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September's tips and info..................(scroll down)
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Big Belly, Big Health Threat…
…even if you're not fat. Researchers who followed more than 100,000 men and women age 50 or older from 1997 to 2006 found that those with the biggest bellies were twice as likely to die over the course of a decade as those whose waists were slimmest. The study, published in the August 9, 2010 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that people with big waists were at greater risk of dying from heart disease, cancer and respiratory disorders. The researchers said that ideal waist size for men is 40 inches or less; for women, 35 inches or less. However, more than half of all American men over 50 have big bellies, as do more than 70 percent of women. In some cases, participants' weight didn't change over the years, but their shapes shifted and midsections got bigger. Beware if you can't button a waist band or have to let your belt out a notch: that could be a warning of trouble ahead, said researcher Eric Jacobs of the American Cancer Society, which sponsored the study. Some researchers subscribe to the theory that abdominal fat secretes proteins and hormones that contribute to inflammation, raise cholesterol levels and interfere with the way the body processes insulin.
Lack of Sleep May Account for Weight Gain in Women
While there’s no direct proof that sleep deprivation is the only factor to blame, researchers in Finland have found that women who have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep tend to gain more weight over time than women who have no sleeping problems. The investigators followed more than 7,300 40- to 60-year-old men and women for seven years. During that time, they saw that about one third of the women who had trouble sleeping at the outset of the study generally gained at least 11 pounds by the study's end compared to a similar weight gain among only one fifth of the women who reported sleeping well. Some other contributors could be responsible for the weight gain but these findings raise the possibility that addressing sleeping problems might help some women with weight control. Earlier evidence suggested that sleep deprivation affects levels of appetite regulating hormones, which in turn might account for weight gain. The Finnish findings were reported online June 8, 2010 in the International Journal of Obesity. The researchers saw no connection between sleep deprivation and weight gain in men.
Diet Soda & your Bones
They may contain zero calories, no sugar and provide an energy boost, but diet soda could drain calcium and phosphorous from your body, according to a preliminary study presented at a medical convention.
A small study from the Walter Reed Army Medical Center reported that healthy women who drank diet cola excrete more calcium and phosphorous than non-cola drinkers.
The findings were presented by Dr. Noelle Larson in a presentation at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in June and focused only on diet soda. She focused on diet cola mainly because of her own informal observations that young women tend to drink large amounts of diet cola.
In the study, 20 health women were randomized to drink 24 ounces of water or diet cola on two days. Their urine was collected up to three hours later.
Those who drank diet cola excreted more calcium and phosphorous than the control group. The mean calcium excretion three hours after drinking cola was 6.85 milligrams higher than after drinking water. Mean phosphorous excretion was 41 milligrams higher in the cola group than the control group, according to the abstract. Calcium and phosphorus are both important nutrients that work together to build strong bones and teeth.
Previous studies have reported that cola drinkers (both diet AND regular soda) have lower bone mineral density and increased fracture rate compared to non-cola drinkers.
“Our study suggests that diet cola ingestion may result in a negative calcium balance acutely in young, otherwise healthy women,” wrote Larson and her colleagues in the abstract. “This may help explain the clinically observed decrease in [bone mineral density] and increased fracture rate in women who consume these drinks regularly.”
Weight Loss Lowers Inflammation
Losing weight can do wonders for your health by decreasing the activity of immune system cells that promote inflammation. New research from Australia published in April suggests that even modest weight loss (in this case only about 13 pounds) can reverse damaging pro-inflammatory changes often seen in the immune cells of obese individuals. The investigators at Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research looked at 13 obese patients with type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes who agreed to go on a diet of between 1,000 and 1,600 calories per day for 24 weeks. Halfway through the study the participants underwent gastric banding, a surgical procedure in which the stomach is cinched so that it can hold only a small amount of food. At the study's end, the researchers found an 80 percent reduction in the overall number of pro-inflammatory cells, as well as decreased activation of immune cells in the body fat of their subjects. This changed the pro-inflammatory nature of circulating immune cells back to that found in lean people, the team reported.
We know that weight loss can positively affect many aspects of health, particularly type 2 diabetes and its consequences including heart disease. Excess weight is also implicated in many cancers and other diseases. These new findings are very interesting because they illustrate that the health dangers posed by obesity may be reduced by even modest weight loss.
17 Ways Exercise Sends Health Soaring
Besides losing weight, being active makes you healthier, happier, and sharper
When most of us launch into a new fitness routine, it is for one common reason: to shed fat. But it turns out focusing on your weight loss goal alone can slash your odds of success by over half, say researchers. A better inspiration: The amazing health rewards you get by being active. Finding the right motivation can make you 70% more likely to keep it up for the long haul, reports the American College of Sports Medicine.
Next time you're too busy, tired, or achy to lace up your sneakers, remember these health-transforming benefits of exercise.
1. Be Happier at Work
Increase productivity...and maybe get a raise
An active lifestyle may help you check off extra items on your to-do list, says a study from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. On days staffers participated in on-site fitness activities, they reported thinking more clearly, getting more done, and interacting more effectively with colleagues. You'll be less likely to miss work due to illness, too. Research shows that people who participate in vigorous leisure-time physical activity (such as jogging or bicycling) just once or twice a week take about half the sick time of those who are more sedentary.
2. Improve Your Vocabulary
Brush up on your Scrabble skills
A single treadmill session can make you brainier. Exercisers who ran just two 3-minute sprints, with a 2-minute break in between, learned new words 20% faster than those who rested, in a University of Muenster in Germany study. Getting your heart pumping increases blood flow, delivering more oxygen to your noggin. It also spurs new growth in the areas of the brain that control multitasking, planning, and memory.
3. Get Natural Pain Relief
Keep moving to ease stiff, achy joints
It may seem counterintuitive, but rest isn't necessarily best for reducing pain and stiffness in the knees, shoulders, back, or neck. Healthy adults who did aerobic activity consistently had 25% less musculoskeletal pain than their couch-bound peers, says Stanford senior research scientist Bonnie Bruce, DrPH, MPH, RD.
Exercise releases endorphins, the body's natural pain reliever, and may make you less vulnerable to tiny tears in muscles and tendons. Staying active can also provide relief for chronic conditions such as arthritis: In a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study, arthritis sufferers experienced 25% less pain and 16% less stiffness after 6 months of low-impact exercise like balance and strengthening moves. Most people start to feel improvement within a few weeks, says study author Leigh Callahan, PhD, an associate professor of medicine at UNC.
4. Feel Sexy at Any Size
Flaunt a figure you can be proud of
A good workout practically ensures a better body image. The simple act of exercising-regardless of your weight or fitness level-can make you feel positive about how you look, possibly due to the release of feel-good hormones, finds a review of 57 studies on exercise and body image.
Working out can also boost your libido by increasing blood flow to the genitals. University of Washington research found that just one 20-minute cycling workout enhanced sexual arousal up to 169% in women. And the benefits stand the test of time: A Harvard study of swimmers found that those over age 60 were as satisfied sexually as those decades younger.
5. Lower Dental Bills
A health-boost worth smiling about
Flossing and brushing, it turns out, are not the only keys to a healthy smile, says Mohammad Al-Zahrani, DDS, PhD, a former associate professor at Case Western Reserve University. Exercise plays an important role, too. In his recent study, Al-Zahrani discovered that adults who did 30 minutes of moderate activity 5 or more times a week were 42% less likely to suffer from periodontitis, a gum disease that's more common as you get older. Working out may thwart periodontitis the same way it does heart disease--by lowering levels of inflammation-causing C-reactive protein in the blood.
6. Unlock Hidden Energy
Rouse your body out of a slump
If you're among the 50% of adults who report feeling tired at least 1 day a week, skip the java and go for a walk. University of Georgia researchers who analyzed 70 different studies concluded that moving your body increases energy and reduces fatigue. Regular exercise boosts certain fatigue-fighting brain chemicals such as norepinephrine and dopamine, which pep you up, and serotonin, a mood enhancer.
7. Shrink Stress Fat
Combat anxiety-related weight gain
Just two 40-minute workouts a week is enough to stop dangerous belly fat in its tracks, according to University of Alabama at Birmingham research. The waistline of those who worked out less expanded an average of 3 inches. Exercise may lower levels of hormones such as cortisol that promotes belly fat.
8. Slash Cold Risk 33%
Build up your body's defenses
Moderate exercise doesn't just rev your metabolism--it boosts your immune system, too, helping your body fight off cold bugs and other germs. Women ages 50 to 75 who did 45 minutes of cardio, 5 days a week, had a third as many colds as those who did once-weekly stretching sessions, a University of Washington study found.
9. Improve Vision
Carrots are great, but exercise might be better
What's good for your heart is good for your eyes. An active lifestyle can cut your risk of age-related macular degeneration by up to 70%, according to a British Journal of Ophthalmology study of 4,000 adults. This incurable disease makes reading, driving, and seeing fine details difficult, and it's the most common cause of blindness after age 60.
10. Reach the Deep-Sleep Zone
Decent shut-eye is not a far off dream
Say good night to poor sleep. Women age 60 and older who walked or danced for at least an hour, four times a week, woke up half as often and slept an average 48 minutes more a night than sedentary women, according to a study in the journal Sleep Medicine. That is good news for the many women who toss and turn more as they get older. As you age, sleep patterns start shifting, so you spend more of the night in lighter sleep phases, says Shawn Youngstedt, PhD, an assistant professor of exercise science at the University of South Carolina.
11. Never Get Diabetes
Walk to keep your blood sugar in check
Walking 2 miles 5 times a week may be more effective at preventing diabetes than running nearly twice as much, report Duke University researchers. Because fat is the primary fuel for moderate exercise, walking may better improve the body's ability to release insulin and control blood sugar.
12. Eliminate Belly Bloat
Shrink the muffin top
The next time you feel puffy around the middle, resist the urge to stay put. A study from Spain's Autonomous University of Barcelona suggests that mild physical activity clears gas and alleviates bloating. That's because increasing your heart rate and breathing stimulates the natural contractions of the intestinal muscles, helping to prevent constipation and gas buildup by expediting digestion.
13. Clear Out Brain Fog
Build your mental muscle
Exercise is linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease among older people; now, new research shows it can prevent brain fog at a much younger age too. Japanese researchers assigned sedentary young adults to two groups; one took aerobic exercise classes, and the other did not. After 4 months, MRIs revealed that the nonexercising group experienced shrinkage of gray matter in some areas of the brain, while the active participants had no change.
14. Save Your Heart
Reduce dangerous inflammation
Sedentary, obese women age 50 and older who began exercising lowered their levels of C-reactive protein-an inflammatory blood marker linked to heart disease—by 10% after 1 year, found research recently published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
15. Add Years to Your Life
Stay healthy and active for years to come
Being physically fit can actually change how your body works. Vigorous exercisers have longer telomeres-cellular biomarkers that shorten as we age-compared with healthy adults who rarely work out.
16. Ease Your Ailments
Heal your body with yoga
Yoga has a well-earned reputation as a surefire stress reducer (particularly when combined with meditation), and new studies show the simple stretching regimen can also help treat and prevent a number of other ailments, from back pain to diabetes. Other research reveals regular yoga practice can put an end to mindless eating by creating an outlet for emotions that can lead to binging. Unfortunately, less than 15% of women over age 35 say they do yoga frequently, according to the National Sporting Goods Association.
17. Survive Breast Cancer
Increase your defenses against the disease
Exercise not only reduces breast cancer risk, it can also save your life if you're diagnosed. Overweight women who were exercising more than 3 hours a week before they were diagnosed were 47% less likely to die than those who exercised less than a half hour per week.
Weight Gain and Breast Cancer
Gaining weight after age 20, even just a pound or two per year, can nearly double the risk of developing breast cancer after menopause compared to women who keep their weight stable. This finding, from a National Cancer Institute (NCI) study, reported on the equivalent of a 30-pound gain over the years for a five-foot, four-inch woman. This extra weight acted as a major risk factor for breast cancer, and was as significant as family history of the disease, the age at which a woman begins to menstruate (the earlier, the higher the risk), or whether or not she has had children and the age at which she gave birth, according to study co-author Regina Ziegler, Ph.D., an NCI epidemiologist. The NCI research team, working with investigators from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, analyzed information from 72,007 postmenopausal women in NCI's Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO) cohort to arrive at the conclusions. Bear in mind that doubling the risk of any disease, while not desirable, isn’t as awful as it sounds. For example, if the normal risk were one in 100, double the risk would be two in 100.
We've long known that being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast cancer. This study is newsworthy in that it helps quantify the added risk. There's nothing women can do about the most common risks of breast cancer: being female and getting older, but weight is something you can strive to control through healthy eating and regular exercise. Breastfeeding your babies, avoiding alcohol and long term estrogen replacement therapy at menopause, eating less meat and avoiding exposure to environmental pollutants can also help reduce your breast cancer risk, as can taking two grams of fish oil per day for the omega-3 fatty acids it provides.
Sugar and Heart Disease
It isn't just the fats in your diet that can affect your risk of heart disease. The sugar (of all types) counts as well. Added sweeteners in foods may contribute to heart disease by pushing down your good (HDL) cholesterol (the higher your HDL, the better) and raising triglycerides (the lower the better). According to a study from Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who received at least 25 percent of their daily calories from any type of sweetener had more than triple the normal risk of having low HDL levels than those who consumed less than five percent of their calories from sweeteners. Beyond that, those whose sugar intake made up 17.5 percent or more of daily calories were 20 to 30 percent more likely to have high triglycerides. The links between sweets and blood fats were independent of the fat and cholesterol provided in high fat foods and other risk factors for heart disease. Investigators looked at data collected from more than 6,000 adults. Overall, they concluded that Americans consume an average of 21.4 teaspoons of added sugars daily - about 16 percent of total calories.
These findings are further evidence that keeping your sugar intake low is healthy. You can cut back on added sweeteners by avoiding processed and prepared foods that are high in sugar. Instead, try to satisfy your sweet tooth with natural fat-free treats such as dried fruit, hard candy, fruit ices (sorbets or water ices).
The Worst 'Healthy' Foods In America
#6: Worst “Healthy” Smoothie
Smoothie King Skinny Cranberry Supreme (40 oz)
908 calories
2 g fat (0 g saturated)
146 g sugars
It’s hard to pick a “worst” thing when it comes to this drinkable disaster. First, Smoothie King boasts that this drink’s function is to help you “Stay Healthy”—but with as much sugar as in 14 glazed doughnuts and nearly half your day’s worth of calories, it’s clear that this beverage is little more than liquefied sweetener. Second, Smoothie King allows patrons to opt to make their beverages “Skinny,” meaning they’ll leave out the turbinado sweetener. But don’t be fooled by the false advertising: Downing this drink is likely to do anything BUT make you skinny.
#5: Worst “Healthy” Burger
Ruby Tuesday Avocado Turkey Burger
1,234 calories
81 g fat
2,961 mg sodium
Turkey often has an undeserved health food reputation. Take turkey bacon, for instance: Most people believe a strip of turkey bacon is better for you than the pork equivalent. But most people are wrong; both strips are roughly 35 calories, and turkey bacon usually comes with more sodium than the oinking variety. (That's why you MUST check labels and use any other tools and guides at your disposal.) Remember this the next time you’re aching for a juicy burger, but want to keep it healthy: Turkey burgers are often just as bad, if not worse, than regular burgers. When at Ruby Tuesday, skip the burgers altogether and order the Cowboy Sirloin for your protein fix instead.
#4: Worst “Healthy” Chicken Entrée
Outback Steakhouse Alice Springs Chicken
1,303 calories
94 g fat
2,146 mg sodium
If you read our list of 30 Worst Chicken Dishes in America, you’d know by now that just because a plate has chicken on it doesn’t mean the meal is good for you. This dish is a classic example of a reasonable, lean protein dish gone afowl. It has well over half your day’s caloric allotment, plus nearly a full day’s worth of sodium. Stick with the Grilled Chicken with seasonal veggies, instead.
#3: Worst Salad in America
California Pizza Kitchen Waldorf Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing (full)
1,570 calories
30 g saturated fat
2,082 mg sodium
Remember when salads were a diet food? Forget that mindset, at least when you’re eating out. CPK used to be home to the worst salad in America, the Thai Crunch Salad, which originally rang in at over 2,000 calories. The good news is that as a result of all the attention they downgraded that leafy monstrosity (to a “mere” 1,300-something calories, but still). The bad news, of course, is that there’s still a number of hulking salads on the menu. Like the Waldorf Chicken with Blue Cheese Dressing, for instance. Three-quarters of your day’s calories—in a dish that’s supposed to be good for you. Blame the dressing, obviously, and the piled on extras that are drowning in it.
#2: Worst “Healthy” Seafood Entrée
Culver’s North Atlantic Cod Filet Dinner (3 pieces)
2,121 calories
134 g fat (20 g saturated, 2 g trans)
2,568 mg sodium
Fish is healthy, right? Not if Culver’s has anything to do with it. For starters, nearly every single item on the menu is fried, which automatically adds extra caloric heft. But seriously—how is such a disastrous plate concocted? First, take three breaded, fried cod filets—870 calories. Add cole slaw (350 calories) and Tartar sauce (376), a dinner roll with butter (140 calories) and Crinkle Cut fries (385 calories). Bingo.
#1: The Worst “Healthy” Food in America
Cheesecake Factory Bistro Shrimp Pasta
2,819 calories
77 g saturated fat (Yes, four days' worth!)
1,008 mg sodium
It’s hard to say what’s the most shocking part of this dish—the fact that it has nearly one and a half times your daily caloric allotment, or the fact that it somehow manages to keep the sodium count at a reasonable level, in spite of its monstrous proportions. This is the absolute worst dish on the worst menu in America, no small feat considering that it’s surrounded by other plates that surge past the 2,000-calorie limit. Forget the fact that it has shrimp in it. There is nothing nutritionally redeeming about this platter.
9 Ingredients to avoid in processed food
One test to know whether an ingredient is healthy is to ask yourself whether your grandmother would recognize it. If not, there is a good chance the ingredient is less natural food and more man-made chemical. Another good test is whether or not you can easily pronounce the ingredient. If you feel like you need a science degree to pronounce it properly, chances are the ingredient is worth avoiding.
If you do have to resort to a processed food for a snack or dinner (anything canned, packaged, etc.), try to avoid those that contain the ingredients listed in the following chart. Although this isn’t an exhaustive list, these ingredients are some of the most highly processed and least healthy of all:
|
Ingredient |
Why it is Used |
Why it is Bad |
|
Artificial Colors |
- Chemical compounds made from coal-tar derivatives to enhance color.
|
- Linked to allergic reactions, fatigue, asthma, skin rashes, hyperactivity and headaches.
|
|
Artificial Flavorings |
- Cheap chemical mixtures that mimic natural flavors.
|
- Linked to allergic reactions, dermatitis, eczema, hyperactivity and asthma
- Can affect enzymes, RNA and thyroid.
|
|
Artificial Sweeteners
(Acesulfame-K, Aspartame, Equal®, NutraSweet®, Saccharin, Sweet’n Low®, Sucralose, Splenda® & Sorbitol) |
- Highly-processed, chemically-derived, zero-calorie sweeteners found in diet foods and diet products to reduce calories per serving.
|
- Can negatively impact metabolism
- Some have been linked to cancer, dizziness hallucinations and headaches.
|
|
Benzoate Preservatives
(BHT, BHA, TBHQ) |
- Compounds that preserve fats and prevent them from becoming rancid.
|
- May result in hyperactivity, angiodema, asthma, rhinitis, dermatitis, tumors and urticaria
- Can affect estrogen balance and levels.
|
|
Brominated Vegetable Oil
(BVO) |
- Chemical that boosts flavor in many citric-based fruit and soft drinks.
|
- Increases triglycerides and cholesterol
- Can damage liver, testicles, thyroid, heart and kidneys.
|
|
High Fructose Corn Syrup
(HFCS) |
- Cheap alternative to cane and beet sugar
- Sustains freshness in baked goods
- Blends easily in beverages to maintain sweetness.
|
- May predispose the body to turn fructose into fat
- Increases risk for Type-2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer
- Isn’t easily metabolized by the liver.
|
|
MSG
(Monosodium Glutamate) |
- Flavor enhancer in restaurant food, salad dressing, chips, frozen entrees, soups and other foods.
|
- May stimulate appetite and cause headaches, nausea, weakness, wheezing, edema, change in heart rate, burning sensations and difficulty in breathing.
|
|
Olestra |
- An indigestible fat substitute used primarily in foods that are fried and baked.
|
- Inhibits absorption of some nutrients
- Linked to gastrointestinal disease, diarrhea, gas, cramps, bleeding and incontinence.
|
|
Shortening, Hydrogenated and Partially Hydrogenated Oils
(Palm, Soybean and others) |
- Industrially created fats used in more than 40,000 food products in the U.S.
- Cheaper than most other oils.
|
- Contain high levels of trans fats, which raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol, contributing to risk of heart disease.
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Have you checked your ingredient lists recently? Do they contain any of the above? Have you tried cutting some of these ingredients out?
Unhealthiest Foods At The Mall
Worst Mall Drink
Jamba Juice Peanut Butter Moo’d (22 oz)
770 calories
20 g fat (4.5 g saturated)
108 g sugars
Worst Slice of Pizza
Sbarro Stuffed Pepperoni Pizza (1 slice)
890 calories
42 g fat
3,200 mg sodium
Worst Chinese Meal
Panda Express Orange Chicken with Fried Rice
970 calories
38 g fat (7.5 g saturated)
1,540 mg sodium
Worst Sandwich
Panera Bread Full Chipotle Chicken on Artisan French
990 calories
56 g fat (15 g saturated, 1 g trans)
2,370 mg sodium
***The Worst Mall Food in America***
Cinnabon Regular Caramel Pecanbun
1,100 calories
56 g fat (10 g saturated, 5 g trans)
47 g sugars
141 g carbohydrates
Omega 3 May Prevent Colon Cancer
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), a form of omega 3 fatty acid, seems to work as well as prescription medication to reduce the number and size of precancerous polyps that can lead to colorectal cancer. A study in England including 55 patients with a genetic mutation that triggers development of precancerous polyps (a condition known as familial adenomatous polyposis or FAP) found that six months of treatment with a purified form of EPA reduced the number of polyps that developed by 12 percent; among participants who received a placebo instead, the number of polyps increased by 10 percent. In addition, the size of the polyps declined by more than 12.5 percent in the EPA group, compared to a 17 percent increase among those on the placebo. These effects were similar to those achieved by using celecoxib, a drug that can lead to undesirable cardiovascular side effects in older patients. The researchers suggested that their EPA strategy might help to prevent colorectal cancer in people with non-familial polyps. The study was published online on March 18, 2010 in the journal Gut.
The Wine Diet?
Here's a bit of cheer for women who enjoy drinking a daily glass or two of wine, or beer, or cocktails. The alcohol may help prevent weight gain. Researchers from Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston looked at data from more than 19,000 women collected by the Women's Health Study and followed for about 12.9 years. They found that women who drank the equivalent of a glass or two of wine a day gained less weight and had a lower risk of becoming overweight or obese than women who didn't drink at all and less risk of becoming overweight than those who drank too much. Women who didn't drink gained about eight pounds over the 12.9 years, while the ones who drank moderately gained only 3.5 pounds. This effect isn't seen in men, the researchers said, probably because men add alcohol to their food intake while women substitute alcohol for other foods - in this study, they tended to compensate by cutting back on carbohydrates. If you don't drink, the researchers said they don't recommend that you start in order to control your weight.
The Unhealthiest Salads in America
#6. Quizno’s Honey Mustard Chicken Regular Chopped Salad
920 calories
65 g fat (20 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)
1,685 mg sodium
#5. Romano’s Macaroni Grill Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Salad
960 calories
#4. Chili’s Quesadilla Explosion Salad
1,400 calories
88 g fat (26 g saturated)
2,370 mg sodium
#3. Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad with Oriental Vinaigrette
1,430 calories
#2. Cheesecake Factory Caesar Salad with Chicken
1,513 calories
16 g saturated fat
1,481 mg sodium
23 g carbohydrates
#1. California Pizza Kitchen Waldorf Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing (full)
1,570 calories
30 g saturated fat
2,082 mg sodium
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Aspirin May Cut Breast Cancer Death Risk
In this study, the women, all participants in the long-running Nurses' Health Study, had been taking aspirin regularly, usually to protect against heart disease. But researchers who followed 4,164 of the nurses who had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer found that the cancer was 50 percent less likely to spread and that the nurses with breast cancer were 50 percent less likely to die from the disease if they were taking aspirin. It's too soon to say that all women with breast cancer should take a daily dose of aspirin. The only way to confirm this study's findings is with a randomized controlled trial in which half of participating breast cancer patients take aspirin daily and the other half doesn't. One possible explanation for the effects seen: aspirin reduces inflammation and therefore might reduce breast cancer risk. And research has shown that women who regularly took ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatories also had a 50 percent lower risk of death from breast cancer. The study was published online in the February 16, 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
How Omega-3 Helps the Heart
We've known for years that omega-3 fatty acids are good for the heart. These healthy fats down-regulate inflammation, and may help reduce the risk and symptoms of disorders influenced by inflammation, including heart attack, stroke and several forms of cancer. Now researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, have found another action of omega-3s that may help explain why they offer benefits for the heart. The investigators found that the more omega-3 consumed by patients with coronary heart disease, the slower the structures called telomeres at the ends of chromosomes shrank. (Telomeres have been likened to the caps on the ends of shoelaces that prevent the laces from unraveling. In cells, telomeres prevent chromosomes from fusing with one another or rearranging - undesirable changes that could lead to serious diseases.) The more times a cell divides, the shorter telomeres become, a change that makes them a marker of biological age. The California investigators followed about 600 patients with coronary artery disease and measured their blood levels of omega-3s and telomere length at the beginning of the study and again five years later. They found that the higher the blood levels of omega-3s, the slower telomeres shortened, suggesting that the rate of biological aging - as mirrored by telomeres - decreased.
This is a fascinating area of research and may give us new insight into how omega-3 fatty acids benefit health. It only reinforces the need to get plenty of omega-3s through your diet or supplements. Longstanding recommendations have been to consume two to three servings of fish per week or to take a fish oil supplement if you don't like fish. Eat fish often and also take 2-3 grams of supplemental fish oil a day.
The Facts About Fats
Despite the fact that the low-fat craze has long since passed, fear and misconceptions about dietary fat still remain. Fats are a necessary part of a healthy diet; they give you energy, protect your organs and keep you warm. They're also vital in helping your body absorb vitamins A, D, E and K.
Most Americans consume much more fat in their diet than the daily recommendation of 20 to 35%, which can lead to obesity, diabetes, stroke and heart disease. All fats are not created equal, though. Whether polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, saturated or trans fat, each gram contains 9 calories, but that's where the similarities end.
The Good
Unsaturated fats: the healthy superstars of the fat family, and should make up the majority of your daily intake. They reduce your bad cholesterol and total cholesterol level, as well as your risk for heart attack and stroke. Here's a breakdown of the two main types:
Monounsaturated Fats: These fats tend to be liquid at room temperature and solid when chilled. Oils in this family include olive, peanut, sesame, sunflower, and canola oil. Foods rich in monounsaturated fats are avocados, nuts and seeds. In addition to the positive effects on cholesterol, monounsaturated fats are often high in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant.
Polyunsaturated Fats: These fats tend to be liquid at both room temperature and when chilled. They contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids -- nutrients that are essential to brain functioning and body development. Oils in this family include soybean, safflower and corn oil, and the best food sources of polyunsaturated fats are fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and trout.
The Bad
Saturated Fats: Not only do foods high in saturated fat raise your cholesterol level, but these foods are often high in cholesterol themselves, delivering a harsh one-two punch to your LDL, or "bad" cholesterol. Red meat, full-fat dairy and tropical oils like coconut and palm tend to be the biggest culprits. Because high cholesterol is associated with heart disease and stroke, the American Heart Association recommends that no more than 7% of your daily fat intake include saturated fat.
The Ugly
Trans Fats: Trans fats are great for food producers and fast-food purveyors -- they're easy to come by, cheap to make, and they have a long shelf life. For consumers, though, it's another story. Trans fats go a step further than saturated fats, as they actually lower your HDL, or "good" cholesterol level in addition to raising your LDL. Fried foods and commercially baked goods often contain trans fats like margarine and shortening. Any product labeled "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" contains trans fats, so be on the label lookout. The AHA recommends that no more than 1% of your daily fat intake come from trans fats, which can contribute to heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
While We're on the Subject of Exercise…
If you're a woman and are beginning to think that your memory isn't as sharp as it used to be, exercise may improve matters. In a small study (only 33 individuals were included; all were between the ages of 55 and 85 and all had mild memory problems) women who took part in a six-month high-intensity aerobic exercise program improved on tests of memory and verbal fluency compared to women in another group who did less vigorous, stretching exercises. The men in the study boosted their general fitness, but the researchers saw little or no memory improvement among them. The study participants who exercised did so for up to an hour, four times a week supervised by a trainer each week. The study was published in the January, 2010, Archives of Neurology. Meanwhile, an ongoing Mayo Clinic study reported in the same issue suggests that moderate exercise benefits memory in both men and women.
Prescription for the blues is simple—get moving!
Research has shown physical activity can be just as effective as medication in alleviating the symptoms of depression—and without any side effects, only “side benefits.”
The research on exercise and mood includes a study undertaken at the world-famous Cooper Clinic in Dallas, showing that individuals diagnosed with actual depression and who’d normally be put on medication can get the very same benefit from 180 minutes a week of physical activity. In that study, 41 percent of the participants completely reversed their depression in twelve weeks.
The evidence suggests exercise has a positive effect on certain mood-enhancing neurotransmitters in your brain—and can boost the feel-good endorphins responsible for the “runner’s high.” Plus, movement eases muscle tension, improves sleep, and reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
More recent research has also shown that exercise may actually function as an antidepressant—right in your brain. According to a Yale School of Medicine Report published in Natural Medicine, research in the animal model indicates that exercise boosts the VGF gene in your brain—which is your “exercise-related gene.” In fact, scientists are looking at ways to use that information to create a new antidepressant.
High Fructose Corn Syrup and Your Blood Pressure
Here's another reason to watch out for high fructose corn syrup (HCFS)¸ the ubiquitous, cheap, sweetener used in soft drinks and a wide range of processed foods such as salad dressings, ketchup, jams, jellies, ice cream, even bread. In addition to promoting weight gain, it may also raise your blood pressure. Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver Health Sciences Center queried more than 4,500 adults, age 18 and up, about their eating habits. Then, the investigators calculated their study participants' consumption of HCFS by looking at the amount of fruit juices, soft drinks, bakery products and candy they reported eating daily. The researchers found that individuals who ate or drank more than 74 grams of HCFS per day (the amount found in 2.5 servings of sugary soft drinks) were at increased risk of developing hypertension and that HCFS is "significantly and independently associated with higher blood pressure" in adults with no previous history of hypertension. More studies will be needed to see if cutting down on HCFS consumption can bring blood pressure back to normal.
HCFS is a contributor to the obesity epidemic, may have disruptive effects on metabolism, and appears to elevate triglycerides (blood fats that increase the risk of heart disease) in men (but not women). Avoiding foods containing HCFS will benefit your health and help control your weight - and, it now appears, your blood pressure.
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Exercise and Appetite: The Weight Loss Connection
Exercise can make you hungrier but it also can tamp down your appetite so you eat less and lose weight. The trouble is, that doesn't always happen. Australian researchers observed the differences in a study of 58 overweight and obese adults who began a 12 week exercise program designed to burn 500 calories per session. Overall, the investigators found that all the study subjects were hungrier for a meal after exercise than they had been before they began to exercise. However, some were more easily satisfied by their breakfasts than they had been prior to exercising while others who didn't drop as many pounds as they had hoped said that they were hungrier for their breakfasts than they had been before joining the study and remained hungrier throughout the day than they used to be. The researchers don't have an explanation for the difference in appetite but speculated that physical activity may trigger hunger and also boost the sensitivity of the body's fullness-signaling system. The study was published in the October 2009 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
More Chocolate, Less Stress
Is this too good to be true? Investigators at the Nestlé Research Center in Switzerland found that eating a little chocolate every day for two weeks reduces levels of stress hormones. The investigators recruited 30 volunteers, male and female ages 18-35, who were interviewed to assess their general anxiety. Those who rated themselves as highly stressed were then asked to consume 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate per day for two weeks. The researchers reported that eating the chocolate appeared to reduce levels of stress hormones in these volunteers. This isn't the first study to suggest that chocolate can ease emotional stress, but it is the first to identify the positive biochemical changes chocolate promotes. The study was published online on October 7, 2009 in the Journal of Proteome Research, a publication of the American Chemical Society. Other studies have shown that antioxidants in chocolate can make blood vessels more flexible and that the flavonoids chocolate contains can reduce the stickiness of platelets, inhibiting blood clotting and possibly reducing the risk of developing coronary artery blockages.
How can women exercise good breast health?
Most women who think of screening for breast cancer think of mammograms, but there are three ways to screen for breast cancer: mammography, clinical breast exam by a healthcare professional and breast self-exams. When combined, they offer the best opportunity to detect the disease at its earliest, most treatable stages.
"When women understand that one-third of all breast cancer can be related to lack of exercise and poor diet, they'll see that they have the opportunity to have much more control over their cancer risk," Peterson said. "We want to encourage women to learn more about the impact wellness has on preventing cancer."
Eating to Keep Your Mind Sharp
The more antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables in your diet, the greater your chances of keeping your wits about you as you get older. German researchers in collaboration with investigators at Temple University in Philadelphia and Italy's Perugia University looked at the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake, antioxidant status and cognitive performance in 193 healthy men and women aged 45 to 102. Those who ate the most fruits and vegetables (400 grams or about 14 ounces per day), had higher plasma antioxidant levels, lower indicators of free-radical damage and better cognitive performance than healthy subjects regardless of age who consumed less than 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces) of fruits and vegetables daily.
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Fish Oils May Prevent and Treat Heart Disease
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- A new review shows that the omega-3 fatty acids found in certain fish not only prevent cardiovascular disease, but may even help treat it.
"A lot of people know that omega-3 fatty acids are a good thing, but have thought of them in the area of nutritional or health foods," said study author Dr. Carl J. Lavie, medical director of cardiac rehabilitation and prevention at the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans. "They don't realize there is so much data, a lot of data from big studies, that they are not only preventive but also help in therapy for a number of conditions, such as atrial fibrillation, heart attack, atherosclerosis and heart failure."
The report in the Aug. 11 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology cites four trials with almost 40,000 participants that show benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, in treatment after heart attack and, most recently, in heart failure patients.
The benefits of omega-3 fatty acids are such an old story that such studies can go unnoticed, Lavie said. "If you polled cardiologists about whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, I don't know if they would recognize how much has been done in this area," he noted.
As far back as 2002, the American Heart Association issued a scientific statement endorsing omega-3 fatty acid intake, from fish or supplements. It recommended specific amounts of omega-3 fatty acids each day for people in general, with greater intake recommended for people with heart disease.
"For the general population, it should be 500 milligrams a day," Lavie said. "If you have heart disease, it should be 800 or 1,000 milligrams a day."
Lavie includes himself in the second category, because "I have a family history of heart disease. I eat a lot of fish and take a supplement just to be sure."
It's got to be the right kind of fish, the oily species that have a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, Lavie added. "Redfish, trout, salmon," he said. "Salmon is my favorite."
Not much effort is needed for most people to achieve the recommended intake, Lavie said. "Five hundred milligrams a day is two fatty fish meals per week," he added.
But too many people eat non-oily fish such as catfish, Lavie noted. "And they have it fried, which reduces its health benefits," he added.
His review did turn up a few negative studies, including one showing no benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in people who had heart attacks. But it was a relatively small (4,000 people), short (one-year) trial, and the patients in the trial were already getting intensive drug therapy including clot-busting clopidogrel, cholesterol-lowering statins, beta blockers and ACE inhibitors, Lavie noted.
Set against that one trial are the many larger studies cited by Lavie, and epidemiological evidence showing that populations such as Asians and Alaskan Eskimos, whose diets are rich in fish oil, have a low incidence of cardiovascular disease.
The picture is not complete, the new report noted. Studies still must be done to determine the relative benefits of DHA and EPA, the long-chain fatty acids in the omega-3 family. And the American Heart Association says that Omega-3 supplements should be taken only after consulting with a doctor, because too much can cause excessive bleeding in some people.
Another study now in the recruiting stage will test omega-3 fatty acids to prevent not only cardiovascular disease but also cancer, said Dr. JoAnn Manson, chief of preventive medicine at the Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.
She is a leader of the trial, which is now recruiting 10,000 men aged 60 and older and 10,000 women aged 65 and older. The researchers will test not only the effect of omega-3 fatty acids but also of vitamin D.
Both are "very promising nutrients in prevention of cardiovascular disease, cancer and other chronic diseases," Manson said. In the five-year trial, a quarter of the participants will take both vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, a quarter will take the vitamin, a quarter will take the fatty acids and a quarter will take a placebo.
Enthusiasts shouldn't anticipate the results of the trial and start taking large doses of omega-3 fatty acids, Manson warned. "It's too early to jump on the bandwagon and take megadoses, but moderate doses seem reasonable," she said.
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Vinegar May Combat Fat
Maybe the vinegar effect isn't just an old-wives tale. New research from Japan is lending credence to the age-old notion that vinegar can help reduce fat. Investigators put laboratory mice on a high-fat diet and fed them acetic acid, the main component of vinegar. They put another group of mice on the same diet but gave them water. The mice in both groups gained weight but those on the vinegar “diet” put on significantly less body fat (up to 10 percent less) than the other mice. The acetic acid may work by turning on genes for fatty acid oxidation enzymes. These genes produce proteins that can break down fats and therefore suppress body fat accumulation. Research elsewhere indicates that acetic acid also may help control blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Does this mean a vinegar diet will help humans lose weight or prevent them from gaining? That's for another study to determine, but you could try dressing your salads with vinegar and olive oil to see if it helps. The Japanese study was published in the July 8, 2009, issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Mediterranean Diet's Secret Ingredient
What is it about the Mediterranean diet that promotes longevity? It's apparently not the olive oil or all the healthy fresh fruits and vegetables or even the amount of fish. A new study that tracked more than 23,000 European men and women for an average of 8.5 years concluded that the moderate intake of wine is the dietary component most associated with the longer life seen among those who eat the Mediterranean way. The Harvard researchers who conducted the study suggested that alcohol, principally in wine, theoretically accounted for 23.5 percent of the diet's longevity effect. The high ratio of monounsaturated fat (mostly olive oil) to saturated fat was responsible for only 10.6 percent of the longer life attributed to the diet. The big surprise was that fish and seafood appeared to play a slightly negative role (but the researchers noted that fish eaten in the area are not high in the omega-3 fatty acids linked to cardiovascular benefits). Low meat intake was responsible for 16.6 percent of the longevity effect; high vegetable intake for 16.2 percent; high fruit and nut consumption for 11.2 percent; high intake of legumes, 9.7 percent.
Anahad O'Connor, the New York Times health answer person, reminds us that, for years, doctors have been advising patients with hypertension to steer clear of weight training, an the assumption that the strenuous activity would cause blood pressure to spike. Unfortunately, says Anahad, that assumption was not based on medical evidence, and the studies that were done failed to find a connection between pumping up and pumped up blood pressure. Now, says O'Connor, new studies are suggesting that the opposite is true. A recent analysis in the journal Hypertension examined 11 clinical trials comparing 182 adults who lifted weights several times a week and 138 who did not. Over all, the Times reports, it found that weight training lowered resting systolic blood pressure by 2 percent, and diastolic pressure by about 4 percent. Another report by the American Heart Association, published in the journal Circulation, found that just two or three bouts of weight training a week — with exercises like curls and presses — were enough to lower blood pressure.
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Walnuts May Prevent Breast Cancer
Walnuts are known to be good for the heart, but new research suggests that they may also help protect against breast cancer. Evidence presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in April, 2009, showed that feeding walnuts to mice programmed to develop breast cancer reduced the incidence of breast tumors that normally develop in the animals. Those receiving walnuts also showed a decrease in the number of glands with a tumor and in tumor size, and the researcher who presented the study commented that walnuts could also prove to be protective in humans. The amount of walnuts fed to the mice in the study was the human equivalent of two ounces per day. The researcher from Marshall University School of Medicine attributed her findings to the omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytosterols in walnuts. In a separate study, researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston found that walnuts helped aged rats improve motor and cognitive skills and suggested that eating about an ounce of walnuts a day could do the same thing for humans.
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How Does Turmeric Work?
I have long promoted the healing powers of turmeric, the brilliantly hued spice that’s an integral part of the traditional Indian diet. Turmeric’s main ingredient, curcumin, has been shown to have a wide array of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Indeed, eating turmeric in their daily curries appears to be one of the main reasons that elderly citizens of India have very low rates of Alzheimer’s disease.
Now, we are gaining some insight into how curcumin exerts its benefits. University of Michigan researchers have discovered that curcumin incorporates itself into cell membranes and makes them more orderly. This allows the membranes to more effectively control the flow of substances in and out of cells, which improves cells' resistance to infection and malignancy. The findings were published online March 3, 2009, for the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
I am always interesting in, and heartened by, scientific discoveries revealing the mechanism behind natural healing. Slowly, we are developing a sophisticated body of knowledge about the biochemistry of foods, which will help to usher in the day when physicians the world over will become just as likely - or, perhaps, even more likely - to prescribe dietary changes rather than medications.
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Insomnia Can Raise Your Blood Pressure
Tossing and turning through the night is bad enough, but a new study published in the April 1, 2009 issue of Sleep showed that getting inadequate sleep at night can have more serious consequences than daytime tiredness. The researchers demonstrated that insomnia can raise the risk of high blood pressure 500 percent higher in individuals who got less than five hours sleep compared to study participants who slept more than six hours and didn’t suffer from insomnia. The investigators also found that insomniacs who slept five to six hours a night had a risk for high blood pressure 350 percent higher than normal sleepers. But insomniacs who slept for six hours or more had no higher risk for hypertension, nor did individuals who slept less than six hours but didn’t complain about insomnia. The researchers, from Penn State’s College of Medicine, emphasized that you can’t judge your risk based on the amount of sleep you think you get - as that belief doesn’t necessarily conform to actual sleep time as measured scientifically in a sleep center. But the researchers said that if you have persistent insomnia with short sleep duration, you should discuss your blood pressure and general health with your physician.
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Omega-3 for Menopause Symptoms
If menopause has got you down, omega-3 supplements may help. A new study from Canada’s Université Laval found that these essential fatty acids helped boost the mood of menopausal and peri-menopausal women suffering from mild depression and psychological distress. (It didn’t work well with women who had more severe depressive symptoms.) What’s more, the omega-3s were as efficacious as hormone replacement therapy and anti-depressants in reducing the incidence of hot flashes, the researchers reported. The Laval team recruited 120 women age 40 to 55 for the study and divided them into two groups. One group received capsules containing a total of one gram of EPA, an omega-3 fatty acid, and took three per day for eight weeks. The other group was given similar looking capsules that contained only sunflower oil with no omega-3. When the study began, the women were having about 2.8 hot flashes a day. These dropped to 1.2 in the omega-3 group but only to 2.3 in the sunflower oil group. The study was published in the February 2009 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and in the November 8, 2008 online edition of the journal Menopause.
3 Heart-Healthy Reasons to Eat Grapes
Eating foods rich in polyphenols (naturally occurring plant compounds known to have antioxidant activity and other health benefits) from grapes, including red wine, helps reduce the risk of heart disease, according to a review article in the November, 2008, issue of Nutrition Research.
Grape seeds, grape skin, and grape juice contain several types of polyphenols, including resveratrol, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and flavonoids. The report concludes that grape polyphenols can help to:
- Slow or prevent cell damage caused by oxidation. In particular, these compounds help decrease the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, (LDL, also known as the "bad" cholesterol). Preventing oxidation is an important step in deterring the development of atherosclerosis.
- Reduce blood clotting and abnormal heart rhythms.
- Lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension.
So by all means, enjoy fresh, preferably organic grapes often, and seek out deep red or black varieties, as these tend to have even higher polyphenol levels than common green grapes. And if you already drink red wine, continue to enjoy it in moderation
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Make This Your Blueberry Year!
Here’s a simple, and enjoyable, lifestyle change you can make as this New Year gets underway - and it’s one that could pay huge dividends for the rest of your life. Eat more blueberries!
A research team from the University of Reading and the Peninsula Medical School in the Southwest of England has found that phytochemical-rich foods, such as blueberries, are effective at reversing age-related deficits in memory. That’s according to a study published in the August 1, 2008 issue of Free Radical Biology and Medicine. The researchers supplemented a regular diet with blueberries over a 12-week period. They found improvements in spatial working memory tasks emerged within three weeks. The probable reason: Blueberries are a major source of flavonoids, in particular anthocyanins and flavanols - compounds believed to enhance existing neuronal connections.
At the Fifth Annual Nutrition and Health conference in Phoenix last year, the extraordinary, positive effects of whole foods such as blueberries on chronic diseases were a major topic. In light of such research, it always astounds me that expensive pharmaceuticals with numerous negative side effects are still preferred by many physicians over simple, preventive dietary interventions such as the one used in this study. So if your own doctor won’t tell you this, I will: Eat more blueberries!
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| More Than You May Think! |
| By Nadia Rodman, RD |
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Okay, let’s start with a line item from our nutrition scorecard. It is estimated that Americans eat less than one serving of whole grains per day. As a result, they only get about 11 grams of fiber per day rather than the recommended 25 to 30 grams. Why does this matter? Whole grains have been shown to aid in the prevention of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity. They are a vital for our health!
While fiber is important, whole grains are much more than just fiber. In nature, the grain has three parts—the germ, bran and endosperm. Advanced processing techniques allow for the removal of the bran and the germ leaving the starchy white endosperm as the base grain for most food products (think white bread, white rice). The removal of two parts of the grain results in loss of fiber, vitamins, trace minerals, healthy fats, antioxidants and about 75% of the phytochemicals! As you can see, the nutrition of whole grains goes far beyond the fiber!
Do You Know a Whole Grain When You See One?
It can be tricky! Read carefully: ingredients in a food label are listed by weight. So, if an ingredient is one of the first listed, it is a main ingredient in that food. If it’s farther down the list, it may not be.
If you see the following words near the beginning of the food label, that food is a whole grain.
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Whole Grain
Whole Wheat
Whole Rye
Whole Oats
Whole Grain Corn
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Oatmeal
Graham Flour
Popcorn
Brown Rice
Wild Rice
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Amaranth
Barley
Bulgur
Buckwheat
Quinoa
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Just because a bread is labeled “12 Grain” or “Honey Wheat” does not make it a whole grain. Here is an example of a bread that is not a whole grain: Its name is “Stone Ground Wheat Bread.” Based on this name, you might think it is a whole grain. Then, you look at the ingredients and you see “enriched, bleached flour…” Enriched bleached flour means the manufacturers have added back some nutrients that were stripped away when the grain was disassembled. The makers of this bread may be able to add back some vitamins, but they will never be able to add back all of the phytochemicals and antioxidants that the whole grain contains.
Look for whole grains in the grocery store! These foods pack much more nutrition than the refined grains ever will. They have the power to help you prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes and assist with weight management. So, try to make at least half of your grains whole grains! | ******************************************************************* |
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The Curves fitness and weight loss program has become a very popular means of promoting health and fitness among women. The program, designed specifically for women, involves a 30-minute circuit training and a weight management program involving periods of moderate caloric restriction, followed by short periods of higher caloric intake. The Curves program is designed to gradually reduce body fat while increasing strength and fitness. Although the program is based on sound rationale, until now the effects of following this fitness and weight loss program had not been studied.
In a research project supported by the Exercise and Sport Nutrition Laboratory at Baylor University and Curves International, 160 overweight, sedentary women participated in a 14-week exercise and diet program. The purpose of this study was to examine the short term and continual effects of the Curves International fitness and diet program on muscular strength, muscular endurance, aerobic capacity and resting cardiovascular variables.
The participants were randomly assigned to five groups. The women in each group followed diet and/or exercise plans. There was one control group that changed nothing about their daily lives. The women in the exercise groups participated in a supervised Curves fitness program, which consists of a 30-minutes of circuit resistance and cardiovascular training exercises three days each week.
Improved Muscle Strength and Endurance
After 14 weeks, the exercising participants experienced significant increases in their ability to perform bench press and leg press compared to the control group. The Curves workout improved both muscle strength and endurance.
Training also significantly increased relative peak oxygen uptake. The relative peak oxygen uptake is your body’s highest rate of oxygen consumption. Our maximum oxygen uptake is determined by age, height, weight, sex and amount of daily physical activity. The larger a person’s oxygen uptake value, the greater the exercise capacity.
The resting heart rate of the participants decreased in response to training with no differences observed among the groups that did not exercise. Results indicate that the Curves fitness program improves muscular strength, muscular endurance, aerobic capacity and resting heart rate. The Curves program appears to be effective in enhancing general markers of fitness and health in sedentary, overweight women.
-- From the experts at Curves
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The Tale of Two Sisters
THIS STORY IS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE HIDDEN COST OF POOR
HEALTH.
Kerri and Kelly are 39-year-old twin sisters. Both also live in Statesville,
both are married, and both even have four children. As you might expect, both
also have similar IQ's and similar appearance (each are about 40 pounds
overweight). They both are also earning about the same meager wage working as
middle managers at a local retail chain store, where they have each worked for
the last ten years. But in the last year, something drastic happened that will
forever change their lives - at least for one of them.
Kerri and Kelly were tired of being chronically tired, generally overweight,
and looking and feeling unhealthy. They were delighted to learn there was a
Curves fitness location just minutes from their homes and decided to stop in
and see if joining was right for them. While both were delighted to learn of
the way Curves puts together custom workouts designed to help them accomplish
their objectives, Kelly was concerned about investing the five-hundred-dollar
annual cost for such workouts, the 30 minutes of valuable time she would lose
at least three or four times a week while working out, and how her husband
would feel if she informed him she was once again trying yet another way to
lose weight and get healthy. For these reasons, Kelly decided to pass. She
simply didn't have that kind of time and money right now, she explained.
Kerri was also financially strapped, but she decided to borrow the money and
join nonetheless. Kerri also wasn't sure where she would find the time, but she
knew something had to change in her life. When Kerri informed her husband of
her decision to join Curves, lose weight, and look and feel better, he was
cautiously supportive. When she wrote that check for the annual membership, she
was concerned about it's value - but she moved forward anyways.
AFTER ONE WEEK:
Within the first week, Kelly was convinced she made the right decision. Kelly
had enough bills to pay off and was happy she didn't have another one to
Curves. She also came home tired at the end of a hard day's work, and knew
there was no way she would have been able to schedule yet another task (going
to Curves), and would have wasted her money if she joined. She applauded
herself for not joining Curves.
That same week, Kerri was also convinced she made the right decision. Thanks to
her four workouts that week, Kerri wasn't feeling as tired as she usually felt
when she completed her day, and the two hours per week actually was recaptured
by her feeling more energetic and awake, helping her to get up a little earlier
each morning. Kerri also decided to buy fewer snacks to assist in her goals,
and that saved her about ten bucks a week, which was more than the cost of the
Curves workouts.
AFTER ONE MONTH:
A month passed and Kelly was still stuck in her same situation, both personally
and professionally.
That same month Kerri was noticeably trimmer. People at work were beginning to
notice too, and Kerri proudly told them about Curves and her personal goals.
Her husband was once again giving her the looks she remembered when they
started dating, and that built her confidence. Something else was also
happening to Kerri which she couldn't figure out. Thanks to being physically
healthy, she had more oxygen flowing to her brain, so she felt smarter and less
frustrated. That resulted in a more positive relationship with her children,
her boss, and her customers at work. That month her boss approached her and
offered her a promotion and a two dollar per hour raise. Kerri accepted, and
was now earning considerably more than her twin sister.
AFTER ONE YEAR:
About a year has passed and Kelly and Kerri are about to have a 40th birthday
party together.
To Kelly, her life is starting to change for the worse. Her family relationship
is strained, she is having more difficulty than ever putting in those long
hours required in a retail environment, and her debts have actually increased
from where they were a year ago. On top of all that, Kelly just learned she has
type two diabetes, and she'll have to undergo a lifetime of treatment and
costly medication to live with it. Kelly also knows she is in the early stages
of depression, and has started taking costly medication in an effort to
overcome these unhealthy feelings.
To Kerri, her life has changed as well. She hardly recognizes the person she
was a only one year ago. For starters, Kerri has a better relationship with her
husband and children that at any time in recent memory. They see her both
physically and intellectually in a different light, and the respect she gets at
home and at work has noticeably improved as well. In fact, she recently had the
courage to apply for her dream job and demand nearly twice what she earned at
her current retail job. Because of her high energy, high confidence, and
positive physical appearance, she landed the job and was able to pay off nearly
all of her debts except for her mortgage. To Kerri, investing the time and
money in a Curves workout plan was literally a major life changing event.
WHAT'S IN YOUR FUTURE?
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