Weekly Wellness
Issue 191
Featured Article
Fitness Tip
Exercises You Can't Do Without
Seventeen-thousand ACE-certified Fitness Professionals were asked to name the one exercise they couldn't do without. The overwhelming winner was the multi-purpose squat, which strengthens all of the major muscles of the lower body, including the gluteals, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves. Here are the rest of the top choices, which can be used together to create a challenging and effective fitness program:
Nutrition Tip
Good Fats
Essential fats, often called good fats, are fats that our bodies cannot make on their own. We need to get them from the foods we eat. The problem is most of the good fats naturally found in our food supply are destroyed during processing and cooking. These special fats are important because they play a role in virtually every function in the body and are found in every cell in the body. Quality sources of good fats include oils such as flax, olive, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Good fats are also found in seafood sources such as salmon and tuna, as well as in avocados and in nuts like walnuts and almonds just to name a couple. To be sure you are getting enough good fat in your diet, add a tablespoon of good oils to prepared foods, or have a serving of salmon or tuna two or three times a week. Nut lovers; have about 1/4-cup of walnuts or almonds three times a week.
Nutrient of the Week
Dong Quai Root
Dong Quai Root is the most respected general tonic in Chinese medicine. Women use it to strengthen their reproductive organs, regulate the menstrual cycle and regulate the blood throughout the body, but especially in the pelvic area. Dong quai balances PMS symptoms including breast tenderness, constipation and dizziness. For menopausal symptoms, women use dong quai for hot flashes, pelvic pain, insomnia, mood changes, and vaginal dryness. Chinese medicine also uses this herb for balancing blood pressure, cholesterol level support and lung function.
Quick Recipe
Peanut Butter and Jelly Yogurt
3/4 cup plain yogurt (whole, low fat or non fat)
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1-1/2 tablespoons grapde jelly or other jam
Place yogurt, peanut butter and jelly or jam in a small keep-cool container and mix well with a spoon. Makes one serving.
Tidbit(s)
National Depression Screening
The Yearly National Depression Screening will occur on October 7 -- the service is free of charge. To learn more, please visit the Mental Health Screening Web site, and/or call 1-800-437-1200.
Food Fixes
If a recipe calls for 1 cup sour cream, you may substitute 1 cup cottage cheese blended until smooth with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/3 cup buttermilk.
When using fresh herbs such as dill, chives, parsley, etc., hold them together in small bunches and snip with kitchen scissors. It is a lot faster this way, and you'll find the herbs will be light and fluffy, not bruised and wet as they often get when chopped.
Put meat used for stir frying in freezer for 45 minutes to 1 hour to make slicing easier.
If you need only 1/2 an onion, save the root half. It will last longer.