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The Surprising Benefit of Potassium
The number of Americans with high blood pressure continues to climb every year. The American Heart Association estimates that currently, one third of U.S. adults over age 20 have high blood pressure. Incorporating more potassium in your diet may be the key to lowering it.
Debt is More Than a Pain in the Neck
I am not unique in the fact that there are several sources of stress in my life. It is easy to push stressful events to the side and not think twice about how our life is really impacted by them. It isn’t usually until we start getting headaches, backaches, not sleeping well, or at worse suffering a nervous breakdown that we acknowledge just how much stress is affecting us.
Food Label Confusion
I went grocery shopping last weekend, as I usually do, and planned to pick up tortillas for my lunches during the week. The first thing I do with tortillas is check to make sure they are whole grain. The second thing I do is make sure each serving is low in calories.
You Are What You Eat
I recently read an article about how many whole foods have a pattern that resembles a body organ or physiological function. The similarities between the food and organ signal the benefit that food provides. Basically saying, you are what you eat.
Big Changes Start Small
My message has always been that health changes do not have to be (and probably should not be) drastic to be effective. Many people assume that to improve their health they must spend five days a week at the gym and cut all foods out of their diet that they love. By making this assumption you may be setting yourself up for failure.
Low Fat Isn't Always Good
We are bombarded daily with low fat food options: from low fat cookies and chips, to low fat ice cream, baked goods, and even candy.
Who Influences You?
The people we are closest to, and spend the most time with, influence who we are; that should come as no surprise. But your friends may have much more of an impact on your health than you realized. If you struggle to lose weight, or want to gain insight into your health, start by taking a look at your closest friends.
Don't let Excuses Get in Your Way
Everyone has at least one excuse for why they cannot practice good health. Personally, I struggle with finding time to exercise
Are You Suffering?
Every year, at about this time, my sleep starts to suffer. I find that as soon as I lay down my throat hurts and by time I am in a deep sleep I am woken up from the pain of swallowing. For as many as one in five Americans, allergies affect their life in some way. Allergic reactions range from a nuisance to life-threatening – and some people are lucky enough not to suffer at all. The most common type of allergies occurs this time of year.
Where Does Your Food Come From?
Life without a car really limits your options for grocery shopping, especially in the winter. The thing that I love about being in Boston in the spring and summer are all the farmers markets that suddenly pop up throughout the city.
Is Your Fuel Gauge on Empty
Do you find yourself lacking energy throughout the day, despite getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night? Many people report feeling fatigue, even though they do their best to get enough sleep.
What Would You Do With Four Hours?
How many times have you made the excuse that you do not have time to eat healthy, exercise, or even get control of your finances? I admit that I am guilty of doing this; especially with the things I am not crazy about in the first place. One of the biggest reasons for our “lack of time” is the TV. A recent study done by Nielson shows that the average American household now has more TVs than people, and we are spending more than a third of our day with them turned on.
Protect Your Head: Bike Safety
Warm weather seems like it is finally here to stay, and with that comes outdoor activities that you can now enjoy on a much more frequent basis. It is the perfect time of year for one of my favorite activities, bike riding. This means that it is also a good time for a reminder about wearing a bike helmet. Wearing a bike helmet can reduce injury by up to 88%, and reduces injury to the face by 65%. You should have no excuse not to wear one.
A Neat Way to Lose Weight
Small changes in the amount of movement you make every day can lead to big rewards when it comes to weight loss.
Get Walking
Spring has finally arrived, which means it is time to dust off those walking shoes and get outside for some fresh air.
Cut the Fat
Everyone knows that too much fat in your diet is not good. Eating a high fat diet can lead to overweight and obesity, which can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer.
How Big is Your Belly?
Being overweight is bad for your health; there is no question about it. But research shows that where you store fat is more important than how much extra weight you are carrying.
Take a Vacation
I am sure you know of at least one reason why you need to take vacation. Some reasons include spending quality time with your family, taking a break from work, or to simply regroup so you can go back to work feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. So why do so many Americans’ vacation days go unused and how much is this trend costing you?
Salad: Friend or Foe?
What is the first thing you hear people talk about eating when they mention that they are going on a diet? The thing that comes to my mind is salads. Everyone turns to salads when they want to improve their eating habits but there are two things you should be aware of. First, when you go on a “diet” you do not have to restrict yourself to eating salads in order to lose weight. Second, salads are not always a healthy choice.
Invest in Good Health
Picture yourself at 65 or 70 years old. How do you see yourself? Do you envision a vibrant, energized elder person, or do you see someone in poor health that cannot walk up and down the stairs?
Break for Lunch
I will be the first to admit that I am guilty of the bad habit of eating lunch at my desk. I bring my lunch to work everyday and it is easier to sit at my desk and get a little bit of work done than it is to trek down to the cafeteria. Eating lunch (or any meal, for that matter) at your desk is not a healthy habit.
Healthy Ideas for Vacationers
I know it is not always easy to be healthy when you are on vacation, especially when you get out of your regular routine and would rather lie at the pool or on the beach than spend time in a gym. It is also difficult to find healthy options at restaurants when you have to eat out for every single meal. I recently returned from vacation where I discovered it is possible to maintain some semblance of health if you get creative.
Are You SAD?
It is that time of year again. Spring seems so far away, yet it feels like winter has been dragging on for months. Some of you may not have seen the sun much for the past few weeks and it is taking a toll on your mental health. If you tend to get depressed during the winter months, you are not alone. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can impact anyone, but there are ways to cope that will help you get through the rest of winter.
Have a Healthy Heart
February has arrived and you may be gearing up for Valentine’s Day. You are buying cards, candy, and other gifts in order to get into that special someone’s heart. But there is another heart you should be thinking about this month and that is your own; especially if you are a woman. Heart disease is the number one killer of women and the American Heart Association has named February American Heart Month. Dedicate yourself to taking care of your own heart this year by following some simple ad
Finding Time for Health
Do you think you are too busy to lead a healthy life? This is a common excuse given by people who just cannot seem to change their lives. I have news for you – even if your schedule is packed full, you still have time to be healthy.
What are you waiting for?
We are already half way into January and I would be willing to bet that there are some of you who have not yet sat down to determine what your goals are for the year.
Making Change Permanent
Starting to make healthier lifestyle changes is not as hard as it seems. Many people created New Years goals this year to help them get in shape, lose weight, or eat better. The hard part for most is sticking to those goals once they have started.
Assess Your Competition
Would you believe that by making one simple change you could increase your likelihood of success? Would you also believe that the success you would achieve could carry over to multiple aspects of your life? I am challenging you today to consider incorporating this change into everything you do. I promise you will not regret it.
Take Time for You
It is finally that time of year when the focus turns from others back to us. Throughout the holiday season we’ve spent time shopping, cleaning, cooking and baking; all for other people. By focusing so much on others, you’ve probably felt frustrated, tired and out of balance. You may have lost sight of what’s most important to you and what you need to be your best.
Don’t Make Resolutions
With the beginning of a new year, everyone wants to make changes to improve their lives. You may want to eat better, exercise more, get organized, or create a plan for your money. Do yourself a favor this year; do not set New Year’s resolutions.
Beating the Holiday Blues
For those who do not struggle with emotional problems during the holidays it is hard to imagine this time of year being anything but joyful. Unfortunately, there are many people who see this time of year as exactly the opposite. The days from Thanksgiving to New Years may even spur depression that has been lingering under the surface for many months. Following these strategies can help you or a loved one get through the season.
Staying Healthy While You Travel
If you are anything like me, you always pack an appropriate meal and/or snack before you step foot on a plane. Okay, I realize that most people probably don’t do this. Some eat before hand and others buy food in the airport or on the plane. Unfortunately, eating away from home leaves you with few healthy choices. This is why I want to share a website that is designed to help you make the best food choices – just in time for your holiday travel!
The Holidays: Stress-Free
Thanksgiving is over and the holiday shopping season is in full swing. As your calendar fills up with holiday parties, shopping sprees, and family obligations, it’s normal to start feeling a little (if not very) stressed. There are several ways you can deal with – or even avoid – holiday stress.
Thanksgiving Survival
Last year on Thanksgiving I started the day off by going to a spinning class at my gym and it set the tone for the entire day. Not only did I avoid overeating, I made healthy choices for the things I filled my plate with.
Great American Smokeout
The Great American Smokeout is just two days away and if you’ve decided to quit smoking we want to congratulate you! There are steps you can take to ensure your success with giving up smoking this year.
Flu season: How to Survive
Here we are, already about to enter this year’s flu season. No one wants to get the flu of course, but I know that no matter how hard I try, it seems I usually end up getting it. In fact, every year 5 to 20 percent of Americans suffer from the flu. If you’re young and healthy, your best bet is the flu shot. This vaccine reduces your chance of getting the flu by 70 to 90 percent.
The Value of Good Health
Most people have a hard time investing time and money in something that does not produce a tangible return. When we are unable to see the results of the efforts we make, it may be hard to stay motivated to work toward our goal. This happens frequently with health, as many of the investments we make today are not realized until later in life.
Stress and Eating
Why does it seem like every time you get stressed you turn to a bag of potato chips, a pint of ice cream, or comfort foods like mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese? Actually, there's a good reason - cortisol.
Portion Cues: Know Your Size
If you tuned in to last week's newsletter you were probably quite surprised to find out how big our portions have become. It's not always easy to cut back on your portions, especially when you go out to eat and you're served enormous plates of food.
Portion Control: Size Does Matter
Ever since I read the book The Portion Teller a few years back, I have been intrigued by portion sizes. Gradually, over the years, the size of our meals (and even our plates) has increased and as a result, so have our waistlines.
Medical Records are Important
Think about all the documents you feel are important enough to file away just in case. This might include warranties, receipts, rebate information or bills. However, one of the most important documents you can have - that many of us don't - are your medical records.
Healthy Options for Eating Out
I like to think that I'm a pretty sensible eater. I try to watch my portions, I always include vegetables with dinner, and my snacks tend to be fruit. The thing I have the most problem with (and I suspect others do as well), is eating out. I am continually shocked at the amount of calories in restaurant food.
Finding Happiness
Most people equate money with happiness. In fact, if you were to ask people what one thing would make them happier, more than half would say earning more money. Is this really the case? If we just make more money, we would be happier?
Eat Healthy for Less
A healthy diet will certainly cut down on your medical costs, but how do you justify the high cost of healthy foods? There are many ways to eat healthy for less. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Diets Don't Take Vacations
I recently took a weekend trip to New York City and as I was trying to figure out what I would eat for dinner one night the person I was traveling with said to me, "Come on, just have cheesecake. You're on vacation!" Now while I am by no means a person who cuts out something I love dearly from my diet, I didn't feel like splurging on a giant piece of cheesecake just because I was in a different city.
Bring Your Workout Outside
There's no reason why you have to spend money on a gym membership to get in shape. Take advantage of the summer weather and bring your workout outside. Pretty much anything that can be done indoors can also be done outside.
Add More Fruits and Vegetables
We all know that fruits and vegetables are good for us. Yet most of us don't make the effort to eat them as much as we should. Many of us are aware that fruits and vegetables can help prevent chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, as well as aid in weight loss, but surveys have shown that 78% of Americans do not even eat five servings per day, the amount recommended by the FDA.
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