Recommended Body Fat Percentage by Age

Many people are hung up on the number on the scale but your weight only gives you a general idea of your real health. Your waist measure, which should measure 1/2 of your height or less, taken snuggly at your belly button, and your body fat percentage are the real indications of health. Your body fat percentage can only be determined using water immersion, skinfold measures, a special x-ray test and electronic impedance. I use a tanita scale which has electronic impedance to measure body fat. You stand on the scale and a small electrical current passes through the body and measures the impedance or the resistance to the electrical flow. Lean tissue is a good conductor of electric current but fat is not so the more resistance to the current the higher proportion of fat tissue in the body.

I have had clients that are nearly 50% body fat. That is clearly too high, but actually, most people are well above their ideal body fat percentage. The chart below from the book, Take a Load off Your Heart, shows the ideal percentage. Where do you think you are?

AGE Women Men
20 to 29 19% 12%
30 to 39 20% 16%
40 to 49 23% 18%
50 to 59 26% 19%
60+ 27% 20%

Symptoms: Cold or Flu?

Most common Flu symptoms: Fever, Very Tired & Aches, symptoms appear suddenly, dry cough, headache, chest discomfort which may be severe

Most common Cold symptoms: rarely a fever, a little tired, gradual onset of symptoms, sneezing, stuffy nose, sore throat

The flu will take you out of your routine for as much as a week so consider getting a flu shot even if you are not at high-risk of serious flu complications.

You can get all the facts at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu

What are ANTIOXIDANTS?

What are antioxidants exactly? Our bodies have cells called mitochondria, which function like miniature power plants producing energy. When these cells are healthy, they function without generating much waste (or oxidants). As the mitochondria age and are mismanaged through inactivity, they become less efficient and produce oxidants. These oxidants promote aging. To counter this aging effect, the body produces antioxidants but if you don't have enough antioxidants in your bloodstream (through production or diet supplementation) there is a negative affect on your body and you begin a process of aging poorly.

Get Active: It is believed that most of the dramatic benefits we get from exercise can be traced to improvement in the mitochondria. Mitochondrial function naturally declines with age, but exercise can reverse that decline.

Make sure you have a dietary source of antioxidants:
• Vitamin C - Sources include citrus fruits, green peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, strawberries, raw cabbage and potatoes.
• Vitamin E - Sources include wheat germ, nuts, seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oil and fish-liver oil.
• Beta-carotene - Carrots, squash, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, kale, collards, cantaloupe, peaches and apricots.
• Selenium - Good food sources include fish, shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken and garlic.

HEART ATTACK SIGNS for women

Heart disease, which includes coronary artery disease, heart failure and heart arrhythmias, is the leading cause of death among American women.

According to Take a Load off Your Heart, by Joseph C. Piscatella and Barry A. Franklin, Ph.D., these are the warning signs of a heart attack for a woman:

Pain, pressure or a sense of fullness under the breastbone that lasts 2 minutes or more. Women generally experience a radiating pain throughout the neck, jaw, shoulders, arms, back or abdomen - - and the symptoms may be subtle and may be experienced with dizziness, sweating, nausea & shortness of breath.

What to do? Call 911 IMMEDIATELY and chew and swallow one regular uncoated adult aspirin (325mg). So what if you’re wrong, a quick call to 911 could save your life. Most victims wait several hours before seeking medical attention by that time irreversible damage has occurred.

Prevention: Increased daily physical activity is key to cardiac health. Accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most and preferably all days of the week. The goal is to decrease your heart rate over time which shows your cardiovascular system has become more efficient – it does not need to work as hard to deliver oxygenated blood to the body. A regular endurance exercise program will decrease a person’s heart rate by more than 3 million beats per year!

When to buy ORGANIC fruits & vegetables

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, "For healthy adults, exposure to pesticides in food pose fewer health risks than saturated fat, salt intake & exposure to tobacco smoke; people that eat more fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of heart disease. (Note: a fetus or small child should be protected from pesticides but most baby foods, even non-organic like regular Gerber process their foods in a way to eliminate almost all pesticide residue)

* If you want to avoid most pesticides, avoid non-organic fruits & vegetables with the highest % of pesticide residue:

BUY ORGANIC
Peaches
Apples
Sweet bell peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Pears
Imported grapes
Spinach
Lettuce
Potatoes
Carrots
Green beans
Hot Peppers
Cucumbers
Raspberries

Consider Organic
Plums
Grapes
Oranges
Grapefruit
Tangerines
Mushrooms
Cantaloupe
Honeydew Melon
Tomatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Watermelon
Cauliflower

Low Pesticide
Blueberries
Papaya
Broccoli
Cabbage
Bananas
Kiwi
Sweet Peas (frozen)
Asparagus
Mango
Pineapples
Sweet corn (frozen)
Avocado
Onions