Defined by the International Food and Information Council,
(http://www.ific.org/publications/factsheets/preprobioticsfs.cfm) “probiotics and prebiotics are components present in foods, or that can be incorporated into foods, which yield health benefits related to their interactions with the gastrointestinal tract (GI).”
Probiotics: Live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. (defined by Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Working Group)
Prebiotics: Food ingredients that are not digestible and may positively affect health by stimulating the growth of some bacterial (probiotic) species in the colon, such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli.
Food Sources of Probiotics
Certain species and strains of Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria, Yeast Certain yogurts, other cultured dairy products and some non-dairy products
Benefits: May improve gastrointestinal health and systemic immunity
Food Sources of Prebiotics
Inulin, Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), Polydextrose, Arabinogalactan, Polyols—lactulose, lactitol Whole grains, onions, bananas, garlic, honey, leeks, artichokes, fortified foods and beverages, dietary supplements
Benefits: May improve gastrointestinal health; may improve calcium absorption
Probiotics' safety has not been thoroughly studied scientifically even though they seem to have many positive health benefits. More information is especially needed in generally higher-risk populations like young children, elderly people, and people with compromised immune systems.
Product options:
www.kashi.com Kashi Vive Probiotic Digestive Wellness Cereal
http://www.dannon.com/ Dannon’s Activia Products
Attune Foods http://www.attunefoods.com/
Friday, July 31, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Know Your Numbers
In June, USNEWs and ABC News each reported a story about a study showing patients are not often told about abnormal test results. The study found patients were not informed of abnormal results at least 7 percent of the time. It’s not often but if you are the one not informed it was 100% of the time for you. Make sure you contact your physician about results and get your numbers, don’t just take an, “everything’s ok” from a possibly overworked employee in the Doctor’s office. When you get your numbers know what to look for:
Understanding Test Results
Total cholesterol: below 200
(200 to 239 borderline, 240+ high)
LDL cholesterol: below 100 (130 to 159 borderline, 160+ high)
HDL cholesterol: 60 and above (40 to 59 moderate, below 40 high)
Triglycerides (fat in the bloodstream), below 150 (150 to 199 borderline, 200+ high)
Blood Pressure 120 or less over 80 or less is normal (120-139 over 80-89 prehypertensive, 140+ over 90+ hypertension)
Glucose (to estimate the risk of diabetes) below 110 (110 to 125 borderline high, 125+ diabetes)
Understanding Test Results
Total cholesterol: below 200
(200 to 239 borderline, 240+ high)
LDL cholesterol: below 100 (130 to 159 borderline, 160+ high)
HDL cholesterol: 60 and above (40 to 59 moderate, below 40 high)
Triglycerides (fat in the bloodstream), below 150 (150 to 199 borderline, 200+ high)
Blood Pressure 120 or less over 80 or less is normal (120-139 over 80-89 prehypertensive, 140+ over 90+ hypertension)
Glucose (to estimate the risk of diabetes) below 110 (110 to 125 borderline high, 125+ diabetes)
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Hot Flash Triggers
According to Health Magazine, these are the greatest hot flash triggers:
Alcohol
Caffeine
Warm Rooms
Hot Food & drinks
Smoking
Spicy Foods
Stress
Hot flashes, which can start in perimenopause, can last from 30 seconds to several minutes. The best thing you can do is identify what triggers them for you and avoid those things!
Alcohol
Caffeine
Warm Rooms
Hot Food & drinks
Smoking
Spicy Foods
Stress
Hot flashes, which can start in perimenopause, can last from 30 seconds to several minutes. The best thing you can do is identify what triggers them for you and avoid those things!
Pick a Park
When was the last time you went for a hike or bike ride? Why not look up a local park and try a leisure, biking or fitness trail once a week to mix up your workout while the weather is nice. Like many of you, I get my exercise the same way each week; a little yoga, the treadmill and lifting weights. To mix it up and make it family time we have been picking a different park each week to visit for a bike ride.
www.monmouthcountyparks.com
www.ocean.nj.us/Parks/parklist.htm
www.co.middlesex.nj.us/parksrecreation/parks.asp
Most recently we spent the morning riding 5.1 miles around Manasquan Reservoir. This mostly shaded, mostly level ride was cool, fun and great exercise at about 250 calories per hour even at our leisurely pace. We added a picnic as a stop along the way and visited the environmental center too. Most of us don’t take advantage of the preserved lands around us. If you try this, and get out to a different park each week, you’ll feel like you are in on a great secret and you‘ll be getting great exercise at the same time!
www.monmouthcountyparks.com
www.ocean.nj.us/Parks/parklist.htm
www.co.middlesex.nj.us/parksrecreation/parks.asp
Most recently we spent the morning riding 5.1 miles around Manasquan Reservoir. This mostly shaded, mostly level ride was cool, fun and great exercise at about 250 calories per hour even at our leisurely pace. We added a picnic as a stop along the way and visited the environmental center too. Most of us don’t take advantage of the preserved lands around us. If you try this, and get out to a different park each week, you’ll feel like you are in on a great secret and you‘ll be getting great exercise at the same time!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Basics of the Nutrition Label
Nutrition labels may seem confusing but the information is pretty straight forward if you know how to interpret it. Here is an easy summary of things to look for:
1)At the top of the “Nutrition Facts” box, look at the serving size, this is important because serving size can make a high calorie item seem lower calorie or show a package is intended for multiple servings.
2)Scanning down, calories shows how many calories there are in the serving size above, keep snacks to 2 per day 100 – 150 calories each
3)Fats are listed next. Saturated fats should be limited, 2g or less. Transfats should be completely avoided but even it the label shows 0% transfats may still be in the ingredients as fractionated or partially hydrogenated oils.Poly and Mono unsaturated fats are “good” fats but are still high in calories.
4)Cholesterol & Sodium should also be limited; no more than 300mg of cholesterol is recommended per day and approx 2000mg of sodium or the amount in one tsp. of salt is the daily maximum.
5)Scan the Carbohydrates. Fiber and Ingredients simultaneously. If I see something has a lot of carbs I look to see if it also is high in fiber - 5g or more – and what is listed in the ingredients. If sugar (fructose, glucose, dextrose, corn syrup) is listed in the first 5 or so ingredients the product is most likely high in carbs in the form of sugar instead of fiber. Look for 100% whole wheat or other 100% whole grain ingredients for “good carbs”.
6)Protein shows the amount of total protein the food contains measured in grams. A high protein food that is also low fat is a preferred source.
There are many great easy to understand sources of nutrition label information, here’s one:
http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ConsumerInformation/ucm078889.htm
1)At the top of the “Nutrition Facts” box, look at the serving size, this is important because serving size can make a high calorie item seem lower calorie or show a package is intended for multiple servings.
2)Scanning down, calories shows how many calories there are in the serving size above, keep snacks to 2 per day 100 – 150 calories each
3)Fats are listed next. Saturated fats should be limited, 2g or less. Transfats should be completely avoided but even it the label shows 0% transfats may still be in the ingredients as fractionated or partially hydrogenated oils.Poly and Mono unsaturated fats are “good” fats but are still high in calories.
4)Cholesterol & Sodium should also be limited; no more than 300mg of cholesterol is recommended per day and approx 2000mg of sodium or the amount in one tsp. of salt is the daily maximum.
5)Scan the Carbohydrates. Fiber and Ingredients simultaneously. If I see something has a lot of carbs I look to see if it also is high in fiber - 5g or more – and what is listed in the ingredients. If sugar (fructose, glucose, dextrose, corn syrup) is listed in the first 5 or so ingredients the product is most likely high in carbs in the form of sugar instead of fiber. Look for 100% whole wheat or other 100% whole grain ingredients for “good carbs”.
6)Protein shows the amount of total protein the food contains measured in grams. A high protein food that is also low fat is a preferred source.
There are many great easy to understand sources of nutrition label information, here’s one:
http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ConsumerInformation/ucm078889.htm
Monday, July 6, 2009
Menopause & Weight Gain
The key to the problem of weight gain during menopause is a sinister internal production source of estrogen. During your late 30s and early 40s, levels of the hormone estrogen decline, dropping even more dramatically in later years during menopause. As production slows down at the usual source, the ovaries, the body looks for other sources. Fat cells are another source of estrogen production, so your body is fighting to gain (fat cells) while you are fighting to lose weight by not adding fat cells and not allowing them to grow. This is a tug of war with nature that many people are losing despite their best efforts to eat right and exercise!
Dr. Laura Berman contributing for the Todayshow.com has outlined some
other reasons why women gain weight in their late 30s into their 40s.
Changes in appetite: when we eat, enzymes and hormones help the food break down. If the body is off-balance hormonally feelings of fullness do not register in the brain. During menopause, due to hormone imbalances, the body begins tricking the mind into thinking it needs to eat more.
Changes in metabolism: Estrogen is out of balance causing thyroid levels to go down. Diminished thyroid levels slow down the body’s metabolism.
Stress!: Belly fat is one of the symptoms of lower estrogen levels, along with a change in the overall shape of a woman's body. This can be due to cortisol, the stress hormone. A perimenopausal increase in cortisol creates the harder to lose belly fat that women often gain as they age.
Changes in sleep patterns: Many women start experiencing insomnia or other sleep disturbances as they age as a result of lowered levels of the sleep hormone melatonin. Increased levels of cortisol during menopause can interfere with this sleep hormone. The loss of sleep leads to crankiness and lower levels of energy, making it all the harder to stay active. Furthermore, research has shown that people who get five hours of sleep a night have 15 percent lower levels of the appetite-suppressing hormone leptin and 15 percent higher levels of hunger-increasing ghrelin.
“What’s the point?” mentality: Body image is particularly delicate for women as we start to show the signs of aging and our bodies start to plump in places we didn't expect them to. This depletes our motivation to exercise and improve our feelings about our appearance.
The empty-nest syndrome: Typically, as we reach our 40s to mid 50s, we begin to experience numerous life changes. The kids may be going off to college, or just become more independent and want to be by themselves. Women have to adjust to not filling the same role in their families and may turn to food as a form of comfort or due to boredom.
Dr Berman emphasizes that despite this negative mentality, research has found that after just one workout, a woman’s body image can improve. Getting active even for a short amount of time can boost feelings of confidence and happiness. Women should try to get active at least 20 minutes every day, even if it is just a short walk around the block. Another bonus is that increased levels of activity may also help you to sleep better at night.
Dr. Laura Berman contributing for the Todayshow.com has outlined some
other reasons why women gain weight in their late 30s into their 40s.
Changes in appetite: when we eat, enzymes and hormones help the food break down. If the body is off-balance hormonally feelings of fullness do not register in the brain. During menopause, due to hormone imbalances, the body begins tricking the mind into thinking it needs to eat more.
Changes in metabolism: Estrogen is out of balance causing thyroid levels to go down. Diminished thyroid levels slow down the body’s metabolism.
Stress!: Belly fat is one of the symptoms of lower estrogen levels, along with a change in the overall shape of a woman's body. This can be due to cortisol, the stress hormone. A perimenopausal increase in cortisol creates the harder to lose belly fat that women often gain as they age.
Changes in sleep patterns: Many women start experiencing insomnia or other sleep disturbances as they age as a result of lowered levels of the sleep hormone melatonin. Increased levels of cortisol during menopause can interfere with this sleep hormone. The loss of sleep leads to crankiness and lower levels of energy, making it all the harder to stay active. Furthermore, research has shown that people who get five hours of sleep a night have 15 percent lower levels of the appetite-suppressing hormone leptin and 15 percent higher levels of hunger-increasing ghrelin.
“What’s the point?” mentality: Body image is particularly delicate for women as we start to show the signs of aging and our bodies start to plump in places we didn't expect them to. This depletes our motivation to exercise and improve our feelings about our appearance.
The empty-nest syndrome: Typically, as we reach our 40s to mid 50s, we begin to experience numerous life changes. The kids may be going off to college, or just become more independent and want to be by themselves. Women have to adjust to not filling the same role in their families and may turn to food as a form of comfort or due to boredom.
Dr Berman emphasizes that despite this negative mentality, research has found that after just one workout, a woman’s body image can improve. Getting active even for a short amount of time can boost feelings of confidence and happiness. Women should try to get active at least 20 minutes every day, even if it is just a short walk around the block. Another bonus is that increased levels of activity may also help you to sleep better at night.
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