What you think can make you healthy. Or not. Especially when it comes to what you think about your body. It turns out that the higher percentage of weight you want to lose, even if you're not overweight in the first place, the more mentally and physically unhealthy days you have every month. BMI, or actual weight, doesn't have that much to do with it, researchers at Columbia University found. But the desire to lose weight does affect how healthy you are.
How? It's likely that distorted ideas about what an ideal weight is lead to stress, and that stress precipitates bad health days. And distorted ideas are common, especially in women. Only 41 percent of normal weight people say they are happy with their weight (only 20 percent of overweight and 5 percent of obese people do).
So what can you do? If you want an objective view of your body, don't rely on only your eyes. Instead, focus on how you feel. Use your eating habits, exercise patterns and other lifestyle choices to help you feel strong and energized. And keep reminding yourself of all the things your body can do when you are fit and well nourished.
Not working? Try strength training. In one study, women felt more confident about their bodies after a 12-week weight training program even if they gained weight during it. So stop overthinking your body. Save your brainpower for the important stuff, like work, your shopping list and your fantasy basketball league.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Got Burned? Do The Right Thing
What do you do the second after you burn yourself on the saute pan or your grill? (Note: We didn't ask what you say. We want to know what you do).
Leave the butter in the fridge; the best thing you can do is quickly put ice water on it (not ice; ice water). This slows down the rush of inflammatory cells that create blistering and increase the damage of the burn. By the way, if it hurts, that's good. It means you didn't fry the full thickness of your skin. A deep burn kills nerves, so you don't actually feel it.
Next, clean the area with soap and water to remove any dirt and bacteria. Apply a sterile moisturizer, like bacytracyn or Neosporin, twice a day, and don't pop any blisters. They're the ideal sterile biologic dressing over the new skin that's quickly growing over the injured area. Mess with Mother Nature's protective covering, and scarring will be worse. Baby the burn a bit by covering it with fine gauze.
Call the doc if the burn is on your hands, face or genitals (we won't ask) and is bigger than a nickel. She may want to treat it with an antibiotic cream called Silvadene that kills bacteria and keeps the burn moist.
Leave the butter in the fridge; the best thing you can do is quickly put ice water on it (not ice; ice water). This slows down the rush of inflammatory cells that create blistering and increase the damage of the burn. By the way, if it hurts, that's good. It means you didn't fry the full thickness of your skin. A deep burn kills nerves, so you don't actually feel it.
Next, clean the area with soap and water to remove any dirt and bacteria. Apply a sterile moisturizer, like bacytracyn or Neosporin, twice a day, and don't pop any blisters. They're the ideal sterile biologic dressing over the new skin that's quickly growing over the injured area. Mess with Mother Nature's protective covering, and scarring will be worse. Baby the burn a bit by covering it with fine gauze.
Call the doc if the burn is on your hands, face or genitals (we won't ask) and is bigger than a nickel. She may want to treat it with an antibiotic cream called Silvadene that kills bacteria and keeps the burn moist.
The Effortless Way To Eat More Veggies
Make an extra stop on your way home today. Not a pit stop or a pause at the neighborhood bar, but a stop at the deli or the grocery store where they have that luscious-looking produce. It just may make you healthier. People who like where they buy their produce, i.e., they're satisfied with the selection and quality, tend to eat more of it than people who just don't click with their grocery store.
Other ways to ensure you'll eat it, sniff it first, if there's no fresh smell, don't purchase it. And look for the new "country of origin" stickers. Yes, we prefer local food in season. When you get it home, eat it quickly, nutrient content drops the longer produce sits around, even when it's refrigerated (with the exception of dark plums, which might get a little antioxidant boost with short storage). Some fruits hold up better than others: black grapes, apples, oranges and tomatoes (yes, these are fruits!), but it's still best to eat them when they're fresh. And keep them in the crisper, exposure to light can make some nutrients flee.
Know you won't be home much this week? Stock up on frozen fruits and vegetables. Some high-end chefs have even recently confessed to using frozen here and there (especially Brussels sprouts, peas, corn and yellow and red bell pepper strips). And us low, end YOU Docs often use frozen fruit in our berry, blaster smoothies. Since it's harvested at its peak, frozen produce may have more nutrients than fresh that has been picked early, then shipped and stored. So learn where your neighborhood fruit and vegetable parlor is, and remember the names of the produce masters. You'll find out from them what's fresh and enjoy their expertise in steering you to the best-tasting foods.
Other ways to ensure you'll eat it, sniff it first, if there's no fresh smell, don't purchase it. And look for the new "country of origin" stickers. Yes, we prefer local food in season. When you get it home, eat it quickly, nutrient content drops the longer produce sits around, even when it's refrigerated (with the exception of dark plums, which might get a little antioxidant boost with short storage). Some fruits hold up better than others: black grapes, apples, oranges and tomatoes (yes, these are fruits!), but it's still best to eat them when they're fresh. And keep them in the crisper, exposure to light can make some nutrients flee.
Know you won't be home much this week? Stock up on frozen fruits and vegetables. Some high-end chefs have even recently confessed to using frozen here and there (especially Brussels sprouts, peas, corn and yellow and red bell pepper strips). And us low, end YOU Docs often use frozen fruit in our berry, blaster smoothies. Since it's harvested at its peak, frozen produce may have more nutrients than fresh that has been picked early, then shipped and stored. So learn where your neighborhood fruit and vegetable parlor is, and remember the names of the produce masters. You'll find out from them what's fresh and enjoy their expertise in steering you to the best-tasting foods.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Winter Vegetables That Boost Your Health
You can add color to your next dinner party by inviting the eccentric with the orange hair who lives two doors down. Or you can do it a far quieter and healthier way: By bringing winter squash to the table. This golden-orange vegetable helps you live longer and better even if it won't offer to do the dishes. Here's just part of its healthy resume:
It reduces the rate of aging of your arteries. Varieties such as acorn and butternut are high in potassium, which is part of what makes your nerves and muscles contract when you want them to. It also helps regulate blood pressure, allowing your heart and kidneys to function properly. One cup of cubed squash contains almost 900 mg of this mineral, which gets you a long, tasty way toward the 3,000 mg a day we recommend.
It keeps your knees and hips moving. Winter squash is high in beta cryptoxanthin you don't have to spell it, just eat it and vitamin C, two nutrients credited with helping save joints.
It helps control your appetite. Squash is low in calories if you don't douse it in butter and brown sugar, which you don't need for great taste and high in fiber, so you eat fewer calories and feel fuller longer.
Our favorite ways to get it on your plate:
1. Serve as a side dish: Puree butternut squash with a bit of olive oil, lime juice and nutmeg.
2. Add cubed or mashed squash to stews, casseroles and stir-fries.
3. Cut it into the shape of French fries. Mix with a lot of garlic and a little olive oil and roast. This is a great treat while watching the game, and the taste can be so similar to fries that most guys don't even know that they're eating something that isnfried and is so darn healthy that it could really help them go out and play.
It reduces the rate of aging of your arteries. Varieties such as acorn and butternut are high in potassium, which is part of what makes your nerves and muscles contract when you want them to. It also helps regulate blood pressure, allowing your heart and kidneys to function properly. One cup of cubed squash contains almost 900 mg of this mineral, which gets you a long, tasty way toward the 3,000 mg a day we recommend.
It keeps your knees and hips moving. Winter squash is high in beta cryptoxanthin you don't have to spell it, just eat it and vitamin C, two nutrients credited with helping save joints.
It helps control your appetite. Squash is low in calories if you don't douse it in butter and brown sugar, which you don't need for great taste and high in fiber, so you eat fewer calories and feel fuller longer.
Our favorite ways to get it on your plate:
1. Serve as a side dish: Puree butternut squash with a bit of olive oil, lime juice and nutmeg.
2. Add cubed or mashed squash to stews, casseroles and stir-fries.
3. Cut it into the shape of French fries. Mix with a lot of garlic and a little olive oil and roast. This is a great treat while watching the game, and the taste can be so similar to fries that most guys don't even know that they're eating something that isnfried and is so darn healthy that it could really help them go out and play.
What The 99 Cents Menu Costs You
When the people at the dry cleaner know your name, that's healthy community building. But when they know you at the drive-throught? Not good.
A study of 3,000 young men and women revealed that people who chose fast food two or more times per week gained the most weight over time and were more likely to suffer insulin resistance, a precursor of diabetes.
No wonder: When it comes to fast food, it's not always obvious which items turn you into an Orca lookalike and which leave you thinner than a guppy. Take, for instance, the fact that a reduced-fat blueberry muffin holds 400 calories at Dunkin' Donuts; a glazed doughnut contains 230 ,not that either of them is a good breakfast choice, of course. And would you know that two slices of a large Domino's pizza delivers 360 calories, a Southwest salad with crispy chicken at McDonald's brings you 430, without dressing?
True, these companies have added healthier items to their menus. And New York City, the state of California and the Cleveland Clinic are helping you make good choices by requiring chain restaurants to post their nutrition data.
But it's not that hard to make your own meals at home that taste far better than even the best options at the drive-thru ,and you don't have to breathe the exhaust from the car in front of you. Example: Spread some tomato paste, stir-fried vegetables, olive relish and sun-dried tomato bits on a prepared 100 percent whole-wheat pizza crust. Top with herbs and a touch of shaved smoked mozzarella. Bake at 450 F for 10 to 15 minutes, light a candle and pretend you're at a gourmet restaurant.
A study of 3,000 young men and women revealed that people who chose fast food two or more times per week gained the most weight over time and were more likely to suffer insulin resistance, a precursor of diabetes.
No wonder: When it comes to fast food, it's not always obvious which items turn you into an Orca lookalike and which leave you thinner than a guppy. Take, for instance, the fact that a reduced-fat blueberry muffin holds 400 calories at Dunkin' Donuts; a glazed doughnut contains 230 ,not that either of them is a good breakfast choice, of course. And would you know that two slices of a large Domino's pizza delivers 360 calories, a Southwest salad with crispy chicken at McDonald's brings you 430, without dressing?
True, these companies have added healthier items to their menus. And New York City, the state of California and the Cleveland Clinic are helping you make good choices by requiring chain restaurants to post their nutrition data.
But it's not that hard to make your own meals at home that taste far better than even the best options at the drive-thru ,and you don't have to breathe the exhaust from the car in front of you. Example: Spread some tomato paste, stir-fried vegetables, olive relish and sun-dried tomato bits on a prepared 100 percent whole-wheat pizza crust. Top with herbs and a touch of shaved smoked mozzarella. Bake at 450 F for 10 to 15 minutes, light a candle and pretend you're at a gourmet restaurant.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
This Will Keep You Walking All Winter
Here's one more reason to bring home that sweet Labrador/German shepherd mix from the pound. Yes, the one with that "take me home, I'll be good" look. He may help you get healthier.
Dog owners may walk as much as two hours more a week than people without a furry friend. Apparently, some of the dog's "going for a walk is the coolest thing ever" excitement rubs off on their people. Researchers think that dogs change the owner's beliefs about walking, making them more interested in doing it. And it's good for the dog: One yearlong study found that overweight canines and their people both lost weight from their walks together. But buy and use a pedometer to track your walk with your furry pal. Our patients discovered that they only averaged eight minutes of actual walking in every 60 minutes they were out with the dog.
Of course, if you're not a dog lover, there are plenty of other ways to motivate yourself to walk more:
1.Make a walking date with a friend. It's much harder to talk yourself out of it once you've committed to someone else.
2.Find a virtual exercise buddy (at sites including www.realage.com) and report your walking activities to him or her each day.
3.Splurge on a virtual trainer. There are wristwatch-size GPS devices that do everything from measuring speed, distance, calories burned and heart rate to letting you know when your pace has slacked off.
4.Register for a charity walk (and complete it).
Dog owners may walk as much as two hours more a week than people without a furry friend. Apparently, some of the dog's "going for a walk is the coolest thing ever" excitement rubs off on their people. Researchers think that dogs change the owner's beliefs about walking, making them more interested in doing it. And it's good for the dog: One yearlong study found that overweight canines and their people both lost weight from their walks together. But buy and use a pedometer to track your walk with your furry pal. Our patients discovered that they only averaged eight minutes of actual walking in every 60 minutes they were out with the dog.
Of course, if you're not a dog lover, there are plenty of other ways to motivate yourself to walk more:
1.Make a walking date with a friend. It's much harder to talk yourself out of it once you've committed to someone else.
2.Find a virtual exercise buddy (at sites including www.realage.com) and report your walking activities to him or her each day.
3.Splurge on a virtual trainer. There are wristwatch-size GPS devices that do everything from measuring speed, distance, calories burned and heart rate to letting you know when your pace has slacked off.
4.Register for a charity walk (and complete it).
Are You Getting Meds You Don't Need
It's one thing to guess how much pressure your tires have and another to guess how much your arteries have. High blood pressure is often called the silent killer, because the only way to know you have it is to have your blood pressure taken. Or when you have a stroke, and it's too late then. So know your blood pressure numbers today.
Easier said than done, even if you have an automatic, at-home device and anyone with a question of high blood pressure should have one. Little things like talking or having a full bladder can throw readings off and put you on meds you don't need or leave you without ones you do.
The leading cause of inaccurate measurements? Operator error, even at the doctor's office. Studies show that healthcare professionals rarely follow all the guidelines for accurate blood-pressure monitoring.
Make your next reading right on with these rules:
1. Sit quietly for 3 to 5 minutes before you get measured.
2. Make sure the cuff fits. A too-small cuff will overestimate blood pressure, a too-large one underestimates it.
3. Have your BP measured at least twice. The average should go in your chart.
4. Get support. Sit comfortably in a chair with a backrest with your feet flat on the floor, legs uncrossed. Your arm should be supported at heart level.
5. Avoid caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol for at least 30 minutes before measuring. They can temporarily increase pressure or decrease in alcohol's case.
6. Be consistent. Blood pressure is naturally higher in the morning and lower in the evening. Do readings at home at about the same time each day.
If your reading is not between 100 and 120 for the upper number, or 55 and 80 for the bottom number, talk to your doc about strategies to get it in that range as soon as.
Easier said than done, even if you have an automatic, at-home device and anyone with a question of high blood pressure should have one. Little things like talking or having a full bladder can throw readings off and put you on meds you don't need or leave you without ones you do.
The leading cause of inaccurate measurements? Operator error, even at the doctor's office. Studies show that healthcare professionals rarely follow all the guidelines for accurate blood-pressure monitoring.
Make your next reading right on with these rules:
1. Sit quietly for 3 to 5 minutes before you get measured.
2. Make sure the cuff fits. A too-small cuff will overestimate blood pressure, a too-large one underestimates it.
3. Have your BP measured at least twice. The average should go in your chart.
4. Get support. Sit comfortably in a chair with a backrest with your feet flat on the floor, legs uncrossed. Your arm should be supported at heart level.
5. Avoid caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol for at least 30 minutes before measuring. They can temporarily increase pressure or decrease in alcohol's case.
6. Be consistent. Blood pressure is naturally higher in the morning and lower in the evening. Do readings at home at about the same time each day.
If your reading is not between 100 and 120 for the upper number, or 55 and 80 for the bottom number, talk to your doc about strategies to get it in that range as soon as.
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