Saima Shapes: Advice for Every Shape

Survivor (reality, not reality TV)

2010-09-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

I just read about survival gardens, a modern take on the "victory gardens" of World War II. These are vegetable gardens produce a high yield from a small space, such as squash and zucchini.

This concept can be modified to apartment living, in the form of a container garden.

I grow lemon basil in several pots (with only one in reach of my cat, who likes to eat it). I go the seeds for about 50 cents from one of Queens' ubiquitous Dollar Stores. and the pots for 99 cents each at some little garden shop in the West 30s by Penn Station. And the potting soil for free from a neighbor.

Now if that's not survival skills in plant form, I don't know what is.

For more ideas on how to grow different things in your apartment (and spare me the pot jokes), check out this great site:

http://lifeonthebalcony.com/

Massage for the cure

2010-09-02T14:06:00.000-07:00

You can help beat breast cancer by booking a 50-minute massage for $49 ($15 of which go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.) The event is Sept 14, 2010.

Appointments are limited.

To find a participating spa, visit:

www.MassageEnvy.com

Sun? Slip-slop-slap!

2010-08-05T16:05:00.001-07:00

The Australians (who live under the hole in the ozone layer) have a skin-protection campaign called Slip-Slop-Slap:

Slip on a shirt

Slop on some sunscreen

Slap on a hat.

I love Trinity Boxing!

2010-07-26T09:46:00.000-07:00

So I just joined the Trinity Boxing gym in NYC's Financial District.

It's on Rector Street, by the 1 train, and I used to pass it twice a week around 5a (they open at 6a) because I had to open a corporate gym nearby at 5:30a.

Can I just say that the difference between the corporate gym and the boxing gym are night in Casablanca, Morocco vs day in Peoria, Illinois? I love it at Trinity!

You show up during training hours and just get to it. There are boxing trainers on the floor, and the bell that runs in 3 minute "rounds".

I started with 2 rounds (6 min) of jumping-rope. The I wrapped my hands, got some gloves and learned crosses and jabs, which I used on the heavy bag and shadow-boxing.

Each of the sessions have been different -- today I ran up and down the stairs while holding an 8-lb med ball over my head for 1 round.

There is no AC, just fans, but I think people 1) are too busy in their sessions and 2) know better than to bitch about crap around a bunch of professional boxers who are all wearing gloves and know how to knock you out.

This is so much better than working in a gym where you are told that they have a "high-end standard" to have 2 hangars in each othe lockers. WHATEVER!!!!! Like anyone has ever let a coat hangar keep them from working out!

http://www.trinityboxing.com/

Who wants it more?

2010-07-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

A bike-sharing program, that is!

To see the benefits and to vote for a B-sharing program to come to your town, visit:

http://bcycle.com/whowantsitmore.aspx

For my zip code of 10025 (Manhattan), where there are 1,440,126 people, if only 10% biked for 30 miles,

that would be 4,320,378 miles,

with 203,056,920 calories burned,

resulting in 58,106 pounds lost

It would reduce carbon emissions by 2074 tons

and save 213,858 gallons of gas.

And that's not even counting the Bronx, Staten Island, Brooklyn or Queens!

Or the rest of the country!

So let's get healthy, get voting and hopefully, get biking son!

Apples, Pineapples and Strawberries -- Oh My!!!

2010-07-16T02:31:00.000-07:00

These taste great and are natural teeth whiteners.

In fact, eating a medium-sized apple can equivalent to 4 minutes of brushing your teeth, if you want to freshen your breath and do not have a toothbrush and toothpaste near by.

Strawberries have malic acid, which and can lighten surface stains to remove any discoloration.

Work out for free in NYC!

2010-06-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, there IS something for nothing out there in NYC.

You can go to a free yoga class hosted by lululemon, the yoga apparel store.

Check them out at lululemon.com/giftofyoga

Tis a Pith-y

2010-04-10T08:09:00.000-07:00

Orange peel -- The pith, the white material found on the inside of orange peel (marmalade contains some) is a good source of bioflavanoids, believed to be an important nutrient.

Join the registry --- save a life

2010-03-28T05:33:00.000-07:00

After a few years of thinking about it, I finally joined the Match registry. I used to work in the pediatric oncology unit of a major hospital, and I thought I could not afford to join. I was so wrong.

The Match Registry (formerly known as the National Marrow Donor Porgram) recruits bone marrow donors for leukemia patients. Successful transplants from matches increase a leukemia patient's rate of survivial significantly.

The initial registration is relatively painless, consisting of a buccal swab (swishing a cotton ball on the inside of your cheek.) More on the registration kit is below.

If your DNA matches the needs of a patient, the process is far more involved. Details and a secure online registration form can be found at www.marrow.org.

The Registration Kit
If you register online, or request a kit by email or phone, you will receive a bone marrow donor kit in the mail. The kit consists of:

• One packet of cotton cheek swabs (each packet contains two swabs)
• Instructions on how to collect cheek cells
• Self-addressed mailing packet

In short, you swab the inside of your cheek, and mail the swabs to our lab in the self-addressed mailer. It takes about 4-6 weeks for your tissue to be DNA-typed.

Once the typing is completed, you will be entered in the national registry, and you will receive a donor card in the mail.

marrow.org

The incredible edible egg!

2010-03-15T06:03:00.000-07:00

I learned something recently about the difference between brown and white eggs.

Unlike brown and white rices, there is no nutritional difference between the two.

White eggs come from white-feathered chickens and brown from red-feathered chickens.

Whereas brown rice and white rice are actually the same grain, with white being the stripped-down core of the brown rice. While this enables white rice to cook faster and be 'fluffier', the brown rice, retaining its more nutritional and fiber-rich outer layers, is better a person when breaking down in the digestive tract.

So much for food racism today!

A brief history on the Frisbee and how to catch one

2010-02-13T07:35:00.000-08:00

Fred Morrison, the inventor of the Frisbee, died on Tuesday at the age of 90.

Originally called the Pluto Platter by its inventor, today's Frisbee was created when Morrison, then aged 17, skimmed the lid of a popcorn tin through the air. He later made the lid in plastic and the Pluto Platter was born. Dogs and their owners went wild!

Morrison sold the rights to the Wham-o company in 1957. The next year, they changed the name to Frisbee, after Connecticut's Frisbie pie company, whose pie lids Yale students threw in the same manner as the Pluto Platter was thrown.

Morrison reportedly always hated the new name.

How to catch a Frisbee between your hands:

Hold your hand out, palm up. Put your other hand on top, so the palms meet. Keep your hands in this position as you separate them to create space to let the Frisbee fly in between them.

Clap your hands just as the Frisbee flies in between them.

You may need to back up to allow the Frisbee more room to come back to earth before you can catch it in this manner.

How to keep an effective food journal

2010-02-12T04:24:00.000-08:00

Keeping a food journal is a great way to see what it is you are eating, how much and how often.

Keeping one for just a week made me see how much coffee I was consuming, even if each cup was small with only one sugar! It adds up, and yes, the calories count even if you are on vacation or consume them while standing up!

One twist to help clarify your eating habits is to write a note besides each item if you ate it because: 1) you were truly hungry, 2) you gave in to a craving, 3) you were bored, or 4) you were with friends and it seemed like the sociable thing to do.

A craving is easily forgotten within 20 minutes; true hunger lasts until you have eaten something -- anything! -- because your stomach is empty.

If you were bored or being sociable (ostensibly these should cancel each other out, but not always), look for alternatives to boredom. Think of the least-caloric and most nutritious item you can have when out with friends.

We must eat to live (and love), but we do not need to live (or love) to eat.

The juicy details!

2010-02-09T10:03:00.000-08:00

Juice is better for you than soda, right?

Not always -- 8 ounces of apple juice has about 29 grams of sugar vs. 27 grams in 8 ounces of soda. And face it, we most likely drink 12 or more ounces at a time.

This does not mean that drinking soda is the healthier option!

Short answer --- just eat the apple itself. It has less sugar, hydrates you with some water, and contains fiber.

Eat it with a glass of water, which has 0 grams of sugar.

Olive oil -- good for the heart, good for the hair

2010-02-06T08:57:00.001-08:00

I condition my hair with olive oil, as do most women from South Asia.

Usually, when I tell this to girls when they ask me what I use on my hair, they wrinkle their noses and tell me it's disgusting.

BUT, seeing how I have healthy hair and extra money from not buying expensive products that don't work anywhere near as well ... let's just say I don't care.

If you want to give this a try, directions are below.

Steps:

* Heat the olive in a coffee mug in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Oil heats very quickly. If it is hot, it will burn your scalp. Let it cool a bit so that you can stick your fingers in for a few seconds.

* You can also apply it cold, though heat makes it seep into the hair shaft better.

* Comb onto dry hair through to the ends of your hair.

* If there is any oil left over after your hair is fully saturated, carefully pour on your head.

* Put a shower cap over your head. Get into a hot shower (steam from the shower will help the oil treatment.)

* After 5 minutes in the shower, take the shower cap off and just pour shampoo on your head BEFORE putting any water on it. (You may need to shampoo it more than once to get it out.)

NOTE: wash off in the sink if you can, or under the tub's faucet, as you can slip on the oil in the shower. Scrub the tub with shampoo or dish soap after your shower to make it safe for the next person.

A heart-warming treat.

2010-01-28T16:03:00.000-08:00

www.godiva.com

This creamy-smooth praliné in a white chocolate shell from Godiva is a mere 65 calories.

(That is, only ONE of them is a mere 65 calories.)

But what the hey -- it IS almost Valentine's Day and everyone deserves a low-calorie treat.

Free Cardiac Risk Assessments in NYC!

2010-01-22T02:56:00.000-08:00

New York Cardiovascular Associates (NYCVA) is presenting:

"Heart to Heart Screenings for Women and Men"

Feb 11, 2010

5-8pm.

Call 1-877-863-6873 to register.

275 Seventh Avenue, 3rd floor
NY, NY 10001

Seven steps to heart health

2010-01-21T12:10:00.000-08:00

Please notice that I did not say they were seven EASY steps. But they are all still worth doing.

You are on your way to great heart health if you:

- Have never smoked or quit more than one year ago.

- Have a body mass index less than 25.

- Get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week.

- Follow at least four of these dietary recommendations:
*4 1/2 cups of fruit and vegetables a day;
*two or more 3.5-ounce servings a week of fish;
*drink no more than 36 ounces of sugar-sweetened beverages a week;
*three or more 1-ounce servings of fiber-rich whole grains a day;
*less than 1,500 milligrams a day of salt.

- Have a total cholesterol of less than 200.

- Have a blood pressure below 120/80.

- Have a fasting blood glucose less than 100.

These recommendations come from the American Heart Association http://mylifecheck.heart.org/

Quit smoking in 2010!

2009-12-30T13:00:00.001-08:00

Seriously, why not? More to the point, why keep smoking execept to be a slave to your addiction?

Within only one to three months of quitting smoking, your lung function increases and your circulation improves.

It's better for the environment too. Air pollution produced by cigarettes is 10 times greater than that of a diesel car.

For help on quitting, call the Quitline at 866-533-4396.

Happy New Year!

What are steel-cut oats?

2009-12-09T12:49:00.000-08:00

For a while (when it was on sale), I got oatmeal form Jamba Juice. They called it steel-cut. I had no idea what that meant.

so I looked it up on wikipedia.com:

"Steel-cut oats are whole grain groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) which have been cut into only two or three pieces by steel rather than being rolled. They are golden in color and resemble small rice pieces."

They did look better, and they tasted great.

Apparently, steel-cut oats have a lower glycemic index than rolled oats, so their is less of a spike in blood sugar when you eat them.

Eat this, not that!

2009-11-30T10:58:00.000-08:00

The next time you have soup, try hunks of fresh avocado instead of bread or crackers.

I recently started doing this --- even with soups I brought home from the Chinese takeout place --- and I really like it. I feel better afterwards too.

Here are some reasons why that may be:
An avocado's water content by weight averages 74%. It is an easily-digested rich source of healthy fats and proteins without any cholesterol.

It is a source of protein, Omega-3, Omega-6, vitamins, A, B-complex, C, E, H, K, and folic acid, and the minerals magnesium, copper, iron, calcium, potassium.

and it tastes good too!

Turkey Day aftermath

2009-11-26T07:22:00.000-08:00

Here is a reprise of an article I publish every year around Thanksgiving.Enjoy!

It's unavoidable for many of us --- Thanksgiving surrounded by rich foods we don't normally eat, sometimes leading to guilt if you have been just so good about your eating habits throughout the year.

Fear not -- there is value in eating something different. And remember, even traditional dishes can be made in a low-fat way (check out www.epicurious.com for recipe ideas).

Turkey Day Aftermath
Thanksgiving was probably better for you than you thought
By Saima Huq, MPH, American Council on Exercise Personal Trainer

Here's a rhetorical question: "Did you eat foods you don't usually eat on Thanksgiving?"

There is no need to feel guilty. Remember that the Thanksgiving feast is an annual event (although the turkey often makes repeat performances in different costumes i.e. turkey sandwich, turkey salad, and someone told me they had a recip for turkey nachos...)

In addition to seeing family and friends and eating delicious food, you most likely had the opportunity to get some nutrients that you may not get the other 364 days of the year.

Here is a breakdown of the traditional Thanksgiving meal and the good it did you.

Turkey: Once you take off the skin, you have a good source of vitamin B6 (to metabolize fat and protein, form antibodies and red blood cells), vitamin B12 (helps stave off anemia while maintaining the nervous system) and folate (also good for red blood cells.)

Turkey also contains tryptophan, an amino acid that is also found in milk, which is why these foods often make you sleepy (a nap is part of many Turkey Day celebrations.)

Cranberries: contains vitamin C, which helps synthesize collagen, absorb iron, and heal wounds. In fact, cranberries are widely believed to help prevent some bacterial infetions, especially urinary tract infections.

Potatoes: the scourge of many people's diets, but not without its good points. Potatoes also contain the aforementioned vitamins B6, B12, and C as well as vitamin A (for tissue repair, bone formation and vision health) and ribofavin (also improves vision and skin health.) So, if you eat enough potatoes, you will have X-Ray vision (just kidding.)

Pumpkin: high in calcium (for healthy bones), potassium and magnesium (both good for muscle contraction and nerve transmission.)

Pies: you have to treat yourself sometimes! Keep in mind that the crust is the most fat-laden part of the pie. As far as sweet treats go, fruit fillings are relatively free of both fat and guilt.

A lot of these foods make a comeback during December holiday parties, but now you are ready for them!

Source: www.nutrition.about.com

Written December 1, 2001

Take preemptive strikes on Thanksgiving Day calories!

2009-11-25T07:15:00.000-08:00

The American Council on Exercise estimates the average Thanksgiving Day dinner has 3000 calories.

You can lower this with portion control and preparation tricks (avoid the crust on the pie, use skim milk when possible, etc).

You can also sign up for a 10K or 5K in the morning. Visit www.coolrunning.com to find one near you.

And check out their plan on how to train for your first 5K on their homepage. :^)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Pumpkin goodness!

2009-10-19T14:43:00.000-07:00

I am always surprised to realize that pumpkins are for more than just drawing faces on. For example -- you can eat them, and not just in pie form!

Pumpkins are low-calorie and high fiber, and full of potassium, magnesium and Vitamins A & C.

They also are extremely rich in carotenoids, which are deep orange-, yellow-, or red-colored, fat-soluble compounds found in a variety of botanicals. Many studies, including the Nurses' Health Study at Harvard University, have shown these carotenoids to decrease the risk of various cancers, including those of the lung, colon, bladder, cervical, breast, and skin.

Puree some pumpkin and enjoy those carotenoids! MMMMMMMMMM!

Public Service Announcement (PSA)

2009-10-08T16:16:00.000-07:00

Hi all--

Although I have been a nationally-certified personal trainer since 1996, and I hold an MPH and have worked on many research studies for Ivy League and medical institutions, I still would never give medical advice.

I have noticed many trainers, massage therapists, etc in recent years, telling clients spurious information about health issues outside of their scope, such as that they shouldn't take the flu vaccine or other such issues that should be discussed one-on-one with their doctor -- the person who went to school for years to obtain their MD and has access to diagnostic equipment, not the person who learned to personal train in 6 months.

Personal trainer should stick to personal training, and work with client's doctors recommendations on any given condition the client presents to them. End of story.

As for me -- I am getting my flu shot! But that is a decision I made as a private citizen.

Drink up to your health!

2009-10-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

Literally!

New research from several major medical centers in the USA reveal that there are properties in red grapes that lead to the slowing down of Alzheimer's disease.

Cabernet Sauvignon and, for the teetolators, grape juice contain these properties.

Remember not to drink it while sitting on white couches and/or rugs.

I opened the window ....

2009-09-22T12:47:00.000-07:00

© 2009 Nucleus Medical Art, Inc.

....and In Flu Enza.

It's almost time to update those flu shots, Swine flu and otherwise.

Flu spreads:

* By breathing in droplets after an infected person coughs or sneezes
* By touching a contaminated surface (The virus can survive on surfaces and infect a person for 2-8 hours after being exposed to the surface.) and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.

So wash your hands, get those shots and don't cough and sneeze on people (certain folks on the NYC subway -- you know who you are.)

Folks who need to take special precautions include those with the following factors:

*Age: children younger than five years old and people aged 65 or older
*People younger than 19 years old on long-term aspirin
*Being pregnant
*Diabetes
*Weakened immune systems, such as in:
- People infected with HIV
- People taking immunosuppressive drugs
- Chronic lung, heart, kidney, liver, nerve, or blood conditions
- Being in a chronic care facility
- Obesity (based on early reports)

Source: Mount Sinai School of Medicine www.mssm.edu

How to Win the Fight Against the Freshman Fifteen!

2009-09-08T14:06:00.001-07:00

How to Win the Fight Against the Freshman Fifteen!

Almost everyone has heard of the Freshman Fifteen, those infamous 15 – or 20, or 30! -- pounds that an incoming college student can expect to pack on by the time they check out of the residence halls for summer vacation.

The “culture shock” of going from regulated family life to complete freedom often brings with it increased eating of junk food, drinking sugary beverages like sodas or frappuccinos, sleeping late, and stressing out over all the coursework expected of you.

Fear not! There are ways to keep this all in check without becoming boring.

· If your college has a Phys. Ed. requirement, sign up for it during your first semester so you can learn positive exercise habits to see you through to graduation.

· If your school does not have such a requirement, check out what is available at the student fitness center. Your activity fees may have already paid for use of the gym. Take advantage of it!

· If you’d rather be outdoors, walking, running, in-line skating and biking all take minimal equipment and burn maximum calories.

· Reduce stress, which produces cortisol, a hormone that can make you retain fat. Regular exercise, like yoga, biking, strength-training, will help with this. You can also practice deep breathing techniques. And learn time management so you don’t get overwhelmed during midterms!

· Recognize no one cares what you eat except you. Don’t feel compelled to eat heavy to prove you have a healthy relationship with food. Eat healthy by making sure your plate is colorful with fruits and vegetables (see sidebar).

· Find out if there is a way to make your favorite coffee drink less fatty, whether you order a smaller size, skip the whip cream or add skim milk. If you are a Starbucks fan, you can check online at http://www.starbucks.com/retail/nutrition_beverages.asp

And remember – if you have good health, you have great skin, hair and nails!

Sign up for breast cancer studies

2009-09-05T13:04:00.000-07:00

I personally wish this existed for cardiovascular disease, such as heart attacks and atherosclerosis, which is the #1 killer of both men and women.

However, as a research coordinator myself, I love that this IS in existence for breast cancer. It is a sign-up for e-mail alerts to studies one can participate in to find a cure.

Sign up at www.armyofwomen.org. I just did.

And soon it will be October and pink will be everywhere .... so I have put the lyrics to Pink, the Aerosmith song, here as I was going to their show next week at Madison Square Garden, before it got canceled due to Steven Tyler's injuries from falling off stage.

"Pink it's my new obsession
Pink it's not even a question
Pink on the lips of your lover, 'cause
Pink is the love you discover
Pink as the bing on your cherry
Pink 'cause you are so very
Pink it's the color of passion
`Cause today it just goes with the fashion
Pink it was love at first sight, yea
Pink when I turn out the light, and
Pink gets me high as a kite
And I think everything is going to be all right
No matter what we do tonight
You could be my flamingo
'Coz pink is the new kinda lingo
Pink like a deco umbrella
It's kink - but you don't ever tell her
Pink it was love at first sight
Pink when I turn out the light
Pink gets me high as a kite
And I think everything is going to be all right
No matter what we do tonight
I want to be your lover
I wanna wrap you in rubber
As pink as the sheets that we lay on
Pink is my favorite crayon, yeah
Pink it was love at first sight
Pink when I turn out the light
Pink it's like red but not quite
And I think everything is going to be all right
No matter what we do tonight.

- "Pink", Aerosmith

Kamut, the ancient wheat!

2009-08-25T12:23:00.000-07:00

Although Kamut has been around for centuries (and in fact became a registered trademark in 1990), I only heard about it yesterday when a co-worker brought in a bag of Kamut cereal from Key Food (a NYC-area supermarket).

Kamut originated in the Fertile Crescent in the Ancient World (Mesopotamia, Gaul, etc, near modern-day Syria). As an ancient relative of the modern durum wheat, kamut is 2 to 3 times bigger with 20–40% more protein, higher in lipids, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, and a "sweet" alternative for all products that now use common wheat.

In fact, the kamut cereal adhered to the "no more than 3 grams of sugar and/or fat per serving" that my coworker and I endorse in the nutrition program where we work.

If you absolutely MUST hit Starbucks for breakfast .....

2009-08-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

... order the "Starbucks Perfect Oatmeal with Nut Medley".

It has:
240 calories
11 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
0 mg sodium

Skip the brown sugar option as that will rot your teeth.

Bring your own banana from home to mix in. (Bananas are a popular option, and there could be none left when you place your order. This way, you are guaranteed to get your potassium).

Eat fiber to be lighter.

2009-08-20T10:39:00.000-07:00

I recently read that most people have up to 10 lbs of waste products in their colon.

So most people really are full of crap.

Eating more fiber will help get it out (you know how) and aid your digestive system.

How much fruit and veg?

2009-08-19T13:29:00.000-07:00

http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/

I just found a website that calculates how much fruit and veg you need a day based on your age, gender and activity level. Results are based on a 2000 calories per day calorie requirements. Age, gender, and activity levels determine how many calories needed each day, and calorie need determines how many fruits and vegetables you should eat.

This is interesting but the theory is a bit messed up. Going by caloric intake is a moot point as eating fruit and veg is about getting proper nutrients and fiber. You can just as easily eat chocolate if it was all about calories needed.

Other than that, the site is very good for healthy recipes and other facts about fruit and veg.

http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/

Corn, beautiful corn!

2009-08-18T13:54:00.000-07:00

It's August and fresh corn is easy to find.

Apparently, it is high in potassium, also found in bananas.

AND it has a lot of fiber, as anyone who has ever experienced the "corn poopies" knows (and that's everyone who has ever eaten corn.) Hey --- we all know that's why you need more fiber in your diet!

http://www.asianonlinerecipes.com/vegetables-guide/corn.php

The no-sugar challenge

2009-08-17T13:32:00.000-07:00

There are 2 weeks left in August from today, and not even a Hershey Kiss will pass my lips. I am going to cut out added sugar.

9 calories in a gram of fat

2009-08-14T08:29:00.000-07:00

Every gram of fat equals 9 calories, so when you burn fat, you also burn calories.

I suspect you already knew that, but it's always good to have a reminder!

Cooling down in August heat

2009-08-11T09:19:00.000-07:00

It has been a mild summer for the most part, but August rears its ugly head in NYC with a few consecutive days of 90+ degree heat.

Drink plenty of fluids, wear light-colored clothing and hats outside, stay in the shade or air conditioning, and check on others who may need assistance, such as the elderly and children.

In the home --- close drapes and blinds, and unplug appliances not in use. See if a fan rather than AC will meet your needs (it does for me!)

And please make sure your pets have access to plenty of fresh clean water.

Choose brown over white rice to lower blood sugar

2009-08-07T09:07:00.000-07:00

Harvard is conducting a study in China --- the country that consumes the most white rice --- to see if a switch to brown rice will improve blood sugar levels and stave off diabetes.

This is very interesting as rice is the mainstay of many Asian diets, including those in India and Pakistan. It is estimated that the majority of the world survive on diets that include daily servings of rice.

For the full article on the planned study, click here:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hphr/chronic-disease-prevention/spr09brown-rice/index.html

Salmon: and it tastes good too!

2009-08-05T12:39:00.001-07:00

Only 3 oz. of salmon provides the 80% of the recommended daily allowance for Vitamin D.

It also gives you all those great Omega-3 fatty acids for good heart health.

YUM!

Putting cream cheese on your bagel ...

2009-08-04T14:55:00.000-07:00

.... is like pouring cement in your arteries.

Such were the words uttered by Larry Nyce, who was my professor in "Principles and techniques of Weight-Training" at the American University, in Fall 1992.

Truer words were never spoken! I am going to add that the same goes for cannoli cream (made of ricotta cheese and sugar, and which I recently discovered tastes so damn great on an almond cookie!)

However --- I am going to forgo the cannoli cookies as I would much rather have a healthy cardiovascular system.

Never travel without ...

2009-08-03T07:45:00.001-07:00

.... gym clothes, sneakers and a jump rope.

August is travel season, and people are going on vacation or traveling for work. There are many portable ways to be fit, which require little to no extra money and equipment:

* Call ahead to see if your hotel has a gym (the majority do, or have a deal with a nearby gym to allow their guests to work out for free.)

* If your budget allows for it, book one or two training sessions ahead of time so you are sure to work out and can take home some fresh ideas for your workout.

*Commit yourself to doing 10 push-ups and 10 crunches every morning and night you are away. It could turn out you keep this habit afterwards. (If muscles feel sore, take a break for a day, but make sure you get back on it as soon as the soreness *subsides.)

*Go outside to a nearby park or outdoor plaza to jump-rope if there is no gym available. Don't jump in your hotel room!

*Use Google maps to map out the area around your hotel. Get up early and take a walk in a different direction every day for your morning coffee/juice/water run.

Bon voyage!

Cup vs cone?

2009-07-31T06:25:00.000-07:00

It's summer (albeit a cool one in NYC) and sometimes you just want to relive your childhood through ice cream. If you go for a cone, recognize it adds the following to your treat:

Cake cone: 17 calories, 0 grams fat
Sugar cone: 40 calories, 0.5 grams fat
Waffle cone: 121 calories, 2 grams fat

Cake cones taste kind of like I imagine styrofoam tastes like, but sometimes it adds a nice contrast to the ice cream. I will have to admit I get this one when I get a cone, because I find the others too sweet when I am already eating ice cream.

Because I am such a slow eater, I usually go for the cup.

Chiropractic care!

2009-07-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

Chiropractic was founded in the 1890s by the appropriately named DD Palmer and his son BJ Palmer (and today I go to a father-son chiropractic team with the last name Handt).

Chiropractic works on subluxations of the spine, where vertebra are not quite aligned and thus affect the nerves and muscles connected to it. I first went tyoa chirpractor when my arm was tingling after a bumpy flight. It took a day, but it went away (and the ciropractor told me that.)

I went back to the Drs. Handt when I started to lose have trouble hearing from one ear (the original chiropractors Palmer restored hearing to a freed slave who had been deaf for over 15 years.) Remembering that story, I returned to the chiroractors -- and my hearing returned as well.

Is it the magical be-all and end-all? Perhaps not, but I can personally attest that it has definitely helped me with some troubling functional problems.

and here they are!!! http://www.newyorkchiropractic.com/templates20/doctor.html

Stick to your diet for charity (or vice versa)!

2009-07-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

This is a great website for ANY goal, weight-loss or otherwise! www.stickk.com

You put a contract out on yourself in a on-hitman fashion. You set a goal and an amount you will pay to a charity if you do not reach it by an assigned date, and a credit card number so you can't weasel out of it!

Hmmmm ... I am going to come up with a goal now ......

If you can't travel to the Mediterranean ....

2009-07-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

.... you can at least follow the Mediterranean diet for heart health.

(What's funny is that the compenents read a lot like the diets in Pakistan and other South Asian countries, but I guess "Indian Ocean diet" didn't quite catch on!)

* Eat meals with family and friends.

* Consume very little red meat.

* Consume health fats like olive oil and canola oil

* Flavor foods with herbs, not salt (and curry spices help speed up the old metabolism!)

* Eat some nuts, like almonds

* Consume legumes (like lentils, aka daal)

Beats seeing "My Life in Ruins"!

What IS metabolic syndrome?

2009-07-07T08:59:00.001-07:00

Basically, it's the newest name for an old problem -- being so fat it puts your health at risk. Namely, it's when there is so much abdominal fat that you are resistant to insulin, which leads to a host of other health problem.

The risks include:

* High cholesterol
* High blood pressure
* Glucose intolerance
* Greater propensity for cardiac events (clogges arteries and hear attacks)

Check out my fellow fitness blogger!

2009-07-06T09:23:00.000-07:00

Brian Jones is a personal friend and former coworker of mine, and you should see him work a youth fitness class! His energy, expertise and gentle discipline for the sticky scenarios young children find themselves in made him very popular indeed with both kids and parents.

He also has a background in sports medicine and functional training. Brian has worked with numerous athletes and emphasizes biomechanics, injury prevention and mental preparation. You can reach him at bjones400@gmail.com.

Brian has recently forayed into fitness blogging, and it is great information for athletes as well as those just starting to learn:

http://www.examiner.com/x-12224-NY-Sports-Performance-Examiner

Lips? Snouts? Myths and realities about hot dogs!

2009-07-05T07:32:00.000-07:00

Hot dogs -- we all know they are not made of dogs, but what ARE they made of?

Hot Dog Terms Regulated by Law

• Beef or all-beef: Contains only beef with no soybean protein or dry milk solid fillers added.

• Kosher: All-beef, usually heavily seasoned with garlic.

• Meat: A mixture of pork and beef, usually 40 percent pork and 60 percent beef with no fillers.

• Frankfurter: May contain up to 3.5 percent fillers and made from a combination of meats.

Growing up, we always ate Hebrew National hot dogs

Caffeine and its double-edged sword

2009-07-04T09:27:00.000-07:00

Caffeine, that bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that is a psychoactive stimulant drug (mmmmm ... doesn't that sound delicious???), is a double-edged sword.

It releases glucose and increases dopamine levels, thus improving some people's performance in endurance sports. However, once caffiene leaves your system, you can go through withdrawal, including bad headaches which more caffeince will then eradicate.

Drink sparingly and don't depend on coffee to improve your game. Continue to train and maybe drink one small cup before a race!

Forgive, even if you can't forget

2009-07-03T18:58:00.000-07:00

Part of mental and physical health is the ability to forgive. In today's mean world, ESPECIALLY in large cities where you rarely see the same people twice, it is important to figure out how to forgive those who have wronged you.

Forgiveness can lead to lower blood pressure; less hostility; less stress; anxiety and depression; and decreased tendendency to abuse substances like drugs, alcohol and food.

There is no one true way to forgive, and you may have to forgive people several times and for several days. You can't always -- nor should you --- have the person right in front of you to do the forgiving.

And if someone has been really hurtful and abusive, recognize that forgiving them by no means allowing them back into your life to do more of the same.

Lemon water vs lemonade!

2009-07-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

Avoid sugary pre-made lemonade like Snapple, etc.

Make your own with a squirt of lemon juice in a bottle of water and only ONE packet of sugar. (16 calories max.)

After a week or so, cut out the sugar completely. You may well find you won't even miss it.

Happy July! Time to grill!

2009-07-01T07:29:00.000-07:00

Grilling rocks! But you have to take precautions to make sure your meat doesn't make you till:

* Marinate meats in a Ziploc baggie in the fridge. Keep the baggies on a dish on the bottom shelf, so any juices that escape don't spill onto other foods.

* Since mmarinating is just to flavor meat, marinate for 2 hours or less. And in the fridge!

* Avoid marinating in any metal bowls, since many marinates have ingredients with slightly acidic ingredients like vinegar or oil.

* If your marinated in anything with sugar or tomato in it, grill them last. These ingredients tend to make food burn!

* Make sure you have separate plates for uncooked and cooked foods. Also, have separate cutting boards for veg and meats. You can buy color-coded ones or put a different colored piece of tape on each one. Make sure everyone knows what each stands for!

S-T-R-E-T-C-H!

2009-06-30T08:07:00.001-07:00

Check out this free site with some helpful stretches! http://www.howtostretch.com/

Always stretch slowly, and don't bounce as you do so.

My Family Health Portrait

2009-06-29T14:19:00.000-07:00

The US Surgeon General's Office, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other agencies within US Department of Health and Human Services (USDOHHS) have collaborated to bring "My Family Health Portrait".

https://familyhistory.hhs.gov

This site allows you to create a personalized family health history report from any computer with an Internet connection and an up-to-date Web browser. Information that you provide creates a drawing of your family tree and a chart of your family health history. Both the chart and tree can be printed and shared among family members and your health care professional. Used in consultation with your physician, your family health history can help you develop the best disease prevention strategies for you.

Drink water!

2009-06-28T07:59:00.000-07:00

If you live in NYC, the tap water is one of the best in the nation! Fill up a water bottle, spritz some lemon juice into it, and keep hydrated!

Refill throughout the day at water fountains in the park, the library, etc!

Fit for free!

2009-06-27T06:51:00.001-07:00

Working out does not have to be inaccessible. In fact, many exercises can be done using your own body weight and in your living room or a nearby park.

The top part of a park bench is great for push-ups, as is the seat. The seat can also be used for tricep-dips, step-ups, etc. An old towel can be a mat for crunches.

Some parks have special "stations" for pull-ups and other such exercises that cannot easily or safely be performed on a park bench.

For a list of such parks with free outdoor equipment in NYC, call 311 or visit befitnyc.com

Weights Won't Bulk You Up (but eating crap will!)

2009-06-26T07:55:00.000-07:00

Women and Weight-Lifting: Why It Will Not Turn You into Arnold Schwarzenegger

By Saima Huq, MPH, personal trainer

Arnold looks good, but you don’t want to look like him.

Fear not, ladies. Weight-lifting will not give the physique of a man. Women have 30% less testosterone than men, which us why they can bulk up easily from weight-lifting and women do not.

Now that you know what weight-training won’t do to your body, here is a list of all the good things it will do for you:

Lifting weights lifts your mood. A recent Harvard study proved that 10 weeks of weight-lifting reduces symptoms of clinical depression as well as relieved general stress. (Note: exercise should be used in addition to treatment, not in its place.)

It can help ease arthritis and low back pain. Stronger muscles mean better posture and less stress on your joints.

It can reduce and possibly reverse the effects of osteoporosis. A Tufts University study found that post-menopausal women who lifted weights twice a week gained 1% of bone mass a year, while those who didn’t lost 2%.

It can reduce your risk for diabetes. Lifting weights helps the body utilize glucose.

It can reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease by improving cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

It will help you lose weight by boosting your metabolism. You will burn more calories while at rest.

It will tone and define your muscles. Weight-training is the only exercise that will reshape your muscles. Remember that it is possible to be skinny and flabby.

Picture your exercise program as a triangle of cardiovascular training, weight-lifting and flexibility training. Do you only have one or two parts? If so, check with a trainer at your gym (many gyms offer one free training session per membership) about balancing out your workout.

Please check with your physician before starting any exercise program.

Source: Sheldon, Huntington Boyd’s Introduction to the Study of Disease (1992); www.ideafit.com

Drink this, not that!

2009-06-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

If you don't like alcohol, or are the designated driver, order a club soda with cranberry juice, embellished with a slice of lime, at your next party.

If people see this drink in your hand, they won't press an alcoholic drink on you.

Plus you will stay hydrated, and it tastes great!

Vitamin B9 to the rescue!

2009-06-24T07:56:00.000-07:00

Vitamin B9, also known as folic acid, is often packaged as "prenatal vitamins" due to the fact that it is essential in preventing neural tube defects (NTDs) in developing fetuses. NTDs affect the nervous system and can be fatal.

Taking 400 mcg of folic acid before you even get pregnant is beneficial to both you and any possible pregnancy.

Foods with folic acid (or folate, as it is called in its natural form) include:

*Fortified breakfast cereals like Total (check the label)

*Romaine lettuce

*Asparagus

*Lentils

*Broccoli

*Spinach

*Peanuts and peanut butter

The rule of 3

2009-06-23T06:51:00.000-07:00

Are you looking to eat better to feel better? Look to cut sugar, as it is addictive.

Have you ever noticed that there are times when you are sick of eating sweets but feel you need to eat another anyway?

Cut sugar from packaged foods by checking if the number of grams per serving on the nutrition label. For 2 weeks, aim to eat items with 5 grams or less. After that, move to 3 grams or less.

In NYC, it is especially hard with all these delicious bakeries everywhere. Rest assured, you don't need a nutrition label to know there is way more than 5 grams of sugar per serving. Keep track of how often you go to your favorite bakery for a week --- then cut that number by half. Seek to get a smaller size of your favorite pastry when you do go --- or save half to eat another day.

Lemon and the integumentary system

2009-06-22T08:08:00.000-07:00

The integumentary system is the organ that protects the body --- meaning the skin, hair and nails, on which salons make a KILLING in NYC!

The mighty lemon can help in a pinch ---- use the juice from a lemon for natural highlights in your hair (do not leave on too long as can be very drying!)

Take the pulp out of a slice of lemon and rub on teeth to remove stains from coffee, tea and red wine (do only once in a while, as citric acid is corrosive over time.) Rinse with water immediately afterwards.

And bleach your nails French-manicure white by digging them into another lemon rind or using the juice from the lemon's pulp!

Voila! Pretty, clean and lemony-fresh ---- just like the kitchen floor!

Food Journal musings

2009-06-21T17:48:00.001-07:00

Eat this, not that!

2009-05-12T13:27:00.001-07:00

When it gets hotter, ice cream seems like a greatway to cool off. And although it is a great idea to treat oneself every now and then, consider sorbet as a tasty alternative!

A serving of chocolate ice cream can have 21 grams of sugar, 270 calories and 18 grams of fat.

A serving of sorbet has 18 grams of sugar, 80 calories and no fat.

Plus, sorbet is great if you are lactose-intolerant!

Good news about the sun

2009-05-03T08:46:00.000-07:00

While one must wear sunscreen to prevent skin cancer, some sun exposure can provide good in the form of Vitamin D.

Your body can create Vitamin D when exposed to sunshine for about 10 to 15 minutes, three times a week.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend that adults get 400-600 IU of Vitamin D a day. (IU stands for "international unit").

Vitamin D is also found in most dairy products and leafy greens that also provide calcium. Both are paramount to building bone.

www.bonebalance.com

Repost: Sunscreen application guidelines

2009-04-27T07:06:00.000-07:00

It is H-O-T out there these days! Whatever the temperature, it is wise to put on a sunscreen on all exposed areas of the body. here are some guidelines for doing just that:

1. Pick a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 (preferably more). SPF means "Sun Protection Factor" and estimates that it will slow down the time it would take uncovered skin to burn. For example, if you burn within 10 minutes of being in the sun, SPF 15 will keep you from burning for about 150 minutes -- or 2.5 hours (estimated).

2. Apply to dry skin 15-30 minutes before going outdoors. Preferably, don't sit down and let it rub off during this time.

3. Reapply sunscreen every two hours. (no matter what the SPF! These are all estimates, not customized to any given person.)

4. Use about one ounce to cover the exposed areas of the body correctly.

5. Apply lip balm that contains sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher.

FREE skin cancer screenings!

2009-04-27T06:55:00.000-07:00

Over the last few days, NYC has become H-O-T as the temperatures finally break out of dreary cold and rain into the 80s and 90s!

Of course, it doesn't need to be hot in order for one to protect their skin.

Get started with a FREE skin cancer screening in your area during the month of May. Log on to aad.org (American Academy of Dermatology) to find one in your location.

For a quick tutorial on moles to watch out for, log on to www.neutrogenaskinhealth.com. They have a great interactive model.

How to have slightly healthier feet

2009-04-10T05:42:00.000-07:00

How to Take Good Care of Your Big Stinky Feet
By Saima Huq, MPH, American Council on Exercise Personal Trainer

Each of our feet is made up of 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles that bear the rest of the body's weight. The average person takes up to 10,000 steps a day. Over the average lifetime, you walk the equivalent of five times around the Earth. (You exercise more than you thought.)

Doctors have long looked to feet to reflect one’s general health, since harbingers of diabetes, arthritis, circulatory and neurological diseases appear there before other symptoms do.

Some preventive care can keep your feet feeling fine and free from common problems.

Corns and bunions may sound like vegetables, but they really aren’t good for you. So, what are they?

A corn is a hardening of the outer skin on the toes, caused by pressure exerted by tight shoes. A hard corn on the top of toes extends downwards and presses on a nerve. (Yes, it’s painful.) They can also appear on the top and the sole of the foot.

A bunion is a swelling at the base of the big toe when the joint is inflamed and starts bending the big toe inwards. This is caused by poorly fitting shoes.

How should you cure these problems? Short answer: get new shoes.

You can also see a podiatrist who can surgically remove the corns and bunions. Surgical removal is the only cure for bunions as it removes any overgrown bone underneath it, thus preventing recurrence.

Corns are a little more of a do-it-yourself project. Soaking feet in hot water and then rubbing with a pumice stone (available at most beauty shops) will remove the hardened skin and you can put a commercial dressing on it (such as Dr Scholl’s, et al, available at drugstores.)

Source: www.wedmd.lycos.com

Mayo alternative

2009-03-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

Try spreading a ripe avocado on whole-grain bread as a creamy condiment on your next sandwich.

This tastes especially nice on lean turkey sandwiches!

Lose inches in the new year!

2009-01-05T17:22:00.000-08:00

Happy new year!

Almost everyone wants to lose weight and tone up, especially since it is the new year.

That is all very well and good, but perhaps a more accurate measurement (literally!) is to measure your circumference at the following key sites:

Calf

Thigh

Hips

Waist

Chest

Unflexed bicep

(Subtract 0.5 inch if you measure while wearing clothes.)

These sites are where humans tend to store excess body fat and, as you lose fat and tone up, almost all will decrease in inches.

Men, with their increased testosterone levels, will likely expand in the bicep and chest areas, though both men and women benefit greatly health and looks-wise when their waist circumference decreases.

In other words, you gotta lose the gut.

Good food for good prices!

2008-12-29T16:26:00.001-08:00

It IS a recession --- no point in pretending it's not. So here we have .....

Healthful foods under $1 a serving!!!!

Oats -- the rolled kind.

Milk -- skim

Bananas

Mix all of the above and have a healthy tasty breakfast for several days. Don't add sugar!

Eggs.

Spinach. Mix with the eggs. Remove the yolks to lessen cholesterol intake.

Bread --- go for whole wheat for the fiber and longer-lasting energy release into your bloodstream.

Different produce is on sale at any given time. Check the weekly specials at your local supermarket.

Check out the following site for free coupons:

http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/deals/5-best-coupon-clipping-web-sites-23634/

Mercury vs Omega-3s

2008-12-19T14:41:00.000-08:00

Fish is a great source of lean protein (low in saturated fat unlike some cuts of red meat and poultry) and full of omega-3 fatty acids (for more about the benefit of those, please see posts on 9/19/06 and 9/26/06).

However, the increased pollution in our environment has led to the bioaccumulation of mercury in many fish. The bioaccumulation process continues when another being, like a human, consumes the fish.

So what are some guidelines for fish consumption, given these facts?

The USDA recommends that pregnant women and children avoid the fish found to have the highest levels of mercury bioaccumulation. These are: shark, swordfish, mackerel.

Luckily, salmon is found to be a lower-risk fish and full of health omega-3 fatty acids. The USDA recommends the consumption of up to 12 ounces of this per week, or the equivalent of the portion of fish at 2 separate meals.

Salmon is found to have 0.01 parts per million of mercury per serving and 1.1 - 1.9 grams of omega-3s in a 3-oz serving. Shrimp and clams are found to be below the level of detection for mercury i.e. 0.01 parts per million).

Source: American Heart Association http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3013797

Soak up some information on cleaning your sponges

2008-12-10T13:57:00.000-08:00

This can be categoorized as "environmental health", which includes cutting down viruses spread within the home:

Soak your kitchen sponge in water and microwave on "HIGH" for about 2 minutes.

This will kill approximately 99% of the germs that could be in there, including E. Coli.

Toothbrush care: a surprising tip!

2008-10-25T15:38:00.000-07:00

I just read this today, and it makes perfect sense:

"Reader's Digest recommends that once or twice a week you run your toothbrush through the microwave on high for 10 seconds immediately before brushing. If someone in your home is sick, you may want to sterilize it in the microwave each time you brush. If you're the one who's sick, after the illness passes, ditch your old toothbrush and replace it with a new one."

source: http://www.fitsugar.com/2339363

Chocolate on ice!

2008-10-17T11:08:00.000-07:00

With Halloween a mere two weeks away, temptation abounds and it's on sale, no less!

Freeze your favorite candy bar before you eat it. A frozen candy bar tastes great and takes longer to eat, thus satisfying you and preventing you from eating more than one (as I had been wont to do before I learned this little trick.)

Good to know re:coffee servings

2008-10-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

I recently visited a very good nutrition site sponsored by my old employer, Harvard School of Public Health. You can visit it at www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource

I am an avid coffee lover, and am told to be careful of how many cups of coffee i consume in a day.

But what is a cup? Below is a quote from the site, in an article written by Dr. Robert van dam, which clears it up:

"Keep in mind that our study and in most studies of coffee, a "cup" of coffee is an 8-ounce cup with 100 mg of caffeine, not the 16 ounces you would get in a grande coffee at a Starbucks, which has about 330 mg of caffeine."

Yikes!

New York vs Boston (again)

2008-08-28T12:16:00.001-07:00

Per usual, New York wins!

Now that the (always-pointless) rivalry between the NY Yankees and Boston Red Sox is over with the BoSox's 2003 World Series win, we turn our attention to their respective clam chowders.

Due to its vegetable broth base, an 8 ounce serving of Manhattan clam chowder has 130calories, 3g of fat and 14 mg of cholesterol.

In comparison, the cream-based New England clam chowder has 320 calories, 28 grams of fat and 100 mg of cholesterol in the same amount.

The city that never sleeps is also a lot healthier. Though the clams may not agree.

A note on good and bad cholesterol levels

2008-07-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

Bad cholesterol is called "low-density lipoproteins" or LDL.

Good cholesterol is called "high-density lipoproteins" or HDL.

Ideal numbers for LDL are less than or equal to 130.

Ideal numbers for HDL are greater than or equal to 40.

Having a total cholesterol of 170 is good.

To assess your cardiac risk factor, divide 170 by your HDL.

A good risk factor level is less than or equal to 4.9.

To get this number, your HDL would have to be 40. i.e. 170/40 = 4.9

Sunscreen application guidelines

2008-07-07T15:50:00.000-07:00

Financial health matters too.

2008-07-07T15:27:00.000-07:00

Financial health, particularly debt and lack of savings, have been linked to poor emotional and physical health. Taking charge of your finances will help you improve other aspects of health.

I recently heard Suze Orman, the financial guru/genius, speak at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan. She listed her 8 qualities of wealthy women. I thought I would
share, because they make a lot of sense:

1 & 2. Harmony and balance: make sure your thoughts,
words and actions are ONE. What you think, you will
say. What you say, you will become. When you do this,
you are in harmony, and thus have balance,

3. Courage: fear keeps you from taking the actions you
know will help you achieve wealth.

4. Generosity. TRUE generosity is a gift to both the
recipient and the giver. i.e. going into debt to buy
an expensive birthday present is not true generosity

5. Happiness: This comes when you truly have the first
four qualities. You won't shop for things you don't
really want to find happiness.

6. Cleanliness: wealth cannot live in filth. Dwell in
cleanliness to attract wealth.

7. Beauty: defined as inner strength, from knowing
your own worth and power

8. Wisdom: when you make the right choices with
yourself, your finances and your loved ones.

The search for health insurance

2008-06-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

There are 48 million Americans who do not have health insurance.

Rather than grouse about how we do not have a national health care plan like England (which serves roughly a population of 3 million relatively homogenous people, unlike our 280 million diverse people spread across a land mass of different climates and disease profiles), I offer the following websites to help you explore your options for procuring some:

www.ehealthinsurance.com

nahu.org/consumer/healthcare

freelancersunion.org

Women's Health Are You Game?

2008-06-12T12:16:00.001-07:00

I normally don't post for events, and I definitely do not receive kickbacks for doing so. But I thought I would post for this FREE event that takes place 12th July in NYC at Pier 46 (that's W 26th Street) down by Hudson River Park:

Women's Health magazine "Are You Game?" ---- rock-climbing, mechanical bull ('cause that's not suggestive), golf-swing challenge, and innovative workouts.

Open 10a to 5p. womenshealthmag.com/areyougame

See you on the mechanical bull!

Controling thy cholesterol

2008-06-06T11:30:00.001-07:00

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly:
The Effect of Cholesterol on the Body
By Saima Huq, MPH, American Council on Exercise Personal Trainer

Cholesterol, the fat-like substance found in blood and tissues, has a good side
and a bad side.

Cholesterol is classified as high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good
cholesterol”, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad cholesterol”. The
body naturally produces all the cholesterol it needs to produce hormones and
maintain other bodily processes. But when excess cholesterol is consumed in
your diet, the effects can be ugly.

When the body has enough cholesterol, the HDL routinely goes back to the liver,
and does not build up on artery walls. When there is an excess of cholesterol,
the result is LDL build-up on the walls, known as arteriosclerosis, or
hardening of the arteries.

Common causes of high cholesterol include:

• Heredity
• A diet high in fat and cholesterol (i.e. meat, egg yolks, including those
in baked goods.)
• Excess weight
• Hypertension
• Lack of physical activity and exercise
• Smoking
• Other health conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease,
alcohol abuse

Arteriosclerosis also increases with age, especially after age 45, although the
beginning streaks of the disease have been found in people as young as 20. It
also is found more in post-menopausal women.

You need a blood cholesterol test to find out your cholesterol level. This test
measures total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and the trigylcerides (natural compound of
three fatty acids and glycerol, the main makeup of fats and oils) in your
blood. Adults over age 20 should get a cholesterol test every five years.

The effects of high cholesterol can be eased by:

• Eating a low-fat diet
• Keeping your ideal body weight (check with your doctor for this number)
• Limiting alcohol intake and stopping smoking
• Exercising regularly
• Getting treated for other health conditions such as diabetes, etc.
• Eating foods with soluble fiber to decrease LDL, i.e. kidney beans,
oatmeal, rice.

Source: Sheldon, Huntington Boyd’s Introduction to the Study of Disease
(1992); American Council on Exercise; www.health.discovery.com;
www.cholesterollowdown.org

a small way to be altruistic

2008-05-15T13:12:00.000-07:00

Go to www.thehungersite.com every day and click on the buttons to help abate hunger and breast cancer, increase child literacy and help save the rain forest and animals. For every click, sponsors to the site donate money to each cause.

At present, the Hunger Site is aiding those in need in Burma, which was hit by a deadly cyclone last week, and China, which was struck by an earthquake that measured 9.5 on the Richter scale. An estimated 250,000 people have perished in these 2 disasters last week, and many more are in need in each country.

Summer arms!

2008-05-05T10:49:00.000-07:00

The warm weather is here and everyone is concerned about shaping up for summer and all its more revealing clothing.

Both guys and girls are concerned in particular with triceps, the three-headed muscle that runs the length of the back of the upper arm. Because it has three heads (attaches in three different areas along the bone), a variety of exercises can be done to help achieve the coveted ripped look:

Tricep dips. A classic, and do-able wherever there is a chair or a bench (in the office, make sure the chair does not have wheels.) Sit on the bench, place both hands next to your butt with the knuckles facing towards your knees. Slide your butt off the chair a few inches away, bend at the elbow and slowly lower yourself till your tricep is parallel to the ground. Lift back to starting point.

Do this 15 times.

Tricep extension behind the head. Take a single weight between 3 - 12 lbs (depends on your own ability and comfort level). Grasp in both hands and raise arms over head. Place triceps next to your ears (you should look like you are crushing your head with your arms).

Bend at the elbow, lowering the weight down. Then straighten arms completely, raising weight upwards. You will look like you are scrubbing your back with the weight.

repeat 15 times.

Recipes from the Cancer Project

2008-04-25T07:33:00.000-07:00

Check out the website below for the Cancer Project, a nonprofit that includes recipes recommended for nutrition for those affected by cancer.

The intro reads:

"What we eat and how we treat our bodies on a daily basis have a very powerful effect on our health and quality of life. Although cancer can affect many different parts of the body, the foods that prevent cancer and deter cancer growth are generally the same. Fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes all have important nutrients and other cancer-fighting substances like phytochemicals and pectin that strengthen immune function and destroy cancer-causing substances before they cause harm. Research has shown that people who eat a diet free of animal products, high in plant foods, and low in fat have a much lower risk of developing cancer."

http://www.cancerproject.org/recipes/index.php

Customize your food plan

2008-03-17T09:17:00.001-07:00

The food pyramid recently changed, and it is no longer one size fits all (that never really worked anyway. But we can forgive them as the USDA created it in 1916, and times and information have changed since.)

You can customize your food plan according to age, gender, height, weight and level of physical acticity here:

http://www.mypyramid.gov/mypyramid/index.aspx

Bon appetit and keep on keepin' on!

Stress reduction leads to brattiness reduction

2008-03-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

A recent article in the Seattle Times correlated the increase in bratty behavior (horn honking, rudeness, etc) due to an increase in the stress that comes with the speed of everything these days.

The article suggested breathing deep from the belly to help combat this.

I find that it helps me, but the placebo effect is 33% (meaning if you believe it will do something, you have a 1 in 3 chance of actually physically feeling those effects.) But hey -- whatever works, you brat!

Just for fun -- free fitness horoscopes

2008-02-18T05:34:00.000-08:00

Go to www.fitnessmagazine.com/horoscopes and sign up!

Here is Virgo (my sign) for today:

Virgo (August 22-September 21)

Stellar vibes flow through your sign this month. Saturn offers its grounding support -- a boon for practical Virgins. Galactic divas Pluto and Jupiter are positioned to help you scale that final hill (literal or figurative). In addition, your mother planet, Mercury, is in headstrong Capricorn, another earth sign like you. You'll lick those post-pregnancy rolls in no time, baby! Add a little bit more weight to your strength-training routine; your body is prepped to take on anything. New work-related opportunities will land in your lap, but don't commit to too many projects and lose sight of yourself, as you often do. Starting on the 24th, Mercury, your CEO planet, twists in retrograde, throwing your tidy house of health and healing into disarray. Blueprint an exercise and relaxation scheme earlier in the month, so your fitness efforts won't turn to cake batter.

What is a vegan?

2008-02-05T12:28:00.000-08:00

A lot of people tell me they are vegans. A vegan is a vegetarian who does not eat, wear or use any animal products, including honey, wool, silk and leather.

All vegetarians abstain from eating meat, poultry or fish. Other types of vegetarians are:

lacto-ovo -- Will eat eggs and dairy.

ovo - eats eggs but not dairy.

lacto -- eats dairy but not eggs.

Count those calories and pennies!

2008-02-05T12:11:00.000-08:00

There is a new website that links (quite rightly too, in my opinion) that if you dropped the doughnut, you would also fatten your bank account. More on that at richandthinliving.com

For example, if you had a Cafe Mocha with Whipped Cream (not necessarily from Starbucks) every day, you would spend about $3.35 (and yes, it's more at Starbucks) while ingesting 400 calories.

In a month, you would have had 8,667 calories from the mochas alone (keeping in mind that you need to CUT 3500 calories to LOSE one pound!) If you are not increasing your exercise, you stand to gain an extra 2 lbs a month.

In a year, that is 104,000 extra calroies and 27 lbs.

On the financial side, you will spend $871.00 a month on these drinks, and $5620.24 in a year!

If you put that $5620.24 in an ING savings account at its current interest rate of 3.50%, you would have an additional $196.70 -- about $5816. And who couldn't use an extra $5816!!!!

How's your posture?

2008-01-15T15:11:00.000-08:00

GRAPHIC: |The Washington Post -April 16, 2007

Recipes with fresh ingredients

2008-01-01T14:24:00.000-08:00

The following blog is maintained by Robin Puskas, a NYC-based chef who uses fresh ingredients from the famed Union Square Greenmarket, where she does a weekly demonstration. The result is fresh, nutritious foods with locally-grown affordable produce. Check it out!

http://greenmarketcooking.blogspot.com/

Robin also teaches cooking skills as well as provide meals as a personal chef to clients. I have tasted her salmon, chicken and spinach dishes personally, and they are wonderful!

To find out more, or to contact Robyn, visit at www.nykitchenco.com

Toast the new year with a glass of milk!

2008-01-01T14:20:00.001-08:00

Below are the daily recommended calcium requirements for various populations. Drink up with some skim milk and happy new year!

Age/Sex Calcium requirement (mg/day)

Infants & children, depending on age
350-550

Teenage girls
800

Teenage boys 1
000

Adult men & women
700

Breast-feeding women
extra 550 (so 700 + 550 = 1250)

Top Ten Foods by noted nutritionist Joy Bauer

2007-12-26T06:24:00.000-08:00

Joy Bauer, RD, CDN is the nutritionist for the New York City Ballet and a contributor to many magazines on nutrition. She wrote the following list of Top 10 Healthy Foods for the December 2007 Self magazine:

1. Wild salmon
2. Broccoli
3. Spinach
4. Swiss chard (check out the post 10/6/06 for more)
5. Legumes
6. Skim milk
7. Soybeans
8. Berries
9. Wheat germ
10. Turkey breast

http://www.joybauernutrition.com/

Free and tasty recipe database

2007-12-19T11:16:00.001-08:00

Use the following URL to access the free recipe database on www.washingtonpost.com. You can search by "ingredients", "meatless" and "healthy".

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/foodanddining/recipes/search/index.html

One example of a "healthy" and "kid friendly" version of 'fried' chicken is:

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon plain low-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon spicy brown or Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 pounds total), each cut into quarters, lengthwise
1 1/2 cups packaged corn bread stuffing, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with the spray.

In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Pat the chicken dry. Add it to the yogurt mixture and turn to coat. Set aside. In a pie plate or shallow dish, combine the stuffing and thyme. Working with 1 piece at a time, remove the chicken from the yogurt mixture and shake to allow any excess to drip off. Dip it into the crumbs and roll to coat all sides, pressing the crumbs so they stick. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and lightly coat the top side of the chicken with cooking spray.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until the pieces are golden brown. (If crisper chicken is desired, after baking, increase the oven temperature to broil for about 3 minutes.)

Recipe Source:
From "Family Circle Eat What You Love & Lose" by Peggy Katalinich (Regan Books, 2003).

Tested by Candy Sagon for The Washington Post.
E-mail the Food Section with recipe questions.

Body Mass Index (BMI) calculations

2007-12-14T12:13:00.000-08:00

By now, many of you have heard about the body mass index but don't entirely know what it is or how to figure yours out. The lazy way is to use this handy online calculator!

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/adult_BMI/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.htm

You will fall under one of these categories:

BMI Weight Status
Below 18.5 Underweight
18.5–24.9 Normal
25.0–29.9 Overweight
30.0 and Above Obese

A lot of people rightly point out that the BMI can be inaccurate because a professional athlete will weigh more due to muscle mass, not because they are fat, and thus calculate a higher BMI. This is true.

What is also true is the average person at the gym does not have to worry about it because last I checked, being a desk jockey does not count as being a professional athlete. C'est la vie.

Baby, it's dark outside!

2007-12-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

With the onset of winter and sunsets as early as 4:30 pm, this is the time of year when those with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) really start to feel its effects.

SAD, or "winter depression", is believed to be related to the lack of sunlight disturbing our natural circadian rhythms (response to light). One way to help cure this is to introduce bright lighting in your indoor environments (or paint the walls bright colors as well.)

Another is to establish a routine of sleeping and awakening to reset your body clock.

For more info, check out: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder/DS00195

a very good website

2007-11-26T07:02:00.000-08:00

Use this website to help figure out calorie intake www.calorieking.com

Turkey Day Aftermath

2007-11-24T13:51:00.000-08:00

NYC nutritionist

2007-11-06T12:07:00.000-08:00

Allison Topilow, MS, RD, CDN is a nutritionist who works with some of my training clients, and those clients -- having grasped that they need to view weight loss and maintenance as an equilateral triangle of proper nutrition, cardiovascular exercise and strength training --- look fabulous and are making great progress.

Ms.Topilow's website (http://www.eatandbewell.com/) asks:

Do you find yourself asking these questions?

*How can I lose weight and keep it off without being hungry?
*Can a certain type of diet prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer?
*I feel so tired. Will certain foods help increase my energy level?
*What should I eat if I am at a restaurant or party?
*Is my exercise routine appropriate for my goals?
*I am so busy! What can I eat that is quick and healthy?
*Will I ever lose those last 10 pounds?

Check her out www.eatandbewell.com She might just be the NYC nutritionist for you!

Saima Shapes: Advice for Every Shape

Survivor (reality, not reality TV)

Massage for the cure

Sun? Slip-slop-slap!

I love Trinity Boxing!

Who wants it more?

Apples, Pineapples and Strawberries -- Oh My!!!

Work out for free in NYC!

Tis a Pith-y

Join the registry --- save a life

The incredible edible egg!

A brief history on the Frisbee and how to catch one

How to keep an effective food journal

The juicy details!

Olive oil -- good for the heart, good for the hair

A heart-warming treat.

Free Cardiac Risk Assessments in NYC!

Seven steps to heart health

Quit smoking in 2010!

What are steel-cut oats?

Eat this, not that!

Turkey Day aftermath

Take preemptive strikes on Thanksgiving Day calories!

Pumpkin goodness!

Public Service Announcement (PSA)

Drink up to your health!

I opened the window ....

How to Win the Fight Against the Freshman Fifteen!

Sign up for breast cancer studies

Kamut, the ancient wheat!

If you absolutely MUST hit Starbucks for breakfast .....

Eat fiber to be lighter.

How much fruit and veg?

Corn, beautiful corn!

The no-sugar challenge

9 calories in a gram of fat

Cooling down in August heat

Choose brown over white rice to lower blood sugar

Salmon: and it tastes good too!

Putting cream cheese on your bagel ...

Never travel without ...

Cup vs cone?

Chiropractic care!

Stick to your diet for charity (or vice versa)!

If you can't travel to the Mediterranean ....

recommended reading: When Friendship Hurts

What IS metabolic syndrome?

Check out my fellow fitness blogger!

Lips? Snouts? Myths and realities about hot dogs!

Caffeine and its double-edged sword

Forgive, even if you can't forget

Lemon water vs lemonade!

Happy July! Time to grill!

S-T-R-E-T-C-H!

My Family Health Portrait

Drink water!

Fit for free!

Weights Won't Bulk You Up (but eating crap will!)

Drink this, not that!

Vitamin B9 to the rescue!

The rule of 3

Lemon and the integumentary system

Food Journal musings

Eat this, not that!

Good news about the sun

Repost: Sunscreen application guidelines

FREE skin cancer screenings!

How to have slightly healthier feet

Mayo alternative

Lose inches in the new year!

Good food for good prices!

Mercury vs Omega-3s

Soak up some information on cleaning your sponges

Toothbrush care: a surprising tip!

Chocolate on ice!

Good to know re:coffee servings

New York vs Boston (again)

A note on good and bad cholesterol levels

Sunscreen application guidelines

Financial health matters too.