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Everyday Fitness
Everyday Fitnesshttp://blogs.webmd.com/pamela-peeke-md/2010/06/the-secret-to-lifelong-weight-maintenance.html?ecd=wnl_lbt_060910_crg_pfx
Living life to the fullest is all about striving for a mind-body balance every day. Achieve a mental, nutritional, and physical transformation for life with tips from wellness expert Pamela Peeke, MD.
Take a look at my Diet Community and you’ll see a discussion group that I entitled “I was doing just fine with my weight management program UNTIL___.” This was a real hit, with countless postings ranging from words of wisdom, “Get serious about getting rid of over eating triggers, even if it means your husband!” to pleas for help, “No matter what I do, I only seem to last no more than 2 or 3 months and then I fall apart, once again.”
Based upon this discussion group and my daily interactions with patients who are slugging it out striving to maintain their weight removal achievements, I’ve decided to concentrate on one key element of lifelong weight maintenance – vigilance.
Vigilance is the state of being vigilant, the Latin derivation of which means to keep watch, stay awake and be watchful, especially to avoid danger. It doesn’t mean you have to turn yourself into a crazed obsessed worrier. It simply means be on red alert for those situations when you know you’ll be more vulnerable to self-destructive habits.
For example, let’s say you’ve never had a problem eating a healthy breakfast and lunch. But when 3 PM rolls around, you’re fighting a well-entrenched habit of sauntering over to the vending machines and loading up on candy and cookies. This is when you must be much more vigilant and become acutely aware of your choices and actions. Red alert times are when you tend to a become a food zombie, mindlessly deferring to old habits, and then awakening from a binge coma to realize with shock and horror that you’ve just downed a mountain of food.
In addition to times of day, sometimes we’re hit with one of life’s curve balls and your best healthy lifestyle intentions can easily and mindlessly fall by the wayside. Carole is a 45-year-old mother of 3 with a strong family history of serious obesity. She’d been an athletic woman, giving birth to three fabulous boys, and life was going well until one of her son’s was diagnosed with a medical condition. Being the ultimate caregiver, she dropped her healthy habits and promptly allowed her genes to take over.
Remember my favorite saying: “Genetics may load the gun, but environment pulls the trigger.” She’d kept her genes at bay until she was seriously challenged. The good news is that her son came through with flying colors. The bad news was she gained 130 pounds over the course of 3 years. Talk about a long food coma. Once she was ready to make the change, she reversed her habits and shed the 130 pounds and for three years maintained her newly fit self quite well.
Then, she got hit with another caregiver sledgehammer when her aging mother became demented and unmanageable, draining her mental and physical energy with endless doctor’s visits and terrible temper tantrums. 50 pounds later, Carole awakened from her food trance long enough to realize that instead of donning her nice form fitting clothes, she was back to elastic. She literally had no memory of passing through 4 dress sizes. Such is the power of dissociation. At one point, Carole looked at me and said in a voice of disbelief, “I thought I was there. You know. I’d reached my goal and I was going to stay there for life no matter what stress happened. Boy, was I wrong.”
Carole dropped her vigilance and voila, the weight was back.
Thankfully, Carole learned her lesson and so will you. Here are mindfulness tips and tools to keep you vigilant and help you succeed at maintaining your lifelong weight management journey:
1. Once you reach your “there,” you have to work to maintain it. First up, get it out of your mind that some mythical fairy tale easy life “there” exists. You can never achieve a weight goal and just expect to maintain that accomplishment without continuous work. You may have shed 50 pounds and be happy at this moment. But if you let it go, and you don’t continue the very same healthy lifestyle habits that helped you reach your goal, you’ll regain the weight.
2. Plan for your red alerts. Take a moment and make a list of the kinds of stresses that have usually kicked you right into self- destruction. Any person, place or thing that triggers you to overeat and abandon your healthy habits needs to be counted and recognized. This include specific times of day when you are more vulnerable to going mindless and knee jerking into an old self-destructive habit. For each item on your list, write down at least 3 strategies for proactively preventing this stress from getting to you. If you’re grabbing junk to eat every mid-afternoon, plan to bring a satisfying snack to curb carb cravings and rein in overeating at dinner.
3.Adapt and adjust to unexpected life events. You never know when a serious stress will occur in your life. This is when you need to understand the golden rule of coping: Under tough stresses, learn to adapt and adjust without self-destruction. If you practice stress management every day, then you’ll have honed your skills enough not to get derailed when you hit the big speed bumps of life. Yoga, meditation, journaling, the outdoors, family and friends are all great resources to draw from when the going gets that tough.
4. Ask for help. Don’t be shy. Be vigilant and aware of the fact that you’re falling off the wagon. Minimize damage control by asking for professional help if you need it. Counselors, nutritionists and fitness professionals are all there to partner with you as you seek to regroup and get back on track.
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10 Minutes a Day to Build a Stronger, Healthier You!
10 Minutes a Day to Build a Stronger, Healthier You!Sean Foy, M.A.
Author of The 10-Minute Total Body Breakthrough
In 2010, how would you like to have a healthier body, home, and business life? You can! It’s easier than you’d think, and you can start to do it in just 10 minutes a day.
Suppose the January 1, 2010, newspaper headline read, “Magic Health Potion Discovered!” The article went on to describe that scientists had designed a miracle medication that will help to lower your risk of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, stroke, and several types of cancer. The same medication may also rev up your metabolism, help your body burn fat, and give you more energy. And, it can strengthen your muscles, help maintain bone health, help to reduce stress, and even help you look years younger! The best news … this magic potion is cheap and available everywhere!
Would you run out the door in your new Christmas pj’s to your local drugstore to find this “magic potion”? Your instinct to “run” is on target for the magic potion.
Motion Is the Magic Potion
The magic potion I’m talking about is exercise. Stay with me now, and let me tell you’ve what I’ve learned.
The physical benefits of exercise are extensive and well-documented. But to my knowledge, no studies have been done on the ways in which getting fit can change your life. At Nutrilite Health Institute (NHI), we have tested the 10-minute 4-3-2-1 workout, and we’ve seen some interesting results. One breakthrough is that people see 10 minutes as “doable.” As they started the 10-minute routine, they also began to make other changes in their life too. From our documented cases, many participants reported better self-esteem, higher business productivity, more self-control, increased happiness, and better relationships.
To improve your life there is not much that will compare to moving your body more – even just 10 minutes a day.* Exercise can transform the way we feel, think, act, and look. You can have a healthy body to meet your daily obligations and have leftover energy for fun! When your health and fitness improve, you can have the strength and energy to experience more that life offers.
4-3-2-1 DONE!
I would encourage you to visit my website: www.4321fitness.com to learn more about how moving your body just 10 minutes a day, the 4-3-2-1 way, on a regular basis will help you experience success, and you can begin the journey to transform your health.
You can do it! Start today! Remember to start small and finish strong!
All the best in 2010!
Coach Sean
*Consult with your doctor prior to starting any new exercise program.
Oh My Aching Back: Helping Back Pain with Exercise
When your back hurts, everything seems to hurt. By the age of 45, most people will have experienced some form of lower-back discomfort. Other than the common cold, lower back pain is the most common reason people miss work in the United States. Lower back pain is also one of the main health obstacles to maintaining a regular fitness program.
There are three common types of back problems. One widespread back problem is a strain – an injury to a muscle or tendon of the lower back. Other common problems include sprains – injuries to the ligaments supporting the spine, and herniated disks – small, round cushions between the vertebrae of the spine are displaced.
Your back is made up of three main areas: the upper portion of your spine (the cervical), the middle portion (the thoracic), and the lower portion (the lumbar). The lower back connects your chest, arms, and upper body to your hips, pelvis, and legs – your lower body. The strength and mobility of your lower back is crucial to basic daily activities including: sitting, standing, walking, lifting, twisting, turning, and bending.
Lower back pain and injury is usually caused by one of several factors:
- Poor posture.
- Improper body mechanics.
- Prolonged sitting.
- Sudden, quick movements that damage ligaments.
- Muscles or tendons that have become overly tight due to a lack of core conditioning.
In my book, The 10 Minute Total Body Breakthrough, I explain in detail how to move your body the "4-3-2-1" way to help prevent lower back pain. In this article, I'll share some simple steps to get you started.
Consult your doctor. If you are experiencing lower back pain, discuss your condition and your current fitness level with your doctor. If your back pain is serious, work with your doctor to create an action plan to help you get moving again. Remember, inactivity has been shown to make back pain worse and increase your discomfort.
Perform aerobic exercise safely. After you get your doctor's go-ahead, choose aerobic activities that are easy on your joints, such as walking or stationary cycling. Get moving for 10–30 minutes a day, at least three days a week. You may also want to consider exercising in a pool to relieve the strain on your back. Avoid performing any exercises that are jarring to the joints such as jogging, running, jumping rope, or jumping jacks.
Begin resistance and core training. Develop a resistance and core program to improve your overall body strength. In resistance training, you'll need to avoid some movements to prevent further injury. Skip any exercises that involve raising a weight above your head or placing weight on your back. For example, don't do dumbbell or barbell shoulder presses, barbell squats, or resistance band overhead presses. Also, skip any exercises with twisting motions. Then, remember to perform resistance training movements in a slow, controlled motion.
Perform movements involving the upper and lower body, such as wall pushups or wall squats. Or, use a resistance band and do stationary lunges or arm curls. Try a stationary back or side plank to strengthen your core muscles, which include your abdominals, back, and obliques. Also, one of the best tools to help strengthen your core and overall body during your workouts is a stability ball. Aim for one resistance and core training session three days a week on alternating days.
Stretch regularly. Stretching provides many benefits for your body, which include increasing muscle flexibility, strengthening tendons and ligaments, increasing joint mobility, improving posture, decreasing back pain, and many others. Stretch every day to alleviate lower-back discomfort and prevent further injury. Stretches such as a seated forward bend, seated arm reach, or chin-to-chest stretch are all examples of static stretches you can do. Hold each stretch until you feel mild tension for 15–30 seconds, and do them as often as you like throughout the day.
Sean Foy, M.A.
President, Personal Wellness Corporation
Nutrigenomics: Where Diet and DNA Meet
Nutrigenomics: Where Diet and DNA Meet
Dr. Duke Johnson, M.D.
Medical Director, Nutrilite Health Institute
In the last decade, scientists have found that the effect of our diet on our bodies is far more complex than we ever imagined. These findings have opened up an exciting new area of science called nutrigenomics – the study of how diet works in our bodies at the molecular level.
In the past, we had a good idea of the ways the food we ate was used by our bodies, but we didn't understand the process completely. For many years, we have known our digestive tract breaks down food to its smallest building blocks, allowing the food to enter the bloodstream. For example, fats are reduced to fatty acids, and carbohydrates become simple sugars. These basic components – along with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients – enter the bloodstream from the digestive tract, pass through the liver for processing, and are then transported to every living cell in our body.
Today, we know much more about what happens to those nutritional building blocks once they enter our cells. Not long ago, scientists believed these nutritional components did most of their work in the region of the cell located outside the nucleus called the cytoplasm. We knew these nutritional components were needed to produce energy and help with many other cellular functions. But, we were unaware these basic nutrients actually influenced our genetic code as well.
Recently, a significant amount of research has shown many of the nutrients we eat actually enter the cell nucleus and affect our genetic code, known as DNA. The nucleus is a special compartment inside the cell that holds our DNA. Another term for DNA is genome, and by combining the words "nutrients" and "genome," we get "nutrigenomics," the study of how the nutrients we eat affect our DNA.
The relationship between our diet and our DNA is quite complex. DNA is made up of genes, which are the "blueprints" of proteins responsible for running the reactions in our cells. Some genes make good proteins known as enzymes, and other genes make proteins that can be harmful to our health in large amounts. It is also important to know that all of our genes aren't always turned on. Genes are like a light switch. We turn them "on" or "off" with our lifestyle choices.
Nutrigenomics is helping us understand how nutrition affects our health better than ever before. For example, unhealthy foods may actually switch "on" some of those harmful genes. On the flip side, healthy foods that provide good nutrients can likely switch "off" those bad genes.
Though the science of nutrigenomics is relatively new, it is already allowing us to expand our knowledge of nutrition. As you can see, it is also strengthening the case for healthy eating – showing you that the food you eat has a tremendous effect on your health and disease risk, even at the genetic level.
Special Note: Fad diet promoters often have no knowledge of nutrigenomics and commonly recommend foods that turn on bad genes. Since we work with some of the most knowledgeable people in the field of nutrigenomics, you can feel confident that my recommendations concerning food take this field of science into consideration with your best health in mind.
Dr. Duke Johnson, M.D.
Medical Director, Nutrilite Health Institute
The Wellness Wire - Stay Healthy This Cold and Flu Season
Dr. Duke Johnson, M.D.
Medical Director, Nutrilite Health Institute
Believe it or not, fall is right around the corner. Before we know it, cold and flu season will return – and that means now is the time to begin thinking about cold and flu prevention. There are many factors that determine our chances for getting a cold or the flu, but all of them fall under two main prevention strategies. The first strategy is reducing our exposure to cold and flu viruses, and the second is helping our immune systems operate at maximum efficiency.
There are several ways to reduce your exposure to cold and flu viruses. The first is washing your hands. It seems simple, but many germs spread after we touch something germy with our hand, and then transfer those germs to our mouth or eyes. For example, someone may cough into their hand and touch a doorknob that we then use. Or, we may shake hands with a co-worker who has a cold and then eat a sandwich. There is no substitute for frequent hand washing, especially before preparing or eating food. I recommend washing with non-antibacterial soaps, because antibacterial soaps can cause rashes with frequent washing, breaking down the natural skin barriers.
Another way to reduce your exposure to cold and flu viruses is to avoid people who are coughing or asking them to “cover their cough.” Many people forget to cover their mouth when they cough, especially after they've been sick for a while.
The second strategy for avoiding the cold and flu is to help your immune system operate at maximum efficiency. One way to do this is to eat well and take a good multivitamin. Our immune systems are very complex and use many different enzymes to help battle viruses. Many of these enzymes need vitamins and minerals to help them perform at their best. When our bodies are missing these vitamins and minerals, our immune system is less able to fight off infections.
The second immune-boosting tactic is to get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can increase your risk of infection, so try to get between seven and eight hours of sleep per night.
Reducing stress can also improve your immune system's function. Many scientific studies have shown that when we are under stress, our immune system doesn't work as well.1 Some stress-reduction techniques are exercise, yoga, deep breathing, and journaling. My book, Optimal Health Revolution, has a chapter that will teach you the best ways to reduce your stress.
An echinacea supplement may also help boost your body's immune system. It is recommended that this herb be taken at the first sign of a sneeze or sniffle and for no longer than eight weeks at a time.2
Start getting into these habits now, and you'll be fully prepared to help reduce your risk of coming down with a cold or flu this season, and for many years to come.
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Dr. Duke Johnson, M.D.Medical Director, Nutrilite Health Institute
1Stress and the immune system. Robert A. Anderson. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients. August–September 2005 i265-266 p106(1).
2“Echinacea.” Clare Hanrahan and Teresa G. Odle. The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. Ed. Jacqueline L. Longe. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 4 vols. Updated July 1, 2006.
Win a Free Health Assessment
The first 5 People that register for my Blog will get One Free Health Assessment and you have the choice to select which Module you would like to take.
The Health Questionnaire consists of several modules designed to gauge different facets of your nutritional and lifestyle habits. The questions have been created, reviewed, and approved by a team of medical and nutritional experts headed by the Nutrilite Health Institute. Click on the module you wish to take. We encourage you to complete all the modules.Helpful Tip: As each module is taken or updated, more personalized recommendations will be made for you. Check your recommendation report often for updates and additions.
Your Recommendation Report Has Been Generated
General Health ModuleAsks about your lifestyle, activity level, and eating habits. Estimated time to complete this module: 12 minutes.
Heart Health ModuleCenters on how your nutrition and lifestyle habits may affect your cardiovascular health. Estimated time to complete this module: 5 minutes.
Vitamin/Antioxidant ModuleAsks specific questions about your nutritional habits and lifestyle activity, your exposure to free radicals, and your metabolism. Estimated time to complete this module: 8 minutes.
Heart Health Genetic Test ModuleAsks you to supply the results of the optional GENSONA(TM) Heart Health Genetic Test. Estimated time to complete this module: 1 minute.
General Nutrition Genetic Test ModuleAsks you to supply the results of the optional Gensona General Nutrition Genetic Test. Estimated time to complete this module: 2 minutes.
How to Care for Your Skin - Eczema Skin Care Tips
Eczema Skin Care Tips
By Phylameana lila Desy, About.com
Guest article by Dr. Rita Louise
What is Eczema?Eczema can best be described as a non-contagious skin condition, which is characterized by hot dry itchy skin, with symptoms that often fluctuate seasonally and even over the course of the day. Eczema typically begins in early childhood. Research indicates that eczema may be genetically determined and studies show that there is often a family history of allergies, asthma, eczema or hay fever. Children who experience eczema may also suffer from asthma or hay fever as well.
Like an allergy, eczema tends to flair up when exposed to certain triggers, especially mechanical irritants, allergens, emotional stress, heat and sweating. When exposed to an offending situation, inflammation producing cells come to surface of the skin and release chemicals, leaving the skin red, pealing and thickened. Sometimes tiny blisters form, rupture, weep and crust over.
Eczema most often appears in and round the creases of joints of the arms and legs and around trunk of the body. For some, it also emerges on their hands and on the sloes of their feet. Sufferers also experience an intense itching makes them want to scratch it, causing additional damage which can lead to bleeding and infection.
Solvents, chemicals, detergents, bleach, woolen clothing, skin care products that contain alcohol and certain soaps or fragrances are all considered mechanical irritant that can cause burning, itching or redness to the skin and bring about a flair-up. And while allergens, like food, pollens and pets, do not irritate the skin, they can also trigger a flair-up. The same holds true to emotional stress. Intense emotions such as anger and frustration can flair up symptoms. Many individuals with eczema also do not tolerate extremely hot or cold temperatures as well. High humidity can cause increased sweating, while low humidity can dry the skin.
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Wellness Recommendations for Treating Eczema
- Prevention - The key to controlling eczema is prevention. Avoid or reduce your exposure to things that can irritate your skin such as household cleaners, detergents, certain soaps and wool clothing.
- Moisturize - Use a moisturizer on your skin every day to help keep it soft and flexible.
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- Don't Scratch - Do not scratch even if it itches! Scratching can further irritate the skin and can even cause the skin to break and crack, opening the door to infection.
Identify Your Triggers - Take the time to identify your triggers. This can help you to avoid or limit your exposure to the offending item even better. If you think a food item is causing your problems, talk to your doctor about getting an allergy test or try an elimination diet to help you identify the offending product.
- Keep Hands Dry - Be sure to dry your hands completely after you wash them.
Wear Protective Gloves - Wear gloves when your hands will be exposed to anything that can irritate them.
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- Stress Management - Learn to manage your stress through regular exercise, breathing techniques, biofeedback, meditation and yoga.
Natural Remedies for Eczema
- Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) has been shown to help reduce the inflammation, dryness and scaleness often associated with eczema. GLA can be found in evening primrose oil, borage oil and currant seed oil.
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- If your skin becomes infected, the herb Oregon grape has been used for hundreds of years to treat infections and a variety of skin problems.
- Natures Sunshine’s Golden Salve is a blend of herbs, oils and beeswax that sooths and moisturizes rough, chafed, chapped skin.
- A homeopathic remedy for eczema may help relieve the itching and irritation associated with eczema and dermatitis of the skin and scalp.
How To Heal a Broken Bone Quickly
By Jonathan Cluett, M.D., About.com
Updated: July 26, 2009
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
Difficulty: Average
Some of these recommendations may be controversial, or unknown the extent to which they affect bone healing. However, this much is clear. Patients who smoke, have a much longer average time to healing, and a much higher risk of developing a nonunion (non-healing of the bone). Smoking alters the blood flow to bone, and it is that blood flow that delivers the necessary nutrients and cells to allow the bone to heal.
Ensure you are consuming the recommended dose of calcium, and if not, try to consume more natural calcium--or consider a supplement. Taking mega-doses of calcium does not help a bone heal faster.
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Surgery creates potential risks, so these options much be weighed carefully. However, there may be options which alter the time it takes for a bone to heal.
Electrical Stimulation
Ultrasound Treatment
Magnets
Getting Back on Track After a Setback: Part I
Sean Foy, M.A.
President, Personal Wellness Corporation
Sickness or disability does not define who we are or what we can accomplish. Exercise is possible, even for people with issues like arthritis, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, exercise-induced asthma, fibromyalgia, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. I've seen it happen! Of course, you should always consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program when you have an injury or chronic condition.
If you have an acute illness or injury, you’ll need to recuperate before you can resume exercising. But if you have a chronic health challenge or longstanding difficulty, you'll need to find ways of working around it.
In the past, doctors often told people with chronic ailments to restrict their activity. Many people with a chronic condition became inactive due to pain, discomfort, limited range of motion, lack of motivation, or fear. But, inactivity leads to a decline in strength and stamina. So if you have been sedentary because of a health issue, muscle loss, weight gain, depression, or fatigue, you may be worse off now than when you were first diagnosed. Plus, you are at greater risk for further injury.
These days, the medical community has changed its approach. While each chronic condition has a different treatment plan, the best advice is usually to get moving again! Remember, you should always consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program when you have an injury or chronic condition.
Bouncing Back After a Setback
If you are recovering from an illness like the flu, or if you've gone several weeks without exercising for any reason, don't try to restart your routine the same place you left off. It's important to give your muscles, ligaments, and tendons the opportunity to get stronger again. This will help protect you from injury as you work back up to your previous fitness level. For a healthy and safe recovery after a break from exercise, follow these tips:
- Decrease the fitness intensity level of your aerobic workouts. For example, if you were previously exercising at level 8 on a fitness intensity scale of 0 to 10, decrease your intensity to level 6.
- For your resistance exercises, temporarily decrease your weight selection by 30% to 50%.
- As a general rule, take it easy for the same amount of time you were sick. At minimum, scale back on your exercise intensity for one week.
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Cholesterol by the Numbers
Cholesterol by the Numbers
Micheline Vargas, DrPH, RCEP
Research Scientist, Nutrition Investigations
Elevated cholesterol is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. So, what is a healthy cholesterol level and what can you do to improve it? The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) guidelines can help. The goal of these guidelines is decreasing total and LDL cholesterol levels while maintaining or increasing your HDL cholesterol level.
Table 1: Cholesterol Classification (mg/dL)
| Total Cholesterol | LDL Cholesterol | HDL Cholesterol |
|---|---|---|
| Desirable = <> | Optimal = < optimal =""> | High (good) = ≥ 60 |
| Borderline High = 200–239 | Borderline High = 130–159 High = 160–189 | Low (poor) = <> |
| High = ≥ 240 | Very High = ≥ 190 |
If your total and LDL cholesterol levels are too high, smart food choices can help. These include:
- Consume a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grain, high-fiber foods.
- Minimize your intake of sugary foods and beverages.
- Prepare and choose foods with little salt.
- Eat legumes, lean meats, and poultry without the skin.
- Replace some animal products with soy protein.
- Eat fatty fish, such as salmon or tuna, at least twice a week.
- Choose fat-free or low-fat dairy products.
- Limit saturated fat and trans-fat intake.
In a healthy, low-cholesterol diet, most of your dietary fat should come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These types of fats are found in nuts, seeds, fish, and vegetable oils. In addition, most people should limit cholesterol intake to less than 300 mg a day. If your LDL level is more than 100 mg/dL or if you have heart disease, limit your cholesterol intake to less than 200 mg a day. Then, follow the “Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes” (TLC) Diet created by the NCEP. Table 2 outlines the key components of the TLC Diet.
Table 2: TLC Diet
| Nutrient | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Saturated Fat* | Less than 7% total calories |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | Up to 10% of total calories |
| Monounsaturated Fat | Up to 20% of total calories |
| Total Fat | 25–35% of total calories |
| Carbohydrate | 50–60% of total calories |
| Fiber | 20–30 grams per day |
| Protein | Approximately 15% of total calories |
| Cholesterol* | Less than 200 mg per day |
| Plant Stanols / Sterols** | 2 grams |
| Increased Viscous (soluble) fiber** | 10–25 grams per day |
| Total Calories (energy) | Balance energy intake and expenditure to prevent weight gain |
*LDL-raising nutrients
**Therapeutic options for LDL-lowering
Certain supplements and foods may also help lower your cholesterol when added to a healthy diet. These include isolated garlic compounds, oats, flaxseed, fish oils, calcium, and magnesium. Remember, by learning to make smart choices you can enjoy flavorful foods and manage your cholesterol at the same time!
Micheline Vargas, DrPH, RCEP
Nutrilite Health Institute
Research Scientist, Nutrition Investigations
Cholesterol-cutting Nutrition Tips
Cholesterol-cutting Nutrition Tips
Lisa Kirkman, M.S., R.D.
Amway Global Health Instructor
Research shows that almost half of North American adults, over the age of 20, have high cholesterol.1 It has been shown that the simple act of eating a healthy diet can help you lower your cholesterol and maintain healthy cholesterol levels. These healthy-eating tips will help you reach your heart-health goals.
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Eat your oats. Research suggests the soluble fiber (beta glucan) found in oats may help reduce both total cholesterol and the “bad” LDL cholesterol.2 If you're not a fan of oatmeal, try oat cereal or an oat bran muffin.
Sprinkle some flaxseeds. Flaxseeds contain lignan and soluble fiber, which may help block the formation of LDL cholesterol and help your body get rid of cholesterol.3 Flaxseeds’ mildly nutty flavor is a complement to salads, cereal, yogurt, and homemade breads or muffins.
Snack on nuts. Nuts are high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, which may help lower LDL cholesterol.4 Almonds, walnuts, and cashews are rich sources of monounsaturated fats and can be eaten as snacks, sprinkled on salads, and added to your oatmeal, cereal, or yogurt.
Sneak in some soy. Many people think soy is only for serious vegetarians, but it's actually an excellent source of complete protein for everyone. Soy also contains healthful compounds that may help reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.5 Try making a fruit smoothie with frozen fruit, vanilla soy milk, and a soy-based protein powder; also try snacking on soy nuts or sneaking tofu into soups, chili, or lasagna.
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Focus on fish. The American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish – such as salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, lake trout, herring, and sardines – at least twice a week to promote heart health. If you don’t like fish, consider taking a high-quality fish oil supplement containing one to three grams of omega-3 fatty acids.
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Get some garlic. Garlic may help reduce total and LDL cholesterol.6 If you’re not up for eating one to two cloves daily, consider a garlic supplement containing allicin, garlic’s active compound.
Garlic Health Supplement - W/Out all the Garlic leftover taste and smell. - http://jwaller.qhealthbeauty.com/products/product.aspx?itemno=A5923
Sip some green tea. Green tea has been shown to lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol while raising your “good” HDL cholesterol.7 But, much of this research is based on the amount of tea consumed in Asian countries – three cups a day. If you don't drink a lot of green tea, a supplement containing green tea extracts and its active compounds – theaflavins and catechins – may help.
Heart Healthy Alternatives
Certain foods can contribute to high cholesterol if eaten on a regular basis. While forbidding foods is never a good idea, a successful strategy is finding healthier alternatives to most of these cholesterol-promoting foods.
| Instead of This … | Choose This … |
|---|---|
| 2% or whole milk | 1% or fat-free milk |
| Yellow cheese | Low-fat mozzarella cheese |
| Whole eggs | Two egg whites with one yolk or egg substitute |
| Beef or dark meat | White meat chicken or turkey |
| Fried foods | Baked, broiled, or steamed foods |
| Regular mayonnaise | Canola oil- or olive oil-based mayonnaise |
| Butter or margarine | Olive oil- based “margarine” spread (such as Olivio) |
| Sour cream | Low-fat or fat-free sour cream |
| Cream cheese | Low-fat or fat-free cream cheese, natural peanut butter, or almond butter |
| Chips, crackers, and cookies | Whole grain snacks that are low-fat and trans-fat free such as popcorn, whole grain crackers, nuts, trans-fat free meal replacement or snack bars |
| Fried fish | Baked or broiled salmon, lake trout, mackerel, and albacore tuna |
Gradual Changes Win the Race
Don’t change your entire diet overnight. Make one dietary change at a time and move forward gradually. Changes are more likely to become permanent if they're done at a slow, comfortable pace – just don’t lose focus. The more heart-healthy lifestyle changes you make, the greater positive impact it will have on your cholesterol and your overall health.
Lisa Kirkman, M.S., R.D.
Amway Global Health Instructor
1 americanheart.org
2 Oat [beta ]-glucan lowers total and LDL-cholesterol. Sylvia Pomeroy, Richard Tupper, Marja Cehun-Aders, Paul Nestel. Australian Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics. March 2001 v58 i1 p51(5).
3 “Flaxseed.” Greg Annussek. and Rebecca J. Frey, PhD. The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. Ed. Jacqueline L. Longe. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 4 vols. Updated July 1, 2006.
4 Oh (Nutritious) Nuts! Harvard Health Commentaries. Jan 3, 2007 pNA.
5 Soy isoflavones lower serum total and LDL cholesterol in humans: a meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials. Kyoko Taku, Keizo Umegaki, Yoko Sato, Yuko Taki, Kaori Endoh, Shaw Watanabe. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. April 2007 v85 i4 p1148(9).
6 “Garlic.” Patience Paradox. and Teresa G. Odle. The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. Ed. Jacqueline L. Longe. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 4 vols. Updated July 1, 2006.
7 “Green tea.” Paula Ford-Martin. and Teresa G. Odle. The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. Ed. Jacqueline L. Longe. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 4 vols. Updated July 1, 2006.
Combating Heart Disease
The Six Elements of Self-Esteem Building
Acne - What Increases Your Risk.
The tendency to develop acne runs in families. You are more likely to develop severe acne if your parents had severe acne.
The risk of developing acne is highest during the teen and young adult years. These are the years when hormones such as testosterone are increasing. Women who are at the age of menstruation also are more likely to develop acne. Many women have acne flare-ups in the days just before their menstrual periods.
Acne can be irritated or made worse by:
- Wearing straps or other tight-fitting items that rub against the skin (such as a football player wearing shoulder pads), as well as using equipment that rubs against the body (such as a violin held between the cheek and shoulder). Helmets, bra straps, headbands, and turtleneck sweaters also may cause acne to get worse.
- Using skin and hair care products that contain irritating substances.
- Washing the face too often or scrubbing the face too hard. Using harsh soaps or very hot water can also cause acne to get worse.
- Experiencing a lot of stress.
- Touching the face a lot. - Oops I do that. :-)
- Sweating a lot.
- Having hair hanging in the face, which can cause the skin to be oilier.
- Taking certain medications.
- Working with oils and harsh chemicals on a regular basis.
Products I use to help me control and get rid of it is Clear.Now
http://jwaller.qhealthbeauty.com/search/default.aspx?Ntt=clearnow
Fruits and Veggies: Friend or Foe?
Dr. Duke Johnson, M.D.
Medical Director, Nutrilite Health Institute
Lately, fruits and veggies have gotten mixed reviews. If we were making a superhero movie, the established medical community would cast fruits and veggies as the heroes. But other popular diet books, such as the Atkins Diet, have painted these nutritious foods as the villains. With so much conflicting information out there, it's no wonder people are confused! So, let's get the facts and clear things up.
Conflicting Messages
All too often, medical news is filled with conflicting messages. For example, we hear dietary fat is dangerous, but then learn Omega-3 fats are good. Doctors tell us sunlight causes skin cancer, but that it also helps by increasing vitamin D. One day carbohydrates are bad, but then we find out they're actually ok. The list seems to go on and on.
The news about fruits and vegetables has been equally confusing. For a long time, everyone seemed to know that fruits and vegetables provide major health benefits. But then, the Atkins Diet and other "low-carb" diets came along, creating mass confusion. These diets were based on the belief that carbohydrates – the main macronutrient in fruits and vegetables – cause health problems because they raise blood sugar, which leads to obesity and chronic disease. Unfortunately, people took this advice too far and began to treat all carbohydrates like the plague.
The Real Dish on Fruits and Veggies
In reality, carbohydrates are not the cause of our chronic disease epidemics. For proof, simply look to Eastern Asia. In this part of the world, a carbohydrate – rice – has been a staple food for centuries. However, chronic diseases have not been a major health issue in these areas until the last few decades. That means, in general, that carbohydrates are not to blame for our current chronic disease epidemic.
When considering carbohydrates, it is important to know the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are sometimes called "bad" carbs because they contain very little fiber and break down quickly. Simple carbohydrates are also a concern for people with diabetes, because they are high on the glycemic index, meaning the sugar from these carbohydrates enters the system quickly and raises blood sugar levels. Examples of simple carbohydrates are candy bars and other sweets.
Complex carbohydrates – the type found in fruits and vegetables – are trapped in fiber and take longer to break down. These foods increase the bulk of your meal and help you feel full longer, and that's why they're often called "good" carbs. They are also low glycemic index foods, making them better choices for diabetics and others who are working to control their blood sugar levels.
A Healthy ChoiceThe bottom line on fruits and veggies is that these complex carbohydrates are packed with fiber and low on the glycemic index, making them a key component of a healthy diet. Research has shown diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fruits and vegetables and fiber-rich grain products may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and certain cancers. And to top it all off, they're convenient, simple to prepare, and delicious. With so many benefits, let's all commit to getting five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
Dr. Duke Johnson,
M.D. Medical Director, Nutrilite Health Institute
Your Fruit and Veggie Game Plan
By. Dr. Duke Johnson, M.D.
Medical Director, Nutrilite Health Institute
Fruits and vegetables are enormously important chess pieces in your defense against certain cancers (and unlike other chess pieces, they’re very tasty!). They are loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients that provide tremendous protection.
Dr. Duke’s Game Plan
- Eating seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily is like adding a queen to your side of the chessboard.
- Make fruits and vegetables a part of every meal and eat them for snacks as well.
- When you choose fruits and vegetables, think color.
To get over 10 servings of daily fruits and vegetables!
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Eye Cream Article by BeautyNewsNyc.com
Lifting Eye Crème is in the top five of the Skinovations Round Up.
BeautyNewsNYC.com seeks out and reports on the best beauty and skin care products available.
One of its reporters reviewed ARTISTRY® TIME DEFIANCE® Lifting Eye Crème and included it in the June 2009 Skinovations Round Up. The author describes how Lifting Eye Crème can preserve elasticity in order to keep the eye area looking youthful. Also highlighted are a few unique ingredients that help reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness.
Read about it here:
http://www.beautynewsnyc.com/skin-care/skinovations-19/#more-14764
Eye cream is a girl’s best friend. And like a loyal friend, a good one will fight to keep the enemy away. Our enemy? The aging process, of course. Sure, age makes us wiser, but who likes wrinkles, dark circles and saggy skin? Meet Artistry Time Defiance Lifting Eye Crème, your new defiant friend. This buttery cream preserves elasticity, keeping the area around the eyes supple and youthful. Formulated with rosemary extract and soybean protein, the cream strengthens capillaries and rejuvenates the skin in order to remedy dark circles. Caffeine will battle puffiness by shrinking blood vessels and dehydrating the fat cells. Bonus: some studies show that caffeine may eliminate skin cancer cells caused by UV rays.
Available: http://jwaller.qhealthbeauty.com/products/product.aspx?itemno=105532
61 Universal Success Tips
http://profitnesstraining.blogspot.com/
By Brian Herosian - a very wealthy Multi-Millionaire who serves people all over the world! He is the #1 Health and Fitness Expert in Winnipeg, Canada and has helped thousands of people become financially free.
I am blessed to have access to his brain and his mentorship. I thank God for this opportunity!
Please read all of it and enjoy!!!!
I don't know how you define success, but for me, it's being able to do what I want, when I want, for as long as I want…and if I could add just one more tiny little thing to my definition of success - it would be to have positively affected humanity in one way or another, no matter how small, before I kick the can.
That’s me, what about you?
Today I just started jotting down ideas as quickly as they came to me. When I was done I ended up with this list of 61 success tips for a better life, business, and general world domination stuff.Here they are… in no particular order…I hope you like them. And these came from many different sources over many years of experience and hundreds of books, cd’s, seminars, private coaching sessions, you name it, from many different people to numerous to name.
1. Serve a starving crowd. Don't be everything to everyone. Find your niche, the things you're passionate about, and the people you like working with. Life's too short to just "get by".
2. Create multiple income streams. Gone are the days of linear income. Today the most successful have multiple income streams. If you want reliability, REAL security and stability in your business… think multiple income streams.
3. Leverage time, technology, and others, and by that I mean VALUE your time and do the things that move you forward and outsource everything else.
4. Create recurring income streams because who wants to only be as good as their last sale?
5. Thank your parents. Seriously. I'm thankful to my parents for bring me to this awesome country at such a young age. The opportunities I have here are ENDLESS. When was the last time you thanked your parents?
6. Pay it forward. It just flat out feels good. And when you do, without expecting anything in return, the universe somehow pays you back in spades.
7. Be thankful for what you have. No one is entitled.
8. Build, nurture, and cultivate your list. The list is king. Always has been… and always will be. Abuse or neglect your list and pay the price.
9. Never give up - you don't know if you are just one more step away from success.
10. Focus on the critical 5% because these are the things that leap frog you forward in life and business. Outsource the other 95%.
11. Don't major on minor things.
12. Always up sell, because if you have a decent product or service then you have an ethical obligation to give your clients the best you have.
13. Charge what you're worth. Never undervalue yourself. Don't compete on price. Raise your rates NOW and increase value. It's really a simple formula.
14. The money's in the backend. If you don't or won't sell your clients more of what they want - they'll give your money to someone else.
15. Solve a problem. It's really that simple. Be the solution to a specific program.
16. Never lie, cheat, or steal. Its short sighted, gets you nowhere fast, and once again the universe will pay you back in spades if you do.
17. Get a little bit of money from a lot of people. This advice was the biggest "ah ha" moment of my life.
18. Guarantee everything. People are skeptical these days and rightfully so, there's so much crap out there. Do you believe in your product or service? Put your money where your mouth is and guarantee it.
19. Keep your word. ALWAYS
20. Live in abundance. It's a state of mind and a way if life. There's enough for everyone.
21. Avoid crabs and vampires. You know who they are in your life. The folks that are like kryptonite when they come around you. AVOID THEM AT ALL COST.
22. Read two books a month.
23. Blog about it. It's your platform to your market and followers. But don't deliver bad content unless you want to create a MASSIVE disconnect.
24. Buy speed. Specialized information has never been as easy to get as it is today. All you got to do is invest in the stuff and you'll buy yourself years of speed.
25. Ready - shoot - aim. NOT Ready, aim, shoot.
26. Study Direct response marketing because unlike 'traditional brand marketing" it delivers results that you can track.
27. Master crafting killer sales copy if you want to sell a shit pile of stuff.
28. Action trumps knowledge - period. It's a lie… knowledge is not power. Knowledge APPLIED is.
29. Don't wait for perfect. Perfect will never happen.
30. Learn to sell. This is the single most HIGH DEMAND skill ever. Nothing happens until a sale is made.
31. Model success, studies others, and learns from those who have already done it right.
32. Take time off to decompress, bring back down to neutral once in a while.
33. Try new things.
34. Network often. It's not WHAT you know; it's WHO you know, and how THEY feel about you.
35. Ask for help. No man (or woman) is an island.
36. Look for mentors, people you can learn from, people you look up to, people who are already where you want to be.
37. Less talk more action. Just get it done… anyone can talk big.
38. Make it new and improved. If you want more sales, reinvent yourself and your products. Look at what happened to Coke when they introduced the fridge pack or Trident gum when they repackaged their product - both products increased sales virtually overnight. People want new and improved… so give it to them.
39. Exercise you body. Some of the best business ideas I get come to me while I'm working out. It's proven that workouts release "happy hormones" into your bloodstream and working out alters your state-of-mind and makes you more creative.
40. Exercise your mind. Challenge yourself. Take in new information, thoughts, ideas, and concepts. Expand your mind.
41. Publish a book - become an instant authority.
42. Success happens in chaos, a line from Dan Kennedy. And it's true.
43. Catch the big fish. You're going to work just as hard to get the big fish as you do with getting the small ones. The bigger fish are way more profitable and require much less maintenance.
44. Repel riff-raff’s. Inevitably you'll attract riff raffs, tire kickers, people who can't (or won't) afford what you're selling. Learn to spot them quickly and set up systems to repel them. Let them go to your competitors.
45. Come with a giving hand. Zig Ziglar says "when you help enough people get what they want… you'll get what you want." Eben Pagan says be a value ADDER to other people's lives and not a value EXTRACTOR.
46. It's about what you KEEP not what you EARN. Manage your business, your profits, and your expenses.
47. Fail forward. I'd rather reach for 10,000,000 and only hit 5,000,000 than reach for 100,000 and make it.
48. Protect your time. You only have so much of it and there are way too many vampires trying to take it.
49. Listen. Don't "wait to speak"… actually listen.
50. Have unreasonable expectations. Dream big… no matter how stupid it seems to others.
51. Be humble.
52. Know what you want. Forget about keeping up with the Jones'. What do YOU want?
53. Know your numbers. You can tell me anything you want about your business, but nothing will tell a more truthful story than the actual numbers.
54. Be unique and original.
55. Make it irresistible. Give them a compelling reason to BUY IT now.
56. Pre-sell. Don't wait for the doors to open or for the site to be up. See it now.
57. Cross-sell. What else can you sell them? What else do they WANT?
58. Think high profit low risk.
59. Strike while the iron's hot. Don't think about, kick it around, or get to it later. If you have a good idea… there's no better time than NOW to get on it.
60. Understand how money moves… because it's always moving… to… or away from you.
61. Enjoy life. This is not a trial run.
11 tips for the Body of your Dreams in 90 days
For information on the best nutritional products that will assist in developing the "Body of your Dreams" go to jwaller.qhealthbeauty.com
and email me for a Free Health Assessment - jackyeluv@gmail.com
11 Steps that Absolutely Guarantee you'll have the
Body of your Dreams in 90 days or Less!
Get these tips and more on Nutrition 101 Audio Cd's available on
http://www.pro-fitnesstraining.com/
1. Persistence!Violate this step and you'll never achieve permanent results. A study was recently concluded conducted a 10 year study which proves that persistence is the single most important aspect of any diet or exercise program. The study followed a group of people (group #1) who exercised and dieted very strictly, but sporadically and compared those results to a group of people (group #2) who exercised mildly and followed a very basic diet, but this group never varied from their routine. Even though group #2 exercised and dieted far less (but did so persistently) they got 68% better results than those who exercised and dieted VERY STRICTLY but only occasionally.
2. Workout around other people.Working out with others will get you about 43% faster results!!!
3. Don't take bad advice.Take ONLY the advice of those people who look strong & healthy themselves, and, whom you know to be knowledgeable about health & fitness!
4. ALWAYS keep an eye on your pulse.When doing aerobic or cardiovascular training! Keeping your pulse inside your 80% target heart rate zone will burn up to 9 times more calories. Dropping below your target heart rate will not burn nearly as many fat calories, and going above your target heart rate may lead to muscle breakdown.
5. Surround yourself with winners.One of the key qualities of all successful people is that they avoid negative people and they spend the majority of their time surrounded by those who have already achieved what they themselves seek to achieve. So if your goal is to weigh 135 pounds by eating healthy and living an energy full life - then seek out others who already live a healthy lifestyle and weigh 135 pounds. Hanging out with people who just talk about getting in shape but never take persistent action will ensure that you never reach your goal.
6. Know your outcome.Have specific goals. Get a photo (or several) of what you WILL look like when you reach your goal, then focus only on that image. Quickly erase any negative beliefs or images that may enter into your mind during your day.
7. Increase you water intake.Water is a key component to life. No living creature can survive without a fresh supply of pure water each and every day. If you do not consume enough fresh water every day, your body will age faster, appear fatter, be more susceptible to germs and colds, lose joint mobility, and much more. Generally speaking, most people who weigh under 150 pounds require no less than 8-10 glasses per day, those who weigh between 150-250 pounds require about 16 glasses per day.
8. Watch where your calories come from.Without a doubt, we eat way too much sugar and fat. Moderation was the key in the past, now the key is moderation and the exclusion of junk food. One or two binges per year are generally OK if you are a normal healthy individual, but more is absolutely not OK.
9. Increase the number of meals consumed per day.On average, you should be eating some form of protein and vegetable combination that's low in fat and high in fiber every 2 -3 hours of the day. Doing so will give you an almost unfair advantage over those who only eat the normal 3 meals (or less) each day.
10. Visualize Clearly and Often.Design your new body in your mind first. You cannot achieve your idea of the perfect body if you don't have an idea of what the perfect body means to you. Take 10 minutes when you are sure not to be disturbed by people or phone calls, get comfortable, fully relax, then begin to dream about what you will look like when you have achieved your goal. Be specific, what will your calves look like, your legs, your butt, your lower back, your stomach, your chest, your upper back, your shoulders, your neck and your face. Then review this image as often throughout each day as possible (never less than 3x/day).
11. Cardio...Cardio...Cardio.Cardiovascular exercising along with strength training does more for the health and the appearance of the human body than any other form of exercise. You will learn how much and what type of cardio and strength training is right for your particular body and goals at Pro-Fitness. Then refer to step #1 and do it persistently.
By, Brian Herosian
http://profitnesstraining.blogspot.com/
Simple strategies to energize your body and mind - Part 3
Please contact me at jwenterprises@bww.com for a Free Health Assessment
Boost Your Energy with Physical Activity
Micheline Vargas, DrPH, RCEP
Research Scientist, Nutrition Investigations
“I’m too tired to exercise!” Sound familiar? It’s an excuse people often use to avoid exercise. But the truth is to gain energy, you must spend energy. It may sound strange, but by becoming more physically active, you actually increase your energy level. Over time, the body adapts to the stress of physical activity and becomes more efficient at producing energy – leaving you more energized!
On the flip side, too much exercise can zap your energy. Overexercising taxes your body, which leads to fatigue and possible injury. When beginning a physical activity program, start at a comfortable level and gradually increase the frequency, intensity, and time.
The first step to starting an exercise program is looking at where you are today. How much are you exercising right now? This is your starting point. You can use the new recommendations by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Table 1) as a guide.
Table 1: Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
Population
Aerobic Activity*(i.e. walking, dancing, cycling, jogging)
Muscle-Strengthening(i.e. weights, calisthenics, resistance bands)
AdditionalComments
Adults(18-64 years)
150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per weekOR75 minutes vigorous-intensity activity per week
2 days per week8-10 exercises8-12 repetitions
During moderate activity an individual can talk, but not sing (i.e. biking slowly, brisk walk, doubles tennis, general gardening).
During vigorous activity an individual can only say a few words without stopping to catch their breath (i.e. jogging, aerobic dance, biking faster than 10 miles/hour, singles tennis).
Older Adults (65+ years)
150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per weekOR75 minutes vigorous-intensity activity per week
2-3 days per week8-10 exercises8-15 repetitions
Older adults should include balance and flexibility training particularly if they are at risk of falling.
Adjust recommendations for chronic conditions and abilities.
Children/Youth (6-17 years)
60 minutes or more per day at moderate or vigorous intensity.
Intensity should be vigorous at least 3 days per week.
Exer-gaming activities, such as Wii Fitness, may be included.
3+ days per week of muscle and bone strengthening (as part of their 60 minutes of physical activity).
Activities should be age appropriate
Examples of muscle building include tug-of-war and abdominal crunches.
Examples of bone strengthening activities include basketball, gymnastics, and jumping rope.
Pregnant
150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity for women not currently engaging in vigorous activity.
Healthy women who regularly engage in vigorous-intensity activity may continue.
Consult your health-care provider
Health-care providers should always be involved in activity recommendations and program adjustments.
Disabled
150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per weekOR60 minutes vigorous-intensity activity per week
2 days per week targeting all major muscle groups.
If disability prevents meeting recommendations the individual should perform to their abilities.
Health-care providers should be consulted for guidance on types and amounts of activity.
*Aerobic activity should be performed in sessions of 10 minutes or more.
These guidelines are minimum recommendations – adding even more exercise will provide greater benefits. For example, increase aerobic activity to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity for bigger gains. But, don’t forget to increase your program gradually!
In addition to physical activity, changes such as a healthy diet, proper supplementation, and stress management will lead to even greater energy levels and a life of optimal health and well-being.
Micheline Vargas, DrPH, RCEP Research Scientist, Nutrition Investigations
“I’m too tired to exercise!” Sound familiar? It’s an excuse people often use to avoid exercise. But the truth is to gain energy, you must spend energy. It may sound strange, but by becoming more physically active, you actually increase your energy level. Over time, the body adapts to the stress of physical activity and becomes more efficient at producing energy – leaving you more energized!
On the flip side, too much exercise can zap your energy. Overexercising taxes your body, which leads to fatigue and possible injury. When beginning a physical activity program, start at a comfortable level and gradually increase the frequency, intensity, and time.
The first step to starting an exercise program is looking at where you are today. How much are you exercising right now? This is your starting point. You can use the new recommendations by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
*Aerobic activity should be performed in sessions of 10 minutes or more.
These guidelines are minimum recommendations – adding even more exercise will provide greater benefits. For example, increase aerobic activity to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity for bigger gains. But, don’t forget to increase your program gradually!
In addition to physical activity, changes such as a healthy diet, proper supplementation, and stress management will lead to even greater energy levels and a life of optimal health and well-being.
Micheline Vargas,
DrPH, RCEPResearch Scientist, Nutrition Investigations
