It really bothers me when experts write stories concerning their field that are not always easy for us at home to practice. Exercising is that to me. I want to do it, and I feel better when I do, but finding the time and sometimes the energy is a constant struggle for me. I understand that exercising is an important part of my health and that I should be able to find the time to do a little every day, but the place that I'm in right now, that being an overworked college student with three jobs, does not always enable me to do what's best.
That's why I liked this article by Bob Greene. He's a realist when it comes to exercising for the modern woman, and incorporates ways of getting in a little extra exercise throughout the day. Ultimately, it's great to set aside a specific time every day devoted to exeercise, but let's be real; we live in a stressed out world where no one has time to do the basics, let alone the extras. And while exercising shouldn't be considered an "extra," it is something that most of us neglect. However, with his helpful tidbits, it's possible to stay healthy, get the motivation to work out, and maintain a less-stressed lifestyle by just taking a couple of minutes a day devoted to ourselves.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Sunday, December 9, 2007
The Cure
Cancer is a topic that effects almost everyone in one way or another. Everyone who doesn't have it themselves has a friend or relative that suffers from one form or another of it.
I started to follow updates in cancer research back in high school when a good friend of mine's mother died. We were 16 at the time. She died of non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, more deadly than Hodgkins lymphoma, after being in remission for over two years.
With the new Guardasil vaccine that protects against cervical cancer by guarding against the viris that causes many cases, brings hope that soon more potential cures for cancer that face millions of Americans, not to mention others around the world.
A little ray of hope seems to come every few months now in the struggle to fight this war, and I was so excited to read about a possible new cure for a rare form of lymphoma. Though it is still in its initial phases of research, I really hope that this will pave the way for more possible cures, or even easier forms of treatment.
The test included lower dosages of chemotherapy and sterroids, as opposed to more. Not only will this new research prove to be invaluable for future cancer patients, should it turn out to be valid, but even if it's just a step, it could mean easier recovery from treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation.
I know what my friend's mom went through every day with the harsh effects of chemo, and to think that that could potentially be lessened while still fighting against the cancer is reason enough to be enthralled with this new finding. It was hard enough watching this fully-grown woman go through the treatment, but imagine the kids at St. Jude's and other hospitals who have to face the same thing every day. Even if this is just a step, and even if it doesn't pan out, it's so fantastic to know that there are people out there working every day to fight for the people who can hardly fight for themselves.
I started to follow updates in cancer research back in high school when a good friend of mine's mother died. We were 16 at the time. She died of non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, more deadly than Hodgkins lymphoma, after being in remission for over two years.
With the new Guardasil vaccine that protects against cervical cancer by guarding against the viris that causes many cases, brings hope that soon more potential cures for cancer that face millions of Americans, not to mention others around the world.
A little ray of hope seems to come every few months now in the struggle to fight this war, and I was so excited to read about a possible new cure for a rare form of lymphoma. Though it is still in its initial phases of research, I really hope that this will pave the way for more possible cures, or even easier forms of treatment.
The test included lower dosages of chemotherapy and sterroids, as opposed to more. Not only will this new research prove to be invaluable for future cancer patients, should it turn out to be valid, but even if it's just a step, it could mean easier recovery from treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation.
I know what my friend's mom went through every day with the harsh effects of chemo, and to think that that could potentially be lessened while still fighting against the cancer is reason enough to be enthralled with this new finding. It was hard enough watching this fully-grown woman go through the treatment, but imagine the kids at St. Jude's and other hospitals who have to face the same thing every day. Even if this is just a step, and even if it doesn't pan out, it's so fantastic to know that there are people out there working every day to fight for the people who can hardly fight for themselves.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Healthy Little Ones
Having helped raised my younger brother and sister was an experience that I wouldn't give up for the world. They are fantastic kids with great personalities and an appreciation for their family. However, they are terrible eaters, and I know that that is completely my fault. I was the one who "cooked" dinner for us most nights, and being the most un-culinary person alive, I didn't always provide them with the most tasty, let alone nutritious options.
It's so difficult to get kids to eat correctly, even with the necessary resources to do so, but MSN recently released an article about how to help the little ones with better eating habits that they can grow with to become healthy adults.
The article discusses a lot of tactics for getting children to become healthy eaters, which I won't regurgitate here, but the main point of the article is that children mimic their parents and older siblings when it comes to about everything, including food. Setting a good example by eating well and introducing a variety of tasty and nutritious foods is essential for teaching a child how to eat correctly.
It's so difficult to get kids to eat correctly, even with the necessary resources to do so, but MSN recently released an article about how to help the little ones with better eating habits that they can grow with to become healthy adults.
The article discusses a lot of tactics for getting children to become healthy eaters, which I won't regurgitate here, but the main point of the article is that children mimic their parents and older siblings when it comes to about everything, including food. Setting a good example by eating well and introducing a variety of tasty and nutritious foods is essential for teaching a child how to eat correctly.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
The Fountain of Youth
In his article, Peter Jaret discusses how to eat to a long life. I highly recommend anyone reading this blog to read this article and just think about it. While he starts out discussing different foods that offer longer lives, in the middle of the second page of his argument lies his true discussion: that of calorie restriction. I've heard about this technique for several years, and it seems to be the best way to lead a healthier, happier, longer life.
However, this technique does have it practicality problems. In today's day and age, when people are consuming more calories than ever, it is difficult to expect especially Americans to try to adopt this practice.
All I have to say is read the article. It's really compelling, and whether you decide to adopt the practice or not, it's great to be knowledgeable about an issue that could have a real affect on your life.
However, this technique does have it practicality problems. In today's day and age, when people are consuming more calories than ever, it is difficult to expect especially Americans to try to adopt this practice.
All I have to say is read the article. It's really compelling, and whether you decide to adopt the practice or not, it's great to be knowledgeable about an issue that could have a real affect on your life.
Drink Up!
So I found this cool article about drinking to better health. The author cites several drinks that can curb appetite, help you lose pounds, and recover after a hard workout, among other things.
- The best drink to lose weight is V8, about 15-20 minutes before a meal. This will curb your appetite, causing you to eat fewer calories during the meal itself.
- The best drink to recover from a workout is fat-free chocolate milk. Yeah, that's right. The cocoa beans found in chocolate help the muscles to recover from the workout, and the milk itself is filled with tons of good protein and carbs.
- The best drink to curb appetite and burn calories at the same time is cold water - below 72 degress. It actually takes the body calories to bring the water up to your body temperature, which can cause a five pound weight loss per year.
These are only a few of the benefits of researching your drinking habits, and the article includes somewhat healthy options for alcohol as well, for drinking better when out with the girls.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
90 Seconds
I love articles that provide fast, easy ways to do something good for yourself. Nowadays, everyone is so busy with our hectic lifestyles that it's often difficult to take care of ourselves in the ways that we should. This article shows some really cool ways to improve your health in just a few seconds a day:
- Fight Cancer: Eat the peel - where most of the vitamins and minerals from fruits and veggies are found
- Slow Aging: Sniff some Lavender or Rosemary - lowers your stress levels and allows for a better night's sleep
- Cut Cholesterol: Sprinkle some pistachios on your salad - the benefits of nuts can be found in a past post of mine
- Keep your Vision Sharp: Eat an egg - shown to have more visual benefits than carrots
- Prevent Headaches: Keep your head up - posture has actually been shown to increase headaches.
There are a abunch more, but I fel that these were the coolest ones to include!
Curb Your Hunger
So I love MSN's Power Points on various health issues, as they are a simple way of breaking down different strategies that might otherwise seem complicated or hard to remember. This past one I've noticed involves how to curb your appetite, which I feel is more important now, considering how much we as a nation tend to snnack int he winter time.
Step 1: Pile on the Protein: Protein shakes and even smaller snacks such as nuts give the body the adequate amount of fiber to make us feel fuller, longer. For this reason, don't skip out on this important area of nutrition just because you may feel like fat is bad. Some fats are essential to the body, and they provide the adequate vitamins needed to make us look and feel healthy.
Step 2: Fill up on Fiber: Like I said before, fiber has the great benefit of making you feel fuller, longer, not to mention that it keeps you regular! Stick to the veggies and whole grains.
Step 3: Go Nuts!: And I quote from the article:
A hormone called ghrelin stimulates appetite and makes your stomach growl, says Mehmet Oz, MD, vice chair of surgery and professor of cardiac surgery at Columbia University and co-author of You on a Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management. But just a handful of nuts can cause ghrelin levels to take a dive.
Calorically, the most dangerous part of a meal eaten out is the first 10 minutes when you arrive, famished, and clean out the breadbasket, says Oz. "If you eat a few nuts 30 minutes before dinner, your hunger will drop off dramatically," he says. "By the time you sit down for the meal, you'll be able to slow down, enjoy the food, and stop before you're stuffed."
Step 4: Take a Brisk Walk: A lot of times, you feel hungry even when you're not. This can be attributed to the fact that your body has a difficult time telling the difference between extreme hunger and axtreme fatigue. Taking a walk can help you to relax and understand if you are really hungry at all. Maybe you're just exhausted or stressed, causing your body to think that food is what it needs instead of, say a good night's rest or some excercise.
Step 5: Keep your Hands Busy: As an avid knitter, I can attest to this one. When you're working on a project that involves working with your hands, whether it be crafts or even writing a paper, you don't have time to worry about snacking. Most of the time, we eat out of boredom, a terrible habit to give in to. So take up a hobby or get ahead on your schoolwork and drop some pounds at the same time.
Step 6: Soothe Your Taste Buds: Many times, your mouth just wants the taste of something, and often a minnt or some gum will do the trick, so start off slow, and think about why you are hungry rather than just leaping for the chocolate.
Step 1: Pile on the Protein: Protein shakes and even smaller snacks such as nuts give the body the adequate amount of fiber to make us feel fuller, longer. For this reason, don't skip out on this important area of nutrition just because you may feel like fat is bad. Some fats are essential to the body, and they provide the adequate vitamins needed to make us look and feel healthy.
Step 2: Fill up on Fiber: Like I said before, fiber has the great benefit of making you feel fuller, longer, not to mention that it keeps you regular! Stick to the veggies and whole grains.
Step 3: Go Nuts!: And I quote from the article:
A hormone called ghrelin stimulates appetite and makes your stomach growl, says Mehmet Oz, MD, vice chair of surgery and professor of cardiac surgery at Columbia University and co-author of You on a Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management. But just a handful of nuts can cause ghrelin levels to take a dive.
Calorically, the most dangerous part of a meal eaten out is the first 10 minutes when you arrive, famished, and clean out the breadbasket, says Oz. "If you eat a few nuts 30 minutes before dinner, your hunger will drop off dramatically," he says. "By the time you sit down for the meal, you'll be able to slow down, enjoy the food, and stop before you're stuffed."
Step 4: Take a Brisk Walk: A lot of times, you feel hungry even when you're not. This can be attributed to the fact that your body has a difficult time telling the difference between extreme hunger and axtreme fatigue. Taking a walk can help you to relax and understand if you are really hungry at all. Maybe you're just exhausted or stressed, causing your body to think that food is what it needs instead of, say a good night's rest or some excercise.
Step 5: Keep your Hands Busy: As an avid knitter, I can attest to this one. When you're working on a project that involves working with your hands, whether it be crafts or even writing a paper, you don't have time to worry about snacking. Most of the time, we eat out of boredom, a terrible habit to give in to. So take up a hobby or get ahead on your schoolwork and drop some pounds at the same time.
Step 6: Soothe Your Taste Buds: Many times, your mouth just wants the taste of something, and often a minnt or some gum will do the trick, so start off slow, and think about why you are hungry rather than just leaping for the chocolate.
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