AP - Strokes have tripled in recent years among middle-aged women in the U.S., an alarming trend doctors blame on the obesity epidemic. Nearly 2 percent of women ages 35 to 54 reported suffering a stroke in the most recent federal health survey, from 1999 to 2004. Only about half a percent did in the previous survey, from 1988 to 1994.
Reuters - Reducing the amount of salt that children eat could provide a short-cut to keeping them slim, British researchers reported on Wednesday.
In this week after Valentine's Day, the topic of loving our bodies seems appropriate. Our last FitBriefing, , presents a good review of just how important this attitude is, even though it's very difficult for many of us to embrace.
The bottom line is that our attitudes/thoughts dictate our behaviors. To quote the FitBriefing:
"...how we think about ourselves and our body image has a decisive impact on our behaviors. For example,When we’re negative about ourselves, we’re less likely to feed ourselves well.
We rarely have the motivation or energy to get off the couch (or out of bed) and move to make our bodies feel better.
If we’re , negative thinking about ourselves can be a trigger to eat when we’re not hungry, or even binge.
and isolating ourselves can represent forms of self-punishment that make us feel even more discouraged and depressed."
Mimi and Teri, our behaviorists at Green Mountain, recently attended a conference at which much of the discussion centered around the significant effect our thinking has on who we become. Neural pathways get established with repeated thoughts, and those repeated thoughts become habits that dictate our behaviors.
The first step in changing thoughts and behaviors is to become aware of them. Because our habit of disliking our bodies can be so established, we don't even notice when we disparage ourselves. The s go a long way towards helping us become aware.
If you're caught up in not liking your body, read the complete FitBriefing "." It has some useful techniques for starting to change these thoughts and, ultimately, even move towards a healthier place that may find us actually liking our bodies. Positive thoughts can work just like negative ones, by taking us to the places we're thinking about!
"Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a ?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz?"Mercedes Benz - Janis Joplin
I love that song. So funny and poignant. The lyrics got me thinking today about my own body, and the fact that for the last 50 years it's been my main source of transportation. Regardless of how I've treated it, it has taken me where I wanted to go. Even if I haven't always kept it tuned up or in good shape along the way, it plugged along, spitting and sputtering only on the rarest occasion. Every now and then letting out a loud 'k-bang', just to be heard, but reliable and trustworthy just the same. What a magnificent machine.
I took the analogy one step further and began to wonder, what kind of ride am I? Today, in this moment. A Benz, an old Studebaker or a 1967 Pinto? What I realized was, regardless of what I am today, I'd rather travel down the road of life in a Mercedes Benz than a broken down Chevy! (A 'classic' Mercedes Benz to be exact).
The greater message is not about who has the , but what kind of ride do you get? I don't necessarily (maybe that's for you!), but if given the choice, I'd sure choose a high performance, sleek, comfortable, yet quiet ride, with plenty of agility on the road to get me where I've got to go - especially considering I'm not getting any younger.
Well, until I'm being chauffeured around, that is. Then it's Lincoln - all the way!
Happy Motoring!
Results of an analysis of multiple studies show and diabetes control is more challenging for Hispanics than non-Hispanic whites, according to researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and colleagues.
The results revealed that Hispanic patients with have approximately 0.5 percent higher levels on a test that measures blood sugar control, called the A1C test, than non-Hispanic white patients. The researchers noted the consistency of these findings across the studies.
An A1C test measures hemoglobin linked with glucose, or blood sugar, over a time period of two to three months. Higher A1C values indicate patients have difficulty controlling their blood sugar.
The results of the "meta-analysis" are reported in the February issue of Diabetes Care.
"A high percentage of Hispanics in this country have low incomes, no health insurance, and limited access to health care," said Kirk. "The Hispanic population has a high prevalence of [] and higher A1C than non-Hispanic whites. This further elucidates the health disparities that characterize the Hispanic population."
Read full article in . More information for Hispanics with diabetes may want to read "" ("Let's prevent . Step by Step") - a campaign from the National Diabetes Education Program.
Newsflash: Sept 5th, 2007 - Extra TV shows just aired a story on "". This is being view by 22 million people across the nation. Yes, Power Pops are the secret hoodia lollipops that Britney Spears has been seen eating around Hollywood.
Who doesn't like lollipops?? Now you can curb your appetite and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time! So what's the difference between eating a hoodia pop and taking a pill??? As the video above describes; the bush men in Africa used to suck the stem of the Hoodia plant to lessen their hunger. This company claims that sucking the "Power Pops" is the quickest way to absorb the hoodia plant. Drying out the plant, then grinding it and pressing it into pill form is less effective.
If I had the choice between taking another dreaded pill or sucking on a lollipop I would surely chose the pop. The Pop only has 28 calories (4 carbs) per pop and retails for $ 23.50 (for 30). The pops come in Cherry, Green Apple, Root Beer Float, Pina Colada, Butter Pecan, White Chocolate, Candy Cane, Chocolate Mousse, Mountain Berry, Cinnamon, Watermelon, Pink Lemonade, and Cappuccino (). It's great that companies are coming up with inventive ideas to keep people healthy!
Adria Ali
AFP - Being obese boosts the risk of half a dozen types of cancer, and the odds strengthen as one's waistline thickens, according to a major review published on Saturday by The Lancet.
HealthDay - FRIDAY, Feb. 15 (HealthDay News) -- The more weight you carry on your body, the greater your odds of developing cancer, British researchers report.