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We're all constantly looking for ways to improve our health, complied here are some articles , tips, recipes all aimed
at improving our health. If there is something you have a question about or something that is not posted, here, email
me and ask!
Make the Connection!
www.maketheconnection.org
Make the connection to support cervical cancer awareness. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer,
but about 3,700 will die from it this year.
"Make the Connection is a public education campaign sponsored by Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation (CRPF) and Step
Up Women’s Network, with funding from Merck & Co., Inc., to raise awareness and understanding of the connection between
cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV) - a common virus that causes this devastating disease. The campaign provides
tools and facts to encourage women to make the connection with healthcare professionals, friends, daughters, sisters, mothers
and other loved ones to share knowledge, get regular screenings and make healthy choices, and inspire each other to beat cervical
cancer and protect their health and lives.
So connect with your friends, daughters and other people you enjoy and care about to create your own personal statement to
help in the fight against cervical cancer."
Dental Myths!
Myth #1: X-rays are dangerous and the radiation can
cause harm. Truth: The amount of radiation we’re exposed to on a typical day is equal to that found in a single dental
film. X-rays are the only way to detect disease blow the gum line or inside a tooth.
Myth #2: The mouth has no relationship to the rest of
the body’s health. Truth: The condition of your teeth can affect your overall systemic health.
Myth #3: Brushing, flossing and mouthwash will eliminate
bad breath. Truth: These actions temporarily mask the smell, but are only eliminated when your teeth are professionally cleaned
by a hygienist or dentist.
Myth #4: Dentists do not need many credentials to practice.
Truth: Licensing of dentists is heavily regulated. Dentistry has become a full-fledged healthcare science that demands post-graduate
certification training.
Myth #5- Removal
of upper teeth affects vision. Fact - There is a myth among many people that removal of the upper teeth
affects vision. This is a misconception. Vision is not affected in any way by undertaking treatment of the upper teeth including
its extraction.
Myth #6
Professional cleaning/scaling/removal of tartar loosens the teeth.
Fact - Teeth
are held firmly by the supporting tissues of the periodontium including bone. Bad oral hygiene results in the deposition of
tartar /calculus on the tooth surface. These deposits irritate the gums and can cause inflammation and bleeding of the gums.
If the tartar is not removed, the gums may recede and the supporting bone around the teeth gets destroyed. The tartar on the
teeth thus causes great harm to the supporting tissues of the teeth. However, patients may experience slight mobility of the
teeth after tartar is removed as it kind of binds the teeth together. Professional cleaning removes this tartar and arrests
further destruction of supporting bone. Removal of tartar deposits only helps to recover the health of supporting structures.
This chain of events does not take place in people who have dental checkup regularly.
How sweet it is—Chocolate and heart health
by Keecha Harris, Dr.PH, R.D.,
for MSN Health & Fitness
Could a
luscious dark chocolate truffle be a cure for heart disease and diabetes? Not quite. Research on dark chocolate has shown that
it can be good for your health. But, sadly, chocolate remains a high calorie treat and should not be the focus of your wellness
plan.
Still, we have the Kuna Indians
to thank for cluing us in to the health benefits of chocolate. The Kuna who live on an island off the coast of Panama have
an extremely low prevalence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. However, when they move away from their traditional diet,
rich in cocoa beverages, the Kuna develop these diseases at a much higher rate. This knowledge spurred business and research
interests to investigate how chocolate—more precisely dark chocolate—lowered diabetes and heart disease risks.
So, what does the research say?
Unlike white or milk chocolate, dark chocolate has a powerful antioxidant punch. These antioxidants interact with other chemicals
in the chocolate, which means it would be difficult to capture in a supplement, to prevent the damage of free radicals on
our cells. (Free radicals have been linked to heart disease and cancer as well as more benign conditions like wrinkles.) The
antioxidants also lower blood pressure by expanding blood vessels and help cells use glucose better by improving insulin sensitivity.
All of which directly contribute to better heart health; however, more research will need to be done to determine whether
diabetics and hypertensives would also benefit from brown gold.
Again, it’s not just any old
chocolate that will make a difference. Dark chocolate is high in antioxidant-rich flavanoids. Whereas, white chocolate doesn’t
contain flavanoids at all and milk chocolate is low in them. Milk chocolate has low cocoa content, and it is cocoa that contains
the flavanoids. When choosing dark chocolates, opt for the more expensive ones, as they usually have higher levels of flavanoids.
Specifically, buy bittersweet chocolate with at least 60 percent cocoa content.
Is there now a daily recommendation
for dark chocolate consumption? We wouldn’t be so lucky —the therapeutic level varies greatly depending on the
type and source of chocolate. Some of studies indicate that health benefits are seen with consumption of 3.5 ounces—a
block of chocolate about the size of a deck of cards. Since this is nearly 500 calories, you need to think about other ways
to get your antioxidants—like by eating veggies and fruits and drinking teas. Or you’ll need to get a good dose
more of exercise to control your weight. Also, keep in mind that chocolate is still at the top of the pyramid because of its high concentration of sugar and fat. So,
eat it sparingly. A few squares per week is plenty.
So, scratch the idea of installing
that chocolate fountain in your bedroom. But when you have the urge for a sweet treat say yes to dark chocolate.
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Healthy Recipes
Breakfast
Orange Bananna Smoothie
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sliced banana
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
2
ice cubes
Fresh mint sprig, for garnish
What to Do
1. Combine orange juice, banana, brown sugar, and
almond extract in a blender.
2. Add ice cubes and blend until thick and smooth. Pour into a serving glass and garnish
with a mint sprig, if desired.
Pepper Omlet
2 eggs
4 egg whites
2 teaspoons fat-free milk
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon
pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped sweet red pepper
2 tablespoons green pepper
Chopped Ham or Turkey
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
What to Do
1.
In a small bowl, beat the eggs, egg whites, milk, paprika, salt and pepper. Coat an 8-inch nonstick skillet with nonstick
cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add half of the egg mixture. As eggs set, lift edges, letting uncooked portion flow
underneath.
2. When eggs are set, sprinkle half of the onion, red pepper and cheese over one side; fold omelet over
filling. Cover and let stand for 1 minute or until cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Serves 2
Lunch
GOURMET SPINACH SALAD
2 teaspoons lemon juice, fresh
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons
white wine vinegar
4 cups of spinach leaves
2 large
tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup diced apples
1 chopped hard boiled egg
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
Salt & pepper to taste
1.
Whisk lemon juice, oil and vinegar together. Add salt & pepper to taste.
2. In a large bowl toss spinach leaves
with dressing.
3. Add the tomatoes and goat cheese, apples, egg mix gently to flavor entire salad.
4.
Sprinkle pine nuts over entire surface of salad
Gouda Turkey Sandwich
Cooked Turkey Breast (lunch meat ok)
Sliced Avocado
Sliced Red Onion
Green Leaf Lettuce
Pumpernickel Bread
Place all ingredients on toasted bread, now how easy is that! Add
mayo / black pepper to taste.
Dinner
Bruschetta Steaks
| 1 Tbsp.
oil |
| 6 thin boneless beef
steaks (1/4 to 1/2-inch
thick, 1-1/2 lb.) |
| 2 large
tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups) |
| 1 yellow
pepper, finely chopped
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| 1/4 cup
KRAFT
Zesty Italian Dressing
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| 1 pkg.
(6 oz.) STOVE
TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken,
prepared as directed on package |
| 1 cup
KRAFT
Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
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| HEAT
oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add steaks; cook 1 min. on each side or until lightly browned on both sides.
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| MEANWHILE,
mix tomatoes, peppers and dressing; spoon over steaks. Top with prepared stuffing; sprinkle with cheese. |
| REDUCE
heat to medium-low; cover. Simmer 3 to 5 min. or until cheese is melted and steak is cooked to medium doneness (160°F.)
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Dill Potato Salad
| /2
cup KRAFT Mayo Real Mayonnaise |
| 1/4
cup chopped
fresh dill
|
| 1/8
tsp. each:
salt and black pepper |
| 4
cups cooked
cubed new potatoes |
| 1/2
cup chopped
scallions
(green onions) |
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| COMBINE mayo, dill, salt and pepper in large bowl. |
| ADD
potatoes and scallions; toss to coat. Cover. |
| REFRIGERATE
several hours or until chilled. |
Snacks
Protein Bars
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups dry milk
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 cup
lite syrup
2 scoops protein powder
2 egg whites
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup craisins (cranberry/raisins,
or cranberries or raisins) or chopped apple and chopped nuts
Mix all ingredients as you add them to each other and
then in a waxpaper lined cookie sheet spread the mixture out. After you do this and before you bake them, take a butter knife
and cut them into 10 squares. Put them in a 325' oven until lightly browned (about 15 minutes) and store them in an airtight
container for up to 2 weeks without refrigeration.
Makes 10 Bars 1Bar = 200 calories 12.2 g protein 25 g carbs | |
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Improving Your Excercise
A few pointers to make the most of your workout...
Drinking 8oz of caffine 10 minutes prior to your workout will enhance
your endurance up to 30 minutes and it will improve your metabolism if drinken on an empty stomach!
Don't work a muscle until it is sore.
Adding reps does not burn fat.
For muscle, growth rest 2 minutes between sets. For muscle maintenance
or endurance, rest 1-1.5 minutes between sets.
If doing cardio and weight training, do your weight training first,
this will improve your results and give you more endurance.
Walking just 10 minutes a day can increase your fitness level.
Do 10 crunches every morning when you wake up, it will boost your
blood flow and improve your abs!
Muscles need rest, work one group (eg arms, legs) every other day.
This will allow your muscles to rebuild and repair.
Eat before bed, while you sleep your muscles will continue to grow
using nutrients you ingest!
For Muscle Aches- fill a tube sock with dry rice, tie it or sew
it at the end to seal it. Heat in microwave for 2 mins, you'll have 20 minutes of soothing heat to relax the muscle!
Top 18 Benefits
of Weight Training
By
Greg Landry, MS
1. Weight training tones
your muscles which looks great and raises your basal metabolism... which causes you to burn more calories 24 hours-a-day.
You'll even burn more calories while you're sleeping.
2. Weight training can
*reverse* the natural decline in your metabolism which begins around age 30.
3. Weight training energizes
you.
4. Weight training has
a positive affect on almost all of your 650+ muscles.
5. Weight training strengthens
your bones reducing your risk of developing osteoporosis.
6. Weight training improves
your muscular endurance.
7. Weight training will
NOT develop big muscles on women....just toned muscles!
8. Weight training makes
you strong. Strength gives you confidence and makes daily activities easier.
9. Weight training makes
you less prone to low-back injuries.
10. Weight training decreases
your resting blood pressure.
11. Weight training decreases
your risk of developing adult onset diabetes.
12. Weight training decreases
your gastrointestinal transit time, reducing your risk for developing colon cancer.
13. Weight training increases
your blood level of HDL cholesterol (the good type).
14. Weight training improves
your posture.
15. Weight training improves
the functioning of your immune system.
16. Weight training lowers
your resting heart rate, a sign of a more efficient heart.
17. Weight training improves
your balance and coordination.
18. Weight training elevates
your mood.
Author and exercise physiologist,
Greg Landry, M.S., publishes a FREE email newsletter, "Fitness, Health, & Weight Loss"! To start your free subscription
mailto: Fitness-on@mail-list.com or http://www.Landry.com
Copyright 1998 by Greg
Landry, M.S.
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