perhaps the easiest food to prepare on board a boat. Trail mixes with seeds, nuts and dried berries are great. However, one should be careful not to consume too much of a trail mix if the boat trip is leisurely. Seeds and nuts tend to have a lot of calories. On the other hand, if the people on board are going to be burning many calories, trail mix will help them keep up their energy. A healthy snack that is lacking in extreme calories is yogurt. Eat a little yogurt with fruit and granola. Lastly, go for a little treat with low-fat oatmeal raisin cookies. The oats and raisins in these cookies are healthy. The right recipe will minimize excess sugar and butter.

Drinks

There is no healthier drink than water. It has no calories and is necessary for the body to function properly. However, it has no nutrients. Orange juice is a good fruit juice that is packed with Vitamin C and goes well with breakfast. For something warm, go with green tea, which is packed with antioxidants.

As always, when preparing meals on a boat, safety comes first. If there is not enough room for a stove burner to be kept away from fuel, go with room temperature options or store soup in thermoses for the trip. Pack food carefully so it stays at the right storage temperature for the duration of the excursion.

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Shel S. is a freelance writer working with Harris Flotebote, a performance pontoon boat manufacturer.

But there are reasons to get a massage that go beyond these more “superficial” benefits. While a massage is certainly valuable from the perspective of stress and feel, it can also help you battle everything from colds to cancer by boosting your body’s immune system.

How does this work? There are a couple factors that account for this correlation between a massage and a stronger immune response. First, massage therapy promotes increased lymphatic circulation, a process whereby lymph moves throughout the body, eliminates pathogens and other waste, and increases the spread of white blood cells. Such a process serves to boost your infection-fighting capabilities. Second, a massage can reduce your levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with pressure and stress. High levels of cortisol can boost blood pressure and reduce natural killer cells. Low levels, on the other hand, can allow immune cells to do their job without interference.

These factors are consistent with recent research into the subject. A study funded by the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine found that patients given a Swedish massage displayed a decrease in stress-related hormones and a significant boost in the production of infection-fighting cells. This boost served to strengthen the short-term immune response. The authors of the study, which was subsequently published in the Journal of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, hypothesized that a regular regimen of massage therapy would make the boost a near-permanent one.

So if you have a poor immune system as a result of genetics or disease (or if you’ve recently contracted a cold) you might want to head over to your nearest masseuse and get yourself an immune-boosting massage. Keep in mind, however, that the above-discussed study only found these benefits displayed when patients used certified therapists that attended massage school. Along these lines, make sure that you do your research before getting onto the bed. Your immune system will thank you later.

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Nora Charles is a freelance writer that has worked with many bloggers for several years now.

There’s really not much for a diabetic to dislike as far as running is concerned. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t risks associated with the activity.  For someone who is a diabetic and also a runner, the sport can cause changes in blood glucose levels that, if not properly addressed, can lead to hypoglycemia. What precautions can be taken to minimize these risks? Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Stretch religiously: Since blood glucose levels can destabilize more easily in injured runners, it is important that you remain as healthy as possible at all times. Understandably, it is likely impossible to avoid minor strains and tears over a long period of running. But you should still make every effort to stretch regularly, so as to minimize that chance.

Establish and maintain a routine: Exercise can affect different diabetics in different ways, and blood glucose levels can potentially change more following a morning run than an evening jog, or vice versa. So as to always have a good idea of your body’s response, it’s best to keep your workout schedule consistent; for example, you might always run in the morning after eating breakfast.

Partner up or communicate: No matter how prepared, it is a fact of diabetic life that something can happen at any time. For this reason, it is optimal to have a running buddy who can be there in case of hypoglycemia – or, at the very least, you should always tell a spouse or a friend when you are headed out and where you are going.

Never run empty-handed: In addition to a watch and a good pair of shoes, diabetics should always bring nutrient gels (ex. GU) with them on every run. This allows for quick access to sugar in case you feel your blood glucose levels dropping. You may also want to carry a glucose meter just to be extra secure.

These are the main precautions that you can take to minimize your chance of hypoglycemia during (or following) a run. While the benefits offered to the diabetic by running are undoubtedly numerous, it’s always important to keep these risks and precautions in mind before lacing up your shoes and heading outside.

Photo Courtesy of Casey Serin via Flickr

Since the divorce several months ago, Martha’s life had turned upside down.  She used to have at least a little time for herself. Not anymore! Working full time and taking care of two young kids was more of a struggle then she thought.  Her energy levels were not what they used to be, her mood was not so upbeat and she was more tired and stressed. So, when her coworker Nancy told her that the juice detox diet that she was on had not only helped her lose weight, but had raised her energy levels and mood as well, Martha was all ears.  Anything to get her life and health back on track, she thought.

What is a detox diet?

A detox diet is a short term diet lasting from 3 to 30 days (but usually about a week) that involves changing daily consumption either by avoiding certain foods (such as fats or carbohydrates) or eating specific foods exclusively, such as juices, fruits, vegetables or water.  Detox diets sometimes have a fasting component and tend to be low in calories, which has helped to make it popular with celebrities or anyone interested in shedding pounds fast.  One example was when Beyonce Knowles went on a liquid diet called, “The Master Cleanse” to help her shed pounds for her Dreamgirls role.

What are proponents saying about detox diets?

Proponents claim that detox diets flush harmful toxins or contaminants from the body, allowing it to heal itself and become healthier. They say that avoiding or eating only specific foods for a short period of time makes it possible for the body to burn the fat that has accumulated, thereby releasing the “toxins” stored in that fat into the blood stream.  Subsequently, those fats are eliminated through the blood, skin, urine, feces and even breath. Once those contaminants are cleared from it, the body will function better, making it better able to fight or even prevent disease, slow aging, increase energy levels, improve digestion, reduce headaches and bloating, improve concentration and mood and supercharge your metabolism to help shed unwanted pounds faster.

Do detox diets work?

From a scientific standpoint, the answer is “no”.  In fact, detox diets have the potential to be harmful.  When you go on a restrictive calorie diet (and eliminate certain categories of foods), you are not flushing toxins out of your body as you may think.  Instead, you are losing necessary body proteins and fluids.  I’m not saying that the body is not able to detox. Far from it.  What I’m saying is that if you’re doing a detox diet, you’re doing it wrong. Detoxification occurs naturally. Your body’s liver and kidney processes toxins and then excrete them via your urine and stool.  In that way, toxins are ejected from your body without the need for a detox diet.  In essence, if you want to detox, eat healthy and let your body take care of it naturally.

Besides, restrictive diets make it harder to get the daily nutrients needed to maintain overall good health.  Plus, restricting your calories sabotages the goal of long term weight loss by slowing down your metabolism.  That makes it hard to keep the weight off after the diet is over.  Most of the time, that results in gaining back all the lost weight and more.

The bottom line:

If you are worried about harmful toxins accumulating in your body, the best thing to do is to not eat or use products that contain these substances.  Instead try to eat organic foods and switch to less harmful personal care products and cosmetics instead of relying on the periodic use of potentially harmful detox diets. And if you want to shed unwanted pounds, the detox diet is not the magic pill that you are looking for.  Instead, evaluate your eating habits and gradually change your eating habits and lifestyle to a more healthier one that is more conducive to safe weight loss.

Sources Used: Mayo Clinic, WebMD and Science Daily

Photo Courtesy of James Emery via Flickr

A few months ago, RadioShack® asked me if I would like to review two of their pedometers.  Of course, I accepted since I’ve found pedometers to be a good way to motivate people to exercise more.  They shipped them out promptly and I quickly put them to the test.  At first, I tested the pedometers on the trail near my house.  But then, during the trial, I had an epiphany. I am the Director of Rehabilitation at a skilled nursing facility. So, why not use the pedometers there to promote increased activity and improved health for our patients?

Walking Is Life!™ (WIL)

From that inspiration, I designed a pedometer program where the therapists would track how many steps their patients took during their treatment sessions and use that information to devise a walking program prior to their patient’s return home.  The program, which we named “Walking Is Life™” (WIL), is an individualized walking program that challenges the patient with gradually increasing goals that the patient can pursue either by themselves or with assistance depending on their situation.  The overall goal of the program is to head off the usual decline in activity that patients experience after returning home and replace that with continuing improvement. That way they can improve both their quality of life and their ability to live safely in their own homes.

After designing the program, I thanked RadioShack for the review unit that they sent me, told them about the idea that it sparked and asked them if there was someone I could contact to get a discount on a bulk purchase of their units. I was both surprised and delighted when they volunteered to give us enough pedometers to launch the pilot version of our program, which we are now implementing at my facility.

What are the benefits of walking in the elderly population?

Walking is a great aerobic activity that has numerous health benefits in this population.  Not only is it a low impact, aerobic activity, that is less likely to cause injuries, but it has also been shown to improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, improve mental health, improve circulation, reduce stress, reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, manage weight and help keep muscles toned and in shape.

What are the benefits of using a pedometer with this patient population?

As therapists, we have noticed that when many of our patients go home, they restrict their activity level to their house and walk less than they did during their rehabilitation.  This negatively affects their quality of life. Often, the patients are not even aware that they have reduced their activity level.

That is where the pedometer comes in. With very little effort, the pedometer allows the patient to monitor their daily activity level and see if they are starting to decline in aerobic capacity.  They can take that information as a cue to do more or, if necessary, to inform their physician that something is negatively impacting their health before it becomes a more serious issue.  Also, giving the patient a program with periodic goals to accomplish and a means to track those goals helps to motivate the patient to continue working to improve their health.

The bottom line:

As therapists we are always looking for ways to empower our patients to be healthier and more active and the Walking Is Life™ pedometer program designed by us at BeingHealthy.TV does just that. The program allows therapy professionals to design an individualized, evidence based program that improves their patients’ progress both in the facility during their rehabilitation and in their home environment after they return home. Plus, giving the patient a pedometer and exercise goals to take home with them, empowers and motivates them to improve their own health.

We want to once again thank RadioShack® Corporation for sponsoring our Walking Is Life!™ Pedometer Program by giving us pedometers to improve the health of our patients. We would also like to commend RadioShack for its involvement with the Livestrong Foundation, supporting their mission with fundraising, awareness building and advocacy facilitation.  We are honored that RadioShack has taken an active interest in bettering the lives of our patients as well.  Thank you!

Photo by lululemon athletica via Flickr

A few blocks from my house, there is a Bikram yoga studio that I have walked past multiple times on my way to and from work.  And I have always wondered as I look into the steamed up windows whether there were any benefits to the average person of doing yoga in such extreme heat. Why would people choose this type of yoga over the traditional varieties?

What is Bikram Yoga?

First off, Bikram yoga is a style of yoga that is performed in a room that is typically heated to 105 F/40.5 C with a humidity of 40%.  Bikram classes are very rigid and strict in their routine and consist of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises that run for exactly 90 minutes.

Are there benefits to doing yoga in extreme heat?

From a scientific standpoint there is none.  In fact, exercising in a hot room with high humidity can actually be detrimental to one’s health.  Extreme heat puts extra stress on the body, which can lead to heat related illness, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke if the body is unable to regulate the heat. That’s why people tend not to exercise during the hottest part of the day, especially in humid climates.

What happens to your body when you exercise in hot weather?

When you exercise in hot, humid climates, your core body temperature has a tendency to rise.  To help cool your body, your natural cooling system (skin, blood vessels and sweat) work to bring your body temperature down.  You start sweating, your blood vessels dilate and your heart rate increases, moving blood away from your muscles to circulate near your skin to help cool you down.  If the humidity is high, your sweat has less opportunity to evaporate from your skin, which in turn pushes your body temperature higher.  And if your body is placed under this stressful environment for too long, your natural cooling systems can fail, resulting in a heat related illness.

Are the claims of Bikram yoga fans true?

On the internet you will find lot of positive health claims for Bikram yoga made by the people that favor it.  Some may have some truth to them, but most have no scientific basis. Here are some that I ran into over and over again:

1. Heavy sweating helps to detoxify the body: Actually, toxins leave the body via urine and feces after they are broken down by the liver and filtered by your kidneys and intestines.  Sorry, sweat has nothing to do with it. The main function of sweat is to cool your body down when it is overheated and not to detoxify you.  If you want to detoxify, eat healthier and give your body time to purge the toxins naturally.
2. Warm muscles allow your body to burn fat easier: Actually, if you want to burn more fat, warm muscles have nothing to do with it.  Your best strategy is to increase your muscle mass by weight training and perform more aerobic activity. More muscle mass means more calories burnt during activity.
3. Heat improves stretching and flexibility: You can get a deeper stretch if your muscles are warmed up first.  But you can get the same benefit by stretching after a 20-30 minutes aerobic workout.  Also stretching too deeply while the muscles are warm can lead to injury, so you have to beware of over stretching.
4. The discomfort of a heated environment helps to increase willpower and mental strength: Well, anything uncomfortable that you have to go through in life will make you mentally stronger if you survive it. You don’t gain any special mental toughness specifically because you are exercising in a hot room though. It is just one avenue someone might pursue.

The bottom line:

When it comes to objective measurements, Bikram yoga appears to have few added health benefits to recommend it over standard yoga.  Unfortunately, it may also be more harmful for people that are unable to regulate their body temperature in the hot, humid environment it demands.  That’s not to say that no one can attend a Bikram yoga class safely, however, if you do attend one make sure not to ignore any signs or symptoms of heat related illnesses, such as muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting, weakness, headache, dizziness or confusion.  And during the class make sure to  wear light, loose fitting clothing and drink lots of water before, during and after to stay hydrated, since you will no doubt be sweating excessively.  The important thing is to take appropriate precautions to stay safe while enjoying your hot yoga class.

Sources used: Mayo Clinic and Medicinenet.com

What does “That’s it.” have going for it?

The “That’s it.” fruit bar is a truly simple snack. Unlike other bars, you will not find added sugar, corn-syrup, saturated fat or a list of unpronounceable ingredients that look like they they belong in a science textbook. Instead, you will only find two ingredients, apple and one of three fruits (pear, apricot or cherries). Each of the three bars that Superfruit Nutrition sells are only 100 calories and have 3 grams of fiber. The bars are vegan, diabetic friendly, gluten free and raw. So far, so good. What’s the catch?

Negatives:

They’re not organic. For some people, that’s no big deal. For me though, that’s a big thing. Especially since every one of their three bars features apples, which are the fruit with the highest amount of pesticides. Also, while they are only 100 calories, you still have to be careful because they are tasty enough that I could see someone eating a few with no problem. Plus, at about $20 for a box of 12, they aren’t that cheap.

The bottom line:

For those individuals searching for an easy, healthy snack that will give them energy, nutrition and curb their munchies this is snack will do the job. And it is definitely a healthier snack to give to your kids than a candy bar or most energy bars. I know my 3 year old loved this fruit bar. I’d take this bar over cookies and crackers any day, but before it would be on my short list of snacks, it would have to go organic. If organic isn’t a concern for you, you might want to give these a try.

I know some people always point to those outliers though. Mostly because they’re busy and don’t want to put in the hard work. Now, I know as well as anyone that life can be very busy. I work full time as a Director of Rehabilitation and I have two young sons who constantly keep me on my toes. Despite my busy schedule though, I make time to be healthy. I exercise a minimum of 4 days/week, eat whole, organic foods and spend quality time with my family. Why? Simple. Because I want to be healthy enough to one day spend time with my great grandchildren and be well enough for both me and them to enjoy it. I’m not going to get there by complaining about how busy I am and taking poor care of myself and my family.

Now I know that there are no guarantees in life and that I can put in the hard work and still get hit by a bus or get some mystery disease while traveling to exotic locales, but that is no reason not to work to be healthy. Living a sedentary lifestyle with poor eating habits contributes to a significant number of preventable deaths every year. After all, those behaviors are risk factors for many diseases. So, why take that chance when from what I’ve gleaned from the centenarians that I have read about, the things that they thought were key to their longevity weren’t necessarily that time consuming or onerous. Curious what some of the most important factors were in those people surviving to see their 100th birthdays? Of course you are. So, here they are.

What can I do to live a long life?
Here are a few lifestyle habits that centenarians tend to have in common:

1. They keep active: Exercise has numerous health benefits, such as, improved strength, posture, flexibility, increased energy, lowered blood pressure, improved cholesterol, decreased stress, improved cognitive functioning and better quality sleep. So, get out and do some type of activity at least 3-5x/week for 30 minutes.
2. They maintain a healthy diet: Centenarians tend to have a diet that is plentiful in fruits, vegetables, fish and has little to no red meat. That makes it harder for diseases, such as cancer and heart disease to strike.
3. They get plenty of sleep: Lack of sleep overtime can take a toll on your body and decrease your ability to function. So, make sure to get enough sleep every night.
4. They keep their minds active: Make it your mission to be a lifelong learner. This will keep your life not only interesting and fun, but it will also keep your mind sharp and agile. So, find a new hobby, learn a new skill and keep up with technology and current events.
5. They are optimistic and happy: Happy people tend to live longer. If you are stressed or unhappy, make it a mission to find out why and fix it.
6. They live in a good environment: Try to live in a place with clean air and water. Also look for a low stress place with a supportive community and access to nature. Minimizing chemical exposure and living in a healthy, supportive environment support physical and mental health, which go hand in hand when it comes to longevity.

The bottom line:

Lifestyle plays a major role in longevity. So, don’t ignore it. While almost everyone can come up with someone that lived to an advanced age while seemingly living a less than perfect life, those people usually only indulged in one vice. Also, they rarely indulged in that vice to extremes. Plus, those exceptions were often born with genetics that could have made them record setters with their years if they chose to care for themselves better. So, don’t bank on being genetically gifted and think that you can abuse yourself and still live to a ripe old age. The numbers are not on your side if you do that, but they start to head to your side when you start living right.

Armed with our newfound knowledge, my husband and I embarked on a mission to eliminate gluten from my son’s diet. The breads, pastas, cakes, cookies and other flour based foods that he was used to consuming disappeared as we found reasonable gluten free alternatives to take their place. Within a few days of completely switching him over, we started noticing an improvement in his skin. He was scratching less and his skin was not as red and dry. Eliminating gluten from his diet was one of the best things we have done for him. It meant no more mornings finding his arms or legs bloody from scratching.

What is a gluten free diet?

Obviously, a gluten free diet does is one in which none of the foods contain any gluten. But what is gluten? Gluten is actually a type of protein commonly found in grains, such as wheat, barley or rye. Therefore, you will find it in most cereals, breads, pastas, cakes, cookies and pizzas.

How do I create a gluten free kitchen?

At first, changing over to a gluten free kitchen seems overwhelming. You may feel like you’re getting rid of all the food in your house because you will find out that most of your processed foods have some hidden gluten in them for one reason or another. You’ll have to read the ingredient lists carefully to get rid of anything that contains, wheat, barley, rye, monosodium glutamate, spelt, kamut, bulgar, couscous, durum wheat, semolina or malt. You will be surprised that, depending on the ingredients added to them, foods that you never thought could have gluten in them sometimes do, such as, canned foods, yogurt, ketchup, grated cheese, sauces, soy sauce, gravy, soups, luncheon meats and salad dressings to name a small selection.

What can I eat on a gluten free diet?

Now that your kitchen is empty you might be looking around thinking you are going to starve. Do not despair. You can still have breads, pastas, baked items and other processed goods that you love. The only difference is that they have to be made with gluten free ingredients, such as, rice, corn, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, quinoa, oats, tapioca flour, nut flour, garbanzo and soybeans. That gives you a lot of ingredient options if you like to make your own food from scratch. And if you are not a into cooking, supermarkets are carrying more and more products that are labeled “gluten free.” They’ll taste different than what you are used to, but if you search around a bit and try a variety of items, you’ll find new choices that are suited to your tastebuds.

The bottom line:

If you find out that your body is sensitive to gluten, try to make every effort to eliminate or reduce gluten products in your diet. While it will take work to make your kitchen a gluten free one, it will be much easier than it was 10 years ago when there wasn’t as much public awareness of the problem. Today, grocery stores are carrying more gluten free products and more restaurants and even cruise ships are offering gluten free alternatives to their customers as well. So, make a lifestyle change for a better and healthier you! You are worth the effort, after all!

Sources used:  Medicinenet.com and Wiki.answers.com 

1. Switch up the routine:  If you normally run on the treadmill before lifting weights or always use the same stair master while at the gym, you might want to switch up your routine slightly to make your workout experience a less scheduled and predetermined one. Try the stationary bike one day or go swimming the next. Even if these options don’t offer you the same fitness benefits, they can still be valuable ways to help you out of your slump and back into your regular routine.
2. Create incentives: Just as with employees in the workforce, people exercising are usually far more motivated when they have set incentives and goals for which they can strive. Along these lines, promise yourself a gift if you reach a goal, such as, covering a certain number of miles or make it to the gym a set number of times in a given week. Whatever the specifics of your incentives, giving them an appropriate mid-term focus helps to break up your training into smaller chunks which helps you work towards a larger goal.
3. Take a break:  No matter how much you may want to push through a period of stagnation, the ultimate truth is that sometimes you might need a short break from the grind. If you think you can handle this without losing all motivation altogether, take a few days off and let yourself relax. With any luck, you’ll start getting antsy and want to resume your workout routine after a short break.
4. Get a workout partner:  Many people workout alone, whether it is at a gym, on the roads, or in their own basement. This is normally the most convenient and practical way of getting your daily exercise done. When you’re in a funk, however, it can be extremely helpful to get a lifting partner or to join a recreational league. Having another person to workout with will give you a  motivation to perform  and an obligation to follow through.

Give these tips a try and get motivated once again. While human inspiration comes in waves and may certainly wax and wane over time, it is important that we nonetheless preserve as much consistency as possible in our exercise regimens. That gets the best results for our health, both physical and mental.

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Nora Charles is a freelance writer that has worked with many bloggers for several years now.

Before we get into that, here is a little info on these two products:

LifeWise™ JW-005S Step Counter (Retail Price: $6.99)

• - Counts up to 99,999 steps
• - Belt clip
• - Button cell battery with reported 1 year life

LifeWise™ 4-Function Pedometer (Retail Price: $19.99)

• - Counts up to 999,999 steps
• - Counts distances up to 999.99 km/miles
• - Counts calories burned up to 99,999.9 KCAL
• - Belt clip
• - Button cell battery with reported 1 year life

Both are small devices that are worn on the hip directly in line with the middle of the knee on the front of the leg. The step counter is harder to read while being worn since the read out is on the front. That presents the read out as upside down and is a little awkward to check while walking. The 4-Function Pedometer, on the other hand, has a flip open front that presents the read out in an easy to read manner. Now for some observations of their functions while in use:

Trial 1: Average Adult around the house

Both step counters performed well when I used them around the house, but had issues when there were movements that impacted them, such as squatting or certain other movements that jostled the leg just so. If you want an accurate read out of steps only, you might want to remove the counter and pedometer during these types of activities.

Trial 2: Average Adult on trail

Both step counters performed well when I took them on the trail. Step counts were accurate and the pedometer calculated an accurate distance when compared against the known distance walked. In fact, it was more accurate that a running app that we ran on the iPhone for comparison purposes. Of course, accurate distance calculations rely on the user setting an accurate stride length when setting up the pedometer and keeping a fairly similar and consistent gait while walking. So, if you switched from walking to running, you would need to recalculate the stride length to ensure that you had a fairly accurate distance recorded.

Trial 3: Geriatric Patient with regular step pattern

As expected, the step counter and pedometer both worked well with these patients, but the pedometer’s distance calculations were slightly less accurate than with the average adult. We chalked this up to calibration and gait consistency. Since these patients did not walk as far as I did in the previous trials and they were a little less consistent with gait length, that reduced the accuracy. So, for this use case, I would recommend sticking to the step counting. Which of these two devices you use would come down to how much you want to spend and whether or not you want to be able to read the steps without removing the device first.

Trial 4: Geriatric Patient with irregular step pattern

This group of patients had various different medical issues that complicated their gait patterns. For those patients who had more of a shuffle to their step, there were sometimes large deviations between the number of steps taken and the number of steps measured. For that reason, I wouldn’t recommend either the step counter or the pedometer for patients with highly irregular step patterns.

Bottom Line: These step counters are very inexpensive ways to monitor your steps to see how much exercise you are getting throughout the day. They are also a good way to motivate yourself to do more. As far as older people that are not getting enough exercise are concerned, I’ve found these are a good way to give them an accurate idea of how much exercise they are really getting. It also helps to motivate those people to try to do more, thereby improving their physical condition.

While we can’t foresee the future and ensure that no medical issues will arrive, we can certainly control the controllables and work to ensure that our healthcare costs are as low as possible. Here are a few tips to accomplish just that:

Get Drug Discounts

While the average person does not require surgeries or emergency room visits on a regular basis, most Americans do take medication of some sort. Even with insurance, getting and refilling a prescription can be costly – especially in the long-run. Reducing those costs can help you realize considerable savings. You can do this by purchasing generic medications, using discount prescription drug cards, purchasing online or through the mail, and by shopping for bulk supplies at “big-box” stores such as Wal-Mart and Costco.

Do Your Research

At many steps in the medical process, taking a moment to do some additional research can translate into less money taken out of your pocket. If you think you’re getting sick, read about your symptoms online or call your doctor’s office for advice before making an appointment. If you’re due for a mammogram, colonoscopy, or other type of screening, consider checking the cost of the procedure and shopping around a bit if the price seems too high. And if you need surgery, you can benefit monetarily by first researching outpatient surgery centers and non-profit hospitals in your area. Also avoid emergency room visits if at all possible because they are far more expensive than regular doctors appointments.

Be Preventative

Even with the above cost-reducing measures, your medical bill is sure to skyrocket as soon as you find yourself saddled with an ailment. This is where preventative approaches come into play. By exercising regularly, eating healthily and nutritiously, getting enough sleep, and living a low-risk life you can dramatically reduce your risk factors for many common diseases down the road. In turn, your future medical spending will decrease likewise.

These are just a few of the ways to reduce the costs associated with your medical expenses. These days healthcare insurance costs are scary but necessary considerations, but that does not mean that we can’t take measures within our control to reduce the medical burden as much as possible.

Nora Charles is a freelance writer that has worked with many bloggers for several years now.

Consider the following five ways you can lower your risk of type II diabetes:

• Increase fiber intake: Consuming a proper amount of fiber daily, helps keep your blood sugar at balanced levels. In addition, more fiber in the form of oatmeal and other hearty low calorie consumables helps curb your appetite for more sugary snacks.
• Eat whole grains: Studies have shown that individuals with diets containing high amounts of whole grains tend to see a decreased rate for developing diabetes. Great-tasting whole grain options abound these days, so consider making the transition if you haven’t already.
• Avoid obesity at all costs: It’s overwhelmingly apparent that there is a strong correlation between obesity and developing diabetes. So, it’s critical that you never allow yourself to become overweight, let alone obese. Doing so can increase your chances of developing diabetes by as much as 80 percent.
• Skip refined sugars: Nothing in the modern American diet is more likely to cause wily blood sugar levels than foods and drinks laden with refined sugars. Soft drinks, candy, cakes, and other sweets should be consumed as rarely as possible, if ever.
• Diet and exercise: Committing to a proper diet and sticking to a weekly workout regimen are the smartest ways to ensure that the aforementioned steps are followed. A balanced diet will provide you with the nutrition you need sans the junk, while dedicated exercise will keep you from becoming overweight.

Type II diabetes is a devastating medical problem, but one that can easily be avoided with the right steps. It requires nothing more than discipline and an unwavering desire to avoid having to prick your finger three a times a day for the rest of your life.

Nora Charles is a freelance writer that has worked with many bloggers for several years now.

The Latssimus Dorsi is one of the body’s strongest muscles and assists the shoulders and lower back when lifting heavy objects. Properly training them will not only make you look better, but give you more strength to lift things throughout the day. Here are five ways you can use exercises like rowing and resistance training to build your lats and get fast results:

Rowing

Have you ever looked at the size and witnessed the endurance of Olympic level rowers? Their physiques are a testament to the power of using rowing as a complete body workout. “Just rowing for 20 minutes per day is enough to develop more endurance and lose weight,” says John from Motocross Gear. You can accomplish this task easily by using a rowing machine or a cable bench with very little resistance.

Advanced Resistance Rows

While rowing for cardio purposes is an excellent workout, to get more powerful lats you are going to need to add some resistance. BodyBuilding.com suggests exercises like seated cable rows, one-handed dumbell rows, and the leverage iso row to build up strength and add size to your lats.

Pullups

Pullups are one of the most classic and commonly practiced exercises for a reason. They not only workout the lats, but hit the upper back and biceps as well. All you need for this exercise is an elevated and stable bar. If you can’t perform a set of pull-ups right away, most gyms offer assisted machines that will decrease some of your own resistance.

Lat Pulldowns

By getting on the lat pulldown machine and pulling weight towards your chest, your upper lats will become stronger. You can alter this workout and work different subsections of the lats by switching from wide-grip to close grip on alternating days.

Before starting any resistance or cardio training routine, it is important to get the permission of a doctor and the advice of a personal trainer. It is also important to use the correct weights and the proper amount of rest. Not doing so could cause injury by not allowing the muscles to repair and heal correctly. For best results, perform this workout once or twice a week.

Nora Charles is a freelance writer that has worked with many bloggers for several years now.

A recent study from Harvard Medical School shows that being overweight or obese when you are middle-aged is an excellent indicator that you may not have much longer to live. The study also shows that young people who are of the heavier persuasion have an increased risk of dying when they reach a certain age as well. But the main difference between these two groups of people is in the difficulty of losing the weight. A teenager will usually have an easier time shedding pounds because older people often have slower metabolisms, less energy, and careers that can get in the way.

The study claims that while it may be easier and more beneficial for people to lose weight while young, it is never to late to see the benefits from weight loss. Those in their 40s and 50s who choose to lose their excess weight will see increased benefits and a longer life. Not only will their chance of heart disease decrease, but recent diabetes news suggests that if properly managed the harsh treatment methods may be reduced.

Now, if you are getting into your later years, you may think that it is too late to change your habits. Most people get stuck in routines and used to bad lifestyle choices which can take years off of their lives. Instead of doing nothing about it, middle-age people should take haste and visit the gym and eat better as soon as possible because it can still make a difference.

There are only two things that need to happen later in life in order for successful weight loss to occur: diet and exercise. While this may seem overwhelming for the uninitiated, it is as easy as keeping track of numbers. The average person needs around 2,000 calories in order to function throughout the day. By altering certain foods to get the correct caloric intake, you can manipulate your diet to be more efficient. In order to lose a pound every week, you will need an overall deficit of 3,500 calories.

A more efficient way to fill up and not go over your daily calorie allowance is to eat foods that are rich in fiber such as nuts, beans, fruits, and vegetables. They may not seem as appealing as a Big Mac at first, but your body will thank you for it by functioning better and reducing the symptoms of diabetes.

Along with keeping tabs on your caloric intake, you should also set numbers to the amount of exercise your perform. By purchasing a pedometer you can see how much you are actually walking throughout the day and adjust your levels of activity according to your weight loss goals. If you are looking to seriously get into shape, workout on a treadmill or elliptical to know exactly how many calories you are burning by entering your weight.

Once you are accustomed to working out regularly, start to challenge yourself with tougher routines. The Livestrong website suggests jogging outside at night on a regular basis in order to burn the most calories. By constantly increasing your goals you might even transform yourself from a sedentary vegetable to a well toned athlete over time.

Nora Charles is a freelance writer that has worked with many bloggers for several years now.

One of the bigger questions today is: How can you fight off hunger urges while dieting? Sure you want to lose weight, but avoiding the fulfilling, fatty foods at your fingertips when your stomach and body is telling you to eat more can be difficult. To explore this further we must compartmentalize this question in order to fully grasp its underlying answers.

Stomach Tricksters
When the body starts giving signs to the brain that it needs replenishment you should always listen. It’s never a good idea to ignore this request even if you have put yourself on a strict dieting regime. It’s a common misconception that when dieting you need to eat significantly less, or not eat anything at all during certain points in your day in order to lose weight. This is untrue and there is a good way to respond to these physical requests.

Eat a stomach trickster. Airy foods that are large in size but light in density can temporarily satisfy your craving. Now I’m certainly not saying this is the ultimate resolution to a hunger crisis, but it can help if you’re having trouble sleeping because of hunger pains and absolutely need something to satisfy this natural craving.

Fluids Help the Flow
Simply put, water helps your body in so many ways. Water isn’t a cure for hunger, but will help compensate for other aspects of bodily functioning (eg. low on energy). Other fluids too aren’t a bad idea if your pallet is craving something more sweet and flavorful.

Eat “Anything” Whenever You Want
The number one weapon in your hunger fighting arsenal is actually two food groups. They are none other than fruits and vegetables. Vegetables especially are foods that you can have without any limitations or restrictions. They don’t pack as much of a belly filling punch as chocolate cheese cake, but are nevertheless effective. Snacking on fruits and vegetables is generally a good idea anyway as the body responds well to vitamin and nutrient rich foods like these. So pick out some of your favorites and stock up.

Powerful Fiber
Incorporating high fiber foods into your diet can really have a positive effect. They are light and heavy at the same time. Heavy in nutritional value and light in all the things you don’t need. Whole grains, beans, fiber based cereals, and many others can help keep your body lean while providing a good source of energy and even mental acuteness.

Trendy: Gum
I briefly wanted to mention this recent trend. Supposedly many people are chewing gum while drinking lots of water. I don’t recommend this as I’ve never tried it but supposedly it helps. My best guess as to why is because of a psychological factor. Stimulating the chewing mechanism relays a message to the brain that you’re consuming something when in reality you’re just tossing a rubbery little thing around between your teeth. You could try this one if you were interested in seeing if it might help you.

Sleep
When pertaining to the end of our day, sleep is most important. You need a regular and decent sleep schedule for your body to operate at maximum efficiency. If you’re thinking about food late at night and are losing sleep over it, then try to find a decent healthy snack to hold you over until morning. Ideally, I’d highly advise against late night snacking, but it’s better to be comfortable enough to sleep more, than to worry about eating less.

Old School: Ice
This is an old trick that worked for many, including myself for many years. Chewing ice is a great way to satiate your hunger without taking in any calories. From a dental standpoint, chewing ice cubes isn’t recommended, but chewing crushed or broken down ice can beneficial without too many dental problems. If you want to get really crazy you can add flavoring to the ice for a more flavor stimulating experience.

I hope you enjoyed today’s points and wish everyone the best of luck in their quests to leading healthier lifestyles!

About the Author – Dan Petraglia runs a weight loss and fitness information blog packed with unique exercise, dieting, and nutrition information, products, programs, and services. you can check it out at fitnessandweightlosscentral.com or follow him on Facebook & on Twitter.

Get fit while getting to work

For most Americans, the daily commute is a time to sit in the car, listen to some music, and sip on the coffee they brewed overnight or the water they grabbed from their water softener before rushing out the door. Whether you find your commute highly stressful or surprisingly relaxing, there’s a good chance that you really have no good alternative to your daily mode of transportation. There is probably no quick and dependable public transit option between your home and your office. You’re stuck in the car, regardless of whether you like it or not.
But some people have the opportunity to turn their commute into a healthy and refreshing workout. If you live close enough to work and have showers at your office, eschewing the car for a morning run or bike ride can help maximize your time, health, and daily vigor. But which mode of commute should you choose? Unless you live in one of those rare places where work can be reached with swim trunks or cross country skis, you are likely faced with a choice between running to the office or riding your bike. Let’s look at a few of the pros and cons of each:

Biking
Pros: Biking is the mode of choice for most people who choose to exercise on their daily commute to work. And it’s easy to see why. Bikes can cover larger distances relatively quickly and they make it easier for you to carry a backpack or suitcase with you. Backpacks also allow you to get as much or as little of a workout as you’d like, which may be particularly appealing for anyone with no showers at work who still seeks a car-free commute. For example, if your morning trip has a net downhill and you aren’t in a hurry, you can cruise into the office without breaking a sweat. But you can still get a biking workout if you seek one.
Cons: Biking poses a couple of seasonal and logistical issues that you should consider. First of all, if you choose this mode you’re going to need a place at work to keep the bicycle, whether inside the office or on a rack. Secondly, biking is usually more dangerous than running in snowy or icy conditions.

Running
Pros: There is no activity out there that burns calories more easily or costs less than running. If you choose to run to work, consequently, your transportation costs will plummet and you will quickly find yourself in peak physical shape. You also will be able to leave the house in the morning without needing to worry about such practical issues as needing to take out the bike, clear snow off the car, or hurry to catch the bus; instead, you just need to shut the front door and start running. And, although running may be difficult when the roads are choked with cars and the sidewalks piled with snow, it is still probably the easiest form of exercise to perform outdoors and under adverse conditions.
Cons: Running is likely only feasible for people who live within a few miles of their office and have the ability to shower and change once they arrive. After all, it’s difficult to carry any items on a run and you are almost sure to build up a sweat in the process.
As you can see, biking and running have their distinct advantages and issues. If you want an efficient mode of transit for nice days, biking might be your best bet. If you want to guarantee a workout every single morning and afternoon of the workweek, running may suit you better. But either way, if you can make a biking or running commute feasible in the long run, your body will certainly thank you later.

Nora Charles is a freelance writer that has worked with many bloggers for several years now.

MyPlate

Most of us know of nothing other than the food pyramid when conjuring up images depicting a proper diet. But the truth is that the classic food pyramid wasn’t implemented until 1992 by the United States Department of Agriculture. Until then, the government issued healthy eating advice using an array of informational methods, mostly imagery meant to encourage younger people to eat responsibly. Yet one fact has remained consistent through every attempt at nutritional awareness at the federal level to date: it’s confusing.

The food pyramid was so confusing, apparently, that many people mistook and continue to mistake the placement of fats at the top as a sign of their priority in the diet. Maybe that’s why there are so many obese people in the United States these days?

At any rate, in addition to the major changes in medical billing and other aspects of health informatics, the federal government is looking to overhaul nutritional awareness measures yet again. Since a 2005 revamping of the food pyramid didn’t do much besides confuse the public further, they’ve decided to ditch the gimmick altogether and start from scratch.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet MyPlate.

MyPlate replaces the food pyramid, and is a simple image depicting the size of certain food group portions on your plate as they’d be if you were following the suggestions of the medical community. Like a pie graph so to speak, MyPlate simply divides fruits, grains, diary, vegetables, and protein into sections of a plate and a small side bowl. These slices depict how much of each you should be consuming in relation to one other at every meal.

Despite being created and dispersed by the Department of Agriculture, MyPlate awareness is part of President Obama’s Let’s Move push to get America off global leader boards of obesity. For instance, the President and his wife First Lady Michelle Obama were proponents early on in his term of the idea that no meal should ever be larger than your balled-up fist.

It’s common sense, easy-to-remember nutritional facts and tips like these that the government hopes the public will respond to. Due to the United States’ obsession with losing weight, it’s an industry currently worth nearly $61 billion dollars. We are obviously very concerned with losing weight, yet remain incapable of it on a massive scale. The government believes much of this has to do with limited information and public awareness regarding how to eat properly and stay fit.

Will MyPlate do the trick? It’ll surely take more than that. But as far as providing the public with an easy-to-understand guide to meal health, it’s a great way to start the movement.

This is a guest post by Jessica Wagner, a freelancer writer from San Diego, CA.

Photo by D Sharon Pruitt

Incorporating low-calorie, high nutrient foods into your diet is one of the best ways to lose weight and to maintain your current weight. Maintaining a trim waistline is obviously an important part of a healthy lifestyle; however, so is often overlooked oral care. To promote the health of our bodies, we need to eat for both the health of our waistlines and our mouths. Whether you are seeing Dallas dentists or Miami dieticians, they will all agree that the following foods are great for both your oral and physical health:

Berries

Strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries are all high in Vitamin C, which is necessary to promote gum health. These berries are also high in fiber and antioxidants, which reduce cravings and boost your overall immune system. So, consider adding a cup of these fruits to your morning hot cereal for additional nutrition. Just remember to brush afterwards to rid your mouth of all those remaining seeds and sugars.

Dark Leafy Greens

Not only are green leafy veggies great at warding off gingivitis, but they are also high in Vitamin A, a necessary nutrient for building tooth enamel. Eating lots of veggies is, in fact, one of the best things you can do for your mouth.  As a bonus it is also high beneficial to your waistline. Turnip greens have some of the highest levels of vitamin A amongst the dark leafy greens, but spinach also has a high level if you aren’t into turnip greens. Spinach is also rich in fiber making it a great bed for anyone who is weight conscious and craving a salad.

Low-Fat Yogurt

The calcium contained in low-fat yogurt has long been proven to build strong bones and promote strong health, which is great for your teeth. The protein found in low-fat yogurt is also great for rebuilding lean muscle after a work out, and the Vitamin D which many dairy products are now fortified with help promote a better mood. Low-fat yogurt is a definite favorite due to those highly benefits to your oral, physical, and mental health.

The right foods can do wonders for our overall health. They can boost your energy, put you in a better mood, and help you shed the extra pounds you need to live a healthier life. When shopping for food, consider choosing whole foods that will not only promote your physical and mental health, but also your oral health. A healthy lifestyle incorporates every aspect in your life so there is no reason not to make sure that the foods you eat will be able to fuel you properly.

Studies conducted by a team of ob gyn professionals and health researchers in the United Kingdom have produced evidence that links maternal obesity with increased chances that the infant will die before birth, during birth, or within a year of the birth. While the direct connections between obesity and infant mortality are still being figured out, the researchers and professionals working on the study are certain that high blood pressure had a high percentage share of the blame.

Pre-eclampsia is a medical condition wherein high blood pressure raised in pregnancy in combination with high protein levels in the urine. Such a condition can leave a woman’s body struggling to keep both itself and the growing fetus healthy, which can result in future health issues. Also, if the pregnant body is stretched beyond its limits, the result is often a miscarriage.

A study suggests that 16 deaths should be expected for every 1,000 babies born to obese mothers. That’s double the number of infant deaths expected from the general population of pregnant women.

Solutions are difficult to formulate because medical experts strongly advise against diets during pregnancy.  Rather than dieting, pregnant women should remain as physically active as possible while still taking it easy. Water exercises are often suggested as the perfect exercise for pregnant women for just that reason.

A healthy diet and exercise plan prior to pregnancy may be the best option to avoid the problems commonly associated with a high-weight pregnancy. Public awareness of the dangers of being overweight when with child needs to grow. Women need to be aware that being pregnant doesn’t give them license to eat all the wrong foods and to eat in excess. It’ll take more than that knowledge to ensure a healthy pregnancy, but it’s certainly a good start. And those women who are obese or at risk for becoming obese during pregnancy should visit their OBGYN or primary physician prior to becoming pregnant to make sure they would not be putting their pregnancy at risk.

Photo by Kaiban on Flickr

Hemorrhoids are pretty hard to take sitting down or even standing up. With the majority of our workforce behind desks for hours on end, hemorrhoids cause quite a problem in the lives of millions of people every year. Yet hemorrhoids are for the most part an ailment we can avoid if we alter our eating habits and drink more water. Even if it’s too late and you’re suffering from a bad case of hemorrhoids, there are a few measures you can take that can alleviate the agony.

Prevention

1. Drink Up - Your bodily systems are mainly waterways. Your digestive tract is certainly no exception, so drinking lots of water helps everything run a lot smoother if traffic is stopped up. Juicy fruits and vegetables do the trick, too.
2. Fiber, Fiber, Fiber - This preventative measure is so obvious they even tell you about it in hemorrhoid treatment commercials. Fiber is essentially water-absorbing organic matter the body can’t digest, which when eaten, result in softer stool which can more easily be expelled. Foods high in fiber include whole wheat, rye, rice, beans, lentils, carrots, eggplant, cabbage, corn, lettuce, apples, oranges, apricots and raisins.
3. Take ‘Er Easy - If you have a couple rough rides ahead, don’t press the issue. Straining hard stool out from your body causes blood vessels to rupture around the anus, which can lead to hemorrhoids. Start drinking lots of water and have patience. Avoiding excessive straining is the best way to avoid getting hemorrhoids.

Remedy

1. Cushion Your Tush - Once you have hemorrhoids, it’s simply a matter of containing the damage and easing the pain. If you are seated for the majority of your week, you should purchase a donut cushion to sit on. This will keep pressure off the troubled area.
2. Rinse Don’t Rub - This is probably the biggest adjustment hemorrhoid sufferers are forced to make, but you should really avoid wiping your anus after a bowel movement. Using a bidet would be optimum, but since they’re few and far between in this country try hopping in the shower, if possible. If a shower isn’t possible, wipe with a damp disposable cloth.
3. Sitz On It - If you’re plagued with hemorrhoids, you should attempt a Sitz bath after every bowel movement, if possible. It’s essentially a low-volume warm water bath the sufferer sits in for ten to fifteen minutes. This relieves the pain and reduces any recurring inflammation.

Battling hemorrhoids takes foresight and patience. Eat the right foods and drink lots of water if you’re at high risk of getting hemorrhoids. And if they show up, be prepared to adjust your daily routine . If you stick with your new routine, you’ll be sitting pretty again in no time.

This is a guest post by Jessica Wagner, a freelancer writer from San Diego, CA.

Talli van Sunder Running

On April 4th, 2011 I was featured on the American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) Move Forward’s website. I was part of their Move Forward Monday spotlight. In the interview I answered questions relating to how my favorite fitness activity plays an integral role in my life, why I love to exercise, injuries that I had to overcome and how to prevent injuries when exercising.

So, if  you are interested here is the link to the article.

So, if you’re interested or have any questions on that subject, head on over to the Move Forward PT Tweetchat on November 3! If you want more information, you can check out the full press release here.

So, if you’re interested or have any questions, head on over to Move Forward PT next Tuesday and tune in! If you want more information, you can check out the full press release here.

Photo by Bev Sykes via Flickr

Gary had been constipated for the past few weeks, always straining during his bowel movements. He was so frustrated and uncomfortable. Then a few days ago he noticed bright red blood on his stool. Concerned, Gary rushed to his doctor who told him that he had hemorrhoids.

Gary can take some comfort in knowing that hemorrhoids are actually very common. Almost half of people will have had hemorrhoids at some point by age 50.

What is a hemorrhoid?
Some people think that a hemorrhoid is a growth, but it is actually an inflammation of veins and enlargement of the natural tissue in the area of the anus. Hemorrhoids can exist either outside or inside the rectum. Those outside the rectum usually cause more pain.

Hemorrhoids are usually caused by excessive pressure on the veins in the anal or pelvic area with constipation and straining during bowel movements being the most common cause. However, pregnant females can develop hemorrhoids as well due to the increased pressure on the blood vessels in the pelvic area. Also, genetics and obesity may also play a role in hemorrhoids.

While hemorrhoids can be painful, they aren’t something to be afraid of. They usually are not dangerous or life threatening and most will go away within a few days.

How do I know if I have one?
One of the most common symptoms of a hemorrhoid is a small amount of bright red blood on the stool or toilet paper. Itching, discomfort, painful swelling, a hard lump around the anus or leakage of feces are other potential symptoms.

How can I prevent hemorrhoids?
Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to prevent hemorrhoids. The key is to keep stools soft, so that they pass easily without straining. Here are 7 suggestions to help with that:

1. Increase your fiber: Eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains to increase fecal bulk and soften stools. That will help reduce constipation and straining.
2. Increase your fluids: Drink at least 6-8 glasses of fluid to help keep your stools soft and easy to pass.
3. Exercise regularly: Being active can reduce the pressure on your veins that can occur with prolonged sitting and standing.
4. Avoid prolonged sitting: Change positions on a regular basis to relieve excess pressure on the veins of the anus.  If you have a sedentary job, stand up periodically and move around.
5. Avoid rough toilet paper: If you are prone to hemorrhoids or have them, gently clean yourself and maybe use wet paper or premoistened wipes.
6. Don’t ignore the urge: If you don’t act on the urge, it may go away and the stools might become dry and hard making you strain when you try to pass them later.
7. Keep clean: Personal hygiene can reduce skin irritation. So, make sure to bathe or shower often to keep the area clean.

What if I get a hemorrhoid?
If you do develop a hemorrhoid, there are many treatments you can try. First off, if you’re sure it is a hemorrhoid, keep up with the steps above. You can also try a warm sitz bath. They are available at your local drug store. They fit over the toilet and hold warm water that you can sit in for 10-20 minutes to ease the pain.

If those steps don’t help after a few days, seek medical advice. Especially, if you notice blood in your stools. You can’t assume bleeding is merely due to hemorrhoids. In some cases, bleeding may be a symptom of a more serious medical issue.

The bottom line:
If you get a hemorrhoid, you are not alone. While they can be painful, they are not dangerous and most will disappear in a few days with proper home treatment. And luckily with a few simple lifestyle changes you should be able to prevent them from recurring. Isn’t that a relief?

Like Pratik, many people would love to kick their metabolisms into high gear, but some think it’s a losing battle.  They feel like their metabolisms are working against them because they believe they are doing everything right, such as eating healthy and exercising on a regular basis.  So, the goal of today’s show is to give some ways to boost your metabolism.

References used while researching this show are WebMD and kidshealth.org.

Photo by renjith krishnan via freedigitalphotos

We all visit the doctor at some point in our lives, no matter how well we care for our health, whether it be for a check-up or to treat a medical condition.  When we do go, having a positive experience is very important for obtaining the best treatment possible.  Unfortunately, when many people need to choose a doctor, they are unsure how to select the right one.  So, they often just pick the closest one that takes their insurance and is accepting new patients.  And once they’ve selected a doctor, they don’t know how to take an active role in their own healthcare.  Neither that patient selection process nor that passive relationship with the doctor is optimal.  So, today I’ll discuss some considerations when selecting a health care practitioner, how to improve communication and when to seek a second opinion.

Some references I used while researching this show are The New Wellness Encyclopedia and about.com.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Traveling, Eating & Staying Healthy

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Study: Ditching & Keeping Off the Abdominal Fat
2. Holiday at the Office: Fight the Feeding Frenzy!

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review. It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners. Thanks for listening, everyone!

Photo by Danilo Rizzuti via freedigitalphotos.net

Pamela was not looking forward to heading back to the office after Thanksgiving.  It wasn’t the work or the coworkers.  She loved them.  It was the 10 pounds that she was convinced she gained last year from eating the holiday treats at the office.  She had always had problems with sweets and her weight.  This year she had finally lost 25 pounds.  It was an amazing accomplishment for her and she was afraid that the holidays treats at the office woukd get the best of her again. She had worked so hard to lose each and every pound.  The last thing she wanted was to gain any of them back.

Like Pamela, many people find it challenging to stick to a healthy eating plan when co-workers or clients are constantly bringing holiday treats.  Don’t fear though because even though holiday treats like chocolates, cookies, candies and cakes might tempt you, there are some tricks to help you resist.

How can I resist the holiday treats?
Here are 4 things you can do to take control of the holiday treat situation:

1. Plan ahead: Bring healthy snacks to work, such as fresh fruit or veggies and eat them when you get hungry. You will be less likely to binge on unhealthy treats when you are not hungry.
2. Start a healthy trend: Bring fruit or hummus with veggies to the office instead of baked goods. You would be surprised how many people find the opportunity to eat something healthier refreshing.  Other people might even follow suit and bring healthy treats to work as well.
3. Out of site, out of mind: If you can, place the holiday treats out of your sight.  If you don’t see them, you will be less tempted by them.
4. Say no to food pushers: No matter how hard your co-workers try to make you feel guilty for not eating the sweets they brought, stay strong.  Don’t let them tempt you or make you feel guilty about eating healthy.  Just politely say “No, thank you,” and walk away from the situation.

The bottom line:
You should not let the holidays destroy the healthy diet you have worked so hard to maintain. With a little planning you can eat healthy this season.  And remember it is okay to indulge in a treat, occasionally.  You don’t let the holidays make you lose control.  Moderation is the key during the holidays, just as it is all year round.

Since I’m passionate about health and I love traveling, I want to make sure you’re healthy when you travel, so that you can get the most out of your vacation.  So, in this episode I will go over what you should eat and drink when traveling to a foreign country, especially when you are in a rural or undeveloped area.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

References used while researching this show are The New Wellness Encylopedia, independenttraveler.com and worldworx.tv.

Photo by lululemon athletica via Flickr

Last year Tracy’s doctor told her that she needed to lose some weight, especially in her midsection (visceral fat).  He said it was an important step towards decreasing her risk of serious health conditions, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, both of which her family had a history.
He had been concerned because she had gained 30 pounds between doctor’s appointments, with most of it in her midsection.  Taking his advice to heart, Tracy started working out at least 30 minutes a day, 5-6 times a week, and changed her diet to a much healthier one. A year later, she was back to a healthy weight and feeling good about her accomplishments. Now she had to maintain her weight loss, but wasn’t sure how much time she needed to dedicate to exercise to prevent the return of the harmful visceral fat.

A study by the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Human Studies may have the answer for Tracy.

Study:
Scientists from the University of Alabama looked at how exercise affects the regain of harmful visceral fat a year after weight loss.  In the study, 45 European-American and 52 African-American women, were randomly placed into 3 different groups: aerobic training, resistance training or no exercise.  All participants were placed on an 800 calorie-a-day diet* and lost an average of 24 pounds.  Researchers then measured total fat, abdominal subcutaneous fat and visceral fat for each participant.  Afterward, participants in the two exercise groups were asked to continue exercising 40 minutes a day, twice a week for a year.  At the end of the study, the researchers found that the individuals that continued to exercise, even though they had regained some weight, had not regained any visceral fat.  The ones who stopped exercising or weren’t put on any exercise program, regained, on average, about 33 percent of the lost visceral fat.

So what does that mean?
That means that even after you achieve your weight loss goal, you can’t stop exercising.  Even a small amount of exercise can be beneficial in preventing the return of visceral fat.  In this study, exercising a minimum of 80 minutes a week, either aerobic or resistance, was all that was needed to prevent regains.  That is important because excess visceral fat increases risk of both heart disease and diabetes.  But if the goal is not just preventing the return of visceral fat, but also maintaining the other weight loss, exercise longer than 80 minutes weekly is probably necessary.

*BeingHealthy.tv recommends against starvation diets and is only reporting on this study for the purpose of detailing the importance of exercising in order to prevent the return of unhealthy visceral fat. Weight loss should be done in a slower, healthier manner than that undertaken in this study.

Source: University of Alabama at Birmingham (2009, October 29) (via ScienceDaily)

Photo by Hape Gera via Flickr

As you all know, today’s fast paced world can be very stressful.  It pulls us in a million and one directions, and we’re always rushing to meet an unending string of deadlines and the expectations placed on us by our employers, friends and even our families.  I know that it can often be hard not to get anxious or stressed.  As if it wasn’t bad enough that all that pressure is zero fun, on top of that, chronic stress negatively impacts our overall health.  It can lead to sleep problems, depression, anxiety, chest pain, high blood pressure, burnout, the inability to enjoy life, etc.  That is why it is important to minimize stress whenever possible.  Because we’re all striving for a contented life, where we’re happy, healthy and free of chronic stress, aren’t we?

So, what should you do if your days are consistently stressful?  Well, the first thing you need to do is learn to manage your stress.  One excellent way to do that is through meditation.  Meditation helps to dissipate tension and bring a sense of calm and inner peace.  Since meditation is such a useful tool for managing stress, I am dedicating this show to the practice of Meditation.  I’ll cover what meditation is, its benefits and some tips on how you can start meditating on your own.

Some references I used while researching this show are The New Wellness Encyclopedia and Mayo Clinic.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Being Healthy While Eating Out

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Study: More Protein, More Muscle?
2. Don’t Neglect Your Nails!

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone! ]]> http://www.beinghealthy.tv/archives/bh4bp0073/feed/ 4 Healing,Health,Meditation,Peace,Stress As you all know, today's fast paced world can be very stressful.  It pulls us in a million and one directions, and we're always rushing to meet an unending string of deadlines and the expectations placed on us by our employers, As you all know, today's fast paced world can be very stressful.  It pulls us in a million and one directions, and we're always rushing to meet an unending string of deadlines and the expectations placed on us by our employers, friends and even our families.  I know that it can often be hard not to get anxious or stressed.  As if it wasn't bad enough that all that pressure is zero fun, on top of that, chronic stress negatively impacts our overall health.  It can lead to sleep problems, depression, anxiety, chest pain, high blood pressure, burnout, the inability to enjoy life, etc.  That is why it is important to minimize stress whenever possible.  Because we're all striving for a contented life, where we're happy, healthy and free of chronic stress, aren't we? So, what should you do if your days are consistently stressful?  Well, the first thing you need to do is learn to manage your stress.  One excellent way to do that is through meditation.  Meditation helps to dissipate tension and bring a sense of calm and inner peace.  Since meditation is such a useful tool for managing stress, I am dedicating this show to the practice of Meditation.  I'll cover what meditation is, its benefits and some tips on how you can start meditating on your own. Some references I used while researching this show are The New Wellness Encyclopedia and Mayo Clinic (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/meditation/HQ01070). The video podcast for this week is: * Being Healthy While Eating Out (http://www.beinghealthy.tv/archives/bhtv023/) The blog posts for this week are: * Study: More Protein, More Muscle? (http://www.beinghealthy.tv/archives/study_muscle_protein/) * (http://www.beinghealthy.tv/archives/study_muscle_protein/)Don’t Neglect Your Nails! (http://www.beinghealthy.tv/archives/nail_care/) If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=285124681) and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone! Flying Squirrel Media clean 11:04 http://www.beinghealthy.tv/archives/nail_care/ http://www.beinghealthy.tv/archives/nail_care/#comments Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:00:34 +0000 Talli van Sunder http://www.beinghealthy.tv/?p=1543

Photo by nightrose via Flickr

Lucy noticed that her nails did not look as good as they had before she started surfing. They had a lot more white spots than before. Was she sick? Her friend Tammy always said that nails were an indicator of good health. Maybe she had a vitamin or mineral deficiency? Did she need see a doctor?

To some extent, Lucy’s friend was right. Strong, healthy fingernails can be a sign of good health. But Lucy shouldn’t get too worried. Some changes in the color or appearance of nails are not signals of a health issue. Some common nail conditions are harmless.

What nail conditions are harmless?
Fingernails are composed of hardened protein called keratin, which is also found in hair and skin. And they can reveal quite a bit about your health. However, there are some nail conditions that, for the most part, are considered insignificant and nothing to worry about, such as:

1. Brittleness: This is weakness that causes nails to break easily. Often this can be caused by something as simple as frequent immersion in soapy water or the nails becoming overly dry. Like dry skin it can get worse during the winter.
2. Vertical ridges: Vertical ridges are quite common and can become more pronounced with age.
3. White spots: White spots are usually the result of a minor injury to the nail, not of a vitamin or mineral deficiency. They will disappear as the nail grows out.

However, other nail conditions, such as yellow discoloration, separation of a nail from the nail bed or indentations that run across the nails could indicate a health problem. So, if you notice any persistent change in the texture, shape or color of your nail it is probably time to seek medical advice. However, the doctor won’t be able to diagnose solely by looking at your nails, he/she will have to run other tests to determine exactly what is going on.

How can keep I my nails healthy?
If you want your nails to be healthy and look their best, you can’t neglect or abuse them. Here are 7 basic tips to keep your nails healthy.

1. Maintain your nails: Perform routine nail maintenance. Trim your fingernails and clean under the nails on a regular basis. When you do, use the appropriate device, such as sharp manicure scissors or clippers and an emery board to smooth any sharp edges.
2. Wear gloves: To prevent brittleness, wear rubber gloves when washing dishes or using harsh chemicals, such as when cleaning. And wear warm gloves when going outside during the winter.
3. Don’t bite your nails: Over time, nail biting damages the nail bed (the skin beneath the nail).
4. Don’t pick or remove cuticles: That can allow bacteria or fungi to enter, possibly leading to infection.
5. Don’t pull off hangnails: Hangnails are the small strips of skin that peel away from the cuticle. They can be painful, especially when they get caught on stuff. They are usually the result of dry skin or nail biting. So, use a good hand lotion around the cuticle daily and avoid nail biting to prevent hangnails. And if you get them, cut off the loose skin with manicured scissors. Tearing them off can lead to more hangnails, more pain and possibly infection. Moisturize your nails: Like skin, nails can get dry, so it is important to moisturize both nails and cuticles on a regular basis.
6. Limit use of nail polish remover: Nail polish remover is very drying to nails and cuticles and should be used as sparingly and infrequently as possible. Try not to remove nail polish daily. Instead make repairs by applying more nail polish.
7. Avoid certain nail hardeners: Avoid nail hardeners that contain toluene-sulfonamide formaldehyde resin. This chemical can produce a rash on the fingers or around the eyes. Look for a hypoallergenic enamel that is free of this chemical instead.

The bottom line:
Not all nail conditions are a sign of illness. Some are actually harmless, but with good nail care you can keep your nails looking their best. So, spend a little time taking care of your nails and you will reap the rewards of strong, healthy looking nails!

So, since most people enjoy eating out, but struggle to be healthy while doing it, I’m dedicating not only this show, but 12 more shows to what foods to choose and what foods to avoid when dining out at certain types of restaurants. A new “Being Healthy While Eating Out” show will come out monthly for a year.  Each episode will be released on the 4th Sunday of each month. This episode will focus on general tips that will help you to eat healthy no matter what cuisine you will be enjoying.

Announcement: Being Healthy for Busy People, my audio show, is a Podcast Awards finalist!  Daily voting will run till November 30th.  If you have time, please go and vote for my podcast under Health/Fitness as many days as you can!  Thank you!

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

References used while researching this show are The New Wellness Encylopedia, American Heart Association and NPD Group.

Photo by jetalone via Flickr

Jamie was on a quest to gain more weight in the form of rippling muscles.  He was a tall guy, measuring in at 6 foot 4 inches (1.93 m), but only weighed 165 pounds (75 kg).  He wasn’t happy with his wiry look and wanted a stronger, more muscular physique.  In his mission to add more muscle bulk, Jamie started hitting the gym 6 days a week, lifting weights for 2 hours at a time, and eating as much protein as he could get his hands on.  He started eating steak and four eggs daily and was constantly either drinking high protein shakes or eating protein bars.

Some people might be wondering if Jamie is going about achieving his muscle gains the right way.  That is a good question.  Is Jamie’s ultra high protein diet the right way to build bigger muscles?  Well, a study coming out of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston is strongly saying that a high protein diet is not necessary for muscle growth.

Study:
Researchers from the University of Texas compared the changes in muscle protein synthesis (growth) in volunteers who consumed different amounts of 90% lean beef. Some volunteers were fed 30 g of beef protein per meal (about 4 oz), while others ate 90 g of beef protein per meal (about 12 oz). Using blood samples and thigh muscle biopsies, the researchers determined the subjects’ muscle growth rates following each of the meals. They found out that only the first 30 g of protein per meal was used to build muscle in the young and elderly volunteers.

What does this mean?
This means that when it comes to muscle growth, the old adage “The more protein you eat, the better,” is not true.  There seems to be an upper limit to how much protein a muscle can use at a given time.  So, eating more than 30 grams of protein per meal, or what is equivalent to 4 oz of chicken or 90% lean ground beef, will not stimulate more muscle growth.  Instead, the excess protein will usually just break down and be used for energy or converted to fat.  So, in order to maximize muscle growth, the study argues that it is best to consume a moderate amount of protein throughout the day, instead of in one meal.  Unfortunately, dinner is where most people eat the most protein and breakfast is where they eat the least.  So, if you want to maximize muscle growth, eat a moderate amount of protein (no more than 30 grams) at any meal.  If you spread the protein consumption throughout the day, your body will be synthesizing muscle all day long!

Source: University of Texas Medical Branch (via ScienceDaily)

Photo by Benjamin Rossen via Flickr

Every year, millions of office workers complain of on the job aches and pains.  According to WebMD, one study reported that over 50% of employees who used computers for at least 15 hours a week, reported musculoskeletal problems in the first year of a new job.  That is a very high percentage, don’t you think?  So, since many of us can relate to these aches and pains, I’m dedicating this show to preventing and managing aches and pains that occur as a result of office life.

As promised, here are shows #8 and #11: “Watch That Posture! Stand Tall!” and “Heading Off Neck Pain!“.

Announcement: Being Healthy for Busy People, is a Podcast Awards finalist!  Daily voting will run till November 30th.  If you have time, please go and vote for my podcast under Health/Fitness as many days as you can! Thank you!

Some references I used while researching this show are WebMD and Mayo Clinic.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Olive Oil

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Study: Eating Blueberries for Antioxidants? Skip the Milk.
2. What’s It Going To Be? Tap or Bottled Water?

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

Photo by darkpatator via Flickr

“Would you like bottled water or tap water, sir?” the waiter asked.

“Bottled would be great,” James answered.  Frankly, he was surprised there would be any question about which he would choose.  Everyone knew that tap water was poison, didn’t they?  “Do you have Evian?”

“Of course, sir. I’ll bring that right out.” The waiter smiled and walked to the kitchen as James continued to peruse the menu.  So many great dishes to choose from.  This was going to be a great meal.

Conversations like this one are quite common at restaurants around the country.  In many cases, the restaurant patron feels the same way as James did.  That begs an important question.  Is James right about tap water being poison?

Is bottled water healthier than tap?
Bottled water is one of the fastest growing segments of the beverage industry, but there are still some questions about whether bottled water is healthier than tap water.  In the United States, tap water is strictly regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  If you question the quality of your municipality’s water, contact them and they will provide you with the latest report on your area’s water quality.  If your area’s water meets the EPA’s standards, you know that you are drinking water that has has been treated for certain bacteria, chemicals and other contaminants, has been tested often and that it falls within strict water treatment parameters.  Bottled water, on the other hand, is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is less strict than the EPA and requires less testing.

That difference in the stringency of regulations is enough to bring the superiority of bottled water over tap water into question.  In some cases, bottled water companies just bottle tap water into plastic bottles and sell it.  You wouldn’t expect much of a health advantage from that.  Supporting that position, some studies are showing that there is no significant health difference between tap and bottled water and, in some cases, bottled water even contains levels of potentially harmful contaminants that are not allowed in tap water. Worse yet, some bottled waters were found to have been processed and bottled under conditions that resulted in the bottled water having a higher bacteria count than tap water.

So, without any definite health benefits, bottled water comes with a higher price tag with nothing to recommend it, except possibly better flavor or convenience.  That means that if either price or health benefits are an important factor and straight tap water or a regular bottled water are your options, sticking to tap water is probably the way to go.  I don’t want to overstate things though because there are some places in the country where the water has been tested and shown to have unhealthy levels of contaminants.  In those cases, buying the right bottled water might be a healthier option.

The bottom line:
It is important to know what the source of your water is and how it is processed to make an educated decision on what water is the healthiest for you and your family to drink.  For the most part, at least in most of the industrialized world, tap water from a municipal system undergoes stringent treatment processes to make it drinkable and safe.  And many studies show that tap water is safer and healthier than many bottled waters.  So, before spending money on bottled water, do your research and know what you are getting for your money.

So, today I’m going to share the health benefits of olive oil that led me to fall in love with it and use it in so many of the dishes I prepare.  I’ll also cover some important tips I learned in regards to choosing and storing olive oil.  And of course, the show wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t mention a couple tasty ways that you can add a little more olive oil to your diet.

Announcement: Being Healthy for Busy People, my audio show, is a Podcast Awards finalist! Daily voting will run till November 30th.  If you have time, please go and vote for my podcast under Health/Fitness as many days as you can! Thank you!

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

References used while researching this show are WHfoods and Wikipedia.

Photo by diongillard via Flickr

Over the past few years, Karen transitioned from an unhealthy diet to a much healthier one.  These days, she felt much less fatigued and much happier.  She was so happy with the results that she was determined to keep studying up on health, in order to make better and better food choices.  So, when she read that blueberries were among the fruits with the highest antioxidant levels, she immediately went out and bought some fresh blueberries.  The next morning she topped her cereal with fresh blueberries, proud that she was taking one more positive step for her health.

Blueberries are definitely a fruit worth eating.  What Karen may not realize is that what you eat blueberries with may play a role in how much of the antioxidants you receive from them.

Study:
Scientists from the National Institute of Research for Diet and Nutrition in Rome, Italy were interested in finding out what happens to the antioxidant activity of blueberries when milk is consumed with them.  The study involved eleven healthy participants who were asked to consume either 200g of blueberries with 200ml of water or 200g of blueberries with 200ml of whole milk.  Blood samples were collected prior to consumption and at one, two and five hours post consumption.  After studying the samples, the scientists concluded that the antioxidant activity of blueberries was impaired significantly when milk was ingested.

What does this mean?
This means that if you want to get the most health benefits from eating blueberries, you probably do not want to include them in any cereal or meal that includes milk.  In this small study, the antioxidant activity of blueberries was reduced substantially when milk was involved.  So, please continue enjoying this super fruit, just not with milk!

Source: National Institute of Research for Diet and Nutrition (via PubMed)

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I’m happy to announce that Being Healthy for Busy People was a finalist in the health category of the Podcast Awards!  That’s two years running and I owe it to all of you.  Thank you so very much!  For anyone interested in voting for the podcast, voting opens at podcastawards.com on November 13 and runs until November 30.   Every person is allowed to vote once every 24 hours.  Thanks again everyone!

With winter approaching, the prospect of going indoors to exercise because of cold weather have some people bummed.  They are just not gym people.  But cold weather doesn’t have to mean the end of outdoor exercise.  With a little planning and preparation, running, cycling or walking can be done during cold weather.  That’s why, with winter just around the corner for much of the world, it’s time to talk about how to safely and effectively work out in cold weather.

Some references I used while researching this show are The New Wellness Encyclopedia, Mayo Clinic and weather.com.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Exercise Intensity

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Study: Swine Flu Combo Drug Treatments
2. Spinach: If It’s Good Enough for Popeye…

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

Being Healthy for Busy People has been selected as a finalist for the 2009 Podcast Awards!  I am honored to have been chosen again this year.

Voting starts November 13th and will run until November 30th. You are allowed to vote once a day per IP address or per person.  So, if you like the show, please go to podcastawards.com and vote daily for my podcast.  I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks for listening and helping me make my dream a reality, everyone! You are all awesome!

Photo by Plat via Flickr

Many people are familiar with Popeye the Sailor, a popular fist fighting cartoon character of the 1920′s through 1960′s.  Popeye sure knew what was good for him!  Just before a brawl he would down a whole can of spinach to give him super strength and ensure his victory.  It never disappointed.  Every time Popeye ate his spinach, he won.

In the United States, this spinach-loving cartoon character did a lot to popularize and increase demand for spinach. Manufacturers saw about a 30% increase in sales thanks to Popeye.  But does spinach actually make you stronger?

What are the health benefits of spinach?
Spinach will not give you temporary super strength like Popeye.  Nevertheless, it is a nutritional powerhouse worthy of inclusion in your diet.  Spinach is a dark leafy green vegetable that is rich in vitamins A, C, E and K, manganese, iron, folate, riboflavin and potassium.  Plus, it is a good source of dietary fiber and a potent source of antioxidants.

Eating spinach provides many health benefits.  It may decrease your risk of osteoporosis, cataracts, macular degeneration, heart disease and certain cancers, such as colon, ovarian and prostate cancer.  Plus, it helps to promote eyesight and gastrointestinal health and boosts energy levels.

Do I have to eat cold spinach out of a can like Popeye?
Spinach is available all year round at most major supermarkets and can be eaten in raw or cooked form.  Here are 6 suggestions that are tastier than Popeye’s cold spinach from a can recipe:

1. Salad: Add fresh, raw spinach to other leafy greens or even on its own with a little pressed garlic, pepper, red wine vinegar and olive oil for a delicious salad. (Coincidence that Popeye’s girlfriend’s name was Olive Oil?  I think not.  The two go great together, both in recipes and in the cartoon.)
2. Pasta: Add steamed chopped spinach to lasagna or any other pasta recipe that you enjoy.  It will not only improve the taste, but also the nutrient profile of this comfort food.
3. Dip: Make a spinach dip and eat it with your favorite crunchy raw vegetables or with whole grain crackers.
4. Omelet: Add spinach to your favorite omelet recipe.
5. Side dish: Add a little nutmeg and olive oil to steamed spinach and have it with dinner.  (There’s that olive oil again.  In this case it tastes great, plus the fat in olive oil makes the body more able to absorb the vitamin E in the spinach.)
6. Sandwich: Instead of using lettuce, put some spinach in your sandwich.

The bottom line:
Spinach is a highly nutritious food that has Popeye’s seal of approval and mine as well.  So, if you don’t eat it already, you should.  And if your kids don’t like it, maybe Popeye can convince them.  If you want to be healthy, it is a great choice because it tastes great and packs a healthy punch.  Just not the kind of punch that Popeye made it famous for.

If you’re not exactly sure what moderate exercise intensity is supposed to feel like, you’re not alone.  Many people don’t truly understand how exercise intensity is measured.  Today, I’ll remedy that by teaching you why it is important to exercise at a certain intensity and how to measure it, so that you can get the most out of your workouts.

Here is the Karvonen formula as I promised: (MHR-RHR)*intensity)+ RHR = Target Heart Rate

Announcement: Being Healthy for Busy People, my audio show, is a Podcast Awards finalist! Thank you to everyone who nominated my show.  I am very excited about being a finalist!  Daily voting will begin on November 13th and will run till November 30th.  If you have time, please go and vote for my podcast under Health/Fitness as many days as you can!  Thank you!

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

References used while researching this show are sparkpeople.com, Mayo Clinic, and about.com.

Photo by rodrigo senna via Flickr

The flu season has arrived and H1N1 is in full bloom. Everywhere we turn, we hear about someone infected with “swine” flu.  Plus, the CDC is stating that the number of flu related hospitalizations and deaths is higher than normal for this time of year.

Hopefully, you aren’t among those diagnosed with H1N1. If you are though, what should you do?  Well, you should follow your doctor’s instructions of course, but it is always good to understand your treatment options. Currently, there are two antiviral medications that are active against H1N1 and are used to treat those who have been diagnosed with (or are strongly suspected of having) this infection.  They are oseltamivir, known as Tamiflu and zanamivir, known as Relenza.  When used for treating infection, these medications are usually administered twice a day for five days.  They do not immediately relieve symptoms, but usually shorten the duration of symptoms by approximately one day, on average.  Not an amazingly quick cure, but scientists at multiple research facilities are collaborating to find a better drug to treat swine flu strains.

Study:
In fact, a collaboration of researchers from the University of Alabama Birmingham, Adamas Pharmaceuticals, the United States Naval Health Research Center in San Diego, Utah State University in Logan, and the Amsterdam Medical Center in the Netherlands may be coming closer to finding a drug that is more effective in treating H1N1 than what is currently in use.  A triple combo drug, consisting of oseltamivir (Tamiflu), amantadine (Symmetrel) and ribavirin are showing promising results in test tubes for stopping flu virus replication for not only H1N1, but also seasonal flus, H3N2 seasonal flu and H5N1 avian flu.  Plus, it may address the drug resistance H1N1 has to Tamiflu.  Researchers are excited about the laboratory findings and are taking their research to the next level with human studies currently underway.

What does this mean?
This experimental three drug combo may be the ideal antiviral drug that will be used to treat serious flu cases in the future.  That doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to pop a pill and be better the next day.  However, people getting well faster will mean that they will infect less people, so less people will get sick, spend time in hospitals and possibly die.  While the work in the laboratory seems very promising though, only time will tell if if this drug combination is as effective in humans.  We’ll just have to wait and see!

Source: University of Alabama at Birmingham (via ScienceDaily)

Photo by Robb1e via Flickr

Today’s show was inspired by a trip that I took to Beijing, China with David about 3 years ago. I was reminded of the trip a few days ago when I was looking through some of my photos and came across some of the many photos we took during that trip.

It was a wonderful 10 day trip and we had a fantastic time visiting places, such as the Great Wall, The Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Beijing Zoo, etc… Being who I am, the one thing from the trip that really stuck in my mind, besides the amazing historical sites, was our walk through what I believe was the Temple of Heaven Park.  As we walked through that impressive park, I noticed that there were a bunch of people in the middle of the park performing slow dance-like flowing movements.  When I asked our tour guide what they were doing, he told us that the group of people were practicing Tai Chi. The graceful images of those people gliding through different poses made an impression on me. So, when I came back home I started researching Tai Chi. I was interested to find out what the practice of tai-chi was all about and how it could be beneficial to one’s health.

So, in this episode I will share with you my findings. I will go over what Tai Chi is, the health benefits it provides and how to get started.

Some references I used while researching this show are the medicinenet.com and Mayo Clinic.

The video podcast for this week is:
Cranberries, Not Just a Holiday Treat!

The blog posts for this week are:
Study: Do Copper or Magnets Relieve Arthritis?
Thanksgiving: Does Turkey Make You Sleepy?

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review. It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners. Thanks for listening, everyone!

Photo by Rhett Sutphin via Flickr

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and many Americans are looking forward to a feast.  There will be tables laden with turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, yams, mashed potatoes, bread, salads, vegetables, and various pies.  Sounds great, doesn’t it?  What most people are not looking forward to is the sleepiness that follows the meal, which they blame the tryptophan in the turkey for.  But is turkey really to blame?

What is tryptophan?
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, which means that we have to get it from plant or animal sources because our bodies don’t naturally produce it.  Tryptophan plays an important role in the production of serotonin, which leads to calmness and can make you sleepy.  Tryptophan is also an important factor in the production of niacin, a B vitamin.  And turkey contains tryptophan, which is why it has gotten a bad rap for making people tired.  But other foods, such as chicken, egg whites, cheese, sunflower seeds, some fish, soybeans and pork chops have as much or more tryptophan as turkey and you don’t see people blaming those foods when they feel tired.

Does eating turkey cause fatigue?
Even though tryptophan is present in turkey, it is not the cause of the sedative effect that we feel after eating Thanksgiving dinner.  In order for tryptophan to make you sleepy, you have to consume it on an empty stomach without consuming any other protein.  Besides, the amount of turkey eaten during Thanksgiving is generally too small to have any appreciable effect.  Scientists now believe that it is actually the eating of a heavy meal that is rich in carbohydrates that causes the tiredness, not the turkey.  Of course, any alcohol that is consumed with the meal only adds to that effect.

What can you do to be less tired?
If you decide that you would rather skip the after meal stupor this year, here are 3 things you can do to prevent that lethargic feeling:

1. Don’t overeat: When you overeat, you will feel more lethargic because blood is diverted to your digestive system from other organ systems, making you fatigued.  After all, it takes a lot of energy to digest a large meal.
2. Limit carbohydrates: Meals that are heavy in carbohydrates trigger an insulin effect, making you tired.
3. Limit fats: High fat foods take more energy to digest, requiring extra blood to be diverted to the digestive system, leaving less energy for other bodily functions, resulting in lower energy levels.
4. Limit or avoid alcohol: Alcohol makes you more lethargic because it is a central nervous system depressant.

The bottom line:
The tryptophan in turkey has been blamed for causing the after dinner fatigue on Thanksgiving day, but the blame needs to be redirected to the true cause: overeating and too many carbohydrates and fats.  So, if you don’t want to feel the overwhelming need to take a nap after the big meal this year, eat a more balanced meal that is not too high in carbohydrates or fats.  And do not overeat or drink too much alcohol.  If you follow this simple formula, you may make it through the Thanksgiving festivities without passing out on the couch after the meal.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

References used while researching this show are The New Wellness Encyclopedia and whfoods.com.

Photo by The ChainMaille Lady via Flickr

The osteoarthritis in Betty’s hands got worse every year.  Her hands had become so stiff and painful that picking up her cup of coffee in the morning was becoming difficult.  It was so bad that when a distributor came to her door selling magnetic bracelets to cure arthritis, she bought one without even questioning if there was any scientific evidence behind the claims.  At that point she was willing to try anything that promised pain relief.

Magnetic and copper bracelets have become popular products used by many to manage the pain of chronic musculoskeletal issues, such as osteoarthritis.  In fact, worldwide sales of therapeutic devices incorporating permanent magnets is estimated at $4 billion.  But do they really work?  Well a study coming out of the University of York is raising some doubts on the effectiveness of magnetic and copper therapy.

Study:
Researchers in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York performed a randomized, controlled study that involved 45 individuals who were diagnosed with osteoarthritis.  During the 16 week study, each participant wore four devices in random order: two wrist straps with differing levels of magnetism, a demagnetized wrist strap and a copper bracelet.  At the end of the trial, no significant difference was seen between the different bracelets in relation to treating pain, stiffness or function.  Essentially, the study concluded that wearing a placebo wrist strap was just as effective as wearing a strap that had copper or magnets in it.

What does this mean?
This study claims that the pain relief people claim wearing copper and magnetic wrist straps brings may merely be a placebo effect.  Sometimes, believing that something will work, will actually make someone feel better.  Also, it may be that magnets are employed when pain is at its worst.  Then when the pain eases for other reasons, the benefit is incorrectly attributed to the copper or magnets.  So, you might not want to spend a lot of money on magnetic or copper products.  If it is a placebo that you are buying, a cheap one will do just as well.

Source: Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2009; DOI: 10.1016

Photo by D Sharon Pruitt via Flickr

It is normal to occasionally feel sad or unhappy with a situation.  Life can be stressful and overwhelming at times and can lead people to feel sad.  Things like breakups, losing a job, getting a pay cut, having an argument with a friend or spouse are all examples of things that can bring on sadness, pain or grief. However, these negative emotions usually fade with time.  But with depression, those feelings can linger for weeks, months or even years and are more intense than just the normal blues.

Depression is not uncommon though.  It is estimated that about 12 million adults suffer from depression in the United States alone.  That is quite a few people affected.  So, today I will go over how depression is different from normal sadness, what symptoms to watch for, the different types of depression, who is at risk and ways to prevent and cope with depression.

Some references I used while researching this show are the Mayo Clinic, MedicineNet.com and kidshealth.org.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Laughter Is Contagious, But In A Good Way!

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Study: Coffee and Tea May Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
2. Diabetes Awareness Month: Exercise to Control Those Sugars!

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

Photo by Celso Flores via Flickr

Blair sighed as she closed the door behind her and dropped her keys on the hall table.  The news from the doctor had not been surprising, but it had not been what she had wanted to hear either.  Dr. Nguyen had come right out and said that if she didn’t change her sedentary lifestyle, she could develop type 2 diabetes like her parents.  She couldn’t ignore her family history any longer.  She was forty now and had been pretty sedentary for the past twenty years.  And her diet was nothing to write home about either, she thought ruefully.

Blair wasn’t a big fan of exercise, but she liked the alternative of testing her blood sugar and injecting herself with insulin even less.  Time to be more active and make some nutritional changes, she thought as her eyes scanned past the bags of cookies and boxes of mac ‘n cheese in the pantry as she looked for something healthy for dinner.  Tonight she’d throw out some of the junk food and find her exercise clothes.  Tomorrow she’d go shopping for some healthier food and start walking.  Anything to avoid needles, she thought with a shudder.

Most people are aware that diet plays an important role in preventing and managing type 2 diabetes, but did you know that exercise is just as important?

How does exercise help with type 2 diabetes?
Physical activity is important for so many health reasons.  Studies have shown that exercise contributes to a longer, healthier, happier life.  In the case of people with borderline diabetes, exercise can help prevent the development of full blown diabetes.  And for those that already have diabetes, it can help control it.  These benefits are not limited to aerobic exercise though.  Both aerobic exercise and strength training have been found to be beneficial for preventing and managing type 2 diabetes.

Here are 3 ways regular exercise can help with type 2 diabetes:

1. Controls blood sugar: Exercise improves the body’s use of insulin.  When you exercise, the muscles that are being used become more sensitive to the circulating insulin and are thus able to take up blood sugar more easily and efficiently.
2. Improves insulin sensitivity: Exercise helps decrease excess body fat, encouraging weight loss and improving insulin sensitivity.
3. May reduce need for medications: Scientific studies have found that extended periods of strength training can have as much effect on blood sugar control as taking a diabetes medication.

If I have type 2 diabetes, should I see a doctor prior to beginning an exercise program?
Yes, it is important to talk to your medical provider about your exercise goals prior to beginning an exercise program. Your doctor knows your medical history and will go over what exercises are appropriate and safe for you to do and give you some exercise tips and precautions specific to your situation.  In some cases, certain types of exercise can spike blood sugar, so checking with your doctor first is important.

Your doctor may ask you to monitor your blood sugar level prior, during and after exercise or ask you to exercise at certain times of the day depending on your meal and medication times.  Your doctor may also adjust your medication dosages or recommend altering your carbohydrate intake to keep your blood sugar levels in an acceptable range prior, during and after exercise.  That is important because your body is unable to regulate your blood sugar anymore and your diet, exercise and medications have to act in concert to maintain the right balance.  The doctor should discuss all of this with you during your visit and address possible problems that could arise with exercise and ways to deal with those situations if they occur.

The bottom line:
Everyone should exercise in some way.  It is a great way to help prevent type 2 diabetes or manage it if they have it already.  Exercise will help with weight control and controlling blood sugar levels, both of which are important in preventing and managing type 2 diabetes.  So, keep up the exercise and keep those sugars under control!

To commemorate what I consider a fun occasion full of costumes, trick or treating and for those that enjoy it, scary movies; I’m dedicating this show to something fun, happy and pleasurable.  And since this is a family friendly podcast, I am talking about the pure joy of laughing.  So, today my goal is to convince you that you need to laugh more and give you tips on how to bring more laughter into your life.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

References used while researching this show are about.com and helpguide.org.

Photo by OiMax via Flickr

Megan’s family has a history of type 2 diabetes.  Her mom, dad, older sister and aunt all have it and the doctors even said that the diabetes had contributed to both her father’s heart attack and her aunt’s nerve damage.  That was more than enough to scare Megan into learning as much about diabetes as possible in order to avoid getting it herself.  No matter how busy she got, she was making sure her health was her number one priority.

For people like Megan that are trying to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes, a new study coming out of the Netherlands may be of great interest.

Study:
Scientists from Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care looked at how consumption of coffee and tea may impact the risk of type 2 diabetes.  They sent out a food-frequency questionnaire to 40,011 participants to assess coffee and tea consumption and other lifestyle and dietary factors, with an average follow up time of 10 years.  The scientists also examined blood pressure, caffeine, magnesium and potassium as possible contributing factors.  What they found out was that daily consumption of at least 3 cups of coffee and/or tea reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by approximately 42%.  However, there was no association found with blood pressure, magnesium, potassium and caffeine.

What does this mean?
This means that drinking at least 3 cups of coffee and/or tea daily may lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.  However, scientists are unsure what it was in the coffee or tea that caused this decreased risk.  So, yes more studies still need to be done.  But at least you will have one more reason to feel good about drinking your coffee or tea!

Source: Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Netherlands, Diabetologia. 2009 Sep 1. (via PubMed)

Photo by sub_lime79 via Flickr

You just started exercising and you felt great, so you dramatically increased the intensity and duration of your workout.  While doing that you felt a dull pain.  Over the next few days the pain recurred intermittently, but it wasn’t bad enough to interfere with your exercise.  So, you pushed on, ignoring the pain.  As time passed, the pain got to the point where you felt the pain during and after your exercise as well.

This is an example of an overuse injury, specifically tendinitis, which is one of the most common sports related injuries.  Now, in previous shows I covered other types of sports injuries, such as muscle soreness and cramps (show 40) and sprains and strains (show 44).  But in this show I am going to talk about tendinitis.  I’ll tell you what it is, who is at risk, ways to prevent it and what to do if you get it.

Some references I used while researching this show are the New Wellness Encyclopedia, Orthopedic Physical Assessment and emedicinehealth.com.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. The Benefits of Rooibos Tea

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Study: Olive Oil May Fight Alzheimer’s
2. If the Shoe Fits, Buy It: Choosing the Right Shoes

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

Photo by hjl via Flickr

Paula had gained 20 pounds since she moved to San Diego 6 months ago.  She knew that she had to change something or her weight would get out of control.  Convinced that running would do the trick, she grabbed a pair of walking shoes out of her closet and started running for 20 to 30 minutes every other day.  After a few weeks, her right knee started hurting.  Eventually, the pain got so bad that she had to stop running.

Paula’s intentions were good, but her shoe choice wasn’t.  Her injuries probably could have been avoided if she had worn the appropriate shoes.  Wearing the wrong shoes for an activity can cause injuries or aggravate existing problems.  Shin splints, heel pain, tendinitis and stress fractures are just a few examples of injuries you can develop if you wear the wrong shoes.

How are the different types of athletic shoes different?
Before you start an activity, get the right athletic shoes.  Not only will that enhance your performance, but it can also prevent injury.  Each type of athletic shoe is designed to protect the area of the foot that is placed under the most stress during a specific activity.  Here are 4 different types of athletic shoes and the differences between them:

1. Running shoes: These are designed for forward motion and high impact.  Look for lightweight, durable shoes that have good traction, cushioning, flexibility and stability in the heel.
2. Walking shoes: These should be lightweight, breathable, have good shock absorption, smooth tread and curved soles to facilitate the rocking motion of walking.
3. Court shoes: These shoes are used for basketball, volleyball, tennis and other racket sports.  They are designed for side-side, forward and backward movements.  These shoes are heavier and stiffer than running and walking shoes and take much more abuse than other shoes.  A good pair will have very strong outer soles and reinforcement under the toes to support your feet during stop and go action and side to side movements.
4. Cross trainers: If you engage in a variety of activities and can’t spend the money on multiple shoes, cross trainers may be the answer.  These shoes combine the characteristics of different types of athletic shoes, providing good cushioning and heel support for jogging and walking, and ankle support and added stability for court sports.  However, they aren’t as good as more specialized shoes are in their area of specialization.

What should I look for when buying shoes?
Choosing the proper shoes for an activity can be tricky because there are so many options.  Here are 7 tips to follow when choosing athletic shoes:

1. Shop at the end of the day or after a workout: Feet swell when we are on them all day or after playing sports.  This is the best time to try on shoes because the shoes need to fit properly when your feet are at their biggest.  Otherwise, blisters and calluses may develop.
2. Try shoes with the socks you will wear during the activity: This will give you a better idea of the true fit of the shoe.  Some socks are thicker than others and require more space.
3. Wiggle your toes: You should be able to freely wiggle all your toes, while the heel remains snug.  The space between the longest toe and the edge of the shoe should be about the width of your thumb.  And avoid shoes where your heel slips as you walk or run.  That causes instability, blisters and other foot/ankle injuries.
4. Don’t rely on shoe size: Fit depends on the brand and style, not just on the size.  You might be a size 7.5 in one shoe and an 8 in another.  Every brand fits differently.  So, try the shoe in the store and walk or run a few steps.  Pick shoes that fit comfortably.
5. Shoes should be comfortable right away: No break in period should be needed.  If they aren’t comfortable the minute you put them on, they are not the right shoes.
6. Know your feet: Shoes should support your walking pattern.  If you have low arches, you need a shoe that provides motion control and support.  If you have high arches, you need a shoe that provides a lot of cushion.  And if you have a neutral arch, you need a shoe that provides both cushioning and support.
7. Seek professional help: If you are unsure what type of foot you have or what shoe to pick, ask a qualified shoe salesman to help you select the best shoe for your foot and the activity that you plan on participating in.

The bottom line:
Wearing the correct athletic shoes is very important for preventing injuries and improving your performance.  So, take the time to choose a properly fitting shoe.  It is well worth a little extra time.

So, today my goal is to introduce you to this wonderful herbal, red tea that not only tastes heavenly, but is also very healthy to drink.  So, sit back and enjoy the show!

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

References used while researching this show are rooibos.com and Wikipedia.

Photo by Monica Ongpin via Flickr

Of the many words that we dread hearing, one of the most dreaded is Alzheimer’s. Many people fear losing themselves or their family members to this degenerative brain disease that not only makes us forget who we are and the names of our friends and family, but is also fatal.  Alzheimer’s disease is no joke.  It is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States and currently has no cure.

Alzheimer’s kills brain cells, which leads to memory loss and to changes in our behavior and thoughts, affecting our activities of daily living and social life. However, even though the outlook for Alzheimer’s looks bleak, there is a worldwide effort to find better treatments to prevent the disease from developing.

Study:
The in vitro findings of a team of researchers from Monell Center and Northwestern University may hold the key to preventing and treating Alzheimer’s disease.  These researchers studied the affects of oleocanthal (a natural compound found in extra-virgin olive oil) on highly toxic proteins that are believed to contribute to the degenerative effects of Alzheimer’s.  They incubated these toxic proteins with oleocanthal and found that the oleocanthal altered the structure of the proteins by making them bigger.  This affected the proteins’ ability to bind to neural synapses and damage brain nerve cells.  They also discovered that oleocanthal made these toxic proteins more accessible to antibodies.  This looks like a very promising area of study that may lead to a way to slow or halt the progress of Alzheimer’s.

What does this mean?
This means we are getting closer to find a cure for this debilitating disease.  However, studies have to move out of in vitro tests and into clinical trials before we’ll know how effective oleocanthal would be for Alzheimer’s treatments.  So, only time will tell.  Until then, I’ll continue eating extra-virgin olive oil, regularly.  After all, it is healthy in many other ways and it is rich in oleocanthal, which may prevent or decrease your risk of Alzheimer’s.

Source: Monell Chemical Senses Center

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Vacations can be a lot of fun, but if we have to fly long distances, the jet lag that comes along with the flight isn’t so fun.  So, today I decided to address jet lag and ways to prevent it prior to departure, during the flight and at your destination.  Because after all, we all want to feel our best while on vacation.

And don’t forget, the nominations for the 2009 Podcast Awards are still open! Nominations close on October 18th.  So, if you like this show, please head on over to podcastawards.com and nominate Being Healthy TV under the “Health/Fitness” category:

Podcast Name: Being Healthy for Busy People
Podcast URL: http://www.beinghealthy.tv/media/podcast/

Being a finalist will help bring more awareness to my podcast.  I greatly appreciate your time and nomination!

Some references I used while researching this show are medicinenet.com, Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine and Science and Wikipedia.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Fresh vs. Frozen vs. Canned

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Study: High Fat Foods Make You Hungrier
2. Garlic May Ward Off More Than Vampires

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

Photo by lowjumpingfrog via Flickr

There are many myths, legends and rumors that have surrounded garlic over the centuries.  Most people have heard the fantastical claim that garlic wards against evil, such as demons and vampires.  There are also those that believe that garlic brings good luck.  Even though garlic does not have those powers, it does have the power to transform a bland meal or recipe into a savory, healthy culinary delight.

While garlic is mainly used as an herb or spice, it is actually a member of the onion family and is considered a vegetable.  In that capacity, it is a staple ingredient in many dishes around the world, but it is best known for its use in Mediterranean and Asian cuisines.

What are the health benefits of garlic?
Aside from the magical attributes that people have ascribed to it, garlic has been revered for its perceived medicinal properties since ancient times.  Physicians living in the Roman Empire and in ancient Egypt, China, India and Greece believed it cured a wide range of medical ailments.

The curative properties that these ancient civilizations believed garlic to hold have made it an interesting item of study for many scientists.  While some studies have shown promising results, not enough research has been done yet to make a definitive statement regarding garlic’s health benefits.  Some preliminary research, however, suggests that garlic may lower cholesterol, decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, promote weight control and even decrease the risk of some cancers.  Studies have also shown that garlic may act as an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral agent. More studies are needed though to determine if those preliminary results are correct.

The one area we are sure of is the nutritional content of garlic.  Garlic is an excellent source of manganese and a good source of vitamin B (B1 & B6), vitamin C, protein, phosphorus, selenium, calcium, potassium, iron and copper.

How do I choose and store garlic?
Choosing what garlic to eat is an important step in getting the most health benefits from it.  For the maximum flavor, freshness and nutritional benefits, garlic should be eaten fresh.  While garlic is still tasty in either powder or flake form, it provides less health benefits than if it is eaten fresh.

1. Choosing: Select heads of garlic that feel heavy, firm, plump and free of damp or soft spots.
2. Storing: Place fresh garlic in a container or uncovered in a cool, dark place away from heat and light.  That prevents sprouting and maximizes its freshness and flavor.

How can I include garlic in my diet?
Here are 3 ways you can include more garlic in your diet:

1. Main meals: Garlic is a great seasoning for most main dishes.  It is a tasty addition to steamed vegetables, especially sautéed spinach.  It is also wonderful in stir fry dishes.  Plus, pureed roasted garlic with olive oil can make a tasty mashed potatoes dish.
2. Sauces and soups: Garlic adds a nice, bold taste to sauces and soups.  I enjoy garlic when I make wine/tomato based sauces and also as an addition to vegetable soups.
3. Dips, spreads or dressings: Garlic is a wonderful addition to many dips and spreads.  My favorite is pureed fresh garlic in hummus.  Also, you can add pressed garlic to olive oil and use it as a dressing for your salad.

The bottom line:
Garlic may not ward off evil and bring good luck, but it will make a bland dish flavorful and potentially healthier.  So, add garlic to your meals and enjoy the bold and aromatic taste that it adds, not to mention the health benefits!

Podcast Name: Being Healthy TV
Podcast URL: http://www.beinghealthy.tv/media/videopodcast/

If you can spread the word about our podcast to others and they would like to nominate us as well, that would be even more appreciated.  Nominations close on October 18th.  Thanks for helping us make our dream a reality.  I greatly appreciate your time and nominations!  Now, let’s get on with today’s show.

When your parents said it was important to eat more fruits and vegetables, they were right.  Fruits and vegetables are nutritional powerhouses.  They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants and may help protect us from diseases, such as cancer and heart disease.  But what should you do if your neighborhood store has slim pickings for fresh produce?  Should you head to the frozen section to pick up some frozen or canned produce instead?  Are they just as nutritious?

Those are good questions because if you are buying produce for the health benefits, you want to buy the produce that provides the most nutrition and health benefits.  So, today I’m going to clear up the confusion a bit and break down the differences between the different options available to you.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

References used while researching this show are The New Wellness Encyclopedia and National Library of Medicine.

Photo by Per Ola Wiberg

Jackie was doing everything in her power to stay on her weight loss plan, but it felt like her family and co-workers were constantly trying to sabotage it.  Her coworkers were constantly tempting her with cookies, cakes and donuts.  And her husband was not making it any easier.  Last week he brought home a carton of cookies ‘n cream ice cream.  He knew that she was trying to eat healthier and he bought her favorite ice cream! What was he trying to do?!

Even though she had been tempted, she had not touched any of these high fat foods since she went on her diet.  That is because she had very little self control when it came to sweets.  She couldn’t eat just one cookie or one scoop of ice cream.  Even a small taste seemed to unleash something inside her that left her wanting more.  And not just that day. The cravings lingered for a few days afterwards.  What was it about high fat foods that make them so irresistible to her?

Study:
A study coming out of UT Southwestern Medical Center may have the answer to that question.  They decided to look at how the brain reacted in relation to the consumption of high fat foods, since they knew that the brain utilizes some of the fats that we eat in its structure.  To find out how the brain reacted to different fats, researchers experimented on animals by exposing them to various types of fat (palmitic acid, monounsaturated fatty acid and oleic acid).  The fat was either injected directly into the brain, infused through the carotid artery or fed to the animals through a stomach tube.

What they found out is that only “palmitic acid” (the saturated fatty acid most commonly found in animals and plants, such as milk, butter, cheese, beef, palm oil and palm kernel oil) had a negative effect on brain chemistry.  Essentially, when this fatty acid entered the brain, it inhibited the effects of leptin and insulin, which are hormones that play an important role in appetite regulation.  These hormones tell you when you are full and thus when to stop eating. In the animals tested, this change in brain activity lasted three days.  This may explain why most people who splurge on fatty foods on Friday night or Saturday are hungrier than normal when they return to work on Monday.

What does this mean?
This means that if you want to lose weight, it is best to avoid or limit your intake of foods high in saturated fat because they may stimulate you to overeat.  These foods have a way of triggering your brain to ignore the signals that you are full.  That doesn’t mean you have to give up fats completely.  What you should do is try substituting products high in unsaturated fats (like olive and canola oil) for one high in saturated fats because the unsaturated fats don’t produce the negative affects on the brain.

Source: UT Southwestern Medical Center (via ScienceDaily)

Photo by mysza831 via Flickr

Today I am bringing you another Q&A show.  Since the last two have been so well received, I’m going to continue putting out one of these Q & A shows every month or two, as long as I keep getting lots of questions. Answering them in a podcast seems like the best way to go because if one person has a question, there are probably at least a few more with the same question that didn’t ask.  This way all of them get the answer all at once.

In this show, we will answer questions about what the perfect running form is and about gaining weight when beginning exercise. And we also have a comment about the struggle to be healthy when others are trying to sabotage you.

The 2009 Nominations for the Podcast Awards are open! If you like this show, please head on over to podcastawards.com and nominate it under the “Health/Fitness” category:

Podcast Name: Being Healthy for Busy People
Podcast URL: http://www.beinghealthy.tv/media/podcast/

Being a finalist will help bring more awareness to my podcast. I greatly appreciate your time and nomination!

Some references I used while researching this show are Runner’s World and about.com.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Apple vs. Pear Shaped

The blog posts for this week are:

1. October Is Also National Physical Therapy Month!
2. Healthy Halloween Treats Are Tricky!

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

Happy Halloween, everyone!

This year when the kids ring your doorbell and sing “Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat,” wouldn’t it be nice to give them something “good for them” to eat for a change? You know, instead of handing them junk food that has no nutritional value and can damage their health in the long run.

Halloween is a day where kids go door-to-door and receive a bunch of candy that is usually high in calories, saturated fat and sugar. Eating a bunch of these treats can be harmful to our kids’ health. This is an especially large problem with childhood obesity on the rise. Obesity is practically an epidemic among children in the United States. This is a serious issue, because overweight or obese kids will most likely turn out to be overweight or obese adults, putting them at greater risk of many medical conditions. So, you can do your part to combat obesity by giving children healthier treats this Halloween.

What should I give out for Halloween?
Halloween treats do not have to be unhealthy. There are a lot of healthier alternatives that you can give that aren’t as likely to get your house toilet-papered as the toothbrushes the dentist in my neighborhood used to give out. The kids will also probably enjoy them more than I enjoyed the Milk Duds that my neighbor seemed so fond of giving out. Here are 5 suggestions that you can try this year:

1. Raisins: You can give out small boxes of raisins. Not only are raisins tasty, but they are also a good source of dietary fiber and other essential vitamins and minerals.
2. Trail mix: These mixes are usually filled with a variety of nuts and dried fruits and tend to be a healthier alternative that has much less sugar and unhealthy fats than candy bars.
3. Fruit snacks: Kids love fruit snacks and they are much healthier than candy bars. Just make sure to purchase the ones that are made from real fruit and are trans fat free.
4. Lollipops: Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods both carry organic lollipops that contain no artificial flavors or colors. They are still made primarily of sugar, but at least they are healthier than a candy bar. They are fat free and have less calories, about 25 per lollipop.
5. Non-candy treats: School supplies and inexpensive toys make great treats. Mechanical pencils, colored pencils, balloons, crayons and party favor style toys are not that expensive. Plus, every kid loves little gifts, especially toys, and will enjoy them for much longer than a couple pieces of candy.

The bottom line:
Kids look forward to Halloween all year long. It is a fun time when they can dress up and walk door-to-door to get free treats. But let’s show kids that treats don’t have to be unhealthy to be fun. Let’s give them treats that are better for their health and make this Halloween a happier, healthier one for kids! They will thank you in the long run. And if you do it right, in the short run as well. Happy Halloween, everyone!

Podcast Name: Being Healthy TV
Podcast URL: http://www.beinghealthy.tv/media/videopodcast/

If you can spread the word about our podcast to others and they would like to nominate us as well, that would be even more appreciated.  Nominations close on October 18th.  Thanks for helping us make our dream a reality.  I greatly appreciate your time and nominations! Let’s get on with today’s show.

Do you have an apple or a pear shaped body?  Is it worse to be an apple or a pear?  Does body shape even matter?  What am I talking about?  Those are all wonderful questions.  Today, I’ll address all of those questions and give you some tips on how you can improve your health in regards to your body shape.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

References used while researching this show are The New Wellness Encyclopedia, wisegeek.com and WebMD.

Photo by A6U57N1 via Flickr

October is National Physical Therapy Month. I know October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Black History Month, but with only 12 months a year, every month has at least a couple subjects associated with it.  But since I’m a Doctor of Physical Therapy, I can’t pass up this opportunity to build awareness for my profession.

I’m constantly surprised by how many people either don’t know what physical therapy is all about or who have an incorrect perception of what it means to go to physical therapy.  Some people think that when you go to a physical therapist, they will fix you with no work on your part.  Other people think that if you go to physical therapy, they will exercise you so hard that you’ll be sore for weeks.  With very rare exceptions for certain conditions, neither of these statements are true.

What exactly is physical therapy?
Physical therapy is a health care profession dedicated to developing, maintaining or restoring physical abilities to individuals that are unable to function at peak level due to injury, disease, disability or aging.  Physical therapy is concerned with decreasing pain, increasing strength and/or flexibility, educating the patient and restoring maximum movement and function.

Physical therapy is performed by either a licensed physical therapist or a licensed physical therapist assistant acting under their direction.  Physical therapists and their assistants both have college degrees from programs where they were educated about the human body and exercise with a deep focus on injury prevention and physical rehabilitation. Almost all current physical therapy programs are post graduate clinical doctorates, which bestow upon the graduate the designation “Doctor of Physical Therapy” or DPT.  There are a few schools, however, which still award Masters of Physical Therapy degrees.

Physical Therapy education includes classes in anatomy, physiology, neurology, kinesiology and biomechanics, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, neuromuscular rehabilitation, motor learning, etc.  So, anyone that thinks that they know everything a physical therapist does and can just do it at home, isn’t aware of half of what goes into assessing an injury, designing a plan of care, monitoring a patient, modifying the plan of care as needed and progressing the patient through to recovery, all while educating the patient in what they need to know to avoid re-injury.

Medical doctors recommend physical therapy because it provides evidence-based treatments for physical and neurological conditions that affect motion and activities of daily living.  It is also noninvasive and rarely worsens a condition.  For that reason, medical doctors will usually recommend physical therapy to a patient before considering surgery.  For those people that think that they can avoid physical therapy by going to surgery, medical doctors usually recommend physical therapy after surgery to ensure the proper healing and function of the body part that was operated on.

Doctors recommend physical therapy for:

1. Orthopedic conditions: Some examples are low back pain, ACL reconstruction, total knee replacement, osteoporosis, arthritis, fractures and dislocations.
2. Neurologic conditions: Stroke, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy and Parkinson’s are just a few examples that can benefit from a physical therapy intervention.
3. Occupational injuries: Overuse injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and other injuries that result in sprains or strains are treated by physical therapy.
4. Sports injuries: Sports injuries, such as sprains, strains, knee injuries, fractures, dislocations, Achilles tendon injuries and pain along the shin bone are a few examples.
5. Others: Connective tissue injuries, such as burns and wounds and cardiopulmonary and circulatory conditions, such as congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease often greatly benefit from therapy, as well.

What can I expect from therapy?

A therapist will develop an individualized program designed to address your specific circumstances and monitor your treatment along the way. Here are some things that you should expect from therapy:

1. Evaluation: On your first visit, the therapist will perform an evaluation that will encompass your medical history and a physical examination.  This information is used to create an individualized treatment program geared to your specific needs.
2. Treatment: You will usually perform some therapeutic exercise and/or functional training.  Depending on your plan of care, your therapist may perform range of motion, mobilize a joint or massage a muscle to promote normal movement and function.  Physical therapists may also use ultrasound, electrotherapy, hot packs, traction, ice packs or another modality depending on the injury.
3. Education: Education is a major component of physical therapy.  Your therapist will take the time to explain your injury or dysfunction, how it occurred and what course of action will be taken to help correct it and prevent recurrences.
4. Home exercise program: Your therapist will also develop an individualized home exercise program for you to practice to help speed up your recovery process.

The bottom line:
Physical therapy is an evidence based practice that is dedicated to healing, educating and promoting fitness and health.  What does that mean?  It means that physical therapy has been tested to verify it works and research is continuously being done to improve treatments.  It also means that the goal of the physical therapist is to get you better and make sure you know what you need to know, so that you can stay healthy and not have to come back due to a recurrence of the injury.  So, the next time you are having pain and are unable to do your normal activities, it may be time to get a referral to a local physical therapist.  Why suffer needlessly?  Get help and get healthy!

Photo by lululemon athletica via Flickr

Many people believe that stretching before and after a workout prevents injuries and minimizes muscle soreness. That’s because the recommendation used to be to stretch before and after exercise.  In recent years, these commonly held beliefs have come under scrutiny and the recommendations have changed.  So, today my goal is to help you understand what stretching can and can’t do for you, when you should do it and give you some tips on how to start a general stretching program.

Some references I used while researching this show are the The New Wellness Encyclopedia, US News and the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Butter vs. Margarine

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Study: Fat Gene No Guarantee of Obesity
2. Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Fight Cancer With Food!

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

Photo by wishuponacupcake via Flickr

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the United States.  That’s the month when we’re supposed to work to build awareness of breast cancer issues.  I take that responsibility very seriously because my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was thirteen.  The time after she was diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing treatment was a trying time, but luckily it had a happy ending.  My mom is a breast cancer survivor.

Since my mom is such a strong woman, she quickly moved on with her life.  That’s why I stopped thinking about cancer until my dad was diagnosed with brain cancer when I was in my early twenties.  He was not as fortunate as my mom.  Despite treatment, he passed away three months after he was diagnosed.  At that moment, I again feared the word “cancer.” One family member developing cancer felt like a fluke, but two reminded me that anyone could develop cancer, especially if we do not take the right precautions.

That realization convinced me to research cancer to see what I could do to reduce my risk.  In my research, I found that diet was one of the most important factors that was within my control.  Many studies have shown that certain foods can play a significant role in preventing and fighting cancer.

What foods decrease cancer risk?
Foods are powerful tools for decreasing cancer risk and increasing the survival rate of those that develop cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, about 35% of cancer deaths are preventable through proper diet.  So, if you want to lower your risk of breast cancer, develop and maintain healthy eating habits, such as eating a balanced diet with appropriate portion sizes.  Now if you want to move beyond the basics of eating healthy, here are 5 foods that you can add to your diet to further decrease your risk of cancer:

1. Cruciferous vegetables: Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower and bok choy are known for having a high concentration of phytochemicals, which can protect against cancer.
2. Fish abundant in omega-3 fatty acids: Many studies suggest that eating cold water fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel and halibut may reduce your risk of breast cancer.  That’s because the omega-3′s found in fish oils may impede the growth of breast cancer cells and reduce the production of compounds that promote cancer.
3. Berries: These fruits, especially raspberries and strawberries, are rich sources of ellagic acid, which is a phytochemical that some research shows may inhibit the spread of cancer.
4. Tomatoes: Some studies have suggested that several compounds in tomatoes, including lycopene, may stop the proliferation of cancer cells.
5. Flaxseed: These seeds have been linked in some studies to a reduced cancer risk.  That is probably because they are a good source of lignans, which act as antioxidants.

The bottom line:
Eating a healthy diet that is high in fiber, low in unhealthy fats and full of fruits and vegetables is key to decreasing your risk of breast cancer and many other cancers.  And if you include a few of the foods I mentioned, you might reduce your risk of developing cancer even further.  Being proactive can greatly reduce your risk of cancer and many other diseases.  So, do your part in the fight against cancer by making sure you and your family eat better!

References:
American Institute of Cancer Research
National Cancer Institute

This is a common question and the answer given has changed with time, making many people unsure which is the healthier choice.  Is it butter or is it margarine?  This episode will help you to decide before you are confronted with that choice again.  Because the last thing you want to do is spend so much time deciding which spread to use that your bread gets cold before you have a chance to eat it.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

References used while researching this show are Mayo Clinic, American Heart Association and HealthCastle.com.

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Many people blame their weight on genetics.  After all, maybe their father and/or mother suffer from obesity.  Plus, in the last few years the news media has covered how scientists have identified a gene that is linked to obesity, called the fat mass and obesity associated gene (FTO), or as some like to call it the “fat” gene.  It is a common gene, which has been shown to affect appetite and weight gain.

Some people look at their family trees and are pretty sure that they must have the fat gene and are most likely destined to be fat.  After all, who can beat genetics?  But a study out of Lund University in Sweden says that you have more control over your weight than you may think.

Study:
The researchers found that, when it comes to obesity, food choices play a bigger role than many people think.  In their research, they examined the FTO gene in relation to eating habits by carefully documenting the eating habits of FTO gene carriers via questionnaires, interviews and food diaries.  What they found out was that the participants that ate a high fat diet and had low physical activity were more susceptible to obesity.  Those that ate a low fat diet had lower occurrences of obesity even though they had the inherited risk.

What does this mean?
This means that even if someone has the FTO gene, they are not condemned to obesity.  Lifestyle factors, such as food choices and exercise play a significant role countering the FTO gene and determining body weight.  So, if you’re concerned that you might have the FTO gene, the best thing to do is eat a low fat diet and get regular exercise.  The “fat” gene just increases the chance of obesity, it doesn’t guarantee it.

Source: Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2009, 27958 (via ScienceDaily)

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At different stages of our life calorie and nutritional needs change.  As we get older, we can’t eat the same way as we did when we were younger.  Since many people are not aware of how nutritional needs change with age, this episode is designed to shed some light on how nutritional needs change during the different stages of life.

1. Infancy through early childhood
2. Adolescence
3. Adulthood
4. Senior Years

Some references I used while researching this show are the New Wellness Encyclopedia and NutritionMd.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Red, Red Wine

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Study: To Lose Weight, Watch When You Eat
2. Mattresses: Picking Out a Good Night’s Sleep

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

Photo by DiscoverDuPage via Flickr

For the past few months, Neil slept poorly, tossing and turning to find a comfortable position, but always waking up stiff and achy.  He wasn’t sure why he slept so poorly.  He had never had any problems sleeping before. The answer eluded him until he went to Hawaii on vacation.  While he was there, he had his best night’s sleep in months.  That is when he realized that it must have been his mattress that was ruining his sleep.  His old mattress must no longer have been providing the support and comfort that he needed.  After all, it was 9 years old.

Neil was probably right.  On average, mattress sets are good for 7 years. After that, many stop providing the necessary comfort and support. Sleep is an essential part of our lives that greatly influences how we feel. When we don’t get enough of it, we neither function nor feel our best.  Plus, prolonged periods of poor sleep negatively impact both our physical and psychological health.  That is why sleeping on a good mattress set is crucial in both getting a good night’s rest and in caring for our health.

What makes up a mattress set?
When selecting a mattress set, there are 3 basic component choices that affect sleep quality:

1. Foundation or box spring: A hard platform that lies beneath the mattress, providing support and shock absorption, reducing the wear and tear on the mattress.  The most common choice is a box spring.
2. Mattress core: This is the core of a mattress.  It is very important because it provides support for the spine.  It can be constructed of foam, innersprings, natural fibers or water or air filled chambers.
3. Upholstery layers: These are foams or fibers that encase the mattress core, enhancing cushioning and providing surface comfort.

All 3 of these layers work together to provide the support and comfort needed to get a good night’s rest.

What to look for when buying a mattress:
Choosing the right mattress set can be confusing and sometimes overwhelming. Here are 4 tips to consider when shopping for the right mattress:

1. Buy the right size: It is important to select a bed that gives enough room to move.  Most adults should not sleep on a twin bed and couples should not sleep on a full.  Those are too small for those uses.  And for individuals who are over 6 feet tall, a California King is recommended.
2. Buy the whole set: Foundations or box springs and mattresses are built to work together.  So, buy the matching set to enhance your comfort and support.  Don’t buy mismatched sets, even if they are cheaper.  That can result in back pain or in the set wearing out more quickly.
3. Get expert advice: If you have joint or muscle pain, such as arthritis, back pain or fibromyalgia, talk to a mattress expert, your doctor or a physical therapist.  They will help you choose the right mattress for your specific needs, so that you can get the best night’s sleep possible.  At the very least, if you are at the showroom, try to get an in-store consultation to help you find the right mattress.
4. Try out the bed: Before purchasing, lie on the mattress sets in the showroom.  Stretch out on the mattress and change positions.  Feel for comfort and support.  If possible, try to get the retailer to offer a 30 to 60 day home trial.  Sometimes a bed might feel comfortable at the store, but after a few nights at home it no longer feels comfortable.  You’ll have the bed for years and they cost quite a bit of money, so you want to make sure that you buy the right one.

The bottom line:
Buying the right mattress set is crucial for getting a good night’s rest.  So don’t be shy!  Ask the experts questions, lie on the mattress sets in the show room and buy a matching set.  After all, we all want to feel rested, refreshed and ready to take on the day every morning!  For your health, buying the right bed is well worth the expense.

So, since wine is “in” these days, and gets a lot of coverage for its health benefits, this week’s topic is red wine.  So, sit back and enjoy the show!

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

References used while researching this show are Mayo Clinic and Yale-New Haven Hospital.

Photo by charliej via Flickr

Since losing weight takes willpower, foresight and planning, it can be challenging at times.  You have to reduce the calories you consume and take time to exercise more, so that you burn more calories than you consume. Unfortunately, according to researchers at Northwestern University, having a a successful weight loss program might be a little more complicated than merely counting the calories you take in and subtracting the calories you burn.  The time of day you take in the calories may be just as important.

Study:
The study, which was performed on laboratory mice at Northwestern University, was designed to discover whether the body’s natural circadian rhythm and the timing of food intake played a role in energy expenditure. The circadian rhythm is our body’s internal clock, which is linked to the light-dark cycle and influences when we sleep and eat.  The researchers found that the time of day mice eat influences their energy use and weight gain.

The researchers fed some mice a high-fat diet during their normal sleeping hours, while other mice were fed the same type and amount of food during their normal waking hours.  The mice who ate during their normal sleeping hours, gained significantly more weight (a 48% increase) than their counterparts (a 20% increase).

So, what does that mean?
What these results mean is that it is not enough to watch the calories you consume.  You have to watch when you consume them.  Eating during the times when you should should be sleeping, such as right before bed or when you wake up in the middle of the night, can contribute more weight gain than the calories in the item you eat would suggest.

That is because it appears that the body’s energy use is linked to its circadian rhythm.  More of the calories that are consumed are burned during natural waking hours than would be if they were consumed during normal sleeping hours. So, try to eat during more normal eating hours, so that you can maximize the amount of calories burned.  That way you can work smarter, not harder when you are trying to lose or maintain weight.

Source: Obesity, 2009, 264 (via ScienceDaily)

Photo by Randy Son Of Robert via Flickr

Having and working in a garden can play a powerful role in how we feel. The sights and scents of our gardens can soothe us and distract us from everyday stressors.  Gardening has a way of connecting us with nature and the rhythm of life, rejuvenating us and disconnecting us from the more hectic parts of our lives for awhile.  When we garden, we are on garden time, which feels slower than the fast paced regular world.  And we all benefit from slowing down from time to time.

That’s why in this episode I am going to explore the health benefits of gardening and go over whether gardening is a good form of exercise.

Some references I used while researching this show are about.com and mantis.com.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Say Cheese!

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Study: Coffee Aroma May Reduce Stress
2. Goat Milk?: For When Cow’s Milk Won’t Do

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

Photo by fishermans daughter via Flickr

In Brandon’s opinion, there was nothing better than a big glass of milk to wash down a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the morning.  But lately he noticed that he felt a little bloated and gassy after breakfast each morning.  On top of that, his eczema had been getting worse, lately.  Brandon thought it had to be the milk, but that was strange because he had never had any sensitivity to milk growing up.  How could he develop one as an adult?

How didn’t really matter though.  What mattered was taking care of the problem. Brandon knew that his friend Kyle, who had a milk sensitivity, had switched to goat’s milk about a year ago and it had helped.  Brandon decided that he would try switching to goat’s milk as well.  Maybe it would help him, also.

Drinking goat’s milk sounds strange to many Americans, but goat’s milk is actually the dominant milk drink in most of the world.  While less popular in America, goat’s milk has been gaining popularity there because it has been found to be a good alternative for individuals who are sensitive to cow’s milk.  That is because goat’s milk is believed to be easier to digest and less allergenic than cow’s milk.

Is goat’s milk healthier than cow’s milk?
Goat’s milk is very similar in nutritional value to cow’s milk, except that it has a slightly higher amount of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin A.  But one downside of goat’s milk is that it has a higher fat content because it is only sold as whole milk.  Cow’s milk, on the other hand, is also sold in low fat and nonfat versions.

The greatest benefit of goat’s milk is that it appears that some people who can’t tolerate dairy products are able to tolerate goat’s milk much better.  The science community is still unsure of why this is true, but some preliminary studies suggest that specific proteins that are present in cow’s milk, but are largely absent in goat’s milk, may be responsible for the allergic reactions.  Goat’s milk also contains a higher percentage of smaller fat globules, which may make goat’s milk easier to digest.

That doesn’t mean that goat’s milk is a good choice for everyone.  For those that are lactose intolerant, goat’s milk is not the answer.  The lactose levels in goat’s milk are comparable to cow’s milk.  Plus, it is important to keep in mind that goat’s milk doesn’t have all the essential nutrients needed by infants.  So, if you are thinking of switching your infant from a milk based formula to goat’s milk, please talk to your pediatrician beforehand.

Where can I use goat’s milk?
Fresh goat’s milk and the products made from it have a slightly sweet, tangy taste that is enjoyed by many around the world in countless dishes.  Here are 4 ways to add goat’s milk to your diet.

1. Milk: Use it like you would use cow’s milk.  You can substitute a glass of goat’s milk for regular milk, pour it over your cereal or use it to make hot chocolate.  Hot chocolate might be the best place to start though, until you get used to the flavor.
2. Salad: Crumbled goat cheese is a nice substitute for any cheese you might normally put on a salad.
3. Sandwich: You can use goat’s cheese as a tasty replacement for the cheese you usually use on your sandwich. As a bonus, since some goat cheeses have a stronger flavor than many cheeses, you can often get by with less.
4. Appetizers: Goat’s cheese goes great on crackers.  Plus, goat’s milk yogurt can be used as a base for a savory dip.  Just add your own herbs and spices and you are set.

The bottom line:
Goat’s milk is a wonderful alternative for individuals who can’t tolerate cow’s milk.  It not only has similar nutrients, but it is also easier to digest and less allergenic than cow’s milk.  So, if cow’s milk has been giving you problems, try goat’s milk instead!

So, since many people are partial to the rich and creamy taste of cheese, but are also trying to be healthier, I’m going to answer the question: Can I eat cheese and still maximize my health?

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

A references I used while researching this show is the New Wellness Encyclopedia.

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Whenever I enter a coffee shop, I find the smell of coffee intoxicating.  It is so rich, warm, inviting, relaxing and invigorating all at once that it feels like it must be a drug. There are so many different ways you could describe the wonderful scent of coffee. But what is it about the smell of roasted coffee beans that most of us find so delightful?

Study:
Well, a group of international scientists led by Han-Seok Seo of Seoul National University is shedding some light on how the aroma of coffee might positively affect our brains.  These researchers studied gene and protein expression in the brains of lab rats.  And what they found was quite surprising!  They found that the aroma of coffee did have a beneficial effect on rats brains who were stressed by sleep deprivation. They found that when these rats inhaled the aroma of coffee, there was a change in the levels of activity of 17 genes and in the level of some brain proteins that helped reduce the stress level of the sleep deprived rats and initiated healthy antioxidant activity.

So, what does that mean?
Well, it may mean that you may not have to drink coffee to get health benefits from it.  Just smelling coffee may reduce your stress level by altering the activity of genes in your brain.  Does that mean you should run out and buy a bag of roasted coffee beans and inhale it whenever you are stressed or don’t get enough sleep?  Not necessarily. More research is still needed, especially human studies, but so far the findings of this study are encouraging.  You never know, the aroma of coffee may improve your health!

Source: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2008, 56

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Swimming is a great fitness activity for almost anyone, especially those who have physical limitations.  For those who have had a hard time finding an activity that is not painful for their joints, swimming may be the answer.

In today’s show, I will go over how swimming is a great exercise choice, whether it can help you lose weight and how to get started.

Some references I used while researching this show are WebMD and Merck.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Tired? Combat Fatigue!

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Running In Hot Weather: Can’t Take the Heat?
2. Pork: Stay Lean, Don’t Pig Out!

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

Photo via 46137 via Flickr

Every Sunday, Tracy’s family wakes up to the smell of the bacon and eggs that she is frying up in the kitchen.  It is a long standing tradition that everyone looks forward to.  Unfortunately, it might not continue for much longer because at Tracy’s annual check up, her doctor recommended that she switch to a more heart-healthy diet because of her high cholesterol.  That made her quite sad because she didn’t want to give up such an enjoyable family tradition.  She loved that special time with her family and the food, especially the bacon.

Tracy’s Sunday breakfast tradition is not the healthiest and the bacon is not a particularly great choice for breakfast, but she might not have to completely forsake pork.  She might just need to prepare healthier cuts of pork.  Bacon, sausage, spareribs and hot dogs are the most popular forms of pork in the United States and they have given pork a bad reputation because they are very high in fat.  Luckily, not all pork is as unhealthy for you as those.  On average, fresh pork actually contains slightly less saturated fat than red meat.  Not only does it have less saturated fat than beef, it is also an excellent source of protein, B vitamins (especially thiamin), zinc and iron.

How can I eat pork and be healthier?
Like all types of meat, it is preferable to eat the leanest cuts of pork possible.  So, if you are going to eat pork, take these 4 tips into consideration when purchasing and preparing your pork.

1. Choose lean cuts: Purchase tenderloin, center loin, fresh pork leg or lean ham.  Avoid fattier cuts, such as ribs, loin blade, shoulder and pork-based products, such as sausage, ribs and bacon.  Even though the fattier meats often sound more appetizing, they are not part of a heart healthy diet.
2. Trim all visible fat: Cut off the visible fat prior to cooking to make your pork leaner and healthier.
3. Pour out the fat: When cooking, do not leave your pork sitting in a pool of fat.  Either pour the fat out when frying or use a broiling pan in the oven to allow the fat to drip off and be separated from the meat.
4. Limit portion sizes: Don’t make meat the main focus of your meal.  Limit your pork to about 3-5 oz (85-140 grams) at a meal.  Limiting portion sizes will reduce the amount of fat and cholesterol consumed.  If reducing portions makes you feel like you are depriving yourself, try making kabobs or stir frying some pork with vegetables.  You will be able to eat less meat without noticing because of the way the meat is presented.
5. Don’t buy cured pork products: If salt intake is an issue, avoid cured products, such as ham, bacon and cold cuts.

The bottom line:
Pork can be part of a heart healthy diet.  Just choose leaner cuts, limit portion sizes and choose better cooking methods because a diet high in saturated fats can increase blood cholesterol levels.  So, like with many foods, it all comes back to smart choices and moderation.  If you can master those two area, you can enjoy your pork and still be healthy!

Fatigue is an issue for so many people, that I decided to tackle it today, so that at least a few people can get some relief. So, this episode’s goal is to help you find ways to boost your energy levels.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

Some of the references I used while researching this show were:  betterhealth.au and answers.com.

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Larry is an avid runner training for his first marathon, which is coming up in September.  Unfortunately, he is having some difficulty with his training.  The weather is just too hot where he lives, making it hard to run.  Lately, the temperatures have been over 100 F (38 C). Despite that, Larry needs to train for his upcoming race.  The problem is that his body is not taking the hot weather well.  Whenever he runs in the heat, he runs slower than he is used to and does not feel well.  He just does not know how to cope with running in hot weather.

Larry’s challenge is common.  Most runners don’t run their best on hot days.  But luckily there are ways to prepare for hot weather runs, so that you run faster and feel better during them.  That is important because running in hot weather can put you at risk for heat disorders, such as dehydration and heat stroke.  So, it is very important to take precautions before running.

How should I prepare for running in the heat?
Here are 5 things that you should consider before running in hot weather.

1. Schedule runs to avoid the heat: Avoid running between 10am and 4pm, when the sun is most intense.  The best time to run is in the early morning, especially right before sunrise, when the temperature is at its coolest.  If running in the morning is not possible, then after sunset is the next best thing.  However, in some places, that might not be a good option because the temperatures might not cool down enough until quite late at night.
2. Stay Hydrated: It is important to stay hydrated to avoid heat disorders.  Dehydration can cause fatigue and muscle cramping.  So, drink fluids prior to, during and after your run.  You should drink before you feel thirsty or your mouth becomes dry.  By then you are already at least slightly dehydrated.  If you plan on going for a run longer than 30 minutes in hot weather, part of your fluid intake should be a sports drink in order to replenish some of your lost electrolytes, such as sodium and minerals.
3. Wear appropriate clothing: Wear loose fitting, light colored clothing and avoid tight-fitting, dark colored cotton that absorbs the sun’s light and does not allow heat to escape.  Specialized running clothes that wick moisture away from your skin are best because they help to cool you when running.  These specialty clothes are more expensive, but they are well worth it on hot days.  If you need to save money, wait for a sale.
4. Protect yourself from the sun: Wear a hat, a pair of sunglasses and apply a waterproof sunscreen.  The sunscreen should be at least SPF 15, and both the sunscreen and sunglasses should protect against both UVA and UVB rays.
5. Pour water over your head and body: If you are overheating, a good way to cool down is pouring water over your head and body.  The water helps you to dissipate heat faster. (Don’t do this with your sports drink. You’ll get all sticky.)

Sometimes, these precautions aren’t enough to overcome the heat.  If you experience nausea, vomiting, fatigue, weakness, confusion, difficulty breathing, headaches, muscle cramps and/or dizziness, either slow down or stop running depending on the severity of the symptom.  If the symptoms persist, seek medical help because you could be suffering from a heat disorder that requires treatment.

The bottom line:
Running in hot weather is not ideal, but there are ways to make it a safer, more enjoyable experience.  So, run during the coolest time of the day, stay hydrated, protect yourself from the sun and wear appropriate clothing.  You can have a fun, safe run if you take the appropriate precautions!

Photo by RossinaBossioB via Flickr

Did you know that the right music can give us energy, boost creativity, lift the spirit, make us more alert, lessen anxiety, decrease stress and pain and even aid in digestion and sleep?  Plus, used correctly, it can be a really effective mood boosting tool.

The affect that music has on us is quite profound.  In today’s show, I will go over how music can affect your health and show you how you can use it as a stress management tool.

As promised, here are the links to shows 31 and 32 which talk about “Dealing with Stress.”

Some references I used while researching this show are about.com and musictherapy,org.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Heading Off Neck Pain!

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Buffalo: Building a Better Burger!
2. Cholesterol? Don’t Forget the Triglycerides!

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review. It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners. Thanks for listening, everyone!

Photo by Rob Qld via Flickr

Darla felt good about her health when she went to her annual checkup. She had monitored her cholesterol and blood pressure for over a year and both were in desirable ranges.  So, she was surprised when her doctor told her that her triglyceride levels were high and had to be monitored also.

When Darla thought that cholesterol and blood pressure were the only things she needed to keep an eye on to manage her heart attack risk, she was wrong.  Heart health is about more than merely maintaining good cholesterol and blood pressure levels.  Having high triglyceride levels also increases your risk of a heart attack, stroke and heart disease.

What are triglycerides?
Triglycerides are a type of lipid that circulates in your blood, unable to dissolve.  Instead, they circulate through the body with the help of lipoproteins, possibly contributing to the hardening of the arteries.  They do serve a purpose, though.  Triglycerides play an important role in metabolism as energy sources and transporters of dietary fat.

How are they made?
Triglycerides are derived from the fat in the foods we eat or from other energy sources, like carbohydrates, which are converted later in in the body.  If you eat more calories than you need right away, the extra calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells.  When your body needs energy between meals, hormones release triglycerides for energy use.  So, if you eat more calories than you burn, you are more likely to have high levels of triglycerides.

What can I do to lower triglycerides?
Changes in lifestyle are the key to fighting high triglycerides.  Luckily, the lifestyle changes needed are very similar to those used to lower cholesterol.

1. If overweight, lose weight: Cut down on excess calories and work on reaching your ideal body weight.  After all, excess calories are converted to triglycerides and stored as fat.
2. Eat a heart healthy diet: Reduce the saturated fat and cholesterol content of your diet and eliminate trans fats.  You need fat in your diet, but substitute monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats for saturated fats. Also, avoid sugary and refined products and eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low fat dairy products.  Those have less calories and therefore should contribute fewer triglycerides.  And substitute fish high in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines for meats high in saturated fats.  Omega-3 fatty acids reduce triglyceride levels.
3. Limit or avoid alcoholic beverages: Alcohol has a potent effect on triglycerides.  Even small amounts of alcohol can significantly raise triglyceride levels.  So, watch how much you drink.
4. Exercise on a regular basis: Not only does regular physical activity increase the good cholesterol while lowering the bad cholesterol, it also decreases triglyceride levels.  So, move at least 30 minutes a day at a moderate intensity, 5-7 days a week.

Of course, if you have high triglycerides, talk to your doctor about what the best course of action is for your specific situation.

The bottom line:
Cholesterol is not the only thing that needs to be monitored these days.  Keeping triglycerides at a desirable level is also key for heart health.  By leading a healthy lifestyle and keeping your weight at a desirable level, you can do a lot towards controlling both your cholesterol and triglyceride levels.  So, be proactive and lead a healthy lifestyle.  It can make all the difference!

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

Photo by CGehlen

Jerry loved grilling season.  Creating the perfect burger had been his hobby for the past 5 years.  For Jerry, there was nothing better than grilling a juicy hamburger.  However, at his last physical, his doctor said that he was 25 pounds overweight and that it was time for him to lose some weight.  “There goes my hamburgers!” Jerry thought.

While reducing the amount of hamburgers he eats is a good idea for his weight loss, Jerry might not have to give them up entirely to lose the weight.  The key is to choose a leaner meat and to eat smaller amounts. Controlling portions is key.  Meat should be looked at as more of a side dish, not as the largest part of the meal.  Another issue with hamburgers is that many people make them using high fat ground beef and fatty toppings, such as mayo and cheese.  This results in a burger that is high in saturated fat and not very healthy.

Most of us are aware that consumption of too much red meat can increase our risk of heart disease.  However, what if I told you that you can still enjoy a tender steak and/or a juicy burger and feel a little less guilty about it?  You just need to pick a leaner source of red meat.  And one of those leaner options is buffalo (bison).

How is buffalo meat healthier then beef?
Buffalo not only tastes as delicious as beef, it is also healthier for you.  Here are 5 reasons why you should substitute buffalo meat for beef.  (All comparisons are between 100 grams/3.5oz of ground grass fed bison and the same amount of 70% lean ground beef.)

1. Less fat: The buffalo contains 7.21 grams of total fat, while the beef has 30 grams of total fat.  That is 76% less fat than the beef.
2. Less calories: The buffalo contains 146 calories per serving, while the beef has 332 calories per serving.  That is 56% less calories.
3. Less cholesterol: The buffalo has 55 mg of cholesterol, while the beef has 78mg.  That’s 29.5% less cholesterol.
4. More iron: The buffalo has 2.78mg of iron, while the beef has 1.64mg of iron.  That’s 69.5% more iron than the beef.
5. More protein: The buffalo has 20.23g of protein, while the beef has 14.35g of protein.  That is 61.9% more protein.

If you switch to 93% lean ground beef instead of the 70% lean, it will have about the same amount of fat as the bison. However, the beef will still have more cholesterol and less iron.

How can I fit buffalo into my diet?
Buffalo is a tender, flavorful red meat that has a savory taste very similar to that of beef.  As a result, it is a great substitute for beef in most recipes.  Plus, you won’t have to search hard to find it.  Buffalo is readily available in most major supermarkets.  It can be found in ground form, as steaks and as pre-formed burger patties.  Here are 4 great places to substitute buffalo for beef:

1. Burgers and steaks
2. Chilies and stews
3. Lasagna and other pastas with meat sauces
4. Fajitas and burritos

The bottom line:
If you are looking for a leaner, tastier, healthier red meat that is lower in calories, cholesterol and fat, but high in protein and iron, look no further!  Buffalo is a better choice for health conscious individuals that crave some red meat once in a while!  So, you can enjoy that burger and feel a little better about the choice that you made!

Many people neglect the health of their teeth and gums.  What they don’t realize is that having healthy teeth is just as important for optimal health as taking care of the rest of your body.  Good dental hygiene requires more than just brushing your teeth once a day.  If that is all you do, then you are at an increased risk of developing a serious dental disorder.

So, today my goal is to convince you that taking care of your teeth and gums should be a priority.  And then I’ll give you some tips on how to keep your teeth and gums healthy.  So, sit back and enjoy the show!

As promised here are the links to the floss and chewing gum articles: Floss or No Teeth for You! and Chewing Gum: Want a Piece?

Some references I used while researching this show are the New Wellness Encyclopedia, WebMD, The American Academy of Periodontology and The American Dental Association.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Hoarseness:  Save Your Voice!

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Exotic Fruit: Tasty and Healthy
2. Bottled Water: Not All Water Is Created Equal!

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review. It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners. Thanks for listening, everyone!

Photo by jenny downing via Flickr

Stacey wanted to cut some unnecessary calories from her diet, so that she could lose a few pounds.  She thought the best place for her to reduce her calories was to replace her soft drinks and lattes with water.  The big problem was that she couldn’t stand the way that the tap water at her apartment tasted.  Besides, it was slightly yellow.  There was no way that she was drinking that.

There was nothing for it, but to get some bottled water.  She thought about getting some five gallon jugs that she could refill, but she wasn’t up to lugging those up two flights of stairs.  Instead, she decided to buy some one liter bottles.  She would be in and out of the supermarket in just a few minutes, she thought.  No muss, no fuss.  When she got to the water section though, she was astounded by all the varieties and brands available.  The shelves were packed with more types and brands of water than she cared to count.  What was the difference between the different waters?  What should she buy?

Stacey’s confusion is not unusual.  Buying bottled water can be confusing.  There are so many different types to choose from and at least a few brands in each category.  It is not even clear to many people what the difference is between the different types of water.

What do the labels mean?
Labeling often provides very little information about what processing (if any) the water underwent.  However, all bottled waters have one thing in common.  They all contain water.  I know.  Not very helpful.  But the difference lies in the source of the water and what processing the water underwent before being sold to the public.  Here are 7 different types that you will encounter at the store when buying water:

1. Mineral water: This water contains minerals and usually comes from a natural well or a spring.  If you buy “natural mineral water” you get the minerals that are present in the water as it comes from the ground.  If it is only labeled as “mineral water” it could have had minerals added or removed.  Mineral water comes in both regular and flavored varieties.
2. Distilled water: This contains little to no minerals and is essentially sodium free.  It might be the “purest” of all the waters, but it is the minerals that give water it’s satisfying taste, not to mention necessary nutrients.  Distilled water usually tastes dead and flat.  It is mainly used for steam irons and steam cleaners because it won’t cause rust or clogging because it is free of heavy minerals and metals.  If you were to drink distilled water, you might need to supplement your diet to make up for the missing minerals.
3. Purified water: This water has gone through a treatment process where specific minerals and/or contaminants have been removed.  Purified water usually comes from tap water which has undergone reverse osmosis, charcoal filtering and/or been treated with ultraviolet light at a water store or at a grocery store.  It could also be spring or well water which has been filtered, deionized and/or ozonated.  This water might have had needed minerals removed as well.  So, you might need to supplement your diet to make up for the missing minerals in this water also.
4. Spring water: This water has naturally risen to the surface of the earth.  Spring water is mainly used for drinking, making beverages and in cooking.  Bottles labeled “natural spring water” may not have been processed prior to being bottled.  This can be an issue if the water comes from a contaminated ground source.  The best spring water is water that comes from a non-industrial area where there are few pollutants.
5. Sparkling water: This is the all inclusive term for carbonated water.  If you are trying to avoid or limit sodium, this is probably not the water for you because most are high in sodium.
6. Seltzer: This is water (usually tap water) that has been filtered and carbonated with no minerals or salt added. Some seltzers contain sugar or corn syrup.  So, if you are trying to avoid sugar or watch your calories, make sure to read the ingredient list prior to buying.  However, there are some flavored seltzer drinks that contain a very small amount of fruit flavoring and contain no calories, sugar or mineral salts.
7. Club soda: This is water (once again, usually tap water) that has been filtered, carbonated and mixed with a variety of minerals and mineral salts to give it a distinctive flavor associated with the brand producing that drink.  However, most tend to be high in sodium.  So, if you are on a reduced sodium diet, you should probably avoid club soda.

The bottom line:
Even though all bottled waters are water at their core, there are still quite a few differences between them.  That is why it is important to understand the labeling terminology, so that you can make the best choice for your specific needs. You don’t want to buy water and later on find out that you purchased one that didn’t fit your needs or tastes.  Plus, you don’t want to add too much extra salt or sugar to your diet or eliminate some needed minerals without somehow replacing them.  So, if you need a bottled water for some reason, study up before you buy one.

I was reminded of how much many of us depend on our voices in order to do our jobs when I got a little hoarse from all the speaking I’ve been doing recently.  So, I did some more research on hoarseness and today I am bringing you a few things I learned about how you can protect your voice.  So, sit back and enjoy the show!

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

Some of the references I used while researching this show were: The New Wellness Encyclopedia, medicinenet.com and entassociates.com.

Photo by Pink Sherbet

Doris remembered the apples, pears, strawberries and oranges that were available at the local grocery store when she was a kid seventy odd years ago.  You didn’t see guava, kiwifruit, mango and papaya like you did now.  Those were all considered exotic delicacies when she was young.  But now you could find them all year round at the supermarket. Things had sure changed since she was a kid, she mused as she pushed her cart past the papayas.

Improvements in shipping and horticultural methods have made many tropical fruits that were not available at the grocery store in Doris’s time, available year round now in most supermarkets and specialty food shops.  You no longer have to travel to a tropical locale to get your fill of tropical fruits.  You just need to head to your local supermarket.  That is great for our taste buds, but is it a benefit for our health as well?

Are tropical fruits healthy to eat?
Many tropical fruits are packed with beneficial vitamins and minerals. Here are 6 common tropical fruits and their nutritional profiles (a serving is a 3.5 oz edible portion).

1. Papaya: Has a sweet, mellow flavor and is an excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of folate, potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin E, vitamin A and vitamin K.  It has 39 calories per serving.
2. Guava: Has a sweet or sour, aromatic flavor and is an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A and B vitamins.  It has 51 calories per serving.
3. Kiwifruit: Has a sweet-tart flavor and is a great source of vitamin C and a good source of dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E and copper.  It has 61 calories per serving.
4. Mango: Has a spicy aroma and a peach-like flavor and is an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of B vitamins, vitamin A and potassium.  It has 65 calories per serving.
5. Lychee: Has a sweet, grape-like flesh and is a very good source of vitamin C, folate, copper, potassium and vitamin B6.  It has 66 calories per serving.
6. Passion fruit: Has an intense sweet flavor and is a very good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, iron and potassium.  It has 97 calories per serving.

How can I fit tropical fruits into my diet?
Even though tropical fruits are easily available, they tend to be a little on the expensive side.  So, if you are watching your budget, don’t expect to replace your daily apple with a mango or kiwifruit.  However, it is nice to spice up your meal with these different tasting fruits once in a while.  Here are 5 ways to serve tropical fruit:

1. Salads: Kiwifruit, lychee and papaya are some tropical fruits that are a nice addition to fruit salads or even green salads.
2. Cereal: Many tropical fruits can be added to cereals, which is a tasty way to start your day.
3. Jellies or Preserves: Passion fruit, quince and guava are some common tropical fruits that are used in jellies or preserves.
4. Desserts: Guava, quince, kiwifruit and kumquat can be used in pies or tarts.  Papaya and passion fruit make great ice cream toppings.
5. Snack: The best way to eat these fruits is by themselves.  They are very healthy, low-calorie snacks.

The bottom line:
If you want to spice up your fruit selection, have a piece of tropical fruit occasionally.  Not only are they very tasty, they are also a great low calorie snack or dessert that is loaded with beneficial vitamins and minerals.

Photo by aussiegall via Flickr

According to a Gallup poll, about 3 out of 5 adults have foot pain.  Most accept it as a fact of life, but most foot pain can actually be prevented. So, since many people have ongoing foot pain and many others will experience it at some point in their life, I had to discuss it today.

There are many things that can cause or aggravate foot problems.  It could be anything from flat feet to diabetic neuropathy to osteoarthritis, just to name a few.  Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately because a lot of you would be bored and stop listening, I don’t have time to discuss every foot problem.  The podcast would go on forever.  Instead, I am going to focus on 7 common foot problems and give you some tips on how to prevent them.  So, sit back and enjoy the show!

As promised here is the link to my blister article:  Blisters Are No Fun!

Some references I used while researching this show are New Wellness Encyclopedia and Mayo Clinic.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Flaxseed: Little Seed, Big Potential!

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Omega-3’s and Omega-6’s: Strike A Balance!
2. Can Food Labels Be Trusted?

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review. It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners. Thanks for listening, everyone!

Photo by admiller via Flickr

As you walk down the aisles of your local grocery store, you will notice foods labeled as “fat-free”, “low in sodium”, “heart healthy”, etc.  Those labels make the foods sound extra healthy, but do the labels actually mean something?  Or are they just false marketing promises to convince you to buy the products?

That’s a great question.  In the past, food manufacturers used unproven nutritional claims to hype up their products.  Today, we have food labeling regulations that require food manufacturers to show evidence that their food actually delivers the nutritional claim that they intend to use.  So, you can feel comfortable knowing that food labels are held to certain standards.

What do these nutritional claims guarantee?
Here are 12 popular food claims that you may have come across during your grocery shopping and what they deliver:

1. *-Free: This label is used in regards to fats, sugar, cholesterol or sodium.  It requires that the product contain no more than a specified small amount of the specified item.  When the claim is made about fat, trans fat, saturated fat or sugar, the amount of the item must be less than 0.5 g per serving.  With cholesterol it is less than 2 mg.  And with sodium it must be less than 5 mg.
2. Fresh: These foods have never been frozen or heated and contain no preservatives.
3. Natural: These foods contain no artificial ingredients.  However, they can still contain chemicals, pesticides or genetically modified components.
4. Organic: Certified organic foods are produced without chemicals, pesticides or bioengineering.  Farmers have to use organic seeds and organically raised animals, which must be fed only organic feed and kept free of growth hormones and antibiotics and have access to the outdoors.  There are different levels of organic labels.  Foods that are made from only organic ingredients can be labeled “100% Organic.” Foods that have at least 95% organic ingredients can use the term “Organic.” And products that contain at least 70% organic ingredients can use the term, “made with organic ingredients.” Anything below 70% can not use the term organic.
5. Fortified, Enriched or added: This claim means that a specific nutrient (dietary fiber, potassium, protein or an essential vitamin or mineral) was added into the food that wasn’t there before or was only present in very small amounts.  This claim requires that the food contain at least 10% more of the Daily Value (DV) of that specific nutrient than before.
6. Healthy: This label can be used if the food is low in fat and saturated fat and a serving does not contain more than 60 milligrams of cholesterol or 480 milligrams of sodium.  These foods should also contain at least 10% of the DV of calcium, protein, fiber, iron, and vitamins A and C.
7. High, rich in or an excellent source of: This focuses on nutrients for which higher levels are desirable, like “rich in calcium” or “an excellent source of fiber.” It must contain 20% or more of the Daily Value for that nutrient per serving.
8. Lean and extra lean: This is used to describe the fat content of animal meat, whether that be the type that flies, runs or swims.  Lean foods have less than 10 g of fat, 4 g of saturated fat and 95 mg of cholesterol per 100 gram serving.  Extra lean has less than 5 g of fat and 2 g of saturated fat per serving and 95 mg of cholesterol per 100 g serving.
9. Light or lite: This means that it has 33% less calories or 50% less fat per serving than the regular food.
10. Low: Can be used for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium or calories.  It means that you can eat a large amount of that food without going over the DV for that specific nutrient. Low fat must be less than 3 g per serving.  Low sodium means less than 140 mg per serving.  Low calorie means less than 40 calories per serving. Low cholesterol is 20 mg or less per serving.
11. Reduced: Is a comparison method that can be used for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar, sodium and total calories. A food must have 25% less of the nutrient or calories than the regular version to be labeled “reduced”.
12. Gluten Free: These foods are completely free from ingredients that contain gluten, such as barley, wheat or rye.

The bottom line:
Grocery aisles are full of wonderful, healthy sounding nutritional claims. The key is to understand what they really mean.  And remember that some of the claims are in regards to how much of an item is in a serving.  Even a trans fat free item can contribute a significant amount of trans fat if enough servings are consumed.

So, while natural and healthy might sound good, those labels might not be what you are looking for or sometimes might be a little misleading.  So, make sure to read the food label and the ingredient list to see if the product truly passes your health standards!

So, does that mean flaxseed is the new miracle food?  Well, today I am going to explore that question as I go over the health benefits of flaxseed and some ways that you can incorporate it into your diet.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

One of the references I used while researching this show was WebMD.

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In the last few years, you have probably seen countless headlines extolling the virtues of omega-3 fatty acids and their role in a healthy diet.  So, why is everyone raving about omega-3’s?

Why are omega-3 fatty acids important?
Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids that are needed in every cell of our bodies to reduce inflammation and prevent disease.  So, they are tremendously important, but unfortunately they cannot be synthesized by our bodies.  They can only be obtained by eating certain foods.  The same is true for omega-6 fatty acids, which are also essential to our diets.  So, why don’t we constantly hear about needing more omega-6 fatty acids in our diet then?

Well the answer to that question lies in the fact that omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids should be kept in balance for optimal health.  The appropriate ratio is 2:1 or 1:1, depending on the study you read.  Unfortunately, many of us lack sufficient omega-3 fatty acids in our diets to approach these ratios.  The typical American diet is weighted much too heavily towards omega-6’s.  This imbalance can contribute to long-term diseases such as heart disease, cancer, asthma, arthritis, eczema and psoriasis.  It can also lead to mental disorders, such as depression, dementia, schizophrenia and ADHD.

Why don’t we get enough omega-3′s?
The deficiency of omega-3′s and over abundance of omega-6’s is due primarily to the use of sunflower oil, margarine, vegetable cooking oils (other than olive oil) and the over consumption of meats.  All of those items are high in omega-6′s, but have little or no omega-3′s.

How can we get more omega-3′s?
How can you increase your consumption of omega-3 fatty acids to balance the omega-6’s?  You could increase your consumption of oily fish (for example: wild salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines) and other omega-3 fatty acid rich sources, such as flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, purslane and walnuts.  You could also switch to the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet produces the optimal balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.  It is a wonderful diet, which is rich in whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, olive oil and which is low in meat.  And for those people with nut allergies or a dislike for fish, omega-3 supplements are a viable option, which is available at most supermarkets, drug stores and health food stores.

The Bottom Line
If you are eating a diet too high in omega-6’s, you should modify your diet to have a better balance between omega-3’s and omega-6’s.  So, cut back on food items that are high in omega-6′s and eat more that are high in omega-3′s.  That will allow you to strike a better balance and help you to lead a healthier, happier life!

Photo by via EuroMagic

I am a huge fan of nuts!  They are wonderful either as a snack or as an ingredient in a delicious recipe.  I just love eating them in granola, cereal, salads or even on their own. And the good news is that nuts eaten in moderation can be part of a heart healthy diet. That is right, I said moderation.  You don’t want to eat whole cans of nuts, especially the salted kind.

So, since I know it’s not just me and the squirrels that enjoy nuts, I thought it was time to feature them in the show.  In this episode, I will go over why nuts are heart healthy, why they should be eaten in moderation and I’ll give some nutritional information on some common types of nuts.

Some references I used while researching this show are New Wellness Encyclopedia, calorieking.com and Mayo Clinic.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Watch That Posture!  Stand Tall!

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Massages for Fun and Health
2. Does This Look Spoiled to You?

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

Photo by Travis Hornung

It was midnight when Sarah pulled into her garage, jet lagged and hungry.  For what she paid for that round trip flight to Paris, she thought they could have included enough food to keep her from feeling like she was slowly starving to death.  And just her luck, by the time the plane landed, the restaurants were all closed.  In no mood to stop at a restaurant along the highway, she went straight home with the intention of scrounging something from her fridge.

As she looked through the refrigerator, she decided that two weeks was too long to have left some of the food.  Some items looked suspicious, including the now moldy Cheddar that she had been hoping to use for a grilled cheese sandwich.  “Oh, well.” She sighed as she grabbed the cheese and closed the refrigerator door.  “Guess I’ll have to throw it out and buy more tomorrow.”

Most of the time if a food doesn’t look right, you should follow your instincts and throw it away.  But sometimes foods that look unsafe to eat are perfectly fine.

What foods might be safe to eat?
With these tough economic times, you might be able to keep a few more dollars in your pocket by not throwing away foods that look suspicious, but are actually safe to eat.  Here are 4 foods that you might consider keeping around.

1. Cheese: Certain types of cheese are safe to eat even if they have mold growing on them.  Hard cheeses, such as Cheddar and Parmesan can be salvageable.  Just make sure to cut out the moldy section and one inch around that area in each direction.  That way you will eliminate the moldy roots.  Just make sure that you do not allow the knife to come into contact with the moldy area.  If it does, you could contaminate the rest of the cheese.  Some other cheeses, such as Stilton and Gorgonzola, use mold to make them and those molds are harmless to eat. (Although, I would cut any extra mold off those as well, just in case it was contaminated with the other type of mold.) However, if mold is discovered in soft cheeses, such as Feta, cream cheese, Mozzarella, cottage cheese or Neufchatel, the whole cheese should be thrown away because eating that type of mold can be hazardous to one’s health.
2. Cooked ham: If you see an iridescent film on your ham, that is harmless and safe to eat.  Ham has a high fat and water content.  When that comes to the surface it reflects light like oil on puddle, giving it a iridescent sheen.
3. Moldy produce: If you find mold on hard produce such as broccoli or onions, you can cut off the mold and about 1 inch of the vegetable around it.  Then it should be healthy to eat.  But once again, don’t let your knife touch the mold.  For more information, check out this video.
4. Chocolate with white spots: The white spots are caused by one of two things.  It is either the separation of cocoa fat or sugar rising to the surface when the chocolate gets damp from humidity or moisture from the fridge or freezer.  In either case, it is still safe to eat, so you don’t need to throw away perfectly good chocolate.  To prevent the white spots, don’t expose your chocolate to wide swings in temperature.

The bottom line:
Usually when food looks moldy or spoiled, it should be thrown away.  But there are some foods that look suspicious that are still safe to eat.  If you’re not sure if it’s safe though, always err on the side of safety and throw it away. If you know what to throw away and what to keep, it can save you a bit of money.  It can also keep you from eating something that might make you sick.  So, know the difference!

And I think good posture is worth achieving just for the aches and pains that it can prevent!  That is why the goal of this episode is to give you tips on how to achieve a good standing posture.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

Photo by dmap via Flickr

Jennifer made a Saturday massage appointment at her local spa in anticipation of the next few weeks at work.  She knew that it was going to be a very stressful stretch because of some impending deadlines and critical meetings.  A long massage would be the perfect outlet to reduce her current stress, muscle tension and anxiety.  She always felt more relaxed and at ease after a good massage and taking the opportunity to start off this difficult stretch as relaxed as possible seemed the way to go.

It used to be that most people saw massages as a luxury, but more and more people are starting to see massage therapy as an essential part of maintaining their physical and emotional well being.  The growing recognition of the health benefits of massage, along with the enjoyment it provides are encouraging many people to get them on a regular basis.

What are the health benefits of massage therapy?
Massage is one of the oldest manual therapies, dating back thousands of years, but unfortunately scientists have paid little attention to it until recently.  Thus, there are limited studies on the health benefits of massage, but what the studies are showing is that massage therapy can help:

1. Induce a sense of relaxation and well being: Massage can ease mental stress and reduce tension, fatigue and anxiety.  It may also be a beneficial tool for people undergoing cancer treatments.
2. Manage and relieve pain: Massage can relax muscle tension and relieve muscle spasms and pain.  It may also be a great pain management tool for people suffering from back pain, fibromyalgia, labor pains or arthritis.
3. Increase blood flow: Massage increases blood flow to the skin and muscles, which can help improve circulation and reduce muscle soreness after exercise.
4. Increase range of motion: Massage can help increase range of motion of joints after injury.

Even though massage can be helpful, it should not be a substitute for medical treatment.  If you have an injury or a medical condition, see your doctor for the best course of treatment.

How is a massage done?
A massage can be performed on the entire body or it can target certain areas, such as the back, neck, shoulders, hands or feet.  It usually involves some form of kneading and stroking of the skin and the placing of pressure on tense, tight muscles.  However, there are many different types of massage styles, such as hot stones, stretching, traction, pressure points, etc. All of these techniques have different strengths and weaknesses.  That’s why it is important to pick a massage style that fits what you want to get out of the massage.  So, talk to your massage therapist prior to the massage and they will help you pick the right massage for your needs.

What all good massages should have in common is that they are supposed to feel good, be comfortable and leave you feeling relaxed and sometimes even energized.  Of course, when very tight, tense muscles are massaged you may feel some discomfort, but it should not leave you more painful, more tense or sore afterwards.  If that is the case, then too much pressure may have been applied.

But they’re so expensive!
I know that a lot of you are thinking that regular massages can get quite expensive. But there are a few ways to make it cheaper.  I’ll go from the cheapest to most expensive.

1. Learn massage: If you and a friend or relative learn massage, you could give them to each other for free.
2. Go to a massage school: If you get a massage from a massage student at the school’s facility, the price is much cheaper than a certified massage therapist.
3. Quantity Discount: Ask your massage therapist if you can work out a discount if you pay for a few massages in advance.

The bottom line:
Massage therapy has a host of wonderful health benefits that can have a positive impact on your emotional and physical well being.  So, don’t feel guilty about getting a massage.  Enjoy it because it is good for you, after all!

Photo by Swami Stream via Flickr

I received a lot of feedback about the First Q&A show 7 weeks ago.  Since it was so well received, I’m bringing you another one today.  I’m planning to continue putting out one of these Q&A shows every month or two, as long as I keep getting lots of excellent questions.  I love answering the questions and by putting the answers into a special episode, rather than an email, everyone can benefit from them.

In this episode, we have questions about how many calories to consume when training for a marathon, sleep deprivation, coconut oil and loose skin after weight loss.

Here are the links that I promised: “Running: The Gold Standard of Exercise” and “Drive Safe, Not Drowsy.”

Some references I used while researching this show are runners world, WebMD and Mayo Clinic.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Putting the Plan Back In Weight Loss

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Extra Protein, Extra Large Muscles?
2. Eggs: Can I Eat Them?

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

Photo by yomi955 via Flickr

Jared loved eggs.  In fact, he loved them so much that he had one in his sandwich every day.  It made his sandwiches taste just that much better. But then he read an article that said eggs were a high cholesterol food that could contribute to higher cholesterol and heart disease. Since his father died of a heart attack a few months back, he took that information to heart.  His dad had just turned 50 and he ate a lot of eggs.  So, after reading that article, Jared just wasn’t sure about eggs anymore.  Should he stop eating them altogether?

Jared is not the only one that is confused about whether eggs are healthy to eat or not.  The health information over the years has been confusing.  Are eggs healthy or not?  And how many eggs can we safely consume?

Are eggs good for us?
Eggs are not just tasty, they are also loaded with nutritional value.  After all an egg needs to hold all the necessary nourishment for a developing chick. So, it is not surprising that they are a good source of protein, selenium, iron, iodine, phosphorus, vitamin D and B vitamins (B2, B5, B9, B12 and choline). Plus they are a low calorie food (70- 80 calories) and not very high in fat. Unfortunately, they are also a concentrated source of cholesterol.  A large egg contains about 213mg of cholesterol, all of which is contained in the yolk.  So, it is important not to eat too many eggs.

Now, there is a debate about how much dietary cholesterol affects your cholesterol levels in comparison to saturated and trans fats.  Since the science isn’t clear yet, the American Heart Association and the Mayo Clinic both recommend that you watch the cholesterol content of your foods, including eggs.

How many eggs can I eat in a week?
How many eggs you can eat in a week depends on your health and what other items you eat in a day. Keep these 2 things in mind:

1. If you are in good health: Limit your intake of dietary cholesterol to less than 300 mg a day from all sources.  So, you can have an egg daily, as long as you limit other foods that contain cholesterol.
2. If you have high cholesterol, diabetes or cardiovascular disease: Limit your intake of dietary cholesterol to less than 200 mg a day from all sources.  So, if you are going to have an egg, choose a smaller egg, which has less cholesterol than a larger one.  Or better yet, eat only the egg whites or egg substitutes.  They have no cholesterol at all.

The bottom line:
Eggs are loaded with many valuable vitamins and minerals that can contribute to a healthy diet.  So, most people can have an egg a day as long as they watch the other foods that they eat the rest of the day.  It’s all about being reasonable and eating foods with cholesterol in moderation.

Many people talk about their weight loss plan and all the weight that they are going to lose.  The problem is that they focus on the “weight loss” and forgot about “the plan.” Without proper planning and preparation, most endeavors fail.  Weight loss is the same.  That is why this episode is dedicated to giving you tips and strategies to successfully lose weight.  So, sit back and enjoy the show!

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe through iTunes.

Photo by TheBusyBrain via Flickr

Danny was a college freshman who was having a hard time getting girls to notice him. Since the bodybuilder types seemed to get all the attention, Danny decided that he was going to bulk up.  He knew that in order to do that, he was going to need to eat a lot more protein.  So, he started drinking protein shakes, eating protein bars and upped the amount of meat, eggs and dairy products in his diet.  He really hoped all the extra protein would make him stronger soon because it sure was expensive!

Does eating extra protein make you stronger?
Unfortunately, eating extra protein will not give you added muscle bulk. Even though protein functions to build and repair muscles, consuming more protein won’t stimulate muscle growth by itself.  The key to building muscle is to strength train.

What happens to the extra protein?
Any protein over the amount your body needs to build muscle will either be burned for energy or, more likely, be converted to and stored as fat.  Not a desirable outcome!

If the diet you choose is high in animal protein (such as meat and dairy products), it is probably also high in saturated fat, which increases your risks of heart disease and cancer.  And another potential problem with a high protein, low carbohydrate diet is that it can take a toll on your kidneys because they have to process the extra byproducts created by the body’s breakdown of the extra protein.

How much protein should I eat to build muscles?
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t eat protein.  You want an adequate intake of protein to build lean muscle mass.  But if you eat a normal, healthy diet you will most likely get sufficient protein.  It is actually hard not to get enough protein.  The recommended dietary allowance of protein is about 12 to 15% of daily total caloric intake.  That works out to be about 0.8 grams for every kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight.

So, most Americans don’t need to worry.  The average American eats meat and dairy products regularly and easily exceeds the recommended dietary allowances.  Actually, the typical American eats almost double the recommended amount of protein.

Studies do suggest that professional athletes, such as bodybuilders or wrestlers, might need more protein than what is recommended by the RDA, but that doesn’t mean they need to go out of their way to consume more protein.  Most professional athletes consume more calories a day than the average person and easily get the extra protein they need that way.

So, what should you do if you want to build muscles?
Follow these 2 tips:

1. Exercise more: Bodybuilders are strong because of their workouts, not because they eat excessive amounts of protein.  So, if you want to bulk up, incorporate more strength training into your exercise regimen.
2. Eat a healthy, balanced diet: Your diet should be high in complex carbohydrates (vegetables, fruit and whole grains) and low in fat (lean meats, fish, poultry and low fat dairy products).  That will keep you healthy and provide you with enough protein to build muscle.  If you want to gain weight, just eat larger, healthier meals. Don’t get fixated on large quantities of protein.

The bottom line:
Consuming more protein will not make you stronger.  Exercise is the key to increased strength and muscle bulk.  So, don’t waste your money on protein shakes, bars and drinks.  Just continue eating a healthy diet and spend more quality time with your favorite strength training equipment.  Because exercise is the true key to getting stronger!