2001 to 2003 FYI's: Page Five
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103
Water: Get it from Foods and Beverages!
If you cringe at the idea of drinking eight glasses of water
a day, you'll love this: A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that your body
can get the water it needs from other beverages and food.
The lead researcher of this study says not to worry if you
do not have access to plain water each day; other liquids
and foods can supply it, too.
104
Smart Ways to Buy and Use Supplements
Buy from a reliable source.
Buy a brand that says "standardized" on the label; this means
the product has a fixed percentage of specific compounds.
Read labels carefully and follow directions for doses, usage,
storage and other precautions.
Tell your doctor which supplements and medications you are
taking; interactions could occur.
If you notice any adverse effects, consult a doctor.
105
The Doggie Bag
Meal portions are getting bigger and bigger these days.
A lot of people are packing up these leftovers to eat later.
Care must be taken when handling these leftovers. If you
will not be arriving home within two hours of being served,
it is safer to leave the leftovers at the restaurant. Also,
remember that the inside of a car can get very warm.
Bacteria may grow rapidly, so it is always safer to go
directly home after eating and put your leftovers in the
refrigerator.
106
Beans
Beans are not only low in fat and full of important minerals,
they are an excellent source of fiber and vegetable protein.
Include them in the same meal with carbohydrates, such as
pasta or rice, to boost the total protein content of the meal.
For more on beans, including recipes, check out these links:
Beans!
Beans - One of Nature's Most Perfect Foods!
107
Fish Oil and Heart Attack
When over 11,000 heart attack survivors took a daily fish oil
capsule - containing the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish such
as salmon, tuna and mackerel - they were 42-percent less likely
to suffer a second attack and die than those not taking the
supplement. Researchers say that the omega-3's found in fish
oil lower the risk of potentially fatal heartbeat irregularities.
See also: BellyBytes.com: Healthy Fish Recipes
108
The Benefits of Phytochemicals
Research has shown that phytochemicals found naturally in
fruit and vegetables may actually help fight cancer and other
diseases. Most phytochemicals fall into one of three categories:
antioxidants, detoxifiers or phytoestrogens.
109
Studies show:
People who eat out the most tend to be
the heaviest. With many restaurant meals weighing in
at a full day's worth of calories and fat, small wonder.
110
Push to Lower Hidden Sodium
The average American consumes the equivalent of nearly two
teaspoons of salt every day, almost double the upper limit for
good health. Now public health specialists are pressuring food
manufacturers and restaurants to cut the salt, because too much
sodium is bad for your blood pressure - and high blood pressure
hurts your heat, brain and kidneys. Are we responsible or is the
government? While that is an individual decision, there is one thing
both food makers and health critics agree on: Making our food supply
less salty will require consumer demand, and so far that has focused
mostly on trimming the fat.
See also: Changing Your Salt Habit
111
Armed with Knowledge
Experts at the Joslin Diabetes Center, affiliated with Harvard
Medical School, are offering free online classes to help people
with diabetes learn more - and take better care of themselves.
Each course takes only about 15 minutes to complete and
tests you on what you learned - getting 80-percent correct on
the quiz at the conclusion of the class will earn you a certificate!
Among the topics you can explore: How diabetes works, top
strategies for controlling blood sugar, and the ins and outs of
treating type 2 with oral medications. It is not just people with
diabetes who can benefit. A spouse or other family member
who is in the dark about their loved ones diabetes is the perfect
audience.
Joslin Diabetes Center:
One Joslin Place, Boston, MA 02215
(617) 732-2400
Joslin Diabetes Center
112
The Importance of Touch
Physical contact with a partner may reduce the harmful
effects of stress, according to a new study presented at
the American Psychosomatic Society. A group of 185
adults with spouses were told either to hold hand while
viewing a pleasant ten-minute video and then hug for 20
seconds, or to rest quietly without their partners. Then
all participants recounted a recent event that made them
angry or stressed. When researchers compared the
stress responses between the two groups afterward, the
participants who had had physical contact with a partner
fared much better. While systolic (upper) heart rate jumped
24 points in the no-contact group, the contact group's
reading was less than half of that. The no-contact group
also had greater increases in heart rate - ten beats per
minute, compared to the five beats per minute for the
contact group. Touch seems to lower the stress hormone
cortisol, which in turn increases levels of serotonin and
dopamine.
113
PB and J vs. BLT
The amount of fat in each of these classic sandwiches is
about the same (23 grams for a BLT and 19 for a PB and J).
But even though you get vitamins A and C from the vegetables
in the BLT, most of the sandwich's fat is saturated. The PB
and J wins out - it has twice the fiber (2.4 grams) of a BLT,
and half its fat is monounsaturated- the good kind.
114
Organic Milk to Go
Horizon Organic has the first and only certified-organic,
single-serving milk. Produced entirely without hormones,
antibiotics or pesticides, one bottle supplies almost a
third of your daily calcium requirement. Available in four
reduced-fat flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry and Plain.
Look for the sleek boxes at your local Starbucks coffee
shop and in your supermarket dairy case.
115
Steady Exercise Key After 40
Recent studies have proven that moderate increases in
physical activity and modest weight loss can delay or
prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes among those at risk.
In a report published in the August issue of the
Associationīs journal, Diabetes, Mayo Clinic researchers
found that people over age 40 who use aerobic exercise
to prevent or control diabetes should make their exercise
frequent and regular if they want to get the full benefit
of the activity. The study concluded that middle-aged and
older people cannot sustain increased insulin sensitivity
produced by aerobic exercise.
116
U.S. Apple Association
The U.S. Apple Association is giving away a free copy of this great item! "Apples: Take a Healthy Bite". This full-color brochure is designed to help health-conscious persons get on their way to a healthier diet and a better lifestyle. It provides an overview of the Food Guide Pyramid and its advice to eat "5 A Day," and provides an overview of the health benefits of apples and apple products. It includes apple Nutrition Facts, a variety chart, apple selection, storage and handling tips, "5 A Day" program-approved "lite" recipes, and more.
Note: Offer no longer available.
117
Check Those Low-Fat Labels
Watch out for fat free products that simply replace the fat with extra
sugar. The sweet stuff can reduce your levels of HDL cholesterol
(the "good kind that lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease),
according to a report from the University of Maryland. The USDA
recommends limiting your sugar intake to 48 grams or fewer per
day for a 2,200-calorie diet.
