Eat your veggies!!

Broccoli Bonus

Whole grains aren't the only way to get your fill of fiber. You can sneak more fiber into your diet with vegetables such as broccoli, too. A cup of boiled broccoli contains about 4.5 grams of fiber. Studies show that doubling the fiber intake of people with low dietary fiber intake could reduce colorectal cancer risk by as much as 40 percent. Other high-fiber veggies include peas, artichokes, and winter squash.

Recommended fiber intake may differ depending on a person's age. People under the age of 50 generally need more fiber in their diets, while people over the age of 50 may require slightly less. Men and women also may require different amounts of fiber in their diets. Women 50 and younger should aim for 25 grams of fiber per day; women over age 50 should aim for 21 grams per day. Men 50 and younger should aim for 38 grams of fiber per day; men over age 50 should aim for 30 grams of fiber per day.

Put Melon on the Menu

Up your intake of heart-healthy lycopene by serving red watermelon. The red variety of watermelon is one of the few foods that contains high amounts of lycopene, a nutrient that is not only important to prostate health, but which also may improve heart health, studies suggest. Lycopene is a red pigment, so choose red watermelon rather than yellow varieties. Other sources of lycopene include tomatoes and guava fruit. There is no recommended daily allowance for lycopene. However, eating 4 servings of fruit per day can help ensure that you get all the antioxidant nutrition you need to fight aging and disease.

Exercise is good!

Even modest amounts of physical activity can help keep your blood pressure under control. In a study of sedentary people who began an exercise program to control their high blood pressure, all of the people experienced significant improvements in their blood pressure readings regardless of how much they exercised.

The minimum exercise duration in the study was 30 minutes per week. For optimal benefits, you should try to exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. In addition to regular exercise, other ways to control blood pressure include losing weight if you are overweight and limiting alcohol intake. Reducing sodium intake to 1,400 milligrams or less per day is important for salt-sensitive people.

A Healthy Diet

A Healthy Diet - Resisting Temptations Eating healthy can be a challenge, with temptations like fast food, so-called nutrition bars, and vending machines with candy and soda all around us. Quick fix dieting plans are usually empty promises, and no matter how appealing a short-cut may sound, the best way to lose weight and keep it off is to eat healthy foods in moderate portions and to exercise regularly.

Today's Tip

Anxious About Weight Loss? We all know that the "secret" to weight loss is exercising more and eating less, but when you're making major changes to your body, don't ignore the mental and spiritual aspects of the process. Combat anxiety with relaxation exercises rather than food.

If your weight is not threatening your health, learn to accept your body as less than perfect by the standards of our culture's advertising, but beautiful just the same. By adopting healthy eating habits and regular exercise, you are sure to lose weight without depriving yourself of nourishing, satisfying food.

A Bit More B

Does your daily supplement contain B12? If not, your bones may be at risk. A recent study indicated many older people may not be getting enough B12 in their diets because they tend to have more trouble absorbing the nutrient compared to younger people. However, vitamin B12 appears to play a crucial role in bone health, research shows. Try to get at least 800 micrograms per day.

Food sources of vitamin B12 include salmon, tuna, enriched bran flakes, yogurt, and eggs. However, it's difficult to get the Optimum dose of B12 (800 micrograms per day) from food sources alone. Half a cup of salmon contains about 6 micrograms. Half a cup of tuna contains about 3 micrograms. A serving of yogurt or bran flakes will contain between 1 and 1.5 micrograms each. Eggs contain about half a microgram each.

Easy on the Arteries

Keeping your anxiety levels low may help keep the quality of your artery function high. Studies suggest that people who are prone to experiencing anxiety may be at increased risk for impaired artery function. This, in turn, could put them at higher risk for heart disease.

When times get tense, employ a stress-reduction strategy, such as taking long, deep breaths. Controlled breathing can help ease anxiety. When you are anxious, you tend to breathe shallowly, using your upper chest muscles. Controlled breathing can counteract this stress response and induce calm in 3 to 5 minutes.

Begin by lying on your back. Place one hand over your heart and the other on your abdomen. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose for a count of four. Watch the hand on your abdomen rise as you fill your lungs with air, expanding your chest. (The hand over your heart should barely move, if at all.) Hold your breath for a count of four. Exhale slowly through the mouth or nose for a count of four. Repeat for 10 full breaths. Work up to two or three sets of 10 breaths.

5 helpful hints to better health

1. Drink at least 100 ounces of water daily. There are too many benefits to list here. Some say it's the most important ingredient in our diet with oxygen being second.

2. Take time to breathe deeply. This gets more oxygen to the brain which will give you more energy and more brain power.

3. Colorize your diet. Most American diets are beige in color. Fruits and vegetables provide a colorful array of some of the most powerful chemicals needed for good health. These power packed “plant nutrients,” also known as phytochemicals, can help prevent or reverse many chronic diseases.

4. Get active! If exercising isn't your thing, do something else to add activity, i.e., taking the stairs instead of the escalator/elevator, parking across the parking lot at the mall, etc. Just do something!

5. Find inner peace. Accepting who you are right now and finding joy in every day, regardless of the challenges that may be in your life. This is the key to happiness.


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