One Big Health Nut

1.     Protect your hearing by reducing the volume on your iPod.  If you listen to your iPod at the highest volume for more than five minutes you will eventually suffer hearing loss.  Limit the volume of your iPod to a maximum of 80% of the maximum volume. 

2.     Eat sushi to help maintain a healthy thyroid.  Sushi and other seafoods are rich in iodine.  Iodine is an essential element of the thyroid hormones.  If you do not get enough iodine, you can develop hyperthyroidism. 

3.     Remember to concentrate on your form when performing any exercise.  If you do not complete the exercise correctly, you will not get results.  And you could injure your joints or your muscles.    

4.     Take time to de-stress with a massage or meditation.  Many of us won’t take the time for relaxation because it feels like an indulgence.  But in reality, relaxation is essential to good health and a strong body. 

5.     Avoid fad diets and eat healthier instead.  Add more fruits and vegetables and whole grains to your diet.  Cut out sodas and high calorie coffee drinks.   

 6.     Don’t forget to take pride in your diet and exercise accomplishments.  And don’t berate yourself for slip ups.  Being healthy is a lifestyle. You have your lifetime to get it right.  Don’t expect to always be perfect.  Punishing yourself just makes it harder. 

Bicycling is a popular childhood activity.  In adulthood, it has a lot to offer too.  Riding a bike is an easy exercise alternative.  It is easy in terms of coordination and familiarity. Most people learn to ride a bike as a child.  So you already know how to do it.  The only equipment you need to engage in bicycling is a bike and helmet (for safety).  And you don’t have to go anywhere special to ride your bike.  All you have to do is get on your bike and ride.   

Bicycling for exercise is effective.  You can burn 400 calories for each hour you ride your bike.  The harder you work pedaling, the more calories you will burn.  Bike riding is easier on joints than some other forms of exercise.  Some estimates indicate you could lose at least fifteen pounds just by riding for 24 minutes each day of the week.  Bike riding is also an effective method to reduce your risk of heart disease. 

Varying your exercise routines can help you avoid plateaus and boredom.  Bicycling will help you avoid both.  You can vary the intensity of the exercise by increasing the speed and by changing the terrain you ride on.  Local parks offer bike trails.  Some of them have more than one.  The trails usually have hills that offer resistance when riding.  Bicycling allows you to change scenery when you exercise and gets you outdoors.  You can ride any time of the year.  You don’t have to wait until summer to get fresh air.   

Your recurring New Year’s Resolution to quit smoking has arrived again. The January 1st date is looming. This time you really want to succeed. But in the past, quitting hasn’t been easy for you. You need to realize that quitting smoking may not happen the first time around. Most people quit numerous times before they succeed. Consider each period of time that you succeed in not smoking as a success. It is an accomplishment!

There are many resources available to help you in your quest to quit smoking. A good place to start for help is with your own family doctor. Your doctor may be able to recommend options that are best suited to you. Some doctors can prescribe medication to help. There are many over the counter options also. You can purchase the gum or the patch. Some insurance companies may offer you discounts or help with purchasing these items. Call your insurance carrier to find out what they can offer to you. Some people have even found hypnotists helpful.

If you have already tried all of these options in the past and found they were unable to help you permanently quit smoking, you can try joining an on-line support web site. There are many sites dedicated to helping you quit smoking. The government has an excellent site dedicated to smoking cessation help at www.cdc.gov. This site offers tips and resources to help you finally quit smoking.

In the meantime, to help you get started here are some helpful hints:

• Remove all ashtrays, lighters, matches, and ashtrays from your house, office, and vehicle.

• Be prepared to combat urges by having something available to occupy your mouth and hands. Try gum, toothpicks, or a small stress ball.

• When the urge to smoke overcomes you, try meditation. Close your eyes (if you can) and take several slow, deep breaths in and out until the urge passes. The urge usually only lasts a few moments.

• Write down your reasons for quitting. When you feel like succumbing to an urge pull out the list and read it over.

• Avoid people smoking so that you won’t be tempted.

• Go to places you are not allowed to smoke: malls, movies, stores, etc.

• Avoid engaging in activities that you associate with smoking when you can. If you can’t, have something (like gum) available to help you combat the urge when it comes.

Men and women differ biologically in many ways.  It is not just our anatomy that makes us different.  Men, in general, are built larger than women.  Men also have a higher percentage of lean muscle mass.  And, as luck would have it, men generally require more calories daily.  These basic biological differences affect the ease with which the two genders lose weight.  And if you haven’t already guessed, it is men that have been blessed with the advantage. 

The fact that men are built larger accounts for why the male gender requires more calories each day.  They require more calories just to maintain their weight.  Because men require more calories, when the male gender diet they do not have to restrict their calorie intake as much as women to get results.  This makes the dieting process easier for men, and often more successful, since they have more leeway than women with calorie intake. 

The metabolic rate of a body is primarily determined by the percent of lean muscle on the body.  The higher the percentage of lean muscle on the body, the faster your body burns fat.  Because men’s bodies are naturally comprised of more lean muscle, their metabolisms are higher.  Women’s bodies are built to hold on to fat and store it.  So women have a lower percentage of lean muscle and must work to increase the percentage.    

The advantages are definitely in the male favor.  Men will be able to lose weight faster than women.  Try not to let this fact discourage you if you are a woman.  You still have the ability to successfully lose weight.  But if you and your boyfriend or husband are trying to lose weight together, do not let his successes affect your motivation. 

It’s that time of year again when everyone is making resolutions for the new year.  Among the most popular resolutions are those related to health.  Some people decide to quit smoking.  Some people are determined that this is the year they will lose weight.  Others resolve to become healthier by eating right and exercising regularly.  All of these resolutions are important to living a longer and healthier life.  After all, the quality of the life you are leading is determined by how healthy you are.  

 For those of you who have chosen health related resolutions, it is important to make sure your goals are specific.  It is easier to stick to your resolution if you have devised clear and concise objectives.  For example, instead of just saying you are going to eat right you should say that your goal is to add more fruit to your diet and eat whole grain pastas and breads. Or instead of just saying I’m going to start exercising, you could say that your resolution is to walk or run two miles three days per week.  The more specifically you state your goals, the more likely you will be to implement the resolution.   

Once you have set your new year’s resolutions plan to stick to them for at least thirty days.  Studies have suggested that if you adhere to any diet or exercise program for at least thirty days, you will be less likely to quit.  Planning to continue your resolution for thirty days also gives you a finite goal to look towards.  It is easier to promise yourself thirty days and adhere to your resolution than to just say ‘from now on’.  An ambiguous time can make the resolution seem daunting and may discourage you from pursuing it.