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 EXERCISING LIKE A GIRLY GIRL?
To Be a Hottie, Work
That Body!
Ladies, are you lollygagging when you
ought to be lifting, puttering when you ought to be pumping,
trifling when you ought to be training? According to a recent Gallup
Poll, nearly half of adult women under 50 say they
never engage in vigorous physical exercise -- worse, the
boys are beating the girls hands down: only 28% of men in that same
age group wimp out when they work out.
While moderate
exercise can help you improve fitness, taking it easy at the gym
won't take off the pounds. Plus, too many workouts at the same low
intensity won't provide the kind of stress needed to fight bone and
muscle loss as your body ages.
Namby-pamby exercising won't
do much to reduce your mortality risk either, according to a recent
study by the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Following
fitness levels of a group of generally healthy women ages 35-93 over
the course of a decade, researchers divided them into three
categories: most fit, moderately fit and least fit.
While it
may be no surprise that women who were least fit were three times
more likely to die during the course of the course of the study than
the most fit group -- women in the middle fitness range were also
two times more likely to die than those who were in the best
shape.
Another report presented at this year's annual meeting
of the American Association for Cancer Research zeroed in on the
exercise-longevity link with regard to breast cancer. Physical
fitness has already been found to lower women's chances of
developing breast cancer -- but now it seems exercise can slash the risk of dying from breast
cancer even after it has been diagnosed.
Using data from
the large-scale, long-term Nurses' Health Study, researchers focused
on the fitness levels of women after they were diagnosed with breast
cancer and found that women who walked just 1 to 3 hours a week cut
their risk of dying from the disease by 25%. Those who walked 3 to 8
hours cut their risk in half!
So yes, while it may be true
that a little exercise is better than none at all, when it comes to
protecting your health and reducing your mortality risks, less is
definitely NOT more!
BONUS: HEAVY EXERCISE DULLS SWEET TOOTH
Here's
another reason to pour it on to take it off. Not only does vigorous
exercise burn more calories, it may alter your taste preferences
post-workout. Japanese researchers believe working up a sweat may decrease the appetite for
sweets. Animal studies suggest the increased endorphin levels
caused by heavy exercise may be responsible.
ATKINS' PRICE TAG: $100 A WEEK
The Diet That
Bankrupts Your Health Will Also Bust Your Budget
The
health risks associated with the Atkins diet -- increased
free-radical damage, heart disease, colorectal cancer,
diverticulitis, gout, kidney stones and osteoporosis -- may rack up
your health care costs over the long term. Apparently these
increased disease risks don't come cheap! According to an analysis
by food pricing expert Phil Lempert, the food costs alone of following the Atkins diet can
run as high as $16.00 dollars a day, averaging around
$14.30.
Can only the rich afford to be thin? Christine
Davies, a dieter and working mother of two, finds the high-priced
proteins on low-carb diets beyond her family's modest means: "Pound
for pound, protein is a lot more expensive than carbs," she
says.
The cheapest calories of all are those that come from
processed foods, loaded with sugar and fat. This in turn influences
dietary choices made by low-income families, resulting in greater
levels of obesity among the poor: Twenty-six percent of people with
annual incomes below $17,000 per household are obese -- compared
with 18% for those with annual incomes of $67,000 or
more.
Both junk food and low-carb diets can cause major
health problems that those at the bottom end of the income scale are
least able to afford. While it's true that fresh fruits and
vegetables are relatively more expensive than processed carbs like
baked goods and macaroni and cheese, disease prevention is part of
the purchase price, making it the most economical choice for
families of any income level over the long run.
On a tight
budget? Try some of these inexpensive ways to add more healthy,
filling, low-cal fruits and vegetables to your diet:
If your urban grocery doesn't stock much produce, seek out local
farmer's markets or community gardens.
Don't forget that fruit and veggies in any form -- fresh,
frozen, canned, dried and 100% juice -- count toward your 5 A Day
requirement.
Buy in volume from wholesalers or inexpensive food outlets like
Costco, and freeze your excess stock.
Keep it simple. More exotic fruits usually cost more than common
varieties. For example, oranges are more affordable than kumquats,
bananas are more budget-friendly than boysenberries, apples are
easier on the wallet than Asian pears, etc.
Get clipping -- collect coupons and keep eyes peeled for
in-store specials.
Buy in season. As prices can vary greatly depending on the time
of year and part of the country, know what fruits and vegetables are
in season. Standard economics dictates prices rise with scarcity and
fall with increased quantity.
DIET DUST
Flavor Crystals Trick You Into Feeling
Full Faster
Dr. Allan Hirsch of the Smell &
Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago says a sprinkle a
day could keep weight gain away. He claims that calorie-free
sprinkles engineered to smell and taste like high-flavor foods can
trick your brain into thinking you've eaten more,
so that you eat less.
The 12 crystals come in sweet flavors
-- cocoa, spearmint, banana, strawberry, raspberry and malt -- as
well as savory -- taco, cheddar, parmesan, ranch dressing,
horseradish and onion. It sounds too good to be true, but Hirsch
says that after six months using the flavor crystals, 108 overweight
patients in his study lost an average of 34 pounds.
While
these sprinkles are simply being researched at this point, their
manufacture may be a case of redesigning -- if not quite reinventing
-- the wheel. There are a wide variety of flavor crystals already
available in stores. They're called spices. You know, cinnamon,
curry, mustard, pepper, ginger, etc.
Try adding these
old-fashioned piquant powders to your standard fare. By getting your
taste buds to sit up and pay attention, you'll be more likely to
savor -- rather than simply inhale -- your next meal.
OVER-HEARTY BREAKFAST MAY HURT HEART
All the
evidence underscores the importance of eating breakfast. As we
pointed out in the March 8 issue of the Dole Nutrition News (see
link to Archives below), those who eat breakfast boost their
metabolism for the rest of the day, lower their risk of developing
insulin resistance, are less likely to be obese and even increase
their memory recall. But folks, don't go overboard. We said
breakfast -- not breakfeast!
A new study done at the
University of Buffalo found that big fatty breakfasts trigger the release of
inflammatory chemicals associated with clogged arteries.
Subjects were tested after eating McDonald's Egg McMuffin and
Sausage McMuffin plus hash browns, which sent their levels of free
radicals and C-reactive protein through the roof. The inflammatory
factors were still high several hours after breakfast, when most
people begin thinking about lunch.
Don't let your petit
dejeuner turn into a pig out session. Steer clear of fried and baked
goods, and reach for whole fruits, multigrain cereals, egg white
omelets and our favorite -- smoothies -- instead. See our featured
recipe for a creamy and delicious Banana Orange Smoothie.
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 WOMEN'S HEALTH WEEK:
Updates on Heart Health, Sex,
Alcohol Risks & More
It's not too late to
observe this month's National Women's Health Week (May 9 to May 15)
by checking out Newsweek's terrific special report: "Health for Life: The New Keys to Women's Health,"
also summarized in Health News Digest.
Most surprising -- and
alarming -- was the news that the gentler sex, supposedly so in tune
with their emotions, is entirely out of touch with their hearts when
it comes to health. Every year, more women die of heart disease than
of Alzheimer's, breast cancer and diabetes combined. Yet only 13%
of women consider heart disease their greatest health risk,
according to a new survey by the American Heart
Association.
Obviously, what's first needed to turn this
disease around is a major infusion of self-awareness. The vast
majority of heart problems can be prevented. Unhealthy habits
account for 82% of heart disease cases among women. The prescription
remains the same: A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, exercise 30
minutes almost every day and, of course, don't smoke.
Other
Newsweek highlights include a sobering article on "Alcohol's
Deadly Triple Threat," which reports that women are quicker to get
addicted, slower to seek help, and most likely to die from alcohol's
devastating effects.
Surveys suggest that 60% of women drink
on a regular basis and about 5% average two or more drinks a day,
placing them at increased risk of breast cancer, infertility and
osteoporosis. We fear these percentages are probably too low since,
as the article itself points out, women alcoholics are even more
likely than men to deny their drinking, harboring the secret and
refusing to seek help.
Finally, in "A Better Sex Life,"
Newsweek cites a survey by the University of Chicago in which
a third of women report concerns about their sex lives, including
such issues as low desire -- painting a far different picture of
contemporary female sexuality than portrayed by the sex-obsessed
Carrie-catures in Sex in the City, other sitcoms and films. Though
drugmakers continue to hope they'll hit pay dirt with a female
Viagra, researchers and psychologists suggest arousal and interest
deficits in women are more rooted in relationship issues than in
physical dysfunction.
U.S. KIDS' BLOOD PRESSURE UP
Blood pressure levels are rising among young
Americans according to a study just published in the Journal of the American Medical
Association, raising concerns of hypertension-related health
problems when these children reach adulthood.
If left
untreated, high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart failure as
well as damage to the kidneys, blood vessels, brain and eyes.
Indeed, a recent study by the Mayo Clinic found that people with
high blood pressure are more likely to lose mental ability as they
age.
The fact that American kids are growing fatter by the
year is partly responsible for this disturbing trend -- but lack of
exercise and the kinds of foods they are eating also play a
significant role, researchers say. Sodium, for example, is a known
risk factor for high blood pressure -- and U.S. kids typically
consume two to three times the 300 mg to 500 mg needed to maintain
their health.
While blood pressure increases occurred across
racial groups, Mexican-American and black children recorded average
levels about 2 to 3 points above their white counterparts. Another
just-published study appearing in the Archives of Pediatrics and
Adolescent Medicine showed that caffeine soda might be raising hypertension risk among
black teens.
Excess caffeine may be the culprit --
consumption in excess of 100 mg a day (the equivalent of four cans
of soda) led to higher systolic blood pressure than other groups
participating in the study. For a population already at greater risk
for hypertension-related health problems, this finding points to an
important preventable factor.
In addition to watching
caffeine intake, lowering sodium intake and getting plenty of
exercise, here are three minerals and a vitamin that may play a role
in regulating blood pressure levels:
Potassium is
essential for maintaining normal blood pressure. Responsible for
regulating the fluid balance in our cells, potassium also blunts the
effects of excess sodium, a known risk factor for hypertension.
Potassium-rich foods include bananas, cooked spinach, sweet
potatoes, cooked beets and lima beans.
Calcium intake
may also help tame high blood pressure. In addition to non-fat dairy
products, spinach, broccoli, kale, artichokes and other leafy greens
are good sources of calcium. Also remember that a diet rich in
fruits and vegetables tends to inhibit calcium excretion through the
urine. (For more on calcium's role in your diet, see this issue's
Director's Corner below.)
Magnesium has been shown to
be effective in lowering some types of blood pressure by affecting
dilation of the blood vessels. Magnesium sources include soybeans,
seeds, nuts, wheat germ and seafood.
Vitamin C also
acts in many ways to help prevent high blood pressure by combating
the oxidation of LDL or "bad" cholesterol, thus preventing deposits
and decreasing arterial blockage, allowing blood flow with less
impediment. Vitamin C super-sources include red bell pepper, papaya,
citrus, kiwi, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe and
strawberries.
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 DAIRY: DIET BOOST -- OR BOOMERANG?
Adequate
calcium intake has long been recommended as a safeguard against
osteoporosis, the loss of bone density responsible for 1.5 million
fractures of the spine, hip and wrist every year in the U.S. But
lately calcium has been scoring headlines for its possible link with
weight loss in general -- and obesity prevention in
particular.
The buzz is based on studies that suggest an inverse relationship between an individual's calcium
intake and their weight. Researchers at the University of
Tennessee, for example, found that high calcium, and especially
high-dairy diets could enhance weight loss among obese individuals
already following a low-calorie regimen.
Now, I'm of
the every-little-bit-helps school of weight management, but I get a
little nervous whenever I see a story that can be construed to
support the concept that eating will make you lose weight. No.
Eating fewer calories than you expend will make you lose
weight. And while I have no doubt that a balanced diet with the full
compliment of vitamins and minerals (like calcium) will make it
easier for you to maintain that calorie deficit until you've reached
your desired weight, I'm worried that the "as part of a low-calorie
regimen" caveat in the calcium story will become a casualty to the
fervent desire to believe that ice cream, milkshakes and mozzarella
are actually diet foods.
So my question is this: Will the
news about calcium boost weight loss efforts -- or will it
boomerang?
I feel like I'm watching the trailers for a very
bad spin-off of a truly horrible movie. The original screamer was
Atkins -- and it was based on the flimsy premise that eating more
of a certain food, in this case protein, will help you lose
weight. It's true that some dieters did lose weight with the plan --
though by compromising their health in the process. Worse, by the
end of the flick, Fat Monster wreaks his revenge -- through sneaky
"low carb" (high cal) products, diminished athletic performance and
the impracticality of following such an extreme (and, as we learned
above, expensive) regimen over the long run.
In the sequel,
protein in general has morphed into dairy in particular. Like most
remakes, this version is a little more politically correct: It's
inclusive (of dairy) as opposed to exclusive (of carbs) a la Atkins.
And there is good evidence to back up claims that adequate calcium
intake can benefit weight-loss efforts.
The problem is when
this message gets warped -- by our own wishful thinking aided and
abetted by overeager marketers -- into the belief that by eating
dairy products we are somehow burning calories instead of consuming
them. Dieters who disregard the fat and calorie content of their
calcium sources may find themselves looking like one of those
pictures on milk cartons. No, not the missing children on the back
-- the cow on the front.
Want the skinny on calcium's role in
weight loss? Here's the science without the fiction: A low calcium
diet increases blood levels of calcitriol -- the active form of
vitamin D -- which stimulates calcium influx into your fat cells,
which in turn stimulates lipogenic -- i.e. fat creating -- gene
expression, leading to the generation of excess adipose, or fat. In
other words, if you're calcium-deficient, your body is more disposed
to create fat cells than when you are getting adequate
calcium.
Most of these studies, however, have focused on
either dairy or supplementation -- but not fruit and vegetables --
as a source of calcium. Furthermore, they have looked at only one
parameter -- weight loss -- without taking into account what other
kinds of risk factors might be in play.
Now, I understand
that there are those so desperate to lose weight that they don't
care what they are doing to their long term health -- Atkins has
amply proved this sorry point. Nor is it surprising to find certain
industry representatives hyping the heck out of these tentative
findings, without regard to repercussions on consumers' total
health.
But as for the rest of us, we ought to be mindful of
what else we might be getting -- both good and bad -- from the
calcium sources we choose, such as:
Saturated fat --
whole milk, regular yogurt, cheese, ice cream and other full fat
dairy products are particularly high in saturated fat which, in
addition to its caloric density relative to other food groups, has
been linked to a multitude of chronic diseases, cardiovascular
disease and cancer chief among them.
Sugar -- which we
expect in dairy desserts, but might be surprised to find in other
dairy foods considered healthy -- like flavored and fruit-swirled
yogurts. Refined sugars promote insulin resistance syndrome, a
precursor to diabetes. So check your labels, and add your own fruit
to nonfat yogurt, avoiding processed sugars while giving yourself a
dose of disease-fighting fiber and
phytochemicals!
Dioxins -- a report by the Institute
of Medicine, a nonprofit health policy advisory organization, last
year recommended that women and girls reduce their consumption of
whole milk and other fatty foods to protect themselves and their
offspring from dioxins, harmful toxins created by natural and
industrial combustion.
The good news is that not only are
there plenty of calcium sources out there that don't come with other
negative dietary baggage -- healthy sources will supply you with
more benefits than just the mighty white mineral.
For
example, nonfat yogurt gives you protein, live active cultures, B
vitamins and probiotics in addition to calcium. Or spinach -- which
in addition to calcium gives you B vitamins, C and K vitamins,
folate and magnesium magnesium, as well as phytochemicals like
lutein, zeaxanthin and beta-carotene. And as mentioned previously,
fruit and vegetable consumption helps to inhibit the loss of calcium
through your urine.
The recommended daily allowance for
calcium for men and women ages 19 to 50 is 1,000 mg a day, and 1,200
mg for those over 50. There's a healthy way -- and a less healthy
way -- to meet those requirements. Since that's a distinction that
doesn't rise to the surface in much of the calcium-weight loss lit,
we've made it for you in the comparison below:
OPTION
A:
Daily calcium requirement from full fat dairy:
Foods: 1 cup
whole milk, 1/2 cup diced cheddar, 1 cup of plain yogurt
Calcium:
1048 mg
Calories: 561 calories
If you're on a diet, these
three servings have put you almost halfway to meeting to your daily
calorie quota, with not a lot of food to fill you up. Not only that,
you'll have consumed 42% of your daily cholesterol, more than a
quarter of your sodium, and well over 100% of your saturated fat.
Hmmm ... nothing but carrot sticks for you for the rest of the
day.
OR:
OPTION B:
Daily calcium requirement from
various, healthy sources:
Foods: 1 cup cooked spinach, 1 cup
nonfat plain yogurt, 1 cup cooked black-eyed peas, kiwi and
blackberries.
Calcium: 1046 mg
Calories: 450
calories
Better: A lot more food and fewer calories, around
10% of your sodium daily value, but only 2% of your fat and
cholesterol value! Plus significant fiber, vitamins, minerals
and phytochemicals that you won't get with the full fat dairy
selections in option A.
Follow this link for these comparisons and others.
So, will the
calcium news benefit weight loss efforts, or will it backfire? It's
too early to tell, but stay tuned.
If the news about calcium
and weight loss will get dieters to make sure they aren't skimping
on healthy, non-fat dairy and plant-based sources like the ones
cited above as they are cutting back on calories, then I believe
that the news will be a boon, both to those seeking to lose weight
as well as strengthen their bones. But if it simply sparks a new fad
of high-fat foods being marketed as diet wonders, the only thing
dieters will be losing is further ground in the fight against
obesity.
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Banana Orange Smoothie
Prep: 5
minutes
Makes: 2 servings
2 ripe, large DOLE Bananas
2
medium oranges
1 carton (8 oz.) lowfat vanilla yogurt
Dash
ground cinnamon and nutmeg
Peel bananas; slice into blender container or food
processor.
Peel oranges; cut into chunks. Add to blender with yogurt,
cinnamon and nutmeg.
Cover; blend until smooth. Recipe can be doubled.
Per
Serving: 263 calories, 2 g fat (1 g sat.), 6 mg cholesterol, 76 mg
sodium, 59 g carbohydrate, 8 g protein
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Lana'i Pineapple Body Scrub
Next time you
serve fresh pineapple, reserve the rinds to use later in the shower
to slough off dead skin cells on your elbows, knees and
heels.
The unique enzyme found in pineapple, known as
bromelain, has many important dermatological benefits. Its
anti-inflammatory properties make it useful in soothing insect bites
and minimizing unsightly bruises. For our purposes, bromelain's
enzymatic processes have an exfoliating effect which, added to the
natural abrasion from the fleshy inside of the pineapple peel, works
wonderfully in smoothing rough, calloused or flaky skin.
The
optional almond flour/ground almonds also work gently to remove
dull, dead skin cells, both through the exfoliating effect of their
granular texture as well as through their relatively high
beta-hydroxy acid content. Almonds are also one of the highest
sources of vitamin E -- an antioxidant that mops up free radicals
while protecting other vitamins and nutrients from oxidative damage,
allowing them to do their work.
Because pineapple is slightly
acidic, this treatment should not be used on your
face.
Ingredients:
Pineapple rind, cut into wide
slivers
Almond flour, prepackaged or finely ground almonds
(optional)
Directions:
Take pineapple peels -- cupping
rough side in your hand -- and either using alone, or with a
sprinkling of almond flour, rub the fleshy side of the rind on
problem areas. Moisturize afterwards with a tropical-scented oil or
cream to protect new skin and complete your spa experience.
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