Great info!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704350304574638331243027174.html

As I make my way through our local health food store I seem to always stop in the natural sweetener aisle to see if a new product arrived on the market. Usually what I find is it’s all the same from my last visit. What you will find is agave, maple syrup, sugar and honey.

Agave seems to be getting all the buzz and many consumers have replaced their usual sweetener with agave nectar. Agave nectar is derived from agave nectar plant and has become popular because of its low glycemic index.

A study in the January issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association reported that agave is not as wonderful as we may think. Researchers who evaluated the total antioxidant content of 12 different natural sweeteners were surprised by the low antioxidant level found in agave when compared with other sweeteners. The ingredients of agave consisted of refined corn syrup, sugar and contained the least level of antioxidants of the sweeteners compared.

The sweeteners with the highest level of antioxidants- dark and black strap molasses, maple syrup, brown sugar and honey. Honey was the overall winner!

Moderate alcohol use has been getting some good press recently. A new study as part of the Diabetes Prevention Program examined the association between alcohol consumption and diabetes risk factors in more then 3,000 participants. All subjects had impaired glucose tolerance, elevated fasting glucose levels and a body mass index of 24 or greater.

Surprising after one year study period, high alcohol consumption was associated with lower insulin secretion at any level of insulin sensitivity; there was also a lower incidence rate of diabetes with higher alcohol consumption.

February is National Heart Month and matters of the heart is one of my favorite topics. The American Heart Association and people like me spend oodles of time encouraging people to take responsibility for their health by controlling their risk factors. After all if you don’t make time for your health you will make time for illness, I guarantee it! Here are some basic steps I think we can all work into our day.

Quit smoking- If you smoke this is the most important step you can make. Smoking doubles you chance of having a heart attack and increases the chance of dying from it by 70%; it is also the leading cause of sudden cardiac death.

Reduce total cholesterol- 1% reduction in total cholesterol = 2% – 3% risk of a heart attack.

Control / Avoid hypertension-  Lifestyle changes such as reducing salt intake, alcohol and calories can make help control blood pressure.

Exercise- Benefits of exercise are endless. A vigorous exercise program reduces CAD by forcing your heart to work harder becoming more efficient, raises HDL, prevents diabetes and reduces stress.

Maintain a healthy body weight-Obesity increases the risk of developing chronic diseases such as CAD, diabetes, hypertension.

Avoid/Control diabetes- Lifestyle management such as exercising and weight control improves the utilization of blood sugar and prevents the onset of diabetes and CAD.

Red wine in moderation.

Take low-dose aspirin (81mg) daily- Low dose aspirin can reduce heart attack risk by one third. Be sure to consult with your physician.

I was reading my professional journal and came across this article, it has some great information. Enjoy!

http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/weight-training

IDEA Health & Fitness Association Nutrition gem of the day for your clients from author Michael Pollan: “If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t.”

I love this time of year because there is a huge focus on wellness. As I read my local paper and store adds what comes to mind is that we make way to much out of staying healthy. Eating right and incorporating exercise into our day should not be all that complicated. However with rising obesity rates, chronic lifestyle related disease, and ever increasing health care costs, I guess it is. The message that I try to get across to my clients and all who will listen is to keep it simple. Doing what you can without causing a major life disruption may lead to greater compliance.

Here are some really simple rules that you can work into your own lifestyle makeover.

Do not drink regular soda ever. Try unsweetened beverages such ice tea, flavored water or some good old fashioned plain water.
Eat breakfast no matter what even if it’s a piece of fruit or a protein shake.
Use a healthy oil when cooking such as olive oil or canola oil. Really go for it and add some flaxseed oil to your salad .
Enjoy your food, shut off the TV, computer, and ignore phone calls.
Stay away from white- white flower, sugar, and white potatoes.
Salads can be unhealthy, practice caution and ask for your dressing on the side.
Choose skim or low-fat dairy products.
When dinning out bring half your meal home.
Buy smaller plates.
Avoid alcohol or limit moderate consumption to the weekend.

Good Luck!

Belly laughs- researchers have found that a good hearty laugh that brings you down to your knees can burn up to 40 calories in 15 minutes and increase metabolism 10%-20%.

Small lifestyle changes can make considerable difference in our health.  Making a change such as adding green tea to your diet can be very beneficial  promoting  significant improvements in our health.

It’s high in antioxidants, prevents cancer, heart disease and improves bone health.
High in polyphenols that reduce inflammation and improves immune system function.
Studies have proven green teas antibacterial ability to fight infection even against drug resistant super bugs.

Instead of reaching for soda or a sugary  drink think again and try green tea, hot or cold!