Weekly Wellness
Issue 418
Featured Article
REMOVED
Fitness Tip
Men and Vitamin D
Inadequate vitamin D levels in men may significantly increase the risk of having a heart attack. That's what findings from a group of men who participated in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study suggest. In the study, researchers found that men with the lowest blood levels of vitamin D were twice as likely to have a heart attack as those with the highest D levels, even after controlling for family history of heart attack, physical activity, diabetes, high blood pressure and body mass index. Even levels that were suboptimal - but not deficient- raised heart attack risk.
Nutrition Tip
Trans Fatty Acids
Trans fatty acids that occur naturally in meat and dairy products do not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease as do the artificial trans fats found in partially hydrogenated oils, according to a group of international researchers. They fed 46 men and women diets containing 5 percent of calories as trans fats (mostly natural trans for three weeks then mostly artificial trans for another three weeks). They found that artificial trans fats lowered heart-protective high-density lipoproteins (HDL, the "good" cholesterol), as well as raising total low density lipoproteins (LDL, the "bad" cholesterol). Natural trans fat did not elicit the same effects.
Quip or Quote of the Week
Quote
"I look upon it, that he who does not mind his belly will hardly mind anything else." --Samuel Johnson
Quick Recipe
Peanut Butter Wrap
8 small (6-inch) flour tortillas
1/2 to 1-cup peanut butter
2 medium apples, cored and cut into thin slices
1/4 cup honey
Cinnamon
Place a flour tortilla on a plate. Spread 1-tablespoon or so peanut butter over the surface of the tortilla. Press apple slices on one side of the peanut butter-covered tortilla. Squeeze 1-teaspoon or so of honey over the apples. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon. Fold the tortilla over and press the edges together. Wrap and carry for lunch, or eat immediately. Makes eight wraps. Note: You can also use apple pie filling if you're in a hurry; use about 2-tablespoons per wrap.
Tidbit(s)
Too Little Sleep May be Detrimental to Your Weight
Older adults who sleep five ours a night or less are about 30 percent more likely to be obese than those who sleep seven hours a night on average. Researchers in Spain followed more than 3,500 men and women for two years. The effect of five hours or less of sleep seemed strongest among women short sleepers, who were three times more likely to gain at least 11 pounds during the study. Previous researchers led the experts to speculate that short sleepers may have lower concentrations of the hormone leptin, which helps control appetite.
Food Fixes
Make it lean: Switch from ground beef to lean ground turkey or sirloin to cut back on the total calories and fat.
Boost Your Burgers and Meat Loaf — for juicier, plumper hamburgers and meatloaf, add 2/3 cup evaporated milk to 1-1/2 pound ground beef along with the breadcrumbs and seasonings before cooking.
Tasty Tidbit...
Create a yogurt parfait by layering fresh fruit with low fat yogurt and lower sugar granola.
More Cooking Tips and Quick Cooking Tips on the Web site!