Friday, February 29, 2008

Pros and Cons of Eating Organic

While buying organic foods may seem like the right thing to do for your health, the environment and your family, sometimes it's difficult to justify the added expense. Plus, more food industry experts are starting to recommend choosing local foods over their organic counterparts, especially when it comes to foods where freshness really counts, like produce, dairy and meat.

So what's a responsible, price-conscious consumer to do? Nutrition experts stress that while eating organic can be a smart way to reduce your exposure to potentially harmful chemicals, striving for a healthy diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and limits processed grains, animal fats, sugar and salt is a far more effective way to boost your health.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Body fat percentage

Total body fat percentage consists of essential fat and storage fat. Essential fat is that amount necessary for maintenance of life and reproductive functions. The percentage for women is greater than that for men, due to the demands of childbearing and other hormonal functions. Essential fat is 2–5% in men, and 10–13% in women. Storage fat consists of fat accumulation in adipose tissue, part of which protects internal organs in the chest and abdomen. The minimum recommended total body fat percentage exceeds the essential fat percentage value reported above. A number of online tools are available for calculating estimated body fat percentage


Recommendations Some body fat percentage
levels are more culturally valued than others, and some are related to better health or improved athletic performance. Ideal percentages are also based on age categories as well.

Note that the essential fat values in the chart above are lower than the recommended minimum body fat percentage levels. A small amount of storage fat is required to be available as fuel for the body in time of need. It is unclear whether falling in a particular category of these body fat percentages is better for one's health than any other, but there seem to be enhancements in athletic performance as one nears the ideal body fat percentage range for one's particular sport. The leanest athletes typically compete at levels of about 5–8% for men, however it is 10–15% for women. Bodybuilders will often compete at ranges even lower than these levels. Certified personal trainers will suggest to male bodybuilders that they should aim for a body fat percentage between 2–4% by contest time. Getting to this level usually requires a carefully planned and implemented exercise program, specific and carefully monitored variations in fluid consumption, energy intake and macronutrient ratios, sodium and potassium, and sometimes also use of ointments and alcohol. Because joints and organs have an inadequate amount of protective fat at the low ends of this range, it can be dangerous to maintain this state for more than a few days.

Measurement techniques
A person's exact body fat percentage generally cannot be determined, but there are several techniques which can be used to accurately estimate it

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Fruit Vegetables


Eat your fruits and vegetables" is one of the tried and true recommendations for a healthy diet. And for good reason. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss.

What does "plenty" mean?
More than most Americans consume. If you don't count potatoes - which should be considered a starch rather than a vegetable - the average American gets a total of just three servings of fruits and vegetables a day. The latest dietary guidelines call for five to thirteen servings of fruits and vegetables a day, depending on one's caloric intake.(1) For a person who needs 2,000 calories a day to maintain weight and health, this translates into nine servings, or 4½ cups per day.

Fruits, Vegetables, and Cardiovascular Disease
There is compelling evidence that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.

The largest and longest study to date, done as part of the Harvard-based Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study, included almost 110,000 men and women whose health and dietary habits were followed for 14 years. The higher the average daily intake of fruits and vegetables, the lower the chances of developing cardiovascular disease. Compared with those in the lowest category of fruit and vegetable intake (less than 1.5 servings a day), those who averaged 8 or more servings a day were 30% less likely to have had a heart attack or stroke.

Although all fruits and vegetables likely contribute to this benefit, green leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, and mustard greens; cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, and kale; and citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit (and their juices) make important contributions.

Fruits and Vegetables, Blood Pressure, and Cholesterol
High blood pressure is a primary risk factor for heart disease and stroke. As such, it's a condition that is very important to control. Diet can be a very effective tool for lowering blood pressure. One of the most convincing associations between diet and blood pressure was found in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) study. This trial examined the effect on blood pressure of a diet that was rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products and that restricted the amount of saturated and total fat. The researchers found that people with high blood pressure who followed this diet reduced their systolic blood pressure (the upper number of a blood pressure reading) by about 11 mm Hg and their diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) by almost 6 mm Hg - as much as medications can achieve.

Eating more fruits and vegetables can also help lower cholesterol. In the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Family Heart Study, the 4466 subjects consumed on average a shade over 3 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Men and women with the highest daily consumption (more than 4 servings a day) had significantly lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol than those with lower consumption.(4) How fruits and vegetables lower cholesterol is still something of a mystery. It is possible that eating more fruits and vegetables means eating less meat and dairy products, and thus less cholesterol-boosting saturated fat. Soluble fiber in fruits and vegetables may also block the absorption of cholesterol from food.

Monday, February 25, 2008

Weight Control


-By National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

If you are overweight, you are not alone. Sixty-six percent of adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese. Achieving a healthy weight can help you control your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar. It might also help you prevent weight-related diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and some cancers.

Eating too much or not being physically active enough will make you overweight. To maintain your weight, the calories you eat must equal the energy you burn. To lose weight, you must use more calories than you eat. A weight-control strategy might include


  • Choosing low-fat, low-calorie foods

  • Eating smaller portions

  • Drinking water instead of sugary drinks

  • Being physically active

Friday, February 22, 2008

Laugh Helps to Lose Weight Greatly

Laugh Helps to Lose Weight Greatly
And it’s really true! Everyone can lose weight by laughing. Researchers discovered that laughing man loses up to 20% energy more. New research published in the International Journal of Obesity has discovered that laughter really is the best medicine for a weight problem.

The small study included 45 pairs of adult friends, who were shown either funny or serious film clips in a room that was set up with equipment to measure the amount of calories burnt and to monitor the rate, duration and type of laughter. The participants also wore heart monitors to measure their heart rate. The researchers discovered that laughing increased both heart rate and calorie expenditure by up to 20 per cent – and the longer participants laughed for the greater the effects. Although laughter has long been thought to be good for the heart and the immune system, this is the first study to suggest a benefit in weight loss.

The scientists consider that just 15 minutes of laughter a day will burn 10 to 40 calories, depending on a person’s weight and the intensity of the laughter. In other words, 10-15 minutes of laugh per day deprive the same amount of kilocalories, as the bar of chocolate adds. That’s enough to shift between 1 and 4lb a year. Being overweight can make you feel miserable, but if you want to lose those excess pounds, you should better try to have a good laugh. It might be the simplest way to lose weight ever. So, lose weight, laughing!



July Nutrition Tips

July Nutrition Tips
Shake the sodium habit! The average American consumes 25% of their sodium intake from using salt while cooking and from the salt they add at the table. A preference for sodium is a learned habit and can be unlearned. Sodium is a nutrient your body needs but only in minimal amounts. Try to break the salt habit by tasting food before using the salt shaker, remove the salt shaker from the table, use other spices like garlic and herbs to cook with instead of salt, reduce or skip the salt in cooking water and read food labels!

Antioxidant vitamins are important to good health! Antioxidant vitamins include vitamin A (as beta-carotene), vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium. Antioxidants counteract the effects of harmful free-radicals. Free-radicals can damage body tissues and DNA which can lead to the onset of health problems. Free-radicals are formed when the body burns oxygen and from certain environmental factors such as burns, cigarette smoke, ultraviolet light and pollution. Antioxidants work together and compliment each other. An excess or deficiency of one may inhibit the benefits of another. Eat lots of whole-grains and eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day to make sure your body gets the antioxidant vitamins it needs.

June Weight Loss Tips

June Weight Loss Tips:
Doctors generally agree that people can gain significant health benefits from weight loss if they are 20 percent or more overweight, or if their body mass index (BMI) is 30 or above. (To find your BMI, check out our BMI calculator). Even a modest weight loss of ten to 20 pounds can bring significant health improvements, such as lowering one's blood pressure and cholesterol levels. There are many commercial weight loss programs on the market today. It is important to choose one that is safe and effective. Keep these six things in mind when choosing a program:
1.The diet should be safe. It should include all of the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) for vitamins, minerals, and protein. The weight-loss diet should be low in calories (energy) only, not in essential foodstuffs. It should include ALL of the food groups.
2.The weight-loss program should be directed towards a slow, steady weight loss.
3.The program should incorporate an exercise or activity portion.
4.Your program should include plans for weight maintenance after the weight loss phase is over. It is of little benefit to lose a large amount of weight only to regain it.
5.A commercial weight-loss program should provide a detailed statement of fees and costs of additional items such as dietary supplements.
6.The program should be developed by a health professional such as a Dietitian.


June Nutrition Tips:
Fruits and vegetables should be a part of a healthy diet! They contain important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fiber. You should shoot for at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Research by The National Cancer Institute, indicates that a consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables everyday is associated with a lower risk of cancer.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking that fat-free treats are calorie-free, and, therefore, constraint-free. Fat-free brand foods such as cookies, muffins and cakes may have no fat but they have plenty of calories.

Fitness Fun


Fitness Fun:
Help Your Body Burn FAT On Its Own
(By: Kimberly A. Tessmer, RD LD)

It is possible to help your body burn fat on its own! In fact, the more muscle you have the more calories and fat your body burns. Try:
*Exercise in short, intense bursts. Known as interval training.
*Increase the amount of resistance, strength and/or weight training that you do to build more lean muscle.
*Watch your portion sizes!

BODY FAT PERCENTAGE

“If your BODY FAT PERCENTAGE puts you at risk for health problems contact us for available services to put you back on the track to good health”!

Body Composition is a valuable tool in assessing your healthy weight and assessing your progress when you are losing weight. Body composition can be used to measure actual body fat content of any type of individual. How much of a person’s weight is actually body fat is one of the most significant factors in evaluating weight. A body builder or athlete can be overweight but not necessarily over-fat. A person can be at a normal weight but still carry too much body fat. This is why body composition can be such an significant evaluation tool.

Fat Loss & Weight Training Myths


Spot Reduction Myth
Contrary to what the info commercials suggest, there is no such thing as spot reduction. Fat is lost throughout the body in a pattern dependent upon genetics, sex (hormones), and age. Overall body fat must be reduced to lose fat in any particular area. Although fat is lost or gained throughout the body, it seems the last area to become lean or the first area to get fat is the midsection (in men and some women) and hips and thighs (in women and few men). Sit-ups, crunches, hip raises, leg raises, hip adduction, hip abduction, etc. will only exercise the muscles under the fat.

Incidentally, fat is also stored under the abdominal muscles and around the intestines and other organs. This can contribute to the "pot belly", pushing the abdominal muscles and the overlying fat outward. This "apple shape" fat distribution has greater health consequences than the lower body "pear shape" fat distribution.

Lower Abdominal Myth
It is widely believe the lower abs are exercised during the leg raise or other hip flexor exercises. It can be misleading to judge the mechanics of an exercise based upon localized muscular fatigue. The primary muscle used in hip flexion is actually the Iliopsoas, one of many hip flexors. The Iliopsoas, indeed, does happen to originate deep below the lower portion of the Rectus Abdominis. During the leg raise the entire abdominal musculature isometrically contracts (contracts with no significant movement) to:

High Repetitions Burn More Fat Myth
Performing lighter weight with more repetitions (15-20 reps, 20-30 reps, or 20-50 reps) does not burn more fat or tone (simultaneous decrease of fat and increase muscle) better than a heavier weight with moderate repetitions (8-12 reps). Weight training utilizes carbohydrates after the initial ATP and CP stores have been exhausted after the first few seconds of intense muscular contraction. Typically a set's duration is 20 to 30 seconds. For the average fit person, it requires 20 to 30 minutes of continuous aerobic activity with large muscle groups (eg. Gluteus Maximus and Quadriceps) to burn even 50% fat; fat requires oxygen to burn. Performing a few extra repetitions on a weight training exercise is not significant enough to burn extra fat and may in effect burn less fat. If intensity is compromised, less fat may be burned when light weight is used with high repetitions. The burning sensation associated with high repetition training seems to be the primary deterrent for achieving higher intensities.

For individuals attempting to achieve fat loss for aesthetics, the intensity of weight training can be a double edge sword. When beginning an exercise program, muscle mass increases may out pace fat losses, resulting in a small initial weight gain. Significant fat loss requires a certain intensity, duration, and frequency that novice exercisers may not be able to achieve until they develop greater tolerance to exercise. If an exercise and nutrition program is not adequate for significant fat loss, a lighter weight with higher repetitions may be recommended to minimize any bulking effects, although less fat may be utilized hours later. If an aerobic exercise and nutrition program is sufficient enough to lose fat, a moderate repetition range with a progressively heavier weight will accelerate fat loss with a toning effect. If a muscle group ever out paces fat loss, the bulking effect is only temporary. For a toning effect, fat can be lost later when aerobic exercise can be significantly increased or the weight training exercise(s) for that particular muscle can be ceased altogether. The muscle will atrophy to a pre-exercise girth within months. Higher repetitions training may be later implemented and assessed.

It still may be recommended to perform high repetitions (20-30 or 20-50 reps) for abdominal and oblique training. With fat around the waist, moderate repetitions with a greater resistance can increase muscular girth under the subcutaneous fat. If fat is not lost, more muscle can push out the fat resulting in a bulkier appearance. The abdominal muscles are relatively small muscles. Performing high reps with a lighter resistance will not compromise metabolism or muscle increases as would performing high reps with light resistance on larger muscles. See Spot Reduction Myth above.

It is plausible that the high repetition myth was originated and later propagated by bodybuilders that used calorie restrictive diets to shed fat before a contest. Because of their weakened state from dieting, they were unable to use their usual heavier weights. When inquired about their use of lighter weights, they explained they were "cutting up" for a contest. This is merely a theory, but it is easy to see how it may have been misunderstood that the lighter weight was used to reduce fat instead of actually being a result of their dietary regime.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

How much body fat is healthy?

Body Composition - Body Fat - Body Weight
From Elizabeth Quinn,Your Guide to Sports Medicine.FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by Medical Review Board
How much body fat is healthy?
Body Composition is the technical term used to describe the different components that, when taken together, make up a person's body weight. The human body is composed of a variety of different tissue types. The so-called 'lean' tissues, such as muscle, bone, and organs are metabolically active, while adipose (fat) tissue is not.

Standard scales can tell you a total weight, but can't determine the lean-to-fat ratio of that weight. By the old height-weight charts, an athlete can be "over-weight" and not "over-fat." A bodybuilder, for example, may be 8% body fat, yet at 250 pounds may be considered "over-weight" by a typical weight chart. In general, charts are not a good indication of a athlete's ideal body weight for general health or for athletic performance.

There are several different methods of assessing the percent of fat and lean mass of an individual. These methods are referred to as Body Composition Analysis.

The gold standard of body composition analysis is hydrostatic weighing or hydrodensitometry. Although, because it is complex and complicated most physiologists use simple skinfold measurements to determine body fat percent. The American College of Sports Medicine says that when performed by a trained, skilled, tester, they are up to 98 percent accurate.

Bioelectrical Impedance is another method of assessing body fat percentage. There are a variety of Body Composition and Body Fat Analyzers and Scales available for home use that provide more than just total weight measurements. These devices determine total weight, the percent and amount of body fat, muscle mass, water, and even bone mass. While the readings can be affected by hydration levels, food intake, skin temperature, and other factors, if you follow the directions and take the reading under similar conditions, you will obtain the best results.

Ideal Body Weight and Body Fat Percent
Your ideal weight and fat-lean ratio varies considerably for men and women and by age, but the minimum percent of body fat considered safe for good health is 5 percent for males and 12 percent for females. The average adult body fat is closer to 15-18 percent for men and 22-25 percent for women.

Athletes tend to be at low end of this scale due to their increased lean weight (muscle mass). While low levels of body fat seem to be related to improved performance, body composition alone is not a great predictor of sports success. A linebacker needs to have enough body mass (lean and fat weight) to generate high forces and avoid injury. Body fat among elite athletes vary largely by sport. There is little evidence of any benefit when men drop under 8 percent and women drop under 14 percent body fat.

How Much Is Too Much?
Just as too little body fat can cause physiological complications, too much body fat is also harmful. For men over 25 percent and women over 32 percent fat there is a dramatic correlation with illness and disease.
Isn't Body Composition Genetic?
Some aspects of your body composition are genetic (where you store fat), but most fat increase is related to lifestyle.

Can I Change My Body Composition?
Yes. To increase or decrease your percent of body fat you need to create the right balance between the calories in and calories out. The best way to do this is to decrease daily calories by about 500 and increase your exercise. Aerobic exercise along with strength training is ideal. If you are beginning a new exercise program, you are advised to first consult your physician.
Powered By Blogger