Cash for health

Cash for health. According to a study in the Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, cash incentives of as little as $7 work to get people in shape. Study participants were offered no incentives, seven dollars or fourteen dollars, and were given no advice on how to lose weight or exercise. The people who were paid were more likely to lose weight than those who received no money.
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Fast food

Fast food. Although not high on the list for nutritious eating, busy schedules may call for a fast food meal. The editors at EatingWell.com recommend the following menu items when fast food is your only alternative: a 6-inch turkey breast sub from Subway; a slice of thin crust cheese or veggie pizza and a salad from Sbarro; a McDonalds’ Fruit and Walnut Salad; or Taco Bell’s Bean Burrito.
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Chicken soup

Chicken soup. Dr. Stephen Rennard of the University of Nebraska Medical Center conducted the most recognized laboratory tests to determine why chicken soup might help colds. Rennard found that chicken soup inhibited the movement of white blood cells, which help defend against infection. Inhibiting the migration of these infection-fighting cells helps reduce upper respiratory cold symptoms.
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HSA

HSA. A Health Savings Account is an alternative way for consumers to pay for their health care. A HSA enables you to pay for current and future medical and health expenses on a tax-free basis. You own and decide how to spend the money in the account without relying on a third party or a health insurer. You must be covered by a High Deductible Health Plan to be able to take advantage of an HSA.
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Steriods

Steriods. Steroids are synthetic hormones that boost your body's ability to produce muscle and prevent muscle breakdown. Steroids taken for an extended period can cause stunted growth; liver tumors; abnormal enlargement of the heart muscles; aggressive behavior and mood swings; acne; increased breast growth in males; irreversible stretch marks; hair loss; and muscle aches.
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Moods and health

Moods and health. Your body may suffer the consequences when your emotions get the best of you. Researchers have found that depression can put people at greater risk of heart attack or stroke. Mild depression can be treated with an increase in physical activity as well as getting enough sleep, eating right, avoiding alcohol, and reducing stress.
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Bridges

Bridges. This exercise works the abs, buttocks, hamstring, hips and quads. Start by lying flat on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Keeping your back straight, use your abs to extend your hips upward, hold for two seconds and lower to the start position. Do ten of these repetitions for one set and work upward as desired.
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Mini workouts

Mini workouts. Several mini workouts can be as effective as one extended workout. For busy people it may be much easier to split a workout into several smaller sessions. Breaking up the day with several 10-minute workouts can wake you up and make you more productive during low energy parts of your day. Split exercise sessions may also make your workouts more efficient.
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Fat burn zone

Fat burn zone. The optimum fat-burn zone for most people is exercising at 70% to 80% of their maximum heart rate. Maximum heart rate is the highest number of heartbeats per minute during peak exercise. This may be measured with a heart-rate monitor or by taking your pulse. Your heart rate should decrease for any given exercise workload as you get more fit.
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Fatigue

Fatigue. Fatigue is a normal signal for your body to slow down. Persistent fatigue interferes with your daily life. Beside the normal causes of fatigue, other factors include depression, high stress, sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, alcohol use, allergies, medications, viral infections and chronic pain. Rid fatigue by getting enough sleep, exercise, stress management and good nutrition.
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Processed meat

Processed meat. Eating cured meats such as hot dogs, smoked turkey, bacon or salami may double your risk for lung disease, according to a recent Columbia University Medical Center study as published in Ladies Home Journal. Researchers believe the preservatives used in processing these meats may cause lung disease and damage lung tissue.
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Grapes

Grapes. At 100 calories per serving, grapes are loaded with nutritional value. Grapes contain Vitamins A, C, and B6, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, as well as fiber and protein. The nutrients found in grapes have been found to prevent a number of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and age-associated diseases like Alzheimer’s.
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Skinny kitchen

Skinny kitchen. The editors at Health magazine suggest the following tips to help you create a "skinny kitchen." Put food in opaque versus clear containers to avoid temptation. Clear your kitchen counters of all food except for fruit. Keep warm, as the warmer your body, the less food you crave. Turn the kitchen lights down or off after dinner.
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Swimming

Swimming. The health benefits of swimming are almost unmatched by any other sport. Swimming works your whole body, improving cardiovascular conditioning, muscle strength, endurance, posture, and flexibility, all at the same time. Your cardiovascular system in particular benefits because swimming improves your body’s use of oxygen without overworking your heart.
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Agonist and antagonist

Agonist and antagonist. An agonist muscle is generally the muscle we are exercising. An antagonist muscle is the opposing muscle and acts in contrast to the agonist. For example, the biceps and triceps muscles act as the agonist and antagonist muscles during a barbell curl weight lifting exercise.
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Colds

Colds. Cough and colds are most common during the winter months. Cold germs are contained and spread more easily during indoor months. Use the following tips to avoid cough and cold: wash your hands often; avoid putting your hands near your eyes, nose and mouth; make sure shared items are cleaned frequently; get enough rest; drink more water; limit alcohol consumption; and eat healthy.
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Gatorade

Gatorade. In 1965, researchers at the University of Florida determined that the fluids, electrolytes and carbohydrates their players lost through workouts were not being adequately replenished. The researchers formulated a carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage that would adequately replace the key components lost by Gator players during their workouts. They called their new drink "Gatorade".
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Low sodium

Low sodium. Some foods are marketed and sold as “low in sodium”. The Food and Drug Administration defines the term "low sodium" as a food serving with less than 140 mg of salt per serving. Most Americans consume more than double the recommended daily amount of sodium (1,500 mg to 2,000 mg).
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Lactic acid

Lactic acid. Lactic acid is characterized as a muscle fuel. Muscle cells convert glucose to lactic acid, which is taken up and used as fuel by mitochondria, the energy factories in muscle cells. Increased muscle mitochondria allow athletes to burn more lactic acid, which makes muscles work harder and longer. Lactic acid was once considered a waste product.
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Coffee

Coffee. There are nearly 110 million regular coffee drinkers in the U.S. Some of the adverse health affects of drinking coffee include stained teeth, bad breath, increased stress level, and inducement of stomach problems. Some positive affects of coffee are short-term body stimulant, natural diuretic, and increased short-term memory retention.
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Incomplete protein

Incomplete protein. Our bodies need protein for good health. Incomplete proteins are labeled so because they lack the adequate essential amino acids found in complete proteins. Complete proteins are contained in foods such as meat, eggs and dairy products. Incomplete proteins are found in vegetables, beans and other plant products.
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Static stretching

Static stretching. This type of stretching consists of slowly moving into an extreme range of motion and holding that position for a certain amount of time. You stretch to the farthest point and hold the stretch. Static stretches are recommended for a workout cool down.
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Circuit training

Circuit training. Circuit training combines strength training exercises along with endurance exercises. Circuit's fast-paced methods are designed to work all muscle groups as well as heart and lungs. The term circuit represents the method's quick rotation of exercises.
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The President's Challenge

The President's Challenge. The President's Challenge encourages all Americans to make being active part of their everyday lives. Since 1966, the program has been motivating and rewarding kids, teens, adults and seniors to improve their lives through physical activity and fitness efforts. President Bush reinvigorated the initiative in 2002 with the President's Challenge Awards Program.
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Super Size Me

Super sized. The documentary film "Super Size Me" chronicles director and star Morgan Spurlock's one month exclusive diet of McDonalds food. Spurlock's 5,000 calorie per day diet results in drastically higher blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure, while affecting his psychological well-being. Spurlock gained 25 pounds. The film grossed nearly $29 million worldwide.
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Pilates

Pilates. The Pilates method is a physical fitness system that encourages the use of the mind to control the body's core postural muscles. Joseph Pilates developed the system as a rehabilitation program for returning World War I veterans. Pilates is one of the fastest growing exercise programs and is associated with improving core strength, flexibility and agility.
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Flu-free

Flu-free. The best way to prevent the flu is to get an annual flu vaccination. Almost two-thirds of the population is recommended to get the shot. This includes people over age fifty, children ages six-months to five years, people in close contact with children, people with chronic diseases, and health care workers.
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Take a break

Take a break. Taking breaks during an exercise regimen may burn more fat and yield more weight loss than not taking a break. According to a recent article in the Journal of Applied Physiology, Japanese researchers conducted the first known comparison between the two exercise methods and found taking a break in the middle of a workout metabolized more fat than exercising with no break.
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Vitamin D

Vitamin D. Vitamin D refers to a group of prohormones that regulate calcium and phosphorus levels in blood; promote bone formation; help regulate the parathyroid gland; and help the immune system. Food sources of Vitamin D include fish, such as salmon and mackerel, mushrooms, whole eggs and yeast. Natural sources include exposure to sunlight.
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December fruits and vegetables

December. 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 December: Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, dates, Mandarin oranges, red currants, tangerines and turnips.
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