June 2008 Archives

Most people think that a healthy diet is a good balance of carbs, proteins, fats along with the recommended daily allowance of essential vitamins and minerals. That's true, but not the whole truth. There are other nutrients, maybe not so well known or considered "essential", that also have shown to be as equally beneficial to your health. You probably know the term antioxidant, and perhaps Vitamins A, C, and E may come to mind quickly. But there are many other nutrients with antioxidant capabilities that have a great impact on your health without you even knowing their names. Here are a few silent superstars to add to your daily diet vocabulary: 

Quercetin - Believed to have anti-inflammatory capabilities, studies have also suggested that the possible health benefits from Quercetin also include acting as an allergy combatant, having protective cardiovascular effects, and aiding in anti-tumor growth. Onions (red, yellow, white), kale, leeks, spinach, apples (especially the skins), apricots, blueberries, teas, and red wine are all excellent sources of this powerhouse nutrient. 

Lutein - This nutrient is a key to good eye health since it is highly concentrated in the macular region of the retina. Lutien's ability to filter blue light wavelengths helps decrease free-radical damage those rays can do to the eye and even the skin. Lutein is found in abundance in leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach, green peas, and turnip greens.  It can also be found in egg yolks. There are promising studies that show diets rich in Lutein decrease the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. 

Lycopene - You'll know a food has Lycopene by the rich red color...if you are thinking tomato, you would be right! The major sources of Lycopene are tomatoes and tomato products like, soup, sauce/paste, and juice.  Lycopene is also present in watermelon and red/pink grapefruit. Once Lycopene is absorbed into the body, it helps to repair and protect damaged cells (like most antioxidants). Research suggests that Lycopene may help reduce the risk of certain cancers, heart disease, and macular degeneration. Oddly, this is one antioxidant that is absorbed better if it obtained through tomato products rather than fresh raw tomatoes because the heating process changes the Lycopene into a form that is more easily absorbed into the bloodstream. (FYI: If you cook fresh tomatoes in olive oil, that will help increase the absorption of Lycopene)

It can be easy to get bombarded and confused by the latest nutrition buzzwords. No problem! Make it simple...you can obtain these nutrients by continuing to include all these fruits and vegetables in your diet. And just in time, since most of them are currently in season!

The recent sad news of Tim Russert's sudden and untimely death at such a relatively young age stunned millions of Americans. Ultimately it was reported that his heart attack was partly the result from a history of coronary heart disease. You hear this time and time again; a seemingly healthy person from the outside suddenly has a heart attack and you can't understand why. But appearances can be deceiving and sometimes you have to look deep inside to find the answer. There are many reasons as to why one may develop heart disease. Unfortunately, some factors that may lead to a heart attack can be asymptomatic, and others are entirely in our control, like smoking, high blood pressure and weight. There is a high correlation to being overweight and heart disease and in particular where you store that fat. Yes I'm talking about belly fat. Not the kind you can pinch, but the layer of fat that lies deep and covers your organs. 

How do you know if you are at risk? One of the easiest indicators to measure belly fat is simply to take a tape measure and measure your waist circumference (the area between your hip bone and belly button). If your waist measures >35 inches for women and >40 inches for men, its time to change your diet and get off the couch! I was watching Dr. Mehmet Oz (frequent Oprah guest and co-author of YOU on a Diet, which I recommend for your personal library) on Good Morning America yesterday morning and he gave     5 great tips to trim belly fat. I thought they were worth repeating: 

1. Avoid added simple sugars. In other words read nutrition labels and if anything ends in "-ose" put it back on the shelf. A few culprits include soda, and products with refined sugars (think processed foods). 
2. Limit alcohol consumption. Moderation, moderation, moderation!! An excessive amount of alcohol can raise the level of triglycerides (fat in the blood) as well as increase your calorie intake. According to the American Heart Association the recommendation for alcohol is: 1-2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women. That means (1) 12 oz. beer, 4 oz. of wine, 1.5 oz. of 80-proof spirits, or 1 oz. of 100-proof spirits. 
3. Get a good night sleep. Studies have shown that people who get less than 4 hours of sleep a night are more likely to be obese than those who get at least 7 hours a night. By not getting enough sleep, the part of your brain that controls appetite leads the body to think you are hungry when you probably aren't. 
4. De-stress your life. Of course it would be great to get rid of all the things that stress us out, but while that seems unlikely, think about your reaction. It's during the "flight or fight" response when we get stressed that our body releases cortisol, adrenaline and insulin. An increase of cortisol increases appetite and has been shown to lead to increased fat storage, especially around the mid section. 
5. Get moving! Unfortunately sit-ups won't give you six-pack abs if you are carrying that extra weight...no matter how many you do! That doesn't mean forget doing them altogether. It means in order to see that definition you crave you have to burn fat too! All it takes is 30 minutes a day of some type of aerobic activity, which could be as simple as 30 minutes of fast walking. Of course, it's always best to consult your doctor and/or trained professional to develop the best program for you. 

It's a true but sad fact that the older we get our metabolism slows down and as a result the amount of fat in our body slowly increases. That's why it's even more important to eat right and exercise. If you think you are at risk, no time like the present to start doing something about it. Not only will you look great for the summer, but your heart will thank you too! 

For more information go to www.americanheart.org

Other books by Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizan include YOU the Owner's Manual and                    YOU Staying Young

For the past few days the temperatures on the east coast have been over 95 degrees. On days like these, what's better than a refreshing glass of iced tea, one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world? Although iced tea has only been around for 100 years, we've been consuming tea since ancient times. Tea has been so popular throughout the world that time is set aside in the afternoons specifically to drink some. 

Whatever your taste, green, oolong, white or black, teas are loaded with phytochemicals called flavenoids (catechins) as well as caffeine and flouride. It is these compounds that have been studied and show the protective effects of drinking tea when it comes to cardiovascular health, cavity prevention, and osteoporosis. Tea is virtually calorie free and a great choice if you are trying to watch your weight. However, further studies are needed to show the correlation between tea and weight loss, so be wary of those magical teas advertised. It if sounds too good too be true, it usually is! There have also been optimistic results from animal studies in which black and green tea may have a suppressive effect on some types of cancer. Unfortunately, the results have not been conclusive in human studies...yet! 

Of course, the rule is everything in moderation. Excessive amounts of tea can bind to iron derived in plant foods (spinach, legumes) and decrease absorption. Therefore it's recommended that you don't consume these foods at the same time as drinking tea. In addition, because of the dilating effects of tea, check with your doctor if you are on any type of blood thinning medication, especially if you are a regular green tea drinker. I know many people opt for herbal teas because of the caffeine content in tea. All the teas I mentioned come from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis; it's how they are processed that makes them different. Unfortunately herbal tea doesn't come from the same plant but infusions of herbs, other plant parts and spices, and as a result do not have the health protecting properties that regular tea has. But if you're watching your caffeine intake or are caffeine sensitive, in general one cup of tea contains about half (or less) then the amount of caffeine in brewed coffee. 

Hot or cold, personally I prefer freshly brewed tea. Not the sweetened teas you find in the supermarket, which are loaded with sugar or the alcoholic Long Island Iced Tea. I'm talking about the old fashioned do-it-yourself-easy-to-make seeped right from the tea bag and water kind. If you opt for bottled teas, read the labels carefully and make sure the first ingredient is real tea. Look for delicious iced tea recipes on foodnetwork.com. But be aware: many of the recipes contain sugar. Be creative and invent your own recipe and substitute the sugar by adding your favorite fruit instead. Stay cool!

There is a consensus among the medical and scientific community that resistance training is considered the most effective way to increase muscle strength. A new study in the May journal Arthritis and Rheumatism reported that progressive resistance training was effective in patients suffering from shoulder impingement syndrome, which is one of the most common types of shoulder injuries. As a result, those subjects had less pain at rest and at exercise, as well as an improved quality of life. Yet another example of why weight training is beneficial to our overall health. But why wait until you have an injury to start a weight training program? 

You may or may not have heard the term "progressive resistance training," which is one of the most familiar themes to weight training. One of the amazing aspects of our muscles is its ability to adapt to stress or overload. In progressive resistance training, the gradual increase of "a stress" facilitates this adaptation by continually asking your body to meet the greater demand. This can be achieved in a variety of ways and works on all the major muscle groups:

• You can gradually add weight to each set;
• Increase the number of repetitions but keep the weight constant;
• Change up the speed in which you perform each rep (i.e. 1 count to raise the weight, 3 counts to lower the weight or vice versa)
• Increase or decrease rest time between sets;
• Or change it up and use a combination of any of these methods.

When we include weight training as part of our overall fitness plan, it has been shown to reduce risk factors associated with many diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and heart disease; it is also an essential aid for weight loss and weight maintenance. So whether you are just starting a program, using weights for rehabilitation, pumping iron to get ripped or even to help you get bathing suit ready for the summer, consider incorporating progressive resistance training into your program (if you don't already do so). But, be smart! You should always consult your doctor before starting any exercise regiment. And, if you can, ask a trained professional to help you develop a program that suits your own individual needs. Don't worry if you don't belong to a gym...you don't need machines; get a set of free weights or resistance bands for your home and that will do the trick as well. The point is, get moving!