Weekly Wellness
Issue 370
Featured Article
Soothe Tired Feet Instantly! -- Give your tired feet some TLC with a relaxing foot massage, or one of the other "feel good" suggestions...
Fitness Tip
Boosting Metabolism to Lose Weight
Is a faster metabolism really the key to weight loss? And can you really speed up your metabolism? Metabolism made easy... Metabolism refers to the way the body uses energy (measured in calories). The body uses calories in three ways: 1. To sustain vital body functions like breathing, heart rate, waste removal, cell growth and cell repair, even when at rest (amazingly, all this accounts for up to 75 percent of the calories you burn daily); 2. For physical activity and 3. for digestion and absorption of food, which uses about 10 percent of a day's calories. The speed at which the body burns calories when at rest is called your resting metabolic rate (RMR). everyone's RMR differs and may in part be genetically determined. See also: Green Tea Increases Metabolism
Some lucky people really do have a higher metabolic rate than others and therefore burn more fat even doing nothing. The only way to know your RMR is to have a health and fitness professional measure it. Cutting calories below your RMR is not smart, because your body then shifts into starvation mode, lowering your metabolic rate even more. Strength training slows the muscle loss of aging, which helps boost metabolism. So even if you are eating less, it can actually be harder to lose weight, because your body is fighting to conserve the energy it has stored in body fat.
Nutrition Tip
Choosing Your Beverage
Your choice of beverage is important. For example, the less processed juice is, the better. According to a study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, cloudy, unflitered apple juice has four times the concentration of polyphenols as clear juice. Also found in dark chocolate and red wine, polyphenols are antioxidants that may lower risk of heart disease and cancer. The keys to drinking any juice are to choose 100 percent juice with no added sugar and to enjoy it in moderation. Juice has more calories and less fiber than whole fruit (an eight-ounce glass of apple juice has twice the calories of a medium apple). Making every sip count is the cornerstone of healthful eating and a goal you can achieve.
Quip or Quote of the Week
Quip
Sweet potatoes contain the same number of calories as white potatoes. However, they contain more vitamin C and three times the beta carotene as white potatoes.
Quick Recipe
Orange Whirls
Blend one scoop of low or no-fat vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt for every 2 ounces of pure orange juice.
Tidbit(s)
Apple Cider Vinegar for Muscle Soreness
Apple cider vinegar is a muscle reliever; it helps to draw lactic acid (the stuff that causes soreness) out of your muscles after exercise. Saturate a cloth with apple cider vinegar and wrap it around the muscle for 20 minutes; the pain should disappear within a few hours. Reapply every three to four hours for continued relief until the pain is gone for good. Apple cider vinegar can also aid in weight loss.
Food Fixes
Frozen, flaked, and powdered potato product sales have risen 500 percent in the last 30 years. The less a potato is processed the higher the nutrients.
Healthy snacking On the Job: Stash bags of dried fruit at your desk for a convenient snack or keep a bowl of fruit on your desk or counter.
Tasty Tidbit...
Vitamin A-rich stone fruits work well with savory dishes; try sauteing, grilling, or roasting them to serve with duck, chicken, or pork.
More Cooking Tips and Quick Cooking Tips on the Web site!