Hidden Fat Trap

A new study in Obesity found that people who eat the most MSG (monosodium glutamate) are twice as likely to be overweight as those who rarely eat foods with added MSG. Dr. Ka He says, "MSG may lower levels of leptin, a hormone that regulates metabolism and hunger." Read your food labels! MSG may be listed as "hydrolized protein" or simply "spices."

One Way to Prevent Colon Cancer

Colon cancer is the 3rd most common form of disease for women in the United States (skin and lung cancer being the 1st and 2nd). A study from the University of Minnesota found that "women whose diets were richest in red meat and starches had a 48% greater risk of getting the disease than those who ate relatively few of those foods." Certain compounds in the "meat and potato" diet interact and trigger tumor growth. Dr. Michael Thun at the American Cancer Society says that the saturated fat in red meat releases bile into the instestine which then releases harmful substances that damage DNA. He recommends limiting your intake of red meat to 7 ounces (or less) per week and suggests choosing lean cuts of meat.

Chocolate During Pregnancy

Dark chocolate may protect pregnant women against preclampsia (hypertension induced by pregnancy). A recent study by Yale University found that "women with the highest blood levels of theobromine (found in dark chocolate) were 69% less likely to develop the condition than those with the lowest amount." Theobromine has been found in other studies to ease stress on the cardiovascular system and decrease blood pressure. Dr. Elizabeth Triche, research scientist at Yale, suggests limiting your intake of dark chocolate to 1 ounce per day (or 1 cup of hot cocoa).

December Veggie Pick

Try brussel sprouts this month! One cup of brussel sprouts has only 38 calories, but packs in a whopping 75mg Vitamin C, 342mg potassium, and 54mcg folate.

What's Your Life Expectancy?

Check out www.eons.com/calculator to find out what your current life expectancy is and how you can prolong it.

Can Your iPod Cause Hearing Loss?

The Archives of Internal Medicine show 15% of 20- & 30-somethings have early-stage hearing loss. What's the cause? You may not have to look further than your iPod or mp3 player. Dr. Ronald Amedee at Oschner Health System says, "frequent exposure to loud noises, like music, causes damage to the hairs in the inner ear that register sound. That may lead to irreversible hearing loss." Protect your ears by lowering the volume on your mp3 player to no more than 50% of its maximum level.

Do you have more than 1 drink per day?

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that women who drank more than 1 alcoholic drink per day increased their chances of acquiring metabolic syndrome (which includes a series of risk factors that can lead to heart disease).

A Healthy Mouth Contributes to Overall Health

BMC Health Services Research has found that regular preventative dental care is associated with a variety of diseases and chronic health conditions:

• Oral infections
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Lung disease
• Stroke
• Low birth weight
• Premature birth

Routine dental visits are linked with a lower rate of heart disease, lower blood sugar, and they provide the opportunity to screen for oral cancer.

Lose Weight by Eating Fruit?

A new study out of Brazil showed that women who snacked on fruit instead of high fiber cookies lost 2 pounds over 10 weeks (while the cookie eaters gained 2 pounds over the same amount of time). Both snacks contained 200 calories and 6 grams of fiber. Researchers say that the high water content and low energy density in the fruit helped keep the women feel more satiated...which led to less eating throughout the day.

Too Stressed To Sleep?

Use these tips to get a better night's sleep:

• Do regular cardiovascular exercise - studies have shown that people who do 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (e.g., cycling, brisk walking, jogging, swimming, etc.) at least 4 times per week slept better than people who don't work out.
• Clear your mind - release your feelings or worries in writing for 20 minutes before you go to sleep. Doing this will help decrease your stress levels and allow for a more restful sleep.
• Schedule a bath - after a bath, your body cools down, which makes you drowsy.
• Use aromatherapy - essential oil of lavender has been shown to significantly increase deep/slow-wave sleep (the most restorative phase of sleep).
• Turn off the TV (and turn on some mellow music) - TV is a stimulant and the light cues your body clock to stay awake. Additionally, negative images and violence on TV increase anxiety and tension. On the other hand, mellow music has a soothing response on the body and mind.
• Make love in bed - having sex releases endorphins and oxytocin in the brain. These chemicals calm you and promote sleep.
• Use visualization - stop counting sheep! Instead, imagine a tranquil scene, like a waterfall or a sunny beach. In an Oxford University study, subjects who used visualization fell asleep 20 minutes sooner than usual.

Source: Caring Today magazine

What's the Real Age of Your Body?

We all know our chronological age...but what is your body's age? Check out www.realage.com to find out how well you've maintained your body and how you can improve your health and decrease your body age.

Recovering From Cold and Flu

Cold and flu season is here! It's important that you start treatment within 24 hours of experiences symptoms. Here are some tips from Body + Soul magazine:

• Take 500mg of Vitamin C 3-4 times per day at the onset of a cold.
• Try 1,000mg of echinacea 3-5 times per day. Kan Jang (a combo of eleuthero and andrographis) has also been found to reduce symptoms of respiratory infections.
• Be patient - follow your insticts to get more rest and you won't find your symptoms lingering.
• Consider taking 200mg of Panax ginseng per day, along with getting extra sleep, lots of water, and eating good foods.

Risks of Secondhand Smoke

200 thousand people die each year due to secondhand smoke in the workplace alone! Secondhand smoke raises your risk for lung cancer, heart disease, and asthma. Go to http://www.no-smoke.org/ to find out about making your workplace smoke-free.

Are you a smoker? The Great American Smokeout is coming up on November 20! This program encourages you to quite smoking for 24 hours.

Source: International labor Organization

Herbal Health Remedies

5 Small Herbs with Big Benefits

1. Rosemary: protects against breast cancer when added to foods before cooking
2. Oregano: slows cell damage caused by free radicals
3. Basil: fights cancer & may inhibit the growth of tumors
4. Parsley: strengthens your immune system
5. Cilantro: neutralizes food-borne bacteria (e.g., salmonella)

New Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

The U.S Department of Health & Human Services (HSS) recently released the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. This is the FIRST time the government has published thorough recommendations for the nation. However, people need to understand that these are the minimums...as "research shows that adults can achieve greater health benefits by increasing their aerobic physical activity to five hours a week of moderate-intensity or two and one half hours a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity".

Here's an overview of the guidelines (remember that these are minimums):

1. Children & Adolescents: 1 hour or more of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity per day (3 days per week should include vigorous intensity physical activity).
2. Adults: 2.5 hours per week of moderate intensity aerobic activity or 1.25 hours of vigorous intensity physical activity.
3. Older Adults: Follow the adult guidelines unless a chronic condition prohibits you from achieving this. If that is the case, be as physically active as possible.
4. Women During Pregnancy: 2.5 hours per week of moderate intensity physical activity throughout the pregnancy.
5. Adults with Disabilities: If able to, follow the guidelines for adults above.
6. People with Chronic Medical Conditions: Perform regular physical activity under the guidance of your physician.

For more information about the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, visit www.hhs.gov or www.health.gov/paguidelines.

Source: American Council on Exercise

Breast Cancer Awareness

As Breast Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close, we'd like to remind you of a few important things about breast cancer.

As you age, your risk of getting breast cancer increases. For example, at age 20 your chance is 1 in 1837, while at age 40 it increases to 1 in 70, and at age 70 it increases to 1 in 26.

Here are some risk factors for developing breast cancer:

• being a woman
• aging
• family history of breast or ovarian cancer
• having first period before the age of 12
• starting menopause after the age of 55
• never giving birth
• having first child after age 30
• high bone density
• drinking more than 1 alcoholic beverage per day
• gaining weight as an adult
• being overweight after menopause
• using birth control pills currently or recently
• using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) currently or recently

Your best defense:

• Routine mammograms - all women over 40 should have a mamm0gram every year; women with a family history should talk to their physician about when and how often to have mammograms
• Clinical breast exams - women should have a clinical breast exam every 3 years fromages 20-39 and every year after 40
• Breast self-exam (BSE) - by age 20, all women should perform monthly breast self-exams a few days after the last day of their period
• Healthy lifestyle - eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, and limit your intake of alcohol

Visit Susan G. Komen for the Cure at http://www.komen.org/ for more information.

Skip the Recumbent Bike

Trinity College Study: Tough bike workout? Skip the recumbent. "Women pedaling at a high intensity (84% of VO2 max) were able to go 8 min longer when they were seated upright." The legs don't tire as quickly because it's easier for blood to reach the legs.

Tips for Goal Setting

The next time you set a goal for yourself, make sure it's a SMART goal. A SMART goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-based. And remember to set short AND long term goals for yourself!

Check out http://personaldevelopment.suite101.com/article.cfm/smart_goal_setting for more information.

Is Wii As Good as the Real Thing?

A study at the University of Wisconsin (La Crosse) found playing Wii sports is better than sitting around. However, participating in the actual sport will burn more calories and provide better strength and cardiovascular benefits.

The 6 Healthiest Cuts of Meat

Here are 6 lean cuts of meat with under 170 calories (most with only 3-5g of fat) for a 3 ounce serving:

1. Pork tenderloin (120 cal, 3g fat, 22g protein)



2. Skinless chicken breast (128 cal, 3g fat, 25g protein)
   
   
3. Eye round beef (143 cal, 4g fat, 25g protein)



4. Boneless pork chop (147 cal, 5g fat, 23g protein)



5. Top round beef (158 cal, 5g fat, 27g protein)



6. Chicken thigh (166 cal, 8g fat, 21g protein)

How to Find Valid Health Info on the Web

Look for a primary source of info (ex. published resource paper). Google Scholar is better than Google (from Google, click 'more' and choose Scholar). PubMed is your best bet: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed. Also check out government sources (CDC, FDA, NIH).

How Much Should I Eat?

Check out http://www.mypyramid.gov/ and click on the MyPyramid Plan to find out exactly how many calories you should be eating each day and where they should come from. If you are trying to lose weight, look at a slightly lower (200-400 calories) eating plan.

Milk for Recovery?

A study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that milk "is more effective than water or a popular sports drink at replacing the sodium, potassium & vital salts lost through sweat." Milk left athletes hydrated for 4 hours. Other drinks lasted only 1 hour.

What Does a Serving Size Look Like?

With mega-size portions, it's hard to decipher what a real portion size is. You can use the visual references below to find a portion size.

• 1 serving of a grain product looks like:
  1 cup of cereal = size of your fist
  1 pancake = size of a CD
  1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, or potato = half of a baseball
  1 slice of bread = a cassette tape (if you can remember back that far!)
  1 piece of cornbread = bar of soap



• 1 serving of fruits and vegetables looks like:
  1 cup of salad = baseball
  1 baked potato = size of your fist
  1 medium size fruit = baseball
  1/2 cup fresh fruit = 1/2 baseball
  1/4 cup of raisins = large egg



• 1 serving of dairy and cheese products look like:
  1.5 oz. cheese = 4 stacked dice or 2 cheese 'singles' slices
  1/2 cup ice cream = 1/2 baseball



• 1 serving of meat and beans looks like:
  3 oz. meat = deck of cards
  3 oz. fish or deli meat = checkbook
  2 Tbsp. peanut butter = ping pong ball



• 1 serving of fats look like:
  1 tsp. butter/margarine = 1 dice

Reference: http://www.apexfitness.com/

Tips for Healthy Weight Loss

Follow these 6 tips to be on your way to weight loss...

1. Adapt the plan to yourself: decide what you want to accomplish and the best way to go about it; make realistic short and long-term goals; don't be discouraged if a friend or significant other is losing weight faster than you are - remember that everyone is unique and will lose weight at different rates and on different areas of their bodies.


2. Control night-eating and emphasize breakfast: eat a hearty breakfast to prevent binge eating at later meals; eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day; try to consume most of your calories earlier in the day to avoid eating late at night.


3. Include a variety of foods: follow the food guide pyramid (http://www.mypyramid.gov/) for serving amounts; limit your intake of fats, oils and sweets; try to eat a variety of foods within each food group; drink lots of water to stay hydrated and satiated.


4. Modify your way of eating for life: control portion sizes; replace high calorie sweets with fruits and veggies; replace high fat protein sources with lean protein sources (i.e. eggs, fish, chicken); don't cut anything out of your diet completely - instead, eat what you like in moderation; if you "screw up" one day, don't give up - just eat better the next day.


5. Increase your activity level: studies have shown that when people diet alone they lose 28% muscle, with diet and aerobic training they lose 3-4% muscle, and when strength training is added muscle increases; aim for 200-280 minutes of physical activity per week (approx. 30-40 min/day); make small changes to burn extra calories (i.e. park further from the store, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to your co-workers desk instead of sending an email, etc.)


6. Rate of weight loss: aim for no more than 2 pounds of weight loss per week; decrease your total calories taken in and increase the total amount of calories burned (through physical activity) to lose the weight; don't rely solely on the scale to monitor your progress (you may be losing fat and replacing it with muscle) - instead, consider how you feel and how your clothes are fitting you.

Killer Upper Body Exercise

Pushup/Shoulder Press Combo:
Prepare for this combination by kneeling at the edge of a mat with a pair of dumbbells (5-10 pounds each) by your knees. Begin by performing 1 pushup (on your feet or knees) and then pushing back into a kneeling position and performing 1 overhead shoulder press with the dumbbells. Place the dumbbells back by your knees and perform 2 pushups followed by 2 shoulder presses. Then perform 3 pushups and 3 shoulder presses. Continue to add a repetition to each exercise, without resting, until you reach 10 of each. If you get to 10, you will have done 55 repetitions of each exercise...and your upper body should be screaming! If it's not challenging enough, you may need to use heavier dumbbells.

Pushup Instructions: Position your body in a straight line, chest-down with your hands at shoulder level, palms on the floor, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. You can choose to have feet on the ground or knees on the ground - but keep the body in that straight line. Lower your body slowly towards the floor as you inhale. Pause for a moment, then exhale and straighten your arms as you push your body up away from the floor.

Shoulder Press Instructions: Begin holding the dumbbells at shoulder level (palms facing forward or facing each other). Exhale as you press the arms up and slightly inward, so the dumbbells meet over your head. Pause for a moment. Inhale as you lower the dumbbells back down to end just above the shoulders.

3 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight

If you've been eating right and exercising but not able to lose that extra weight, "you may have a sluggish metabolism," states Lyssie Lakatos, R.D., co-author of Fire Up Your Metabolism. But before you blame it on your genes, consider these 3 bad habits:

1. You aren't getting enough selenium and vitamin D - these affect your thryroid's ability to produce the necessary metabolism-regulating hormones.
2. You avoid carbs like bread, rice, and pasta - carbs provide energy to the body and if you are lacking energy, you are less likely to be active.
3. You've been exposed to pesticides - Canadian researchers found chemicals like organochlorides (found in pesticides) can cause people to burn fat at a slower rate because they hinder thyroid function.

Surprising Benefits of Vitamin D

New studies have found that vitamin D may protect against some types of cancer and help fight heart disease. Vitamin D can be found in certain foods & supplements and is created naturally with exposure to sunlight. Approximately fifteen minutes of sun exposure to the arms, hands, face, or back (without sunscreen) at least twice a week is recommended to attain your RDI (recommended daily intake) of vitamin D. Michael Holick, M.D., Ph.D., endocrinologist at Boston University and author of The UV Advantage states, "getting enough vitamin D may be one of the most important factors in decreasing your risk for a number of chronic diseases." Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, osteoporosis, depression, peripheral artery disease, type I diabetes, and death from kidney disease.

A Surprising Risk for Heart Disease

Experts at the USDA Agricultural Research Service found that skipping meals can increase your risk for heart disease. People who consumed most of their calories between 4:00pm and 8:00pm had higher levels of blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar than people who ate three meals a day with the same amount of calories. "Night eaters" were also found to be hungrier and less satisfied during the day. Cheryl Forberg, R.D. also points out that when people go most of the day without eating, they become ravenous and end up reaching for high calorie food with less nutritional value. She is the author of Positively Ageless: A 28-Day Plan for a Younger, Slimmer, Sexier You.

A Good Reason to Avoid Energy Drinks

A study by the journal General Dentistry found that "energy drinks are far more likely to erode tooth enamel than regular and diet sodas, coffee blends, and sports drinks." Energy drinks have a low pH (meaning they are acidic) and contain sugars, acids, and sodium citrates. These ingredients make it harder for saliva to restore the correct pH balance. Raymond Martin, D.D.S., spokesman for the Academy of General Dentistry, recommends sipping these types of drinks through a straw to minimize the damage. After drinking energy drinks, swish with water to wash away any residue.

Welcome to our new blog!

Welcome to the Traveling Trainers blog!

Our hope is to keep you informed about health, fitness, and nutrition.

You can view our main website at http://travelingtrainers.spaces.live.com/ where our blog first began. We will be adding those posts to this blog.