Health

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Physical activity reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression and equips you to handle stressors encountered in everyday life.
Pain is linked to depression, according to studies by the National Pain Foundation, which reports that 30% of patients with persistent pain conditions suffer from clinical depression. What may be more surprising, 75% of people with depression develop symptoms that include pain. What helps? Meditation, yoga and other relaxation techniques can be helpful with pain management.
Exercise shows strong potential for fighting Parkinson's disease, according to a 2007 report by the American Academy of Neurology and researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health. In a 10-year study of 143,000 people, those who engaged in daily moderate to vigorous exercise for at least 30 minutes were 40% less likely to get the disease than those with little or no exercise.
Nutritian Basics
Proteins are the basic building blocks of the body and provide the raw materials for growth and regeneration and repair (20-30% of diet)
Carbohydrates are the basic fuel of the body and provide the body with its most efficient fuel source.
(50-60% of diet)
Fats, too, are a potential source of energy but are considerably less efficient in providing the type of energy used for sport and is really only used as a last resort. (25% of diet)
A balance of all 3 needs to be achieved.
Too little of one or too much of another can adversely affect the metabolism and lead to less than optimal performance.
Even more important, Fluid Replacement
Fluids facilitate the transport and use of energy sources within the body.
There is considerable data now available that as little as 2% dehydration can significantly reduce energy utilization and thus performance.
If you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated.
Drink 16-20 oz of water before practice, 7-10 oz every 20 minutes during and more after practice.
Vitamin B
Oregon State University researchers found that athletes with Vitamin B-enriched diets perform better during high intensity exercise than those who lacked B-vitamins. The study also showed that B-vitamins helped build and repair muscle after exercise. According to the researchers, for active individuals, even a marginal deficiency may impact the body's ability to repair itself, to operate efficiently and fight disease. Vitamin B is found in enriched grains, dark green vegetables, bananas, potatoes, turkey, tuna and, best of all, beer. source link -www.sportsoutload.com
Mix up your choices within each food group.
Focus on fruits. Eat a variety of fruits?Äîwhether fresh, frozen, canned, or dried?Äîrather than fruit juice for most of your fruit choices. For a 2,000-calorie diet, you will need 2 cups of fruit each day (for example, 1 small banana, 1 large orange, and 1/4 cup of dried apricots or peaches).
Vary your veggies. Eat more dark green veggies, such as broccoli, kale, and other dark leafy greens; orange veggies, such as carrots, sweetpotatoes, pumpkin, and winter squash; and beans and peas, such as pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, split peas, and lentils.
Get your calcium-rich foods. Get 3 cups of low-fat or fat-free milk?Äîor an equivalent amount of low-fat yogurt and/or low-fat cheese (1¬? ounces of cheese equals 1 cup of milk)?Äîevery day. For kids aged 2 to 8, it's 2 cups of milk. If you don't or can't consume milk, choose lactose-free milk products and/or calcium-fortified foods and beverages.
Make half your grains whole. Eat at least 3 ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta every day. One ounce is about 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of breakfast cereal, or ¬? cup of cooked rice or pasta. Look to see that grains such as wheat, rice, oats, or corn are referred to as "whole" in the list of ingredients.
Go lean with protein. Choose lean meats and poultry. Bake it, broil it, or grill it. And vary your protein choices?Äîwith more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds.
Know the limits on fats, salt, and sugars. Read the Nutrition Facts label on foods. Look for foods low in saturated fats and trans fats. Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little salt (sodium) and/or added sugars (caloric sweeteners).
Find your balance between food and physical activity.
Becoming a healthier you isn't just about eating healthy?Äîit's also about physical activity. Regular physical activity is important for your overall health and fitness. It also helps you control body weight by balancing the calories you take in as food with the calories you expend each day.
- Be physically active for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
- Increasing the intensity or the amount of time that you are physically active can have even greater health benefits and may be needed to control body weight. About 60 minutes a day may be needed to prevent weight gain.
- Children and teenagers should be physically active for 60 minutes every day, or most every day.
CONSIDER THIS: If you eat 100 more food calories a day than you burn, you'll gain about 1 pound in a month. That's about 10 pounds in a year. The bottom line is that to lose weight, it's important to reduce calories and increase physical activity.
Get the most nutrition out of your calories.
There is a right number of calories for you to eat each day. This number depends on your age, activity level, and whether you're trying to gain, maintain, or lose weight.* You could use up the entire amount on a few high-calorie items, but chances are you won't get the full range of vitamins and nutrients your body needs to be healthy.
Choose the most nutritionally rich foods you can from each food group each day?Äîthose packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients but lower in calories. Pick foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products more often.
* 2,000 calories is the value used as a general reference on the food label. But you can calculate your number at www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines.
NUTRITION: To know the facts
Most packaged foods have a Nutrition Facts label. For a healthier you, use this tool to make smart food choices quickly and easily. Try these tips:
?Ä¢ Keep these low: saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, and sodium.
?Ä¢ Get enough of these: potassium, fiber, vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron.
?Ä¢ Use the % Daily Value (DV) column when possible: 5% DV or less is low, 20% DV or more is high.
Check servings and calories. Look at the serving size and how many servings you are actually consuming. If you double the servings you eat, you double the calories and nutrients, including the % DVs.
Make your calories count. Look at the calories on the label and compare them with what nutrients you are also getting to decide whether the food is worth eating. When one serving of a single food item has over 400 calories per serving, it is high in calories.
Don't sugarcoat it. Since sugars contribute calories with few, if any, nutrients, look for foods and beverages low in added sugars. Read the ingredient list and make sure that added sugars are not one of the first few ingredients. Some names for added sugars (caloric sweeteners) include sucrose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, maple syrup, and fructose.
Know your fats. Look for foods low in saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol to help reduce the risk of heart disease (5% DV or less is low, 20% DV or more is high). Most of the fats you eat should be polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Keep total fat intake between 20% to 35% of calories.
Reduce sodium (salt), increase potassium. Research shows that eating less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium (about 1 tsp of salt) per day may reduce the risk of high blood pressure. Most of the sodium people eat comes from processed foods, not from the saltshaker. Also look for foods high in potassium, which counteracts some of sodium's effects on blood pressure.
Link - http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/brochure.htm
A Better Frame of mind
Being physically active reduces the symptoms of anxiety and depression and makes you better equipped to handle stressors you encounter in everyday life. Being active and healthy while helping your community is a great way to feel good about yourself and to make friends. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that individuals who volunteer have a higher likelihood of getting the recommended amounts of physical activity. So help yourself by helping your community.
Improving Cardiovascular Endurance
Target: Your Heart
Any activity that moves your whole body or uses large muscle groups can improve cardiovascular endurance. Cardiovascular (cardio) activities exercise the heart by increasing your breathing and heart rate. They improve the ability of the circulatory and respiratory systems to supply oxygen during sustained physical activity. Examples of activities that build cardiovascular endurance include walking, running, riding a bicycle, swimming, aerobics classes, and using cardio equipment (treadmill, elliptical trainer).
Improving Flexibility
Target: Your Joints and Muscles
Being flexible means that you can move joints and use muscles through their full range of motion. This is important as you bend, reach, and twist in the movements you perform while engaging in your favorite activity, work, or tasks at home. Specifically, low back and upper leg flexibility is key to preventing low back pain. Stretching is an activity you can do on a regular basis and provides many benefits. As with any activity, improperly performing a stretch can cause injury, so be sure to remember the following:
?Ä¢ Ease into a stretch and hold each stretch in a static position for 10-20 seconds.
?Ä¢ Never bounce.
?Ä¢ Stretch to the point of resistance, but not until it hurts. If it hurts, you?Äôve gone too far.
?Ä¢ Don?Äôt rush through a stretching routine. Five to ten minutes is all it takes before and after a workout. Use that time to prepare mentally for the activity ahead or to reflect on what you just accomplished!
Link - http://www.fitness.gov/50thanniversary/Physical%20Activity-The%20Magic%20Pill.pdf
10 Tips to healthy eating and physical activity for you.
1. Start your day with breakfast.?Ä®Breakfast fills your "empty tank" to get you going after a long night without food. And it can help you do better in school. Easy to prepare breakfasts include cold cereal with fruit and low-fat milk, whole-wheat toast with peanut butter, yogurt with fruit, whole-grain waffles or even last night's pizza!
2. Get Moving!?Ä®It's easy to fit physical activities into your daily routine. Walk, bike or jog to see friends. Take a 10-minute activity break every hour while you read, do homework or watch TV. Climb stairs instead of taking an escalator or elevator. Try to do these things for a total of 30 minutes every day.
3. Snack smart.?Ä®Snacks are a great way to refuel. Choose snacks from different food groups - a glass of low-fat milk and a few graham crackers, an apple or celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins, or some dry cereal. If you eat smart at other meals, cookies, chips and candy are OK for occasional snacking.
4. Work up a sweat.?Ä®Vigorous work-outs - when you're breathing hard and sweating - help your heart pump better, give you more energy and help you look and feel best. Start with a warm-up that stretches your muscles. Include 20 minutes of aerobic activity, such as running, jogging, or dancing. Follow-up with activities that help make you stronger such as push-ups or lifting weights. Then cool-down with more stretching and deep breathing.
5. Balance your food choices - don't eat too much of any one thing.?Ä®You don't have to give up foods like hamburgers, french fries and ice cream to eat healthy. You just have to be smart about how often and how much of them you eat. Your body needs nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fat and many different vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C and A, iron and calcium from a variety of foods. Balancing food choices from the Food Guide Pyramid and checking out the Nutrition Facts Panel on food labels will help you get all these nutrients.
6. Get fit with friends or family.?Ä®Being active is much more fun with friends or family. Encourage others to join you and plan one special physical activity event, like a bike ride or hiking, with a group each week.
7. Eat more grains, fruits and vegetables.?Ä®These foods give you carbohydrates for energy, plus vitamins, minerals and fiber. Besides, they taste good! Try breads such as whole-wheat, bagels and pita. Spaghetti and oatmeal are also in the grain group. ?Ä®Bananas, strawberries and melons are some great tasting fruits. Try vegetables raw, on a sandwich or salad.
8. Join in physical activities at school.?Ä®Whether you take a physical education class or do other physical activities at school, such as intramural sports, structures activities are a sure way to feel good, look good and stay physically fit.
9. Foods aren't good or bad.?Ä®A healthy eating style is like a puzzle with many parts. Each part -- or food -- is different. Some foods may have more fat, sugar or salt while others may have more vitamins or fiber. There is a place for all these foods. What makes a diet good or bad is how foods fit together. Balancing your choices is important. Fit in a higher-fat food, like pepperoni pizza, at dinner by choosing lower-fat foods at other meals. And don't forget about moderation. If two pieces of pizza fill you up, you don't need a third.
10. Make healthy eating and physical activities fun!?Ä®Take advantage of physical activities you and your friends enjoy doing together and eat the foods you like. Be adventurous - try new sports, games and other activities as well as new foods. You'll grow stronger, play longer, and look and feel better! Set realistic goals - don't try changing too much at once.
Link - http://www.fitness.gov/10tips.htm

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