The help guide for healthy eating (1) has provided a list of foods to steer clear of and foods to lean towards instead.

Burger Chains:

• Avoid:
  • Double meat burgers
  • Thick sauces/dressings (for burgers and salads) and extra cheese
  • Fried chicken or fish (including nuggets!)
  • Fries
  • Ice Cream
• The Healthier Options:
  • Single-patty burgers without mayonnaise or cheese
  • Grilled Chicken or Veggie Burgers
  • Salads with grilled chicken and low-fat dressings
  • Egg on a muffin, baked potato, side salad, or yogurt parfaits

Fried Chicken Chains:

• Avoid:
  • Fried Chicken
  • Caesar salad
  • Extra gravy and sauces
  • “Bowls” of food (like chicken and biscuit bowls)
  • Teriyaki wings
• The Healthier Options:
  • Skinless chicken breast without breading
  • Garden salads or mashed potatoes
  • Honey BBQ Chicken
  • Limit gravy and sauces

Mexican Chains:

• Avoid:
  • Crispy shell tacos
  • Refried beans, sour cream, or cheese
  • Nachos loaded with toppings
  • Crunch wraps or gordita-type burritos
  • Steak chalupa
• The Healthier Options:
  • Grilled chicken soft tacos
  • Black beans
  • Veggie and bean burritos
  • Shrimp ensalada
  • Grilled ‘fresco’ style steak burrito

Sub Sandwich Chains:

• Avoid:
  • Foot-long subs
  • High-fat meats (ham, tuna salad, bacon, meatballs, or steak)
  • High-fat cheese (cheddar, American, etc.)
  • Sauces and dressings
  • White bread or “wraps”
• The Healthier Options:
  • Six-inch subs
  • Lean meat (roast beef, chicken breast, lean ham)
  • One or two slices of lower-fat cheese like Swiss or mozzarella
  • Extra veggie toppings
  • Low-fat dressings and whole-grain bread (you could even skip the bread or take the top slice off your sub)

Asian Food

• Avoid:
  • Fried foods, spare ribs, or tempura battered food
  • Coconut milk, sweet and sour sauce, and regular soy sauce
  • Fried rice
  • Salads with fried or crispy noodles
• The Healthier Options:
  • Egg drop, miso, wonton, or hot and sour soup
  • Stir-fried, steamed, roasted, or boiled entrees
  • Steamed brown rice
  • Edamame, cucumber salad, and low-sodium or lower-fat sauces( ponzu, rice-wine vinegar, wasabi, ginger, and low-sodium soy sauce)

Italian Food

• Avoid:
  • Thick crust pizza with extra cheese or meat toppings
  • Garlic bread
  • Antipasto with meat
  • Pasta with cream or butter-based sauces
  • Fried dishes
• The Healthier Options:
  • Thin crust pizza with extra veggies
  • Plain breadsticks
  • Antipasto with vegetables
  • Pasta with tomato sauce
  • Grilled dishes

In survey of the 100 largest fast food chains in America, Health magazine created a list of the healthiest options (1). The top five healthiest restaurants are Panara Bread, Jason’s Deli AuBon Pain, Noodles and Company, and Corner Bakery and Café. Whether you are a parent and have children with chaotic schedules or you want to enjoy a night out, there are ways to make all of your food choices healthier regardless of what fast food or restaurant you choose to indulge in.

Call to Action: What is your favorite type of food or your favorite restaurant? Let us know on our Facebook page.

References:

1. Paul, Maya W., and Lawrence Robinson. “Healthy Fast Food.” : Tips for Making Healthier Fast Food Choices. Helpguide.org, May 2013. Web. 07 June 2013.

At your dentist office you may recall them using an apron when taking your dental x-rays, but is the flap lifted and wrapped around your neck?  When receiving a mammogram there is something called a “thyroid guard,” but often this device is not utilized. The show featured a woman who had recently received her yearly mammogram. Despite feeling uncomfortable doing so, she asked the technician if there was a “thyroid guard.” To her surprise, the technician pulled one out of the drawer.  When asked why they did not use them routinely, the technician proceeded to say, “I don’t know, we only use them when requested.”  I found this absolutely appalling considering this cancer rate is growing. Our medical system is not only failing to raise awareness about this issue but also failing to take proper preventative measures.

The thyroid gland works as the body’s engine; it makes a hormone that is used to fuel metabolism and looks over other critical hormones produced elsewhere in the body.  Nodules – a small or large cluster of cells, can be cancerous or non cancerous.  About 1 in 20 nodules are cancerous (4).

Though thyroid cancer does not typically produce symptoms, larger masses can cause the following:

• Difficulty swallowing
• Sore throat or pain in the neck
• Voice changes or hoarseness
• Persistent cough
• Trouble breathing

To take a proactive approach to your health, watch this video demonstrate how to properly perform a thyroid self – exam.  But more than checking for it’s presence, we need to take steps to prevent this cancer from developing. A recent study suggests that physical activity is associated with a decreased risk among normal weight or underweight women, particularly among those who averaged at least 16 and a half hours per week per year of activity from high school through age 54 years. These individuals experienced a 40% risk reduction for thyroid cancer (3).  Unfortunately in this study, the association of physical activity and decreased risk of thyroid cancer did not present itself among overweight or obese women.  While physical activity starting from a younger age and continuing as one ages showed to have more risk reduction than starting physical activity at an older age, activity was still suggested to reduce ones risk of thyroid cancer.

An additional way to prevent thyroid cancer/complications is to increase your selenium intake.  Selenium is a trace mineral (non living element that is important to the nutrition of humans, animals, and plants) which has massive health promoting qualities.  Selenium is responsible for maintaining thyroid hormone levels, improving muscle strength, boosting immune function, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and some types of cancers, and promoting normal liver function.  In 2003 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a qualified health claim that states selenium may reduce the risk of certain cancers (2). A good way to obtain your daily selenium intake (200 mcg – micrograms) is to eat two to three Brazil nuts a day. Other sources include (1):

• Sunflower seeds
• Fish (tuna, halibut, sardines, flounder, salmon)
• Shellfish (oysters, mussels, shrimp, clams, scallops)
• Meat (beef, liver, lamb, pork)
• Poultry (chicken, turkey)
• Eggs
• Mushrooms (button, crimini, shiitake)
• Grains (wheat germ, barley, brown rice, oats)
• Onions

So try to take some of these preventative measures, or better yet all of them. And we ask that you help us spread the message about asking for the thyroid guard when being exposed to radiation so that maybe we can keep the number of cases of thyroid cancer from sky rocketing any further.

References

1. 10 Foods Rich in Selenium. (2011). In Fit Day. Retrieved February 7, 2013, from http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/vitamins-minerals/10-foods-rich-in-selenium.html
2. Brown, J. (2009). NUT CRACKER. Flex, 27(1), 142.
3. Cash, S. W., Ma, H., Horn-Ross, P. L., Reynolds, P., Canchola, A. J., Sullivan-Halley, J., & Beresford, S. A. (2012, July 7). Recreational physical activity and risk of papillary thyroid cancer among women in the California Teachers Study. Caner Epidemiology, Detection, and Prevention, 37(2013), 46-53.
4. Oz, M. (2010, September). The Increase in Thyroid Cancer. In Dr. Oz. Retrieved February 27,2013, from http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/increase-thyroid-cancer

Drinking one can of diet soda a day (that’s a 12 ounce can, not a 20 ounce bottle) has been associated with the following:

• A 37% increased risk of obesity,
• 65% more increase in the risk of becoming overweight (5),
• 61% increase in the risk of heart attack and stroke (5),
• 35% – 44% (depending on if you drink more than one daily) greater risk of metabolic syndrome compared to those who do not drink soda. (This percentage is directed toward individuals who consume a high calorie diet and are not cautious of what they eat),(1).

How can diet drinks with no calories increase your risk of gaining weight? A study conducted by researchers at Purdue University (4) suggests that “artificial sweeteners can interfere with the body’s natural ability to regulate calorie intake. This suggests that people who consume artificially sweetened items are more likely to overindulge” in other foods. It is thought that the average diet soda drinker thinks that since they are not consuming the calories of a regular soda, they can splurge on other foods. Drinking diet soda alone will not cause a person to gain weight; it is only when they consume excess calories in other foods that it leads to weight gain. Another contributing factor may be that diet soda consumers may condition their taste buds to crave and desire very sweet foods. A few diet sodas here and there are not a problem; however, overconsumption of almost anything may have some negative health consequences.

While there is still much to learn as to why drinking diet soda is associated with negative health outcomes, in the mean time the key is–moderation! Don’t be afraid to go ahead and indulge your taste buds every once in a while with an ice-cold diet soda; just remember to be smart about the other foods and beverages you consume!

How many of you have kicked the soda drinking habit to the curb? If so, how did you do it? Share your tips with us on FB or Twitter!

References:

1. “Do soft drinks raise heart disease risk?” Environmental Nutrition Oct. 2007: 7. Health Reference Center Academic. Web. 14 May 2013.
2. “Do You Really Need That Diet Soda?.” Harvard Health Letter 37.10 (2012): 4. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 May 2013.
3. “Downside of diet soda.” Quick & Simple 1 Apr. 2008: 17. Health Reference Center Academic. Web. 14 May 2013.
4. Kanigel, Rachele. “It Raises Diabetes Risk And Robs Bone. It’s Wrecking Our Teeth. And It’s Making Us Fat. The Culprit? SODA.” Prevention 58.10 (2006): 160-207. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 May 2013.
5. “Should You Ditch the Diet Soda ?” India Today 27 June 2011. Health Reference Center Academic. Web. 14 May 2013.
6. “Soft Drinks Found To Increase Stroke Risk: Study Implicates Both Diet And Sugar-Sweetened Sodas.” Harvard Heart Letter 22.10 (2012): 7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 May 2013.

A recent study decided to assess if adolescents ages 12 to 21, purchased foods that had fewer total calories at a restaurant marketed as “healthy” compared to one of it’s competitors. The “healthy” chain studied was Subway and the competitor, McDonald’s. The 97 adolescents in the study purchased an average of 1,038 calories from McDonald’s and 955 calories from Subway. The difference was not statistically significant meaning that, in terms of calories, there was no difference between the two restaurants. Interesting when you consider part of Subway’s messaging is to choose their foods to aid in weight management and weight loss. Oh and for reference, the average recommendation for total calorie intake for the whole day for an adolescent is approximately 2,400 calories. This means that this one meal contributed a little more than 40% to their total calorie need for the day.

In addition to total calories, the researchers also looked at the breakdown of where the calories were coming from and what the meal was made of and they did see some differences:

• The sandwich purchased at Subway averaged 784 calories while at McDonald’s it was 572 calories
• Drink calories averaged 61 calories at Subway and 151 at McDonald’s
• Side items contributed an average of 35 calories at Subway compared with 201 at McDonald’s
• The total meal contained an average of 36 grams of sugar at Subway and 54 grams at McDonald’s
• The total meal contained an average of 41 grams of protein at Subway and 32 grams at McDonald’s
• Sodium intake averaged 2,149 mg at Subway and 1,829 mg at McDonald’s (FYI: Total recommendation for the day is not to exceed 2,300 mg for healthy individuals.)

The sides (fries, potatoes chips) and drinks contributed more calories at McDonald’s while the sandwich itself, more at Subway. Looking at the overall meal, the Subway meal in terms of protein and sugar was slightly healthier than McDonald’s and provided more vegetables, however it was higher in sodium. Remember both meals contributed the same total number of calories but on top of that, it was a large amount of calories. While healthier foods have a tremendous impact on our health and are important for disease prevention, when talking about weight maintenance and weight loss, total calories are more significant and there is a high likelihood that consuming these meals would lead to an overconsumption of calories for the day.

There are things that we can do if we enjoy consuming these foods or if we have to out of necessity or convenience. At McDonald’s, this research shows we can cut a significant amount of calories by decreasing  the portion size of our sides and drinks,  or better yet, eliminate them completely.  At Subway we can choose smaller size subs, request for less meat etc. and then pack in the veggies that are offered as toppings.

And of course always be an informed consumer. Both of these chains post their nutritional information in their stores and on their websites.

Reference

Lesser LI, Kayekjian K, Velasquez P, Tseng C, Brook R, Cohen DA. Adolescent purchasing behavior at McDonald’s and Subway (2013). J Adolescent Health. DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.02.014

How does the above example affect weight? Accumulated activity throughout the day has been proven to be a major contributor to weight loss (Jakicic, 2001). This further suggests we should not overlook the “small stuff” in our everyday life that involves physical activity by solely focusing on single continuous bouts of exercise. In addition, low intensity exercise is beneficial. Researchers found that body weight loss was equal between low- and high- intensity exercise groups (Lafortuna, 2003).  In 2007, the American College of Sports and Medicine published a position stand that clearly states “the combination of reductions in (calories consumed) and increases in (calories used), through structured exercise and other forms of physical activity (should) be a component of weight loss intervention programs (Jakicic, 2001).”

Let’s explore some everyday activities that we can take advantage of to increase energy expenditure (number of calories burned).

We have heard it time and time again—Take the stairs not the elevator. Standing quietly and still during that elevator ride does not do much for metabolism; therefore, it will not be a significant contributor to weight loss methods.  However, we can increase metabolism to burn nearly 4 times the calories than standing, by stair climbing. Research suggests the energy cost for slow paced stair climbing is 4.0 calories burned for every 2.2 pounds of body weight. The effects can be doubled by climbing stairs at a faster pace (Ainsworth, 2011).

Another small change many could incorporate is dancing to your favorite tunes. Music is fun, upbeat, and inspirational. We cannot help but smile, tap our feet, and nod our heads when our favorite song is played. Why not get up and exaggerate those motions? If we simply sit and listen to music, we are only burning about 1 calorie, per kilograms, per hour. Blah! Let’s get up and dance and burn nearly 5 calories per kilogram instead (Ainsworth, 2011). That’s 341 calories burned for a 150 pound person in a 1 hour jam session!

Do you have children? As any parent knows, supervision is key to the safety of any child. Most parents multi-task while keeping a keen eye on their children. Then there are those rare moments when parents are given the opportunity to sit quietly and just watch, assisting children in play sporadically. However, by fully engaging in play that involves walking and running, a parent can increase caloric expenditure by 2-3 times, compared to playing while sitting (Ainsworth, 2011). That equates to burning up to an additional 327 calories per hour.

Although you may have a desk job, a final example of a small change that increases calories burned is standing during work hours. Standing desks allow individuals to complete office duties such as filing, writing, and reading while being health conscious. The energy cost for such a change is 3 METS, or up to 204 calories per hour for a 150 pound person. (Ainsworth, 2011). Those calories will definitely add up over an 8hr work day. A group of researchers found significant differences in energy expenditure per minute in their standing vs. sitting group (Reiff).  Moreover, researches exploring the benefits of standing desks have found them to be user-friendly, acceptable among employees, and useful tools to decrease sitting time or sedentary behavior (Grunseit, 2013).

The little things really do make a difference–They are key to reaching the ultimate goal, weight loss and weight maintenance.

References

Jakicic JM, Clark K, Coleman E, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand: Apropriate intervention strategies for weight loss and prevention of weight regain for adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001; 33:2145-2156

Lafortuna CL, Resnik M, Galvani C, Sartoria A. Effects of non-specific vs. individualized exercise training protocols on aerobic, anaerobic and strength performance in severely obese subjects during a short term body mass reduction program. J Endocrinol Invest 2003;26:197-205.

Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, Meckes N, Bassett DR Jr, Tudor-Locke C, Greer JL, Vezina J, Whitt-Glover MC, Leon AS. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011 Aug;43(8):1575-81.

Reiff C, Marlatt K, Dengel DR. Difference in caloric expenditure in sitting versus standing desks. J Phys Act Health. 2012 Sep;9(7):1009-11.

Grunseit AC, Chau JY, van der Ploeg HP, Bauman A. “Thinking on your feet”: A qualitative evaluation of sit-stand desks in an Australian workplace. BMC Public Health. 2013 Apr 18;13(1):365.

For the study, about half of the participants continued with the standard workout protocol, and the other half added stretching exercises to the work out. To save time and to make the stretches specific to the strength training, every Nautilus strength exercise was paired with an appropriate stretch for the same muscle group. Each stretch was held for 20 seconds; 40 seconds for stretches performed on both sides of the body. The actual time for the stretching was about 6 minutes.

According to Dr. Westcott, “The results of this 10-week study were both anticipated and surprising.”  It was expected that the group that included the stretching exercises would see increased gains in joint flexibility, and they did.  For example, their hamstring flexibility increased 2.4 inches compared to a 1.4 inch improvement for the non-stretching group.

Here is the surprise. The stretching group gained almost 20 percent more muscle strength than the non-stretching participants! Again, looking at the hamstrings, those who stretched increased their hamstring strength by 19.5 pounds whereas those who did not stretch increased their hamstring strength by only 16.4 pounds.

In another study by Westcott, 52 golfers did a standard 13 Nautilus exercises routine and 25 golfers did a combination of strength and stretching exercises for 8 weeks.  Each stretch was held for 10 seconds. Average age of the golfers was 57. The golfers who performed stretching increased their joint flexibility significantly more than the golfers who only did strength exercises, but more important to the golfers was that those who did both strength and stretching increased their club head speed twice as much as those who did strength only training! Club head speed basically determines driving power and with each mile per hour increase it yields about 2.3 yards more driving distance.

In conclusion, Westcott said the two studies “… showed superior results by combining, strength training and stretching exercises. It would therefore seem that muscle strength, joint flexibility, movement speed, and performance power can all benefit from a relatively basic and brief exercise program that includes appropriate strengthening and stretching components.”

So what are you waiting for? Save time with pairing stretching with the strength exercises, gain flexibility, increase strength by 20%, and even power for sports activities. To learn more stretches to incorporate into your workout go to the ‘Exercise’ section of TodayIWill.com and click on Flexibility. Once there you can even sort through the section by equipment type and area of the body.

Reference

Wayne L. Westcott “Best of Both Worlds: Stretching & Strengthening from ongoing series call Keeping Fit at www.healthy.net; May 3, 2013.

• Alcohol use
• Atherosclerosis
• Blood pressure
• Cholesterol
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Homocysteine
• Obesity
• Smoking

Now looking at the list you might be thinking to yourself, how are some of those things controllable. And the answer is our typical one—through making healthy lifestyle choices such as engaging in physical activity and consuming a healthy diet.

Research has confirmed that healthy habits have an effect on cognitive function. In fact, one of the most effective approaches to preventing cognitive decline is not doing crossword puzzles and the like, although as we have already mentioned those types of activities are important as well, but engaging in physical activity. This past month, researchers from The University of Alabama at Birmingham released results from a study that looked at the effects that health eating has on cognitive impairment. Specifically they studied the Mediterranean diet (Tsivgoulis et al, 2013). The Mediterranean diet is one that emphasizes consuming fruits, vegetables, fish (especially those high in omega-3 fatty acids), whole grains, and healthy fats like those found in oils, nuts, and seeds while limiting unhealthy fats such as saturated and trans fats (red meat and dairy are limited). The study, quite large as a matter of fact, included 17,478 African-Americans and Caucasians, average age 64. Subjects underwent various tests measuring cognitive ability over an average of four years and at the same time provided the researchers with information about their dietary habits. It was found that healthy individuals who more closely followed the Mediterranean diet were 19% less likely to have cognitive impairment. And this relationship held true even when considering environmental factors, vascular risk factors, depressive symptoms, and self-reported health status. While there was no difference between the two races studied, the lower risk from the Mediterranean diet was not seen in the 17% of subjects that had diabetes.

There are several take home messages from this.

1. You in fact do have control not only over cognitive decline but many other health factors as well.
2. Lifestyle behaviors do impact our health and can lower our risk for the development of a number of diseases, dementia included.
3. Diet plays a role in cognitive function but it isn’t the only lifestyle behavior factor we should focus on. Exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, not using tobacco, and avoiding excessive alcohol use are also important.
4. While diet in this study did not protect against cognitive decline when diabetes was present, diet can prevent the development of diabetes therefore eliminating that as risk factor.

So start taking control of your brain health and overall health today!

Reference

Tsivgoulis, G. , et al. (2013) Adherence to a Mediterranean diet and risk of incident cognitive impairment. Neurology, 80(18): 1684 DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3182904f69

Using elastic resistance bands, or one’s own body weight, as resistance can provide great benefit due to the ease of being able to do resistance training outside of a traditional gym or weight room. It is easy to take bands almost anywhere, along with our own body weight of course, which can make resistance training possible while staying in a hotel room during travel, outside at a park, or even on a break in the office. But do elastic resistance bands provide the same amount of muscle activation as one might benefit from if using dumbbells or other similar apparatuses?

A study of healthy female workers compared muscle activation and levels of perceived exertion while performing three resistance exercises (Anderson, et al, 2010). Muscle activation was measured in five different muscles involved in the movements. The group performed the exercises with either dumbbells or resistance bands. At the conclusion of each exercise, the participants were asked about their perceived levels of exertion. In the study, “comparable high levels of muscle activation were obtained during resistance exercises with dumbbells and elastic tubing,” thus indicating similar benefits with either form of resistance.

This evidence shows us that rather than worrying about what tools are around us for resistance training, it is more important to ensure that we are doing something in which our bodies are challenged against resistance. This way we can meet the recommendations for our health as well as obtain the many other benefits resistance training has to offer.

What are some of the most interesting places you have performed a resistance training workout? Share them with us on our Facebook page.

References:

Anderson, L.L., Anderson, C.H., Mortenson, O.S., Poulson, O.M., et al. (2010). Muscle Activation and Perceived Loading During Rehabailitation Exercises: Comparison of Dumbbells and Elastic Resistance. Physical Therapy. 90(4): 538-549.

Haskell, W.L., Lee, I-M., Pate, R.R., Powell, K.E., et al. (2007). Physical Activity and Public Health: Updated Recommendation for Adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Med Sci Sports Exerc., 39(8): 1423-1434.

18.4 billion seems like a lot of money for a little muscle mass loss. But, without muscle, we lose strength and power which leads to a cascade of events that can potentially lead to frailty and disability. Loss of strength leads to weakness which leads to loss in function which further contributes to a loss in strength which can then ultimately lead to frailty and disability (Morley, 2012). Think of it in terms of how decreasing bone mass can eventually lead to osteoporosis, a condition that is preventable or modifiable but if not addressed can lead to serious injury (i.e. hip fracture) and even disability. So what should you watch for?

• Fatigue
• Inability to climb one flight of stairs
• Inability to walk one block
• More than five illnesses
• Loss of weight

Sarcopenia is the nexus of frailty.  The causes of sarcopenia have not been determined but exercise has been shown to have a positive influence in preventing or reversing muscle loss in older adults (Morley, 2012) and may improve function. Below are just a few examples of the many studies that have proven such:

• A group of researchers used a progressive resistance training program that increased workload from 1 set of 8 reps, at 65% of the maximum weight a person can lift to 3 sets of 12 reps, performed at 85-100% of one’s max over a 9 month period. In a population of individuals ≥78 years with reported frailty, researchers found that this progressive resistance training increased muscle strength, and fat free mass (muscle mass) increased by nearly 2 pounds (Binder et al, 2005). Increased muscle mass and strength helps individuals with daily living activities like walking, carrying objects, standing from a chair, and maintaining balance.
• Looking specifically at the effects of lower body resistance training, researchers studied a group of frail nursing home residents (avg. age 90) and found that supervised resistance training 3 days a week, at 80% max for 8 weeks led to 9% increase in thigh musculature, 48% improvement in walking speed, and less need for canes and walkers (Fiatrarone et al, 1990).
• Lastly, another group of researchers observed an increase in strength, motor skills, balance, and reduced fall-related behaviors and emotional problems in elderly patients with histories of admittance into acute care or inpatient rehabilitation (Hauer et al, 2012).

These are just a few reasons for everyone to participate in the recommended 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines (PAGs) of both 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity and 2 days of moderate-to-vigorous resistance exercises that involve all muscle groups. As a young person, your goal is to reach peak muscle mass early. This way, when age-related decline in muscle mass occurs, you are starting with more. Prior research has cited resistance exercise as the cornerstone of the management and prevention of muscle wasting and disability (Morley, 2012). Furthermore, some aerobic exercises (i.e. running walking, and jumping jacks) are weight-bearing exercises that will build muscle and bone mass as well as give you the cardiovascular benefit.

“Wellness is a journey, not a destination” ~KH Cooper. So let’s start now!

References

1. Morley JE. Sarcopenia in the elderly. Family Practice 2012; 29:144-148.

2. Morley JE. Sarcopenia: diagnosis and treatment. J Nutr Health Aging 2008; 12: 452-456.

3. Fiatarone MA, Marks EC, Ryan ND, Meredith CN, Lipsitz LA, Evans WJ. High-intensity strength training in nonagenarians: Effects on skeletal muscle. Journal of the American Medical Association 1990; 22: 3029-3034.

4. Binder EF, Yarasheski KE, Steger-May K, Sinacore DR, Brown M, Schechtman KB, Holloszy JO. Effects of progressive resistance training on body composition in frail older adults: results of a randomized, controlled trial. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2005 Nov; 60(11):1425-31.

5. Hauer K, Schwenk M, Zieschang T, Essig M, Becker C, Oster P. Physical training improves motor performance in people with dementia: a randomized controlled trial. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2012 Jan; 60(1):8-15.

Participants were asked to evaluate the food items for taste, caloric content, and price they would be willing to pay to purchase the item. Sure enough, even though the foods in the pair were exactly the same, they received differing evaluations. The cookies and yogurt labeled “organic” were estimated to have significantly fewer calories and the participants were willing to pay 23.4% more for them. Further they were said to taste “lower in fat” and were thought to be “higher in fiber.” The “organic” cookies and chips were thought to be more nutritious. Interestingly the “organic” chips were thought to be more appetizing and the yogurt more flavorful but the “regular” cookies were thought to taste better. Again, all of the paired foods were exactly the same but obviously perceived differently.

The researchers also wanted to see if there was a difference in the level of bias between different groups. They found that the “health halo effect” was less pronounced for those who regularly read nutrition labels, those who regularly buy organic food, and those who engage in pro-environmental behaviors.

This study reinforces the importance of reading the nutrition facts on the nutrition label. Organic doesn’t necessarily mean “healthier” as we discussed in “Organic Not Necessarily Healthier” and it also doesn’t necessarily mean “lower in calories.” For instance, I compared the nutrition labels of similar cookies—the regular and organic version—and all values (calories, fat, sugar, etc.) other than sodium were exactly the same. Labels, as well as the terms on them are marketing tools designed to get us to pick up and hopefully purchase it. It is our job to take the time to ensure that what might initially catch our eye, is all that we expect it to be.

Reference

Wan-chen JL, Shimizu M, Kniffin KM, Wansink B. (2013). You taste what you see: Do organic labels bias taste perceptions? Food Quality and Preference: 29 (1): 33. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2013.01.010