YOU on a Diet .....

[jezzie]

•That Knee Ache May Start at Your Hip

Got knee pain? Get hip to the real cause.

In a recent study, 6 weeks of daily exercises that strengthened and stretched the hips helped ease painful knees. So if knee pain has you swearing like a sailor every time you climb stairs, squat, or kneel, it may be time to shore up those hip muscles.

Knees aren't just bony knobs that punctuate the middle of your leg. Each is a complex hinge that moves in only one direction: backward. As long as all the structures that make up the knee joint are stable, you don't even think about it. But let any part of the surrounding leg -- the thighbone or calf bone, the tendons and muscles that surround the knee, or the shock-absorbing cartilage in the joint -- shift out of place and your knees will let you know about it.

A weak hip may be all it takes to trigger that shift. For example, weak abductor and adductor muscles -- your outer and inner hip muscles -- may allow your knee to rotate too far, which makes you yell ouch . . . or worse.

Of course, weak hip muscles are just one possible cause of knee pain. So if you're hurting when you walk, jump, squat, or sit for a while, see your doctor for an evaluation right away.

RealAge Benefit: A physical activity program that builds stamina, strength, and flexibility can make your RealAge as much as 8.1 years younger.

[jezzie]

•Fruitful Weight Loss

Reaching for the fruit bowl more often could help keep your weight from creeping higher.

A recent study analyzing changes in dietary patterns over a period of time revealed that people who consumed more servings of fruit than they did 6 years prior were least likely to have gained weight among the groups studied.

Keep apples, oranges, plums, and pears on hand as ready companions to your weight-maintenance efforts.

Researchers estimate that as much as two-thirds of the U.S. population may be overweight and one-third may be obese. Making healthier food choices over time, such as eating more fruit and decreasing fat intake, may help you avoid an expanding waistline. Whole fruit is a low-calorie treat that is high in antioxidants and important nutrients.

Many kinds of fruit also are high in fiber, a substance that the body digests slowly. This can help curb your appetite and help you feel fuller longer. Other waist-slimming secrets include limiting portion sizes with measuring cups and scales, eating four or five small meals throughout the day to avoid becoming overly hungry, and expending more calories than you take in by gradually boosting the amount of walking you do each day.

RealAge Benefit: Eating a diverse diet that includes 4 servings of fruit per day can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.

[Sweeter-than-Splenda]

Just popping in to say "Hi!"

I'll post more on Monday...it's been VERY busy around here lately!!!

Oh and I just HAD to comment on the PB and raw onion sandwich Jezzie!!! enuff said???

Wishing everyone a great weekend!!!

[jezzie]

I'll post more on Monday...it's been VERY busy around here lately!!!

I'll leave the light on and the door will be open.

I'll have you know that little experiment turned out to be very tasty.
(But I love raw onions)

[jezzie]

[jezzie]

.
Pre-Breakfast:
2 cups half decaf with evaporated milk
almnds

Breakfast:
1 cup oatmeal (dry measure) w/cinnamon
granny smith apple

Snack:
Kashi (honey/almnd/flax) bar
V-8 juice

Lunch:
whole wheat tortilla pizza
salad

Snack:
4 oz. blueberry/pomegranate juice
banana

Dinner:
spicy brown rice and beans
.

[jezzie]

•Something to Relish

Three foods your arteries can't get enough of: onions, celery, and parsley.

Whether you add them to soups, relish dishes, sandwiches, or salads, improving the health of your arteries may be as simple as munching on these flavor boosters. People who eat more flavonoid-rich veggies like these cut their risk of hardening of the arteries -- especially in the legs -- in half.

The health fuel powering these foods comes from flavonoids -- naturally occurring plant compounds that are widely known for their disease-fighting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Yellow onions, parsley, and celery are loaded with flavonoids, though there are other good sources: kale, leeks, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, and blueberries. And most fruits and veggies, as well as tea and red wine, have at least a smattering of them. Flavonoids are potent defenders against peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD), which narrows and hardens arteries in the legs and arms, reducing blood flow.

So the next time you're whipping up tuna or egg salad, mararina sauce or vegetable soup, gazpacho or a dish of crudités, add some extra parsley, onion, and celery. The flavor will hum, and your arteries will, too.

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]

.
Pre-Breakfast:
2 cups half decaf with evaporated milk
almnds

Breakfast:
1 cup oatmeal (dry measure) w/cinnamon, sf syrup
apple

Snack:
tea
banana

Lunch:
whole wheat pasta w/sauce and parmesan
salad

Snack:
1/2 red bell pepper
4 oz. 100% concord grape/cranberry juice

Dinner: (lazy dinner)
sweet potato
celery dipped in cottage cheese
Wasa cracker
.

[jezzie]

•Cheers for Cherries

Health-promoting compounds in cherries could one day help downplay diabetes.

Early research indicates that anthocyanins -- compounds that give cherries their bright red hue -- may help boost secretion of insulin, a hormone important for blood sugar control. Additional sources of anthocyanins include blueberries, raspberries, and other produce with red, blue, or purple hues.

More research is needed to confirm the link between anthocyanins in cherries and insulin secretion. In addition to potential implications for blood sugar control, anthocyanins also may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. If you have diabetes or insulin resistance, keeping your blood sugar under control is a top health concern.

Proven methods of controlling blood sugar include eating low-glycemic index foods and exercising regularly. Some people also need to take insulin regularly. Follow your healthcare provider's advice.

RealAge Benefit: Eating a diverse diet that includes 4 servings of fruit per day can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.

[jezzie]

.
Pre-Breakfast:
2 cups half decaf with evaporated milk
almnds
celery stuffed with cottage cheese

Breakfast:
1 cup oatmeal (dry measure) w/cinnamon, sf syrup

Snack:
tea
banana

Lunch:
whole wheat pasta w/sauce and parmesan
salad

Snack:
plain yogurt w/fruit salad
4 oz. 100% concord grape/cranberry juice

Dinner:
turkey breast
sweet potato
green beans
.

[jezzie]

[jezzie]

•Exercise: The Road to Independence

Having to rely on someone else to help you, let's say, get out of the car when you're older would be a real drag.

An alternative: Pull some weeds, take a walk, hit the gym, or do whatever it is that gets you off the couch. Every hour a week you spend active now reduces by 7 percent your risk of being hobbled in old age.

Now and Later

You may grumble about that hour you spend pulling weeds each week, but it means you'll have a better chance of being able to do life's daily tasks on your own when you're gray on top.

Staying active sure beats needing help with driving, tying your shoes, or cleaning your own home -- although some of us could probably use the housework help, regardless!

Getting physical reduces your chances of disability because, among other things, it builds the muscles, balance skills, and bone strength that you need not only to be mobile but also to protect yourself from injury.

RealAge Benefit: Exercising regularly can make your RealAge as much as 9 years younger.

[Sweeter-than-Splenda]

Just another quick drive by post to say all is well on the YOU front.

I've just been VERY busy with my two kids lately...getting one ready to leave for college and the other one....well, we won't go there! LOL (16 yr old boy) enuff said?

I hope to post more later. Glad to see you are doing well Jezzie.
And thanks for leaving the light on and the door open!

Have a great YOU day!!! Hugs, Rita

[jezzie]

right back atcha

Pre-Breakfast:
2 cups half decaf with evaporated milk
almnds

Breakfast:
1 cup Fiber One w/evaporated milk, cinnamon
apple

Snack:
6 oz. soy milk
banana

Lunch:
whole wheat pasta w/sauce and parmesan
salad

Snack:
4 oz. 100% concord grape/cranberry juice
walnut halves

Dinner:
celery stuffed w/cottage cheese, cinnamon
salmon (baked in garlic, olive oil/vinegar)
asparagus

[jezzie]

•The Fun Way to Control Blood Sugar

If you have type 2 diabetes, you live with a lot of rules -- but here's a fun one you may have missed: Relax more.

Sure, you need to think twice about what you eat, get more exercise, and take your meds. But getting a handle on stress can help lower blood sugar, too. Here's one relaxation strategy that appears to do the trick.

Biofeedback Does It

"Relax!" If you've ever had someone shout that at you, you know it's sometimes easier said than done. Despite your best efforts, you may have trouble dialing it down.

The Stress Effect

Biofeedback may decrease cortisol, a stress hormone linked to insulin resistance. But there's a training technique that can help you: biofeedback. It helps you learn how your body reacts to stress -- typically by employing some kind of sensor tool that monitors muscle tension or skin temperature -- so you can head stress off at the pass.

Body Benefits
Once you've learned the technique, it's yours for life. And it works. People with type 2 diabetes who had 10 sessions of biofeedback and relaxation therapy not only lowered their blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c, but also these levels remained lowered 3 months later.

Bonus: Problems with depression and anxiety dropped, too.

RealAge Benefit: People with diabetes who adopt an aggressive disease management program can make their RealAge as much as 8 years younger.
.

[jezzie]

Pre-Breakfast:
2 cups half decaf with evaporated milk
almnds

Breakfast:
oatmeal w/evaporated milk, cinnamon
banana

Snack:
home made berry smoothie
(organic frozen berries, yogurt, soy milk)

Lunch:
large salad w/tuna
apple

Snack:
V-8
peanut butter on Wasa

Dinner:
celery stuffed w/cottage cheese
mushroom/spinach omelet
.

[jezzie]

•Go Bananas

That handy yellow fruit with the slippery peel could help keep your kidneys healthy.

New evidence suggests that eating bananas regularly may help reduce the risk of kidney cancer. Women in the study who ate the most bananas had the lowest risk of kidney cancer. Root vegetables, such as carrots and beets, and leafy green vegetables also appeared to have a protective effect.

Bananas contain vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Many of these nutrients help regulate heartbeat. Bananas also are high in polyphenols -- antioxidants that neutralize disease-causing free radicals. Slightly unripe bananas probably contain the most polyphenols, which produce a slightly bitter taste in the fruit.

In addition to eating bananas, another way to protect your kidneys is to avoid smoking. Approximately 31,000 new cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed each year in the U.S. and 12,000 people die annually from the disease. Signs of kidney cancer include blood in the urine, unintentional weight loss, back pain, and abdominal pain. If you have any of these symptoms, see your healthcare practitioner.

RealAge Benefit: Eating a diverse diet that includes 4 servings of fruit per day can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.

[jezzie]

•Do Bananas Do a Brain Good?

Grab a banana and say bye-bye to Parkinson's disease? Researchers say it could be so.

Bananas are rich in vitamin B6 -- and very early research suggests that high levels of B6 may protect against Parkinson's. Still, the news is not something to go bananas over just yet. The benefit applied only to smokers in the most recent study. But bananas and B6 do your body good in many other ways.

Vitamin B6 -- along with folate and B12 -- helps reduce levels of homocysteine, an amino acid. That's good for your ticker, because too much homocysteine in the blood appears to up heart disease risk.

Homocysteine also appears to be toxic to nerve cells, and elevated levels have been linked to Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurological disorder that causes muscles to become rigid and shake uncontrollably.

Could B vitamins be the answer? Among nearly 5,000 people studied recently, smokers whose B6 intake was highest were 50 percent less likely to develop the brain disorder over a nearly 10-year period, compared to smokers who consumed the least amount of the vitamin.

And although all three members of the nutrient trio help lower homocysteine, only B6 intake -- not folate or B12 -- translated into reduced rates of Parkinson's, suggesting the B vitamin may lower disease risk by some mechanism unrelated to the lowering of homocysteine.

What's smoking got to do with it? Oddly enough, nicotine may actually protect nerve cells in some way, and B6 may help out in that process.

Of course, that's no reason to light up. But it might be a good reason to peel a banana.

RealAge Benefit: Consuming 4 milligrams of vitamin B6 per day from food or supplements can make your RealAge as much as 1 year younger.

[Sweeter-than-Splenda]

I finally found some time to post!!!

Menu for today:

PB-coffee
kashi snack bar

B- kashi cereal w/skim milk
coffee

S- raisons

L- hamb on ww bun
fruit

S- banana

D- grilled chicken
salad
fruit

Exercise- walked 45 min, did weight machines at gym.

Have a great YOU day! Hugs, Rita

[jezzie]

Good to see you back. Hope life is slowing down a wee bit for you.

Pre-Breakfast:
2 cups half decaf with evaporated milk
celery stuffed w/cream cheese

Breakfast:
1 cup oatmeal (dry measure) w/cinnamon, sf syrup
apple

Snack:
almnds
banana

Lunch:
whole wheat tortilla pizza
salad

Snack:
plain yogurt w/canned peaches
4 oz. 100% concord grape/cranberry juice

Dinner:
turkey breast
sweet potato
spinach
.

[jezzie]

•Healthy Summer Treat: Homemade Ginger Ale

Next time the summer sun has you wilting like a lettuce leaf, skip the store-bought sodas and cool off with this delicious drink: homemade ginger ale.

In addition to being refreshing, the ginger brings health benefits. It's thought to soothe upset stomachs as well as achy joints. Here's how to make ginger ale from scratch.

Homemade Ginger Ale

"For those who suffer from motion sickness or common, garden-variety nausea, ginger is a gift," writes Ellen Michaud in The Healing Kitchen. Ginger also may aid digestion, according to Michaud.

One caveat: If you're taking *one of these medications, (see post below) talk to your doctor before using ginger.

Here's Michaud's ginger ale recipe:

Ingredients
4 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
2 cups water
4 teaspoons honey
2 cups seltzer water
Lemon slices
Ice

1. Finely chop or shred ginger in a food processor or with a hand grater. Boil water and add the ginger to it. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain.
2. Add honey. (More can be added to taste.)
3. Allow mixture to reach room temperature. Pour 1/2 cup in a glass. Add seltzer, a lemon slice, and ice. Stir and serve.

Any leftover drink must be refrigerated or the mixture will begin to ferment and you'll have ginger beer! Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information (per serving): 23 calories; 6 g carbohydrate; 0 g fat; 0 g saturated fat; 0 g fiber; 0 mg cholesterol; 25 mg sodium.

RealAge Benefit: Learning a new RealAge cooking technique every month can make your RealAge up to 6 years younger.

[jezzie]

Ginger

What products might interact with this remedy?

When you take this remedy with other medicines, it can change the way this remedy or any of the medicines work. Vitamins and certain foods may also interact.

Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Before taking this remedy, talk to your health care provider if you are taking:

ACE inhibitors such as enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), fosinopril (Monopril), captopril (Capoten), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), and benazepril (Lotensin)

antacids and medicines used to decrease stomach acid such as sucralfate (Carafate), famotidine (Pepcid), cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), omeprazole (Prilosec), esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid), and pantoprazole (Protonix)

blood-thinning medicines such as aspirin, heparin, ticlopidine (Ticlid), enoxaparin (Lovenox), dalteparin (Fragmin), clopidogrel (Plavix), and warfarin (Coumadin)

beta blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin), pindolol, metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), bisoprolol (Zebeta), and propranolol (Inderal)

calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine (Procardia, Adalat), felodipine (Plendil), amlodipine (Norvasc), diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor), and verapamil (Calan, Isoptin)

diabetes medicines such as insulin, acarbose (Prandase, Precose), acetohexamide (Dymelor), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glimepiride (Amaryl), glipizide (Glucotrol, Glucotrol XL), glyburide (DiaBeta, Micronase), metformin (Glucophage), miglitol (Glyset), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), repaglinide (Prandin), tolazamide (Tolinase), and tolbutamide (Orinase)

digoxin (Lanoxin)

diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide, Oretic) and furosemide (Lasix)

general anesthetics used in surgery

herbs with blood-thinning effects such as angelica, anise, arnica, asafoetida, capsicum, celery, chamomile, devil's claw, ephedra, fenugreek, garlic, ginkgo, Panax ginseng, gotu kola, horse chestnut, horseradish, licorice, papain, psyllium, red clover, turmeric, and willow.

Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, nonprescription, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins) with you. Be sure that you tell all health care providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

Ginger - RealAge Medical Encyclopedia

[jezzie]

•Let's Ear It for Corn

Here's a kernel of information you'll appreciate: That corn on the cob you're cooking on the barbecue comes with a bushel of health benefits.

For starters, the yellow-hued veggie contains soluble fiber, which helps get rid of artery-clogging cholesterol.

Corn also is a supreme source of lutein, an antioxidant that may reduce your risk of colon cancer and age-related vision problems. And, as with beans, corn contains an abundance of the B vitamin, folate, which helps prevent birth defects. Best of all, a single ear of corn contains only 80 calories.

Corn is an excellent source of soluble fiber, which binds with bile, a cholesterol-laden digestive fluid produced by the liver. The body doesn't easily absorb soluble fiber, so as it passes out of the body, it takes the cholesterol with it.

Though you may have heard that oat and wheat bran are the best sources of cholesterol-fighting fiber, studies have shown that corn bran appears to be as effective at lowering cholesterol levels. Furthermore, soluble fiber helps keep the digestive tract running smoothly and decreases the incidence of certain cancers, diverticulitis, and inflammatory bowel disease.

RealAge Benefit: Reducing your total cholesterol to 160 mg/dl or lower can make your RealAge as much as 1 year younger.