Posts filed under 'Healthy Lifestyle Research'
Now they have thought of everything! Nintendo Wii is unveiling a new product designed for weight loss. If you aren’t sure of what a Wii is, then it is obvious you don’t have children or a game-station loving husband. Either way, a Wii is the latest craze in videogame land, which actually promotes users to get up and move.
Not only does this game let you interactively bowl, play a tennis match and actually create your very own rock band, it has now come up with a way to get you to do - and yoga! The Wii Fit, which is a $90 console addition, dubbed the “Balance Board” not only adds these cardio and strength training, but also tracks a user’s weight and body mass index. Maybe we should consider incorporating the Wii system into the weight loss spa experience. 
Watch out kids - Mom might be fighting you for time on the Wii! Take a sneak peek at the Wii Fit in action.
Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Nintendo, Cammie Dunaway has great things to say about the Wii Fit bringing families together to enforce a healthy lifestyle. Not taking away from traditional exercise, such as heading outside for a jog or walk, she says the Wii Fit will bring motivation to those trying to embody a healthy lifestyle.
If you’re bored with your regular fitness routine, give Wii Fit a try. You might soon be adding it to your list of favorite workouts.
Source: MSN.com
April 24th, 2008
So here I am in Hilton Head, almost 700 miles from home, focusing on my new job at Hilton Head Health and healthy life when I received news from my mother that she has breast cancer. This came as a shock, because my mother has instilled the importance of a healthy lifestyle in me and has always tried to follow one herself, so how could she possibly have breast cancer? I was devastated, far away from home and helpless.
My mother was scared and confused, and though she was trying to be optimistic, we knew that this was only the beginning. Not knowing how to deal with trying to support my mom from far away I decided to do my research. The following are simple steps from Shape.com that will help fight breast cancer:
1. Pump Up Your Produce
Fruits and vegetables contain powerful antioxidants that help protect against all forms of cancer. Plus, they’re low in calories, so loading up on them is an easy way to keep your weight in check. Studies have found that eating five servings of produce a day reduces the odds of a breast-cancer recurrence in women, especially when combined with daily exercise. Consuming more than that doesn’t seem to have any additional preventive effect, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Your best bet, says the American Cancer Society’s Marji McCullough, is to eat a wide variety of brightly colored produce. “That way you’re more likely to get all the phytochemicals that are important to cancer prevention.”
2. Cut the Fat
Studies on dietary fat have been conflicting and inconclusive, but most experts say it’s still wise to steer clear of saturated fat as much as possible.
3. Get Plenty of Calcium and Vitamin D
This spring, a 10-year Harvard study found that premenopausal women who got 1,366 milligrams of calcium and 548 IU of vitamin D daily slashed their breast-cancer risk by a third, and their odds of getting invasive breast cancer by up to 69 percent. “This is a promising area of research,” says McCullough, who recommends eating calcium-rich foods like:
- low fat dairy products
- canned salmon
- almonds
- fortified orange juice
- leafy greens
Although milk contains vitamin D, most yogurt and cheese do not. To get enough, you probably need a multi-vitamin, or if you’re taking a calcium supplement, choose one that also contains 800 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D.
At just 100 calories and 3 grams of fat, our Dreamy Chocolate Strawberry Duo recipe gives you a sweet way to incorporate your vitamin D.
4. Sprinkle Flaxseed on Your Cereal
Flaxseed is a good source of lignans, compounds that may play a role in preventing estrogen-dependent cancers by inhibiting the development of tumors or slowing their rate of growth, according to McCullough. “Other sources of lignans include sunflower seeds, peanuts, cashews, rye bread, and strawberries.”
5. Keep Cookouts to a Minimum
A recent study from the University of North Carolina found that postmenopausal women who had consumed a lot of barbecued and smoked red meat or chicken over their lifetimes had a greater risk of developing breast cancer than those who ate less. “When you grill meat, the amino acids form compounds called heterocyclic amines, which are carcinogenic. They’re especially concentrated in charred meat,” says Rachel Zinaman, R.D., a nutritionist at Memorial Sloan- Kettering Cancer Center’s Evelyn Lauder Breast Center. “Plus, when the fat drips on the heat source,” she adds, “it forms polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, another cancer-causing compound that binds to the meat.” If the barbecue grill is beckoning, protect yourself by marinating the meat first or cutting it into smaller chunks. These cook faster than larger pieces, which reduces the likelihood that carcinogenic chemicals will form.
6. Imbibe Intelligently
That means stopping after that first mojito. “More than one daily drink increases your odds of developing breast cancer by 20 percent or more,” says Zinaman. In a recent Norwegian study, those who had two or more drinks a day during the previous five years had an 82 percent greater chance of developing breast cancer than those who didn’t drink at all. “Alcohol may raise estrogen levels and interfere with the body’s ability to use folic acid, a B vitamin that’s been linked to cancer prevention,” she says.
7. Fill Up On Fiber
A diet that’s rich in fiber (30 or more grams a day) can halve the risk of breast cancer among premenopausal women, according to a new study from the University of Leeds in England. It makes sense, says Zinaman. “Fiber-rich foods contain antioxidants and phytochemicals that are thought to be protective.”
These methods of prevention may not ward off all cancers. There is always a risk of cancer in your genes, but they will definitely help a great deal. My mother told me that she feels much better knowing that she did what she could to prevent cancer. My mom is a very selfless person, like many of the Hilton Head Health guests I have spoken with here; she makes time for my family and the third grade class she teaches more than she does herself. She is now learning to focus on her health, fighting the cancer, and preventing more to come.
She still follows her normal healthy diet, but has begun to incorporate more cancer fighting foods and fit in purposeful exercise. It’s horrible to think that it took something as big as cancer for her to realize that she needed to care for herself before others, but I am thankful that she is at least making progress. Everyday you have a choices to make in life, big or small, and though these seven tips are small changes to make in your life they could potentially turn things around.
It has been a month since my mom’s first surgery. Unfortunately there will be more to come, although she and the doctors are very optimistic and she is doing well!
March 19th, 2008
Last night I decided to take the buddy approach to getting back into the swing of things after falling ‘off track’ from a less than healthy weekend trip to Daytona. When calling a third workout buddy, the response from whether they would join was “Well…I charged my ipod…that’s the first step”. What seems like a really lame excuse happens to play a big part in whether anyone will make that trip to the gym - you have 45 minutes of cardio which seems like 2 hours when you don’t have your favorite tunes to keep you going. I am guilty too; as I have often skipped workouts or at least cut them short just because I didn’t have my trusty ipod in tow.
Listening to Music During Exercise Improves Results
However, as lame as the excuse might be, studies have shown that listening to music during exercise can improve results, both in terms of a motivator (to go faster and longer) and to add as a distraction from fatigue. The real question is are your playlists working for your workout? It is important to choose songs with the correct Beat Per Minute (BPM) for your choice of exercise. In an article from the New York Times, many specialists ranging from sport psychologists to music professors examine the perfect workout mix.
Many of our guests, myself included, are looking for that special song to get you moving and motivated. After time well spent in search for the perfect tunes, I have found a few really helpful websites that might just have what it takes to get you moving in the right direction!
Nike+ Sports Mixes on i-Tunes- Download playlists mixed especially for intervals, endurance and speed work - complete with cues and encouragement throughout!
Visit the magazines websites below to view celebrity playlists, 80’s mixes and more.
The mixes at PowerMusic.com give you the BPM - perfect for matching to your workout. Much of the fitness class music here at Hilton Head adult weight loss spa comes from PowerMusic.com. With all of the new jams to be added to your mix, it’s doubtful you will ever have the “dead i-pod” excuse again.
February 20th, 2008
February is American Heart Month, so it’s a great time to remember how important it is to live a healthy lifestyle. Heart disease is a major killer — each year approximately one million people in the US have a heart attack and nearly half are fatal. If you survive, a heart attack can shave 15 years off your life. Heart disease is sneaky as well. The majority of men and women who die suddenly of heart disease have no previous symptoms.
Heart Disease is Influenced By Lifestyle
Fortunately (or unfortunately) heart disease is strongly influenced by lifestyle. In 2003, two large studies confirmed that modifiable risk factors such as cigarette smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, abdominal obesity, inactivity, low fruit and vegetable consumption, and excessive alcohol account for 90% of heart attack risk.
Follow the American Heart Association’s Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations to significantly lower your risk of having a heart attack:
- Balance caloric intake and physical activity to achieve or maintain a healthy body weight.
- Consume a diet rich in vegetables and fruits
- Choose whole-grain, high-fiber foods
- Limit your intake of saturated fat to <7%, trans fat to <1%, and cholesterol to <300mg per day by: Choosing lean meats and vegetable alternatives; Selecting fat free, 1% fat and low-fat dairy products; minimizing intake of partially hydrogenated fats
- Minimize your intake of beverages and foods with added sugars
- Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt
- If you consume alcohol, do so in moderation.
Hilton Head Health Staff - Bob Wright, MAT
Director of Lifestyle Education
February 13th, 2008
If your doctor were to tell you that you need to increase heart healthy habits, would you reach for the grapes on the counter or the bottle of red wine? Turns out, drinking a few drinks per week (up to one a day for women, up to two for men) has the same potential heart benefits as exercise. You have probably heard this claim before, a glass of wine a day prevents heart disease, sort of the apple a day mentality, but researchers wanted to look further into these benefits.
Alcohol and exercise affect your heart health in similar ways, “they help increase good cholesterold, or HDL, and clean the circulatory system’s pipes. HDL helps remove fatty deposits, created by bad cholesterol, or LDL, from bloodvessel walls. The higher the HDL, the less likely vascular disease becomes. The lower the HDL, the more likely”, says Dr. Arthur Klatsky, cardiologist and researcher at Kaiser Permanente Northern California.
Drinking Alcohol Has Benefits
In the study, 12,000 people were observed over a 20 year period and split into four categories. They found that exercise and drinking alcohol had an independent beneficial effect on the heart and a compounded effect when practiced together. People who don’t drink at all and don’t exercise had the highest risk of heart disease. Those who drink moderately and exercise had a 50% lower risk. Those who only exercise or only drink alcohol had a 30% lower risk.
Moderation is Key
Even though these findings show the benefits of alcohol with exercise, wait before you make a mad dash to the bar. These findings have only been shown to benefit those who are at an age at which heart disease becomes a larger risk, around ages 45 to 50. There is no proof of a preventative measure before age 45. Also, remember moderation is key! Remember you should never drink your weekly allowance all at once.
To learn more about how Hilton Head weight loss resort can help you achive your weight loss & healthy living goals, contact us today!
Source: TIME Magazine
February 6th, 2008
Does exercise really help you sleep better?
Many Hilton Head Health guests have posed this question to me recently, all with a common aim: curing their insomnia. In fact, 38% of Americans are known to suffer from insomnia and more than half of all sleep apnea sufferers are overweight.
Restless Leg Syndrome Effects 12 Million Americans
The newest enemy of sleep is RLS, better known as Restless Leg Syndrome, which now affects nearly 12 million Americans. As sleep disorders become more common the need for a solution has been plaguing researchers. Luckily, new studies are extremely encouraging.
A recent Stanford University Medical School study may come as no surprise: middle age and older people report sleeping better when they add regular exercise to their routine. After 16 weeks in a moderate intensity exercise program, subjects were able to fall asleep about 15 minutes earlier and sleep about 45 minutes longer every night. Participants exercised at least four times a week. Twice a week they participated in an organized aerobics class, which included 30 minutes of endurance training or body sculpting. The other two times they exercised on their own, doing 40 minutes of brisk walking or stationary bike riding.
Here are some tips to help you improve your sleep with exercise:
- Try not to exercise within 4 hours of going to sleep. A drop in body temperature facilitates a better night’s sleep.
- Structured exercise programs aimed at improving sleep should include a moderate level of intensity during aerobic/cardio exercise. Non-aerobic exercises (like yoga, Pilates, or strength training) alone have not been shown to help sleep patterns.
- Improvements may take several weeks to a month, so stick with it.
Need to boost your workout or have a burning fitness question? If so, ask Adam, Director of Lifetime Fitness, answer your fitness questions. Email GetSerious@hhhealth.com and put “Fitness Facts” in the subject line.
January 15th, 2008
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