Health and Wellness Review

By Ruthan Brodsky

Emotional eating has been a hot topic for at least 15 years when it comes to weight loss. It is not a new term. Advertisers for mac and cheese products have been touting them as comfort foods for years. Chocolate, ice cream, and mashed potatoes with lots of gravy are just some of the comfort foods we consume.

Emotional eating is a term they now use to identify another reason why you may be overweight. It's because you eat when you are stressed, bored or feeling down in the dumps. Eating is a way to suppress those negative feelings. Food becomes your friend and calms you down.

The problem is when food becomes your friend you eat too much, especially high-caloric, sweet, salty and fatty foods. Women are more prone to be emotional eaters than men. Being told to eat less and exercise doesn't work with emotional eaters.

The good news, according to the emotional eating experts, is that if you can find out what triggers that emotion you may be able to stop the eating.

The bad news is if you're going through a divorce or your job is stressful you won't be able to just cut off the emotions or the eating. Those are long term stresses.

Practice mindful eating. Pay focused attention without making judgment about what you're eating and when you eat it. When you focus you become more aware of the feels and thoughts connected with food and eating.

Know your triggers. For the next few days write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you feel when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time you may see patterns that show negative eating patterns and triggers to avoid.

Don't keep unhealthy food around. Take the salty high fat content food out of your pantry and frig. Keep in mind that foods don't have to be drowning with calories and fat to be comforting. A bowl of tomato soup or a cup of hot tea can be chosen.

Exercise regularly and get enough sleep. When your body and mind are well rested and fit you can manage your moods more better!

Figure out how to manage your stress in healthy ways. Learn to develop skills to lower your stress activity. Or you may want to do something aerobically which may also be settling.

I invite you to find more information on successful approaches for a healthy lifestyle by claiming your free report and subscribing to the blog http://www.secretstohealthandaging.com

Ruthan Brodsky has been a free lance writer with a special niche in health and aging for more than 20 years. Her passion is letting people know they can make choices about their environment and their life that will impact their health for years to come.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ruthan_Brodsky

When asked about the H1N1 vaccine, 56% of respondents said they plan to get it this fall, while 18% aren't sure and 26% plan to skip it. However, half worry about it having been adequately tested.

When asked about potential concerns, here's what people had to say:

• 49% worry it may not have been adequately tested.
• 27% are concerned that it contains mercury.
• 25% are concerned about the price.
• 19% worry it may require time-consuming multiple injections.

"I'd just rather other people be test dummies first," said one woman. "My body is not available to financially support the pharmaceutical industry to use as a guinea pig for experimental testing," agreed another.

Here are some more comments:

• "It is an attempt to make a lot of money by Big Pharma. Swine flu doesn't seem to be any more deadly than any regular flu. Vaccines contain many harmful elements which can be worse than the flu."
• "I hope Medicare will pay for it, I'm assuming they will since they pay for regular flu vaccines."
• "I hope it works.  It should be given to young school age children and older adults first.  It should not be so expensive that people who want it can't afford it."
• "I think it's hype to get the government involved in yet another aspect of our lives AND hype to get the medical/pharmaceutical companies or whoever will profit from this some money."
• "Please ask the manufacturers to stop putting mercury in all flu vaccines. I have previously been contaminated with mercury, and I have had to have it medically removed. Why would I now want to put more back in my body?"
• "Who knows what the end results of all of these new vaccines will be on our bodies in years to come."
• "I don't think it is necessary and has more potential harm than benefit."

By Sandra J. Smith

Often we are so involved in our work that eating meals properly seems just impossible. The real problem begins when we start experiencing stomach-related problems such as heartburn or gastric problems. In such a situation, eating antacids comes as an instant solution. However, the regular intake of antacids makes your situation worse by removing important stomach acids that actually promote digestion. You can improve your digestion naturally by making very small changes in your daily routine.

1) First of all, you need to pay attention to your dietary habits. Find time to have lunch from your busy routine. It is important that you choose your diet wisely. For example, rather than gulping a pizza or a hamburger, choose to eat a nutritious meal. Never eat food in a hurry! Rather find a seating place and enjoy home-made food. If you find it difficult to cook a proper meal, just prepare few sandwiches using fresh veggies and carry a fruit with you. Avoid eating fatty foods available at food restaurants. Your lunch menu may include many healthy options such as grilled chicken, vegetable or tuna salad.

2) Avoid overeating! If your body gives you a signal that it's full, you must immediately stop eating.

3) Before leaving for office, just check your food bag! Remove all types of junk foods including chocolate bars, chocolate cookies, or chips.

4) Instead of gulping antacids every now and then, try natural digestive aids such as yogurt and lemon. Include yogurt in your breakfast or lunch as it contains friendly bacteria that promote digestion.

5) Avoid eating foods that cause you digestion problems. There are certain other foods that cause severe food allergy. Some of the foods include wheat, milk, or eggs.

6) Drink plenty of water (7-8 glasses) throughout the day to aid digestion process.

We all face digestion problem sometime or the other in our life, but this problem can be tackled by changing our dietary habits. Just choose healthy foods that suit your body and allow you to live a healthy life.

Sandra J. Smith a famous health and nutrition expert. She shares her secret of losing weight and gaining fitness on food and nutrition.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sandra_J._Smith

By Pat Lowe

To avoid muscle injury it's critical that you carry out a complete set of stretches before and after each workout. Simply stretching out your body's muscles will enhance your flexibility. Regular stretching exercises will permit your muscles to grow accustomed to a variety of movements, which can prevent stress-induced injuries.

It is essential that you breathe normally, refrain from bouncing and pull back from painful stretches. If stretching your muscles causes pain, then you are either doing the exercise wrong or have some kind of pre-existing injury. Read on to learn about the benefits to your major muscle groups of doing stretching exercises.

Back: Your back muscles help you to have good posture and stay in balance so stretching them is very important. Back pain may be prevented through deliberate stretching of the muscles of the back and those nearby, both in the lower and upper regions.

Legs: Stretching the leg muscles helps to ensure you do not pull a hamstring and reduces the likelihood of cramps. This is especially important for those who are involved in sports or pastimes like running, jogging or long walks. This is especially good for people who suffer from leg cramps or pain in the knees or ankles. Leg stretches can also build up suppleness and boost range of motion.

Abs: The abdominal muscles are also an important muscle group that must be included in a daily stretch routine. Increased flexibility, reduced back pain, better posture and improved stability are just a few of the reasons you should be stretching your abs with flexibility exercises The muscles in this group help to keep us upright and mobile.

Arms: Do not forget your arm stretches, especially if you play a sport that is very upper body intensive. Most arm stretches are relatively easy; of course this all depends on your current range of motion and muscle tone. You need to be sure to include your shoulder muscles as you exercise this set of muscles.

In any exercise regimen, stretching your muscles is a major component. Stretching correctly ensures that you won't suffer workout-related injuries. Because the results of flexibility exercises aren't as visible as those from other workouts, you might be tempted to skip them; however it's important that you don't give in to this temptation.

Stretching exercises are one of the most important aspects of total body fitness. The many benefits of this low impact exercise are reason enough for everyone to stretch on a regular basis. Learn more about the benefits of stretching and how to develop an effective routine at the Stretching Routine site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pat_Lowe

Three out of four people in this survey said they usually eat breakfast. Many feel that a morning meal gives them energy throughout the entire day and prevents unhealthy snacking. But some people just don’t have the time or the appetite for food in the morning.

Here are some comments from people who skip breakfast:

• "I have never had a desire for food first thing in the morning."
• "If I eat breakfast, I am hungry all day."
• "Breakfast always made me feel sick. so no breakfast works for me. I am more of a brunch person.  I do have a cup of coffee in the morning."
• "I am a single parent , I have to get my child ready, make sure he eats, make my lunch, by that time it is time to go,,,, there is not enough time for me in the morning."
• "I do drink a slim fast every morning for the protein."

And here are some comments from people who make sure to eat a morning meal:

• "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."
• "I always, always eat a healthy breakfast.  I make sure to have some sort of protein or I will 'crash' soon after.
• "I can't think without breakfast."
• "If I think I am too busy to stop and eat breakfast I run out of energy early and always overeat."
• "I have to eat breakfast in order to take my medicine!"
• "People that goes without breakfast tend to have a mid morning slump or burning in the stomach."
• "For me it helps so I do not get headaches/migraines!"
• "I used to skip breakfast & go for the coffee then hit the snack machine late morning when I got shaky.  Now I find that eating a bowl of oatmeal & some fruit plus coffee tides me over to lunch.  I only wish I could experience the same hunger satisfaction in late afternoon and beyond.  That's when I can't seem to satisfy cravings.  Any ideas on how to carry over the same breakfast effect?"

Do you eat healthy – or do you just think you do? You might be surprised to learn that some foods which you thought were really good for you can actually be quite fattening.

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The 2 fattening foods that I'm going to talk about in this article may actually shock you… most people falsely believe these 2 foods are "healthy". In all of my years working as a Certified Nutrition Specialist, this usually surprises people when I mention they should consider eliminating these foods from their diet.

Everybody these days knows how bad trans fats and high fructose corn syrup are for you, so I figured I'd spare you yet another lecture on those… Instead, read on to see a couple foods that may shock you that they may be packing on the blubber.

The first type of food that is often falsely believed to be healthy is wheat products… this includes most breads, cereals, bagels, muffins, pasta, crackers, and so on. And yes, I am including "whole wheat" in the category of this fattening food.

First of all, a large percentage of the population has some degree of intolerance to the gluten in wheat and some other grains. Full blown celiacs are the most sensitive to it, but what most people don't realize is that the majority of the population was never meant to eat large quantities of wheat. The human digestive system has never adapted to large amounts of wheat in the diet.

The introduction of wheat into the human diet has only been in the last couple thousand years, and it has NEVER been in such large quantities in the human diet until the last 80-100 years. This is a small time frame compared to the traditional diet that the human digestive system developed over several hundred thousand years eating a hunter-gatherer diet of meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

From my experience with many of my clients, when they heed my advice and eliminate wheat from their diet for 2-3 weeks to see if they start to lose weight and feel better, this almost always makes a HUGE difference. Many times, they not only start losing body fat much faster, but they also finally get rid of headaches and indigestion that has plagued them for years. Sometimes even skin problems go away when eliminating wheat from the diet.

The 2nd example of the worst fattening foods that shocks many people because it is thought to be "healthy" is — fruit juice.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not an anti-carb advocate per se… I actually think most fruits are VERY healthy for us. However, we were NOT meant to separate the juice from the rest of the fruit and only drink the high calorie sugary mixture and leave behind the fiber and other beneficial components of the fruit.

When you only drink the juice of fruits (apple juice and orange juice being 2 of the worst culprits in the western diet), you are not getting the appetite satisfying effect of the fiber in the fruit, and you're left craving more carbs. Also, the fiber in whole fruit helps to slow the blood sugar response when eating whole fruit compared to fruit juice.

Bottom line… overconsuming fruit juices makes you fat. On the other hand, eating whole fruits including all of the fiber helps you maintain a healthy balanced diet and high nutrient density (as long as the rest of your diet is whole unprocessed foods as well).

If you want the REAL truth on eating strategically for permanent fat loss, read these 5 tips for Losing Body Fat the smart and effective way.

Enjoy, and good luck with your nutrition endeavors!

Mike Geary -
Certified Nutrition Specialist,
Certified Personal Trainer,
Author of the world-wide best-seller: The Truth about Six Pack Abs

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Geary

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This is important stuff to keep in mind if you’re trying to lose weight! Don’t sabotage your own efforts with fattening foods.

What's required for good nutrition? Well, if you're not sure where to start your healthy diet, take a look at the food pyramid for nutritional inspiration!

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The food pyramid, which is updated in the United States once every five years (the last update was in 2005) is basically a guide which tells you what your nutrition levels should be. The original food pyramid was first printed in 1992 to replace one of the oldest systems of food classification. Although the newer food pyramid is taking into account a lot more in terms of exactly what foods you should be eating it still has quite a bit of way to go till it is anyway perfect.

The unfortunate thing is that today we have more obesity in the Western world than ever before. People are eating rubbish food and not getting enough exercise. The food-pyramid is a basic synopsis of the daily intakes of all the different food types that you should be having. The new food pyramid also includes sections on the amount of exercise you should be taking.

For instance, the new food-pyramid tells you that you should have about 30 minutes a day of between moderate and vigorous exercise. It explains the difference between moderate exercise and vigorous exercise. One of the things that it promotes as moderate exercise is brisk walking, which it defines as walking at around 3 1/2 mph. One of the examples of vigorous physical exercise is walking very fast which it classifies as being over 4 1/2 miles per hour. You can also see food pyramids for children, food pyramids for vegetarians, even cultural food pyramids for different types of diet, for instance Chinese food pyramid.

The food pyramid is an excellent resource to enable anyone to choose the correct types of food to be eating. But in recent years is also telling you how to exercise properly. This is very important because without exercise we are still going to become unhealthy. The food pyramid has a great place in our lives and in our homes. It should be placed in a prominent position where everyone can benefit from the wonderful advice that it gives. Although it is not perfect, it gives nobody the excuse to say that they did not know how to look after themselves. If you follow this advice then you will be healthy and fit.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Isobel_Paolini

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Remember, good nutrition is only one of the things required for overall health and wellness. Don't overlook exercise or regular medical check-ups!

In this survey about sunscreen, one third of respondents said they only wear sun protection when at the beach or pool. Another 29% apply sunblock when they will be outside for a while.

At the extremes, 19% say they wear it every day, while 17% say they never do.

"People need to get over their prejudices on being pale," declared one woman. "Pale skin is by far the most beautiful skin!"

"If sunscreen wasn't so messy, I would wear it more often," said one person. Agreed another, "I do not like sunscreen, as it is very greasy."

Many people, particularly women, use daily moisturizers, and some of these products include UV protection. Said one woman, "I wear stuff on my face with sunscreen in it everyday, but only wear it elsewhere when at the beach or pool."

Ever heard of a "swine flu party"? Well, if you receive an invitation to one, you might want to have other plans that evening!

It's a new concept, and one that hopefully won't be around for long. The idea behind swine flu parties is that someone who has been diagnosed with H1N1 flu invites a bunch of friends over so they can all catch the virus.

Having a hard time following that logic?

Some people believe that H1N1 influenza will mutate to become a more dangerous disease; in fact, health officials are concerned that a bigger, badder swine flu could be a serious global health threat this fall.

So, the tortured logic goes, if you get swine flu right now – while it's not a terribly serious disease – you'll be protected this fall when the virus turns more deadly.

Let's point out a few serious flaws in this argument:

1. In its current form, swine flu can kill a healthy young person. Infecting yourself on purpose would be a significant health risk.
2. There's no guarantee that swine flu will go nuclear and turn into a deadly disease.
3. If it does, there may be flu vaccines to protect you.
4. Even people who've been infected with the current form won't necessarily be immune to a mutated form of the virus.

Risk analysis says… Swine flu parties are not a healthy idea!

What percentage of adults in each state have smoked cigarettes in the past month? Well, "Tobacco Country" may still be alive and well!

Kentucky and West Virginia lead the pack, with about 1 in 3 adults smoking cigarettes.

States with most cigarette use

1. Kentucky: 33%
2. West Virginia: 32%
3. Oklahoma: 31% 
4. Missouri: 31%
5. South Dakota: 30%
6. Arkansas: 30% 
7. Ohio: 29%
8. Louisiana: 29% 
9. Mississippi: 28%
10. Tennessee: 28%

View complete statistics