Archive for August, 2009

Flat Belly? You May Live Longer

Recently I found out some new and interesting links to longevity, or the life span that you will live as a human, and the habits and traits you possess.  The bottom line is, your habits have a lot to do with your longevity, however, some of it is genetics and so to day “in God’s hands” when it comes to certain things you cannot control such as acts of God or genetic disorders that give you a leg down when it come to living the longest life possible here on the planet earth.

However, one of the best things about it is that if you have a flat belly, you already have some benefits when it comes to your likelihood of reaching centenarian status.  A centenarian is a 100 year old person by the way, and that definitely may become a lot more common over the next twenty to thirty years because of our abundance of education and technological advances as well as advances in nutrition.

A flat belly and midsection area is indicative of a few things in both men and women.  A beer belly or a bigger midsection automatically increases your risk for heart disease for example.  It is thought that an abundance of what is called visceral fat, which is fat that surround the organs, and the type of fat that is usually found in the midsection of people with larger bellies, actually puts more stress on the organs and therefore on the heart, and causes people to overstress their heart and leads to various types of heart disease.

By the way, another thing you can do is check your pulse, and if you heart beats at 60 times per minute, you’re pretty much good to go, but if it beats more than this at a resting rate, than you may want to look into how you can naturally improve this.  Apparently, the more beats your heart puts out per minute, the more stress you’re putting on it, essentially lowering the life time of your precious heart by beating it up.  Things that can increase heart rate are lack of exercise, smoking and using stimulants.

Some of the ways you can decrease your belly fat and make it more likely that you a) will not develop significant diseases and b) will live longer, you can add fiber to your daily meals.  This helps maintain a trim midsection.  You can also incorporate several 30 minute workouts into your schedule every week as this helps to shed the fat in the belly area.  You can also increase your HEALTHY fat intake, which means your omega 3’s by adding things like almonds and walnuts and fish to your diet and avoiding anything with transfats.

Beware of Cereal Calories!

When you go cereal shopping, if cereal is something that you like to eat for breakfast, or just something that you like to have around as a snack for once in a while, you really want to be mindful of looking at the calories that are in each serving of a cereal. The reason for that is because you can easily consume a 600 calorie bowl of cereal if you’re not careful, especially when you consider that the milk you use adds at least another 100 to 150 calories by itself.  I  of course recommend that you use a fat free milk as this greatly cuts the milk calories down in your bowl of cereal.

I prefer to use Lactaid Fat Free milk because a lot of the milk fat and lactose that are difficult to digest and may hamper the efficient digestion and elimination of the cereal and milk are not present and therefore don’t provide any real roadblocks to the complete digestion of the product.  Digestion and elimination of a product are very important as that means they are less likely to be stored as fat on the body and excess calories, which is why an easily digestable diet is always recommended by experts.

I tend to favor heavier cereals over the lighter ones like Cheerios of Frosted flakes, because I like my cereals with a little more substance to them and more heavy fiber, and I’ve also found unfortunately that the “heavier” a cereal is in fiber, usually also the more calories it has.  Lighter cereals often don’t keep you as full as long, so that is another consideration.  But consider for example one of my favorite cereals, Cracklin Oat Bran.

It’s a very heavy cereal and full bodies and doesn’t really leave you feeling hungry.  However, in that tiny box they sell there are a whopping TEN servings, with 200 calories each for just the cereal alone.  That means that tiny box holds about 2,000 calories in cereal, so you have to be very careful about how your portioning out your bowls and make sure you are only taking about a 300 calorie serving so that your milk adds another 100, and you total about 400 calories for breakfast, which is about right.

Another of my favorites has similar calories, but they actually give more generous servings, frosted mini wheats, but they do really fill you up and are practically all fiber, so I do still indulge in those once in a while too.

An Alkaline Salad Dressing Recipe

I’ve been searching for a simple, alkaline greek salad dressing that actually tastes good and is all natural, and I think I finally found it.  An alkaline diet is becoming more popular to help people correct their body’s pH balance and return to a normal state that is easier to stay thin as well as to stay disease free.  The alkaline diet is great for if you have digestion or constipation problems, and also helps those that can’t lose weight to lose it, as well as to correct a multitude of health problems per it’s biggest advocates.  I’ve personally found that when I consume a more alkaline diet, I feel better, my digestion is better, I have no heart burn, and less gastrointestinal discomfort, so I do believe it does some of the things it claims to personally.

Here is my simple recipe for an alkaline lemon juice based salad dressing – enjoy!

1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed.  I found that this is usually 2-3 whole lemons depending on their size and how juicy they are.

1/2 cup olive oil extra virgin I like to substitute about 1/8 of this 1/2 cup with water to lessen the fat content and that works fine.

1 Tablespoon of sea salt.  Please don’t use regular table salt, sea salt is more alkaline in nature.

4 cloves of garlic pressed through a garlic press.

1 teaspoon or oregano

1 teaspoon of parsley

1 teaspoon of sweet basil.

I mix this all together in my mini food processor and whirl it around a few times.  It will come out with a light lemon yellow color.  You can referigerate it, but it will separate and need to be shaken prior to each use.  It is delicious and flavorful, especially as it sits longer, and you barely need any of this dressing on your salad, so it last forever. Trust me, don’t over do it with this dressing, you only need less than a tablespoon for a medium sized salad to flavor it, perhaps even less once it sits a few days and collects more flavor.

The Joys of Growing Your Own Food

More and more people, especially with the economy these days, as well as the new awareness that is spreading about the benefits of locally grown produce, are actually making their first foray into the gardening market. I’ve tried my hand at gardening, with some degree of success, and some degree of miserable failure as well, but I’ve learned along the way, and I’ve also learned how fulfilling it is to see something grow into a vegetable from a plant, and how much better it tastes. It’s almost a world of difference between a home grown tomato and a store bought tomato, for instance. Rarely will a home grown, fresh and un radiated tomato taste grainy or flavorless.

There is something to be gained from that. The less flavor and texture a piece of fruit of a veggie has, the less nutrients it most likely has, so you know you are getting a double bang for your buck when you grow your own fruits and veggies, because not only are you getting excellent flavor, but the fruit or veggie is also retaining a lot of it’s texture and flavor and makes for much better cooking and eating. Cucumbers are another one that I love fresh and home grown. They are so tender, so flavorful, compared to the bland, tough ones you buy at the grocery store, and you can just put a touch of olive oil and seasoning on them and eat them right up.

Remembering back to when my grandma and grandpa first introduced me to gardening, I didn’t appreciate the difference between store bought fruits and veggies and what they had grown in their own back yard, but I always knew that the foods that my grandma cooked, especially in the summer, seemed to be brimming with life and flavor. As an adult, I fully appreciate the money savings that gardening offers, as well as the health benefits.

Just for the nutrient benefits alone, gardening is immensely healthful. Not only that, I think that there is something inherently healthy and fulfilling about having your own garden. I know that pulling up after I get off work and seeing that some more of my tomatoes have ripened and are ready to be sliced up for a salad is immensely rewarding. Or picking some cilantro for a fresh salsa. There is something very instinctually rewarding and “right” about gardening and I’d encourage everyone to at least try your hand at it.

Eating with a Distraction?

It’s mind boggling when you think of how many Americans eat their dinner, lunch, snacks, breakfast and anything in between, when they are watching television. TV has become such a major distraction to us in our every day lives, and is such a “turn your mind off and relax” thing, that we look forward to doing it every night. Most of us at least, and by the way I’m not counting myself out of that circle because it is true for me as well.

You’ve probably heard before out of the thousands of little diet tips and how to be healthier and have a better relationship with your food, that eating with distractions of any kind, possibly even reading, is actually not good because it makes you lose your focus on how your food tastes, savoring your food and enjoying it for what it is, and also losing track of how much food you are actually stuffing down your gullet as you blindly watch that last episode of Grey’s Anatomy.

When I really think about how I eat when I watch television, it is sort of true that I don’t really enjoy my food as much as if I’m in a restaurant where there are no distractions, only good conversation, and how much more I focus on and enjoy my food, but also how much faster I’m tuned into the fact that I’m full and done eating, whereas when I’m watching TV, tend to want to eat more and more and more. You get the point. It gets to the point where you correlate watching TV with eating, and therefore you subconsciously want to eat the whole time you’re enjoying a movie or a TV show.

Sitting at the dinner table with your family, husband or partner, or just by yourself, actually may seem boring, and to some people it even sounds a bit scary. They’ve had the TV or some other distraction for years when they sit down to eat, and now that is being taken away and that does create some anxiety I suppose. However, when you realize how much less you might eat and how much quicker your appetite is satisfied, and how much more you become in touch with being full and actually savoring the textures, scents and flavors of your food, you just might always want to eat that way!

Can You Walk or Bike to Work?

If you are within a reasonable distance to walk or bike (faster than walking), then you by all means may want to examine the possibility. After all, you’ll not only contribute to a better environment by not emitting exhaust fumes from your car every day, but you’ll also save an immense amount of money on gasoline, and you’ll also give a significant boost to your metabolism for the day, simultaneously conditioning your leg muscles as well as your cardio fitness level.

I’d say that’s an allover win situation. Of course I’m overlooking the obvious in that it may take you a longer time to get to work this way, and thereby deprive you of a little bit of that precious shut eye, however, if you can get to work fairly fast without a car, then you may actually cut time off your commute, especially if you have a high traffic area with lots of stop lights.

When a study was done on whether those that commute to work via a bike or by walking, versus those that commute by vehicle, it was found that those that biked or walked performed much better on a treadmill and had better heart rate performances. So, if you think you have what it takes to bike or walk to work, it’s definitely worth it, so you can help the environment, save mileage on the car, save gas money and improve your cardiovascular health. You could be the next Ed Bagley Jr!

Food Supply to be Under Stricter Control

It seems like there is always some sort of outbreak in the news that is usually linked to one of our food sources, perhaps a plant that has been producing food that is tainted with salmonella, or maybe e. coli, two of the most popular and easy to breed and catch, and two of the most popular ones that are in the news regarding food safety. Sometimes it’s more serious, such as the news story I heard recently where people actually died (I believe it was in India) because they had drank wine that was made illegally and was contaminated with something that was almost instantly lethal.

Now, the Obama administration, under increasing pressure from consumer advocacy groups and lobbyists, has decided to crack down on our food sources, giving the FDA, or Food and Drug Administration, a higher authority to be able to crack down on factories and their parent corporations that are producing food in unsanitary conditions or not adhering to control efforts to reduce the likelihood of contamination of bacterias and pathogens of different kinds.

The food safety bill is being hailed as a big step in the right direction toward tighter restriction and steeper punishments for those that put out food that is unsafe, so that we may hear less of these scary stories in the news about spinach leaves or peanuts being contaminated with something deadly. My hope is that they would put some sort of steeper restriction on the pet food industry as well, since there have been a few cases of pet food being contaminated so bad that it has literally killed hundreds of family pets.

The new bill would also give the Administration the authority to enforce recalls of foods that are deemed unsafe or suspected of being unsafe or the cause of some sort of outbreak. This new bill would also require food companies to provide detailed plans for providing safe, edible food, as sort of a show of good faith that they are following a certain protocol. Most think that the rash of outbreaks in the news finally gave those politicians that were pushing for food safety and tighter restrictions more ground, after all, what better than negative publicity to spur our lawmakers to take action sooner rather than later?

I actually think the push for food safety is good, however, I don’t want this all to go too far and interfere with our right to seeking out alternative medicines for our ills, since the FDA may tread where they aren’t needed or wanted if some in the pharmaceutical industry have it their way.

Bowflex TreadClimber Review

Jogging and running exercise is beneficial to your cardiovascular system and your health. There is one down side to this type of exercise if you suffer from any kind of joint disease. The high impact can be overly rough on your joints for certain individuals.

The Bowflex Treadclimber advertises itself to be an excellent workout with a low impact for your joints by a simple walking action. With it’s low impact and stress on your joints, you can still work your major core muscles and burn calories with a 30 minute workout, but you can also get a good workout in on a regular elliptical trainer if you want my two cents.

The product is also said to provide a gliding, smooth motion that is less stress than running or walking on a traditional treadmill. The Treadclimber elevates your heart rate and increases your lung and heart capacity and strengthens the muscles of your legs and abdomen.

The Bowflex Treadclimber is available in 4 different models ranging in price from $3,299 down to $1,499. The TC5500 is the $3,299 model and it features a customizable programming that you can adapt to your specific fitness goals. The TC5500 also has longer foot treadles to increase comfort during your workout.

The most distinguished feature of the TC5500 is it’s goal oriented coach console which is an interactive program. The console has 9 challenge landmark workouts and as you progress, you can unlock additional programs as you meet your goals to increase your fitness levels.

The Bowflex TC5000 sells for $2,499 and is compact so you can fit it easily into any room. This model has variable speeds so you can exercise at your own pace and it also has an LED display that is user friendly.

The Bowflex TC3000 has 6 electronic functions and sells for $2.099. The speeds on this model are 0.7 to 4.0 mph and it has a 3 year motor warranty.
The least expensive model is the Bowflex TC1000 that sells for $1,499 and it has 3 electronic functions. The speeds on this model range from 0.5 to 3.8 mph and it has a 1 year motor warranty.

Cutting Calories on Coffee Drinks

We all have grown a little fond of getting those famously frou frou drinks at the local coffee shop, or the local Starbucks. My boyfriend and I were just at a Starbucks in fact, and most of the people ahead of us in line were ordering things like macchiatos, vanilla infused coffees, lattes, mochas, and other various sugared and fatted up versions of straight, plain coffee. I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not a fan of plain old, boring coffee. Even when I drink it from a pot made at home, I have to load it with powdered creamer and sugars, making it appear white and taste as close to a dessert that I can.

Not good for you, I know, but there are definitely ways you can cut the calories in these caloric goodies, but fun to drink treats dramatically, and not feel as bad about your coffee treats. The first thing you want to worry about is cutting the fat. A lot of the calories in the heavier coffee drinks comes from them using very fatty heavy cream. If you replace that with skim milk or soy milk (although I personally think soy milk tastes awful in coffee), then you are instantly cutting out almost 2/3 of the fat calories and the fat grams are almost gone.

Another thing a lot of these coffee joints offer now are low calorie, sugar free flavor syrups. So instead of loading the sugar into your drink, you can actually create a nice, light sweet flavor without adding too many sugary calories and carbs to your drink, which we all know also leads to sugar crashes and pigging out later on in the day since your blood sugar becomes seriously destabilized by drinking these sugary sweet drinks.

If I had to pick though, I’d say that cutting the fat is the more important part, and I’m not a huge advocate of sugar substitutes, although I think using them in extreme moderation should be ok. I was listening to the radio the other day and one of Starbuck’s big competitors was advertising their new low cal frozen drink on the air, saying that they had a new indulgent twist on something that tastes bad but really isn’t, so a lot of these coffee shops are jumping on the bandwagon and realizing that people who are conscious of calorie intake don’t necessarily want to blow fourth a day’s calories on a silly coffee drink.

Hydroxycut Back in the News

Apparently the lawsuits are piling up against the maker of the notorious diet supplement called Hydroxycut. Hydroxycut earned a reputation as being a pretty serious appetite suppressant and energy booster, and also earned a rep as helping a lot of people shed extra pounds. However, now it’s earned a rep of a different nature, and it’s not so good for the long standing company. Complaints and reports were coming in to the FDA of people taking the diet supplement and reporting liver damage.

The FDA allegedly investigated, but has not as of yet found which ingredient is the culprit in the supplement, which is mostly made of green tea extract and an african herbs called ma huang and guarana. Although ephedrine has been banned here in the US, I thought that ma huang contained the powerful stimulant.

Apparently that one is allowed to slip through though because I’ve seen this ingredient on numerous diet supplements and even some energy boosting drinks.
I’ve taken some supplements with these ingredients in them, and they usually don’t agree with me, but I wasn’t aware of them causing liver damage. Of course, it could also be any one of the other ingredients in Hydroxycut that was causing the apparent damage to the liver.

The company voluntarily recalled all of their products under the label Hydroxycut, but there are murmurs that they may have just repackaged the formula and put it back on shelves. Whether that is true, I don’t know. The company did say that the FDA did not identify the ingredients responsible for the liver damage and that the recall was a voluntary recall. My advise would be to stay away from the product or it’s likeness until this issue is resolved. It could still even be on shelves where the recall wasn’t heeded in it’s old formula too, so be on the lookout and avoid it. You can never be too cautious.

There are several lawsuits pending against the maker of Hydroxycut currently.