Tips

April 2008 - Posts

• Ten Nutrition Tips to Live By

  Drink Plenty of Water. Water dilutes toxins and waste materials and helps remove them from the body.  Your goal should be to drink 64 ounces or eight glasses per day.  Eat Breakfast Every Day. Eating a balanced breakfast gets your metabolism off to a good start.  You also benefit from stimulated brain power and increased energy.  Some good examples include: High fiber bread with natural peanut butter and a piece of fruit. High fiber cereal with low-fat milk topped with sunflower seeds. Egg white and vegetable omelet   Get Some Fiber. Consuming a high fiber diet lowers your risk of heart disease and colon cancer.  Strive for 25 to 35 grams per day.  High fiber foods include beans, lentils, most fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables. Challenge yourself to eat a minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.  Go for color and variety.  Deeper, richer colored fruits and vegetables contain higher amounts of anti-aging oxidants. Go For "Whole" Grain. Whole grains such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta and bread contain more vitamins, minerals, and fiber than their refined counterparts.  Be sure to check the ingredient list for the word "whole" before grain. Replace Unhealthy Fats with Healthy Fats. Cut down on your consumption of trans fats and saturated fats.  Trans fats are found in fried and processed foods like chips, crackers, instant rice and stick margarines.  Foods high in saturated fats include high fat dairy products, high fat beef and pork.  Instead choose fish, turkey, soy and low-fat dairy products as your protein sources. Limit Sugar Intake. Stay away from sodas, candy, baked goods and even juices.  Sugar adds empty calories that lead to weight gain and increases your cravings.  Reduce Salt. Too much salt or sodium causes fluid retention and increases your risk for high blood pressure.  Try seasoning your foods with herbs and spices like black pepper, garlic, and ginger.  Always choose foods with less than 400 milligrams of sodium per serving.  Limit Alcohol. Alcohol increases your appetite, slows down fat burning, adds empty calories and decreases your will power.   Enough said. Pace Yourself. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to get the message that your stomach is full.  Put your fork down between bits and sip water.  Eating small frequent meals throughout the day will keep your metabolism working efficiently.    20/20 Lifestyles Registered Dietitians are available to assist you with your specific nutrition goals.  For more information, contact 425.861.6258. Posted Apr 30 2008, 02:12 PM by 20/20 Lifestyles

• 10 Simple Stress-Busting Tips

  Stress is the body's response to any change that requires a physical, mental or emotional adjustment or reaction.  Managing ongoing stress is critical to maintaining your physical and mental well-being. By adopting and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits, you can develop a stress-resistant mind-set.  Here are 10 simple tips to help you reduce and effectively manage the stress in your life. 1. Exercise, Exercise, Exercise A good workout provides a physical outlet for frustration, anger, and negative energy, while releasing endorphins, a hormone responsible for promoting the feeling of euphoria. 2. Watch What You Are Drinking Drinking coffee and soda throughout the day to stay awake and alert can have a negative effect on your mental health and increase stressful emotions. 3. Take a Nap By taking a quick nap during the day, you can actually reduce stress and enhance cognitive thinking.  Catching some mid-day z's can help you to be more efficient and energetic. 4. Develop a Hobby A fun hobby can give you a much-needed break from worrying about the cause of your stress.  The opportunity to be in control and competent can help you feel more relaxed. 5. Make a List When feeling overwhelmed, take a few minutes to make a list.  And don't be afraid to include everything from work assignments, grocery shopping, laundry, meetings with friends, etc.  This little bit of organization can go a long way toward helping you feel less stressed.  Remember to cross-off tasks upon completion; you'll quickly see how productive you are! 6. Set Aside Time for Yourself Don't put yourself last on your list.  If you spend so much time taking care of others that you're neglecting yourself, try building some ‘alone time' into your schedule. 7. Call a Friend Everyone should have at least one person who can lift their spirits, simply by hearing their voice.  Give them a call - even if it's just to say hello.  It is an easy way to put a smile on your face and relieve some tension. 8. Tickle Your Funny Bone Laughing is great medicine for both body and soul.  Rent a funny movie, record episodes of your favorite sitcom or share jokes with good friends.  Laughing can help trigger the release of endorphins. 9. Write it Down Expressing your feelings is actually one of the best ways to handle stress.  By keeping a journal or personal blog, you can capture your feelings while you're experiencing them.  You don't even have to publish it - by the time you are done writing, those feelings will likely be a thing of the past. 10. Schedule a Massage A soothing massage can relax your muscles as well as your mind. It can also help improve blood circulation and reduce blood pressure. Posted Apr 01 2008, 02:32 PM by 20/20 Lifestyles