Bodies By M.E.

If your mind can conceive it, your body can acheive it!~Unknown

Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, other than water. Tea contains a variety of powerful antioxidant substances called polyphenols that help reduce the risk of the most common chronic diseases. A study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that green tea consumption was associated with a reduction of mortality due to all causes except cancer. A seven year follow up concluded that premature death due to illness was 26 percent lower among green tea drinkers than those who drank less than one cup per day. Animal studies have shown that drinking green tea may inhibit cancer formation in the skin, lung, oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, liver, kidney, prostate, and other organs. In human, studies suggest drinking tea may reduce the risk of digestive cancers (American Journal of Epidemiology 1996). Green tea consumption has also been associated with increased bone density. Flavonoids in tea have also been found to have insulin like properties, enhancing blood sugar regulation and reducing the risk of type II diabetes.

Take home message: Although more research needs to be done, however, it’s becoming clear through ongoing research that the benefits of tea are great with few side affects. While green tea is best all teas have been shown to have benefits.

I found these great recipes and ideas to help you enjoy St. Patricks Day more healthfully. Click on the link below

Link: Weight Watchers

Eating a vegetarian diet, walking (exercising) everyday, and meditating is considered radical. Allowing someone to slice your chest open and graft your leg veins in your heart is considered normal and conservative.

Dean Ornish

Source: Extreme Health: The Nutrition Connection

This is what we know for sure, the leading cause of health related deaths in the United States for men and woman is cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular health benefits can be attained with long term participation in cardiovascular exercise (ACSM 2006).

How much is enough? ACSM sought to address this question last year when it updated it’s stance on the recommended quality and quantity of exercise for developing cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength and endurance (New 2006 ACSM Position Stand on General exercise programming). Higher levels of cardiovascular fitness are associated with a 50% reduction in CVD in men (Meyers et al. 2004). Myers and colleagues also demonstrated increasing physical activity to create a 1,000 kilocalorie deficit per week is associated in a 20% reduction in mortality. Hu and colleagues demonstrated that women who exercise less than one hour /week doubled their risk of mortality from CVD compared to physically active women.

What we need to remember is that preventing CVD is a multifactor process. It’s not just about being physically active, but also about controlling stress, eating heart-healthy, and staying lean.

My advice: Priority #1, your health, walking just 20 – 30 minutes a day can equate to health related benefits and reduce the possibility of premature death. If you are able to comfortably do more, go for it.

“Exercise is done against one’s wishes and maintained only because the alternative is worse”

George Sheehan quotes (American physician, author and running enthusiast, 1918 – 1993)

Common health issues can be positively affected, prevented, or controlled by exercise, diet, and lifestyle modification. In the following posts I will attempt to educate you on the most recent advances exercise can make in health.

People of all ages can improve the quality of their lives and reduce the risks of developing coronary heart disease, hypertension, some cancers and type 2 diabetes by participating in an ongoing exercise program. A well designed strength training program will also enhance a healthy musculoskeletal system. Daily exercise will also enhance one’s mental well-being.

An interesting fact to ponder: Habitual physical activity is attainable goal on the path to a healthier life, more than half of U.S adults do not get 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days a week (Centers for Disease Control 2007). Personally I find this incomprehensible.

“There is a choice you have to make in everything you do. Keep in mind the choice you make makes you.”

-Anonymous

As fitness professional I spend a lot of my time coaching my clients on lifestyle changes. Change is always hard and it is human nature to resist. Lifestyle changes are especially hard because we are taken out of a comfort zone. Change can be so tough it can actually make you angry. Any lifestyle or health-related change you are trying to make, the benefits that follow will far out way any discomfort you may experience during the transition period.

When you decide to put your health first lifestyle modification should be at the top of our to do list. Activities of daily life, such as bill paying, laundry, food shopping and work are all important but never at the expense of our health.

Today’s lesson: Put yourself at the top of you’re to do list by doing so you will increase your health span not just your life span. Lets all die young at a ripe old age.

” Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.”

-Goethe