Weekly Wellness
Issue 347
Featured Article
Cholesterol Lowering Foods If you have high cholesterol simple dietary changes can lower it by 5 to 10-percent on average.
Fitness Tip
Protect from Aging Stiffness
Stretching becomes increasingly important with age. Strength and flexibility routines, such as yoga and tai chi, can counteract stiffness, improve balance and reduce your risk of falling by 50 percent. Try to stretch for ten minutes every day! It feels good, too! Here are two simple lower-back stretches you can do right from your chair:
- A: Corkscrew. Put your right hand on top of your left shoulder. Then pull your right elbow to the left, while turning your head, shoulders and torso in the same direction. Switch hands and repeat in the opposite direction.
- B. Arch. Place both hands on your lower back, inhale deeply, lean back slightly and arch your back.
Nutrition Tip
Fight flab with fiber.
Research shows that the average American eats only 10 to 15 grams of fiber daily, far less fiber than the recommended 25 to 30 grams a day. The benefits of fiber include a healthier digestive system and a lowered cholesterol level. The best sources of fiber are fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods, beans and legumes. See also:
Fiber: A Non-Nutritional Vital Nutrient
Fight Back with Fiber
Fitting Fiber into Your Day
High Fiber Recipes
Quip or Quote of the Week
Quote:
The more you eat, the less flavor; the less you eat, the more flavor. --Chinese Proverb
Quick Recipe
Simple Salad
If you need to bring a salad for a dinner, try this pretty change from traditional tossed salad ingredients; lettuce greens with chopped carrot, celery and apple, plus raisins and sliced almonds.To add more heft to your salad, substitute baby spinach leaves for the lighter greens.
Tidbit(s)
Green Palate and Planet
You can read more about the impact animal agriculture has on the planet at www.goveg.com (click on "The Environment"). One point it mentions comes from a United Nations report about livestock production that says, "Raising animals for food ... is one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious enviornmental problems, at every scale from local to global." If you're interested in environmental issues such as this, you may find this resource interesting.
Food Fixes
Saturated fats revealed: There may be zero trans fats in a product, but that doesn't mean you're not getting saturated fat. Watch labels for palm oil or palm kernel oil. Some products that include these bad-for you saturated fats are: Dove Beyond Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Chex Mix, Pepperidge Farm Milano Cookies.
Tasty Tidbit: Broccoli contains lots of vitamin C, carotenoids, and folic acid. Steam it briefly and add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and a dash of soy sauce.
More Cooking Tips and Quick Cooking Tips on the Web site!