HealthyLife Articles

Tag: balance

  • Understanding Carbs

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of different type of breads.

    Carbohydrates (or carbs) are one of the main types of nutrients in our diets. Fats and protein are other nutrients.

    Carbs with a simple chemical structure are called sugars. Sugars are found naturally in foods such as fruits, vegetables, and milk products. They’re also added to many foods and drinks.

    Complex carbs, such as starches and fiber, are found in whole-grain breads and cereals and in starchy vegetables such as potatoes.

    Your digestive system changes the carbs you eat into glucose, a type of sugar that your body uses for energy.

    Simple carbs are more quickly digested and absorbed than complex carbs, so simple carbs can raise your blood glucose levels faster and higher. If you have diabetes, you need to manage your blood glucose levels. High blood glucose can damage your tissues and organs.

    It makes sense to eat more complex carbs, according to researchers at NIH. And not just people with diabetes, but everyone. Complex carbs are more gradually absorbed and help control blood sugar levels.

    Whole foods with complex carbs will give you more minerals and vitamins too and are usually good sources of fiber.

    Make Wise Carb Choices

    *  Try different kinds of beans and lentils.

    *  Choose cereals high in fiber (5 or more grams per serving, read the label for this information).

    *  Switch to whole grains. Look for whole-grain bread, whole-wheat pasta, brown or wild rice, barley, quinoa, and bulgur.

    *  Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and drink less juice.

    *  Snack on fruit and small portions of nuts and seeds.

    *  Limit candy.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Tips For Healthy Celebration

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 6

    Thanksgiving dinner and family eating at table.

    Happy times may also be triggers for overeating or making less healthy food choices. Holidays and other special occasions may also make it harder to fit in physical activity.

    Items that trip you up during a celebration:

    *  Drinks: soda, alcoholic beverages

    *  Foods: desserts, large helpings of “comfort foods”

    *  Gifts of candy, cookies, etc.

    *  Too many things to do and less time to prepare healthy meals

    *  Workplace parties and cookie exchanges

    *  More travel or a change of routine

    *  Events centered around large meals, or appetizers

    *  All-you-can-eat buffets on cruise ships or at resorts

    Approaches to Celebration

    There are many ways you can approach a celebration.

    1. Make choices that fit with your healthy eating goals. Choose this option most of the time.

    2. Make mostly healthy choices, but choose small treat foods. Choose small portions of these treats and eat them mindfully.

    3. Eat without restriction. Eat and drink what you would like without feeling guilty for choosing less healthy foods. Choose this option rarely and plan to make healthy choices the next day.

    If you have been making healthy choices for a while, you may notice your body’s negative response to certain unhealthy foods. Foods high in saturated fat seem to sit in your stomach longer and make you feel uncomfortable. Meals low in fiber may leave you constipated. Artificial sugars may give you a headache. Pay attention to this difference. It can help you choose less of these foods in the future.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Hey, Want To Improve Your Balance?

    SELF-CARE CORNER

    Image of older women balancing on one leg while bending over half way.

    Everyone wants to prevent falls and improve balance, at any age. NIH in Health offers these daily exercises to steady your balance (and you could do these while talking on the phone or at work too):

    *  Stand on one leg at a time for a minute. Slowly increase the time. Try to balance with your eyes closed or without holding on to anything.

    *  Stand on your toes for a count of 10, and then rock back on your heels for a count of 10.

    *  Move your hips in a big circle to the left, and then to the right. Do not move your shoulders or feet. Repeat 5 times.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Walking Off The Midway Munchies

    BE FIT

    Image of couple walking at a state fair with cotton candy.

    How far will you need to walk to burn off the calories of some of your favorite state fair foods? University of Nebraska Extension has it all calculated:

    *  Corn dog, large: 4.5 miles

    *  Cotton candy: 1.5 miles

    *  Fried candy bar on a stick: 4.5 miles

    *  Funnel cake, 6-inch diameter: 3 miles

    *  Soft drink, 32 oz.: 2.5 miles

    *  Sno-cone: 2.5 miles

    *  Soft pretzel: 3 miles

    So wear comfortable shoes and plan to walk off what you eat. But be prudent. Choose a small soft drink or bring along bottled water. Save your calories for the splurges. Split a funnel cake among friends; share that fried candy bar so everyone gets a bite. Limit yourself to one treat.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Types Of Physical Activity

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 5

    Group of people doing power exercise at fitness studio.

    All exercise helps with stress management, heart health, and weight management. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn.

    Combine different forms of physical activity to get the most benefit. This guide breaks physical activity into three categories:

    1. Cardio Training

    2. Resistance Training

    3. Stretching & Rehabilitation

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • High-Intensity Workouts Aren’T Always Best

    BE FIT

    Image of women running during sunset.

    High-intensity workouts aren’t always best

    When it comes to exercise, is harder and longer always better? No, according to two studies recently published in the academic journal, Heart.

    The first study found that those who performed the most strenuous daily exercise were more than twice as likely to die of a heart attack or stroke. The second study found that men who exercised intensely for more than five hours a week were more likely to develop an irregular heartbeat later in life.

    So what’s the best exercise to do? Strive for moderate intensity exercise. You develop a fast heart rate while doing this type of exercise, but you should still be able to talk while doing the activity.

    Moderate exercise = longer life

    Studies show if you do seven hours of moderate intensity exercise each week, you will lower your risk of dying early by 40 percent. This is compared with those who exercise 30 minutes or less per week. If seven hours a week is too much for you, aim for 150 minutes per week. This amount of exercise also produces similar benefits.

    Before you start any exercise program, talk with your doctor about what’s best for you.

    Source: CDC and World Health Organization

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Wine Confusion: Healthy Or Not?

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of a wine bottle with 2 glasses of wine and grapes.

    Wine has been making the headlines in recent months as a “healthy” choice. Some studies suggest the compounds and antioxidants in wine can reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, and more.

    This can be confusing if you’ve been told that alcohol isn’t good for you. Should you drink wine to get healthier, or skip it?

    There is no perfect answer for everyone. It’s important to note that these studies are promising, but they’re not enough to say that wine is a healthy choice. Many of these studies were done in labs, on mice, or were done with supplements instead of real wine. And for some, the possible benefits of wine wouldn’t be worth the risk. Wine is also high in calories and sugar. This can add to obesity and affect blood sugar, especially in diabetics. In addition, wine and alcohol can interact with certain medicines.

    Many people can enjoy alcohol in  small amounts without problems. But if you have a history of alcoholism or your doctor has told you not to drink, you should not drink wine or any alcoholic beverage.

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that drinking too much alcohol, even wine, can harm your health. So if you decide to drink, be sure you do it in moderation.

    So what is “moderation”? According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, moderation is up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men-and only by adults of legal drinking age.

    The bottom line:

    If you already have a drink once in a while, switching to red wine may be healthier than other choices such as beer or spirits. But the health benefits of red wine are not fully understood. So, experts do not recommend it as a daily drink for everyone.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine