Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Photo by Bruno Nascimento on Unsplash In a new study, researchers found that aerobic exercise may be a key factor to fighting malignant tumors. The results of the study confirmed that the oxygen supply provided by exercise can slow the growth of cancerous tumors, as …
It’s about that time! After a full week of sticking to your resolution, you might realize that you’re not sticking to your healthy eating plan all that well. January is the month where people put in a good effort towards their resolution – but slow …
By early next year, more than 20 chain restaurants will be required to post calorie counts on their menus. Although the goal is to let consumers know exactly how much food they consume in the hopes that customers will make smarter portion choices. Unfortunately, recent research shows that eating behaviors may not change much.
For many people, knowing for sure how many calories their meal will cost them may help prevent overeating. Calorie count is definitely something we should all consider, especially when it comes to fast food. For example, two slices of pizza contain about 700 calories, which takes over an hour of cardio to burn off.
To test the new plan to fight obesity in the US, researchers posted different types of informational signs around six stores in Baltimore. One type of sign posted the number of calories in a regular bottle of soda. Another type posted the amount of sugar in the same bottle. A third type of sign showed either the number of minutes someone would have to run, or the number of miles they would have to walk, to burn off those 250 extra calories.
Overall, the study authors found that providing any calorie information encouraged more teens to purchase water or diet soda instead of a sugar-sweetened beverage. In addition, the signs that displayed physical activity information had a stronger effect than the other types of signs. This shows that people are mostly affected by the work they will need to put in to burn off their meal; understanding exactly what you are putting into your body and what you have to burn off to maintain your weight is crucial for keeping your body at a healthy weight. If you’re looking to drop a few pounds, consider this: 3,500 calories make up one pound of fat. Simply cutting 500 calories each day from your diet (either through diet or exercise) can result in a one pound weight loss at the end of the week!
By 2015, with major food chains using physical activity descriptions to give consumers a better idea of just how much exercise is needed to burn off that Big Mac, the US may see a change in food choices and exercise habits. Hopefully, these efforts will help decrease the serious issue of obesity in the country.
Source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/16/health/understanding-calorie-info/index.html?hpt=he_c2
It’s a debate that has been going on for years – do you eat before you hit the gym or just wait until after to fuel up? Both choices have their strong points and downfalls. If you eat too much before you get on the …
With the use of technology on a steady rise, kids are getting less exercise than ever. Also on the rise? The number of kids diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. The Study Researchers recently took a closer look at a possible link between these two occurrences. In a …
Let’s face it – it’s normal to get a little stressed and overwhelmed sometimes. But overwhelming anxiety and constant worry can take a major toll on your body and mind. Anxiety currently affects roughly seven million people in the US. Those with diagnosed startle easily, have trouble focusing, sleeping and eating, and may suffer from sudden, debilitating panic attacks. Other symptoms of anxiety can include insomnia, fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, irritability, sweating, nausea, light-headedness, and more.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a chronic mental illness characterized by excessive, long-lasting anxiety and worry about nonspecific life events, objects, and situations. GAD sufferers often feel afraid and constantly worry about health, money, family, and work but they have trouble identifying the specific fear as well as controlling their worry.
Meditation
The basics of the meditation, such as listening to your breath or paying close attention to specific parts of your body, are great for relieving anxiety. Meditation can be easily introduced into your daily routine – even just a few minutes of deep breathing can be very beneficial.
Yoga
Through stretching, relaxation exercises, and controlled breathing techniques, yoga can be a major tool to help relieve physical and mental stress. A study at the Boston University School of Medicine found that doing yoga can help regulate brain levels of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is responsible for your body and brain’s response to stress, worry, and anxiety.
How to Thrive (Not Just Survive!) With Stress By Nicole Crane, B.S., NTP
Exercise
On average, patients who exercised regularly reported a 20 percent reduction in anxiety symptoms compared to those who did not exercise. Jerry Hickey, R.Ph, Scientific Director at InVite Health reports, “Exercise has many-many benefits; helping to burn belly fat, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and improve glucose sensitivity. Exercise is also an excellent antidote for stress and anxiety; aerobic exercise can reduce anxiety by up to 50% according to research. Exercise also improves sleep disorders. This is important because adequate rest improves the ability to respond to stress properly. The correct amount of sleep each night for most healthy adults averages 7 to 8 hours.”
Natural Supplements
Omega-3 supplements such as fish oil can reduce anxiety symptoms long-term, if taken on a regular basis. Other supplements that help with anxiety include calcium, zinc and magnesium.
New Study: Fish Oil Capsules Help Major Depression
Eliminate Caffeine, Smoking, and Alcohol
Caffeine, alcohol, and cigarettes can all over-stimulate your body, making your anxiety symptoms worse. All of these unhealthy lifestyle factors also affect your sleep, which is further linked to higher anxiety levels.
Jerry Hickey, R. Ph reports, “Decrease the amount of caffeine you consume; 2 cups of coffee doubles the amount of epinephrine (a stress hormone) your adrenal glands release. Epinephrine is a “fight or flight” hormone, and it plays a central role in the short-term reaction to stress. It is released from the adrenal glands when danger threatens or in an emergency, or if you are stressed out. When secreted into the bloodstream, epinephrine rapidly prepares the body for action in emergency situations. The hormone boosts the supply of oxygen and glucose to the brain and muscles, while suppressing other non-emergency bodily processes such as digestion of food. Epinephrine increases your heart rate, dilates your pupils, and constricts the small blood vessels in the skin and gastrointestinal tract while dilating those in muscle improving the supply of blood and energy to muscle. Epinephrine elevates your blood sugar level. Like some other stress hormones, epinephrine has a suppressive effect on your immune system increasing your risk of upper respiratory tract infection (usually a flu or cold infection).”