Fare-Thee-Well

The groundwork for all happiness is good health.
- Leigh Hunt

How your body influences your emotions

www.sparkspeople.com

There is an undeniable link between feeling healthy and feeling happy. When was the last time you had the flu, a migraine, or heartburn and felt joyful at the same time? While many of us would agree that there is a relationship between our internal workings and our feelings of happiness, many of us don't take active steps toward living a healthy, positive life. How can we meet our goals when our body isn't feeling up to par? Tiredness, aches and pains, and feeling under the weather can all be big hindrances to our goals. It is very important that we nourish our bodies with adequate amounts of the right foods, condition ourselves to maintain and build strong bones and muscles, rest properly at night, and generally adhere to a healthy regimen if we expect to feel positive emotions.

Blacks Have Highest Obesity Rates in U.S.

I will comment on this later after I finish sputtering...


Blacks Have Highest Obesity Rates in U.S.
Hispanics also show higher prevalence than whites, CDC researchers find
By Steven ReinbergHealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- The obesity epidemic in the United States is hitting minorities the hardest, U.S. health officials report.

Here are the hard numbers: Blacks have a 51 percent greater prevalence of obesity than whites, and Hispanics have 21 percent greater obesity prevalence than whites, according to researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Obesity rates also vary geographically. Among blacks and whites, the highest rates of obesity are in the South and Midwest. Among Hispanics, obesity rates were highest in the South, Midwest and West, according to the July 17 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a CDC publication.

"There are at least three reasons for these findings," said study author Dr. Liping Pan, a CDC epidemiologist. "The first is individual behavior."

For example, blacks and Hispanics are less likely to engage in physical activity compared with whites, she said.

There are also differences in attitudes and cultural norms, Pan said. "For example, black and Hispanic women are more accepting of their own body size than white women," she said. "They are happy with their weight and less likely to try to lose weight."

The third factor is the limited access to healthy affordable food and safe places to engage in physical activity, Pan said.

Pan noted that all ethnic and racial groups in the United States have a high prevalence of obesity. Programs to fight obesity need to be directed at everyone, not just specific groups, she said.
For the report, Pan's team uses data from the CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for 2006 through 2008.

The researchers found that, in 40 states, the prevalence of obesity was 30 percent or more among blacks. In Alabama, Maine, Mississippi, Ohio and Oregon, the obesity rate among blacks was 40 percent or more.

Among blacks, obesity rates ranged from 23 percent to 45.1 percent throughout the United States. For Hispanics the obesity rate ranged from 21 percent to 36.7 percent. In 11 states, the prevalence of obesity was 30 percent or higher among Hispanics, Pan's group found.
Among whites, the prevalence of obesity ranged from 9 percent to 30.2 percent around the country. West Virginia was the only state where the prevalence of obesity among whites was 30 percent or more.


The CDC is currently focusing its efforts on getting people to eat more fruits and vegetables and stay away from high-calorie, high-sugar foods. In addition, the agency is encouraging new mothers to breast-feed their infants, Pan said.

Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine, said that while there are reasons for the toll obesity is taking on blacks, whites are also dealing with the same obesity problem.

"We should not be surprised to see major disparities in obesity, since the factors that cause it -- eating the wrong kinds of food and too much, and doing too little activity -- are themselves highly disparate in our society," Katz said.

Relative poverty, lower levels of education, neighborhoods that provide limited opportunity for outdoor recreation or to find and choose healthful foods are the underlying problems, Katz said. "There are ethnic disparities in obesity because there are ethnic disparities in the basic standard of living," he said.


"We should, of course, direct resources at this problem where it is most acute, developing community-based interventions to control and prevent obesity where it is most rampant. But we should also recognize that we are all in the same boat," Katz said.

Recently published projections indicate that all adults in the United States will be overweight or obese by 2048, should current trends persist, he noted. "Dedicated efforts to combat obesity-related disparities should take place within a society-wide effort to curtail this threat that is stalking us all," he said.


More information
For more information on obesity, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine .

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/health_news_detail.asp?health_day=629119

Am I Nuts?

Check out the flax seeds in the almond butter!

Almond Butter slightly pricier at $8.99 but health benefits far outweigh...

Peanut Butter $3.99 at WalMart

I could not believe it at 1st, but I am going to try some my next shopping day!

http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=we_ate_it_naturally_more_peanut_and_almond_butters

We Ate It: Peanut and Almond Butters Fortified with Flax
By Stepfanie Romini

Coach Nicole interviewed her friend Kelly, who participated in a figure competition? During her brutal training, she ate a very restrictive diet. One of the few foods she really loved was fancy almond and peanut butter made with flaxseed. She shared some with Nicole, who LOVES peanut butter. It was such a unique product that we assumed it would be really pricey and only available at specialty stores.

Au contraire, Kelly told us. She buys hers at Wal-Mart for less than $4! And so we reached out to the folks at Naturally More. They sent us samples of the peanut butter, almond butter--and organic peanut butter! What they say: "Naturally More easily differentiates itself from other natural peanut butters with the added benefits of Omega-3, fewer calories than other peanut butter competitors, 25% more protein, and 50% more fiber than regular brands currently on the market."

What we say:
The nut butters have fewer calories and more fiber than traditional nut butters because of the addition of dehydrated cane juice, wheat germ, flax seed and egg whites.

These are thicker and slightly sweeter than normal nut butters. Sometimes, natural nut butters are bland on their own. These are not! They're really tasty on their own.

I tried the peanut butter and I really like it. I really like the addition of the flax seed. I would think about buying this just for the better taste, not just the health benefits.
The almond butter is DELICIOUS, like a treat. It seems richer than almond butters I have had before. It is pretty grainy, which I like, but people new to natural butters may find it too grainy.

We LOVED these nut butters. While I usually prefer pure nut butters--ground nuts, nothing more--and generally choose whole foods over functional foods, these are excellent. I like that they have some fiber and substance to them. The nut butter is gritty in a good way--hard to explain, but trust me.

I ate this almond butter with cinnamon chips from Food Should Taste Good. Oh, wow! It's a great snack. More often these days, I eat it with an apple sprinkled in cinnamon.

We found it at Wal-Mart. It's also available by the case at Naturally More's website. (You can also find other retailers at the company's website.) Have you tried Naturally More nut butters? Will you? How do you usually eat PB (peanut butter) and AB (almond butter)?

"Ism" and Obesity...

Can Racism Lead to Weight Gain?
By Daryl C. Hannah, Diversity Inc.
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/5944.cfm

Can racism--whether real or perceived--be the cause of high obesity rates in Black women? That's what some scientists at the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University are suggesting after their eight-year study showed a correlation between perceived racism and weight gains.

"Racism is real and it has real effects," Yvette Cozier, an epidemiologist with Slone, said in an interview. "It can result in real changes in the body."

Cozier and her team monitored 43,000 Black women between the ages 21 and 69 from 1997 through 2005. Scientists grouped the women into four categories based on how frequently they said they experienced racism. The scientists then observed their weight and waist-line fluctuations every two years. At the conclusion of the experiment, all of the women gained weight. But those who said they experienced racism most frequently gained more weight and had the biggest waist lines.

"We are learning more and more about the mind-body connection and the impact of perceptions of discrimination, whether they be large episodes or these micro-insults on a day-to-day basis, including walking down the street and having somebody cross over the street" to avoid you, said Dr. Joseph Betancourt, director of the Disparities Solutions Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, in The Boston Globe. "Discrimination turns into stress, and it can have an incredible impact on the body."


What's the direct link? Slone scientists conclude that heightened stress levels can lead to hormone-level changes, influencing poor food choices. "That makes an association between the stress of racism and weight gain, particularly around the waist, fit with other research in humans and animals," the authors wrote.

Weight discrimination has increasingly become a workplace issue. Because obesity isn't covered under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, weight isn't considered a protected characteristic..

But despite the large number of people impacted, numerous studies have found that overweight and obese people have more difficulty getting hired, earn less and still face being ridiculed on the job. The bottom line: In a society where physical appearance is often subconsciously connected to performance, if you're obese, you're often perceived as not being up to getting the job done.

"We found that the heavier you were, the more likely it was you would submit a worker-compensation claim," Dr. Truls Ostbye, a professor of community and family medicine who coauthored the study, told Diversity Inc.

Read the full article at:

http://www.diversityinc.com/public/5944.cfm

I am Your Superwoman after this....

Over 100 Super Foods for a Super You
Include these Foods for Maximum Body Benefits
-- By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian
http://www.sparkspeople.com/

Faster than a speeding bullet…

More powerful than a locomotive…

Nutrient-packed with health enhancing properties…

Here come the SUPER FOODS!

These foods benefit your body in so many ways. They power your brain, and correctly and efficiently fuel your body. Super foods fight infection, enhance your immune system, and protect against diseases such as osteoporosis, heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, and respiratory infections. While this list of super foods may be longer than most, it shows that great things do come in small packages.

These foods are not only healthy, but they're also affordable, familiar, and readily available at regular grocery stores and farmers markets. With so many choices, you'll discover just how easy it is to eat super healthy every day…even when on a tight budget.

This is an all-inclusive list, but some foods might not be right for your tastes, preferences or health goals. Remember that no single food can provide everything you need to be healthy. That's why it's important to choose a variety of super foods from each category to meet your daily nutrition needs.


Vegetables:

Asparagus

AvocadosBeets

Bell peppers

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Carrots

Cauliflower

Collard greens

Crimini mushrooms

Cucumbers

Eggplant

Garlic

Green beans

Kale

Mustard greens

Onions

Peas

Portobello mushrooms

Potatoes

Rainbow chard

Romaine lettuce

Shiitake mushrooms

Spinach

Summer squash

Sweet potatoes

Swiss chard

Tomatoes

Turnip greens

Winter squash

Yams


Calcium-Rich Foods:

Almond milk

Cheese, low fat

Cottage cheese, low fat

Milk skim

or 1%Orange juice with calcium

Rice milk

Soy milk

Yogurt with active cultures, low fat


Fruits:

Apples

Apricots

Bananas

Black Olives

Blackberries

Blueberries

Cantaloupe

Cherries

Cranberries

Figs

Grapefruit

Grapes

Honeydew melonKiwifruitLemonsLimesNectarinesOrangesPapayaPeachesPearsPineapplePlumsPrunesRaisinsRaspberriesStrawberriesWatermelon
GrainsAmaranthArborio riceBarleyBrown riceBuckwheatBulgurCorn

Jasmine

Millet

Oats

Quinoa

Rye

Spelt
Triticale

Wheat berries

Whole grain breads

cereal

pasta

Whole wheat breads

cereal

pasta

Wild Rice


Proteins:

Almonds

Beef, lean

Black beans

Cashews

Chicken, skinless

Chickpeas

Egg whites

Eggs

Fish, unbreaded

Flaxseed

Garbanzo beans

Hemp seeds

Hummus

Kidney beans

Lima beans

Lentils

Miso

Navy beans

Nuts

Peanut butter, natural

Peanuts

Pinto beans

Pork, lean

Pumpkin seeds

Salmon, canned or fresh

Seafood, unbreaded

Sesame seeds

Soybeans

Sunflower seeds

Tahini
Tempeh
Tofu

Tuna, canned or fresh

Turkey,

skinlessVeggie burgers
Walnuts

Wild game, skinless


Miscellaneous

Canola oil

Dark chocolate

Green tea

Olive oil

Loose Skin~An inevitability?

Well read this. I cannot guarentee it and haven't really done any research, so read and draw your own conclusions or if its workable for you...

http://www.bodyfatguide.com/LooseSkin.htm

How to Use Flaxseed to Reduce Heart Disease

How to Use Flaxseed to Reduce Heart Disease


www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/45112/72042/flaxseed?ic=6046


Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Lisa Nelson, Health Professional

Flaxseed is a great diet addition if you are looking to reduce your risk for heart disease.
Flaxseed is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, and phytochemical lignans.

Flax is an option for individuals that dislike fish, but want to boost their intake of omega 3 fatty acids which are known to decrease heart disease risk by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Also, the fiber content makes meals "heavier" so you feel full longer, decreasing your likelihood to overeat. The fiber also promotes a lower LDL cholesterol level. Lignans found in flaxseed have been linked to cancer protection.

Aim for adding 1 teaspoon of flax oil to your diet each day or 1 tablespoon of milled flax. Adding flax to your diet is very simple. Here are a few options:

1. Flaxseed must be ground in order for your body to utilize the omega 3 fatty acids within, so buy your flaxseed ground and add to cereal, yogurt, salads, baked goods, and hot dishes. You are able to grind whole flaxseed with a coffee grinder or blender. Be sure to keep ground flaxseed refrigerated!

2. Flax oil can be used as part of a salad dressing or in recipes that call for oil. Flax oil contains the beneficial omega 3's, but no fiber.

3. Use flaxseed as a recipe substitute for fat and eggs. Substitute 3 tablespoons ground flax for 1 tablespoon butter, shortening, or vegetable oil. To use flax in place of eggs, mix 1 tablespoon ground flax with 3 tablespoons water and let mixture set until gel like (1-2 minutes). Use mixture in place of 1 egg.

Ah ha ha ha ha-Emotional Aerobics...

For ones who did not want to believe me:

Laughter Can Boost Heart Health

Research finds it improves blood flow and may help ward off high blood pressure

FRIDAY, May 29 (HealthDay News) -- New research lends weight to the old adage that laughter can be powerful medicine, particularly when it comes to your heart.

Two studies presented at the American College of Sports Medicine's annual meeting in Seattle found that laughter not only can reduce stress, which can damage the heart, it can lead to improved blood flow, which can help ward off high blood pressure.

The first study included a small group of healthy adults who were asked to watch either a comedy or documentary film. They were then checked for activity of the carotid arteries -- the main arteries in the neck that bring blood to the brain and face -- during the films.

People who watched the comedy displayed improved "arterial compliance" -- the amount of blood that moves through the arteries at a given time. Decreased arterial compliance is often linked with high blood pressure and heart disease, according to an American College of Sports

Medicine news release.

"Arterial compliance was improved for a full 24 hours after subjects watched a funny movie," said lead researcher Jun Sugawara. "Laughing is likely not the complete solution to a healthy heart, but it appears to contribute to positive effects."

The second study focused on vascular function and the dilation of blood vessels. When a second group of adults watched either a comedy or a serious documentary, there was more dilation of blood vessels during the comedy. Constricted blood vessels can be a cause of high blood pressure, the news release said.

"Not only did comedies improve vascular dilation, but watching a documentary about a depressing subject was actually harmful to the blood vessels," said Takashi Tarumi, lead researcher on the second study. "These documentaries constricted blood vessels by about 18 percent."

In both studies, the beneficial effects of laughter lasted for 24 hours, the researchers said.
The college's annual meeting concludes May 30.

For more on healthy lifestyles for heart health, visit the American Heart Association.

Content by:

SOURCE: May 29, 2009, news release, American College of Sports Medicine

Banana nana bo nana… fee fi fo manna-Bananas

After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas. He said the expression 'going bananas' is from the effects of bananas on the brain. Read on

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan. Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Jo urnal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia : High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey.. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Jo urnal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape! So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.

So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, 'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'