HEALTH / FITNESS
Information about fitness, health, nutrition and weight loss
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In this Section....
- August Recipes
- Daily Diet Tip
- Anti-Aging Nutrition Secrets
- Gold Medal Indoor Workout
August Recipes - Click Here
This month's recipes are HOT!! Actually, that's not quite true, it's the weather that's hot! The kind of hot that forces you to sit still, preferably under a ceiling fan, sipping a cold drink. You can almost hear the garden growing. Everyone slows down. It's so hot you don't want to cook - not for anybody! But you still have to eat! Turn to these easy recipes that - I guarantee - do not use one bit of heat. Not from the grill, stovetop, microwave, or oven. (Well, maybe one uses the oven, but not for long, I promise!) Canned foods, deli ingredients, frozen fully cooked meats, and fresh summer produce all combine to make excellent recipes that let you keep your cool inside and out. Enjoy!
We'd love to feature one of your favorite recipes in any one of our monthly issues, just send them on to us at recipes@ssbbw-magazine.com. Hope to hear from all of you in the following months!
Anti-Aging Nutrition Secrets
Feeling and looking young is more within your control than you think. Much of what we've assumed are the inevitable consequences of aging -- wrinkles, memory loss, an escalating risk for heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer -- results more from the lifestyle choices we make than from the natural aging process. And our dietary choices are just as important as using sunscreen, getting exercise and other preventive tactics. Here is your anti-aging nutritional plan in a nutshell.
Increase certain vitamins as you age
As we age, our bodies' process nutrients less efficiently, resulting in the need for us to increase our nutrient intake. For example, Vitamin D is a nutrient essential to the prevention of osteoporosis. Our bodies manufacture vitamin D when our skin is exposed to sunlight, but by our 70s our bodies produce only 40 percent of what they produced in third grade. An adequate dosage of vitamin D for people in their 20s is 200 IU; for people who are older, 400 IU to 600 IU is needed to do the same amount of work. It's impossible to say at exactly which age you should be getting this much, but because aging is a continuum, you should gradually increase your intake so that by age 60 or so you are up to around 600 IU.
The need for B vitamins increases with age as well. Three B vitamins -- folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 -- are essential for keeping levels of a compound called homocysteine low in the blood; if allowed to rise, homocysteine contributes to heart-disease risk and possibly memory loss, according to a study in a 1998 European Journal of Pediatrics. As you age, increase your B6 dose from 2 mg to 5 mg; increase B12 over time from 2 mcg to 10 mcg. Women should take 400 mcg of folic acid daily; pregnant women should take 800 mcg daily (to help prevent neural-tube defects in the fetus). Women, in particular, should be aware that their calcium intake should increase as they age to prevent osteoporosis: According to the National Institutes of Health, during the middle years, 1,000 mg each day is adequate; 1,200 mg after menopause if you're on hormone replacement therapy; 1,500 mg if you are not on HRT. (During adolescence, girls should take 1,200 mg to 1,300 mg.)
Consume "anti-aging" produce
People who consume diets loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables have lower disease rates, more energy and less risk for weight gain than those who skip these foods, according to numerous studies published over the years. What's the magic ingredient in fresh produce? There are several: With the exception of avocados, olives and coconuts, fresh fruits and vegetables have no fat, cholesterol or sodium. They are also fiber-rich: Eight servings of fruits and vegetables daily supplies approximately 27 grams of fiber, well within the daily target goal of 25 grams to 35 grams. Fiber-rich foods lower a person's risk for developing age-related diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and hypertension. Fiber-rich foods also are low in calories, yet satisfying, so they help fill you up without filling you out. Fresh fruits and vegetables are nutrient-packed, providing ample amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C, beta carotene and folic acid, and they are low in calories (a heaping bowlful of greens supplies only 30 calories!). The National Cancer Institute recommends a minimum of five fruit-and-vegetable servings a day, but research shows that the more servings, the greater the health benefits. Therefore, to fend off the hands of time, you should try to consume at least eight servings of fruits and vegetables each day (two at every meal and two as snacks).
Load up on age-defying antioxidants
Fruits and vegetables also are gold mines of longevity-enhancing compounds called antioxidants; these include vitamins C and E and beta carotene. Antioxidants combat free radicals, oxygen fragments that attack and damage cell membranes, life-sustaining proteins and even our cells' genetic code, and in so doing bring about aging and disease. Diets rich in antioxidants prevent disease and premature aging. Antioxidants also stimulate the immune system and protect the nervous system and brain from the oxidative damage associated with age-related memory loss. A 1993 Harvard School of Public Health study found that adults who supplemented daily with at least 100 IU of vitamin E for at least two years had up to a 40 percent reduction in heart-disease risk. Men, in particular, can benefit from the immune-enhancing effects of antioxidants: A study published in this month's Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that men who consumed vitamins C and E had lower amounts of certain particles (androgens, for example) associated with the development of prostate cancer. The recommended daily value (RDA) for vitamin C is 60 mg, but up to 1000 mg can be taken safely.
Practice portion control and make every bite count
Cut back on unnecessary calories, and you stack the deck in favor of living longer. Studies of small mammals have shown that in every case these animals have increased their lifespan from two- to four-fold by cutting back on food intake. Such animals have lower rates of all age-related diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, memory loss and dwindling immunity. Don't confuse reducing calories with malnutrition, however. Lower your intake of foods containing fat and sugar but continue to eat foods chockful of nutrients including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nonfat milk products.
Get your fat from fish
Last but not least, get your fat from fish, not from red meats. The fats in fish, called omega-3 fatty acids, lower heart-disease risk, stimulate the immune system and might even reduce the incidence of depression. In a study published in this month's American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers from the University of Barcelona found that "fish-lovers" have a significantly reduced rate of colorectal, esophageal, stomach and pancreatic cancers. Even small amounts of fish were found to lower risk for cancers of the digestive tract. The researchers speculate that the fatty acids found in fish may help inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
For more information: http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/diet.fitness/9908/04/antiaging.nutrition/.
Written by: Maria Albus
Gold Medal Indoor Workout
Starting August 8, the Games of the XXIX Olympiad will begin. The Olympic Games is a chance for countries around the world to gather to celebrate in the Olympic movement. Many will be watching worldwide to cheer on their favorite athletes. August additionally brings on the heat and humidity, preventing many local "athletes" from getting exercise, opting to stay in with the air conditioning on. The truth is you can stay cool, watch the games and get a workout in all in the same place. Chairs, pillows, and beds can aid in a workout in even the smallest of surroundings.
WARM UP:
Strap on a pedometer: This small step-counter that attaches to the belt helps track the number of steps taken. Play some upbeat music to help you strut! Do household chores to multitask. Warm up with 500 to a 1000 steps as a warm up. Additionally, The American Diabetes Association has initiated "Club Ped", a program that promotes the use of a pedometer to track progress as well as linking up with others online. Who knows, maybe "Pedding" will become an Olympic sport someday.
FULL BODY WORKOUT:
Chair Lunge
Stand with feet wider than shoulders and place hands on a chair, the edge of the bed, a ball or even the floor (depending on flexibility). Bend knees. Keeping weight in the heels, lower buttocks until its parallel to floor (or as low as you can). Keep abs in and make sure you knees to do go past your toes. Hold for 5 seconds and return to starting position. Begin with 8 repetitions. Eventually try to work up to 16.
Wall PushUps
Stand a few feet away from a wall or a high stair railing. Place hands on wall or rail wider than shoulders. Pull the abs in and, keeping your posture straight, bend elbows and lower body towards the wall/rail until elbows are at 90 degree angles. Push back up. Work up to sets of 8.
Leg Lifts
First, grab sides of chair and lean back slightly while tightening the abdominal muscles and slightly squeezing the buttocks in order to gain the "neutral spine" pose. Next, raise the legs until the feet are approximately 4-10 inches off the ground. Hold this position for a count of 3 seconds, and then return to the starting position. You may also perform this exercise one leg at a time if both make you feel unsteady. Repeat this sequence so each leg does 8 lifts. Work up to 16.
Rear Delt with Good Mornings
Begin upright, in the middle of two chairs or a stair railing with a chair. Bend at the waist keeping the back flat (or slightly arched) until the torso is parallel to the floor, arms straight down. Raise arms out to the sides to shoulder level like an airplane, palms facing down and squeeze the shoulder blades together. Hold this position for 3 seconds, using the chair backs and or railings for balance ONLY IF NEEDED. Lower the arms, stand and repeat. Start with eight, work up to sets of eight with little chair back assistance.
Cushion DeadLifts
Stand with a large cushion, pillow or an exercise ball in front of you on the floor. Bend knees slightly and tip from the hips to grab the object. Grab it and keeping back flat and abs in, roll the object up the legs straightening the torso and squeezing butt until standing. Do NOT round the back or change the angle of the knees. All movement begins at the hips and everything else should stay in place. Begin with 6 and work up to 16.
Bicep Curl with Lateral Raise
Stand with feet hip-width apart holding full water bottles in each hand in front of thighs, palms out. Bend elbows and bring bottles towards the shoulders. Lower back down, turn palms until they face each other and lift straight out to the sides stopping at shoulder level and keeping elbows slightly bent. Lower and repeat for 8. Work up to 3 sets of 8.
Tricep Press
Sit on a ball, side of the bed, or chair and hold a water bottles or light dumbbells in both hands with arms extended overhead, elbows next to ears, arms straight. Bend elbows and slowly lower weight behind you until elbows are at 90 degrees--keep the elbows in and right next to ears. Contract triceps and straighten elbows up to the beginning. Begin with 8 repetitions, working towards 3 sets of 8.
Broom Twists Abs
Sit upright on a towel, matt or even your bed, legs spread apart, holding a broomstick on your shoulders. Twist at the waist slowly to the right then to the left, then center. Remember to twist slowly, not using at the legs or hips. Repeat 8 times, working to 20.
Other beat the heat options include indoor jumping roping, walking up and down stairs, or 20 minutes of dancing to your favorite music. Even though you might not be sweating as much in an air-conditioned room, don't forget to drink water before, during and after your workout. Hydration is important no matter where you exercise!
So, get out of the heat, get into the Olympic spirit and stay healthy while you enjoy the last days of summer. Keep the workout handy, you can use it again to keep warm and beat the winter blues in months to come!
Written by: Marianne Westervelt