HEALTH BENEFITS OF REST AND KEEPING ACTIVE

You should balance your activities with the proper amount of rest. Some of the leading experts in the field of aging now believe that regular exercise along with the proper amount of rest may actually add years to the life span. Results from a number of tests indicate that speed and muscular strength of many of the elderly can be extended.

Leading authorities agree that this new data is going to shatter many of the myths about aging and physical performance. The conclusion now is that the performance and ability of the elderly has long been underestimated, diet, proper sleep and exercise along with rest and relaxation are all important factors in preserving our bodies.

Laughter is one of the best things for your mental and physical state. People are naturally attracted to someone who has a good sense of humor. You can develop a good outlook and a good sense of humor by associating with and surrounding yourself with pleasant happy people.
Recognize that stress is a killer. A life filled with stress can really wreak havoc on your body causing a number of illnesses such as heart attacks, strokes, asthma, gastric problems, menstrual disorders, ulcerative colitis, angina, irritable colon, increased blood pressure, ulcers, headaches, etc.

There are different types of stress such as mental, emotional and physical. Emotional stress seems to take the greatest toll on everyone. All stress is not bad; in fact, life would not be very interesting if it were not met with challenges. However, too much stress, too often with no effective and appropriate outlet, does not allow the body and soul to recuperate. You might review a typical week to see if you can identify things that might be making you anxious or causing you stress. Once identified, stressors can be attacked and eliminated.

Are you a worrier? Chronic worriers don't have more serious problems than others - they just think they do. Many worriers try to cope by trying not to think about their problems, but this just makes things worse. Doctors say that chronic worriers feel less anxious if they actually spend a half-hour a day thinking specifically about their problems.

Get plenty of exercise. People who are physically fit look good and feel good. A good exercise regimen will lengthen your life. Improve your appearance, build self confidence and help delay the aging process.

Remember that you need to do something physical every day. If you don't use your joints, quite simply they'll tighten up with age to create the stooped, bent and worn out appearance we so often associate with old age. Studies have shown that people with arthritis experience less pain if they continue to keep their joints flexible. As one gets older, the bones tend to get brittle which is why it is common for senior citizens to break bones and especially their hips when they fall.

Eating right, getting proper sleep and learning to relax are all very valuable in maintaining a healthy body and mind. And keep in mind that eating healthy foods and avoiding those high in fats, sodium and cholesterol will help to decrease your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and associated problems.

THE DANGERS OF EXCESS BODY FAT

Most people's primary motivation for weight management is to improve their appearance. Equally important, however, are the many other benefits of proper nutrition and regular exercise.

Weight management through reduction of excess body fat plays a vital role in maintaining good health and fighting disease. In fact, medical evidence shows that obesity poses a major threat to health and longevity. (The most common definition of obesity is more than 25 percent body fat for men and more than 32 percent for women.) An estimated one in three Americans has some excess body fat; an estimated 20 percent are obese.

Excess body fat is linked to major physical threats like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. (Three out of four Americans die of either heart disease or cancer each year; according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination survey, approximately 80 percent of those deaths are associated with life-style factors, including inactivity.)

For example, if you're obese, it takes more energy for you to breathe because your heart has to work harder to pump blood to the lungs and to the excess fat throughout the body. This increased work load can cause your heart to become enlarged and can result in high blood pressure and life-threatening erratic heartbeats.

Obese people also tend to have high cholesterol levels, making them more prone to arteriosclerosis, a narrowing of the arteries by deposits of plaque. This becomes life-threatening when blood vessels become so narrow or blocked that vital organs like the brain, heart or kidneys are deprived of blood. Additionally, the narrowing of the blood vessels forces the heart to pump harder, and blood pressure rises. High blood pressure itself poses several health risks, including heart attack, kidney failure, and stroke. About 25 percent of all heart and blood vessel problems are associated with obesity.

Clinical studies have found a relationship between excess body fat and the incidence of cancer. By itself, body fat is thought to be a storage place for carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals) in both men and women. In women, excess body fat has been linked to a higher rate of breast and uterine cancer; in men, the threat comes from colon and prostate cancer.

There is also a delicate balance between blood sugar, body fat, and the hormone insulin. Excess blood sugar is stored in the liver and other vital organs; when the organs are "full," the excess blood sugar is converted to fat. As fat cells themselves become full, they tend to take in less blood sugar. In some obese people, the pancreas produces more and more insulin, which the body can't use, to regulate blood sugar levels, and the whole system becomes overwhelmed. This poor regulation of blood sugar and insulin results in diabetes, a disease with long-term consequences, including heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, amputation, and death. Excess body fat is also linked to gall bladder disease, gastro-intestinal disease, sexual dysfunction, osteoarthritiis, and stroke.

Reducing Body Fat Reduces Disease Risk
The good news is that reducing body fat reduces the risk of disease. At the University of Pittsburgh, researchers studied 159 people as they followed a weight management program. The subjects were under age 45 and 30-70 pounds overweight. Those subjects who were able to shed just 10-15 percent of their weight and keep it off during the 18-month study showed significant improvement in HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, waist-to-hip ratio, and blood pressure. In fact, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, body fat reduction is a more powerful modulator of cardiac structure than drug therapy.

For people with a family history of heart disease, an active lifestyle can slow or stop the process for all but those with serious genetic disorders. Evidence also shows that an active lifestyle and its help in reducing body fat is associated with a reduced risk for some types of cancers: prostate for men, breast and uterine cancers for women. (In addition, regular physical activity and a low-fat diet are successful in treating non-insulin dependent diabetes (NIDDM); for some patients, it has reduced or eliminated the need for insulin substitutes. In general, regularly active adults have 42 percent lower risk of developing NIDDM.

Gaining Weight Happens to Most of Us
The average American gains at least one pound a year after age 25. If you're like most Americans, by the time you're 50, you're likely to gain 25 pounds of fat, or more. In addition, your metabolism is also slowing down, causing your body to work less efficiently at burning the fat it has. At the same time, if you don't exercise regularly, you lose a pound of muscle each year. Consequently, people are not only increasing their body fat stores, increasing their risk of disease, but they're also losing muscle, increasing the risk of injury, decreasing activity performance, and further slowing down metabolism.

Very few Americans exercise in any significant way. The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports estimates that only one in five Americans exercises for the healthy minimum of 20 minutes, three or more days a week. In fact, the average American gets less than 50 minutes of exercise per week. Even worse, two out of five Americans are completely sedentary.

The Answer: Healthy Eating and Physical Fitness
But there is hope. Moderate weight loss--of fat, not muscle--and a healthy and active lifestyle--not dieting--have been found to lower health risks and medical problems in 90 percent of overweight patients, improving their heart function, blood pressure, glucose tolerance, sleep disorders, and cholesterol levels, as well as lowering their requirements for medication, lowering the incidence and duration of hospitalization, and reducing post-operative complications eight times less likely to die from cancer than the unfit, and 53 percent less likely to die from other diseases. Fit people are also eight times less likely to die from heart disease.
So, are you willing to be patient and make gradual changes in your life that will lead to a healthier, happier you?

Once you have made the decision to go forward and accept change, the hard part is over. Sure, there is plenty of work to be done, but it really doesn't matter how long this new process takes. If you allow changes to take place over several years, your body will adjust comfortably, and you will be more likely to maintain the healthy lifestyle permanently.

When you begin achieving improvements in energy and physical and psychological performance, the fun and excitement you experience will make the change well worth the effort.

* Be sure to check with your health care professional before making any changes in your activity or eating habits.

WATER WITH MEALS: HELP TO LOSE WEIGHT

A drink of water could do much more than keep you hydrated. A number of new studies outline how a drink of water can change food preferences and help you lose weight.
Food-and-Drink Pairings Matter

Whether it's a piece of chicken, a burger, or a burrito, the familiar fast food combo is paired with a sugar-sweetened beverage. A new study suggests drinking water with meals may help change your food preferences which could lead to healthier food choices. Preschoolers were found to eat more raw vegetables with water than with a sugar-sweetened beverage. Young adults between the ages of 19 and 23 were also studied and their preferences were similar. They paired sugary beverages with salty, high-calorie snacks. Study author T. Bettina Cornwell of the University of Oregon suggests serving water with meals could mean eating more vegetables in the long run.
Water or Diet Soda Switch Means Weight Loss

American teens get around 300 calories a day from sugar-sweetened beverages, while adult men get 178, and women around 100 calories. But could those last five pounds be lost simply by changing your drink of choice? Perhaps. The CHOICE study found that middle-aged adults who had the same caloric intake lost more weight when they switched from sugary beverages to diet soda or water during meals. The simple switch accounted for an average weight loss of 2% to 2.5%. Aside from the obvious calorie reduction, another reason to quench your thirst with water as opposed to a sugary beverage is you'll eat less. A study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found water drinkers at 8% less at meal time.
Drink Before, During or After a Meal?
Aside from drinking water when you wake, and in between meals, there's some wiggle room about getting the timing right at meal time. Drinking water just prior to a meal has been shown to lower energy intake which could lead to weight loss, but drinking it during or after a meal is not better or worse. Because there's no definitive research that says drinking water during meal time is a hindrance to digestion, drink up. Because an estimated 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated, not drinking is far worse than bad timing. According to the Institutes of Medicine, an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day, while a woman's is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups).

HCG Approved Dressings

Citrus Dressing

Ingredients:

1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup water

1 T. lemon

1 pkg. Stevia

1⁄4 tsp. garlic powder

Mix together, keep refrigerated.  Makes 6 servings.

Dill Dressing

Ingredients:

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

2 T. water

2 T. dried basil

2 T. dried dill

1 t. garlic powder

1 t. dry mustard

1 t. onion powder

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix well.  Makes 8 Servings.

Vinaigrette Dressing

Ingredients:

1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar

1⁄2 cup water

2 shakes celery salt

2 shakes onion salt

Ground pepper to taste

3 pkg. Stevia

Mix well, Keep refrigerated.  Makes 12 servings.

Veggie Dressing
Ingredients:
1/4 c. vinegar
1/4 c. sliced green onions
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
1 tbsp. chopped green pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/8 tsp. red pepper
1/2 tsp. soy sauce

Shake all ingredients well in a tightly covered jar. Keep covered in refrigerator. Shake well before serving.  Makes 8 servings.

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ARE YOUR SNACKS MAKING OR BREAKING YOUR DIET?

  While some dieters happily accept when someone suggests a snack, others feel pangs of guilt when a nibble is merely suggested. However, there is nothing inherently wrong with a bite between meals. In fact, snacking might be the missing ingredient that will help you reach your weight loss goals.  

But how can this make sense, since snacking theoretically adds calories?

Snacking doesn’t serve to replace a meal. In fact, you should spread meals and snacks out by an hour or two, and snacks should total a couple hundred calories or less.

Munching between meals can actually reduce your overall caloric intake by curbing overeating at your next meal. By controlling later binging, snacking can help you stay on track. You can actually use this to your advantage. If you know you are going out to a big dinner with friends later, for example, make sure you have a healthy snack before you head out so you’re less likely to order (and finish) a large entrée.

How You Snack Can Make or Break Your Diet
There is definitely a wrong way and a right way to snack. You should avoid sugary items like candy and soda, and shouldn’t be consuming enough calories to constitute a meal. Instead, steer towards foods that will satisfy you and keep you feeling fuller longer. Fruits and vegetables are always a safe bet because they are low in fat and calories. (Just be sure to avoid high-calorie dips.) Yogurt, fruit smoothies, even a slice of whole-wheat toast all make great snacks during the day. Combining lean protein, some healthy fat, and complex carbohydrates will help you feel fuller longer.

Mini Meals
Many experts are recommending several smaller meals throughout the day instead of the usual three. By eating at regular intervals, your blood sugar levels (and therefore your energy levels) remain stable. So, instead of that mid-afternoon crash, you’ll be full of vigor through dinnertime!   Eating every few hours (especially if you chew on fruits and veggies) can also help add extra nutrition that might be missing from other meals.

Snacking Isn’t Grazing
Mindless eating is often the downfall of many snackers. You may start with only a handful of your favorite crackers, only to finish the entire box, without even thinking about it. Obviously, this example isn’t the healthy snacking that can help you reach your weight loss goals. 

To avoid grazing:

• Fill a small plate with your snack, and leave the kitchen. Just walk away. When your plate is empty, snack time is over. 
• Never bring the entire container with you in front of the television or computer. Enjoy your snack without distraction and you won’t be tempted to reach for more.
• If you stand around the snack table chatting at a party, you may find yourself reaching for food when the conversation lulls. This can often lead to an unintentional binge because you simply aren’t paying attention to what you are eating. 
• Limit yourself to a single serving. 
• Plan out your snacks just like you would a meal. Is one cookie worth the calorie cost, when you could eat a plate of fresh fruit instead? 

Practice Moderation
As with the rest of your diet, moderation is crucial when snacking.  If you don’t keep track of calories consumed, you might add excess calories and fat to your diet without realizing it.

Don’t sabotage your diet with unhealthy nibbles throughout the day; stick to nourishing foods whenever possible. If you know you have a weakness for junk food, do yourself a favor and don’t purchase these items next time you are at the grocery store. Then you won’t have to fight the temptation of ice cream or potato chips when hunger pangs hit.

HEALTHY SCHOOL LUNCHES KIDS WILL ACTUALLY EAT

Breakfast might be the most important meal of the day, but lunch runs a close second. Studies have shown that children who eat a well-balanced lunch often do better in school and are more alert. It can be difficult enough to get your child to eat right when you're there to monitor what he or she eats. But in the cafeteria, where the temptations of pizza, vending machines and other unhealthy snacks await, you have to up your game to get kids to actually eat what you've packed.

First of all, remember that it's not your lunch. If you pack broccoli and your son hates it, he won't eat it. Let your kids weigh in on what they want to pack in their lunches, and offer them a few healthy choices so they feel like they're in control.

Save Money and Pack Smart

• Though you might be tempted by their convenience and kid-friendly sizes, avoid pre-packaged, processed foods for your kids' lunches. They're expensive and loaded with sodium and preservatives.
• Think outside the lunchbox. Did your kids love last night's roasted chicken and vegetables? Pack some in a thermos to eat the next day. Pack leftover meatballs into a whole-grain hotdog bun for a lunchtime sandwich. Mix leftover brown rice and vegetables and top with chunks of pork or chicken.
• There's no rule that lunch has to include a sandwich, chips and a cookie. Try a tasting plate of chicken chunks or deli turkey roll-ups with a handful of grapes, and carrots with a small container of low-fat dressing. Finger foods are usually a hit with kids.
• Be safe. Pack lunches properly to ensure food safety and freshness. Invest in a reusable ice-pack, a thermos to hold warm foods and a variety of different sized containers. Include a cloth napkin and reusable utensils to cut down on waste. Remind your child to always wash her hands before she eats.

A Balanced Meal

Include something from each food group, but be creative. Here are some tips for creating a well-balanced meal.

Whole grains

• Always choose whole-grain or whole-wheat bread. If your kids won't eat the crusts, that's OK--trim them off. It's more important that they're eating the sandwich.
• Toss air-popped popcorn with cinnamon for a sweet treat or sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. It's a great whole-grain snack.
• Spread brown-rice cakes with all natural peanut butter, all-fruit spread or light cream cheese.
• Whole-grain crackers that are low in fat and high in fiber are a good substitute for bread for little mouths. Kids love the crunch. Send a few pieces of cheese so kids can create their own mini sandwiches.
• Make whole-wheat versions of your family's favorite quick breads and muffins.
• Make large batches of cookies--oatmeal raisin is a good choice--and freeze them. Substitute sugar with honey or agave nectar. You can take one from the freezer and put it in a lunch box. It will thaw by lunchtime.
• Instead of bread, try a whole-wheat tortilla for a sandwich. Roll one up with low-sodium deli meat, cheese and honey mustard.
• Whole-wheat pretzel sticks are crunchy and fun for kids. Make sure the version you buy lists "whole wheat flour" as a primary ingredient.

Fruit

• Use what is fresh and in season. Seasonal fruit tastes better and is also cheaper.
• Make fruit easy for kids to eat. Segment oranges and core apples and pears (use lemon juice to keep them from turning brown). Cut up large pieces of fruit into smaller pieces.
• Offer dried fruit like raisins, cherries or cranberries, but be sure no sugar or preservatives been added.
• When buying canned fruit, make sure it's packed in 100% fruit juice rather than syrup.
• Add sliced fruit to low fat cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.
• Instead of jams and jellies, make a peanut butter sandwich with banana slices, raisins or berries.
• Offer a handful of seedless grapes in a bag with a wet paper towel for sticky hands. (The wet paper towel also comes in handy after eating an orange.)
• Make a fruit smoothie and store it in a thermos. Add a handful of spinach for an extra serving of veggies. Your kids will never know. (Make the smoothie at night and freeze. It will be nice and slushy by lunchtime.)

Vegetables

• Cut raw veggies into bite size pieces and serve them with a dip. In place of high fat dressings, try peanut butter or another nut butter, pesto, salsa, hummus or guacamole--whatever you kids will eat.
• Add shredded vegetables to sandwiches and soup.
• Try mixing chopped broccoli or cauliflower with brown rice and a bit of cheese for a healthy casserole.

Dairy

• Either provide money for your child to buy milk or include a small carton of shelf-stable milk in every lunch.
• String cheese or a few cubes of cheese are a great way for kids to get calcium and protein.
• Freeze a small container of cottage cheese or yogurt. Add it to his lunchbox and it will be thawed by lunch.
• Try topping low fat cottage cheese with chopped tomatoes or pineapple chunks.
• If your child will only drink chocolate milk, allow it. It's better than drinking no milk at all.

Protein

• If your child isn't a fan of meat, that's OK. There are plenty of ways to get protein into his or her lunch. It's very important to include protein, because it will help keep your child fuller longer. As long as your child is old enough to eat nuts and there are no allergen concerns, experiment with various forms of nut butter. Beyond peanut, there's cashew, almond, sunflower, soy nut and even hazelnut butter.
• Eggs are another great source of protein. Include a hard-boiled egg (peel it first) or a couple of deviled eggs (made with low-fat mayo).
• If your kids are fans of tuna, egg or chicken salad, sneak some veggies into it. Minced carrots, celery, zucchini and even cucumbers mix well. In addition to regular sandwiches, these salads make great dippers for whole-grain crackers and raw veggies.
• Hummus or black bean dip is full of filling fiber and protein. Like the salads mentioned above, it's great in sandwiches or as a dip.
• Disguise protein as a treat by mixing nuts with dried fruit and just a few chocolate chips for an easy trail mix.

Courtesy of sparkpeople.

THE MANY BENEFITS OF WEIGHT TRAINING

1. Weight training tones your muscles which looks great and raises your basal metabolism... which causes you to burn more calories 24 hours-a-day. You'll even burn more calories while you're sleeping.

2. Weight training can *reverse* the natural decline in your metabolism which begins around age 30.

3. Weight training energizes you.

4. Weight training has a positive affect on almost all of your 650+ muscles.

5. Weight training strengthens your bones reducing your risk of developing osteoporosis.

6. Weight training improves your muscular endurance.

7. Weight training will NOT develop big muscles on women....just toned muscles!

8. Weight training makes you strong. Strength gives you confidence and makes daily activities easier.

9. Weight training makes you less prone to low-back injuries.

10. Weight training decreases your resting blood pressure.

11. Weight training decreases your risk of developing adult onset diabetes.

12. Weight training decreases your gastrointestinal transit time, reducing your risk for developing colon cancer.

13. Weight training increases your blood level of HDL cholesterol (the good type).

14. Weight training improves your posture.

15. Weight training improves the functioning of your immune system.

16. Weight training lowers your resting heart rate, a sign of a more efficient heart.

17. Weight training improves your balance and coordination.

18. Weight training elevates your mood.