Sometimes a simple reminder can work wonders when you are watching your weight go up.
While these might jog your memory regarding the cost of silly snacking, don’t forget that you need to exercise as close to daily as you can. Your body and your brain need it.
Check out my Page – Important Facts About Your Brain (and Exercise Benefits) to learn more.
Tony
Filed under Exercise, junk food calories
My mom passed away several years ago, but I would like to wish all of you mothers out there a Happy Mother’s Day!
Each of you has been a manifestation of Wonder Woman to your children from Day One.
Whoever we are, have become or will be, we couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks!
I stumbled across this artwork on the web and have no clue as to the artist. If anyone knows, please let me know and I will publish it.
Tony
Filed under Happy Mother's Day
If you sometimes feel too pooped to participate, these tips from Harvard might be just the thing to get you going again. As a retired guy, I know I certainly get hit in the late afternoon by a fit of fatigue from time to time.
Harvard HEALTHbeat says, “Fatigue afflicts everyone at one time or another. Assuming your doctor has ruled out serious medical causes, there are a few basic steps you can take to “recharge your batteries.”
“1. Pace yourself. If you’re a go-getter, you probably like to keep going — but don’t risk overtaxing yourself. You can pace yourself and still get things done. For example, instead of burning through all your “battery life” in two hours, spread it out among morning tasks, afternoon tasks, and evening activities — with rest and meals in between.
“2. Take a walk or a nap. There’s nothing more satisfying than a short power nap when you’re pooped out. However, if you have trouble sleeping at night, know that napping can make insomnia worse. If that’s the case for you, get moving instead. Get up and walk around the block, or just get up and move around. If you are not an insomniac, though, enjoy that 20- to 30-minute power nap.
“3. Skip most supplements. You may have heard about energy-boosting or “anti-aging” supplements. There is no evidence they work.
• DHEA. There is no evidence that DHEA offers any real benefits, and the side effects remain a question mark. You especially shouldn’t be buying it from ads in the back of a magazine, because you don’t know what’s in it.
• Iron. Iron only improves energy if you are clearly deficient, which a doctor can check with a blood test. Unless you are low in iron, you don’t need to take it — and getting too much iron can be harmful.
• B vitamins. It is true that B vitamins (B1, B2, B6, B12) help the body convert food into the form of energy that cells can burn, but taking more B vitamins doesn’t supercharge your cells. That’s a myth.
“4. Fuel up wisely. A sugary roll from the bakery delivers plenty of calories, but your body tends to metabolize them faster, and then you can end up with sinking blood sugar and fatigue. You’ll maintain a steadier energy level by eating lean protein and unrefined carbohydrates. Try low-fat yogurt with a sprinkling of nuts, raisins, and honey. Your body will take in the carb-fiber-protein mix more gradually. Don’t skip meals, either. Your body needs a certain number of calories to get through the day’s work. It’s better to space your meals out so your body gets the nourishment it needs all through the day.”
Two observations on the Fuel up wisely item: That sugary roll from the bakery can also be a key reason you are having trouble with your weight. Don’t compound your low energy problem by adding to your weight problem. I would just like to add that keeping nuts and raisins around the house is a sure way of having them when you need a quick pick-me-up. This is easier than white-knuckling it regarding sweets. Check out my page Snacking – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly for more info.
“To find out how you can craft a high-energy lifestyle with the latest advice on diet, exercise, rest, and stress management, buy Boosting Your Energy, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School, HEALTHbeat concluded.
Tony
Filed under Harvard HEALTHbeat, low energy
Here are another half dozen reasons that you should exercise regularly. As if you needed to know!
Hopefully regular readers are already exercising regularly and can simply enjoy any added information that they glean from this info graphic.
With all the excellent reasons mentioned, I would like to add what I consider to be the most important of all – exercise directly benefits the brain – check out my Page – Importants Facts About Your Brain – (and Exercise) to read further details.
Tony
Filed under Exercise
Researchers reviewed evidence that suggests an association between vitamin D deficiency and chronic diseases associated with aging such as cognitive decline, depression, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Vitamin D is really the rock star of vitamins. I have written about it before:
Vitamin D May Help Prevent and Treat Diseases Associated with Aging
Low Vitamin D Predicts More Severe Strokes, Poor Health Post-stroke
Adding Vitamin D for the Winter Months – Guest Post – Kelli Jennings
How Good is Vitamin D For You? – Infographic
Link Between Vitamin D and Dementia Risk ConfirmedTony
Vitamin D may play a vital role in the prevention and treatment of diseases associated with aging, according to researchers at Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing (MNSON). These findings were published in the latest issue of the Journal of Aging and Gerontology.
Researchers reviewed evidence that suggests an association between vitamin D deficiency and chronic diseases associated with aging such as cognitive decline, depression, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and cancer.
“Vitamin D deficiency is a common, serious medical condition that significantly affects the health and well-being of older adults,” said Sue Penckofer, PhD, RN, study author and full professor, MNSON.
Older adults are at risk for vitamin D deficiency due to diet, reduced time outdoors and poor skin absorption of the nutrient. With the number of people ages 65 and older expected to more than double from 2012 to 2060, the problem…
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I stumbled across these surfing the web this morning. Thought you might like them.
Here is something to think about when tempted …
Doesn’t this sound like something worth trying?
I don’t remember ever hearing this one before, but I love it.
Tony
Filed under anxiety, infographics, positive thinking
None of these are shocking new information, but I think they combine well and maybe remind us of something we aren’t doing right now, or as often as is healthy.
I like the 80/20 rule a lot. Eat natural, unprocessed foods 80 percent of the time and your favorite processed treats 20 percent.
Tony
Filed under diet, weight loss
Most people don’t know that back in 1912, Hellmann’s Mayonnaise was manufactured in England. In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico, which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York .
This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico …. But as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York. The Titanic hit an iceberg and sank. Continue reading
Filed under Hellmann's Mayonaise, Titanic Sinking.
England had several early advocates of the curative value of sun and fresh air. Physician John Lettsom (1744-1815) prescribed sea air and sunshine for children who were suffering from tuberculosis (TB). In 1840, surgeon George Bodington noted that those who worked in the open air—farmers, plowmen, shepherds—were generally free of TB, while those who spent much of their time indoors seemed more susceptible to it.
I love this kind of information. Sunshine and fresh air are good for us. Who’da thunk it?
I think we are all hard-wired to know simple, wonderful facts like this, but the information gets lost in the myriad facts of the mental mayhem that makes up modern living. Now we have science backing up our own intuition.
I know I am going to enjoy riding my bike out in the sun even more now.
Tony
While men and women who ate lots of nuts, peanut butter, fish, yogurt and low-fat cheese tended to lose weight, other foods commonly seen as “unhealthy” — such as eggs, full-fat cheese and whole milk — did not seem to make a difference in weight.
This is a nice rundown on the foods we choose and their impact on us as we age. Let us not forget that eating is only half the battle on weight control and aging. There is also exercise. Everyone must exercise regularly; daily if possible.
Eat less; move more; live longer.
Tony
Study found it’s not just about calories; some foods not as bad for waistline as thought.
A new look at what kinds of foods might help people keep their weight in check as they age found that not all calories are created equal and some foods are not as bad for the middle-aged waistline as many believe.
While men and women who ate lots of nuts, peanut butter, fish, yogurt and low-fat cheese tended to lose weight, other foods commonly seen as “unhealthy” — such as eggs, full-fat cheese and whole milk — did not seem to make a difference in weight.
On the other hand, sugary drinks and refined or starchy carbohydrates — including white bread, potatoes and white rice — had the opposite effect.
“The idea that the human body is just a bucket for calories is too simplistic. It’s not just a matter of thinking about calories…
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There will be lots of celebrations of the bicycle in the coming four weeks because May is National Bicycle Month. As regular readers know, I ride around 7000 miles a year, an average of over 20 miles per day. So cycling is a labor of love for me.
I have tried to explain to myself first as well as others who asked, why I love to ride my bike. Until recently, the best I could come up with is that I feel like I am flying. Not soaring high, just flying along several feet above the bike path.
Riding on Northerly Island in Chicago
I know that when I ride, I am at once totally in the moment of propelling the bike forward and at the same time I experience a very enjoyable feeling of expansion – an almost out of body sensation.
This has been wonderfully explained by former University of Chicago professor, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his book Flow. Continue reading
Filed under biking, Flow, National Bicycle Month
I have used apple cider vinegar in my diet on and off for over 30 years. I currently pour an ounce into my morning smoothie. If it isn’t a part of your diet, here are some reasons that may change your mind.
One caveat: it is very acidic. Be sure to dilute with water or some sweetener. I don’t recommend that you drink it straight.
Tony
Filed under apple cider vinegar
Wellness Secrets of a SuperAger 