Friday, August 6, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Beware: Sitting too much may shorten your life
by Dory Devlin, Shine staff
When you sit at a computer for more hours than you care to admit every day, this is the kind of headline that will stop you dead in your sedentary tracks:
"Study: The longer you sit, the shorter your life."
The study of 123,216 people (nearly 70,000 women, and 53,000 men) is one of the first to study the direct link between sitting a lot to mortality, though several studies have found links between sitting time and obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, USA Today reports. The study participants were followed for 14 years--1993 to 2006.
It's all very troubling for people who sit a good bit of the workday. Here's why: Even after adjusting for risk factors including body mass index (BMI) and smoking, women who spend six hours a day sitting had a 37 percent higher risk of dying compared to those who spend less than three hours in a chair. For men, the risk was 17 percent higher.
Exercise, even a little a day, lowered the mortality risk linked to sitting, though not by a lot. An overwhelmingly sedentary day, it turns out, is risky behavior. For people who sat many hours and did not exercise, the risk of dying rose to 94 percent for women and 48 percent for men . For the record, people were more likely to die of heart disease than cancer, according to the cancer prevention study by the American Cancer Society and published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
So if you didn't already need a reminder to get moving during the day, before or after work, you've got it now. Start by fitting in, at the least, a brisk walk either early in the morning or in the evening after work as a way into a daily exercise routine. But consider adopting one or more these exercises you can do at work, as well, as Kaboodle suggests. Here are a few:
Trade your desk chair for an exercise ball. Balancing on one of these helps you strengthen your entire core. It may also remind you that you are trying to do good things for yourself and stop you from grabbing carb-y snacks from the office vending machine.
Step it up. We've all seen advice to take the stairs instead of an elevator when possible, but you can take that an extra step by bringing a portable stepper to the office and move in step while you read some documents or talk on the phone.
Write the alphabet with your feet. "Work through every letter by flexing and pointing your toes and rolling your ankles. You’ll feel an increased range of motion in your ankles and you’ll carve definition into your calves with every point and flex. Bonus: No one will even know you’re working out!"
If you haven't been moving because you just don't like exercise, Shine's Liz Brody has some good tips for you to get started. First, find some kind of movement you like to do. Whether it's walking to your favorite iPod playlist or pedaling on a stationary bike, there's bound to be form of movement you loathe less than another. So take the time to find out what it is.
A few more ways to make sure you change your sedentary ways:
Find a friend to exercise with so you don't back out of plans.
Do whatever you choose to do first thing in the morning to get it over with.
Set a training goal to help you stay on track and make exercise a part of your daily routine.
That's a start.
Have you added up the hours of the day you sit and been surprised by the number?
Healthy Skin: How to Feed Your Complexion
by Elle,
Eat your way to healthy skin with these good-for-your-face foods
In the June issue of ELLE magazine, senior editor April Long uncovers how to maintain glowing skin while on a diet —and gives a bevy of beauty-boosting nutrition tips. To build upon Long’s complexion-enhancing advice, we contacted Carrie Wiatt, nutritionist to the stars (Fergie is a client), who reveals her top good-for-your-face foods here.
1. Berries
“Berries are particularly good because they’re packed with antioxidants that can protect your skin cells from oxidative damage caused by environmental toxins,” says Wiatt. In fact, when scientists at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University measured various fruits for their ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity), berries were among the top 10 most powerful (blueberries ranked number three, with blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries occupying fourth, fifth, and sixth place, respectively).
2. Salmon
“Of all fish, salmon is one of the richest in omega-3 fatty acids,” says Wiatt, adding that “the skin absolutely has to have essential fatty acids in order to stay plump and youthful-looking.” Not a fan of fish? Contrary to rumors, Wiatt says fish oil supplements won’t cause overactive sebaceous glands in acne-prone skin (“It’s a myth that they’ll make your skin oilier”). If you’re still wary, Wiatt recommends finding healthy fat in avocados (“They’re great for keeping skin moisturized and resilient”), flaxseed or olive oil, and nuts.
3. Sunflower Seeds
Whether you prefer them as a snack or salad topping, Wiatt says sunflower seeds provide a healthy dose of vitamin E—a powerful antioxidant that can protect the skin from sun damage, decelerate the aging process, and diminish the appearance of wrinkles and acne scars.
4. Whole Grains
One of Wiatt’s favorite skin-healthy snacks: Sunflower seed butter from Trader Joe’s spread over whole wheat bread. Whole grains—breads, cereals like bran flakes, etc.—are good sources of zinc and selenium, two powerhouse minerals that guard skin from damage and maintain collagen fibers. As anti-inflammatory agents, zinc and selenium can also help quell acne flare-ups.
5. Citrus Fruits
“Vitamin C helps build collagen,” says Wiatt, noting the importance of vitamin C-infused citrus fruits in upholding skin firmness and elasticity. Citrus fruits like grapefruit and oranges are refreshing to eat during summer, but those who lean toward the exotic and/or vegetable variety can find wholesome alternatives in kiwi and red peppers, which actually contain more vitamin C per serving.
6. Spinach
This leafy green is a must-have for any salad—besides being chock-full of zinc, selenium, and vitamins C and E, spinach is also a prime source of vitamin A, which signals the production of new skin cells. Dairy products like yogurt and cottage cheese contain ample amounts of the antioxidant too, but may not yield positive skin results for everyone (milk is laced with cow hormones, which some researchers say boost hormonal acne in humans who consume it). If you do have sensitivity to milk, however, there’s no reason to sour on the creamy mixture: It can also work wonders topically. Wiatt suggests pouring some in your bath à la Cleopatra for skin-smoothing results (in addition to Vitamin A, milk contains exfoliating lactic acid). Many beauty brands also offer packaged, less messy milk-based options (see Burt’s Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Shea Butter Body Wash).
Eat your way to healthy skin with these good-for-your-face foods
In the June issue of ELLE magazine, senior editor April Long uncovers how to maintain glowing skin while on a diet —and gives a bevy of beauty-boosting nutrition tips. To build upon Long’s complexion-enhancing advice, we contacted Carrie Wiatt, nutritionist to the stars (Fergie is a client), who reveals her top good-for-your-face foods here.
1. Berries
“Berries are particularly good because they’re packed with antioxidants that can protect your skin cells from oxidative damage caused by environmental toxins,” says Wiatt. In fact, when scientists at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University measured various fruits for their ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity), berries were among the top 10 most powerful (blueberries ranked number three, with blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries occupying fourth, fifth, and sixth place, respectively).
2. Salmon
“Of all fish, salmon is one of the richest in omega-3 fatty acids,” says Wiatt, adding that “the skin absolutely has to have essential fatty acids in order to stay plump and youthful-looking.” Not a fan of fish? Contrary to rumors, Wiatt says fish oil supplements won’t cause overactive sebaceous glands in acne-prone skin (“It’s a myth that they’ll make your skin oilier”). If you’re still wary, Wiatt recommends finding healthy fat in avocados (“They’re great for keeping skin moisturized and resilient”), flaxseed or olive oil, and nuts.
3. Sunflower Seeds
Whether you prefer them as a snack or salad topping, Wiatt says sunflower seeds provide a healthy dose of vitamin E—a powerful antioxidant that can protect the skin from sun damage, decelerate the aging process, and diminish the appearance of wrinkles and acne scars.
4. Whole Grains
One of Wiatt’s favorite skin-healthy snacks: Sunflower seed butter from Trader Joe’s spread over whole wheat bread. Whole grains—breads, cereals like bran flakes, etc.—are good sources of zinc and selenium, two powerhouse minerals that guard skin from damage and maintain collagen fibers. As anti-inflammatory agents, zinc and selenium can also help quell acne flare-ups.
5. Citrus Fruits
“Vitamin C helps build collagen,” says Wiatt, noting the importance of vitamin C-infused citrus fruits in upholding skin firmness and elasticity. Citrus fruits like grapefruit and oranges are refreshing to eat during summer, but those who lean toward the exotic and/or vegetable variety can find wholesome alternatives in kiwi and red peppers, which actually contain more vitamin C per serving.
6. Spinach
This leafy green is a must-have for any salad—besides being chock-full of zinc, selenium, and vitamins C and E, spinach is also a prime source of vitamin A, which signals the production of new skin cells. Dairy products like yogurt and cottage cheese contain ample amounts of the antioxidant too, but may not yield positive skin results for everyone (milk is laced with cow hormones, which some researchers say boost hormonal acne in humans who consume it). If you do have sensitivity to milk, however, there’s no reason to sour on the creamy mixture: It can also work wonders topically. Wiatt suggests pouring some in your bath à la Cleopatra for skin-smoothing results (in addition to Vitamin A, milk contains exfoliating lactic acid). Many beauty brands also offer packaged, less messy milk-based options (see Burt’s Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Shea Butter Body Wash).
13 Tips for a Better Workout
by Reader's Digest Magazine
If you are one of the minority of people who regularly go to a gym for exercise, then congratulations! It means you have the right priorities and terrific discipline. But it’s fair to say that at times, even for committed exercisers, motivation often flags, and there are days when it requires a Herculean effort just to put on your workout clothes and walk through the gym doors. Here are 13 ways to make your exercise routine a little easier.
1. Avoid the mirrors. Many fitness centers line exercise rooms with mirrors to allow you to watch your form as you work out. Yet a study of 58 women found that those who exercised in front of a mirror felt less calm and more fatigued after 30 minutes of working out than those who exercised without staring at their reflections. One exercise chain, Curves, deliberately designs its small gyms without mirrors so that women can concentrate on each other and the workout rather than on how they look. Other gyms are beginning to offer "reflection-free" zones. If yours doesn’t, mention the idea – and the study – to the gym manager.
2. Create your own personal gym mix CDs or playlists, and listen to them as you work out. Researchers have found that people who listen to up-tempo music get significantly more out of their stationary bike workouts. They pedaled faster, produced more power and their hearts beat faster than when they listened to slow-tempo music or sounds with no tempo. Overall, they worked between 5 and 15 per cent harder while listening to the energizing beat. Although the type of music you choose is up to you, pick something with a fast beat that makes you want to start dancing.
3. Think of someone who irritates you. Then step on the treadmill, exercise bike or elliptical machine and sweat out your aggression as you work out. You might even imagine that you are running an imaginary race against this person. You’ll get a better workout – and blast away anger and stress at the same time.
4. Drink a bottle of water or juice on your way to the gym. If you’re already dehydrated, you’ll feel overly fatigued during your session. When you’re dehydrated, you can’t work as hard, you don’t feel as good and your mental function is compromised. So you won’t get as much out of your workout.
5. Think you can and you will. So simple, yet so often ignored, positive thinking can help you to power your way through a workout. In one study, exercisers who thought positively were more likely to stay active than those whose minds often uttered those two evil words, "I can’t." Whenever you find yourself making excuses, replace any negative thoughts with positive messages such as, "I feel great" or "Bring it on."
6. Turn off the TV when exercising. It’s tempting to try to lose yourself in a TV program as you slog away. But one study found that women worked out about 5 percent harder when they weren’t watching TV than when they were. Although TV may take your mind off your workout, it also causes you to lose touch with your effort level. You unconsciously slow down or use poor form as you get caught up in what’s on screen.
Plus: 8 Connections Between Diet and Sleep
7. Work out with a friend. If you’re feeling stale and are thinking of skipping your gym workouts, ask a friend to meet you for a gym date. As you walk or run on the treadmill, you can share stories of your day and encourage each other to work a bit harder. Your friend can also help you to find the courage to approach unfamiliar gym equipment, as it’s easier to laugh off your foibles when you have a trusted companion nearby.
8. Wear the right shoes for the right class. Resist the urge to wear the old trainers you dug up from the back of the cupboard. Various fitness disciplines require specific types of footwear. The wrong shoes will not only make your workout feel harder, it could cause an injury. For example, wear running shoes for running, walking shoes for walking, and hard-bottomed cycling shoes for spinning (exercise on stationary bikes).
9. Set a short-term workout goal. Of course, goals motivate you to work harder, and the best exercise programs include measurable goals to achieve weeks or months down the road. Sometimes, though, when your motivation is drooping, a goal focusing on what you can complete over the next 30 minutes is what you need. So pick something achievable: maintain a sweat for 20 minutes, give your arms a good workout or cover 2 miles on the treadmill. A target like that gives you focus to get through.
Plus: 12 Ways to Jump-Start Your Metabolism
10. Whenever you feel as if you’re out of steam, hire a trainer. In just one session a trainer can open your eyes to a whole new world of workouts.
11. Change your routine every three to four weeks. This will keep your body guessing – improving your results – and fuel your motivation. In the weight room, alternate exercises and modify the way you lift weights. If you usually do two sets of 15 reps, complete one set of 15, then increase the weight for another set of 8 reps. On cardio equipment, switch from the treadmill to the stair stepper etc. Mix up your exercise classes as well, switching around from Pilates to aerobic dance to yoga to kickboxing.
12. Work out during the least crowded hours. You’ll squeeze in a more effective workout in less time if you hit the gym during the slowest period of the day, often mid-afternoon. You won’t have to wait in a line for equipment or feel hassled in the changing room.
13. Invent a competition with the person on the next treadmill. If you’re on the treadmill and you’re bored, glance at the display on someone else’s nearby treadmill. If you’re walking at 3.5 miles per hour and he or she is chugging away at 4 miles per hour, see if you can increase your speed and catch up, as if it were a race. The other person won’t even know you’re racing.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
4 Steps to Burn 1200 Calories a Day
by LIVESTRONG.COM
Burning 1,200 calories is not as difficult as it may seem. A 100-lb. person can burn more than 1300 calories just sleeping, as estimated by Health Status Internet Assessments. Take into consideration breathing, digesting and the overall functioning of your body to stay alive, and you are very close to burning 1,200 calories without trying.
Step 1
Perform 90 minutes of physical activity per day. A person who weighs 180 lbs. and runs at 6 mph for 90 minutes will burn over 1,200 calories, as estimated by Health Status Internet Assessments. Using the elliptical will burn 1,200 calories for a 160 lb. person in 90 min. Lighter people may have to perform more vigorous exercises compared to heavier people to achieve a 1,200-calorie expenditure. "The bodies of people who are larger or have more muscle burn up more calories--even at rest," reports the Mayo Clinic.
Step 2
Make your daily routine more physical. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, use a push-lawnmower instead of a riding one, walk to work instead of driving or scrub the floor instead of using a mop. Making daily activities more physical will add up to 1,200 calories depending how long you do them and how much you weigh. According to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, scrubbing floors can burn more than 400 calories per hour, light housework can burn more than 200 calories and adding one mile of walking can burn more than 100 calories. Combine enough activities throughout the day to total 1,200 calories burned.
Step 3
Never stay still. Consider fidgeting as a form of exercise instead of an annoyance. Tap your toes while waiting, stand at your computer instead of sitting, shake your foot when you cross your legs or rock back and forth when watching television. According to Nutrition ATC, a study by the Mayo Clinic found some people use as many as 800 calories a day just fidgeting--which is the equivalent of walking or jogging about eight miles a day for the average person.
Step 4
Burn 400 calories with each method listed above. For example, burn 400 calories through fidgeting, walk to work and take the stairs for another 400 calories and spend 30 minutes on the elliptical machine to burn 400 calories. The object is to keep moving for a 1,200 daily caloric expenditure.
7 Skin care rules dermatologists swear
by The Editors of Prevention
Want smooth, pretty, age-defying skin? We thought so. Who better to learn from than the pros who think about dermal health all day long? From what you eat to when you wash your face, here are 7 small changes that can make a big difference in tone, texture, and overall glow.
5 skincare rules you should forget
1. Suds up at night
"The most important time to wash your face is before you hit the sack," says Doris Day, MD, a New York City–based dermatologist. Dirt, bacteria, and makeup left on overnight can irritate skin, clog pores, and trigger breakouts. Remove this top layer of grime with a gentle face wash (skin should feel pleasantly tight for 10 to 15 minutes post-cleansing), which also allows anti-agers to penetrate deeper for better results. Because oil production dips with hormonal changes in your 40s, cleansing twice daily can dry out your complexion and make wrinkles look more pronounced. To refresh skin in the morning, splash with lukewarm water.
Best night creams for your skin
2. Be UV obsessed
Nothing is more important than wearing sunscreen (ideally, SPF 30) every day if you want younger-looking skin. Even 10 minutes of daily exposure to UVA "aging" rays can cause changes that lead to wrinkles and sunspots in as few as 12 weeks. If your moisturizer isn't formulated with a built-in broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen, be sure to apply one daily to block both UVA and UVB rays.
6 easy-to-use sunscreens
3. Manage stress
Emotional upheavals can make your skin look 5 years older than your chronological age, says New York City dermatologist and psychiatrist Amy Wechsler, MD, author of The Mind-Beauty Connection. Constant anxiety increases the stress hormone cortisol, which causes inflammation that breaks down collagen. It also triggers a chain of responses that can lead to facial redness and acne flare-ups. To quell inflammation, eat antioxidant-rich foods such as berries, oranges, and asparagus. When you're feeling tense, Wechsler recommends a few minutes of deep breathing (inhale through your nose, hold for 3 counts, and release through your mouth).
Counter the top 5 signs of stressed-out skin
4. Use a retinoid
Research shows that these vitamin-A derivatives speed cell turnover and collagen growth to smooth fine lines and wrinkles and fade brown spots. Prescription-strength retinoids such as Renova provide the fastest results--you'll start to see changes in about a month. To help skin acclimate to any redness and peeling, apply just a pea-size drop to your face every third night, building up to nightly usage. Milder OTC versions (look for retinol) are gentler, although it can take up to 3 months to see noticeable results.
13 products derms love
5. Update your routine
Altering even one thing in your regimen every 6 to 12 months jump-starts more impressive improvements in tone and texture. "When you apply products consistently, your skin slides into maintenance mode after about a year," says New Orleans dermatologist Mary P. Lupo, MD. To keep your skin primed for rejuvenation, substitute a cream that contains alpha hydroxy acids for your prescription retinoid twice a week to boost the benefits. Or bump up your OTC retinoid to an Rx formula.
Tips to look less sleep-deprived
6. Eat omega-3s
These "good fats" in foods such as salmon, flaxseed, and almonds boost hydration, which keeps skin supple and firm. The same isn't true of the saturated fat in dairy products and meats, which increase free-radical damage that makes skin more susceptible to aging. Limit saturated fat intake to about 17 g daily.
11 foods for perfect skin
7. Exercise regularly
Studies find that women who work out regularly have firmer skin than similar nonexercisers. The reason: Exercise infuses skin with oxygen and nutrients needed for collagen production. To keep your skin toned, make time for at least three 30-minute heart-pumping workouts per week.
Want smooth, pretty, age-defying skin? We thought so. Who better to learn from than the pros who think about dermal health all day long? From what you eat to when you wash your face, here are 7 small changes that can make a big difference in tone, texture, and overall glow.
5 skincare rules you should forget
1. Suds up at night
"The most important time to wash your face is before you hit the sack," says Doris Day, MD, a New York City–based dermatologist. Dirt, bacteria, and makeup left on overnight can irritate skin, clog pores, and trigger breakouts. Remove this top layer of grime with a gentle face wash (skin should feel pleasantly tight for 10 to 15 minutes post-cleansing), which also allows anti-agers to penetrate deeper for better results. Because oil production dips with hormonal changes in your 40s, cleansing twice daily can dry out your complexion and make wrinkles look more pronounced. To refresh skin in the morning, splash with lukewarm water.
Best night creams for your skin
2. Be UV obsessed
Nothing is more important than wearing sunscreen (ideally, SPF 30) every day if you want younger-looking skin. Even 10 minutes of daily exposure to UVA "aging" rays can cause changes that lead to wrinkles and sunspots in as few as 12 weeks. If your moisturizer isn't formulated with a built-in broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen, be sure to apply one daily to block both UVA and UVB rays.
6 easy-to-use sunscreens
3. Manage stress
Emotional upheavals can make your skin look 5 years older than your chronological age, says New York City dermatologist and psychiatrist Amy Wechsler, MD, author of The Mind-Beauty Connection. Constant anxiety increases the stress hormone cortisol, which causes inflammation that breaks down collagen. It also triggers a chain of responses that can lead to facial redness and acne flare-ups. To quell inflammation, eat antioxidant-rich foods such as berries, oranges, and asparagus. When you're feeling tense, Wechsler recommends a few minutes of deep breathing (inhale through your nose, hold for 3 counts, and release through your mouth).
Counter the top 5 signs of stressed-out skin
4. Use a retinoid
Research shows that these vitamin-A derivatives speed cell turnover and collagen growth to smooth fine lines and wrinkles and fade brown spots. Prescription-strength retinoids such as Renova provide the fastest results--you'll start to see changes in about a month. To help skin acclimate to any redness and peeling, apply just a pea-size drop to your face every third night, building up to nightly usage. Milder OTC versions (look for retinol) are gentler, although it can take up to 3 months to see noticeable results.
13 products derms love
5. Update your routine
Altering even one thing in your regimen every 6 to 12 months jump-starts more impressive improvements in tone and texture. "When you apply products consistently, your skin slides into maintenance mode after about a year," says New Orleans dermatologist Mary P. Lupo, MD. To keep your skin primed for rejuvenation, substitute a cream that contains alpha hydroxy acids for your prescription retinoid twice a week to boost the benefits. Or bump up your OTC retinoid to an Rx formula.
Tips to look less sleep-deprived
6. Eat omega-3s
These "good fats" in foods such as salmon, flaxseed, and almonds boost hydration, which keeps skin supple and firm. The same isn't true of the saturated fat in dairy products and meats, which increase free-radical damage that makes skin more susceptible to aging. Limit saturated fat intake to about 17 g daily.
11 foods for perfect skin
7. Exercise regularly
Studies find that women who work out regularly have firmer skin than similar nonexercisers. The reason: Exercise infuses skin with oxygen and nutrients needed for collagen production. To keep your skin toned, make time for at least three 30-minute heart-pumping workouts per week.