2010 July | Health & Wellness

Gloss Find: Genesis Today

res juice with glass 338x396 256x300 Gloss Find: Genesis Today Everyday I’m introduced to new health and fitness drinks and most recently I was very impressed by this one by Nutritionist, Dr. Lindsay Duncan. Not just because of the health benefits and because it taste good, but what really caught my attention was Dr. Duncan’s mission of bringing nutritional beverages and snacks to the masses.

Genesis Today offers juices, pudding snacks and smoothie cleanses that are made with super fruits. The juices are my favorite and come in flavors such as: Acai Berry, Goji Berry, Resveratrol and Veggie Blast.

The Resveratrol Juice tastes like grape juice and one eight ounce serving contains 50 mgs of natural resveratrol, which is equivalent to about 65 glasses of red wine. Besides being the antioxidant known as the fountain of youth, resveratrol also helps to improve cardiovascular health.

The 10 ounce serving has 130 calories, 31 grams of carbs, .5 grams of fiber and no fat.

Genesis Today Resveratrol Juice 10 oz. – $1.50 per bottle – Walmart

Curing the Exercise Headache

exerciseheadache 199x300 Curing the Exercise Headache I can handle most aches and pains like a champ, but a headache can bring me to my knees. My headaches are infrequent and seem to come on for no apparent reason. For some people, exercising can trigger a headache. In fact, a National Headache Foundation survey found that 70 percent of those polled reported headache pain while exercising.

If exercise gives you a headache, don’t back off of your exercise routine. Instead, look at some of your habits. Some simple changes can eliminate your exercise-induced headaches:

- Don’t forget to breathe. There’s a reason all the fitness experts remind you to breathe — holding your breath while straining with exercise can temporarily spike your blood pressure and that can lead to a headache.

- Warm up. If you jump right in to high intensity exercise, you’re not giving your body time to adjust. Warm up with light to moderate activity (such as a gentle walk) before starting higher intensity activity. Your warm up just might prevent a headache.

- Choose foods wisely. You may be in the habit of having a snack before working out. That’s fine, but choose wisely. Some foods — such as bananas, yogurt and nuts — contain tyramine, an amino acid linked to headaches. Instead, enjoy some bell pepper dipped in hummus, some cottage cheese or an apple.

- Stay hydrated. Dehydration can lead to headaches. Drink a glass a hour before exercising, then sip on water throughout your work out. After your work out (and part way through if your exercising for a long time) be sure to drink another 8 ounces.

- Focus on form. Be sure to follow proper technique and posture when exercising. Neck strain and other muscle aches can trigger a headache.

You Don’t Have to Skip Dessert

exps36899 SD1115369D22A You Dont Have to Skip Dessert Just because it’s summer time and you’re trying to look fabulous in your teeny little bikini doesn’t mean you always have to skip dessert. A happy lifestyle is all about a healthy balance and if you have a sweet tooth – embrace it – but don’t blow your diet.

Instead of sitting on the couch indulging in that pint of Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food (yes, I said pint) or ordering that oh-so-yummy banana split when out eating with your man (I know, you’re splitting it) – try making your own desert to satisfy your sweet tooth and keep the calories under control.

Healthy Option: Try a scoop of low-fat vanilla ice cream topped with a serving of pineapples and walnuts. Not sweet enough for you? Ditch the pineapples and walnuts and toss on some chocolate covered strawberries. You can also swap out the ice cream for low-fat Greek yogurt.

When ordering out, your best best is to opt for a sorbet or fresh fruit dish.

Sign On and Lose Weight

online pt pic1 200x300 Sign On and Lose Weight Have you ever tried a weight loss program offered on the Internet or do you need the encouragement of a physical person like a personal trainer or nutritionist logging your work? If you have enough will power you may want to save your money and take it online. The Journal of Medical Internet Research just released a study that showed Internet based fitness programs are effective weight loss solutions.

“Consistency and accountability are essential in any weight maintenance program,” said study lead author Kristine L. Funk in a news release about the study. The researcher at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Ore., added, “The unique part of this intervention was that it was available on the Internet, whenever and wherever people wanted to use it.”

There are many sites that now offer guided fitness and weight loss solutions. Some offer workout videos, Q&A’s with personal trainers and teams of nutritionists as well as food and exercise logs. One site to check out is FitOrbit.com. You can select a personal trainer based on your personal needs to take you through the program and you’ll be given a fitness and meal plan to follow. Once you’re committed, you log in all of your activity. The cost is only $10 per month, but studies show it works!

Gloss How-To: Manage Depression With Healthy Living

depression1 300x211 Gloss How To: Manage Depression With Healthy Living We all feel down from time to time, but depression is a lasting, persistent feeling that can start to interfere with your life. The symptoms include difficulty making decisions, feeling tired and run down, restlessness, difficulty sleeping, loss of interest in your own life and appetite changes.

If you’re feeling depressed, it’s important to see a health care professional. Medication and therapy can really help you get back on track. In addition to that, you can also take charge of your own health. There are many lifestyle choices that can boost your mood, enhance your energy and help alleviate depression.

- See the sandman. A consistent, healthy sleep schedule is vital for your energy level and mood. Prepare yourself for a good night’s sleep by avoiding daytime naps, exercising three or more hours before bed and doing something to relax your mind and body right before bedtime (such as taking a bath). If you find you still cannot sleep, try staying in bed and reading, writing in a journal or completing a crossword.

- Be active. An active lifestyle with regular exercise will help you keep fit and energized.

- Eat right. Some people may turn to snack cakes and chips when they’re feeling blue, but that’s the opposite of what your body needs. Healthy eating, in general, will keep you energized and feeling great. What’s more, certain foods may fight depression.

- Replace unhealthy behaviors. When you’re worrying or starting to feel really down, don’t engage in unhealthy habits. Instead, get up and get busy. Do a chore around the house, work in your garden, help out a friend or family member — just get your body busy and give your mind something new to think about.

Smoking Causes Acne

KYLmHyMHA5KG 300x229 Smoking Causes Acne Having acne as an adult may be a little more embarrassing than suffering from it as a teen. At least teens go through it together due to hormones, but it’s not an easy situation to deal with in your professional and dating life.

At some point during their adult lives, 25% of men and 50% of women will be affected by adult acne. Possible causes include stress, hormones and bacteria, but one cause is for sure – smoking. The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology reported that adult acne is “significantly correlated” with smoking.

Besides the risk of lung cancer, giving you bad breath and yellow teeth, adult acne is just another check mark on the list of reasons to quit smoking. In the study, 72.9 percent of the women with adult acne studied were smokers and the more they smoked, the more severe their acne was. Nobody said quitting is easy, but there are many over-the-counter aids to help and it can save your health and your skin.

Sitting Can Kill You

womansitting 300x199 Sitting Can Kill You OK, maybe that’s a little bit exaggerated – sitting can kill you – but research shows that if you spend most of your time sitting it can shorten your lifespan.

How long do you sit during the day? I can go periods of hours typing away on my computer. Whether you’re watching TV, sitting at your office desk or in school lectures the length of time you sit for one period of time can really take a toll on your body and mind.

In a study done of over 120,000 Americans, researchers found that people who sat for more than 6 hours per day were more likely to die in a 14 year period than those who sat for half that time. Sitting for extended periods of time can cramp your body causing it to shut down and impact your cholesterol leading to risks of death. The risk is more severe in women than men.

If you do have a job that requires you to sit at your desk for extended periods of time, take a walk every half hour to keep your body moving. You can also try replacing your desk chair with a fitness ball. This will help to keep your muscles engaged and your body in motion.

Blueberries Rid Belly Fat

Blueberries UNED 300x240 Blueberries Rid Belly Fat Whether you have a stubborn muffin top or a few rolls hanging over your jeans, losing fat in your midsection isn’t easy, but it’s definitely controllable. Of course interval training and toning exercises will help to rid it, but a new study suggests that eating blueberries may help speed up the process.

According to a study presented at the New Orleans Experimental Biology Convention done on laboratory rats, blueberries may also protect against cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome – two health issues that are very common in Americans – both of which belly fat is linked to.

“The benefits of eating fruits and vegetables has been well-researched, but our findings in regard to blueberries shows the naturally occurring chemicals they contain, such as anthocyanins, show promise in mitigating these health conditions,” Steven Bolling, M.D., a U-M heart surgeon and head of the Cardioprotection Laboratory told to Science Daily.

This super food can decrease belly fat in people who have high and low-fat diets. You can add them into your diet year round because the belly-busting benefits last whether they’re fresh or frozen. Add them to your morning yogurt or cereal.