The Pool Is Open

I was over at my son’s house over the weekend, they opened the pool and we had a great time. Even though there were not any small children around, I thought back to when they were small, and we would always have to be on guard constantly whether we were at home, at a public pool or on vacation around the Ocean.

So remember to stay safe, active, and healthy when it’s hot outside.

Drowning is a leading cause of death in infants, children and adolescents. Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) so you can act quickly to prevent drowning.

Stay Active without over doing it. There are many ways to stay active and beat the heat.

Here are a few:
Go to a gym for a nice, cool environment with a variety of activities.

Use the equipment, work out with free weights, or whatever turns you on, but remember to pace yourself. Listen to your body, and it will tell you when enough is enough.Visit your favorite local swimming hole or take swimming lessons at a pool.

Start a walking group with your friends at the mall. It’s another way to stay connected, focused and motivated.

Take up an indoor sport, such as racquetball, basketball or volleyball, or taking an aerobics class.

Go ice skating. Yes they are open in the Summer also.

If you are outside when it’s hot and humid, wear light, comfortable clothing and work out in the early morning or late evening. Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. If you experience symptoms, stop exercising and cool down immediately by dousing yourself with cold water. You may need medical attention.

Heat exhaustion can progress quickly to heat stroke, which can kill you. Learn about hot weather and cardiovascular disease and the symptoms of heat exhaustion and stroke.

Fire up the grill Keep these tips in mind to help you grill “fat-sensibly” this summer.Try grilling fish. The healthiest types include salmon, trout and herring, which are high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Buy chicken breasts instead of the fattier dark meat (legs and thighs). Remember to remove the skin before eating or try grilling chicken or turkey burgers using breast meat and add diced onions for more flavor.

Choose “loin” and “round” cuts of red meat and pork. Look for “choice” or “select” grades of beef instead of “prime.” While these have the least amount of fat, don’t forget to trim the fat when you get home. Use a rack so the fat drips away from the food.

If you wonder about a need to supplement your diet, Here are a few things to think about.

There is no one single pill that will supply all your daily requirements, but multiple vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other supplements are readily available in tonic, pill, and many other forms.

But what do you really need to be healthier? And how much do you need? And how can you make sure that you are getting it?

For starters, WebMD compiled an expert-approved list of the top five healthiest nutrients and how to get them. Go there and browse the site for yourself. Here is the short version.Calcium Hands down, calcium, which comes from foods including low-fat dairy products and supplements, is essential for a healthy body. How do you know? Consider that an 8 oz glass of milk or calcium-fortified juice or a cup of yogurt contains about 300 mg.

So, take a look at what you are normally eating, and if you are not in the range, consider a supplement.

Magnesium The Daily Value (DV) for magnesium is around 400 mg. However, most magnesium researchers say we need two to three times this amount, especially for people who have magnesium-deficient conditions including heart disease, muscle cramps, headaches, and muscle pain.

Magnesium deficiencies are seen in a host of conditions including asthma, diabetes, kidney disease, and even migraines. Magnesium also helps with calcium absorption, so you need it to help build healthy bones. Magnesium is harder to get through foods, so supplements are usually necessary.

Magnesium-rich foods do include almonds, peanuts, brown rice, and cereals like oat bran and shredded wheat.

Vitamin B which includes B-6, B-12, and folate (folic acid) are key to overall health.According to the American Heart Association, homocysteine is an amino acid that has been linked to an increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and other major diseases. It may damage the inner lining of arteries and promote blood clots, but researchers are still not sure exactly how it affects disease risk.

However homocysteine levels are strongly influenced by diet, and several studies have found that higher blood levels of B vitamins are related, at least partly, to lower concentrations of homocysteine. The Daily Values for the B vitamins are: folate, 400 micrograms or more; B-6, 1.5-2 mg; and B-12, 2.4-3 mcg.

Today, cereals, breads, and other grain products are fortified with extra folate. Also fruits and vegetables like spinach, oranges, broccoli, and asparagus have high levels of folate. Check your multivitamin to see how it stacks up with B-6 for body function, and B-12 for energy.

Vitamin D, or the sunshine vitamin because your body makes it in response to sunlight, is often overlooked today. More people are staying out of the sun and as a result are becoming deficient in vitamin D and setting themselves up for fractures.Vitamin D helps your bones properly use calcium. Normally 15 minutes of sunlight per day with sunscreen is a good idea.

Dairy products including milk yogurt and cheese all are fortified with vitamin D. Aim for 600 IU for vitamin D.

Multi vitamins One way to make sure that you get at least the minimum amount of all your vitamins and minerals is to take a Multi Vitamin every day. There is quite a bit of evidence that multivitamins are important for general health, immunity, and well-being. Vitamins were traditionally useful in preventing deficiency disease which we don’t really see so more in this country.

Today vitamins are used to support normal organ and body functions, enhance immunity, improve cardiovascular function, and even prevent cancer.

Enjoy It!

Extra Virgin Keeps You Healthy

One of the main ingredients used in the Mediterranean Diet is Extra Virgin Olive oil. I got the cookbook as a ‘present’, while recovering from open heart surgery.

I use extra virgin olive oil as part of a healthy, well-balanced diet, with fruits, vegetables and wholegrain breads and cereals. My favorite dish is Chicken Fried Rice, and it has a great taste too.

It is well documented that people living in Mediterranean regions have reduced risk for certain chronic diseases and longer life expectancy when compared with other groups of people in the world. This is in spite of their high dietary fat intake, which usually makes up more than 30% of total energy intake.

Some of the other claims of the Mediterranean Diet are that it helps with mental health, blood sugar health and weight management, keeps DNA healthy, protects cells from damage, and helps keep blood pressure in normal range.

NOW Foods’ Extra Virgin Olive Oil is cholesterol-free and has been a mainstay worldwide since Biblical days. It has less than 1% oleic acid as well as many other oil components.

The FDA's website says: Limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that eating about 2 tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the monounsaturated fat in olive oil. To achieve this possible benefit, olive oil is to replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day. One serving of this Olive Oil contains 11.5 grams of olive oil.

Extra virgin oil is the top grade of olive oil. It is made from the first ‘pressing’ of good-quality olives. The oil is removed (extracted) by a traditional cold-pressing method, where no chemicals and only a small amount of heat are applied.Research has come up with a number of other benefits from using olive oil. It may help reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases such as: cardiovascular disease and cancer including breast, colon, lung, ovarian and skin cancers. Other studies have shown that olive oil may also help reduce or manage blood pressure, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis and immune function. It may also increase your life expectancy.

Now the latest study to be published supports keeping DNA healthy. It is thought that olive oil may also help keep LDL cholesterol healthy. Oxidation of LDL is thought to be one of the precursors to the onset of heart disease which is the #2 killer of Americans and costs our healthcare system almost $450 billion per year. But now a new study has found that it is indeed polyphenols in olive oil that help keep red blood cells healthy.

In the study, researchers obtained blood samples from healthy, non-smoker volunteers and they then treated the blood samples with either olive oil antioxidants or placebo. Then they exposed the blood samples to a chemical compound called AAPH, known to cause oxidative damage.

The researchers found all of the olive oil antioxidants with the exception of EA were able to significantly reduce cell damage from AAPH. Specifically, 20 micromoles of hydroxytyrosol and EDA protected 50% and 65% of the red blood cells, respectively. Even more important, the protective effects against cell damage increased as dosage increased, with the 80 micromoles of hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, and EDA protecting 95%, 93%, and 95% of the red blood cells, respectively. But it was EDA that had the most consistently protective effects starting at 20 micromoles and was the most effective protector of red blood cells.

This was the first time it was demonstrated that 3,4-DHPEA-EDA, one of the most important olive oil polyphenols, may play a noteworthy protective role against [cell damage] in human cells. So replace those saturated fats with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

I Think, Therefore I Eat More?

That is basically what a Canadian research team recently discovered. The results were published in a recent issue of Psychosomatic Medicine.

The research team recruited a group of students and measured their spontaneous food intake after completing three tasks: relaxing in a sitting position, reading and summarizing a text, and completing a series of memory, attention, and vigilance tests on the computer. After 45 minutes at each activity, participants were invited to eat as much as they wanted from a buffet.

They determined that each session of intellectual work required only three more calories than the rest period. Despite the low energy cost of mental work, the students spontaneously consumed 203 more calories after summarizing a text and 253 more calories after the computer tests.

Blood samples taken before, during, and after each session revealed that intellectual work causes much bigger fluctuations in glucose and insulin levels than rest periods. Jean-Philippe Chaput, the study's main author stated "Caloric overcompensation following intellectual work, combined with the fact that we are less physically active when doing intellectual tasks, could contribute to the obesity epidemic currently observed in industrialized countries,” he further concluded that this is a factor that should not be ignored, considering that more and more people hold jobs of an intellectual nature.

As I sit here and think about it the more I am craving a snack. You may not believe this but I just checked my blood sugar and it is up from what it was earlier and I have not eaten recently. I guess that means that it’s possible that all this increased thinking while sitting is helping make us fatter.

So maybe I won’t get rid of the Treadmill to gain space after all!

P.S. If you are wondering how to supplement your weight loss program search Here.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil tastes good and is Healthy too

Replace those saturated fats with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

NOW Foods’ Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a savory cholesterol-free oil that has been a mainstay worldwide since Biblical days. Our oil is produced to exacting standards of less than 1% oleic acid as well as many other oil components.

From the FDA's website: Limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that eating about 2 tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the monounsaturated fat in olive oil. To achieve this possible benefit, olive oil is to replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day. One serving of this Olive Oil contains 11.5 grams of olive oil.

Extra virgin oil is the top grade of olive oil. It is made from the first ‘pressing’ of good-quality olives. The oil is removed (extracted) by a traditional cold-pressing method, where no chemicals and only a small amount of heat are applied.

Choosing extra virgin olive oil as a main source of dietary fat is good for your health. This is true when used as part of a healthy, well-balanced diet, with fruits, vegetables and wholegrain breads and cereals. I use it when I make Chicken Fried Rice, and it has a great taste too.

Extra Virgin Olive oil is used extensively in the 'Mediterranean diet'. I got the cookbook as a ‘present’, while recovering from open heart surgery. The research shows that people living in Mediterranean regions have reduced risk for certain chronic diseases and longer life expectancy, compared with other groups of people in the world. This is despite their high dietary fat intake, which usually makes up a large proportion of their total energy intake (more than 30 per cent).

Research has come up with a number of other benefits from using olive oil. It may help reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases such as: cardiovascular disease and cancer including breast, colon, lung, ovarian and skin cancers. Other studies have shown that olive oil may also help reduce or manage blood pressure, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis and immune function. It may also increase your life expectancy.

So give it a try, if you are trying to change your life style a bit, by trying to eat healthier. This is cheap and easy to live with.

Weight Gains later in Life? Here's Why!

I was able to maintain my weight up until my mid to late 30's by eating a set amount of calories, but started to gain weight afterwards even though I tried to do the same things. The reason was that like most people I started to lose muscle mass at this point in my life.

Earlier in life your body builds muscle mass, but then by about your mid 30s it begins to diminish if it is not used. When your body starts to lose muscle mass, it leads to a lower metabolic rate, resulting in fewer calories burned daily.

Strength training is necessary for preventing muscle loss. Examples of activities that help maintain muscle mass include push ups, sit ups, walking or hiking with some weight in a backpack, and of course going to the gym and lifting weights or using a machine with variable resistance. In my case I stayed active in sports, and later worked for a major Airline Carrier on the "Ramp", which helped me stay reasonably fit.

But maintaining muscle mass isn’t the only way to keep from gaining weight. Making wise food choices becomes all the more important as the years pass.

Decreasing mindless calories is a great place to begin. Pass up the handful of chips when walking past a bowlful. When you feel full, stop eating, and save the leftovers for another meal. It doesn't take much to add pounds over the years, or much effort to keep it from happening.

As we get older, maintaining muscle mass and taking extra care with what we eat can keep us all fit, trim and slim. We can be sure that some things will change as we age, but it doesn't have to be our belt size.

Are We Having Fun Yet?

OK, as of June 21st the days are longer and the rising temperatures signal summertime. So here are some reminders about staying safe, active, safe and heart healthy when it’s hot outside.

Pools Open I was over at my son’s house over the weekend, and we had a great time. Even though there were not any small children around, I thought back to when they were small, and we would always have to be on guard constantly whether we were at home, at a public pool or on vacation around the Ocean.

Drowning is a leading cause of death in infants, children and adolescents. Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) so you can act quickly to prevent drowning.

Stay Active without over doing it There are a lot of ways to stay active and beat the heat.

Here are a few: Go to a gym for a nice, cool environment with a variety of activities. Use the equipment, work out with free weights, or whatever turns you on, but remember to pace yourself. Listen to your body, and it will tell you when enough is enough.
Visit your favorite local swimming hole or take swimming lessons at a pool.
Start a walking group with your friends at the mall. It’s another way to stay connected, focused and motivated.

Take up an indoor sport, such as racquetball, basketball or volleyball, or taking an aerobics class.

Go ice skating. Yes they are open in the Summer also.

If you are outside when it’s hot and humid, wear light, comfortable clothing and work out in the early morning or late evening. Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. If you experience symptoms, stop exercising and cool down immediately by dousing yourself with cold water. You may need medical attention.

Heat exhaustion can progress quickly to heat stroke, which can kill you. Learn about hot weather and cardiovascular disease and the symptoms of heat exhaustion and stroke.

Fire up the grill Keep these tips in mind to help you grill “fat-sensibly” this summer.

Try grilling fish. The healthiest types include salmon, trout and herring, which are high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Buy chicken breasts instead of the fattier dark meat (legs and thighs). Remember to remove the skin before eating or try grilling chicken or turkey burgers using breast meat and add diced onions for more flavor.

Choose “loin” and “round” cuts of red meat and pork. Look for “choice” or “select” grades of beef instead of “prime.” While these have the least amount of fat, don’t forget to trim the fat when you get home.

Use a rack so the fat drips away from the food.

Supplements If you wonder about a need to supplement your diet, Here are a few things to think about.

There is no one single pill that will supply all your daily requirements, but multiple vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other supplements are readily available in tonic, pill, and many other forms.But what do you really need to be healthier? And how much do you need? And how can you make sure that you are getting it?

For starters, WebMD compiled an expert-approved list of the top five healthiest nutrients and how to get them.Go there and browse the site for yourself. Here is the short version.

Calcium Hands down, calcium, which comes from foods including low-fat dairy products and supplements, is essential for a healthy body. How do you know? Consider that an 8 oz glass of milk or calcium-fortified juice or a cup of yogurt contains about 300 mg.

So, take a look at what you are normally eating, and if you are not in the range, consider a supplement.

Magnesium The Daily Value (DV) for magnesium is around 400 mg. However, most magnesium researchers say we need two to three times this amount, especially for people who have magnesium-deficient conditions including heart disease, muscle cramps, headaches, and muscle pain.

Magnesium deficiencies are seen in a host of conditions including asthma, diabetes, kidney disease, and even migraines. Magnesium also helps with calcium absorption, so you need it to help build healthy bones. Magnesium is harder to get through foods, so supplements are usually necessary.

Magnesium-rich foods do include almonds, peanuts, brown rice, and cereals like oat bran and shredded wheat.Vitamin B which includes B-6, B-12, and folate (folic acid) are key to overall health.

According to the American Heart Association, homocysteine is an amino acid that has been linked to an increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and other major diseases. It may damage the inner lining of arteries and promote blood clots, but researchers are still not sure exactly how it affects disease risk.

However homocysteine levels are strongly influenced by diet, and several studies have found that higher blood levels of B vitamins are related, at least partly, to lower concentrations of homocysteine. The Daily Values for the B vitamins are: folate, 400 micrograms or more; B-6, 1.5-2 mg; and B-12, 2.4-3 mcg.

Today, cereals, breads, and other grain products are fortified with extra folate. Also fruits and vegetables like spinach, oranges, broccoli, and asparagus have high levels of folate. Check your multivitamin to see how it stacks up with B-6 for body function, and B-12 for energy.

Vitamin D, or the sunshine vitamin because your body makes it in response to sunlight, is often overlooked today. More people are staying out of the sun and as a result are becoming deficient in vitamin D and setting themselves up for fractures.

Vitamin D helps your bones properly use calcium. Normally 15 minutes of sunlight per day with sunscreen is a good idea.Dairy products including milk yogurt and cheese all are fortified with vitamin D. Aim for 600 IU for vitamin D.

Multi vitamins One way to make sure that you get at least the minimum amount of all your vitamins and minerals is to take a Multi Vitamin every day. There is quite a bit of evidence that multivitamins are important for general health, immunity, and well-being. Vitamins were traditionally useful in preventing deficiency disease which we don’t really see so more in this country.

Today vitamins are used to support normal organ and body functions, enhance immunity, improve cardiovascular function, and even prevent cancer.

Enjoy your Summer!

One of the Best Food Charts Ever

I found this chart and kept it for reference. I thought I would share it.

Apples	Protects your heart	prevents constipation	Blocks diarrhea	Improves lung capacity	Cushions joints
Apricots	Combats cancer	Controls blood pressure	Saves your eyesight	Shields against Alzheimer's	Slows aging process
Artichokes	Aids digestion	Lowers cholesterol	Protects your heart	Stabilizes blood sugar	Guards against liver disease
Avocados	Battles diabetes	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	Controls blood pressure	Smoothes skin
Bananas	Protects your heart	Quiets a cough	Strengthens bones	Controls blood pressure	Blocks diarrhea
Beans	Prevents constipation	Helps hemorrhoids	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Stabilizes blood sugar
Beets	Controls blood pressure	Combats cancer	Strengthens bones	Protects your heart	Aids weight loss
Blueberries	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Stabilizes blood sugar	Boosts memory	Prevents constipation
Broccoli	Strengthens bones	Saves eyesight	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Controls blood pressure
Cabbage	Combats cancer	Prevents constipation	Promotes weight loss	Protects your heart	Helps hemorrhoids
Cantaloupe	Saves eyesight	Controls blood pressure	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Supports immune system
Carrots	Saves eyesight	Protects your heart	Prevents constipation	Combats cancer	Promotes weight loss
Cauliflower	Protects against Prostate Cancer	Combats Breast Cancer	Strengthens bones	Banishes bruises	Guards against heart disease
Cherries	Protects your heart	Combats Cancer	Ends insomnia	Slows aging process	Shields against Alzheimer's
Chestnuts	Promotes weight loss	Protects your heart	Lowers cholesterol	Combats Cancer	Controls blood pressure
Chili peppers	Aids digestion	Soothes sore throat	Clears sinuses	Combats Cancer	Boosts immune system
Figs	Promotes weight loss	Helps stops strokes	Lowers cholesterol	Combats Cancer	Controls blood pressure
Fish	Protects your heart	Boosts memory	Protects your heart	Combats Cancer	Supports immune system
Flax	Aids digestion	Battles diabetes	Protects your heart	Improves mental health	Boosts immune system
Garlic	Lowers cholesterol	Controls blood pressure	Combats cancer	kills bacteria	Fights fungus
Grapefruit	Protects against heart attacks	Promotes Weight loss	Helps stops strokes	Combats Prostate Cancer	Lowers cholesterol
Grapes	saves eyesight	Conquers kidney stones	Combats cancer	Enhances blood flow	Protects your heart
Green tea	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Helps stops strokes	Promotes Weight loss	Kills bacteria
Honey	Heals wounds	Aids digestion	Guards against ulcers	Increases energy	Fights allergies
Lemons	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Controls blood pressure	Smoothes skin	Stops scurvy
Limes	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Controls blood pressure	Smoothes skin	Stops scurvy
Mangoes	Combats cancer	Boosts memory	Regulates thyroid	aids digestion	Shields against Alzheimer's
Mushrooms	Controls blood pressure	Lowers cholesterol	Kills bacteria	Combats cancer	Strengthens bones
Oats	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Battles diabetes	prevents constipation	Smoothes skin
Olive oil	Protects your heart	Promotes Weight loss	Combats cancer	Battles diabetes	Smoothes skin
Onions	Reduce risk of heart attack	Combats cancer	Kills bacteria	Lowers cholesterol	Fights fungus
Oranges	Supports immune systems	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Straightens respiration
Peaches	prevents constipation	Combats cancer	Helps stops strokes	aids digestion	Helps hemorrhoids
Peanuts	Protects against heart disease	Promotes Weight loss	Combats Prostate Cancer	Lowers cholesterol	Aggravates Diverticulitis
Pineapple	Strengthens bones	Relieves colds	Aids digestion	Dissolves warts	Blocks diarrhea
Prunes	Slows aging process	prevents constipation	boosts memory	Lowers cholesterol	Protects against heart disease
Rice	Protects your heart	Battles diabetes	Conquers kidney stones	Combats cancer	Helps stops strokes
Strawberries	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	boosts memory	Calms stress
Sweet potatoes	Saves your eyesight	Lifts mood	Combats cancer	Strengthens bones
Tomatoes	Protects prostate	Combats cancer	Lowers cholesterol	Protects your heart
Walnuts	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	boosts memory	Lifts mood	Protects against heart disease
Water	Promotes Weight loss	Combats cancer	Conquers kidney stones	Smoothes skin
Watermelon	Protects prostate	Promotes Weight loss	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	Controls blood pressure
Wheat germ	Combats Colon Cancer	prevents constipation	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	improves digestion
Wheat bran	Combats Colon Cancer	prevents constipation	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	improves digestion
Yogurt	Guards against ulcers	Strengthens bones	Lowers cholesterol	Supports immune systems	Aids digestion

Lemon yogurt is the only natural anti-biotic without side effects.

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