eDietShop - Fitness Factor

Working up a sweat can help you build body muscle, but what about mental muscles? Lawrence Katz, a neurobiologist at Duke University, says a fit mind has webs of tendril-like branches of cells that form when we challenge our brain. He calls this mental muscle building "neurobics." Here are a few of his techniques to help you stay sharp.

Change your scene. Instead of lounging around at the beach on your next vacation, go backpacking, or car camping. It's a sure way to experience the unexpected. You'll need to read maps, pitch a tent and cook meals in the open air.
Rearrange your routine. If you're usually work on the treadmill, take advantage of nice weather and head outdoors. Once out there, however, don't just go on automatic pilot, explore different routes on your walks and runs, this way your brain gets a workout drawing new spatial maps.
Be a beginner. Learning almost anything new puts brain cells to work, so try your hand at a sport you've never done before. Check out that evening salsa class instead of your usual aerobics.
When all else fails, bring a buddy. Convince a friend to exercise with you. Studies show that an active social and intellectual life is critical to mental well-being. "Social interactions can have a huge effect on brain health," Says Katz. And we all know that working out with someone is much more fun that working out alone.

You probably already know that two kinds of UV rays (A and B) can damage the skin. But did you know that UV-B rays can also harm your eyes? In fact UB-V rays are the major cause of cataracts. Follow these tips to keep your eyes safe this summer.

Be aware that polarized lenses just reduce glare and that dark lenses just reduce brightness. Both make your eyes more comfortable but neither protects you from UV light. Always choose lenses that block UV light.

Choose large, close-fitting sunglasses that cover a lot of your face. Wraparound sunglasses provide good protection.

If you are often outside in your regular eyeglasses, have your optometrist coat your lenses with a UV protectant.

Wear a wide brimmed hat outside. Guys can wear a baseball cap, it provides less protection but it's still better than no hat at all.

Wear eye protection even when it's cloudy. Clouds may block the visible light, but 80 % of the UV rays still pierce through.

Wear eye protection all year round. UV rays don't take time off in the winter.

Having a healthy heart is important to everyone, but diabetics should be especially attentive to the heart's needs. Diabetics are two times more likely to develop heart disease and five times more likely to have a stroke. Keeping your heart healthy can help minimize those risks. Try these tips to helping your heart stay healthy:

Exercise. A good exercise program can help you keep you control your weight and your blood sugar levels. It also helps to lower blood pressure; just remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.
Keep a close eye on your blood sugar. Keeping the sugar level within your target will protect you from atherosclerosis, a contributing factor of heart disease.
Watch what you eat. A healthy diet can help you prevent a high level of lipids.
If you're a smoker, quit! Smoking narrows your blood vessels and restricts the flow of blood in your cells, this is dangerous for everyone, but especially for diabetics.

"Stand up straight!" How many times did we hear that from our mothers when we were kids? As usual, mom was right. Bad posture can lead to a series of health problems, from muscle aches to bad breathing patterns. Improving our posture, however, is not as simple as remembering to sit up straight. Ralph Templeton, chairman of the Georgia Chiropractic Association suggests the following test to help you check your posture: Stand on a thick rug when your feet are still wet, after a shower. Look at your footprints. Are they uneven, or is one imprint deeper than the other? If they the test shows you are not standing evenly try these posture improvers:

Always select a chair that supports your lower back.

When sitting for long periods of time, contract your abdominal muscles to prevent them from tightening and curling your back.

Shift your body weight from foot to foot when you're standing for long periods of time.*-->

We use our hands to perform hundreds of essential tasks, like opening jars and typing, this puts them under daily stress. Lauren V. Rivet, president of the American Society of Hand Therapists has a few tips on how to keep then strong and flexible.

Always use the right tool for the job. Using easy to grip versions of tools such as spoons, screwdrivers, garden tools and bottle openers decreases the stress on your hands.
Sit Straight. Slouching puts pressure on the neck and shoulders, which in turn limits the range of motion in the arms and hands. "The nerves that operate your fingers start at the neck," Rivet explains.
Stretch. Perform simple hand stretches to improve flexibility and relieve stress and strain. *

If you're trying to keep your cholesterol under control, exercising for longer periods of time may be more beneficial than shorter high-intensity workouts, according to a study from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Here's why: Saturated fats are broken down into acetone units, which the liver uses to make cholesterol. When you burn calories through exercise, acetone units are used for energy rather than cholesterol production. Lengthy exercise sessions allow you to burn more calories than intense exercise, since the latter causes muscle soreness and limits your ability to exercise on subsequent days. *

Antioxidants like Vitamins E and C and beta-carotene are more than just for your skin, they can help prevent age related vision loss. This, according to multiyear studies recently presented to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Antioxidants reduce the risk for cataracts and age related macular degeneration, two very common eye diseases.
* *Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

In order to stay healthy we have to maintain that level, this is especially true in the summer when the sun and heat can put us at risk for dehydration and other heat related illnesses. Most people can prevent this by drinking at least eight glasses of water per day, but you can also get water from food, like fruits and vegetables, they're high in water content. Don't depend on thirst alone to remind you that your body needs water, sometimes thirst can wane even though we have not completely restored our water balance. So here are a couple of tips to help you out:

Keep a glass of water on your desk at work and sip from it often during the day.
Carry a bottle of water with you when you go out walking or you're running errands.
Drink at least one full glass of water (or other healthful liquid) with your meals.

You can add some flavor to all that water with our Sugar-Free Calorie Control Drink Mixes.

Water exercising, any time of year, is an excellent choice for improving fitness. Swimming carries a low risk of injury because it is not a weight-bearing activity, and it does not stress joints. This is important for people with knee, foot, ankle or lower back problems, and those who suffer from joint aches. Swimming conditions the heart, lungs and cardiovascular system, and like any other exercise it helps control weight.

Did you know that being overweight could actually worsen heartburn? Excessive pressure on the stomach or abdomen pushes stomach contents back into the esophagus. Extra weight in the midsection, as well as tight-waisted clothing, can cause enough pressure to trigger heartburn. Exercise and weight reduction can decrease gastro-esophageal reflux. Just one more reason to shed those extra pounds.

Actually, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) it takes much more than just an apple. In fact, the NCI and the Produce for Better Health Foundation recently launched a campaign called "Five a Day for Better Health."

The campaign aims to get people to eat five, or more, servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Fruits and vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Studies show that adding fruits and vegetables to a low-fat diet high in whole grains may actually decrease the risk of heart disease and some forms of cancer.

It's no secret that the best way to lose weight is to eat less and exercise more. But experts say there could be side effects if you eat too little before you work out.

Many prefer to exercise on an empty stomach to avoid cramps or stomach discomfort. But if you find yourself losing energy in the middle of your workout, or end up tired and irritable instead of invigorated, your body may be trying to tell you something.

Try eating a banana or an apple, or drinking a glass of fruit juice before you begin working out. These are easily digested foods, and will give you the fuel you need without creating stomach problems.

Walking is one of the easiest ways to exercise. You can do it almost anywhere, anytime, indoors or out, winter or summer. There are no club fees, and you don't need an appointment. All that is required is comfortable shoes.

You can design a walking program that's right for you if you keep the following points in mind:

Choose a safe place to walk. Find a partner or a group to walk with, and plan a schedule. Be aware of your surroundings. Avoid wearing jewelry or headphones that would distract you or invite unwelcome attention.
Wear shoes with thick, flexible soles to absorb shock.
Wear the right clothes for the season; cotton for summer, and layers in colder weather so you can take a layer or two off as you warm up.
Stretch before you walk. This is important - warm up muscles so they don't complain.
Try to go three times a week, and keep it consistent.
Start gradually to avoid sore muscles and stiff joints. Over several weeks, increase your speed, duration and distance.

Break your routine down into three parts: walk slowly for five minutes, increase your speed for the next five, then cool down by walking slowly again for 5 minutes.

	Warm Up Time (Slow Walk)	Fast Walk Time (Brisk Walk)	Cool Down Time (Slow Walk)	Total Time
Week 1	5 min.	5 min.	5 min.	15 min.
Week 2	5 min.	8 min.	5 min.	18 min.
Week 3	5 min.	11 min.	5 min.	21 min.
Week 4	5 min.	14 min.	5 min.	24 min.
Week 5	5 min.	17 min.	5 min.	27 min.
Week 6	5 min.	20 min.	5 min.	30 min.
Week 7	5 min.	23 min.	5 min.	33 min.
Week 8	5 min.	26 min.	5 min.	26 min.
Week 9&Beyond	5 min.	30 min.	5 min.	40 min.

From the Weight-control Information Network,
a program of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Disease

There are many benefits to walking; it reduces stress and increases energy, helps you to relax, tones muscles, helps you control your appetite and increases the number of calories your body uses. And it makes you feel good.

As with any exercise program, please check with your doctor before starting.