Thursday, June 17, 2010

Fad diets

Fad diets. The editors at KidsHealth.org suggest the following warning signs to spot a fad diet. The diet calls a for drastic cut in calories; it is based on taking pills or powders; it allows only certain select foods; it completely cuts out fat, sugar or carbs; or requires to skip or replace meals.
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Tuesday, June 8, 2010

10,000 steps

10,000 steps. Some fitness guidelines recommend reaching your fitness goals by walking “10,000 steps” per day. How far is 10,000 steps? Assuming the average person's walking stride is about 2.5 feet long, it would take over 2,000 steps to walk one mile, which would make 10,000 steps equal to 5 miles.
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Sunday, June 6, 2010

Fit city

Fit city. Seattle, Washington is the fittest city in the United States, according to ranking compiled by Men's Fitness magazine. The survey ranked the 50 largest U.S. cities based on 14 equally weighted categories representing fitness, obesity, and health. Following Seattle: Honolulu, Colorado Springs, San Francisco and Denver.
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Saturday, June 5, 2010

Caffeine

Caffeine. In addition to being a stimulant for humans, researchers are touting caffeine for the following additional benefits: it heightens short term mental sharpness; lowers risk to Parkinson's, colon cancer and gallstones; contains antioxidants; may help prevent liver disease; and may lower cognitive decline in older women.
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Friday, June 4, 2010

Intensity over duration

Intensity over duration. A growing body of fitness research is finding that workout intensity has more impact on health and weight loss than does workout duration. Interval workouts that mix fast-paced workout segments with moderate segments are yielding faster and better weight loss versus longer moderate duration workouts.
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Thursday, June 3, 2010

Good cholesterol

Good cholesterol. High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is considered "good" cholesterol. As these proteins are transported through the body to the liver they work to flush excess cholesterol from body tissue before it can be damaging. An HDL level of 60 or greater is considered optimal.
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Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Fatty acids

Fatty acids. Researchers have attributed lower rates of heart disease among Eskimos to their high consumption of fish containing omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 decreases heart arrhythmia, triglyceride levels and atherosclerotic plaque. Omega-3 is found in mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines and albacore tuna. Two servings per week are recommended.
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Tuesday, June 1, 2010

June fruits and vegetables

June. Freshly picked fruits and vegetables provide more nutrients and more flavor than canned or stored fruits and vegetables, and usually cost less as well. Try adding one or more of the following fruits or vegetables that are ripe and at their natural peak during the month of June: apricots, bell peppers, blackberries and honeydews.
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