How to Take Control of Your Health!

September 2nd, 2010 . No Comments »


The amount of time you revel in wonderful moments of joy, contentment, inspiration, laughter, love and learning will be directly proportional to your health, happiness, success, satisfaction, productivity and fulfillment! Maintain a healthy outlook through the power of a positive thought!

  1. Cleanse the Soul. For the same reason you wouldn’t go a week without a shower, you shouldn’t keep a week’s worth of mind clutter stored up in your grey matter. Do easy meditations daily in the shower to clear your mind, open yourself up to new opportunities and prepare for a simply fantastic day!
  2. Brush Up. Do a daily affirmation twice a day in the morning and at night when you are brushing your teeth. Say it aloud through toothpaste suds or silently in your mind, “I am masterfully creating my ultimate life. Success and health (or sub in what you desire) comes naturally to me.”
  3. Be Active. Don’t just stand around and let life happen to you. Every time you walk to the car, think about tiny actions you could take to move you closer to achieving what you truly desire. Keep a notebook to jot them down before you start up the engine. Watch each baby step start to exponentially propel your life forward.
  4. Dress Up. Just as you might think ahead or lay out your wardrobe for an important meeting or date, prepare your mind for important events. Focus on how you want to feel and set your intentions and be very specific on what you’d like to accomplish.
  5. Buckle Up For Safety. It’s the law. Expect that you will experience life mishaps, tragedy, injury and unfairness. You can safeguard against emotional distress by getting in touch with your true self. Choose how you want to feel, how you would like to handle difficult situations and think before you let fear, worry or panic creep in. It’s your choice.
  6. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
  7. Preventative Prescription. A vitamin a day keeps the self doubt away. Honor yourself and recognize all that you are. When something has gone well, applaud yourself and enjoy it! Don’t dwell on what you could have done to improve it or what you would do differently next time. We all make mistakes. Learn and grow from them but remember to enjoy and relish in even your smallest achievements too!
  8. Bless Your Meals. Just as you might say grace or spend an extra moment going around the Thanksgiving table to express what you are thankful for, find the good in your life and be thankful for it. Adopt an attitude of gratitude at dinner time.
  9. Sleep Tight. Take your last waking moments before you drift off to sleep to focus on something that inspires you. Read inspiring literature, listen to soothing music or breathe in a delightful aroma. You will feel happier and wake up more content when you close your day with inspiring thoughts and feelings.

Posted in Beauty, Diva Dance Blog, Health, Lifestyle

Life Can Be Sweeter Without Sugar!

September 1st, 2010 . No Comments »

Giving up sweets and avoiding vitamins could help you live longer, according to German researchers.

They found that restricting glucose–a simple sugar found in foods such as sweets that is a primary source of energy for the body–set off a process that extended the life span of some worms by up to 25 percent.

The key was boosting the level of “free radicals”– unstable molecules that can damage the body and which people often try to get rid of by consuming food or drinks rich in anti-oxidants such as vitamin E, they said in a study published in the journal Cell Metabolism.

Restricting glucose first spurred the worms to generate more free radicals, but then they quickly built up long-lasting defences against them, said Michael Ristow, an endocrinologist at the University of Jena and the German Institute of Human Nutrition, who led the study.

“During the process, the worm generates more free radicals, which activates defences against free radicals within the worm,” he said in a telephone interview. “The bad thing in the end promotes something good.”

The body needs glucose, but taking in too much was unhealthy, Ristow said.

Scientists have long known that restricting calorie intake in worms and monkeys increases longevity, and the study narrowed that idea further, to glucose.

The study also for the first time points to a possible reason why antioxidants–long thought to promote health–might do more harm than good, Ristow said.

The German team used a chemical that blocked the worms’ ability to process glucose in a treatment that extended their life span by up to 25 percent, the equivalent of 15 years in humans.

The worms unable to depend on glucose increased energy power sources in certain cells for fuel. That activity produced more free radicals, which in turn generated enzymes that strengthened long-time protection against the harmful molecules, Ristow said.

However, antioxidants and vitamins given to some worms erased these benefits by neutralising free radicals and preventing the body from generating the defences, Ristow said.

“These latter findings tentatively suggest that the widespread use of antioxidants as human food supplements may exert undesirable effects,” the researchers wrote.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL0244996420071002

Posted in Health, Lifestyle, News

How to Simplify Your Life!

August 31st, 2010 . No Comments »

Wish your life could run more smoothly? Like a roller coaster, life has its ups and downs. And while life may never be hassle free, it can be simplified. This article provides a range of ways that you might find applicable to your own situation, and that might help you to simplify your life. And given this is such a subjective notion, and not something where one-size-fits-all, use your own judgment and needs to choose which steps work best for you; it’s doubtful that all steps will apply or benefit one individual, so simply skip that which isn’t applicable to you.

1. Try the simplified approach to simplifying. This is about identifying what’s most important to you and eliminating everything else. While the remainder of this article provides specific examples of how you can simplify your life, don’t sweat the simplification process, or you might be tempted to put it aside too, overwhelmed by changing all the things you’re finding too complex in your life. It is important to realize from the outset that:

  • Simplifying your life is a journey, not a destination. What might work for you this decade might not fit the next.
  • You will find some dead ends that don’t work for you. That’s perfectly fine; just keep learning and unlearning as you go. Don’t judge yourself harshly in the process.
  • Sometimes others around you will feel threatened by your need to simplify. Be gentle with them because they are probably feeling mired in complexity deep down and wish they could simplify too. When you’re ready, you can help them simplify too.

2. Create a simplicity statement. What do you want your simple life to look like? Write it out.

3. Simplify your daily chores. Think about all the stuff you do at home. Sometimes our home task list is just as long as our work list. And we’ll never get that done either. So focus on the most important, and try to find ways to eliminate the other tasks (automate, eliminate, delegate, or hire help).

4. Simplify your wardrobe. Owning fewer clothes of better quality means you’ll always look good and feel good and you’ll spend less time deciding what to wear.

5. Downsize your life.

  • Have a small, but comfortable home. Less clutter, more space to move, breathe, and do the things you really care about doing.
  • Learn to live with less. Buy less, savor quality more, and put the spare money in the savings account for a rainy day or a reward vacation.
  • Rent rather than buy a home or items you need to use. Then the repairs, rates, and dry rot are someone else’s problem, not yours.
  • Trade your car for a smaller one. Find something that works for your family but is smaller than an SUV.
  • Own fewer items but make sure that what you do own has greater versatility. Objects able to do double, triple, etc., duty are the most desirable to have around. Remember that working to pay for objects is not an ideal approach to living happily; review your priorities.

6. Prepare quick meals. Find recipes that are quick to prepare. Spend the spare time enjoying the meal and your family rather than over-complicating the cooking process.

  • Make use of the internet for fast recipe finds. Look in your pantry to see what ingredients you have. Decide the main ingredient that you feel like consuming for that meal and type it (and maybe some of the other ingredients) into a search engine with the word “recipe”. Don’t labor the search process – check up to 5 recipes and choose one for that meal. This can be a lot faster than browsing through cookbooks.

7. Expect everyone in the house to pull their own weight. After all, it’s everyone’s home and everyone is responsible for its maintenance. Avoid letting anyone off the hook. If you have been doing so, it’s never too late to change. Sit down and hold a family meeting about how the whole family is now going to simplify home life and discuss together what each person’s role will be.

8. Prepare celebrations and gifts in advance. Avoid last minute anxiety and craziness by having these things already organized well in advance. Keep a gift cupboard to help you throughout the year, along with a list of favorite homemade gifts that can be produced quickly and easily.

9. Cut back on the amount of time spent working. If you are working longer hours than what you’re being paid for, it’s time to reassess why. Ask yourself what you’re getting out of and be honest. If you keep telling yourself “just this once”, how many times will it take before that excuse runs dry?

10. Simplify your media diet. TV, the internet, radio, magazines, newspapers, podcasts – there is a lot of media available. The trick is to use media effectively without letting it dominate your life.

11. Spend time with people you love. Re-evaluate time spent with people you cannot mingle with and choose to spend more time with people you can enjoy. Whether those people are a spouse, a partner, children, parents, other family, best friends, or whoever, find time to do things with them, talk to them, be intimate with them.

Posted in Attitude, Health, Lifestyle

Diva Dance Hits Streets Alive Event!

August 27th, 2010 . No Comments »

Posted in Health, News

Exercises for Power Walking

August 24th, 2010 . No Comments »

By Crystal Welch, eHow Contributor

updated: August 11, 2009

Power walking exercises provide aerobic conditioning without the necessity of joining a gym. People of all shapes and sizes can participate. Power walking can be done at any speed that is faster than the meandering, leisurely stroll pace. Choose which pace is comfortable for you, keep track of your progress and you will reap a multitude of health benefits, ranging from improved breathing and circulation to a sound night’s sleep.

  • What Power Walking Is
  • The American Heart Association recommends walking as the perfect exercise. It is convenient since it can be done indoors or outdoors, alone or with a partner. It is also a low cost exercise. Your only expense is the price of a good pair of walking shoes.

    Power walking is an all-body workout. Take walking to the next step and you have power walking. You will be walking at a faster pace, increasing your metabolism and increasing your cardiovascular workout. According to Power Walking World, you are creating a dynamic aerobic activity by using all muscles in your body. This form of walking results in an optimum level of fitness and well being.

    At low rates of power walking, you can achieve 3 miles per hour. If you are interested in achieving even greater physical results, increase your speed to 5 miles per hour. The upper levels of power walking include adjusting your technique and changing your focus.

  • Health Benefits
  • Reap numerous health benefits from power walking exercises. Power walking can result in a better night’s sleep, boost your immune system and help manage your weight. According to Power Walking World, it also can strengthen and tone your muscles. You will have more energy, a positive mental outlook, increased confidence and reduced stress level.

    The American Heart Association and the Mayo Clinic recommend walking as an all-body workout. Walking provides a cardiovascular workout, which can result in decreasing your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, certain cancers and stroke. Power walking can help lower your blood pressure, your insulin dependence and your risk of osteoporosis. You also lower your chances of being overweight if you engage in power walking.

  • Exercise Ideas
  • Use power walking anywhere. Walk quickly instead of taking the bus. Climb stairs quickly instead of taking the elevator. Form a power-walking group. Maintain an exercise log to monitor your power walking exercises. Increase your average walking pace. Walk your dog at a faster pace than usual. Walk your children to and from school. According to Power Walking World and the American Heart Association, there is a variety of ways for you to get an all-body workout while engaging in power walking. Do them.

    Clip a pedometer to your ankle and find a local walking trail. Keep track of your steps to monitor your exercise progression. Increase your steps daily. The American Heart Association states you need 30 minutes of physical activity at least 5 days a week to receive optimum results.

  • Considerations
  • As with any exercise program, power walking may not be for you. Check with your medical care provider prior to starting any exercise program, especially if you have been sedentary for a long time. It is better to receive medical clearance than to risk injury.

    Start out slow. Start power walking at a slower pace and gradually increase your pace. Do the same with your duration. Start with 10 minutes and work up to 30. This will reduce your risk of harming yourself.

    Warm up and cool down properly. The Mayo Clinic recommends warming up and cooling down for 5 minutes before and after your power walking exercises.

Read more: Best Way – Exercises for Power Walking | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/way_5289392_exercises-power-walking.html#ixzz0xX5yF8f0

Posted in Health, News

Dance Your Way To A Better Body!

August 23rd, 2010 . No Comments »

Regardless of gender, generation or income group, more and more people are going to the dance floor for a workout versus a gym and an exercise physiologist at New York City’s Hospital for Special Surgery, a leading center for sports medicine, thinks she knows why.

“The best exercise program is one that is safe, balanced, promotes fitness and importantly, one people will do regularly because they enjoy it,” according to Polly de Mille, exercise physiologist at the Women’s Sports Medicine Center at Hospital for Special Surgery.

“The social aspects of dance help to make it very attractive for an increasing number of people versus, say, an elliptical training machine. Scientific studies are now also telling us that many things make dancing an excellent fitness regimen with attractive benefits,” de Mille said.

Of course, balanced, targeted gym workouts can provide excellent fitness benefits as well but for some people, the “fun factor” is missing at the gym.

“Those working out in gyms are often plugged into their iPods or their reading material, following their own regimen. Those dancing, however, are often moving in unison, possibly facing one another or touching, and having a communal experience. Connection and cooperation with others is integral to the experience,” she said.

Dance is also very good for balance and posture, according to Beth Shubin Stein, M.D., an assistant attending orthopaedic surgeon in the Women’s Sports Medicine Center at Hospital for Special Surgery who is trained in sports medicine and shoulder surgery.

“Dance is also a great aerobic workout and in addition tones many different muscle groups,” Dr. Shubin Stein said.

Popular TV programs like ABC-TV’s “Dancing with the Stars,” which returns for its third season September 12, underscore the romance and passion sometimes involved in dance. De Mille cautions, however, that people need to know their limits and pace themselves before considering some of the acrobatic moves seen on TV.

While dance may not be for everyone (de Mille personally finds regular runs in Central Park to be very calming) and a few precautions need to be kept in mind, she says studies clearly show the health benefits of dance compared to gym workouts are impressive. Specifically:

Dance movements are multi-directional versus the straight forward motion on treadmills, ellipticals, Stairmasters etc. Joint mobility may benefit from the varied movements. One study demonstrated improved range of hip motion and flexibility of the spine on young adults who followed a three-month program of dance training.

Dance movements are weight-bearing and varied compared to a stationary bike. That is important for maintaining or improving bone density. Studies of recreational ballet dancers between the ages of 8-14 show higher bone mineral content in their hips and spine than in girls who did not dance.

Dance requires agility and balance as well as various speeds of movement, skills that are generally not a focus of typical gym workouts. Studies of older populations who engage in dance-based exercise programs demonstrate improvement in balance and agility. This may be important in reducing risks of falls in this population.

Dance is mentally stimulating, requiring focus on coordination and learning movement patterns. Most people will read, listen to music, or watch TV to alleviate the boredom associated with most indoor exercise equipment. Dance requires being mentally engaged with physical movement, a constant mind-body connection.

Emotional responses are common in dance and would rarely occur in a gym workout. The music, movement patterns and mental engagement involved in dance often evoke emotions. One study showed that breast cancer survivors who participated in a 12-week dance and movement program not only improved their shoulder range of motion but showed improvements in measures of body image and quality of life.

Dance also can be a substitute for a cardiovascular gym workout. Depending on the type of dance, dance can be an excellent cardiovascular workout when done regularly. It would result in the same health benefits associated with any form of activity that involves sustained effort in the target heart rate zone such as improved cardiovascular function, lipid metabolism, endurance and body composition.

De Mille advises people considering dance as fitness therapy to keep three key points in mind:

Treat any pain first — People should see their doctor and perhaps a physical therapist to have their pain issues diagnosed and treated properly. Pain is a warning signal that something can be wrong.

Wear good shoes — Dance shoes often don’t have the kind of cushioning and support that other exercise shoes offer. Style should not completely replace sensibility. Dancers should be careful about the footwear they select.

Don’t get swept away – People can challenge themselves more than they should. As with any activity, pacing yourself, listening to your body and knowing your limits is important.

“From a mind-body perspective, anything you do successfully on the physical end will positively affect your mental and emotional states. Dancers have excellent posture and just standing a little straighter can have a surprising transfer of power to your next board meeting or challenging conversation,” commented Jenny Susser, Ph.D., a sports psychologist at the Women’s Sports Medicine Center at HSS.

The first of its kind in the United States, the Women’s Sports Medicine Center at HSS is a nationally recognized health resource for active women of all ages and abilities, from eager novices to professional athletes.

About Hospital for Special Surgery

Founded in 1863, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) is a world leader in orthopedics, rheumatology and rehabilitation. HSS is nationally ranked as No. 2 in orthopedics, No. 3 in rheumatology and as among the best in geriatrics and neurology by U.S.News & World Report, and has received Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. In the 2006 edition of HealthGrades’ Hospital Quality in America Study, HSS received five-star ratings for clinical excellence in its specialties. A member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System and an affiliate of Weill Medical College of Cornell University, HSS provides orthopedic and rheumatologic patient care at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital at New York Weill Cornell Medical Center. All Hospital for Special Surgery medical staff are on the faculty of Weill Medical College of Cornell University. The hospital’s research division is internationally recognized as a leader in the investigation of musculoskeletal and autoimmune diseases. Hospital for Special Surgery is located in New York City and online at http://www.hss.edu.

Hospital for Special Surgery

535 E. 70th St.

New York, NY 10021

United States

http://www.hss.edu/

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/52560.php

Posted in Health, Lifestyle, News

How to Live a Healthy Lifestyle

August 19th, 2010 . No Comments »

  1. Healthy food is essential. You are what you eat, so if you eat healthy, you are healthy. If you’re just starting to have a healthy lifestyle, you probably don’t know healthy food.
    1. Food that is low in fat content is good. Unless that fat is poly-unsaturated, mono-unsaturated, or omega 3. These are some of the good fats. Some of the bad fats are trans and saturated fats. These fats raise your LDL cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol. The good fats lower your LDL cholesterol and raise your HDL cholesterol, which is the good cholesterol.
    2. Low sugar content is another plus.. Sucrose is the bad kind of sugar. Glucose is the good kind of sugar. Both are sugar, so both are classified as sugar, on the label. For example, raisins that don’t have sugar added still have a lot of sugar, because it’s the good sugar, glucose.
    3. A variety of food. Fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins and minerals, which you need, but you still need some other vitamins and minerals. For example, not much protein comes from fruits or vegetables. Meat, beans, and tofu are good sources of protein. If you can’t get your vitamins and minerals from the food you eat, you can always take a multivitamin.
  2. Exercise is key for a healthy lifestyle as well. Go to the gym every once in a while, or daily. Or take a run around your neighborhood. Even taking your dog for a walk is good. So long as it’s routine, about an hour, and is at least moderately active. Frequent and routine exercise everyday helps boost the immune system; helps prevent the “disease of affluence” such as: heart disease, cardio vascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. It also improves mental health, and prevent depression.
  3. Dedication. It’s not easy to go from a couch potato to a healthy person. Don’t be discouraged if you satisfy cravings for ice cream, hamburgers, etc. As long as you don’t have a steady diet of unhealthy food, it won’t hurt you too much.
  4. Don’t Yo-yo diet! Do not yo-yo diet. Yo-yo dieting is bad for you and even if they sound healthy, once you stop that diet you can pile on the weight in just a couple of days! Stay away from slimfast, soup diets and diets which you have to eat or drink contents from a packet.
  5. Don’t abuse your body. Don’t work out too much because it can cause your body to not function properly when you work out. It is best to leave a day or two off to get back your energy.
  6. Regulate your weight. Being too fat or skinny isn’t good for you. Your doctor can tell you if you are under or over weight. Exercise and the food you eat can change your weight, so keep that in mind.
  7. Stay Clean. Everyone should have 1 shower per day. Another if you have had a particularly hot or sweaty time. Put on an antiperspirant after your shower. Change your underwear and socks every day, too.
  8. Enjoy Yourself. Don’t stress yourself over anything. Have fun! Stress can tense your muscles, which will make you feel unhappy and unwell. If you worry too much about your health, you’ll be making it worse, so just relax once in a while.
Posted in Health, Lifestyle

Beating The Blues With Exercise…

August 16th, 2010 . No Comments »

Exercise as an antidote to depression and anxiety is not a new concept. In the 18th century Scotland, doctors in mental hospitals prescribed heavy farm chores as “the best medicine” for their patients and documented marked improvements in mood and behavior. Now scientists are studying the link between exercise and mood changes at close range and coming up with some fascinating results.

One expert in the field says “exercise is clearly associated with mental-health benefits.” And moderate exercisers show lowered blood-pressure levels and a resultant positive mood. The key is moderate exercise, performed a minimum of 30 minutes, three or four times a week. Brisk walking, swimming, lifting weights, and bicycling – all achieve good results.

People who exercise regularly, even at something as simple as walking or bicycling, are more flexible. They experience less stress on the muscles and joints when they do bend down the wrong way. Conditioned muscles recover faster, too. It’s the couch potato who hauls himself erect one Saturday afternoon to rake the leaves or shovel snow who has trouble.

The big problem we all face these days is living a stressful life. All families seem to be too busy to sit down together and share the joys and pleasures of life. The little things that once mattered are no longer important and now there is a race for more money, more time and more material possessions.

By using simple relaxation techniques, exercising and making changes in our lifestyles, we can manage stress and take control of your lives! Once you have become aware of stress, it’s time to relax! There are many techniques for relaxing (and no one method is better than another), but the most basic is deep breathing. One of the body’s automatic reactions to stress is rapid, shallow breathing. Breathing slowly and deeply is one of the ways you can “turn off” your stress reaction and “turn on” your relaxation response.

Still another relaxation technique that can help you reduce stress is “clearing your mind.” Since your stress response is a physical and emotional interaction, giving yourself a mental “break” can help relax your body as well. When you clear your mind, you try to concentrate on one pleasant thought, work, or image and let the rest of your worries slip away. A short and quiet walk can do wonders and just a walk around the block will clear your head and often give you a new spurt of energy.

Muscle and joint aches and pains are a common complaint for many of us, living as we do in a sedentary, high-stress society. The cliché warning us to “use it or lose it” isn’t far off the mark. Our bodies pay the price for long hours slumped at our desks or nestled in a soft chair watching television. And if you think some of our aches and pains are just another consequence of aging, you’re wrong – more often, it’s a result of inactivity and weaker muscles.

Doctors now say that walking is one of the best exercises. It helps the total circulation of blood throughout the body, and thus has a direct effect on your overall feeling of health. There are things such a aerobics, jogging, swimming and many other exercises which will benefit a person both physically and mentally. Researchers agree that exercise helps to ease anxiety and lift spirits.c

http://www.healthdiscovery.net/articles/beating_the_blues.htm

Posted in Health, Lifestyle, News

Basic Shopping List for Healthy Meals on a Budget

August 10th, 2010 . 1 Comment »

Healthy eating is too expensive! This is what many people think, but it’s a myth. Sure, there are choices to be made, and sometimes convenience foods bump up grocery prices, but it is possible to eat healthy meals on a budget. Here’s how to develop a low budget shopping list for healthy meals.

Healthy and Cheap

Eating healthy can be difficult when your family's budget is low. Healthy foods, such as fresh produce are notoriously expensive, while less nutritious options can be more affordable. This is probably why many low income families fall into poor nutrition habits. According to a bulletin provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, one quarter of children ages two to eleven years old don't get at least three vegetables in their diet each day, and less than one half eat at least two fruits per day. Healthy meals can happen on a tight budget, but it does require a little planning ahead. Get some tips on smart, healthy eating as well as planning a healthy grocery list on a budget.

Avoid Pre-packaged & Processed Foods

Choosing healthy and inexpensive food items at the same time are the challenge. Pre-packaged foods cost a lot of money and usually are not good for you either. So when hitting the food aisles, you'll need to get back to the basics.

Cheap Breakfast Staples:

For example, oatmeal is a very healthy breakfast food. It can be purchased in large canisters for much less than the instant flavored envelopes that are so popular. Regular oatmeal in the canister can be bought as a "one minute variety" which actually takes little time to prepare. You can add your own flavorings, such as honey and nuts or fruit. You'll get much more servings from the large canister of oatmeal than that small box of instant.

Another healthy and cheap breakfast food is pancakes. You can make them with the staples you probably keep in your pantry. Replace half the flour with whole wheat or buckwheat flour. You can make pancakes or waffles and freeze them ahead of time for quick breakfasts any day of the week.

Budget Lunch & Dinner Essentials:

Buy large boxes of store brand whole wheat pastas and brown rice instead of their white counterparts. The price is comparable, but whole wheat pasta and brown rice are much healthier. Brown rice contains B vitamins that are stripped away with the hulling process used to make white rice.

Purchase potatoes for vitamin C-rich meal options that are as frugal as they are versatile. Whether baked, boiled, mashed, or made into potato salads, the same potato can offer many different menu options. You can't beat the price when 10lb cost less than $7 in a typical supermarket.

Another low cost item that offers great health benefits is the egg. Eggs are great for any meal, as they can be added to stir frys, made into fritattas, or scrambled up for breakfast. They contain protein and B vitamins and are very healthy choices.

Finally, dried beans shouldn't be forgotten when planning healthy and frugal meals. High in protein, they can be made in burritos, refried for dips, eaten on salads, or ladled up in soups.

Please continue on to the next page of this Budget Eating article to learn tips on how to affordably include more fruits and vegetables in your diet. You'll also be provided with a list of low cost food items you can add to your grocery list on a budget.

Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/health/diet-nutrition/articles/22243.aspx#ixzz0wDCMSgXZ

Posted in Health, News

Exercise Improves Body Image For Fit And Unfit Alike

August 9th, 2010 . 7 Comments »

ScienceDaily (Oct. 9, 2009) — Attention weekend warriors: the simple act of exercise and not fitness itself can convince you that you look better, a new University of Florida study finds.

People who don’t achieve workout milestones such as losing fat, gaining strength or boosting cardiovascular fitness feel just as good about their bodies as their more athletic counterparts, said Heather Hausenblas, a UF exercise psychologist. Her study is published in the September issue of the Journal of Health Psychology.

“You would think that if you become more fit that you would experience greater improvements in terms of body image, but that’s not what we found,” she said. “It may be that the requirements to receive the psychological benefits of exercise, including those relating to body image, differ substantially from the physical benefits.”

The study by Hausenblas and graduate student Anna Campbell is the first to systematically analyze the wide-ranging effects of exercise on body image by examining all intervention studies on the subject until June 2008. From the 57 publications, the researchers found conclusively that exercise buffed up the way people see their bodies regardless of the actual benefits, but the results varied.

Negative body image has grown to almost epidemic proportions in the past 20 years, with as many as 60 percent of adults in national studies saying they don’t like the way their bodies look, Hausenblas said.

Americans spend billions of dollars a year for products designed to change their body size and shape, including diet pills and various cosmetic procedures, she said.

“Body dissatisfaction is a huge problem in our society and is related to all sorts of negative behavior including yo-yo dieting, smoking, taking steroids and undergoing cosmetic surgery,” she said. “It affects men and women and all ages, starting with kids who are as young as five years old saying they don’t like how their bodies look.”

The psychological advantages of exercise have been less explored, including the reduction of depression or confidence in body image, compared with the well-researched and understood physical benefits, she said.

The study found no difference in body image improvement between people who met the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines by exercising at least 30 minutes a day five days a week and those who did not, Hausenblas said. The guidelines are considered the minimum amount of exercise needed to receive the health related benefits of physical activity, she said.

“We would have thought that people exercising this amount would have felt better about their bodies than those who did not work out as much,” she said.

In other results, the study showed slightly larger benefits from exercise in terms of improving body image for women than men, Hausenblas said.

“We believed the gap would be much bigger, but what could be coming into play is the rise of body image issues among men,” she said. “We’re seeing more media portrayals of the ideal physique for men rather than the overriding emphasis on women we did in the past.”

Age presented another difference, with older people most likely to report enhanced body images from exercise, Hausenblas said. The gap may be explained by the older generation having more concerns about their body image than young people, who tend to exercise more, she said.

While the frequency of exercise mattered for boosting body perceptions, there were no differences for the duration, intensity, length or type of exercise, the study found.

“People who say they have high body dissatisfaction tend to exercise the least, so we wanted to take it a step further and see whether exercise causes people’s body image to improve,” she said.

Kathleen Martin Ginis, a kinesiology professor at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, and exercise expert, praised the research. “This is an important study because it shows that doing virtually any type of exercise, on a regular basis, can help people feel better about their bodies,” she said. “With such a large segment of the population dissatisfied with their physiques, it’s encouraging to know that even short, frequent bouts of lower intensity exercise can improve body image.”

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091008123235.htm

Posted in Health, News
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