Weekly Wellness
Issue 184
Featured Article
The Physiological Effects of a Hangover Did you ever wonder exactly what is going on in your body when you're feeling the morning-after effects of too much alcohol the night before? A hangover can be miserable --
Fitness Tip
Long or Short Walks?
Long walks may be best for someone more fit, but shorter strolls -- about 30 minutes 5 days a week -- could be all you need in the first 3 months of a walking program to achieve the weight loss benefit you seek. Once you're feeling stronger, and the walking is easier, add minutes and intensity to reach your next goal.
Nutrition Tip
Chai Latte vs. Caffe Mocha
When choosing a beverage from a specialty coffee shop, you may lean toward chai latte as the lower-calorie choice. After all, it's made with healthful tea, and the exotic moniker simply sounds healthier than coffee. However, a medium-sized (or "grande") chai latte -- a blend of black tea, steamed milk, honey and spices -- has the same amount of calories as the same-sized cafe mocha, even when made with skim milk. Both do provide a hefty dose of calcium -- about a quarter of the daily requirement -- though the mocha delivers 100 milligrams more.
- Chai Latte (16 ounces made with skim milk):
- 230 calories
- 0 grams fat
- 250 milligrams calcium
- Mocha Latte (16 ounces made with skim milk):
- 230 calories
- 2 grams fat
- 350 milligrams calcium
Nutrient of the Week
Histidine (Non-Essential Amino Acid)
Histidine is also a precursor of histamine, a compound released by immune system cells during an allergic reaction. Histidine is needed for growth and for the repair of tissue, as well as the maintenance of the myelin sheaths that act as protector for nerve cells. It is further required for the manufacture of both red and white blood cells, and helps to protect the body from damage caused by radiation and in removing heavy metals from the body. Histidine is also used for sexual arousal, functioning and enjoyment.
Quick Recipe
Melon and Prosciutto
Cut fresh cantaloupe or honeydew melon into thin wedges and wrap with strips or prosciutto.
Tidbit(s)
Dietary Reference Intakes
The National Academies' Institute of Medicine has recently released new Dietary Reference Intakes for salt. It recommends that we should consume no more than 1500 milligrams of sodium per day (down from the previously recommended 2.400 milligrams). That 1500 milligrams equals about 2/3 teaspoon of salt. See also: Tips for a Low Sodium Diet.
Food Fixes
Beans are an excellent, non-fat source of protein. Just one cup of beans provides as much as 16 grams of protein.
Eggs retain their freshness best if they are refrigerated in their cartons, large end up.
Store mushroomsin refrigerator in a brown paper bag-never a plastic one. Otherwise they become slimy. Paper lets the mushrooms breathe while holding in the humidity that keeps them fresh.
A few peppercorns in the pepper shaker will keep the holes from clogging and, as a bonus, gives more of a freshly ground taste.