Food Facts, Nutrition, Self Control Archives

How your body responds to aerobic exercise During aerobic exercise, you repeatedly move large muscles in your arms, legs and hips. You'll notice your body's responses quickly. You'll breathe faster and more deeply. This maximizes the amount of oxygen in your blood. Your heart will beat faster, which increases blood flow to your muscles and back to your lungs. Your small blood vessels (capillaries) will widen to deliver more oxygen to your muscles and carry away waste products, such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid. Your body will even release endorphins, natural painkillers that promote an increased sense of well-being. www.mayoclinic.com  . What aerobic exercise does for your health Regardless of your age, weight or athletic ability, aerobic exercise is good for you. As your body adapts to regular aerobic exercise, you'll get stronger and more efficient. Consider some of the many ways that aerobic exercise can help you feel better and enjoy life to the fullest. Regular aerobic exercise can: Reduce health risks. Aerobic exercise reduces the risk of many conditions, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke and certain types of cancer. Weight-bearing aerobic exercises, such as walking, reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Help you manage chronic conditions. Aerobic exercise helps lower high blood pressure, control blood sugar and relieve chronic muscle pain. If you've had a heart attack, aerobic exercise can help prevent subsequent attacks. Keep excess pounds at bay. Combined with a healthy diet, aerobic exercise can help you lose weight — and keep it off. Ward off viral illnesses. Aerobic exercise activates your immune system. This leaves you less susceptible to minor viral illnesses, such as colds and flu. Keep your arteries clear. Aerobic exercise increases the concentration of high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good") cholesterol and decreases the concentration of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol in your blood. The potential result? Less buildup of plaques in your arteries. Strengthen your heart. A stronger heart doesn't need to beat as fast. A stronger heart also pumps blood more efficiently, which improves blood flow to all parts of your body. Boost your mood. Aerobic exercise can ease the gloominess of depression and reduce the tension associated with anxiety, as well as promote relaxation. Increase your stamina. Aerobic exercise may make you tired in the short term. But over the long term, you'll enjoy increased stamina and reduced fatigue. Stay active and independent as you get older. Aerobic exercise keeps your muscles strong, which can help you maintain mobility as you get older. Aerobic exercise also keeps your mind sharp. Researchers say that at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three days a week can reduce cognitive decline in older adults. www.mayoclinic.com  FROM THE MAIL: For so many or us with disabling illness, exercise is the last thing we want to hear. Once I started feeling some better I added CURVES to my daily routine of eating right and resting.  This is a place where everyone goes at their own pace and you get both aerobic and weight bearing.  Great social atmosphere to take our minds off any problems. HEALTHY TIP: This doesn't have anything to do with our topic this month (eating out) but as I was researching I came across this idea which is good for those of you who are adding flaxseed in your diet for lowering cholesterol. (Ground flaxseed is more digestable). You can use flaxseed in place of eggs in muffins, pancakes and cookies. To substitute flaxseed for one large egg in a recipe, use 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water. Keep in mind that it will somewhat alter the texture of the finished product, making it slightly "gummy." -----------   There are about 3,500 calories in a pound of body weight. To lose one pound a week, you must consume about 500 fewer calories per day than you metabolize. ---------- FOOD FACTS: What's the difference between "hamburger" and "ground beef"? Beef fat may be added to "hamburger," but not "ground beef," if the meat is ground and packaged at a USDA-inspected plant. Rince cook, drained, crumbled ground beef to reduce 50% more of the fat   Cooking with more beans adds a kick of fiber and antioxidants to the family diet. Believe it or not, beans (especially red, kidney, pinto, and black) are some of the highest antioxidant foods out there. To cook with more beans, try the following: - Turn to canned beans. They’re inexpensive, convenient and versatile. Drain and rinse first to wash away about 40% of the sodium. - Add a can of black beans to ground beef for a delicious taco filling. - Add chick peas to pasta salads and soups. - Make a Tex Mex pizza by spreading refried beans on a pizza crust, then topping with corn kernels, salsa, and lowfat shredded cheese. From sloppy Joes to chili, when a recipe calls for ground beef, turkey, or meat-free crumbles, sauté with a shredded carrot or finely diced red pepper. The veggies will blend in while providing a boost of antioxidants. ---------- Reduce trans and saturated fats in baked goods by replacing solid fats such as butter, margarine, and shortening with canola oil. The benefits include less saturated fat and more heart-healthy monounsaturated and omega-3 polyunsaturated fats. Also, you’ll end up using 25% less total fat, and the results will be a moister product with a soft texture. Solid fat  Canola oil     1 cup…   3/4 cup     3/4 cup… 2/3 cup     1/2 cup… 1/3 cup     1/4 cup… 3 Tablespoons ---------- What is dietary fiber? Dietary fiber, also known as roughage or bulk, includes all parts of plant foods that your body can't digest or absorb. Unlike other food components such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates — which your body breaks down and absorbs — fiber isn't digested by your body. Therefore, it passes virtually unchanged through your stomach and small intestine and into your colon. Fiber is often classified into two categories: those that don't dissolve in water (insoluble fiber) and those that do (soluble fiber). Insoluble fiber. This type of fiber promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and increases stool bulk, so it can be of benefit to those who struggle with constipation or irregular stools. Whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts and many vegetables are good sources of insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber. This type of fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like material. It can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. You can find generous quantities of soluble fiber in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium. The amount of each type of fiber varies in different plant foods. To receive the greatest health benefit, eat a wide variety of high-fiber foods. Benefits of a high-fiber diet A high-fiber diet has many benefits, which include: Prevents constipation. Dietary fiber increases the weight and size of your stool and softens it. A bulky stool is easier to pass, decreasing your chance of constipation. If you have loose, watery stools, fiber may also help to solidify the stool because it absorbs water and adds bulk to stool. Lowers your risk of digestive conditions. A high-fiber diet may lower your risk of specific disorders, such as hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome and the development of small pouches in your colon (diverticular disease). Lowers blood cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber found in beans, oats, flaxseed and oat bran may help lower total blood cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein, or "bad," cholesterol levels. Controls blood sugar levels. Fiber, particularly soluble fiber, can slow the absorption of sugar, which for people with diabetes, can help improve blood sugar levels. A high-fiber diet may also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Aids in weight loss. High-fiber foods generally require more chewing time, which gives your body time to register when you're no longer hungry, so you're less likely to overeat. Also, a high-fiber diet tends to make a meal feel larger and linger longer, so you stay full for a greater amount of time. And high-fiber diets also tend to be less "energy dense," which means they have fewer calories for the same volume of food. Uncertain effect on colorectal cancer. Evidence that dietary fiber reduces colorectal cancer is mixed — some studies show benefit, some show nothing and even some show greater risk. If you're concerned about preventing colorectal cancer, adopt or stick with a colon cancer screening regimen. Regular testing for and removal of colon polyps can prevent colon cancer. www.mayoclinic.com

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