Is chocolate good for you?

Flavanoids in cocoa may protect the heart, but don't overdo it

By Karen Collins, R.D.
Registered Dietitian
Special to MSNBC.com
Updated: 1:11 p.m. ET April 15, 2005

Recent research shows that chocolate can provide natural health-promoting substances called flavonoids.

Since flavonoids seem to help prevent heart disease and cancer, the idea of eating chocolate sounds like a tempting and delicious way to better your health. The complete message is, however, that although chocolate might be preferable to other treats, it is no substitute for vegetables and fruits, which also contain flavonoids.

The flavonoids in chocolate that laboratory studies demonstrate to have powerful antioxidant effects are called flavanols and procyanidins. These two compounds come from the flavonoid “family” that includes resveratrol, found in grape juice, and EGCG, found in green tea. When people consume these substances in chocolate and cocoa, the antioxidant status of their blood increases.

This rise in antioxidant levels helps protect us from damage to the heart and blood vessels, while it also guards our DNA from damage that can lead to cancer.

In addition, the flavanols and procyanidins in chocolate improve the function and flow of blood vessels and help control inflammation.

The antioxidants in chocolate have generated a lot of interest because studies show that these compounds are more powerful antioxidants than EGCG in tea, which is a strong antioxidant.

One study that compared the total antioxidant activity in single servings of cocoa, green tea, black tea and red wine scored cocoa markedly higher than the rest.

Yet the flavonoid content of cocoa and chocolate is highly variable. The more cocoa in a chocolate product, the higher the antioxidant flavonoid content is.

Because dark chocolate is more concentrated in cocoa content, it is higher in flavonoids than milk chocolate. For this reason, dark chocolate is used in research studies. White chocolate has no cocoa content.

Beware calorie load
A cup of hot or cold cocoa may sound like a health drink loaded with antioxidants, but almost all cocoa drink mixes contain cocoa treated with alkali (also called Dutch cocoa) to produce a darker, richer taste. Unfortunately, this process drastically reduces flavonoid content.

Unless you find a chocolate mix made with untreated cocoa, start with plain cocoa (not Dutch) and add your own sweetener and milk to make a flavonoid-rich cup.

Surprisingly, the fat content of chocolate is not a reason to avoid it. Technically, chocolate contains saturated fat, but the particular type of saturated fat – stearic acid – is unique because it does not raise blood cholesterol.

Studies show that neither dark or milk chocolate is a cholesterol concern in moderate amounts. But keep in mind that other ingredients added to some chocolate candies can change their nutrition impact.

But one of the reasons you shouldn’t rely on chocolate for antioxidants, in the place of vegetables and fruits, is the calorie load. A small piece of dark chocolate has only 50 calories, but most candy bars contain at least 200.

In comparison, a serving of vegetables and fruits contains a generous amount of health-promoting phytochemicals and only 25 to 80 calories. An antioxidant-rich serving of green tea has no calories at all.

Besides, vegetables and fruits have more than flavonoids. They provide vitamins, minerals like magnesium and potassium, and phytochemicals that protect our health in other ways. Some, for example, block the activation of carcinogens, while others interfere with the life cycle of cancer cells and promote their destruction.

Recent research on the flavonoids in chocolate implies that we can enjoy limited amounts of this sweet treat without guilt. But this news shouldn’t discourage us from eating a mostly plant-based diet loaded with vegetables and fruits.


Nutrition Notes is provided by the American Institute for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C.© 2005 MSNBC Interactive

Cancer: Fight cancer with dark green vegetables

Average adult should eat three cups of produce a week
By Karen Collins, R.D.
Registered Dietitian
Special to MSNBC.com
Updated: 12:12 p.m. ET April 8, 2005


The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released in January 2005, issue a major challenge regarding vegetables. The average adult needs to boost their consumption of dark green vegetables by 200 to 300 percent. We currently eat so little of these foods that our health is suffering.

The latest dietary recommendations suggest that most adults should eat three cups of dark green vegetables a week. To reach this amount, you could have a half-cup serving almost every day, or larger servings several times a week.

If that seems like a lot of vegetables, that’s because Americans seldom eat them. One consequence of this poor eating habit is that American diets tend to be low in potassium and magnesium. Dark green vegetables provide these minerals that are linked with healthy levels of blood pressure and blood sugar.

Not only do we seldom eat them, however, many of us walk into grocery stores and never notice, or even recognize, many of the dark green vegetables there. Next time you’re in a grocery store, go on a “green vegetable” hunt, looking for these nutritious, delicious treasures.

Romaine lettuce –
and even darker green leafy vegetables like spinach, Swiss chard, kale, collard greens, mustard greens and turnip greens – contain beta-carotene as well as the carotenoid cousins called lutein and zeaxanthin. Beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin are all powerful antioxidants that seem to play a role in blocking early stages in the development of cancer.

High in folate
Some studies even link them with a lower risk of breast, lung and skin cancers. In addition, lutein seems to help slow the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a cause of age-related blindness.

These same dark greens can also supply a significant amount of folate. Folate is a B vitamin that promotes heart health and helps prevent certain birth defects. Folate is also necessary for DNA duplication and repair. Without repair, damaged cells can develop into cancer.

The importance of folate should not be underestimated. Even after considering the presence of other cancer-fighting nutrients, several large studies show that the risk of colon polyps, which are the source of most colon cancers, is 30 to 40 percent lower in people with a high folate intake compared to those with diets low in folate.

Research also suggests that diets low in folate may increase the risk of cancers of the breast (particularly among women who drink alcohol), cervix and lung.


GUIDE
Foods that fight disease

•Apples
Flavonoids that protect against cancer, heart disease, allergies, ulcers, viral infections and tumors.

•Broccoli
Glucosinolates that help the liver rid the body of toxic substances.
Indol carbinols that protect against certain breast tumors.
Beta-carotene that protects against lung, colorectal, breast, uterine and prostate cancers.
Folic acid, a B vitamin that reduces the risk of some cancers, as well as birth defects such as spina bifida and other neural tube defects. Sulforaphanes that boost the body’s ability to detoxify carcinogens.

•Carrots
Beta-carotene that protects against lung, colorectal, breast, uterine and prostate cancers.
Sulforaphanes that boost the body’s ability to detoxify carcinogens.

•Fish
Omega-3 fatty acids that protect against heart disease and have been shown to prevent cancer in animal studies. The fatty acids also help maintain normal elasticity of arteries and nourish heart and blood vessels.

•Garlic and onions
Allylic sulfides, which protect against DNA damage and help the body to detoxify carcinogens. The compounds also appear to inhibit growth of tumors, and decrease blood clotting that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

•Kale
Folic acid, a B vitamin that reduces the risk of some cancers, as well as birth defects such as spina bifida and other neural tube defects. Sulforaphanes that boost the body’s ability to detoxify carcinogens.

•Legumes
Isoflavones that block enzymes that promote tumor growth.

•Multi-grain breads
Selenium, a natural antioxidant that helps reduce the risk of cancer and diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

•Raspberries
Salicylates, compounds with anti-clotting properties; may reduce the risk of blood clots that lead to heart attacks and strokes.

•Red wine
Polyphenols, which prevent blood clotting, thus warding off heart attacks.
Flavonoids that protect against cancer, heart disease, allergies, ulcers, viral infections and tumors.

•Soy beans
Phytoestrogens that mimic the body’s own estrogens, protecting against ovarian and breast cancers.
Genistein, which can block the blood supply to tumors, thus choking cancerous cells to death.

•Tomatoes
Lycopene, one of the most potent of antioxidants — substances that sop up so-called free radicals, unstable particles that can lead to DNA damage, cancer and heart disease.
Salicylates, compounds with anti-clotting properties; may reduce the risk of blood clots that lead to heart attacks and strokes.



Research is showing that many of our favorite foods contain compounds that help our bodies fight infection, heart disease and even cancer.

Certain dark green vegetables offer another advantage. Watercress, arugula, bok choy, broccoli and kale are all members of the cruciferous family. These vegetables supply phytochemicals such as indoles that help stop cancer before it starts.

How to serve them
These phytochemicals block enzymes that activate carcinogens and boost enzymes that detoxify them. Other antioxidant phytochemicals in these green cruciferous veggies help prevent and repair DNA damage that can lead to cancer. They also seem to interrupt the growth of cancer cells.

If you haven’t eaten many of these dark green vegetables before, you may not know how to serve them. Perk up salads or sandwiches with small tender leaves. Add greens with larger, tougher leaves to soups. You can quickly stir-fry many of these greens in a dash of canola or olive oil with some garlic, onion, or ginger.

Check your grocery store for pamphlets with more ideas for preparing this kind of produce, or look at cookbooks. Or get fresh ideas at your desk: Go to the website of the American Institute for Cancer Research and click on Recipe Corner. Type in the name of a vegetable for some tasty recipes to try. The website http://www.5aday.com/ offers a similar service.

Nutrition Notes is provided by the American Institute for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C.© 2005 MSNBC Interactive

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7421199/

Gym: How Strength Training Enhances Health

Most of us have negative opinion of "going to gym". We think that working out is only for those who want to be muscular or looked good.
Well, those are only part of the reasons. Below are more reasons for you to get involved in strength training

1: Improves strength of muscles required for activities of daily living
2: Stimulates muscle growth, preventing or slowing muscle loss with aging, helping maintain independence in senior years
3: Enhances lean body mass which helps maintain a higher metabolic rate, burning more calories and helping maintain weight
4: Strengthens ligaments and bones decreasing injury risk and helping prevent osteoporosis
Helps improve posture and reduce back pain
5:Improves muscle tone, shape, and enhances figure/physique
6: Reduce your risk of diabetes. Adult onset diabetes is a growing problem for women and men. Research indicates that weight training can increase glucose utilization in the body by 23 percent in four months. Exercise acts like insulin in regulating the blood sugars in the body and is the best thing for the health of a diabetic. (from www.ediet.com)

extracted from : http://vanderbiltowc.wellsource.com/dh/Content.asp?ID=552 (except for 6 )

Protein: Vegetable Protein ->Protects Your Bones

By Larry W. Axmaker, EdD, PhD

In a seven-year study, a team of medical researchers found that older women who got most of their dietary protein from animal sources, such as meat and milk, had a much higher rate of hip fracture than women who got much of their dietary protein from plant sources such as tofu, beans, and whole grains.

The Study
The study and follow-up, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, involved more than 1,000 women over age 65. Each participant filled out a food-frequency questionnaire and twice underwent bone density measurements during the study. Participants were contacted every four months to determine whether they had experienced a bone fracture.

Data was also collected on total calorie intake, activity level, weight, calcium intake, estrogen use, smoking status, and alcohol intake.

During the length of the study there were 48 confirmed hip fractures. The majority of those fractures occurred in women with a high animal-to-vegetable protein intake ratio. In other words, the risk of a hip fracture increased as the percentage of animal protein intake increased, regardless of other factors.

What Should You Do?
These results don't mean you have to give up all animal products. If you eat the recommended daily servings of fruits (2-4), vegetables (3-5), and whole grains (6-11), your diet will include substantial amounts of vegetable protein.

Summary
Most postmenopausal women are at risk for thinning bones (osteoporosis). An increase in vegetable protein intake and a decrease in animal protein intake may decrease bone loss and the risk of hip fractures. Talk with your doctor about these findings and how best to protect yourself and prevent fractures.

Source:
1. Sellmeyer DE et al. A high ratio of dietary animal to vegetable protein increases the rate of bone loss and the risk of fracture in postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;73:118-22.

http://vanderbiltowc.wellsource.com/dh/Content.asp?ID=265

© 2001 - 2004 Wellsource, Inc.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis of specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt professional medical attention if you have a particular concern about your health or specific symptoms.

Fiber: Easy Ways to Eat More Fiber

Here are some tips to fit more fiber into your daily diet:

Read food labels.
The labels of almost all foods will tell you the amount of dietary fiber in each serving, as well as the Percent Daily Value (DV) based on a 2,000-calorie diet. For instance, if a half cup serving of a food provides 10 grams of dietary fiber, one serving provides 40 percent of the recommended DV. The food label can state that a product is "a good source" of fiber if it contributes 10 percent of the DV - 2.5 grams of fiber per serving. The package can claim "high in," "rich in" or "excellent source of" fiber if the product provides 20 percent of the DV - 5 grams per serving.

Use the U.S. Department of Agriculture's food pyramid as a guide.
If you eat 2 to 4 servings of fruit, 3 to 5 servings of vegetables, and 6 to 11 servings of cereal and grain foods, as recommended by the pyramid, you should have no trouble getting 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day.

Start the day with a whole-grain cereal that contains at least 5 grams of fiber per serving.
Top with wheat germ, raisins, bananas, or berries, all of which are good sources of fiber.

When appropriate, eat vegetables raw.
Cooking vegetables may reduce fiber content by breaking down some fiber into its carbohydrate components. When you do cook vegetables, microwave or steam only until they are al dente - tender, but still firm to the bite.

Avoid peeling fruits and vegetables;
eating the skin and membranes ensures that you get every bit of fiber. But rinse with warm water to remove surface dirt and bacteria before eating. Also, keep in mind that whole fruits and vegetables contain more fiber than juice, which lacks the skin and membranes.

Eat liberal amounts of foods that contain unprocessed grains in your diet:
whole-wheat products such as bulgur, couscous or kasha, and whole-grain breads, cereals, and pasta.

Add beans to soups, stews and salads;
a couple of times a week, substitute legume-based dishes (such as lentil soup, bean burritos, or rice and beans) for those made with meat.

Keep fresh and dried fruit on hand for snacks.


Source:
1. Consumer Advice. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 1998.
Available online at: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/ ~dms/ qa-nut13.html.
Accessed May 3, 2004.

“Are white foods bad for dieters?”

Hallo All! Feel Free to discuss anything on this topic by leaving message in the comment box. Any questions, Critics, and suggestion, advice is welcome. Enjoy~!!

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Are White Foods The Wrong Foods?
By Susan L. Burke, MS, RD/LD,CDEeDiets Chief Nutritionist
April 14, 2005

One of the questions sent to me recently really piqued my interest. The writer asked, “Are white foods bad for dieters?”

Some foods just have no place on my table. I worked too hard to get the extra weight off, and now I want to maintain. One of the principles I follow to achieve a healthy diet is to eat a colorful variety of foods, including red, green, orange and purple. And yes, brown for whole grain.

Colors mean more nutrition. White foods, especially grains and rice, are processed to remove the perishable kernel and germ. This extends the shelf life but decreases the nutritional value. Color your diet by eating less refined white sugar and processed or bleached white flour. You may also want to cut back on added fats in the way of mayonnaise, sour cream, cheese and other whole milk dairy products.

Because whole grain products aren’t bleached and refined, they contain the entire germ and bran layer, which is perishable. So, they need to be stored in the refrigerator. Buy only what you will use in a couple of weeks. They are worth the trouble, because the taste and nutrition are so much better than that of white foods.

Some white foods, however, are good for dieters: nonfat dairy and fortified soy products including soy milk, yogurt and tofu provide protein, calcium, vitamin D and more. Substitute nonfat mayonnaise and sour cream for regular.

When planning your diet, replace these common white foods with their more nutritional counterparts:

1. Rice: White rice has been stripped of the bran layer and left with just simple carbohydrate. Vital nutrients, including fiber, most of the B vitamins and important minerals are removed. It is then “enriched” with minute amounts of replacement nutrients. Both brown and white rice have about 230 calories per cup and about 50 grams of carbs, but the brown has three times more fiber (3.5 grams versus 1 gram). It also has 10 micrograms of folate versus only 4.1 micrograms for white and 72 micrograms of magnesium versus 22 milligrams for white. Replace white rice with whole grain brown rice and wild rice, which is actually the seed. Like brown rice, wild rice provides 3 grams of fiber per serving.

The California Wild Rice Advisory board states that wild rice is significantly richer in protein than common white rice or most other grains. Wild rice has more niacin than brown and is a good source of other B vitamins, potassium and calcium. One ½ cup serving provides 10.

2. Pasta: White flour, like white rice, is processed to remove the hull and germ and, along with it, much of the nutritional value. Choosing whole wheat pasta increases the fiber and helps lower the risk for heart disease and diabetes. Instead of traditional pasta, try whole wheat cous cous, a delicious cousin to pasta. The preparation is super easy, and it is a nutritious addition to your diet.

3. Hot Cereals (Cream of Wheat, Grits): As a clinical dietitian in a hospital, I had to provide low fiber diets to patients recovering from bowel surgery. Their meals consisted of farina and white bread; never whole grain. High fiber diets are associated with lower risk for intestinal diseases. Replace bleached white farina and grits with Wheatena, millet, Kashi or oatmeal. Whole grains contain much more nutrition, fiber and flavor than the bleached, white. Add raisins for iron and fiber -- and natural sweetness.

4. Cold Cereals: Manufacturers have many ways to fool consumers into thinking cereals are healthier than they really are. For instance, they often use “honey,” “fruit” and “nuts” in cereal names to make them sound healthy. In fact, many of these cereals are full of sugar and fat -- and have less fiber than whole grain cereals. Read the label and select a cereal with LESS than 46 grams of sugar per serving. The first ingredient should be a WHOLE grain, such as whole wheat, rye, or oats. Choose a cereal with a minimum of 4 grams of fiber per serving.

5. Bread: White flour is robbed of vital nutrients, so enjoy whole grain cracked wheat, multi grain and sprouted wheat. These contain double the fiber and more nutrition and flavor than bleached, soft white. Refrigerate for freshness, as the kernel contains the nutrients (such as vitamin E) that are easily oxidized at room temperature.

6. Sugar: White sugar is added to countless processed foods, from frozen entrees to ketchup. It’s important to read food labels, because there are many ways to say “sugar.” Honey, fructose, fruit juice concentrate, corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup, brown sugar, cane sugar, maple syrup, dextrose, maltose and sucrose all mean the same thing: sugar. Sugar provides no nutrition and a lot of extra calories.

7. Mayonnaise: One tablespoon contains 110 calories and 12 grams of fat, most of it saturated. Instead of regular mayo, mix half nonfat mayo and half nonfat yogurt. You’ll be surprised at the great flavor, and you reduce the calories by two thirds. Nonfat yogurt is one of those great white foods that you should include in your diet regularly. It is a great source of protein, calcium and vitamin D.

8. Shortening: White hydrogenated fat, or shortening, is full of trans fat, the type that contributes to raising “bad” LDL cholesterol and lowering “good” HDL cholesterol. Banish shortening in favor of vegetables oils and trans fat free spreads. Beware of fried fast food and packaged crackers, cookies and cakes. French fries and other commercially fried foods are generally fried in shortening. It’s cheap and can be stored at room temperature. Products prepared with shortening have a longer shelf life than those made with non-hydrogenated fats.

9. Combination Foods: Baked potatoes are one example. Although the inside is white, the outside is brown, which means most of the good nutrition and fiber is found in the skin of the potato. Scrub, prick and bake: eat the whole potato. Mash with the skin or slice. Brush with olive oil and bake for great “baked fries.” Sweet potatoes are good this way, too.

10. White Meat: Here’s a twist: the white meat of chicken is lowest in calories but the dark meat is just fine for you, whether you’re trying to lose weight or just maintaining. Dark meat has just a few more calories and grams of fat than white, but remove the skin before eating to minimize cholesterol, saturated fat and calories.

Finally, an occasional treat, a cookie or piece of cake, or a pretzel or white roll when you’re eating out is fine... as long as it’s occasional.


eDiets Chief Nutritionist Susan L. Burke is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, and a Certified Diabetes Educator who specializes in both general and diabetes-related weight management.

http://www.ediets.com/news/article.cfm/cmi_1068855/cid_6/code_24567/

Fitness: Fitness Myths Debunked

Hallo All!
Feel Free to discuss anything on this topic by leaving message in the comment box. Any questions, Critics, and suggestion, advice is welcome. Enjoy~!!

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Fitness Myths Debunked

April 12, 2005
By Eston Dunn, MS, ACSM

Special For eFitness

If you work out regularly, chances are you've picked up some fitness information in the sauna, locker room or gym. Trouble is, not everything you hear is right. There's a lot of misinformation going around and you're probably getting more half-truths or lies than sound advice.

To clear up this matter, I've assembled some common fitness myths and the facts behind them. This will help you exercise right and prevent you from being misled the next time you hear them.

Just like old wives' tales that have been passed down through generations, so have there been myths about exercise that have been handed down through the years. As knowledge increases, truths about exercise are revealed which put those myths to rest. However, some of us are still uncertain about what is myth and what is fact.

Over the years, the results of many studies have disproved some common exercise misconceptions.

"After being avid about working out, if I should ever stop exercising, my muscle will turn to fat."

This is impossible! Muscle tissue and fat tissue are two entirely different types of tissue! The molecular structure of one is completely unlike the molecular structure of the other. So, if you stop exercising, your muscle will NOT turn into fat. Rather, it will simply atrophy and become smaller in size.

However, if you're burning fewer calories than you consume, there IS a chance that your body will store more fat, and you could gain weight.

"You can 'spot-reduce' body fat."

You can choose just one area, such as the abdomen, arms, or thighs, and do exercises that will reduce the fat in that particular area. This is a big misconception. You CANNOT lose fat in just one specific part of your body. Fat is lost only by burning more calories than you consume, and it is lost equally in all areas of your body.

Aerobic exercises are generally the best types of exercises for burning fat. You CAN do area-specific exercises to tone and strengthen the muscles in a certain area, however. These types of exercises help improve overall fitness. But, they don't have a direct impact on stored body fat.

"Strength training will make a woman too muscular and appear less feminine and more masculine."

First of all, bodybuilders, as a rule, are genetically predisposed for that sport. The female body typically does not produce enough testosterone necessary to build big, bulky muscles. Strength training will tone and strengthen the muscles in a woman's body.

In fact, as a woman ages, she loses muscle mass and bone density. Strength training will increase her bone density and muscle mass, and will help lower her chances of developing osteoporosis. However, she will probably never look like a female bodybuilder.

According to a study conducted by Miriam Nelson of the Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, to be a female bodybuilder, a woman would have to endure extreme training habits that most strength-training programs do not endorse.

"The only way to burn calories is through cardiovascular exercise."

While it is true that cardiovascular workouts (i.e. aerobic dance or jogging) provide the most efficient ways to burn calories, a person burns calories merely by existing. Also, the more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body will burn naturally. This is because muscle is an active tissue.

However, just because you develop more muscle mass doesn't mean that you should neglect your cardiovascular training. For best results, strive for a balanced workout regimen.

"High-impact aerobics are the only way to lose the fat off my butt and thighs."

Actually, the body burns fat more efficiently when you engage in low- to moderate-intensity activities over a longer period of time. High-impact aerobic workouts burn stored carbohydrate calories (muscle glycogen and blood glucose) rather than metabolizing fat for energy.

The body chooses to burn fat when the body is at rest. Although, the fat is burned at a not-so-high rate. Low- to moderate-intensity workouts (combined with resistance training which targets your butt and thighs, specifically) tend to be safer and an excellent method of achieving your goals, according to experts.

"Never drink liquids while exercising."

It was once thought that drinking liquids would bloat the body and affect the athlete's performance. But the opposite is true. Boxers, dancers, football players, and long-distance runners may lose as much as five pounds while performing. What's lost is mainly water and if this isn't replaced, you could suffer from dehydration and heat stroke, which can be fatal.

Prohibiting water on the practice field has no physiological basis. Withholding liquids during hot, humid weather makes an athlete susceptible to heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or the more serious and sometimes fatal heat stroke. Dehydration causes fatigue, which in itself, makes an athlete more vulnerable to injury.

To improve athletic performance, don't wait until you're thirsty before you drink. By that time, you may already be dehydrated. Instead, drink water before, during, and after exercising. Take about eight ounces of water every 20 minutes while exercising.

"Never drink cold water while exercising."

Contrary to popular belief, cold water won't cause cramps and is the best drink for exercisers since it's absorbed rapidly. In effect, it cools the body faster than lukewarm or hot beverages.

What you should avoid is coffee, alcohol or carbonated beverages. The first two may dehydrate you while the latter can make you feel full, preventing you from drinking enough fluids.

"No pain, no gain."

There are people who think it's normal to feel tired and sore after a workout. That's to be expected at the start of an exercise program, but it should pass in a week or two.

If not, it's the body's way of telling you that it's being abused or injured. You're probably not exercising right or you're pushing yourself too hard. Rest for a few days, apply ice to the sore areas, and change your routine. Remember, a good exercise program should leave you rested and invigorated, not gasping for breath or crying!

If you experience major muscle aches after a demanding aerobics class or a longer-than-usual run, you've pushed yourself too hard. Experts believe that delayed muscle soreness, in which pain peaks 24 to 48 hours after exercise, results from inflammation and microscopic tears in the elastic tissues that surround muscle fibers. To give muscles time to adapt, don't do much too soon. A good rule of thumb: Increase exercise time or difficulty about 5 percent a session.

"Excessive sweating while exercising means you're not fit."

If you're fit, you'll sweat more. Sweating is the body's way of cooling itself. This mechanism improves as you exercise regularly.

As you get in better shape, your body learns to cool itself more efficiently. Blood is shunted to the skin's surface more quickly via tiny blood vessels that dilate and radiate heat away from the body. At the same time, the sweat glands increase their output of a fluid-and-sodium mixture, which cools the body as it evaporates.

While fit people produce more sweat than sedentary folks, they lose less salt, because more of it is reabsorbed by the body's cells as it travels from the sweat glands to the skin's surface.

"You should exercise every day to stay healthy."

You don't have to exercise vigorously every day to stay fit since even minimal physical activity like gardening or housecleaning can work wonders on your body.

In fact, experts say you can cut your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other ailments by 60 percent just by working out three times a week for 20 minutes. In between this, do what you want.

Some beginners, in their zeal to make up for 20 years of neglecting their bodies, vow to exercise every day for the next 20 years. This is not a good idea. If you're trying to get fit, your workouts are only part of the equation. Rest is just as important.

"To build muscles, eat high-protein foods."

This myth appears to have originated with the ancient Olympic Games. Early athletes thought they could acquire great strength by eating the raw meat of lions, tigers or animals with great fighting skills.

While meat is a good source of protein, loading up on it won't make your muscles bulge since the latter actually contain 72 percent water and only 22 percent protein. Besides, most of us consume adequate amounts of protein from daily meals. Getting more from foods, powders or supplements won't turn you into Arnold Schwarzenegger and may even damage your kidneys and liver.

There is no scientific evidence supporting the popular belief that athletes require massive amounts of protein-rich foods or protein supplements. Surveys show that athletes often consume four to five times their actual requirements. Yet there is absolutely no health or performance benefit from high-protein eating.

To build more muscles, you have to lift weights or perform some kind of weight-bearing activity religiously. In short, you have to work out instead of relying on the promises of protein drinks and pills.

"Women who exercise will have trouble delivering babies."

Years ago, you won't find pregnant women at the gym or health club. Doctors then treated pregnancy as a disease and they were afraid that exercise would lead to birth defects or encourage a miscarriage.

Today, it's a different ballgame. More and more women are going to the gym. And if you happen to be pregnant, the right exercise can be good for your baby and will make childbirth easy.

Not only is moderate exercise safe for your baby, it's also been shown to have tremendous benefits for mom. Compared to unfit pregnant women, regular exercisers tend to have fewer aches and pains, more self-esteem, and more energy and stamina, especially in the third trimester. Regular exercisers also have more confidence -- and perhaps strength -- during labor, and they seem to tolerate the pain better.

Good luck on your weight-loss endeavors!

Eston Dunn is an AFAA, ACE, and ACSM-certified personal trainer. He is also an AFAA Personal Trainer Certification Specialist who has an undergraduate degree in Exercise Science and Wellness, as well as a graduate degree in Health Science.

http://www.efitness.com/

Start to live and stay HEATLHY!!!

Hallo

Now is the time for you to live healthily. Why? Well, there are no fixed and certain reasons, it depends on individually, what they need and what they expect in life. Spend 5 minutes to consider why you should stay healthy.

My reason to live healthily
(The arrangement of the following point does not represent the weightage of the reasons)
1) Save $$$ and avoid some unexpected and unwanted expenditure.
2) dont want to let someone worry about me especially my parents and my future family (if I have one :P)
3) trying to avoid some unwelcomed surprises
4) wish not to let any biological, mental, physical und spiritual disabilities to hinder me from doing anything i want.
5) so that I can deliver my jobs with 100% effort with full of effectiveness
5) last but not least, I want to "go away" peacefully, without any pain and without leaving any debt to my family.

I will post some useful and interesting health articles in this blog and feel free to join this
Healthy Health Discussion!!

Let's live and stay healthy
If you do not want to think for yourselves, think of someone whom you care and love.

So, you will join me, won't you?? :D

God bless
Javier
p.s. You are welcome to suggest any health article to be post in this blog. If you are frequest suggester, I will add you to be one of the "blogger".