Food, INC DVD

If one of your New Years resolutions is to eat better, you may want to buy this DVD. It was featured on the Oprah Show today. Amazon.com is selling it at a discount until midnight Friday. You can also download the digital version as well.

"Food, Inc. lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing how our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. Food, Inc. reveals surprising and often shocking truths about what we eat, how it's produced and who we have become as a nation."

Alicia Silverstone was also on the show talking about her diet and book "The Kind Diet" and some really good recipes. She makes a Mexican dip that looks and sounds really good and mouth watering oatmeal cookies.

The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet

Hurry to get your copy of Food Inc before you have to pay full price.

Healthy Tips from other Blogs

I was going through some of my favorite blogs and I found a couple of articles that would interest you.

It looks like I am not the only one having problems getting those 10,000 steps in, in a day. Frugal Dad has put together some tips of his own.

WiseBread has a blog roundup of her own going that has some really good tips like making your own cough drops and a simple recipe for breakfast to go.

Eating Late At Night

Here is an interesting little note that I found in the February Issue of O Magazine (yes another tidbit from a really good issue). This is on the warning we have heard for years, eating before you go to bed makes you fat. FALSE!!!!

It has been proven that people who eat late at night do not get fat. It is what you eat and the amount of food you eat that makes you fat.

Researchers at the University of Texas had 867 people keep a diet diary. It turned out that people who ate more in the morning ate fewer calories overall. People who ate late at night ate more calories overall.

Typically, people who eat late at night are not postponing dinner, they are snacking on junk food or adding calories with alcohol.

The myth has been busted. It is not when you eat, but how much you eat. If you burn more calories than you eat you will lose weight. If you eat more calories than you burn you will gain weight.

Interesting Facts to Help You Stay Healthy

Yes, this is more information from the February Issue of O Magazine. I have to admit that I have 3 years of O Magazines that I have not read. This year I have decided to at least look at the contents. As usual, I found a lot of information that I am interested in. This is the only magazine that I buy. Ok, enough free advertising and on to the information.

- Evidentally Nestled has come out with goat-milk ice cream. It contains less water and more minerals than cow's milk. Goats are free of antibiotics and growth hormone. And it has half the fat of the regular cow's milk brands. I may have to try some of this.

- Consuming more than 74 grams of fructose a day can raise your risk of hypertension.

- Zero-Calorie soda can put you at risk of kidney disease. Scientists from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston studied 3,000 women over an eleven year period and found that those who drank two cans or more of diet soda doubled their chances of accelerated kidney decline. Kidney normally declines with age, but speeding up the process could increase the risk of kidney failure.

- A Spanish study of more than 10,000 men and women found that those who ate a diet high in olive oil, fruits, veggies, nuts, legumes, cereals, and fish were 30 percent less likely to develop depression. The Mediterranean diet improves the health of the inner lining of the blood vessels and synthesizes substances important to brain function. This is the third time this diet has come to my attention. I think that I will have to check it out.

12 Ways to Improve Your Family's Health

Here is the last installment of Dr. Oz's Best Tips from the February Issue of O Magazine.

12 Ways to Improve Your Family's Health

1. Quench Cravings with Water. Sometimes it is hard to differentiate from hunger and dehydration. So have some water with fruit for a snack.

2. "Scrub up like a surgeon. Every time you enter your house, wash your hands - including your wrists, the backs of your hands, and underneath your fingernails - with soap for at least 15 to 20 seconds." This is to get rid of germs from cold and flu.

3. Eat more meals together. Studies have shown that kids who eat dinner with their families tend to eat less fried food, drink less soda, and consume more fruits and veggies. They also keep the lines of communication open and strong.

4. Pick the right doctor for your family. Go to www.abms.org to find a board-certified physician that best fits your family needs.

5. Stop wearing shoes indoors. Shoes track in dirt, germs, pesticides, smoke. dust, mites, allergens, and toxins into your house. University of Arizona found that the outsides of or shoes contain an average of 421,000 bacteria. Keep a pair of house shoes by your door to only wear in your house.

6. Use a Humidifier. This is something I have learned from my parents. We just bought a steam humidifier for our new furnace. Dry air can crack mucous membranes which lead to colds and throat infections.

7. Stretch. Flexibility will make daily activities much easier and less tiring. It also improves circulation and range of motion which keeps you balanced and prevents falls. When you get out of bed in the morning stand with your feet three feet apart, hips directly over your ankles. Interlace your hands behind your back and straighten your arms. Inhale and draw your shoulder blades toward each other, then exhale and bend forward at the pelvis. Allow your arms to move down toward your head. Hold for ten seconds, take three to five deep breaths. To release, unclasp your hands and place them on your thighs, bend your knees slightly and roll back up.

8. Upgrade your sunscreen. Use products that protect against both UVB rays and UVA rays. SPF only applies to UVB rays, so check for a UVA-blocking agent like avobenzone.

9. Teach your family to give back. Volunteering has been linked to increased life expectancy, greater life satisfaction, and reduced rates of depression. Go to www.servicenation.org or www.serve.gov.

10. Check Your Air Quality. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in America. The gas can get trapped in your house. For more info go to www.epa.gov/radon/whereyoulive.html.

11. Buy smaller plates. This is what The Biggest Looser recommends as well. A great way to help you with portion control.

12. Feed your dog organic. Just like people food, dog food is full of chemicals that can cause the same diseases as humans.

Save Your Heart

Here are 8 ways to Save Your Heart from Dr. Oz's article in February Issue of O Magazine.

1. Get At Least Seven Hours of Sleep. I know this is very hard for me if I want to get to the gym in the morning and get everything I need to do done in the evening. But sometimes I just have to just forget everything else and go do bed. I know that I feel better, get a better workout, and function better at work if I get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep.

2. Know your blood pressure. I don't usually have to worry about this, but a lot of my family members do. A range of 120/80 to 130/85 is considered below the hypertension point, but not ideal. Lowering your blood pressure to 115/76 can add 10 years to your life.

3. Avoid secondhand smoke. This has been hard for me the last couple of days and I feel like crap and I stink. I am so glad that in Illinois this is becoming less of an issue. An hour of passive smoke can cause the same amount of aging as having two to four cigarettes.

4. Walk 30 minutes a day. A Harvard study suggests that for every hour you exercise you gain two hours of life.

5. Eat Fish Three Times A Week. Omega-3 oils keep your hear and arteries healthy. If you don't like fish, try an ounce of walnuts.

6. Take Half and Aspirin a Day. I was surprised that my doctor told me to start taking an 81mg aspirin a day a couple of years ago. I have a low a gene that depletes my body of Folic Acid which could eventually cause heart problems down the road. So now I take extra Folic Acid and an aspirin a day.

7. Live within your means. Feeling out of control financially can affect not only sleep but arterial health from chronic stress. For more help on this issue go to www.frugalsister.com.

8. "Floss and brush your teeth. Any chronic infection (including gingivitis) stimulates your body to protect against bleeding with an increase in clotting - a recipe for heart attacks."

Keep Your Brain Sharp

Here are Dr. Oz's Best Tips to Keep your Brain Sharp. These tips are from the best of Dr. Oz in the February issue of O Magazine.

5 Ways to Keep Your Brain Sharp

1. Eat more fresh vegetables. Vegetables start loosing nutrients as soon as they are picked. To get the most out of your veggies, eat them as soon as possible. I know right the best you can do is get them from the store.

2. Play mind games. I know that Margaret and our niece Nicole play games every week. I just work on code for web sites. I need to make it a point to go to Margaret's more often to play games with her and Nicole.

3. Sign Up for Dance Lessons. One of my friends has started Salsa Dancing and she says that is the best workout ever. A group of my girlfriends are wanting to get a group together to take line dancing lessons.

4. "Wear a helmet. Since the brain has the consistency of a hard-boiled egg, bruising it even mildly can have a significant impact on memory."

5. Drink Red over White. Drinking one glass of red wine a night can help prevent buildup of plaque. Plaque in the brain can build up between the nerves and cause communication problems.

Dr. Oz's Best Tips

Going through the February issue of O Magazine I found a really nice insert from Dr. Oz. Here are some of Dr. Oz's best tips.

7 Ways to Reduce Stress

1. Take more restroom breaks. It is the best place where no one will follow you at home or work. Take a five minute break in the restroom and do some deep breathing.

2. Show up five minutes early. Being an early bird will kill stress by giving you more control over your day and your commitments.

3. Change your stress eating. The best stress reducing foods are berries and pistachios.

4. Don't Stress Drink. Alcohol can keep you from getting a really good night sleep which can lead to more stress because you are tired.

5. Exercise. Exercise releases tension and increases your levels of "feel-good" endorphins.

6. Watch a comedy. Laughing can reduce stress hormones.

7. Do something with a friend. Socializing releases oxytocin, a chemical that can help combat stress hormones and lower your blood pressure.

Come back tomorrow for "5 Ways to Keep Your Brain Sharp".

10 Weird Health Clues

I came across this article a couple of weeks ago. These are just some fun things that you can look at. The 10 weird health clues are some interesting facts about your body that scientist studies have connected to health issues.

- People who's index finger is shorter than the ring finger are more prone to osteoarthritis in the knees.

Prevent it: Strengthen the muscles surrounding your knees. While sitting, straighten each leg parallel to the floor 10 times; hold each rep for 5 to 10 seconds.

- Women who are taller than 5 foot 2 inches are less likely to live to their 100th birthday.

Prevent it: Take a page from the habits of California's Seventh-day Adventists, who have one of the highest concentrations of centenarians: Quit smoking, and cut back on alcohol and eating meat.

- Stocky legs may indicate liver problems. Legs between 20 - 29 inches have higher enzymes that may cause liver issues.

Prevent it: Avoid exposure to toxins your liver has to process, which will keep it healthier, longer. Wear a mask and gloves while cleaning or working with any type of harsh chemical. Limit alcohol intake to one 5-ounce glass of wine or 12-ounce bottle of beer daily.

- Older adults who couldn't identify the scent of bananas, lemons, cinnamon, or other items were five times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease within 4 years.

Prevent it: Take fish oil supplements. Omega-3 fatty acids can boost your brain's resistance to MPTP, a toxic compound responsible for Parkinson's.

- If your are span is less than 60 inches you are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. To find your arm span, stand with our arms straight parallel to the floor. Then have someone measure from finger tip to finger tip.

Prevent it: It has been proven by scientific study that those who challenge their brain are 2.5 times less likely to develop Alzheimer's. Find a crossword puzzle or sodoku. I just try to put together web site code everyday.

- Wrinkle in one or two of your ear lobs may indicate heart issues.

Prevent it: Keep your heart healthy in other ways: Slim down, and lower your cholesterol and blood pressure.

- Adults who have larger abdomens in their 40s are up to 3.6 times as likely to develop dementia in their 70s, even if they weren't overweight, according to a 2008 study published in the journal Neurology. One possible reason for the link is that compared with subcutaneous fat (the noticeable fat that lies just below the skin), visceral fat (the dangerous fat that surrounds the organs) secretes more of the inflammatory hormones that are associated with cognitive decline.

Prevent it: Eat a portion-controlled "Mediterranean-style diet." Research shows that the monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in foods such as olives, nuts, seeds, avocado, and dark chocolate prevent the accumulation.

- A D cup may also spell diabetes: Women who wore a bra size D or larger at age 20 were 1.5 times more likely to develop type 2 than those who wore an A or smaller, even after researchers adjusted for obesity, diet, smoking, and family history, in a 10-year study.

Prevent it: Incorporate high-intensity intervals into your exercise routine. In one study, adults who did six 30-second sprints on an exercise bike (resting 4 minutes in between) improved their body's ability to metabolize blood sugar by nearly 25% after six sessions — enough to lower their risk of diabetes.

- Though it sounds counterintuitive, a 2009 French study in the journal Stroke found that women with small calves (13 inches or less around) tended to develop more carotid plaques, a known risk factor for stroke. The subcutaneous fat in larger calves may pull fatty acids from the bloodstream and store them where they are less of a risk factor, say researchers.

Prevent it: No need to bulk up your gams, but sip green tea to stay heart healthy. In a study of more than 40,500 Japanese men and women, those who drank five or more cups of green tea every day had the lowest risk of dying of heart disease and stroke.

- Do you know what your blood type is? Well, people with type A, B, or AB were 44% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those with type O.

Prevent it: Take a vitamin D supplement. Adults who consumed 300 IU or more daily reduced their pancreatic cancer risk up to 44%, compared with those who consumed less than 150 IU daily in a 2006 study. Fortified low-fat dairy and fish like salmon are the best ways to get D from food.

So far I am doing everything I need to do to prevent my issues according to my body shape. How about you? Well, I need to increase the intensity of my exercise routine, but at least I am exercising.

31 Day Jumpstart

I am very excited that the next Season of the Biggest Loser starts on Tuesday. That always gets me motivated. One other thing that will help me stay motivated is the MSNBC 31 day eating healthy tips from Prevention.

I found that I need constant reminder of my goals, so this calendar and working on this blog will help me this year to keep my weight loss goal in front of me.

Today's tip is to keep a food journal. You would be surprised to find out how munch food you put into your mouth every day. The other tip is to carve out a 20 minute walk at moderate to fast speed 3 times a week. There is also a link to 10 ways to ignite your calorie burn.

Since I am driving to work these days, I am taking advantage of the free gym again. It is really nice to workout with weight machines. I have been going for the last couple of weeks. I like being back in the gym again and I plan to keep it up this year.

Try to find at least 3 motivators (books, tv show, articles, etc) to keep you motivated and reach your goals this year.