Aim For Better Health » exercise

Not All Carbohydrates Are Equal

Author — Sat, 01 May 2010 23:42:33 +0000

As a chiropractor who works with athletes, both young and old, and one who preaches a healthy diet in addition to regular chiropractic care, I am often asked by my more active patients about “fuel foods,” especially before a big high school football game or prior to a weekend warrior event. The most frequently asked question is: Are carbohydrates the best source to “fuel my sport”? And, my answer is “yes and no.” If you play sports, it’s important for you to know that even though carbohydrates burn off quickly, and are generally the best source of energy (and I recommend them highly), other factors come into play when the body is under the “stress” of the game. And, while pasta, energy bars, fruits, breads, yogurt, potatoes, cereals, and milk may all be great energy foods to eat before your sport, you should also include high sources of protein, including meat and peanut butter. Why? Because even though carbohydrates give you energy, proteins rebuild your cells and help you to maintain your muscle mass.

Another important thing to remember is that not all carbohydrates are equal. And while healthy fats can be an excellent source of energy during your sport, it isn’t wise before the game to eat fats that digest too slowly, like the fats contained in potato chips, fried foods, doughnuts, candy bars, and other sugary foods. Not only can hard-to-digest fats cause stomach cramping, but these types of fats are hard on the body systems for many reasons.

Maintaining an active lifestyle is important to overall health. But, doing it right and not overdoing it will make a big difference in how well you perform.

Posted via email from healthandfitnessnews’s posterous

Technorati Tags: carbohydrates, exercise, healthy diet, sports

If You’re a Woman, Take a Walk!

Author — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:36:39 +0000

As a chiropractor, I recommend daily exercise to all of my patients.Regular moderate exercise improves the health of every system in the human body, including the musculoskeletal system, my specialty. Exercise helps to keep joints mobile, reduces the symptoms of arthritis, increases bone health, and improves muscle performance. In other words, exercise is essential to good health. And, because I know that most of my patients are very busy people, I always suggest that they make exercise as much a necessary part of their day as brushing their teeth or having a nutritious meal, which is to say that they don't need to put on special clothing and head for the gym to get a beneficial workout. That's why I was very interested in an article I just read in the health page of msnbc.com that described the results of a study done on women that linked a moderate activity like walking to a substantial decrease in stroke risk. In addition to walking, the study looked at vigorous activities like running, swimming and biking, but didn't find a link between those activities and the 37 percent reduction in stroke risk that walking provided.

So ladies, take a walk! Do it for your health's sake! For more information on this interesting story, click the link provided above.

Posted via email from healthandfitnessnews’s posterous

Technorati Tags: exercise, stoke, womens health issues

Losing Weight Adds Life to Your Years as Well as Years to Your Life

admin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:41:22 +0000

From the “Duh, you think?” department of research. A new study, partially funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in the medical journal BMJ late last month, says that women who are overweight in middle age not only have a decreased chance of living to age 70 in good health, but that their chances severely drop by almost 80 percent. The study details the significant effect being overweight in middle age has on a woman’s quality of life in old age. Now, I have to say right here that my overweight chiropractic patients do not experience a high quality of life even in middle age, much less into old age. Every system of the body, including the musculoskeletal system is affected by the burden of carrying around excess body weight.

Researchers defined “healthy survival” past 70 years of age as being free from chronic disease and able to maintain an active daily life, e.g., being able to climb stairs or shop for groceries. They followed more than 17,000 women with an average age of 50 over the course of 24 years. They found that for every 2.2 pounds gained from the age of 18, a woman’s chances of even living past 70 years of age fell 5 percent.

So, let’s face, this study didn’t really reveal anything that most people, men and women alike, don’t already know. A healthy lifestyle is the only way to put life into your years as well as adding years to your life. Longevity is not a gift, in and of itself, if a person is unable to enjoy those added years. That’s why, along with chiropractic treatment, I offer my patients advise on exercise and nutrition.

Technorati Tags: chronic disease, exercise, healthy lifestyle, middle age, nutrition, overweight