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Go NUTS! Walnut, the best for your heart

March 29, 2011 / Staff

Pound for pound and dollar for dollar nuts are your best nutritional value at the market. Try to avoid cooking nuts because that will diminish their nutritional value but do be sure and add them at any opportunity; salads, cereal, oat meal, ice cream, and whatever else you enjoy.

The researchers from University of Scranton, in Pennsylvania, US say these antioxidants are also up to 15 times more potent than vitamin E. Antioxidants are known to help protect the body against disease. Study leader Dr Joe Vinson said, “A handful of walnuts contains almost twice the antioxidants as any other commonly consumed nut…But unfortunately, people don’t eat a lot of them.” Some people avoid nuts as they are thought to be high in fat but Dr Vinson said they had no link to weight gain.
Nuts are healthy and nutritious, containing high-quality protein, lots of vitamins and minerals as well as dietary fibre. They are also dairy and gluten-free. Earlier studies have shown that regular consumption of small amounts of nuts can reduce the risk of heart disease, some types of cancer, type two diabetes and other health problems.
Dr Vinson also said “The heat from roasting nuts generally reduces the quality of the antioxidants…People usually eat walnuts raw or unroasted, and get the full effectiveness of those antioxidants.”

Nutrition

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The Best Hospitals in the US by Rank

March 28, 2011 / Staff

Finding the best hospital for your needs can be difficult. Thanks to US News.com for taking the time to select the best hospitals by rank out of the nearly 5,000 which were considered.

That is why U.S. News has published the Best Hospitals rankings for 21 years: to help guide patients who need high-stakes care because of the complexity or difficulty of their condition or procedure. For 2010-11 we analyzed 4,852 hospitals, virtually every one in the United States, in 16 specialties from cancer and heart disease to respiratory disorders and urology. Only 152 centers appear in even one of the 16 specialty rankings. Fourteen ultra-elite Honor Roll hospitals had very high scores in six or more specialties.

Hospitals

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Sleep tips from Dilbert’s brain

March 24, 2011 / Staff

One of the best ways to improve your overall health is to get more sleep on a regular basis. Unfortunately, many people have sleep problems, and some are tied to other medical conditions.

If sleep problems persist, you should consult your doctor. That said, some people can improve their sleep habits and fall asleep faster with simple techniques.

Here’s a great suggestion on falling asleep from Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert. Basically, don’t think in words when you hit the sack – think in images as well. It sounds very simple, but it makes a ton of sense as you are basically shutting off one portion of your brain.

Give it a try!

Wellness

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Walking your way to weight loss

March 23, 2011 / Staff

If you really want to lose weight and feel better, getting started should be easier than you think. Many people get intimidated by the thought of going to the gym and radically changing your diet. While those might be great ideas, they mean nothing if the notion of an intense workout and diet prevent you from doing anything at all.

Start with the basics. Get off the couch and start walking!

When it comes to weight control, almost nothing is easier and cheaper than brisk walking.
Going for a walk every day can improve mood, increase energy, lower blood pressure and protect against diabetes, osteoporosis and cancer.
But to reap these benefits, you need to get the lead out and put some spring in your step.
It’s not window shopping or taking a stroll in the park. Walk like you’re late for the bus.
You should be able to carry on a conversation, but you’ll be a little breathless when you talk, says Miriam Nelson, director of the John Hancock Research Center on Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Prevention at Tufts University in Boston.

Some of you may feel that you’re so out of shape that even brisk walking makes you nervous. Well, don’t feel like you have to walk like this from the beginning. Just get out of the house and walk around the block. Then, do it again in the next day or two, but walk a little further. Just moving a little will make you feel better, and then you’ll feel more excited about walking regularly and walking more briskly.

Check out the entire article for more information on how 3 MPH is the threshold for brisk walking.

Nutrition, Research, Wellness

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Are you in good enough shape for sex?

March 22, 2011 / Staff

There are plenty of obvious reasons to stay in good shape, but this information might give you even more motivation:

People who don’t exercise on a regular basis, and then have episodes of intense exercise or sex are more likely to experience a heart attack or die suddenly than those who are more active, new research suggests.
An analysis of 14 previous heart studies in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that irregular bouts of physical activity can be a trigger for a heart attack or sudden death, while infrequent episodes of sexual activity increased the risk for just heart attacks. No studies looked at the association of sexual activity and sudden cardiac death.
As many as a million acute myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) and 300,000 cardiac arrests occur in the United States each year, according to the study authors.
The researchers found a 3.5 times increased risk of heart attack from episodic physical activity, while sex was associated with a 2.7 times greater risk.

This shouldn’t be a surprise. Too many people subject themselves to bursts of activity when they’re not ready for it, but these things happen in the normal course of life. Things like sex (hopefully) and shoveling the driveway will happen, and yet most people just aren’t in good enough shape. You won’t so these things well, and you might kill yourself in the process.

Get in shape!