YOU: on a Diet ( 03/01/08 - 05/31/08 )

[jezzie]

The Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is a modern nutritional model inspired by the traditional dietary patterns of some of the countries of the Mediterranean basin, particularly Southern Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Portugal, Turkey and Spain.

Common to the diets of these regions are a high consumption of fruit and vegetables, bread, wheat and other cereals, olive oil and fish; making them low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fat and dietary fiber.

A main factor in the appeal of the Mediterranean Diet is its rich, full flavored foods. Margarine and hydrogenated oils are considered bland and lacking the flavor olive oil can impart to foods. Red wine is also consumed regularly but in moderate quantities.

Although it was first publicized in 1945 by the American doctor Ancel Keys stationed in Salerno, Italy, the Mediterranean diet failed to gain widespread recognition until the 1990s.

It is based on what from the point of view of mainstream nutrition is considered a paradox: that although the people living in Mediterranean countries tend to consume relatively high amounts of fat, they have far lower rates of cardiovascular disease than in countries like the United States, where similar levels of fat consumption are found.

One of the main explanations is thought to be the large amount of olive oil used in the Mediterranean diet. Unlike the high amount of animal fats typical to the American diet, olive oil lowers cholesterol levels in the blood. It is also known to lower blood sugar levels and blood pressure. In addition, the consumption of red wine is considered a possible factor, as it contains flavonoids with powerful antioxidant properties.

Dietary factors may be only part of the reason for the health benefits enjoyed by these cultures. Genetics, lifestyle, and environment may also be involved.

Some questions have been raised as to if the diet provides adequate amounts of all nutrients, particularly calcium and iron. Nonetheless, green vegetables, a good source of calcium and iron, are used in the Mediterranean diet as well as goat cheese (a characteristic of Malta), a good source of calcium.

Reviews for The Mediterranean Diet

[jezzie]

Mediterranean diet lengthens Americans' lives
Tue Dec 11, 2007

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Eating the Mediterranean way could help you live longer, according to the first study to look at how the dietary pattern relates to mortality in a U.S. population.

Men whose diets were closest to the Mediterranean ideal were 21 percent less likely to die over five years than men whose diets were least Mediterranean-like. Similar results were seen in women.

"These results provide strong evidence for a beneficial effect of higher conformity with the Mediterranean dietary pattern on risk of death from all causes, including deaths due to cardiovascular disease and cancer, in a US population," Dr. Panagiota N. Mitrou of the University of Cambridge in the UK and colleagues conclude.

A number of studies have linked the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fish, fruits and vegetables and nuts and low in dairy foods and red meat, to health benefits, the researchers note in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

They looked at diet and mortality in 380,296 men and women, 50 to 71 years old, who were participating in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study.

For both men and women, the researchers found, the risk of death from any cause over the five-year follow-up period was lower for those with the most Mediterranean-like diets. Deaths from cancer or cardiovascular disease were also significantly lower in this group.

The benefit was especially strong in smokers who were not overweight, who nearly halved their risk of death if they closely followed the Mediterranean diet pattern. Smokers may have had the most to gain from the antioxidant and blood fat-lowering effects of Mediterranean-style eating, Mitrou and colleagues suggest.

SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, December 10/24, 2007

Mediterranean diet lengthens Americans' lives | Health | Reuters

[jezzie]

•Dining Out Dilemma

Get your priorities straight when making a move to dine out.

Research shows that for most people, healthy menu options aren't a top priority when choosing a place to dine out. Instead, most people are more focused on convenience and value.

Make your favorite dining-out venues the ones that offer lean cuts of meat, whole-grains, fresh fruit, and vegetable side dishes.

The average American eats out almost six times per week. But dining out may lead to poor eating habits if healthy menu options are not available at the restaurants you frequent. Pick venues that offer low-fat and low-calorie menu options.

When ordering, avoid foods that are fried or flavored with cream sauces or butter. Opt for grilled, baked, or broiled fish or other lean forms of protein.

Choose vegetables that are lightly steamed or sautéed in a bit of olive oil for your side dish. And substitute whole-grain breads and brown rice for white breads and white rice whenever possible.

Being conscientious about the food choices you make when dining out can help keep your healthy eating habits on track seven days a week.

[jezzie]

3 Simple Tips for Losing Weight

Go to sleep.
Getting enough sleep every night keeps you slim. Why? When your body doesn't get the 7 to 8 hours it needs every night, it doesn't get a full resupply of serotonin and dopamine, two feel-good brain chemicals it craves.

So it looks for ways to replenish them, and guess what immediately releases both in the body: sugary foods. That's why when you're tired you start craving sweets! So tuck yourself in early and stay slim.

Keep your hands full.
You'd think that sitting around playing video games, solitaire, or surfing Yahoo! would be a recipe for putting on pounds. Nope. When your fingers are flying, they're not knuckle-deep in a bowl of chips.

Now, that's not to say that endless hours on your duff are good for your waistline, but when you keep your hands and brain occupied, you're not automatically reaching for something to eat. In fact, you're probably not even thinking about food. So the next time you start to open the fridge door, turn on the computer or pick up your knitting instead.

Pick and stick.
Yeah, sure, variety may be the spice of life. But it can also be the death of dieting. When you have a lot of choices for a meal, it's a lot easier to slip out of good eating habits and into buffet binges.

One way to avoid trouble is to eliminate choices for at least one meal a day.

Pick the meal you rush through most, and then automate it. For most people, that's lunch. Find a healthy lunch -- maybe salad with grilled chicken or a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread -- and have it for lunch every day. Every day. Yes, every day.

The less you think about food, the easier it is to control your appetite. And decreasing choices decreases temptations.

All three tips are from two weight-loss experts: RealAge superdocs Michael Roizen, MD, and Mehmet Oz, MD, authors of the huge best-seller, YOU: On a Diet.


the "pick and stick" concept.

[jezzie]

Top 5 Ways to Spice Up Your Health

Spices. Wars have been fought over them. Great explorers have sailed in pursuit of them. And gifting history was made by three wise men bearing them. Turns out that the ancients were on to something.

Research is now showing that five spices we've long savored just for their flavor are also nutritional powerhouses. Toss these overachievers into your salad or sauce and get a whopping dose of disease-preventing antioxidants along with a flavorful punch.

1. Cinnamon: This natural germ-fighter also helps lower blood sugar, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels -- one-quarter teaspoon a day is a healthy goal. Sprinkle a little of the powder on freshly ground coffee beans when making your morning java, or try these irresistible Cinnamon Baked Apples for a low-cal dessert.

2. Thyme: It makes it into recipes for marinades, grilled poultry, and fish by virtue of its minty, lemony flavor; it makes it onto the RealAge list of healthy herbs by virtue of its anticancer potency. It's also long been used as an antiseptic -- yep, that could be thyme oil in your mouthwash. If you've got a fresh bunch, mince some into your vinaigrette. Yum.

3. Cumin: Concealed in your humble chili powder is one of the world's most popular spices (it's a key ingredient in Indian curries, too) and another anticancer soldier. Go exotic and add cumin to rice, grain salads, and marinades, or try this heart-healthy Ultimate Beef Chili made with chunks of fat-trimmed meat.

4. Oregano: Thank our GIs for bringing oregano home from Italy after WWII. A food-world superpower, leaves of the herb boast 42 times more antioxidants than apples. Wow! Use oregano to add a delicate flavor to salad dressings, garlic bread, and omelets, as well as your favorite pastas.

5. Turmeric: Called the "Queen of the Kitchen" by Indian cooks, turmeric (and its active ingredient, curcumin) has earned its crown. Studies show promise in fighting cystic fibrosis, colon cancer, arthritis, and even Alzheimer's -- is there anything this golden gal can't do? For an earthy flavor and yellow coloring, add a pinch of turmeric to rice, stew, or lentils -- hey, it might even help you remember where you left your keys last night.

[jezzie]

Good and Bad Fats: The Ultimate Guide

Remember when any fat was bad fat? When the only difference between a croissant and a Krispy Kreme was snob appeal? Now that (happily) science has found that some fats are good fats, it's all about avoiding the bad guys.

But if sorting out omega-3s from saturated fats makes you want to drown your frustration in a quarter-pounder and fries (a whopping 56 grams of the ickiest stuff), here's a simple list that rates fats, from the top dog to the don't-even-think-about-it.

TOP FATS: THE OMEGA-3s

Among the best fats on the planet, omega-3s add years to your life by dramatically reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. They may also stave off arthritis, depression, and some cancers, and might even tame menstrual cramps and postworkout soreness. Looking for clear, soft skin and great hair? Omega-3s do that, too.

Eat these frequently:

Fatty fish, such as wild salmon, sardines, herring, and tuna
Flaxseeds and flaxseed oil
Walnuts

GOOD FATS: THE MONOS

All monounsaturated fats are kind to your heart because they raise good HDL cholesterol and lower bad LDL cholesterol (the kind that clogs arteries). But virgin olive oil, the MVP of monounsaturates, does more.

For starters, it contains micronutrients that are needed for hormone and enzyme production. But olive oil also boasts compounds that may fight breast and colon cancer as well as boost the cancer-fighting power of other foods.

Delicious sources are:

Olives
Virgin olive oil (be sure it's virgin; processing destroys nutrients)
Canola oil
Peanut and other nut oils
Nuts
Avocados

PRETTY GOOD FATS: THE POLYS

Most polyunsaturated fats are heart-friendly, but, with the exception of omega-3s, they don't have the star power of other healthy fats. Also, poly fats contain omega-6s, which are healthy unless you get too many of them -- and most Americans get up to 25 times more omega-6s than they need.

Omega-6s should be eaten more sparingly because they can overwhelm the superstar omega-3s. Overall, try to get most of your polyunsaturated fats from omega-3 sources.

Find them in:
Corn, soybean, safflower, canola, sunflower, and cottonseed oils
Fatty fish (canned light tuna counts)

LOUSY FATS: THE SATS

Saturated fats are mainly trouble because they raise blood cholesterol to artery-clogging levels. In one study, eating a single slice of carrot cake and drinking a milkshake that were high in sat fat hindered the body's heart-protective functions. Loading up on saturated fats may also harm brain molecules that help form memories, raising the risk of dementia.

Skimp or skip:

Meats, particularly with visible fat
Poultry skin, fat, and dark meat
Whole-milk dairy foods, including butter, full-fat cheeses, ice cream, sour cream
Most hard margarines (those in stick form)
Coconut and palm oils
Lard and shortening

DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT 'EM: TRANS FATS

These fats are so scary that they're being banned in some cities, and food manufacturers and restaurants are working fast to find substitutes. Trans fats are formed when liquid oils are zapped with hydrogen, turning them solid (like stick margarine).

Processed foods that contain trans fats have nearly eternal shelf life -- ironically, that's why trans fats were invented: to keep food from going bad. But trans fats turned out to boost bad cholesterol, decrease good cholesterol, gum up arteries, and set off inflammation throughout the body, which can trigger a host of problems, from stroke to diabetes.

Bypass completely:

Though things are changing quickly, be suspicious of any fast or processed food that's not labeled trans-fat-free (packaged-food labels must now list trans fats), including:

All deep-fried foods -- chips, French fries, onion rings, donuts, etc.
Many fast foods
Candy
Commercial baked goods -- cookies, pies, cakes, rolls, muffins, etc.

Bottom line: Stay away from trans fats the way you'd avoid highways on the day before Thanksgiving. Clog city.

[jezzie]

Five Reasons Why Olive Oil Is the Ultimate Healthy Fat

Whether in Rome or at home, do as the Romans do: Make olive oil a staple in your diet.

If you already eat the Mediterranean way, you know that olive oil not only tastes good but also is good for you. It's an amazing source of antioxidants, capable of dousing inflammation, defending cells from menacing molecules, and more. Here's the latest on this superhero food.

It Cuts Your Cancer Risk

Olive oil's cancer-preventing powers are legendary. Which substances get the credit? Polyphenols, for one. These potent plant antioxidants protect against cancer-causing cell damage. But it also looks like the oil's monounsaturated fat has anticancer effects, which means olive oil packs quite a one-two punch! Need some proof? Check the lower rates of breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer among Southern Europeans, whose diets flow with olive oil, compared with their neighbors from the north.

It Helps Your Heart

There's virtually nothing better than the big "double O" when it comes to your heart. Olive oil ups good HDL cholesterol, lowers bad LDL cholesterol, and reduces other harmful blood fats (triglycerides). That's not all. It also reduces inflammation, another contributor to cardiovascular disease.

It Keeps Your Blood Pressure Down

Speaking of your heart, how's your blood pressure? If it’s above 115/76, you need to get it down. And yes, olive oil can play a role, helping enough to reduce the need for daily meds. Those potent polyphenols appear to dilate arteries, which lowers blood pressure. (Always choose extra-virgin olive oil, by the way -- its minimal processing preserves the maximum number of antioxidants and heat-sensitive vitamins.)

It Helps You Lose Weight

"Great taste, less filling" -- that light-beer slogan rings true for olive oil. Ounce for ounce, all oils have the same calories, but olive oil has a fuller flavor, so less is needed for tantalizing taste. Plus, research shows that overweight people who eat a diet with some fat -- including olive oil -- are more likely to shed pounds than the people who slash fat. Why? Oil's rich flavor makes it easier to stick with the program.

It Eases Your Aching Head

If you're prone to headaches and wary of overdoing ibuprofen, try routinely dressing your salad or veggies in extra-virgin olive oil. It contains oleocanthal, a natural compound that, like ibuprofen, blocks pain-producing and inflammatory substances -- but without the risk of stomach upset.

Although daily oleocanthal doses aren't the painkiller's complete equal, they could lower your risk for heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and possibly Alzheimer's. Quite a trade-off.

[jezzie]

•Honey Bee Good

About to sweeten your tea with honey? What kind? It matters.

Until recently, if you asked a nutritionist about the pros and cons of, say, lightly processed "raw" sugar versus honey, table sugar, brown sugar, molasses, fructose, or maple syrup, you'd hear this exasperated chant:

"Sugar is sugar is sugar."

No longer.
Several studies have found that buckwheat honey -- dark, rich, and malty -- has an unusual number of age-fighting antioxidants in addition to serious sweetening power.

Okay, we know you probably don't have a yellow-capped squeezy bear of buckwheat honey in your pantry. But the next time you're in a natural-foods grocery or speciality market, pick up a jar.

Although several types of honey have some antioxidant effects, researchers have pronounced buckwheat honey far and away the star.

And buckwheat itself (think pancake mixes, Japanese soba noodles) is being investigated as a "functional food," thanks both to its high levels of protein, fiber, and minerals, and its lab-tested ability to reduce body fat and cholesterol and even prevent gallstones.

So the next time you're making yourself a cuppa, try sweetening it with something that's got a lot more going for it than sugar's empty calories.

RealAge Benefit: Getting the right amount of antioxidants through diet or supplements can make your RealAge 6 years younger.

[jezzie]

True comfort foods do exist:

• Berries, any berries. Eat them one by one instead of M&Ms when the pressure's on. For those tough times when tension tightens your jaw, try rolling a frozen berry around in your mouth. And then another, and another. Since the carbs in berries turn to sugar very slowly, you won't have a blood-sugar crash. The bonus: They're a good source of vitamin C, which helps fight a jump in cortisol, a stress hormone.

• Guacamole. If you're craving something creamy, look no further. Avocados are loaded with B vitamins, which stress quickly depletes and which your body needs in order to maintain nerves and brain cells. Plus, their creaminess comes from healthy fat. Scoop up the stuff with whole-grain baked chips -- crunching keeps you from gritting your teeth.

• Mixed nuts. Just an ounce will do. Walnuts help replace those stress-depleted B vitamins, Brazil nuts give you a whopping amount of zinc (which is also drained by high anxiety), and almonds boost your E, which helps fight cellular damage linked to chronic stress. Buy nuts in the shell and think of it as multitasking: With every squeeze of the nutcracker, you're releasing a little tension.

• Oranges. People who take 1,000 milligrams of C before giving a speech have lower levels of cortisol and lower blood pressures than those who don't. So lean back, take a deep breath, and concentrate on peeling a large orange. The 5-minute mindfulness break will ease your mind, and you'll get a bunch of C as well.

• Asparagus. Each tender stalk is a source of folic acid, a natural mood lightener. Dip the spears in fat-free yogurt or sour cream for a hit of calcium with each bite.

• Chai tea. A warm drink is a supersoother, and curling up with a cup of aromatic decaf chai tea (Tazo makes ready-to-brew bags) can make the whole evil day go away.

• Dark chocolate. Okay, there's nothing in it that relieves stress, but when only chocolate will do, reach for the dark, sultry kind that's at least 70% cocoa. You figure if the antioxidant flavonoids in it are potent enough to fight cancer and heart disease, they've got to be able to temper tension's effects.

[jezzie]

Talking About Tubers

C'mon, admit it. You think of potatoes as a complete no-no. All carbs, and no nutrition.

And, yes, you may want to cut back if you're concerned about blood sugar spikes. Just keep in mind that potatoes are also chock-full of over 30 phytochemicals and vitamins.

So a 'tater here and there is nothing to feel bad about.

Fabulous Phenols, and More

Packed with heart-healthy vitamin C, potassium, and phenols like quercetin, the potato may one day prove to be a potent disease-fighter. What's more, spuds are a significant source of chlorogenic acid, shown in some studies to thwart liver cancer.

Prudent Portion

Of course, it's still not smart for your waist or blood sugar to slab a heaping portion of fries or mashed potatoes onto your plate every night, so be sensible when they come around the table.

One of the best ways to get your spud on? Eat half of a baked potato with the skin on, so you get a fiber boost. And drizzle a little olive oil and salsa on top to healthfully balance the glycemic load while still boosting the flavor.

RealAge Benefit: Taking vitamins C and E daily for their antioxidant and antiaging power can make your RealAge up to 1 year younger.

[jezzie]

How to Elevate Oatmeal to Superfood

Drink a glass of this with your oatmeal to help elevate your breakfast to superfood status: orange juice.

Why? The nutrients in oatmeal and OJ work synergistically to provide double the benefits you'd expect from simply adding their powers together.

Food Synergy

The phenols in oatmeal and the vitamin C in OJ both help make LDL more stable -- and that's a good thing, because the more stable LDL is, the less likely it is to rupture, stick to artery walls, and cause this.

But consume the phenols and vitamin C together and they'll stabilize LDL at twice the level expected from adding their effects together. It's like this: 2 + 2 = 8, not 4, when it comes to phenol + vitamin C benefits.

Cast a Wide Net

So how can you take advantage of more food synergies? The best way is to eat a varied diet rich in colorful fruits and veggies, healthy fats, different kinds of whole grains, and few or no processed foods.

This will give nutrients the best shot at meeting up in your body and reinforcing one another as they guard against disease.

RealAge Benefit: Eating a diverse diet that is low in calories and high in nutrients can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.

[jezzie]

•Reel in Inflammation

Help control tissue-damaging inflammatory processes with a bit of fish oil.

Chronic inflammation of body tissues may play a role in the pathology of many diseases, including diabetes and heart disease. However, a new study reveals omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil may help reduce inflammation. Seek out a serving of oily fish such as salmon or tuna each week.

Inflammation is the body's immune response to injury and infection. However, evidence suggests chronic inflammation can damage tissues, contributing to heart and blood vessel disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, and many other conditions.

In a recent study, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), the essential omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil, helped reduce skin and abdominal inflammation. EPA also limited several processes associated with inflammation, such as the movement of immune cells known as dendritic cells and the production of interleukin 12, a chemical messenger that enhances the immune response.

Steer clear of large, long-lived fish, such as sea bass, swordfish, and king mackerel, because they have the greatest likelihood of being contaminated with unacceptably high levels of mercury from the environment.

Safer fish choices include salmon, pollock, sole, and chunk light tuna.

RealAge Benefit: Eating a low-fat diet -- and eating healthful unsaturated fats when you do eat fat -- can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.

[jezzie]

5 Reasons to Relish Tomatoes

You know that rhyme every kid learns how to finish: "An apple a day . . ." Make that “A tomato a day” -- it may be even better at keeping problems away. Although tomatoes have gotten a bit of rotten press lately as their role in reducing the risk of prostate cancer has hit the "lack of evidence" skids, there's still abundant reason to overindulge. Tomatoes are stellar sources of vitamins A and C, folate, potassium, fiber, and all kinds of protective antioxidants.

And organic tomatoes are even better -- when they're grown without chemicals, tomatoes contain much higher amounts of flavonoids, which have antioxidant, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties. Here are five healthy reasons to add tomatoes to breakfast omelets, lunch sandwiches, and dinner sauces and salads:

1. Lower your blood pressure. Try snacking on cherry tomatoes while driving your kid’s carpool or prepping for your Toastmasters speech. These fruits (yes, tomatoes are fruits, not veggies) may keep your blood pressure in check.

In just 8 weeks, people with mild hypertension who got a daily "dose" of tomatoes saw their systolic blood pressures (the top number) drop a whopping 10 points on average, and their diastolic blood pressures (the bottom number) drop by 4 points.

2. Avoid colds and flu. When men who are deficient in carotenoids (like lycopene and beta carotene) drink tomato juice regularly, they bump up their ability to fend off bacteria and viruses. However, the immunity-boosting effects take a while to kick in. So if you start upping your T-juice intake today, you may stay a step ahead of sore throats and colds tomorrow.

3. Save your skin. Who knew this thin-skinned fruit would make a terrific natural sunscreen? But people who include lycopene-rich tomato paste in their diets for at least 10 weeks get much less intense sunburns when they're exposed to UV light -- another reason to enjoy all those tomato-sauced dishes that are staples of Mediterranean diets.

4. Control cholesterol. A tomato a day may keep artery and heart problems at bay. Four weeks of daily tomato munching can increase good HDL cholesterol by 15% while lowering artery-clogging LDL cholesterol.

5. Fight aging. Tomatoes are rich in two spectacular antiaging free-radical squelchers: lycopene and beta carotene. In some cells, these antioxidants reduce free-radical damage to DNA by 42%. Both youth-protecting nutrients are enhanced when tomatoes are heated or eaten with a little fat, like olive oil.

All of these tomato-triggered benefits can reduce your RealAge, but blood pressure is a particular biggie.
Keep it low (115/76 or less) and you can make your RealAge as much as 12 years younger!

[jezzie]

The Six-Meal Diversity Deal
Written by RealAge, Inc., peer-reviewed by Dr. Axel Goetz, April 2004

Are you still stuck in the three-meals-a-day mind-set? Many people get hung up on the misconception that eating anything beyond their allotted three meals per day constitutes a failure of dietary willpower.

Although it's true that eating empty-calorie snack foods between meals is no recipe for health, limiting yourself to the traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner feeding format may not be doing you any favors either.

Forget between-meal snacking. Forget three squares a day. Your new recipe for healthy eating: six is better than three.

It sounds like a contradiction, but with a focus on diversity and proper portion size, eating six mini meals per day instead of three larger meals can help you feel fuller, eat a more varied diet, and be healthier overall.

How to Ditch the Word "Snack"

Your first step in eating six diverse meals is to kick the word "snack" out of your vocabulary.

Keep it regular

Pick six mealtimes and stick to them as best you can. Eating six meals at regular intervals, instead of at sporadic times, may help you burn more calories.
snack often conjures up images of fairly low-nutrition items -- be it chips, pretzels, or a scoop of ice cream. Snacks such as these won't help you lose weight or make your diet any more diverse.

Your second step is to focus on size. Doubling your meals shouldn't double the food you eat each day. Instead, your three big meals become six mini meals. You should continue to take in roughly the same number of calories each day, assuming that you are not currently overeating.

Finally, with six meals per day, each mini meal is an opportunity to reach the ultimate goal of a diverse and balanced diet that includes a proper amount of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats, as well as an appropriate amount of important vitamins and minerals.

More Is Less

The health bonuses of eating more meals are varied. Studies show that people who eat more meals tend to eat a greater variety of foods. They are also more likely to meet their nutritional needs for each day. See the research.

Frequent meal consumption also helps control appetite, which in turn could help you control your weight.

And by breaking up your three big meals into six smaller meals spaced evenly throughout the day, you'll not only eat a more balanced diet and fewer calories, but studies show you may also lower your blood cholesterol and your risk of heart disease.

RealAge Benefit: Maintaining your weight and body mass index at a desirable level can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.

[jezzie]

Don't Space Out

When you eat three square meals per day, the meals are typically spaced too far apart and allow your blood sugar levels to drop down too low. When this happens, the urge to reach for unhealthy snacks and satisfy your cravings can get you in trouble.

Grabbing a quick high-carbohydrate snack may bring your blood sugar levels up quickly, but most likely too quickly, after which they could simply crash once again and leave you searching for your next food fix.

However, as long as the meals are balanced, eating many small meals throughout the day can help stabilize your blood sugar, so you don't get energy highs and lows.

The key to the mini meal approach is to pack your meals with enough nutritional punch and fiber to sustain you, without adding a lot of unnecessary saturated fat and calories.

Fruits with the Most Fiber

Fiber content of fruit g/100g
Figs, dried, uncooked 12.2
Dates, domestic, natural and dry 7.5
Currants, zante, dried 6.8
Raspberries, raw 6.8
Blackberries, raw 5.3
Gooseberries, raw 4.3
Cranberries, raw 4.2
Raisins, seedless 4.0
Kiwifruit, fresh, raw 3.4
Figs, raw 3.3

Choose Foods Your Body Can Use

To keep your blood glucose levels steady throughout the day, focus on foods that will increase blood sugar levels slowly and stably.

Try to include a fiber-rich item, a protein-rich item, or a bit of healthy unsaturated fat in every mini meal in order to sustain your energy over a longer period of time. These kinds of food items digest more slowly and raise blood sugar levels more steadily.

Also, keep your focus on diversity with each mini meal. While you balance your intake of lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats throughout the day, your goal should be to enjoy a number of different items from each food group.

For example, if your morning meal contained protein-rich dairy, get your protein from another source in the afternoon, be it from lean meats such as canned tuna or from vegetable sources such as soymilk, almonds, or red beans. If the fiber-rich carbohydrate in your midday meal was whole-wheat bread, get your fiber fix from a fiber-containing piece of fruit later in the day.

Dynamic Dietary Duos

Your mini meals will be more diverse if you try to include items from at least two different food groups in every meal, at least one of which should be the fruit or vegetable category.

Including at least one piece of fruit or a vegetable in each mini meal not only ensures variety but also can help you meet your RealAge optimum of 4 fruit and 5 vegetable servings per day. Try to avoid mini meals that contain only a single kind of food item.

Pairing certain foods can help maximize the benefits of the six-meal lifestyle. Here are a few examples of great pairings:

* Couple your vegetables with a bit of healthy fat to help your body better absorb the vitamins and minerals. For example, by drizzling olive oil and vinegar on a salad of mixed greens and sliced tomatoes, the olive oil will help your body absorb the lutein in the greens and the lycopene in the tomatoes.
* Pair complex carbohydrates with a protein or healthy fat. The addition of a protein or healthy fat slows down the rate of digestion even more than a complex carbohydrate alone. Try whole-grain bagels with natural peanut butter or dip your whole-grain crackers into spicy hummus. Or add walnuts to a fruit salad, which will help your body use any carotenoids in the fruit.

Healthy Eating Redefined

Eating smaller, more frequent meals is a great way to increase your opportunities to meet nutritional gaps in your daily diet.

Mini meals that incorporate whole-grain foods, colorful fruits and vegetables, lean fish or poultry, low-fat dairy, and unsaturated fats not only will help to stabilize your blood sugar levels but also could help reduce your risk of several diseases, from heart disease and hypertension to diabetes and certain types of cancer.

Saying goodbye to snacks and three squares a day never sounded sweeter. RA

[jezzie]

•Doggone It: Take a Walk!

Have you been eyeing the pooches at the pound? Here's something that might sway your decision: A four-legged friend may help you do more walking.

Dog owners may walk as much as 2 hours more a week than people without a furry friend. Makes sense. When Fido needs to get out and stretch his legs, he lets you know, and on go your walking shoes. Can't have a dog? Here's another way to get walking.

Contingency Plans

Of course, if you're not an animal lover, having a pet you don't like isn't a boon to your stress-less plans. But not to worry. There are plenty of other ways to motivate yourself to walk more:

1. Make a walking date with a friend (It's much harder to talk yourself out of it once you've committed to someone else.)
2. Find a virtual exercise buddy and report your walking activities to him or her each day.
3. Splurge on a virtual trainer. They've now got wristwatch-sized GPS devices that do everything from measuring speed, distance, calories burned, and heart rate to letting you know when your pace has slacked off.
4. Register for a charity walk.
5. Remind yourself of the benefits.

RealAge Benefit: Exercising regularly, expending at least 3,500 calories of energy a week, can make your RealAge 3.4 years younger.

[jezzie]

Relationship Between Activity And Weight Studied Long-Term

Don't slack off on exercise if you want to avoid packing on the pounds as you age.

A consistently high level of physical activity from young adulthood into middle age increases the odds of maintaining a stable weight and lessens the amount of weight gained over time, according to a new analysis from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.

People who reported at least 30 minutes of vigorous activity a day such as jogging, bicycling or swimming were more than twice as likely to maintain a stable Body Mass Index (BMI) over 20 years. BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight.

But even highly active people who gained weight, gained 14 pounds less over 20 years than those with consistently low activity.

Although activity is often recommended as a way to prevent weight gain, this is one of the first studies to examine the relationship between activity and weight by looking at patterns of exercise over a long period of time.

Researchers examined data from over 2,600 participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study to determine if high activity patterns over time were associated with maintaining a stable BMI.

Participants in CARDIA, who were 18 to 30 years old when the study began, have been tracked for
20 years.

"The results will hopefully encourage young people to become more active and to maintain high activity over a lifetime," said Arlene Hankinson, lead author and an instructor in preventive medicine at the Feinberg School.

Hankinson presented her findings on Monday, Nov. 5, at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Fla.

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•All About YOU: The Ultimate Exercise Machine

No gym membership? No problem. You're living in the best gym in the world: your body.

It's all you need to get stronger, leaner, and better equipped to grow younger. So put it to good use! Because the stronger your body, the longer and better your life. Here are two at-home, in-your-body workouts to try. No assembly required.


2 Workouts to Help YOU Stay Young

You can check out these workouts, and more, in the new book YOU: Staying Young, the latest offering from RealAge experts and best-selling authors Mehmet Oz, MD, and Michael Roizen, MD.

1. The You 2 Workout

This workout will stretch and strengthen your muscles, which in turn not only helps you maintain a healthy weight but also does things like build stronger bones. Get step-by-step instructions, including how-to pictures.

2. Chi-Gong Workout

This 2000-year-old workout not only shapes your body but also helps you de-stress and keeps your energy levels high. Check out all 13 moves, then print them out for easy access.


RealAge Benefit: Strength training can make your RealAge 1 year younger

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Water: Don't be fooled by rules

Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence to suggest that drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day will make you healthier. How much water you need depends on many factors, including your body size, how active you are, your age, and your diet.

Although there is probably no danger in following the 8x8 fluid rule, remember that your own individual fluid needs may vary.

In the absence of prostate trouble or urinary incontinence, the pesky problem of chronic trips to the bathroom is a common bane for people who overdo it with fluid intake and could be a sign that you're getting more than you need.

Drink fluids in comfortable amounts. Pay special attention to your fluid intake during warm weather and times of physical exertion or sickness. When you work hard or work out, also remember to monitor your own signs and symptoms of dehydration from time to time, and avoid